Primordial Era: I am a treasure trove, full of magical treasures.

A century has passed in the blink of an eye.

For mortals, this is the passing of three generations; for cultivators, it is merely a slightly longer period of seclusion; but for the vast chessboard of the primordial world, a hundred years is enough for countless pieces to be settled and for the overall structure to be completely renewed.

Over the past century, the bustling activity of the prehistoric world has never ceased.

The aftershocks of the Demon-Slaying Order continue. Although the number of Heavenly Demons has been greatly reduced, those high-level Heavenly Demons hidden in the shadows still attract countless demon hunters like a treasure trove of merit hanging over the heads of cultivators. The Heavenly Court's merit exchange office has been bustling as ever for the past century, with countless innate spiritual treasures being exchanged, and cultivators who had been stuck at their bottlenecks for many years breaking through their limitations. As a result, the average cultivation level of cultivators throughout the entire prehistoric world has increased by a whole grade in the past hundred years!

The Spirit Crystal system is now fully mature. In the primordial world, all races, regardless of their location, settle transactions using Spirit Crystals. Those stubborn forces that once resisted Spirit Crystals have either been eliminated by history or obediently bowed down and joined the Spirit Crystal system led by the Heavenly Court. The economic lifeline of the Heavenly Court is firmly in Xuanbao's hands.

The Heavenly Court's strength reached an unprecedented peak. In the past century, the number of cultivators registered with the Heavenly Court has basically covered 99% of the cultivators in the prehistoric world, and the number of Quasi-Saints has increased from a dozen or so to over a hundred! Although most of them are newly ascended Quasi-Saints, this combined power is enough to make any force tremble.

Haotian once privately lamented, "Even a sage would have to think twice before taking action against the Heavenly Court now."

Xuanbao simply smiled and remained noncommittal.

He knew that the Heavenly Court's strength was merely a facade. The real threat never lay within the primordial world, but in the depths of boundless chaos. Those lurking Chaos Gods were the true calamities that would destroy the world. Rahu's demonic influence was nothing more than the opening salvo in this grand drama.

However, what made Xuanbao most gratified over the past century was not the strength of the Heavenly Court, but the development of the human race.

Earth Emperor Shennong

Since the Heavenly Emperor Xuancang set the tone for civilization, the human race entered an unprecedented period of rapid development. The rise of the Earthly Emperor Shennong further propelled the human race's civilization to a new peak.

Shennong, born into the Jiangshui tribe, was naturally kind, intelligent, and eager to learn. After being taken in by Xuandu, he did not bury himself in cultivation like ordinary cultivators, but instead devoted more energy to improving the lives of the human race.

He traveled throughout the wilderness, tasting hundreds of herbs, identifying their medicinal properties, and recording their effects. He was poisoned more than seventy times and was on the verge of death several times, but he survived thanks to his indomitable will and the protective spiritual treasure bestowed upon him by Xuandu.

He taught the human race how to cultivate crops, improved farming tools, and nurtured the five grains. He traveled to all the tribes of the human race, teaching them farming methods, enabling them to break free from the primitive state of slash-and-burn agriculture and enter a new era of agricultural civilization.

He established markets and regulated trade, making the flow of goods between different tribes of humanity smoother. He also set up the earliest "medical clinics," training a group of healers to treat the sick and wounded, greatly extending the average lifespan of humanity.

Over the course of a century, Shennong's footprints have covered every corner of the human race. His name has become second only to the Heavenly Emperor Xuancang in the hearts of humankind. His merits in humanity have accumulated like a snowball, eventually resonating with the Heavenly Dao.

On this day, a purple aura stretched 30,000 miles eastward over the Jiangshui tribe!

The boundless primordial energy of merit descended like the Milky Way from the heavens, dyeing the entire sky a brilliant gold! The merit was so concentrated that it almost solidified into a tangible liquid, flowing and swirling in the air before finally transforming into a massive golden pillar of light that crashed into Shennong's body!

"boom--!!!"

Shennong's aura surged! He was originally only at the early stage of Taiyi Golden Immortal, but the moment the merit was poured into his body, he broke through layer after layer of barriers like a hot knife through butter!

Mid-stage Taiyi Golden Immortal... Late-stage Taiyi Golden Immortal... Peak Taiyi Golden Immortal... Daluo Golden Immortal!

Early stage of Great Luo Golden Immortal... Middle stage of Great Luo Golden Immortal... Late stage of Great Luo Golden Immortal... Peak stage of Great Luo Golden Immortal!

Finally, Shennong's aura stabilized at the peak of Quasi-Saint!

Moreover, his merits were not completely consumed, but transformed into a warm, golden halo that hovered behind his head. The halo slowly rotated, emanating a vast aura that brought peace of mind and inspired reverence.

