Chapter Ninety-Eight: Yiqi and Jiang

Once again, it was time for the decennial Human Clan Conference. However, by now, the leadership of the prehistoric Human Clan had entirely changed; aside from Fuxi and Nuwa, who still held their posts, the rest had mostly retired to farm their own lands. This was not because Fuxi forced them out, but rather that those elders had grown too old to manage affairs, and each found a successor before Fuxi agreed to their retirement.

Someone had to take over, after all. Otherwise, if everyone left, Fuxi alone would not be able to handle the myriad matters of the clan. Lost chickens, trivial squabbles—every little incident required attention.

So, Fuxi found himself troubled once more. Ever since the Human Clan learned the art of cultivating the Five Grains, an unstoppable chaos of random planting ensued, giving rise to a series of unforeseen issues.

There were bumper harvests, yet the excess spoiled and made people ill; furthermore, the yields from the land diminished year after year after cultivation began. Large-scale clearing of fields resulted in clouds of yellow dust, submerging the Human Clan in a world of ochre, and strange illnesses began to afflict the people.

The disease spread rapidly, infecting even the Sacred Mountain of the Human Clan.

Fuxi realized that if things continued like this, the entire clan would succumb to this strange malady. In haste, he lit incense in the grand hall and sent urgent word to Xuandaozi, requesting immediate aid.

Learning that the Human Clan was stricken, Xuandaozi swiftly dispatched help from the East Sea. He assumed it was a minor problem—perhaps a difficult adversary that the clan could not overcome, thus seeking help from the East Sea.

Unexpectedly, it was not an external force attacking the clan, but a terrible illness gnawing at their hearts.

Xuandaozi hurried to the Sacred Mountain and observed carefully, only to discover that everyone was suffering from a cold.

Coughing, fever, vomiting, fatigue—all were typical symptoms of a common cold. How could the Human Clan fall prey to such? Xuandaozi quickly calculated and realized the chaos of clearing and felling was to blame.

The inhalation of yellow dust and sand led to respiratory infections. Throats itched, and repeated coughing failed to expel the bacteria, worsening the illness.

Worse yet, when adults coughed, both adults and children nearby were quickly infected, escalating the spread.

Most members of the Human Clan practiced cultivation, but their descendants had lost sensitivity to vital energy and needed guidance to cultivate. This explained why illness had once been rare.

Knowing the urgency, Xuandaozi immediately sent word to Tongtian, asking him to find medicinal herbs on Golden Turtle Island. There were many spirit herbs available—just a little would suffice to resist colds and other diseases—but Tongtian thought differently: to truly solve the root of the problem, the cure must match the disease.

Thus, Tongtian embarked on a journey of research. Recalling from his past life the herbs used to treat colds, he mobilized the "common people"—actually his disciples—to search for the items he described. The entire Spirit Sect was thrown into a frenzy by Tongtian.

What should have been a lively Human Clan Conference was now disrupted by the hateful disease, leaving Yi Qi and others filled with resentment.

Seeing others busy with rescue efforts, the energetic Yi Qi quickly joined the ranks of the saviors.

After a long day's work, Yi Qi was finally able to rest. Suddenly, a young woman appeared, quietly standing at a distance and watching him. Sensing her gaze, Yi Qi turned and saw her.

Her cheeks flushed as she saw him looking, and she ran off into the distance.

Yi Qi had never seen such a beautiful woman before and was utterly captivated by her beauty, chasing after her without hesitation.

Following her silhouette, Yi Qi arrived at a household surrounded by lush green, unfamiliar grass. The fragrance in the air drew him inside.

"What is this?" Yi Qi asked, observing the beautiful woman stirring a pot of soup, with various ingredients inside.

"This is ginger soup," she replied with a smile.

"Why is it that everyone outside has caught a cold, but you are unaffected?" Having arrived late, Yi Qi had little contact with the infected.

"It's winter, so I drink this soup to ward off the chill," the woman explained, tilting a gourd ladle to pour a generous amount into another ladle and offering it to Yi Qi. "Would you like some?"

Yi Qi tasted the ginger soup—it was indeed delicious, warming his heart.

He recalled her words: after drinking this soup, she did not fall ill. Could it be that the soup cured the disease?

Yi Qi shared his theory with her, and she found it reasonable. Yi Qi then took the bowl of soup and sought out Fuxi, who was busy at work.

"I've found a cure for the disease!" Yi Qi exclaimed, panting as he ran up to Fuxi, handing him the ladle.

"What is this?" Fuxi asked, drawn by the fragrant soup, and drank it in one gulp.

Soon, Xuandaozi arrived and said to Fuxi, "We have found a way to cure the disease." He spotted Yi Qi standing beside Fuxi and was about to be introduced, but his gaze was drawn to the ladle Fuxi had just emptied.

"This was brought by Yi Qi. If you wish to drink, Yi Qi will help you," Fuxi explained, thinking Xuandaozi was thirsty.

"These are slices of ginger. Where did you find them?" Xuandaozi finally discovered another item to cure colds, far superior to what he had found—such as scallions and Jinling flowers. The Spirit Sect had turned the East Sea upside down, yet only a few remedies were found, and the crucial ginger for warding off cold and curing illness was missing. Now, several herbs could barely suppress symptoms, but he never expected to find ginger here.

Yi Qi hurriedly led Xuandaozi and others to the place where the woman lived, and Xuandaozi, being from later generations, immediately recognized the plant as ginger—a case of searching high and low only to find it effortlessly.

Xuandaozi patted Yi Qi's shoulder repeatedly. "Good lad, you have a knack! By the way, what is your name, young friend?" He was delighted by this discovery and even considered taking Yi Qi as a disciple.

Before Yi Qi could answer, Fuxi interjected, "This boy is my junior brother, taken in by my master, the Supreme Lord of Great Clarity."

Hearing that his elder brother had already accepted Yi Qi as a disciple, Xuandaozi lost interest. He quickly told Fuxi, "Just the essentials!"

Fuxi replied, "His name is Yi Qi."

"Yi Qi?" Xuandaozi frowned, not knowing who he was. Anyone accepted as a disciple by his senior brother could not be insignificant; he would have to investigate further. While Xuandaozi pondered, Yi Qi looked at the beautiful girl and said, "May I ask your name? Let me introduce myself: I am Yi Qi."

"Hello, Yi Qi, my name is Ting Yao," she replied.

Upon hearing her name, Xuandaozi realized—wasn't Ting Yao the wife of the Flame Emperor? He scrutinized Yi Qi further, "Were you the one who discovered and promoted the Five Grains?"

Yi Qi nodded firmly. Ting Yao looked at him with admiration, surprised that he was the one who found and spread the Five Grains.

Good heavens, this man was the Flame Emperor!