The myth begins with the Lotus Lantern

Chapter 293 The Great Court Meeting

Yaochi.

Inside the Pepper Chamber, with heavy curtains, the Queen Mother sat alone behind a beaded curtain, her brows slightly furrowed, lost in thought and silent.

Suddenly, a corner of the curtain was lifted, and Tiannu, holding a whisk, tiptoed over.

"Your Majesty," Tiannu called softly.

"Ok?"

The Queen Mother looked over, her phoenix eyes filled with majesty. Tiannu did not continue to approach; through the beaded curtain, he bent down.

"Your Majesty, a report has come in; it concerns the monkey," Tiannu said.

"What's wrong?" asked the Queen Mother.

"The Stone Monkey has rebelled again," Tiannu began cautiously, and seeing that the Queen Mother did not interrupt, he continued, "He rebelled from the Peach Garden, and relying on his status as the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, he went straight to the Thirty-Third Heaven. Along the way, he encountered a group escorting the Jade Elixir. The people below did not know the reason and were deceived by his sweet words. He then took advantage of their unpreparedness and used magic to freeze them, and the Jade Elixir was looted."

"The stone monkey has descended to the mortal realm again? Well, it's just some celestial wine. These are turbulent times, let's put it aside for now. It's good that the monkey has gone down; it'll save us some trouble," said the Queen Mother.

“Yes,” Tiannu cautiously raised his head and glanced at the Queen Mother. “However, before descending to the mortal realm, he went to the Tushita Palace. Just now, the Golden and Silver Boys reported that some golden pills were missing from the Tushita Palace.”

"The monkey even went to the Tushita Palace to steal the elixir?" The Queen Mother gently rubbed her temples. "Does he think the Heavenly Court is some kind of monkey den?"

"Your Majesty..." Tiannu did not leave, but waited for instructions.

"After this incident, it's not good for Senior Sister Nuwa to say anything more. After all, she also needs to give an explanation to the Supreme Sage. Well, we can just go with the flow."

The Queen Mother's eyes flickered, and suddenly she had another scheme in mind.

"Therefore, you shall order the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King to muster 100,000 heavenly soldiers, with Nezha as the vanguard, and command the Four Heavenly Kings and the Nine Luminaries to descend to the mortal realm together to capture the demon monkey!"

With a wave of her hand, the Queen Mother unfurled a piece of brocade on the table, its ink-wash characters imprinted on it. She then took the Heavenly Emperor's Treasure from the side and stamped it with the Nine Dragon Seal.

Tiannu lowered his head deeply, not daring to look. The Queen Mother, wife of the Great Heavenly Venerable, sharing the highest honor in the Three Realms, should not so presume to use the Heavenly Emperor's treasure.

The presence of the Heavenly Emperor's treasure itself signifies the Jade Emperor's tacit approval.

But when it comes to matters between the emperor and empress, the best course of action for those below is to ignore them, not to look at them, and to pretend they know nothing.

"Go and proclaim the imperial decree," said the Queen Mother.

"Yes, sir!" Tiannu withdrew.

Behind the beaded curtain, the Queen Mother's eyes were deep, thus eliminating the last remaining unstable factors.

……

Beyond the heavens, a small world.

Wa Palace.

The music was melodious and enchanting.

The square is covered with lush green grass, and flowers of all colors are vying for attention. Phoenixes and bluebirds flit among them. In the distance, a huge palace stands, seemingly both near and far, blurring the boundaries of space. Only the shape of the palace is clearly visible, with white as the main color, simple and elegant, exuding holiness.

A seven-colored aura enveloped the sky and lingered there for a long time.

Inside the main hall, a majestic figure dressed in a nine-clawed dragon robe sat cross-legged, his physical body the endpoint of the countless seven-colored spiritual lights converging in the sky.

At the head of the table, a goddess with a human body and a snake tail coiled her tail and lowered her gaze.

Suddenly, the Jade Emperor opened his eyes, and as he did so, the surging seven-colored spiritual light, like a vast ocean, immediately receded. He sensed that the smoky energy within his body had been completely expelled.

"How is it?" Nuwa asked.

"Senior Sister's secret technique is indeed remarkably effective; Junior Brother's incense poison has been cured." The Jade Emperor nodded, saying this, but his eyes showed no joy.

"You have governed the Three Realms for many years and accumulated unimaginable merits. However, you are good at accumulating them but not good at using them. This time, I am only giving you a little guidance to fulfill the kindness of your master in imparting knowledge and to fulfill the brotherhood between us."

“When I first achieved the Great Dao and arrived at Zixiao Palace, the time was not yet right. You took it upon yourself to lead me to pay respects to my master, and I was reprimanded. That was the cause. Today, my helping you in this way is the effect. Every action has its consequence. The cycle of cause and effect has come to this point. From now on, we owe each other nothing.”

“Although you have now completely rid yourself of the poison of incense and restored your magical power, your protective merits have been completely diminished. Without the blessing of these merits, the authority of the Three Realms will not be close to you, and your position as the Great Heavenly Venerable is already teetering on the brink of collapse,” Nuwa said.

