Ling Xiao was performing with great enthusiasm when the system suddenly excitedly notified her that a "deeply affectionate" romance quest had been completed. The quest description was that the person being pursued loved you more than life itself.
She nearly threw out her back, and mentally told the system, "Saving them all up at once, it's terrifying!"
Here, the goddess remained high above, while the black-haired woman used ropes to drag the rain god, who had been smashed into the ground, back up.
"So, are you convinced now?"
The god's eyes blazed with fury, veins bulging, and he roared:
"Goddess of Mount Tai, you've gone too far! I am a deity appointed by the Jade Emperor to control all rain in the world. Why should it rain whenever you say so?"
"It's nothing more than a few spiritual items. The Taishan Prefecture Lord's treasure vault is yours to take as you please; it's just a drop in the ocean for you."
The audience was naturally indignant at the rain god's sophistry.
He naturally wouldn't pay attention to mere mortals, and seeing that the goddess remained silent, he seemed to become even more righteous:
"Besides, it's not that I won't rain; it'll just rain a little later. At most, a few mortals will die. Why bother arguing with me?"
These words shattered the people's original sense of awe. Their lives were worthless in the eyes of the god of rain, so who would be happy?
Fortunately, the goddess was there. Li Yue heard the Prime Minister, who had arrived at some unknown time, sigh.
His fingers twitched slightly beneath his robes, and he agreed inwardly. Fortunately, the Great Jin Dynasty had the Goddess of Mount Tai.
The little goddess on the altar, who had been letting the rain god spout nonsense, tilted her head and suddenly smiled:
"Why should I give you what's mine? You're just a god who only sees your own gains and losses and doesn't care about the harm done to others."
The rain god was about to unleash another torrent of harsh words, but the goddess, seemingly anticipating this, quickly stuffed a handful of sand and gravel into his mouth.
"I don't want to hear you speak," she said, her eyes flashing with coldness.
"The gods are virtuous, and they follow the seasons, thus winning the hearts of the people. As the god who controls rain, why would I dare to treat you like this? Have you ever thought about it?"
The rain god, who could not speak, suddenly changed his expression, as if he had thought of something.
Li Yue suddenly took a few steps forward and stretched out his hand, attracting the goddess's attention.
The wind howled as Li Yue was pulled onto the platform. He heard the exclamations of his ministers and the faint calls of "Your Majesty..."
He steadied himself and first bowed to the goddess. The people were slightly agitated when they saw someone suddenly appear.
Soon everyone discovered this person's identity: the ruler of the Great Jin Dynasty, the current emperor.
Amidst gazes filled with anticipation or bewilderment, Li Yue calmly addressed the God of Rain:
"The course of Heaven is constant. Your Majesty has disrupted the mandate of Heaven and lost your virtue. I'm afraid... you can no longer be called a god," the emperor paused for a moment, then explained with a smile.
This is based on his experience as emperor; it's nothing unusual for lower-ranking officials to accept bribes.
If an official disregards the overall situation and the people, and acts recklessly, no matter how talented he is, he will not be employed.
The Queen Mother of the West knew that the goddess was spoiled and willful, yet she still gave her the talisman—something that could control the rain god.
Does the meaning even need to be explained?
The crowd erupted in uproar.
The God of Rain seemed to have been hit where it hurt, letting out an uncontrollable roar from his throat, his muscles bulging as if he were about to break free of his restraints at any moment.
The first time he exerted force, the black hair seemed about to break, and everyone tensed up.
The second time the black hair trembled and seemed about to break, everyone tensed up again.
The third time... I watched his performance calmly.
The Goddess of Mount Tai chuckled, confirming Li Yue's commentary:
"What should I do? The noble God of Rain has been humiliated by this ignorant and incompetent goddess, and now he's going to be removed from the list of gods, unable to even remain a god."
It should not be admitted that many ministers present breathed a sigh of relief upon learning that the god of rain would soon be dethroned.
Even with a goddess backing them, mortals always feel insecure when facing powerful gods.
Besides, the goddess... won't stay in the Great Jin forever!
The system received Ling Xiao's instruction to prepare the divine illusion under his control.
All the onlookers saw was that after the goddess on the altar had mocked the god of rain, she suddenly stopped smiling and said:
"The fourth-rank celestial deity in charge of rain has violated heavenly rules. Today, his immortal bones are removed, and he is stripped of his divine status."
With a wave of her little hand.
A golden light, accompanied by the imperial edict, fell upon the frantically struggling god. Wherever the golden light passed, the flesh withered and darkened, until it cracked open at the spine.
A piece of crystal-clear bone slowly emerged, enveloped in a hazy light; it was clearly no ordinary object.
"Auntie, is this the immortal bone?" Li Yue asked, his voice dry as he looked at the scene.
The goddess glanced at him with amusement and reminded him:
"Stop looking. Immortal bones are indeed the natal possession of immortals, but without cultivation or a name on the Investiture of the Gods, mortals cannot even touch them."
Having his thoughts guessed, Li Yue smiled silently, noticing a frequently appearing phrase: Investiture of the Gods.
"Auntie, what is this Investiture of the Gods?"
The others were also waiting intently for the answer. The Goddess had revealed that if one could be listed on the Investiture of the Gods, one could become a deity!
Ling Xiaole happily patched up his script, saying frankly:
"In ancient times, when the Jade Emperor first established the Heavenly Court, he had no capable men under his command. So he wagered the change of dynasties in the human world, and the two major sects sent their disciples to the mortal realm. The loser would be listed on the Investiture of the Gods and become a god, while the winner would become an immortal!"
Does defeat make one a god, and victory make one an immortal?
The secret revealed by the goddess was clearly shocking. Gods, goddesses, so it turns out that gods can't compare to immortals?
Li Yue looked at the goddess hesitantly, but finally asked the question.
"Aside from the great gods who are naturally favored by the rules, most of the gods in the Heavenly Court are now limited by the Investiture of the Gods, so although they are powerful, they can no longer advance further. Immortals are different."
As for the differences, the little goddess didn't elaborate, but those with a keen eye let their imaginations run wild, their thoughts drifting off to who-knows-where.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
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