Upon opening the Mystic Door for the third time, as his consciousness entered that mysterious place, Wu Wang found Emperor Shun's gaze resting upon him.

During the previous two instances, Emperor Shun seemed to be looking at someone else, which made Wu Wang feel like he had mistakenly stumbled into this place.

But this time, as Wu Wang's gaze met Emperor Shun's, Wu Wang finally understood:

This Great Dao mark was left by Emperor Shun, intended for a conversation with him. The previous two times were 'the right time' with 'the wrong path,' but this time it was 'the right time' and 'the right path.'

Mysteriously profound.

Wu Wang chose to take a seat this time, his thoughts continuously flowing.

Emperor Shun gazed at Wu Wang, and Wu Wang gazed back at Emperor Shun.

If the enemy does not move, I do not move.

If the enemy moves, I shall flee.

The Heavenly Emperor suddenly laughed softly, his voice gentle. "It turns out there are things even I cannot control. Wu Wang, you truly can surprise me."

"I have indeed experienced your methods," Wu Wang replied.

With his hands on his knees, Wu Wang's gaze remained calm, his thoughts subtly shifting. He knew full well that some things should not be spoken aloud.

Emperor Shun's appearance could very well be a test.

Wu Wang said, "Lin Nuhao, such a strong-willed man, could actually be controlled by your Heaven Palace."

Emperor Shun's expression was somewhat strange, a smile that wasn't quite a smile, but he ultimately did not reveal anything.

He said, "I can feel a new seed within you."

Wu Wang did not reply.

Emperor Shun added, "With this seed, you now have the qualifications to play against me."

Still, Wu Wang did not speak.

The more one speaks, the more likely errors will occur.

"Enough, you should be in a hurry to confront the Head Manager," Emperor Shun chuckled. Looking at the board before him, he leisurely placed a piece down.

He murmured, "Actually, he is a fine Divine Spirit."

Wu Wang did not even look, casually took a chess piece, and placed it on the edge of the board.

Afterward, he gathered his spiritual mind, and his consciousness withdrew from this place.

Before leaving, Wu Wang suddenly looked up, gazing at Emperor Shun's handsome face, and said to him,

"Judging by its aura, the Candle Dragon's strength seems to surpass yours."

The smile on Emperor Shun's lips became slightly stiff.

After Wu Wang left the 'Heavenly Emperor's Chess Room,' the Head Manager happened to appear above the Lin Residence, uttering,

"The Human Domain is indeed too hasty."

Wu Wang crushed the Jade Talisman in his hand.

The plan begins anew.

「 」

Ah, that's better.

「On the twenty-ninth day, in the back courtyard of the Lin Residence.」

Since the second rewind was nearing success, Wu Wang did not make any significant changes for the third, only implementing some optimizations.

He began to pay more attention to details, constantly communicating with his mother, urging her not to become abruptly irritable.

If Mother felt that things were futile, she would simply flip the table...

Wu Wang vaguely sensed the presence of the Candle Dragon; that dark red Dragon Claw indeed possessed a more striking force in terms of sheer power than Emperor Shun.

This rewind had become exceptionally smooth.

The "Subdue the Head Manager" plan was successfully implemented for the second time.

Although the Head Manager's appearance timing was somewhat erratic, he ultimately could not help but appear above the Lin Residence.

The moment this God of Lifespan appeared, the Human Domain's Absolute Heavenly Array—specifically its 'Heaven-Severing Formation: Forest of Worlds'—struck him on the head.

Then, His Majesty Shennong took action, directly knocking the Head Manager senseless.

The ancient god Yun Meng stirred trouble. Relying on the Sleep and Dreams Dao, he dragged the Head Manager into the Dream Realm.

Wu Wang took out the memory of the 'Head Manager being dismembered,' which he had witnessed earlier, merged it with a bit of the Sleep God's original dream creation, and planted the concoction deep into the Head Manager's sea of memories.

Thus, a Head Manager with an awakened 'rebellious spirit' was born.

「Afterward...」

The Head Manager awakened from the nightmare, unleashing a palm strike imbued with the Dao of Death. Afterward, his eyes filled with unwillingness and rage, he stormed out of the Human Domain, heading towards the Heaven Palace.

The great array exerted its full power to annihilate the unleashed Dao of Death.

The two sides quickly ceased hostilities. The Divine Court of Heaven Palace seemed somewhat unstable, prompting the gods of Heaven Palace to immediately return.

The Human Domain's army advanced outward from the northwest, waging war for several days, decisively defeating the Hundred Tribes Coalition Army, capturing and killing many of their elites.

