Deep within a cave saturated with spiritual energy, Su Yu sat cross-legged in silent meditation, as immovable as a towering mountain. The spiritual energy inside the cavern was churned by an invisible hand, swirling around him in vortices that collided and intertwined with a faint, rhythmic humming. Three thousand years passed in this state of deep seclusion.
Su Yu remained immersed in the cultivation of the Chaos Astral Formula. His consciousness seemed to wander the vast, boundless cosmos, and with every cycle of his techniques, it felt as though he were driving the rotation of the stars themselves. Within his body, his Lesser World grew increasingly brilliant; the stars twinkled with dazzling radiance, the mountains became more magnificent and majestic, and the sound of rushing rivers roared like thunder.
"This Chaos Astral Formula is truly an endless treasure trove. Every time I delve deeper into my cultivation, I unearth a brand-new well of power," Su Yu mused to himself. He gritted his teeth and pushed the operation of his cultivation method even further.
Time drifted by slowly. The spiritual energy in the cave grew so dense that it became almost tangible. The entire space was saturated with this thick vapor, leaving Su Yu’s figure shimmering in and out of sight, like an immortal descended upon the mortal realm.
Suddenly, Su Yu’s body jolted violently. An unprecedented surge of power erupted within him. His meridians felt as if a galloping dragon were surging through them, with spiritual energy flowing at a terrifying speed.
"The opportunity for a breakthrough has arrived!" Su Yu rejoiced inwardly. He gathered his focus and struck with all his might toward the Peak of the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm.
Radiance flared intensely from his skin, brilliant as the sun, illuminating the entire cavern. The stones within the cave turned translucent under this light, and some stones containing spiritual energy even began to melt, dissolving into the surrounding mist.
"Boom!" A massive sound echoed, like the very beginning of the heavens and earth. A powerful aura surged from Su Yu’s body—an energy so infinite it felt as if it could crush any obstacle in its path.
Su Yu slowly opened his eyes, which glimmered with the brilliance of stars. He stood up and stretched his limbs, feeling a boundless supply of power coursing through him.
"Finally, I have reached the Peak of the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm!" Su Yu shouted excitedly. His voice reverberated through the cave, causing the stone walls to tremble and shed dust.
However, Su Yu soon realized that remaining in the cave would no longer provide the necessary conditions for further breakthroughs. He frowned slightly, thinking, "It seems it is time to head out. Perhaps I can find the inspiration I need in the outside world."
Su Yu flickered and vanished, reappearing instantly outside the cave. By now, the Human Race in the valley had undergone a world-altering transformation. The cultivation levels of the clansmen had improved significantly, and the valley was now filled with newly constructed practice caves, buzzing with abundant spiritual energy and an atmosphere of prosperity.
Suiren was busy instructing a group of young clansmen in the Nine Yang Divine Technique. Despite being drenched in sweat, he remained enthusiastic. Suddenly, he sensed a powerful presence approaching. Turning his head, he saw Su Yu standing not far away, a smile on his face.
"Lord Martial Ancestor! You have emerged from seclusion!" Suiren shouted in pleasant surprise, his voice filled with joy and excitement.
The clansmen stopped their practice and swarmed toward Su Yu, their eyes filled with reverence and fervor.
"Lord Martial Ancestor, your aura is even stronger now. Have you broken through again?" Youchao asked excitedly.
Su Yu nodded with a smile: "That is correct. I have reached the Peak of the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm. However, I discovered that further seclusion was no longer yielding results, so I came out to see if I could find new inspiration through the development of our Human Race."
Zhiyi bowed slightly and said: "Lord Martial Ancestor, you have worked hard. Over these past thirty thousand years, the Human Race has flourished under your leadership. Now that you have emerged, our people will surely reach even greater heights."
Su Yu looked around at the crowd and said with satisfaction: "You have all worked hard these past thirty thousand years. Although I have reached the Peak of the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm, the road to our rise is still long. Everyone, continue to practice diligently. Together, we will seek the opportunity for further breakthroughs and make the Human Race the hegemon of this Primordial World!"
In the valley, the warm sunlight draped the vibrant human settlement in a cloak of golden silk. A gentle breeze carried the unique, sweet fragrance of spirit plants, drifting gracefully through the air.
