Two young women were sitting by a campfire, whispering amongst themselves. They occasionally spared a glance or two at a young man who sat in an open tent, cultivating.
Without a sound, a tall, dark-skinned woman appeared near the campfire. "How are you girls doing?" She asked a second later.
"Are you really a goddess!?" They asked at the same time.
Tian Feng lifted her brow in surprise. She didn't expect that sudden question when she just arrived. "Last I checked I was." She said with a small laugh.
"Are gods those mythical beings in the myths? Like Nuwa, Pangu, and the Jade Emperor?" Chen Li Li asked, she was of the belief that gods were mythical beings that shouldn't exist in this world.
"Gods are just really strong cultivators, right?" Daiyu asked. She was of the belief that gods were just normal people that had gained immense power.
Tian Feng sat down by the two women, her eyes reflecting the flicker of the campfire. "There are two kinds of gods in this world. The first are Divine Spirits, like Nuwa or Pangu. They aren't born like us—they're formed from the beliefs of living beings. People started worshiping Nuwa as the creator of humanity, and eventually, she manifested because of that belief. But she didn't actually create humans; she's a reflection of human faith."
Chen Li Li blinked, clearly startled by the revelation. "So, she's not the creator?"
"No, just a symbol of your beliefs," Tian Feng confirmed. "The second type of gods," she continued, turning to Daiyu, "are God Realm cultivators. These are mortals who, through immense power and cultivation, rise to godhood. They don't need worship to exist; they carve their path through their strength."
Daiyu leaned in, eyes wide. "And you're one of them?"
Tian Feng smiled. "Exactly. Gods like me may be powerful, but we're not untouchable beings. We're just cultivators who've gone beyond what most mortals can imagine."
She paused, letting them soak in that information. The two young women looked at each other, seeing the shock on the other's face. They knew that they both heard the same bewildering information.
"So how were humans created, if not by Nuwa?" Chen Li Li turned back to Tian Feng and asked.
Tian Feng shrugged. "I don't have a clue, and neither does anyone else who has achieved the God Realm. There are some theories, however no one has a definitive answer. Here, let me show you something." She picked a rock up and held it in front of herself for the two women to see.
The two young women looked at the rock in confusion.
Tian Feng's hand glowed for a second and the small rock split into six pieces that floated up and attached themselves to each other, forming a vague humanoid figure with two arms, legs, a torso, and a head.
"Isn't that a golem? We fought some of those in the Crystal Caverns." Daiyu asked, having recognized the little creature as a very tiny version of the golems they had fought previously.
Tian Feng nodded. "This is indeed a golem. They aren't living creatures and function only when they have enough Qi. Things like these were the only creatures that gods could create. Even as gods, we couldn't create living beings." She withdrew her Qi from the tiny golem and it collapsed into a pile of rock debris.
"What do you mean they were the only creatures gods could create?" Chen Li Li asked, confused by the wording Tian Feng used. She made it sound like they could create life now, where before they couldn't.
"To answer that, let me tell you a story." She said with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "There was once a young man. He was the greatest cultivation genius this world had ever seen. At the young age of 18, he started his cultivation journey, he left his small village and ventured out into the world. He flew through each realm of cultivation at blinding speed."
"Hold on. Is this story of some random guy really necessary?" Chen Li Li interrupted. She just wanted to know if gods could create life now, not hear somebody's life story.
Tian Feng shrugged. "No, but I thought you might find it interesting when you learn who the story is about."
"Who is the story about?" Daiyu asked. She wanted to hear the rest of the story, since it sounded interesting.
"Just a certain million-year-old god." She said with a hearty laugh. She had been listening in on their conversation while in the Crystal Caverns, using her divine sense. Being a God Realm cultivator, her divine sense could cover an unfathomable distance.
Chen Li Li flinched when she heard her reply. A blush covered her face once again.
"It's a story about Liang Wu!?" Daiyu asked, becoming visibly excited. She wanted to hear the story even more now.
"Yup!"
"Why would a story about Liang Wu have anything to do with gods being able to create life?" Chen Li Li asked.
"That comes at the end of the story."
"Then just skip to the end. We don't need his entire life story." Chen Li Li said, however she secretly wanted to know the complete story, she was just acting proudly. Ugh! Why'd I say that? I want to hear the rest of the story!
"Um, I would like to hear the entire story, though." Daiyu said in a voice barely louder than a whisper.
"Here, you can have this." Tian Feng waved her hand, and two books appeared. "This is a book that tells the life story of… Hold on, let me put up a barrier." She paused and erected an invisible veil of Qi to surround the three of them, blocking their voices from traveling out.
"OK, where was I? Oh, right! This book tells the story of The Demon God Of Heavenly Slaughter!" She waited for surprised gasps or even shrieks of terror. However, all she got were two confused stares.
