In Heaven, Even Saints Must Not Act Recklessly

After dinner, the family chatted for a while.

Zhang Yifan went to boil water.

After all these years, he had long grown accustomed to turning in early and rising early.

At this hour, it was just about time to bathe, wash their feet, and sleep.

Zhang Yifan's courtyard was neither small nor large, but there were not enough rooms.

Looking at his seven granddaughters, along with his son and daughter-in-law, Zhang Yifan felt a little troubled.

"The house is a bit small. Tonight, you granddaughters will have to squeeze into two beds."

"It's fine, Grandpa. We usually like sleeping all crowded together anyway. Sisters, isn't that right?" Eldest Fairy Tianshou immediately stepped forward to smooth things over.

"That's right, Grandpa. We've endured every kind of hardship. Sleeping together will only strengthen the bond between sisters." The other fairy princesses all chimed in.

Seeing his usually most finicky daughters saying this, the Jade Emperor secretly admired Zhang Yifan. His father truly was impressive, having these little girls so thoroughly under control.

In the past, if there had only been one bed, these seven girls would have fought fiercely over who got to sleep on it.

"Dad, don't worry. In a while, I'll get some people to come build a few more rooms. Then there'll be enough space in the back." Seizing the moment, the Jade Emperor took responsibility for expanding the house.

What a joke.

How could he let such a wonderful opportunity slip away?

If he brought people over to build houses, they would have to eat, wouldn't they?

And eating would increase their cultivation.

The heavenly gods would be fighting tooth and nail for this job.

"Fine. Your old man has lived freely these past few years and doesn't have much money, but take these hundred taels of gold first. We can't let our construction worker brothers suffer!"

Seeing the Jade Emperor agree so readily, Zhang Yifan did not stand on ceremony. He went into the inner room, brought out a hundred taels of gold, and handed them over.

"Oh? Dad, you're pretty rich."

The Jade Emperor accepted the hundred taels of gold, unable to hide his surprise. He could not tell at all. His father lived in this modest farmhouse courtyard and looked like a poor farmer, yet he was actually so wealthy, casually handing over a hundred taels of gold.

Even ordinary landowning families could not produce that much!

"Do you think your old man is just sitting around doing nothing? Spend it freely. When it's gone, just come ask me for more." Zhang Yifan spent lavishly, full of boldness.

"Impressive." The Jade Emperor gave him a thumbs-up.

After the teasing, Zhang Yifan's hot water was ready.

He poured several basins of water for his granddaughters to wash their faces and feet, then poured himself a basin of hot water as well.

Soaking his feet, the Jade Emperor sighed. It had been countless years since he had nearly forgotten what foot-soaking felt like.

He had not expected even the footbath water to contain Fragments of Great Dao Laws.

Just soaking his feet made him, a Mid Quasi-Saint, feel so comfortable.

"Dad, tell me, if the Jade Emperor wanted to advance in the Primordial Era World, what should he do?"

While soaking his feet, the Jade Emperor casually brought up the secretive matter Zhang Yifan had mentioned last time.

"If he wants to do it, then do it. What else is there to do?"

"..."

The Jade Emperor was speechless. The key was how to do it.

"Dad, suppose—just suppose—that the Jade Emperor is merely a hollow shell. What should he do if he wants to act but cannot?"

"How did Haotian Shangdi, the Orthodox of the Three Realms, become a hollow shell?"

"Look, outside Heaven, the Western Teachings are aggressively seizing incense offerings and faith throughout the Primordial Era World. Vast numbers of humans have turned to the Western Teachings. There are also many Primordial Era Mighty Beings who refuse summons and refuse to obey. Then there are Empress Pingxin and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in the underworld."

"Within Heaven, the Jie Teachings hold many of the proper positions among the heavenly gods, and quite a few high-ranking divine offices are also controlled by the Jie Teachings. Not to mention the lesser immortals and gods, who are almost all members of the Jie Teachings."

