"Is Heaven Palace being somewhat too overbearing?"

At this moment, Wu Wang, in his role as the Star God, was eavesdropping from a corner of the Divine Court meeting.

The Head Manager was still making polite remarks, discussing the recent 'rise and fall of Divine Power' in Heaven Palace, much like a CEO presenting a performance report to a shareholders' meeting.

Wu Wang heard terms like 'Divine Pool' and 'Divine Light,' but he didn't understand exactly what the Head Manager was referring to.

However, as Wu Wang currently used the Star Dao to sense the rules of this place, the more he perceived, the more his heart trembled.

In the Human Domain, the overall atmosphere was one of striving ambition and optimistic enthusiasm. When cultivators spoke of Heaven Palace, they would casually mention the 'Heavenly Emperor' and the 'Head Manager of Heaven Palace,' discussing them with an air of confident authority, as if they knew everything.

As if they could take down the Heavenly Emperor tomorrow.

But did the Human Domain truly understand Heaven Palace?

Wu Wang pondered carefully for a while.

Either the upper echelons of the Human Domain had deliberately concealed Heaven Palace's true strength, or their own elders only possessed a superficial understanding of it.

Take the current Divine Court deliberation, for example.

The luxurious palace before him, and all the vague silhouettes within, were based on the 'Great Dao.'

The network formed by the Great Dao exchanges Divine Thoughts incessantly; Innate Gods do not need language, as language is only the perception of Wu Wang himself, his understanding of these Divine Thoughts.

What Wu Wang found somewhat difficult to accept was the fact that hundreds of Great Daos converged here.

Hundreds!

Wu Wang nearly cursed out loud!

According to the rules of the Divine Court:

Innate Gods are representatives of the Great Dao, and these Great Daos constitute the 'God positions' of the Innate Gods. Innate Gods can be replaced, but the positions of their Great Daos here will not change. If fewer than half of the Innate Gods choose to withdraw their Great Daos simultaneously, the Divine Court can suppress and replace any dissenting Innate Gods, and select a new God for that Great Dao.

This rule formed the foundation of Emperor Shun's dominion over the Innate Gods.

That 'Heavenly Emperor, Emperor Shun,' often spoken of dismissively by Human Domain cultivators as if he were past his prime, was the very architect of these rules.

These hundreds of Innate Gods were not always active; currently, most of the Great Daos lay dormant.

Most of them were Ancient Gods, survivors of the ancient divine wars. Aware of how formidable the banished Divine Spirits were, they were all accumulating Divine Power in their slumber.

They rotated through fixed positions in Heaven Palace in 10,000-year cycles.

No wonder Heaven Palace cared so little for the sacrifice of a few minor gods.

The Daos of those minor gods were not qualified to appear here. Evil Gods were merely powerful individuals whose Daos were encompassed by the Great Daos of this place; they had simply accepted the power bestowed by these Great Daos, making them nothing more than common tool Gods.

Beneath these hundreds of Great Daos, Wu Wang sensed eleven paramount Great Daos, symbolizing eleven powerful entities.

The most powerful among them was one Wu Wang could neither describe nor comprehend at that moment.

It encompassed Yin and Yang, was founded upon the Five Elements, and defined all of heaven, earth, and the myriad things.

That was the Dominator, the Sovereign of the Dao, the Will of Heaven itself.

The Dao of Emperor Shun.

Surrounding this Dao, running parallel to the principles of the sun and moon, were the Sun Goddess Xihe and the Moon Goddess Changyi. These two Goddesses resonated with Emperor Shun's Great Dao, giving birth to the ten suns and twelve moons.

This was the structure of Heaven Palace's Heavenly Emperor and his Empresses.

Besides them, there were two more Great Daos: the 'Dao of Lifespan' and the 'Dao of Fertility,' controlled by the Head Manager and the Young Master respectively. When these two resonated together, they could determine the birth, aging, sickness, and death of all living beings.

Because all living beings depended on heaven and earth for survival, and could not exist without the sun and moon—whereas the sun and moon would persist even without living beings—the Head Manager and Young Master were ministers, while Emperor Shun, Xihe, and Changyi were the sovereign and his consorts.

Alongside the Daos of 'Lifespan' and 'Fertility,' three more Great Daos ran parallel: these were three Original Daos—Wood, Metal, and Earth.

Wu Wang naturally understood this.

The Water Dao, and the Ice Dao—the strongest combat power encompassed by the Water Dao—belonged to the Candle Dragon divine faction.

The Dao of Fire had been forcefully seized by Emperor Suiren after he slaughtered the Fire God.

Beyond these eight Great Daos, three more were situated somewhat farther from Emperor Shun's Great Dao: the Star God's Star Dao, the Queen Mother of the West's Divine Punishment Dao, and one obscure, dim Dao that emitted a faint, inauspicious aura.

