Western part of the Southern Continent, a magnificent city stood at the foot of Qi Mountain.

Around the city, a dried river looped, all the houses and buildings were made of huge stones and mud blocks, and the gates were made of massive wood and bronze, looking quite thick and extraordinarily sturdy.

This majestic city was the territory of the Zhou Clan, named Xi Qi City.

In the city, there was a square, and at the center stood a grand and tall temple, the murals within depicted the lives and history of the ancestors.

It was a temple dedicated to the ancestors of the Zhou Clan.

To the people of the Zhou Clan, their currently peaceful life was inseparable from the blessing of their ancestors.

Therefore, the temple was bustling with incense burning, especially crowded on days of worship, with people shoulder to shoulder.

On the square in front of the temple, an ordinary-looking middle-aged man in a coarse blue robe quietly moved through the crowd, observing everything in the city with a detached gaze.

His observations were mostly on a young man named Ji Chang.

From his childhood to the present.

This was the sole reason he stayed in Xi Qi.

Because Ji Chang had shown exceptional talents and characteristics from a young age.

His curiosity and thirst for knowledge about the world were very strong, often raising surprising questions and quickly understanding the world in his own way.

Moreover, he was very good at observing and analyzing, able to accurately grasp the essence and patterns behind things.

As the son of the Zhou Clan leader, Ji Chang had been helping his father Ji Li analyze the situation of the Zhou Clan since he was ten, advising the whole clan to expand Xi Qi City, train the soldiers rigorously, fortify the city defenses, prepare military supplies and food, always on guard against the invasion from neighboring barbarian tribes.

Ji Li had gained the position of clan leader because of this son, and although surprised by his proposals, followed them all.

Indeed, less than two months after the expansion of Xi Qi City was completed, the Quanrong Tribe from the west launched a major invasion against Xi Qi.

Fortunately, Xi Qi City was strong and well-supplied, relying on the city walls to secure a great victory in defense.

Afterward, Ji Li took Ji Chang's advice and pursued their victory, directly attacking the royal tent of the Quanrong Tribe, severely damaging the Quanrong.

Since that battle, the Quanrong were severely weakened, while the Zhou Clan's fame soared, attracting many small tribes to come and pledge allegiance, once again expanding the territory under Zhou Clan's control.

Ji Li tasted success and after years of diligent governance, launched a series of wars against the barbarians and others around Zhou Country, achieving splendid victories.

At that time, the Zhou Clan was just a small lord in a remote area of the Great Shang, but with continuous expansion, it had become a massive force in the western part of Great Shang.

"The rise of Xi Qi has been swift and has caught the attention of the Great Shang Dynasty; the decree to summon Ji Li to Chaoge for rewarding will soon reach Xi Qi.

That King of Shang, in order to contain the power of the Zhou Clan, will likely nominally confer him as 'Marquess', as the chief among the western lords, but in reality, confine him in Chaoge."

An old man with white hair and a ruddy complexion, holding a cane, slowly walked up beside the man in the blue robe, smiling and said:

"Those Jie Sect disciples serving as officials in Great Shang couldn't guess that the real change in the Zhou Clan was not because of Ji Li, but his son Ji Chang!

But this is good for us.

I believe it won't be long before Master Xuan Du sees Ji Chang taking over Xi Qi, ultimately replacing the increasingly decayed Great Shang."

The old man looked kindly and amiable, but his tone was grand, as if the fate of Great Shang were under his control.

Great Master Xuan Du turned his head to glance at the old man, then turned back, showing no agreement or disagreement, just his eyes flickered slightly, seemingly deep in thought.

Eventually, he shook his head and said, "I shall return to Daluo Mountain, Nanji Junior Brother please feel free," and then he disappeared without a trace.

"Farewell, Senior Brother!"

Nanji Immortal bowed solemnly.

His movement was emphatic and his voice loud, but the surrounding people seemed completely oblivious.

Only a young man squatting on the ground, drawing on the sandy soil with a stick, slightly furrowed his brows, as if sensing something and looked around.

Nanji Immortal immediately noticed his unusual reaction, nodded with satisfaction, and thought: Worthy of being the son of destiny who rides phoenixes, able to sense my mana fluctuations with a mortal body.

Ji Chang looked around secretly for a while, and after finding nothing, he bowed his head again to look at the ground.

By now, he had drawn many patterns and symbols on the ground with the stick, looking rather cluttered and intricate, but one could vaguely see an Eight Diagrams pattern in the center...

...

Daluo Mountain is situated in the northwest part of Southern Continent, not very far from Qi Mountain.

