The Heavenly Court, the Thirty-three Heavens.
The Lingxiao Treasure Hall.
"Bang--!"
The jade cup exploded on the ground, scattering fragments everywhere.
Haotian's face was flushed, his chest heaved violently, and his eyes were filled with rage that seemed about to burst forth.
"This is outrageous... outrageous!" He gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing with ferocity. "A mere disciple of a sage dares to be so arrogant?!"
Besides him and the Queen Mother of Yaochi, only Taibai Jinxing, who was bowing with his head down, was in the hall.
At this moment, Taibai dared not breathe, standing tremblingly to the side.
" Your Majesty calm your anger..." Yaochi stepped forward, her voice filled with worry, "The Sage... is not someone we can afford to offend."
"This isn't provocation, it's humiliation!" Haotian whirled around, his eyes bloodshot. "Junior sister, look at this Heavenly Court! Since I ascended the throne by order of the Master, which of the Three Pure Ones or the Two Sages of the West has ever truly taken me seriously?"
"Their disciples, relying on the name of the sage, do whatever they want in the Primordial Wilderness!"
He pointed at Taibai Jinxing: "Venus! Tell the Queen Mother how those Chan Sect Disciple treated you and me when we went to Kunlun Mountain today!"
Taibai Jinxing trembled and knelt down with a thud. " Your Majesty... this old minister... this old minister is incompetent... that Guangchengzi said... said that the Heavenly Court is nothing more than a place where the Dao Ancestor's attendants guard the gate, and told us not to... not to bring shame upon ourselves..."
" Chijingzi went even further, directly throwing the imperial edict bestowed by His Your Majesty into the alchemy furnace..."
"Listen to this! Listen to this!" Haotian trembled with rage. "A mere page guarding the gate? He's asking for trouble! I am the Heavenly Emperor, personally appointed by the Dao Ancestor! I am the ruler of the Primordial Wilderness! How dare they... how dare they do this!"
Yaochi was also furious after hearing this. "Senior brother, this is the difference in strength. If we were both saints, how dare they..."
"A sage... a sage..."
Haotian murmured repeatedly, a crazed glint in his eyes.
He suddenly remembered something.
Back then, in the Purple Cloud Palace, both Di Jun and Taiyi perished, and the Primordial Chaos Purple Qi within Di Jun's body was extracted by the Dao Ancestor.
The light in Haotian's eyes grew brighter and brighter, "If... I could obtain that Primordial Chaos Purple Qi... as long as..."
"Senior brother?" Yaochi sensed something was amiss. "What do you want to do?"
Haotian suddenly looked up, his eyes resolute. "Junior Sister, I must go see the Master!"
"What? Now?" Yaochi exclaimed urgently, " Purple Cloud Palace is not open to anyone without a summons, you..."
"I can't worry about that now!" Haotian waved his sleeve. "I cannot tolerate this humiliation! What's the point of being the Heavenly Emperor if I can't become a saint? In the eyes of those saints, I will always be a joke!"
He looked at Taibai Jinxing: "Venus, step back. This matter must not be revealed."
"This old minister... obeys the decree." Taibai Jinxing rose shakily and left the hall.
As he stepped out of the Lingxiao Treasure Hall, Taibai glanced back, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.
How could he not know the awkward situation Heavenly Court?
In name, they ruled the Primordial Wilderness, but in reality, they were completely ineffective outside of the Heavenly Court.
Humans... and those disciples of the sage...
"Well..."
Taibai Jinxing sighed deeply, and his figure disappeared into the depths of the sea of clouds.
Inside the hall, Yaochi looked at Haotian, her eyes filled with worry. "Senior brother, are you really going to go to the Dao Ancestor? What if the Dao Ancestor doesn't allow it..."
"You won't allow it?" Haotian sneered. "Even if the chances are slim, I will still try! Junior sister, I... have had enough."
He turned to look at Yaochi and said softly, "Don't worry, I'll be right back."
Before he finished speaking, Haotian's figure transformed into a golden light, soaring into the sky, breaking through the Thirty-three Heavens, and disappearing into the endless Chaos.
Yaochi gazed at the vanishing golden light, her hands clenched tightly.
"Senior brother... you must come back safely..."
In the Chaos, there was neither light nor darkness, neither up nor down, only the raging earth, water, fire and wind.
After flying for an unknown amount of time, a glimmer of light finally appeared ahead.
It was an ancient palace, suspended in the Chaos currents, remaining steadfast despite the raging storms.
The palace gates were tightly shut, and the Plaque above the gate was engraved with three Great Dao Rune — Purple Cloud Palace.
Haotian stopped in front of the palace gate, gazing at this familiar place, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
He served the master here, bringing him tea and water, and listening to his teachings and learning the Dharma.
