Upon hearing this, the sages' faces instantly turned pale as paper!
The Primordial Era was incomparably vast. Even these lofty sages dared not claim they could tread upon every inch of its land.
That would take countless eons merely to glimpse its full expanse!
Dao Ancestor's proclamation was like a sharp blade, severing the bonds between the Three Realms.
From then on, those who had transcended would remain transcendent, while mortals could live in peace, free from further disturbance.
Hongjun then mentioned the "Heavenly Lock" technique, which instantly sealed the paths connecting the Three Realms, raising barriers between them and completely cutting off all passage.
Zhunti was frantic with worry. Rising to his feet, he asked, "Dao Ancestor, how exactly does this Heavenly Lock work?"
Hongjun's gaze swept across the sages, and the corner of his lips curled into a faint, imperceptible sneer, clearly mocking their shallowness.
His tone was icy as frost, without the slightest ripple.
"The Heavenly Lock is merely a metaphor. It is not a tangible object."
"The Heavenly Dao will wield boundless divine power to lay a membrane of separation between the Three Realms, as unbreakable as a talisman."
"From now on, the Three Realms shall each perform their own duties. Should one wish to open a gate, one must obtain a sage's approval and the Heavenly Court's permission before passage is allowed."
"Human Realm cultivators shall peak at the Earth Immortal realm. If they wish to advance further, they can only seize the opportunity of ascending in broad daylight."
"Depending on the techniques they cultivate, they will either ascend to the Earth Immortal Realm or fall into the Nine Netherworld."
Hongjun suddenly let out a soft laugh.
"In the end, it has merely been established to harmonize Yin-Yang!"
The sages all drew sharp breaths!
Taishang, Yuanshi, Nuwa, Jieyin, Zhunti, and Tongtian—without exception, all wore iron-dark expressions!
Hongjun's move had completely overturned their plans.
Sages were meant to follow the Heavenly Dao, regulate Yin-Yang, enlighten all beings, and govern the stars of the universe.
Though they competed with one another, what they fought over was Luck and Merit!
Such things were, by nature, easy to obtain, requiring little effort in practice.
After all, they were sages personally ordained by the Heavenly Dao.
Within the Primordial Era, sages stood above all; beneath them, all were like dust.
With but a word from a sage, mortal beings would naturally worship them with all their hearts.
To seize the power of faith was effortless for them.
Take Taishang's Human Sect, for example.
With only the Golden Core Method, he had settled his Karma with the Human Race.
Yet relying on a sage's prestige and the banner of a great sect, the Human Realm had countless believers.
But how much guidance had the Human Sect truly given mortals?
Almost none!
Yet within sage temples throughout the Primordial Era, guidance descended without end.
This gave mortals the illusion that sages were watching over them!
But was that truly the case?
Absolutely not!
Though mortals were the protagonists of heaven and earth, they were ultimately no more than ants.
They were merely tools for offering faith, Merit, and devotion!
The sages' expressions darkened. With a single move, Hongjun had shattered their beautiful dreams.
From now on, it would be difficult to swindle others under the name of the Human Race!
The Human Race was exceedingly practical by nature.
Once immortals and mortals were separated,
without sufficient benefit, who would be willing to offer faith?
Hongjun's move had directly severed their source of Merit from their position as protagonists.
All the sages were people of great wisdom.
They also keenly detected a subtle change:
the Heavenly Court's authority would rise accordingly!
Before immortals and mortals were separated,
humans and immortals lived together, while sages and immortals frequently appeared.
The Heavenly Court's role had never truly shown its strength.
Though Haotian called himself the ruler of the Three Realms, how many in the Primordial Era truly respected him?
Above him were sages; below him were ancient Quasi-Saints.
Who would revere a "God" who was merely an empty figurehead?
Even though Haotian was also a Quasi-Saint!
But once immortals and mortals were separated, the situation would be utterly transformed.
The Heavenly Court would control the passages between the Three Realms.
If the sages wished to spread faith and gather Merit, they would also have to rely on the Heavenly Court's channels.
Haotian's status would rise invisibly.
The sages had always looked down upon Haotian's origins.
And now they would be constrained by him... How could they possibly be pleased?
What? Would Haotian dare make things difficult for sages?
As a mere Quasi-Saint, he naturally would not dare.
