Primordial Era: From the Creation Lotus to the First Disciple of the Three Pure Ones

Chapter 117 Xuandu Seeks an Audience with Qinglian

As the seasons change and centuries pass, like the ebb and flow of the East China Sea tides, they rise and fall without ceasing.

After mastering the three fundamental elements of survival—fire, clothing, and shelter—the human race on the shores of the East Sea finally gained a firm foothold during that inexplicable cold, and even benefited from the disaster, greatly accelerating the progress of civilization.

The population began to grow steadily again, the size of the tribes expanded, and more frequent exchanges and interactions began to occur between settlements. Primitive barter markets naturally formed on the outskirts of large tribes.

The glimmer of civilization is becoming increasingly clear on this land, no longer a flickering candlelight, but like the rising sun, bursting forth.

Qinglian observed the changes quietly in her cave. She saw that the foundation of the human race was gradually becoming solid, their character had become more resilient after experiencing hardships, and the inheritance of martial arts was also being carried out in an orderly manner. The time was gradually ripe.

On this day, with a slight thought, he summoned the three ancestors, Suiren, Ziyi, and Youchao, once again.

The Three Ancestors are now a completely different person from before. Their cultivation is stable at the peak of the Martial Domain Realm. Their aura is subtly in harmony with the concepts of "fire," "clothing," and "dwelling" that they represent. They possess immense power in every move and are revered by all the people of the human race.

When they saw Qinglian, they remained as respectful as ever, not daring to show the slightest negligence.

Qinglian didn't say much, but directly pointed her fingers like a sword and pointed three strands of azure light containing more profound power laws into the three ancestors' brows.

That was the supreme martial arts method that led directly to "True Self-Immortality (Martial God Realm)" (equivalent to the Golden Immortal Fuluo). The information flow was vast and boundless, far surpassing what had been learned before, containing profound truths such as the connection of blood and qi to the void, the entrustment of will to laws, and the immortality of the true spirit.

The Third Patriarch's body trembled violently, as if a new world had opened up in his mind.

Countless mysteries of power came rushing in, too numerous to digest at once, but they all understood what a great grace this was bestowed by the Holy Master!

Overwhelmed with excitement, gratitude, and awe, they prostrated themselves in gratitude, their voices trembling.

Qinglian calmly accepted the greeting, then instructed, "This is the path to heaven, and it is extremely dangerous. You must be extremely careful. It should not be passed on to anyone without great perseverance, wisdom, and merit."

You should first study and solidify your foundation on your own. As for the cultivation method of the "Martial Soul Realm" (equivalent to the Taiyi Golden Immortal),

You may, at your discretion, pass on your skills to those martial artists who are of pure heart, of excellent aptitude, with a solid foundation, and who have made outstanding contributions to the human race. You must conduct rigorous assessments and ensure quality over quantity.

The Third Patriarch kept this in mind, bowed again in gratitude, and then left, deeply moved.

From this point on, the human race's high-end combat power began to experience a true boom.

The cultivation techniques for the Martial Soul Realm began to quietly circulate among the most elite and core martial artists. These martial artists had all undergone rigorous selection, and their willpower, talent, and achievements were all indispensable.

For a time, powerful auras and smoke could often be seen rising into the sky over the human settlements. Although the auras did not spread far due to the nature of the technique and the fact that the Azure Lotus intentionally concealed the secrets of heaven, they were still enough to shake the region.

One after another, talented martial artists have successfully condensed their own unique martial arts essence, manifesting various kinds of solidified martial spirits—

There are martial artists who have fought against giant bears and comprehended their power, and behind them appear the phantom of a giant bear that roars and shakes the mountains, with immense strength;

There are hunters who have observed eagles for many years and comprehended their speed, and behind them unfold a pair of sharp and unparalleled eagle wings, as fast as lightning.

With warriors who protect their tribe and whose will is as firm as a mountain, the Martial Spirit is a majestic, imposing, and unshakeable mountain.

