Whose Daoist abode was Phoenix Perch Mountain? As a transmigrator, Qing Xuan knew that perfectly well. Wasn't it the Daoist abode of Fu Xi and Nuwa, on Buzhou Mountain?
A feeling of utter despair rose in Qing Xuan's heart. What had he been working so hard to cultivate for?
Wasn't it so he could Form Transformations as soon as possible, get away from this place of trouble, and avoid ending up dismembered?
But now, of all things, he'd fallen right into Nuwa's hands. Other people would at most pick a gourd, but Nuwa picked gourds and tore out the roots. She was practically the Innate Gourd Vine's number-one nemesis.
"No, I've worked hard for who knows how many eras. I absolutely can't give up now. I'll fight against fate. I'll win Nuwa over."
"Come on, come on, come on..."
As Qing Xuan cheered himself on, he spoke aloud and asked Nuwa, "Little Girl, you Formed Transformations early and have seen the world outside. I'd like to ask you about someone. I wonder if you know her."
When she suddenly heard the Gourd Vine talking to her, a smile appeared on Nuwa's face. After all, it was incredibly difficult for her to find someone to talk to.
Though Fu Xi and Nuwa had Formed Transformations at the same time, Fu Xi was devoted to cultivation and rarely chatted with Nuwa. Nuwa, meanwhile, was very resistant to cultivating.
After all, despite cultivating for countless eras, the siblings had been stuck at the Early Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal stage, unable to break through to the middle stage.
Since hard work had done nothing to help her break through, Nuwa was even less inclined to spend every day cultivating. She wanted to wander around Buzhou Mountain and see if she might come across some opportunity.
Believe it or not, she had only just reached the middle slopes of Buzhou Mountain when she happened to discover the Innate Gourd Vine in a valley.
Most importantly, this Innate Gourd Vine could actually chat with her. That made Nuwa all the happier.
Nuwa said to the Gourd Vine, "Actually, I haven't left my Daoist abode much either, but I've heard of a few people."
Seeing that Nuwa had taken the bait, Qing Xuan went straight to the point. "I heard that there are two people on Buzhou Mountain who are blessed with Great Destiny."
"The person I want to ask about is the younger sister of those two. I heard her name might be Nuwa."
When Nuwa realized Qing Xuan was asking about her, she immediately felt like teasing him. She asked, "Nuwa? I've heard of her. But why are you asking about her? Do you know each other?"
The Gourd Leaves swayed gently, as if shaking their heads at Nuwa. "I've never met her. I've only heard that Nuwa is very beautiful."
"People say everyone loves beauty. So I've always wanted to see just how beautiful the Primordial First Beauty really is."
"But now, there's no need for me to see her. I have every reason to suspect that Nuwa's title as the Primordial First Beauty is undeserved."
Qing Xuan's words made Nuwa knit her brows. "You've never even met her. How can you say she's undeserving of the title?"
Several Gourd Leaves slowly reached out in front of Nuwa and began fanning her from different directions.
"It's true I've never met Nuwa, but I've seen the Primordial First Beauty. Doesn't that prove Nuwa's title is undeserved?"
Nuwa asked, looking puzzled, "You've seen the Primordial First Beauty? Then tell me, just how beautiful is she?"
As soon as Nuwa finished speaking, Qing Xuan began shaking the Gourd Leaves on his body, collecting the dew on them. He gathered it all onto one leaf, forming a small puddle about the size of a palm.
Qing Xuan had never liked having water on his body. Whenever he noticed dew, he would shake it off right away.
But he hadn't known that it was the famous Three Lights Divine Water. Just thinking about it now made his heart ache.
As a Gourd Leaf carried a puddle of Three Lights Divine Water over to Nuwa, Qing Xuan's voice rang out again.
"The Primordial First Beauty I'm talking about is right there in the water. Look carefully and you'll see her. Then you'll know whether I'm telling the truth."
Nuwa's competitive spirit was roused. She stopped where she was and focused on the small puddle of Three Lights Divine Water before her.
At first, ripples stirred across the surface, and she couldn't make out anything. But as the water gradually stilled, a beautiful face appeared upon it.
At that moment, Nuwa finally understood who Qing Xuan meant by the Primordial First Beauty. Her lovely cheeks flushed red despite herself, and she felt a surge of pride.
