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

Chapter 84 The Tribulation of Immortals, The Investiture of Gods in the Mystic Sect

"The karmic tribulations of all sentient beings must be resolved; otherwise, the accumulation of these tribulations will inevitably trigger immeasurable calamities, damaging the Heavenly Dao. Although you are saints, only by ensuring that the void remains unbroken and the Heavenly Dao remains intact can you live in peace through immeasurable calamities. You must also fulfill this obligation."

Upon hearing that Hongjun Daozu meant for immortals to undergo tribulation, the expressions of the six sages immediately turned sour.

Since it is a calamity, those who are destined to face it, being disciples of the saints, will certainly not have a good outcome.

However, these sages are inextricably linked to the primordial world, and protecting the primordial world is protecting themselves. This is an extremely contradictory matter, no wonder the six sages looked grim.

"May I ask, Master, who will face this calamity?" After a long while, Zhun stood up and was the first to ask.

"Fifty thousand years later, the Tribulation of Immortals will occur, and those with deep roots will survive the Tribulation and enter the Immortal Path; those with shallow roots will encounter the Tribulation and enter the Divine Path; those with even shallower roots will enter the Cycle of Reincarnation and be reborn according to the Six Paths; and the last will turn to ashes."

Upon hearing this, the six sages each had their own thoughts. Hongjun then said, "This calamity is a matter for the Xuanmen. Jieyin and Zhunti, you two have established separate sects, not following the path of immortality. Nuwa is not in charge of the sect, so this matter has nothing to do with the three of you."

Jieyin, Zhunti, and Nuwa were overjoyed, naturally agreeing. Hongjun then said, "Laozi, Yuanshi, Tongtian, those under your tutelage who have not severed their three corpses in 50,000 years will face a calamity."

Laozi remained calm, while Yuanshi Tianzun and Tongtian Jiaozhu looked extremely displeased but dared not object. Zhunti, however, was secretly delighted. He had long been displeased with the prosperity of the East and wanted to send some people there to boost the fortune of his sect.

This conferment of gods had nothing to do with their Western religion, which naturally made him extremely happy. The East needed a great calamity, while their Western world was free from disaster and hardship, so they could naturally guide some innate gods with good foundations into their Western religion.

Then Hongjun took out a golden list and a twenty-four-section wooden whip, and said, "This is the 'Investiture of the Gods List' and the 'God-Slaying Whip.' Fifty thousand years later, when the calamity of gods and immortals comes, someone will be born to bestow the titles of gods on behalf of Heaven. After the death of those who enter the path of gods, their true spirits will be listed on the list. After the calamity is over, they will enter the Heavenly Court and become gods."

Concerned for his disciple's safety, Yuanshi Tianzun hurriedly asked, "Who is the one who conferred the titles of gods? Please tell me, Master."

"The person to be conferred the title of God will naturally join the Xuanmen sect. Whichever sect they join, I will send them the 'Investiture of the Gods List' and the 'God-Slaying Whip.' At that time, the two of you must sign the 'Investiture of the Gods List,' and once signed, you cannot go back on your word."

Hongjun Daozu remained indifferent and continued, "Besides your two disciples, there are also wandering immortals, demons, mortals, and ghosts who will all face calamity. Those who are not disciples of the two sects and whose virtue is insufficient will all turn to ashes."

In other words, any living being who is not from the orthodox Xuanmen sect and has no merit will surely die if they enter the calamity. Nuwa, Zhunti, and Jieyin were all moved.

Nuwa was moved because she was worried that her disciples and some of the ancient demons she protected would be reduced to ashes in the face of death.

Zhunti and Jieyin feared that their followers in the Western Paradise might be led astray into a massacre and perish; on the other hand, they also feared that too many people would die in the great calamity, and they would not be able to guide many virtuous and blessed individuals into the Western Paradise.

The Jie Sect had the largest number of members, so it's obvious that quite a few of them made the list. Therefore, the Tongtian Sect Leader asked, "Once someone is listed, are they permanently deified?"

