The peerless black hand that covers the sky

Chapter 1053 The Era of Sacrifice, Turmoil in Human Calamity

"consensus?"

The Great Vehicle Mountain King Buddha seemed to be deep in thought, "Is this your preparation for liberation?"

"good."

The Jade Emperor said calmly, "The Evil Ancestor evolved into the 'Main God,' enabling all living beings to pursue their dreams... Although we do not know his ultimate purpose, he has also thoroughly revitalized the human world."

"But... what is the origin of all living beings' dreams?"

"All living beings, in their earliest days, had no thoughts, no feelings, no awareness, only a basic instinct for survival. What dreams could they possibly have?"

The Jade Emperor said indifferently, "A person is born as a blank sheet of paper. It is through the gradual coloring of life that a picture of life is drawn."

"Dreams are the finishing touch to a painting. Having them is very important, but not having them doesn't prevent one from drifting along, wasting one's youth, and becoming a magnificent but empty painting."

"However, dreams do not come out of thin air. They are formed by the influence of the external environment and combined with one's own desires."

"It is the fear of birth, aging, sickness, and death that drives people to pursue immortality and ascension to heaven; it is the experience of suffering and persecution that makes people yearn for justice and equality..."

Just as there is no love without a reason, there is no dream without a reason...

"In fact, the dreams of many living beings are not so lofty and great, but rather very superficial and simple... Thus, there is room for guidance."

"Many people dream of becoming heroes and outstanding figures, not because they want to benefit the world, but simply because they feel that it is prestigious and noble enough, and that showing off in front of others can satisfy their vanity..."

"Self-satisfaction, self-pity, the worship of others... Perhaps a few individuals are outstanding and different, but the vast majority of living beings are not so transcendent and are ordinary."

"It's like... the simplest truths are the most profound."

"The Tao is omnipresent, without distinction between the noble and the lowly. The Tao is between the sun, moon and stars, and also between excrement and urine. It encompasses everything and tolerates everything."

"Humans are the same."

"In other words..."

"As long as it satisfies the vanity of people's self-pity and the worship of others, and makes them 'show their sainthood in front of others,' then... their dreams can be guided!"

The Jade Emperor smiled slightly, "Start with the details, divide the components, build the group, create a superior perspective, and use a unique concept as the core..."

"An existence like the 'Heavenly Emperor'... I think many beings dream of becoming a figure like the 'Heavenly Emperor'."

"When people mention the 'Heavenly Emperor,' what comes to mind? It is his power, his magnanimity, and his protection of all living beings."

"Each element is indispensable; it's not something an ordinary person can achieve."

"To become powerful and stand at the pinnacle of the world, one needs unparalleled talent for cultivation, an extraordinary opportunity to attain enlightenment, and unwavering perseverance and determination... Clearly, this has absolutely nothing to do with ordinary beings."

"Even if a 'god' intervenes in the world and gives all living beings a glimmer of hope that anything is possible... one doesn't know how much suffering and hardship one would have to endure to have even the slightest chance of success, enough to make people hesitate."

"As for magnanimity... ha, based on what I've seen and heard along the way, only the strong can talk about magnanimity, and only they are worthy of talking about magnanimity."

"The magnanimity and mindset of the weak will only be seen as weakness. A kind person is bullied, and a good horse is ridden."

"That can also be ruled out."

"Then, all that remains is the 'Heavenly Emperor's' protection of all living beings, that kind of egalitarian love and coexistence among all races..."

Is there any hope of achieving this?

"Finally... I got it!"

"Even if we cannot achieve the broadest scale of coexistence, equality, love, protection, and care among all races..."

"However, starting from small things and imitating others is not difficult at all; self-pity and the admiration of others are readily available!"

The Jade Emperor laughed and said, "Saving all races is impossible, but caring for pets and releasing food animals... is that so difficult?"

"Regardless of the consequences, isn't there a moment of self-gratification? You can use it to boast and show off your 'Heavenly Emperor' demeanor for a fleeting instant, showing universal love for all beings!"

"..."

The person in question and the Mahayana monk both looked bewildered.

They thought they were abstract enough, but they didn't expect their teammate to be no less capable than them, and perhaps even more so!

"...Going further, standing on the moral high ground, looking down on others, interfering with them, and spreading ideas from the perspective of a successor to the spirit of the Heavenly Emperor..."

