Chapter 469: with translation of chapter title

This…… is it really this direct?

Nüwa widened her eyes.

Otherwise?

Donghua smirked, "Are we really supposed to exchange more pleasantries, pretending we didn't intend to screw over our 'teammate'? We're only doing this out of desperation."

"What are you pretending?" the Emperor retorted, "Better to be blunt and decisive…… You're doing it for Pangu's goal, splitting the Heavenly Court on one side and suppressing the Dragon Ancestor on the other; I'm just aiming for a peaceful retirement, and incidentally giving the Dragon Ancestor a lesson—if the chance arises, Pangu might even consider it."

We're all sensible people; let's stop pretending to be clueless with each other!

Or are you still unable to let go of such shameless behavior? That's not good…… Being too concerned with face, how can you win against a bunch of shameless old schemers?

Donghua sighed.

Nüwa listened, her face slightly embarrassed, she fumbled and took out the golden scroll and jade contract from her sleeve, stepped forward two paces, and handed it to Donghua.

Donghua glanced casually, placed his hand on it, and was about to take it.

But……

The Emperor exerted a little force, yet couldn't pull it over.

Huh?

He raised his brow, seeing Nüwa's gaze fixed on the contract, her expression showing a hint of hesitation and reluctance.

At the critical moment, the Empress Nüwa inexplicably felt a twinge of regret…… She instinctively felt this was the most crucial crossroads in life.

However, Donghua the Emperor twitched the corner of his mouth, a teasing smile flashing and gone.

He didn't say anything, merely reversing the motion he'd been about to use to pull it toward himself—not only refusing it, but pushing it back toward Nüwa.

This meaning is clear——

"I won't force you; if you're unwilling, then please leave."

Immediately, the effect became apparent.

Nüwa no longer had time to hesitate, hurriedly shoved it into Donghua's hand, then quickly let go.

"Hey……"

The Emperor gave a light chuckle and muttered, "Now that's a bit like asking someone for help…… Hemming and hawing, wavering—what kind of talk is that?"

Nüwa's face instantly fell.

However, watching Donghua casually begin flipping through the contract, she told herself, "Endure, endure…… At the critical moment, I'll put up with him for a while; afterward…… hehehe……"

In the hall, a moment of silence fell, with only the rustling sound of the contract being turned.

After a while.

"Tsk, there's a lot of mischief hidden in this contract."

Donghua shook his head.

"Although you've sunk a fortune and promised great returns, essentially it bears too strong a trace of killing with a borrowed knife—it's practically throwing me into a death trap."

"Holding the eastern post of Buzhou, overseeing the eastern Yi lineage of humanity?"

The Emperor lifted his head to glance at Nüwa, "The most poisonous is a woman's heart…… I think that saying holds some truth."

Nüwa heard this, her eyes flashing with anger.

"——Who evaluates like that!"

But the next moment, she couldn't find anything to say.

"It's practically a death opening…… If I recall correctly, the latest news is that August Emperor Fuxi went there to retire, right?" Donghua sighed lightly, "That guy is a real tough one."

"He openly shouted 'The Human King lacks longevity'…… Tsk, he went all out for your sister."

"Considering that humanity's internal channels of ascent cannot be blocked, and furthermore to distinguish from the Demon Race's innate system of fixed rank and nobility, he could be that ruthless even toward himself."

"Not to mention the abdication and succession—even going to retire and become a Grand Emperor Emeritus, he starts cooking up schemes, preparing to stir up whatever to return to heaven, trying as much as possible to erase his own traces, so that successors can better hold great power."

Donghua snorted, "Once this person leaves, he leaves thoroughly and cleanly; the Dragon Auxiliary he once supported loses most of its righteous justification, saving certain people from causing trouble under his banner."

"Furthermore, now that this person is gone, someone must guard the tomb…… If I'm not mistaken, many of the Dragon Auxiliary's heavyweight ministers, each and every one, have been dragged into this pit, restrained by his lingering influence."

"This checkpoint, I've stumbled into it—it's practically because I'm tired of living and want excitement…… A free-for-all battle among the three supreme beings of the Great Easy, ha!"

Donghua fixed his gaze on Nüwa, causing this female Supreme Emperor to turn her cheek, lift her head to the sky, and whistle to herself——indeed, she has nothing to argue about.

"All three supremes are good." Donghua withdrew his gaze and sighed, "If I'm not mistaken…… at that time, the Phoenix lineage will certainly also stick its hand in."

The Emperor smiled, "That works out to four Great Easy Golden Immortals."

"Four of them!"

"You're pushing me into a pit of fire…… It's just a legitimate and lawful contest for Pangu's righteous name—did you pour all the worst water you've ever had in your life onto me?"

