Chapter 461 A Series of Dirty Tactics
"I dare to take responsibility for my actions. I say you've used every means at your disposal, your methods are despicable..." Zhunti was very dissatisfied.
"Junior brother, shut up." Jieyin was furious, his eyes wide with anger. If he hadn't been injured, he probably wouldn't have been able to resist hitting Zhunti to shut up.
It wouldn't be good for the sages to have infighting among themselves, especially since it would give those aspiring to be sages a reason to laugh at them.
Zhunti swallowed back what he was about to say. His senior brother had never been so angry before, and he was somewhat frightened.
Jieyin took a deep breath, suppressing all his emotions, before solemnly looking at Yuanshi Tianzun, "Junior brother has been rude; please forgive me, Second Senior Brother."
"The Celestial Venerable's methods are superb, and his strategies are masterful. We in the West are truly humbled." Defeat is defeat, and Jieyin and Zhunti accepted it.
They were not as cunning and ruthless as Yuanshi Tianzun. Even Shangqing Tongtian, his own third brother, was dealt with ruthlessly by Yuanshi Tianzun without any mercy.
But there's still a long way to go, and the future remains uncertain.
Hmph, if it weren't for the fact that Yuanshi didn't want to cause trouble with Zhunti on such a special day as Changhao's ascension to sainthood, he would have been determined to finish things off with Zhunti by now.
Wait and see. It's not wise to alert them now. If they use your Western religion as a shell to prolong the life of the Jie Sect, you won't be laughing anymore.
The quasi-saints who descended from Heaven steadied themselves. Rumors, it must be rumors, they must have misheard...
The immortals, who were trying to brainwash themselves, stole glances at the Heavenly Emperor, whose demeanor was as brilliant as the wind god and unparalleled throughout the ages. It's no wonder that the Heavenly Venerable couldn't resist.
"Greetings, Your Majesty..." Wen Zhong finally arrived at Lintong Pass to join forces with the emperor, bringing with him a group of young generals who had accompanied him on the expedition, several colleagues, and his uncle Bi Gan to pay their respects to His Majesty.
They were so worried because they couldn't get in, but thankfully His Majesty is safe and sound.
"Welcome back to Your Majesty and for attaining the supreme Primordial Dao Fruit..." The immortals were overjoyed. The more powerful His Majesty was, the stronger their backing became, which proved that their choice was correct. How could they not be ecstatic?
The two groups looked at each other in bewilderment. Were they worshipping the same emperor?
Di Jun stood there, unsure whether to bow or not.
Chang Hao glanced at Di Jun, who was standing there conspicuously, and twitched his lips. He knew he was in a difficult situation and wondered why Di Jun didn't know to keep his distance.
Wait a minute, just from that one glance, Chang Hao immediately "saw" what Di Jun had done.
Chang Hao's eyes widened. "Fine, you, Di Jun! You plotted against me! When we get back, I'll make sure you go back to Qingjing Forest to reflect on your mistakes and stop you from causing trouble."
Taiyi was unaware that Dijun's misdeeds had been exposed, and he was still trying to figure out how to subtly bring it up to Xiaoshi.
Taiyi stood directly behind Dijun, not mentioning Xiaoshi's anger. If his elder brother found out that Xiaoshi and Yuanshi had achieved a happy ending, who knows what kind of trouble he would cause? Maybe he should persuade his elder brother to go back first.
"All of you, please rise..." Chang Hao glared at Di Jun, thinking, "I'll deal with you when we're all alone."
Di Jun felt a chill run down his spine. He had a bad feeling. This was bad. The truth must have come out. How rare was a Great Dao Saint? How could he have been so complacent? He had made a mistake. A mistake indeed.
Chang Hao withdrew his gaze and looked at the two groups of people he had unexpectedly encountered: the Heavenly Court and the Human Realm. He was now their common emperor, and he had a bit of a headache.
"Dou Rong, I entrust you and Lu Yuan with finishing up the Xiqi rebellion." Chang Hao personally appointed two of his generals. Grand Tutor Wen had also appeared at Lintong Pass. Xiqi had been quelled, and Dou Rong and Lu Yuan had made great contributions this time. Before he left, he would take them to heaven.
