The Divine Court of the Heaven Palace, it had to be said, was truly mysterious. What one perceived was not what was actually seen, but rather what was felt by the heart—a projection of the Great Dao within one's own mind.

Wu Wang meticulously perceived the 'structure' of the Divine Court within the Heaven Palace. He even comprehended the fundamental construction of the Dao of Order within it, as layer after layer of insights surfaced in his mind.

For others seeking Enlightenment, it was a matter of studying the Heaven and Earth Dao, imitating nature, forming Dao rhythms, and achieving self-realization. This involved solidifying the path to becoming an Immortal and manifesting one's Divine Skills.

Wu Wang's path to Enlightenment, on the other hand, was like eating and drinking, copying some famous poems and writings, then turning around to astonish a group of men and women unaware of the truth.

Nonetheless, he found himself in the same predicament as these Innate Gods…

Being within the Great Dao himself, he was unable to glimpse its entirety.

Fortunately, Wu Wang had already determined his own path of cultivation: to overthrow the Star God's Star Dao and reconstruct his own Star Dao. Although it was difficult and required a much longer period compared to simply accepting the Star God's Dao, he had his own resolve.

Quick growth can only bring one to the heights achieved by their predecessors. Only by continuously expanding one's own limits can one reach a place never before attained by others.

All the answers to difficulties lie within the Great Dao.

Ordinary Transcendent beings cannot change the grand scheme of Heaven and Earth.

Returning to the current Divine Court assembly in the Heaven Palace.

Wu Wang 'saw' figures appearing in various places around the grand hall. Compared to his first attendance at a Divine Court meeting, there were now about twice as many Innate Gods maintaining clarity of mind instead of sleeping. This did not exclude the possibility that some Innate Gods, lacking the assistance of the Sleep God—the 'Greatest Sleeping Aid God'—had become insomniac. They might be dreaming frequently, experiencing night sweats, and feeling weak, thus finding it difficult to sleep.

Wu Wang was temporarily safe in his current location. Just as Wu Wang could only perceive the presence of these Innate Gods through their Great Daos and see the imprints they left; they, in turn, could only sense the Star God's somewhat weakened divine body and see the imprints of the Star God.

Of course, Emperor Shun was already aware of the Star God's unusual condition but had not mentioned it to the other gods. If Emperor Shun noticed the activity within the Star God's Great Dao, there was an eighty percent chance he would mistake Wu Wang for the Star God.

Wu Wang secretly set a small rule for himself:

If I sense anything unusual with the Dao of Order, I will immediately—bolt!

During the last Divine Court meeting, the Head Manager had announced he would bring seven disasters and six tribulations upon the Human Domain. What this current meeting, presided over by the new generation of Power Gods from the Celestial Court, would entail, remained unknown.

Incidentally, Wu Wang's own god position as the God of Spring did not grant him the qualification to participate in Divine Court meetings. It wasn't just his minor position as the Spring God; his neighbor, the Sleep God, also lacked the qualifications. Although the Sleep God was superficially an Innate God, he ranked among the bottom ten in terms of achievements—a straggler.

With the Sleep God's experiences, he could write a legendary autobiography. Wu Wang even had a title in mind: The Years I Laid Low in the Heaven Palace.

After the Earth God finished his first sentence, vibrations resonated across the various Great Daos, projecting male and female voices deep within Wu Wang's mind. Some spoke of past camaraderie, while others praised the Earth God's wisdom.

The Heaven Palace was quite worldly too. These direct and unreserved compliments felt oddly familiar to Wu Wang... They had the distinct flavor of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion in the Human Domain.

The Earth God fell silent for a while, waiting for the resonances in the various Great Daos to subside. He then spoke again, his voice neither hurried nor slow, still imbued with unwavering steadiness.

He said:

"This meeting has been called to discuss matters concerning the Human Domain with all the Deities on duty here. Please feel free to speak your minds; any suggestions can be brought up for our joint consideration."

Such a steady voice.

Wu Wang carefully perceived the sensations, visualizing the Earth God's figure in his mind. This was a burly man, half a head taller than Yang Wudi and several sizes larger than Brother Xing Tian. His face was unremarkably ordinary—the kind one would forget in a single glance, where a nose was just a nose and eyes were just eyes. The Earth Dao was profound, inclusive, and steady, giving one an inexplicable sense of reliability.

