Resolving Grievances

Space distorted as Da Hai emerged from a portal. Stepping into the void between worlds, Da Hai was momentarily assaulted by chaotic energies. He quickly shook off the effect and strolled forwards.

"Finally here," he whispered to himself. Another ten thousand years had passed since he'd last been to the starry skies. More than ten thousand years spent working with Zulong, Qinglong, and Yinglong to improve their cultivation.

Gui Daiyu had entered secluded cultivation to tackle the Golden Immortal realm head on. As such Da Hai left Yingzhou at the hands of Yi Fei'e. "I've procrastinated long enough," he said.

Stepping forwards, Da Hai utilised his divine sense to feel the direction of the starry skies. His footsteps touched nothing as he walked through the void. Very quickly, his destination was within reach.

The world of the void was vast and itself a colourless empty gap that existed between the many dimensions of the primitive world. If the primitive world was a cake where each layer was a world such as the vast wilderness and the starry skies, then the void was the box that contained the cake and all the space in between.

Immediately, Da hai stopped at the edges outside the starry skies. He felt the membranous fabric that separated the void and the world of the stars.

"Strengthened to this degree, you really don't want anyone in do you?" He mused. Instead of forcing his way in, Da Hai sat down cross legged.

"I'm here to…I'm sorry for everything I said," he explained. He retrieved a barrel of spiritual wine and pushed it forwards towards the starry skies. "A peace offering if you will, made from the essence of the Fusang tree itself."

"Hai, who am I kidding? You wouldn't care about any of that. It's one of the reasons I admire you," Da Hai admitted. "You have so little greed nor ambition in this universe that calls for both and yet you thrive."

"I am sorry for how I treated you. I never heeded your advice nor did I bother to see your warnings. I thought of you and everyone else as tools and it left me hollow."

"I tried to justify itself to me. I lied to Pangu to his face. I desecrated the sacred bond of a master and disciple. These days I wonder why Huoyun saved me out of anyone else. Why did he remain my brother?"

"Hai, even so, I've never accomplished anything meaningful. Even if I'd left Zulong and the others to their own devices they'd still have reached Chaos Immortal in record time. Still accomplished all they did."

"I am really sorry, deeply sorry. I hope you can forgive me even though we'll never be friends again…"

"Why are you really here?" Wangshu's cold voice stopped Da Hai.

"I am here to apologize, properly this time," Da Hai said.

"Why are you really here?" The goddess asked again.

"Like I said, to apologise," Da Hai said.

"Not for three brilliance sacred water?" Wangshu's cold chuckle rang throughout Da Hai's ear like frosty needles prickling his skin.

"No, I had intentions of asking you at first but I realised how wrong that'll be," Da Hai admitted. "There are other places which could potentially spawn three brilliance sacred water, sites where innate creatures first appeared. Sites teeming with life, kunlun, Mt Tai, Mt Nongli. I had planned to travel to these places to look."

"Even when it'll place you in great danger?" Wangshu scoffed. "You do realise you're on Hongjun's radar now. Those places are all on the east continent. Heading to these places would be a deathtrap."

"I've got no choice," Da Hai said. "Three brilliance sacred water spawns living beings, places with them would have yet to spawn any and the Qi rich location that is the east continent which is also sparsely populated is bound to have it in droves."

"You…you're actually…you're serious," Wangshu's voice seemed to be getting closer unexpectedly. Da Hai felt space warp around him in surprise. His surroundings warped and distorted into nine rings spinning faster and faster.

Da Hai did not feel panicked however. If Wangshu attacked him then so be it, he had no real intention to fight in the first place. Besides, this was not an attack, this was a forced teleportation.

Da Hai's surroundings rematerialised themselves into a grassy field. He was just outside the celestial moon palace on the lunar star, in front of the laurel tree. Wangshu sat leaning against the tree below two large hanging fruits.

"You really are a top talent," Da Hai commented in wonder. Wangshu in the past was at least relative to his level. But although Da Hai was an incredibly powerful Primal Origin Chaos Immortal, Wangshu had already left that realm behind.

The goddess' eyes glowed in nine rings. Her aura wasn't so much silvery as they were starry. They resembled actual stars rather than the lunar star. Her Dao had evidently evolved to another level.

"Greetings to the most exalted great god venerable," Da Hai saluted.

In the Chaos Godfiend civilization, those who achieve the apex of cultivation, that is to say the completion of a Dao path, were unanimously named great god venerable.

The ancestor of the king of trees, Wangshu now stood at the same pedestal as those figures. Ten thousand years really made a lot of difference.

"Don't praise me yet," Wangshu said. "I've only recently entered this realm and only with the help of the laurel tree. I would be nothing without Pangu's inheritance."

"Neither would I," Da Hai admitted sadly. He gazed up at the two large hanging fruits curiously.

"The next generation," Wangshu said simply. "The sovereigns will be crowned before this yuanhai ends. Then this intermediate phase will end." She pointed at the two fruits and sent waves of nursing starlight into them.

"They appeared a few thousand years ago, still got a long way to go until they mature and take form," she said.

"Xihe and Changxi," Da Hai said watching the two.

"Is that what they'd be called? Interesting."

"Yes, the gods of China before Daoism came into existence. The solar goddess and mother of the ten suns Xihe and the goddess of the moon Changxi," Da Hai described. "They were the generation directly preceding the investiture of the gods."

"I take it they didn't end well?" Wangshu asked.

