Chapter 44044 The Third Holy Mother? Liu Yanchang?
The sun was warm on my body, and I looked up at the azure sky, but I couldn't let out the depression in my chest.
We were obviously swallowed by the whirlpool together, but in the end I was alone again.
It's not that I can't stand the loneliness, but in this completely unfamiliar place, thrown into some unknown corner of time and space, having someone I know by my side is always a heavy comfort. The last time this vortex was a blend of time and space, it's probably going to be the same this time. I don't know what time it is now...
"well……"
Fish's little head is also filled with worries. I really wish I had the seven-second memory feature. That way I wouldn't have to worry about anything.
I wanted to find them, but I didn't know how. Last time, I was lucky; the crane was right on the hill next to mine. But I'm afraid I won't be so lucky now. I even had a dark hope that Little Lotus and Nezha would cause some earth-shattering commotion again, like dyeing half the sky red or blinding the Sky Palace... That would make our target much clearer.
After thinking about it, I still feel that the possibility is a little slim.
Forget it, now that things have come to this, let's just bask in the sun...
I feel like I haven't been in the sun for a long time.
I closed my eyes, relaxed, and lay on my back near the water, letting the breeze caress the current, carrying me along as I drifted slowly. Occasionally, I'd spit out a string of sparkling bubbles, proving that this salted fish... oh no, salted koi carp... was still alive.
The warmth was so strong that my consciousness started to blur...
Suddenly, a shadow fell without warning, blocking out the warm and nostalgic sunlight.
"Huh? I wonder what's blowing bubbles here?" A young boy's voice, thick with childishness, rang out from above the water, undisguised curiosity and a hint of scrutiny. "It's actually a colorful carp spirit? Strange, truly strange! When did something like this appear in the Qianyuan Mountain pond? Could it be that Master kept it in the pond specifically to improve my diet?"
How could such cold words come out of Thirty-Seven Degrees’ mouth!
Wait... Qianyuan Mountain?!
My scales instantly exploded, and I flung my eyes open. The clear water rippled, and my vision focused. Above the surface, a tiny boy, red lips, white teeth, and a captivating gaze, stood suspended in mid-air. He wore his signature twin buns, a dazzling gold circlet around his neck, and his arms were wrapped in vibrant red silk, moving without a breeze. He folded his arms, his head slightly tilted, peering down at me in the water. His obsidian eyes gleamed with pure curiosity and the kind of intrigue one might find in a new toy.
"Nezha?" I blurted out, my voice a little distorted due to shock and choking on water.
The young boy raised his beautiful eyebrows slightly, with a hint of amusement and inquiry: "Oh? You know me? The smell of you is somewhat familiar..." He leaned forward slightly, as if wanting to see more clearly, "Interesting. A carp spirit, actually has some connection with me?"
It's hard not to recognize this Nezha. This Nezha, however, looks only about thirteen or fourteen, significantly younger than the Nezha from Little Lotus and Journey to the West. His face still has a hint of baby fat, but his fearless spirit is already taking shape. It's the exact image of the Nezha who, deep in my memory, caused a commotion in the sea and pulled out the dragon's tendons. Could it be that I've arrived after Little Lotus disappeared?
"What are you thinking about?" Little Nezha's voice interrupted my recollection, a little impatient. "Your eyes are rolling around. Are you trying to make up a story to fool me?"
I blew a few bubbles of air sheepishly and said carefully, "I do know you, but I know you in the future. Do you understand?"
Little Nezha sneered, obviously not believing it, "You demon, you dare to deceive me, I will skin you alive!" He waved his hand, and the Hun Tian Ling wrapped around his arm suddenly stretched out like a living thing, and with a sharp sound of breaking water, it rolled towards me as fast as lightning!
Help! The fish is about to be skinned and deveined!
I was so scared that I turned into a carp and tried to dive into the pond!
However, how could a small carp like me match the speed of the Hun Tian Ling? The scarlet silk ribbon, like a venomous snake, instantly wrapped around the tip of my tail.
A cold, slippery feeling with a strong binding force came over!
Just when I was completely desperate and ready to close my eyes and be skinned and pulled out—
"Nezha!"
A gentle yet helpless voice, like a clear spring, came from the shore not far away.
