Chapter 191 The Chaotic Battle of Immortals: It wasn't just one person who came, but a whole group of people...
Seeing that all these people had been captured, Zhan Kui looked at Bi Tao excitedly, waiting for her to make her move.
Back when these two sisters were still at the lowest level of the Supreme Immortal rank, they went to an immortal's palace to exorcise evil spirits. The immortal's servants withheld their payment and kicked them out. They were powerless and had no one to turn to for help.
Bitao once said that once she had absolute power, she would beat up all the ancient immortal clan leaders without distinguishing right from wrong.
At the time, Zhan Kui wholeheartedly agreed. Today, when Bi Tao said she would take her to fight, Zhan Kui rubbed her hands together, eager to try and show off her true strength of Zhu Jiuyin.
Unfortunately, she didn't have much of a chance to use her skills. Bitao brought too many magical artifacts and didn't even know how she had persuaded Dongwanggong to help her... These immortals walked into the trap like lambs.
But it doesn't matter, it's the same if we catch them and beat them up.
After waiting for a long time and seeing that Bitao didn't make a move, Zhan Kui finally remembered to ask, "Peach...why did you turn them into this? Why don't you hit them?"
"You go first, leave them alive, then I'll come back. I'm going to freeze them all into ice blocks, then roast them like chicken!"
The immortals, who were bound by the magical artifacts, had very interesting expressions upon hearing Zhan Kui's words.
The saying "When Zhu Jiuyin blows, it becomes summer; when he inhales, it becomes winter" is no joke.
Bitao turned her head and looked at Zhan Kui, saying, "Who said I was going to beat them? I only arrested them to question them because I learned that the ancient immortal clans of the Six Departments had joined forces to overthrow the Nine Heavens, establish a new ruler, and resist the new Heavenly Rules."
"What?!" Zhan Kui, who was rubbing his hands together in anticipation, was shocked. "They're going to rebel?!"
After being subdued, the group of immortals, who had initially maintained their high-ranking immortal dignity and glared at Bitao, assuming that even if she used some humiliating methods, she wouldn't dare to really do anything to them, exclaimed: "What?!"
Who is rebelling?
them?
How come they don't know they're planning a rebellion?!
The sages with ulterior motives exchanged glances, exchanging knowing glances.
However, some quick-witted immortals immediately realized that this was Bitao's conspiracy!
One of the Five Thunder Kings of the Thunder Department, the Eastern Divine Thunder King, was a tall and imposing man with a swallow's jaw and a tiger's neck. His voice was also as deep as a bell. He shouted at Bitao, "Despicable and treacherous villain! How dare you use such absurd reasons to frame us!"
Before Bitao could even speak, Zhan Kui kicked her, yelling, "What are you yelling about? You scared me!"
The successor of the Eastern Divine Thunder King is one of the Thunder Generals who set up the Five Thunder Formation to guide the immortals when they passed away. Although his immortal rank is not very high, only the upper rank of Heavenly Immortal, his thunder spirit attribute is biased towards Heavenly Thunder. So, which immortal in the Nine Heavens doesn't bow and scrape when they see him?
Suddenly kicked by Zhan Kui, Lei Wang's eyes widened even more than Zhan Kui's: "How dare you!"
Zhan Kui has never been afraid of anyone, especially since she is now a Star Goddess and will no longer need to go through the thunder array set up by this guy to return to heaven. Seeing that the Thunder King was not convinced, her eyes instantly turned into scarlet vertical pupils, and she opened her mouth in human form, about to freeze the Thunder King into an ice block.
Bitao had no intention of stopping them. After all, these immortals were at least at the upper level of Heavenly Immortal, and most of them were Profound Immortal. They wouldn't die if Zhan Kui froze or boiled them.
Xuanjia, however, quickly pulled Zhan Kui back, covered her eyes with his hands, and whispered, "I... told you... everything..."
"No...no...oh!"
Xuanjia told Zhan Kui that unless she returned to her original form, she should not reveal her Zhujiuyin vertical pupils, as they looked too much like a demon!
Zhan Kui was held down by Xuan Jia, who was the incarnation of Xuanwu, a divine beast that was sealed in the sea. With his thin arms gripping Zhan Kui, Zhan Kui was unable to break free.
Xuanjia looked at Bitao, their eyes met, and Xuanjia's expression was complicated. Unlike Zhan Kui, she wasn't stubborn and believed everything Bitao said.
Because of her indifferent and capricious nature towards everything, including her own life and death, she appeared rather dull. In reality, however, her intelligence was not much less than that of Bitao.
She clearly realized that these immortals were not, as Bitao had claimed, gathering a crowd to rebel.
Based on Bitao's wicked grin, he knew that Bitao was about to cause a huge mess.
