Chapter 467: You're playing me?!

Who am I?

Where am I?

What am I doing?

Nüwa fell into the three consecutive questions of life's confusion.

Her entire divine being was dazed.

Director... Wind Director... Great Director Fengxi!

The script you wrote earlier is totally unreliable, hey!

What happened to the plan to strategize within the tent and win victories thousands of miles away?

What about Fengxi's brilliant plan to set the heavens and earth, aiding Nüwa and Pangu's great success?

What about the plan to cleverly borrow external power, balance the situation, let Donghua and the Dragon Ancestor fight like snipe and clam, so that the fisherman Nüwa profits?

Your script collapsed right at the beginning, ah!

Nüwa's lovely face formed an utterly embarrassed expression.

Her mood right now is torn, troubled, almost... uh, not 'egg' but chest pain.

Once.

She also wondered whether she might have stepped into some trap.

——If everything goes smoothly.

The Dragon Ancestor keeps blabbering that Donghua and Fuxi are impure……Could it be that Nüwa has no suspicions?

Impossible!

After all, she knows better than anyone what kind of person this god Fuxi is, how cruel his methods are.

And what about Fengxi?

Yet he spoke up for Donghua, letting him enter the core of humanity's rights, and even urged Nüwa to make a huge promise, granting him title and authority!

Nüwa had considered a very dangerous possibility——

Donghua, Fuxi, and Fengxi, due to their interests, reached some kind of cooperation agreement.

Then she would be very passive.

That's why Nüwa always harbors some wariness in her heart.

If everything proceeded as smoothly and 'reasonably' as the script…… Nüwa pondered whether she should appropriately increase her oversight.

But now……

Don't even mention oversight.

Nüwa even has to rush to ask Donghua to join the human race.

Just because……

'Every term of the Heavenly Court, the Heavenly Emperor and Heavenly Sovereign who hold power are all not doing human affairs, they're not anything!'

Nüwa, recalling the speculation from Fengxi's report and the firsthand information from another intelligence channel, let out a long sigh in her heart.

'Sowing discord, borrowing a knife to kill, doing it so eagerly……'

'And that Dragon Ancestor fellow…… Well, I basically don't expect him to resist temptation, to restrain his own ambition, everything for the greater good……'

Nüwa, feeling bitter in her heart, thought: 'If the Heavenly Court is mighty and overbearing, demanding that our side be destroyed within a certain time, perhaps they could still assess the situation and present a united front outward.'

'But right now, the Heavenly Court is setting a trap, dropping little baits, showing so-called sincerity—sacrificing a thousand minor demons to exchange for the human race's fire-master resources being taken by the dragon masters eight hundred, until the already not weak dragon masters achieve balance with the fire masters, allowing them to disregard orders……'

'This is just too disgusting!'

'That Dragon Ancestor fellow, even if he clearly knows the inside story, will jump in with self-righteous justification, even saying over and over—he's doing it for the greater good!'

'The unfair part is, I can't even refute it!'

Indeed, I can't refute it.

After all……has the Heavenly Court's power decreased?

Yes, it has decreased.

Even though it's actually not even worth mentioning as hurting muscles and bones, just reducing some superficial aspects……If one's scruples were even lower, perhaps not even those superficial aspects could be mentioned.

The Donghua Emperor's reforms, aside from slaughtering demon heads in droves, also involved many who were exiled or imprisoned.

By then, deploying these guys……Look, a penal battalion made up of death-row inmates and criminals—what's that, a big deal?!

Will the Heavenly Court feel heartache?

No!

It might even secretly be pleased——eliminating so many obstacles and stumbling blocks that would hinder the Heavenly Court's governance, and even giving the Heavenly Court's strategic deployment a positive meaning, a win-win situation!

Of course, the loss of this precious labor force will still be regretted by the high ranks of the Demon Race.

On the other hand, whether the fire masters profit is uncertain, but the dragon masters are sure to gain greatly……establishing a formidable image, contending for influence within the Wu Clan, winning over the people……roughly speaking, saying the human race profits is no problem, right?

Despite the underlying scheming, the top levels know what's going on……but the people below don't have a clue!

Moreover, it's impossible to explain it clearly to the people below——wouldn't that just expose the top's contradictions, leaving no room for easing things?

If a scheming demon meddles, the split between humans and dragon masters could happen any day.

Thus, all we can do is stay silent, vaguely talking about 'human-dragon friendship'.

Nüwa pondered a bit, feeling disgusted enough.

With the mindset of 'you disgust me, so I'll disgust you'……

'That corner of Donghua's wall, I've pried it loose!'