If I found an opportunity to speak up, Wu Wang pondered, and criticized the Heaven Palace for being too eager for quick success, insisting they must wait for Shen Nong's fall in the Human Domain to reclaim the Dao of Fire, could I perhaps influence their decisions to some extent? The idea was good, but its execution would be too difficult, and the risk too high. If I were to tamper with the Star God's Great Dao now, the burden wouldn't be too heavy. However, if I wanted to use the Star God's divine body, I would have to withstand considerable pressure. Just gathering some intelligence would be good enough.

A while after the Earth God's words faded, another slight tremor ran through a Great Dao, and its Dao resonance projected a Goddess's voice into Wu Wang's mind:

"Earth God, His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor has ordered us to reclaim the Dao of Fire and solidify the Heaven and Earth Seal. Without seeking an opportunity to attack the Human Domain, it would be impossible to accomplish this. But if we do attack the Human Domain, we will end up like the Head Manager, trapped and injured by the great formation left by the previous Human Emperor. If the Great Dao of another Strong God is lost, the Heaven and Earth Seal will become very difficult to maintain. The incident with the God of Thunderstorms was extremely perilous. Earth God, you are known for your composure. May I ask how you would resolve this situation?"

The Earth God's Great Dao remained silent for a long while, and the Divine Court, too, became very quiet. Just as Wu Wang was thinking that the Earth God might not be adept at such strategic planning, the Earth God's Great Dao trembled again. This tremor lasted for a while, projecting a wealth of information into the Divine Court, transmitting it to the awakened gods through their respective Great Daos.

The Earth God said:

"The Human Domain harbors great peril, which both you and I know well. The embers of Suiren have not yet been extinguished. Fu Xi left behind an unknown number of powerful formations. And Shen Nong, who has only promoted the art of alchemy in the Human Domain, has yet to reveal any skills distinct from the Dao of Fire. He surely harbors secrets. Under such circumstances, rashly attacking the Human Domain would be tantamount to gambling with the current, hard-won order of Heaven and Earth. I never embark on ventures of such risk. His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor knows this. He entrusted me with great authority precisely so I could guide us smoothly through this period and prevent the Heaven Palace from undertaking reckless actions. The only path we can take is to draw the Human Domain's forces out of the Human Domain itself."

The gods immediately responded:

"How do we draw them out?"

"I! I have tolerated too much mockery from these living beings!"

"Earth God, I do not wish to see the incompetence of the Head Manager in you!"

"Even though Shen Nong's great limit is only a thousand years away, my patience with the Human Domain has reached its end! By what right do they place themselves above the rules we established? I am willing to contribute all my strength to annihilate the Human Domain!"

"The Earth God is right. Perhaps we should maintain the status quo. The Human Domain has many internal problems; we could find ways to make them collapse from within."

"Shen Nong has begun to personally attend to the various political affairs of the Human Domain; this is something we must be vigilant about. Earth God, what is your assessment of these latest developments in the Human Domain?"

One voice after another, one statement after another. The gods' voices grew louder, continuously pressuring the Earth God.

The Earth God did not rush to respond. He waited quietly for these voices to subside and for the vibrations of the various Great Daos to settle. Throughout this process, the Earth God displayed considerable control and excellent composure.

If it were me, I probably would have started arguing back by now, Wu Wang thought. Indeed, Wu Wang did not sense the slightest impatience or anger from this Earth God, who ranked alongside his own Grandpa—the former Ancient Fire God—among the Five Element Origin Subordinate Gods.

The Earth God seemed to be simply waiting for these Innate Gods to finish their complaints. Then, in a tone one might describe as 'loving, fatherly care,' he would address them:

"I have heard your voices. The continuous expansion of the Human Domain in recent years has also deeply unsettled me. It's as if I'm reliving the time when the previous Human Emperor was nearing his great limit, and the Heaven Palace was in jeopardy. Back then, the Human Domain was much stronger than it is now. But even then, we managed to overcome the Human Domain without paying too heavy a price. We broke through their defenses and suppressed the Power of Living Beings within the Human Domain to a very low level.

