"Is this the Young Master of the Heaven Palace?"

"This Divine Spirit is really pale!"

"It seems like this is one of the people of the White Kingdom under the control of the Young Master, similar to the kind that can manipulate the spiritual mind."

"TSK TSK, see? This is how the gods persecute their followers. We stand in opposition to the gods of the Heaven Palace."

In a hall within a corner of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, a young girl from the White Kingdom, having changed into a grey long dress, looked with an expressionless face at the two steles before her.

Those were the memorial tablets of Emperor Suiren and Emperor Fu Xi.

Meanwhile, outside the hall, permanent Immortal residents of the Main Hall of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, from top to bottom, front to back, had formed three layers of onlookers inside and three layers outside. Their gazes landed on the young girl, making her…

Very annoyed, yet without any recourse.

At the front of the central hall of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, Wu Wang and Master Liu entered side by side, the latter giving Wu Wang a thumbs-up.

"What a brilliant move, Wu Wang! Making a god of the Heaven Palace offer incense and pay homage to the two former emperors is truly a devastating strike to the heart!"

"You flatter me, Pavilion Master," Wu Wang cupped his hands. "Please don't overpraise me. I truly cannot accept the compliments of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion."

Liu Baiyi laughed and said, "From your words, Wu Wang, it seems you have some objections to the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion?"

"How could that be? You're overthinking it, Pavilion Master."

Wu Wang showed a sincere smile and said earnestly, "After giving it some thought, I must admit, I really am not cut out for the job of Vice Hall Master of the Punishment Hall."

"Ah, is the position beneath you?"

"No, no, no, it's just that I don't feel quite adaptable to the atmosphere of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion."

Wu Wang's eyes were filled with sentiment as he thought of himself getting lost in the praises of several experts of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, and he sighed.

"Let's not speak of it."

"This..."

Liu Baiyi, clearly baffled, decided to inquire in detail later about the specifics involved in capturing the Divine Child.

By now, they had reached the door of a splendid side hall off the main hall, from within which came Elder Shen Nong's voice,

"Come in."

Liu Baiyi composed himself, leaning slightly forward as he and Wu Wang pushed the door open and entered.

Shen Nong, wearing a black robe with gold trim, sat barefoot on a couch with his eyes closed in meditation. The screen behind the couch was embroidered with the scene of Suiren starting a fire with drilled wood, and nearby an incense burner wafted smoke into the air.

Liu Baiyi bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Wu Wang also bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Shen Nong did not open his eyes as he said, "Baiyi, go fetch that avatar of the Young Master. Wu Wangzi, stay here."

"Yes," Liu Baiyi replied respectfully, retreating two steps out of the side hall and gently closing the wooden door behind him.

At that moment, Liu Baiyi suddenly realized… Whatever about the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion being the center of power in the Human Domain, or the Pavilion Master of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion and the Four Seas Pavilion being the Human Emperor's most trusted experts, or half of the Human Domain's affairs being decided by the Pavilion Master of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion… Alas, it's always the new generation replacing the old.

Pavilion Master Liu, with hands behind his back, strolled out of the hall to bring the Young Master for an audience.

The side hall was somewhat quiet.

After Pavilion Master Liu left, Wu Wang made himself comfortable. He calmly walked over to a low table to take a seat and picked up a Spirit Fruit resembling a banana but with crystal-clear flesh, a crisp texture, and a fragrant aftertaste.

Shen Nong opened one eye and chuckled. "What, no more words for this old man?"

"Oh, I have plenty," Wu Wang swallowed the Spirit Fruit in a few bites, propping up his upper body with both hands and sitting in an informal posture. "When you have time, could you help me slaughter a couple of Evil Gods so I can enhance my Bloodline Power?"

Shen Nong glared at Wu Wang, scolding, "Still shooting for the moon! Why not just say you want to kill Emperor Shun and have him refine his power for you!"

Wu Wang laughed and said, "It's not out of the question; it's just that I see your capabilities are limited."

"HUMPH!"

The Elder immediately bristled, his beard practically quivering.

"You rascal! Bloodline Power is ultimately an external factor. If you aspire to usurp the Star Dao, you still have to try to control it yourself! Only by nearing the peak of the Dao Realm can you truly take its place. If the Great Dao could be refined and simply handed over, would I be so vexed over finding a successor?"

