88: Chapter 88 A Question from Yaochi

After returning from Kunlun Ruins, Lu Mingyuan spent a sleepless night.

The Queen Mother of the West's words were like a knife, carved into his heart—Wanxiang True Qi originated from the same source as the darkness; it wasn't repelling him, it wanted to devour him.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, activating his Wanxiang True Qi, feeling it flow through his body. The chaotic colored Qi, as always, flowed obediently through his Meridians, merging with his flesh and blood, resonating with his Primordial Spirit.

But at this moment, looking at it again, he felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

Did this power truly belong to him?

Or was it just temporarily residing within him, waiting for the opportune moment to assimilate him?

He didn't know.

He only knew that from now on, he could no longer view his Cultivation the way he used to.

As dawn approached, the courtyard gate was pushed open.

Yunhua walked in, carrying a palace lantern. The incense in the lamp had burned out, leaving only a faint wisp of lingering smoke.

"Didn't sleep?"

Lu Mingyuan shook his head.

Yunhua sat on a stone stool and placed the palace lantern on the table.

"Her Majesty asked me to check on you."

Lu Mingyuan looked at her.

"Her Majesty is worried I might overthink things?"

Yunhua was silent for a moment.

"Her Majesty said that after you learned the truth, you might not be able to sleep. She asked me to sit with you."

Lu Mingyuan was startled, then smiled.

"Her Majesty is very thoughtful."

Yunhua didn't reply, simply gazing at the palace lantern. Although the incense inside had burned out, the runes carved on the lamp's wall still glowed faintly, emitting a soft light.

After a long time, she suddenly spoke:

"The first time I learned about these things, I also couldn't sleep."

Lu Mingyuan looked at her.

Yunhua didn't look at him, still gazing at the lamp.

"That was three thousand years ago. Her Majesty first brought me to Kunlun Ruins and told me about the Ferocious Beast Great Tribulation, the Initial Calamity of Dragon and Phoenix, and the Calamity of Wu and Yao. After hearing it, I didn't sleep for an entire month."

"Every time I closed my eyes, those scenes appeared—Ferocious Beasts devouring heaven and earth, the three races' blood flowing like rivers, Rahu's Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, the collapse of heaven and earth during the Witch-Demon decisive battle..."

She paused, her voice softening.

"Later, I understood why Her Majesty told me these things."

"Because only by knowing history can you know how to proceed now."

She looked up at Lu Mingyuan.

"When you don't know how to proceed, think of those who died. The lessons they bought with their lives must not be in vain."

Lu Mingyuan looked at her, seeing a hint of warmth in the eyes of this usually indifferent woman for the first time.

"Thank you, Senior, for your guidance."

Yunhua stood up.

"There's still a lecture today, so get some sleep early."

She picked up the palace lantern and walked towards the courtyard gate.

At the doorway, she suddenly stopped.

"Lu Mingyuan."

"Yes?"

Yunhua didn't turn back.

"You survived not because of shared origin. It's because you have light."

With that, she pushed the door open and disappeared into the night.

Lu Mingyuan sat there, looking at the closed door for a very long time.

The next day, at the hour of chen, Yunhua arrived punctually to pick them up.

It was the same path: through the peach forest, around Yaochi, into the ruins, through the hundred-zhang stone gate, and to the nine-story high platform on the desolate plain.

But this time, the Queen Mother of the West wasn't there.

Yunhua led them past the nine-story high platform, walking deeper into the desolate plain.

After about half an hour, a lake appeared before them.

The lake water was black, calm as a mirror, without a single ripple. A faint mist shrouded the surface, and within the mist, some broken objects were vaguely visible—a half-mast flagpole, a corner of shattered armor, a broken sword.

In the center of the lake was a small island, with a withered ancient tree, and beneath the tree, a stone table and two stone stools.

The Queen Mother of the West sat on one of the stone stools, with a pot of tea and two cups in front of her.

Today, she wore a cyan dress, her hair simply tied up, looking less like the revered deity who ruled Kunlun and more like an ordinary woman waiting by the lake.

