Chapter 221

Demon Ancestor bellowed, the Emperor fumbled…… All this happened in a short time.

Likewise, it was just a blink…… and the atmosphere changed.

Even across time and space, both sides maintained an astonishing consistency.

In the image, Rahu and Shao Yang exchanged a silent gaze.

Outside the image, a group of mighty adepts furtively glanced at the Emperor who looked like an honest man, and no one spoke.

The atmosphere was awkward, and within the awkwardness an undercurrent surged.

Only in that dust‑sealed image‑time did the Shao Yang Emperor calmly pick up the fallen wine cup and casually say something, which seemed to dispel the awkward atmosphere and smooth the surging undercurrent.

"Sorry, my hand shook……" the Emperor seemed to be self‑mocking, seemed to be sighing, defending his earlier accidental behavior: "Lately work has been a bit busy…… the primordial deities built the greatest institution governing Honghuang; I toil day and night, pouring my heart and blood, exhausting my intellect, never closing my eyes. A day has twelve shichen, I warp time to work twelve hundred shichen…… Such busy work is about to crush my body and nerves; I fear the day I enter the intensive care ward is not far off."

"Just now I was startled again by the fellow Daoist's shocking remark…… sigh, so a small problem arose."

Shao Yang's Emperor put on a smile again…… but that smile always felt somewhat forced and false.

— Perhaps it's Rahu's words that left others with a preconceived impression.

"Heh." The Demon Ancestor gave a light laugh, as if everything were understood without words.

"Fellow Daoist, when did you develop this nasty habit of loving to scare people?" the Emperor shook his head, "I can't stand it!"

"Although I'm pleased that you judge me a transcendent hero…… there's no need to first disparage a host of divine powers and then slap this bizarre deed on me for good measure!"

The Emperor sighed, "What's this about framing leaders? Inheriting legacies? White‑washing one's way ashore?"

"That's not how it is!"

"That's all your doing, fellow Daoist; back then I was merely a pawn in your hand."

Shao Yang sighed and related a past event.

"Think back then, when a great calamity of ferocious beasts struck, Honghuang heaven and earth were in dire peril; even a solitary primordial deity could meet misfortune."

In the age of calamity, banding together was the correct choice…… and thus the earliest, largest group, led by Dragon Ancestor and the Primordial Phoenix, rose to prominence in this period and actually secured leadership of the primordial deity faction in the process of suppressing the beast calamity.

"What a pity."

"This deity, once vested with power, easily turns corrupt……"

"Once they have tasted the sweetness of rule, some things spiral out of control."

The courts built by Dragon Ancestor and the temples built by the Primordial Phoenix both aspired to unify Honghuang…… and they put it into practice.

Relying on the largest number of primordial deities joining, and on the dedication of many cultivators, they succeeded in advancing their cultivation realms ahead of the age and grasped the ultimate strategic power.

Then the court and the temple weighed each other, realizing that in the short term they could not overcome one another; a head‑on clash would only result in mutual loss, easily letting others reap the benefit…… so the Wise Men, in tacit agreement, called a halt and turned their attention to the loners and small forces.

The two super‑hegemons together divided Honghuang…… not merely occupying and exploiting, but devouring it completely, digesting it utterly clean.

In the division of territories, all primordial deities were forcibly summoned; whether they agreed or not was not up to them—they had to serve the organization; every tribe's outstanding talents had to pay tribute, undergo organizational training, and be ideologically assimilated.

"What if they don't join? Hide in secret?"

The Emperor gave a soft sigh, 'Even without speaking of the Great Luo heavenly patrol scanning Honghuang, this strategic power is irresistible; even if someone truly got lucky and obtained a spiritual treasure formed from the primordial spiritual light of a fallen demon god from the Chaos era…'

"When one proves the Dao to reach Great Luo, they are surely struck down by the obstruction of the Dao!"

"That was an era with only the two supers, no stronger powers."

Moreover, within the two supers there were various strict assessments; each cycle's quota for proving the Dao to reach Great Luo was fixed, and only after evaluating whether one was sufficiently loyal to the organization could a breakthrough promotion be allowed.

After promotion, the newly minted Great Luo still has to be observed and scrutinized by the old‑timers, to see whether, once their wings harden, they will just float away, forgetting to respect their seniors.

"Those who harbor such thoughts…… in the end they all died."