To showcase the benevolence and righteousness of the Human Domain, all high-ranking members of the Hundred Races not mentally controlled by the Heaven Palace had their powers crippled by Human Domain masters and were sent back to Central Mountain.

Thus, the Human Domain claimed a great victory.

The direct confrontation between His Majesty Shennong and the Heavenly Emperor's incarnation of Order was hailed as a battle of the ages; although no one witnessed the specifics, it was vividly detailed in widespread rumors within the Human Domain.

Apart from the Human Emperor, no one in the entire Human Domain knew why this battle had gone so smoothly.

No one knew why everything was trending in favor of the Human Domain.

Even at this moment, Xiao Jian Daoist and the Grand Elder had no idea what Wu Wang had specifically done.

「As twilight approached.」

The setting sun was soaked in blood.

In the Lin Family's backyard, now ruined and ravaged by the great battle, Wu Wang watched as experts from the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion rescued Lin Qi from the ruins. The last stone in his heart finally lifted.

During the previous great battle, Lin Nuhao had been grievously injured and was now under the control of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion.

These three rewinds were merely Wu Wang's effort, but ultimately, it was through the bloody sacrifices of everyone in the Human Domain that this crisis was overcome.

Compared to the second rewind, Wu Wang added two more narratives to the unfolding events: one proclaiming Lin Nuhao's surprise attack on the Head Manager as a grand scheme by Wuwang Palace Lord and the Lin Family, and another highlighting the Absolute Heavenly Array's severe damage to the Dao of Death.

At last, he could justifiably help Lin Qi, having previously been forced to set aside thoughts of aiding him in this predicament.

Incidentally, he also made the Heaven Palace pay a higher price.

Regrettably, Wu Wang had emphasized the details about the God of Death to His Majesty Shennong, but the latter still managed to escape from the Absolute Heavenly Array.

Every Innate God possesses their own unique skills, and it seemed the God of Death's specialty was escaping.

As for what Wu Wang himself gained...

Wu Wang sat in a corner of the half-collapsed cloister, a tidal wave of weakness washing over him from within.

He was severely drained of his vitality.

Two-thirds of his Divine Thought was diminished, his cultivation fell by a third, his vitality was depleted, and his essence was damaged. He felt as if he had just recovered from a severe illness, slumped in this corner, unwilling to move even a finger.

Outside the collapsed courtyard wall, the crying of women mingled with the breeze.

In the sky, lights twinkled as several figures landed behind Wu Wang. They stood silently, not disturbing Wu Wang, who was enveloped in the mystic essence of the Dao.

The Serpent.

The Grand Elder.

Xiao Jian Daoist.

Wu Wang remembered something else, mustered his remaining energy, and raised his hand to clutch the necklace at his chest, once more making certain his mother wasn't angry.

During the last rewind, they had already won, and his mother had directly smashed the Heaven Palace. That was something Wu Wang hadn't expected...

He blamed himself too. Last time, he had felt somewhat desperate and had inadvertently transmitted that desperation to his mother.

Why Emperor Shun dreaded the Ice God so much, Wu Wang now fully understood.

And the fact that his father was still alive and kicking, he thought, was what truly made him a strong man among men.

"Ba'er, are you alright?"

This gentle and familiar voice stirred up a slight strength in Wu Wang's heart.

"I'm fine, Mother. I just drained some vitality during the recent duel. The elixir arts of the Human Domain are so advanced, a little replenishment later will do."

Wu Wang said softly,

"Mother, if you're about to make any decisions that involve our little family, make sure to discuss them with me."

In the Starry Sky Temple, Cang Xue raised her hand to support her smooth chin, her smile tinged with a touch of heartache.

But she did not ask any more questions.

She did not even ask how Wu Wang had sustained his injuries, knowing full well that Wu Wang hadn't dueled with anyone in the previous battles.

Cang Xue said softly,

"Ba'er, rest assured. Your mother is now a mother; how could I be as impulsive as before?"

Wu Wang was speechless.

"Mother, do you read books often?"

"Books?"

Cang Xue appeared somewhat perplexed.

"Ah, yes, I'll have some leisure books sent back to the Northern Wilderness later. They're for relaxation and joy. Whenever you have free time, you should read and pass the time."

Cultivating one's character, of course, was not something he could say outright.

As the setting sun's afterglow waned, Wu Wang couldn't help but yawn, cutting off the casual chat with his mother.

He turned to glance at the 'bench' at the edge of the cloister and leaned his body to the left, wishing for a comfortable sleep. He then realized he had been cursed by the Sleep God, unable to fall asleep.

Even if he closed his eyes, he only felt a throbbing headache, yet his mind remained clear.

What now?

Unable to rest, should I suffer through meditation? Where's the joy in cultivating like that?

He sighed.

