"Divine offices cannot be held forever. The capable rise, and the incapable step down?" Those words sent ripples surging through the crowd. In other words, Dongwang Gong meant that anyone who failed to do their proper work, or did it badly, would have to hand it over to someone else. The Heavenly Court might lack other things, but it certainly had no shortage of immortals. If you could not do the job, someone capable would replace you.
From then on, appointed orthodox deities would no longer be determined by the Investiture of the Gods. Instead, the Heavenly Court would be able to promote officials on its own. Its authority would become more centralized, its control over the immortals stronger, and the immortals would gain both greater motivation and a sharper sense of urgency.
Officeholders would work diligently, while the rank and file would have new goals. Every immortal would be motivated. Why? Those who already held divine offices could climb even higher, couldn't they? Perhaps Dongwang Gong would take a liking to them one day, and they might even become imperial lords.
Holy shit! The low-ranking immortals' eyes burned red. Dongwang Gong is fucking amazing! He actually came up with a crazy idea like this-but we love it! What low-ranking immortal doesn't want to get ahead?
At those words, the immortals of the Heavenly Court, who had been arguing moments before, collectively fell silent. The rank and file craned their necks, faces flushed, and shouted, "Our patriarch is mighty!"
The officeholders wore complicated expressions. Most of them, however, came from Jiejiao. After dying and being placed on the list, they had lost all hope of further advancement. They spent their days seeking not merit, but merely to avoid mistakes. Now, things were different.
They stared at Primordial Lord's followers like