Primordial Era: Taibai, the Poison Master of Yaochi, drives a Sage insane!

At this moment, Yaochi acted decisively without the slightest hesitation. First, she proved her innocence, and then she severed ties with the sages. In this way, the sages could no longer pin the blame on Yaochi.

Just now, Yaochi proved her innocence and spoke frankly, revealing the truth about the karmic entanglements from ten thousand years ago, which were thoroughly deduced by the sage. The truth was revealed at the banquet in the fairyland of Yaochi.

In other words, Haotian originally thought that Yaochi would endure it, and as long as she did, then this matter would be successful!

But to everyone's surprise, Yaochi turned hostile on the spot, and even had a draft of her speech, which she used to scold Haotian in front of the Sage!

At this moment, Li Bai, who was originally nervous, couldn't help but admire Yaochi!

Because today represents Li Taibai's fate, as long as he doesn't turn against her today, or even at the very first moment, he will inevitably become subordinate to Haotian. Haotian, the great god of the Three Realms, also recognizes Yaochi as subordinate!

If things turn out this way, then Li Bai will have no reason to stay in the Jade Pool Wonderland!

As expected of the Queen Mother of the West, she is resolute and decisive. In this sense, Yaochi has passed this test and can now gain initial control over the freedom and truly develop the fortune of the Yaochi Wonderland.

In other words, Yaochi's public severance of ties with Haotian and complete separation from the family today means that Yaochi has overcome the most crucial tests of mindset, status, and destiny.

Once you pass this test, you will begin to feel free, establish your own path, accumulate your own fortune, manage the Jade Pool, and plan your own path to enlightenment.

If they don't get through this hurdle, they will be forever bound by Haotian, their fortune will be diverted and suppressed, and they will never be able to truly rise up. It's like a family that hasn't separated; no matter how capable they are, they can't make the decisions.

One should be mindful of one's destiny, maintain independence in one's status and character.

The primordial spirit does not accept grievances, dependence, or compromise.

Fortune only recognizes three things: whether you have an independent stance, whether you have an independent status, whether you have the independent mindset to take charge, and whether you have an independent path.

If you are bound to Haotian, in the eyes of the Heavenly Dao, the Sages, and all living beings in the Three Realms, you and Haotian are still one family, still one entity, still inseparable.

After this incident, as long as you remain attached to each other, refuse to break ties, and dare not draw a clear line, Yaochi's fortune will not be able to take root, solidify, or belong to you; it will directly become an appendage of Haotian!

Why must we immediately turn hostile, expose each other on the spot, and sever ties on the spot!

With just three core principles, I immediately shattered the subordinate status that Haotian had forcibly assigned to me, and publicly declared in front of the Sages and all the big shots of the prehistoric world, "I am not dependent on you, I am not subordinate to you, and I will not be manipulated by you."

By breaking with the Heavenly Court, they established their moral compass, their stance, and their own independent entity, thus freeing themselves from its constraints.

If Yaochi had been a step slower, a step more patient, or a moment more hesitant, she would have lost her title, her status, her luck, and would never have been able to turn her life around.

Haotian was betting that Yaochi wouldn't dare to turn against him immediately. As long as Yaochi endured for a moment until several sages criticized her, Haotian's plan would succeed.

Having accomplished self-humiliation and transformed the two Heavenly Venerables into one, even if Yaochi were to offer explanations later, it would be too late.

In this primordial world, there is no compromise on titles, positions, or stances.

If Yaochi remains silent and ambiguous today, the Three Realms will tacitly acknowledge it as subordinate to Haotian, thus binding it to the Heavenly Court, diverting its fortunes, and preventing it from ever becoming independent again.

Therefore, although Yaochi had prepared the manuscript for Li Bai long ago, he was still very worried. Fortunately, Yaochi had really finished it. Now that he had reached this point, he could calmly offer advice to Yaochi!

Now, all the turmoil today is entirely due to Haotian's selfishness, deliberate recklessness, framing of his junior sister, and blasphemy against the saint, and its meaning has been completely changed.

