Chapter 168: You, Him, It

A good-for-nothing that has little effect on the grand plot.

A good-for-nothing who is fully aware of his self-perception.

Hongjun also didn't know what to do:

Urge him to abandon this life, start a slaughter, become a sage, then restart, to blaze and burn for the perfection of the next Primordial Wasteland?

For that transcendent existence lurking in the unseen, this is naturally quite satisfactory.

But for the living beings of this world, using them as Jiaoming's sacrifice to achieve perfection in his next life is overly cruel:

Why should they be sacrificed for another group?

If Jiaoming really did that, he would undoubtedly become 'another self'—macroscopic, transcendent, viewing all beings as weeds……

"You… what else do you wish for?"

Hongjun, truly at a loss for what to advise him, pondered for a long time, finally resignedly accepted Jiaoming's resolve to sacrifice, then turned to ask about his last wishes.

Hongjun couldn't help Jiaoming in his career, but in terms of wishes, he felt he could still fulfill many of them.

"Wish?"

Jiaoming gave it serious thought, then said:

"I hope you can grant her a saintly position; she has given me too much, even relinquishing the Dao… I hope to make it up to her."

"Anything else?"

The saintly position that would make later cultivators scramble for it, Hongjun accepted without the slightest hesitation.

"Also… I hope you won't bestow a saintly position on my future children because of me; the Primordial Wasteland is not just my family's Primordial Wasteland."

Hearing Jiaoming's unexpected reverse wish, Hongjun wanted to speak but held back, yet still nodded:

"Good."

"Also, I hope you will treat all spirits of the future Primordial Wasteland as fairly and justly as possible, no longer regarding them as weeds, for innate divinity and ordinary beings share the same essence."

"Good."

"Finally, don't resent my choice."

"……Good."

……

【In the Primordial Era, the seventh cycle, fifth meeting, first epoch, Jiaoming and the Ancestor Phoenix's grand wedding took place at the foot of Mount Buzhou; the Heavenly Court held a grand special celebration, myriad demons rejoiced!】

【From then on, under the Heavenly Court's rule, the Primordial Wasteland ushered in a long golden age……】

【Time flowed slowly.】

【……】

【To prolong the golden age as much as possible, Di Jun threw himself entirely into regulating the population and resources of the Primordial Wasteland, and consequently all levels of heavenly officials became busily entangled, everyone complaining bitterly: saddled with such a 'busy emperor', holding office truly feels like imprisonment……】

【But even so, the population of the Primordial Wasteland continued to rise slowly.】

【In the golden age, population thrives; even though Di Jun is trying to limit population, there's nothing he can do: the better the governance, the more the population grows, and then to manage these ever‑more people, the Heavenly Court can only become ever more involutive……】

【However, involution has a limit, while population growth is infinite; Di Jun pressing the heavenly officials to involute and strive as much as they can still cannot solve the problem.】

【Thus Di Jun year after year shows up to work with a stern face, and the heavenly officials all numb‑ly go to work, like a bunch of oxen and horses born just to punch the clock……】

【Such patchwork can only be described as barely stable.】

【As time went on, the resource problem grew worse: heavenly materials and earthly treasures were used up ever more, spiritual veins' vigor gradually depleted, and even the omnipresent heavenly‑earth spiritual aura grew weaker day by day!】

【In the Primordial Era, the forty‑ninth cycle, second meeting, eighth epoch, the Western Wasteland saw small‑scale protests; the populace was deeply dissatisfied with ever‑more expensive goods, demanding the Heavenly Court curb prices and punish profiteers.】

【Upon learning of this, Di Jun decisively executed several profiteers to quell public anger, although he knew it had no essential connection to them—price rises under resource crisis are inevitable—but he felt compelled to do so……】

【After a series of measures, the protest cries gradually faded away.】

【But soon, the Northern Wasteland, Southern Wasteland, North Sea…… and other regions each erupted in protests of varying intensity!】

【Di Jun tried to repeat his old tactics, but this time they were useless; appeasement had minimal effect…… left with no choice, Di Jun finally began an iron‑fisted crackdown!】

【Under the Heavenly Emperor's orders, the heavenly soldiers and generals kept launching attacks, fiercely crushing the arrogance of the 'troublemakers'—punches, elbows, kicks—and now they're all subdued……】

【After all, the Heavenly Court is a violence machine whose ruling power holds absolute advantage; it need not care about peasants like weeds: if you behave as a law‑abiding citizen, you're fine; dare to stick your head out, and you'll get an elbow!】

【Under the Heavenly Court's violence, people dared to be angry but not to speak; the surface stability was barely held together.】

【But resource demand won't disappear; the Heavenly Court's violence can only maintain surface stability, while in fact the Primordial Wasteland everywhere already seethes with undercurrents: if lawful resource appeals fail, one must turn to unlawful means……】

【Thus, the numbers of illegal transactions and vicious crime surged across the regions; though not reaching murder and arson, looting and home‑invasion became inevitable.】

【After all this, the Heavenly Court maintained tens of cycles of superficial stability, but began to waver……】

Mount Buzhou, the Heavenly Court.