Seeing Lu Mingyuan and the others approach, she raised a finger and pointed to the stone stool opposite her.

"Sit."

Lu Mingyuan sat down as instructed. Zhang Qingyuan stood behind him, not sitting.

The Queen Mother of the West didn't mind, picked up the teapot, and poured two cups of tea.

She pushed one cup towards Lu Mingyuan and kept one for herself.

"Do you know what this place is?"

Lu Mingyuan shook his head.

The Queen Mother of the West looked towards the lake.

"This was left behind after the decisive battle between the Witches and Demons. That half-mast flagpole is the battle standard of the Yao Race Heavenly Court. That corner of shattered armor is a relic of a great Witch of the Witch Race. That broken sword, whose it is, I don't know, but it has been stuck here for thirty thousand years and is still here."

She picked up her teacup and took a small sip.

"Thirty thousand years ago, this wasn't a lake, but a battlefield. The place where the Great Array of the Stellar Heavens and the Twelve Heavens Divine煞 Array collided."

"That collision caused heaven and earth to collapse. After the battle, the power of the collapsing arrays drew in groundwater, slowly submerging the battlefield, and thus this lake was formed."

She put down her teacup and looked at Lu Mingyuan.

"Today, I will tell you about the Calamity of Wu and Yao right here."

The Queen Mother of the West began to narrate.

Her voice wasn't loud, yet it echoed across the silent lake, like an echo from ancient times.

"After the Ferocious Beast Great Tribulation, the three races retreated. The Witch Race and the Yao Race began to rise."

"The Witch Race was formed from Pangu's essence blood after his Physical Body fell. They inherited Pangu's power, possessed strong Physical Bodies, and controlled the earth. Each of the Twelve Ancestral Witches had the ability to reach the heavens and penetrate the earth."

"Dijiang, Ancestral Witch of Speed. Jumang, Ancestral Witch of Wood. Rushou, Ancestral Witch of Metal. Gonggong, Ancestral Witch of Water. Zhurong, Ancestral Witch of Fire. Tianwu, Ancestral Witch of Wind. Qiangliang, Ancestral Witch of Thunder. Xizi, Ancestral Witch of Lightning. Zhujiuyin, Ancestral Witch of Time. Shebishi, Ancestral Witch of Weather. Houtu, Ancestral Witch of Earth. Xuanming, Ancestral Witch of Rain."

She listed them one by one, each name seeming to carry weight, falling on the lake surface and stirring tiny ripples.

"The Yao Race was formed by birds and beasts that first gained sentience and Cultivated after heaven and earth were first created. They inherited the favor of the Heavenly Dao and controlled the sky. Dijun and Taiyi, two brothers, established the Heavenly Court and ruled over all demons."

"Dijun possessed the River Map and Luo Book, capable of divining heavenly secrets. Taiyi possessed the Chaos Bell, capable of suppressing space-time. They used the Solar Star as their core, gathered the power of the myriad stars in the cosmos, and arrayed the Great Array of the Stellar Heavens."

She paused, looking towards the half-mast flagpole in the center of the lake.

"Before that battle, the Witch and Yao Races had already fought for a hundred thousand years. Over those hundred thousand years, countless casualties were suffered by both sides, and hatred deepened."

"But what truly triggered the decisive battle were three events."

The Queen Mother of the West held up three fingers.

"The first was the ten suns appearing simultaneously."

"Dijun and Xihe had ten sons, all Three-legged Golden Crows, living on the Fusang Tree. They were supposed to take turns patrolling the sky daily, which was the rule. But one day, all ten Golden Crows flew into the sky together."

"With ten suns blazing, the earth withered, rivers dried up, and countless living beings were scorched to death."

"The Witch Race's great Witch, Kuafu, chased the suns, wanting to persuade them to return. But the Golden Crows wouldn't listen, instead teasing Kuafu. Kuafu chased for nine days and nine nights, and died of thirst on the road."

"His clansman, Hou Yi, in grief and indignation, shot down nine Golden Crows with his divine bow."