But if two sages issued decrees to spread their teachings at the same time,
with one close to Haotian and the other on poor terms with him,
how would Haotian choose?
He only needed to follow the rules and delay the hostile side until the end of time.
As for the friendly side, even if they were furious, they would have nowhere to vent it.
Even sages had to act in accordance with the Heavenly Dao!
Where would their dignity remain?
The sages fell silent.
Over and over, they weighed what upheaval Hongjun's tremendous change would bring them.
Taishang and Yuanshi wore especially grim expressions.
The Human Sect had rendered the Human Race great service.
Relying on its remaining influence, Chan Jiao had also developed many followers among the Human Race.
Yet their contributions to the Human Race had been nearly nonexistent.
After immortals and mortals were separated, seizing Merit in such a manner would become far more difficult.
Nuwa, however, did not care in the least.
She was the mother of all races. Other than the Asura, all acquired living beings had come from her hands.
Once immortals and mortals were separated, the Human Race would be freed from the shackles of transcendence, and their lives would instead improve.
The impact on her would be negligible.
At first, the Two Sages of the West also wore dark expressions.
But after calming down, they suddenly realized that this was a heaven-sent opportunity!
Compared to the Human Sect and Chan Jiao, which never lacked faith, the Western Teachings had always struggled bitterly.
The Western Teachings possessed only a corner of Mount Sumeru.
The Western World was desolate, filled with Demon Kingdoms and sparsely populated.
The disciples of the Western Teachings were all ascetics.
Once immortals and mortals were separated, the Human Sect and Chan Jiao disciples would struggle to adapt for a time.
But the Western Teachings would face no such obstacle!
Moreover, the Human Realm's limitations would be equivalent to throwing open the gates for them to spread their teachings.
The Two Sages of the West were confident that their Merit would soar by tens of thousands of times!
In an instant, smiles bloomed across the two sages' faces.
Tongtian watched coldly from the side and was the first to perceive their intent.
What Hongjun had done was truly killing two birds with one stone: repaying heaven and earth's Karma while using the opportunity to support the Rise of the West.
The separation of immortals and mortals was a simple yet far-reaching move that directly drove the sages apart!
Tongtian stared at Hongjun, and a chill rose within his heart.
Fortunately, he believed he had seen through Hongjun's designs and stepped outside the game.
Yet Hongjun's move was irrefutable proof
that he would ultimately be unable to escape the Investiture of the Gods Calamity!
Worthy indeed of Dao Ancestor Hongjun, who treated heaven and earth as a board, creation as a path, living beings as pieces, sat in command at Purple Cloud, and manipulated the ages!
Mockery flashed through Hongjun's eyes as he calmly issued his order:
"The day the sages decide upon the Investiture of the Gods List shall be the day the Three Realms are separated."
"This is the great trend of the Heavenly Dao and cannot be resisted."
His voice was flat and emotionless.
"At this gathering for the Investiture of the Gods List, it must be signed. This is the iron law of the Heavenly Dao!"
The sages were once again horrified!
The separation of immortals and mortals had become an established fact, and the sages understood this clearly.
The day the Investiture of the Gods List was signed would be the day of separation. At that time, the Primordial Era would be overturned.
Hongjun had plainly stated that sages would not be bound by the Heavenly Lock and could travel freely through the Three Realms.
But all the sages knew that those were merely fine-sounding words.
If even their attendant immortal officials could not descend to the mortal realm, how could they appear alone?
Where would a sage's bearing and dignity remain?
Hongjun clearly intended to weaken their influence over the Three Realms.
They would not investigate the deeper mysteries for now; that was not the urgent matter.
Signing the Investiture of the Gods List was the foremost priority.
The sages fell silent!
Although they had already chosen disciples to be placed on the list in their hearts,
in truth, not a single sage wished for their own disciples' True Spirits to enter the list, fall under the Heavenly Court's control, switch to the Divine Path, and forever lose their freedom.
But what could they do if they were unwilling? The Heavenly Dao's decision could not be reversed.
In the end, the sages still had to act according to the Heavenly Dao of the Primordial Era.
Zhunti's eyes shifted slightly as he rose and asked, "Dao Ancestor, may Fellow Daoist Tongtian participate in the Investiture of the Gods List?"
Tongtian swept him with a cold glance, but Zhunti remained unmoved.