Shao Yang shook his head, 'The Dragon and Phoenix factions often go to war…… but in fact, those who hold great power among the divinities know that defeating the opponent is a pretense; purging the interior is the real aim.'

Everyone tacitly agrees to purge the troublemakers within their own forces, giving no chance to any later‑comer with ulterior motives to climb on their shoulders.

Living Great Luo who harbor different ambitions…… can only be 'painfully' and 'tearfully' turned into obedient primordial spiritual treasures.

Afterward, while calculating the gains in the little coffers, they also casually issue a vengeance declaration, vowing to treat the opposite side however, to avenge the irreconcilable hatred for fallen comrades…… sigh!

One mighty figure who personally lived through the true Dragon‑Phoenix era leisurely recounts the past, wandering in memory.

Those early pioneers of the first wave of mighty adepts were each no ordinary beings.

They took a single step ahead…… and after that there was really nothing left for later comers.

Do you suppose you could wait for them to suffer mutual loss, then pick up their corpses to rise?

No need to even think about it!

Everything has been arranged for you!

Anyone not walking their path, aside from each other, gets played to death!

In that era, all Great Luo belonged to only three factions—Dragon, Phoenix, and primordial spiritual treasures.

Any independent option outside them?

Almost nonexistent.

One must always pick a side and declare one's stance.

Although Dragon and Phoenix are hostile, their attitude toward dealing with latercomers is completely uniform.

This is the layout of the top‑level players.

"This is a great game……" Shao Yang suddenly drew a deep breath, "but……"

Some players have pushed real‑world utilitarianism to the extreme, yet they neglect the human heart and neglect ideals.

They perhaps never realized…… that some heavenly wills are not merely selfish ambition‑driven troublemakers, but true idealists who have betrayed their own stance.

I am one of them.

"'Everyone like a dragon……' I actually once wanted to shout 'Everyone like a god.'"

And Demon Ancestor…… you truly deserve the title, for you have seen through the human heart.

He looked at Rahu, 'Back then, to control your own fate you took reckless risks and devastated Honghuang; in order to shatter the two greatest stumbling blocks, you exploited too many idealists, played with people's hearts, causing too many to sacrifice and strive to break that shackle—in fact, you were adding fuel to the fire of Honghuang's destruction.'

"I, back then, followed your way." Shao Yang rubbed his brow, "Only then did many things fall into step with you…… Dragon Ancestor died that miserably and completely, and I too had a small part in that."

The Ancestral Dragon and his confidants have always kept my name in their little notebook…… I was also in the know.

But…… Heaven and Earth's conscience!

I really didn't mean to…… I was just tricked onto the pirate ship.

And at that time I was also demon-possessed in mind, wondering if overturning the great mountain pressing on all beings' heads would make Honghuang's atmosphere more free?

In the end, facts proved it wouldn't work…… The key is, though the Dragon and Phoenix are domineering, they still give you a meal, but you, Demonic Ancestor, want to smash even Honghuang's pot.

So I accepted the defection…… This isn't some whitewashing.

Lesser Yang Emperor sighed, 'Luo Hou Demonic Ancestor, I really don't have the exaggeration you imagined.'

What schemes against the Dragon Ancestor, borrowing his pot for my meal, secretly killing him after, then inheriting most of the Dragon clan's wealth from that big boss; and after getting close with you to grow stronger, I again defected on the battlefield, joining the Nether River to send you on your way, leaving you no escape, and afterward I could still whitewash and have a peaceful ending……

Whoever becomes my superior and ally ends up kicking the bucket, forced out mid-game……

How could I have such ability?

Although I always almost got the most benefits, eventually becoming one of the top experts of this heaven and earth…… but in reality, it's all just luck and coincidence!

You…… guessed wrong!

Lesser Yang spoke solemnly, his expression truly genuine; seeing his face, one seemed to fully understand his heart, so red, so sincere.

He is an idealist, but certainly not an ambitious schemer!

Luo Hou looked at him, his brows furrowed, for a moment doubting himself.

——Was it really that he guessed wrong?

……

That's right, it's just that he guessed wrong.

On another side, Lesser Yang Emperor was speaking to many people.

Just think a little, everyone, and you'll understand.

If it's true, with solid evidence, why didn't Luo Hou Demonic Ancestor mention it earlier, but only bring it up when Nüwa fellow cultivator was beating him near death?

