Chapter 579 - 35: Visiting Houtu, the Secret of Fu Xi, the Dying Dao Fruit

Chapter 579: Chapter 35: Visiting Houtu, the Secret of Fu Xi, the Dying Dao Fruit

「In the Great Void.」

"Dad, I get it! How many times do you have to tell me? I really haven’t caused any trouble lately!"

Lu Nian exclaimed indignantly, pouting.

"I’ve been cultivating super seriously with Auntie Houtu. If you don’t believe me, just ask her!"

Lu Xuan, in the guise of Hongjun Daoist, couldn’t help but chuckle.

He glanced curiously at the serene Supreme Being beside them.

Lady Houtu smiled charmingly.

"The girl is a bit mischievous, but her aptitude is truly exceptional. She’s a very fast learner..."

Hearing the Ancient One’s vague words, Lu Xuan sighed and rubbed his forehead. He already had his answer.

He offered Houtu a respectful bow.

"I’m sorry to have troubled you all this time, Senior Houtu."

"It’s no trouble at all."

Houtu chuckled lightly.

"How come you don’t call me ’Lady’ anymore? Back when you were coaxing Supreme Treasures and Skills out of me, it was ’Lady’ this and ’Lady’ that. You were so very charming then..."

"That happened?" Lu Nian asked curiously, only for an annoyed Lu Xuan to shut her away in the Jade Void Palace.

"This is grown-up talk. Children shouldn’t be listening!"

"I’m almost at the Fifth Level of the Celestial Realms!" Lu Nian fumed from inside the Jade Void Palace, pounding on the main gates. BANG! BANG! BANG!

Lu Xuan casually placed a seal on the Jade Void Palace, then turned back to Houtu and said frankly,

"Senior, back then, we were on opposite sides. It was only natural to stop at nothing."

"I’m not blaming you."

Houtu shook her head with a smile and sighed softly.

"To be fair, it was my own carelessness. I overlooked the resentment of the common people that accumulates constantly within the Six Paths of Reincarnation. With beings from the Infinite Realms all cycling through it, over time..."

She shook her head again and let out a heavy breath.

"It seems that all Illusory Dao Fruits truly do come at a price..."

Lu Xuan’s expression flickered with surprise.

"So that’s a known saying?"

"Of course."

Houtu nodded with a smile. With a wave of her hand, an ancient table, two meditation cushions, and two cups of hot tea appeared before them.

Lu Xuan slowly took a seat and took a sip of the Earth Tea. Though the power of the earth’s ley lines was no longer of any use to him, the flavor was still exquisite. A single sip seemed to contain the myriad flavors of the Earth itself.

Houtu also took a sip of her tea and sighed.

"There’s always been a saying that every Illusory Dao Fruit comes with a price, but no one ever paid it any mind. Now, it seems..."

She began to list them.

"Take the Dao Fruit formed from the title of Celestial Emperor. All its bearers have fallen. Emperor Jun, Taiyi, Haotian... they were all betrayed and overthrown by their own subordinates."

"Or my Dao Fruit, formed from the Six Paths of Reincarnation. It constantly accumulates the resentment of all living beings, and over time, my very nature was altered without me even realizing it."

"Then there’s Wa Huang, who has already achieved Transcendence. She once condensed half an Illusory Dao Fruit using her status as the sovereign of the Demon Race. Because of it, she later suffered a great blow, lost that half Dao Fruit, and went through a period of severe decline..."

Lu Xuan listened quietly, lost in thought.

"What about the two Buddha Lords of the Buddhist Sect?"

"It’s the same for them."

Houtu smiled.

"Amitabha Buddha commands the Western Pure Land. Though he formed a Complete Dao Fruit, he lost his way because of it. He forgot his original reason for establishing the Buddhist Sect and transferred the tribulations he was meant to endure onto its followers..."

"Ancient Bodhi Buddha formed half an Illusory Dao Fruit through a Grand Aspiration, but he is also fettered by it. If not for his Miaoshu, a Supreme Treasure on par with the Qing Ping Sword and the Heaven-Opening Banner, his power would be the weakest among all the Enlightened Ones."

Lu Xuan committed all this to memory and continued his questions.

"By that logic, what about my masters...?"

"The Three Pristine Ones are different."

Houtu sighed softly.

"They are in a league of their own. They were born as Ancient Ones and used their Great Magical Power to cultivate the other half into a True Dao Fruit. They don’t have an Illusory Dao Fruit at all."

’So,’ Lu Xuan mused, ’does that mean my three masters are the only ones with a completely True and Complete Dao Fruit?’

At that moment, Houtu saw that Lu Xuan had finished his tea. She refilled his cup and changed the subject.

"Speaking of which, you must have a reason for visiting me this time, don’t you?"

Pulled from his thoughts, Lu Xuan let out a breath and nodded.

"Indeed. I’ve come to ask you to come out of seclusion, Senior Houtu."

"Me?"

Houtu gave a charming smile but shook her head.

"I have awakened now, and my mind has returned to its original state. I have no interest in getting involved in all these conflicts."

Lu Xuan frowned. He made his offer, testing the waters.

"I intend to establish a great dynasty to unify Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. If you are willing to help, Senior, you could assume the title of [Earth Duke] and regain control of the Nine Nether."

After a pause, he added,

"While you won’t be able to condense an Illusory Dao Fruit from it, if you, my Lady, were to regain control of the Nine Nether, you might have a chance to comprehend half a [True Dao Fruit] in the future."

Houtu was taken aback for a moment, then she laughed.

"Your ambition is great... and your offer is tempting. But I truly have no desire to involve myself in worldly affairs. I don’t want to participate in any more conflicts. To be honest, I’m just tired of it all."

She took a sip of her tea.

"After being lost for countless years, I’ve had a lot of time to think since I woke up. Transcendence... it’s not a prize I can compete for. Forget The Three Pristine Ones or the two Buddha Lords—I can’t even compete with you. It’s better to just let it all go."

Lu Xuan was speechless. He finally understood. This Lady...

’To put it nicely, she had let go of everything and seen through the vanity of the world.’

’To put it bluntly, she had completely given up and decided to just coast!’

A wry smile appeared on his face. He was about to try persuading her again, but Houtu simply waved her hand.

"My mind is made up."

Seeing this, Lu Xuan sighed in regret.

"In that case, I won’t insist. Thank you for your hospitality, Senior. I’ll have to trouble you with that girl, Xiaonian, for a while longer..."

As he spoke, he prepared to rise and bow to take his leave, but he saw Houtu suddenly give him another charming smile.

"However, on the other hand..."

She said softly,

"I find myself rather nostalgic for the way you used to be when you were coaxing those Supreme Treasures and Skills from me. If you were to call me ’Lady’ a couple more times, perhaps I could..."

"My Lady!" A smile bloomed on Lu Xuan’s face.

Houtu was left speechless. After a moment of silence, she said in an exasperated tone,