Chapter 187 Ascending to the Rank of Taixian: A Donkey and a Dog.

As soon as Kunyi finished speaking, the immortals who had been watching the debate from below the clouds instantly erupted in excitement.

Even the immortals above the clouds looked slightly relieved.

Emperor Daju of Fengdu spoke first, sincerely praising Bitao's performance in the final debate: "You were able to remain steadfast in adversity and even drive Kunyi into a desperate situation. In the Nine Heavens and Myriad Realms, you are truly unprecedented and unparalleled."

The viewer was filled with admiration.

As soon as Daju finished speaking, Luo Hui, the Six Ding and Six Jia Divine Yang Divine Jade Man of the Ministry of War, immediately replied, "Immortal Bitao! Congratulations on your victory in the debate!"

Xuanjia looked at Bitao from afar with misty eyes, his lips pursed a few times, and he pursed them.

As one of the immortals who debated with Bitao, she knew best what dangers Bitao had gone through. She was so happy for her that she didn't know what to do and barely managed to hold back her tears.

Bitao smiled at Xuanjia, her smile full of reassurance.

The two immortals from the Dou Department, who previously looked down on Bitao, are now finally giving her a proper look.

In this world, those who can kill Kunyi with superior martial prowess are extremely rare. In the illusion, Bitao, with her low-level immortal status, defeated an immortal who inherited the consciousness of the Heavenly Dao. And in hundreds of reincarnations, even though she was once heartbroken and devastated by many circumstances, she never lost her heart to serve the common people.

Such a celestial position truly serves as a model for all immortals.

All that Bitao heard were celebratory sounds, but she still felt a lump in her throat several times.

Kunyi's lightning-patterned curse seal could "temporarily block" her from the events she experienced in that illusion. However, due to her advancement in cultivation, she could not completely seal Bitao's memories as she had in the lower realm. It was as if a small hole had been torn in her sea of ​​consciousness.

What flowed gently outwards was nothing but joy, the happiness of something lost and regained, and her gratitude for everyone and everything around her.

You only realize what is precious when you lose it. Bitao never gives up and will do everything in her power to fight for and grab whatever she wants.

The reason why someone like her would despair to the point of suicide in those cycles of reincarnation is because she was acutely aware of how important her beloved lovers, friends, and family were to her.

Throughout history, so many ancient gods in the celestial realm who had never made a mistake chose to sacrifice themselves to the sundial. Bitao never understood why they would give up when they had already reached the pinnacle and were omnipotent.

Having experienced it firsthand, even if it was an illusion, Bitao understood why those immortals were so resolute in abandoning their power and authority and scattering into the world—it was simply because they no longer wanted to live.

Ultimately, there's no difference between immortals and mortals.

Relatives, friends, lovers, faith, and pursuits—these are everything that enables a person to stand in this world, like the roots of a tree that support its roots downwards.

Losing them is like the roots of a tree breaking, leaving only withering.

Bitao appeared calm, but her emotions were in turmoil.

At this moment, Qingming raised his hand and shattered the formation that was blocking the nurturing of the Taixian position. With a powerful roar of spiritual energy, he forcefully interrupted Bitao's sorrowful and wavering mind.

The overwhelming celestial energy completely enveloped Bitao. She could no longer care about her sorrow. She opened her divine sense and focused wholeheartedly on examining her meridians and guarding her spiritual palace, ready to repair the cracks caused by the spiritual energy.

The immortals below the clouds were overjoyed to see the wind rising and the thunder rumbling, and they were also deeply moved by this scene of harmony between heaven and earth.

"This is amazing! My Peach is finally going to become a Celestial!"

"Aa ...

"Ahhhh, the Wood Spirit is so strong it's choking me! Wood Spirit is my weakness, I can't breathe! But I'm so happy! Bitao is the most powerful, she can even defeat General Kunyi!"

"That's right, the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Realms even laughed about it! I've never seen the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Realms laugh in all my life!"

"I can kill Kunyi, and I've never lost my way through hundreds of reincarnations. If I had even a fraction of Bitao Taixian's mind, I could succeed at anything!"

"Is there anything in this world more difficult than killing Kunyi?"

"In this illusion, I learned how mortals from all realms can ascend to immortality in just a few decades! I think it's worth compiling into a book. Whenever there's a vacancy in the celestial realm, we can simply send people to spread it among the mortals, and new donkeys will immediately be sent to the heavens to pull the millstone!"

