This Human Immortal Is Too Serious-Chapter 504 - 502 "Grandpa

So, the Goddess of Fortune suddenly appeared and blessed me with two ’buffs’, inadvertently sabotaging her father, the Candle Dragon, and then... And then nothing? I was touched.

Not just the Martial God; I, Wu Wang, was also moved by the Goddess of Fortune’s spirit of self-sacrifice.

When the Goddess of Fortune arrived, she was elegant and breathtaking, the divine aura around her reflecting the fine spirit of a goddess from beyond this world.

She performed a minor Divine Art, bestowing a small blessing upon the Martial Artist before her...

Yet, when the Goddess of Fortune was being supported away by the Water God, her eyes were sunken, her feet barely touching the ground, as if she had been hollowed out.

She could no longer return to her own Temple.

She had no choice but to stay temporarily at the Water God’s Temple while searching for a way to restore her Divine Power.

I was initially worried that the Goddess of Fortune, out of humiliation and anger, might slap this incarnation of me dead, since, after all, I was the one who had proposed the wish.

But the Goddess of Fortune merely rested for a while within the Barrier, cursed her luck a few times, sized me up briefly, and then asked the Water God to escort her back to the Water God’s Temple to rest.

The Goddess of Fortune did not lay a finger on me; she conceded quite readily.

That made me feel somewhat embarrassed. I really took too much advantage!

Not to mention, from now on, all my enemies would be fiercely struck on the back of their vulnerable heads by the Divine Power the Goddess of Fortune had sacrificed. Furthermore, if anyone who appeared by my side happened to be continually unlucky—and might even be targeting me—it was highly probable they were indeed after me!

All foes, stricken by misfortune. What a magical Divine Art.

「In a forest near Liuli City」

My caravan was about to enter Liuli City.

My carriage stopped at the edge of this forest, and I had sent away all my attendants.

On a large stone in the woods, the Martial God and I stood side by side, repeatedly arching our hands in farewell to the drifting water sphere.

I asked, "Martial God, aren’t you going to follow and see how she fares?"

"Me?"

The Martial God was puzzled. "What for? The Goddess of Fortune has just suffered a backlash from her Divine Arts; she needs to recuperate."

"Martial God," I pondered for a moment, "was the wish I made too excessive?"

"It was her overconfidence in her own Great Dao and her underestimation of your potential. Your wish was actually quite reasonable. It would have been truly excessive if you had wished for that goddess to marry you and become your wife. Of course, that could also have gotten you swatted like a fly instantly."

The Martial God said with a smile, then added admiringly, "Xiaoming is quite innocent at heart. It’s just that she’s under too much pressure, which sometimes makes her act oddly... You shouldn’t worry too much about this. What happened was a drain of Divine Power, not damage to her core. Tens of thousands of years of rest will do. In this world, no god would dare show her any disrespect. Hmm?"

The Martial God belatedly looked at me and said jokingly, "How could you remain so calm in my presence?"

I chuckled. "Martial God, I likely figured out your identity the first time we met."

"Oh?"

The Martial God paused. "Did you mean that time on the hillside near the town?"

I replied, "It was the time the Water God appeared with you at the town’s night market."

"How did you recognize me?"

The Martial God glared at me. "Xiaoming kept saying you were a bit uncanny; I didn’t believe it. You couldn’t really be some old creature reincarnated just to trick me, could you?"

"How could that be?" I said with a helpless smile, as three options popped into my mind.

A: Probe the Martial God, test his attitude towards the Candle Dragon.

B: Offer a meticulous line of reasoning, blurring the details of our first encounter.

C: Shift the blame to the Water God, saying he held my hand and whispered something that made it all clear.

Each option had its merits. But as my thoughts raced, looking at the Martial God before me, I chose an answer that was a bit disingenuous but undoubtedly the safest...

D: Say something flattering!

