This is so dishonest!

Chapter 407 The Birth of Wu Gang; The Struggle for the Great Dao!

Inside the Pangu Hall on Buzhou Mountain, the thirteen ancestral witches reached a consensus and decided to carry out a "strategic attack" in the name of "demon".

An unprecedented "smear campaign" targeting the new Heavenly Emperor and his "divine race" plans spread silently and wildly to every corner of the entire primordial universe, like an invisible plague.

At this moment, it demonstrated its astonishing, even terrifying, execution and "combat power" in terms of "literary principles and morality".

Countless stories, narratives, ballads, and even illustrated historical scrolls, created by the most talented and imaginative priests and historians of the witch clan, with detailed content, intricate plots, and touching writing, flowed into the myriad realms like snowflakes through various overt and covert channels.

The core ideas of these "literary and artistic works" are highly unified.

That is—in a parallel universe, the Heavenly Emperor of the primordial world was an ambitious and perverse person.

He attempted to emulate the ancient ferocious beast, Huang Shenni, by using the name of the "demon race" to enslave all living beings.
Among them, "The Growth Story of the Demon Emperor," a series of popular stories in the Three Realms, was created by Tianwu, the Ancestral Witch of the Wind, with his profound understanding of the laws of "gossip and rumors." It is the culmination of this series.

Upon its release, it quickly became a hit in the "story creation area" of the entire StarNet.

In this story, the Primordial Heavenly Emperor is depicted as a scheming, treacherous, and cunning "Sun Bird Demon".

On the surface, he appears benevolent and humble, but in reality, he harbors evil intentions. As early as when the previous Heavenly Emperor was in power, he had already secretly colluded with various "demons and monsters" to cultivate his private power and covet the throne of the Heavenly Emperor.

His eventual success in ascending the throne was not due to the Holy Heavenly Emperor's genuine abdication.

Instead, he used some despicable "sorcery" to bewitch the Holy Heavenly Emperor's mind and colluded with certain "extraterrestrial demons" to ultimately "usurp" the position of the supreme ruler of the Three Realms.

After taking power, he implemented the so-called "demon race" plan.

Their ultimate goal is to turn all non-"demon race" beings into slaves and food for their "demon race," and to recreate the dark age when the gods were in power, when all beings wept and blood flowed like rivers!

The plot of "The Growth of the Demon Emperor" is so intricate and bizarre, the characters are so well-developed and three-dimensional, and the language is so moving and tear-jerking that it has left countless readers in awe and full of praise!

Of course, when Tianwu, the Ancestral Witch of the Wind, was creating the story, he specifically added a sentence.

"This story is adapted from a true story. The prototype of the story takes place in another primordial world and has nothing to do with the Primordial Realm."

Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Finally, he even invoked the Holy Heavenly Emperor's "Decree of No Taboos" to endorse it.

After all, after the second Zixiao Palace Conference, the Holy Heavenly Emperor encouraged everyone to go to the River of Time and Space, create their own tributaries, and allow everyone to create a multiverse of prehistoric worlds.

Therefore, almost all the Wu Clan's stories published on the StarNet include such a disclaimer.

Because this novel, "The Growth Story of the Demon Emperor," was so well-written, the name "Demon Emperor" spread like wildfire and quickly became one of the most popular search terms on the Star Network.

Countless uninformed onlookers were filled with righteous indignation after reading this "masterpiece of documentary literature".

We express the strongest condemnation and deepest indignation at the "Demon Emperor's" "malicious intentions" and "heinous crimes"!
"Heavens! I never expected that the Heavenly Emperor of that primordial world would be such a hypocritical and treacherous scoundrel!"

"This is terrifying! The Heavenly Emperor's scheming is even more profound than the Blood Sea beneath the Nine Netherworlds!"

"It's more than that, it's outrageously vicious. I really feel sorry for the creatures in that world now."

"Is there anyone who can trace back to the source and find this world? Let's team up and teach this 'Demon Emperor' to be the Heavenly Emperor!" a student from the Heavenly Dao Academy exclaimed.

Its signature is 【昊自为之】.

