Encountering Nuwa During His Travels

From the moment the door opened, Zhenyuanzi's gaze had been fixed on the Nine-Nine Soul-Scattering Gourd at Xuan Heng's waist. It was the only thing Red Cloud had left behind.

When Red Cloud was still alive, whenever he came to Five Villages Temple to discuss the Dao, he loved to hang this gourd at his waist, sit beneath the Ginseng Fruit Tree, sip spiritual tea, and laugh as he said that the primordial world was so vast that one ought to travel more.

Back then, Zhenyuanzi always urged him not to meddle in idle affairs, but Red Cloud would evade the matter every time, always saying, "Next time, for certain."

Next time after next time—but once he left Five Villages Temple this time, there would never be another next time.

Xuan Heng removed the Nine-Nine Soul-Scattering Gourd from his waist, presented it before Zhenyuanzi, and said, "Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi, Fellow Daoist Red Cloud has met his tribulation."

Zhenyuanzi accepted the Nine-Nine Soul-Scattering Gourd with both hands. The instant it touched his palms, the Ginseng Fruit Tree within Five Villages Temple seemed to sense its master's emotions. It trembled softly, and every leaf upon it rustled.

Taiqing raised a hand and summoned the Taiji Diagram. Then, a speck of crimson true spirit flew from it. Black-and-white qi cradled that wisp of true spirit at its center, its radiance so faint that a single gust of wind seemed enough to scatter it.

Zhenyuanzi looked up, and at last, emotion stirred in his eyes.

Taiqing said, "Fellow Daoist Red Cloud's origin has shattered, leaving behind only this wisp of true spirit. For now, I am nourishing it with the Taiji Diagram. When heaven and earth one day have a place for departed souls to return to, I will send him back."

Zhenyuanzi closed his eyes. Only after a long while did he say in a low voice, "My thanks, Fellow Daoist Taiqing."

The four were then invited into Five Villages Temple. At Zhenyuanzi's repeated urging, Xuan Heng finally recounted what had happened on the chaotic battlefield that day.

After hearing it, Zhenyuanzi's expression grew ever darker. Even the Earth Book Grand Formation protecting Longevity Mountain began to tremble slowly, while the earth veins of the entire mountain gave off low, rumbling groans.

Seeing Zhenyuanzi's state, Xuan Heng sighed and said, "Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi, Fellow Daoist Red Cloud asked me to pass on one final message. He hoped you would not enter the tribulation for his sake."

Zhenyuanzi stood frozen where he was, silent for a long time. At last, he sighed, then walked beneath the Ginseng Fruit Tree and placed Red Cloud's Nine-Nine Soul-Scattering Gourd beneath it.

"He did not wish for me to enter the tribulation, so I will not go. But this debt—I, Zhenyuanzi, will remember it."

Zhenyuanzi lifted his head and spoke in a hoarse voice.

The Three Pure Ones and Xuan Heng did not remain long at Five Villages Temple. Red Cloud's true spirit still needed the Taiji Diagram's nourishment, and Zhenyuanzi also needed time alone.

Before they left, Zhenyuanzi gave them four Ginseng Fruits. Taiqing placed one beside the Taiji Diagram, reserving it for Red Cloud's wisp of true spirit.

After leaving Longevity Mountain, Xuan Heng stopped outside Kunlun rather than entering at once.

Taiqing glanced at him. "Want to take a walk through the primordial world?"

Xuan Heng nodded. "Fellow Daoist Red Cloud's fate made me understand something. Relying only on secluded cultivation, no matter how high one's cultivation becomes, one still cannot see the primordial world clearly."

Yuanshi said from the side, "The Demon Court has only recently been established, and the Witch Clan's power is expanding as well. If you travel abroad, remember not to venture too close to the heartlands of those two races."

Tongtian did not say much. He simply walked over, patted Xuan Heng on the shoulder, and said, "If something happens, don't try to bear it alone. You still have us."

Xuan Heng smiled. "Third Brother, don't worry. I have already suffered a loss once. If anything arises that I cannot resolve this time, I will come find you all immediately. I will not act rashly again."

With that, Xuan Heng bid farewell to his three elder brothers and headed southwest into the primordial world.

