Primordial Era: I rule the great sect and command all immortals.

Chapter 286 The Dao Ancestor Relents, the Sages Rejoice

"No matter what! This is an opportunity for us! A chance to turn things around!"

The Queen Mother of the West nodded, a cold glint flashing in her eyes, and said decisively.

"Indeed, this is the only chance! I didn't expect that the Dao Ancestor would also notice the strength of the Jie Sect and choose to suppress them once again!"

Emperor Haoyu sneered. His strength had not been lost in the last war between the various sects, and he currently had a great advantage. Although he was not as good as the Jie Sect, he might still have a chance through manipulation.

"Currently, the positions of the 365 Heavenly Gods are vacant. Without the blessings of Heaven and Earth and merit, these deities may not be willing to continue serving. What should we do?"

The Queen Mother of the West asked this crucial question.

The Jade Emperor pondered for a moment and said, "These people may not truly want to leave. We don't need to expel them. If someone is willing to resign voluntarily, we can then compete with the Jie Sect and the Chan Sect for these positions!"

"Excellent! This time, we should strive for at least a dozen of the 365 positions of the Zhou Tian Zheng Shen. As long as we break the Jie Jiao's complete control over the 'Zhou Tian Xing Dou Da Zhen', it will be a victory."

The Queen Mother of Yaochi said coldly. In the heart of this great figure, the head of the female immortals in the Three Realms, her resentment towards the Jie Sect was not small. Last time, even the "Plain Cloud Banner" was robbed by the Chaos Dao Lord.

This time, no matter what, we must trip up the Jie Sect!

Not only her and the Jade Emperor, but the Chan Sect will also not let this opportunity pass. With the two sides joining forces, they can control forty or fifty positions.

With so many immortals who are not of one mind with the Jie Sect infiltrating, I don't believe the Jie Sect can still maintain its ironclad rule as before.

"The two of us, along with Master Sa, Niulang, Dong Yong, Xuan Nu, Master Liehuo, Master Hanbing, and Hongyun, now make nine Quasi-Saints!"

At this point, the Jade Emperor couldn't help but feel proud. What a powerful force this was!

"Indeed! We can also win over Yang Jian and those dozen or so Quasi-Saints from the Thirty-Three Heavens. Our power is at least far greater than that of the Demon Cult, the Witch Clan, the Chan Cult, and the Human Cult!"

The Queen Mother of the West chimed in, "Apart from the Jie Sect and Buddhism, there is no one in the entire Three Realms who can rival us!"

Having said all this, the two rulers of the Three Realms couldn't help but feel proud. This was the power they had painstakingly accumulated over the years, and it was no weaker than any other faction in the Three Realms!

After his initial joy, the Jade Emperor couldn't help but sigh and said helplessly, "Unfortunately, in the struggle between great sects, the final victor is still the sage. Even if you and I possess the strongest power in the Three Realms now, in the immeasurable eon, the sage will still set things right, and everything will return to the sage's rule."

The Queen Mother of the West nodded, her expression equally grim, but she still said, "If either of us can attain enlightenment in the immeasurable eons, then there will be no hidden dangers."

Mentioning the attainment of Dao, the Jade Emperor sighed inwardly, his voice hoarse, "Attaining Dao is too difficult. In all these years, only one Chaos Dao Lord has reached the edge of attaining Dao. Other experts from all sides, some even of the same generation as the Dao Ancestor, have not made an inch of progress in their cultivation!"

Just as the two were about to continue recounting the hardships of their cultivation, suddenly, outside the "Dou Niu Palace," a brilliant light shone, and a young Taoist boy rode on auspicious five-colored clouds and flew to the outside of the palace.

Originally, the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West were about to get angry when they saw someone arrive uninvited and fly above the "Dou Niu Palace".

Upon closer inspection, their anger instantly subsided. It turned out that this young Taoist was actually the attendant who had taken over from them to serve the Daoist Ancestor Hongjun in the "Zixiao Palace".

The boy remained expressionless, showing no inclination for pleasantries among fellow disciples. He simply stated coldly, "Issue the Dao Ancestor's decree: summon Haotian and Yaochi to the 'Purple Cloud Palace' to await further instructions!"

After delivering the decree, the boy did not wait for the Jade Emperor or the Queen Mother of the West to respond before turning and leaving on auspicious five-colored clouds.

"Hey! Don't you have any regard for our shared experience as fellow disciples in 'Purple Cloud Palace'?"

Seeing that the boy had left, the Queen Mother of the West spoke angrily.

The Jade Emperor smiled slightly, waved his hand, and said, "Never mind! It must be the Dao Ancestor who instructed us to unbind the 'Investiture of the Gods' list. The fact that the Dao Ancestor still remembered the two of us shows that in his heart we are the true rulers of the Three Realms. Otherwise, that boy would have gone to the 'Purple Palace' right now."

