The road towards the sacred celestial mountain at the centre of the universe was long and arduous. For ordinary immortals that was. Golden Immortals like Tian Hai and Huoyun walked that distance with little issue. It still look an immense amount of time, but for immortal creatures it wasn’t something to be concerned about.
Tian Hai throughout his journey thoroughly enjoyed having someone else around. However, the fact that Huoyun was constantly bringing up his past and their adventures got old and annoying after the fifteenth thousand time.
Nevertheless, Tian Hai didn’t really complain. He was very thankful now that he didn’t suffer much from pain inducing episodes.
As the two made their way across the primordial soil, Mt Buzhou did not seem to be getting any closer. Their pace was leisurely and unhurried. In fact, two resembled tourists sightseeing the view more then anything. Sometime’s they’ll walk on foot, other times they’ll ride the clouds. As an exercise, Tian Hai would even create constructs out of water to ride upon.
Five thousand years of nonstop trekking later, the two finally neared the borders of the East Continent. Since their starting location was closer southwards, the dimensional barrier they encountered merely linked to the South Continent. However, through that and a little more would lead to the Central Continent where Mt Buzhou lay.
Neither Tian Hai nor Huoyun had ever been to the South Continent before. But from his human memories, Tian Hai could deduce many details about it. When the part of him that was originally human still resided on earth, he had read many internet novels about the same general setting of the Primitive World.
While details would change, large story beats remain the same and thus predictable. In many stories, the south was the place in which true qi used for cultivation was largely dried up. This lead to it being the cradle of human civilization after the investiture of the gods event.
But it was still many yuanhui before that even becomes a possibility. Primordial qi had yet to degrade into the true qi of the future and the ten thousand clans who competed to become overlord of the Primitive World had yet to even take place. In this early period, everyone was prey to the rage of the Chaos Godfiends.
According to Tian Hai’s information, it was said that the South Continent was the domain of the ancestor of the Phoenix Clan and the king of all avian creatures of the cosmos. She was supposed to be a master of a celestial type of flame rich in both yin and yang known as the Nanming Divine Flames.
As such, Tian Hai wondered if he would meet the younger self of the legendary phoenix in the southern part of the Great Wilderness. Even if he couldn’t, he’d still be expecting to see a land rife with bird type immortals. That was if they haven’t been preyed upon by primordial beasts already.
“What are you so happy about?” Huoyun asked the skipping Tian Hai. He found the younger immortal’s strangely cheerful behavior to be not only strange but a bit irritating as well. Nothing major but Tian Hai had the habit of always having his gourd down.
“Hm? Oh nothing, nothing major. Just wondering what sights we’ll see in the South Continent is all.”
“Tian Hai we’re not here to sight see. You still need to restore your cultivation and we are also in need of treasures to augment us.” Huoyun’s reminder wiped Tian Hai’s cheerful expression.
“Don’t get me wrong brother I like seeing the natural view as well. But you must remember there are many dangers in the world.”
“Primordial beasts aren’t much of a threat brother.”
“Who says anything about primordial beasts? Our fellow godfiends are also a threat. It’s ingrained in our brain.”
Tian Hai nodded. He recalled what Huoyun had said about the godfiends over the years. Are you a righteous god or a despicable fiend? Either one does not matter as they’re ultimately the same, people trying to seek the Dao. The Dao was all that mattered in the end.
This mentality created a cutthroat style of life within the Chaos Sea. Godfiends would not hesitate to betray one another to steal benefits. But this did not mean they were without camaraderie. Even if two godfiends were mortal enemies, they would almost never go for the kill and would rather sit down and trade notes on the nature of the Dao. Ultimately, seeking the Dao was the most important.
But that was the past. Who knows if anything had changed after the godfiends had reincarnated into this new world.
Huoyun observed Tian Hai’s thinking position and chuckled. It would be good if this new Tian Hai could develop more situation awareness. The old Tian Hai would not allow any creature who did not qualify form nearing him.
“There’s also the Chaos Sea to consider. When we leave, and we eventually will as we are restored to full power. Other chaotic lifeforms also exist in the Chaos Sea not unlike us godfiends. Don’t you remember how we were originally like them as well before our induction at Tai Chu temple?”
