Chapter 528: Taibai Duì

Inside the Grand White Palace, behind two chairs, two figures sat on the floor, unpacking gift boxes while discussing a rather serious topic.

When Youqin Xuanya arrived, only a single layer of isolation array was active throughout the main hall.

With the Jade Emperor's avatar, Wei Shenmo, present, the entire hall was fully equipped with layers of arrays: isolation arrays, outer protective arrays, illusion arrays, and many other diverse formations—all the painstaking creations of the Heavenly Court's immortals and gods.

"...Someone from the Western Sect appeared?"

"That person's cultivation and divine abilities must be formidable. They immediately asked my avatar, Qin Tianzhu, 'May this poor Taoist have half an incense stick of your time?'"

Wei Shenmo shook his head, a slight curl to his lip. "I'd rather give him three sticks of cleansing incense."

Li Changshou chuckled, "This must be the Western Sect's attempt to negotiate with Your Majesty, seeking an alliance to scheme against the Dao Sect's Chan and Jie schools."

"Currently, Your Majesty controls the direction of the Great Tribulation. When the Zixiao Palace council convenes later, your words will be crucial. The Western Sect can only try to curry favor with the Heavenly Court now."

Wei Shenmo pondered for a moment, then cursed, "These greedy scoundrels! Where were they when our Heavenly Court was in decline before?"

"They competed with the Heavenly Court over the Dragon race, incited the demon race against us, constantly set traps, hindered the Heavenly Court's rise, and even harmed mortals for their own prosperity."

"This Western Sect, hmph, is already a rotten, sunken ship, decayed to its very core."

Li Changshou mused, "Actually, there's no need to be angry."

"The river of time surges forward, unimpeded by external forces. Without the gradual elimination of outdated things, there can be no progress."

"The ancient ways are no longer viable."

"If this Great Tribulation is destined to result in heavy casualties among powerful cultivators, then for this world, it should also eliminate those forces that still resist change."

"Chang Geng, what you said is indeed true," Wei Shenmo smiled, his eyes filled with emotion. "These Western Sect fellows are a mixed bunch, with no moral bottom line, let alone any sense of restraint."

"The Chan School values etiquette and reputation for righteousness, which also benefits the world. The Jie School, however, has some issues..."

"Chang Geng, there's something I've wanted to discuss with you, but I wasn't sure how to bring it up."

"Today, why don't you guess what's on my mind? If you guess correctly, I'll give you a fine treasure as a congratulatory gift, how about that?"

Li Changshou felt as if their friendship, as sovereign and minister, was subtly changing. He internally urged himself to be serious.

Li Changshou deliberated, then said, "Your Majesty must be concerned about whether I will interfere with the Great Tribulation due to personal feelings."

"Exactly," Wei Shenmo sighed. "I don't actually care about that."

"With the Great Tribulation ahead and divine positions at stake, I understand that this tribulation will certainly require Dao Sect experts to fill the Heavenly Court's divine posts. I just don't know how it will unfold; the Zixiao Palace council later should clarify this."

"However, Chang Geng, your answer is too general."

Wei Shenmo chuckled, "The congratulatory gift I intend to give you is quite extraordinary. If you don't reveal some of your deeper insights, I won't just hand it over so easily."

Li Changshou thought carefully, then slowly said:

"Your Majesty wishes to test me on whether I can make objective and fair judgments between the Chan School and the Jie School."

"It's true that the Jie School immortals prioritize loyalty, treating their disciples as siblings, which naturally makes them more appealing."

"The Chan School immortals are more constrained and bound by rules, and most of their disciples are quite calculating, making them more likely to cause aversion compared to the Jie School immortals."

"However, from the Heavenly Court's perspective, or rather, from the standpoint of the one overseeing the Great Tribulation, we cannot show partiality to the Jie School immortals simply because they value emotion and loyalty."

"Compared to the Chan School, the Jie School has far too many disciples, and many karmic beings are hidden within their ranks. I fear a considerable number of them will be caught in this tribulation."

"Actually, Your Majesty need not worry about this."

