Chapter 39

She knew that the heavenly rules established in the Heavenly Court had been violated—and it was her own younger sister, Yaoji, who had broken them.

Upon receiving the order, Grand White Golden Star pondered deeply. This matter involved True Lord Yuding of the Chan Sect, and deciding how to deal with Yaoji's mortal husband Yang and his family would be troublesome.

Grand White Golden Star reminded Haotian to watch the mortal Yang's fortune, but Haotian was consumed by fury and had no mind for such matters. He ordered, "Leave none alive."

Grand White Golden Star feared that this matter involved a Saint's disciple and cautiously offered a reminder.

But Haotian paid it no heed and ordered Grand White Golden Star to handle the matters following Yaoji's capture himself.

Grand White Golden Star accepted the order and departed.

In the Heavenly Court, Yaochi quietly asked Haotian, "Heavenly Emperor, is what you are doing truly appropriate?"

Haotian asked in return, "What is inappropriate about it?"

Yaochi said, "Yaoji's son is fated to the Chan Sect. Should we not show the Chan Sect some respect?"

Haotian smiled. "Saint Zhunti just came to see me. What do you think that means?"

Yaochi immediately understood.

Yaoji had been placed on Peach Mountain precisely so that her son, Yang Jian, would come to rescue her.

If she had been directly confined within the Heavenly Court, then no matter how bold True Lord Yuding was, he would not dare teach Yang Jian to storm the Heavenly Court.

For the Heavenly Court was the center of heaven and earth personally appointed by the Dao Ancestor. No one dared offend the Dao Ancestor's majesty.

Haotian's scheme was clearly meant to lure Yang Jian into rescuing his mother. Once Yang Jian acted, the matter would gradually escalate—from Yang Jian himself to True Lord Yuding, then to the other Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect, and perhaps even to the Saint level.

In the end, it might appear that the Heavenly Court held all the winning cards, but the true beneficiary would be the Heavenly Court.

For the Heavenly Court occupied the moral high ground and had justice on its side.

Though the Chan Sect was powerful, it could not surpass the Dao Ancestor's standing.

This scheme was undoubtedly aimed at the Chan Sect, and even at the Daoist school behind it.

The calculations between Yaochi and Haotian ran unfathomably deep.

Within the Eight Sceneries Palace, Li Er and Yuanshi sat calmly, discussing the Dao.

Xuandu quietly brewed tea. As the imperial tutor of the Three Sovereigns, his presence in such a role was astonishing enough to leave Yuanshi somewhat ashamed of himself.

Although Yuanshi had gone to great lengths to craft the Nine Dragon Agarwood Chariot as a Saint's mount, he still felt inferior when faced with Li Er's display.

Casting aside his distracting thoughts, Yuanshi asked Li Er why he had come.

Li Er said indifferently that if he had not come today, the Daoist school's fortune might have been affected by the Chan Sect.

Yuanshi's expression turned solemn. Knowing Li Er would not speak idly, he set down his teacup and listened.

Yuanshi wondered whether Tongtian had complained to Li Er about the Chan Sect, but Li Er said that the Chan and Jie Sects merely differed in doctrine and Daoist lineage, and reminded Yuanshi that he should understand Sect Master Tongtian's temperament.

After flushing slightly, Yuanshi asked Li Er to speak plainly.

Li Er gave Yuanshi a meaningful glance before explaining.

"Zhunti has set his sights on the Chan Sect. That is truly unexpected.

"Yet Yuanshi, you seem not to have realized it even now. That deeply disappoints me.

"Even Zhunti himself may not know of this move.

"Though he has done his utmost to conceal the heavenly secrets and muddle the situation, nothing escapes my eyes.

"As a transmigrator, Li Er's grasp of the greater currents of the primordial world was akin to the Heavenly Dao itself.

With a single glance, he could see through Haotian's handling of Yaoji and naturally understood the scheme between himself and Haotian perfectly.

"Zhunti?" Upon hearing the name, Yuanshi was instantly shocked and enraged.

"He actually dares scheme against my Chan Sect?" He immediately began calculating with his fingers, attempting to see through **.

However, Li Er had already revealed Zhunti's scheme.

"Zhunti has joined hands with the Heavenly Court for one reason only: to have Haotian complain to the Dao Ancestor, accusing the Chan Sect's ** of bringing the killing tribulation upon themselves and oppressing the Heavenly Emperor beyond measure.

"And how would the Dao Ancestor respond?" Yuanshi fell silent.

He knew perfectly well what the Dao Ancestor's decision would be, yet he could not answer Li Er's question.

