Flood: I, the Nine Turns of the Golden Pillar, all want to eat me!
Chapter 10 - Gourd Spiritual Roots, Dangerous Nuwa

Chapter 10: Gourd Spiritual Roots, Dangerous Nuwa

In the blink of an eye, hundreds of years passed.

Laozi and his party, with Xuan Qing in tow, traversed the vast Flood Wasteland. It had to be said—the Flood Wilderness was boundless, its waves stretching beyond the limits of sight. Standing within its expanse, one could only feel their insignificance. It was impossible not to wonder—what kind of existence was Pangu, the great god who had created this world?

While Xuan Qing pondered in awe, Laozi and the others quickened their pace, flying toward the heart of the Flood Wilderness. Before long, a towering sight loomed before them—Buzhou Mountain, an incomparably vast peak standing between heaven and earth, reaching into the skies. Xuan Qing raised his gaze, but no matter how he looked, he could not see its entirety. Its sheer magnificence left him speechless, his heart filled with indescribable reverence.

“Silly boy… staring blankly like that. Wake up, we have arrived at a land of great opportunity,” Tongtian called out, snapping Xuan Qing from his daze.

Regaining his senses, Xuan Qing turned to where Tongtian was pointing. What he saw made him freeze in shock.

At a convergence of spiritual energy, creation flourished in its purest form. Beneath this heavenly blessing, a special gourd vine coiled around the mountainside, seven gourds hanging from its branches. The sight struck a chord deep within Xuan Qing’s mind—this was no ordinary plant, but the legendary Innate Gourd Vine.

Tongtian chuckled as he looked at the vine. “Little Xuan Qing, what do you think? Not a small opportunity, is it?”

Xuan Qing nodded absentmindedly. What else could he say? He had not expected that the great opportunity Tongtian spoke of would be the renowned Innate Gourd Vine. In his previous life, he had read many novels about this world, yet none had specified the exact time when this vine first appeared. It made sense, though—before the great battle of demons and before Hongjun’s sermon, the gourd vine had already existed. Seeing it now was only natural.

As Xuan Qing contemplated, Laozi spoke, “This gourd vine will take hundreds of years to fully mature. We will wait.”

With no other choice, Xuan Qing followed his master and the others in patient waiting.

Time passed, and more Daoists arrived.

A figure soon descended from the sky—clad in golden robes, exuding scorching heat and an immense, majestic presence. Upon seeing the newcomer, Laozi inclined his head slightly in greeting, a sign of familiarity.

“Daoist Taiyi, why have you come alone? Where is your elder brother, Di Jun?” Tongtian asked, appearing equally acquainted with the golden-robed Daoist.

Taiyi responded casually, “My elder brother is in seclusion, reaching a critical juncture in his cultivation. Thus, I have come alone.”

Hearing this, Xuan Qing examined the figure more closely, realizing that this was the Taiyi of legend—the future Eastern Emperor of the demon clan.

Taiyi, in turn, glanced at Xuan Qing. A flicker of something flashed across his eyes, a subtle yet unmistakable greed. “Huh… Fellow Daoist Laozi, your alchemy skills have progressed. You have even refined a divine pill capable of assuming human form. Such a divine elixir, if properly nurtured, could be cultivated to great heights… and then consumed. The resulting increase in cultivation would be immeasurable…”

Laozi’s gaze turned sharp. “Daoist Taiyi, Xuan Qing is my disciple,” he stated firmly, his tone a warning.

Taiyi raised an eyebrow in surprise and performed a brief divination. “Strange, strange… The first elixir in heaven and earth to achieve human form. Accepting him as a disciple is wise—his potential for alchemy is vast. However, his very existence will surely attract prying eyes.”

Xuan Qing, having overheard their exchange, felt a surge of frustration. What was wrong with these people? Why did they all look at him as though he were food? He might have been born from a pill, but he was no longer just a pill! He hurriedly moved closer to Laozi, unwilling to stray too far.

Not long after, two more Daoists arrived. One of them was a woman.

She was strikingly beautiful—her presence gentle and elegant, her every movement as refreshing as a spring breeze.

“Fellow Daoist Laozi, Fellow Daoist Yuanshi, Fellow Daoist Tongtian…” she greeted them all with a polite nod.

Laozi responded with equal courtesy, “Fellow Daoist Nuwa, Fellow Daoist Fuxi, you both arrived quickly as well.”

Xuan Qing, standing to the side, observed the two with great curiosity. Nuwa—creator of the human race, a name renowned through the ages. Having been a human in his previous life, Xuan Qing felt a strange sense of familiarity and reverence toward her.

As he studied her, Nuwa turned her gaze toward him. Her eyes gleamed with an unsettling warmth. “Oh…? A transformed elixir, with such pure medicinal properties. The fragrance is exquisite—refined. Fellow Daoist Laozi, your alchemy has reached new heights. To think you have refined an elixir into a living being.”

She smiled, but Xuan Qing could not help but feel threatened. Why did she look at him like that? Did everyone in this world want to eat him? He shivered slightly and clung to Laozi’s robe.

Laozi smiled. “Xuan Qing is my disciple.”

Nuwa’s expression brightened even more. “Fellow Daoist Laozi’s disciple? How adorable!”

She extended her hand, and before Xuan Qing could react, he was drawn forward as if caught in an invisible force.

“Master, Master!” Xuan Qing cried, clutching desperately at Laozi’s sleeve.

Laozi, still smiling, reassured him, “There is no harm. This is also your opportunity.”

Opportunity? What opportunity?! Xuan Qing felt his heart sink. This Nuwa was not as gentle and kind as the stories made her out to be. She had the air of a mischievous trickster, and he wanted no part in it.

Without resistance, he was pulled directly into Nuwa’s arms. She pinched his cheek lightly, her smile deepening. “Such purity, such potent medicinal properties… Excellent. Excellent.”

Xuan Qing did not dare move. He feared that if he so much as flinched, she would take a bite out of him. His regret surged—why had he left the safety of seclusion? The outside world was full of dangers. He resolved that when he returned, he would cultivate the art of stability, avoiding unnecessary risks.

Every cultivator he had met so far seemed eager to eat him. It was terrifying. He was no longer a pill, yet he was still treated as one! Looking around, he could see the other Daoists eyeing him with similar interests, making his heart pound in fear.

Nuwa tilted her head, her smile teasing. “Little Xuan Qing, why are you not smiling?”

Forcing a stiff smile, Xuan Qing complied. He had no choice. This was a forced smile under duress—Nuwa was far scarier than he had imagined.

After some time, the gourd vine finally began to ripen. Only then did Nuwa release him. “Little Xuan Qing, you are so endearing. Allow me to gift you something.”

With a gentle motion, she infused him with a strand of Daoist essence.

Xuan Qing felt his body undergo an immediate transformation. His medicinal essence surged with newfound vitality, and his internal divine pill reached the ninth grade. He had now stepped into the threshold of the Golden Immortal realm.

Realizing what she had granted him, he hurriedly bowed. “Xuan Qing thanks Mother Nuwa.”