Di Jun looked at the heavenly officials whose faces were numb above the court; his mood was already bad, and now it got worse……

After finally clearing the backlog, Di Jun decisively withdrew from court and continued to bury himself in the memorials sent from all over the Primordial Wasteland.

Only under intense work could he temporarily forget his worries.

But after he had just finished reviewing a few, someone suddenly spoke:

"……Tired?"

Di Jun raised his eyebrows in surprise, only to see a red‑robed man he hadn't seen in many years; though the man looked young, his aura seemed even older than dozens of cycles ago, his eyes filled with worry and sorrow.

"Foster father?!"

Di Jun blurted it out, hastily putting down the memorial, somewhat at a loss as he rose—the Heavenly Emperor himself, as tense as he had been a hundred cycles ago.

The junior feared the elder would discover his work was subpar……

Seeing him like that, Jiaoming naturally understood what was happening, but he merely sighed, and that resolve in his heart settled completely.

"If I had known you were coming, foster father, I would have prepared a great feast……"

Di Jun gave an embarrassed laugh:

"You've come all this way…… I'll go call my older sister and Taiyi right now……"

Jiao Ming, however, shook his head.

"No need, I came this time just to find you…… I…… would like to ask you for a favor."

"Just tell me, adoptive father! We're one family, no need to talk about helping or not helping!"

Upon hearing that his adoptive father needed help, Di Jun repeatedly patted his chest confidently, as if everything were a piece of cake.

"Alright……"

Jiao Ming smiled.

【Demon Calendar, the 52nd cycle, first assembly, tenth period—you no longer conceal your awakening ability; Di Jun learns of it, and his feelings become extremely complicated!】

【He is both shocked by your ability and, because of this, feels increasingly distressed: resources were already scarce, and now he must awaken myriad spirits, causing the Demon Race to grow ever stronger—wouldn't resources become even scarcer?】

【Although Di Jun would like to agree to your request, given the dire reality, for the peace of the Primordial Wasteland he can only politely refuse……】

【But you had anticipated this long ago, giving him only some blood and instructing him to use it later when the crisis eases: the myriad demons of the Primordial Wasteland ought not to be solely the Dragon Clan; you originally, out of necessity, blocked their path to gaining sentience, and this ultimately runs contrary to heavenly principle.】

【Since the Primordial Kirin is dead and the Primordial Phoenix refuses to awaken, let me take on the task……】

【Although Di Jun doesn't understand these words of yours, he still agrees to your small request and will do his utmost when resources become abundant!】

【He merely wonders: will there truly be a day of abundant resources?】

【……】

Southern Volcano, the dwelling of Jiao Ming and Zu Feng.

After marrying, Jiao Ming no longer lodged on Jade Capital Mountain; instead he moved into Zu Feng's ancestral home, the Great Volcano.

Living in the wife's family after marriage is uncommon in the Primordial Wasteland, so many second‑generation Phoenixes privately teased:

"It's not that Jiao Ming married the clan chief; it's that the clan chief took Jiao Ming home as his wife!"

But saying is saying; nobody felt anything was wrong, after all, how could the life of a great divine‑ability wielder be compared to that of ordinary folk……

Upon returning home, Jiao Ming saw Zu Feng in red robes sitting dazedly in the house.

Although they had been married for nearly fifty cycles, each time he saw her Jiao Ming would still feel a little dazed—her innate divine beauty needed no further words.

To be able to marry her is a great blessing, always giving one the feeling of living in a dream……

"I'm back!"

Jiao Ming laughed as he held her in his arms; back then even holding hands made him hesitate, but now they are worlds apart!

Yet Zu Feng remained somewhat dazed, leaning in his embrace without much reaction.

"What's wrong?"

Jiao Ming sensed something odd and asked with a hint of worry.

Zu Feng, however, slowly gazed at him, her delicate brows and eyes clearly revealing solemnity:

"Are you going to leave me?"

Jiao Ming's heart skipped a beat; he had wanted to change the subject, but seeing her complex expression, the words he had prepared wouldn't come out, so he merely nodded:

"Yes."

The Zu Feng who had long anticipated this saw her gaze dim, but she neither lost her temper nor threw a tantrum; the ancient primordial ancestor is no petulant child, and facing Jiao Ming's admission she merely hesitated:

"I knew…… a fellow who always lacked courage suddenly becoming bold must have a reason……"

"Have you considered me?"

