Primordial Era: The Three Senior Brothers of the Taiqing Clan

The black snake collapsed to the ground, half of its body a bloody mess, barely breathing. It looked up at the Taoist priest before it, its eyes filled with fear and confusion.

"Who...who are you?" Black Snake's voice trembled, his previous arrogance gone.

Chen Qing did not answer. He looked down at the snake demon and said calmly, "Cultivating to the level of a Great Luo Golden Immortal is no easy feat. It's a pity you harmed someone you shouldn't have."

Black Snake tried to explain, but an invisible force had already suppressed him, making it difficult for him to even speak.

He was horrified to discover that his body was being enveloped by a mysterious force and slowly rising into the air.

"Spare...spare my life...I am..." the black snake managed to utter two words with all its might.

Chen Qing remained expressionless and flicked his finger lightly.

A golden light entered the black snake's brow, and the snake demon's body stiffened abruptly. Its primordial spirit was instantly annihilated, and its physical body turned into a cloud of blood mist, which Chen Qing swept away with a wave of his hand, storing it all into the Qiankun Cauldron. Even the physical body of a Great Luo Golden Immortal can still be of some use after some refinement.

Hua Xu stood aside, watching the blood mist dissipate in the air, feeling a sense of bewilderment.

The arrogant and domineering demon from just moments ago vanished in the blink of an eye. She subconsciously touched her swollen belly, feeling both relieved and terrified.

"Hua Xu, where do you live? I'll take you home." Chen Qing turned around, his tone gentle.

Hua Xu quickly replied, "Holy Master, I have built a thatched hut on the hillside outside the tribe and live alone. I dare not trouble you, Holy Master, I will return by myself."

Chen Qing frowned. A woman six months pregnant, living alone in the wilderness, who had just nearly died at the hands of a demon, still refused to go back?

He thought for a moment and said, "I'll take you back first. The child in your womb is of extraordinary origin and needs to be well cared for; there must be no further mishaps."

Upon hearing this, Hua Xu's eyes reddened. For more than ten years, everyone in the clan regarded her as an omen of bad luck. Only her father would occasionally bring her some food, and the rest of the time she was all alone.

Now, this legendary holy teacher not only did not despise her, but also showed her such concern, for which she was deeply grateful.

"Thank you, Holy Master."

Chen Qing raised his hand and waved, and a cloud of auspiciousness rose from beneath his feet, gently lifting Hua Xu Shi and flying towards the direction she pointed. Before long, they arrived at the thatched hut.

The thatched hut was extremely simple, just a frame made of a few wooden stakes with some dry grass on top. The walls were drafty, and inside there was only a straw mat and a pottery jar, nothing else. Looking at this scene, Chen Qing frowned even more deeply.

"You live here?"

Hua Xu lowered her head and said softly, "My clan doesn't want to see me, and I don't want to implicate my father. It's quiet here, which is quite nice."

Chen Qing remained silent for a moment, saying nothing more. He raised his hand and unleashed a burst of magic, causing the surrounding vegetation to grow wildly, instantly forming a dense fence around the thatched hut. Another burst of magic followed, and the roof of the hut was covered in new thatch, and the walls became thicker.

Hua Xu looked at all this in astonishment and thanked them repeatedly.

Chen Qing waved his hand: "These are nothing more than a small favor. Your baby will probably be born soon, and I will stay nearby for a while. Just focus on your pregnancy."

Hua Xu was moved to tears and was about to kneel down again, but Chen Qing stopped her.

"There's no need for that. You've already done a great service by continuing the bloodline of the human race. Get some rest." After saying that, Chen Qing turned around and walked to the hillside not far away, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes to rest.

In the days that followed, Chen Qing settled down near Leize.

Every morning, he would gather some wild game and fruit and place them at the entrance of Huaxu's thatched hut. Occasionally, he would use his magic to draw water from a spiritual spring for her to drink.

Hua Xu was initially apprehensive, feeling that she was just a mortal and dared not trouble the Holy Master with such care. But Chen Qing's attitude was firm, so she had no choice but to accept it.

Half a month later, one night, thunderclouds suddenly gathered over Leize, accompanied by flashes of lightning and thunder. The thunder was not a violent explosion, but a deep and resonant roar, as if the heavens and earth were shaking.

