Chapter 756: Wish My Path to Light the Flames of Stars in the Long Night

In the bamboo house within the Purple Bamboo Forest of Zixiao Palace, the burly old Daoist and the young Daoist fell silent once more.

Li Changshou waved his hand, dispersing the images before him, as if everything currently happening had no connection to him.

Hongjun smiled faintly, then, from behind him, he deliberately manifested the scene Li Changshou had just highlighted: the Qiankun Cauldron refining the will of the Heavenly Dao, and the Creation Jade Plate absorbing it. In essence, the Dao Ancestor was about to devour the Heavenly Dao and establish supremacy over it. This ominous situation resembled an hourglass, with a dreadful event looming once the sand ran out.

It was a game, and both were still actively playing.

Hongjun used this to exert pressure on Li Changshou, but Li Changshou sat calmly, seemingly unconcerned, merely looking down at the depiction of the monkey on the tabletop.

"Fellow Daoist... you won't stop me?" Hongjun asked, slightly puzzled.

Li Changshou nodded and calmly said, "Fellow Daoist is free to do as you please. Later, when I act to eliminate you, your strength won't be of much consequence."

Dao Ancestor Hongjun was genuinely amused, bordering on exasperation.

"I always believed, Changshou, that you possessed exceptional strategic intellect and an unwavering Dao heart. I never suspected you also had such a stubborn streak."

"Your Dao Heart has been disturbed by me," Li Changshou said. "The purpose of my false body coming to Zixiao Palace in advance has been perfectly achieved. Your years of planning may suffer some drawbacks by being concluded prematurely. The will of the Heavenly Dao hasn't yet grown to your ideal state, has it?"

"Indeed, it hasn't absorbed enough free will," Dao Ancestor Hongjun admitted candidly. "But it's not far off. To guard against your trump cards, I can make this sacrifice and forgo that perfection."

Li Changshou smiled, "Actually, I could wait longer. Wait for you to cultivate a perfect Heavenly Dao, then devour it, and then I would act against you."

Hongjun's eyes showed a hint of contemplation as he carefully processed Li Changshou's words. He slowly said, "Are you trying to make living beings mistakenly believe that heaven and earth are illusory, so that you can smoothly reopen a new realm?"

"How could that be?" Li Changshou sighed. "The most real thing between heaven and earth is heaven and earth itself. It exists objectively. If you hadn't forcefully controlled it, the script wouldn't have unfolded according to the subjective will of living beings. What living beings seek is freedom; what the Heavenly Dao should do is merely set boundaries for this freedom. Yet, you've claimed heaven and earth as your own, treating living beings as your tenants, which is simply wrong. I truly have no need to target heaven and earth. On the contrary, after you, I will continue to protect this heaven and earth."

Hongjun then said, "According to the story you just told, this heaven and earth were originally created by us."

"No, you're mistaken. Senior Lang merely provided a definition for heaven and earth, embedding a foundational logical framework. This heaven and earth could have had other designations. You only named the creator god Pangu; you didn't create Pangu himself. Pangu was the world's own creation; Senior Lang's contribution was simply to show the world—'you can also develop in this manner,' and nothing more."

Li Changshou calmly said, "The evolution of heaven and earth was actively and passively pioneered by numerous multi-spirit beings formed from countless true spirits. It was through the continuous efforts of individual true spirit beings that it gradually evolved to this day. Senior Lang has neither great merit nor much fault regarding this heaven and earth. However, after devouring Senior Lang, you, Fellow Daoist, have committed the greatest sin in heaven and earth."

Hongjun smiled without speaking, then sighed lightly: "Changshou, throughout history, you are the living being most similar to me, and also the first to uncover my origins. Are you truly not considering joining forces with me to create a heaven and earth that will never end?"

"Living beings are real because of birth, aging, sickness, and death; heaven and earth exist because of creation and destruction," Li Changshou said. "You needn't say more, just watch Wukong."

Hongjun smiled, "When do you intend to make your move against me?"

"First, if you can't resist attacking me, I will retaliate immediately; second, if you interfere with what happens next, I will act immediately." Li Changshou glanced at Hongjun and calmly said, "As a partial compatriot, I will ultimately grant you sufficient dignity."

