Wu Wang convened everyone for a meeting this time, discussing matters for about an hour.

The meeting itself had no serious agenda; it was all about whatever came to Wu Wang's mind, as he asked various questions. It covered the current state of the world and the turmoil expected in the coming centuries, for which he sought some rather immature opinions and suggestions.

Ultimately, the purpose of Wu Wang's meeting was actually to probe their thoughts.

He wanted to understand how Jingwei and Ling Xiaolan would react to the actions he was about to take.

He also wanted to know whether his father, General Xiong San, and the High Priest were interested in matters beyond the Xiong Bao Clan.

Furthermore, through the Elders of the Xuan Nu Sect, he intended to send a signal to the upper echelons of the Human Domain, laying a bit of groundwork.

The outcome of the meeting was pretty much as Wu Wang had expected.

The responses from Jingwei and Ling Xiaolan were from the perspective of the human race, not just the narrow stance of the Human Domain.

Among his father Xiong Han, General Xiong San, and the High Priest, only the High Priest maintained a polite smile, occasionally leaning in as if to listen attentively; the other two had been dozing off throughout.

The several Elders from the Xuan Nu Sect, however, took note of Wu Wang's words.

Wu Wang had already assumed they would convey his message to the Human Domain.

「That night.」

Wu Wang came out of his tent, strolling with his hands behind his back.

He first visited Lin Suqing's place, chatting casually with Jingwei. Seeing her slightly shy yet trying her best to appear calm, Wu Wang felt an indescribable joy in his heart.

After that, Wu Wang made his way to Ling Xiaolan's residence. He explained to her that he hadn't been subjected to any humiliation in the Human Domain and had, as a blessing in disguise, openly become the successor to the position of Human Emperor.

Ling Xiaolan's eyes carried a trace of apology.

Apology?

Although Wu Wang didn't know where this sense of apology came from, perhaps she felt somewhat remorseful for not being by his side in time, for not joining Elder Miao as an immortal-demon duo to unleash a torrent of curses upon the Human Domain cultivators. Probably.

After all, that would've been a waste of breath; some people can't be awakened by scolding, and others deliberately feign ignorance, refusing to wake up.

"Brother Wuwang," Fairy Ling said softly, "I'm thinking of returning to the Human Domain tomorrow."

Wu Wang asked, "What's the rush to go back?"

"Heaven Palace and the Human Domain are on the brink of an all-out war. My sect's elders and I are also part of the Human Domain, and I cannot stand idly by. I must contribute my strength to the Human Domain."

Ling Xiaolan looked at Wu Wang, her cool gaze gradually softening.

She said, "You're better off not showing up in the Human Domain for now. Heaven Palace wants to tarnish your reputation, and I'm afraid there are also people within the Human Domain who won't accept your various identities."

"How Emperor Yan plans, I, a lowly cultivator, do not know. But ultimately, I am a member of the Human Domain, and I must dedicate my power to it."

"Hmm," Wu Wang said slowly, "I've already commanded the Northern Wilderness Mining Alliance to dispatch one hundred sixty ships of refining treasures urgently needed by the Human Domain and secretly handed them over to the Four Seas Pavilion."

Ling Xiaolan smiled and said, "You're never idle, no matter where you are."

"After all, Predecessor Shen Nong has been quite generous to me," Wu Wang said earnestly. "Although in the future, I will probably not stay in the Human Domain for too long, I will remember this kindness."

Ling Xiaolan was taken aback for a moment.

"Aren't you going to be the Human Emperor?"

"Maybe," Wu Wang said with a smile. "It's not like the position of Human Emperor can just be passed down by a senior with a single word."

"One must win people over, earn their genuine belief, and unite the entire Human Domain. Just thinking about it gives me a headache."

"Moreover, I have many more things to do."

"More things?"

Ling Xiaolan looked at the face before her, momentarily unsure of what to say.

His lips wore an easy smile, as though he were discussing some trivial minor issue, but in those once obsidian-like eyes, there was now a hint of fatigue showing through.

"You rest first," Wu Wang said slowly. "Tonight, I still need to visit my mother. When you leave tomorrow, I will come to see you off."

With that, Wu Wang bowed slightly, smiling at Ling Xiaolan before turning to walk toward the tent.

