Throughout the Earthly Realm, all beasts who heard the Jade Emperor's decree raise their heads. An intense yearning appeared in their eyes, especially the demons whose ancestors had perished during or before the Titan-Demon War. They were the abandoned ones, left to fend for themselves, saddled with immense Karmic Sin.
If they could attain the position of one of the Zodiacs, the Karmic Sin burdening them would disappear, offset by the Karmic Merits they would gain. They might even increase their cultivation from absorbing the excess merits.
Among the many beasts, three stood out. They were the descendants of the first three lifeforms Saint Nuwa created before humans. The ox was the descendant of Cattle, the rooster was the descendant of Chicken, and the boar was the descendant of Pig.
The ox was the strongest among the three descendants and flew fastest toward the South Heaven Gate of the Heavenly Court. However, a heavenly river formed of Celestial Starwater blocked his way.
He could see that numerous other beasts tried to swim through, but many drowned. The ox was simpleminded and did not think of shirking away, so he prepared to jump in a swim through. Just as he was about to go, he was stopped by two beasts.
"Hey, hey, what's your name?" a rat at the Earth Immortal Realm asked.
Seeing no reason not to reply, the ox gave his name.
"I see, so you're the ox," a cat said next to the rat.
"Are you planning on swimming over?" the rat asked.
"Yes," the ox said.
"But it's very dangerous," the cat said.
"Yes, yes," the rat agreed. "You won't be able to see while you swim."
"Then what can I do?" the ox asked. No matter what, it wanted to become one of the Zodiacs, not one of humanity's livestock.
"How about this? I'll stand on your forehead and give you directions," the rat said.
"And I'll sit on your back," the cat said.
The ox thought about it, and saw no reason to disagree. Lowering himself, he allowed the rat and cat to jump on top of him. He then jumped into the river and swam with all his strength.
Along the way, the rat and cat shouted directions to him whenever he swam in the wrong direction or detected danger. With their aid, the ox nearly made it to the other side, but just as they were about to reach it, the rat kicked the cat, causing him to fall into the Celestial Starwater with a furious screech.
"Hm, where did the cat go?" the ox asked after climbing ashore and finally noticing his missing passenger.
"You swam too roughly, and the cat fell off," the rat lied seamlessly.
"Oh," the ox said. "I should go look for him."
"No, no, you shouldn't. The cat would've wanted us to reach the South Heaven Gate first," the rat said.
"Is that so?" the ox asked, still not suspecting a thing, and walked to the South Heaven Gate.
Once they were in front of the South Heaven Gate, the rat jumped off and landed in front of the soldiers and said, "I arrived first!"
The soldiers guarding the gate nodded in acknowledgment. Immediately after, the ox stopped behind the rat, becoming the second to reach the South Heaven Gate. The soldiers ordered both of them to wait until ten more had arrived.
Back on the other side of the river, a tiger arrived. With his powerful muscles, he swam to the other side easily, becoming the third to succeed.
Immediately following, a hare arrived. He had jumped stone to stone and even atop the other beasts to cross. However, just before arriving, he had slipped and almost fell into the water, but a strong gust had blown him onto the shore.
The fifth to arrive was a flying dragon from the North Sea Dragon Clan. He had no horns, and the dragon's majesty he exuded was weak. However, he had a kind nature and had created a gust of wind that blew the hare to safety.
Next, a horse galloped forward. Its body contained the blood of the dragon horse that the Demon Clan once raised in the Thirty-Three Heavens, giving him the ability to cross the heavenly river. Just as he was about to reach the South Heaven Gate, a snake slithered from his hoof, frightening him. The snake claimed sixth while he claimed seventh.
Then, no new beasts came forward for quite a while. Eighth, ninth, and tenth all arrived at the same time. Knowing that their individual strength would not allow them to cross, they teamed up. They were the goat, monkey, and rooster, respectively.
The eleventh was a dog. With his innate ability to swim, it should have arrived earlier, but he spent too much time frolicking around, hence arriving second to last.
The twelfth and last to arrive was the boar. He had nearly drowned thanks to his thick fur but managed to reach the shore.
With all twelve beasts present, the heavenly river's current intensified, drowning all the animals still trying to cross. The race to become one of the Zodiacs had officially ended, and the commander of the South Heaven Gate escorted the twelve animals to Zodiac Heaven.
Once they arrived, the twelve beasts did not dare to gaze at the hosts or guests. They lowered their heads and quietly stared at the jade tiles.
"Congratulations on arriving and becoming the Zodiacs," a low and pleasant voice said. "I name the rat first of the Zodiacs, the ox second of the Zodiacs, the tiger third of the Zodiacs, the rabbit fourth of the Zodiacs, the dragon fifth of the Zodiacs, the snake sixth of the Zodiacs, the horse seventh of the Zodiacs, the goat eighth of the Zodiacs, the monkey ninth of the Zodiacs, the rooster tenth of the Zodiacs, the dog eleventh of the Zodiacs, and the boar twelfth of the Zodiacs."
