Dao Ancestor Severs Immortals from Mortals, All Sages Sign the God List

Upon hearing this, the faces of the Sages turned as pale as paper!

The Primordial Era is vast beyond measure; even these high and mighty Sages would not dare claim to have traversed every inch of its soil.

It would take hundreds of millions of years of time just to catch a glimpse of the whole!

The Dao Ancestor's declaration was like a sharp blade, cleanly severing the bonds between the Three Realms.

From this moment on, those who transcend shall remain in transcendence, and the people of the mortal world shall find peace, no longer subject to interference.

Hongjun then mentioned the technique of the "Heavenly Lock," instantly sealing the paths connecting the Heaven, Earth, and Human realms, erecting barriers between the domains to completely isolate them.

Zhunti was burning with anxiety; he rose and kowtowed to ask: "Dao Ancestor, how exactly does this Heavenly Lock function?"

Hongjun's gaze swept over the Sages, a faint, imperceptible sneer curling his lips, clearly mocking their shallowness.

His tone was as cold as frost, devoid of any ripples.

"The Heavenly Lock is merely a metaphor, not a tangible object."

"The Heavenly Dao will exert 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. If one wishes to open the gates, it shall require the consent of a Sage and the permission of the Heavenly Court to pass."

"The peak of mortal cultivators shall be limited to the Earth Immortal Realm; those wishing to advance further must rely on the opportunity of ascending in broad daylight."

"Depending on the Golden Core Method they practice, they shall either ascend to the Earth Immortal Realm or fall into the Nine Netherworld."

Hongjun suddenly let out a soft chuckle.

"When all is said and done, it is merely established for the sake of Yin-Yang harmony!"

Upon hearing this, the Sages all gasped in unison!

Taishang, Yuanshi, Nuwa, Jieyin, Zhunti, and Tongtian—without exception, their faces turned leaden!

This move by Hongjun completely overturned their calculations.

Sages are meant to conform to the Heavenly Dao, regulate Yin-Yang, enlighten all spirits, and rule over the stars of the universe.

Though they compete with one another, they fight for Luck and Merit!

Those things are essentially within their grasp, and in practice, they require no strenuous effort.

After all, they are Sages personally appointed by the Heavenly Dao.

In the Primordial Era, Sages are supreme; beneath the Sages, all are but dust.

A single word from a Sage is enough to make the mortal masses worship them wholeheartedly.

Extracting the power of faith is, to them, an effortless task.

Take, for example, the Human Sect of Taishang.

He settled his Karma with the Human Race simply by relying on the "Golden Core Method."

Yet, relying on the prestige of a Sage and the signboard of a great sect, how numerous are his mortal followers.

But how much guidance does the Human Sect actually provide to mortals?

Very little!

Yet, in temples across the Primordial Era, a constant stream of guidance descends.

This gives mortals the illusion that the Sages are looking down upon them!

Is that truly the case?

Absolutely not!

Though mortals are the protagonists of heaven and earth, they are ultimately like ants.

They are merely tools to provide faith and Merit!

The Sages looked grim; with one move, Hongjun had shattered their beautiful dreams.

From now on, trying to swindle and bluff in the name of the Human Race will be difficult!

The Human Race is extremely pragmatic.

Once immortals and mortals are separated, Without tangible benefits, who would be willing to offer their faith?

This move by Hongjun directly cut off their source of Merit from the position of the protagonists.

The Sages are all beings of great wisdom.

They more keenly captured a hint of change:

The authority of the Heavenly Court will rise with the tide!

Before the separation of immortals and mortals, Immortals and humans lived together, and Sages and immortals appeared frequently.

The role of the Heavenly Court could never truly shine.

Although Haotian calls himself the Lord of the Three Realms, how many in the Primordial Era truly respect him?

Above are the Sages, and below are the Quasi-Saint old monsters.

Who would respect a "God" who is nothing but a hollow shell?

Even though Haotian is also a Quasi-Saint!

But after the separation of immortals and mortals, the situation has turned upside down.

The Heavenly Court controls the passages of the Three Realms.

If the Sages wish to spread their faith and gather Merit, they must also borrow the paths of the Heavenly Court.

Haotian's status has been invisibly elevated.

The Sages have always looked down upon Haotian's origins.

Now, to be constrained by him... how could they be happy?

What? Would Haotian dare to make things difficult for the Sages?

