An Ill-Fated Fall into Pansi Cave (VIII)
The Many-Eyed Monster, like the other immortals, addressed Ao Tu as "Great King."
Ao Tu was about to say something when the settlement announcement sounded, which made him pause for a moment, and he ultimately said nothing more.
In fact, some titles don't mean much to Ao Tu.
Since suffering a backlash from his battle with Maitreya at the Lesser Thunderclap Temple, his state of mind had matured and begun to slowly transform. This transformation wasn't a sudden Sudden Enlightenment, but rather a gradual process that progressed alongside his increased strength and Cultivation Realm. However, after his battle with Maitreya, this transformation reached a certain threshold. Later, after his injuries were largely healed and he achieved the Primordial Heaven Realm, he broke through this threshold in an instant. His state of mind began to lean more towards himself, becoming less influenced by external Rules.
This is normal.
At this point, Ao Tu had already achieved the Primordial Divine Saints.
Although he himself is still somewhat unclear about this level, his Primordial Divine Saints nature will not change.
At this Cultivation Realm, Ao Tu began to act more in accordance with his own principles, while other Heaven and Earth Rules, though still important to him, were slowly fading from his mind.
This is because the Primordial Divine Saints is itself part of the Rules Heaven and Earth.
After achieving Primordial Divine Saints, he would naturally no longer be bound by the Rules of Heaven and Earth and earth.
Just as an emperor may care about the Law, but will not actually be bound by Law.
Therefore, Ao Tu genuinely didn't care about being called the Many-Eyed Monster.
Whether he was treated as an equal or addressed with other honorifics, as long as the Many-Eyed Monster didn't intentionally belittle him, he didn't mind. Similarly, his earlier words to the White Bone Spirit and the Little Spider Demon that he didn't look down on them were the truth, not words of comfort. He simply followed his own instincts.
Just like his ascension to heaven in his Original Form this time, it was for this reason.
Ao Tu couldn't say whether his true nature was good or evil.
If we're talking about good, he himself truly upholds cultivation and never does anything immoral or harmful, which is enough to qualify him as good. However, his subordinates, Tiger Vanguard, White Bone Spirit, and Scorpion Demon, are not good people at all; they were once truly wicked demons, only gradually changing their bad habits after following him. If we're talking about evil, Ao Tu certainly has many evil deeds: defying the general trend, obstructing the Journey to the West, teaching the Blood Sea Incarnation to unite the Demon Clan, and committing boundless slaughter—these actions can be considered extremely evil. However, these evil deeds don't seem to be the extreme.
Perhaps Good and Evil are no different to him; they are both his true nature.
Everything, whether Good and Evil, should simply follow its own nature.
Ao Tu thought to himself.
However, what they don't realize is that sometimes, completely following one's own will is evil.
This is Evil of the Self.
He only followed his own will, acted recklessly, indulged his desires, and revered his own absolute self.
This kind of evil thought is by no means a minor evil.
The three Demon of Lion Camel Ridge — the Green Lion, the White Elephant, and the Golden-Winged Great Peng —devoured the people of an entire nation, turning a city into a demon realm and transforming the eight-hundred-mile -Lion Camel Ridge corpses and a forest of flesh.
This heinous crime, however, can only be considered a minor evil.
Relying on their Supernatural Ability, they slaughter the weak and vulnerable; to put it bluntly, they are nothing more than a group of weak demons bullying the weak.
True evil, like that of Ao Tu, defies the general trend, rebels against the Heavenly Deities, ignores the Rules, summons countless demons, bewitches countless gods, sets up a great formation, Heavenly Dao. Only then can it be called great evil.
Unbeknownst to him, Ao Tu's evil intentions had grown stronger and stronger.
However, Ao Tu himself was unaware of this.
He is both good and evil.
After the Good Corpse is severed, the birth of the Evil Corpse is like a river bursting its banks, flowing downstream without any further obstacles.
On the other side, the Divine General recorded their names in a book.
The Fire Virtue Star Lord asked, "Your Great King, when shall we Lower Realm?"
Ao Tu said, "Don't rush, let me discuss it carefully with His Majesty and then arrange for you to enter the formation."
