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

When Chi You emerged from the stone house where the Xuanbao statue was enshrined, the night wind was strong, blowing the stray hairs on his forehead. Standing in the moonlight, he took a deep breath of the air, which was filled with the scent of grass, trees, and earth, and felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his heart.

Since the Father God already knows everything, he has nothing to fear.

He strode back to his dwelling, encountering several patrolling tribesmen along the way who all bowed to him. Chi You nodded in response to each one, his expression unchanged, revealing no sign of anything amiss. Only he knew that at that moment, he was rapidly calculating his next move.

"If we're going to put on an act, then we should do it convincingly." Chi You lay on the stone bed covered with animal hides, gazing at the beams in the roof, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips. "You want me to vie for the throne of the Human Emperor? Then I'll show you. Not only will I vie, but I'll vie spectacularly, so that the entire prehistoric world will know—I, Chi You, am ambitious and unwilling to be second to anyone."

He closed his eyes and began to sketch out his next plan in his mind.

The first step, naturally, is to heed the advice of those affected subordinates and demonstrate a desire for the throne. The second step is to continue annexing surrounding smaller tribes, strengthening the Jiuli's power. The third step—waiting for those people to come to them.

He believed that day was not far off.

Sure enough, just a few days later, the Jiuli tribe welcomed a special guest.

It was an old monk dressed in a gray robe, his face withered and his body thin, as if a gust of wind could blow him away. But his eyes were unusually bright, as if they contained some kind of wisdom that could see into people's hearts. He held a tin staff and walked calmly into the territory of the Jiuli tribe.

The patrolling soldiers stopped him and questioned him about his origins. The old monk put his hands together and chanted a Buddhist prayer: "Amitabha, this humble monk comes from the Western Vulture Peak and has important business to discuss with the noble leader Chi You."

"The Western Spirit Mountain?" The patrolling warriors exchanged bewildered glances. They had naturally heard of the Western Sect. But the Western Sect had no prior dealings with the Jiuli tribe. What was the purpose of this old monk's sudden visit?

"Let him in."

A deep and majestic voice came from the depths of the tribe. The patrolling warriors quickly made way—it was the voice of Chi You.

The old monk smiled slightly and stepped into the Jiuli tribe.

Chi You received the old monk in the council hall. He sat high in the main seat, his bare upper body bulging with muscles, a huge battle axe hanging at his waist, his eyes piercing as he sized up the seemingly frail old monk before him.

"Are you from the West?" Chi You asked bluntly, his tone neither polite nor rude.

"This humble monk is Maitreya, sent by the Buddha to pay homage to Chief Chiyou." The old monk clasped his hands together and bowed slightly.

"Maitreya?" Chi You raised an eyebrow. "Never heard of him. What are you Westerners doing here on my human territory? I don't have any Buddhist scriptures for you to spread."

Maitreya smiled slightly, not caring about Chi You's attitude, and slowly said, "This humble monk's trip is not for preaching, but to bestow a great fortune upon Chief Chi You."

"A great fortune?" Chi You scoffed. "What great fortune? Tell me about it."

Maitreya's gaze swept over the generals in the hall, but he hesitated to speak.

Chi You understood and waved his hand, "You may all step back."

Although the generals were curious, they dared not disobey orders and left the hall. Only Chi You and Maitreya remained in the hall.

"Can you tell me now?" Chi You leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and looked nonchalant.

Maitreya spoke slowly, his voice deep and carrying a strange rhythm: "Chi You, are you familiar with the legend of the Three Sovereigns of Humanity?"

Chi You's heart stirred, but his face remained impassive: "I've heard a little about it. The Heavenly Emperor Xuan Cang, the Earthly Emperor Shen Nong, and there is also a Human Emperor who has not yet ascended to the throne. What, does your Western Sect also have an interest in this Human Emperor's position?"

"It's not that the Western Religion is interested, but this humble monk believes that Leader Chi You is the best candidate for the Human Emperor." Maitreya's voice carried a seductive power. "Leader Chi You, you possess extraordinary talent, cultivating to the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm in a hundred years, ruling over the Nine Li tribes, and your power resounds throughout the southwest. In terms of strength, prestige, and achievements, in what way are you inferior to that newborn child? The throne of the Human Emperor should rightfully be yours!"

Chi You remained silent for a moment, his eyes flickering as if he were seriously considering Maitreya's words. After a long while, he slowly spoke: "What you said... does make some sense."

A hint of joy flashed in Maitreya's eyes, and he pressed his advantage, saying, "Chief Chiyou, if you are willing, the West is willing to do everything in its power to help you ascend to the throne of the Human Emperor! At that time, you will lead the human race and be revered by all. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Chi You did not answer immediately. Instead, he stood up, walked to the window, and looked into the distance. His shadow stretched long in the dim light, like a silent mountain.

After a long silence, he turned around and looked intently at Maitreya: "What does your Western religion want?"