"Uh……" Nüwa wanted to speak but held back, finally saying nothing——the clever schemes here are actually all thought up by that up-and-coming youngster among humanity.

"Lady Nüwa bears the responsibility of protecting her subordinates…… She worries that Fengxi, having landed on Donghua the Emperor's blacklist of ruthless gods, will have a hard time getting through the great tribulation intact."

"Never mind."

Donghua paid no heed to Nüwa's hesitation, merely nonchalantly shaking the contract, "Considering my own thoughts, compared to Pangu's desire, it's more interesting to wrangle and chat about divine life with an old friend…… So I agree to this agreement."

"Donghua, you're a good god!" Instantly, Nüwa's eyes brightened, she clasped her hands loosely and shook them up and down.

"A good god?" Donghua exclaimed in disbelief, "With that description…… the Dragon Ancestor hearing it would go mad."

"Forget it, no mention of that old dragon who forcibly dragged me into the mire, a buzzkill." Donghua's eyes flickered, "Let's just talk about this contract…… I think some details can be discussed."

"Huh?!" Nüwa's face turned wary and solemn, "I'm telling you, this is my bottom line—I can't possibly give you any more!"

"Hmm, I know." Donghua nodded calmly, "I'm not the sort of god who doesn't know gratitude."

"What do you want to discuss?" Upon hearing that there would be no further price increase, Nüwa relaxed.

"Regarding the beneficiary." Donghua flipped through the contract, "It's also about winning over another ally for you."

"Look."

"The Heavenly Court has an heir apparent, and humanity also has the succession of Feng Hou."

Well, my Eastern Yi... preparing some backup plans is also okay, right?

Donghua said with a chuckle, "After all, I'm in the blood‑on‑the‑blade business, constantly jumping between the Dragon Clan and the Heavenly Court; if I'm not careful, I could lose my life."

At that point, without me as the backbone of the Eastern Yi, would they still be competitive?

It's not even possible to talk about laughing last.

So, aside from having autonomous military authority and financial independence, nothing else is under the control of the human race's central royal court...

I also need you to acknowledge that if I meet with an unfortunate accident, my chosen successor can fully inherit and take over my power, with all our treaties unchanged, and you acknowledge that he is qualified to operate independently of your system and take my place in the contest for Pangu's position.

"Who is your successor?" Nüwa narrowed her eyes—otherwise she couldn't hide the fierce light in her gaze.

She affected a casual teasing tone, "Surely it's not Fuxi, haha!"

"No, certainly not Fuxi." Donghua laughed, saying each word with a pause, "but rather the renowned master of the Cloud Cultivation System!"

"Hongyun?" Nüwa blinked in surprise.

Donghua neither admitted nor denied... Actually, in terms of reading comprehension, his words have two possible interpretations.

He also narrowed his eyes, resembling Nüwa by seven parts, "Do you still remember the events of ancient times? As the saying goes, clouds follow the dragon."

"Hongyun, he was once a major figure in the Dragon Ancestor's forces."

But later, when the Dragon Ancestor met with disaster, he... thus picked up a windfall and reached his current level.

"Indeed." Nüwa realized, "He doesn't have much of a relationship with the Dragon Ancestor either, no wonder you chose him as successor... this is to keep playing against the Dragon Ancestor."

Hongyun, formed from the myriad clouds of heaven and earth, is divine, with an extraordinary foundation, but the cloud form is elusive and changeable.

Watching its myriad changes seems extraordinary, but actually its foundation is insubstantial.

Only by having clouds control water is there a smooth path to the heavens!

Great Water Cycle!

In the vast heavens and earth, all visible waters—every pond, lake, stream, river, and sea—that reflect the sun, moon, and scenery become clouds and mist seas, wandering the vast universe, flowing between form and formlessness.

If one encounters a fortuitous spiritual opportunity, intertwining the profound mystery of yin and yang, then the formless turns into form, becoming rain and snow, cleansing heaven and earth, nurturing the world!

Truly, this is the work of creation; indeed, it is a blessing of heaven and earth!

If Hongyun could take charge of the waterway, as the central hub platform, bearing and transferring everything, he would be the most honored and noble, with a place at the pinnacle.

Nüwa gave her comments, then sighed.

Unfortunately, the authority over the waterway is controlled by the Dragon Ancestor.

Back then, Hongyun was also a major figure in the Dragon Ancestor's forces... cooperating with the Dragon Ancestor on the Great Dao was also pleasant collaboration.

The Dragon Ancestor's waterway is both producer and consumer, occupying both ends... Hongyun is merely an intermediary platform, not a major power, basically working for the Dragon Ancestor.

