Chapter 203: Mountains and Rivers State Map, Before Forcibly Opening the Heavenly Realm

Qi, how come only you and Taiyi are here? Where are my elder brothers?

At the moment Nüwa regained consciousness, she did not pay attention to the opportunity; instead, she began asking about those who were absent.

Looking at Nüwa's calm expression, Qi did not know how to answer for a moment; after a brief hesitation he said, 'I just arrived at Mount Buzhou and immediately came to find you; I have no idea how they are.'

Qi was not unwilling to cover up a thing or two for Di Jun and the others, but seeing how overly calm Nüwa before him was, his intuition told him that for now it was best to first preserve himself.

As for Di Jun and Fuxi and the rest, let them seek their own blessings; after all, this matter is indeed their fault.

Breaking the formation is not particularly difficult; Di Jun and Fuxi are also versed in this way, and the distance between them is not too great, so the only explanation for Nüwa being trapped for so long is that Di Jun and the others never kept her in mind.

Whatever Qi could think of, Nüwa naturally could think of as well, but her present state was clearly poor, and she had no mind to pursue it.

However, once her condition returns to normal, the fate of Di Jun and Fuxi can easily be imagined.

After calmly glancing at Taiyi hiding behind Qi, Nüwa walked straight toward the center of the great formation; Qi, helpless, could only follow.

At the center of the great formation, only a single stone platform remained, upon which lay a single scroll painting.

Nüwa picked it up, gently unfurled it on the stone platform, and divine light appeared, revealing countless landscapes of mountains and rivers within the picture, with the sounds of mountains, rivers, flowers, and birds emanating from it.

Looking closely, one could see rivers flowing, flowers blooming and withering, the seasons turning, and birds flying and beasts running.

On the scroll were five divine patterns, radiating golden jade light, inscribed with—'Mountains and Rivers State Map'.

Nüwa looked at the map, hesitated slightly, then rolled it up, lifted her jade hand, and tossed it directly to Qi, saying softly, 'If it weren't for you, I probably couldn't have obtained this object; it seems this object is fated with you, giving me a sense of connection, merely using my hand as a means.'

Nüwa greatly loved this Mountains and Rivers State Map, but being trapped in the formation, she only escaped when Qi and Taiyi arrived.

This made her suspect that the object actually had another destined master, who had not yet arrived, and that she was being used as a lure to attract that master.

As for why she tossed it to Qi, first, Taiyi and the others were present at the time but felt no resonance.

Second, Taiyi and Di Jun and the others are too proud; despite such a long time they never came to seek her, and she harbored resentment, so even if she had no affinity, she would not readily give it to them.

Qi received the Mountains and Rivers State Map in his hand, somewhat puzzled by Nüwa's action; though he had not examined it, he could see its radiant spiritual light and knew it was extraordinary.

Hearing Nüwa's words, he then understood why she acted thus, and couldn't help teasing, 'This treasure is not ordinary; you have suffered for it, and I see you also have some fondness for it—can you really bear to part with it?'

Nüwa's willow brows slightly furrowed, feeling that Qi seemed to look down on her, and she spoke with a hint of dissatisfaction:

'What is there to be reluctant about? Given our relationship, how could ordinary people compare?'

'Although I have some fondness for it, since it lacks affinity with me, why should I insist? At least it is going to you, not to those forgetful friends.'

Speaking, Nüwa also glared at Taiyi, who stood aside afraid to speak, and then said, 'At first I thought this object was fated with me, but this aeon's imprisonment has instead made me much clearer; now it seems mostly just a ploy to use my hand to lure you.'

'This opportunity is quite a calculation; you are also fortunate to obtain a treasure, yet it has made me suffer; afterward you ought to compensate me a bit.'

As Nüwa spoke thus, her heart inexplicably grew sore; this aeon denied her tranquility, yet it caused her to suffer many grievances.

That bizarre illusory realm made her want to give up, unable to calm her mind, yet now she has done the work of a bridal gown for others.

Qi merely glanced at the Mountains and Rivers State Map a few times, then tossed it back into Nüwa's hand, saying with a somewhat indifferent smile:

'Since you like it, then it's best to give it to you; I now lack no defensive treasure, whether for offense or defense I am already complete, so to simply occupy these would be overly greedy.'

'Your spiritual treasures may be many, but ultimately you still lack a thing to set the tone; if we truly compare, you are still the one lacking more.'

'The spiritual treasures you possess, even if added together, would not match my Innate Twelfth-Grade Pure World White Lotus, let alone Taiyi's Chaos Bell.'

'For opportunity-brought treasures, things overflow when full; unless one truly lacks something essential, there is no need to insist—sufficient is enough.'

Nüwa was somewhat surprised that Qi would return the spiritual treasures; she originally did not want to accept, yet she truly loved the Mountains and Rivers State Map, and hearing Qi's words, she felt hesitant.

