"How many families has Wu Deity Mountain managed to bring back?"
This question made the initially cheerful cloud sparrows fall silent for a moment.
After a while, they finally responded: "Your Highness... not even one in a thousand."
"Most were killed by the Human Sovereign's Sword. A few were saved and treated by Wu Deity Mountain, allowing many to survive. However, True Lord always told us not to trust Wu Deity Mountain, saying their intentions are vast, and these small favors are merely to win our hearts."
The cloud sparrows hesitated: "Lady of the Moon, we..."
But Shen Shuibì shook her head and spoke to them in an unusually calm tone:
"Don't think too much, just stay here well. Wu Deity Mountain does have plans, but they won't endanger your lives. It's safer here than outside."
"Yes, yes," the cloud sparrows nodded repeatedly.
Then, as they walked, they began telling Shen Shuibì about their experiences at Wu Deity Mountain.
However, most of what they shared were trivial matters. Shen Shuibì soon drifted off into her thoughts.
But this time, instead of the usual calculations, divinations, methods, and yin-yang hexagrams that usually occupied her mind, she thought back to the final moments of Luo Fu Mountain.
Initially, Luo Fu Mountain was suddenly attacked.
Four Third Rank Zhiren(The Perfect Person) descended, first knocking on the door, reading out decrees, and accusing Luo Fu Mountain of concealing its true nature.
The Sun and Moon True Lead Cauldron, enraged, was about to punish these Zhiren, but then the Human Sovereign's Sword fell.
The Human Sovereign, like the Witch Gods, was a First Rank Sage, and far stronger than any other First Rank entity.
The reason was simple. Just as the Wu Dao had three major traditions—Wish, Divination, and Sacrifice—the Human Path also had similar branches.
One such branch involved harnessing the collective power of people for oneself, known as 'official rank.'
Once appointed to a certain official position, one immediately ascended to the corresponding rank and gained corresponding powers.
The official rank path only required one to live up to their position and fulfill their duties, thus demanding intelligence and administrative ability. This effectively compensated for the weakness of Tang Kingdom's local officials in combat.
However, each official rank was limited, and creating an official rank wasn't easy—it was akin to a high-tech mech that anyone could operate, but which could be damaged and had manufacturing costs.
Apart from the official rank system, the Human Path also had its own paths of cultivation, where one could advance without holding office. This path was called the Hundred Arts of Humanity.
Medical practitioners, Confucian scholars, farmers, miscellaneous scholars, military strategists—all were part of the Hundred Arts of Humanity. They could still advance and gain unique abilities without relying on official ranks.
But these couldn't be considered orthodox traditions; rather, they were different branches of the Human Path.
What happened when a cultivator of the Hundred Arts path also held an official rank?
The answer was that they could possess several times the strength of ordinary cultivators of the same rank.
A Fifth Rank military strategist who also held the title of Fifth Rank Roaming Cavalry General would easily overpower opponents from other traditions in direct confrontation.
Even martial artists found it hard to match such a person, as while martial prowess might equalize in direct combat, humanity had numerous divine abilities, unlike those barbaric warriors.
This was the strongest form of the Human Path.
The Human Sovereign was exactly such a being.
Not only was he a First Rank Sage, but he also held his own unique official rank.
Known as the 'Celestial Strategist.'
There were only four First Rank official positions in the human realm.
Grand Tutor, Grand Protector, Grand Marshal—known collectively as the 'Three Dukes'—plus the unique First Rank position of 'Celestial Strategist' belonging to the Human Sovereign.
With a First Rank official position and his own strength, the Human Sovereign became the pinnacle of First Rank beings, with no peer.
No one in the entire world could defeat him.
At least two peers were needed to even slow him down.
Moreover, he wielded a Second Rank treasure, the Human Sovereign's Sword.
During the sudden attack on Luo Fu Mountain, the Human Sovereign remotely unleashed a single strike.
To be precise, the Human Sovereign's Sword, empowered by the Human Sovereign's mana, launched an offensive.