Along with her pronouncement, the Jade Emperor waved her hand, and twelve Nine Thousand Year Flat Peaches floated in front of each of them. Simultaneously, the River of Time appeared in the sky. Strands split off and merged with the newly proclaimed Zodiacs.
The twelve Zodiac's cultivation increased dramatically. Most of them were in the Earth Immortal Realm, with only a few, like the dragon and tiger, in the Sky Immortal Realm. All of them entered the Profound Immortal Realm without fail.
Once the increase in power ended, the River of Time receded. Then, the clouds of merit appeared, infusing each with immense Karmic Merit. The rat received the most, while the boar received the least.
Each of the Zodiacs had their own way of using Karmic Merit. When the Jade Emperor granted them the Nine Thousand Year Flat Peaches, she also passed down the Heavenly Court Statutes, the method to cultivate the Celestial Path.
The rat condensed a faint Halo of Merit while the ox absorbed it and practiced the Heavenly Court Statutes. Others burdened by Karmic Sin, like the tiger and dragon, used it to offset the Karmic Sin weighing down on them.
After all this was over, a faint ethereal glow of time exuded off their body. The guests clapped and exclaimed their admiration and enjoyment as the Zodiacs were seated at a newly set table.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
----------------------------------------
Once the River of Time descended, Tongtian's eyes glazed over. All the Saints present noticed, especially Yuanshi. His eyes scoured each Saint of Heaven, daring them to interrupt the critical juncture of enlightenment she had entered.
Under Yuanshi's menacing gaze, Zhunti sighed and hid his malicious thoughts. If he really did act on them, the West would pay a huge price in return, something they could not afford. Eons later, Zhunti would sigh and regret not taking action once he learned of how crucial this moment was for her rise.
A silvery aura, one more intense than those on the Zodiacs’, coated Tongtian. Less than an hour later, the silvery aura disappeared, and her eyes regained clarity. Although she appeared calm on the surface, only she knew how vital this moment was for her future development.
"Come forth, Earth Luminary Tuxing," Tongtian summoned.
A figure with wings like dragon whiskers and wearing a yellow-brown robe stepped forward and kneeled. "Subject is present."
"From now on, the Twelve Zodiacs will be under your jurisdiction," Tongtian said.
"Yes!" Tuxing said with hidden excitement. "Subject will not let Your Eminence down."
"Alright, retreat," Tongtian said with a wave of her hands.
With that show of entertainment over, the Zodiac Conference resumed. More than a few guests realized that she hosted the banquet for this moment, but they couldn't figure out why Tongtian did all this for a seemingly minor matter. Still, none of them voiced this question. Since Tongtian didn't mention it, then she obviously didn't intend to disclose the reason.
As the banquet continued, Zhunti suddenly spoke out. "Senior Sister Tongtian, how about we add further excitement to the banquet?"
"Oh?" Tongtian glanced over. "What did you have in mind?"
"How about a gamble with a wager on the line," Zhunti suggested. He sighed when Tongtian didn't seem opposed.
"Sounds interesting," Tongtian said. "But what should we wager?"
The intent behind her question was obvious. Does the West even have anything worth betting on? Zhunti inwardly gritted his teeth. He replied, "I heard that Senior Sister obtained the Twenty-Four Sea Calming Pearls. How about wagering them against three Ninth-Ranked Golden Lotuses of Merit?"
"You're really going all out," Tongtian said as her gaze turned toward Dishitian, who had stilled for a moment.
"Does Senior Sister agree?"
"Alright," Tongtian said. "What are we gambling on?"
"Luck," Zhunti said. He knew that Yuanshi was among the strongest of the Saints, and even if Jieyin competed with Tongtian, chances weren't guaranteed—if Yuanshi didn't interfere. They didn't have a disciple as capable as Wutian, so it was just better to bet it all on luck.
"Interesting," Tongtian said. "How should we test it?"
Zhunti took out a round disk. A lotus flower was engraved on one side, and a mandala on the other. "We flip this. Whoever chooses the side it lands on, wins."
Tongtian blinked and stared at the disk in Zhunti's hand before she chuckled. "Alright, I agree."
"Since I chose the method, Senior Sister should choose the sides first." Tongtian nodded and chose the lotus engraving, leaving the mandala to Zhunti. "To keep it fair, let's have Daoist Redcloud flip it. If anyone interferes, the gamble will be invalidated."
Redcloud Ancestor looked at Zhunti and Tongtian. When Tongtian agreed, he accepted the disk. He used his magical power to flip the coin. Everyone watched the disk as it spun to its peak before falling and clattering onto the ground.
Zhunti stared unblinkingly at the disk in case someone interfered. Granted, he could just call it invalid even if he himself interfered. At the first bounce, he felt a fluctuation toward his right, and his focus snapped toward Tongtian, who was leaning leisurely on her seat.
Just as he was about to question her, his and Jieyin's disciples burst out in applause. Confused, Zhunti turned toward the coin to see the mandala facing the sky.
