Not reaching this step, knowing these things would only invite disaster.
Houtu looked at Jiang Chen with beautiful eyes; she only considered Jiang Chen's thoughts as definitive.
Upon hearing Hongjun's words, Jiang Chen didn't delay and said directly, "The Primordial World is shattered beyond repair, which is destiny. Why not divide it into four great continents in the future?"
"Let them be called East Continent Divine State, West Niuhe Continent, South Jambudvipa, and North Kuru Continent. What does Dao Ancestor Hongjun think?"
Hongjun's expression was calm, and his heart was as clear as a mirror.
Who made this sky-mending affair require the cooperation of the Three Daos? Without sacrificing some merit, it would be impossible to resolve the karma between them.
So, he reluctantly nodded and said, "As the Lord of Humanity says!"
Conversing with Jiang Chen, who was of equal status but lacked the strength of a Saint, Hongjun felt utterly helpless.
No matter what, Houtu was stronger and more qualified to speak with him.
But who made Houtu almost completely devoted to Jiang Chen?
Hongjun then said, "Lord of Humanity, it is best to help mend the sky as soon as possible. The more time we delay, the more danger the Primordial World will face! Please consider the living beings of the Primordial World..."
"In that case, shouldn't Dao Ancestor capture the Black Tortoise of the North Sea?" Jiang Chen knew the situation's trajectory, so he felt no pressure conversing with Hongjun.
What destined heavenly secrets...
In Hongjun's eyes, it was Jiang Chen's identity as the Lord of Humanity that allowed him to know. In Jiang Chen's eyes, it was entirely the general trend of the Primordial World he had read about.
Hongjun raised an eyebrow. Good heavens, he even wanted him to personally take action?
"What? Are you suggesting I go catch it? Then the myriad spirits of the Primordial World would suffer a calamity..." Jiang Chen gave him a look, his meaning self-evident.
He wanted to use his Six Paths of Reincarnation, so how could he be expected to personally catch a tortoise?
All living beings of the Primordial World watched Hongjun and Jiang Chen play charades.
For a moment, they even forgot that the Demon Clan War had just ended and the heavenly rift had not yet been mended.
"Master, your disciple will go to the North Sea!" Nüwa realized something and immediately offered to help.
Soon, Nüwa took a step and appeared above the North Sea, her Saint's thoughts locking onto the Black Tortoise.
Instantly, the Black Tortoise retreated into its shell.
Nüwa caught it in the blink of an eye and brought it before Hongjun and Jiang Chen.
The Black Tortoise's heart bristled when it saw the figures of the Dao Ancestor and the Lord of Humanity.
"Unlucky! How did I run into these two?"
"Hmm?" Hongjun raised an eyebrow and glanced at the Black Tortoise, which immediately flailed its four limbs, comically begging for mercy.
Nothing else, simply because Nüwa had imprisoned it with her Saint's magical power, preventing it from moving.
The several Ancestral Witches watched speechless.
This Black Tortoise of the North Sea was, after all, a rare species of the Primordial World, possessing the cultivation of a Quasi-Saint.
Yet, it was held like a little chick, unable to act presumptuously.
"Lord of Humanity, the Black Tortoise has arrived..." Hongjun ignored the Black Tortoise and looked at Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen nodded.
He knew that to mend the sky, the Black Tortoise had to be slain, and its four limbs used as pillars to support the heavens.
In that case, the Three Daos of the Primordial World would owe the Black Tortoise a great karma.
And the one in the middle would undoubtedly be Nüwa.
Only she was the most suitable.
She had the Qiankun Cauldron, the five-colored stone, and was the only Saint who could accomplish this task.
The Black Tortoise stared with its pea-sized eyes, lingering for a moment on Nüwa, Jiang Chen, and the Dao Ancestor.
Instantly, even the Black Tortoise's shell softened!
My goodness!
These people wanted to cut off its four limbs to be pillars supporting the heavens?
Were they so shameless?
The Black Tortoise knew that if its strength wasn't insufficient to cause a stir, it would have long since suppressed these few in the North Sea.
"Evil beast, this is your share of merit. In the future, you will naturally be able to forge an immortal and indestructible merit true body, you're deluded!" Hongjun enlightened the Black Tortoise.
Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked!
Forge an immortal and indestructible body??
There's such a good thing?
The several Ancestral Witches wished they could replace the Black Tortoise and become the pillars supporting the heavens...
And the powerhouses of the myriad races also wished they could take this job for the Black Tortoise.
The Black Tortoise glanced at the group of fanatical living beings with disdain and scoffed, "Rebuilding the Primordial World is our inescapable duty!!!"
Jiang Chen was very satisfied with the Black Tortoise's attitude and patted its shell.
He said, "Black Tortoise, in a moment, this Lord will send you into the Six Paths of Reincarnation. After three kalpas, you will achieve true fruition, attain the Dao of Primordial Chaos, and naturally become immortal and indestructible."
"Do you agree?"
After three kalpas?
"That long?" All the living beings of the Primordial World were stunned. They found even one kalpa difficult to bear, let alone three?
"Only three kalpas?" The Black Tortoise chuckled.
As a Black Tortoise, it could remain motionless for an entire epoch.
Since it couldn't find a way to attain the Dao of Primordial Chaos anyway, it might as well emerge and wander around.
The Black Tortoise understood and nodded heavily.
He gratefully said, "Everything is at the Lord of Humanity's command."