“Tai Chu temple?” Tian Hai scratched his head and only nodded along dumbly. He’d never really given that part of godfiend history much thought and now the onslaught of headache inducing memories were muffled. Whatever instinctual voices in his mind was also suppressed to a degree that he could barely feel a thing.
But Huoyun never responded as he’d already stopped walking. This was because around a kilometre in front of them, past the forest foliage they were progressing through and along a wide hilly grassland. The semi permeable barrier that separated east from south came into view. It was almost mesmerizing, like a bubble even.
It was clear and the other side was visible. But there was also flickering energies within the barrier that glowed in different coloured lights. Tian Hai and Huoyun crossed that distance hurriedly to reach the barrier.
While Tian Hai found it interesting to admire, Huoyun didn’t think much of it. The separation from the East Continent to South Continent wasn’t that tough. It was instead very stable and seemed to come from the centre of the world itself
“Come on, let’s not dawdle,” Huoyun reminded. He pushed out with his hands and easily passed through the barrier. Once on the other side, he turned back around and waited for Tian Hai to make his way through.
The childish unease and hesitation Tian Hai was subsequently displaying was concerning for Huoyun. Nothing he’s seen was anything he’d describe as desirable. Perhaps if he was just a happy go lucky mortal. But Tian Hai was part of the top three thousand Chaos Godfiends. It was unnatural.
“Woah!”
Tian Hai explained and patted himself once he passed through. He looked back at the barrier and brushed his hands through it again trying to test it out. He found it fun in a strange sort of way.
‘This kid.’ Huoyun could only shake his head exasperatingly.
The South Continent was much drier then the lush East Continent. Not to say it was devoid of greenery, it was still a location with a vast variety of environments. But the average temperature was much hotter then Tian Hai had previously experienced.
He could feel the Dao laws governing the forces of fire being stronger and easier to sense in this part of the world compared to the east where wood was more prominent. Huoyun being the progenitor of these elemental subset of Dao laws instantly recognized them and could merely sigh regrettably.
The Daos carefully cultivated by the top three thousand Chaos Godfiends and the hundred and eight thousand lesser godfiends were swallowed by Pangu’s Chaos World. Hidden deep within its core, they only displayed themselves on the surface in the form of these Dao laws. Natural physics which governed the world.
For True, Profound, and Heavenly Immortals they were needed to progress. But they were ultimately pointless to the Golden Immortal godfiends who could only look at them regrettably. On the other hand, Tian Hai felt strangely that he couldn’t give less of a crap.
He could see the hidden agony in Huoyun but he himself just didn’t feel it. It also didn’t help that he was slightly confused about the whole thing.
Didn’t novels like these dictate that all immortals sensed and cultivated Dao laws and used them to break through to the Primal Origin realm? But here in this world, they stopped mattering as far back as a measly Golden Immortal.
No measly wasn’t the right word. Even Golden Immortals were universal monsters who’d transcended the confines of a Chaos World. It was only the Chaos World created by a borderline Dao realm existence like Pangu could it turn out this way. Thinking about it, Tian Hai doubted wether the Primitive World could even be considered a Chaos World.
These were just some of the theories he would think about as the two companions continued their way through the South Continent. Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. Months into years. And soon years would approach decades.
Mt Buzhou loomed ever closer as Huoyun and Tian Hai turned an angle to approach the Central Continent.
…
On one fine afternoon within the South Continent. At a lake which Tian Hai and Huoyun was passing through. They encountered other innate creatures. Profound Immortals and even some Heavenly Immortals just like the community Tian Hai encountered thousands of years back in that valley.
Huoyun noticed it first standing atop his stool of five coloured clouds. Tian Hai was seated in a lotus position beside him silently cultivating according to Huoyun’s advice.
Huoyun, seeing as Tian Hai was wasting too much time looking at everything forced him to finally sit down to restore his power. This would not be the first time he’d attempted to do this and he could only hope reaching Mt Buzhou would settle the sea god down.
Nevertheless, Huoyun deemed the approaching immortals too unimportant and unrelated to his business. Unnecessary troubles were just that, unnecessary and a bother to incur karma. The paranoid part of Huoyun had no intention of getting entangled with what could potentially be larger issues.
