Chapter 40: Chaos
"How!" Jiang Ping exclaimed, his voice stuck in his throat.
Jiang Ping's mind raced with anxious thoughts, questioning whether his aspirations had exceeded his capabilities and whether he actually possessed the foundational knowledge necessary to forge such a large new world.
Genesis emitted a luminous white glow as it addressed Jiang Ping, "Master, our plan revolves around the creation of a new world, drawing inspiration from the myths that resonate with the myths and legends on earth. However, the thoughts and beliefs of countless individuals culminated with unexpected repercussions, permeating this burgeoning realm, leading to unforeseen alterations."
Jiang Ping drew a deep breath, realizing that it wasn't an outright failure. He attentively absorbed Genesis' explanation, comprehending that the world had undergone a mutation owing to the amalgamation of countless thoughts from the third dimension.
At present, it remained uncertain whether this mutation would yield positive or negative outcomes. Fortunately, the creation of the chaotic world remained unscathed.
Having expended 2000 origin points to construct this extraordinary world, Jiang Ping surmised that it would not be as formidable as the myths he had envisioned. Rather, it would likely assume a more modest guise, resembling a subdued rendition of Honghuang, with the powers of immortals, gods, humans, and spirits adhering to reasonable limits.
Relieved, Jiang Ping cast his gaze once more upon the chaotic world. Under the recent influence of Earth, the chaos had assumed a denser allure, rendering it more inscrutable to Jiang Ping's discerning eyes.
Arching an eyebrow, Jiang Ping murmured, "Hopefully the sudden change won't be too detrimental!"
Despite the sudden changes, the birth of the three thousand demon gods persevered unimpeded. Violent and tumultuous currents of chaotic energy incessantly bathed the burgeoning demon god larvae, while a lotus flower at the epicenter drew in these chaotic currents, its solitary bloom embodying nearly 99% of creation itself.
Consequently, these energies merged within the lotus core's where an egg lay, where time held no dominion, nurturing the egg through an unceasing torrent of chaotic currents.
Gradually, the white lotus transformed into a colossal chaotic green, its true form obscured from view. The prodigious eggshell emanated the quintessence of the highest path, evoking tremors in the surrounding demon gods, who instinctively withdrew.
The nourishment beneath its shell sustained a burgeoning Pangu.
Jiang Ping nodded, acknowledging the natural progression of events while recognizing the imperative of fortifying Pangu's essence further.
Extending his hand, Jiang Ping's index finger traversed the boundary separating the two worlds, emerging amidst the gray silence and chaos. The finger, akin to a colossal pillar, incited tremors in the nascent demons, whose immature and ignorant consciousness trembled in its presence. This supreme finger, indescribable in words, was self-dubbed by the demons as "Dao."
It encapsulated the ultimate truth, the genesis and culmination of all existence. It embodied singularity, yet encompassed multitudes. It represented an ephemeral moment, yet resonated with eternal essence.
The Pillar traversed the boundless chaos until it reached the chaotic Qinglian at the center. The newborn Pangu, ensconced within the colossal egg, experienced an inexplicable jolt, its senses detecting the presence of a supreme entity by its side.
Jiang Ping refrained from intervening in the birth of the three thousand demon gods. Instead, his index finger hovered above the chaotic green lotus, from which a stream of dark red blood gently trickled forth.
Tick!
In that very moment, the resounding voice of the Great Dao pierced through the swirling chaos, marking its grand entrance into the realm.
The essence of Jiang Ping's blood permeated the chaotic green lotus bud, descending gradually until it permeated the colossal lotus core within the giant egg.
The entire expanse convulsed violently as the absorption of chaos accelerated a hundredfold, instigating profound transformations within this nascent world.
While a mere droplet of Jiang Ping's blood may have held inconsequential value in the outside world, within the chaotic realm, it possessed an essence of supreme authority. It endowed the inhabitants with an overwhelming power that reverberated throughout the very fabric of the world, inducing tremors in their wake.
Jiang Ping smiled, retracting his finger, though his countenance now bore the weariness of his exertions.
"Thinking about my current cultivation, I cannot help but reminisce on the arduous toll that the production of a single drop of blood essence has taken on my vitality," Jiang Ping mused with a touch of melancholy.
Presently confined to a mortal body, albeit one that had reached the zenith of mortal limits, he approximated the level of Gai Feng in comparison to the divisions within the primordial world. Yet, he paled in comparison to the Ant King, who had shattered shackles and transcended the boundaries of the world multiple times.
This endeavor had undeniably demanded a substantial investment, but the primordial world warranted such expenditure, and Pangu merited steadfast cultivation.
For the stronger Pangu grew now, the greater his potential in the future.
