Chapter 134: The Primordial Fire (Part One)

The covenant between Heaven and Humanity was thus concluded. In a remote corner of the starry expanse, through a series of subtle maneuvers and the borrowed voices of others, the Heavenly Court and the Human Race had quietly struck a secret deal.

In the Ziwei Palace on the Dao Heaven Star, Luo Feng sighed with deep feeling. Ginger is indeed spicier when old, and wine is more fragrant when aged. The Great Supernatural Beings of the Primordial World saw only the second layer, assuming the Jade Emperor Great Heavenly Venerate was on the first, when in reality, the Jade Emperor was already on the fifth. Neither the Jade Emperor nor the Great Luo of the Human Race had revealed themselves, avoiding the notice of the Daoist sects, the Buddhist sects, and other formidable beings. Luo Feng firmly believed that once the momentum reached its peak, it would stir the entire universe and reshape the cosmos. By then, even if other Great Luo attempted to trace back through time to uncover the truth, it would be futile, for the deed would already be done. The other Great Luo would hardly agree to overturn the chessboard and reset the timeline; after all, there were many "VIP players" in this Primordial game.

This transaction was a win-win for everyone: the Jade Emperor, the Human Great Luo, Luo Feng, and even the God of Demons, Huang Shang, whose Dao heart was now fulfilled and was on the verge of becoming an immortal with hopes of infiltrating the Human Race. The only one feeling slightly depressed was Luo Feng’s avatar, Earth Immortal 1573.

Earth Immortal 1573-Luo Feng looked up at the sky, lamenting. The spark of humanity came and went in such a hurry, as if he were a public bus that anyone could board. More importantly, this "big shot" was someone he couldn't afford to provoke, yet upon leaving, he still had to call out, "Take care, sir, do come again." Even if he were a genuine tool, being used and sold like this was hard to swallow. With another long sigh, Earth Immortal 1573-Luo Feng prepared to leave the Tianchen Realm and summon the guiding celestial light. After all, there were still layers of worlds and mountains and rivers within the Water Origin Palace waiting to be purified, and he, a hardworking laborer, needed to earn his merit.

Suddenly, a spark leaped from the eyes of Earth Immortal 1573-Luo Feng, blooming with a warm, dark-piercing radiance. Simultaneously, a weathered yet grand laugh echoed in his ears: "Junior of the Human Race serving in Heaven, I gift this spark to you."

Earth Immortal 1573-Luo Feng was stunned for a moment, then bowed deeply. "My thanks to the Ancestor." He truly was a master of the Human Way, well-versed in the three great laws of humanity. His mastery of the "True Fragrance" law—the art of finding something unexpectedly delightful—was truly sublime. If he was a tool or a bus, so be it; earning money was nothing to be ashamed of.

The spark, seemingly real yet illusory, both material and spiritual, circled in his palm. Following the thread of his spirit, it flew across to the main body in the Ziwei Palace. Once Luo Feng received it, he did not hide it but brought it out immediately and bowed to the Ziwei Emperor above. "Reporting to Your Majesty, this item was gifted by a Great Being. This minor god does not know its purpose and requests your guidance."

While the "True Fragrance" was real, accepting a gift without reporting it to one's superior was a major issue. In the best case, it was corruption; in the worst, it was suspected collusion with the enemy. Though a covenant between Heaven and Humanity had been established, who knew how things might develop? After all, many Human Emperors had once served as Heavenly Emperors.

As expected, the Ziwei Emperor smiled, waved his hand, and the spark flew toward him. In the Emperor's hand, the spark remained quiet, warm, and bright. Starlight emerged around the Emperor, surrounded by the laws of the Dao, and after a moment of inspection, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He flicked his robe, sending the spark back to Luo Feng.

"When the Suiren Clan drilled wood to create fire, they gave birth to a flame belonging to the Human Race—the Sacred Fire of the Human Way," the Emperor explained. "Later, it was forged into a Dharma treasure called the Nine-Splendor Lamp of the Human Way. The spark in your hand is a branch of that Sacred Fire."

Understanding dawned on Luo Feng. It was indeed the Suiren Clan. Few leaders in the Fire Cloud Cave were qualified to represent the Human Race in negotiations with the Heavenly Court. The Suiren Clan was undoubtedly the most qualified; he was not just a King or an Emperor, but an Ancestor. He held the highest seniority and the oldest qualifications in the Fire Cloud Cave, and most Emperors were his descendants. Furthermore, he rose during the darkest, most ignorant times of the Human Race, igniting a great future with a single lamp and laying the cornerstone of civilization. He was not the most powerful Great Luo in combat, but he was the most representative of the Human Race.

"May I ask, Your Majesty, what is the purpose of this spark?" Luo Feng asked, cupping his hands.

The Ziwei Emperor smiled. "The spark symbolizes the destiny of the Human Way; with it, you may enter and leave the Fire Cloud Cave in the future. Furthermore..." The Emperor paused, looking at Luo Feng with a curious expression. "This fire symbolizes the spirit of humanity—the passing of the torch. It is formless yet substantial, and may also be called the Fire of Primordial Beginning. 'Primordial Beginning' refers to the start of form before it takes on substance. This fire will be of great benefit to your cultivation of fire-based arts."

The Ziwei Emperor had clearly long since discerned Luo Feng's cultivation of the Five Elements, which did not surprise Luo Feng—after all, he was constantly under the gaze of a Great Luo. If he hadn't noticed, he would be a fake Great Luo. However, the generosity of the Suiren Clan moved Luo Feng to gratitude.

The Ziwei Emperor continued, "The Human Ancestor is, after all, an Ancestor. Unlike other Human Great Luo, he is broad-minded. You may use it with peace of mind."

Sensing the subtext, Luo Feng asked curiously, "Your Majesty, are there factions within the Fire Cloud Cave?" He quickly added, "Forgive my loose tongue; I only worry if this might hinder the covenant between Heaven and Humanity."

Whether as a human or a god of the Heavenly Court, Luo Feng did not want the covenant to fail. A win-win for both sides meant stability and fewer troubles, allowing him to cultivate and reach the Dao in peace.

The Ziwei Emperor shook his head. "It is fine. Every Great Luo in the Primordial World knows of the affairs in the Fire Cloud Cave. It is not a factional struggle, but a conflict of ideology."

Luo Feng bowed again. "I request your guidance, Your Majesty." As a member of the Human Race, he didn't want to be clueless about which camp to align with in the future.

The Ziwei Emperor held up four fingers. "The Great Luo in the Fire Cloud Cave all start from the prosperity of the Human Race, but they are divided into four camps based on their philosophies. First is the camp represented by the Three Ancestors. As the ancestors of the Human Race, they are broad-minded and will do anything beneficial to humanity. They are the most gentle faction—like gifting you the Fire of Primordial Beginning." Gazing toward the East, the Emperor seemed to recall something and added, "They are also the most fearless and the toughest faction."

Luo Feng listened intently, not interrupting the Emperor’s reminiscence. After a long silence, the Ziwei Emperor continued, "Second is the camp led by the Heavenly Emperor Fuxi. Their philosophy is that of order-bringers, developers, and creators; their ideals are similar to those of the Ancestor faction. Third is the faction led by the Earth Emperor Shennong..."

When mentioning Shennong, the Ziwei Emperor hesitated for a long time, finally summarizing with one sentence: "Shennong has a motto that has spread across the Primordial World: 'If you don't provoke me, I will farm; if you don't let me farm in peace, I won't let you live to see the end of the year.'"