Mist swirled over a boundless Sea of Clouds.
Above that "Ocean," a jagged rock jutted out.
Two figures suddenly leaped from the Sea of Clouds and landed on the rock. One looked around and asked:
"Is this the Divine Realm?"
"The Investiture Platform. When Cultivators from the lower world survive Thunder Tribulation and reach the upper three of the Ten Cultivation Realms—Tribulation Transcendence, Void Meditation, and Spirit Quiescence—the Divine Realm invites them here to see for themselves whether it's real," Li Bai said.
"What do you mean, 'see for themselves whether it's real'?" Xu Yuan asked.
"Some people cultivate their whole lives without knowing whether the Divine Realm exists. But if they reach the final three realms, the Divine Realm calls them here and bears witness."
"It tells them the Divine Realm is real, not an illusion. Cultivators of the lower world must not abandon their original resolve. They must cultivate diligently, not give themselves over to idleness and shirk hard work."
So said Li Bai.
He raised a hand and pressed it gently toward the Void.
A phantom disc radiating golden light appeared before them.
It stood more than a dozen stories tall. The moment it appeared, it began turning without pause.
Xu Yuan saw that it was studded with Stars—three hundred and sixty in all.
Beside each Star was its assigned division: "Thunder Department, Fire Division, Plague Division, Dipper Division, Tai Sui Division, Water Division, Patrol Division..." and others.
"Back then, the Primordial Heavenly Venerable said it himself: three hundred and sixty-five gods would be invested, corresponding to the three hundred and sixty-five degrees of the celestial cycle."
"Under the Rules of the Heavenly Dao, that means one Orthodox God takes duty each day, overseeing that day's fortune and misfortune, wind and rain, calamity and blessing, disaster and