Primordial Era: Becoming the Great Emperor of Humanity from the Start

Chapter 104 The Path to Sainthood! (Two Chapters Combined)

As Emperor Fuxi ascended to the Fire Cloud Cave to forever suppress the fate of the human race, under the workings of heaven, Emperor Shennong was about to descend to earth.

At the same time, within the Six Paths of Reincarnation, the Ancestral Witch Houtu flicked her finger, and one of the eight drops of essence blood deep within the Six Paths of Reincarnation went towards the human realm within the Six Paths of Reincarnation.

Reincarnated as Emperor Fuxi, Jiang Heng needed him to transform into Fuxi's primordial spirit in order to legitimately deceive the Heavenly Dao and the Dao Ancestor Hongjun.

Reincarnation as the Earthly Sovereign Shennong doesn't require such complexity. With the Ancestral Witch Houtu controlling the Six Paths of Reincarnation, it's naturally an easy matter.

Shennong's reincarnated body still needs some time before it can be born, but at this time, the sage Nuwa visits the Fire Cloud Cave.

It was only natural that the Sage Nuwa would come to congratulate her brother, who had successfully attained enlightenment and become the Emperor of Humanity, enjoying boundless merits for the human race.

However, both Jiang Heng and Nuwa knew in their hearts that this Fuxi was not the same Fuxi, so Nuwa's visit was not so simple.

When the sage Nuwa visited the Fire Cloud Cave, Jiang Heng and he, who had transformed into Fuxi, naturally went out to greet her and welcomed her into the Fire Cloud Cave.

Looking at Jiang Heng and his transformation into Fuxi before her, the sage Nuwa's expression was quite subtle. After a long while, she finally spoke:

"Fellow Daoist's methods are simply miraculous! Even I cannot detect anything unusual!"

Although she reached a deal with Jiang Heng, Nuwa, the sage, actually had some reservations about Jiang Heng transforming into Fuxi.

After all, even a sage cannot deceive Heaven in the face of its near-omnipotent power, let alone Jiang Heng, who is only a quasi-sage.

But the truth told the sage Nuwa that Jiang Heng's methods were indeed heaven-defying. He transformed into Fuxi, became the emperor of the human race, and even deceived the Heavenly Dao and the Dao Ancestor.

At this moment, even as Fuxi's sister, Nuwa could not see a single flaw in Jiang Heng's disguise.

That is why Nuwa addressed Jiang Hengping as "fellow Daoist" with genuine respect, signifying that she had already established a close relationship with him.

Throughout the entire primordial world, how many beings can interact with a sage on equal footing? Below the sage, all are but ants—is this not an empty saying?

"Your Majesty flatters me! These are just minor tricks, hardly worthy of a grand occasion! May I ask what brings Your Majesty here?" Jiang Heng said.

Nuwa, the sage, could take the initiative to interact with Jiang Heng as an equal, but a sage is a sage after all, and Jiang Heng would not become blindly arrogant because of this.

Moreover, Jiang Heng always maintained sufficient respect for the sage Nuwa. The fact that Nuwa created humankind alone is a cause and effect that all humankind can never erase.

"I will not hide it from you, I have come here again for the sake of my brother Fuxi's attainment of enlightenment!" said the sage Nuwa.

Although she had already made a deal with Jiang Heng, Nuwa still harbored some doubts about what Jiang Heng had said.

It wasn't until Jiang Heng truly deceived the Heavenly Dao and Dao Ancestor Hongjun, transforming into Fuxi and achieving the Dao Fruit of the Human Race Emperor, that the Sage Nuwa was truly at ease.

This is normal. Rather, since she couldn't witness Jiang Heng's abilities firsthand, how could the sage Nuwa allow her brother Fuxi to take such a risk so easily?

"The Primordial Purple Qi is the foundation for attaining enlightenment; Your Majesty should know this better than anyone! With such a supreme treasure, what is Your Majesty still worried about?"

Jiang Heng naturally knew what Nuwa was planning, but since his deal with Nuwa was already done, why would he easily give in?

"The Primordial Purple Qi is indeed the foundation for becoming a saint, but to become a saint, having only the Primordial Purple Qi is not enough!" The saint Nuwa shook her head and said.

Nuwa's words were not without merit. If having the foundation of primordial chaos was enough to become a saint, then the old ancestor Hongyun would have become a saint long ago.

"It's definitely not enough. The path to sainthood is so difficult! I'm still groping in the dark, and I don't even know where the road leads!" Jiang Heng sighed.

