Chapter 142: Yellow Emperor Suddenly Appears, Hidden Hazards Investigated

Individuals and collectives have inconsistent interests and demands, and individuals also possess the power to sway the collective?

That problem is very serious.

This led to the expansion and escalation of chaos in the Undead Era, ultimately racing down the path to losing control.

Too many powerhouses stared eagerly, hoping for the world to fall into great chaos.

This is heavenly will!

This is the great trend!

Heavenly will is thus, the great trend is thus; this era cannot avoid a passionate showdown.

Moreover……

"There are also some grudges and entanglements left over from the Dragon-Phoenix Great Calamity."

Báizé shook his head repeatedly.

"The previous era was said to have had all karma severed by the Great Calamity… but, is that really possible?"

"Great Luo Undying will only cause me to lose."

"Some returnees and losers, while outwardly claiming the matter is settled, cannot use how terribly they lost in the previous era as an excuse to carry out vengeful killings."

"But what about in reality?"

"I find you displeasing—is it really that hard to find such an excuse?"

"This era… is too chaotic!"

The Yao Marshal sighed.

His gaze was somewhat hazy; in a daze he saw through the river of time, beholding various possibilities of the future, one fragment after another of future scenes.

——There was a terrifying, holy, mournful wail; a headbutt shattered Mount Buzhou, causing heaven and earth to collapse, letting myriad ancient stars fall!

——There was a peak sovereign's long sigh; blood light stained his ancient zither red, each string snapping, the mournful echo resonating through the boundless world, seeing off the sovereign!

——There was a vast, boundless Dharma Form capable of filling the Honghuang cosmos, standing in the void; its true visage could not be seen, only a simple-shaped axe in its hand, its blade covered in blotchy bloodstains, each speck of blood bearing endless sorrow and resentment!

……

Báizé the Yao Marshal gazed silently, seeking to pierce the mist veiling the ages…… each manifestation of these images was a momentary contest with the domineering heavenly will that occupies past and future, from which the information was obtained.

Of course, among this information there is truth and falsehood…… perhaps the Yao Marshal's scrying left the targeted heavenly will unable to cope, forcing it to reveal truth; or perhaps the opponent, at leisure, released false information, smoke screens.

But in this process, the price he paid was truly real…… his eye sockets burst, drops of blood tears streamed down, staining his garments red.

"Ruthless figures… there are truly too many."

"Warfare is also excessively tragic…… I saw the graves of many old friends, my heart not feeling much sorrow."

Báizé spoke softly, his voice filled with much sorrow and regret.

"You're gazing at the future? I reckon it's not of much use." Xihuang chuckled lightly, "What about great success? What about utter defeat? For practical implementation, does it make a difference?"

"Regardless of success or failure, regardless of life or death in the end…… one ought to strive just the same."

"As a potential victor, if you don't strive, you'll invert cause and effect and still not overcome the opponent…… in the end the result remains the same, the cause remains the same, but the process becomes a hundred million times more convoluted."

"As for the loser, the fallen? Struggling fiercely still offers hope to win and turn the tables. If you don't fight? Death is certain."

Xihuang was very composed.

"So, I cultivate the Way of Change, far surpassing ordinary peers of the same Great Luo realm in observing heavenly secrets and perceiving the future…… yet I rarely place all my hopes upon it, expecting it to smooth over every difficulty and obstacle."

"The good swimmer drowns in water."

Xihuang possesses an air of great ease, not bound by external things.

"This, however, is my fault." The Yao Marshal Báizé gave a self‑reproachful smile, his thoughts turning, and began to withdraw his divine powers.

However, just as he turned his viewpoint overlooking the myriad ages, he inadvertently saw something.

——There was a vague‑shaped emperor, wearing regal robes, a long sword hanging at his waist, walking the boundary between light and darkness, existence and non‑existence, treading the road of reverse‑flowing ages.

No sound.

Silence.

This emperor was very quiet.

But beneath that calm, inexplicably Báizé felt a terrifying aura accumulating and brewing—an ambition to overturn heaven and earth, the sharpness to point his sword at three thousand Great Luo and demand an answer, a power gathering to rival the Dharma Form that had seemed able to uphold Honghuang, which he had glimpsed moments before.

Such a sight made the Yao Marshal Báizé's hairs stand on end.

