Either way, the Human Emperor is indeed the Human Emperor.

When Wu Wang spoke of enshrining gods to defy the Heaven Palace and cultivating their own Divine Spirits within the Human Domain, Shen Nong immediately understood Wu Wang's concept, and after a back and forth, they already began discussing it.

Soon, a method of incense worship for becoming a god that included 'building temples,' 'erecting statues,' and 'gathering the scent of incense,' took shape between their discussions.

"Elder, can you extract the Divine Thought of Fire Plume from the Dao of Fuel and Fire?"

"Certainly," Shen Nong said slowly. "She not only exists within the Fuel and Fire but also is entrusted to the Yan Emperor's command in your hands. However, this matter needs to be done in secret, as it is not quite appropriate at this time."

Wu Wang eagerly asked, "Why is that?"

Shen Nong sighed. "To thoroughly burn her corpse and gather as many remnants of her soul as possible to ensure the integrity of her Divine Thought. We need to consider the emotions of the people at this time."

"Hmm," Wu Wang said, "then we'll start by building the temple and gathering incense. I'll look for the methods to condense thoughts into a god."

"The cultivation methods of The Ancient Emperor of the Suiren Clan still exist in the Human Domain."

"That's even better. Can you give the order now?"

Shen Nong fell silent for a while.

Wu Wang also realized that his own mentality was slightly off balance and he appeared a bit too eager.

"I will immediately have people build the temple and erect the statues, as you have suggested. We'll try to gather the thoughts of all beings within the statues," Shen Nong said in a gentle voice. "It will probably require some special Formation arrangements. Wu Wang, I have a word of advice, as an elder to you. I hope you will listen calmly."

Wu Wang said, "Your Majesty's teachings."

"The path you are on is not child's play, and it is destined not to be smooth all the way. From ancient times to the present, the Human Domain has seen too much sacrifice, too many regrettable instances of strong individuals dying prematurely, an inevitable consequence of resisting the cosmic order. Fire Plume burned herself up not to protect a few hundred Cultivators, nor just to ensure your safety. She was guarding the differences between the Human race's strong individuals and the Heavenly Gods, the confidence we can claim as just when confronting the current cosmic order. Do you understand?"

Shen Nong let out a soft sigh. "I will naturally save Fire Plume. Even if the path of condensing thoughts into a god does not work, I can still shape her into a half Innate God. But you must also reflect upon yourself. Your lapse today, I do not know the specifics, but I do know that you have abandoned the path you have been following."

"It's not really giving up," Wu Wang rallied his spirit and said with a smile. "It's more like I've taken a detour."

Shen Nong said gravely, "Could you speak more about this... The Human Emperor Pavilion has already started construction, so there's no need to worry."

Wu Wang: ...

Why does this old senior also like to poke at someone's sore spot? He indeed acted impulsively just now, thrown off balance by the despicable actions of the Gold God, and is somewhat regretful now. But if he just grits his teeth and toughs it out, this can be quietly glossed over in terms of face.

"Yes, the Star Dao."

Wu Wang briefly mentioned a few words.

His own Star Dao was essentially the cosmological view accepted by the scientific community of the Blue Star, namely the Big Bang theory. He would retrospect to the Singularity of the explosion from the current state of the universe, seeking the ultimate answer of the universe, and then include the Great Wilderness World within it.

If this Great Dao could succeed... The Heavenly Emperor would be nothing to speak of.

But he couldn't explain the reasoning behind these things to Shen Nong. Make the Human Emperor of the Great Wilderness learn astrophysics? That was a bit too much.

Wu Wang could only use his own understanding at this stage, mixed with the Yin Yang Eight Trigrams, to explain his Great Dao.

Yet as he began to explain, Shen Nong showed great interest, continuously asking questions. Wu Wang responded with all his ability, sharing his understanding of the Stars thoroughly.

So, an hour later, Shen Nong cast a phantom projection directly into the depths of Wu Wang's heart, frowning deeply as he gazed at Wu Wang.

