Gods Vanish on a Cloudy Day
Chapter 2 The Prototype of the Multiverse
As everyone knows, the prototype of Zhuzhou Heaven, and even the first batch of prisoners, mostly came from the Hedao supreme treasure 'Hongshi Zhendao Pagoda' of Zhuzhou Heaven's warden, 'Hongshi Great Emperor'. Since Hongshi Great Emperor attained Dao, He has been arresting stubborn and depraved Hedao practitioners all over the multiverse at a rate of one or two every few decades or centuries, suppressing them in the pagoda.
And after Hongshi Great Emperor joined forces with the Primordial Zhuzhou, the efficiency of both sides greatly increased!
The former gained a capable assistant, and also had an incomparably sturdy universe where He could freely build the 'most solid prison in the multiverse', which He couldn't even find the materials to build in the past. The latter also gained an extremely experienced prison builder and a trustworthy serious crime squad detective. It can be said that it was a strong alliance, and the multiverse was peaceful!
In fact, for the many Hedao experts who were imprisoned in the pagoda in the past, the alliance of these two was also a good thing.
Putting aside other things, compared to being half-asleep and unconscious in the Zhendao Pagoda, and then having one's power extracted for battle, although Zhuzhou Heaven requires one to go out for labor reform... at least that's a chance to stretch one's legs!
Yes, repairing the universe is troublesome, and being forced to repair the universe as a savior feels inexplicably disgusting to these evildoers of the past. To give an example, it's probably the feeling of being 'forced into benevolent corruption'.
However, no Hedao wants to take the opportunity to escape from the custody of Zhuzhou and Hongshi while being released to repair the universe.
Do you want to know why?
It's simple!
Leaving aside where any Hedao finds the confidence to escape from a Hongliu and a Hedao peak, isn't the environment here in Zhuzhou Heaven good?
It should be known that although the number of Hedao powerhouses in the outside multiverse seems large, when dispersed across infinite spacetime, the density is really too low. If it weren't for the melting of the void ice and the displacement of the realms, causing many worlds to merge into world clusters, it would probably take the Hedao of the past dozens or hundreds of years, maybe even hundreds or thousands of years, to communicate with each other.
And even if it becomes a world cluster, one or two Hedao in a world cluster is about right, at most three or four Hedao, barely enough to gather a table for fighting landlords or mahjong, and even voting might not pass.
Without communication, without debate, without Dao discussion, how should a Hedao powerhouse who has become the supreme being of a universe become stronger?
Because of the lack of upward channels and possibilities, many Hedao powerhouses gradually fall into depravity in the long, almost infinite, time, their hearts become indifferent and ruthless, and even become what is almost 'evil' in the eyes of ordinary people.
But in Zhuzhou Heaven!
Everything is different!
Here, hundreds of various Hedao powerhouses gather!
Here, there are top-level experts spanning many cultivation systems such as immortal Dao, magic, technology, alchemy, superpowers, fantasy martial arts, Dou Qi, and Shinto!
Here, there are erudite scholars who have seen the endless forms of many worlds!
Here, there is the stage that Hedao powerhouses need most: debaters and a Dao discussion environment!
Although it was a bit awkward at first, when many Hedao powerhouses walked out of the Zhendao Pagoda and were confined within Zhuzhou Heaven, they suddenly discovered that this place was bitter, but as long as they obediently followed the rules set by Zhuzhou and Hongshi, those with minor crimes could be released from prison, and those with serious crimes could also experience the Dao of a Hongliu.
On weekdays, one might even have the opportunity to receive guidance from a powerhouse and communicate with one's peers. Cultivation may not be a thousand miles a day, but at least the 'ceiling' that has confined them for so long is now somewhat loosened!
--Leave Zhuzhou Heaven?
It's impossible to go out, it's impossible to go out in this lifetime. Proper Hedao wouldn't do it. Only this kind of labor reform can maintain their current lives... Seeing inmates is like seeing family. The feeling inside Zhuzhou Heaven is much better than at home. There are no other Dao companions at home, and besides sleeping, they can only mess with mortals.
After entering Zhuzhou Heaven, everyone inside is talented, speaks nicely, and is strong. I love being inside!
[These guys are getting more and more enthusiastic about their work lately.]
Zhuzhou Heaven Prison, trainee prison warden, Hedao powerhouse Tai Shi Shengzun stroked his beard with some confusion. This Daoist couldn't help but shake his head: [Although there are still some stubborn guys who refuse to go out to repair the world and do labor reform... most Hedao are very willing to experience the Dao of Zhuzhou and Hongshi.]
This is not surprising.
Perhaps, the first time they save the world, the first time they repair the universe, the first time they receive those revered wishes, all Hedao powerhouses will not care.
