After Zhang Yu and Zhou Hengliang were sucked into the shimmering teleportation channel, they did not immediately reach their destination.
"What's going on? Aren't we there yet?"
Zhou Hengliang nervously surveyed the bizarre and surreal scene around him, feeling both intrigued and somewhat uneasy.
He had just experienced the dramatic changes on Earth, the awakening of the system, and then the sudden teleportation, leaving his mind still in a mess.
"Don't rush."
Zhang Yu was much calmer. He could feel the system within his body operating, seemingly maintaining the stability of this passage while also cautiously avoiding something.
Sure enough, the system's unique voice rang in his mind:
"The Ancestral Star just now showed unusual activity and its aura was leaked, which must have alerted Kong Qiu and the Pan Clan members."
They must be closely monitoring all unconventional spatial fluctuations and traces of spacetime teleportation in this universe.
At this point, if we were to directly perform long-distance directional teleportation, especially to our pre-designated base, the energy ripples and residual spacetime coordinates would be easily detected and locked, which would be tantamount to exposing our whereabouts.
"Therefore, we will remain here temporarily, waiting for the best opportunity before moving on."
You must wait patiently here and refrain from using your power recklessly to avoid causing unnecessary disturbances.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu felt a chill run down his spine and immediately understood the implications.
"I see."
Zhang Yu responded in his mind, while patting Zhou Hengliang, who was still somewhat nervous beside him, to signal him to calm down:
"Let's wait here for a while. The situation outside is unclear, and it's not safe to go out now."
Although Zhou Hengliang was unaware of the details, he had absolute trust in Zhang Yu and nodded upon hearing this.
He lowered his voice and said to Zhang Yu in a dreamy tone:
"Brother Yu, does this... does this count as... time travel?"
Just like in the novel, entering a time portal and traveling to another world?
Zhang Yu couldn't help but smile as he looked at Zhou Hengliang's nervous yet excited expression.
I guess so.
However, the reasons for our journey and our destination are probably much more complex and dangerous than described in the novel.
After calming Zhou Hengliang down, Zhang Yu's thoughts returned to the Pan Clan members " that the system had mentioned earlier.
"System,"
Zhang Yu asked himself the same question again, his tone serious:
What exactly is the origin of the 'Pan Clan members' you mentioned earlier?
What is their connection to... Pangu?
The system remained silent for a moment, seemingly organizing information, before slowly speaking, its voice carrying a sense of recounting ancient secrets:
"Hearing the surname 'Pan,' with your knowledge, you should be able to make some connections."
Indeed, they are closely related to 'Pangu'.
A thought flashed through Zhang Yu's mind, "Pangu creating the world?"
"Exactly."
The system affirmed:
"You should know that the origin of the High Antiquity Three Realms came from a Xiantian Gods and Devils named 'Pangu'."
"I know that; myths and legends are mostly like that." Zhang Yu nodded; these are myths imprinted on the roots of Huaxia Civilization.
"However, Pangu does not refer to any specific person, nor is he unique."
The system's voice carried a strange undertone:
"Deep within the boundless, chaotic universe, there exists an unimaginable supreme creation— the World Tree."
This tree is not a plant, but a manifestation of some Great Dao Principle, the Origin of chaos.
Its branches extend through endless dimensions, and its leaves are each a newly born or nascent form of the universe, a primordial chaos.
"At certain nodes of the World Tree, or on the Dao Fruit, powerful beings that inherit the essence of chaos and are born Xiantian will naturally emerge."
They are born of nature, possessing the potential and mission to create chaos and shape the Heaven and Earth.
These beings, whose Origin are connected to the World Tree, are often named after the branches from which they were conceived or because of their own characteristics. The word "pan" in some ancient chaotic mantra has the meaning of "bearing," "opening up," and "foundation."
Over time, these Xiantian Gods and Devils, born from the veins of the World Tree 'Pan' and whose mission was to create heaven and earth, came to be known as the Pan Clan members.
Zhang Yu and Zhou Hengliang were stunned; this completely overturned their previous understanding.
Pangu was not a lone hero who created the world, but rather... a race?
A Xiantian race of Gods and Devils whose divine duty was to create the world?
"So... Pangu was one of the Pan Clan members?" Zhang Yu's voice was a little hoarse.
"Good.
Pangu was the Pan Clan members successfully created the prototype of the Three Realms in the High Antiquity region of your universe.
He fulfilled his mission, becoming one with all things.
The Three Realms it created eventually stabilized, establishing a firm connection with the Chaos Mother Tree (the World Tree), transforming into a new, vibrant branch of the Mother Tree.
The system explained.
"To create heaven and earth, to create the world... is this the destiny of the Pan Clan members?"
A sense of reverence arose in Zhang Yu's heart.
