Chapter 96 But you gave up! Did he do something wrong?! ...

"You guarantee it? What makes you think you can guarantee it?"

The meteor failed to escape several times and was eventually strung together with human figures, but it remained neither angry nor resentful.

Although his tone didn't carry any disdain, he clearly didn't think much of Bitao's seemingly majestic and powerful divine status.

He said, "If I remember correctly, the immortals are located in the Nine Heavens, and they are not some high-ranking immortals."

Imagine being mocked like this by a monster that is neither human, ghost, demon, nor monster, but only has a heart that wreaks havoc on the world. Even if you don't go crazy with anger, you'd probably be so angry that you'd turn into a bloated fish.

Bitao didn't feel offended at all. She even adjusted her voice to be as soft as possible so as not to appear as if she was using her divine power to oppress others.

Bitao said, "The rank of a deity in the celestial realm is indeed not a high-ranking one. Aren't I working hard to ascend to a higher rank?"

"Furthermore, Senior Brother Meteor, you were too hasty and refined us all in one go. You didn't even fully understand what was going on before you started. We immortals aren't here to play around; we're here to compete."

"Speaking of what you said before, those things that belittled the immortal positions, weren't entirely wrong. The immortal positions in the celestial realm are like weasels giving birth to mice, each generation worse than the last. Many immortals have lost their qualifications, and the practice of women succeeding their mothers and men succeeding their fathers is no longer feasible."

"Most of the positions in the six ministries were vacant, so the Heavenly Realm and the Underworld jointly held a competition to select immortals. The first round of the competition took place in a mortal realm."

"This is the second competition in the Star Realm. Individuals need to accumulate 500,000 merits to be able to ascend to heaven and attain their position."

"The reason I dare to assure Senior Brother Meteor that our words can reach the ears of the heavens is because the immortal spirits within us, these immortals, have been drawn out and woven into a net by the immortal masters."

"There is something in the heavens called the Silver Han Net. Our actions can be reflected by the Silver Han Net at any time and place, and all the immortals in the Nine Heavens can see them."

"And the immortals supervising the competition, led by the Azure Nether Emperor, are also watching us closely."

Upon hearing this, Meteor paused for a moment, then chuckled and said, "So I overestimated you all..."

"So, you immortals who descend to the mortal realm not only have protective spells, but also celestial elders who monitor your movements at all times so they can intervene and rescue you in time..."

"Then why are you even here competing? What are you doing here seeking immortal positions? Wouldn't it be more convenient to just go back to your cradles and be babies again, nursing in the heavens?"

Speaking of breastfeeding, Bitao couldn't help but glance at Mingguang again.

But this is clearly not a good time to get distracted.

Bitao quickly pulled herself back to her senses.

"I'm sorry to make you laugh, Senior Brother Meteor. We little immortals are already among the best of the worst, so we are very much loved by the immortal masters."

As Bitao spoke, she lowered her voice, speaking mysteriously and proudly: "Believe it or not, right now, in this star realm, there are more than sixty Immortal Masters who follow the Sai, ready to jump out and save our lives and quell the chaos in this realm when we can no longer control the situation."

The moment the Nine Palaces Spirit Locking Array was activated, the accompanying immortal masters, who had already been ordered to be ready to rescue these participating immortals who had all removed their protective bones, were astonished: "..."

They hid in various places and could not show themselves, but their expressions were truly indescribable.

Meteor took a deep breath: "...Are you still so proud of this?"

Bitao said, "Should we be ashamed of the love and care we receive from our elders?"

The expressions of the immortals finally improved somewhat.

Bitao continued, "Actually, the number of people who came down from this event was far more than a few hundred; it was more than three thousand."

"Most of them are probably still in the common people, and haven't yet broken through the lightning-patterned curse seal that binds their past lives. They have no idea that they are in a competition. Once the forty-year time limit is up, they will have wasted their lives as mortals, and without enough merit, they will never be able to go back and can only enter the cycle of reincarnation."

