Chapter 131: Teacher Doumu (Part Two)

Doumu was busy creating the heavens and the earth, molding the stars, but the moment Luo Feng and the Seven Lords of the Big Dipper stepped into the starry expanse, she sensed them.

Like Erlang Shen, she turned her third head and third eye toward them and smiled faintly. Seeing her seven sons, along with Luo Feng, who was chanting the holy name of Doumu, the Heavenly Venerable could not help but smile. In an instant, the Great Dao of the universe resonated; the stars shone in harmony, and the sun and moon rose together, offering joy and blessings to the Mother of All Stars.

In the distance, Luo Feng found himself laughing along, a bright and genuine smile. A moment later, he realized what was happening, his smile froze, and a chill ran down his spine. Had his immortal body not been pure and flawless, he would have been drenched in a cold sweat.

The Lord of the Po Jun Star, who was steering the star-skiff, flew over and explained with a smile, "This is one of Mother’s manifestations. She is currently in the midst of heaven-creation and star-shaping, transforming the chaos. Her Dao aura is uncontrollable; please forgive the impropriety, fellow Daoist."

Luo Feng quickly cupped his hands and said, "It is no matter, no matter at all."

He naturally understood that Doumu was not attacking him; it was merely a response of the Great Dao, a manifestation of the laws of nature. A Daluo being is the Great Dao itself; every word and action they take is the Dao.

The Lord of the Po Jun Star pointed toward the void above and said, "Mother’s true form is on the Dao Heaven Star. Follow me, fellow Daoist."

Luo Feng looked closely and saw a star descending from above. It was not the largest star in the expanse, but it was the brightest. The radiance of the sun and moon combined could not compare to even a ten-thousandth of its light, for this was the dojo of the Mother of All Stars.

The Seven Lords of the Big Dipper rode their magical artifacts and divine beasts toward the Dao Heaven Star. Luo Feng, however, had been left behind for a moment, dazed by the assimilation of the Dao aura.

"Go!"

Six jade-colored dragons surged forth. Without needing guidance, they flew toward the Dao Heaven Star in the void. The carriage ascended, the six jade dragons using their spatial divine abilities to traverse the expanse with ease. A moment later, the Dao Heaven Star was right before them.

Luo Feng, still lingering in shock, glanced back at Doumu’s manifestation of heaven-creation. She remained compassionate, carefully molding stars and breathing life into divine spirits. One arm reached out to harvest a wisp of chaotic energy, stabilizing wind, water, and fire. A pagoda hummed as chaos was transformed into spiritual energy, mixing with cosmic dust to form a small star. Like a mother tending to a child, she placed the newborn star into the orderly sky and blew a breath of primordial creative energy upon it. Instantly, the star came to life, developing its own will—in billions of years, it would become a Star God.

"Daluo, indeed," Luo Feng sighed.

He couldn't help but recall a joke, one that circulated throughout the Primordial Realm.

During the era of the Great Calamity of Dragons and Phoenixes, there was a powerful being who was only one step away from attaining the Daluo status. His mastery of the physical body was exceptional; it was said he had grasped three of the eighty-one transformations of Pangu. His golden body was indestructible, capable of entering the chaotic void without suffering a scratch; his blood was so potent that a single drop could create a Great Thousand Universe; with a single thought, he could stir the heavens; with a blade of grass, he could cut down stars. He once held the glorious record of resisting three strikes from a Daluo being with his physical body alone.

In that era, this being was revered as the greatest god beneath the Daluo. And so, he grew arrogant—exceedingly arrogant. He decided to create a miracle: to defeat a Daluo being while not being one himself.

On a bright and sunny afternoon, he challenged the Black Emperor Zulong, the master of the Water-Origin Dao. At the time, the many immortals and gods watching thought that even if he lost, he would at least hold his own for a few rounds.

However, reality slapped everyone in the face. The Black Emperor Zulong stood upon the East Sea, motionless, not even breathing. He simply gazed at the challenger. Just as the challenger’s fighting spirit reached its peak and his divine arts were pushed to their limit, his body—the very thing he took such pride in—ceased to obey him. His blood began to flow backward, the energy of his kidneys withered, and every concept related to water began to change; some ceased to exist, others were inverted.

