Yi Tianxing was undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary figures to emerge from the human race. Countless alien races secretly cursed his name. The human race was supposed to be innately weak, and yet they couldn't suppress him—it was almost a cosmic joke. Still, their efforts weren't fruitless. The myriad races of the heavens were now reproducing rapidly and carving out territories of their own. Development was swift, and many were no longer to be underestimated.
In fact, some non-human races had already claimed entire realms—more than one or two—and had established significant power bases. Nearly all had begun studying the path of Destiny Dynasties, and many had established their own. Top-tier elites had been dispatched from all sides.
At this stage, it was still far too early to declare any single race as the destined rulers of the world. Everything had only just begun. This was an age that demanded the rise of true paragons—clashes between the proudest sons and daughters of each race. There would be death, extinction, and suffering—but no one would back down. The struggle for the Great Dao left no room for compromise: it was either you die, or I live.
"Goddess, the Human Ancestor Court has displayed great strength. I wonder—how strong is the Demon Ancestor Court?"
Yi Tianxing asked suddenly.
There was no question: when it came to understanding both the human and demon races, no one knew more than Nuwa. She was revered as the Holy Mother of the Human Race, and also honored as a Saint of the Demon Race. Her position was unparalleled, wielding great influence in both camps. Naturally, she knew more than most.
"The Demon Ancestor Court has no shortage of mighty beings," Nuwa replied."At the top are the two brothers—the Demon Emperor and the Demon Sovereign. But beyond them, there are 365 ancient great demons, and the Ten Demon Gods. Ancestor Kunpeng, the Demon Master, is still active and powerful. Altogether, the demon race's top combatants are not much weaker than humanity's."
"Several Demon Gods have already gone to the Eternal World to establish Demon Destiny Dynasties, and all Eleven Golden Crow Princes have entered the Eternal World as well, founding their own demonic realms."
She didn't elaborate further. Some things were better left unsaid.
Her position was delicate. Among demons, she was worshiped as a Saint; among humans, she was revered as the Mother of All. But the two races had never been truly friendly. If war ever broke out between them, she would be caught in the middle—and any support she offered one side would incur the wrath of the other.
As they spoke, a beam of divine light streaked across the sky. Before they realized it, they had arrived before a majestic divine mountain.
The mountain was completely shrouded in vast clouds of crimson flame. Within the flames, the mountain appeared and disappeared intermittently. It looked very much like a giant volcano, and deep within it, intense flames burned eternally, radiating brilliant heat and light.
"Why does Firecloud Cave look like a volcano?"Yi Tianxing asked, frowning in mild surprise.
"This is no ordinary volcano," Nuwa replied with a smile."The flame you see is the Sacred Flame of Humanity—known as the Sui Fire, left behind by the ancient Sage Suiren shi. This mountain was specially created to house the Sui Fire. The stronger the flame, the more powerful Firecloud Cave becomes—and the deeper its foundations grow."
"This sacred fire anchors the entire fate of the human race. As long as the Sui Fire burns, humanity's destiny cannot be extinguished. But if the flame is lost, the fate of our people would become unstable."
"Under the Sacred Flame of Humanity, no demonic force can draw near. Any that tries will be burned to ash. On the contrary, the closer human cultivators get, the more it benefits them. The fire helps them in their cultivation and even allows them to sense the changes of human civilization—its origin and evolution."
Nuwa's tone was full of reverence and awe.
Though she had created humanity herself, she had never expected that this once-weak race would blossom into such a magnificent civilization. Miracles and legends now sprang from every corner of the human realm.
It was Suiren shi who first laid the cornerstone of human culture.
Fire was the beginning of civilization.
And the human race—was a people who passed the flame down from one generation to the next, lighting their path to glory.
"Where is the entrance to Firecloud Cave?"
Yi Tianxing felt a wave of emotion in his heart. The closer he got, the stronger his connection to the Sui Fire became.
"The flame is the entrance," Nuwa explained with a gentle smile."Step into it, and you'll enter the cave. There's no other way in."
This method made Firecloud Cave immensely secure—no outsider could sneak in without first passing through the flame, which naturally repelled all enemies of humanity.
"So this is the Sui Fire…"
Yi Tianxing stood before it, eyes shining with a deep, instinctive reverence. The feeling stirred something deep within his bloodline. It was uncontrollable—and unnecessary to resist.
He didn't immediately step in. Instead, he simply stood in silence, gazing at the magnificent flame.
Within the flickering fire, he seemed to see the transformations of heaven and earth, the journey of the human race, and the very origins of civilization. Countless images played out before his eyes—early humans farming, herding animals, fishing, building villages…
In his mind, a solemn, ancient hymn began to echo:
Who passed on the fire to mankind, in primordial days?
Who tilled the soil in ancient times?
Who created the first script in the distant past?
As the hymn continued, vivid scenes unfolded:
He saw Suiren shi drilling wood to create the first fire.
He saw Shennong tasting countless herbs and discovering the five grains that laid the foundation for human survival.
He saw Cangjie, scratching symbols into the earth with a branch—creating the first written language.
One image after another passed before his eyes:
The brilliance of the Hundred Schools of Thought…The majesty of the Three Emperors and Five Sovereigns …The First Ancestors sheltering their people…
Everything—their origins, their triumphs, their tragedies—came together in a grand vision of human history.
His heart surged with indescribable emotion.
Unknowingly, his entire soul and Dao heart were purified. His understanding of the world—his very cultivation realm—sublimated in that moment.
This was just a projection, a Dharma body, but its experience instantly passed to his true self. And his real body, upon receiving it, was drawn into profound enlightenment.
When he finally awoke, he would reap incredible benefits.
"Let's go."Nuwa smiled softly.
When she saw Yi Tianxing emerge from his trance, she stepped forward with him into the flame. The blazing Sui Fire didn't harm them at all. Instead, it felt warm and comforting, like stepping into a hot spring.
It gave him a powerful sense of peace, a strange and wonderful feeling—
It felt like… coming home.