Chapter 673: Forty percent

　　“Imperial Lords, please bring the Moon Lord back to the Fire Cloud Cave to rest first. I will fetch her later.”

　　Li Changshou said softly. Fuxi and Shennong, who were behind him nodded slightly. Their bodies merged into the Chaos aura and slowly disappeared.

　　They did not say anything and did not seem to be sad.

　　On the contrary, the two Emperors felt relieved, as if they had completed some mission.

　　The Fire Emperor had had a tough life.

　　“Senior Brother, are you coming?”

　　Li Changshou asked softly and slowly stood up. He carefully placed the ashes in his palm into the jade bottle and stored them in the depths of the treasure pouch.

　　Great Daoist Master Xuan Du was puzzled. “Where are we going?”

　　Li Changshou looked up at the palace in front of him and whispered, “Purple Cloud Palace.”

　　“Do you need me to accompany you?”

　　“It depends on your thoughts, Senior Brother.” Li Changshou smiled bitterly. “Senior Brother, it’s best not to come over. I want…”

　　The Great Daoist Master smiled and said, “Then I’ll go with you.”

　　“Thank you, Senior Brother.”

　　The Great Daoist Master raised his hand and patted Li Changshou’s shoulder. He said, “I don’t know what you’re thinking about now, and I don’t want to ask. I’m afraid I won’t understand even if I ask. However, you have to try and get someone to help you share the burden.”

　　Li Changshou nodded with a smile. He looked at the place where Suiren disappeared and heaved a sigh of relief. He flew to the Purple Cloud Palace not far away with the Great Daoist Master.

　　At that moment, the Purple Cloud Palace was rather peaceful, as if nothing had happened.

　　The Dao Ancestor sat quietly in the deepest part of the hall. A peaceful aura floated around him, as if he had known that Li Changshou would come and waited quietly.

　　The Great Daoist Master took half a step forward and bowed with Li Changshou.

　　Dao Ancestor Hong Jun nodded with a smile. His calm voice echoed in the hall.

　　“The Heavenly Dao gave birth to selfish thoughts because of the selfish desires of the human race. The human race used the human race’s will to seal this selfish thought and contained the Great Dao of Karma.”

　　Great Daoist Master Xuan Du said, “Grandmaster is right.”

　　“It’s fake.”

　　Li Changshou said calmly.

　　Dao Ancestor Hong Jun frowned slightly. The Great Daoist Master turned to look at Li Changshou in shock.

　　The Great Daoist Master looked surprised, as if he was studying if Li Changshou had lost his soul.

　　Dao Ancestor Hong Jun asked, “What’s fake?”

　　“The Heavenly Dao’s will,” Li Changshou said calmly. “The Dao Ancestor once said that a remnant will of Pangu needs me to suppress it. Where is the will of Pangu now?”

　　Dao Ancestor Hong Jun could not help but be silent.

　　Li Changshou took two steps forward and said word by word, “The Dao Ancestor is fusing with the Heavenly Dao. The Dao Ancestor is the Heavenly Dao and is no longer a living being.”

　　“The Heavenly Dao is a combination of rules. Its own will is not similar to that of living beings. Living beings and the Heavenly Dao cannot understand each other. This is because the thought processes of the two of them are fundamentally different and the space-time dimension is different. Therefore, to living beings, the Heavenly Dao does not have any will. The Heavenly Dao is nature. After the Dao Ancestor and the Heavenly Dao merged, the will born from the Heavenly Dao is only the Dao Ancestor’s own will.”

　　“Dao Ancestor, why did the demons slaughter the human race in the ancient times? Why did they force the human race to a corner? Where did the human race obtain the Fiend Ancestor’s remnant soul? There are only the remnant souls of the Fiend Ancestor in the world. Apart from the two Saints of the Western Sect who went to repair the Western Sect, there are only the Dao Ancestors.”

　　“Dao Ancestor, what do you want?”

　　“It’s because my position is not right. I plucked the Heavenly Dao Fruit left behind by the Pangu God and felt a little guilty. That’s why I have to control everything in my palm.”