The dispute nine thousand years ago has firmly established the identity of Yaochi. The cause and effect are clear, and it is not a charade.

All the immortals and deities in the hall held their breath and remained silent.

The six sages had icy expressions, their gazes fixed on Haotian, filled with overwhelming displeasure and stern scrutiny.

"Haotian, you have followed me to listen to the Dao since you were born in Zixiao Palace. You were born of humble origins. The Dao Ancestor took pity on you and bestowed upon you the position of Great Heavenly Venerable of the Heavenly Court, in charge of the order of the Three Realms. As you hold a high position, you should be respectful, observe etiquette, be law-abiding, fair and just. Today, Yaochi sincerely held a banquet to honor the saints and virtuous people, but you stirred up trouble and provoked disputes for no reason, using the saints to hide your narrow-minded selfishness and disrupting the grand gathering at Yaochi. This is truly wrong."

Lao Tzu spoke calmly, yet he had already determined the guilt, pointing out in one sentence that Haotian was selfish and narrow-minded.

Following closely behind, Nuwa said with a hint of disdain: "You and Yaochi share the same origin and age, emerged from the same Purple Heaven, and have been together for countless eons. Your junior sister has always yielded and strived for harmony. Yet you disregard the bonds of kinship, lack impartiality, and speak recklessly before the saints, using the name of your birthday to arrogance. You are biased, narrow-minded, lack the magnanimity to govern the Three Realms, and lack the capacity to rule the heavens."

Jieyin and Zhunti also immediately rebuked him, but much more gently.

The four sages rebuked him one after another, each word piercing his heart, causing Haotian's imperial aura to become disordered, his face to turn pale and then bluish, leaving him in an extremely disheveled state.

The one who truly roared in fury and sternly rebuked was none other than the Jade Pure Primordial Heavenly Venerable!

"Haotian! You were originally a lowly servant boy sweeping the floor in Zixiao Palace! It was only through the mercy of the Dao Ancestor and the favor of Heaven that you were granted the authority of the Heavenly Court and made to manage the order of Heaven and Earth! A lowly boy, who was fortunate enough to occupy the throne, did not think of being diligent and respectful, having a heart of awe, upholding justice and righteousness, and stabilizing the Three Realms. Instead, he was treacherous, narrow-minded, and greedy for power!"

This former page dared to scheme and plot before the sage, defying the laws and principles of Heaven! Such behavior shows utter disrespect for the sage, disregard for the Way of Heaven, and rebellion against the fundamental principles of morality!

Yuanshi Tianzun never expected that Haotian would dare to use him to destroy Yaochi. As the ruler of the Heavenly Realm, he naturally showed no mercy.

Yes, what several sages now believe is that Haotian wants to use the Peach Banquet to turn the two Heavenly Venerables into one, which is to take advantage of the sages!

To dare to exploit a sage is blasphemy, and the Primordial Celestial Venerable could not tolerate it, so he immediately rebuked him.

All the great beings, immortals, and Buddhas in the hall were terrified.

Haotian was rebuked by the Primordial Thunder, his holy might pressing down on him, making his whole body stiff and his face pale. Embarrassment, shame, fear, and resentment all surged into his heart.

Originally, this scene should have been Yaochi's responsibility, but she ended up bearing it herself.

As long as Yaochi didn't immediately refute the first step and withstood it, he wouldn't lose his reputation and could still remain a Heavenly Venerable. But now, Yaochi hasn't lost her reputation, but he has.

"My esteemed senior brothers, please understand that I had absolutely no malicious intentions or purpose to exploit you! Just now, I spoke carelessly and inappropriately, merely chatting casually. I had no ulterior motives whatsoever, and I certainly did not intend to frame Junior Sister Yaochi. I would never dare to harbor any rebellious or disrespectful thoughts towards the sages! It was my careless speech, lack of consideration, loss of tact, and breach of etiquette that caused this slip of the tongue. I humbly beg your forgiveness!"

Haotian hurriedly tried to defend himself, each sentence a denial, claiming it was all a slip of the tongue or an unintentional mistake, in an attempt to erase his error and save face.

