Chapter 56: Pangu's Lingering Thoughts

  "Where did the Desolate World go?"

  It wasn't until much later that Emperor Jiang finally fully merged the Hongmeng Xuanhuang Qi, and his physical realm had reached the Great Perfection Realm. He was only one step away from breaking through the shackles of the Dao and attaining the Mixed Yuan Dao. However, he couldn't sense where the shackles were. As for his Yuanshen realm, although it was still in the Second Corpse stage, his cultivation had already been refined to perfection. With just a Corpse Severing Spirit Object, he could immediately sever all three corpses and achieve the peak of Quasi-Sainthood.

  Emperor Jiang emerged from the Primordial Cauldron, only to find that everything around him was murky and indistinct. The familiar Desolate World was nowhere to be seen, leaving him momentarily terrified. He looked around in all directions, but had no sense of east, south, west, or north, nor up, down, left, or right. His heart racing with anxiety, he wondered what had become of the Desolate World, whether the Three Pure Ones had achieved sainthood, and whether the Great War between Sorcerers and Demons had begun. As these thoughts occurred to him, Emperor Jiang's anxiety grew even more intense, and a fierce, tyrannical aura began to rise up within his heart.

  "We must go back! We must hurry back!" Emperor Jiang bellowed, his voice stirring up ripples in the void.

  "You've finally woken up." Suddenly, a thick voice sounded from behind.

  Di Jiang was shocked, could it be the remaining Chaos Demon? He couldn't help but look back, and found a vague shadow, only to find that the shadow's appearance was extremely familiar to Di Jiang.

  "Father God!" Emperor Jiang's astonishment was multiplied in his heart, and amidst the chaos, there was actually another Pan Gu's primordial spirit.

  "Child, don't be surprised. This is just a lingering thought I left behind at the time of my death, especially for you twelve ancestral witches."

  After a long time, Emperor Jiang calmed down his mind. The universe is vast and mysterious, let alone the residual thoughts left by Pangu, even if he saw Pangu's true body, Emperor Jiang would not be surprised. After all, even the fact that he himself had traveled through time and space could happen, what else couldn't be accepted?

  "Have you seen the Heavenly Father? The Heavenly Father already knew the outcome of the Witch Clan?" Emperor Jiang asked reverently, but his tone was calm and without any excitement.

  "The affairs of the Wu tribe are all dependent on fate, the heavenly way is constantly changing and cannot be predicted, but the cycle of reincarnation is a fixed number in the great way. My heart cannot bear it, so I leave this residual thought to transform into a thread of life." Pangu's voice was empty and mysterious, mixed with some kindness.

  Reincarnation! Emperor Jiang's eyes lit up, and he became excited all of a sudden. Hou Tu would turn the wheel of reincarnation; this matter had been weighing on his heart for a long time. Now that Pangu mentioned it, infinite hope rose up in him.

  "Is there a way for Father God?" Emperor Jiang asked excitedly.

  "It seems you also know about reincarnation." Pangu paused, "Unfortunately, when I passed away, my primordial spirit transformed into all things. Now, the only thing left for you is this residual thought." Pangu sighed.

  "Does Father God mean that at the time of reincarnation, this residual thought will be merged into Hou Tu's body to preserve Hou Tu's true spirit from destruction?" Emperor Jiang's voice began to cool down.

  Pangu fell silent and didn't continue speaking. But Di Jiang pressed him for an answer.

  "When the time comes, the remnant thoughts of Tu Di will merge with the true spirit, and when the body is transformed into a cycle of reincarnation, this newly born primordial spirit will gain great merit, perhaps it can directly become a saint."

  Emperor Jiang looked at Pangu and continued to say in a cold voice: "But at that time, the Hou Tu who merged with your residual thoughts, was it still the original Hou Tu?" After saying this, Emperor Jiang almost roared.

  Pangu's face also showed a hint of shame.

  "Unable to break free from the shackles of the Great Way, unable to defy the fixed numbers of the Great Way. All I can do is this."

  "Is this fair to our twelve ancestral witches? The Three Pure Ones can all become saints, but my ancestors have all had difficulties in their lives. We don't ask for much, just a thread of hope. You can open up the entire Heavenly Way, why can't you consider us a little more?" Emperor Jiang's eyes became even sharper, staring at the illusory image of Pangu in front of him.

  Seeing the excited expression of Di Jiang, Pangu sighed again.

  "Under heaven's rule, many living beings are my descendants, and it is hard for me to take care of each one individually."

  Upon hearing this, Emperor Jiang's heart suddenly ignited with anger. "Because of this, you're going to favor some and neglect others, sacrificing us for the sake of creating a good environment for other descendants, and even wanting my younger sister to reincarnate and complete your unfinished mission, only to be assimilated into the earth and become a puppet like Hong Zhuan? Is this what you call great love? Saving many lives by sacrificing a few is indeed wonderful! Wonderful!"

