Daqin Zhentiansi

Zhang Yuan stood in front of the light and shadow mural for a long time in silence.

His gaze fell on the dark red areas, but another image was churning in his mind.

Millions of years ago, on the ninth floor of the Demon Suppression Tower.

Emperor Jun Tianzun stood before him, and he couldn't understand what was in those eyes at the time.

Now he understands.

That's a form of delivery.

A delivery that puts all its chips on a future where it's uncertain whether it can win.

Emperor Jun Tianzun knew he would come.

Xuanjue also knew.

It should be said that his very existence was the result of a plan devised by these two celestial beings over millions of years.

From his birth in the Qin Dynasty to embarking on the path of cultivation, to gradually reaching the ninth level of the Demon Suppression Tower.

Every step may be under the watchful gaze of those eyes cast from the other side of the river of time.

But why?

Why wait a million years?

Why bring him from millions of years in the future?

Because the era he came from was the true dead end.

The primordial world collapsed, the celestial beings perished, and all races were destroyed.

The Qin Dynasty was the only remaining flame still burning on those ruins.

He carried that spark, traversed the river of time, and returned to this era where there was still hope for change.

Zhang Yuan's fingers slowly traced the edge of the mural, his voice low and deep: "The current Celestial Venerable is not strong enough to suppress the entire Primordial World, right?"

Xuanqing did not speak, but his silence itself was the answer.

Zhang Yuan continued, "So he chose to hide. He chose to let go. Many things weren't that he didn't want to care, but that he couldn't. The Great Dao is so incomplete; unless the primordial world is repaired—"

He paused.

Because he stated that impossible premise.

The primordial world has collapsed.

Nearly a quarter of the 3,600 Sky-Patrolling Continents collapsed, and 800 continents turned into dust in the void.

The Heavenly Dao that once sustained supreme beings is now broken into pieces.

This means that there are no more true supreme beings in the primordial world.

It's not that no one can break through, it's that this world can no longer support that level.

Like a dried-up riverbed, no matter how heavy the rain, the water won't flow far before being swallowed by the earth.

"To reunite in Xuntian Continent and return to the primordial world," Zhang Yuan raised his head and looked at Xuan Qing, "is it possible?"

Xuanqing remained silent for a long time.

Then he shook his head.

"impossible."

"Leaving aside the fact that Xuntian Continent was once the chain used by Emperor Jun to suppress the Heavenly Demon Supreme, just the fact that they want to return to the Primordial World now requires a powerhouse no less powerful than Emperor Jun to take action."

"Pull the three thousand six hundred Sky Continents out of the space-time rift again and embed them into the gap in the Primordial Great Road."

He looked at Zhang Yuan, his eyes devoid of mockery, only revealing a deep-seated weariness: "In the present primordial world, are there still such powerful beings?"

Zhang Yuan did not answer.

Because they all know the answer.

No more.

Emperor Jun, the Heavenly Venerable, has perished.

Xuanjue is burning himself to maintain the seal.

As for Zhang Yuan, a half-step Hunyuan, although it sounds impressive, he wouldn't even have the right to stand in the first row in Tianyuan City a million years ago.

The Venerables in the Heavenly Palace were mostly not as strong as Zhang Yuanqiang.

Xuan Qing added, his voice even lower: "Moreover, Xuntian Continent has been corrupted by the Heavenly Demon Supreme for millions of years."

"The demonic energy has seeped into the depths of the earth's veins on every continent, into every inch of soil and every drop of water."

“If we forcibly pull them back to the primordial world, the primordial world will turn into a demonic realm within three years.” Zhang Yuan fell silent.

That was a dead end.

The Sky Continent will not return to the primordial world; the seal is collapsing, and the Heavenly Demon will eventually break free.

The Sky-Piercing Continent returned to the Primordial World, where demonic energy eroded it, turning the Primordial World into a second Demon Realm.

No matter which path you choose, the result seems to be the same.

Xuan Qing suddenly changed the subject: "Is Xuan Wu still alive?"

Zhang Yuan nodded.

Xuan Qing showed no surprise, simply saying, "That's normal. Xuan Jue won't kill Xuan Wu."

Zhang Yuan understood what he meant.

Xuanwu Venerable, the traitor who colluded with the demon race, the Venerable who betrayed the Heavenly Palace millions of years ago—Xuanjue knew of his deeds, yet never killed him.

why?
The existence of xuan wu is itself a backup plan.

If the Heavenly Demon really breaks the seal, if that Supreme Heavenly Demon really escapes, someone will have to clean up the mess.

Xuanwu has colluded with the demon race for many years and knows the demons' way of doing things, power system, and power structure very well.

If he takes over, at least a portion of the celestial bloodline can be preserved.

Thinking deeper, are there really such big differences between the demon race and the celestial race?

Zhang Yuan's gaze flickered slightly.

If the Heavenly Demons truly conquered the Primordial World, then it should be Venerable Xuanwu who ascended to the position of Heavenly Venerable.

At that time, the cultivation traditions of all races in the primordial world will change, all cultivation methods will be infused with demonic energy, and all cultivation paths will be led to the demonic path.

For the vast majority of races, what is the difference between being enslaved by the Celestial Race and being enslaved by the Demon Race?
Ordinary people don't care who's sitting above them.

What they care about is whether they can survive and whether the next generation can survive.

They had to pay taxes when the celestial beings ruled, and they also had to pay taxes when the celestial demons ruled.

When the celestial beings ruled, they could not cultivate profound techniques; when the celestial demons ruled, they could not either.

It's just a change of masters; life won't get better or worse.

But Zhang Yuan is different.

The Qin Dynasty stood behind him.

The Great Qin needs to reunite the thirty-six continents and ensure that the flame of humanity is passed down from generation to generation and never extinguished.

If the Qin Dynasty were to fall, the human race would truly cease to exist.

They were not enslaved, nor were they forced to change their lineage.

It was wiped out from the root.

He had seen humans who had fallen into demonic possession.

Those faces distorted by demonic energy, those horrific sights of devouring their own kind after losing their minds, those inhuman wails uttered during the demonization process.

Are humans who have fallen into demonic possession still human?
Zhang Yuan already had the answer in his heart.

No, it's not.

Humans who fall into demonic possession will fundamentally alter the Great Dao system.

Just as the Heavenly Demons replaced the Celestials, their cultivation methods were exactly the same as those of all races. Humans who fell into demonic possession would inevitably be assimilated by the demonic energy and eventually become another kind of creature.

The torch of humanity has been passed down.

Therefore, he cannot afford to lose.

Just as he was about to ask something, Xuan Qing suddenly said something that stunned him.

"The army of Xuntianzhou is not incapable of destroying those demonic beasts."

His voice was calm, as if he were saying something he had wanted to tell Zhang Yuan for a long time: "It cannot be destroyed."

Zhang Yuan's gaze sharpened.

"Is it because of that Demon Lord?"

“Yes.” Xuan Qing nodded. “The mass extermination of demons will have an extremely serious consequence: the demonic energy will increase dramatically.”

"The demonic energy within the slain beasts will not dissipate, but will return to the world and be absorbed by the being they served."

"The more you kill, the more power he gains." (End of Chapter)