"Ah... this?"

Inside the quiet room on the second floor, Wu Wang furrowed his brow as he looked at the storage magic treasures in front of him, which might be older than Shen Nong; his expression was a bit odd. He had thought that Emperor Fuxi had left him some treasures, or perhaps cultivation techniques and books.

Even before this, Wu Wang had harbored some presumptuous thoughts, feeling that Emperor Fuxi might impart the secrets of how to endlessly reincarnate within the Human Domain to him, a little cultivator who had witnessed such a great battle, through some method. But he never could have imagined...

What Fuxi had given him were indeed books, even carved into stone tablets inscribed with the ancient Human Domain script. But the contents had nothing to do with cultivation.

"On Character;"

"Discourses on Rites;"

"Human Etiquette..."

Thousands of stone tablets, hundreds of works in total!

Wu Wang's Immortal Consciousness swept over them, briefly skimming, only to discover that the messages they carried could be summarized in three sentences:

"Child, you should be a good person."

"Child, this is how you should go about being a good person."

"Child, just be a person."

"What are these?" Wu Wang asked tentatively.

Shen Nong nodded slowly, speaking gravely, "These are the books that Emperor Fuxi wanted me to pass on to you."

"Is it possible," Wu Wang asked tentatively, "that by thoroughly understanding these books, I can grasp the supreme Great Dao, attain transcendent Divine Skills, and stand tall amongst the powerhouses of the Great Wilderness?"

Shen Nong's smile carried a hint of oddness. The Blue Bird stood honestly at the corner of the desk, playing the role of a spectator.

Wu Wang then asked, "Could it be that Emperor Fuxi believes there might be some deficiencies in my personal conduct?"

"That is not the case," Shen Nong said with a laugh. "Emperor Fuxi has a rather good opinion of you, saying you are a young man with potential, just a bit under pressure and somewhat scattered."

"In that case, this!"

"Etiquette is the foundation of the Human Domain." Shen Nong said gravely, "Do not underestimate these things. The methods of practicing cultivation, the art of becoming immortal—those are merely techniques for self-protection. Meanwhile, these books authored by Emperor Fuxi are a guide for the Human Domain. In conclusion, just memorize them completely; don't let down Emperor Fuxi's trust in you."

Wu Wang was speechless.

"Alright, fine."

He solemnly stored the storage magic treasures back into his Yin-Yang Ring, positioning them in the most conspicuous spot. I must read them thoroughly and attentively once I return! I'll strive to read all these books within a hundred years to enhance my personal qualities!

Wu Wang suddenly thought of something and asked aloud, "Senior Sanxian, he..."

"One could say he has passed away," Shen Nong spoke softly, "but it's also accurate to say he still exists."

Wu Wang roughly understood. Previously, Emperor Fuxi had mentioned, 'the three have become one.' Roughly understanding it now, ThreeOld Daoist Sanxian had become a part of the consciousness of the Heavenly Emperor. Thinking of this, Wu Wang's emotions became somewhat complicated.

Shen Nong also sighed lightly. The two leaned back in their chairs, separated by the desk, silent for a moment.

The Blue Bird suddenly felt an urge to revert to its original form and brew a pot of tea for the two... Of course, that was just a thought. She looked up at Wu Wang's profile and unconsciously stared in a daze.

Wu Wang asked, "Did Emperor Fuxi have any other last words of advice?"

"None," Shen Nong shook his head slightly, speaking softly. "The situation was already very perilous at that time; Emperor Fuxi only had time to entrust me with a few words about the path of the Human Domain, and also..."

"Hmm?"

"Nevermind," Shen Nong said with a smile, shaking his head but not elaborating further.

Wu Wang said, "There's still something I don't quite understand."

"Speak your mind."

"The Dream Realm of Senior Sanxian—it wasn't created by the Heavenly Emperor as an Order incarnation, but by the main consciousness of the Heavenly Emperor?"

"Indeed," Shen Nong explained. "As I understand it now, the main consciousness of the Heavenly Emperor and the Heavenly Emperor's Order incarnation are actually separate; at least they can't communicate at any given moment. However, deducing from the actual situation, when the Heavenly Emperor's consciousness split into three parts, they should be capable of communicating with each other."

"Then it doesn't make sense," Wu Wang frowned and continued, "If the Heavenly Emperor's main consciousness, Order incarnation, and true form correspond to the humanity, divinity, and animal nature of the Heavenly Emperor, they should be able to communicate with each other. Then why wouldn't the Heavenly Emperor just bring back ThreeOld Daoist Sanxian early on? If there was external intervention, wouldn't it be easy to obliterate the Divine Soul of Emperor Fuxi?"

