Chapter 54 Shen Nong

  Lie Shan, born in a Jiang surname tribe in the Wei River valley, his mother's name was Ren Ji.

  Ren Shi one day toured Mount Hua, saw a divine dragon, was greatly amazed, the result of the divine dragon a swing tail, towards Ren Shi just dive down, instantly entered Ren Shi's abdomen, Ren Shi's body had a feeling, belly slightly bulged, back after, soon gave birth to Lie Shan Shi.

  Lie Shan was clever and intelligent from a young age, able to speak in three days and walk in five.

  Lie Shan learned the art of Bagua prediction from a young age and being naturally clever, he picked it up faster than his clansmen.

  At that time, various tribes learned the method of divination by eight trigrams due to Fuxi's teachings. More and more people were able to avoid disasters, and the casualties of the human tribe decreased. However, the population was increasing day by day, but the birds in the sky and the beasts in the mountains that humans could hunt were becoming fewer and fewer, and the fruits they picked were no longer enough to meet the needs of the tribes.

  Lièshān shì zhǎng dà hòu, chéng wèi bù luò shǒu lǐng, měi tiān dōu zài xiǎng rúhé jiě jué zú rén de chī fàn wèntí.

  One day, a bird with bright red plumage flew across the sky, carrying a nine-colored and nine-tasseled millet. As it passed over Lie Shan's head, the millet fell to the ground. Lie Shan picked it up and buried it in the soil, and later on, it grew into a whole patch.

  He rubbed the wheat ears in his hands and put them in his mouth, feeling very delicious. He taught people to cut down trees, cut off wild grass, use axes, hoes and other production tools to open up land and plant wheat.

  He found that millet ripens once a year, so he led his own tribe to burn the mountain as a field, planted millet in the ground, and waited for the harvest every year.

  The tribe of Lie Shan gradually took grains as their staple food, and animal husbandry became a supplementary industry. The surrounding small tribes heard that the people of Lie Shan did not need to hunt or go around picking fruits, but only needed to work hard in farming to fill their stomachs. Many small tribes that were unable to make a living came to join the tribe of Lie Shan.

  The Lièshān clan's people cultivated the land, and the news was passed down from one person to ten, then to a hundred. Finally, it reached Fúxī's ears. Upon hearing this, Fúxī was delighted and hastily summoned someone to call upon Lièshān.

  After Lie Shan arrived, Fu Xi asked him many questions and Lie Shan was able to answer them all. Fu Xi was very pleased and kept Lie Shan by his side as his assistant to handle some matters. After several years, when the time was ripe, Fu Xi handed over everything to Lie Shan to manage.

  On this day, Xuan Du suddenly arrived, Fu Xi saw him and immediately knelt down, "Disciple pays respects to the master."

  Xuan Du bowed slightly and said, "My master has sent me to inform you that your merits are now complete. You should pass on the throne of Human Emperor to someone else, retire from worldly affairs, and cultivate in seclusion at Huo Yun Cave."

  Fuxi was overjoyed upon hearing this and hastily made arrangements for the transfer of power.

  Fuxi summoned Lie Shan and said, "I will soon be retiring to Huoyun Cave for quiet cultivation. Over the years, you have managed everything with great order and talent, and among the human tribe, you are the most gifted one. I plan to pass on the throne of Human Emperor to you, go prepare yourself." After that, he let Lie Shan go prepare for the succession.

  A few days later, Xuandu flew in from outside the Thirty-Three Heavens and said to Fuxi: "Quickly set up the incense table, the teacher is coming."

  Fuxi busily arranged for someone to set up an incense table in preparation to welcome the holy man.

  Suddenly a thousand auspicious vapors descended from the sky, and a purple cloud floated in. The Supreme Lord Laozi rode on a qilin, led by the Golden Horned Boy, driving the cloud to arrive.

  The crowd busily knelt down and bowed to welcome the Holy One. Fu Xi led the way, saying: "Fu Xi leads the leaders of all tribes to pay respects to the Great Clarity Holy One."

  Laozi said: "No need for more courtesy, get up."

  At this time, a person walked out from behind the crowd and bowed to Laozi, saying "Yun Zhongzi pays respects to Master Bo."

  But Cloud Senior had been living among humans all these years, and now that Fuxi's merits were complete, Laozi came to welcome him, he naturally came out to pay his respects to Laozi.

  The old man nodded and said, "Mm, not bad."

  Later, under the auspices of Tai Qing Sheng Ren, everyone witnessed the handover ceremony of Fuxi and Lie Shan Shi's throne.

  Just as Fuxi was about to hand over the throne to Zhurong, a radiant light descended from the sky and shone on Fuxi's body. In an instant, the light dispersed, and Fuxi said to Taishang Laojun: "I'm troubling you, elder brother, to come and take me away."

  At the time of Tianjiang's merits and virtues, Fuxi had already recovered his past life memories and obtained the position of Heavenly Emperor, while Yun Zhongzi and Xuan Dou also received a share of merits.

  The old man nodded slightly and remained silent.

  Fu Xi didn't say much more, turned around and saluted Yun Zhongzi, saying "Thank you for taking care of me over the years." He then returned the Hetu Luoshu to Yun Zhongzi.

  "Thanks for your kindness." Yún Zhōng Zǐ also didn't decline, accepted the gift and took over the River Chart and Luo Book.

  "I have one more thing to trouble you with, fellow Taoist." Fuxi said suddenly.

  Yun Zhongzi was taken aback and said, "What's going on?"

  Fuxi said, "I am about to go into seclusion in Huoyun Cave for quiet cultivation. However, my mother is left with no one to care for her. Please ask a fellow Taoist to take care of her." After finishing speaking, he bowed again to Yun Zhongzi.

