Hongjun's Secret! Pangu the Great God's Entrustment

Hongjun's return was vastly different from his last visit.

Last time, though he was already a Quasi-Saint, his aura ethereal and vast, he was still within the Heavenly Dao of the Primordial World.

This time, he had proven his Dao and become a Sage, merging his being with the Heavenly Dao.

He was the Heavenly Dao, and the Heavenly Dao was him.

He stood there, not releasing any oppressive aura, yet the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa, these four Primordial Golden Immortals, felt a suppression originating from their very life essence.

It was the natural reverence of a lower-dimensional being facing a higher-dimensional existence.

"Congratulations, fellow Daoist, for completing your merits and proving the Sage position."

The Grand Pure One Laozi was the first to react, bowing to Hongjun and congratulating him with a tone that was neither servile nor overbearing.

Though they had not yet become Sages, they were walking the Primordial Great Dao, which transcended the Heavenly Dao. In terms of potential, they were not necessarily inferior to Sages.

Therefore, they respected Hongjun, but they did not fear him.

"Mutual congratulations, mutual congratulations."

Hongjun wore a gentle smile, his gaze sweeping over the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa, finally landing on Lin Shen, who was holding a small kitten and curiously observing him.

His eyes were so soft they could melt eternal profound ice.

"If not for the enlightenment I received from young friend that day, I truly don't know how many eons I would have lingered before the gates of the Sages."

Hongjun spoke with utmost sincerity.

"I will remember this karmic debt."

He knew that Lin Shen's "grape-flavored popping candy" and the subsequent Origin Qi of Creation that fed back to him had played a decisive role in his ability to prove his Dao and become a Sage so quickly and perfectly.

That power not only allowed him to glimpse the "variables" outside the Heavenly Dao but also enabled him to retain more of his "self" when merging with the Dao, rather than being completely assimilated by it.

It could be said that Lin Shen was not only the opportunity for his Dao attainment but also the protector of his Dao!

This kindness was greater than the heavens!

"Hong...jun... Grandpa..."

Lin Shen looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar old man before him and called out in a milky voice.

He felt that this old man had become even more powerful and handsome this time.

He was sparkling, more beautiful than the gems his second master carved.

Upon hearing "Grandpa," Hongjun was stunned for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter.

"Hahaha! Good! Well said!"

He laughed with unrestrained joy, his Sage's dignity vanishing in an instant, like an ordinary old man hearing his grandson's first call.

"Since young friend recognizes me as his grandpa, then grandpa must also show some appreciation."

Hongjun smiled and opened his palms.

In his palm, two items radiating brilliant light appeared.

One was an ancient stone platform, upon which the laws of the Three Thousand Great Daos flowed – this was the "Treasure Distribution Rock" formed from the incomplete Jade Plate of Creation.

The other was a lush green bamboo staff, on which countless runes flickered in and out of existence – this was his companion spirit treasure, the "Jade Staff of Creation."

"These two items are my companion treasures, which have been with me for countless eons."

Hongjun said it so casually, as if he weren't giving away two top-tier supreme treasures that would cause all the great powers in the Primordial World to fight viciously, but two worthless trinkets.

"Today, I bestow them upon young friend as a means of self-defense."

Hiss--

The Three Pure Ones and Nuwa collectively gasped.

They felt their hearts had been stimulated to the point of numbness today.

Had this old man Hongjun gone mad?

It was one thing to give away Primordial Violet Qi as a toy last time.

But this time, he was actually giving away his companion spirit treasures and the treasures used to prove his Dao?

This generosity could no longer be described as "lavish"!

He was emptying his coffers to appease their disciple!

"Fellow Daoist, absolutely not!"

Yuanshi Tianzun was the first to object. He stood with a stern face and said righteously, "Such supreme treasures are fundamental to your Dao path, how can you treat them so lightly!"

"Lin Shen is young and cannot accept such a heavy gift!"

Tongtian Jiaozhu nodded repeatedly, "That's right, that's right! Old man Hongjun, did you damage your brain when you became a Sage?"

"If you give this to our disciple, he'd find it too hard even to use as a washboard!"

It wasn't that they didn't want them, but they dared not accept them.

The karmic debt was too immense!

After receiving these two treasures, Kunlun Mountain will likely never be able to hold its head up in front of Hongjun again.

"It matters not, it matters not."

Hongjun waved his hand, a profound smile on his face.

"This humble Daoist has now merged with the Heavenly Dao. These external objects are of little use to me."

As he spoke, he gently pushed the Treasure Distribution Rock and the Jade Staff of Creation towards Lin Shen.

"Treasures are gifted to heroes, and spiritual treasures are for those who are fated. This humble Daoist sees that young friend has a great affinity with these two items."

Lin Shen looked at the two "toys" flying towards him, blinking curiously.

That stone platform looked square and regular, with many sparkling patterns on it. It could probably be used as building blocks to build a house.

That bamboo looked lush and green. It could be used as a small stick to tap and bang things, which should be quite fun.

He extended his chubby little hands and scooped both treasures into his embrace.

Then, in front of everyone, he raised the Jade Staff of Creation, which could stir the winds and clouds of the Primordial World and stabilize the universe.

With a "crack!"

He struck it upon the Treasure Distribution Rock, which contained the laws of the Three Thousand Great Daos.

