【Advancement Mission · Phase Two · Completed】

  【Points Acquired: 8,000】

  【Remaining Points: 100,001,378,100】

  "..."

  【Advancement Mission · Phase Three: The relationships among sentient beings in this world are intricate and complex. A slight oversight could lead to your downfall. Find a Great Yao with a significant background, then strategize your next move.】

  【Mission Reward: 15,000 Points】

  ...

  Incarnating as the Great World Tribulation.

  During the preceding battle,

  Mei's sword had cleaved the great wilderness into four major continents. Countless sentient beings perished within, their souls scattered. Many Tier 7 Great Yaos perished beneath her blade, not to mention the lesser Tier 2 and Tier 3 Yaos.

  Thus,

  Phase Two of the Advancement Mission was successfully completed. The content of Phase Three's mission was straightforward, though the current era bore little resemblance to later times.

  The Heavenly Court had yet to be formally established.

  However, the disciples of the three great sects were already numerous.

  One day,

  Mei witnessed the Golden Light of Merit descend, recognizing that another Taikyoku had manifested in the world—specifically, a Yao race Taikyoku.

  "Congratulations, Empress, on achieving Taikyoku!"

  The black-robed Daoist respectfully offered a grand bow.

  "No need for formalities."

  Empress Crimson disliked elaborate rituals. Although she originated from the Yao race, her opportunity for Taikyoku did not stem from enlightening the Yao race itself. Instead, she resonated profoundly with the world and utilized her divine powers to give birth to an entirely new race.

  She named this race Humanity.

  Hence, the Taikyoku achievement.

  The emergence of Humanity involved immense causality, to the extent that as the true progenitor of this race, Empress Crimson directly received sufficient merit to attain Taikyoku.

  Subsequently,

  Empress Crimson, much like the other four Taikyoku, ceased extensive intervention in the affairs of the great wilderness. The birth of Humanity was disconnected from Crimson, and even more so from the Yao race.

  They were merely one tribe among many in the great wilderness.

  There could be no further entanglement.

  "Primnity, from this moment forward, all matters pertaining to the Yao race will be handled by you."

  "Yes, Empress."

  The black-robed Daoist acknowledged respectfully.

  The genesis of Humanity.

  All Four Taikyoku sensed this development.

  Immeasurable Celestial Venerable's Dao aura was ethereal: "The Yao race was destined to have a Taikyoku. The birth of Humanity is the world's destiny."

  Vast sword intent, ancient and everlasting.

  Spirit Void Celestial Venerable's eyes flashed with a sharp light, then grew calm. Humanity would later become the nexus of immense causality in this world, but it was still too nascent a stage for concern.

  Miiama Celestial Venerable paid no mind to the situation.

  Wheel Celestial Venerable, however, descended from the mountain at this very moment.

  "Humanity shares a destined connection with my Western Sect!"

  ...

  Heaveng Mountain.

  Following the birth of Humanity, they initially settled in this area. Being newly created, Humanity was still extremely fragile, numbering only a few hundred individuals in total.

  Empress Crimson had imbued Humanity with sentience. They developed their own written language and spoken tongue independently but lacked the knowledge of cultivation.

  Fortunately, Humanity proved resilient enough to multiply to several thousand within a few years, forcing them to split into various tribes and migrate to different territories.

  Despite their growing numbers,

  They could not alter the fundamental fact of their weakness.

  Below Heaveng Mountain, almost daily, Yao monsters would attack and harass them. Common minor Yaos were manageable; when working together, Humanity could drive them away. But against a Great Yao, they were utterly helpless.

  "Roar!"

  A striped tiger with a white forehead descended from the mountain, dragging away the designated sacrifice from the altar. Before departing, its eyes flashed ferociously as it scanned its surroundings.

  Only after instilling terror into the prostrate humans did it return to the mountain, seemingly satisfied.

  One person sacrificed daily.

  If this continued, the human tribe of Heaveng Mountain would surely face extinction!

  After the tiger retreated,

  "Let me go spear that Yao monster again!"

