Haotian was somewhat despairing!
Though Haotian had begun as Hongjun's gatekeeping boy,
in the eyes of the saints, he was merely a minor figure.
That did not mean Haotian's innate talent was poor.
Haotian's natural endowment was outstanding.
He attained the Dao from the Primordial Extreme Yang Divine Stone and, through guarding Zixiao Palace for a long time, learned many secret histories of heaven and earth.
Coupled with the teachings and guidance of saints at his side,
Haotian's temperament was exceptionally formidable.
Otherwise, even if Hongjun had wanted to reward his merits by elevating Haotian,
the Three Pure Ones would not have pushed some useless fool into that position.
Haotian's intelligence was first-rate. Except when elevating him, Hongjun had used an enlightenment technique, exhausting Haotian's cultivation potential.
Otherwise, after several eras had passed, the Primordial Era might have gained another Hunyuan or saint.
Haotian was intelligent enough. Otherwise, he could not have manipulated the three Mystic Gate sects into directly launching the Investiture of the Gods Calamity.
In terms of wisdom and schemes alone, he was on the same level as Yuanshi and Zhunti.
It was only because his cultivation realm was insufficient that he could not grasp much information.
In clashes between wise men,
incomplete information was the most fatal weakness.
From Taishang Laojun's words, Haotian learned two deadly pieces of information:
First, Sun Wukong, who possessed Quasi-Saint cultivation the moment he was born, had an incredibly formidable background—so formidable that even the Four Saints of the Mystic Gate could not afford to provoke him!
Second, the Four Saints of the Mystic Gate had initially intended only to teach him a small lesson. Now, however, they had completely abandoned him.
Third, his Fate was no longer in his own hands. Whether he survived would depend on Sun Wukong's decision!
This left Haotian utterly despairing.
He was the common ruler of the Three Realms, the Heavenly Emperor of the Heavenly Court, a Peak Quasi-Saint!
And now, his Fate was no longer under his control?
How could Haotian accept that?!
But what could his unwillingness change?
Who told him to become the blade in the hands of Buddhism's two saints?
In the Primordial Era, right and wrong did not matter; only Karma did.
Whether it was the Four Saints of the Mystic Gate or Sun Wukong, if they wished to settle Karma, they could only seek him, the Heavenly Emperor, first—not some Western Saint!
Haotian took a deep breath. "Laojun, is there truly no other way for me?"
He did not want to perish!
He was the common ruler of the Three Realms, a Peak Quasi-Saint.
Apart from several saints, he was among the most powerful great beings in the Primordial Era.
Below the saints, above countless cultivators.
He possessed endless lifespan, endless authority, and boundless glory.
How could Haotian be willing to fall here?
So what if he had plotted against Sun Wukong?
He was merely a monkey who had reached the Quasi-Saint realm immediately after being born...
Could the dignified Heavenly Emperor truly not afford to provoke him?
Haotian's expression changed rapidly before finally stabilizing,
and a stern look flashed across his face!
Taishang Laojun shook his head slightly. He was a saint's incarnation.
How could Haotian's intentions possibly escape him?
Taishang Laojun sighed.
"Great Heavenly Venerate, take care of yourself. This old Daoist shall take his leave."
After saying that, ignoring Haotian's attempts to keep him, he returned to Doushuai Palace.
He immediately sent a message to Taishang. "Haotian has been manipulated by the so-called grand trend of the Heavenly Dao and cannot pull himself free."
Taishang fell silent.
The saints of Zixiao Palace had jointly endorsed it, the Heavenly Dao had borne witness, the Rise of the West was to be achieved, and the grand trend of the Heavenly Dao had begun.
Cultivators within the Primordial Era would consciously or unconsciously enter this grand trend of the Heavenly Dao.
Even Haotian would be affected by the Heavenly Dao.
More precisely,
he was affected by the Heavenly Dao controlled by Hongjun.
He had unconsciously become part of it!
Whether knowingly or unknowingly,
he was advancing the Rise of the West!
Haotian's refusal to compromise and accept his Fate was precisely because of this.
Thinking about it, as the common ruler of the Three Realms and a Peak Quasi-Saint,
he would actually one day face a great calamity.
Even ants cherished their lives, let alone Haotian!
Haotian composed his chaotic emotions, and a sense of injustice immediately rose within him!
"I am the common ruler of the Three Realms personally appointed by Dao Ancestor Hongjun. I command the Three Realms and Six Paths, the Nine Netherworlds and Ten Lands, and All Heavens and Myriad Worlds."
"I am ordained by Heaven. That monkey is bound to suffer a calamity."
"I am following Heaven's will!"
"What right does that monkey have to judge me? It should be the other way around!"
