World’s End: My Keyword is One More Than Others
Chapter 557: Donghua, you should protect my path

"Emperor, I am the embodiment of the Heavenly Dao from another world."

Du Ge pondered for a moment, crafting an absolutely safe and impressive identity for himself.

With a Heavenly Mandate, he conjured the Literary Heart and Martial Courage.

Uncertain of the true strength of this skill, Du Ge worried about over-exaggerating and causing unnecessary trouble for himself, so he opted for a more cautious approach to boasting.

"Heavenly Dao embodiment?" The Eastern Emperor scrutinized Du Ge, instinctively skeptical, "What kind of Heavenly Dao would be as weak as you?"

"Shen Nong, Xuanyuan, and Suiren were all Human Emperors in my world, which is why I can harness the fortune of the Human Emperor and summon the Human Emperor's legacy at will."

Du Ge didn't directly answer the Eastern Emperor's question but instead continued to enrich his persona, "In my world, I endured 124,000 tribulations, using the innate treasure, the Creation Jade Disc, to merge with the Dao and become the Heavenly Dao that governs the world..."

"Merging with the Dao?" The Eastern Emperor was taken aback.

"Yes, merging with the Dao," Du Ge nodded, "The Heavenly Dao is fifty, the Heavenly Derivation is forty-nine. By merging with the Dao, I complete the Heavenly Dao's imperfections. From then on, I am the Heavenly Dao, existing with the heavens, immortal and indestructible."

"..." The Eastern Emperor's eyes shone with divine light, as if trying to see through Du Ge, but all he saw was Dao resonance and a trace of pure innate energy.

"Emperor, your world is too young, and no sage has yet emerged with the qualifications to merge with the Dao," Du Ge continued, "Perhaps the Dao Ancestor is the most likely candidate.

Merging with the Dao is the ultimate goal of a cultivator. I think the Dao Ancestor's absence is likely due to searching for an opportunity to merge with the Dao and completely escape the twilight tribulation."

Is the Dao Ancestor missing because he's seeking a way to merge with the Dao? The Eastern Emperor was suddenly shaken and asked, "Do the gods truly face a twilight tribulation?"

"Naturally." Unknowingly, Du Ge's identity shifted into that of a wise elder imparting knowledge, while the Eastern Emperor became a seeker of the Dao, "Emperor, when the sun reaches its zenith, it begins to decline; when the moon is full, it begins to wane. Extremes lead to reversals, prosperity gives way to decline, and the cycle repeats. No one can escape this law, not even sages."

The Eastern Emperor pondered and asked, "I've cultivated for a million years, why have I never experienced a twilight tribulation?"

"Emperor, you are in your prime, how could you experience a twilight tribulation?" Du Ge smiled, his smile full of meaning.

The Eastern Emperor looked at Du Ge and argued, "You just said that by merging with the Dao, one exists with the heavens, yet now you say that everything is subject to the law of extremes leading to reversals. Isn't that contradictory?"

"Emperor, people say that becoming a celestial being grants immortality. Do you truly believe in immortality?" Du Ge smiled calmly, "Cultivators know that sages live as long as the heavens and earth, but do they know of the sages' twilight tribulation?

By merging with the Heavenly Dao, one exists with the heavens and no longer faces a twilight tribulation. But unless one merges with the Dao, how could they know that even the heavens have a cycle of tribulation?

A new heaven is born, the old heaven falls, even the Heavenly Dao has tribulations..."

The Eastern Emperor looked at Du Ge, increasingly convinced that the person before him was not the Alien Star warrior Du Ge.

He had detailed conversations with two Alien Star warriors, and their discussions were limited to Pan-Universal Entertainment and the Alien Star Battlefield, as well as their original world.

The so-called Alien Star warriors were just a group of controlled fighters, lacking such insight.

"A summer insect cannot discuss ice, Emperor. Cultivation is a process of climbing step by step. You are still halfway up the mountain, so naturally, you cannot see the scenery and dangers at the summit." Du Ge looked up at the sky and smiled, "One day, even if you reach the summit, there are still clouds above it!"

Clouds above the summit?

The Eastern Emperor, influenced by Du Ge, also looked up at the sky.

Then, he withdrew his gaze and asked a series of questions, "Senior, since you are the Heavenly Dao of another world, why have you come here and taken over Du Ge's body?

Since you have merged with the Dao, why do you only possess four types of Dao resonance? You just mentioned that mastering ten types of Dao resonance makes one a sage..."

Hearing the word "senior," Du Ge knew he had succeeded. He smiled, "Emperor, how do you know that I only took over Du Ge's body upon arriving in your world?"

The Eastern Emperor was stunned, recalling the stories Ning Xianping and others told about Du Ge, as well as their admiration and fear of him.

In the previous Alien Star Battlefield, Du Ge had single-handedly suppressed all the Alien Star warriors, leaving them unable to lift their heads.

If he wasn't Du Ge but the Heavenly Dao from another world, then everything made sense.

"Senior?" The Eastern Emperor looked at Du Ge in shock.

