This Human Immortal Is Too Serious-Chapter 441 - 439 "Eastern Emperor" [Vote for a large cup]

In the Heaven Palace, the huge jade slip was continuously flashing with light.

The Divine Court of Heaven Palace quickly collapsed, and right below it, rings with diameters of hundreds of miles started to appear, trembling gently.

This was the actual form of the Heaven and Earth Seal!

Wu Wang, longsword in hand, leaped up and charged into the jade slip.

The Heavenly Dao is under my command,

All paths shall submit!

Having acquired the Great Dao of all gods, the next step was to construct a new order of heaven and earth before Emperor Shun or Candle Dragon could cause trouble.

Above the jade slip, as gazes watched on, Wu Wang closed his eyes, and a shadow flew out of his chest.

The Primordial Spirit left the body and invested itself into the Great Dao, led by the Eight Trigrams Dao of Yin and Yang, witnessed by the stars in the heavens.

"I decree, there shall be three realms: of gods, humans, and ghosts.

The Divine Realm is for immortals, home to the Innate Gods, floating above the land, accompanied by the starry sky.

The Human Domain shall be established on the land, with boundless lands, seas, oceans, mountains, and rivers. The Five Elements shall interweave here, where living beings make their homes.

The realm of ghosts lies beneath the land, a place for the spirits of living beings, divided from the Human Domain by yin and yang.

These three realms coexist as the foundation of order!"

Beams of golden light emanated from the jade slip.

The golden light seemed to restart heaven and earth, instantly traversing the infinite Heaven and Earth, mixed with the Dao rhymes of hundreds of Great Daos, piercing through Heaven and Earth, linking the two, penetrating between them.

Wu Wang's body turned pale, and blue veins bulged all over him.

In that instant, his Primordial Spirit felt as if squeezed by the entire heaven and earth, and it was as though he himself had become a giant connecting heaven and earth, shouldering the heavens and stepping on the earth.

Due to the incompleteness of the Five Elements Great Dao, the Dao of Fire turned into the Dao of Fuel and Fire. With the Human Emperor here, though not directly part of the foundation constituted by the Heavenly Dao, the Heavenly Dao had already seized the pure origin of fire.

However, the Water Dao was in the Outer Sky, controlled by the Water God, and the newly formed Heavenly Dao was not yet capable of reshaping the origins of the Five Elements. This caused the Heavenly Dao, which should have been smoothly spread between heaven and earth, to suffer from an imbalance and backlash.

Unless Wu Wang gave up on the Water Dao, but water is an indispensable Great Dao for living beings.

He had no choice but to withstand this critical phase.

To become the Heavenly Emperor, one must first bear the weight of heaven and earth!

"Set!"

With a loud shout from Wu Wang, countless stars in the starry sky shone together, outshining the light of the sun and the moon!

The next instant, a column of black and white light burst forth from the jade slip beneath Wu Wang's feet.

Great Dao after Great Dao blossomed from above the jade slip, hundreds of them answering the call of the master of the Heavenly Dao, firmly supporting this heaven and earth.

The gods already integrated into the Heavenly Dao felt something, and they all sat down cross-legged, eyes closed in contemplation.

This was their opportunity, as well as their test.

But this was not enough. Wu Wang was merely reshaping a new Divine Court, merely changing its name to 'Heavenly Dao'.

His Heavenly Dao was more than just this!

"Decree!"

Wu Wang spoke out suddenly, and Young Master rose from atop the Lotus Platform.

Her long hair fluttered, her black gown danced, her face was holy and solemn, and her lips carried a sweet smile.

She placed both hands over her chest, closed her eyes, and started humming a brisk tune, just like a mother soothing a crying child.

From Young Master's snow-white chest, a burst of rainbow radiance emerged, and a Treasure Bead slowly flew out from within, from which came peals of a baby's laughter, as if the treasure was cheering and jumping for joy.

The Orb of All Beings!

"When the three paths of living beings unite," Wu Wang's voice descended, "living beings shall be the foundation of the Heavenly Dao!"

Both Head Manager and Xiao Ming closed their eyes.

Xiao Ming's face bore solemnity as she pressed her palms together. A shadow of a cloaked girl appeared behind her, mirroring the old tree behind Head Manager.

The light from the Orb of All Beings intensified.

Young Master soared upwards, holding the Orb of All Beings in her hands, and gently pushed it into the center of the Heavenly Dao's jade slip.

In an instant, the entire Heavenly Dao was coated in a layer of gold.