  A youth, eyes wide with fury, roared, clutching a wooden spear as he burst from a dwelling. Bloodstains from where restraining ropes had chafed were clearly visible on his hands. He charged toward the mountain, shouting defiantly.

  "Stop him!"

  The tribesmen reacted with alarm.

  They hastily pinned the youth down and confiscated his wooden spear.

  "Utterly foolish! You and I possess no divine powers or magic. How can we possibly match that tiger? Not only will you die pointlessly, but if you provoke it, you will implicate the entire tribe!"

  "Are we to simply stand by and watch that tiger devour one of our kin every day? Rather than letting our relatives die filled with such resentment, why not fight that tiger with everything we have!"

  The youth roared hoarsely.

  Ultimately, he could not overcome the combined strength of his tribesmen. He was tied up and confined to a house, left to shout and scream, chafing his hands raw against the ropes until they bled.

  At night,

  The youth's eyes resembled two burning flames, fixed upon Heaveng Mountain above. Such a minor Yao, utterly insignificant outside, could here suppress Humanity until they could barely breathe.

  One day, he vowed, he would scatter the souls of all these Yao creatures. He desired to walk with his head held high in this world, not perpetually cower before Yao creatures, trembling.

  "You harbor resentment?"

  A man materialized from the darkness, as if he had always been present. The youth turned, showing no fear, his eyes like torches, each word clear and firm: "Resentful!"

  "Do you understand why your tribesmen endure this?"

  "They are weak!"

  "They are enduring."

  "Humanity is frail. Without courage, they cannot survive. Without endurance, they also cannot survive."

  The youth asked, "Who are you, some passing immortal?"

  Mei countered the question with:

  "I can instruct you in skills. Do you wish to learn?"

  "Yes!"

  Without hesitation, the youth immediately knelt and kowtowed. Humanity was too weak, isolated in this vast wilderness, unable to venture even ten li. Forget about seeking the Dao from the three sects.

  Even minor sects were nowhere to be found.

  "Doan pays respects to Master!"

  The lineage of Humanity on Heaveng Mountain was the Heaveng tribe. At this time, there were no established surnames or strict naming conventions; their individual names appeared to follow no discernible pattern.

  Heaveng was loosely considered the youth's familial identifier.

  His given name was Doan.

  Mei inquired, "After learning the skills, what is your primary aspiration?"

  Doan answered without missing a beat.

  "I wish to subdue Yaos and eradicate demons!"

  A very simple, pure aspiration and response. Mei did not press further. The youth would continue to mature, and he would eventually discover his own answers to the remaining questions.

  "Master, what manner of skills can you impart to me?"

  "Myriad transformations, Indestructible Vajra, manifesting heaven and earth, summoning wind and rain, moving mountains and filling seas, plucking the moon and seizing the stars, holding the world within one's palm."

  Upon hearing this catalogue,

  Doan was ecstatic.

  "I can learn all of these?"

  Mei smiled and gently shook her head.

  "An ordinary person would spend a lifetime mastering one or two. Your Master is versed in myriad laws; you can cultivate as many Daoist methods and divine powers as you wish, but you may choose a maximum of two."

  Versed in myriad laws?!

  Doan's excitement surged even more. It seemed he had encountered a great destiny!

  "How so?"

  "Then I choose myriad transformations and Indestructible Vajra!"

  With that said,

  The ropes binding Doan's body loosened and fell away. Mei turned and walked out of the room. Doan hastily followed. From then on, he trained diligently for three winter periods and three summer periods.

  In the scorching summer heat,

  A glaring golden eagle soared, then suddenly transformed into a white-feathered bird. After landing, it shook the earth, morphing into a six-legged Prismang that propped up the sky and trod the earth.

  Frost and snow covered the sky.

  The once-young boy's face grew increasingly resolute. He trod on snow without leaving a trace, confronting a Yao monster. Allowing the Yao monster to strike him with a staff, he actually used his forehead to shatter the Yao monster's staff.

  "Haha, Master, I've succeeded!"

  Doan laughed loudly.

