Chapter 2467: Human Realm Authority

The Mermaid Queen and Peacock Princess looked at Zu An in shock, wondering why he would ask such a question. They had previously heard the Dragon King mention that Shennong was an ancient being. Could he truly still be alive?

The person in the cave also fell silent, speaking only after a long pause: "You think too highly of me. How could I be him?"

Sensing the deep respect in his tone for Shennong, Zu An pressed on, "Then are you a descendant of Shennong, or perhaps a successor, or even this generation's Yan Emperor?"

In the ancient myths of his previous life, the Yan Huang descendants were the collective name for the people after the fusion of the Yan Emperor and Yellow Emperor's forces. Shennong was the first Yan Emperor, but 'Yan Emperor' didn't exclusively refer to Shennong; it was the title for each successive leader of the Yan Emperor's lineage.

The person in the cave paused slightly, saying, "I didn't expect you to know so much. Indeed, I have a deep connection with Shennong, but I am not this generation's Yan Emperor."

Zu An thought, "Just as I suspected," and continued to ask, "May I ask where this generation's Yan Emperor is? Now that the extraterrestrial demons have invaded, why is he not leading humanity in resistance?"

Although he didn't know the situation with this world's Yan Emperor, he had previously met Da Yu, who was incredibly imposing and terrifyingly powerful. The Divine Rune Weapon Atlas had come from him. In mythology, the Yan Emperor's status was no lower than Da Yu's; there was no reason he shouldn't be able to handle these extraterrestrial demons.

In fact, many doubts lingered in his mind. He seemed to have seen relics from many dynasties in the history of the cultivation world within various secret realms. Unlike the ordinary dynasties of his previous life, these dynasties possessed god-like powers. Where had these powerful beings gone? Logically, even a few formidable figures emerging should be enough to fend off those extraterrestrial demons.

Although the cultivation world in this time fragment, thousands of years ago, was considerably stronger than the cultivation world of later generations, it still couldn't compare to the demon world. All those legendary beings had vanished without a trace; no one knew where they had gone.

The voice from the cave spoke again: "Everything is fate."

Zu An: "..."

He had expected more, but that was it? This guy was being enigmatic, like a charlatan.

Knowing that further questions would yield no answers, he moved on to a more pressing concern: "I've long heard that the medical skills of Fire Cloud Cave are divine. Do you know of a way to cure the Congenital Calamity Poison Sacred Body?"

The person in the cave let out a surprised sound, seemingly caught off guard by the question: "I never imagined the legendary Congenital Calamity Poison Sacred Body truly existed; I thought it was just a myth. This sacred body has an innate affinity for all kinds of poisons, but once the poison manifests, it can only be suppressed by even stronger poisons. While its toxicity can be converted into formidable combat power, it's ultimately a temporary solution, like drinking poison to quench thirst. In the end, it will become uncontrollable, leading to the host's demise and the world being ravaged by the poison."

The Peacock Princess looked at Zu An with concern, wondering why he suddenly asked about this. Could he be the one with this sacred body? The Mermaid Queen, knowing the truth, wondered if his sister had contracted this terrible illness. No wonder, despite his great abilities, he hadn't found a cure yet.

At this point, the voice from the cave continued: "I do know another solution. One must find a way to refine the toxins within the sacred body into a 'poison core' using specific cultivation methods and rare natural treasures. This can achieve a balance. While it won't be a complete cure, if managed properly, it can avert the inevitable fatal outcome."

Zu An's heart stirred; why did this sound so familiar?

"The stronger the cultivation method, the stronger the poison core that can be formed. Of course, not all methods are suitable; they must also be compatible with the Congenital Calamity Poison Sacred Body. You'll have to find this yourself, depending on your and the sacred body's fortune and destiny."

"As for the natural treasures required for forming the core, I do know them: Heaven-Defying Spirit Tears, Glazed Hairpin Flowers, and the Aurora Poison Dragon's Inner Core Crystal. Since you came here to cure the sea tribe's plague poison, I presume you already possess the Aurora Poison Dragon's inner core," the person in the cave stated.