Not all Pan Clan members can succeed, nor are they all willing to fulfill this 'destiny'.
The system's voice turned cold, carrying a hint of sarcasm and heaviness:
"The creation of heaven and earth was a process of going against the chaos, and it was extremely dangerous."
Not only are there disordered currents of Principle and the annihilating energy of the void within the chaos, but also countless chaotic Gods and Devils who, driven by the evil intentions of chaos, take pleasure in destroying new worlds and are eyeing the chaos covetously.
The vast majority of the Pan Clan members who attempted to create the world either died from exhaustion along the way, or failed in their attempts, and the collapse of the nascent world backfired on them.
Or perhaps, at its weakest moment after successful creation, it was besieged and devoured by swarms of chaotic Gods and Devils, resulting in failure and the annihilation of the newly born world.
Very few could achieve what Pangu did—successfully creating and stabilizing a world, and ultimately connecting with the Chaos Mother Tree; they were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.
"Then..."
The system's voice grew even colder:
"Some Pan Clan members, after witnessing the tragic deaths of countless Senior or encountering unimaginable dangers and setbacks on their own path to creation, have wavered in their resolve and become fearful."
In addition, there was the covert manipulation and seduction of certain cunning ancient chaotic Gods and Devils who had survived for countless eons...
"Then they took a different path," Zhang Yu interjected, already having a guess in mind.
"That's right."
The system affirmed:
"They abandoned their own creation of the world and instead sought the glorious but perilous path of obtaining the 'power of creation' from the Chaos Mother Tree."
Instead, they turned their attention to those worlds that had been successfully established by their own kind, were already stable, connected to the Chaos Mother Tree, and contained boundless creative power and the Origin of life.
They directly plundered, seized, and controlled these ready-made 'fruits'.
By devouring and merging the Origin and creations of these worlds, they too can become powerful, and may even progress faster, without bearing the immense risks and costs of creating the world.
"Robbers..." Zhou Hengliang couldn't help but mutter under his breath.
"You could say that."
System cooling channel:
"Back then, in collusion with traitors within the Three Realms, they broke through the protective Grand Formation of the Three Realms painstakingly built by the High Antiquity Heavenly Court and the Human Race, thus inviting the Chaos Gods and Gods and Devils to invade."
Ultimately, one of the culprits who caused the great calamity of the Three Realms, the fall of all the saints, the collapse of the Heavenly Court, and the decline of the Human Race was a powerful Pan Clan members — Pan Yong.
He had long coveted the High Antiquity Three Realms, a world that was already mature and profound, and had finally found his opportunity.
Zhang Yu and Zhou Hengliang felt heavy-hearted upon hearing this.
It turns out that the great calamity that caused the collapse of the Three Realms in High Antiquity times had such a profound and terrifying background.
It wasn't just internal betrayal, but also the covetousness and invasion of powerful external groups!
"Those Pan Clan members... the world they successfully seized and opened up, aren't they incredibly powerful?"
Zhang Yu asked with concern.
"Their strength should not be underestimated; after all, their background and social standing speak for themselves."
The system did not deny it, but then changed its tone:
"However, you must understand that while abandoning the path of creation and taking the path of plunder may grant you great power in the short term, and you may even become extremely powerful by plundering multiple worlds."
But they also lost the most fundamental and important thing—the power of creation!
"The work of creation?" Zhang Yu asked in bewilderment.
"Good.
Successfully create a world and guide it to stability, connecting it to the Chaos Mother Tree.
This process itself is the greatest gift and baptism for the pioneers.
That is the recognition and reward from the Chaos Mother Tree to the 'Creator', containing Supreme creative mysteries, and serving as the cornerstone for laying the foundation for the future Dao Path and reaching higher realms.
Raiders may obtain the world's energy, resources, and even some power, but they can never obtain this 'creative power' from the Origin of the Chaos Mother Tree.
Their power may seem immense, but it is often impure and flawed, with a weak foundation and a limited potential.
Moreover, the act of plunder is disliked by the Chaos Mother Tree, and may even be subtly rejected, making its Dao Path destined to be fraught with difficulties, and making it difficult to glimpse the true pinnacle of the Great Dao.
The system paused, its tone carrying a hint of relief and resolve:
"That's why, back then, when the defenses of the Three Realms were about to be breached, the tide had turned against them."
In despair, the last few Emperor of Heavenly Court and the remaining sages of the Human Race made a momentous decision.
Instead of clinging to the collapsing Three Realms, they proactively separated the core—the 'core' containing most of the creative power of Pangu's creation of the world, which later became 'Earth'—from the main body of the Three Realms.
Then, through immense Divine Ability and sacrifice, he hid, sealed, and banished it.
Even if Pan Yong and his group occupied most of the Three Realms Ruins, they would still be unable to obtain the most crucial Creation Core.