Chapter 212: Afraid of Hardship

Zhou Yi closed the treasured scroll in his hand, a dark glint flashing in his eyes; this spirit bead is not the prelude of Nezha, the one who stirs the Great Calamity in later legends? He kept his manners: "Since the Holy Mother summons, I shall obey."

While the two rode the clouds, he deliberately or inadvertently chatted with the child about Honghuang anecdotes, and the inexperienced spirit bead listened with yearning.

Entering the main hall of Nüwa Palace, Zhou Yi solemnly bowed to the elegantly dressed woman on the cloud platform.

The Human Race still enshrines a mural of the Holy Mother creating humanity in the ancestral temple, and this blood‑line bond makes his rites especially devout.

After the spirit bead stepped down, Nüwa stared at the figure on the steps for a long time, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the turtle shell in her sleeve; Zhou Yi's soul‑light ripples were exactly like the fragments of heavenly insight that scattered when his brother Mi Xi fell from the heavens.

"Human Race leader Zhou Yi, you are indeed outstanding. In just a few hundred years you have brought the Human Race to this scale; that is no small feat."

Nüwa's indifferent voice echoed through the Great Hall as her fingertips lightly tapped the jade throne's armrest, "Do you know why I summoned you today?"

Zhou Yi clasped his hands and said, "I would never dare to guess the Holy Mother's thoughts carelessly."

In truth he had already anticipated part of the reason, but feigning ignorance now was the safest.

A faint, barely perceptible smile flickered in Nüwa's eyes; such a thought cannot stay hidden before the Saint, yet she did not intend to expose it.

"Dao Ancestor today has gathered the Six Saints to discuss the aftermath of the war between witches and liches. Jieyin and Zhunti, those two bald donkeys, made the proposal."

Nüwa, upon saying that, suddenly cleared her throat and corrected herself, "The two Western Saints propose restricting the Human Race's quasi‑saints to avoid repeating past mistakes."

Dao Ancestor has decided to relocate the Human Race's quasi‑saints to Fire‑Cloud Cave; they may not emerge except in times of existential crisis.

Zhou Yi showed a perfectly timed surprise, while a cold sneer lingered in his mind.

Zhunti and Jieyin have been scheming the Six Realms of Reincarnation for ages, and they absurdly think they can shape events by restricting the Human Race's strong ones—truly laughable.

Not to mention that Tai Qing Saint had long plotted, but even Yuanshi Tianzun knows they dared to seize the merit of his own disciple, and he would likely storm Mount Sumeru directly.

"Since this is Dao Ancestor's decree, the Human Race must comply," Zhou Yi replied plainly.

He knew the Human Race's development had drawn the Heavenly Dao's attention; though not yet feared, Dao Ancestor clearly intends to exclude the Human Race from the sealing Great Calamity.

Nüwa suddenly changed tack: "One more thing. The River Diagram and Luo Script, you have it, don't you?"

Though a question, his tone was resolute. The Saint, snapping his fingers, could discern heavenly insight; such a knowingly asked question must carry deep meaning.

"Reporting to the Holy Mother, when the Demon Emperor Qun fell in battle, the River Diagram and Luo Script indeed came into my hands. Coincidentally, the Demon Emperor had just breathed his last, and the Demon Master Great Peng Bird rushed to seize the treasure, giving me the perfect opportunity," Zhou Yi said, gesturing as he spoke.

He had already calculated this matter; before arriving at Nüwa Palace he expected the Saint would inquire about this treasure.

"That same overgrown Great Peng Bird again? If you encounter that traitor in the future, be sure to cut the weed at the roots!" Nüwa's tone carried chill as she slammed her tea cup down heavily.

Zhou Yi discerned the Saint's complicated feelings toward the Demon Race's former members; although she is the Human Race's Holy Mother, she is originally of the Demon Race and cannot fully let go of her kinship.

That Great Peng Bird habitually engages in meddlesome affairs, no wonder it disgusts the Saint.

Nüwa gently brushed her sleeve and changed the subject: "The River Diagram and Luo Script is no ordinary artifact; it has a great destiny with my brother Mi Xi. I summoned you today for that reason, but rest assured, I will not take your belongings for nothing."

As she spoke, her fingertips lightly tapped the desk, "Whether you seek the spirit treasure or the destiny, just speak."