As he spoke, Li Changshou softly sighed.

"Between the Dao Sect and the Western Sect, I naturally stand with the Dao Sect."

"But for this Great Tribulation, when facing the Chan and Jie Schools, I will only consider it from the perspective of a Human School disciple, seeking ways to minimize the overall losses for the Dao Sect while also acquiring more talented individuals for the Heavenly Court."

"Otherwise... I wouldn't have spent so many years contemplating strategies."

Wei Shenmo raised a hand, patted Li Changshou's shoulder, and chuckled:

"It's been hard on you."

"However, regarding this matter, even the several Saint senior brothers are powerless, so you shouldn't worry too much."

"There's something you might not know: although Saints are nearly omnipotent, they must abide by the rules of the Heavenly Dao. Once they accepted the Grandmist Violet Qi, they could no longer depart from the Heavenly Dao's sequence."

"In this Great Tribulation, the major sects' struggle is one layer, the Saints' struggle is another, and the struggle between sentient beings and the world itself is an even deeper layer."

"Naturally, Chang Geng, your understanding of these matters is certainly more profound than mine."

"Just have a clear plan. Whatever decision you make later, even if I don't fully understand it, I will cooperate to the best of my ability. You just need to explain a few things afterward, Chang Geng."

"Here."

His words paused, and Wei Shenmo took a golden scroll from his sleeve, pressing it into Li Changshou's arms.

"As the Heavenly Emperor, I cannot give you too much, but this—this is something I extracted from the Heavenly Dao's sequence."

"Niece Yun Xiao is a good woman, and quite well-suited for you."

Li Changshou was startled. He slowly unrolled the scroll, and a dense aura of Heavenly Dao power washed over him. The massive Heavenly Emperor's seal was incredibly prominent, but the content was simple:

"Upon examination, Immortal Yun Xiao is found to be of noble character, pure Dao heart, and pristine origin, an excellent example among primordial beings, having made numerous contributions to the purity of the Three Realms and the stability of heaven and earth. Immortal Yun Xiao is hereby exempted from all karmic hindrances, granted the Heavenly Dao's protection, designated a Blessed Immortal of the Heavenly Court, excluded from the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation, unbound by the Book of Investiture of the Gods, unharmed by the God-Beating Whip, and her person is exempt from the entanglements of tribulation."

Li Changshou rose to his feet and bowed deeply to the Jade Emperor.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The Jade Emperor sighed, "This is also to ensure you, Chang Geng, do not enter the tribulation. Judging by today's situation, if Yun Xiao were truly to face the tribulation, I fear you might even balance the Heavenly Dao itself."

Subsequently, Li Changshou sighed inwardly, his gaze somewhat complex.

Putting the 'Exemption Edict' into his sleeve, Li Changshou sat back in his original spot.

The sovereign and minister exchanged glances, each seemingly with words caught in their throats, knowing they couldn't speak too plainly. In the end, there were just two soft chuckles.

At that moment, Li Changshou finally confirmed one thing.

The edict mentioned two treasures that should not have been known to anyone at this time: the Book of Investiture of the Gods and the God-Beating Whip.

This Jade Emperor had long known the true details of the Great Tribulation but had remained silent, patiently awaiting the Saints' discussion of the Investiture of the Gods in Zixiao Palace.

His selection by the Dao Ancestor as the ruler of the Three Realms was certainly not merely due to his status as the 'Dao Ancestor's attendant.'

Rather, it seemed the Dao Ancestor had long chosen the ruler of the Three Realms, merely keeping him by his side to temper his character and await the opportune moment, planning since ancient times for this very day.

Those who underestimated this Heavenly Emperor were the truly foolish ones.

Wei Shenmo said, "Now that the Western Sect wants to beg for mercy, we'll keep them hanging and adapt our response during the Zixiao Palace council."

"For the next few decades, the Primordial World and the Three Thousand Worlds should remain relatively stable."

"Chang Geng, what else does the Heavenly Court need to do?"

"Not much, just continue expanding our forces and recruiting experts."

