In the Northern Region of the Human Domain, in front of the wooden tower personally crafted by Wu Wang, by the small courtyard of the Human Emperor.

Shen Nong sat quietly in a somewhat low wooden chair, slightly frowning as he looked at the group of men and women rushing into the courtyard.

Although he didn't mind giving young people from the Human Domain some guidance, the Human Emperor also needed to maintain a certain distance from his people. This time Wu Wang... he hadn't brought his family and entourage along in quite this manner!

Does he think this place is an inn or a teahouse?

Wouldn't it have been proper just to bring that Blue Bird?

Bringing Lin Suqing was acceptable, but what was the meaning of bringing along the Saintess of the Xuan Nu Sect and the witch from the Demon Path? Were they here to confront him, a solitary old man?

The younger generations nowadays truly know less and less propriety!

Shen Nong was about to give Wu Wang a piece of his mind, but then…

"Why are you so weak?"

Shen Nong gazed at Wu Wang and slightly lifted his left hand. Before Wu Wang could react, the world blurred. He found himself by Shen Nong's side, his left wrist grasped by the elder.

Wu Wang sighed softly, standing quietly to the side, his eyes revealing a hint of emotion.

"Why are your essence, energy, and spirit so greatly depleted?"

Shen Nong raised his head, looking intently at Wu Wang, "Do you know that damage to one's origin can sometimes be more troublesome than damage to one's Dao foundation? The item I left for you—why did it not give any indication? How did you sustain such severe injuries?"

——The "item" referred to the Yan Emperor's Command. The fact that Wu Wang possessed the Yan Emperor's Command had not yet been exposed, and the elder was intentionally helping to cover it up.

Wu Wang pondered for a while, not knowing quite how to respond.

The expressions of the few people who had come along changed simultaneously, their worried gazes falling on Wu Wang.

Ming Snake was the first to look at the similarly frowning Sleep god nearby, and all eyes quickly shifted to him.

As far as they knew, Wu Wang had come out from the Sleep God Hall, having been brimming with vigor just after ending his retreat.

"Don't look at me."

Sleep god was nearly sweating bullets and hurriedly said, "His vital energy is greatly depleted, but it really has nothing to do with me! It was indeed his own request not to let him sleep!"

Elder Miao, seemingly struck by a thought, let her mouth fall open, her eyes shining. She giggled foolishly behind her hand but was immediately met with a fierce glare from the Grand Elder.

Wu Wang said, "Elder... Your Majesty, the issue with my body is not important compared to the problem I am currently facing."

"TWEET!"

The Blue Bird chimed in from the side. Upon arriving here, she naturally felt much more confident.

Wu Wang turned to look at the crowd, deep in thought, standing there contemplating for a full half-hour.

"Your Majesty, I would like to ask Brother Xiao Jian Daoist, Sleep god, and the Grand Elder to stay and report a matter."

Shen Nong nodded slightly, his fingers tracing lightly through the air, causing a slight ripple to appear.

The next moment, the world seemed to grow somewhat dimmer.

The sky was orange with the setting sun in the west. The mountains remained as they were, but the entire mountainside was a scene of 'boundless falling leaves rustling down.'

Shen Nong sat under the tree, with only Wu Wang, Sleep god, the Grand Elder, and Xiao Jian Daoist left before him.

Sleep god praised with a smile, "I never thought that the Human Emperor would possess such exquisite illusionary techniques."

Shen Nong said with a smile, "It's just a little skill for decorating my own Barrier. Have a seat. There is no need for the Blood Hand Demon Lord to be overly formal."

Four chairs appeared off to the side.

Wu Wang leaned on the back of a chair and slowly sat down, his eyes still full of contemplation.

Sleep god seated himself quite naturally, completely at ease, his eyes also showing a touch of thought when he looked at Wu Wang.

Xiao Jian Daoist and the Grand Elder, however, hesitated for a long time but ultimately decided to follow the Human Emperor's order.

