Hong Yun smiled and bowed to Nu Wa, his expression kind and benevolent.
"Thank you, Saint Nu Wa. Zhen Yuanzi and I have both gained greatly from witnessing this attainment of the Dao."
Hearing this, Zhen Yuanzi stroked his long beard, his face full of agreement.
Nu Wa smiled faintly. She also held great fondness for Hong Yun, whose character and conduct were much like her brother's.
Of course, that fondness was merely recognition of Hong Yun's character and had nothing to do with anything else.
Such a good-natured person was difficult to dislike, Kunpeng aside.
Nu Wa looked at Hong Yun and said with a smile, "Whether you gain anything depends entirely on your own fortune, Fellow Daoist. There is no need to thank me."
"If Saint Nu Wa has no other matters to attend to, then my brother and I shall take our leave first. We will find a suitable place to properly digest the insights we gained from this observation."
Nu Wa was about to speak when Liu Mang's voice rang out in her mind.
[What a pity! Once Hong Yun leaves this time, he probably can't be saved.] [It's not that I don't want to save you! The conditions just won't allow it.]
As Liu Mang spoke, his gaze drifted between Zhen Yuanzi and Hou Tu as he began pondering.
[But how can I get Hou Tu to go to the Blood Sea with Zhen Yuanzi? This concerns whether the Earthly Dao can stand against Hong Jun.] [Right! There's also Ming He! That would make at least three Earthly Dao Saints. It's worth a try.]
"Fellow Daoist Hong Yun already knows of the dangers of the Hongmeng Purple Qi. What do you intend to do about it?"
Nu Wa did not respond to Hong Yun's words. Instead, she asked him a question.
Hong Yun froze. He had originally intended to leave after bidding Nu Wa farewell, but he had not expected her to bring up the Hongmeng Purple Qi again.
For a moment, he was caught off guard.
Hong Yun frowned and pondered for a moment. Then, as if relieved of a burden, he smiled openly at Nu Wa and said,
"Obtaining the Hongmeng Purple Qi was merely a fortunate coincidence. Although I know of its dangers, I have no direction toward attaining the Dao for the time being, so I have no other thoughts about it."
"As for the future..." Hong Yun thought for a moment before continuing, "We'll talk about it when the time comes." After saying that, Hong Yun ignored Nu Wa and turned to leave. As Nu Wa watched him go, a trace of confusion flashed through her eyes. She had always thought Hong Yun was cautious and careful. How could he give up so quickly? "You really are cautious, aren't you!"
Nu Wa did not answer after hearing Hong Yun's words. Instead, she looked at him with a serious expression, her brows slightly furrowed.
To be honest, this was precisely the kind of thinking Nu Wa feared Hong Yun would have.
If Hong Yun were desperate to use the Hongmeng Purple Qi to attain the Dao, Nu Wa would not be worried. In that case, Hong Yun would surely find a place to hide, and his safety would not be an issue.
But with this wait-and-see attitude, Hong Yun would definitely roam all over the place. Wasn't that simply giving Kunpeng an opportunity to strike?
Nu Wa could not help feeling speechless. "Liu Mang was right! This guy has some nerve. Carrying the Hongmeng Purple Qi around everywhere—if he doesn't run into disaster, who will?"
Hong Yun's indifferent attitude put Nu Wa in a difficult position. She did not know whether she should warn him.
Nu Wa's ambiguous attitude left Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi somewhat bewildered. The two exchanged a glance, and Zhen Yuanzi cautiously asked, "May I ask what guidance Saint Nu Wa has for us?"
After thinking for a moment, Nu Wa finally said, "After becoming a Saint, I made some deductions. Fellow Daoist Hong Yun, if you leave this time, you will face a calamity. If you cannot overcome it, your body and soul will perish, and you will not even have a chance at reincarnation."
[She can calculate even that? Are Saints really this awesome? Looks like I need to develop more cautiously in the future and stop taking risks!]
Liu Mang never would have imagined that Nu Wa had done all this based on his inner thoughts.
With this great tribulation approaching, the heavenly secrets were chaotic and unclear. Even Hong Jun could not accurately deduce the heavenly secrets, much less Nu Wa.
