Chapter 442

As a human king, yet I'm digging the foundations for all those who come after..." Fengxi wore a sighing expression, "I seem to have glimpsed a corner of the future, where I'll be cursed by all sovereigns, stabbing my spine."

"Condolences... condolences!" Hougang suppressed the urge to burst out laughing, "Perhaps things aren't as bad as you think?"

Besides, even if scolded, it won't cost a piece of flesh.

Better first consider how humanity can now defeat the Heavenly Court; otherwise, there won't be anything now, let alone the future.

Alright, the reasoning is that reasoning." Fengxi nodded helplessly.

First secure humanity's position as the protagonists of heaven and earth... As for the rest of the bickering, the Human Emperor Heavenly Emperor and the Twelve Ancestral Witches fighting it out—what of it?

It's purely an internal human problem... But by then I'll likely have retired to enjoy my old age, so I won't need to worry about it.

Fengxi rubbed his brow.

"Is that certain?" Hougang's eyes flickered, "Your relationship with Yandi is ambiguous, and you single-handedly pushed the Wu Dao school of thought; even if you retired then, you'd still be dragged back in."

A war within humanity, whose supreme mission is to overthrow the Wu Clan's militaristic management model and liberate humanity from its long-standing ideological shackles; a human king bearing the destiny of reform will most likely stand opposite you, pursuing you relentlessly until you're crushed.

So be careful lest one day your lifetime of fame be lost in an instant!

Then the Wu Dao school of thought will be branded heretical; thereafter, generation after generation of human kings will suppress Wu and Gu, until it finally vanishes from the mainstream of humanity, leaving no trace.

Hougang foresaw a distant future, a possible scenario unfolding.

The Wu Dao school, for now, are the trendsetters—but how long could they possibly dominate humanity's ages?

"Perhaps things won't come to that point?" Dayi interjected, "Don't forget, there's still Her Majesty Nüwa."

If under her command humanity achieves the grand ambition of defying heaven, toppling the Demon Race's Heavenly Court, then Her Majesty will surely ascend to the pinnacle, standing in the achievement that makes all Great Luo submit and revere—Pangu!

With her as the backing of the Wu Dao, and as the Holy Mother of humanity, wielding authority over life and death... for a future human king to want to surmount this mountain is nearly impossible to achieve.

Dayi spoke at length; compared to the somewhat pessimistic Fengxi and Hougang, his mindset was quite good, he was optimistic about the Wu Clan's conceptual shares.

Fengxi looked at him, thinking of the annual dividends he enjoyed as the acting fortune Dao Lord, and the Five Direction Heavenly Emperors who had colluded in a scheme—clearly they were playing a big game...

Wanting to speak but stopping, stopping yet wanting to speak.

In the end, Fengxi said nothing, choosing to be a mute gourd.

Hougang likewise—at this moment, a hint of heaviness lay in his eyes, rare for him to lack his usual carefree, mischievous demeanor; his expression was solemn and dignified, his thoughts distant.

"'Nüwa has become Pangu—she would indeed be mighty to the pinnacle... but to say she's invincible, unsurpassable?'"

"'But that's not necessarily so...'"

"'There was once a Pangu who met a miserable overturn—at the very peak of his life!'"

"'He who opened heaven and earth, whose name would echo through myriad ages, yet ended by sacrificing himself to transform all things.'"

"'Nüwa holding the Chaos Azure Lotus—can she truly laugh last?'"

"'These past years, I've fortuitously glimpsed a corner of some people's layout... and just that corner alone has left me feeling startled and shaken, daring not to probe further...'"

"'Otherwise...'"

Hougang thought of something, his pupils involuntarily contracting for an instant.

"Uh... what's wrong with you two?" Dayi looked at the silent Fengxi and Hougang, somewhat at a loss—just fine before, how did you suddenly become like this?

"Ahaha..." Fengxi chuckled, "Nothing, nothing, we just inadvertently thought of humanity's hardships, feeling moved."

Look—even after defeating the common enemy, shattering the Heavenly Court, in the end we still have to face each other with swords.

If there were a thoroughgoing ambition on one side, meeting on the battlefield, we could just kill each other.

Too bad!

The blood shed at the end will inevitably include that of idealists, who spend their lives striving to submit a perfect answer for the human way.

Fengxi sighed with feeling, "Those who support the Wu Dao believe that only the Wu Clan's model can perfectly govern humanity's myriad beings, enabling all races to coexist and achieve a world of great unity."