Hongjun Daoist said, "You are all sages, so you are naturally aware of the matter of the immeasurable calamity. This calamity of the immortals is to delay the arrival of the immeasurable calamity."

The six sages were puzzled. As the Heavenly Dao, Hongjun should act in accordance with Heaven's will. Why then did he delay the arrival of the Great Tribulation?

Hongjun continued, "I am the Heavenly Dao, and there should be seven sages under my command. Currently, only the six of you are in power, which is not yet complete. Immortals, gods, and humans who have entered the divine path will be freed when another sage emerges and countless calamities occur."

Hongjun, however, did not stop, and continued, "After you three brothers discussed it, you should fill in the names of the disciples who entered the path of divinity on the Investiture of the Gods."

Laozi asked, "Master, how many people are needed to be listed on the Investiture of the Gods?"

"The gods appointed are the Eight Divisions of Righteous Gods, each in charge of their respective duties, and they are distributed throughout the heavens, totaling three hundred and sixty-five," Hongjun explained.

Laozi then asked, "How many disciples from the three sects of Ren, Chan, and Jie were on the list? And how were they listed?"

Hongjun said, "The list of disciples from each sect will be decided by the three of you." After saying that, he disappeared.

The three sages of the Xuanmen Sect looked extremely grim. Seeing that their teacher had already left, they wanted to discuss who should be on the list, but none of them knew how to begin.

Finally, it was Yuanshi Tianzun who spoke first, saying: "My disciples Nanji, Yunzhongzi, Guangchengzi, Chijingzi, Huanglong Zhenren, Julusun, Taiyi Zhenren, Lingbao Dafashi, Manjushri Guangfa Tianzun, Puxian Zhenren, Cihang Daoren, Yuding Zhenren, Daoxing Tianzun, and Qingxu Daode Zhenjun are all people of high moral character, but they should not be on the list; my eldest brother's disciple, Xuandu Dafashi, is also a person of high moral character, but he should not be on the list."

After a pause, Yuanshi Tianzun continued, "My junior brother's disciples only practice magical power and neglect moral cultivation; they deserve to be on the list."

Seeing his second brother fill the Jie Sect with 365 of the Eight Great Gods, the Tongtian Sect Master's face darkened, and he sneered, "My fifth disciple, Chaos Child, is the first Quasi-Saint of the third generation of the Xuanmen. During the War of the Lich King and the Demon King, he protected millions of lives in the Southern Continent and is the teacher of the Three Sovereigns of Heaven, Earth, and Man. His merits are immeasurable. Should he also be on the list?"

Yuanshi Tianzun was immediately embarrassed by Tongtian Jiaozhu's words and didn't know how to respond.

It was he who made Chaos Child a disciple of his third brother, making him the undisputed number one person in the third generation of the Xuanmen sect. He was also very respectful to him. Both publicly and privately, Yuanshi Tianzun could not bring himself to put Chaos Child on the list.

Laozi spoke up, saying, "The Child of Chaos was the teacher of the Three Sovereigns and assisted me in educating the people. He possessed great merit and should not be on the list."

The three sages fell silent once more.

Seeing that no one spoke, Laozi continued, "The Investiture of the Gods is a major event for the three religions and should not be decided hastily. We, the three advisors, should decide on the candidates."

Upon hearing this, Yuanshi Tianzun said, "That is exactly right."

The three sages agreed to meet again ten thousand years later to discuss the matter, and then each rode away on a cloud.

Among the Three Pure Ones, Laozi only has one disciple, the Grand Master Xuandu. Xuandu is destined not to be on the list, so there is no need to worry. Yuanshi Tianzun and Tongtian Jiaozhu both have many disciples. Tongtian Jiaozhu is even known as the one who has ten thousand immortals paying homage, with countless disciples under his tutelage.

The matter of the Investiture of the Gods concerns the fate of our sect. Both saints are extremely troubled, trying to figure out how to prevent their own disciples from being listed on the list and instead send the other's disciples to the Investiture of the Gods list, thereby preserving the vitality of their sect.

After returning to Biyou Palace, the Tongtian Sect Leader summoned all the disciples of the Jie Sect to gather in Biyou Palace to listen to his teachings.

