Chapter 107: The Mysterious Maiden Imparts Profound Teachings

"Long live the Emperor!"

Countless soldiers on Xuanyuan's side were invigorated by this sight, and for a moment, they suppressed the sturdy Wu warriors of Chi You's faction. However, on the battlefield of top-tier combatants, Chi You's side remained as steady as Mount Tai, relying on the Nine-Nine Heavens Divine Formation. No matter how much force the human experts exerted, they could not make the slightest dent in their defenses.

Yet, as the rank-and-file soldiers continued to perish, Chi You could not remain indifferent. After all, his Jiuli faction was already at a numerical disadvantage, and the lives of his soldiers were far more precious than those of Xuanyuan's side. Weighing his options, Chi You gritted his teeth and waved his hand, ordering a retreat.

The loss of half his arm would require a long time to heal; he was no longer in his original Great Witch form, which could regenerate severed limbs in an instant.

Seeing this, Xuanyuan had no intention of pursuing. The Nine-Nine Heavens Divine Formation was truly formidable, and he had no way of knowing how many more human experts he would lose if he tried to overwhelm it with sheer numbers. Thus, this grand and fierce battle ended in a stalemate. Both sides withdrew, effectively dividing the world and governing their respective human territories. Everyone knew, however, that this was only temporary. Once both sides regrouped, the war would return with even greater ferocity.

Returning to the Youxiong Tribe, Xuanyuan reflected on the war and recognized his own errors. Since becoming the chieftain, his path had been smooth, and he had never tasted defeat. Consequently, he had grown complacent, underestimating Chi You and the Jiuli Tribe, which led to the needless deaths of countless human experts.

After his reflection, Xuanyuan began to develop his tribe more pragmatically. He appointed Feng Hou, a man of great virtue among the humans, as his prime minister and actively listened to advice from all quarters. Through his efforts, the major tribes quickly recovered their vitality. He also created various advanced management systems to regulate human society more systematically, such as encouraging childbirth and rewarding agriculture.

Seeing that human society was becoming orderly under his governance, countless reclusive human experts flocked to join him. Shennong, satisfied by this, handed all authority over to him and dedicated himself entirely to the fields of agriculture and medicine.

Meanwhile, in the Heavenly Court, Dong Wanggong learned of Shennong’s defeat and began to investigate the situation below, feeling an urge to lend a hand. However, Chi You was also a member of the Heavenly Court, and it would be difficult to justify taking up arms against him.

After consulting with his sister, the Queen Mother of the West, he sent her personal attendant, Xuan Nv, to teach Xuanyuan the art of Yin-Yang dual cultivation. Formed from the essence of the nine heavens' Yin and Yang, Xuan Nv was naturally gifted in the Way of Yin and Yang, making her the perfect choice.

Upon arriving in the mortal realm, she quickly located the Youxiong Tribe. Having declared her identity, she was naturally treated with the respect due to a guest. She was remarkably beautiful and possessed a unique, alluring charm that left many, including Xuanyuan himself, momentarily dazed.

Xuan Nv did not forget the purpose of her descent, and that very night, she provided Xuanyuan with "face-to-face guidance" in his palace. Xuanyuan was initially embarrassed, but upon learning of the many benefits of the Yin-Yang dual cultivation technique, he no longer resisted.

The next day, he ordered the selection of consorts from the major human tribes. The tribal chieftains, not daring to be negligent, selected the most beautiful women from their own tribes and sent them to Xuanyuan’s palace. By the end, there were three thousand beauties in total. Xuanyuan was shocked and initially wanted to send most of them back, but at Xuan Nv’s urging, he reconsidered and accepted them all, setting a precedent for future emperors.

For a long time thereafter, the Yellow Emperor was consumed by his study of the Yin-Yang arts. Many high-ranking humans were anxious seeing Xuanyuan so obsessed with women, but to their surprise, he remained full of energy and wisdom, even proposing brilliant new strategies. Seeing this, everyone set their concerns aside, and no one questioned the matter again.

With the assistance of Xuan Nv and the mysterious Yin-Yang dual cultivation techniques, Xuanyuan successfully advanced to the rank of Quasi-Sage after consorting with three thousand women. Later, the Yellow Emperor recorded his experiences in the book *The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon*, which was passed down through the ages. Unfortunately, no one else was ever able to master the true path; instead, many took different paths, twisting and transforming it into various versions of deviant dual cultivation methods.

As the Youxiong and Jiuli factions continued to grow, their conflicts intensified. By now, both sides believed their strength had improved significantly and that they were capable of defeating the other. Soon, they agreed to another battle. They chose the Zhuolu Plain, a stretch of flat land between their respective territories, as the battlefield.

Following years of extensive recruitment by Xuanyuan, countless reclusive human experts had joined his cause. By now, the number of Great Luo Golden Immortals on the Youxiong side exceeded one hundred thousand.

Chi You’s side, however, had turned his territory into a place of filth and gloom, and no human expert was willing to join him. To expand his power, he recruited a large number of scattered demons and ancient beasts that were not under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Court, such as the Chimei and Wangliang.

As the two sides faced off, Chi You gave the order, and the Chimei and Wangliang unleashed their supernatural powers, summoning a thick fog that blanketed the entire Zhuolu Plain. While this fog was ineffective against most human experts, it was devastating for ordinary soldiers. Seizing the opportunity, Chi You commanded the Chimei and Wangliang to lead a massive force of demons as the vanguard, charging at Xuanyuan’s side. His objective was simple: to weaken Xuanyuan’s foundations as much as possible, confident that with the Nine-Nine Heavens Divine Formation, his own top-tier strength would not fall short.

As the two sides clashed, the Zhuolu battlefield turned into a river of blood, with the sounds of slaughter never ceasing. Human soldiers could not see through the thick fog, and the demons were no better off. After a fierce battle, both sides suffered heavy casualties.

Chi You watched it all with cold indifference; he had no affection for the demons and felt no heartache even if they were wiped out.

"Sound the retreat!"

Chi You might not care, but Xuanyuan certainly did. He gave a sharp command, ordering his troops to withdraw. Seeing the humans retreat, the demons breathed a sigh of relief. In an environment where one could see nothing, the constant fear of sudden death was truly agonizing.

With the hostilities paused, Xuanyuan ordered a "No War" sign to be hung high and convened with his high-ranking officials to discuss strategies for victory. However, neither Xuanyuan nor Chi You knew that beneath the Zhuolu Plain lay a malevolent divine beast, sealed since ancient times, which fed upon the blood of living beings.