"I recognized you by intuition," I grinned. "The Martial God possesses a quality that mortals lack. Just one glance, and I understood deep down that this must be the incarnation of the concept ’Martial’ in the human world. Moreover, the few words the Water God said to me at that time sufficiently hinted at your identity."

"Is that so?"

At that moment, when the Martial God looked at me, it seemed as if I was glowing. He couldn’t tell if the brilliance came from his own eyes or from the young man before him.

The Martial God said, "Qing Shan, walk with me. Since I’ve revealed myself to you directly, there’s no need for us to be covert anymore."

"Yes, Martial God."

I bowed respectfully and calmly followed behind the Martial God.

The woods were quiet, with pale paths on the ground. In the distance, scattered village houses were visible.

After some thought, the Martial God asked, "Qing Shan, have you ever heard the term ’Innate God’?"

I nodded. "I’ve heard the Liuli God mention it twice."

"Alas, I don’t even know where to begin with you," the Martial God said earnestly. "Divine Spirits are not just Divine Spirits. You could also say that Divine Spirits are not born inherently lofty. Everything can be broken. Innate Gods are those who, during the long eons before the emergence of living beings, seized the prime opportunities of this world. Being born alongside the Dao and possessing great power doesn’t mean an Innate God inherently has good character, nor does it guarantee that such an Innate God will earn the respect of living beings."

As the Martial God spoke, he himself grew reflective. This burly, majestic god heaved a sigh and said softly, "There’s no inherent connection between gods and living beings. It’s imposed privileges and a sense of superiority that leads gods to enslave living beings. Qing Shan, you’ve grown up in this tiny Luili Realm since you were young. You should know that the Luili Realm is just a small god’s territory. It’s merely one of the Twelve God Realms under my protection, just a narrow corner within this vast world. If you look further, beyond this world, there is another world—rich, beautiful, filled with ancient legends, and inhabited by all sorts of wondrous creatures. Do you understand, Qing Shan?"

I nodded earnestly and said gravely, "Please rest assured, Martial God. Qing Shan will strive to broaden his horizons, not be content with comfortable surroundings, and will demand even more of himself through rigorous effort!"

The Martial God blinked. "Who said anything about that?"

"Huh?"

"What I mean is!" The Martial God leaned down close to me, instinctively glanced left and right, and whispered, "Most Innate Gods are unreliable. Half of the Divine Realms in this world are in utter chaos. Of the remaining half, only a small portion of Innate Gods genuinely refrain from persecuting living beings. Like myself—I am friends with all living beings."

"Martial God, what do you mean?"

"Cultivate diligently, and prepare to go fight all the Innate Gods beyond the Martial God World!"

The Martial God’s eyes shone brightly, his smile gradually widening, his demeanor becoming increasingly ’frenzied’. "Once, a mighty being from beyond this world arrived accidentally. Relying on his cultivation and his exploration of the Great Dao, he faced the siege of the gods, strengthening and empowering himself step by step. In the end, he fought his way through, right up to the sovereign of this world—that figure who occasionally appears in the skies of the Martial God World—the Candle Dragon. That is the true peak for living beings!"

The Martial God’s words made my blood boil with excitement.

"Can I do that?"

"Of course, you can!" The Martial God patted me on the back. "With my protection, you’ll have a place to stay and no worries about what’s behind you. What you need to do is, under my guidance, rapidly become stronger, stronger, and strong enough to challenge the gods! Recreate the glorious feat of my elder brother!"

I thought deeply and asked a soul-searching question, "Martial God, what is the significance of us doing this?"

"Significance..." The Martial God glared. "A real man should do these things! Why do you care about significance? That’s all empty talk, rhetoric those verbose types use to fool people. Just think, wouldn’t it be exhilarating to beat down all the gods in the world?"

I chuckled. "Exhilarating!"

"Exactly!" The Martial God waved his hand, calmed his emotions, and smiled. "Today’s events have revealed that you will undoubtedly achieve extraordinary things in the future. Otherwise, a simple Divine Art couldn’t possibly have drained the Goddess of Fortune of her Divine Power. Her strength is certainly not weak. What are your thoughts on the concept of destiny?"