Later, he and Yaochi were ordered to descend to the mortal realm, establish the Heavenly Court, and rule over the Primordial Wilderness.
I thought it was a meteoric rise, but who knew...
"Oh..."
Haotian chuckled self-deprecatingly, golden light swirling around him as his form began to shrink.
In the blink of an eye, a young Daoist boy of about twelve or thirteen years old appeared on the spot. He was wearing a blue Daoist robe, with his hair tied in two topknots. His face was childlike, but his eyes were full of vicissitudes.
He straightened his robes, took a deep breath, and was about to knock on the door when the gates of the Purple Cloud Palace opened slowly and automatically.
A detached voice came from inside the palace:
Come in.
Inside the Purple Cloud Palace, everything was exactly as Haotian remembered it.
On the high platform, a Daoist priest in a gray robe sat cross-legged with his eyes closed.
It was none other than the Dao Ancestor Hongjun.
Haotian strode into the hall, knelt down with a thud, his forehead touching the ground, his voice choked with emotion. " Your Haotian... greets Your Excellency!"
Hongjun slowly opened his eyes, but there was no emotion in them.
He looked at Haotian kneeling on the ground, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke, " Haotian, why are you here when you're not in the Heavenly Court? And why have you turned back into this form?"
"Master!" Haotian raised his head, tears streaming down his face, "I... I can't be a page anymore! I'm giving up being a page to the Heavenly Emperor!"
He recounted all the grievances he had suffered over the years.
"They all say that Haotian is nothing more than a gatekeeper under the master's command, unworthy to be the Heavenly Emperor! Master, Haotian... Haotian is wronged!"
Hongjun listened quietly, and only after Haotian finished speaking did he say calmly, "Just for these?"
Haotian exclaimed excitedly, "Although Haotian am dull-witted, I am still the Heavenly Emperor personally appointed by Master, representing the Heavenly Dao to rule the Primordial Wilderness! Their humiliation of Haotian is an insult to the Heavenly Dao and to you, Master!"
"Insolence!" Hongjun's voice wasn't loud, but it made Haotian tremble. "The will of Heavenly Dao is predetermined; how dare you change it? The position of Heavenly Emperor is both a mandate from Heaven and a test. If you can't even endure this little grievance, how can you shoulder the heavy responsibility of the Primordial Wilderness?"
Haotian stood there stunned for a moment, then gave a bitter smile.
In the master's eyes, he would always be that servant boy who brought tea and water.
Heavenly Emperor?
It's merely a pawn needed for the operation of the Heavenly Dao.
"Master..." Haotian's voice was hoarse, "Am I just going to let them bully me and watch the Heavenly Court become a laughing stock?"
Hongjun remained silent for a long time before finally saying slowly, "I know why you've come. Go back now; I have my own arrangements for this matter."
Haotian's eyes lit up. "Master, if I could possess the Primordial Chaos Purple Qi and become a saint..."
"Presumptuous!!!"
Before Haotian could finish speaking, a powerful pressure pressed down on Haotian, causing him to vomit a mouthful of blood and become unable to move.
"You talk too much!"
A cold glint flashed in Hongjun's eyes. "I already know about your matter, and I will handle it myself. As for the rest, you don't need to ask any more questions!"
He then withdrew his oppressive aura.
Haotian was filled with terror, but having received his master's promise and having achieved his purpose, he quickly kowtowed, saying, "Thank you, Master! Thank you, Master!"
"Go," Hongjun waved his hand, "And govern the Heavenly Court well, lest you disappoint me again."
"Yes! Haotian takes his leave!"
Haotian rose, bowed, and left Purple Cloud Palace.
As he walked out of the gate, he glanced back at the Purple Cloud Palace, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, before turning into golden light and disappearing.
Silence returned to the Purple Cloud Palace.
After a long while, a cold voice rang out in the hall:
" Hongjun, this chess piece of yours is utterly useless."
Hongjun remained unmoved and addressed the void, saying, " Heavenly Dao is clear. Though Haotian is not talented, he is the easiest pawn to control."
"Hmph!" The Heavenly Dao's voice was icy. "Although Lin Tian's intervention caused too many variables, fortunately, it is fate. After this plan... I will surely be able to break through to the Chaos Realm."
"At that time..." Heavenly Dao said with immense anger, enunciating each word clearly, "That will be the day of Lin Tian's death."
Hongjun bowed deeply. "I will obey the decree of Heavenly Dao."
He raised his right hand, and golden light shone from his fingertips.
"Go."
The golden light split into six and flew rapidly towards the direction of the Primordial Wilderness.
In the Primordial Wilderness, the Three Pure Ones, Jieyin and Zhunti, simultaneously realized that it was Hongjun who was summoning them.
He then flashed and headed towards the Chaos Purple Cloud Palace.