"Secondly, the Grand Pure Saint's Saint clone, Grand Supreme Elder Laozi, controls the incense offerings of the Human Teachings, Daoist Teachings, and humanity in Heaven. He also controls the Daoist celestial master lineage, as well as many independent gods and immortals. Isn't the Jade Emperor just a hollow shell?"

The Jade Emperor fell silent, shook his head, and smiled bitterly.

Everyone said being the Jade Emperor was good, but who knew that he, the dignified Jade Emperor, had very few immortals, gods, or troops he could actually use?

"And then?" Zhang Yifan looked at the Jade Emperor and asked.

"And then? Dad, tell me, what can he do? How should he act?"

"How? Those who obey me shall prosper; those who defy me shall perish!"

Zhang Yifan snorted coldly. "Keep all who obey me. Kill and replace all who do not."

That cold snort overflowed with killing intent, sending chills down the Jade Emperor's back.

Yet it also radiated boundless dominance!

Those who obey me shall prosper; those who defy me shall perish!

How tyrannical!

Keep all who obey me. Kill and replace all who do not.

Too tyrannical!

The Jade Emperor slapped his thigh in amazement!

That was exactly the kind of Jade Emperor he wanted to be!

But unfortunately, he lacked the strength.

"Saints stand behind all these people. Saints are not easy to provoke." The Jade Emperor shook his head and sighed.

Zhang Yifan sneered. "Saints? Saints are nothing! In Heaven, even Saints must not act recklessly!"

In Heaven, even Saints must not act recklessly!

Those words boomed like thunder beside the Jade Emperor's ears.

The excited Jade Emperor's blood surged as his entire body trembled, his eyes filling with hot tears!

This was the Heaven he wanted!

Not that timid, cautious mess where he wanted to accomplish something but could not let himself act freely!

"Dad? Why is it that in Heaven, even Saints must not act recklessly?"

The Jade Emperor blurted it out. He was far too excited.

"What do you think?" Zhang Yifan did not answer, instead asking him a question.

Why?

The Jade Emperor sank into thought.

The Jade Emperor was the Orthodox of the Three Realms, personally appointed by the Heavenly Dao. No one could shake his position.

If someone wanted to kill the Jade Emperor, the boundless karmic consequences would be far too immense. No one could bear them.

Not even Heavenly Dao Saints could withstand them.

As for combat strength, although the Jade Emperor was only at the Mid Quasi-Saint level, he could mobilize Heaven's fortune and the power of the Three Realms in battle!

With such combat strength, even Saints could not do much to him in a short time!

In that case, even Saints could not be excessively reckless toward the Jade Emperor if they got serious.

But what about the reverse?

That was to say, what if the Jade Emperor decided to act recklessly?

What could the Human Teachings, Chan Teachings, Jie Teachings, and Western Teachings do about it?

"That's right, exactly!" The Jade Emperor excitedly slapped his thigh and sprang to his feet, splashing foot-washing water everywhere.

"Why the hell are you getting so excited? You splashed the foot-washing water everywhere!"

Seeing the Jade Emperor suddenly get worked up and nearly splash the water onto his face, Zhang Yifan swung a hand at him. With a sharp smack, he hit the Jade Emperor on the thigh, leaving a large red mark and making him bare his teeth in pain.

The Jade Emperor was left speechless. Why was his father's grip so strong?

Couldn't he hit a little more gently?

Yet the pain in his leg could not conceal the excitement in the Jade Emperor's heart.

He already knew how to break this deadlock.

There was no need for so many schemes and calculations, nor any ambushes or tricks. Only one move was needed: an open strategy.

He would simply ask them: submit, or refuse to submit?

Those who submitted would prosper!

Those who refused to submit would be sent to the Platform of Extermination!

It was that simple!

No, when the time came, he would get himself a Dog Head Guillotine!

The Jade Emperor thought viciously, growing happier the more he thought about it.

In a few days, he would go back and get to work!