"If you want a dream, I'll give you the highest dream."

"And if they want 'success,' I can define 'success' for them as well," the Jade Emperor said quietly, "covering up their true, rightful pursuits and confusing their dreams..."

"If one cannot purchase a celestial abode spanning thousands of miles, and does not possess a chariot pulled by nine dragons, then one's life as a cultivator is a failure, deserving of contempt and trampling, unworthy of being human..."

"To become Daoist partners without using Immortal Mother Gold as a betrothal gift or Chaos Immortal Marrow as a present is to lack sincerity and true love..."

The Jade Emperor listed things slowly and methodically, intending to give the masses a bit of intensity.

With the Evil Ancestor already having secretly implemented an excellent matching mechanism, he added to it and intensified his efforts!

One must have lofty dreams and become the consensus of countless beings in an era. Only those who can achieve this can be considered successful; otherwise, they are just losers and do not deserve to be human!

"Such a goal requires a subtle and gradual influence... and you, Mahayana, are my most suitable helper."

The Jade Emperor looked at Mahayana and said, "I don't need you to transcend first and then help me transcend."

"All I need to do is... in the workings of the Supreme God, allow some beings who already possess the qualities I mentioned to realize their dreams first, becoming the clearest advertisements and propaganda, giving them everything they desire, starting with a few and spreading to the whole, ultimately drawing countless beings into it..."

"Thus, when you reach the peak, I will also reach an ultimate state, deeply influencing the subconscious of humanity, transforming a part of it into the shape I desire, and then I can attempt the ultimate leap!"

The Jade Emperor's Way.

"..."

Mahayana took a deep breath and looked intently at the Jade Emperor. "Old friend, your thoughts... are a bit unexpected."

"You're tormenting all living beings like this... be careful you don't die a horrible death."

"If I don't cause trouble, will I not die?" The Jade Emperor chuckled. "If I cause trouble, I might have a chance of survival."

"Otherwise, if I get cornered by pollen or wasteland one day, we'll see if they 'accidentally' kill me!"

"Moreover!"

"We can't just allow the evil ancestor to evolve into the main god, causing suffering to all living beings and making them believe in the wisdom of all spirits... while I'm not allowed to make promises to all living beings!"

"I merely exploited the vanity of the masses!"

“A truly desireless being is indifferent to any gain or loss, unmoved by external things or personal losses... how could I possibly influence it?”

The Jade Emperor calmly said, "It is because the personal cultivation of all living beings is inadequate, and they pay too much attention to external evaluations, which is why they live such difficult and busy lives."

"It can be said that the temptations I depict for all living beings are also a kind of tribulation and test..."

"When people are thoroughly scammed once, they will experience profound growth. From then on, they will see through all propaganda and narratives, gain their own clear understanding of how to live authentically instead of becoming puppets manipulated by others!" "Being scammed in a particular field will demystify that field, forging a discerning eye and truly leading to growth!"

"Perhaps, it may require the lives of an entire generation as a price, a necessary sacrifice..." The Jade Emperor raised his head and looked at the dark sky, as if trying to see through this sky to see if there was a supreme axe light that could cleave through the eternal sky.

But nothing happened.

Then he smiled, a composed smile, “But for humanity as a whole, it is the most perfect lesson, allowing it to undergo a transformative and sublimation in the realm of humanity!”

"Sacrifice a generation to learn a lesson..."

"Consider this tuition fee as the resource for my transcendence!"

"A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit... The more severe the loss, the deeper the memory!"

"I set up tribulations for all living beings out of vanity, greed, temptation, and growth..."

"Who can see through this and escape this calamity? I'm eagerly anticipating it!"

The Jade Emperor's eyes blazed as he surveyed the ages, waiting for someone to step forward and challenge him to a game of chess!

In a daze, he seemed to be standing in a void, with a mountain of corpses and burial pits outlining his feet.

Countless corpses, bizarre and varied, representing countless races, all twisted beyond recognition.

That was a shaped pursuit, a disciplined dream... attracting countless creatures to climb it one after another, unknowingly exhausting themselves and collapsing twisted on the road.

The Jade Emperor stood atop the mountain, coldly looking down upon all living beings.

hum!
Suddenly, a thick fog surged forth, seemingly covering the sky and earth, or rising from the mountains of corpses and burial pits, obscuring everything.

"Ok?"

