Chapter 364: Goddess by the Pool

Wearing rainbow clouds as garments and clouds as boots, accompanied by auspicious light and the grace of creation. Though the treasure's visage commands awe over all paths, the saints of heaven and earth mend the cosmos.

Li Changshou was still somewhat caught off guard when he beheld the saint's majestic form.

How to describe it?

Impossible to put into words.

Any attempt to use terms like "beautiful" or "captivating" would be disrespectful to the saint; she embodied the perfect realm achievable by innate spirits of the primordial era, her gaze alone bringing profound tranquility to the soul.

Amid the dazzling golden light, Li Changshou could not discern how many steps the saint took, nor how she settled into her seat; it was as if his vision blurred for a moment.

When he regained his senses, the saint was already seated gracefully beneath the massive statue of a human torso with a serpentine tail, her left hand gently waving as the loose sleeves of her cloud robe fluttered lightly.

"Sit."

Li Changshou and Xuandu Great Mage bowed in salute and chorused their thanks before sitting down in unison.

Xuandu Great Mage smiled and said, "Shishu, Changgeng has not yet formally entered Teacher's sect, but he has received Teacher's guidance and performed many meritorious deeds for the Human Teachings. If this plan of Changgeng's against the demon race has displeased you, I am willing to share in the punishment."

"The rise and fall of races follow their destined order, and the conflict between humans and demons has its own principles; no need to dwell on it."

Nüwa spoke slowly, her voice one that Li Changshou had heard before, yet he still found it... indescribable, perfectly aligned with the Great Dao.

Nüwa continued, "Water God, it seems the Jade Emperor harbors great wariness toward the surviving orphan of the Jinwu clan."

"This matter," Li Changshou rose and cupped his hands, bowing his head as he replied, "in response to the saint, the Jinwu clan, led by Lupi from the West Sea, first offended His Majesty the Jade Emperor and then obstructed the Heavenly Court's campaign against the demons, which is why His Majesty holds them in disfavor."

"Whether it was due to Lupi's prior offense or the Jade Emperor's belief that the prince of the demon court should not survive," Nüwa said, "I once promised an old friend that I would protect Lupi."

Li Changshou furrowed his brow slightly and said, "I shall relay the saint's decree word for word to His Majesty the Jade Emperor. However... if Lupi, emboldened by your words, acts recklessly and turns to bully the Heavenly Court..."

Nüwa replied calmly, "If he appears again to hinder the Heavenly Court's actions, he may be slain without issue."

"I understand, thank you for your understanding of the Heavenly Court's difficulties," Li Changshou bowed in salute and smoothed his robe before sitting back down.

"Heh..."

A light laugh echoed, prompting Li Changshou and Xuandu Great Mage to instinctively look toward the throne beneath the statue.

Not only Li Changshou, but even Xuandu Great Mage could not clearly see Nüwa's exact features, only a vague glow; the saint leaned slightly to one side, her jade arm propped on the throne's armrest, a slender finger touching the corner of her eye.

Her voice carried a hint of teasing and leisure:

"You, Water God, truly live up to the name of being all-encompassing. Just now you referred to yourself as a disciple, yet when it comes to Heavenly Court matters, you call yourself a humble god. If the human race had more strategists and generals like you, it would surely aid the Heavenly Court's rapid prosperity."

Li Changshou adopted a somewhat restrained demeanor and smiled, "You flatter me, my lord."

"But, Water God..."

From the throne, a sharp gaze seemed to fix upon him, causing Li Changshou's body to stiffen instantly.

His fingers trembled slightly, his brows twitched, and his eyes showed signs of tension.

Suddenly, he sensed a shadowy figure accompanied by mist flit past him, whispering in his ear:

"Excessive caution itself is a flaw—what are you afraid of?"

Then the gaze vanished, and everything around Li Changshou returned to normal, though his mind was now in utter turmoil.

Was this the power of a saint?

They were on completely different levels!