"Why are you giving us a random book? Weren't you going to tell us a story about Liang Wu?" Chen Li Li thought that this supposed goddess was as crazy as Liang Wu, with the way she jumped from one topic to another. While thinking that, she glanced over at Liang Wu. Ugh! I can't believe I said I like him! There's no way I like that lunatic! I experienced a moment of confusion because he's attractive and his recent behavior hadn't been crazy... Yeah, that's all it was, just a momentary lapse. Right?
Tian Feng's voice woke Chen Li Li from her delusional thoughts. "This book is about Liang Wu." She said as she pushed the books into the two girls' hands.
"Huh?" Daiyu opened the cover of the book, and written on the first page it said: [This story is based on the life of The Demon God Of Heavenly Slaughter, also known as Liang Wu] - Written by His Biggest Fan (´ε｀ )♡
"Did you write this?" Daiyu asked Tian Feng with a skeptical look when she saw the little kissy face drawn on the front page.
"Oh gods, no! Do I look like the type that would write something so cringy?" Tian Feng shivered in disgust.
Both young women looked Tian Feng over and shrugged. While she didn't look like someone who would write that, she acted like someone who might.
"Anyway, it wasn't me that wrote that, and I don't know who did either. So, let's continue with how God Realm cultivators gained the ability to create life."
The two young women had nearly forgotten their original question with all the new information they were learning.
Tian Feng continued. "The God Realm is the peak of cultivation, many realms above your current realm. However, it isn't as you may have envisioned it. Most people believe that once you become a god, you would gain powers over the world. But, it is not as believed, the true ruler of the world was the Heavenly Will, which dictated the laws that governed the world and was viewed as an invincible entity, until someone fought and defeated the Heavenly Will in a grand one hundred year long battle, impossible to fully describe. A few hundred years after the Heavenly Will was defeated, the world was changed into its current state."
Tian Feng paused for a moment, allowing the two women to process her words. Chen Li Li and Daiyu sat in stunned silence, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and curiosity.
"The Heavenly Will… defeated?" Chen Li Li finally broke the silence, her voice barely a whisper. "But… how? Isn't it supposed to be omnipresent and omniscient?"
Tian Feng smiled, her eyes gleaming with a knowing look. "Yes, everyone thought it was invincible. No one had ever dared challenge it—until he did." Her tone held a deep reverence, as if she were recounting a legendary event. "Everyone thought it was all-powerful, but Liang Wu defeated it!""
Daiyu's eyes widened. "Liang Wu defeated the Heavenly Will?!"
Tian Feng nodded. "It's a tale of a battle so vast and cataclysmic that it reshaped the world as we know it. But that's a story for another time." She winked at them mischievously.
"But what does that have to do with gods being able to create life now?" Chen Li Li asked, still wanting to cut to the chase.
"Ah, yes. You see, after Liang Wu defeated the Heavenly Will, the laws of the world shifted. God Realm cultivators gained more freedom in what they could achieve. By defeating the Heavenly Will, Liang Wu shifted the laws of the world, allowing God Realm cultivators to achieve what was once considered impossible and discover new possibilities. One of those possibilities was the ability to create life, but Liang Wu restricted that power once more, only allowing new life to be created as monsters in the dungeons."
Daiyu and Chen Li Li exchanged glances, their faces showing a mixture of awe and confusion.
"Liang Wu's victory over the Heavenly Will marked a new era. An era where gods like me could wield powers never imagined," Tian Feng continued. "And that is why, now, a God Realm cultivator can do something as profound as creating life."
Daiyu looked down at the book in her hands, her fingers brushing over the name of Liang Wu. "So, this is his story?"
Tian Feng chuckled. "Indeed, and one that you should take your time reading. But be warned—it's not just a tale of glory and triumph. There's hardship, loss, and sacrifice. Liang Wu's journey to the top wasn't an easy one."
Chen Li Li, still skeptical, glanced at Liang Wu, who remained focused on cultivating within the tent. "So, this lunatic really fought something like the Heavenly Will?"
Tian Feng's expression softened, a fondness in her eyes as she looked in Liang Wu's direction. "He did. He may seem eccentric at times, but he's much more than what meets the eye."
The campfire crackled as the two young women sat in reflective silence, digesting the magnitude of what they had just learned. Tian Feng leaned back, letting them process the information while she herself gazed up at the stars.
"You'll understand more soon enough," she said softly, her voice barely audible over the crackling fire. "This world is filled with secrets. And you're standing at the edge of discovering them."
---
The conversation left Chen Li Li and Daiyu deep in thought, as they slowly began to realize that the world around them was far more intricate and mysterious than they had ever imagined.