With that, Jiang Chen, using the supreme power he had grasped from the Great Dao Reincarnation Grinding Disc, directly extracted the Black Tortoise's true spirit.
Then he looked at the motionless Black Tortoise's physical body.
He smiled and said, "Nüwa, please!"
The scene was as if he were pointing at a tortoise and telling Nüwa to stew a pot of tortoise soup for him.
Nüwa's mind gradually cleared, and she comprehended the truth of this matter.
She then said, "Thank you!"
With that, Nüwa directly severed the Black Tortoise's four limbs.
Immediately, the unrestrained limbs transformed into four pillars supporting the heavens.
This caused the shattered Primordial World, which was about to collapse, to separate once more.
Following that, Nüwa casually took out a few pieces of five-colored stone, played with them in her hand for a while, and then threw them into the Qiankun Cauldron.
She intended to refine them with Three True Flames.
However, no matter how Nüwa refined them, the five-colored stone showed no reaction!
This made Nüwa worried.
Jiang Chen glanced at her and took out the Qiankun Cauldron in his hand.
He also conjured a wisp of powerful exotic flame.
It was the Hongmeng Purple Flame!
"Use these two!" Jiang Chen said with a smile, taking the two treasures. He had his own considerations.
Hongjun raised an eyebrow, his expression a little off.
Good heavens, if Jiang Chen handled everything, how much merit would the Heavenly Dao receive?
And Nüwa was going to become a mere tool?
However, Nüwa didn't know she had become a tool.
She didn't care either; she just wanted to mend the heavenly rift.
Therefore, without another word, she directly relied on the Hongmeng Purple Flame and the Qiankun Cauldron to refine the five-colored stone.
There were still some scraps left over.
In just a moment, Nüwa conjured the five-colored stone, sending it directly towards the heavenly rift.
Jiang Chen, meanwhile, took the opportunity to put away the Qiankun Cauldron and the Hongmeng Purple Flame.
He also casually threw out the leftover scraps.
One transformed into a chess piece for the Investiture of the Gods, and the other landed on the East Continent Divine State.
"The Demon Clan War destroyed heaven and earth, Buzhou Mountain collapsed, shaking the universe. Nüwa mended the sky with five-colored stone, and naturally, later generations are still needed!"
That was supposed to be a beautiful tale of sky-mending in the Primordial World, but with Jiang Chen's involvement, variables appeared.
Hongjun watched it all, but remained silent.
Chapter 96: Zixiao Palace, Discussing the Establishment of the Celestial Court [Please Subscribe]
The Honghuang was split into four, and the Primordial World began to clear, no longer chaotic.
The surging Heavenly River and Star Sea, and the overflowing floods, were slowly disappearing.
In the four directions of the Primordial World, only some small torrents that could not affect the Honghuang were still rolling, and everything had its own destiny.
"It's finally over, this damned Demon Clan War..." The myriad races, having survived the calamity, let out a long sigh of relief.
"Everything is over. Humanity exists, and everything is getting better."
Humanity also cheered...
"Everything is over..." The few Grand Ancestral Witches felt no joy of surviving the calamity, only endless emotion.
"If my brothers were still alive, how great would that be..." Xuanming thought of Gonggong and the others.
"My brothers' true spirits are striving within the Six Paths of Reincarnation. If my brothers are willing, I can decide for them to strive within the Heavenly Dao, the Lord of Humanity, or the Asura Path," Houtu replied.
Xuanming exclaimed, "Then wouldn't you bear immense karma? Arbitrarily changing the karma of the Six Paths... The consequences would be unimaginable."
"Little sister, let it be fate... To be able to reincarnate and be reborn is already the greatest blessing," Dijiang saw through it and did not force Houtu to change that karma.
After all, the Witch Race had already withdrawn from the stage of the Primordial World, and there was nothing to dwell on.
Not long after...
When Nuwa, once again dressed in plain clothes, stood before Jiang Chen and Hongjun.
The mending of the heavens was completely successful!
Nuwa watched as Jiang Chen had already taken everything away, and she had no other thoughts, only softly thanking him, "Many thanks for the Human Emperor's assistance. From now on, all grievances between the Demon Clan and Humanity are written off."
"Mm..." Jiang Chen smiled slightly.
Just as he spoke, a tremendously booming surge of fortune erupted within the Primordial World!
Boom!
An incomparably thick golden light of Honghuang merit descended!
However, the golden light of merit that should have belonged to mending the Heavenly Dao and to Nuwa was divided into five portions!
Nuwa received two portions, and the Heavenly, Human, and Earth Daos received six portions for their replenishment.
The last two portions: one fell into Jiang Chen's hands, and one fell upon Xuanwu's true spirit.
This made Xuanwu click his tongue in wonder, exclaiming that it was well done.
Comparatively speaking, Jiang Chen's one portion of the Heaven-mending fortune was not the least.
The replenishment of the Lord of Humanity and the Earth Dao benefited him.
Therefore, the Heavenly Dao and Nuwa, who should have received 100% of the merit, together only received 40%, which was significantly less.
It is especially worth mentioning that although the Heavenly Dao was born in Honghuang, it was no longer the sole rule and order of Honghuang, as there were now the rules and order of the Lord of Humanity and the Earth Dao.
However, the Heavenly Dao, having been replenished over countless years and matured through the calamity, was much more complete than the still nascent Lord of Humanity and Earth Dao.
The four portions of Honghuang merit descending into the Lord of Humanity and the Earth Dao completely solidified the existence of the two Daos.
