As humanity prospered under Shennong's reign, his subjects urged him to take a wife and sire descendants. He obliged and took a wife and numerous concubines, who bore him numerous children, but his favorite was his daughter named Nuwa.
Nuwa grew up loved and protected, knowing nothing of misfortune. One day, she decided to journey east to find the mythical location of the Human Temple. She heard myths and legends of humanity's most sacred location and wanted to see if the Martial Ancestor and Sovereign Fuxi could compare to her father.
However, not even Shennong could locate the Human Temple, much less a young girl like Nuwa. Lively and free-spirited, Nuwa was not disappointed for long as she reached the East Sea and decided to play in it.
Tragically for Nuwa, Ao Guang's son, Ao Bing, the third prince of the East Sea Dragon Palace, was playing near the shore. He had transformed back into his true form, a dragon with azure scales. His movements formed hundreds of waves, some of which merged into one giant tsunami and slammed into the shore, burying Nuwa and her protectors under the sea forever.
Shennong, who had reached the Golden Immortal Realm not long after publishing the Myriad Herb Canon, sensed her death. He released a wail of sorrow and flew toward the shore of the East Sea, followed by frightened and baffled subjects.
When Shennong arrived, he dived into the sea to find his daughter's body against his subjects' pleas. Sadly, he could not find a hint of her body, not even a shred of her clothing. After days wasted with no results, he and the men he ordered to search with him left the sea.
"Jingwei!" The moment Shennong stepped out of the sea, he heard a cry from above. It sounded exactly like his daughter, Nuwa's voice.
Shennong looked up to see a bird with a patterned head, white beak, and red feet. It carried a peddle in its mouth and dropped it into the sea before flying west again. Not long later, it carried a twig in its beak, which it also dropped into the sea.
"Daughter," Tears spilled out of Shennong's eyes. From the moment he saw the bird, he knew its true identity. When Nuwa died, her resentment transformed her soul into its current form, driven by the desire to fill the sea up, no matter how long it took.
"Please come back! Father just wants you back!" Shennong cried out. But no matter how much he cried out, the bird ignored him. Nuwa's new form no longer possessed any sentience to recognize anything but its instincts. The bird could no longer be called Nuwa and, thus, was now known as Jingwei.
"I see, you're still angry. Father understands. I'll help you fill up the sea." A harsh light filled Shennong's eyes. "After the sea is gone, you'll come back to my arms, right?"
Regardless of the insanity of the matter, Shennong mobilized the full force of humanity. Every day, hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of debris were thrown into the East Sea. The shores visibly lengthened as the days passed, and it was not just the surface that was affected.
From within the East Sea Dragon Palace, Ao Guang slammed his palm against the armrest of his throne. "These damn humans, do they think I don't dare take action just because they are the protagonist of the world?"
His dragon eyes settled on an elderly man leaning on a long staff. A turtle shell hung over his hunched back. "Prime Minister, mobilize the army. It's time to show the Three Realms that just because we dragons have not shown our might, we cannot be overlooked like this!"
"Your Majesty, please reconsider!" the prime minister said. He wilted under the East Sea Dragon King's glare. His staff fell onto the floor as he kneeled. He shivered, but he still spoke out. "Humanity has two Quasi-Saints. Although the Dragon Clan is powerful, we no longer have anyone capable of fighting Quasi-Saints. The humans will give up after seeing the futility of their efforts. I beg Your Majesty to quell your anger!"
Ao Guang resisted the urge to reveal they still had a powerful Quasi-Saint, but reason won out. Still, his glare intensified. "Quell my anger? Humanity is directly slapping my face! If we let humans do whatever they want, where would the dignity of the Dragon Clan go? Tell me, how am I supposed to swallow this anger!"
Ignoring the turtle minister's pleas, Ao Guang directly summoned the army of the East Sea Dragon Clan and swam toward the shore. The skies darkened as storm clouds appeared above the shore. Rain poured, and lightning crackled.
Ao Guang broke out of the sea in his dragon form along with the East Sea army, composed of dragons and sea monsters. Their appearance shocked the humans and caused hundreds of waves to surge and crash into the shore, drowning the unfortunate humans caught in it.
"Humans, how dare you dirty the territory of the Dragon Clan!" Ao Guang's voice reverberated in the sky, scaring the humans into retreating from the shores to safety.
Along with the people he mobilized to fill up the sea, Shennong also ordered the army to help. Although fearful of the millions upon millions of sea monster soldiers and the roaring dragons, they formed a defensive line and waited for orders.
Shennong, whose mood was already low from Nuwa's death, shouted back. "What territory? The East Sea does not belong to the Dragon Clan!"