“Senior sister, I have made my choice and I will not regret it. My fist is my power,” the Jade Emperor said, his expression showing no emotion. “I am no longer the gatekeeper I once was. Even though my merits have been reduced by nine-tenths, my magic power has now been fully restored. Within the Three Realms, as long as the sages do not appear, I can deal with everything!”

"It's good that you've thought it through. I know you're very anxious, so I won't keep you any longer. You can go back now."

"And that monkey," Nuwa said, "when I mended the sky, it was the only piece left. Now it has given birth to a true spirit and formed a body. I feel guilty, so I wanted to let it live a carefree and smooth life. But... a doting mother spoils her child. Once is not enough. It seems that he still needs to be tempered. When you go back, if he makes a mistake again, you don't need to worry about me anymore. Just punish him as you see fit, but don't kill him. In the end, if he can repent, you can still allow him to be born into a righteous family."

The Jade Emperor remained silent for a while.

“Junior brother understands,” the Jade Emperor nodded and stood up. “Senior sister, then… I will go.”

"Go," Nuwa said, her voice indifferent.

The Jade Emperor's figure slowly faded and disappeared from the Nuwa Palace.

……

It was late at night, when the stars were shining brightly.

Ziweixing.

In the darkness, the Ziwei Emperor sat alone, only a single scale feather in his palm shimmering with a faint blue light.

"It's decided, tomorrow?" A voice sounded from the other end of Lin Yu's line.

"It will be tomorrow," said the Ziwei Emperor.

"The conflict hasn't started yet. If you think that starting an uprising now is unlikely to succeed, you can actually delay it for a while longer," the voice on the other end said.

"No need. By now, we both know the truth. We've been entangled for so many lifetimes. Tomorrow's grand court assembly will be our last showdown," said the Ziwei Emperor.

"Good that you've thought it through. I'll do my best to support you. But if things succeed, don't forget what you promised me," the voice said.

"In all these years, when have I ever broken a promise to you?" said the Ziwei Emperor.

"Well... let's leave it at that."

That's it.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Three chimes sounded; midnight had passed, and tomorrow had arrived. ...

Lingxiao Palace.

Starting at midnight, streaks of light began to fly in.

Fall again.

The lower the official rank, the earlier one arrives.

Before today's Peach Banquet begins, there will be a routine grand court assembly.

Officials of the sixth rank or below, dressed in blue robes, could only stand outside the palace.

The hall was empty, without a single immortal or deity. High up, there were six cloud beds arranged in a fan shape, which were called the Six Emperors.

At the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), crimson clouds began to fall, and only those of the fifth rank were allowed to enter the hall, but they could only stand at the end of the hall.

At the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), the high-ranking officials in purple robes arrived, and their guards were stationed at the front.

At dawn, one's clothing becomes more free; the higher one's position, the fewer restrictions one faces. On the imperial throne, only two or three figures stand.

Today, the usual clamor before the grand court assembly is gone. Those who can enter the hall know more or less the inside story, so no one finds it strange to see the hall more than 70% empty than before.

Apart from those directly under the Jade Emperor, not a single celestial being from the heavens came.

Chenshi.

After a long time, there was still no movement, and the six cloud beds at the head remained empty.

Just as it was about to reach the hour of Si (9-11 AM), suddenly golden flowers rained down from the sky, and dragons and phoenixes appeared in auspicious formations. The Jade Emperor didn't need to chase them away; he held the Queen Mother's hand, and a divine light descended from the horizon onto the central cloud bed.

The Jade Emperor was the first to arrive.

Only then did a purple aura appear from the east, and the Purple Star Emperor revealed himself from a slightly off-center position.

"Ziwei, you're late," the Jade Emperor said.

"It's not yet the hour of Si (9-11 AM), Haotian, you've arrived early, so why do you say I'm late?" said the Ziwei Emperor. He paused for a moment, then said, "It's now the hour of Si (9-11 AM)."

“Very good,” the Jade Emperor nodded. He looked at the Ziwei Emperor and paused for a moment. “It seems you have made up your mind. This time today is my last chance for you. If you had arrived a moment earlier, I could have let bygones be bygones, and you could still be the Ziwei Emperor of the North Pole, who rules over all the stars. Unfortunately…”

"When did we ever need to put on such a show?" Emperor Ziwei chuckled. "Haven't we already known each other perfectly well? Ziwei is the Emperor Star, and the position of Lord of the Three Realms should have been mine all along. There's no need to talk about what happened back then. Today, with all your civil and military officials here, I want to settle things with you. This is the cause and effect between us."

"Regarding what happened back then..." The Jade Emperor paused for a moment, "I do feel guilty, which is why I have tolerated you for so many years. Back then, I was no match for you, but times have changed, and you are no longer in my sight. The situation in the Three Realms is stable. Are you sure you still want to compete with me?"

"Haotian," the Ziwei Emperor looked at him coldly, "you are still the same. I know you have completely rid yourself of the poison of incense, and you also know that since I dare to challenge you again, I must have something to rely on. Why do you still need to test me with such words?"