However, the Six Sages already knew that Haotian had argued with Yaochi about this matter nine thousand years ago, and his intention to use her had already emerged. If it weren't for the argument nine thousand years ago, perhaps this time it would be considered using her, but with the argument nine thousand years ago, it's no longer using her!

No matter how well-crafted a lie may be, it is as laughable as thin paper in the eyes of a sage.

Seeing that the saints were still furious, Haotian knew that he had completely lost face and had no place to stand, so he dared not stay any longer.

"I have spoken out of turn and acted rudely at this grand event, for which I am deeply sorry. I have disturbed the occasion and have offended many. I must take my leave now!"

Having said that, Haotian lost all semblance of his imperial majesty and dared not utter another word before leaving in a sorry state.

Haotian had just returned to the Lingxiao Palace when Yaoji followed him back!

Originally, Yao Ji thought this was a grand event in the Heavenly Court, and she had even vouched for it to Taibai, just like a minister who vouched for Sima Yi.

Yao Ji stood in the hall, her face filled with utter pain and despair: "Brother! Why did you do this today?!"

"The last time you and the Empress had a falling out, it was me who ran around doing everything I could to mediate! It was me who sought out Venus, and it was me who accompanied Venus to persuade the Empress, which barely smoothed over the rift between you two, allowing you to finally reconcile and return to harmony!"

I even made a solemn promise to Taibai, swearing that I would never deceive the Empress again, but how am I supposed to face you today, brother?

I once vouched for my brother, and now it's all become a joke. Brother, why did you do this?

Yao Ji was filled with heartache and confusion. She was innocent and pure, and wholeheartedly hoped for harmony in the Heavenly Court and brotherly love and sisterly respect. She could not understand why her brother was obsessed with power, repeatedly scheming, and determined to completely break with the yielding Yao Chi.

Haotian was also furious at this moment, furious that Yaochi had reacted so quickly.

"My dear sister, it was merely a momentary slip of the tongue and an inappropriate remark from your brother. Why make such a fuss?"

"It was Yaochi who went too far! With just a casual remark, she publicly rebuked and humiliated me in front of the Sage and all the immortals of the Three Realms, showing no regard for our past relationship and disregarding my dignity as the Heavenly Emperor! She even publicly severed our ties, cutting off our billions of years of friendship in one fell swoop!"

"My every plan was meticulously crafted to protect the Heavenly Court, yet Yaochi has made such a fuss over nothing, clinging only to its own corner and seeking only peace, completely disregarding the greater good of the Heavenly Court! Today, their public break and uproar have laid bare the internal strife of the Heavenly Court before the eyes of the Sages and the great powers of the primordial world! Now the Heavenly Court is divided in two, becoming a laughingstock throughout the primordial world! All this is due to Yaochi's heartlessness, ingratitude, and lack of understanding of the bigger picture!"

Yao Ji stared blankly at her stubborn brother, listening to his distorted words, and felt an unbearable pain in her heart.

Li Bai had foreseen this long ago, but there was nothing he could do about it. Meanwhile, Yao Ji was kept in the dark for nine thousand years, still believing that everything was peaceful and harmonious!

Now, my sincere advice has not brought my brother any remorse or understanding, but rather endless anger and blame.

Yao Ji no longer wanted to listen to Hao Tian and immediately ran out crying.

Haotian grew angrier and angrier with each passing thought. The entire Heavenly Court was now ruined, and he had no power to salvage the situation.

Originally, the humiliation was meant for Yaochi, but now it has become his own doing. And now only the Master can salvage his chance to rule the Heavenly Court!

Once the decision was made, Haotian no longer hesitated.

He straightened his disheveled imperial robes, suppressed the anger in his chest, and stepped out of the Lingxiao Palace, heading straight for the Chaos Purple Cloud Palace.

...............