"The mending of the heavens is complete; everything should have its destiny," Hongjun said, looking down at the beings of the Primordial World.
He looked at Nuwa, then at the myriad races.
Finally, his gaze fell upon Jiang Chen, his expression incomparably solemn, just like when he attained sainthood and lectured for three thousand years.
Suddenly, he softly said, "Disciple Nuwa, now that the Demon Clan War has ended, and the Demon Court has been abolished, neither the Witch Race nor the Demon Clan can be the protagonists of Honghuang in the future. The Demon Clan's Celestial Court naturally cannot be re-established!"
This statement was directed at Nuwa, and also meant for all beings of the Witch Race to hear.
After all, the Demon Clan and the Witch Race were fundamentally still beings under the Heavenly Dao.
Under the Demon Clan War, the Heavenly Dao intended for the Witch Race and the Demon Clan to withdraw after the calamity, so it was naturally impossible for these two races to dominate Honghuang Land again.
"Disciple accepts the decree!" Nuwa had already come to terms with it and accepted this outcome frankly.
"Disciple will open up a world in chaos and let the myriad races enter it."
Hongjun nodded, then looked at the few Grand Ancestral Witches and Houtu.
He looked at Houtu and said, "Fellow Daoist has already transcended the Heavenly Dao; you should know the outcome of the Witch Race's calamity this time..."
Houtu nodded and replied, "The Witch Race will naturally withdraw and will not set foot in the Primordial World again unless necessary."
Finally, Hongjun glanced at Jiang Chen, who raised an eyebrow.
.... Hongjun was silent for a while.
Only then did he say, "Lord of Humanity, every Yuanhui in the Primordial World, karma becomes entangled, and a calamity is born. Now that the Demon Clan War is over, Honghuang Land is shattered, and the Demon Clan can no longer control the Celestial Court."
"Now, Humanity is the master of Honghuang Land, and the fortune of Humanity will be endless in the future. But the Celestial Court must govern the order of the Primordial World and cannot be without a master for even a day!"
"This matter concerns the co-existence of the three Daos in the Primordial World. I invite Fellow Daoist to discuss it in Zixiao Palace."
Hongjun extended an invitation.
The few Grand Ancestral Witches were stunned.
Houtu was even more nervous.
To let the Lord of Humanity go to the Dao Ancestor Hongjun's dojo?
Is that reliable?
Jiang Chen gave the answer: "Good! Dao Ancestor, please go ahead; I will arrange things and then come over."
Although he knew the general trend, he still didn't want to miss this good show.
As he spoke, Nuwa also stepped forward and said, "In that case, disciple will also go and settle the myriad races."
"Disciple Nuwa, you also come along," Dao Ancestor Hongjun said expressionlessly.
"Huh?" Nuwa thought her Demon Sect was almost wiped out, so establishing the Lord of the Heavenly Court wouldn't involve her.
However, Hongjun, whether in terms of strength or identity, was her master. Even if beings in Honghuang Land were disrespectful to their parents, they could not be disrespectful to their master.
Therefore, after a moment of surprise, she nodded.
As he spoke, Hongjun's figure disappeared between heaven and earth, and that suffocating oppressive feeling gradually dissipated.
"Human Emperor, fellow Daoist, see you in Zixiao Palace!" Nuwa bid farewell to Jiang Chen.
"Mm!" Jiang Chen nodded, watching Nuwa lead the myriad races away from the spot.
Between heaven and earth, only billions of humans and the remaining Witch Race beings were left.
"Human Emperor, I should also lead the Witch Race to retreat from the Primordial World... Thank you, Human Emperor, for allowing my race to avenge our blood feud!"
"Wait..." Jiang Chen called out to Dijiang and the other Grand Ancestral Witches.
Xuanming, Houtu, and Dijiang were all puzzled.
"No rush for now. I'll go to Zixiao Palace first. After I return, we'll decide where you all go..." Jiang Chen said this, as he already had a plan in mind.
It was precisely upon hearing Hongjun mention establishing the Celestial Court that he recalled the grand trend of Honghuang Land.
"Good..." Dijiang was not pretentious and didn't care about the time.
Then Jiang Chen looked at Xuanyuan Clan and said, "Xuanyuan Clan, settle Humanity well. Wait for my return."
"Respectfully seeing off the Human Emperor!"
Xuanyuan Clan bowed.
Jiang Chen's figure flashed, and he single-handedly headed straight for Zixiao Palace beyond the heavens.
Chapter 97: The Nine Sages of Honghuang Land, Re-establishing the Celestial Court [Please Subscribe]
In Zixiao Palace....
Dao Ancestor Hongjun sat solemnly on a futon.
Before him were the Three Pure Ones and the Two Sages of the West.
Now that the Celestial Court was to be established, the few Sages had been summoned by Dao Ancestor Hongjun.
At this moment, Dao Ancestor Hongjun said nothing, merely waiting quietly for Nuwa and Jiang Chen to arrive.
However, the thoughts of the Three Pure Ones and the Two Sages of the West were stirring.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun had allowed them to develop in peace thousands of years ago, and they had not appeared on the Honghuang, nor had they participated in the Demon Clan War.
However, this did not mean they didn't know how tragic the ultimate battle of the Demon Clan War in Honghuang had been.
Even the previous battle hadn't shattered the entire Primordial World like this, almost causing heaven and earth to merge and return to chaos.
It was too terrifying.
