Chapter 43

Before his voice had even faded, the Heavenly Dao manifested, and a devastating divine thunderbolt came crashing down.

Hongjun was caught off guard and was blasted until his entire body was charred black, leaving him in a sorry state.

His heart filled with grief and indignation. Heavenly Dao, whose side are you on? Why do you keep attacking me? I was clearly here first!

The myriad living beings of the Primordial World silently watched the scene, having long since grown used to it.

They even thought Hongjun was somewhat naïve. Does he really not know that Lu Changsheng and the Heavenly Dao are close?

The Six Sages also cast him sympathetic looks.

Lu Changsheng ignored Hongjun and continued advising the living beings:

"Why can't you understand my painstaking efforts?"

"Other than granting you merit, have I ever harmed you in the slightest?"

His expression was solemn, and his tone sincere.

The living beings exchanged glances and could not help reflecting. Indeed, Saint Changsheng had never harmed the Primordial World. Instead, he had brought down rains of merit and passed on methods for attaining sainthood. Every one of those things was an immense blessing.

Seeing everyone sink into thought, Lu Changsheng continued while the iron was hot.

"Think about it. Every additional world you create earns you another share of merit. Those with greater ability do more work—I would never deceive you."

"Where else could you find such a good deal?"

"I'm clearly giving you benefits! When have you ever had so many opportunities to earn merit?"

"I'm doing all this for the good of every living being. I'm thinking of you, too!"

Hearing this, some of the living beings nodded one after another.

Emotion surged in their hearts.

That's right. Isn't Saint Changsheng doing all this for our sake?

We really have been too immature. With such an opportunity right in front of us, we actually wanted to slack off. We've truly let down Saint Changsheng's painstaking efforts!

Seeing the reverent gazes directed at him, Lu Changsheng knew the matter was settled.

He immediately added fuel to the fire and raised his arm, shouting:

"Don't you want to become stronger? Don't you want to become Supreme Sages like me?"

Upon hearing this, the myriad living beings of the Primordial World instantly burned with enthusiasm.

"We do!"

"Of course we do!"

Countless people were so excited that they seemed to have been injected with stimulants!

Some fanatics shouted even more loudly:

"Anyone who isn't eager to earn merit must have something wrong with their brain!"

The crowd became even more jubilant.

Lu Changsheng nodded, extremely satisfied with the sight before him.

He then waved his hand and said:

"All right, everyone. Get to work!"

With that, he turned around and returned to Wuji Heaven.

The myriad living beings of the Primordial World, however, remained in a frenzy. Before long, they launched into a vigorous campaign to create worlds.

Within the crowd.

A mighty figure dressed in a five-colored Daoist robe gazed at Lu Changsheng's departing back, his eyes filled with excitement.

Inside Wuji Heaven.

After Lu Changsheng returned, his expression quickly turned serious. He frowned and pondered how to spend his merit faster...

Construction projects truly consumed merit, but they also took a very long time.

Normally, spending one percent within a thousand years would already be considered good.

On top of that, the system had just rewarded him with another two trillion merit points.

That had pushed his progress back up by a huge margin after he had finally managed to reduce it!

It was unbearable!

Thinking back on it now, Lu Changsheng's heart still ached faintly.

He suspected that the system was deliberately setting him up!

This was far too vicious.

When it came to spending merit, it was stingy and kept saying this or that wouldn't do. But when it came to increasing the amount, it was extraordinarily generous.

How infuriating! What use is all this merit to me?

It can't even improve my strength.

In the end, Lu Changsheng let out a sigh.

What was done was done. There was no use dwelling on it.

For now, the most important thing was to figure out how to exploit a loophole in the system and squander all this merit as quickly as possible.

"How about holding a competition?"

Lu Changsheng pondered. "People of the same cultivation realm can compete to see who creates the most worlds within a thousand years, with rankings determined by quantity."

"Then distribute merit according to rank and encourage them to create more worlds."

After considering it, Lu Changsheng really did come up with an idea.