At the same time, across the Nine Wildernesses of the Great Wilderness.

On the steppes of the Northern Wilderness, the towns in the Human Domain, the tribes of the Eastern Wilderness, the deserts of the Western Wilderness, every sentient being capable of opening their Spiritual Wisdom heard a proclamation. It was the solemn voice of Wu Wang:

"All beings, heed my words at this moment.

Today, I establish the Heavenly Dao, set norms, harness momentum, to protect all living beings and also to oversee them.

The Heavenly Dao values rites, wisdom, faith, and righteousness; it promotes the peaceful coexistence of all beings, accumulating blessings for the do-gooder, and bringing down punishment upon the evildoer.

The Heavenly Dao is newly established, and its rules are yet to be supplemented.

Today is just an announcement: the Great Wilderness hath established the Heavenly Dao."

As Wu Wang's words fell, save for the Human Domain, figures knelt down everywhere else, continuously kowtowing in the direction of Central Mountain. Streaks of starlight crossed the barriers of Heaven and Earth, converging upon the Heaven Palace, gathering upon that jade Heavenly Dao slip.

The gods felt the pressure on them suddenly lessen.

Wu Wang felt waves of power filling up every part of his Primordial Spirit; borrowing the Heavenly Dao, he heard the voices of all beings.

These voices were mottled, but stirred an indefinable emotion within Wu Wang.

Within the Heaven Palace, colorful rays of light flashed endlessly, and the jade slip slowly rose into the air. Under the starry sky, it unfolded slowly, spreading in all directions, on all six faces, reaching every corner between Heaven and Earth.

As if a thin blanket had been laid upon the land;

As if a white cloud had been added to the sky.

Wu Wang's heart was filled with endless enlightenment. In that instant, he seemed to stand in the center of Heaven and Earth, the sun and moon in tandem with him, living beings dancing and singing, with ceaseless praise from the Divine Spirits.

But he quickly freed himself from such a state of mind, retained the enlightenment, and peeled away all feelings that could give rise to arrogance within himself.

The Heavenly Dao is not yet complete, just temporarily sustained by the Power of Living Beings, with still many shortcomings.

If there were to be celebrations, it would wait until he reclaims the Great Dao of the Outer Sky, and reawakens numerous Great Daos of the once-vanished Innate Gods, integrating each into the Heavenly Dao.

To achieve the Three Thousand Dao, to forge a perfect Heaven and Earth.

The most critical moment is upon us.

Wu Wang's Primordial Spirit returned to his body, and he opened his eyes, which unexpectedly revealed rays of light.

An air of dense majesty spread out from within him.

Wu Wang, feeling a prompt, as if the Zhong was reminding him not to whimsically change his name at the last minute – the name Eastern Emperor was quite nice...

Wu Wang declared, "From this day forth, I am the leader of the Heavenly Dao, called the Eastern Emperor, styled Taiyi, aspiring to pursue the Taiyi Dao, to create a stable Heaven and Earth!"

Head Manager, no longer needing to continue the 'performance' from before, joined the Earth God, Wood God, and the gods of the Heaven Palace, rising to bow in salute.

"We greet Your Majesty the Eastern Emperor!"

"We greet Your Majesty the Eastern Emperor!"

Wu Wang nodded slightly; he felt somewhat uncomfortable at this moment, but this was no time for affectation. He lowered his gaze to the rings below, raising his right hand high before slowly pressing it down.

Streams of radiant light surged towards the main body of the Heaven and Earth Seal.

He was to enhance the Heaven and Earth Seal with the power of the Heavenly Dao.

Just then, the Heaven and Earth Seal suddenly became semi-transparent, revealing a mist-enveloped land below.

But in this unfolding vista, more than half was filled with the dark bulk of a dragon's body.

A pair of eyes, comparable to the sun and moon, suddenly opened, gazing directly at Wu Wang.

'Who art thou, God?' That powerful, ferocious voice, with its hoarseness, suddenly resounded at the bottom of Wu Wang's heart.

Wu Wang looked down into the eyes of the Candle Dragon, expressionless, he continued to affix the Heavenly Dao's enhancement to the Heaven and Earth Seal.

This enhancement, merely a tenth complete, would fortify the Heaven and Earth Seal by thirty percent, enough to withstand the Candle Dragon's assault at least dozens of times!

Such was Wu Wang's confidence.

But there was an underlying danger at the moment; at the very center of the Heaven and Earth Seal was still the Dao of the old order.