Maitreya smiled slightly: "The Western Religion does not ask for much. It only hopes that after Chief Chiyou ascends to the throne of the Human Emperor, he will respect Buddhism and spread our scriptures widely in the human world, so that all humankind will know the compassion of the Western Religion."

Chi You was silent for a moment, then suddenly grinned and said, "Deal."

He extended his hand and made a vow with Maitreya.

At that moment, Chi You sneered inwardly: "They've come after all. The Western Sect, Rahu... Do you think I, Chi You, am so easily fooled?"

Little did they know that in the original timeline, Chi You still embarked on the path to become the Human Emperor. However, in this life, due to the Xuanbao, he was forced to take the path of becoming the Human Emperor.

Maitreya was also pleased with himself: "The sage was right. This Chi You is indeed a simple-minded, physically strong brute. He took the bait with just a little provocation."

Both had their own thoughts, but they both showed satisfied smiles.

Since Maitreya left that day, the Jiuli tribe has begun a series of noteworthy actions.

Chi You first convened a tribal assembly, where he announced a momentous decision in front of all his people: "From this day forward, the Jiuli tribe will no longer remain confined to a corner of the land! We will venture out, annex the surrounding tribes, and strengthen our power! We will let the entire prehistoric world know—the Jiuli tribe is not a lamb to the slaughter! We will become the strongest tribe among humankind!"

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up huge waves in the Jiuli tribe.

Those generals who were affected naturally cheered and wholeheartedly supported their leader. As for the tribesmen who were not affected, although they had some doubts, they were also inspired and filled with enthusiasm by their leader's ambition.

The order to expand the army was quickly relayed.

The Jiuli tribe was known for its fierce and warlike people, who were half-human and half-shaman, and revered martial prowess. At Chiyou's command, all adult men were incorporated into the army and trained day and night. Weapons originally used for hunting were reforged and polished, becoming deadly weapons. Simple but practical armories were built throughout the tribe, with the clanging of blacksmiths echoing day and night.

Chi You personally served as the chief instructor, leading his soldiers in daily drills. He imparted not only combat skills, but also a fearless and indomitable fighting spirit. He often said, "On the battlefield, there are only two kinds of people—the living and the dead. If you don't want to die, you have to be more ruthless than others!"

In just a few years, the military strength of the Jiuli tribe expanded several times over.

Immediately afterwards, Chi You began his expansionist campaign.

In the wild and untamed southwestern lands, numerous tribes of varying sizes existed. Some of these tribes submitted to the Jiuli, some were hostile to them, and some remained neutral. Chi You's strategy was simple: those who submit to me prosper, those who oppose me perish.

He first sent envoys to the small tribes bordering the Jiuli, demanding their submission. Those willing to submit could retain a degree of autonomy, but they had to pay tribute to the Jiuli and accept their commands. Those unwilling to submit—Chi You personally led a large army and crushed them with thunderous force. Of course, Chi You did not indiscriminately kill innocent people, but only selected a few to be killed.

In just three years, the Jiuli tribe annexed dozens of surrounding tribes, large and small, expanding its territory several times over and increasing its population by 300 million. Chi You's fearsome reputation spread throughout the entire southwest region, and even the human tribes in the heart of the Central Plains began to hear the name of this "Overlord of Jiuli".

Those tribes that were annexed were gradually assimilated under Chi You's iron-fisted rule. Although Chi You was brutal, he was not indiscriminate in his killing. He would treat those tribes that were willing to submit with certain preferential treatment, and would even promote talented individuals among them and entrust them with important responsibilities. This combination of kindness and severity increased the cohesion of the Jiuli tribe.

At the same time, Chi You did not forget to "make allies".

He dispatched envoys with lavish gifts to the territories of ancient races such as the Dragon Clan, Phoenix Clan, and Qilin Clan to express goodwill and seek alliances. Although these ancient races did not immediately agree to an alliance with him, they did not reject his goodwill either, maintaining a wait-and-see attitude.

Chi You's rise naturally attracted the attention of various forces.

The Heavenly Court, the Lingxiao Palace.

Haotian stood before Xuanbao, his expression grave as he reported the latest developments of the Jiuli tribe: "Your Majesty, the Jiuli tribe's expansion is too rapid. In just one year, they have annexed dozens of tribes in the southwest region, amassing an army of tens of millions, and their momentum is overwhelming. Moreover, according to our scouts, Chi You seems to have made contact with those two in the west..."

"The West." Xuanbao put down the jade slip in his hand, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips. "In the end, he couldn't resist."

Haotian said anxiously, "Your Majesty, are we just going to let Chi You expand like this? If he continues to grow stronger, he might pose a threat to the Human Emperor!"

"What's the rush?" Xuanbao picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said leisurely, "Chi You's expansion may not necessarily be a bad thing."

Haotian was taken aback: "Your Majesty means..."

"The stronger Chi You becomes, the stronger the sense of crisis among the human race. The stronger their sense of crisis, the more they need a strong leader to guide them." Xuan Bao put down his teacup, his gaze deep. "That child Xuan Yuan is only five years old this year, isn't he? He needs time to grow and needs to be tempered. And Chi You is the best whetstone."

