Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Severance Between Tongtian and Yuanshi

... After so many years of development, the human race has grown to number in the hundreds of billions. The Yellow River basin could no longer sustain their survival, so after deliberation, the three leaders of humanity decided to lead their people outward to expand.

However, this inevitably brought them into conflict with various demon tribes. Although the vast primordial world offered no shortage of space to live, disputes arose over hunting grounds and spheres of activity, leading to constant friction.

Still, as all the myriad races of the wilderness were under the Celestial Court’s rule, restraint was generally maintained. While minor skirmishes broke out from time to time, there was relative peace on the whole.

Without the intervention of the gods, humans did not suffer undue disadvantage against the demons. After all, “demon tribe” was merely a collective term for countless races, and they were rife with their own internal strife.

...

As humanity flourished, more and more demons became aware of this new race called “humans.” Because human flesh was exceptionally tender, they gained a common nickname among the demons: “two-legged lambs.”

Yet just as demons hunted humans, humans in turn began to hunt demons as prey.

After all, demonic flesh was far superior to that of ordinary beasts, and the limbs and bones of demons could be fashioned into various weapons and tools.

Li Tian, in the Celestial Court, had heard of these matters. To prevent the gods from meddling in conflicts between humans and demons, he summoned his officials in the Hall of Supreme Harmony and issued a decree forbidding the gods from wantonly slaughtering humans. At the same time, the term “two-legged lamb” was strictly banned.

He did not, however, go so far as to overtly favor the humans. The demon tribes, after all, were still the foundation of the Celestial Court’s power, and though humanity’s rise was rapid, their numbers were still too few.

Li Tian’s edict was soon disseminated, leaving countless gods bewildered.

But faced with the authority of the Heavenly Emperor, none dared disobey. As long as their own interests were not harmed, they simply did not care.

Moreover, Li Tian’s attitude led many among the gods to carefully gauge his intentions and presume he favored the humans. Thus, some traveled specifically to human settlements to assist them against the demons, hoping to curry favor with Li Tian. They never considered the monsters their own kind—just as the demons never thought of beasts as kin.

News of this soon reached Li Tian, who could not help but laugh and shake his head, dismissing the matter from his mind.

Naturally, he had no intention of rewarding those people.

Yet this incident proved the effectiveness of his divide-and-rule policy, which left him quietly satisfied.

...

Unlike Li Tian and Nuwa, the Three Pure Ones attained sainthood by establishing their own teachings. After returning from shaping their abodes amidst the chaos, each began to develop their sects in earnest.

Yuanshi laid a great formation upon Mount Kunlun and declared to the wilderness that any who could pass through it would be accepted as his disciple.

Tens of thousands of years passed. One after another, Guang Chengzi, Ju Liusun, Taiyi, Cihang, Lingbao, Qingxu, Wenshu, Puxian, Yijingzi, Huanglong, and Yuding—twelve in all—along with Yun Zhongzi, thirteen in total, succeeded. These would become the renowned Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect. Together with Nanji Xianweng, who was the first to acknowledge Yuanshi as his teacher, Yuanshi now had fourteen disciples.

Tongtian, on the other hand, had only one personal disciple: Duobao. Nevertheless, to develop the mysteries of the Intercepting Sect, he regularly lectured on the Dao atop Mount Kunlun, and all were welcome to listen.

As a result, Kunlun was a hub of ceaseless activity, with countless beings arriving daily to seek wisdom.

Laozi, by nature aloof, was even more so after becoming a sage. Unable to tolerate the clamor of Kunlun, he relocated early on to a sunlit mountain where he once lectured to the humans. He named it Mount Shouyang.

Zhunti also accepted two personal disciples: Yao Shi and Maitreya.

After attaining sainthood, his divine sense encompassed the wilderness. Upon learning that Jieyin had founded the Sect of All Beings, he was overjoyed.

Without delay, he sought out Jieyin, thick-skinned, wishing to absorb the Sect of All Beings into his own Western Sect.

The more he pondered, the more excited he became. With the foundation of the Sect of All Beings, his Western Sect could expand into the territory of the Wu tribe. By leveraging his skills, he could surely attract legions of followers.

Yet his lofty ambitions met with harsh reality. Zhunti was bluntly rebuffed—Jieyin ignored him outright, unmindful of his status as a saint.

Faced with the angry glares of countless followers of the Sect of All Beings, Zhunti, despite his newfound sainthood, could not act recklessly. To incur such karmic debt by slaughtering the innocent would be troublesome even for a saint. Thus, with no choice, he slunk away in defeat.

...

Mount Kunlun. One day, on a whim, Yuanshi summoned his disciples to lecture on the Dao.

Yet when all had assembled, he noticed one person missing and frowned imperceptibly, asking, “Where is Cihang?”

The thirteen disciples exchanged uncertain glances until, at last, Nanji Xianweng, the eldest, stepped forward and replied, “Master, Cihang has gone to attend Tongtian Martial Uncle’s lecture at the invitation of Duobao.”

This was not, in itself, a major issue. However, the Chan and Intercepting sects differed in doctrine, and without Laozi to mediate, friction between Yuanshi and Tongtian had been constant over the millennia. Were it not for the bond of brotherhood among the Three Pure Ones, they would likely have parted ways long ago.

Thus, hearing that his disciple had gone to listen to Tongtian’s teachings, Yuanshi was incensed.

“Intolerable!”

In a fit of rage, he flung his sleeve and, ignoring his disciples’ reactions, vanished to confront Tongtian at his lecturing ground.

...

“Tongtian, what is the meaning of this?”

Yuanshi appeared above Tongtian’s teaching venue, his voice thunderous with the majesty of a saint—so much so that the assembled audience quaked in terror.

“What of it?” Tongtian was furious at having his lecture so rudely interrupted, but out of brotherly regard, he restrained himself and asked Yuanshi’s purpose.

“You—!” Yuanshi was so enraged by what he deemed Tongtian’s shamelessness that his face turned red. “You vex me beyond measure!”

“Nonsense!” Tongtian, provoked by such accusations before so many, grew angry. In his view, Yuanshi was being utterly unreasonable.

His teaching embraced all without discrimination. For Duobao to invite Cihang to listen was, in his eyes, a trivial matter—not worth a second thought.

“Oh, splendid! So you now dare to speak to me this way?” Yuanshi, beside himself with rage, pointed at Tongtian. “Do you still recognize me as your elder brother?”

Tongtian was incensed in turn. With a swish of his sleeve, he declared, “If this so-called brotherhood means behaving as you do, then I’d rather have none of it!”

“From this day forth, I, Tongtian, sever all ties with you, Yuanshi!”

With that, Tongtian whisked up Duobao and departed from Mount Kunlun.

“If you leave, don’t bother coming back!” Yuanshi, still fuming, shouted after him, then stormed back to seclude himself.

...

Within his chamber, Yuanshi calmed himself and began to feel he may have overreacted. Yet, proud as he was, he would never apologize to Tongtian.

After some inner struggle, he summoned Nanji Xianweng and instructed, “Should your Martial Uncle Tongtian return, he is to be received with all due respect—show no neglect.”

Nanji Xianweng, unable to fathom his master’s mood, dared not ask further. He simply acknowledged the order and withdrew.