Wu Wang had to withstand the Candle Dragon's first onslaught and replace that old Dao of Order, completely erasing Emperor Shun's last vestige of retaliatory force in this world.

According to plan, Emperor Shun should currently be under the control of Yun Zhongjun's Illusionary Realm. Wu Wang only needed to face the Candle Dragon's backlash.

Would the Candle Dragon stand idly by as the Heaven and Earth Seal was strengthened?

Of course not.

Its massive eyes quickly turned blood red, and the colossal dragon body slowly shifted, yet its dragon head, bearing immeasurable might, brought forth a layer of flaming red light, charging directly at the Heaven and Earth Seal.

The Head Manager shouted, "Gods guard the Heaven and Earth Seal!"

All the gods pressed down with their hands in unison, their eyes filled with determination.

The Heaven and Earth Seal shined brightly as if an endless sea had appeared beneath it, striking fiercely at the Candle Dragon.

This was the battle of the Heaven and Earth Seal that living beings normally couldn't witness. In such a situation, it was usually Emperor Shun who led the gods to resist.

ROAR!

The roar of the Candle Dragon penetrated directly through the Heaven and Earth Seal, causing the gods' complexions to turn pale.

That dragon head heavily collided with the center of the seal, causing the entire Heaven Palace to tremble. Fissures began to appear on the Heaven and Earth Seal, but they were quickly covered by the divine power of the Heaven Palace.

With the Primordial Divine Power being extracted, the recovery speed of the Heaven and Earth Seal became very slow. Fortunately, the power of the Heavenly Dao had taken effect, and amid the increase and decrease of forces, it managed to block the Candle Dragon.

The Candle Dragon was roaring, howling, its eyes devoid of any conscious thought, consumed by instinct and madness!

Destruction!

Destroy everything!

Return to chaos, return to primordial disorder!

Wu Wang pressed down with his palm, his wide robes rustling in the wind.

The leaders of the various large clans present all held their breath, watching this incredibly spectacular scene between Heaven and Earth.

Eastern Emperor leading the gods against the Candle Dragon!

This was the first trial of Eastern Emperor's ascension!

Ten times, eleven times... 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Every collision of the Candle Dragon seemed like a simple impact, but in reality, it had to endure the backlash of hundreds of Great Daos. The dragon's head was already battered and bleeding, its strength gradually weakening.

The Candle Dragon let out an unwilling roar, its dragon head slowly sinking back into its body, the chaos in its eyes slowly receding.

Suddenly, Wu Wang's expression changed as he faintly sensed something amiss with the core of the Heaven and Earth Seal.

At this moment, Yun Zhongjun, who was observing the Candle Dragon, paused.

Yun Zhongjun suddenly looked up toward the Temple of the Heavenly Emperor, his eyes filled with shock, and he whispered softly, "How is this possible? No, it's not Emperor Shun... He is more than just Emperor Shun!"

Yun Zhongjun's expression changed drastically, and he turned to transmit a message to Wu Wang, "The core of the Heaven and Earth Seal is about to break! Emperor Shun has broken through my Illusionary Realm!"

As soon as his words fell, the golden rune imprints at the very center of the ring below suddenly shattered, turning into dozens of glass fragments that fell into the Heaven and Earth of the Outer Sky.

A foul stench hit their faces.

Inside and outside of Heaven, in an instant, they became interconnected, with Great Daos intertwined and reflecting each other's radiance!

Within the Temple of the Heavenly Emperor, the ancient Order incarnation had turned into a pile of sand...

In the void, Emperor Shun gasped for breath as two dark shadows floated around him. The Heavenly Dao? Yun Zhongjun? Even if you have such a contingency plan, so what? Did you truly think that my constant talk of 'escaping' was really about 'escaping'? Wu Wangzi, when you lied to me about changing the Order, did you not consider that I might also be misleading you? The result will not change. His slender eyes filled with ruthlessness, but behind the ruthlessness, there was a bit of satisfaction.

Emperor Shun's figure flashed and he disappeared from the spot.

In the Heaven Palace, the gods stared intently at the breach in the seal below, but Wu Wang had already dived down, the Yin and Yang Path surged forth, and the body of the Star God fell straight from the sky.

With a loud shout, he commanded, "Block the Candle Dragon!"

At this moment, the dragon head of the Candle Dragon once again emerged above its body. Without any hesitation, its eyes filled with ferocity, it struck fiercely towards the sky!

Return!

Return!

"Hmph!"

