As the Pioneer

As the pioneer, Pangu should be reborn from the fire.

Fellow Daoist's generous gift, Lu accepts with no disrespect!

But taking things for free isn't my style--

I must exchange it with Merit!

Lu Changqing said, his words like a cleaver.

He, Saint Changqing, in his dealings, has always emphasized fair trade.

Pangu's residual consciousness paused for a moment.

He had clearly offered this gift voluntarily--

why did the other party insist on payment?

Fellow Daoist, there's no need to be formal."

Pangu said helplessly.

Having lived for endless years, this was the first time he'd encountered such a bizarre individual--

offering opportunities for free yet insisting on payment.

Lu Changqing's expression changed drastically: If you don't accept my Merit--

then you're looking down on Lu!

Speak! Are you looking down on me?!

Pangu: ???

This creator god was completely bewildered.

Since the beginning of Chaos--

when had he ever seen such an oddity?

That was Merit!

Wouldn't it be better to use it to break through realms?

Wouldn't it be more satisfying to use it to refine spiritual treasures?

Could it be that your Merit is so abundant it's molding, and you're in a hurry to get rid of it?

In the silent Pangu Hall, the manifestation of his residual consciousness remained in a daze.

Merit to this extent?

You must accept it?

What a joke!

Wouldn't it be better to keep it to improve your cultivation?

Besides, he only had residual consciousness left now, what use did he have for Merit!?

Fellow Daoist!

Pangu couldn't help but laugh and cry: Merit is indeed useless to me."

"Keep it for yourself."

Pangu sighed softly.

But Lu Changqing refused to back down-- this was clearly him looking down on him!

What if he was only half a step into the Great Dao realm?

Did being half a step into the Great Dao realm mean he didn't need Merit anymore?

His expression was solemn: "No!"

"You must accept it!"

"How can I take so many rare treasures for nothing? Look, which one isn't a rarity in this world!"

"If you don't accept Merit, my conscience will not be at ease!"

"So you must accept it!"

"Besides, I have more Merit than I can use, so consider it helping me share the burden."

Listening to these words, Pangu felt a headache coming on.

Fine, fine, fine!

Understood!

You have so much Merit!

You can't spend it all!

It's fine if I help you spend a little, right!

"Fellow Daoist, there's no need to say more. If you truly want to give, just give a little."

Pangu could only concede.

Lu Changqing, however, widened his eyes and said righteously, "No! How can I, Lu Changqing, be that stingy person?!"

Pangu was stunned.

What did he mean by that?

He just asked Lu Changqing to give a little Merit—

What did that have to do with being stingy or not?

They were completely unrelated!

"Then... how much Merit do you plan to give me, Fellow Daoist?"

Pangu asked helplessly.

Lu Changqing thought for a moment and then said decisively, "Fifty million!"

???

Pangu's expression was subtle. Were people outside so extravagant now?

Or was it that only those with deep pockets acted like this?

This was fifty million Merit!

Fortunately, he had seen the world before and was about to agree.

Just as he was about to speak, Lu Changqing suddenly frowned. "No!"

"It's too little!"

"You've given so many treasures, and even imparted the Great Dao's Spiritual Power—"

"How can fifty million be enough?"

"Pangu Great God's inheritance is worth at least a hundred million!"

Pangu's heart trembled upon hearing this.

A hundred million?!

A hundred million Merit?!

Was it really worth that much?!

He couldn't sit still and quickly said, "Fellow Daoist Changqing, you..."

Before he could finish, Lu Changqing interrupted him again. "Fellow Daoist Pangu and I hit it off immediately!"

"Thinking about this, I feel ashamed."

"This friendship spans across eternity—"

"And I'm only offering a hundred million!"

"A hundred million is simply an insult to this friendship!"

"Two hundred million! It must be two hundred million!"

Pangu was utterly shocked.

Enough! It's really enough!

Who adds to the price like this!

At least add fifty million to show some sincerity!