At this moment, during the grand Peach Banquet, Yaochi took a deep breath, quickly composed herself, turned to face the six Sages and the assembled powerful beings of the Primordial World, took the initiative to stabilize the situation, and apologized: "Esteemed Sages and fellow Daoists of the Primordial World, the upheaval in the Heavenly Court today has disrupted the order of the grand banquet. It is all Yaochi's fault, and I hope you will all forgive me. Yaochi knows that her virtue is meager and her Dao shallow, and she would never dare to presume upon such a thing, much less trouble the Primordial Sages and the powerful beings of the Three Realms to celebrate my birthday. I apologize for the misunderstanding and disputes today."

On the high platform, Tongtian Jiaozhu spoke first. Li Taibai had already prepared a nest for him, which increased Tongtian's goodwill towards Yaochi.

"Junior Sister Yaochi, there is no need to blame yourself. We know the whole story and cause and effect of this matter. It is not your fault. It is Haotian who is narrow-minded and deliberately framed you, which has betrayed your ten thousand years of yielding."

Nuwa nodded slightly: "Junior sister has been very patient and kind. Today's break is truly out of necessity. There is no need to take it to heart."

The other four sages remained calm and tacitly agreed, having already seen through Haotian's narrow-mindedness and excessive selfishness, which was not Yaochi's fault.

Yaochi bowed slightly and said solemnly, "Thank you all for your keen insight, senior brothers. This grand gathering is a rare opportunity, and the Peach Banquet should not be canceled because of one person's selfishness. It is not easy for fellow cultivators of the Three Realms to gather, and the opportunity to discuss the Great Dao is even rarer. Now that Haotian has departed, the strife has ceased, and we need not worry about it. Senior brothers and fellow cultivators, please continue to take your seats and enjoy the banquet!"

Li Bai, who was in the distance, breathed a sigh of relief. Yaochi had successfully broken through this barrier.

Now we begin the next step: establishing the position of Grand Priest of the Dao Ancestor in Yaochi. This step is crucial, as it forms the foundation for governing all the immortals.

Because Hongjun is the Dao Ancestor who opened the path to immortality, and Yaochi is the place where the lineage of immortals is established.

Without this step, the character's persona cannot be definitively established, but there will be certain risks involved. However, without this step, the Yaochi Grand Gathering would simply become a matter of eating and drinking, serving no purpose whatsoever.

"Dear esteemed senior brothers and sisters, I have something to say to you all."

The entire arena fell silent instantly, as all the powerful beings and celestial deities focused their attention on Yaochi.

Yaochi spoke clearly and slowly: "In the past, I was granted the title of Great Heavenly Venerable who governs all immortals by a decree personally issued by the Dao Ancestor Hongjun, who was in charge of the discipline of the immortal path in the Three Realms and to regulate the cultivation of all immortals. This title and authority all come from the grace of the Dao Ancestor, and I dare not forget it in the slightest."

"I chose the most auspicious place in the Jade Pool Wonderland and personally supervised the construction of the Dao Ancestor Temple, where the Dao Ancestor is worshipped year-round. This time, the Ren Water Peaches have ripened, and the heavens and earth have ordained nine of them. Not a single one has been hoarded or misused."

"One peach was picked to brew the innate immortal wine we drink today, one was bestowed upon the meritorious son, and the remaining six were all offered to the six holy senior brothers and sisters. Now, of the nine Ren Water Peaches, eight were used, and the last one is left, which is of perfect quality and has been created without equal."

"I am determined not to keep anything for myself or use it for my own benefit. The Dao Ancestor has no birthday, but the human race celebrates the birthday of Sister Nuwa creating humans. I will follow suit and take the day the Dao Ancestor enlightened me as the day he was born. I wish to celebrate the Dao Ancestor's birthday today. I wonder what my fellow disciples and Sister Nuwa think?"

Everyone stared at Yaochi, completely stunned. What a clever trick!

In fact, this was Li Bai's plan. It wasn't that he necessarily wanted them all to go. As long as he said it, it would be settled. He would celebrate the Dao Ancestor's birthday every year, and subtly influence him. Yaochi Wonderland was the first temple dedicated to the Dao Ancestor, and he would be the Dao Ancestor's only Grand Priest!

It is also a talisman. Once this identity is established, legitimacy, safety, righteousness, and identity are all settled at once!