It seemed to symbolize the Dao of Death.

The Daos of Lifespan, Fertility, and Death—these three were interrelated, appearing to be 'products' of the Dao of Life's fragmentation.

This was the core Great Dao system of Heaven Palace.

The Dao of Fire, mastered by Elder Shennong, faced eleven 'equivalent' adversaries.

Even excluding the Star Dao and considering the Queen Mother of the West neutral, Elder Shennong still had to face nine opponents alone.

Of course, these nine great Gods were merely of sufficiently high rank in their Dao; this did not necessarily mean they excelled in duels. The Dao of Fire held a relative advantage in destructive capability and combat strength, which was a point of concern for Heaven Palace.

The Human race's control over the Dao of Fire merely granted them the qualification to challenge Heaven Palace.

Considering it from another angle, among the hundreds of Great Daos surrounding these eleven core ones, there were others not without the power to contend with the Dao of Fire.

For instance, the somewhat violent Daos of Thunder and Wind that Wu Wang was currently sensing possessed destructive power not inferior to that of the Dao of Fire.

Godly authority does not equate to combat strength.

This particular rule of Heaven Palace made Wu Wang feel quite troubled.

The Divine Court's deliberations were merely one manifestation of Heaven Palace's order. The network woven by these hundreds of Great Daos formed the Heaven and Earth Seal—the prevailing order of heaven and earth.

This was Emperor Shun's divine faction.

How will Elder Shennong fight?

Wu Wang pondered this briefly but felt no despair.

After all, he had yet to witness the full extent of the Human race's underlying strength, and from all appearances, Heaven Palace was exceedingly wary of the Human Domain.

For the Human Domain to overthrow Heaven Palace meant overturning the very order of the Great Wilderness. This was not merely an act of slaying Gods; it required the hundreds of Great Daos to be reorganized and reconfigured to establish a new order.

As difficult as ascending to the heavens.

Subsequently, Wu Wang considered another issue.

The ancient divine wars had not been won by Emperor Shun directly. Rather, Emperor Shun and the current Gods had collectively driven out the Candle Dragon divine faction. At that time, Emperor Shun's divine faction had held only a slight advantage.

That is to say... for the Innate Gods Wu Wang was sensing now, there was another group in the Outer Sky with comparable overall strength.

What kind of Daos could contend with these hundreds of Great Daos? Chaos? Disorder? Slaughter?

And that Goddess of Fortune, pah!

At this moment, even Wu Wang, a member of the Human race, felt nearly suffocated. The Human Domain might appear prosperous, but in reality, it was merely surviving in the precarious gap between two colossal divine factions.

Why did Emperor Suiren reach Central Mountain in those years, only to helplessly return to the South Wilderness?

Why did Emperor Fu Xi, despite possessing unparalleled 'military strength,' only sigh when facing the North?

Heaven Palace had always merely used beast hordes to drain the Human Domain's resources, employed limited-lifespan warriors of the Hundred Races to deplete its strength, and dispatched the Ten Evil Gods to harass it. This was simply because they did not wish to clash directly with the Dao of Fire and thereby weaken their core combat power, lest they be unable to resist a counterattack from the Candle Dragon divine faction.

My mother, Cang Xue, most likely didn't just come to ambush and severely wound the Star God, he thought. She certainly had another mission—to choose the right moment.

The best opportunity for the Candle Dragon divine faction would be a full-scale war between Heaven Palace and the Human Domain, one in which key Deities from Heaven Palace perished.

With three forces intertwined, where could any genuine cooperation be found?

Wu Wang sighed internally.

He hadn't even begun to seriously contend with Heaven Palace, yet he already felt a bit weary.

What could be done? Was Elder Shennong simply destined for good fortune?

Wu Wang silently ceased his sensing. At that moment, the Head Manager's Divine Thought suppressed all others and began to issue commands.

The Head Manager's Divine Thought, as Wu Wang interpreted it, conveyed the following:

"Today, with the Star God present here, I need not say much more; the Star Dao is unharmed.

"All of you have heard previously that the Candle Dragon divine faction is stirring restlessly. In merely the past 1,000 years, they have assaulted the Heaven and Earth Seal over 6,800 times. Their return is inevitable."

Wu Wang couldn't help but raise his eyebrows. This must be the primary reason Heaven Palace wishes to deliver a decisive blow to the Human Domain.

The Star God's recent abnormality was indeed the final straw. Judging by Heaven Palace's current stance, it seemed that once the camel had fallen, they had no intention of letting it rise again; instead, they were opting to 'make a clean break.'