At that moment, Wu Wang's heart skipped a beat, with the sudden fearful thought that he might have touched upon some secret and was about to be obliterated by the venerable Shen Nong.

"How long have you harbored these thoughts?" Shen Nong suddenly asked.

Wu Wang: ...

"Is there a problem?"

"Please ask your mother to show herself and come to Annihilation Sect; I shall wait for you there," said Shen Nong with a stern face and a complex look in his eyes. "There are matters that I must discuss with her in person."

Wu Wang, whose mood was already clouded, was now utterly befuddled by the elderly predecessor.

...

The following day, the previously bustling Great Wilderness World swiftly returned to tranquility.

True to form, the Human Domain departed immediately after the battle, showing no signs of reluctance to leave.

The more than a dozen peak experts who were sent off had delivered a significant blow to the Heaven Palace, and though their deaths were heroic, most died laughing madly.

The Human Domain army steadily retreated to the northern line of the Human Domain, while the Heaven Palace drove the Hundred Tribes Coalition Army forward but without launching a counterattack; they were merely asserting their actual ownership of the Central Mountain lands.

Wu Wang and Xu Mu, along with numerous Cultivators, were escorted back to the Great Wilderness World by a host of Human Domain experts.

The body of Fire Plume was quickly taken away by the Human Emperor Pavilion, and Xiao Jian Daoist came specially, haggard and travel-worn, with a tired face—he had been locked in intense back-and-forth combat with an Innate God at the eastern front of the battle line.

Following this, Wu Wang's Yan Emperor's command was no longer of any use.

The Yan Emperor's command was merely a connection to the Dao of Fuel and Fire, and now that Shen Nong, the de facto contemporary Fire God, held the reins of the Dao of Fuel and Fire, he could directly restore Fire Plume's Divine Thought at the Great Dao level.

The news that "Fire Plume fought the Gold God and died of exhaustion while protecting her people" began to spread widely in the Human Domain.

Behind the scenes, the Human Emperor Pavilion was pushing the agenda, and a somber mood began to permeate throughout the land.

During this time, Cultivators were vocally condemning the Gold God's despicable acts, but these words could not make the Gold God lose even an ounce of flesh; they were merely venting their feelings.

In just a matter of hours, a brand-new temple appeared outside Floating Jade City, housing a statue of Fire Plume that attracted many Cultivators and mortals for visitation.

Under the guidance of the temple priests, most people would offer a stick of incense and bow respectfully in front of the statue to express their reverence for the hero of the Human Domain.

Instantaneously, the temple thrived with worshippers, and a mysterious 'Mana' began to materialize over the statue, prompting the covert Human Domain Pavilion Masters to exchange puzzled looks.

They quickly reported this unusual development to their superiors.

The Human Emperor personally inquired and convened a meeting of the Human Domain's high-ranking officials above the Vice Pavilion Master to discuss matters, unveiling a well-conceived plan.

Employing Immortals' powers to move mountains and fill seas and leveraging the strength of the Human Emperor Pavilion, they would build six hundred temples dedicated to Fire Plume across the Human Domain within three days;

The Heavenly Craft Pavilion would cease all other activities to focus on researching the 'power of incense' to achieve the transfer and gathering of this power in the shortest time possible;

They would continue to promote the deeds of Fire Plume without exaggeration but would not allow malicious individuals to slander her, punishing any such transgressors severely.

"Your Majesty."

Pavilion Master Feng Zhizi of the Four Seas Pavilion stood up and asked, "Could this also be the work of Wuwang Palace Lord?"

Shen Nong nodded slowly and said, "Wu Wangzi is under no small amount of pressure at this moment; let's not trouble him further."

"Your Majesty, what pressure is he facing?"

Shen Nong spoke softly, "It's evident; he's quite unwilling at heart for not having been able to kill the Gold God."

The expression of the ministers immediately became complicated.

Liu Baiyi, the Pavilion Master of the Human Emperor Pavilion, puzzled, said, "Is the Gold God so easy to kill? He is one of the Five Elements Gods… When we were making plans, our aim was to delay and repel the Gold God, to slay the other Main Gods."