It let out a crisp... muffled sound.

The hearts of the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa convulsed violently with that muffled sound.

What a waste of good material!

This prodigal child!

The Grand Pure One Laozi's eyelids twitched wildly. That was a fragment of the Jade Plate of Creation!

Yuanshi Tianzun's face turned green. That bamboo staff could split the heavens and earth!

Tongtian Jiaozhu covered his eyes directly, unable to bear to watch.

Empress Nuwa was torn between laughter and tears. This little fellow was truly fearless.

Hongjun watched this scene, but his smile grew even wider.

In his eyes, Lin Shen's actions were the best manifestation of a pure Dao heart, unmoved by external objects.

"Three fellow Daoists, Fellow Daoist Nuwa, there is no need to be so nervous."

Hongjun looked at the ghost-like expressions on their faces and finally decided not to keep them in suspense any longer.

His expression turned serious, and he said slowly to the Three Pure Ones, "This humble Daoist has come today not only to thank young friend, but also to confess one matter to you three fellow Daoists."

Confess?

The Three Pure Ones' hearts grew stern, and they pricked up their ears.

They knew that what Hongjun was about to say was likely a world-shattering secret concerning the entire pattern of the Primordial World.

"Do the three fellow Daoists know why this humble Daoist chose this path of merging with the Heavenly Dao?"

Hongjun did not answer directly but asked a question instead.

"Fellow Daoist, you uphold the destiny of heaven and act in accordance with it. Merging with the Dao is inevitable."

Yuanshi Tianzun replied in a deep voice. This was the consensus of all the great powers in the Primordial World.

"Heh heh, yes and no."

Hongjun shook his head.

He looked up towards the thirty-three heavens, into the depths of the endless chaos, his eyes becoming distant and ancient.

"This humble Daoist did not originally intend to walk this path."

"My Dao was enlightened and entrusted to me by a supreme existence."

"That supreme existence is the one who created this Primordial World..."

He paused and said word by word, "Great God Pangu!"

Boom!

These four words struck the primordial spirit seas of the Three Pure Ones like a divine thunder of creation!

Great God Pangu?!

Hongjun's Dao was enlightened and entrusted to him by their Father God?

How could this be possible?!

The Grand Pure One Laozi's hands trembled slightly.

Yuanshi Tianzun's face instantly turned pale.

Tongtian Jiaozhu stood up directly, disbelief in his eyes.

"Back then, Great God Pangu split the heavens and earth, exhausted his strength, and perished."

Hongjun's voice was filled with endless reminiscence and reverence.

"His Primordial Spirit split into three, becoming three fellow Daoists. His essence and blood became the Twelve Ancestral Magi, and his physical body became all things in this Primordial World."

"But, before all this happened, Great God Pangu used his last bit of divine power to draw forth a wisp of pure energy from the chaos."

He pointed to himself: "That would be me."

"He told me that the world he created was not yet perfect, and that immense Calamities would inevitably occur in the future."

"He entrusted me, after his departure, to guard this Primordial World for him, to regulate the laws of heaven and earth, and to guide all beings towards goodness."

Hongjun's gaze slowly fell upon Lin Shen.

"Waiting for the true appearance."

"And the three fellow Daoists, as well as... this young friend."

"You are the ones Father God has been waiting for, the true ones!"

Hongjun's words completely overturned the Three Pure Ones' understanding.

They had always believed that they were Great God Pangu's only and most legitimate descendants.

They had always believed that Hongjun's path of following Heaven's will and their own path of proving Dao by Force to achieve Primordial Golden Immortal were two completely different, even opposing, paths.

But now, Hongjun was telling them that everything he had done was at the behest of their Father God!

He was not their "opponent," but rather the "guardian" and "guide" their Father God had left for this world!

"So... everything you did before was..."

Tongtian Jiaozhu's voice was a little hoarse. He looked at Hongjun, the hostility and wariness in his eyes rapidly dissipating.

"Everything I have done was to fulfill Father God's entrustment,"

Hongjun said frankly.

"Whether it was pacifying the Fierce Beasts, contending with Luohu, or about to lecture on the Great Dao and establish the Mystic Gate."

"It was all just to establish a relatively stable order in this imperfect world."

"To buy enough time and space for your appearance and your growth."

"Now, the three fellow Daoists have proven Primordial Golden Immortal, and this young friend has also been born."

"My mission, in a sense, is half complete."

His voice became even gentler: "From now on, the heavens of the Primordial World are your heavens."

"I am merely a gatekeeper."

Hongjun's words were spoken with utmost sincerity, without a trace of falsehood.

The Three Pure Ones could feel the reverence for Great God Pangu and the love for this world in his words.

So... that's how it was.

So, they had misunderstood Hongjun all along.

The Three Pure Ones exchanged glances, seeing shock and guilt in each other's eyes.

Before, they had treated Hongjun as a hypothetical enemy, constantly on guard against him.

They never expected that he had been "one of them" from beginning to end.

"Fellow Daoist... your righteousness is profound."

Yuanshi Tianzun bowed solemnly and deeply to Hongjun.

This bow was to express, on behalf of their three brothers and Pangu's True Lineage, their highest respect to this "elder" who had silently guarded the Primordial World for countless eons.

The rift between them vanished at this moment.