This method would let him spend his merit legitimately while also mobilizing the enthusiasm of the Primordial World's living beings and making them create worlds more efficiently.

Everyone, get rolling!

Lu Changsheng's heart surged with excitement.

But he quickly calmed down and confirmed with the system:

"System, this doesn't count as violating the rules, does it?"

The system deliberated for a moment. It seemed that it truly could not find anything wrong with the idea.

Even so, it still reminded him:

"It is allowed, but the rewards cannot be too outrageous."

Lu Changsheng replied without hesitation, "Then let's set the highest reward at ten million merit points. That isn't excessive, right?"

The system fell silent.

Although it vaguely sensed a trap, it could not find any problem on the surface.

In the end, the system had no choice but to agree.

A smile appeared on Lu Changsheng's face.

The wise always have a plan.

He casually summoned one of his subordinates.

Kunpeng, East King Duke, and Randeng had gone into seclusion. Wuji Heaven could not be left without anyone to manage it, so Lu Changsheng had taken in several new subordinates.

Ancestor Shenmu was one of them.

He usually ran errands, and this was the perfect time to put him to use.

"Shenmu, go issue an announcement for me and deliver my words."

Ancestor Shenmu accepted the order, secretly delighted.

Although he was only running an errand, being noticed by a Saint meant he would have an opportunity to advance further in the future.

After hearing the specific contents, he was even more shaken.

Daring not to delay, Ancestor Shenmu respectfully withdrew. He arrived outside Wuji Heaven, circulated his Quasi-Sage power, and proclaimed to the world:

"By order of Saint Changsheng of Wuji Heaven!"

The myriad living beings of the Primordial World were startled into action.

They had no idea what decree Saint Changsheng had issued this time.

"To encourage all living beings to create worlds, the Creation Competition is hereby being held!"

"The rules are as follows: whoever creates the most worlds within a thousand years will receive a reward!"

"The first place in the Great Thousand World category will receive ten million merit points; first place in the Middle Thousand World category will receive five million merit points; first place in the Minor World category will receive three million merit points!"

"First place in every other category will receive one million merit points!"

As his voice faded,

the Primordial World erupted once more.

The myriad living beings were shaken!

It had come!

It had come!

He had come!

That familiar flavor!

The Primordial World's number-one spendthrift had appeared once again!

After delivering all the details, Ancestor Shenmu did not forget Saint Changsheng's final instruction.

"Other than first place, the remaining ranks will also receive merit rewards. The specifics will be announced later."

With the final sentence, Saint Changsheng's proclamation came to an end.

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire Primordial World instantly erupted.

"My heavens, how much merit must that be?"

"The first-place reward is practically comparable to creating an entire world!"

"This is practically a free opportunity!"

Countless living beings rubbed their fists and palms, blazing light igniting in their eyes.

An intense sense of urgency welled up in even more hearts. Some impatient ones immediately began creating worlds on the spot.

Those who had originally planned to wait and see had no choice but to act quickly as well.

Under the competition system launched by Lu Changsheng, the enthusiasm of every living being in the Primordial World was thoroughly ignited.

Everyone gave it their all, striving to secure a rank.

After all, even if they did not come in first, the other ranks still offered rewards.

For a time, all the living beings rushed into action, eager to "freeload" a share of merit from Lu Changsheng—

and this was precisely what Lu Changsheng had hoped for.

Within the Heavenly Court, the two Demon Emperors' eyes shone fiercely.

"Saint Changsheng truly is a great benefactor. Holding a competition like this is practically giving us benefits!"

"We demons are determined to take first place!"

Di Jun was brimming with confidence, and Taiyi nodded solemnly.

At the foot of Buzhou Mountain, the auras of the Twelve Ancestor Witches surged. They gazed toward Wuji Heaven, their eyes flashing with brilliance.

"We can't create a Great Thousand World, but first place in the Middle Thousand World category must belong to our witch clan!"

"My warriors, get to work!"

Dijiang let out a great shout. Countless members of the witch clan answered in unison, and even Buzhou Mountain trembled.

