This is so dishonest!

Chapter 500: Jiang Chen emerges, Hongjun stirs, and demons bring calamity.

Throughout the long river of time, Shennong led his army of myriad races across countless worlds.

The primordial era has passed in the last hundred years, but the time in the heavens is immeasurable.

When he returned, Shennong still walked with a steady gait.

His every step seemed to resonate with the pulse of the earth.

Shennong concluded his final tour of the world.

He deeply imprinted the richness and poverty of every piece of land, and the joy and suffering of every citizen, into his heart.

As the last rays of the setting sun fell upon the majestic city walls of Chendu, Shennong's figure finally reappeared in this humane imperial city.

Almost at the same time he returned to the holy land, the envoys he had sent to all corners of the world, tasked with assessing the leaders of the tribes, also returned to Chendu one after another, like rivers flowing into the sea.

Duobao, Jinling, Guiling, Wudang, and many other highly respected human officials and ancestral elders gathered in the Human Emperor's Palace, having traveled a long way.

Without exaggeration or concealment, they unfolded their observations and experiences in their respective patrol areas before Shennong like vivid paintings.

The orderly and civilized Youxiong tribe, the iron-blooded domineering spirit and war fever of the Jiuli tribe, as well as the unique features of other tribes large and small and the extraordinary talents of their leaders, were all truthfully reported to Shennong.

Inside the Hall of the Human Emperor, Shennong listened quietly.

His eyes, which seemed to hold endless wisdom, would sometimes flash with approval, and sometimes fall into deep thought.

The report lasted for several days.

Finally, faced with a vast list that gathered the best talents in the world, Shennong convened representatives from all races of humanity for a grand meeting.

After countless discussions, screenings, and weighing of options, a final list carrying humanitarian hopes has finally been finalized.

One hundred and eight candidates for the Human Emperor.

Behind each name lies a brilliant young leader.

They were known for their benevolence, their martial prowess, or for their outstanding contributions in a particular field such as agriculture, creation, or calendar systems.

These candidates are undoubtedly among the most outstanding elites of the human race today.

They could even be considered the most energetic, promising, and hopeful generation of young people in the Shennong era.

Shennong held the scroll made of special animal hide and examined each name on it one by one.

On his weathered face, a smile of contentment and kindness appeared, like that of an old farmer seeing a bountiful harvest.

"After years of farming, it's time to reap the rewards."

He gently placed the list down and, with a smile, addressed the people in the hall in a tone full of encouragement and expectation:

"Let them compete freely and boldly on the grand stage of the primordial world."

"Proclaim my decree and announce it to the world."

"Whoever stands out from these 108 people and becomes the ultimate winner will accompany me to Mount Tai to hold the Fengshan ceremony!"

Humanitarian fortunes have now reached a crucial turning point.

Therefore, Shennong's ideas differed from those of the Holy Emperor Fuxi.

Emperor Fuxi only sought a successor after he had achieved complete merit.

Shennong wanted to witness and personally select the most suitable successor to lead humanity into the next glorious era through a fair, open, and just competition before he completed his mission and stepped down.

Such news is like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up countless ripples.

The competition for the Human Emperor officially began at this moment.

Shennong then determined the basic rules for this competition.

All candidates will need to undergo a long and rigorous public competition in many aspects, including "cultivation of the great path", "strategic planning", "political achievements and people's livelihood", "personal morality" and "innovation and creation".

This news was undoubtedly the most exciting news in the world for the 108 young leaders on the list.

Each of them was filled with excitement and enthusiasm.

These chosen ones were all eager to try their luck.

They were filled with unparalleled confidence in themselves, firmly believing that they were the chosen ones.

In an instant, countless gazes, some subtle and some powerful, were once again cast upon the mortal realm throughout the entire primordial world.

The gods of heaven and earth were equally excited at this moment.

For them, the change of the human emperor was by no means merely an internal matter of the human race.

It brings about a dramatic change and redistribution of the entire human destiny, like a storm sweeping across the world, containing endless risks, but also representing infinite opportunities.

If they can, in this wave of the times, have the foresight to identify the right candidates in advance and support them.

Therefore, when this candidate finally ascends to the throne of the human emperor, they will inevitably be able to catch the fast train of a new round of rapid development of humanity and share that magnificent fortune and merit.

Thus, on the path of Pangu that they are pursuing, they can go faster and further!
"This is not just a competition among humans, but also an excellent opportunity to demonstrate our vision, courage, and strength." A powerful figure who lived in seclusion on a fairy island in the East Sea murmured to himself as he gazed in the direction of the human world.