At this moment, Taiqing Laozi and Yuqing Yuanshi leaned slightly closer, while the Two Sages of the West always acted in unison.
As for Tongtian, it was because during the last Demon Clan War, he used the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation to block the four Sages, which ultimately prevented the successful planning of the Earth Dao and the Lord of Humanity.
They were all somewhat ostracizing Tongtian.
However, Tongtian did not regret his actions then.
As Saints, why should they care about others' opinions?
"This Human Emperor is truly interesting; he initiated the final war, and only three hundred years after the last Demon Clan War, he already possesses the power to directly confront the Demon Court."
Tongtian smiled slightly in his heart, greatly admiring Jiang Chen.
The other four Saints, however, did not have such good intentions.
Among them, except for Yuanshi, the other three Saints had, in the past and present, more or less accumulated karma with Jiang Chen and the Human Clan.
Therefore, they were extremely displeased that Jiang Chen, along with the Witch Clan and Human Clan, flattened the Demon Court and shattered the Primordial World.
"Master... that Human Emperor has already transcended the Heavenly Dao; such actions are detrimental to the Heavenly Dao..." Yuanshi Tianzun looked at the composed Dao Ancestor Hongjun and couldn't help but speak.
But Hongjun did not open his eyes; he merely closed them peacefully, resting, seemingly uninterested in everything.
"...." Yuanshi received no response, so he could only calm his mind and stop speculating about Hongjun's thoughts.
He then turned to Taiqing and asked, "Big Brother, what do you think?"
Taiqing sat upright on a meditation mat and murmured to himself, "Junior Sister Nuwa has led the Demon Clan to the chaos outside the heavens, opening up a new domain, and the Witch Clan should also withdraw from now on; the Human Clan is the future protagonist of the world. Since Master has intervened, we should naturally follow Master's will..."
He did not express much of his own opinion, only believing that Hongjun had already come forward to settle the karma of the tribulation.
Such a situation was naturally acknowledged by Hongjun; if he dared to say anything negative, wouldn't that be denying Hongjun's will?
He certainly did not want to touch upon such a sensitive matter.
Seeing that he couldn't find an answer from Taiqing, Yuanshi then asked the Two Sages of the West.
"Two Junior Brothers, now that the Demon Clan War has ended and the world is divided into four, your Daoist Lineages' locations must also be settled, right?"
The Two Sages of the West replied unhurriedly, "We two have been in seclusion for self-reflection in the extreme west of the Primordial World since receiving Master's decree a thousand years ago, and it remains so now..."
Yuanshi again found himself at a loss, unable to elicit any ideas.
He could only sit on his meditation mat and cease talking.
Just then, outside Zixiao Palace, a figure in plain clothes arrived, taking a step per epoch, each step blooming with a Dao lotus.
Upon seeing the arrival, the five great Saints greeted her one after another: "Junior Sister Nuwa, Senior Sister Nuwa..."
Nuwa returned the greetings one by one: "Senior Brothers Sanqing, Junior Brothers Two Sages of the West..."
From then on, the six Saints sat in the positions they had occupied countless years ago, when they first listened to the lecture in Zixiao Palace.
Nuwa sat after Sanqing and before the Two Sages of the West.
The six disciples, when they first listened to the lecture, were still at the peak of the Quasi-Saint realm.
Now, all of them had transcended the river of time, becoming immortal and indestructible Heavenly Dao Saints who had attained the Hunyuan Dao.
As the six Saints took their seats, Tongtian noticed that Nuwa's strength had improved, and he specifically congratulated her: "Congratulations, Junior Sister Nuwa, on your act of mending the heavens; you have gained the merit of the Primordial World, and your strength has greatly advanced..."
As Saints, they naturally knew about such a major event as mending the heavens that occurred in the Primordial World.
They had already made calculations thousands of years ago, when Gonggong collided with Buzhou Immortal Mountain.
This was Nuwa's opportunity to mend the heavens, something to be envied.
At this moment, only congratulations were appropriate.
"Thank you, Senior Brother Tongtian..." Nuwa nodded in thanks, but her heart was truly bitter.
She hadn't felt it when mending the heavens, but now, thinking back, she seemed to have been used as a tool by Jiang Chen.
Not only was most of the merit taken away, but even the scraps of her five-colored stone were left for later generations.
Thinking of this, she closed her eyes, quietly waiting for the upcoming matter of establishing the Heavenly Court.
Seeing that Nuwa no longer spoke, the other Saints also fell silent.
Sanqing and the Two Sages of the West all felt that it was now Hongjun's turn to speak and tell them what they should do next.
After all, summoning their six Saints could not be without a major reason.
But Hongjun remained as calm as ever, without any movement.
Nuwa was also the same, without any emotion, her face calm and unchanging.
It was the other five Saints who felt extremely surprised.
But they dared not calculate the Heavenly Dao or deduce the reason for this gathering in front of Dao Ancestor Hongjun.
Only seeing Nuwa's expression, they all felt surprised.
Although Tongtian and Nuwa were not overly close, they were still two relatively transcendent Saints.
At this moment, Tongtian quietly and confusedly asked Nuwa, "Junior Sister Nuwa, Master summoned us here, do you know why?"
The other four Saints also listened upon hearing this.
Nuwa's face was serene, showing no joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness, as she said, "This matter..."
Just as her voice fell, another figure appeared in Zixiao Palace.
The many Saints looked over, and each of them was astonished.
Jiang Chen!
"Human Emperor!"
"Lord of Humanity!"
