"Fellow Daoist, have you heard? Trouble has arisen again up north."

"What trouble? Our Little Golden Dragon from the Human Domain being conferred as the God of Welcoming Spring by the Heaven Palace? You must have just come out of secluded cultivation; that news is already half a day old."

"Eh, it's half a day old? I've been too engrossed in my contemplations recently, not venturing out much, quite the joke... Let's drink, let's drink."

...

"Senior Brother, what do you think is the meaning behind this God of Welcoming Spring?"

"Junior Sister, isn't it obvious? Welcoming Spring, Welcoming Spring, isn't that just bursting with the vigor of spring, the perfect time for love, the time when spring reveals its splendor?"

"What? Senior Brother, you are so bad!"

"Junior Sister, look, there's a tavern ahead. Why don't we go find a hint of the mood of spring and celebrate Wuwang Palace Lord's appointment as the Little Golden Dragon."

"You!... Hurry up and let's go!"

...

"Come, fellow Daoist, let's analyze a bit. What kind of impact will this move by the Heaven Palace have on our Human Domain? The Heaven Palace is trying to make us harbor suspicions towards Wuwang Palace Lord."

"What suspicions? We never even get to meet Wuwang Palace Lord anyway; it's better if the higher-ups don't start getting suspicious."

"Should we declare our support for Wuwang Palace Lord? It would be bad if some higher-up got confused and thought—'What? The Heaven Palace is conferring a junior, but not me?' That would be trouble."

"What are you thinking? If we can think of this, can't others? Seriously."

...

In the Northern Region of the Human Domain, in the back courtyard of an annex of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion.

Wu Wang spread his Immortal Consciousness, listening to the discussions of the cultivators in the city, continuously pondering in his heart.

In the room at this moment, only Lin Suqing and Immortal Mu were present. The Blue Bird stood at the edge of the bookshelf, bowing her head and grooming her feathers, which was her usual pastime.

Even in the form of the Blue Bird, she wanted to keep herself looking neat.

The Sleep God was temporarily under control, but how to deal with him next would depend on the response from the Heaven Palace.

This Sleep God was clearly a hidden dragon and tiger on Heaven Palace's side. He looked all smiles and jokes, but he harbored deep malice.

If it weren't for the fact that Wu Wang's cultural knowledge from his past life was still quite good, he would have almost been swayed by the Sleep God's rhetoric, causing the Human Domain to lose the just cause to resist the Heaven Palace.

This was several times more cunning than the powerless rage of the Head Manager.

Moreover, under these circumstances, for this Deity to dare venture into the Human Domain alone, his bravery alone was commendable.

Of course, one couldn't rule out the possibility that he was sent here by force by the Heaven Palace.

Shadows flickered outside the door, and the voice of Xiao Jian Daoist came through, "Wuwang, it's I. Is it convenient for me to come in?"

"Daoist Brother, please come in. How are your injuries?"

Wu Wang stepped forward to open the wooden door as Xiao Jian Daoist flitted inside.

This Daoist had previously split the rainbow-like radiance with force and was sent flying, vomiting blood. Fortunately, only his Daoist body was shaken, and his Primordial Spirit was unharmed. At this point, he was lively again.

Xiao Jian chuckled, "No serious injuries. The Power of Order of Heaven and Earth is just so-so."

"Is the Sleep God settled?" Wu Wang asked.

"Settled."

"What was his reaction?"

"He..."

Xiao Jian hesitated for a moment but decided to be truthful, "Fell asleep."

Wu Wang couldn't help but curse with laughter, "He truly is the God of Sleep and Dreams. We've caught him, yet he can simply fall asleep. Doesn't he fear that when he opens his eyes, he'll find swords, spears, axes, and halberds hanging over his head?"

"Direct and simple."

Xiao Jian Daoist gave a sinister smile, lightly sliding his finger across his neck.

"That's what I meant too."

Wu Wang clicked his tongue in mirth and spoke softly, "But the Human Domain is not just up to us two. Whether to kill, to imprison, or to release, we still have to see what your master and the others think. The Human Emperor is unlikely to be concerned with such trivial matters, and it's still uncertain how the Heaven Palace will react. But one thing is certain: keeping this guy alive is always a hidden danger."