The Great Wilderness was large and living beings were actually fairly sparse. What’s more, since the current Tian Hai wasn’t that sensitive in using his divine sense, Huoyun has been keeping tabs on their surroundings in his place. Primordial beasts were useful in reminding him of the warrior he once was but weak innate creatures were a hindrance at best.
Huoyun noticed the fleeing group almost immediately. He sighed feeling a pang of pity for them. These innate creatures of the South Continent were much like the eastern ones. Always fleeing from primordial beasts and occasionally picking up stragglers from other regions of the world.
Despite his indifference, Huoyun was not an emotionless machine. He regretted that his brethren’s hatred and indignation spawned this pest. Perhaps with time as cultivation civilization developed, these native living beings would be able to wipe them out.
But for Huoyun, regaining what he lost was most important. This was the case as well across all godfiends currently still alive.
“Huoyun what’s that?”
Tian Hai’s sudden caught Huoyun by surprise? Not expecting his companion to notice as well he was secretly delighted. This meant Tian Hai was improving his senses and perhaps would even be a positive correlation to his restoration.
“Native innate creatures. Looks like they caught the interest of primordial beasts,” Huoyun replied honestly. From his eyes he could see half a dozen similarly sized gigantic monkey like creatures with the heads of a ram and ran on three legs. Their eyes held no signs of intelligence and only bloodlust.
The fleeing innate creatures were of a variety of races. Huoyun did not know what they were called but he did recognize creatures who resembled lizards with a sauropod build, mammalian creatures with long trunks, feline creatures, canines, and a whole host of others.
All of them had some potential with cultivation and had survived for hundreds, some even thousands of years. But it would seem their luck had ran out with this recent encounter.
The primordial beasts chasing them were each of similar strength to the strongest beasts Huoyun and Tian Hai had encountered. These creatures did get stronger as well as long as they continued consuming living beings. A twisted form of cultivation feeding only on the destruction of the Primitive World’s living beings.
“Regretful,” Huoyun muttered. “Let’s go.”
But despite saying that, Huoyun suddenly noticed Tian Hai’s missing presence. His eyes went wide and he panicked. ‘Fuck! Was I that lost in my thoughts?’
In mere nano seconds, Tian Hai made an extremely hasty decision. Leaping off of Huoyun’s cloud and protection, he rocketed for the horde of primordial beast.
“Look! What’s what?”
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“Another beast?”
“Wait no its an immortal!”
“Run you fool, don’t you realize what these things are?”
Tian Hai similar to Huoyun pitied these creatures. The world really was unkind placing them with little knowledge and power in a world filled with monster who would like nothing more than to prey upon them. Unreasonable and hungering, that was primordial beasts.
A natural part of Tian Hai, the part inherited from the life of a human man. Though his thoughts and feelings always lied in a delusion of grandeur, there was an underlaying empathetic feeling there. It was the same as if someone sees another person suddenly trip on the street. They’d feel compelled to help them up.
This wasn’t a feeling unique to humans, all living beings possessed some degree of empathy. But in Tian Hai, the feelings of the life of one was within him. As such, Tian Hai acted on those impulses.
Despite knowing Huoyun would disapprove, Tian Hai chose to face these six primordial beasts in combat. After blitzing past the group of scared innate creatures, Tian Hai only felt his feelings of pity grow.
They looked utterly miserable compared to the community he’d encountered in the past. Tian Hai did not like reminding himself about them at all. He reached for the jug he acquired from them and swung it at the first beast he encountered.
CRACK!
The force of his strike staggered the monster so hard that it was lifted into the air and flung into the direction of another one.
“BAAAA!” It cried out as two of them crashed onto the soil kicking up a large dust storm.
Tian Hai breathed heavily feeling the adrenaline. He was a bit shocked at the force of his physical blow. But he had little time to react as he was immediately smacked down by another primordial beast.
“GAH!”
Tian Hai smashed into the soil and rolled for a few distance. He looked up just in time to see a beam of energy drill into the primordial beast that hit him. An irate Huoyun was walking with a hand held out and a look of fury written clearly on his face.
Tian Hai turned his gaze back to the primordial beast and got back to his feet. He could sense that the various immortals behind him were stupefied at what they’d witnessed. How could they not? Since when has an immortal been able to smack aside primordial beasts like nothing.
