They could only make one mistake!
If one day the Heavenly Gates were opened and an Ancient God descended, everything in this world would turn to ash.
Maintaining high vigilance across the near-boundless river of time was an almost impossible task.
...
One day, Pangu summoned his most prized disciples.
He had disciples numbering in the billions. One could even say that all living beings were his acolytes and their descendants.
But only seventy-two held the true title of Disciple.
Each one was a supreme prodigy from their respective race, as well as their race's most powerful figure.
Among them, there was even one from the Demon Race, bearing a blood-moon mark on their brow.
"I am going to die."
In the vision, Pangu's expression was calm as he spoke to his disciples.
All of them were shocked, finding it impossible to believe.
In their eyes, their teacher was immortal and virtually indestructible. How could he possibly die?
"Even the mighty Ancient Gods may not truly live forever, let alone me," Pangu said, his expression serene.
"Is there no way to prolong your life?" a disciple asked, unwilling to give up hope.
"Under the Heavenly Dao," Pangu explained, "there is no eternity. Nothing is eternally strong, eternally peaceful, eternally embattled, or eternally existent. This is a tribulation of the Great Dao itself, not a decline in my lifespan."
"Is it a dead end?" another disciple asked.
After a moment of thought, Pangu said, "If one could match, or even surpass, the Heavenly Dao, perhaps endless life could be attained."
Upon hearing this, everyone's expression fell.
The more they cultivated, the more they understood the immeasurable, boundless nature of the Heavenly Dao, which was far beyond the comprehension of any mortal being.
"You need not belittle yourselves," Pangu continued. "The ways of Heaven number fifty, yet only forty-nine are employed. This means a sliver of opportunity always remains in the world... Perhaps one day, some among you will grasp its true meaning and comprehend the path to transcendence!"
Everyone fell silent. In the crowd, only a select few had a glimmer in their eyes, their thoughts hidden.
"Before I die, I will hide the one hundred and eight Heavenly Gates, turning them into formless things. I will let them wander among the heavens, sometimes attaching to a person, sometimes evolving into a Cave Heaven, or sometimes manifesting as a magical treasure...
"As for the rest, I leave it to you."
As Pangu's voice faded, the sound of the Dao rumbled across heaven and earth. One hundred and eight rainbow lights surged from the distant sky.
The rays of light rose higher and higher until they converged and burst like fireworks, vanishing without a trace.
The expressions of the disciples shifted. As they focused their senses, they realized the once-distinct auras of the Heavenly Gates were gradually concealing their divine nature.
Some entered the bodies of newborn infants.
Some became a fallen leaf from a withered tree, buried deep underground.
Some turned into a drop of water, flowing down a river to an unknown destination.
Some became a speck of dust in the starry void.
Before long, all the Heavenly Gates had disappeared as if they had never existed.
Thus, for the agents of the Ancient Gods, interfering with the Heavenly Gates now became as difficult as ascending to the heavens.
"But Teacher, if you do this, won't we also be unable to know the whereabouts of the Heavenly Gates? How will we protect them?" a disciple asked hurriedly.
A dazzling brilliance began to emanate from Pangu's body as it slowly ignited with Divine Fire, looking as if he might ascend at any moment.
He pondered for a moment. With a gesture, runes shifted and countless Divine Metals and treasures fused, swiftly forming a scroll.
On it were dotted one hundred and eight stars, all moving continuously as if alive.
"I bestow upon you the Nine Heavens Star Chart. With it, you can monitor the location of the Heavenly Gates at all times. This chart must be carefully guarded and must not fall into the hands of outsiders.
"Remember this well! You must remember!"
When he finished speaking, Pangu's body was completely consumed by the Divine Fire, dissolving into specks of light that scattered between heaven and earth.
At this point, the vision abruptly ended.
Wang Xiu withdrew his gaze and looked toward the avatar of the Heavenly Dao. "So, what exactly is ascension?"
The avatar of the Heavenly Dao spoke slowly, "When a cultivator survives a certain number of Heavenly Tribulations, they simply vanish. 'Ascension' is the story told to reassure the people."
Wang Xiu asked, "Where do they go?"
The avatar of the Heavenly Dao said, "The Seven Sacred Lands of the Human Race are situated on seven ancient battlefields. Each one leads directly to the Demon Realm, where endless battles rage... All of the so-called 'ascended' cultivators are there."
Puzzled, Wang Xiu asked, "Why do they conceal these things?"
The avatar of the Heavenly Dao replied, "Because the world has changed. The Nine Heavens have been peaceful for far too long, and the Demon Race no longer launches large-scale invasions as they did in the ancient era.
"Even when their nature compels them to plunder, they mostly target insignificant minor worlds.
"The fighting on those battlefields is a matter of compulsion. They cannot defy the commands etched into their very bloodlines by the Ancient Gods of old. They are forced to work toward the grand goal of bringing the gods back.
"But beyond those inescapable commands, they don't want war. They don't want to die, either.
"Without an enemy, peace is like stagnant water.
"The cultivators at the top remain at the top, and those at the bottom stay at the bottom. Over time, discontent is bound to grow.
"The human heart is fickle. Faced with the temptations of the Ancient Gods, many would surrender without hesitation.
"In the eyes of the Human Race's elite, if this information got out, the situation would only worsen. Some might even raise banners and chant slogans to 'welcome back the Ancient Gods'!"
Wang Xiu was silent for a moment before saying, "Desire cannot be contained."
"That's the truth."
A rare, human-like luster flickered in the eyes of the Heavenly Dao's avatar, its voice tinged with emotion. "Even though the Sacred Lands have been suppressing the news, over time, things inevitably take root in the corners forgotten by the light.
"A certain group of people has emerged. They are disillusioned with the world and fanatically believe in the Ancient Gods. They think that by helping the gods return, they will be hailed as great heroes and gain status and power far beyond what they currently possess."