I didn't expect him to mean me when he said the Primordial First Beauty, and he doesn't even know I'm Nuwa. I'll tease him a little longer.
The next moment, Nuwa took out a Jade Bottle and collected the Three Lights Divine Water from the Gourd Leaf. She said to Qing Xuan, "You've never even seen Nuwa. How do you know I'm more beautiful than her? You're just a smooth talker, saying whatever sounds nice."
The next moment, all the Gourd Leaves on the Gourd Vine pointed toward the sky at once, as if raising their hands to swear an oath.
"You're right, of course. If I haven't met her, I can't compare you. But in my eyes, you absolutely deserve to be called the Primordial First Beauty."
"If you don't believe me, I can swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao that every word I've said comes from the heart."
Believe it or not, Qing Xuan really dared to swear a Heavenly Dao Oath in front of Nuwa. After all, across both his lives, he'd never seen a woman as beautiful as Nuwa.
Seeing Nuwa giggle, Qing Xuan knew he'd made a successful first step. Now that he'd laid the groundwork, he could get to the point.
"Perhaps this is the Heavenly Dao's arrangement, allowing me to meet a beauty like you before I perish. At least my life in the Primordial Wilderness won't have been in vain."
By the end, Qing Xuan's voice had turned somewhat melancholy. Nuwa felt a pang in her heart as she listened.
"What did you say? You said you're going to perish? How could that be? You're a Top-grade Innate Spiritual Root!"
"Because I'm a Top-grade Innate Spiritual Root, I know my fate. All my essence is concentrated in the Seven Gourds."
"When the gourds ripen, they'll each get an owner. And once I lose them, all my essence will dissipate."
"Perhaps this is the fate of a Top-grade Innate Spiritual Root. The Heavenly Dao simply won't allow one to Form Transformations."
"I can only blame myself for gaining sentience. Otherwise, perhaps I could have spent my whole life blossoming and bearing fruit for my future owner, like the other Top-grade Innate Spiritual Roots."
"Enough about me. Let's talk about you, Little Girl. Have you thought about how you'll use my Seven Gourds?"
"Let me tell you quietly: every one of these seven gourds I've borne is extraordinary. Each one is a Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure."
"So before the gourds truly ripen, you'd better find somewhere safe to hide me. Otherwise, once those Great Beings in the Primordial Wilderness catch their scent, you probably won't get a single one."
Though Qing Xuan's tone had returned to a carefree lightness, Nuwa couldn't bring herself to smile anymore.
"If I don't pick the gourds, will your essence stay inside you? Would that give you a chance to Form Transformations?"
Qing Xuan shook his Gourd Leaves again. "Thank you, Little Girl. But sadly, fruit ripening and falling from the stem is an eternal law."
"Unless I can Form Transformations before they ripen, there's no way to change my fate."
"Unfortunately, the Heavenly Dao simply doesn't allow Innate Spiritual Roots to Form Transformations. So you don't need to trouble yourself over me."
"I expect the Seven Gourds will ripen in another ten thousand years or so. When they do, pick them all. And don't abandon my main body, the Gourd Vine."
"I can sense that my main body, the Gourd Vine, will earn Great Merit one day. As long as you have the Gourd Vine, that Merit will be yours."
Before she knew it, Nuwa had brought Qing Xuan back to her Daoist abode on Phoenix Perch Mountain.
As soon as they entered Phoenix Perch Mountain, they met Fu Xi coming toward them.
Fu Xi was about to greet his younger sister, but Nuwa didn't acknowledge him. She headed straight for the back courtyard.
There was a spacious garden behind the Daoist abode Fu Xi and Nuwa shared. Nuwa had transplanted quite a few Innate Spiritual Roots there.
Now, she had chosen the best spot right in the middle of the garden and transplanted the Gourd Vine there.
She also remembered to spread Nine Heavens Breathing Soil over the Gourd Vine's roots, then took out the Three Lights Divine Water she'd collected and poured it all over them.
The next moment, Nuwa clearly felt the Gourd Vine brimming with even more vitality than before.
Nuwa couldn't help feeling delighted. "Could the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil and Three Lights Divine Water help the Little Gourd Vine Form Transformations?"