Bitao winked at Xuanjia knowingly, making no attempt to hide it from her.
Among her close friends, Xuanjia was the leader, as was she. Their friendship was truly forged in their humble beginnings, a bond stronger than gold. Bitao was confident that even if she were to rebel, Xuanjia would wholeheartedly support her.
"Xuanjia, what are you doing holding me down!" Zhan Kui struggled.
Xuanjia received Bitao's gaze and suddenly released Zhan Kui. Zhan Kui was already struggling, and being suddenly released caused her to be thrown a long way by inertia. She couldn't stop in time and crashed into the wall of the prison palace.
When Zhan Kui returned, rubbing his head, and glared at Xuan Jia, his earlier aggressive demeanor had vanished.
Xuanjia's delicate features revealed his innocence and harmlessness as he reached out to rub Zhan Kui's head.
Bitao then addressed Zhu Ming, Dong Wanggong, and the other meritorious immortals of Youtian, saying, "Let's continue. Next, we'll focus on the Dou Department."
It wasn't so simple when they captured the Dou Department, because the immortals of the Dou Department were good at divination. Some of them were inspired and calculated that they would face a calamity that night, so they took precautions in advance.
Some people, who were obviously aware of Bitao's plan, simply ran away to join other immortals, intending to unite and expose Bitao's conspiracy.
Unfortunately, the strongest immortals from the Thunder Department and the War Department had already been captured, and the remaining immortals, when put together, were really not very strong.
All the precautions taken in advance and the joint efforts to alarm the heavens were nipped in the bud by Bitao.
As dawn approached, dozens of important immortals from the six departments fell into Bitao's hands, their immortal spirits sealed, awaiting their return to the mortal realm.
Just then, Qingming was in the Shangqing Realm, and the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Realms went to correct the celestial sundial—when the tiger is away, the monkey wants to be king!
Bitao temporarily imprisoned the immortal in the Prison Palace, waiting for dawn to arrive before publicly and justifiably sentencing him to the mortal realm from above the clouds.
He then left a few people to guard the area and led the others back to the Palace of All Living Beings.
If the person behind it all couldn't wait for Bitao to send the immortals to the clouds and instead showed up to save the immortal, it would save Bitao some time.
On the way, the head of the Eastern King Duke floated to Bitao's side and asked her eagerly, "Aren't you going to capture the Western Queen Mother? What about the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water? If the servants of these Six Departments of Immortals discover something amiss and expose you before dawn, what will you do then? Why not just capture all the high-ranking immortals above the True Immortal level in the Nine Heavens and send them to the mortal world all at once!"
Bitao: "..." She was really just bluffing.
The Eastern King Duke truly feared nothing more than a peaceful world.
If all the high-ranking immortals were sent down to the mortal realm at once, no one would be able to perform their duties in the Nine Heavens, and the entire celestial realm would be paralyzed.
Bitao only wanted to draw out the person behind it all; she didn't really want to defy the heavens.
But having just confirmed through those immortals who "foresaw danger" and took precautions against her that the Nine Heavens were also being monitored by someone behind the scenes, she would naturally give a reasonable explanation.
"The three officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water are all high-ranking immortals; one excels at bestowing blessings, one at relieving calamities, and one at pardoning sins. Among them, the Heavenly Official and the Earthly Official, when it comes to close combat..."
Bitao conservatively replied, "We can only describe them as a pair of beautiful lotus flowers."
"The Earth Official's penal talisman can punish guilty immortals, but he cannot punish the innocent. He is skilled in criminal law, and in close combat, he is thin and pale... He probably can't even beat Zhu Ming, so why arrest them in advance?"
"I can now easily crush all the immortals below the Xuanxian level with a single finger. I've sentenced them all to the mortal realm. When I ascend to the position of Emperor, who will handle the public duties of all realms for me?"
"What about the Queen Mother of the West?" The Eastern King Duke was clearly unwilling to accept that his old rival had not been defeated. "Although the Kunlun sword cultivators under the Queen Mother of the West generally do not have high immortal ranks, each of them is a madman who can challenge those of higher levels. Moreover, if the Kunlun sword formation is truly perfected, even you, a Grand Immortal who controls the laws of heaven and earth, will have to struggle for a while."
"How about... we take down the Queen Mother of the West first? All her sword cultivators are loyal to her, and they won't dare to attack us for fear of harming her."
Bitao scratched her nose. The reason she didn't move against the Queen Mother of the West was because... she had doubts about her.
There are two kinds of people behind Bitao's vision.
One possibility is that they are outsiders, most likely high-ranking True Monarchs of the Shangqing Realm with boundless magical power, which is why the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Realms and Qingming had to take a roundabout approach.