Shen Nong said, "There must have been a contingency plan from Emperor Fuxi in this matter."

"I feel there is another possibility." Wu Wang pondered for a moment, his fingers habitually tapping on the table surface. He smiled, "Senior, do you think it's possible that the scene we just witnessed actually took place countless eons ago?"

"Oh?" Shen Nong squinted and asked with a smile, "What do you mean by that?"

"In fact, Emperor Fuxi had already passed away long ago, before the start of Shen Nong's era, before that period of darkness and chaos."

Wu Wang stood up, organizing the speculations in his mind into clear thoughts while formulating his words. He paced back and forth, speaking as he walked, his eyes shining brightly. "Right in the Heaven Palace, Emperor Fuxi completed his long-planned great endeavor, infiltrating Emperor Shun's consciousness and forcefully becoming Emperor Shun's humanity. Since then, there was no more Emperor Fuxi, only Emperor Shun. Later, Emperor Shun's own consciousness collapsed, splitting into three—no, four, or even five parts. The body that held his Divine Power retained the most important beast nature, the Dao of Order embodied absolute rationality, and the rest, carrying the will of Emperor Fuxi, constantly sought ways for self-redemption in the world."

Wu Wang snapped his fingers.

"If that's really the case, then all the inconsistencies we've encountered can suddenly be explained. The Emperor Fuxi we've come into contact with is indeed his will, but it is, in essence, already a part of Emperor Shun. The entire process can be seen as Emperor Shun accepting himself as he is now. Whether it's us or the god position of the God of Spring, they are the 'tools' and 'steps' his subconscious prepared for himself to convince himself and to accept his own humanity. Of course, Emperor Shun might not even realize what he is doing. But we only need to observe, to see if the Emperor Shun who returns to the Heaven Palace will show signs of indecision and hesitation, and we can largely deduce what's really happening. Senior, what do you say... Why are you laughing, Senior?"

"CHIRP!" The Blue Bird, too, called out curiously.

Shen Nong calmly put his smile away, saying softly, "I laughed?"

"CHIRP CHIRP!" The Blue Bird hopped and called out twice.

Wu Wang took a half step forward and sat back down in the wooden chair, his eyes burning as he looked intently at Shen Nong, whispering, "Is it really so?"

"It's hard to say for certain," Shen Nong replied with a smile. "You could consider this as an extension of the duel between Emperor Fuxi and Emperor Shun at the end of the ancient times, but regardless of the circumstance, it's clear that Emperor Fuxi won."

"That's only natural," Wu Wang smiled and said. "If it is as I suspect, Emperor Shun's defeat is even more pitiful. Emperor Fuxi's talent and vision are truly admirable. But... is the Candle Dragon really that fearsome?"

"The Candle Dragon is not a matter of being fearsome or not; compared to Emperor Shun, he possesses greater destructive power and is much harder to control." Shen Nong's gaze flickered slightly.

Wu Wang thought for a moment, took the necklace from his neck, and placed it on the table. He said, "Let's take this opportunity to have a proper discussion about the Candle Dragon, the Human Domain, and the matters of the Northern Wilderness."

Shen Nong agreed with a smile, straightening his sitting posture considerably.

Wu Wang softly called out, "Mother?"

"CHIRP?" The Blue Bird blinked its bird eyes and instinctively lifted its wings to cover its chest.

The gemstone on the necklace emitted speckles of light, and within it, a three-inch-tall phantom slowly solidified. Before Wu Wang could even introduce her, the Blue Bird fluttered its wings and flew to one side, hiding behind the screen. Shen Nong made a move, reinforcing the Formation inside and outside the quiet room.

Amidst the flow of Immortal Light, Cang Xue's figure floated above the gemstone of the necklace. She was dressed in a long ice-blue gown, her appearance bearing an eighty to ninety percent resemblance to her daily visage, but it was much colder, and this coldness carried a touch of sainthood—the true visage of the Ice God.

She nodded slightly to Shen Nong as a greeting, then softly asked, "Ba'er, what is it?"

Wu Wang said with a smile, "Mother, what do you think about Emperor Shun?"

"He... has been suppressed by Emperor Fuxi," Cang Xue said cheerily.

Shen Nong couldn't help but narrow his eyes in mirth. Wu Wang blinked and steered the conversation back to the matter at hand.

"Mother, what exactly is the Candle Dragon God, the Innate God? Is he really as we discussed..."

Cang Xue, however, fell silent for a while.

Seeing this, Shen Nong asked, "The Land Beyond the Skies—the Human Domain has some records; it seems someone inadvertently stumbled in there."