"Fellow Daoist Human Emperor..."
Several Saints cried out in surprise.
Among them, only Nuwa remained as calm as ever; having already known that Hongjun invited Jiang Chen to Zixiao Palace, she was not surprised at all.
"Master! He!!!" Yuanshi looked bewildered, his heart filled with a bit of anger, pointing at Jiang Chen and turning to look at Hongjun.
He felt that Jiang Chen, as the Lord of Humanity, was simply too provocative.
Questioning Taiqing under the Heavenly Dao before was one thing, but he even defied the Heavenly Dao's destiny.
Now he even actively came to Zixiao Palace; how could he tolerate it?
"Little Human Clan child, you have crossed the line! This is Zixiao Palace! Not Shouyang Mountain of the Human Clan!" Taiqing Saint raised his eyelids, the sharpness in his words very apparent.
He was still brooding over the events of that year.
After all, his Saint Fruit Position was stripped, and he had completely lost face.
However, Dao Ancestor Hongjun, in his purple Daoist robe, sitting upright, upon sensing Jiang Chen's aura, opened a pair of eyes capable of creating heaven and earth.
He said indifferently, "Fellow Daoist has arrived..."
"????" Sanqing and the Two Sages of the West were all dumbfounded.
What did he mean?
When did Dao Ancestor Hongjun address the Human Emperor as a Fellow Daoist?
One must know that even their six Heavenly Dao Saints addressed him as Master.
A single 'Fellow Daoist' directly elevated Jiang Chen's status to an equal level.
Jiang Chen ignored the surprised gazes of the Saints, looked directly at Dao Ancestor Hongjun, and greeted him, "Dao Ancestor..."
Since Dao Ancestor Hongjun had not formed any karmic ties or grievances with him, Jiang Chen naturally would not actively conflict with such a Dao Ancestor.
He wasn't stupid....
Hongjun nodded and instructed the attendant by his side, "Place a meditation mat next to me for the Lord of Humanity."
"!!!!" Taiqing, Yuanshi, and the Two Sages of the West were even more shaken.
This was far beyond their expectations.
What on earth had happened?
To allow the Lord of Humanity to receive such preferential treatment from Heavenly Dao Hongjun, even surpassing their Heavenly Dao Saints.
Soon, a meditation mat was placed next to Hongjun, and Jiang Chen, without hesitation, sat down.
He didn't have many thoughts about where he sat.
At this moment... Hongjun looked at the four bewildered and confused Saints, and finally began to discuss the main topic.
His voice carried the pressure of heaven and earth as he said, "Fellow Daoist Houtu should also have appeared here, but Fellow Daoist Human Emperor's identity is sufficient to represent the Human Dao and the Earth Dao."
"Now, the extreme number of nine in the Primordial World has been completed."
"Therefore, today, we shall discuss the grand plan for the Primordial World!"
Aside from Jiang Chen and Nuwa, the other four Saints looked at each other.
Not daring to speculate about Dao Ancestor's thoughts, they naturally did not understand the matter of establishing the Heavenly Court.
And in fact, they didn't need to speculate; now that the extreme number of nine in the Primordial World was complete, Hongjun would naturally make it clear.
Inside Zixiao Palace, the eight supreme representatives of the Primordial World sat on their meditation mats.
Just like Hongjun's first sermon, the atmosphere was very solemn and grave.
"Between Heaven and Earth, after a single epoch, infinite karma will entangle, and thus the Great Tribulation will arise!"
"From the beginning of Heaven and Earth, it was so for the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Clans, and today it is so for the Demon Clan War, and the Human Clan…"
"Now that the Demon Clan War has passed in its final battle, the Primordial World is shattered into four great lands, the heavens are mended, and the Demon Court has fallen!"
Saying this, Hongjun flipped his hand, and a tiny pagoda appeared in his palm: "This is the Immortal Pagoda, which will gather all the immortals under Heaven. In the future, whoever becomes the Celestial Emperor will naturally obtain it!"
"They will enjoy the Heavenly Court's fortune and govern the Primordial World…"
Upon hearing this, the Taiqing Saint and the Two Sages of the West below them grew somewhat eager.
They could be weak in other aspects, but the Heavenly Court's fortune was something they absolutely had to acquire.
Even the usually carefree Tongtian's eyes turned red, which shows how tempting the position of Celestial Emperor was.
Chapter 98: All Saints Tear Off Their Facades, Becoming Others' Wedding Gowns [Begging for Subscriptions]
"You are all in the realm of Heavenly Dao Saints, so you naturally understand the karmic matters of the Heavenly Court."
"You all discuss this matter among yourselves, and report the result to me."
Hongjun gave his instructions, and then asked Jiang Chen.
He said: "Human Emperor Daoist, what are your thoughts? Do you have anything to add?"
Jiang Chen shook his head, indicating he had nothing to add.
In fact, Hongjun had brought out the Immortal Pagoda to gather the immortals under the Heavenly Dao, allowing them to command all immortals of the Primordial World.
If he were to contend for the position of Celestial Emperor, for him, the Lord of Humanity, to become the Celestial Emperor would be somewhat demeaning.
And among the Human Clan, setting aside whether they had the strength, even if they did, they probably couldn't control all the immortals under the Heavenly Court.
It was better to first manage the Human Clan well before discussing other matters.
Moreover, Jiang Chen also understood a major event concerning the Earthly Dao from Hongjun's intention to establish the Heavenly Court.
