C23 The Heaven's will

Upon seeing this, Nuwa felt a stir in her heart and feigned displeasure, exclaiming, "Stop staring; he's already left!"

Zhang Yan paused, then retorted with mock severity, "Can't even keep your mouth shut with food, huh?"

"I could certainly stop you, but I wonder, can I stop your heart?" Nuwa teased with a grin.

Unable to outwit her, Zhang Yan resigned himself to ignoring her chatter and continued eating.

Undeterred, Nuwa rambled on, "Big Brother, when you decide to look for a sister-in-law, remember you need our approval first!"

At his wit's end, Zhang Yan replied, "We merely crossed paths by chance. What are you imagining?"

"Is it truly just that?"

"It really is just that!"

"Then why gift me the Stone Bow and invite me for a meal?" Nuwa inquired, pointing out that the bow was no ordinary item but an Innate Spirit Treasure, and the meal was the nourishing flesh of the Golden Crow.

In the vast expanse of the primeval world, how many could claim such honor?

"We all struggle to survive in the primeval world, where every creature suffers. I help where I can," Zhang Yan explained.

Nuwa nodded thoughtfully at his words. "Fine, I'll choose to believe you for now."

"What do you mean 'choose to believe'? It's simply the truth!" Zhang Yan shot her a look and stood up to tidy the chaotic stone table.

Once Zhang Yan had retreated to the inner room, Nuwa turned her gaze to Fuxi.

"Big Brother has his own plans; we needn't concern ourselves," Fuxi communicated telepathically.

"Other plans?" Nuwa mused, furrowing her brow.

"Heaven's Will," Fuxi uttered, then added with a sense of resignation, "Big Brother's schemes are deep, and I know but little."

"Heaven's Will..." Nuwa's eyes grew profound. Now a saint, she proclaimed herself beyond the five elements, immortal and unchanging, yet she sensed that some forces transcended even sainthood.

Thus, despite being declared the protagonist of heaven and earth by her elder brother, Nuwa never acted rashly. She had even drawn forth sacred blood to bless humanity.

"Defying destiny?" Nuwa whispered to herself. Her words had barely faded when a thunderclap shattered the serene sky, and the majestic divine authority startled even Fuxi, the Quasi Saint.

Nuwa ignored the awe-inspiring heavenly presence and turned to Fuxi with a solemn expression, "It looks like we have our work cut out for us."

"Don't worry," Fuxi replied with a nod. "I've already consulted our elder brother. I know which path to take."

"The human race?"

Nuwa's guess took Fuxi by surprise, but he quickly nodded in affirmation, "Yes, indeed, the human race."

"As the protagonists of the world, it's only natural that all corners come together," Nuwa said with a smile, her gaze drifting off into the distance as if she had sensed something. "Let's also pay a visit to the human race."

With that, she called into the inner room, "Brother, shall we head out?"

"Hold on a moment!" Zhang Yan emerged from the inner room, producing a purple ribbon from within his robes and offering it to Nuwa, "For you."

Nuwa was momentarily taken aback, hesitating to accept the purple ribbon. Fuxi stood frozen as well.

Only the Kunpeng in the nearby cage opened its eyes, fixating on the purple ribbon with an intense longing in its eagle-like gaze.

"Holy Mother, Fellow Daoist Fuxi, both of you have laid the groundwork to become saints. Perhaps you could leave this Dao for me?" Kunpeng implored through telepathy, careful not to speak aloud after the last incident where Zhang Yan had given it a thrashing.

Nuwa spared a glance at the caged Kunpeng but chose to address Zhang Yan instead, "Big Brother, where did this come from?"

On that day at the Purple Heaven Palace, eight strands of Primordial Purple Qi had been distributed, each a gift from the Dao Ancestor.

"It's quite exquisite, isn't it? I rescued someone, and this was his way of expressing gratitude," Zhang Yan said with a chuckle. "I think it's rather fitting for a lady..."

Kunpeng interjected in its thoughts: It's not just fitting for ladies; it's fitting for eagles too!

Nuwa and Fuxi exchanged a wordless look, recalling how Zhang Yan had previously found an eerily peculiar axe at the base of the mountain. Now, he had somehow come across Primordial Purple Qi?

Fuxi's gaze shifted to the Kunpeng before he inquired of Zhang Yan, "Big Brother, what did this person you saved look like?"

"Hmm, he's rather unremarkable in appearance, just clad in a red robe!"

Hongyun!

In almost an instant, Nuwa and Fuxi recognized who it was and saw through more than what met the eye.

"It was you," Nuwa's voice thundered in Kun Peng's mind, her saintly might exploding within, causing the creature to cry out in agony and cower in its cage.

"Merciful Saintess, spare my life, I beg you!"

Kun Peng wailed miserably, trembling as it lay prostrate in its enclosure.

"How audacious of you to covet the purple Qi of Hongmeng bestowed by the Dao Ancestor!"

Nuwa's anger was palpable as she confronted him.

"The Dao Ancestor merely stated that there should be eight saints in the world; he never specified which eight!" Kun Peng retorted meekly.

While Nuwa's wrathful presence loomed in Kun Peng's mind, she regarded the purple ribbon in Zhang Yan's hand with a look of distaste.

"This isn't the least bit appealing. I certainly don't want it."

"Really?" Zhang Yan glanced at the ribbon, perplexed. He thought it was quite fine, its mist-like silkiness and pale purple hue giving it an air of otherworldly sanctity.

"If it's not to your liking, then there's no need for anyone at home to have it," Zhang Yan said, retracting his hand with a hint of disappointment.

Yet, Nuwa snatched the ribbon, declaring, "Unattractive as it may be, it's mine now!"

With that, she approached the cage, holding the purple Qi of Hongmeng, and commanded, "Come now, Old Eagle, stretch out your leg. I shall tie this on you!"

Kun Peng looked up at the beaming Nuwa, disbelief etched on its face.

"Shua!"

An eagle's leg extended through the cage's gap, long and straight.

Nuwa fastened the ribbon around it, murmuring, "Henceforth, you're our family's hunting falcon. Remember where home is. Should you stray, rest assured, I will come looking for you."

Turning to Fuxi, she asked, "Right, big brother?"

Fuxi stood by, smiling wryly and nodding in agreement.

Kun Peng's heart, aflutter with excitement, calmed slightly. It understood Nuwa's cautionary message: even as a saint, should it ever betray her, a saint and another soon-to-be saint would relentlessly pursue it.

Above all...

Kun Peng sneaked a peek at Zhang Yan, who appeared somewhat resigned, sensing that he might be even more formidable.

"Done!"

Goddess Nuwa let go of the ribbon. The purple ribbon glowed faintly before vanishing from the eagle's leg. Kun Peng's face lit up with excitement. As a rare powerhouse just below the Quasi Saint level, the Sovereign of the Northern Dark Sea, he had at last acquired the coveted purple grandmist aura.

The realm of the saints seemed to beckon to him.

"Wow, this looks like quite the gem!"

Nuwa's voice, filled with surprise, boomed like thunder in Kun Peng's mind, bringing a newfound clarity to his gaze.

"My deepest thanks to you, Goddess Nuwa!"

Zhang Yan approached with astonishment, examining the item closely, "Truly a cultivator's treasure. Such a shame!"

"With this in mind, I simply cannot let this venerable eagle slip away; the loss would be too great!" Zhang Yan pondered briefly before breaking into a smile, "Good thing I'm skilled in beast taming!"