Shaoyao gazed at the magnificent, imposing Chaoge City and felt a surge of emotion.
She turned to the person beside her and sighed softly. "Senior Disciple Brother, the Vice Leader's deep devotion to Senior Hong Yun is truly moving!"
Su Mu nodded slightly in agreement. His gaze grew distant as he recalled the past, and he said sincerely, "Indeed. To give Senior Hong Yun more thorough protection, the Vice Leader resolutely left the Underworld and returned to Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain as soon as Di Xin was born. From that moment on, he kept a close watch on Di Xin's growth and never dared to slack off for even a moment."
Su Mu paused, then added, "Now that Di Xin has just ascended the throne and his position is still unsteady, the Vice Leader rushed over the instant he heard the news, desperate to help. Such concern is truly rare in this world."
Shaoyao seemed about to say something more, but just then, a boundless, mighty aura, vast as the sea, surged outward like a raging tide and swept across the world.
The Saint's might bore down with the weight of Mount Tai, once again enveloping the vast, boundless Primordial World.
Countless weak creatures trembled beneath the terrifying pressure, unable to withstand it. One after another, they involuntarily fell to their knees in reverence.
Just as the Human Race was about to bow in submission, a dazzling streak of light suddenly shot out from Shouyang Mountain.
Like the brightest star in the night sky, the streak blazed across the heavens and instantly cast its light over all the Nine Provinces.
In an instant, the pressure felt by the entire Human Race vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.
Seeing this, Shaoyao brightened and blurted out, "It must be Teacher helping us!"
Su Mu's attention was elsewhere. His deep, keen gaze turned straight toward the Heavenly Court.
I never expected Haotian to have achieved sainthood already! Now Dao Ancestor Hongjun can probably reunite with the Dao. Su Mu frowned at the thought, an indescribable sense of urgency welling up within him.
"Junior Sister, something has changed. We must return to the Heavenly Court at once!" Su Mu said urgently, turning to the woman beside him.
"All right, Senior Disciple Brother!" she replied without hesitation.
With that, Su Mu and Shaoyao flashed into streaks of light and sped toward the Heavenly Court.
On the Heavenly Court, Haotian was beaming with joy. After enduring countless hardships, he had finally achieved his dream of becoming a Saint.
Yaochi, standing nearby, could barely contain her excitement. "Congratulations, Senior Brother, on becoming a Saint today! From now on, our Heavenly Court will surely rise and become one of the most powerful forces in the Primordial World!"
But just as Haotian was basking in his triumph, a mysterious voice suddenly entered his ears.
The voice was solemn and imposing. It belonged to Dao Ancestor Hongjun. "Haotian, immediately order the members of the Human Race and the Human Sect who hold divine positions to leave the Heavenly Court. From now on, all divine positions in the Heavenly Court must be included on the Investiture of the Gods Scroll, and appointments must be made through the Scroll."
At these words, Haotian's smile froze. His expression turned grave.
"Drive the Human Race and the Human Sect out of the Heavenly Court? This..." Haotian furrowed his brows, his face filled with hesitation.
He muttered to himself, "What am I supposed to do? If I really go through with this, won't I offend Empress Nuwa terribly? She has the terrifying power to slay Saints!"
"And then there's Su Mu. He can slay Saints too. Though I don't know why he's now a Primordial Golden Immortal, I can't guarantee I'd be able to defeat him."
At the thought, Haotian felt a headache coming on. After all, neither Empress Nuwa nor Su Mu was someone he could afford to provoke.
But if he disobeyed the Great Master's command, the consequences would likely be just as disastrous.
After weighing his options again and again, Haotian finally made up his mind. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Fine. I'll follow the Great Master's orders. If anything goes wrong, the Great Master can deal with it."
With his decision made, Haotian immediately set things in motion. First, he sent his subordinates to dismiss the members of the Human Race who had previously joined the Heavenly Court.
As for the members of the Human Sect, it would be more appropriate for him to handle the matter personally.
So he promptly issued an order, summoning the Four Directional Emperors, the Grand Marshal of Heavenly Court Armies, Marshal Dapeng, and the Great God of the Three Altars to Lingxiao Palace to discuss an important matter.
