Chapter 385

That's the most inhuman, shameless black den, specializing in trapping top-tier powerhouses.

Yuanhuang's eyes grew even more amused, and Yuanhuang glanced toward Fuxi.

At this moment, the ancient god great sage who was both Qingdi and Xihuang had just finished consulting Lingbao Tianzun on the "Thirty-Six Strategies for Raising Daughters," yet he immediately started hooking shoulders and backing up with the Kunpeng Demon Master, one hand gesturing nonstop like a twitch, sometimes holding up three shaking fingers, sometimes adding a fourth finger, as if engaging in the most shady money transaction.

But, the Kunpeng Demon Master's face was full of resolve.

His expression showed utter loyalty and unyielding integrity, as if he were the perfect exemplar of "wealth cannot corrupt," silently declaring his resolve never to betray anyone.

Of course.

His rolling, darting eyeballs also seemed to be saying——

Please increase the intensity!

The higher the price, the better; and if a little bonus could be thrown in, maybe a steady source of income……that would be ideal!

Fuxi's face broke into a smile.

"This sinister smile gives me goosebumps all over……" Yuanhuang glanced, quickly looked away, shrank her neck, arms crossed rubbing her arms, as if trying to calm the fright, "Which fellow Daoist is about to suffer? Did the August Emperor trap them to death?"

"Forget it, I'll just pretend I know nothing…… Anyway, in this era I don't need to fight or grab anything; being a mascot and earning a little money to support my clan is fine…… Otherwise getting splashed and ending up half-crippled would be awful."

"For the throne of Pangu, even the Taiyi Golden Immortals with ideas have gone mad…… At the height of it, each outdoes the last in breaking limits, being cruel to others and to themselves."

"Some wield the Slaughter Witch Sword, launching massacres against specific races, fully releasing and even expanding the evil inherent in living beings' nature, intensifying the infighting across Honghuang…… outwardly pushing the law of the jungle, iron-blooded and ruthless, even able to be harsh toward their own kin, they are the quintessential heroes of chaos."

"Some openly sacrifice themselves, rushing straight toward death as their goal, offering themselves to heaven, then waiting to drag a large number of fellow Daoists into death while covertly shielding the most important pawn's crossing…… treating their own lives as disposable, placing themselves in deadly peril to survive."

"Some have the divine engineering intelligence rebel, resolutely overturning the three thousand great mountains pressing down from above, holding the determination to break all shackles and bonds, even if it leads to leading an infinite calamity, pushing Honghuang to the brink of collapse and reboot——this risks their own formatting."

"Some have resolved to research how to breach the heavenly river's dikes, letting a great flood sweep heaven and earth, destroying countless treasures—never mind that—then profiting from the world's calamity, forcing the masses to pick a side: either die or become dragons, for which they may stake everything, even their own brains."

Yuanhuang reckoned in her mind and instantly felt this era, this heaven and earth, were too harsh!

It's not just the old yin running rampant.

Every one of them is still ruthless and decisive in killing.

Others' lives, their own lives—none of it matters at all.

She is merely a kind-hearted, peace-loving, unremarkable phoenix; even with a resurrection divine skill enabling nirvana rebirth…… yet this ability, formidable in single combat, cannot withstand entering that incessant splash‑damage attack range!

"In this era where Pangu's throne is vacant, everyone has gone mad killing to seize the empty seat!"

"Why bother?"

"What for?"

"Wouldn't it be nice if everyone sat together amicably and shared the fruit?"

"Let's sit down and discuss who will take the throne this era, who will be Pangu in the next…… how wonderful that would be."

Yuanhuang sighed inwardly, yet felt helpless.

"What a pity."

"Each regards face as extremely important, proud to the point of refusing to eat food given in pity…… if they want something, they must take it themselves."

"They absolutely refuse to line up."

"Directly trigger the most horrendous calamity…… this might be several times more brutal than the past Dragon‑Phoenix Calamity, accompanied by countless bloodshed and sacrifice."

"Unprecedented, and likely never to be repeated."

"Once the casualties are grave enough, even the fiercest fighters will be forced to read the conditions on their corpses, and everyone's minds should have calmed down by then, right?"

"Even if the Pangu contest were reopened, could it possibly be kept within a certain intensity?"

"Um…… perhaps then, through some profit‑sharing, I too might get to touch Pangu's throne and leave behind a legend of the divine phoenix opening heaven."

Yuanhuang harbored a slight yearning.

"Alas."

"Those are still far too distant."

"First let's survive this Great Calamity, then talk."

"Although we're already in the midst of it, we should just slack off, do our duty, cut losses when needed…… and secure a patch of sky for ourselves!"

Yuanhuang encouraged herself and set the "grand" ambition.

However.

Compared to her, Nüwa's life goal was set long ago, truly grand.

Moreover, she truly will not retreat, but will fight to the end.