Master Xuan Du, riding aboard an Auspicious Cloud, quickly returned to Daluo Mountain.

Upon approaching the Eight Sceneries Palace, he was met from afar by two young boys, who respectfully bowed and showed expressions of joy.

"Senior Brother, you truly have returned! Just a moment ago, the master instructed us to come out and welcome you."

"Master is currently refining Elixirs in the Alchemy Room, and he instructed that you should go there directly on your return."

Master Xuan Du slightly nodded and hastened to the Alchemy Room, following the fragrance of elixirs that filled the air.

Soon, he arrived in front of an elegant hall within the Eight Sceneries Palace, and he bowed deeply, saying, "Disciple has urgent matters to discuss with Teacher!"

As these words fell, an old and gentle voice responded.

"Didn't I say you could come straight in?"

"Yes, Disciple is coming in now."

While speaking, Master Xuan Du pushed open the door of the Alchemy Room.

A light, fragrant scent greeted him, with a dense elixir-mist filling the grand hall. Surrounding him were purple-red wooden racks, covered in gourds, pure bottles, and other containers, which seemed to emit a faint glow.

These containers were all filled with various kinds of elixirs.

Some elixirs could enhance one's Mana, with one pill equating to ten thousand years of arduous cultivation; some could cure illnesses and fend off disasters, where consuming one would cure all diseases, mend severed limbs effortlessly; others could prolong life, where eating one could even lead to ascension and immortality during daylight…

In the center of the great hall stood an Eight Diagrams Pill Furnace measuring thirty-six feet and five inches tall. Not far from the furnace on a meditation cushion sat an old Taoist with white hair and beard, wearing a Taiqing Fish Tail Crown and Yin Yang Eight Diagrams Robe, gently fanning the furnace flames with a Palm Leaf Fan. His face was neither joyful nor sad, radiating a sense of calm and indifference.

"Disciple pays respects to the Master!"

Master Xuan Du respectfully bowed to the old Taoist.

Taiching Saint slightly nodded, looking at him and asked, "What have you encountered on this journey?"

Master Xuan Du recounted everything he witnessed during his travels in Primordial without reservation, especially contrasting Linhuan Pass and Xi Qi.

Taiching Saint seemed slightly surprised, "Linhuan Pass, was that orchestrated by Yu Yuan?"

"Indeed."

Master Xuan Du earnestly said, "In Disciple's view, Linhuan Pass was likely established by Jie Sect in anticipation of the inevitable dynastic successions, thus preemptively supporting Linhuan Pass to eventually replace Great Shang."

Taiching Saint nodded slightly, looking at Master Xuan Du, "From your tone, you seem optimistic about Linhuan Pass's success."

"Yes!"

Master Xuan Du did not hide his thoughts, and stated frankly, "Rather than saying it's out of optimism, it's more that the Disciple is looking forward to seeing Linhuan Pass replace Great Shang.

Thus, the system of Linhuan Pass could be adopted across the entire Southern Continent, and even throughout the whole Primordial, strengthening the Human Race..."

Before he could finish, Taiching Saint interrupted quietly, "If Human Race continues to expand endlessly, how should other beings exist?"

"Hmm?"

Master Xuan Du was momentarily stunned, looking at Taiching Saint, "Disciple does not understand Teacher's meaning, please enlighten me."

Taiching Saint spoke, "Before the enlightenment of Human Race, they were bullied by myriad clans of Primordial and were reduced to mere food; compassionate at heart, I once taught the humans upon Shouyang Mountain, and even helped the Human Race to secure their eternal paramount role.

However, as Human Race grew stronger, they relentlessly encroached upon the living spaces of other beings; unless turned into slaves of Human Race, these beings had to migrate to realms beyond Human Race's reach.

This is not what I wished to see."

Master Xuan Du was even more confused, murmuring hesitantly, "Didn't Teacher found the Human Sect to educate Human Race? Now that Jie Sect is also on the path of educating Human Race at Linhuan Pass, why is Teacher displeased?"

"You are mistaken."

Taiching Saint shook his head, looking at Master Xuan Du and slowly said, "I founded Human Sect to enlighten all beings of the Three Realms! My 'Human' is not limited to Human Race alone!

Human Race should not develop too quickly, as it would seize opportunities from other beings, preventing joint development.

This is the way of Jie Sect, not the way of my Human Sect!"

"This..."

Master Xuan Du widened his eyes, somewhat incredulously staring at Taiching Saint, and for a moment, he found himself at a loss for words to counter his mentor's view.

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