This statement is not a lie. Although Jiang Heng found a path from countless possibilities in the future, it does not mean that Jiang Heng can succeed 100%.

One wrong move, and even with all of Jiang Heng's schemes and the system's assistance, he will still perish.

There's no other reason than that Jiang Heng was facing Dao Ancestor Hongjun, the supreme Heavenly Dao, who was not someone to be trifled with.

"Don't keep me in suspense. In our original deal, you promised to do everything in your power to help me help Fuxi achieve enlightenment!" said the Sage Nuwa.

"Of course I remember this matter. Since the Holy Mother has brought it up, I also have something I need to ask the Holy Mother first!"

"Does Your Majesty remember when the Dao Ancestor preached in Zixiao Palace and accepted the current Six Sages as his disciples?" Jiang Heng asked.

"Of course I remember! When you mentioned this, was it related to Fuxi's attainment of enlightenment?" the sage Nuwa asked with some doubt.

"Of course there is some connection. The Holy Mother should remember that the Dao Ancestor took the Holy Mother and the other six saints as his disciples and bestowed upon each of them the Primordial Purple Qi."

"But why did the Dao Ancestor only accept six personal disciples, yet there are seven strands of Primordial Purple Qi?" Jiang Heng asked.

"As our teacher once said, the Great Dao is fifty, and the Heavenly Evolution is forty-nine! That seventh strand of Primordial Purple Qi is the one that has escaped, and it should become a variable!" said the Sage Nuwa.

"Variable! The Heavenly Dao is supreme and controls the fate of all living beings. Does the Holy Mother really believe that the Dao Ancestor would allow one of them to escape, which is a variable?" Jiang Heng said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, a hint of doubt appeared on the face of the sage Nuwa. Upon closer examination, there were indeed some illogical points in it.

"Could it be that there's some explanation for that seventh primordial purple aura?" the Sage Nuwa asked again.

"The Holy Mother should have personally inspected it, and there is nothing wrong with the seventh primordial purple aura. The problem is who could use it to become a saint."

The Dao Ancestor once said that there should be six sages under the Heavenly Dao, but in the current primordial world, there are seven sages!

"Has Your Majesty ever considered whether there is a limit to the number of saints? Is there only so many, or could there be more?" Jiang Heng asked.

The sage Nuwa never expected to hear such astonishing words from the mouth of this human.

The six sages had their doubts about what Jiang Heng said. However, because it was the Dao Ancestor who spoke, the six sages dared not, and could not, question it.

However, after Houtu became the seventh saint under the Heavenly Dao, the other six saints probably had more doubts about becoming saints.

It's a very simple principle: since Houtu Zuwu was able to defy what Daozu Hongjun once said and become the seventh saint under the Heavenly Dao, can't others do the same?

The main reason why the Sage Nuwa agreed to the deal with Jiang Heng was that the Ancestral Witch Houtu became the seventh sage under the Heavenly Dao.

It was precisely because of the deviation in what the Dao Ancestor Hongjun said that Nuwa saw hope, and her brother Fuxi saw hope of becoming a saint.

Just as Jiang Heng said, even if one becomes the Emperor of the Human Race and enjoys the boundless fortune of the Human Race, one is still trapped in the Fire Cloud Cave. How can that compare to becoming a saint?

"Upon careful consideration, there are indeed many unreasonable aspects to this matter, but the truth is not something we can pursue!" said the Sage Nuwa.

"Then let's see why the Holy Mother and the other six saints were able to become saints. Or rather, why were the Holy Mother and the other six saints the ones who became saints!" Jiang Heng said with a smile.

The Sage Nuwa was once again shocked by Jiang Heng's words. Since becoming a sage, she had never thought about these things.

Logically speaking, when the Dao Ancestor preached at Zixiao Palace, he was already a sage. With the abilities of a sage, it would not be difficult for him to deduce the secrets of heaven.

Although many beings came to Zixiao Palace to listen to the Dao, the Dao Ancestor must have already decided which six to accept as disciples.

With the abilities of a sage, it would be an easy task for him to take Nuwa and the other six sages as his personal disciples without leaving a trace.

In other words, the positions of the Six Sages had already been decided before the Dao Ancestor preached at Zixiao Palace; the rest was just a formality.

"Senior Brother Sanqing is the transformation of Pangu's primordial spirit, possessing the merits of creating the world, and should rightfully become a saint!" said the saint Nuwa.

"The primordial world was created by the great god Pangu, and it is only natural that the Three Pure Ones, as the transformations of Pangu's primordial spirit, attained the position of saints!"

