Ma Tianzheng's thoughts lagged behind reality. Before he could even process what he had just seen, Li Daoxuan casually picked up another figurine. This one was the Monkey King, in his Supreme Treasure form. With a flick of his wrist, Li Daoxuan swept it across the diorama sky.
Ma Tianzheng inhaled sharply.
Then came a plastic dinosaur. Li Daoxuan lowered it into the miniature world and sent it streaking through the heavens like a living creature descending from the firmament.
Ma Tianzheng's eyes widened further, his mind slipping deeper into confusion.
Before he could recover, Li Daoxuan introduced yet another figure. This time, it was a lobster-man from Ultraman. He dipped it into the diorama and made it soar across the sky with frightening speed.
Ma Tianzheng felt his sense of reality fracture.
What was happening in the heavens?
What in the name of the Dao was happening?
Gods and monstrous beings of every imaginable origin were flying through the sky in chaotic disarray, as if the firmament itself had descended into madness.
Cold dread gripped Ma Tianzheng's heart.
"When gods clash, mortals suffer!" he cried in alarm. "If this continues, they may descend upon the earth. This entire region will be devastated. The village will be destroyed, and its people wiped out!"
He turned toward Gao Family Village and shouted with all his strength.
"Run! Everyone, run! Gods and monsters are battling in the sky! Run for your lives!"
Yet the villagers paid him little attention.
They were busy with their daily work. Some were tending livestock, others repairing tools, while a few were hauling supplies. None of them had time to stare endlessly at the sky like he did. Moreover, Li Daoxuan's movements had been swift and precise, leaving no obvious trace behind.
When Ma Tianzheng shouted, several villagers merely glanced at him sideways with puzzled expressions before returning to their tasks.
To them, Dao Xuan Tianzun still sat peacefully upon his drifting cloud high above the village. The heavens were calm. Nothing appeared out of place.
Gods fighting?
Monsters invading?
Utter nonsense.
Ma Tianzheng's voice grew desperate.
"Why aren't you afraid? Don't you value your lives?"
Still, no one responded.
Above it all, Li Daoxuan watched with growing amusement.
Ma Tianzheng's terror was immensely entertaining. Seeing a seasoned Daoist priest reduced to panic by his playful manipulations brought him great satisfaction.
Taking advantage of the villagers' distraction, Li Daoxuan picked up a tiny statue. It was only one centimeter tall, a miniature version of Dao Xuan Tianzun crafted by his own sculptors.
Despite its size, the statue was exquisitely detailed.
It enhanced his appearance dramatically, increasing his handsomeness by thirty-two percent and his majesty by an absurd three thousand two hundred percent. Draped in flowing Daoist robes, the miniature Tianzun radiated immortal authority.
Li Daoxuan lowered it into the diorama and sent it gliding across the sky toward a remote valley beyond the village.
From below, Ma Tianzheng caught only a fleeting glimpse. The figure was small and distant, dozens of zhang overhead. Its details remained unclear, yet its presence carried unmistakable divine weight.
Ma Tianzheng froze.
"A celestial immortal just flew past!"
Without hesitation, he ran after it.
He sprinted out of Gao Family Village and into the barren valley beyond.
Then, suddenly, the sky roared.
Wind howled. Thunder rumbled.
Something enormous descended.
A deafening boom shook the ground as a colossal lobster-man crashed down before him. Its massive pincers spread wide, casting a terrifying shadow.
Ma Tianzheng's heart nearly stopped.
He turned to flee, but the monster moved faster.
It advanced with horrifying speed, its head swaying as its glowing red eyes locked onto him. Its pincers clacked together with lethal intent.
Fear seized him completely.
But then, instinct took over.
He was a Daoist priest. He had cultivated the Dao for forty years. Even in the face of death, his body remembered what his mind could not.
With a swift motion, he drew the Green Peak Sword from his back.
His voice rang out with practiced authority.
"By decree of the Grand Pure One, let the law be enforced at once!"
He raised his sword to strike.
Clang!
The lobster-man's massive pincer slammed into the blade.