"It seems that I lost the wager," Tongtian said without a care in the world. The Twenty-Four Sea Calming Pearls appeared in front of her, and with a wave of her hand, they floated toward Zhunti.
Although inwardly confused, Zhunti still accepted. Even if Tongtian tried to interfere, she obviously failed. Otherwise, he wouldn't have won the bet. He ignored Yuanshi's disdainful gaze, having already grown used to it.
After the bet, the banquet continued without any accidents. Once the Zodiac Conference ended, every guest returned to their abode and territory.
When the western entourage returned to Mount Sumeru, Zhunti summoned Dishitian.
"Master," Dishitian said as she clapped her hands together and bowed to Zhunti. She already had an inkling of what was going to happen next, but she didn't dare to raise her hopes too much.
Zhunti smiled, obviously detecting Dishitian's hidden excitement. He didn't prolong her torment and waved his hand, causing the Twenty-Four Sea Calming Pearls to fly to her.
"Thank you, Master," Dishitian said.
"This is nothing. It's all for the West's prosperity," Zhunti said. He waved his hand again, and a lotus seed floated in front of Dishitian. "Take this too. Its future potential will count on you."
Dishitian's eyes widened. After completing the Thirty-Six Sea Calming Pearls, she never expected to receive another boon. She bowed again, only deeper. "I won't let Master down."
Seeing her conviction, Zhunti smiled in satisfaction. "Return and cultivate well."
----------------------------------------
The years passed. Ever since Tongtian hosted the Zodiac Conference, she secluded herself in Eminence Heaven Palace on Supreme Purity Heaven once more, leaving the day-to-day management to the other great emperors.
Of note, ten thousand years later, West Great Emperor of Curved Array Yaochi hosted a Peach Conference. Since Tongtian didn't attend, the Saints of Heaven only dispatched their disciples as representatives. The number of Flat Peaches was far less than the Zodiac Conference, but it had more guests.
Yaochi didn't mind. The main goal of her Peach Conference was to recruit followers after all. Thus, she hosted one every ten thousand years, considerably boosting the number of followers under her. Once she no longer needed manpower as much, she would reduce the frequency of the Peach Conference.
Near the one hundred and eight thousandth year of Fuxi's reign, the sky above the Yan Tribe turned violet as dragon roars and phoenix cries rang. Numerous other phenomena occurred, much to the Thunder Mountain Tribe people's joy.
The cause of all the miraculous events was the birth of a tribe from the Yan Clan, Shennong. Like Fuxi before him, his mother stayed pregnant for nine years, and he exhibited great wisdom immediately after birth. Furthermore, a Saint of Heaven's disciple, Guang Chengzi, accepted Shennong as his disciple.
Guang Chengzi took Shennong away from the tribe to cultivate him. During this time, he meticulously taught and instilled all knowledge into him. Shennong reached the peak of the Profound Immortal Realm after hundreds of years. Only then, did Guang Chengzi allow Shennong to return to the Thunder Mountain Tribe.
Shennong immediately returned. He wanted to see his mother, whom he had only seen at birth, but upon his return, he noticed that none of the people he recognized still lived. Every person he once knew had returned to dust.
He collapsed onto his knees and released a howl of pain that caused all who heard it to become melancholic. Shennong stayed in the same position for three whole months. Hence, his actions determined the length of the mourning period for all who experienced the passing of a family member.
After Shennong stood up again, the people of the Thunder Mountain Tribe welcomed him, even though none of them recognized him. The Thunder Mountain Tribe was located on terrain unsuitable for raising livestock, so they primarily relied on foraging and gathering. They fed him despite not having enough food for themselves.
Moved by their kindness, Shennong swore that he would solve the food issue. He tried to find livestock suitable to domesticate, but found none that suited the tribe's location.
As Shennong looked for suitable animals, he noticed them eating certain plants. Epiphany struck him. If animals could eat certain plants, why can't humans?
Shennong experimented with many plants animals ate, usually ingesting them himself to test if they contained any poisons, and discovered the five grains: soybeans, wheat, broomcorn, foxtail millets, and rice. The Thunder Mountain Tribe no longer had to worry about starvation.
They stockpiled a massive amount of grains. It was to the point that they did not have to worry about unsuccessful hunts or a bad season. However, Shennong ordered the tribe to cut down trees and clear new lands to increase the farmable fields. He wanted to make it so that even if they have a few years of bad harvest, the amount of grain they stored would be sufficient to feed everyone for several seasons.
It wasn't only the Thunder Mountain Tribe that no longer had to worry about starvation but all the tribes in a similar situation. Even the tribes blessed with fertile land started raising crops. Crops did not need as much attention as livestock, and they could be more easily stored.
With the dissemination of Shennong's five grains, his fame spread throughout humanity, eliciting Fuxi's attention. Fuxi had sensed his reign was coming to an end, but he was without a successor.
Fuxi searched long and hard, but none met his strict requirements. That is until Shennong appeared, that is. Hearing of his deeds, Fuxi summoned Shennong, intent on testing his qualification to become the next ruler of humanity.