The Investiture: Unlimited Blade Works Nezha
Chapter 359 - 358 Nuwa: Ah, that’s better!

Chapter 359: Chapter 358 Nuwa: Ah, that’s better!

Nuwa immediately engaged in a ’friendly’ exchange with Lishan Old Mother.

The Old Mother felt that her true body was entirely unreliable—it barely paid attention to things like her disciple’s cultivation techniques. Nuwa’s reasoning was also quite solid: I’m busy, okay!

However, after some deliberation, the two settled on a "delay tactic." Nezha’s current cultivation technique wasn’t bad; it was just that his mana accumulation rate couldn’t compare to before, now that his cultivation realm had advanced.

And what kind of state was Nezha in before? He’d be cultivating while vomiting blood!

...

Nezha arrived at Lishan to pay respects to the Old Mother. Before he even brought up the matter of changing cultivation techniques, the Old Mother seized the upper hand and started talking about how her true body had told Nezha to write a book—essentially reverse-pressuring him for updates.

Nezha scratched his head and began pondering the deeper meaning behind his teacher’s actions.

Thinking it over, he speculated that his experiences in Chaos had caused subtle shifts in his mindset, leading to his urgency in cultivation.

"Teacher, I understand now. Recently, my temperament has indeed become somewhat impatient. I ought to take some time to relax and adjust my mindset."

Lishan Old Mother felt a little puzzled—was that really the intended message? She had simply told him to write books out of boredom to amuse herself!

As she was pondering this, Nuwa’s true body’s voice transmitted into her mind: That’s exactly my intention!

The Old Mother inwardly bristled—like I don’t know what you’re really like?

Still, she wouldn’t expose Nuwa’s shortcomings in front of her disciple, since doing so would be tantamount to revealing her own.

Nezha, on the other hand, decided to stay at Lishan for quiet cultivation and mindset adjustment.

At this point, he suddenly remembered the matter regarding No-Life Old Mother and couldn’t help but ask, "Teacher, earlier when I attended Buddhism’s Water and Land Dharma Meeting, I encountered a Great Expert named No-Life Old Mother. Do you know her background?"

Lishan Old Mother frowned and shook her head. The name No-Life Old Mother was something she was hearing for the first time. As the avatar of a Saint, her cultivation was at the level of cutting Three Corpses—a Quasi-Saint—but she didn’t possess Chaos Origin-level cultivation or the full privileges of a Saint.

Receiving no answer, Nezha didn’t dwell on the matter. If someone didn’t provoke him, fine; but if they did, then they’d be finished.

Afterward, Nezha peacefully stayed at Lishan. It was as if he’d returned to when he first pursued immortality and the Dao—writing books, meditating, and listening to the Old Mother’s lectures on various subjects every day.

Time passed in a blur, and three years quickly went by. Since Nezha’s cultivation had improved, he had grown increasingly insensitive to the passage of time. In his previous life, turning twenty-five might prompt nostalgic thoughts like "I’d buy osmanthus and carry wine, but never again as a youthful wanderer."

Now, in this life, more than a century had slipped by without him feeling the least bit older.

Nezha suddenly grasped what people meant by the phrase "immortals and mortals differ." He asked himself honestly: If an extraordinarily beautiful mortal woman stood before him, would he truly fall for her?

The answer was no.

The gap between immortals and humans far exceeded the gap between humans and apes, not to mention that Nezha wasn’t an ordinary immortal.

Reflecting inwardly for a while, Nezha completed the final Chapter of his story, *Bai Susu Seals Leifeng Tower; Sanzang and His Brothers Journey to the West,* thus finishing the tale completely.

Nearby, Qingluan—sent by Nuwa to urge him for more Chapters—asked in bewilderment, "Nezha, you’re not even done writing about the Journey to the West, and you already finished the story?"

Stretching lazily, Nezha replied, "Sister Xiaoqing, it’s called leaving space for imagination—get it? Whether Tang Sanzang and Bai Susu ultimately reunite is up to their fate, not something I, as the author, impose on them."

