After Nuwa spoke, the other three fell silent for a moment before slowly nodding as well.
Clearly.
Given the current situation, their only option was to seek help from Hongjun, that supreme being.
After all, the Investiture Calamity was the prevailing course of events, so Hongjun would naturally stand on their side.
If Yin Shang's fortune remained intact, how could the Investiture of the Gods begin?
The four hesitated no further and went straight to Zixiao Palace.
"Teacher Hongjun should be able to rein Tongtian in, shouldn't he?"
Jieyin could not help asking, his heart filled with unease.
After all, their last visit to Zixiao Palace had ended in a complete victory for Tongtian, who had even gained the opportunity to take charge of the Investiture of the Gods List.
That had dealt him a heavy blow.
Zhunti also wore an expression of suffering. The West was simply too barren.
The two brothers had worked diligently for so many years, yet the West still showed not the slightest sign of recovery.
Thus, they could only turn their attention to the lands of the Primordial World.
The Investiture Calamity was their best opportunity.
Yet Tongtian, that fellow, had clearly been so one-track-minded that he should have been the easiest to deal with.
Now, however, it was as though he had suddenly seen the light. He had become terribly difficult to handle, and their repeated attempts had all ended with them returning with their feathers clipped.
"Rest assured, Junior Brother Jieyin. The Investiture Calamity was ordained by heaven. Teacher Hongjun will certainly stand on our side."
"Even if the Interception Sect controls the Investiture of the Gods List, it cannot oppose the prevailing tide of heaven and earth."
"This Investiture Calamity was long destined to bring prosperity to our Western Teachings. No one can stop it."
Hearing this, Jieyin nodded.
Even so, the two brothers still felt drums beating in their hearts. They kept feeling that today's matter could not possibly be resolved so easily.
Tongtian was not someone who would submit easily.
Yuanshi and Nuwa, on the other hand, remained composed. Neither spoke as they stood quietly inside Zixiao Palace.
A moment later.
Hongjun suddenly appeared inside the empty Zixiao Palace.
Even though all four of them were already Sages, they could not detect how Hongjun had appeared.
"Greetings, Teacher Hongjun!"
Upon seeing Hongjun appear, the four hurriedly bowed in greeting.
Hongjun stroked his beard before speaking mildly. "Why have you come here at this time?"
The four dared not delay and hurriedly gave him a brief account of the matter.
Then Yuanshi spoke in righteous indignation. "Teacher entrusted Tongtian with the Investiture of the Gods List, yet Tongtian does nothing all day. He has utterly failed to appreciate your good intentions."
"Because of Tongtian, the Investiture Calamity still cannot begin. This has left us deeply anxious."
"So we have come here today in the hope that you will reclaim the Investiture of the Gods List. You must not leave it in the hands of someone as irresponsible as Tongtian."
Once Yuanshi finished, the others began chiming in incessantly.
Hongjun, who reclined high in the Ninth Heaven and had attained the true Dao through enlightenment, now felt his head beginning to ache.
He governed the Heavenly Dao, so naturally, he knew a great deal about the prevailing course of events in the Primordial World.
Even without Yuanshi and the others telling him, he had a general idea of the situation in the Primordial World.
As for Tongtian being such a bastard, Hongjun did not really see it that way.
Hadn't he merely snatched two of your granddisciples and killed one disciple?
What was the big deal?
Yet even he, who governed the Heavenly Dao, could no longer quite make sense of the current Investiture Calamity.
In his original calculations, this Investiture Calamity should have centered primarily on the Chan Sect and the Interception Sect.
But now, not only had the Western Teachings and the Heavenly Court been dragged into it, even Nuwa, who normally stayed out of such affairs, had become involved.
Conversely, Taishang Laozi, who should originally have stood alongside Yuanshi, had extricated himself entirely.
What was going on?
It was getting more and more chaotic!
Not even the earlier Dragon-Phoenix Calamity or the Witch-Demon Calamity had given Hongjun this feeling.
"Enough. Stop talking, all of you."
Hongjun waved a hand and said mildly, "I cannot listen only to your side of the story."
"Let me have Tongtian come here and explain."
With another wave of his hand, Tongtian arrived at Zixiao Palace.
He had been cultivating on Golden Ao Island when he suddenly felt Teacher Hongjun's summons again. He immediately understood that Yuanshi must have tattled on him once more.
This infuriated Tongtian.
Yuanshi, were you a child? Why was running to your elders the only thing you knew how to do whenever something happened?
Was something wrong with you?
Thus, after arriving at Zixiao Palace, Tongtian first bowed to Hongjun, then launched into a tirade at Yuanshi.
"I say, Primordial Heavenly Venerable, why are you acting like a child?"
"I've noticed that whenever anything happens, your first response isn't to figure out a solution yourself. You just go straight to your elders without another word."
"Haven't you grown up yet? Do you have to run to the grown-ups at home over everything?"
"If that's the case, you might as well disband the Chan Sect and spend every day here in Zixiao Palace keeping Teacher company."
"Have you no shame? Throughout this Investiture Calamity, have you ever seen me take the initiative to ask Teacher for help?"
"Do you think the Investiture Calamity is children playing house? Is there something wrong with your head?"
Hearing these words, Primordial Heavenly Venerable nearly erupted on the spot and launched into a full-blown battle with Tongtian.
How could anyone be so infuriating!
I was still your second elder brother, after all. What sort of things were you saying?
If word of this spread, how could Primordial Heavenly Venerable ever show his face again? Wouldn't every scrap of his dignity be gone?
In fact, it was not just Primordial Heavenly Venerable. Even Nuwa and the Two Sages of the West looked stunned, their eyes nearly popping out of their heads.
Was Tongtian's tongue poisoned?
They truly had never known that Tongtian could be so vicious when he cursed someone out.
Primordial Heavenly Venerable could no longer maintain his sagely bearing. His entire body trembled with rage, and he nearly prepared to fight Tongtian to the death.
Seeing this, the other three could not help drawing sharp breaths.
Tongtian's tongue was far too formidable.
His ability to change the subject, in particular, left them marveling.
Originally, the Four Saints had come to take Tongtian to task. Yet with a few words from him, it had instantly become a quarrel between brothers, with the incompetent elder brother running to his elders whenever trouble arose.
If Primordial Heavenly Venerable had been even slightly thinner-skinned, he probably would have been too ashamed to remain in Zixiao Palace.
If he left like that, their original objectives-regaining control of the Investiture of the Gods List or holding Tongtian accountable-and their grand plan to throw Yin Shang into chaos would all be fucking ruined.
"Tongtian, you beast, I..." Yuanshi began hurling abuse at Tongtian.
His original plan had long since been tossed into some forgotten nook.
But Nuwa and the Two Sages of the West were still there, and naturally, they could not truly allow Tongtian to sidestep the matter so easily.
"Teacher Hongjun, I believe we can address the grievances between Tongtian and Yuanshi another time."
"Yes, Teacher. The most important matter right now is still the Investiture Calamity!"
"Tongtian holds the Investiture of the Gods List, yet the Investiture Calamity still has not begun. I propose that he be punished for his offense."
"Not only that, Tongtian should also be made to hand over the Investiture of the Gods List."
"..."
Nuwa and the Two Sages of the West took turns speaking, pulling the conversation back on track in the blink of an eye.
Seeing this, Hongjun addressed Tongtian. "What do you think?"
Before you continue