Purple Cloud Palace Plays the Victim

In the Lingxiao Palace.

After Yaoji and Tai Bai Jin Xing had departed.

Yaochi asked Haotian, "Your Majesty.

Now that matters in the Northern Region are concluded.

What plans do you have next?"

Haotian pondered for a moment upon hearing this, then said, "The Northern Region's issues are resolved, and we've also reaped a great bounty of Merit.

With this Merit to bolster us, we finally have a foothold in the Primordial World.

From now on, those Sages will hardly dare to lightly entertain thoughts of striking against us.

This grants us the qualification to sit down and negotiate with the Sages.

For now, concerns on the Sage front are set aside.

What comes next, most urgently, is to fill the Heavenly Court.

Without personnel to take up the posts, we cannot operate the Heavenly Court."

Hearing Haotian's reply, Yaochi asked in confusion, "Your Majesty says this—does that mean you already have a method to fill the Heavenly Court?"

Haotian nodded. "I naturally have some ideas, though they're not yet fully mature.

Of course.

Imperial We's thoughts absolutely do not rely on the Great Sects of the Sages.

You saw the conduct of those Sage disciples earlier.

If they truly came to the Heavenly Court, it would be us who suffer the trouble.

But before executing the method, Imperial We must first go to the Purple Cloud Palace.

To strive for some support from the Old Master.

We are still too weak right now.

Let alone facing the Sages.

Even the Three Corpses of the Sages, wielding their Dao-Proving Treasures, we would be unable to handle."

After Haotian's words fell, Yaochi did not know how to respond.

After all, Haotian was not wrong.

Though the Dao Ancestor had directly elevated their cultivation to the Perfected Hunyuan Golden Immortal realm through a baptism of wisdom.

Yet.

When cultivators duel, it is not merely cultivation that counts.

Divine abilities and spiritual treasures are also the pillars of combat.

But Yaochi had never imagined that Haotian truly regarded the Sages as his opponents.

Those were Sages, after all!

His earlier resistance against the Primordial Heavenly Venerate, she had only thought it an act of indignation.

She never expected it was Haotian's genuine inner conviction.

Yet now, with great Merit to rely on, Yaochi could finally see a glimmer of hope.

After a moment of silence, Yaochi spoke, "Then let it be as Your Majesty plans!

Whatever comes, we shall face it together."

Haotian nodded upon hearing this.

"You should return for now!

Imperial We will go to the Purple Cloud Palace at once."

With that.

Haotian's form flickered and vanished from the Heavenly Emperor Throne.

Arriving in the Chaos.

After wandering aimlessly for a while.

Standing in the boundless, endless Chaos, Haotian found himself at a loss for a moment.

The Chaos was so vast, with nothing but a gray haze as far as the eye could see, no up or down, east or west.

And the location of the Purple Cloud Palace was constantly shifting.

How was he supposed to find the Purple Cloud Palace?

Just as Haotian was at his wit's end, a sudden inspiration struck him, and he sensed the presence of the Purple Cloud Palace.

He knew without thinking that the Old Master had shown him the way.

Having perceived the direction of the Purple Cloud Palace, Haotian did not delay.

He immediately employed his divine abilities and sped toward the Purple Cloud Palace.

Before long.

Haotian arrived before the Purple Cloud Palace.

He looked up and studied the familiar gate.

Then Haotian bowed deeply.

"Disciple Haotian requests an audience with the Master!"

It wasn't that Haotian was spineless.

Rather, his strength was inferior, and he needed to ask for help.

The proper etiquette and the necessary connections all had to be observed.

Otherwise, if the bond weakened, why would Dao Ancestor Hongjun grant Haotian's request?

Just as Haotian bowed and spoke, the gate of the Purple Cloud Palace silently swung open.

Then came the voice of Dao Ancestor Hongjun.

"Enter!"

Haotian quickly straightened up, adjusted his already neat robes, and stepped into the Purple Cloud Palace.

Arriving at the main hall.

Haotian bowed with proper formality.

"Disciple Haotian pays respects to the Master!"

Dao Ancestor Hongjun heard Haotian's words, and though his expression did not change.

His tone carried a hint of warmth.

"Rise!

You are now the Heavenly Emperor; from now on, there is no need to refer to yourself as this old Daoist's page boy.

Henceforth, you may address this old Daoist as 'Teacher.'

You have spent so many epochs in the Purple Cloud Palace; though you are not my formal disciple, you are still above the nominal ones."

Hearing Dao Ancestor Hongjun's words, Haotian's heart immediately filled with joy.

See!

By putting himself in the right position first, the benefits came right away?

Attaining the Dao?

This old man had indeed attained the Dao.

