Chapter 51: Houtu Imparts the Dao

“Excellent!”
Hearing Emperor Cang speak thus, all twelve Ancestral Shamans nodded in agreement.
The assembly deliberated for a time, considering what aspects of the Shaman Clan yet required perfection and where they should devote their utmost efforts to improve.
First in strength, the twelve Ancestral Shamans had already distributed all treasures among themselves; regarding supreme power, the Ancestral Shamans had reached the pinnacle and needed only to cultivate diligently, for there was no way to further increase their strength in the short term.
Second, regarding treasures, the Shaman Clan had recently reaped abundant gains, nearly acquiring every supreme treasure available; it was almost impossible to gain new treasures in the near future.
Third, in matters of destiny, the establishment of the Ancestral Teachings by the Shaman Clan was tantamount to securing a portion of the fate of the Primordial World.
Fourth, with respect to righteousness, the twelve Ancestral Shamans had, through the Ancestral Teachings, appointed mountain gods and river lords across the land, ruling over the vast expanse; for now, their righteousness was impeccable.
Fifth, regarding the younger generation, the Shaman Clan had already founded the Shaman Academy, capable of instructing not only their own descendants but also deities from across the world. Furthermore, the internal Twelve Temples specifically nurtured prodigies; no changes were needed for the time being.
Sixth, in terms of resources, with Ancestral Shaman Houtu and Ancestral Shaman Jumang, together with the power of three supreme innate spiritual roots, they had evolved a land of chaotic divinity. With such resources, nurturing the entire Shaman Clan would be effortless.
Seventh, civilization!
Eighth, merit!
...
After reviewing every aspect, the twelve Ancestral Shamans were astonished to discover that, at present, all they needed was to fulfill their respective duties, dedicate themselves to cultivation, and accumulate merit to dispel the resentment and curses upon them. All other affairs required none of their attention.
“In that case!”
Ancestral Shaman Dijang instructed, “Let us each return to our respective tribes, perform our duties, and train with diligence. After nine thousand kalpas, upon the first great kalpa of this tribulation, we shall gather to behold the merit earned from founding the Ancestral Teachings, establishing the Shaman Academy, and guarding the world. Will it suffice to dispel another Ancestral Shaman’s resentment and curse?”
The decision to allocate merit after ten thousand kalpas was based on the three-colored clouds of merit in the Primordial World, which were, in fact, the merit required for a perfected Great Luo Immortal to sever the good corpse.
According to Emperor Cang’s estimation, a perfected Great Luo could, if they exerted themselves fully in pursuit of merit, accumulate enough within one or two tribulations to sever the good corpse.
In other words,
One perfected Great Luo Golden God could, in two tribulations, condense a three-colored cloud of merit.
But the twelve Ancestral Shamans were beings of the late middle stages of Chaotic Divine Demon, far surpassing even perfected Great Luo Golden Gods. With the Ancestral Teachings rewarding good and punishing evil, the Shaman Academy enlightening all beings, and with their full power unleashed, it was no exaggeration to say that one Ancestral Shaman could equal three perfected Great Luo Divine Demons.
Thus—

The twelve Ancestral Shamans equated to thirty-six perfected Great Luo Divine Demons; if each required ten thousand kalpas for a three-colored merit cloud, then in ten thousand kalpas, they could accumulate at least three, perhaps more. Adding the achievements of the great shamans and ordinary shamans, having four such merit clouds in ten thousand kalpas was not an exaggeration.
Therefore!
Ancestral Shaman Dijang, together with the others, resolved to distribute the merit after ten thousand kalpas!
The twelve Ancestral Shamans departed.
...
Ancestral Shaman Houtu led Emperor Cang away.
For now, the Shaman Clan was at peace. Houtu’s physical body was undergoing transformation with the power of Pangu’s Heart, while the divine soul evolved through her own spiritual strength.
With no pressing matters, Houtu decided to extract a drop of her essence blood, combining it with many shamanic herbs to forge the Houtu Golden Pill, to aid Emperor Cang in advancing further.
Ancestral Shaman Houtu explained, “The transition from Golden God to Taiyi Divine Demon is a critical threshold. Previously, you cultivated the path of law—mastering rules, magical powers, and physical strength—but the Taiyi Divine Demon is different. This stage cultivates the power of the Heavenly Dao or the Great Dao, the path of resonance between Heaven and Man.”
Suddenly, Houtu released an aura.
In that instant,
Though seated before Emperor Cang, she seemed loftier than ever, as if she sat upon the Ninth Heaven, gazing down as a divine dragon upon the ants of the mortal realm!
“Cang!”
Houtu smiled gently. “Did you sense it? This is the unity of body and the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, the state of Heaven-Man as One—the realm of the Taiyi Divine Demon. What you must do is achieve this unity, attuning yourself to a certain Great Dao or the Heavenly Dao of the Primordial World.”
“If you sense the resonance and connect with the Great Dao, you can thereby communicate with the Chaotic World, refining a strand of chaotic energy as your source. The chaotic energy evolved through this Dao resonance will become the core of your Taiyi Divine Demon path. Henceforth, you may cultivate only the Great Dao, only the power of chaos, without depleting the resources of the Primordial World!”
“In this way, the burden on heaven and earth will be greatly lessened, and the tribulation of destruction will be delayed!”
“What?”
Emperor Cang was secretly astonished. “Heaven and Man as One, resonating with the Dao, merging with Heaven and Earth, wielding the Great Dao?”
This—
It was merely a difference of one realm!
Yet the gap was truly immense!

Emperor Cang examined the Dao aura and presence of Houtu, inwardly shaken.
He even felt that the Taiyi Divine Demon was the true god-demon, and the Golden God realm was but that of ants!
“Moreover!”
He suddenly heard her say, “If you communicate with the power of the Great Dao, from now on you can connect with chaotic power and cultivate with it?”
“This...”
Emperor Cang respectfully inquired, “May I ask, Ancestral Shaman, if cultivating the Great Dao is thus, what if one cultivates only the power of the Heavenly Dao?”
“The power of the Heavenly Dao?”
Houtu answered indifferently, “If you cultivate the Heavenly Dao, you must draw upon the power of heaven and earth of the Primordial World, relying on it to gradually advance. Those who cultivate the Heavenly Dao cannot access the power of chaos.”
“So that is how it is!”
In an instant, Emperor Cang was enlightened.
Ever since his arrival, he had always wondered: during the calamity of the Primordial World, why did so many powerful beings arise, yet by the time of the Investiture of the Gods, only a handful remained, and the appearance of ten thousand immortals was already extraordinary?
Could it all be due to Gonggong’s rage against Buzhou Mountain?
Now, all was clear!
“So that’s it!”
Emperor Cang pondered secretly: “During the calamity of the Shaman and Demon Clans, the world’s beings cultivated the Great Dao; during the Investiture of the Gods, beings cultivated the Heavenly Dao, further extracting the world’s essence. Naturally, the world could not bear it!”
“In other words!”
Emperor Cang looked at Houtu and said, “At this time, by cultivating the power of the Great Dao and drawing on the power of chaos, as long as we refrain from wanton slaughter and cultivate diligently, not only do we accrue no karmic burden, but we also accumulate great merit?”