Chapter 754: Nüwa: Sitting at Home, the Pot Comes from Heaven!

The divine object Everlasting Soil naturally proliferates, never diminishing.

It anchors a portion of Great Luo's traits, especially in the corresponding professional field, making it nearly equivalent to having a top-tier Great Luo presiding over it!

Heavenly River and Weak Water flow endlessly; facing them, Everlasting Soil can likewise evolve infinitely. This is not only a confrontation of the Five Elements, but also a strategic contest between humanity and the Heavenly Court.

Whichever wind direction prevails will determine the future trend.

As of now, after nine years of evolution, Everlasting Soil proves reliable, and Gong's flood control has been quite successful.

After all...

If it weren't successful, Gong wouldn't have been engaged in flood control for nine straight years.

A project that shows no result after nine years would long ago have been labeled a failure; its overseer would have been driven out—how could anyone retain their position?

Naturally, there must be achievements, and some results have indeed appeared.

And with achievements comes reputation—moreover, Gong's theft of Everlasting Soil, which benefits all beings, is in itself immense merit!

As flood control progressed smoothly, Gong was beloved by countless commoners, gradually becoming a king without being crowned, a lord without being appointed, and was honored as 'Lord Chong'!

Chong signifies nobility and prosperity.

Yet Lord Chong never felt joy or pleasure; bearing his wounded body, he toiled day and night for flood control, exhausting his divine power to spur the growth of Everlasting Soil, causing his flesh to wither and his frame to grow gaunt—only his eyes shone brilliantly, like the brightest torch of hope.

He calmly watched the great river surge, facing many comrades who followed him in flood control; while everyone else reveled in the anticipation of success, Gong whispered softly, 'I sense an ominous feeling… perhaps my campaign and life will come to an end.'

'What are you saying?' his young admirer exclaimed, shocked and incredulous, 'How could you meet with misfortune?'

"What are you saying?" the young man who admired him exclaimed, shocked and incredulous, "How could you have met with misfortune?"

'I wish to live as well.' Gong raised his head, his gaze warm and calm; he stood atop Feather Mountain, the very place where the Eastern Heaven Emperor had perished, where a supreme divine being had once been buried—now, as his flood control reached this point, a vague foreboding arose within him.

"I... also wish to live." Gong raised his head, his gaze gentle and calm; he stood atop Mount Yu, which was also where the Eastern August Emperor had perished, where a supreme divine adept had been buried; now, having come here to control the waters, he suddenly felt an ominous premonition.

He did not bother to calculate or investigate the murderer's motives… for Gong knew exactly whose path he had blocked, and who would seek to take his life.

At Gong's present stature, the circle is truly too small.

A quick reckoning of gains and losses makes friends and foes clear enough.

'Too bad, someone does not wish to see me succeed in flood control while alive.' Gong chuckled, 'It's been nine years.'

'The Heavenly Court can no longer restrain itself.'

'The Bird Master still falls short… unable to block the Heavenly Court's infiltration and pressure.'

'My flood control strategy, amid changing variables, has run into trouble… if there is a successor, he must understand——'

'The trouble with flood control lies not only in damming the Weak Water, but also in exterminating the chaotic sprites, lest they join forces……'

'These sprites are like nails driven into the veins of the Eastern Barbarians, disrupting the flow of their lifelines…… the Heavenly Court's intent to destroy humanity never dies!'

'Lord Chong's eyes burned bright and fearsome—'No gentle façade can hide their desire to devour people!''

'They speak of peaceful coexistence and upholding cosmic stability, yet they pour military strength onto the roads, blockading every thoroughfare…… they claim to seek exchange and development with the Eastern Barbarians, yet never withdraw even a single elite unit……'

"They speak of peaceful coexistence and maintaining cosmic stability, yet they scatter military strength, blockading every vital transport route... claiming to want to exchange and develop with the Eastern Barbarians, yet they have not withdrawn even a single elite unit..."

'They seek peace through compromise, yet have already lost sovereignty…… it seems that, without developing military forces, without planning armed power, focusing solely on economic development can indeed achieve great leaps—but what difference is there between that and fish on a chopping block?'

'They are merely fattened pigs; when those with ill intent come to reap, they possess not the slightest power to resist, let alone the qualification to defend their dignity.'

'Only the path of the Fire Master and the Cloud Master can thoroughly save the present Eastern Barbarians…… humanity, after all, is one!'

Gong sighed softly, causing the youth who listened to his teachings to feel uneasy, 'Lord Chong, you……'

'Leave this place first.' Gong interrupted him, calmly arranging his affairs, 'Take with you a fire seed like yours, depart as normally and unobtrusively as possible, and also take this portion of Everlasting Soil, this personal insight of mine on flood control……'

"Leave this place first..." Gong interrupted his words, calmly arranging the aftermath, "Take with you the same fire seed as yours, depart as normally and unobtrusively as possible, and also take this portion of fertile earth, this personal insight of mine on water control..."

