The Investiture of the Gods Appears

Wang Yuan suddenly became very curious about how Yuanshi Tianzun would react when he saw Jiang Ziya.

Wang Yuan remembered that in the Primordial World novels he had read in his previous life, Yuanshi Tianzun hated the Demon Race the most, even rebuking them as creatures clad in scales and armor, born damp from eggs. He wondered what Yuanshi Tianzun would think when he saw his own disciple transformed into a demon.

His expression was bound to be spectacular.

"Go on, then. Listen to me and lie low under Yuanshi Tianzun. When the Investiture of the Gods begins, it will be your time to shine."

Jiang Ziya nodded heavily, thinking that he absolutely could not disappoint Senior. He had to throw the entire Clarification Sect into chaos.

Jiang Ziya mounted a cloud and turned to fly away from Desolate Mountain.

With that departure, the greatest traitor of the future Investiture of the Gods War made his dazzling debut.

"Congratulations, Host. You have altered the overall course of the Investiture of the Gods. Reward: Chaos Spiritual Treasure, World-Destroying Millstone."

A massive black millstone descended from the heavens and landed before Wang Yuan.

Wang Yuan gave it a bored glance. Amid the envious, worshipful gazes of Hu Jiu Mei and the other two, he turned and returned to the house without even looking at it again.

Another useless thing. Sigh, life was just this dull.

Yuanshi Tianzun glowered at Jiang Ziya, who was kneeling before him. His face was so dark it looked ready to drip water.

Could someone tell him what exactly had happened? Jiang Ziya had gone down the mountain once, yet somehow cultivated into a Loose Immortal. Becoming an immortal was one thing, but why had he also transformed into a demon body and become a Demon Immortal?

What was with that huge tail swaying about so brazenly in front of him?

And such a strong fox stench—couldn't he smell it himself, Jiang Shang?!

Yuanshi Tianzun screamed madly inside.

Seeing Yuanshi Tianzun's face shift between green and pale, Jiang Ziya felt indescribably refreshed.

Served the old bastard right for deliberately setting him up. Now he knew regret, didn't he?

"Jiang Shang, you..."

Yuanshi Tianzun opened his mouth to say something, but his Primordial Spirit suddenly trembled, and his spiritual platform became unsettled.

"Disciple, come to Purple Cloud Palace at once."

It turned out that his Master, Daoist Hongjun, was summoning him.

He calculated with his fingers and realized that the matter of the Investiture of the Gods was about to begin. Daoist Hongjun intended to bestow the treasures of the Investiture of the Gods.

Yuanshi Tianzun did not dare delay. He could only leave Jiang Ziya behind and rise into the Chaos.

Before leaving, he shot Jiang Ziya a vicious look, as if saying, just wait until I return and deal with you.

Yuanshi Tianzun valued one's origins above all else and looked down on the Demon Race to an extreme degree.

Among the Twelve Golden Immortals of Jade Void, only Huang Long Zhenren belonged to the Demon Race. He was also the least favored by Yuanshi Tianzun, suppressed at every turn, and ended up with the title Four No's Daoist.

Jiang Ziya, the Jade Void disciple fated to preside over the Investiture of the Gods, had transformed into a demon. Wasn't that a resounding slap across Yuanshi Tianzun's face? Still, because of Jiang Ziya's status and the unchangeable general trend of the Heavenly Dao, Yuanshi Tianzun could not openly make trouble for him. Giving Jiang Ziya a few petty difficulties, however, was still possible.

Within Chaos, inside Purple Cloud Palace.

A burly old Daoist clad in a Daoist robe sat cross-legged upon a meditation cushion, his eyes half-closed as the Great Dao revolved around him.

Below him stood the five Sages—Laozi, Tongtian, Jie Yin, Zhun Ti, and Nüwa—in silence.

Yuanshi Tianzun hurried into Purple Cloud Palace. Seeing that the other five Sages had arrived before him, he quickly bowed to Daoist Hongjun and then stood beside Laozi.

With everyone assembled, Daoist Hongjun opened his eyes as well.

"I have summoned you today to bestow the treasures of the Investiture of the Gods."

The Six Sages promptly replied, "We respectfully await Master's bestowal."