One type is "one of their own" hidden among the high-ranking immortals of the Nine Heavens. This person must have extraordinary abilities to convince the immortals and spread their eyes and ears throughout the world. The number of believers has reached a level that even the Azure Emperor and the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Realms cannot shake.
In this first scenario, Bitao doesn't know much about the True Lord of Shangqing Realm, and the information she's gathering may not be true. She can't guess who is ambitious and trying to seize power across the border.
In the second hypothesis, Bitao also listed many immortal positions in her mind, among which the Queen Mother of the West was the most likely candidate.
All suspicions against her stemmed from the tens of thousands of Kunlun sword cultivators under her command, whose immortal ranks were not high, but who were all exceptionally talented.
In addition, she herself is extremely powerful in battle, and she also controls the rule of the Nine Heavenly Immortals, so her number of believers is as vast as the sea.
If she were to harbor rebellious thoughts and vie for power, she would be absolutely loyal to her position as a sword cultivator immortal, which would mean that only she could command the immortal army.
By analogy with the forces in the mortal world, the Queen Mother of the West is like a powerful vassal king who commands an army.
If we easily harm her, her followers will launch an attack and slaughter the celestial beings of the Nine Heavens. Even the heavenly soldiers and generals might not be able to defeat her. We could mobilize the star gods to fight against her, but that would surely cause chaos among the stars.
It is reasonable and understandable that the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Realms and Qingming would be wary of her.
Bitao looked at Dongwanggong and said, "Immortal Venerable, the Queen Mother of the West's sword energy is unparalleled in its sharpness and power. She has been guarding the Kunlun Mountain peak in the Taixu Realm of the Western Haotian for many years. She does not appear except for major events in the Nine Heavens. Even when I was promoted to Taixian, I did not see her."
"Her sword cultivators are a bunch of loyal lunatics. I am currently trying to eliminate the leaders of the six rebellious factions who are against me, and then seize the opportunity to take the throne. If I go to Kunlun to capture the Queen Mother of the West at this time, wouldn't it become known to everyone in the Nine Heavens?"
"Immortal Venerable, do you know the meaning of the word 'seizing the opportunity'? It means to act secretly and seize the opportunity."
"But Immortal Venerable, rest assured, once I reach the peak, I will surely capture the Queen Mother of the West, and then you can do whatever you want with her."
The Eastern King Duke looked sullen: "This is boring. I thought you were going to march on Kunlun and capture the Queen Mother of the West."
The Eastern King lost interest, and with a flash of inspiration, he transformed into a ray of light and vanished.
Bitao led the others back to the Palace of All Living Beings.
As dawn approached, all those who had feasted all night in her new palace were now asleep on the ground, living a life of decadence and debauchery.
Bitao and Zhu Ming arrived at the entrance of the Cang Sheng Palace, where they saw a celestial being dressed in silver armor of the Thunder Department, accompanied by two Thunder Generals, guarding the entrance.
Seeing Bitao and Zhu Ming walking side by side, he quickly stepped forward and bowed to both of them.
"Immortal Overseer, Immortal Bitao."
"Jing Su?" Bi Tao looked at him with some surprise and gestured for Zhu Ming to go inside first.
Jing Su gave Bi Tao a restrained smile: "I was on official business in the mortal realm and only returned last night. I heard that you have been promoted to the position of Grand Immortal and handed over your official duties, so I came to congratulate you."
"I was wondering why I hadn't seen you these past two days. You've advanced two ranks? I also want to congratulate you on entering the True Immortal Realm."
Jing Su smiled and said, "Thank you."
He said somewhat awkwardly, "But I haven't prepared a suitable gift to congratulate Immortal Bitao on her promotion yet..."
Given his position in the Thunder Department, it was already incredibly difficult for him to be able to take on official duties and travel to the lower realms, and even rise to the celestial rank. The little bit of celestial spirit he was allocated wasn't even enough for himself, so where would he find a gift that could match a Grand Immortal?
Bitao had no shortage of gifts, so naturally she wouldn't argue with Jingsu about this.
He smiled and said, "My warehouse has been overflowing these past few days, mostly with things I don't need. If you have time, feel free to bring some people over and pick out what you can use. Consider it my congratulations on your advancement to True Immortal."
Bitao made this remark because she saw that he had already advanced to the position of True Immortal, yet he was still using the sword tassel she had once given him.
Jing Su was even more embarrassed, not knowing what to do with his hands and feet, and repeatedly declined.
He blushed and took two steps back to leave, but then, remembering something, he added, "My promise to Immortal Bitao still stands."
“I owe Immortal Bitao a favor. Although I am of humble status, if Immortal Bitao needs anything, please feel free to ask, and I will do my best to help.”