Hongjun chuckled, "Then, as a partial compatriot, after you make your move against me, I will use my full power to eliminate you. This is a treatment your master never even received."

"Then, should I thank you for this acknowledgment?" Li Changshou cupped his hands.

Hongjun gestured for him to proceed. "Let's watch the show. I'd like to see how the Wukong you've trained will challenge the Heavenly Court system you established. I've actually been looking forward to this play for a long time."

Li Changshou was speechless. "Ah, this old twisted mind," he thought. He then smiled faintly. "You might be disappointed, Fellow Daoist," he said, turning his gaze to the scene below.

Hongjun also shifted his gaze towards Flower Fruit Mountain.

There, Sun Wukong leaped from the cliff, gripping his Golden-Hooped Rod and charging towards the sky. Above, more than a dozen Heavenly Generals had already formed the Twelve Heavenly Battle Array, advancing to suppress him. Their powerful aura seemed capable of overturning the very heavens.

Hongjun calmly said, "As long as Sun Wukong kills some Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, for you, Fellow Daoist, this battle will already be a loss, won't it?"

"This isn't about winning or losing," Li Changshou sighed. "It would just make me feel a bit uneasy. But, Fellow Daoist, you constantly interfered before, pushing Sun Wukong and the Heavenly Court to this point. Wukong can't be blamed for this."

Hongjun chuckled, "You say that, but deep down, you'll surely feel some frustration. That's your weakness—caring too much about the lives and deaths of irrelevant beings. For you and me, it holds no meaning."

"No, I attained the Dao in the Great Desolation; all beings in the Great Desolation are connected to me. And how do you know I have no backup plan concerning this matter?" Li Changshou retorted, a sudden smile blossoming on his lips.

Hongjun looked thoughtful, gazing at the situation above Flower Fruit Mountain, saying nothing more for now.

The changing situation there directly reflected the extent of Li Changshou's planning for this matter, indirectly proving whether Li Changshou had a trump card against him, the Dao Ancestor. Being unable to ascertain or predict was what Hongjun feared most at this moment.

As for Li Changshou, he was truly composed and serene at this moment.

On Flower Fruit Mountain, the Stone Monkey's low roars made the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals tremble inwardly.

Over a dozen Golden Immortal-level Heavenly Generals deployed a grand formation, temporarily trapping Sun Wukong. Outsiders could only see a mass of dark red flames surging left and right, while those dozen-plus Golden Immortals were already struggling to sustain it, a few spitting blood from the backlash of the formation.

High in the sky, Li Jing watched the scene below, the 'Great White True Lord' having vanished from his side.

Why had Sun Wukong's strength suddenly increased so much? Various thoughts arose in Li Jing's mind, but he quickly dismissed such inappropriate notions and began deploying experts.

Battle formations were considered the Heavenly Court's 'unique secret' for dealing with powerful cultivators from the Great Desolation, having suppressed Grand Unity Golden Immortals more than once or twice.

Now, thirty-six Heavenly Generals formed the Heavenly Net Array, encompassing the dozen or so Heavenly Generals who were about to collapse. At Li Jing's command, those dozen-plus Heavenly Generals simultaneously retreated, quickly and tacitly withdrawing from the Heavenly Net Array's range; the Heavenly Net Array then closed, and thirty-six Heavenly Generals collectively exerted their power to suppress Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong's eyes were wide with fury, his Golden-Hooped Rod almost crushed in his grip as he relentlessly charged forward with the iron staff!

In a hazy daze, he heard the shouts— 'The Heavenly Court is treacherous! They used such a wicked scheme to destroy my demon race!' 'King, run! King, quickly... don't leave us, King!' 'Our King is the Great Sage Equal to Heaven!'

When he opened his eyes, he stood in a daze at the cliff's edge, looking at the inferno-like scene before him. His Flower Fruit Mountain! The shattered Flower Fruit Mountain! His monkey offspring! His monkey offspring, whose bodies were gone! Heavenly Court, Heavenly Court, damn the Heavenly Court!

"Ah!" Golden blood oozed from the Stone Monkey's eyes, his entire body enveloped in seven-colored immortal light. Waves of vast magic power surged in all directions; wherever the iron staff swept, the very fabric of the cosmos wrinkled. The power of a Grand Unity!

