This Spiritual Storage Magical Item is convenient, indeed, but it dulls the six senses, making it somewhat uncomfortable to stay inside.

Wu Wang was concerned about the battle outside, yet he had quite a bit of confidence in the escape skills of the Grand Elder and Xiao Jian Daoist, so he wasn't overly anxious.

Hm? A crack? Can I get out now?

Wu Wang emerged from the treasure bag with a hint of a joyful smile.

The great achievement... is... Hm?

A relentless sea breeze hit his face, and the cold icy rain haphazardly slapped against his cheeks.

Wu Wang stood stunned, looking at the beautiful Goddess before him, and then at the green-dressed woman who was about to split apart, as his gaze briefly flickered toward both sides.

The ocean, a crab's back, a Storage Spirit Bag lying nearby...

"TSK."

The Goddess, the Young Master, laughed lightly with her hand covering her mouth, her eyes complex as she gazed at Wu Wang, looking at a face she had seen before and had 'missed' thereafter.

Wu Wang's Adam's apple bobbed. Yet, at that moment, he still maintained the last bit of dignity of a male member of the Human race. He tried to keep his expression as calm as possible and his eyes as steady as possible.

It felt as if his appearance at this place was not an accident, but all within his calculations.

Persevere, just persevere!

The Young Master laughed and said, "Human Emperor's young friend, Shen Nong's close confidant? Unexpectedly, we meet here."

Wu Wang forced an ugly smile.

What to do? Casually greet her calmly?

The Young Master actually tossed the green-dressed woman to the side. With several flickers of her form, she left a few afterimages around Wu Wang, observing him from various angles.

She said leisurely, "Such an unexpected gain."

Wu Wang: ...

What's this situation? Did the Grand Elder and Xiao Jian Daoist betray us? No, that's not right... The duel was too intense just now; was I flung away by the Grand Elder with a 'side-step shrimp maneuver' from his sleeve? Could it be the Grand Elder used too much soap for bathing, or was his shoulder wet from drinking—making his armpit slippery?

At this moment, Wu Wang could only suppress the numerous doubts in his heart because complaints and grievances wouldn't solve the problem. It was critical to think of a strategy.

Thus, he displayed the full extent of his Ascending Immortal Realm Dao Realm, concealed the fluctuations of his Divine Thought, and even withdrew his Spiritual Sense inside his body.

A great deity of the Heaven Palace, the left and right arm of the Heavenly Emperor, would bully him, an ant yet to become Immortal?

Of course, she would.

The Young Master's gaze grew sharp as it slowly moved across Wu Wang's face. She smiled and said, "Shall I kill you here, causing your old friend Shen Nong some grief, or should I take you to the Heaven Palace, to let them see who Shen Nong chose as his successor?"

Wu Wang smiled calmly, still trying hard to lower his 'threat level.'

He said, "Does the Young Master truly believe that someone who could appear here and be easily captured by you would be the Human Emperor's successor?"

The Young Master's lips curved into a faint smile.

"You, a man of sophistry, do bring some amusement. I'm curious whether someone will come here to save you, or if I hand you over to my brother, how he would deal with the Human Domain."

Wu Wang purposefully changed the subject, "Brother? Head Manager? According to rumors, aren't you spouses?"

"HMPH!"

The divine light flickered around the Young Master, and Wu Wang felt as if his entire body had petrified, suddenly unable to move an inch from his Nascent Soul outward.

"I'll deal with you later," she said indifferently, a hint of disgust lingering in her eyes.

Wu Wang: ...

Had it not been for his inability to defeat her, his fear that his mother couldn't defeat her either, and his worry about causing trouble for his clan, would he, the Young Master of the Northern Wilderness, the legitimate Hall Master of the Punishment Hall of the Human Domain, and the prospective son-in-law of the Human Emperor, have tolerated such humiliation?

What to do? It seemed that Lang Guduo and the others had already been rescued. Judging by the number of those rescued and those left behind, it didn't seem like a bad trade-off. But personally, he had definitely lost out, and not just by a little—his whole life seemed bleak.

Was there any chance to turn the tables? Should he just accept his fate? The worst that could happen would be death... No, that's wrong. If the Young Master intended to use him as bait and the Human Domain came to rescue him, a great battle would be inevitable.

