Chapter 13: The Origin Temple

After the celestial wedding of the Heavenly Emperor Dijun with Empress Xihe and Empress Changyi concluded, the gods departed, and the sky above Kunlun Mountain was momentarily illuminated like a meteor shower.

Athena led Mu Changge away from Kunlun Mountain for some distance.

“Athena Teacher, did any ancient gods secretly follow us or spy on us?”

“No, you need not be so wary. I have been watching carefully.”

“Then I can relax for now.”

“Are you really that afraid of being noticed? With me here, ordinary ancient gods dare not provoke us.”

“One must always be cautious; it’s a matter of self-responsibility. Though I know it’s not like the web novels from the Dragon Kingdom where immortals scheme and plot endlessly, it never hurts to be prudent.”

“You have such thoughts—wasn’t it a pity you chose to lie low before?” Athena referred to Mu Changge’s previous lack of active participation in the Dragon Kingdom’s national policy against extraterrestrials before his transmigration.

Mu Changge shrugged, “Athena Teacher, I’m neither a protagonist nor equipped with any system cheats. Lying low is the only way to live peacefully and long. In life, isn’t the goal to live happily and for a long time?”

“Nonsense. Don’t you ever dream of becoming a hero?”

“Hmph. Athena Teacher, I know my limits well and when to seize opportunities. The time has not come yet, so I must choose to remain in hiding.”

Athena said nothing. Wisdom seldom comes easily. Moreover, her manifestation in this world and her encounter with Mu Changge were all matters of fate—everything was predestined.

“By the way, Athena Teacher, since we’ve seen the Heavenly Emperor, who do you think is stronger: the Heavenly Emperor or the Primordial Mother Goddess?”

“I cannot judge. When gods are of the same rank, either side can prevail. Also, you’d best not indulge in such curious comparisons. Most importantly, think before you speak. Gods of the level of the Heavenly Emperor and Primordial Mother Goddess can sense when their divine names are uttered. Earlier, when we were at Kunlun Mountain and Kunlun Imperial Capital, other gods were covering us. Outside, be more cautious. Drawing attention could bring calamity.”

“Understood. I will be careful.”

“That’s good. The ancient gods of Chinese mythology and the human race are based on harmony between heaven and humans. As long as you don’t invite trouble, you can live well.”

“Speaking of which, if we gain nothing from Midu’s Qingyao Mountain, should we pay a visit to the Palace of the Empress Nuwa?”

“To do what there?”

“Of course, to seek the Primordial Mother Goddess!” Mu Changge gave Athena a look as if she were a fool.

Athena was momentarily stunned, then suddenly laughed softly as if she had just realized something.

—

“You’re mistaken. The Primordial Mother Goddess is not in Nuwa’s Palace. The palace indeed exists, but it is the residence of the Saintly Nuwa.”

“Saintly Nuwa?” Mu Changge was initially puzzled, but then quickly recalled, “The sister of the Celestial Emperor Taihao Fuxi, one of the Three Sovereigns—the illustrious Nuwa!”

“Yes. The same Nuwa from that famous mythological novel, the muse of Emperor Xin’s poetry.”

Athena continued, “The illustrious Nuwa is considered a representative of the Primordial Mother Goddess. She is both wife and sister to Celestial Emperor Taihao Fuxi and has made great contributions to the human race, earning her the title of Saintly Nuwa. To put it simply, if the Primordial Mother Goddess is like the sole deity of a church, then Saintly Nuwa is its saint. Although she carries the name of the Primordial Mother Goddess, the difference between them is as vast as heaven and earth.”

Mu Changge now understood why, in that famous mythological novel, Nuwa would visit the Three Sovereigns on her birthday. So this Nuwa was originally an ancestor of humanity! Her brother and husband called for a reunion—how could she not go as both sister and wife?

“Then where is the Primordial Mother Goddess’s residence?”

Athena’s laughter faded as she replied earnestly, “In Nanyang. More precisely, in a secret realm within Nanyang. To find the entrance, one must first gather the ten attendant deities of the Primordial Mother Goddess. When these ten divine beings, empowered by her divine force, assemble, they can open the secret realm. The residence of the Primordial Mother Goddess lies within the world inside that realm.”

“The residence of the Primordial Mother Goddess is called—the Origin Temple!”

—

The Heavenly Emperor Dijun appointed Empress Xihe and Empress Changyi, thus giving the Kunlun Imperial Capital its female sovereigns.

After some time, Dijun had his own offspring.

He and Empress Xihe gave birth to ten Solar Stars. Dijun commanded these ten Solar Stars to each occupy fixed stellar positions. During the day, each Solar Star would shine in turn, illuminating the earth with the light of the sun. When one Solar Star appeared, the others had to hide.

He also fathered twelve Lunar Stars with Empress Changyi. These twelve Lunar Stars were assigned fixed stellar positions as well, rotating every thirty days. Each shone during the night, casting the moon’s divine light to brighten the darkness. Similarly, only one Lunar Star could appear at a time.

With the birth of the Solar and Lunar Stars, all living things thrived and flourished.

All creation gave thanks to the benevolence of the Solar and Lunar Stars.

Hence, Empress Xihe was honored as the Mother Sun Goddess, Empress Changyi as the Mother Moon Goddess, and Heavenly Emperor Dijun as the Father God of Sun and Moon.

Dijun was adored even more by the myriad races!

He also forged a celestial-human covenant with the human emperor Taihao Fuxi atop Mount Tai, declaring the everlasting friendship between Kunlun Imperial Capital and the human race.

The covenant stipulated:

1. Heavenly Emperor Dijun and the human emperor meet as equals;

2. Upon ascending to divine status, the human emperor must abdicate the leadership of the human tribal alliance to a capable, virtuous, and well-regarded younger successor, who becomes the new human emperor;

3. Dijun would assign gods from Kunlun Imperial Capital to assist each generation of human emperors, who must obey their human sovereigns;

4. Neither Kunlun Imperial Capital nor the humans shall harm the interests of the other;

5. Humans shall cooperate with and abide by the heavenly rules established by Dijun;

6. Humans shall regularly hold rituals to provide faith power to the gods of Kunlun Imperial Capital;

...

The announcement of the celestial-human covenant between Kunlun Imperial Capital and the humans shocked all other races!

It was no secret that humans were the last creation of the Primordial Mother Goddess Nuwa and her favorite race.

The supreme thunder god of the true dragon clan protected the current human emperor—anyone could find this out with a simple inquiry. Other races lamented the humans’ great fortune.

But this was not the end. At this moment, Dijun, representing all of Kunlun Imperial Capital, signed the covenant with the human emperor. The other races cried out that the game experience was terrible!

Could anyone still play peacefully? This world might as well be renamed the Human Realm!

Little did the others know, their complaints would one day come true.

Of course, that was far in the future, when the Buddhas of Buddhism would arrive in the Chinese realm.

For now, with Kunlun Imperial Capital allied to the humans, humanity immediately rose to the top of all races, its development rocketing forward, unstoppable!

The human emperor Taihao Fuxi firmly secured his position as leader of the human tribal alliance.