Hongjun's Scheme, Hongmeng Purple Qi Reappears

In the Purple Cloud Palace, a wave of fury surged among the disciples.

"Teacher, Chu Yan nearly prevented this disciple from attaining sainthood and caused me to lose most of my fortune. I implore you to uphold justice."

Nuwa struck first. Though she had already become a saint, the bitterness in her heart remained unresolved.

Why did the human race she created refuse to honor her as their Holy Mother?

Especially when she saw the terrifying fortune of the Human Race, Nuwa's hatred only deepened—that fortune should have been hers.

Taiqing also spoke:

"Teacher, after Junior Sister Nuwa created humanity, this disciple sensed that the opportunity for sainthood lay with the Human Race. Yet Chu Yan's actions threaten to sever that chance. I beg you to see clearly."

"Teacher, Chu Yan has gone too far. He defies Heaven's mandate and holds none of us in regard. Such a rebellious person is unworthy of being your disciple."

Yuanshi was equally incensed. How could an ant like that stand on equal footing with him?

Why? He was Pangu Orthodox, while Chu Yan was merely a mortal.

It was utterly infuriating.

Jieyin and Zhunti also complained—how could the Human Race monopolize such terrifying fortune?

Hearing his disciples' grievances, Hongjun opened his eyes and swept his gaze across them.

"Enough. Silence."

Then he said:

"The Human Race has opened a thread of vitality. This is their opportunity. You need not speak further."

Even as he said this, Hongjun was swallowing his own words.

But the matter was already settled and could not be changed.

"Now, the River of Destiny in the Primordial Era is in chaos. It will take at least ten thousand years to sort out. During this time, the Primordial Era will be turbulent, but it is also your chance to attain sainthood. After ten thousand years, all variables will become fixed numbers. You must seize this well."

These words carried deep meaning. Hongjun's hint was clear enough.

He continued:

"But the greatest variable remains the Human Race. Chu Yan of the Human Race is an anomaly among variables. If the Primordial Era is to develop, and if you wish your own doctrines to flourish, none of you can sever ties with the Human Race."

"Teacher, do you mean..."

Yuanshi lacked Taiqing's deep scheming and Tongtian's innate talent.

Hongjun could only say:

"The Primordial Human Race is destined to prosper—this is Heaven's decree. But Chu Yan's appearance has thrown the River of Destiny into chaos. He seeks to leap beyond fixed numbers, beyond the Three Realms and the Five Elements. Such actions will hasten the Primordial Era into the Immeasurable Tribulation."

A sharp gasp.

At these words, every disciple present changed color.

"Teacher, is there a way to avert this?"

Hongjun said:

"Return all variables and anomalies to fixed numbers."

Yet as he spoke, the disciples sensed something wrong—Chu Yan's very intent was to break free from fixed numbers.

Then Hongjun added:

"However, Chu Yan has condensed the fortune of the Human Race, reinforced their will, and sworn an oath with his own blood, thereby awakening the Human Way ahead of time and releasing the Human Way Golden Dragon. Barring unforeseen events, Chu Yan will surely become the future Ancestor of Humanity."

Boom...

The weight of this information was immense. Everyone understood its implications.

"Teacher, no. Chu Yan must never become the Ancestor of Humanity."

Taiqing objected outright.

Nuwa the Saint, Yuanshi, Jieyin, and Zhunti also opposed it.

Once Chu Yan became the Ancestor of Humanity, everything concerning the Human Race would be his to decide. Even if the Heavenly Dao wished to interfere in human affairs, it would need Chu Yan's consent.

Nuwa was especially alarmed. She had become a saint because of humanity. If Chu Yan achieved the status of Ancestor of Humanity, she too would be in danger.

She would be at his mercy.

"Teacher, is there a way to counter this?"

Hongjun's eyes gleamed with golden light:

"Contend for the fortune of the Human Race. Prevent Chu Yan from becoming the Ancestor of Humanity. Turn all human variables into fixed numbers. Then all troubles will naturally resolve."

Of course, Hongjun left one thing unsaid: that the hundred thousand Innate Human Race members would either die out or join their doctrines.

Everyone drew a sharp breath.

