This Human Immortal Is Too Serious-Chapter 374 - 372: First Encounter with God’s Battle
In his past life, Wu Wang often heard the phrase: "Where there are people, there are rivers and lakes."
Now, having had more interactions with Innate Gods, he realized that once Innate Gods were tainted with human nature, they too entered these "rivers and lakes," grappling with "grudges." When interests clashed, conflicts would inevitably erupt.
From this perspective, the difference between Divine Spirits and living creatures was not significant. Their primary concerns and pursuits differed; the former possessed endless lifespans, whereas the latter, no matter how powerful they became in the world, were merely fleeting, like the ephemeral bloom of a night-blooming cereus.
Wu Wang’s Immortal Consciousness watched over the battlefield where thousands of soldiers and dozens of Divine Generals were fiercely fighting.
The area was already littered with casualties, yet neither side showed any intention of stopping. Both sides were gathering more soldiers in the rear, seemingly preparing for a major battle.
Will they really fight to the end?
Strong gods will surely appear to mediate, won’t they? Given the current internal and external troubles of the Heaven Palace, they shouldn’t allow Divine Spirits to consume each other.
Wu Wang mused thus in his heart, picked up his teacup for a sip, and was unconsciously drawn to the laughter beside him.
Those two really know how to make a fuss.
Xiao Ming had the appearance of a two or three-year-old toddler girl from the moment she hatched. She had a petite frame and soft, long hair. After being lovingly dressed by Nu Chou and Young Master, she looked even more exquisite and adorable. Her chubby cheeks carried the genuine plumpness of a baby, and those clever large eyes, with just a swivel, would invariably come up with some mischievous ideas, leaving Nu Chou and Young Master breathless from the exertion.
As a qualified father of Human race origin, Wu Wang had prepared a daily schedule for Xiong Ming.
She would rise with the sunrise and sleep at sunset, reciting poems daily. Despite her young age, she was to learn to meditate, ponder, and strive to sense and accept the Great Dao.
The burdens on Xiao Ming’s shoulders were truly not light.
The backlash from the Dao of Death was currently only blocked by a triple seal. However, if Xiao Ming ever needed to utilize the Dao of Death in the future, or was compelled by the Heaven Palace to do so, she would have to endure the pain of this backlash.
Xiong Ba could only do two things for Xiong Ming.
First, not give her the chance to use her powers.
Second, help her grow swiftly, to understand life, penetrate death, and in death, glimpse the true meaning of life. This would enable her to bear the force of the backlash or dissolve it into nothingness.
As for Xiao Ming constantly calling out "Daddy" and "Mommy," Wu Wang and Young Master couldn’t help but feel their hearts stir, and tender thoughts would drift through their minds whenever they exchanged glances.
It was quite embarrassing, to say the least.
"Mommy, hug!"
"Okay, Mommy will hug you," Young Master said in a gentle voice, as soothing as a spring breeze. This drew Wu Wang’s partial attention, and he turned his head to look over.
To make it easier to hold Xiao Ming, Young Master was putting up her hair.
Her movements were graceful as she tied her hair up. Her arms were raised high, and beneath the falling sleeves, her skin was as smooth and glowing as polished ivory. First, she tied a low ponytail. Then, she wrapped her long hair around it several times and casually conjured a white gauze ribbon to bind it tightly into a bun.
Thus, her fair and slender neck was beautifully displayed, making her figure appear even more graceful and poised, as delicate as a startled swan.
Wu Wang watched her silhouette, and his heart suddenly forgot Chang Xi, whom he had seen at the Starry Sky Temple, and the radiant presence of Xihe on the Divine Chariot faded from his mind.
He felt that the ultimate interpretation of beauty by an Innate God could scarcely go beyond this.
Young Master bent down to pick up Xiao Ming and walked back and forth in a corner. The little one yawned, her chin resting on Young Master’s shoulder, enjoying the comforting pats from her mother as her large eyes slowly grew hazy.
Soon after, Wu Wang strolled over. Young Master, turning to look at him, gestured for silence.
