Suiren, Shennong, Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan[1]...

Wang Sheng rubbed his forehead and sighed quietly multiple times as he looked at the chaotic web of myths. The history of the Hua Republic ran deep. Folk tales and accounts from different eras were tangled together, while scholars and wanderers from every dynasty had added their own embellishments. After going through so much material, it was almost impossible to tell the truth from fiction.

A myth system this complicated would probably drive any foreign learner of the language to frustration at least three hundred times over!

Wang Sheng yawned and leaned back on the sofa. Even though he was already a Golden Immortal, his eyes still felt dry and strained.

He had been researching nonstop for several days. Fortunately, Qinglin had stayed by his side the whole time. Though Qinglin had not attained true immortality for some reason, he still possessed a long lifespan.

Wang Sheng refused to believe he could not find the correct answer.

Beside him, Qinglin read with great interest, calmly flipping through document after document. He still occasionally fell into the habit of reading from right to left in vertical lines. Even so, this was far more comfortable for him than watching videos to learn game mechanics.

"Fei Yu, have you found anything?"

"Nothing conclusive yet. Right now, we are focusing on the period before Earth's primal qi was cut off, around fifteen hundred years ago. Immortals of the Heavenly Court left many of these accounts behind."

Qinglin nodded lightly. "Alright. Keep searching. The sooner we find something, the better."

Wang Sheng sighed and continued going through the documents.

A few days later, both Wang Sheng and Qinglin sighed deeply. Just as they were about to consider giving up, the research institute sent over several more boxes of materials.

Qinglin showed surprising enthusiasm, encouraging Wang Sheng to keep going with their "archaeological research."

An ancient cultivator working on modern archaeology...

The thought moved Wang Sheng deeply. Still, he decided to take half a day off. Continuing like this without direction would not work.

He picked up his phone and contacted Mou Yue, asking her to send a special message beyond the Realm of Exiled Immortals. Through it, he asked Chun Yangzi and Zhi Bing if they had any relevant information. Perhaps there were legends about a Human King or Human Emperor somewhere in the endless space.

He would not slack off on Earth either. He continued digging through the materials.

Gradually, a line of thought began to take shape. Wang Sheng pulled out a sheet of paper and drew a long, straight line.

The starting point was Chaos. The endpoint was the present.

In the Primal Era, heaven and earth formed. The Great Dao's laws evolved, which then intertwined to create the Immortal Saint Realm. That realm expanded endlessly.

Then came a great war. The once boundless Immortal Saint Realm was shattered, forming fractures across the four great sky regions. The matter that spilled out, along with spreading laws, gave rise to the endless space.

After that, countless years of conflict among the primordial races caused the Immortal Saint Realm to continue releasing matter. The endless space expanded rapidly, transforming from something finite into true vastness.

Nuwa then stepped forward to quell the chaos. She slew many of the Primal Era's great beings, or cast them back into the age of chaos and reduced them to a state without self-awareness—a feat far harder than simply killing them.

Only Dao and true spirits were left drifting within space.

Not long after, the Ancient Era began. In its early years, all races flourished, and humanity finally emerged.

Wang Sheng tapped the tip of his pen lightly against the paper as he fell into thought.

Nuwa had created humanity through the Dao of Creation. From birth, they already possessed bodies suited for cultivation. They were also meant to help maintain the balance of heaven and earth.

But the rise of humanity took time. With Nuwa's care, the Great Dao likely also granted it an immense heavenly fate.

That fortune should have gathered in one person: the Human Emperor of that era.

From this perspective, a Human Emperor had to have existed in the Ancient Era. No matter what form they had taken, be it a tribal leader or the ruler of all under heaven, they likely had an abundance of heavenly fate.

Before humanity could fully rise, the races waged war against each other again. A great being destroyed a heavenly pillar, bringing forth a flood that covered the world.

Wang Sheng recalled reading an analysis about the prehistoric great flood that appeared across many mythologies on Earth.

This could have been a lingering memory of the catastrophe in the Immortal Saint Realm, imprinted across multiple races. That would explain the shared elements.

Um...

This was still speculation. He had no real evidence.

When Nuwa appeared again to repair the Immortal Saint Realm, she exhausted most of her power. Disheartened, she then chose to create the sacred spirit, grant it heavenly fate, and leave the world forever.

"And then came the Immortal Emperor's scheme."

Around the time when the sky was mended, many things seemed to have happened.

Wang Sheng glanced at Qinglin. "Senior, is it possible that the Immortal Emperor plotted against the sacred spirit and seized its fate, but he still lacked sufficient heavenly fate, so he turned his attention to the Human Emperor's share as well?"

Qinglin frowned slightly. "I would not dare speak recklessly on such matters."

Wang Sheng smiled. "Don't worry. It is just speculation."

He continued along that line of thought.

Oh, right, the letter Forefather had left mentioned that due to its altered flow of time, the Realm of Exiled Immortals had once been discovered in the Ancient Era and used as a place of exile.

The Immortal Emperor had deliberately left an entrance. Was it meant to gather threats he could not eliminate and confine them within the Time-Cycle Grand Array? The slowed passage of time alone would already limit the growth of cultivators there...

"Who was the first human exiled here?"

Wang Sheng simply grabbed a few stacks of documents. Soon, his eyes lit up. He pulled out a sheet and placed it before him.

The one who drilled wood to make fire, Suiren! It is certainly probable. I just have to find Suiren's bloodline!

