Xihe...

Wu Wang suddenly felt a bit relieved, relieved that he hadn't agreed to Ji Mo's request to follow him to the Northern Wilderness for some inspiration.

If, in this situation, Ji Mo, the Great Wilderness's foremost 'waist' cultivator, were to suddenly blurt out 'Nice waist,' the war between the Heaven Palace and the Human Domain would probably escalate and erupt before sunset.

What is the Queen of Heaven doing here?

Wu Wang watched Xihe closely, daring not to be careless in the slightest.

Isn't it said that behind every successful man, there's an outstanding fairy maiden?

On the day Emperor Shun battled Shen Nong, Xihe arrived at the last moment. She precisely timed her arrival on her dragon-drawn chariot to safely take Emperor Shun back to Heaven Palace.

There were many details in this that highlighted Xihe's extraordinary nature—the timing of her appearance, her confidence in coming alone, her combat strength that could repel Shen Nong even when the Heavenly Emperor was influenced by Fu Xi's will, and so on.

"Bro... Big Bro?"

"Shh, don't call out to me!"

The ghostly figure of the Sleep god frantically waved his hands, turning half his body transparent, and glared at Wu Wang.

Wu Wang's outcry also caught the attention of Xihe in another flying ship, who glanced up at him.

Despite the multiple Formations and layers of people between them, Wu Wang clearly felt her gaze.

He casually moved his neck, not speaking again to the Sleep god, but instead uttered, "Ming Snake."

"Master, I am here."

Ming Snake's form appeared beside Wu Wang, who actively communicated, "With this kind of distance, escape is difficult."

Wu Wang smiled noncommittally.

He might seem composed, but deep down, he was somewhat nervous.

Although Xihe sitting here playing chess with Ling Xiaolan and looking to be in a good mood already indicated that she harbored no ill intentions on this trip. At least, not the kind of direct malice that would make her kill him with a single slap.

But the moment he thought of Xihe's identity...

"It's nothing."

Cang Xue's voice arose from the depths of Wu Wang's mind, and the necklace on his chest flickered faintly.

"Heaven Palace seems to want to win over our mother and son. Such tactics are more reminiscent of Emperor Shun's style of operations. Win over those you can, destroy those you can't. It seems that the Emperor Shun who previously appeared was indeed an embodiment of the Dao of Order, considering only the maintenance of the existing order. The real Emperor Shun does not care about the current order; the current order is just his path to achieving his ambitions. What he cares about is whether he can stand above all gods and maintain such authority."

Wu Wang pondered for a moment before responding in his heart, "Mother, you seem to have quite the big-picture view."

"Hm?" Cang Xue seemed puzzled.

Wu Wang chuckled inwardly, "How come when I hear from others about the Ancient Ice God, it's always about how she freezes the world without a second word, never hesitating to act instead of speak?"

Cang Xue hummed softly. From her seat in the Starry Sky Temple, her expression became slightly helpless.

"If, as your mother, my strength was truly greater than Emperor Shun's, I wouldn't have exchanged half a word with him."

Wu Wang: ...

Cang Xue continued, "If it were not for the reputation earned in the early years, along with your mother's undiverted spiritual mind from the Star God's Dao even after being exposed, always grasping this Great Dao, Emperor Shun would have probably made a move long ago. Even though Emperor Shun was deeply entangled in the Human Domain, Xihe and Chang Xi were not to be underestimated either. Let's not talk about these things anymore. What's your plan to deal with this? Actually, Heaven Palace isn't a bad place to go. You want to temper your divine body, but relying solely on hunting those minor gods has limited effectiveness."

"Mother, I am now also a subject of the Human Domain. How could I do such a thing for those two factions?"

Wu Wang smiled and said, "What I'm thinking now is to stabilize Heaven Palace from my personal standpoint, giving the Human Domain more opportunities to sort itself out. The conflict of the Dao of Fire remains unresolved, and as long as the struggle for control over heaven and earth between the Divine Spirits and living beings does not end, a great battle between the Human Domain and Heaven Palace is inevitable. I'll go and deal with Xihe."

"Hmm," Cang Xue said, "In dealing with the current Emperor Shun, you need to be even more careful and cautious. Never believe his nonsense. Think about it. Emperor Shun, this Heavenly Emperor, has wives like Xihe and Chang Xi, who are strong gods. If the two of them joined forces, Emperor Shun would probably be in trouble. Yet, he still went out and spread his seeds far and wide, passing down so many Divine Kingdoms. His skill in coaxing is indeed very impressive."