The Queen Mother of the West looked at Lu Mingyuan.

"Do you know what this means?"

Lu Mingyuan was silent for a moment.

"Dijun's nine sons died."

The Queen Mother of the West nodded.

"Dijun was heartbroken and wanted to kill Hou Yi. But Hou Yi was a great Witch of the Witch Race, so the Witch Race naturally protected him. Thus, the already fragile peace completely shattered."

"The second was the death of Xihe."

"Xihe was Dijun's wife and the mother of the Golden Crows. After her nine sons died, she cried day and night, begging Dijun to avenge them. Dijun already wanted to fight, but Taiyi always held him back."

"Taiyi said that fighting now would harm both races, benefiting others. But Dijun wouldn't listen."

"Finally, one day, Xihe left the Heavenly Court alone to seek revenge on Hou Yi. But how could a woman like her be a match for Hou Yi? After less than three exchanges, she was shot dead by an arrow from Hou Yi."

"Upon hearing the news, Dijun went mad on the spot. He summoned all the demon gods, vowing to cleanse the Witch Race with blood."

The Queen Mother of the West gazed at the lake, her eyes deep.

"That day, all the battle standards of the Heavenly Court were raised for the first time. All 365 demon gods, the Twenty-Eight Mansions, and the Nine Luminaries Star Officials, all assembled. The Great Array of the Stellar Heavens was fully activated for the first time."

"On the Witch Race side, the Twelve Ancestral Witches all emerged, deploying the Twelve Heavens Divine煞 Array, summoning the illusory image of Pangu's true body."

"With the two arrays facing each other, heaven and earth lost their color."

"The third event was Houtu's transformation into Reincarnation."

The Queen Mother of the West's voice suddenly softened.

"Houtu was the most special of the Twelve Ancestral Witches. She disliked conflict and often pondered ways to resolve it. On the eve of the decisive battle, she traveled throughout the Great Wilderness, seeing countless wandering souls with no place to return, drifting between heaven and earth, eventually dissipating."

"Those wandering souls included those of the Yao Race, the Witch Race, and even more innocent beings. Their resentment gathered together, already beginning to erode heaven and earth."

"Houtu couldn't bear it."

"She asked Dijiang: Can this battle not be fought? Dijiang shook his head: The arrow is on the string, it must be loosed. She then went to Dijun and asked: Can this battle not be fought? Dijun's eyes held only hatred, and he wouldn't listen at all."

"Houtu knew that this battle could not be stopped."

"But she was unwilling to watch countless wandering souls continue to drift and accumulate resentment. So, she made a decision."

The Queen Mother of the West looked at Lu Mingyuan.

"Do you know what she did?"

Lu Mingyuan nodded.

"She used her own Physical Body to transform into the Six Paths of Reincarnation."

The Queen Mother of the West nodded.

"Yes. On the eve of the decisive battle, Houtu left alone and came to the Underworld. She, as an Ancestral Witch, merged with the earth, transforming into the Six Paths of Reincarnation—Heavenly Dao, Human Dao, Asura Dao, Animal Dao, Hungry Ghost Dao, and Hell Dao."

"From then on, all deceased beings had a place for Reincarnation. Resentment no longer had nowhere to go, and Karma could continue."

She paused, her voice deep.

"The night Houtu transformed into Reincarnation, heaven and earth mourned. The Witch Race lost an Ancestral Witch, but the world gained a great Dao."

"That great Dao is called Reincarnation."

"After Houtu transformed into Reincarnation, the decisive battle still broke out."

The Queen Mother of the West stood up, walked to the lake, and looked at the black water.

"The Great Array of the Stellar Heavens clashed with the Twelve Heavens Divine煞 Array for three hundred years."

"Over three hundred years, the sky was torn with cracks, the earth was ripped apart, countless stars fell, and countless mountains collapsed. Dijun died in battle, Taiyi died in battle, and all ten Ancestral Witches died in battle."

"Finally, only Gonggong remained."

She pointed to the center of the lake.