He had lost much of his ability to think; no one could persuade him to calm down. He wanted to fight his way to the Heavenly Palace, to the Lingxiao Hall! To confront that old Jade Emperor! What fairness, what living beings, what dominion! Why did they destroy his Flower Fruit Mountain! Why did they decide the fate of his monkeys!

"Get out!"

"Suppress!" the thirty-six Heavenly Generals roared, and a vast heavenly might appeared between heaven and earth. Sun Wukong's figure was directly suppressed, but only by a few yards. His body suddenly solidified, a layer of flame-like patterns appearing on his face, and he rose up again!

High in the sky, Li Jing's brows furrowed tighter and tighter. He raised and lowered his hand, and another group of Heavenly Generals began to set up the Minor Heavenly Cycle Array. "Deploy a division of Heavenly Soldiers to form the Hundred Thousand Heavenly Soldier Array, prepare to suppress Sun Wukong!"

"Yes, sir!" Heavenly Soldiers and Generals behind him roared their assent.

Li Jing looked up towards the East Heaven Gate, a hint of annoyance in his eyes; that fake Grand White Planet just left after creating such a mess. Sun Wukong was clearly acting strangely. Li Jing's intuition, honed by years of warfare, told him that if not handled properly today, his side might suffer significant casualties.

Meanwhile, above the Central Divine Continent, a figure swiftly flying let out a low roar. Behind this figure was Mount Yuquan, the cave dwelling of his master, True Person Yuding. In his ears, he still heard True Person Yuding's sighs and a few words of caution.

"This jade talisman is real. Do as he says; there's no need to ask why... If there is any last justice left in this world, it resides in this person. The Daoist who gave you this jade talisman is a kind-hearted human being. Your master cultivates the Way of the Heart, and his heart is what I most admire. He is a benefactor to your family and the last hope for living beings. Go, help him with some tasks. His name? He is Li Changshou, also known as Li Chang Geng, the true Grand White Planet."

"Li..."

'Yang Jian, do you know your sin?' He remembered! It was him! Yang Jian clenched his fists, letting out a painful roar, as fragmented memories rapidly converged in his mind, forming distinct figures.

The young Daoist who liked to impersonate an old Daoist! The old immortal who slapped him onto a cloud! The scoundrel who arranged his entire path, determined his destiny, and then gave everything back to him.

Inside the jade talisman was a letter, filled with over sixty densely written possibilities, instructing him to match them one by one to find the one that fit the current situation. He actually found a combination of possibilities, the seventeenth entry in the second major category—

The figure of a rebel against Heaven appeared between heaven and earth, and this rebel charged beyond the highest heavens, alarming all quarters; numerous demon race experts were annihilated at Flower Fruit Mountain, and the Heavenly Court exerted pressure on the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong; and the solution following this possibility was surprisingly:

Suppress Sun Wukong, play the villain who suppresses the free will of living beings, and find an opportune moment to say the following lines.

When Yang Jian rushed to Mount Yuquan, he glanced at the other possibilities, and the solutions that followed were all quite simple, broadly categorized into three types: playing the villain to suppress Sun Wukong, taking action to assist Sun Wukong, or secretly seeking aid from the Holy Mother's Palace to save Sun Wukong's life. There were even more detailed sub-divisions.

The entries listed there surprisingly accounted for every conceivable scenario. This was truly outrageous! Who would leave such a 'doomsday survival kit'? If he hadn't had time to read its complex contents, he would surely have been caught off guard.

Yang Jian's mouth twitched slightly, and a sigh seemed to emerge from deep within him, as the voice from his memory read the two paragraphs attached to the back of the jade talisman.