This matter would be troublesome.

"But Teacher, the fortune of the Human Race is already linked to the Witch Race. If we move against the Human Race, we will incur Karma with the Witch Race. This disciple cannot bear that."

The disciples' minds involuntarily recalled the moment when Pangu's Will descended upon the Pangu True Body.

With such terrifying strength, how could karmic sin be lacking?

Even Hongjun was beaten half to death by Pangu.

"Now that fate is in chaos and the Heavenly Mechanism is obscured, as long as things aren't too excessive, it's fine."

Hearing this, these people breathed a sigh of relief—how could they miss Hongjun's implication?

Wasn't he plainly telling them to go stir up trouble?

"Remember this, all of you. Ten thousand years from now, everything will become Fixed Number. Seize it well. Disperse. Tongtian, you stay."

Hongjun emphasized this once more. Anyone who wasn't a fool understood.

Within ten thousand years, as long as things weren't too excessive, the Heavenly Dao would turn a blind eye.

After all, the chaos of fate needed time to sort out—a decent excuse.

And the chaos of fate was Pangu's doing, nothing to do with them, yet the Witch Race bore all the blame.

It could be said that Hongjun's scheming never stopped.

"Yes, Teacher."

The other disciples had already left, leaving only Tongtian still seated cross-legged.

"Tongtian, I know what's on your mind. I won't blame you for helping the Human Race before, but Chaos has been shattered, the Primordial World has been formed, and it was shaped from your Father God's body. Everything is already set."

Hongjun began to guilt-trip him. There was no other choice—he was truly worried. If Tongtian was successfully swayed by Chu Yan, all his schemes would be in trouble.

"Disciple understands. Thank you for the guidance, Teacher."

"Hmm."

Hongjun hummed in acknowledgment, then continued:

"You helped the Human Race open a sliver of life, so you're already connected to them. If possible, try to persuade them. The General Trend is already set. Forcibly altering it would harm the harmony of heaven and cause the endless Living Beings of the Primordial World to devolve back into Chaos along with it."

He then took out a strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi and let it drift slowly toward Tongtian, adding:

"The Heavenly Dao has compassion and cannot bear to see the Living Beings of the Primordial World suffer. This strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi you may deliver to him. The position of seventh disciple under me is reserved for him. As long as the Human Race does not alter the General Trend, the Heavenly Dao is impartial and will not hinder their development."

Tongtian's expression shifted drastically. Another strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi? Hadn't he said they were all distributed? How was there still one?

But Hongjun paid no attention to Tongtian's shock. With a single hand, he grasped the air, and endless Heavenly Dao Laws manifested, finally condensing into a cushion.

In an instant, the cushions in the Purple Cloud Palace became seven.

At the same time, the River of Destiny also shifted.

Hongjun intended to use this ten-thousand-year window of chaotic fate to turn the Human Race into a Fixed Number as much as possible.

To achieve his goal, he didn't hesitate to release the Hongmeng Purple Qi, certain that the Great Powers of the Primordial World would grow covetous and that some reckless ones would make a move.

Thus, he was also digging a pit for the Primordial Human Race.

Meanwhile, in the next instant, Tongtian found himself already in Chaos.

A strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi coiled in his hand, but his mind was filled with more thoughts.

"Must I truly abandon Father God's legacy? If I give it up, I betray Father God. If I don't, the endless Living Beings of the Primordial World will dissolve into Chaos, for this world was shaped from Father God's body."

Lost in thought, he didn't even know how he returned to the Primordial World.

In the Purple Cloud Palace, Hongjun watched all this, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Chu Yan, you will never escape This Seat's grasp."

Time passed slowly, and in the blink of an eye, a hundred years went by.

During the great migration of the Human Race, their numbers had grown.

Chu Yan continuously instilled the spirit of self-reliance into the Human Race.

In other words, he was constantly indoctrinating them.

At this moment, the entire Human Race was united as one.

On this day, at the foot of Buzhou Mountain, a radiant glow suddenly burst forth in all directions.

Countless Great Powers were alarmed, and even Hongjun was stirred.

He looked over, and his expression instantly changed drastically.

"How can this be? Why has the Human Race become like this?"