"HISSS—It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts—"

In a branch of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion in the Northern Region, Wu Wang leaned his forehead against a towel fumigated with medicinal incense, slumped in a wooden chair, and sighed.

Alcohol truly isn't a good thing; it's best to drink less of it, if possible. Even a demigod's body can't endure this!

On the ground beside him, Xiao Jian Daoist was sound asleep, snoring loudly.

His snoring was even louder than the roar of the Thunder God outside Yun City.

Just moments ago, Wu Wang had been helped back here by Xiao Jian Daoist and the Grand Elder.

Seeing Wu Wang's pale complexion and his body breaking out in cold sweat, Xiao Jian Daoist laughed and said, "Is this alcohol really that potent?"

Wu Wang didn't say much. He took out the large gourd. Xiao Jian Daoist gave a slight smile, lightly tapped with his sword-finger, drew out a thread of liquor, and gulped it down.

With a THUD, quite quickly, the sword cultivator lay down.

He didn't throw a drunken tantrum or cause any trouble, just lay there and fell asleep. He handled his liquor quite well, all things considered.

Seeing this, the Grand Elder wisely suppressed his elderly curiosity.

"Sect Master," the Grand Elder asked in a gentle voice, "do you need me to circulate my energy to help you sober up?"

"Grand Elder, please sit down and rest," Wu Wang grinned. "Suqing will help me get some sleep later, and that will be fine."

Help him sleep? How can she help with that? The Grand Elder's old eyes immediately filled with the knowing gratification of an experienced man.

"Grand Elder," Wu Wang mumbled, "what do you think this Sleep God is really up to?"

The Grand Elder chuckled. "It's not that. Weren't you the one, Sect Master, who got him drunk? Then, with the help of the expert from the Xuan Nu Sect, his mental defenses were breached, and that's why he…"

"But he didn't reveal a single word about his true identity or his Original Dao."

Wu Wang closed his eyes, feeling unwell, and said softly, "The Daoist liquor is incredibly potent. He must have been affected by it; the wine's essence surrounded him, that couldn't be faked.

"There's one possibility: if what's here is only a part of his consciousness and his main body is hidden somewhere dark, he could feign drunkenness in front of us while his true self remains perfectly lucid.

"This ancient God... he's truly difficult to handle."

The Grand Elder stroked his beard, pondering, then asked, "Then why would he deliberately reveal these things?"

Wu Wang let out a long, wavering sigh. The Blue Bird flapped its wings and landed on the corner of a nearby table, gazing at Wu Wang with concern.

Wu Wang gave the Blue Bird a calm smile. He tried to sit up straight but felt somewhat feeble.

Other people's Daoist liquor: Fine wine with a hint of Daoist rhyme. The old senior's Daoist liquor: A drop of alcohol mixed into the Great Dao. Simply unparalleled.

Wu Wang said, "His visit to the Human Domain this time must not be as simple as drawing lots."

The Grand Elder said gravely, "Sect Master, do you think he's lying?"

"Regarding what he said about himself, very few of his words were likely true."

Wu Wang, nursing his splitting headache, thought for a moment and said softly, "The Great Wilderness has an immensely long history. Our Human Race only rose to prominence in this recent divine era. Encountering some ancient monster wouldn't be strange at all.

"He must have sensed the killing intent from me and Master Liu.

"The information he shared with us now likely consists of anomalies we would have discovered anyway after killing him.

"Simply put, if we eliminated this avatar of his, we'd discover his true identity. But then he'd have a feud with the Human Domain and wouldn't be able to play both sides anymore.

"Since his identity as the God of Sleep and Dreams would be exposed one way or another, he still wants to continue using this false persona."

Wu Wang grinned again.

"Truth be told, the Heaven Palace is also rather unlucky.

"It's just that his Great Dao is special, so the Head Manager—who himself isn't very scheming—occupies a high position and wields great power. Meanwhile, the truly astute old Gods are merely looking out for themselves.

"This is the pitfall of the Heaven Palace's system for appointing personnel: prioritizing origin from a Great Dao rather than actual competence."

The Grand Elder pondered for a moment, then asked, "Sect Master, could this God be intentionally trying to scare us?"

"He will surely provide us with some proof next."

Wu Wang said, "He must have sensed a crisis in the Heaven Palace and took the opportunity to come to the Human Domain, perhaps intentionally choosing the Human Domain as a place to hide.

"His revealing these things this time is likely an intentional move to make a trade with us."