After Jing Su finished speaking, he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Bi Tao, then turned and left with his two subordinates.
Bitao stood there, gazing thoughtfully at his retreating figure. Her gaze followed the swaying of his sword tassel for a moment before she flicked her finger and pinched a tiny strand of spirit thread that disappeared into the wind, chasing after Jing Su's figure.
Bitao turned and went inside, returning to her room. She had food brought to her and then began to discuss the next steps with Zhu Ming in a grand manner.
"Can you still eat? It's almost dawn."
Although Zhu Ming guessed that Bi Tao was acting on the orders of the two immortals, he was now somewhat uneasy because all the six immortals were in his hands and he had already avenged both his old and new grudges.
Bitao, completely disregarding her image, stuffed mouthfuls of meat into her mouth and looked at Zhu Ming, saying, "Aren't you going to eat something? It might be a tough battle later..."
Now that she has the power holders of the Nine Heavens under her control, the person behind her is forced into a situation where "no one can be used." Not wanting her plan, which she has been scheming for millions of years, to fail at the last moment, she will definitely show up to stop Bitao later.
This is an open conspiracy, a trap that is visible to the naked eye, yet one that one has no choice but to fall into.
This was also Bitao's revenge against the person behind the scenes who wanted to "openly and fairly" lure and kill Mingguang during the third competition.
Don't you like playing dirty tricks? Come on, let's play.
Thinking about how anxious the person behind this is now, I'm actually quite moved.
While eating, Bitao took a moment to glance at the Silver River Net and trace its light.
Since the last time we traced back, half a day and a night have passed, and seven or eight years have passed in the mortal realm...
As soon as Bitao saw Mingguang, she burst out laughing.
Zhu Ming also glanced at the Silver Han Gu, and then paused slightly.
After the fall of the Divine Hong Kingdom, the three kingdoms of Anping, Suifeng, and Taikang were established in the human world.
The saying "merit so great that it overshadows the ruler, and the bow is put away when the birds are all gone" did not apply to Mingguang. The rulers of the three kingdoms all respected him as an important minister of the state and competed for him for several years, hoping that he could return to the court to take charge.
However, Mingguang retired from the army and settled down in the border region where the three kingdoms were in a tripartite balance of power. He stepped into the mundane world and peacefully became a... schoolteacher.
He was indeed old, though his golden eyes still shone brightly, and his posture remained perfectly straight.
However, his temples were frosted with white, and the fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were hard to conceal. Dressed in a blue robe and holding a book, he stood in the private school with a dignified and imposing presence, and none of the children below dared to make a sound.
Zhu Ming couldn't help but sigh, "This coffin board... is actually quite suitable for being a schoolteacher."
Bitao traced back to Taiji... Well, Taiji went from being a powerful eunuch to returning to his old profession and opening a clinic, right next to Mingguang Private School.
Three times a day, morning, noon and evening, she personally carried a food box to deliver meals to Mingguang and watched him finish eating before leaving.
Binglun, Bingjing, and Yunchuan all followed Mingguang. Binglun and Yunchuan opened a martial arts school and occasionally helped the imperial court train soldiers, serving as instructors. Bingjing, on the other hand, taught under Mingguang.
Han Shang, along with Chong A and his men, traveled all over the country as merchants, strictly following Ming Guang's instructions to provide relief to the suffering and disaster-stricken people.
As for Ji Chunjun... she is taking care of Guanghan.
The two men set up a fortune-telling stall right on the street. Guanghan stared directly at the laws of heaven and earth, devoid of emotions and unaware of tact. Although he couldn't hear, he said whatever he saw. He often offended people and didn't earn much money; most of his losses came from losses when his stall was overturned and he was beaten.
Sometimes, you can earn more by setting up a stall for a month or two than by getting beaten up.
Ji Chunjun's role was to prevent Guanghan from being killed.
And when Guanghan said "an inescapable bloodshed" and people were about to fight him to the death, he tried to help them avert the evil.
Their peaceful and stable lives, blending into the everyday world, made Bitao envious.
This put Bitao at ease and confirmed her actions in the Heavenly Realm, leaving the treacherous bastard behind her with no time to worry about anything else.
There was no time to cause trouble for Mingguang and his group.
Bitao quickly closed the Silver River Net and looked up at Zhu Ming, saying, "We must hurry. Before Mingguang passes away, I must ascend to the throne of the Emperor." Mingguang and the others' merits are almost complete.
Once the youngsters that Mingguang and the others are currently teaching grow up, they will surely all become outstanding individuals.
When they enter officialdom and serve in the court, their continuous merits will allow Mingguang and others to rise in rank.
After Bitao finished eating, she chatted with Zhu Ming about how to deal with various unexpected situations, and then it was dawn.
