The territories controlled by divine forces did not expect the sweep that came within days. With his newfound strength at his fingertips, Youxiong did not want to rest nor revel in his transformation. He lifted his sword and split himself into dozens of incarnations that all flew off.

  The Dao fruit he manifested may be newborn, but it already held a defined existence. Youxiong’s vision of a Dao appeared long before his breakthrough, it could only have been born if Youxiong’s physical and spiritual form reached the required entrance.

  So just like that, a Great Principle Chaos Immortal appeared from the shell the former Profound Immortal Youxiong. His magnificent Dao manifesting into a crown, chariot, and an army of glorious human soldiers spilled from the skies and drove out the deities occupying human settlements.

  They did not even have time to place down temples, nor alters before this emperor looking man swept across. Humans were weak with few genuine experts, so none of the Divine Ancestors placed equivalent divinities to a Chaos Immortal on site.

  The weaker giant divinities could only helplessly flee. The only place they could reach in time, was naturally Jiuli tribe’s main city.

  Compared to Bear tribe’s city, Jiuli tribe’s city was much larger to accommodate a mixture of Earthly Divinities, their demons turned domesticated beasts, and humans. Its architecture were alot rougher due to the simpler cultural habits of divinities.

  Youxiong appeared three hundred metres outside its main gate in the form of a golden man dressed in imperial robes. He stood atop a chariot pulled by illusionary dragons and held a sword with the taijitu engraved on its hilt.

  “Who?”

  A bull headed figure stomped out. Growing to a giant hundred and eight thousand kilometre height, Chi You’s eight arms crossed each other. He narrowed his gaze, finding the figure of the golden emperor familiar.

  “Impossible,” he uttered. “That little immortal Youxiong?”

  He pondered if Yuxu palace had any methods of elevating a cultivator when Youxiong’s incarnation spoke.

  “You are the one from Gengfen,” Youxiong said. “These invading trashes ran to you. You’re in charge?”

  Chi You grunted an acknowledgement. “And you chased out my people. Idiot, have you any idea what trouble you’ve caused for humanity?”

  “If trouble is standing tall and strong, then yes.” Youxiong’s incarnation pointed his blade at Chi You’s throat. “Beasts like you have no right to rule over us.”

  “Brat.” Chi You grew furious. Who was Youxiong anyway? The bronze green giant drew his waraxe and slashed at Youxiong.

  THOOM!

  The newly christened Chaos Immortal’s incarnation was slit from shoulder to thigh. The force of Chi You blew through the land, carving a fissure through a mountain sixteen kilometres in the background.

  Youxiong’s expression did not change for he was not fully there. The gap in his incarnation quickly closed as if no action had occurred.

  “I am Chi You, scion of both Earthly Divinities and the human race. I am humanity’s one and only saviour in this time of darkness. You are just an ignorant fool throwing a temper tantrum.” Chi You angrily pointed at Youxiong. “Have you any idea the actual situation humans are in?”

  “Surrounded from all sides. Our leaders beholden to the will of foreign powers. Our people worship external powers. Our resources taken and used,” Youxiong said without hesitation. His eyes held an almost maddened frenzy when he followed it up. “Humans must stand on their own as equal. Humans cannot, must not become tools of your kind.”

  “Crazy. What are you in front of the truly monolithic existences,” Chi You muttered. He didn’t feel like speaking with Youxiong. He was so angry with him that he drew his sword, spear, and shield.

  “ENOUGH!” Haotian’s voiced rained down between both giants. His qi engulfed the area, dissipating the malic of Chi You and the gleaming aura around Youxiong.

  “Brother Zhang,” Youxiong greeted.

  “A Chaos Immortal?” Chi You’s eyes widened in alarm. He did not recall ever being pressured this way outside of meetings with his ancestors or the one time he met the Eastern Emperor.

  Haotian was not large, in fact he was tiny in front of them. But to any onlooker, he appeared far larger than either Chaos Immortal level combatant. In Chi You’s senses, Youxiong’s Dao fruit was only a dim seed in front of the fountain coming from Haotian.

  Haotian turned to Youxiong and called out to him. “Youxiong, let’s go back. There’s no need to involve violence any further.”

  He reached closer to his friend’s ear and whispered, “You cannot win this fight.”

  “Hmph.” Youxiong sent a glare at Chi You. But his incarnation still dissipated into particles.

  “You, you are an ancient cultivator aren’t you?” Chi You asked “You have to be to have that kind of cultivation base.”

  “That’s right, I am Zhang Youren,” Haotian claimed. “Chi You, I’d kindly suggest you and the rest of your ilk to abandon your imperialistic ambitions. Large scale conflict like this does no good for anyone, especially those you claim to rule over.”

  A sad expression briefly marred Haotian.

  “So you’re the one backing Youxiong. Haha what a hypocrite,” Chi You spat. “Senior Zhang Youren, you should be aware of the curse placed on humanity’s bloodline, right? Why would you be against my takeover?”