"I missed the opportunity when Emperor Fuxi attained enlightenment and Emperor Yan Shennong rose to power last time. I absolutely cannot miss it again this time!" An ancient deity awoke from his slumber, his eyes gleaming with divine light.

"The new Human Emperor, with my support and guidance, will surely surpass his predecessors and lead the human race to an unprecedented peak!"

"Hmph, you old fogies, just you wait and see! The ultimate victor will be the one I choose!"

For a time, immortals, gods, demons, monsters, and countless other powerful beings all became intensely interested in this battle for the Human Emperor.

The gods had great confidence in their own vision and judgment.

They even wanted to take advantage of this rare opportunity to secretly compete with each other.

Let's see who has the better ability to "stir things up".

Thus began a massive power struggle that swept across the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man, all centered around the throne of the Human Emperor.

The 108 candidates, including Xuanyuan and Chiyou, who were at the center of the storm, may have been aware of this.

But they are more focused on the competition at hand.

Because they know that ultimately, only they themselves can decide everything and control their own future.

~~~~~
In the primordial north, there is the Undying Mountain.

This mountain is shrouded in endless black mist and deathly silence all year round. The rocks are jagged and not a blade of grass grows, as if it were a hideous scar in the world of Pangu that can never heal.

At the core of the impenetrable black mist in the Undying Mountain lies a strange space that ordinary beings can never reach.

This place was once the training ground of the ferocious beast king Shen Ni, but now only a dilapidated thatched hut remains, long abandoned and eroded beyond recognition by time.

Today, a very subtle fluctuation of the Great Dao suddenly emanated from this thatched hut that had been silent for countless eons.

"Hey, it worked! Our coordinates have finally been successfully anchored!"

A voice, full of cunning and excitement, suddenly rang out in the void.

Immediately afterwards, a narrow spacetime rift was torn open by an invisible force, and an enormous, cunning eye peered curiously and greedily into the vibrant, primordial world outside through the rift.

However, before the big eye could fully appreciate the scenery it had longed for, it was unceremoniously pushed aside by a cloak that seemed to be woven from pure shadow.

With a slight sway, the mysterious cloak descended from the spatial rift, casting a phantom projection identical to itself onto the abandoned thatched hut below.

"If we return to Mount Undying, will those guys from Taiwei Yuan really not notice?"

The projection of the [Shadow Demon] slowly appeared in the thatched hut. It still did not have a fixed body, but was just a fleeting outline of a cloak, and its voice was hoarse and cautious.

"Don't worry, Fellow Daoist Shadow, there will absolutely be no problem."

Another figure then descended; it was a young Taoist priest with a gentle face and an otherworldly air.

The face of the Primordial Avatar radiated an all-knowing confidence as he smiled and said, "The most dangerous place is often the safest place."

"This Undying Mountain is the old lair of Shen Ni. Its malevolent aura and resentment are soaring to the sky, enough to obscure the secrets of heaven. As long as we do not actively expose our aura as a Chaos Demon God, the Taiwei Gods will have no chance of discovering us."

The true form of the Heavenly Dao Spirit did not personally attend this operation.

He was well aware of the special nature of his past being one with the Heavenly Dao, and worried that once his true body stepped into the Primordial World, it would immediately arouse the instinctive vigilance of the Primordial Heavenly Dao, as well as the awareness of the six saints who resided high above the heavens.

Therefore, he only dispatched "good corpses" to carry out this plan.

"In that case, let's not delay any longer and get started."

The third projection descends.

He was a handsome young man brimming with boundless vitality, as if he had been carved from a sacred, verdant tree.

This is the [Wood Demon God] born in the new era.

Finally, the owner of those cunning, large eyes, the [Demon of Thieves], revealed his full form.

He was now wearing a smiling expression, looking around this vast, primordial world with great interest.

"Tsk tsk tsk, this Dao Fruit created by Pangu is truly sweet and delicious, of excellent quality!"

[The Demon God of Thieves] clicked his tongue and said with some regret, "It's a pity that we can't swallow this whole world whole and steal it away right now. It's such a shame."

Upon hearing this, the new generation of the [Wood Demon God] said with great pride, "Why should a great thief have regrets?"

"When we achieve our goal, obtaining this Pangu Dao Fruit will be as easy as taking something out of a bag."

The Shadow Demon's fluttering cloak swayed slightly, and he let out a meaningful chuckle:

"It's good to be young."

These demons born in the new era seem to share a common characteristic: they are exceptionally confident and energetic, as if the entire world will be easily conquered at their feet.

In particular, the [Wood Demon God] who is in charge of "the mechanism of growth" perfectly embodies this vigorous spirit.

