Chapter 391: I Want to Hear Heaven Weep!

In ancient times, the four pillars collapsed, the nine provinces cracked, heaven could not fully cover, and earth could not fully bear.

Yang Chan leaned beside Gu Qing, watching the characters he wrote, and gently touched them with her hand, saying, “Your calligraphy is truly exquisite.”

Back in the Yang household at Guanjiangkou, Yang Jiao loved martial arts, Yang Jian loved chasing girls, while Yang Chan loved ancient texts and records. Now, gazing at Gu Qing’s inkwork, each stroke was light and fluid, elegant and refined, radiating an aura of effortless freedom that seemed to burst through the paper.

“As one who cultivates the Dao, what I seek is to ride flying immortals and wander, to embrace the bright moon and end forever.”

Gu Qing gazed at the characters before him and spoke calmly.

Yang Chan reached out and lightly touched the characters, pausing slightly, then sighed, “It’s just these few strokes that feel archaic and stiff—if only they were smoother, it would be perfect.”

In truth, Yang Chan was still young in experience, but having been raised by Yao Ji, she had been exposed to far more than most.

Gu Qing let out a long sigh, playing the role before Yang Chan: “I once had a dream. When I wished to fly to heaven, heaven itself parted for me. When I wished to dive into the sea, the sea split in two. All gods and immortals called me brother. I knew no worries, no restraints—nothing in the world could bind me, no one could govern me, no place was beyond my reach, no task beyond my ability, no foe I could not defeat.”

Hearing such bold words, Yang Chan felt a deep yearning stir within her.

To Yang Chan, the Three Realms truly felt like chains—separating her parents, keeping them apart in life and death.

“And now?”

Yang Chan’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Gu Qing. He had already slain nine of the Jade Emperor’s sons, becoming one of the greatest heroes of the world. Had his dream come true by now?

Gu Qing’s lips twitched slightly. “I’ve grown up.”

His voice carried endless melancholy, as if he now understood how unrealistic that dream had been.

Yang Chan’s body trembled slightly. She had been forcibly aged by Yao Ji, and the word “grown up” weighed heavily on her.

After all, only recently, Yang Chan had been carefree, playing beside her parents, reading and practicing calligraphy every day. The notion of growing up had been suddenly thrust upon her.

“Boom! Boom!”

Beneath the earth, a faint trembling stirred.

Gu Qing stared intently and saw two beams of light streaking straight toward the Heavenly Court—their forms were Yang Jian and Yang Jiao. The two brothers had learned in the Underworld that their father’s soul had been transported to heaven, and from the Yin soldiers, they heard that Yang Tianyou’s soul had scattered completely. Fueled by hatred, they now prepared to storm the Heavenly Court and slay the Jade Emperor.

“What’s wrong?”

Yang Chan’s current cultivation level could not sense these disturbances; she only noticed Gu Qing’s unusual expression.

“Nothing.”

Gu Qing patted Yang Chan’s shoulder and turned his gaze to the Nezha statue.

At this moment, Nezha’s spirit was conversing with Xiaotianquan.

“Xiaotianquan, when did your father die?”

Nezha’s spirit asked.

“Long, long ago.”

Xiaotianquan replied, “I hadn’t even taken form yet—I can’t remember.”

“You can’t remember, huh?”

Nezha sneered. “That’s one thing you lack. I will know exactly when my father died—and I will remember every detail clearly.”

These words made Taiyi Zhenren, who had just entered, freeze in place, moved by Nezha’s profound filial piety.

“Why are you here?”

Gu Qing looked at Taiyi Zhenren, who had rushed in.

Taiyi Zhenren glanced at the Nezha statue with a complex expression. He had originally planned to use the outer petals of the Precious Lotus Lamp to forge a lotus body for Nezha, but due to Gu Qing’s interference, the plan had gone awry. Now that Nezha’s resurrection was imminent, the lotus body could only wait for a destined soul.

“I’ve come to take Yang Chan away.”

Taiyi Zhenren looked at Yang Chan. “A terrible disaster is coming to the Three Realms. Lady, your compassion may be the key to changing everything.”

Hearing of this terrible disaster, Gu Qing immediately thought of the Jade Emperor’s Chiang Kai-shek behavior.

In the prequel to the Precious Lotus Lamp, to protect Nezha and avenge his mother, Yang Jian stormed the Heavenly Court to kill the Jade Emperor. The Heavenly Court, with only the Marshal of the Heavenly Pools, the Curtain-Lifting General, and their celestial troops, could not stop Yang Jian. Desperate to defeat him, the Jade Emperor chose to breach the Heavenly River, instantly turning the mortal realm into a flooded wasteland.

Sensing this great calamity, the Precious Lotus Lamp of the Goddess Nuwa emerged, recognizing Yang Chan as its master. And the lamp’s location? Taiyi Zhenren’s Qianyuan Mountain Golden Light Cave.