"Has Your Majesty ever considered whether the Three Pure Ones could have achieved sainthood on their own without the Dao Ancestor Hongjun? I'm afraid they could have!" Jiang Heng said.

The Sage Nuwa nodded; Jiang Heng was right. In the primordial world, if even the Three Pure Ones could not become saints, then it was even more impossible for other beings.

"Then why was I able to become a saint? Is it because I created the human race?" the saint Nuwa asked in confusion.

In terms of aptitude, the Three Pure Ones are naturally superior to the Sage Nuwa. Even the demons Di Jun and Taiyi are superior to Nuwa in both aptitude and background.

As for the creation of humankind, the sage Nuwa thought carefully and realized that if it were a different disciple of the Dao Ancestor, the human race might not necessarily be impossible to create.

But why did the Dao Ancestor take Nuwa as his disciple? Was it all a coincidence, or was it all preordained?

"Holy Mother, there is no need to belittle yourself. In my opinion, it was inevitable that you would become a saint!" Jiang Heng said.

"Oh? What do you mean by that?" the sage Nuwa asked, quite puzzled.

"Does the Holy Mother really believe that anyone can create the human race? Looking at the powerful beings of that primordial era, who among them comprehended the Dao of Life?"

The Holy Mother did indeed attain sainthood by creating humanity, but apart from her, no other powerful being could create humanity, not even the Dao Ancestor!

Jiang Heng's words were carefully considered. When he embarked on the path to sainthood, he had thoroughly studied the paths to sainthood of the Six Saints.

Rather than saying that Dao Ancestor Hongjun chose the current six sages, it would be more accurate to say that Dao Ancestor had no choice but to choose the current six sages and take them as his disciples.

The Three Pure Ones need no further explanation. Even without the Dao Ancestor, it shouldn't be difficult for them to become saints; it's just a matter of time.

Nuwa may not seem to have anything special about her, but there must have been a reason why Dao Ancestor Hongjun chose her.

Creating life seems simple; even the Lord of the Styx was able to emulate the saint Nuwa and create the Asura race.

However, only the Sage Nuwa possessed the ability to create beings that conformed to the great trend of Heaven, and everything stemmed from the Dao that the Sage Nuwa comprehended.

The Great Dao of Life! Of all the countless living beings in the primordial world, only the Sage Nuwa comprehended this Great Dao and cultivated it to the Quasi-Sage realm.

Only the Great Dao of Life could create such incredible beings as humanity. Otherwise, how could humanity have become the protagonist of heaven and earth?

As for the Lord of the Styx, he was merely imitating others; the Asura race he created had inherently huge flaws.

Therefore, it was not by becoming a direct disciple of Dao Ancestor Hongjun and being bestowed with the Primordial Purple Qi that Nuwa was able to become a saint.

Rather, it was because of the Great Dao of Life that the Sage Nuwa comprehended that Heaven had no choice but to select the Sage Nuwa; this was an inevitable event.

"Then why were the two Western Saints able to become saints?" the saint Nuwa inquired.

Since becoming a saint, Nuwa has never had so many questions. The composure that belongs to a saint has long been put behind her.

Many things are like this; if you look at them from a different perspective, you'll discover a completely different world.

Jiang Heng was able to deduce some of the truths about the Six Saints' ascension to sainthood from the established future because he knew the future direction of the primordial world.

"The Two Saints of the West? According to the Dao Ancestor, when he and the Demon Ancestor Rahu were vying for the opportunity to become saints, they fought fiercely in the West."

The West was thus shattered, and its spiritual veins were nearly severed. As a result, the Dao Ancestor owed the West a karmic debt!

"The two Western Saints are beings born from the West. To repay their karmic debts, they made Zhunti and Jieyin become saints!" Jiang Heng said.

"Is it really just to repay the karmic debt to the West?" the Sage Nuwa asked uncertainly.

"If we're really being serious, not everything the Dao Ancestor said was entirely false. When he was preaching at Zixiao Palace, Dao Ancestor Hongjun was already about to merge with the Dao."

To achieve harmony with the Dao, one must resolve all karmic debts, including those in the West, so that the Dao Ancestor can wholeheartedly unite with the Dao!

"But the key to the enlightenment of Jieyin and Zhunti lies in the path they comprehended. The teachings of the Western Sect are actually most adept at educating sentient beings!" Jiang Heng said.

If it were merely to settle karmic debts, there would be no shortage of beings on the Western Lands. The most outstanding ones would indeed be Jieyin and Zhunti, but the Dao Ancestor could choose other beings.

