Primordial Era: The Witch Clan's Dog-Headed Strategist

He went into seclusion.

No one knows how long this seclusion will last.

But everyone knows the day Taiyi emerges from his seclusion.

The demon race may be about to welcome its second saint.

Meanwhile, in another corner of the primordial world, an even quieter deduction is underway.

Although the human race possesses innate Dao bodies and has martial arts passed down through generations, not everyone can reach the pinnacle of martial arts.

Martial arts emphasize the physical body, willpower, and killing.

This system was originally tailor-made for the Wu tribe.

Although humans can strengthen their bodies through martial arts, countless ordinary people are ultimately limited by their talent and find it difficult to even begin to understand its secrets.

Pan Xuan had long considered this. He once told Nuwa:

"Humans are born strong, which is a good thing, but it is also a constraint."

If humanity only knows how to rely on force and not on civil governance, one day its strength will lead to violence, and its violence will destroy itself. Humanity needs another path.

Thus, Bai Ze, Kunpeng, and Fuxi were tasked with deducing the other path of literature.

Bai Ze is the leader of all mythical beasts in the primordial world, and it understands the feelings of all things.

He knew the names of all the ghosts and monsters in the world. He was learned and had a strong memory, and was most skilled in textual research and deduction. He was the best "library" for literature.

Kunpeng, the Kun of the Northern Sea, transforms into Peng, soaring ninety thousand miles high. With extensive knowledge and a broad mind, it represents the best "vision" for literature and the Way.

Fuxi, the emperor of the human race, understood the principles of Yin and Yang and created the innate principles of Yi, which are the best "foundation" for literature and Taoism.

The three gathered at Shouyang Mountain and studied the plan day and night.

"Martial arts use strength to convey principles, while literature should use culture to cultivate people."

Fuxi picked up his brush and wrote the character "文" (wen) in the air. "文 means pattern and principle."

Heaven and earth have patterns and principles, hence the existence of mountains, rivers, the sun, the moon, and the stars.

Humans also possess reason and culture, hence the existence of written language, rituals, music, poetry, and prose.

"Using literature to convey moral principles and to cultivate people through culture—this is the essence of literature and morality."

Bai Ze nodded and clapped his hands, saying, "Exactly."

Martial arts cultivate the body, while literature cultivates the mind, spirit, and reason.

Martial arts are based on physical training, while literature should be based on understanding principles.

Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles, understand the principles of heaven and earth, and comprehend the norms of human relations.

When the mind is clear, the spirit will be enlightened. When the mind is enlightened, the way will be revealed. "

Kunpeng laughed loudly: "Good! I have traversed the world and seen many truths."

What about "the highest good is like water," what about "the movement of heaven is full of power," what about "the benevolent love others"?

If these principles could be condensed into a grand path that every member of humanity could cultivate, that would truly benefit all living beings!

After much deliberation, the three gradually sketched out the outline of Wen Dao.

It is a path that is completely different from martial arts, yet complements it.

Martial arts emphasizes "strength", while literary education emphasizes "reason".

Martial arts cultivate the "body," while literature cultivates the "mind."

Martial arts prove its principles through fists and feet, while literary arts prove its principles through writing.

Martial arts focuses on refining the body, chaining the Qi, refining the mind, and refining the Tao.

The Way of Literature emphasizes understanding principles, cultivating the mind, concentrating the spirit, and conveying the Way.

Those who practice the Way of Literature do not seek physical immortality.

Instead, it takes reading to understand principles, poetry and prose as tools, and rites and music as the foundation for moral education.

He gradually internalized the principles of heaven and earth and the ways of human relations, forming a unique "literary path" of his own.

Those who have mastered the arts and literature can bring peace to the country with a single word, stabilize the nation with a single article, and pass down their knowledge for generations with a single volume. Their power lies not in physical strength, but in the principles and the literature themselves.

More importantly, there are no barriers to entry for literature and art.

Unlike martial arts, which emphasizes talent and physical strength, anyone with a thirst for knowledge and a desire to understand principles, regardless of strength, intelligence, or folly, can embark on this path.

It is a brand new door opened for all humankind, and even for all living beings in the primordial world.

On the day the deduction was completed, Fuxi picked up his brush and wrote four large characters on the summit of Shouyang Mountain:

To cultivate people through culture.

