916 I Think I Am the Sea (1/2)

The wind was whirling and the storm was roaring from the center of the South Sea. The rain poured down and turned the beach to slush. The deep blue sea became restless and darker.

The big black horse came back ashore and wanted to seek shelter under the trees by the beach. However, he found Ning Que and Sangsang standing still by the sea. He hesitated for a while and came back to join them. He stood behind them and looked wretched with rain water dripping down his hair.

Sangsang watched the scene quietly. Neither the sea storm nor the wind from above left any trace in her eyes. Nature seemed ruthless and ruleless, but rules applied everywhere in the sea and in the wind. She stood between the sea and the sky, but she was also everywhere.

She did not know the destination of their journey. Ning Que took her to the human world to experience and tighten her bond with this world. She chose to leave Peach Mountain with him because she wanted to prove that Heaven's Rules were never to be violated and also to seek for a way out.

She wanted to visit the Great River because she was hoping to experience love, the sentiment that formed her most profound bond with the human world. However, it appeared that it was not enough. It was still not enough for Ning Que to keep her here, no for her to find a way out.

She felt restless. Hence, this storm formed. She unintentionally exposed her Heaven's Rules to Ning Que, but Ning Que chose not to see it.

The sandy beach was washed by the storm, formed numerous tiny mud slides and unveiled relics of marine lives and glass beads buried by some naughty kids.

Ning Que squatted and picked up a pretty shell.

Then the storm stopped.

”I think I am the sea.”

She wanted to see the sea and there she was. Then she said, ”The sea is shapeless. The waves could only follow the winds.”

This was the first time she talked to Ning Que about herself, the self as Haotian.

Ning Que understood her and felt complicated.

For the followers of Taoism, Haotian was the indescribable and unexplainable sole dominator of this world and the only true god. However, he knew that was wrong.

When they were in the restaurant in the Song Kingdom, the Headmaster once pointed to the sky using his chopsticks and said that Haotian was the combination of objective rules. Her life was the inertia of the continuation of those rules.

Since when did the objective rules of this world become alive?

In other words, if Haotian was an objective will, then who had awaken this will from the very beginning?

This was no doubt the most difficult question in the world. Even the most learned mentors from the Divine Hall would not be able to provide an answer.

The Academy did try to find an answer, but there was no conclusion. Ning Que would never be able to solve the puzzle with his current stage of cultivation. However, she was his natal item therefore he could understand her.

The awakening of the objective will was caused by humans' belief.

Long long ago in their cyclic existence, human beings started to seek for enlightenment and exploration to the unknown world. They discovered and mastered many rules of this world. Some of them gradually became fearless while the others became reverent.

Taoism chose to be reverent on behalf of human beings and selected her as the guardian of this world. Then the belief was created. People's collective consciousness grew so strong that it eventually awoke her.

She was awoken and possessed her own life. As they prayed, she became a tranquil sea and guarded the world silently.

”Human beings were afraid of the world below and beyond the sea. Therefore they had chosen you to protect them.” Ning Que threw the shell back into the sea. He looked deep down to the sea and said, ”Later on, people's curiosity or their desire for freedom outgrew their fear. They tried to build ships to cross you, the sea. They even tried swimming in the sea to explore the world under and beyond.”

Sangsang kept quiet.

Her existence was not a result of her own choice, but the choice of humans. If they were to try to change the world and break the rules, then what would happen to her?

Ning Que turned around, looked at her for a while and held her in his arms.

Sangsang stayed in his arms expressionlessly.

Ning Que suggested, ”Now I want to take you to another place.”

She asked, ”Where?”