Purple Heaven Palace Issues Edict? Fill Out the Project Application First!

A personal disciple of a Sage, with the Dao name Wuwei.

Wielding the Green Lotus, beheading first and reporting after.

Sect Leader Tongtian's words, like heavenly decrees imbued with the Supreme Great Dao, echoed above Golden Ao Island.

In the distance, Daoist Duobao and Zhao Gongming's bodies shook violently.

The two exchanged glances, seeing an almost unbelievable ecstasy in each other's eyes.

They strode forward and, facing Chen Changsheng, bowed with utmost solemnity.

"We, Duobao (Zhao Gongming), pay respects to Junior Brother Wuwei!"

This cry of "junior brother" came from the heart, spoken with genuine conviction.

Chen Changsheng quickly sidestepped to avoid receiving the full bow, his face still wearing that perfectly measured expression of weakness and fear.

"Two senior brothers, please don't. Changsheng... is unworthy of such honor."

"Eh! Junior Brother, your words are mistaken!"

Daoist Duobao stepped forward and personally helped him up, his attitude warm enough to be a different person.

"Master's golden words are final—you are our Jie Sect's eighth personal disciple! From now on, we fellow disciples shall be of one heart and mind, jointly protecting the Jie Sect!"

Zhao Gongming also laughed heartily, thumping his chest.

"Junior Brother Wuwei, from now on, anyone who dares cause you trouble is causing me, Zhao Gongming, trouble!"

Yet, amid this harmonious and joyful atmosphere of brotherly affection.

Deep within Chen Changsheng's sea of consciousness, the icy system prompt sounded like a bucket of Nine Nether Cold Spring water poured over his head.

[Warning! Detected abnormal Heavenly Dao movement from the direction of Purple Firmament Palace!]

[Dao Ancestor Hongjun seems to have taken an interest in the 'procedure' you've newly created...]

The smile on Chen Changsheng's face stiffened slightly.

The hand holding Daoist Duobao's arm unconsciously tightened.

Hongjun!

The one who merged with the Heavenly Dao, who treated Sages as chess pieces, the truly supreme existence in the Primordial World!

He, too, had noticed him?

A chill, ten thousand times more terrifying than when he faced Primordial Heavenly Venerate, frantically climbed up his spine.

"Junior Brother, what's wrong? Have your injuries not yet healed?"

Daoist Duobao keenly sensed his abnormality.

"It's nothing..."

Chen Changsheng forcibly suppressed the storm in his heart, squeezing out a smile uglier than tears.

"It's just... receiving such deep affection from Master stirs my heart, and I'm momentarily breathless."

Sect Leader Tongtian looked at his newly accepted disciple, growing more satisfied the longer he watched.

Neither arrogant nor impatient, with a steady temperament.

Most importantly, that dense, almost tangible fortune bound to the entire Jie Sect.

This was the key to breaking the tribulation!

He waved his hand grandly, his voice spreading across all of Golden Ao Island.

"Hear my decree!"

"Chen Changsheng, Dao name Wuwei, is my eighth personal disciple!"

"Effective immediately, the Calamity Aversion Department is elevated to the sect's core hub, overseeing all external disputes, internal reviews, and resource allocation!"

"All of the Jie Sect, inside and out, must abide by the 'procedures' set by the Calamity Aversion Department. Violators will be judged as traitors!"

As the decree was issued, the tens of thousands of disciples on Golden Ao Island instantly erupted!

They knelt prostrate, their voices like crashing waves.

"We humbly obey Master's decree!"

"Congratulations to Uncle-Master (Senior Brother) Wuwei!"

Countless fervent, adoring gazes converged on Chen Changsheng.

In their eyes, this newly promoted young uncle-master was no longer just a man.

He was the future hope of the Jie Sect!

A living god who could lead them safely through the Killing Tribulation!

Yet, at this very moment, when the worship of ten thousand immortals reached its peak.

The heavens changed.

Above Golden Ao Island, the cloudless blue sky, without warning, transformed into a deep, chaotic gray.

No thunder. No gale.

A supreme, vast, impartial Pressure descended slowly from the depths of chaos.

Beneath this Pressure, time seemed to freeze, space itself congealed.

The tens of thousands of disciples, whose voices had roared like mountains and seas, fell silent mid-cry. Their bodies were pinned in place, their very thoughts nearly grinding to a halt.

