Political stance?
Ao Guang's dragon brain fell into an unprecedented blank the moment he heard those four words.
He had lived through countless Yuanhuis, witnessed the Dragon-Han Initial Tribulation, experienced the Witch-Demon Hegemony, drunk with Sages, and listened to the Dao with the Dao Ancestor.
Yet he swore that even if he crushed together and kneaded all the Three Thousand Great Daos and billions of laws he knew, he still could not form the four words "political stance."
What was this?
Some supreme incantation pointing directly toward the Great Dao?
Or a vicious curse newly devised by the Interception Sect, specifically to taint one's Dao heart?
Behind him, the Dragon King's descendants and the Aquatic Clan generals looked at one another, their faces filled with stupidity and confusion utterly mismatched with their formidable cultivation.
The Interception Sect disciple responsible for registration saw the Dragon King's dazed expression and put on a professional smile that had clearly undergone rigorous training.
He pushed up a pair of nonexistent glasses on his nose and drew out another Jade Slip from a stack in his robes.
"Dragon King, it seems you are confused about this field."
"This is the Primordial World Household Registration Information FAQ Manual V1.0 compiled by our office. It contains a clear explanation of 'political stance.'"
He activated the Jade Slip slightly, projecting a Light Screen before Ao Guang.
[Political Stance: Refers to your basic position and affiliation within the current Primordial World order. Please check one of the following options according to your actual circumstances.] [A. Staff Member of the Heavenly Court (specific duties and rank must be stated)] [B. Disciple or Registered Disciple of the Three Schools of the Mystic Gate] [C. Follower of the Western Sect] [D. Remnants of the Witch Clan] [E. Member of the Demon Race (must state whether you are a Former Member of the Demon Court)] [F. Non-partisan Neutral Individual (that is, an independent cultivator)] [G. Other (please provide details here)]
Ao Guang stared fixedly at the neat rows of options on the Light Screen, feeling every one of his Dragon Scales rise on end.
He felt as though he was not undergoing household registration.
He was being interrogated!
His every identity and past were being stripped bare, laid upon a cold form, then ruthlessly dissected and categorized!
"This king... is the Lord of the Four Seas, leader of the Dragon Clan!"
Ao Guang's voice carried a tremor he could not suppress.
"Very well."
The disciple went along smoothly, his jade brush swiftly recording on the Jade Slip.
"Based on the information you have provided, I have selected Option G for you and noted: Lord of the Four Seas, descendant of an ancient hegemon race, nominally under the jurisdiction of the Water Division of the Heavenly Court, but in practice the leader of a semi-independent local force."
Once he finished recording, he looked up and displayed that standardized smile again.
"Your Majesty, let us continue."
"May I ask about your marital status?"
"Married, divorced, or widowed?"
Ao Guang's dragon body jolted violently.
"How many Dragon Clan descendants registered under your name are there in total? Of those, how many are from the direct line and how many from collateral branches?"
"Have you personally, or the Dragon Clan as a whole, participated in Tribulations such as the Dragon-Han and Witch-Demon conflicts? If so, please provide a detailed account of the roles you played and briefly describe the resulting Karmic Cause and Effect."
"Have you... ever had any adverse records of being wanted or punished by forces such as the Heavenly Court, the Chan Sect, or the Western Sect?"
Each question was like the sharpest butcher's blade, precisely cutting into Ao Guang's Dragon Clan's Heart, already riddled with holes.
He felt the dignity and nobility he had accumulated over tens of millions of years being mercilessly stripped away and crushed beneath these cold questions.
Behind him, the Turtle Prime Minister had long since withdrawn his head into his shell, not daring to look or listen any further.
As for the Aquatic Clan generals who had originally been brimming with killing intent, they now all hung their heads like eggplants wilted by frost.
The illustrious Military Merit they had taken pride in, their renowned names that could shake the Four Seas, seemed so pale before these questions, so... in need of quantification.
Finally.
When that young Interception Sect disciple asked the next question.
The string called "reason" in Ao Guang's heart snapped completely.
"One final basic information question, Dragon King."
The disciple paused and slowly asked in an official tone.
