Chapter 358: The Hidden Hand: Even Pan Gu Is a Joke God [6k, Bonus 9 & 10]

Vast emptiness, without up or down, left or right, past or future—only an eternal stillness and chaos.

In this boundless void, three towering figures, beyond any description, stood shoulder to shoulder.

Their aura was as tangible as solid matter, churning the chaotic sea, causing the remaining fragments of chaotic divine beings to tremble.

Their radiance was both end and beginning.

Together, they passed judgment upon this age:

“Everything is over.”

The Dao’s solemn tone pierced through chaos: as the True Pan Gu swung his final axe, three thousand realms fell silent, and ten thousand ways withered.

The Three Ancients swept away all antiquity, ending the Chaos Era and felling a new generation of divine beings.

The chaotic divine beings marched toward their doom in despair; the newly ascended Da Luo gained validation through suffering.

This was the mournful finale of the Chaos Epoch—and the prologue of the Hong Huang Epoch.

The light of creation was like the first ray of dawn, dispersing eternal chaos and illuminating the path ahead.

Guided by this radiance, the concepts of time and space began to emerge from nothingness.

A grand river, spanning past, present, and future, slowly coalesced within the chaos.

“No wonder… no wonder those revived chaotic divine beings in later ages carried such deep resentment and malice!”

A newly stabilized Da Luo, battered and exhausted, whispered with lingering dread:

“Three True Pan Gus appearing at once—how horrific could it be? Just imagining it makes my Dao heart tremble!”

They struggled to survive amid the residual waves of the Three True Pan Gus’ indiscriminate purge—every sweep of the axe, every collision of Dao, was an ultimate test of their Dao fruits, inner states, divine arts, and even luck.

“Hahaha! The Daoist has transcended! From now on, I roam free, unharmed by ten thousand calamities!” A figure clad in Daoist robes, conspicuously exuberant, laughed aloud.

His form dissolved into a wisp of blue smoke, eagerly following the flow of the temporal river.

“Sigh… had my skull cracked open three times, but at least I got certified.”

“This era of creation is terrifying!”

“The era of creation? Even dogs won’t come!”

“Run! Run!”

One by one, the newly ascended Da Luo, shaken to their core, endured unprecedented shocks and purification of their Dao hearts.

They knew well: this chaotic void was the domain of the Three Pan Gu deities.

Staying meant no gain—only the risk of being crushed by stray ripples.

So-called “Pan Gu benefits”—creation merits, primordial spiritual treasures, fragments of the origin—were beyond even dreaming of; fleeing was the only priority.

“Let’s go, let’s go—we’re just little arms and legs; we can’t pluck a single hair from the True Pan Gu’s hide.”

Even those divine beings who had originally hoped to seize a sliver of opportunity during creation now abandoned all thoughts of it.

They were utterly pragmatic.

“Let’s go, let’s go!”

The newly ascended Da Luo crossed the threshold of the new age, flowing downstream along the temporal river—all of them fleeing together.

When the last Da Luo vanished into the ripples of the temporal river, the void returned to an eerie stillness.

Only the three Pan Gus remained, alongside the nascent world-form, brimming with infinite potential.

Within the bodies of the Three Pure Pan Gus, Xiang Xuanqing gazed at the formless chaos and the emerging new world, gaining profound insights.

This “role-play” as Pan Gu—personally participating in the grand process of ending chaos and organizing ten thousand ways—proved even more fulfilling than anticipated.

Not to mention: their current unity as one, embodying Pan Gu, elevated their understanding of “One Qi Transforming into Three Pure Ones” and their comprehension of the Dao’s origin to unprecedented heights.

And this experience—swinging the creation axe to obliterate all obstacles and reshape heaven and earth—left them utterly entranced, reaping immense rewards.

On the other side:

The Ancestral Wu Pan Gu, formed from thirteen Ancestral Wu, appeared far more excited and direct.

