By then, Houtu had successfully stabilized her cultivation and made her way to Nuwa's side, where she looked into the Three Lights Divine Water Pool.
Houtu was soon captivated by the scene of koi playing among the lotuses. She even spotted a newly sprouted lotus beside the Pure World White Lotus.
Aside from the largest Pure World White Lotus, a dozen or so smaller white lotuses grew in the Three Lights Divine Water Pool. They had only just formed buds.
The newly sprouted lotus was entirely different from the Pure World White Lotuses. Though only two leaves had emerged above the water, wisps of Creation Qi radiated from them.
Its leaves had been intertwined with those of the Pure World White Lotus, so Qing Xuan and Nuwa hadn't noticed it before. But Houtu's keen eyes had caught it.
"Nuwa, look! There are two lotus leaves over there, and they're different from the Pure World White Lotus's."
Houtu's words immediately drew Qing Xuan and Nuwa's attention. They only had to glance over for delight to appear on their faces.
Nuwa spoke up at once. "Little Gourd Vine, you really managed to grow the Creation Green Lotus? I wonder if it'll eventually reach twenty-four petals."
Qing Xuan tamped down his excitement and replied, "Twenty-four petals are impossible, but twelve should be no problem."
Nuwa was a little disappointed, but still nodded eagerly at the green lotus. "Twelve petals are great, too. That'd make it comparable to a Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure."
"It's a shame this pool only has white and green lotuses. It'd be so much prettier if we could bring over the Golden Lotus, Red Lotus, and Black Lotus, too."
"Just imagine: the Eight Koi swimming around the Five Great Lotus Platforms. What a sight that would be!"
Qing Xuan smiled helplessly, thinking, Nuwa, you really dare to dream. The Karma Red Lotus already had an owner, and the Dao Ancestor would soon give the Merit Golden Lotus to Daoist Jie Yin.
As for the Twelve Petals World Destroying Black Lotus, there was probably no one in the entire Primordial Wilderness who could find it. Unless Wu Tian came into being, it would remain in the Devil Abyss forever.
And as for entering the Devil Abyss to retrieve the Twelve Petals World Destroying Black Lotus, even as a transmigrator, Qing Xuan wouldn't dare entertain the idea.
After all, what kind of place was the Devil Abyss? It was somewhere even the Dao Masters dared not set foot. If Qing Xuan really went there, he'd probably never return.
If he was lucky, the Devil Abyss would assimilate him and turn him into a demon. If he was unlucky, the demons within would tear him to pieces.
But Qing Xuan didn't say any of that. He merely smiled and told Nuwa, "If the chance comes, I'll make your wish come true."
As the saying went, the speaker might not mean anything by it, but the listener might take it to heart. Qing Xuan's casual, dismissive remark took root in Nuwa's mind. But that's a story for later.
The group discussed the Dao on Fangzhang Island for another three thousand years before Houtu suggested returning to Ancestral Witch Hall for a look. Fu Xi wanted to return to Phoenix Perch Mountain as well, so the four of them left Fangzhang Island together and headed for Buzhou Mountain.
Upon reaching Buzhou Mountain, Houtu bade Qing Xuan and the others farewell and went straight to the main hall. Qing Xuan and the other two naturally headed for Phoenix Perch Mountain.
The first thing Nuwa did upon reaching Phoenix Perch Mountain was pack up all the Innate Spiritual Roots she had planted.
Seeing this, Fu Xi couldn't help asking, "Little Sister, what are you doing? Do you not plan to return to Phoenix Perch Mountain again?"
Nuwa answered solemnly, "Elder Brother, Little Gourd Vine said that before long, Buzhou Mountain will become a place of trouble."
"Little Gourd Vine also said that a wise man doesn't stand beneath a crumbling wall. So we have to leave in advance and move to a new home."
Hearing Nuwa say "Little Gourd Vine" over and over, Fu Xi could only look on helplessly. It was as if someone were about to steal his precious cabbage.
Just then, Qing Xuan spoke up. "Fellow Daoist Fu Xi, there are two more islands like Fangzhang in the East Sea: Penglai and Yingzhou."
"Why don't we search the East Sea again after the Dao Ancestor's Second Lecture? Perhaps we'll find those two immortal islands."
"Then we can link all three islands together. Each of us can have one as a home, and we'll still be able to gather and discuss the Dao."
Fu Xi looked at Phoenix Perch Mountain, then nodded. "If anyone else had said that, I'd never have believed that Buzhou Mountain, the pillar of heaven, would become a place of trouble. But since it's you, Fellow Daoist Qing Xuan, I'll believe it."
If Fu Xi hadn't deeply admired Qing Xuan's Art of Deduction, how could he have believed such an absurd claim? After all, Buzhou Mountain wasn't merely the pillar of heaven. It was also the spine of Pangu.
Who in the Primordial Wilderness would dare damage Buzhou Mountain? Even climbing it was exceedingly difficult, let alone fighting there.
Of course, that didn't include the Pangu Descendants, such as Sanqing and the Twelve Ancestral Witches. After all, it was their Father God's legacy.
Nuwa spoke up directly. "Could you stop calling each other 'Fellow Daoist' all the time? It sounds so distant."
"How about this? From now on, Little Gourd Vine can call you Elder Brother, just like I do. And you can call Little Gourd Vine Third Brother."
Nuwa sounded perfectly serious, but Qing Xuan understood exactly what she was up to: she wanted him to call her Second Sister.
Fu Xi had naturally seen what his younger sister was thinking. He turned to Qing Xuan and said, "I think that's a good suggestion. What do you think, Fellow Daoist Qing Xuan?"
Qing Xuan had no objection to calling Fu Xi Elder Brother, but calling Nuwa Second Sister made him feel like he was getting the short end of the stick.
After all, in both looks and temperament, Nuwa was no different in Qing Xuan's eyes from the little girl next door. She was a little devil through and through.
But since Fu Xi had already put it that way, Qing Xuan couldn't refuse. He cupped his fists toward Fu Xi and said, "Then your younger brother will pay his respects, Elder Brother."
Seeing Qing Xuan call Fu Xi Elder Brother made Nuwa so excited that she waited for him to turn and call her Second Sister.
Unfortunately, after helping Qing Xuan back to his feet, Fu Xi and Qing Xuan went straight off to find somewhere to play music and drink tea. Nuwa was so angry she stomped her feet again and again.
Just then, a sudden sight appeared in the direction of Ancestral Witch Hall: twelve enormous Ancestral Witch True Bodies materialized in midair.
Immediately afterward, Di Jiang's voice spread throughout the Primordial Wilderness. "I am Di Jiang, leader of the Twelve Ancestral Witches and a descendant of Pangu. To carry on Father God's will, we establish a new race, the Witches!"
At the sudden turn of events, Qing Xuan thought, This is bad. He immediately spoke to Fu Xi and Nuwa.
"The Twelve Ancestral Witches have founded the Witch Clan. Buzhou Mountain will know no peace from now on. And the Twelve Ancestral Witches themselves will be drawn into a calamity."
Fu Xi replied, "Do you mean to stop the Twelve Ancestral Witches from founding the Witch Clan? Leaving aside whether they'd listen to you, it's probably already too late to go now."
Qing Xuan shook his head. "It's never too late to mend the pen after the sheep are lost. Whether they listen or not is up to their own fate."
Before you continue