"If all three thousand immortals were to awaken, even you, Senior Brother Meteor, would be unable to handle them."

Meteor was completely unaware of this matter; it had taken him many years to bring the cultivation world under his control.

He had some control over the royal family, but he didn't have the ability to monitor every commoner under his nose.

The fact that he learned of the arrival of outsiders in the mortal realm the moment he descended there, through the "puppets" he controlled, and that he had the foresight to take control of these people and discover their immortal status, was already quite remarkable.

Meteor frowned and said, "So what if I can't find those people? Who says I can't handle more than three thousand people? I'll just carve more Dao bodies. So what if the entire Nine Heavens come down to the mortal realm for a competition?"

Meteor hadn't "argued" with anyone like this in many years, and he quickly realized that he had been led astray by Bitao's absurd remarks.

He quickly took a deep breath and returned to the main topic of the celestial dereliction of duty: "Does a trip to the mortal realm and the accumulation of a mere 500,000 merits make one qualified for a position as a general in the Nine Heavens?"

"Although the person in your palm has some ability and is capable of being a general, he is nothing special."

His words couldn't help but carry a hint of sarcasm and arrogance, but more so, they expressed shock at the current state of affairs where there was a lack of capable successors in the Nine Heavens.

If the celestial beings in the heavens are incompetent, it will only be the common people who suffer.

Bitao said, "To be honest, Senior Brother Meteor, Mingguang isn't some candidate for a military post; he's the son of the Celestial Emperor. His own flesh and blood, so by all accounts, he should be the future Celestial Emperor of the Heavenly Realm..."

Meteor: "..." He felt like he had swallowed a huge rock.

It made my soul tremble.

He originally thought that the Nine Heavens Immortal Rank was bad enough, but he thought Mingguang was alright. At least he managed to lead people to imprison him in the mountains and forests, and almost succeeded in sealing him.

However, at the crucial moment of sealing, he abandoned his post for a woman, causing the others in the formation to have to sacrifice their lives to seal it.

With a little guidance and to rid himself of selfish desires, he could at least be considered a general, but only "considerable".

Who would have thought that he wasn't a general, but a future Immortal Emperor?

The celestial realm is probably doomed.

Meteor possesses the ability to carve Daoist bodies for the dead, allowing them to roam freely in the mortal realm. He is proficient in all kinds of Daoist arts, and his self-created swordsmanship is exquisite and unparalleled.

He could casually exchange blows with Bitao and then instruct her on the most advanced cultivation techniques in the immortal realm. Moreover, he could master and even become a master of anything in this world after just a few glances at it, and the same applied to his cooking.

Calling such a person "the Creator" is entirely appropriate.

He was a genius with all seven orifices open, almost omnipotent, and possessed an immortal and indestructible heart for all living beings. He had been obsessed with this for a thousand years and simply couldn't listen to anyone's advice or arguments.

But Bitao saw the pride and anger that Mingguang had forced out of him when he asked if he would confess his crimes.

Conversations with him are like casual chats between friends, where he readily shares his own troublesome "situations".

The purpose was to bring him down from his pedestal, deeming him to be "all-powerful and omnipotent" as he believed in the celestial realm.

After a long while, Meteor chuckled and shook his head repeatedly, saying, "No wonder, no wonder... The world is in such a state of chaos and disorder, with people treated like straw dogs. It turns out that the entire celestial realm has been rotten to the core."

"Those born into immortality... Ha, they have no idea what the human world is like, and they certainly cannot comprehend the suffering of humankind."

At this moment, he even felt fortunate for his past decision to give up his immortal status.

At this moment, Bitao quietly brought the conversation back to the point.

She said, "If Senior Brother Meteor says that, it's true, but it's also not true."

"Senior Brother Meteor once said that the ancient gods sacrificed themselves for the common people, which you greatly admired. You think that's what the immortal position should be like."

"Perhaps Senior Brother Meteor descended too quickly after ascending to the Heavenly Realm, and you didn't have time to know that the ancient immortal clans in the Heavenly Realm now are the continuation of the bloodline and divine power of those ancient gods."