His body, muscles knotted and pulsing with explosive power, was encircled by primordial runes of wind, thunder, water, fire, space, and time.

This youthful Pan Gu bore a massive axe, equally huge but cruder in style, heavier with malevolent energy.

He gazed at the nascent world-form, eyes blazing with eagerness.

【We’ve come this far, expended so much effort, felled all those obstructive chaotic divine beings—how could we not try our hand at creation?】 Jiang Di’s will surged.

【Exactly! Inheriting the Father God’s will—let’s begin creating Hong Huang!】 Zhu Rong was ecstatic.

【Creation must happen! Such merit belongs to us!】 Qiang Liang chuckled.

【Brother’s right—Father God worked so hard; it’s only fair someone else takes over now!】 The other Ancestral Wu wills echoed in unison.

This experience of creation surpassed every Ancestral Wu’s expectations.

Now, at the final moment of creation—who wouldn’t want to try?

How could you call yourself True Pan Gu if you didn’t create heaven and earth?

In contrast, the Three Pure Pan Gus remained calm.

Though they too were intrigued by creation, they prioritized the “Dao” and the “Principle.”

【Ending the Chaos Epoch leads to ‘Tai Wu’; opening the Hong Huang Epoch reunites ‘Zhu You.’ Third brother, this aligns with your Dao.】 Xiang Xuanqing smiled.

【Facing calamity, yet facing dawn—the dawn of a new age lies before us. We might as well try.】

The will of Yu Chendao Jun stirred slightly: 【The act of creation aligns with your Dao, Elder Brother!】

【I don’t care—either of you creates or ends; I stand between you, validating Miao You and Miao Wu—it’s fine.】 Tai Shang was optimistically unbothered.

Finally, their gazes turned simultaneously to the True Pan Gu.

All three Ancients stood here—each knew who led, who assisted, who was truly the “Big King.”

The True Pan Gu retained his ancient, detached expression, as if ten thousand eons had left no mark upon his face.

His gaze swept repeatedly between the Three Pure Pan Gus and the Ancestral Wu Pan Gu, as if weighing something.

Then, to the surprise of both Pan Gus, the True Pan Gu sheathed his great axe, crossed his arms, and stepped back.

“Hm?”

The Three Pure Pan Gus paused, startled.

“You’re really letting us shoulder this creation task?”

Meanwhile, the Ancestral Wu Pan Gu erupted in ecstatic joy.

“Good! Good! Good! Watch me!” The Ancestral Wu Pan Gu, without hesitation, hefted his axe and strode forward to claim the final authority of creation.

“Wait!” As the Ancestral Wu Pan Gu was about to step forward, the Three Pure Pan Gus’ voice halted him.

“Huh? You’re challenging me?” The Ancestral Wu Pan Gu stopped, turned his massive form toward the Three Pure Pan Gus, eyes blazing with battle lust, malevolent energy coalescing, the void trembling.

“Not a challenge.”

Xiang Xuanqing’s consciousness spoke calmly, yet his voice carried an undeniable, domineering authority: “Only one Pan Gu may open heaven and earth, establish the cosmos, and manifest all things.”

“One who symbolizes order, principle, and infinite future.”

Implicitly: the Ancestral Wu’s pure force and destruction, though mighty, were unfit to lead creation and evolution.

The fused will of the thirteen Ancestral Wu burst into thunderous laughter: “Hahaha! Order? Principle? Future? What a joke!”

“Without absolute power, where is order?”

“I command earth, water, fire, wind—I control the primordial forces of heaven and earth. Who else but me can open heaven and earth?”

“You want to compete with me for this creation merit? Are you challenging me?”

Tai Shang’s consciousness smiled serenely, voice calm yet radiating supreme authority: “Even Pan Gu has greatness and lesser status.”

“Who is greater? Who is lesser?” Wu Luo’s will suddenly spoke.

Xiang Xuanqing narrowed his eyes. “Do you really need to ask?”

Both Pan Gus turned to the True Pan Gu.

