Eresh, who had descended from the Primordial Highest Heaven, had no idea what the stone atop the island before her truly was. She only knew that it held an extraordinarily dense concentration of Divinity and was intimately connected to the planet itself. Perhaps it was something a god and the planet had created together.
Even so, Eresh was a goddess manifested on a scale approaching that of a God-King. She could tell that life was gestating within the stone.
She wanted to hasten its formation. Yet instinctively, she did not accelerate the growth of its body.
Instead, she reached into the torrent of time and summoned a vessel highly compatible with its power—one capable of bearing both its strength and its consciousness.
That left Eresh troubled. She had no idea what consequences this "mistake" of hers might bring.
But no matter how much she worried, what was done was done. There was no taking it back.
The massive stone split apart. Two beams of light burst skyward, piercing heaven and earth. Clouds churned into spiraling vortices, and the vast East Sea trembled with them.
BOOM!
The boulder shattered completely, and a petite figure leaped out from within.
It was a "young woman."
She had short red hair and wore a short red outfit. The fabric curved over the swell of her chest, leaving her smooth, pale midriff bare, while the hem ended high above her thighs, revealing a pair of long, shapely legs.
Beneath the tips of her hair, her face was pretty and soft, while the upward curve of her lips carried a touch of carefree defiance.
She was human in form, yet somehow gave off an unmistakably monkey-like impression.
Without Eresh's interference, she should have been born as a stone monkey. Instead, she had emerged ahead of time, throwing heaven and earth into upheaval the instant she was born.
The only thing that concerned Eresh was...
"Sister, you finally came to wake me!"
The red-haired young woman stood barefoot atop the island's summit, tilting her head up at the foreign goddess of the Underworld, who was slightly taller than she was.
Who am I?
Eresh froze.
Why did this girl act as though she knew her so well...?
"You're the Holy Mother of Mount Li, my elder sister! While I was asleep, I sensed that you would come wake me!"
The "stone monkey" blinked at her as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Eresh was silent.
So she had mistaken her for someone else.
After a moment, Eresh suddenly broke into a radiant smile. "That's right. I am."
Wasn't this the perfect opportunity to enter the Divine Land?
More importantly, Eresh could vaguely sense that this identity would help her find Rovi quickly.
At the same time...
Elsewhere in the East Sea, much farther away and deeper beneath its waters, ethereal mist gradually appeared. As though responding to the changes brought about by the stone monkey's birth, three immortal islands slowly emerged from nothingness.
Penglai, Yingzhou, and Fangzhang.
These were the islands where immortals had dwelled during the ancient mythical era.
Penglai stood foremost among them.
At that moment, someone on Penglai slowly opened her eyes. A pair of red pupils gleamed beneath long, brown-tinged wine-red hair, parted into two sections that hung down on either side.
"Heavenly Palace. Threat..."
"Monkey."
A clear, cold voice like an electronic echo reverberated endlessly across Penglai.
...
In Qin, at Donghua Palace, the ritual sacrifice to Heaven came to an end.
The First Emperor's face was alight with excitement.
The military officers rubbed their fists, eager for action, while the civil officials rejoiced at having taken part in the reforms. Naturally, there were dissenters as well—but in an atmosphere like this, who would dare speak up?
All of Qin was seething with excitement.
Under their generals' command, the armies slowly withdrew, Qin swords dispersing in every direction. The six states had only recently fallen, and many restorationists still remained throughout the land. Troops would be needed to suppress them.
Court historians recorded everything that had just happened, including the "Pangu" formed from the Azure Heaven who had descended from above, as well as everything the Qin people believed in and worshiped.
The Qin had always revered Heaven and stood in awe of its mandate, regarding "Heaven" as the father of all things. Thus, in the beliefs of every household in Qin, the Azure Heaven had long since become one of their ancestors, paired with the earth-mother goddess they worshiped—the Lady of Mount Li.
Rovi knew this, of course, but did not care. As far as he knew, there was no actual deity behind the Lady of Mount Li. She was merely an immortal goddess imagined into existence by the Qin people.
As for Qin Shi Huang, he placed greater faith in himself, so naturally, he cared even less.
Golden late-afternoon light slanted down as dusk approached.
After returning to Yu Mei-ren's side, Rovi looked at the young woman still watching and waiting for him atop the domed roof. He flicked his long sleeve and was just about to come to a stop...
But in the next instant, the disturbance in the East Sea suddenly entered his awareness. As the Water Official Great Emperor, all things beneath heaven connected to water fell under his dominion. Naturally, this change could not be hidden from him.