The Grand Elder wondered, "A trade?"

"He possesses many of Heaven Palace's secrets and wants sanctuary within the Human Domain."

Wu Wang mused for a few moments, then looked at the Grand Elder, his voice unconsciously softening.

"In this old God's judgment, a great turmoil will soon engulf Heaven and Earth... Based on the information I have, there's an eighty percent chance this is true.

"Our Human Domain can make the Heaven Palace wary. We've stubbornly survived through several eras of dark turmoil; we must have something to rely on.

"What I can think of are the properties granted by the Dao of Fire, and the contingency plans left behind by the First Emperor Fuxi, which deter even powerhouses like the Heavenly Emperor and the Imperial Empress from descending upon us.

"The Human Domain's contingency plans, which can deal with Emperor Shun, can naturally deal with the Candle Dragon as well."

The Grand Elder's eyes lit up. He leaned back slightly and asked in a low voice, "This God has considered things so far ahead?"

"It seems so."

Wu Wang took a gentle breath and said to the Grand Elder, "Xiao Jian Daoist has fallen asleep. Later, I'll have to trouble you, Grand Elder, to find Master Liu and report my suggestions.

"First, completely lock down all information about this matter. If anyone leaks even the slightest whisper, every expert who was present at the restaurant today must present their Divine Soul before His Majesty, the Human Emperor.

"Second, we'll see later how he proves the truth of what he said today. If he cannot provide proof, it's better to kill an innocent than to leave a hidden threat.

"Third, surround that Temple. Wait until I've sobered up, then I'll go search inside.

"Didn't he say his true body is hidden in a place no one can find?

"If he really is an old God in hiding, with no loyalty to the Heaven Palace, merely seeking to enjoy the shade under a large tree, then he's just like those unaffiliated cultivators who drift between various factions within our Human Domain.

"Where would such unaffiliated cultivators usually keep their valuables?"

The Grand Elder pondered briefly. "On their person... I understand."

"UGH—" Wu Wang clutched his forehead and groaned a few times. "That old senior's 'fake' liquor... its aftereffect is really something."

The Grand Elder smiled faintly, then rose to take his leave. He levitated Xiao Jian Daoist and tucked him under his arm, then gave Lin Suqing a few instructions to take good care of the Sect Master before hurrying off to report to the Pavilion Masters.

「Meanwhile, in the Sleep God's Temple...」

Dazed.

Beside his cloud-like bed, the Sleep God sat, his eyes staring blankly, completely stunned.

Dozens of beautiful attendants, some kneeling, some standing, gathered around, looking at the Sleep God with worry. The Sleep God had his hands buried in his hair, rubbing his temples, and finally let out a long sigh.

He murmured, "I increasingly feel that the era of living beings is upon us."

"Master, what's wrong?"

"All of you, go to sleep. It's nothing," the Sleep God waved his hand. The figures around him bowed and retreated towards the various beds lining the four sides of the Temple.

Some slept in embracing pairs, while others lay alone, either on their sides or flat on their backs.

Each Envoy's sleeping posture was exceedingly graceful, yet amidst the grace, there was a certain... stiffness.

"What am I going to do?" The Sleep God supported his forehead, muttering, "Why is the Human Emperor's brew so potent? It's no less powerful than the God of Wine's liquor back in the day. Oh, right, how did the God of Wine die again?"

He kept muttering to himself, sometimes chuckling, sometimes sighing deeply. In truth, he was also drunk.

"That bastard Head Manager," the Sleep God cursed through gritted teeth. "Of all people, he just had to pick me. Seriously! Believe it or not, if I revealed my true identity, I could kick you right out of your position!

"No, I can't let Emperor Shun benefit from this. The truly powerful Gods I'd be willing to serve faithfully are all long dead!"

A faint sneer touched his fair face, but after it faded, his eyes glazed over again.

The wine's potency felt as if someone were taking a rolling pin and relentlessly grinding it over his entire body, again and again.

He just didn't get it. He was perfectly content slacking off in the Heaven Palace, so how on earth did he get dragged into this massive vortex?

Things weren't stable yet. He had to prove to that Wu Wangzi that his previous words were true, yet he also had to prevent Wu Wangzi from fathoming his true depths.

Otherwise, this false body, created with such difficulty, would be in jeopardy.

The Sleep God reached behind him, fumbled around in his cloud-like bed for a moment, and pulled out a palm-sized wooden puppet.

