Honghuang Town Yuanzi.

Chapter 20 The Primordial Era Lasting Billions of Years (Two chapters combined, please add to your collection, recommend, and invest!)

"I never expected that these fruits would develop a faint sense of intelligence." Hongyun was dumbfounded.

The common ginseng fruit, though resembling an infant with all four limbs and facial features, looks almost like a living being.

In reality, it has no intelligence whatsoever; it is merely a fruit.

However, these thirty ginseng fruits were different. They were the first fruits to grow on the ginseng fruit tree, and it was unknown how long they had been growing on the tree or how many years had passed. They had even begun to develop a faint sense of intelligence.

If the ginseng fruit were not an ordinary spiritual fruit, containing not only the innate Jia wood energy but also the innate number, and not inherently restricted, it would probably have already taken human form.

Seeing the stunned Hongyun, Zhen Yuanzi couldn't help but tease him again, saying, "Fellow Daoist, how about we capture a few to taste?"

However, as soon as Zhen Yuanzi finished speaking, about thirty ginseng fruits on the ginseng fruit tree appeared with bitter faces, shaking their heads as if begging for mercy.

"Fellow Daoist, please don't joke."

Hongyun looked at the ginseng fruit on the tree, gave a bitter smile, and said, "How could this humble Taoist possibly bring himself to eat it!"

Hongyun was no ordinary primordial being, but a true virtuous person with innate divine and demonic roots. How could he possibly devour a sentient being alive?

If that's the case, how are they any different from those demonic cultivators!

"However, what do you intend to do with these ginseng fruits, fellow Daoist?"

Hongyun jokingly remarked, "Are you really planning to eat them?"

These thirty ginseng fruits already possess a trace of sentience, and they will likely take human form sooner or later.

However, any spiritual being that takes human form inevitably requires a large amount of spiritual energy.

Once these thirty ginseng fruits take human form, they will also require a large amount of innate wood energy, which will inevitably cause the ginseng fruit tree to suffer a great loss of vitality. It is feared that it will take tens of thousands of years for the ginseng fruit tree to recover to its original state.

Looking at the ginseng fruit on the tree, Zhen Yuanzi said with a smile, "Now that you have developed sentience, it is your destiny."

"If one day you are able to take human form, you may stay in my temple to cultivate."

How difficult it is for a naturally born spiritual being to take human form!

Not to mention such innate spiritual fruits!

Even Zhen Yuanzi couldn't say how many ginseng fruits would successfully transform into human form in the future.

Of course, if a ginseng fruit were to truly take human form, Zhen Yuanzi could take it in as a servant and have it manage all the spiritual roots and immortal herbs in the temple.

"Fellow Daoist, what a virtuous character you possess." Hongyun couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the thirty ginseng fruits changed, as if they were all bowing to Zhen Yuanzi in gratitude.

Seeing this, Hongyun couldn't help but show a hint of envy on her face, and said, "The innate spiritual root is indeed mysterious and extraordinary. Even a few fruits can have such mysterious changes."

"Alas, my Fire Cloud Cave has neither a primordial spiritual root nor even a decent primordial spiritual object."

Upon hearing this, Zhen Yuanzi's heart stirred. Huoyun Cave was the foremost of the thirty-six grotto-heavens and seventy-two blessed lands of the primordial world. How could it not possess any innate spiritual treasures!

In contrast, Qingyuan Mountain Chunyang Grotto, which is also a blessed land, not only generates innate pure yang energy, but Dongwanggong also has a companion spiritual treasure, the Pure Yang Sword.

Mount Sumeru has the Four Swords of Zhuxian and the Zhuxian Formation Diagram, while Mount Wanshou also has the innate spiritual root Ginseng Fruit Tree and the innate spiritual treasure Earth Book.

Even in the legendary Jade Pillar Cave of Zhongnan Mountain, there was a celestial apricot tree with innate spiritual roots, said to belong to Yun Zhongzi in his previous life.