  Yun Zhongzi was stunned, he had only known that Fu Xi would go to Huoyundong to cultivate, but didn't know where Fu Xi would place his own mother, unexpectedly it turned out like this now, sighing bitterly, he could only nod in agreement.

  "So, thank you, fellow Taoist." Fuxi let out a breath of relief and turned to Lie Shan, saying, "Younger brother, I'll wait for you at Huoyun Cave."

  Then Fuxi followed Laozi to Huayun Cave.

  Fuxi left, and Lishan became the Human Emperor.

  Yan Emperor succeeded Fu Xi as the Human Emperor and began to promote agriculture among all humans. Humans respected him for teaching them agriculture, and since his mother was pregnant with him after a divine dragon entered her body, they revered him as "Shennong". Also, because Yan Emperor cleared land by burning it, he was also known as "Yandi" or the Flame Emperor.

  Shennong taught people to plant the five grains and did not rely solely on heaven for harvest, but also taught people to dig wells and irrigate crops.

  At the same time, he also invented pottery, solving human life utensils - tableware and ceramic basins, etc.

  The emergence of agriculture, the fruits of human labor have surplus, at this time, Shennong set up a market, let everyone take the food and things that can't be eaten or used, every noon to the market to exchange, thus appearing primitive commodity trading.

  He also made hemp into cloth, so that people could wear clothes, and carved wood into bows, with which he intimidated the world.

  The teachings of Shen Nong say: "A strong and able-bodied man who does not farm, will have someone in the world suffering from hunger because of him; a woman of childbearing age who does not weave, will have someone in the world suffering from cold because of her. Therefore, I personally farm and my wife personally raises silkworms to set an example for the world."

  The Divine Farmer governed the tribes, and brought order to the world; he did not look for reward, nor was he greedy for wealth, yet the world shared his riches; wisdom was esteemed by men, and the world shared in its honor. He ruled with virtue and righteousness, without rewards the people were encouraged, without punishments the wicked were corrected, without anger or contention the wealth was sufficient, without laws and orders the people followed, awe-inspiring yet not killing, laws simple yet not troublesome, the people had nothing but respect for him.

  At that time, the human race was not very familiar with the plants in the mountains and forests. Many people were poisoned to death because of this. Shennong heard about it and couldn't bear it, so he made a vow to travel all over the world, taste all kinds of herbs, and let people know what can be eaten, what cannot be eaten, which ones are harmful after eating, and which ones are beneficial after eating. After making up his mind, Shennong left the tribe and wandered around the vast wilderness to taste all kinds of herbs.

  After many years, Shennong found many edible plants and was poisoned multiple times. At one point, he was poisoned dozens of times in a single day. Although he survived each time with his robust body and rich knowledge of medicinal herbs, the toxins had taken their toll on his body, and the poison had accumulated inside him, making it impossible for him to withstand further poisoning.

  On this day, Shennong was accidentally bitten by a snake. The venom of the snake was extremely potent and directly stirred up the toxins that had accumulated in Shennong's body. The toxins spread like a flood, instantly spreading throughout Shennong's entire body. In an instant, Shennong's whole body turned pitch black, his mind became unclear, and he finally fainted.

  Just then, a lucky cloud flew over from the horizon, and the lucky cloud descended, it was Void Dao.

  Xu Dao gave Shennong a pellet of medicine to eat, and soon after, the toxins on Shennong's body all dissipated. Shennong came to his senses and saw a figure in front of him, immediately realizing that this person had saved him. Therefore, Shennong promptly said, "Thank you, immortal elder, for saving me. May I ask where the elder cultivates? This disciple will definitely come to visit and thank you in the future."

  Xu Dao chuckled and said, "If you keep tasting all sorts of herbs like this, poisoning yourself every day, even if your physique is strong, you won't be able to withstand it. Who knows when you'll silently die? What's the point of coming to my door to thank me then?"

  Shennong's face darkened, and he sighed, "Yes, but our people have died from this. My disciples can only taste all the herbs to warn our people. I didn't think that even animals could be poisonous. Now my disciples not only have to continue tasting all the herbs, but also find ways to detoxify them."

  Xu Dao nodded silently and said, "However, you should know that the Hong Huang is so vast. Some poisons can even kill immortals, let alone a mortal like you. Moreover, there are countless poisonous things in the Hong Huang. How can you possibly try them all with just your own strength?"

  Shennong's face was resolute, and he said, "This principle is naturally understood by my disciples. Even if only one type of poison can be identified, countless clansmen will benefit from it. In that case, I can die without regret."

  "Beyond life and death, not ashamed to be a human emperor." Xū Dào praised, then continued, "I, Xū Dào, am also a person of the human tribe, and was created by Nǚ Wā as the first human. I plan to take you on as my disciple, are you willing?"

  Shennong was shocked, his eyes wide with surprise. "Xu Dao?" The name Xu Dao was quite renowned among the human tribe, after all, when the human tribe was still at Shouyang Mountain, Xu Dao was already a cultivator who had been taking care of their safety and well-being. Even though most of the human tribe had migrated out of Shouyang Mountain by now, there were still many people who knew of Xu Dao's existence.

  "Disciple Shennong pays respects to his master." Shennong immediately reacted and bowed in response.

  "Alright, get up. First, return to your tribe and teach them all that you have gained over the years. Then, cultivate for a period of time before going out again to taste the hundred herbs." Yu Dao helped Shennong up, saying this.

  Shennong was overjoyed and said, "Thank you, Master. Everything will be done as you decide."

  Xu Dao nodded and then took Shen Nong with him as they stepped into thin air and left.

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