“Yes! If we can trace back to this world, we must teach this ‘Demon Emperor’ what it means to be an emperor!” Another student from the Heavenly Dao Academy chimed in.

His name is Yun Cheng Wanli Peng.

"The virtue of the Heavenly Emperor shines through the ages, so how can the Heavenly Emperor of this world be so incompetent? If we can trace the source, we must strike hard!"

"Bah! This Demon Emperor doesn't deserve to be called the Heavenly Emperor; it's beneath him!"

"This is an insult to the title of Heavenly Emperor!"

Those who commented following this post were all students from Tiandao Academy.

Everyone deeply loves and respects both the Holy Heavenly Emperor and the current Heavenly Emperor.

Therefore, upon seeing the story of "Parallel Primordial World" and witnessing the misery of all living beings, they felt both pity and righteous indignation.

"I tried, but the real-life case in this story is hard to trace, and there are probably too many adaptations." This message was left by a student.

He went online using his real name.

The signature is "Kong Xuan".

The other students were all surprised: "Kong Xuan? The president of the Divine Martial Arts Association of the Five Elements Academy?"

"Hiss? Even with his strength, he can't trace the source. It looks like we have no hope either."

"Then we can only ask our superiors for help."

"I'll go find our dean!"

"I am coming too!"

Therefore, many students with a strong sense of justice sought out their teachers and elders, asking them to trace the world described in the folk tales.

The deans of various colleges were also curious about this, so they did some quick calculations.

Then, to everyone's surprise, they couldn't calculate any information at all!
Even Wu Gang, the author credited as the author of "The Growth of the Demon Emperor," couldn't calculate any information.

It's as if this person doesn't exist in any of the myriad realms.

"Hiss, who on earth is courting death?"

Which of the deans isn't a seasoned entertainer who's seen it all?

Even if they didn't know the Heavenly Emperor's plan, they realized at this moment that there might be a deity causing trouble.

Who is behind this?

Some deans got together and tried to predict the future, but they couldn't get much useful information.

That's because the thirteen ancestral witches joined forces to shield all the secrets about the origins of various stories and the creative teams behind them.

Some of the fun-loving gods even took advantage of the chaos and wrote some related stories with the intention of "making a scene," but they were also protected by the ancestral witches.