Thinking about the situation made Tian Hai deeply displeased. So much so that he released a roar of frustration.
The sky darkened and lighting rumbled through the heavens. Eight repenting heads shot onto the sky wrapping themselves around four of the six primordial beasts and bit into their furry hides.
“BAAAA!”
“BAAAA!”
“BAAAA!”
‘Fuck these guy’s skins are tough!’ Tian Hai realized as his fangs only made small progress in sinking into their flesh. His own physical strength wasn’t the most impressive but it was still pretty high. But these primordial beasts were cut from a different cloth than the ones he’d faced prior.
“Tian Hai!” Huoyun cried out as a fifth beast smashed their fist into Tian Hai’s back. He immediately used a palm art to smash the beast away. Then he made several hand seals and unleashed a torrent of fire.
These flames swirled like an inferno and roasted to goat headed beast, burning it so severely that only a skeleton remained within a few seconds. Looking back Huoyun narrowed his eyes at Tian Hai.
“Brother! Use your magical abilities. Destroy these pests at once!”
“I…I don’t know how!” Tian Hai fried in a panic. He was only wrestling with the primordial beasts and while he was succeeding, he couldn’t find a way to kill them.
“Drown them, crush them with water. Use your martial arts!” Huoyun suggested even as he finished off the sixth beast. The first four turned out to be suitable opponents but Huoyun knew Tian Hai had the raw power to annihilate them.
“I…” Tian Hai felt panicked just as he did before. But even know without voices of indecision in his head, he still felt unsure of what to do. His instincts told him nothing even while his neck was being tugged. The loud noises from these goat heads was also aggravating as it was distracting.
“Think Tian Hai think. Hydrokineses? These things don’t breath air. I could…Wait I could crush them with the force of the water powered by my qi!”
Tian Hai struggled against the powerful tugs of the beasts yet his necks remained in place. He lifted his seventh and eighth that were free and opened their mouths. Gathering his qi and control of water around him, he created a massive bubble of water that drowned all five them.
The envelopment was successful and Tian Hai ordered the small ocean around him to crush his opponents. While he was immune, Tian Hai was able to untangle himself and swim away as the primordial beasts were unable to pursue.
‘This is rudimentary at best. It barely qualifies as daoist arts.’ Tian Hai felt disheartened by his own performance. Now outside their grasp, he willed blobs of water within the spherical ocean into, the first underwater weapon he thought of, crab claws.
Said crab claws manifested in the open and slammed down on all four goat headed primordial beasts. Their bleating were drowned out by the water even as their bodies were sliced apart
Once his kill was achieved, Tian Hai swallowed the ocean in its entirety. It was as if it was never there in the first place. Only afterwards did Tian Hai realize that he’d never thought to use his xiantian spiritual treasure beyond the initial hit and mentally kicked himself.
“Tian Hai!” Huoyun called out. He stepped to the side of Tian Hai’s sixth head. “You gave me a spook. Why’d you run off like that?”
Off in the distance, hundreds of innate creatures immortals were praying in Tian Hai and Huoyun’s direction. They were all on their knees and spewing words of thanks and praise. There were even requests to take them as apprentices and servants, even mounts as an option.
Their desperation and cries touched Tian Hai’s heartstrings and made him feel even worse. Innate creatures truly were pitiful. No it wasn’t really innate creatures, it was weak creatures in general.
“I…I felt sorry for them,” Tian Hai admitted. “Look at them brother. Let’s settle down at some place first. Then we can head for Mt Buzhou.”
“Tian Hai!” Huoyun’s voice was sturdy and strong, his look one of disapproval. “Do you know how many of these creatures there are across the cosmos? They are not unique. You forming karmic ties to them binds you to a responsibility. It’s better to leave them be, you’ve already done enough for them.”
“But brother Huoyun, how could they survive long in this harsh world?”
“How did any progenitor creatures survive in their home Chaos Worlds? Or how did innate gods of the Chaos Sea find their way initially? Chance and experience both play a piece. You were their chance and saved their lives but you’re not indebted to them. You have your own life and your own goals. Are you really going to stay here and safeguard them your entire life?”