  At this, Emperor Jiang suddenly burst out laughing. "I don't know if you're aware, but my younger brothers and sisters have always revered you as the Heavenly Father. Every time they enter Pangu Hall, they would kowtow to pay their respects. Whenever they discover any relics left behind by you, they would cry out in sorrow. And what about the Three Pure Ones who received a third of your merits for opening up the sky? Although they claim to be the orthodox successors of Pangu, have they ever set up a memorial tablet to worship you or addressed you as Heavenly Father? Not to mention those other ignorant living beings."

  "Heaven is not just! The Great Way is not just! Is even the Heavenly Father also so unjust?!" Emperor Jiang bellowed out this last sentence, and instantly the colors of the void changed, a rumbling sound arose, and countless purple or black lightning bolts surged forth, yet they were warning Emperor Jiang to be careful with his words.

  Watching the lightning intertwined together, Emperor Jiang's expression became even more frantic.

  "Haha, the Great Dao is also so overbearing, what's unjust is unjust, and there's no room for argument. If you have the ability, then go ahead and annihilate my entire Wu clan, see who will help you reincarnate."

  Rumble! The lightning flashed more and more fiercely, as if it would strike down at any moment.

  "Child, do not blaspheme the Great Way again." Pangu waved his hand and dispersed all the lightning that had emerged. "The affairs of the Wu tribe still have a turning point, it cannot be like this."

  The Emperor Jiang vented the repression in his heart for many years and slowly calmed down. The people of the Wu tribe still have to rely on themselves, and indeed cannot put the Wu tribe at risk because of their own anger.

  "The affairs of the Wu clan, I will definitely reverse. No need for Father God to worry about it, please just point me in the direction of the Hong Huang world, and I'll go back to make plans." Emperor Jiang said, his tone no longer excited as before, but also very cold.

  Pangu looked at Emperor Jiang, his eyes momentarily complex and changing, with guilt, affection, and a hint of reluctance. But what could he do now? He was left with only this lingering thought, and even if he wanted to make amends for the Wu tribe, he was powerless.

  "It was I who did not consider thoroughly, causing the Wu tribe to be in danger of extinction. Now it can only be seen as your own fate." Pangu sighed again, with a helpless expression on his face.

  Looking at Pangu's expression, Emperor Jiang felt a inexplicable pang of heartache. Is this still the same Pangu who dared to contend with the Great Way back then? Now he is being forced to such an extent, has he gone too far? Perhaps the burden on his body will not be any smaller than his own, and being able to leave behind this thread of life for Hou Tu is ultimately a concern for the Wu tribe. Thinking of this, Emperor Jiang's attitude finally eased up.

  "Father God, can the Great Way's fixed numbers be changed?"

  Pangu shook his head, "It's difficult, don't try to forcibly stop the cycle of reincarnation from emerging. The cycle will emerge as it is a great trend, not just the fixed numbers of heaven and the Tao."

  "The Great Way has a fixed number, just to reincarnate and leave the world. As for the fate of Hou Tu, it will not be interfered with too much, right or wrong?" Emperor Jiang continued to ask.

  Pangu nodded, his eyes seriously looking at Di Jiang. Seeing his determined face and confident expression, he suddenly had an illusion that the person standing in front of him was not Di Jiang, but his former self.

  The Wu tribe might really be able to change their fate with him, Pangu thought to himself.

  "Please, Father God, show me the direction of the vast wilderness so I can hurry back and prepare."

  "This is a small matter, I'll send you over directly, sigh... the affairs of the Wu tribe will depend on you." Pangu's thick voice sounded again.

  As soon as the words fell, Emperor Jiang felt a dizziness, and when he came to again, he found that the Desolate World had appeared in front of him, with a light screen separating it from Chaos. At the same time, three objects also appeared beside Emperor Jiang: a book, a flag, and an essence.

  At this time, Pangu's thick voice came again, "One book and one flag are the Chaotic Spirit Treasure Yu Ming Book and the Yellow Spring Flag. They should be able to help you later. As for that Dao energy, it is the source of my residual thoughts. After this moment, I will completely disappear. I hope your achievements can surpass mine." After finishing speaking, there was no more sound in the chaos.

  "Father God!" Emperor Jiang suddenly knelt down, feeling the disappearance of Pangu. A surge of emotions burst out in his heart, and he actually shed tears. This "Father God" was the most sincere cry from him, but unfortunately, Pangu could no longer hear it.

  After a long time, Emperor Jiang stood up, looking seriously at the vast expanse of the world in front of him, his eyes becoming increasingly cold and stern.

  "The Desolate Era, Emperor Jiang has returned once again!"