"Enough of this matter, are there other concerns?"

Feng Zhizi made a reverential gesture and requested, "Your Majesty, these temples we're constructing should have a name. If they're simply called Fire Plume Temples, it might seem superficial and fail to inspire awe in our people."

Shen Nong stroked his beard and contemplated, while the other Pavilion Masters also felt there should be a more meaningful name for Fire Plume's temples.

Shen Nong said, "In this manner, Fire Plume is the chief of the Xia Officials and holds the position of Zhu Rong (note); henceforth, she will also abide by the Virtue of Fire and the Dao of Fire."

Shen Nong declared: "The system of the Four Seasons Officials is a legacy passed down from Emperor Fuxi, my teacher, which is now scarcely used and preserved only within our four forbidden armies as a memorial. Since Fire Plume repelled the Gold God and upheld the dignity of the Human Domain, henceforth, she shall be bestowed with the title of Zhu Rong. Let her temple be named the Temple of Fire God Zhurong."

The Pavilion Masters and Vice Pavilion Masters bowed their heads in assent, feeling the Emperor's words were well-founded.

The temples gathered to collect the incense offerings for Fire Plume across the lands quickly had plaques bearing the name of the Fire God Zhurong installed.

Wu Wang, having rested half a day after returning to the Annihilation Sect, was genuinely taken aback upon hearing this.

He mulled over the four characters 'Fire God Zhurong', scenes of Fire Plume enveloped in flames, charging fearlessly towards the Gold God, resurfacing in his mind.

Could it be, this referred to the Zhurong that stood in opposition to the Water God Gonggong?

Feeling a bit vexed by Shen Nong's 'call the parents' remark, Wu Wang suddenly felt overwhelmed and had to meditate in silence, contemplating another serious matter.

He needed to give an explanation to the Heavenly Dao.

...

"Well, cough, I am self-reflecting," Wu Wang said, seated with Cang Xue and Yun Zhongjun on three stone chairs, surrounding a stone table in the Cloud Dream Land, within the Temple of the Heavenly Dao.

The dream-like scenery was naturally arranged by Yun Zhongjun.

After muttering these words, Wu Wang looked up to gauge the expressions of his mother and Yun Zhongjun.

The former was looking at Wu Wang with a gentle smile, while the latter appeared quite serious.

Wu Wang said, "I got somewhat emotional this time, dealing with the matter of the Gold God without thorough consideration, which led to a series of unfortunate consequences."

"Ba'er," Cang Xue said softly, "You were brave enough to confront the Gold God directly."

"You were indeed a bit emotional." Yun Zhongjun chuckled. "However, you were able to calm down so quickly and realize that there were better ways to handle the situation at the time, which is commendable."

Wu Wang looked down with a sigh, his expression slightly downcast.

"Can you tell us why you suddenly lost control of your emotions?" Yun Zhongjun inquired with concern. "You've always been quite calm and steady in your actions. Logically, you shouldn't have taken such a risky step because of a Human Domain leader who had little to do with you. If it had been Ling Xiaolan instead of Fire Plume, then I, your brother, could have fully understood."

"I am also pondering this question." Wu Wang murmured, bewilderment in his eyes, and continued softly, "On the way back, I tried to strip away my Dao heart. Perhaps it's because I've always believed that every tragedy in the world is caused by the incompetence of those involved. When the Gold God threatened with ordinary Human Domain Cultivators, forcing Fire Plume to stand her ground, I grew annoyed at the Gold God's actions. Upon discovering Fire Plume's tragic death from exhaustion, guilt surged within me, my rationality faded, and my impulsiveness grew; breaking the Fate God's seal should have been a moment of joy for me, but at the time, I merely saw it as a sign that I could confront the Gold God directly. I could duel her legitimately. At that moment, that was the only thought I had, then the killing intent arose..."

As he spoke, Wu Wang placed a hand on his forehead and gently exhaled.