I said, "The concept of destiny, I always find it somewhat unreliable. The path lies beneath one’s own feet; walking it oneself is the true solution."

"Hey, don’t be so rigid," the Martial God laughed. "Though I am a Divine Spirit, since ancient times, I have not believed that destiny is predetermined. An individual’s luck, their personal fortune, can sometimes be the key to whether they succeed. The Goddess of Fortune can indeed influence the fortune of beings; this has long been verified. Even if destiny is predetermined, she can still make an impact."

"Yes, Martial God, Qing Shan will remember your teachings," I said, bowing with hands clasped.

"Good," said the Martial God. "I’ve told you so much today; I’m afraid you won’t be able to digest it all at once. Go back and cultivate. Just forget about those three wishes."

"Then, I shall take my leave." I pointed to the path I had come from. The Martial God nodded with a smile, gesturing for me to depart.

A martial artist should be carefree, the Martial God thought to himself. Being hesitant and fussy is unbecoming.

I turned and strode away, my departure rather dashing.

The Martial God, however, frowned slightly, feeling somewhat... somewhat unfulfilled.

I hadn’t walked more than ten steps when the Martial God suddenly called out, "Qing Shan."

"Martial God, do you have any further instructions?" I turned around, my eyes full of inquiry.

"Nothing much. Well, AHEM," the Martial God cleared his throat and asked, "Do you need new Martial Techniques?"

Martial Techniques? I was uncharacteristically modest for once, saying gently, "I have yet to fully master the ones the Martial God previously bestowed."

"Alright then," the Martial God waved his hand again, signaling I could leave. "I have nothing else. I just suddenly remembered to ask."

"Yes, Qing Shan takes his leave." I bowed, thinking to myself how exceedingly strange this was.

The Martial God was acting like a million-year-old maiden—her long-held affections blooming shyly and secretly.

I walked another seven or eight steps.

"Qing Shan!" The Martial God called out again. "The Divine Weapon isn’t damaged, is it?"

I turned to face the Martial God, removed the thumb ring from my hand, and said earnestly, "Martial God, I am about to return to Liuli City. Perhaps you should take this Divine Weapon back, lest I become reliant on it in the future."

"What’s given is given!" The Martial God put his hands on his hips and scolded, "What, are you looking down on me?"

"Of course not. In that case, I shall keep it," I said, bowing to the Martial God once more.

This time, as I turned away, I kept pondering. Does the Martial God have something he wants to say to me but can’t bring himself to? What could it be?

Suddenly, I thought of something and turned my head to look at the Martial God, who stood in the distance looking forlorn.

"Martial God!"

"Hmm?"

"Qing Shan dares to ask, may I call you... Martial God Teacher?"

The Martial God stood rooted to the spot, his tiger-like eyes almost glowing red. Yet, he merely nodded slightly and said, feigning composure, "Hmm, suit yourself. I am one of the foremost masters in this world; naturally, I wouldn’t take unfair advantage of a young fellow like you."

I clasped my hands in another bow, then strode purposefully towards the forest’s edge.

Once I had boarded my carriage and it had driven some distance away, the Martial God, still standing in his original spot, finally withdrew his gaze.

He grinned, slapped the back of his own head, and shimmied his body with delight.

"The incarnation of the concept ’Martial’ in the world of mortals."

The Martial God muttered this, summoned a cloud beneath his feet, and, continually repeating the phrase, his entire being suffused with the joy of a spring breeze, he drifted leisurely towards the Water God’s residence.

This child Qing Shan really knows how to act!

「...」

The carriage jolted slightly.

The distance between me and Liuli City was rapidly shrinking. Before the city gates, crowds had already gathered to welcome me.

Of course, such lively yet insubstantial worldly affairs could not distract me.

I was analyzing the Way of Fortune for living beings and how the blessings I received would affect my future path. Most importantly, I wondered if this incident would bring me to the Candle Dragon’s attention.