He did not hurry on his way, instead observing the current state of the primordial world. Before long, he discovered that although the Demon Court had only recently been founded, its banner had already spread throughout the land.

Within countless mountains, forests, rivers, and marshes, every bird, beast, plant spirit, and monster that had awakened intelligence was being recruited by Demon Court envoys. Those willing to submit were entered into the Demon Court's rolls and granted its protection. Those unwilling could only flee far away, abandoning their own habitats.

Meanwhile, the Witch Clan occupied the earth, their blood qi blazing like fire. Some smaller tribes near the Witch Clan migrated overnight, terrified of being swept into the conflict between the two races.

The situation in which the Demon Race ruled the heavens and the Witch Clan ruled the earth had already begun to take shape.

Before long, Xuan Heng arrived at a valley. Several hundred weak living beings were migrating through it with their families in tow, and the strongest among them possessed only Earth Immortal cultivation.

Just then, a demon bird at the Heavenly Immortal realm swooped down from the sky, intending to attack the small tribe.

Xuan Heng lightly tapped with his fingertip. The Calamity Severing Sword flew forth, and the demon bird fell into the forest without even letting out a cry.

The migrating clan in the valley was badly frightened by the sudden turn of events and all dropped to their knees, kowtowing toward Xuan Heng.

Xuan Heng said nothing. The Mountain-Driving Whip appeared in his right hand, and with a casual flick, the jumbled boulders ahead exploded apart, opening a path. Then the Mountain-Suppressing Seal descended, stabilizing the earth veins on either side.

"Follow this path south. Do not look back for three days."

The elder of the clan hurriedly kowtowed.

"Thank you, Exalted Immortal, for saving our lives."

Xuan Heng waved a hand and turned away.

After traveling for several more years, Xuan Heng arrived beside a clear river.

The vegetation along both banks was lush, and the spiritual qi was gentle. It should have been a place fit for living beings to multiply and thrive, yet many shattered nests lay scattered along the riverbank.

A group of small beasts huddled trembling within cracks between the stones by the shore. Just as Xuan Heng was about to approach, he saw a gentle current of creation qi descend.

A faint green glow emerged around the wounded beasts, and their injuries slowly closed.

At this sudden sight, Xuan Heng could not help but halt, his gaze turning toward the opposite bank.

There, a woman stood by the water. She wore light-colored Daoist robes, her aura gentle, the intent of creation flowing naturally around her. She did not display any earth-shaking divine ability. She merely crouched down and placed an injured little beast back into the grass.

The small beast looked back at her once before burrowing into a crack between the stones.

The woman sighed softly.

"The primordial world is vast, yet not every living being has a place to settle."

Xuan Heng looked at her and recognized her at once. She was Nuwa.

Nuwa, too, sensed the aura behind her and turned around.

Seeing Xuan Heng, surprise flickered in her eyes.

"Fellow Daoist Xuan Heng?"

Xuan Heng stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Nuwa."

Nuwa returned the salute, glancing at the aura of mountains and rivers behind him.

"Was that mountain path over there opened by you, Fellow Daoist?"

Xuan Heng nodded. "I saw a small clan migrating and saved them on a whim."

Nuwa's gaze shifted slightly.

"You too have been paying attention to these frail living beings, Fellow Daoist?"

Xuan Heng said, "After Fellow Daoist Red Cloud met his tribulation, I wanted to come out and see what the prehistoric world had become. Only after traveling all this way did I realize that, now that the Witch Clan and Demon Race have grown mighty, those who find it hardest to survive in the prehistoric world are instead these tiny clans that do not even have names."

After a moment, Nuwa spoke as well. "These past years, I too have been watching these weak races. The Demon Race rules the heavens, the Witch Clan occupies the earth; the strong each have their own Daoist grounds, their own clans, their own support."

Then she looked toward the little beasts hiding in the cracks between the rocks.

"But for these frail beings, the aftermath of a single clash can sever their inheritance."

Xuan Heng did not respond. Nuwa had already gained some insight into creation. At a time like this, he could not interfere too much; she still had to comprehend it herself.

Nuwa looked at Xuan Heng and asked, "Fellow Daoist Xuan Heng, do you think there should be a race in the prehistoric world that need not rely on either the Witch Clan or the Demon Race, yet can still gain a foothold between heaven and earth?"