Spark to Prairie Fire Stuns the Nine Palaces, Saints Watch as Undercurrents Surge

On the ruins of the Dan Yuan Mansion, the dust slowly settled, but it couldn't suppress the pervasive silence and shock.

Tongtian held the broken spatial coordinate Formation Disk, still emanating a trace of a chilling Otherworld aura. He stood tall and straight like a pine tree. Although golden Sacred Blood was oozing from the corner of his mouth, a shocking sight, and his breathing was unstable from forcefully withstanding Haotian's strike and absorbing the Otherworld's will, his eyes were sharp as knives, sweeping across the faces of every immortal and god present.

His question, "Are you blind, or are you foolish?!" echoed like thunder over the silent ruins of Dan Yuan Mansion, and exploded even deeper within the Primordial Spirits of all the Heavenly Court officials who witnessed this scene.

The evidence was right before their eyes!

The cold, depraved, and consuming aura emanating from the broken Formation Disk, so out of place with the Great Desolation's immortal path, couldn't be faked! The terrifying Demon Plant that instantly became demonic and polluted the spirit garden was witnessed by countless pairs of eyes!

Master Ge's face was ashen, his lips trembling. He could no longer utter any words of defense. With such a catastrophic disaster occurring in the medicinal garden he was responsible for, the crime of dereliction of duty was already a certainty. The immortal official behind him had collapsed to the ground, trembling all over.

The immortals and gods from all directions who had rushed over upon hearing the news—the Thunder Department, the Fire Department, the Dipper Department, and even some idle Star Lords—were now in an uproar, whispering amongst themselves, their faces filled with disbelief, horror, and deep suspicion. The Heavenly Court, the symbol of the Great Desolation's order, the representative of the Heavenly Dao in the mortal realm, had actually been infiltrated by an Outer Realm demon? And right in the core area, Dan Yuan Mansion!

If this news were to spread, it would undoubtedly cause a shockwave throughout the entire Great Desolation!

High above the nine heavens, the majestic giant palm belonging to Haotian Shangdi, condensed from pure immortal laws, still hovered in mid-air, neither descending nor retracting. Behind the giant palm, space distorted, and Haotian Shangdi's true form seemed to be gazing indifferently at the scene below through endless space. His silence was more oppressive than any words.

"Your Majesty!" Finally, a Star Lord of considerable seniority mustered the courage, stepped forward, and bowed, "This matter is of great importance, concerning the Heavenly Court's reputation and even the safety of the Great Desolation. We implore Your Majesty for a divine judgment!"

His words, though seemingly a request, were also a subtle challenge to Haotian. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, with irrefutable evidence, if Haotian were to forcefully protect Master Ge or attempt to cover it up, his intentions would inevitably arouse suspicion.

In the void, Haotian Shangdi's cold voice, devoid of any discernible emotion, like eternally frozen ice, echoed, "Senior Brother Tongtian." Just a few words, yet they contained the supreme majesty of the Heavenly Emperor, instantly silencing the noisy scene.

"You trespassed into the Heavenly Court's forbidden area, destroyed Dan Yuan Mansion, and disturbed the immortals. This is a grave offense," Haotian said slowly, first defining Tongtian's actions as a major crime. But then, his tone shifted, "However, the evidence you presented does indeed possess unusual properties."

He admitted the abnormality of the evidence! This brought a sigh of relief to many immortals and gods; it seemed His Majesty was still reasonable.

But Tongtian's brow furrowed slightly. He knew things would not be that simple.

As expected, Haotian continued, "However, the origin of this item is suspicious, and whether you deliberately set it up is unknown. Moreover, even if there truly is a demon infiltration, it is I who should issue the order, and the Heavenly Court's officials who should investigate thoroughly. How can you take matters into your own hands and disrupt the heavenly rules?"

He struck first, then offered a sweet date, and finally regained control of the situation. Haotian's move temporarily quelled the public's anger, preserved the Heavenly Court's face, placed Tongtian in an awkward position of "meritorious but also at fault," and even hinted that Tongtian might be the one crying wolf.

Ginger is still the spiciest!

