Questioning the Investiture of the Gods List!

As soon as those words fell,

every immortal official in Lingxiao Hall trembled.

Because those words were almost identical to the account-demanding message sent by the Interception Sect.

The list had not yet appeared.

Who had entered those names?

At that moment,

Haotian, too, had been forced to face that question.

Taibai Jinxing lowered his head.

Yet a chill suddenly rose in his heart.

He realized that Zhao Xuan's blade struck viciously.

He was not merely questioning the Heavenly Court.

He was forcing Haotian himself to question the Heavenly Court.

The Interception Sect asked once.

If Haotian did not wish to shoulder this blame, he would have to ask again in Lingxiao Hall.

That was harsher than directly cursing Haotian.

Because it made the Heavenly Court split from within.

The blue-robed Water Department Immortal Official trembled from head to toe.

"Your Majesty."

"We merely acted in accordance with the Heavenly Mandate."

"The Investiture of the Gods List is about to emerge, and the various departments taking their places is the great trend of the Heavenly Court."

"We made preliminary records in advance only because we feared delaying the Heavenly Court's important affairs."

Haotian's gaze abruptly turned cold.

"The Heavenly Mandate?"

"Have you seen the Investiture of the Gods List?"

The blue-robed immortal official froze.

"I—I have not."

"Did the Dao Ancestor order you to record them?"

"No."

"Did I order you to record them?"

The blue-robed immortal official completely prostrated himself on the ground.

"No."

Haotian walked down the imperial steps one step at a time.

"The Investiture of the Gods List has not appeared."

"The Dao Ancestor has not determined the names."

"And I have issued no decree."

"Yet you have already chosen gods for the Heavenly Court."

He stopped before the Water Department Immortal Official.

"And you even set your sights on the Interception Sect."

"Tell me, how am I supposed to explain this?"

The Water Department Immortal Official went limp.

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty!"

Haotian ignored him.

He raised a hand.

That page of account-shadow flew into his palm.

The gray-white aura upon it was faint.

Yet it made his heart sink.

Because it was not ordinary account aura.

It was the aura of the Investiture of the Gods List.

Haotian stared at that strand of gray-white aura.

He said nothing for a long while.

Taibai Jinxing cautiously raised his head.

"Your Majesty?"

Haotian slowly said, "This aura."

"Is not something the Water Department could have written."

Lingxiao Hall fell silent once more.

Taibai Jinxing's expression changed.

He understood.

The Water Department could make private records.

The Wealth Department could make private records.

But they could not produce the aura of the Investiture of the Gods List.

There was something else behind this.

Haotian looked at that page of account-shadow.

His eyes flickered uncertainly.

He thought of Zixiao Palace.

He thought of the Dao Ancestor saying that the Investiture of the Gods List would soon emerge.

He thought of the various Saints' respective silence.

He thought of Tongtian's face, cold to the extreme.

And he thought of the account-demanding message Zhao Xuan had now sent to Lingxiao Hall.

The list had not appeared.

Yet the names had already been entered.

The Heavenly Court could not give a clean answer to this account.

Haotian suddenly felt that he, the Heavenly Emperor, seemed to have been pushed to the forefront as well.

It was true that the Heavenly Court lacked people.

It was also true that he sought the Investiture of the Gods.

But the All-Department Preliminary Register had connected with the aura of the Investiture of the Gods List in advance.

This matter might not have been solely the Heavenly Court's doing.

Taibai Jinxing said softly, "Your Majesty, how should we respond to the Interception Sect?"

Haotian did not answer immediately.

Every immortal official in the hall waited.

If they admitted it,

the Heavenly Court would lose all face.

If they denied it,

the Interception Sect had the account-shadow, old orders, the Water Department Old Seal, Zhao Gongming's sighting of the names in the Wealth Department, and even the aura of the Investiture of the Gods List.

They could not deny it away.

Haotian remained silent for a long time.

At last, he spoke.

"Pass my decree."

Taibai Jinxing immediately bowed.

"Your servant awaits your command."

Haotian said, "The Water Department, the Wealth Department, and all other departments are to seal their old records at once."

"All preliminary registers involving Interception Sect disciples are to be delivered to Lingxiao Hall."

"If even one register is missing,"

"the chief official will personally erase his immortal registration."

The expressions of the immortals in the hall changed drastically.

The Water Department Immortal Official abruptly raised his head.

"Your Majesty!"

Haotian looked at him.

"Do you object?"

The Water Department Immortal Official immediately lowered his head.

"I would not dare."

Haotian continued, "Taibai."

"You will personally go to Golden Turtle Island."

Taibai Jinxing's heart sank.

As expected.

There was no avoiding this matter.

Haotian looked at that page of account-shadow, his voice cold and heavy.

"Tell Zhao Xuan."

"The Heavenly Court will investigate."

"If the Water Department or Wealth Department made private records, I will not shield them."

Taibai Jinxing was just about to acknowledge the order.

But Haotian's next words had already fallen.

"But tell him this as well."

"The Water Department may make private records."

"The Wealth Department may make private records."

"But they cannot produce the aura of the Investiture of the Gods List."

Within Lingxiao Hall,

the atmosphere abruptly changed.

Taibai Jinxing raised his head.

Haotian said, word by word, "If he truly wishes to question this matter,"

"then he should not question only the Heavenly Court."

