Still sleeping? I'm here to recruit you!

Haotian was thinking about suppressing the Western Teachings, and even the Buddhist Gate in the future.

After pondering for a moment, Empress Pingxin also came to a decision.

Establishing Yin Si would indeed bring great benefits to the Underworld.

And those benefits wouldn't be limited to the Underworld.

The Witch Clan would benefit as well.

Just as Haotian had said, the Witch Clan was now burdened with Karmic Debt.

If they didn't find a way to resolve their Karmic Debt and Karma,

they were bound to face another calamity in the future.

Haotian's solution would not only resolve the chaos in the Underworld, but also give the Witch Clan a way to accumulate Merit.

Although Haotian had used the opportunity to formally bring the Underworld under the Heavenly Court's jurisdiction,

he hadn't gained any tangible benefits from it.

So, in the end, she owed him a favor.

It wouldn't be easy to repay a favor to someone like him!

Spiritual treasures?

Unless they had some special use, he had no need for them.

Resources?

Haotian had already reached the same realm as her. What resources could possibly sway him?

But if she didn't repay the favor and settle the Karma now,

she was bound to pay a much greater price in the future.

Did she want to refuse?

Then she'd better be ready to suffer public humiliation.

Just look at the Six Sages.

Haotian had exposed their dirty laundry in front of all those mighty cultivators.

That had

greatly diminished the awe the Primordial World's cultivators felt toward the Six Sages.

Most of their "respect" had vanished.

What remained, at most, was probably just "fear."

What did it matter if a cultivator's power reached the heavens, if they didn't keep their word?

People could simply refuse to have anything to do with them.

At this thought, Empress Pingxin's brows furrowed slightly.

The Witch Clan was already burdened by Karmic Debt. If they also gained a bad reputation,

they would be in a worse position than other factions. They had no Sage-level cultivator to hold the fort.

That was unquestionably the Witch Clan's greatest weakness.

Then the Witch Clan would become a target for everyone in the Primordial World.

If things really came to that, how could the Witch Clan survive?

After a long silence, Empress Pingxin let out a soft sigh.

"Fellow Daoist, you've solved a great problem for me. I'll remember this favor!

I'll put the matter of Yin Si into action shortly.

Thank you!"

Hearing Empress Pingxin's words, Haotian nodded.

"Now that we've settled everything, I shall take my leave.

I came down to the mortal realm this time to deliver Lost Souls to a better fate.

I've only just begun, so I can't abandon the task halfway."

With that,

Haotian rose to his feet.

Seeing this, Empress Pingxin also stood.

"Since you still have important business to attend to, I won't keep you."

"Very well!

Farewell!"

With that,

Haotian left the Underworld.

Watching the place where Haotian had disappeared, Empress Pingxin was beset by worry.

She'd incurred a huge debt of gratitude. Who knew how she'd repay it in the future?

But soon, Empress Pingxin put her worries aside.

Compared to the uncertain future, the most urgent matter at hand

was to first establish the framework for Yin Si.

Whether it was the Five Ghost Emperors and their generals,

or the Ten Great Yin Marshals and the others, she could appoint quite a few members of the Witch Clan.

Given the Witch Clan's current situation, they couldn't just stuff a large number of their people into the organization.

Fortunately, Yin Si didn't need many people to get its framework in place.

The circumstances couldn't have been more suitable for the Witch Clan.

The Witch Clan could take charge of the upper ranks, while the lower ranks could be selected from among the Lost Souls.

Having made up her mind, Empress Pingxin immediately sent word to Xuanming and Jiu Feng, asking them to come to the Underworld and discuss the matter.

Meanwhile, after leaving the Underworld, Haotian once again set off northward.

The Investiture of the Gods.

There were three hundred and sixty-five Principal Deity positions, two thousand Deputy Deity positions, and eighty-four thousand Evil Stars positions.

Setting everything else aside, Haotian at least had to fill all three hundred and sixty-five Principal Deity positions.

The remaining Deputy Deity and Evil Stars positions could be dealt with gradually.

So he couldn't stop delivering Lost Souls to a better fate!

This was the only way he'd get his share of the spoils!

Heading north, Haotian had already traveled an unknown distance.

Along the way, he had delivered Lost Souls to a better fate more than ten times.

But Haotian was a little disappointed that he hadn't encountered any more Demon Race members suitable for investiture.

Either their cultivation was too low, their sins were far too grave,

or both.

Haotian naturally wouldn't bring such trash to the Heavenly Court and lower his standards.

So since he'd run into these Demon Race members,

he could only send them off to reincarnate and cultivate anew.

By now, Haotian couldn't help but sigh.

As expected.

The farther he got from the Northern Region, the worse the quality of the Demon Race members.

If he'd been in the Northern Region, he'd have found at least a dozen Demon Race members over a distance like this.

But he'd already announced that he was delivering Lost Souls to a better fate.

Haotian could only grit his teeth and accept it.

He'd just have to take it slower.

As long as he accomplished his ultimate goal, that was what mattered.

Still, given the "quality" of the Demon Race members in the Southern Region, Haotian had to travel farther and farther each time he delivered Lost Souls to a better fate.

With his Ten Thousandfold Amplification talent, distance wouldn't affect his ability to gather Lost Souls anyway.

After another arduous journey, Haotian finally found a suitable target.

Seeing the black smoke of Karmic Debt curling up from a distant mountaintop,

Haotian immediately swept it with his Spiritual Sense.

The background of the creature on the mountain was laid bare to him at once.

A Pig Demon, at the early Golden Immortal stage.

Its Karmic Debt wasn't too severe by comparison.

After all, the creature had never shaken off its old habits. Even after becoming a Golden Immortal-level great demon, it was still lazy and greedy.

So at most, it had harmed the living beings on the nearby mountains.

It couldn't be bothered to wreak havoc anywhere farther away.

As a result, it had accumulated much less Karmic Debt.

After sizing up the Pig Demon for a moment,

Haotian began considering which Divine Position would suit the creature.

Marshal Tian Peng, as in the original course of events?

That position didn't seem to match its attributes.

With its fire-aligned nature, expecting it to govern the Heavenly River?

That was ridiculous.

In that case, the only suitable positions seemed to be a Fire Department True God or Fire Pig of the Twenty-Eight Mansions.

Besides, there was no rule saying that only someone in the form of a pig could become Marshal Tian Peng, was there?

Now that I, Haotian, hold the Investiture of the Gods, as long as the candidate meets the requirements,

isn't it up to my will who gets invested as Marshal Tian Peng?

With Golden Immortal cultivation, taking the position of Marshal Tian Peng was still a bit beneath it.

After weighing things up, Haotian made his decision.

With a flicker, he suddenly appeared in front of the Pig Demon.

In an instant,

a wave of stench hit Haotian right in the face.

Frowning, he flicked his sleeve and cleared out all the filthy things in the cave, along with the foul air.

Only then did Haotian look expressionlessly at the sleeping Pig Demon.

Its snores shook the heavens. It clearly showed no sign of waking anytime soon.

Haotian stepped forward, grabbed the Pig Demon by the ear, and shouted, "Still sleeping?

I'm here to recruit you!"

Haotian's shout jolted the Pig Demon awake.

It opened its eyes and saw Haotian holding its ear.

Without even thinking, the Pig Demon sprang off the stone bed on reflex.

But that movement was agony for its ear.

As it leaped up, the ear Haotian was holding nearly got torn off.