Tongtian sneered inwardly, having long anticipated Haotian's response. He wiped the blood from his lips and said loudly, "Since Your Majesty admits the evidence is true, please issue an immediate order to seal Dan Yuan Mansion, thoroughly investigate all personnel who had contact with this place, and trace the origin of this Demon Plant! As for my offense, it can be discussed after the truth is revealed! If I truly framed someone, I am willing to accept the Heavenly Dao's lightning punishment and be utterly destroyed!"

His words were sonorous and powerful, pushing himself to a dead end, yet demonstrating absolute confidence, which instead caused some of the immortals and gods who had originally doubted him to waver.

"Hmph, glib talk!" A cold snort came from the void, not from Haotian, but from another majestic voice, carrying the unique rhythm of the Jade Pure Immortal Method, "Tongtian, you have long since abandoned your Saint Position. You are not a member of the Mystic Gate, nor a righteous god of the Heavenly Court. What right do you have to point fingers here and arbitrarily discuss the Heavenly Court's internal affairs? Even if there are demons, Your Majesty and we, the disciples of the Saints, will handle it. Why do you, a traitor to the sect, need to overstep your bounds?"

Before the voice faded, a pure, misty immortal light descended from beyond the heavens, transforming into an ancient-faced Daoist holding a Jade Ruyi. It was Guangchengzi, the Head of the Chan Teachings' Twelve Golden Immortals and the most favored disciple of Venerable Lord of Primordial Beginning! He had clearly been alerted by the commotion here and was sent on his Master's orders.

Guangchengzi's appearance instantly made the situation even more complicated. He represented the attitude of Venerable Lord of Primordial Beginning and the entire Heavenly Origin Sect! He directly labeled Tongtian as a "traitor to the sect," stripping him of his right to speak, and elevating the matter to the level of internal disputes within the Mystic Gate, attempting to obscure the core issue of demon infiltration.

"Guangchengzi!" Tongtian's eyes turned cold, old grudges and new resentments surging in his heart, "Whether I betrayed the sect is not for you to decide! On the other hand, your Heavenly Origin Sect, claiming to be the orthodox lineage of the Mystic Gate and overseeing the Great Desolation, has had demons lurking in the core area of the Heavenly Court for years without any awareness? Is it incompetence, or intentional indulgence?!"

A clash of titans! Tongtian retaliated without hesitation, directly pointing the spearhead at the Heavenly Origin Sect's dereliction of duty, even subtly implying they might be complicit with the demons!

"Presumptuous!" Guangchengzi was furious. The Three Treasures Jade Ruyi in his hand shone with pure light, "Tongtian! How dare you slander the lineage of a Saint! Today, I shall cleanse the sect in place of my Master and apprehend you, you madman!"

With that, disregarding the occasion, he directly unleashed the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi, which transformed into a streak of immortal light, striking down towards Tongtian! The full power of a peak Grand Unity Golden Immortal erupted, its might astonishing!

"Afraid of you?!" Although Tongtian was seriously injured, his aura was no less strong. The Chaos Bead hovered above his head, emitting myriad streams of energy. The Qingping Sword was already unsheathed, its blade spitting Chaos Sword Qi, ready to meet the attack!

Just as a major battle was about to erupt in the core of the Heavenly Court!

"Stop!" At this critical juncture, two voices rang out almost simultaneously.

One was Haotian Shangdi, with undeniable Heavenly Emperor's authority: "This is a sacred ground of the Heavenly Court, how can private fighting be allowed! Guangchengzi, stand down!"

The other was a gentle yet filled with boundless creative life force, a woman's voice, like a spring breeze brushing across the land, "This matter concerns the safety of the Great Desolation and is no trivial matter. Why the rush to argue?"

As the voice faded, myriad rays of auspicious light and a thousand streams of vibrant colors appeared. A phantom image of a peerless goddess, with a human body and a snake's tail, quietly materialized in the scene. It was Empress Nuwa, who lived in seclusion in the Wa Imperial Palace! Although she had not come in person, a wisp of her divine thought incarnation had already shown her stance!

Empress Nuwa's intervention caused the situation to reverse again!

Guangchengzi's expression changed. He had no choice but to retract his Jade Ruyi and bow to Empress Nuwa's phantom image, "Greetings, Martial Aunt Nuwa." He could disregard Tongtian, but he could not disregard this Saint of Merit.

Haotian Shangdi's voice also softened slightly, "So, Martial Sister Nuwa has been alerted."

