In the bustling, neon-lit sprawl of the modern city, there lived a hot-blooded young man named Su Yu, whose obsession with ancient martial arts bordered on madness. Lithe and agile, with thick eyebrows, bright eyes, and a sharp, unruly crop of black hair, his gaze burned with an infinite longing and stubborn devotion to the world of ancient combat. Su Yu spent every spare moment tracking down famous mountains and scouring ancient texts. Even when sleeping in the open or sustaining countless injuries, he never once backed down; his singular goal was to recover long-lost martial techniques and restore the glory of ancient martial arts in modern society.
One day, Su Yu ventured as usual into a remote, rarely visited ancient temple deep in the mountains. The structure was shrouded in dense forest and wisps of mist, creating an atmosphere so still it felt almost eerie. As he carefully navigated the ruins, he discovered a hidden compartment beneath the base of a dilapidated Buddha statue. With heart pounding in curiosity and anticipation, his trembling hands pried it open. Instantly, a dazzling light erupted from within, revealing a piece of Lingxiao Jade, warm to the touch and exquisitely carved. The moment the jade appeared, the entire temple seemed to come alive; the brilliance was so intense it was blinding. Su Yu felt instinctively that the jade held the secrets of the world’s creation, and he was overwhelmed with excitement.
"Wow! I’ve hit the jackpot! If those old farts in the martial arts circle saw this treasure, their jaws would hit the floor!" Su Yu shouted excitedly, clutching the Lingxiao Jade tightly as if he held the entire world in his hands.
But he had no way of knowing that in this world, innocence is no defense when one possesses a treasure. Just as Su Yu was heading down the mountain, heart brimming with joy and the jade tucked away, the news spread like wildfire.
A few days later, just as Su Yu returned to his small apartment in a corner of the city and tried to catch his breath, he felt a wave of murderous intent crashing toward him. He looked cautiously out the window to see a group of masked men in black, ghost-like, rapidly encircling the entire building.
"Hmph, Su Yu! Hand over the Lingxiao Jade, and we’ll spare your life!" the leader, a burly man, growled in a low, raspy voice filled with unquestionable menace.
Su Yu curled his lip into a sneer. "Oh, my friends, playing cosplay in broad daylight? You want this treasure? Do you really think you're worthy?" Though he felt a flicker of nerves, the unyielding spirit in his bones never wavered.
The man grunted coldly, "So you choose the hard way. Get him!" In an instant, the black-clad figures lunged at Su Yu like starving wolves.
Su Yu flickered, dodging a vicious punch and landing a kick on the abdomen of the man next to him. "Ouch! With moves like that, you dare try to rob me? Go home and practice for a few more years!" he mocked as he fought.
But the attackers were numerous. After a fierce struggle, Su Yu’s stamina began to fade. Wounds covered his body, and blood stained his clothes.
"This won't do. If I stay here, I'm done for." Gritting his teeth, he spotted an opening and bolted for the door.
The men in black pursued him relentlessly, knocking over bystanders and causing waves of screams. Su Yu ducked and weaved through narrow alleys, trying to shake his pursuers, but they clung to him like glue.
"Are you guys ever going to give it a rest? You're like leeches!" Su Yu gasped, looking back to curse at them.
Trapped at a dead end before a high wall, Su Yu had no time to think and leapt with all his might. The moment he vaulted over, a cold gleam flashed—a blade plunged straight into his back. Su Yu gave a muffled groan and tumbled heavily to the other side of the wall.
He lay on the ground, severely wounded. His vision blurred, and the sound of approaching footsteps echoed in his ears. In that moment between life and death, Su Yu subconsciously squeezed the Lingxiao Jade in his chest. Suddenly, the jade erupted in brilliance, a beam of light shooting toward the heavens. A rift in time and space tore open, looking like the gaping maw of a prehistoric beast.