There's no way around it.

Who made Nüwa, compared to all the aforementioned examples, be so ruthless?

It's not that she's harsh toward others.

It's that she's harsh toward herself!

Nüwa herself cut off her own retreat.

Others defy heaven and earth, but their defiance is aimed at peers of equal rank.

As for the Empress Nüwa, she would be overly domineering.

She directly defied a Pangu powerhouse, pursued the supremely strong who had fled ashore, although she couldn't fully apprehend them, she generated a great deal of merit, thus today she is wealthy, able to become the world‑recognized Sage of Merit, buying off this lackey, buying off that thug, her might unmatched.

Even that is far from all she has done.

At home she let loose harsh words——the head of the household rotates, it should be me as the elder sister!

This further intensified the conflict, driving herself completely into a dead end.

If not successful, then become benevolent!

Break the cauldrons and sink the boats—this very day!

……

The goddesses gathered, gossiping idly, practicing martial arts nonstop, occasionally mixing in bits of secret news; overall it was fairly relaxed.

Besides, the male Great Luo cultivators over there were about to get too lively.

All kinds of frictions and grudges gathered; the main forces who had been fighting with knives in each Great Calamity, upon meeting now, naturally carried a whiff of gunpowder.

On the surface, they had to give face to the host, so they wouldn't directly start fighting.

But in secret, divine senses clashed and mana competed… One or two was fine, dozens were still manageable, but hundreds or thousands made the Purple Cloud Palace a bit unstable, and thousands…

"Crack!"

Under the stunned gazes of all the Great Luo cultivators, a wall of the Purple Cloud Palace collapsed.

This time, Hongjun could no longer just watch the show with a calm demeanor; moreover, eager to try, he secretly intervened to fan the flames, fermenting grudges and hatred, intensifying the confrontation.

"Are you guys demolishing the house!?"

He grit his teeth silently.

"My luxurious office has been so ruined by you lot who don't do anything proper!?"

He was doubtful.

Could there be some scoundrel among them who secretly struck out, blowing up one of his walls, adding to his mental troubles?

"Cough cough!"

A violent cough, indicating that the Heavenly Dao's intelligence is now very angry and furious.

The audience below instantly fell silent; the Great Luo cultivators sitting in disorderly clusters spontaneously returned to their seats… just like a group of 'good' students who, when faced with a suddenly arriving homeroom teacher during evening study, show their well-behaved side.

But just looking at their twitching mouth corners and forced-smiles, one can see how hard they're struggling to hold back laughter.

"Hah!"

Hongjun let out a cold snort, his gaze icy and piercing as he surveyed the whole scene… alas, no one showed any sign of repentance, stepping forward to admit fault; it was his act of demolishing the wall as a protest.

"You guys are quite capable."

The Dao Ancestor blandly threw in a remark, then casually flicked his duster, letting the palace walls naturally repair themselves.

"That's right, that's right!"

Nüwa immediately rose from her seat, clasped her hands, with a humble expression, saying, "If we lack ability, how can we relieve fellow Daoists' worries?"

"How can we let the Holy Dao Ancestor govern with relaxed ease, while the great affairs of Honghuang naturally rely on our loyal, devoted efforts?"

The Empress Nüwa's words had just fallen.

Instantly, cheers and supportive voices rose and fell throughout the Purple Cloud Palace.

"Lady Nüwa is right!"

"What Empress Nüwa said is indeed correct!"

"If the Dao Ancestor governs with relaxed ease, Honghuang can be well governed!"

At this moment, even hostile parties like the Heavenly Court Yao Emperor and the Ten Great Yao Marshals showed a slight leaning, supporting Nüwa's opinion.

Here, aside from their own hidden motives, eagerly wanting to support the Heavenly Court's independence and even supremacy over the Heavenly Dao, it's also because——

Nüwa has given too much!

"Money's been handed out, money's been handed out!"

In a forum network woven from intertwined divine thoughts, it was Empress Nüwa shouting.

This network was a group opened solely by Empress Nüwa—the Empress Nüwa group—which pulled in all the Great Luo cultivators of the Purple Cloud Palace—except the Dao Ancestor.

Within the group, Empress Nüwa, as group leader, began generously handing out money, taking her one-day interest income, making a big password red packet, and stuffing it in——

Thus came that scene, with all the deities following suit.

The deities gained tangible benefits, Nüwa gained support, and the Heavenly Dao was left pitiful.

"They've rebelled, they've rebelled!"

Hongjun flew into a rage!

"You just wait for me!"

"Sooner or later, I'll make you understand——"

Offend the Heavenly Dao, and even though Honghuang is vast, there is no place for you to stand!

That day is not far!

Wait for me to tear down those back doors in the Heavenly Dao, then I will ascend to Pangu...

Hongjun's eyes narrowed slightly, he sealed and calmed the violent emotions in his heart, then flicked his duster, and the Great Silence Technique was activated.