Daoist Duobao and Zhao Gongming's faces twisted violently, as if facing a great enemy.

Even Sect Leader Tongtian, on that unruly face of his, revealed a gravity never seen before.

He jerked his head up, staring into that chaos.

"Dao Ancestor?"

The words had barely left his lips.

A decree—neither gold nor jade, neither black nor white—drifted slowly down from the heart of the chaos.

It bore no aura, no fluctuation of energy.

But wherever it passed, ten thousand laws submitted, the Great Dao itself retreated.

As if it were the very incarnation of the Heavenly Dao, the origin of order.

The decree did not fall into anyone's hands. It simply hovered silently in midair.

Then, a voice—grand, indifferent, devoid of any emotion—rang out in the depths of every living being's heart.

"Thus passes the edict of Purple Firmament Palace."

"Jie Sect disciple Chen Changsheng has pioneered the 'Process' Dao, disrupting the Heavenly Mechanism and throwing cause and effect into discord."

"He is hereby ordered to come immediately to Purple Firmament Palace and... expound this Dao before This Seat."

The voice faded.

That decree dissolved into specks of mysterious light, merging with heaven and earth.

As if it had never existed.

But the Pressure—enough to suffocate even a Sage—still hung over the entire Golden Ao Island.

Purple Firmament Palace!

Dao Ancestor Hongjun!

He had personally issued a decree to summon Chen Changsheng!

And not for punishment, not for reward.

But... to expound this Dao?

Sect Leader Tongtian's face turned unspeakably grim.

The joy and relief that had just risen in his heart vanished without a trace, replaced by deep dread.

Others might not know, but as a Sage, how could he be ignorant?

The Dao Ancestor had merged with the Dao—he was the Heavenly Dao.

And the Heavenly Dao prized balance above all!

This "Process" that Chen Changsheng had cooked up had fundamentally shaken the Primordial World's original law of balance: the strong prey on the weak.

This was something the Heavenly Dao could not tolerate!

This summons, called an "expounding," was in truth... an inquisition!

If Chen Changsheng's answer failed to satisfy the Dao Ancestor—

The consequences would be unthinkable!

Even he, a Sage, could not protect him!

"Changsheng..."

Sect Leader Tongtian turned his head to look at Chen Changsheng, hesitation flickering in his eyes for the first time.

"This matter is no small thing. You..."

But before he could finish his words.

Chen Changsheng slowly shook his head at him.

He straightened his body, brushed the dust from his Daoist robe. The weakness and panic on his face had vanished, he knew not when.

Replaced by a calm never seen before.

A kind of absolute composure that had factored everything into its calculations, that held everything within its grasp—the composure that belonged to "Process."

He knew this was his greatest crisis.

But it was also his greatest opportunity!

A once-in-a-millennium chance to spread "Process" across the entire Primordial World!

He made a respectful bow to the anxious Sect Leader Tongtian.

"Master, there is no need to worry."

"The Dao Ancestor is also beneath the Heavenly Dao."

"All who are beneath the Heavenly Dao... are within the process."

As he spoke, he turned and looked at Daoist Duobao, who had long since been frightened out of his wits.

His voice was not loud, yet it clearly overpowered the heartbeat of everyone present.

"Senior Brother Duobao."

Daoist Duobao jolted and quickly responded.

"S... Second Junior Brother, what instructions do you have?"

A smile appeared on Chen Changsheng's face—a smile so businesslike and official that even Sect Leader Tongtian felt a chill run down his spine.

"Transmit my decree as Siling."

"Immediately draft an official letter and send it to the Purple Firmament Palace."

Daoist Duobao swallowed hard.

"An... official letter? Write... write what?"

Chen Changsheng gazed at the sky, where the chaos was gradually dispersing, and spoke slowly, word by word.

"Inform the Dao Ancestor's Office at the Purple Firmament Palace."

"Tell them that regarding his special cooperation invitation to 'Elucidate the Process Dao,' our sect's Calamity Aversion Department... agrees in principle."

"However."

"Elucidating the Dao is a matter of great importance, with far-reaching implications. A special task force must be established to conduct a feasibility assessment."

"Before that, to clarify the Project Scope and define the rights and responsibilities of both parties."

"Please ask the Dao Ancestor to first fill out this <Cross-Faction Strategic Cooperation Project · Preliminary Requirements Survey Form>..."

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