Creation and Love

Chen Jing's call felt like a block of ice, weighing heavily on Lin Fan's heart. A more comprehensive inquiry and inspection? This meant the authorities' attention and apprehension towards this place had escalated to a new level. Zhou Wenyuan's visit had been the fuse, igniting all the previously accumulated doubts.

Lin Fan relayed Chen Jing's words to Tong Tian and Nüwa.

Upon hearing this, Tong Tian's eyes flashed with a cold glint, and the restrained sword intent around him seemed to stir restlessly again, causing the temperature in the room to drop several degrees. "Are they trying to push their luck?" he asked, his tone icy and tinged with impatience. How could the dignity of a Sage be repeatedly challenged by mortals?

Nüwa, on the other hand, appeared much calmer. She gently placed down the spirit-infused clay crane in her hand, her gaze sweeping over the "breathing soil" and numerous small sculptures on the windowsill, finally settling on Lin Fan's worried face.

"It matters not," Nüwa's voice remained ethereal and gentle, possessing a power that soothed agitation. "Since they wish to 'inquire,' let them come. Our actions are open and honest, and we harbor no ill will towards this realm, so why fear investigation? As for 'inspection'..."

She paused slightly, her fingertips unconsciously tracing a mysterious trajectory in the air. A subtle, yet vibrant wave of Dao rhythm quietly spread, like ripples on water, brushing over all the clay sculptures and sketches in the room. The unique fluctuations emanating from these objects seemed to become more restrained, more natural, almost indistinguishable from ordinary items unless deliberately stimulated by special means.

"...I have made some minor adjustments," Nüwa said calmly. "It is not out of fear, but rather a desire to avoid unnecessary trouble and disturb the tranquility here. If they insist on prying into the Great Dao with mortal instruments, it will be futile."

Lin Fan looked at Nüwa's effortless ability to alter the aura of objects with a mere gesture, feeling immense admiration. Was this the control Sages had over the "Dao"? It was truly divine.

Tong Tian let out a cold snort, implicitly agreeing with Nüwa's approach. He also knew that completely falling out with the authorities in this realm was not a wise move, at least not yet.

"I understand," Lin Fan nodded, feeling much more at ease. With the two Sages prepared, he, the "front desk," had a solid backing.

He replied to Chen Jing's text, stating he would cooperate but hoped she could inform him of the specific time in advance to avoid disturbing his "friends'" cultivation. Chen Jing quickly responded, agreeing to come the following morning.

That evening, while practicing the Supreme Clarity Heart-Cleansing Mantra, Lin Fan deliberately immersed his mind in a state of harmony with the serene Dao rhythm emanating from the "Breathing Soil" sculptures. Perhaps it was a shift in his mindset, or perhaps the continuous hard work had finally led to a qualitative leap, but this time his meditation was exceptionally deep. Distractions were far fewer than before, his mind clear, as if he had merged with the peaceful atmosphere around him.

In this mysterious state, the fragments of runes for the Supreme Clarity Heart-Cleansing Mantra that Tong Tian had bestowed upon him seemed to become slightly clearer. Although he still couldn't fully comprehend them, he vaguely grasped a hint of the true meaning of "clarity" and "steadfastness." When he finished cultivating, he felt invigorated and refreshed, his senses sharp. Even his apprehension about the upcoming "inquiry" the next day had lessened, replaced by a sense of composure.

At precisely nine o'clock the next morning, a knock sounded at the door.

Lin Fan opened it to find Chen Jing and her two capable subordinates, along with two new individuals. One was an elderly man with thick glasses and graying hair, exuding a rigorous aura, carrying an instrument case even more sophisticated and complex than the last. The other was a middle-aged woman in a white lab coat, with a gentle demeanor, holding a tablet and a notebook.

"Mr. Lin Fan, apologies for the intrusion," Chen Jing maintained her professional expression, but her eyes were sharper than before. She gestured to the newcomers. "This is Professor Li Zhenguo, an authority in the field of energy physics. And this is Dr. Su Qing, an expert in psychology and behavioral analysis. They will be conducting a more detailed environmental assessment of your residence."

Lin Fan understood. They had upgraded the expert team. He calmly invited the five people inside.

The small rental room instantly felt crowded. Professor Li's gaze, like radar, swept across the entire space upon entering, finally locking onto the clay sculptures on the windowsill, especially the "Resting Soil." He eagerly opened his instrument case, and various probes and sensors began to work, data streams scrolling rapidly across the screen.