  “Huh?” Haotian raised an eyebrow. Throughout his time in the bear tribe, seeing travelers come and go, he had never heard of such a tale. “Elaborate,” he said.

  “Hmph, senior should know I have human blood running through my veins too. The Three Sovereigns are my sovereigns just like Youxiong’s. I have been anointed to take care of humanity. All my ancestors and the Three Sovereigns are on my side.”

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  “Not that, elaborate on this curse. How much do you know,” Haotian inquired.

  “Hm? I know every once in a while, a wild demon would manifest in the human race. Always the human race, rapidly gaining power and committing all kinds of crimes against all sorts of individuals. It is a creature that earned the ire of every bigwig in the universe. I learned in my youth how it assaulted the fairies serving the Western Queen Mother before being killed.

  “There was also an incident nineteen thousand years ago where the Western Heavenly sect was attacked. The monuments of war hero Zhunti were desecrated and its attendants brutally massacred.

  “Multiple sects of the Supreme Pure Daoism were targeted two million years ago. The less said about what happened to some of her female disciples the better. Not to mention when…

  “I get the idea,” Haotian said, interrupting him, having no intention of hearing more. Inclining his head, Haotian didn’t see a valid reason.

  “Senior, humanity is in great danger. Please stay out of the way lest you face the full wrath of heaven and earth,” Chi You said. He offered what he thought was good advice.

  “Youxiong is my friend. I will not allow harm to come to him,” Haotian said. “Besides, he is an apt ruler. I see no harm in letting him manage his people. Just don’t come into human territory anymore.”

  Haotian turned around and left. Chi You was slightly befuddled, but grew irksome. He decided he needed to have an audience with his ancestors.

  …

  After Youxiong’s return, he was met with tremendous fanfare. In the eyes of humanity, his prestige grew exponentially. His personal citizens even began touting the idea he was the next big hero of the human race.

  Bigger news was how he’d leapfrogged his way into becoming a mighty figure. His cultivation soared with an activated Dao fruit, making him a Chaos Immortal. This placed him on the same standing as many ancient lifeforms both hidden and active. For the human race, this was fortuitous news.

  Because of this, the tribes Youxiong liberated, as well as the ones with a good relationship with him immediately submitted. He did not have to make a single argument before these territories waved the Bear tribe’s flag and called Youxiong chieftain.

  Cultivators from the human race felt optimistic when they heard about Youxiong’s achievements. But at the same time they had genuine confusion as to how that had occurred.

  “I think I finally understand your perspective now,” Youxiong told Haotian as they both stood high above the Bear tribe. Their aura kept hidden while an incarnation of Youxiong conducted his administrative duties. “That aloofness I see in my master and you arose from the sheer cosmic awareness of a third order celestial lifeform. Mortal troubles seem so little.

  “Yet I have to disagree all the more with that. Even now, I see all the more reason for me to defend those under me for they are mine. My people, my humans, I must guide and defend them for they are so small. So fragile compared to all the great powers in the Three Realms.”

  Haotian inclined his head, “Not alot of people have that mindset. Many in the past claimed to care, but didn’t actually bother. Cultivation naturally causes divides in all lifeforms. As the strong get stronger, and the weak stay the same.”

  Haotian thought back to the callous way weaklings were stepped on during the anti-devil war. They were just accidents caught in the middle of comically large giants duking it out.

  “Youxiong, are you going to commit your all in defending mortals?” He asked.

  “Of course my friend. Where else would I put my attention to?”

  “I had…a friend once. A long long time ago. Right here on the grounds of the East Continent, before it became the Dongshen Continent. He always lambasted how unnecessary connections can spell doom, especially when one forms too much attachments as to become embroiled in affairs they shouldn’t have been. That emotional attatchement, or investment I should say was something he argued vehemently against.”

  “It is a distraction from the Dao right? I’ve heard similar retorics,” Youxiong replied. “I don’t agree and I never will. I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing.”

  Haotian nodded, smiling widely. “That’s good.”

  “But to do that, I must unite the scattered tribes of humanity,” Youxiong continued. “The Earth Sovereign, and clearly the Human and Heaven Sovereign alike have yielded to their demands. Humanity is leaderless and a leaderless race is destined to be scattered. I cannot allow that brother Zhang.”

  Haotain understood Youxiong to have always been very decisive and ambitious. Now that ambition had exploded full on. But if it was for the sake of a man who wishes to provide order, protect the powerless and restrain those who’d do harm, either intentionally or accidentally?

  Haotian fully bought into that moral direction. He said as much aloud.

  Later, a minister who was also a former chieftain at the True Immortal realm who’d submitted to Youxiong flew up. He informed the Chaos Immortal of a massive immortal ship flying their way.

  “I’m aware already,” Youxiong said. “It’s just my master.”

  As much as it did not bother Youxiong, it agitated the humans who’d heard him. After all, when Youxiong said, ‘master,’ he could only mean one person.

  A personal disciple under the Heavenly Venerable of the Primordial Beginnings, Guang Chengzi. He was known far and wide as he was Yuxu Palace’s chief disciple of the second generation, and often left to run errands for his master.

