Recall All Disciples, Heavenly Court is Empty? Who to Blame?!

Inside Biyou Palace, Master Tongtian watched Zhao Xuan, whose expression was terrifyingly calm.

He asked again.

"How shall we test him?"

Zhao Xuan replied:

"Since Haotian went to Zixiao Palace to complain that the Heavenly Court lacks personnel, he will inevitably leverage the Dao Ancestor's influence to demand people from the three sects."

"The Human Sect only has Xuandu, and Uncle Taiqing will not give him up."

"The Chan Sect disciples are precious, and Uncle Yuanshi will not give them up either."

"The Two Western Sages only know how to cry poverty while looking for opportunities to convert people from the East; they certainly won't give anyone up."

"Therefore, the first place Haotian will truly dare to reach into must be my Jie Sect."

Master Tongtian sneered.

"He dares?"

Zhao Xuan said calmly:

"He might not have dared before."

"But now, with the Dao Ancestor's words regarding the Investiture of the Gods List, he dares."

"He won't even feel like he is begging the Jie Sect."

"He will believe this is the grand trend of the Heavenly Dao, the decree of the Dao Ancestor, and that the Jie Sect should cooperate with the Heavenly Court."

Master Tongtian's eyes turned cold.

Zhao Xuan continued:

"Therefore, this disciple requests that Master does not completely seal the island just yet."

"Instead, issue a first decree."

"Recall all branch disciples of the Jie Sect currently serving in the Heavenly Court, following orders, or assisting in administration."

"Recall all those currently suppressing demons in the East Sea, regulating the water veins of the four seas, managing minor star official duties, or patrolling the lower realms for evil spirits."

"The reason is simple."

"The Investiture of the Gods List is about to appear; Jie Sect disciples must return to Golden Turtle Island to quietly recite the Yellow Court and enter seclusion to avoid the tribulation."

"No one can find fault with this reason."

Master Tongtian's eyes flickered.

He understood Zhao Xuan's meaning in an instant.

Zhao Xuan did not intend to immediately tear off the mask with the Heavenly Court.

He simply wanted to reclaim the manpower that belonged to the Jie Sect but was being used for free by the Heavenly Court.

This was reasonable.

And it was also devious.

Because as soon as these Jie Sect disciples withdrew, the Heavenly Court would immediately feel what it meant to be short-handed.

Didn't Haotian say the Heavenly Court had no one?

Fine.

Then let him see exactly how empty the Heavenly Court truly is.

Master Tongtian could not help but take another look at Zhao Xuan.

His eldest disciple did not seem to have this kind of temperament before.

The Zhao Xuan of the past was steady, but not this devious.

Now, however, he was different.

He would not strike unless necessary, but when he did, he struck straight at the Heavenly Court's soft underbelly.

"What if Haotian sends someone to ask?"

Master Tongtian asked.

Zhao Xuan said indifferently:

"Then tell him that the Investiture of the Gods List is about to appear, the Great Tribulation has arrived, and the Jie Sect disciples are also afraid of death and must avoid the tribulation."

"If Haotian finds this inappropriate, tell him to come to Golden Turtle Island and request it himself."

"If he doesn't dare to come, then tell him to stop spouting nonsense."

"And if he truly dares to come..."

Zhao Xuan looked up at Master Tongtian.

"Then I ask Master to pose him one question."

"If the Heavenly Court lacks personnel, that is the Heavenly Court's incompetence."

"Or is the Jie Sect guilty?"

A trace of a smile finally appeared in Master Tongtian's eyes.

"Good."

"This matter shall be left to you."

Zhao Xuan bowed.

"Disciple accepts the order."

Soon, a Supreme Clarity Dharma Decree was issued from Biyou Palace.

The content of the decree was simple.

The Investiture of the Gods List was about to emerge, and the Great Calamity was approaching.

All Jie Sect disciples were to quietly recite the Yellow Court and enter seclusion to avoid the calamity.

Any Jie Sect disciple currently serving in the Heavenly Court—whether listening to orders, assisting, defending, suppressing demons, patrolling the lower realms, managing water veins, or handling miscellaneous star affairs—was to return to Golden Turtle Island immediately.

No delays were permitted.

No defiance was allowed.

As soon as this decree was issued, countless Jie Sect disciples on Golden Turtle Island were stunned.

They certainly knew that many Jie Sect disciples were helping out in the Heavenly Court.

Though it was called "serving," many of them did not even have formal immortal status.

