Haotian was completely stunned by those words.
The light in his eyes abruptly froze.
He looked at the Investiture of the Gods List, at the five True Spirits floating within its golden radiance, at the five Heavenly Dao Sages.
Even reduced to True Spirits, they still emitted remnants of pressure that made one's soul tremble.
The last trace of hope in his heart shattered at that moment.
He had thought Xuandu would extract the five Sages' True Spirits separately—suppress them, refine them, or erase them completely.
Then he would leave the remaining disciples of the Chan Sect and Western Sect for Haotian to handle.
Those disciples might have been Golden Immortals, Taiyi, and Daluo, but at least Haotian could suppress them, manage them, and command them.
Yet Xuandu had merely said, "This list is yours now."
Those words were an insurmountable chasm that severed all his fantasies at once.
Five Heavenly Dao Sages.
Yuanshi, Laozi, Jieyin, Zhunti, and Nuwa.
Every one of them was an existence Haotian could only look up to throughout his countless epochs of cultivation.
Even now, with only their True Spirits remaining, they were still Sages' True Spirits.
Sages could not be humiliated. That had been so since time immemorial.
How could they possibly serve in the Heavenly Court? How could they possibly submit to the command of a Quasi-Saint Peak Jade Emperor like him?
Haotian opened his mouth, his voice hoarse.
"Vice Sect Master... these five Sages' True Spirits, you... you will not deal with them separately?"
Xuandu looked at him, his gaze as calm as water. Beneath that calm was not the slightest ripple, not even a hint of surprise, as though he had long expected Haotian to ask that question.
"Deal with them separately? Deal with what?"
Haotian's heart tightened, and he forced