Wu Wang gestured an invitation, and the two sat down on opposite sides of the main hall as Lin Suqing brought over hot tea.

They murmured for a while about the matter of the Sleep God.

Their attitude was, in fact, to directly eradicate the Sleep God to draw a clear line with the Heaven Palace.

Let's all dispense with this 'welcoming the envoy' routine.

If one could effortlessly erase the opposition without paying too high a price, nobody would be merciful.

The problem was, some high-ranking officials thought that executing an envoy was beneath their dignity, and it wouldn't be favorable for the Human Domain to influence the Hundred Races in the future.

"Wuwang, what do you think? At a time like this, still worrying about saving face?"

"Daoist Brother speaks truly. Can face be more important than substance?"

"Exactly! This Sleep God might even be using a fake identity. The Heaven Palace is full of schemes, and judging by the things he said earlier, we absolutely cannot underestimate him!"

"We still need to figure out a way to deal with this Sleep God."

"How shall we deal with him?" Xiao Jian Daoist's eyes sparkled.

Wu Wang said, "First, let's investigate whether the other party has concealed his identity and see if he can be persuaded to defect. If the higher-ups really intend to let this God of Sleep and Dreams go without any reason, we'll have to resort to some less-than-honorable methods."

The two then clinked their teacups and shared a knowing smile.

Wu Wang asked again, "Have those envoys been sent away? Did we find out anything?"

"They have been sent out of the territory, and those Divine Guards have been sent away too," Xiao Jian chuckled. "At this hour, Heaven Palace surely already knows that we have retained the God of Sleep and Dreams and torn half of the investiture decree. Next, we'll see whether they'll send someone to rescue him or not. As for those envoys from the Hundred Races, we have carefully investigated all of them and secretly used methods to probe their Divine Souls, but we really didn't find anything out of the ordinary. However, there's one thing—the little princess from Feather Country has not left."

Wu Wang frowned and said in a low voice, "Daoist Brother, you all shouldn't arrange such matters recklessly like Heaven Palace does."

"Ah, how could we do that!"

Xiao Jian Daoist spoke in earnest:

"This little princess from Feather Country said she wants to talk to you, Wuwang. There seems to be a series of calculations involved, and she too is being used as a pawn by Heaven Palace.

"Look, Heaven Palace has nominally designated the Southeastern Region as your fief, and Feather Country is a major clan of the Southeastern Region. This little princess has been trained by the Young Master for three years and was sent to you as a gift.

"Heaven Palace has already paved the way for your entry into the Southeastern Region."

Wu Wang pondered for a few moments and said, "The Southeastern Region was never under Heaven Palace's control to begin with; the Heavenly Emperor's act of granting it is truly cunning."

Xiao Jian Daoist sighed, "Now, most of the higher-ups have one question: why is Heaven Palace paying extra attention to you?"

"You see, the effect of the Heavenly Emperor's strategy has come to light, hasn't it!"

Wu Wang slapped his palm with the back of his hand. "I had been worrying about this before."

"This Heavenly Emperor is too..."

Xiao Jian Daoist shook his head repeatedly.

The Heavenly Emperor, through just a single decree and a simple stratagem, had caused minute cracks between the Human Domain and Wu Wang.

These cracks, in the eyes of the Human Domain's powerhouses apart from the Human Emperor, seemed trivial; after all, Wu Wang was just one person, and no matter how excellent, his influence was limited.

The one who was truly worried at the moment was Senior Shen Nong.

Behind Wu Wang was the Ice God, and further behind her were the remnants of the Ancient God, Candle Dragon.

This matter was not public, and there was a tacit agreement among the Heavenly Emperor, the Human Emperor, and the Ice God. Naturally, Wu Wang could not tell anyone.

Wu Wang said, "Let's talk about this Sleep God instead. Heaven Palace really seems to regard me as the next Human Emperor."

"Isn't that so?"

Xiao Jian Daoist blinked, his eyes reflecting innocence.

