This Human Immortal Is Too Serious-Chapter 395 - 393 "Wu Wang, do you want to become the Heavenly Emperor?
The Gold God was locked up. On the first day, he didn’t miss her at all!
On the outskirts of an increasingly bustling, prosperous, and orderly town within the God of Spring’s Divine World, a place where several young men and women of different races were frolicking, two figures walked slowly.
A gentle breeze swept through. The shade cast by the trees delineated its boundaries, with patches of light dappling the ground like paw prints inadvertently left by a Spirit Beast, yet not a single tender blade of grass was harmed.
Whether they were the ordinary denizens of this place or the Divine Generals, all could, in theory, see the two figures strolling through the woods. However, they would subconsciously ignore the sight, not casting even a fleeting glance in that direction. Even their Immortal Consciousness would perceive nothing there.
Emperor Shun was dressed in a light golden robe, his long hair meticulously groomed. His face, which no woman could find fault with, always wore a faint smile.
Wu Wang wore a cyan-blue Daoist robe, his long hair tied back with a Daoist circlet, his feet shod in white cloth boots, and a concentric jade pendant hanging from his waist.
If the Grand Elder, Hu Sheng, and the others could have lifted their gazes to see them, they might have mistaken them for two disciples from some Immortal Sect.
They were handsome and divinely spirited, their bearing extraordinary.
Emperor Shun slowly placed his hands into his sleeves, sighed softly, and smiled. "Shen Nong is really pushing me to a dead end."
At this moment, Wu Wang appeared relaxed externally but was inwardly tense; he certainly wouldn’t let Emperor Shun coax any useful information from him.
In such situations, one only needed to master the use of "Oh?", "Is that so?", and "I think not," to respond as one pleased.
"Oh?" Wu Wang raised his eyebrows slightly but said nothing more.
Emperor Shun spoke softly, "By publicizing the matter of the Dao of Fuel and Fire, he is forcing me to decide between war and peace. Am I to yield a place in the Heaven Palace to living beings, allowing them to become the stewards of the world’s order, or are we to fight to the death, ultimately benefiting that Candle Dragon? Shen Nong certainly has his reasons for confidence; he’s hidden a trump card against me."
"Is that so?"
Wu Wang smiled noncommittally.
"Is it not?" Emperor Shun asked with a smile.
"I think not."
"Tsk," Emperor Shun couldn’t help but laugh. "Don’t patronize me. I called you out this time just to have a sincere talk with you. Aren’t you the one who claims to want to come to the Heaven Palace and change me, to change the order of heaven and earth?"
Wu Wang’s mouth twitched. "As if you really could be changed by someone like me."
"That depends on what you can achieve," Emperor Shun said, his voice somewhat ethereal.
"I am somewhat tired.
You may find it absurd, but I am indeed tired.
Wu Wang, do you know how much one must sacrifice to achieve the rank of a top-tier Strong God by relying on a single, ordinary Great Dao?"
Wu Wang honestly shook his head.
Emperor Shun chuckled.
"A great, great many. For divine power, I once fawningly courted an old Yin matron. For status, I groveled at the Candle Dragon’s feet.
You are far luckier than I. It was only after I had already gained significant momentum that I received the help of my wife, Xihe."
Wu Wang furrowed his brows tightly.
Aren’t there far too many ploys in these words? When others try to probe, they typically use a few true statements to divert attention before launching a sudden strike. Good heavens! Emperor Shun’s probing was nothing but sudden strikes, with no intention of diverting attention whatsoever!
"I’m a bit puzzled by your words, Senior," Wu Wang sighed. "There should be no comparison between you and me."
"Is that so?"
Emperor Shun’s eyes held a touch of regret. "I had thought I saw a shadow of my former self in you."
"I certainly don’t have the ambitious intentions you had, Senior," Wu Wang laughed. "The title ’Heavenly Emperor’ carries far too much responsibility, too many duties. Senior, you must have also been constrained by the position of Heavenly Emperor at times, right? For instance, with the Dao of Order."
Turning defense into offense.
"That’s right," Emperor Shun’s eyes revealed a nostalgic expression. "You truly understand me."
"I’d rather not understand."
Wu Wang pursed his lips, muttering, "What are you really after, Senior? Is the position of Heavenly Emperor truly so important?"
"Before you sit in that position, it is the one and only pursuit," said Emperor Shun. "But once you sit on it, you will realize that it’s nothing more than that."
