Most of the other mighty overlords restrained themselves just as Tian Heng did, remaining out of sight and preserving the current situation.
Gradually, many people came to a sudden realization.
Perhaps this strange calm was precisely what Fang Qianyuan hoped to see.
He had remained absent both to refine the origin he had obtained from Mystic Heaven and Nether Heaven, and for the greater cause of unifying the Heavenly Realms and establishing the Heavenly Court.
Although the mighty figures of the various factions had obtained the keys to cultivating on their own through their respective means, their foundations fell far short, and they had no chance of standing up to oppose the Heavenly Court.
"Perhaps this matter really will come to nothing..."
"However, the Heavenly Court seems intent on reclaiming authority. That also means settling accounts after the harvest..."
When it came to settling accounts after the harvest, dealing with the immortals who held immortal posts and served as officials within the Heavenly Court was naturally easier than dealing with those mighty overlords.
Thus, both the Heavenly Emperor's manifestation and Sun Zhuo needed to win over men like Lei Zhengming, who could serve their purposes and bore no original sin of defiance.
Lei Zhengming's meteoric rise was all but inevitable.
Sure enough, the series of events that followed confirmed their guesses.
After his ascension, Lei Zhengming immediately took office bearing the Heavenly Emperor's Edict Talisman, assuming command of the Thunder Department's Punishment Bureau.
This was a bureau established by the Heavenly Court, vested with real authority and control over the Heavenly Punishment Thunder Pool. Whenever evil fiends appeared in the lower realm and thunderfire needed to descend to slay them, this hall carried out the task.
In other words, they possessed the authority to enforce the law in the lower