As a mere Quasi-Saint, he naturally would not dare.

But if two Sages issue edicts to spread their teachings at the same time, one side is close to Haotian, and the other is at odds with him.

How would Haotian choose?

He only needs to follow the rules and regulations to delay the hostile side until the end of time.

And the friendly side, even if they have anger, has nowhere to vent it.

Sages must also act according to the Heavenly Dao!

Where is the dignity of the Sages?

The Sages were silent.

They weighed repeatedly in their hearts what kind of waves this great change by Dao Ancestor Hongjun would bring them.

Taishang and Yuanshi had particularly livid expressions.

The Human Sect has great grace toward the Human Race.

The Chan Jiao, borrowing their shade, has developed a significant number of followers among the Human Race.

Yet, their contribution to the Human Race is almost non-existent.

After the separation of immortals and mortals, it is becoming increasingly difficult to seize Merit in such a way.

Nuwa, however, was indifferent.

She is the Mother of All Races; all post-celestial living beings, except for the Asura, were created by her hands.

With the separation of immortals and mortals, the Human Race is freed from the shackles of the extraordinary, and their lives will actually be better.

The impact on her is minimal.

The Two Sages of the West also had dark expressions at first.

But after calming down, they suddenly realized that this was a heaven-sent opportunity!

Compared to the Human Sect and Chan Jiao, who do not worry about faith, the Western Teachings have always been miserable.

The territory of the Western Teachings is only a corner of Mount Sumeru.

The Western World is desolate, filled with Demon Kingdoms, and sparsely populated.

The followers of the Western Teachings are all ascetic practitioners.

With the separation of immortals and mortals, the disciples of the Human Sect and Chan Jiao find it difficult to adapt for a time.

But the Western Teachings have no obstacles at all!

Moreover, the upper limit of the Human Realm's power is equivalent to opening the door for them to spread their teachings.

The Two Sages of the West are confident that their Merit will increase tenfold!

In an instant, smiles bloomed on the faces of the two Sages.

Tongtian watched coldly from the sidelines, the only one to perceive the intent.

What Dao Ancestor Hongjun has done is truly killing two birds with one stone: repaying the Karma of heaven and earth, and taking the opportunity to support the Rise of the West.

The separation of immortals and mortals, this simple yet profound move, has directly caused the Sages to fall apart!

Tongtian stared at Dao Ancestor Hongjun, and a chill rose from the bottom of his heart.

Fortunately, he believes he has insight into Dao Ancestor Hongjun's schemes and has jumped out of the game.

However, this move by Dao Ancestor Hongjun is ironclad proof, and in the end, he will not be able to escape the Investiture of the Gods Calamity!

He is truly worthy of being Dao Ancestor Hongjun, who views heaven and earth as a board, creation as the path, all living beings as pieces, and sits in Zixiao, manipulating the eras!

A flicker of mockery crossed Dao Ancestor Hongjun's eyes as he calmly issued the order:

"The day the Sages decide on the Investiture of the Gods List shall be the moment the Three Realms are separated."

"This is the grand trend of the Heavenly Dao, irresistible."

His voice was flat and emotionless.

"The Investiture of the Gods List must be signed during this gathering; this is an iron law of the Heavenly Dao!"

The Sages were shocked once again upon hearing this!

The separation of immortals and mortals had become a settled matter, and the Sages knew it well.

The day the Investiture of the Gods List was signed would be the moment of separation, and at that time, the Primordial Era would be turned upside down.

Hongjun had explicitly stated that Sages were not bound by the Heavenly Lock and could travel freely through the Three Realms.

However, all the Sages knew that these words were merely flowery rhetoric.

If even their attendant Immortal Officials could not descend to the mortal realm, how could they appear as Sages all by themselves?

Where would the dignity and prestige of a Sage remain?

It was clear that Hongjun intended to weaken their influence in the Three Realms.

They would not dwell on the deeper mysteries for now; that was not the priority at the moment.

Signing the Investiture of the Gods List was the primary task.

The Sages fell silent!

Even though they had already selected disciples to be placed on the list in their hearts, in reality, not a single Sage wanted the True Spirit of their own disciple to be listed, subjected to the control of the Heavenly Court, forced to cultivate the Divine Path, and lose their freedom forever.

But what if they were unwilling? The resolution of the Heavenly Dao could not be reversed.