Zhunti's intention was perfectly clear.
Since Hongjun had summoned Tongtian to deliberate with them, he clearly intended to draw him in.
Then, when the list was signed, Tongtian would bear responsibility as well.
Though Tongtian had old Karma with him,
this time, Zhunti had no intention of entangling himself with old debts.
He merely felt that with one more person sharing the burden, the Western Teachings' pressure would lessen somewhat.
Although the Western Teachings had now become the greatest sect in the Primordial Era,
Zhunti was still reluctant to send his disciples onto the list—this concerned the foundation of the Rise of the West.
Though Tongtian had expelled his disciples, abolished himself, and disbanded the Interception Sect,
more than two hundred disciples still remained in Biyou Palace, a number far exceeding the combined total of the Human Sect and Chan Jiao.
If Tongtian were brought in, how many fewer disciples would the Western Teachings need to provide!
As soon as Zhunti finished speaking, the sages paused briefly before calling out together, "Excellent!"
Tongtian, too, felt helpless!
Did none of them wish to see him remain untouched?
Where was the bond among the Three Pure Ones?
What about the friendship among Mystic Gate sages?
Was this all there was?
In that instant, Tongtian tasted the full bitterness of being a chess piece.
Even after abolishing his own sage position, disbanding the Interception Sect, and avoiding the destruction of his Dao path,
he still could not escape the net of the Investiture of the Gods Calamity!
Tongtian steadied himself.
He wanted to see how Hongjun would respond!
Hongjun said calmly:
"Tongtian shall naturally participate!"
"He is Hunyuan and was once a sage of the Heavenly Dao. His status is no lower than that of a sage."
Hongjun added one more sentence.
"This, too, is the Heavenly Dao's decision!"
Tongtian immediately fell silent.
Hongjun had invoked the Heavenly Dao. Who would dare argue? It would only invite trouble!
All the sages revealed smiles.
In their eyes, Tongtian's more than two hundred Biyou Palace disciples were all destined for the Investiture of the Gods List.
Tongtian did not waste words and said to Hongjun:
"Dao Ancestor, you once said that those placed upon the Investiture of the Gods List had shallow foundations, scant fortune, arduous immortal paths. Was that correct?"
Hongjun nodded.
Those had indeed been his words.
Tongtian smiled and lightly flicked his sleeve. The Investiture of the Gods List fell into his palm.
He plucked out a whisker and turned it into a brush, writing swiftly as the wind.
Then he presented the list back to Hongjun.
"Will this do?"
Hongjun was slightly startled. He secretly worked out the mysteries, an unusual gleam flashing in his eyes. "It will!"
The Saints were dumbfounded.
That could be done?
How outrageous!
Weren't the Saints supposed to discuss the Investiture of the Gods List together?
How had Tongtian finished writing it alone, then directly asked the Dao Ancestor?
Most shocking of all, the Dao Ancestor had actually agreed!
It was simply absurd!
Tongtian smiled faintly, leaving the Saints with an unfathomable impression.
He thought:
Free of office, free of burdens! Though I have not entirely escaped the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, I have still gained great freedom!
Saints must ultimately abide by the rules of Heavenly Dao, even one who is nearly the Incarnation of Heavenly Dao!
Tongtian clung tightly to Hongjun's earlier words.
He had long since driven all his sinful disciples out of the Primordial Era, leaving them to wander.
Those he kept by his side were all virtuous True Immortals.
Tongtian had not written anyone else's names.
Only the eight great disciples and the Two Attendant Immortals had all been entered onto the list.
How could Hongjun possibly be dissatisfied with such a list?
Tongtian saw it as clearly as fire. If this had been the old Interception Sect,
once the list emerged, all eight disciples might have ended up on it.
But the Interception Sect had already dispersed, and all sin had been purged.
With his Hunyuan body, protecting his eight disciples would be effortless.
If anyone truly ended up on the list, there had to be something fishy going on.
Besides, Tongtian had prepared contingencies.
He was not afraid of Hongjun manipulating things behind the scenes.
The Saints stared at Tongtian in shock.
But Tongtian had already finished signing. No matter how many names he had written, Hongjun had approved it.
If they continued to pick faults, they would be forming Karma!
The five Saints fell silent.
They had been happy to see this arrangement, but when it came to themselves, they were unwilling.