How could he even respond when the price doubled with a raise of a hand?!

This was even more outrageous than reverse bargaining! We just met, and you're talking about hitting it off immediately!

You actually used that excuse to add a hundred million!

No!

Pangu quickly said, "Enough!"

"It's really enough!"

"Fellow Daoist Changqing, please don't add any more!"

Lu Changqing shook his head, his expression serious. "No!"

"I felt an instant connection with Great God Pangu, and he's so sincere!"

"He's even considering me so much, just based on this magnanimity—"

"I should give him more too!"

"How about this, five hundred million!"

Damn it!!!

Pangu froze completely.

Please, show me some respect!

What kind of divine operation is this?!

I already said it was free!

How can you keep adding more and more absurdly?!

Who adds to the price like this?!

"No!"

"Fellow Daoist, you really don't need that much!"

Pangu was utterly exhausted: "I already said it was a gift to you!"

"Besides, if you can help the Primordial World transform, my wish will be fulfilled—"

"Perhaps I can even be reborn."

"So you really don't have to do this!"

"This Merit is truly enough!"

Please! Stop adding!

If this continued, Pangu felt like he was losing himself.

He had never met anyone like Lu Changqing, who simply didn't care about Merit!

At this rate, he even suspected Lu Changqing could find a reason to keep bidding!

Wuwuwu!

You're not taking me seriously at all!

I clearly said it was enough!

Lu Changqing's face was filled with emotion: "Great God Pangu is in such a state, yet he still cares about all living beings—"

"Such noble sentiments, Changqing deeply admires you!"

"With such breadth of mind, why isn't it worth five hundred million?"

"For this inheritance, I am willing to exchange ten billion!"

Pangu: ...

He was completely numb.

So you weren't listening to me at all?!

He was so depressed he almost spat blood.

He had barely said a few words, yet Lu Changqing had forcefully raised the price from fifty million to ten billion!

You're something else!

This kind of "bargaining"

method, he had truly opened his eyes.

He had even forgotten how to respond.

He truly didn't know what to say!

He really didn't need Merit!

Please stop adding!

Lu Changqing's constant jumping back and forth, raising the price all the way to ten billion, was actually to test the System's bottom line.

When the price reached ten billion, the System finally couldn't help but speak:

"Ding!"

"Host, why not directly raise it to ten trillion, one step at a time!"

It really couldn't hold back anymore!

Who adds to the price like this?

It's fine to jump from fifty million to four hundred million, but when everyone else refused, you insisted on pushing five hundred million!

You can't play like this!!

Lu Changqing's eyes lit up.

"This works too?!"

The System was utterly speechless.

What works?!

"Of course not!!"

"Ten billion is already the limit, please, Host, stop raising the price!"

"That's not honest!"

Lu Changqing completely ignored the last sentence.

Ten billion was the limit.

That was close enough.

Since the System wouldn't allow it, he'd go with ten billion.

Pangu hadn't recovered yet.

Where am I?

Who am I?!

Heaven knew what kind of emotional roller coaster he had just experienced.

Even during the great battle against the three thousand Demon Gods back then, he hadn't felt this complicated!

"Great God Pangu!"

"What's wrong?!"

Seeing that Pangu's condition was off, Lu Changqing asked.

Pangu's lips twitched.

What's wrong with me?!

Does anyone know better than you?!

Forget it, forget it!

My heart is weary!

I can't say any more, or I'm afraid Lu Changqing will offer an even higher price.

Ten billion Merit!

This person truly doesn't take Merit seriously!

Let alone ten billion, even five hundred million felt like too much to him.

No matter!

Pangu responded in a low voice.

Lu Changqing said emotionally, "Great God Pangu, you have all living beings in your heart. I will surely inherit and carry forward your legacy!

Please accept this ten billion Merit!"

Buzz!

Golden light erupted, and ten billion Merit poured out, instantly dyeing the entire blood-colored space gold.

The power of Merit filled heaven and earth, leaving no gaps.