Within a few breaths, the powerful being collapsed into a lump of flesh, unable to move. Then, the Black Emperor Zulong pointed into the void, and the lump of flesh turned into a fish.

From that day on, the wise in the Primordial Realm understood a simple truth: the gap between a Daluo and a non-Daluo is as vast as the heaven and the earth. One does not even need to attack; simply by standing there, an opponent beneath the Daluo level will automatically face the dissipation of their own Dao and body, because they are attacking the Great Dao itself, attacking their own existence.

Only a Daluo can defeat a Daluo. It is impossible for the weak to conquer the strong. Because, the moment you defeat the strong, you become the stronger. And when you defeat a Daluo, if you are not already one, you become one. Daluo is all-encompassing; it is merely a name.

As these thoughts swirled, the dragon carriage arrived at the Dao Heaven Star. Under the guidance of the Seven Lords of the Big Dipper, Luo Feng entered a palace built of white jade. Doumu Yuanjun sat in the seat of honor, her posture elegant and composed, radiating a noble and dignified aura. With two sons as emperors and seven as powerful lords, and having birthed many innate Star Gods, she held the title of the Innate Empress of the Dao.

Luo Feng did not dare to be negligent and quickly stepped forward to pay his respects.

"Water-Chen Star God pays respects to the Innate Empress of the Dao, Doumu Yuanjun! May your Dao-life be boundless and your holy virtue endure forever."

In the Primordial Realm, etiquette is everything. Paying respects to a Divine Dao Heavenly Venerable is entirely different from paying respects to an Immortal Dao Heavenly Venerable. If one were to visit Kunlun, one would address the Primordial Great Heavenly Venerable as a junior disciple of the Water-Origin Dao. Doumu Yuanjun, however, was an Innate God; although she also cultivated the Immortal Dao and attained the Daluo status, her foundation remained in the Divine Dao. Luo Feng knew he had to present himself as a member of the Divine Dao. As for the title "Water Virtue Star God," it was too official and cold; calling himself a "Star God" made him seem like one of her own.

Doumu Yuanjun looked Luo Feng over, her gaze lingering on the point between his brows. She asked indifferently, "You are a human Qi practitioner, a follower of the Immortal Dao. Why do you call yourself a Star God?"

Luo Feng bowed deeply, his expression earnest and his tone solemn. "In the beginning, there was the Divine. The Divine and the Dao are one. This humble god believes that 'God' is not merely a title, but a responsibility and a philosophy. If one can fulfill this responsibility and uphold this philosophy, even a follower of the Immortal Dao can be a god. This humble god has not held his divine position for long, yet I dare not forget my duties."

As he spoke, he released a wisp of Xuanhuang Merit. Luo Feng had been cultivating the Water-Origin, advocating for the great cycle of the world's waters, and had been accumulating merit. Although the time was short and the amount small—not even enough to form a golden wheel of merit—the difference between having it and not having it was clear.

As expected, Doumu Yuanjun’s gaze softened. As the Mother of All Stars, she knew that the Water-Chen Star God was a recent arrival. Seeing that Luo Feng had cultivated Xuanhuang Merit showed he was diligent and conscientious. He was not like the arrogant Immortal Dao practitioners she often saw, who only thought of draining spiritual veins to cultivate or destroying stars to refine treasures. Combined with the suggestion from her second son, the Ziwei Emperor, she made her decision.

Doumu Yuanjun smiled slightly. "I am the Mother of All Stars; the stars of the universe were almost all birthed, created, and transformed by me. You..."

Luo Feng’s mind raced. He was a trusted subordinate of the Jade Emperor; to address Doumu Yuanjun as "Mother" would be highly inappropriate. Yet, he was not foolish enough to reject the goodwill of a Daluo being. With a resolute heart, he bowed and said, "Disciple pays respects to Teacher."

Doumu Yuanjun pondered for a moment. *Very well, Teacher it is. It makes little difference.*

"Rise. I shall accept you as a nominal disciple."

"My deepest thanks, Teacher Doumu."