Don't let Yu Ding take on any more disciples.

Chapter 448 Everything is because we were here

Heavenly Court, Tongming Hall.

After the Heavenly Emperor disappeared, the meeting was moved from the Lingxiao Palace to this location.

At this moment, important deities from Heaven gathered here, but the main hall was already in an uproar because of Li Jing's matter.

The Demon-Subduing God, supported by two people, was pale-faced and filled with resentment, holding a Heaven-Shaking Arrow as he made his accusations.

The gods split into two camps over this matter.

"The Heavenly God who subdued the demon was without fault. The mortals were audacious, defying the might of Heaven. They disregarded the dignity of our Heavenly Court and the credibility of the Heavenly Laws," the guardian deity argued.

Venus said, “In truth, it was the Demon-Subduing God who accidentally injured a mortal first, so it’s reasonable for the general to be angry. I think the Demon-Subduing God is not seriously injured, so we should be magnanimous and let this matter go.”

"Nothing serious? Be more magnanimous? Magnanimous my ass."

The Demon-Subduing God was furious: "I think it's because the arrow didn't hit you that you, Taibai Jinxing, don't feel the pain and are here complaining about my generosity."

He shook off the support of others, picked up the Heaven-Shaking Arrow, and stepped forward: "Come on, I won't shoot anymore. I'll just stab you with this arrow. If you, Venus, are still so magnanimous, I promise I won't investigate this matter anymore."

Seeing this, the gods quickly intervened: "Demon-Subduing God, please calm down! Don't you know Taibai well enough?"

Venus, the planet of Venus, also got angry. He stepped forward, started lifting his clothes, and shouted, "Come on, it's no big deal. I'll let you stab me, come on."

Over the years, the Heavenly Emperor ran away, leaving him with a mess. He has to manage everything. It's not easy for him!
Now that the great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods has begun, these guys are still causing trouble. Do they really think that Taibai Jinxing has no temper?
Seeing that Taibai was out of control, another group of immortals were immediately at their wits' end and several of them quickly stepped forward to persuade Taibai Jinxing.

"Jin Xing, you know... the Demon-Subduing God was just joking with you, don't take it to heart."

"Who's messing with him?"

The Demon-Subduing God stiffened his neck and said, "Let me tell you, if you encounter someone who advises you to be magnanimous without experiencing the suffering of others, stay far away from them, lest you get struck by lightning."

"Come on, stab me!" Venus struggled forward.

The Demon-Subduing God: "Do you think I wouldn't dare?"

Venus: "Come on!"

The Demon-Subduing God was somewhat intimidated when he saw Taibai Jinxing blush and lose his temper for the first time.

The atmosphere had built up to this point; if you didn't stab them, it would be tantamount to admitting defeat, and you'd completely lose face today. So, you had to stab them...

What are you all arguing about?

Just then, a cold shout came from outside the Tongming Hall, and a figure surrounded by innate divine light stepped straight into the Tongming Hall.

Everyone's expression changed upon seeing the person who entered. He appeared to be around thirty years old, with sharp eyes that made no immortal dare to meet his gaze.

As He stepped forward, all the gods made way for Him to proceed, and He sat directly on the throne above.

"Just because Haotian is not here, the dignified Heavenly Court has fallen into such chaos. What kind of rules are these?" the white-robed figure rebuked.

"Greetings... to the White Emperor!"

All the deities bowed and said, "We know our sins."

This figure in white was one of the five friends whom the Heavenly Emperor had chosen to assist him when the Heavenly Court was established, each in charge of one of the five directions (east, south, west, north, and center) and the climate.

These five were all primordial deities. After entering the Heavenly Court, they were bestowed the titles of the Five Emperors of Green, White, Red, Yellow, and Black, also known as the Five Heavenly Emperors of the Directions.

Later, the human race also produced five Heavenly Emperors. To distinguish them, the five in the Heavenly Court were called the Five Primordial Emperors, while the five in the human race were called the Five Acquired Emperors.

However, these five, like their Heavenly Emperor, rarely managed affairs and were not in the Heavenly Court, so much so that many gods did not recognize them.

And the one who arrived at this moment was none other than Bai Zhaoju, the White Emperor among the Five Heavenly Emperors!
Outside the Tongming Hall.

The Old Man of the South Pole looked inside and smiled helplessly; this White Emperor was someone he had invited.

The Jade Emperor invited these old friends to the Heavenly Court to temporarily handle matters while he was away because he needed to undergo a tribulation.