Instantly, ninety-nine percent of the Great Luo fell silent, unable to withstand the Patriarch's world-shaking divine abilities.

Only those top-tier administrators can speak freely.

This matter tells everyone that even a dog administrator has distinctions.

Thus, the minor administrators kept quiet, not daring to stand out.

Only the old administrators still squeaked a couple of times, but ultimately amounted to nothing.

The great assembly of the Purple Cloud Palace, Hongjun the group leader, stood up!

"All of you beloved officials are the pillars of Honghuang," Hongjun said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, "Time is most precious; I don't know how much affairs a quarter of an hour can handle."

Simply, I will not waste time and go straight to the point.

"Please advise, Patriarch." Di Jun's gaze paused, he rose and stepped forward to request instructions.

"The Heavenly Court has been established for some years now." Hongjun said calmly, "Up to now, development has been good, fulfilling the responsibility of the Honghuang cosmic administration."

"And the Six Sages have all taken their places, expounding the Dao and educating humanity, which is also an initial achievement."

"Honghuang is well governed, thriving, the common folk are joyful, a beautiful prosperous age."

"This is your achievement, and also a consolation to Pangu—his sacrifice of transforming his body into heaven and earth was not in vain."

Hongjun spoke in the most formulaic, yet also the most correct, manner.

"In Honghuang, how could one not emphasize Pangu?"

Not only must we stress it, we must also highlight its accomplishments—namely the two feats of creating heaven and earth and sacrificing oneself to accomplish them.

Whether they are deities engaged in governing Honghuang or those carrying out humanitarian education, none can avoid it.

That is the great banner called 'Great Righteousness'!

If you don't raise this banner, someone else will, using it to unite people's hearts.

Better than letting others raise it and then come beat you to a pulp.

It would be better to seize the high ground of this righteousness ourselves and grasp it in hand.

As for afterwards, is it to put it into practice down-to-earth?

Or is it an embellished, characteristic interpretation?

That's another matter.

At this moment, Hongjun brought up Pangu, and immediately all the Great Luo beings in the field bowed their heads and obeyed, looking very respectful.

Noob Great Luo, lacking the courage to look down on Pangu.

Even if it's Nüwa, Di Jun, Dragon Ancestor and their ilk, who have many ideas, their expressions are solemn, their respect evident.

After all.

In this era, if they achieve their dreams and accomplish Pangu...

Then respecting Pangu now is just respecting themselves!

Not a loss.

Not a loss.

Hongjun glanced at them and immediately knew what thoughts they were reporting.

He sneered inwardly, but didn't expose them, merely continuing indifferently, 'The situation in Honghuang is excellent, the times ever more prosperous.'

'As for me, there's nothing worth criticizing or blaming.'

'But what must be emphasized is—be mindful of danger even in safety!'

'One must not be blinded by temporary peace, overlooking various hidden dangers.'

'Like an ambitious person.'

Hongjun's gaze lingered on some people for a while, but they responded with the uniform expression of 'eyes to nose, nose to heart,' completely unfazed, not buying it.

The Dao Ancestor returned empty-handed, didn't mind much, then turned the spearhead, 'Like the Demon Ancestor Luohu plotting a restoration.'

He directly stabbed into the Demon Sect.

"I%￥#@……"

In the corner, a pitiful, helpless but not weak figure suddenly lifted its head, jumped up, opened its mouth, and was about to unleash a splendid lotus-tongue, sweet-spoken, to baptize the entire Zixiao Palace.

Who is this person?

Naturally, the foremost among Honghuang's many labor exemplars, the Great Demon God——

Luohu Demon Ancestor!

He often rushes work, appearing in the background introductions of various disasters, declaring himself responsible for countless terrible acts, currently carrying out and planning many dangerous actions, striving to plunge the Honghuang world into the abyss of destruction to fulfill the mission engraved upon him—the great vow of the three thousand Chaos Demon Gods to destroy Honghuang!

Although Luohu Demon Ancestor's goals and signs have drawn strong criticism from the Primordial Divine faction led by the Great Sage Fuxi…… yet, despite his repeated 'stirring up wind and waves' and being repeatedly 'beaten back,' from beginning to end he never gives up striving for his dream, the Primordial Divine beings still hold him in deep respect.

In Zixiao Palace, he too has a place…… This is respect for a formidable opponent!

Right.

Surely that's the case.

But Luohu Demon Ancestor seems not to appreciate it.

But it doesn't matter.

Minghe Demon Ancestor just happened to stretch out a hand and press him back to his original spot.

"Luohu Demon Ancestor has recently had a bout of mental illness, everyone please pay no mind."

Minghe said with a smiling squint.

"Understood!"

"We all understand!"

The gods said in unison.

PS: Owing a chapter, will make up tomorrow.

(End of chapter)