Chapter 314: with translation of chapter title

314. Chapter 314: Qi's Marriage Part Two, Explanation and Hesitation

Qi saw Ziwei already joined in, and no longer paid further attention; the Heavenly Dao operates according to its own principle, and at this moment the timing, location, and people are all favorable—if Ziwei cannot seize it, then it's no wonder it's his fault.

Thinking of this, Qi tidied his attire slightly and turned his gaze toward where Nüwa was; he saw Nüwa sitting together with Gouhui, Houtu, Xuanming, Xihe, and Changxi—six of them sharing a seat.

At present, these six can be said to be the highest-ranking goddesses in the primordial wilderness, all possessing combat power at the Mixed Yuan Dao realm, and they are not inferior to the male gods in the slightest.

Nüwa is noble, Gouhui dignified, Xihe composed, Changxi lively, Houtu peaceful, Xuanming unrestrained; each has her own distinct traits, and their temperaments are completely different.

Yet at this moment, the six of them sit together, chatting and laughing with ease—truly displaying great poise.

Seeing this scene, Qi also felt pleased and delighted, thinking that perhaps there might be a marriage prospect for him there; after a moment's thought, he rose, picked up his wine cup, and intended to go over to share a drink.

Little did he know, just as Qi was pondering, the six people present were also discussing the marriage of heaven, earth, and man.

"In other words, Xihe and Changxi, you two plan to marry together to His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor?"

Xuanming's eyes revealed surprise; he seemed unable to accept the fact that two top goddesses would choose to serve the same husband as sisters.

Changxi, however, replied rather indifferently:

"His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor is the lord of the primordial wilderness, controlling the nine heavens and overseeing the earth; the three ways of heaven, earth, and man jointly revere him. Such a heroic figure, my sister and I both favor him—this is perfectly normal."

"Moreover, I share a bond as close as siblings with my sister; were we to part, I would feel reluctant. Happily, we both align with the Great Dao of His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor—what could be more perfect?"

Houtu thought for a moment and then spoke:

"Although it is a perfect match, even within the primordial wilderness, among ordinary beings such a pairing is exceedingly rare—it can be said to be incredibly scarce."

"At least in my view, I myself am not lacking; in the primordial wilderness, there may be few who can match me, but they are not nonexistent. The idea of sharing a partner with an outsider is something I simply cannot accept."

Gouhui gave Houtu and Xuanming a surprised glance, but then realized they could not cultivate the Primordial Spirit Dao, and understood; he spoke to explain to them: "You have never cultivated the Primordial Spirit Dao, so you cannot comprehend our aspiration for the Dao; as innate divinities, what talk is there of companions?"

"Regarding this heavenly marriage, in your view it ought to be like among mortals—seeking a companion to spend the rest of one's life with—but in our view it is different."

"For us innate divinities, a heavenly marriage amounts merely to gaining an additional bedside companion; if our Great Dao aligns, it is simply adding a Dao companion."

"A Dao companion is one who walks the Great Dao together; if not such a person, marriage is nothing but fleeting clouds, scattered by the wind."

"Perhaps one could leave behind a child or two to inherit the Dao lineage, which would not be a loss to oneself; for us, this is the greatest benefit of marriage."

"Heavenly marriage bears the blessing of the Heavenly Dao; giving birth to an inheritor of the Dao lineage is almost a certainty, and that is what attracts us innate divinities."

"Moreover, one can gain considerable merit, stabilizing the primordial wilderness—how wonderful is that?"

"If the Great Dao aligns, it is even more excellent; adding a Dao companion fulfills one of the four essentials of cultivation."

"As for marriage, a little flexibility is no problem; moreover, it is not necessary to spend one's whole life together—separating from marriage does not prevent one from seeking the Dao."

"Otherwise, if marriage distracts one and violates the Great Dao, is that not abandoning the root for the branch?"

"Of course, if the Great Dao does not align, I naturally cannot accept it either; after all, I too am an innate divinity, not inferior to anyone—how could I slight myself?"

Houtu and Xuanming were greatly shaken—does placing the Great Dao above emotions make one a seeker of the Dao?

They could not understand, yet they expressed respect; after all, they do not cultivate the Great Dao, they only need to train themselves—having something rise above their own emotions is beyond their imagination.

Nüwa also spoke up to explain:

"For us, the marriage of heaven, earth, and man is actually a fine opportunity: it allows us to find a satisfactory inheritor of the Dao lineage and to enjoy considerable merit and qi fortune, which aids cultivation."

"As for romantic love between men and women, in the eyes of the Great Dao it is all too superficial; if one's gaze rests only there, there is no room for anything else."

Houtu and Xuanming simply cannot cultivate the Great Dao and cannot comprehend; regarding this seeker's pursuit of the Dao, Houtu could only say: "I see now, but alas I cannot grasp this conviction; our ancestor witches cultivate through the power of law, bloodline, and flesh—pushed to the utmost within ourselves."