"Emperor, I have merged with the Dao, but ultimately, I cannot escape the cycle of tribulation. A new heaven will be born, and the old heaven will fall." Du Ge sighed, "I want to break free from the constraints of the Heavenly Dao and achieve eternal life. So, I used the power of my world to deduce the existence of Pan-Universal Entertainment.

The keywords they control are my opportunity to advance further.

Therefore, I sent a trace of true spirit from my Heavenly Dao embodiment to possess Du Ge, becoming a warrior of Pan-Universal Entertainment, all to seek the rules behind the keywords.

To avoid Pan-Universal Entertainment's surveillance, the trace of true spirit I used to possess Du Ge had no supernatural powers. The four Dao resonances you see were merely stolen from several Alien Star Battlefields of Pan-Universal Entertainment."

"……"

The Eastern Emperor's pupils shook violently, and at the moment he learned the truth, his heart was in turmoil.

……

While Du Ge was fooling the Eastern Emperor, the forum of Pan-Universal Entertainment exploded once again.

"Why do I feel like what Du Ge said is true?"

"It's definitely true. From the first Alien Star Battlefield, he was so different. He even evaded Pan-Universal Entertainment's detection and brought several attribute affinities into the battlefield."

"So Du Ge is actually a real world consciousness. No wonder a planet enslaved for over two hundred years suddenly produced a genius."

"Pan-Universal Entertainment has been played for fools!"

"We've been played for fools too. I've lost at least ten thousand mental power on him."

"No way, no way, you guys don't actually believe what he said, do you? How many identities has he changed so far? From the Free and Unfettered Master to the Heavenly Demon, then to the Human Emperor, and finally to the Heavenly Dao. Don't you think he's just saying whatever suits the situation?"

"He not only fooled the natives, but he even fooled you guys. It's ridiculous."

"How do you explain the zodiac and water affinity that don't belong to him?"

"Isn't it normal for a genius to occasionally appear in a species?"

……

Pan-Universal Entertainment Headquarters.

Ross frowned, "Gao Qiao, is there really no problem with Du Ge's data?"

"There's absolutely no problem," Gao Qiao replied, "Ross, why are you starting to doubt now? Throughout all the Alien Star Battlefields Du Ge has experienced, how many absurd theories has he concocted, and which one didn't seem plausible? All he seeks is ultimate victory or to escape our control."

Ross remained silent, still watching Du Ge on the screen, "I feel like this time it's real. He perfectly explained the reason for his sudden rise. Divine power can't awaken the Literary Heart and Martial Courage in a world. It's not normal..."

"The scariest part is that his keyword is 'ruthless,'" Hod added, "In this Alien Star Battlefield, he's exposed too much."

"Alright, even if what he says is true, you don't really think he can single-handedly break free from our control, do you?" Gao Qiao laughed, "Previous world consciousnesses could only influence the Alien Star Battlefield. No world consciousness has ever reached our headquarters..."

"Gao Qiao is right. In the early exploration of Pan-Universal Entertainment, how many civilizations did we wipe out?" Bas said, "Assuming everything Du Ge says is true, in the end, he'll just become another tool for us to make money, even if he's a world consciousness."

"Ross, Du Ge has already generated enough buzz," said the head of the Network Department, "The viewership for this Resource Game is unprecedentedly high. Everyone is speculating about Du Ge's true identity, and they're even guessing his success rate."

"Exactly," Gao Qiao said, "Ross, unless you're willing to end this Alien Star Battlefield immediately, capture Du Ge, and dissect him to uncover his secrets. Are you willing to do that?

Keeping Du Ge's identity a mystery will keep the audience engaged until he either dies or loses his appeal.

By then, we can dissect his soul seed, reveal the answers, and spark a new wave of interest."

Ross glanced at Gao Qiao, then looked at the head of the Exploration Department, "Bas, search our past civilization database to see if you can match the world Du Ge described.

Match the civilization keywords with the zodiac culture, poetry, and figures like Shen Nong and Fuxi. If such a world exists, then what Du Ge says is true. If not, try to find the world he described..."

"No problem." Bas shrugged, accepting the task, then asked, "Ross, if we focus on searching for Du Ge's elusive home, do we still need to search the multiverse for the next battlefield? I must remind you, Du Ge's abilities are getting stronger. If we set the next battlefield in the multiverse, the risk of losing control is higher."

"Search," Ross pondered for a moment, then instructed Adan from the Marketing Department, "Inform Bai Long that after this Alien Star Battlefield ends, give Du Ge a lesson to remind him whose hands his life is in."

"Alright!" Adan nodded, "Ross, I don't think that will be effective. After all, you wouldn't dare to actually kill him. That little guy has figured out our lifeline, which is why he's so fearless."

"……" Ross couldn't help but feel stifled.

"Du Ge is a talented individual. Instead of tormenting or suppressing him, why not collaborate with him?" Adan continued, "Let him participate in game design. It might make the games more interesting."

"Letting Du Ge participate in game design is a great idea," said Hod, the head of the Planning Department, his eyes lighting up, "If he designs the game himself, he'll surely leave escape loopholes for himself. We can make slight modifications based on that, and it'll be a brand-new game."