Zhou Yi knew full well that this artifact was the key to Mi Xi's reincarnation and enlightenment. If the Saint truly demanded it, relying solely on the merit of creating humanity and repairing the heavens, the Human Race could not refuse. By negotiating now, she has already granted this princess ample face.

"I heard that mastering the River Diagram and Luo Script can comprehend the primordial Eight Trigrams; is the Holy Mother paving the way for Lord Mi Xi's reincarnation?" Zhou Yi deliberately tore the paper window, speaking while watching the Saint's expression.

Nüwa chuckled lightly at the remark: "What a clever spirit. Indeed, though my brother lost his flesh in the calamity, he gained the chance to attain enlightenment in the world."

As she spoke, her fingertips gathered a wisp of clear qi, "He will soon be reborn into the Human Race; once his merit is complete, he can return to the Saintly throne. This River Diagram and Luo Script is the key to enlightenment."

"The key to my brother's enlightenment lies entirely within that River Diagram and Luo Script," Nüwa declared bluntly.

Zhou Yi replied bluntly: "You created our Human Race; logically we should have all our wishes granted. But have you considered? Even if one attains the true fruit of the Heavenly Dao, spending a lifetime confined in the Ten Thousand Fire Cave is no different from imprisonment."

The candlelight in the hall flickered, casting shifting expressions on the two.

Mi Xi's reincarnation as the Human Race's leader was a destiny ordained by heaven; upon fulfillment he could not only reach the pinnacle of quasi‑sainthood but also enjoy the protective aura of the Human Race's fortune, appearing boundlessly glorious.

Yet, as Zhou Yi said, no matter how many benefits there are, one cannot escape a lifetime of imprisonment.

"What does it matter to become a Saint? To those Heavenly Dao Saints, a quasi‑saint is still just an ant," Zhou Yi pressed further.

He noticed Nüwa's fingertips tremble slightly; even Saints have limits, a truth they both understood.

Nüwa sighed lightly: "Ensuring his safety during the Great Calamity is already the best outcome." Though she said so, her tone carried resignation.

"Hold on!" Zhou Yi suddenly produced a turtle shell, "Can we first shield the heavenly insight? I have a new idea."

Nüwa stared in astonishment at this audacious Human Race leader, waved her hand and erected a separating barrier.

The palace beyond the thirty‑three layers of heaven was instantly shrouded in Chaos mist, even the Heavenly Dao's laws struggled to penetrate.

No one thereafter knew the content of their private discussion; all that was known was that when Zhou Yi departed, the primordial treasure remained tucked in his bosom.

Walking the cloud path, Zhou Yi felt the River Diagram and Luo Script in his sleeve and thought to himself: Nüwa's attitude today is unusually abnormal.

Though he is a co‑ruler of the Human Race, before the Saint he remains a junior. Why would she patiently listen to his lengthy words?

And even at the end…

A distant thunderclap interrupted his thoughts; Zhou Yi shook his head with a wry smile. He has not yet even brushed the threshold of quasi‑sainthood, so speculating on the Saint's intentions is indeed premature.

He quickened his stride, his robes fluttering as he passed through the twelve layers of cloud sea.

As Zhou Yi's front foot just stepped out of Nüwa Palace's gate, Master Miao Le was already waiting outside.

The Great Disciple of the Tai Qing Saint smiled as he spoke, "The Venerable Master has specially ordered me to escort you to the Tai Qing Realm for a visit."

Nv Wa Sheng Ren had only summoned this Human Race leader, and in the blink of an eye it was the Tai Qing Saint's turn to invite him.

While traversing the thirty‑three layers of heaven, Master Miao Le spoke of the Human Race's recent state: "Since the war between witches and liches ended, the myriad races of Honghuang have perished, yet our Human Race's vital energy remains untouched. This is all thanks to Dao Brother's strategic planning; now our foundation in Honghuang still holds weight."

His words were full of praise.

Zhou Yi shook his head with a wry smile: "Our foundation is still shallow! Even counting, there are barely a hundred Great Luo Golden Immortals, and quasi‑saint combat power is even fewer. Now, with Dao Ancestor's new decree, the Human Race's quasi‑saints must relocate to the Ten Thousand Fire Cave to take charge; without these pillars, the days ahead will surely be hard."

Master Miao Le was stunned by the words. The Ten Thousand Fire Cave prohibition means that unless the Human Race faces extinction, its quasi‑saints may not intervene in mortal affairs.