'No one can stop it……my word as Nüwa!'

Nüwa's eyes suddenly blazed, as if two fires burned inside——this is an exceedingly lofty fighting spirit!

She ignited!

"Eh!"

"Donghuang, listen to me!"

Nüwa regrouped, temporarily putting Fengxi's script aside, turned and became a life mentor, letting the laid-back youth—Emperor of the Eastern Heaven—rekindle his passion for divine life!

Young person, how can you lack the will and determination to strive?

No matter what, you must give it your all.

Laid-back?

Absolutely not! Absolutely not!

Don't be like those petty cultivators in some minor worlds who are all laid-back, having no desires or pursuits for anything in reality, only wanting to be happy, just getting by, not having children, not buying houses, even the original intention of cultivation is just to avoid grains, not having to worry about food and labor issues... randomly finding a tiny corner, hooking up to virtual reality games, indulging in entertainment to death...

All like this, lacking passion and drive—who will build the era and the world? All sorts of old-age social welfare pits, who will take them over? How can bosses happily increase their wealth—without your efforts this year, how can I replace my car with a luxury one next year?

"To be a god, one must have dreams!"

Nüwa jumped up, in a single leap stood before the Emperor of the Eastern Heaven, slapped her palm on the table, looking down on him from above, with a small dried fish dangling from her mouth—like holding a cigarette.

At this moment, Nüwa, at first glance, seemed like a domineering CEO, discussing ideals with Donghuang, urging him to perk up!

In response, Donghuang drooped his eyelids, half-asleep, leaning limp against the Grand Minister of Destiny's exclusive throne.

"—Go ahead, lecture me as much as you like."

If I take it in, then I lose!

He demonstrated his attitude with concrete actions.

Nüwa also didn't get angry, she enthusiastically expounded her words, commenting on state affairs.

"Pangu, this is the greatest ideal pursuit of every one of us Great Luo!"

"Achieving Dao as a Great Luo, the fruition's divine light illuminates all time and space; once proven, eternally proven; once achieved, eternally achieved."

"But just this alone is still not enough!"

"People differ from each other, and Great Luo differ from Great Luo as well!"

"Some people can have countless people around them call them 'dad', hoping to leak some money from their hands."

"The same goes for Great Luo!"

"That is the god of gods, the saint of saints, the father and mother of all divinities!"

"Without saying anything else, just that gives you face!"

"Furthermore."

"Pangu is also the ultimate condensation of personal pursuits, ideological dreams, spiritual nature, and so on—a series of things!"

"My Dao commands the era; my heart bears all beings... embracing all, bearing all, writing eternal brilliance, the highest honor of life's value!"

"Isn't such a cause a thousand, ten thousand times more sublime than what you currently do for the human Dao?"

Nüwa earnestly taught, arousing fighting spirit; her words carried the feeling of 'hate iron for not becoming steel': "For the sake of humanity and all beings, aren't you willing to give it a try?"

"No matter the final success rate."

"At the very least, by then you can tell yourself—"

"In this era, you have not wasted your time, but have devoted yourself to a greatest undertaking!"

"……"

Nüwa spoke a lot.

From tangible benefits; from the practice of pursuing personal ideals; from transcendent mental satisfaction... she covered all aspects she could speak of.

She genuinely acted as a life mentor once, just as her brother once coaxed her to work hard.

As Nüwa spoke, a thought flickered, and she recalled the past.

"Old brother... there are only twelve double-hours in a day, why do I have to work a thirteen double-hour shift?" the naive girl asked.

Across from her, Fuxi's dragon tail stood high and straight, yet his face was solemn.

"Nüwa!"

"I had you do this job; did you think it was for my older brother?"

"You did it for all the people of the world!"

"Only someone like you, who has mastered the Way of Creation, can perfectly transform all vital matter into what is needed, build great factories, accelerate the development of human civilization... this concerns the happiness and well-being of all the people of the world!"

"As an innate divinity, from the moment of birth you received the blessing of the entire Honghuang universe; on the path of cultivation, heaven and earth constantly aid you, allowing you to stand out, relying on strength to enjoy all the good life you can enjoy, being crowned king..."

"Since we are kings, ruling over a domain, we must have conscience and social responsibility, bearing what we can bear..."

"Come."

"Each day work an extra double-hour, until the construction goal of this stage's hundredfold assembly is achieved..."

……

Nüwa, thinking of the past, felt a chill despite no cold.

On one hand, she was frantic—back then, with shallow cultivation, her older brother coaxed her, exploited her labor, sacrificed her personal freedom.