Those who oppose the Wu Dao also include many who don't want a single ideological current to bind humanity, hoping to see a hundred flowers bloom, myriad purples and reds.

Alas, this is unavoidable." Dayi's mood sank a bit, but he quickly rallied, "Fortunately, those who can enter such a game are mostly Great Luo.

Bleeding may indeed occur.

But total downfall is unlikely; at most it's a slumber—someday returning to the board to contend again.

In that light, the safety net still has its benefits." Hougang gave a muffled laugh, "It gives the defeated hope of a comeback, while also spurring the victors not to slack in the slightest...

After all, the dead of old drift through the ages, coldly watching the turning of epochs, the development of ages... who knows when they might return, perhaps like the current Wu-Yao war, to ignite another Great Calamity!

All right, all right!" Fengxi clapped his hands, "We don't need to discuss such a sorrowful topic; let's first attend to the present, then talk.

Regarding the Lady's task arrangements, do you have any better suggestions?

Suggestions?" Dayi gave up discussing the future, began to advise Fengxi, "To reasonably insert the Wu Clan's school of thought into the system and gain actual power, so as to form a check on the human king system...

Most importantly, we must ensure that the leaders of all clans find nothing to fault...

Perhaps we should consider borrowing the name of righteousness.

Dayi concluded.

'Creating heaven, fashioning humanity.' Compared to Dayi, Hougang spoke sparingly, every word precious: 'Pangu, Nüwa!'

Their different expressions pointed to the same goal.

Sacrifice!

They glanced at each other, and ultimately spoke in unison, becoming the answer.

"Under the guise of sacrifice, insert it into humanity's management system?" Fengxi gave a slight nod, "That's roughly what I had in mind."

"The great affairs of a clan lie in sacrifice and warfare." Hougang said slowly, "Even if the upper echelons see humanity and the Wu Clan as one, with bloodlines ultimately destined to merge."

But the common folk of the middle and lower strata still place great importance on this.

"In their eyes, humanity and the Wu Clan are always clearly distinct—this matter cannot be solved by the royal court merely shouting 'great unity of the clans'; it requires genuine ice‑breaking actions, at least some degree of equal treatment."

Therefore.

"For the Wu Dao to grasp power without provoking too great a backlash, humanity's internal military authority must remain untainted."

"Even someone like you, Fengxi, whose lineage is pure and proper human, merely having studied abroad among the Wu Clan before returning to humanity... you would still need to re‑establish a proper human origin within humanity, to command the armed forces as a human, and to bear responsibility for humanity in the name of righteousness."

This is righteousness, the human race's military authority, Wu Dao must not be lightly touched.

Otherwise, if something goes wrong, the Heavenly Court's rhetoric will come, sowing discord, claiming the Wu Clan stations troops among the human race, trampling its sovereignty.

Therefore, all Wu Dao can consider is 'sacrifice'!

Military authority is too sensitive, easily touching the warning line…… In sacrificial matters, importance is equally important, yet one can reasonably mix in some private interests.

No…… Hougang laughed and shook his head, "It cannot be called private interests."

An upright guidance of thought trends, as long as it's not too skewed, is fine.

The spirit of the Great God Pangu opening heaven and earth, sacrificing and dedicating, is worth promoting; Lady Nüwa creating all things, accomplishing the favor to the human race, is worth gratitude…… No one can find fault with these.

Then, in the name of the Supreme Lord, you call upon the clanspeople to study and feel the spirit and virtue of these great ones.

But since it's study…… we definitely need to find a qualified teacher, right?

Eh, the Wu Dao school of thought can just be inserted in.

When it comes to interpreting Pangu's thought, who could be more professional than the Wu Clan side? They are the experts!

Hougang laughed.

Doing this, everything thereafter will fall into place naturally.

Not bad, not bad." Fengxi praised, "Thus, the Wu Dao school will naturally establish a foothold, gradually expand its influence, and fully cover the human race.

Exactly!" Hougang clapped his hands, "This method can be called a mighty kingly way, unstoppable.

The steps of the Wu Dao school may not be fast, but they can meet the ideas of the vast clanspeople, also conform to the human race's dream; once rooted, they will be hard to shake!

Unless……

Hougang laughed softly, seeming to say something profound, as if in a daze planting a flag, "That Pangu, whose spirit is variously interpreted, walks out in person and stands opposite the Wu Dao school."

Then, the Wu Dao system will suffer a devastating blow.

However, this seems impossible, doesn't it?

