The Heavenly Eye Exposes False Virtue, the First Blessed Prosperity Orthodox God!

Ziwei Star Domain, Tianluo Great World.

Today was Tianluo Sacred Ground's once-in-a-century Merit Grand Ceremony.

Above the main peak's plaza, Purple Qi billowed for three thousand miles. Tens of thousands of high-level cultivators from sects across Tianluo Great World had gathered there. With hearts full of reverence, they gazed up at Tianluo Ancestor, seated on the raised platform.

Tianluo Ancestor wore a Nine-Gold Daoist Robe. Dazzling "Merit Golden Light" radiated from him, making him look like a merciful sage who had stepped out of the Primordial World.

"Fellow Daoists."

Tianluo Ancestor's gentle, resonant voice rang through heaven and earth:

"The killing calamity is upon us. Only goodness can see us through. Over the past half month, Tianluo Sacred Ground has rescued hundreds of billions of disaster-stricken mortals and amassed immeasurable merit in the eyes of the Heavenly Dao. I have gathered you here today to teach you the true meaning of 'Accumulate Merit to Avoid Calamity'..."

The tens of thousands of cultivators below listened with fervent expressions. They bowed their heads and kowtowed, crying, "How merciful you are, Ancestor!"

Tianluo Ancestor watched them, a barely perceptible flicker of smugness and contempt crossing his eyes.

But just as he was about to continue boasting of his "merit from saving the world"—

Boom!!

High above, the sky that had been clear and brimming with Purple Qi was suddenly torn in two by a tyrannical sword energy beyond description!

The Purple Qi filling the sky vanished in an instant!

The supreme pressure of a war god, surpassing the Mahayana Stage and even Half-Step Human Immortals, crashed down on the main peak of Tianluo Sacred Ground like an ancient mountain!

Pfft!

The instant that pressure descended, tens of thousands of lower-level cultivators in the plaza were struck to their knees. The magical treasures and spirit swords in their hands trembled and bowed.

"Who dares cause trouble in Tianluo Sacred Ground?!"

Several Dao-Slaying Stage elders of Tianluo Sacred Ground shot into the sky in fury.

Before they could approach the rift in the void, however, a cold voice that pierced to the soul exploded above the entire Tianluo Great World:

"The Heavenly Dao makes its rounds. False virtue must be punished!"

Rip!

The void split wide. A tall figure in coarse hemp clothes, a Broken Sword strapped to his back, stepped out of the spatial passage amid dark-gold divine radiance from the Heavenly Dao!

It was Lin Qiye, chief disciple of Primordial Xuanmen and the Heavenly Court War God Successor!

The moment Tianluo Ancestor saw Lin Qiye's face, his heart clenched and his pupils shrank to pinpoints!

Lin Qiye!

Who among the myriad worlds did not know of this Heavenly Court Demon-Subduing Protector, backed by the Physical Southern Heavenly Gate and heir to True Lord Erlang's supreme legacy?!

Tianluo Ancestor forced down his panic and quickly put on an earnest, respectful smile. Rising to greet him, he bowed deeply:

"So it is Holy Son Qiye! Forgive Tianluo Sacred Ground for failing to welcome you from afar!"

"I have recently been leading every disciple in my sect to do good and save the people. May I ask what brings you to Tianluo Great World today, Holy Son?"

As Tianluo Ancestor spoke, he drew out every trace of the thick layer of counterfeit "Merit Golden Light" within him. Wrapped in its glow, he looked like an enlightened monk, hoping to use that "merit" as a shield.

Seeing the blinding "Merit Golden Light" around him, the tens of thousands of cultivators below spoke up in his defense:

"Holy Son Qiye, Tianluo Ancestor is the kindest man in our world!"

"Yes! The Ancestor has rescued hundreds of billions of mortals. His merit is immeasurable! Please look into this carefully, Holy Son!"

Faced with Tianluo Ancestor's performance and the pleas of the crowd, Lin Qiye hovered in midair, his expression colder than ancient ice.

He did not waste a single word.

Hum!

An ancient golden mark deep within Lin Qiye's forehead split open!

A golden divine eye that could see through the illusions of all things, even in the Nine Netherworlds—the Heavenly Eye—opened with a roar!

Boom!

The Heavenly Eye's dazzling light pierced Tianluo Ancestor's Nine-Gold Daoist Robe and shone deep into his seemingly sacred blood and bones!

Under the Heavenly Eye's absolute scrutiny, the brilliant layer of "Merit Golden Light" around Tianluo Ancestor hissed like snow meeting strong acid, then shattered and melted away!

What it exposed before the cultivators of the myriad worlds were pitch-black blood chains extending from Tianluo Ancestor's body, entwined with the wronged souls of three hundred thousand mortals!

The horrific scene of the enormous blood pool in the secret chamber behind the mountain was projected with perfect clarity across the skies of Tianluo Great World by the Heavenly Eye's divine power!

"Aaah! Help! The Ancestor killed us! He caused the mountain flood that drowned our whole village!"

"He let demons eat us, then pretended to be our savior! He's a monster who feeds on people!"

The wails and cries of three hundred thousand wronged souls thundered across the sky through the Heavenly Eye's projection!

Silence!

The entire plaza of Tianluo Sacred Ground fell deathly silent!

The tens of thousands of cultivators who had just been shouting the Ancestor's praises stared at the bloody truth in the sky, at the vast pool filled with mortal corpses and bones. They stood frozen, minds blank and stomachs churning!

False virtue!

An utterly monstrous atrocity!

Tianluo Ancestor had slaughtered three hundred thousand mortals with his own hands to counterfeit merit, hoping to deceive the Heavenly Dao and escape the killing calamity!