Dr. Su Qing, on the other hand, focused more on the "people." Her gaze was gentle yet penetrating as she carefully observed Lin Fan, Nüwa sitting naturally at the table, and Tong Tian, who had his back to them, seemingly lost in his own world.

Chen Jing directly began her inquiry. "Mr. Lin Fan, the Zhou Wenyuan who visited yesterday is a top collector in the country. According to our records, after his departure, several associated accounts under his name showed preparatory actions for abnormal fund freezes, with the highest amount involved exceeding ten million. Can you tell us the purpose of his visit and the specific content of your conversation?"

Lin Fan, having prepared his response, calmly stated, "Mr. Zhou came for some of Ms. Nüwa's... handicrafts. He greatly admired them and wished to purchase them, but Ms. Nüwa refused." He omitted the specific figure of "ten million" to avoid provoking them.

"Handicrafts?" Chen Jing's gaze shifted to the windowsill. "You mean these... clay sculptures?"

"Yes."

"Could you describe them in detail? For example, what is special about these sculptures that made Mr. Zhou value them so highly?" Chen Jing pressed, glancing at Professor Li, who was intently operating his equipment.

Following Nüwa's earlier guidance, Lin Fan replied, "Ms. Nüwa has unique insights and talent in art. Her sculptures... are quite lifelike and can bring a sense of peace. Mr. Zhou might have found them to have collectible value."

Just then, Professor Li, who had been staring intently at the screen, suddenly let out a suppressed gasp. "Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!"

All eyes were drawn to him.

On the screen before Professor Li, various data curves were astonishingly stable. Apart from the most basic environmental background values, almost no abnormal energy radiation could be detected! This was completely different from the special fluctuations, though faint, that he had captured through remote monitoring earlier! It was as if those magical energy fields had never existed!

"Professor Li, what's happening?" Chen Jing asked, frowning.

"Cannot detect... cannot detect anything!" Professor Li pointed at the screen, his face full of disbelief. "Aside from normal electromagnetic background and faint bio-fields, there are no energy readings beyond the ordinary! But... but the previous remote data clearly..." He suddenly looked up at the sculptures on the windowsill, then at Nüwa, his eyes filled with confusion and a hint of fervor. "This violates the conservation of energy! It violates any known physical model! Unless... unless the energy manifestation of these items completely exceeds our current detection dimensions!"

His words made Chen Jing and her subordinates behind her look grave. The fact that even the most advanced instruments could not detect any anomalies was, in itself, the greatest anomaly!

Dr. Su Qing looked thoughtfully at Nüwa. She noticed that since they entered, this woman called "Nüwa" had maintained an extraordinary calmness and gentleness, not a feigned composure, but an innate, almost condescending tolerance and serenity. She had never encountered such an aura, even in the most seasoned psychologists or enlightened monks.

"Ms. Nüwa," Dr. Su Qing began, her voice gentle and professionally guiding, "may I be so bold as to ask, where do you draw inspiration for creating these sculptures? You seem to have very unique insights into... 'life' and 'nature'."

Nüwa raised her eyes and looked at Dr. Su Qing. Her gaze was crystal clear, as if it could reflect the deepest thoughts of one's heart. She smiled slightly, a warm and pure smile that made Dr. Su Qing's heart flutter.

"Inspiration?" Nüwa repeated softly, her gaze becoming distant, as if traversing eons of time. "Not inspiration, but... witnessing, and comprehension."

She extended her slender finger and gently brushed the wing of the clay crane on the table. Her voice was ethereal and imbued with Dao rhythm.

"I have seen stars born, blooming their first light from nothingness, that is creation."

"I have seen plants sprout, struggling upwards from the soil, seeking the sun, that is vitality."

"I have seen rivers flow, day and night, nourishing all things, that is compassion."

"I have seen beasts nurture their young, fledglings feed their parents, living beings supporting each other, that is warmth."

Her voice was not loud, yet it seemed to possess a peculiar magic, unfolding grand yet subtle scrolls of life before everyone. Not only Dr. Su Qing, but even Professor Li, lost in his data-induced confusion, and the stern Chen Jing and her subordinates, were involuntarily drawn in, as if following her words, they witnessed the magnificence of creation and felt the joy of growth.