A worker still wanting to climb onto the boss's head and eat from both ends? Impossible!

But later, when you went into demonic deviation and sent the Dragon Ancestor to ruin, it gave him an opportunity... seizing the chance, he accepted the Dragon Ancestor's legacy in the water domain and truly rose in a single leap.

Tsk tsk... when a dragon falls, many gods get their fill.

Nüwa looked at Donghua with interest, "No need to mention the Phoenix side... even if it's the Dragon Clan's camp."

You have absorbed the Dragon Ancestor's teachings and taken the school's dividends; Hongyun, meanwhile, has swept away a large part of the industrial channels into his own foundation.

If it weren't for the old dragon's solid foundation, having pioneered bloodline evolution and the path of species transformation into dragon, all beings between heaven and earth could transform into dragon species, which would be terrifyingly influential in the human realm.

Just that one fall, and maybe eight or ten great calamities couldn't get back up; how could he then quickly recover, boldly step into the Grand Simplicity Dao realm, and compete with us for the chance to become Pangu?

"Hmm..." Nüwa's eyes flickered, she was very interested, "I've already seen a glimpse of the future... as long as the Dragon Ancestor hasn't become Pangu and is still struggling... then, generation after generation of gods, no matter which generation, are destined to cut down the Dragon Clan."

Right from the start, cut them down!

Either it's the little demon king who stirs up the world, overturning rivers and seas, slaying yakshas and dragon sons, then violently beating a regional dragon king...

Or it's the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, commanding the four seas, delivering equipment and weapons, stirring up heaven and earth to shake wildly...

Tsk tsk... let me shed a tear of sympathy for the Dragon Ancestor.

Nüwa clasped her hands, feignedly wiped a tear, "The old dragon has it rough... so many people bear a grudge against him!"

Originally a peerless hero, not much different from my older brother, just inexplicably blocking many people's paths.

Truly, the whole world is his enemy!

Who knows how many ages of struggle it would take to prove the Dao and become Pangu; only by amassing an unstoppable force amidst the encircling heroes could one sweep the six directions and unify the world.

That is, if his mind swells, showing a desire to settle old scores, or if he tries to elevate his status above others, shouting 'merit and demerit ××, virtue high ××', it wouldn't be long before certain people block his door and his hegemony collapses overnight.

Nüwa's mind flashed with inspiration.

She felt she had seen through all the mist and understood everything.

Ah!

Too hard!

Wa, you're really smart.

Donghua clapped his hands in praise, "You can think of so much."

"Well, about my opinion, do you agree or disagree?" he urged, his voice hinting at a slight anxiety, though he concealed it well.

Nüwa didn't catch that, just waved her hand generously, "Agree! Of course I agree!"

If you unfortunately fall, Hongyun will take your place, grasp the Eastern Yi's authority, and enter the fray to oppose the Dragon Ancestor!

Good, good, good, then I've revised it." Donghua swept his hand over the contract, and some clauses were changed.

But... the newly added related items were not written with Hongyun's name, only using the title 'Master of Cloud Cultivation' as a placeholder.

After the revisions, Donghua calmly wrote down his own dao name and divine name and passed it back to Nüwa.

Nüwa roughly looked it over and felt nothing was wrong—

Anyway, the unlucky one isn't her, right?

So, she boldly signed her name "Nüwa" with a flourish.

That handwriting, dragons soaring and phoenixes dancing, perfectly embodies how relaxed and joyful the girl's heart is at this moment.

"Rip!"

After signing, Nüwa clasped her hands together and pulled… Instantly, one became three.

"The contract is sealed; no regrets allowed."

Nüwa smiled, eyes narrowed, and said, "From now on, we shall be the firmest allies."

"Until the Heavenly Court collapses and the Heavenly Dao is defeated, we will then have our final showdown; the victor takes all, the loser gets nothing, becoming nourishment for their opponent, Pangu!"

"Good!" Donghua also laughed, his smile relaxed and content, as if he had completed something most important, fulfilling the final preparation.

"Wishing us… pleasant cooperation!"

"Pleasant cooperation!"

The two top-tier Grand Supreme Great Adepts exchanged smiles; time swept over this place, leaving a fleeting trace of the ages—this was destined to be a historic moment.

Black curtain.

Chessboard.

It unfolds here.

As for the final outcome, what situation will it develop into? Whose hoped-for future will it head toward?

Good or bad?

Then it will depend on who has the superior skill.

Perhaps.

Besides the chessboard, there is also a figure sitting silently in the darkness, smiling as they watch all of this?

(End of chapter)