"Yes," Cang Xue said. "If I am not mistaken, the Cultivation Technique of the Tianyan Xuan Nu Sect is related to the Outer Sky; it's a contingency they created."

Wu Wang asked, "Is it related to Emperor Suiren?"

"Emperor Suiren did indeed go to the Outer Sky," Cang Xue said with a helpless expression. "But he was very disappointed after he went. No one knows what happened exactly. He directly challenged the Candle Dragon, failed, and then fled back to the Great Wilderness."

Wu Wang muttered softly, "Mother, why didn't you tell me this before?"

"Knowing too much will tire you out," Cang Xue said softly, her eyes filled with tenderness.

Shen Nong said, "Does the Ice God know how long it will be until the Candle Dragon can return?"

"That is somewhat unclear," Cang Xue replied. "I came here in a hurry, and my Divine Soul descended without a reliance, slumbering for an age. I can vaguely sense the situation over there through the Great Dao, and I can have simple conversations with my father, the Water God. But as for the exact situation in the Outer Sky, it's really hard to say."

Shen Nong stroked his beard and pondered. Wu Wang quietly contemplated on the side. Cang Xue looked for the Blue Bird, seemingly wanting to take advantage of this visit to chat with her.

"Wu Wang, you actually don't need to worry about these things." Shen Nong smiled and said, "Even if the Candle Dragon comes back, you won't be in danger of losing your life."

Cang Xue said, "Considering the Human Emperor has taken good care of my son, if that day really comes, I will also take action to protect the Human Domain."

"Thank you, Ice God," Shen Nong said with a smile, cupping his hands in thanks.

"The Human Emperor is too polite."

Cang Xue thought carefully, then added, "Actually, among the gods of the Outer Sky, not all follow the Candle Dragon. It's just that we stood on the opposite side of Emperor Shun, and the Candle Dragon is the strongest, nothing more. Of course, your Grandpa is a stubborn old man with a deep friendship with the Candle Dragon."

Wu Wang's face showed understanding as he whispered softly, "In that case, the Candle Dragon Divine Faction shouldn't be a great threat. The real threat is actually the Candle Dragon himself."

"No," Cang Xue said, "it is the will of chaos."

Shen Nong similarly said, "What is truly fearsome is the will of chaos that has developed within the Candle Dragon."

Wu Wang was slightly confused.

Cang Xue smiled and said, "You, don't think too much. Hurry up and cultivate to comprehend the Great Dao. It's most important that you cultivate to become Transcendent as per the cultivation methods of the Human Domain. Have you been neglecting your secluded cultivation with Fairy Ling lately?"

Wu Wang subconsciously glanced at the Blue Bird, feeling somewhat guilty. Is Mother... seeing that my life is too comfortable now and trying to raise the difficulty for me?

Shen Nong also said, "Indeed, Emperor Shun has already returned to his position. Movements in the Heaven Palace will surely be frequent. If you do not wish to follow the path of rulership, just focus on your secluded cultivation. Title, wealth, reputation—I'll let Xiao Jian and the others handle them; you will not be shortchanged."

Cang Xue revealed a satisfied smile on the side.

However, Wu Wang said, "Those are all fleeting clouds. I plan to return to the Northern Wilderness and live there for a while."

"Oh?" Shen Nong asked with concern, "Do you feel there is something uncomfortable about the Human Domain?"

"Human hearts are unpredictable; demons and monsters abound. Heaven and earth last forever; the Great Dao is resounding, forgetting oneself." The great battle in the Outer Sky once again appeared before Wu Wang's eyes.

He said, "My Dao heart is somewhat restless; I want to go home for some peace. There are still many imperfections in the Human Domain, and the loose system brings various disadvantages, all of which I can actually understand. Furthermore, human hearts are inherently heavy with personal desires. I myself am a person of strong desires, without the right to judge others. But this event has struck me deeply."

Wu Wang laughed slightly, his gaze becoming a bit misty as he spoke softly, "I never imagined the Human race could reach such heights, touch that position. I wonder if my Dao could one day also rewrite the order. I also wonder if my form could one day stand before all living beings like Emperor Fuxi—to stride into the Heaven Palace alone, instilling humanity in the Heavenly Emperor; or even to break out from the shackles of time, at some point leading the way for those who come after; not to mention, creating Yin and Yang, deducing all laws... Mother, Senior, perhaps Emperor Fuxi did not touch the realm of the Great Dao. Perhaps The Ancient Emperor of the Suiren Clan was not in the strongest state for the Human race. Moreover, where has the great goddess Nuwa gone? Who created this world, and why does it exist? The age of gods has changed five times, each time spanning a long era. How many powerful Divine Spirits have not perished but have lost themselves within the Great Dao? And finally, what exactly is the Great Dao? Just like arithmetic calculations."

