A Brand New Life

Nüwa's tone softened considerably. Her favorable impression of Xuanqing deepened as well.

Xuanqing thought to himself, Now is not the time. The conflict between Nüwa and Dijun has not yet reached an irreconcilable point. If I guide her to create humans and attain sainthood now, Dijun will likely shamelessly come seeking an audience. That would be hard to manage. For now, it was enough to earn Nüwa's sufficient trust.

"You flatter me, Empress. Xuanqing merely did what he ought to do."

Xuanqing was about to continue his modesty when, suddenly, a slight nudge came from beneath his feet.

Crouched at his feet, the always well-behaved and quiet Xiao Hei was now rubbing its fluffy head against Xuanqing's leg. Its jet-black eyes gazed at Nüwa with curiosity.

Nüwa's gaze also fell upon Xiao Hei.

She paused briefly, then a flicker of surprise crossed her beautiful eyes.

"This... is an Ink Qilin?"

Nüwa walked over to Xiao Hei, crouched down, and examined it closely.

"And pure bloodline at that. This aura... it's the son of the Ink Qilin Clan's chieftain!"

Nüwa's tone carried disbelief. Though the Qilin Clan had declined, the Ink Qilin lineage had always been mysterious. Now, in this Honghuang, the son of the Ink Qilin Clan's chieftain had appeared here?

Xuanqing's heart skipped a beat at her words, and he nearly stumbled.

He looked down at Xiao Hei, then back at Nüwa.

"Son of the chieftain?!"

His eyes widened, as if to say: Are you mistaken? I just picked this one up randomly! This joke has gone too far!

Xiao Hei seemed to sense Xuanqing's shock. It blinked innocently and rubbed against his leg again.

Fuxi also approached, carefully examining Xiao Hei's aura.

"My sister speaks true. This little beast is indeed a pure-blooded Ink Qilin, with an exceptionally high bloodline concentration—almost pristine. Judging by its appearance, it was born not long ago."

Xuanqing's heart was a tangled mess of emotions.

When he had found this little one on the Ancient Battlefield, he had only thought it was badly injured, its aura faint, and had casually saved it. How could he have known it was the crown prince of the Ink Qilin Clan?

"This... I found this little one by chance. It was severely wounded, on the verge of death. I took pity on it and saved it."

Xuanqing explained awkwardly, lest the two think he had ties to the Qilin Clan as well.

Nüwa and Fuxi exchanged glances, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.

"It seems this little one shares a bond with Daoist Xuanqing."

Nüwa's gaze fell on Xuanqing again, her expression growing more complex.

To have saved a pure-blooded Ink Qilin—this fortune... was truly extraordinary.

"By the way, I named it Xiao Hei."

Xuanqing tried to change the subject to ease the awkwardness.

At the name, Nüwa and Fuxi couldn't help but twitch at the corners of their mouths.

The son of the Ink Qilin Clan's chieftain, named Xiao Hei? If the Ink Qilin Clan found out, wouldn't they be furious?

"Ahem, Daoist Xuanqing, this name... is quite unique." Fuxi coughed dryly, struggling to suppress a laugh.

Nüwa also found it amusing, a rare smile gracing her usually cool face.

Seeing Nüwa's smile, Xuanqing felt a bit more at ease. At least she seemed in a good mood now.

"Alright, Xiao Hei, stop that."

Xuanqing gently patted Xiao Hei's head, signaling it to settle down. Xiao Hei obediently lay at his feet, no longer moving.

"Empress Nüwa, Daoist Fuxi, Xuanqing has one more matter I'd like to ask of you both."

Xuanqing decided to strike while the iron was hot, steering the conversation toward what concerned him.

Nüwa looked at Xuanqing, curiosity in her eyes. "Daoist, please speak."

Xuanqing paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the vibrant valley before settling on Nüwa's cool features.

"I have heard that the Empress holds compassion for all beings in Honghuang. Now, the Myriad Races stand tall, yet there has never been a true 'protagonist.' The Witch Clan boasts formidable physical bodies, and the Demon Race has vast numbers, but both are too steeped in slaughter to become the orthodox of the Heavenly Dao."

He paused, then continued: "Xuanqing ventures to guess—could it be that this world still lacks a kind of being capable of bearing the fortune of heaven and earth, ushering in a new era?"

Nüwa and Fuxi were both startled.

Fuxi furrowed his brow, deep in thought. Nüwa's gaze sharpened as she stared directly at Xuanqing.

"What does the Daoist mean by this?"

Nüwa's voice returned to its cool tone. She sensed that Xuanqing's words seemed to conceal some crucial heavenly secret.

Xuanqing's heart tightened, knowing he had touched upon something key.

"Xuanqing merely thinks that both the Witch Clan and the Demon Race rely too heavily on bloodlines and innate talents. Their cultivation, though powerful, is also limited by their birth."

"If there were a kind of being—without strong bodies, without inborn divine powers—yet able to grow and surpass through effort after birth. They could comprehend heaven and earth, create civilization, and multiply endlessly..."

Xuanqing's voice carried an inexplicable resonance.

"A being like this might truly be able to bear the fate of the Heavenly Dao and become the protagonist of the Honghuang."

Nüwa and Fuxi listened to Xuanqing's words, their hearts churning with tumultuous waves.

What Xuanqing described was an entirely new kind of life.

A life fundamentally different from the Myriad Races that currently existed in the Honghuang.

A faint stir touched Nüwa's heart.

Could this be the key to breaking through?

Fuxi, meanwhile, sank into deeper contemplation. He began to deduce the possibility of this "entirely new life" in his mind, based on Xuanqing's description.

"Your idea, Daoist, is something I have never heard before," Nüwa spoke slowly, her tone carrying a hint of complexity. "But how could such a life be created?"

Seeing Nüwa's reaction, Xuanqing revealed a profound smile on his face.

"Empress is the Mother of the Earth, the Goddess of Creation. This Humble One believes that in this world, only you possess the ability to create all things."

At these words, Nüwa's heart jolted sharply. Create all things? She had never considered that direction before.

In her mind, something seemed to be on the verge of emerging.

"Daoist Xuanqing, you... do you have any other insights?"

Nüwa's voice had already taken on a hint of urgency. She felt that she had never been so close to the opportunity for sainthood.

Xuanqing knew the timing was about right. He could not say more, or it would seem deliberate.

"This Humble One is dull-witted; this is all I can conceive."

He withdrew the topic at the right moment, leaving enough space for Nüwa to ponder on her own.

Nüwa's gaze was completely captivated by Xuanqing's words, and she sank into deep thought.

Fuxi looked at Nüwa's expression, then at Xuanqing's seemingly "innocent" face, and vaguely understood something.

His gaze toward Xuanqing gained a layer of depth.

This disciple of Yuanshi Tianzun, though appearing casual, had every step laced with hidden intent.

"Daoist Xuanqing, discussing the Dao with you today has been most rewarding."

Fuxi spoke again, breaking the stillness of the valley.

Nüwa snapped out of her reverie, and her look at Xuanqing carried a new weight.

"Daoist Xuanqing, I thank you for your guidance today."

Nüwa said solemnly.

Xuanqing cupped his hands: "Empress, you flatter me. This Humble One merely spoke random nonsense. If it has inspired you, that is my honor."

The first step had been taken.

After all, when it came to merit, actively scheming for it and going along with the flow—the Heavenly Dao's reward for merit was not the same.