High above the world now stood not a few dozen immortals, but millions of deities!
The deities came from all living beings, and on their behalf, now held dominion over the sky.
Countless deities dwelled in the skies that a sage had named the Thirty-Three Heavens!
They patrolled on Heaven's behalf, blessed Heaven and Earth, and passed judgment on injustice.
Palaces and temples rose throughout the Thirty-Three Heavens.
A white wall enclosed the countless palaces, with towering gates in all four directions enclosing the entire Thirty-Three Heavens.
Grateful for the deities' might and virtue, the living beings of Heaven and Earth privately called the place where the immortals dwelled the Celestial Court.
Rumor had it that anyone who accumulated goodness and practiced virtue in this life could enter the Celestial Court as a god after death!
And in the deepest reaches of the Thirty-Three Heavens, a magnificent main hall towered above all the other palaces.
This was the palace where the Divine Sovereign resided.
It was also the Daoist abode of one of the three sages of Heaven and Earth!
Even from afar, one could feel Heaven and Earth's ultimate principles emanating from this palace, as vast and boundless as the sea.
Even deities could not help feeling the urge to worship this palace.
And this palace was not merely a sage's Daoist abode and the Divine Sovereign's residence.
It was also where countless divine laws were issued, and where deities were appointed, promoted, and dismissed from their divine positions.
Beyond reverence, the gods felt both love and fear toward this palace.
They longed to advance another step in divine rank, yet feared that word would suddenly emerge of their expulsion from the divine register and punishment under divine laws.
This palace was also where deities were judged, a place