Heaven-Defying Rebel Sage
Chapter 292 - 278: Why Should the Masses Cherish a Single Life

Chapter 292: Chapter 278: Why Should the Masses Cherish a Single Life

But Wukong fell asleep and, to his surprise, had a dream.

A lengthy dream, with thousands of scenes fluttering before his eyes, depicting his entire life.

When Wukong awoke, he realized that the sky had already darkened. Xuan Ming was toying with a seven-colored orchid as though she were an ordinary woman, not a Heavenly Dao Saint who had reached the pinnacle of this world.

Wukong stretched lazily and said, "I’ve slept for quite a long time. Ever since I escaped from under Tathagata’s hand, I’ve hardly ever slept soundly again. This, perhaps, is also a form of transcendence."

That was the truth. In pursuit of his vengeance and to fulfill his grand ambition, Wukong had not rested for a moment. After achieving his grand ambition, he spent his days understanding Taoist Magic and realizing the Great Dao Principles to become a Great Dao Sage. Then he began preaching to help all cultivators increase their cultivation level. He never had a moment of idleness in this lifetime, but now he enjoyed a rare moment of leisure.

Xuan Ming asked, "Where to now?"

Wukong nodded and replied, "Let’s head to the Ancient Tomb. The Ancient Tomb was forged and refined by ancient powerhouses with their Essence Blood. Once I take it and re-sacrifice it, it will become another powerful Magical Treasure."

The two then made their way to the Ancient Tomb. Wukong acquired the Ancient Tomb and, through the sacrifice of True Fire, forged it into a Magical Treasure, creating a small world within it. Its power was not insignificant.

By now, the first great elixir made by Hong Jun had been consumed a great deal, only a piece the size of a rock remaining, and Primordial Qi was still leaking from it, absorbed by the cultivators. It wouldn’t be long before it was completely exhausted. Wukong lent them a hand, dispersing the condensed Primordial Qi within it. All cultivators frantically absorbed it, the strong naturally absorbing more and the weak less.

Upon seeing Wukong approaching, Xue Rengui immediately prostrated himself on the ground and said, "Disciple pays respect to Master and Mistress."

Despite Wukong’s desire for equality among all people, he could not forget the importance of courtesy. A teacher is an elder, the equivalent of one’s parents, and one must not neglect to pay respects.

The ancient rites were "Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Kin, Teacher." Now Wukong had abolished the Position of Ruler, there were no kings in the world, only chairpersons. Though Ying Zheng was addressed as ’Your Majesty,’ he could not accept the kneeling of officials and only received their basic courtesy of bows and salutes.

During this time, Xue Rengui had already become a Primordial Golden Immortal, but he lacked powerful Magical Treasures. After contemplating for a moment, Wukong inserted the Ancient Tomb into Xue Rengui’s forehead, removing the restrictions, and allowing him to use it freely against Chaos Heaven Demons, ensuring he would remain unbeaten unless he encountered Chaos Heaven Demons of the Heavenly Dao Saint level. Of course, he had to be wary of the Heavenly Demons’ self-destructing techniques.

It was Xuan Ming’s first encounter with Xue Rengui, and after he called her "Mistress," a meeting gift was naturally in order. She reached into the void and pulled out nine hundred Sunflower Water Divine Thunders - these thunders were formed by Sunflower Water condensed over ten thousand years, turning into ten thousand-year-old Profound Ice, and then were further refined by Xuan Ming. Their lethality was immense, capable of freezing three thousand miles upon being used. If a Primordial Golden Immortal didn’t possess a formidable Magical Treasure, they would be reduced to icy fragments in an instant.

Xue Rengui joyfully accepted them and bowed, "Thank you, Mistress."

Wukong had received ten Nine Revolutions Heavenly Dao Saint Pills from Laozi, life-saving elixirs that would instantaneously restore one’s health if consumed unless one suffered from a Great Dao injury. Wukong similarly distributed these pills, keeping only one for himself. Yuan Hong, Wu Zhiqi, Xuan Ming, Kong Xuan, Golden Winged Great Peng, Medicine Buddha, Ksitigarbha King, Xue Rengui, and nine others each received one.

