After hearing Zhao Xuan's words.
Holy Mother Guiling froze.
"Still waiting?"
"Of course."
Zhao Xuan closed the Jade Slip.
"The longer he stays away, the more chaotic the Heavenly Court becomes."
"The more chaotic the Heavenly Court becomes, the clearer-headed the Jie Sect disciples will be."
"He's the one in a hurry, not us."
Holy Mother Guiling thought it over and nodded.
"True."
"Watching someone else panic really is more comfortable than panicking yourself."
Zhao Xuan glanced at her.
"It's no small thing that you've grasped that."
Holy Mother Guiling was just about to flare up when someone reported in from outside the hall.
"Senior Disciple Brother, someone from the Heavenly Court is here again."
Holy Mother Guiling immediately stood.
"Did Haotian come?"
"No, it's still Taibai Jinxing."
Holy Mother Guiling's expression darkened.
"He's still putting on airs?"
Zhao Xuan wasn't surprised.
"Show him in."
A moment later, Taibai Jinxing entered the side hall.
Compared with last time, there was far less of a smile on his face.
After entering, he first bowed to Zhao Xuan.
"Greetings, Immortal Zhao Xuan."
Zhao Xuan pointed to a spot nearby.
"Sit."
Taibai Jinxing didn't dare actually sit.
"Immortal, His Majesty has finished investigating the matter of Qingxiaozi."
"General Xuanlang of the Water Department mishandled the matter and has been punished with a thousand years of guarding the Third Sea Eye in the East Sea."
"The celestial officials involved will also be thoroughly investigated."
Holy Mother Guiling sneered.
"That's it?"
Taibai Jinxing looked embarrassed.
Zhao Xuan said nothing.
Taibai Jinxing had no choice but to continue.
"His Majesty also said that Qingxiaozi has rendered meritorious service guarding the Sea Eye all these years. The Heavenly Court is willing to make up for the rewards he was previously owed."
Zhao Xuan finally looked up.
"How much?"
Taibai Jinxing froze.
He hadn't expected Zhao Xuan to ask so bluntly.
"Well..."
Zhao Xuan pushed a Jade Slip over to him.
"Haven't you calculated it? I did it for you."
"It's all clearly recorded in this Jade Slip. Qingxiaozi guarded the Third Sea Eye for two thousand years. By the Water Department's standards for celestial officials guarding the Sea Eyes, he should receive 3,600 credits in the Water Mansion, seventy-two bottles of spirit pills, and one protective magic treasure."
"Since the Sea Eye's backlash damaged his Dao foundation, he also needs spirit items to repair it."
"The Heavenly Court previously gave him three bottles of low-grade spirit pills."
"When will you make up the rest?"
Taibai Jinxing's hand trembled.
Now he was finally sure.
Zhao Xuan had truly come to settle accounts.
Not just one account settled with a few words.
But a ledger, item by item, with numbers beside every entry.
Holy Mother Guiling listened, her eyes shining.
"Senior Disciple Brother, you can really calculate it like that?"
Zhao Xuan replied evenly:
"Of course we have to calculate it."
"We didn't calculate it before because the Interception Sect valued loyalty."
"Now that the Investiture of the Gods List is going to be filled with my Jie Sect disciples, why should we keep muddling through?"
Taibai Jinxing's scalp prickled.
"Immortal, I'll need to return and seek His Majesty's approval on this matter."
"Fine,"
Zhao Xuan said.
"Qingxiaozi's account is only the first."
"There are another 2,764 accounts after it."
Taibai Jinxing's expression went completely stiff.
"2,764 accounts?"
Zhao Xuan nodded.
"And that's only the ones related to the Heavenly Court."
Taibai Jinxing's throat went dry.
"Immortal, if we calculate every account, the Heavenly Court may not be able to settle them all at once..."
Zhao Xuan cut him off.
"The Heavenly Court can't pay?"
Taibai Jinxing didn't dare nod or shake his head.
Zhao Xuan smiled.
"It doesn't matter if you can't pay."
"Use divine offices as collateral."
Taibai Jinxing jerked his head up.
Zhao Xuan looked at him.
"Isn't the Heavenly Court going to confer gods?"
"Aren't you short on divine offices?"
"Fine."
"First, list clearly the contributions made over the years by the Jie Sect disciples who worked for the Heavenly Court."
"Write down, item by item, which divine offices they deserve, what merits they should receive, and what share of the Heavenly Court's fortune they should enjoy."
"Whether they're willing to join the List is up to the Jie Sect disciples themselves."
"But if anyone tries to use the excuse that their roots are shallow and they don't understand the Heavenly Mandate to treat my Jie Sect disciples like expendable materials and stuff them onto the List..."
"Then don't blame the Interception Sect for refusing to recognize that List."
