The Register of Deities returned to its original place, abruptly halting the surging tide of historical change. The river of time calmed once more, flowing gently as before, with convergence and backlash resuming their normal course.
The towering, majestic figure of the Celestial Emperor and the deep, shadowy hall dissolved layer by layer, vanishing like a fleeting dream before the eyes of Tan Ping and the Water Ancestor.
Yet before Tan Ping could catch his breath or enlighten the Water Ancestor further, everything around him blurred into boundless darkness, devoid of any other presence.
He jolted awake, finding himself leaning against the Yellow Millet Pillow in a courtyard on Changmen Island. The previous ordeal, the heart-stopping moments, all seemed like a vivid dream—both real and unreal.
“Brother Tan, which era did you return to this time?” Xia Xiu, standing beside him, asked curiously, noting his unsettled expression.
Just as Tan Ping steadied himself and prepared to answer, the dim Yellow Millet Pillow suddenly cracked, disintegrating into fluttering fragments that scattered like butterflies before vanishing into thin air.
“The Yellow Millet Pillow is shattered!” Exclamations of dismay and disappointment filled the air.
Tan Ping shared similar emotions, but amidst the shock and regret, he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of relief. With the pillow destroyed, he could no longer return to the past, effectively severing the karmic ties with the figure from the Jade Void Palace—or the one who had impersonated them. No longer would he need to fear being caught in the schemes and conflicts of the Beyonders, facing a death so complete that even resurrection would be impossible.
The Yellow Millet Pillow had been both an opportunity and a burden!
This was something Xia Xiu and the others, still naive and inexperienced, could hardly comprehend. But Tan Ping understood deeply, especially after this journey through the deification era.
Taking a light breath, Tan Ping glanced around and clapped his hands with a laugh. “Good that it’s shattered! Opportunities are meant to be seized, not clung to. The most important thing is still one’s own cultivation.”
Xia Xiu, enlightened, sighed with mixed emotions. “You’re right. If we always relied on the Yellow Millet Pillow to grow, what would happen if we faced a situation like today when our roots are deeply entrenched? The consequences would be unimaginable. The martial path has different stages, each with its own opportunities. It’s our own efforts that connect them. Losing the Yellow Millet Pillow isn’t something to regret too much…”
The others sighed in agreement, reflecting on how the pillow had accelerated their cultivation over the years, which somewhat eased their sense of loss.
“Brother Tan, did you gain nothing this time?” Xia Xiu asked once the group had calmed down, eyeing Tan Ping with curiosity.
Tan Ping smiled faintly. “This time, I returned to the deification era and learned some divine abilities. That counts as a gain.”
Now he could openly use the inherited divine abilities from the Water Ancestor’s secret trove!
As for the true reward—returning to the past, meeting his former self, and enlightening him—wasn’t that achievement enough? It was an encounter many Creation-level divine ability users could only dream of!
After some discussion, Tan Ping addressed the group. “With the Yellow Millet Pillow gone, what are your plans? Will you stay on Changmen Island, or seek opportunities elsewhere in the East Sea?”
“I plan to join the Great Zhou,” Xia Xiu replied without hesitation. “The Human Emperor has issued a proclamation across the realm, seeking talents. He’s about to campaign against the Three Xiao Islands. If we can claim an island, we’ll share in the power of the human path.”
Tan Ping, who hadn’t paid much attention to the Human Emperor’s affairs lately, was momentarily stunned. A thought struck him—was this a prelude to another deification?
The East Sea was vast, with seven seas and twenty-eight realms at its edges alone. Many forces, like the Three Xiao Islands, either held out for better offers or opposed Gao Lan.
The Three Xiao Ladies had been resurrected with Meng Qi’s help and had repaid him generously, but the entire affair had been orchestrated by the “Lingbao Heavenly Lord.” Since the late ancient times, the “Lingbao Heavenly Lord” had been impersonated by the Golden Emperor, who thus held the greatest debt of gratitude for their resurrection.
After the truth was revealed, the Many Treasures Heavenly Lord chose neutrality, residing in the heavenly realm formed from his Dinghai Pearls. Meanwhile, the Three Xiao Ladies gathered remnants of the Lingbao lineage to aid the Golden Emperor in delaying Gao Lan’s unification of the East Sea.
Now, war between the two sides was imminent!
With no signs of direct intervention from Beyonders, recruiting strong allies and advancing steadily island by island seemed a sound strategy.