In that instant, his mental defenses had nearly been breached...

Earlier, outside the pavilion, Li Changshou had felt that Nüwa had not probed him deeply; she was merely conversing.

He had considered that he might not have hidden it perfectly, but as long as he kept up the act and relied on the prestige of the Taiji Lord to withstand the pressure, he could probably bluff his way through.

Yet, unexpectedly, once Nüwa appeared, a single glance and an indirect remark...

He had almost buckled.

Saints were just too "overpowered."

Li Changshou stole a glance at Xuandu Great Mage, who wore a warm smile and was examining the material and patterns of the low table before him, seemingly oblivious to Nüwa's earlier words.

Of course, it was also possible he had heard but was pretending otherwise...

Just then, light footsteps sounded as several immortal maidens approached with trays, offering fruits, fragrant tea, and two brocade boxes to Li Changshou and Xuandu Great Mage.

Xuandu Great Mage was quite relaxed as he said with a smile, "Shishu, are you perhaps bestowing treasures upon us?"

Nüwa said softly, "You two are disciples of Taiji Shixiong, and he aided me on multiple occasions in the past. What's wrong with giving you some benefits?"

"Thank you, Shishu," Xuandu Great Mage picked up the brocade box and opened it directly, revealing a pearl radiating layers of multicolored light.

Li Changshou lifted the box before him and silently called out to the tower spirit in his mind before cracking it open slightly...

Li Changshou slammed the box shut, his face turning pale and his breath halting, his entire being...

No, he had been tricked!

Li Changshou quickly realized and tried to compose himself, but before he could fully open the box, Nüwa's light laugh reached his ears again!

It carried a touch of amusement and mockery, as if to say, "Got you!"

Li Changshou looked up abruptly and saw Nüwa on the throne lightly flick her finger.

Tap...

Like a drop of water falling, the surrounding space stretched infinitely, and the figures of Xuandu Great Mage, the palace decor, and Nüwa's throne all vanished, leaving only Li Changshou sitting alone at the low table in a blank void.

He looked up toward where the throne had been, and there stood the pavilion, isolated in the whiteness, exactly as he had seen it before.

Li Changshou let out a soft breath, feeling as if the character "danger" was etched in blood on his forehead!

He could no longer sense the aura of the Taiji Diagram or the tower spirit's presence. Upon introspection, he found his primordial spirit nearly frozen...

In his current state, it was as if his thoughts were trapped in a minuscule fragment of time.

Of course, resignation had never been his life's mantra. Though he was now completely at a disadvantage, he could still find a way to turn things around.

All that acting earlier, and he had still slipped up...

What was in the box? Something that could make a minor mage like him lose control in an instant?

Simple: a playing card.

The "King of Cards"... the big joker from games of his previous life; likewise, it was a preserved item from Xiaoqiong Peak, the "Golden Immortal Card" in Fight the Deity.

Even the wisest could err after a thousand precautions; Nüwa was truly formidable, seizing on the changes in his mind, knowing he would play dumb to the end outside the pavilion; she had seemingly retreated a step, only to deliver a fatal blow in this subtle moment!

The moment his expression faltered, he lost that round.

But losing to Nüwa, Li Changshou felt, was not too humiliating...

If he could make it back alive, he would copy the Steadfast Sutra a few thousand more times.

Li Changshou naturally understood.

In responding to Nüwa's three questions outside the pavilion, he probably hadn't made many mistakes... yet Nüwa had already confirmed he was "from elsewhere."

At that time, she was just verifying whether he was the one she sought...

The pavilion slowly enlarged, and Li Changshou "stood" up, feeling as if his spirit was wandering in the void, weightless and insubstantial.

Since Nüwa had not directly erased him, there was still room for resolution.

He heard Nüwa's voice by his ear, now devoid of that profound Dao rhythm and lacking much emotion.

It was as if... she had become a different person.

