Upon achieving sainthood, Taihao opened his eyes and immediately attacked Jieyin and Zhunti with a desperate ferocity. Before his divine soul had returned, Taihao had heard Taishang and Zhen Yuanzi recount how severely Jieyin and Zhunti had beaten Nuwa. The first moment Taihao attained sainthood, he did not announce his achievement to the world; instead, he immediately engaged Jieyin and Zhunti in combat.
Fuxi possessed no spiritual treasures, and his only one was not meant for close combat. Jieyin and Zhunti's spiritual treasures had already been confiscated by Taishang. Thus, the three engaged in a brutal, fist-to-fist brawl. Seeing that Taihao was unharmed, Nuwa quickly intervened, joining Fuxi in the fight against Jieyin and Zhunti. Taishang, witnessing the ensuing melee, beckoned the Three Pure Ones to join the fray, collectively beating Jieyin and Zhunti into a pulp.
Unable to bear it any longer, Jieyin and Zhunti cried out, "Stop! Stop! We surrender! We surrender, don't hit us anymore!"
Hearing this, everyone ceased their attacks. Taishang looked at Jieyin and Zhunti and coldly declared, "Fortunately, Daoist Taihao is unharmed today, so I will not pursue this matter further. Now, get out!"
Jieyin looked at Taishang, recalling that during the fight, this black-hearted Taishang had struck the hardest. Others used fists and kicks, but Taishang used the steel hoop in his hand to smash them. Jieyin rubbed the places where Taishang had beaten him, which still throbbed with pain. This was the second time his brother had been beaten by him.
Jieyin, facing Taishang's stern expression, had no choice but to brace himself and say, "Daoist Taishang, the Twelve-Rank Golden Lotus of Merit is the treasure of our sect. We implore you to return it."
Taishang responded with a cold laugh, "If you do not leave now, I have heard that Heavenly Dao Saints are immortal and indestructible. I would like to see for myself!"
Upon hearing this, Jieyin and Zhunti felt a chill run down their spines. They dared not linger any longer. With dejected expressions, they retreated to their Mount Sumeru. Zhunti looked at Jieyin pitifully and asked, "Brother, what shall we do? My Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree is lost, and the Twelve-Rank Golden Lotus of Merit, which suppresses our sect's destiny, is also gone!"
Jieyin sighed and weakly replied, "Brother, the only course of action now is to use the Eight Treasures Merit Pool to suppress our sect's destiny and ensure it does not dissipate."
Zhunti looked at Jieyin indignantly and asked, "Brother, are we just going to let it go like this?"
Jieyin sighed and said, "Brother, what can we do if we don't let it go? I never expected Taishang to possess such divine power. He alone is equivalent to four saints, and he also has many powerful spiritual treasures. Taishang alone is enough to suffocate us!"
Seeing Zhunti's silence, Jieyin continued, "And Tongtian. Tongtian possesses the Immortal Slaying Formation, which cannot be rivaled by less than four saints. These two alone are beyond our ability to confront!"
Hearing this, Zhunti looked up at the heavens and sighed, "Heaven is unjust! The Three Pure Ones not only possess profound divine abilities but also many powerful spiritual treasures! In contrast, we brothers have nothing! We are all beings of the Primordial World, so why does Heaven only favor those in the East!"
"The East already has five saints, yet Heaven still favors the East. Our Master has also disappeared, and in the West, there are only the two of us! This is truly unjust!"
Jieyin sighed and replied, "Yes! Heaven is unjust! I don't think there is any place for us in this world anymore! How can we hope to revitalize the West!" The two brothers poured out their grievances to each other, believing that Heaven was too unkind to the West!
On Kunlun Mountain, Taishang was pleased that Taihao had achieved sainthood. However, Fuxi of the Human Race had reached the peak of Da Luo, and his merits as the Heavenly Emperor were complete. It was time for him to go to the Fire Cloud Cave to temper his cultivation. However, the Fire Cloud Cave was Hongyun's dojo. Although Hongyun had joined Kunlun, the Fire Cloud Cave nominally still belonged to him. As the Saint Father of the Human Race, he should do something for his people.
Taishang immediately found Hongyun, who was traveling in the Primordial World. Upon meeting him, Taishang said directly, "Hongyun, your opportunity is about to arrive. This journey of yours ends here!"
Hongyun knew that with Taihao's sainthood and Fuxi's complete merits, it was his turn. Hongyun looked at Taishang and asked, "What are your arrangements, Divine Teacher?"
Taishang replied, "Hongyun, your Fire Cloud Cave holds great fortune for the Human Race. I wish to ask for the Fire Cloud Cave in the name of the Human Race's Saint Father. Are you willing?"
Hongyun nodded and said, "I have already joined the Kunlun sect. Divine Teacher, please take it and use it as you see fit!"