A spark lit up in Wang Sheng's eyes, but it quickly faded before it could fully bloom.

Where am I supposed to find someone like that?

"It really feels like searching for a needle in the haystack."

From the study room nearby, Xi Lian poked her head out. "Do you two want some lo mein? I just ordered takeout."

Qinglin smiled wryly and shook his head. Wang Sheng also quickly declined.

Xi Lian muttered, "You two are getting obsessed with all this useless stuff. Talking about Human King and Human Emperor every day. Even if you find them, what then?"

Wang Sheng steadied his voice. "To reclaim heavenly fate! The human race must never be enslaved!"

"Pui! Humans are already the strongest race under heaven. It's us fiends who should never be enslaved!"

"So, right now, do I count as human or—"

Ding dong~ 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

The doorbell suddenly rang, interrupting Qinglin. He and Xi Lian had already sensed the person standing downstairs with their immortal perception.

Wang Sheng, whose Primordial Spirit wasn't within him, could only ask, "Who is it? That was fast for delivery."

"It's someone you know. Go open the door." Xi Lian rolled her eyes and turned back into the room, then quickly glanced over her shoulder and added, "Just don't you dare wrong Little Xuanxuan!"

Wang Sheng frowned slightly, not quite understanding.

Even now, some people still doubt my sincerity toward Senior Sister?

Dressed lightly, he soon shuffled out in his slippers. He had only bundled himself up earlier before going out to avoid standing out. Even if he went to the poles half-dressed now, he would not feel the slightest bit of cold. He would probably be mistaken for a pervert.

He opened the door. The young woman outside, dressed in a cheongsam, froze for a moment, her jewel-like eyes darting toward him. Her long, dark hair fell softly as a touch of blush added to her gentle charm.

Wang Sheng lit up with surprise. "Senior Sister? You've come out from down under?"

"Mm." Shen Qianlin smiled softly. Her long lashes lowered slightly as she looked at him. "I heard from the Hidden Earth Sect that you returned badly injured. I've been wanting to visit for a while now. Today, I finally got the chance."

Feeling a little embarrassed, Wang Sheng smiled. "Come in for now."

"There are other people inside. Let's take a walk outside instead."

"Alright." He stepped out and closed the door behind him.

After exchanging a glance with him, she turned and picked a direction. They walked side by side, though neither found a good topic to start with.

"So, the Small Nether Realm is still in its off-season, huh?"

Shen Qianlin chuckled lightly. "Mm. It's always off-season. With the Reincarnation Stone in pieces, the Small Nether Realm is just a small world now."

Looking a bit embarrassed, Wang Sheng lowered his voice. "Let me tell you a secret. If it wasn't broken by an accident, then I was probably the one who broke it."

"Mm?" The female blinked, studying him in confusion. "How could it be you?"

He shook his head. "It's a long story. I didn't mean to cause trouble, but because of it, Yaoyun couldn't reincarnate."

She thought for a moment, then looked at him and said softly, "For her, not being able to reincarnate could be misfortune, but it could also be a blessing. After all, becoming your sword spirit allowed her to spend a thousand years staying by your side and traveling with you."

The sword cultivator naturally shifted the topic. "Senior, how are things on your end now? Are you able to merge with the power of the past Lady Meng immortals?"

Shen Qianlin smiled. "I can merge with a small portion now, that's why I can come out for a while. Where's your senior sister? Didn't she come back with you?"

Wang Sheng's lips curled into a bitter smile. "Haaaaa. It's unfortunate, but she's very, very far away right now. Being able to stay with her for three hundred years after our marriage is already a kind of happiness most people could never imagine. I'm sure this separation is only for a longer reunion in the future!"

The young woman blinked gently, her smile growing softer. "You're married?"

"Mm. Now that I think about it, it's been quite a while. After all, time flows differently. A hundred years outside is only one year here."

Shen Qianlin nodded slowly, showing no obvious change in emotion. She continued chatting with Wang Sheng about the world beyond the Realm of Exiled Immortals. They strolled past the usual territory of elderly folks—the parks and basketball courts—then wandered into a warm shopping mall.

From the way they were dressed, anyone could tell they were cultivators. Hence, no one was foolish enough to bother them.

Before long, Shen Qianlin began to smile more and even laughed softly a few times. They were like close, old friends. They were not quite at the point of sharing everything, though, and they remained mindful of each other's position, carefully keeping a respectful distance.

Not far behind them, two people bundled in thick winter coats followed quietly and sneakily.

Looking both amused and helpless, Qinglin transmitted, "This really isn't appropriate."

Xi Lian rolled her eyes. "What's inappropriate about this? We are just preventing trouble before it happens by catching them in the act! Little Xuanxuan is far too honest, and Fei Yu is sly!"

"Fei Yu is not that kind of man."

Xi Lian raised an eyebrow. "Want to make a bet? Whatever they do later, we do the same. How about it?"

Qinglin frowned. "This is completely improper."

"You're scared!"

"Hmph!" Qinglin replied calmly, "Me? Scared?"

"Hmm? Hmm?"

After a brief hesitation, he smiled. In a softer tone, he replied, "Fine, I am."

Xi Lian rolled her eyes repeatedly and muttered, "Boring."

She then tugged Qinglin along, sneaking after the pair ahead.

1. These three figures are collectively known as the Three Sovereigns in Chinese mythology. They are legendary sage-kings from prehistoric times who are credited with founding human civilization. ☜