"Then what is it that you are upholding, Senior?"
"Dignity," Emperor Shun said indifferently. "My dignity."
"I don’t quite understand that."
"Once you sit in that position," Emperor Shun pulled his hands out of his sleeves, tracing the outline of a chair, "you will wonder, compared to previous Divine Kings, are you stronger or weaker? Do you know what many gods said about me in secret when I sat on the Heavenly Throne?"
"What did they say?"
Emperor Shun’s lips quirked. "The weakest Divine King in history."
Wu Wang was left speechless.
If not for the fear of being blasted into smithereens by Emperor Shun, Wu Wang almost couldn’t have restrained his laughter.
Emperor Shun shook his head slightly, his voice tinged with emotion.
"Back then, I was no match for the Candle Dragon in a duel. The Candle Dragon was undying, inextinguishable, and undefeated. It was brutal and merciless, even aspiring to devour the heavens and earth to achieve its own transcendence.
Unfortunately, at that time, I had not yet grasped the essence of the Dao of Time and was unable to break its undefeated body. I had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure: setting up the Heaven and Earth Seal.
This Heaven and Earth Seal was a gift from them."
Wu Wang slightly furrowed his brow, his eyes carrying a hint of confusion.
It was as if he had caught onto some secret, and he quickly pressed on, "They? The Heaven and Earth Seal was given to you by someone, Senior? This is the first I’ve heard of it."
"Indeed," Emperor Shun smiled. "This was a secret known only to me. However, now you know it too."
Wu Wang mused, "Even Lady Xihe is unaware?"
"Of course," Emperor Shun said. "Aren’t all men like that? Sometimes, a man always wants to appear omnipotent before his wife. I could not have achieved the position of Heavenly Emperor without my wife’s support. This world should rightly be shared with her."
Wu Wang’s lips quirked. "And then Your Majesty appointed another Moon God."
"It’s a strategy for balance."
Emperor Shun laughed. "It’s also the helplessness of the Heavenly Throne, I suppose."
"But I always feel that you, Senior, want to find a soul to confide in. Lady Xihe is rather assertive, whereas the Moon God is completely reliant on you, Senior."
Wu Wang calmly brought out the Image Projection Bead.
But Emperor Shun just waved his hand and laughed, "What you allow me to see is but what you want me to see. Do you really think I couldn’t guess that Chang Xi handled the situation so perfectly that day because you were secretly guiding her?"
Wu Wang was silent.
This was something he could openly accept.
"Alright," Wu Wang said indifferently. "Senior, you indeed have discerning eyes."
"You just wanted them to fight, to cause me a bit of trouble. Though I am somewhat weary of my role as Heavenly Emperor, I am not a fool."
Suddenly, Emperor Shun asked, "Wu Wang, if you were me, how would you resolve the current predicament?"
Wu Wang froze for a moment.
The two of them had slowly stopped walking and now stood atop a hillside.
Emperor Shun looked off towards a pavilion not far away.
Surrounding the pavilion were more than a dozen formidable women from the Northern Wilderness. Beyond them, thousands of soldiers were stationed, forming an encampment.
A window in the pavilion was gently pushed open, and a woman in colorful garments leaned against it, holding a scroll in her hand, sighing lightly with a hint of melancholy.
Heng’e.
Emperor Shun gazed at Heng’e and quietly said, "You know her identity now?"
"Mm," Wu Wang said. "The Young Master used the Dao of Reproduction to deduce it. Senior, she is your child."
"My days as the Sanxian Daoist were truly my happiest."
Emperor Shun remarked with admiration.
"I would spend my days indulging in wine and women, neglecting all proper duties. For a mere painting of a beauty, I dared to act absurdly for seven or eight days straight.
Tsk tsk, sadly, there’s no going back now.
How are you considering the Heavenly Marriage Proposal? What if I were to betroth her to you? My daughter is such an exquisite beauty. Once she transforms into a Divine Spirit, she will be by no means inferior to those female confidantes of yours."
Wu Wang glared at Emperor Shun. "She already has someone she loves! Senior, please don’t try to meddle. I thought you were talking about the Young... Cough, never mind."
"Oh, that archer?"
Emperor Shun hummed, saying indifferently, "A mere living being, nothing more."
Wu Wang rubbed his nose, silently putting in some effort for Da Yi, hoping his blissful life could arrive sooner.
