Heavenly Court Issues an Order, Has Our Jie Sect Immortals Lost Their Minds?

Mount Sumeru.

Upon hearing the news, Daoist Zhunti was stunned for a moment before clapping his hands and laughing heartily.

"Wonderful!"

"The Jie Sect has actually recalled its disciples to avoid the calamity!"

"Senior Brother, this is a good thing!"

Daoist Jieyin's face revealed a look of suffering.

"Junior Brother, this may not necessarily be a good thing."

Daoist Zhunti was puzzled.

"Why?"

"If the Jie Sect avoids the calamity and refuses to emerge, where will the names for the Investiture of the Gods List come from?"

"What does that have to do with our Western Sect?"

Daoist Zhunti said as if it were only natural:

"The Investiture is a matter for the three sects of the Xuan Sect. Our Western Sect is barren and our disciples are few; we were never meant to shoulder such a heavy burden."

Daoist Jieyin sighed.

"That may be true, but if the Jie Sect can truly avoid the Investiture, the pressure of this immeasurable calamity will fall upon the Chan Sect, the Human Sect, and even our Western Sect."

"Do not forget, Junior Brother, the Dao Ancestor requires the divine positions of the Heavenly Court to be filled."

"It is not simply about letting the Jie Sect suffer."

The smile on Daoist Zhunti's face gradually faded.

"Senior Brother, you mean..."

Daoist Jieyin looked toward the East.

"This retreat by the Jie Sect is not necessarily an admission of defeat."

"It looks more like they are forcing others to step forward."

Daoist Zhunti was silent for a moment, then suddenly cursed:

"Since when did Tongtian become so devious?"

Daoist Jieyin shook his head.

"Perhaps it is not Tongtian."

"Then who is it?"

"Within the Jie Sect, I fear there is someone who sees the situation clearly."

A strange glint flashed in Daoist Zhunti's eyes.

"If that is the case, this person has an affinity with our Western Sect."

Daoist Jieyin glanced at him.

"Junior Brother, watch your words."

"If such a person truly exists within the Jie Sect, they will likely not be easy to convert."

Daoist Zhunti smiled.

"All living beings in this world have an affinity with our Western Sect."

"Just because they are hard to convert now does not mean they will be later."

"The Investiture Great Calamity still has a long way to go."

Golden Turtle Island.

Zhao Xuan stood outside Biyou Palace, quietly listening to a Jie Sect disciple report the reactions from all sides.

The Heavenly Court was anxious.

Yuxu Palace was dissatisfied.

The Western Sect had also begun to take notice.

Everything was within expectations.

Zhao Xuan was not surprised.

This was only the first step.

It was merely tearing a small seam in the skin of the Heavenly Court's claim to "rule the Three Realms."

It allowed all parties in the Primordial World to see that the so-called Heavenly Court was, in fact, far less useful than it claimed to be.

Without the help of the Jie Sect disciples, the Heavenly Court could not manage many of the peripheral affairs at all.

And this was only the withdrawal of the disciples assisting the Heavenly Court.

If the Jie Sect were to completely recall all disciples suppressing demons, protecting humanity, mediating for rogue cultivators, and managing earth veins across the Primordial World in the future, that would be the true grand spectacle.

At that time, all beings in the Primordial World would understand one thing.

How much trouble the disciples of the Jie Sect, whom they usually looked down upon, had actually shielded them from.

Holy Mother Guiling appeared behind Zhao Xuan at some unknown time.

"Senior Disciple Brother, is the Heavenly Court getting anxious?"

Zhao Xuan nodded.

"Anxious."

Holy Mother Guiling immediately laughed.

"Serves them right!"

"Let them use my Jie Sect disciples as laborers every day."

"Now that they've withdrawn, I'd like to see how Haotian plans to compensate."

Zhao Xuan said calmly:

"This is just the beginning."

Holy Mother Guiling was taken aback.

Zhao Xuan gazed at the distant East Sea, his eyes deep.

"The Heavenly Court will find a way to compensate."

"The Chan Sect will watch from the sidelines."

"The Western Sect will be thinking of picking up scraps."

"The beings of the Primordial World will not yet feel this matter concerns them."

"Therefore, it's not enough."

"Not enough what?"

"Not painful enough."

Holy Mother Guiling's heart trembled.

Zhao Xuan slowly said:

"Only when they truly feel pain will they know that the Jie Sect is not mere expendables to be casually placed on the Investiture of the Gods List."

"Only when things truly descend into chaos will they know how many dirty things the beings born from moisture and eggs once blocked for them."

"Only when they discover the Heavenly Court is incompetent, the Chan Sect is indifferent, and the Western Sect only seeks to ferry souls, will they understand who has been doing the work all these years."