“Wouldn’t that be the right thing?”
“Keeping thinking that way and soon enough you’ll trap yourself in an eternal mission. Brother its not that good deeds are wrong. But you cannot, must not ever become their crutch in living. you’re not responsible for them.”
“But I’m not going to. I’ll only settle them, give them some protection. Then we can head for Buzhou.”
“Well what about the second time you find a group like this? Or the third? I’ve seen plenty of innate gods fall into this trap. I do not want you to be guilt tripped into their servitude. Once is already enough. I just…I just don’t want you to get into that mindset, I’ve seen where it could lead. All it takes is one inciting incident. They’ll cling on to you and chain you by cause and effect, they’ll wine and complain for every little incident. Tian Hai it’s not a position worth having.”
While the two were arguing, the creatures of the the fleeing group were already busy at work. Perhaps it was some hope that these beings would shelter them permanently, but they constructed statues using their own powers. These statues were like shrines that the innate creatures immediately began worshipping.
Gods were responsible for their people. They looked after their people dutifully. These innate creatures would enshrine Tian Hai as their god if they had to so he’d look after them.
Unfortunately for them, Huoyun noticed this as well. He blocked out Tian Hai’s senses after seeing his hesitation at his words. With another motion, he brought Tian Hai away as fast as possible.
Karmic ties were a mysterious things. They represented relationships between two parties, cause and effect that needed to be resolved else consequences could be incurred. Now they weren’t necessarily big issues, it could be as small as bumping your head on a branch or just getting the answer to a question wrong.
But a lifetime of conflicts had made Huoyun wary of any form of karmic ties. Karmic luck born from merit and karmic sin were their own separate can of worms that Huoyun also didn’t really want to bother with. It was so troublesome living in a Chaos World. In the Chaos Sea, things were much simpler.
…
North Continent
Plates upon plates of dishes were placed before a massive throne. A banquet hall had been set up within an undecorated cave. A spartan like base for a brutal godfiend.
Shenni sat upon his uncomfortable stone chair with a grim expression. He observed the dishes served to him with disgust. Innate creatures unfortunately turned out to be quite delicious as observed by his subordinate Taotie. Soon, other godfiends found this out as well.
The northern clans that had yet to be exterminated such as the bejeweled sheep, the yellow scaled croc, the green haired ape etc were all served. Shenni found no comfort in them whatsoever. But they were a necessity to butter up to some potential friends in his campaign against the resistance further north.
Looking around, Shenni could only feel contempt at the way Kunwu, Shen Feng, Yinyang and dozens of others were digging in.
‘Filth of Pangu,’ Shenni thought with contempt.
What was so great about the Primitive World anyway? This forsaken world of garbage born of murder. Oh how Shenni hated this world with a passion. It’s luster were naught but curses, it’s so Calle opportunities poison. How could his brethren not see it that way?
The very thought that so many were content living in the Primitive World and treating it as a new home sickened him. They did they not realize what it took to create this place of filth? Who it took?
“There are fewer godfiends here then expected. How many rejected my invitation?” Shenni asked the hooded figure beside him. Hundun stood by his side as always. His brothers, the remaining three of the four evils were busy chowing down.
Shenni felt grateful. At least the four evils who’d once followed the same master as he still remembered their loyalties. Hundun, Taotie, Qiong Qi, and Taowu were all remarkable warriors who were committed to his cause. While they were not the brightest sort, but Hundun was a fairly competent general for him.
Hundun shifted awkwardly. “Originally we sent out hundreds of invites to all corners of the world. All the brothers and sisters who’d transformed into their new selves at the time should’ve received them. But only twenty two of the eighty one currently active godfiends arrived. Most of the invites were rejected.”
“And whatever was left died in that incident in the North Sea?”
“Correct your majesty.”
“Fucking pathetic! Fighting over that fucker’s axe head? We should’ve destroyed it when we found out,” Shenni spat. He was incredibly brazen about his dislike of Pangu and all who attended this banquet knew it.
Shenni had crowned himself the Beast Emperor succeeded the Chaos Godfiend who governed war, the Chaos Demon Ape. He was a master combatant who’s current abilities actually managed to surpass many of his old rivals and reached into the top echelons of the currently alive godfiends.