His stride faltered for a beat—but he did not stop.
Yu Mei-ren's eyes widened as Rovi suddenly "walked" straight into her. Their bodies met head-on, and her breath caught slightly...
Warm, fragrant softness filled Rovi's arms. Acting entirely on instinct, he swept his sleeve around her.
Then he froze as well.
His palm supported her slender waist, warmth and silky softness reaching him all at once.
"You... insolent..."
All he received was Yu Mei-ren's usual dry rebuke.
Rovi's expression did not change. He simply released her and took half a step back.
Before Yu Mei-ren could say anything else, he said, "Something has happened in the East Sea."
"What?" Yu Mei-ren paused, then immediately turned serious.
During the ancient mythical era, the Divine Land had been surrounded by seas on all four sides. But by the present day, the Age of Gods had vanished. The South Sea had contracted into a mere remnant, while the West Sea and North Sea had sunk directly into the Inner Sea of the Planet. Only the East Sea had endured through the changing ages.
That was why, after the Vanguard of the Umbral Star descended, the immortals and gods of antiquity had made the East Sea their home.
The disaster brought by the Vanguard of the Umbral Star had not swept across the Divine Land, but the damage it inflicted upon the planet itself had still affected this place.
Because of the East Sea's unusual nature, even though Rovi governed the water offices of heaven and earth, there were still many hidden corners of the East Sea beyond his direct reach.
That included the source of the present disturbance.
The Three Immortal Isles beyond the seas.
Yu Mei-ren thought for a moment. "Yingzhou, Penglai, and Fangzhang were used as grotto-heavens by countless immortals and gods during the ancient era, with Penglai foremost among them. Penglai was also said to be a gate of ascension, one of the doors leading to the Immortal Realm. Even Lingbao Tianzun, one of the Three Pure Ones, was said to dwell on Penglai."
If the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors represented the ancestral gods, then the Three Pure Ones stood at the pinnacle of all immortals and gods.
The fact that even one of the Three Pure Ones resided on Penglai spoke volumes about how extraordinary it was.
"But if I remember correctly, the Three Immortal Isles sealed themselves away and disappeared after the Investiture of the Gods. Even when I was at the Fusang Tree, I could barely detect their existence. Why have they appeared now...?" Yu Mei-ren could not understand it.
"Then don't waste time thinking about it. We can just go see for ourselves, can't we?" Rovi grinned.
He had never cared much about the unknown or about danger.
He no longer sought death as an end in itself, but his desire for death still drove him to seek ways to become stronger.
Penglai had once housed immortals and gods. If they searched its depths, they were certain to find many divine objects left behind from antiquity.
Even treasures left by the Three Pure Ones would surely be of some help to Rovi.
"Go and see...?" Yu Mei-ren did not hesitate. "Then let's go!"
"You're not allowed to leave me behind anymore!"
That said...
"How do you still not know how to fly?"
Sword light rose and wrapped around them both before streaking toward the East Sea. Rovi glanced at Yu Mei-ren behind him and raised an eyebrow.
Yu Mei-ren snorted. "Who says I need to fly?"
"The White Emperor of the West presides over Geng Metal, slaughter, and all sharp-edged weapons."
"All I need to do is swing my sword."
"Would you like to try it?" At that, Yu Mei-ren ground her teeth, a distinctly malicious glint entering her vermilion eyes.
Rovi cupped his hands. "I wouldn't dare. I truly wouldn't dare."
As they spoke, the Pure Yang Sword's light crossed the vast Divine Land, passed through Hangu Pass, entered the lands of Chu, and followed the Yangtze River to the shores of the East Sea.
The boundless ocean reflected a blood-red setting sun beneath the fading afterglow. Waves rolled across its surface, and mist could be faintly seen rising in the distance.
"We're close," Yu Mei-ren said suddenly.
There was no need for her to tell him. Rovi could sense that they were already very near their destination. The ancient, concentrated presence of immortals and gods ahead could not possibly be mistaken.
Through the vast curtain of water vapor, they could gradually make out the hazy forms of the immortal islands ahead.
The silhouettes of three enormous islands loomed at separate points along the horizon.
Before they could draw near, however, a faint vibration suddenly rippled through the air. A clear, cold voice, almost electronic in tone, rang out.
"These are the restricted grounds of the Heavenly Gate. Outsiders, halt!"
Alongside the voice came a sharp metallic hum.
A long spear wreathed in red light pierced the endless mist and tore through the air, flying straight toward the approaching sword light to stop their advance.
Rovi did not move. He merely slowed the sword light slightly.