Wu Wang smiled without speaking, then said with a serious expression, "Elder, I know who cursed me."

"Ah, the ancient God in charge of the Dao of Destiny, no doubt," Shen Nong said, squinting with a smile. "I didn't expect you to uncover this secret."

Wu Wang: ...

"Why didn't you say so earlier?"

"Didn't I tell you? If you can't resist, learn to enjoy it."

"Enjoy it! What about my Jingwei?"

"I'm observing with interest to see if you can fend off the favor of the God of Destiny," Shen Nong said, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Young man, if you wish to become my son-in-law, you must be prepared to make a decisive break with the Divine Spirits."

Wu Wang raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Old man, if you want to securely be my father-in-law, you'd better be prepared for a great battle with Divine Spirits."

The old man and the youth glared at each other, nearly rolling up their sleeves for another fight.

Just then, Liu Baiyi's voice came from outside the door.

"Your Majesty, the Young Master's incarnation has been brought."

Shen Nong glared at Wu Wang, who, for the sake of the vast Human race, refrained from arguing with the Human Emperor and rose to leave.

"Sit down, it's fine," Shen Nong waved his hand. "Stay here and listen for a bit. It's time you knew some things."

Wu Wang frowned slightly. "Why do I get the feeling, Elder, that you're trying to trap me again?"

Shen Nong smiled and shook his head. "If only you had been born three thousand years earlier, the suffering of the Human Domain could have been ended by our hands."

Wu Wang was startled because he saw the helplessness in Elder Shen Nong's eyes, a kind of helplessness that could not be feigned.

Shen Nong said, "Let her come in."

The vermilion wooden door was pushed open by Master Liu, and the Young Master entered with a cold face. However, after just two steps, her figure seemed to freeze, her fingertips trembling slightly, and a few drops of cold sweat appeared on her forehead.

Wu Wang faintly sensed that the Young Master was enduring tremendous pressure.

The Elder, who was usually so cheerful and jovial with him, seemed like a different person, exuding such dignity.

One motion, and tens of thousands of corpses float for miles; one glance, and heaven and earth fall silent.

"Human Emperor," the Young Master pursed her lips slightly, "I wish to speak with you alone."

"Baiyi, leave us."

"Yes," Master Liu bowed his head in response, stepping back twice before closing the wooden door as he left.

Here we go again.

The Young Master looked at Wu Wang and said indifferently, "Could it be that he is the successor chosen by the Human Emperor?"

"If he were my successor, the Heaven Palace would sooner or later be destroyed by his hands. Unfortunately, his heart is not set on being the Human Emperor."

Shen Nong said indifferently,

"He is my close and dear friend, like a grandson to me. I want him to stay here because I wish to hear his opinion on this matter.

"If you don't want to speak, then destroy your incarnation and leave."

The Young Master frowned deeply, standing there for a long time without speaking.

"Very well," she looked at Wu Wang, a hint of disdain in her eyes.

Wu Wang sat there blankly, casually taking out a wooden stick and tossing it onto the table.

The Young Master's incarnation subconsciously turned to face Wu Wang. Realizing she had lost her composure, a flash of anger showed in her eyes.

After countless years, when had she ever been so frustrated! This Human Domain, it was just too much!

"Wu Wangzi, may I invite you to the Heaven Palace as a guest? I certainly won't harm your life; I merely wish to have a... close, personal... discussion with you."

"Tsk," Wu Wang shook his head slightly, sighing, "Youthful."

"What?" The Young Master was also somewhat puzzled.

"Narrow-minded," Wu Wang said, forming his fingers into a pose as if pinching a flower. The Young Master's incarnation nearly pounced on him to fight to the death.

Wu Wang then spoke earnestly,

"A Divine Spirit in charge of the Great Dao of the reproduction of all living beings actually holds a grudge because an ordinary male creature, without knowing, hit her incarnation with a stick.

"Young Master, it will be difficult for you to accomplish greater things that way. Why do you think there's a Head Manager above you?

"To be a god, one must have a vision for the greater good."

"What a vision for the greater good!"

