Chapter Three: The Primeval Wilderness

That giant struggled to hold up the heavens and the earth, but at last, all strength deserted him, and he collapsed with a thunderous crash. By virtue of his divine power, Pangu the Great God finally separated sky from earth, yet this feat cost him his life. As he lay dying, the breath from his mouth became drifting clouds of the four seasons; his resounding voice turned into the nine thunders of the heavens; his left eye became the Sun Star and his right the Lunar Star; his hair and beard transformed into the stars scattered across the night sky; his blood flowed into the rivers and streams of the earth.

Heavenly Clarity gazed woodenly at this spectacle when, all of a sudden, three pure streams of energy soared from Pangu’s body. Heavenly Clarity knew at once that these were the Three Pure Ones, the Daoist Ancestors: the Supreme Purity, Lord of Morality—also known as the Grand Supreme Elder or Laozi; the Primeval Lord of Jade Purity, called the Primordial Heavenly King; and the Lord of Spiritual Treasures of Highest Purity—also known as the Master of Heaven, who is to be our protagonist henceforth.

Then, twelve currents of turbid energy burst forth—these were the Twelve Ancestral Witches: Emperor Jiang, Ju Mang, Ru Shou, Gong Gong, Zhu Rong, Candle Nine Yin, Qiang Liang, She Bi Shi, Tian Wu, Xi Zi, Xuan Ming, and Hou Tu. The smallest of the pure energies shot directly at Heavenly Clarity. He cried out in protest, but to no avail, for this was none other than the Master of Heaven, forced by Laozi and the Primordial Lord to the point of annihilation.

Meanwhile, the Taiji Diagram, the Pangu Banner, and the Chaos Bell each sped off to various corners of the prehistoric world. A treasure tower radiated with divine light, enveloping the Three Pure Ones as it carried them far away. In the prehistoric world, there is a mountain called Kunlun, divided into two parts: East Kunlun and West Kunlun.

But why was it divided thus?

In East Kunlun, three male immortals resided; in West Kunlun, one female immortal. These three were the renowned Sages of the Mysterious Sect—the Three Pure Ones. The Supreme Purity, Lord of Morality, was Laozi; the Jade Purity, the Primordial Lord, was the Primordial Heavenly King; and the Highest Purity, Lord of Spiritual Treasures, was the Master of Heaven—our protagonist. The Three Pure Ones were the three great primal spirits within Pangu, thus especially blessed by fate.

The lone female immortal was Queen Mother of the West of West Kunlun—not the later Queen Mother of Heaven, but Biyao Golden Mother.

A voice rang out: “I am the Supreme Purity, Lord of Morality.” Another followed: “I am the Jade Purity, Primordial Lord.” Slowly awakening, he opened his eyes to see an old man with white hair and kindly eyes, a smile playing on his lips—none other than the Grand Supreme Elder, Laozi. Another glance revealed a portly, prosperous-looking middle-aged man who might be mistaken for a wealthy patriarch—this was the Primordial Lord of Jade Purity.

“I am the Highest Purity, Lord of Spiritual Treasures!” the Master of Heaven bellowed.

“Greetings, my two younger brothers,” Laozi said with a smile.

“Elder brother, all is well!” the Primordial Lord and the Master of Heaven’s former self replied with slight bows.

So this was Laozi and the Primordial Lord, thought the Master of Heaven.

“Elder brother, we have barely been born, our powers are still weak. We should focus on cultivation now. The great protective formation that shields us is not yet under our control. If a formidable enemy arrives—” The Primordial Lord cast a questioning look at Laozi, then winked at the Master of Heaven.

Because Pangu received innate merit for splitting heaven and earth, and since the Three Pure Ones were born from his pure energy, the Dao itself established a great formation to protect them, shielding them from harm. Yet, even this was not foolproof. In a world where power rules, the weak are as insignificant as ants, always at death’s door. At this, the Master of Heaven felt conflicted—having died once already, was he to die again? But as children of fate, the Three Pure Ones could not simply fade to dust.

Surveying the landscape, he realized they stood atop a cliff, below which sprawled the various ridges of Kunlun Mountain. Could this be the Legendary Qilin Cliff? the Master of Heaven wondered. Gazing eastward, he saw a massive stone wall, and sensed it was no ordinary rock.

“Yes, elder brother, strength is what matters,” he agreed, eyes fixed on the stone wall. This wall was the first thing they saw and held a special significance for them.

“Indeed, we should devote ourselves to cultivation,” Laozi said. Though few in words, his decision was final and not to be altered.

Laozi and the Primordial Lord both turned to the stone wall. Laozi’s eyes narrowed, as if he had discovered something. Suddenly, a pagoda materialized from the stone and flew toward him.

“Be careful, elder brother!” the Master of Heaven and the Primordial Lord exclaimed in alarm. It happened so swiftly that both brothers grasped Laozi’s hands in panic.

Despite having seen television dramas and novels about the Investiture of the Gods in his past life, which portrayed Laozi as scheming and the Primordial Lord as cunning, the Master of Heaven now believed that, having been reborn, he could reshape the Three Pure Ones’ personalities—if not the grand destiny, then at least the minor details.

He truly regarded Laozi and the Primordial Lord as kin.

“It is nothing,” Laozi said calmly, eyes closed as the pagoda entered his body, his face serene with a contented smile. The feeling of kinship was unmistakable.

At his words, the tension faded from the faces of the Master of Heaven and the Primordial Lord, replaced by joy. Fortune or calamity, this was clearly good luck—a treasure, indeed!

Staring at the brilliant pagoda, waves of excitement surged in the Master of Heaven’s heart. Could that be the Exquisite Pagoda of Heaven and Earth? he wondered.

The Exquisite Pagoda of Heaven and Earth was not an innate spiritual treasure, yet surpassed such treasures in power. In the “Investiture of the Gods,” the pagoda hung above Laozi’s head, its function akin to the Primordial Lord’s Auspicious Clouds and the Master of Heaven’s Three Flowers.

The pagoda’s origin was extraordinary: after Pangu created heaven and earth, the Dao, moved by his sacrifice, bestowed boundless merit upon the world. One-tenth of this merit formed the “Exquisite Pagoda of Heaven and Earth”; three-tenths were granted to the Three Pure Ones, another three-tenths to the Twelve Ancestral Witches, and the last three-tenths to all the myriad beings of the prehistoric world.

The pagoda’s primary function was defense: when placed above the user’s head, the boundless merit within would shield its owner, making them invincible. This treasure fell to the leader of the Three Pure Ones, the Lord of Morality.

Watching the pagoda’s radiance flicker within Laozi’s body, and noting the tranquility on his face, the Master of Heaven concluded that Laozi had indeed reaped a great benefit. The Dao’s generosity had its limits—ultimately, one could only rely on oneself, he thought.

Suddenly, Laozi opened his eyes and extended his palm. Above it, a pagoda-shaped object slowly took form, becoming solid within moments. Glancing at his brothers, Laozi said, “This is the Exquisite Pagoda of Heaven and Earth. If it stands above your head, you shall never be defeated.”

Laozi’s words seemed a boast, for although the pagoda was the ultimate defense, only by activating its boundless merit could it realize its full power—and doing so drained one’s strength greatly.

The Master of Heaven pondered all this in silence.