CHAPTER 43: CHAPTER 43: CREATING GODS, CREATING GODS! [NEXT CHAPTER UPDATES AT 10 PM]

The so-called "becoming a god through collective thought" is also known as "becoming a god through faith."

This is a system that has long existed in the Great Wilderness. Few are aware of it, and although achieving it presents many difficulties, it is theoretically possible.

What is collective thought? It is the gathering of the beliefs of all beings, concentrating this faith upon oneself, thereby amassing powerful Divine Power.

On this point, Women’s Country has uniquely favorable conditions.

Do you all know why Innate Gods occupy certain territories?

Because when Innate Gods are injured, they can draw on the power of collective thought, absorbing the Power of Faith from all beings to rapidly recover their strength.

In other words, among the Dao rules of the Great Wilderness, there is one concerning the aggregation of faith.

Although no one has yet tried to become a god through aggregating faith... the Power of Faith accumulated this way can most likely withstand the erosion of the Queen’s consciousness by the Divine Power left by the Goddess of Women’s Country.

Moreover, I have discussed this with my mother and prayed to the Star God. As long as the gathered Power of Faith is sufficient and pure, it is indeed possible to condense it into an Acquired Divinity. However, in terms of combat power, it will be much weaker compared to Innate Gods because it cannot master the power of Dao rules."

By the pool, within the Soundproofing array, Wu Wang spoke rapidly and eloquently.

The middle-aged scholar beside him turned a deep purple, gritting his teeth as he stubbornly pulled on chains condensed from immortal power.

At this moment, only Wu Wang, the Queen, Ling Xiaolan, Ji Mo, the State Preceptor, and the two Prime Ministers of Women’s Country were enclosed within the Soundproofing array.

Listening to Wu Wang’s words, a light gradually appeared in their eyes.

Wu Wang continued, "Your Majesty, whether the tragedy of Women’s Country can end, and a true paradise can be opened up in the Great Wilderness, all depends on your single thought.

Your Divine Thought power is already exceptional. Before we establish a channel of faith, you can completely resist the erosion of the Goddess’s Divine Power."

The State Preceptor promptly asked, "How can the thoughts of all beings be gathered?"

"Prayer, divine statues, temples," Wu Wang said. "Besides these, there must be other restrictions. If needed, I can return to the Northern Wilderness to seek help from my mother."

The State Preceptor fell into deep contemplation. "This..."

Ling Xiaolan, however, interjected, "If a God is born among the Human race, wouldn’t that contradict the very foundation of the Human race’s existence?"

Wu Wang laughed. "Divine Power, Mana, Physical Strength—if it can protect one’s kin, it is good power."

"Brother Xiong," Ji Mo also asked, "how long will this take?"

"It could be a few thousand years, or even tens of thousands. But as long as it succeeds, Her Majesty the Queen should soon be able to move freely, without being confined in the Goddess statue."

Wu Wang looked towards the pool and spoke softly, "After comprehending these things, I suddenly had an idea.

Perhaps the Goddess of Women’s Country left out of necessity. She left her daughter here, along with these two Divine Artifacts.

It is very likely that the Goddess initially hoped her daughter would succeed her and used this mutually destructive approach to warn other Innate Gods against coveting this land, which is how Women’s Country has enjoyed peace over these long years.

Otherwise, she could have simply destroyed Women’s Country before leaving.

Moreover, Women’s Country is a branch of the Human race, so its emergence must have been after Nuwa, Mother of Humanity, created humans. The identity of this Goddess and the reason she left may be related to Nuwa’s disappearance after she created humans."

Wu Wang paused.

"The disappearance of the Goddess of Women’s Country is related to the ancient god wars.

If this is truly the case, going to fight in the god war without Divine Artifacts would make no sense. The system of Women’s Country is very likely a form of divine inheritance; it’s just that the past rulers of Women’s Country couldn’t bear it, or they hadn’t cultivated to the minimum strength required to receive this inheritance.

Yes, this is possible. It might be related to the Human race being burdened with a six-hundred-year Lifespan limit. Their Divine Thought was not yet strong enough, and they perished because their own Lifespan was insufficient."

The others felt somewhat dizzy and confused.

Ling Xiaolan asked again, "Didn’t the Human race emerge after the god wars?"

Ji Mo said, "There’s also a theory that humans were born during the era of the god wars, a period that spanned tens of thousands of years. The slaughter among Innate Gods did not end in a single day.

The Human race was placed under a Lifespan limit right after the end of the god wars, just as they were beginning to rise, only to be tragically massacred."

They couldn’t help but fall into deep thought...

"Hey! Can you focus on the main point! Tell this Queen what she needs to do!"

The middle-aged scholar beside him spat out mouthfuls of blood, cursing, "I really can’t hold on much longer!"