How could they possibly succeed in tracing the source?

~~~~~
As the Wu Clan's massive campaign to create and promote the concept of the "demon race" spread like wildfire through various clandestine channels among the lower and middle classes of the prehistoric world, it began to quietly permeate the land.

Taiyi, who was at the center of power in the Taiwei Heavenly Court, was not as overwhelmed or furious as outsiders imagined.

He simply sat quietly on the throne of the Heavenly Emperor, his gaze fixed intently on the analysis of public opinion trends regarding the rumors about the "demon race" that Kunpeng had urgently reported to him on the Star Network.

Instead of showing any anger, he revealed a faint, amused smile.

"A demon, a fabrication of the gods? Heh, interesting, truly interesting."

Taiyi gently tapped the armrest of the throne, letting out a soft, enigmatic laugh.

He knew perfectly well that what seemed like a simple "stigmatization" and "public opinion smear" was actually a ruthless attack aimed at undermining the foundation and legitimacy of his "God Race" plan—a highly sophisticated political maneuver.

However, for Taiyi, isn't this also an excellent opportunity?
"By imperial decree, summon all the esteemed sages, the six council members of the Heavenly Dao Committee, and the designated candidates for the 'Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors' of the Divine Race, to an emergency expanded meeting in the Heavenly Emperor Palace in three days to discuss... the grand plan of 'Distinguishing Between Gods and Demons'!"

Taiyi's voice, calm yet filled with unquestionable majesty, instantly resounded throughout the entire Taiwei Heavenly Court.

Three days later, within the Heavenly Emperor's Palace, divine light shone brightly, and Daoist energy flowed freely.

The Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, Fuxi, Taiyi, Shaohao, the Great Emperor of Fusang, the Great Emperor Zhenwu, Xihe, and other top figures of the primordial world have all gathered together, waiting for the arrival of the Heavenly Emperor with different expressions.

When Taiyi, dressed in a dark gold imperial robe, calmly walked onto the throne of the Heavenly Emperor, he did not rush to speak, but first slowly swept his gaze over every deity present.

He also saw the ten youths who were as bright as the rising sun.

The Emperor of Fusang was sitting there with an excited expression.

"Father, what do you want?" the boys asked in bright, clear voices.

Upon hearing this, Xihe's eyes widened instantly.

what?
What did they just call out?
At this moment, the sun goddess felt that her brain was a little overwhelmed.

She stared at the ten boys for a while before looking at the Heavenly Emperor (Taiyi). 【Ignore them, they're just playing around!】 Taiyi's lips twitched slightly as he transmitted his voice to Xihe.

The specific details of the Fusang Emperor were explained.

My elder brother has just passed away.

The Heavenly Emperor's Reincarnation Scripture is still working its magic!

If this is a misunderstanding by Xihe, then he might have killed him as well.

The day's general election will probably have to be held ahead of schedule.

Upon hearing Taiyi's explanation, Xihe couldn't help but chuckle.

[So this was a side effect after saving Donghua? You Taiwei deities really know how to play games!]

After helping his older brother resolve his relationship crisis, Taiyi continued with the meeting.

He spoke, his voice booming like a bell, getting straight to the point:
"Fellow Daoists, you must have all heard the rumors and gossip about the so-called 'demon race,' 'demon cult,' and 'demon emperor' recently, right?"

"I have summoned you all here today to hear your opinions on this matter."

A brief silence fell over the main hall.

[Supreme Lord of the Moon] Yuan Huang spoke first, breaking the silence: "Your Majesty! In my opinion, the Witch Clan must be behind this!"

"Zhu Rong just recently contradicted His Majesty to his face, speaking rudely. In the blink of an eye, these rumors about the 'demon race' have spread like wildfire. His intentions are despicable, and his actions are contemptible! It's simply too much!"

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you immediately send down heavenly troops to attack Buzhou Mountain, severely punish the Wu tribe, set an example, and deter others from following suit!"

However, faced with Yuan Huang's instigation, Taiyi slowly shook his head, rejecting Yuan Huang's suggestion:

"Fellow Taoist, please be patient."

"The Wu Clan is formed from the bloodline of Pangu, and its power is immense. Moreover, it is deeply favored by the fortune of the primordial land. If we do not have solid evidence, it would be unwise to rashly launch an attack based solely on some rumors. On the contrary, it would give them ammunition to criticize us, which would be exactly what they want."

"Then, in Your Majesty's opinion, how should this matter be handled?" A hint of regret flashed in Yuan Huang's eyes.

Upon hearing this, Taiyi's lips curled into a mysterious smile.

He did not answer directly, but instead turned his gaze to Nuwa and the Three Pure Ones on the other side.

"Fellow Daoist Nuwa, three Heavenly Venerables, what are your views on the word 'demon'?" Nuwa felt a slight chill in her heart. She knew that Taiyi was "selecting generals".

She pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "The word 'demon' originally means something abnormal or strange."

"Its meaning refers to those false and inferior existences that imitate the sacred but fail to capture its true essence."

"What the mastermind behind this is trying to do is to smear His Majesty's 'divine race' as 'demon race'. Their sinister intentions are obvious."