Taiyi seeing this also advised Nüwa, 'This treasure is extraordinary; Fellow Daoist Nüwa, you indeed lack a true defensive treasure; Qi's intention is good, so Fellow Daoist, please accept it.'

'As Qi said, neither I nor Qi lacks this; it being in Qi's hands would be truly wasteful and unable to exert its full function.'

Qi nodded and spoke again: 'Now I have defense with the Innate Twelfth-Grade Pure World White Lotus, offense with the World-Separating White Jade Node and the Water Splendor Awakening World Drum; I lack nothing.'

'Having this object fall into my hands would still be too regrettable, and the places where it could be used in the future are also few and far between.'

'Moreover, it is of no benefit to my Dao; having or not having it makes little difference, Fellow Daoist Nüwa, please just accept it.'

Nüwa pondered a moment, then ultimately accepted it, but she also did not want Qi to suffer a loss, so she proposed a compromise.

All that was heard was Nüwa saying, 'Since you truly do not wish to accept it, Qi, then let this Mountains and Rivers State Map count as an exchange between me and fellow Daoist.'

'I still have many spiritual treasures in my hand; you may choose a few from them as compensation, otherwise I would feel uneasy.'

Qi felt helpless; he truly lacked no need for the Mountains and Rivers State Map, but if it were the River Chart and Luo Book in Di Jun's hands, he would still have some interest.

However, Nüwa's attitude was firm; knowing she lacked nothing, Qi could only casually take two items from her.

Although what he took were all top-grade innate spiritual treasures, Nüwa was still dissatisfied, feeling Qi was too yielding toward her, and she forcibly added one more.

Taiyi, seeing the two had finished dividing, then spoke to remind them: 'Earlier I already sent word to my elder brothers; now that it's settled, we should still inform them promptly so they won't worry—Qi, don't you also want to climb the summit of Mount Buzhou?'

Nüwa directly retorted, 'Now you're in such a hurry, yet back then you didn't even think to seek me, and only remembered after Qi arrived.'

Qi also laughed:

'Not yet urgent; this formation is still interesting, and let me record it down—it will take only a thousand years; the Star Gods' arrival and the forcible opening of the heavenly realm are still far off, and we can simply send another notice.'

Having experienced the might of the Innate Cloud Dream Star Array and the marvel of formations, Qi now always harbors great enthusiasm for excellent formations.

Even the Four Great Ferocious Beasts, a match for the Grand Primordial Dao, were easily captured by the formation, which makes Qi fantasize about constructing a formation on par with the Grand Primordial Dao.

Since he harbors such thoughts, upon seeing the formation before him, Qi naturally feels delighted at the sight and cannot move his feet.

Nüwa thought for a moment, then spoke again:

'Taiyi, why not you go give notice, so you can speak with them, discuss countermeasures, and explain why they never remembered me for an entire aeon.'

'Qi's side, I will keep you company; once this formation is recorded, we will then turn back to seek you.' Taiyi hearing Nüwa's words only felt alarm bells ringing in his heart, simultaneously strange beyond compare, but he did not dare to ponder further and directly agreed.

Being able to distance himself from Nüwa at this moment already made him feel fortunate; the distance was not far, yet he forgot her for an entire aeon—no wonder Nüwa harbors such resentment.

Nüwa's anger requires others to share some of it; at least he cannot bear it alone here, and since Qi is unrelated to this matter, he is well suited to persuade him a little.

Having figured out the crux, Taiyi immediately spoke in agreement:

'Then let it be as Fellow Daoist Nüwa said; Qi's side will trouble Fellow Daoist, while I will go notify my elder brothers.'

Seeing this, Nüwa nodded in satisfaction, and Qi also caught Taiyi's hidden meaning, likewise nodding in response, promising to speak a few kind words for Taiyi and persuade Nüwa.

Taiyi seeing Qi's actions felt assured, no longer lingered, found the direction, departed the formation, and retrieved his Chaos Bell, leaving only Qi and Nüwa inside.

As the Chaos Bell was withdrawn, the formation sprang back to life; before Nüwa could respond, she again sensed that strange, otherworldly scene unfolding.

He was about to berate Taiyi for his unreliability when the sensation disappeared; turning around, he saw Qi had already produced the innate twelve‑grade Purifying White Lotus.

Bathed in its clear, sparkling light, the formation's influence was sealed off, leaving the mind tranquil and the heart at ease.

Qi expanded the lotus dais, invited Nüwa onto it, then sat cross‑legged, his eyes gleaming with divine light as he continuously recalled the flow of spiritual energy in the formation.

Seeing Qi diligently recording, Nüwa said nothing to interrupt him; she merely walked over, sat beside him, and quietly watched his focused note‑taking.

Though Qi wondered at Nüwa's conduct, seeing that she did not disturb him, he dismissed his doubts and focused on learning the formation.

After 1,700 years, Qi finally rose from the lotus dais, stretched his limbs a little, and let out a relaxed sigh.

He turned to speak to Nüwa, but saw only that she had fallen into a deep sleep, resting peacefully at the edge of the lotus dais.