  Then, he awoke with a start from his dream.

  His expression was dazed, as if emerging from a long slumber.

  "Master?"

  "Master!!"

  Doan ran out of the tribe, searching everywhere but finding no trace of his Master. He transformed into a bird and flew over mountains and valleys, but ultimately, he searched in vain.

  "Who is this ill-behaved child making noise outside my cave? Could it be that he knows I'm hungry and has come to deliver food?"

  As the voice arrived, the earth trembled, and birds in the forest fled in fright. A white-furred giant ape with fierce eyes approached, carrying a wine bottle.

  Its gaze fell upon an unfeathered human child.

  The giant ape grew interested.

  "A human? Just the right taste!"

  Humans were inherently weak.

  The great wilderness teemed with Yao demons and monster spirits. Any with a bit of skill could easily subjugate humans. These savages, living barbarically, accumulated immense karmic debt by neglecting virtue.

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  Doan was already in a foul mood. Now, with the giant ape's unwelcome presence, he immediately flared with inner rage. Hearing this Yao monster intended to consume him, he became even more furious.

  "Vile beast, watch me scatter your soul!"

  "Haha, what bold words!"

  With that said,

  The two fiercely clashed.

  Doan, seething with anger, transformed into a three-headed, six-legged Prismang. His six legs galloped, causing mountains to collapse and the earth to crack. With a single headbutt, he sent the white-furred giant ape flying.

  Boom!

  The giant ape, hundreds of meters tall, was slammed into a mountain, which instantly collapsed into rubble. The white-furred giant ape was immediately overwhelmed and injured.

  "You're hurting me! Whose snot-nosed brat are you!"

  The giant ape roared in anger.

  After taking a gulp of wine, he tossed the bottle aside. Knowing that this brat's transformation technique was formidable, he immediately unleashed a divine power, manifesting a magical artifact to teach him a lesson.

  "Anchor!"

  "Bind!"

  Doan's rapidly galloping six-legged form was suddenly fixed in place. Then, he was tightly bound by a streak of golden light, which, as it coiled, transformed into an armored Golden Dragon.

  "Roar!"

  "Heh heh."

  The giant ape chuckled triumphantly, lifted a massive rock, and brought it down on Doan's head. The rock completely shattered, yet Doan stood unharmed, astonishing the giant ape.

  "Is that your grandpa tickling you?"

  The binding was released.

  Doan's eyes blazed with unspeakable ferocity, his rage intensifying within the menacing light. The immense bloodlust and savage nature terrified the giant ape, causing it to retreat repeatedly, shivering.

  This child is truly formidable!

  "Chirp!"

  The six-legged Prismang shook violently, instantly escaping the Golden Dragon's coils. The Golden Dragon magical artifact was completely ineffective against his Indestructible Vajra body. Doan then transformed into a single-feathered Canang.

  This creature specialized in devouring dragons and snakes, making them its prey.

  The Golden Dragon immediately became utterly terrified, trying to escape as if its life depended on it. But this time, it was firmly grasped by Doan's two talons.

  With a peck of its beak,

  The Golden Dragon was instantly ripped open, revealing its true form: a Golden Rope. Doan showed no mercy, tearing the Golden Rope magical artifact into several pieces.

  "My magical artifact!"

  The giant ape was heartbroken.

  Knowing this child's ferocity was boundless, he was no match. If he didn't escape quickly, he might perish here. Thinking of this, he manifested yet another magical artifact.

  "Again? Is there no end to this!"

  The white-furred giant ape wasn't particularly powerful. If it were purely about divine powers and magic, Doan would have torn him to shreds long ago. But this fellow possessed quite a few treasures, increasingly annoying Doan.

  Regardless of Doan's anger, this magical artifact was truly effective. Even during Taikyoku battles, magical artifacts flew everywhere; one never saw anyone fight empty-handed.

  If one possessed an Innate artifact, even a babbling child could instantly slay a Great Yao. In this great wilderness, cultivation was important,

  But divine powers and magical artifacts were even more crucial.