The Young Master slightly narrowed her eyes, deliberately avoiding looking at Wu Wang. She calmed herself and said indifferently,

"Since it's like this, I'll get straight to the point. Human Emperor, are you willing to agree to a ceasefire for three hundred years?"

"That's possible,"

Shen Nong spoke slowly yet firmly. "During these three hundred years, the Heaven Palace must stop the ritual of becoming an immortal and the transcendence catastrophe."

The Young Master said, "Stopping the ritual of becoming an immortal is possible, but stopping the transcendence catastrophe is absolutely out of the question."

"Then there's nothing to discuss," Shen Nong stared at the Young Master. "You speak of a ceasefire, but it has always been your side that wants to destroy the Human Domain. What, is the Candle Dragon going to return in the next three hundred years?"

The Young Master, however, remained silent.

Wu Wang listened carefully on the side, trying to make sense of it all.

The Young Master said, "If the Human Domain agrees to a ceasefire for three hundred years, after the Human Emperor's demise, the Heaven Palace will restrain the Hundred Races and give the new Human Emperor of the Human Domain three hundred years to grow. Presumably, the Human Emperor also knows what will happen to the Human Domain once you fall."

At this moment, it was Shen Nong's turn to be silent.

The Young Master continued,

"When Emperor Suiren fell, Emperor Fu Xi had not fully mastered the Dao of Fire, and the Human Domain fell into darkness and turmoil. At that time, sixty percent of the Human race died.

"Human Emperor, before your ascension, the Human Domain once again plunged into dark turmoil. At that time, the Human Domain was incomparably prosperous, yet the death toll was dozens of times that of the last unrest.

"And now in the Human Domain, the conflict between Immortals and Demons is just beginning to show signs. There's a saying, 'the human heart is not what it once was,' and truly, nothing could be more fitting.

"Each Sect has claimed its own territory. Those generals who once followed you have passed away one by one. And most of the current Military Families now carve out their own domains, wielding control. Does the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion really exert much influence over them?

"Human Emperor, do you think..."

Her eyes brimmed with a trace of Divine Light as she slowly closed the distance by half a step, her voice also tinged with a hint of sarcasm, "this time, will the Human Domain truly not crumble and fall apart?"

"It won't."

Wu Wang suddenly spoke.

Her fist clenched. The Young Master's delicate fist suddenly clenched!

This guy!

Wu Wang said with a smile, "The Human Domain will only crumble under one circumstance: if the Heaven Palace falls, leaving the Human Domain without external pressure."

"Oh?"

The Young Master turned to gaze at Wu Wang. "What do you mean by that?"

"It's quite simple."

Wu Wang said with a smile:

"Humans are born weak, so they cry out desperately to draw the attention of adults nearby, seeking protection.

"Compared to individuals of the Hundred Races, each individual of the Human race doesn't start with much. The humans of the South Wilderness, too, were only forced by the oppression of the Ancient Fire God, which is why Emperor Suiren emerged.

"When the Human Emperor changes and a dark era of turmoil befalls the Human Domain, Heaven Palace must have tried to intervene twice. But did it destroy the Human Domain?

"There will always be embers left within the Human race.

"The successors who take over will stake their lives, pushing their potential to its limits, to face Heaven Palace directly and once again support the sky of the Human Domain.

"Emperor Fu Xi did this in the past, the Shennong Family did this as well, and the future Human Emperor will be the same.

"On the contrary, Young Master, imagine if Heaven Palace were gone. If the Human Domain lost its external pressure, even the reigning Human Emperor might struggle to keep the various forces in check. Human hearts are so complex, and ambitious people are countless."

The Young Master frowned at Wu Wang. Upon reflection, she found his words somewhat reasonable, but still felt…

This human is deviously astute!

Shen Nong stroked his beard and laughed. "Wu Wangzi speaks truly. If Heaven Palace were to dissolve on the spot, the Heavenly Emperor were to die in atonement for all eternity, and Divine Spirits no longer oppressed the myriad tribes of the Great Wilderness, I too could simply abdicate and let the Human Domain fall into chaos as it wishes. HA HA HA HA, HA HA HA HA HA!"