At the same time, the other mighty figures also grew excited.

At Wuzhuang Temple, Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun ended their leisurely days and began creating worlds as well.

Since they could obtain merit for free simply by securing a rank, who would be willing to miss such an opportunity?

At Kunlun Mountain, Queen Mother of the West was also giving it her all and creating a new world.

Within the Sea of Blood.

Ancestor Minghe had already taken the lead in creating a world.

When it came to yearning for merit and clinging to the pursuit of sainthood, if Minghe claimed second place, no one would dare claim first.

Looking across the entire Primordial World, he alone had made countless attempts to attain the Dao and become a Saint.

However, despite having prepared long ago, the movements of his hands still involuntarily quickened after hearing the Heavenly Dao's proclamation.

The process of creating the world, which he had originally intended to carry out slowly, now sped up as he sought only to create as many worlds as possible.

The entire Primordial World

was swept up in a great tide of world creation.

Time flowed, and the years passed.

Many mighty figures reaped substantial gains.

Almost every day, one could see vast clouds of golden merit descending and scattering throughout the Primordial World.

On Taiyin Star.

"I am the Taiyin Goddess Xihe. Today, I create a Middle Thousand World. May the Heavenly Dao bear witness!"

"I am the Taiyin Goddess Changxi. Today, I create a Middle Thousand World. May the Heavenly Dao bear witness!"

Two clear female voices rang out across the desolate celestial body.

Xihe and Changxi had successfully created their worlds and were now asking the Heavenly Dao to bear witness and bestow merit.

As soon as their voices fell, the two goddesses' expressions tightened slightly, and they raised their heads to gaze at the sky.

Fortunately, they did not have to wait long. A cloud of golden merit soon appeared above Taiyin Star.

Two beams of golden light descended, enveloping them and flowing into their immortal bodies.

Feeling the power of merit strengthening them, the two goddesses were both overjoyed.

The moment their smiles blossomed, it seemed as though even the void brightened with them.

"After refining this merit, the two of us should be able to break through to the peak of the Quasi-Sage realm."

Xihe spoke with a smile.

A look of yearning appeared in Changxi's eyes:

"The reason we can have what we do today is entirely thanks to Saint Changsheng of Wuji Heaven."

"He truly is a Saint with the world in his heart."

"Now, Wuji Heaven has become the publicly acknowledged supreme sacred land of the Primordial World."

"How wonderful would it be if we sisters could enter Wuji Heaven?"

At this, a faint rosy hue quietly appeared on Changxi's cheeks.

Changxi was no less powerful than Xihe,

and during this period, even the Six Saints worked tirelessly without pause.

"Who would have thought that a dignified Saint like me would become a mere wage earner!"

Within Jade Void Palace,

Primordial muttered under his breath as he stirred his vast holy power, opening up a broad world.

In barely a moment, the Great Thousand World had taken shape.

He then invited the Heavenly Dao to bear witness, and merit descended in response.

Refine the merit!

Advance in cultivation!

The entire process flowed as smoothly as water.

Primordial could only sigh, "It really is fragrant!"

Then he continued throwing himself into the great undertaking of opening up worlds.

The other Saints were in much the same situation.

In short, the prehistoric world was now bustling with activity everywhere.

All living beings were striving to open up heaven and earth, hoping to gain merit!

This even sparked an extremely fierce competition.

The two sides in this competition were none other than the two great clans that dominated the prehistoric world—the Demon Race and the Witch Race!

Originally, the two clans had each governed themselves, leaving one another in peace.

At the beginning, neither side paid any attention to the other, with both burying themselves in the desperate work of opening up heaven and earth.

On the Demon Race Heavenly Court's side, after a period of sleepless and nonstop world creation,

the harvest was extremely abundant!

Thus, the two Demon Emperors decided to take a brief rest, recover their strength, and then continue opening heaven and earth.

The Demon Race had finally gotten a chance to catch its breath.

However, the two Demon Emperors soon noticed,