Chapter 43: Sovereign Heaven and Hallowed Earth

The Primordial Mother Nuwa led Athena and Mu Changge into the Taiyi Palace.

The interior of the Taiyi Palace was a vast expanse. At the deepest point of this space stood the True Dragon Imperial Throne of the Supreme Deity Haotian and the Phoenix Empress Throne of the Heavenly Queen Houtu.

Beneath the True Dragon and Phoenix thrones lay ninety-nine tiers of steps crafted from unknown divine stones. These golden steps were flanked by carved dragons and phoenixes arranged in the auspicious shape of the Chinese character for "eight."

At the base of the steps stretched a grand hall paved with auspicious patterns. When the Supreme Deity Haotian presided over councils, the five directional deities and the six great saints stood in two orderly ranks beneath the steps.

At present, numerous deities and divine beasts were gathered in two distinct groups within the spacious hall, engaging in lively conversation.

The moment the Primordial Mother Nuwa entered the Taiyi Palace, divine music resonated throughout the hall: "The Primordial Mother Nuwa has arrived!"

The ancient deities and divine beasts present hastened to greet the Primordial Mother Nuwa, and she acknowledged each of them in turn.

Glancing around the assembly, Mu Changge noticed that the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, alongside the Saint Nuwa, were gathered among the faction of ancient deities.

The Human Sovereign Xuanyuan was accompanied by the divine beast Baize, while the White Emperor Shaohao was attended by a phoenix. Notably, the Yan Emperor Shennong was accompanied by a divine bird resembling a crow.

With a human-like head, white beak, and red feet, this divine bird was unmistakably the daughter of the Yan Emperor Shennong, the divine bird Jingwei.

At that moment, the divine bird Jingwei was also curiously observing the various ancient deities and divine beasts within the Taiyi Palace.

The representatives of the True Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin tribes had long since arrived, currently stationed among the faction of divine beasts.

Ever since the supremes of the True Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin tribes had departed in the company of the Heavenly Origin Yinglong, the peak combat strength of the three tribes was now primarily represented by the second generation.

Having weathered the turbulent events of Gonggong's rebellion, the total number of ancient deities between heaven and earth had diminished by roughly thirty percent compared to the era of the Heavenly Emperor Dijun.

Consequently, in Mu Changge's eyes, the number of ancient deities in the Taiyi Palace fell short of what he had witnessed previously within the Central Divine Temple.

"Could that be why the Supreme Deity Haotian has invited the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, the Saint Nuwa, and the divine beasts to participate—to prevent a direct and unfavorable comparison?" Mu Changge surmised inwardly.

The faction of ancient deities was centered around six prominent figures: the Lord of the Netherworld, Zongbu Shenyi; the Queen of the Netherworld, the Luo River Goddess; the Punishing Deity, the Queen Mother of the West; the Drought Goddess, Nuba; the Rain Deity, Jimeng; and the Water Deity, Tianwu.

Before long, the Supreme Deity Haotian, accompanied by the Heavenly Queen Houtu and surrounded by an entourage of subordinate deities, stepped into the Taiyi Palace.

"His Majesty the Supreme Deity Haotian has arrived!"
"Her Majesty the Heavenly Queen Houtu has arrived!"

The wedding attire worn by the Supreme Deity Haotian and the Heavenly Queen Houtu was formal and solemn, reminiscent of the traditional "Xuan-colored ritual cap and dark upper-and-lower garments trimmed with jade-like splendor," with the groom's and bride's attire predominantly styled in black and yellow, respectively.

The instant the Supreme Deity Haotian and the Heavenly Queen Houtu crossed the threshold of the Taiyi Palace, a vision of the celestial firmament and the revolving constellations manifested across the palace ceiling, while the auspicious patterns beneath the feet of the assembled deities and beasts suddenly surged into motion as if imbued with life.

A gentle glimmering drizzle of starlight fell upon the Supreme Deity Haotian and the Heavenly Queen Houtu, while the auspicious motifs on the ground leaped up on either side of the couple like fish breaking the surface of water.

The assembled ancient deities and divine beasts offered their sincere blessings.

Mu Changge gazed upon the Supreme Deity Haotian for the very first time.

Powerful and imposing, endowed with a majesty born of heaven, the Supreme Deity possessed an extraordinarily handsome face punctuated by obsidian-and-gold eyes. Every movement he made exuded a natural, effortless imperial dominion!