After they both carefully settled Xiao Ming into the hanging basket in the corner, they heaved sighs of relief, exchanged smiles, and went to rest on a nearby couch.
On the couch, Wu Wang and Young Master sat at opposite ends.
"You’ve worked hard," Wu Wang said via voice transmission.
"Playing with Xiao Ming is quite fun," Young Master replied with a twinkle in her eye, her voice also transmitted softly, as if instinctively lowered. "It seems to deepen my own understanding of the Great Dao."
Wu Wang couldn’t help but feel bemused. "Can caring for a child really have such an influence?"
Young Master pondered seriously for a moment, muttering, "I finally understand why my understanding of my own Great Dao always felt like a piece was missing."
"A piece missing?"
Wu Wang said with a smile, "If there’s anything I can help you with, just say it. With our relationship, this god will definitely give it his all."
Young Master, however, blushed inexplicably. She avoided Wu Wang’s puzzled gaze and turned her head toward Xiao Ming. Her delicate hand pressed the armrest of the couch as she mumbled indistinctly.
"We’ll talk about this later... in the future."
"Alright, just call me whenever."
Wu Wang chuckled, his Immortal Consciousness continuing to watch the slaughter in the lower realm, studying the troop formations and subsequent strategies of both sides.
From a room within the hall, Nu Chou’s faint snores could be heard. She was, after all, the primary caregiver and had been thoroughly exhausted by Xiao Ming, forcing her to rest.
Wu Wang laughed and said, "Who knows when Xiao Ming will grow up."
"About the same rate as humans," Young Master explained softly. "When I helped her with her rebirth and reincarnation, she said she wanted to become your child, to experience what a true human life should be like. So I set her growth patterns similar to those of the Human race."
Wu Wang couldn’t help but frown. "Doesn’t that mean she’ll start getting mischievous in a couple of years?"
"What’s wrong with a child being a little naughty!"
Young Master looked at Wu Wang and sighed. "It’s you, actually. Xiao Ming obviously likes you the most, yet you always put on a stern face. You should try to be closer to the child."
"It’s for her own good," Wu Wang said earnestly. "Family education is very important. One of us has to play the stern role. Only then can we effectively discipline her and promptly correct any bad habits."
"You do have a point there."
"Of course," Wu Wang said with a smile. "In the future, if she causes trouble, don’t stop me when I spank her."
Young Master laughed. "TSK, as if you would have the heart to do it."
Wu Wang calmly rolled up his sleeves. Actions spoke louder than words; they would see what happened when Xiao Ming eventually caused trouble.
Before long, Young Master also noticed the chaos in the lower realm, but she didn’t pay attention for long and soon fell asleep peacefully against the soft couch.
Wu Wang used his immortal power to adjust her position so that she could lie down more comfortably, taking care not to be disrespectful in any way.
The great hall, which housed the four of them, finally quieted down completely.
Wu Wang simply moved a chair outside the barrier of the hall gate and sat quietly, grabbing a handful of roasted spirit melon seeds and brewing a pot of fragrant tea, leisurely continuing to watch the drama unfold.
The conflict between the two Divine Realms below grew increasingly fierce. Along their borders, fighting had already broken out at seven or eight locations.
High-ranking Divine Generals from both sides had entered the fray, and in some areas, the fall of Divine Generals could be seen.
Is there really no one to mediate?
Wu Wang mused to himself, carefully examining the statues of the gods of the two realms. They stood five hundred and six hundred zhang tall respectively, indicating they were likely two lesser, yet still formidable, gods.
With Wu Wang’s careful observation, more details soon became apparent.
For example, there weren’t many onlookers near the conflict, and not many Divine Spirits in the Heaven Palace paid much attention to what was happening below. This indicated that over a longer timescale, such conflicts in Emperor’s City were common, and everyone had grown accustomed to them.
Another example was that as the battle intensified, many followers joined the fight spontaneously, resulting in a messy, bloody conflict with numerous casualties. Both sides seemed to have forgotten that the war had started over a few hundred followers, yet the current casualties far exceeded that number.