The two emerged from the Palace of All Living Beings and led the "Sinful Immortals" up to the clouds, where they summoned the Nine Heavens Immortals to witness the "First Round of Immortals Descending to the Mortal Realm for Tribulation".
The immortals gathered once again at the Six Imperial Platforms of the Heavenly Palace. Bi Tao stood suspended in the clouds, gazing at the bright sun. Under the Heavenly Dao, evil could not survive. Let her see who this person behind the scenes really is!
Before the immortals could gather, Bitao spoke without hesitation, her voice resounding across the heavens: "You were originally sinful immortals, but Heaven cherishes life and pities you for being coerced by your relatives, and your evil deeds were not of your own volition. Now, I grant you a chance to be reborn, so that you may repent and start anew."
"May you listen attentively to the true voice of all living beings, and await the day when you return to Heaven to assume your positions, becoming true gods whose virtue shines brightly and who are benevolent and virtuous."
After Bitao finished speaking, she activated the laws, intending to send these "sinful immortals" to the lower realm together.
"Wait a minute—" someone suddenly shouted.
Bitao turned her head excitedly and saw several minor immortals from the Six Departments rising into the clouds, along with the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth and Water, all ascending to the clouds.
Bitao looked at each one one by one, and seeing no unfamiliar faces, her excitement subsided temporarily.
It's not surprising that the person behind this has been plotting for millennia and is unwilling to reveal themselves easily.
Once the immortals ascended to the clouds, someone addressed the three officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water who had been brought there, saying, "Fellow immortals, these dozen or so people are not sinful immortals at all!"
"These people are the immortals who disappeared from various departments of the Nine Heavens starting last night!"
Bitao looked at the immortal who was facing the three officials and accusing her of wrongdoing, and her eyebrows twitched—it was Jing Su.
Unexpected, yet perfectly logical.
Every celestial position in the Nine Heavens could now be a tool of someone behind the scenes.
When Bitao and Zhu Ming returned to the Cangsheng Palace this morning, they felt that Jing Su's timing in coming to her palace to congratulate her was too opportune. The two were only nodding acquaintances. Even if Jing Su had returned to the mortal realm after his journey and learned that she had been promoted to the Supreme Immortal, he would not have rushed to congratulate Bitao empty-handed before he had even removed his armor and rested.
Bitao felt that he probably knew that she had recruited three thousand elite servants in one night and wanted to join her ranks, but was too embarrassed to speak up because of his past help to Binglun capture Bitao.
Bitao gave him a way out, allowing him to make time to come to her storeroom and choose gifts. This was a clear indication that she was willing to hire him as a waiter.
Little did they know that he was also one of the henchmen of the person behind it all.
Although Jing Su and Bi Tao were not close friends, they were still considered "old acquaintances." If he was also that person's henchman, then Jiu Tian had probably been infiltrated for a long time.
Jing Su exposed Bi Tao's "treachery" to the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth and Water: "This morning, I returned from handling official duties and was supposed to go back to the Thunder Department to hand over my duties, but I found that all the immortals of the Thunder Department had disappeared into thin air."
“I immediately sensed something was wrong, so I took some people to the Ministry of War, only to find that the celestial masters there had also disappeared.”
"I and the Ministry of War's immortals split up and searched the Nine Heavens. We found that before the dawn, Immortal Bitao and Immortal Zhuming had come out of the Prison Palace, so we led people into the Prison Palace to investigate."
"All the guards of the Prison Palace have been subdued and imprisoned. The real sinful immortals are hidden deep within the Prison Palace. And these 'sinful immortals' who are to be sent to the mortal realm are none other than the immortals who have fallen into the ambush set by Immortal Bitao!"
Jing Sujun's handsome face was cold and stern, his back straight as a pine tree, and he looked at Bitao with an air of superiority: "Bitao, please explain to the immortals what your intentions are in arresting the six immortals, impersonating them as sinful immortals and sending them down to the mortal realm."
A junior officer from the Ministry of War, standing not far behind Jing Su, spoke first before Bi Tao could speak: "Immortal Bi Tao has always been ambitious. Last night, she was still spouting nonsense in the Hall of All Beings, saying that she wanted to compete for the position of Immortal Emperor! Many servants even congratulated her on ascending to the throne in advance. I'm afraid she can't wait any longer. She wants to take advantage of the absence of Emperor Qingming and the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Realms to use her official position to eliminate dissidents and purge those who oppose her immortal position, so as to usurp the Emperor's throne!"
The moment the young officer from the Ministry of War finished speaking, all the immortals in the heavens trembled.
With a wave of his hand, the Earth Official, holding the execution warrant, dispelled the illusion created by Bitao to conceal the appearances of the many immortals.