Little Nezha's movements suddenly paused, and the Hun Tian Ling wrapped around the tip of my tail loosened a little. He curled his lips and turned away reluctantly.
I took the opportunity to struggle free from the restraints and hid behind a big rock, only daring to stick half of my head out to look over there.
Standing on the bluestone on the shore, an old man with white hair and beard, a kind face, and dressed in a Bagua Taoist robe, appeared. He held a whisk in his hand, and beside him was a handsome boy, also holding a whisk. The old man looked at his young disciple hovering above the water, then looked behind the stone, trembling and shaking his head, sighing:
"You naughty boy, why are you trying to scare the spirits in my pond again? Why don't you quickly put away your Hun Tian Ling?"
Taiyi Zhenren!
However, this Taiyi Zhenren looks a little different from what I remember. Does this mean this little Nezha isn't the same little Lotus? So which version of Nezha is this?
Little Nezha reluctantly retracted the Hun Tian Ling. The crimson ribbon retreated into his arms like a spirit snake, leaving only a hint of cold, slippery sensation on the tip of my tail. With the danger averted, I dared to slowly swim out from behind the boulder, carefully transforming into human form and making it ashore.
"Ayu, meet the real person."
Taiyi Zhenren stroked his long, snow-white beard, his eyes gentle yet inquiring. "Oh? You, little carp spirit, do have some intelligence. My naughty disciple just now disturbed you, and I apologize on his behalf. But, you just said you knew Nezha from 'the future'. Where did that come from?"
Little Nezha snorted at the side, and was obviously dissatisfied with his master's apology on his behalf. However, due to the master's authority, he didn't dare to say anything more. He just stared at me with his surprisingly bright black eyes, as if to say "Let's see what you can come up with."
I took a deep breath, trying to sound sincere and credible. "Reporting to the Immortal, A Yu is not a creature of this world. He was caught in a strange whirlpool and inexplicably fell into this Qianyuan Immortal Pond. I... do know Nezha, but I know him as... um... an older Nezha, and... um... another Nezha. The three of us were separated by the whirlpool, and now I have no one here, and I don't know where I am. I am extremely frightened. I beg the Immortal to use his great magical powers to guide me and help me find my companions!"
I finished my words in one breath, looking expectantly at Taiyi Zhenren. He frowned slightly, calculating rapidly with his fingers. A flicker of understanding and surprise flashed in his eyes. "A change in time and space... a vortex... No wonder I felt something just now, sensing a subtle aura in the pool that didn't belong to this world. So that's how it is." He looked at me with a more serious expression. "This matter involves the secrets of time and space, and it's of no small significance. The other two Nezha you mentioned are completely unheard of, and the causal implications are profound..."
"Master!" Little Nezha suddenly interrupted, his face etched with impatience. Clearly uninterested in such absurd topics as "time and space" and "another self," he was more concerned with the fate of this deceitful demon before him. "Don't listen to her nonsense! What time and space vortex, what another self? I think she's just some little demon who slipped in from nowhere, trying to make up a bizarre story to get away with it! This kind of demon should be..."
"Nezha!" Taiyi Zhenren's voice deepened, carrying an unquestionable majesty. Little Nezha pouted and swallowed back the words "skin and tendons peeled off", but he still glared at me indignantly.
Taiyi Zhenren turned to me and spoke in a gentle tone, "Finding lost companions, especially when separated by time and space, is not an overnight task. I need to carefully deduce the mysteries of heaven and draw upon the power of magical treasures. You can rest assured and stay in this pond for a while while I..."
"Wait!" Little Nezha's eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had remembered something extremely important and interesting. His previous impatience was instantly replaced by a mixture of gossip and strong criticism. He completely ignored the master's words and swooped in closer to me, lowering his voice:
"Hey, little carp! Since you said you knew me from the 'future', do you know anything about Sister Yang Chan? She's the Three Holy Mothers of Mount Hua!"
I was stunned, then nodded subconsciously, "...I know a little." My heart skipped a beat. Wasn't the Third Holy Mother the same one who gave birth to Chenxiang with Liu Yanchang? Was this the story of the Precious Lotus Lantern?