"Gonggong was there, looking at the corpses strewn across the ground, looking at the broken heaven and earth, and in grief and indignation, he slammed his head into Mount Buzhou."

"Mount Buzhou was the pillar supporting the sky. When the heavenly pillar broke, heaven and earth tilted. Half of the sky collapsed, and the nine continents of the earth sank. The waters of the Heavenly River poured down into the mortal realm, floods raged, and living beings suffered immensely."

Lu Mingyuan listened with a pounding heart.

"What happened next?"

The Queen Mother of the West looked at him.

"Later, Nuwa intervened."

"She refined Five-Colored Stones to mend the azure sky. She cut off the feet of the giant turtle to establish the four cardinal points. She killed the black Dragon to save Jizhou. She accumulated reed ashes to stop the rampant floods."

"The sky was mended. The earth was stabilized."

"But that Rift remained."

She turned and looked at Lu Mingyuan.

"What Nuwa mended was the gap in the sky. But that Rift wasn't in the sky, it was in the Heavenly Dao."

"A flaw in the Heavenly Dao cannot be mended with stones."

Silence.

A long silence.

Lu Mingyuan gazed at the black lake water, at the broken flagpole, shattered armor, and broken sword in the center of the lake, as if he could see the tragic events of thirty thousand years ago—the light of the Great Array of the Stellar Heavens, the roar of the Twelve Heavens Divine煞 Array, Dijun, Taiyi, and the Twelve Ancestral Witches falling one by one, Gonggong's grief and indignation as he crashed into Mount Buzhou, the despair of heaven and earth collapsing...

And Houtu.

That Ancestral Witch who disliked conflict, traded herself for Reincarnation.

"Is Houtu... still alive?" he asked.

The Queen Mother of the West nodded.

"She is. After she transformed into Reincarnation, her true spirit merged with the Earth Dao, becoming the Lord of the Underworld. However, she can no longer leave the Underworld."

Lu Mingyuan fell silent.

He was pondering a question.

During the Witch-Demon Calamity, so many people died, leaving behind so much resentment. But among those resentments, was there any of Houtu's?

There should be, right.

She sacrificed herself for Reincarnation. But did she harbor any resentment? Any hatred? Any unwillingness?

There should be, right.

But she suppressed it.

She suppressed those resentments deep in her heart, transforming them into the power to guard Reincarnation.

Lu Mingyuan suddenly understood something.

Resentment isn't terrifying. What's terrifying is being devoured by resentment.

Houtu wasn't devoured. That's why she became the Lord of the Underworld, the reliance for the Reincarnation of all beings.

And those who were devoured by resentment became part of the core of resentment in The Rift.

The Queen Mother of the West looked at him, seemingly seeing through his thoughts.

"Understood?"

Lu Mingyuan nodded.

"Resentment isn't terrifying. Being devoured by resentment is what's terrifying."

The Queen Mother of the West smiled.

"Good. To comprehend this level, today's lecture was not in vain."

She picked up her teacup and drank it all in one gulp.

"Houtu transformed into Reincarnation because she had all beings in her heart. Remember that."

She put down her teacup and looked towards the lake.

"Tomorrow, I will talk about the Investiture of the Gods and Journey to the West. After that, you will understand why that Rift became what it is today."

She stood up and walked towards the shore.

After a few steps, she suddenly stopped.

"Lu Mingyuan."

"Junior is here."

The Queen Mother of the West didn't turn back.

"Although Houtu cannot leave the Underworld, her will has always been present. If one day you reach the Underworld, you can seek her out. She might be able to teach you some things."

With that, she walked away.

Lu Mingyuan stood still, watching her figure disappear into the mist.

He looked down at his hands, at the Wanxiang True Qi flowing in his palm.

From the same source.

But he had light.

What is light?

Light is having all beings in one's heart.

Zhang Qingyuan walked up to him, carrying the heart lamp.

"Let's go."

Lu Mingyuan nodded.

The two turned and walked towards the shore.

Behind them, the black lake lay still, thirty thousand years of history Sunk to the bottom of the lake, also sinking into the hearts of everyone who listened to the story.