Ling Xiaolan mechanically lifted her hand in response, the name 'Wu Wang' stuck in her throat.

His silhouette was broader than when they first met in the Northern Wilderness, yet his neck no longer held as high.

He tilted his head slightly forward, as if to part the tent flap in front of him, but Ling Xiaolan seemed to see various phantoms rising behind him—accusers, verbal abusers...

'You're Heaven Palace's spy!'

'You've driven people to their deaths!'

'The people of the Northern Wilderness—their hearts must be different!'

"Wu Wang!"

"Hmm?"

Wu Wang heard the slight tremble in her voice as she called out to him. While he was somewhat puzzled, a fragrant breeze suddenly struck from behind. Instinctively, he wanted to dodge, but he forcibly suppressed that instinct.

A pair of slender arms wrapped around Wu Wang's waist from behind, then gently tightened.

Wu Wang's body trembled as he felt an impact like water-based spells on his back, and a strong sense of dizziness washed over him...

What happened next, Wu Wang only remembered in intermittent flashes.

Every time there was physical contact, he would lose consciousness. As soon as the contact ended, he would immediately spring back to alertness.

Ling Xiaolan simply held him from behind, whispering words like "You've been wronged" in a soft voice.

[Typical dramatic female-behind-male hug in partings:

"Don't go!"

The woman lunges forward and embraces the man's waist eagerly yet with a touch of shyness.

The man's body stiffens; he silently tilts his head up at a thirty-degree angle and heaves a low sigh.]

[A serious dramatic female-behind-male hug in partings:

"Wu Wang!"

Ling Xiaolan lunged forward and hugged Wu Wang's waist tightly, her jade arms trembling, her white teeth gently biting her thin lips.

Wu Wang's powerful frame shook, his head immediately hung down, and it was only with Ling Xiaolan's support that he didn't fall to the ground. His head swayed in her grasp, like a piece of seaweed.

And the thought arose in his heart that 'wildfires burn endlessly, but the spring breeze blows them back to life.']

Moments later, Wu Wang walked out of Ling Xiaolan's tent with unsteady steps, his face somewhat pale.

As General Xiong San passed by and took a closer look, concern filled his eyes. He turned and hurried into the night, taking a group of elite wolf riders with him to hunt for the Young Master.

...

This wretched God of Fortune!

If it hadn't been for this and that, he might have done this and that with Fairy Ling tonight!

His hatred for the God of Fortune successfully increased by one!

Despite this little interlude, Wu Wang quickly adjusted his state and started the real business of the night.

For the first time in his own clan's territory, Wu Wang made use of an extensive disguise.

He sealed the Yan Emperor's command to prevent Elder Shen Nong from becoming aware of their conversation. He wasn't afraid of Shen Nong learning about the night's events; he simply didn't want the elder to overthink things.

On reflection, Elder Shen Nong was already in his twilight years, still worrying about the Human Domain. It was quite sad.

Leaving his clan's territory, the spiritual serpent behind Wu Wang sliced through the fabric of Heaven and Earth, taking Wu Wang to a riverbank thousands of miles away.

A slightly chubby figure stood at the edge of the river, bathed in moonlight and starlight, his left hand behind his back, his right hand held in front of him, as he recited with each step:

"Sleep is good indeed, even the gods cannot escape its need.

A long slumber leaves no fatigue, a little nap makes the spirit peak."

Wu Wang snorted with laughter and teased, "Old brother, are you trying to compose an anchoring poem for yourself?"

"How about that?" The Sleep God arched an eyebrow, smiling. "Tell me, what do you think of your old brother's literary talent?"

The spiritual serpent curled its lip slightly. "The Sleep God seems to have a unique perspective on the term 'literary talent'."

"Let's go. Don't keep my mother waiting."

Wu Wang waved his hand, and the spiritual serpent began forming complex hand seals, slicing open the fabric of Heaven and Earth. Wu Wang and the Sleep God stepped through it, one after the other.

After emerging on the other side, they saw snow filling the sky, with two snow eagles flying over their heads, spreading their wings and crying out.

Moments later, within the cabin at the Peak of the Snow Mountain.

Wu Wang, the Sleep God, and Cang Xue—three figures—sat around a wooden table.

