Chapter 29: The Divine Dao Treasure

Emperor Cang and Empress Hou Tu both understood deeply the vast gulf between a high-grade Merit Spirit Treasure and a supreme-grade Merit Spirit Treasure.

After a moment’s consideration, neither hesitated for long. Each took the clouds of merit they carried and merged them into the Primordial Divine Map before them.

Just as they expected, with the merit bestowed by the two, the Primordial Divine Map completely fused the merit power it had accumulated, advancing in quality and reaching the level of a supreme-grade Merit Spirit Treasure.

The Ancestor Wu, Hou Tu, took the map into her hands for closer inspection. After a moment, she smiled and said, “Perhaps it is because this treasure shrinks a thousand miles to an inch; though it is the supreme treasure of the Earthly Dao, it contains immensely powerful spatial energies. By using the map, one can connect to the mountains and rivers of the primordial land and, by activating its power, instantly appear in any region of the world.”

“And furthermore,” Hou Tu continued, “the innate Dao patterns within the Primordial Divine Map can evolve into teleportation arrays, collapsing a thousand miles into a single step and rapidly bringing lower-level cultivators closer together.”

All the gathered Ancestor Wus marveled in amazement at her words. Though this was but a support-type treasure without offensive capabilities, it was, after all, a supreme-grade Merit Spirit Treasure. Gaining such an artifact would undeniably elevate the foundation of the Wu tribe once more.

Emperor Cang, being of the Human tribe, was not particularly concerned about using the merit of the future Dayu here. First, survival was at stake and there was no other way. Without the means to quickly strengthen himself and the Wu tribe, he might not survive the coming tribulations between the Wu and Demon races.

Second, the Dao now governed the primordial world—making this the most opportune moment. At this time, to create a map of the world was to receive merit directly from the Dao, a power almost terrifying in its magnitude. With only these two missions combined, the Primordial Divine Map had already ascended to the supreme grade.

If it were any later, when the Heavenly Dao oversaw the world, or when Hongjun merged with the Dao—after the disastrous war between Wu and Demon clans, when Gonggong’s fury toppled Buzhou Mountain—all powers would be greatly diminished. Even if Dayu painstakingly created the Nine Provinces Map, it would be uncertain whether it could become a high-grade Merit Spirit Treasure; the well-known imperial artifact of Dayu, the Nine Cauldrons, barely managed to possess the dignity of a supreme innate spirit treasure only when united.

Emperor Cang shook his head. He felt guilty in his heart and resolved to make amends to Dayu in the future.

Yet, at this moment, there was truly no turning back.

In contrast to Emperor Cang’s inner conflict, the twelve Ancestor Wus were overjoyed at having effortlessly acquired yet another supreme Merit Spirit Treasure. Their eyes burned with envy.

Emperor Jiang, the Ancestor Wu, took a deep breath and said in a low voice, “Now that we have a complete map of the land, how should we forge the Seal of Fate?”

Emperor Cang pondered and replied, “To create the Seal of Fate, one must possess the power of destiny—otherwise, how could the seal be so named? Moreover, its power derives from the authority of the Heavenly Dao or the Great Dao itself and must be acknowledged by one or the other!”

He then outlined five steps:

First, excavate primordial soil from the Chaos Realm, use it to fire bricks, and build the Hall of Pangu—establishing branches across the world to suppress all beneath the heavens.

Second, the twelve Ancestor Wus must inscribe divine runes, forming a proclamation to commune with the Great Dao, and thereby receive the authority of the world’s Heavenly Dao or the Great Dao, which can then be conferred upon the gods.

Third, the Wu tribe must dispatch the four great Ancestor Wu clans, eighty million clansmen, to settle across the land and guard all regions.

Fourth, travel to various lands, dig up local earth and stone, refine them into glazed bricks, and thus forge seals of fate representing the destiny of each region. The Wu tribe will use earth from Buzhou Mountain to craft its own seal.

Since all seals derive their authority from the Hall of Pangu, the fortune contained within them will be interconnected, forming a hierarchy of grades and a system of ranks among the seals.

Fifth, oversee all lands, promote those clans that are righteous and benevolent, bestow them with divine seals, and grant them autonomy as allies of the Wu tribe.

“With these five steps,” Emperor Cang declared, “the Seal of Fate can be forged, and the world suppressed beneath its authority!”

He spoke fluently and at length, without need for much thought. For the strategies he proposed were in truth simple and ordinary—if someone else from Earth had crossed into this world, they might have offered even more detailed or bizarre plans.

After all, there were those in ancient times who could devise even blood transfusion tools; Emperor Cang privately admitted that his own knowledge, if placed in the annals of history, would be of little real use.

He felt no particular pride in what he had devised.

Yet to the twelve Ancestor Wus, it was nothing short of astonishing.

They exchanged glances, awestruck and incredulous. “This is surely heaven’s gift to our tribe—a master tactician! How else could one possess such insight, so casually inventing divine systems and forging supreme postnatal spirit treasures?”

“It’s simply unbelievable!” The twelve Ancestor Wus were repeatedly astounded.

After a moment of stunned silence, Emperor Jiang, ever virtuous, addressed them all: “Emperor Cang’s plan is flawless. Let us proceed according to his instructions!”

“The first step: excavate primordial soil from the Chaos Realm!”

Xuan Ming, another Ancestor Wu, remarked, “Though the Chaos Realm appears vast, its soil is limited. While supreme innate spiritual roots can draw upon its power to expand the realm, endless excavation would eventually diminish the World Pearl in grade.”

Emperor Cang considered and replied, “Indeed, we must mine sparingly. The main hall at Buzhou Mountain must be built with all our might. As for other regions, they may each have one Hall of Pangu, manned by one or two Ancestor Wus. For less significant places, local ochre or other earths may suffice as materials. The situation should dictate our actions.”

“Well said!” All the Ancestor Wus agreed.

Without delay, Zhu Rong, the Ancestor Wu of Fire, personally took action. In no time, he used primordial soil to forge a brick of chaos.

The Ancestor Wus stepped forward. Emperor Jiang took a brick for inspection and exclaimed in surprise, “It bears some resemblance to the Chaos Stone, but in both material and potential, it falls short. If we had enough Chaos Stones, we could forge supreme postnatal spirit treasures. Could it be that this brick could also be used for such a purpose?”

“If so, it would be extraordinary indeed,” Emperor Jiang went on. “To command the Chaos Realm means that our Wu tribe possesses an inexhaustible supply of divine materials for forging artifacts—a fortune beyond measure!”