Wukong said, "Now that this great elixir has been refined to exhaustion, you should go back to Water Curtain Cave. The Heavenly Court has already summoned all cultivators, and in another day we will rush to the depths of the Celestial Realm for the decisive battle against the Chaos Heaven Demons."

Within the Celestial Realm, Hong Jun Taoist Patriarch had laid out two lines of defense. The first was mythical beasts, while the second was Weak Water. Within this Weak Water, Hong Jun had set up a Great Formation, leveraging the elements of water, wind, and fire from Heaven and Earth. It could evolve infinite small worlds and was extremely difficult to deal with. With this line of defense, more time could be bought for the Earth Immortal Realm.

At this point, the six Great Dao Sages restrained each other, none taking action. Hong Jun and the other two hoped that someone would break through the Great Dao Sage realm during this great decisive battle.

Great Dao Sages were already at the pinnacle of existence, and no one could divine their fates—not even Great Dao Sages could scheme against each other.

Powerful Great Dao principles shrouded everything.

If the six Great Dao Sages took action, they would also find it difficult to determine a victor, and it would damage their own Primordial Qi. The Great Dao Demon God was waiting for the fourth demon god to awake, hoping to crush the Earth Immortal Realm with an absolute advantage, while Hong Jun and others saw this opportunity as a sliver of hope, wishing for someone to rise up suddenly!

Both sides had made their calculations well, and naturally, they were well aware of them.

Hong Jun and Di Jun, however, came to the edge of Chaos and directly refined the entire border, collecting Chaos Qi and concocting Chaos Divine Thunders.

And now, Water Curtain Cave had gathered all cultivators from within and beyond the Three Realms—humans, demons, devils, ghosts, gods, immortals, saints, buddhas, witches... united as one with a common resolve.

Wukong and Xuan Ming still strolled leisurely, without joy or sorrow, seemingly transcending life and death, having seen through reincarnation. This was the natural state of the Great Dao, just one step away, a step that trapped countless prodigies... How difficult was it to achieve true immortality and indestructibility, without harm through countless calamities? How could one step across the endpoint of the Dao?

They went from Southern Ridge to Western Heaven, from Western Heaven to the Northern Region, from the Northern Region to the Eastern Lands, and then began to travel around the sea, stepping on the surface of the water, with skimming, light steps.

There is a charm known as "roaming with light steps and kicking up dust with silk stockings," and undoubtedly, Xuan Ming was more stunning than a goddess emerging from water.

Above the Abyssal of the South Sea, one could still see a surge from Water Curtain Cave on Demon Mountain of Southern Ridge, like a clouded force akin to a rising sun, illuminating the entire Three Realms. This was the last hope, the key to the survival of the Earth Immortal Realm. Countless cultivators, with a determination to die, were ready to protect their homeland.

"A momentum piercing the heavens!" Wukong slowly uttered these four words.

"Such a momentum, once gathered, will have extremely powerful combat strength. Hopefully, a Great Dao Sage will emerge before the fourth demon god awakens, or, to put it another way, the Turning Wheel Sage King will succeed in being born!" Xuan Ming said quietly, with barely parted lips.

Only when an external enemy invades do people cast aside all their conflicts and unite with one heart to deal with the threat.

"Let us go, it is already the third day," said Wukong.

The two of them headed towards Water Curtain Cave, each step covering tens of thousands of zhang. They walked leisurely for an hour before they arrived at the foot of Water Curtain Cave.

"We pay our respects to Green Emperor and Empress!" The Demon Tribe and the various beings bowed down one after another.

Although Wukong had abandoned the imperial system, the title of Green Emperor was an ancient one within the Demon Tribe, a name that signified not just a position, but also an honor, a responsibility.

Wukong nodded and, accompanied by Xuan Ming, slowly ascended to the top of Water Curtain Cave.

...

Who could forget that Nuwa wept tears of blood to repair the azure sky?