"Do not worry; I harbor no ill intent toward you. Though your situation is unique, it does not differ in essence from the human race, and since you have achieved immortality and longevity, you have gained the Heavenly Dao's recognition. With the Heavenly Dao acknowledging your existence, and I as the creator of the human race, I will not make things difficult for you. Come in."

With a creak, the pavilion was right before Li Changshou, its wooden doors slowly opening to reveal the interior.

Warm carpets covered the floor, drapes hung in various places, a pool filled with misty rainbow light, two bookshelves on the sides, and scattered fruits and delicacies on the ground.

In the pool's glowing mist was a goddess in loose robes, emanating a faint golden light...

She hugged a soft pillow and lay by the pool's edge, her colorful serpentine tail hidden in the water, her slender left hand supporting her chin as her right flipped through a book enveloped in immortal light, yawning boredly.

Sai—Saint Mother?

A slight splash sounded, and without lifting her head, Nüwa said,

"Endless scheming is no match for no scheming at all. Do not feel inferior just because you are not native to the primordial world; the essence of beings is the resonance between true spirits and the Great Dao."

Li Changshou: ...

This statement contained profound truths of life, but Li Changshou had no mind to ponder it.

His Adam's apple bobbed as he asked softly, "Fellow countryman?"

The goddess by the pool replied indifferently, "No, I am an innate spirit of the primordial world."

Li Changshou's mouth twitched slightly, and he frowned, "Then you..."

"You are clever enough; you must have guessed by now that I have encountered variables like you before."

Saint Mother picked up a glass nearby and sipped gently through a jade straw, making a few "slurp" sounds.

Li Changshou: ...

Why did this suddenly feel like chatting with a homebound cousin from his previous life?

"My lord..."

"Call me 'Saint Mother'; I do not like 'my lord.' And though I created the human race, I share no blood ties with you, so do not call me mother, grandma, or ancestor—it makes me slightly awkward."

"Ah, Saint Mother..."

In that moment, Li Changshou felt like he was about to shatter!

Forcing his mind to calm, he bowed his head and said, "You summoned this disciple here, surely not just to scare me. Please enlighten me, Saint Mother."

"Indeed, I risked being scolded by Taiji Shixiong to call you here for a important matter."

Saint Mother gestured casually toward the bookshelf beside her, and several books fell into Li Changshou's hands.

These books were made from spiritual tree pulp paper, imbued with vast vital energy!

If he made paper effigies from this...

No, the crisis wasn't over yet, and here he was daydreaming...

Li Changshou opened one and saw that the pages were blank...

"This place is enveloped by my divine powers; a hundred years here pass in an instant outside."

Nüwa said without looking up, "Write a complete and engaging story, and I will overlook your deception of me today."

"A story?"

Li Changshou was genuinely puzzled.

"Travelogues or illustrated tales will do; make the characters vivid, the plot full of conflict, ideally surprising yet logical, with a balanced narrative to make it a fine work."

The goddess by the pool explained earnestly, gesturing toward the bookshelf, "No need for repeats."

Li Changshou's forehead was lined with black marks as he walked over.

What was all this!

"Divine Eagle Heroes," "Three Dragon Brothers," "The Demon Cult Leader's Schemes," "Little Li's Flying Sword," "Chu Liuxiang and Tian Boguang," "Drunken Rain Turns into Fields"...

Dozens of sets, all "literary works" he had read or heard of in his previous life!

Li Changshou tentatively asked, "Saint Mother, you enjoy this kind of thing?"

The goddess by the pool snorted coldly, her tone dropping, "As the Saint Mother of the human race, is it inappropriate for me to like stories made by humans? Too undignified, right?"

Li Changshou: ...

How was he supposed to respond?

He glanced at the goddess by the pool, who wore a slightly furrowed, disdainful expression—truly... all too real.

"This disciple has a question," Li Changshou asked carefully, "Are these the only stories you have? Have you been reading them over and over for all these years..."