Ao Guang's furious laughter boomed in the humans' ears, like drums. "Humans, scram before I decide to exterminate you for besmirching the dignity of the Dragon Clan!"
"The Dragon Clan has lost powers for eons. Do you really want to form a grudge against humanity? Don't forget what happened to the Demon Clan," Shennong returned.
"Fool, do you really think that humanity defeated the Demon Clan? Had it not been for the Titan Tribe, you humans would still be food for demons!" Ao Guang mocked. "You won't be lucky a second time. I want to see which clan would dare to war with the Dragon Clan for you humans."
As Shennong and Ao Guang continued their war of words, the Jingwei bird flew toward the sea, ignorant of the thundered words. Under Ao Guang's eyes, it dropped a pebble from its mouth and into the sea.
A flash of anger erupted in Ao Guang's heart. Shennong's defiance had already increased his wrath and seeing the Jingwei bird reminded him of the Phoenix Clan, so his claws struck out, intending to kill the Jingwei bird.
"No!" Shennong shouted. Qi exploded from his body as he flew in front of Ao Guang's claw, receiving the attack meant for his daughter. Blood dripped from the claw marks, but he felt no pain. All he could see was Jingwei. When Jingwei ignored him and flew back, intending to grab another pebble or twig, pain erupted from Shennong's heart.
Upon seeing their ruler injured, the human army attacked, which caused the East Sea army to retaliate. Water flooded the shore, killing the mortal humans while their cultivators waged war. The storm clouds spilled out of the East and onto the land, raising the water level of the land.
"Shennong!" Ao Guang roared as he attacked the human ruler. From his claw, he felt a powerful poison tainting his body.
Clouded by anger and sadness, Shennong also roared and attacked. The two rulers battled in the sky for three days and three nights.
During this time, the storm continued to brew, drenching the land and flooding the fields of crops near the East Sea. The river water levels rose, drowning not only the fields but the humans living near them.
Near the end of the third day, a furious voice broke through the storm clouds. "Ao Guang!"
Shennong stopped and stared up. He had never heard the voice before, but he felt a deep reverence for the owner. In contrast, Ao Guang couldn't react even if he wanted to. A terrifying pressure had shackled him and the East Sea army in place.
Descending from the sky, accompanied by an illuminating ray, was Wutian, humanity's Martial Ancestor. The human soldiers dropped their weapons and kneeled; even Shennong bent his back slightly. Only the East Sea Dragon Palace members did not share this same reverence.
"You sure have guts," Wutian said. His words felt like the chilly water of the Darknorth Sea, biting into Ao Guang's bones. "Not only did your son kill the human ruler's children, but you brought calamity upon humanity with never ending rain? Are you prepared for your punishment?"
Ao Guang wanted to struggle, but he could do nothing as Wutian punched forward. The air split as a fist composed of inner energy shot toward him. It sent him flying into the seafloor, splitting both the sea and the ground.
The East Sea Dragon King spat out a mouthful of blood filled with bits and chunks of internal organs. He could feel every single fracture in his bones, the torn muscles, and the shattered scales. He had one foot in the grave. However, Wutian did not show any mercy and unleashed a second punch.
"Ancestor, save me!" Ao Guang shouted as he saw the incoming fist of inner energy.
Just as the fist of inner energy was about to land on him, a golden light radiated out of his body, dispersing the inner energy into a gentle breeze. The light coalesced into a golden sphere that flew out of Ao Guang's mouth, revealing itself to be a pearl.
"The Dragon Pearl of the Dragon Clan’s Ancestor?" Wutian muttered after feeling the immense draconic energy from the orb. He snorted. "You're just a mere Golden Immortal of the Great Unity, so what if you possess the Dragon Pearl?"
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Sensing the incoming danger, Ao Guang grabbed the Dragon Pearl in his claw and dived into the sea. He hadn't expected the Dragon Pearl to fly out of his body, but he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. A golden light encased him as he swam deeper.
Wutian chased after Ao Guang. Unleashing hundreds of punches, each one landed on Ao Guang's azure body. The light bent and cracked but never broke, even as it flickered, but both knew that it wouldn’t last long.
Ao Guang became desperate. He had already endured over five minutes of Wutian's barrage, and the golden barrier would break soon. He had no control of the Dragon Pearl, and all its defensive measures were autonomous.
As the lifebound artifact of Dragon Ancestor, Ao Guang would have to be a Quasi-Saint to utilize it to the limit. At the very least, he would have to be a Golden Immortal of the Great Firmament to even control a portion of its might, but he was only in the Great Unity Realm.
When the golden barrier shattered and Ao Guang once again crashed into the seafloor, only more injured than before, the light left his eyes. 'It's over.'