Meteor was stunned again.

Bitao sighed and continued, "The ancient immortals occupy six or seven tenths of the immortal positions in heaven, and they have a nickname: 'the donkeys born from the Heavenly Dao'."

"They inherited the bloodline of the ancient gods. Even before they were born, they began to inherit the mission of the ancient gods to sacrifice for all living beings."

"Once born, one must immediately grow into an adult, with no childhood whatsoever. After growing up, one immediately takes on public office in all realms, working like a donkey pulling a millstone until the end of time."

"The way of Heaven created them, seemingly as a gift to them, giving them a pure and noble spirit, even surpassing the merits and immortal positions that those who painstakingly seek ascension to immortality possess."

"But it also set up many restrictions on the ancient immortals, restricting their words and actions, and even using 'inheritance' to shape their souls before they were born."

"Once they 'defy' the Way of Heaven, they will not even have the chance to be reincarnated as mortals or to atone for their sins. They can only be sacrificed to the stars and the yin-yang sundial, their souls scattered among heaven and earth, and their spirits returned to the common people."

Meteor didn't know what to say for a moment, but after thinking for a while, he finally spoke.

"When I ascended to the upper realm, I saw that the celestial beings were all sitting on their positions without doing anything, only concerned with fighting for power and profit, and none of them thought about working hard for the common people. Even if they were born as 'donkeys,' if they don't work hard for the common people, wouldn't they be ashamed of their bloodline as ancient gods?"

Bitao looked at Liuxing and said, "Perhaps in Senior Brother Liuxing's eyes, some immortals only do their own job and are just occupying positions without doing anything, with low ability. They don't care about the suffering of the common people."

"However, in order to ensure that these 'donkeys' are useful, Heaven does not allow personal desires to affect impartiality when handling certain public duties. It did not pass on to them all the magic and abilities of the ancient gods."

"It may even block the spiritual apertures of some immortals, preventing them from mastering too many skills through their own efforts and from doing things that distract them from their energy and time."

"Some martial gods are well-versed in military strategy, leading troops to protect the common people and winning every battle, but they may not even be able to wash a single piece of clothing properly."

"Some Thunder Generals possess exceptional martial arts skills and are born with the fire elemental attribute to exorcise evil spirits, yet they cannot absorb any of the lower realm's culture. Even if they memorize it by rote, they cannot apply it and are ridiculed as hopeless illiterate."

"These blocked spiritual apertures, if found in mortals, would be considered signs of innate stupidity, something that cannot be changed. Yet, under the vast celestial spirits of the heavens, these apertures are difficult to open. Why do you think that is, Senior Brother Meteor?"

If a martial god who can hold up the sky and the thunder king who can penetrate the heavens and the earth had the ability to understand all things, who would be willing to spend their life in a boring public office?

Can the heavens still be at peace?

"The official duties of the Nine Heavens are divided into extremely detailed categories, with each celestial position only responsible for a part of the duties."

"The immortals only need to do their part well, like the clasp of a chain, firmly holding both ends, so that the myriad worlds can flow freely and reincarnate repeatedly."

“Immortal positions are like bricks. Heaven requires them to grow in a square and upright manner as needed. If they are like Senior Brother Meteor, who is knowledgeable about all things and has ambitions for the universe, they are unwilling to be the foundation when placed at the bottom, and unwilling to withstand the wind and rain when placed on the eaves. They grow in a crooked and twisted manner. How can they be used to build a house?”

"Why would you still be willing to be a donkey pulling the millstone?"

Bitao has never spoken out in public for the Ancient Immortal Clan.

She represents the meritorious immortal position of Youtian, and has always been in opposition to the ancient immortal clan.

However, Bitao never genuinely believed that all the ancient immortals were corrupt and decadent.

In any dense forest, there are always a few crooked trees; just cut them down.

There are always a few slackers in a herd of donkeys; a few lashes will do the trick.

