"I… don't really know, and matters concerning the gods aren't something we can discuss lightly."
Butterfly Kanae looked a little at a loss,
her expression faintly awkward.
Truth be told, one only learns a god's "preferences" after long acquaintance.
For instance: when going to bed, he insists she and her sister accompany him—never alone.
And the bath—he likes them there as well.
In short… difficult to speak of.
Seeing her shy look, Mingyue understood immediately: nothing good.
But she had to try.
She could only work harder and hope to win the god's favor sooner.
...
Xuanyuan Sword World.
Since Yuwen Tuo accepted the emperor's investiture,
his authority and status had been rising without pause.
No one dared question him.
One day, Yuwen Tuo said to his mother, "Mother, I'll be relying on you in the days to come. I'm going out to seek the other divine artifacts."
"Go, then. I'll oversee the affairs of the altar…" Shan Yuwu told him.
Yuwen Tuo smiled faintly, turned into a streak of light, and shot into the sky.
His first goal was Moon River City—to seize the descendant of Nüwa.
Scholars said the Nüwa Stone was impure and could not be taken.
"But if I can't take the Nüwa Stone," he thought, "I can always offer it up together, soon enough…"
Yuwen Tuo smiled,
and accelerated.
At that very hour in Moon River City,
the witch Ruyan was receiving the Demon Lord's power. As one of the Demon Lord's last remaining chess pieces, she had to be strengthened;
otherwise, the Demon Lord would completely lose his grip on this world.
"Child, do you lack true love because you lack strength?"
"They mock you because they are jealous. Offer up the souls of everyone to me."
"In this way, you and your love can be together forever."
The demonic voice kept whispering in Ruyan's ears.
Her already uncanny body now blossomed into a flower—
darkness, loneliness, malice,
every kind of sin collected in one.
"Yes, Master. I understand…"
A strange light flared in Moon River City.
Those sunk in deep dreams
had their souls drawn away by the demon.
Wails rose without end.
Just as Ruyan was savoring the screams of those she knew,
the Demon Lord's voice sounded again in her ear:
"Yuwen Tuo is here. We leave—now!"
"Master, I have your power. Why should I fear Yuwen Tuo? Let me kill him!"
Ruyan smiled bewitchingly.
The fragrance saturating the city instantly doubled.
The Demon Lord fell silent at that.
He wanted to see whether Yuwen had discovered anything amiss.
Even if a chess piece was lost,
it would be worth it if it confirmed his target.
A streak like a meteor tore the heavens.
Yuwen Tuo appeared over Moon River City. Gazing upon the poisoned streets, he sneered, "Demons and vermin daring to play rough before me, Yuwen Tuo? This familiar aura—it's the Demon Lord, isn't it? … I'll send you to your death!"
He stretched out a hand and grasped toward the void.
The golden Xuanyuan Sword dropped into his palm.
"Cut!"
No mercy.
The sword fell.
Trusting in her demon-forged body, Ruyan had not feared the Xuanyuan Sword.
But she had not expected the divinity of the sword-qi,
its annihilating nature impossible to resist.
"No—my soul!"
Cries erupted across the city.
All the pink, flowery miasma vanished in an instant.
A woman in black thrashed on the ground.
"Give up. My sword measures out your sins. Even among the gods, a person like you will die.
"Demon Lord, are you still puzzling over why Ning Ke never appeared?
"Because she betrayed you. Wait—after I make my offering to the gods, I'll ascend and kill you."
The sword-light returned.
Ruyan fell apart at once.
But her soul did not perish as he expected.
Instead, a pink divine power drew it into the divine realm.
"Someone so mired in love should enter the wheel of reincarnation and repay her sins."
The voice was clear,
pleasant to the ear.
And that pink divine power—he knew it too well: it belonged to the Eternal God.
Yuwen Tuo's heart stirred.
Even such a sinner could be redeemed—the Eternal God was too compassionate.
With the obstacle removed,
Yuwen Tuo went straight ahead to the Nüwa Temple.
A force barred him at the door.
"Child, turn back from the brink. Do not lose yourself before an outland god."
"Are you Nüwa?"
Yuwen Tuo asked in surprise.
He had not expected Nüwa to retain any consciousness.
"Yes. I am a trace of Nüwa's mind. Though your strength is great, it does not belong to this world. Though I—"
"Stop." Yuwen Tuo cut her off, his face full of scorn. "Before you speak to others, perhaps look to yourself."
"When the demon invaded the world, where were you? When the outland demon bewitched that woman outside your own temple, where were you?"
"Do you deserve to be called Nüwa?"
"I could laugh my teeth out."
"So—for hypocritical gods like you—let history erase you…"
Yuwen Tuo slashed.
The statues within the Nüwa Temple cracked with a sigh
and collapsed.
