The merits of heaven and earth, which flowed into Nuwa's body, also descended as a spiritual rain to nurture humanity. Even the gourd vine received merit, becoming a treasure of creation.
On Kunlun Mountain, after the shock, the Three Pure Ones felt melancholy.
Yuanshi felt a sense of urgency, and Tongtian also became determined to strive.
Laozi, however, shook his head. "Empress Nuwa first achieved Hunyuan, and then proved her saintly position. Her magical power and cultivation level have surpassed that of our former teacher! I fear that even when we achieve sainthood, we will not be able to compare to Empress Nuwa."
Yuanshi, shocked, said, "Sister Nuwa..."
"Speak cautiously!" Laozi reprimanded. "Empress Nuwa is already a Hunyuan Saint. You must not speak with disrespect."
Tongtian, hearing this, silently closed his mouth. Since speaking could lead to mistakes, he would remain silent.
Yuanshi sighed and could only say, "One step behind, a step behind in everything! Senior Brother, we..."
The Three Pure Ones fell silent. Laozi shook his head. "The enlightened lead the way. Empress Nuwa has taken the first step. We are not competing for superiority or victory. The Dao is beneath our feet, and our paths are our own. You, do not fall into the path of the nameless."
On the Primordial World land, Empress Nuwa retracted her saintly form. In her eyes, she saw over four hundred and ninety thousand newly born humans, lost and without direction.
Humanity, unlike other races that evolved over long ages, was born in the fleeting moment Nuwa molded them from clay.
Nuwa was contemplating how to protect humanity when she saw someone approaching from the east.
Qing Ling smiled and bowed. "Greetings to Empress Nuwa. Congratulations on achieving the esteemed position of Hunyuan Saint!"
Nuwa chuckled softly and said, "Ancestor of Demons, there is no need for such formalities. Although I am a Saint, I am also a Saint of the Demon race. The Demon race has attained Hunyuan, and you are the progenitor of the Demon race. You must not be inferior to me, lest you disrespect the ancestors of the Demon race."
Qing Ling sighed with emotion. "Thank you, Saint, for your consideration. I have come to pay my respects to the Saint, and also on behalf of humanity. May I ask if the Saint has any good method to settle humanity?"
Humanity was the catalyst for Nuwa's sainthood. Great powers in the world would only assume Nuwa became a Saint by creating humanity, failing to see the countless hardships behind her achievement of Hunyuan. She had tempered her heart with the essence of humanity, severed her three corpses, and achieved Hunyuan before sainthood. Therefore, without protection, humanity would be captured and tormented by various powerful beings in different ways, who would not stop until they had thoroughly researched them. It was feared that they would be wiped out before long!
Nuwa glanced at the race she had created with all her heart's blood. Their hearts were connected, their flesh and blood emanating from her. How could she not love them? However, after becoming a Saint, the Heavenly secrets could be observed, and the Heavenly will understood. The Wu and Yao races would decline, and humanity would rise. She knew this, but she would not abandon the Demon race. Thus, settling humanity posed a problem, and Qing Ling's arrival was timely.
Nuwa asked, "Ancestor of Demons, what method do you propose?"
Qing Ling bowed respectfully and said, "If the Saint trusts me, then divide humanity into three."
Nuwa's heart stirred, and she smiled. "How shall we divide them?"
Qing Ling slowly said, "Two hundred thousand humans shall ascend to the heavens, two hundred thousand shall remain on the earth, and ninety thousand shall come with me. However, no matter which branch, they are all humans. From this day forward, they are all our kin!"
Nuwa's eyes brightened. "This is excellent! Ancestor of Demons, make your vow!"
Qing Ling said solemnly, "Please, Your Highness!"
Nuwa also solemnly addressed heaven and earth. "I am the mother of humanity, the elder of humanity. Today, I have the guardian of the Demon race's lineage and clan, the elder of the Demon race, Ancestor of Demons, as my witness. From this day forward, humanity shall enter the lineage of the Demon race, becoming one among the myriad races of the Demon race. The elders of both races, here and now, are established. May heaven and earth bear witness!"
Qing Ling then said, "I am the elder of the Demon race, the guardian of the Demon race's lineage. Today, with the Saint Mother of Humanity, the creator of humanity, Empress Nuwa, as my witness. From this day forward, humanity shall enter our Demon race lineage, becoming one among the myriad races of the Demon race. The elders of both races, here and now, are established. May heaven and earth bear witness!"
The Heavenly Dao roared in anger, and a vast lightning tribulation rolled in, engulfing the sky and plunging the world into darkness.
Nuwa smiled faintly. The Qiankun Cauldron opened, and boundless creation energy absorbed the endless lightning. The profound mysteries of a Saint could be understood by heaven, but the secrets of Hunyuan were difficult for heaven to comprehend.
