Chapter 41: Birth

"Go on, no need to attend to me here." The Celestial Immortal Wuxiao instructed.

"Yes."

The two Pure Yang True Immortals immediately flew down and began to give orders to arrange the countless Celestial Immortals. They themselves were also striving to refine some components.

Wuxiao looked down from above.

"Wuxiao." Suddenly a deep voice sounded in Wuxiao's ear.

Wuxiao was startled, then said respectfully, "Master."

"This kind of Dao Ancestor puppet is too weak, barely at the level of a Dao Ancestor. In the final battle, the top True God Dao Ancestors of the Three Realms, like the leaders of the Dao Sect and Buddhist Sect, can destroy such a puppet with a single move." The deep voice said calmly, "You'd better not be distracted and focus on refining the 'Emissary of All Things.'"

"Master, this is merely one of my avatars." Wuxiao said respectfully, "And as you said, this kind of Dao Ancestor puppet is barely at the Dao Ancestor level. Refining it is still very easy for me. After all, it's only three years, which won't affect the overall situation much. In recent years, I have been carefree in the Three Realms, traveling everywhere. That little child Zicao... I truly adored her. She died, and I cannot bear not to take revenge."

"Hmm, I didn't expect you could develop feelings?" The deep voice carried a hint of amusement. "Since that's the case, go ahead. But you should know what's important."

"Yes. Once the Dao Ancestor puppet is refined, I will quickly send these one million eight hundred thousand Celestial Immortals back to continue refining the Emissary of All Things." Wuxiao said respectfully.

The Celestial Immortals of the Frivolous Alliance camp were only that many.

Those who had been taught and were proficient in puppet arts were even fewer... One million eight hundred thousand Celestial Immortals already accounted for nearly twenty percent of all Celestial Immortals proficient in puppet arts. Deploying them to refine the 'Dao Ancestor puppet' indeed affected the progress of the 'Emissary of All Things.' However, refining the 'Emissary of All Things' was an immensely vast project. Deploying only twenty percent of them for three years had a very small impact on the overall situation.

If the impact were significant, Wuxiao would not dare to do this.

"As long as you understand. We must win the final battle. We have already lost once; this time, I do not want to lose again." The deep voice said.

"Yes." Wuxiao was extremely respectful.

Soon, a fluctuation receded.

Only then did Wuxiao breathe a sigh of relief.

"I still need to see the God King. They must not foolishly give up on the realm war." Wuxiao thought to himself.

...

A vast, dark world.

On a floating ten-thousand-foot throne, the God King sat high above, looking down. Below, a figure appeared—it was the Celestial Immortal Wuxiao.

"God King." Wu Xiao Celestial Immortal said.

"Great Master." The God King in black robes said with a hint of a smile, "Why has the Great Master come to see me?"

"I request that the God King also invite Patriarch Mozhu." Wu Xiao Celestial Immortal said.

"Alright." The God King nodded.

Soon.

Another figure appeared in this dark world, none other than Patriarch Mozhu. Patriarch Mozhu also saw Wu Xiao Celestial Immortal and asked in surprise, "Great Master?"

Among the Endless Door camp, only the most elite knew of Wu Xiao's identity. Because they understood some of Wu Xiao's background, they treated 'Wu Xiao' as an equal and were even very courteous. First, Wu Xiao's... master was the most powerful existence in the entire Endless Door camp at present—the Lord of All Demons!

Second, Wu Xiao was the highest achiever in the art of puppetry within the Endless Door camp.

Whether it was the Lord of All Demons or the art of puppetry, both made Wu Xiao Celestial Immortal's status very transcendent.

"I have refined a Dao Ancestor puppet." Wu Xiao Celestial Immortal spoke.

"A Dao Ancestor puppet?" The God King above frowned, "That kind of puppet consumes many precious materials, and its strength is relatively weak. Didn't the Demon Lord give up on it?"

Patriarch Mozhu also looked at Wu Xiao with confusion.

They were both core members of the Endless Door and were well aware of certain strategies.

The God King...

was the leader commanding all sides in the Endless Door camp.

But the 'Lord of All Demons' was the most powerful existence in the Endless Door camp. Because the Lord of All Demons sat in the 'All Demon Realm,' the Nuwa camp had no way to obtain the core formation diagrams of those puppets. Some of the top-tier powerful puppets were all refined in the All Demon Realm. The Lord of All Demons was also respectfully called 'Demon Lord' by the Endless Door camp.

The Lord of All Demons did not meddle in mundane affairs, so the God King could lead the Endless Door camp.

It must be known that even when that 'King' still existed, the Lord of All Demons was second only to the King! Later, the King could not defeat Nuwa and had to merge with the Heavenly Dao, at least not truly dying in body and soul. But the Lord of All Demons, relying on his own means, escaped with his life from Nuwa's hands. Moreover, after endless years, the Lord of All Demons' strength had become even more unfathomable.

Figures like the God King and Patriarch Mozhu were all extremely respectful when facing the Lord of All Demons.

"My master naturally knows of this matter." Wu Xiao said, "I refined the Dao Ancestor puppet precisely to kill one person."

"Kill one person?"

The God King and Patriarch Mozhu both looked at Wu Xiao. The God King spoke, "Ji Ning?"

"Mm, Zicao grew up under my watch. I absolutely cannot tolerate her dying in vain. I must make Ji Ning pay the price." Wu Xiao Celestial Immortal's eyes flashed with cold light, "He must die. I know that in this realm war, you encountered the Seven Luminaries Heavenly God. As long as my Dao Ancestor puppet appears, the Seven Luminaries Heavenly God is doomed."

