The contention for heavenly treasures was the fundamental cause of conflict between races, for the future and authority of any clan were always determined by their powerful immortal ancestors. Those who delayed their cultivation, and those who obstructed them, naturally became their enemies.
Human immortals, unwilling to relinquish heavenly treasures, saw their conflicts gradually spread to the clan level. Relying on the legacy of the demon race, their own innate talents, and their speed in producing immortals, humans were surprisingly able to hold their own against the ancient clans. These ancient clans possessed deep foundations, and it was not something a clan with unstable roots could hope to defeat. Yet, humanity endured the pressure from several races, growing through the crucible of blood and fire. This growth was undoubtedly aided by the selfless sacrifice and dedication of human pioneers, as well as the assistance of the Three Sects.
After the human race secured twenty percent of the territories in Dongsheng Shenzhou and Nanzhanbuzhou, their expansion finally halted. Even a mere twenty percent of a continent was vast enough to sustain human life and reproduction for nearly a hundred Yuanhui. However, humanity had also made enemies of many races. After gaining independence, humans designated all cultivators as demons, leading to a human-demon antagonism. This "demon" classification excluded the demon race from the Demon Realm itself. After all, the humans who migrated from the Demon Realm were only a portion of the human race, and many still harbored nostalgia for the peaceful life in their former home.
During this brutal tempering, four human immortals rose to prominence, their names echoing across the land. In Dongsheng Shenzhou, the two divisions led by the Grand Unity Golden Immortals Youchao Shi and Ziyi Shi were the most outstanding. Youchao Shi created caves for countless mortals, ensuring that no human was left homeless. Ziyi Shi fashioned clothes from ordinary materials to keep mortals warm and protected from the cold. In Dongsheng Shenzhou, Suiren Shi and Yanzhi Shi were the most renowned. Suiren Shi was the inventor of mundane fire, the one who drilled wood to make fire. From then on, countless mortals no longer had to beg immortals for fire seeds. Fire was no longer worshipped as a divine entity. Yanzhi Shi wove ropes for humans and crafted tools, ushering in an era of stone implements. This era was known in human history as the Stone Age. Among these four, Suiren Shi's contribution was the most significant. Drilling wood to make fire was akin to a magical art in the eyes of mortals. While immortals required incantations, talismans, formations, and preparation for their divine abilities, drilling wood to make fire also demanded preparation. This signaled a decline in the divine authority of immortals. More importantly, by inventing fire, humans had discovered a source of power, creating an inexhaustible force! Thus, Suiren Shi had attained great power and ascended to the eleventh heaven, while the other three were merely Grand Unity Golden Immortals. They were the progenitors of human civilization, the architects of the glory of the entire Stone Age.
Humanity rapidly progressed and advanced through its civilization, with the number of Grand Unity Golden Immortals already exceeding double digits. The various races of the Primordial World, seeing the three Sages inclined to protect humanity, could only relocate elsewhere. Some of these clans migrated to Beiju Luzhou.
On Mount Fuyun, Qing Ling had already delivered nine sermons. Each lasted a thousand years, delivered once every ten thousand years, imparting his entire Dao. How much one could comprehend depended on individual destiny. Those celestial immortals, upon hearing the Dao of the Grand Unity, lacked the capacity to grasp it, but those who were Grand Unity Golden Immortals could comprehend a portion and soar to the heavens. Chai Daohuang, leveraging the luck of the Saints and the merit of the Matchmaker, successfully broke through and entered the realm of Grand Unity Golden Immortal. Kong Xuan also reached the tenth heaven of the Grand Unity, facing a crossroads in his path. Qing Ling did not force him to choose his own Dao, but allowed him to grasp it himself, whether to pursue the path of the Three Corpses or the Three Lives, each with its own destiny. The four Hall Guardians had also reached the late stage of Grand Unity, and they too would soon face the choice of their Dao. Dudou Tudi, however, had a slightly weaker cultivation, only at the mid-stage of the Grand Unity at the sixth heaven. Being a spirit of the earth, a few Yuanhui were akin to mere days for him, his progress inherently slow. Shen Nong Shi, however, lived up to his reputation, blessed by the destiny of heaven and earth, progressing from the early stage of Grand Unity to the mid-stage, the fourth heaven of Grand Unity, in just over ten Yuanhui. Qing Ling's second-generation disciples were remarkably brilliant, capable of surpassing the disciples of the Three Sects and the Western Buddhist sect. This was due to the foundation Qing Ling had accumulated since the Archaic Era. Even the Jie Sect, which would eventually command ten thousand immortals, currently had a scarcity of Grand Unity Golden Immortals, with only its four inner disciples having reached that realm. However, when it came to third-generation disciples, the situation was reversed. Since Qing Ling achieved his Dao tens of Yuanhui later than the Six Saints, he had only a few Golden Immortals among his third-generation disciples.
