Pangu suddenly stopped his sermon, and the Sound of the Great Dao that had been flowing through the void came to an abrupt halt.
Xuanxiao, who had been immersed in a state of comprehending the Dao, slowly awakened from it due to the sudden interruption.
He looked at Pangu in confusion, his eyes filled with bewilderment.
"Little brother, the time has come. I must fulfill my mission." A carefree, uninhibited smile appeared on Pangu's face.
Hearing this, Xuanxiao's face instinctively revealed a trace of reluctance.
He frowned slightly and urged, "Big brother, after you were born, must you really open the heavens? How about... forgetting it? Actually, if you think about it carefully, the Chaos World has its own unique charm. There's nothing wrong with it."
After spending all these years together, Xuanxiao had long since come to regard Pangu as his true elder brother.
Although he was also curious about the unknown Primordial World, compared to that, he truly did not want to see Pangu ultimately transform into the Primordial Wilderness and walk toward that unknown fate.
"Xuanxiao, opening the heavens is the mission I was born with, and it is also the inevitable manifestation of the Dao I carry. Besides, after I transform into the Primordial Wilderness, the Primordial Wilderness will be me, and I will be the Primordial Wilderness. That will not be true death." Pangu gazed at Xuanxiao gently and softly consoled him.
"Sigh, I understand." Xuanxiao let out a helpless sigh. Knowing that he could not change Pangu's decision, he stopped trying to persuade him.
Pangu's body gradually began to dissipate. At the same time, a series of rhythmic, mysterious sounds came from within the Thirty-Six-Petal Chaos Green Lotus. Accompanying those sounds, countless mysterious Great Dao runes surfaced across the green lotus, radiating splendid and strange light.
Immediately afterward, the entire Chaos World began to shake violently. The momentum of this tremor was far grander and more imposing than that caused by the birth of any previous Chaos Demon God.
It was as if all of Chaos had been shaken by an invisible force, letting out a thunderous roar.
Countless strange phenomena appeared in the depths of Chaos.
Light flickered and runes intertwined, as if all of Chaos were celebrating something in its own unique way.
Countless Chaos Demon Gods sensed the unusual disturbance within Chaos and turned their gazes toward its center.
Their hearts filled with confusion and unease, they murmured, "What's going on?"
Just as everyone was bewildered, a deafening boom suddenly came from the center of Chaos.
Accompanying that boom, the Eye of the Great Dao, radiating boundless majesty and a mysterious aura, slowly appeared in the chaotic void.
The Chaos Demon Gods widened their eyes and stared at the Eye of the Great Dao in terror. Cries of alarm rose one after another: "Why has the Great Dao appeared as well? What exactly is going on?"
Looking at the Eye of the Great Dao that had appeared in the void, Xuanxiao could not help sighing with emotion. "Big brother truly is the Great Dao's own son."
When these Chaos Demon Gods had been born, the Great Dao had paid them no attention whatsoever.
Yet now, when Pangu was born, the Great Dao had appeared in person. The enormous difference left Xuanxiao with mixed feelings.
While the Chaos Demon Gods were still speculating about what was happening, a magnificent figure that blotted out the sky and earth slowly emerged in the center of Chaos.
"Above is the Great Dao! I am the Primordial Heavenly King Pangu. Today, I emerge into the world and shall command the Great Dao of Strength!" Pangu's voice rang throughout the entire Chaos World like a great bell, filled with supreme majesty and domineering power.
After announcing his birth, Pangu's Dao Body did not dissipate. Instead, he continued in a resonant voice:
"I observe this Chaos World: it remains shrouded in ignorance, heaven and earth are undivided, and the Two Principles lie hidden. The Chaos Demon Gods were originally transformed from the Great Dao, yet they have turned away from the Great Dao, violated virtue, and acted against the natural order. They thirst for slaughter, are deeply trapped in delusion, and find it difficult to comprehend the supreme principles of the Great Dao.
"Now, having received the Great Dao's revelation, I shall set the Three Great Kalpas as the limit, distinguish the clear from the turbid, and create heaven and earth. I shall cause Yin Yang to interact, let the Four Symbols circulate, and allow all beings to be born by following qi, thereby helping the Great Dao achieve perfect harmony."
As soon as his voice fell, a mysterious and magnificent Sound of the Great Dao rang out in the void:
"When Pangu is born, the Demon Gods perish. When Pangu falls, the opportunity to prove the Dao appears!"
As the voice gradually faded, the Eye of the Great Dao also slowly disappeared.
At this moment, every Chaos Demon God in Chaos clearly felt a connection appear upon their bodies, as fine as a thread yet tough and resilient.
The source of that thread was Pangu.
The thread seemed to possess an invisible pulling force. No matter how they resisted, they could not break free. They could only follow its pull and involuntarily rush toward Pangu's location.
They understood that, at this moment, only a battle remained.
Either Pangu would fall, or the Chaos Demon Gods would be wiped out. Between the two sides, only one could survive.
"Pangu, since you're seeking death, I'll grant your wish! Once you fall, I'll surely be able to attain the Great Dao!"
"The Great Dao of Strength? Then I want to see whose Dao is superior—mine or yours!"
"Pangu, you actually wish to break apart Chaos and recreate the world? You truly overestimate yourself!"
The Chaos Demon Gods knew very well that once Pangu succeeded in opening the heavens, the Chaos World would enter an entirely new stage of evolution, and the old Chaos would be replaced by a new world.
As Chaos Demon Gods, they would also lose the Great Dao's protection and become thorns in the new world's side, destined to suffer merciless attacks.
Regardless of their reasons, the Chaos Demon Gods now rushed toward Pangu's location in unspoken unison.
The conflict between them and Pangu was a struggle over the Great Dao. It could end only when one side was completely annihilated.
At this moment, Xuanxiao looked at the faint thread connecting him and Pangu.
He could not help giving a bitter smile and shaking his head. "The Great Dao is truly afraid that Pangu might miss even one or two Chaos Demon Gods. It actually personally connected all of us to Pangu. Now, none of us can escape."
"Xuanxiao, you still have a choice. If you stay with me, you will have to face the siege of all the Chaos Demon Gods.
"But if you choose to leave, you only need to leave behind your Chaos Demon God Body. I can guarantee that your true spirit will reincarnate intact into the world I create." Pangu gazed sincerely at Xuanxiao and spoke earnestly.
He understood that the Chaos Demon God Bodies had been prepared by the Great Dao for the new world.
Even if he was willing, the Great Dao would never permit it.
Only when all the Chaos Demon Gods merged into the world could Chaos enter its next stage of evolution.
Therefore, if Xuanxiao wanted to preserve himself, abandoning his identity as a Chaos Demon God was practically an inevitable choice.
However, after abandoning his identity as a Chaos Demon God, Xuanxiao could retain his true spirit.
With Pangu's help, it would not be difficult for him to recover his cultivation and strength in the Primordial World in the future.
Indeed, this was the best and most beneficial choice for Xuanxiao.
However, after hearing Pangu's suggestion, Xuanxiao laughed and shook his head without hesitation. "Big brother, I'm not the kind of person who runs from battle. Besides, to be honest, I've long yearned to have a satisfying battle with those fellows. You must not deprive me of this rare opportunity."
Hearing Xuanxiao's words, Pangu quietly watched him and pondered for a long while.
In the end, he nodded heavily, his eyes filled with approval. "Good! After the Three Great Kalpas, the two of us brothers will let the Chaos Demon Gods see our strength!"
Afterward, the two said nothing more. They stood quietly in the midst of Chaos, silently waiting for the Chaos Demon Gods to arrive.
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