When the immortals saw that this immortal position had almost been sent to the mortal realm, the leaders of all the immortal departments were in an uproar.
"Bitao is too ethereal," the Earth Official turned to look at Bitao, his eyes filled with undisguised astonishment. In his heart, he, like the Heavenly Official and the Earth Official, greatly admired Bitao.
But he was in charge of criminal cases and hated evil. Realizing that Bitao had only recently been promoted to Grand Immortal and received her immortal position, she was already abusing her power for personal gain and plotting rebellion. At this moment, his face was sinister and chilling. "What is your explanation?"
The peach tree stood proudly amidst the clouds, offering no explanation, but instead curving into a radiant smile.
With a wave of his hand, he manipulated the laws of heaven and earth, intending to disregard the questions from the immortals and forcibly banish them to the mortal realm!
The Heavenly Official and the Water Official's expressions changed from puzzled to grim. The three officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water attacked together, and the clouds turned into a net that enveloped Bi Tao!
As the saying goes, the net of heaven is vast, and though its meshes are wide, nothing escapes it. The three officials, who have never been on good terms, are now joining forces to attack. This overwhelming heavenly might forces the lesser immortals above the clouds to retreat and hide.
But even though she was under the net, Bitao's smile remained unchanged.
Just as the net was about to trap her, the figure of the Eastern King appeared above the clouds.
He usually only had a head that moved around, but now he had transformed into his true form, his long robes fluttering as if he were connected to the billowing clouds.
He stood before Bitao, formed a hand seal, and flicked his fingers in mid-air—a sharp celestial spirit, like a white rainbow piercing the sun, directly tore through the vast net of heaven.
In an instant, all three officials took a step back.
The Heavenly Official, who was only good at bestowing blessings and absolutely not good at fighting, pressed his hand on his heart, which was surging with celestial energy, and leaned "weakly" against the Water Official.
"Brother..." the Heavenly Official whispered, "My heart hurts."
The water official was heartbroken, but he was also shaken by the brute Dong Wanggong, which left his mind in turmoil.
In terms of ability, he and the Heavenly Official can both bestow blessings and strip away the good fortune of wicked people, while the other can resolve calamities and also bring misfortune upon them. However, both of these abilities are long-term.
How could one possibly defeat the Eastern King Duke, an ancient deity who rose above the mortal realm and could tame tens of thousands of demons in Penglai, in close combat?
Moreover... these two perceptive siblings noticed from the very beginning that something was amiss.
Why would the Eastern King Duke help the Fairy Bitao rebel and help her ascend to the throne?
If Dongwanggong himself were willing to give up Penglai and wanted to become an emperor, then Qingming, who was a junior to him, would not be able to become one.
Why... why is Your Majesty rebelling?
Let's wait and see for now...
Of the three officials, the Earth Official appeared to be the most "frail, pale, and emaciated," but after the Heavenly Net was broken, he randomly used the Punishment Sign to create a long bridge, which he used to catch the immortals who had been swept down from the clouds.
The criminal warrant was collected and returned to his hands.
The Earth Official's long, slender fingers rapidly changed hand seals as he chanted an incantation: "Illusions vanish, true form revealed; false appearances shattered, original nature restored. By decree!"
As the Earth Official's incantation ended, the immortals who had been caught in the punishment were released from their seals and landed above the clouds.
The Heavenly Official, watching the Earthly Official's earnest resistance, had been a fellow immortal for many years and wanted to offer a word of advice, but the Water Official pulled him close and pressed him against his shoulder.
As soon as the immortals were released and landed on the clouds, an uproar broke out.
They were already furious after being humiliated and deceived by Bitao that night. If they hadn't been unable to break free from her sinister magic that imprisoned immortals, they would have risen up in rebellion long ago and fought Bitao to the death!
Now that they were released, they all turned to Bitao and began to criticize the judgment.
Some immortals, such as the Thunder King's successor from the Thunder Department, who was known for his volatile temper, even went so far as to speak ill of Bitao directly.
"You insidious and despicable creature deserve to be condemned to the flames of calamity. Today, we will send you to the mortal realm first!"
"Heaven is truly blind, allowing a despicable creature like you to be promoted to the rank of Grand Immortal, and even receiving a gift from Heaven!"
...
For a moment, the immortals above the clouds were cursing and swearing, their voices shaking the heavens, creating a lively scene.
The Five Thunder Kings simultaneously unleashed lightning bolts that struck down upon Bitao, aiming to kill her.
"You rebellious immortal, prepare to die!"
Bitao neither dodged nor avoided the lightning, yet not a single bolt struck her. In fact, when the lightning touched her surroundings, it transformed into a gift of celestial spirits that entered her body.
I gently soothed and comforted Bitao, who was exhausted and overly excited after staying up all night.