A cold snort swept across the sky, and the figure of Shen Nong appeared above the Heaven and Earth Seal. Flames gathered behind him and in the blink of an eye, turned into a giant fire dragon's head that dove ferociously toward the breach below, its body solidifying as it moved forward.

Wu Wang landed in front of the Heaven and Earth Seal, his hands quickly forming seals.

Yin and Yang emerged, the Eight Trigrams appeared, and the power of the Heavenly Dao rushed forth swiftly. A phantom image of the Yin Yang Eight Trigrams replaced the core area of the seal once filled by the Dao of Order!

Below, the fire dragon smashed head-on into the Candle Dragon's dragon head. When compared, the former seemed like a mere earthworm before a python, but the exploding flames directly shoved the Candle Dragon's head downwards.

Shen Nong's eyebrows were tightly knit, and he couldn't help but retreat backward; the fierce power of the Candle Dragon actually repelled this Human Emperor through the air!

Taking advantage of the momentum, the Candle Dragon surged upward!

Wu Wang's expression remained composed as he stared at the Candle Dragon, exerting all his strength to construct the seal in the middle.

The figure of the Earth God appeared abruptly behind Wu Wang, pressing down with his left hand. Pieces of land sprang from nowhere, condensing to form a wall of earth beneath the Heaven and Earth Seal.

One figure after another flashed into existence.

The Young Master shouted lightly, and vines intertwined across the Outer Sky, but they were easily shattered by the formidable body of the Candle Dragon.

The Head Manager, exerting his full strength, spat out fresh blood to summon bundles of green light, but was utterly unable to drain the Candle Dragon's lifespan due to its immortal and indestructible nature.

A luminous sun flashed;

A crescent moon hung in the sky.

The Wood God, the Thunderstorm God, the West Wind God, the Weapon Forging God, the Savage Beast God...

At this moment, each of these powerful gods stood out to add obstacles to the Candle Dragon's advance.

Shen Nong took a deep breath, ready to fall.

"Step back, Senior!"

Wu Wang suddenly shouted, "I can do it!"

Shen Nong hesitated, his gaze fixated on Wu Wang's youthful face, but still chose to trust Wu Wang.

Wu Wang brought his right hand's fingers together as if they were a sword, and leveraging his strong Divine Soul, which was blessed by the Heavenly Dao due to his pioneering work, he shockingly split his spiritual mind into two.

The body of the Star God slammed directly toward the Heaven and Earth Seal.

Yet, this body came to an abrupt stop in front of the Heaven and Earth Seal, and flames appeared in its eyes as it began to rapidly dissolve, its godly power, mountainous in its enormity, pouring into Wu Wang.

As the Heavenly Dao had just been established, there was not much Divine Power available.

And now, Wu Wang urgently needed Divine Power to construct a new core for the seal.

Emperor Shun had destroyed the old order rune imprint at the very center of the Heaven and Earth Seal, but since eight-tenths of the Great Dao making up the seal had returned to the Heavenly Dao, it had not led to the seal's collapse.

At this moment, the body of the Star God vanished as if it had been erased, turning into countless sparks of starlight that merged into Wu Wang and were infused into the seal below by him.

The Yin and Yang Path was rapidly taking shape.

Below, new figures began to appear beside the Candle Dragon, but these figures were too late to act.

The body of the Star God, previously used by Cang Xue to threaten the Heaven and Earth Seal, unexpectedly became a part of the seal in such a manner.

Wu Wang shouted loudly, and the Yin Yang Eight Trigrams suddenly shifted from illusory to solid, unleashing a powerful shockwave that pushed the Candle Dragon's body down countless miles.

The eyes of the Candle Dragon were filled with unwillingness. Gazing at the Heaven and Earth Seal, which had but a final crack remaining before it would seal completely, it couldn't help but bellow furiously,

"Who art thou!"

"The supreme of the Heavenly Dao," Wu Wang's voice, cool and clear, streamed into the Outer Sky, as he calmly said, "Eastern Emperor Taiyi."

HUM—

The seal brightened abruptly, vanishing into the fabric of heaven and earth in an instant.

The presence of the Candle Dragon lingered still around the Heaven Palace.

Inside the silent Heaven Palace, Wu Wang, seemingly drained, stepped back half a step but quickly steadied his stance.

Behind him, the body of the Star God had disappeared, leaving only a ghostly image formed from the last of the starlight.

That shadowy figure cocked its head to look at Wu Wang, the corners of its mouth curved into a faint smile, then dispersed into nothingness as a breeze swept through.

Wu Wang closed his eyes and concentrated, his aura quickly recovering.