The key lies in the Tao that Jieyin and Zhunti comprehended. The Western religion's doctrine of not seeking this life but only cultivating the next life is extremely suitable for teaching sentient beings.

Or to put it another way, the doctrines of Western religions are actually particularly suitable for educating humankind, so how could they not be noticed by the Way of Heaven?

Otherwise, the great Journey to the West in later generations, the eastward spread of Buddhism, and the subsequent flourishing of Western religions were not without reason.

Looking at how the human race's strength was completely reduced after the Great Tribulation of Journey to the West, and how they were utterly reduced to puppets under the Heavenly Dao, we can understand a thing or two.

Therefore, the reason why the six saints became saints was because they each had their own reasons for becoming saints, and it was not because of any coincidence.

"Then how did Houtu become a saint?" the saint Nuwa continued to ask.

"Houtu is the one who truly vanished. The reason why there are seven strands of Primordial Purple Qi is not without reason!" Jiang Heng said.

The Way of Heaven is impartial and selfless, and this is not wrong. Therefore, before the Dao Ancestor Hongjun merged with the Dao, the Way of Heaven's choices were always in a direction that benefited the primordial world.

According to Jiang Heng's guess, the seventh wisp of Primordial Purple Qi should have belonged to Houtu Ancestral Witch, and would have helped Houtu Ancestral Witch open the cycle of reincarnation.

The establishment of reincarnation was extremely important to the primordial world, so it was only natural that Houtu, the ancestral witch, became a saint of the earth and was in charge of the six paths of reincarnation.

However, while the Heavenly Dao is impartial and selfless, Dao Ancestor Hongjun may have selfish motives, as can be seen from the ownership of the seventh Primordial Purple Qi.

If aided by the Primordial Purple Qi, when Houtu Ancestral Witch transforms into a being of reincarnation, she will immediately attain the complete and flawless realm of a sage.

Without the Primordial Purple Qi, Houtu Ancestral Witch's transformation into the cycle of reincarnation would be a path to death. Being able to retain a trace of her primordial spirit would be a stroke of luck.

When Houtu Ancestral Witch transformed into a being of reincarnation, the reason why Jiang Heng did not hand over the Primordial Purple Qi to Houtu Ancestral Witch was actually quite simple.

At that time, Dao Ancestor Hongjun had already merged with the Dao, and from that moment on, the Heavenly Dao had become selfish. The Primordial Purple Qi was more of a curse than a blessing for Houtu Ancestral Witch.

Therefore, Jiang Heng said that Houtu Ancestral Witch was one who escaped, because Houtu Ancestral Witch's attainment of sainthood was not within the plan of Dao Ancestor Hongjun at all.

It was only because Dao Ancestor Hongjun could not bear the consequences of the collapse of the Six Paths of Reincarnation after killing Houtu Ancestral Witch.

Left with no other choice, Dao Ancestor Hongjun could only make Houtu the seventh saint under the Heavenly Dao and impose a series of restrictions on her.

Of course, these words concerned Jiang Heng's deepest secrets, which he could not reveal to the Sage Nuwa.

"After saying all this, you still haven't told me how Fuxi should attain enlightenment!" said the sage Nuwa.

"After saying so much, I just want to tell the Holy Mother that the number of saints is not fixed. It's just that there can only be seven saints in the prehistoric world right now."

"When the time is right, the opportunity for a new saint to be born will naturally arise. Your Majesty, there is no need to rush!" Jiang Heng said.

"When will the opportunity for a new sage to be born be presented?" Nuwa, the sage, pressed on relentlessly.

"Every great calamity of heaven and earth should allow one being to attain sainthood, but the current situation in the primordial world is somewhat unusual."

Only one being can become a saint in each great calamity of heaven and earth. This is a rule set by the Heavenly Dao, but it has now been completely broken.

At the time of the creation of the world, Pangu should have become a Great Saint, but for the sake of the primordial world, he chose to transform himself into all things.

This legacy was attributed to the Three Pure Ones, and the Great Dao Saint was far superior to the Heavenly Dao Saint.

Therefore, the Three Pure Ones could become saints without undergoing a great calamity, which can be considered as a reward from Heaven for Pangu's creation of the world.

The second great calamity in the primordial world was the Dragon-Han Calamity, in which Dao Ancestor Hongjun finally defeated Demon Ancestor Rahu and attained the position of Sage.

The third great calamity in the primordial world was the Wu-Yao Calamity. In this calamity, the one who should have truly attained enlightenment was the sage Nuwa.