"Earthly Emperor Shennong, your merits are complete!"

The Heavenly Decree resounded throughout the primordial world, and countless powerful beings turned their gazes toward the Jiangshui tribe.

"The Earthly Emperor... has finally succeeded." On Mount Kunlun, Laozi slowly opened his eyes, a relieved smile appearing on his usually calm face.

"Excellent! Excellent!" Tongtian clapped his hands and laughed. "That lad Xuandu, he's got some skill at teaching disciples!"

Yuanshi nodded slightly: "Two of the three emperors of the human race have already been obtained, and the fortune of humanity is becoming increasingly prosperous. When the remaining emperor returns to his position, humanity will be able to stand alongside the Way of Heaven and the Way of Earth."

In the Nuwa Palace, the goddess Nuwa looked at the figure bathed in the golden light of merit, and a gentle smile appeared on her beautiful face: "Good."

The Goddess Houtu stood atop the Netherworld, her gaze piercing through the boundary between Yin and Yang, landing on the golden figure. She whispered, "The Earth Emperor has returned to his throne, and humanity is flourishing. Brother Xuanbao, your plan has taken another step forward."

Xuanbao's satisfaction

The Heavenly Court, the Lingxiao Palace.

Xuanbao sat upright on the imperial throne, his gaze piercing through layers of clouds and mist, landing on the figure bathed in golden light of merit above the Jiangshui tribe, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

"The Earthly Emperor... has finally been made."

He murmured to himself, his tone tinged with a touch of melancholy.

A hundred years is a lifetime for mortals and a snap of the fingers for cultivators, but for Xuanbao, this hundred years is a crucial century for him to lay out his plans for the primordial world and solidify his foundation.

The establishment of the Spirit Crystal system allowed the Heavenly Court to control the economic lifeline of the prehistoric world; the implementation of the Demon Slaying Order earned the Heavenly Court the loyalty and gratitude of countless cultivators; the return of the Earth Emperor made the human world's fortunes more prosperous and also made the Heavenly Court's rule more stable.

Everything was proceeding smoothly and according to his plan.

"Your Majesty," Haotian stepped forward and bowed, "the Earth Emperor has achieved perfect merit. Shall we send someone to congratulate him?"

"Of course I will congratulate you." Xuanbao smiled slightly. "Issue my decree: order the Holy Mother of Yaochi to take the Heavenly Court's congratulatory gifts to the Jiangshui tribe and congratulate the Earth Emperor on the completion of his merits."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Haotian bowed and accepted the order, his eyes filled with admiration.

"Furthermore," Xuanbao paused, his gaze deep, "send a message to Junior Brother Xuandu, asking him to bring Shennong to the Heavenly Court. I have some things I need to tell Shennong in person."

Above the Jiangshui tribe, the golden light of merit slowly receded.

Shennong stood in the void, his aura vast and unfathomable, the golden wheel of merit behind his head slowly rotating, emanating a gentle and sublime Daoist charm. He slowly opened his eyes, and in the depths of those originally gentle and benevolent eyes, there was now a profound and enlightened understanding born from the vicissitudes of life.

He tasted hundreds of herbs, taught farming, established medicine, and set up markets... He traveled to every corner of humanity, witnessed birth, aging, sickness, and death, and experienced joy and sorrow. The insights accumulated over the years were completely sublimated in the moment of the infusion of merit, transforming into the most solid part of his Dao foundation.

"Earthly Emperor..."

"Earthly Emperor!"

"Earthly Emperor!"

Below, countless human beings prostrated themselves on the ground, worshipping the golden figure in the sky. Their voices converged into a sea, carrying the purest reverence and gratitude, soaring straight into the heavens.

Shennong lowered his head, looking at the kneeling people, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He slowly descended, his feet touching the ground again, and reached out to help up an elderly man with white hair: "Old man, please rise. Although I have received merit, my essence is still that of a member of the human race. The position of Earthly Sovereign is not to lord over all people, but to protect them from fire and water."

The old man raised his head, his cloudy eyes filled with tears: "Shennong...you tasted hundreds of herbs for us, were poisoned more than seventy times, and almost lost your life; you taught us to grow the five grains, so we would no longer go hungry; you built a clinic and saved my grandson who was destined to die...you are our second parents!"

Shennong gently patted the old man's shoulder without saying anything more. His gaze swept past the crowd, looking towards the majestic Heavenly Court in the distance, his mind filled with countless thoughts.

Just then, melodious celestial music suddenly filled the sky, accompanied by countless rays of light and auspicious clouds. A magnificent imperial carriage, pulled by nine blue phoenixes, slowly descended from the clouds. Seated atop the carriage was a graceful and dignified celestial being—none other than the Holy Mother of the Jade Pool in Heaven.

