When Zhao Xuan finished speaking.
Guangchengzi's aura abruptly stalled.
He might not dare to truly suppress Zhao Xuan.
Even if he could.
He still couldn't let those words spread.
The Chan Sect could be proud.
It could be aloof.
It could keep its hands clean of worldly affairs.
But it could not be accused of obstructing disaster relief while the East Sea was on the verge of collapse.
That would be no blessing or virtue.
It would be a lack of virtue!
Boom!
Another thunderous crash sounded from the depths of the East Sea.
A black-and-blue spiritual tide surged into the sky.
The sea's surface seemed to be torn open by an invisible giant hand.
The Dragon Palace's old minister turned deathly pale and dropped to his knees on the spot.
"Your Majesty!"
"The Third Sea Eye is six-tenths cracked!"
"If we delay any longer, even Senior Immortal Qingxiaozi may not be able to hold it down!"
Haotian's face darkened.
He did not look at the old minister from the Dragon Palace.
Instead, he looked toward Guangchengzi.
Guangchengzi stood upon the clouds, Yuqing Immortal Light still surging around him.
But at that moment, the immortal light seemed especially glaring.
Haotian finally raised his hand.
The Heavenly Emperor Seal appeared once more.
Guangchengzi's expression changed.
"Your Majesty!"
Haotian said coldly,
"Enough."
Guangchengzi furrowed his brows.
Haotian continued,
"The Heavenly Court's petition for help has nothing to do with the Chan Sect."
"If Yuxu Palace finds this objectionable, have Senior Brother Yuanshi come speak to Me in person."
As his words fell.
The sea suddenly fell silent.
Taibai Jinxing lowered his head.
He knew Haotian had made his choice.
Not because he was willing to bow his head.
But because the East Sea could not wait.
Neither could the Heavenly Court.
Guangchengzi's expression finally changed.
He had not expected Haotian to distance the Chan Sect from the matter in front of the Interception Sect's disciples at a time like this.
Even if Haotian had not meant to help Zhao Xuan.
He was still sending a dangerous signal!
Zhao Xuan looked at Haotian.
"Have you thought this through, Your Majesty?"
Haotian's gaze was icy.
"Zhao Xuan, today I act for the sake of all living beings in the East Sea."
Zhao Xuan nodded.
"Fine."
He raised a hand and tapped the Jade Slip.
Another line appeared on it.
"The Heavenly Court petitions for the Interception Sect disciple Qingxiaozi to temporarily guard the Third Sea Eye on behalf of the Water Department, for the sake of all living beings in the East Sea."
"During this period, the merit belongs to Qingxiaozi."
"The Heavenly Court will bear the karma."
"If the Sea Eye's backlash damages his Dao Foundation, the Heavenly Court will provide further compensation."
"Any subsequent divine positions, authority, and fortune will be settled separately."
Haotian looked at the lines of writing.
His fingers slowly tightened.
He was the Heavenly Emperor.
He knew what it meant for this Jade Slip to be sealed.
From now on, whenever an Interception Sect disciple worked for the Heavenly Court, it would no longer be an unclear account.
There would be a petition.
There would be merit.
There would be karma.
There would be a subsequent settlement.
But the Third Sea Eye's rumbling continued.
Haotian had no other choice.
The Heavenly Emperor Seal descended.
Boom!
Golden light exploded.
The Heavenly Court's petition was finalized.
The eyes of every Interception Sect disciple above the sea lit up at once.
The old minister from the Dragon Palace nearly collapsed to the ground.
Taibai Jinxing let out a long breath.
Holy Mother Guiling sneered.
"Wouldn't it have been easier to do this from the start?"
Haotian shot her a cold look.
Holy Mother Guiling's expression remained unchanged, without the slightest trace of fear.
Zhao Xuan reached out and took the Jade Slip, glancing over it.
Once he had confirmed everything was in order, he turned around.
"Qingxiaozi."
In the distance, Qingxiaozi immediately stepped forward.
"Senior Disciple Brother."
Zhao Xuan handed him the Jade Slip.
"Take it."
"This is the first bit of dignity you should have received in these two thousand years."
Qingxiaozi accepted it with both hands.
His knuckles turned white.
He lowered his head, his voice hoarse.
"This disciple accepts the order."
Zhao Xuan said,
"Go to the Third Sea Eye."
"Only suppress the array."
"Don't take the blame."
"If the Heavenly Court dares to pin the blame on you again, use this petition to hold them to account."
Qingxiaozi bowed deeply.
"Yes!"
The next moment.
He transformed into a streak of azure light and sped straight toward the depths of the East Sea.
The old minister from the Dragon Palace hurried to his feet.
"This old minister will guide Senior Immortal Qingxiaozi!"
Zhao Xuan glanced at him.
