Chapter 2558: Traces Could Houtu be the mastermind behind all this... This random thought that surfaced in Zu An’s mind astounded him. There were indeed many dubious details surrounding this matter. For instance, he had only entered this world to help the future Houtu collect the Six Paths’ power insignias, and she had also transported the Mermaid Queen into this world. Houtu had to have known that the Myriad Souls Banner was responsible for the Chang clan’s massacre, but she'd chosen not to mention a thing and even told them not to get involved. If she wasn't the culprit, what reason did she have to withhold this information? Cold sweat began raining down from Zu An’s head. The Mermaid Queen noticed his pale face and asked in concern, “What’s wrong?” “It’s nothing. I just thought of something bad,” Zu An replied with a strained smile. I hope I’m reading too much into it. Someone as powerful as Houtu has no reason to do something like this. He turned to the Goddess of Wu Mountain and asked, “Goddess, can you report this matter to the Celestial Court and have them investigate this issue?” He wasn't some hero character from some big action flick. There were official departments to deal with such vile situations, so there was no need for a lone ranger like him to worry about it. He didn’t think that the Celestial Court was behind this. At the very least, they needed to maintain a righteous front, lest they lose the faith of the masses. It was unlikely they would do something that would shake their foundation. Schemers chose to scheme because they couldn’t do certain things openly. Once the powerhouses of the Celestial Court got involved, it likely wouldn’t be too difficult to resolve this matter. The Goddess of Wu Mountain nodded. She began writing in mid-air with her slender finger, just like what she'd done when she informed the Celestial Court of Bao Jiang’s death. After she was done writing the message, she tried to send it upward, but the words flickered feebly before abruptly going out. The Goddess of Wu Mountain’s expression darkened. “The world laws are in disarray due to the separation of heaven and earth. We might not be able to come into contact with the Celestial Court any time soon.” Zu An hadn’t expected there to be such an implication. “Looks like we’ll have to investigate this matter by ourselves. I’m afraid that I’m still unfamiliar with this world. Goddess, is there anything you can deduce from these clues?” The Goddess of Wu Mountain stared at him, unsure of what he meant by ‘still unfamiliar with this world’. However, she didn’t dwell on it and replied, “I spend most of my time in isolation on Wu Mountain, so I don’t know much either.” Zu An was stunned. Turns out she’s a hermit! This makes things troublesome. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺 “But we can ask someone.” The Goddess of Wu Mountain’s eyes lit up. “Who?” “The Kaiming Six Shamans!” Zu An suddenly remembered how her attitude toward him had improved upon learning that he was a friend of the Kaiming Six Shamans. She was likely on good terms with them. The Goddess of Wu Mountain brought Zu An and the Mermaid Queen back to Wu Mountain. “You can rest at my place first.” Outsiders would have been shocked to hear that, as there had never been a precedent of her inviting others into her cave as guests. The Mermaid Queen was confused. “Aren’t we going to meet the Kaiming Six Shamans?” The Goddess of Wu Mountain smiled as she gestured toward the fog. “The fog will relay the news on my behalf.” Zu An was awed. She must have a high affinity with the fog. No wonder there was a saying in his previous world—'the cloud and rain of Wu Mountain'. The Mermaid Queen was mesmerized by the Goddess of Wu Mountain’s earlier smile. The latter had a seductive face but a cold disposition, but somehow, these two contrasting qualities came together in harmony for her. Even a woman like me is hopelessly charmed by her. Which man can possibly resist her advance? At the same time, the Goddess of Wu Mountain was also sizing her up. It's been a while since I last saw such a beautiful woman. I heard she’s the Chang clan’s Saintess, which means that she’s a shaman. When did the Shaman races’ ladies become so beautiful? Even the renowned fairies in the sky can’t hold a candle to her. Before they knew it, they had arrived at the foot of the Goddess Peak. With a wave of her sleeves, the Goddess of Wu Mountain summoned a cloud before inviting the duo onto it. Zu An and the Mermaid Queen stepped onto the cloud and found that it wasn't as fragile as they thought it would be, even though it was as soft as cotton. The cloud carried the three of them up the mountain. This was Zu An’s first time admiring the Goddess Peak up close. Compared to the other mountains in the vicinity, it looked slender, almost like a fair lady’s waist. A waterfall flowed down the peak, and the splashing water turned into the fog that constantly shrouded the peak. The Mermaid Queen, being from the Ocean races, was extremely sensitive to water. She realized that the water flowing down the waterfall wasn't ordinary water, but condensed ki. Having studied ‘One Drop of Heaven’s Essence’, Zu An had a deeper understanding of the waterfall. The ki waterfall was like a dragon vein that complemented Wu Mountain, forming a unique protective energy. Intruders risked being struck by lightning. Others wouldn’t be able to enter this place without the goddess’ invitation. The mountain peak was filled with wondrous flowers and mysterious grasses. It was a scene as beautiful as the two women beside Zu An. The fog was much thicker on the mountain peak, forming a sea of clouds that matched the sea of flowers. It was already nearing sunset, and the golden sun rays shone through the clouds and basked the flowers in its brilliance. It was a splendid sight to behold. Zu An was awed. “I can see why the goddess prefers to stay here. It’d be hard to leave a place as beautiful as this.” The Goddess of Wu Mountain smiled. “You can stay here longer if you like...” Halfway through, she realized that her words were inappropriate. The golden rays shining on her face concealed her blushing cheeks. It was only when she turned around that the golden rays finally flowed down her neck. Zu An was mesmerized. The Goddess of Wu Mountain was usually extremely cold, which contrasted sharply with Pei Mianman, but her shy expression was identical to the latter's. The Mermaid Queen was a little jealous. I’m still here. Can you not act like this in front of me? Fortunately, the Kaiming Six Shamans arrived just in time to alleviate the awkwardness. Upon hearing the Kaiming Six Shamans’ voices, the Goddess of Wu Mountain waved her hand to form a screen in midair with her fog. It resembled a video call. The Kaiming SIx Shamans were surprised to see Zu An and the Mermaid Queen standing next to the Goddess of Wu Mountain. For so many years, the goddess has never allowed anyone to step foot on her peak. The Goddess of Wu Mountain summarized what they'd discovered in the cavern. The Kaiming Six Shamans were shocked. “To think that there’s such a deranged madman!” “We have to root him out!” “Such a person should be killed a thousand times over!” “It’s a pity that the world's laws are in disarray. We aren’t able to contact Lady Houtu at the moment.” ... While the Kaiming Six Shamans were outraged, a cloud brought the metal fragment they had found in the cavern before the fog screen. “Are you able to tell anything from this?” The Kaiming Six Shamans gathered their attention to analyze the metal fragment. Soon, they reached their conclusion. “It’s no ordinary metal. It seems to be... No, it has to be from Genesis Mountain. Only that place has such unique copper!”