The next moment, something that made his flesh creep occurred.

Báizé saw the emperor, and the emperor naturally also saw Báizé.

Faintly, he seemed to let out a light chuckle, casually grasping the long sword at his waist.

"Clang!"

The ringing tremble sounded, and that long sword was clearly seen by the Yao Marshal Báizé.

But this Yao Marshal, at this moment, wishes he had never seen it…… because reality is too cruel, he does not want to accept it.

The sword's blade bore inscriptions on both sides—one side engraved with sun, moon, and stars; the other with mountains, rivers, and flora.

The hilt was similar.

One side recorded arts for development and growth; the other recorded strategies for unifying Honghuang.

This sword……

Not waiting for the Yao Marshal Báizé to think further……

A wondrous, mysterious sword light flashed and slashed toward Báizé.

Through the sword light, Báizé saw the birth and death of the Myriad Heavens, saw the flourishing of the human realm…… as if in a hurried glance.

Finally, he saw a ray of spiritual light.

"Oh… this spiritual light seems somewhat familiar?" The Yao Marshal's sluggish thoughts turned, this being the will contained within the sword light pressing his mind to the brink of collapse, "Hmm, could it be my innate undying spiritual light?"

"No…… wait!"

"Xihuang, save me!"

Báizé seemed like a drowning person on the brink of death; at the last moment a final burst of vigor, Báizé gazed pleadingly toward the throne where Fuxi sat.

And Fuxi had already noticed the anomaly earlier.

After all.

Just a moment ago, the friend they were chatting with had an eyeball burst into a blood mist, the body beginning to rapidly crack… This certainly doesn't look normal, right?

Thus, Xihuang acted immediately.

His expression was extremely solemn, as if facing a great foe; as his robes swept, an illusory innate yin-yang bagua diagram appeared behind him, rapidly expanding and dominating this space-time.

The trigrams turned—Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, Dui… the eight trigrams' shifting combinations unfolded, interpreting all phenomena of Honghuang.

It encompassed time, space, information, matter… all things, expounding the notion that omniscience is omnipotence, wielding supreme authority.

When this authority was wielded by Xihuang, through the ill-fated Báizé who knew too much, it met the sword light—

All fell silent.

All lost color.

The greatest sound is silent!

The greatest form is formless!

In that instant's clash, it burst forth able to create endless space‑time worlds, yet in the next moment it was utterly destroyed, returning to absolute nothing!

That is a nothingness in which even concepts do not exist!

Two powerful beings stood opposed, separated by this 'nothing'.

The emperor's form was blurred by fragments of time, his expression unseen.

Xihuang's expression, however, was solemn and grave.

This is an unmatched foe not beneath him!

"Enough…"

After a prolonged standoff, the emperor let out a long sigh.

He seemed to be giving Xihuang face, not continuing to attack Báizé; instead, he sheathed his long sword and stepped back onto his own path.

Step by step, he walked toward an even more ancient era.

Xihuang watched impassively as that person departed, without a sound.

Only when the figure vanished completely did he slowly extend his palm, silent and still.

Báizé, having healed his own wounds, curiously glanced and saw a crystal‑clear sword mark on his jade‑like palm, blood slowly seeping out.

Báizé's pupils contracted.

"Hahaha…" Xihuang suddenly burst into laughter.

"That person?"

"Interesting…"

"Too interesting!"

Xihuang's eyes turned sharp and blazing, the delight of spotting prey, of seeing an opponent.

Báizé felt no delight, touching his recently shattered eye with lingering fear: "It can even wound you? This is a serious problem!"

"We ought to gather personnel and discuss countermeasures—Huangdi has suddenly moved, an era when he shouldn't interfere, yet he is making a great commotion…"

"No, no, no… there's no need to do that." Xihuang waved his hand, the excitement in his eyes obvious: "Precisely because it's unexpected, it's interesting, isn't it?"

"When something unexpected happens, there's always some interesting reason behind it."

"What could cause him to personally take the field?"

"Let's leave it for now and see what changes it brings… perhaps it will introduce a new variable."

"This is playing with fire!" Báizé curled his lips, "If Huangdi's actions are aimed at my demon race, the trouble would be great… we must respond swiftly and investigate thoroughly!"

"Hmm… yes." Xihuang mused, slightly changing his mind.