"The Dragon Palace's debt to Qingxiaozi will be settled separately."
The old minister's body stiffened.
"Yes."
"This old minister will report it to the Dragon King as soon as he returns."
Zhao Xuan said,
"Not report it."
"Settle the debt."
The old minister turned pale.
He did not dare say another word and transformed into a streak of water-light, chasing after Qingxiaozi.
In the distance.
The Third Sea Eye continued to churn.
Black-and-blue spiritual tides burst above the sea, lashing in every direction like countless chains.
Several Water Department Immortal Officials stood guard at the perimeter, each of them deathly pale.
They did not dare approach.
Much less enter the array.
Qingxiaozi plunged into the spiritual tide.
Without wasting words.
He pressed down with one palm.
The array patterns in his palm suddenly lit up.
The Sea-Suppressing Array, which had been in complete disarray, suddenly responded.
A point of azure light appeared.
Then a second.
A third.
A fourth.
The Water Department Immortal Officials watched, their faces stiffening.
They had studied the array's channels for three days without understanding them.
Qingxiaozi had only struck once, yet he had reconnected four of the array's nodes.
Qingxiaozi said coldly,
"The southeast array flag is off by three inches."
"Who moved it?"
No one dared answer.
Qingxiaozi continued,
"The northwest water vein was severed by Thunder Arts."
"Who sent the Thunder Department to suppress the Sea Eye?"
Still, no one spoke.
Qingxiaozi asked no more questions.
He raised a hand and swept it outward.
The Heavenly Court's petition hovered above his head.
Golden light streamed down.
The Heavenly Emperor Mark connected with the Sea-Suppressing Array.
For the first time, the karma that had been pressing down on his Dao Foundation was diverted by the Heavenly Court's petition.
Qingxiaozi's eyes instantly reddened.
Not from grievance.
But from the sheer satisfaction of it.
So, all this time, it wasn't that he couldn't suppress the Sea Eye.
It was that he had been shouldering far too much karma that should never have been his to bear.
"Suppress!"
Qingxiaozi barked.
Boom!
The Sea-Suppressing Array lit up.
A steady glow of the formation rose from the seabed.
The raging spiritual tide was forcibly held back.
The sea's turbulence eased a little.
The Dragon Palace's old minister knelt on the sea, his eyes nearly brimming with tears.
"It's stable!"
"We've got it under control for now!"
Holy Mother Guiling looked at Haotian and sneered.
"See that?"
"The hole you couldn't patch in three days."
"One of my Jie Sect disciples arrives, and it's held back."
Zhao Gongming chimed in.
"Before, this was a favor."
"From now on, it's a debt."
Taibai Jinxing's eyelid twitched.
Haotian said nothing.
His expression was far from pleasant.
Because the Sea Eye had stabilized.
And that proved one thing.
The Heavenly Court truly couldn't do without these Jie Sect disciples.
It even laid bare just how strong the Heavenly Court looked on the outside—and how weak it was within!
Guangchengzi's expression was even uglier.
The faster Qingxiaozi stabilized the Sea Eye, the more ridiculous Guangchengzi's earlier words seemed.
What mortal-world karma.
What shallow roots.
What Jie Sect disciples deserving to bear the tribulation.
When disaster truly struck, the ones who stepped forward to hold back the Sea Eye were still those very Jie Sect disciples he had condemned.
Zhao Xuan, however, didn't look at the Sea Eye again.
He turned to Guangchengzi.
"The Heavenly Court has signed."
"Now it's Kunlun's turn."
Guangchengzi's face darkened.
"Zhao Xuan, don't push your luck."
Zhao Xuan raised the Jade Slip inscribed with the Merits and Demerits of the Three Sects.
"I'm not pushing my luck."
"Your Chan Sect came knocking on its own."
"If you hadn't come, this debt wouldn't have landed on your head today."
Guangchengzi said coldly.
"I won't sign."
Zhao Xuan nodded.
"Fine."
"Then I'll make it clear in writing."
He raised a hand and pointed.
The Jade Slip shimmered with clear light.
A line of text appeared.
"Guangchengzi of the Chan Sect refuses to sign the Three Sects Merit and Fault Audit."
Guangchengzi's gaze turned icy.
A second line appeared right after it.
"Refuses to acknowledge that those who have rendered no meritorious service may not claim divine positions first."
A third line.
"Refuses to acknowledge that those who have not borne tribulations may not divide the fortune first."
A fourth line.
"And, during the crisis at the Third Sea Eye, obstructed the Heavenly Court's request for Jie Sect disciples to suppress the sea."
With every line that appeared,
Guangchengzi's expression grew uglier.
Zhao Xuan looked at him.
"Junior fellow disciple."
"Did I write anything wrong?"
Before you continue