"Perhaps we place too much weight on our own emotions and desires, leaving no room to share with others."

"But since you deem it appropriate, we outsiders naturally have no objection."

Xuanming also nodded at the side; if her companion had another lover, she would surely be unable to tolerate it, and she sighed softly: "No wonder I cannot attain the Great Dao—if I am governed by emotion and act recklessly, I fear I will never perceive the Dao."

Xihe laughed lightly, Gouhui rubbed his forehead slightly, Nüwa furrowed her brows, realizing that the previous explanations were utterly useless, as the other party simply could not understand.

In response, Nüwa turned to Gouhui and said: "Gouhui Dao friend, do you again have the intention to form a marriage bond? If you are inclined, the candidate for an earthly marriage has not yet been decided—how would you like to proceed?"

Gouhui gathered his thoughts, pondered whether it was worthwhile, hesitated slightly, and then asked:

"An earthly marriage? I do not know who the other party would be; Nüwa Dao friend, could you tell me one or two possibilities?"

"If I decline, Nüwa Dao friend, whom do you intend to substitute? After all, just as Xihe Dao friend and Taiyi Dao friend are paired, surely you must have some alternatives as well."

Nüwa also had no intention of concealing anything, and spoke frankly to explain:

"There is nothing wrong with it; the marriage of heaven, earth, and man must necessarily be formed from the foremost individuals among the three powers of the divine path, condensing a single qi fortune as the highest."

"As for the candidate for an earthly marriage, among the earthly deities, aside from Qi Huang, others inevitably fall short, and even the Jishen deities are somewhat lacking."

"Therefore, on the side of male gods, only Qi Huang qualifies; those who could match him are few in the primordial wilderness, which is why I have come specially to ask Gouhui Dao friend whether you are interested."

"There are naturally alternatives; if you, Dao friend, decline, I and Qi Huang will not mind, though disappointment is of course inevitable."

Gouhui nodded, his gaze faintly focusing on Nüwa; he realized clearly that, since Qi Huang is the candidate for an earthly marriage, the only ones in the primordial wilderness who could match him would be present among this gathering.

Xihe and Changxi have already decided to jointly marry the Heavenly Emperor; Houtu and Xuanming do not cultivate the Great Dao, obviously lacking the qualification, and moreover there is a considerable gap in their status and rank—thus the alternative candidate is about to emerge.

Gouhui gave no reply, merely turning to ask: "If so, since the first two are both emperors of the Heavenly Court, does the matter of a human marriage then fall to Fuxi Dao friend?"

Nüwa saw Gouhui not responding, but instead turning to discuss human marriage; she could not help but speculate on his attitude, yet she still explained: "Originally I too had intended this, but my elder brother is not keen on marriage matters; I had previously inquired, and he refused."

"That is precisely why I intend to entrust this choice of human marriage to my teacher, for the two of Haotian and Jade Pool."

"These two are also bearers of heavenly mandate, and as the teacher's attendant children they serve the sage on both sides, cultivating and growing together—surely they would not refuse."

Gouhui also felt a headache over this; she had originally planned to refuse the earthly marriage in order to pursue a human marriage, so as to avoid competing with a Heavenly Court emperor and a future sage.

After all, since Nüwa has put herself forward as an alternative, it is clear she harbors early intentions; contending with such a figure for opportunity is inevitably somewhat overreaching.

Moreover, at present West Kunlun is detached from the Heavenly Court; even if, during the grand assembly, the Heavenly Court confers upon her the title of Queen Mother of the West, it remains difficult to change her identity as the foremost female immortal, a status that inspires awe.

If she could form a marriage bond with a Heavenly Court emperor, there is no doubt it would be the best option to dispel any potential future risks.

Moreover, she would likely give birth to one, or perhaps several, qualified inheritors of the Dao lineage—this makes Gouhui unable to remain unmoved.

Furthermore, Shen Qi, as one of the top few great gods in the primordial wilderness today, with him standing before West Kunlun, can easily shield against external winds and clouds, thus influencing West Kunlun.

In this way, she could also peacefully retreat into seclusion; matters of the primordial wilderness would have nothing more to do with her, and the tranquility she once sought could easily be attained.

The Heavenly Court's guard against West Kunlun would thus be lowered, and it could even share the vast qi fortune of the Heavenly Court and the water-system earthly deities that resides on Shen Qi.

The myriad difficulties on the path of cultivation—law, wealth, companions, and land, the four great aspects—aside from the land she already possesses, the rest can be wholly resolved; this inevitably stirs Gou Hui's heart.

But having to contend with Nüwa makes Gou Hui extremely hesitant.

After all, she also does not know whether this opportunity that has come to her door is because Nüwa does not wish to form a marital bond and therefore specially informed her.

Or perhaps this opportunity is actually desired by Nüwa, but due to restrictions or responsibility, she must first inquire before it can be taken.

