Chapter 61: Human Dao

"Is Fuxi really alright? He has been standing there for a long time."

"Qi was somewhat worried; he also began to doubt whether he had spoken too harshly."

"Di Jun then comforted Qi, indicating that Fuxi simply hadn't figured things out yet."

"Don't worry, once Fuxi figures it out, it'll be fine. How will this change affect the Cloud Dream Marsh?"

"Di Jun wasn't worried that Fuxi would fail to understand; Fuxi had underestimated the impact of the Cloud Dream Marsh on heaven and earth, and also overestimated it."

"Heaven and earth would not cease to function just because a link encountered a temporary problem; at most it might cause some slight shock to living beings."

"Just as Zu Long's attitude toward the Cloud Dream Marsh, being able to connect via water transport is naturally good; if not, it wouldn't change the fact that he already controls the Primordial water system."

"It merely means detouring around the Cloud Dream Marsh, which is a bit more trouble, and beginning from the West Sea to impose his control over the western water systems."

"This will not affect the Dragon Clan's rise; in some aspects, it actually benefits the Dragon Clan in enhancing its control over other water systems."

"Reduce the number of water gods who worry and oppose the Dragon Clan's schemes, lower their hostility, and avoid armed conflict."

"After all, the Dragon Clan can allow the Cloud Dream Marsh to remain independent, so it naturally won't attack them; and as long as it doesn't attack, the Dragon Clan has ample time to persuade them."

"Thus, the Dragon Clan is now the fastest-growing among the three clans, precisely because it has not clashed with the many water-dwelling innate deities."

"The Qilin Clan seeks to control the Primordial earth, and the conflicts that have erupted are countless."

"Although they avoided the major mountains, they still had disputes with many innate deities."

"After all, not all innate deities can be nurtured in famous mountains and rivers, and establish Dao Chang to transmit the Dao lineage."

"Some spiritual mountains can also give birth to innate deities, and the number of spiritual mountains in the Primordial realm is far more than ten million."

"The Phoenix Clan is likewise; although there are not many Dao Chang of innate deities in the sky, there still exist many cave heavens."

"Most of these cave heavens are ownerless, but those with owners must have innate deities."

"Moreover, cave heavens are usually extremely sealed; if you don't enter a cave heaven, you won't know whether it contains an innate deity, and entering amounts to trespassing on someone else's Dao Chang."

"This has become a deadlock: the entrances to cave heavens are hard to find, discovering a cave heaven is already difficult, and if one had to seek the entrance of each, who knows how long one would have to wait."

"Thus, the Phoenix Clan also encounters obstacles everywhere."

"Zu Long also, for this reason, is unwilling to come to the Cloud Dream Marsh to seek Qi, because he fears that any conflict would provoke countless innate deities."

"For the sake of the grand plan, he therefore specially selected a time, specifically after the calamity, when most of the innate deities in the North had been stimulated and were in seclusion."

"At that time, Zu Long both wanted to see Qi and did not want to see Qi, so he quickly left the Cloud Dream Marsh without lingering."

"But now, after all, a trip to the Cloud Dream Marsh must still be made; otherwise, past efforts would be wasted, and the Dragon Clan's prestige would be ruined."

"Only when begged by numerous inland water gods does he have a reason to enter the Cloud Dream Marsh, and he need not persuade the Cloud Dream Marsh to join their faction; he can return empty-handed."

"If he actively enters the Cloud Dream Marsh, unless the Cloud Dream Marsh joins peacefully, then for the Dragon Clan it would be a failure."

"Forceful coercion is unacceptable; for even if the Cloud Dream Marsh joins, it would provoke the wrath of the water god collective."

"If they do not join, then the Dragon Clan's schemes cannot hope to proceed smoothly; the myriad water gods will stand by, after all, a top water god's refusal to join must have a definite reason."

"Zu Long knows why Qi would do this, and also knows that this time going to the Cloud Dream Marsh he will surely be scolded and cannot retort, because Qi stands on reason."

"\"Given one's duties, it seems this sort of thing cannot be done again in the future; if continued, the Dragon Clan would have no reputation left. \""

"Zu Long sighed, and he now even less wants to go to the Cloud Dream Marsh."

"He, a mighty figure among the top ten of the Primordial realm, yet has to go actively seek scolding, and he is truly unwilling."

"But as an innate deity, especially the uncrowned king of the current water system gods, he must go, otherwise he would truly be derelict in his duty to heaven and earth."

"Having done wrong, one should admit it; he still has this sense of responsibility, but regarding the later placement of living beings, the Dragon Clan fears it will have to suffer great losses."

"\"I don't even know when, after the heavenly-earthly tides and water vapor circulation return to normal, we will be able to recalculate and regain understanding and control of this heavenly-earthly water system. \""

"Looking at the Primordial water system map before him, Zu Long felt heartbroken to the point of breathlessness; the pits he had dug out of greed for convenience now, tears in his eyes, he must jump into."

"Qi did not want to know Zu Long's thoughts; he only knew that after this epoch's water system circulation returns to normal, in the next epoch many water gods will come to be scolded."

"As for speaking of Fuxi, to Qi it was already light; merely Fuxi's reaction made Qi begin to doubt whether he had overestimated the endurance of the divine spirits."

"Nüwa stepped out from the side and said:"

"\"Qi, my elder brother probably wouldn't be putting all the blame on himself, would he? \""

"\"Why don't you go comfort him? Now probably only your words can reach him; our words, his elder brother simply won't listen. \""

"Nüwa felt somewhat worried, her gaze turning to Qi."

"Qi, helpless, could only walk toward Fuxi."

"\"You don't really think it's all your fault, do you? The Fuxi I know is not that fragile. \""

"At this moment, Fuxi's eyes were somewhat vacant, with no reaction."

"Qi again said:"

"\"You are not an earth deity, so you don't understand the authority and duties of water gods; being misled by words, feeling pity for those beings is normal, and there's no need to place all the blame on yourself. \""

"Upon hearing this, Fuxi slightly regained his composure and said:"

"\"I am not unable to accept because I myself was deceived; I merely feel that the Primordial beings' suffering arose because of me, which ultimately concerns the two continents. \""

"Fuxi's emotions were still somewhat agitated; he is like this now because he does not know what exactly he should do to make up for these mistakes."

"He wants to save those lives, but discovering he is powerless, he thus becomes listless."

"Hearing his words, Qi curled his lips, for the first time thinking how such obstinacy could make him one of them."

"\"Are you perhaps overestimating the influence of the Cloud Dream Marsh? You too are an innate deity born of the Primordial; with your strength, crossing the two continents would still take a long time—just how much could some water affect? \""

"\"You view the Primordial too simplistically; those water gods, although they did wrong, still possess some ability. \""

"\"As long as they respond well, within an epoch those influences will gradually fade; aside from migration, living beings cannot suffer great loss. \""

"\"If left to run its course, whether their authority remains stable is still a matter. \""

"\"Heaven, earth, and humanity stand together as the Three Powers; heavenly gods have their duties and abilities, earth deities have theirs—do you really think the Human Dao lacks comparable ability? \""

"\"They merely appear ordinary, yet they possess great power within; if the Human Dao is provoked, authority is not something that cannot be changed. \""

"\"Otherwise, how could the Three Sovereigns possibly be the most honored of the Grand Emperor? They are the embodiment of the Heaven-Earth-Human Three Dao; the Human Dao among the Divine Dao Three Sovereigns represents not only the innate deities, but all beings of heaven and earth. \""

(End of chapter)