The supervisors present eagerly began discussing how to scheme against Du Ge, without caring about his identity.

Ross's gaze swept over everyone, and he sighed helplessly, increasingly feeling unfit for the role of general manager. His prestige had long been exhausted by repeated wrong decisions.

……

Du Ge was unaware of the intense upheaval he had caused within Pan-Universal Entertainment with his words.

After exposing three types of divine power without incident, he no longer cared and couldn't be bothered.

The difficulty of the Alien Star Battlefield was too high. Should he hold back and risk his life just because of concerns about Pan-Universal Entertainment outside?

If the Heavenly Mandate could truly solidify his fabricated identity as the Heavenly Dao of Earth, then breaking free from Pan-Universal Entertainment would be within reach.

"Senior, aren't you afraid of exposing yourself by telling me all this?" the Eastern Emperor asked, "As far as I know, Pan-Universal Entertainment constantly monitors Alien Star warriors in real-time."

"So what if I'm exposed?" Du Ge replied indifferently, "I've already figured out a method to break Pan-Universal Entertainment's rules.

Even if I haven't found it, a mere Heavenly Dao embodiment, if it dies, it dies. I can always condense different Heavenly Dao embodiments and join again with a new identity. Pan-Universal Entertainment is arrogant; they want ratings, not my life."

Du Ge added another layer of protection for himself, subtly reminding Pan-Universal Entertainment of their true nature.

The Eastern Emperor was speechless.

At this moment.

He deeply understood what it meant to be a summer insect unable to discuss ice.

The Heavenly Dao is immortal.

Losing a few embodiments is hardly a concern for him!

After pondering for a long time, the Eastern Emperor asked, "Senior, since your target is Pan-Universal Entertainment, why disrupt our world with the path of the Human Emperor and put yourself in danger?"

"If I didn't do this, how could I comprehend the laws behind the keywords?" Du Ge looked at the Eastern Emperor and said, "Emperor, I'm doing something extremely dangerous and need like-minded Dao friends to face Pan-Universal Entertainment together. Stirring up conflict in this world with the Human Emperor's legacy is merely to select suitable allies."

"Select allies?" The Eastern Emperor was stunned for a moment and asked, "Can't the Dao Ancestor or the Celestial Emperor suffice?"

"If they could, how could they not foresee even Pan-Universal's invasion?" Du Ge chuckled and countered, "Emperor, let me ask you, how long have you been stuck at the Great Golden Immortal realm?"

"Tens of thousands of years," the Eastern Emperor replied honestly.

"You must have exceptional qualities to become a Great Golden Immortal. But do you know why you haven't progressed in tens of thousands of years?" Du Ge smiled and asked.

The Eastern Emperor frowned.

"Not enough resources? Not enough insight?" Du Ge looked at him and continued to ask.

After asking, he stood there quietly, waiting for the Eastern Emperor's answer.

The Eastern Emperor frowned even more, thought for a moment, and said, "Senior, you said comprehending one Dao resonance makes one a quasi-sage. Is it because I haven't fully understood the Dao resonance?"

"Becoming a sage through the law is just one path, and it may not suit you," Du Ge shook his head, "Emperor, your world is too young. There are many paths to sainthood. In my world, there is sainthood through merit, sainthood through establishing a sect, sainthood through proving the Dao with strength, sainthood through fortune, sainthood through the primordial spirit, sainthood through severing three corpses...

The Three Thousand Great Dao, each can lead to sainthood.

In your world, only the Dao Ancestor has touched the threshold of sainthood, barely a Semi-Saint. Others are far from it!"

Hearing so many methods of achieving sainthood, the Eastern Emperor was dumbfounded. He swallowed and bowed to Du Ge, "Please, teacher, enlighten me!"

"I cannot teach you," Du Ge shook his head, "True Immortals can be taught, Golden Immortals can be taught, but no sage has ever been taught by someone else."

"……" The Eastern Emperor was stunned and urgently said, "Teacher, I..."

"Emperor, the Human Emperor's legacy is the path to sainthood through fortune. This embodiment of mine is here to walk the path of sainthood again in this world," Du Ge looked at the Eastern Emperor and said solemnly, "Emperor, I came to this world to open the path of the sage, to nurture the growth of this world, and to bring forth sages who can merge with the Dao.

In the coming days, I will, as the Human Emperor, invoke a great calamity, allowing more people to comprehend the path of sainthood and compete for the position of the Heavenly Dao to resist Pan-Universal Entertainment.

This is my opportunity, your world's opportunity, and your opportunity. Eastern Emperor, will you protect my path?"

"I am willing," the Eastern Emperor said, performing the disciple's salute to Du Ge.

He didn't fully believe that Du Ge's goal was to help their world, but that didn't stop him from following Du Ge. A Heavenly Dao embodiment was enough for him to take a gamble.

Du Ge was right; he had been stuck at the Great Golden Immortal realm for too long.

Who wouldn't want to become a sage if given the chance?