"But isn't this creating immortal positions? The Heavenly Realm inherits the divine power of the ancient immortals. Can these created immortal positions truly shoulder the responsibilities of immortals?"

"Does inheriting the power of the ancient gods make one worthy of a celestial position? The crime report of the Well Sea King is still at the very top of the Silver River Net. He inherited the power of the ancient water god Gonggong, but what use is it? He still wreaks havoc on the world!"

On the Silver River, another argument broke out. The conflict between the ancient immortal clan and the merit-based immortal positions had somewhat subsided due to the sudden rise of the wild immortal Bi Tao, who commanded respect from all the heavens. However, the problem still remained.

However, they quickly stopped arguing.

Above the clouds, the turbulent, surging spiritual energy of heaven and earth receded. Bitao sat serenely on the clouds, her hands forming the self-protection mudra. Auspicious clouds swirled around her, and the three flowers gathered at her crown. The pure energy emanating from her spread vastly throughout the nine heavens.

All the immortals who witnessed the debate received the pure immortal spirits that nourished all living beings when they were promoted to the rank of Grand Immortal.

Many low-ranking immortals were directly awakened by this vast yet gentle, healing Wood Spirit Qi, which broke through their long-stagnant meridians and advanced them to higher immortal ranks on the spot.

Sitting on the Six Imperial Platforms of Chongxiao, Zhu Ming felt the refreshing air wash away the fatigue in his soul that had been building up for days.

He gazed at the peach blossoms above the clouds, a smile of satisfaction and pride on his face.

In the two realms of the Supreme Being, only Zhu Ming has a Supreme Immortal Attendant!

Everyone stared at Bitao, who gathered the last of her immortal spirit within her body. Before she even opened her eyes, she had already "seen" it simply by opening her "vision" aperture.

Ancient texts record that immortals are those who can perceive both the hidden and the manifest, and illuminate even the most minute details. ①

But at this moment, what Bitao saw with her eyes closed was not just the Yin and Yang energies of the world that immortals could see.

Rather, it allows one to witness the existence of the Dao, see through walls, peer into the heavens and observe the earth, and gain a profound and boundless understanding.

She closed her eyes, and all things in the world, in her eyes, belonged to the five elements, and every detail of where there was filth and obscurity, and where there was obstruction and blockage, was clearly revealed.

When Bitao opened her eyes, she saw that everything in the world had a spirit, a form, and a tangible presence.

It was as if... as if the world had turned into a painting before her eyes.

With a casual stroke of her brush, she could control and freely paint and change the five elements of the world.

Manipulating creation, shifting stars and changing constellations, reversing yin and yang, turning the world upside down—all can be accomplished with a "stroke of the pen."

This is the law of heaven and earth.

Holding the enormous scepter, Bitao looked around the new world with curiosity. She subconsciously held her breath and reached down to touch the thin, floating "threads" above the clouds.

There was no fluctuation of spiritual energy, but with a flick of her finger and a thought, Bitao caused the clouds above to surge and churn, creating a vortex that swirled around her.

Bitao quickly wiped her hands a few more times, and then... a donkey and a dog appeared above the clouds.

Formed from clouds and mist, and shaped by spiritual energy, is a donkey, and a wolfhound about the same size as the donkey.

As soon as it took shape, the donkey started braying at the top of its lungs: "Hiccup~ Ah—Hiccup~ Ah—Hiccup~ Ah—"

The dog immediately barked wildly at the donkey: "Woof woof woof! Woof woof woof! Woof woof woof!"

Above the clouds, they remained, perhaps fearing that the newly ascended Immortal Bitao, having assumed control of the laws of heaven and earth, might inadvertently disrupt the order of the universe: "..."

Beneath the clouds, the immortals watching the Milky Way: "..."

Zhu Ming covered his face, his earlier pride now turning into shame that made him want to disappear into the ground.

How could someone become an immortal and create a donkey and a dog without doing anything?

At this moment, the donkey and the dog were tearing at each other above the clouds, oblivious to everything else.

The scene was extremely lively.

Bitao was also stunned on the spot.

"Hahahahahahaha—" Da Ju watched as Qing Ming's unchanging expression turned strange, his eyes widening. The donkey and dog rolled and tumbled in front of him, and Qing Ming couldn't dodge or swatt them away.

After all... this was Bitao's creation after she ascended to the rank of Grand Immortal.