  However,

  If the divine powers and magical artifacts of both sides were roughly equal, then cultivation would become even more important. Mei's solo suppression of the Four Taikyoku was the best example.

  Clang!

  A bronze bell struck Doan squarely on the forehead, shaking him until the world spun. For a moment, he couldn't discern north from south; his mind was a blur.

  The white-furred giant ape hastily scurried away, escaping using an escape technique.

  "Don't even dream of fleeing!"

  Regaining his composure,

  Doan once again employed his transformation technique, morphing into a shimmering Azure Feathered Peacock. A Peacock's speed was unmatched in the great wilderness. Although Doan couldn't utilize Peacock's divine powers, his sheer velocity was still astonishing.

  Hearing the sound,

  The white-furred giant ape turned to look back and was instantly terrified out of its wits. Doan then caught it with a claw, pinning it to the ground, where it wailed in pain.

  "Mercy, Immortal!"

  "Mercy?"

  Doan's eyes blazed with ferocity.

  "If I fell into your hands, would you spare my life?"

  "That would naturally be... ah!"

  Before the white-furred giant ape could finish its plea, Doan immediately tore it apart. He fiercely resented Yao monsters who arbitrarily bullied humans. Such a beast, falling into his grasp, would surely meet a gruesome end.

  Not only would it be disemboweled and skinned,

  Doan desired their souls scattered!

  Extremely ferocious.

  It was as if humanity's endurance had been tested for far too long. All that boundless bloodlust and savage nature had converged upon Doan's temperament, giving rise to such a peerless harbinger of doom.

  After tearing apart the white-furred giant ape,

  Doan retrieved the bronze bell from its body. He had just experienced its power firsthand; it could be of great use in combat. Through this incident, he clearly understood the importance of magical artifacts.

  "Without a good magical artifact, no matter how high one's divine powers or cultivation, one will inevitably suffer losses. I wonder where I can acquire a handy magical artifact."

  Vaguely,

  A singing voice drifted over.

  Doan followed the sound and saw an old woodcutter, clad in animal skins and vegetation, singing loudly in the wild mountains.

  He couldn't discern the woodcutter's true form.

  Definitely not human.

  "They say there's a mountain in the northern great wilderness, named Suang. It is leisurely in its wildness, profound in its Dao's sway, born with sentience, awaiting a fated Human Emperor. My Dao is the vicissitudes of karma, and arriving at the true place is the rightful path..."

  Doan approached, following the sound.

  An old man held an axe, methodically chopping firewood.

  "Old man, may I trouble you for a moment?"

  The singing stopped abruptly.

  The old man smiled and nodded: "Of course."

  Doan asked,

  "Old man, where is that Mount Suang you mentioned?"

  The old man pointed towards the northern great wilderness.

  "You can find it by going straight north, but the distance is very far. It will take an unknown amount of effort if you rush. I only heard about it from others."

  "Thank you, old man!"

  Doan expressed his gratitude and then departed.

  ...

  Immeasurable Sect.

  Immeasurable Celestial Venerable felt a premonition. After calculating with his fingers, he slowly opened his mouth: "Goldeght, Hang, you two take a trip to Mount Suang. This is an important matter."

  The two stood up from beneath his seat.

  "Yes, Master."

  "Master, what is the significance of this matter?"

  "Find a person named Doan. Furthermore, if you are fated, retrieve the creation from Mount Suang. This matter is of great consequence; there must be absolutely no oversight."

  "Disciple understands!"

  Subsequently,

  Goldeght and Hang, controlling their magical artifacts and divine light, fled towards Mount Suang. Along the way, Hang asked Goldeght.

  "Master means what regarding that person?"

  He only said to find the person, but not whether to eliminate him or bring him back. For a moment, Hang was also uncertain.

  ...

  Yao race.

  "Reverend, what is Doan's background? He carries immense karma, yet I cannot calculate his origins, as if he sprang directly from a stone. It is truly peculiar."

  A Great Yao serving under Empress Crimson asked the black-robed Daoist.

  "Do not involve yourselves in this matter."