Taibai Jinxing's pupils contracted.
Those words carried tremendous weight.
Zhao Xuan wasn't simply refusing the Investiture of the Gods.
He was changing its rules.
In the past, the Heavenly Court needed people, so the Three Teachings filled the List.
Whoever went on the List was the one who suffered.
But Zhao Xuan's meaning was that even if the Jie Sect disciples joined the Heavenly Court, their contributions had to be acknowledged first, their terms set, and their authority made clear.
They couldn't die for nothing.
They couldn't work for nothing.
They couldn't be slandered and then thrown onto the List.
This struck at the very roots of the Investiture of the Gods.
Taibai Jinxing didn't dare respond.
He could only say quietly:
"His Majesty and the Saints will have to decide this matter."
Zhao Xuan said:
"Then let Haotian come."
"I've already said it."
"If he wants to talk, he can come to Golden Turtle Island himself."
Taibai Jinxing smiled bitterly.
"Immortal, His Majesty is, after all, the Heavenly Emperor."
Zhao Xuan looked at him.
"So what?"
Taibai Jinxing was at a loss for words.
Zhao Xuan said:
"If the Heavenly Emperor needs people, that's the Heavenly Emperor's problem."
"The Interception Sect doesn't lack people."
"If the Heavenly Emperor thinks his dignity matters more than the Heavenly Court's ability to function, then he can keep putting on airs."
"I'm in no hurry."
Taibai Jinxing had nothing to say.
Because Zhao Xuan truly wasn't in a hurry.
The Jie Sect disciples had all returned to Golden Turtle Island.
The Heavenly Court was the one in a hurry.
Just as the atmosphere in the hall turned tense, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside.
A Jie Sect disciple rushed in.
"Senior Disciple Brother, something's happened in the East Sea."
Zhao Xuan's brows shifted slightly.
"Speak."
The disciple said:
"The Third Sea Eye has gone completely out of control. A surge of spiritual tide has burst through the seal."
"General Xuanlang was sent to guard the Third Sea Eye under punishment. He had only just taken over the formation core and hadn't held out for an hour before he was swept into the Sea Eye."
"The Water Department is asking our Jie Sect to send Qingxiaozi back."
Holy Mother Guiling laughed out loud.
"How many days has it been?"
"Weren't they so capable?"
Taibai Jinxing's face turned pale.
The thing he'd feared most had happened.
Zhao Xuan stood.
"Where's Qingxiaozi?"
"He's recovering from his injuries on the island."
"Tell him to focus on recovering."
"The Third Sea Eye has nothing to do with him."
Taibai Jinxing said urgently:
"Immortal, if the Third Sea Eye goes out of control, the living creatures in the nearby waters will suffer."
Zhao Xuan looked at him.
"So?"
Taibai Jinxing fell silent.
Zhao Xuan had asked that question many times already.
So?
This hadn't been caused by the Jie Sect.
Why should the Jie Sect always have to clean up after everyone else?
Zhao Xuan walked to the hall entrance. His gaze pierced the endless void toward the churning spiritual tide in the distant East Sea.
"Taibai, go back and tell Haotian."
"This is the second round."
"If the Heavenly Court still wants to put on airs, then let them keep doing it."
"If the Third Sea Eye really collapses, the Interception Sect won't be to blame."
Taibai Jinxing's expression shifted.
A moment later, he finally lowered his head.
"Immortal, this old man dares to ask you something."
"If His Majesty comes in person to Golden Turtle Island, would the Interception Sect be willing to stabilize the Third Sea Eye?"
Zhao Xuan did not answer immediately.
He turned to look at Taibai Jinxing.
"It won't be the Interception Sect taking action."
"It'll be the Heavenly Court asking the Interception Sect to act."
"Remember that."
Taibai Jinxing nodded bitterly.
"This old man will remember."
Zhao Xuan said:
"As for whether we're willing, we'll talk when Haotian gets here."
Taibai Jinxing did not dare linger any longer. He turned and left.
He had just flown off Golden Turtle Island when a streak of water shot skyward from the depths of the East Sea.
Boom!
The entire sea suddenly shook.
In the distance, black-blue spiritual tides churned skyward in the direction of the Third Sea Eye.
Holy Mother Guiling's expression changed slightly.
"It really collapsed?"
Zhao Xuan stood where he was, his gaze unmoving.
The next moment, another urgent-report beam of light flew in from afar.
The Jie Sect disciple landed, his voice trembling.
"Senior Disciple Brother, the seal on the Third Sea Eye has cracked."
"The East Sea Dragon Palace has sent someone."
"They say the Dragon King wants to see you."
Zhao Xuan looked toward the depths of the East Sea.
A moment later, he said coolly:
"Tell him to wait."
"Wait for Haotian first."
Before you continue