Chapter 676: Chapter 675: All Are Pawns, The Hidden Truth Behind Pangu’s Death [Part 2]
"The existence that sets the seats is truly unimaginable..."
Lin Heng murmured in amazement.
The words of Emperor Haotian had certainly broadened his horizons.
Simultaneously, he understood why Venerable Emperor Chong’en appeared so mediocre compared to other Saints he had encountered.
The root cause was that the Heavenly Dao had opened a backdoor for him.
It bestowed upon him the simplest Saint Tribulation, allowing him to pass through with effortless ease.
In contrast.
Previously in the Demon Realm, when Lady Nuwa became a Saint for the second time, the Saint Tribulation she underwent was considered the highest level.
It seemed that the Heavenly Dao was suppressing her, not wanting her to become a Saint!
But unfortunately, Lady Nuwa still managed to pass through it.
Lin Heng suddenly came to another realization.
That was, in recent years, the seats for Saints in the Mortal World had descended three consecutive times.
Yet, the opportunities for Saints in the Underworld had yet to appear.
Previously, Lin Heng thought it was just a matter of probability. Now he belatedly realized that it was a consequence of Lady Houtu’s demise.
However...
"Could it be that Lady Houtu didn’t truly perish?"
Lin Heng asked sharply.
Emperor Haotian smiled slightly, "Didn’t you already see the answer that day?"
He was referring to the sudden appearance of the Six Paths of Reincarnation when the four of them were trapped in the Supreme Celestial Abyss.
He said, "Back then, Lady Houtu’s fall was a spectacle witnessed by the world, and I once thought that she would never appear again."
"But unexpectedly..."
Emperor Haotian shook his head with a smile, after a moment’s reflection, and suddenly said, "Weren’t you curious about who the ’one’ that escaped was?"
"I think the scene ten days ago should be the answer."
As Emperor Haotian finished speaking, Lin Heng finally realized with belated shock, "It is the presence in that Divine Coffin. It is what you’ve been referring to, the ’one’ that Hongjun has been searching for all along..."
"No wonder... no wonder those eyes in the Abyss that day said, ’Finally found you.’"
"So, those eyes were sent by Hongjun..."
"And the appearance of the Six Paths of Reincarnation was to cover the escape of the Divine Coffin..."
"If that’s the case, perhaps Lady Houtu intentionally attracted Hongjun’s attention on the surface?"
Lin Heng kept voicing his guesses, only feeling that the thick fog before him was gradually dispersing.
"What you’re saying is also what I have come to understand over these days."
Emperor Haotian nodded, affirming Lin Heng’s speculations, then added with a wry smile, "I always thought that death would free me from the control of the Heavenly Dao, but even stealthily being reborn in Qingqiu, I am still its pawn."
Hearing this, Lin Heng hesitated for a moment before he realized, responding in a low voice, "Do you mean that those eyes were able to find the Divine Coffin because of you?"
Emperor Haotian replied, "It’s not just me. I bet Zhunti, Jieyin, and even you, are all pawns."
"The Heavenly Dao used us as bait to lure out the Divine Coffin, devour our essence and blood, so as to confirm that the other party is the escaping ’one.’"
"I thought sneaking into Qingqiu and reincarnating would free me from its grasp, but in truth, everything was just wishful thinking. Whether it was coming to Qingqiu or being consumed by the Divine Coffin, it was all within the Heavenly Dao’s plan..."
"Everything is proceeding according to his layout."
"He remains the player on the chessboard..."
Emperor Haotian raised his head and closed his eyes, his tone filled with anger but also with self-mockery and helplessness.
Having once been the Master of the Ancient Celestial Court and ruled over the Grand Thousand Upper Realm, he knew how wondrous it felt to have everything in the palm of your hand.
So he was unwilling to be a pawn again, thinking he wasn’t anyone’s pawn anymore.
But unfortunately.
During these ten days, he repeatedly recalled the scene in the Supreme Celestial Abyss, and through repeated sorting, he finally understood the layout behind it.
"No one can truly escape the control of the Heavenly Dao..."
Emperor Haotian’s eyes were desolate, his face no longer holding that all-conquering majesty and pride.
Lin Heng remained silent, his brow furrowed into a line, silently questioning himself, "Could it be that I am also a pawn used by the Heavenly Dao to lure out the Divine Coffin?"
He couldn’t be sure.
But just like what Emperor Haotian said, perhaps his arrival in Qingqiu was really arranged long before.
"Why does Hongjun fear Pangu’s resurrection? What grievance does he have with Pangu?" Lin Heng asked again.
Through Emperor Haotian’s explanation, he understood the reason why Hongjun wanted to settle everything.
In short.
The escaping ’one’ is the key to resurrecting Pangu.
Hongjun wants to solve the ’one,’ essentially to eliminate the possibility of Pangu reappearing in the world.
Emperor Haotian responded coldly, "Because everything he has should have belonged to Pangu!"
Lin Heng mused, "Pangu opened the heavens and the earth, he should be part of the Heavenly Dao. However, he exhausted his strength and perished, his Dao merged by others, isn’t that a natural thing?"
Lin Heng suddenly frowned, "No..."
He looked towards Emperor Haotian, his gaze shocked, "Are you saying Pangu the Great God didn’t die from exhausting his strength opening the heavens?"
Emperor Haotian sneered, "Who would open the heavens and not care about their life?"
"Especially the laughable claim of dying from exhaustion."
His voice turned grim, "Pangu perished not just from exhausting his strength opening the heavens but was ambushed by Hongjun, who was also a Chaos Demon God."
"He seized the fruits of opening the cosmos and forcefully took the Dao that should have belonged to Pangu."
"It’s just unfortunate, the Dao has fifty paths, Heaven operates at forty-nine, leaving one to escape, so he couldn’t achieve Perfection."
"And the saying that there is always a ray of life among all things in the world, perhaps, is attesting to that ’one’s’ escape."
The words of Emperor Haotian seemed to provoke divine wrath, making the entire Qingqiu flicker with purple lightning.
But he didn’t care, as if venting, he revealed the unknown secret plans of the Heavenly Dao.
This not only left Lin Heng immensely shocked.
But also made the Red-bottomed Macaque and others in the Little World look at each other in paralyzing fright.
No one could have imagined that Pangu’s demise concealed such hidden truths...
After a long silence.
Emperor Haotian seemed to calm down, and said to Lin Heng:
"I’ve said too much today, revealing all that I know."
"Daoist Lord, do you have any other matters?"
Understanding that the other was issuing a polite farewell, Lin Heng did not press further, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for clearing my doubts. I, the humble Daoist, will take my leave."
Emperor Haotian nodded, seemingly recalling something, and said, "Previously, I thought the Daoist Lord had perished in the Supreme Celestial Abyss, so I ordered Ju Lian to occupy the Bosatsu’s Sublime Light Highland, I hope the Daoist Lord won’t mind."
"Now that the Daoist Lord has emerged, that Highland shall rightfully belong to you."