Haotian seemed to be deep in thought: "Does Your Majesty intend to... force Chi You to unite the human race and force Xuanyuan to grow rapidly?"

"That's right." Xuanbao nodded. "Flowers in a greenhouse can't withstand the wind and rain. If Xuanyuan wants to become a true human emperor, he must go through hardships. The threat of Chiyou is his best test."

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked southwest: "Moreover... Chi You, this chess piece, may not really be in someone else's hands."

Haotian was taken aback and was about to ask further, but Xuanbao waved his hand: "You only need to keep a close eye on Jiuli's movements and report to me in a timely manner. I will take care of the rest."

Although Haotian had doubts, he dared not ask any more questions and bowed as he withdrew.

Meanwhile, deep within Mount Ling, Rahu was also keeping a close eye on Chiyou's movements.

The mirror reflected the bustling military training of the Jiuli tribe. Chi You, shirtless and wielding a massive battle axe, was fighting more than ten generals on the training ground. His movements were agile, his axe swings powerful and forceful, each strike carrying immense power, forcing the generals to retreat. Finally, with a single sweeping blow, he sent all ten-odd men flying, crashing to the ground in disarray.

A deafening cheer erupted on the training ground.

"well!"

"Our leader is mighty!"

Chi You put away his battle axe and laughed heartily, his laughter filled with confidence and pride.

Looking at the scene in the mirror, Luo Hou smiled with satisfaction: "Not bad, this Chi You is quite a promising talent. In just a few years, he has developed the Jiuli tribe to such a scale; he certainly has some skill."

Jieyin stood to the side, hands clasped together, and said in a deep voice, "Senior has discerning eyes. Chi You is indeed a good pawn. However... his expansion is so rapid, won't it arouse the Heavenly Court's suspicion?"

"So what if he's vigilant?" Luo Hou sneered. "Does that brat, the Heavenly Emperor, dare to directly intervene? The struggle for the Human Emperor's throne is an internal affair of the human race. If he were to intervene directly, he would be interfering with the workings of humanity and would inevitably suffer a backlash from the Heavenly Dao. He wouldn't dare."

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "Besides... the more vigilant he is, the more it shows he cares. The more he cares, the more likely he is to make a mistake."

Jieyin nodded thoughtfully.

"Keep an eye on Chi You," Luo Hou instructed. "Once he grows a bit stronger, we can begin the next phase of our plan."

"Yes," the guide replied, bowing.

Luo Hou's gaze returned to the burly figure reflected in the mirror, a cold smile playing on his lips: "Xuan Bao, you little brat... you think that just because you've ruined my grand plan, I can't do anything to you?"

"Hehe... the show has only just begun."

Meanwhile, far to the southwest, Chi You was in his residence, quietly reporting the situation to the statue of the Mysterious Treasure.

"Father God, everything is proceeding according to plan. The Western Religion has taken the bait; they think I have been persuaded and are fully supporting my expansion. The tribes I have annexed have all been settled. Those who were willing to submit have been treated well; those who were unwilling to submit have only been dealt with as examples, and the rest have submitted."

He paused, then scratched his head somewhat sheepishly: "It's just... I might have been a bit too ruthless; I killed some people. Father God, you won't blame me, will you?"

From within the statue came Xuanbao's voice, tinged with laughter: "Those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles. You did very well; there's no need to blame yourself."

Xuanbao naturally wouldn't blame him. To be honest, the current population is indeed quite chaotic. Each tribe leader is like a local emperor, firmly controlling the life and death of their tribe. Since everyone cultivates, their age is in the tens of thousands, and the entire human race is like a stagnant pool. It's a good thing that Chiyou, this variable, broke this shackle.

Chi You grinned: "That's good. By the way, Father God, what should I do next?"

"Continue to expand, continue to grow stronger. But be careful not to cause too much panic." Xuanbao's voice became serious. "Also, you need to start paying attention to someone."

"Who?"

"Xuanyuan".

Chi You was taken aback: "The Human Emperor?"

"Indeed." Xuanbao's voice carried a deeper meaning. "Although he is young, he is destined for greatness, and his growth rate will far exceed your imagination. You should keep a close eye on his movements, but do not clash with him too early. When he has grown up, that will be the time for you to truly confront him."

Chi You nodded: "Chi You understands."

"There's one more thing," Xuanbao's voice suddenly turned serious, "You must handle those generals around you who have been affected carefully. Don't let them realize that you already know the truth, and don't give them any opportunity to harm you."

Chi You's heart skipped a beat: "Chi You understands. I will be careful."

"Very good." Xuanbao's voice returned to its gentle tone. "Don't worry, I will protect you from the shadows. Just go ahead and do it."

"Thank you, Father God!" Chi You bowed deeply.

The golden light slowly dissipated, and the statue returned to its original appearance.

Chi You stood up, his eyes gleaming with determination.