Wu Wang fell into contemplation, standing on the crab shell, watching the Young Master fiddling with the Gate of Resentful Souls he had seen before.

However, this gate now seemed far less terrifying, suppressed by the divine power of the Young Master.

The giant crab squatted obediently in the sea, its shell as stable as dry land at this point.

The Young Master also appeared to be considering how to deal with the Gate of Resentful Souls; she shared a similar habit with Fairy Ling—they both enjoyed walking on air.

Wu Wang sighed inwardly: If the Human Domain's experts don't come to rescue later, that's fine, but if a large group of the Human Domain's experts come to the rescue, he worried that escape would be difficult.

This place was too close to Yang Valley, which definitely concealed powerful Innate Gods; however, they had not shown themselves until now.

The seniors should understand, right? Moreover, he, Wu Wang, couldn't possibly be that important to the Human Domain or to the seniors, could he? If the answer to this question was affirmative, why did he still feel a little disappointed?

Wu Wang pondered solutions outside the Human Domain, but subconsciously excluded his mother and the Northern Wilderness, knowing that even if he were humiliated, molested, or shamed by the Young Master later, he couldn't involve his mother and his clan!

What situation could be more distressing than knowing he was going to die but still charging towards the wormhole? Bring it on!

Wu Wang watched the Goddess with a burning gaze, waiting for the moment he could speak, open his mouth!

"Hmm?"

The Young Master glanced at him from the corner of her eye but did not bother with him, continuing to gaze at and contemplate the Gate of Resentful Souls in front of her.

Thus, she stood still for an hour.

Such a span of time seemed like nothing to her, as if even longer periods were but a moment in her perception.

This was the first time Wu Wang had observed a Divine Spirit's true form from such close quarters.

The Young Master, a Goddess of the Great Wilderness, indeed possessed a temperament completely different from that of cultivators and Immortal cultivators. After all, Immortals sought harmony with Heaven and Earth. She, on the other hand, seemed to be the essence of Heaven and Earth personified, the very will of this world made manifest.

Are Gods and the Hundred Races truly the same existence?

The Young Master raised her right hand, her slender and fair palm brushing past. Suddenly, dark clouds appeared around the giant crab, with lightning bolts flashing underneath and numerous Thunder Dragons plunging into the sea.

Wu Wang caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye that a dozen or so figures were forced out of the sea, retreating towards the distance.

The Grand Elder and Xiao Jian Daoist were unmistakably present.

Wu Wang felt a touch of warmth but still wished they would leave at this point.

What's done could be repeated once or twice but not a third time. The reason the previous sneak attack was effective was largely because the Young Master didn't care much for the few Heavenly Immortals they aimed to rescue.

But Wu Wangzi had once joined the Human Emperor in pressuring the Young Master. At that time, Shen Nong, the senior predecessor, had the intention of having a 'tri-party talk', constantly calling on him and asking him questions; but the Young Master was unaware of Wu Wang's background and in her eyes, Shen Nong simply spoiled Wu Wang to the heavens.

Who would have thought that the conversation back then could really become today's 'foreshadowing'.

Who can one even reason with about this!

"Now I must not be disturbed by others."

The Young Master murmured softly. Her fingertips produced a tiny jade disk, which she flicked to the east.

A streak of light flashed, and immediately from the direction of Yang Valley, beams of light shot toward this place.

Moments later, over a hundred figures clad in Golden Armor, each with a pair of wings on their back, appeared in the sky above the giant crab. They were each about ten meters tall, their faces hidden behind their visors, and they spread out evenly around the giant crab, guarding the edges of the dark clouds surrounding them.

Yang Valley guards?

Wu Wang felt a pressure close to that of the Heavenly Immortal Realm from them.

No sooner had these guards taken their positions than two more figures appeared, one to the south and one to the north, concealed high in the sky.

Wu Wang sensed two powerful and subtle divine power fluctuations, clearly two Innate Gods stationed to the south and north, protecting the Young Master here.

The Young Master no longer paid attention to her surroundings. Facing the Gate of Resentful Souls, her figure floated midair, and white lightning burst from her fingertips, completely engulfing the Gate of Resentful Souls.

