Volume One, Chapter Eighty-One: The Gourd Child

Chapter Eighty-One: The Gourd Child

At this moment, Tu Zhe was utterly absorbed in the meditative realm of enlightenment, unable to extricate himself. In his previous life, philosophy was divided into two major schools: Idealism and Materialism. Idealists believed that spirit determined matter; materialists asserted that matter determined spirit. These two factions had quarreled for centuries, never reaching a definitive conclusion.

Tu Zhe himself, at the outset, had been a materialist. He scoffed at all talk of supernatural forces and mysterious spirits, never bothering to argue such points. Yet, now reborn as a celestial emperor in an utterly different world, he found the old philosophical debates laughable. What was the point of such disputes? Two ants trying to use theory to explain the essence and origins of the universe—how could they ever be right? Even if the two sides consisted of a swarm of ants.

Divine consciousness—was it really as simple as spirit? Without knowledge of the beginning, without understanding of the One, how could one explain the world? How bold and reckless must one be to attempt such a thing?

Now, in the space of Alaya Consciousness, countless talismans flickered, densely woven and twinkling, constantly merging into the sky and earth, making the blue sky more dazzling, the green earth more profound. The laws of countless worlds intertwined, forming divine patterns that filled heaven and earth, allowing Tu Zhe to perceive more clearly the trajectories of creation, existence, destruction, and emptiness.

He yearned for fire, water, and wind to manifest in his Alaya Consciousness, so he could attempt to create a world. Just then, the miraculous seed hidden within the treasury suddenly leapt forth, its golden brilliance surging. The seed split open, and a golden, transparent infant emerged, dancing amid the radiance.

Tu Zhe stared blankly at the infant, whose features were still indistinct, and thought in bewilderment:

Could this be the legendary Nascent Soul?

The golden Nascent Soul appeared ravenous. As soon as it broke free from the shell, it opened its tiny mouth and devoured the surrounding golden light in one gulp, swallowing all the brilliance emitted by the seed. Yet, even this did not satisfy its hunger—it searched anxiously for more to eat.

Tu Zhe's heart stirred. He immediately transported the King of Divine Treasures, the Brahma Crystal, with sixty percent of its world power remaining, from the Devourer into his sea of consciousness.

Instantly, the golden infant rushed out of the Alaya Consciousness like a thirsty horse to a spring, and punched the King of Divine Treasures. That tiny fist carried the power to shatter void and destroy worlds. The King exploded with a deafening crash, nine-colored divine light erupting, Brahma energy storms sweeping across the sea of consciousness.

This was going to kill him.

Seventy-two small worlds' worth of Brahma energy—this explosion could reduce his sea of consciousness to nothingness!

In the instant Tu Zhe's scalp tingled with terror, the golden infant opened its mouth, and all the exploding nine-colored divine light was drawn to it, surging into its mouth like a tide.

Tu Zhe broke out in a cold sweat. What kind of appetite was this? How could something so tiny devour such a vast quantity of Brahma energy?

Absorb it, sure, but what surprise could you possibly give me?

The speed at which the golden infant absorbed the Brahma energy nearly made Tu Zhe's jaw drop. In mere moments, the infant had consumed all the nine-colored Brahma energy. It smacked its lips contentedly, stroked its plump belly with its small hand, looking adorable and endearing.

After absorbing the King of Divine Treasures' world power, the infant's features became clear—a rosy-cheeked child riding a giant carp, just like those in New Year's paintings. All it lacked was a little red apron to cover its lower half.

Tu Zhe thought this, and the infant suddenly smiled sweetly, swiped its hand across its body, and a bright red apron appeared on its belly.

Did this chubby rascal know what I was thinking?

Tu Zhe was stunned, then realized—the child was the incarnation of his own consciousness, the Nascent Soul; in other words, a pure spiritual entity formed from himself.

Tu Zhe laughed and called out, "Gourd Child, come here! Tell me, are you me, or my son?"

The golden child grumbled, "You’re the Gourd Child! I don’t want to be you. I want to be your son. If I’m your son, I can snatch your treasures and eat them, hee hee."

Tu Zhe considered this. The Gourd Child could certainly be himself, but calling it another life born from his consciousness was equally valid.

A son is a son. Though I have no wife, I have a son now—haha!

Of all unfilial acts, the greatest is to leave no descendants.

Thinking of his parents in his former life, Tu Zhe felt a pang in his heart.

He opened his arms, and the Gourd Child flew nimbly into his embrace, planted a kiss on his cheek, and chirped, "Father, I want something fun to play with..."

Tu Zhe was exasperated. He was still struggling on the edge of life and death—where was he supposed to find toys?

The Gourd Child seemed to sense Tu Zhe’s thoughts, looked around, and suddenly pouted, "Father, you’re lying! Isn’t there something fun outside?"

Tu Zhe was baffled for a long moment, not understanding what the Gourd Child meant.

The child, impatient, wriggled out of his embrace, broke through the wall of the Alaya Consciousness, and in the swirling Brahma energy of the Mana Consciousness, yanked out a long blade.

Tu Zhe slapped his forehead. That was the Mana Blade he’d painstakingly condensed—was this brat really going to play with it?

The Gourd Child grasped the Mana Blade with both hands, channeled energy into it, and immeasurable world power surged into the blade. Instantly, the blade grew wider, longer, thicker. With a swing, a terrifying storm of divine consciousness swept across the sea of consciousness, far more powerful than any swing Tu Zhe had ever managed.

Was this the surprise you promised me?

If I released you from the sea of consciousness, what would happen if you swung that blade?

At this moment, Tu Zhe ignored the child giggling as it played with the blade, and quickly turned back to the Alaya Consciousness. Since he was no longer contemplating the Divine Treasury of Consciousness, the space stopped generating mysterious talismans.

Tu Zhe felt that his current body was incredibly strong, his divine consciousness like iron, his will unyielding. He could finally pause his cultivation and contemplation.

He called to the Gourd Child, "Son, peel off the outer shell of my body. Let’s go out and play together."

The Gourd Child’s eyes lit up, and it swung the blade with a smile.

Outside, Tie Tou Lai Zha, the great demon dragon king, held Tu Zhe’s corpse in his claws. The angry shouts of Mara and Mu Xiu Lou Tuo surged, but they could only restrain themselves, not daring to strike Tie Tou Lai Zha for fear of mutual destruction.

Indra leapt from the Great Hall of Virtue atop Mount Sumeru, soaring to the Great Saline Sea. He stood upon the waves, confronting Tie Tou Lai Zha, his eyes gleaming with joy.

At the same time, Mu Xiu Lou Tuo and Mara each traversed their domains in an instant, arriving to stand upon the waves, confronting Tie Tou Lai Zha.