Wu Wang lowered his head to glance at the wooden board, then looked at the spot where Immortal Mu had been before he had gone upstairs. He smiled and said, "The foundation of arithmetic is based on the premise that one plus one equals two, but why it equals two is difficult to explore, as this is defined as the most basic part. Who defined the existence of the Great Dao? Is it Pangu, as told in stories from the Human Domain?"

Shen Nong said slowly, "Pangu is only a legend within the Human Domain; the Great Wilderness does not have such a tale."

"What about the great goddess Nuwa then?"

"That is the mother goddess who created the Human race," Shen Nong said slowly. "But by the time The Ancient Emperor of the Suiren Clan established the Human Domain, the mother goddess had already disappeared without a trace. There's a saying that she transcended and left the Great Wilderness."

Wu Wang smiled and said, "Then, can we seek such transcendence? And what kind of mystical world lies beyond transcendence?"

Shen Nong was left speechless.

"So, I want to take a look." Wu Wang looked at Cang Xue, then at the Blue Bird, and his gaze finally settled on Shen Nong's somewhat aged and slightly weary face. "If one wants to freely explore this world, one must first become a powerful individual. So, I want to become a powerful individual of the Great Wilderness. To stand above mediocrity, to stand between heaven and earth, just like Emperor Fu Xi."

And I mustn't bring disgrace to my hometown. Wu Wang silently added this in his heart. His inner thoughts settled, and it was as if he had a sudden moment of clarity.

Vaguely, he seemed to see that figure lying in the void, surrounded by pain, wearing a light blue spacesuit. That figure gradually drifted away; the suit was slowly removed. The figure slowly got up and walked toward a shining spot of light ahead. Beyond that light were wooden buildings and stone houses, vast grasslands, bustling mortal worlds, and several increasingly clear figures.

Layers of insight welled up in Wu Wang's heart. He closed his eyes and hummed softly. A faint mist began to diffuse around him, emitting a delicate fragrance. He was actually having an epiphany.

Shen Nong looked toward Cang Xue, and they exchanged smiles of goodwill. Then, Cang Xue waved her hand at the Blue Bird, and the three-inch-tall phantom dissipated. The necklace flew back to Wu Wang's chest on its own and settled around his neck. Shen Nong summoned the Blue Bird to his palm and disappeared from the spot with it. However, the restrictions Shen Nong left behind didn't dissipate, ensuring Wu Wang's epiphany wouldn't be disturbed.

The Yin-Yang rings on Wu Wang's right hand suddenly flickered with a faint light. The storage magic treasures that Emperor Fuxi had left behind, which he had just put away, flew out of Wu Wang's ring on their own. These storage magic treasures hovered in front of Wu Wang for a while, releasing strands of faint yet exceedingly pure breath—Innate Yin and Yang energy.

On the desk in the quiet room, black and white strands of innate energy slowly converged. As they chased each other, they formed a Tai Chi Diagram, and then Eight Trigrams figures emerged around it. The storage magic treasures moved aside, their restrictions mostly lifted. That formed Tai Chi and Eight Trigrams Diagram, however, without asking for permission, slapped down towards Wu Wang's forehead…

「At the same time.」

In the Eastern Wilderness, Yang Valley, on a high branch of the towering Fusang tree, within a palace nestled where the branches intersected. A soft groan sounded. The figure lying on the throne slowly opened their eyes, their snake tail subtly sliding, their eyes filled with confusion.

Several similar voices began to converse inside the figure:

'Who am I?'

'You are Emperor Shun; you should refer to yourself as 'I'.'

'I remember, I was duelling with Fu Xi... Fu Xi's Great Dao surpassed mine; he forcibly became part of my will... I severed this part of my will, searching through the world for a solution... The Human Domain, yes, I later went to the Human Domain and kept reincarnating there. It was I who was reincarnating, not Fu Xi. And now, Fu Xi's will has been worn down by me. I return to the Heaven Palace—I am the winner!'

'Indeed, you are the Heavenly Emperor, and you have won against Fu Xi.'

'Fu Xi's Eight Trigrams Dao is nothing special.'

'We have won... It is time for us to reunify, for we are originally one entity; we just need to rest for a while to recover.'

Suddenly!

'Eh? Where is this? How can I, a humble Daoist, feel that there are still several fellow Daoists inside me? Where did Emperor Fuxi go?'

The other voices instantly fell silent. Anger filled Emperor Shun's eyes, and his forehead burst forth with strands of golden light.

"Unify!"

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