  Three days after that, an immense immortal boat bearing the sigil of Yuxu Palace crossed into the airspace of the Bear tribe. It’s sight caused many immortal masters of the human race to feel their hearts pounding. One could imagine the even more extreme reactions of mortal cultivators.

  The clouds stood still as the ship stopped. The unruly winds of the local environment settled into a slow rhythm. Cultivators of all kinds respectfully saluted it, including Youxiong and Haotian,

  Aboard the ship, an adult man with black beard reaching to the base of his neck stood up. He was beside a fair skinned woman with soft features who appeared at peace. This was on contrast to the man’s tight expression.

  He was Guang Chengzi, the chief disciple of Yuxu Palace and the Jade Pure One. All of his figure was captured at a glance by Haotian.

  ‘He’s average at best for a Primal Origin Chaos Immortal. His cultivation is high but the woman next to him is far higher. Compared to my disci…Da Hai’s disciples, he won’t measure up.’

  Haotian noticed the slightly tense way Youxiong was staring at Guag Chengzi and sighed. The complexities of a master-disciple pair who went against each other reminded him of poor memories.

  Haotian pushed them to the back of his mind. He wasn’t that snake in the first place and he hated it whenever he recalled ‘his’ life.

  “He’s your master. I’ll leave you to it,” Haotian said while inclining his head towards Yuxu palace’s entourage.

  Youxiong grumbled something slanderous. “You might as well follow Tu Shilu inside then.”

  Youxiong waited for Guang Chengzi to disembark. For the first time in thousands of years, he saw his teacher’s face, and the first thought that crossed his mind? ‘I can’t beat him.’

  The realization as to how powerful his Dao and his cultivation base currently was, was still a startling one.

  “Disciple Youxiong greets Master.”

  “He still calls himself a disciple after disobeying?” one of the minor figures on the immortal ship whispered. He was shushed when another elbowed him.

  “Little bear, you’ve grown a lot.” Guang Chengzi took in his disciple’s current form. “A shame I did not witness your transformation to a Chaos Immortal.

  “Under different circumstances, we’d be calling ourselves fellow daoist now. Such a short time, but so much has changed. I should’ve known better, but uncle master’s lectures regarding the natural course of events didn’t prepare me for how much can occur outside the mountain.”

  The woman and several more disciples accompanying them descended with the grace of celestials. Even the weakest of them were crowned Heavenly Immortals, a stage far stronger then the higher end average of human experts.

  “I understand you’ve rarely met, but this is your aunt master,” Guang Chengzi began saying.

  “I’ve seen her portrait before master, I know all supreme human cultivators by heart,” Youxiong said, sounding offended. “Hellow aunt master Cihang.”

  “I am known as Perfected Cihang within Yuxu Palace, but I accompanied senior brother because I am also of the human race. Here, I am just Miao Shan,” the woman said.

  “Miao Shan? Chieftain Zhuang’s daughter? She and Perfected Cihang are the same?” Youxiong heard whispers behind him as to the woman’s identity. Because of it, he greeted her warmly.

  “Please come inside, there is much I need to show you,” he told them.

  …

  Haotian watched Youxiong stiffly guide Guang Chengzi and Perfected Cihang inside. He didn’t follow Youxiong’s servant like he asked, instead he teleported to an upper floor away from prying eyes.

  “Why are you specifically watching me?” he said to empty air.

  In his mind, he thought of who it could be. There were very few people who were knew him these days. His master hadn’t contacted him for a long time, and probably didn’t care to if he didn’t get himself in mortal danger. Could it be his junior sister? He’d heard legends of her reaching sainthood many years ago.

  When the immortal ship first arrived, Haotian already felt an unknown gaze locked onto him from the ship. The person of interest was clearly powerful as her presence was so precisely hidden that Haotian could only tell someone was there, but not who or what.

  Walking out from behind a pillar, a fairy appeared. She was exceptionally beautiful from sight alone. Her hair was black, and faded into an azure blue at the tip where it transformed into small flames. She wore black robes decorated with small stars, making her resemble the night sky.

  She smelled of fire however, a type of volcanic ash typical of those who’d practised the Phoenix Nirvana. An incredibly rare cultivation mantra in this day and age, but one Haotian had history with.

  Above all else, she wore a necklace that contained a pear above her breasts that drew Haotian’s eye. If he didn’t know any better, it’d be ordinary jewelry. After all, it gave off no identifiable qi.

  Haotian remembered Da Hai crafting it long ago. “Yi Fei’e?” he asked.

  The fairy brightened up at the acknowledgement of her name. She looked completely different, not one trace resembling Da Hai’s disciple from millions of years ago. Her qi signature was entirely different, resembling that of a fully realized phoenix.

  Even Haotian could not be sure who this woman was until she reacted. There was familiarity mixed in unfamiliarity.

  “Master, my senses weren’t wrong. You’re still here, you’re really still here!” She said dropping to her knees. “Your faithful disciple greets you master.”

  “Fei’e.”