"Come!" said the Ziwei Emperor. He turned around and stepped into the sea of ​​his mind first.

Having said all that, there was no turning back. The Jade Emperor's face turned solemn as he rose and took a step forward.

Lingxiao Palace had no backup plans. Having cultivated to the level of the Jade Emperor and the Ziwei Emperor, any ambush would be nothing but a joke in front of them.

This is no ordinary dynastic struggle for supremacy.

In the world of gods, the power of an individual has long surpassed that of all living beings. One can prepare a backup plan in advance, but when it comes to the actual confrontation, one can only fight openly and honestly!

At least, that's how it appears on the surface.

The next moment, a violent sound came from the Milky Way. A wave of magic swept over and overturned the dome of the Lingxiao Palace, exposing the entire Milky Way to the sight of the immortals.

"The immortals lined up in formation."

The Queen Mother of the West spoke, and she first unleashed a burst of magical power. The other immortals and gods exchanged glances. The minor officials outside the hall looked terrified, but the Golden Immortals of the fifth rank and above already knew what was going on. They each reached out and poured their magical power into the sky. As a result, layers of transparent light curtains rose up in the sky, a total of thirty-three layers from beginning to end. The restrictions protecting the Heavenly Court were pushed to their limit under the support of such abundant magical power.

In the Milky Way, the Ziwei Emperor took the lead, unleashing a Purple Qi Immortal Seal that collapsed half the sky, his power at the Great Luo realm erupting without any concealment.

The Jade Emperor's expression remained unchanged. With a tremor, nine immortal dragons flew out from his immortal body, each with nine claws. Nine is the ultimate number, and nine claws represent the limit of a dragon, signifying the Great Luo!
When this magical power struck, a dragon of energy rushed towards it, but in an instant it vanished like a gentle breeze.

But this was only the initial test. On the other side, after unleashing the Purple Qi Immortal Seal, the Ziwei Emperor raised the Demon-Subduing Golden Spear in his hand with a single gesture. In an instant, he moved with the spear, aiming it at the Jade Emperor's face. This spear strike was delivered with all his might. The Jade Emperor did not move, but five more Qi dragons rushed forward. The spear tip was blocked by the combined force of the five dragons. As they converged, the space began to crack like a glass plate, and large pieces of it fell off.

The immortals below watched, only to find that the two figures were distorted and indistinct. All they could see was the immense power of the immortals, a pressure that surpassed even the pinnacle of the Great Luo realm. Even the restrictions of the Thirty-Three Heavens could not completely neutralize it, terrifying the immortals to the point of trembling with fear.

The shattered fragments of space struck the barrier, creating countless ripples like raindrops falling on a pond.

During the stalemate, a cold glint flashed in the eyes of the Ziwei Emperor. Behind the Jade Emperor, a tiny space suddenly twisted, blending into the vast expanse of collapsed fragments and extremely well hidden. A bead radiating nine-colored light emerged and struck the Jade Emperor hard in the back of the heart.

The Nine-Bend Pearl attacked stealthily, but the Jade Emperor had already sensed it, and another dragon of energy split off from his body.

The Great Emperor Ziwei had used almost all his strength in this thrust, and his manipulation of the Nine-Bend Pearl was just ordinary. A dragon of energy wrapped around the pearl, and the dragon was having a great time playing with the pearl.

The Jade Emperor still had two dragons of energy that he had not yet used.

"go with!"

The next moment, with the Jade Emperor's soft shout, the two energy dragons flew out. The Ziwei Emperor had exhausted all his methods and could only watch helplessly as the two energy dragons flew towards him. His body was hit, and his face turned pale. He was sent flying millions of miles away.

But the starry sky is boundless, and this distance is nothing to a person with great supernatural powers.

With one step, the Jade Emperor was once again standing before the Purple Star Emperor.

The Ziwei Emperor's eyes showed shock. He was not surprised that the Jade Emperor had recovered, as this was something he had expected. He was only shocked by the gap between himself and the Jade Emperor. Once upon a time, he was the one standing above and looking down on the Jade Emperor. Although he knew in his heart that he was no longer a match for the Jade Emperor, he did not expect that the gap had become so large that he could not even last a single exchange.

At this moment, apart from the Demon-Subduing Golden Spear in his hand, which he could still hold, his Purple Qi Immortal Seal and Nine-Bend Pearl had fallen to the ground.

The stars fell silent, their light dimmed.

They seemed unable to bear seeing their star lord's miserable state.

The Jade Emperor, however, had no intention of holding back. Without moving, the nine dragons around him suddenly took to the air and merged in mid-air, transforming into a giant golden dragon that was over a million miles long and stretched across the Milky Way. Its scales lit up one by one, baring its fangs and claws, and it pounced towards the Ziwei Emperor.

Emperor Ziwei could only hold his spear. He had already stood up, his figure as firm as a mountain, his face showing an unprecedented determination.

The magical power was pushed to its limit.

A white light seemed to appear in the void.

The spear clashed with the dragon.

(End of this chapter)