When little Nezha got a positive answer, he immediately felt like he had found a kindred spirit. His face flushed with excitement, and he spoke rapidly, filled with the cynicism that is unique to teenagers:
"I don't know what kind of magic potion got the Third Holy Mother into, but she actually fell in love with a mortal named Liu Yanchang! What's so good about that mortal? I heard he can't lift anything, can't lift anything, isn't good at either literature or martial arts, and can't even kill a chicken? When something goes wrong, he just cries and hides behind something. Besides being able to recite a few sour poems and write a few broken characters, what else can he do?"
He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, his disdain and contempt for Liu Yanchang evident in his words. He even ignored the helpless expression on the face of his master, Taiyi Zhenren, who was holding his forehead with his hands.
I was stunned when I heard this. Looking at the little Nezha in front of me, who was only thirteen or fourteen years old, but was acting like an elder and was angry at his lack of fighting spirit, I didn't know how to react for a moment.
Taiyi Zhenren finally couldn't help himself and gently tapped his little disciple's head with his whisk. "Naughty boy! Stop your nonsense! The affairs of the Three Holy Mothers have their own fate and laws. How can you interfere? If you continue to talk nonsense, I will punish you by sending you to the back mountain to face the wall and reflect on your mistakes!"
Little Nezha covered his head and pouted in grievance, "Master! I'm telling the truth! Liu Yanchang is simply unworthy! If it were me... Little Carp, since you're from the future, you must know the future of the Three Holy Mothers, right?"
I was about to nod subconsciously when Taiyi Zhenren stopped me in a deep voice: "Miss Ayu, the secrets of heaven should not be revealed lightly, especially when it comes to the privacy of the gods and the future destiny. If you reveal it rashly, it may cause unexpected changes and bring trouble to yourself!"
Taiyi Zhenren's tone was unusually serious, carrying an undeniable warning. My heart shuddered, and I immediately swallowed back the words that were about to slip out of my mouth.
"Hmph! Master's partial!" Little Nezha grumbled in dissatisfaction, but seeing Taiyi Zhenren's serious expression, he didn't dare to force the issue. His eyes rolled around, and he wondered what he was thinking, but the mischievous smile on his face only grew wider. "Master won't let me tell you? Fine! Then I'll go and see for myself! I'll see what kind of person that Liu Yanchang is!"
He rubbed his hands together, eager to start a fight. The Hun Tian Ling moved silently in his arms, as if sensing its master's fighting spirit.
In my heart, I silently lit a row of candles for Liu Yanchang, who had not yet officially appeared.
Taiyi Zhenren sighed helplessly and said to me, "Children speak without restraint, so please don't be offended. I've made note of the matter of finding a companion. You just..."
Before he could finish his words, a clear crane cry suddenly echoed from the sky. Taiyi Zhenren looked up, his expression slightly changed. "Oh? A visitor is coming." He said to the boy beside him, "Boy, go and greet him."
The boy left in response. Taiyi Zhenren gave us a slight nod, then rode on his auspicious cloud, flying towards the cave. It was clear this guest was of some importance.
Little Nezha was completely uninterested in the so-called guests. Seeing his master disappear into the sky, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes and a triumphant smile spread across his lips: "Hey! Master is gone! Here's my chance!"
I suddenly felt something was wrong and turned around and wanted to jump into the fairy pond!
"Want to run? No way!" Little Nezha moved even faster, and the Hun Tian Ling from his arms shot out like lightning. This time, it didn't wrap around his tail, but circled around my waist accurately twice and tightened instantly!
"Ouch!" I staggered.
"Go!" Little Nezha didn't give me a chance to struggle. The wind-fire wheels under his feet were blazing with flames. He exerted force with his arms, picked me up like a chick, and tied me up tightly with the Hun Tian Ling.
"Wait, wait! Nezha! What are you doing?!" The strong wind instantly filled my mouth and nose, and mountains and rivers were rushing past under my feet.
"What for?" Little Nezha carried me, speeding through the clouds. His voice carried excitement and unquestionable force on the wind. "Of course, we're going to the mortal world to find that Liu Yanchang! Master won't let me tell you, but can't I see for myself? I want to see what's so lovable about Liu Yanchang!"
He glanced down at me, his eyes bright and surprising: "You just guide me carefully! If you dare to play tricks, hmm..." He didn't say anything else, but that threatening look was more frightening than saying directly that I would be skinned alive.
I:"……"
Little Lotus! Big Nezha! Where are you?
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