The True Pan Gu crossed his arms, smiling at them.

The meaning was clear: Why not fight?

“Then fight!” The Ancestral Wu Pan Gu’s battle lust had boiled over.

He struck first.

“Cut!”

The Ancestral Wu Pan Gu’s colossal form surged forward, his Doushen Shasha Axe whipping up boundless malevolence, carrying the primordial might of earth, water, fire, and wind, slashing violently toward the Three Pure Pan Gus!

“Then let’s settle it with our hands!” The Three Pure Pan Gus’ eyes flashed with brilliance, equally brimming with battle spirit.

They too wished to test their newly unified Da Luo Dao fruit.

Two Pan Gus, two creation divine axes, clashed at the boundary between void and nascent world in a cataclysmic duel.

Pan Gu slaying chaotic divine beings had been like crushing straw men—one axe, one child.

But Pan Gu versus Pan Gu—what spectacle was this?

BOOM!!!

The first collision was not axe against axe, but will and aura clashing head-on.

The Ancestral Wu Pan Gu’s attack was simple, direct, saturated with destructive force.

His axe-light seemed intent on crushing all into chaos once more.

The Three Pure Pan Gus’ axe-light, however, contained the endless transformations of Taiji, Yin-Yang, Four Symbols, Five Phases, Eight Trigrams… like a microcosm perpetually evolving, attempting to absorb, neutralize, and counter the opponent’s assault within their Dao.

The void trembled; the newly coalescing temporal river churned violently, even showing signs of fracture.

The nascent world-form, under this force, saw earth, water, fire, and wind in chaos, clear and turbid energies mingling—barely avoiding collapse.

“Thrilling! Again!” The Ancestral Wu Pan Gu roared.

His body swelled violently, twelve Ancestral Wu’s monstrous spiritual forms appearing behind him—each representing an extreme primordial force.

His colossal axe swung again.

This time, the blade was coated with dense Dou Tian Shen Sha energy; wherever it passed, all laws and concepts collapsed.

This was the ultimate expression of pure “force,” a power that shattered all rules.

The Three Pure Ones’ Pangu’s gaze was solemn; His figure grew faint, as if merging with the entire void and the newborn world.

The divine axe in His hand traced an arcane path.

“One Primordial splits into Three Primordials; one axe splits into three axes!”

One Qi transforms into Three Pure Ones; the Three Pure Ones’ Pangu became three titans. With a flick of their hands, the Pangu Axe split into three.

“What the hell!” The Ancestral Wu were stunned.

How could they possibly compete?

“Let you see who’s the real Primordial!”

Three axe lights, each imbued with distinct Dao principles, struck simultaneously.

One was supremely soft and yielding, redirecting force; one was supremely hard and fierce, shattering laws and extinguishing Dao; one was unpredictable, striking straight at the source.

Boom boom boom~~~

The axe lights clashed.

The Ancestral Wu’s Pangu’s Sha energy axe light was deflected and weakened by the first axe light of the Three Pure Ones, then directly shattered by the second.

The third, unpredictable axe light slipped soundlessly past the explosion’s core and slashed straight through the Ancestral Wu Pangu’s chest—where His heart lay.

“Roar!” The Ancestral Wu Pangu cried out in pain.

A deep wound, bone-deep, appeared on His chest; what flowed out was not blood, but thick primordial essence and Sha energy.

Instead of anger, He laughed, growing even more frenzied, abandoning defense to trade blows—His massive fist, like an ancient divine mountain, slammed straight toward the Three Pure Ones’ Pangu’s face.

Where the fist’s wind passed, space collapsed layer upon layer.

The Three Pure Ones’ Pangu shifted slightly; beneath His feet, the Taiji diagram appeared, Yin and Yang swirling, shifting space and time, narrowly avoiding the punch.

Yet the residual shockwave still shook His Pangu true body, dimming the radiance along His surface.

“Kill! Kill! Kill!!”