Wu Wang’s figure emerged from behind the middle-aged scholar, his hand patting the scholar’s shoulder.

"A man must not say he can’t do it. Elder, muster a bit more strength."

Gratitude filled the middle-aged scholar’s eyes, and he almost slapped Wu Wang away.

"Focus on the main point," Wu Wang immediately said. "Your Majesty, do you want to try this path?"

"Yes."

The Queen’s eyes sparkled. "Becoming a God or not is unimportant. If I can remain conscious, I am willing to protect Women’s Country for all eternity."

"Then you must do two things well."

"Mm."

Wu Wang spoke with gravity,

"First, cherish hope. Don’t let negative emotions entangle you. Maintain a positive and optimistic attitude.

"Second, if you can communicate with us later, do so as soon as possible and report all changes back to us."

"I will."

"Also, don’t go to that cramped Earth Palace underground again," Wu Wang said. "You must have the courage to face your subjects. Stand here, beside the Spirit Incubator."

Queen Jiaye was momentarily taken aback. Then, she slowly nodded, evidently feeling a bit of pressure.

"Go now."

Wu Wang then bowed his head in a Taoist salute and declared, "This time, I shall give my all to assist Women’s Country!"

Ji Mo and Ling Xiaolan bowed together in a Taoist salute. The State Preceptor and the two Prime Ministers slowly knelt. Outside the Soundproofing array, all the Generals and civil officials knelt simultaneously.

Feng Ge had already fainted, the hair at her temples rapidly turning white...

Queen Jiaye glanced at Feng Ge, a touch of tenderness in her eyes. All her doubts dispelled, she turned, leaped into the Spirit Incubator, and clutched the crown to her chest.

Streaks of golden light surged, and the Spirit Incubator hall transformed into a sea of gold!

A magnificent Goddess statue rose from the golden light. A gentle breeze swept everyone into the air as the roof of the great hall was torn open!

From somewhere, melodious music drifted by. Clouds suffused with seven-colored light filled the skies over the capital. The upper half of the statue, towering over the palace walls, became visible to the citizens of Women’s Country who were looking towards the capital.

They all knelt, one by one, and the clamor of prayers arose from all directions.

Inside and outside the palace, guards and soldiers knelt in worship.

The immense statue, a faint flicker of Divine Thought...

This statue stood beside the Spirit Incubator. It bore Queen Jiaye’s likeness and attire, with a texture like jade in which clouds seemed to have settled. It was beautiful and sacred, with an air of mystery.

It was hard to imagine that all past rulers of Women’s Country had transformed from this image into that hideous Huge beast.

At the base of the statue, Wu Wang, Ling Xiaolan, Ji Mo, the State Preceptor, and several ministers of Women’s Country were urgently discussing something.

In a corner, a certain scholar sat askew, spitting blood while watching Ji Mo with a gratified expression, as if Ji Mo had matured greatly.

Soon, everyone began to move separately, all with a sense of urgency.

The State Preceptor rushed to the Earth Palace, bringing with her a number of Priests and white-robed young women. They surrounded the Queen, continuously praying and chanting.

Ling Xiaolan and Ji Mo took out precious communication talismans and hurried beyond the border to summon their respective elders.

Wu Wang, however, was quite something else. He was dragged aside by a certain middle-aged scholar, and the two of them ended up in a bloody brawl, the scene becoming quite gory for a moment.

「Half a day later.」

A tiny flicker of light appeared on the statue’s toe. The State Preceptor cheered, visibly overcome with emotion.

Wu Wang, his face swollen like a pig’s head, and the middle-aged scholar, the back of whose robe was stained crimson in strips, rushed over upon hearing this.

"How is it?" the middle-aged scholar asked in a low voice.

Wu Wang, however, did not answer. He pressed one hand against the edge of the statue’s toe, sensing quietly. Soon, he looked up and bellowed,

"It’s thought-power! Different from Her Majesty the Queen’s thought-power!"

The surrounding Priests and Martial Artists immediately erupted into thunderous cheers.

Wu Wang stood up and shouted, "Intensify your efforts! Mobilize more people to pray to the statue in an orderly fashion!"

The Martial Artists and Priests nodded hastily and then all looked towards Wu Wang again.

"Divine Envoy... you seem unable to issue direct commands to us."

"The Divine Envoy can!"

The State Preceptor, leaning on her Staff, came striding over and exclaimed, "The Divine Envoy is our Women’s Country’s... Honorary State Preceptor! He is the highest-ranking guest elder of our Women’s Country!"

Did you consult with the next Queen about this? Wu Wang blinked.

All the Priests and Martial Artists immediately clasped their hands in salute. The State Preceptor approached, wanting to grasp Wu Wang’s hand and raise it in celebration.

