Chapter 265: Hongjun's Inference, Repeatedly Thwarted

Inside the Zi Xiao Gong.

Deathly Silence, icy.

Hóngjūn Dàozǔ sat high upon a cloud bed, and on that ancient well‑still face, a gloom now so heavy it could drip water.

His eyes were no longer the indifferent embodiment of the Heavenly Dao.

Within it lay the endless Star Sea, the birth and death of countless Dao principles.

And at this moment, the center of that Star Sea reflected the scene of Sun Wukong confronting the "Tear of the End".

A will so massive it could freeze the Chaos Realm slowly radiated from Hongjun.

It was Order.

It was absolute, allowing no accident, pure logic and causality.

In his grand Dao inference, all things followed their trajectories.

From a single leaf's fall to a world's birth and death, each should be clearly visible within his calculations as vast as a sea of smoke.

He was almost all‑knowing.

He could infer all matters, perceiving past and future.

This should be his authority, the foundation of his role as ruler of the Heavenly Dao.

However…

Hongjun's gaze Suǒdìng firmly onto that monkey.

Since that monkey leapt out of the Three Realms, since that damned "Gardener" appeared.

His Order had become a joke.

"Tear of the End…"

Hongjun's lips twitched, exhaling a cold Dao Sound.

This is the Star Sea ruler's most perfect treasure, the ultimate weapon imbued with Quasi‑Saint‑level despair will.

In his inference, Sun Wukong's side, when faced with this strike, had only two choices.

First, to clash head‑on.

Given Sun Wukong's arrogance, there was a ninety‑percent chance he would choose that.

The result would be his Equal Heaven Dao polluted by endless despair, his Dao Heart damaged, ultimately dragged into eternal self‑Doubt.

Second, to flee.

Carrying Yao, carrying that newly born world, scrambling away in disarray.

The result: the tens of thousands of worlds behind him, just revived, would be devoured again by despair, becoming fodder for the Tear of the End, making it even more terrifying.

Whichever, Sun Wukong would fall into an absolute disadvantage.

Every step would be exceedingly arduous.

This is the inevitable outcome.

It is the sole Fixed Number derived from the Order Dao inference.

However…

The scene before Hongjun caused his heart, as steady as the Heavenly Dao, to quake violently for the first time.

Sun Wukong did not move.

He didn't even raise his Golden Cudgel.

He merely grinned, staring at the despair crystal overhead that could crush everything,

His expression was neither solemn nor angry, but… a near‑taunting, playful amusement!

What does this monkey intend?

Hongjun's inference instantly accelerated by billions of times.

Countless causal threads in his Dao principles wildly intertwined and collided, seeking the intent behind Sun Wukong's action.

The result remained those two.

Beyond that, no other path!

"Pretending to be divine!"

Hongjun snorted coldly, the murderous intent in his eyes nearly solidifying.

But at that moment!

A sudden anomaly erupted!

The tens of thousands of worlds behind Sun Wukong, just reborn, moved!

They did not form a defensive formation.

Nor did they unleash world power to attack.

They… began to shine!

Each world lit up with its own most brilliant radiance!

Some worlds' light was sword‑like, razor‑sharp!

Some worlds' light was water‑like, gentle and lingering!

Some worlds' light was fire‑like, blazing and unrestrained!

Then, distinct yet equally filled with the wills of "Life" and "Desire", rose up from these worlds!

They sang!

No melody, no lyrics.

It was a performance, the most primal, most wild… a hymn of Life, jointly sounded by the wills of tens of thousands of worlds!

That song was filled with Variables!

It is filled with countless possibilities!

The moment the song rang out, Hóngjūn Dàozǔ sprang up from the cloud bed!

Because he realized that his 【Order】 Dao, which shrouded the entire battlefield,

its precise, instrument-like deduction was violently interfered with by this chaotic song!

Countless data streams began to become chaotic!

The causality lines started to blur!

His omniscient perspective was as if covered by a thick frosted glass!

"Mixed-up!"

On Hongjun's eternally unchanged face, a hint of… fury finally appeared!

He could not tolerate this feeling of slipping out of control!

And on the battlefield!

The brilliant "Tear of the End" fell with a thunderous crash, bearing world‑ending despair!

The Life Hymn forged from ten‑thousands of worlds could not halt it in the slightest!

It was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot!

A cold curve lifted at the corner of Hongjun's mouth.

Even if the deduction is interfered with, absolute power can still crush everything!

The outcome will not change!

However!

In the next second, a scene that would haunt him for life unfolded!

The "Life Hymn" formed from the wills of myriad worlds was not crushed the instant it touched the "Tear of the End"!

It seeped inside!

It was like a key, a key forged from billions of "possibilities"!

What it opened was not an external defense!

It opened the core of the "Tear of the End", that massive pupil, deep within its heart, where the last sliver of… yearning for "life"—wrapped in endless layers of despair—lay!

It once was a brilliant civilization!

It once had its own pride and Dream!

Its despair stemmed from seeing only one "outcome"—a destined "End"!

But now, this song full of infinite "variables" tells it—there is more than one outcome!

Buzz—!!!

The massive, slowly weeping pupil shuddered violently!

Its dense, unbreakable despair suddenly showed a hint… of looseness!

The tears it shed were no longer pure Deathly Silence.

Within those tears, a trace of… bewilderment appeared?

Immediately after, confusion!

Finally, a raging… anger!

It was angry at the Star Sea ruler that deceived it into believing there was only the "End" path!

It was angry at itself for abandoning the boundless possibilities!

Boom!!!

The crushing descent of the "Tear of the End" suddenly halted, a mere less‑than‑ten‑thousand‑li distance from Sun Wukong's head!

It refused the command of that mysterious ruler!

It is rebelling in its own way!

"Puff!"

Inside Zixiao Palace, Hongjun, the Dao Ancestor's form flickered, spitting out a mouthful of blood infused with the Primordial Source of the Heavenly Dao!

His 【Order】 Dao suffered an unprecedented backlash!

His deduction was wrong!

Ridiculously wrong!

Completely, utterly failed!

On Sun Wukong's side, their actions always seemed predictable to him.

Yet the final result of each step slapped him hard in the face!

That was no coincidence!

It was another "Dao" that he could not comprehend, even diametrically opposite to his, confronting him!

It was that damned "Gardener"!

It was the monkey that embodied infinite "variables"!

"Ha ha... hahahaha..."

Hongjun's cold laugh echoed through the vast Deathly Silence of Zixiao Palace.

In that laugh, the previous indifference and control were gone.

Only boundless fury remained, and a hint of… Fear Heart Demon that even he would not admit!

He thrust his head up sharply, his gaze piercing endless spacetime, no longer looking at Sun Wukong nor the Star Sea ruler.

He looked toward the fissure, slowly healing, that led to the Discarded Case Processing Site!

He understood.

As long as that "gardener" still exists.

As long as that damned "variable", Sun Wukong, still exists.

His proud "order", the "fixed number" he relies on to survive, will forever be just a joke!

"Want to overturn the chessboard?"

Hongjun wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes flashing with a mad and icy light.

"Then... destroy the chessboard along with it!"

An infinitely vicious, infinitely crazy plan began to slowly take shape in his heart.

What he wants to do is no longer to deduce, no longer to control.

He wants to... erase!

Erase the soil in this Star Sea where all "variables" exist!