Chapter 25: The Three-Legged Golden Crow

It is said that the great Pangu used his own body to transform into all living beings of the primordial world. Among these changes, Pangu’s left and right eyes, having absorbed the power of the stars, became the Solar Star and the Lunar Star, which is the Moon. His hair became the myriad stars scattered across the sky.

The Solar Star, a body that radiates light and heat, secretly nurtured two deities within it—Di Jun and Tai Yi. Di Jun and Tai Yi were both three-legged golden crows, born of the Solar Star itself.

“Brother, the time for us to emerge has come,” said one slightly smaller golden crow to the other deep beneath the Solar Star.

The vast and surging primordial land was nourished by the Solar Star, which ceaselessly supplied heat and light. The reverence of the living beings for the Solar Star transformed into streams of fate, converging upon it.

After enduring the first immeasurable calamity, the primordial world was filled with overwhelming miasma. The Solar Star, by its innate nature, dispelled this miasma with its light.

Moved by the cosmic order, virtue descended upon the Solar Star. Combining the aura of virtue and fortune, the two three-legged golden crows emerged into the world.

“Our golden crow clan vows to unify the primordial land,” declared one golden crow, transforming from a fireball beneath the Solar Star onto its surface. It gazed upon the innate scarlet flame swirling like water, a flame born from the union of pure air and fire; innate turbid flame came from the union of impure air and fire.

The golden crow spoke, “I am Di Jun,” and transformed into human form. The aura of an emperor radiated from him; he wore a purple-gold crown binding his hair, a purple robe embroidered with a three-legged golden crow motif. In his left hand, he held the River Diagram, and in his right, the Luo Book. This was Di Jun.

Another man appeared and said, “I am Tai Yi.” Though similarly adorned, his attire was yellow, and the golden crow on it shone even brighter. He held the Chaos Bell, one of the three treasures of creation.

The two looked toward the Solar Star, seeing only one living thing upon it: the Fusang Tree. This tree was one of the ten primordial spiritual roots. Its leaves resembled mulberry, with berries, growing to a height of two thousand zhang and a girth of over two thousand units. The trees grew in pairs from shared roots, leaning on each other for support, hence the name Fusang.

Within the Solar Star, the Fusang Tree absorbed primordial scarlet flame and transformed, gathering the world’s fortune, which stirred Tai Yi’s dissatisfaction.

“Brother, this Fusang Tree cannot take human form; it only consumes the Solar Star’s scarlet flame and aura of virtue. It would be better to destroy it, preserving our fortune,” Tai Yi, having long seen the tree’s inability to transform, suggested to Di Jun.

“This Fusang Tree aided us greatly before our emergence, and now, aside from us two, it is the only living thing left here. Let it grow as it will,” Di Jun mused, seeing nothing but scarlet flame around, feeling a pang of desolation in his heart. How could he extinguish its life in such barrenness? He thus replied to Tai Yi.

Hearing Di Jun’s words, Tai Yi lowered his head thoughtfully and said, “Why don’t we brothers build a place of cultivation, so our golden crow clan may have some dignity?”

Di Jun gave a sound of assent, and Tai Yi immediately went to gather materials.

Combining celestial iron from the stars and scarlet flame from the Solar Star, they fused these to craft a fine palace that appeared before them.

“Brother, name it,” Tai Yi, skilled in artifact forging, soon completed the palace. With a flick of his finger, a plaque appeared before Di Jun.

“Since we emerged from the Solar Star, let this place be called the Palace of the Sun,” Di Jun said, never forgetting his origins even upon his emergence—truly deserving the title of Demon Emperor.

Tai Yi saw the plaque was ready, waved his hand, and hung it above the palace.

“We have just emerged, and many powerful beings roam the primordial land. Though our strength as True Immortals of Taiyi is considerable, unifying the world is still far beyond us. Let us first stabilize our realms before discussing our ambitions,” Di Jun said, slowly merging the River Diagram and Luo Book with his formidable magic, forming a grand array that quickly vanished. He addressed Tai Yi.

“With my Chaos Bell, who would dare harm a single hair of your head?” Tai Yi retorted, a little dissatisfied at his brother’s caution.

Di Jun chuckled, “Do you think I don’t know your true strength? How far have you come in the Scarlet Flame Technique?”

The Scarlet Flame Technique was a method Di Jun and Tai Yi comprehended from the Solar Star’s scarlet flame, divided into six levels: Touching Flame, Using Flame, Absorbing Flame, Refining Flame, Controlling Flame, and Heart Flame. Each level was further divided into beginning, middle, late, and peak stages.

Di Jun had reached the early stage of Refining Flame, equivalent to the early stage of Golden Immortal of Taiyi. Tai Yi, being a golden crow as well, was immediately seen through by Di Jun.

Tai Yi meekly agreed.

Di Jun, paying no further mind, walked alone toward the Palace of the Sun, with Tai Yi quickly following him inside.

“When did other living things appear here?” Tai Yi asked his fellow golden crow, Di Jun.

“In truth, there is not only the two of us. There is another golden crow yet to be born,” Di Jun answered, stamping his foot in the grand hall. From the scarlet flame deep beneath the Solar Star, a third three-legged golden crow was cultivating.

Tai Yi now understood his own lack of strength.

“Brother, let us help the golden crow,” Di Jun and Tai Yi nourished the third crow with primordial scarlet flame.

A month passed unnoticed, and another golden crow took shape within the Solar Star.

This one was a woman. Seeing Di Jun and Tai Yi helping her, and recognizing them as kin, she said, “Little sister Xi He greets her elder brothers.”

The woman was beautiful as a flower, her skin like creamy jade, almond-shaped eyes and rosy cheeks, a clear crescent moon aura, like snow piled upon flowering trees. Her face was exquisitely lovely, her figure graceful and slender.

Upon seeing her, Tai Yi's eyes widened—such beauty was rare in the world.

Yet the woman seemed not to notice Tai Yi’s ardent gaze, looking only at Di Jun.

Di Jun, too, gazed at Xi He.

Seeing Xi He in her shabby robe, Di Jun took off his own and handed it to her. She smiled at him, leaving Di Jun momentarily dumbfounded.

Tai Yi, on the side, grew angry, thinking his brother had forgotten him for the sake of a woman. Unable to bear their closeness, Tai Yi quietly slipped off to a side hall, afraid to disturb them.

Tai Yi had made an error from the start—wanting to destroy the Fusang Tree. He did not know how to repay kindness, only sought to take, which led Xi He to see he was not someone to entrust her life to.

Di Jun’s magnanimity and understanding, however, moved Xi He to finally decide to be with him.