Some people ascend to the rank of Grand Immortal because they cannot let go of their obsessions and wish to reverse time. Thus, they instinctively try to reverse the heavens and earth, causing a reversal of yin and yang.

Some people, after ascending to the rank of Grand Immortal, wield the laws of heaven and earth. It's like a child suddenly obtaining an unparalleled divine weapon. They rush to manipulate creation, creating numerous star realms out of thin air, causing the sundial to shift.

Bitao's arrogance and cunning are renowned throughout the Nine Heavens. Qingming and the others are on high alert, fearing that if they are not careful, she might cause some earth-shattering incident.

But who would have thought that when she manipulated the laws of heaven and earth... she only created a dog and a donkey.

In the end, it was Kunyi who intervened, using a hand seal to trap the dog and donkey in a cage conjured by spiritual energy, and then pushed them away. Qingming sat up straight, frowning as he looked at the two "mortals" tearing each other apart—two creatures that should never have appeared in the celestial realm—his confusion evident.

Daju laughed so hard his back almost broke.

The Eastern King King hadn't seen such a grand spectacle in thousands of years, and he was laughing so hard he was almost crowing.

"You're so funny, hahaha..." Da Ju slapped his thigh.

Looking at the donkey and dog tearing each other apart in the cage, Dongwanggong asked Bitao, "What were you thinking about just now?"

Bitao was both amused and exasperated: "I wasn't thinking about anything..."

She had just been promoted to the rank of Grand Immortal, and the world had changed so much that she was too shocked to think about anything else.

However… Bitao paused, her expression becoming rather complicated, before saying, “I overheard the ancient immortal clan and the merit immortals arguing below the clouds…”

Bitao was always multitasking; as she parted the clouds, the sounds she heard below when she ascended to immortality flashed through her mind.

Da Ju said, "I understand now. In your second competition, during your debate with the Xuanmen Patriarch Yu Junlang, you said that the Ancient Immortal Clan were donkeys derived from the Heavenly Dao, and that the Merit Immortal Position was called the Merit Dog by the Ancient Immortal Clan. You said back then that the battle between the Heavenly Immortal Positions was a fight between donkeys and dogs. So that's really how you see these two sides in your mind, hahaha..."

Bitao was at a loss; such a serious scene was really not suitable for being turned into this.

She raised her hand to try and manipulate the thin thread to restore the clouds to their previous state, but Kunyi stopped her.

"Upon ascending to the rank of Grand Immortal, the things created at the very beginning of the laws of heaven and earth will reflect your inner direction in applying the laws of heaven and earth."

"Although the Creator is... playful, your concern for the conflict between the ancient immortal clan and the merit immortal position is surely witnessed throughout the heavens."

Indeed, there are witnesses to this: among the immortals above and below the clouds, some were laughing hysterically, while others were trying to suppress their laughter until they were nearly driven mad.

Kunyi, with an unwavering mind, remained calm in the face of this situation and earnestly guided Bitao: "These two things have already condensed into spirits and gathered into souls. To disperse them casually is tantamount to killing. Are you sure you want to eliminate them?"

Bitao looked solemnly at the two "things." Since she had created them, they already had life, so they could not be erased.

But... what is she going to do with these two things?

Kunyi waved her hand, sending the donkey and dog, along with their cage, flying down into the clouds.

Zhan Kui and Bi Tao's group of servants waited there for her to succeed in her debate. As soon as the donkey and dog got off, they curiously surrounded them and teased them.

After all… celestial beings in the heavens raise cranes, koi fish, and even various kinds of mythical beasts. But no one actually raises mortal donkeys and dogs like these; isn't that novel?

Although mortals do not exist in the celestial realm, this is a being that condenses its spirit into a soul and gathers its vital energy into a spirit, so it can be considered... well, a spiritual being.

We can just take him back to the Palace of All Living Beings in a bit, right...?

Dogs are easy to feed, but donkeys... do they eat peach tree leaves and peach blossoms?

Bitao sat up straight, her expression solemn, and looked at Kunyi and Qingming.

Bitao didn't know what she would have to do after being promoted to Grand Immortal, but since the immortals hadn't left, there must still be some steps that hadn't been completed.

With the donkey and dog gone, Da Ju stopped laughing.

But when I looked at Bitao, I couldn't help but grin, especially at her upright posture; I found her really amusing.

No wonder even a simpleton like Mingguang, who was "imprinted" by Qingming, was won over by her and fell madly in love with her, even risking his life to protect her.

