Chapter 32: Goddess Manlina – I'm Sorry, Beloved Mother
"Uh~ all right, Great Vishnu."
The Primal Dragon King Shesha shifted his massive body, trying his best to make Vishnu's sleeping posture more comfortable.
Three thousand years passed in the blink of an eye.
As the winds stirred over the Ocean of Milk, Shesha carefully spread out his coils, letting the cool breeze brush against Vishnu's face.
"It's time, Great Preserver God Vishnu."
His voice rolled across the Ocean of Milk like thunder.
Vishnu slowly opened his eyes, blinking. This time he felt he had slept far too briefly—he hadn't even finished a single dream.
"Praise to the All-Pervading One."
Thousands of Shesha's serpent heads bowed devoutly toward Vishnu.
"Let's go to Mount Sumeru, my cute little snake."
It was time for Vishnu to reclaim his innate divine weapon, the Celestial Disc of Insight.
"Please address me as Primal Dragon King Shesha, or as the Venerable Lord of Souls Shesha, in praise of Great Vishnu."
"As you wish, my cute little snake," Vishnu replied with a smile.
Mount Sumeru, Miao Zhen Palace
The Earth Goddess Ximi had spent over five thousand years cleansing the black floodwaters, while the gods of the Earth lineage took three thousand years to restore the shattered land.
In the great hall, the gods all wore bright smiles. Their eyes shone with devotion as they gazed at the Earth Goddess Ximi.
Merit—every god present had received a share of it. This merit would protect them from any calamity before the onset of the Primal Catastrophe.
"Praise the Sovereign!"
The gods knelt and worshipped. Even the Great Tree Queen Manlina knelt without exception.
In her heart, she felt even deeper devotion and reverence for the Earth Goddess Ximi. In this mortal calamity, aside from Ximi herself, Manlina had gained the most merit among all the deities.
"Rise, all of you."
With a wave of her hand, Ximi raised the gods to their feet and said, "The heavenly gods no longer dare to infringe upon the Earth lineage. Return to your dwellings and guard your realms."
"Praise the Great Sovereign Ximi!"
The gods knelt once more, preparing to depart for their own abodes.
Just then, Sanskrit chanting filled the air, and the void manifested a vast, undulating ocean. The Primal Dragon King Shesha floated above it, and Vishnu stood upon Shesha's back.
"Praise to the All-Pervading One!"
The assembled gods bowed and saluted. Even the Earth Goddess Ximi bowed to Vishnu.
"Rise, all of you. In the mortal realm's calamity, you have all earned merit. You shall receive the blessing of the Supreme Spiritual Law."
Vishnu wore his practiced smile.
"The calamity has passed. Please, Great Vishnu, reclaim your Mystic Conch."
Ximi respectfully handed over the Mystic Conch. Though the innate divine artifact held immense and tempting power, she knew she could not keep it.
Vishnu accepted the conch and examined it—it now radiated supreme power. But once the Cosmic Law was revised, no matter whether innate artifacts, main artifacts, or any divine weapons, their power would be weakened.
Vishnu then smiled at the gods as his figure gradually faded, taking Shesha with him as they vanished.
"We bid farewell to the Sovereign," the gods said, and one by one they left Miao Zhen Palace, leaving only Ximi and the Goddess Manlina inside the vast hall.
"Is the Honorable Fan'en not here?"
The Great Tree Queen Manlina did not know Fan'en had not yet returned, so she asked Ximi.
"Yes, my child."
Ximi gazed at Manlina with motherly affection. "You are now a High Lord God. Creating a realm may not increase your divine power, but as a world's ruler, you will still receive the Supreme Spiritual Law's protection."
"Is something major about to happen, Great Sovereign?"
Manlina looked puzzled. For a High Lord God like her, creating a world was exhausting and brought no increase in power. As for the Supreme Spiritual Law's protection? Impossible. Yet if the Great Sovereign said this, there must be a reason.
"The merit from saving the mortal realm allowed my consciousness to anchor into the Supreme Spiritual Law and glimpse some events of the future.
"In the near future, the Three Realms will undergo upheaval. Many gods will return to the embrace of the Great Brahma. Even I may return to Brahma's embrace.
"Even if one survives by luck, after the great change the Three Realms will redefine divine power. Only the status of World Ruler will remain unchanged.
"Do you understand, my child?"
Ximi spoke gently, revealing to Manlina a fragment of the future she had glimpsed.
"How is that possible? So many gods will return to the Great Brahma?"
Manlina could hardly believe it, but she knew the Great Sovereign Ximi would never lie. This meant she indeed had a reason to create a world.
Wait—
"What about the Honorable Fan'en?"
Manlina quickly asked. Fan'en was a High God; he could not create a world independently and would need the help of a Lord God. She had to tell him this news immediately.
Hearing her words, Ximi nodded in satisfaction. "Even at this time, you still think of the Honorable Fan'en. Manlina, my child, you have not disappointed me."
Manlina froze.
What did that mean? Was her concern for Fan'en too obvious? Had the Great Sovereign seen through her feelings?
What should she do? Should she confess everything?
It was I who seduced the Honorable Fan'en. Yes, that's it.
As Manlina's heart churned with inner conflict, Fan'en returned from Mount Mandala and entered the palace.
"It was I who seduced…"
"You're all here—good. I have something to say to you… huh?"
Fan'en glanced at the Goddess Manlina and immediately understood—he had arrived at the wrong time. The goddess seemed to be confessing something to Ximi.
"Uh~ you go first, beautiful Goddess Manlina," Fan'en said with a cheerful smile.
Seeing Fan'en return, Ximi's face lit up. But when she heard Fan'en's words, she registered what Manlina had just said.
Seduced? What a vile word!
Ximi's expression changed instantly. Her cold gaze fell upon Manlina. She had entrusted her pure, precious Manlina to Fan'en—Manlina was meant as an offering to the Honorable Fan'en.
"Speak! What have you done?"
Ximi's voice turned icy. Anything that harmed the interests of the Honorable Fan'en would be punished. In Ximi's eyes, the Goddess Manlina already belonged to the Honorable Fan'en.
Fan'en blinked, seeing Ximi's sudden change. He began to worry—not for himself, but for the Goddess Manlina, fearing she would be wronged.
After all, it was he who had touched the goddess's yoni.
"It was I~~"
The Goddess Manlina knelt before Ximi, her eyes firm.
"I seduced the Honorable Fan'en. Please punish me, beloved Earth Mother Sovereign