The Celestial Realm has hundreds of thousands of immortal positions, most of which belong to ancient immortal clans. If they were truly incompetent and rotten to the core, the myriad realms and star realms would have collapsed long ago.

"You really have a sharp tongue."

Meteor paused for a moment before looking at Bitao and saying, "Being incompetent for the celestial position is simply being incompetent. How come it's become an important key in your mouth?"

"Should the suffering people of this world be grateful to those high above in the heavens who only care about their own public office and refuse to bow down to the suffering of the people?"

Bitao sighed and said, "Senior Brother Liuxing... You have been trapped in this world for too long. You have compassion and love for the people you created with your own hands, and you feel their pain and indignation. This is understandable."

"But since you have ascended to the Heavenly Realm, you should know that the celestial positions in the Heavenly Realm govern all living beings in the myriad realms."

"The entire Milky Way is a constellation of stars, numbering in the billions. It's not just the constellation in front of you, the one you're in."

These words sounded so light, yet they were like a heavy hammer containing the might of heaven and earth, more effective than any questioning or judgment, striking the hearts of all living beings in the meteor shower.

His soul visibly dimmed, his mouth slightly open as he looked up at the sky, but his gaze was limited.

He could see the vastness of the sky, he could see the sunshine, rain, and clouds, but the sky he saw was not the whole picture of the sky.

For over two thousand years, he has cared for all living beings, crawling out of hell to dedicate himself to their welfare, but now someone has told him...

All living beings are not limited to the realm before his eyes.

The sky he saw was only a tiny corner of the entire sky.

This time, he remained silent for a longer period of time.

But his distracted expression quickly returned, and there was no longer any mockery on his face.

Su Rong looked at Bi Tao and said, "Even if what you say is true, there are countless beings in the myriad realms, but the suffering endured by the beings here is real."

"As celestial beings of the Nine Heavens, it is their duty to constantly observe the suffering of the people in the mortal realm. No matter how eloquently you defend the celestial positions in the Heavenly Realm, they are still derelict in their duties."

"When I ascended to the throne, I was full of ambition and eager to make my mark, like a greenhorn who had just entered the imperial court."

Meteor recalled the past, and her expression became even more resolute.

"But what did I get in return? It was the condescending scrutiny of the ancient immortals, and the struggle between two forces that had taken over the celestial realm."

“But they fight over me and plunder me with benefits, not to use me, but only to expand their own power and gain more rights.”

"None of the immortals I have seen have the well-being of all living beings in mind. And none of them have the same compassion for all living beings as I do."

"You say that the Celestial Realm rules over all realms, and that's how they rule over all realms. Then it's not just my Star Realm that suffers; I'm afraid all living beings in all realms are just straw dogs."

After Liuxing finished speaking, he stared intently at Bitao, wondering what other reasons she could come up with to defend the immortals.

But Bitao nodded in agreement: "Senior Brother Meteor is right. There is not a single immortal in the entire Heavenly Realm who has the heart to care for all living beings."

"Senior Brother Meteor, you are immortal because you have the heart to protect all living beings. Even if so many of us joined forces, we could not kill you and could only seal you. But immortals in the celestial realm will die after descending to the mortal realm."

"We are very crispy, as crispy as the skin of a roasted pig's trotter."

Bitao looked around at the circle of immortals lying on the ground, unable to get up, and at her unconscious companions covered in blood, and sighed, "Besides being easy to eat and tasting good, they have no other benefits..."

meteor:"……"

He stared at Bitao with extreme vigilance, thinking that Bitao wanted to argue with him, but Bitao turned around and began to agree with him, leaving Liuxing speechless.

Bitao continued, "Moreover, Senior Brother Meteor is absolutely right. There are indeed two competing forces in the Heavenly Realm."

"Besides the ancient immortals, there are also some who ascended to the rank of merit immortals after accumulating merit in all realms."

"These meritorious immortal positions also have a nickname; they are all affectionately called 'merit dogs' by the ancient immortal clan."