Being a sentient Second Rank entity itself, not inferior to the Sun and Moon True Lead Cauldron, and further supported by a portion of the Human Sovereign's mana, the sword's light descended in an instant, sweeping away all defenses of Luo Fu Mountain's grotto-heaven.
The formations and natural barriers that normally could withstand attacks from several Second Rank entities were obliterated.
Luo Fu Mountain, surrounded by thirty-two layers of heavens, each layer equivalent to a Fourth Rank world, was wiped out in one blow.
The Sun and Moon True Lead Cauldron tried to intercept the Human Sovereign's Sword, expecting a close fight between two Second Rank treasures. But within three breaths, the Sun and Moon True Lead Cauldron was pierced through.
The great Dao it controlled was severed, causing the suns and moons in the eight million worlds under its influence to plummet.
Countless realms cried out in despair as their celestial pathways were severed, leading to the collapse of their suns and moons.
Even the suns and moons across the world flickered.
The Human Sovereign did not personally intervene, only providing mana support for the Human Sovereign's Sword.
But this support allowed the sword to effortlessly sever another Second Rank treasure.
Yet, the Sun and Moon True Lead Cauldron managed to stall for three breaths.
This gave Lady Luo Fu enough time to save as many people as possible before fleeing toward Wu Deity Mountain using the last remnants of Luo Fu Mountain's resources.
Shen Shuibì witnessed the scene.
The Human Sovereign's Sword did not pursue but left the area for unknown reasons.
She herself was surrounded by Fifth Rank entities and suffered severe injuries from the aftermath.
Lady Luo Fu took them away and fled.
Several Third Rank Zhiren pursued.
After a day and night of battle, Lady Luo Fu was heavily injured, and the will of the Sun and Moon True Lead Cauldron nearly extinguished, they finally reached the territory of Wu Deity Mountain.
As Lady Luo Fu could no longer hold on, Shen Shuibì voluntarily descended to divert the pursuers.
Many others chose to descend and stop relying on Lady Luo Fu for escape.
Casualties were heavy.
Fortunately, Zhu Fengdan, the Great Wisher, appeared and repelled the pursuing Zhirens.
Lady Luo Fu seized the opportunity to hide herself and evade capture.
Only then did Wu Deity Mountain realize the situation of Luo Fu Grotto-Heaven and started searching for Lady Luo Fu.
It wasn't until half a year later that Li Qi came into the picture.
Recalling this, Shen Shuibì murmured, "Li Qi..."
"Huh? What did you say, Your Highness?" The cloud sparrows tilted their heads curiously at Shen Shuibì.
"Oh, nothing," Shen Shuibì shook her head.
Her sense of time was often described as 'closer to plants.'
To the other Fourth and Fifth Rank cultivators of Luo Fu Mountain, Shen Shuibì was like a moving flower or plant.
Someone once saw her squatting in place, lost in thought for fifteen years straight.
Occasionally, she would fall into deep contemplation lasting weeks or even years. If not for her immaculate body that remained clean and free from dust, it would have been unimaginable what state she might have ended up in...
Perhaps due to her slow-paced lifestyle, requiring years of contemplation over minor issues, Shen Shuibì maintained a somewhat dazed demeanor.
This was beneficial during peaceful times.
But now, it might not be so advantageous...
Shen Shuibì clenched her teeth.
In the past two years, she had seen more things than in her previous thousand years combined.
Born immortal, as the Taiyin Essence born from the Sun and Moon True Lead Cauldron, she rarely interacted with the outside world, living a carefree life dedicated to her studies.
Undoubtedly, those days were joyful and innocent, sheltered by Lady Luo Fu, she spent many wonderful years.
Without burdens, she could indulge in her favorite pursuits freely.
But things were different now.
She needed to grow up.
Li Qi taught her many things.
But she must work harder, no longer relying on others to handle everything.
She needed to shoulder some responsibilities for Luo Fu Mountain, supporting her family until Lady Luo Fu awakened.
Just like Yang Ning was doing now.
Though unfamiliar with this role, Shen Shuibì had resolved to take it on.