Without any superfluous decoration, this simply furnished wooden cabin now possessed an ineffable aura of sanctity.

Clouds of mist wrapped around the wooden cabin. These were powerful barriers set up by the Sleep God.

And within the raging blizzard, some sort of fierce divine power was hidden.

The spiritual serpent stood silently outside the wooden cabin door, its gaze fixed on the storm that covered the night sky, serving as the final line of vigilance.

Wu Wang looked to his left. The Sleep God's eyes sparkled with specks of light, yet he only lowered his head to gaze at the teacup before him, not daring to look up at the goddess sitting across from him.

His mother, Cang Xue, smiled faintly, her eyes perpetually on Wu Wang's face.

"Ahem," Wu Wang cleared his throat. "I presume introductions are no longer necessary."

The Sleep God chuckled and offered a respectful gesture. "Greetings, Ice Goddess."

"The Cloud Dream God is too courteous," Cang Xue said. Although she didn't perform a formal courtesy, her tone was not particularly harsh. "In terms of seniority, the Cloud Dream God is actually my senior."

The Sleep God squinted his eyes with a smile.

Wu Wang said, "We gather here today due to our personal connections. Mother is my mother, and old brother here is my like-minded friend. However, I believe we can demonstrate even greater sincerity."

"After all, starting tonight, my relationship with my mother isn't just that of mother and son, nor with old brother merely that of good friends."

"We are, even more so, united by a will that works tirelessly and harmoniously towards a common goal!"

"This is my true form," the Sleep God coughed lightly, and a pale cyan mist emanated around him, soon transforming him into his dream-like appearance.

Around Cang Xue flashed an icy blue light, and she reverted to her visage as the Ice Goddess.

The Sleep God looked up, his eyes filled with admiration, then quickly lowered his head again to avoid any breach of decorum.

Wu Wang laughed and said, "Mother, if you were to meet Father in your true appearance, I wonder if he would blush."

"Let's talk business," Cang Xue said softly, her ice-cold, jade-like complexion scarcely betraying a smile, her icy blue hair particularly striking.

Wu Wang sipped his tea to moisten his throat, then dove directly into the topic. He said,

"Since ancient times, the order of heaven and earth established by Emperor Shun has begun to show fundamental contradictions.

"Emperor Shun oppresses the gods to gain supreme authority; the Head Manager is the best example of that.

"The oppression of the gods by Emperor Shun, like that of divine spirits upon living beings, is essentially the strong bullying and exploiting the weak, inevitably provoking the weak's rebellion.

"The weak can become strong. The strong can also be surpassed.

"This is the ultimate weapon Heaven and Earth has bestowed upon living beings.

"The Human Domain seized this opportunity. Emperor Suiren wresting the Dao of Fire to establish the Human Domain represents the process and outcome of the weak revolting against the strong.

"Emperor Fu Xi forcibly bestowed humanity upon Emperor Shun. This was based on that foundation, representing the human race and all living beings, to reform Emperor Shun's humanity and thus influence the entire order of heaven and earth.

"However, from the current stage, it appears that Emperor Fu Xi's objective has not yet been fulfilled."

Wu Wang paused, observing the expressions of the Sleep God and his mother. Finding the former brimming with seriousness and the latter filled with satisfaction, he continued,

"We must acknowledge that we are not ordinary beings, but it is precisely because of this that we can stand out.

"To explore a new order of heaven and earth.

"To topple the Heaven Palace.

"To let the will of living beings harmonize with the will of Heaven and Earth, end the cycle of divine eras, ensure the pathways for the weak to ascend are always open, and gradually weaken the chaotic oppression of the strong over the weak.

"To construct a place of existence that belongs to us, and to all living beings."

The Sleep God—or rather, the Cloud Dream God—quietly asked, "After this ultimate goal is achieved, what will we gain?"

"I would like to say that we will earn praise and admiration from posterity," Wu Wang's mouth twitched to one side.

"But I must admit, achieving the ultimate goal is challenging because the forms of oppression are constantly changing, and the conflicts of the present may not be the major conflicts of the future.

"And one day, perhaps we too will become a party central to the conflict.

"Therefore, we need to set a far-reaching goal, proceeding in stages, step by step, to reach that position.