At this moment, he controlled the Heavenly Dao, and nature's spiritual energy was at his disposal.

Not far away, several strong gods bowed to Wu Wang, and further away, every Innate God bowed in tribute as well.

Just as Wu Wang was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the entire Heaven Palace suddenly trembled a few times. Although the trembling was much less intense than before, the power of the Heavenly Dao was being rapidly extracted.

Wu Wang's mouth twitched slightly.

Well, he had now become the gatekeeper of the Great Wilderness.

"Yun Zhongjun! Head Manager! Earth God!"

Wu Wang called out loudly, and the three strong gods immediately responded.

"I grant thee authority, connect the Divine Pool of Heaven Palace to the Heavenly Dao, and stabilize the Heaven and Earth Seal first!"

"Yes!"

Wu Wang scanned the surroundings, then smiled at Elder Shen Nong, saying, "I'll go and take charge. I'll be back after the Candle Dragon has worn out its energy."

Shen Nong nodded with a smile, and Wu Wang dove straight into the depths of the Heaven Palace.

Wu Wang was not idle; he had already begun to verify through the Heavenly Dao the ideas he had previously conceived.

He needed a new system of Divine Power, a system that was more ingenious and complex than Emperor Shun's 'Fundamental Dao Divine Power - Divine Court - Power of Devotee's Faith - Gods of Heaven Palace' system.

Allow the Heavenly Dao to loan, and incidentally, implement quantitative easing.

「Outer Sky.」

In the sky, Candle Dragon was frantically charging against the Taiyi Eight Trigrams Picture in the deepest part of Heaven Palace, splattering dragon blood drop by drop. This blood turned into boundless spiritual energy, spreading in all directions.

Over thirty figures stood midair, constantly employing mighty divine skills. The Water Dao was healing Candle Dragon's wounds, while the Wind Dao was propelling its divine body.

These were the Divine Spirits of the Outer Sky, and among them were those of considerable strength.

Such a grand spectacle attracted everyone's gaze; nobody noticed that, down in a valley filled with scorched earth, several faint shadows stood with their hands clasped behind their backs, looking up at the scene in the sky.

Below the feet of these shadows were fragments of golden rune imprints, which were slowly disappearing at this moment, turning into streams of pure Divine Power that flowed into the shadows.

"It's time for you to return."

The shadow in the center murmured softly. One of the shadows behind it gave a cold laugh, while the other replied gently as they merged into the central figure, forming into Emperor Shun wearing a grey robe.

Subsequently, he began to 'talk to himself'.

The plan is going quite smoothly, just a bit ahead of schedule.

Neither you nor I expected Wu Wangzi to have such talent. The Heavenly Dao, what a Heavenly Dao.

Alas, I've always said, we could have had a heart-to-heart talk with Wu Wang; there was no need to...

They will never expect that Emperor Shun is indeed Emperor Shun, but the current Emperor Shun, besides himself, harbors the malicious nature of a fallen Human Emperor who wouldn't submit, right, Fu Xi my friend?

I am merely a delusion born from your own nature.

Tsk, tsk, tsk, if back then you had been willing to give me the Yin Yang Eight Trigrams Dao instead of leaving it for Wu Wangzi, oh no, instead of leaving it for Eastern Emperor Taiyi, none of this would have happened.

I am merely a delusion born from your own nature.

Talking to you is pointless. Sanxian, how was the taste of Xihe?

Truly, quite delightful.

You really are the most cowardly part of me, yet also the most easily satisfied. That is the only reason why I kept you around.

Emperor Shun heaved a long sigh, looking up at the tragic 'collision battle' in the sky, a faint smile on his face.

Although I've just arrived here, it's time to prepare for the return. There's a goddess who knows the secret to entering the inner heavens, let's set out.

Tsk, with the Primordial Divine Power accumulated by the Heaven Palace, I too can roam freely in the Outer Sky.

「Within heaven, beside Heaven Palace's Divine Pool.」

Several figures were bustling about, but Yun Zhongjun furrowed his brows, pacing back and forth incessantly.

Something wasn't right; how could his Yun Meng Illusionary Realm be so easily broken through? The Third God King controlled the complete Dao of Time and was the most primal god of time. His strength was absolutely above Emperor Shun's; even he would be trapped for at least four hours inside. This illusion could breed countless dream illusions, so why did Emperor Shun break through so quickly...? Was Emperor Shun reminded that it was all an illusion? Unless Emperor Shun was reminded that it was all an illusion.