He said, "Senior, how can you still be so narrow-minded? Isn’t the most precious kind of love the one where two people are childhood sweethearts who grow old together? Why must you interfere?"
"I am the Heavenly Emperor."
Emperor Shun said calmly, pointing his finger. Slowly, the earth beside them rose up, forming a cool pavilion.
His unspoken meaning, however, was a reluctance to discuss the matter further.
Wu Wang laughed, followed Emperor Shun into the pavilion without any courtesy, and sat down across from Emperor Shun with a carefree gesture.
Emperor Shun poured a cup of wine, and his form and appearance gradually changed, reverting to that of the Sanxian Daoist.
Wu Wang gazed at the old face, faint ripples stirred in his Dao heart; he sighed softly and said, "Senior, please don’t be like this."
"This is also me. This is the true nature I have suppressed for countless long years."
The ’Sanxian Daoist’ spoke softly as he picked up the wine pot and poured Wu Wang a cup. He then asked gently, "Wu Wang, have you thought about the question I asked you just now?"
"I don’t understand," Wu Wang looked up at Emperor Shun. "And even if I did think of a method, it’s highly unlikely I would tell you, Senior."
"You really are," the ’Sanxian Daoist’ sighed. "What Shen Nong can give you, I can also give you. What Shen Nong cannot give you, I can give you too.
Why must you insist on siding with the Human Domain?
You have experienced for yourself how ugly and contemptible human nature can be. They only know how to take; very few are willing to contribute.
They only care about their own survival, only about their own enjoyment.
Furthermore, how long has the Human Domain truly been at peace? Before your emergence, the schism between Cultivators and mortals, and the disputes between Immortals and Demons, were already showing signs of intensifying. Mutual slaughter merely awaited a spark.
Living beings consistently feed on a sense of superiority. This is their failing."
Wu Wang blandly said, "Are Divine Spirits any better?"
Emperor Shun was silent.
Wu Wang picked up the drink, sniffed it gently in front of his nose without drinking, and continued,
"The flaws of living beings were likely transmitted to them by the Divine Spirits.
Even though the Heaven Palace has always claimed that the temperament of Divine Spirits changed because the Dao of Life in the world was influencing them, the truth is likely the opposite, isn’t it?"
"Oh?" Emperor Shun’s eyes showed a hint of amusement. "How do you substantiate this claim?"
"The Dao of Life came into being long ago."
Wu Wang said,
"The Young Master and the Head Manager gained consciousness in the Second Divine Era. At that time, the Innate Spirits existing in the world were, in fact, living beings.
The Innate Spirits were initially pure and untainted, exceedingly simple. Most were merely close to the Great Dao, not born of the Great Dao itself, which is why they became servants to the Divine Spirits.
Innate Spirits could become exceedingly powerful; they were the primordial state of living beings."
"Are you suggesting that living beings evolved from Innate Spirits?"
"Rather than evolution, it’s more akin to degeneration," Wu Wang said, gazing into the ’old Daoist’s’ eyes. "The history of this world has been tampered with, hasn’t it?"
Emperor Shun was silent for a moment, then said indifferently, "This is a secret you are not meant to know."
Wu Wang furrowed his brows tightly.
He had indeed managed to pry out some valuable intelligence.
However, this piece of information was of little significance. After all, he had his esteemed mother, a grandfather he had yet to meet, and more importantly, a ’dog-headed’ advisor... ahem, a wise and handsome Yun Zhongjun to assist him.
Even if parts of the world’s history had been altered, Wu Wang had ways to explore the truth.
The concern and helplessness Wu Wang displayed at this moment were purely to conceal his own unusual nature, a deliberate act to mislead Emperor Shun.
Emperor Shun smiled and said, "Let’s return to our previous topic. In fact, I have a solution to the current dilemma."
"Which dilemma are you referring to, Senior?"
"Why play dumb? Our communication could be simple and straightforward."
Emperor Shun shook his head but seemed to have endless patience for Wu Wang, continuing to explain in a gentle voice,
"The dilemma I speak of is quite complex.
Firstly, your mother has a firm grip on the lifeline of the world’s order. My past soft-heartedness towards the Star God has led to my current passivity at every turn.
I should have disregarded any reputation for so-called benevolence and righteousness, killed that dear sister of mine, and fashioned a puppet to take her place."
Wu Wang’s Dao heart quivered, and a cold sweat broke out all over him.