"However, this may shift the focus of our upcoming work."

"Shifting from the original containment of the Wu Clan… I personally do not approve."

"What if this is the Wu Clan masquerading as Huangdi, merely to divert attention?"

"There are too many possibilities."

Xihuang shook his head.

"It probably isn't that." Báizé let out a long breath, "Not to mention how hard it would be to find someone capable of wounding you… and besides."

"Could the Wu Clan possibly know exactly my sudden point of entry into observing the future?"

"So there's no need to think about it!"

"It must be Huangdi himself!"

Báizé's eyes flashed with insight: "We really need to investigate next… who are the figures suspected of involvement with Huangdi?"

"Better to kill by mistake than to let any slip through!"

"Compared to a trivial sports meet, the worth of a human emperor far outweighs it!"

"If possible, we could trade the attention of a relaxed sports meet for crucial clues… that would be well worth it!"

Báizé, the Yao Marshal, loyal and devoted to the clan, for the demon race's cause, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to scheming.

This seems intended to prove that the Báizé Atlas of Strange Beings and such, colluding with Huangdi, are truly rumors spread by the opposing side!

"Hmm… figures suspected of involvement with Huangdi?" Fuxi the Great Sage raised his brow, "I actually have some guesses."

"In fact, for such a being to be born and grow to this extent, its origins cannot be simple; it is likely already a top‑tier power in this era."

"Or else it is a power standing apart from the upper echelons of the Wu‑Demon camps; otherwise, there'd be no reason to betray the camp amid uncertainty to test whether one could aid Huangdi—on such a path one would inevitably face opposition and obstruction."

"Take Houtu, for example—just looking at that title is displeasing." Xihuang said, laughing inexplicably, "So, if we want to investigate, look at the coming time: which top‑tier powers are active, unwilling to remain obscure, have made big moves, yet refuse to join our camp to be exploited, wanting to go it alone… most likely they're problematic."

Well, that makes sense.

Báizé nodded repeatedly, showing strong agreement.

Huangdi's sword strike that nearly split him in two caused him tremendous psychological trauma.

"Ive been thinking, I have no grudge against you, Huangdi… All I did was see you, right? Is that worth such a big reaction?"

"You wanted my life as soon as you showed up… It doesn't feel like a simple silencing of a witness; it feels like there's some personal vengeance mixed in."

"If that's the case… Are you really someone I know? Or did I screw you over?"

"Hiss… When I was young, I seem to have screwed over quite a few divinities, huh?"

"Slapping black bricks, beating with clubs, writing histories to extort, writing complaint letters… Uh, I've offended too many people; I can't really tell who it is."

Báizé thought, feeling somewhat withdrawn and depressed for a moment.

……

"Ive done exactly as you said."

In a hidden spacetime, the supreme expert who drew his sword to slash Báizé and wound Fuxi—'Huangdi'—stopped, planted his feet, and spoke.

At this moment, having dispelled the mysterious temporal fragments surrounding him, he was a very valiant man, with the aura of overlooking the world and strategizing unmatched through ages settled in his heart.

"Thank you for your hard work."

In this spacetime, a responding voice sounded, giving thanks.

"You forced out your heart's blood, burned your origin, and cut that sword—did it injure your vital energy?"

"No problem." The valiant man said lightly, "Just a minor wound… Being able to shift the attention of the Wu Clan and Demon Race's high-ups is totally worth it."

"Hah."

"I suppose the testimony of witness Báizé, combined with the ensuing grand drama, will leave that foolish couple… Houtu, quite confused?"

"You still think the human race's fortune has become a spirit? Hey!"

"Then let her guess to her heart's content… Let her guess slowly; we have plenty of time."

"If we don't make her dazed and disoriented, then even if we lose!"

The man seemed to be mocking.

But the person in the shadows didn't laugh; instead, they felt a bit sorrowful.

"This way, it's a pity for you… when there is a calamity."

"Sacrificing a pawn to save the chariot, sacrificing the chariot to save the general… sacrificing pieces to the end, what's there not to do if it gains a chance at victory?" The man chuckled lightly, hand on his waist sword.

At some point, the patterns and inscriptions on the sword had all vanished.

"Xuanyuan Sword?"

"It doesn't exist."

"Huangdi?"

"It also doesn't exist."