Chen Qing suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Hua Xu's thatched hut.

A beam of purple-gold light shot up from the thatched hut and pierced the sky.

The light contained an ancient and mysterious aura, as if it resonated with heaven and earth and echoed the Great Dao.

All living beings within a radius of a hundred miles, whether human or beast, felt an inexplicable pressure and prostrated themselves on the ground, not daring to move.

"It's finally about to be born." Chen Qing stood up, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes.

Inside the thatched hut, Hua Xu was experiencing the excruciating pain of childbirth. She bit her lip tightly, her clothes soaked with sweat, but she didn't utter a single scream. Years of loneliness and resilience had forged her into someone far stronger than the average woman.

Chen Qing did not go inside; after all, it was a place where women gave birth, and it was inappropriate for him to step inside. He simply stood outside the door, using his magic to protect the entire thatched hut from the outside lightning and wind.

As the purple-gold light grew brighter, a clear, melodious bell suddenly rang out throughout the world. The bell did not come from any direction, but rather from the depths of the void, from between heaven and earth, from every corner simultaneously.

Chen Qing's heart stirred; this was Heaven and Earth celebrating the birth of a sage.

"Wow--"

A loud baby's cry rang out from the thatched hut, clear and powerful, as if announcing its arrival to the whole world.

The purple-gold light gradually faded, the thunderclouds dispersed, and moonlight shone down once more. Chen Qing gently pushed open the door and went inside.

Hua Xu lay weakly on a straw mat, holding a chubby, white baby boy in her arms.

The baby had delicate features, a full forehead, a square jaw, and a pair of clear, bright black eyes that were curiously observing the world.

Most peculiarly, there was a faint golden mark between his eyebrows, which vaguely resembled the shape of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams).

"Holy Master, look..." Hua Xu gently lifted the baby, her eyes filled with loving kindness.

Chen Qing stepped forward and carefully examined the infant. He could sense that this small body contained a vast and pure innate primordial energy, which was the foundation of the Dao accumulated by Fuxi in his previous life through countless years of cultivation.

"What a fine child." Chen Qing smiled slightly and gently touched the baby's forehead. The golden Bagua mark glowed slightly before disappearing into the skin and flesh without a trace.

"Holy Master, this is..."

"It's alright, I'm just temporarily sealing the power within him. He's too young to withstand it. As he grows older, it will naturally be released."

Hua Xu breathed a sigh of relief and nodded gratefully.

Chen Qing looked at the infant, pondered for a moment, and said, "This child was born on the banks of Lei Ze, and conceived because of the footprint in Lei Ze. Lei means Zhen (震), and Ze means Dui (兑). Zhen and Dui combined, with Zhen above and Dui below, form the hexagram 'Sui' (随). However, his roots are deep, his origins are extraordinary, and he is destined for great things. How about naming him 'Fu Xi'?"

"Fuxi..." Huaxu murmured, repeating herself, her eyes gleaming, "Thank you for bestowing this name upon me, Holy Master!"

The baby seemed to understand its name, babbling a few times and waving its little hands in the air, appearing very happy.

Chen Qing took out a jade token from his sleeve and handed it to Hua Xu Shi: "I have a master-disciple relationship with this boy, this is a token."

Hua Xu was overjoyed and quickly accepted the gift with both hands, carefully putting it away.

The message was quickly relayed back to the Huaxu tribe.

When the clansmen learned that the Holy Master had personally arrived, recognized Hua Xu's child, and even accepted him as a disciple, their attitudes immediately underwent a complete 180-degree turn.

Those who had previously clamored for war and slaughter now looked ashamed and came to apologize with gifts.

Hua Xu's father was overcome with emotion, tears streaming down his face, and held his grandson tightly for a long time, unwilling to let go.

Hua Xu did not blame her people. She knew that their fear and anger stemmed from the heinous crimes committed by the demon race against humanity. It was not their fault, but a scar left by that era.

Chen Qing did not linger in the human tribe. He sent a message to Kunlun Mountain and Shouyang Mountain, informing them that Fuxi had been safely born, and then moved with Huaxu and her son to a green mountain not far from Leize. The spiritual energy there was abundant, far from the hustle and bustle of the world, making it more suitable for Fuxi's growth.

He built a small Taoist temple on the mountain and began to teach Fuxi.