As the Supreme Deity Haotian and the Heavenly Queen Houtu ascended the golden ninety-nine tiers of steps, the palace echoed with the harmonious strains of chiming bells, earthenware xun instruments, percussion pots, zithers, bamboo panpipes, Konghou harps, zheng zithers, and plucked se instruments, playing a celebratory symphony in honor of the celestial wedding between the Supreme Deity and the Heavenly Queen.

At that moment, the Saint Nuwa produced her supreme treasure, the Red Hydrangea, to bear witness to the celestial marriage of the Supreme Deity Haotian and the Heavenly Queen Houtu.

Watching the couple reach the topmost tier of the steps, Mu Changge murmured to himself, "So this is the sovereign of heaven and earth..."

The ceremony reached its magnificent climax.

---

Origins Divine Temple.

A full year had passed since the celestial wedding of the Supreme Deity Haotian and the Heavenly Queen Houtu.

Inside a pavilion within the Origins Divine Temple, Athena and Mu Changge were engrossed in a game of Go.

"Teacher Athena, I have a conjecture, though I am uncertain whether I should voice it."
"Speak your mind. I am listening."
"The northern deity Xuanming whom we encountered in the Heavenly Principle's Ziwei Enclosure—he was formerly the sea deity Yuqiang, correct?"
"Indeed. When the Heavenly Emperor Dijun held his celestial wedding in the Kunlun Imperial Capital with the Heavenly Queens Xihe and Changyi, the sea deity Yuqiang was also present."

Mu Changge nodded thoughtfully. "Teacher Athena, have you ever heard of the Eastern Emperor Taiyi?"
"I have. It is mentioned in the Chu Ci, composed by the poet Qu Yuan of the Chu State during the Warring States period of China, specifically as the opening piece in the Nine Songs. Official records of the Dragon Realm identify the Eastern Emperor Taiyi as the Eastern Spring Deity, distinct from the Supreme Deity Haotian."
"Teacher Athena, do you suppose there is a possibility that the current Eastern deity Jumang is destined to become the future Eastern Emperor Taiyi?"

Athena paused for a moment. "If that were true, it would neatly explain why the Eastern Emperor Taiyi appears exclusively within the Chu Ci."

Mu Changge continued, "That would also account for why there has never been a definitive scholarly consensus regarding precisely which mythological figure the Eastern Emperor Taiyi represents in Chinese mythology."
"Such matters should not be debated, for it borders on disrespect toward the Heavenly Emperor."
"The divine title of the Supreme Deity Haotian is Taiyi, while the Eastern Spring Deity in the Nine Songs is the Eastern Emperor Taiyi."
"Either this Spring Deity performed such monumental deeds that the Supreme Deity Haotian bestowed upon him the name Taiyi..."
"Or, conversely, this Eastern Spring Deity declared himself an independent Taiyi."

Mu Changge and Athena engaged in a back-and-forth deduction.

"If so, something momentous must transpire hereafter to precipitate the emergence of the Eastern Emperor Taiyi."
"I suspect it is also linked to the eventual disappearance of the Supreme Deity Haotian. If my hypothesis holds, that event will not occur for quite some time."
"After all, the Supreme Deity Haotian would hardly stand by and allow an unrelated ancient deity to spontaneously emerge bearing the sacred name of Taiyi."

Mu Changge lost himself in internal deliberations concerning the relationship between the Supreme Deity Haotian and the Eastern Emperor Taiyi.

Observing Mu Changge deep in thought, Athena cautioned him, "Pondering these matters excessively right now serves little purpose. What you ought to focus on is ascending to the rank of an ancient deity as swiftly as possible during the reign of the Supreme Deity Haotian—ideally attaining the status of Heavenly Emperor before the era of ancient deities draws to a close."

"I understand. Once the Supreme Deity Haotian vanishes, it will herald the end of the ancient mythological era of China, ushering in the era of immortals and deities."

The era of immortals referred to the age when transcendent immortals began to emerge, with cultivation practitioners becoming the dominant force across heaven and earth.

Pondering further, Mu Changge asked, "Teacher Athena, what about you?"
"What of me?"
"The Greek realm is currently ruled by the second-generation King of Gods, Cronus, is it not? When the era of the third-generation King of Gods, Zeus, arrives, what will become of you, Teacher Athena?"
"Rest assured. When that time comes, I shall choose to enter a deep slumber. Ideally, you will have ascended to the position of Heavenly Emperor by then, capable of carving out a secret realm for me to rest within."
"That is a formidable task indeed. Tell me, Teacher Athena, wouldn't it be far less rushed if you allowed me to attain divinity sooner?"
"Certainly not! The White Tiger is the finest taskmaster to guide you toward becoming an ancient deity! I refuse to settle for any other method!"