"Take the previous Human Emperor's great limit as an example. Fu Xi wanted to wage all-out war, but we adopted a strategy of continuous evasion, avoiding the brunt of his final assault. Of course, in the end, it was still the Heavenly Emperor who stepped forward and stopped Fu Xi's final assault. That Fu Xi believed he could severely damage the Heaven Palace with his own power alone is something I still fail to understand to this day. But Fu Xi's mysterious disappearance afterward has made me even more wary of the Human Domain."

The gods fell silent. The Earth God's words had stirred the memories of many Strong Gods. That was a period when Divine Spirits were deeply humiliated yet dared not speak out. At a time when most of the Heaven Palace's Divine Power was diverted to suppressing the Heaven and Earth Seal, Fu Xi deduced countless laws and brought about a golden age in the Human Domain. Back then, the Innate Gods who were awake and serving in the Heaven Palace dared not even approach the borders of the Human Domain, yet Central Mountain was teeming with active Immortals...

As the Earth God's words concluded, he continued to convey his soothing voice through the Great Dao:

"You and I will never understand how strong the desire for life, the fear of death, and the inner strength derived from these emotions can be for these living beings. Perhaps this is the fundamental reason why we can never truly coexist with living beings, why we must always restrict them. We have never experienced the life of living beings, nor have we experienced their insignificance. Today, we face a Human Domain that is somewhat weaker than it was at the end of Fu Xi's time. So, what is there to panic about? We stand upon the foundation of immensely long years; we should naturally possess the confidence and perseverance befitting Divine Spirits. Only in this way can we lead living beings, aid them, and harmonize the relationship between them and the world, as well as between them and us. This will make the order of the Great Wilderness even more solid. Only by utilizing the Power of Living Beings can we truly, in a meaningful sense, avert the nightmare of the Candle Dragon's return!"

In that instant, Wu Wang seemed to see that burly figure spreading his arms, bathed in sacred light, exclaiming to the countless living beings before him:

God loves you.

For some reason, Wu Wang felt his mouth go dry, and a strong sense of alertness surged in his heart.

This Earth God seems... a tad more troublesome than the Head Manager, Wu Wang thought.

Right at that moment, a Dao resonance quite familiar to Wu Wang burst into the Divine Court. This resonance transformed into a cold laugh and was delivered into the hearts of the gods through the Great Dao.

Wu Wang 'seemed to see' this scenario:

Beside the Earth God, who stood on the high platform exuding Divine Light, a tall, slender figure had strangely appeared. The newcomer was dressed in a long robe, hands behind his back, a slight smile playing on his lips.

The Head Manager!

Well, well!

His spirits soaring, Wu Wang observed the scene intently, his eyes filled with a bright light.

Has the Young Master already perfectly executed his plan to sow discord?

However, the Head Manager seemed quite different from before. His handsome face, calm demeanor, and the Lifespan Dao emanating from him all radiated an aura of profundity, richness, and benevolence...

He was like a completely different god compared to before!

Then, the Head Manager's voice transmitted through the Great Dao:

"So, Earth God, how exactly do you plan to deal with the Human Domain? Why have you said so much, yet it's all just empty rhetoric?"

"Head Manager."

The Earth God said unhurriedly, "I don't believe I invited you here, Head Manager. You should still be under confinement by order of His Majesty."

The other gods, however, remained silent. Even the Innate Gods who had previously belittled the Head Manager and flattered the Earth God were now merely watching quietly from the sidelines. Wu Wang even sensed that several Strong Gods were adopting the stance of spectators enjoying a show, their Dao resonances tinged with a hint of... glee.

The Head Manager said, "As long as His Majesty has not stripped me of my Great Dao, I remain the Head Manager of the Celestial Court, even if I no longer lead the gods. But Earth God, do you take them for fools, thinking a few words from you can placate them?"

The Earth God frowned and replied, "I hold nothing but respect for my fellow Divine Spirits. We are comrades-in-arms who triumphed over the Candle Dragon, victors who share the Great Wilderness World. The Human Domain has merely stolen our fruit, occupying the part of the world that rightfully belongs to the Fire God. I feel that our strategy towards the Human Domain need not be too aggressive. If we consider everything solely from the perspective of how to annihilate the Human Domain to reclaim the Dao of Fire, that will only exacerbate the current depletion of the power of Heaven and Earth."