Pangu was stunned.

This was ten billion Merit?!

It was dazzling!

It was mesmerizing!

He remembered how vast the space of his heart was when he created it.

Now, it was completely filled with the power of Merit.

"Merit paid."

"I shall take my leave."

Lu Changqing said with a smile.

This trip not only allowed him to tour the Witch Clan but also to squander ten billion Merit.

What a blast!

If he could do this a few more times, he could quickly exhaust his Merit.

The Great Dao Saint realm was within reach!!

With immense effort, Pangu condensed the ten billion Merit into a ball of light, and space finally returned to its original state.

But that dazzling golden light lingered for a long time.

"Fellow Daoist, be wary of Hongjun."

"That person is insidious and cunning."

As they parted, Pangu offered a reminder.

In the past, during the Chaos era, Pangu had never taken Hongjun seriously.

Yet, after the three thousand Chaos Demon Gods fell one after another, only Hongjun remained unharmed.

Even powerful beings like the Ancestor of Yin and Yang and Luohu had fallen victim to his schemes.

One must realize that Hongjun's foundation among the three thousand Demon Gods was not top-tier.

This person is extremely calculating and ruthless.

He must have a grander scheme.

And Lu Changqing's alteration of the Primordial World's structure has triggered a cataclysmic change in heaven and earth.

He is very likely to become Hongjun's bane.

Therefore, a reminder was necessary.

Lu Changqing nodded in agreement, but inwardly, he paid it no mind.

If Hongjun had no connection to the Heavenly Dao, then caution would be warranted.

But he had gone and become the Spokesperson of the Heavenly Dao!

This was no different than tying his own hands.

Others might fear Hongjun, but Lu Changqing feared nothing!

As long as one had not reached the level of the Heavenly Dao, they were bound by it.

He could do nothing to me.

As for Hongjun transcending the Heavenly Dao? That would be fine too.

Wasn't there still the Great Dao!

As long as there was enough Merit, it wouldn't be difficult to enlist the Great Dao!

Outside Pangu Hall.

After bestowing the Merit, Lu Changqing gracefully departed.

Regarding Pangu's warning--

He had completely disregarded it.

Hongjun? Not worth mentioning.

If he dared to scheme in secret, the Heavenly Dao would surely notice.

Unless Hongjun no longer wished to establish himself in the Primordial World, he would never dare to act rashly.

After Lu Changqing left, Pangu gazed at the brilliant ball of ten billion Merit, falling silent for a long time.

Was everything that had just happened... real?

Why did he still feel so dazed?

The ways of the world are unpredictable and truly hard to fathom!

Pangu sighed softly.

He recalled the past, when he was an unparalleled powerhouse, and all three thousand Chaos Demon Gods had been defeated!

Now, someone had voluntarily offered such a massive amount of Merit!

Ten billion!

A full ten billion Merit!

It lay before him, for him to use as he pleased.

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Pangu would never have believed it.

Even in the Chaos era, ten billion Merit was an astonishing sum.

"Let's begin refining it."

His thoughts raced. This ten billion Merit could not be given to the Witch Clan.

He had already bestowed fortune upon the Witch Clan.

If he were to give them more, they might detect that he was still alive.

He needed to continue to remain hidden. If news of his revival were to leak, even the Great Dao might descend.

Hum!

He raised his hand and beckoned lightly. The golden, radiant Merit began to condense and refine.

RUMBLE--

The vast Merit gradually transformed into a golden torrent, merging into his origin.

This Merit... can actually strengthen the origin!

"As expected, the younger generation is formidable."

Pangu felt the changes within himself, sighing with emotion.

The current era is indeed different from the past.

But the most special person he had ever met was still Lu Changqing.

Reverse bargaining, unheard of.

And the higher it went.

As long as a reason was given, the Merit could increase by another five hundred million!

It was truly speechless...

The peak of Buzhou Mountain.

The Twelve Ancestral Witches craned their necks, waiting anxiously.