The Resentful Spirits inside let out shrill cries of agony.

Wu Wang, being too close, also felt a chill all over as he was corroded by the Divine Thought of the Resentful Souls.

Just as the white lightning was about to shatter the Gate of Resentful Souls, the Young Master stopped her actions and continued to ponder.

It seemed that she did not want to destroy these Resentful Spirits.

Wu Wang had almost figured it out by now; the Sun Ritual, the plight of the Rain Mistress Nation, and the current appearance of the Young Master—there was an inevitable connection between them.

The Heaven Palace seemed to be trying to create something akin to an Evil God by nurturing Resentful Spirits, thereby achieving a certain aim.

The Young Master, who governed the Reproduction of life, represented new life and encompassed all life within the order of the Heaven Palace.

Her arrival was just to complete the last step of this plan: bestowing new life.

What could he do with this? Or rather, what could he do because of this? Could the Young Master's inherent pride and arrogance be put to some use?

Wu Wang stood there once again lost in thought; this matter related to his own life and fortune, and he had to be cautious.

What he did not know was that, in the maritime expanse of the ancient nation soon to be bathed in sunlight, above the boundless starry skies, inside the Starry Sky Temple, seven figures had already quietly stood up because of him.

Cang Xue was also thinking, but what she pondered was whether to reveal herself now and rescue her own Ba'er.

The worst outcome was nothing more than a fallout with the Heaven Palace, where she would hang the 'sword' she already had in hand above the head of the Heaven Palace.

This sword—would sever the connection between the Star God and the Heaven Palace, draw the Star Dao from the seal of the Heavenly Emperor, ignite the body of the Star God, initiate the return of the Ancient Gods prematurely, and destroy the current order of Heaven and Earth.

What would be the consequences?

Actually, the timing now is not ripe, neither for the Heaven Palace nor for the myriad Ancient Gods exiled to the Outer Sky.

Cang Xue did not want to bother with these.

Her most challenging time was when she had no reliance whatsoever. Under the gaze of the Star God and the Divine Artifacts of the Star God, she step by step became the sacrifice of the seven-day Sun Ritual.

As the wife of Xiong Han for a lifetime, she would not interfere in the choices Xiong Han made regarding his Lifespan; even if Xiong Han chose not to extend his Lifespan in the future, she would fulfill the promise of a wife, to support each other and remain together through thick and thin.

But whoever touched her only offspring, the flesh that fell from her body.

Then don't blame her for disregarding divine virtue and consequences.

Behind Cang Xue, the six Sun Ritual Elders' eyes emitted a blue divine light, and the Star God's majestic form had begun to shine with a faint light in the depths of the starry sky.

Cang Xue watched the back of the giant crab with a somewhat indifferent expression.

The development of the situation now hinged on the thoughts of the Young Master and what kind of self-saving decisions Wu Wang could make.

...

"What are you still waiting for?"

Six thousand miles south of the giant crab, silhouettes hidden in the high-altitude clouds were maintaining their silence.

Lin Qi faced them, held down by two Lin Family guards, but still clenched his teeth and cursed, "What are you still waiting for? If Heavenly Immortals go to rescue, if Lang Guduo goes to rescue, aren't you going to save my teacher? If you aren't going to save him, can you at least clear the way?"

"Lin Qi!" Xiao Jian Daoist scolded, "Stop causing more trouble! Who here isn't more anxious than you?"

"Then what are you waiting for? Do you really believe those Gods of Heaven Palace won't kill my teacher? Don't they know who my teacher is?"

An Elder said, "It's precisely because they know that they won't kill Wuwang Palace Lord for the time being. Instead, they want to use Wuwang Palace Lord for further calculations; that's always how Heaven Palace operates."

"I feel ashamed towards the Human Domain, ashamed towards the Sect Master…"

The Grand Elder trembled all over, actually shedding tears of anger and determination in his eyes.

But the Grand Elder was likewise stopped by the Human Domain experts who had just rushed over. There were seven or eight Transcendents present, and even more experts were on their way; it seemed that the higher-ups of the Human Domain were also urgently discussing the matter.

However, Ling Xiaolan was quite calm at this moment. She sat quietly behind the experts, wiping the Short Sword in her hands, backed by several high-ranking members of the Xuan Nu Sect.