He tapped it lightly a few times with his finger, then blew a breath onto the wooden puppet. The puppet began to sway gently, and accompanied by wisps of azure light, it flew to the side and transformed into a beautiful woman with long, wavy hair and a stunning figure.

"Master." The woman knelt down to salute.

The Sleep God waved his hand. "Go wait outside. If anyone comes asking, request an audience with Wu Wangzi. Then, revert to your original form."

"Yes, Master." The woman turned and left, her supple waist swaying left and right, the hem of her thin long dress fluttering along.

The Sleep God pondered for a moment. This move should be enough to demonstrate his power.

Will the Human Domain fail to recognize its true worth?

If they don't, then he might as well discard this false body. No point in thinking about seeking shelter under the great tree that is the Human Domain. He could just hide away until the second great war between the Candle Dragon and Emperor Shun concludes, and then reappear.

"ARRGH, my head is killing me! If I ever drink Daoist liquor with that little fox Wu Wangzi again, I'll change my divine title to 'God of Stupidity'!"

...

「At the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion branch, inside Wu Wang's room.」

Not long after the Grand Elder had left, Wu Wang lay on the bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep, as various questions kept surfacing in his mind.

Did the Sleep God come to the Human Domain intentionally? Or was it as he claimed—that he was unluckily chosen to deliver the Heavenly Emperor's decree and was indirectly set up by the Head Manager?

Wu Wang wasn't concerned about the Sleep God's true identity.

What concerned him now was what impact the Sleep God would have on the Human Domain.

Does the Heavenly Emperor of the Heaven Palace truly not know that such a master is hidden among his subordinates? Or is this yet another strategic move by Emperor Shun?

For an ordinary Young Master like himself, whose main goal was 'winning as long as I get to hold a girl's hand,' the Heavenly Emperor's level of play was far too advanced. He genuinely couldn't compete at this stage.

Wu Wang sighed softly, a faint light flickering in his eyes. Forget it. Let the old seniors worry about these problems.

"Suqing? Suqing?"

"Coming!" Lin Suqing floated over from the side and asked, "Would you like some tea?"

"No, thanks. I'm going to get some sleep first. If anyone comes looking for me, tell them to find Master Liu and the others. Don't come to me for every little thing."

"Alright."

Wu Wang skillfully extended his left hand, and Lin Suqing immediately came forward to lightly tap the back of his hand.

His eyes rolled back, and Wu Wang instantly passed out. Soon, snores could be heard.

With soft FLUTTERING sounds, the Blue Bird landed beside Wu Wang, tilting its head to look at his face.

Lin Suqing pointed at the door, tiptoed over, activated the restrictive formations in the room, and hung the wooden sign she had prepared earlier—"The Hall Master is Asleep"—outside the door.

A gentle Immortal Light flickered, and a thin mist rose.

Beside the bed, there was one less Blue Bird and one more graceful young woman.

Look at her graceful figure: a slender waist cinched by a jade belt, lotus-like feet shod in white boots. Her exposed back was fair, luminous, and flawless. Her waterfall-like hair was half-down, half-styled; adding any ornate hairpins or dangling ornaments would have seemed superfluous.

Lin Suqing glanced at the young woman's chest and couldn't help but facepalm.

As expected of someone with the Human Emperor's bloodline, so different from an ordinary female cultivator like herself. With such a slender waist, lithe body, and smooth, jade-like legs, how could she also maintain such... abundance...

One's a Fairy Immortal, the other a Princess—it's just ridiculous!

"Sister Suqing, is he really unconscious?"

"Why don't you touch him a bit more?" Lin Suqing said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Jingwei's pretty face flushed red. She bit her lower lip gently, then slowly extended a delicate finger, touching Wu Wang's hand for an instant before pulling back.

Wu Wang's snoring stopped, and he once again transitioned from unconsciousness into a deep sleep.

At this, Jingwei breathed a soft sigh of relief. Her gaze remained fixed on Wu Wang's resolute face, unable to tear itself away.

She slowly sat down, close beside Wu Wang. He had suffered so much during those years...

"REPORT—" A faint shout suddenly came from outside the door, yet it still penetrated the Formation's barrier.

Jingwei scrambled to her feet in a fluster, looking left and right, unsure where to hide. Then, with a POOF, she transformed into the Blue Bird and flew to a nearby bookshelf, wings spread.

Lin Suqing almost burst out laughing. She calmly walked to the door and pulled it open.

Outside, Immortal Soldiers stood with heads bowed in salute.