Wu Wang smiled and continued, "I still can't figure out this Sleep God's angle... Has he been completely restrained now?"

"His Divine Power is definitely sealed, and his Great Dao has been restricted as well."

Xiao Jian said seriously, "You don't need to worry about this. At the moment, several Pavilion Masters have not gone far and are secretly keeping an eye on this Sleep God while, ahem, playing cards. The Sleep God won't be able to turn things around."

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained!"

Wu Wang ground his teeth and stamped his foot, resolute. "Then, Daoist Brother, come with me later. Call the Grand Elder and bring along Ming Snake. Please ask the Pavilion Masters to keep an eye on things discreetly. I'm going to meet this guy once more!"

Xiao Jian: ...

Why speak of it with such great righteousness, as if going to a heroic sacrifice? With this lineup, shouldn't it be the Sleep God who's terrified?

Xiao Jian Daoist wisely decided to keep these thoughts to himself and showed Wu Wang a gentle smile.

Wu Wang secretly held onto the necklace.

Although he had been frequently troubling his mother lately and felt somewhat embarrassed, he was, after all, a grown man who should face these hardships on his own. However, he dared not be careless when dealing with the gods of Heaven Palace.

Sighing inwardly, Wu Wang activated a wisp of Divine Soul from within the Star God's divine body. Nourished by the Star God's Divine Power, it had grown increasingly formidable. If a great battle did break out, he was ready to throw a spear, even if it meant another three years of unconsciousness.

No, that's not right. I wouldn't need to be unconscious for three years now.

Wu Wang calculated that, having absorbed the essence of Ming Snake, his vital energy had grown, and his Divine Thought had significantly increased. Now his Divine Thought was comparable to that of a Heavenly Immortal Realm cultivator in the middle or later stages.

Two and a half years of unconsciousness would be enough.

「Thus, a moment later.」

...

Outside the town, in the golden field, the Formation that looked like an upside-down jade bowl was emitting strands of light, blocking the Immortal Consciousness and Spiritual Sense of the cultivators from probing.

Inside the Formation, four giants sat obediently, each holding an entire roasted cow and using water tanks as cups, their temperament surprisingly gentle.

They were responsible for pulling that palace. While the accompanying procession could return, they could not.

The Formation's light barrier displayed rippling layers, as figures entered one by one—over ten experts had joined the Formation in succession.

Wu Wang arrived hand in hand with Xiao Jian Daoist, while Ming Snake and the Grand Elder brought up the rear.

The four giants lifted their heads to glance at Wu Wang and the others before lowering their heads again to gnaw on their roasted whole cows. They would occasionally place the meat back onto the fire to roast some more, ensuring the heat spread evenly inside.

The Sleep God Palace instantly became lively.

Handsome men and beautiful women from various races gathered at the edge of the palace, looking outwards.

They did not feel the slightest bit of tension, as if they were born without a single worry, completely indifferent to their current besieged situation.

Xiao Jian Daoist said via voice transmission, "These followers of the Sleep God are more or less a bit abnormal."

"Oh?" Wu Wang asked, puzzled, "How so?"

"It's hard to say," Xiao Jian Daoist advised via voice transmission, "Followers of some strong gods, for example, are usually strong individuals themselves. If it's a god of indulgence, their followers often have beautiful appearances. That much everyone understands. But these followers of the Sleep God..."

At this mention, Wu Wang instantly perked up.

"How so?"

Xiao Jian Daoist said, "Their appearances are passable, but there are quite a few whose looks are not outstanding, and most of them are in pairs, clearly not to please the Sleep God. Among them, there are neither strong individuals nor particularly intelligent ones. Even the woman from a different race who had made contact with our people before seemed a bit abnormal in her spiritual mind, dazed and confused. They all seem like..."

"Not fully awake?"

"Pretty much."

Wu Wang laughed, "Truly befitting the Sleep God."

As the two communicated via voice transmission, the group had already arrived at the Sleep God Palace.