Even Zhen Yuanzi couldn't understand this matter.

As for the blessed lands and grotto-heavens of later generations, the reason why there are no innate spiritual objects is because innate gods and demons or innate beings took them away long ago, and then they perished in the Dragon-Phoenix-Qilin Calamity or the Witch-Demon Calamity.

Fire Cloud Cave is the place where the red cloud took shape, and it can be considered one of the first living beings at the beginning of the primordial world, second only to the chaotic gods such as the Ancestral Dragon, Phoenix, Qilin, Hongjun Daozu, and Demon Ancestor Luohou.

Unless a powerful being had visited the Fire Cloud Cave before the Red Cloud took form and looted all the innate spiritual treasures and objects, or the Fire Cloud Cave contained some mysterious secret.

Otherwise, Huoyun Cave is the foremost of the thirty-six grotto-heavens and seventy-two blessed lands in the primordial world; how could it not contain innate spiritual treasures!

However, Zhen Yuanzi did not ask about this matter.

After all, it concerns the secrets of the Fire Cloud Cave.

Having witnessed the wonders of the ginseng fruit, Zhen Yuanzi stopped teasing Hongyun and instead had Qingfeng and Mingyue fetch a golden mallet to knock down a few more ordinary ginseng fruits.

The two then returned to their dwellings together, continuing to savor the rare and precious fruits and discussing the magical artifacts for attaining enlightenment and the development of their respective spiritual powers.

So Hongyun simply settled down at Wuzhuang Temple.

After spending some time with him, Zhen Yuanzi found that Hongyun was even more lively and outgoing than the legends suggested. He couldn't stand the hardships of solitary cultivation, enjoyed making friends with fellow cultivators everywhere, and never fought with anyone. He was a rare free spirit.

More than a hundred years have passed in the blink of an eye. Apart from occasionally discussing the Dao with Hongyun, Zhen Yuanzi has devoted the rest of his time to refining the Innate Yin-Yang Divine Diagram and evolving the Innate Geng Metal Qi.

By this time, Zhen Yuanzi had already developed a trace of true innate Geng metal energy.

Although it was only a trace of the innate Geng metal energy, it still made Zhen Yuanzi extremely happy.

At that moment, a jade talisman fell from the sky. Zhen Yuanzi summoned it into his hand, and a trace of primordial spirit energy immediately overflowed from the talisman. After sensing it for a moment, Zhen Yuanzi said, "It seems that Hongyun has obtained some news again."

Unlike Zhen Yuanzi, Hongyun liked to make friends with fellow cultivators everywhere, getting to know many powerful beings and innate gods and demons. He often used jade talismans to exchange information with fellow cultivators. Whenever something happened in the prehistoric world, Hongyun couldn't help but tell Zhen Yuanzi about it.

I wonder what happened in the primordial world this time.

"It's been several years since we last met. Fellow Daoist, have you perfected the Innate Yin-Yang Divine Diagram?" Hongyun said with delight as Zhen Yuanzi approached.

"This can barely be considered a perfect refinement," Zhen Yuanzi said with a smile.

"Unfortunately, I have still gained nothing." Hongyun sighed.

Ever since he saw Zhen Yuanzi's Innate Yin-Yang Divine Diagram, Hongyun and his fellow cultivators have been exchanging jade talismans. In addition to inquiring about various matters in the prehistoric world, they also inquired about innate spiritual materials or innate energy related to the soul, hoping to use them to refine a Dao-attaining magic weapon.

Unfortunately, both innate spiritual materials and innate energy are precious things.

Even if fellow cultivators encountered it, they would all collect it, either to refine it into a spiritual treasure or to refine it into a divine power; they would never tell Hongyun!

Furthermore, what Hongyun needs are innate spiritual materials or innate energy related to the soul.

Such innate spiritual materials or innate energy were something that not only the fellow cultivators Hongyun had befriended, but even Zhen Yuanzi had never heard of.