The gods listened and all nodded in agreement.
Only the Many-Eyed Monster trembled with fear.
A moment later, Taibai Jinxing arrived with someone.
The man was dressed in ordinary clothes, yet his imperial status was undeniable.
Ao Tu and the Host of Stars bowed and said, "Your Majesty."
The Many-Eyed Monster was terrified upon seeing this and quickly bowed in greeting.
The Great Emperor Ziwei stepped forward and said with a smile, "No need for formalities. I heard from Taibai Jinxing that you are going to practice a grand formation?"
Ao Tu said, "When I visited my relatives the other day, I was fortunate enough to find a set of Formation. I observed that the Formation contained the intent to encompass all the Heavenly Deities phenomena, so I came to invite Host of Stars to study and practice them together. I was just about to discuss it in detail with Your Majesty."
The Great Emperor Ziwei laughed and said, "The laws of Heavenly Scripture and earth, the sun, moon Stars, cannot be controlled by ordinary forces. I will give you a Ziwei Stellar Qi to enhance your formation."
After listening, Ao Tu thought for a moment, then stepped forward, took the arm of the Great Emperor Ziwei, and led him to a secluded spot, whispering:
"Your Majesty, your Ziwei Stellar Qi is too conspicuous. I fear it may be noticed by others, which would be detrimental to Your Majesty."
Upon hearing this, the Great Emperor Ziwei opened his palm, revealing a noble dragon-shaped aura.
Ao Tu asked, "What is this?"
The Great Emperor Ziwei said, "I will transform the Ziwei Stellar Qi into the shape of a dragon. Take it with you to the Four Seas and conceal it. If anyone asks, say it was given to you by your uncle."
Ao Tu thought for a moment and felt it was not quite right, so he said to the Great Emperor Ziwei, "This item is extraordinary. My four uncles are all lowly officials, and I'm afraid no one would believe me if I told them. I'll say that I obtained it from Ananda."
The Great Emperor Ziwei nodded and said, "Good. Gouchen is not here today. We'll have someone bring you the aura of war and Slaughter when he returns." Ao Tu thought to himself that these two emperors were taking it far too seriously, so he said to the Great Emperor Ziwei:
"Your Majesty, this is merely the first test of the formation. We do not yet know how much of Formation power we can unleash. You and His Gouchen need not treat us with such lavish hospitality." The Great Emperor Ziwei stroked his beard and said, "For the first test, we must not tarnish our reputation. Remember, it is always better to be prepared!"
Upon hearing this, Ao Tu thought it made sense and accepted the Ziwei Dragon Qi.
In fact, he possesses the Hetu Luoshu, enabling him to command the Host of Stars independently without needing the Ziwei Dragon Qi. In comparison, the military and Slaughter aura of Great Emperor Gouchen is far more effective for him.
However, having more options is naturally the best.
Moreover, the Great Emperor Ziwei bestowed his own Ziwei Stellar Qi, intending to participate in the formation. If he were to refuse, he would only offend him.
After Ao Tu accepted the Ziwei Dragon Qi, the Great Emperor Ziwei departed.
Ao Tu thought to himself that he had already met Ziwei, and could not fail to meet the Jade Emperor, so he found Taibai Jinxing, who was conversing with the Host of Stars, and said to him:
"I haven't yet met His Majesty the Jade Emperor; I request that you, my old minister, accompany me!"
Upon hearing this, Taibai Jinxing laughed and said, "If you hadn't told me, I was afraid you'd forgotten, and I was thinking about how to remind you!"
Ao Tu pointed at him and laughed, "You! You!"
All the Host of Stars laughed and said, "Venus is very thoughtful! We should go see His Majesty the Jade Emperor; this matter cannot be taken lightly!"
Ao Tu then said to the Many-Eyed Monster, "The Abbot will first discuss the Dao with the Host of Stars here. After I go to see His Majesty the Jade Emperor, we will go to the Thunder Department to pay our respects to the Heavenly Lords."
Upon hearing this, the Many-Eyed Monster dared not say anything more and quickly agreed, watching Ao Tu leave with trepidation.
The sky in this Heavenly Realm is so dark!