The immortals were stunned.
Bitao looked at them and said, "I am the one who was appointed by Heaven. My resolve is unwavering. I was granted the position of Grand Immortal by the will of Heaven. You, who hold positions without doing your jobs, abuse your power for personal gain, and have been abandoned by Heaven and all living beings, dare to kill me?"
The Six Immortal Masters were so enraged by Bi Tao's words, "abandoned by the Heavenly Way and all living beings," that they nearly died of anger.
At the same time, thinking of the Five Thunderbolts that had just been triggered that did not harm the peach blossoms, he became even more flustered.
Could it be... could it be that they have truly been abandoned by Heaven and the people?
They naturally refused to acknowledge it, and dared not think about it deeply, just like ordinary people who were told by fortune tellers that they were "cursed by the heavens and would bring misfortune to their relatives," their minds filled with nothing but fighting to the death with Bitao.
Bitao wanted this kind of chaotic battle among immortals.
Even sending immortals from the Six Departments to the mortal realm to sever their "limbs" could not lure out the cowardly person.
So... with the immortals in a chaotic battle, he'll have to show himself eventually, right?
Bitao mobilized the laws of heaven and earth, joining forces with Zhu Ming, Zhan Kui, Xuan Jia, and even the Eastern King Duke to attack—
Above the clouds, celestial purple lightning, accompanied by a dragon's roar, soared into the sky. Zhan Kui exhaled, and the heat wave scorched the heavens and boiled the sea, as if chaos had been reborn above the clouds.
As the Earth Official watched Zhan Kui transform into the all-encompassing Zhu Jiuyin, spewing forth turbid waves to burn the immortals, his expression hardened, and the execution token in his hand transformed into a long staff that reached the heavens and the earth.
He wanted to kill this rebellious and wicked dragon with a stick!
But just as he grabbed the execution warrant, the water official, who had been "beaten" and forced to retreat to his side, made a hand seal and used a wisp of immortal spirit to swim along the chaotic ground. Suddenly, like a small fish, he leaped up from the clouds and stabbed the pardoning official's...buttocks.
The Earth Official frowned and turned his head, only to see the Water Official staring at him, practically shoving his eyes out.
The local official finally realized something was wrong...
Meanwhile, the immortals on the Six Imperial Platforms of Chongxiao, watching the immortals suddenly fighting in the clouds, were still completely confused about the situation.
Bitao Taixian wanted to send the six immortals down to the mortal world to plot a rebellion, but the Five Thunderbolts did not strike Bitao Taixian, which proves that Bitao Taixian did not violate the Heavenly Way or break the Heavenly Rules.
And Dongwanggong is also helping Bitao Taixian...
Then... could it really be that Heaven intends to destroy the Six Immortal Masters?
Some people looked up at the "spectacular scene" above the clouds, where wind and thunder raged and the sun and moon were obscured.
With a blank expression, he asked the immortal, "Should we go up and help...?"
The immortal beside him immediately kicked him: "With our immortal powers, we'd be boiled alive if we went up there! What help are you talking about! Just watch!"
"This is a once-in-a-millennium event... a fierce battle among immortals that shakes the heavens and earth, turning the three realms upside down..."
Amidst the chaotic exclamations and discussions, a celestial being asked curiously, "Why is the Queen Mother of the West nowhere to be seen?"
At this moment, the Queen Mother of the West, who had accepted the Ministry of War's request for a celestial position, rushed over from the Kunlun Mountain peak of the Great Void Realm of Haotian with her attendants to kill the "rebellious immortal Bitao Taixian," and was completely bewildered as she rode the clouds at breakneck speed.
The young officer from the Ministry of War who sought his help described the situation as "extremely critical."
The Queen Mother of the West, with her celestial beauty and jade-like form, soared through the heavens, her robes swirling in the wind and dancing with the snow, yet wherever she passed, frost would gather.
She stepped onto the clouds with a solemn expression, wondering to herself how Bitao, that little fairy, had suddenly become a great immortal.
Next time, I don't need to go into seclusion for such a long time.
She didn't even close for a few days, did she?
Bitao just ascended to the rank of Grand Immortal and already wants to become an Emperor? Such a clever little thing, could it be... that she's been possessed by a demon?
Just because she's a celestial being, she thinks she can become an emperor? Isn't that just wishful thinking?
Urged on by the junior officer from the Ministry of War, the Queen Mother of the West hurriedly led her people to the Water Rainbow Bridge.
The Rainbow Bridge that connects us to the heavens—no matter who it is, even the Celestial Emperor himself—must be traversed on foot.
This was a rule established by the gods when the ancient immortal realm was first established, so that the immortals who could summon wind and rain and ride the clouds would, upon crossing the nine heavens, "land as humans" and always remember their duty of building the heavens and the realms of immortals, which also came from the mortal world.