Now, Taiyi Zhenren had come seeking Yang Chan to entrust the Precious Lotus Lamp to her.

“But what about Nezha…?”

Yang Chan was worried about Nezha.

“Don’t worry about Nezha.”

Taiyi Zhenren said, “Gu Qing will protect him.”

Gu Qing said nothing, his gaze fixed on the Nezha statue.

Yang Chan knew Taiyi Zhenren was a great master. When such a revered figure came with solemn purpose, defiance was impossible. She handed over everything in Nezha’s temple to Gu Qing.

Gu Qing patted his chest, signaling to Yang Chan that all was well.

“I still have about a month before I’m revived…”

Nezha, atop the temple, said with a hint of embarrassment, “Master Gu, I’m counting on you.”

“Rest easy.”

Gu Qing, seeing Nezha on the verge of resurrection, said, “I guarantee your safety.” As he spoke, Gu Qing sat cross-legged, silently cultivating his spirit, regulating his primordial energy, and drawing in the power of the nine golden crows, uniting their yang essence.

One day in heaven equals one year on earth.

While Yang Jian was causing chaos in the Heavenly Court, time on earth flowed swiftly. Now, the Heavenly Court’s forces, compared to Yang Jian and Yang Jiao, were nearly powerless. Neither the Marshal of the Heavenly Pools nor the Curtain-Lifting General could match the two brothers. In this battle, the Jade Emperor, after much deliberation, prepared to unleash the Heavenly River.

Mortal realm, Chaoge.

“This is terrible! This is terrible!”

Wen Taishi rushed back to court and told King Zhou, “Your Majesty, heaven is about to unleash a great flood!”

King Zhou: “...Again, because of me?”

King Zhou felt he had done nothing lately—why was heavenly retribution striking again?

“No.”

Master Wen Zhong said.

Hearing this, King Zhou exhaled deeply. He felt fate was inevitable; no amount of diligence would help. He resolved to give up.

“Disaster! Disaster!”

Yuding Zhenren rushed to the Nezha temple, waving a small fan, shouting, “Gu Qing! Big trouble! Do you know?”

Gu Qing, cultivating his spirit, ignored him.

“Gu Qing, I’ve come all this way because only you can save the mortal realm.”

Yuding Zhenren said. Gu Qing opened his eyes and looked at him. Since arriving in this world, Gu Qing had only sought cultivation and romance. Matters like rewriting heavenly laws? He left all that to Yang Jian—after all, the end result was ultimately good.

So let Yang Jian suffer.

But Yuding Zhenren’s vague words now left Gu Qing baffled.

“Why me?”

Gu Qing asked.

“Because we’ve got an excellent Heavenly Lord!”

Yuding Zhenren snapped. “This ruler of the Heavenly Court plans to unleash the Heavenly River’s Weak Water. When this water reaches the mortal realm, all life will be annihilated. And in the entire Heavenly Court, only you can stop this!”

I’ve become the savior?

Gu Qing was genuinely surprised.

But Yuding Zhenren, as a disciple of Yuanshi Tianzun, possessed the supreme techniques of the Three Realms, profound wisdom, and trained disciples such as Erlang Shen and Sun Wukong—both elite warriors. Even the Heaven-Splitting Palm he taught the little fox was a secret art capable of rivaling Yang Jian and Sun Wukong on equal terms.

So Yuding Zhenren’s words were hardly baseless.

“Explain.”

Gu Qing grew interested.

“Gu Qing, my disciples Yang Jian and Yang Jiao have reached the Heavenly Court, and none can stop them. To preserve his dignity, the Jade Emperor plans to open the Heavenly River’s Weak Water. When this immense force crashes into the mortal realm, it will drown everything. Half the surviving life will be utterly destroyed!”

Yuding Zhenren first explained the devastation, then added: “The Weak Water has its own spirit—it is the essence of Weak Water. She has dwelled in the Heavenly River for countless millennia, utterly lonely.”

In the Heavenly River, Weak Water had been lonely. When Yao Ji ruled the Realm of Desire, Marshal Tianpeng often played with her, and she was content. But after Yao Ji was imprisoned under Taoshan and the Queen Mother took over the Realm of Desire, Tianpeng dared not approach her. Weak Water felt stifled.

“What does this have to do with me?”

Gu Qing asked.

“The problem lies right here.”

Yuding Zhenren grinned. “Weak Water is too lonely. And you’re the one who knows how to amuse and cheer. If you enter the Heavenly Court, sacrifice a little of your charm, lure Weak Water into your body, and rotate the Nine Golden Crows Array, you’ll lock her spirit forever—this great calamity will vanish.”

“...”

Gu Qing stared silently at Yuding Zhenren.

“Your body now circulates Nine Yang energy—you’re always thirsty.”