"T-Tianluo Ancestor! How could you commit such evil?!" An upright Dao-Slaying elder trembled with rage and pointed at Tianluo Ancestor on the platform, screaming at him!

There was no hiding it now. His disguise had been torn away!

Tianluo Ancestor's kindly face twisted into a savage snarl. His eyes blazed red as he roared hysterically:

"Lin Qiye! You've gone too far! I'm at the peak of the Mahayana Stage! I'm one step away from attaining immortality! I only killed a few mortal insects! What right do you have to call me guilty?!"

"The Heavenly Dao is unjust! I'll take you down with me!"

Tianluo Ancestor went mad. Knowing Heavenly Court would never spare him, he burned the lifespan he had cultivated over ten thousand years and the very essence of his soul. They became a pitch-black ghost claw ten thousand zhang long, surging with baleful energy as it struck viciously at Lin Qiye!

A desperate strike from someone at the peak of the Mahayana Stage held enough power to bring down all of Tianluo Sacred Ground!

And yet.

Facing that world-shattering claw, Lin Qiye hovered in midair without the slightest change in expression.

"Mortals are not insects. Their lives have dignity."

Lin Qiye slowly drew the Broken Sword from his back.

Boom!

The second level of the Eight-Nine Profound Art erupted within him. Merit Divine Runes and the will of an ancient war god flowed into the Broken Sword! A dark-gold sword beam tens of thousands of miles long appeared across the sky, cleaving through the void and splitting the vast ghost claw in two!

"Eight-Nine Profound Art: One Sword Subdues Demons!"

The sword light flashed!

Squelch!

The instant Tianluo Ancestor's massive body met the dark-gold blade, it split like soft tofu. It had not held out for even a microsecond!

"Aaaah!"

Amid his screams, Tianluo Ancestor's Mahayana Stage body crumbled to ash in the golden light!

But Lin Qiye's sword had cut through more than flesh. It forced Tianluo Ancestor's fleeing soul out of the void!

Just as Tianluo Ancestor's soul shrieked in terror and tried to detonate itself, taking Tianluo Great World with it—

Hum!!

Far away, above Canglan Realm, the Investiture of the Gods Heavenly Ranking beside the Physical Southern Heavenly Gate burst with golden light that illuminated the myriad worlds!

The God-Striking Whip at the side of the ranking rang out without being touched, releasing a Heavenly Dao peal that punished the soul!

An irresistible pull from the deepest laws of the Heavenly Dao crossed hundreds of millions of miles of starry sky and locked precisely onto Tianluo Ancestor's soul!

"No! No! I won't enter the ranking! I don't want to be a god forced to work for someone else! Spare me!"

Tianluo Ancestor's soul let out a howl of utter despair.

But before the laws of the Heavenly Dao's killing calamity, all resistance was futile!

Tens of thousands of cultivators in Tianluo Great World and countless powerful beings across the myriad worlds watched with their divine senses.

Tianluo Ancestor's translucent soul was forcibly pulled from Tianluo Great World. It became a dazzling streak that crossed the void and shot into the Investiture of the Gods Heavenly Ranking outside Canglan Realm's Southern Heavenly Gate!

Boom!

Golden light blazed across the first page of the Investiture of the Gods Heavenly Ranking!

At the very bottom of the previously blank Three Hundred and Sixty-Five Orthodox God Positions, the Heavenly Dao's brush moved through empty air, inscribing the first eternal divine name in bold strokes—

[Tianluo Ancestor: burdened with grave sins, True Spirit Entering the List! Appointed as a Mountain-Patrolling Little God of Heavenly Court's Lower Eight Divisions! Subject to the God-Striking Whip for life. His freedom to pursue the Dao is revoked. He must atone through service!]

Rumble!

The divine name was set, and the Heavenly Dao resounded!

Under the Investiture of the Gods List's cleansing, Tianluo Ancestor's once-evil soul was forcibly clad in the blue armor of a Heavenly Court mountain-patrolling official. Bound deep within the Heavenly Ranking, his eyes held nothing but endless remorse and obedience!

[The first investiture is complete!]

At that moment, the whole universe fell silent!

Supreme Mystery True Lord, Netherworld Blood Emperor, Tu Shanye, and the other great leaders of the myriad worlds stared at Tianluo Ancestor's name on the Investiture of the Gods List. His soul truly had been seized and he had been made a Mountain-Patrolling Little God with no freedom of his own...

Every powerful cultivator drew a sharp breath from the depths of their soul. Their hair stood on end!

It was real!

The Heavenly Eye had exposed a counterfeiter of merit on the spot!

His body had been slain, his soul forcibly imprisoned in the Investiture of the Gods List, and he had become a low-ranking divine official stripped of his freedom!

"The Heavenly Dao cannot be fooled... and Xuanmen cannot be faked!" Supreme Mystery True Lord cried, his voice shaking violently!

"Well killed! Anyone who counterfeits merit deserves to die!" Netherworld Blood Emperor roared, excitement and terror mingling in his voice!

After this, every hope of getting away with such deceit was crushed throughout the universe!

The myriad worlds had truly entered Xuanmen's strictest, most iron-fisted era since the beginning of the epoch!

Primordial Xuanmen, Library Pavilion.

Outside the window, the breeze was gentle and the sun shone brightly.

Su Chen sat behind a wooden desk. Hearing the notification in his mind that his Karma Points had surged by another five million, he gently blew across his tea. Vast galaxies were reflected in his warm eyes.

"The first position is filled."

An enigmatic smile played on Su Chen's lips as he murmured:

"Now that the ranking has moved, this struggle over the killing calamity across the myriad worlds... is only going to get more interesting."