The incoming spear was swift and fierce, but he could have repelled it with a casual wave of his hand.
Before he could raise that hand, however, someone else intercepted it.
"Hmph. Don't misunderstand. I'm not trying to protect you. I'm only protecting myself!"
A black cloak billowed, revealing a graceful, pale figure beneath it. Two longswords appeared in Yu Mei-ren's hands. She swept them upward, their brilliant edges meeting the incoming spear in an instant. The blades trembled as she knocked it back.
She moved in front of Rovi. Although she could not fly, she was still capable of suspending herself in the air.
Yu Mei-ren snorted, but her pretty face was entirely serious.
She did not want him to protect her forever.
She wanted to protect him too.
Even if Rovi did not need it...
"The White Emperor...?"
The spear was knocked away, and the rolling mist parted to either side as a puzzled voice emerged from within.
The spear flew back into someone's hand. A figure stepped out, swaying slightly as she stood atop two masses of flame—or, more precisely, two "wheels" wreathed in fire.
She had the appearance of a young woman and wore a tight red robe that closely followed her well-proportioned figure. The slight curve of her chest tapered into a slender waist before widening softly at the hips. The parted hem revealed a pair of firm, rounded thighs.
Long reddish-brown hair flowed loose behind her. She held a spear in one hand and stood atop the Wind-Fire Wheels, while a silver-white bangle encircled one pale wrist.
A red-tasseled spear, the Wind-Fire Wheels, and the Universe Ring.
"Nezha?"
Yu Mei-ren recognized her immediately.
She was the young immortal who had distinguished herself in the Battle of the Investiture of the Gods, during the campaign that destroyed Shang.
She was also a Heavenly General who guarded the gates of the Heaven Realm.
"The White Emperor... No. That is incorrect."
The clear, cold voice once again came from Nezha's lips. She stared fixedly at Yu Mei-ren, her red lips parting to reveal a glimpse of white teeth.
"You are not the White Emperor."
"Tch. So it didn't work?" Disappointment crossed Yu Mei-ren's face.
She wanted to protect Rovi.
But she also wanted to help him.
The Heavenly Gate was a passage into the Heaven Realm, the dwelling place of the Heavenly Emperor who had ruled the Age of Gods.
But the Heavenly Emperor could not have been the Heaven Realm's sole occupant. The Heavenly Emperor dwelled at its center, while the other "Emperors" occupied the cardinal directions.
As the Emperor-Lord of the West, the White Emperor naturally possessed the right to enter the Heaven Realm.
Yu Mei-ren had intended to use the White Emperor's identity to gain entrance.
Unfortunately, her plan had been seen through. The Heavenly General guarding the gate had recognized the deception at a glance.
Nezha acknowledged only a fixed handful of individuals.
They were the "Emperors" of the former Age of Gods.
"In that case, we'll just have to force our way through!"
Yu Mei-ren tightened her grip on her twin swords, her red lips curving into a confident smile.
Since the plan had failed, what was left to think about?
She would simply charge in.
She was the White Emperor of the West. Was she supposed to lose to a mere Heavenly General guarding a gate!?
And so Yu Mei-ren rushed forward.
Then...
She blew herself up?
Rovi choked.
Caught completely off guard, Nezha was left covered in soot and dust. Fortunately, although Yu Mei-ren had grown stronger, most of that increase lay in her raw power. As a planetary Elemental, the durability of her body remained fixed.
Thus, Nezha was merely left filthy and disheveled.
Rovi turned an odd look toward Yu Mei-ren, whose body was reforming behind him.
"I... I'm used to it." Yu Mei-ren's face reddened. She truly was used to it. This was how she had fought before as well.
Perhaps this was why she had always been alone.
She opened with self-destruction.
Who could possibly handle that?
Rovi burst out laughing. Yu Mei-ren flushed with humiliation and anger, but he had already begun walking toward Nezha.
Nezha dusted herself off, raised her spear once more, and stood upon the Wind-Fire Wheels as she stared fixedly at the approaching Rovi.
DANGER. DANGER. DANGER...
The warning sounded continuously inside her mind.
Nezha remained expressionless. She could sense the terrifying power of the man before her—a manifested existence far beyond her own. Yet the faint shifts around the Heavenly General's eyes revealed how fully she had prepared herself for battle.
"A divinely crafted war automaton?" Rovi was studying Nezha as well.
The Heavenly General with the appearance of a young woman was not a pure immortal or god. At her core was the Spirit Pearl sent into the mortal world by Taiyi Zhenren, an immortal of Kunlun and disciple of Yuanshi Tianzun, the Jade Pure One among the Three Pure Ones.