Unfortunately, Hongyun's Dao Laws were not Yin and Yang or the Five Elements, but were related to the soul.

This is why Hongyun obtained a primordial gourd that recognized him as its master on Mount Buzhou in his previous life; it was because their respective attributes were compatible.

Hongyun refined it into a spiritual treasure that could trap, destroy, and annihilate the form, body, and soul of immortals, preventing them from entering the cycle of reincarnation. Hence, it was named the Nine-Nine Soul-Scattering Gourd.

"Fellow Daoist, do you wish to travel to the Primordial World?" Zhen Yuanzi glanced at Hongyun and guessed that Hongyun probably wanted to take his leave.

"Just as you said, fellow Daoist, I wish to travel to various parts of the prehistoric world and try my luck along the way," Hongyun nodded and said.

The immeasurable calamity has just ended, and the primordial world is now peaceful and serene, making it the perfect time to travel and search for innate spiritual treasures and objects.

"That's fine then." Since Hongyun had already said so, Zhen Yuanzi couldn't stop Hongyun from trying out his own opportunity.

After Hongyun left, Zhen Yuanzi continued his seclusion and ascetic cultivation, ignoring the affairs of the primordial world.

On the contrary, Hongyun would come almost every ten thousand years to taste the celestial delicacies and spiritual fruits, and to tell many secrets and disputes of the primordial world.

In the primordial era, years were not recorded; every step was a primordial state.

Day after day, year after year, I don't know how many years have passed.

Zhen Yuanzi's Taoist skills and supernatural powers have become increasingly refined, and the Innate Yin-Yang Divine Diagram has become more and more perfect. He only needs to find the Innate Ren Water Qi to replace the Innate Gui Water Qi in the diagram to completely complete the Innate Five Elements Qi.

However, in the primordial world, with the dragon, phoenix, and qilin clans going into seclusion, the dragon clan retreated to the four seas, the phoenix clan retreated to the land of the immortal volcano, and the qilin clan completely withdrew from the primordial world.

The primordial world gradually became lively, and all living beings grew stronger, once again beginning to wage war against each other.

It is said that deep within the primordial land, twelve great supernatural beings were born. Each of them was enormous in size and had a powerful physique. They were born with the ability to wield the laws of the Great Dao and called themselves Ancestral Witches. They were formed from the twelve drops of essence blood of the great god Pangu when he fell in the past, and were born with the inheritance of Pangu's physical body.

In addition, there was a group of great shamans and sorcerers, who, together with the twelve ancestral shamans, were known as the "Shaman Clan".

The Wu tribe was large in number, so they lived in tribal communities. They were divided into twelve ancestral Wu tribes, ruled by twelve ancestral Wu, and below them were a number of large and small Wu tribes, all managed by a group of great Wu.

Unfortunately, the Wu tribe is different from the other races of the primordial world; they are born without a primordial spirit and do not cultivate the Three Flowers.

The Wu tribe possesses all their spiritual power and supernatural abilities in their physical bodies, which makes them extremely warlike. They frequently hunt various ancient races and creatures, feeding on their flesh and blood.

Whether birds and beasts or creatures of scaled bodies, all became prey for the witch clan.

As the power of the Wu tribe continued to expand, another race rose to prominence in the primordial world.

Above the sun and stars, everywhere you look, there is the true fire of the sun accumulated over billions of years.

This true fire of the sun is extremely domineering; even cultivators at the Great Luo Golden Immortal level dare not touch it in the slightest.

However, from some unknown time, two great supernatural beings were born on the sun and stars.

One of them claimed to be Di Jun, who was born with the background of a god and demon. Once he took human form, he was accompanied by the spiritual treasures Luo Shu and He Tu. His cultivation and supernatural powers were extremely strong, and he was good at deducing the secrets of heaven.

Another one, who calls himself Taiyi, is also a born god and demon, and also possesses the innate treasure, the Donghuang Bell.

