Chapter 63: The Struggle for the Legacy of Pangu
“Everyone, the Purple Cloud Palace is a place for the teaching of the Dao, not for wanton fighting!”
Hongjun spoke, “Today’s incident is your first offense. I do not wish to pursue it further. Let this matter end here, and let us begin the lecture on the Dao!”
As his voice fell, the Dao Ancestor Hongjun prepared to speak.
“Dao Ancestor!”
Suddenly, to the astonishment of all present, someone stepped forward at such a critical moment, directly challenging Dao Ancestor Hongjun. It was a display of audacity bordering on recklessness.
“Dao Ancestor!”
The Ancestral Witch Emperor Jiang strode forth, facing everyone, his words firm and resolute: “Dao Ancestor, the Three Pure Ones have fought viciously, disrupting the stability of the Primordial World. They are without virtue. Yet, these unvirtuous ones possess the supreme treasure of Heaven-opening merit, and we, the Twelve Ancestral Witches, are dissatisfied. We ask the Dao Ancestor to uphold justice for us. Furthermore, we wish to submit a proclamation to the Great Dao, requesting a reallocation of the Heaven-opening merit. Please, Dao Ancestor, preside over this matter!”
“Hmm?”
Dao Ancestor Hongjun frowned deeply upon hearing these words.
With Hongjun’s depth of insight, he had already discerned that the Witch tribe, having tasted the sweetness of founding their religion and obtaining merit, now craved further merit in their hearts. Witnessing the Three Pure Ones possessing such vast merit, and being descendants of Pangu themselves, they would never accept a lack of explanation from him or the Great Dao.
Yet, what could Hongjun say? Could he tell the Witch tribe: “You are a blight destined to be purged from the Primordial World, while the Three Pure Ones possess the virtue of teaching and are rightfully entitled to the supreme treasures”?
Impossible!
Because with the founding of the Witch religion, destiny had already shifted; what was decreed by Heaven had changed, and so had the mandate.
The most crucial point was this: The Three Pure Ones, as well as the Western Saints, had indeed engaged in fierce struggle, and right in the Purple Cloud Palace, before countless great beings of the Primordial World, leaving not a word of denial.
…
Hongjun’s thoughts flickered as he fell silent.
How should this matter be handled?
If he followed the requests of the Witch tribe, the Heavenly Court, and Minghe, and submitted a proclamation for the Great Dao to judge, the situation would turn extremely unfavorable for the Three Pure Ones. If Minghe, Emperor Jun, or the Eastern Emperor gained the merit, so be it—but the fear was that the Witch tribe might acquire it.
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The Witch tribe’s slow development was due to their inherent deficiencies. With the support of such merit, it would be as if a fish to water, a tiger with wings; nothing in the Primordial World could restrain the Witch tribe’s progress.
If Houtu of the Witch tribe attained enlightenment and became the Dao Ancestor of Earth, a Great Dao Saint, leveraging the Witch tribe’s power to contend with the Heavenly Dao, the Primordial World would inevitably be plunged into suffering and chaos.
This—Hongjun could never allow to happen!
…
Hongjun was unwilling to further divide the Tower of Heaven and Earth when the Three Pure Ones were at a disadvantage. Yet, with Emperor Jiang speaking so boldly, if he refused merely for the sake of lecturing, it would surely damage his prestige.
A Dao Ancestor who only lectured and dared not uphold justice would never earn the respect of the great beings of the Primordial World.
Hongjun frowned deeply and turned to the Three Pure Ones: “Do you have anything to say?”
The Virtuous Heavenly Lord sighed softly and deliberated, “Reporting to the Saint: We, the Three Pure Ones, did not engage in fierce struggle. It was simply that Fellow Daoist Kunpeng fought with the Western Saints, and we intervened to mediate. How could that be considered vicious fighting?”
“The Witch religion and Heavenly Court are merely seeking to impose guilt without evidence.”
“Saint!”
The Virtuous Heavenly Lord spoke respectfully: “Father Pangu opened the heavens; since he granted us the Tower of Heaven and Earth, it proves that we, the Three Pure Ones, possess sufficient fate and merit to enjoy the supreme treasure. Such baseless accusations cannot shake our foundation. If they wish to submit a proclamation and let the Great Dao decide, then so be it. We, the Three Pure Ones, would like to see—if the Great Dao does not respond, what more can they say?”
“Hmph!”
Emperor Jun laughed coldly: “What baseless accusation? Why did we fight previously? With so many great beings gathered in the Purple Cloud Palace, who does not know? Did you not engage in fierce struggle?”
“And who in the Primordial World is unaware?”
Emperor Jun said, “We, the Witch religion and Heavenly Court, are direct descendants of Pangu, stabilizing the Primordial World and maintaining peace. Yet you Three, bearing Father’s great merit, do not show gratitude but instead vie and fight. It is plain for all to see—what use is your sophistry?”
“Indeed, indeed!”
Many from the Three-Faction Alliance echoed: “Even if the Great Dao does not respond, that is merely injustice on its part—not our fault!”
They all declared: “Right and wrong are clear as day!”
Hongjun, the Three Pure Ones, and the Western Saints all showed signs of agitation.
…
This was precisely what made the situation thorny for Hongjun.
He had only casually set seven seats; if everyone sat correctly, it would be his brilliant strategy, or perhaps predestined by fate. If not, it was merely random, with no deeper meaning—people were overthinking it!
Hongjun had already calculated that Red Cloud would have great karma arising from the cushion, and had no intention to stir the waters, only to go with the flow.
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Who would have expected this storm to escalate so intensely, involving even the five Heaven-decreed Saints?
“No, this cannot be right!” Hongjun pondered in secret. “I am already a Great Dao Saint. Though I have not merged with the Heavenly Dao of the Primordial World, my cultivation is immense—why can I not foresee this turmoil? Could it be that among the fifty paths of the Great Evolution, that single thread of fate is so powerful that only by merging completely with the Dao can I truly guard against such calamity?”
…
Helpless, Hongjun addressed the assembly: “Since you all wish for the Great Dao to judge, then today in the Purple Cloud Palace, I, the Dao Ancestor, will grant your request. Let the Great Dao render judgment.”
“Thank you, Dao Ancestor!”
Minghe, Emperor Jun, the Eastern Emperor, and the Twelve Ancestral Witches all voiced their gratitude loudly.
“Thank you, Dao Ancestor!” The Three Pure Ones also expressed their thanks.
The reason was simple:
The Virtuous Heavenly Lord and his peers understood that ‘karma’ was not a trivial matter. He, the Virtuous Heavenly Lord, had received forty percent of the Heaven-opening merit in the era of creation, indicating immense karma and fate…
He knew clearly that he was divinely destined. Since he carried the mandate of Heaven, how could his treasure be easily lost?
Thus, he felt no fear!
Yet—
How could the Virtuous Heavenly Lord know?
The Primordial World had gained the disruptive Emperor Cang, the Witch tribe had founded their religion and gained the mandate, the Three-Faction Alliance shared fate and merit, and the Three Academies spread the Dao and taught disciples.
The mandate of the Witch tribe, Emperor Jun, the Eastern Emperor, and Minghe had all changed.
Since the fate of other Pangu descendants had shifted, how could the Three Pure Ones’ destiny remain unchanged?
And most crucially:
The Three-Faction Alliance had seized the perfect opportunity, aligning with the right time, place, and people!
Even if fate had not changed, the outcome would be uncertain; now, with fate altered, who could predict the result?
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