The Head Manager's Divine Thought continued, "The Dao of Fire has been in the South Wilderness for too long. To confront the Candle Dragon, we must reclaim this Dao as soon as possible.

"We have waited long enough. We had planned to exterminate the living beings of the South Wilderness after the death of the Shennong Family, but the Shennong Family crafted a Life-Extending Pill, increasing their lifespan by 1,000 years.

"This was not a flaw in my Dao, but truly the conspiracy of some God.

"By His Majesty's command, within 60 years, Heaven Palace will progressively eradicate the Human Domain powers in the South Wilderness.

"You have been summoned because Heaven Palace needs to mobilize 69 Great Daos to bring down seven calamities and six disasters upon the Human Domain.

"The seven calamities are drought, flood, fire, wind, earthquake, cold, and heat.

"The six disasters are insects, plague, war, strife, poison, and malevolent spirits.

"The Ten Evil Gods will serve as the vanguard, with the Gods of Heaven Palace as support. Tasked with the full might of Heaven Palace, we must retrieve the Human Emperor's Dao of Fire and return it to this place..."

「An hour later.」

Wu Wang's consciousness returned to the Star God's true body. He severed the connection between the Star Dao and the Divine Court, no longer accepting the Divine Thoughts transmitted by the other Great Daos.

Exhaustion struck again, and he quickly withdrew from the Star God's avatar, returning to his original body.

Inside the Flying Shuttle, Wu Wang opened his eyes and looked at Xiao Jian Daoist beside him. He wanted to speak but was unsure what to say.

It wasn't that he hadn't considered intervening in the Divine Court's proceedings. However, although the Star God held a high position within Emperor Shun's divine faction, she remained detached from the true power structures of Heaven Palace.

It was precisely because of the Star God's 'uniqueness' that when Wu Wang's mother, Cang Xue, secretly ambushed her, Heaven Palace failed to discover it in time.

Similarly, the Star God could not intervene in Heaven Palace's decisions during the Divine Court's discussions.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Jian Daoist asked, puzzled. "Your complexion has suddenly worsened. Has your injury relapsed?"

"It's... it's nothing." Wu Wang patted Xiao Jian Daoist on the shoulder and sighed. "Just make sure to eat and drink properly. If anything is troubling you, talk to me about it. Daoist Brother, don't be too hard on yourself."

"Oh?" Xiao Jian Daoist frowned deeply and said slowly, "Brother Wuwang, could it be... your Divine Soul is in disarray?"

Immortal Mu and Lin Suqing almost burst into laughter.

"You're the one whose Divine Soul is in disarray!" Wu Wang's mouth twitched. He sighed. "I was just thinking that in the great war between the Human Domain and Heaven Palace, your sword might have to charge into the fray. Overly rigid things break easily. I'm afraid if you charge out, you might not come back."

"Haha!" Xiao Jian Daoist laughed heartily, waving his hand. "Instead of worrying about that, you should focus on how to eliminate those Evil Gods."

Saying this, Xiao Jian Daoist also sighed deeply.

Wu Wang remained silent, his thoughts elsewhere.

This isn't just about a dozen major cities anymore, Wu Wang thought. Heaven Palace has already finished their meeting. They're planning to uproot the entire Human Domain! Not only that, but Heaven Palace will also continuously apply pressure to divide the internal factions within the Human Domain one by one. Leaders of military families like Lin Qi's father, Lin Nuhao, with his temperament, would be very susceptible to causing problems. The Seven Calamities and Six Disasters! The Seven Calamities and Six Disasters!

Wu Wang took out a Jade Talisman, held it in his palm to ponder carefully, then set the talisman back down.

He sighed and said, "I'm feeling rather agitated right now. Let me have a few days of peace... Take me back to the Annihilation Sect. I won't concern myself with the Evil Gods for now; there are more important matters to attend to."

"Agreed." Xiao Jian Daoist's eyes held a trace of guilt as he said softly, "To be honest, Brother Wuwang, Master and the others have come to rely on you a great deal, so much so that the burden on your shoulders is too heavy. Just rest. Come back when you've had enough. Or perhaps... shall we return to the Northern Wilderness? If Master and the others assign blame, I can bear it."

Wu Wang shook his head and wrote a message inside the Jade Talisman, then sealed the talisman with Mana.

He said, "Ensure this is delivered to His Majesty the Human Emperor personally. It must not pass through anyone else's hands, as it is of utmost importance. Even Pavilion Master Liu must not inspect it."

"Agreed!" Xiao Jian Daoist took the Jade Talisman and added several more seals.

Ling Xiaolan asked, "Brother Wuwang, is there trouble in the Human Domain?"

"Hmm... nothing major." Wu Wang smiled and looked out the small window of the Flying Shuttle. "Ultimately, it's just a battle."

