Liu Mang Becomes Tongtian's Disciple

"Huh?"

Yuanshi's gaze at Nu Wa faltered. "Junior Sister's look... it seems a little off?"

Just as he was about to figure it out, he was interrupted by a fawning voice.

"Senior Brother Yuanshi, what you said is not entirely correct."

Yuanshi turned to look at the speaker. Jieyin was slowly walking towards him, his dazzling golden light forcing Yuanshi to squint his eyes involuntarily.

Nu Wa took the opportunity while everyone's attention was elsewhere to let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Although she had never liked Jieyin much, she was now grateful to him.

If Jieyin hadn't spoken up and drawn Yuanshi's attention, her prying eyes would have been caught, and she wouldn't have been able to escape scrutiny.

Nu Wa glared at Liu Mang. "This unfilial son, always up to no good, thinking of all sorts of nonsense. And you, Yuanshi, is someone you can gossip about?"

After mentally scolding him, Nu Wa still felt indignant. She raised her hand and slapped Liu Mang again, leaving him utterly bewildered.

I was just watching the excitement, why did I get slapped?

"What are you looking at! Your massage is too light! Put more strength into it!"

Glared at and then slapped, Liu Mang was completely unaware of Nu Wa's true feelings. He genuinely thought he had been distracted by the drama and hadn't put enough effort into his shoulder massage.

He quickly and obsequiously increased the pressure, fearing another slap.

If Liu Mang had known that Nu Wa was angry because he had been caught watching the drama, he would have cried foul.

After all, Nu Wa had been just as engrossed and enthusiastic in her eavesdropping.

"Red flowers, white lotus roots, and green lotus leaves, the Three Pure Ones were originally one family. Now that you have Xuan Du, leave this nephew Liu Mang to our two brothers."

After Jieyin spoke, Zhunti chimed in, perfectly demonstrating the saying "brothers in arms."

"Junior Sister, although my Western lands are barren, we are willing to take Liu Mang as a disciple. If he is unwilling to be a disciple, it would be acceptable for him to be one of the three patriarchs in the West."

Jieyin and Zhunti had long held Liu Mang in high regard. Seeing that Yuanshi was also coveting Liu Mang, they quickly stepped forward.

Although Nu Wa had refused them when they wanted to take some of the Human Race back to the West before, it didn't stop them from having designs on Liu Mang.

Many in Hong Huang had rejected them. Nu Wa had only rejected them once; what was that compared to anything?

Moreover, whether Liu Mang would be taken was one thing, but the fact that they could disrupt the Three Pure Ones and thwart Yuanshi's plans was immensely satisfying.

After all, although the six of them were disciples of Hong Jun, the Three Pure Ones had always looked down on them.

Well, everyone looked down on them.

But while others saw it but didn't say it, Yuanshi was openly disdainful.

Now that an opportunity for revenge had presented itself, how could they not cherish it?

[Pah, you two are ugly and have grand ideas. You're just dreaming.]

[The Investiture of the Gods and Journey to the West Calamities, the ones who harmed my Human Race and my Mother the most are you two scoundrels.]

[You don't even know your own home is about to fall, do you? Luohu and his broken Demon Realm are probably still hiding in your Mount Sumeru in the West. And you have the nerve to scheme against me?]

[If you annoy me, I'll find time to release him and make sure you two miserable wretches don't survive.]

Yuanshi looked at Jieyin and Zhunti with disdain, as if they were two clowns performing a farce.

"These two are simply daydreaming, wanting Liu Mang to become their disciple. Nu Wa wouldn't even give you ordinary humans, so why would she give you Liu Mang? They should think carefully."

Yuanshi had been confident at first, but as Nu Wa's silence grew longer, he began to panic.

He looked at the smirking Jieyin and Zhunti and roared, "What are you two looking at? Do you want to fight us?"

"Senior Brother, don't be angry. Taking a disciple is a matter of mutual consent. Look, Junior Sister Nu Wa and nephew Liu Mang haven't even spoken yet. Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Hmph! I just can't stand seeing you smug little people."

In response to Yuanshi's scolding, Jieyin and Zhun just smiled faintly. They had heard worse, so this was nothing.

Little did they know, Nu Wa's silence wasn't due to deliberating Liu Mang's fate, but because of the information revealed in Liu Mang's inner thoughts.