Lesser Yang said, 'It's just because he's spouting nonsense, pure fabrication; he stayed silent before…… but only when he was about to be beaten to death did it burst out…… He's hoping to drag a scapegoat along!'

Let everyone hold a bad impression of me; then, if any problem arises later, they'll naturally become the primary target of focused fire, with no place to die…… If everyone really does this, they'll follow his wishes and send him burial offerings.

Really?

Nüwa set down the cauldron, eyeing the image suspiciously.

Many great cultivators are like that, eyes unblinking.

Of course it's true! Truly couldn't be truer! Lesser Yang upheld his innocence, certain he was absolutely not that bad.

Scheming deep plots, left-right hopping, eating the upper and lower houses, finally fattening himself…… none of that exists!

At most, he's just a clever idealist!

Those windfall riches and various inheritances are merely the silent favor of Pangu the Great God, a sacred reward for him who has ideals and aspirations, speaking out for humanity and all beings.

Lesser Yang Emperor's face was very sincere, his expression very calm.

Across time and space, inside and outside the image, he is thus…… conscience clear.

Did I really guess wrong?

The Demonic Ancestor in the flow of history pondered, carefully glanced at Lesser Yang a few times, and followed the logic to infer the past…… In the end he found the reasoning still holds.

This is a little awkward.

But the Demonic Ancestor!

At least he's a famous big boss figure.

Admitting fault easily is impossible!

If wrong, one must persist, first finding a decent excuse for oneself.

Hmph!

Demonic Ancestor snorted coldly, 'All matters are already settled; who knows what you were thinking back then?'

But mindset can change, while the benefits in hand cannot.

You took the Dragon Ancestor's estate, fattened yourself, which is an undeniable fact…… and you didn't return it intact.

To realize ideals, empty talk won't do; you need strength.' Lesser Yang merely said, 'The distribution of wealth in Honghuang is just that small; what can I do? I'm also helpless.'

I first borrowed some assets from the Dragon Ancestor to operate, to achieve my ideal.

Borrowed and not returned?' Demonic Ancestor sneered, 'In that case, you're nothing special!'

Petty conduct, petty conduct!

Demonic Ancestor was very disappointed and also disdainful, 'I considered you my equal, but that was a big mistake…… You talk big about ideals, empty about aspirations, yet in practice there's little, relying on luck to get started……'

Mediocre talent!

Get lost!

I don't want to see you again.

Luo Hou flicked his sleeve; wine pots and plums were pushed far away, as if sitting and discussing the Dao with Lesser Yang were an insult to him.

Lesser Yang stared blankly, sighed, said nothing more, tidied up the bowls, dishes, and wine pot, put them back in the basket, then stood up and walked away step by step.

As he went away, in another time-space, the image also faded.

This segment of history where two great cultivators intersected…… ends.

Just so……

Nüwa felt somewhat disappointed, somewhat unenthused, and said, 'I thought I could see a great villain's self-exposure.'

Just this?

Heh!

Boring!

She picked up the cauldron again, and there was another flurry of chickens flying and dogs jumping.

But she didn't care, yet someone did.

Like Hongjun.

He seemed to have penetrated some surface, breaking through the first layer and seeing the second layer.

……

In fact, the truth of some matters is not limited to two layers.

The Ancient God Great Sage, they had learned a segment of visual history, satisfying their curiosity.

But they did not know that it was actually not over.

In that span of time, not long after the Shaoyang Emperor left,

A blurry figure walked in.

He looked at Rahu and clapped.

"Good."

"You performed very well."

He commented thus.

Previously still arrogant, after a few drinks Rahu didn't even know who he was, but instantly he became calm and rational, saying, "Fellow Daoist, you overpraise me."

"No overpraise; your talent in this is indeed quite good." The nameless comer chuckled lightly, "Shaoyang merely opened the beginning, letting you perform, and you can do it so naturally and smoothly, reasonable and fitting."

"It seems, regarding your release from prison, I can begin to arrange it."

Rahu was overjoyed, "Thank you... thank you!"

"No need to thank me," that person said, "this is what you deserve."

"You chose a side, and you chose the right side, spoke the right words, understood our game's rules, and thus naturally you receive this treatment."

"In the future, you may have a completely new beginning in the starry sky."

(End of chapter)