After returning to the quiet chamber in Taiwei Palace, Haotian began to consider what path he should take in the future.
He could afford to look down on his enemies strategically, but tactically, he had to take them seriously.
Now that he had offended the Six Sages, it was only natural that they would seek revenge.
Primordial Heavenly Venerate, in particular, was bound to look for an opportunity to get back at him.
Haotian wasn't afraid of ordinary schemes.
Even if Primordial Heavenly Venerate schemed against Yaoji,
he, Haotian, could handle it with ease.
What about the rule against immortals marrying mortals?
That was a matter for the future.
Right now, Haotian hadn't even established the Heavenly Rules.
Besides, so what if he did?
Wouldn't it be solved by recruiting Yang Tianyou when the time came?
Everyone had a little something they kept to themselves, didn't they?
But the Investiture of the Gods
was still a hidden danger to him.
If the Sages of several factions got another chance to act, he might well end up powerless once more.
So he still had to go to Zixiao Palace and plead his case, in hopes of securing some help.
At the very least, he had to get the Investiture of the Gods into his hands.
As for what would happen to Chan Teachings disciples when they incurred the calamity of slaughter without the Investiture of the Gods?
That was a problem for Chan Teachings. What did it have to do with him, Haotian?
But before going to Zixiao Palace, he had to get something done first.
He had to show the Old Man that he was worth supporting.
Otherwise, he'd simply be spending his goodwill for nothing.
Goodwill would run out sooner or later.
Dao Ancestor had just stepped in to help him, and that had already used up a little of it.
After thinking for a moment, Haotian suddenly had an idea.
The damage to the Northern Region of the Primordial World caused by the Black Tortoise's fall
might be the perfect opportunity to prove his worth.
As for how to solve the problem,
Haotian already had an answer.
Having been raised as a child attendant of Dao Ancestor Hongjun, Haotian had been present at every lecture Dao Ancestor had given.
It could be said that aside from the laws, he was nearly as knowledgeable as the Six Sages.
After a little thought, Haotian came up with a plan.
A spiritual treasure combined with an array formation was the best way to solve this problem.
With the plan settled, Haotian immediately flashed into the Artifact Refining Room.
The Array Formations would absorb and draw in the Grievance and Fiendish Energy.
The spiritual treasures would not only serve as the foundation for the array but also take on the task of transforming that energy.
So the spiritual treasures he crafted this time had to serve both purposes.
After a moment's thought, Haotian set to work.
He flicked a finger, igniting Emperor Flame beneath the Artifact Refining Furnace.
Under the blazing fire, the furnace was preheated in the blink of an eye.
With a thought, the furnace lid flew open.
Then countless spiritual materials transformed into streaks of light and flew into the furnace.
With a muffled clang,
the lid closed again.
Mana surged, and the temperature inside the furnace continued to rise.
The spiritual materials slowly melted under the Divine Fire's scorching heat.
At that moment, Haotian had a thought.
His Spiritual Sense took the form of a giant hand, kneading the materials inside the furnace without pause.
As the giant hand worked them, impurities were gradually driven out of the materials.
After a long while, every impurity had been removed.
Haotian's Spiritual Sense then transformed into countless tiny hands, dividing the melted materials into tens of thousands of portions.
Next, he molded each portion into the shape he wanted.
Haotian also used his Innate Divine Ability, Ten Thousandfold Amplification.
A short while later,
under Haotian's vast Spiritual Sense, all tens of thousands of portions of material had been shaped.
His Spiritual Sense swept over them. Inside the furnace, tens of thousands of little bottles lay piled together.
Haotian then sent his Spiritual Sense into the bottles and began inscribing Dao Patterns inside them.
Of course,
as a mighty figure at the Perfected Hunyuan Golden Immortal realm,
Haotian wasn't inscribing Dao Patterns at random.
He traced them along specific paths, arranging them into Array Formations within the bottles.
Size Manipulation, Pocket Dimension, the Purification Law, and more—
Haotian inscribed every technique and law that might come in handy.
With the support of his Innate Divine Ability, Ten Thousandfold Amplification, the Dao Patterns of these techniques and laws gradually became Innate Dao Restrictions.
After a long while,
the Dao Patterns were complete.
Haotian had a thought, and the Divine Fire beneath the furnace went out.
The furnace lid slowly opened.
In an instant,
a burst of colorful light shot out of the furnace. A pillar of seven-colored radiance surged up to the ceiling of the Artifact Refining Room.
The restrictions on the room then confined it within.
With a thought, Haotian slowly drew in the seven-colored pillar of light inside the furnace.
A moment later, Haotian had another thought.
He stored tens of thousands of little bottles in his sleeve.
These bottles were for setting up the grand array that would transform the Grievance and Fiendish Energy.
Haotian didn't need to refine them.
He only had to make them function with a thought.
After all, he had now amplified every one of these bottles to the level of a High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure.
Refining them all would take even Haotian some effort.
After putting away the tens of thousands of bottles, Haotian began to ponder.
He had finished crafting the spiritual treasures and devised a way to transform the Grievance and Fiendish Energy in the Northern Region.
Once the plan succeeded, he would surely claim the lion's share of the Merit.
Still, since he was earning Merit, he ought to bring along those close to him.
Yaochi, Yaoji, and Tai Bai Jin Xing, for instance.
They were among the few allies he had.
If all you did was expect others to share your hardships, but never thought of them when there were benefits to be had,
then even the closest bonds would gradually fade.
So, when he put this plan into action,
it made sense to bring Yaochi and the others along.
They were his own people. If they grew stronger, they could provide him with even more support, couldn't they?
With that in mind, Haotian took out several Jade Slips.
He recorded the method for setting up the grand array inside them, then put the slips away.
After that, Haotian flashed into Lingxiao Palace.
He sent a message: "Yaochi, Yaoji, Tai Bai!
Come to Lingxiao Palace!"
Hearing Haotian's summons, Yaochi looked momentarily puzzled.
They were both in the Heavenly Court, and it wasn't far.
If he needed something, couldn't he just come to the Jade Pool Immortal Realm and find her?
Why did he have to go to Lingxiao Palace to talk?
Forget it!
He had also summoned Tai Bai Jin Xing, so he probably had something important to discuss.
After spending dozens of Yuanhui in the Heavenly Court, Haotian had finally remembered to take care of some real business.
She ought to give him some support.
With that thought, Yaochi flashed into Lingxiao Palace.
When Yaochi arrived, Haotian patted the Dragon Throne.
"Yaochi!
Come sit here!"
Yaochi glanced at the Dragon Throne, then at Haotian.
She didn't think much of it.
They were both cultivators, and besides, she was Haotian's nominal Dao companion.
There was nothing improper about sitting on the Dragon Throne.
She walked to Haotian's side and slowly sat down on the throne.
Yaochi was just about to ask what was going on when Yaoji and Tai Bai Jin Xing arrived together.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Haotian raised a hand. "You may rise."
Yaoji and Tai Bai Jin Xing stood up.
"May we ask why Your Majesty summoned us?"
Haotian spoke slowly. "It has been dozens of Yuanhui since I was enfeoffed by Dao Ancestor at Zixiao Palace.
Since Dao Ancestor enfeoffed me and made me the Heavenly Emperor,
I naturally have to do my part for the Primordial World.
So, for these dozens of Yuanhui, I've been thinking about where to begin.
After giving it some thought, I've decided to first deal with the increasingly severe Grievance and Fiendish Energy in the northern part of the Primordial World.
If we let it keep spreading, the entire Northern Region of the Primordial World may suffer greatly."
Before you continue