Su Yu felt a powerful suction pull him in; he was helpless as he was dragged into the void. In that chaotic corridor of time and space, his consciousness drifted. In his stupor, he saw the Lingxiao Jade emitting a soft glow, shielding his shattered soul.
He did not know how much time had passed before Su Yu finally drifted back to consciousness. His head felt heavy, and he heard a soft whisper in his ear: "Is this the being I have created? A strange form indeed..."
He struggled to open his eyes. Before him lay the vast, primordial world. The heavens and earth were newly formed, filled with swirling spiritual energy, towering mountains, and rushing rivers. Not far away, a woman wearing robes of five-colored mist, with a breathtaking face and an ethereal temperament, looked at him with gentle eyes. It dawned on Su Yu in an instant: could this be the legendary Nuwa? And had he become the first member of the Human Race created by her?
Su Yu stared with wide eyes at the goddess before him, whose beauty transcended the mortal realm, unable to collect his thoughts. When he heard Nuwa say, "Do not fret, I shall create some brothers and sisters for you now," he snapped back to reality. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth, forming his signature, carefree smile. "Yo, Goddess, you really are all-powerful! Creating people just like that!"
Nuwa seemed amused by his demeanor. She cast a glance at him, her eyes dancing with mirth. "You little thing, you are quite interesting. Just watch from the side." With that, she turned her attention back to her work, ignoring him.
Su Yu curiously leaned in. He saw Nuwa gracefully raise her hands, scooping up a handful of yellow clay from the ground. Under her fingertips, the clay seemed to come alive, rapidly shifting shape. With skillful hands, she molded a small human figurine; it looked delicate and exquisite, and its features bore a faint resemblance to Su Yu.
"Hey, Goddess, your craftsmanship is incredible! This little mud-man looks sharp; he's bound to be a clever one," Su Yu couldn't help but praise, his eyes fixed intently on her movements.
Nuwa’s lips curved slightly. Her hands never stopped, and she molded several more figurines, male and female, in various forms. But after a while, feeling the pace was too slow, she frowned slightly and sighed, "At this rate, when will I create enough of the Human Race? Enough of this."
With a wave of her jade hand, a five-colored light flashed, and a vine of an innate gourd appeared in her grip. The vine radiated a mysterious light, and the gourds upon it were plump and round, as if filled with infinite life force. Nuwa gently dipped the vine into the Three-Light Holy Water in a stone bowl beside her, soaked it into the Nine-Heaven Breathing Earth, and swung it forcefully.
In an instant, a miraculous scene unfolded! Countless splatters of mud flew out, and the moment they touched the ground, they transformed into living, breathing humans. Some giggled and played, others looked around with curiosity. In the blink of an eye, the once silent primordial land became bustling with life.
Su Yu was dumbfounded, his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg. "Wow! Goddess, that is just too cool!"
Nuwa smiled silently, her hands continuing to swing the divine water and soil, as the number of humans grew like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. Su Yu wove through the crowd, looking at these newly born lives with a sense of wonder.
"Hey, brothers and sisters! From now on, we’re all one family!" Su Yu shouted to a group of humans who had just taken form, not forgetting to strike a cool pose.
A sturdy little boy with bright eyes looked at Su Yu. "Big Brother, who are you? And where are we going?"
Su Yu picked up the boy and feigned seriousness. "Me? I’m your leader! Stick with me, and you’ll live like kings! As for where we’re going, we’re going to conquer this Primordial World, of course."
The boy nodded, not quite understanding, which made the surrounding children burst into laughter.
As the human population grew, Su Yu noticed that Nuwa looked slightly exhausted. He hurried over. "Goddess, please take a rest. This creation project is massive; you mustn't wear yourself out."
Nuwa nodded slightly and ceased her work. "The Human Race has a foundation now. The path ahead must be walked by you all."
Su Yu felt a jolt in his heart, realizing the weight of the responsibility. He patted his chest in assurance. "Don't worry, Goddess. I, Su Yu, will certainly protect these brothers and sisters and lead them to live a meaningful life here in the Primordial World."