A violent force surged through his arm, overwhelming him instantly. His sword flew from his grasp and landed far away.
His Daoist arts were useless.
Despair flooded his heart.
"This humble priest is finished!"
He screamed, convinced death was imminent.
Above the diorama, Li Daoxuan chuckled softly.
He had pushed things far enough.
The previous maneuver, knocking away the sword without crushing the figure, had required careful precision. Attempting it again risked accidental destruction. That would end the game prematurely.
So he reached for a glass cup and lowered it over Ma Tianzheng.
From Ma Tianzheng's perspective, something invisible descended around him.
There was a dull thump.
He blinked in confusion.
Then he saw it.
A transparent wall surrounded him on all sides.
He reached out and touched it. The surface was smooth, cold, and utterly solid.
The lobster-man circled the barrier, unable to reach him. It slammed its head against the invisible wall, producing deafening vibrations that made Ma Tianzheng clutch his ears in pain.
Yet the barrier held firm.
Unable to break through, the lobster-man finally rose into the sky and vanished into the clouds.
Only then did Ma Tianzheng dare breathe again.
Understanding dawned upon him.
This was a divine artifact.
The immortals had saved him.
But which immortal?
He had seen the Dragon King. He had seen Nezha. He had seen the Victorious Fighting Buddha, Sun Wukong. He had seen another unknown celestial figure.
Had they intervened together to preserve his life?
He touched the barrier again.
It was real.
But it was also a prison.
He could not escape.
Despair crept in once more. Trapped inside this divine artifact, deep within a remote valley, he had no way of summoning help.
Then he saw her.
A young maiden descended from the sky.
She did not fall. She floated.
Her movement was smooth and effortless, as if carried by an unseen current.
She approached the invisible barrier and gently landed before it.
Her clothing was simple yet immaculate. Her bearing was calm, dignified, and refined.
She raised her hand and lightly tapped the transparent wall.
The barrier responded immediately.
It rose upward, ascending into the heavens before vanishing entirely.
The maiden looked at him calmly.
"Dao Xuan Tianzun has saved your life," she said. "Yet you stand there in stunned silence. Why have you not offered thanks?"
Ma Tianzheng's mind raced.
Understanding came swiftly.
"The Saintess…?" he asked.
Gao Yiye nodded.
"Correct."
Under normal circumstances, Ma Tianzheng would have dismissed such a claim without hesitation. He would have branded her a fraud, a mere White Lotus cultist.
But nothing about today was normal.
He immediately dropped to his knees.
"Saintess," he said urgently, his voice trembling, "this humble Daoist begs for enlightenment. What has happened here? My Dao heart is in chaos."
Gao Yiye maintained her composed expression.
She had been instructed by Tianzun to maintain her dignity.
"It is understandable for ordinary mortals to remain ignorant," she said calmly. "But you are a Daoist priest. And yet you failed to recognize what you witnessed."
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"What Dao have you been cultivating all these years?"
Footnotes
Supreme Treasure Sun Wukong Figurine — This version references a beloved comedic interpretation of the Monkey King from modern pop culture. It highlights how mythological heroes in Chinese tradition continually evolve through storytelling.
Ultraman Monster References — In many East Asian cultures, children grow up mixing folklore with TV monster-of-the-week shows. The humor here comes from placing modern sci-fi creatures inside a classical world view.
"Immortals Fighting, Mortals Suffer" — A long-standing Chinese proverb reflecting the historical reality that noble or supernatural conflicts often resulted in hardship for common people.
Three-Foot Sword in Daoist Tradition — Daoist priests historically carried ritual swords, often wooden or symbolic, believed to ward off evil. Travelers and wandering priests were common through late imperial China.
Invisible Protective Dome — The concept of a barrier or heavenly shield appears in many Chinese folk tales. It often symbolizes divine intervention protecting the righteous—or the panicking.
Saintess Role — Many rural folk traditions featured a "spirit medium" or "divine messenger," often a woman tasked with conveying the will of deities. This blends into the comedic reinterpretation of Gao Yiye's role here.