Just this doubt alone makes Gou Hui begin to hesitate over this opportunity; moreover, it is not easy to ask about this matter, which undoubtedly puts Gou Hui in a dilemma.

Furthermore, there is the prior matter of Xi He and Chang Xi; does it perhaps contain the meaning expressed by Nüwa?

Fortunately, as Gou Hui was in difficulty, Qi happened to raise his wine cup and approach; all I heard Qi say: "The Heavenly Court's grand gathering is held; within the great hall are all the essences of the primordial wilderness; music and dance are abundant, celestial sounds echo; such beautiful scenery, could there be any lapse in hospitality by the Heavenly Court? Making the guests' atmosphere so dull?"

Qi's arrival let Gou Hui visibly sigh in relief, yet it also drew Nüwa's displeasure; seeing Nüwa give Qi a white-eyed glance, her tone carried reproach as she said:

"You are really clueless; knowing the atmosphere here is dull, you neither came early to liven things up nor arrived later so we could find an answer—truly a killjoy."

At this crucial moment, after great effort we had steered the topic here, and Nüwa was eagerly awaiting; yet Qi showed up just then, disrupting the situation—no wonder Nüwa's tone turned harsh.

In contrast, Qi looked utterly bewildered, completely at a loss, not knowing where he had again offended Nüwa, and he said with a somewhat amused sigh:

"What are you doing this time? I don't recall having provoked you lately; and speaking to me, I will apologize, and that should compensate you somewhat; even if it means death, let me die with understanding, right?"

Nüwa said, vexed: "We are discussing the crux; the answer is about to be revealed, yet you come out and stir things up—who else should I be angry at if not you?"

"Missing this chance, I don't know when the next opportunity will arise; you making compensation is only fitting!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Qi immediately understood what they had been discussing earlier; he turned his gaze to Gou Hui, Xi He, and Chang Xi beside him, and promptly said his farewells:

"This is my fault; I shall punish myself with a cup, then take my leave—you all continue."

Hearing Gou Hui's words, Qi felt a great sense of unease, and quickly turned his gaze toward Nüwa; indeed he saw Nüwa's expression grim, her eyes seeming to want to tear him apart.

As Qi's words fell, he was about to raise his cup to drink when he heard Gou Hui speak: "Your Majesty Qi, your arrival this time is actually most opportune; what fault is there? Do not speak of self-punishment; we have been seated a while, and it would be good to accompany Your Majesty for a few more cups."

Gou Hui spoke, evidently intending to temporarily set this matter aside; her arrival undoubtedly had disturbed Nüwa's affairs, and Qi hurriedly offered a remedy:

One cup is enough; the Heavenly Emperor still awaits in the great hall, and fellow Daoists also need me to go; it is not proper to linger here, you may enjoy yourselves, and I will not disturb you further.

Having said that, Qi gulped down the wine in his cup in one swallow, not even having time to savor its pleasure, and hastily turned and fled in disarray.

Seeing Qi in such a state, Nüwa's inner vexation lessened considerably, and she involuntarily smiled at the goddesses present, saying: "His Majesty Qi is indeed a remarkable person, and quite discerning; no wonder, given his long experience, he could find such an excuse."

Gou Hui lightly covered her mouth with her sleeve, evidently also suppressing a smile; Xi He and Chang Xi showed no restraint, their faces full of smiles, clearly because Di Jun often spoke of Qi in their presence, and they knew it well, so they saw no need to hide it.

Hou Tu and Xuan Ming, however, were utterly shocked; in their impression, Qi had always been the most awe-inspiring, and the Wu Clan under his hand had endured many rebukes.

Moreover, just before the gathering began, Di Jiang had often complained before them, bluntly saying that Qi oppressed the Wu Clan excessively, imposing restrictions everywhere.

Especially Hou Tu, who had long resided in the Heavenly Court; whenever she saw Qi, she always beheld a dignified, solemn countenance, his divine might like a prison.

In their occasional eye contact, Hou Tu had never seen even a trace of mercy in him; all she saw and heard was his regard of heaven, earth, and all things as mere straw dogs—calm, without ripple.

As if, in his eyes, even life-and-death love and hatred were like roadside weeds—unworthy of his notice, causing no disturbance to his heart.

Yet now Qi's demeanor is something Hou Tu has never seen nor even imagined; only at this moment does Hou Tu realize that she herself, or rather the entire Wu Clan, is in his heart no different from stones and rocks.

As for Xuan Ming, her impression of Qi comes mostly from the few rare occasions they have met; Qi, seated aloft on his cloud chariot, his gaze brimming with divine might, leaves people breathless.

And she herself could only stand nervously at the side, fearful of provoking Qi and bringing disaster upon her people.

PS: Final inquiry—Nüwa, Gou Hui, or both?

Nüwa writes a 1 beneath this comment, Gou Hui writes a 2, both write a 3; the option with the most comments wins, and after today it cannot be changed. (End of chapter)