Yuding Zhenren added. “If you absorb Weak Water, you’ll achieve perfect balance of water and fire. For you personally, it will bring unimaginable cultivation gains.”

Gu Qing frowned tightly.

“I know, I know.”

Yuding Zhenren raised both hands. “If you eliminate this calamity for the Three Realms, I’ll share any secret technique you want. Among the Twelve Immortals of the Chan Sect, I’m the one who knows everything—even the Precious Lotus Lamp was first recognized by me, and I told Taiyi Zhenren to guard it.”

“Pah!”

Gu Qing shoved Yuding Zhenren to the ground, furious. “Sell my body? You think I’m Tang San?”

Gu Qing felt deeply insulted.

“For the sake of all living beings…”

Yuding Zhenren said, “I’m not asking you to absorb her—just return her to the Heavenly River…”

“Heh…”

Gu Qing sneered, gazing at the Nezha statue. He no longer waited; he formed a seal and activated the Ghost Dao from the Zhuxian world.

The Ghost Dao technique from the Zhuxian world had a miraculous effect: it could revive the dead. Like Jin Ping’er of the Hehuan Sect, whose soul had scattered but was restored by Xiao Huan; or Ye Gou, whose soul remained nearby and was revived by Xiao Huan using the Ghost Dao. Now, Nezha’s body and spirit were intact, and Yuding Zhenren stood nearby—so Gu Qing boldly attempted it. He channeled the spell, and Nezha’s vitality surged rapidly through his body, healing in moments rather than days.

“Huh?”

Jade Summit True Man immediately grew serious; watching Nezha’s vitality restore and the statue shatter, his entire body went limp and collapsed to the ground.

“How have I never seen this technique before?”

Jade Summit True Man asked in astonishment—he had lived for thousands of years in the Chan Sect, knew everything in the Three Realms, could even recognize the Precious Lotus Lamp of Nüwa the Great Goddess—but Gu Qing’s technique was utterly unfamiliar.

“Nezha, take your time recovering!”

Gu Qing’s figure flashed away.

Nine thousand li spanned heaven and earth; at this moment, in the Heavenly Court, Yang Jian and Yang Jiao were wreaking havoc in the Celestial Palace, while the Milky Way surged violently, and the Weak Water descended to the mortal realm, where Tian Peng Yuan Shuai, wielding his nine-toothed iron rake, struggled desperately to hold it back.

“Weak Water, the mortal realm is not your place…”

Facing the crushing weight of the Weak Water, Tian Peng could no longer resist—and before this torrent, a girl silently took form.

“Damn, a pure water spirit…”

Gu Qing appeared behind Tian Peng Yuan Shuai and struck him with a palm blast; immense force surged forth. At that instant, Tian Peng felt the Weak Water before him as a raging river, overwhelming and unstoppable, while the power behind him was like a sun hanging high—limitless and unyielding. The collision reversed the Weak Water’s flow, turning it back toward the Water Gate.

“Thank you…”

Tian Peng Yuan Shuai turned his head and saw Gu Qing’s face; his complexion instantly paled. The sudden explosion he had witnessed atop Huashan still burned in his memory, and now, seeing Gu Qing’s face, every bone and sinew throbbed with phantom pain.

“No, no, I don’t want to go back…”

The Weak Water twisted and writhed in midair, struggling desperately—it had finally gained a chance to descend to the mortal realm and never wanted to return to the Heavenly Court.

But Gu Qing’s power forced her step by step backward, all the way to the Water Gate, yet she remained powerless to escape.

“Don’t worry—I’ll get you out.”

Gu Qing reassured the Weak Water: “And I’ll give you freedom.”

Hearing this, the Weak Water met Gu Qing’s gaze and felt a deep sense of trust and calm. Now trapped here by his force, she had no other choice; her form shrank and retreated back into the Water Gate.

“Thank you.”

Seeing the Weak Water return, Tian Peng Yuan Shuai exhaled in relief, grateful that no great disaster had occurred. He turned to Gu Qing and said: “We’re even.”

Tian Peng Yuan Shuai no longer held a grudge over Gu Qing’s earlier beating of him.

“A small favor.”

Gu Qing calmly withdrew his hand; standing in the Heavenly Realm, he turned his gaze toward the Jade Pool, where the Jade Emperor and Wang Mu Niangniang resided. Since he had come this far, he transformed into light and surged toward the Jade Pool.

“Gu Qing!”

Cold moonlight arrived before the Jade Pool; Chang’e stretched out her hands and blocked the gate. “What do you intend to do?”

“The Jade Emperor has been furious because mortals have offended his dignity.”

Gu Qing said calmly: “He is unmoved by mortal suffering, sneers arrogantly at mortal pleas—and now, I am furious too. I want to hear heaven weep. I want to hear the gods beg!”

As he spoke, the Nine Yang Wheel spun, and his fists pounded repeatedly into the Jade Pool!

(End of Chapter)