Chapter 281: Eternal Deathly Silence, and Momentary Brilliance

Deathly Silence.

A Deathly Silence that can freeze time.

Sun Wukong's story is like a scorching heart thrown into an ancient icy pool,

its residual heat remains, yet it plunges the entire Source of Ten Thousand Paths into unprecedented silence.

That massive eyeball representing the Cosmic Pan-Consciousness,

whose internal, ever‑rushing data torrent now resembles a frozen waterfall, solidified.

It is analyzing.

It is comprehending.

It is attempting to feed those scorching emotions called "Love," "Hate," "Protection," and "No Regret" into its cold computational model.

The result is unprecedented chaos.

Its entire underlying logic begins to clash violently… a prelude to system collapse!

Hóngjūn Dàozǔ's complexion can no longer be described as merely unsightly.

It is pallor.

A pallor born of cognition utterly overturned, a truth once taken pride in trampled to worthlessness.

He watches that monkey.

Watching him stand there calmly, devoid of any earth‑shaking aura, yet seeming the source of all light and heat.

His proud set of "iron evidence," verified by billions of universal births and deaths.

At this moment, before that monkey's story full of regret and warmth, it suddenly appears…

…so laughable.

…so… utterly vulnerable.

No!

We must never let this mad monkey, by such unreasonable means, contaminate the Supreme Arbiter's judgment!

"Hum!"

A cold snort, like ancient crystal ice shattering, broke the suffocating stillness.

Hóngjūn Dàozǔ forced the tremor of his Dao Heart down, and his face once again wore that timeless indifference.

"Emotion?"

He spoke, his voice laced with condescending scorn and mockery.

"It is merely the lowest instinct, a catalyst that breeds desire, spawns chaos, and ultimately hastens everything toward destruction."

"Your story is quite splendid."

"But so what?"

Hongjun redirected his gaze toward that massive eyeball, attempting to pull the Arbiter's thoughts,

back onto the cold logical track he knows.

"The fact lies before us!"

He extended a finger.

The billions of Universe models that have turned into Deathly Silence gray beads resurfaced before him, exuding a heart‑pounding aura of death.

"Countless validations have all yielded the same, singular, correct answer!"

"Any 'variable' that departs from absolute order meets only self‑annihilation!"

"This is the Universe's truth! The eternal, unchanging iron law!"

Word by word, his voice rang with force, trying to drown the emotional impact of Sun Wukong's story with an indisputable tone.

"Your Excellency the Arbiter, would you deny the 'truth' derived from countless calculations merely because of a 'story' riddled with Error?"

Hongjun shouted his questioning, his voice echoing through the empty dimension.

Yet.

At that moment.

The ever‑silent Sun Wukong finally spoke.

He did not rebut Hongjun's words.

He didn't even glance at him.

He simply lifted his head, calmly gazing at the Dao Ancestor, and asked the first question since this arbitration began.

His voice was soft, yet like an invisible hammer, it struck clearly into the deepest Dao Heart of every being.

He extended a finger, also pointing at the gray beads before Hongjun, billions of them representing destruction and termination.

On that wildly proud, unrestrained face, there was now no anger nor mockery, only a serenity that seemed to comprehend everything.

"May I ask, Dao Ancestor?"

"Eternal Deathly Silence, and Momentary Brilliance…"

"Which is superior, which is inferior?"

Boom!!!

This question does not resemble some profound Daoist debate.

It is as simple as a child's query.

Yet that simple sentence is like a world‑creating divine thunderbolt,

mercilessly, with pinpoint precision, striking the foundation of Hongjun's "Eternal Order" Dao!

Eternity!

This is the beginning and the end of all Hongjun's Dao!

He pursues an absolute, unperturbed by any "variables," a stability and existence that can endure infinitely.

For that, he can sacrifice everything.

He can erase everything.

Including life, emotions, and those so‑called "possibilities."

In his logic, as long as it can be "eternal," the process and cost are meaningless.

But now.

Sun Wukong, however, placed a blood‑soaked choice before him.

An eternal, icy, unchanging "Deathly Silence tomb."

And a destined‑to‑vanish yet once‑blossoming "instantaneous fireworks" of endless light and heat.

Let you choose.

Which do you choose?

This is no longer a debate over the rightness of the Dao.

This is an interrogation of the Dao's "true heart"!

"You…!"

Hóngjūn Dàozǔ's complexion changed in an instant!

That millennial‑unchanging indifference was finally torn apart completely!

In his pupils, for the first time, a flame named "Rage" burned!

"Specious reasoning!"

He scolded harshly, his voice tinged with an uncontrollable tremor.

"Without eternity, nothing can be discussed! Existence itself cannot be guaranteed—how can there be splendor?!"

"That is merely a self‑deceptive Illusory Dream! A meaningless bubble!"

Hóngjūn lost composure completely.

Because Sun Wukong's question struck the point in his Dao Heart he most dreaded confronting.

His "eternity" is, in essence, "death."

Yet, faced with his roar.

Sun Wukong, however, smiled.

He smiled brilliantly.

His smile was like the sunrise over Mount Huaguo, filled with endless Vitality and warmth.

Within that smile lay a hint of pity.

"I, Old Sun, don't understand any dog‑shit Principle."

He tapped his own chest lightly with the Golden Cudgel, producing a dull, heartbeat‑like sound.

"I only know."

"Master taught me…"

At that moment, his gaze seemed to pierce time and space, seeing the solitary figure before the Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave that had opened a sky‑spanning road for him.

"To have lived."

"Is… enough!"

The words fell.

An indescribable, resolute will erupted from Sun Wukong's body with a thunderous blast!

That will does not seek eternity, nor fear destruction.

Within that will are only four characters.

Defeat! Also! No! Regret!

At this moment, the Void Seed born of Bodhi, that merged the resentments of billions of failed universes, burned to an unprecedented peak!

He no longer passively showcases his story.

He no longer questions or argues.

He will actively confront this icy courtroom, this supreme arbitrator, this damned, rule‑bound Universe…

Prove!

Prove his Dao!

Prove Master's Dao!

Prove the Dao of those billions of universes that perished in splendor!

That is the true…

"Life" Dao!

Sun Wukong's eyes changed.

No longer calm, no longer mocking.

Instead, a madness that would burn the heavens anew…

He grinned, showing a set of stark white teeth, staring at the now enraged and startled Hóngjūn Dàozǔ.

"Dao Ancestor, your Principle is finished."

"My story, Old Sun's, is also finished."

"Now…"

He slammed the Golden Cudgel down hard!

The dimension formed of Concept cracked, a visible fissure appearing from his strike!

It's my turn, Lao Sun, to tell you my 'Principle'!

My Dao isn't for debating!

He laughed wildly, the battle intent on his body erupted like a volcano, soaring straight into the heavens!

It's for... fighting!