Lady Luo Fu once said she understood the essence of 'freedom.'
Now, it was time to let go of 'freedom.'
Previously, Lady Luo Fu provided the freedom for her to enjoy life.
Now, it was her turn to do the same.
Her nearly two years with Li Qi exposed her to the secular world more than ever, teaching her the meaning of responsibility.
Moreover, she felt a strange urgency, as if something was pushing her forward.
This made Shen Shuibì increasingly uneasy.
But she couldn't pinpoint the source of this feeling.
Soon, Shen Shuibì arrived at the cave retreat.
Inside were several portals to grotto-heavens.
Though the spiritual peak spanned fifty li, it wasn't enough to accommodate all the remnants of Luo Fu Mountain.
Therefore, Wu Deity Mountain brought in several grotto-heavens for their use.
Arriving there, the cloud sparrows told Shen Shuibì:
"True Lord Crimson Aura is in the grotto ahead. It's too hot for us to approach, so please go yourself. She's just ahead."
Shen Shuibì nodded, knowing they were right.
Yang Ning needed the power of the Great Sun's true yang to heal.
The radiation from the Great Sun was too intense for these little cloud sparrows.
Besides, they probably wouldn't dare face Yang Ning, given her temper.
The cloud sparrows dispersed.
Shen Shuibì entered one of the grotto-heavens alone.
Inside, there was nothing but emptiness, devoid of life and air.
The grotto contained only one sun.
It seemed to be a specially crafted miniature world containing just a single sun.
Upon entering, she felt an intense heat, scorching flames burning everywhere, making it unbearable.
Amidst this fiery inferno, a massive sun blazed.
Its size was relatively small, with a radius of only twenty million li, but still incredibly huge.
Being a sun, its large size was expected.
Shen Shuibì found it difficult to adapt, but being farther away and having recovered to Eighth Rank, she could temporarily endure.
Just as she arrived, far away in the depths of the sun, a solar prominence erupted.
The sun entered a violent fluctuation, the massive fireball twenty million li in radius becoming active. A bubble erupted from beneath the sun, forming a red ring on the chromosphere, with dancing tongues of flame.
This ring alone stretched three to four million li.
Red clouds appeared beside the sun, resembling coronets, known as solar prominences.
The prominence expanded rapidly, shooting ten million li into space before being pulled back by the sun's gravity, falling back onto the surface.
Such eruptions continued four to five times.
Then, from the heart of the sun, the largest eruption yet occurred!
Driven by immense force, a vast amount of solar material shot fifteen million li into the sky.
At this distance, the sun's gravity couldn't pull back the fast-moving material, and the prominences, carrying countless flames, flew into space.
Suddenly, a crimson-gold bird with wings spanning dozens of miles soared amidst the flames, accelerating toward Shen Shuibì.
The bird, with golden-red feathers and a radiant aura, shone like a second sun.
Radiant rays spread, illuminating myriad beings.
In space, the bird's size diminished to a mile-wide wingspan but accelerated, leaving a golden trail behind, as if dragging the sun along.
Its speed increased, and soon it reached Shen Shuibì.
As it approached, the bird transformed into a figure with a wingspan of a person, melting into a ball of light and reshaping into human form.
Golden-red hair glowed, with flowing light.
Adorned with golden rings around her wrists and a three-tiered crown atop her head, surrounded by red light, she rode on colored clouds.
Dressed in practical attire suited for agile movement, common among Tang Kingdom knights.
Beautiful and sharp-eyed.
Shen Shuibì's eyes were slightly downturned, giving an impression of gentleness.
But Yang Ning was the opposite, with uplifted eyes and a spirited demeanor, exuding vitality.
As she stopped, the glow around her hair faded, turning into ordinary black hair.
She landed beside Shen Shuibì, intending to speak but noticed something different about Shen Shuibì.
Previously, the rabbit-like Shen Shuibì always seemed lost in thought.
But now, though still gentle, her eyes showed hidden resolve.
"You... how did you change so much?" Yang Ning raised her eyebrows, surprised.