In the Honghuang, at the dawn of the Ancient Era, Pangu supported the heavens with his body until his strength was exhausted, transforming himself into the Primordial World.
After Pangu became the Primordial World, Hongjun stepped out from the river of time. He gazed upon the magnificent expanse before him, recalling the image of Pangu he had glimpsed within the river, and a faint smile curved his lips.
As expected, the Pangu of this timeline was ultimately just an imprint.
But he quickly dismissed the thought. What truly happened to Pangu was irrelevant for now..
His immediate goal was to change his identity. Guided by his understanding of the Primordial World, he swiftly located Yujing Mountain in this time and space.
Indeed, to alter his identity, he first had to replace his Origin.
His true Origin was the Innate One Qi, an essence almost impossible to modify.
Yet there were methods to conceal it. In this era, he could assume a different Origin, substituting it for his own.
In doing so, his Foundation in the future would also shift.
Of course, his fundamental Foundation—the Innate One Qi—remained untouched. It would persist, hidden inside a Magic Treasure or carried with him.
From the peak of Yujing Mountain, Hongjun surveyed all around.
The Laws of Heaven and Earth, the dao rhyme, pulsed densely through this space. Yet, to those cultivating the Great Dao, this offered little advantage.
One had to understand: beings capable of traversing time and space through the Great Dao could cultivate anywhere.
If this primordial era were truly superior, wouldn't they all have chosen it? Yet none had.
Their progress relied on Comprehension, not environment.
Hongjun merely sighed. Without hesitation, he grasped the wisp of Innate One Qi present in this space and deposited it into the jade disc of creation.
He then produced two Light Masses, holding them with a steady hand, and fixed his gaze on the Pangu Banner Artifact Spirit.
"Fellow Daoist," he said, voice calm yet firm, "for this identity of mine, should I use the Innate Chaos Earthworm or the Innate First Earthworm? Whichever I choose, the Foundation must be anchored inside your Body to ensure its stability."
The Pangu Banner Artifact Spirit emitted a faint snort, tinged with dissatisfaction.
"Hmph! Fellow Daoist Hongjun, you aim too high. Replace these two? Or place your main Foundation within me? That would suffice. Or even the Remnant Physical Body of the Chaos Demon God—once evolved into an Incarnation—could be entrusted to me.
Don't insult me with these trivialities."
Its gaze revealed faint grievance.
Neither the Innate Earthworm Body nor the Innate First Earthworm appealed to it; they were, in its eyes, utterly unremarkable.
Hongjun sighed, a touch helplessness in his tone. "Do you think I wouldn't want to? You are a supreme treasure, heaven-opening, transcending this world. Entrusting my Main Body to you would be safest. But my strength is insufficient.
If I do, the Great Dao you carry could erode it.
"As for the future Incarnation evolved from the Chaos Demon God's Remnant Body, its aura inherently conflicts with yours. Could its Foundation retain the Chaos Demon God's essence if placed in your Body?"
The Pangu Banner fell silent, utterly convinced. How could it argue? The logic was flawless.
Hongjun pressed on. "Fellow Daoist, the choice is yours. Decide.
Afterward, upon returning to the original time and space, I will allow you to devour the Origin of the Crystal Divine Kingdom ten times within a millennium."
The Artifact Spirit's eyes gleamed with desire. It understood that Hongjun's success would fundamentally alter his power. The Great Luo Profound Realm would differ vastly from the Great Luo Heaven Realm, and the Origin and Law within the Crystal Divine Kingdom would be purer and more potent than anything before.
After a brief moment of thought, it finally chose the Innate Earthworm's Foundation—it held slightly greater essence than the Innate First Earthworm.
Hongjun nodded in satisfaction. "Very well, this matter is settled.
Step back, Fellow Daoist. I must now forge an identity as a Chaos Demon God Reincarnation, ideally as an Innate Fierce Beast, so I may probe the status of the Beast Emperor.
"Though this will deepen the river of time's backlash, the rewards will be extraordinary."
With that, he melted the Remnant Physical Body of the Chaos Demon God into pure Origin Power and deposited it in a carefully chosen location in the Honghuang World—seemingly ordinary, yet free of other Innate Sacred Beings, to prevent interference from future beings who could traverse time.
A trace of satisfaction appeared on his face.
Suddenly, immense pressure descended from the river of time—the backlash of altering the past. Such deeds inevitably rippled through the future, triggering a Butterfly Effect.
Hongjun, however, smiled faintly. This backlash was proof of his action's effectiveness and its immense potential benefits.
Now was the critical moment. Everything prior had been mere preparation.
Terrifying power erupted as he manifested the Great Dao of Equality.
Using the Innate Earthworm Body and the Innate First Earthworm's Physical Body, he reshaped his temporal traces. His imprint in the river of time shifted from Innate One Qi to the Innate Earthworm, while traces of the Innate First Earthworm evolved into his Incarnation—the World Sacred Being.
Yet this was not the end.
The Origin from the Chaos Demon God's Remnant Body also evolved within the Primordial World, becoming a Prototype Innate Fierce Beast, destined to appear in the future.
Though not rivaling the Beast Emperor, its power could contend with an ordinary Innate Sacred Being, truly deserving the title King of Innate Fierce Beasts.
The Power of Backlash surged, yet Hongjun remained calm. It was not mere retaliation—it was a trial of the river of time.
Success meant achieving the Great Luo Profound Number, allowing his Incarnations to cultivate independently yet remain part of him, lending their strength at will.
They could fuse at any moment, transmitting their imprint across Parallel Time and Space. Failure would return everything to the original trajectory, erasing his efforts.
At last, the backlash waned. Cracks ran across Hongjun's Dao Body, yet he smiled faintly at the Pangu Banner.
"Fellow Daoist, my Dao is complete. Guard my true body well. For now, I will move only through a false body."
The jade disc of creation manifested above his head, containing his fundamental Foundation.
With a gentle toss, the Pangu Banner and the jade disc were sent to his original time and space. His Body dissipated, merging into the disc.
On Yujing Mountain in the original timeline, a pure white Jade Hand received the Pangu Banner and jade disc, standing atop the peak, surveying the traces of the past.
"Hongjun… an Innate Earthworm. This identity is indeed remarkable."