So we can safely regard it as a flawless plan to use.

Fengxi and Dayi both nodded.

Exactly.

The first Pangu has already retreated into seclusion; do we still need to worry about his reappearance?

Moreover.

Besides sacrificing to Pangu, there is also revering Lady Nüwa.

With Lady Nüwa, the direct creator of the human race, present, there's no need to worry about losing control too much, Wu Dao being devastated.

After all…… according to the hint Fengxi received from Lady Nüwa, this lady might well arrange her own incarnation to enter the human race and inherit the position of Human Supreme Lord!

The Wu Dao system was originally intended to check the Human King.

At the same time, only the Human King would ponder how to be supreme and overturn the offending Wu sacrifice.

But if the Human King and the Wu sacrifice were one?

Then it would be as stable as Mount Buzhou!

When the Wu Dao system develops to a certain extent, we can then advance its true establishment of authority, invisibly checking the Human King system.

Hougang spoke, while Fengxi listened.

Establish rites…… there is Heaven, Earth, and Human!

What is called Heaven is Pangu…… Pangu opened heaven, supreme and exalted, all creatures prostrate.

What is called Earth is Lady Nüwa…… Lady Nüwa created humans, intimately close and virtuous, the human race reveres.

This connects Heaven and Earth, representing the will of both, that is Wu, that is Wu Dao!

Isn't the shape of the character 'Wu' just like this?

Above is Heaven, below is Earth, surrounding the spine that props up Heaven, are the spokespeople of humanity…… Wu Dao holds this authority.

And beneath Heaven and Earth, it is humanity.

He who can represent this 'human' is naturally the spokesperson of the collective will of the human race—the Human King.

Fengxi, look.

Thus, the Human King's rank is lowered by one level.

In terms of rights, it may not be small, but the say-so…… still Wu Dao has the final say.

You say, does this count as completing the task the Lady gave you?

Hougang asked.

Yes! Of course!" Fengxi clapped, "However, our human race propagates that man can conquer heaven…… even the Heavenly Court has to go through that, a mere empty title of heaven and earth may not be stable.

It's fine." Hougang didn't think so, "If heaven, earth, and humanity won't work, then we go with heaven, earth, ruler, parent, teacher!

Trim the Human King a bit, split off some parts to become ruler, parent, teacher—wouldn't that work?

Those who can represent humanity are not only the ruler, but also the parent and the teacher!

What loyalty and filial piety issues!

What 'one day as teacher, lifelong as father'!

Anyway, doing this is enough to check the Human King's unchecked arrogance.

Hougang explained casually.

Fengxi initially listened lightly, but at a certain moment his gaze changed sharply, flashed and passed, then returned to normal.

'Hmm.'

'It's a coincidence.'

'This must be a coincidence.'

'It has nothing to do with another Pangu road arranged by someone…'

From the Five Virtues Sage Emperor, transformed into the Supreme Heavenly Emperor……

From the Creator of Heaven, the Master of Creation to the will of humanity, it goes from the grand to the minute. Then turning it around, by having one tribe swallow myriad tribes, achieving a single collective that transforms the human small family into the human great family, while also flipping the Heavenly Dao…… uh, that one from the Purple Dawn Palace still has the title of Dao Ancestor, self-proclaimed as the teacher of all beings.

Very good…… very good…… couldn't be better……

Heaven, earth, ruler, parent, teacher—perfectly wrapped up.

Fengxi gazed at Hougang, who was speaking eloquently, his eyes flickering.

—This colleague, quite problematic!

"This…… is that big shot using his hand to remind me?"

"Or, was he schemed against? Is he taking the fall for me, diverting attention?"

"Forget it."

"What does this have to do with me?"

Fengxi lowered his head slightly.

When he lifted his head again, his acting was on point, his face beaming with a brilliant smile.

"Old friend Hougang, you're a fine comrade……"

"I hadn't even thought how to handle it well, yet you devised it so ingeniously."

"How about, regarding these matters, you take full charge?"

Fengxi, courteous to the worthy and humble to the scholars, said: "When the time comes, I will definitely enlarge and bold your name on the military merit register submitted to Lady Nüwa."

"Ah……" Hougang shook his head, "My work pressure has been too great lately; I fear I cannot handle it!"

"No problem!" Fengxi smiled, and snapped the "Nüwa big head" in his hand directly in half!

"Money, I can provide it in full."

"Now, take another look—any problems?"

Hougang fell silent.

He remained silent for a long time.

(End of chapter)