"Please declare all Houtian Spiritual Treasures, Innate Spiritual Treasures, Spiritual Roots, Ore Veins, and other forms of... Fixed Assets held under your personal name and by the East Sea Dragon Palace as an entity."
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A terrifying aura at the peak of Grand Unity Golden Immortal erupted from Ao Guang's body with a boom!
The entire Crystal Palace emitted an overwhelmed hum beneath that pressure!
Countless coral and jade trees shattered inch by inch amid his fury!
"Enough!"
Ao Guang abruptly rose from his throne, his golden dragon eyes blazing with boundless fury enough to burn the heavens and boil the seas.
He pointed at that disciple, then at the rows of administrative desks, and let out a roar that shook the Four Seas.
"You go too far!"
"The Dragon Clan's treasury and the East Sea's spiritual veins—are those things you can pry into as you please?!"
"Today, even if this king must offend the Dao Ancestor, I will suppress every last one of you... within the Eye of the East Sea!"
His terrifying pressure swept toward the three hundred Interception Sect disciples like a tangible tsunami.
The seawater within the hall instantly boiled!
Yet in the face of this thunderous wrath, enough to make even ordinary Grand Unity Golden Immortals turn pale.
Not one of the three hundred Interception Sect disciples was moved.
Their Dao robes snapped wildly in the raging currents, but their formation did not budge in the slightest.
There was no fear or panic on their faces, only an almost indifferent calm.
Zhao Gongming, who stood at their head, did not even raise an eyelid.
He merely took one slow step forward and stood at the very front of the formation.
He did not bring out the Sea-Calming Divine Pearls, nor did he release his aura.
He merely waved calmly at the disciple responsible for registration.
The disciple immediately understood.
Under Ao Guang's gaze, one that could have killed him ten million times over, he unhurriedly drew another brand-new Jade Slip from his robes, one that emitted a faint aura of the Heavenly Dao.
"Dragon King."
His voice remained calm and procedural, as though the Dragon King's world-destroying fury moments ago had been nothing more than an insignificant breeze.
"The Immortal Official had long anticipated that you might experience some... emotional fluctuations during the asset declaration process."
He gently unfurled the Jade Slip.
"Therefore, he specifically ordered us to carry this Notice of Consequences for Refusing to Cooperate with the Heavenly Dao Census at all times."
"It details thirteen possible punitive measures that may be triggered."
"The first is modeled after the precedent of Guangchengzi of the Chan Sect: placing the party concerned on the list of 'Primordial Era Dishonored Executors' and freezing all authorization to draw upon their Heavenly Dao fortune and Merit."
"The twelfth is suspending the lawful jurisdiction of the party concerned's faction over its territory until it cooperates with the work."
The disciple raised his head, looked at Ao Guang, whose complexion had shifted from furious to livid, and offered an incomparably sincere smile.
"Your Majesty, which one would you like to experience first?"
"Pfft—"
Behind Ao Guang, an elderly Octopus Elder rolled his eyes back, sprayed a mouthful of ink, and fainted stiffly on the spot.
Ao Guang's body began to tremble violently.
The magical power within him, enough to overturn the Four Seas, surged madly through his body yet found no outlet whatsoever.
He felt like a primordial beast trapped in a spiderweb.
No matter how he struggled or roared.
All he received in return was the net called "Process" tightening further and further.
After a long while.
It was as if every bit of strength had been drained from him. He slumped weakly and dejectedly back onto the cold throne.
That terrifying aura, capable of destroying everything, vanished without a trace.
"Fine..."
"You... ask."
His voice was hoarse and hollow, filled with the despairing resignation of someone who had accepted his fate.
That standardized, procedural smile appeared on the disciple's face once more.
He put away the Notice of Consequences and picked up the household registration Jade Slip again, as though nothing had happened.
He cleared his throat and continued slowly in that emotionless, official tone.
"Very well, Your Majesty."
"Then let us continue."
"Regarding the declaration of your personal and the Dragon Clan's Fixed Assets, may I ask..."
"Will you choose to declare them voluntarily, or shall our office directly access the Heavenly Dao Data Backend and conduct an On-site Asset Inventory?"
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