Chapter 876: Extra Chapter — The Dragon Ancestor

One day, it will come!

I want the heavens to no longer be able to shield my eyes!

I want the earth to no longer be able to bury my heart!

I want all living beings to comprehend my will!

I want the countless immortals, gods, demons, and Buddhas to dissipate into smoke and clouds!

Amidst the ancient mountains and rivers, the most weathered dragon's roar reverberates.

In the dragon's cry lie grief and lament, words fail, the Dao cannot express.

Stepping through the blood rain that fills the heavens, an ancient divinity walks forth, his brows brimming with boundless emotion.

"Ancestral Dragon, your resolve is absolute!"

He sighed, lamenting the downfall of a supreme mighty being.

"If not for such resolve, he wouldn't be the Ancestral Dragon who has waged blood-soaked battle after battle through the ages."

Another Emperor stepped forward, saying, "Alas, it is time and fate!"

"Azure, he smashed Buzhou and never looked back—this courage is admirable, shocking, yet it is merely walking a dead‑end road."

"How many times has this happened?"

The Emperor asked.

"It's the fifth time."

The earlier mighty cultivator spoke, his face filled with reluctance, "The blood‑soaked battles reach the heavens; the Ancestral Dragon has ultimately been defeated."

"Defeated at Hangu Pass!"

"Hangu Pass." the Emperor murmured, gazing into the distance, the sky awash with blood, he let out a long sigh, "Virtuous Heavenly Lord…"

"I never thought the newcomers would now be on top."

"Yes." the mighty cultivator gave a silent nod, "The Virtuous Heavenly Lord, the Daoist sect… they have indeed become a formidable power."

"After this battle, who in the world would dare to look down on him?"

"This Venerable practices non‑action yet accomplishes everything; all the Daoist traditions of the world converge in him, even the Buddha of Mount Sumeru remains silent, for the Buddha is the Dao!"

"The Virtuous Heavenly Lord, wielding great power, matched wits with the Ancestral Dragon, ultimately leaving the Dragon Ancestor unable to attend to him… without the suppression of his peak combat strength, defeat is sealed."

"Indeed."

The Emperor nodded, then shook his head, "After all, the Virtuous Heavenly Lord is merely a representative pushed forward."

"How could the twists and turns behind this be explained in just a few words?"

"The Shun lineage has stirred up wind and cloud."

"The Taiyi lineage fears neither life nor death."

"The remaining lineages, taking advantage of the chaos, have broken through one stronghold after another."

"If blame is due, blame the Ancestral Dragon for his miscalculation… the Taiyi lineage's inheritor, who had seemed worthless before, displayed great mettle at the life‑and‑death juncture and withstood the pressure."

"The Ancestral Dragon, self‑satisfied and dismissive of others, ultimately faced the fiercest backlash… his very doorstep was razed, his defenses collapsed, bringing near ruin to the nation and his family."

"This isn't the first or second time."

The Emperor's face broke into a playful smile, "Why won't you learn a lesson?"

"Now it's just a matter of how everyone will bleed him and cut his flesh."

"Come on… let's go back and watch the show."

The Emperor murmured softly and slipped away unnoticed.

The mighty cultivator gazed upon the shattered battlefield, endless corpses, prompting the netherworld to act, sweeping the area clean, his feelings manifold.

Finally, a soft sigh drifted away on the wind.

……

Dragon Ancestor Great Sage, he has failed again and again.

However, no matter how fierce the wind and rain, they could not break his spine nor shatter his will.

His shattered armor clung to him, the pure Dao rhythm of yin and yang qi enduring, his blood and bones broken, yet he remained upright, fighting to the bitter end.

The ancient divine dynasty, taking the state name "Qin"… it shattered countless hardships, rising from the most remote mountains and rivers, enduring myriad trials, subduing clan after clan not yet fully assimilated, aligning with humanity's supreme strategy, receiving posthumous blessings in obscurity, and finally establishing the nation.

Along the way came sacrifice, blood and fire, tempering, until prosperity arrived.

Having reached this point, it was already enough; the endless mountains and rivers, none could fail to revere… except for the ancient holy dynasties that crossed time to descend—the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties—what could surpass him? Even if the Heavenly Court overlooks the Myriad Heavens, holding the heavenly cords… none would dare to challenge his edge!

This wasn't won by being a nice guy; it was carved out with sword and spear! Yet the Ancestral Dragon's dream never stopped there.

He wanted more!

But this is not easy.

When he stepped into the thunder zone, what he met was the onslaught of a raging storm… the originally balanced situation, due to his outstanding excellence and his policy of unifying all under heaven—"all lands under heaven are the king's subjects"—stepped on the sore feet of many ancient deities.

More importantly.

"One day, I will settle the accounts!"

The Ancestral Dragon once stood in the Heavenly Court and said as such.

His tone was calm.

But all the mighty beings present could not stay calm.

"Settle accounts?"