"Who knows, accounts are confusing at best," Da Hai admitted. "After the death of the nine suns, Xihe just fades from history. Changxi as well though she was probably conflated with Chang'e. The moon lord by the time of journey to the west was Chang'e after all."

"I see, hm," a long pause occurred in between the both of them. The awkward silence lasted for quite a while until Wangshu retrieved the barrel Da Hai had gifted. She lifted a glass and drank it.

"I never understood why you like this stuff, tears at the throat," she complained. She tipped a droplet out and watched in fascination as the soil disintegrated at the touch.

"It helps me deal with everything going on," Da Hai sighed.

"Not a very good method."

"No, it was not."

"…So my nephew wishes for three brilliance sacred water," Wangshu finally said.

"You don't have to. Like I said, I will be retrieving them myself…"

"Abababababa! No, this water is not for you," Wangshu held out her hand stopping the sea god. "This is for my nephew Zulong. This is my gift to him, it has nothing to do with you," she said.

"So I'm only the delivery boy?" Da Hai joked.

"Yes, that's exactly what you are," Wangshu laughed. "Besides, I have to take care of those two," she pointed up at the gestating deities. "They are my responsibility just as Zulong, Yinglong, and Qinglong are yours."

"So you're planning to?"

"Yes, since you have some I thought I may as well acquire some for my own. And these girls prove the perfect candidate," Wangshu said chuckling.

"Well be careful, disciples can be quite a handful," Da Hai joked.

"Hah! Don't you know it."

The two ancient gods began chatting like old friends. Slowly the frosty atmosphere became a lot warmer. Though the trust would never restore to what it once was, Da Hai felt satisfied. No matter the result, he would've accomplished what he set out to do.

…

Below the laurel tree, Wangshu smiled a happy expression. Before her, she held a gourd containing gallons of three brilliance sacred water. One of the richest sources of life in existence.

"I suppose Zulong will be getting crowned soon," she commented. "And married, heavens so much has happened. The world as we know it is changing into its next phase."

"It will be a brutal one, one that decides our fates as we know it," Da Hai said.

"Does it? Will everything really come to pass as you say?"

"I cannot say for certain if events will follow exactly as I think. But I'm sure you too can sense the trend of heaven," he stated to which the moon goddess nodded sadly.

"Why does the heavenly Dao seek conflict? Why does it seek misery on living beings?" She grunted.

"It is Hongjun and Luohu who wants this to occur. The chaos created by the three sovereigns will open the world for new opportunities. One where they can finally realise their ambitions," Da Hai said.

"And that is?" Wangshu asked almost accusatory. "What do they actually want. Why go through such a convoluted scheme? It doesn't make logical sense."

"Who knows. They've gleamed the future as have I. It's probably the only way they think it can go," Da Hai admitted. "The heavenly Dao is a mysterious thing that not even I understand. Right now, the source of the conflict is a shadow war to win favour with it. Whoever wins shall be the path the heavenly Dao follows."

"How disturbing!" Wangshu gasped. "You'd think the heavenly Dao would think for itself. Choose a path rather than this farce."

"It's already compromised in the first place," Da Hai explained. "Either Luohu or Hongjun would overpower it in time and subsume it. I don't know what happens after that. For now, all that will do is lead to indecision."

"I see," Wangshu sighed and massaged her temples. "Things just keep getting worse and worse…I suppose you're leaving now."

"Yes, I don't want to impose, especially not after…well I'll go now," Da Hai stood up with the gourd Wangshu gave him. "Do you want me to say anything to Zulong, Qinglong, or Yinglong for you?"

"Just tell them their aunt wishes them well," Wangshu said taking a side look only to frown slightly. "Ohya? They seem to have run into a slight problem."

"Problem?" Da Hai cast his own divine sense into the great wilderness. He scanned the north see and immediately was angered. Upon seeing Da Hai's reaction Wangshu smiled slightly.

"Not to worry, I'll drive that brat away," Wangshu said. She began directing her power into the great wilderness. "The Jianmu tree was good for one thing, it made it easier for me to reach the five continents four seas."

"It seems I am in your debt once again," Da Hai said thankfully.

"What debt? I'm their aunt master, it's only natural I help them out," Wangshu smirked.

"Thank you," Da Hai said one final time before turning away and leaving back into the void. Wangshu watched him leave and sighed.

"You can come out now," she said coldly. Her posture tightened and a frigid aura emanated from her body.

From behind the laurel tree, a handsome young man dressed in black robes walked out calmly. He looked amiable but gave off a deadly feeling like one was standing beside a pit of endless horrifying power.

Luohu, the devil ancestor was standing on the lunar star, mere inches away from Wangshu.

"So that's what became of the ancestor of the great sea," Luohu's silky smooth voice said in curiosity. "He truly has changed to last I saw him. Stronger, wiser, he's certainly interesting now."

"Just because I extended hospitality to you does not mean you can eavesdrop on my conversations," Wangshu retorted. She faced the devil ancestor eye to eye. Both of their cultivation was even and currently, Wangshu had the home-field advantage. Yet the goddess still felt slight fear.

"Easy, no need to be upset. I didn't hear anything," Luohu said. "I know you distrust me but I am not the type of man who breaks his word. I will not pry into your privacy."

Wangshu snorted, "You should go."

"Naturally, I've been here too long anyway," Luohu agreed. "Just think about my offer okay? Great god Pangu's legacy shouldn't end with you." He clapped Wangshu's shoulder before walking off in the direction of the Jianmu tree.

Seeing the terrifying man leave, Wangshu shivered and released a sigh of relief. "What should I do?"