Dongfang Mumu suddenly spoke up, "If we keep waiting, won't more Gods arrive?"

"But we don't have a powerhouse capable of contending with the Young Master at the moment. Let alone, it's not just the Young Master; the God to our north is Shebishi, and the closest God to us should be the Wuxiang Bird. These are all experts protecting Yang Valley from Heaven Palace. Besides, if a great battle truly breaks out, I fear it will also alarm another Innate God within Yang Valley..."

Xiao Jian Daoist spoke in a low voice, "Losing Wuwang Palace Lord is my fault, and I would exchange my life if necessary to get Wuwang back. But we must not be hasty; acting now could have unpredictable consequences. My master must be seeking counsel from the Human Emperor at this moment. We just need my master..."

"He's here."

A slight fluctuation suddenly appeared in the space beside them. A crack opened silently, and Liu Baiyi's figure emerged from within it, followed by other silhouettes, the second person being Feng Zhizi.

One after another, Transcendent Great Dao rose up deep in the East Sea.

Eight pavilions of the Human Domain, and four Pavilion Masters appeared here.

Eighteen strong representatives from the Ten Great Immortal Sects and Demonic Sects were summoned to this place.

Liu Baiyi's expression was more solemn than ever. As he revealed his own Great Dao between Heaven and Earth, standing with his back to the crowd, he looked down upon the Divine Spirits.

"The Human Emperor commands us to wait. If Wu Wangzi cannot escape on his own, then at all costs, we must retrieve Wu Wangzi."

The Daoists each nodded their heads, most of them sitting down to adjust their breath to optimal conditions.

Suddenly, a dragon's roar was heard. Daoists and Divine Spirits alike turned to look east.

There, as if heralding the break of dawn, a golden Divine Chariot hovered in the air; atop the Divine Chariot, a figure sat in silence, staring at the location of the Human Domain experts, applying pressure to the Daoists.

The Imperial Empress, God of Imperial Sun.

Xihe.

...

Upon the crab's back, the Young Master frowned slightly and glanced at Wu Wang, who was immobilized.

"Are you truly that important?"

As soon as her words ended, Wu Wang's body returned to normal, finally allowing him to speak.

He immediately shut his eyes tightly... his eyes felt very dry.

Following that, Wu Wang let out a laugh and imitated the Young Master's voice, chuckling, "You really don't know how to adapt, do you?"

"What? Do you expect me to let you go?"

The Young Master drifted down from mid-air and floated in front of Wu Wang. "The Human Emperor has yet to show up, and there's nothing about you to make me feel apprehensive."

"Young Master, the Heavenly Emperor cannot leave the Heaven Palace, but the Human Emperor can leave the Human Domain," Wu Wang said.

"Our indulgence towards the Human Domain is simply because we do not wish to cause too much damage."

The voice of the Young Master was indescribably pleasant, relaxed, and completely natural. She said, "With each generation, the Human Domain grows weaker, and the sparks drilled out by Suiren will eventually be worn down by the years. Throughout the changing eras of divine rules, while sentient beings have had their moments of prosperity, sentient beings are ultimately just that, parasites between Heaven and Earth, not the masters of Heaven and Earth. We have never seen you as our equals; the only worthy opposites of Gods are other Gods."

"Is that so?"

Wu Wang looked toward the Gate of Resentful Souls. "What if this member of the Human race could help you solve a problem you can't solve yourself? What would you think then?"

"Oh?"

The Young Master slowly drifted backward, her ribbons and sashes dancing in the wind.

She stared at Wu Wang, "Do you know what I'm doing?"

"Creating a God."

Wu Wang folded his arms, trying to appear more confident, and spoke slowly, "You have been planning a god-creating endeavor across vast years in the Rain Mistress Nation, because resentment is the strongest and easiest to arise among the will of all living beings. Yet, the power of resentment is extremely difficult to control. Resentful Spirits cannot become beings like Evil Gods, and you wouldn't want to create a monster that only knows slaughter, as that would bring no benefits to Heaven Palace. Could it be that Heaven Palace is also trying to figure out how to utilize the potential of living beings? Only if you disregard living beings to your bones, could you make such a decision."