Nuwa's creation of humans was the inevitable trend of Heaven. Only after the emergence of the human race could the trend of Heaven continue to advance, leading to the current flourishing of the human race.

Zhunti and Jieyin should not have attained enlightenment during the Lich War, as can be seen from the fact that they established the Western Religion but could not become saints.

Only during the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods can Jieyin become a saint. Only during the Great Tribulation of Journey to the West can Zhunti also achieve the position of saint.

But who could blame the two saints, Jieyin and Zhunti, for being so eccentric as to come up with the idea of ​​becoming a saint through borrowing money?

By making a grand vow, he actually borrowed boundless merit from the Heavenly Dao, thus becoming a saint in one fell swoop.

Fortunately, Jieyin and Zhunti were destined to become saints, so borrowing to become saints was just equivalent to bringing forward the time when they became saints.

The Sage Jieyin attained sainthood one kalpa ahead of schedule, and the Sage Zhunti attained sainthood two kalpas ahead of schedule. Naturally, this came at a great cost.

The price that the two saints, Zhunti and Jieyin, had to pay was to fulfill their great vows and repay the endless karmic debts owed to Heaven.

Otherwise, the two saints, Zhunti and Jieyin, would not have been so eager to make Western religion flourish.

It's because they owe the Heavenly Dao too much karma. If the two saints, Zhunti and Jieyin, don't work hard, they might very well fall from their sainthood.

Therefore, after the Great Tribulation of Journey to the West, in the next Great Tribulation of Heaven and Earth, new beings in the primordial world should attain the position of saint.

The sage treads upon Yingzhao, the spark of humanity spreads, all under heaven share the same land, the sun rises in the east, turning everything red, and the calamity of the end times for immortals is about to begin!

This should have been the seventh saint under the Heavenly Dao, but all of this changed somewhat with the ascension of Houtu the Ancestral Witch.

There are already seven sages under the Heavenly Dao, which means that even after the Great Tribulation of Journey to the West, two more Great Tribulations are still needed before a new sage can be born.

"So, it seems that Fuxi can only become a saint after four great kalpas have passed since he received the elixir?" said the saint Nuwa.

"Of course, this is not a fixed number. There is another way to become a saint without going through a great tribulation!" Jiang Heng said with a smile.

"What method?" the sage Nuwa hurriedly asked.

"Break the shackles of Heaven and become a saint through power!" Jiang Heng said with utmost seriousness.

The sage Nuwa couldn't help but roll her eyes. Breaking the shackles of the Heavenly Dao and becoming a saint by force? That was simply wishful thinking.

Looking across the entire primordial world, only the great god Pangu, who created the world, came closest to this level, but even the great god Pangu ultimately failed!

In the present primordial world, after the Dao Ancestor merged with the Dao, the Heavenly Dao has gradually become perfected and has begun to control the fate of all living beings.

In this situation, you still want to break the shackles of Heaven and become a saint through force? Heaven will show you what cruelty is in no time.

Jiang Heng didn't care at all when Nuwa, the Sage, rolled her eyes at him. This path might sound far-fetched, but that's exactly what Jiang Heng was doing.

Even though the chances of success were extremely slim, Jiang Heng had no other choice, and Heaven would not allow a sage like Jiang Heng to appear.

"Alright! That's all for today. I understand what you've said. Four eons from now, don't forget what you promised!"

The Sage Nuwa gave Jiang Heng a deep look. Everything Jiang Heng had said today had completely overturned her understanding of the primordial world.

After returning, the Sage Nuwa would also have to think carefully about how to ensure that her brother Fuxi could become a sage without any hidden dangers.

Perhaps, using Jiang Heng's method to transform Fuxi into a completely new being, thereby deceiving the Heavenly Dao and the Dao Ancestor, would be a good choice.

Together with him, who had transformed into Fuxi, Jiang Heng escorted the Sage Nuwa out of the Fire Cloud Cave. Watching the Sage Nuwa disappear, a strange expression appeared on Jiang Heng's face.

Jiang Heng's words to the Sage Nuwa were not a spur-of-the-moment decision. Compared to the Three Pure Ones, the Sage Nuwa is a special being.

At this moment, a seed was planted in the heart of the sage Nuwa, which will have an unexpected effect at some point in the future.

Moreover, the fact that Nuwa was the Holy Mother of the Human Race forced Jiang Heng to treat her differently.

"To achieve enlightenment through force is incredibly difficult! It's time for the Earthly Sovereign Shennong to descend to earth!"

The muttering voice only lingered within the Fire Cloud Cave.

(End of this chapter)