Chapter 2117: Right and Wrong

Between heaven and earth, few things exist that are unknown to the Creation Gods.

However, why the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword and the Myriad Tribulations Evil Infant Wheel were named 'Heaven Punishing' and 'Myriad Tribulations' was a secret destined to remain unknown to anyone in the world, including the Creation Gods and the Devil Emperors. As the Ancestral God had passed away, no one could fathom her intentions.

And then, Mo E's words...

“You… actually… know?”

Ni Xuan and Mo E had both believed that they were the ones who understood each other best in this world.

Ni Xuan had once told Mo Su: “Every time that old stubborn fool from your family opens his mouth, I know what Creation God-level nonsense he’s about to spew… Oh, by the way, Creation Gods actually do fart too. Your old stubborn fool does it about six times every hundred thousand years on average.”

“Hmm… Hmm?! You mean Li Sa? Nonsense! How can a celestial being like Li Sa, a goddess above all gods, be compared to coarse gods like us? Believe it or not, I'll throw you into the Life God Temple right now.”

Yet, despite their long years of acquaintance, companionship, and mutual understanding, he had never heard Mo E utter a single word about this matter.

Mo E, with his customary deadpan words, revealed a truth known only to him in this world: “The Ancestral God was born from nothingness. Over countless eons, she created profound energy, established rules, shaped the world's contours, and designed the initial forms of life… until the complete concept of creation was formed.”

“But to create, one must first annihilate oneself. The Ancestral God, born from nothingness, had no reference for her creation, nor could she predict its direction or future. If it were to become distorted, collapse, or be destroyed… she, having already perished, would be powerless to intervene or alter it.”

“Therefore, before returning to nothingness, the Ancestral God left behind two… Correction Artifacts.”

Cor…rec…tion…

These were two ordinary words in the mundane world, but when linked to the Ancestral God and the dawn of creation, they subtly implied an unsettling tremor that shook one's soul.

“The first Correction Artifact, the Ancestral God imbued with the power of ultimate yang and the spiritual form of a profound and wise elder, naming it—the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword.”

“The second Correction Artifact, the Ancestral God imbued with the power of ultimate yin and the spiritual form of a pure and innocent child, naming it—the Myriad Tribulations Evil Infant Wheel.”

The storm in the God Realm of Absolute Beginning ceased, and even space itself stopped trembling.

All signs and sounds of disaster vanished. Between heaven and earth, only the thunderous pounding of a heart could be heard.

“The mission of the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword is to monitor the stability and balance of the world's rules, which is also what people perceive as the 'Heavenly Way'. If the Heavenly Way falls into chaos, laws will inevitably collapse, leading to endless disasters in the world until its ultimate ruin.”

“The two characters 'Heaven Punishing' in the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword have never meant 'its might can punish heaven and destroy earth' as people believe, but rather 'to punish and destroy the Heavenly Way'.”

“Should the Heavenly Way become truly chaotic, the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword would unleash its ultimate power to obliterate it, allowing the world to reshape its Heavenly Way and laws, thus preventing the world's collapse.”

“But… Ni Xuan, you should understand that if the Heavenly Way is destroyed and all laws collapse, it would leave us unharmed, but for the myriad beings of all worlds, it would mean endless calamity. Once the Heavenly Way and laws are reshaped, the world would inevitably no longer be the same as it once was.”

“And in the current world, the greatest maintainers, supporters, and balancers of the Heavenly Way… are the God and Devil races.”

“…” Ni Xuan remained stunned for a long time, unable to speak, his heart pounding ever more violently.

Mo E continued: “The world has flourished to an immeasurable extent. Over the long ages, the Ancestral Sword Spirit had developed feelings for the world, but such feelings were destined not to supersede the mission bestowed upon it by the Ancestral God.”

He lowered his gaze, looking at the ancient bronze greatsword in his hand, his mild eyes and expression as if he were facing a trusted old friend.

“The Ancestral Sword Spirit was both my teacher and my friend. One day, it told me the reason for its existence and the mission it bore. It told me that even the mighty Ancestral God herself could not fully predict the world's development. If the Ancestral God's consciousness were still alive and faced with a world like this, even if the Heavenly Way became chaotic, she would surely be unwilling to punish and reshape it.”