Seeing this, the Primordial Incarnation did not continue the topic.

He took out a large banner swirling with boundless purple energy from the void; it was the divine artifact specifically used to interfere with the fate of humanity, the Human Emperor Banner.

His expression turned serious, and he said in a deep voice:

"Alright, everyone, time is of the essence, let's cut to the chase."

"Let's begin the ritual to summon the soul of Fellow Daoist Shenni now."

"Alright!" the other three demon gods echoed in unison.

They put aside their own thoughts and began to set up an ancient and eerie soul-summoning ritual around the thatched hut.

Before long, as the ceremony began, the boundless black energy and deathly stillness of the entire Undying Mountain seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, and began to frantically converge towards the thatched hut.

These extremely pure negative energies, under the control of the four demon gods, were continuously compressed and condensed, eventually transforming into a pitch-black coffin that exuded an ominous aura and seemed capable of devouring all light.

"Great thief, it's your turn to make your move," urged the [Shadow Demon God], his voice sounding even more profound amidst the surrounding black mist.

"Hehe, just you wait and see."

【The Demon God of Thieves】chuckled.

He walked to the center of the abandoned thatched hut, and with the entire Undying Mountain as the origin, his strange, large eyes instantly pierced through the barriers of time and space, looking at the endless timeline of the past, present, and future.

Then, He stretched out a thin but incredibly agile hand and probed into the ceaseless river of time, constantly picking and choosing among the various time and space nodes, trying to find that trace of the true spirit belonging to God.

However, after a moment, the [Thief God] stopped moving and frowned slightly.

"Something's not right."

"What's wrong? Have you run into some trouble?" the [Wood Demon God] asked with concern.

The Demon God of Thieves withdrew his hand and replied with a serious expression, "Gentlemen, I'm afraid we won't be able to retrieve the real God of Rebellion."

He explained, “I saw that the true spirit mark of Shen Ni was attached with shackles and seals imposed by countless great powers, the laws of heaven and earth, and even the Great Dao itself over at least two great eons.”

“Those shackles were like countless invisible hands, pressing down on His coffin lid, giving Him absolutely no chance to turn over.”

"To steal His true spiritual mark intact under such tight suppression is an almost impossible task."

After saying that, he helplessly spread his hands.

In his palm, the fragments of the laws and remnants of the God-Reversal, painstakingly salvaged from countless timelines, could only barely coalesce into a black imperial robe imprinted with ferocious beast patterns.

Upon hearing this result, both the [Shadow Demon] and the [Wood Demon] fell into deep thought.

The Shadow Demon God said, "This is a bit difficult. Without the True Spirit, our subsequent plans cannot proceed at all."

However, the [Primordial Avatar] did not show any surprise on its face. Instead, it smiled and said, "Hehe, just as I expected."

"Since the plan isn't working, let's implement the backup plan."

There was a reason why I tacitly allowed Houtu to revive the "Twelve Ancestral Witches" and allowed Shenni to be completely reincarnated as Dijiang.

Even ordinary Great Luo cultivators are difficult to kill, let alone the indestructible Shen Ni.
Now, with two identities attached, Shen Ni is essentially under the shackles of two great eons of suppression.

It would be strange if he could recover.

However, the demons were unaware of this.

What they want to revive is the divine rebellion from the time of the Great Calamity of the Ferocious Beasts.

This is a supplementary plan devised by the Heavenly Dao Spirit.

Originally, He intended to incite chaos in humanity by communicating with reincarnated demon gods, and then support a human emperor to end the turmoil, thereby increasing the demon gods' bargaining power.

Unfortunately, the gods of the primordial world were on high alert, and Shennong, the ruler of humanity, was extremely decisive.

When unrest began to emerge, Shennong personally led a large army to inspect the human territory.

He suppressed all the heavens with the overwhelming power of humanity, nipping the Heavenly Dao Essence's subsequent plans in the bud.

Now, Shennong has guided this generation of human prodigies onto the path of healthy competition through open elections, further reducing the possibility of infighting among humans.

The Heavenly Dao Spirit believes that if humanity does not descend into chaos, even if the demons and gods wholeheartedly support a candidate for Human Emperor, they probably won't be able to cause much of a stir.

Therefore, we need to deal with the primordial world a little more harshly.

This is the only way to draw upon the divine energy of the primordial era, providing cover for their creation of the Demon God's True Realm.

After much deliberation, the Heavenly Dao Spirit set its sights on Shen Ni.

Those who rebel against the will are born evil.

His talent for creating entertaining content is widely recognized.

Furthermore, the demons also had a good working relationship with him.

