A Life for a Life

At this moment, the other Sages throughout the Primordial World also sensed something.

Mount Sumeru, the ancestral vein of the West.

Zhunti opened his eyes. "Laozi suffered a backlash. His life or death is unknown."

Jieyin paused, then recited a Buddhist invocation. "Excellent!"

The Eight-Nine Lightning Tribulation had also alarmed the Two Sages of the West. They simply had not expected Laozi to choose to intervene.

A hint of mockery flashed through Zhunti's eyes. "Even the son of a wealthy family knows better than to sit beneath a crumbling wall."

"Laozi's actions have utterly disgraced us Sages."

Jieyin appeared calm and compassionate on the surface, but inwardly, he was laughing.

As if watching from within their cave abode had not been satisfying enough, the two even appeared atop Mount Sumeru. Zhunti said, "Senior Brother, we Sages are immortal and imperishable. Although Luo Xuan is exceptionally gifted, if we wait a thousand or ten thousand years, will we really lack another heavenly prodigy?"

"Why is Laozi doing this?"

After pondering for a moment, Jieyin shook his head. "It truly isn't worth it."

He also felt that Laozi's actions were rather foolish.

"Daoist Laozi really is..."

Fuxi sighed, but did not know how to evaluate the matter.

Nuwa's beautiful eyes remained fixed on Luo Xuan.

"Big Brother, do you think Laozi was wrong?"

Fuxi thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Luo Xuan is Daoist Laozi's first disciple, and a heavenly prodigy unmatched throughout the entire Primordial World. If it were me, I would probably make the same choice."

"Really?"

Nuwa smiled sweetly. "Big Brother, if I also suffered a backlash, you would take good care of me, wouldn't you?"

Looking at Nuwa's expression, Fuxi finally sensed that something was wrong. His expression changed. "Little Sister, what are you planning to do?"

Nuwa turned to look at Luo Xuan and smiled. "I also plan to lend Luo Xuan a hand."

Fuxi now truly wanted to slap himself. He hurriedly said, "Little Sister, Luo Xuan isn't your disciple. You don't have to go this far!"

"But I am the Holy Mother of Humanity."

The smile had vanished from Nuwa's face. She said solemnly, "Humanity worships me year after year without asking anything in return. Luo Xuan is a once-in-a-lifetime heavenly prodigy of Humanity."

"As the Holy Mother of Humanity, I should help him."

Fuxi opened and closed his mouth, ultimately letting out a sigh.

He knew that once Nuwa made this decision, nothing he said could dissuade her.

The eighth stage of the Eight-Nine Lightning Tribulation was called the Hunyuan Eagle-Hound Lightning.

As the name suggested, when this lightning tribulation descended, its power rivaled that of a Hunyuan Golden Immortal!

Perhaps because this was the final stage of the lightning tribulation, the tribulation clouds took an especially long time to gather their power.

After Luo Xuan caught Laozi and settled him down, he flew back up.

Only then did the lightning within the tribulation clouds finish brewing.

There were still nine bolts of lightning.

But unlike before, these nine bolts of lightning now condensed into a giant eagle and a vicious wolf.

The enormous wolf's head seemed capable of swallowing the heavens and devouring the earth. It bared its fangs at Luo Xuan.

The lightning had been refined to the extreme. Even the feathers on the giant eagle appeared lifelike.

Di Jun excitedly craned his neck, laughing without restraint.

"Yes, that's it. Let him die beneath the final lightning tribulation..."

Before Di Jun could finish speaking, he seemed to have been strangled by something. His laughter abruptly stopped.

At the moment the Hunyuan Eagle-Hound formed from lightning pounced toward Luo Xuan, another figure appeared in the sky.

"The Hunyuan Eagle-Hound Lightning? I would like to test it as well."

As the Hunyuan Eagle-Hound drew near, Nuwa slowly spread her five fingers.

Chapter 47: A Life for a Life

A sharp cry rang out from the giant eagle in the heavens.

As its wings flapped, dazzling arcs of electricity burst forth.

"The Holy Mother! It's the Holy Mother!"

"The Holy Mother is here! Master Xuan is saved!"

All the members of Humanity rushed out of their courtyards.

The lightning that had seemed capable of destroying heaven and earth in their eyes appeared to be nothing before Nuwa.

Luo Xuan was also surprised to see Nuwa appear.

Nuwa glanced at Luo Xuan.

Although she did not speak,

Luo Xuan understood what she meant.

His tribulation had actually caused two Sages to help him.

But then he thought about it. The Heavenly Dao showed no regard for heavenly virtue.

He was merely a tiny Great Principal Golden Immortal, yet it had sent the Eight-Nine Lightning Tribulation to destroy him.

Was it really necessary?

As his thoughts raced, the giant eagle moved.

Nuwa swung her tail and blocked Luo Xuan's path.

She spread the five fingers of her hand toward the giant eagle.

The giant eagle condensed from lightning rapidly shrank before Nuwa's slightly cupped palm.

"Empress Nuwa is mighty!"

Luo Xuan shouted excitedly.

But if he remembered correctly, Nuwa had attained Sainthood through the merit of creating Humanity before she had even completed the Severing of the Three Corpses.

Although she was the first Sage of the Primordial World, she was also the weakest.

Could Nuwa withstand the final stage of the lightning tribulation?

Just as he was thinking this, Nuwa let out a soft snort.

Boom!

The giant eagle instantly transformed into countless electric snakes and scattered throughout the heavens and earth.

The aftershock left Luo Xuan's hands and feet numb for a moment.

But Lu Xiu'an still reacted quickly enough to catch Nuwa.

Nuwa was barely clinging to life, in an even worse state than Laozi.

Even so, Luo Xuan softly said to Nuwa, "Thank you, Holy Mother."

Outside Kunlun, two figures flashed past the surrounding scenery at great speed.

One rode the Qingping Sword.

The other held the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi.

Yuanshi and Tongtian hurried to Mount Shouyang immediately after Laozi.

But they were a step slower than Nuwa.

When Nuwa fell, the two halted in midair.

The Heavenly Dao remained silent, but an edict descended from the unseen realms.

Luo Xuan had incurred karmic retribution for helping Humanity when he underwent the Eight-Nine Lightning Tribulation.

Anyone who helped Luo Xuan again

would have their Sagehood weakened.

And fall into endless tribulations.

This edict had been issued to all the Sages.

Tongtian gripped the Qingping Sword tightly and said resentfully,

"The one attacking Luo Xuan is the Heavenly Dao. This Eight-Nine Lightning Tribulation did not appear without cause."

Unwillingness filled Yuanshi's eyes.

"If only we had been faster."

Mount Sumeru.

Zhunti was grinning from ear to ear.

"So what if Laozi and Nuwa intervened? They merely provoked the Heavenly Dao for nothing."

"Excellent."

Jieyin pressed his palms together, the corners of his mouth involuntarily lifting.

They had also received the edict sent down by the Heavenly Dao.

A look of satisfaction filled Zhunti's eyes.

"Once Luo Xuan dies, let's see whom the Three Pure Ones will find to refine pills."

Over the years, Luo Xuan had refined an enormous quantity of pills.