Now that the Primordial World had just settled, it was time to establish the Underworld to manage the Six Paths of Reincarnation.
The Underworld, in terms of status, was completely on par with the Heavenly Court. Jiang Chen didn't have that much interest in coveting the Heavenly Court.
This time, he was representing the Human Dao and the Earthly Dao to participate in the discussion about establishing the Heavenly Court.
He was purely here to share in the karmic merit of the Heavenly Dao's establishment. After all, the Six Paths of Reincarnation is the place of rebirth for the entire Primordial World. The Six Paths of Reincarnation closely connects the Heavenly, Earthly, and Human Daos.
He came to watch the show and could complete the Human Dao and Earthly Dao. Why not?
Seeing that Jiang Chen truly had no interest, Hongjun said no more.
He disappeared from his original spot, leaving behind a wisp of purple qi that slowly dissipated.
The remaining Saints, seeing this, immediately had thoughts arise in their hearts.
Each of them had different expressions.
Jiang Chen saw their expressions and chuckled softly, thinking: "The position of Lord of the Heavenly Court can be said to be an important fruit of the Primordial World, controlling the fortune of the Primordial World."
"If anyone can become the Lord of the Heavenly Court, they will control the fortune of the Primordial World."
"However, if the Underworld is established, it can completely share the fortune of the Primordial World with the Heavenly Court. There's no need for me to become the Lord of the Heavenly Court."
"After all, there are immortals in the Primordial World who don't care about the Heavenly Court. But if they die accidentally and enter the Six Paths of Reincarnation, and don't listen to the Underworld? Their true spirits can just wander the world on their own…"
Thinking of this, Jiang Chen, like a spectator, sat there quietly watching the Saints, who were all somewhat flushed.
The Taiqing Saint, having previously lost the fortune of the Human Sect, urgently needed the position of Lord of the Heavenly Court to help him re-gather the great fortune of the Primordial World.
But as a Saint, to become the Lord of the Heavenly Court would be demeaning, and Heavenly Dao Saints could not arbitrarily enter the Primordial World.
Therefore, he looked at the group of people and said: "My Daoist Lineage has a chief disciple named Xuandu…"
Speaking of Xuandu, Taiqing subconsciously glanced at Jiang Chen.
Xuandu was also an Innate Human Clan member, and later became his disciple.
If he became the Lord of the Heavenly Court, would he be considered Human Clan or his disciple?
This made the Taiqing Saint feel a headache.
The more he looked at Jiang Chen, the more displeased he became, and he angrily stopped speaking.
Yuanshi, who was usually quite close to Taiqing, immediately stepped forward when it came to the fruit of the Lord of the Heavenly Court's position, saying: "Senior Brother, you only have one disciple, and he is an Innate Human Clan. Although he has severed his karmic ties with the Human Clan, you still need a disciple to look after. Don't contend for that fruit with your junior brother."
Taiqing glanced at Yuanshi and remained silent. This touched a sore spot for him.
Now that he thought about it, the more he looked at Jiang Chen, the more he disliked him.
If it weren't for Hongjun addressing Jiang Chen as a Daoist, he might have been willing to risk his Saint cultivation and incur great karma to flatten Jiang Chen into the mud.
Seeing that Yuanshi didn't respond, he then looked around at the other Saints, a heroic expression on his face, and said: "My Daoist Lineage has a disciple named Taiyi, who is upright in character and fair in handling matters. He can certainly be established as the Lord of the Heavenly Court."
Tongtian, sitting beside him, chuckled softly and said: "Senior Brother, if we talk about character, my chief disciple, Duobao Daoist, is no worse than anyone else, and his cultivation is even at the Quasi-Saint realm. If one becomes the Lord of the Heavenly Court without strong strength, how can they command respect…?"
"Therefore, this position should belong to my chief disciple of the Interception Sect."
Yuanshi knew that the Daoist Lineage of the Chan Sect had fewer people than the Interception Sect.
He immediately flushed with anger and said: "Junior Brother, your disciples are all creatures born from scales and armor. Not only are their appearances poor, but they also have no destiny or merit. How can they stably sit in the position of Lord of the Heavenly Court?"
"My Chan Sect disciples are all blessed with deep fortune. Are they not better than yours?"
Tongtian never expected Yuanshi to speak so harshly for the fruit of the Lord of the Heavenly Court's position.
He immediately felt his face burning.
He immediately retorted: "My disciples are all blessed with deep destiny! Several great Quasi-Saints can even compare to the strongest figures of the Demon Court. How can they not hold the position of Lord of the Heavenly Court?!"
Yuanshi was exasperated: "Tongtian! I am your Senior Brother! My disciples are all cultivators of great merit. It should be my disciples who take on the role of Lord of the Heavenly Court!"
Tongtian scoffed: "Yuanshi! My disciples are spread throughout the Primordial World! Their numbers are thousands, tens of thousands of times yours! It should be my disciples who serve as the Lord of the Heavenly Court!"
In the end, the two Saints argued fiercely, neither willing to back down.
Jiang Chen, watching from the side, repeatedly praised them.
What a good show of the Three Pure Ones turning against each other!
It turned out that it was for the fruit of the Lord of the Heavenly Court's position that the later Chan and Interception Sects fell into conflict.
Nuwa, sitting beside him, couldn't help but roll her eyes at Jiang Chen's amused smile.
Still laughing… If it weren't for you, how could these two Saints have turned against each other so quickly? You're not entirely blameless…
Finally, the two asked Nuwa: "Junior Sister! Who among our disciples do you think is qualified to hold the position of Lord of the Heavenly Court?"