As per Wu Wang's request, over ten accompanying experts forcibly entered the grand hall, each releasing their Daoist Essence to erect barriers, forcing the followers to fall back to either side.

Several beautiful women hastily ran over, lifting the hems of their long dresses to stand in front of Wu Wang and Xiao Jian Daoist.

"The Divine Spirit is conducting a sacred ritual, you must not—"

"Step aside."

With a light rebuke from Ming Snake, ripples appeared in Heaven and Earth, pushing the women to the sides.

Wu Wang looked up, surveying the interior of the palace, but merely stood at the edge without venturing deeper.

From the outside, the palace did not seem large, but inside it was another world entirely, seemingly using some kind of space-time divine skill to expand its length and width to hundreds of yards.

All around, there were descending staircases, layer upon layer, laid with dark black Profound Stones that made one feel as if standing amidst the stars.

Many beds and couches of various kinds were placed at different levels of the staircases, categorized differently—some beds were larger with screens nearby, likely for the pairs of followers.

In the center of the great hall, a clump of white clouds floated uncertainly. Upon closer inspection, it was a large bed; the material it was made from made it resemble a cloud.

The God of Sleep and Dreams was currently lying flat on the cloud bed, his body sunken into it, a square cloth covering his forehead, a thin blanket over his body, arms held in front of him, breathing steadily with a rosy complexion.

Wu Wang couldn't help but chuckle, "A sacred ritual? Could it simply be sleeping?"

"Isn't sleep sacred?"

The Sleep God spoke, his voice tinged with a hint of helplessness, "God of Welcoming Spring, my official duties in the Human Domain are completed. If you won't let me return, please don't come to disturb me."

Wu Wang laughed, "My apologies for the intrusion, Your Excellency. Would you have the leisure to join us for a drink and listen to some tunes somewhere?"

The Sleep God opened his eyes and yawned.

Several Maidens stepped forward immediately, gently lifting the thin blanket away and removing the square cloth from his head.

The Sleep God wore a loose robe, made of extremely soft fabric.

Surrounded by Immortal Light, he had already changed into a simple robe but still appeared listless, without much energy.

He asked, "Did the God of Welcoming Spring come here intending to test the waters, with a mindset of 'better to kill by mistake than to let one escape'?"

Xiao Jian was about to deny it, but Wu Wang laughed, "Your Excellency is indeed insightful."

"I knew it."

The Sleep God yawned, stretched lazily, and took the jug of wine from a nearby maiden to rinse his mouth.

His chubby face was filled with misery as he sighed,

"Alas!

I said there would be trouble, but the Head Manager didn't believe me, insisting that a Heavenly Emperor's decree required an Innate God's delivery.

Really, brother, I'm truly the most useless Innate God in Heaven Palace. If I weren't, would they have sent me?"

Wu Wang stood with his hands behind his back, smiling without a word.

The Sleep God's cheeks quivered, and then he heaved a resigned sigh, walking over dejectedly with his head hung low.

Xiao Jian Daoist immediately stood in front of Wu Wang.

Wu Wang smiled and said, "Daoist Brother, no need to be tense. I'm not a three-year-old child anymore. If the Sleep God intends to make a move against me, I have my ways to preserve my life."

Having said that, Wu Wang turned to address Ming Snake, "Keep a close eye on him. Ensure that the distance between you and him is not less than the distance between him and me."

Ming Snake bowed his head. "Understood." He then walked directly to the side of the Sleep God. His slender eyes shot forth two cold gleams, causing the Sleep God to shiver several times, and his face slackened once again.

Gods, this opponent is too difficult to deceive.

"Please."

Wu Wang made a welcoming gesture with his hand, and the Grand Elder, waiting outside the door, created a cloud with a wave of his hand.

As Wu Wang, Xiao Jian Daoist, along with the Sleep God and Ming Snake, stepped onto the white cloud, the group of experts took their places around him, surrounding the Sleep God in every sense of the word.

Wu Wang asked, "Would Your Excellency like to bring any Maidens along?"

"No, no, let them rest here," replied the Sleep God before turning and instructing, "Seal the temple. Wait for my return."

All the Maidens simultaneously bowed and accepted the command.

