Chapter 23 – The Deal with the God of Destruction Shiva (Part 2):
The Great Freedom Heaven, Jirosa.
This was the dwelling place of Shiva, the God of Destruction, located at the very peak of the Thousand Heavens. Faneand Great Mercy Tree Sovereign Manlina had arrived here.
The usually composed Manlina, now full of urgency, even forgot the most basic courtesies and directly called him Lord Fane.
It lacked respect.
"Sky God Daus holds the Life Divine Pot in his hands—you saw it as well, beautiful Goddess Manlina."
Though Fane himself was equally anxious, he still patiently explained things to her.
"That is why we must go to the great God of Destruction, Shiva."
"This… but did you not say that obtaining the red-blue interwoven swastika mark would allow you to aid Sovereign Ximi?"
Manlina's tone grew more agitated:"Why then must we still seek the great Shiva, exalted Lord Fane?"
Fane glanced at the ever more desperate Manlina, choosing not to respond further. Instead, he quickened his pace.
He too was deeply worried about Earth Goddess Ximi.
Back on the Water-Blue Planet, Fane had obtained a fragment of consciousness and sensation origin, granting him control over Supreme Mental Karma for a single day.
But it was a one-time use, bound by many restrictions.
He could not squander this chance on Sky God Daus, for this was the very key to Earth Goddess Ximi's survival in the Primordial Catastrophe.
If he used it now, he would only be forced to watch helplessly as Ximi perished.
Besides, sometimes not using a card held more value than using it.
As long as Fane refrained, he would always hold a trump card capable of restraining even the Trimurti.
Furthermore, what Fane gained on the Water-Blue Planet was not just this one card, but also the Supreme Form Fire Lingam mark.
The vanished Fire Lingam mark had actually attached itself to his own Lingam.
With a mere thought, he could wield its supreme might to contend with a Primordial Elemental Main God.
Of course, this too was a one-time use.
And though its strength could not sustain a long battle, it was more than enough to intimidate the gods beneath the Primordial Elemental Main Gods.
Originally, with the Fire Lingam's might, Fane could have fought Sky God Daus alongside Earth Goddess Ximi.
But with the sudden appearance of the Life Divine Pot, he had no choice but to come here—to Jirosa.
Seeing Fane's pace quicken, Manlina also hastened her steps to follow.
Jirosa, the cultivation ground of the great Shiva, reflected the highest laws and order.
Thus, no matter what god entered this place, flight was impossible.
Even Creator God Brahma himself had to walk here.
"Uh…"
Before them, by the Moonstone, Shiva was seen dancing.
"This is… the Tandava dance."
Fane blurted out in shock.
But quickly he calmed himself—it was not the world-ending Tandava, but the joyful Ananda Tandava.
Under the influence of this dance, Manlina's anxious mood gradually calmed.
With the passing of time, her face even began to show delight.
And in the next moment, she too began to follow the rhythm of Shiva's dance.
Fane's consciousness, however, remained unaffected, and his heart was still burning with urgency. Through his divine sense, he perceived the battle in Shanjian City.
Earth Goddess Ximi's protective lotus had already lost three petals to corrosion.
If this continued, the corrosive black flood would soon harm her battle form itself.
Yet, he could not simply interrupt Shiva's Tandava dance.
Who knew whether breaking it might transform the joyful dance into the world-destroying Tandava?
"Dance, exalted Lord of Consciousness, dance with the joyful rhythm!"
"The Three Realms are joyous, the cosmos is beautiful—let us together praise the great Brahma, praise the Supreme Mental Karma!"
(Note: In Hindu texts, "praise" and "worship" differ. Praise can mean respect, greeting, and reverence. Worship is an elevated form—absolute adoration, gratitude, prostration.)
Within Fane's urgent awareness, a voice kept tempting and guiding him.
This was not Shiva's voice.
It was the wisdom born from the joyful Tandava dance, urging all beings to worship the great Brahma and the Supreme Mental Karma.
Fane, being himself the embodiment of Brahma's will and Supreme Mental Karma, was immune to this influence.
But Manlina was not—and thus she danced ever more fervently.
The enchanting music and guiding dance were such that even in battle, Earth Goddess Ximi and Sky God Daus would have to stop and dance first.
Sizzle~~
Another petal was consumed, turned into black floodwater.
The protective lotus, a main divine artifact, could no longer fully shield Earth Goddess Ximi. The corrosive waters began to bite at her very form.
Seeing this, Fane no longer cared whether Shiva was man or god—he directly revealed his own Lingam.
Pop!
Immediately, a divine brilliance of supreme majesty illuminated all of Jirosa.
The Supreme Form Fire Lingam mark radiated a dignity beyond compare.
This sight caused Shiva, mid-dance, to abruptly halt. In an instant, he appeared before Fane, eyes locked on the Lingam. Even the third eye on his forehead nearly opened.
"Praise to the Supreme Fire Lingam! You are great and all-loving. It is you who nurtured life—you are the source of all life."
Unable to restrain himself, Shiva reached out as if to touch and bow before the sacred Fire Lingam.
Startled, Fane instinctively concealed his Lingam.
"Praise to the great Lord of Dance, Shiva."
The sacred radiance faded, and the noble aura was withdrawn.
Only then did Shiva return to himself, staring at Fane in astonishment. How could the mark of the Fire Lingam appear upon a mere high god?
"You have received the blessing of the sacred Fire Lingam, my Lord of Consciousness," Shiva said softly, gazing at Fane with envy. "Speak your intent—I shall aid you."
As one of the Trimurti, Shiva knew well Fane's origin as Brahma's first-born being of the Primordial Era, and also his bond with Earth Goddess Ximi.
So how could he not already guess Fane's purpose?
Yet Shiva still spoke thus—because the great God of Destruction wished to set a condition.
"My beloved Ximi is facing calamity. Please, great Lord of Dance Shiva, grant me the Trident."
Fane knew that by displaying the Fire Lingam mark, Shiva would surely help him.
But he had not expected Shiva's next words, which left him utterly dumbfounded.
"The Trident may be lent to you, to aid the beautiful Sovereign Ximi. But every hundred thousand years, I shall require to personally worship and pray before the Supreme Fire Lingam mark."
Without waiting for Fane's agreement, Shiva directly drew forth the Trident and held it out to him.
"I—"
Fane was speechless, his sea of consciousness in turmoil. His outstretched hand lingered, hesitating to take the weapon.
At last, sensing that yet another petal of Ximi's lotus had been destroyed, he chose to grasp the Trident.
"Stop dancing, my beautiful Goddess Manlina