Chapter 222: The Great Grind of Extinction, Longing to Tears

Of course, the good positions in the starry sky are almost all taken; the treatment I can finally arrange for you may be much worse than your current empty reputation as Demon Ancestor.

The suspected behind‑the‑scenes black hand, who obviously exudes a villainous aura, said, "You don't mind, do you?"

"No no no… how could that be?" the Demon Ancestor waved his hands repeatedly, "Being able to get out of here and attain great freedom would already satisfy me."

"You're quite sensible." That person was very pleased with Luo Hou's attitude, "It seems these years of prison reflection have let you improve a lot; you're no longer the hotheaded youth of before."

"Thinking that the organization's decision to make you take the blame and be a white glove is something that makes you feel wronged, when your head gets hot and a little thought moves, you either simply refuse to cooperate, doing work without effort, or you fake it and make it real… yet you don't realize that being able to take the blame for a leader, showing the quality of being diligent and uncomplaining, is a rare opportunity."

"It will make everyone think that Daoist Luo Hou is a very good helper and comrade. In that case, although you'll have to carry a lot of the pot, the benefits are also not few… how could it come to this point, where everyone joins forces, first beating you into a cripple, then putting a black pot on your back?"

That person sighed with feeling.

Luo Hou, the Demon Ancestor, also followed, showing an expression of regret too late.

Back then, he was just too immature.

Opposing the big leaders led to his situation today.

Thinking this, he recalled the just‑finished exhilarating process of denouncing Fang Chou and disparaging the myriad gods; his heart gave a jolt, he felt somewhat uneasy, and he murmured, "Earlier I cooperated with Shao Yang's act—he pretended to be foolish, I pretended to be mad, spouting nonsense, seemingly offending many fellow Daoists…"

"How? Are you afraid now?"

The behind‑the‑scenes black hand chuckled helplessly, "What if you've offended them? What is there to fear?"

"Even if it got worse, could it be any worse than your current situation?"

"Impossible!"

"Luo Hou, let me speak plainly to you!"

"From now on, if you want to get by in the Great Luo circle, there are things you must understand—picking a side is very important."

"Pick the wrong side, and even if you were once glorious, your ending will be miserable; pick the right side, and even if you suffer a temporary setback, you may later hope for a comeback."

"Your case is even more so."

The behind‑the‑scenes black hand earnestly instructed Luo Hou, "Only by picking the right side can you be released on bail… and since you have already chosen your side, don't now start hesitating."

"This is quite a loss of points… that is, I'm speaking to you because I see you as a newcomer and also as the heavyweight who carries the pot."

"From now on, don't make this mistake again."

He spoke with deep sincerity.

Luo Hou listened, a bitter smile appearing on his face, feeling he had boarded a pirate ship.

However, things having come to this, for him there was only one road to go dark.

Fortunately, worth comforting is that the path he chose is not just ordinarily wide; the thigh he clings to is also unprecedentedly huge.

Counting across the whole Honghuang world, no one can surpass him, and there are hardly any who could even stand shoulder‑to‑shoulder with him.

This is someone who, even if judged by the hero‑evaluation standards Luo Hou and Shao Yang just mentioned, would certainly be listed among them!

Upon thinking of this, the Demon Ancestor's eyes flashed, "Regarding my earlier act with Shao Yang, do you fellow Daoists not care?"

"Fellow Daoists, you are the supreme sage‑hero of past, present, and future… I don't know what your view on this would be."

He was very interested in this question.

"Views?"

The vague‑shadowed behind‑the‑scenes black hand snorted laughingly, with an inscrutable meaning.

"Asking the world, who is a hero?"

"Heh… a boring trick."

"First you and Shao Yang commented on the sacred… did you really think that would count?"

"Furthermore."

"In my view, the sacred praised by others is not a hero; self‑praised is also not a hero."

"A true hero should be the director who can record all this and decide whether to let others know of it—that is, the final victor!"

"Only the victor has the qualification to prove himself a hero with facts, to arrange the age, write history… merit and fault, decided in a single thought."

Luo Hou listened, slightly stunned.

Then he gave a bitter smile, "Arranging the age, writing history… in the endless ages making one ancient, turning and playing in the palm—this is Pangu!"

Pan…gu!

"Indeed, whoever can be Pangu is a hero… they proved the correctness of their path, surpassing others."

"But anyway, it has nothing to do with me, a prisoner."

The Demon Ancestor sighed.

"Don't lose heart; someday you'll break free of your shackles and also have hope to accomplish something." said the behind‑the‑scenes black‑hand figure.