Much of the dirty and exhausting work in the Heavenly Court was being done by these peripheral Jie Sect disciples.

For instance, patrolling the lower realms for evil spirits.

For instance, guarding unimportant yet troublesome star nodes.

For instance, helping the Four Seas Dragon Clan manage water veins.

For instance, suppressing the turbulent sea eyes in the East Sea.

For instance, handling correspondence, mediation, and escorting between the Heavenly Court and overseas rogue cultivators.

One could say these tasks were not particularly important.

Yet, one could also say that the Heavenly Court could not function without them.

Previously, no one felt there was anything wrong with these arrangements.

After all, the Jie Sect had many disciples.

With so many disciples, there were always some willing to go out and gain experience.

The Heavenly Court would provide a title, some incense, a few spiritual fruits or immortal brews, and add a few words about how "Jie Sect disciples are truly righteous," and those peripheral disciples would happily go.

But now, after Zhao Xuan had dismantled the situation, many suddenly realized the truth.

Wasn't this just working for free?

You were not a formal Heavenly Court official.

You received little of the Heavenly Court's fortune.

When something went wrong, the blame was pinned on you first.

When things went well, Haotian would claim it was the Heavenly Court's effective governance.

When things went poorly, the outside world would say Jie Sect disciples were too murderous and crude in their methods.

In the end, there were few benefits and plenty of karma.

Wasn't this just being used as cheap labor?

Many Jie Sect disciples grew angrier the more they thought about it.

"Good grief, I used to envy those senior brothers who went to help in the Heavenly Court, thinking they could at least touch a bit of the Heavenly Court's fortune."

"Now that I think about it, touch my foot!"

"We didn't get much fortune, but we didn't miss out on a single bit of the trouble."

"Isn't the Third Sea Eye in the East Sea always being suppressed by our Jie Sect disciples?"

"That's right, I heard that was supposed to be the responsibility of the Heavenly Court's Water Department and the Dragon Clan, but the Water Department lacked manpower and the Dragon Clan kept making excuses, so it somehow ended up on the shoulders of our peripheral junior brothers."

"And the North Star Domain, that was supposed to be patrolled by Heavenly Court star officials, but in the end, our Jie Sect disciples helped there too."

"Damn it, if the Senior Brother hadn't pointed it out, I really wouldn't have felt anything was wrong."

"Now that I think about it, what does the Heavenly Court take our Jie Sect for?"

"Reserve immortal officials?"

"No, they are reserve immortal officials who don't even need a salary!"

As these words fell, the surroundings fell into an instant silence.

Immediately after, many Jie Sect disciples began to curse.

It was one thing not to have realized it before.

But now that they understood, the more they thought about it, the more stifled they felt.

So, all these years, they Jie Sect disciples had been running around helping out, not only gaining no benefits but also turning themselves into free labor for the Heavenly Court?

What was even more hateful was that when the Heavenly Court lacked Orthodox Gods, they finally remembered the Jie Sect.

Was this not just using them for labor on ordinary days and using them to fill the list when it mattered most?

It was simply too bullying!

Heavenly Court.

High Heaven Hall.

Haotian had just returned from Zixiao Palace, and his mood was originally quite good.

Although the attitudes of the three sect sages during the Zixiao Palace discussion on the Investiture of the Gods had left him somewhat dissatisfied.

Grand Pure One Laozi was reticent, appearing as if the matter had nothing to do with him.

Yuanshi Tianzun's face was written with, "My Chan Sect disciples have deep roots and should not be on the list."

Master Tongtian was even colder, not giving him, the Heavenly Emperor, a pleasant look from beginning to end.

The Two Western Sages were indeed enthusiastic.

However, the direction of their enthusiasm did not seem to be about providing people, but rather seeing if they could poach people from the East by taking advantage of the Investiture.

Haotian saw it very clearly.

None of these sages were genuinely considering the Heavenly Court.

But it did not matter.

The Dao Ancestor had already spoken.

The Investiture of the Gods List would soon emerge.

The disciples of the three sects would enter the tribulation.

As long as he had the Dao Ancestor's word, his Heavenly Court would eventually be able to fill the divine positions.

When the time came, with the three hundred and sixty-five Orthodox Gods in their positions and the Eight Departments of Immortals under his command, the Heavenly Court would finally have the foundation to truly rule the Three Realms.

Thinking of this, a sense of eagerness could not help but rise in Haotian's heart.

Yet, this eagerness did not last long before Taibai Jinxing hurried into the High Heaven Hall.

"Your Majesty, it is bad!"