They bowed their heads to pay respects, then lifted the hems of their robes, and, sitting with their legs together, took their seats in a very dignified posture, their backs ramrod straight, like two guards at a door.

Shen Nong turned to Wu Wang, waiting quietly for him to speak.

Another moment passed.

Wu Wang sighed softly and said, "Brother, what anomalies did you detect before?"

Sleep god blinked and blurted out, "What anomalies? No anomalies, right? This has absolutely nothing to do with me. To speak from the heart, you know how I treat you, my younger brother. I even have some leverage you hold over me…"

Wu Wang couldn't help but place a hand on his forehead.

This cunning old god was simply too much.

Wu Wang leaned his arm on the armrest of the chair and said directly, "This is the third twenty-seventh day I have experienced."

Sleep god's words halted, his eyes filled with astonishment.

Shen Nong watched Wu Wang, a hint of confusion appearing in his expression; the Grand Elder beside them was even more baffled, not understanding what Wu Wang meant.

Sleep god looked as if he wanted to speak but then stopped.

Shen Nong asked, "This day, you've previously lived through it twice?"

Wu Wang narrated calmly, "This is a long story, but I've decided to be clear with you, Elder. Brother Sleep god here is the most important link in the plan I believe is most likely to succeed at this moment; every time I awake, it is at the instant in the Sleep God Hall when Brother Sleep god takes away my ability to sleep. There must be a reason for this."

Sleep god frowned and said, "Be specific. How could such an extraordinary event happen? But I'm just a minor god, as you know."

"Just hold on."

Shen Nong said slowly, took out a porcelain bottle from his sleeve, and poured out a pale yellow Elixir from inside; with a flick of his finger, the Elixir directly entered Wu Wang's mouth.

Wu Wang felt a refreshing sensation slowly spreading from his mouth, a soothing feeling sweeping over his entire body. The dizziness was completely expelled, and he felt more spirited.

He extended his hand and said, "Your Majesty, a few more as a reward, please."

Shen Nong shook his head with a smile and tossed the porcelain bottle over.

It was only in front of others that the Human Emperor had to maintain his dignity.

Shen Nong asked, "What exactly happened? The Dao charm on you seems a bit strange."

Wu Wang replied, "Last time, I was thinking I should keep this as a secret, because once it leaks out, I presume I would become the person whom Emperor Shun would pay any price to eliminate. So, what I told you, Elder, was only about what Emperor Shun wanted to do. Of course, you probably don't remember it now."

"Don't keep us in suspense," Shen Nong urged.

Sleep god also urged, "Even I, a useless minor god, am intrigued by you."

The Grand Elder said warmly, "Our Sect Master is still not fully recovered from his severe injuries, please bear with us."

Wu Wang smiled, took a gentle breath, and said softly, "The first time I experienced this day, the Lin Family rebelled, and Brother Xiao Jian Daoist came to me, full of righteous indignation; I rescued the people of the Small People Kingdom. At that time, I also realized that, as I had been inactive outside for years, there would probably be quite a few who would want to pin the blame for the Lin Family's rebellion on me, given the numerous forces in the Human Domain coveting the position of Human Emperor. So, I chose to retreat and quietly await the aftermath.

"Thinking about it carefully, the first time actually lasted more than just two days. Afterward, something unpleasant happened, and I brought Ming Snake to the frontlines…"

Wu Wang's gaze became more profound, and his voice more distant.

He omitted the part about the retreat for enlightenment and capturing the imprints of Emperor Shun's Great Dao, and went on to describe what he had witnessed with his own eyes: the rise of the Yin and Yang fish in the heavens and the earth, the graceful dance of the Dao of Life and the Dao of Death.

Having finished this, Wu Wang paused, carefully observing the expressions of the people and the god before him.

Both Xiao Jian Daoist and the Grand Elder looked somewhat confused;

Sleep god propped up his chin and fell into thought, occasional sparks of insight flashing in his eyes.

As for Shen Nong, the elder…

Wu Wang met Shen Nong's gaze, but Shen Nong's expression was very calm, as if he had just heard a trivial matter.