Ultimately, the actions of the Sages still had to conform to the Heavenly Dao of the Primordial Era.

Zhunti's eyes darted, and he stood up to ask: "Dao Ancestor, can fellow Daoist Tongtian participate in the Investiture of the Gods List?"

Tongtian swept a cold gaze over him, but Zhunti did not budge.

Zhunti's intention was very clear.

Since Hongjun had summoned Tongtian to discuss this together, it was obvious he wanted to drag him into it.

Therefore, when it came time to sign the list, he should also have a responsibility.

Although Tongtian had old Karma with him, this time, Zhunti had no intention of getting entangled in old debts.

He simply felt that with one more person to share the burden, the pressure on the Western Teachings would be slightly reduced.

Even though the Western Teachings had now become the largest sect in the Primordial Era, Zhunti was still unwilling to have his disciples on the list—that concerned the foundation of the Rise of the West.

Although Tongtian had expelled his disciples and dissolved Jiejiao, there were still over two hundred disciples in Biyou Palace, a number far exceeding the total of the Human Sect and Chan Jiao combined.

If he could pull Tongtian into the fold, the Western Teachings could avoid sacrificing so many disciples!

After Zhunti finished speaking, the Sages paused slightly and exclaimed in unison: "Excellent!"

Tongtian also felt helpless!

Did everyone really not want to see him remain aloof?

Where was the friendship of the Three Pure Ones?

What about the camaraderie among the Sages of the Mystic Gate?

Was it just like this?

In an instant, Tongtian tasted the bitterness of being a chess piece.

Even though he had abandoned his Sage position and dissolved Jiejiao to avoid the destruction of his path, he still could not escape the net of the Investiture of the Gods tribulation!

Tongtian steadied his mind.

He wanted to see how Hongjun would respond!

Hongjun said indifferently:

"Tongtian shall naturally participate!"

"He is a Hunyuan, formerly a Sage of the Heavenly Dao, and his status is no less than that of a Sage."

Hongjun added another sentence, "This, too, is a resolution of the Heavenly Dao!"

Tongtian immediately fell silent.

With Hongjun bringing up the Heavenly Dao, who dared to argue? That would be asking for trouble!

The Sages all revealed smiles.

In their eyes, the two hundred-plus disciples of Tongtian at Biyou Palace were all destined to be on the list.

Tongtian did not mince words, saying to Hongjun:

"Dao Ancestor, you once said that those who ascend the Investiture of the Gods List possess shallow roots, meager fortune, and a difficult path to immortality, is that correct?"

Hongjun nodded.

These were indeed his words from the past.

Tongtian smiled, flicked his sleeve, and the Investiture of the Gods List landed in his palm.

He plucked a whisker to transform into a brush, writing as swiftly as the wind.

He then returned the list to Hongjun.

"Is this acceptable?"

Hongjun was slightly taken aback, his mind calculating the hidden mysteries as a strange light flashed in his eyes: "It is!"

The various saints were left soul-shaken and dejected.

How could such a thing be done?

This was preposterous!

Was the Investiture of the Gods List not meant to be discussed by all the saints?

How could Tongtian finish writing it alone and then immediately consult the Dao Ancestor?

Most shocking of all, the Dao Ancestor actually agreed!

It was simply absurd!

Tongtian smiled faintly, leaving the saints with an impression of unfathomable depth.

He thought to himself:

Without an official position, one is light of body and mind! Although I have not fully escaped the calamity of the Investiture, I have ultimately gained great freedom!

Even a saint must follow the rules of Heavenly Dao, even if one is close to being an Incarnation of Heavenly Dao!

Tongtian had seized upon Hongjun's previous words.

He had long since expelled all his sinful disciples into the Primordial Era, leaving them to drift.

Those who remained by his side were all true immortals of virtue.

Tongtian did not sign anyone else's name.

He only filled the list with his eight great disciples and the Two Attendant Immortals.

How could Hongjun be dissatisfied with this list?

Tongtian saw things as clearly as a fire; if it were the old Jiejiao, all eight disciples would likely have ended up on the list.

But the Jiejiao had already dispersed, and all sin had been purged.

With his Hunyuan body, protecting his eight disciples was an easy task.

If anyone truly ended up on the list, there would certainly be something fishy going on.

Besides, Tongtian had prepared contingencies.

He did not fear Hongjun's behind-the-scenes manipulation.

The saints stared at Tongtian in shock.

