This primordial world is not serious!

"Yes!"

Although Shenxiao was caught off guard by Meng Wuyou's straightforward question, he still gave a definite answer.

"So, you admit it?"

Meng Wuyou was surprised. She waved her hand, altering the space, and the two of them entered a small private world.

Shenxiao lightly tapped on Xiaojiu's forehead, and the little fox lay down in her arms, falling into a deep sleep.

"What's there not to admit?"

Shenxiao appeared calm and collected as she said, "Haven't we all changed our identities?"

"Aren't you the same?"

"Is it really the same?"

Seeing Shenxiao's calm reaction, Meng Wuyou realized something was amiss.

She took a deep breath and whispered fiercely, "Xuanqing!"

Shenxiao looked around, puzzled: "Are you calling me?"

Meng Wuyou's mouth twitched.

It seemed she guessed wrong.

The style of Qingqiu has nothing to do with Xuanqing.

The Nine-tailed Fox is just weird like that.

Outside.

The sudden departure of Meng Wuyou and Shenxiao puzzled Ying Long.

"Where did they go?" Ying Long looked at Qing Xiao goddess.

Qing Xiao goddess lightly smiled with a corner of her mouth raised, "Who knows."

Ying Long gave her a puzzled glance.

Why is everyone acting strange today?

"Forget about them."

Ying Long pulled her towards Nuwa.

"Last time Daoist Nuwa mentioned she was preparing for the Heaven Creation; let's ask how her preparations are going."

"Do you want to observe?"

"Of course, don't you want to?"

"It's not necessary..."

Qing Xiao goddess glanced at Ying Long, "Aren't you always creating worlds in the Chaos?"

Ying Long shook his head, "That's different; previously, those were just trials, minor attempts."

"Other than increasing my cultivation, there's no significant use."

"It seems Daoist Nuwa is planning something big!"

~~~~

Netherworld.

Xuanqing suddenly felt a palpitation.

"Huh? Why is Wuyou mentioning me?"

Meng Wuyou's incessant voice echoed in Xuanqing's mind.

"I don't think I've offended her recently, have I?" Xuanqing muttered to himself.

The Netherworld, unlike the Primordial Land, belongs to the shadow side of the Supreme True Realm, a world of lost souls hence lacking in vitality.

In this era of the Netherworld, those who could be considered Innate Divine Beings were only three and a half.

He and Meng Wuyou, counted as two.

Ming River has a special relationship with the Netherworld, also counted as one.

The True Spirit of Wangchuan awoke late and hasn't fully grown yet, counts as half.

Fewer people, fewer conflicts.

So their relationships were generally good.

Xuanqing and Ming River were at Taiwei Constellation; Meng Wuyou knew this.

Meng Wuyou often visited Kunlun Ruins, and they knew this too.

It's just that Xuanqing had many aliases and usually didn't explain much unless Meng Wuyou and Ming River specifically asked.

For example, Xuanqing did have arrangements in Kunlun Ruins.

But not as a Dao Body, rather as an Innate Spiritual Treasure.

An Innate Spiritual Treasure capable of transforming.

"Could she have been discovered?" Xuanqing wondered.

Nu Qing's true form is a Law Book, which Xuanqing obtained during his travels by chance.

Since Xuanqing himself wasn't lacking in Spiritual Treasures.

So he didn't carry it with him.

Instead, he planned to cultivate another Innate Divine Being for the Netherworld.

After all, his Netherworld truly lacked people.

So why not cultivate a god of laws for future support?

Thus, he helped Nu Qing transform.

And incidentally found a Cave Heaven Blessed Land for her.

By chance, Nu Qing joined Kunlun Ruins and became a member of Taixu Nine Heavens, Qing Xiao goddess.

Even more coincidentally, Meng Wuyou was also there.

Xuanqing always assumed that Nu Qing would have already contacted Meng Wuyou and confessed her identity.

It turned out, she hadn't.

Meng Wuyou also hadn't discovered any connection between Nu Qing and Xuanqing.

In Xuanqing's mind, Meng Wuyou continued to ramble on.

"Xuanqing, you just wait for me!"

Xuanqing was baffled.

As he arrived at Du Shuo Mountain.

"Daoist!"

The spirit of the Divine Peach Tree came out and bowed to Xuanqing.

Xuanqing returned the greeting: "Daoist, are you accustomed to staying here?"

"Accustomed, accustomed!" Afraid that Xuanqing was here to remind him of his duties, the Divine Peach Tree quickly replied:

"If I had known the Netherworld had a Daoist like you, I wouldn't have roamed everywhere!"

He referred to his previous travels carrying Du Shuo Mountain.

Xuanqing smiled, "I am also happy that Daoist truthfully settled in the Netherworld."

"I have a request and would like to hear your thoughts," Xuanqing added.

The Divine Peach Tree didn't dare to delay, "Please speak!"

"It's like this: now, as the rules of the Netherworld have changed, Ghost Gate has become the sole portal of the Netherworld."

"I thought of keeping the Ghost Gate at Du Shuo Mountain on normal days, with Daoist guarding the entrance of the Netherworld. What do you think?"

The Divine Peach Tree was stunned.

"Do you trust me so much?" He was quite puzzled.

Xuanqing smiled, "I have no choice; with few divine spirits in my Netherworld, I can only entrust this important task to you."

The Divine Peach Tree remained silent.

"I agree to this."

"Thank you, Daoist!" Xuanqing unhesitantly shared the authority of the Netherworld Array.

He pushed forth his hand, and the Ghost Gate was reattached to the northeastern branch of the main trunk of the Divine Peach Tree.

Xuanqing had already fully mastered the Ghost Gate, when using its teleportation capability in reverse, he didn't need to have the Spiritual Treasure with him.

He explained this to the Divine Peach Tree.

His sincere attitude made the Divine Peach Tree feel even more weighed down.

"Alright, I won't disturb Daoist any longer. I hope you transform soon; I would be more at ease then!" Xuanqing wished him well and then turned to descend the mountain.

Watching the gradually receding figure.

The silent Divine Peach Tree suddenly called out to Xuanqing.

"I am called Shen Tu!"

Xuanqing turned back.

Suddenly, the spirit of the Divine Peach Tree split into two, no longer as vague as before, and his form started to clarify.

"Or, you can call me Yu Lei!"

The two True Spirits, left and right, bowed to Xuanqing.

Xuanqing smiled.

"You learn fast!"

Good, in the future, the Netherworld will have one more qualified Innate Divine Being!

————

Note: "神荼" pronunciation (shēn shū); "郁垒" pronunciation (yù lǜ)

Han Dynasty Wang Chong's "Lunheng·Dinggui" cites "Classic of Mountains and Seas": "There exists Mount Du Shuo... upon which dwell two divine figures, one named Shen Tu, and the other Yu Lei, who lead and manage myriad spirits." However, this passage no longer appears in the existing "Classic of Mountains and Seas".