Rise of Humanity

After all this years, the young lady grew even prettier, and her eyes glimmered deeper with a mysterious air. But what was more surprising was her cultivation base that was no any weaker than Zhong Yue, even more, she was seemingly a hair's breadth stronger than him!     

Chi Xue was holding an imperial air of a domineering empress, making her even more attractive than ever!     

She was already appointed as the next Western Mother Empress, but was also the young lady who had a past with him. They have been in the an unofficial relation on the moon, but eventually parted on their own ways; Zhong Yue returned to the Ancestral Star, while Chi Xue stayed in Kun Lun.     

They were two love birds who were never meant to be together, like Constellations Shen and Shang. Despite they have a spot for one another in their hearts, they could never be together.     

"I'm leaving."     

Zhong Yue smiled, he said, "It might take a very long time for me to return, or maybe never. So… I'm here to say goodbye. The Ancestral Star is undergoing major changes, some unknown force is shifting the principles of cultivation, it is no place for the Qi Practitioners anymore. The Ancestral Star will be devoid from cultivators in a thousand years time. Thus, other than saying goodbye, I am also here to…"     

"To place the human race under my watch?" Chi Xue tilted her head and mulled, she interrupted, "No, you won't, you know me well. I am entitled with the greatest honor of the whole Kun Lun Realm, but my faction is yet to be strong enough; so you won't hand the human race into my hands. After all, I will have to face with all the other factions once Western Mother Empress dies; that places the human race in a greater threat, it might even go extinct from the war. Moreover, you won't allow the humans to bow to anyone else anymore."     

Zhong Yue smiled, "I know your faction is yet to be fully matured, that's why, I will bring the Ancestral Star dragon race and Bai Zhe Clan to your aid. The old Western Mother Empress has at most 80 years to live, her death will lift off the last obstacle for the other gods to dethrone and replace you. However, with the helpers from the Ancestral Star, the pressure on you can be greatly reduced."     

Chi Xue was overjoyed, "You are giving your helpers to me? I really do need them, but what about the human race? After you leave, and when the cultivation stops, the human race will be even more inferior than the naturally gifted races. What are you going to do then?"     

Zhong Yue smiled, but never replied.     

Chi Xue gazed deeply into his eyes; a thought flashed across her mind, and her body abruptly shivered in shock, she shook her head and said, "I don't believe you are capable of that!"     

Zhong Yue was placid, however, "I do need to warn you on how much I value my people. If, in any case, you dare to infiltrate the Ancestral Star, not only that I will seal the Ancestral Star races, I will seal the whole Kun Lun as well."     

A cold chill was sent down Chi Xue's spine, and she chortled abruptly, "You ungrateful lover, I am your lady, how can you threaten me like this?"     

Zhong Yue laughed, "To the Western Mother Empress, I am just a man of yours. You don't belong to me, nor do I belong to you."     

"Darling, why do you have to be so fickle in love?" Chi Xue mourned sorrowfully.     

Zhong Yue then lowered his voice as he said, "An empress's will is unbendable, and the empire is her only concern. I cannot let my people down because of my personal affections."     

Chi Xue chuckled, "How difficult to take advantage of you. Why don't you stay? Stay in Kun Lun, I am the Western Mother Empress and you can be the Eastern Father Emperor, we can each conquer one end of Kun Lun. You and me have both cultivated the Six Paths Wheels, we have 60,000 years to spend together, wouldn't that be nice?"     

Zhong Yue shook his head while smiling, "I'd like to be the Eastern Father Emperor as well, but my people needs me more than anything else. I dare not lay back and relax for even a second. Maybe, when one day I have settled everything, I will come back and you can pass your throne away to your successor. Then, we can both be a pair of lovely birds."     

Chi Xue knew words couldn't have penetrated through him anymore, so she stopped and smiled, "Let me tour your around. There are many gods in Kun Lun, I thought you should know as well what we are going to face against in the future."     

Zhong Yue nodded, and the two started touring the Kun Lun Realm. The first place they came to was the Kua Fu Celestial Race. There, the Kua Fu experts and Kua Fuding tensed their muscles, and strained their nerves while staring closely at them.     

"Zhong Shan Clan member, I know you are a disaster carrier, go back to your Ancestral Star and leave our Kun Lun as it is!"     

Kua Fuding stepped forward, he smirked coldly while saying, "You and I are not done yet, we shall fight again!"     

Zhong Yue startled for a second, he then nodded and left with Chi Xue.     

After that, they came to a picturesque paradise hidden in a mountain. Shang Zhen God was hovering above the woods, glaring a pair of cold eyes at Zhong Yue while saying, "Zhong Shan Clan member, why are you here? I will never forgive you for killing my son, Shang Qing!"     

Chi Xue brought him around, they were well received by the curse of gods, and also insincere talks.     

Zhong Yue locked his brows deeper as time passes by. It was only when they visited the Tian Wu God that he was able to relieve the tension in his heart.     

"Did you glean anything?" the future Western Mother Empress asked.     

"Enemies. I have enemies all over Kun Lun."     

Zhong Yue furrowed his brows, "But, how strange, they aren't doing anything. It felt like as if something is holding them back, like a near-eruption volcano that suppressed itself so as to deliver a stronger wave of calamity. I heard that was a West Barren god that seek refuge in the Kun Lun, he must be the one that is plotting all of these, trying to revenge on me."     

Chi Xue nodded, "It is true, this Ancestral Star god is called the Yellow Snake, he found out of the hostility of the Kun Lun gods towards you, and gathered those who are interested to launch an assault. So, darling, what else do you see?"     

"My enemies, are also yours. They are all related to those we've killed in the Returning Ruins."     