After all, that's just a hope of 'having to do so' when there's no other way.
Impure, mixed with all sorts of things, even reverence mixed with some curses—some dissatisfaction and resentment of 'why didn't you come sooner'.
However, soon after, the Hedao powerhouses who listen to and accept these wishes will discover that all of this is extremely similar to the light on that 'Primordial Zhuzhou'!
Pure wishes, combined with pure curses, are the true wishes.
And true wishes are endless, elements that can construct the infinite path of 'belief'!
The so-called infinity.
Is to listen to everything.
It is also to help everything.
It is to achieve everything.
Those prayers and curses, the pure ones must be experienced, and the mixed ones must also be experienced. This is the wholeness of a Hedao powerhouse!
Although it's not completely necessary to enter infinity, understanding infinity with complete perception will definitely be easier.
Perhaps it's not a sincere repentance, but if one can do good deeds for the sake of power and the future, and do good deeds for a lifetime, such an existence can also be called a good person, and has their own persistence and principles.
Of course, there are still diehards.
Those diehards, even if their Dao disappears, are unwilling to follow the orders of Zhuzhou and Hongshi and go to repair the universe. Even if they are forcibly pressed to reform, they are always indignant.
[We've cultivated for so long, just to make these mortals happy?]
They can even accept the ending of being erased by a stronger existence, that is, by Zhuzhou, but they are always unwilling to contribute their power for those 'mortals'—what has made them cultivate all the way to the present is not love and belief, but 'being superior'.
[Yes, it's not hatred of all living beings, it's just that they need a sense of superiority, they need beings lower than themselves to prove their strength.]
Thinking of this, Tai Shi Shengzun couldn't help but sigh: [In the final analysis, this is a selfish path... It does not lead to infinity.]
[But leads to 'absolute' and 'eternity'.]
[Selfishness is also a broad road, and one can also touch the realm of infinity by understanding the absolute and eternal. But are the absolute and eternal so simple?]
[Compared to achieving Dao, what does selflessness have to do with it? After all, only limited beings are stingy with their power, will consider whether they should share and give, and will hesitate every time they lend a hand...]
[But for infinite beings, selfishness is meaningless, just like the multiverse, bearing all things.]
As the Hedao powerhouse who was the first to surrender to Zhuzhou's side, Tai Shi Shengzun was not imprisoned in Zhuzhou Heaven, but what is the essential difference between a prison guard and a prisoner except for being separated by a wall?
During these days working in Zhuzhou Heaven, Tai Shi Shengzun has always been thinking, thinking about what he did wrong in the past, so he has been stuck in place, unable to become a peak Hedao, touching the barrier of the true infinite realm.
But now, he vaguely understands what is more essential behind the systems of magic, immortal Dao, and technology, and other Hedao powerhouses.
Just like Zhuzhou and Hongshi, two people who seem completely unrelated can cooperate to create such a huge prison, imprisoning many Hedao powerhouses.
That more essential thing determines their path and their cooperation.
Tai Shi Shengzun believes that only by understanding that more essential element can he truly choose a path of his own, otherwise, he will be like most Hedao powerhouses in this multiverse, seemingly having reached the end, but in reality not even knowing what they have stepped on.
And at this moment.
Suddenly.
An incomparably grand spacetime fluctuation came, causing all the Hedao powerhouses and prisoners, including Tai Shi Shengzun, to raise their heads in surprise.
--Zhuzhou Heaven·Prison Corridor--
A silver door opened, and then a crystal giant elephant fell out of it in a daze.
Zhuzhou Heaven is essentially a complete universe. Saying it's a prison corridor is essentially similar to the 'astral plane' in those crystal wall system universes, but in general, the structure is narrower and used to connect individual 'prison worlds'.
Ordinary Hedao prisoners can only enter the Zhuzhou astral plane with permission, and then be teleported to the void or other universes to carry out labor reform. Only those like Tai Shi Shengzun, who have permission to open and close the prison worlds at any time, can walk in the astral plane for a long time.
But now, with the crystal giant elephant that clearly came from the hand of the Primordial Zhuzhou, it was not directly imprisoned in a prison world like those newly captured Hedao powerhouses in the past, but fell into the corridor astral plane.
[A new prisoner?]
[No, there's no brand on him, and he hasn't been imprisoned in a prison world.]
[Is he a guest of Zhuzhou and Hongshi?]
[You throw your guests into the prison corridor instead of inviting them to the reception room? Look at this technique, compared to throwing us into prison, it's just missing the step of a beating.]