"If the Seven Luminaries Celestial Gods lose, you should be able to win this war, right?" said the Wuxiao Celestial Immortal.

"If it really is a Dao Ancestor puppet... in this battle, we can win," said the Mozhu Dao Ancestor.

They all knew the power of a Dao Ancestor puppet. Even a true Dao Ancestor, if on the weaker side—like Mozhu Dao Ancestor's level—would find it very difficult to deal with a Dao Ancestor puppet, just as it is difficult for a Celestial God to deal with a 'Celestial God puppet.' The principle is the same. A Dao Ancestor puppet's body is comparable to a 'Primal Spiritual Treasure' and is very hard to destroy!

Moreover, it has boundless strength and overwhelming power.

Of course, the top True Gods and Dao Ancestors of the Three Realms could destroy it easily.

But the Seven Luminaries Celestial Gods?

After all, the Seven Luminaries Celestial Gods were merely seven Celestial Gods combined through a formation; their attacks barely reached the Dao Ancestor level. Their attacks on a 'Dao Ancestor puppet' were just like tickling. Meanwhile, the Dao Ancestor puppet could rampage freely. Throughout the entire Chiming Territory... no one could match it, unless a large army was mobilized to suppress it together.

"This Wuxiao is truly mad. The materials consumed by a single Dao Ancestor puppet are equivalent to tens of thousands of Pure Yang treasures. Right now, while refining the 'Emissary of All Things,' he actually diverted a large number of immortals and demons and used vast precious materials to refine a Dao Ancestor puppet. I'm afraid even the Demon Lord might be somewhat displeased," thought the God King and Mozhu Dao Ancestor.

"But Wuxiao... if the Dao Ancestor puppet joins, we can naturally win. However, if the Nuwa camp sends the Eight Immortals of the Upper Cave and other powerful Celestial Gods and True Immortals to help the Seven Luminaries Celestial Gods, then a single Seven Luminaries formation can't hold it off. But if the Eight Immortals of the Upper Cave are added, they can completely block the Dao Ancestor puppet," Mozhu Dao Ancestor said worriedly.

"If that happens, disregard the war. The target is just one—Ji Ning," said Mozhu Dao Ancestor.

"If it's merely to kill Ji Ning... fine."

"Mm."

The God King and Mozhu Dao Ancestor both nodded.

They both understood that at this point, the forces mobilized by the Chimming Territory were already considerable. The Nuwa camp also had to attend to multiple regions, so it was unlikely they would deploy top combat power to join this territorial war. Otherwise, other regions would be stretched thin.

Thus, they could win this battle.

"One month. In one month, go to the Myriad Demon Realm, and I will give you the Dao Ancestor puppet," said Wuxiao, then vanished into thin air.

The God King and Mozhu Dao Ancestor exchanged glances.

"This territorial war in the Chimming Territory is getting beyond our control," the God King said softly.

"The appearance of the Seven Luminaries Celestial Gods under Sanshou Daoist has already made this war increasingly frenzied," said Mozhu Dao Ancestor. "For the sake of winning a territorial war, refining a Dao Ancestor puppet is actually not worth it."

"Regardless, we've paid a high price, so we must win this war even more," the God King said solemnly.

...

Days passed one by one.

"What's going on? The Heartless Gate didn't retreat?"

"That Heartless City is still there."

On the walls of the Eight Dragon Cloud City, celestial gods, true immortals, and some generals and commanders often watched from above. The distant, towering black city, 'Heartless City,' indeed had not left.

"They suffered heavy losses, and our Seven Radiance Celestial God is far stronger than their Three-Eyed Demon God. Why don't they retreat?"

"They fled quickly last time. If they fight again this time, we'll annihilate them all."

Morale was high on the Crimson Bright Realm side.

Even Crimson Bright Dao Ancestor ordered the army to challenge them, but the Heartless Gate simply held their ground and did not come out.

...

Half a month had passed quickly since that great battle.

In a world of picturesque scenery.

This was the vast world contained within the Pure Yang treasure 'Purple Sun Pearl.' Ji Ning had moved the Ji clan members here earlier. Uncle Bai, Mu Zishuo, Xiao Qing, Qiuye, and the others all lived here. Now Ji Ning had also brought Yu Wei here, though his second true body remained in the Eight Dragon Cloud City, ready for orders at any time.

It was a quiet courtyard.

Ji Ning, Ji Liuzhen, Uncle Bai, Xiao Qing, Mu Zishuo, and the others were all here. Ji Ning sat on a stool nearby, occasionally looking up at the closed door of the room where Senior Apprentice Sister Yu Wei and Qiuye were.

"Look at Senior Brother, silent and his face a bit pale," Mu Zishuo said with a smile.

"It's different when you're about to become a father." Whitewater Lake's massive body lay to the side, smiling at Ji Ning. He was gratified; Ning'er was finally going to be a father, to have offspring.

"Ning'er, don't worry. Take your time. You've waited these few years; what's a little while longer?" Whitewater Lake said with a laugh.

"Mm." Ji Ning nodded.

Senior Apprentice Sister was a celestial immortal, so giving birth was naturally very safe. But thinking that his child was about to come into this world, Ji Ning felt inexplicably nervous, anxious, and uneasy. Could he take good care of it? Could he protect it?

"Five years and two months of pregnancy. I wonder what Senior Brother's child will be like," Mu Zishuo remarked from the side.

Ji Ning grew even more nervous. He didn't know how long passed.

Suddenly—

"Child greets Mother. Huh, where's my father?" A crisp child's voice came from inside the room, followed even by Qiuye's exclamation of surprise.

The nervous Ji Ning was momentarily stunned.