As a result, these innate gods never missed out on any benefits, and they followed the Heavenly Emperor to receive sacrifices in the mortal world. But when trouble arose, they would shut their doors tighter than ever before, which was simply outrageous.

but……

He smiled slightly. This time, the Investiture of the Gods will optimize the divine positions, abolish the Five Heavenly Emperors, and confer the titles of the Six Sovereigns. He thought that the situation would improve by then.

"I wondered what it was all about. It turns out such a trivial matter is worth making such a fuss about?"

The White Emperor waved his hand impatiently and said, "What are your Heavenly Laws for? Where are your guardian deities?"

The Demon-Subduing God's face lit up with joy.

"The little god is here!"

The guardian deity bowed deeply in homage.

The White Emperor yawned and said, "The actions of this mortal, ha~ tsk tsk, what should be his punishment?"

The group of immortals looked at the White Emperor and exchanged bewildered glances.

The guardian deity pondered for a moment: "Reporting to the White Emperor, this has offended the majesty of Heaven. According to the laws and decrees of Heaven, he should be arrested and severely punished with lightning, as a warning to others!"

Bai Di rested his chin on his right hand on the table, and upon hearing this, waved his left hand:
"Just find a few people to capture it, it's that simple. Antarctica is just making things difficult for the gods. Go and do it, I'll take a nap first."

After saying that, he actually fell asleep in front of all the gods.

The Fishing Emperor left, and the Sleeping Emperor arrived...

The expectation on Venus's face turned into a long, helpless sigh.

Sure enough, he shouldn't have had any expectations of this person; compared to him, he's not even as good as their Heavenly Emperor.

Although their Heavenly Emperor has some minor hobbies, he never slacks off when it comes to work, unlike this guy who just falls asleep.

If things continue like this and the problems in Heaven are not addressed, Heaven will likely face many more troubles in the future!

Those were problems that he was powerless to solve.

Is it possible that... only a change of the Heavenly Emperor can alter these circumstances?
Venus couldn't help but think of it, but then shuddered and quickly dismissed the thought.

He's just a worker who runs errands and serves the people; those kinds of things aren't his concern.

……

Chentangguan.

These words caused Li Jing's expression to change, and his previously relaxed demeanor turned serious.

Bi Fang sneered, "Kid, don't listen to this guy's nonsense. He says the Heavenly Army is coming to arrest you, so do you think the Heavenly Court is in charge?"

Don't be fooled by him. I think this guy is clearly trying to trick you into joining his Meishan gang. He can't fool me with his little schemes."

Yuan Hong smiled and said, "As expected of Senior Bifang, you have keen insight. I admire you. I do not deny that I did have this thought."

Bi Fang sneered, "See? I knew this guy was up to no good. He's so cunning."

Yuan Hong showed no anger at being exposed, and still smiled, saying, "But what I said is true. As for how to choose..."

He looked at Li Jing and said sincerely, "It mainly depends on Brother Li Jing, but no matter what he chooses, I, Yuan, will never interfere with his choice."

Li Jing was slightly startled, lowered his head, and remained silent in thought.

Bi Fang sneered, "What you're saying is true? Then how did you know about the Heavenly Court mobilizing troops? Are you a fortune teller or do you have some evidence? Otherwise, you think you can make us believe you with just empty words?"

"I have no evidence, but what I say is definitely true, because..."

At this point, Yuan Hong burst forth with unparalleled confidence, saying, "No one understands the Heavenly Court better than me."

These words were so powerful that even Bi Fang was taken aback for a moment before sneering, "Junior, are you trying to make fun of us?"

Just as Yuan Hong was about to speak, Li Jing suddenly looked up, puzzled, and said, "But... I've already let him go."

"You need to understand that the moment you strike him, whether you save his life or not is no longer important."

Yuan Hong explained earnestly, “He is carrying out official business and represents the Heavenly Court. You are the General of Chentang Pass and represent mortals, the Great Shang Dynasty, and the human race.”

Your attack on the gods is tantamount to a mortal's offense against the majesty and authority of the Heavenly Court. This is something the high and mighty gods would never allow; it is a capital offense. As for your human race's King Wu Yi shooting down the heavens... I think you should know this better than I do!

Upon hearing Wu Yi shoot the sky, Li Jing's face turned pale, and his fists clenched involuntarily.

Wu Yi was the grandfather of the current King Di Xin, and also a legendary Shang king.

During his reign, King Wu Yi worked diligently to govern the country, but natural disasters frequently occurred in various parts of the Shang Dynasty. Therefore, King Wu Yi held a grand ceremony to worship the heavens, as was the custom in the past.