Just as Li Er had said, the Dao Ancestor might comply with Haotian's request and grant him a Heavenly Court treasure capable of restraining Saint disciples, or rebuke All Saints for their lack of judgment.

Yuanshi was more inclined toward the former, for the Dao Ancestor had always acted through noninterference and would not excessively meddle in the affairs of the primordial world or the Heavenly Court.

Granting Haotian a treasure was the most effective solution.

Among the Three Realms, if the Earth Scroll was used to establish the Earth Immortal Mansion lineage and the Human Scroll to establish the cycle of reincarnation and the underworld, then should Haotian petition the Dao Ancestor, what he might obtain would very likely be the Heavenly Scroll.

The consequence, as Li Er had said, would be that the Chan Sect's ** actions would affect the Daoist school's fortune.

Thus, Yuanshi remained silent, feeling deeply ashamed.

At last, he rose and bowed to Li Er in thanks for his warning.

Only then did Li Er nod in approval.

It was only because Yuanshi was one of the Three Pure Ones that Li Er had offered this guidance today.

Had anyone else been present, Li Er would have acted long ago.

There was no need to say why Zhunti's cultivation had fallen to the Quasi-Saint level.

Xuandu, listening from the side while serving tea and water, could not help but stare in astonishment.

A Saint of the Chan Sect being reprimanded by his senior brother was simply unbelievable.

One had to know that Saints held exalted status between heaven and earth.

Xuandu was shaken to the core and secretly laughed bitterly.

After a long while, Xuandu came back to himself, and a thought surfaced in his heart: if the beings of the primordial world witnessed this scene, their expressions would surely be splendid.

Of course, that thought could never possibly come true.

Li Er's voice was steady and imposing. "Zhunti has schemed against our Daoist school. We must make him retreat in the face of difficulty."

Though Yuanshi cared greatly about face, he was completely convinced by Li Er. He immediately accepted the order and promised to handle the matter properly.

Li Er swept his gaze over Yuanshi and instructed, "The Two Sages of the West are ambitious. You must settle accounts with them."

Yuanshi nodded in response.

It was foreseeable that once the Daoist school's hard-line stance spread and the matter of Yang Jian rescuing his mother continued to ferment, Yuanshi, the Saint of the Chan Sect, would personally take action.

As Li Er and Yuanshi spoke, an opportunity arose in Li Er's heart. "Yuding and Yang Jian are seeking the Mountain-Splitting Axe?"

The moment a Saint formed a thought, heaven and earth stirred.

In an instant, Li Er understood the entire chain of cause and effect and tightly grasped the Mountain-Splitting Axe in his hand.

This axe was no ordinary treasure. It was one of three treasures forged by East Emperor Jun during Da Yu's flood-control era.

The three treasures were the Yellow River Map, the Mountain-Splitting Axe, and the Water-Repelling Sword.

Each possessed a unique function. The Yellow River Map could control river waters, the Water-Repelling Sword allowed Da Yu to travel through floods unhindered, while the Mountain-Splitting Axe was used to cleave mountains, split earth, and open channels to drain floodwaters.

After East Emperor Jun infused these three treasures with the aura of merit, they became human-path sacred artifacts of Emperor Yu, one of humanity's Five Emperors.

After Emperor Yu entered Huoyun Cave, these sacred artifacts remained among humanity and were not brought into Huoyun Cave.

They were now worshipped by humanity within sacred temples.

As their creator, Li Er naturally sensed them as well.

Yuanshi shifted his gaze toward Golden Cloud Cave on Jade Spring Mountain.

This cave abode was one of those he had arranged for the Twelve Golden Immortals under his sect who entered the world.

With a sweep of his sleeve, a mysterious light mirror appeared before him.

Within the mirror were True Lord Yuding, one of his Twelve Golden Immortals, and his disciple Yang Jian.

At that moment, True Lord Yuding was explaining the origin and use of the Mountain-Splitting Axe to Yang Jian.

True Lord Yuding told Yang Jian, "There are only two ways to rescue your mother, Fairy Yunhua.

"The first is to use overwhelming power to forcibly break Peach Mountain's restriction. But that requires immense strength. Even I, of the Chan Sect, cannot accomplish it.

"Only Xuandu, the eldest senior brother of the Grand Pure lineage among the Three Pure Ones, possesses such strength."

Yang Jian froze when he heard this and hurriedly asked, "Do you mean Xuandu the Great Sage, humanity's imperial tutor of the Three Sovereigns?"

True Lord Yuding nodded in confirmation.

Then True Lord Yuding continued, "The second method is to use humanity's sacred artifact, the Mountain-Splitting Axe, to cleave open Peach Mountain.

