Nuwa: My Master Misunderstands the Realm!

When his divine sense spread across the South Sea, he finally located a barren island.

Cheng Yue nodded, a hint of delight rising in him. This island had no Great Power dwelling on it—only a few Postnatal beasts that had yet to take form. It should be unclaimed land. He could settle here and become its lord.

Riding a rainbow light, he landed on the island and looked at Nuwa beside him. Her eyes were vacant, her hair a mess.

It seemed the wind just now had left her in this state—utterly disheveled, even frightened.

"Ah, I forgot. My apologies, good disciple. This master was careless and didn't think to shield you with spiritual energy."

He waved a hand, and Nuwa's appearance was restored.

But now, her eyes held both panic and excitement. Her earlier daze had only been shock at the speed.

As a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, she had never imagined reaching the North Sea in such a short time.

She hadn't expected her master to be so fast—less than a day, and they were already at the North Sea.

Such speed was surely beyond the Zenith Heaven realm. As for the name of that higher realm, she didn't understand.

Looking at the small island before him, Cheng Yue gazed at the jungle atop it, then pointed a finger.

Countless great trees were severed at the trunk. Then, reshaping themselves, they piled together. In mere moments, a palace gradually took form upon the island.

Afterward, he set up several great formations on the island before finally feeling at ease.

Though his cultivation was low and the formations wouldn't do much, Cheng Yue felt they were better than nothing—enough to buy him a moment to flee.

Nuwa watched her master's actions with curiosity, unable to grasp what he was doing.

But the great formation erected on the island sent a chill through her. It radiated an overwhelming pressure, and a single glance at its patterns made her feel as though her soul was sinking into it.

Looking at the formation in its completed state, it seemed to envelop the entire island with a primal Chaos aura.

Nuwa's scalp tingled.

If she stepped into that formation, she might die instantly.

Thinking this, she turned to Cheng Yue with curiosity.

"Master, what is this formation?"

Cheng Yue walked toward the palace, answering without stopping.

"It's a simple formation. Just to keep things quiet during cultivation. Though your master's cultivation isn't high, with this formation, if we encounter a strong enemy, I'll know, and we can escape ahead of time."

Nuwa froze in place, then found it hard to believe.

Cultivation not high?

Simple formation?

Strong enemy?

And escape?

Nuwa felt as though she'd been struck.

She had thought herself a Great Power. Only today did she realize there was someone far stronger, claiming his own cultivation was low. And this person, who had crushed her, a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, in battle, was saying there were still strong enemies?

What kind of strong enemies? The kind like the Three Ancestors?

Still, her feet carried her slowly into the palace.

Just as she was about to enter, a massive, mysterious wave of merit descended from the heavens, pouring directly into Cheng Yue.

Gradually, the merit gathered behind his head, condensing into a disc-shaped golden halo.

Cheng Yue was instantly stunned.

He had never done anything like this before. He'd always just found a cave and burrowed in.

But now, with a disciple, he couldn't afford to lose face.

So he'd thought to build this palace.

In his concern for appearances, he'd forgotten—building houses was supposed to be Youchao Shi's job.

Had he just stolen someone else's merit?

And merit from the human race, no less?

After thinking it over, he looked at the golden halo behind his head and sighed.

What's done is done. It seemed he'd have to keep an eye on the human race when they emerged, out of curiosity.

Otherwise, they might be wiped out by the Demon Race.

Nuwa watched this scene, completely dumbfounded.

A structure made of wood—and it earned merit?

Too absurd!

A hint of bitterness rose in her heart, but then she saw her master's expression—one of weary disgust.

That was disgust, wasn't it?

Good heavens, merit arrives and they still complain?

"Let's go!"

Cheng Yue walked into the great hall and directly sat in the seat of honor.

Standing in the hall, Cheng Yue looked at Nuwa, pinched his chin, then spoke to her.

"Your cultivation counts as a Heavenly Immortal. Mm, I'll pass on the Daoist Canon to you. It contains ten divine abilities. If one day you can break through to the Golden Immortal realm, these ten abilities can merge into one."