Not only these two, but also a group of civil and military officials he was comfortable with. When he was around, these people were loyal ministers and brave generals; when he was away, they all became: those whose achievements overshadowed their lord, those who held military power and were disrespectful to the monarch.
The new emperor cannot be suppressed.
Chang Hao could only try his best to make the future emperor's life easier. As for the selection of the person in question, everyone has their own preferences, but he still preferred to choose from the lineage of Bi Gan...
"Yes, Your Majesty." Dou Rong and Lu Yuan could hardly believe that such a good thing had fallen on their heads. They were unaware that their days among humans had already begun to count down, and that after this life was over, they would ascend directly to heaven.
"Let us return to Yin Shang and sign the Investiture of the Gods together." With a thought, Chang Hao led everyone from Lintong Pass to his main hall where he held court. Only this place was big enough to accommodate so many people.
After instructing Quan Chang to arrange seats for the sages, Chang Hao flicked his cloak, sat high on the throne, and looked down at the crowd below.
Those fortunate enough to be seated, such as Chong Bohu, Huang Feihu, and Shang Rong, were arranged on both sides according to Chang Hao's wishes. One row consisted of disciples of immortals who possessed magical arts, while the other row consisted of mortal officials.
The ministers stood in the main hall of the court, still in disbelief that with so many of them, His Majesty had targeted each and every one of them precisely, with not a single superfluous person standing there. However, the group of immortals was missing. Did the immortals have immortal methods that allowed them to come over on their own?
Bi Gan and Wen Zhong discovered that several court officials, who were not at Lintong Pass, had been summoned here. The Emperor's power was beyond their imagination.
Bi Gan glanced at His Majesty, who sat high on the throne. His Majesty was born extraordinary. It turned out that His Majesty was indeed a celestial being reincarnated. No wonder he was not like an ordinary person.
Your Majesty, is the King planning to abandon his duties and return to Heaven? What will happen to them? Your Majesty has no successor.
Bi Gan was deeply worried, fearing that the country would fall into internal strife.
Meanwhile, the group of quasi-saints who had descended to the mortal realm without permission found themselves directly sent back to the Southern Heavenly Gate by His Majesty. Standing in front of the Southern Heavenly Gate, the cold wind blew, their robes fluttering, but it couldn't extinguish their gossipy hearts.
"Have you heard?" The immortals whispered among themselves, unable to resist gossiping with their close friends.
"What?"
"Yuanshi Tianzun..."
"Your Majesty the Heavenly Emperor..."
"them……"
What about the Heavenly Law?
"The rules of Heaven govern Heaven, Earth, and us, but how could they possibly govern even a sage?..."
"Nonsense, this must be wishful thinking on the part of the Primordial Celestial Venerable..."
"The rules in the mortal realm have been set. From now on, there will be no way for immortals and mortals to fall in love. The heavenly rules will be changed again..."
"Hilarious! Even a primordial deity couldn't create a second-generation being in several eons..."
"At first, the Heavenly Rules only forbade love between immortals and mortals. The rules were well-organized and reasonable, each clause convincing. But then they suddenly changed drastically, unlike what the Heavenly Emperor would do," Bai Ze said, waving his feather fan as he analyzed Yaochi. "They're more like a father who's gone mad with anger, unable to even tolerate immortals anymore. Saints are immortals too, what do you say..."
“As soon as the Heavenly Rules were changed, the Daoist sects also issued their own rules and regulations. If we connect them…” Chang Xi’s face was full of impending storm, and he mentally noted down Yuanshi Tianzun’s accusations one by one.
"Outrageous!" Yaochi smashed the glass cup beside her. "It's my fault for being careless."
Yaochi gritted her teeth, her heart filled with rage. For Yaochi, her senior brother having a Daoist partner was tantamount to having a 'stepmother,' which was utterly unacceptable.
There were clues everywhere, including in Lishan. Yaochi only blamed herself for being too naive back then, failing to see that Yuanshi Tianzun had ill intentions.
She said, "Who goes to Lishan every day?"
“There’s plenty of time,” Changxi said, downing the Emperor’s nectar in his glass cup in one gulp. He then slammed his hand on the table and stood up. “Rumors must be stopped. The more they spread, the more they are justified in upholding the authority of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable.”