Qi was at a loss for words, but did not want to disturb her; a quick reflection showed that throughout that aeon, Nüwa had been constantly troubled by the formation and was already utterly exhausted.

Now that she has found peace, it is natural for her to feel sleepy; the lotus dais is already very comfortable, so her falling asleep is quite normal.

Not only Nüwa—Qi himself, when fatigued, loves to sleep on the lotus dais, since its essence is near the Dao, and among primordial divinities there is scarcely a better resting place.

Qi then departed from the lotus dais; with a wave of his hand, the dais changed into a flower‑bud shape, wrapping Nüwa within so she could rest peacefully.

Turning away, the innate twelve‑grade Purifying White Lotus slowly trailed behind Qi as he headed for the peak of Mount Buzhou.

As he ascended, Pangu's overwhelming presence grew ever clearer; wherever Qi passed, a narrow trail formed from his own Dao rhythm glimmered faintly.

Unable to fly, Qi had to proceed step by step, leaving footprints toward the peak; with his present cultivation, this was not burdensome.

His pace was steady, no longer the arduous struggle of earlier; in a day's effort he could cover tens of thousands of miles.

Even so, it took Qi about three thousand years to reach the summit.

Qi looked out over the endless sea of clouds spreading before him, a blank white world stretching as far as the eye could see, and he murmured, "With the heavenly realm now manifest, Mount Buzhou has lost much of its scenery; wherever I look, I see only this vast expanse of clouds."

I had imagined I could survey the wilderness's mountains and rivers from here, yet from this height the ancient act of diverting water to flood the undying volcano proves to have its drawbacks.

Qi still remembered the sensation when he returned from the starry heavens to the wilderness, when heaven and earth lay open before him—except that a portion of his view was always obstructed by Mount Buzhou.

Now, having reached Mount Buzhou's peak, he finds himself again veiled by the endless clouds—a small regret.

Having steadied his mind, Qi sent word to Emperor Jun of his whereabouts, then sat cross‑legged on the summit, waiting for Emperor Jun and the host of star gods to arrive.

Since the forced opening of the heavenly gate is imminent, estimating from his past pace, he reckoned that within five thousand years many star deities would be able to reach the wilderness.

Allow them another five thousand years to ascend, and after ten thousand years the heavenly realm will be forcibly opened.

Having set the timing in his mind, Qi used the Divine Water‑Subduing Staff to inform the Middle Water God of the general situation, allowing the god to prepare beforehand, after which Qi immersed himself in cultivation.

Although Pangu's overwhelming pressure now poses little extra burden on Qi, training on Mount Buzhou's summit still carries its own distinct charm.

Meanwhile, Nüwa remained deep in sleep, feeling her spirit pure and her soul utterly at ease.

The Heaven Beyond Heaven.

Hongjun constantly traverses this realm, searching for its heart; because Rahu is united with the Heaven Beyond Heaven, that heart must be the seat of Rahu's primordial spirit dao fruit.

Hongjun's relentless search stems solely from his distrust of Rahu; he fears that when Yang Mei arrives, Rahu will simply ally with him.

Furthermore, should he discover the core of the Heaven Beyond Heaven, Hongjun would be confident to dispel Rahu's intentions; by confronting him there, Rahu would find it impossible to refuse his aid.

After all, if he were defeated he could simply flee; but if Yang Mei reaches the core of the Heaven Beyond Heaven and Hongjun fails, Rahu would surely be unable to escape this disaster.

How strange! I, a humble Daoist, have searched for so long—where exactly is the core of the Heaven Beyond Heaven hidden, that not a trace of its aura has ever appeared?

Hongjun's mind is full of confusion; his footsteps have nearly covered the entire Heaven Beyond Heaven, yet he still cannot locate the realm's source.

By all logic, even if Rahu hid himself as thoroughly as possible, Hongjun ought to have found him; yet despite the strong aura, he cannot discern any direction.

Meanwhile, Rahu watches Hongjun's every move, sneering: "You old ox‑nose, how could you know my demonic path is profound? The source of the Heaven Beyond Heaven has long been transferred by me and exhausted when I revived the Rahu star."

You're searching now—how could you possibly find it? Moreover, you probably never imagined, even to your death, that the very spot you first broke open lies right near the source of the Heaven Beyond Heaven.

Thinking of this, Rahu still feels a bit fortunate, after all, who would forcibly break open a world and happen to land right next to its source?

Nevertheless, precisely because of this, in the dark beneath the lamp Hongjun has wasted tens of thousands of years in vain, giving Rahu ample time to transfer his source.

However, I still need to extract some of the world's source; otherwise, if he truly finds it, I fear I won't be able to fool his perception.

Such matters are best handled with preparation; fortunately, those few little things are at hand, so they can be put to use.

Thinking of this, Rahu smiles, eagerly awaiting Yang Mei's arrival.

PS: There's another chapter tonight, but it's too late; everyone can read it tomorrow morning—please vote and recommend.

(End of chapter)