She had initially thought Liu Mang was just casually saying Luohu was alive, but now that he even mentioned Luohu's location, it couldn't be baseless.

Moreover, when Hong Jun had claimed to have killed Luohu, he hadn't clearly explained Luohu's whereabouts before hastily proceeding with his Dao integration. Thus, everyone had harbored doubts about whether Luohu was truly dead.

"Luohu is on Mount Sumeru? That's actually possible! After all, the most dangerous place is often the safest. Even as the Dao Ancestor, after integrating with the Dao, I wouldn't think to look for Luohu in the place he stayed put. If he had the chance to escape, a normal person would have fled! I must say, he lives up to his reputation as a cunning strategist, possessing extraordinary courage."

"Do these two know about Luohu's existence? If they do, their schemes are too deep!"

Upon learning of Luohu's whereabouts, Nu Wa suddenly felt an urge to have Liu Mang apprentice himself to Jieyin. This way, she could not only ascertain whether Luohu was alive or dead but also determine if the Western duo had any connection to Luohu.

Given Liu Mang's personality, the first thing he would do upon returning to Mount Sumeru with Jieyin and Zhunti would be to release Luohu.

If Luohu were to fight Hong Jun again, even if he couldn't kill Hong Jun, he could at least wound him severely. This might even delay Hong Jun's Dao integration process.

Nu Wa's eyes gleamed brighter the more she thought about it, the more she felt this plan was feasible.

"However, if Luohu is released, Liu Mang's fate..."

Nu Wa looked at Liu Mang, who was massaging her legs beside her, her heart filled with conflict.

Jieyin, Zhunti, and Yuanshi had no idea that Nu Wa was internally contemplating whether to unleash the world's greatest devil.

Seeing Nu Wa with furrowed brows and a heavy expression, the two couldn't help but feel worried as well.

After a moment, Nu Wa looked up and smiled slightly at everyone.

"Thank you all for waiting."

"As for the matter of apprenticeship, Liu Mang should make his own decision. If he likes it, then so be it. I won't interfere."

Liu Mang looked up at Nu Wa's smile and felt a warmth spread through his heart. In the past, he only acted to survive. Now, someone cared about whether he liked it or not.

Liu Mang didn't know that he had just brushed past the gates of hell, though there weren't any gates of hell yet.

Looking at Liu Mang, who was lost in thought, Nu Wa reached out and stroked his head, chuckling softly. She murmured inwardly, You call me Mother, after all. What kind of mother sends her child to die!

[Staying alone in Hong Huang is clearly impossible! But if I have to choose a master, Yuanshi and Jieyin are not the best options!]

[Actually, Kunpeng and Di Jun are the most suitable. One has the Kunpeng Technique, and the other has the Golden Crow Transformation Rainbow Technique. Both are suitable for escaping! It's just that one wouldn't teach, and the other wouldn't be able to learn without Golden Crow bloodline.]

[That leaves only Tongtian!]

[Perfect! I, Liu Mang, should do what a rogue does! I want to cultivate the Lowly Dao!]

Hearing this, Nu Wa's right hand, which was stroking Liu Mang's head, paused. She considered whether to just strike him down with a palm, severing their mother-son connection.

"Damn it, I should have just sent you to your death! At least then, your reputation would sound better later on."

"Mother, I want to learn the Lowly Dao from Uncle-Master Tongtian!"

Tongtian, who had been idly watching from the side, heard Liu Mang's words, his eyes lit up, and he said proudly.

"Hmm, nephew has good taste. If you want to cultivate, cultivate the Sword Dao. No matter how many techniques or changes there are, I shall break them with a single sword!"

Tongtian's situation was truly a case of "wishing for flowers but they don't bloom, planting willows without intention but they grow into shade."

He hadn't said a word, yet he gained a disciple, and this disciple seemed quite pleasing to the eye.

"So, are you agreeing, Senior Brother Tongtian?" Nu Wa asked tentatively.

"Since nephew thinks highly of me, I won't refuse!" Tongtian waved his hand grandly. "I agree!"

"Greetings, Master!"

As soon as Tongtian finished speaking, Liu Mang prostrated himself before Tongtian, his entire body bowing down, with only his hands cupped and raised high above his head, just like when he asked Hong Jun for gifts.

Tongtian was stunned.

Pleasing to the eye, my ass! I was careless! Didn't see that coming!