Whether they wished it or not, the list had to be completed.
Zixiao Palace remained silent for a long while.
Taishang slowly said, "My Human Sect has only one disciple, Xuandu. If he enters the list, my lineage will be severed."
He did not wait for the Saints to agree or mock him.
"Heavenly Law cannot be defied. So be it. My Good Corpse incarnation shall take my place for this trial!"
Taishang took the list and wrote in the void, branding the four words "Taishang Laojun" upon it.
Taishang returned the list, then patted the crown of his head. Pure Qi surged forth, transforming into an elderly Daoist.
He said, "Sorry for the trouble, fellow Daoist!"
Taishang Laojun laughed heartily. "You and I are one. Why say more?"
With that, he transformed into a streak of light and entered the list, becoming the first name upon it!
Yuanshi, Nuwa, Jieyin, and Zhunti all changed expression.
Tongtian silently praised him.
This man was decisive and ruthless.
By using his Good Corpse incarnation, he ensured his lineage's Immortality.
When immortals and mortals were separated, what was most precious?
The disciples within one's sect!
The success or failure of faith among the Human Race depended on which Saint won their hearts.
Disciples were of utmost importance.
Tongtian believed that with Taishang's Merit and Luck, he would certainly protect Xuandu well.
Yet Taishang's move had directly spared Xuandu from the calamity while currying favor with Hongjun. It was truly sinister.
Once Taishang had acted,
the other Saints had no path of retreat. Yuanshi, Nuwa, Jieyin, and Zhunti all took up brushes and wrote upon the list.
Hongjun smiled. "The Investiture of the Gods List is settled. Immortals and mortals shall be separated, and the Three Realms shall be set upon their proper courses!"
Hongjun was the Incarnation of Heavenly Dao and wielded the Authority of the Heavenly Dao.
His words were equivalent to a decree.
No one could alter them.
The instant his words fell, heaven and earth underwent a drastic transformation.
The Primordial Era was boundless and vast. Even Saints traveling it with their own feet would require hundreds of millions of years.
The Western Teachings often lamented their poor circumstances. Mount Sumeru was as small as a palm, with sparse living beings.
Yet that palm-sized Mount Sumeru could contain a hundred billion living beings.
And Mount Sumeru was not even one ten-thousandth the size of the east!
As Hongjun spoke,
the Primordial Era instantly split apart, the entire world dividing into three domains.
One domain became the Earth Immortal Realm, with countless blessed grotto-heavens, magnificent mountains and rivers, and boundless spiritual energy.
One domain became the Human Realm.
All mortal races and everyone below the Heavenly Immortal realm belonged there.
The final domain was the Netherworld Realm, the former Nine Underworlds and Ten Lands.
The Saints gazed across the Primordial Era from afar.
They saw that the division was extraordinarily profound.
Hongjun had not created realms from nothing—there was no need for that.
He had merely used supreme magical power to split the surface layer of the Primordial Era into two ends.
Endless spiritual energy and cultivators above the Heavenly Immortal realm—including demons, devils, ghosts, and monsters—were separated from mortal beings and gathered in one place.
From then on, the transcendent belonged with the transcendent, and the mortal world belonged with the mortal world. The boundaries were strict.
Hongjun pointed, and two Heavenly Dao Talismans rose from Zixiao Palace.
They descended upon the world membranes of the Three Realms.
They were the Heavenly Locks.
From now on, traveling the Human Realm required either Heavenly Court permission or sufficient cultivation.
Should great powers defy the order,
the punishment of Heavenly Law would follow.
Either the Heavenly Court would apprehend them, the Saints would punish them, or... Heavenly Punishment would descend!
The paths of the Three Realms were not subordinate to one another.
The Saints' expressions turned ugly.
Tongtian naturally understood why the Saints looked so grim.
The Saints' influence had been greatly reduced, to the point that it was inferior to the Heavenly Court of the Primordial Era.
Before immortals and mortals were separated, Saintly will covered the Primordial Era. With no locks to obstruct them, a single thought could accomplish anything.
After the separation, Saints could still travel freely as before.
But if they wished to retain their former influence, that was utterly impossible.
Though their Saintly status would inspire awe in the Human Realm's living beings,
the distance between them was like an impassable chasm.
The beings of the Human Realm would have nothing left but awe!