"I have."

Jiao Ming answered seriously.

Zu Feng stared at him blankly:

"So then?"

"So I won't leave you."

Jiao Ming gently stroked her:

"Trust me."

"……Alright."

……

After one period, in Mount Kunlun.

Still in that cave, the humanoid outline formed from three clusters of pure qi continued to float silently in midair.

And Jiao Ming was staring at it, as if contemplating something.

"Fellow Daoist……"

Even though doing so would not serve his own or the Primordial Wasteland's interests, Hongjun still couldn't resist urging:

"You'd better go back and live your life properly; as for attaining the Dao…… I'll think of another way!"

"You have no ideas left to try."

Jiao Ming opened his eyes and calmly said to Hongjun:

"Just wait for me."

Hongjun wanted to speak but held back, only able to sigh……

After such contemplation for three periods, Jiao Ming suddenly produced a cluster of fire—none other than the Golden Crow True Fire that had long accompanied him.

Gazing at this exceedingly familiar flame, myriad memories surged forth: slaying foes, protecting the self, tempering the body……

"I am very sorry."

Jiao Ming spoke inexplicably; Hongjun ignored him, knowing the words weren't meant for himself.

"I am not a qualified protagonist, can't do much, and have nothing to offer Him……"

"But I know you will surely return…… I will give Him the most precious gift!"

Having said that, Jiao Ming, letting go of all his thoughts, patted the Golden Crow True Fire onto himself.

Boom!

Flames enveloped his body, just as usual.

But Jiaoming's face rarely showed a pained expression, as if he were undergoing scorching…

After a moment, the flames that had drawn something together slowly gathered and condensed into a humanoid shape before Jiaoming.

A naturally divine being born at the peak of the Great Luo Realm has come into being!

"Fellow Daoist."

Hongjun did not address Jiaoming, but sighed to this newly formed natural divine being:

"Congratulations."

"You have severed ninety‑nine percent of your own true spirit… Now you are both the 【Obsession Corpse】 and the true form!"

【The Three Corpses are good, evil, and obsession!】

【However, whether good, evil, or obsession, their essence is merely a part of one's own true spirit, differing only in bias; the Three Corpses are in fact equal to oneself.】

【But even in Hongjun's theory of severing corpses, on average each corpse severes only one or two percent of the true spirit.】

【And you, in one fell swoop, severed ninety‑nine percent! From now on, obsession becomes the true form, while the true form becomes a mere attendant…】

【In his previous two lives, Hongjun's evil thoughts rose during the war of the three clans, prompting him to sever the evil corpse; but you, unable to let go of your obsession, have severed the obsession corpse!】

【You cannot abandon Ancestor Phoenix and all else, yet you must sacrifice yourself; naturally, the only outcome is this.】

【In the 52nd Yuan of the 14th Fortune of the Demonic Calendar, you severed ninety‑nine percent of your true spirit as the 'Obsession Corpse,' and then, taking the Obsession Corpse as your actual true form, you committed suicide!】

【The vast true spirit scattered across Heaven and Earth far exceeds Hongjun's estimate: your true spirit is not merely as much as Ancestor Dragon's, but a full three times that, and possibly even half the total of Pangu!】

【Hongjun was shocked by this, yet he promptly began his actions…】

【The Dimension, the endless true spirit that has drifted between Heaven and Earth since time immemorial, under Hongjun's guidance rapidly refined the Primordial Heaven and Earth, giving birth to a vast, naive will that takes the endless true spirit as its body, and thus is omnipresent!】

【He is the first to attain the Dao in the Primordial Era; having attained the Dao, he is called 'the Dao,' and thus the Heavenly Dao was formally established!】

【And none of this affects you, who lives in the Great Fire Mountain…】

【No, that is not you; that is him. You are dead, and as the price of leaving the system, you have completely perished—he is no longer you.】

【The Three Corpses are not avatars; the Three Corpses are the self. Whichever possesses more true spirit is the true form.】

【He is simply himself; he is himself. He is Jiaoming—the adoptive father of the Heavenly Emperor, husband of Ancestor Phoenix, the ender of the Primordial Era, his own ender… He may hold many identities, but he is definitely not you.】

【Just as the Three Sovereigns are not Pangu, the Three Pure Ones are not Pangu; although Pangu retains a remnant of true spirit, He is already dead.】

【Then, who are you?】

【That vast will sometimes wonders because of this: Is He you?】

【The conclusion is: no, He is the Heavenly Dao, a newly formed being… object? composed of the true spirits of countless billions of living beings.】

【He belongs to no one; He is merely the Heavenly Dao.】

【After realizing this, He stripped that cluster of fire from His body; the flames instantly lost their master, and having completed its task, it will return to its true owner…】

……

(End of Chapter)