Chen Tuan hurriedly replied, "Because the human realm's greed and lust have gone without enlightenment, Great Brahma has caused the rich to grow richer and the poor poorer. That is why the Chart of Heavenly Karma is rewritten every hundred years."
"The Five Regions Earth Immortals revise the human realm's Karma Records according to this chart, with every opportunity and cause-and-effect linked together."
Chen Renfeng, who had been eavesdropping in the Small World, thought to himself when he heard this, So that's how it is!
"You're the chief editor this time?" White Deer Immortal asked tentatively.
Chen Tuan shook his head. Seeing this, White Deer Immortal's face filled with disappointment.
Ancestor Lu looked at the two of them and said solemnly, "This time, Great Brahma assigned the task of compiling the Chart of Heavenly Karma to Lord of Mount Tai, Star Lord of Literature, and Supreme Honored Savior from Suffering, who will discuss it together."
"After discussing it, the three exalted immortals wanted to find a disciple who had become an immortal within the past hundred years to do the compiling. Unfortunately, Spiritual Energy in the human realm was scarce. In the past century, only one person had cultivated the Dao and become an immortal."
As soon as he finished speaking, White Deer Immortal hurriedly asked, "Who?"
Ancestor Lu only smiled without answering!
White Deer Immortal pointed at Chen Tuan. "It couldn't be him, could it?"
Ancestor Lu nodded and continued, "Although Chen Tuan is one of my Penglai Loose Immortals and lies beyond the Three Realms, the three exalted immortals of Great Brahma jointly sent a letter ordering him to finish compiling the Chart of Heavenly Karma within ten days and submit it to the Jade Emperor for review."
Chen Tuan exclaimed in shock, "The deadline is that tight?" He hurriedly shook his head and waved his hands.
Seeing this, Ancestor Lu was displeased, but still urged him, "Tunan, I have my own difficulties as well!"
Seeing Ancestor Lu take that stance, Chen Tuan's attitude softened somewhat, but he still did not respond.
Seeing this, White Deer spoke bluntly. "The three thousand Penglai Loose Immortals have extensive dealings with the immortal world, frequently exchanging pills and magical artifacts. You can't afford to offend Great Brahma!"
Ancestor Lu nodded in tacit agreement. He handed Chen Tuan the five booklets in his hand and said, "These are the Five Quarters Karma Records of the human realm. Take a look."
"However, in the past thousand years, humanity's nature of fighting for power and profit hasn't improved in the slightest. You don't need to show any womanly compassion."
Chen Tuan accepted the booklets and frowned. "This is such a major undertaking. I'm afraid this disciple won't be able to complete it alone!"
Ancestor Lu knew that cultivators like them expected to be rewarded for their work!
He took one thousand Immortal Stones from his Storage Bag and gave them to Chen Tuan, but Chen Tuan still wore a bitter expression.
He added another thousand Immortal Stones, then gave him a box, saying that it contained the Karma Value Calculator. Chen Tuan's expression improved.
Ancestor Lu asked again, "I heard that you have two disciples in the human realm who beg you day and night to help them ascend. Is that true?"
Chen Tuan cupped his hands and replied, "Ancestor Lu sees all!"
Ancestor Lu chuckled. "They can serve as your assistants. If they accomplish something this time, I'll help them come to Penglai and become cultivators."
Chen Tuan was overjoyed when he heard this. He hurriedly bowed and thanked him for the favor!
Ancestor Lu saw White Deer gazing at him imploringly for help. He turned around and smiled. "Tunan, I have one more matter."
Chen Tuan bowed. "Please enlighten me, Ancestor Lu!"
Ancestor Lu pointed at White Deer and said, "Discuss it with White Deer and include Qing Shi and Bai Yu in the Chart of Heavenly Karma as well, to help them overcome their tribulations."
Chen Tuan asked when he heard this, "Ancestor Lu, the human realm already lacks Spiritual Energy. If these two Immortal Stones ascend, they'll take away quite a bit more, affecting the lifespans of mortals!"
Seeing him ramble on, White Deer feared that it would affect the task assigned by the Queen Mother of the West and hurriedly cut in, "They're mere mortals, no better than ants. Why should you care?"
Chen Tuan was displeased by her words and said harshly, "An exalted immortal transformed from a bird or beast naturally wouldn't understand the enlightenment of humanity!"
White Deer Immortal angrily pointed at Chen Tuan. "You... you're merely a loose cultivator, yet you dare talk back to a ten-thousand-year-old Golden Immortal!" As she spoke, she transformed into her beast form, lowered her head, and charged.
