The Thirty-Three Heavens.
The Heavenly Court.
Haotian sat in Lingxiao Palace, handling matters concerning the divine order across the heavens.
An immortal official on duty hurried into the hall.
"Your Majesty."
Haotian looked up.
"What is it?"
The official raised both hands, holding the shimmering image of a Heavenly Book.
"There is a problem with the Investiture of the Gods Fate."
Haotian's gaze sharpened.
The Investiture of the Gods Calamity was bound up with the Heavenly Court's shortage of gods.
Three hundred and sixty-five principal gods, along with numerous lesser gods, star officials, and attendants, needed to be appointed through this calamity.
The real Investiture of the Gods and the God-Striking Whip were still at work in the world below.
But whenever a tribulation candidate's true spirit appeared on the list, the fate of the corresponding Divine Position in the Heavenly Court changed.
Naturally, Haotian had been watching.
Some time ago, he had sensed that progress was slow.
But the calamity would run its course over a long time.
A deviation at one or two junctures was nothing surprising.
Now the official on duty had come straight out and said there was "a problem."
That meant the deviation had grown too large to ignore.
"Open it."
Haotian gave the order.
The official immediately activated the Heavenly Book.
Hum!
The image of an enormous golden list unfurled inside Lingxiao Palace.
The three hundred and sixty-five principal Divine Positions stood in order.
Many positions were still empty.
That was normal.
The Investiture of the Gods was not yet complete.
What was strange lay elsewhere.
According to the Heavenly Court's earlier reading of the calamity's fate, the mortal peril surrounding many tribulation candidates had already grown dense enough that they were on the verge of entering the list.
Yet in their corresponding positions—