She was neither human nor god, neither monster nor demon.
She had once reincarnated as a human. At first, her personality had been as wild and arrogant as that of a demon king. But after causing a great calamity that implicated her parents, she had been forced to take her own life. Once her body was reconstructed, her demonic nature gradually faded.
Afterward, her new body was formed from lotus roots cultivated by Taiyi Zhenren. Shakyamuni's power had also been used in its construction.
She was a war automaton of the immortal path—an existence akin to a machine.
A war automaton existed for battle.
And so, even though she could sense the overwhelming and terrifying power within Rovi—an existence only a hair beneath even her grandmaster, Yuanshi Tianzun—
She felt no fear.
Fear had been forgotten. So had death.
The war automaton of the immortal path tightened her grip on her spear.
Rovi, however, had no intention of fighting her. There was no need.
"Behind you is the Heavenly Gate, and I am the Heavenly Emperor."
"You have no right to stop me, Heavenly General."
Rovi revealed himself as a manifestation of "Heaven." Nameless mist born of chaos slowly appeared in the air, and formless tentacles extended from within it, twisting overhead.
Now Nezha had no reason to bar his way.
"The Heavenly Emperor?" Nezha tilted her head and parted her red lips. "Your title of Heavenly Emperor has nothing to do with me. I guard only the Heaven Realm behind me."
"Unless you can prove that you are also the Heavenly Emperor of the Heaven Realm behind me."
"I would have to go inside before I could prove that."
"You must prove it before you may enter."
Rovi fell silent.
Yu Mei-ren was already struggling not to laugh.
Rovi flicked his sleeve and sighed.
Just like Yu Mei-ren's attempt, his had failed as well.
In that case, there was only one option left.
They would force their way through!
He stepped forward.
Nezha spread her arms. Her head blurred and split into three as her long hair whipped through the air. Her two arms divided into six.
This was Heavenly General Nezha's manifested form.
A sophisticated close-quarters art that allowed a single fighter to attack as though several combatants were surrounding the enemy at once.
Three heads and six arms, each hand—or mouth—holding a different immortal treasure, each one a Divine Spirit-class Noble Phantasm.
The Universe Ring, the Red Armillary Sash, the Yin-Yang Swords, the Golden Brick... Every one of them was a renowned weapon of slaughter bestowed by Taiyi Zhenren.
Her six arms opened wide. In an instant, overlapping streams of radiance from the Noble Phantasms surrounded Rovi from above, below, left, and right, sealing off every possible avenue of movement.
At the same time, Nezha raised the point of her spear. Fire erupted from its tip as she drove it straight forward.
Toward Rovi.
This was Samadhi True Fire, born from the soul and fueled by the soul itself. So long as something possessed a soul, the flames could trace it back to its source and burn without end.
Few beings could withstand it directly. Even Heavenly Venerables and Emperor-Lords, who possessed countless means of extinguishing such flames, would still frown at being forced to endure them and regard the fire as troublesome.
They did not fear it, but neither did they wish to be touched by it.
The Noble Phantasms sealed the surrounding space.
The spear thrust forward.
Nezha's opening move was a killing strike.
Yet Rovi neither dodged nor retreated. He raised one hand and slowly reached for Nezha's spear.
The flames went out.
The immortal weapons wielded by her three-headed, six-armed form struck Rovi but produced nothing more than a series of metallic clangs. They could not even pierce his clothing.
Nezha froze, her movements turning stiff as she stared at Rovi's extended hand.
It was not flesh.
Nor was it the conceptual manifestation of a Divine Spirit.
It was a hand cast from steel.
"A war automaton? Unfortunately for you, I have a similar form myself!"
Rovi shifted his body, revealing patches of his Machine God body where the attacks had struck.
The steel-forged body shimmered faintly into view.
He released the spear, clenched his hand into a fist, and struck.
CLANG!
The three-headed, six-armed form collapsed at once. The Samadhi True Fire was extinguished, the spear went flying, and Nezha staggered backward repeatedly.
War automatons had always been renowned for the strength of their bodies.
Yet at that moment, it seemed as though Rovi were the war automaton.
And she was merely an ordinary immortal deity.
Countless invisible tentacles descended from above. Nezha tried to attack again, only to discover that she could no longer move.
The tentacles bound her tightly, like an Immortal-Binding Rope personally fashioned by Yuanshi Tianzun.
[NOW WE CAN TALK PROPERLY, CAN'T WE?]
Rovi withdrew his hand.
---
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