Do You Believe Me If I Say This Was a Misunderstanding?

The sharp pain in his ear, combined with the irritation of being woken mid-slumber, instantly ignited the Pig Demon's fury.

Clenching his fist, he drove it toward Haotian's abdomen.

"Boom!"

After the loud crash, the scene the Pig Demon had envisioned—of the cultivator before him being sent flying—did not materialize.

Realizing something was wrong, the Pig Demon looked up at Haotian, who still had a firm grip on his ear.

That upward glance caught the faint, elusive smile on Haotian's face.

Seeing the Pig Demon raise his head to look at him, Haotian said calmly, "Keep going! Put some more strength into it!"

The moment those words left Haotian's mouth, the Pig Demon's face flushed crimson with rage.

Insult! A blatant insult!

Lord Pig had seen all kinds of "storms and waves" since birth! He had even narrowly escaped death in a tiger's jaws. And now, he was being humiliated by some unknown Rogue Cultivator.

A scholar could endure it, but a pig could not! Kill him! He had to kill this bastard! Lord Pig had his dignity too!

In his fury, the Pig Demon channeled all his Mana into his fist, then slammed it into Haotian.

"Boom."

After another thunderous crash, the Pig Demon's expression finally shifted. His face, once red with anger, now turned deathly pale.

Because the Pig Demon had finally realized that the cultivator before him was far beyond his own cultivation level. Don't ask how he knew. The man just stood there and let him strike, and he couldn't even break through his defense. Wasn't that obvious enough?

Fear finally surged into his heart at this moment. Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, the Pig Demon forced a strained smile and said sheepishly, "Celestial! I... what if I said this was a misunderstanding? Would you believe me?"

Haotian, however, replied with a grin, "What do you think?"

With that, Haotian released the Pig Demon's ear and continued, "What's your name... forget it! Your name doesn't matter. I'll give you two choices: one is life, one is death. Which do you pick?"

Hearing Haotian's words, the Pig Demon asked nervously, "What are the conditions for the path of life?"

Haotian frowned at this. "Asking so many questions—seems like you're choosing the path of death. Fine, I'll grant your wish!" Saying this, he raised his hand, making as if to strike the Pig Demon dead on the spot.

Seeing this, the Pig Demon quickly spoke up, "Celestial, wait! This little demon won't ask anymore! I choose life! I choose life!"

Hearing the Pig Demon's reply, Haotian finally lowered his hand.

He said in a deep voice, "Since you chose the path of life, then follow Our requirements. I grant you the name Gao Zhen! Separate a wisp of your Primordial Spirit and listen as We confer your title upon you!"

As Haotian finished speaking, he offered up the Investiture of the Gods and filled in the name "Gao Zhen" on the scroll.

Although the Pig Demon still hadn't fully grasped the situation, he obediently separated a wisp of his Primordial Spirit.

Resistance was no longer an option. Disobedience meant death. Even asking one more question, this lord before him would be too lazy to answer. If he resisted, wouldn't he just be turned to ash on the spot?

It was only because Lord Pig lacked the strength to match that he would let this fellow know Lord Pig's prowess otherwise.

Haotian, after driving Gao Zhen's wisp of Primordial Spirit into the Investiture of the Gods, announced clearly, "In the name of the Heavenly Emperor, We confer upon Gao Zhen the title of Shihuo Pig! Fire Department True God, the divine office of the Twenty-Eight Mansions."

By this point, Gao Zhen also understood. He had been conscripted.

But what did understanding change? Life and death were in another's hands; the only thing he could do was obey. It had long spread through the Primordial World that this lord before him dared to go head-to-head with saints.

Forget it! A living dog is better than a dead lion!

Thinking this in his heart, Gao Zhen's body didn't dare slack off in the slightest. He bowed his head and said, "Your servant accepts the Imperial Decree!"

Seeing this, Haotian raised his hand in a gesture. "Rise! Since you have received the title, go to the Heavenly Court and fulfill your divine duties. After arriving at the Heavenly Court, first go to the South Heaven Gate and find Zhu Zhao. He will guide you in transforming your demonic aura into immortal aura."

"Yes!"

With that, Gao Zhen headed straight for the South Heaven Gate.

After a moment of deliberation, Haotian flashed out of the cave and began to rescue the Lost Souls. This time, Haotian amplified his power to a thousand—double that of the previous two times.

The effect was naturally also double that of the previous two times. The range it could cover had already reached ten million li.

Seated cross-legged on the mountain peak, Haotian slightly opened his mouth and slowly recited the Duwang Sutra. "At that time..."

After several recitations, all the Lost Souls regained clarity. Then came the Rebirth Mantra. Another several recitations.

Haotian slightly raised his hand, and the gates of the Underworld opened. The crowd of Lost Souls kowtowed to Haotian three times before orderly stepping through the gates.

After the Lost Souls departed, Haotian did not immediately leave. Instead, he circulated his Mana and chanted the newly deduced Pure Heaven and Earth Divine Mantra. "Heaven and earth are natural, foul qi scatters..."

As Haotian chanted the mantra, the surrounding yin qi and foul qi melted like ice under a scorching sun. The yin qi and foul qi here did not simply dissolve on their own; rather, Haotian used the power of the divine mantra to mobilize the righteous qi of heaven and earth to eliminate them.

After a short while...

The surrounding yin and foul qi dissipated completely, and Haotian finally resumed his northward journey.

At that very moment, Empress Pingxin in the Underworld had also finished establishing Yin Si.

In an instant.

Several massive streams of Merit descended from the heavens.

One stream, slightly smaller in size, fell directly toward Haotian as he traveled.

The remaining Merit headed toward the Underworld.

Seeing Merit once again bestowed upon him, Haotian was slightly taken aback.

The Merit from rescuing the Lost Souls had already fallen earlier.

Now it came again—what was this about?

With a flicker of thought, Haotian quickly understood.

Yin Si had already been set up by Pingxin.

From now on, the Underworld's operations would be on the right track.

The establishment of order in the Underworld naturally counted as a contribution to the Primordial World, so such a descent of Merit was only normal.

Yet while Haotian found it normal and calmly accepted the Merit, the Six Sages of the Primordial World were far from calm.

Earlier, the Six Sages had gathered at the Heavenly Court to pressure Haotian, an act that had already offended him.

Now Haotian was receiving Merit without end, while they, the Sages, gained nothing.

Wasn't this saying that the Sages' contributions to the Primordial World were inferior to Haotian's?

That alone might not have been a problem.

It was merely a matter of losing face.

As long as the Six Sages pretended not to know, who would dare bring it up openly?

The real issue was that Haotian kept gaining Merit.

The Sages' ability to suppress Haotian would only grow weaker.

Those blessed with great Merit were always the darlings of the Primordial World's Heavenly Dao.

Given Haotian's attitude toward them, if conflict arose again in the future, they might not even need the Dao Ancestor to intervene—they would have to consider the consequences themselves.

With great Merit as his backing, Haotian would only grow bolder in their presence.

If this continued, what authority would the Sages have left?

Especially Primordial Heavenly Venerate on Kunlun Mountain.

He felt a surge of agitation.

He had merely indulged his disciples in testing Haotian.

Who would have thought that kick would land on an Innate Supreme Treasure?

It had directly soured relations with Haotian, the Heavenly Emperor.

He had no idea where that scoundrel Haotian would strike next to trouble his Chan Teachings disciples.

Given Haotian's status, if he truly wanted to make things difficult for the Chan Teachings, Primordial Heavenly Venerate was certainly not afraid, but it would still bring no small amount of trouble.

Especially now that Haotian's hidden cards were growing thicker.