Taishang shook his head and said, "This matter is not for me to decide; it is for you to decide!"
Hongyun looked at Taishang with confusion. Taishang pointed to the sky and said, "Although you no longer cultivate in the Fire Cloud Cave, it is still your dojo. You must let Heaven know that you have gifted it to the Human Race, so that the Fire Cloud Cave will be linked to the Human Race's destiny!"
Hongyun understood immediately and declared, "Heaven above, I, Hongyun, the master of the Fire Cloud Cave, now, sensing the great fortune the Human Race brings to our Primordial World, hereby gift the Fire Cloud Cave to the Human Race. May Heaven bear witness!"
As soon as Hongyun finished speaking, Taishang, along with Hongyun, arrived at Shouyang Mountain. On Shouyang Mountain, Fuxi dimly sensed that his merits were complete. Although he had already reached the peak of Da Luo, it was achieved through the merits bestowed by Heaven. Fuxi felt it was time to temper his cultivation properly.
Taishang arrived at Shouyang Mountain and, upon seeing Fuxi, said, "Fuxi, you have now completed your merits and shall be the Heavenly Emperor of the Human Race. Now that Hongyun has gifted the Fire Cloud Cave to the Human Race, you should go to the Fire Cloud Cave to temper your cultivation."
Fuxi, hearing Taishang's words, said, "Thank you, Saint Father!"
Taishang nodded with satisfaction. Fuxi then declared, "My clan's Saint Father and Saint Mother above, I, Fuxi of the Human Race, shall be the Heavenly Emperor of my people, forever protecting them. I seek the permission of our Saint Mother and Saint Father!"
As Fuxi finished speaking, Taishang said, "Granted!"
Tongtian also said, "Granted!"
Yuanshi was still in seclusion and did not speak, but with Taishang and Tongtian's approval, it was sufficient. As soon as Tongtian finished speaking, Nuwa's voice echoed through heaven and earth, "Granted!"
As Nuwa's voice faded, the Human Race in the Primordial World knelt down, shouting in unison, "Hail the Heavenly Emperor!"
With the establishment of the position of Heavenly Emperor, Fuxi felt a surge in the Human Race's destiny. He then struck while the iron was hot and declared, "Heaven above, I, Fuxi, the Heavenly Emperor of the Human Race, hereby establish the Fire Cloud Cave as the sacred land of our Human Race. I implore Heaven to bear witness!"
A thunderous voice echoed through heaven and earth: "Granted!"
With the blessing of a sacred place for cultivation, Fuxi felt the Human Race's destiny greatly increase. Taishang nodded and said, "Fuxi, although you have reached the peak of Da Luo, it is due to the merits of the Heavenly Dao. You still need to calm your mind and stabilize your foundation! The Fire Cloud Cave is now connected to the Human Race's destiny, which will greatly benefit your cultivation! Go!"
Hearing this, Fuxi was about to express his gratitude to Taishang, but Taishang helped him up and said, "Now that you are the Heavenly Emperor of the Human Race, you should not perform the ritual of kneeling anymore, lest you diminish the Human Race's destiny!"
Fuxi nodded and, turning to Taishang, said, "Thank you, Saint Father. Fuxi departs!" With that, Fuxi headed towards the Fire Cloud Cave.
As soon as Fuxi left, a celestial phenomenon suddenly appeared in the heavens and earth. Everyone assumed it was because the Heavenly Emperor Fuxi had departed. Only Taishang's expression changed. He knew that Shennong was being born. Shennong, like Fuxi, was of the Human Race but did not have a normal human form. If he were to be mistreated by the Human Race, it would not be good.
At the same time, in the Jiang clan of the Human Race, a woman gave birth to a male infant with a bull's head and a human body. The expressions of the people changed drastically, believing an evil spirit had been born. Before anyone could react, Taishang and Hongyun arrived at the tribe. Taishang looked at the infant and breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing Taishang's arrival, everyone immediately knelt down. Taishang flicked his whisk, and everyone involuntarily stood up.
Taishang declared, "This child is a great sage of the Human Race. You must raise him well and not neglect him!"
The child's mother, hearing this, finally relaxed, fearing her child would be abandoned by everyone. She said to Taishang, "Thank you, Saint Father, for validating my son! Thank you, Saint Father!"
Taishang nodded and said to Hongyun, "Hongyun, I entrust this child to you!"
The child's mother, seeing that her child was safe because of Taishang, said, "Please, Saint Father, bestow a name upon this child!"
Taishang nodded and said, "This child shall henceforth be called Shennong!"
With that, Taishang disappeared. Hongyun settled in the mountain forest not far from the Jiang clan's tribe, intending to wait for Shennong to grow up.