The Young Master remained silent.

Wu Wang asked, "How many Witches from the Rain Mistress Nation have you tortured to form this door?"

"Including that one over there, the number should be around a hundred thousand," the Young Master replied, looking toward the door with slightly complex eyes, and indifferently added, "Let me tell you, the God who created the Sun Ritual is different from me—he never observes living beings, nor has he half an ounce of pity for you. As for me, I think all living beings are beautiful, and the birth of living beings is even more absolutely stunning. I often sit among the flowers and plants, watching them sprout and grow from the damp, cold earth, adorning what was originally a dull world with splashes of color. You know, this is something that I find very intoxicating... HMPH!"

The Young Master suddenly realized she shouldn't be saying these things, and put on a fierce face, staring at Wu Wang, and murmured, "You know too much."

Wu Wang: .....

You were the one talking to yourself, weren't you?

"Ah, I just went deaf for a moment? The sea breeze here is indeed strong. But to be serious, if I can help you with the problem at hand, will you let me leave?"

"Help me? With you?"

"With me," Wu Wang smiled and said, "I am a close friend of the Human Emperor, even the Human Emperor holds my opinions in high esteem, have you forgotten? If you don't have a good solution, why not try the wisdom of living beings? If I fail, the current situation won't change at all. But if I succeed, you will have completed your mission, and we can avoid an uncontrollable great battle from erupting. This benefits both of us."

The Young Master said impatiently, "You always try to talk to me as an equal."

"Oh," Wu Wang bowed in respect, "Esteemed Goddess, this humble, mundane man would like to beg your mercy for a wager, may I?"

The Young Master didn't speak, seemingly weighing her options.

In the Starry Sky Temple, Lord Cang Xue frowned slightly, watching Wu Wang, who had now begun to take control of the conversation, and couldn't help but look a few times at the Young Master... Although she was an opponent, a rival, an archenemy, his innocence and cheerfulness were well known among the divine society.

Well... not too bad after all...

"Agreed."

The Young Master drifted to one side, yet her voice echoed in Wu Wang's heart.

She said, "Heaven Palace needs a minor God to patrol the Four Seas, to solve the frequent problem of residual souls accumulating in various places. What I cannot currently resolve is the resentment of these Resentful Spirits; they cannot calm down, resist my call, and thus cannot bring out their divine nature."

"Let's give it a try."

Wu Wang bowed his head and stared at the door.

At that moment, he could not only see the terrifying eye behind that door but also felt the unquenched hatred within it.

No wonder the Young Master was so vexed.

This wasn't something that could be resolved by divine power, nor controlled by Gods. It required a different approach.

Wu Wang let out a soft sigh, "Could you let the woman in green appear?"

The Young Master said, "She is nothing but the embodiment of Resentful Souls."

Wu Wang replied, "But that is also the image those tortured Witches hoped to be in before they died miserably."

"Agreed."

The Young Master raised her right hand, surrounded by wisps of divine light, and soft white glow bloomed from her fingertips.

The door collapsed into a grey mist and then reformed into the woman in green.

She looked at the Young Master, immediately tried to pounce and fight to the death with her, but was bound by several chains that materialized out of thin air.

The woman in green let out wails, struggling and crying endlessly.

Rage, fear, insanity, destruction.

She seemed to embody all things negative.

Wu Wang sat cross-legged and started to play a melancholic tune on a clay xun. He had been thinking about how to soothe the Resentful Spirits. His first thoughts were of various scriptures, such as Buddhist sutras from his past life. Unfortunately, he had never memorized them. This time, music was the only means of communication, just as it had been the first time he saw this woman in green, communicating with her through the sound of music.

In the Northern Wilderness, the clay xun was considered a 'popular' instrument.

Wu Wang did not observe the woman in green but played a desolate tune on the clay xun as if it were an old man walking through the world, facing his end with a sigh and a mournful cry.

When Wu Wang's fingers stopped pressing and he looked up, the woman in green stood atop the crab shell, with tears tracing down her cheek, her head lowered in constant sobbing.

"In truth, I cannot persuade you to be open-minded."

Wu Wang said softly, "I cannot understand your pain, nor can I know the suffering you've endured. My attempt to persuade you now is only so that I can live, which might be the most despicable thing I've ever done. I'm sorry."