"Lady Lin! Master Liu requests the Wuwang Palace Lord's presence for a discussion!"

"The Wuwang Palace Lord has just fallen asleep," Lin Suqing said slowly, her left hand behind her back, her right hand holding her cloud-like sleeve. "Before sleeping, the Wuwang Palace Lord instructed that he is currently very tired. Please tell Master Liu not to come to him for every single matter.

"As for the matter of the Sleep God, if you esteemed sirs are unsure how to proceed, you may report it to His Majesty and request his decision."

"This..." The Immortal Soldier was momentarily troubled but still bowed his head and accepted the order. "Your subordinate will return to report immediately!"

"Mm." Lin Suqing nodded slightly, turned, closed the door. Her retreating figure exuded an air of nonchalant confidence.

Once the Formation was reactivated, she chuckled softly to herself. Having been around the Young Master these days, she, too, could be considered an 'official' now!

The Blue Bird flew over from the side and landed on Lin Suqing's shoulder, but it did not resume its human form.

An hour later, more Immortal Soldiers came looking.

Lin Suqing opened the door to deal with them, tactfully expressing her displeasure.

These esteemed officials of the Human Domain, why do they value our Young Master so highly? Can't they even let him rest for a few days? Will the Human Domain collapse? Will the sun and moon stop turning?

The Immortal Soldier delivering the message quickly explained, "Lady Lin, it's not that the Pavilion Master absolutely requires the Hall Master's presence. Rather, the Sleep God's Divine Envoy specifically requested to see the Hall Master by name and refuses to speak otherwise."

"Then let her wait. My Young Master will see no one until he awakens."

SLAM! Lin Suqing slammed the door shut. The few Immortal Soldiers who had come this time looked at each other dismayed, but dared not say anything and quickly hurried back to report.

Inside the room, Lin Suqing patted her chest and let out a breath of relief.

"How was that? Pretty fierce, huh?"

"CHIRP!"

"It's just... I hope nothing truly serious is going on," Lin Suqing muttered, a little uneasy.

Thus, an hour later, and then another hour after that.

Immortal Soldiers continuously arrived to ask if the Hall Master had awakened, and each time, Lin Suqing turned them away.

Gradually, Lin Suqing grew quite irritated by the constant questioning. She directly summoned Immortal Mu, who had been out enjoying himself in the city, back. They then moved two stools and sat down in front of the door.

Those Pavilion Masters and the few high-level experts from the Human Domain who knew the situation were truly tearing their hair out, feeling extremely frustrated.

Why was this happening? It was all because the Divine Envoy sent by the Sleep God had said, "Do you wish to know my master's true strength? Please allow me to meet Lord Wu Wangzi, and I will naturally demonstrate it to you all."

The answer was right before their eyes, yet it was veiled by a mere piece of paper.

And Lin Suqing, the attendant who was usually inseparable from Wu Wang, became famous overnight for her actions today, leaving a deep impression on the various Pavilion Masters and many experts.

At last, Wu Wang slept for a full day and night.

Xiao Jian Daoist, still groggy and disoriented, hurried over. He also brought Ji Mo, Lin Qi, and Ling Xiaolan. Only then did Lin Suqing reluctantly agree to wake Wu Wang.

"A Divine Envoy? A handmaiden?" Wu Wang muttered with a yawn, changed into a fresh robe, coated himself with a thin film of Ice Crystal, and went with the others to the Pavilion Masters' lodging.

Ji Mo, Lin Qi, and Ling Xiaolan were also brought along to a small courtyard in the market town.

Just as they entered the courtyard gate, they heard Liu Baiyi say with a chuckle, "Oh, so the Hall Master has finally woken up?"

Wu Wang pursed his lips and frowned. "I'm starting to think that fellow, the Sleep God, was right. The essence of life truly lies in slacking off. I think I'll start taking it easy too."

"Alright, alright, come over quickly. The other party won't speak unless they see you."

Liu Baiyi beckoned. The Divine Envoy was also brought into the courtyard. Several Pavilion Masters stepped out from the house. Multiple layers of Formations enveloped the area, and all the Immortal Soldiers withdrew.

Wu Wang turned to look at the Divine Envoy, touched the necklace at his throat, and said slowly, "What does your master wish to tell me?"

The handmaiden curtsied gracefully, her captivating gaze fixed on Wu Wang, and asked in a soft voice, "My lord, what do you think of me?"