[In any case, this newcomer seems a bit strong... The Dao of the Youming Xuanhai? In charge of the reincarnation of all things, judging the rewards and punishments of the three lives? He's actually a peak Hedao-level guy!]
[Hmph, can't beat me.]
The many Hedao in the prison world saw a newcomer fall down and immediately began a fierce commentary—when they are not discussing Dao or doing labor reform, staying in the prison world is all they have for entertainment. A few days ago, they even bet on guessing what cultivation system the next captured Hedao powerhouse would be.
[Haha, I won! It's the Immortal Dao cultivation system!] Some Hedao were overjoyed, proving that his heavenly secrets calculation technique has indeed greatly improved, and he will have new insights to share when discussing Dao with his peers next time.
But some people were also puzzled: [Why is he from the Huitian Realm? Did that Primordial Zhuzhou attack Huitian?]
[Although I haven't heard from the Five Sages for a long time, that is the Huitian Realm... Even the Primordial Zhuzhou probably won't get any benefits going to that ghost place!]
When the Hedao powerhouse 'Zhu Diwen' from the Huitian Realm woke up from his daze, all he could hear was such a noisy Dao transmission.
And hundreds of Hedao powerhouses, either curious, contemptuous, or peeping with appreciation.
[What happened...]
At this moment, although he was awake, Zhu Diwen was still a little dazed: [I remember, I was still in the Three Thousand Realms, communicating with a Shenmu Zhuzhou from the Tiansui World...]
[Then, that Shenmu Zhuzhou took out a chat group, and then...]
Then, he was caught by the Primordial Zhuzhou himself and thrown here.
Zhu Diwen was silent for a long time.
A good news and a bad news.
The good news is that he guessed correctly, that Shenmu Zhuzhou Yuan Cangmeng is indeed a direct descendant of Zhuzhou, and can directly summon the power of the Primordial Zhuzhou.
The bad news is that the Primordial Zhuzhou took action and directly grabbed his avatar along with his main body. The many powerhouses of the Tianyou Minghai Dao could not stop him. This proves that the Primordial Zhuzhou not only possesses the power of a Hongliu, but also holds profound and incredible Hongliu supernatural powers.
[Careless! Who would have thought that a powerhouse who just advanced to Hongliu would have great supernatural powers that can perfectly exert the power of Hongliu?]
Zhu Diwen was a little annoyed. It should be known that the power of Hongliu and Hedao are not on the same level at all. Many Hedao supernatural powers can exert infinite power, but even so, in the hands of Hongliu, they will be unbearable and difficult to exert their full power.
Only the most top-level inheritance, called the Supreme, will have techniques that can fully exert the power of Hongliu - and this kind of Supreme inheritance is extremely rare in the entire multiverse, and the number of existences that can cultivate it to great success is probably even less than Hongliu!
[Where is this...]
After being annoyed, Zhu Diwen also knew that now was not the time to be in a daze. He also sensed the gazes of the many Hedao around him, and at this moment raised his head and looked around the surrounding spacetime.
Then, he was shocked: [A prison?!]
[This is a prison?!]
[A prison that imprisons hundreds of Hedao... with countless, infinite prison worlds?!]
--This Primordial Zhuzhou is indeed ruthless, worthy of the name of Hongliu!
So many Hedao, placed in the Huitian Realm, are considered top-tier forces, but in his hands, they are just mere prisoners!
Was he directly thrown into prison by the other party for spying on the direct descendants of the Primordial Zhuzhou?!
[No, no, I wasn't imprisoned in a prison world... Maybe the Primordial Zhuzhou just wants to talk to me?]
After all, he is also a Hedao powerhouse, Zhu Diwen quickly saw that the entire Zhuzhou Heaven might be a prison, but the astral plane where he is now is not, so he felt a little relieved: [Since this is the case, then I can't disgrace the majesty of our Huitian Tianyou Minghai Dao... I will wait here quietly for the call of Hongliu.]
Thinking this way, Zhu Diwen planned well - he would stay here quietly, wait for the call, and leave a good impression on that Primordial Zhuzhou.
However, as Zhu Diwen continued to observe, he could no longer maintain the composure he wanted to maintain.
[No... this is not a simple universe...]
The crystal giant elephant stared at the prison worlds that imprisoned the Hedao powerhouses, and he muttered to himself: [The Dao flows and constructs an integral whole. Each prison world can perfectly accommodate all the Dao of a Hedao powerhouse, and specifically suppress them.]
[This is almost equivalent to suppressing an entire universe, and the entire prison world (Zhuzhou Heaven) can suppress hundreds of Hedao at the same time, and not with full force!]
Opening his eyes wide, Zhu Diwen felt an incredible tremor: [This is...]
[The prototype of the multiverse?!]