But Tongtian had already finished signing, and no matter how many he filled in, he had received Hongjun's approval.

To find fault now would be to forge Karma!

The five saints remained silent.

They were happy to see this outcome, yet when it came to their own turn, they were unwilling.

Whether they were willing or not, the list had to be filled.

Zixiao Palace remained silent for a long time.

Taishang said slowly: "My Human Sect has only one disciple, Xuandu; if he were to be on the list, my lineage would be severed."

He did not wait for the other saints to agree or mock him.

"The laws of Heaven are hard to defy, so be it; my Good Corpse avatar shall go in my stead!"

Taishang took the list and wrote in the void, the four characters "Taishang Laojun" branded upon it.

Taishang returned the list and struck the top of his head, causing Pure Qi to surge forth and transform into an elderly Daoist.

He said: "I have troubled you, fellow Daoist!"

Taishang Laojun laughed loudly: "You and I are one, why the need for so many words?"

Having said this, he turned into a stream of light and flew straight into the list, becoming the very first name!

The expressions of Yuanshi, Nuwa, Jieyin, and Zhunti changed simultaneously.

Tongtian praised him inwardly.

This man was decisive in his killing.

Using his Good Corpse incarnation to ensure the immortality of his lineage.

At the moment of the separation between immortals and mortals, what was the most valuable thing?

The disciples within the sect!

The success or failure of faith in the Human Realm depended on which of the sages could win the hearts of the Human Race.

Disciples were of the utmost importance.

Tongtian believed that with Taishang's Merit and Luck, he would surely keep Xuandu safe.

However, this move by Taishang, which directly exempted Xuandu from the tribulation while also currying favor with Hongjun, was truly sinister.

Once Taishang made his move, The other sages had no path of retreat; Yuanshi, Nuwa, Jieyin, and Zhunti all took up their brushes to sign the Investiture of the Gods List one after another.

Hongjun smiled: "The Investiture of the Gods List is set, the immortals and mortals are separated, and the Three Realms are on their destined tracks!"

Hongjun was the Incarnation of Heavenly Dao, wielding the Authority of the Heavenly Dao.

His words were equivalent to a decree.

No one could change them.

As soon as his voice fell, the world underwent a drastic change.

The Primordial Era was vast and boundless; even for a sage, it would take hundreds of millions of years to traverse it on foot.

The Western Teachings often lamented their harsh circumstances, with Mount Sumeru being as small as a palm, and its living beings sparse.

Yet, that palm-sized Mount Sumeru could contain hundreds of billions of living beings.

And yet, Mount Sumeru was not even one ten-thousandth of the East!

As soon as Hongjun spoke, The Primordial Era split in an instant, and the entire world tore into three domains.

One domain was the Earth Immortal Realm, with countless blessed lands and grotto-heavens, magnificent mountains and rivers, and boundless, surging spiritual energy.

One domain was the Human Realm.

All mortal races, and those below the level of Celestial Immortal, all belonged here.

The final domain was the Netherworld Realm, which was the former Nine Underworlds and Ten Lands.

The sages looked out over the Primordial Era from afar, Seeing that the division was extremely profound.

Hongjun did not create the realms out of thin air—there was no need for that.

He merely used his supreme magic power to split the surface of the Primordial Era into two ends.

Endless spiritual energy and cultivators above the level of Celestial Immortal—including demons, ghosts, and monsters—were all separated from the mortal beings and gathered into one corner.

From then on, the transcendent would remain transcendent, and the mortal would remain mortal, with strict boundaries between them.

Hongjun pointed his finger, and two Heavenly Dao Talismans rose from the Purple Heaven Palace, Landing upon the membranes of the Three Realms.

These were the Heavenly Locks.

From now on, walking in the Human Realm would require the permission of the Heavenly Court, or one would have to suppress their cultivation level.

If a great power disobeyed the order, The punishment of the Heavenly Law would follow.

Either the Heavenly Court would capture them, the sages would punish them, or... Heavenly Punishment would descend!

The various paths of the Three Realms were no longer under a single jurisdiction.

The faces of the sages were unsightly.

Tongtian understood why the faces of the sages were ashen.

The influence of the sages had plummeted, to the point where it was not even as great as the Heavenly Court of the Primordial Era.

Before the separation of immortals and mortals, the thoughts of the sages could spread throughout the Primordial Era without any locks to hinder them, and a single thought could accomplish anything.