"The one who wrote these has long turned to dust," the goddess sighed lightly. "I erase my memories of them after each read, so every time feels fresh."

That works...

The goddess added, "Stop dawdling; for each new story you write, I'll grant you an opportunity."

"This disciple is skilled in painting and could provide some entertaining illustrations," Li Changshou said, sitting down with the blank book, though his mind felt a bit blank.

The impact was overwhelming...

This...

The saint who had sat on the throne earlier, her form indistinct and exuding faint saintly pressure, majestic and unapproachable; now, lounging by the pool, still radiating holy light that dispelled any improper thoughts, yet snacking on immortal seeds, sipping fruit brew, and reading with her chin in hand...

Could it be that the Taiji Lord was playing video games in the Taiji Temple, with his three incarnations gathering for mahjong sessions lasting millennia?

As Li Changshou picked up the brush, he whispered, "Saint Mother..."

"No need to ask who that person was; the Heavenly Dao has corrected his existence, and I cannot mention it," the goddess said indifferently.

Li Changshou pondered, "Does this disciple have any connection to that person?"

The goddess replied calmly, "You have no connection to that person. Each true spirit has its own uniqueness, unaltered by reincarnation. Anything else I say, you wouldn't understand; though I'm bored, your cultivation is far too low."

Li Changshou gave an awkward smile, about to start painting, but frowned and asked, "Then why is the primordial world I know unchanged..."

"From a future perspective, that person has become an indispensable part of the Heavenly Dao's evolution; what is known is as it should be."

The goddess paused, sighing lightly, "That person guided me to join the demon race, create humanity, then manipulated events from behind to spark the witch-demon war, trying to become a saint in the process—only to end up with nothing left. The Heavenly Dao has no beginning or end, no fixed nature, no constant momentum, no cause or effect; it is a shackle to saints and a blessing to ants... Are you going to paint or not?"

"Saint Mother, please be patient; let this disciple gather his thoughts."

Li Changshou sighed inwardly as he lowered his head and began to work.

The pavilion in this blank world fell silent, save for the scratch of his brush on the spiritual paper and the faint rustle of the goddess flipping pages by the pool.

Li Changshou suddenly asked, "Saint Mother, was the ancient demon race's slaughter of humanity real?"

"Of course it was real; the Eastern Emperor Taiyi was misled by Kunpeng at the time, and I was also schemed against by Kunpeng. I had intended to let humanity suffer, say, thirty or forty percent losses before intervening to stop the demons, turning it into a great trial for humanity and helping them gain the Heavenly Dao's favor."

"Is Kunpeng still alive?"

"He's alive, at the edge of the Chaos Sea; he flies too fast for anyone to catch, and he's probably plotting something."

Nüwa's words were now more casual and relaxed.

Li Changshou nodded and continued painting, filling the pages with grids as he projected stories from his previous life, making slight modifications as he went—efficiently so...

After some time,

"Saint Mother, why do you protect Lupi?"

"I was close friends with his mother, the Sun Goddess... What are you painting? It looks interesting."

"Just a tale of passion and adventure... Saint Mother, do the other saints have these... hobbies?"

"No, they had little contact with that person back then."

Little contact with the Three Purities, but close with Nüwa, manipulating the witch-demon war from behind, attempting to become a saint but ending with nothing...

Who could it be?

Li Changshou pondered briefly, but realized there was little he could do now; he would just follow Nüwa's instructions and see if his "artistic skills" could win him an ally.

That casual remark from Nüwa:

That person has become an indispensable part of the Heavenly Dao's evolution.

It truly held so much information...

From this, it seemed his earlier imagined crises were not unfounded.

The primordial world was indeed perilous; even at the level of Da Luo, one could not be truly at ease.

The Six Saints must be guarded against; the Heavenly Court and the Heavenly Dao, even more so.

(Nüwa holds an exalted position in ancient Chinese mythology, and even in primordial reinterpretations, such matters should not be taken lightly for humor's sake.)