"It is an attempt to fundamentally undermine the legitimacy and sanctity of the founding of the 'God Race'."

Nuwa's analysis was insightful and to the point.

Sanqing added, "Not only that. The word 'demon' also has the meaning of bewitching and alluring."

"The mastermind behind this is probably trying to imply that the 'God Race' you created is nothing more than a beautiful facade, but full of deception and falsehood, in order to bewitch those who are unaware of the truth and make them feel resistant and suspicious of the 'God Race'."

Afterwards, several high-ranking officials and candidates for the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors spoke one after another, condemning the despicable acts of the conspirators behind the scenes.

"Those who use demons to disrupt the divine are deserving of death!"

[Void Radiance Supreme] Styx said righteously and solemnly, "If Your Majesty truly wishes to advance the great cause of the Divine Race, then all obstacles must be eliminated!"

"Hehe, what you fellow Daoists have said is all reasonable." Taiyi smiled noncommittally after listening to everyone's analysis.

Then, he abruptly changed the subject, uttering a statement that astonished all the saints present:
"Since the conspirators behind the scenes say that what I want to establish is a 'demon race,' a 'demon cult,' and that I want to become the 'demon emperor'..."

"Then I shall grant their wish, what harm is there in that?!"

"what?!"

"Your Majesty, what...what did you say?!"

As soon as Taiyi said this, the entire Heavenly Emperor Palace erupted in chaos!

The gods looked at Taiyi with puzzled expressions, seemingly unable to understand why he would say such "self-destructive" words.

Taiyi, however, slowly rose from the Heavenly Emperor's throne, facing the bewildered and horrified gazes of the crowd.

He opened his arms as if to embrace the entire universe, a confident, domineering, and even slightly "crazy" smile on his face!

"Fellow Daoists, why do you think I created the 'God Race'?"

"Is it to unify all spirits and gather destiny? Is it to establish a more efficient ruling order? Or is it to achieve the so-called 'Great Integration of All Races'?"

"Yes, but not entirely!" Taiyi's voice became incredibly passionate and loud at this moment, filled with an indescribable infectiousness!
"What I truly desire is to pave a new and boundless path of hope for all those born into this primordial universe who are unwilling to accept mediocrity, do not wish to be bound by bloodlines, and yearn to change their destiny through their own efforts!"

"Born sacred and noble, holding the power of the Great Dao, overlooking the rise and fall of all living beings, this is the will of Heaven, the destiny, and there is nothing wrong with it."

"However, the number of beings born after birth is in the hundreds of millions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Among them are countless individuals who are exceptionally intelligent, resolute in their will, and full of lofty ambitions!"

"Are they destined to be subservient to the innate deities for all eternity, with no hope of ever rising above them?!"

"No! I don't think so!"

Taiyi's eyes shone brightly, and he declared in a loud voice, "I believe that the Great Dao has three thousand paths, and the vitality of life is boundless!"

“Every living being, regardless of their origins, should have a fair opportunity to change their destiny and pursue a higher realm through their own efforts!”

"While the concept of 'God' is lofty, it ultimately seems too distant and ethereal for most beings born later in life, and even carries with it an innate and insurmountable class divide!"

"But 'demons' are different!"

Golden flames blazed in Taiyi's eyes, and he proclaimed:

"The word 'demon' is not used in a derogatory sense!"

"In my view, 'demons' represent change, vitality, and infinite possibilities!"

"Flowers, grasses, and trees can become demons; birds and beasts can become demons; even stubborn rocks and refined iron can become demons!"

“Even a wisp of breeze or a drop of morning dew, once it develops sentience and a heart that yearns for the Dao, can be called a ‘demon’!”

“Demons are judged not by their origins or backgrounds, but solely by their Daoist heart and their opportunities!”

"This is the true meaning of 'equality of all beings'!"

"So, since the masterminds have pinned this 'Demon Emperor' label on my head, then I will gladly accept it!"

"From this day forward, I hereby proclaim to the Three Realms the official establishment of the Demonic Cult!"

"All beings in the primordial universe who are not born of innate divinity but whose hearts yearn for the Great Dao and desire evolution may join my Demon Cult and become children of my Demon Race!"

"I am the first Demon Emperor in all of history!!"

"I want the word 'demon' to cease being a synonym for lowliness and evil, and instead make it a supreme symbol of glory for 'unyielding self-improvement and defying fate'!"

"I want all the countless beings in this primordial world, all those born after death, to know this."

"As long as they are willing to work hard, strive, and join my Demon Sect, then even the most insignificant ant will one day evolve into a divine dragon soaring through the nine heavens, and one day stand shoulder to shoulder with those high and mighty innate saints, discussing the Great Dao together!"

"This is my demon race!"

"This is my demonic sect!"

"This is my Great Dao!"

Taiyi's words were like thunderclaps and the imperial edict of the Great Dao, resounding throughout the Heavenly Emperor Palace and deeply shaking the Dao hearts of every saint present!

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

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(End of this chapter)