However, this frequent natural disasters were to no avail, which angered King Wu Yi of Shang, who then gathered a crowd to shoot arrows at the sky.

This act is undoubtedly an offense against the majesty of Heaven, and if it succeeds, it will weaken mortals' reverence for the gods and the heavens.

Legend has it that the Shang king fired three arrows into the sky, causing a rain of blood to fall, nourishing the earth and bringing life back to the land.

However, amidst the rain of blood and the rolling thunder, King Wu Yi of Shang was also struck on the head by lightning and died.

Li Jing slammed his fist on the table in anger: "But it was their gods who were in the wrong first."

"Are you referring to the accidental injury to mortals during their demon-slaying activities? Unfortunately, mortal lives are not only worthless in the eyes of demons, but also in the eyes of gods, they are as insignificant as ants."

Yuan Hong shook his head and said, "When the gods and generals are slaying demons and monsters, they may harm some mortals. It's no different from when people step on some ants while walking. The death of 10,000 people is just a number, and the death of 100,000 or 1 million people is still just a number. Would you feel guilty for stepping on ants while walking?"

Li Jing was suddenly stunned.

“I have done some research on the Heavenly Laws and know a little about them.”

Yuan Hong said, "Their actions do not violate any heavenly laws, so from the perspective of heavenly judgment, you cannot hold them accountable for any wrongdoing or responsibility."

In short, if you want to appeal to the heavens and complain to the gods, trying to hold them accountable, then I'm telling you now, it won't work.

Li Jing looked at Yuan Hong in disbelief: "Brother... you actually know the Heavenly Laws?"

A peerless demon king, instead of studying demonic arts, has started studying the laws and regulations of heaven?

"Ah, actually, I used to follow the teachings of an elder and adhere to the principle that reason prevails everywhere, and I have always firmly believed in it."

Yuan Hong looked on with reminiscence, then shook his head: "But later, Meishan had some conflicts with the Heavenly Court. I went to the Heavenly Court to reason with them. I firmly believed that the more you reason, the clearer things become. But those bastards in the Heavenly Court are unreasonable. If you try to reason with them, they will bring up the Heavenly Laws. I suffered because I didn't understand the Heavenly Laws."

Li Jing was stunned. So, this is the truth behind the Great Sage of Meishan's havoc in the Heavenly Palace?

"Later, there was a guy who knew this. Those bastards in the Heavenly Court couldn't argue with him, so they had to fight him. But they didn't expect that they couldn't argue with him or fight him."

Yuan Hong chuckled: "I was quite surprised after reading it. Later, I also did some research, and guess what? I discovered that law and reason are inseparable. 'Law' can support 'reason.' If we have the moral high ground and find the basis of the Heavenly Law to beat them up, it's both reasonable and legal. They have neither the moral high ground nor the law. Afterwards, no matter where we sue, we'll have no problem or it'll be a minor issue."

Li Jing stared blankly at Yuan Hong, who was speaking eloquently in front of him.

Different!
This Monkey King of Meishan is different from all other monsters.

Seeing Li Jing in a daze, Yuan Hong patted the back of his hand and reminded him, "Oh right, brother, remember, these heavenly rules only apply in Heaven. When you come to the mortal world, you have to learn the laws of the land."

In any case, if you understand all the explicit laws enacted in this world, you can truly be right in all situations, both in heaven and on earth. After taking action, you'll be legally invincible; the rest depends on your actual skills.

These words left Li Jing speechless and enlightened.

He stared blankly at the white-robed scholar before him, and gradually the shock in his eyes turned into a blazing light. He said with shame, "After hearing your words, brother, I feel that I have lived these past forty years in vain."

Bi Fang was also stunned and speechless for a moment.

This was a direction that no one in their demon race had ever considered; they had never even thought about it.

Even a demon god who had seen the world was deeply shocked and had many insights after hearing this.

No wonder this monkey was able to rise from humble beginnings and gradually grow into its current power.

Yuan Hong smiled and said, "Brother, don't say that. These are all things I've experienced. You'll gradually understand as you see more. There's knowledge to be gained everywhere in this world!"

Li Jing humbly asked, "So, are we humans just supposed to watch helplessly as innocent mortals die because of the gods, but there's nothing we can do about those gods?"

I can kill those demons without hesitation to avenge myself, but those gods are backed by the Heavenly Court…

Yuan Hong smiled meaningfully: "In fact, the root of the problem lies in the laws of Heaven, and the laws are the foundation of the system."

The absence of laws leads to an imperfect system. Even the Way of Heaven has its flaws, let alone the Heavenly Laws. Yet, this imperfect system has been operating for so long without the Heavenly Court addressing the problems and making improvements; that is the responsibility of those in charge of the Heavenly Court.