"The Mystic Gate saints actually rebuked me for the sake of some wild monkey that came from who knows where!"
"This defies the Heavenly Dao!"
Haotian's eyes reddened slightly.
An inexplicable resentment arose in his heart!
Resentment toward the Mystic Gate saints.
Taishang Laojun's attitude had been perfectly clear. The saints were all blaming and condemning him.
All for the sake of a monkey!!
Haotian was unwilling!
He had completely forgotten that after the Western Saint Zhunti plotted against his younger sister,
he had turned around and plotted against the saints.
Haotian felt that he had worked diligently as the Heavenly Emperor. Even if he had no merit, he had at least endured hardship.
He had rendered service to the Mystic Gate!
Yet what had he received?
Respect?!
There had never been such a thing!
Haotian's fury burned ever more fiercely!
He wanted to save himself!
There was no point relying on the Mystic Gate.
They did not care whether he lived or died. What they cared about was that monkey who had appeared from nowhere!
Flames of anger burned in Haotian's eyes,
and he truly wanted to slap that monkey to death!
Haotian was a Peak Quasi-Saint. He had the confidence to accomplish that.
But the last shred of reason told him that he could not do it!
If he did, he would truly be opposing the Four Saints.
After a turn of thought, Haotian came up with an idea. "Taibai Jinxing, go invite Buddha Rulai of the West to avert this calamity!"
Taibai Jinxing was slightly stunned, but he still accepted the decree and left.
Haotian issued another order. "The demon monkey is causing trouble. All Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, go capture him!"
Civil and military immortal officials immediately emerged in two ranks within the Hall of Lingxiao and answered in unison!
Watching the monkey's actions, Haotian's anger surged—the monkey was actually carrying an Angel half a head taller than himself and charging straight toward the South Heaven Gate.
No matter how improper the Angel had been, he was still an Angel, representing the Heavenly Court's majesty.
That monkey dared treat an Angel this way. Clearly, he did not hold Haotian in any regard.
This was an unforgivable crime!
Haotian was furious,
and a thought flashed through his mind.
I must capture that monkey and have him torn to pieces, to uphold the severity of my heavenly laws!
He was the common ruler of the Three Realms, Haotian Shangdi. Who in the Heavenly Court would dare disobey his decree?
Outside the South Heaven Gate, all the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals of the Heavenly Court came forth to block the way.
Sun Wukong was seething with rage,
and as he carried the Angel in his hand, his fury only grew!
To be fair, when that Angel came to Biyou Palace with an invitation to the Peaches of Immortality banquet,
Sun Wukong had merely asked a few questions out of curiosity.
Yet the Angel had said, "Where did this monkey demon come from, daring to covet an invitation belonging to the supreme gods of the Primordial Era?"
That single sentence infuriated Sun Wukong!
He was a man of principles!
If the Angel had spoken properly—saying, for instance, that he had not heard Sun Wukong's name and therefore had not invited him this time... or something like that—
Sun Wukong absolutely would not have been so angry.
But not only had this Angel looked down on him with his nose in the air, he had even insulted him!
How could Sun Wukong tolerate that?
Monkeys were not so easily bullied!
Sun Wukong carried the Angel straight toward the South Heaven Gate. No matter how Duobao and the others behind him tried to persuade him, he refused to listen.
Not even his own master had ever scolded him,
yet this fellow actually dared insult him?
He had to be punished!
Beating up a mere Angel was hardly impressive.
Sun Wukong had never intended to beat any Angel.
The one he wanted to beat was Haotian!
Outside the South Heaven Gate stood a dense formation of no fewer than a hundred thousand Heavenly Soldiers and Generals.
Sun Wukong sneered and suddenly blew out a breath.
A whirlwind instantly swept up outside the South Heaven Gate!
Like a tornado, the wind engulfed the hundred thousand Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, spinning them away until they vanished without a trace!
Haotian's eyes went wide!
These were a hundred thousand Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, each with at least Golden Immortal cultivation!
Yet they had been so utterly vulnerable?
They had simply disgraced the Heavenly Court beyond measure.
Haotian urgently issued an order. "Select Heavenly Officials from the Fighting Department and have them meet the enemy!"
The decree was sent out.
Not long after,
the messenger returned, drenched in sweat. "Great Heavenly Venerate, Doumu Yuanjun said that this man is her martial uncle, so she cannot make a move!"
What?
Haotian was instantly dumbfounded!
Was this a joke?!
That Doumu Yuanjun was Jinling's incarnation.
Jinling was one of Biyou Palace's four great direct disciples,
a true saint's disciple!
But what had she called that monkey?
Martial uncle!!
In other words, that monkey before him, who had only been born recently yet already possessed Quasi-Saint cultivation, had a master!
He was not some wild monkey with no background.