Now, as soon as the Queen Mother of the West stepped onto the rainbow bridge leading to the Heavenly Realm, she had only taken two steps when she saw the chaotic battle on the other side of the clouds with her keen eyes.
They really started fighting!
Even the Queen Mother of the West's perpetually frosty face showed a look of shock.
Are there still people plotting to usurp the throne these days?
Do you enjoy sitting on the sundial, where the stars revolve and the yin and yang rotate, day and night, until you die?
After taking two more steps, the Queen Mother of the West paused.
Even from such a distance, she could clearly see the current situation above the clouds.
Bitao, that little fairy, has indeed been promoted to the rank of Grand Immortal, and she is incredibly powerful. Just by manipulating the laws of heaven and earth, she can easily take on ten opponents at once. In addition, her two friends are now Star Gods, helping her in her work. Sooner or later, those immortals will be no match for her.
The situation is indeed very critical.
However, the Queen Mother of the West did not take another step forward.
She saw above the clouds, a head bobbing wildly—the Eastern King Duke.
They have truly hated and fought each other for tens of thousands of years. The Queen Mother of the West knows all too well what's going on with the Eastern King Duke.
He? Helped Tai Xian Bi Tao? Rebel?
The Queen Mother of the West secretly activated the golden spirit at her waist, causing it to hum and vibrate.
She raised her hand to signal the waiter to stop, then looked sternly at the young officer from the Ministry of War who was leading the way, and said, "Wait!"
"Something's happened to Haotian! The Kunlun boundary seal is activating. I must return to Kunlun as soon as possible!"
"Immortal Master, is this a mutiny at Juntian? Immortal Master..."
After speaking, the Queen Mother of the West completely ignored the words of the young general from the Ministry of War. She turned around with her attendant, took two steps, stepped off the rainbow bridge connecting the heavens, and vanished in the blink of an eye.
Look at that spiritual light, it's so urgent, it's as if Kunlun has truly been invaded.
In reality, the Queen Mother of the West was too lazy to coax those little immortals into "playing" like the King Father of the East did.
She'd rather spend that time in seclusion and cultivating herself.
The immortals above the clouds were unaware that the Queen Mother of the West had come and gone.
The outcome is already decided.
Bitao's magical power overwhelmed the six immortals, subduing them all.
The immortals were once again subdued by Bitao and the others and taken to the edge of the clouds.
Some of them looked panicked, some were indignant and continued to hurl insults at Bitao, and some were still desperately struggling to summon the Five Thunders, but they still couldn't harm Bitao in the slightest.
Bitao lowered her eyes, not giving the group a chance to breathe, and too lazy to repeat those high-sounding words of judgment.
With a wave of his hand, he lifted the six immortals down from the clouds and formed a hand seal to open the Star Realm Passage.
Even at this point, the person behind it all remained calm.
Bitao decided to go all the way this time, and this time it wasn't just for show.
If no one stops her, she will truly banish these immortals to the mortal realm.
If the person behind her continues to cower, Bitao will truly sit on the throne of the emperor.
What she told Zhu Ming about being able to withstand the impact of the consciousness of countless worlds from the stardial was not a lie.
Once she became one with the star dial, the first thing she did was to cleanse the Nine Heavens Immortal Positions. She was not the compassionate and benevolent Heavenly Dao of the myriad realms, nor was she the seemingly cold and strict but actually considerate and protective Qingming Emperor.
Using the sundial as her eyes, she seized every opportunity to crush any threat she encountered, even at the cost of clearing out the celestial positions in the Nine Heavens, determined to eradicate any hidden or infiltrated forces.
How can I allow others to sleep soundly beside my bed?
Even if the celestial position is gone, there are plenty of talented people and outstanding individuals in the mortal world. While cleansing themselves, they can also be sent to heaven and do the same things that a celestial being could do.
When that time comes, it won't be so easy for the person behind it to control the heavens again.
Bi Tao's audacity in deceiving heaven and earth has clearly been deeply recognized by the person behind the scenes after their long-standing secret confrontation.
Just as Bitao was about to send those immortals to the mortal realm, an incomparably powerful and thunderous immortal spirit swept across the clouds!
They shattered Bitao's boundary-opening seal, knocking Bitao and everyone around her down into the clouds.
Even the Eastern King's head was swept away.
Bitao swallowed the metallic taste in her throat, but her heart was filled with indescribable excitement—it had finally arrived!
But when she looked toward the source of the celestial energy, her expression changed slightly.
It wasn't just one person who came, but a group of people.
—They are a group of star gods who should be stationed in various star realms and should absolutely not appear in the celestial realm!
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