The two exchanged a smile. The Dao Ancestor's decree had temporarily stabilized their positions, which made them much more relaxed. Not daring to keep the Dao Ancestor waiting, they gave an order to their subordinates and then rode the clouds away, flying towards Chaos.

Under the instructions of the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West, the news that the Dao Ancestor of Zixiao Palace had issued a decree summoning the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West to Zixiao Palace for a meeting quickly spread throughout the Heavenly Realm.

As expected, the removal of 365 Zhou Tian Zheng Shen from the "Investiture of the Gods" list caused chaos throughout the Heavenly Realm, with everyone in fear and unaware of what had happened.

At this moment, the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West were invited away by Hongjun Daozu, which made many minor immortals and gods regard the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West as the rulers of the Three Realms.

This was precisely the little scheme of the Jade Emperor and his companion, at least winning over the hearts of some of the lesser deities in Heaven.

As for those veteran immortals and gods, they all sneered. To put it bluntly, even if the Dao Ancestor personally issued a decree to strip the Great Emperor of the North Pole of the Central Heaven of the current Heavenly Court, it would be of no use.

After so many years of operation, how could it be dismantled with just a word from the Dao Ancestor?

If they dared to do that, the Great Emperor of the North Pole of the Central Heaven would dare to establish another small court in the Heavenly Realm and openly challenge the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West!

Without mentioning how the Great Emperor of the North Pole of the Central Heaven summoned the immortals and gods to stabilize the situation in the Heavenly Realm.

To put it simply, in the "Zixiao Palace" deep within the chaos, after the three sages, Laozi, Yuanshi Tianzun, and Tongtian Jiaozhu, erased the names from the "Investiture of the Gods," countless starlight appeared in the "Zixiao Palace" shortly afterward. All 365 righteous gods of the Zhou Tian on the "Investiture of the Gods," as long as their true spirits were sealed within the "Investiture of the Gods," came to the outside of the "Zixiao Palace" to await the summons of the Dao Ancestor and the sages.

When the divine bodies of these immortals, which had been formed by the "Investiture of the Gods," completely collapsed, they were filled with fear and terror. Subsequently, their true spirits flew uncontrollably into the chaos, and they were so frightened that their souls were scattered.

It should be noted that these people were originally at the peak of being Great Luo Golden Immortals. Now, their physical bodies have collapsed, leaving only a wisp of true spirit. They have no magical power left and cannot resist the invasion of chaotic primordial energy. With just one wave, all of them will perish completely.

However, if the Dao Ancestor made them serve as cannon fodder in the Demon Realm, how could he let them disappear into the chaotic primordial energy?

Each beam of clear light enveloped a true spirit, safely bringing them all to the mysterious and unpredictable "Purple Cloud Palace".

Upon arriving here, everyone put aside their worries. It was obvious without asking that something must have happened to the "Investiture of the Gods." They only needed to wait patiently for the Dao Ancestor's arrangements.

The crowd stood outside the gate of "Zixiao Palace," all of them extremely nervous. This was the Dao Ancestor's Daoist temple, and this was the first time anyone had come here. Although they were curious, they still stood obediently, not daring to move.

But the door in front of him was tightly closed, and no one came to summon him.

Since everyone here is a highly accomplished immortal, they naturally have no anxiety. They remain calm and wait patiently, for time holds no meaning for them.

Before long, the group of immortals saw two beams of light flying in from beyond the chaos. When they got closer, they realized that the two were the rulers of the Three Realms: the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West.

These two were no longer dressed in imperial robes, but had changed into the Taoist robes they wore when serving the Taoist Ancestor.

The Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West have put in a lot of effort, but even if the Dao Ancestor were to merge with the Heavenly Dao and remain the same Hongjun, he might not care about the flattery of two Quasi-Saints.

What's so special about these little tricks?

It's utterly childish.

In truth, the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West knew the truth, but they still harbored a sliver of hope that the Dao Ancestor might remember even a little bit of the small, humble affection they had shown him when they served him.

If the Dao Ancestor were to favor them even slightly, they would enjoy the benefits for a lifetime, without end.

Upon arriving at the gate of "Zixiao Palace" and seeing these Zhou Tian Zheng Shen (gods of the heavens), the two were not surprised.

These were not the people of the Jade Emperor or the Queen Mother of the West. The two ignored the group of immortals and gods, and instead walked straight ahead with serious expressions to the entrance of the "Zixiao Palace". They knelt on the ground and prayed, "Disciple Haotian (Yaochi) requests an audience with the Dao Ancestor."

With a creak, the gates of the Purple Cloud Palace swung open, and the boy who had delivered the decree stepped out, saying to the two kneeling figures, "The Dao Ancestor commands you to enter!"