"Brother Wuwang, are you tired?"

The smooth voice unexpectedly came from the side. Wu Wang looked up to see a pale green cloud-like skirt. Just below its knee-length hem dangled a pair of delicate cloth boots, always half an inch above the ground, as if the toes beneath, perhaps crystalline, were delicately pointing downwards.

It was none other than Ling Xiaolan.

Wu Wang slowly sat up again, covered his forehead with his hand, and explained weakly,

"I've got a bit of a headache. I wanted to sleep but just remembered—when I tried to cure that strange illness before, he took away my ability to sleep soundly."

"Hmm?"

Ling Xiaolan was slightly startled and quickly understood Wu Wang's words, asking softly,

"Do you want to rest for a while?"

Without waiting for Wu Wang to answer, a ray of Immortal Light flew from her sleeve, laying a soft cushion beside Wu Wang. Then she gathered her skirts and sat beside him, shifting back as much as possible.

Behind her veil, she bit her lip, and a blush spread across her pretty face.

"Here..." she murmured, her voice as faint as a mosquito's.

Wu Wang had not yet snapped out of his daze when he turned his head to look where her finger pointed. He could vaguely discern the contour of slender legs under the fabric that seemed to be made of cloud yarn.

"This is not appropriate... Ah!"

A delicate hand suddenly reached out.

Wu Wang was extremely fatigued at the moment and, without time to dodge, Ling Xiaolan's finger tapped his neck. He immediately closed his eyes and passed out, falling over to the other side.

As the Daoist Essence of the Sleep God's Sleep and Dreams Dao suddenly flowed, Wu Wang was on the verge of opening his eyes, but the slender hand tightened around his neck.

Wu Wang did not manage to open his eyes and fell back into unconsciousness.

What happened afterward was only a fragmented and blurry impression for Wu Wang.

It seemed as if he was pulled over by Ling Xiaolan and laid upon a 'somewhat taut' pair of 'pillows.' A marvelous sensation arose in Wu Wang's heart, yet something felt a bit off.

The Daoist Essence of the Sleep God had been temporarily expelled.

The curse of the Sleep God could find no opening to intervene when another powerful god's curse was infinitely triggered.

So, what I'd always worried about, never being able to sleep again, had such a simple solution.

Just hold a woman in my arms.

Right, she seems to dislike being touched by others.

This was the last thought Wu Wang had before he completely passed out.

As for the Xuan Nu Sect Saintess, the Fairy Immortal on whom everyone in the Human Domain had pinned great hope, once Wu Wang had fallen asleep on her lap, she indeed felt rather uncomfortable for a full four hours.

It was like... like... there was a taint, but only a tiny bit, and not unbearable.

After those four hours had elapsed and the starlight had spread over the area, she seemed to have adapted to the contact with Wu Wang. She even took the initiative to extend her delicate fingers to gently massage his forehead, channeling streams of immortal power that steadied his mind and healed injuries into Wu Wang's body.

As for the figures coming and going,

she did not actually pay attention to them, nor did she observe anything.

Her gaze was always fixed on Wu Wang's weary profile, with a hint of helplessness hanging in her almond-shaped eyes.

Silly philanderer.

「The Heaven Palace!」

Figures returned from the south, and hundreds of Deities gathered in the Temple at the highest point of the Heaven Palace.

The sea of clouds churned, and scaled dragon roars echoed.

Their faces were far from pleased, and the entire Heaven Palace would occasionally tremble, though the shaking of various temples was gradually subsiding.

Deep within the Heaven Palace, a powerful will seemed about to awaken.

Most of the gods wore grim expressions, while a few of the more active Innate Gods were visibly angry.

They had actually been pushed back by the Human Domain's grand array and its Immortals!

A beam of white light descended, revealing a girl in a black dress.

The Young Master.

Following her, a golden light broke through the void.

Faintly visible on the other side of the rift in space was a boundless sea of fire, but as soon as this rift appeared, it was filled, preventing any flames from bursting through directly.

The golden light settled, and that awakening will slowly returned to slumber.

The entire Heaven Palace quickly became peaceful, no longer experiencing any shaking.

Emperor Shun's figure appeared at the highest point of this Temple.

He smoothed the folds of his robe, the corners of his mouth lifted in a gentle smile as he sat on a simple stone chair positioned at the pinnacle, saying,

"There is no need to worry; the seal is very stable."

The gods each breathed a sigh of relief.

They moved inward without any fixed order. The powerful drew closer, while the weaker ones stayed behind, forming a circle before the Heavenly Emperor's throne.

Only the Young Master stood in a corner to the side.

She always took that spot, preferring not to attract any attention.