"Holy Mother Yaochi of the Heavenly Court, by order of His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor, congratulates the Earthly Emperor Shennong on the completion of his merits!" Yaochi's voice was clear and melodious, carrying a gentle power that soothed the heart. "I hereby present these congratulatory gifts: ten bottles of Nine-Turn Golden Pills, one hundred innate spiritual fruits, and one top-grade innate spiritual treasure, the 'Shennong Cauldron,' to commend the Earthly Emperor's achievements and to comfort him for his suffering."

With a wave of her hand, Yaochi summoned celestial officials behind her, who presented Shennong with a series of radiant treasures. Among them was the "Shennong Cauldron," a piece of jade green with three legs and two handles. Its body was engraved with patterns of plants, birds, beasts, mountains, and rivers, exuding a rich aura of wood and the Dao of creation.

Shennong's gaze fell on the Shennong Cauldron, and a slight thought stirred within him. He could feel a natural affinity between this innate spiritual treasure and himself, as if it had been tailor-made for him.

"Thank you for your generous gift, Your Majesty the Heavenly Emperor." Shennong bowed solemnly towards the Heavenly Court.

Yaochi smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty the Earthly Emperor, His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor has decreed that you and Xuan go to the Heavenly Court together. His Majesty has some words to instruct you in person."

Shennong was taken aback, then nodded: "As you command."

He turned his head, glanced at the Jiangshui tribe behind him, and at the human people who were still kneeling on the ground. A trace of reluctance flashed in his eyes, but more than that, he felt a sense of responsibility and commitment.

"Let's go, because I'm going to see your grandmaster." Xuan Du's figure appeared beside Shennong at some point. He still had that otherworldly and dignified appearance, with a gentle smile on his face.

Shennong bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, Master, for your guidance over the past century."

"We're master and disciple, no need for such formalities." Xuandu waved his hand, a hint of emotion in his eyes. "Let's go, don't keep my senior brother waiting."

Two streaks of light rose from the Jiangshui tribe and flew towards the Thirty-Three Heavens.

The moment Shennong stepped into the Lingxiao Palace, he felt an unprecedented sense of awe.

It wasn't the grandeur of the Lingxiao Palace that impressed him—although he was born into a human tribe, he had followed Xuandu in cultivation for a hundred years and had seen many magnificent sights of immortal caves. What truly awed him was the pervasive, primordial Daoist aura that permeated the Lingxiao Palace.

The aura emanating from it was not aggressive; rather, it was like a gentle spring breeze, nourishing things silently. But it was precisely this gentleness that made the being sitting on the imperial throne all the more unfathomable.

Shennong looked up at the figure on the imperial throne.

Xuanbao wasn't wearing elaborate imperial robes, but only a simple blue Taoist robe, his long hair casually tied up with a wooden hairpin. He looked like an ordinary young Taoist priest, gentle and unremarkable. But Shennong had a strange feeling—as if he wasn't seeing a "person," but a vast and boundless starry sky, an unfathomable abyss, a Tao that encompasses all things.

"Disciple Shennong pays respects to Father God!" Shennong took a deep breath and respectfully performed a grand salute.

"No need for formalities." Xuanbao's voice was gentle and calm, like a clear spring flowing through the heart. "Stand up and speak."

Shennong stood up and stood with his hands at his sides.

Xuanbao scrutinized him, his gaze carrying a hint of examination as well as a hint of satisfaction: "Achieving the peak of Quasi-Saint in a hundred years, your merits are complete, your foundation is solid, and your Dao heart is firm. You have not let down Junior Brother Xuandu's teachings, nor have you let down the expectations of the human race."

Shennong humbly replied, "This disciple dares not presume. Without my master's guidance and the protection of the Father God, how could I be where I am today?"

Xuanbao smiled slightly, not continuing on that topic. He changed the subject, his tone becoming serious: "Shennong, do you know why I summoned you?"

Shennong was taken aback, pondered for a moment, and replied, "Father, are you going to instruct your disciple about the future of the human race?"

"Not bad." Xuanbao stood up, stepped down from the imperial throne, and came before Shennong. "The Heavenly Emperor sets the rules, and the Earthly Emperor nurtures the people. You have done very well, even better than I imagined. Tasting hundreds of herbs, teaching agriculture, establishing medicine, setting up markets... you have laid a solid foundation for the human race."

He paused, his gaze deep: "But this is just the beginning."

Shennong's expression hardened, and he bowed, saying, "Please enlighten me, Father God."