  Reverend Primnity advised, "It would be problematic if you could calculate his origins. The Empress commanded that this matter has no bearing on the Yao race; there is no need to interfere."

  "Subordinate understands."

  Doan was a human.

  This individual was unspeakably ferocious, entangled with significant karma, and absolutely not someone the Yao race should meddle with. Reverend Primnity still couldn't clearly deduce the situation; only a Taikyoku could fully perceive the heavenly secrets. For the Empress to be so cautious, it could only imply a conflict among Taikyoku level beings. Doan was likely deeply intertwined with the Great World Tribulation.

  How could an ordinary Calamity cause a Taikyoku to be so wary?

  "Boundless, ah..."

  Reverend Primnity smiled broadly.

  This fellow Daoist, even after being suppressed into chaos, was still causing disturbances. Then again, he seriously doubted if Boundless was truly suppressed into chaos.

  Regardless,

  This great wilderness was definitely proving quite fascinating.

  Coincidentally,

  Immeasurable Celestial Venerable had commanded Goldeght and Hang to travel to Mount Suang to locate Doan. As it happened, these two were also Void Wanderers hailing from Hyperdimensional Space.

  Still belonging to the same top-tier Legion.

  Raitei Legion.

  The members within this Legion were exceptionally skilled in combat, possessing a more powerful and decisive fighting style. It ranked among the highest-tier Legions in Hyperdimensional Space, alongside the Nova Legion and the Diamond Legion.

  Within Immeasurable's sect, there were many other Tier 7 Void Wanderers, but they were not from the Raitei Legion. In terms of cultivation, divine powers, and magical artifacts, none were a match for these two.

  As members of a top-tier Legion,

  Goldeght and Hang were elites among elites.

  "Do not take his life."

  Goldeght contemplated, then stated, "Since Master does not wish for us to eliminate that individual, we shall simply subdue him and await the Master's directive."

  "That is logical."

  As they spoke,

  A beam of white light flashed from the horizon, sweeping past the pair. Its velocity was astonishing, leaving Goldeght and Hang stunned, genuinely terrified in retrospect.

  Hang expressed surprise.

  "Who was that?"

  Goldeght could not provide an answer.

  "I couldn't discern them clearly."

  The white light swept thousands of li away, finally settling before a majestic mountain. Before it, majestic clouds swirled, and a vast, righteous aura frequently manifested.

  A winding mountain path led directly to the summit, gleaming with seven colors. Its nature—whether treasure or passage—was unclear. From within the white light emerged a figure, plump and auspicious in appearance; it was clearly Destiny.

  He paid no mind to the mountain itself.

  Destiny held a long spear. The spear was entirely red and gold, and upon it rested a lifelike Peacock, radiating a brilliance akin to a scorching sun.

  Crimson Spear.

  This was the magical artifact Destiny forged from that trace of Solar Golden Essence. Its offensive capability was even more astonishing. While perhaps not quite matching his senior brother's Sparrlume Spear, it was only one tier below it.

  At this moment,

  The Crimson Spear trembled, and for an inexplicable reason, it seemed eager to actively seek out someone to acknowledge it as master. Destiny was bewildered by this strange phenomenon.

  Could it be that Ciahe hadn't truly perished?

  But that was impossible.

  Ciahe was undeniably dead beyond doubt. His senior brother always ensured complete eradication. The karma in this world was truly baffling. Ultimately, he could only attribute this anomaly to fate.

  Destiny grew curious.

  "I would like to observe who is truly fated with this treasure of mine."

  With that statement,

  His gaze scanned the entire mountain, quickly focusing upon an innocent, unpolished youth. The youth's eyes were resolute, containing a discernible sharpness within.

  He was climbing Mount Suang, step by painstaking step.

  "Oh?"

  Destiny's eyes lit up. "This kid possesses excellent aptitude!"

  On Mount Suang,

  Many who sought fortune and destiny were currently ascending the mountain path, striving to reach the summit and seize their opportunities. As far as the eye could see, groups of Dao-seekers dotted the mountainside, extending over ten li.