"Really?" Luo Hou felt a bit of anticipation.

"Then… may I ask when and under what circumstances I will be released from prison?"

"I'd also like to make some preparations."

"Preparations? I think you don't need to bother." The behind‑the‑scenes black hand shook his head, "That's just a formality I arranged; the Heavenly Court is recruiting personnel for administrative duties, and during that period they'll just slip you in… anyway, with so many connection‑holders, adding one more makes no difference, removing one makes no difference."

"Of course, it's fine if you want to know."

"I have issued a decree: those who inherit the Dao and commit calamity, who do not sever the three corpses, when a divine‑being calamity is opened… this is the surface."

"Behind the scenes, it is to settle some historical leftovers, concerning the mess of the Lich Great Tribulation and Pangu's struggle, with various mountain strongholds rising up… it's time to cut the vassals."

As the behind‑the‑scenes black hand spoke, a burst of iron‑blood killing intent erupted.

The Demon Ancestor hearing this, felt slightly surprised, "Wait… is the result of the Lich calamity already decided?"

"No." The black hand shook his head, "But does it hinder me doing this?"

"Whether the Demon Race wins or the Human Race wins, the procedure is the same."

"If the Demon Race wins, it will surely be to purify internal order, further erasing the barriers between clans… from then on there will be only one Demon Race."

"Inside this, it will definitely be to crush some stubborn mountain‑top factions, to trample those obstinate fellows who think their clan is superb into dust, thereby boosting the Demon Race's cohesion, releasing its productivity, and gaining more fortune."

Human victory likewise requires dealing with the problems that arise during the rise... All of this is what Nüwa has stirred up.

She, to accelerate the growth and strengthening of human power and to resist the Demon Race's overwhelming military force, yet used humanity's future profit-sharing to attract the investment of the Great Luo Heavenly Will.

This offers hope for humanity to overcome the early difficulties and even to lay claim to the position of the protagonists of heaven and earth, but in the end it cannot escape the predicament of being too big to fail.

The allied Great Luo Heavenly Will will possess totem faith within humanity.

By the end of development, it would not be surprising to see eight hundred feudal lords emerge.

But since it is a problem, it must be solved.

Let there be a great war to crush and shatter all totem feudal lords, to clarify internal disputes, and to walk the path of unification; this is necessary.

The behind-the-scenes black hand said coldly.

Mozu listened, his heart stirred and his spirit shaken.

He vaguely guessed at more.

Unification, unification... In the end, won't we still have to determine who is the orthodox one to perform sacrifices?

The Five Directions Heavenly Emperors... Haotian, the Supreme Heavenly Emperor...

Luóhóu thought of many terrifying things.

However, as someone who has suffered enough societal beatings, he has now become well-versed.

Don't always be eager to show off your cleverness and talent... That makes it easy to stumble one day.

This way, I'm afraid there will be many Great Luo dissatisfied?

Mozu inquired.

"What if they're dissatisfied? Have I become unable to lift my axe?" the behind-the-scenes black hand sneered.

Perhaps knowing he was too overbearing, he added some content: "Besides, I won't go to extremes in what I do."

"It will change part of the game rules."

"They cannot occupy a mountain and become kings, becoming feudal lords that split the goal of great unification... but they can still start from ideas and concepts, participating in the game of qi fortune."

"Without the eight hundred feudal lords, replaced by the Hundred Schools of Thought... I think that's quite good."

"Let humanity advance bit by bit, winding from one battlefield to another... there is its opportunity and space for growth."

"Dao friend, you are truly far-sighted and meticulous, with lofty vision." Luóhóu Mozu sighed, "In that case, I have nothing more to doubt."

"I only beg Dao friend not to make a mistake... I've been taking the blame passively for so many years, though I have no merit, at least I have endured hardship."

"I know." The black hand said gently, "However, before the fruits of this victory descend, you may still have to endure a couple of trials."

"After all, you ended up spouting some big truths, so a calamity is inevitable."

"But after passing this tribulation, the future will be bright and splendid!"

Mozu, torn, closed his eyes and sighed, "I have understood... I can accept."

"When heaven bestows a great mission upon a person, it must first..."

……

"Boom!"

A great cauldron, its divine power shocking the world, capable of wearing away the Myriad Heavens and Ten Thousand Worlds, shattering ancient time and space.

Within the forbidden land, Nüwa's combat power shocks the ages; her ferocity is inconceivable.

Holding the cauldron, she wildly unleashed output toward Luóhóu.

Even if it's Mozu, what then?

Still cannot match!