'Yang Jian, greetings as if we meet in person. You might no longer know who I am; the Heavenly Dao would likely cleanse living beings' memories of me, but your master should know. When you see this, if your actions aren't restricted, you can go to Mount Yuquan and have your master, Senior Yuding, verify this jade talisman; that's the most effective method. There are some problems with this heaven and earth. On the surface, it might not seem like much, but it's almost terminally ill. There is a will that transcends all beings, and the Heavenly Court is merely his tool. All beings are under his control, and heaven and earth must evolve in the direction he has set. In a few thousand years, this evolution might lead to the shattering of the Great Desolation into an endless star field. This will is a combination of the Heavenly Dao and the Dao Ancestor. The fact that you don't remember who I am indicates, to some extent, that we have failed, but this is also part of my other plan, so don't worry too much; I will return. Do me a favor and do what suits the current situation of heaven and earth. This is a spark, and although this flame is very weak compared to the power living beings face, it will surely evoke some resonance, igniting the flame of resistance for living beings. Doing these things will be enough.'

After this passage, another section was squeezed into a corner of the jade talisman: 'If your actions are restricted, do not risk doing these things. Adapt to the situation and prioritize self-preservation. I can handle other matters; you don't need to bear too much. Like Sun Wukong, you are both immortals I like.'

This... Yang Jian's brows furrowed deeply, the memories in his heart now forming a continuous chain, and the soul-tearing pain had receded. The divine eye on his forehead suddenly opened. Due to his immense speed, friction between his immortal power and spiritual energy created wisps of flame around him, making his long hair flutter as if he were a god emerging from fire.

East Sheng Divine Continent! East Sheng Divine Continent! Flower Fruit Mountain! Flower Fruit Mountain!

Yang Jian frowned, his divine eye already seeing the current situation.

Sun Wukong was enveloped in seven-colored immortal light, his body about a hundred zhang tall, with layers of dark clouds above his head, upon which stood countless Heavenly Soldiers and Generals. Beams of immortal light condensed into hundreds of chains, wrapping around Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong struggled continuously, the chains on the verge of breaking, and the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals in the sky turned pale.

Li Jing was unleashing the pagoda in his hand, moving to suppress Sun Wukong.

Such powerful spiritual energy... It seemed this spiritual energy was forcibly imbued into Sun Wukong, who couldn't directly control it yet. Yang Jian immediately understood something.

In that case, in that case! His Three-Pointed, Double-Edged Spear vibrated with a hum, and Yang Jian's figure tore through the sky, rushing directly towards Flower Fruit Mountain!

Just then! Sun Wukong roared, lowering his head, then suddenly raised his hands. Most of the chains entwined around him instantly shattered! Large numbers of Heavenly Soldiers and Generals were sent spitting blood and sustaining injuries by the backlash, and even more Heavenly Soldiers directly fainted, as the continuous dark clouds rapidly dispersed!

Sun Wukong lifted his head, roaring frantically, gripping his Golden-Hooped Rod—which had also grown larger—and shot into the sky.

"Suppress!" Li Jing bellowed. The ancient pagoda transformed into a thousand zhang tall structure, moving to suppress Sun Wukong, engulfing his figure within.

But in just one breath, the pagoda's top was suddenly torn off. Sun Wukong, having returned to his normal size, drilled out directly, raising his Golden-Hooped Rod and charging at Li Jing!

The vibrating sound of a pipa's strings rang out, and a transparent blade, hundreds of zhang long, stretched out, moving to suppress Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong's blood-red monkey eyes narrowed. He suddenly changed his move, smashing the blade with a single strike of his rod, though his charge was momentarily halted.

From behind Li Jing emerged four armored Heavenly Gods, each burly and fierce-faced, wielding either a treasured pipa, a wind-fire sword, an arm entwined with a red snake, or a high-held glazed treasure umbrella! The Four Heavenly Kings, the Four Demon Generals of the Mo family! The Immortal Disciples of the Interception Sect from the Investiture of the Gods, officially made their move!

"Demon monkey, prepare for execution!" Growth Heavenly King Mo Liqing roared emphatically, his treasured sword emitting beams of light. The pipa played chaotic strings again, launching countless sharp blades at Sun Wukong; the red snake transformed into hundreds of zhang long, its tongue flicking as it followed these blades, opening its mouth to bite the Stone Monkey. The glazed treasure umbrella spun rapidly, rippling waves spreading out, continuously assaulting Sun Wukong's primordial spirit.

Sun Wukong swung his right hand, and behind him, the now pure golden undying golden soul emerged. He leaped into the air, directly confronting the Four Heavenly Kings' assault! What wrong have we done, for Heaven to punish us so! What error have we committed, for Heaven to execute us so!