The Young Master's mouth twitched slightly as she said indifferently, "The Human Emperor has only one thousand, two hundred fifty-two years, six months, and twelve days of lifespan left. So let us wait and see what becomes of the Human Domain then."

Is this her way of refusing to continue the conversation?

Wu Wang continued to observe the situation, immensely interested in the 'more important' matter the Young Master had mentioned.

The Young Master asked again, "Is it certain that a truce is impossible?"

The Human Emperor slowly uttered three words, "Transcendence catastrophe."

"Do not be hasty, Human Emperor. Listen to what I have to say about the second matter before you consider whether to call a truce."

The Young Master closed her eyes, and a Treasure Wheel seemed to appear behind her. Her visage became more holy and dignified as she used a peculiar Divine Power to shield the Heaven and Earth within a radius of a hundred feet.

She said, "Human Emperor, you must have noticed that the Star God of the Northern Wilderness has suffered an anomaly."

Shen Nong fell silent.

The Young Master said, "I'll be direct. The Northern Wilderness has slipped from Heaven Palace's control, and the current state of the Star God is unknown. We suspect that the Star God, who has not recovered from severe injuries, has been secretly attacked by the Candle Dragon and other Divine Spirits."

Shen Nong's mouth curled into a meaningful smile, while Wu Wang's expression was... indescribable.

It all connects, all events seem to be linked!

Shen Nong laughed and said, "The Star God runs into trouble, and Heaven Palace can no longer secure the seals, right?"

The Young Master remained silent.

Shen Nong glanced at Wu Wang and smiled.

"How the Great Wilderness was born is actually a matter of much debate. Every generation's Innate God that rules over the Great Wilderness World claims to be the creator of the world.

"If we extend the river of time, we can see it undulating with countless shadows of gods, and the rulers of each Great Dao change from time to time; this is the 'Succession of Divine Eras.'

"The Ancient God Wars we speak of today were centered on Emperor Shun, a newly risen Innate God, challenging the Ancient Divine Faction led by Zhu Jiuyin of Mount Zhong.

"That god war, which culminated in the fall of many deities, ended in a very delicate situation…

"The prevailing side realized that continuing the fight would only result in mutual destruction, with Innate Gods wiped clean. They deduced this would lead to the thriving of the Hundred Races and the decline of the Divine Eras.

"Hence, Emperor Shun, along with the gods of the current Heaven Palace, exiled the Divine Faction of Zhu Jiuyin from the Great Wilderness and established the Dao Seal.

"Do you know why Heaven Palace is so intent on annihilating the Human Domain?

"The Ancient Fire God was one of Emperor Shun's strongest generals, and the Dao of Fire was also a part of that Dao Seal.

"Originally, Emperor Shun was dissatisfied with this haughty general and deliberately watched him be humbled. But unexpectedly, the Fire God was killed by the venerable Suiren, who then took over the Dao of Fire.

"Without the power of the Fire God, the Divine Faction of Emperor Shun found themselves hard-pressed against the counterattack from the Divine Faction of the Candle Dragon God.

"Recently, there seems to be an issue with the Star God as well. If the Star Dao retreats from the seal, the return of the Divine Faction of the Candle Dragon God is just a matter of time."

Wu Wang: ...

This?

"Human Emperor, if you wish to teach the young, choose a time when I am not present,"

The Young Master said coldly,

"In the past, Zhu Jiuyin was cruel and unkind, leaving the realm full of sorrowful cries. It was then that our Heaven Palace rose!

"It's precisely because Heaven Palace is suppressing the seal that we couldn't spare additional strength to deal with your Human Domain.

"If Zhu Jiuyin and other Innate Gods return, it would merely trigger a second divine war. But before that great war erupts, we won't allow the Human Domain to benefit as a bystander.

"Divine Spirits are ultimately Divine Spirits, and sentient beings are ultimately sentient beings.

"The day the Heaven Palace's seal is broken will be the day the Human Domain is destroyed!"

Shen Nong narrowed his eyes with a light smile, turned his head to glance at Wu Wang, and said indifferently, "Perhaps, there is another path for our Human Domain. The enemy of our enemy could be our friend."

"The Human Emperor would have such thoughts?" The Young Master shook her head. "You do not know the ferocity of the Candle Dragon."

"And what does the Young Master suggest?"