Meteor: "..." It's all donkeys and dogs, but not a single person, huh?

Bitao looked somewhat troubled and said, "According to Senior Brother Meteor, I belong to the category of merit dogs."

"However, I did not ascend to immortality through merit. I am merely a wild immortal spirit formed from a large peach tree, and I currently stand in the merit immortal faction."

"Senior Brother Meteor, you didn't stay in the Heavenly Realm long enough back then. You only saw one side of the story."

"In fact, there are three types of immortal positions in the celestial realm that look down on each other. The one at the top is the ancient immortal clan that wins based on the number of people, the time spent in the celestial realm, and the rank of their position."

"The rest are those who ascended from the myriad worlds after birth, and whose merits were fulfilled after a lifetime in the mortal realm."

"And wild immortals like me, who are just wildflowers and weeds by the roadside, are basically at the bottom of the Nine Heavens."

meteor:"……"

His expression was indescribable; he even seemed unwilling to defend himself, wanting Bitao to use whatever tricks she had up her sleeve, whether it was sealing him or killing him.

He no longer wanted to hear how rotten the Heavenly Realm was.

If Bitao represents the heavenly realm looking down on him and criticizing and despising his behavior, even though he can no longer escape, his compassion for all living beings will not die, and he will still be interested in arguing a few words.

But what was he hearing?

However, even if Meteor didn't want to listen, Peach still had to say something.

In the celestial realm, when judging celestial ranks, no matter how heinous the crime committed or how irrefutable the evidence, even if the usually taciturn Earth Official of Pardon personally intervenes, he will always ask at the end of the judgment, "Do you accept your punishment?"

The Heavenly Realm doesn't practice direct and brutal suppression and killing. They always make sure that those who are punished die knowing why, and are convinced of their guilt and accept their punishment.

If the meteor were a heinous demon, that would be one thing, but it possesses a compassionate heart for all living beings and is immortal. Its merits and demerits are therefore difficult to judge.

His obsession and confusion no longer represent himself, but rather the questioning of all beings about the Way of Heaven.

In such cases, the celestial court would send someone specifically to reason with him.

However, he was not qualified to judge in the Heavenly Realm, so only Bitao, who had a "not very high celestial rank," could answer his questions.

Therefore, Bitao continued, "Now that I have climbed to the position of a deity and am on the same side as the merit-based immortals of Youtian, most of the wild immortals also tend to favor the merit-based immortals."

"So the Heavenly Realm is still in a state of conflict between two factions, or you could say it's a fight between donkeys and dogs."

"The virtuous immortals do all sorts of good deeds in the mortal realm, just like Senior Brother Meteor, who has created great merits that will be remembered for generations, and then ascend to the heavenly realm... In the end, they have to start all over again, and they are filled with resentment."

The shooting star has already closed its eyes.

Bitao said, "They definitely won't accept the position of Immortal of Merit. They are the ones who have truly experienced the suffering of all living beings and have already reached the position of ancestor in the mortal realm. But in heaven, they have to start from the highest immortal and listen to those ancient immortals who were born in the heavenly realm and have their eyes on the top of their heads, ordering them around. It's simply outrageous!"

Meteor opened its eyes again and couldn't help but say, "Then why bother fighting like dogs and donkeys with them? Why not just disperse your spirit and descend to the mortal realm?"

"What's wrong with living a carefree life, living from dawn till dusk?"

"Since they insist on staying in the Heavenly Realm, they must be clinging to power and will ultimately just end up associating with them."

Bitao agreed, saying, "Of course they want to too. They are all heroes like Senior Brother Meteor in the mortal world. They can't understand why the Heavenly Dao created the Ancient Immortal Clan, and they can't tolerate the tragic experiences they have gone through being casually defined by the Ancient Immortal Clan as relying on their merits."

"But Senior Brother Meteor, they can't bear to part with him."

Upon hearing this, Meteor chuckled, assuming that Bitao's reluctance stemmed from her reluctance to relinquish the celestial positions she had painstakingly earned her way to the Heavenly Realm.