No wonder his two Netherworld Ghost Kings, who had been tainted by turbid energy for thousands of years, were also moved by Bitao and developed a liking for fatherhood.

The last time they met, Da Ju only felt that Bi Tao was cunning and treacherous, using kinship to bind the Netherworld Ghost King, and even managing to send the two of them straight into the ranks of Yama, all to pave the way for her to succeed as Emperor.

Only now do I believe that she simply longed for family. In those illusions, every time she lost a loved one, her unbearable pain was so real and overwhelming that it made viewers feel as if they were there, and they could sympathize with her.

The pure energy of the celestial realm has been cleansed over the years, and the immortal positions have inevitably lost their "living vitality" over time. Just like Qingming and Kunyi now, who could know that when they were young, they were more spirited and vigorous than the juniors of the celestial realm today?

Bitao is a rare celestial being who is truly affectionate and righteous, and whose temperament is most like that of a "human".

Having been tainted by turbid air for many years, Daju's temperament was inevitably affected, becoming violent, uncontrollable, and difficult to return to its former state.

Seeing the peach blossoms now is like seeing my old friends and myself.

I only hope that time in the heavens is endless, and that she can hold onto this vibrant life for a few more years.

After a moment of silence above the clouds, the immortals exchanged glances, puzzled as to why the Azure Emperor had not yet risen.

In fact, apart from the "reckless" actions that hindered Tai Xian's initial mastery of the laws of heaven and earth, there was nothing else that needed to be done. Choosing a celestial position was also premature, as the third competition was not yet over.

However, after being promoted to the rank of Grand Immortal, even if one does not hold an official position in the Six Departments, one is already considered a Celestial Chief and is required to formally participate in the affairs of Heaven.

Originally, it wouldn't have been too late to wait until after the third competition, but when the immortals felt they should disperse and return to their places, Qingming asked Bitao: "Now that you have been promoted to the position of Grand Immortal, you should bear the responsibility of the Nine Heavens Immortal Chief. Since you are concerned about the rift between the ancient immortal clans of the Heavenly Realm and the merit-based immortal positions, why don't you tell us how to punish the various incompetent and power-hungry immortals who were apprehended by the Nine Heavens Immortal Supervisors during the three competitions?"

As soon as Qingming finished speaking, the entire heavens fell silent once more.

Some people even think that the Azure Emperor deliberately made things difficult for Bitao, since she had only just been promoted to the rank of Grand Immortal and he had already given her such a "hot potato".

Those immortals who were caught violating the rules in the three competitions and whose crimes were particularly heinous have already been directly punished by the Earthly Official of Pardon. However, the Earthly Official of Pardon doesn't handle everything; the immortal positions sent to him are all those who have committed heinous crimes and are destined to die.

As for those immortals who colluded with others but did not directly participate in the incident, their crimes did not warrant death, but they could not be easily forgiven.

These immortal positions could have been handed over to Yin Han Gu and sent to the myriad realms to undergo tribulations, their fate to live or die depending on destiny. However, that would be tantamount to exile, and exiled immortal positions are often never returned.

As a result, a "problem" arose in the third competition, and now these immortal positions are piling up in the prison palace awaiting judgment.

The immortals have gathered privately many times, but this situation has never happened before, and there are no records to follow.

Several immortals discussed the matter back and forth, but the ancient immortal clan, together with the human realm's mountain and water division, was originally only divided into seven clans, and they all had some kinship or connection with those immortals awaiting judgment.

Therefore, no one dared to make the suggestion rashly, for fear of being suspected of favoritism.

The judgments regarding these celestial positions have been piling up until now.

Qingming had never attended the numerous discussions among the immortals, but when he suddenly brought up this matter, the immortals above the clouds all trembled.

It turns out that the Emperor had always known about their attempts to protect themselves and shirk responsibility.

At this critical juncture, Qingming suddenly granted the power to judge these immortal positions to Bitao, the "victim."

It should be noted that these celestial positions were obtained through punishment for harming Bitao's clan, and they themselves were also implicated and convicted.

Bitao has now been promoted to the rank of Grand Immortal. Her wild and unruly nature, and her hatred of evil, are well known to all.

Zhu Ming, the Immortal Supervisor who apprehended these immortals, was also a close friend of Bi Tao Tai Xian. The two were leaders of the You Tian Merit Immortals. Bi Tao Tai Xian never showed mercy to those who harmed her in the competition, and cleverly used her schemes to expose this group of people.