After pondering briefly, Yun Zhongjun, although uncertain and without any evidence, feared that speaking up about this matter would make it seem as though he was making excuses for his own mistake.

But...

Yun Zhongjun said, "You two carry on, I'm going to request an audience with His Majesty."

With that said, his form turned into a whiff of breath and entered the 'Land of Void and Reality' where Wu Wang was located.

At this moment, Wu Wang had a solemn expression on his face, his hands forming seals, channeling the power of the Heavenly Dao to continuously repair the damage to the Heaven and Earth Seal. He really couldn't afford to be distracted.

But since Yun Zhongjun had suddenly appeared, Wu Wang forcibly squeezed out a bit of attention and had a brief conversation with him.

Yun Zhongjun shared his observations of these abnormalities, and Wu Wang's eyes reflected a trace of contemplation.

"Emperor Shun might not have integrated all personalities; he likely deceived Xihe and the others about this matter," Wu Wang whispered. "If that's the case, it is possible for him to quickly break through your illusion, big brother."

"Don't call me big brother, just Yun Zhongjun will do."

"Let's talk differently in private and in public," Wu Wang laughed. "What, can't a leader have personal friendships?"

Yun Zhongjun couldn't help but squint with a light chuckle, his handsome face making Wu Wang...

PING!

Wu Wang suddenly heard a faint sound from his chest. He paused, looked down at the front of his chest, and reached for a necklace that he seldom took off.

BOOM!

Candle Dragon charged again, and Wu Wang instinctively called upon the divine power of the Heavenly Dao, which wasn't yet able to flow continuously to this place, turning his complexion deathly pale.

The necklace his mother had given him, that ice-blue gem on it, was full of cracks.

Yun Zhongjun's eyes widened in shock.

"Emperor Shun wouldn't!"

「Outer Sky.」

At the bottom of a certain sea area, a figure strolled out from the Temple of the Water God. With the Water God aiding Candle Dragon, no strong gods were present here, making the figure's passage simple and trackless.

Just moments before, he had effortlessly found this place, casually evaded various prohibitions, and reached the most central hall, finding that figure sitting quietly on the throne, already turned into an ice sculpture.

Ice Beauty.

Without a moment's hesitation, Emperor Shun slapped out his palm.

The Ice Beauty shattered instantly, and a cylindrical ice-blue stone the size of a small arm fell out from within.

The divine soul has completely moved inside Heaven? Quite the ruthless god.

This was the moment the necklace in Wu Wang's hand broke.

On the face of the Heaven and Earth Seal, Wu Wang's eyes burst forth with a golden glow, his gaze piercing through the infinite starry sky, finding that temple.

The Starry Sky Temple was empty!

Mother…

Wu Wang's arm trembled, and as the impact from Candle Dragon approached again, he pressed down with his hand.

He saw it, Wu Wang saw it, inside the cabin on Big Snow Mountain.

Cang Xue lay helplessly on a futon while Jingwei rushed over in a panic, calling out urgently, but Cang Xue's figure was rapidly fading away.

A giant hand formed behind Cang Xue, seemingly ready to snatch her away directly.

"Mother!" Wu Wang cried out, his body immediately ready to charge forth, but cracks appeared within the formation beneath his feet, the seal trembled, and Candle Dragon's roar...

"This is bad!"

Yun Zhongjun's face changed, and his figure vanished in an instant.

Wu Wang's eyes were filled with desperation. He forcibly squeezed out a little of the already scarce divine power of the Heavenly Dao, turning it into a beam of golden light that slashed straight at the small cabin from above Snow Mountain!

But he couldn't summon any more...

Emperor Shun, you dare! Emperor Shun!

Wu Wang stepped halfway forward, and suddenly cracks appeared in the seal below. All around the Heaven and Earth Seal and its middle layer, numerous fissures appeared that needed repair, as if it could not withstand Candle Dragon's next charge.

In that instant, Jingwei hurriedly protected Cang Xue, attempting to drag her away. Her figure also started to become somewhat translucent.

As the giant hand loomed over, the girl in green looked up and transformed into the shape of a divine bird, sheltering Cang Xue desperately, letting out a cry from her mouth.

That cry pierced Heaven and Earth, exploding next to Wu Wang's ear.

"Wu Wang! Lady Cang Xue..."

The giant hand disappeared with a swish. Jingwei and the unconscious Cang Xue were nowhere to be seen. The golden light smashed the cabin, but it was half a moment too late.

Yun Zhongjun's figure appeared above the cabin, able to only gaze at the shattered remnants and the hole extending into the ground.