"What I sculpt and paint," Nüwa's gaze swept over the "breathing soil" on the windowsill, over the small animal sculptures, finally landing on Lin Fan with a gentle smile, "is not about pursuing resemblance, nor is it to show off my skills. I merely use the mortal clay and brushes of this realm to sketch out the 'vitality,' the 'compassion,' the fundamental power of 'creation' that I have seen and felt, preserving a trace of their 'spirit'."

She paused, looking at the stunned audience, her tone carrying a hint of gentle pity. "You are obsessed with detecting their 'energy' and analyzing their 'structure,' yet you do not know that what is truly precious is not the clay and lines, but what is contained within... the 'Dao,' that praise of life, that compassion for all things, that reverence and joy for creation itself."

"This is 'Creation and Love'."

The words "Creation and Love" struck each person's heart like a great bell!

Professor Li's mouth hung open, his sensor almost slipping from his hand. He had spent his life studying energy and matter, yet he had never imagined that there was a power that transcended the physical realm and pointed directly to the origin of life and existence! This... this was a complete subversion of his worldview!

Dr. Su Qing trembled all over. As a psychology expert, she knew well that "love" and "creation" were among the most core and powerful driving forces of the human spiritual world. But no one had ever articulated this power so fundamentally, so... close to the Dao! This Ms. Nüwa was not creating artworks; she was expounding the truth of life!

Chen Jing's mind also reeled. She looked at Nüwa's compassionate and clear eyes, listening to the wisdom that seemed to emanate from the dawn of the Primordial Era. An absurd yet undeniable thought surfaced in her mind once again—could it be... that those myths were not entirely fictional?

The room fell silent, save for the faint hum of the instruments, which sounded particularly out of place.

Just then, Tong Tian, who had been facing away from everyone, let out an almost imperceptible cold snort, breaking the stagnant atmosphere. He seemed somewhat dismissive of Nüwa's "sermon," or perhaps impatient with the mortals' obtuseness.

That cold snort jolted everyone out of their shock.

Professor Li looked at the unresponsive instrument screen, then at the ethereal Nüwa, and sighed in defeat. He shook his head at Chen Jing, the meaning clear: scientific methods were ineffective here.

Dr. Su Qing, however, was furiously typing on her tablet, her eyes filled with excitement and curiosity, as if she had discovered an endless treasure trove of knowledge.

Chen Jing took a deep breath, forcing down the storm raging in her heart. She knew that today's "inquiry" and "testing" could no longer proceed as originally planned. The level of understanding displayed by their guest was far beyond their comprehension. To press further would likely only bring them humiliation or even lead to unforeseen consequences.

She glanced deeply at Nüwa, her expression incredibly complex, tinged with apprehension, shock, and an indescribable... reverence?

"Ms. Nüwa, thank you for your... sharing," Chen Jing said, unconsciously using honorifics. "We will conclude today's inquiry here. Regarding Mr. Zhou Wenyuan, we will investigate separately. Thank you for your time."

She said no more, signaled Professor Li and Dr. Su, and the three of them packed up their equipment, leaving with minds full of shock and countless new questions.

After seeing Chen Jing and her team off and closing the door, Lin Fan let out a long sigh, feeling his back drenched in cold sweat. Nüwa's words just now had deeply shaken even him, let alone ordinary people.

"Nüwa, what you said just now..." Lin Fan couldn't help but ask.

Nüwa smiled slightly. "It was merely a few insights, spoken as the moment dictated. The mortals in this world are trapped by material desires and perceptions. If this can lead them to even a slight awakening, it is a good karma."

Tong Tian also turned around, glancing at Nüwa. "Junior Sister has quite the interest, discussing the Dao with ants."

Nüwa smiled and remained silent.

Lin Fan, however, knew that Nüwa's "discussion" had likely planted a seed in Chen Jing and the others' hearts. A seed of doubt about the boundaries of science, a seed that made them ponder the origin of life. This might be more effective than any display of force.

However, just as Lin Fan thought this disturbance had temporarily passed, his phone on the table suddenly rang urgently. The caller ID showed an unfamiliar local number.

Lin Fan frowned and pressed the answer button.

On the other end of the line, a young woman's voice, choked with tears and filled with desperate anxiety, came through:

"Hello... is this Mr. Lin Fan? Please! Please save my daughter! I heard... I heard you have a very miraculous master here... My daughter, she... she's dying!"