"What accounts? You iron‑headed dragon, you haven't even become Pangu, yet you're spouting nonsense?!"

His domineering aura leaked out—seeking death! The gods flew into a rage.

"—If you claim to have become Pangu and to carry out a great reckoning… we would also accept it."

"—Wasn't it just this way that we scraped by back then?"

——On the battlefield of opening heaven, Pangu had tears in the corners of his eyes and a smile on his lips, chopping us all as if we were Chaos demons—that was pure joy…… We admitted it, we admitted it, we admitted.

——At the end of the witch‑demon era, an unnamed Huangdi, holding a great treasure sword, forced us to cross‑dress just to wash away his own cross‑dressing stain…… We also admitted it, twisting and turning as we wore women's clothes.

Pangu swept the era, bullying the gods; everyone gave him face, bowed low and acted subservient…… It wasn't chilly.

Life! It's just like that.

Everyone can pick it up and also put it down.

But you, Dragon Ancestor…… you're not the strongest yet!

How dare you speak big words, wanting to settle scores?

Some things can be done but not spoken of; even if you speak, you must succeed before you can mention them.

Otherwise, there's only one outcome……

Hit! Beat them to death!

Beat them to death! The crowd is stirred up.

Many Great Luo were excited, rolled up their sleeves, wanting to beat the Ancestral Dragon until blood flowed from both ends.

What about the Supreme Emperor of Taiyi? These days, there are several Pangu…… Who hasn't seen the world?

In the end.

A tragic bloodbath erupted.

Not just once.

Qin, after repeated rises and falls, hovered on the edge of life and death.

But the Ancestral Dragon, from beginning to end, never gave up, never bowed his head, never yielded.

"I, my clan, my country…… cannot bend our spine."

Once more, the Ancestral Dragon of the era waged a blood war, staggering in his body, seeking a burial place for his downfall.

In this era, he failed again.

In the battle against heaven, it looks like there's only one opponent, but…… behind the scenes there are far too many hidden hands!

The loneliest warrior, he almost single‑handedly fought half of Honghuang! Yet the Ancestral Dragon had no regrets.

He charged on the front lines until the fire of his life was extinguished.

A fragment of his remains returned to his homeland.

Even at this moment, he remained as steadfast as ever.

"It's easy to bend the spine, but hard to straighten it again."

"If you kneel too long, your legs will go soft and take root."

The Ancestral Dragon murmured in his dream, not knowing whether he was speaking to himself or to others.

After all, there are still others here.

Turning the corner, passing a side hall, someone leaned against the door, watching the Ancestral Dragon in silent stillness.

That slightly helpless gaze seemed to question what the Ancestral Dragon had been futilely fussing over all these years—what was he after?

Only at this moment did the Ancestral Dragon voice his inner sigh: "Ah."

Yinglong, also a dragon ancestor, sighed.

"Go in peace."

"Qin…… I'll tidy up your loose ends for you."

"The state will not fall, the lineage will not be exterminated."

"Qi and Chu have been making a fuss for so long—enough already."

"All the factions join hands to attack your Qin state, each with their own little schemes…… It looks like a mighty crowd, but it's nothing more than a rabble."

"Given your already defeated state, with proper strategy we can cause their alliance to fracture and collapse."

Yinglong harbors the peril of mountains and rivers in his chest; compared to his former youthful inexperience, he is now far too mature.

The Ancestral Dragon's godless gaze lingered on her for a long time, then he said, "Then I'll entrust it to you."

"I'm going to enter a long sleep……

"When I return…… whatever needs to be settled will eventually be settled……

"Hiss……" Yinglong sucked in a cold breath, somewhat helpless, "Say…… can't you not be so stubborn?"

"Step back, and the sea will be wide, the sky vast!"

"Even if you don't retreat…… at least have a guard on your mouth!"

"Everyone likes to strike back and retaliate, but only you have your propaganda so perfectly in place……

"Even Empress Nüwa Majesty, before Fuxi Majesty, aware of her own inadequacy, acted like a good child…… you should learn from her!"

"She took fifty steps, I a hundred…… your example is not apt." The Ancestral Dragon pointed out the inaccuracy in Yinglong's words, fell silent for a moment, then added, "A god born into the world must have some aspiration."

"Sooner or later……

"I want to see those people who dislike me but can't get rid of me."

This is the Ancestral Dragon's dream.

——I know you all don't like me.

——But does it matter?

——I just want to walk sideways! ——It's fine that I can't beat you now.

——But sooner or later I'll become strong enough that none of you can do anything to me! ——Then…… I'll kill you all! "The bunch that jumped the happiest today……

"One day, you'll all be put on the list……

The Ancestral Dragon turned and left with difficulty; only the lingering echo drifted faintly to Yinglong's ears.

"Qi will be destroyed."

"Chu will perish."

"All the states will become illusory bubbles, buried in the ages."