Qingluan pouted, remarking, "The way you treat your story’s protagonists is really cruel. Lin Daiyu, a noble-born with literary and martial talents, ended up with her family destroyed and herself dead. Pan Jinlian—the first love of Ximen Qian—after years embroiled in entanglements with Vermilion-mole Wu Xiaoniang, didn’t win anyone in the end. Tang Sanzang and the White Snake developed feelings, but their union was doomed by the inherent gulf between humans and demons."

Nezha ignored Qingluan’s grumbling entirely. Stories were written for others to read, but weren’t they also a way to disentangle his own Dao Heart? The more unattainable something was, the more persistent one became. While Buddha teachings emphasized letting go, if you let go of everything, would you still be yourself?

People were distinct precisely because their experiences, thoughts, and obsessions differed. Without these variances, their cores would be identical—reducing them to machines.

The new Creation Jade Scroll Fragment combined with the original, significantly boosting its power. Nezha’s current Taiyi Golden Immortal-level cultivation wasn’t exceptional, but his perspective likely surpassed that of most Daluo Golden Immortals.

At each stage, there were appropriate actions to take—going a bit beyond made one a genius; going far beyond, however, branded one a madman.

Nezha was starting to veer off-track. His self-awareness was subtly eroding, his Seven Emotions and Six Desires rapidly dissipating. In the terminology of the Primordial era, this was called Dao Transformation.

The Great Dao was eternal, and Nezha’s current self-awareness was insignificant even compared to dust particles in the grand scheme of the Dao. Through observing and learning via the Creation Jade Scroll, Nezha was, in turn, inevitably influenced by it. This explained his tendency to write tragedies.

There was no denying that among the Seven Emotions, sorrow was the most profound. Only through the amplified release of overwhelming emotion—via the Tears of Ten Thousand Spirits—could he counter the backlash of observing the Dao. Suffice it to say, the treasure Lady Houtu had gifted him held impeccable practical value.

In these three years, Nezha’s mana accumulation hadn’t advanced particularly rapidly, but his mental cultivation and understanding of the Great Dao had made significant strides.

Just as Qingluan prepared to transcribe Nezha’s book, the two of them simultaneously received Nuwa’s summons. Before they knew it, a pale hand scooped them up, transporting them from Lishan to Nuwa Palace.

Nuwa was currently reclining in a "slumped Ge You" pose, her expression radiating exhaustion.

Nezha: ...

Do Saints really get tired?

"Xiaoqing! Xiaoqing! Come give me a massage—I’m absolutely beat!"

"Lady Nuwa, I’m on my way."

Qingluan responded promptly and hurried forward to knead Nuwa’s shoulders and legs, her technique showcasing professionalism.

"Teacher, you’ve worked hard."

Nuwa sighed contentedly, replying, "Indeed, I have."

With that, she waved her hand, and a massive bell—encircled by sun, moon, stars, and land, water, fire, and wind, with mountains and rivers within its body—suspended itself before Nezha.

"I’ve repaired the Chaos Bell. You can take it and use it now."

To be honest, Nezha couldn’t suppress his excitement. This treasure was on par with the Tai Chi Diagram and the Pangu Banner. When he’d first arrived, obtaining fragments felt like Tencent lottery draws—today one fragment, tomorrow another—with no certainty he’d ever acquire the complete artifact.

Now that the treasure was in his hands, his efforts on countless missions hadn’t been in vain.

Nezha reached out to touch the Chaos Bell, which trembled slightly but showed no resistance to his refinement.

"Teacher, aren’t you going to use it?"

Nuwa, still enjoying Qingluan’s massages, casually flipped through Nezha’s book and replied nonchalantly, "I can’t even see the next step forward for myself anymore. What’s the point of hoarding treasures like this?

Taiqing and Yuqing both have Heavenly Creation treasures and haven’t managed to progress further either."

After saying this, as if recalling something, she remarked to Nezha, "Jin Ling has mostly completed her closed-door cultivation. Later, deliver this to her so she can return to Golden Turtle Island."

Taken off guard by Nuwa’s abrupt instructions, Nezha glanced at her cheerful expression and instantly understood—this was her way of getting him to flaunt the Chaos Bell in front of Tongtian Sect Master.

The Heavenly Creation Three Treasures: the Tai Chi Diagram belonged to Taiqing, the Pangu Banner to Yuqing, and the Chaos Bell now rested with Nuwa.

Nuwa: Ah, how satisfying!