The later it went, the heavier Luóhóu's wounds became... In the end, he was completely driven to the brink of death.

"Alas... I, Luóhóu, a hero all my life, ultimately cannot match a woman!"

"How tragic!"

"How tragic!"

Mozu let out a great lament, partly true, partly false, playing the act to the fullest.

The truth is, naturally, the reality is just like this, with nothing to say.

The falsehood is, naturally, recalling the past arrangement, a matter entrusted by a behind-the-scenes black hand... ultimately there will be a day when hardship turns to sweetness!

Even if temporarily suppressed and forged into an innate spiritual treasure, he who stood on the right side, who bore the blame for his superiors, will ultimately have a day of being rescued and restored!

Although that day may be relatively late.

When death approached, Mozu's lament had been uttered enough; at the dimming of his innate spiritual light, he stared at Nüwa with a very strange, very strange gaze, making her feel uncomfortable all over.

"What are you looking at?"

Nüwa sneered coldly.

"I am looking at your future... now you are proud and pleased, but the ultimate victor will certainly not be you!"

Mozu seemed to speak as if cursing.

"Is that so? I don't believe it." Nüwa lifted her head, "Besides, my future is hard to say, but yours has already been determined."

"Regarding your innate indestructible spiritual light, I have already decided on the form of the innate spiritual treasure to achieve it!"

Having said that, she thrust out her palm and delivered a strike of Absolute Kill.

In an instant, Mozu's demonic form was annihilated, leaving only a strand of spiritual light, carrying the self, carrying the Great Dao.

And the annihilation continued, spreading through endless time and space, sealing all of Mozu's will into infinite depths.

If there is no mishap, who knows how distant and lengthy a time must pass before a glimmer of hope can return.

And thus, until the last trace of will sank away, Mozu remained steadfast, "I..."

"I will definitely come back!"

A typical line from a great villain.

Come back? You must be dreaming!

Nüwa gave a cold laugh, "Who could help you! Who dares to help you!"

She turned to look at the many great powers present, carrying the mighty aura of having slain the demon ancestor, narrowed her eyes and examined them one by one, bringing great pressure, "I suppose you won't be accomplices to his crime of seeking to destroy Honghuang, will you?"

How could that be?

Absolutely impossible!

Impossible!

One great power after another spoke up, stating their positions, and some even swore an oath to heaven.

Friends, rest assured, we won't do such a foolish thing… a thoroughly dead Pot King is often far more reassuring to use than a living white glove.

Besides… who made him so foul-mouthed before?

With such great resentment toward us, his death is actually fine.

A great divine ability person chuckled lightly, "Just that he died so thoroughly makes the accumulated destructive source power problem of the Honghuang universe moving forward with time not easy to handle."

"Isn't there a friend of the Three Pure Ones?" Nüwa slightly raised her chin, gesturing not far away, "Lingbao Daoist friend, who cultivates conclusion, surely can help bear the burden."

"The burden can be borne, but it's not a perfect fit; it would rather hinder my cultivation…" Lingbao Heavenly Venerable hesitated somewhat.

Nüwa, however, was magnanimous, "In this world, few problems cannot be solved with money… hindering cultivation is the same!"

"Since I sealed and subdued Luóhóu, this cost should naturally be paid by me… give you enough compensation, how about that?"

Saying that, she also sent a voice transmission to the many great powers present, holding an urgent discussion.

No one knows what was finally agreed upon, but in short, everyone was satisfied.

Those with money spent it to buy heartfelt pleasure.

Those without money also received ample benefits.

Incidentally, it let the gods gain a deep awareness of Nüwa's vast wealth and generosity; she is truly the big boss behind the human race, capable of single-handedly stirring up a concept stock and driving it to influence the great Honghuang market.

Nüwa, however, lacked much self-awareness; she simply carried the demon ancestor's innate indestructible spiritual light and crafted the needed innate spiritual treasures.

"Each innate spiritual treasure has a bloody story behind it… tragic! Too tragic!"

Not far off, Fuxi the Great Sage feigned a sigh for a while, then craned his neck to watch Nüwa work, and eagerly inquired.

"What are you making?"

"Is it a pot? That would suit Fellow Daoist Luóhóu's day job quite well."

Hearing his voice, Nüwa shook her head repeatedly, "No no no… what would you do with a pot?"

"I have a cauldron; that's enough."

"I want a grindstone!"

"After many years of my experience, many things taste better when ground up…"

"For example, some flour, wrapped with meat, fried in the cauldron with fish oil… that deliciousness could make the neighbor's child drool."

(End of chapter)