Nuwa did want her own faction to have leverage in controlling the Heavenly Court, but the Demon Clan could no longer control the Heavenly Court, and she had no suitable candidates among her disciples.
She could only watch others contend.
She remained aloof, appearing unconcerned with contention, and replied: "Senior Brothers, many of your disciples are capable of serving as the Lord of the Heavenly Court. It is truly difficult to choose."
As Nuwa said this, the Two Sages of the West couldn't stand it anymore.
They eagerly asked: "Senior Sister Nuwa, we believe that Senior Brother Yuanshi's disciples' cultivation is not yet sufficient, and Senior Brother Tongtian's disciples lack sufficient merit and destiny."
"However, among the Western Sect under my Daoist Lineage, there are disciples whose cultivation and merit are both excellent, making them rare candidates."
"This fruit of the Lord of the Heavenly Court is destined for our Western Sect!"
The Three Pure Ones, hearing this, all spat in disdain.
They inwardly cursed their shamelessness.
They thought they were coming to mediate, but they turned out to be here to snatch the position.
Back when they first listened to the sermon in Zixiao Palace, it was the Two Sages of the West who snatched the destinies of Hongyun and Kunpeng.
Yuanshi immediately retorted: "Daoist Zhunti, the Western Sect is located in the extreme west. The Heavenly Court is established in the East. What does that have to do with you?"
Taiqing also nodded in agreement.
Even Tongtian didn't want the Two Sages of the West to seize the fruit of the Lord of the Heavenly Court's position.
If that happened, wouldn't it mean the Western Sect would sit above them?
"What Senior Brother said is somewhat absurd. Now that the Primordial World is divided into four, where is there a place that doesn't belong to the Primordial World?"
"Hmph!"
The Saints argued fiercely.
Meanwhile, Hongjun had gone off to find peace.
Jiang Chen, enjoying the show, also began to consider how to build the Underworld.
Within the Six Paths of Reincarnation, there must be trustworthy beings who cannot harbor ulterior motives to manage the Underworld.
Houtu would naturally be the highest authority in the Underworld; no one could disobey her commands.
As for himself, he only intended to build the Underworld but not participate in managing it.
Just like the Heavenly Court, the Saints of the Heavenly Dao were too lazy to manage it, merely fighting for a fruit position for their disciples.
He and Houtu were inseparable. Whether it was a being from the Human Clan or the Witch Clan who held an important position in the Underworld, it was acceptable.
Jiang Chen was pondering how to establish the Underworld.
Nuwa, seeing the endless arguments between the Three Pure Ones and the Two Sages of the West, and unable to intervene, approached Jiang Chen.
She first greeted him, "Human Emperor Daoist friend..."
"Nuwa Daoist friend..." Jiang Chen replied.
How to put it, seeing Nuwa initiative approach, Jiang Chen's emotions were very complex.
Firstly, Nuwa was the former Human Race's Holy Mother, and as a Saint, she was bound by various restrictions, unable to freely step into the Primordial World or arbitrarily alter the Heavenly Dao's fixed destiny.
But the sight of the human race bleeding was also a fact.
Now, Jiang Chen had flattened the Demon Court, and furthermore, brought all races back into chaos.
It could be said that his karma with Nuwa was completely settled.
If one had to say there was still a connection, it was only those two five-colored stones.
"With the human race's power led by Daoist friend, you certainly have the strength to contend for the Celestial Emperor position, yet I haven't heard you speak?"
Nuwa expressed her confusion.
Jiang Chen smiled. What was so good about being the Celestial Emperor?
Among all the living beings remaining in the entire Primordial World, the powerful ones had all joined the sects of the few Great Saints, while the weaker ones were completely insignificant in strength.
Who would the Celestial Court command? Immortals?
Would he be a bare-bones commander?
It was not as good as the Underworld; once established, it would control the reincarnation of all spirits, so there would be no fear of spirits not obeying.
"The Celestial Emperor's position is not too important to our race. The Human Dao is separate from the Heavenly Dao; everything follows fate, follows fate..." Jiang Chen laughed it off.
Nuwa pondered for a moment and said, "Indeed... If the Celestial Court were to be established, it would be fine if the disciples of my fellow Senior Brothers were chosen, as there would always be a Saint standing behind them, providing a Daoist Lineage as a backing."
"However, the Human Dao and the Earth Dao are inherently outside the Heavenly Dao, with almost no karma with the beings under the Heavenly Dao. The disciples of the various sects might not submit to control... thereby causing an even greater calamity."
Jiang Chen nodded.
Nuwa, ever since experiencing the Demon Clan War and mending the sky, had become increasingly clear-sighted in her understanding of problems.
This was also good, saving Nuwa from constantly being entangled in karma with his human race.
If it were like Taiqing Saint and the Two Sages of the West,
the karma would be endless...
In the future, there would undoubtedly be countless entanglements.
"Then, Daoist friend, which side do you think can be called the Lord of the Heavenly Court?" Nuwa asked again.
Jiang Chen remained silent.
Which side?
No Saint's power could be it!
And the true Lord of the Heavenly Court was still standing by, moving cushions for the Saints...
Just as the crowd was at a stalemate, Hongjun, who had left for a short while, reappeared before everyone.
He looked at the Three Pure Ones and the Two Sages of the West arguing endlessly, feeling some disappointment.
