Chapter 14: The Stolen Moon Goddess, the Blood Sea

When the nightfall gently descended and all things fell into stillness, a goddess from the Moon Palace quietly left the palace.

She wore a flowing robe shimmering with radiant light, its hem swaying gently with each step, as if a river of stars flowing through the Milky Way—each step left behind a faint glow, illuminating her path forward.

“Where are you going?”

A figure blocked Chang Xi’s way.

“Ah? Sister!” Chang Xi halted, staring blankly at the newcomer.

Wang Shu’s long hair was as deep as ink, drifting lightly in the wind, each strand seeming to capture the faintest starlight in the night sky.

Chang Xi silently cursed—she squared her shoulders and asked, “Aren’t you in seclusion?”

Tall and slender, her face cool and composed, her stunning eyes—slightly stern—now scrutinized her younger sister: “While I was in seclusion, you sneaked out of the Moon Palace again?”

“I didn’t…” Chang Xi twisted the hem of her dress.

She dared not meet Wang Shu’s gaze, her eyes darting away.

“I just thought you were in seclusion, so I got bored and wanted to take a little walk.”

“Is that so?”

The moon-silk veil fluttered as Wang Shu stood amid the night, her tone alone making the entire world grow cold.

“Of course!” This time her voice was crisp and decisive.

Chang Xi glanced at the moon hanging in the heavens, her eyes sparkling.

The moon is so full tonight—why didn’t I notice before?

“Look at me when you speak.”

“Oh!”

Chang Xi obediently turned her head.

Meeting Wang Shu’s icy gaze, she offered a faint smile.

Trying to deceive her sister.

Wang Shu said softly: “I’m bored too. Why not take a walk together?”

“Huh?” Chang Xi’s eyes went wide again.

“What, unwilling?”

“Willing, willing!” Chang Xi nodded like a sparrow pecking grain, “I love going out with you, Sister!”

“It’s just…”

Seeing her sister’s hesitant, conflicted expression, Wang Shu’s lips curved slightly.

“Could we do it another day?” Chang Xi lowered her head, whispering, “Tomorrow’s fine, or the day after? But not today…”

“Why not today?” Wang Shu pressed.

“Today… today…” Chang Xi racked her brain but found no good excuse; she stamped her foot, half-embarrassed, half-annoyed.

“Oh, Sister~~” She stepped forward, tugging Wang Shu’s hand, pleading, “Can we do it another day?”

“Another day?”

“Mm-hmm!”

Chang Xi blinked her eyes rapidly: “Another day!”

She looked up at the sky, pointing at the moon: “I promise!”

“Fine.”

Wang Shu gave a slight nod.

“Really?”

Chang Xi’s eyes crinkled into crescents: “Sister’s the best!”

“Goodbye, Sister!”

Whoosh—Chang Xi vanished.

She left without hesitation, not a trace of delay.

As if afraid Wang Shu might change her mind.

Wang Shu shook her head, smiling.

“I’d like to see who this mysterious figure is that’s luring my sister away.”

Since you won’t walk with your sister,

don’t blame your sister for following you.

Kunlun Mountain.

One of the primordial roots of the Honghuang, divided into east and west, each holding its own cosmos.

A gentle beam of moonlight spilled into the boundless darkness, adding a vivid hue to the silent night sky.

“Didn’t Sister follow?”

Chang Xi’s form glowed like pure silver; she clutched her dress hem and peered out cautiously from the moonlight.

Once certain she was safe, Chang Xi exhaled deeply, a triumphant smile blooming on her delicate face.

“Hehe, good thing I ran fast!”

Silver light darted through Kunlun Mountain as Chang Xi skipped happily through the hills.

Where her fingertips brushed, fireflies swirled around her.

They flickered dimly or brightly, adorning the quiet night like the most brilliant stars in the heavens.

The colossal guardian beast of Kunlun spotted her from afar.

“Jade Xiao Goddess.” The Kai Ming Beast bowed its head in salute.

“Oh, it’s Lu Wu.” Chang Xi looked up at the colossal beast hidden deep within the void.

Kai Ming Beast Lu Wu, guardian of Kunlun Mountain’s nine great gates.

“Are they all here?”

“All arrived.”

Kai Ming Beast opened the barrier: “Please.”

Chang Xi entered Western Kunlun.

She walked straight to a well, its rim carved of jade, leading directly to one of the nine great gates of Western Kunlun.

Under Lu Wu’s watchful gaze, Chang Xi leapt into the well.

“Jade Xiao Sister has arrived!”

“Jade Xiao Sister, hello!”

“Hello, everyone!”

Chang Xi spoke to every living being in the softest voice, her tone like a mountain spring, cleansing every heart.

Suddenly, she saw a dreamlike figure emerge from another great gate.

“Wu You Sister!” Chang Xi hurried over and grabbed the other’s sleeve.

Meng Wu You turned, smiling: “Oh? It’s little Jade Xiao !”

“You sneaked out again without telling your sister?”

At Meng Wu You’s teasing, Chang Xi’s ears flushed crimson: “I didn’t!”

“I left right in front of her!”

Meng Wu You was astonished: “No way! Truly no way!”

Chang Xi was mortified.

“Alright, I won’t tease you anymore.”

Meng Wu You smiled: “Actually, we never forbade revealing what happens here—you can tell your sister if you want.”

“I’m not telling her.”

Chang Xi pouted and sniffed: “She doesn’t even tell me when she goes out to play.”

“You.”

Meng Wu You shook her head and dropped the subject. “Here, you can’t call me Wu You—you must call me Zi Xiao Lord!”

“Yes, Zi Xiao Lord!” Chang Xi giggled.