After the separation, if the sages wished to travel as freely as before—they could.

But to maintain their former influence was absolutely impossible.

Although the status of a sage still commanded awe from the beings of the Human Realm, There was now a chasm between them.

The beings of the Human Realm would only have awe, and nothing more!

For the sages to maintain their former prestige would be difficult indeed!

How could their expressions possibly be relaxed?

Yet Tongtian did not know that what the sages regretted was not this.

They were full of regret!

They did not regret the separation of immortals and mortals or the stabilization of the Three Realms.

It was the Investiture of the Gods List!

They regretted having signed the Investiture of the Gods List so rashly!

If they had known the separation and stabilization would turn out like this, how could they have signed their names in such a hurry!

How vital the Heavenly Court was!

If they had foreseen this, who would have been crazy enough to sign that list?

When signing the list, they feared their own prized disciples would end up on it, so they filled it with weak or sinful disciples, terrified of adding too many of their own, wishing only to push the burden onto others.

Now, they were dumbfounded!

Had they known the Heavenly Court was as heavy as Mount Tai, they would have certainly changed their strategy!

Now, they could only stand there, stunned!

Hongjun looked at the puzzled Tongtian and Nuwa, sighing inwardly:

"Among my disciples, only Tongtian and Nuwa have hearts as still as water; the others..."

He knew his disciples' minds well.

The paths of Tongtian and Nuwa were different from his own.

Different paths, no common ground.

This was also the reason why Hongjun did not fear Tongtian breaking free from the board.

The Three Pure Ones were one, their Karma intertwined.

Want to leap out of the heaven and earth chessboard?

There was no need for Hongjun to act; Taishang and Yuanshi would make it difficult for Tongtian to struggle free.

Hongjun pointed again, and a vast 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 stabilized!"

With this, the outpost battlefield for the Investiture of the Gods was set.

Hongjun said to the sages: "Return and prepare for war. In a thousand years, the Investiture of the Gods Calamity shall begin."

The sages looked at each other, bowed, and departed.

The three gatherings at Zixiao Palace brought waves of impact that grew ever stronger!

Just as they digested one piece of news, a giant wave arrived.

There was no way to dodge.

Moreover, this separation and stabilization were completely unexpected.

They had mountains of matters to attend to.

Tongtian also parted from the sages, returned to Biyou Palace on Jin'ao Island in the East Sea, and summoned his disciples to decree:

"Immortals and mortals are separated; the Three Realms are stabilized."

"Do you understand the profound meaning behind this?"

The disciples had already received the Dao Ancestor's transmission, so how could they know the mystery behind the scenes?

Tongtian stated calmly, "The Earth Immortal Realm is the Investiture of the Gods Battlefield. To maintain the balance of Yin-Yang, the Human Realm is therefore protected."

"You must remember that Primordial Era cultivators view the human world as a reserve source."

"Do not get tainted by the killing calamity."

The Biyou Immortals responded in unison.

Duobao asked in confusion:

"Master, even if we were to engage in the killing calamity, we would not bully mortals, would we?"

"Cultivators have their own pride!"

Tongtian scanned the Biyou Immortals and saw them all nodding.

Their thoughts were the same as Duobao's.

Even if they showed their might, it would not be against mortals.

They were the elite, and their opponents were always the disciples of other sages.

Tongtian felt gratified.

"It is excellent that you all think this way."

"You have not failed the efforts of my sect."

"I shall tell you one more piece of news: the Investiture of the Gods List has been signed, and even if I were to abolish my own cultivation, it would still be difficult to avoid this fate."

The expressions of the Biyou Immortals changed drastically.

How terrifying the Investiture of the Gods List was!

Those who ended up on the list were all shallow in foundation and affinity, their paths to immortality destined to be rugged.

They had originally assumed that since Tongtian had dismissed over nine thousand disciples, they themselves would be spared from the list.

Who would have expected that among the Biyou Disciples, some were still destined to be included.

Tongtian continued, "I might as well speak plainly: I have filled the list with the eight great disciples from both the inner and outer sects!"

The Biyou Great Experts were in an uproar.

Wuyun Xian stepped forward, "Master, those eight senior brothers and sisters are our pillars; if they are to be on the list just like that, is it not..."

Tongtian stopped him from speaking and smiled, "They have their own opportunities, and may even gain great benefits!"