Journey to the West: Break the entire Western Heaven!

Moreover, who else would be willing to sacrifice everything like Pan Gu, transforming themselves into a ship to benefit others?

Thus, everyone's gaze turned toward the Pangu World.

More people joined forces, attacking the Pangu World—to steal the ship!

As a result, an unprecedented battle broke out among the heavens, with thousands of Saints participating...

In that battle, the heavens shattered, the earth split apart, and the continent was torn to pieces. Just as it seemed the whole world was beyond salvation, three thousand Primordial Chaos Demon Gods dragged those people into the Ruins of Return.

The Ruins of Return is the gateway to the Pangu World, the portal to enter and leave the world, and also a heavenly barrier.

Outside the Ruins of Return, Saints waged battle for countless ages...

Only a few Saints remained to guard the Pangu World, preventing stowaways from "stealing home."

Tang Sanzang frowned and said, "But I heard that later on, Ancestor Hongyun passed on his Dao fruit to Zhun Ti, and Zhun Ti became a Saint. The world didn't collapse either..."

At this point, Tang Sanzang suddenly realized something, "Could it be?"

Donghuang Taiyi nodded and said, "There is a place for every Saint, like a hole for each radish. If one can fall into place, it must mean a radish is gone... that is to say, a Saint must have perished outside the Ruins of Return!"

Shock!

Immense shock!

Although Tang Sanzang always downplayed the significance of Saints, the fact that these beings, said to be immortal and eternal, the highest achievement of all living beings, could actually perish was beyond belief!

This was simply unthinkable!

At the same time, Tang Sanzang remembered what the Enlightened Beast had said before.

The Saints had changed, from enforcers of the Heavenly Dao to nurturers of all living beings, clearly realizing that Saints might perish—they were training successors!

Thinking this, Tang Sanzang trembled in his heart and felt a deep respect for those three thousand Demon Gods.

Knowing they would die, they still fought their way out... such righteousness impressed him.

But on the other hand, what exactly was he?

Was he one of the three thousand Demon Gods?

Or one amongst the external Primordial Chaos Demon Gods?

Tang Sanzang looked at Donghuang Taiyi.

Donghuang Taiyi shook his head and said, "I don't know who you are. Back then, when the three thousand of us came together, we agreed to all enter into Pangu's body and be imbued with Pangu's blood... But after we emerged, you also crawled out from Pangu's body!

At that time, it gave us quite a shock..."

Tang Sanzang was speechless for a moment, thinking that just one person had managed to startle three thousand Saints—the thought was quite thrilling.

Pointing to his own face, Tang Sanzang asked, "According to what you said, with so many of you, you must have all become old acquaintances later on, surely some were wide-travelled and well-informed, right? Wasn't there even one who recognized me?"

Donghuang Taiyi shook his head and said, "No... Back then, Goddess Hou Tu was someone with extensive connections. During her time in the Chaos Sea, she was a top-notch real estate wholesaler, knowing countless people, yet she had absolutely no recollection of you. We even circulated your portrait far and wide to inquire, but nobody knew who you were, where you came from, or where you were going.

But since you're not a Saint and don't occupy a Saint's place, we decided to leave you behind."

At this point, Donghuang Taiyi said with great frustration, "Only, we didn't expect that you only wouldn't take up a place—everything else, you took your fair share!"

Tang Sanzang wiped his nose and smiled bashfully before asking, "What happened next?"

When Donghuang Taiyi got to this part, his expression turned solemn. "Do you know why you ended up here?"

Tang Sanzang said, "I heard that I caused too much trouble and was exiled by you all."

Donghuang Taiyi smiled, "That's just the official story told to the public..."

Then, with a serious look, Donghuang Taiyi continued, "Tang Sanzang, what I'm about to tell you concerns the future of our great ship, the portal to Chaos, and even the life and death of all of us!"

Tang Sanzang could sense Donghuang Taiyi's solemnity, sat up straight, gestured for him to continue, and listened attentively.

Donghuang Taiyi said, "Pan Gu created this world to help as many people as possible. We, the three thousand who boarded the ship first, naturally had the advantage. We naively thought that, because we would take care of this world, Pan Gu would definitely regard us as his own."

"That's why you were sent into the river of time to come to this era to do certain things."

"But, we never imagined that we were wrong — he actually made a move against you!"

Tang Sanzang asked, "Are you talking about Hong Jun?" Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire

Donghuang Taiyi nodded, "Yes, Hong Jun is the culmination of Pan Gu's last thoughts and also the personification of the will of the Heavenly Dao."

"We thought we were on his side, but now it seems we underestimated Pan Gu's magnanimity."

"In Pan Gu's eyes, you, me, and even those who come after have no distinction."

"No matter who enters this world and finds him, he treats everyone equally, without favoritism."

"Therefore, we can listen to his teachings, and he shares his knowledge without reserve."

"If we are attacked, he does not intervene."

"If we violate his rules, even for the sake of the entire world, he will still take action to stop us."

"This simply reinforces the saying that 'nature is indifferent and all creatures are but mere straws to it.'"

"Fortunately, it was you who stepped into the river of time at that moment. If it had been someone else, I'm afraid they would have been slain by him."

Tang Sanzang was stunned for a moment, not expecting that Hong Jun would hold such an attitude toward all — an attitude that creatures of the world would go to such lengths to worship.

Tang Sanzang said, "None of that matters now. Tell me, what exactly did I come here to do!"

Donghuang Taiyi, gazing intently at Tang Sanzang, said, "Every ship, aside from its boarding gate, is not completely sealed. Originally, the three thousand of us stormed the Ruins of Return and blocked the main gate. However, there were still people who snuck inside the ship to wreak havoc, even developing their own doctrines, aiming to undermine us from within and to replace the Crown Prince."

"Underneath the Heavenly River in the Heavenly Court, the Wind Clan that was being suppressed is actually the doctrine of the Wind Saint. The Wind Saint had directly thrust one of his saintly avatars into a small world to preach, establishing the Wind Clan and the Wind Church. Ultimately, the Wind Clan tried to enter the Earth Immortals Realm in the guise of beings from this world, leading the way for the Wind Saint."

"Luckily, Fu Xi, who watches over the world day and night, discovered this and eventually suppressed them under the Heavenly River."

"And such incidents have happened one after another over the years, clearly indicating that they've found other entries or cracks in this great ship."

Tang Sanzang said, "So this is one of the breaches?"

Donghuang Taiyi nodded, "Exactly. According to our calculations, this is one of the breaches, and the largest one at that. It must be guarded by someone powerful, which is why we chose you, and you agreed."

Tang Sanzang tapped his head and said, "Why don't I remember anything? You're not pulling my leg, are you?"

Donghuang Taiyi said with a wry smile, "We're all in the same boat. Do you really think I'd fool you for fun?"

Tang Sanzang said, "Then tell me, did you guys really stop those guys in the past or not?"