　　Great Daoist Master Xuan Du was a little stunned. He looked at his junior brother’s back and suddenly understood why Li Changshou was slightly conflicted previously.

　　He wanted his senior brother to be a witness, but he did not want to drag him into the vortex.

　　Alright, he was here to expose the Dao Ancestor.

　　The Great Daoist Master reacted instantly. When he saw the Dao Ancestor’s helpless expression, he immediately took half a step forward and hurriedly said, “Grandmaster, is what Changshou said true?”

　　His expression was quite appropriate.

　　The Dao Ancestor sighed and said, “Changgeng and I seem to have a deep misunderstanding. I can suppress the Primordial World with a flip of my hand. Why spend so much effort?”

　　“Dao Ancestor, take action and suppress me.”

　　Li Changshou looked up at the Dao Ancestor. “I was rude. Please punish me, Dao Ancestor.”

　　“Changshou!” The Great Daoist Master stopped in front of Li Changshou and whispered, “Are you crazy or have you lost your mind? Grandmaster, don’t blame me. My junior brother should have lost his Dao heart because Senior Suiren died in battle.”

　　“Dao Ancestor, please punish me!”

　　Li Changshou shouted and looked at Dao Ancestor Hong Jun.

　　The Dao Ancestor sighed softly.

　　“The Dao Ancestor can’t do it, right?”

　　Li Changshou raised his head and took a deep breath. “In order to kill that senior, the Dao Ancestor had paid too much of a price. Instead of saying that the Dao Ancestor and the Heavenly Dao had joined forces, it would be better to say that the Dao Ancestor had stolen the Heavenly Dao and killed that senior with the Primordial World. If the Heavenly Dao was a huge tree, the power of six Saints would be the foundation. However, the Great Dao of the six Saints would be enough. The Dao Ancestor had become a tree trunk and grown the crown of the Heavenly Courts. The only thing that the Dao Ancestor can use is the power of the Heavenly Dao. He has already reached the Daoless realm and his Dharma powers. Therefore, the Dao Ancestor cannot kill me, right? That’s because the Heavenly Dao cannot erase the greatest variable of an era.”

　　“In the Primordial World, the strongest living being is actually our teacher. Therefore, Senior Suiren led the spirits here. The Dao Ancestor did not care because the power of the Heavenly Dao could suppress them. However, when Teacher and his two Uncle-Masters arrived, the Dao Ancestor had no choice but to give in. He took out the last will of the Pangu God, who had long been prepared and had been infected by his selfish desires, and was suppressed by the human Dao. From the beginning to the end, the Great Tribulation is because of the Dao Ancestor. My master, Qi Yuan, was burned to death. When I was recuperating in the Primordial Chaos Golden Chalice, the one who looked at me was the Dao Ancestor. The one who had arranged everything in the Primordial World to threaten Saint Nuwa was also the Dao Ancestor. The Heavenly Dao only has its will, Dao Ancestor.”

　　Everyone in the Purple Cloud Palace was silent.

　　The Dao Ancestor said slowly, “Do you really think so?”

　　Li Changshou’s eyes were filled with indignation as he stared at the Dao Ancestor.

　　The Dao Ancestor asked, “Why would you rather trust a frivolous Daoist who went to the Demon Court to commit adultery than me?”

　　“I don’t believe any of you!”

　　Li Changshou stared at the Dao Ancestor and sneered. “The purpose of that senior pulling me to the Primordial World is self-evident. The Dao Ancestor has given me many benefits and allowed me to have a smooth-sailing life in the Heavenly Dao’s order. His goal is not purely for the wellbeing of the living beings of the world. You are all plotting to surround the Primordial World for the legacy of the Pangu God. The world ultimately belongs to all living beings. Whoever wants to control the world would become a puppet of the world. Now, I’m standing here. The Dao Ancestor can retract the Heavenly Dao sequence and take back my authority.”

　　“Why bother?”