But this couldn't prove anything; Shen Nong was a venerable predecessor and the Human Emperor. If someone could easily discern his emotions, it would be beneath his status.

Shen Nong asked, "The second time, what did you do?"

"Starting from the second time, I actually didn't know what happened; I was completely bewildered."

Wu Wang sighed and said in a soft voice, "The first solution I thought of was to ask His Majesty to take direct action, suppress the Lin Family's rebellion, and imprison the Head Manager…"

He continued to speak unhurriedly, while all the humans and the god present listened attentively.

At some point, Wu Wang had already unsealed the necklace his mother gave him and slipped it into his sleeve; he also spoke these words for his mother to hear.

He had previously been reluctant to involve his mother in this matter, but upon careful consideration, he realized it was necessary to inform her of all the information.

Only then would his mother be able to make a judgment that suited her own interests.

Wu Wang said, "I truly did not expect that at this moment, the Head Manager had already integrated the Dao of Death into his body. The Dao of Death clashed with the Lifespan Dao, forming a transient relationship of mutual creation and mutual destruction…"

Sleep god couldn't help but let out coarse words.

He glared and cursed, "Is this for real? Has the Head Manager become so foolish? Even serving Emperor Shun isn't done this way! Has he lost his mind? Will Emperor Shun be grateful to him, or what?"

"The problem is exactly this," Wu Wang said. "That's why I said, our attack on the Head Manager has become the driving force for the Heavenly Emperor to complete this kind of scheme. According to my judgment at this time, the crux of the problem lies in the attitude of the Young Master, and the relationship between the Head Manager and Young Master. The greatest threat to the Heaven Palace is actually from the north… The Heavenly Emperor did not choose to target the Northern Region directly, but first chose to upgrade the order of Heaven and Earth, certainly because he was not completely confident. There must be some simple method to break this situation, but we have not seen it yet."

Shen Nong pondered for a while and then said in a slow voice, "From what you've described, you are actually the key to breaking the situation."

Xiao Jian Daoist and the Grand Elder slowly nodded.

Sleep god, standing nearby, looked at Wu Wang with a complex expression in his eyes.

Wu Wang murmured, "Why me?"

"I do not know," Shen Nong glanced at Sleep god and continued, "Wu Wang, since you brought them here, you must want to try something different. What do you intend to do?"

Just from that look, Wu Wang felt a jolt in his Dao heart.

The venerable predecessor knows the inside story!

However, Sleep god chuckled and said, "Have I, perhaps, learned too much?"

"No matter," Shen Nong spoke seriously. "If you want to break the situation, it should be in the next repetition. We just won't tell you next time."

Wu Wang's legs went weak, and he nearly slipped to the ground, almost kneeling to Shen Nong.

He quickly asked, "Predecessor, what is this all about?"

"I do not know either."

Shen Nong took a gentle breath and said slowly, "This matter may be related to Emperor Fuxi, but as to how, the Emperor did not leave a single word of explanation. Of course, these are all conjectures. In general, there must be an unseen powerful being, wrestling with Emperor Shun across the long river of time, either from above or from below."

Wu Wang asked, "The Dao of Time?"

Shen Nong nodded, "That is a possibility."

Sleep god reminded from the side, "You two seem to have an overly simplistic understanding of the term 'Great Dao,' especially the Dao of Time. The Dao of Time and the Dao of Heaven and Earth are parallel, and it is absolutely impossible for something like the will of living beings to be born out of them. Our approach to this Great Dao is about how to describe it. Just like in the current order of Heaven and Earth, Emperor Shun has already meddled deeply with the Dao of Time; but how does he interfere? By means of the sun and moon's cycles, He established the calendar: defining the three ten-day periods of a month, totaling thirty days; twelve months in a year; and twelve hours in a day. He has only given scales to time, nothing more than that.