Gong spoke in a faint, lingering tone.

'Lord Chong, is someone trying to harm you?!' the young follower, straining to control his anger, declared, 'We will surely lay down our lives to protect you!'

'Useless.' Gong shook his head, 'The force that comes to kill me cannot be blocked by your passionate sacrifice.'

'In that case, it is better to bring hope to the four directions…… moreover, on humanity's struggle to rise, there ought to be a sacrifice of sufficient weight, so that people may fully understand——no compromise!'

'Perhaps…… such an awakening could unseal that thing……' Gong murmured to himself, as if lost in his own world, 'What I originally brought out from Nüwa's Palace was not merely Everlasting Soil……'

'Too bad, I have never found the way to activate it; I can only vaguely sense that it relates to the spirit, is a great sacrifice, a great resolve, a burial of the old, and the opening of a new era……'

Gong, like an old man experiencing a final burst of lucidity, chattered on about his innermost thoughts, leaving the young follower in tears as he took notes.

Thereafter, in silent stillness, a small retreat maneuver unfolded; a fire seed was taken away, moved about under normal dispatch.

Thereafter, in utter silence, a slight withdrawal maneuver unfolded; a fire seed was departing, being moved by ordinary dispatch.

'Boom!'

On Gong's forward path, an anomaly occurred!

Immense killing intent erupted suddenly, severing the road ahead!

Gong halted his steps, yet showed no surprise—'As expected.'

He calmly turned back, gazing behind…… but the road behind was also cut off!

He turned back calmly, gazing rearward... the road behind, too, was cut off!

The void shattered layer by layer, Chaos surged tumultuously, endless slaughtering power rose to heavenward, front and back responded in kind, as if seeking to isolate this tiny fragment of spacetime from the normal flow, to carve out a momentary yet eternal time loop, here to bury a human sage, to slay him into oblivion for all eternity, erasing every trace of his former existence!

The void shattered layer by layer, Chaos surged and roiled, endless slaughtering power rose heavenward, before and after echoing each other, as if seeking to isolate this tiny fragment of spacetime from the normal flow, demarcating a moment that was fleeting yet eternal—a time loop—here to bury a human sage, to slay him into oblivion for all ages, erasing every trace of his former existence.

'Heavenly Court…… indeed you have come.'

Gong commanded his troops…… but they were few, for unbeknownst to him many had already departed.

At the same time, they were not wholly united…… this was deliberate, many being problematic, of doubtful allegiance, or harboring ill intent.

At the same time, it was not so united... this was deliberate; most were problematic, of dubious allegiance, harboring ill intent.

Having retained the fire seed, the rest…… let them die; there was no need to worry about anything.

He considered himself a decisive killer in slaughter, too lazy to engage in any work of education or repentance.

He saw himself as a ruthless person decisive in killing and fighting, too lazy to bother with any work of educating and urging repentance.

Though trapped in a desperate situation, he remained calm as ever; Gong looked toward the four directions, "I don't know which friend of the Heavenly Court has come to make things difficult for me?"

The Heavenly Court… is this how you make friends with the Dongyi?

You dare to kill an ally, a senior minister and a capable general?

I don't know who in the future would dare to establish relations with you.

Gong gave a light laugh.

"Nonsense!" In a mist of killing intent, a demon god slowly stepped out; he was immensely powerful, the four directions trembled under his demonic aura, myriad ways guarded him, the vast weak waters cheered his arrival, chanting a name.

— Wu Zhiqi!

"Gong!"

You don't need to frame me!

I came here not to destroy relations as you say.

The demon god Wu Zhiqi said coldly, "I am only here to investigate your theft!"

You stole the Heavenly Court's divine object; now you must return it!

Xirang, hand it over!

The demon god extended his hand, spreading it toward Gong.

"You say I stole, so I stole?" Gong let out a bitter laugh, "I even said all of Honghuang is mine; why don't you pay me rent?"

Gong, you needn't quibble… Everyone knows that Xirang is the holy object of Lady Nüwa." Wu Zhiqi sneered, "And I, as one of the Heavenly Court's four sovereigns, Lady Nüwa holds that rank."

Gong, you took what you shouldn't have, taken without permission; this is unreasonable under heaven.

Relations are relations, law is law!

Sentiment may be tolerated, but law cannot!

At this moment, I come representing Nüwa Majesty!

Wu Zhiqi's words rang out with immense justice and dignity.

— Gong, don't keep framing me!

— Wanting to kill you has nothing to do with the Heavenly Court's interests.

— It's Nüwa who wants to kill you!

— I came here voluntarily, just to seek justice for Nüwa!

— I am a volunteer!

Even when doing wrong, one must have a just cause.

Nüwa's great banner is now raised high… although the girl is surely bewildered.

