The Primordial Wilderness had shattered, the Sages had been confined, and an old era had come crashing to an end. A new age began its halting steps amid the devastation.
Heavenly Court, Lingxiao Treasure Hall.
Emperor Hao Tian sat upon the Nine Dragon Throne, looking down at the three hundred and sixty-five Zhou Tian Righteous Gods arranged on either side below him, their auras varying in strength. Most of these deities had been invested through the Investiture of the Gods List. Their primordial spirits were bound to the list; though they possessed divine positions, received incense offerings, and enjoyed long lifespans, they were also controlled by the Investiture of the Gods List and the God-Beating Whip, as well as by him, the lord of the Heavenly Court.
"Rise, my ministers." Hao Tian's voice was majestic, carrying a trace of barely concealed high spirits. After the Great Tribulation of Investiture of the Gods, his position as Heavenly Emperor was finally no longer an empty title. Although powerful Interception Sect figures among these righteous gods, such as Wen Zhong and Saint Mother Jin Ling, as well as Third Generation Disciples of the Chan Sect like Yang Ren and Huang Tianhua, might still harbor resentment, under the dual restraints of the Investiture of the Gods List and the Dao Ancestor's decree, they could only bow and obey.
"Now that the Primordial Wilderness has only just settled, order must be restored. Return to your respective divine positions, regulate yin and yang, harmonize wind and rain, oversee mountains and rivers, and patrol all the heavens. You must faithfully fulfill your duties, protect the living beings below, atone for your past sins, and uphold Heavenly Might!"
"We respectfully obey Your Majesty's decree!" the gods answered in unison, their voices echoing through Lingxiao Hall.
The Investiture of