Wu Wang subconsciously took half a step back and smiled apologetically.

The State Preceptor paused.

A trust misplaced.

「Three days later,」 a tall wooden stage was erected in front of the palace. The festival held in the Goddess’s name began, attracting numerous citizens from both inside and outside the capital.

During the festival, prayer sessions were held every hour. The lavishly dressed State Preceptor would stand on the high stage, reading aloud freshly inked short stories about the Goddess from the papers in her hand, proclaiming Her greatness and tolerance.

"This is the most crucial step: to endow Queen Jiaye with the aura of a God, allowing her to transcend her role as a monarch and become a true Divine Spirit."

Wu Wang’s words still echoed in the State Preceptor’s ears:

"I have several plans.

"The first is ’Future Catastrophe.’ This will instill a sense of urgency in the populace, causing them to place their hopes in the Goddess. The advantage is its rapid effect, but the downside is that it can easily cause panic and is detrimental to the future ideological development of Women’s Country.

"The second plan is ’Exaggerated Storytelling and Fabrication,’ and the third is ’Forging Divine Signs.’ These three can be carried out simultaneously."

Only now did the State Preceptor, who had previously only focused on the handsome and dashing Divine Envoy from the Northern Wilderness, realize that he was... an expert in matters of faith.

No wonder he could become a Divine Envoy of the Star God.

In the palace, Wu Wang and the middle-aged scholar were munching on skewers while attentively observing the toes of the Queen’s statue.

It was a very serious observation.

The middle-aged scholar asked in puzzlement, "Friend Xiong, did you comprehend this system of faith in just these few days?"

Wu Wang merely smiled without answering.

Would he admit that his ultimate purpose in establishing the Star God Cult was to elevate his own mother to godhood, achieving the ultimate betrayal of the Star God?

Of course not.

After all, Wu Wang hadn’t even discussed it with his mother yet. He had only mentioned that the Star God Cult would more easily unite the various factions in the Northern Wilderness.

"Elder Xu Mu," Wu Wang said with a smile, raising his skewer to gently tap it against the one held by the middle-aged scholar. "This is actually something I learned in the Northern Wilderness. At my young age, how could I possibly understand such things?"

"Oh?"

Elder Xu Mu, Ji Mo’s teacher, narrowed his eyes and chuckled.

"If I, this humble Daoist, were to believe you, then I would truly have fallen under a dark spell.

However, why did you ask Ji Mo and Ling Xiaolan to summon members of their Immortal families here?"

Wu Wang asked, "The Ji Family and the Tianyan Xuan Nu Sect, they’re considered major forces in the Human Domain, right?"

Xu Mu replied with a laugh, "The Human Domain is different from the Northern Wilderness and this Women’s Country. There’s no concept of ’major powers.’ Everyone is dedicated to protecting the Human Domain, ensuring a sanctuary for the Human race where they are not bullied.

The Ji Family itself doesn’t have many experts, but their influence and ability to rally support are paramount.

As for the Tianyan Xuan Nu Sect, that goes without saying. It’s an old, established Major Immortal Sect with disciples throughout the Human Domain—the only major Sect that even the Demonic Sects wouldn’t dare to harass."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Do you think the Xuan Nu Sect has no disciples married to powerful Demonic Cultivators?"

"Taking from both Immortals and Demons, are they?"

Wu Wang couldn’t help but brighten at the thought, raising a nearby cup of fruit wine to clink with Xu Mu’s.

"Having them call their elders here is actually a consideration for Women’s Country’s future.

Women’s Country is situated in a desolate part of the Western Wilderness. There are no large tribes or powers nearby to threaten them. However, now that they’ve embarked on this path of god-creation, the future is fraught with infinite variables.

Establishing close ties with the Human Domain has more advantages than disadvantages. For instance, it could allow the Xuan Nu Sect to select disciples from here, couldn’t it?"

"Let’s not discuss this. A mere cultivator like myself, who only knows how to train, truly cannot compare to a Young Master from a Large Family Clan like you in these matters."

Xu Mu chuckled and tapped Wu Wang’s arm lightly, his lips curving up and his eyebrows twitching subtly.

"Friend Xiong, you and Fairy Ling... are you, ah, you know?"

Wu Wang forced a laugh and said, "Just friends."

"And what about with Queen Jiaye?"

"Ah," Wu Wang sighed deeply. "Women’s Country itself has a yearning for men. The Queen has always been oppressed by her responsibilities. As her character becomes gentler, she yearns even more for a complete life.

She just wants the role of a husband to fill the final void in her life. Whether this husband is named Xiong Ba or Ji Mo doesn’t really matter to her; it’s probably just for one night’s joy.