Zhong Yue frowned, "When Western Mother Empress is still alive, they will not touch a single hair of yours. But once she leaves, you will have to face with their ragest assaults, they will first kill you and take the throne, then slaughter the humans in the Ancestral Star because of me."     

Chi Xue clapped her hands happily, "Exactly!"     

Zhong Yue pondered deeply, "Furthermore, the Kun Lun gods will not let the sealing ritual to happen, they will surely descend to the Ancestral Star and sabotage the ritual."     

Chi Xue laughed, "Now, do you still want to leave the Ancestral Star?"     

Zhong Yue laughed back, "The Ancestral Star is too small for me now, I need a bigger space to grow stronger, and to meet with the more formidable opponents out there in this universe! Chi Xue, nothing can stop me from leaving. When the time Western Mother Empress passes away, and the calamity arrives, the human race will have more than ten human gods, with countless treasures. We will be strong enough to stand on par with you and act as your trusted ally. Furthermore, my two incarnations will be left in the Ancestral Star, they will ascend into deityhood as the same time as me. In addition the the Tian Wu God I've asked to help us, there is nothing much to worry about anymore!"     

Rays of inexplicable emotions brought away the lights in Chi Xue's eyes as they flashed past, she sighed and said sadly, "That being said, it's impossible for me to persuade you to stay anymore…"     

She only toured Zhong Yue around so she could show him the strengths of their enemies; she didn't want him to go, but as the next Western Mother Empress, she couldn't have openly pleaded him to stay, or to fully rely on him.     

Her current identity and status wouldn't allow her to be humble and make requests anymore; thus, she could only show Zhong Yue the threats around the human race, and hopefully Zhong Yue would decide to stay on his own.     

But now, Zhong Yue has clearly stated that he has done full preparation for the future, there was no other reasons she could have used to make him stay anymore.     

Zhong Yue smiled, "This is not a life and death separation. I will come back to visit you if I survive, I promise you that."     

The two of them continued touring around Kun Lun. Suddenly, Zhong Yue stopped when they were treading across a mountain ridge. He looked up and noticed the corner of a well-hidden palace within the woods. He strode toward the palace, and found a few children handling a herb garden beside the palace.     

As soon as the children saw the two of them, they scattered away in all directions, running while shouting, "Intruders! Bad guys!"     

Zhong Yue stopped one of them, he gave the warmest smile possible and asked, "Is your master home? I am his old friend, please do inform him I am here to visit."     

The child's body shuddered as he entered the palace. Moments later, the children walked out of the palace and said, "Master invites the guests into the palace."     

Zhong Yue and Chi Xue walked into the palace. There was an old man preparing a cup of tea in the middle of the palace. Although aged, the old man's hands were steadier than the hunters.     

The old man waved his hand, and the children moved out of the palace; he invited Zhong Yue and Chi Xue to be seated, and said smilingly, "Little friends, we've meet again. How may I help?"     

Chi Xue was puzzled for a second, but was quick to realize, she exclaimed in shock, "The Six Paths Fruit Tree!"     

The old man was none other than the Six Paths Fruit Tree, while the children out there were also the cultivated divine herbs. That was why the children were so afraid of Zhong Yue and Chi Xue, feared they would have been captured and consumed.     

Six Paths Fruit Tree poured each of them a cup of tea, and Zhong Yue said while smiling, "It's unexpected to have come by to you, of course I will have to pay you a visit. I will be leaving soon, and so I thought, I might as well visit you and say goodbye."     

"I see." Six Paths Fruit Tree said, "But you really are a disaster carrier. You could've visited me on your own, why did you bring her along? It may have looked nothing now, but when she grows strong enough, she will hunt for me one day. Guess like I am shifting place again!"     

'She' was naturally referring to Chi Xue.     

Chi Xue wasn't quite happy as she questioned, "And why would I do that?"     

The old man smirked coldly, "You are the future Western Mother Empress. Although you are still weak now, you will one day be stronger than the ordinary gods. By then, you will never allow my Six Paths Fruit be fallen in the hands of others, you will surely catch me for your own use. You aren't as benevolent like the Zhong Shan Clan member. Even if I am not your target, my other divine herb servants will still be taken away from me."     

Zhong Yue was dawned, and he apologized, "I'm sorry, I've never thought of this. Please do forgive me, senior."     

Whereas Chi Xue never spoke a word, only a cold hum.     

Six Paths Fruit Tree smiled, "You are planning to leave? Where to? You've ruined my place, I think I have the rights to demand a new one!"     

A thought flashed across Zhong Yue's mind, he smiled in reply, "To a wider, and bigger space. Does senior wants to follow?"     

Six Paths Fruit Tree's face changed slightly, but he eventually shook and declined, "The universe is far too big, where should I ever stay in? I refuse."     

Zhong Yue could only let go of his newborn plan, he waved goodbye to the Six Paths Fruit Tree, and left with Chi Xue.     

The two returned to Chi Xue's place and spent some quality times together. After a few days, Zhong Yue stood up from the soft bed without waking up Chi Xue, and left quietly on his own.     

Zhong Yue burnt the incense stick and was ready to return to the Ancestral Star. And suddenly, an old and hoarse voice sounded from behind.     

"Little Friend Zhong, you've ruined my house, it's time to pay me one."     

"Senior, you…" Zhong Yue asked puzzlingly.     

Six Paths Fruit Tree led a few divine herb servants on the front, he sneered coldly and explained, "I don't trust the little Western Mother Empress, if I told her I am leaving, she will surely try many ways to stop me. Thus, I told you I am not leaving, then quietly followed from behind."