Li Changshou said earnestly, "Your Majesty's arrangement of today's grand ceremony was actually an intentional probe to ascertain the relationship between the various immortal sects and the disciples of the three Daoist Schools, wasn't it?"

"I had also considered this matter before, and my conclusion is not optimistic."

"Oh..."

A brilliant light flashed in the corner of Wei Shenmo's eyes. "That's right, exactly!"

Li Changshou paused. *Alright*, he mused, *so he hadn't thought of it.*

Wei Shenmo pondered carefully for a while, then asked, "But Chang Geng, why do we need so many Heavenly Soldiers and Generals?"

"Even a million Heavenly Soldiers are just a wave of a sleeve away for a Daluo expert if they disregard karmic consequences."

Li Changshou stated gravely, "The significance of the Heavenly Court's rapid military expansion lies in establishing a stable order in the future. This is actually the key to whether the Heavenly Court can truly prosper and avoid being controlled by the great sects later on."

"Wait a minute."

Wei Shenmo frowned deeply, his eyes wide, then suddenly laughed and cursed:

"You rascal, you've been holding out on me! Why didn't you say all this before?"

"Was my offering of this edict as a congratulatory gift also part of your scheme? If I hadn't brought out this tribulation-exemption edict, would you have used these strategies to coerce me, the Heavenly Emperor?"

Li Changshou chuckled, "Your Majesty mustn't think of this humble god as so calculating."

"I've changed my mind! Give the edict back! I'll decide later whether to give it to you again based on the situation!"

Li Changshou's figure flickered, reappearing three zhang away, and he laughed sheepishly, "Even mortals value a ruler's word. Your Majesty, as the esteemed Heavenly Emperor, how can you go back on your word?"

"You benevolent-looking thief, Chang Geng!"

Wei Shenmo laughed and chided, "Come on, tell me! If you don't satisfy me, I'll withhold another edict later and invalidate the previous tribulation-exemption edict."

"Rest assured, Your Majesty, I guarantee a crystal-clear arrangement."

Li Changshou chuckled, maintaining his appearance as a young Daoist, and then cautiously set up another barrier around them.

"Today, this humble god will certainly explain the continuation of the Twelve Strategies from back then to Your Majesty, to help the Heavenly Court truly prosper."

"Let us begin with today's events."

"Your Majesty understands many details of the Great Tribulation, which perhaps cannot be spoken aloud now... What I will say next are all my inferences and guesses. If I happen to be correct, please pretend you didn't hear it, Your Majesty."

Wei Shenmo waved his hand, and streaks of golden light appeared around them, enveloping the area with the power of the Heavenly Dao.

"Speak freely."

Li Changshou collected his thoughts, paced for a moment to the side, then began:

"After the Zixiao Palace council, Central Divine Continent and Eastern Victory Divine Continent will surely fall into chaos."

"The Western Sect's strategic directions are only three to six types, and I have listed them all. The most probable one is to exploit the immortal sects of the three schools."

"The immortal sects of the three schools have intricate ties with their disciples and are also connected to the overall strength and reputation of the three schools."

"The Western Sect will certainly secretly stir up trouble, using the conflicts between the two schools' immortal sects in Central Divine Continent to gradually turn the Jie and Chan Schools against each other, allowing them to accumulate mutual hatred."

"Human hearts are uncontrollable. Although the Jie School has many Saint disciples, compared to the Qi practitioners of Central Divine Continent and the Three Thousand Worlds, their numbers are minuscule."

"In other words, this event is bound to happen; only its timing and scale are uncertain."

"If the Chan School and the Jie School become irreconcilable, the Western Sect can seize the opportunity to ally with the Chan School, thereby achieving their goal of jointly targeting the Jie School and safely passing through the Great Tribulation."

"And the Western Sect's actions in this manner align with the Heavenly Dao's expectation for the Great Tribulation, which is to reduce the power of living beings."

Wei Shenmo slowly nodded and asked, "So, what should we do?"

Li Changshou continued:

"As mentioned before, we can only continue to expand the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals."