With that, a book appeared in his hand, and he tossed it directly to Nuwa before him.

Nuwa caught the book in a daze, somewhat bewildered.

Heavenly Immortal realm?

In this person's eyes, she was at the Heavenly Immortal realm?

Glancing back at herself, Nuwa swore she hadn't concealed her cultivation, yet he said she was a Heavenly Immortal?

Somewhat aggrieved, she began to speak.

"Master, I'm clearly already a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal."

Cheng Yue had been about to start cultivating himself, but at her words, his brow instantly furrowed.

"Don't talk nonsense. How could a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal be as weak as you? You can't even beat your master, a mere Golden Immortal. Don't go spouting that outside. Cultivate properly and don't reach for what's beyond your grasp."

After speaking, Cheng Yue thought of something else. Though he'd taken a disciple, he still didn't know his apprentice's name.

If that got out, it seemed he'd failed somewhat as a master.

So he turned to ask.

"By the way, disciple, This Seat is named Cheng Yue. Do you have a name?"

Nuwa was now deep in doubt. Could it be that she'd been cultivating a fake immortal?

Or was this impressive master cultivating a fake immortal?

A Golden Immortal can't beat a Golden Immortal?

That's impossible, right?

Was her understanding of immortal ranks wrong, or was this master's understanding off?

But when she looked at Cheng Yue, his expression was dead serious, not like he was lying.

When he asked about her name, she was stunned again.

Hadn't she already said it?

Thinking back to her master's expression just now, he probably didn't believe her.

With a shift in thought, she had an idea.

"Master, my name is Xiao Wa."

Xiao Wa?

Cheng Yue's face showed a hint of confusion.

That name was somewhat similar to Nuwa's.

But she was just a Heavenly Immortal.

"Your name is a bit like Empress Nuwa's, but it's not bad. Xiao Wa, since I've passed on the techniques and abilities to you, go cultivate. There's a side hall next to this main hall—you can cultivate there."

Nuwa glanced at the book in her hand, then at Cheng Yue before her.

After nodding, she took the book to the side hall he'd mentioned.

Sitting inside, she was somewhat dazed.

Today's events were too shocking. Her master had casually built a house from wood, and merit descended upon it.

She, a dignified Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, was called a Heavenly Immortal.

And this impressive master of hers claimed to be a Golden Immortal.

Could it be that her master's understanding of realms differed from hers?

In the end, she thought it over—it didn't seem impossible.

But then she considered the gap between Heavenly Immortal and Golden Immortal.

Heavenly Immortal, True Immortal, Mystic Immortal, Golden Immortal.

Four major ranks.

So what realm would that translate to for her, a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal?

Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal—that was the realm of Ancestral Dragon and the others.

What came after that?

That level was unknown to her, and no one had ever reached it.

Back then, the three tribes fought until the sky went dark, all seemingly for that realm.

But none of them succeeded.

Could it be that this master of mine has already reached that level?

No, there seems to be one more rank.

Has the master already surpassed it?

Thinking it over, it seems possible.

If so, then her saying I'm as weak as a Heavenly Immortal doesn't really matter.

After letting out a long breath, I finally accepted that explanation.

I quietly looked down at the book my master had given me.

A thick tome, with only two words on its cover.

Daoist Canon

!

As she opened the book, Nuwa's gaze gradually grew vacant.

Cheng Yue, sitting in the main hall, was feeling a bit wistful.

Now that he had taken on a disciple, he supposed he ought to prepare some spiritual treasure as a meeting gift, right?

"Spiritual treasures are a bit troublesome—I've never even used one myself."

"Maybe I'll just skip it. She probably doesn't need one anyway."

"Wait, how about I use a divine ability to listen in on that little girl's thoughts another day? See if she wants one or not. If she doesn't, I'll save myself the trouble."

After saying this, he nodded. When he thought of the divine ability recorded in the Daoist Canon, Cheng Yue perked up.

"Let me try cultivating it first and see how it goes."

With that, he closed his eyes and began to practice.