The others were naturally completely confused by Wu Wang's abnormal behavior and felt somewhat perplexed.

「The return journey took nine days.」

Wu Wang spent the time holding several Jade Talismans, writing and sketching, revising and modifying. None of his fellow travelers knew what he inscribed within them.

The same was true when he reached the Annihilation Sect.

Wu Wang did not alert anyone other than the Grand Elder. He merely exchanged a few words of greeting with the Grand Elder before shutting himself in the Sect Master's bedchamber, commencing another 'seclusion.'

He was working on some techniques. Techniques that could be disseminated among the mortals of the Human Domain, enabling them to save themselves during the continuous disasters to come.

When the Seven Calamities and Six Disasters descended, the innumerable mortals of the Human Domain would naturally be the first to falter.

Cultivators can fast, but mortals need food.

To combat floods and droughts, utilizing the power of cultivators to construct and repair water management systems was the optimal choice.

To combat earthquakes, improving housing structures was also an urgent necessity.

And so on, with many similar considerations, none of which could be taken lightly.

Heaven Palace wasn't specifically targeting mortals with the intent to obliterate them. They simply aimed to annihilate all living beings in the South Wilderness, and mortals were, of course, among them.

Half a month after Wu Wang's return to the Human Domain, he had already filled over 60 Jade Talismans, having inscribed all the countermeasures he could devise.

He ordered someone to summon Xiao Jian Daoist and had these Jade Talismans presented to the Human Emperor as well.

"I should go out for a walk, get some fresh air," Wu Wang muttered. He glanced at Lin Suqing, who was meditating in the inner cave, but did not disturb her.

He walked across the narrow stone path over the Lotus Pond and pulled open the thick doors.

Upon introspection, Wu Wang found that, thanks to several Spirit Pills, his Spirit Platform was free of injury. His essence, qi, and spirit were all near their peak, and he could take that final step forward at any moment.

Become an Immortal.

"Hmm?" As Wu Wang crossed the white jade arch bridge by the entrance and rounded a protrusion of the mountainside, he saw a group of cultivators gathered in the pavilion ahead, muttering amongst themselves.

Within this group, Mao Aowu, Yang Wudi, and Zhang Moshan crouched there, each sighing; Immortal Mu was also there, hugging his little arms and wearing a serious face, as if still deep in thought.

"What's happening here?" Wu Wang's voice drifted over. Everyone immediately straightened up and turned to salute him.

"Greetings, Sect Master!"

"Sect Master, look," called Yang Wudi, "Immortal Mu caught a strange bird!"

Wu Wang frowned slightly and stepped forward. In the pavilion lay a slain bird with mottled feathers. At first glance, it resembled an owl, but its face was bizarre—almost human-like—and it possessed four eyes.

Seeing this bird made Wu Wang feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Sect Master," a True Immortal whispered, "this bird closely resembles the Yu Bird from the legends... It is said, when this creature appears, great droughts follow, truly an ominous sign."

Wu Wang nodded slightly and said calmly, "Burn this creature and let there be no discussion about it."

"Yes!" All the Demon Path members acknowledged in unison.

Wu Wang sighed softly, his gaze complex as he stared blankly for a moment at the narrow strip of sky visible from the Rift Valley.

Not long after, Wu Wang shook his head and smiled.

For living beings to establish a foothold between heaven and earth is indeed an incredibly difficult feat. It wasn't just the Human Domain. The Blue Star, where he had lived in his past life, had also achieved its splendid civilization through generations of struggle against nature. The very fact that people could speak of 'harmonious coexistence with nature'—wasn't that proof they had acquired the strength to threaten nature itself? And what of the Human Domain? Though they possessed cultivation methods and wielded power surpassing the natural world, nature, in turn, was an extension of the Divine Spirits, who sought to extinguish the flame of cultivation.

Wu Wang sighed softly.

Thus it is for the Human Domain.

Thus it is for the Human race.

And thus it must be for me.

Heaven's ways give strength; earth's ways provide support.

My own Dao is also the Primal Dao of Heaven and Earth. If the Primal Dao of Heaven and Earth is insufficient, then my Dao shall replace it.

Between heaven and earth, Human Immortals must have their place!ŸŸŸ

As Wu Wang's words faded, layers of Dao-charm radiated from him. His long hair and wide robes fluttered gently, and starlight flickered within his eyes.

Temporarily severing his connection to the foundational Star Dao, he buried that wisp of his Divine Soul deep within the Star God's core. Then, the already transparent Golden Core within his Sea of Qi shattered. Infinite stars poured forth from his body, transforming the surrounding land for dozens of miles into a resplendent night sky.

BOOM!

Thunder pealed—the Heavenly Punishment had arrived.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.