Empress Nuwa's phantom image looked at the broken Formation Disk in Tongtian's hand, her delicate brows furrowed, and a trace of solemnity flashed in her eyes, "The aura of this item is indeed from the Outer Realm, and its laws are bizarre, filled with a desire for destruction. Although Sect Master Tongtian's actions were drastic, his heart is for the Great Desolation, and his contributions cannot be denied."

Her words were equivalent to affirming Tongtian's discovery and merit!

Then, she looked at Haotian again, "Junior Brother Haotian, the matter of demon infiltration, it is better to believe it exists than not. The urgent priority is to thoroughly investigate the Heavenly Court and eliminate hidden dangers, not to pursue minor details. If needed, I can also dispatch my disciples from the Yao Race to assist in the investigation."

Empress Nuwa's statement carried immense weight! She not only supported a thorough investigation but was even willing to mobilize the Yao Race's power. This undoubtedly put immense pressure on Haotian and provided strong support for Tongtian.

Haotian's silence lasted even longer. With Empress Nuwa's intervention, a disciple of Venerable Lord of Primordial Beginning present, and countless immortals and gods watching, if he were to suppress or show favoritism again, his authority would be completely undermined.

Finally, the giant palm of law in the void slowly dissipated, and Haotian's voice rang out again, with a sense of decisiveness, "So be it. Master Ge's supervision was inadequate. He is stripped of his position as Master Ge and imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison pending trial! Dan Yuan Mansion will be completely sealed off starting immediately. Grand White Gold Star will lead the investigation, in conjunction with the Thunder Department and the Dipper Department, to thoroughly investigate all related personnel and items, and trace the source of the Demonic Qi! Anyone suspected will be severely punished without leniency!"

He compromised and took action! Although Master Ge was dealt with, the possibility of higher-level involvement was not deeply investigated, which was considered a temporary resolution to the incident.

"As for Tongtian," Haotian's tone paused slightly, "you have merit for exposing the demon's trace, but trespassing into the forbidden area and destroying the palace are also facts. Your merits and demerits cancel each other out. No reward will be given, nor will you be prosecuted. You are ordered to leave the Heavenly Court immediately, without any further delay!"

In the end, he chose to ask Tongtian, this "troublemaker," to leave the Heavenly Court.

Tongtian understood. Forcing Haotian to make such a concession in the Heavenly Court was the best outcome he could achieve at this stage. Completely overturning the table was unrealistic. His goal was to ignite this fire, alert various factions, and expose the enemies hidden in the shadows.

He put away the Qingping Sword and the Chaos Bead, gave a slight nod of acknowledgment to Empress Nuwa's phantom image, accepting her favor. Then, he looked in Haotian's direction and said faintly, "I hope Your Majesty will thoroughly investigate to the end and not harbor evil, lest the hearts of all beings in the Great Desolation grow cold."

With that, he no longer lingered. He glanced at Wudang and Sanxiao, then turned and walked towards the South Heaven Gate. Kui Niu let out a low roar and followed closely behind.

Guangchengzi stared grimly at Tongtian's retreating back, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes, but under the watchful eyes of Empress Nuwa and Haotian, he ultimately did not dare to attack again.

Empress Nuwa's phantom image also slowly dissipated, leaving behind a ethereal sentence echoing in the ears of all the immortals and gods: "The great tribulation is approaching. I hope all of you will work together to overcome the difficulties." The earth-shattering storm seemed to have temporarily subsided.

But everyone knew this was just the beginning. The fire Tongtian had ignited was already burning. The Outer Realm Demon Gods, the internal affairs of the Heavenly Court, the schemes of the Saints, all the undercurrents would surge forward faster because of today's events.

And at this moment, Tongtian and his group had already walked out of the South Heaven Gate, returning to the Great Desolation.

Glancing back at the majestic Heavenly Gate, at the Heavenly Court still shrouded in auspicious clouds yet secretly turbulent, Tongtian's gaze was profound.

"Master, where do we go next?" Yun Xiao asked softly.

Tongtian looked into the distance, his tone firm, "The fire has been lit. Next, it's time to find our 'allies'."

In his mind, the figures of Zhen Yuanzi, Houtu, and even Nuwa appeared.

The path of Primordial Unity was never walked alone. To resist the impending cataclysm, he needed to unite all the forces that could be united.