Su Mu and Shaoyao had just arrived at the Heavenly Court when Haotian's summons reached them. The two hurried toward Lingxiao Palace.
The moment Su Mu stepped through the palace gates, he spotted Bei Xuan and the others, all familiar faces.
His heart gave a slight jolt. He could guess what this was about without thinking too hard: Dao Ancestor Hongjun had most likely ordered them to leave the Heavenly Court.
Haotian was already seated on his lofty throne. Once everyone had gathered,
he wasted no time and came straight to the point. "Immortals, I'm truly sorry, but I summoned you here at the Dao Ancestor's command. The Dao Ancestor has decreed that, from now on, all divine officials of the Heavenly Court must be listed on the Investiture of the Gods Scroll."
"Only those whose names appear on the Scroll are eligible to be appointed to their respective divine positions. So... I hope you'll understand and leave the Heavenly Court as soon as possible. I apologize to you all." Haotian's face bore a deep look of regret.
The crowd looked troubled at the news. They were resentful, but since the decree came directly from Dao Ancestor Hongjun, who would dare openly defy it?
With no other choice, they could only accept the harsh reality in silence.
Su Mu took a deep breath, stepped forward, and cupped his hands in salute. "Great Celestial Venerable, you need not apologize. Since this is the Dao Ancestor's command, we will naturally obey it without complaint. We'll take our leave for now. If fate allows us to meet again, I hope you'll look kindly upon us."
With that, he turned and walked toward the door. Shaoyao and the others followed.
Watching them walk away, Haotian let out a long sigh. "Very well. If there's ever an opportunity, the Heavenly Court will always welcome you back to serve." But as his words echoed through the empty hall, they sounded painfully hollow.
After leaving the Heavenly Court, Su Mu called out solemnly toward the distance, "Yang Jiao, Yang Jian, take Yang Chan and hurry to Shouyang Mountain! Don't delay!" His voice rang through the skies like a great bell, reaching Yang Tianyou's home in Guanjiang Pass.
The three brothers and sister were practicing in the courtyard when they suddenly heard the thunderous message.
Their hearts jolted. They immediately stopped what they were doing and hurried into the house. Inside, Yao Ji was sitting at the table mending clothes, while Yang Tianyou sorted through some books nearby.
Yang Jiao hurried over to his parents and said urgently, "Father, Mother, we just received a message from our teacher. He wants us to leave for Shouyang Mountain immediately."
Hearing this, Yao Ji put down her needle and thread, stood up, and looked at Yang Jiao with concern. "My dear Jiao, and Jian and Chan, when you go to Shouyang Mountain, you must listen to your teachers. Don't act willfully. Do you understand?"
Yang Tianyou stepped forward and gently patted Yang Jiao's shoulder. "That's right, children. Your teachers are all mighty and learned. Study and practice diligently under their guidance, and you'll surely accomplish great things one day. If you get the chance, do your best to help your teachers as well."
Yang Jiao, Yang Jian, and Yang Chan answered in unison, "Father, Mother, don't worry. We'll follow your instructions, practice diligently under our teachers, and live up to your expectations!"
As soon as they finished speaking, the three quickly began gathering their belongings and equipment, their movements practiced and efficient.
When everything was ready, they set off with determined steps on the long journey to Shouyang Mountain, a journey filled with uncertainty and challenges.
Along the way, they crossed dense forests, rugged mountain paths, and rushing rivers.
Aside from Yang Jian, neither of the other two had ever left the familiar land of Guanjiang Pass. They knew little about the outside world and didn't even know exactly where Shouyang Mountain was, only its approximate direction.
But the distant, uncertain journey did not make them afraid.
No matter how rough the road ahead became or how many obstacles they faced, the three courageous souls held fast to their high spirits and unyielding determination, taking one step at a time toward their destination.
Fortunately, when they were halfway through the journey, Su Mu and the others found them and brought them along.
By then, the three were utterly exhausted, their clothes caked with dust and their faces slick with sweat. But they had no time to stop and catch their breath, so they stayed close behind Su Mu and the others.