"The Investiture of the Gods List wants the lives of my Jie Sect disciples."

"Then I shall first show the Primordial World how much the lives of my Jie Sect disciples are truly worth."

Holy Mother Guiling looked at Zhao Xuan, suddenly feeling that this Senior Disciple Brother was truly different from before.

The previous Zhao Xuan was steady.

The current Zhao Xuan was cold.

So cold it was chilling.

Yet, this coldness made her feel exhilarated.

Because this was how one should deal with those who spoke of heavenly mandates, the grand scheme, orthodoxy, and compassion.

You want the grand scheme?

Fine.

My Jie Sect will no longer manage it.

You manage it yourself.

Zhao Xuan raised his head to look at the nine heavens, a faint coldness appearing on his lips.

"Haotian, this is just the first gift."

"It's neither here nor there, of no great consequence."

"But my next move, let's see if you, the Heavenly Emperor, can still handle it!"

Just as Holy Mother Guiling was about to speak, a streak of light suddenly broke through the sea from afar.

The streak of light landed outside Biyou Palace, transforming into a disciple of the Jie Sect in green robes.

His face was anxious, and he knelt down as soon as he landed.

"Senior Disciple Brother, a decree has arrived from the Heavenly Court!"

Holy Mother Guiling raised an eyebrow.

"So soon?"

Zhao Xuan was not surprised.

"Whose order is it?"

"Taibai Jinxing's."

The disciple hurriedly replied:

"He said to ask our Jie Sect brothers currently assisting in the Heavenly Court to delay their return to the mountain, and to only depart once the Heavenly Court has dispatched others to take over their duties."

Holy Mother Guiling sneered.

"What a thick face."

"It was Master's decree that ordered our Jie Sect disciples to return to the mountain. Does he, Haotian, think he can make people stay with a single word of 'delay'?"

The disciple lowered his head, not daring to respond.

Zhao Xuan asked:

"What were his exact words?"

The green-robed disciple paused.

"Taibai Jinxing said that the Heavenly Court is burdened with many affairs, and if our Jie Sect disciples were to leave suddenly, he fears it would disrupt the operation of the Three Realms."

"He also said that His Majesty is aware of the hard work our Jie Sect disciples have put in, and once the Investiture of the Gods List is revealed, he will personally request rewards for all the brothers."

Holy Mother Guiling laughed out loud on the spot.

"Request rewards?"

"Using the Investiture of the Gods List to request rewards?"

"Does he, Haotian, think the brains of our Jie Sect disciples have all rotted?"

Zhao Xuan reached out to take the Command Jade Talisman, glanced at it, and crushed it casually.

Crack.

The jade talisman shattered into powder.

The green-robed disciple's heart skipped a beat.

Zhao Xuan said indifferently:

"Return the order."

"Jie Sect disciples are to return to the mountain immediately."

"If the Heavenly Court has no one to take over, that is the Heavenly Court's own business."

"Anyone who obstructs them further will be treated as obstructing our Jie Sect disciples from avoiding the tribulation."

The green-robed disciple immediately kowtowed.

"Yes!"

Just as he was about to rise, Zhao Xuan added:

"Tell the junior brothers in the Heavenly Court: do not argue, do not quarrel, and do not resort to violence."

"Hand over the documents, tokens, and formation flags clearly, then leave directly."

"If anyone speaks with sarcasm, ignore them."

"If anyone intentionally detains someone, send word back."

"I will go and demand them myself."

"Understood!"

The green-robed disciple transformed into a streak of light and departed.

Holy Mother Guiling watched the streak of light, her eyes filled with barely suppressed excitement.

"Senior Brother, do you think Haotian will detain them?"

"He will."

Zhao Xuan said.

Holy Mother Guiling was stunned.

"He would really dare?"

"It is not a matter of daring."

"It is a matter of him being unable to let go."

Zhao Xuan raised a finger, and a simplified map of the Heavenly Court, formed from magical power, appeared in the void.

Star domains, water veins, Sea Eyes, lower-realm patrols, and suppression of evil spirits—locations lit up one by one.

"Do you see?"

"In all these places, it is our Jie Sect disciples who are propping up the Heavenly Court."

Holy Mother Guiling looked for a few moments, and her expression slowly changed.

"So many?"

Zhao Xuan gave a grunt of acknowledgment.

"And that is only regarding the Heavenly Court."

"If one were to include the overseas rogue cultivators, the human tribes, the East Sea demon tides, and the Southern Wilderness Poisonous Miasma, there would be even more."

Holy Mother Guiling cursed under her breath.

"We were truly foolish in the past."

Zhao Xuan did not respond.

He raised his hand and wiped away the projected image.

"Being foolish is not what is terrifying."

"What is terrifying is remaining foolish forever."