Wu Wang smiled calmly, "Mother, you don't have to worry. Although there may be a big gap in strength between him and me, when it comes to bluffing, it's not necessarily clear who will lose and who will win."

Cang Xue: ...

"You, with your tail almost wagging to the sky; Emperor Shun is not easy to deal with."

"Heh heh."

Wu Wang laughed a few times, exchanged a few pleasantries with his mother, then organized his thoughts and turned towards the inner cabin on one side.

He took his time, took a bath, changed his clothes, and even retied his hair, giving himself a rather nice hairstyle.

Once he was tidily dressed, he stepped out of the cabin. He didn't forget to hang a sachet on the outside of his waistband and pull out a folding fan from his sleeve. He opened the fan with one hand, held it upright in front of him, and stepped out with the dandy stride he had learned from Ji Mo.

The so-called dandy stride is characterized by wide steps and low frequency. When walking, one must let the waist ornaments gently collide and the hem of the robe sway slightly, without giving the impression of being in a hurry or impatient.

Everywhere he went, Immortal Soldiers turned to salute.

Various masters of the Human Domain, at this moment, inexplicably felt a bit more at ease; their previously floating Dao hearts gradually settled down with Wu Wang's appearance—perhaps this was the effect of having a central pillar of support.

When Wu Wang reached the bow of the flying ship, he took the initiative to speak out, saying loudly, "I didn't know that Senior Xihe had come here. I was only concerned with cultivating myself and neglected to greet you."

Inside the flying ship, Xihe and Ling Xiaolan paused their game of Go. Xihe rose slowly from her seat, a faint golden light flowing around her, rippling like water.

Xihe said, "It was just a blink of an eye's worth of waiting; it's not a big deal."

After speaking, Xihe looked at Ling Xiaolan and took out a small brocade box from her sleeve, saying warmly, "Thank you, Miss Ling, for your company these past few days, which really relieved me of a lot of boredom. This item is a token of our meeting. Otherwise, I, as a senior, would be laughed at."

Ling Xiaolan stood up and shook her head gently, saying softly, "Given our differing standpoints, it's inappropriate to accept gifts. Thank you for the kind intentions, Mother of the Sun."

Xihe urged, "Public matters are public, private matters are private, factions are factions, and you and I are you and I."

"I am always a part of the Human Domain; it's something I cannot cut myself off from."

Ling Xiaolan smiled and shook her head, her eyes clear and bright.

"Well," Xihe sighed softly and placed the brocade box to one side, "do visit Yang Valley when you're free."

Having finished speaking, she appeared beside Wu Wang in an instant, hovering three feet above the deck, her long hair and the hem of her dress fluttering backward, a sight of breathtaking beauty.

This sudden translocation startled many masters of the Human Domain, who gripped their Weapons tightly.

Xihe said, "Shall we sit inside or take a walk outside? There are some matters I wish to discuss with you alone."

A glint of sharpness flashed through Wu Wang's eyes as he smiled and said, "Why not sail a Cloud Boat over this vast expanse of blue waves, warm up a few small cups of wine, and bask in your presence? Mother often mentioned that before ancient times, you were already one of the strongest beings between heaven and earth. Today I have the rare opportunity to meet with such a senior, and naturally, I would like to learn some principles of cultivation from you."

Xihe sized up Wu Wang from head to toe.

In that moment, Wu Wang felt as though he was completely seen through, with nothing left hidden.

Xihe revealed a gentle smile, her phoenix eyes twinkling as she smiled and said, "You carry the Dao legacy of Fu Xi and possess the Star God's bloodline; there isn't much I can teach you... Please."

A Cloud Boat slowly flew over, with clouds surging upon it, as a square table and two jade stools slowly 'grew' out from within.

Xihe gracefully took her seat, her demeanor, posture, and movements flawless.

Wu Wang glanced at Ling Xiaolan and transmitted a voice message saying, "Thank you for your hard work," then nodded to Lin Suqing and Blue Bird to reassure them not to worry too much.

Afterward, he jumped onto the cloud, lifted the hem of his Dao robe, and sat calmly across from Xihe.

"So, what would you like to talk about, senior?"

Xihe's fingertips emitted a golden glow, and they were now enveloped by her Divine Power.

The big star in the sky became even more conspicuous once more.

"Report—Wuwang Palace Lord has emerged from seclusion and is conversing with Xihe!"