Seeing Tan Ping lost in thought, Xia Xiu pressed, “Brother Tan, will you join us?”
Join this war? Tan Ping hesitated.
Though it seemed within his capabilities, there was a significant risk of it escalating into a conflict between Beyonders, where the deaths of countless lesser beings would go unnoticed.
But in this calamitous era, how could one escape everything? Eventually, he would be forced to face tribulations. Growth required tempering—avoiding challenges would negate the purpose of reincarnation and cultivation!
After a long silence, he nodded slowly. “Alright.”
—
In the Jade Void Palace, adorned with lanterns and banners, the wedding of He Mu and Jiu Li was underway with great pomp.
Guests included the mighty figures of the Jade Void lineage—Guangchengzi, Manjusri, Yuding Zhenren—along with their disciples, as well as demonic sages like the Bull Demon King, the Roc Demon King, and the Peacock Demon King Tai Li. The wedding became a grand gathering where the elites of both factions exchanged toasts and discussed the Dao.
At the auspicious hour, the Jade Pure Hall opened, revealing Meng Qi and Gu Xiaosang seated on a cloud dais, their heads haloed by perfect, luminous orbs, surrounded by golden lamps and jeweled tassels.
The atmosphere turned solemn as He Mu and Jiu Li entered hand in hand, bowing every three steps to express gratitude to their master.
Among the crowd, one gaze was fixed not on the couple but on the Bull Demon King—Nezha, his eyes burning with hidden fury.
After years of investigation, he had finally confirmed that the Bull Demon King was the one who had grievously wounded his master, Taiyi Zhenren, during the “Demon Rampage” era, preventing his breakthrough and leading to his eventual demise in the late ancient times.
As a Creation-level being, the Bull Demon King sensed Nezha’s glare but dismissed it with a scoff. The alliance between the Jade Void Palace and the demonic race was inevitable—what trouble could Nezha possibly stir?
Besides, Taiyi Zhenren’s failure to break through had been his own doing. Even without the Bull Demon King’s interference, the outcome would have been the same. Otherwise, the Jade Void’s leader, Su Meng, would have long since reversed time to prevent it.
The wedding proceeded smoothly, with guests and hosts alike in high spirits.
But all festivities must end. As the guests departed, Nezha returned to his abode, seething with resentment, his spear resting across his knees.
Suddenly, a verdant light flashed in his mind, revealing an illusion: a swaying bodhi tree, beneath which stood Han Guang in loose robes, holding a wondrous branch.
“What do you want?” Nezha narrowed his eyes.
Han Guang smiled leisurely. “To offer you an opportunity—one that requires no repayment, for you already know what it is and the consequences of seizing it.”
Nezha sat up straight.
—
After leaving the Jade Void Palace, the Bull Demon King did not return to the demonic lands. Instead, he transformed into a burly man in green robes and descended upon a remote island in the East Sea.
A lover of women, he had been deprived during his long imprisonment beneath Mount Ling. With his former consorts long dead, he had only recently found a new paramour.
The island was secluded, adorned with exotic blooms and fragrant scents. The Bull Demon King entered the cave dwelling without knocking, striding straight to the bedchamber, where a beauty lay in slumber, draped in sheer gauze, her flushed face hinting at untold dreams.
Gulping, the Bull Demon King took a sip from a teacup on the table before approaching the bed.
After their passionate union, he lay back contentedly, his thick arm around the beauty.
Then his expression twisted in alarm—his strength was vanishing! “What have you done?” he roared. “Who are you?”
The beauty smiled faintly. “This humble one was once a handmaiden under Guanyin Bodhisattva. After misinterpreting the scriptures, I left to establish my own lineage, gaining some renown under the Celestial Emperor’s patronage.”
“You’re the Joy Bodhisattva! What does the Celestial Emperor want?” The Bull Demon King realized with horror that all his “other selves” had lost their power.
“Thanks to the Celestial Emperor’s decree, the Mystic Maiden lineage sheltered my teachings. How could I disobey his will now?” The beauty’s eyes gleamed with allure. “The tea contained the ‘Three Lifetimes Forgetfulness Water,’ and my ‘Yin Seed’ alone is harmless—even beneficial. But together, they render you briefly under my control.”
“As for your killer…” She rose gracefully, donned her gauze, and walked barefoot to the cave entrance, opening the door.
Outside stood Nezha, his face dark with fury.
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