"Hmph!" In a flash of lightning and instant intertwining, the Four Heavenly Kings were all knocked flying, some spitting blood, others cursing furiously.

Sun Wukong bared his sharp fangs, his gaze fixed on Li Jing. He leaped forward, bringing his Golden-Hooped Rod down towards Li Jing's head!

Li Jing snorted coldly, his left hand gripping the sword at his waist. His body suddenly charged forward with the motion of drawing his sword! This was the Sword of Immortal Deliverance!

But in just one encounter, Li Jing was unceremoniously sent flying by the seven-colored immortal light. After all, he was not skilled in close combat.

Sun Wukong, having gained the upper hand, showed no mercy. He flashed past, catching up to Li Jing's retreating figure, and swung his rod forward.

At the East Heaven Gate, Ne Zha, who was soaring on his Wind-Fire Wheels, saw this scene and couldn't help but grit his teeth and shout, "You damn monkey, how dare you!"

Inside the Lingxiao Hall, the Jade Emperor's clenched fists trembled slightly, and the flames in his eyes flickered on and off. "Dao Ancestor, look what you've done!" The false Grand White Planet had once again taken his place beside him, seemingly just closing his eyes and chuckling, but in reality, he was observing His Majesty the Jade Emperor.

No sooner said than done! Sun Wukong's iron rod was already descending towards Li Jing's forehead. The rage in Sun Wukong's eyes left him no hesitation; he just wanted to kill this Heavenly Court immortal and make him accompany his monkey offspring in death!

Clang— The sound of clashing weapons resounded across the Eastern Sea shore.

Li Jing, whose eyes were tightly shut, and Sun Wukong, whose mind was clouded by fury, both looked towards the long blade horizontally blocking the iron rod! The greenish-gold spear shaft remained perfectly still, and a wisp of red tassel from a battle helmet gently swayed beside it. What spear was it? The Three-Pointed, Double-Edged Spear! What general was it? True Lord Erlang!

Yang Jian stood beside Li Jing, a streak of afterimages trailing behind him. He held his Three-Pointed, Double-Edged Spear tightly with both hands; though he had used ninety percent of his strength, it still appeared effortless.

The Three-Pointed, Double-Edged Spear vibrated slightly, pushing Sun Wukong back half a zhang; Yang Jian then swept his long spear horizontally, gently sending Li Jing flying with the Three-Pointed, Double-Edged Spear.

Yang Jian's handsome face was stern. He looked at the Stone Monkey before him and calmly said, "Your opponent today is me, Sun Wukong."

Sun Wukong gripped his Golden-Hooped Rod, demanding in a low voice, "Why! I have submitted to the Heavenly Court, yet the Heavenly Court destroyed my Flower Fruit Mountain!"

"The Way of Heaven needs no explanation to you." Yang Jian, with the words from the jade talisman swirling in his mind, calmly stated: "Living beings exist under the protection of Heaven, and behind the Heavenly Court is the will of Heaven."

Hearing this, Sun Wukong didn't get angry; instead, he laughed, then threw his head back and laughed aloud, tears of blood falling from the corners of his eyes. "Heaven, what a load of crap Heaven! Hahaha! They all say I was born of Heaven and Earth, but what does my life have to do with Heaven! Today, I'll smash this Heavenly Court and go demand an explanation from Heaven!"

After roaring, he charged forward with his rod, about to fight Yang Jian, when a dark shadow plunged from the sky, striking Sun Wukong with a spear and knocking him off the clouds! Ne Zha! At this moment, Ne Zha was enveloped in malevolent aura, his long hair fluttering behind him, and black flames burned on his lotus battle armor. He twitched his shoulder, revealing his six-armed dharma body; he turned his head left and right, manifesting three faces: Rage, Wrath, and Serenity. The bracelets on his wrists continuously shone brightly, but he took them off and put them into his chest.

"Sun, Wu, Kong!" Ne Zha looked down at the equally enraged monkey below him, and charged down again. "How dare you hurt my father!"

Sun Wukong said nothing, directly clashing with Ne Zha, igniting a grand battle. The vast sky was disturbed by the aftershocks of their magic, spiritual energy boiled, and living beings were terrified.