Today, the Jie Sect truly has the appearance of ten thousand immortals coming to pay homage. Streams of light converge from all over the four continents toward the "Golden Turtle Island" in the East Sea. The momentum is extremely grand. Countless creatures in the prehistoric world are shocked and do not understand what major event has happened to the Jie Sect.

Some ignorant beings were even more envious of the power and influence of the Jie Sect. In the future, more beings went to Jin'ao Island to become disciples and learn skills, but they ended up as cannon fodder.

Meanwhile, Yuanshi Tianzun was not idle either. Since it concerned the Investiture of the Gods, he also summoned his disciples at the Jade Void Palace. Naturally, the disciples of the Chan Sect also came from their respective dojos to listen to the teachings.

Summoned by his teacher, Chaos Daojun brought his disciple Yuan Hong to Jin'ao Island. Yuan Hong was so amazed when he saw the sage's dojo for the first time that he was almost speechless. He had thought that his teacher's "Wuyi Mountain" dojo was already a top-notch treasure land in the world, but he never expected that the ancestor's dojo was a thousand times better than his teacher's!

"You little monkey, come with me to pay respects to the patriarch, and to all my senior uncles and masters!"

Seeing Yuan Hong's excited appearance, Chaos Dao Lord smiled and first introduced Yuan Hong to the elders.

When the disciples of the Jie Sect saw that Chaos Daojun had taken on another disciple, they couldn't help but marvel. The Long-Armed Ape was extremely rare; even during the era of the Lich Wars, there were only a handful. A disciple with such talent would surely achieve great things and possess great supernatural powers in the future.

The four disciples of Chaos Daojun were all exceptional individuals, envied by countless fellow disciples.

Soon, the disciples of the Jie Sect gathered. There were quite a few third-generation disciples of the Jie Sect. Some second-generation disciples with profound magical power had also recruited some disciples. Now, the Shangqing Palace was filled with tens of thousands of immortals.

Looking at the magnificent scene of ten thousand immortals paying homage before him, the Tongtian Sect Leader sighed, suppressed his displeasure, and began his sermon.

This time, unlike before, the Tongtian Sect Leader spoke about supernatural powers, spells, formations, and the art of weapon crafting. Many of these supernatural powers were extremely vicious. Li Yunjing was shocked when he heard this. The Investiture of the Gods was coming. His teacher was giving this lecture specifically to improve the fighting skills of all his disciples.

"This concludes the sermon," said the Tongtian Sect Leader nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine years later.

"In a few days, I will be going to the Zixiao Palace to discuss a major matter. The Dao Ancestor's edict states that because Haotian said that there is no one in the Heavenly Court, and the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect have violated the precept against killing, this has triggered a calamity of killing among the immortals in the entire immortal path. Our Jie Sect is the number one sect in the prehistoric world, and you will naturally be the first to bear the brunt."

The words of the Tongtian Sect Leader were like a thunderclap, leaving countless disciples of the Jie Sect completely bewildered.

It was clearly the disciples of the Chan Sect who caused this trouble, so how did it affect us disciples of the Jie Sect?

Once they regained their senses, the disciples of the Jie Sect cursed the Chan Sect in their hearts.

"Teacher, the Chan Sect has created this mess, yet we, the Jie Sect, are forced to stand at the forefront and face this calamity. It's truly hateful!"

Qiongxiao, one of the Three Immortals, relying on the leader's usual favor, directly expressed her dissatisfaction.

The disciples all agreed with Qiongxiao's words and nodded in agreement. Anyone would feel uncomfortable if they were dragged into something and became the unlucky one to take the blame.

"The Dao Ancestor has already issued his decree on this matter, and your complaints are futile. From this day forward, all disciples of the Jie Sect shall keep their names sealed and be cautious. Keep your cave doors tightly closed and quietly recite two or three volumes of the 'Huang Ting' (Yellow Court Classic). This will allow you to avoid the great calamity," said the Tongtian Sect Leader.