Xuanbao stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze seemingly piercing through the dome of the Lingxiao Palace, looking towards the distant future: "Of the three emperors of the human race, the Heavenly Emperor established the foundation of humanity, the Earthly Emperor nurtured the bodies of all people, and the last human emperor..."

He turned his head and looked at Shennong, his gaze deep and unfathomable: "Human Emperor, you will settle the hearts of the human race."

"Heart?" Shennong was taken aback, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.

"Not bad." Xuanbao paced slowly, his voice like the imperial edict of the Great Dao, echoing in the Lingxiao Palace. "The Heavenly Emperor established rules, giving humankind the form of civilization; the Earthly Emperor nurtured the people, giving humankind the foundation for survival. However, a race that only has form and foundation will ultimately be nothing more than a drifting duckweed, unable to stand firm in the grand game of the primordial world."

He stopped and looked at Shennong: "You tasted hundreds of herbs, taught farming, established medicine, and set up markets. Everything you did was to build a strong 'physique' for the human race. But no matter how strong the physique is, if there is no direction in the heart, it is nothing more than a walking corpse."

Shennong was startled, as if a bolt of lightning had cleaved through the fog that had accumulated in his heart for many years. He recalled the various scenes he had witnessed when he traveled to different tribes of the human race over the years—some people worked diligently in the fields, but did not know why they were farming; some people healed the sick and saved lives, but did not know why they were saving lives; some people followed the rules, but did not know the meaning behind the rules.

Those human people lived well, but they lived in ignorance.

What they lack is precisely the ability to unite people and guide them toward their goals!

"Father God, please enlighten me, how should the heart of this human race be established?" Shennong bowed deeply, his tone filled with unprecedented solemnity.

Xuanbao did not answer directly, but instead asked, "Shennong, when you were tasting hundreds of herbs, did you ever think of giving up?"

Shennong was taken aback, then shook his head: "No. This disciple knows that if we give up, more people will die from mistakenly eating poisonous herbs."

"When you were teaching farming, were you ever discouraged by natural disasters or man-made calamities?"

"No. This disciple knows that if we lose heart, more people will die of hunger."

When you established your medical practice, did you ever hesitate because of difficult or complicated cases?

"Never..."

Xuanbao smiled slightly: "Then do you know what supports you and allows you to persevere in the face of countless difficulties?"

Shennong was stunned.

He had never thought about this question. In those years, he only felt that he should do it, had to do it, and would feel guilty if he didn't. As for why he should do it, or why he had to do it, he never delved into it.

"Is it... responsibility?" Shennong answered tentatively.

"Responsibility is one aspect," Xuanbao nodded, then shook his head. "But the word 'responsibility' is too broad. Why do you feel responsible for humanity? And where does your responsibility to humanity come from?"

Shennong remained silent for a long time, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration and blurted out, "Because...we are of the same kind!"

"Excellent!" A glint of approval flashed in Xuanbao's eyes. "Because they are of the same race, they cannot bear their suffering; because they are of the same race, they are willing to shoulder their responsibilities; because they are of the same race, they are willing to give everything for them. This sense of identity, belonging, and responsibility towards their race—that is the embryonic form of the heart!"

His voice suddenly rose: "The heart of humanity is to ensure that every human being clearly knows—who am I? Where did I come from? Why do I live? What is my relationship with those around me? What is the meaning of everything I do?"

"When every human being can answer these questions, the soul of humanity will be truly established!"

Shennong was deeply moved, feeling as if a clear light had suddenly appeared before him. He seemed to see a completely new path, a path different from the Heavenly Emperor's rules and the Earthly Emperor's nurturing of the people—a path that forged the heart of humankind!

"Disciple understands!" Shennong took a deep breath, his eyes shining with unwavering determination. "The Human Emperor's mission is to forge the hearts of the human race! To ensure that every human being can find their roots, recognize their path, and understand their meaning!"

"Good." Xuanbao nodded in satisfaction. "You understand this, and my expectations over the past hundred years have not been in vain."

Shennong took a deep breath and bowed solemnly to Xuanbao: "Disciple understands. Thank you for your guidance, Father God."

"It's good that you understand." Xuanbao nodded. "However, there's no rush. You've just achieved perfect merit and need to stabilize your realm and digest what you've gained. It's not too late to think about these issues after you've completely stabilized your realm."

"Your disciple obeys," Shennong replied.

Xuanbao then turned to Xuandu: "Junior Brother Xuandu, you deserve much credit for Shennong's teachings."

Xuandu quickly replied, "Senior Brother, you flatter me. It is my honor to teach Shennong."

Xuanbao smiled slightly and said nothing more. He waved his hand: "Alright, you may go. Shennong, remember what I said today."

"This disciple will remember!" Shennong bowed and left the Lingxiao Palace with Xuandu.