The sharpness in Emperor Shun’s eyes quickly faded, replaced by a gentle smile directed towards Wu Wang.
At this moment, Wu Wang couldn’t help but feel a tremor in his Dao heart, as if he were a bear cub facing a ferocious python.
Emperor Shun laughed and said,
"Don’t be frightened. Indeed, after becoming the Heavenly Emperor, I did lose some of the decisiveness and cunning I possessed before ascending the throne. This much is understandable.
This is just the first point of my predicament."
Wu Wang asked subconsciously, "What’s the second point?"
"Second, the uncontrollable power of living beings."
Emperor Shun clicked his tongue lightly, his lips curling slightly as he spoke indifferently,
"Suiren, Fu Xi, Shen Nong... you might think their appearance was a stroke of fortune for the Human Domain. In reality, it was destined. It was merely the Dao of Life clashing against the Dao of Order.
Even without those three, their emergence might have been delayed, but leaders to guide living beings would inevitably have appeared.
This is the unique nature of the Dao of Life—its very birth represented the encroachment of the power of consciousness upon the world.
The Dao of Order is built upon the Dao rules that inherently exist within the world. These can be understood as the world’s own mechanism to constrain the power of consciousness.
If the Dao of Order were to completely merge with the Dao of Life—that is, if the former controlled the latter—the entire world would become a silent, dead expanse.
Conversely, if the latter controlled the former, it would ultimately lead to living beings running amok and the world withering away.
Both outcomes would lead to the advent of the Dao of Chaos.
Therefore, maintaining the order of the cosmos is actually very difficult, like walking a single-plank bridge or crossing an iron chain rope.
Do you understand?"
Wu Wang nodded slowly and laughed, "Although you, Senior, deliberately downplay the impact of living beings on the world and the importance of their own struggles, the underlying principles are, in fact, the same."
In fact, Wu Wang dearly wanted to mention the ’principle of the Yin and Yang Path,’ but he truly did not dare.
Emperor Fuxi was undoubtedly a thorn in Emperor Shun’s side.
Wu Wang didn’t want to end this meeting prematurely since he hadn’t yet gained the benefits he should have, nor had he heard Emperor Shun’s ’solution.’
"Then what’s the third point?"
"Third, the failure to eradicate an old problem like the Candle Dragon.
This is a lingering consequence of my own insufficient strength in those days. It is also the predicament that I, a supreme being not born of a paramount Great Dao, must inevitably face.
Even now, if I were to battle the Candle Dragon, I would ultimately be defeated due to the inherent deficiencies of my Root Dao."
Emperor Shun was quite composed, laughing, "In a duel, I am inferior to the Candle Dragon."
"It’s rare for you to be so candid, Senior."
"That is common knowledge. Besides, I have never needed to rely on duels to overcome it."
Emperor Shun sighed lightly.
"Beyond these three points, the degeneration of the Divine Spirits in the Heaven Palace and the continuous attrition of the foremost Great Daos are all factors that aggravate my predicament.
Do you think I can’t feel it?
If the Heaven Palace continues like this, destruction is not far off.
This world is now just a complete mess."
Wu Wang wondered aloud, "Then, Senior, what is your solution?"
Emperor Shun revealed an inscrutable smile, a smile so unsettling it sent shivers down Wu Wang’s spine.
"This method... I haven’t even told Xihe."
"Oh?" Wu Wang smiled. "Then I truly am most honored. What is this method?"
"Pass on the throne. Wouldn’t it be fine to have someone else as the Heavenly Emperor?"
Emperor Shun lifted his cup and drained it in one gulp.
"Otherwise, why would I have previously gone to such lengths to try and draw you into the Heaven Palace?"
Wu Wang’s smile froze on his face.
Emperor Shun laughed heartily, but said, "I’m just joking with you. Look at your current demeanor. How could you possibly be someone capable of shouldering the immense burden of this world?"
"Senior..."
Wu Wang muttered, "You aren’t truly planning to shirk your responsibilities and flee, are you? Other than you, who can stop the Candle Dragon?"
Emperor Shun smiled faintly. "What do you think?"
Shen Nong!?
"Absolutely not," Wu Wang said, lifting his cup, even as his Dao heart screamed in dire alarm.
Emperor Shun squinted his eyes in a smile, seemingly quite pleased with Wu Wang’s somewhat flustered state. He casually changed the subject, taking the initiative to speak of Heng’e.