Yang Jian frowned slightly, seeing that Ne Zha was now unleashing his full power, trading blows, yet could only fight Sun Wukong to a standstill, while Sun Wukong's injuries always recovered extremely quickly. It was the spiritual energy within Sun Wukong, that spiritual energy comparable to the late-stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal cultivation.

Never mind, although two against one was somewhat improper, those few lines had not yet been spoken.

Whoosh— Yang Jian joined the battle with his spear. Although Ne Zha angrily cursed him a couple of times, Yang Jian firmly suppressed Sun Wukong.

And the words Li Changshou had told Yang Jian to say to Sun Wukong were thus uttered; from this battlefield, they spread throughout the Three Realms, reaching the ears of all beings who were watching the battle here and the situation in the heavens.

"Sun Wukong, Heaven wishes to destroy your Flower Fruit Mountain, yet you dare to defy it."

"If you do not comply with Heaven's will, Heaven shall destroy you."

"This, is the Heavenly Dao."

The Heavenly Dao? In the Holy Mother's Palace, the Holy Mother, reclining on her throne, gradually had flames ignite in her eyes. In Zixiao Palace, Hongjun looked at Li Changshou with a half-smile, his expression seeming to ask—Is this your strategy?

Li Changshou smiled calmly. His action was merely to use Yang Jian's suppression of Sun Wukong as an opportunity to utter these words, to provoke discontent among living beings towards the Heavenly Dao and the Heavenly Court, and to ensure that living beings would not forget their will to resist heaven and earth. Eliminating the Dao Ancestor was certainly important; but establishing a stable, free, and orderly heaven and earth after eliminating the Dao Ancestor was even more important.

However, Li Changshou's brows twitched slightly, suddenly feeling that something seemed to be changing. Hongjun also furrowed his brows, looking at Li Changshou. "What have you done?" Dao Ancestor Hongjun asked coldly.

"This, is not my doing," Li Changshou said, gazing at Hongjun. "To deal with you, I alone am enough."

As soon as his voice fell, ripples appeared on the cloud mirror on the tabletop, and a peculiar Dao charm unfolded between heaven and earth.

In the Underworld, at the Reincarnation Pagoda. The young monk, after having shaved his head, sat quietly on the central meditation cushion on the top floor of the Reincarnation Pagoda, holding a flower and smiling. Beside him, the large blue-furred dog trembled as it asked, "Master, do you, do you really want to do this?"

"Do it," Ksitigarbha said slowly. "Although I have many opinions about him, at this moment he is fighting for living beings. I cannot let him fight alone."

"No, he might not even need your help!" the large blue-furred dog anxiously cried. "Aren't you just looking for trouble?"

"Hmm?" Ksitigarbha silently put down the flower petal in his hand and pulled an iron pot from his sleeve. Di Ting shuddered, then bared its teeth at Ksitigarbha for a moment, angrily cursing, "Seriously... fine. I originally thought that guy, Grand White Planet, would use me as a magical artifact to say some comforting words to living beings after the great battle. I never expected that the one who would ultimately use this move of mine would be my foolish master."

Ksitigarbha chuckled, "What I do, I don't need to consider anyone's feelings. Heaven and earth have reached such a state; I should do something."

"Fine, fine!" Di Ting walked behind Ksitigarbha and lay down, closing its eyes. Its six small ears trembled slightly, and its entire blue fur shone brightly! "If we're going to die, we'll die together. Anyway, it's all your fault." Divine Ability: Hear the Voices of All Things! Reverse Divine Ability: Speak the Voice of the Heart to All Things.

Ksitigarbha gently took a breath, and his gentle voice spread to the hearts of all beings in the Three Realms: "Heaven harbors selfish desires, bringing calamity to living beings. I, Ksitigarbha, disciple of the Western Cult's Guiding Saint, overseeing the Reincarnation Pagoda and mending the Six Paths of Reincarnation; today, unable to bear the suffering of living beings, I defy Heaven and engage in battle with Dao Ancestor Hongjun. May my meager life ignite and accumulate the indomitable will of living beings; May my Dao light the flame of stars from the long night. Living beings should be self-reliant, and the Heavenly Dao should restrain itself."