Fuxi was exceptionally intelligent, far surpassing ordinary people. He could read and write at the age of three, was knowledgeable in astronomy and geography at the age of five, and began cultivating the Taiqing Immortal Technique taught by Chen Qing at the age of seven.

Although his memories of his previous life had not been awakened, his innate talent was something he was born with. Techniques that others could only master in decades of arduous practice, he could master in just a few months.

Chen Qing saw this and felt very gratified. He had made a good choice in taking on this disciple.

He taught Fuxi not only the Daoist teachings, but also focused on cultivating his character.

Besides meditating and cultivating every day, he would take Fuxi on walks in the mountains to observe the movement of the sun, moon, and stars, and the changes in all things in the world.

He taught Fuxi to identify herbs, to observe the tracks of birds and beasts, and to comprehend the profound principles of heaven and earth from mountains and rivers.

Fuxi learned extremely quickly and was good at asking questions. He would often point to the sky and ask Chen Qing, "Master, why does the sun and moon rise in the east and set in the west?" or point to the earth and ask, "Master, why do rivers always flow eastward?"

Chen Qing patiently answered his questions, but never gave him all the answers, always leaving some for him to think about and understand on his own.

"Master, you often say 'the Way follows nature,' but what exactly is 'nature'?" One day, Fuxi sat on the mountaintop, gazing at the distant, continuous mountains, and suddenly asked.

Chen Qing stood with his hands behind his back, a gentle breeze ruffling his robes. He thought for a moment, then said, "Look at those mountains, those rivers, those trees, those flowers. No one arranges them, yet they each grow and wither on their own. That is nature."

The Tao follows nature, meaning that the Tao itself is as it is; it does not deliberately do anything, yet all things follow it.

Fuxi nodded thoughtfully.

Chen Qing continued, "Everything in heaven and earth has its own number. The movement of the sun, moon, and stars has its own number, the cycle of growth and decay of plants has its own number, and the life of a person from birth to death also has its own number. What you need to learn is to see the underlying principle through these numbers."

"Mathematics...physics..." Fuxi murmured to himself, his eyes gradually brightening.

Chen Qing smiled with satisfaction. He believed that one day, this disciple would comprehend his own path and usher in a new era for the human race.

In the blink of an eye, Fuxi was already twelve years old.

Early that morning, Chen Qing was meditating on the mountaintop when he suddenly sensed a communication talisman flying from afar. He caught it, scanned it with his divine sense, and his expression changed slightly.

The message came from Shouyang Mountain and consisted of only four characters.

"Entering the world, the Northern Darkness."

Chen Qing put away the communication talisman and remained silent for a long time.

He stood up, gazing at the clouds and mist in the mountains, a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing both emotion and reflection) filling his heart. Fuxi was only twelve years old; though exceptionally intelligent, he was still, after all, a child. Was it too early to let him face the great world of humanity alone?

But then I thought, Fuxi was reincarnated as a human, destined to be the human emperor. This is his mission, one that cannot be shirked or obstructed. As his master, all I can do is pave the way for him and protect him.

"Master, you wanted to see me?" Fuxi's voice came from behind.

Chen Qing turned around and looked at the boy in front of him. He had handsome features and clear eyes. Although he was only twelve years old, he already showed a composure and wisdom that was beyond his years.

"Fuxi, do you know why you are called this?" Chen Qing asked.

Fuxi shook his head. Although he vaguely knew that he had an extraordinary background, he had never investigated it further.

Chen Qing slowly said, "You are the reincarnation of the ancient demon emperor Fuxi. In your previous life, you were the Xi Emperor of the demon race, who perished in the war between the witches and demons, and your true spirit was sent into reincarnation. In this life, you are a human, and you should perform the work of educating and enlightening the human race."

Fuxi was stunned. He had never imagined that his origins were so complicated.

Chen Qing patted him on the shoulder, her tone gentle yet firm: "You should go down the mountain. The human race needs you. I will always be behind you; just do what you are supposed to do."

Fuxi remained silent for a moment, then knelt and kowtowed: "Disciple will remember Master's teachings!"

He stood up, glanced back at the mountain where he had lived for twelve years, looked at the small Taoist temple, then turned around and strode down the mountain.

Chen Qing stood atop the mountain, watching the boy's figure gradually disappear into the clouds.