"This axe was once one of Emperor Yu's Dao Attainment Supreme Treasures. Now that Emperor Yu resides in Huoyun Palace, this Mountain-Splitting Axe has been left in the mortal world."

Yang Jian's face filled with bitterness, but hope quickly rekindled in his eyes as he asked for the details of the second method.

Yang Jian asked True Lord Yuding where the Mountain-Splitting Axe was. True Lord Yuding said that he did not know its location; it might be in humanity's possession or in East Emperor Jun's hands.

Hoping to find this divine artifact and save his mother, Yang Jian asked True Lord Yuding for help.

True Lord Yuding warned him to proceed carefully when dealing with East Emperor Jun and said that he was willing to make the trip personally to help resolve the matter.

Upon hearing this, Yang Jian pleaded with True Lord Yuding to help save his mother. True Lord Yuding decided to take Yang Jian to the Eight Sceneries Palace to pay respects to the Supreme Saint.

Seeing this, Yuanshi understood the series of events that would follow Yang Jian's splitting of the mountain to save his mother, including conflicts with Haotian and his disciples, as well as Li Er's calculations.

Yuanshi began to understand why Li Er intended to hold him accountable over the Chan Sect's problems. He also developed a sense of awe toward Li Er's decisions, believing that Li Er was leading a vast change—or conflict.

Li Er's determination was indeed as Yuanshi had expected. He intended to face the coming tribulation through his own strength.

He was not merely making empty claims. He clearly understood that he possessed sufficient strength to deal with this tribulation.

The current Li Er had already reached the late Saint stage. His strength rivaled Hongjun's before he merged with the Dao.

As for the tribulation before him, he believed himself capable of handling it.

Perhaps he could not completely contend with the entire calamity, but this tribulation among Saint disciples was no longer something he feared.

He understood that his strength was enough to meet most challenges, but that did not mean he would underestimate the other Saints.

He knew that although he was powerful, until he broke through to a realm beyond Saints, a gap still remained between him and every Saint.

Take Hongjun, for instance. In order to break through to a higher realm, he had chosen to merge himself with the Dao and become an incarnation of the Heavenly Dao.

The Heavenly Dao and the Great Dao were innately beyond Saints.

Though Li Er could now fight many Saints, he knew that truly surpassing all Saints would not be easy.

Even Zhunti—even if Li Er shattered his Saint Dao Fruit—could still cultivate anew.

For his primordial spirit had already transcended the primordial world and rested upon the Heavenly Dao.

A true life-and-death struggle was not decided in a single moment or a single event, but through long cultivation and the test of countless years.

To truly annihilate an existence like Zhunti was destined to be a prolonged war.

Perhaps after the next great calamity in the future, if Li Er accumulated enough opportunities and fortune once more, he might be able to challenge the higher realm of the Heavenly Dao Realm.

Li Er suddenly spoke and called Xuandu by name.

Xuandu immediately answered his master, whereupon Li Er posed a challenge: did he dare fight a Saint?

Though Xuandu smiled bitterly and believed himself incapable of standing against a Saint, he truly possessed courage.

Back then, with only the strength of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, he had dared challenge the Eastern Emperor of the demon race.

For the current Xuandu, fighting a Saint would be difficult, but he was willing to accept the challenge.

Yuanshi was somewhat surprised by the proposal. Since when had the dignity of a Saint fallen so low that one had to fight a Quasi-Saint? Then Yuanshi's heart stirred as he thought of Zhunti, who had been stripped of his Saint position.

Though Zhunti was still nominally a Saint, he was in truth only at the Quasi-Saint level.

Xuandu's strength might truly be enough to fight Zhunti.

However, Jieyin and Zhunti of the West had always acted together, so they had to be wary of the Dao Attainment Supreme Treasure in Zhunti's hands.

Yuanshi had been schemed against today and drawn into the killing tribulation.

He needed Xuandu to help him hold back Zhunti.

Xuandu could represent the Daoist school in resisting the schemes of the Two Sages of the West, while Yuanshi's guidance would allow him to block Zhunti.

Li Er's arrangement was truly thorough and ingenious.

After considering this, Yuanshi also smiled at Xuandu in approval.

Outside the Eight Sceneries Palace, the atmosphere was grave.

Within the void shrouded by the mountain-protecting formation, two figures suddenly appeared.

One was Xuandu, and the other was Venerable Yuanshi.

Their arrival broke the surrounding silence.

Xuandu tightly gripped the Mountain-Splitting Great Axe, determination gleaming in his eyes.