Records about the hairy men are the earliest documented in the Legend of the Human Ancestor.
It is said that the Human Ancestor dug out his own eyes, which became a son and a daughter. The son was Tai Ri Yang Mang, and the daughter was Gu Yue Yin Huang.
Tai Ri Yang Mang loved to drink fine wine, and once got himself into terrible trouble, trapped in the Abyss of Ordinariness. In the end, a blessing in disguise, he obtained the Reputation Gu shaped like a chrysanthemum and escaped with his life.
With the Reputation Gu, Tai Ri Yang Mang's fame gradually grew. Before long, the news that Tai Ri Yang Mang was a great drunkard had spread across the world.
One day, a swarm of Spotted Tiger Bees, dragging their honeycomb behind them, came to find Tai Ri Yang Mang of their own accord.
"Tai Ri Yang Mang, we hear you're fond of fine wine, and you always say the wine brewed by the Four Monkeys of Heaven and Earth is the best. But how can their wine possibly compare to our mead? Today we've brought mead especially for you to taste."
Each of these bees was as large as a leopard, with patterns on their bodies resembling tiger stripes—golden as the base color with black spots adorning them. Their words were polite, but carried an unmistakable undertone of threat and coercion.
Tai Ri Yang Mang cursed inwardly. Disaster had struck him without warning. The Spotted Tiger Bees were incomparably powerful—he couldn't even defeat a single one, let alone an entire swarm.
Tai Ri Yang Mang had no choice but to reluctantly taste the mead from the honeycomb.
The moment he took a sip, his eyes lit up.
The mead was sweet without being cloying, rich and fragrant, absolutely delicious—a masterpiece between heaven and earth!
"Delicious, delicious, absolutely delicious! Drinking this mead makes one feel like the happiest person in all the world!" Tai Ri Yang Mang drank mouthful after mouthful, unable to stop singing its praises.
The Spotted Tiger Bees all laughed, delighted.
The leader asked Tai Ri Yang Mang, "So tell us—between our mead and the wine of the Four Monkeys of Heaven and Earth, which tastes better?"
Tai Ri Yang Mang was already thoroughly drunk. Having forgotten the terrifying nature of the Spotted Tiger Bees, he spoke candidly, "Each has its own merits. It's hard to compare."
The Spotted Tiger Bees flew into a rage. Their mead was merely on par with those dead monkeys' wine? This Tai Ri Yang Mang was insufferable—they had to teach him a lesson!
Just as they were about to strike, Tai Ri Yang Mang suddenly vanished without a trace.
Tai Ri Yang Mang's drunken stupor lasted seven days and seven nights.
Through the haze, he heard a voice calling to him from the darkness: "Tai Ri Yang Mang, wake up. If you don't wake soon, you'll be eaten..."
Tai Ri Yang Mang startled awake.
He found himself bound hand and foot, being carried by a group of savages.
These savages were covered in hair from head to toe. Their eyes glowed an eerie blue. They had already lit a bonfire, with a large pot set over it.
The savages sat quietly, speaking in pleasant, mellifluous voices.
"To refine the Eternal Life Gu, we need a human as the catalyst. And Heaven has delivered Tai Ri Yang Mang right to us. How wonderful—how worthy of celebration!"
"Humans are the spirit of all things, and the Human Ancestor is the ancestor of spirits. Tai Ri Yang Mang was formed from his left eye, brimming with spiritual energy. In my opinion, this refinement will succeed!"
"Hurry, throw him in the pot! Once we obtain the Eternal Life Gu, we'll live forever..."
Hearing these words, Tai Ri Yang Mang turned pale with terror. He immediately began shouting and struggling with all his might.
But the savages paid him no heed.
At that moment, the same voice from before echoed once more in Tai Ri Yang Mang's heart.
"Alas, it's no use. These savages are hairy men, beloved by heaven and earth. They are born with an innate talent for refining all manner of Gu insects."
For a moment, Tai Ri Yang Mang forgot about his perilous situation and asked curiously in his heart, "Who are you?"
The voice replied, "I am the Spirit Travel Gu. I am born within the heart of anyone who drinks the four supreme wines of heaven and earth. I can transport you to any location."
Tai Ri Yang Mang was overjoyed. "Then please, act quickly! Take me away from here."
Spirit Travel Gu sighed. "It's no use. Only when you're drunk can you activate me. Right now, you're far too sober."
Tai Ri Yang Mang suddenly realized, "No wonder I was trapped on that deserted island and nearly starved to death. It was only because I obtained the Reputation Gu that I escaped the Abyss of Ordinariness. So it was you who caused that!"
Spirit Travel Gu replied, "Alas, human, I didn't mean to harm you. It was after you got drunk that my power was activated. Don't blame me—last time, when you nearly got captured by the Spotted Tiger Bees, it was thanks to me that you escaped. One harm, one rescue—we're even."
Tai Ri Yang Mang also remembered what happened with the Spotted Tiger Bees and stopped blaming Spirit Travel Gu.
He was thrown into the pot by the hairy men.
A fierce fire blazed beneath the pot, and the water temperature steadily rose.
"Add the Agate Red Pepper!" One of the hairy men tossed a brilliant, precious Agate Red Pepper into the pot.
The water in the pot immediately turned red, even dyeing Tai Ri Yang Mang's body crimson.
"Add the Azure Sky Fox Smoke Infant!" One of the hairy men held a small fox in hand and tossed it into the pot.
The little fox was fluffy all over, with eyes like black diamonds, utterly adorable. But the moment it touched the water, it transformed into a wisp of azure smoke and dissolved into the liquid.
The water in the pot grew scalding hot, and Tai Ri Yang Mang fell into despair, believing there was no escape this time.
The hairy men successively added numerous supplementary ingredients, as well as Gu insects.
"Add the Vanity Gu!" One of the hairy men tossed a Gu insect into the pot.