Among the Celestial Court's many palaces and towers, the Divine Firmament Treasure Hall stood upon a cloud terrace, with two towers flanking it at the same height.
The left was the Heaven-Shaking Tower, crowned by the Heaven-Shaking Drum; the right was the Heaven-Returning Tower, crowned by the Heaven-Returning Bell.
The moment the Heavenly Emperor issued his decree, however shocked the Divine Beings inside the Divine Firmament Treasure Hall might have been, the divine generals outside immediately obeyed. Two of them flew up to the towers.
One held a drum mallet; the other shouldered a bronze pillar.
"Boom, boom... boom... boom, boom, boom, boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom."
The drumbeats began slowly, as though each strike demanded considerable strength from the divine general. Gradually, they quickened and grew louder. Within moments, they had spread throughout the Heavenly Palace, ripples radiating from the Heaven-Shaking Tower.
On the other tower, the second divine general seemed to have been gathering strength for a long time. As divine power converged, the bronze pillar on his shoulder began to shine with divine light.
Throughout the Celestial Court, the Divine Beings who heard the drum looked astonished.
Inside the Celestial Weaving Palace, the weaving maidens discussing the design of the Heavenly Garment with Zhuo Qing all fell silent. They walked out of the palace and looked in the same direction, where they could see shimmering light trembling in the distance.
"The Heaven-Shaking Drum is sounding. Is another wicked dragon to be executed?"
"Nonsense. Where would so many wicked dragons come from? Perhaps it's the Starwoven Dharma Assembly..."
Whether in the Thunder Department, Fire Department, Water Department, and the Heavenly Realm's other departments, or at the Imperial Stables and the various heavenly encampments, everyone who heard the drum was astonished.
Inside the Demon-Subduing Palace, Hui Mian, Lu Xin, some of the hundred