"Mountains and rivers trample the bones of immortals and gods!"

"The last Zhou lineage will have its orthodoxy severed."

"That line of historians who spout nonsense—I will erase all their traces, burn their writings……"

"The bloodstains faded as the Primordial Dragon departed, leaving only a trace that fell into Yinglong's eyes."

"The Three Sovereigns."

"The Five Emperors."

"Merely a trace in the flow of time."

"I will eventually overwhelm them, reign supreme over eternity!"

"The Primordial Dragon had ambition."

"Perhaps it is absurd."

"But he has always been striving toward that direction."

"Others may mock him, thinking he overestimates himself."

"But miracles…… are often created by such people!"

"On this road, you will die many times!"

"Yinglong shouted loudly."

"So what? I'm used to dying."

"The Primordial Dragon sliced through time and buried himself."

"Before his death, only the calmest sentence came through."

"He does not fear death."

"He only worries that his dream cannot be realized."

"He bears the most tenacious and resolute fighting spirit of the dragon clan."

"Others may yield to the tide, but he…… will never……!"

"Alas, he failed again."

"In the Fire Cloud Cave, Fengxi sighed."

"Having toppled the Primordial Dragon who floored the accelerator on the dragon's path, many ancient gods congratulated themselves, feeling delighted."

"But some people felt sorrowful about it."

"Fengxi pitied his plight, while also harboring a little personal thought: 'If he doesn't succeed, where will my successor be?'"

"I've already evaluated over three thousand sessions of model workers!"

"He sorrowfully gazed at the wall, covered with banners awarded by the Heavenly Court to model workers—thanking Comrade Fengxi for years of diligent service, embodying the human way, actively contributing to the development of the age."

"From beginning to end, Fengxi kept his original intent…… a statue of Pangu, shoved in to serve as a tool—this is unprecedented."

"The Heavenly Dao essence of that year, although it started working right after birth, but people only struggled for two and a half eras before finding a successor for the top position, right?"

"Moreover, since the era of witches and demons, there have been volunteers who bring their own rations…… Heavenly Dao Saints, although they increasingly refuse orders, still work quite efficiently."

"How unlike this Fire Cloud Cave! People say the Fire Cloud Cave is presided over by the Three Sovereigns, with the Qing Emperor, Yandi, and Huangdi; in essence it is the most orthodox family of humanity, loving and harmonious…… but!"

"Here, only Huangdi himself is doing the work!"

"The rest? All just damn big shots!"

"The Qing Emperor occasionally goes to Mount Phoenix Roost to retire, while Nüwa has set up a luxurious mansion in the Quee n's Palace…… she hardly returns at all during the year."

"In the end, perhaps Fuxi's conscience stirred, and he helped his weary little brother share some work."

"But Nüwa…… has long gone crazy playing."

"Actually, plain work isn't much."

"But when you're working, if someone is playing wildly…… your mood isn't so wonderful."

"In utter desperation, the elder and younger brothers exchanged glances and reached a secret, collusive deal."

"On a certain dark, windy night, Nüwa's divine banquet was held again; Nüwa was ambushed by two masked experts, who knocked her out, bound her tightly, and forced her to sign a humiliating unequal treaty."

"From then on, Nüwa…… even to celebrate her own birthday, she must go to the Fire Cloud Cave to sign in!"

"——Every March 15th, Nüwa's birthday, she goes to the Fire Cloud Palace to pay homage to Fuxi, Yandi, Xuanyuan, and the Three Saints! This is family rule!"

"Nüwa even smashed the table, but in the end she was helpless."

"But this is not a long-term plan."

"Fengxi felt it was time to coax…… uh, no, to share part of the great undertaking of building the human way, giving it to the aspiring divine beings in Honghuang who have dreams!"

"Unfortunately……"

"Over these years, stubborn…… uh, no, the aspiring divine beings have constantly faced hardships."

"He once had high hopes for the Lingbao Celestial Venerable…… this venerable once raged war across the world, shouting the slogan 'let heaven and earth, water, fire, and wind come again,' but he fell to a poisonous hand…… and in the process implicated the Zhu Xian Sword Formation, helping to cement its reputation as a hindrance to the lord."

"Fengxi's thoughts drifted far away, recalling that great battle of the past, and the corner of his mouth twitched."

"The Zhu Xian Sword Formation ultimately could not sweep away all immortals and gods."

"The Lingbao Celestial Venerable, drenched in blood across mountains and rivers, ultimately met a tragic end."

"So…… is the Zhu Xian Sword Formation truly poisonous?"

"Fengxi thought off‑key, 'Rahu took it, and Rahu fell.'"

"I also used it; in the end I self‑severed my fate and entered the Fire Cloud Cave."

"Lingbao also brandished it, slaughtering in all directions…… ultimately, he lost miserably, even losing his underwear……"

"Alas……"

Time flowed gently, brushing past the ancient palace gates, opening a new chapter.

(End of chapter)