Beyond the South Heavenly Gate, night draped the river of stars.
The immortals and gods queued upon the cloud steps according to the depth of their cultivation and their affiliations. Tens of millions of gazes burned like torches as they stared at the slowly floating scroll above the heavenly gate, trying to glimpse their own names upon the unopened roll.
In private, the cultivators called it the new version of the Investiture of the Gods List.
The cool night breeze pushed patches of Auspicious Clouds along. The heavenly book scroll, gleaming with seven-colored flowing light, rose and fell as though testing whether the Dao Hearts of all living beings stood firm. The long night stretched on, and dawn seemed impossibly distant. The bright Milky Way silently flowed across the blue night sky, bearing witness to this wait that concerned the futures and fates of all immortals and gods.
Only high-ranking immortals and gods could gain a foothold outside the South Heavenly Gate; there were even mighty quasi-saints among them.
After an unknown length of time, the scroll known as the Investiture of the Gods List finally began to unfurl. Rosy light poured from it, revealing countless true names.
Several quasi-saints saw their names prominently listed near the front and secretly let out sighs of relief. They stepped forward calmly, passed through the dense forest of halberds held by the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals standing in severe ranks, and entered the Heavenly Court. Celestial maidens carrying palace lanterns led the way ahead, guiding them step by step toward the highest heaven.
The immortals and gods entered the South Heavenly Gate in the order of the names on the Investiture of the Gods List.
Only after entering did they discover Ancient Desolate Mythical Beasts and ferocious beasts lying dormant atop layer upon