As soon as those four words were uttered, it seemed as if a new fortune was quietly gathering between heaven and earth.

That is the fortune of "literature" and the fortune of "reason".

It is the destiny that finally gives countless humans who cannot embark on the path of martial arts a sense of belonging.

Pan Xuan stood at a distance, gazing at those four characters for a long time, then smiled softly:

"Martial arts cultivate the body, while literature refines the mind. Only when body and mind are in harmony can one become a complete person. With these two paths, how can humanity not prosper?"

His gaze passed over Shouyang Mountain, beyond the primordial wilderness, and looked into the depths of chaos.

There, Hongjun was in seclusion, while the rulers of other realms were secretly plotting.

Meanwhile, in the primordial world, martial arts have reached their peak, education is flourishing, and literature is just beginning to take shape. One trump card after another is being accumulated.

On Shouyang Mountain, the four large characters "to cultivate people through culture" hang in the air, radiating a gentle and warm glow.

The radiance was not dazzling, but it possessed an indescribable power.

It is not as sharp and domineering as martial arts, but rather like spring rain nourishing all things, silently seeping into the world.

At that very moment, the three paths of Heaven, Earth, and Man simultaneously sensed this new life force.

Firstly, Shouyang Mountain is a sacred place of humanity, and the humanistic influence comes fastest there.

A wisp of pure human fortune rose from the foot of Shouyang Mountain, coiling upwards like a dragon, and poured directly into Fuxi's body.

Fuxi's body was filled with Daoist energy, and that wisp of fortune was in harmony with his innate understanding of the I Ching, making his aura become increasingly vast and steady.

He is the Emperor, the root of literature and the Way, and the destiny of humanity recognizes him as its master; he truly deserves this title.

Immediately afterwards, the tunnel also started to move.

Houtu Niangniang, in the underworld, suddenly looked up and gazed in the direction of Shouyang Mountain.

She sensed a powerful surge of earthly energy rising from the depths of the earth, crossing countless mountains and rivers, falling towards the summit of Shouyang Mountain, and entering Bai Ze's body.

Bai Ze understands the nature of all things and knows the names of all ghosts and monsters. His extensive knowledge and strong memory are the embodiment of the earth's veins, the patterns of the earth, and the will of mountains and rivers.

The earth's energy resonated with him, giving his gaunt figure an air of weight and majesty.

Finally, the will of Heaven responded.

Above the heavens, a vast aura of heavenly fortune descended like a celestial river, landing precisely on Kunpeng.

The Kunpeng, originating from the Northern Sea, transforms into the Peng, soaring ninety thousand miles high, witnessing the vastness of heaven and earth, and absorbing the essence of the sun and moon. Its broad vision embodies the spirit of "looking up at the celestial phenomena and looking down at the earth," reflecting the way of heaven.

The heavenly order and fortune aligned with him, making his sharp eyes seem to pierce through the nine heavens at a glance.

The three paths of Heaven, Earth, and Man, along with their respective fortunes, simultaneously bestow blessings upon the three individuals.

The three beams of light pierced the heavens and the earth, illuminating Shouyang Mountain in a bright light.

Within a radius of ten thousand miles, birds and beasts stopped, and grasses and trees drooped, as if the entire primordial world was paying tribute to these three founders of literature and the Way at this moment.

After a long while, the beam of light dissipated.

Fuxi, Bai Ze, and Kunpeng slowly opened their eyes, each sensing the powerful aura within their bodies, and all were momentarily dazed.

Fuxi spoke first, his voice tinged with emotion:

"When the Way of Literature was first established, the three paths simultaneously responded and bestowed their fortune. It seems that this path of cultivating people through culture is precisely what Heaven, Earth, and the human heart desire."

Bai Ze stroked his beard and smiled: "To cultivate people with culture brings blessings to all living beings."

These three streams of fortune are not due to our efforts, but rather to the efforts of the literary path itself.

We are merely opening a new path for all living beings.

Kunpeng laughed heartily: "Who cares whose credit it is!"

With these three streams of fortune bestowed upon us, the three of us will speak with much more confidence in the primordial world! Hahaha!

Laughter echoed across Shouyang Mountain. Pan Xuan stood at a distance, watching this scene, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

"When literature and the Way are perfected, humanity will have a soul."

He muttered to himself, "Next, it's time to add protectors to the human race."