The Queen’s choice to approach me is largely due to the misunderstanding that led to Brother Ji being hung from the city walls."

"It’s not just that," Xu Mu chuckled. "This old Immortal has lived long enough to see many such things. The Queen genuinely has a favorable impression of you."

"But it’s limited to a favorable impression, nothing more." Wu Wang laughed. "I have a clear understanding of these things."

"And you?" Xu Mu gently nudged Wu Wang’s arm. "Has your heart been moved?"

"Well... um... let’s drink, let’s drink."

"Hahaha! So even you have moments of embarrassment! This calls for three hundred cups! Three hundred cups!"

The two of them could be considered to have developed a friendship through conflict.

Ji Mo, however, was somewhat troubled. When he returned from the border and saw his own teacher and his Brother Xiong addressing each other as brothers, he was suddenly unsure how he should address Wu Wang.

They’d just have to address each other based on their individual relationships, I suppose.

「Half a month later,」 the first temple dedicated to the Goddess was completed within the capital city.

Xu Mu, the True Immortal, remained in the capital city and did not immediately return to the Human Domain, effectively acting as a guardian here.

Ji Mo and Ling Xiaolan, however, were exceptionally busy. Wu Wang had pulled them into a private room, and the three Cultivators, none of whom had yet reached the Immortal realm, began to study how to sense the Power of Faith.

Once they completed this phase, a series of research topics set by Wu Wang awaited them, including "The Storage and Transmission of the Power of Faith," "The Impact of the Power of Faith on One’s Cultivation," and "The Coexistence of Faith Power and Mana."

It seemed the three of them would not be able to leave Women’s Country for some time.

In the grand palace hall, which now housed items such as a Crystal Ball, Sheepskin Scrolls, a forging station, an Alchemy Furnace, a sunshade, a lounge chair, and even a hand-operated juicer...

Ji Mo said worriedly, "I withdrew from the trial, so I no longer need to be concerned about the Four Seas Pavilion’s attitude. But Fairy Ling..."

"I withdrew as well," Ling Xiaolan stated calmly. "I grew weary of it."

"By the way, I have a little something for the two of you."

Wu Wang laughed as he took out two brocaded boxes and considerately opened them.

Ji Mo’s eyes lit up as he took the crystal-like fan ribs in his hand and then noticed the thick instruction manual below it.

This item, which appeared to be the frame of a folding fan, was actually a small Dharma treasure capable of shooting hidden projectiles and spraying Sleeping Pills. Its value lay in its ingenious design and expensive materials, though its crafting refinement was average.

Ling Xiaolan blinked at the brocaded box before her and carefully took out two straws carved from fine jade.

"One for tea, one for wine."

Wu Wang said seriously, "Fairy, although you often wear your veiled hat, whether you’re tilting your head back to drink or extending your tongue to sip tea or wine, it’s all somewhat ungraceful."

Ling Xiaolan’s face instantly turned crimson. Nevertheless, she managed a calm nod of acknowledgment and said evenly, "Thank you, Brother Xiong."

Ji Mo struggled to suppress his laughter. If Ling Xiaolan hadn’t drawn her sword so quickly, he might have actually laughed out loud.

「Meanwhile, deep within the Western Wilderness.」

Dozens of Huge beasts, each hundreds of zhang in length, were piled haphazardly, forming a mountain of flesh. An old man, barefoot, leaning on a Staff, and wearing a straw cape, lay reclined on the forehead of the largest beast, scratching his toes against his calf.

So, that’s another way to resolve Women’s Country’s predicament. Not bad, little one.

"Shen Nong!"

A fierce shout came from behind. It was a giant, tens of zhang tall.

This massive being, tightly bound by a rope shimmering with Immortal Light, dangled from the horn of a ferocious beast. He had ram’s horns, an upper body resembling that of a human, and a lower half consisting of two black, furred beast legs.

Most strikingly, Divine Light surged around the giant, and the aura he emitted was enough to make the heavens and earth change color.

(Of course, it was currently a bright, clear day.)

The giant bellowed, "How dare you humiliate me, a God, like this! The Heavenly Emperor will not spare you!"

"Don’t be delusional," Shen Nong said calmly without turning his head. "For the few hundred years remaining of my Lifespan, he won’t take a single step out of the Heaven Palace... Still not talking? Where is that item?"

The giant gritted his teeth. "The Heaven... Palace!"

"I meant, besides the Heaven Palace."

"I, a God, have my dignity! Even if you beat me to death today, I will absolutely not tell you that the item is on Kunlun Hill! Hmph!"

Shen Nong couldn’t help but stroke his beard in thought.

The Queen Mother of the West?

But that wouldn’t be much easier than storming the Heaven Palace.