Li Jing listened thoughtfully: "Laws, systems, the master of Heaven..."

Bi Fang snapped out of his daze and hurriedly shouted, "Li Jing, this guy's wolfish ambitions have been revealed. Don't listen to his lies to deceive you. This guy has no good intentions. The Heavenly Court rules over the prehistoric world and all the realms. It is not something you alone can change."

"Please forgive me for disagreeing with your statement, senior. Does that mean we should do nothing if we can't change things?"

Yuan Hong said calmly, "I believe that the strong should change the world, and the weak should cultivate their own virtue. If everyone thinks like this, wouldn't the world remain unchanged forever? What hope or chance would there be for living beings?"

What about those beings who died because of this flawed Heavenly Court system, the corrupt Heavenly Court, and the incompetent Heavenly Emperor? Must the primordial world forever remain in such darkness?

"So your purpose was actually..."

Bi Fang pointed at Yuan Hong in utter shock.

At that moment, he immediately understood Yuan Hong's intention.

Yuan Hong gave him a deep look: "Senior, you can hide in a corner and remain silent, you can choose not to do anything, but please don't slander or attack those of us who want to do something for all living beings, because the light we strive for in the future will eventually shine on you."

Bi Fang was taken aback upon hearing this.

He couldn't say anything more.

Li Jing smiled wryly and said, "How difficult it is to change these things."

"As long as you have a goal, you will not be alone on this path, because you will meet thousands of like-minded people with the same goal."

Yuan Hong put his hand on Li Jing's shoulder and said, "That senior once said that where there's a will, there's a way. Take Yang Jian, for example, who changed the Heavenly Laws."

He looked into the distance with a deep gaze: "Perhaps we will succeed, perhaps we will fail and fall along the way, but even if we change just a little, our efforts and sacrifices will be meaningful."

This world will be changed one day, not because the gods in Heaven have a change of heart, nor because they want to change it, but simply because we were here, and we made them understand these truths.

Li Jing was shocked: "Because we've been here before..."

Looking at Yuan Hong before him, he seemed to see Yuan Hong shining brightly, radiating an extraordinary light.

"Yes, simply because we've been here."

Yuan Hong looked deeply at Li Jing and said, "The reason why the human race was able to rise step by step from being food for all races to the vast land where all races are gathered is because countless human ancestors sacrificed their lives and shed their blood to fight against heaven and earth."

Through their actions, they showed those powerful races that humanity is not weak, and human life is not fragile. Now, humanity needs successors who, like them, will stand up and tell those arrogant gods this truth.

Upon hearing this, Li Jing's pupils contracted, and he felt as if an electric shock had struck his body, causing his blood to surge and his body to heat up. His eyes burned brightly, and he murmured repeatedly, "Humanity is not weak, human life... is not fragile..."

That's it! Li Jing has been completely fooled!
Bi Fang shook his head and sighed inwardly: "Humans always say that sorcery can bewitch people. I thought it was used to describe something, but I never thought that sorcery could actually bewitch people."

Anyway, his words never had that effect.

But at this moment, he could clearly see that Li Jing had been persuaded by Yuan Hong. Inspired and encouraged by the deeds of the ancient sages of the human race, Li Jing was now full of enthusiasm and eager to take action, and could hardly contain himself.

At this moment, if Yuan Hong ordered Li Jing to storm the Heavenly Court, Li Jing would probably not hesitate for a second.

Yuan Hong said, "But that's something we'll do later. Right now, you need to take your whole family and leave here immediately and come with me to Meishan."

The monkey's tail has finally been revealed... Bi Fang thought with a cold smile.

"Go up Meishan?"

Upon hearing this, Li Jing suddenly came to his senses.

Yuan Hong nodded: "When you ask the Heavenly Court for favors, the procedures are so slow they can wear you out, but they're never slow when it comes to things like this. I estimate the army is about to... already here!"

His expression suddenly changed, and he looked up towards the direction of the city gate of Chentang Pass.

Yuan Hong and Li Jing hurriedly entered the courtyard, only to find Yin Guangling also rushing in with a look of surprise.

They looked up and saw that above Chentang Pass, the wind was blowing and the clouds were swirling, forming a dark cloud vortex, as if the sky had been torn open, with lightning and thunder.

The rolling dark clouds were filled with celestial soldiers, clad in armor and radiating divine light, who descended upon the world with an overwhelming sense of oppression.

fifty thousand?

One hundred thousand?

There are simply too many to count!