「In the Human Domain, at the Human Emperor Pavilion.」

Over a dozen elderly people sat in pairs on wooden chairs, facing each other, some stroking their beards in contemplation, others frowning in worry.

At the head seat, Liu Baiyi quietly read a scroll, speaking calmly, "You are fretting over nothing; just trust in Wu Wang."

"Master Liu, are we truly not going to send someone over?"

"The Human Emperor has ordered us not to interfere excessively; Wu Wang will handle things himself."

Liu Baiyi said leisurely, "The fact that Xihe personally sought out Wu Wang, isn't it proof enough that our Wuwang Palace Lord is exceptional?"

"Although that may be the case, if this gets out, there will indeed be rumors."

"Heaven Palace is our mortal enemy!"

"But what can the Wuwang Palace Lord do? He's facing Xihe, and it's not within the Human Domain."

"Alas, now that the news has spread, we might as well consider how to explain Wuwang Palace Lord's true identity."

Liu Baiyi smiled calmly, "What's there to fear? The ship will right itself when it reaches the bridge."

"If," an old woman hesitated, then asked softly, "if Heaven Palace offers conditions that the Wuwang Palace Lord cannot refuse, wouldn't that mean... our Human Domain's recent reforms were based on a blueprint drawn up by the Wuwang Palace Lord..."

"Absolutely not," said Liu Baiyi with exceptional determination.

But the old woman muttered softly, "You can't be too sure. Do not forget, Heaven Palace can grant living beings immortality..."

The dozen or so elderly people fell into silence.

Liu Baiyi decreed, "Keep the messages coming."

"Yes!"

Immediately, a high-ranking servant went off with the command, and the air in this side hall grew gradually more oppressive.

「In the West Sea, at the location of the fleet where Wu Wang was situated.」

Sitting on a Cloud Boat, with the azure sea beneath his feet, and facing the renowned Sun Goddess, the wife of Emperor Shun and the mother of the Ten Suns, Wu Wang truly felt as if he were in a 'dream.'

He actually had some fondness for the Sun Goddess.

—This was not a fondness of a romantic nature, but rather a pure admiration for a creator of divine order in the world.

After all, among the entire group of Innate Gods, the Sun Goddess was known to be rather discreet and was not known to have oppressed any living beings.

However, as soon as Xihe began to speak, Wu Wang's vigilance was at its peak.

Xihe said, "When the Heavenly Emperor was in the Human Domain, I am grateful for your concern for him."

She didn't start with great trends between heaven and earth or debate over gods and living beings; instead, she went straight for the emotions... An old negotiation master indeed.

Wu Wang's smile at the corner of his mouth deliberately stiffened, his expression mixed with subtle awkwardness as he sighed, "It's my own fault for being blind at the time, ah, no, for not recognizing that it was the Heavenly Emperor, Emperor Shun. I was anxious and agitated over Senior Sanxian's refusal to become an Immortal. Looking back on it now, it does indeed seem rather foolish."

Fight fire with fire, immediately block the opponent's words.

Xihe's gaze shifted to one side as she smiled and said, "No matter what, the two of you have engaged in such interactions, and such friendship cannot be severed. In the future, regardless of what happens between Heaven Palace and the Human Domain, as Emperor Shun's wife, I hope you can maintain this bond of friendship."

Wu Wang looked up and let out a long sigh, his eyes brimming with tears.

After deliberately showing his inner struggle and distress, he cut straight to the chase, "Presumably, senior, you have come here not just to say these things. Have you come to persuade me to visit Heaven Palace?"

"Indeed," Xihe smiled, "I do wish for you to come and see Heaven Palace, to just sit and observe. In truth, it is not the dreadful and ghastly place, nor the Purgatory filled with gathered demons, that the Human Domain imagines it to be. The Human Domain and Heaven Palace have opposing standpoints, so Heaven Palace is often vilified. Heaven Palace, in essence, is a place of order established long ago by a group of Divine Spirits who resisted the Candle Dragon."

Wu Wang laughed, "How has the Head Manager been lately?"

Xihe was somewhat at a loss for words.

She was talking about how wonderful Heaven Palace was, how Divine Spirits were essentially on equal footing. Wu Wang immediately pointed out the Head Manager, who was pressured and driven mad step by step by the Heavenly Emperor. Through the process of 'educating' the Head Manager, the Heavenly Emperor established his authority and the core position of the divine power hierarchy. And this was something Emperor Shun had already set in motion after the loss of the Dao of Fire. What talk of collective Divine Spirit governance!

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