Seeing how low their cultivation levels were and how much energy the journey was costing them, Su Mu used a spell to carry them along.
When they reached Shouyang Mountain, they heard Nuwa's voice, clear as music from the heavens: "Come to the Human Dao Hall at once!" Everyone recognized it as their teacher's summons.
Daring not to waste a moment, they used their supernatural abilities and sped toward the Human Dao Hall.
Before long, they had arrived. As soon as they entered, they saw Empress Nuwa seated high on the throne, with Golden Phoenix beside her. Zhenyuanzi, the Vice Leader, sat on one side below them, and an unfamiliar man sat further down.
Everyone hurriedly bowed and greeted them in unison. "Greetings, Teacher (Empress). Greetings, Vice Leader." Nuwa nodded slightly, while Zhenyuanzi smiled and nodded in return.
Nuwa spoke slowly. "Let me first introduce someone to you. His name is Xing Zhou, and he was among the first members of the Human Race to enter the Heavenly Court. Ever since he joined, he has served as a Star Lord there."
"Xing Zhou has not only been diligent and conscientious in his duties, but has also trained extremely hard, never slacking off. Thanks to his long and tireless efforts, he has now successfully broken through to the early stage of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm!"
Nuwa paused briefly, then continued, "I saw that Xing Zhou had outstanding talent and a kind nature, and that he had great potential, so I took him as my disciple. From now on, Xing Zhou will be your Fifth Junior Brother."
As soon as Nuwa finished speaking, Xing Zhou stepped forward and said respectfully, "Greetings, Senior Brothers and Sisters. I'm new here, so if I make any mistakes in the future, I hope you'll kindly correct me and bear with me."
Everyone smiled and nodded in greeting, then replied together, "There's no need to stand on ceremony, Junior Brother Xing Zhou. You've already reached the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm at such a young age—truly, the younger generation is formidable!" The atmosphere was warm and cheerful, filled with laughter.
Nuwa spoke at the right moment. "I imagine that before coming here, you already had some idea why I summoned you. That's right: a Great Tribulation is about to descend upon the world. The Investiture of the Gods Scroll you just heard mentioned is the key to this tribulation. This is the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation."
Before she had finished, Bei Xuan could no longer contain his excitement. He blurted out, "Investiture of the Gods? Just how vast is this tribulation? And why must the gods be appointed?" As he spoke, he gestured wildly, visibly thrilled.
Shaoyao couldn't help chiding him. "Second Senior Brother, why are you so worked up?"
Bei Xuan didn't even turn his head as he answered firmly, "Junior Sister, you don't understand. Great Tribulations are often full of opportunities. If we seize them, we might rise to the heavens in a single bound and attain the supreme Dao!"
With that, he fixed his gaze on Empress Nuwa, clearly hoping to learn more about the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation from her.
Empress Nuwa spoke slowly. "This Great Tribulation is very different from those that came before. The greatest difference is that the souls of those who die will not enter the Underworld as they usually do. Instead, their True Spirits will ascend to the Investiture of the Gods Scroll."
"A True Spirit is like a person's consciousness being drawn into the Investiture of the Gods Scroll. Once a True Spirit enters the Scroll, it will be subject to the Scroll's control and restraints for all eternity, unless it is destroyed completely."
Bei Xuan paled with shock. "What? Their True Spirits have to go on the Scroll! True Spirits are even more fragile than souls. How could anyone continue cultivating like that? We must not end up on that Scroll!" His face was full of worry, and his heart was uneasy.
Seeing this, Shaoyao quickly reassured him. "You don't need to worry so much, Senior Brother Bei Xuan. Teacher would never let us end up on the Scroll. With Teacher protecting us, she'll keep us safe." Her voice was gentle but firm as she tried to soothe his anxious heart.
Cangjie chimed in, "That's right, Senior Brother Bei Xuan. Teacher will definitely help us. Besides, we have Senior Disciple Brother. He's mighty enough to slay even Saints, so of course he'll protect us all."
Before you continue