Daoist Hongjun nodded and swept his sleeve.

A wooden whip, three feet six inches and five fen long, with twenty-one sections, each section bearing four talismanic seals for a total of eighty-four seals, appeared before them along with a nine-foot-long golden jade scroll radiating brilliant light.

Tongtian secretly curled his lip. What was this? It wasn't even as high-grade as Uncle's rattan cane or ordinary writing paper.

Seriously? The mighty Dao Ancestor Hongjun, who had merged with the Heavenly Dao, was actually this poor?

"Yuanshi, step forward."

Hearing Daoist Hongjun call his name, Yuanshi Tianzun did not dare delay and quickly stepped forward.

"You will keep these two treasures for now. When the Investiture of the Gods War begins, hand this Investiture of the Gods and God-Slaying Whip to the one who will carry out the Investiture of the Gods on behalf of Heaven."

Yuanshi Tianzun happily put away the two treasures and retreated to Laozi's side.

The Western Duo stared at Yuanshi Tianzun with envy and jealousy, their gazes seeming to say that these items were destined for their Western Religion.

Tongtian's eyes held deep disdain. Look at those country bumpkins, acting as though they had never seen the world. Yet he had forgotten that in Wang Yuan's small courtyard, he was not much better than Jie Yin and Zhun Ti.

"In ten years, you shall return to Purple Cloud Palace to sign the Investiture of the Gods and discuss the Investiture of the Gods together."

The Six Sages answered in unison. Daoist Hongjun nodded in satisfaction, and his figure vanished from Purple Cloud Palace.

With the important business finished, Tongtian had no desire to remain with the Two Purities and the Western Duo. He snorted coldly, turned, and left.

Goddess Nüwa had always preferred peace and quiet and had no desire to involve herself in such matters, so she too took her leave.

Jie Yin and Zhun Ti approached Yuanshi Tianzun and said with ingratiating smiles, "Senior Brother is truly fortunate to receive treasures bestowed by Master."

Yuanshi Tianzun had always been proud and arrogant, and he looked down on the shameless Western Duo. With a sidelong glance, he knew that these two brazen fellows had set their sights on the God-Slaying Whip and the Investiture of the Gods.

He sneered, cast aside the deliberately friendly Western Duo, and left Purple Cloud Palace on his own.

Jie Yin and Zhun Ti were left awkwardly watching his departing figure.

Jiang Ziya was kneeling there in utter boredom when Yuanshi Tianzun suddenly appeared out of thin air, startling him.

Yuanshi Tianzun had obtained two rare treasures and had originally been in a fine mood. But the moment he returned to Jade Void Palace, he smelled that fox stench strong enough to kill and saw Jiang Shang's flamboyant fox tail. His expression immediately stiffened.

"Put away that smell and tail of yours at once!"

Jiang Ziya gave an embarrassed laugh. "This disciple has only just become a Loose Immortal and cannot control them." Yet inwardly, he thought, It would be best if the smell choked the old bastard to death.

Yuanshi Tianzun shot him an irritated look and waved his sleeve. The fox stench filling the hall vanished completely, and Jiang Ziya's three snow-white fox tails were tucked away as well.

"Tell me, how did you become like this?"

Jiang Ziya had long prepared his explanation. Pretending to be bewildered, he said, "This disciple does not know either. After going down the mountain, this disciple found a cave abode and slept. When this disciple woke, he had broken through to the Loose Immortal realm and become like this."

As he spoke, Jiang Ziya could not help recalling the miserable experiences of the past several days. Grief welled up in his heart, and two tears slipped from the corners of his eyes.

Seeing his sorrowful appearance, Yuanshi Tianzun thought he was grieving over losing his human body and becoming a demon. Little did he know that Jiang Ziya was crying over the beatings he had suffered.

How could such an experience be so absurd?

Yuanshi Tianzun muttered to himself and raised his fingers to calculate what had happened.

Yet after calculating for a long while, he found the heavenly secrets shrouded in Chaos. He could deduce nothing at all.

So be it. He sighed and looked at Jiang Ziya below him, who appeared utterly respectful and deferential.

As long as Jiang Ziya's heart remained with the Clarification Sect, there was still much to be done. Such minor changes were of no consequence.