"Just a grand show."

"Except for Báizé, who was truly wounded by bloodletting—this isn't an act."

"Next time we meet, it'll be when I go along with the flow to send you on your way." The person in the shadows sighed long, voice sorrowful.

"After seeing me off, remember to help me pick a nice feng shui burial spot…" The man was carefree, "Forget it, I guess it won't be needed."

"My corpse will probably leave no remains."

"That sword, when the time comes, treat it as a relic, put some thought into it, and give it to that little guy."

"Hopefully, in the end…"

"We can win."

The valiant man turned leisurely, stepped with a light gait, and left in a carefree manner.

The person in the shadows watched, and in the end only let out a sigh.

"You won't be disappointed… Lesser Yang…"

……

"The Grand Lord of Numinous Treasure is about to give a lecture again!"

"It happens only once every few thousand years, and only lasts a year—don't miss it!"

In Kunlun Mountain, it became noisy again.

Creature after creature summoned friends and companions, making the vicinity of the Three Pure Ones Heavenly Venerable's dojo extremely bustling.

Pretty much everyone who could come did.

Compared to the Morality and Primordial Heavenly Venerables, the Numinous Treasure Heavenly Venerable seemed more popular.

This might be related to its quite approachable conduct.

His two elder brothers' lectures were small-group teachings, not for direct disciples or elite students, so one couldn't get close enough to behold the Heavenly Venerable's face.

But the Numinous Treasure Heavenly Venerable's place is different.

It's practically an open-air concert!

Can the two sides be compared?

No!

So the Numinous Treasure Heavenly Venerable has the most disciples and descendants.

Each time he gives a lecture, attendees come like clouds and rain; the Heavenly Venerable refuses none, being extremely generous.

Naturally, as a trade‑off, this lineage has plenty of bad apples—there really are those who go out to do evil under the banner of "Heavenly Venerable's Dao‑listening students," unafraid of death.

Quality varies.

This is unavoidable.

It's not that the Numinous Treasure Heavenly Venerable taught the students to become bad.

Rather, bad people have infiltrated the Numinous Treasure Heavenly Venerable's Dao lineage.

Teaching without distinction……in the end, one must bear the risk.

"What about risks……does it concern us?" Fengxi smiled, his eyes narrowing, "I only care about foot traffic!"

"With more participants, our sports meet would be better organized, right?"

"Never mind the mixed quality; is this something we should worry about?"

"Some talents are arrogant and domineering, their actual character is scum……if they join the sports meet, would they mock other ethnic groups? What's that? As long as we don't offend the host, that's fine!"

Fengxi is very pragmatic.

"Our purpose was never simple; we've been secretly figuring out how to sow discord……now someone is doing it for us, I'm delighted and can't keep up, why should we pay attention?"

"But I'm still worried." The painter shook his head, "If an accident occurs, and the blame is thrown onto us, what then?"

"The Demon Race is still watching us in secret……"

"They create some panic incidents, affect some ethnic groups, make this place the best stage for vengeful slaughter and revenge, holding a Heavenly Demon Divine Thunder they play at self-destruction……what should we do?"

"Moreover, as I know, the Demon Race's high-level secretly hides something very important……don't forget that the source of the vast majority of living beings in this world……" The painter hinted, "Who is it?"

"Nüwa! I know that." Fengxi answered straightforwardly.

"That Nüwa's manual for creating all things and beings……you think, in the eyes of the Demon Race's high-level, do the ethnic groups here have any secrets?"

"Strengths and weaknesses, laid bare……if we were to do something……"

The painter stopped.

Fengxi, however, broke out in a cold sweat from fright.

"Security checks must be done thoroughly!"

"Screen for carrying extraordinary lethal weapons and talismans……"

"By then, I will unfold the Nine Nether Map and use it as the competition venue……"

Saying this, Fengxi hesitated a bit.

The Nine Nether Map isn't really suitable to be taken down in front of a large crowd, right?

After all, that vivid Houtu tattoo is right on the forehead.

If seen by others in a large crowd, they might mistake Fengxi for a flatterer sucking up to superiors……what then?

Wouldn't his reputation be completely ruined?

Faced with the situation of rampant rumors, Fengxi had to consider it.

"Sigh……I'm having a tough time."

Fengxi sighed.

(End of chapter)