Divine light emanated from Nuwa. She transformed into a clone. After achieving sainthood, her three corpses merged into this single human form with a serpentine tail, her face bearing compassion.
Nuwa said, "From this day forward, you shall be Nuwa's descendant, acting on my behalf on the great earth, protecting humanity, and educating all living beings!"
Nuwa waved her hand, and two hundred thousand humans followed her descendant. "From this day, you shall live and multiply on the earth. You may go to the twenty-eight resting places of the demon domains."
Nuwa then waved her sleeve, sending two hundred thousand humans to the Heavenly Realm to live and multiply among the hundreds of demon clans there. Di Jun readily agreed.
Qing Ling swept his large sleeve, drawing ninety thousand humans into it. "Thus, Empress Nuwa can rest assured!"
Nuwa smiled and nodded, ascending her Golden Phoenix carriage. Just before leaving, she glanced at the Twelve Ancestral Witches beneath Buzhou Mountain, sending chills down the spines of the Wu clan.
Qing Ling quietly waited for Empress Nuwa to return to Fengqi Mountain before returning to Jianmu. With a sweep of his sleeve, ninety thousand humans appeared on the land of the Eastern Desolation.
Ignorance, unease, fear, and confusion were all evident in their eyes. Qing Ling looked at the humans who were not even wearing clothes and sighed.
In the eyes of the innate divine beings, newborn humans were essentially no different from the myriad beasts of the Demon race, except for their appearance. The myriad beasts wore no clothing, so they naturally saw no impropriety in humans being naked.
Qing Ling waved his sleeve, and countless green leaves and vines descended, transforming into grass skirts to cover their bodies. Then he said calmly, "The ancient tribes of the Eastern Desolation, come and see me!"
As his voice fell, the Da Luo Golden Immortals from the Xishan Ancient Tribe, the Black Lizard Ancient Tribe, the Shanhe Ancient Ape Tribe, and the Giant Crocodile Ancient Tribe all rushed over. A total of nine Da Luo Golden Immortals from the four tribes. Xishan had four, the most; the Black Lizard Ancient Tribe had only one, the weakest.
"Greetings, Dao Master!"
Except for Ke, who merely bowed, the other eight bowed respectfully.
"Everyone, I have summoned you today to inform you that the four ancient tribes of the Eastern Desolation will henceforth be the five ancient tribes of the Eastern Desolation! These ninety thousand humans were created by Empress Nuwa with all her heart's blood. If any of you harbor improper thoughts, the wrath of a Saint is not something you can withstand."
Everyone claimed they dared not.
Qing Ling said, "Within the Xishan and Shanhe Giant Ape tribes, designate a piece of land. The Ape tribe and humanity are close relatives. The Snake tribe has a certain affinity with Empress Nuwa, and humans will also feel close. Let these two tribes educate humanity! Remember, humanity is of our Demon race kin, do not treat them as outsiders."
Ke nodded in agreement, and the elder ape Shan Kun also quickly agreed.
Qing Ling said to the ninety thousand humans, "You are members of my Demon race. The Demon race calls me Ancestor, so I am also your ancestor. Know that our Demon race governs heaven and rules all races. We have Saint Empress Nuwa in charge of creation, I manage the Demon race's lineage, the Demon Master educates all demons, Eastern Emperor Taiyi commands the army, the Heavenly Emperor coordinates all matters of the Demon race, and Xi Huang Xi He is responsible for reproduction and nurturing. We once had the Demon Emperor Fuxi in charge of the Demon race's laws and decrees. Though he has fallen and is an enemy of the Wu tribe, he will forever be remembered by all in the Demon race. I hope you will not fail our trust and, one day, bring glory to the name of our Demon race."
The ninety thousand humans, with remarkable wisdom, knelt and expressed their gratitude. As Qing Ling was the Ancestor of Demons, and they had entered the Demon race, they should bow to their ancestors and elders, and thus could bow to Qing Ling.
The momentum of humanity was incorporated by Qing Ling into the grand momentum of the Demon race, and into the human Dao of all sentient beings. The human Dao would never solely refer to humanity, but to all beings! And the humans who had joined the Demon race would never be killed by the Heavenly Emperor, even if he harbored the intention of slaughtering the Wu tribe, he would never kill humans among the Demon race!
The game had begun, and Qing Ling had already disrupted the grand momentum, scattering the black and white pieces, competing and yet combining, making the grand momentum difficult to discern. He wanted to see, if the Demon race were to lose, how could the humans, as members of the Demon race, not be affected? In this way, even if the Heavenly Dao granted humanity the grand momentum of the human Dao, how could the declining human race bear such a heavy responsibility? The game had just begun, and it was already in disarray!