And Jinling, a saint's disciple, calling Sun Wukong martial uncle was absolutely not her acting on her own initiative.
That monkey's seniority was on the same level as the saints'—when facing Nuwa, the monkey was half a generation lower, since he had been born from Nuwa's Five-Colored Stone!
An existence able to stand on equal footing with saints.
Did that not mean the monkey's master was also someone who could be mentioned in the same breath as Dao Ancestor Hongjun?
It completely exceeded Haotian's imagination!
Was there anyone else in the Primordial Era who could stand on equal footing with the Dao Ancestor?
Haotian did not know!
But he knew even more clearly that saints would not act without reason!
There had to be some secret here that he did not know about!
Haotian inexplicably began to panic!
He suddenly realized that the Eight Immortals of Biyou Palace were actually serious.
The Eight Immortals had attained sainthood in the flesh and held extremely high positions in the Heavenly Court.
Yet they truly obeyed commands but not proclamations.
What did that mean?
If the Eight Immortals believed an edict was just,
then they would comply with Haotian's order.
Conversely, if they believed Haotian's idea was fooling people, they would reject the proposal!
Put simply,
if they thought something could be done, then they would do it; if they thought it could not, then it absolutely could not!
It was that simple and crude!
Haotian's palms were covered in cold sweat.
He suddenly realized
that the Eight Great Immortals of Biyou Palace!
No!
Including Taishang Laojun of the Human Sect, Randeng of Chan Jiao, and the others...
had all vanished without a trace.
His decrees could barely leave the Hall of Lingxiao!
The rage filling Haotian's chest was immediately extinguished!
He discovered in terror that this was a huge problem!
The great powers of the Mystic Gate were all subtly expressing their dissatisfaction!
And if the Heavenly Court came under attack, once these Mystic Gate immortals hid themselves, Haotian would be left helpless!
One had to know that although Mystic Gate disciples were a minority within the Heavenly Court,
they occupied its most important posts.
Four of the Six Sovereigns were members of the Mystic Gate.
Even a powerful figure like Doumu Yuanjun, who held real authority over the Heavenly Court's strongest combat division, was from the Mystic Gate.
It could be said that
as long as these great powers issued an order, Haotian's decrees would never leave the Hall of Lingxiao!
In other words, he had been completely stripped of power!
And now... Haotian had the feeling of being stripped of power.
He knew this was a warning from the saints!
The Heavenly Court was not Haotian's Heavenly Court, but the Mystic Gate's Heavenly Court!
Haotian, the Heavenly Emperor, was merely managing it on behalf of the saints under their edicts.
If Haotian proved unfit... then he would naturally be removed.
There was no need to discuss it at all!
Haotian broke out in a cold sweat!
Sun Wukong traveled without obstruction—the true great powers of the Mystic Gate were essentially his juniors, and having long received instructions from above, they had all hidden far away.
Though the immortal officials from the Western Teachings were numerous, they were at most Grand Unity Golden Immortals. How could they possibly withstand him?
Sun Wukong was a Quasi-Saint!
One realm, one heaven; in the Primordial Era, that was practically an absolute truth!
Monkey waved the Angel around, using the Angel as a weapon. Whenever an immortal official dared block his path, he simply swung...
No matter what it was, it was smashed into scattered pieces!
Sun Wukong arrived directly beneath the Hall of Lingxiao.
Only then did Haotian panic, shouting, "Protect me!"
But who would come?!
The dignified ruler of the Three Realms had not a single close attendant by his side at this moment!
Sun Wukong held the Angel in his hand—the Angel was already on the verge of death.
"Old official, you sent this bastard, didn't you?!"
Suppressing his fury, Haotian nodded solemnly. "Indeed!"
Sun Wukong casually threw him.
The Angel crashed through the Hall of Lingxiao and flew out!
Haotian glared furiously. "You actually dare destroy my palace!"
Monkey waved a hand impatiently.
"You are the ruler of the Three Realms, an exalted great power."
"I refuse to believe you didn't see how many Heavenly Soldiers and Generals Old Sun killed!"
"Old Sun can kill immortal officials, so what does your lousy house matter!"
A lousy house?!
What?!!
Haotian was nearly angered to death!
The magnificent, solemn, and towering Hall of Lingxiao had actually been called a lousy house!
Haotian was furious!
Monkey curled his lip. "What is there to look at in this lousy house? My home's house is millions of times grander than this!"
His expression turned serious.
"Old official, I'm here to settle accounts with you!"
"I've only just been born, so it's fine if you hadn't heard my name."
"But how did Old Sun discipline your subordinate?"
"You indulged your subordinate in hurting others. That was your fault!"
"That Angel is merely a minor immortal. Competing with him would only tarnish Old Sun's reputation!"