“That’s right.” Yaochi swallowed her pride and anger; how could her senior brother allow the immortals to speculate and gossip?
Changxi thought that with such big news, there was no reason why Xihe hadn't received it. Changxi always wanted to struggle a bit more, but little did she know that Xihe had already struggled and now accepted her fate, and had already gone to Taiwei Palace to make arrangements.
Yaochi, holding her nose, used swift and decisive measures to suppress the heretical rumors, successfully silencing the immortals and preventing them from adding fuel to the fire.
Although they embellished the story, it didn't stray far from the facts; they just added a little bit of embellishment, really just a tiny bit...
……………………
Civil and military officials lined up on both sides, while the civil and military officials in the center of the hall were all human.
The Seven Monsters of Meishan and the Ten Heavenly Lords, whom Nuwa had kept in the Map of Mountains and Rivers, were 'moved' out by Chang Hao and placed directly among the cultivators.
Nuwa looked at the Map of Mountains and Rivers and then at Chang Hao. This was the Great Dao Sage, whose unpredictable methods even made the Heavenly Dao Sage tremble.
Chang Hao looked at the line of mortal officials and ministers and asked, "My beloved ministers, I have enjoyed my time with you all and I am truly reluctant to part with you. I wonder if you are willing to follow me for all eternity?"
"Your Majesty, I am willing. This is my lifelong wish." The ministers did not understand why, but they still nodded.
"Is what you all say true?" Chang Hao asked again.
"Every word I uttered comes from the bottom of my heart, and there is not a trace of falsehood in it," the ministers declared, expressing their loyalty.
Chang Hao nodded in satisfaction. Since he was so reluctant to part with me, he could only reluctantly take me along.
He directly appointed the officials he had built in the mortal realm to the positions of deities, which he found convenient to use, and these officials were also able to have a good ending.
"Grand Tutor, are you willing to die with me?" Chang Hao looked at Grand Tutor Wen.
The survivors of the Jie Sect who were serving in Chaoge all stood behind the Erqing's seats. Upon hearing His Majesty's words, they naturally knew that His Majesty was asking whether they were willing to be included in the Investiture of the Gods.
Wen Zhong thought for a moment, then nodded resolutely, "Your Majesty, I am willing to follow you."
Before Chang Hao could ask any further questions, the others said in unison, "We are also willing to follow Your Majesty." If they followed this emperor, being listed on the Investiture of the Gods wouldn't be so terrible.
“Very good. Uncle Wang, Grand Tutor, Jiang Ziya, and Shen Gongbao, stay. Court adjourned.” Chang Hao said decisively. He planned to draft the list of deities to be conferred today.
Chang Hao and the Six Sages moved to the Qiankun Palace, and Di Jun followed without hesitation. He was worried about Yuanshi Tianzun being there.
Taiyi quickly followed, staying close by, ready to mediate at any moment.
Following His Majesty's instructions, Quan Chang set up a long table in the outer hall of Qiankun Palace. After Yuan Shi entered, his gaze turned to Jiang Ziya, "and he spread out the Investiture of the Gods he was carrying on the table."
Jiang Ziya hurriedly stepped forward and did as Yuanshi Tianzun instructed.
The Investiture of the Gods was densely covered with names, but these names were scattered everywhere and had no place to settle.
With a flick of his finger, Yuanshi Tianzun caused the names on the Investiture of the Gods list to gradually fade away, leaving only four innate true names on the vast list.
Chang Hao glanced at Yuanshi Tianzun, then quickly raised his hand and pointed at the Antarctic Longevity Emperor, saying meaningfully, "Would Yuanshi Tianzun be willing to part of one of his corpses to reside in the Heavenly Court?"
In the future, the Heavenly Court's defenses will be so strong that even a sage cannot infiltrate it. Unless Yuanshi comes openly and legitimately, he will not be able to enter.
Yuanshi glanced down at the throne of the Antarctic Longevity Emperor, one of the Six Emperors, and exchanged a look with Chang Hao. Suddenly, he had a flash of inspiration and wrote down the name of his clone, Yuqing Daoist, with his finger, afraid that if he was a step too slow, this good thing would be lost.