But that did not mean he had lost his own consciousness.

As long as he still had his own consciousness, there would certainly be distinctions between close and distant.

As for emotions.

In all the Primordial World, aside from Yaochi, who could claim a deeper bond with the old man than Haotian?

And so.

As soon as he showed ability worth supporting, the old man immediately expressed his approval.

Moreover, aside from the reasons the old man had stated for attaining the Dao, wasn't there also an intention to avoid trouble?

Thinking this in his heart, Haotian quickly replied, "Disciple accepts the command!"

Hearing Haotian's answer, Dao Ancestor Hongjun then asked, "Why are you not handling matters properly in the Heavenly Court, but instead running here to find this old Daoist?"

Haotian clasped his hands and said, "Disciple has come to seek the Teacher's aid.

The Teacher may not know this, but your disciple suffers!

In the Primordial World today, the sages are arrogant and self-important.

The disciples and followers of the various Great Sects are overbearing and unruly.

Your disciple's cultivation and strength are insufficient; if the sages' Three Corpses wield their Dao-Proving Treasures, I cannot even contend with their Three Corpses.

If this continues, with the entanglement of Karma in the Primordial World, calamities will inevitably arise frequently.

I beg the Teacher to take pity and grant me a treasure, so that I can withstand the pressure from the sages and have the spare energy to sort out the Karma of the Primordial World."

Furthermore.

"Your disciple intends to recruit some people for the Heavenly Court, but I fear they will be unruly and difficult to tame, paying lip service to me while opposing me in secret. Therefore, your disciple wishes to ask the Teacher for a spiritual treasure that can restrain those under my command. Additionally, the Heavenly Court's future heavenly soldiers and generals, as well as the many deities, lack cultivation techniques. I beg the Teacher's assistance!"

As Haotian finished speaking, Dao Ancestor Hongjun fell into deep thought.

The sages were arrogant and conceited?

That was a fact. After all, they had attained sainthood—couldn't they be allowed a bit of pride?

The disciples and followers of the various Great Sects were overbearing and tyrannical?

That was also a fact. With a sage backing them, they indeed had the confidence to act arrogantly.

With things like this, the order of the Primordial World was naturally far from stable.

With unstable order, entanglement of Karma was inevitable.

With Karma entangled in abundance, the frequent outbreak of tribulations was only normal.

Back then, at the Purple Cloud Palace, the reason Haotian was pushed into power was precisely to restrain, or rather balance, the power of the sages. This was to prevent the sages from acting without restraint and turning the Primordial World into a complete mess.

But.

Judging by the current situation.

Haotian was ultimately insufficient for the task of balancing the sages. The sages, who were usually locked in endless conflict, would actually stand together when facing Haotian.

Was this to exclude Haotian?

No!

This was to exclude him, Dao Ancestor Hongjun.

But here was the problem.

Letting the Six Sages run wild would turn the Primordial World into a mess.

The consequence of frequent tribulations was not something he wanted to see.

Nor was it something the beings of the Primordial World could endure.

Frequent tribulations meant that the Immeasurable Calamity would arrive early.

The Immeasurable Calamity was both a measure of time.

And a measure of calamity.

Once the Immeasurable Calamity arrived, the Heavenly Dao of the Primordial World would inevitably shatter.

At that point, he, the Dao Ancestor who had merged with the Dao, would lose his foundation for efficient enlightenment.

Even if he didn't consider the beings of the Primordial World, he had to consider his own path of cultivation.

Moreover, the Chaos was vast and full of wonders.

What if there was a chance for the Primordial World to advance further and become an Eternal World?

Then he, Hongjun, could also take that opportunity to advance further.

So now, to rein in the sages and balance the various forces of the Primordial World.

He had to strengthen Haotian's power.

After pondering for a moment, Dao Ancestor Hongjun finally spoke: "The situations you've described do indeed exist. In the past, this old Daoist didn't say much. Now that you've brought it up, it shows you've come to understand your own responsibility. The station of the Heavenly Emperor, when calculated, is not far from that of a sage. The sages entrust their true spirits to the Heavenly Dao, gaining not only immortality but also the ability to borrow the power of the Heavenly Dao. And you, as the Heavenly Emperor, can also borrow a portion of the Heavenly Dao's power. Where you fall short is that you haven't entrusted your true spirit to the Heavenly Dao, so you cannot achieve immortality. Moreover, because your cultivation is insufficient, the power of the Heavenly Dao you can borrow is inferior to that of the sages. Given this situation, it is indeed somewhat difficult for you to suppress the Primordial World. Since you have spoken, this old Daoist will give you the Chaos Bell and the Investiture of the Gods."