As the three thousand demon gods continued their gestation, Genesis hummed with purpose, meticulously recording the laws of this newborn world. Jiang Ping, fatigued, intended to recline on the sofa and replenish his energy.
However, to his surprise, as he cast his gaze downward, he noticed an earthworm wriggling its way onto his shoe.
"You will not touch me!"
Jiang Ping swiftly raised his foot, causing the tiny earthworm to transform into a streak of light that traversed two worlds, emerging within the nascent chaotic realm.
"How peculiar? Where did it come from? From the pond? Or the garden?" Jiang Ping pondered aloud as he poured himself a glass of water, preparing to take a seat and rest.
"Hmm? Something feels amiss," Jiang Ping exclaimed, promptly rising from his seat to observe the chaotic world before his posterior had even warmed the cushion. There, he witnessed the previously encountered earthworm rolling aimlessly amidst the chaos.
Violent currents of chaotic energy continued to surge into its diminutive form, causing the earthworm to convulse incessantly. After a prolonged struggle, it lay motionless, feigning death.
"If one endures calamity, blessings shall follow. Having withstood the baptism of diverse worlds' laws and the purifying embrace of chaos, it shall find a foothold in the world akin to Lahil," Jiang Ping mused, aware that despite its current appearance of lifelessness, the earthworm yet possessed vitality. Soon enough, it began to tremble faintly.
Gradually, its skin adapted to the chaos, automatically absorbing strands of chaotic energy, fortifying itself with each passing moment. The earthworm was fortunate, for it had been propelled into the new world through Jiang Ping's intervention. The chaotic realm, recognizing the actions of the creator god, did not perceive it as an intruder. Moreover, with the three thousand demon gods breeding and soaring throughout the skies, it stood a chance of survival amidst the chaos.
Snap!
Jiang Ping slapped his forehead, exclaiming, "Ever since that moment, I sensed something peculiar. Isn't the legendary figure, Daozu Hongjun, depicted as a cricket?"
Crickets, too, were earthworms, right?
(Translator's Note... What?)
"Thus, is this earthworm Hongjun?" Jiang Ping queried, bemused by the unexpected turn of events.
Unintentionally, even the most inconspicuous elements weave their way into the grand tapestry of existence.
The deal was sealed, and the earthworm's fate would now hinge on its own tenacity.
Nevertheless, this earthworm had become an anomaly within the chaos—the lone oddity. According to the evolution of the world, aside from the three thousand demon gods birthed alongside the three thousand roads, there should exist no other creatures within the chaos.
And yet, a tiny earthworm persisted, albeit still half-lifeless, struggling against the odds.
But, as the flap of a butterfly's wings can trigger a storm, this minuscule earthworm might well burrow a path to the heavens!
Nonetheless, everything rests upon the whims of fate, and Jiang Ping harbored no intention of intervening excessively. After all, accidents had repeatedly occurred during the initial opening of the chaotic world, and if a few more earthworms appeared, so be it.
Jiang Ping settled onto the sofa, sipping hot water as he reclined and perused the updated entries in Genesis, keen to uncover the latest developments within the Genesis log.
On the first page, dated July 19, 2020, according to the Earth's calendar, the God of Creation had invested a considerable price to fashion a new world, drawing inspiration from the ancient myths of the Earth. The freshly opened grand world had been affected by the thoughts and beliefs emanating from the real world, resulting in a strange mutation.
An earthworm had crawled onto his shoe, and in response, he flicked it away, inadvertently propelling the earthworm through time and space into the nascent chaotic world. After enduring a thorough cleansing, the earthworm had managed to survive.
As the second page of the calendar stood complete, no longer in need of updates, the third page lay blank, eagerly awaiting the arrival of fresh narratives.
In this pristine expanse, new script materialized, revealing the dawn of the Prehistoric Era: The Era of Hongmeng. Within this nascent epoch, the verdict on Hongmeng's judgment remained pending, and the tapestry of chaos had yet to fully unfurl. In this vast and boundless world, an abundance of energies had been forged by the hands of the God of Creation. This extraordinary era transcended the confines of time and space, defying the established rules of existence, where the path ahead was yet to manifest its true form.
The Era of Chaos: Boundless chaos manifests, gradually revealing the three thousand roads as the rules of the world continue to refine themselves, ultimately returning to a state of chaos and void.
"From the celestial realms, Jiang Ping saw the magnificent lotus, suffused with chaotic hues. Within the very heart of this enigmatic blossom, an ethereal egg resided, brimming with untold potential. As if in response to this mystical presence, a graceful willow descended from above, intertwining its branches with the radiant petals of the lotus."
"The manifestation of three thousand laws has initiated the emergence of three thousand tumultuous deity-like entities, while the supreme God of Creation effortlessly traverses between the two worlds with a flick of his wrist."