The reason Nu Wa knew so clearly was entirely because she had a cheat.
The key was that this cheat was a chatterbox. Without anyone even asking, it would babble on and on, constantly spilling everything.
There was no stopping it. Wasn't that infuriating?
Taking advantage of no one paying attention, Nu Wa shot Liu Mang an irritated glance.
Before Nu Wa.
"Is what Saint Nu Wa says true?"
Before Hong Yun could speak, Zhen Yuanzi asked anxiously and impatiently.
"Absolutely true."
"This..." Zhen Yuanzi could scarcely believe it. He turned toward Hong Yun, his face full of conflict.
The two had become friends when the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Races were born. They had supported one another through endless ages, and now that he had suddenly learned Hong Yun might perish, Zhen Yuanzi could not accept it.
"May I ask whether Saint Nu Wa has any method to resolve this? No matter what you want, I can give it to you—even the Earthly Book."
"Brother Zhen Yuanzi does not mean that a Saint covets the Earthly Book. He merely lost his composure for a moment. I hope Saint Nu Wa will forgive him."
As soon as Zhen Yuanzi finished speaking, Hong Yun hurriedly tried to smooth things over, afraid Nu Wa would blame Zhen Yuanzi for his improper words.
Nu Wa waved a hand, indicating that she did not mind.
Everyone in Hong Huang knew of the bond between Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi. It would not be an exaggeration to say they were closer than blood brothers.
Naturally, Nu Wa understood Zhen Yuanzi's feelings.
If Fu Xi were in such a situation, Nu Wa would also be willing to hand over the Rivers and Mountains Diagram in exchange for Fu Xi's life.
Only after hearing Hong Yun's words did Zhen Yuanzi realize the impropriety in his speech. With an apologetic expression, he bent and bowed to Nu Wa, then looked at her expectantly.
Nu Wa gazed at the horizon. Hong Jun's warning still echoed in her mind. Though she had learned from Liu Mang's inner thoughts that Kunpeng was the one who would act against Hong Yun, she could not say so. She did not know what consequences warning Hong Yun would bring.
Kunpeng, who had been listening to the three of them speak from the side, was trembling with fear. He was terrified that Nu Wa might deduce that he would make a move against Hong Yun.
Otherwise, he would have to face a joint assault from Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi. Escaping would not be a problem, but he would certainly suffer grave injuries.
Seeing Nu Wa remain silent, the expectation in Zhen Yuanzi's eyes slowly turned to disappointment before finally becoming unwillingness.
He clearly knew that Hong Yun might perish, yet he could do nothing about it.
He looked at Hong Yun and grabbed his arm, his face full of worry.
"Brother Hong Yun, come with me to Wuzhuang Temple! Stay there. I believe no one can break through the Earthly Book's defenses!"
In contrast, Hong Yun appeared carefree.
He patted Zhen Yuanzi's hand, signaling him not to worry. "Brother Zhen Yuanzi, why must you be like this? The death of body and soul is a common occurrence in Hong Huang. Besides, the heavenly way gives rise to forty-nine; there will always be a glimmer of life."
After soothing Zhen Yuanzi, Hong Yun turned to Nu Wa. "Saint Nu Wa's warning alone has earned Hong Yun's deepest gratitude. As for the rest, it depends on Hong Yun's own fortune!"
Nu Wa smiled at Hong Yun and nodded. "How one resolves a calamity depends entirely on one's heart."
Hong Yun froze, then gave a deep bow. He turned, pulled Zhen Yuanzi along, and departed. From afar, Zhen Yuanzi's unwilling voice could still be heard.
"Brother Hong Yun, we still haven't asked for a solution! Let me ask again!"
Ignoring Zhen Yuanzi's objections, Hong Yun dragged him away at great speed.
Not long after the two left, Ming He gave a slight bow without saying anything and turned to leave. If not for his witnessing Nu Wa attain the Dao, people might have believed he had come solely to deliver gifts.
Kunpeng watched Ming He leave, thought for a moment, then gave a slight bow and departed as well.
Before long, only the Ancestral Wu, the Three Pure Ones, Jieyin, Zhunti, and the others remained.
Before you continue