Wu Wang's legs gave way, and he sat above the seal as the divine power of the Heavenly Dao poured down.

Divine power surged from the Divine Pool in the Heaven Palace, finally connecting to the new seal...

「Outer Sky.」

Emperor Shun examined the ice-blue crystalline stone in his grip closely.

Imprisoned within the crystal was Cang Xue's figure, glaring furiously, holding a tiny divine bird in her arms.

"No rush," Emperor Shun said with a smile. "Let's enjoy this slowly. I still have important matters to attend to. Once you think it through and are willing to divulge how to return to Heaven, I will personally send you back to your son's side. A family reunion, who doesn't love that?"

Cang Xue snorted coldly.

Having her body sneak-attacked by Emperor Shun was something she had never imagined; with the essence of ice here, her divine soul could not escape at all. So this is what Zhong meant...

"Plucked from the heavenly realm, I accompany the sun and moon in life."

Emperor Shun began to sing this ballad and his figure disappeared from the seawater.

「Within heaven, beside the Heaven and Earth Seal.」

Wu Wang sat quietly there, his eyes somewhat empty, as several figures stood by his side, each of them bowing their heads, unsure of what to say.

Wu Wang said, "You all go out and take charge first, I will come over shortly."

The Head Manager said softly, "This is actually the least of the sacrif—"

"Out!"

Wu Wang's voice grew harsher. The Head Manager bowed and cupped his hands, and along with several other Strong Gods by his side, they vanished in a flash of light.

Yun Zhongjun did not inform the Young Master of this matter, fearing that the Young Master's arrival would make Wu Wang even more saddened.

Wu Wang sat in this Land of Void and Reality, feeling the strength of the seal gradually filling up, feeling the Candle Dragon's collisions becoming increasingly powerless. He raised his hand and wiped his face; the necklace he was holding scraped painfully against his cheek.

Finally, the other side of the Heaven and Earth Seal went completely silent.

A misty aura began to emanate around Wu Wang, a sign of the abundant divine power of this place.

He softly called out, "Zhong?"

All around was quiet and still, without any response.

"Zhong, I know you are here," Wu Wang said in a low voice, "come out."

DRIP!

As if a single drop of water had fallen, creating faint ripples on the calm surface of water, the illusory outline of a bell appeared in front of him, and beside it stood a 'Zhong Spirit' dressed in a white robe, looking very similar to Wu Wang.

"Master..."

The Zhong Spirit called out softly, eyes full of regret.

"Why didn't you tell me in advance?"

Wu Wang's voice remained calm.

The Zhong Spirit said softly, "Master, if I had told you about this, you would inevitably have been preoccupied with these concerns and not been able to carry out today's plan. This is already the smallest price to pay."

Price?

Wu Wang looked up at the Zhong Spirit, suddenly appeared in front of it, his eyes bloodshot, and he roared, "My mother is just a price? Jingwei is just a price!"

The Zhong Spirit bowed its head in silence, lips tightly pressed.

Wu Wang raised his hand to cover his eyes, quickly relaxed, and said softly, "Sorry, I... Watching them being taken away, with the seal about to experience problems..."

His lips trembled as he murmured:

Eastern Emperor Taiyi can't even protect his own mother, and the leader of the Heavenly Dao can't look after his own partner. What kind of Heavenly Emperor is this!

"You shouldn't apologize to me, Master," the Zhong Spirit said softly. "I have done everything I can to prevent this. After getting your agreement, I have even gone to consult with Lady Cang Xue. But Lady Cang Xue refused my proposal; she was concerned for you, Master, and wished to witness you secure the Heavenly Emperor's throne. She needed at least half a day to retreat to the Outer Sky, and according to my repeated calculations and the summary of all kinds of possibilities, Emperor Shun would strike her true body in a moment's notice. I have told all of this to Lady Cang Xue, and she probably did not expect Emperor Shun to act against her so quickly."

Wu Wang said with a trembling voice, "So, what did you change?"

"Lady Jingwei also went along; I repeatedly hinted at the Human Emperor through divination to create the situation where Lady Jingwei would accompany her."

The Zhong Spirit slowly raised its head, a faint smile on its lips:

"Lady Jingwei, when you were forging me, was the only one by your side. She will be fine because I am also guarding by her side. This is the only method I can deduce, the only way to keep Lady Cang Xue from her deadly fate."

Wu Wang frowned as he gazed at the Zhong Spirit.

You're not just comforting me?