Suiren, his face flushed with excitement like a child who had received a cherished toy, hopped over to Su Yu’s side and exclaimed, gesticulating wildly: "Lord Martial Ancestor! Since you started your seclusion, my goodness, the Human Race has been so busy we haven't even had a moment to rest! Guess what? That old fellow Youchao, sister Zhiyi, and I refined the Merit of the Heavenly Dao and somehow managed to break through to the Daluo Golden Immortal Realm! Now I feel like I'm burning with energy and have nowhere to vent it!"
Su Yu raised an eyebrow, a flash of surprise in his eyes, and teased: "Oh? Not bad at all! It seems you all were secretly 'snacking' while I was in seclusion. What about the rest of the clansmen? Surely they haven't all been making progress behind my back?"
Suiren nodded vigorously, his eyes crinkling into slits with laughter: "How could that be? Lord Martial Ancestor, you wouldn't believe how formidable the Human Race has become! We have three thousand Golden Immortals, every one of them a fierce warrior capable of rampaging across any battlefield. And the Heavenly Immortals—there are a full one hundred thousand of them! Most of the remaining clansmen have also crossed the threshold into the Earth Immortal realm. When we go out now, we stand tall with full confidence!"
As they spoke, Youchao and Zhiyi hurried over. Youchao was breathless, his face glowing with pride: "Lord Martial Ancestor! During these thirty thousand years of your seclusion, the clansmen have been holding their breath, training day and night, just hoping to impress you one day. Look at our strength now—in this Primordial World, we don't fear even those mid-tier tribes anymore; we can hold our own against them!"
Zhiyi bowed gracefully and said: "Lord Martial Ancestor, please look over there. That area is our newly built cultivation caves; the spiritual energy inside is as thick as honey, allowing the clansmen to achieve twice the result with half the effort. And look at these spirit fields, filled with rare spirit plants that provide great aid to everyone's cultivation."
Su Yu cast his gaze over the valley, where the caves were scattered like stars in an orderly fashion. The spirit plants in the fields grew lush and vibrant, and spiritual energy flowed between them like a crystalline stream. It was a veritable fairyland. He nodded repeatedly in satisfaction: "Good, very good! Everything we have achieved today is the result of everyone working together. However, we must not be satisfied yet. Currently, our strength is only comparable to many mid-tier tribes in the Primordial World. Our goal is to dominate the Primordial World!"
Su Yu turned to Suiren, Youchao, and Zhiyi, his expression grave and filled with deep expectation: "As the three ancestors of the Human Race, the burden on your shoulders is not light. You must continue to lead the clansmen in their hard work and elevate our strength even further. Remember, our journey is to become the hegemons of this Primordial World; do not let us down!"
Suiren patted his chest with a thundering sound and promised solemnly: "Lord Martial Ancestor, you can rest easy! I will train our clansmen into warriors with skin of bronze and bones of iron. If anyone dares to bully the Human Race, I will, without a word, use the Nine Yang Divine Technique to roast them into a crispy 'charcoal feast'!"
Youchao was not to be outdone; he clenched his fists, his voice brimming with heroic spirit: "That's right, Lord Martial Ancestor! I plan to immerse myself in martial studies every day. Who knows? Perhaps when inspiration strikes, I will devise a heaven-shaking, ghost-weeping technique to make our strength skyrocket!"
Zhiyi smiled gently and said softly: "Lord Martial Ancestor, do not worry. I will carefully teach the sisters of our tribe so that they are not only powerful in cultivation but also contribute to the Human Race in many other ways."
Su Yu laughed with gratification, his gaze filled with visions of the future: "Good. With you all here, I am at ease. The Human Race is like a spring bamboo shoot that has just broken through the earth; the road ahead is long, but our potential is boundless. From today on, everyone redouble your efforts and search everywhere for fortune. Let us strive to make the name of the Human Race a household word in this Primordial World, one that commands respect from all!"
The clansmen, their blood boiling with passion, shouted in unison: "We follow the command of the Lord Martial Ancestor!" The sound was like a crashing wave, reaching the very heavens, as if announcing to the entire Primordial World the unstoppable momentum and grand ambitions of the Human Race.