The Grand Elder gently waved his sleeve, and the cloud moved towards the town ahead.

Wu Wang did not initiate conversation but instead asked his mother to closely sense the Daoist Essence of the Sleep God; Cang Xue too discarded her disdainful attitude and began to ponder the structure of the Sleep God's Great Dao.

Yet the answer provided by his mother was not much different from before.

This Deity presided over the Great Dao of Sleep and Dreams, governing the act of falling asleep. During ancient times, no notable divine skills were heard to be associated with him. In the core battles of the great wars, this Innate God's presence was never witnessed.

Cang Xue said with a smile,

"If this Sleep God truly excels in concealing his prowess, that would indeed be somewhat frightening.

"Ba'er, you really don't need to worry too much. Innate Gods like the Sleep God, whose personal Great Daos aren't powerful, were actually quite numerous in ancient times. However, throughout various divine transitions, most of these divine spirits couldn't protect themselves and almost all perished.

"One such as the Sleep God must be adept at the art of survival, which is why you find him a bit troublesome."

It should be so, Wu Wang thought. He thanked his mother, and after some light family talk, he severed the connection with the necklace.

Then, his wariness of the Sleep God heightened slightly.

They proceeded to a tavern at the edge of the town, a place that Ji Mo had already reserved in advance.

The main hall was arranged with a banquet table, and a stage had been set up for performances, where local Songstresses danced gracefully to the music, instantly setting the mood.

After several obligatory pleasantries, both parties took their seats according to host and guest protocol.

Wu Wang sat alone on one side of the square table, with the Grand Elder and Xiao Jian sitting to his left, and Ming Snake to his right.

Due to the inherent risk of this meeting, Wu Wang had decided not to involve Lin Suqing and the others.

The Sleep God sighed and gently swirled his wine glass, lamenting, "The fine wine of the Human Domain... who knows how many more times I'll get to enjoy it."

Wu Wang smiled and asked, "Has Your Excellency not considered defecting to our side?"

"My Great Dao is locked within the Heaven Palace. What would I do in the Human Domain, treat insomnia?"

The Sleep God shook his head slightly, saying,

"I can elaborate on this matter.

"Actually, after the ancient divine wars ended, everyone voluntarily offered their Great Daos, weaving them into the order of Heaven and Earth.

"But due to the incident of the Fire God's fall, our Great Daos have been sealed by the Dao of Order.

"The only two exceptions are the Star God's Star Dao and the Queen Mother of the West's Divine Punishment Dao; these two are independent of the order of the Heaven Palace."

Having said that, the Sleep God winked at Wu Wang, adding, "Actually, although this minor Deity is not very strong, I do know quite a few things from having lived so long."

Wu Wang, who had some doubts before, then came to understand. This Sleep God is actually looking to save his life by 'Selling Information'!

Wu Wang smiled and said, "I'm quite curious about the various gods of the Heaven Palace."

"Then you've asked the right person," the Sleep God leaned forward, clinking his wine glass lightly with Wu Wang's. "I am the God of Sleep and Dreams. I'm not just about falling asleep—I have a clear understanding of things within dreams as well."

Grand Elder asked in surprise, "Do Innate Gods also dream?"

The Sleep God chuckled, "Dreams are an extension of thoughts; as long as there's consciousness, one will dream."

Xiao Jian Daoist asked from the side, "Exactly how many consorts does the Heavenly Emperor have?"

Both Wu Wang's and the Sleep God's wine glasses shook simultaneously.

Wu Wang said, "Regarding the Heavenly Emperor, let's try not to discuss him."

"Very well, very well, even the God of Welcoming Spring is very understanding," the Sleep God murmured. "The Heavenly Emperor truly cannot be provoked. Best not to inquire about those few Goddesses associated with the Heavenly Emperor; other Innate Gods are more approachable."

Wu Wang raised an eyebrow internally.

The Sleep God referred to 'Heavenly Emperor' rather than 'His Majesty.' Is this fellow doing it on purpose, or did he unintentionally reveal his true attitude from the depths of his heart?

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