Chapter 8, As expected of my son, he's a master of moral blackmail!
His erudition and power are understandable, but who else but Shiva could give you that feeling of being lovers for lifetimes?
Others draw targets to find a groom, but my daughter is setting up the target for the groom!
"Your demands are too high. Let me discuss it with your mother before giving you an answer."
After Daksha dismissed Sati, he summoned the palace guards and ordered them to keep a close eye on his daughter. This is a dangerous period; only after she marries a powerful deity other than Shiva can they relax.
Meanwhile, in the Brahma realm, Angyara, upon seeing his father Brahma, eagerly asked...
"Father, I brought your grandson, Sapish, to visit you. Why were you turned away? Is he not worthy to behold your holy countenance?"
"You wicked son, stop with your sophistry. The Brahma Realm does not allow those with impure thoughts to enter. Don't you have any idea what your son is thinking? He has long coveted the position of the Lord of Life!"
Brahma saw through Angie and Sapish's thoughts with a single sentence.
In fact, according to the rules, Angie was not allowed to enter the Brahma Realm either. However, Brahma made an exception for the sake of their father-son relationship, summoning Angie only to give him a warning.
"Father, the human world has lost its stability, and development has stagnated. This is all Daksha's fault. Since Daksha is incapable of being the ruler of all beings, why can't my son Sapish inherit the family business?"
"Silence! The successor to the ruler of all beings is not determined by bloodline, but by ability. This world is not your property, but a place jointly maintained by me, Vishnu, and Shiva. If it is not governed properly, Shiva will destroy this world, and you will all cease to exist."
Brahma's angry rebuke made Angie shrink back. He dared not discuss the ruler of all beings any further, and quickly left Brahma's realm, taking his son Sapish with him.
It seemed that tattling to his father wouldn't work. He had to find another way to ensure his son obtained the ruler of all beings.
Back in the mortal world, Angie learned from his subordinates that Daksha was troubled by Sati's marriage. He devised another plan and took Sapish to Daksha's territory to pay homage.
Angie, his son Sapish, Dasha, and several sages took their seats.
As soon as they sat down, Dasha asked suspiciously, "What brings you two here at the same time? Could it be that you've also come to propose to Sati?"
Angie quickly waved his hand. "No, no. Dasha, my brother. I recently wish to hold a fire sacrifice ceremony in my kingdom, but I have no unmarried girls at home. Could you lend me Sati for a couple of days?"
"A fire sacrifice ceremony does indeed require the participation of unmarried girls. That sounds like a very good reason," Dasha said after a moment's thought.
"So, you agree?"
"Of course… no! Angie, your kingdom is in the far north. My Sati has never traveled far. What if something happens to her? Can you bear the responsibility?"
Angie wanted to negotiate further, but he saw a fierce glint flash in Dasha's eyes, and the palace guards simultaneously gripped their blades and spears.
This was, after all, Daksha's territory, and the father and son couldn't act too rashly.
But Anghira was still unwilling. The most crucial step in his plan was borrowing Sati. Without Sati, the entire plan would fail.
Seeing the disappointment in his father Anghira's eyes, Sapish said, "Don't panic, watch me."
Sapish stood up, facing Daksha with neither servility nor arrogance: "Lord of Life, you have established many rules to govern the mortal realm. Do you intend to abide by them completely, or will you rely on your status as Lord of Life to place yourself above the rules?"
"Of course! Without rules, there can be no order. Even the Triads have their own rules to follow, let alone a mere Lord of all beings like myself."
"That makes things easier. One of your rules states: if someone seeks help, then they will surely receive help. Are you going to break the rules you established?"
Faced with the question from his junior Sapish, Daksha was stunned.
He had indeed established this rule to demonstrate the benevolence and selfless dedication of the Lord of All Beings. Now that Anghira had come seeking help, he should offer assistance.
In truth, rules are rigid, but people are flexible.
If an ordinary person had used this rule to blackmail Daksha, he would have been riddled with spears by the guards in the next second.
But Anghira was also Brahma's heart-born son, and a deity born at the same time as Daksha, naturally incomparable to a mortal. Furthermore, with several powerful deities present, he, as the Lord of All Beings, could not afford to leave a legacy of broken promises.
"I can agree to let Sati go to your kingdom, but her safety must be my responsibility," Daksha finally conceded.
"No problem!" Anghira replied excitedly.
His plan had taken a crucial step forward, and his son's cunning had surpassed even his own, even mastering the art of moral blackmail—a calculated strategy that filled Anghira with immense satisfaction.
It seems the position of ruler of life will ultimately fall to his son.
...
Shiva, wanting some peace and quiet, spent many days in the forest.
He was bored, lonely, and thirsty.
This thirst wasn't a physical need for food, but a torment from the spiritual realm.
Even though Shiva was a transmigrator, he was affected by his inherent divinity, becoming extremely agitated.
From the depths of his heart, a sudden urge to dance surged forth.
Shiva tiptoed and twirled, dancing wildly and maniacally. It was as if these movements were already etched into his mind; he only needed the thought of dancing to perfectly execute them.
"Oh no, will this dance kill my wife?"
Shiva wasn't worried about himself; he'd still be alive even if the world was destroyed. But Sati was different. Although she was the reincarnation of the goddess Sati's spirit, her physical strength was nowhere near that of the Triad. If the world were to be destroyed, Sati's physical body would also perish, leaving only the spirit of the goddess Sati wandering the universe.
Shiva quickly ended the dance with a gesture reminiscent of a half-female Buddha.
This gesture allowed him temporary peace of mind.
Because Shiva's dance had just displayed supreme divine power, Vishnu and Brahma sensed his presence again.
"Fortunately, this guy didn't perform the Dance of Destruction; he was just venting his emotions through dance," Brahma said thankfully.
"You still have time to be thankful? Hurry up and go persuade Shiva; if he blocks your senses again, you'll be crying," Vishnu said, somewhat exasperated.
"You're right. I'll go impart some life philosophy to Shiva."
Brahma lightly pinched his fingers, and as a beam of light enveloped his entire body, he arrived beside Shiva at the speed of light.
"Shiva, the mortal realm is in turmoil, all because of your sins. It's never too late for a prodigal son to turn back; hurry and restore normalcy."