Peach Banquet's Undercurrents Surge, A Single Word Shatters the Nine Heavens

The ancient times are immeasurable, but the Peach Banquet of the Heavenly Court serves as an important temporal marker in the hearts of immortals and gods from all realms. On this day, above the Thirty-Three Heavens, the Jade Pool Immortal Realm was adorned with lanterns and streamers, auspicious clouds paved the way, and ethereal immortal music drifted through the air. The peaches, ripe once every thousand years, hung heavy on the branches, exuding a mouth-watering spiritual energy. Immortals, gods, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and renowned recluses from all walks of life arrived at the South Heaven Gate, some riding auspicious clouds, others on mounts, or guided by immortal officials. It was a magnificent spectacle of myriad immortals paying homage and celebrating together.

However, beneath this extreme prosperity and peace, the perceptive could sense an unusual tension. The number of guards at the South Heaven Gate had significantly increased, and the inspection of invitation letters was exceptionally strict. The divine abilities of Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Following Ear were fully engaged, monitoring everything within a radius of ten thousand miles. Within the Jade Pool, the attending immortal maidens and divine soldiers, though still smiling, held a subtle vigilance in the depths of their eyes. Haotian Shangdi and Yaochi Jinmu, seated high on the main throne, maintained their dignified expressions, but the lingering solemnity in their brows did not escape the perception of certain Great Powers.

All of this was due to the recent chaos and the name that, though uninvited, cast a shadow over the grand event: Tongtian!

At this moment, within the cave dwelling in the Ancient Mountain Range, all preparations were complete.

The Reverse Spirit Source Array Disk was finished, its intricate runes shimmering with a faint light. Embedded in its center were several Void Crystal Stones, obtained from the Dragon Palace's secret treasures, which contained spatial power. The deductions on the jade screen before Yun Xiao had also concluded, clearly marking a brief and subtle fluctuation in the spiritual energy flow of the Jade Pool Immortal Realm during the "Tribute of the Immortals" segment of the Peach Banquet. This was a blind spot inevitably created by the Heavenly Court's defense network due to the energy disturbances caused by the presentation of treasures from various parties. Though it lasted less than three breaths, it was enough!

"Now is the time!" Tongtian's gaze was sharp as a sword. He took a deep breath, and the Chaos Qi around him surged. He formed hand seals, activating the Chaos Bead, which hovered above the array disk, casting down billions of misty grey streams of energy that enveloped the entire formation.

"Wudang, stabilize the array base! Yun Xiao, guide the spiritual energy! Qiongxiao, Bixiao, guard the formation!" Tongtian commanded in a deep voice, his tone filled with unwavering resolve.

"Yes!" The four women responded in unison, each attending to their duties. Saint Mother Wudang infused her magic power into the base of the array disk, ensuring its stability. Yun Xiao, with her exquisite spirit-guiding techniques, directed the power of the Chaos Bead, simulating a frequency almost identical to the spiritual energy fluctuation gap during the Jade Pool banquet. Qiongxiao and Bixiao stood on either side of Tongtian, their Chaos Immortal Bodies' auras connected, forming a solid barrier.

Tongtian forced out a drop of essence blood containing his own origin aura and Hunyuan Dao Charm, letting it fall onto the core of the array disk. Simultaneously, the heroic and unrestrained face of Zhao Gongming clearly appeared in his mind. Using his true name and residual aura as a guide, his divine sense shot out like an arrow, utilizing the power of the array disk and the Chaos Bead to forcefully break through layers of spatial barriers, probing towards the true spirit bound by the Investiture of the Gods, suspended outside the Thirty-Three Heavens!

This process was extremely perilous, like walking a tightrope over a ten-thousand-foot cliff. It required precisely seizing the fleeting moment while avoiding the automatic defense mechanisms of the Investiture of the Gods and Haotian's perception. Any slight mistake would lead to utter failure and even invite a thunderous retribution!

In the Jade Pool Immortal Realm, it was currently the climax of the "Tribute of the Immortals." Various forces presented rare treasures, their brilliance dazzling, spiritual energy soaring to the heavens, eliciting sighs of admiration from the assembled immortals. Haotian Shangdi smiled, nodding to each, but his divine sense, like an invisible net, enveloped the entire Heavenly Court.

Just as an ancient Buddha presented a treasure lotus lamp containing immeasurable light, causing ripples of Buddha Light and triggering the anticipated fluctuation in the Jade Pool's spiritual energy network, Tongtian made his move!

"Trace the source, reverse the spirit, chaos as the bridge, haste!"

Buzz! The Reverse Spirit Source Array Disk in the cave dwelling of the Ancient Mountain Range suddenly erupted with a blinding light. An extremely subtle yet incredibly condensed chaotic divine sense, like a distorted bolt of lightning, followed the gap in the spiritual energy fluctuation, instantly penetrating layers of obstruction and precisely reaching the true spirit imprint belonging to Zhao Gongming on the Investiture of the Gods!

Heavenly Court, Ministry of Finance.

Zhao Gongming's true spirit sat expressionlessly on his divine seat, handling matters of incense and fire prayer power and the flow of wealth from all directions. The restraint of the Investiture of the Gods made him like a puppet; his past heroism and unrestrained spirit were deeply suppressed. However, at this very moment, a voice, familiar to the bone yet seemingly separated by ten thousand years, exploded like thunder deep within his true spirit:

"Gongming! It is your Master!"

Zhao Gongming's true spirit trembled violently, the wealth energy he had condensed in his hand almost scattering! He "looked up" in disbelief, sensing that wisp of divine sense, faint yet incredibly clear.

"Master?! Is it really you?!" His thought was filled with shock, ecstasy, and immense worry. "How dare you be here! It's too dangerous! Haotian is constantly monitoring!"