At this moment, the Candle Dragon did not regard ’Martial Artist Qing Shan’ as an enemy. The misfortune bestowed by the Goddess of Fortune was still hidden in the river of time, unrevealed.

The scenario I hoped to see was, naturally, for me to stand before the Candle Dragon, challenge him, and then for the misfortune brought by the Goddess of Fortune to manifest out of thin air, negatively impacting the Candle Dragon.

This could be described as a twisted version of fatherly love and daughterly piety, all due to a bizarre mishap.

What worried me most now was that the Goddess of Fortune might report this matter to the Candle Dragon prematurely, thereby drawing the attention of Candle Dragon-Emperor Shun to this ’variable’ hiding within the Martial God World.

Emperor Shun had been outmaneuvered once and had surely learned his lesson.

If Emperor Shun uncovered my identity, my only option would be a direct confrontation, leveraging the Heavenly Dao’s power, and unifying the realms within and without at the cost of thirty to forty percent of the lives in the Outer Sky.

That was merely a last resort.

Therefore, I had made preparations in advance.

In the brief moments after the Goddess of Fortune’s blessing, I weighed the pros and cons. The moment the Water God touched me, I intentionally exposed a flaw.

It was a perfect Dao body, complete with Dao rules.

My mother had said that the Water God wasn’t stupid; he was merely a clever god with a very good temperament.

Indeed, the Water God immediately saw through the anomaly of my body and guessed something. However, he chose to bide his time, secretly placing a tiny water droplet beside my Divine Soul.

I admit, there was an element of gambling in this.

The Water God was the Candle Dragon’s chief strategist, though he rarely involved himself in affairs.

The Candle Dragon had shown great kindness to the Water God—a story from long ago. However, after so many years, the Water God had long since repaid that debt of gratitude.

Gauging the Water God’s speed, I estimated that the little water droplet should be taking effect by now.

And just as expected!

The thought had barely crossed my mind when the small water droplet hovering within me shimmered faintly. Before my somewhat ethereal Divine Soul, it coalesced into the form of the Water God.

The first private meeting between grandfather and grandson thus occurred in this ethereal place, somewhere between reality and illusion.

The Water God looked my Divine Soul up and down, wanting to speak several times but unsure what to say.

I offered a slight smile, trying to appear as calm as possible.

Finally, the Water God asked, "Young friend Qing Shan, who exactly are you?"

"Hasn’t the Water God guessed?" I blinked.

A gentle smile appeared on the Water God’s spherical face, and he sighed. "I... Although I am a Divine Spirit, I seldom venture out, nor do I particularly wish to concern myself with the struggles between divine generations. To fight and squabble is meaningless. Only the world itself and the void can exist eternally. Both living beings and Divine Spirits can think, can fantasize, can experience the beauty of this world, and thus all have the right to exist between heaven and earth."

I nodded thoughtfully. Is this the caliber of the Grand Strategist God of the Fourth Divine Generation? It was as if he said something, yet said nothing at all. I felt like I understood the Water God’s meaning, but upon careful consideration, it seemed his words could be interpreted any way the listener wished.

Ah, this!

Looking at the spherical silhouette of the Innate God before me, I suddenly said, "Grandpa."

The Water God was visibly startled.

"It is indeed I," I said. "Your grandson. Cang Xue is my mother. Of course, I also have another identity: the newly ascended Heavenly Emperor who drove Emperor Shun out of the Great Wilderness World, Eastern Emperor Taiyi."

The Water God’s old eyes suddenly misted over, but he quickly regained his composure. He leaned forward slightly, scrutinizing my faint soul.