"While Central Divine Continent descends into chaos, the Heavenly Court can more easily recruit Golden Immortal realm experts, rapidly increasing the strength of the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals."

"The Heavenly Court belongs to the Heavenly Dao. Heavenly Court immortals, gods, and soldiers will not be considered a 'burden to heaven and earth,' but rather a force that strengthens them."

"From the perspective of universal stability, the faster the Heavenly Court develops and the more formidable its power during this Great Tribulation, the fewer casualties among sentient beings will be required."

"—Of course, the Heavenly Dao decides this."

"Once the Heavenly Court's military strength reaches a certain level, coupled with the power of the Immortal Alliance or the Lin Tian Hall, we can intervene at any time to set things right, stabilize the cosmos in one fell swoop, and establish universal order in Central Divine Continent."

Wei Shenmo's eyes gleamed with divine light as he asked, "What kind of order?"

"Immortal sects will obey the Heavenly Court's commands and be bound by it!"

"Between Central Divine Continent and Southern Jambudvipa, we will establish Heavenly Court checkpoints and erect a Heavenly Dao wall to restrict immortals' access to the mortal realm."

"Furthermore, we will support the development of the Shang tribe in Southern Jambudvipa, who have already received Heaven's Mandate. Once the Shang tribe unifies the prosperous lands of Southern Jambudvipa, we will clear out the rulers and aristocrats who prolong their lives using immortal elixirs."

"The immortal pact that this humble god established with the Shang tribe leader back then will then be fully effective."

"This two-pronged approach will allow human mortals to completely escape exploitation by immortal forces!"

"However, Your Majesty must remember to preserve the path for mortals seeking immortality in the north. Do not sever the mortals' path to advancement; only then can we ensure that the Heavenly Court's and humanity's fortunes remain linked."

"By then, if immortal sects wish to recruit disciples, they must apply to the Heavenly Court before entering Southern Jambudvipa to select suitable talents."

"Should demons cause chaos in the mortal realm, cultivators may also slay demons and monsters, thereby earning Heavenly Dao merit."

"At that time, the immortal sects of Central Divine Continent will continuously provide immortalized disciples as a source of soldiers for the Heavenly Court. With the Heavenly Court's military complete and mighty forces in hand, once the Great Tribulation of the three schools descends and divine positions are filled, the Heavenly Court will truly prosper from then on!"

"Immortals and mortals can be separated, yet communication between heaven and earth will not be severed!"

Wei Shenmo clapped his hands and laughed heartily. After careful consideration, he asked, "What about the Three Thousand Worlds?"

"Although the mortals of the Southern Continent are the foundation of heaven and earth's fortune, the beings in the Three Thousand Worlds are also living beings. Even if their fortune is slightly less, they should be treated equally."

"And there are also those incense-worshiping divine kingdoms, numerous lurking demons, and various immortal sects that have claimed their own territories..."

Li Changshou smiled, "Your Majesty should be clearer than this humble god about which second-tier divine positions exist."

"Are you referring to the Four Imperial Sovereigns?"

"As long as the Heavenly Court stabilizes the order of the Five Great Continents, the Three Thousand Worlds will only be a matter of time, merely differing in form."

Li Changshou paused, looked at Wei Shenmo, and said in a low voice:

"Your Majesty, this humble god is a disciple of the Human School and also originates from a Daoist immortal sect."

"Some of these strategies actually run counter to the Dao Sect's interests, but they benefit heaven and earth, sentient beings, and the Dao Sect of the future."

"Please, Your Majesty, always remember those few words you spoke in the ship's cabin when you and I traveled the Western Sea."

"The authority over heaven and earth, the Three Realms, and all living beings will be in your hands. If Your Majesty's thoughts deviate, living beings will surely suffer."

Wei Shenmo mused, his eyes filled with emotion, his gaze at Li Changshou quite complex.

He chuckled, "With Chang Geng always by my side, I certainly won't go astray."

Li Changshou smiled gently but did not elaborate on the matter.

After all, he cultivated the Dao of Non-Action.