“When the Ancestral Sword Spirit spoke these words, it was with fear. It feared that if one day the Heavenly Way truly fell into chaos, its mission would surely override its will, forcing it to unleash the Heaven Punishing Sword's blow.”

“So, after telling me everything, it chose… self-annihilation.”

The sword was his mentor, his old friend… but they could no longer face each other and speak.

No one knew, except Mo E. Within the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword, there had long been no sword spirit, only the last vestiges of the Ancestral Sword's power remained.

“I once asked it if there was a possibility for the God and Devil races to coexist in harmony.”

“It told me that the God Race and the Devil Race were like the two ends of a worldly scale. They repelled each other, checked each other, and balanced each other. It observed the changes of countless eras, and it was precisely because these two colossal powers were mutually hostile and mutually balancing that they could long form their own alliances, unite against external threats, and prevent internal strife.”

“If the two races were to merge, it would be equivalent to both world-sustaining races losing their sole restraint.”

“What would arise from that is unpredictable. But… it cannot be denied that the balance could be broken, and the Heavenly Way could fall into chaos. And this possibility was too immense.”

“Too immense for the Ancestral Sword Spirit to accept.”

“Therefore, before choosing self-annihilation, it had only one request… It asked me to swear that as long as I existed, I must never break the balance between the God and Devil races. As long as this foundation remained stable, the Heavenly Way would never fall into chaos.”

Ni Xuan's half-braced knees heavily dropped to the ground.

“How could I not accept this oath, and how could I not uphold it?” Mo E murmured, “Because the two characters 'Heaven Punishing' are its sword's name, and also my divine name.”

“My mission, from the day I was created, was firmly etched into my divine soul and my very being.”

A biting wind suddenly rose, and this time, it stirred every strand of the Heaven Punishing Divine Emperor's disheveled hair.

“But why must it be my only beloved friend, why must it be my most cherished son?”

His voice still held no trace of sorrow.

For when pain is extreme, there is no sorrow; when sorrow is extreme, there are no tears.

“And yet, it had to be me… one of the only two individuals in this world I could not stop.”

He murmured softly: “Rebellion is etched into your divine soul. If I had forcibly stopped you, it would only have provoked your rebellious spirit further. The only option was to banish the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor, severing this connection forever.”

“Mo Su's temperament appeared soft and weak, but in truth, he possessed an extremely formidable stubbornness deep within his bones. He would pour everything into what he believed in, regardless of the consequences, with no possibility of turning back. I had no choice but to execute him with my own hands.”

He hated himself, and he hated Ni Xuan: “Back then, I let him accompany you for a thousand years. Learning the Heaven Breaking Sword was secondary; the main reason was for your carefree nature to resolve his stubbornness… That turned out to be the greatest misconception of my life.”

Ni Xuan's fingers sank deep into the blood-stained earth. Innumerable wounds covered his body, yet he felt no trace of pain.

Those divine eyes, once always brimming with laughter and nonchalance, were now filled with desolate agony and bewilderment.

The true mission behind the existence of the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword and the Myriad Tribulations Evil Infant Wheel was undoubtedly the most terrifying truth in this world. Mo E was the only one who knew it. For countless years, he had borne this burden alone, never telling anyone… because even a Creation God, if they knew this truth, would be shackled for life, unable to breathe.

No wonder, as the First Creation God, he had adhered strictly to his own path his entire life, never overstepping his bounds, almost… meticulously cautious.

Finally, Ni Xuan uttered a voice several times hoarser than before: “Tell me, if the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword's mission is the reshaping of the Heavenly Way, then what is the Myriad Tribulations Evil Infant Wheel's mission?”

Mo E spoke, just five words: “The purification of humanity.”

“…” The blood flow throughout Ni Xuan's body abruptly ceased.

“The spiritual form of 'Evil' exists between good and evil, leaning neither way. With an infant as its initial spirit, it is utterly pure and untainted, allowing it to directly receive and perceive the good or evil from the world.”

“If she primarily received love and goodness in the world, she would become attached to it, protect it, and transform into a Wheel of World Protection.”

“Conversely, if she primarily received malice and wickedness, then the world in her eyes would be a foul and corrupted one, leading her to unleash 'Myriad Tribulations' to cleanse the defiled spirits of the world.”