A female Innate God asked, "Your Majesty, is heaven and earth unstable? We have been roused twice in such a short period."

"Your Majesty, we need your frankness."

"If the return of the Candle Dragon is irreversible, we need to make some preparations."

"The Star Dao and the Divine Punishment Dao are far too distant from us."

A god muttered,

"The Head Manager has returned, the Head Manager has returned."

The Heavenly Emperor on the throne's smile deepened as a beam of gray light shot from outside the Temple, crashing into the Temple interior.

As the light receded, the tall figure of the Head Manager stood proud, his robes stained with undried blood, his disheveled hair giving him a somewhat haggard appearance.

The Deities immediately cleared a pathway forward.

They sensed the Head Manager's anger, felt the trembling of the Head Manager's Great Dao,

and even perceived the resentment of the beings that the Head Manager had brought back with him.

The Head Manager stared directly at the Heavenly Emperor, his eyes trembling, his Adam's apple quivering. His handsome and fair face was now shrouded in gloom.

"You want me dead?"

Emperor Shun's smile faded, and his expression turned somewhat stern.

"You have been misled."

Suddenly, the Head Manager pointed at the Young Master and bellowed, "You want my Dao to fulfill hers!"

The Young Master's brow slightly furrowed. She seemed to understand something and looked up at the Heavenly Emperor.

"Head Manager," Emperor Shun's face was full of disappointment. "Do you still not see the cunning of the Human Domain?"

The Head Manager took another step forward, rebuking,

"You want my Divine Power to nourish the Dao of Death!"

Emperor Shun remained silent.

"You want me to continuously enforce the limits of mortal lives, to amass the resentment of beings!"

Emperor Shun also remained silent.

"Hahahaha! Hahahaha!"

The Head Manager suddenly threw back his head and laughed, his laughter filled with desolation.

At this moment, his eyes were somewhat moist. This exalted Innate God, who had never deigned to look upon mortals, now lacked any trace of composure.

"Couldn't you tell me?"

"Couldn't you tell me?"

"You could have just told me all this!"

The Head Manager's eyes nearly spat fire, his tense fingers trembling.

The gods each kept their distance, their gazes shifting back and forth between the Head Manager and the Heavenly Emperor.

The Head Manager's voice weakened.

"You could have just told me all this, couldn't you?

"In the affairs of the Heaven Palace, which task hasn't required my efforts, which matter have I not presided over! And yet, you treat me like this!"

"Head Manager!"

Emperor Shun suddenly stood up, sending out ripples from around him!

The ripples swept over the gods, pushing the Head Manager backward in flight.

That terrifying Daoist Essence filled the entire Temple, and behind Emperor Shun, a pair of cold, vast eyes slowly opened. His voice also suddenly gained a coarse, powerful tone.

"Answer me! Who! Is the master of the Heaven Palace!"

Thrown a hundred yards, the Head Manager stumbled numerous steps backward, finally collapsing at the entrance of the Temple.

Subconsciously, he wanted to lower his head, but as he did so, he saw the maiden in the corner...

"You are the master of the Heaven Palace."

The Head Manager suddenly laughed in self-derision.

"You are indeed the master of Heaven and Earth, the Lord of Order, the master of the Sun and Moon, the Lord of all Gods."

The Head Manager slowly stood up, his eyes full of resignation and mockery.

A great seal flew out from his sleeve, and he tossed it onto the floor before him.

Anger sparked in the eyes of Emperor Shun, but beside the Head Manager, a figure suddenly appeared.

Clad in a black dress, incomparably beautiful, her slender figure radiated powerful Divine Power, her Daoist Essence subtly resonating with the Head Manager's Great Dao.

The Young Master.

But the Head Manager stepped back two paces, distancing himself from the Young Master's Daoist Essence.

With hands clasped behind his back, the Head Manager looked up to the layers of murals painted on the Temple's domed ceiling and let out a long sigh...

"I will confine myself in the Temple; Your Majesty can do with me as you see fit.

"Mortals resent me, gods resent me, my little sister resents me, and Your Majesty resents me too. But since I exist in this world, I do not wish to simply vanish.

"Only in the end do I realize that the Great Dao alone will not resent me."

Shaking his head, the Head Manager's gray robes slowly slipped off, revealing the loose inner robes underneath; his long hair had visibly grayed further.

As he walked away unsteadily, his face showed more wrinkles, and within a few flickers, he had disappeared.

The gods remained silent.

The Young Master scoffed and vanished from the grand hall.

On the throne, the Heavenly Emperor's expression was inscrutable. He spoke slowly,

"Who wishes to temporarily take over the authority of the Heaven Palace?"

A dozen powerful gods simultaneously stepped half a pace forward.

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