"The desire for power at that time led me to abandon my own plans and persistence, taking up the Star God's Dao. But don't worry, I am confident that after fully comprehending the Star God's Dao, I can return to my own Great Dao; this is not a rationalization or an excuse for anything. Mother knows, when I faced the Star God back then, there was a conflict of Daos between us. I won."

"Hmm?" Yun Zhongjun looked puzzled. "You won?"

Cang Xue gently affirmed, "Indeed, Ba'er won. I was quite surprised by it."

"Huh? That doesn't quite make sense," Yun Zhongjun mumbled. "The Star God is born from the essence of the Star Dao; no god understands the Stars better than she does."

Wu Wang smiled. "Explaining this is somewhat complicated. If the time is right in the future, I can be completely open with Mother and Big Brother. But for now, I cannot speak too clearly. My Star Dao indeed transcends that of the Star God."

"If you insist," Yun Zhongjun chuckled, "Yes, yes, everything you say is right."

Yun Zhongjun spread his hands. "At the very least, you should give us a reason to be convinced."

"It's simple," Wu Wang replied earnestly. "When observing the land from the sky, does the Earth not have a curvature?"

"That's because our eyeballs are round. Haven't you noticed that when you look at the Earth from a hundred miles high and a thousand miles high, the curvature is the same? When you sweep over a thousand miles with your Immortal Consciousness or Divine Thought or sense the lines of the Dao of Heaven and Earth, from the scale of thousands to tens of thousands of miles, they all seem straight. If your strength were greater, and your Divine Thought covered a range of a hundred thousand miles, you would find that the lines of Heaven and Earth are still straight. The lines of Heaven and Earth in the entire Great Wilderness are straight."

Yun Zhongjun chuckled. "I know what you're trying to say now—the Earth is round, right?"

Wu Wang's Adam's apple quivered, and he frowned in deep thought.

Yun Zhongjun clapped his hands in laughter: "HAHAHA, during the second divine era, there were many who argued about this. The Divine King of the second divine era even traveled every corner of the Great Wilderness, every minor world, and drew a map of the entire Heavens and Earth. Come, come, let me show you!"

With that, he pushed his left palm forward, and clouds surged, condensing into a dome above the round table that surrounded the three of them.

The surface of the dome displayed the sun, the moon, and a dense arrangement of Stars.

Beneath the dome, chunks of land floated in the ocean, with edges like waterfalls extending downwards, boundless sea water flowing into the void, and then returning through the void, emerging from some ocean trenches at the seabed.

With a mysterious smile, Yun Zhongjun said, "Do you want to know where Candle Dragon was exiled to in the Outer Sky?"

At this moment, Wu Wang's eyes were slightly glazed; he nodded subconsciously.

Yun Zhongjun pushed his left hand forward and suddenly twisted it, flipping the dome upside down—the Earth turned over.

"The backside."

"This?"

Wu Wang felt as if he had been punched in the chest. He slowly leaned back, collapsing powerlessly onto the stone chair.

The sky's round, the Earth's square. The Great Wilderness wasn't a planet...

Yun Zhongjun pondered for a while and then said softly, "Although I don't know what your original Great Dao was, if it was based on the Earth being round, then I have to congratulate you now. You're back on the right track. At the very least, the Star God's Dao can help you become a strong being like the Star God who can directly face Candle Dragon. That thing you were cultivating could very well drive yourself mad. Chief, when it comes to Cultivation and all, we can discuss more in the future."

"No, I... Let me think." Wu Wang leaned against the chair back, his thoughts nearly boiling over while he continually forced himself to calm down.

No, how did I prevail over the Star God that day! There must be some problem here. That's right... the Star God's memory. Now that I have fused with the Star God's Dao and can control the Star God's divine body, and considering my Divine Thought had a breakthrough during the recent battle, perhaps I can now explore the Star God's memory. The answer about the Stars might very well be there.

...

[Note: There is a view that Zhurong was originally an official title during the time of the Three Emperors, which is difficult to verify. Additionally, the notion of a round sky and squared Earth is part of the mythological worldview, but the Earth is absolutely round!]