Ancestor Lu stopped White Deer's impulsive attack. When he saw that she still wanted to continue, he kicked her five paces away. A pained deer's cry rang out.
White Deer returned to her female immortal form and got to her feet angrily.
Ancestor Lu then shouted, "Penglai Loose Immortal Chen Tuan and Penglai guest White Deer, listen to my decree!"
Fu Yaozi hurriedly knelt and prostrated himself on the ground, while White Deer immediately bowed as well.
Ancestor Lu said solemnly, "I hereby appoint the two of you as Penglai Karma Gods. Complete the Chart of Heavenly Karma within three days!"
White Deer was dissatisfied when she heard this. "A Karma God is only a second-rank official. That's too low. I won't do it! I won't!"
Ancestor Lu sneered. "As an exalted immortal, you still care about the rank of an official position?"
White Deer snorted coldly and turned her head away, ignoring him. She was thinking that the Karma Value was related to the rank of one's official position.
Seeing that she was unwilling, Ancestor Lu said helplessly, "Fine! I hereby appoint the two of you as Penglai Immortal Officials. Within Penglai, you will hold the same status as me."
The two were overjoyed and bowed to accept the decree.
Ancestor Lu warned them again, "Remember, you must not act recklessly. The decline of the Witch-Demon Realm back then was connected to an imbalance in Karma Value."
After saying this, Ancestor Lu left.
In the Small World, Chen Renfeng saw White Deer Immortal walking toward them. Then she reached out a huge hand and grabbed at them...
Chen Renfeng did not wait for the huge hand to seize him before discovering that the outside world was shaking. He could hear footsteps, as well as White Deer Immortal inviting Chen Tuan to her study.
Chen Renfeng made a deduction and roughly guessed that he might be inside the jade pendant. He hurried to the lakeside to find Bai Xue and Chen Qing.
"Uncle Chen, you're saying we're inside the jade pendant? That's impossible!" Bai Xue drank some lake water, which left her refreshed and restored her worldview. She refused to accept the professor's deduction.
Chen Renfeng looked toward Chen Qing, hoping he would support him.
Chen Qing was steady by nature. He said, "Professor, Bai Xue, let me review everything. You can see whether what I say is true."
Chen Renfeng and Bai Xue both nodded.
Chen Qing raised his left hand and counted on his fingers. "This afternoon, we were conducting archaeology in the ancient city at the bottom of Fuxian Lake, right?"
The two agreed. Chen Qing folded down his thumb and clenched it.
"We discovered a wet corpse inside a bronze coffin in the ancient city, right?"
Agreed! He folded down his index finger and clenched it.
"The corpse was a newlywed couple who looked like Bai Xue and me."
Agreed! He folded down his middle finger and clenched it.
"Bai Xue dissected the corpses and removed the hippocampus from their brains, right?"
Agreed! He folded down his ring finger and clenched it.
"The professor placed the ancient corpse's brain and the Twin Fish Jade Pendant on the laboratory table for scanning."
Agreed! He folded down his little finger and clenched it, squeezing his entire hand into a tight fist.
Chen Renfeng began to sweat nervously. He also cupped some lake water in both hands and drank it, recovering much of his mental clarity.
Sweat appeared on Chen Qing's forehead, while Bai Xue's heartbeat began to quicken.
"I turned on the power supply, and—bang! An explosion?" Chen Qing shouted the last word.
Chen Renfeng and Bai Xue froze. All of it was real!
Suddenly, the fist Chen Qing had clenched slammed into Chen Renfeng's face, knocking him into the lake. He then glanced at Bai Xue and slapped her across the face with his right hand, sending her into the lake as well.
It hurt... His face hurt, his hand hurt, and his heart hurt. That damn experiment!
"Waaah..." Chen Qing knelt on the ground and began to cry. He was no longer as bold as he had been when they first arrived.
Bai Xue wailed, "I want to go home..." The aloof older-sister type had finally broken down.
Chen Renfeng did not blame Chen Qing for hitting him. He took another drink of water and became much clearer-headed. The lake water seemed to replenish energy and calm the mind.
He slowly climbed ashore and looked at the grass, the forest, and the thick fog in the distance. His gaze was resolute as he said, "I was able to bring you out here. I'll definitely bring you back."
After hearing this, Bai Xue still did not climb out of the water. She asked, "Go back? Uncle Chen, what good idea do you have?"
Before you continue