Zu An's expression became extremely strange. For a moment, he even suspected the person in the cave was Salome. But he knew this was impossible. So how did Salome know this solution? Fire Cloud Cave was so mysterious; Salome couldn't have come here, nor could she have asked for a cure for the Congenital Calamity Poison Sacred Body. Then there was only one explanation: this world's Salome learned of it from him, or from the Mermaid Queen, or the Peacock Princess. After thinking it over, it seemed more likely she learned it from him. Recalling what Mi Li had told him about time and space, was this a temporal loop? An absurd feeling, like wondering whether the chicken or the egg came first, immediately arose in his mind.

He quickly composed himself and then asked, "Then, where can one find the Heaven-Defying Spirit Tears and Glazed Hairpin Flowers?"

"Glazed Hairpin Flowers exist in this world, but such treasures depend on an individual's fortune and destiny; they cannot be forced. If you are not fated, telling you the exact location would be useless. If you are fated, I don't need to say anything, and you will obtain them," the person in the cave replied.

Zu An: "..."

Salome had also mentioned that Glazed Hairpin Flowers might exist in this world, and he had hoped to get more information from this person.

"As for the Heaven-Defying Spirit Tears..." The person in the cave suddenly paused, as if observing something. "They don't currently exist in this world, but perhaps in the future, you will have a chance to obtain them."

Zu An: "???"

He tried to press for more details, but unfortunately, the person in the cave only responded with phrases like, "The time is not right; you will understand when it is." Can the Riddler please leave Gotham!

However, it wasn't entirely without gain. The other party mentioned he might have a chance to obtain them in the future, yet he didn't even know what these Heaven-Defying Spirit Tears were.

Just then, four pills flew out from the cave: "Place these four pills in the four seas, and as they dissolve in the water, they will cure the poison of the plague array."

The Mermaid Queen quickly collected the four pills: "Thank you, Senior, for bestowing this medicine. The sea tribe will surely remember this great kindness forever."

"Everything is fate," the person in the cave replied with nonchalance. The three of them were already numb to this answer.

"The destiny has concluded. Water Boy, escort them out."

The nearby boy nodded in assent and walked over, gesturing for the three to follow him out.

Zu An, remembering another matter for this trip, hurriedly asked, "One last question. I heard that Shennong was a Human Sovereign. May I ask where the authority item of the Human Dao is now?"

The boy immediately expressed his displeasure: "You are truly tactless. My master has already ordered you to leave, and you're still asking questions here and there."

A soft chuckle suddenly came from within the previously silent cave. Zu An frowned slightly. The laughter seemed to carry a deeper meaning, but he couldn't tell what it was about.

"Why are you looking for the Human Dao's authority?" the person in the cave asked at this point.

Zu An breathed a sigh of relief. If the other party was willing to answer, there was still hope. So, he briefly explained the matter of the Six Paths of Reincarnation. The other party was clearly of high standing and should know some things. Of course, he also concealed some crucial information about Houtu, lest the other party harbored ill intentions.

"Completing the Six Paths of Reincarnation would be a great merit, but gathering the authority items of all Six Paths might not be easy," the voice from the cave remarked.

Zu An solemnly said, "Where there's a will, there's a way. By collecting them one by one, they will eventually be gathered." The other party was too mysterious, so he didn't mention that he had already collected several items.

"A good saying, 'Where there's a will, there's a way,'" the voice from the cave responded with clear appreciation. "Very well. If you are looking for the authority of the Human Dao, you naturally need to go to the Demon Race."

"Demon Race?" Zu An was somewhat bewildered. Wasn't it the authority of the Human Dao? Shouldn't it be in the hands of humans? How was it related to the Demon Race?

Hearing his confusion, the voice from the cave chuckled: "Who told you the Demon Race doesn't belong to the Human Dao? This current world is the Human Dao, and since the Demon Race is the ruler of this world, the authority of the Human Dao naturally lies with them."