"Lady Jingwei is your spiritual pillar," the Zhong Spirit looked at Wu Wang earnestly and said softly. "On the path where you succeed, despite many twists and turns, your meeting with Lady Jingwei on the island in the sea became the support within your heart. You also entered the Great Demon Sect, spending more than ten years to become an officer within the sect, and more than twenty years to become the Sect Master. The Human Domain was plagued by the struggles between Immortals and Demons, countless died, and you rose up amid the chaos, earning the name of a great Demonic Cultivator. This took over two hundred years. During this process, although you had confidantes, they either died in battle or left. Every time you suffered a setback, it was your heart's reliance on Lady Jingwei that helped you pull through. After the Grand Elder died, because of your contributions in breaking the Ten Evils Hall, you entered the Human Emperor Pavilion and struggled for over a hundred years to become a newcomer in the Human Domain. During this process, your tribe acquired a new Young Master, a puppet you created. Warfare continually erupted in the Northern Wilderness, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries among your people, while Cang Xue still guarded her secrets. You... truly ascended, becoming a mighty force between heaven and earth, after Shen Nong's lifespan reached its limit. You were not the Human Emperor, but you commanded the Imperial Guards, and by leveraging your understanding of the stars, forcibly seized the body of the Star God. Master, I have always been showing Emperor Shun a painting scroll. It was this very scroll that misled him and made him rush to the Outer Sky to implement his plan."

CLANG—

A bell chimed, and Wu Wang felt as though he was in a place somewhat similar to the Heaven Palace.

This was the "Eastern Emperor's Ascension" that would occur on the timeline when the bell was created.

The sound of bells and drums was deafening, the chanting solemn and dignified, and countless petals danced between heaven and earth.

Groups of Innate Spirits were fluttering about; throng upon throng of elders clad in long robes stood on either side of the sky. In front of a group of Immortals, a middle-aged Ji Mo with an empty left arm and white at his temples carried a Giant Sword on his back. This figure clearly bore the mark of Wu Wang's handiwork.

This was not simply a painting scroll, but a scene that unfolded before Wu Wang's heart in this manner.

Wu Wang's gaze roamed, seeing the golden staircase extending deep into the sky, witnessing that figure with his back turned to all living beings, and the beautiful woman in a green dress beside him.

That seemed to be Jingwei, yet she appeared much more mature than the little Phantom he remembered, exuding a strong essence of the Dao... Where was his mother? Why was there no trace of her? What about Xiaolan? What about Ming? What about Suqing?

Wu Wang's Dao heart trembled as he focused on that backlit figure.

There seemed to be a connection... Although this was merely a scene recorded by the Eastern Emperor's Bell of a future possibility, Wu Wang had a faint sense that there was indeed a connection.

The figure slightly turned his head, glanced at all beings, glanced at Wu Wang.

His face was immaculate, his hair meticulously combed, eyes extremely bright. But this was just the surface. If one felt carefully, within the 'self's' smile was a hint of bitterness, and in the depths of those bright eyes lay fatigue, a deep yearning.

Wu Wang fell silent, wordless.

The image, like drifting dust, slowly faded away.

The Zhong Spirit reformed from the dust, speaking in a low voice, "Master, I will take good care of Lady Cang Xue and Lady Jingwei until you come to rescue them. What you need to do now is to stabilize the Three Realms and thoroughly secure heaven and earth. Only then can you defeat the Candle Dragon with the least cost and then face the true challenge. I still cannot tell you what that challenge is."

Wu Wang nodded, speaking softly, "You just mentioned Emperor Shun's plan to go to the Outer Sky."

"Yes."

The Zhong Spirit also nodded solemnly.

「Meanwhile.」

In the Outer Sky, beneath the Heaven and Earth Seal.

The Candle Dragon's body had shrunken ten thousandfold, coiled atop a mountain. It roared and howled in anger, having long since driven away the gods.

The Heaven and Earth Seal was immensely sturdy; it seemed, it seemed it could not return.

Eastern Emperor Taiyi! This accursed Eastern Emperor Taiyi! Emperor Shun, you waste!

"Oh?"

Suddenly, a light chuckle entered the ears of the Candle Dragon, whose blood-covered eyes snapped open, its bright gaze revealing the figure before it.

A sprinkle of Divine Light fell, and the figure stood tall, his robe billowing as if dancing in the raging wind.

The eyes of the Candle Dragon instantly flared with a violent light.

Emperor Shun smiled gracefully, watching the Candle Dragon, speaking softly,

"Candle Dragon, I have come to be your humanity."