　　The Dao Ancestor sighed softly. “Changgeng, don’t be so obsessed.”

　　Li Changshou took a deep breath and bowed with a Dao salute. “Today, I still address you as Grandmaster. However, Grandmaster, I have made my bottom line clear today. The human race, his relatives, and the Jade Emperor. I will continue to preside over the Great Tribulation. I will continue to do what I have to do. The Heavenly Dao’s selfish desires are not obvious. The Heavenly Courts would naturally prosper. The order of the Heavenly Courts is a blueprint that I have drawn. If I rebel, the Primordial World will definitely collapse in an extremely short period of time and return to chaos. If I have offended you today, please forgive me, Grandmaster.”

　　After saying that, Li Changshou bowed again and turned to walk towards the door of the Purple Cloud Palace.

　　Great Daoist Master Xuan Du hurriedly bowed to the Dao Ancestor. “Grandmaster, don’t take it to heart. Junior Brother is possessed.”

　　Then, he hurriedly chased after Li Changshou.

　　What’s wrong with Junior Brother?

　　It is too unstable of him to blatantly threaten the Dao Ancestor!

　　Could it be that the higher-ups are the most stable?

　　After leaving the Purple Cloud Palace, the Great Daoist Master grabbed Li Changshou’s arm and escaped towards the Chaos Sea. The Dao runes of the Taiji Painting wrapped around the two of them and quickly left without stopping.

　　The Purple Cloud Palace was wrapped in lightning, like the wrath of the heavens.

　　When they flew out of the range of the Heavenly Dao’s influence, the Great Dao of Xuan Du activated the power of the Taiji Painting and enveloped the two of them. They glared at Li Changshou.

　　“You’re crazy. What if Grandmaster really attacks?!”

　　Li Changshou lowered his head and exhaled. Cold sweat broke out on his back and forehead.

　　“I didn’t attack.”

　　Li Changshou muttered and looked down at his palm to calm his Dao heart.

　　Done.

　　The Great Daoist Master frowned and sized Li Changshou up. He was puzzled. “What are you plotting?”

　　“Great fortune of the Primordial World.”

　　Li Changshou smiled helplessly and made an inviting gesture with his hand to the Great Daoist Master. “We can’t stay in the Chaos Sea for too long. Otherwise, the Heavenly Dao will tacitly approve of us escaping the Great Tribulation. That would be troublesome.”

　　“Did the three human emperors really suppress the last will of the Pangu God?”

　　“No, there was never the last will of the Pangu God. The last will of the Pangu God was given to our teacher,” Li Changshou said. “Otherwise, why would Teacher stay in the Primordial World? He would have left long ago.”

　　The Great Daoist Master was confused. He asked in confusion, “What’s going on?”

　　“It’s a long story. We have to start a long time ago.”

　　“Simply put.” The Great Daoist Master wrapped his left hand around Li Changshou’s neck. “If I don’t explain clearly, how can I let you go today? Why? Don’t tell me you don’t even believe me?”

　　“How can I not believe you? Teacher and Senior Brother are the only things I can rely on. Moreover, everything that I have now is an opportunity given by Senior Brother.

　　Teacher gave me the confidence to speak to the Dao Ancestor like that.”

　　Li Changshou sighed softly. “Senior Brother, do you still remember the first time I came to the Purple Cloud Palace and Grandmaster left me behind?”

　　“Um…”

　　“Grandmaster told me a story about the last will of the Pangu God.”

　　Li Changshou said, “Senior Brother, you can understand it as Grandmaster’s guidance and constant hints. He made me form a series of plans to absorb the changes in the world and create the greatest variable for me. I have already told Teacher about this. However, Teacher does not care about it. This is because it is the rules of the Heavenly Dao, not Teacher’s Dao.”

　　The Great Daoist Master smiled bitterly and said, “Our teacher doesn’t care about anything.”

　　“Because Teacher represents the carefree nature of the Pangu God. Back then, the Pangu God could sacrifice himself to fulfill all living beings…”

　　“The Taiji Painting is listening. Be careful with your words!”