Just as he was listening with great interest and feeling that he had learned a lot of new knowledge, the Plateau Consciousness let out a soft "Eh!", the mist surged, the supreme power spread, and a pair of eyes lit up, piercing through the eternal sky.

The illusion vanished, the mist dissipated, and everything seemed as if nothing had happened.

However, for a fleeting, almost imperceptible moment, it seemed to see something—a creature moving through the mist, devouring one corpse after another that lay in pursuit!
However, this scene was too illusory and fleeting.

The high-altitude consciousness pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke, recounting what it had seen and issuing a warning.

"It doesn't matter."

The Jade Emperor murmured, "It's just a human tribulation; let it come!"

He was calm and composed. "When I rose to power, hadn't I already experienced enough calamities?"

"As long as it's not a heaven-splitting axe or a desolate sword that suddenly appears out of nowhere, I can accept it."

That's a dimensional attack; there's absolutely no chance of resistance, only death. There's no way to save them.

On the contrary, in a fair fight between people of the same level, even if the odds of winning are not great, there is at least hope and an opportunity!
"The three of us will likely all face similar calamities at that time..."

The Jade Emperor murmured, “Every cause has its effect. We once created the Dark Outpost and feasted on the blood of all living beings. How could we not face karmic retribution?”

"We're all waiting!"

After saying this, he, Mahayana, and the Lord of Destiny exchanged a smile.

"Now that we've clearly defined our interests and each has our own needs, we're truly in the same boat!"

Let us improve together, and one day attain transcendence together!

"It's a pleasure working with you!"

They stood together completely, debuted as a group, and made the most solemn vow never to betray each other.

More importantly, and more crucially, their preparations were tied to their interests and needs, transcending and superseding the ritual, and were mutually beneficial and supportive!

There are no permanent friends, but there are permanent interests!
What do past grudges and grievances matter when there are enough benefits to be gained?

We can turn against each other after everyone has transcended this!

They were all smiling, and the high-altitude consciousness witnessed it all, suddenly feeling much more at peace.

After all, its current underlings seem quite reliable, possessing both awareness and skill, and are definitely capable of carrying the team to victory!
'That's...not bad either.'

A thousand thoughts raced through its mind: 'If they succeed, I'll have gained a few more helpers.'

'At that time, we wouldn't have to worry about being attacked by the wilderness, pollen... um, and we wouldn't have to consider the willow tree and others joining forces to attack it...'

As the mysterious and ominous mastermind, although many things have passed, it is clear that certain personal grudges will not be so easily forgotten, and a reckoning will come sooner or later!
It knows, and it is clear that some people know as well.

Everyone is waiting for an opportunity.

'Now, I'm waiting for help...'

'Wild... what are you waiting for?'

……

The surging fog sometimes engulfs the long river of time in human history, obscuring the eternal sky; at other times it recedes and condenses, disappearing without a trace.

In the mist, it seemed as if some kind of creature was active, traversing the vast ancient sky.

Under such a fog, even the light of the "main god" dimmed, as if it had been suppressed and obscured.

A subtle, indescribable demonic force is raging and sweeping through!

A seed that was gradually filling out, but still showing signs of shriveling, had a few leaves swaying on it, and anthropomorphically made a sighing expression, as if feeling melancholy about something that was happening.

“It’s so hard for me…”

The seed whispered, "Back when I had not yet attained enlightenment, I was hated by everyone and was an enemy of the world."

"Back then, I thought that one day I would reach the highest point and make no one in this world dare to defy my will..."

"Now, although I can't say I'm invincible, I can't find many opponents in the world."

"But... I'm still an enemy of the whole world!"

Ye Fan felt bitter, as if his life had never been smooth sailing for more than a few days, and that smooth sailing was a distant dream for him.

"Look at the current situation!"

"The old bitter leaf has made a comeback, the remnants of the overlord are not content to remain silent, and pollen particles have been rekindled..."

Ye Fan whispered, barely able to contain himself. Why was everyone coming after him?!
Moreover, once they arrived, they were all assigned tough jobs; none of them were easy to deal with!

What "forbidden zone of life," what union... even the consciousness of high altitude is faintly resurfacing...

This reality is garbage, is there any reason to believe it?
Ye Fan intentionally or unintentionally omitted what he had actually done, whether he had drawn a large target, which attracted countless eyes and gazes.

(End of this chapter)