The last vestige of her power remaining in this world was wiped out.
A little white-haired girl appeared before Yuwen Tuo.
"It seems this is a descendant of Nüwa…"
Yuwen Tuo slipped her into his sleeve and rose into the sky.
Everything he had just said
was the true feeling in Yuwen Tuo's heart.
All beings bow to Nüwa.
But when real crisis comes, it is human hands that must solve it.
Of what use is worship of such a god?
A false god, nothing more!!!
The more he saw, the more it proved such hypocrisy.
No wonder the people in the group spoke with such confidence.
There is a true god.
And so he, too, had confidence.
A smile touched Yuwen Tuo's lips.
His ideals were simple:
heal the disasters of this world, then find a loving wife and live out a good life.
...
To the north.
Taba Clan.
A new patriarch was being chosen.
"Zhang Lie, from today you are patriarch. This ancient artifact is also passed to you."
The old patriarch took up the Shennong Ding and handed it to the young man.
He hoped the tribe would endure,
and that their safety would be protected.
Zhang Lie said solemnly, "Thank you for your trust. I will certainly protect—"
Whoosh.
A gale screamed across the sky.
A golden streak appeared before them.
Zhang Lie felt his hands go light.
Shennong Ding was gone!
"Who are you? Why would you seize my clan's treasure?"
At that moment, Taba Yue'er also stepped out. She frowned as she looked at the man in black.
"I am the one who brings gospel to your people. My name is Yuwen Tuo. You may also call me Priest Yuwen!!!"
············ Asking for flowers ·····
The man in black turned the Shennong Ding in his hands, confirming it was genuine.
Then he slipped it into his bag.
"Everyone—prepare to fight!"
Seeing the turn, the old patriarch's face sank. He began to muster the warriors.
But the instant they raised their weapons, a violent gust swept them flat to the ground.
Yuwen Tuo bled out a mere trace of killing intent.
At once, sweat broke over the tribesmen's faces; none dared to move.
"I, Yuwen Tuo, am at present National Teacher of Sui and the one who holds the emperor's very lifeline. If you submit now, I guarantee your prosperity.
"If you persist in delusion—then die."
He drew the Xuanyuan Sword and pressed down lightly.
A trench ten thousand meters long split the earth before them.
The Taba were aghast.
This power was not human.
Charge—and die!!!
The patriarch collapsed to his knees with a thud. Zhang Lie followed, and then Taba Yue'er.
The man was not only exalted in station—his power was terrifying.
Who would dare resist?
Seeing the Taba bowed, Yuwen Tuo nodded, satisfied.
What came next would be easy.
Conversion.
...0
The former patriarch was appointed Divine Envoy, with Zhang Lie as Deputy Divine Envoy.
The entire Taba clan underwent earth-shaking change.
At first, they were terrified—
thinking the National Teacher meant to slaughter them. But he had come to bless them.
A surge of strength
made the old patriarch, frail and tottering, recover his former vigor!!!
"Paying respects to the Lord Priest. Just now, this old man had eyes but failed to recognize divine grace."
"Paying respects to the Lord Priest…"
All knelt and gave thanks.
Yuwen Tuo smiled. "Rise. It seems you've all felt God's gift. Good… These grasslands will be the gods' domain. Develop at your own pace. I'll have soldiers deliver supplies."
"Thank you, Lord Priest. By the way, I heard you were short of sacrifices. I wonder if my daughter would be suitable?"
At that moment, Taba Yue'er slipped forward.
Only the elder daughter was at home.
She had been set to marry today.
And instead, they had received divine grace.
The old man's thoughts ran deep; living his "second spring," he naturally considered how to secure the gods' favor.
Yuwen Tuo looked the leather-skirted woman up and down and found her looks not bad—
gentle and virtuous.
A fine sacrifice.
"Mm. We are indeed short. Would you be willing?"
"Taba Yue'er is willing to serve the gods!"
"Good. Take my token to the Wansheng Palace in Daxing. Someone will receive you."
Yuwen Tuo drew out a golden token and handed it to her.
He instructed the old patriarch: "I leave the religious affairs to you. I still have other places to search for artifacts. On the day of the offering, I will send word."
"Yes!"
Then Yuwen Tuo vanished like wind.
Only after a long while did the old patriarch say to Zhang Lie, "Now that Yue'er serves the gods, Yu'er mustn't wander outside. Send men to bring her back."
"Yes, Patriarch."
"As for a wife for you—choose from among the other tribes. I hope you can understand."
Zhang Lie nodded dimly. In truth, he liked Yue'er.
But she had never spared him a glance.
Now that the patriarch had dedicated her to the gods, what could he do?
He could only hope she would be happy.
After all—the divine realm
must be full of happiness.
Prophecy.