At the very front of the celestial soldiers were nearly ten divine generals, with three golden-armored deities surrounding them in the center.

One was dressed in a red robe and golden armor, with a majestic expression; another was dressed in a black robe and golden armor; and the third was leaning on a divine sword with both hands, looking solemn.

"No way, they're really here?"

Bi Fang was also taken aback, looking at Yuan Hong with a bewildered expression.

This kid wasn't bragging!
"You came pretty quickly!"

Yuan Hong sneered and said to Li Jing, "Brother, you should quickly take your family and children and leave quietly. Remember to go to Meishan. You'll be safe once you get there. I'll cover for you here."

Having said that, without waiting for Li Jing's reply, he leaped up and headed towards the Chen Tang Pass city tower.

"Brother Yuan Hong..."

Li Jing tried to call out to Yuan Hong, but Yuan Hong was too fast and had already disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Yin Guangling exclaimed in surprise, "Master, what exactly is going on? How can there be heavenly soldiers and generals? Who was that person just now?"

Li Jing gave a wry smile: "Madam, it's hard for me to explain to you in just a few words. In short, these heavenly soldiers and generals are here to capture me. My brother heard the news and came to tell me to escape. You should go and dismiss the servants and pack your things first."

"Arrest you? Why? Explain yourself. Is it because of what happened last time?" Yin Guangling said angrily.

Li Jing fell silent and nodded, saying apologetically, "I'm sorry, Madam, I've dragged you into this."

"Implicate? Li Jing, what nonsense are you spouting? I've been in your Li family for so many years, haven't we been through thick and thin together? And now you're telling me this?"

Lady Yin angrily rebuked, "Don't panic, we don't need to run away. You are the General of Chentang Pass, personally appointed by the King, guarding this area. No one but the King and I can touch you."

Besides, they killed so many innocent people in Chentang Pass. We haven't even settled accounts with them yet, so how dare they come knocking on our door?

Li Jing, his eyes slightly red, chuckled and said, "My lady, you are so kind!"

"Get lost! Isn't this cheesy for an old married couple?"

Yin Guangling glared at him and pondered, "When disaster strikes, your friend not only doesn't leave but is also willing to help you fend off the Heavenly Army. This shows that he is a loyal and true friend worth making. After everything is over, please invite your family over so I can cook some dishes and thank him properly."

"Definitely, hehe, definitely!" Li Jing chuckled.

Outside Chentang Pass.

Above the rolling dark clouds, at the front of the Heavenly Army.

"Oh, Tianyuan, you're here too. Long time no see. You've reached the Celestial Immortal realm? No wonder you don't have to guard the Heavenly Prison anymore."

"Get lost. I stopped guarding that lousy place a long time ago. Didn't you break through to the next realm too? Hmph, I didn't expect you, Tianyi, to be on this mission as well."

"Hehehe, this is my first battle after becoming a Celestial Immortal. I must show off my strength. But he's just a mortal. Is it a bit... like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut?"

"Can you two shut up for a second? Li Jing may be a mortal, but he's quite capable. The Demon-Subduing God has been ambushed, so you mustn't be careless," the guardian deity, leaning on his sword, said in a deep voice.

dong dong dong...

As the Heavenly Army pressed in, the drums at Chentang Pass soon sounded nine times in a row.

Instantly, countless human troops surged out of Chentang Pass, clad in armor and armed with weapons, forming a battle formation with a fierce aura that soared to the sky. They showed no fear as they looked at the legendary heavenly soldiers and generals.

These soldiers were trained by General Li Jing of Chentang Pass.
They were veterans of countless battles, slaying demons, eliminating monsters, and fighting ferocious beasts... but they had never fought against the heavenly soldiers.

They have never been defeated, and they are not afraid.

At this moment, they were still secretly looking forward to fighting against the heavenly soldiers and generals.

"Li Jing, the general of Chentang Pass, why don't you come out and admit your guilt at once?"

A divine general wielding a sword stepped forward and shouted, but before he could finish speaking, a golden light swept in: "I said he is innocent... Oh, it's you. You've even entered the Celestial Immortal Realm? Not bad!"

A golden light descended, and Yuan Hong, dressed in white, landed on the city wall.

"It's you?!" The general was horrified.

Not only him, but several generals in front of the main army behind him also changed color upon seeing Yuan Hong, their bodies trembled, and they exclaimed in surprise.

This figure was their greatest inner demon.

Yuan Hong shaded his eyes with his hand and looked back. One glance was enough for a bright smile to appear on his face: "Oh, you've all come?"

What a coincidence!
(End of this chapter)