"Old brother, don't you want to explore the ultimate Dao of this world?"

The Cloud Dream God nodded slowly, his eyes brimming with mirth. He said,

"Perhaps I do not possess the vision that Brother Wuwang does, but the future you depict, I too wish to see it."

Yet Cang Xue said, "I am most interested in toppling the Heaven Palace. For the rest, I will leave it in your hands."

Wu Wang continued,

"First of all, we need to be clear on what the main contradiction in the world is at present.

"The oppression of divine spirits over living beings, and the threat to the divine spirits by the rising power of living beings.

"To put it more specifically, it is the conflict between the Human Domain and the Heaven Palace.

"A slightly more complex aspect is that another Innate God force exists in the Outer Sky. This is both an opportunity for us and another layer of crisis.

"All three sides want to see the other two inflict heavy losses on each other. We are caught between these tripartite forces. Whether we can rise, whether we can develop on a large scale, and then intervene in the replacement of the cosmic order—all depends on our ability to grasp the opportunity.

"I propose that today we establish the core of our power!

"Mother, do you have any good names in mind? Something like a certain alliance, or a certain society."

"Tacky," Cang Xue coolly commented.

Nearby, old brother Sleep God chuckled. "The main purpose of our power should be the impartiality of the Great Dao. It should be the equality of Heaven and Earth, the pursuit of justice, selflessness, fairness, and unity, encompassing all of Heaven and Earth."

Wu Wang laughed. "Old brother, stop beating around the bush. What's it called?"

"Heavenly Dao, how about that?" The Sleep God raised an eyebrow. "The Dao of Heaven, the principle of Heaven."

"Heavenly Dao?" Cang Xue murmured softly. "It's certainly domineering enough, and I quite like it."

Wasn't calling it Heavenly Dao a bit too overbearing?

That term wasn't so easy to use.

But since his mother agreed and his old brother suggested it, it was a two-to-one vote. He couldn't just impose his own will. It was also an opportunity to praise his old brother as a form of encouragement.

Wu Wang laughed and said, "Truly worthy of being Yun Zhongjun! The words 'Heavenly Dao' are indeed excellent. From now on, our power's name will be Heavenly Dao. What about the core of the Heavenly Dao?"

"Yun Zhongjun?" The Sleep God was visibly taken aback for a moment. That incredibly handsome face revealed a hint of a smile.

"Why did you give me a new nickname? But I do quite like this title."

"From now on, I'll be called Yun Zhongjun. This sounds much better than the Cloud Dream God; it has a certain air to it... HAHAHA!"

Wu Wang couldn't help but be stunned.

"Old brother, are you unfamiliar with the title Yun Zhongjun?"

"Isn't that what you came up with?"

"Yes, yes..." Wu Wang's arm stiffened, and he felt as if he had fallen into a mist, waves of thoughts arising from the bottom of his heart.

He suddenly heard Cang Xue say,

"If Heavenly Dao is the name of the power, then the most core individuals with the authority to make decisions should be called Taiyi. How about that?

"Taiyi is an ancient divine language term, referring to the origin and essence of all things in Heaven and Earth."

Wu Wang's fingers trembled lightly. Looking at the two strong gods before him, he stood up without any warning.

Heavenly Dao.

Yun Zhongjun.

Taiyi!?

CLANG—

In a daze, Wu Wang seemed to hear a bell tolling. Before his eyes, boundless clouds appeared, and he saw the silhouette of an old man seated at the end of the river of time, an image he had glimpsed when looking back through time.

And today, at a distance beyond the old man, a badly scratched and damaged large bell slowly emerged, emitting a faint sound.

[Those who know me see my form. Those who obtain me define time and space.]

A wondrous realization arose from the depths of Wu Wang's heart, but at this moment, he was almost unable to think as he looked down at his own hands.

The Sleep God had just become Yun Zhongjun, a name that didn't exist before the Fifth Divine Era. They had just established an organization called Heavenly Dao, aiming to create a new order in the Great Wilderness.

'If this world needs a Heavenly Emperor, needs an order manager, then why can't that Heavenly Emperor be you?'

Me?

Could it be that I am...

"Eastern Emperor, Taiyi."

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