"This is just one of my incarnations." I bowed to the Water God and immediately continued, "I came to the Outer Sky primarily to rescue my mother more securely. It was while I was establishing the Celestial Court and setting up the Heavenly Dao that Emperor Shun kidnapped my mother’s true form from your residence in the Outer Sky. Emperor Shun has already begun to merge with the Candle Dragon. He had meticulously planned everything. He hoped to use the Candle Dragon’s invincible divine form to destroy the fifth divine generation and establish the sixth, but I outmaneuvered him halfway through. He pushed me forward, and I went along with his intentions. At the final moment, I plunged a knife into his heart, instantly establishing the Heavenly Dao and catching him completely off guard. Now, the Candle Dragon’s Divine Soul has been eroded by Emperor Shun, and my mother is imprisoned by Emperor Shun in the volcano beneath the dragon’s head. The significance of this incarnation’s descent is that when I challenge the Candle Dragon and defeat Emperor Shun once more, he will not be able to use my mother as a shield, thereby threatening her safety."

"You..." The Water God frowned, gazing at me, and sighed. "How did you end up here?"

I said, "This incarnation serves another purpose: to fill the gaps in my own understanding of the Great Dao. I deliberately overlooked many details before, and this could affect my breakthrough to the final realm."

"I am roughly aware of all this," the Water God said softly. "But how did you get here? A place where a new order is being established will inevitably have such and such hidden dangers. Your mother has the protection of the Eternal Mystic Ice; her true form is indestructible and immortal. Even the Candle Dragon and Emperor Shun combined cannot break her true form. Your energy should be focused within the Great Wilderness World. How many years has it been? You’ve run off to the Outer Sky. If you were plotted against, or betrayed, how would you..."

"Grandpa, you needn’t worry," I said earnestly. "With or without me as the Heavenly Emperor, the Heavenly Dao will operate on its own. The Celestial Court, under the protection of the Heavenly Dao, is the same whether I am there or not."

"This?" The Water God shook his head, smiling wryly. "Very well, very well. As long as you know what you’re doing. Since you’ve revealed yourself and deliberately shown me this flaw, you must have a favor to ask. Speak. What do you need this old bag of bones to help you with?"

After speaking, the Water God chuckled. "The best thing about these old bones of mine is that they have no bones at all, HEHEHEHE."

Why do all these old gods like to laugh with ’HEHEHEHE’? If it were any shorter, wouldn’t it become a sneer?

"Grandpa," I said, "the Goddess of Fortune’s sudden predicament was unexpected. I must ask you to please stop her from reporting this matter to the Candle Dragon."

"You can rest assured on that point." The Water God said, "His Majesty the Candle Dragon... AHEM, the relationship between Xiaoming and the Candle Dragon is extremely strained. Even if she were to die, she would never seek help from the Candle Dragon. This relates to the death of Xiaoming’s mother years ago."

"The Goddess of Fortune’s mother?"

"She was swallowed by the Candle Dragon."

I couldn’t help but frown.

"Alas," the Water God sighed. "The Candle Dragon has caused too many tragedies. If his story can end at your hands, it might be a form of release for him as well. The Candle Dragon has long been a slave to the Great Dao. No matter how powerful he is, he cannot attain freedom or happiness. Are there any other instructions? The Martial God is almost at my place. Although this is our first meeting, we are not strangers. In the future, I might have to rely on you to continue getting by."

"Grandpa, can the Martial God be trusted?"

"He can be trusted."

I asked again, "To what extent can he be trusted?"

The Water God thought carefully for a moment, then said slowly, "Enough to share the same pair of pants."

This fellow really is a simple-minded god, I mused, as the Water God gave a soft laugh and his figure quickly dissipated.

A faint mist coalesced into that tiny water droplet, hovering before my Divine Soul.

The Water God said, "Before your true form descends, I’ve already taken the liberty of calling myself your grandpa and using your childhood name. Cang Xue told it to me."

"Grandpa, please don’t feel constrained. No matter how high I fly, you will always be my grandpa."

"Alright, Little Bear."

Little Bear!

In the carriage, I opened my eyes and couldn’t help but cover my face with my hands.

Retribution, pure retribution! I should never have insisted on naming Xiong Ming ’Xiong Ming’ back then. Wu Ming would have sounded so much better!