Looking at Jiang Chen and Nuwa, neither of whom had joined the competition, he found Nuwa's stance understandable, but why wasn't Jiang Chen vying for it?
The Celestial Court position also had some benefits for supplementing the Human Dao and the Earth Dao...
Hongjun couldn't calculate that Jiang Chen was already planning for another fortune of the Primordial World—the Underworld!
Looking at the bickering Saint disciples, Hongjun frowned and said, "I asked you to discuss establishing the Lord of the Heavenly Court, yet you are hurting each other's feelings here. What kind of behavior is this!"
"I have repeatedly warned you not to harm the harmony between Senior Brothers!"
Seeing Dao Ancestor Hongjun lose his temper, the Three Pure Ones and the Two Sages of the West all fell silent.
They no longer dared to contend for the Lord of the Heavenly Court's position.
"Master, our disciples all have their strengths and weaknesses, and for a moment, we don't know who to choose. We hope Master will enlighten us. We all respect Master's teachings and dare not disobey in any way."
Taiqing Saint stepped forward and respectfully replied.
Jiang Chen, seated nearby, saw through the intentions of the few Saints.
Saying they respected Master's teachings was just hoping that Dao Ancestor Hongjun would choose one of their disciples to become the Lord of the Heavenly Court.
At that time, with their own Daoist Lineage and Hongjun's designation, they would certainly be able to establish themselves firmly in the Primordial World.
But... the intentions of the few Saints were bound to fail.
Jiang Chen remained silent. He heard Hongjun speak: "Boy!"
Immediately after, a young boy named Haotian, dressed in a plain robe, nervously stepped forward.
He respectfully bowed to Hongjun.
He said, "Teacher!"
"From today onwards! You shall become the Lord of the Heavenly Court, controlling the Immortal Pagoda. I bestow upon you the spiritual treasures Sword, Mirror, and Pagoda! To suppress the Celestial Court's fortune!"
"From now on, you shall control the Primordial Celestial Court. Are you willing?"
When Haotian heard this, he wondered if such a good thing existed?
He quickly and joyfully thanked him: "Thank you, Teacher! Thank you, Teacher!"
The Great Saints were stunned; this wasn't according to the script!
They had been fighting for a long time, and as a result, Haotian had reaped the benefits?
But Haotian was Hongjun's boy, and they couldn't express their opposition... This was difficult...
Jiang Chen, however, looked at Haotian's surprised expression and shook his head.
It was too early to be grateful; even with Hongjun backing him as the Lord of the Heavenly Court, it was likely that few would listen.
Chapter 99: Heavenly Emperor and Queen Mother, Playing Chess with Hongjun [Begging for Subscriptions]
When Hongjun personally appointed the Lord of the Heavenly Court, there was no room for anyone to interject.
The Three Pure Ones, the Two Sages of the West, and Nuwa could only obey and could not object.
They could only watch helplessly as the Lord of the Heavenly Court's position fell upon Haotian.
In their hearts, there was both helplessness and acceptance.
Jiang Chen watched the establishment of the Celestial Court without interrupting at all.
They established their Celestial Court; he was just here to gain some karma and merit from the Primordial Celestial Court to supplement the two Daos.
Moreover, Jiang Chen also planned to create the Underworld, so he had no time to meddle with Celestial Court affairs.
He simply watched as the Celestial Court, which would later initiate the Investiture of the Gods calamity in this Primordial World, was established.
Subsequently, Hongjun bestowed the Pagoda, Sword, and Mirror.
He then summoned another female boy.
She was also Hongjun's Daoist boy.
Her name was Yaochi!
"Yaochi! The Celestial Court is newly established. You shall assist Haotian in managing the Celestial Court and henceforth lead all female immortals in the world!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen truly witnessed the establishment of the Celestial Court's highest echelons.
Haotian and Yaochi were not husband and wife in his previous life's myths and legends; they were just two Daoist boys under Hongjun, a partnership.
At this moment, Yaochi, upon hearing that she too would govern the Celestial Court, immediately knelt and kowtowed, saying, "Thank you, Master, thank you, Master!"
Hongjun looked at the two boys, nodded with satisfaction, and then said, "The Celestial Court is newly established, everything is empty. Haotian, you will have to put in a lot of effort!"
Haotian quickly nodded and replied, "Yes! I will respectfully obey Master's decree, and your disciple will surely manage the Celestial Court well, not failing Master's teachings!"
"Hmm..." Hongjun smiled contentedly.
Then he looked at the other six Saints.
He said, "I called you here to discuss the matters of the Celestial Court, but you are at odds with each other. Leave on your own!"
He issued an eviction order, and the Great Saints looked embarrassed, their faces turning green and white.
Taiqing Saint walked up to Haotian and set an example: "Junior Brother Haotian, if you ever need anything in the future, you can send someone to Bajing Palace, and I will personally make decisions for Junior Brother..."
Haotian and Yaochi, who were originally just boys under the Dao Ancestor, were named the Lord of the Heavenly Court and Queen Mother, respectively, and thus naturally became Hongjun's registered disciples. At this point, they naturally became the Junior Brothers and Sisters of the Great Saints.
This background, when displayed externally, could naturally intimidate outsiders, but in the Primordial World, anyone with a proper origin was part of the Daoist Lineage of the Great Saints.
Naturally, it couldn't intimidate them...
The Celestial Court would not have an easy time in the future...
Taiqing Saint gave Haotian a meaningful glance, feeling a sense of melancholy in his heart