Clearly, the "Divine Lords" on both sides were also fighting over a matter of pride.
Oftentimes in the Northern Wilderness, it was the same; battles over pride were more likely to lead to casualties than conflicts over interests.
In disputes over interests, both parties would generally weigh their respective gains and losses and consider if the conflict was worthwhile. However, in conflicts of pride, the situation could easily escalate. Neither side would yield, driven by sentiments like, "Why won’t they back down?", "Why should we be the ones to bow?", and "Have I been wasting my time in this divine society?"
As I plan to expand my Divine Realm, I’ll need to devise a way to create conflict. Preferably, I’ll make the other side attack first. As the victim, I’ll have the moral high ground, and then it will be a natural progression to take over their territory and followers.
But how can this be achieved?
Should I send Yang Wudi to stir up some trouble?
Those Divine Lords surely keep their loved ones sheltered within their own Temples, leaving Yang Wudi with no real opportunity to use his skills.
Moreover, that fellow had urgent matters to attend to, and things were progressing quite smoothly for him at the moment. Calling him back midway would be a real pity...
If it comes to that, we’ll just have to fight it hard.
Wu Wang steeled his heart, reasoning that the persecution would ultimately fall upon the Innate Gods. As long as he didn’t wantonly slaughter innocent living beings, there was nothing much to worry about.
Even a good reputation in the Heaven Palace wasn’t all that useful.
Having made this resolution, Wu Wang looked down upon the great battle below and found it somewhat tasteless.
He watched patiently for a long while. By the time a little rascal inside the hall began running around with giggles, the battle below had escalated once again.
The two Innate Gods each made their presence known in their Divine Realms. Far from holding back, they were calling for reinforcements from all quarters, dispatching Divine Generals, and hiring experts, preparing to overwhelmingly suppress the other side.
Within the Heaven Palace, the number of Divine Spirits paying attention to the clash in the lower realm gradually increased.
How will this unfold if things continue this way? Wu Wang pondered the question that surfaced in his heart, which finally received an answer in the middle of the night.
Divine Combat.
The Divine Generals on both sides had suffered heavy casualties, and large numbers of followers were fleeing. The two Innate Gods, their eyes bloodshot, appeared at the site of the border conflict, shouting each other’s names and declaring the commencement of Divine Combat.
Following that, both sides retreated. From within the Heaven Palace, a golden light shot out, coalescing into a Main God with an awe-inspiring countenance.
This Main God asked if both parties wished to initiate Divine Combat. The two Innate Gods replied in unison, their eyes filled with raging fury.
The Main God produced two scrolls and tossed them out. After the two lesser gods grasped the scrolls, they each squeezed out a drop of divine blood to smear on its surface before handing the scrolls back.
Thereupon, the Main God from the Heaven Palace who was presiding over the situation proclaimed loudly:
"The Divine Combat will commence at noon three days from now. Both sides may summon allies. In three days’ time, you shall clash at this location.
The loser of the Divine Combat must forfeit three thousand years’ worth of Divine Power.
The victor of the Divine Combat will receive this Divine Power.
In the Divine Combat, each party may invite up to three allies to assist. The number of assisting Divine Generals must not exceed fifty percent of your own.
Does either side object?"
"No!"
"Hmph!"
The Main God from the Heaven Palace nodded, collected the two scrolls, and transformed into a beam of Divine Light, shooting back to the Heaven Palace.
The two Innate Gods each withdrew their troops, their gazes as ferocious and terrifying as if they were choosing whom to devour.
Divine Combat?
This rule set by the Heaven Palace is rather interesting.
「Starry Sky Temple, the place where Ten Thousand Stars shimmer.」
Cang Xue, clad in a water-blue gown with her long hair slightly undone, sat silently on her throne, gazing at the various scenes formed by the converging starlight below.
The Staff was always close at her side.