Many years ago, the furious Shenni was the first lifeforms to transform and gain his new body after Pangu vanished. Back then, he made a single goal. A promise to avenge his beloved master Demon Ape.
Now years later, his power base had finally been built up and he could enact his plans. Unfortunately, many of his previous brethren had an unfortunate fondness for the Primitive World. When he found out, Shenni was apocalyptic.
But he swallowed his rage. After all, he needed their help. He wasn’t the only strong man within the world. Near the same time as him, others had managed to gain great strength. The Mysterious Saint of the east and the rascal in the west to name a few. The imperial sea god Si Hai had also gained a strong foothold in the South Seas.
Not to mention many godfiends were content living carefree lives, peacefully restoring their power. Shenni simply would not have it. These godfiends, none of them desired the Primitive World’s destruction.
“My fellows!” Qiong Qi’s boisterous voice reached the Beats Emperor’s ears. The winged tiger godfiend in his Dao body strode up and stood before everyone else.
“May I present my gift for you all!” He swerved his hand and from his sleeve, a figure was retrieved. It was a young woman from the Green Haired Ape tribe, one who held an infant in her arms.
“No please!” She cried. But her voice was silenced with a wave of Qiong Qi’s hand. Her body was frozen and it was as if she was trapped in time.
Shenni scoffed. Qiong Qi and his little games were fun to watch but got old quick. Wasting time playing with his prey was a bad habit for him But in such a setting, he wouldn’t criticize Qiong Qi too much.
“What’s this?” Kunwu, one of the wielders of a top grade xiantian spiritual treasure asked. He was a monstrously powerful powerhouse who had already returned to the Great Unity realm. His true form was that of a massive void fish but he rarely showcased it.
“I’m sure you’ve already tried the meat of her kind. The Green Haired Apes are one of the tastiest meats available in the North Continent. Powerful spiritual effects too for those who cultivate fleshy techniques. I’m sure many fellow daoists here have enjoyed them during dinner.”
Clamors of agreements stretched out across the various tables.
“This one here came from the farms Taotie and I started. Freshly alive where the spiritualism is at its highest,” Qiong Qi walked up to the woman and grabbed the infant from her arms. Despite being frozen, her desperate pleas were evident in her eyes.
She’ll receive no sympathies from the Chaos Godfiends present. Godfiends where creatures who wholeheartedly pursued to the Dao through any methods necessary. While some leaned towards the qualities of a righteous god, many also leaned towards the qualities of a terrifying fiend. Some of those present had refined Chaos World’s in the past and ended quadrillions of lives in an instant. What was the life of one measly creature before them?
Of course while most didn’t care, others who were in attendance did find Qiong Qi’s actions a bit distasteful. Lu Ya the Sun Demon God chief among them. He’d accepted the invite on a whim and because he knew Demon Ape personally, but he found Shenni’s crew a bit wanting.
In his and others similar to him’s eyes, Qiong Qi’s taunting seemed excessive. The benefits of eating these creatures wasn’t anything special to begin with, the whole thing was just a performance.
However, Shenni was also a terrifying monster in terms of power. He was single minded Lu focused and driven. One look was all Lu Ya needed to know that any defiance before the current Shenni would mean death. As such, he didn’t interfere under the presence of not being rude.
Qiong Qi toyed with the innate creature before these godfiend’s eyes. He consumed the infant first and enjoyed the mother’s horrified stare and subsequent cry of anguish. Then he killed her and divided up her flesh for those in attendance served with Taotie’s help.
Shenni naturally denied the dish. He abhorred consuming anything that came from Pangu. Others like Lu Ya and Yinyang denied for their own reasons.
After that horrifying freak show, Shenni exposed his true intentions. It was an expected one given his title as Beast Emperor.
“Join me and we shall return glory to the name of Demon Ape’s Beast Army!”
Shenni’s aura exploded flaunting outwards. The might of a Chaos Immortal, the first in the Primitive World’s history since Pangu split heaven from earth. Shenni had already entered the Great Principle realm. As of this moment, he returned to the great realm that the Chaos Godfiends were all at.
Great Principle Chaos Immortal, the first stage of Chaos Immortals and the beginning of the bridge towards omnipotence.