The woman in green slowly raised her head, gazing at Wu Wang, but continued saying, "Will you stay with me? I am so lonely, I want someone by my side. Can you play for me every day? As long as you enter its mouth, we can always be together."

Wu Wang shook his head with a smile.

She kept repeating the same 'harmful' words, seemingly all she knew.

Just like instinct, to devour the souls of the living.

Wu Wang said, "You hate the Great Wilderness, don't you?"

The woman in green showed a sorrowfully beautiful smile, murmuring those 'instinctive' words, which seemed so poignant.

"You resent the Rain Mistress Nation, right? You can understand my words because you, who had once brought favorable weather to the Rain Mistress Nation and protected your clansmen, went to those Earth Towers generation after generation. Isn't that so?"

The woman in green remained silent.

Wu Wang continued, "When I first came here and saw this giant crab, I was thinking... the crab stirs up the waves, yet it uses its claws to deflect them on both sides, so they do not reach the beings to the south and north of the Rain Mistress Nation. It's because you only hate them, isn't it? Even now, reduced to this, you still retain that kindness, don't you?"

Tears crossed the woman's cheeks again, breaking into speckles of light as they fell from her chin.

She still persisted in asking, "Can you stay with me?"

Wu Wang looked towards the Young Master and whispered something.

The Young Master gently waved her delicate hand, and a somewhat terrifying figure emerged from the light, positioned between the woman in green and Wu Wang.

It was a girl who had sacrificed herself during the previous Sun Ritual.

Wu Wang dared not look longer and sighed in his heart, simply saying, "She is still alive."

The woman in green was startled, gazing down at the girl covered in green, who still had a faint breath, her eyes brimming with sorrow, wanting to reach out and touch.

The chains around her slowly dissipated.

The woman in green sat down beside the girl, raising her hand to touch the girl's features, tears streaming from her eyes, her hands trembling.

Wu Wang sat quietly, having done all that he could.

He lowered his head and began to play on the clay xun again, the tune as desolate as before.

"Will you stay with me?"

The woman in green asked softly, with two faint grey shadows emerging behind her, which quivered slightly and split into four, eight, sixteen...

In an instant, the place filled with grey shadows.

Malice, resentfulness;

Hatred, lament, fury.

Ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine grey shadows emitted a strong baleful aura.

The severely injured girl, whose breath was as thin as gossamer, trembled her fingers slightly.

Though she was beyond recognition, she tried to raise her hand to wipe away the tears on the green-clad woman's face.

The phantom of a door appeared in mid-air.

The gravely wounded girl produced a feeble voice, and speaking caused her immense pain, yet she said, "I... can..."

"Mhm," the woman in green's tears were flowing, as she watched this girl, as she watched her own past suffering self, her tears falling gently.

A faint light lit up on the foreheads of the surrounding grey shadows.

Wu Wang at this moment had his eyes closed, as if he could see: young girls with dark skin shining like silk, frolicking in the woods, running along the shores, swaying barefoot on tree branches, holding hands and singing joyfully.

The faint light gathered together.

The previously cold and frightening ancient door slowly turned to gold. It then scattered into a fine rain of light, enveloping the severely injured girl. This light slowly restored her body, strengthened her breath and consciousness, and allowed her to sob, covering her face in tears.

From the sea arose a misty light, like the aurora Wu Wang had always wanted to see in his last life but never had.

The world seemed at peace.

The figures watching over this place just gazed silently.

The Goddess seated in the Divine Chariot wore a gentle smile.

The Daoist in the clouds showed a trace of emotion in his eyes.

Those figures who had gathered by the sea unseen, knelt towards the place of light, their low sobs audible.

"Hey?"

At a call, Wu Wang stopped playing and opened his eyes.

In front of him was the woman in green, now an incredibly faint figure, nodding gently at Wu Wang.

"Thank you."

Wu Wang responded with a nod and a smile.

A breeze passed, and the woman in green dissipated like smoke, leaving only the sobbing girl draped in green.

"Ah..."

Wu Wang sighed softly, slightly absent-minded, ultimately unable to utter any words, but slowly rose from his seated position.

...

...

May the world be as beautiful as you wish it to be.

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