Just as Ao Guang thought he would die the second time, aid came from above. A sword formed of qi crashed into the fist formed of inner energy, causing both to shatter into harmless specks of energy. Ao Guang gazed up to see a man wearing jade-colored robes with a kingly aura.
"Your Majesty, Emperor Greenflower!" Ao Guang shouted.
Haotian didn't look at him but gazed at Wutian instead. "Daoist Wutian, how about ending it for now? The East Sea Dragon King has already suffered enough injuries."
"He's just injured. What about the millions of people he killed?" Wutian's voice boomed.
Haotian's expression turned a bit ugly, and he could not help but glance at Ao Guang. However, he still forced a smile on his face. "Naturally, the East Sea Dragon King will pay reparations for all the lives he's taken."
"Do you think lives are something that can be bought with material goods?" Wutian questioned. "Those humans are the foundation of humanity's future prosperity. I heavily suspect that Ao Guang wants to stunt the growth of humanity so the Dragon Clan can replace them as the future protagonist of the world."
Upon hearing this accusation, Ao Guang couldn't hold it anymore. It was no secret that the Saints of Heaven supported humanity's rise. To try to stop it was akin to revolting against them. "I was not! That human was too arrogant. He dared to drop garbage in the East Sea. How is that not a provocation?!"
"Shut up!" Haotian shouted, but it was already too late.
"So what if humanity provokes you? If your son had not drowned Shennong's daughter, none of this would have happened," Wutian coldly said.
"What did you say?!" It was not Ao Guang who spoke but Shennong. He had always thought Nuwa died by accident, but his killing intent spiked upon learning the truth. He glared at Ao Guang. "Hand over that bastard!"
Shennong's words broke Ao Guang out of his shock upon learning of the cause and effect. Not willing to show weakness, he glared back at Shennong. "So what? Blame her for being too stupid to play near the shore. We dragons have brought rain to all the land, but you ungrateful humans don't even acknowledge it!"
Ao Guang didn't have a chance to speak as he felt the pressure again. He looked up to see a fist of inner energy shooting toward him. Again, a sword formed of qi crashed into the fist, destroying both.
"Haotian, you should have already heard his words," Wutian coldly said as he glanced at Haotian. "I suspect that he won't pay reparations. Best to reap his life here and now to solve the karma between humanity and the Dragon Clan."
"Don't go too far, " Haotian said, displeased by Wutian addressing him directly by name. "No matter the grievances, he is still the East Sea Dragon King. How can a mere mortal girl's life be equal to his?"
"Alright then," Wutian said, surprising Haotian. Before Haotian or Ao Guang could sigh in relief, his next words shocked the two of them. "Hand over the Dragon Pearl."
"No, this is my Dragon Clan's supreme treasure!"
"The East Sea Dragon King is right. I call you Daoist as a sign of respect, but if you continue to behave like so, then don't blame me for being impolite," Haotian said as the Haotian Mirror and Haotian Pagoda floated around him.
"Threatening me, huh? Alright bring it!" Wutian said as a spear appeared in his grasp.
Wutian's spear tip began to vibrate, and the Haotian Mirror's surface radiated a bright light. The tension rose between the two as the human and East Sea armies began to retreat as far as possible, fearing the collateral damage from a battle of two Quasi-Saints.
Just before it seemed the two would come to blow, the sky brightened as a celestial army riding atop white clouds arrived. Over a million soldiers, each one at least in the Sky Immortal Realm wearing dazzling silver armor, wielding shining spears, and holding reflective shields, awed anyone who witnessed them.
Upon seeing the one leading the Heavenly Court's celestial army, Wutian's face darkened, while Haotian's eyes brightened. The one leading the dazzling army was none other than Yaochi, the West Great Emperor of Curve Array.
Contrary to the Wutian and Haotian's expectations, Yaochi ignored the two and pointed at Ao Guang and the other dragons. "Apprehend them!"
Haotian flew in front of the celestial soldiers' way and asked, "What do you mean by this?"
"Ao Guang selfishly utilized the power granted by the Heavenly Court to flood the land, bringing detriment to the Three Realm's growth. He will be taken back to Heavenly Court, tried, and punished!" Yaochi said without an ounce of mercy.
Haotian's face turned ugly. The Dragon Clan was under him. Since the Dragon Clan would be punished, wouldn't this incompetency be blamed on him? All the prestige he built would crumble. "The Dragon Clan is under my jurisdiction, how about letting me decide their punishment?"
"Wrong," Yaochi said. "As the Emperor of Curved Array, all punishments fall under my purview.”
Haotian's eyes widened, never thinking that Yaochi would so coldly ignore their years together as Hongjun's attendants. A sense of betrayal welled up in his chest as he stared at Yaochi unblinkingly.
Yaochi's expression didn't change. "Emperor Greenflower, are you going to continue to obstruct justice?"