So everyone hit it off and decided to revive God and bring Him to the forefront to cause trouble once again.

Unfortunately, they underestimated the attention the primordial gods paid to Shenni.

They also underestimated the strength of Dao Ran Tianzun.

If we don't make clear arrangements for this scourge and squeeze every last drop of value out of him, how can we really give him a chance to turn things around?
"Does Fellow Daoist Balance have any other good ideas?" the demons asked.

In response, the Primordial Avatar confidently suggested:
"Since we can't directly bring Shen Ni back, we can try a different approach: indirectly 'resurrect' Shen Ni through his best comrade-in-arms in life—Xiang Gu's corpse."

The Shadow Demon's robes swayed violently, indicating his confusion.

"Xiang Gu Zhi Shi? Although he has a good relationship with Shen Ni, there is still a big gap between them in terms of both strength and Dao."

"By then, it's really hard to say whether what we've painstakingly retrieved will still be divinely ordained."

The Primordial Avatar waved his hand dismissively, revealing their true, and far more ruthless, purpose for this trip:

"It doesn't matter, whether it's a true god or not is not important."

"Anyway, we went to great lengths to 'resurrect' Shenni, not out of genuine kindness or for the sake of our old-time friend."

"Our real purpose is simply to use the name of 'Gods Rebellion,' a scourge that once disrupted the entire primordial world, to artificially create a new 'living target' that can also cause trouble and attract hatred."

"As long as we can use this to disrupt the situation in the prehistoric world, thereby diverting the attention of the Taiwei Gods and the Six Sages of the prehistoric world, and buying time and space for our real plan, then our goal will be achieved."

Upon hearing this explanation, the other demon gods instantly understood and revealed knowing smiles.

"I see, fellow Daoist's plan is brilliant!"

"Alright then, we'll do it your way."

Thus, the [Demon of Thieves] struck again.

His target became all the spacetime fragments related to the Chaos Corpse "Xiang Gu".

This operation went much more smoothly than the previous ones.

He quickly gathered enough of the original aura and law fragments of the Corpse of Mutual Encounters from various time and space, and condensed these fragments into a hideous crown that shimmered with a ghostly light.

Then, the Primordial Avatar took out a pair of Cloud-Stepping Boots, a belt inlaid with beast bones, and a black jade tablet representing the authority of an emperor.

Adding the imperial robe that had just been formed from the divine aura, he managed to cobble together a complete set of imperial attire that looked quite dignified.

"Hmm, that's about right. With these things as a starting point, that's enough." [Primordial Avatar] nodded in satisfaction.

The demons worked together to open the coffin lid, which was formed from endless black energy, and solemnly placed the entire "God Rebellion cosplay" outfit inside.

Finally, the newly born [Wood Demon God] extended a finger, and a wisp of extremely pure life essence ignited at the fingertip, transforming into a life lamp emitting a faint green light.

He gently placed the lamp on the tightly closed coffin, igniting the first glimmer of hope for life in the lifeless coffin.

"Alright! Mission accomplished!"

After doing all this, the projections of the four demon gods exchanged a smile.

Their figures began to fade, preparing to leave this place of trouble.

Before leaving, the [Primordial Avatar] sensed something and subconsciously looked up at the Heavenly Dao that shrouded the entire primordial world in darkness.

In that instant, he seemed to see a pair of equally profound eyes staring back at him from the depths of the endless origin of the Heavenly Dao.

"Could this old guy be about to wake up?" [Primordial Avatar] muttered to himself.

When they arrived, the Heavenly Dao Spirit seemed to have tried to communicate with Hongjun in order to cover up their actions.

Now, everything is going smoothly, which makes the [Primordial Avatar] secretly wary.

He immediately contacted his true self.

"Oh, I see."

Xuanqing informed the Supreme Emperor and Yu Chen.

"Oh ho, what a wonderful thing!" Taishang arrived at Kunlun Mountain in high spirits.

He brought the Bagua Purple Gold Furnace.

"Let's go, let's feed Hongjun some more pills." Taishang said with a smile.

Yu Chen forged a long banner with six tails fluttering in the wind.

Xuanqing and the Supreme Emperor both looked familiar.

"Six soul flags?" Xuanqing asked with a smile.

Yu Chen glanced at Xuan Qing somewhat guiltily, then nodded nonchalantly.

"Correct."

"I had nothing to do lately, so I asked my fellow Daoist Darkness to help me reforge this divine artifact."

"Now it comes in handy."

As he spoke, Daoist Yu Chen waved the banner.

The words "Hongjun" appeared in unison on the tails of the six banners.

"go!"

The Three Pure Ones emerged together and headed to Zixiao Palace to reinforce the seal.

At the same time, a talisman floated out from the Jade Void Palace, crossed the barriers of time and space, and silently entered the Undying Mountain, affixing itself to the pitch-black coffin.

The talisman had two characters written on it:
General.

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)