But Bitao said, "They are not clinging to immortality and power."

"What they can't bear to part with are their people."

"Because only by staying in the Heavenly Realm, standing at the highest point, cooperating with those who look down on us, fighting for every inch of land, and engaging in petty and despicable acts, can we truly bring peace to their people."

The smile on Meteor's face gradually froze.

Bitao said, "Senior Brother Liuxing, when you crushed your immortal bones and recklessly dispersed your spirit to descend to the mortal realm, countless immortals envied you. Even after the Nine Heavens issued a ban on your immortality, many people still secretly admired your act of giving up your immortal position."

"Because none of them can do it."

Bitao finally became solemn, her voice carrying the sound of thunder and lightning, becoming oppressive: "But Senior Brother Meteor, what you are giving up is not your immortal position, but the power bestowed upon you by the people of your world."

"What you gave up was their faith, the power they gave you."

"Among the myriad beings, there are at least hundreds of millions in one realm. How many of them live mediocre lives, how many live in a daze, how many are born with incomplete six souls and are mentally challenged? And how many never know what they are pursuing from birth to death?"

"Those who attained immortality through merit mostly had extremely tragic pasts before their ascension. They were trampled into mud by iron hooves, sacrificed themselves for their country when their nations were destroyed, and spent their lives eating vegetarian food, chanting Buddhist scriptures, and doing good deeds, only to be eaten by starving people in the end..."

"How many people can be like you, Senior Brother Meteor, who are born with unparalleled intelligence, knowledgeable in all things, create your own methods, and possess a natural ability to bewitch, making everyone bow down and kneel before you?"

"You even possess a heart for all living beings that even celestial beings cannot have, and you have personally and safely sent your people to the celestial throne in the Nine Heavens."

"In my opinion, your wisdom and talent far surpass those of the so-called ancient immortals who were blessed by the heavens."

Bitao paused for a few moments, then sighed, "But you gave up..."

"In this world, giving up persistence, giving up pursuit, giving up perseverance, and even giving up life are the simplest and easiest things to do."

"But since you have given up the authority and power bestowed upon you by all living beings, and given up the right to speak for them at the pinnacle of the heavens, why do you complain that others have trampled you and your living beings underfoot?"

"If you're unwilling to take responsibility, why not go with the flow and respect and accept the fate of others and yourself?"

"In the celestial realm, even a random blade of grass by the roadside that has been imbued with spirit, or even the lowest of the immortals, if they were to descend to the mortal realm and encounter the ghost officials of the underworld, they would all bow respectfully and address them as 'Fairy Lord' or 'Immortal Lord'."

"This is the power of authority."

"This is why those snarling 'merit dogs,' and those corrupt 'donkeys' clinging to power, refuse to relinquish their territory even after biting off a mouthful of hair..."

"Do you really think that they're scheming and fighting tooth and nail for their own benefit?"

"There is absolutely no way to enjoy life in the celestial realm. Even as a deity, you don't have the music, beautiful women, and other luxuries that mortals enjoy. You don't even have the festive banquets mentioned in storybooks."

"Their only pleasure now is probably watching the selection of immortals competition, and they have to watch it in their spare time from handling official duties."

"There are countless public offices in the Heavenly Realm. We work from morning till night, so busy that we're practically kicking ourselves. There aren't even any places to buy pig's trotters, Senior Brother Meteor!"

"If you had chosen to stay in the Heavenly Realm and stand on the clouds for the sake of your people, you would only need to glance at them amidst your heavy official duties to discover the suffering they are enduring. You would then be able to volunteer to descend to the mortal realm and personally deal with those who harm the people."

Meteor's eyes were bloodshot, because Bitao's words were no longer a stimulus to him, but a complete denial of all his choices.

What does it mean that he suffered torture in the underworld for so many years and painstakingly crawled back to the human world?

What about all his efforts to maneuver and revolve around the bridge of reincarnation?

Did he do something wrong?!