Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Calamity of the Dragon and Han

"After the creation of the world, there are five kalpas: the first is the Longhan Kalpa, the second the Sage Kalpa, the third the Sovereign Kalpa, the fourth the Human Emperor Kalpa, and the fifth the Heavenly Human Kalpa. With the emergence of these five, the various Xia states were established."

"This volume is the 'Longhan Kalpa,' the story following 'The Creation of the World.' After the 'Longhan Kalpa' comes the 'Sage Kalpa,' followed by the 'Sovereign Kalpa,' and so on. As the five kalpas unfold in succession, the world is created, evolves, and eventually passes away."

Zhou Qing drifted forward, light blossoming beneath his feet. He walked across the snow without leaving a trace, the falling flakes avoiding him as if repelled by his presence. As he entered the room, Zong Quan followed silently, waiting for instructions from his young grand-uncle.

This bamboo cottage had been built by the disciples at the Master’s command after the young grand-uncle broke through to the realm of the Divine Transformation and Mysterious Spirit. Situated beside a bamboo grove on the edge of the sect’s hinterland, the uneven terrain ensured there were no nearby neighbors.

The cottage spanned roughly ninety square meters, featuring a square main hall, a side chamber, an inner bedroom, and a library. Following the young grand-uncle into the library—a space of barely twenty square meters—Zong Quan noticed there were few bamboo scrolls.

Soon, hearing the young grand-uncle’s voice—still youthful in tone—Zong Quan looked toward the desk by the window, where a small pile of bamboo scrolls rested in the center.

Counting them, there were at least ten volumes. At this rate, the entire "Longhan Kalpa" would likely reach three to five thousand characters, making it a significant work of fantasy, especially considering "The Creation of the World" was barely over three hundred characters long.

"These are written in elegant, literary language. When you circulate them, remember that clarity and accessibility are paramount. There are two tasks I have for you; the 'Longhan Kalpa' is the first."

"This is the second volume. Now that paper has been invented, how can we have no text? Manual transcription is too time-consuming and laborious. Therefore, I entrust you with this method of 'Movable Type Printing.' Memorize it here; you are not to take it outside!"

Watching Zong Quan walk toward the nearby table, Zhou Qing smiled slightly. With a wave of his hand, he used a burst of internal energy to retrieve a fresh scroll from the shelf—the "Movable Type" technique he had written yesterday.

Coupled with the art of papermaking, this was the perfect match. Relying on "Heavenly Realms" to acquire wealth might invite criticism from the Hundred Schools of Thought in the future, but these two inventions were extraordinary.

He sent the "Movable Type" scroll to the table with a flick of his energy. By now, Zong Quan was already captivated by the "Longhan Kalpa" on the table. Though it was a work of fiction, for a disciple of the Taoist school, it held the greatest allure.

"According to the Taoist scriptures, the Primordial Heavenly Lord existed before the Great Origin, endowed with the breath of nature, vast and formless, boundless in reach. Thus, when the heavens and earth collapse and the kalpa ends, the Lord’s body remains, coexisting with the cosmos, eternal and indestructible."

"At the dawn of every creation, whether atop the Jade Capital or in the wilderness of Qiongsang, the Lord imparts secret teachings to save humanity. This opening of the kalpa has occurred more than once; thus, there are the five kalpas—Longhan, Sage, Sovereign, Human Emperor, and Heavenly Human—separated by four billion one hundred million years!"

"In the Longhan era, when heaven and earth were first split, the True Man Pangu transformed into all things. His essence, energy, and spirit, moved by the creation, manifested the three great divine races: the Phoenix, leading the birds; the Qilin, leading the beasts; and the True Dragon, leading the water tribes!"

"..."

Zong Quan picked up the first marked bamboo scroll from the right and slowly unrolled it. He murmured to himself, his eyes flashing with brilliant light, the soft resonance of his voice echoing in the library.

As he read, he was filled with awe. He could not fathom how his young grand-uncle had conceived of such wondrous ideas. Even he, a disciple who had already stepped into the Innate Realm, was completely enthralled.

Zong Quan felt that this was how the birth and progression of the world should be, and that the young grand-uncle was merely interpreting and revealing it to the public—it was truly eye-opening.

Zong Quan read quickly. The thirteen volumes clearly recounted the history of the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin tribes from their rise and peak to their decline and ultimate exit from the stage of world history.

The narrative was interwoven with many divine beings: Hongjun, born of Pangu’s spirit; the Moral True Man, born of Pangu’s divine power; and the God of Extreme Yang, Donghuang Taiyi, and the Goddess of Extreme Yin, Wangshu, born of the yin and yang energy within Pangu.

Pangu’s left eye became the sun, giving birth to the god Dijun, while his right eye became the moon, giving birth to the goddess Xihe. The evil entity Luohou was also born from Pangu’s malice... Although the text was concise, it was exceptionally brilliant.

"Young grand-uncle, when do you plan to write the 'Sage Kalpa'?"

After spending nearly an hour reading the "Longhan Kalpa," Zong Quan felt deeply moved. He couldn't help but wonder how powerful the gods described in the text must be—able to overturn seas and command the clouds and rain with a mere gesture. It was truly terrifying.

This was only the first of the five kalpas, yet it already contained such tragic events. It was only a pity that he saw no trace of humanity; it seemed to be a world entirely of divine incarnations.

Still lingering on the words, Zong Quan recalled what his young grand-uncle had said earlier. He chuckled, carefully put away the bamboo scrolls, and looked at his young grand-uncle, who had closed his eyes in meditation. He truly wanted to see how magnificent the "Sage Kalpa" would be.

"You want to see it?"

"Wait until next year. One volume per year. The 'Longhan Kalpa' is rather long. When you promote it, be diligent, especially with the 'Movable Type' technique I taught you. It is of great importance. I intend to ask your senior brother to issue an order to dispatch two elders to oversee it."

"The innocent man is guilty of his own treasure." Zhou Qing understood this principle well. The value of papermaking and movable type printing went without saying. He didn't know the exact details of how they functioned, but fortunately, neither was high-tech.

As for the five kalpas Zong Quan had just read, they were his own personal account, but since they were unheard of in this world, whatever he wrote became authoritative. If the Taoist school wanted to preserve its legacy, relying solely on martial prowess and detachment from the world was not enough.

Looking at the future, as feudal dynasties formed, any force outside the control of the throne would be considered dangerous. By spreading these tales across the Xia, he would lead the Taoist school onto a different path.

If anyone questioned his words, the founder, Laozi—the most powerful being in a thousand years, the first to merge with all things—was the best proof. No one among the Hundred Schools of Thought could achieve that.

He shook his head at Zong Quan and gestured toward a small box beside the desk, signaling him to store the "Longhan Kalpa" inside. As for the "Movable Type" scroll, it could not be taken out to avoid any unforeseen variables.

"The young grand-uncle is absolutely right. Even if you hadn't mentioned it, I was already planning to summon several junior brothers to guard the workshop!"

Whether the art of papermaking was precious, Zong Quan understood even better than Zhou Qing. He accepted the command, held the "Movable Type" scroll in his hand, and began to memorize it rapidly. Soon, Zong Quan’s expression shifted again, his internal energy surging, causing the very air around him to tremble.