The Struggle for the Protagonist of Heaven and Earth
"No!"
"How can a remnant of the demon race be allowed to ascend to the throne again!"
Yuanshi and Zhunti opposed it almost simultaneously.
Even Laozi shook his head slightly, clearly believing that letting the demon race regain power was not a good idea.
Houtu and Gou Mang were even more displeased. The Witch Clan and the demon tribe Blood Sea; how could they sit idly by and watch Di Jun's son ascend to the supreme position again?
For a time, the debate within the Purple Cloud Palace reignited. Yuanshi recommended his disciples, the West intended to get involved, Houtu strongly supported the witches, Qing Huan advocated for the offspring of Di Jun. The various parties were deadlocked and refused to give in.
The subtle clash of the Sage' auras made the atmosphere within the entire Purple Cloud Palace heavy and oppressive.
The Ancestor Minghe watched coldly from the sidelines, a hint of mockery on his lips, seemingly enjoying the spectacle of these Sage arguing.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun, sat upright on the Dao Platform, watching the dispute below with an expressionless face, as if he were watching a farce that had nothing to do with him.
Only when the arguing subsided and the sages realized they couldn't persuade the other side, and turned their gaze back to him, did he slowly shake his head, his voice as calm as still water:
"Since you are all arguing and holding your own opinions, making it difficult to reach a conclusion, then the throne of the Heavenly Emperor shall be held by my Hao Tian. Who agrees? Who disagrees?"
Upon hearing this, the entire hall fell silent.
The saints looked at each other, their expressions varied—some were surprised, some were dissatisfied, and some were deep in thought—but in the end, they all fell silent.
Hao Tian? That unassuming page who served the Dao Ancestor in the Purple Cloud Palace?
In terms of background, he is not Innate Deities; in terms of cultivation, he is probably not even Quasi-Sage yet. To appoint him as the Heavenly Emperor?
However, upon closer examination, this seems to be the best option at present.
Hao Tian was personally appointed by the Dao Ancestor, his title is perfectly legitimate, and no one dares to question it.
Without any single power, fairness can be guaranteed, and at least there will be no obvious bias towards any particular religion.
Having a low level of cultivation makes it easier for the saints to exert influence secretly, which is better than letting the opponent's people take the stage.
More importantly, this is the decision of the Dao Ancestor! With Hongjun merging with the Dao and representing the will of Will of Heaven, his decision is essentially the choice of the Heavenly Dao. Who can oppose it? Who dares to oppose it?
The Heavenly Venerate Qing Huan was the first to react. He glanced deeply at the Haotian Boy, who stood on the platform with his eyes lowered, trembling slightly with excitement at this sudden Heavenly Mandate. A faint smile appeared on his lips, and he bowed first.
"The Dao Ancestor! Hao Tian has followed the Dao Ancestor for a long time, listened to the Great Dao, and is of pure heart and steady in his actions. He is the most suitable person to serve as the Heavenly Emperor."
Qing Huan had no objections and would follow the Dao Ancestor's arrangements.
With Qing Huan taking the lead, the other Sage, though harboring their own thoughts—such as Yuanshi feeling that Hao Tian's foundation was too weak, the Two Saints of the West lamenting the lost opportunity, and Houtu and Gou Mang feeling unwilling—weighed the pros and cons and knew that this was the most "fair" or rather, the most helpless choice under the current circumstances. Therefore, they all bowed.
"I will obey the Master's decree." (The Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, and the Two Saints of the West)
"Follow the arrangements of the Dao Ancestor." (Houtu, Gou Mang)
Hongjun nodded slightly and Heavenly Dao:
"Hao Tian, from this day forward, you shall be the Lord of the Primordial Wilderness Heavenly Court, known as the Supreme Jade Emperor of the Golden Palace of Hao Tian, the Natural and Wondrous Existence, the True and Supreme Being. You shall rule over all heavens, govern all saints, rule the universe, enlighten all heavens, follow the Way of Heaven, spread the virtue of Heaven, Creation all things, and save all living beings. I hope you will act accordingly and live up to this responsibility."
Hao Tian was so excited he could hardly contain himself. He quickly stepped forward, knelt down, and his voice trembled but was clear:
"Your Hao Tian, Haotian, am deeply grateful for your divine grace! I will certainly fulfill my duties diligently, harmonize Yin and Yang, and maintain the order of heaven and earth, and will never fail to live up to your high expectations and trust!"