"To make time return and the Great Wilderness regress… How much Divine Power would that consume? If every hour, or even every instant, were considered a static snapshot of Heaven and Earth, the Spiritual Energy, Power of Living Beings, Divine Power, thought power, and Mana contained within it… how immense would that be! Without the strength to suppress the entire Great Wilderness, it would be absolutely impossible to revert time."

Shen Nong spoke slowly, "What if the reversion only occurs within Wu Wang's body?"

Sleep god was momentarily startled, then propped his chin and fell into thought, pulling a tree branch from the side and drawing a line on the ground.

Afterward, from that line, two arrows branched off, diverging from that point…

"The river of time splits into two? That is equally irrational."

Sleep god said, "The fates and trajectories of these Divine Spirits and living beings in the world would all be altered. How much Divine Power would that take?"

Shen Nong's eyes showed contemplation; suddenly from the side came a voice:

"Then, what about this?"

Xiao Jian Daoist's Adam's apple quivered. He stood up, walked swiftly to Sleep god, and with his sword-fingers extended, lightly drew.

He drew a line that then split into over a dozen branches. He extended these branches forward until they converged back into a single line. Then, he erased all the branches except for one along the outermost edge, showing a detour that ultimately reconnected.

Overall, a straight line had appeared to bend, but it was still interconnected from beginning to end.

Xiao Jian Daoist said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, pardon me. I may not understand the multitude of principles within this, but it should be something like this scenario… As for how much Divine Power it requires, it could also be a case of using minimal force to move a heavy weight."

Wu Wang's lips twitched slightly, "Am I 'minimal force'?"

Shen Nong nodded with a smile, signaling Xiao Jian Daoist to return to his seat.

The pressure suddenly fell onto the Grand Elder's shoulders.

Shen Nong lamented, "Our understanding of Heaven and Earth pales in comparison to Emperor Fuxi; truly a remarkable being. It's a pity that I was more interested in the Dao of flora and did not fully embrace the Emperor's understanding of the Great Dao back then. If we cannot comprehend it now, let's not force ourselves; the day will come when the truth will reveal itself. It's better to think of countermeasures, how to cope with this matter."

Sleep god frowned and said, "This matter seems to… have quite a deep connection with me. From what we see now, my use of the Divine Power of the Sleep god position has become this turning point. Have you thought it through? Do you really want to induce sleep in the Head Manager?"

Wu Wang continued, "My current thought is to ask Sleep god to induce sleep in the Head Manager and strip the Dao of Death from within the Head Manager. At the very least, to prevent this rebellion by the Lin Family from escalating into a major war."

However, Shen Nong said, "The Human Domain will use the Jue Tian Formation left by Emperor Fuxi to trap and kill the Head Manager."

Wu Wang looked at Shen Nong, "What does Your Majesty imply?"

Shen Nong said, "If we can successfully break through the situation, spending some of our foundation is better than being completely passive. If we cannot succeed, Wu Wang, the only hope falls on you. The Yin Yang Eight Trigrams Dao, the life's work of our Human Race's first emperor, must not become a restraint on the Human Domain; that would be a great insult to Emperor Fuxi. Of course, before the great battle, we will give you as much time as possible, in case you need to revert once again. Go see, think, ponder, reflect. Since you can repeatedly revert, it means that the power affecting you awaits you ahead."

Wu Wang swallowed hard.

"To revert once, I'd be gravely weakened!"

"Every choice comes with a cost," Shen Nong said softly. His wrinkled old hand waved slightly, and glimmers of light flew from all over, infusing into Wu Wang's body.

Wu Wang's greatly damaged essence, energy, and spirit began to slowly increase, but such growth harbored hidden concerns.

Yet, the forests covering the mountains wilted at a visible rate.

Sleep god said in a deep voice, "Younger brother, there's one more thing."

"What is it?"

"Be wary of Emperor Shun. I can sense the abnormality, and Emperor Shun will definitely be able to sense it as well."

Sleep god said, "Your opportunities, in fact, are not many."

Wu Wang clenched his fists subconsciously.

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