Mo E spoke with a blank expression: “By the time I learned all of this from the Ancestral Sword Spirit, the Devil Race had already committed the most erroneous and foolish act.”

“The 'Evil Infant's' uncontrollable childlike temperament, coupled with her terrifying power, caused her to unintentionally create disasters multiple times. If she had been given sustained tolerance, guidance, and care, she would have gradually integrated into the Devil Race and become a Wheel of World Protection.”

“However, her power, which surpassed that of the Devil Emperors and was uncontrollable, instilled great apprehension in the Devil Race. They ultimately chose to exploit her childlike innocence, lure her into a formation, lull her to sleep, and then combine the powers of all Devil Emperors and Devil Gods to permanently seal her.”

“It is best if that seal truly is eternal. Otherwise, should she break free, her hatred and malevolence would unleash 'Myriad Tribulations' so terrifying that even I cannot imagine them.”

The Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword slowly lowered, hitting the ground with a soft thud.

Mo E turned, his back as desolate as the gray firmament of Absolute Beginning. “Ni Xuan, our battle today will decide your daughter's fate, and she is an anomaly born from the union of a Creation God and a Devil Emperor. Therefore, no matter what, I must win, even if it is an unfair victory.”

He slowly took a step, the heavy sword body carving a gradually lengthening mark into the land of Absolute Beginning.

His voice, too, resonated heavily through this faded world of Absolute Beginning.

“What consequences today's causes will bring, I am destined not to see. But at least, during my lifetime, the union of gods and devils has been obstructed.”

“I, Mo E, the Heaven Punishing Divine Emperor, have failed Mo Su, failed myself, and failed you… But at least, I have not failed the name 'Heaven Punishing Divine Emperor', nor violated my oath to the Ancestral Sword Spirit, nor let down the destiny bestowed upon me by the Ancestral God.”

“Wait.” Ni Xuan spoke up, looking at Mo E's retreating figure. “You still owe me… a wager!”

Mo E's steps halted, and the entire world seemed to freeze.

Finally, the frozen world stirred. Mo E raised his hand, and space fractured. A pale golden barrier flew out, landing beside Ni Xuan.

Creation divine power flowed over the barrier, within which a faint silhouette of a young girl could vaguely be discerned.

“She can live. But all demonic elements must be erased… This is my final concession.”

Ni Xuan tremblingly reached out, touching the barrier before him, tears gushing from his despairing eyes.

Suddenly, he sensed something, and let out a hoarse roar: “What did you mean just now when you said… 'destined not to see'?”

Mo E did not stop, his voice faint as mist: “Just now, it wasn't the second time I unleashed the Ancestral Sword's power.”

“It was the third time.”

Ni Xuan: “!?”

“Banishment of the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor and her Devil Race was the second time.”

“The first time…” Though emotionally numb, his voice paused for a moment: “It was when I executed Mo Su.”

“The Daughter of Nirvana, to save Mo Su, used the Nirvana Void-Breaking Mirror to traverse the God Realm of Absolute Beginning, appearing beside Mo Su. I had prepared for this, but I never expected her to also carry the Nirvana Devil Reversing Orb.”

“Two supreme devil artifacts, creating a dual spatial and temporal lock, which I was unable to break free from with my power. As Mo Su was about to be taken away by the Daughter of Nirvana, I had no choice but to use the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword.”

Ni Xuan's arms fell limply, and he slowly closed his eyes.

Three uses of the Ancestral Sword… a ninety percent loss of lifespan.

“As beings both created by the Ancestral God, I destroyed the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor's body and eradicated her race. My sin is unforgivable. I will repay with my life; the lineage of Heaven Punishing will also be severed forever.”

“Driven by my own convictions, I personally killed my son. I am unworthy of being a father, unworthy of being a god, unworthy of being human, and unworthy of lingering in this world.”

He looked back, giving Ni Xuan one last deep gaze: “After this parting, there will be no future meeting. Take care, my only beloved friend.”

He resumed walking. A cold wind suddenly rose, streaking his flowing hair with patches of white.

In the pallid gray world, only Ni Xuan's figure remained.

Lover…

Beloved friend…

Brother…

Belief…

Right and wrong…

He raised a hand, pressing his palm tightly against his face. His knuckles cracked one by one, yet he still could not suppress the constant overflowing sobs.