One day, Qing Ling summoned Shen Nong Shi. Shen Nong Shi entered Fuluo Palace and bowed, "Greetings, Master." Qing Ling smiled and said, "Rise. I have a matter that requires your attention. Are you willing?" Shen Nong Shi respectfully replied, "Your command, Master, I shall obey." Qing Ling smiled with satisfaction, "Excellent. Years ago, when fellow Daoist Nuwa created humanity, humanity was divided into three parts. One part was protected by Nuwa's descendants, another by the ancient Demon Court, and your lineage was the third. Now, the human lineage of Nuwa's descendants and the human lineage of the Demon Court have entered the Primordial World and are developing and multiplying, showing signs of a grand human destiny. It is time for your lineage to emerge!" Shen Nong Shi was startled and said, "Master, the contention for this grand human destiny is perilous. My kin are accustomed to a peaceful, secluded life. If we emerge and contend with them, I fear we will not prevail." Qing Ling sighed and said, "Do you truly believe your lineage of humans can reside in the Demon Realm permanently?" Shen Nong Shi's heart sank, and he quickly asked, "Please, Master, enlighten me." Qing Ling said slowly, "Humans were once among the demon race, but now they stand alone. Not only will humans break away from the demon race, but they will also develop animosity with the demons who remain in the Primordial World due to competition for resources. The opposition between humans and demons is irreversible." Shen Nong Shi exclaimed, "Can't you and Empress Nuwa prevent this?" Qing Ling shook his head, "If five of the Seven Saints support it, it becomes the grand destiny. Even I cannot alter it. Therefore, if your lineage does not migrate out soon, I fear the catastrophe of the Ancient Witch Slaying Sword will be repeated!" Shen Nong Shi said sadly, "Though the Primordial World is vast, it is already occupied. My kin do not know where they can be settled." Qing Ling smiled and said, "Has your constant cultivation made your mind dull? If Dongsheng Shenzhou and Nanzhanbuzhou are unsuitable, and the West is too barren to survive, do you not have the North?" Shen Nong Shi's heart lightened, and he bowed again, "Disciple thanks Master on behalf of my ten thousand kin!" Qing Ling smiled and said, "Although Beiju Luzhou is smaller than the other three continents, it can accommodate a hundred races without issue. With me guarding Beiju Luzhou, these corpse fiends will not be able to gain traction. Furthermore, with the wild and dangerous lands, I can have your fellow disciples flatten them. Not only your lineage, but even if the entire human race were ten thousand times larger, it would not be a problem." Shen Nong Shi was overjoyed and said, "Thank you, Master! From now on, my Shen Nong lineage will only obey your commands!" Shen Nong Shi joyfully left Fuluo Palace and met his nominal senior disciple, Kong Xuan. When Shen Nong Shi explained his intentions, Kong Xuan, forced to interrupt his seclusion, agreed with a look of disdain. This made Shen Nong Shi truly believe his Master's words: his senior disciple was merely cold on the outside but kind on the inside; feel free to bother him. Kong Xuan was, in Qing Ling's eyes, an arrogant disciple. Although his personality was not the best, he never held grudges in his actions. This was why Qing Ling appointed him as the senior disciple. Only one with a broad mind, capable of encompassing great matters, could be the senior disciple. After Kong Xuan sought Qing Ling's permission, he pulled out all the disciples of the mountain sect, without exception, to perform manual labor, demonstrating his camaraderie and affection for his fellow disciples as their senior disciple.