How can one forget the Ancient Tomb where Ninefold buried the souls of ten thousand heroes?

The mountain-like bones, the unnamed spirits, what kind of pain do they carry?

Blood and tears intertwined, who composed the grand epoch of twelve million nine thousand six hundred years with the melody of life?

With peace in the nation, songs of joy resonate, beings well-provided for, do the tranquil commoners still remember who fought with their lives for these peaceful days?

Who arranged the Eight Trigrams in the void, striving for a sliver of hope for the world, does anyone remember the name was Fuxi!

Who spread hope among all beings by fighting through the heavens with a single Green Lotus?

This powerful surge of bitter momentum rises to the sky, even those long undisturbed would feel a sense of melancholy upon seeing it, how can one forget the ancestors who fought in blood during the Ancient Times? How can one forget those spirits who have long forgotten their own names?

The Victorious Fighting Buddha clasped his hands together and sighed, "Boundless are the kalpas! Excellent, Excellent!"

A figure ascended to the sky, he wore a Dragon Robe and a crown that could level the heavens. Although just a shadow, it was enough to make all creatures worship.

"Great Emperor Xuanyuan!"

Another shadow soared, holding a plow in hand, his simple clothing stained with earth.

"Yan Emperor!"

The cultivators of the Human Race knelt down one after another.

Xuanyuan the Great Emperor and the Yan Emperor said, "We thought ourselves forever dissipated, but you have awakened our last lingering thought... And now, the Earth Immortal Realm has come to the brink of existence... Cultivators of the Human Race, why fear a battle!!!"

Why fear a battle!

The cultivators of the Human Race roared together; this was the encouragement of their ancestors, the legacy of their ancestors’ will, and it was hope.

After Xuanyuan and Yan Emperor’s lingering thoughts had spoken these words, they dissipated, leaving no trace...

Another shadow rose to the sky.

With the upper body of a human and the tail of a snake, he was surrounded by eight gateways engraved with "Li, Zhen, Dui, Kan..." symbols of the Eight Trigrams. He looked upon mortals with compassion, his eyes brimming with tears.

"Holy Emperor Fuxi!"

Another figure in green clothing ascended, a Green Lotus by his side, dancing with Chaos Qi.

"Green Emperor!"

The cultivators of the Demon Tribe knelt down one by one, worshiping their ancestral spirits.

"We, the cultivators of the Demon Tribe, why fear a battle!" Ling Weiyang’s eyes shone brightly as he spoke loudly.

"Why fear a battle!"

Another powerful surge of determination rose to the sky, the lingering thoughts of Ling Weiyang and Fuxi merged within it, bolstering the momentum.

This was the last thing the departed ancestors could do; their contribution to all living beings was unmatched.

Even the most indifferent person, at this moment, would shed hot tears; the blood of their ancestors flowed within them, what kind of pain was this now?

Without them, where would the twelve thousand years of peace come from? Where would prosperity originate? Where would the commoners be?

You, who have become numb, will you awaken and offer up your own measure of hot blood for the Earth Immortal Realm?

You, steeped in despair, will you awaken to fight against the sky for your ancestors, weeping blood for the profound earth?

Could the Great Dao, so devoid of sentiment, erase the hope flowing in your blood? The hope of your ancestors, and the pain they endured?

"To fight against the heavens, weep blood for the profound earth, for the hope of our ancestors, why not cherish the chance to battle?"

"Battle, battle, battle! Sharpen my blade fast, scatter my hot blood!"

The ancestors’ figures manifested one after another, each carrying a hint of decline, a touch of sorrow, uttering "why not cherish the chance to fight," infusing their last bit of lingering thoughts into the surging momentum.

The Nine Saints closed their eyes, even Luo Hou couldn’t help but let a crystal tear drop from the corner of his eye.

"Why not cherish the chance to fight!"

Countless cultivators cried out with tears, their vital energy reaching the heavens, their momentum radiant as the sun.

To find out what happens next, please tune in to the next installment. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)