After saying this, he turned and walked into the "Zixiao Palace". The Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West quickly stood up and followed the boy into the "Zixiao Palace".

A group of immortals and gods outside witnessed this scene, and each of them looked on with envy.

The two attendants beside the Dao Ancestor were quite lucky; even now, they were still valued by the Dao Ancestor, which made them far superior to those waiting outside.

When the Jade Emperor and his companion entered the "Zixiao Palace," they saw the Three Pure Ones. The two dared not be negligent and bowed to them in turn.

The three sages nodded, but remained seated on their respective prayer mats, ignoring the two of them.

As for the "Investiture of the Gods" that was originally kept in the Heavenly Court, it floated in front of the three saints, rising and falling.

As for the Dao Platform, Hongjun Daozu did not appear. The Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of Yaochi did not dare to speak much. They stood quietly in the hall, as if they had dreamt of the past, when they were still Daozu's attendants.

After a while, Hongjun Daozu suddenly appeared on the Dao platform.

The Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West were greatly encouraged and bowed deeply to the Taoist Ancestor.

The two were so respectful, yet Hongjun Daozu remained as expressionless as ever, simply saying, "Haotian, Yaochi, the Demon Realm is about to open, and immortals, demons, monsters, and gods are all embroiled in a calamity. The 'Investiture of the Gods' must be re-established, and the 365 Zhou Tian Zheng Shen (righteous gods of the Zhou Dynasty) will have achieved their merits and be freed from this calamity. However, the Heavenly Court still has the responsibility of managing the Three Realms, and you will need to recruit and fill the missing personnel yourselves. You must not let this affect the duties of the Heavenly Court."

"Yes! This disciple will obey the Dao Ancestor's decree!"

Upon hearing the Daoist Ancestor's words, the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West were invigorated. They exchanged a glance, and the Jade Emperor asked again, "The Heavenly Court has six emperors; who is responsible for the arrangement of the 365 Zhou Tian Zheng Shen (Heavenly Gods)?"

"You can discuss it yourselves."

A glint flashed in Hongjun Daozu's eyes, but he still spoke calmly.

These words greatly disappointed the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West.

The Queen Mother of the West then asked, "Dao Ancestor, without the 'Investiture of the Gods,' do the newly appointed Heavenly Gods receive merit and fortune? Who distributes this merit and fortune?"

This is an extremely tricky question. Since they didn't have the power to appoint personnel, they set their sights on the power to manage finances!

The three Pure Ones stood to the side, their gazes icy cold, as if they were looking at the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West.

These two are truly courting death, actually having the mind to compete with the three of us for power in the Heavenly Court. Wouldn't it be better to just be a puppet and live a peaceful life?

In the eyes of the sage, everyone is a chess player, competing with each other, each with their own victories and defeats. But now, these two tiny chess pieces want to rebel and compete with them for the initiative.

This is utter arrogance and a desire for self-destruction.

"This matter will still be discussed by the Six Emperors! Haotian and Yaochi, you may proceed!"

Even the Dao Ancestor Hongjun couldn't help but frown. These two were acting like unfilial children. The Three Pure Ones were right here, and they were his true disciples. How could he possibly say anything that showed favoritism towards two mere children?

"Yes! This disciple takes his leave!"

The Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West were deeply disappointed, but they dared not show it on their faces. They bowed to Hongjun Daozu once again before turning around and leaving the Zixiao Palace, returning to the Heavenly Court.

This was their best chance. Even if the Three Pure Ones were right in front of them, they would have taken the gamble. But it was clear that in the heart of Dao Ancestor Hongjun, these two people did not hold a very high position.

As for being resented by the Three Pure Ones, they no longer care. As long as they can attain enlightenment before the immeasurable eons, there is still hope. If they cannot attain enlightenment, then everything is over, and they may not even be able to survive the great calamity of the cycle of heaven and earth.

At that time, what meaning would the threat of the Three Pure Ones have?

After the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West left, Hongjun Daozu said to the three sages, "You should also go! This time, when the Demon Realm opens, the sages can take action."

"Yes! I will follow your teachings!"

Having finally obtained the condition they had longed for, the Sage's intervention was naturally unstoppable, regardless of the power Luo Hou had developed in the Demon Realm over the years.

Once the six saints cross the boundary, they will surely sweep away everything!

The real threat lies among the six of them. The position of the Demon Lord is equivalent to that of the Heavenly Realm, and who wouldn't want the fortune of an entire realm?

The three sages stood up and walked out of the "Purple Cloud Palace". Looking at the many disciples outside the door, even the Tongtian Sect Master and the Primordial Heavenly Lord couldn't help but smile.

A pretty good novel in the multiverse genre.

(End of this chapter)