"Alas! Teacher, oh teacher! You've oversimplified this great calamity. You think that just because the 365 Eightfold Gods have filled the void, everything will be fine?"

"My second senior uncle has broken ties with you, and he's really going all out. The entire Jie Sect is about to be wiped out. As a true disciple of the Jie Sect, I can't stand idly by. I should at least talk to my teacher to protect some of the outstanding disciples and prepare for the next great calamity so that the Jie Sect can recover its strength!"

Watching his fellow disciples leave Shangqing Palace with indifferent expressions, only Chaos Daojun remained sitting motionless on the futon.

"Chaos Child, do you have anything else to say?" Tongtian Sect Master asked with a smile, looking at his prized disciple.

"Teacher! I dare to say something." Gritting his teeth, Li Yunjing steeled himself and prepared to make one last effort to persuade his teacher.

"Haha! You're not talking about the Investiture of the Gods, are you? That Investiture of the Gods calamity has nothing to do with you, so don't worry." The Tongtian Sect Leader laughed heartily.

"This disciple has come for those who will be on the list. Master once said that there are 365 people who will be on the Investiture of the Gods list. I wonder how many disciples of our Jie Sect are on the list?" Chaos Child asked.

"I was unaware of this matter either."

"But wasn't the Investiture of the Gods jointly signed by Teacher and his two senior uncles? How come Teacher doesn't know who's on the list?" Li Yunjing asked, somewhat puzzled.

The Tongtian Sect Leader said, "Although the Investiture of the Gods requires the signatures of the three sects, your eldest uncle, second uncle, and I have different opinions, so we need to discuss it three more times before finalizing the list."

Seeing that Chaos Child had stopped speaking, Tongtian Jiaozhu continued, "The main reasons for this Investiture of the Gods are: first, the Jade Emperor commands the disciples of the three sects to submit; second, the disciples of the Chan Sect are facing a calamity. As for my Jie Sect, we are free and unrestrained, so this calamity of the Investiture of the Gods has little to do with us. As long as we remain in seclusion, we will not be entangled in the calamity."

"Teacher is too straightforward. He thinks that everything will be fine if he doesn't leave the mountain. The disciples of the Chan Sect have to undergo the Tribulation of Slaughter. If there is no one to kill, how will they get through this Tribulation?" Li Yunjing lamented inwardly.

Finally, gritting his teeth, he said, "This disciple believes that our Jie Sect has the greatest power among the Xuanmen sects, and will inevitably suffer the greatest impact from this calamity. Master, you must prepare in advance. Some of our disciples do not cultivate merit in their daily lives, and it will be difficult for them to survive this calamity. It would be better to have them sign their names on the Investiture of the Gods, so that they can enjoy divine positions in the Heavenly Court and avoid death and annihilation. Secondly, it can also preserve the true essence of our Jie Sect."

"Chaos Child, never mention this again! All disciples of my Jie Sect, whether they are true disciples or disciples of the inner or outer sects, are my disciples. How can I, as their teacher, personally write their names on the Investiture of the Gods, subjecting them to enslavement by the Heavenly Court for countless eons?"

The Tongtian Sect Leader immediately understood Chaos Child's plan. As a sage who schemed against all the heavens, he was naturally not ignorant of it. As long as he offered 365 slots and cooperated with the Chan Sect, he could complete this calamity.

However, this action was different from the doctrines of his Jie Sect and also inconsistent with his nature as the sect leader, so he naturally disdained to do such a thing.

If anyone wants to use his disciple as a substitute for the calamity, they will have to fight back and overwhelm his Jie Sect with their power first!

"Disciple understands. If a fellow disciple knows that he cannot overcome the calamity and voluntarily goes to the Heavenly Court to serve as an official, what should be done?" Chaos Daoist sighed, but he understood that his teacher would not compromise.

Those who can achieve physical godhood are naturally the best, as they have seized a piece of heavenly secrets. Those who unfortunately perish in the great calamity can only be said to have lacked the necessary fortune. Becoming a god through true spirit is a way out, which is much better than having one's soul scattered or being reincarnated.

(End of this chapter)