  Every single step felt as weighty as Mount Tai.

  Doan, drenched in sweat, refused to descend. He walked like this for ten days and nights, until finally, there was no one else ahead of him. Yet, that summit appeared truly endless.

  Then, one more step was placed.

  The surrounding scenery instantly transformed.

  In the desolate, wild mountains,

  No majestic peaks were visible.

  Only an indistinct, grey-robed Daoist.

  The Daoist inquired, "Why do you ascend this mountain?"

  Doan answered without hesitation,

  "To seek destiny and fortune."

  "What is your aspiration?"

  "To subdue Yaos and eradicate demons!"

  "Why do you wish to subdue Yaos and eliminate demons?"

  The Daoist questioned repeatedly. Doan grew slightly impatient but couldn't help but frown, pondering for a moment before declaring, "I no longer wish to be bullied by Yao monsters and monster spirits."

  "Is it you who does not wish it? Or is it your tribesmen who do not wish it?"

  "Neither of us wishes it!"

  Why would anyone willingly accept subjugation? Doan’s impatience mounted, and he shouted angrily.

  The Daoist continued probing,

  "If you were bullied by a Yao monster, what would you do?"

  "I would disembowel it, flay its skin, and grind its bones to dust! Its soul must be scattered, meeting a terrible end!"

  "If you saw your tribesmen being bullied by a Yao monster, what then?"

  "The same!"

  "What if your tribesmen do not wish for that outcome?"

  "How could they possibly not wish for it!"

  "You cannot eradicate every Yao monster. There will always be Yao monsters to oppress them, and they will suffer even greater hardship. It is better to live in humble submission. They do not desire the suffering you court."

  At this crucial point,

  Doan's eyes turned bloodshot with fury.

  "Then I will destroy all Yao monsters! Whoever oppresses my tribesmen, I will kill them! If my tribesmen are too simple-minded and fail to recognize my unwavering devotion, then I don't need them to see it!"

  As Doan roared,

  The surrounding scene shifted again.

  Doan found himself back at the base of Heaveng Mountain, seeing once more the striped tiger with a white forehead that had preyed upon his kin. It descended the mountain boldly, followed by several other individuals.

  Observing this,

  Doan immediately desired to tear the tiger apart.

  The Daoist asked, "Can you lay hands on this tiger?"

  "Of course."

  "What about the people accompanying this tiger?"

  "Huh?"

  Only then did Doan clearly perceive that among the people following the tiger down the slope were his very own parents. The Daoist then stated, "After your parents were consumed by this tiger, they transformed into demonic tiger-ghouls, aiding in its wicked deeds. If your parents command you to assist this tiger, what course of action must you take?"

  "..."

  Doan's initial ferocity stemmed from his parents' tragic demise in the tiger's maw. Facing his parents, he had always maintained the utmost reverence.

  "Your life was gifted by your parents. Can you defy your parents and violate their will?"

  "..."

  Doan fell silent.

  The ferocity in his eyes gradually receded.

  After a long pause,

  His anger flared anew, his intensity surging even greater than before: "The tiger murdered my parents—it deserves death! It turned my parents into demonic tiger-ghouls—it deserves death tenfold! If my parents betray their bonds, they too must perish! If they do not wish me to be a thorn in that tiger's side, then for giving me life, I will return this flesh and blood to them! I owe nothing to anyone anymore! I must destroy this Yao! The demonic tiger-ghouls must also have their souls scattered!"

  Doan experienced profound enlightenment.

  "Good!"

  The Daoist smiled and nodded, extending a finger as if carving Doan's flesh and scraping his bones. With each gesture, the intensity in Doan's eyes grew even fiercer than before.

  "Severing bloodlines and karma. From this moment forward, you may roam anywhere in this vast world."

  Light shone brightly on Mount Suang.

  Wisps of grey mist enveloped Doan, transforming him. However, unnoticed, Mei had quietly materialized beside him.

  Her gaze fixed upon the grey mist.

  It had finally taken tangible form.

  "Taesu energy."