Sun Wukong said firmly,
"Old official, if Old Sun wants to find someone, it has to be you!"
Hm?!
Haotian was impressed.
So this monkey was rather open and aboveboard.
His opinion of Monkey improved somewhat.
But when he thought of how this monkey had caused him to be reprimanded by the Four Saints,
the anger in his heart could no longer be contained.
Haotian said majestically:
"I am the Great Emperor of the Heavenly Court, ruler of the Three Realms. Speaking to me like this violates Heavenly Law and warrants Heavenly Punishment!"
Sun Wukong flew into a rage!
Monkey burst into laughter.
"In this Primordial Era, aside from my master, who dares pronounce Old Sun guilty?"
"And who can pronounce me guilty?!"
Haotian was greatly startled. "How dare you utter such treasonous words?"
Those words truly were treasonous.
In the Primordial Era, saints reigned supreme, and above the saints was the Heavenly Dao!
The saints established rules on behalf of the Heavenly Dao!
None of the living beings in the Primordial Era could disobey their commands.
Whoever defied them would face Heavenly Punishment!
Monkey's words carried the suspicion of "defying heaven"!
Haotian could not help looking at the sky.
In his understanding, those words had violated the laws of the Heavenly Dao. Heavenly Punishment should descend!
But then something that shocked Haotian happened.
There was not the slightest movement in the Heavenly Court!
Haotian's entire worldview nearly shattered!
Such treasonous words had actually gone unpunished?
This had to be a joke!!
How exactly was the Heavenly Dao monitoring things?
Only then did Haotian realize the severity of the matter.
What did it mean that the monkey had uttered such words without suffering Heavenly Punishment?
A question suddenly came to him: "Why did the Four Saints address this monkey as their brother? How could a monkey bear such fortune?"
Could the title of brother to saints be borne so casually?
If one's fate was even slightly too weak, one's karmic fortune would be severed outright!
One might even die an unnatural death!
Yet Monkey was perfectly fine!
There was not the slightest sign of him dying young!
It utterly shocked Haotian to the core!
Sun Wukong grew impatient. "Old official, you ordered your messenger to insult Old Sun. That won't do!"
"Old Sun wants to settle this with you!"
He reached into his ear and pulled out an Embroidery Needle.
Monkey blew a breath of immortal qi over it, and the Embroidery Needle instantly transformed into a slender rod.
Sun Wukong gave it a shake, and the rod immediately became as thick as a bowl's mouth and incomparably long!
With the rod in hand, Monkey instantly changed.
His golden fur fluttered wildly.
His nostrils flared slightly, revealing sharp fangs.
He stared coldly at Haotian.
Sun Wukong enunciated every word:
"Old official, if you dare insult Old Sun, be prepared for Old Sun to beat you into a dog-headed mess!"
"Old Sun will definitely let you taste why flowers are so red!"
Haotian suddenly found the situation absurd beyond measure!
He was the Great Emperor of the Heavenly Court, ruler of the Three Realms, a Peak Quasi-Saint!
And what was that monkey?
He had merely just entered the Quasi-Saint realm!
A mere Quasi-Saint actually dared challenge a great power standing at the peak of the Quasi-Saint realm?
What wishful thinking!
Haotian was extremely confident. Although he had never fought the great powers of the Primordial Era,
he was certain
that the three great Quasi-Saints of the Primordial Era—Rulai, Zhen Yuanzi, and Kunpeng—as well as Duobao, Jinling, and the other Eight Great Disciples of Biyou Palace,
would absolutely not want to become his enemies!
The reason was simple.
Other great powers might be called Peak Quasi-Saints, but they could perhaps still improve!
But Haotian, a Peak Quasi-Saint, was truly at the peak.
There was not even the slightest possibility of further advancement!
His cultivation had been directly fixed in place.
It would neither improve nor decline, remaining forever at the absolute peak of the Quasi-Saint realm!
Haotian looked at Sun Wukong baring his fangs and brandishing his claws.
For some reason, his heart calmed down.
"So it is merely a savage monkey fond of fighting!"
He felt some regret.
Had he known the monkey was like this, why had he made all those arrangements?
He could suppress it with one hand!
Haotian casually glanced at the rod in Monkey's hand.
In an instant, his expression changed drastically.
His primordial spirit leaped frantically within his Sea of Consciousness.
A warning surged through his heart—his primordial spirit was sounding the alarm!!
Haotian's pupils shrank to pinpoints.
"This rod... this rod..."
Sun Wukong's rod was dark yellow, with strands of Merit qi flowing across its surface.
It was unmistakably a Supreme Merit Treasure.
That was not the most important part.
Most importantly, an unsurpassable force from that rod had locked onto Haotian!
Before you continue