— She never authorized it.

However, her opinion… no longer matters.

Who let her, in everyone's eyes, be kicked out by an update of the times?

If so, let's indulge ourselves a little… can Nüwa still jump out and slash people?

Following Gong's lead… it's obvious the Heavenly Court side has also learned to go bad.

Gong nominally went to steal something, and the Heavenly Court's demon god followed suit… of course, this isn't just stealing a thing, but directly seizing name and righteousness.

"Even waste paper can be recycled."

"What more, it's the great golden signboard of Nüwa?"

"I think we can find a way to give it some value, treating it as making use of waste."

Taiyi pointed it out at a certain meeting, and it was unanimously approved.

No one asked Nüwa for her opinion.

Now, Gong finds the door blocked; the Heavenly Court, representing the aggrieved Nüwa, declares that the trademark to Xirang has long been registered, and outsiders misusing it must spit out principal and interest!

"Who doesn't know that humanity was personally crafted by Lady Nüwa?" Gong remained unmoved, "It's like mother and son, the closest of bonds."

"Even if we go to court, it's no place for you outsiders to meddle; at most it's a domestic affair."

"A private settlement of the dispute is enough!"

"You impersonate Nüwa's holy mother; that is the true great disrespect!"

Gong's gaze flashed with a chill.

"Heh!" Wu Zhiqi merely smiled faintly, "The times have changed!"

"Nüwa Majesty, her holy virtue is unmatched; she has long transcended personal bonds, possessing the virtue of great impartiality." He clasped his hands toward heaven to show his respect, "She has already decided to lead by example… even a prince who breaks the law shares the same guilt as a commoner!"

"Humanity? What's happened to humanity!"

"Theft is a crime; guilt deserves punishment!"

"Nüwa Majesty knows of your reckless conduct, Gong, and has resolved to punish you to warn the world, emphasizing that observing rules and laws is paramount!"

"That's why I've come here… Gong, if you're sensible, just come with me to the Heavenly Court for a visit, be a guest!"

Wu Zhiqi strode forward, killing intent surging.

This makes one suspect that the so-called visit might end up, in the process, an "accidental" suicide.

"Did Nüwa really say that?" Gong raised his brow slightly, "You speak without proof; produce the evidence!"

"Unless I see the Tianhe, I won't give up!" Wu Zhiqi scoffed, flicked his wrist, and a scroll of time and space appeared, showing Nüwa's likeness and her firm instructions to the Heavenly Court, including capturing the thief Gong, establishing new morals for humanity, and so on.

The evidence is as solid as a mountain!

Gong looked at it, his expression subtly complex for a moment.

After a while, he sighed, "It's not me saying it, but your editing skills need improvement…"

Besides, when you hire actors… at least respect the original.

In Nüwa's time, she sought to pacify the world, laboring painstakingly over state affairs, to the point of growing thin by three tenths…

Ah ah? Wu Zhiqi stared blankly, looked around, "Oh oh, also oh……pah! You dragged me into the ditch!"

Wu Zhiqi's expression instantly turned solemn, "What Actor! What editing! Nonsense!"

"Gong, I only ask you——do you plead guilty or not?"

"If you want to accuse me of a crime, what's the harm in lacking an excuse?" Gong said indifferently, "You think you can capture me with a forged video?"

Your intentions are painstaking, your thoughts even more vicious.

You want to damage Nüwa's reputation among humans, and even try to seize me under the guise of righteousness……

The video is forged.

What can be destroyed is real.

The girl sat under the bewildered tree, black pots came down from the sky one after another.

Nowadays, even the Heavenly Court is scheming against her!

It seems to confirm some sort of mouth-only operation from years past—

Enemies impersonate her, slander her, damage her prestige among humans, and shake her foundation.

Just as now, it is used to fabricate charges, in her name, to arrest human heroes…… This aspect collapses her authority and credibility among humans, chilling to the heart; on the other hand, it also pushes Gong into a position where he cannot step down, an indelible stain.

In the urgency, who can verify the authenticity of this video?

No solution!

However, Gong also doesn't care whether it can be solved.

No matter what, his answer remains consistent, permeating the whole situation.

"Too bad, you're wrong!"

"You want to use Nüwa to suppress me…… In that case, all I can say is—dream on!"

Gong stood ramrod straight, displaying his peak bearing.

Even if he alone faces tens of thousands of troops, he feels no fear!

"Boom!"

In a burst of immortal light, he shattered that spacetime scroll, "If you want my life? Then come take it with real swords and spears!"

Gong glared coldly at the myriad fingers pointing at him, killing intent surging, shaking this isolated little world.

"Good!"

Wu Zhiqi clapped his hands, "Gong's theft is true, and he dares to resist arrest and assault an officer……Since that's the case, execute him on the spot!"

"Everyone, follow me up!"

(End of chapter)