Those who observe the waves of the East China Sea and comprehend the endless flow of power possess a martial spirit like a mighty river, flowing ceaselessly with boundless endurance.

These martial spirits come in various forms, yet all possess a powerful aura, containing the martial artist's own will and strength, far surpassing ordinary spells and supernatural abilities.

They deterred the lurking monsters and spirits around them, ensuring the safety of the human habitat like never before, and the range of human activity quietly expanded.

However, amidst this thriving scene of martial arts and everyone striving for excellence, there is an extremely unique presence, like a faint shadow under the blazing sunlight, standing out so conspicuously that it draws attention.

That was the last of the three thousand innate human beings created by the goddess Nuwa herself.

His name is "Zi", which means "the last, carrying expectations and fulfillment".

Zi's ​​appearance still retains the delicate and spiritual features unique to humans, and time seems to have left few traces on his face.

But those eyes, which should have been clear and bright, reflecting wisdom, were increasingly filled with an inescapable melancholy, anxiety, and a hint of inferiority that was hard to conceal.

Many of the innate human races who were created at the same time as him or even born later than him, who practiced martial arts, had mostly crossed the three realms of mortals and entered the level of alchemy (Dan Jin and Gang Jin), becoming the backbone of their tribes.

The most outstanding individuals have already reached the Martial Domain Realm and are beginning to touch the edge of the Martial Soul Realm, earning the respect of others.

Only he, Zi, the "little brother" who theoretically had the best foundation and the most spirituality, was still stuck at the peak of Dan Jin, unable to make any progress, as if he was firmly trapped by invisible shackles!

That invisible barrier leading to the Gang Jin realm, and even higher realms, was as solid as primordial divine iron to him, unbreakable, and remained unmoved no matter how he attacked it.

He tried every known method: he pushed his qi and blood to their limits more frantically than anyone else;

Seeking greater pressure and life-or-death thrills, venturing into dangerous places to fight wild beasts; observing others' breakthroughs countless times, trying to find inspiration;

They even risked taking some extremely potent medicinal herbs, nearly exploding in their bodies and dying—without exception, all of them ended in tragic failure.

Instead of being able to release his Qi and blood into a powerful force, he repeatedly suffered from agitation and backlash due to his forced attempts to break through the barriers, damaging his meridians and causing him immense pain. Even after recovery, the barriers remained.

He was unwilling to accept it! He was created by the Holy Mother herself and was one of the three thousand innate lineages. His innate spirituality should have been the best, so why was he so unsuccessful in the martial arts taught by the Holy Master, which should have been the most suitable for the human race?

He watched as his former playmates, hunters, and even those he had protected surpassed him one by one, their aura growing stronger with each passing day.

Watching those rising stars among the human race who later surpassed others and became respected warriors.

The immense sense of loss, shame, and deep self-doubt nearly consumed his mind, leaving him unable to sleep at night.

He sought guidance from the Third Ancestor, who was already the leader of the human race, possessed the highest martial arts skills, and had watched him grow up.

The Third Patriarch also cared deeply for this "younger brother" and did everything in his power to help him.

The human race had used the true essence of human heritage to carefully refine his blood and qi, and cleanse him of impurities;

Ziyi helped him calm his mind and soothe his agitation with a protective attitude;

Youchao used the spirit of mountains to help him temper his will and strengthen his Daoist heart.

Despite trying every method and expending all his energy, that damned barrier remained unmoved, as if his body...

His soul fundamentally rejects the power to advance in martial arts, and is incompatible with this power.

Despair and resentment, like two most venomous snakes, gnawed at Zi's heart day and night.

Finally, after countless sleepless nights tossing and turning, tormented by failure and shame, he cast his last glimmer of hope toward the Holy Master's Cave, a seaside dwelling that symbolized the ultimate guidance for humanity.

Perhaps only that unfathomable holy master, who brought martial arts to humanity and was nearly omniscient and omnipotent, could see through his predicament and give him the final answer, or—the final judgment.