This endless world

"...So, this is why Nong left this multiverse and went to the outer multiverse."

After listening to this somewhat lengthy but extremely informative story, Yang Yun finally understood what had happened to Nong, and why he needed to leave the multiverse...

Because the answer is outside, not inside.

Although Light Gaia played an important role, she was essentially just a skilled paperhanger who only provided a temporary solution; and although Gu and Jun, who were from the inner universe, were extremely powerful, they were unable to completely resolve the crack.

This can only mean one thing - even a powerful existence like the inner universe cannot deal with this problem... At the very least, it cannot be solved once and for all. Even if it is delayed for countless times, one day, the entire multiverse will eventually face the moment of extinction.

Therefore, after talking with Da Yunyang, he knew that the human race was not native to this multiverse, but came from outside the multiverse. He knew that he could not find the corresponding answer by continuing to spend time in the multiverse. Therefore, he chose to leave and go outside the multiverse to find a way to save the world...

——But, what happened after that?

But after understanding everything, Yang Yun began to have more questions - what Yi Qi said just now were all stories that happened within this multiverse, and there was no mention of what happened after that.

However, judging from Dr. Manhattan's attitude towards himself and Zheng Zha, who also came from the outer multiverse, and the clues in his words, Nong must have returned to this multiverse after leaving... So where is Nong now after returning? Does Yi Qi know this?

——Also, who am I?

——What is the relationship between me and Nong?

——Am I his reincarnation, or as Yi Qi said, am I also a part cut out by Nong using the “subtraction and emptiness” method…

"Whether Nong figured out the method to leave the multiverse himself or whether Dayunyang told him, we have no way of knowing."

Yi Qi ignored Yang Yun's complicated look. It was unknown whether he really didn't care or for some other reason. He just continued to talk to himself: "But in essence, it is the method of 'doing less and seeking emptiness'."

"As I said earlier, the position of 'Emperor' needs someone to inherit it, so after a period of time, Nong abdicated his position to his sister. From then on, the position of Emperor of the Earth changed."

"But since Emperor Nong Cheng did not publicize it himself, everyone in the world believed that the person who became the emperor was Hou Tu from the beginning. Even the records in human history say so. Only a very small number of people know this secret."

——For example, Chi You.

Thinking of the man who had been searching for Nong for who knows how long, and who was completely satisfied after finally completing a battle that spanned two eras, and who was unwilling to step into the new world and stay in the old era, Yang Yun sighed and asked, "So, who are you?"

"I am Shennong." Yi Qi replied, "At the same time, I am also Yi Qi."

"I just realized this. You are a god... No, wait."

When he was halfway through his words, Yang Yun suddenly realized something. That is, no matter what Yi Qi had just said or what was in Yang Yun's memory, except for the time when he made a great wish, Nong always called himself "Nong" with one word, instead of "Shennong" with two words.

After figuring this out, Yang Yun immediately looked at Yi Qi in front of him with an incredible look. Because if this idea was correct, the sentence just now actually meant...

"Yes, it's what you think."

Facing Yang Yun's shocked eyes, Yi Qi nodded gently and smiled faintly: "The name 'Shennong' is a name given by others, which means that he is not the name of 'Nong' himself... and I, who was separated from Nong before he left this multiverse, represent the side of Nong in the eyes of the world."

"You can call me 'Yiqi' or 'Shennong'. Since it is difficult for people to distinguish the difference between the two, 'Shennong' can naturally inherit Nong's way of life, shoulder the missions that must be carried out by 'Nong' in history, and maintain the continuity of cause and effect."

"Originally, Shennong has no self and no will. It is like a programmed program that can only follow a set trajectory. It is cold and ruthless, absolutely rational, and will only obey the arrangements of the entity."

Yi Qi's words were clearly about his own past, but the distance in his words made it seem as if he was telling someone else's story from a bystander's perspective: "However, the eras change, and life and death are endless."

"In the passage of countless years, he gazed at the suffering of all living beings and witnessed the struggle of all souls in the cycle of life and death. Even if he tried his best to save them, it was just a drop in the bucket and had no bearing on the overall situation."

"He watched over the girl who was far from being able to bear the status of an emperor in terms of both mind and strength, but still managed to hold on under the heavy pressure of losing her brother and eventually became 'Hou Tu'. Even though he was by her side, both he and she knew that the person had already left this multiverse."

"He watched from afar as Fuxi led humanity to the pinnacle, but as time passed and the eras changed, he was gradually replaced by the 'Human Emperor'. It's not that he didn't try, but despite his best efforts, Fuxi still risked everything to maintain the laws of the multiverse from collapsing, and thus slid into the abyss of madness, drifting further and further away from his original dream."

"When Fuxi started the Human Qi Resonance Plan, he tried to dissuade them, but was powerless. When the world's largest inner universe fragment battle took place, he participated in it, but was powerless to reverse the situation and change the final outcome. When Fuxi, Nuwa, the Three Pure Ones and others went to the negative universe, he thought about going with them, but was powerless to change it..."

In Yi Qi's eyes, there was no joy or sorrow, no hatred or anger, no self or anything else: "One era, two eras, three eras... 'Shennong' can only remain silent, because outside of the procedure, there is no room for comment, outside of the law, there is no room for deviation. Even if he witnessed everything, he could only witness everything."

"...until the 81st era, when Yiqi appeared."

Yang Yun gradually understood everything and slowly closed his eyes: "'Yi Qi' is 'Shennong', but 'Shennong' is not 'Yi Qi', because after experiencing a long time, you finally developed your own will in your heart, and began to question why you did this, as well as doubts about 'Nong'..."

“…That’s it.”

After revealing his true identity in one breath, Yi Qi seemed to have taken off a heavy burden. He said directly: "Although even I don't know what your relationship with Nong is, I still have something to ask you."

"Has it really been considered as fulfilling one's responsibility to leave this multiverse?"

At this moment, Yi Qi, who had experienced everything, asked Yang Yun the question that had been buried in his heart for eighty-one epochs: "And now, you who are not even a 'saint' -"

"Are you qualified to bear all that belongs to 'Nong'?" (End of this chapter)