"A truce for three hundred years is only the first condition," the Young Master said calmly. "If the Human Emperor agrees, Heaven Palace and the Human Domain can work together to keep the Candle Dragon out of the Great Wilderness."

Wu Wang, on the side, showed a somewhat puzzled expression and said, "What's wrong with the Star God? If the Human Domain agrees to a truce with you, do you plan to turn around and deal with the Star God?"

"That matter is none of your concern."

The Young Master swept a glance at Wu Wang and said indifferently, "The Human Emperor allows you to hear these secrets, but what can you do? You'll only add to your troubles and find no peace of mind."

HEY!

Wu Wang almost flipped the table right then and there.

This matter was indeed closely related to him! By now, Wu Wang had fully understood Elder Shen Nong's intention in having him stay. At this moment, the Young Master had no clue that the Elder had completely outmaneuvered her!

The Heavenly Emperor Divine Faction;

The Candle Dragon Divine Faction;

The Human race's Human Domain.

The focus of these three powers now seemed to be on the Human Domain, but in actuality, it lay in... the Northern Wilderness.

Wu Wang was starting to grasp his mother's mission.

Elder Shen Nong was also using the Young Master's words to reveal secrets about his mother.

His thoughts were a bit cluttered; he needed to sort them out.

When the Divine War ended, Emperor Shun and the gods allied to set up seals and drive away the Candle Dragon and its followers.

The Dao of Fire of the Ancient Fire God, a crucial part of the seal, was taken by Suiren. This weakened the seal's power and also drew the attention of the Heavenly Emperor Divine Faction, which in turn led to the rise of the Human Domain.

Heaven Palace continuously sought to obliterate the Human Domain, largely to retrieve the Dao of Fire.

The struggle has gone on until now, with the Human Domain growing stronger with every battle and Heaven Palace facing increasing pressure.

And then... their Northern Wilderness stronghold was compromised; there were signs of the Star God's Dao becoming uncontrollable.

The key person involved is my mother—Cang Xue, the current leader of the Sun Ritual.

If my hypothesis is correct, Mother is likely a master from the Candle Dragon Divine Faction who used some method to infiltrate the Northern Wilderness, aiming at the Heavenly Emperor Divine Faction's vulnerability—the Star God.

Step by step, Mother ascended to the position of Sun Ritual, employing methods unknown to me. By now, she should have control over the Star God.

The three bloody rains in the Northern Wilderness symbolized the perilous situation of the Star God. From the Star God's Essence Blood I received last time, it's highly probable that Mother has already succeeded.

The Heavenly Emperor Divine Faction first lost the Dao of Fire, and now the Star Dao, with the Star Dao falling into the hands of the Candle Dragon Divine Faction. With this shift in power, a huge sign of danger hangs over Heaven Palace.

When Elder Shen Nong saw my Golden Dragon Transformation on the island, he must have understood Mother's identity…

Mother letting me play around in the Human Domain, Elder Shen Nong telling me to learn to enjoy things—these were, in fact, the Candle Dragon Divine Faction and the Human race's Human Domain making contact and testing each other.

Now, if Mother controls the Star Dao, she decides the timing of the Candle Dragon Divine Faction's return.

Heaven Palace's desire for a three-hundred-year truce with the Human Domain is to stabilize their rear, and to investigate what exactly happened with the Star God.

And at this moment, the people who could influence Mother's decision…

'The two things Mother regrets the least are giving birth to you, and choosing your father.'

It's my father and me.

"Wu Wang," Shen Nong said with a smile, "what do you think of the Young Master's proposal?"

The Elder was asking him if he had the confidence to be the bridge of friendship between the Candle Dragon Divine Faction and the Human Domain in the future.

In the depths of the starry sky, Cang Xue sat quietly on the high platform's jade throne, eyes closed and smiling, watching this place through the necklace on Wu Wang's chest.

In that instant, Wu Wang felt as if not just the Human Domain, but the future configuration of the entire Great Wilderness World, rested in part on his shoulders.

He was still just a child in his forties.

After careful consideration, Wu Wang said slowly, "I actually have a question."

The Young Master said calmly, "What is your question?"

"Can gods and mortals be equal?"

The Young Master was slightly taken aback.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.