The Origin of Water

"What is water? What can be considered water?"

Chen Qing had been standing by the pool for nearly a century. At first, he had been full of enthusiasm as he tried to comprehend it, thinking he might understand this peculiar form of fusion. But after all these years, he still hadn't figured out its rules. It was like a kindergartner reading a book on nuclear physics: he knew it was a book, but couldn't understand anything else. In the end, he only managed to confuse himself, and began questioning himself.

By now, Chen Qing had long forgotten about cultivation. What had taken root in his heart wasn't heaven and earth, but the vast expanse of water before his eyes. His will had sunk into it as well. The petals of the Green Lotus in his Internal World had drawn inward, its roots vanishing until it became a dim flower bud.

What was water? Chen Qing felt as though he had returned to the distant past, to an age of ignorance. Water had been just a substance, something instinctively known to be the source of life. In ancient times, sages had viewed it as a virtue, even likening it to the passage of time, because it was formless and yielding—

In the universe, water had all kinds of essences. No, it was the fusion of similar essences that made it water!

It was also part of space, but not merely a part of it. Otherwise, there wouldn't be Fusion Laws—

It was even one aspect of the Chaos Law. No, it couldn't even be called an aspect—

"No. That's not right."

Chen Qing closed his eyes. Bracing one hand against the ground, he clutched his hair with the other and knelt by the pool, shaking his head. The last of his reason warned him that this wasn't something he should pursue—not something he should touch yet, at least.

The playful look vanished from Cold Whale's face. He slowly surfaced and looked at Chen Qing in confusion. For decades, ever since this kid had started frowning, his little face had changed expressions as often as the surface of the water. But something was off today. Could looking at water really drive someone mad? Cold Whale couldn't sense any fluctuations of Laws, either. What on earth was he cultivating?

Suddenly, a curtain of water rose at Cold Whale's command and drenched Chen Qing. Clouds of steam billowed around him. It brought Chen Qing back to his senses for a moment. "Take it one step at a time. If it doesn't work, go back. Yes! Go back."

Chen Qing had no awareness of the changes around him at all, completely immersed in his own mind. The Chaos Law was the fusion of the Ten Great Laws, but it wasn't simple addition. It required a thorough grasp of the Law Origin. Right, the origin! Only by grasping a Law Origin could one create a universe with a single thought. Jie Fanzi had only touched the surface of the Water-Fire Origin, yet he had created a top-tier tenth-level secret technique and nearly passed through reincarnation. Nearly—

Chen Qing suddenly shuddered and came back to himself. He opened his eyes in a daze, looking more exhausted than usual. He stared at Cold Whale for a moment before finally reacting and hurriedly bowing. "Thank you, Venerable Cold Whale!"

"Strange fellow."

Watching Cold Whale sink back beneath the surface, Chen Qing sat down cross-legged and gave a bitter smile. He knew too much, and it had made him a little arrogant. In one fell swoop, he had carried himself off into the heavens, foolishly trying to peer into chaos. He had nearly become the first case of someone cultivating into madness in the Devouring World. There was no danger of having his cultivation crippled here, but he might have become hopelessly lost in the depths of his own mind. His mind could have been damaged, and his will thrown into disarray. Luckily, Venerable Cold Whale's bucket of cold water, along with Senior Jie Fanzi's experience, had jolted him awake. Damn, that had been terrifying.

"Always remain in awe of the universe. The point isn't the universe—it's the awe. Only a humble mind can maintain Stillness. I'd underestimated the experience others had accumulated over countless eras."

Still, this unexpected turn hadn't been without its rewards. At least now he knew what that vibration was: the origin fluctuation of the Law of Water. It was fragmented and mixed in with other Laws, but an origin was still an origin. Even the tiniest fluctuation was a path beyond becoming a True God.

His intuition had been completely right. This was the perfect place to cultivate Heaven Born Water. Though there had been a few twists and turns, he had gained a lot this time.

"I can't go on. I need to rest first. I shouldn't push myself until I break. Once I've recovered, I'll have my sisters comfort me. They must be worried sick, too."

"What? You're planning to enter the Outer Battlefield?"

After taking a few months to recover, Chen Qing met the two women and was greeted with startling news. But he didn't reject the idea outright. "We haven't accumulated enough experience, and the clones have been gestating for a while now. We can leave the Origin Bead with them to keep comprehending the Laws. Meanwhile, we can go to the battlefield and put our gains to the test!"

Jiang Fang's words rang with conviction. Her fervent spirit clearly hadn't cooled. Yao Rao also took Chen Qing by the arm and blinked her lovely eyes. "Luo Feng is quite a bit younger than us, but when it comes to actual combat, the gap is enormous."

"You two..." Chen Qing sighed. "I've always said I wouldn't hold you back from getting stronger. But be careful who you compare yourselves to. Whatever you do, don't compare yourselves to that lunatic."

"Don't underestimate us. Back when we were fighting, you two weren't even embryos yet!"

"Smack!"

Before Yao Rao could finish speaking, Chen Qing slapped her on the bottom, sending a ripple across her ample backside. Her eyes began to brim with tears. Chen Qing pulled her close and held her, rubbing her bottom as he pondered. He had spent a lot of Supreme Treasure points over the years searching for a suitable group, raising their genes by about thirty times. Both women now had a foundation of three thousand times World Lord Power. With their Laws and secret techniques, they could just about reach the entry level of King-Rank. They shouldn't carry too many Supreme Treasures; the Void Nether Armor and their weapons would be enough. More would only invite covetous eyes. Even the weapons should stay hidden at first. On top of that, they had Cloud-Touching Vine, a High King. As long as they didn't run into an Invincible King, they should be able to hold their own.

But he still needed to find a way to protect their souls, preferably with a foolproof treasure that could destroy itself. Otherwise, they'd still be at considerable risk if they ran into a master of souls. They might not be able to react in time.

"I don't mind you going on a trial, but Supreme Treasures are far too tempting. Apart from the Void Nether Armor, which Cloud-Touching Vine can conceal, use decent Immortal weapons for now. Above all, make sure you don't get enslaved. If you lose your equipment, your husband has plenty more. At worst, I'll lose a little energy. Don't let a small loss lead to a big one!"

"Got it, dear—"

In Chen Qing's private room in the Virtual Universe, there was a pavilion in an open area. Watching Palace Master Biluo's graceful movements, Chen Qing couldn't help sighing. Even though he hadn't gotten to drink it yet, tea cut by a beauty really was different. "I heard you need a Peak Supreme Treasure?"

Hearing Original Ancestor's voice, Chen Qing wasn't surprised. He had already checked the group's inventory and even sent City Lord an email. "I do. I gained quite a bit from the Cold Whale Nine-Colored Water this time, and I should be able to break through once I leave. I also owe Cold Whale a great karmic debt. I'll think about it later."

"Is that so? In that case, an ordinary Peak Supreme Treasure would be a little perfunctory. Something suitable might not be available even in the group's collection, let alone in a private collection."

"There's no need to rush. The Supreme Treasure is just a reward for cultivation. I'll think about the karmic debt later. There'll be an opportunity."

Chen Qing picked up the tea and breathed in its fragrance. "The tea smells wonderful today!"

"You're impossible!"

"Hahaha! You did your teacher's job for her, so no wonder she called you impossible."

Chen Qing ignored Palace Master Biluo's cool gaze and calmly finished his tea. "Let Palace Master make the arrangements first. I'll add another portion afterward."

""