"Long story short!" Tongtian's divine sense was urgent yet steady. "Your Master is unharmed. I contacted you today to ask three things: First, within the Heavenly Court, besides the Danyuan Mansion, are there any other anomalies? Especially those related to Exotic Demonic Qi! Second, what is the recent relationship between Haotian and the Western Teachings? Third, among the disciples on the list, how many are loyal to the Jie Teachings and can be of use?"

Zhao Gongming's true spirit was uncontrollably agitated. He suppressed the fluctuations and quickly responded: "Master! The Heavenly Court has been under strict guard recently, with undercurrents surging! Besides the Danyuan Mansion, the Imperial Horse Bureau and the Heavenly River Barracks have also experienced brief abnormal energy fluctuations in the past century. Although they were quickly covered up, they were definitely not ordinary! Haotian and the Western Teachings are outwardly friendly but mutually wary. However, recently, the frequency of Bodhisattvas and Arhats from the Western Teachings entering and leaving the Heavenly Court has increased, as if plotting something!"

He paused, his thoughts conveying grief and helplessness. "As for the fellow disciples on the list, most are powerless, their true spirits controlled, daring not to speak their minds. But disciples like Wen Zhong, Golden Spirit Holy Mother, Luo Xuan, and Lü Yue, their true spirits have never severed their thoughts of the Jie Teachings and Master! It's just... any slight movement would incur the backlash of the Investiture of the Gods, causing unbearable pain."

"I understand," Tongtian's divine sense carried a hint of pain. "You have suffered. Endure it. The time is not yet right; do not act rashly. After today, the Heavenly Court may undergo great changes. You all need to be even more careful. If you encounter a life-or-death crisis, you can try to silently recite the 'Heart Calming Barrier Breaking Incantation' that I taught you. It might temporarily alleviate the suppression of the list's power."

A short incantation was transmitted along with the divine sense. This was not a method to break free from the Investiture of the Gods, but a small technique Tongtian deduced based on the principles of chaos, capable of temporarily enhancing the clarity of the true spirit and weakening the influence of external restraints.

"Disciple... will remember!" Zhao Gongming's true spirit felt the profoundness of the incantation and a glimmer of hope arose in his heart.

Suddenly, Tongtian's divine sense gave a sharp warning: "Bad! A powerful divine sense just swept over! Our connection is cut! Gongming, take care!"

Before he finished speaking, the chaotic divine sense receded like a tide, vanishing without a trace.

Almost at the same moment Tongtian severed the connection, a vast and majestic divine sense, like a solid beam of light, swept through the Department of Wealth! It was Haotian Shangdi!

Zhao Gongming's true spirit immediately returned to its previous state of calm, continuing to mechanically process financial matters, though his heart was in turmoil.

Haotian Shangdi's divine sense lingered in the Department of Wealth for several breaths, searching carefully. However, he found no anomalies. He only felt that Zhao Gongming's true spirit was no different from usual, and then slowly withdrew. But his brow furrowed slightly. In that brief moment, he had vaguely sensed an extremely faint fluctuation that did not belong to the Heavenly Court system, but it was fleeting and difficult to grasp.

"Was it an illusion, or..." Haotian's gaze swept deeply over the immortals toasting and feasting in the Jade Pool, finally settling on the Bodhisattvas of the Western Teachings, his expression inscrutable.

In the cave dwelling within the Ancient Mountain Range, Tongtian's face turned pale. The backlash from severing the divine sense left his aura slightly disordered, but his eyes shone brightly.

"We succeeded!" Saint Mother Wudang exclaimed joyfully, her hands, which were maintaining the formation, trembling slightly.

"Master, Senior Brother Zhao Gongming..." Yun Xiao asked with concern.

"He is well, his spirit unbroken," Tongtian suppressed the surging blood and qi, speaking rapidly. "There are indeed Demon Traces within the Heavenly Court, and the Western Teachings and Haotian are outwardly in accord but inwardly at odds. More importantly, we have confirmed that many disciples on the list are loyal to the Jie Teachings!"

This news greatly boosted everyone's spirits!

"However, we have also exposed ourselves," Tongtian's tone turned cold. "Haotian is already suspicious. Although he has no concrete proof, the Heavenly Court's search will be even more rigorous from now on. This place is not safe for long. Pack up immediately and relocate!"

Without daring to delay, everyone quickly gathered the formation disks and erased all traces.

Less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn after they left, several powerful divine senses swept through the Ancient Mountain Range like a comb. One of them even carried a chilling sword energy, clearly belonging to a disciple of the Jade Void Palace!

However, Tongtian and the others had already vanished into the vastness.

The Peach Banquet continued, with singing and dancing on the surface as usual. But an invisible battle had already been fought. Tongtian not only succeeded in establishing contact with the disciples on the list and obtaining crucial intelligence, but he also declared a fact to Haotian and all those watching in secret: he, Tongtian, even without a Saint Position, still had the ability to reach into the core of the Heavenly Court!

This move was like a massive boulder thrown into an already turbulent lake, certain to trigger a chain reaction. Haotian's suspicion, the Western Teachings' schemes, the Saints' observation, and even the undercurrents among the immortal gods on the list who were loyal to the Jie Teachings—everything would accelerate its evolution due to Tongtian's risky strike.

The spark had already ignited within the Heavenly Court, and the momentum of a prairie fire could no longer be stopped!

Tongtian and his group concealed their tracks, fleeing towards a new hiding place. Their next target might be to contact other key disciples like Wen Zhong and Golden Spirit Holy Mother, or perhaps it was time to meet that "Old Acquaintance" who was also dissatisfied with the Heavenly Court and imprisoned—Yao Ji's son, Yang Jian, who was suppressed beneath Peach Mountain?