It would be difficult for the Saints to maintain their former majesty!
How could their expressions possibly relax?
Yet Tongtian did not know that this was not what the Saints regretted.
They regretted it!
What they regretted was not the separation of immortals and mortals, nor the Three Realms being set upon their proper courses.
It was the Investiture of the Gods List!
They regretted signing the Investiture of the Gods List so carelessly!
Had they known the separation and proper ordering would turn out like this,
how could they have written their names down in such haste!
How important was the Heavenly Court!
If they had foreseen this, who would have been foolish enough to sign that list?
When signing it, they had feared that their favored disciples would enter the list.
Thus, they had filled it with weak disciples and sinful disciples, terrified of adding too many of their own and wishing they could shove them onto others.
Now, however, they were dumbstruck!
Had they known the Heavenly Court would be as weighty as Mount Tai, they would certainly have changed their strategy!
Now, they could only stand there in a daze!
Hongjun looked at the uncomprehending Tongtian and Nuwa and inwardly sighed:
"Among my disciples, only Tongtian and Nuwa possess hearts as still as water. The others..."
He knew his disciples' thoughts well.
Tongtian and Nuwa walked paths different from the other Saints.
Those with different paths could not make plans together.
This was also why Hongjun was not afraid of Tongtian breaking free from the board.
The Three Pure Ones were one body, their Karma entangled.
If Tongtian wished to leap beyond heaven and earth's chessboard,
Hongjun would not even need to act. Taishang and Yuanshi alone would make it difficult for Tongtian to struggle free.
Hongjun pointed again, and a vast beam of light descended into the Sea of Consciousness of all beings in the Primordial Era.
"Immortals and mortals shall be separated, and the Three Realms shall be set upon their proper courses!"
At this point, the preliminary battlefield for the Investiture of the Gods was ready.
Hongjun said to the Saints, "Return and prepare for battle. In a thousand years, the Investiture of the Gods Calamity shall begin."
The Saints looked at one another, saluted, and departed.
The third gathering at Zixiao Palace had brought wave after wave of increasingly devastating shocks!
They had only just digested one piece of news when another great wave arrived.
There was no way to evade it.
Moreover, this separation and proper ordering had been entirely unexpected.
They had mountains of matters to handle.
Tongtian also bid the Saints farewell and returned to Biyou Palace on Jin'ao Island in the East Sea, where he summoned his disciples and instructed them:
"Immortals and mortals have been separated, and the Three Realms have been set upon their proper courses."
"Do you understand its deeper meaning?"
The disciples had already received the Dao Ancestor's transmitted message. How could they know the hidden mysteries behind it?
Tongtian explained calmly,
"The Earth Immortal Realm is the Investiture of the Gods Battlefield. To preserve Yin-Yang balance, the Human Realm is therefore protected."
"You must remember that cultivators of the Primordial Era regard the Human Realm as a reserve source."
"Do not become entangled in the killing calamity."
The Biyou disciples answered in unison.
Duobao asked in confusion:
"Master, even if we stir up the killing calamity, we would not bully mortals, would we?"
"Cultivators have their pride!"
Tongtian swept his gaze over the Biyou Immortals and saw them all nodding.
Their thoughts were the same as Duobao's.
Even when displaying their might, they would not direct it at mortals.
They were elites. Their opponents had always been disciples of Saints.
Tongtian was gratified.
"It is best that you all think this way."
"You have not wasted the efforts of our sect."
"I have another piece of news: the Investiture of the Gods List has been finalized. Even if I were to abolish myself, it would still be difficult to evade this fate."
The Biyou Immortals' expressions changed drastically.
How terrifying was the Investiture of the Gods List!
Those whose names appeared on it all had shallow foundations and scant destiny; their immortal paths would be rugged.
They had thought that, since Tongtian had expelled over nine thousand disciples, they themselves would avoid the list.
Who would have thought that some Biyou Disciples were still fated for it.
Tongtian continued, "To speak plainly, I have entered the eight chief disciples of the inner and outer sects on my list!"
The Biyou Great Experts erupted in an uproar.
Wuyun Xian stepped forward. "Master, those eight senior brothers and sisters are the backbone of our sect. If they are placed on the list like this, then..."
Tongtian cut him off with a smile. "They have their own opportunities. They may even gain great benefits!"
Before you continue