On the other hand, she couldn't help but feel grateful... although her brother's deeds were not proper, his teachings by word and deed gave her many correct worldviews, and massive work experience honed her abilities, ultimately giving her today's formidable strength.

Of course, gratitude is gratitude.

When the time comes for sibling showdown, she will not show mercy!

However.

Fuxi is undoubtedly the big boss; without becoming Pangu, he fundamentally lacks the qualifications to challenge.

For this dream, therefore...

Nüwa quickly played her rhetoric to the fullest, vigorously urging the Emperor of the Eastern Heaven: don't be a salted fish, rise up!

However...

Donghuang is impervious to both soft and hard approaches.

Even if Nüwa spoke frankly — you, Donghua, have achieved great merit that shocks the ruler; Di Jun, in order to secure the heir's position, after usurping your achievements, you might well encounter disaster…

Donghua also didn't care at all.

This is also exactly like Nüwa back then, who relied on the Empress's real estate to build a huge empire, connecting countless Daluo, with immeasurable wealth, beneath one person, above all gods; as for Fuxi's words, she simply treated them as wind in the ear.

He stopped working, and his life began to lie flat.

Work?

In this lifetime, it's impossible to work again!

I want to enjoy life!

You keep beep-beeping in my ear…… I, I, I can't beat you.

But!

A turtle chanting scriptures, I won't listen, I won't listen!

Not only do I not listen.

I'll also do as I please — today a banquet for all gods, tomorrow touring with hundreds of goddesses, the day after that I'll go to the North Sea to catch a Kun, and the day after that I'll rotate back!

For now.

The Donghua Emperor already shows signs of this.

No matter how Nüwa wears out her mouth speaking, he remains unmoved.

At this moment.

Nüwa spontaneously understood how Fuxi felt at certain moments back then…… heart attack, blood pressure rising, so she stroked the guqin and played a piece to calm her fright.

……

"I am utterly desperate."

Nüwa sighed in her heart.

Faced with Donghua, who is impervious to reason and just lazes about waiting to die, she truly had no way.

She wasted so much breath, not even a bit of positive feedback…

Back then we agreed to advance and retreat together, signed an offensive-defensive alliance, Donghua would infiltrate the Demon Race as an insider, and at the right time split the middle tier of the Heavenly Court, in response to the Wu Clan's great victory over the Demon Race?

Has your heart changed so quickly?

Well…… saying you changed heart isn't entirely accurate, after all there's no transferring affection; you've fully committed to the Heavenly Court's camp and then struck a blow to the heart.

But you look like you've renounced the world, retreated into the empty gate, indifferent to worldly right and wrong, with not a trace of lingering attachment…… what are you playing at?

Nowadays the empty gate…… it isn't empty at all!

The Buddhist gate's grand vows are lending, booming, all kinds of grand vows issued, strange and strange concept financing and listing…… all are busy making money!

The empty gate isn't empty — where can you flee to?

Nüwa's heart is very weary.

She tried hard to persuade Donghua, but having suffered such a great defeat, she was almost affected in reverse, feeling that even worldly right and wrong, the Pangu struggle, are nothing much, not worth worrying about.

"Ah……"

Nüwa sighed deeply, her brows and eyes full of weariness.

When opposing Hongjun, when opposing the Heavenly Court, she had never felt this weary; now she does.

"I've said all I can say."

Nüwa slowly exhaled, "The words have come to this — since you have no heart for the Pangu struggle, relinquishing rank and rights, wanting to withdraw from the mire, withdraw from the competition……"

"As a comrade-in-arms, I feel regret, I feel heartache."

"But on the other hand, I also feel happy for you, feel light."

"After all, with your strength as a guarantee, as long as you're not greedy or contentious, and withdraw completely, no one will come to provoke you."

"Even if you were once enemies, Gonggong would also give up pursuing the blood debt."

Nüwa calmed her emotions, "This is also everyone's consensus…… otherwise a Pangu Way dispute would leave countless blood feuds, and in the years to come you'd settle scores with me and I with you, and no one could happily play."

"The victors will not allow the losers to re-enter the fray; they will surely suppress them until the end of time……"

Nüwa said, her face somewhat relaxed, "Your choice like this…… perhaps…… is not bad."

"I take my leave."

She stood tall, slightly nodded in indication, and with grace was about to leave.

The negotiation failed; Nüwa must consider other methods to counter the Heavenly Court's underhanded tactics.

She turned and strode toward the hall's exterior.

However, just at this moment.

"Good, I agree!"

(End of chapter)