Haotian really wanted to block the way, but he saw Wutian's belligerent expression as if daring him to do it. Even if he could block two Quasi-Saints, he couldn't block the million-strong celestial army.
With one last gaze of betrayal, he moved out of the way.
Ao Guang wanted to struggle, but he had been too injured by Wutian to resist. Not to mention that if he dared to run away, the Heavenly Court would likely chase him to the ends of the earth. He and the other dragons could only surrender and allow the soldiers to shackle them before being brought to the Heavenly Realm.
Haotian and Wutian followed the celestial army back to the Heavenly Court. As for Shennong, he gnashed his teeth and ordered the army to attack the East Sea army to quell his fury. Without the dragons to order them, the remaining sea monsters turned into headless chickens, mercilessly killed by the guillotine known as humanity.
However, Shennong wasn't satisfied and ordered his army to charge to the East Sea Dragon Palace, intent on tearing it down. However, Shennong underestimated the East Sea Dragon Palace's defense. Not even a Quasi-Saint could break in without paying a price, much less a Golden Immortal like him.
Helpless, he could only return back to the capital. From then on, until the end of his reign, he would visit the shores of the East Sea to visit the Jingwei bird.
Back in the Heavenly Court, Yaochi had put all the dragons under trial and judged them guilty of abusing their powers of controlling clouds and rain to unleash disasters. Each dragon would be chained to a pillar heated by fire for one thousand to five thousand years. Ao Guang would have to endure this torment for ten thousand years while lightning blasted him.
Mercifully, Yaochi healed him and all the dragons before punishing them. Instead of resenting her, the dragons actually felt touched by Yaochi's gesture.
Wutian, who saw Yaochi use the stick and carrot method, snorted. He felt that the punishment was too light, but at least he got to see Haotian lose face. He didn't immediately leave but traveled to Supreme Purity Heaven, intent on seeing his master.
Outside Eminence Heaven Palace, he felt a terrifying aura and pressure that prevented him from nearing the palace. His face paled upon sensing the change. 'I feel like I would be killed instantly if I made one wrong move. Just what is Master doing?'
Wutian didn't talk to Shennong not because he didn't want to but because Shennong still hadn't ascended as the earthly sovereign. However, that didn't mean he didn't want to do anything.
He had already attempted to turn Jingwei back into Nuwa but couldn’t accomplish it with his abilities as a Quasi-Saint. While he couldn't do it, a Saint of Heaven definitely could. However, his plans fell through. Helpless like Haotian had been moments ago, he left the Heavenly Realm.
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In Eminence Heaven Palace, Tongtian sat on the Throne of Heaven like she usually did. Of course, she sensed Wutian's presence but saw no need to see him or grant his request.
Even if Tongtian reverted Nuwa back to her original state or Ao Bing hadn't caused her death, calamity would still befall Nuwa. It was through no fault of her own but Shennong's.
Saints of Heaven were revered by heaven and earth. To bear their name was to bear their karma. Although Saints were unbound by karma, they still possessed it. Shennong's daughter, Nuwa, would eventually die because of her name.
Of course, if she really wanted to, Tongtian could save Jingwei, but what reason did she have to do so?
As time passed, Tongtian's comprehension of the Law of Time became consummated. The moment she achieved complete mastery of the Law of Time, no miraculous phenomena occurred. She wasn't consecrated, nor did she enter the Primordial Origin Realm.
Tongtian's eyes did not open as three magnolia flowers and silver clouds coated in a golden glow materialized behind her. Their appearance distorted spacetime in Eminence Heaven Palace's grand hall.
Individual figures appeared atop each flower. They were Shitian, Shangtian, and Tonggu, Tongtian's Past, Present, and Future Incarnations. Simultaneously, the silver and gold cloud transformed into a miniature River of Time. The three incarnations' position also shifted with the appearance of the river. The Past Incarnation moved to the beginning of the river, the Present Incarnation moved to the middle, and the Future Incarnation shifted to the river's end.
Gradually, branches started to split off from the beginning of the silver river. The nearer it got to the end, the more branching occurred, except for the very end, where it all returned to one. Tongtian's eyelashes trembled as the gold cloaking the branching river spread like a net, connecting all the possible timelines.
Once all the gaps between the branching timelines of the miniature River of Time disappeared, the distance between the three incarnations started to shrink. While the space between them shortened, the River of Time transformed. The silver river and its branches merged with the golden sea, transforming into a greater sea.
However, as the three incarnations returned to the center, and just before the silver and gold perfectly merged, it halted like a broken record. Silver and gold split apart, and the greater sea returned to its original form, a silver cloud cloaked in a golden glow.
Tongtian's face paled, and her eyes snapped open. "Failed again."