"Oh?"

The Head Manager's hands were tucked into his sleeves. The sash of his simple, unadorned long robe fluttered, and the ornaments at his waist jingled.

He said with a smile, "Specifically, then?"

The Earth God's brow furrowed further.

But the Head Manager pressed on relentlessly, "You gathered everyone here; you should tell them what to do and how to do it."

The Earth God said, "That is why I gathered everyone here—to discuss and formulate a concrete plan."

"Are you saying that you currently don't have the slightest clue regarding the Human Domain?"

"I have already stated my approach: draw the Human Domain's forces out of their territory and strike them decisively there."

"That sounds quite reasonable, indeed."

The Head Manager smiled and then said, "These words, if said by someone else, would certainly not be as pleasing to hear. But isn't that just stating the obvious? If there were a way to lure the Human Domain's main forces out, why would we have needed to cultivate the Ten Evil Gods?"

"The strategy involving the Ten Evil Gods has already been proven to be a waste of Divine Power."

The Earth God said in a deep voice, "If there are problems, we address them. Head Manager, you are being somewhat too radical."

The Head Manager calmly retorted, "And you, Earth God, are being somewhat too vague."

"Head Manager, I do have a strategy for drawing out the Human Domain's forces. However, such a strategy cannot be disclosed directly. Today, we are here to decide on the overall direction."

"Is that so?"

"If you have doubts, Head Manager, you can take them up with His Majesty."

The Head Manager did not respond further.

Meanwhile... Fight, fight, fight! Wu Wang only regretted... that he didn't have any melon seeds to truly savor the spectacle. It was missing the essence of watching a good show! Just moments ago, he had almost burst out shouting 'Head Manager is mighty!' and 'Earth God is supreme!' Even the corners of his true body's mouth had uncontrollably curled into a schadenfreude-filled smile.

Wu Wang had now regained his composure. Although this Earth God felt more troublesome than the Head Manager, exuding stability from every pore, he had one flaw: he spoke without getting to the point. He used grand, vague statements that the other gods found impossible to refute. Yet, just as the Head Manager had pointed out, he himself couldn't offer a single concrete strategy. And yet, this Earth God still managed to convey an exceptionally reliable sense of solidity.

The Great Dao truly is a wondrous thing, Wu Wang mused. How can I fan these flames?

As Wu Wang was pondering this, he suddenly detected a faint fluctuation in the Dao of Order nearby. His spirits tensed. Without the slightest hesitation, he severed his connection to the Star God's Great Dao, and the presence of the Star God vanished from the Divine Court.

In his cave residence, Wu Wang opened his eyes and realized that the back of his shirt was soaked in cold sweat.

That just now... was it Emperor Shun?! It must have been. Furthermore, Emperor Shun had discovered me and sent a very faint Divine Thought my way. If translated into the common tongue of the Great Wilderness, it would say... "Ice, you have come." What kind of tone was that?! Yes, that's right! Brother Sleep God once said that in ancient times, Emperor Shun courted the Ice God but was rebuffed! Pah! This shameless Heavenly Emperor, still using such a tone to greet my mother! It wasn't just shameless; it was utterly, despicably shameless!

Wu Wang grimaced, then quickly grasped the necklace and told his mother what had just happened, making sure to convey Emperor Shun's 'greeting'. Then, just as Wu Wang had expected, mother and son began to jointly curse Emperor Shun, recounting how that Heavenly Emperor had used sweet words and clever talk to deceive Xihe and Chang Xi back in the day, among other things.

"By the way, Mother, do Xihe and Chang Xi... not get along?"

"Ba'er, why do your words carry a hint of apprehension?"

Cang Xue chuckled lightly and then said, "For the most part, they probably just don't speak to each other. It's unlikely to come to blows, though."

"Is the Earth God difficult to deal with?"

"He is exceedingly prudent. In that sense, he's extremely difficult to deal with. However, if you simply want to avoid a direct confrontation, it's relatively simple."

Wu Wang fell into deep contemplation, so much so that he didn't immediately notice a few special visitors arriving at the Annihilation Sect's grounds...

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.