"Quite pretty—COUGH—average, I suppose. Not bad." Wu Wang clasped his hands behind his back and asked, "Is this a honey trap?"

"My master did not instruct me to serve you, my lord," the handmaiden said softly. She took two steps forward, slowly rolled up her left sleeve, and drew her fingertips across her wrist.

Droplets of fresh blood trickled down, leaving the onlookers puzzled.

The next moment, the courtyard fell so silent you could hear a pin drop.

Suddenly, wisps of smoke curled around the handmaiden. Her figure abruptly collapsed, transforming into a palm-sized wooden puppet lying prone on the ground.

However, the trail of blood droplets she had left behind did not vanish; they even emanated a faint trace of life force.

"A Creation-born creature?" Liu Baiyi's eyes bulged like copper bells.

More than ten figures materialized in the courtyard, gathering around the wooden puppet, their expressions all somewhat grave.

Wu Wang, however, suddenly smiled. This fellow... using such a method to prove he's a powerful expert, yet without revealing his identity in the slightest. Truly impressive.

Several Pavilion Masters exclaimed one after another.

"To be able to create a living being! He's definitely a Strong God!"

"I'm afraid he's not inferior to the Head Manager! Did such a Strong God really come to the Human Domain because he had no other choice?"

"What is he plotting?"

Just then, a soft "Hmm?" sounded in Wu Wang's mind. It was Cang Xue who said, "He's not dead yet?"

"Mother, you know him?"

"I've heard of him." Cang Xue continued, "This isn't a Creation-born creature; it's a technique called Spirit Endowment. It's a hallmark of the Ancient Gods, and each Ancient God has a unique method of Spirit Endowment.

"This Sleep God thought he was being clever, believing he could fool the Human Domain this way, but instead, he inadvertently revealed his own Fundamental Dao."

Wu Wang asked, puzzled, "Is he truly a Strong God?"

"If his true form were to appear, he would be a high-ranking God in any divine era," Cang Xue explained. "Since he doesn't wish to be exposed, we shouldn't disturb him. This God has a strange temperament; in his case, doing more could be worse than doing nothing."

"Mother, who is this exactly?"

Cang Xue smiled. "Qi, as in 'breath' or 'essence'. The very first wisp of Qi between Heaven and Earth, both pure and turbid, transformed and became a God, named the Qi God.

"His Original Dao's hierarchical position is between Yin and Yang and the Five Elements. A bona fide Strong God.

"Alternatively, you could call him the God of Cloud Dreams (Yun Meng). He was incredibly prominent during the Second Divine Era, but later vanished without a trace."

"The God of Cloud Dreams." Wu Wang blinked. The name of a God he had heard in his previous life almost slipped out: Yun Zhongjun?!

Is this the Yun Zhongjun, the one he even remembered from his past life?

Wu Wang's headache vanished, and his spirits lifted. He began to pace back and forth.

Yun Zhongjun actually disguised himself as the Sleep God and infiltrated the Heaven Palace, ranking fifteenth from the bottom in terms of merit? The number one slacker God in the Great Wilderness indeed! He truly deserves the title!

Then, Wu Wang began to ponder how he could recruit Yun Zhongjun to the Human Domain's side.

If he returned to the Heaven Palace and was actually put to use, he would undoubtedly be an opponent several times more troublesome than the Head Manager.

"Pavilion Master!" A resounding shout suddenly came from outside the courtyard. A Human Domain commander rushed in.

Liu Baiyi waved his hand. The various experts concealed their figures, and the great Formation revealed an opening.

"What's wrong?"

"From the Northern Region—a new envoy from the Heaven Palace!"

This expert announced gravely, "They only brought a verbal message... 'Regarding the God of Sleep and Dreams, kill him if you wish. Trying to threaten the Heaven Palace is delusional!

"'The score for the fall of the God of Sleep and Dreams has been tallied against the Human Domain!'"

Wu Wang: ...

Could the Head Manager be playing some grand game of chess? Is he, the Innate God supposedly closest to living beings, secretly helping the Human Domain?

Wu Wang said, "Pavilion Master, immediately send someone to relay this to the God of Sleep and Dreams: the Heaven Palace has unilaterally declared his demise. Also, please request His Majesty to intervene in this matter. This God is worthy of His Majesty personally receiving him.

"We're not counting on him to help the Human Domain; it would be best if he remained neutral, assisting neither side.

"Creating a living being from nothing... that's truly extraordinary."

The assembled experts deeply agreed.

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.