This Eastern Emperor Bell is the innate supreme treasure, the Chaos Bell, comparable to the innate supreme treasures Taiji Diagram and Pangu Banner. It was also formed from the broken Chaos Divine Axe used by the great god Pangu to create the world in the past. Not only is it infinitely powerful, but it can also suppress one's own destiny.

Together, they ruled over countless birds, beasts, and scaled creatures in the primordial world, and often clashed with the Wu tribe.

In addition, on the vast land of the primordial world, there is a blessed land called Phoenix Perch Mountain, which is one of the thirty-six grotto-heavens and seventy-two blessed lands of the primordial world.

The pavilions and towers are numerous and wondrous, bathed in the light of the sun and moon, and adorned with a myriad of colors, forming a secluded paradise that is a rare and precious place for quiet cultivation.

Among them were two powerful beings who had been cultivating in seclusion. One of them called herself Nuwa, a rare female innate deity in the primordial world.

This Nuwa was exceptionally beautiful, with stunning looks and a refined and serene temperament, like a secluded orchid in a valley. Every smile and frown seemed to exude a tranquil and natural charm.

There was another who called himself Fuxi, who also had an extraordinary appearance and was Nuwa's elder brother.

Both of them had been living in seclusion in Phoenix Mountain, cultivating their skills and protecting the birds, beasts, and scaled creatures of the area.

The land of Beihai is boundless, its waters deep and black.

There is also a great supernatural being living in this place, who calls himself: Kunpeng.

It can be said that in the Northern Darkness there is a fish, its name is Kun. The Kun is so large that no one knows how many thousands of miles it spans. It transforms into a bird, its name is Peng. The Peng's back is so vast that no one knows how many thousands of miles it spans. When it flies in anger, its wings are like clouds hanging from the sky. This bird...

His cultivation and supernatural powers were no less than those of the four great supernatural beings: Di Jun, Tai Yi, Nuwa, and Fuxi.

Kunpeng also governs hundreds of millions of birds, beasts, and scaled creatures in the North Sea.

Over time, the birds, beasts, and scaled creatures began to call themselves the demon race, while the five great supernatural beings, Di Jun, Tai Yi, Nuwa, Fuxi, and Kunpeng, were known as the Five Great Sages of the Demon Race.

However, although the demon race had five great supernatural beings—Di Jun, Tai Yi, Nuwa, Fuxi, and Kunpeng—in charge, it was a disorganized mess.

Nuwa and Fuxi stayed in Phoenix Perch Mountain to cultivate. As long as the Wu tribe did not disturb them, they rarely interfered in the conflict between the Wu and Yao tribes. Kunpeng occupied the North Sea and never paid attention to the struggles in the prehistoric world.

The twelve ancestral witches of the witch clan were adept at both offense and defense, and the great witches of the witch clan were also extremely powerful. With only the two great supernatural beings, Di Jun and Tai Yi, the demon clan inevitably fell behind. The demon kings could only stay in their immortal mountain caves and adopt a defensive posture against the witch clan.

However, the Lich and Demon races seem to fight frequently over spirit objects or territory, with minor skirmishes every three days and major battles every five days.

In reality, neither clan was very large. Both clans exercised great restraint, merely dividing their territories, fearing they would follow in the footsteps of the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin clans.

On the contrary, those creatures and races that did not belong to the witch and demon races, as well as some innate gods and demons and innate creatures, either had their immortal mountains seized by the demon race or were driven out by the witch race, suffering calamities for no reason.

This plunged the primordial world, which had been peaceful for countless years, into another turbulent period.

Besides the Lich and Demon races, a number of powerful beings with great supernatural abilities have begun to emerge in the primordial world, calling themselves Qi cultivators.

These powerful beings are numerous, each possessing extraordinary cultivation and abilities. Among them, the most outstanding individuals are even protected by innate spiritual treasures, making them unapproachable even to the Wu and Yao clans.

However, with the large number of powerful beings, conflicts inevitably arose due to spiritual creatures, casting a shadow over the prehistoric world.

(End of this chapter)