"This account"

"must be questioned higher up as well."

Golden Turtle Island.

The Clear Gate Register still hung before the table.

Zhao Xuan had not left.

Duobao, Jin Ling, Gui Ling, Wudang, Zhao Gongming, and the Three Xiao Sisters were all there as well.

The Outer Sect disciples had not dispersed either.

They were waiting for the Heavenly Court's answer to the account.

Suddenly,

a decree from the Heavenly Court descended from the Nine Heavens.

It did not directly press into Golden Turtle Island.

Instead, it stopped outside the mountain gate.

Bi Xiao sneered.

"This time, they know enough to stop outside the gate."

Holy Mother Guiling said coldly, "Read it."

The Heavenly Court decree slowly unfurled.

Taibai Jinxing's voice rang out from within the decree.

"By His Majesty's decree."

"The Heavenly Court has learned of the Interception Sect's demand for an account."

"The old records of the Water Department, Wealth Department, and all other departments are to be sealed at once."

"All preliminary registers involving Interception Sect disciples are to be sent to Lingxiao Hall for examination."

"If there are private records, the Heavenly Court will not shield them."

As soon as those words came out,

the eyes of many Outer Sect disciples before the hall shifted slightly.

The Heavenly Court had acknowledged that it would investigate.

At the very least, regarding the Water Department and Wealth Department, the Heavenly Court did not dare suppress the matter outright.

But Zhao Xuan said nothing.

He merely looked at that Heavenly Court decree.

As expected.

After pausing for a breath, Taibai Jinxing's voice continued to ring out.

"Additionally.

"His Majesty has decreed.

"If the All-Department Preliminary Register involves the qi of the Investiture of the Gods List,

"then that qi was not inscribed by the Heavenly Court.

"If this account is to be questioned,

"then ask above."

The voice of the decree faded.

Before Golden Turtle Island, silence suddenly fell.

Ask above.

Those three words weighed heavily on everyone's hearts.

Above the Heavenly Court.

Who else could it be?

Zixiao Palace.

The Dao Ancestor.

Holy Mother Guiling's expression darkened.

"Is he pushing this account onto Zixiao Palace?"

Holy Mother Jinling said coldly, "Or perhaps he is afraid."

Daoist Duobao said nothing.

He looked toward Zhao Xuan.

Zhao Xuan remained calm.

As though he had long been waiting for those words.

He raised his hand.

The Clear Gate Register opened.

That Heavenly Court decree from moments ago entered the register word for word.

[The Heavenly Court claims: the Water Department and Wealth Department made private entries; the Heavenly Court offers no protection.]

[The Heavenly Court claims: the qi of the Investiture of the Gods List was not inscribed by the Heavenly Court.]

[The Heavenly Court claims: this account should be questioned above.]

Three lines appeared.

Zhao Xuan looked at the final line.

Then he suddenly smiled.

Very faintly.

And very coldly.

"Good."

"Then we shall ask above."

The immortals before the hall all shuddered inwardly.

Daoist Duobao's expression changed.

"Senior Disciple Brother."

Zhao Xuan knew what he wanted to say.

They could not directly question Zixiao Palace.

They could not confront the Dao Ancestor head-on.

They could not overstep their master.

Of course he knew.

So he did not look up at Zixiao Palace.

Nor did he directly question the Dao Ancestor.

He merely looked at the Clear Gate Register.

"Write."

The vermilion brush rose.

Zhao Xuan's voice remained calm.

"The Investiture of the Gods List has yet to emerge."

"Yet the departments already have preliminary entries."

"The Heavenly Court claims that the List Qi was not inscribed by the Heavenly Court."

"Since that is so."

He paused for a breath.

"First question."

"Investiture of the Gods List."

"Where did your name come from?"

The moment those words fell.

The Clear Gate Register shook violently.

Above the Nine Heavens.

A thread of moist white List Qi suddenly emerged once more.

This time.

It was not immediately shattered by Shangqing's intent.

Instead, above Golden Turtle Island, it slowly condensed into an incomplete List Shadow.

Upon the List Shadow.

Zhao Gongming's name flashed past.

Immediately after.

A second name.

Holy Mother Jinling.

The atmosphere before the hall instantly froze.

Holy Mother Jinling's hand tightened sharply around her weapon.

Holy Mother Guiling stared fixedly at the List Shadow.

Daoist Duobao's expression completely changed.

Killing intent churned in Zhao Gongming's eyes.

The Three Xiao Sisters looked up at the same time.

Zhao Xuan watched that incomplete List Shadow.

The coldness in his eyes sank completely.

The Heavenly Court said it had not written it.

Then the Investiture of the Gods List would answer!

Zhao Xuan raised his hand.

The Clear Gate Register turned to a new page.

The vermilion brush hovered.

The first line fell.

[The Investiture of the Gods List has not emerged, yet names of the Interception Sect have appeared first.]

[Zhao Gongming—who entered his name?]

[Holy Mother Jinling—who entered her name?]

Three lines fell.

The incomplete List Shadow trembled violently.

Zhao Gongming's name remained.

Holy Mother Jinling's name remained as well.

Zhao Xuan looked at that incomplete list.

"The Heavenly Court says it was not responsible."

"Then it is your turn to answer."

"Investiture of the Gods List."

"These two names."

"Where did they come from?"