　　The Great Daoist Master pinched Li Changshou. “Let’s talk about serious matters. What did the Dao Ancestor plan?”

　　Li Changshou said, “The Dao Ancestor wants to revive the Heavenly Courts, strengthen the Heavenly Dao, suppress the six Saints, and suppress the power of living beings. The matter regarding the Goddess’s Temple had long been within his calculations.Also, it was not my order that Maitreya could not enter this world. The Jade Emperor could not do that. Under normal circumstances, it was Maitreya who entered the world. The Jade Emperor and I can decide to send a Heavenly Punishment to him and not isolate him from the world. It was all our Grandmaster’s plan.”

　　“Why?”

　　“I can’t tell Senior Brother the answer for the time being,” Li Changshou said seriously. “That’s because it will start to be popularized from a very basic place. It’s not good for Senior Brother’s cultivation.”

　　“Oh? Let’s hear it. I’m considered one of the smarter ones among the first batch of humans.”

　　“The second law of thermodynamics. The entropy of an isolated system will not decrease.”

　　The Great Daoist Master was speechless.

　　“Let’s talk about schemes. Did the Dao Ancestor plot against Fire Emperor Suiren?”

　　“Yes,” Li Changshou said. “The Dao Ancestor is protecting a script for the Great Tribulation. Why should he protect that script? There are two answers. Firstly, the script fulfilled the Dao Ancestor’s expectations. Secondly, the Dao Ancestor had already made too many arrangements according to the script. It should be what the Dao Ancestor has been doing since ancient times.”

　　Great Daoist Master Xuan Du pondered for a while and asked, “Why?”

　　Li Changshou smiled and said, “That points to the most fundamental question. What is the relationship between the Heavenly Dao and the Dao Ancestor?”

　　“What relationship?”

　　“I can’t say.” Li Changshou sighed and said, “That’s because I can’t be completely sure now. However, I have already told the Dao Ancestor in the Purple Cloud Palace about his relationship with the Heavenly Dao. Senior Suiren understood that. Therefore, he chose to die at the last moment to lower the Dao Ancestor’s guard. I did that in the Purple Cloud Palace just now to make Senior Suiren’s death valuable.”

　　The Great Daoist Master was speechless.

　　“You really confused me.”

　　The Great Daoist Master tried to organize his thoughts and said, “What I mean is that the Dao Ancestor used you to restrain the power of living beings. He was already prepared for the people of the Goddess’s Temple to directly interfere with the Human Emperor and insult the Goddess. He also used you to stimulate the foundation of the human race and consume that portion of the foundation. Then, you and the Fire Emperor put on a show. The Fire Emperor was willing to die. You went to the Purple Cloud Palace to threaten the Dao Ancestor. That way, the Dao Ancestor would think that you are just so-so and hence dispel his guard against you.”

　　“Part of me is wary,” Li Changshou said. “He’s like me. He will never believe in each other. The huge gift that the senior left me was actually to let the Dao Ancestor step into the Heavenly Dao trap. As a result, I have become a problem that the Dao Ancestor cannot directly kill. However, the Dao Ancestor held onto my sore spot, so the Dao Ancestor felt that he was confident. I have a way to break the situation and a few backup plans, but it’s too early to talk about winning.”

　　“Yun Xiao and the others?”

　　“It’s not just them. Senior Brother, you too.”

　　Li Changshou took out a treasure pouch from his sleeve and smiled in embarrassment. He handed it to the Great Daoist Master.

　　“Senior Brother, I’m not going overboard. This…”

　　“I know about the Armageddon Sachet. I’ve seen you give it to Ao Yi.”

　　The Great Daoist Master calmly took the treasure pouch and smiled. “Then I’ll wait for your news in Xuandu City… I’m almost at the edge of the Heavenly Dao.”

　　Li Changshou turned around and looked at the Chaos Sea.

　　“From now on, this game is no longer a battle between me and the Dao Ancestor.”

　　“Oh? What’s that?”