She linked arms with Meng Wu You: “Come on, Zi Xiao Lord, everyone’s already here.”

“Oh, hurry up? We Nine Xiao don’t have so many rules…”

Outside Kunlun Mountain.

Wang Shu stood in the void.

She gazed at the direction where her sister had vanished, hesitation stirring within her.

Should she break in?

At the very moment she considered it, all nine heads of Kai Ming Beast Lu Wu turned toward her.

Its spirit sharpened, eighteen eyes locked onto the void where Wang Shu stood.

Lu Wu could not see her.

But that didn’t stop Lu Wu from offering a respectful bow.

Big boss, let’s talk this out calmly.

Blood Sea.

At the very moment the little moon goddess slipped away, the lotus blossoms in the blood pool bloomed.

They seemed to be the very embodiment of the purest, most magnificent beauty of the Dao.

It is an extraordinary creation forged from the very essence of heaven and earth.

It is a supreme treasure belonging to the Honghuang.

Xiang Xuanqing and Ming He both stared intently at the Blood Pool.

Although this lotus was rooted deep within the Sea of Blood, it profoundly embodied the meaning of rising pure from mire.

Boundless karma fire illuminated the void, its divine might that burned all things left one awestruck.

Heaven and earth trembled; myriad ways roared.

Amidst the flickering flames, one layer after another of cosmic laws manifested.

The concretized power of the Dao took shape as countless mysterious runes.

Every trace seemed capable of connecting to immortal Daoic power, as if able to burn down the myriad heavens and incinerate eternity!

That was a flame capable of directly burning the soul—its lethality was extraordinary.

Xiang Xuanqing was certain that any ordinary deity here, if caught unawares and touched by it, would have their immortal spirit ignited!

One misstep and one might even perish here!

This was no mere speculation.

A supreme primordial spiritual treasure, its origin rivals that of any primordial deity.

Or rather, it is itself a unique primordial divine being.

Should the Karma Fire Lotus fully erupt, even ordinary beings might not be able to defeat it.

“Have you gained any insight?” Ming He asked Xiang Xuanqing beside him.

Xiang Xuanqing’s gaze suddenly brightened. “Soul techniques, Dao arts—so many, so many!”

“Really?” Ming He gazed at the heavens filled with laws; how had he only felt his cultivation rising?

In just this brief moment, Ming He’s own spiritual power surged upward rapidly.

Xiang Xuanqing nodded: “Look at this!”

He snapped his fingers, and a streak of deep blue spark flickered from his fingertip.

“What is this?”

Ming He was startled.

No substance, no spiritual energy, no spiritual power—time and space itself were burning!

At the instant the flame appeared, Ming He’s soul trembled.

As if his soul had become kindling!

“Karma fire!”

Xiang Xuanqing smiled brilliantly: “Karma fire that burns the soul.”

“This is karma fire?”

Ming He glanced at the crimson karma fire filling the sky, then at the deep blue flame in Xiang Xuanqing’s hand.

Were these two the same thing?

Watching the flame in Xiang Xuanqing’s hand grow ever hotter, Ming He stepped back toward the Blood Pool.

At least karma fire felt familiar to him.

Yet, the moment Ming He drew near the Karma Fire Lotus, a sudden change occurred!

BOOM!!!

Amidst a violent roar, the heavens shook as a scroll hung suspended in midair, then rapidly expanded.

A domain of Dao unfolded, obscuring heaven and earth.

“Who?” Ming He’s expression darkened instantly.

“The Binder of Fates!”

Fragments of time whirled around, veiled in hazy chaos, revealing a blurred figure.

It gazed at the mature Karma Fire Lotus and laughed: “I never expected that a mere fish I happened to notice would bring me such a delightful surprise!”

The figure held the scroll and casually shook it—instantly, a tidal wave of power surged forth, as if traversing the Honghuang universe and annihilating all life.

In a daze, countless great worlds rose and fell in succession.

Vast stretches of time and space ebbed and flowed; the myriad heavens fell silent, and all worlds returned to their origin.

“Friend, today our karmic ties may be severed!”

Faced with such power, the Karma Fire Lotus swayed—and moved.

Flames filled the heavens, tracing the most profound paths, as if drawing upon the entire Sea of Blood’s momentum.

From all directions, streams of crimson light converged—limitless, inexhaustible—amplifying its power until it nearly burned down the myriad heavens!

“Who the hell are you?!”

Ming He flicked his sleeve, and a sword brimming with murderous intent slashed out.

“This spiritual treasure—I’ll take it!”

A giant hand slammed down, stirring a chaotic tide; terrifying rays of cosmic law surged, illuminating the entire cosmos.

Another deity appeared.

It lurked in the void, evading Ming He’s sword, and raced straight toward the Karma Fire Lotus.

Ming He’s eyes grew cold; another killing sword spun through the air, slashing left and right.

Endless killing intent shattered heaven and earth; even time and space trembled.

“And who the hell are you?!”

“Me? You’ve forgotten already?”

The second deity chuckled. “It’s understandable—we’ve never met face to face—but you’ve fallen into my traps more than once!”

“Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here today.”

Upon hearing this, Ming He’s face darkened.

He finally understood.

His family’s treasure had been targeted.

And the targets? All “old acquaintances”!

Ming He snorted, gripping his killing sword as he surveyed the surroundings:

“Who else?!”

“Come out, all who seek to bind fates!”

A spiritual treasure born must be stained with enemy blood—it’s been hard on you, coming with me.

Ming He summoned the primordial Karma Fire Lotus to his side.

Crimson flames spread endlessly; the lotus radiated joyous emotion.

It was not suffering!

On the contrary, it was thrilled.

A marvel born of the Sea of Blood would never refuse the baptism of blood!

(End of Chapter)