Hongjun then said, "Yao Chi can become the Queen Mother of Heavenly Court, assisting you in managing Yin and Yang and co-governing the female immortals."
"Thank you, Master!" Yao Chi quickly stepped forward and bowed in gratitude.
After saying this, he bestowed upon Hao Tian two Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures and gave Yao Chi an Ultimate Innate Spiritual Root.
The voice of Dao Ancestor Hongjun, echoed in the Purple Cloud Palace, announcing the end of one era and the beginning of another:
"Now that the Witch-Demon Calamity has passed, the order of heaven and earth has been restored. From this day forward, the human race shall be the Protagonist of Heaven and Earth the Primordial Wilderness world."
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the saints varied.
Among the Three Pure Ones, Laozi remained expressionless, yet a turbulent undercurrent seemed to emanate from the depths of his eyes. He Human Teachings and became a saint; as humanity prospered, so too did the Human Teachings's Luck flourish.
Yuanshi Tianzun nodded slightly, seemingly finding it perfectly natural. His Chan Sect were based on following the will of Heaven and responding to the needs of humanity, educating all beings. The human race's complex nature perfectly aligned with the essence of his Chan Sect.
The Sect Master Tongtian Leader smirked slightly, a hint of unruliness in his expression. He, the Interception Sect Leader, advocated Universal Education the vast human population as the perfect breeding ground for spreading his teachings.
Empress Nuwa's expression was complex. She Creation the human race and made them saints, and the human race had become the protagonist, which was beneficial to her Luck. However, when she thought of her fallen brother Fuxi and the demon race she had once led, she couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.
The Two Saints of the West, Jieyin Zhunti, had shifty eyes, clearly already calculating how to spread the Western Dharma among the human race and gather those with affinity.
Although Houtu and Gou Mang were devoted to the Witch Clan, the Witch Clan had withdrawn from the struggle for the title of the Protagonist of Heaven and Earth, and had a long-standing relationship with the human race, so it was not unacceptable.
However, a cool, questioning voice broke the brief silence.
"Dao Ancestor!"
Heavenly Venerate Qing Huan stepped forward, his brows furrowed, and the faint starlight around him rippled slightly, revealing his inner turmoil.
"I believe that the human race is unworthy to be the Protagonist of Heaven and Earth!"
As soon as he spoke, all eyes in the hall focused on him.
To dare to question Dao Ancestor Hongjun's decision directly is a boldness that even the saints present doubted they possessed.
Qing Huan ignored the surprised, dissatisfied, or amused looks and continued in a deep voice:
"The human race is merely a race created by Fellow Daoist Nuwa in the past for the sake of her Merit. Its foundation is shallow, and it is born weak."
Moreover, their nature is such that they only know how to take from heaven and earth to survive, they are greedy by nature, and they are constantly fighting amongst themselves.
Compared to the time when the Witch and Demon Races ruled the world, although there were wars, they were mostly for the sake of the Dao and the fate of the race. However, the selfish desires and greed of the human race have led to their insatiable demands on the Primordial Wilderness world, which may even surpass them!
Since the Witch Clan has relinquished its position as the Protagonist of Heaven and Earth, in my opinion, it would be more appropriate for the Demon Clan to succeed it.
The demon race is diverse and once ruled over the heavens, maintaining the rotation of the stars and contributing greatly to the world.
"Presumptuous!"
The Yuanshi Tianzun immediately rebuked him sternly, his face icy cold.
"Qing Huan! The Master's decree has been issued, and the fate of heaven and earth is sealed. How dare you make unwarranted criticisms here?"
Do you even respect the rules of hierarchy?!
Already dissatisfied with Qing Huan's previous recommendation of Di Jun's offspring, they seized the opportunity to launch an attack.
Upon seeing this, the Sect Master Tongtian chuckled, his tone carrying a hint of sarcasm:
"Oh? Fellow Qing Huan, you are mistaken. We Sage, Senior Brother Taiqing Human Teachings the Human Sect and became saints, Senior Sister Nuwa created humans and became saints, and my second brother and I Establishing a Religion, which is also closely related to the Luck the human race. It can be said that our Saint Position is all greatly related to the birth of the human race."
Fellow Daoist, you now bluntly state that the human race is unworthy. Do you perhaps feel that our Saint Position were obtained illegitimately?
Or is it that you, fellow Daoist, are only focused on restoring the karmic burdened and weakened demon race to the throne? What are your true intentions?