As long as she held this Staff, Cang Xue could at any moment call upon the Great Dao of the Star God, to intimidate the Heaven Palace or outright flip the table, thereby overturning the order of heaven and earth.
The Temple was vast and empty, inevitably creating a degree of coldness.
But all that coldness combined sometimes seemed less chilling than the icy expression on Cang Xue’s face.
She was the Ice God; she knew best how to maintain a frosty facade.
Ba’er has been increasingly reassuring lately.
Cang Xue’s lips curled into an enchanting smile. With a gentle slide of her finger, the starlight-formed image changed once again, shifting from the scene of Wu Wang meditating to a landscape of verdant mountains and clear waters.
A girl in green sat beside a mountain brook, her feet soaking in the brisk stream water. She rested her hands on the rocks, gazing thoughtfully at the clouds in the sky.
She was looking in the direction of the Heaven Palace.
She was, of course, the daughter of the Human Emperor, the Human Domain’s Jingwei.
For some reason, whenever Cang Xue gazed at Jingwei, her eyes always carried an air of contemplation.
After watching Jingwei for a while, Cang Xue also noticed several Transcendent Realm female cultivators from the Human Domain hidden nearby. These were the guardians assigned to Jingwei by Shen Nong, so Cang Xue need not worry too much.
With a flick of her finger, the images formed by the starlight changed once again.
It was a lush bamboo forest where a woman in white ran back and forth, hanging up batches of medicinal herbs...
Without warning, a wisp of grey breath surged from a corner of the Temple.
Cang Xue’s fingers swiftly swept across, and the starlight images immediately vanished.
The grey breath slowly "grew," vaguely taking the form of a frail silhouette that could not be distinguished as male or female, nor could its features be discerned. It slowly floated from the corner towards the center of the Temple.
Cang Xue’s dress swayed slightly, and her legs were crossed. Impatience flickered in her eyes, but she showed no overly intense reaction.
Clearly, she was quite familiar with the visitor.
"What are you here for?"
"The Ice God seems quite at ease. As for us lonely souls and wild ghosts, we are truly suffering," the grey shadow said with a cackling laugh.
"Ice God, when do you plan to break open the Heaven and Earth Seal? We can hardly hold on any longer over here.
The current state of the world, thoroughly mismanaged by Emperor Shun, has enraged both humans and gods alike. The power of the Heaven Palace is also far from what it used to be. As long as we welcome the return of the great Supreme God, the world will still be ours.
Ice God, don’t tell me you’ve actually grown fond of this Sun Ritual position."
"Scram."
Cang Xue uttered the word indifferently.
The grey shadow chuckled. "My Lord, what do you mean by this..."
Cang Xue slowly closed her eyes, her long eyelashes fluttering slightly. Then suddenly, she opened them, ice-blue Divine Light shooting forth from their depths. The grey shadow let out a howl, its body convulsing violently.
Only a strand of the visitor’s Divine Soul was present, but Cang Xue’s gaze seemed to have wounded its actual body.
With her left hand slightly open, Cang Xue caused the grey shadow to clutch its throat in agony. Its actual body, hiding somewhere unknown, also curled up tightly, trembling uncontrollably.
"I forged the current state of this world through tens of thousands of years of forbearance.
I can allow them to return, or I can prevent their return. The choice is mine.
If you do not return to slumber, I will seal your Divine Soul and send you to your slumber.
Next time, do not make me say ’scram’ a second time. Coming before me with such pretensions, do you not know how the word ’death’ is written?"
"My-my Lord, spare my life... I was just... just a bit anxious..."
"Hmph."
With a dismissive wave of her hand, Cang Xue scattered the grey shadow with a cold gust. The Temple once again regained its prior tranquility.
"What a killjoy."
Cang Xue’s lips twitched slightly. Once again, specks of starlight converged in front of her throne. This time, however, the scene the starlight formed was an endless grassland, where a burly man rode a white flying bear towards the Big Snow Mountain.
A faint smile appeared on Cang Xue’s lips, and with a flash, she disappeared from the Temple.
The Staff vanished along with her.