Chang Hao was thin-skinned. Yuanshi Tianzun was going to the Heavenly Court every day; wasn't that announcing it to the world? Chang Hao was definitely not happy about it.
Yuanshi Tianzun was self-aware; he knew that his master's Zixiao Palace would not welcome him. Therefore, he needed an identity in the Heavenly Court to conceal his true identity.
That's good. But Yuanshi still felt it wasn't enough, so he moved his finger and wanted to write "Qingwei" as well. The Great Emperor of Qinghua in the Eastern Pole would also be very suitable for him.
If Yuqing, Qingwei, and Yuanshi Tianzun take turns looking for Chang Hao, it won't be too conspicuous.
"Wait..." Laozi directly used the Taiji diagram to stop Yuanshi, "At least leave one for Tongtian."
Yuanshi said reluctantly, "The Great Emperor of Qinghua in the Eastern Pole is a perfect match for me."
Laozi glared at Yuanshi. Although they had a plan, it was still just a hypothetical scenario and they didn't know how it would turn out. As the older brother, he should at least let a little bit slip through his fingers for his younger brother. He shouldn't be too greedy.
Chang Hao also thought of it. At the same time, he also knew what methods Laozi and Yuanshi would use to continue the fortune of the Jie Sect and convert the barbarians to Buddhism. It was a good method. Duobao was also capable enough to really revitalize the Jie Sect.
"Your Majesty, I think the Eastern Azure Emperor is also a perfect match for me." Nuwa couldn't stand Yuanshi's smug face.
“Your Majesty, this humble Taoist also wishes to reside in the Heavenly Court,” Jieyin suddenly spoke up.
Chang Hao glanced at Jieyin. He wasn't stupid; the Six Emperors all held real power, and there were plenty of things Jieyin could do.
"The Jie Sect suffered heavy losses this time, and the Tongtian Sect Leader is already imprisoned. He should rightfully be on the list." What's the point of arguing? Chang Hao would naturally give it to his own people.
Yuanshi Tianzun gouged out Jieyin and Zhunti's eyes, one eye dagger after another. He had already refrained from retaliating because he had spoken rudely in public and could not lose face. Now, however, he dared to cause trouble.
He secretly pondered in his heart that although his disciples were useless, it was only relatively speaking. Compared to the grotesque and flawed disciples of the Western religion, his disciples were more than adequate.
Also, Yun Zhongzi.
The Primordial Celestial Venerable decided to send Yun Zhongzi to the West. In the future, if he needed anything in the West, he could simply send Yun Zhongzi to block the door. In this way, it would be natural for Yun Zhongzi to collect his debts, and he would be in a better mood.
To avoid further conflict, Chang Hao simply placed the Investiture of the Gods in front of him and wrote it himself. Whoever he wanted to be in which place would be there, with no room for negotiation.
Laozi was satisfied. Yuanshi stared at the Investiture of the Gods, his eyes flashing slightly.
"Jiang Ziya, you shall go to Qishan tomorrow to preside over the Investiture of the Gods." Yuanshi Tianzun made the decision directly, hoping that the Investiture of the Gods would be completed as soon as possible so that Chang Hao could return to his rightful place.
As for Di Jun, he wanted to object as soon as Chang Hao invited Yuanshi Tianzun to reside in the Heavenly Court. Unfortunately, Taiyi was already on guard against him and cast a silencing spell on Di Jun without warning, forcibly pulling Di Jun out of the Qiankun Palace.
Di Jun's eyes widened in anger, "Taiyi, what are you doing? What about Yuanshi Tianzun...?"
Taiyi immediately brought up the Nine-Tailed Fox, and Dijun felt extremely guilty, so he immediately went silent.
"Think carefully about how you're going to explain this to Xiao Shi." Taiyi said coldly, not wanting to talk to Di Jun for the first time; he was just too angry.
Di Jun, carrying the cage, hurriedly caught up with Tai Yi, "Tai Yi, let me explain."
"This fox used the good stuff you gave me on Xiao Shi. Big brother, Xiao Shi was given to Yuanshi Tianzun by you personally." Taiyi flicked his sleeve and left.
Di Jun's mind was buzzing. Impossible. How could Yuanshi Tianzun be so bold? He wouldn't dare.
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