　　“Living beings and the world.”

　　Li Changshou’s fingers swayed slightly. The Dao runes of the Taiji Painting slowly dissipated. The two of them returned to the world.

　　As they approached the horizon, the two of them began to act.

　　The Great Daoist Master wanted to return to Xuandu City from the Chaos Sea to meet Kong Xuan, who had been hiding previously. He reminded Li Changshou seriously, “Junior Brother, you have to learn to control your anger and your emotions. How can you talk to Grandmaster like that? You’re being rude!”

　　Li Changshou’s expression was gloomy, but he lowered his head and did not say anything. He cupped his hands at the Great Daoist Master and turned around to fly into the world. He did not cause any abnormalities.

　　The Great Daoist Master shook his head and turned around to return to the Chaos Sea.

　　In the Purple Cloud Palace, the burly old Daoist priest opened his eyes and suddenly said, “How fake is that?”

　　Behind him, a gray figure slowly condensed and said, “Thirty percent fake, thirty percent real, and forty percent impossible to determine that the Torch Flame has landed on him.”

　　“You shouldn’t have lowered your head to Suiren back then and allowed him to obtain the power of the Torch Flame.”

　　“The human race has won the world. The rules are limited. I have to follow the rules.” The gray-robed old Daoist priest sighed. “In the end, that fellow left behind such a huge problem.”

　　The Dao Ancestor said calmly, “Fortunately, Li Changgeng feels that he was the one who attracted me. Let him leave the Primordial World earlier. He’s almost out of control.”

　　“The time is not ripe. The rules are not enough.” The gray-robed old Daoist priest shook his head. “I can’t continue to appear next. The shackles of the heavens ultimately restrict my will. If he gets suspicious again, you and I…”

　　“Our stands are against each other.”

　　In the Purple Cloud Palace, the Dao Ancestor and the old Daoist priest looked at each other and smiled. The latter’s figure gradually dissipated, leaving the Dao Ancestor alone to sit there and think quietly.

　　…

　　Half a day later…

　　In the straw hut on Little Qiong Peak, Li Changshou placed the carved wooden sign on the desk of his straw hut. On the sign was the words “Suiren’s seat”. There were three incense sticks in front of it.

　　Li Changshou first bowed with a Dao salute. Then, he lifted the hem of his Daoist robe and kowtowed three times to the memorial tablet. He quietly knelt on the ground and did not move.

　　In the depths of Li Changshou’s Dao heart, the word “1” on a stone tablet beside his essence soul was slowly erased.

　　Sometimes, he could not tell the truth to the person he believed in.

　　It was the same for Teacher and Senior Brother. That was because their thoughts were often different from theirs. If they could not understand each other, there would be a hidden danger.

　　It was unstable.

　　His teacher had said that he should live on and fight for a chance of survival.

　　Actually, he had a complete plan. There was no need to place his hopes on the argument that justice would prevail.

　　The essence soul raised the brush and engraved another word on the stone tablet.

　　Four.

　　Li Changshou stood up and looked at Suiren’s memorial tablet with his hands behind his back.

　　When did I get involved in this strange karma?

　　It could not be avoided. This was decided by his own unique nature. If he was discovered by the Dao Ancestor when he encountered the Heavenly Tribulation, there would be a similar path. He did not want to be controlled by the so-called fate, so he would naturally react in a series of ways.

　　It was like a world. The disturbances at the beginning determined the appearance of the world at that moment.

　　However, that was not fate.

　　The so-called destiny was nothing more than what the Heavenly Dao wanted the living beings to believe.

　　The words in the Book of Life and Death were changing every moment. Everything was just an increase and decrease of fixed numbers and variables. At the end of the day, it was just a math problem.

　　Li Changshou slowly clenched his left fist and stood there in deep thought.

　　How should I continue to increase my chances of winning?

　　Indeed, the heavier your burden, the further you are from being carefree. Senior Suiren’s final entrustment was really heavy.

　　However, no matter what, thank you.

　　Pioneer.