If she were to judge these celestial positions, wouldn't that be tantamount to sending them to the guillotine?

Has the Azure Emperor truly angered the ancient immortal clan?

For a moment, the ancient immortals, both above and below the clouds, trembled with grief.

They have served the Emperor for many years. Although some members of the clan are indeed reluctant to resign and cause chaos in the heavens with their selfish desires, most of the ancient immortal clan are diligent and hardworking day and night.

Most of the immortals imprisoned in the Prison Palace are young members of the ancient immortal clans. They grew up following traditions and were disciplined to the bone. They dared not disobey their elders and were often used and implicated, mostly out of necessity.

The immortals had initially thought that the Emperor would be lenient towards these juniors once the competition ended. Now that the matter had been handed over to Immortal Bitao... the immortals couldn't help but feel a sense of shared sorrow and sympathy.

In an instant, everyone's attention was focused on Bitao.

Xuanjia winked at Bitao, signaling her to find a way to refuse.

In such a sensitive time, when the killing of fellow immortals is so frequent in the Nine Heavens, it is difficult for anyone to speak out and make a judgment.

In particular, Bitao was the reason why this group of people were imprisoned and convicted.

If the sentence is too lenient, the Immortal of Merit will feel that Bitao has been promoted to Grand Immortal and entered the ranks of Immortals, so he will discard the "stepping stone" and become estranged from her from then on.

If the sentence is too harsh, especially given that she has just been promoted to the rank of Grand Immortal, the Ancient Immortal Clan will surely think that Bitao is "making a big show of things as a new official" and is trying to establish her authority by burning down the Ancient Immortal Clan.

It's hard to guarantee that a rebellious sentiment won't arise, and the reverence for Bitao that was finally turned around in the third competition will all vanish like a bubble.

The best way is to do the same as the other immortals, pushing things around.

Bitao was taken aback when she was suddenly asked such a question.

She received a hint from Xuanjia's eyes, and she knew that it was best not to express her opinion, to postpone the matter indefinitely until after the third competition, or simply to wait until the Yin-Yang Sundial was repaired.

In an instant, several perfectly smooth excuses flashed through Bitao's mind, excuses that no one could find fault with.

But when she looked up and met the abyss-like eyes of the Azure Emperor, she thought of that debate with the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Realms, which was practically teaching her how to "slay gods."

Then he thought of the True Lord of Shangqing Realm below the clouds, who was waiting to question Qingming. Once Qingming stepped out of the clouds, he would be taken to Shangqing Realm.

Once Qingming is detained in Shangqing Realm, just like in Bitao's many illusions, if the Star Gods unite to lead many star realms off course, using the destruction of star realms as a threat, and lead away the Heavenly Dao of all realms, wouldn't the Heavenly Realm be "leaderless"?

At this juncture, Qingming suddenly became concerned about those celestial punishments that did not warrant death and whose imprisonment for a few more years would be insignificant...

Bitao pondered for a moment, then spoke cautiously, speaking her true thoughts: "I think most of those immortal positions were held by wicked immortals who had committed atrocities. Although they knew about these sins but failed to report them, their crimes do not warrant death."

"How about... we send them down to the mortal realm to experience a lifetime of human trials, a small punishment to serve as a great warning, which would be enough to make them remember it and turn over a new leaf."

As soon as Bitao finished speaking, the immortals below the clouds were once again thrown into boiling oil, causing the water to boil and overflow.

The ancient immortals cheered for Bitao because of her "compassion".

When You Tian's meritorious immortal position was "betrayed," the joy on his face vanished, and even Zhu Ming's expression suddenly changed.

However, this attempt to "flatter and ingratiate" the ancient immortals with a minor punishment failed to win the favor of the Azure Emperor, the head of the ancient immortals.

His expression turned solemn, his voice icy and cold, reaching the heavens: "Heaven has no favorites. As a celestial being of the Nine Heavens, you were manipulated by your relatives and elders, your heart filled with selfish desires, and you committed the grave mistake of killing your fellow immortals. And you say that this is just a minor punishment to serve as a warning?"

As soon as the Azure Emperor uttered his question, dark clouds gathered and five thunderbolts converged overhead.

The overwhelming power of the heavens pressed down upon her, and Bitao, whose delicate skin had just been promoted to the rank of Grand Immortal, was scratched and torn by the fierce winds whipped up by the questioning voices.

A sweet taste rose in her throat, and she nearly coughed up blood on the spot.