The Ancestral Wu Pangu fought with wild abandon; every strike shook the primordial chaos. He seemed to become destruction itself—wind, thunder, water, fire, space, time… all primordial forces came effortlessly, woven into His axe techniques and fists.

Sometimes He transformed into a raging flood drowning everything; sometimes into blazing fire scorching all things; sometimes He sliced through space in silence; sometimes He froze time, halting the flow of time.

His power was pure, primal, and ferocious—as if embodying the wild, chaotic force of the universe’s birth.

The Three Pure Ones’ Pangu responded with calm precision; their battle resembled the exposition of Dao.

Every movement aligned with the ultimate truth of the Dao.

The divine axe in their hands transformed: sometimes into Jade Pure celestial light purifying all; sometimes into Shang Pure sword intent, razor-sharp and unmatched; sometimes into Tai Pure realm of non-action, invulnerable to all laws.

The Three Pure Ones’ Pangu and the Ancestral Wu Pangu fought from the void to the edge of the newborn world, then back into the depths of chaos.

Their blood—the supreme primordial Pangu essence—fell into the void.

Each drop could one day evolve into a small world or a powerful primordial lifeform.

Every collision sent ripples through the river of time and space, birthing countless future possibilities, only to annihilate them again.

“What a spectacular Pangu battle!”

Pangu Zhenren watched quietly from the side, a faint, elusive smile always on His face—as if observing a magnificent performance.

His gaze was deep; no one knew what He thought.

The battle lasted an unknown duration—perhaps an instant, perhaps eternity.

For beings of their level, time had long lost meaning.

Finally, in the most intense exchange, the Ancestral Wu Pangu, with his fearless, reckless style, took a blow from the Three Pure Ones’ Pangu’s axe strike infused with the “Yuan Shi Kai Tian Yin.”

Simultaneously, His Dou Tian Shen Sha axe pierced through the Three Pure Ones’ layered defenses at an impossible angle—the blade nearly touched the Three Pure Ones’ Pangu’s third eye!

“It’s over!” The Ancestral Wu Pangu’s will roared; He already saw the dawn of victory.

The Ancestral Wu’s power came from the heart; the Three Pure Ones drew power from Pangu’s Yuan Shen.

Strike the Yuan Shen—definitely correct!

If this axe landed, the Three Pure Ones’ core will would be shattered; the right to open heaven would be His!

Yet, at this critical moment, the Three Pure Ones’ Pangu suddenly merged.

Ignoring the fatal axe light hovering above His head, He clenched His right fist and punched forward!

This punch had no earth-shattering aura; it condensed the supreme Dao fruit of the Three Pure Ones’ unity, embodying the creative truth of “Three Begets All Things,” then reversed into the finality of “All Laws Return to One.”

The fist struck precisely at the Ancestral Wu Pangu’s chest.

Pfft!

A dull sound.

The Three Pure Ones’ Pangu’s fist, like a spear piercing an invisible barrier, pierced straight through the Ancestral Wu Pangu’s chest, exploding the “heart” formed from the will and essence of the Thirteen Ancestral Wu.

“Ugh…” The Ancestral Wu Pangu froze mid-motion.

The fervor and battle-lust in His eyes faded rapidly, replaced by disbelief.

The colossal axe hovering three feet above the Three Pure Ones’ Pangu’s head never came down.

The Sha energy on the blade receded like a tide.

“Just… one move…” The Ancestral Wu Pangu’s gaze dimmed; His massive body grew unstable, flickering with light.

The Ancestral Wu looked down at the huge hole in their own chests, then up at the solemn Three Pure Ones’ Pangu.

Yes—just one move.

So close. Just a hair’s breadth from victory.

But at this level of combat, one move meant the difference between heaven and earth.

One move decided victory and defeat.

And witnessed life and death.

“Heh…” The Ancestral Wu Pangu let out a laugh—part self-mockery, part release.