The Life God Temple.

He had once promised Jie Yuan never to see Li Sa, the Creation God of Life, again, and never to approach the Life God Temple.

He had broken his promise.

However, in his memory fragments, Li Sa was merely a blurred phantom, her divine beauty that captivated the God-Devil era impossible to discern clearly.

Perhaps he had deliberately blurred his vision when looking at Li Sa, striving to uphold his promise of 'not seeing' her to the greatest extent possible.

“Ni… Xuan?”

If not for the unique aura of the Creation God of Elements, Li Sa would not have believed that this person, covered in grime, dressed in tattered clothes, and with disheveled hair, was actually Ni Xuan.

He, who had always valued his appearance most, would even subtly control the direction of every strand of his hair.

Ni Xuan did not respond. He slowly walked forward, each step stiff and heavy.

The 'ice coffin' in his hand was gently placed on the ground. Inside, a sleeping girl lay quietly, like an exquisitely delicate porcelain doll.

Yun Che recognized her at once; it was Hong'er.

“The Eternal Axis…” Li Sa murmured softly. “Who is she?”

“My… daughter…” Ni Xuan's lips moved with great difficulty, and his voice was as dry and raspy as metal scraping.

Li Sa remained silent for a long time.

“I… reshaped her incomplete soul, but I couldn't make her soul perfectly compatible… especially that… essential sword soul…”

Because her mother… the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor possessed a sword soul. This destined one of her soul foundations to also be a sword soul.

“Li Sa, only you can accomplish this.”

“…I understand.” Li Sa did not ask further, merely nodding slightly.

“Thank… you…”

He whispered the two words, gazing fixedly at the girl in the Eternal Axis for a moment, then turned and shuffled blankly towards the exit.

“Ni Xuan!” Li Sa called out to him. “What on earth… has happened to you?”

Ni Xuan uttered a voice unlike that of the Creation God of Elements: “I have made… a grave mistake…”

“What if you did?” Li Sa softly said: “You once quipped that no living being in this world is free from error. As long as one's heart is not evil, there is no need to be bound by mistakes; instead, one should earnestly correct and compensate, using errors to awaken oneself and righteousness to mend what is wrong.”

Ni Xuan murmured: “That's because… some mistakes can be forgiven, and some cannot.”

Li Sa paused, then comforted him: “In both the God Realm and the lower realms, you have always been the most revered Creation God among all beings. Countless races have received your immense grace. The benevolence you bestowed upon all worlds has made them willing to sing your praises for myriad generations.”

“Cre…a…tion… God…”

He softly uttered these three words, which should have been incredibly familiar to him, but his pupils were devoid of any color: “I am no longer worthy of being a Creation God, and this world no longer has… a Creation God of Elements…”

Li Sa: “…”

Ni Xuan looked straight ahead, his eyes hollow: “I have caused a great calamity, I am unworthy of righteousness. I have never… succumbed to evil, yet if I still deserve a divine name, let it be called…”

“Evil… God…”

From him, the Creation God of Life sensed extreme despondency, profound regret, and intense hatred… hatred for himself.

Ni Xuan's heavy steps suddenly halted.

“Li Sa…” he asked, “Is there anywhere… suitable for peaceful sleep, undisturbed by anyone?”

Every word he spoke was hoarse and weary.

Across dimensions and through the ages, even Yun Che could clearly discern Ni Xuan's pain and evasion of reality and fate.

Li Sa's feelings were undoubtedly thousands of times stronger than Yun Che's. She offered no dissuasion, only softly said: “Southern Region, at the bottom of the Heavenly Abyss Pagoda… How long do you wish to sleep peacefully?”

Ni Xuan said: “I don't know. Perhaps a million years, perhaps ten million years… until my consciousness is willing to awaken, or never awaken at all.”

Li Sa: “…”

“My daughter, I entrust to you. Find her a suitable identity and home. Do not tell her of her origins. I only wish for her to live a carefree life, enjoying peace and happiness.”

“Such kindness, however, is hard to repay.”

He turned his head, the corners of his lips twitching slightly… He was trying hard to smile, to express gratitude, and to make a somewhat dignified farewell.

But he, whose face had always shown joy for countless ages, could no longer manage a smile… as if he had forgotten how to smile.