Then His immense Pangu true body began to disintegrate, fragmenting into billions of specks of light, like radiant stardust, drifting apart.

Some specks merged into the earth, water, fire, and wind of the newborn world; others dissolved into the primordial void.

A portion seemed drawn by some unseen resonance, returning to the Hong Huang Zhen Jie.

Silent. Untraceable.

As if the Ancestral Wu Pangu, embodiment of ultimate force, and the thirteen earth-shattering Ancestral Wu wills, had never existed in this void.

“Tsk tsk tsk, truly magnificent.”

Pangu Zhenren looked at the spot where the Ancestral Wu Pangu had vanished, clapped His hands lightly, His smile deepening.

“Pangu fighting—I love it!”

He turned His head toward the Three Pure Ones, now stabilizing their Pangu true body.

How strong was Pangu?

In the past, even Pangu Himself might not have known the answer.

Because He was unique—there was no benchmark.

But now, through this “civil war,” Pangu Himself finally had a direct understanding.

The Ancestral Wu Pangu’s power and the Three Pure Ones’ Pangu’s Dao art had both reached an unimaginable realm.

“But…”

Pangu Zhenren’s eyes gleamed with cunning, “Based on what I just observed, I can confirm—I’m still stronger!”

The Three Pure Ones’ Pangu seemed to sense Pangu Zhenren’s gaze.

They turned around, ready to speak.

But at that moment—a sudden change!

Pangu Zhenren’s smile remained gentle, even encouraging.

Yet His movement was blindingly fast—without the slightest warning!

The hands He had always held before His chest had, without notice, gripped the divine axe soaked in Mo Shen blood.

His figure appeared soundlessly behind the Three Pure Ones’ Pangu.

Hand raised—axe fell!

The motion was clean, decisive, without hesitation—as if rehearsed billions of times.

Shhh!

An indescribable axe light, transcending time and space, slashed toward the Three Pure Ones’ Pangu.

“???”

The Three Pure Ones’ vision went black.

Just as they had appeared.

The massive Pangu true body shuddered violently, then, as if all support had been removed, slowly toppled forward.

In the final instant before consciousness vanished, the Three Pure Ones’ Pangu strained to turn their head—and saw Pangu Zhenren’s face, still smiling.

It seemed they heard Pangu Zhenren speaking in a way only they could understand:

“You’ve always wanted to explore the origin mystery of the Primordial ‘Qi,’ to find the path to reverse the primordial and attain the supreme Dao fruit, haven’t you?”

“Well? How does it feel now… angry?”

“Puh—”

The Three Pure Ones’ Pangu’s eyes flew wide open, filled with shock, confusion, and… fury!

Did Pangu Zhenren launch a surprise attack?!

This is just too… too infuriating!

BOOM—

The colossal body of the Three Pure Ones’ Pangu finally collapsed, like a great pillar supporting heaven and earth crashing down in thunder.

His body likewise began to disintegrate, transforming into three purest, most primordial clear qi, along with countless fragments of the Dao and primordial spiritual light, scattering into the void and the newborn worlds.

Unlike the dissolution of the Ancestral Witch Pangu, the “death” of the Three Pure Ones’ Pangu seemed to carry deeper resentment and unwillingness.

They died with eyes unclosed.

In the void, only Pangu Zhenren remained, standing alone.

In his hand, the Heaven-Splitting Divine Axe bore on its blade two utterly distinct yet sharing the same root: the “Pangu” qi.

He lightly swung the axe, shaking off blood that never existed, his gaze fixed on the nascent world—vaster, more vibrant.

The smile on his face slowly faded, replaced by an eternal, primordial sense of mission and solitude befitting the Creator of Heaven and Earth.

Creating heaven and earth could only be accomplished by one Pangu.

And he chose to be that one alone.

As for the process… who would care?

Pangu gazed at the world on the verge of formation and smiled.

“A new era is about to begin.”

“I look forward to your more brilliant performances.”

————

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(End of Chapter)