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

Everything unfolded exactly as Li Bai had predicted, with no deviation from the expected outcome.

In a short while, the void trembled slightly, and a vast and boundless saintly pressure swept across the entire Thirty-Three Heavens. The figure of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable descended out of thin air and stood above the sea of ​​clouds in the Jade Pool Immortal Realm.

Facing the overwhelming aura of the Primordial Celestial Venerable, Yaochi remained calm, showing no sign of panic or fear.

He was surrounded by endless, radiant white light, and a magnificent and dazzling golden wheel of merit slowly appeared behind him. The golden wheel shone in all directions, with auspicious energy flowing everywhere. Endless merit energy swirled around him, protecting his soul and foundation of cultivation.

This is Yaochi's greatest strength and trump card.

Over the years, with the assistance and planning of Li Bai, Yaochi has repeatedly performed good deeds and accumulated boundless merits, resolved the hidden dangers of the primordial chaos, balanced the general trend of all parties, and built up a magnificent and immeasurable golden body of merit bit by bit.

The primordial laws of Heaven are strict, and merit and karma are the ultimate means of balancing all things and restraining sages.

Those who possess boundless merit are protected by the Heavenly Way and recognized by all the heavens.

If someone harms or attacks you without cause, regardless of their cultivation level or strength, they will be tainted with immense karmic retribution.

Even a Primordial Saint cannot escape this backlash from the Heavenly Dao.

If one accumulates too much karma, one may even be pulled down from the holy position by the Heavenly Dao, have one's foundation destroyed, and have one's eternal path severed; no one is an exception.

Yaochi stood beneath the Golden Wheel of Merit, her posture respectful and her manners impeccable. She bowed slightly to the descending Primordial Celestial Venerable, her tone humble and courteous, without a single fault to be found.

"We were unaware of the arrival of the Primordial Sage in the Celestial Realm and were unable to greet him from afar. We hope the Sage will forgive us. Yaochi respectfully wishes the Sage a long and prosperous life, and that the Great Dao will flourish forever!"

Seeing Yaochi's impeccable demeanor and completely respectful appearance, Yuanshi Tianzun frowned deeply, his anger intensifying.

I thought that Yaochi's plan had been exposed and that they would be flustered and wary, but what I see now is that Yaochi had already anticipated everything, prepared a backup plan, and dealt with the situation calmly and flawlessly.

Yuanshi Tianzun suppressed his surging anger and spoke in a deep voice, his tone cold and sharp.

"Yaochi, there's no need for pretense. Quickly tell the truth: what is your purpose in sending the Seven Celestial Immortals to the mortal realm to instigate Jiang Wenhuan's rebellion, support the Eastern Lu forces, and stir up the human race's war?"

Upon hearing this, Yaochi feigned surprise in her eyes, but maintained a respectful demeanor and calmly replied, her words reasonable and well-founded, completely avoiding any potential weaknesses.

"Reporting to the Primordial Sage, we are currently in the midst of the Investiture of the Gods, a time of great chaos and uncertainty about the Great Dao. All opportunities in the world are uncertain. I have ordered the seven Heavenly Maidens to descend to the mortal realm to undergo tribulations and roam among the human race, so that they may seek opportunities and temper their Dao hearts within this great calamity."

"The seven women were previously appointed by the Shang Dynasty to guard Qinglong Pass. They diligently performed their duties and guarded the border without ever overstepping their bounds. Later, they were inexplicably suspected and dismissed by the court, and were wanted throughout the region. They fled eastward in a sorry state, with nowhere to stay. In desperation, they went to the service of Marquis Jiang Wenhuan of Dongbo for temporary refuge, seeking a glimmer of hope. Throughout their journey, they acted in accordance with the circumstances. How could they have violated any heavenly rules or offended the sage?"

This response was comprehensive and watertight, turning all the proactive planning into a passive defense.

What was clearly a carefully planned and proactive move to seize the fate of the human race was, in reality, portrayed as a helpless act by subordinates who had nowhere else to go and were simply taking refuge in the situation.

Seeing Yaochi's feigned ignorance and deliberate avoidance of the question, Yuanshi Tianzun was instantly enraged, his anger almost uncontrollable.

Deep down, he wished he could just raise his hand and slap Yaochi, who was pretending to be respectful but secretly scheming, to suppress her on the spot.

However, reason still remained. Yuanshi Tianzun was perfectly clear in his heart that Yaochi was surrounded by a dazzling golden wheel of merit, bearing boundless heavenly merit. At this moment, to make a move without any evidence or reason would be to err on his own and be the first to act rudely.

At that time, the overwhelming karmic force will backfire on oneself, damaging even the foundation of a saint's path. It would be a losing proposition, so one must absolutely not act rashly.

Yuanshi Tianzun suppressed his anger, his gaze icy, and spoke again, questioning the established plans of the Chan Sect.

"Could it be that you are completely unaware that the Mandate of Heaven has been given to the Zhou, and that Xiqi is the legitimate successor in overthrowing the Shang, in accordance with the will of Heaven and the will of the people?"

Yaochi still looked surprised, but remained calm and composed, responding with a tone that was both humble and arrogant, each sentence scathing and each word sealing off any room for questioning.

"The Primordial Sage clearly sees that now that the Investiture of the Gods has begun, the secrets of Heaven are completely obscured, and the Heavenly Way is in chaos and unclear. No one can see the true Mandate of Heaven. People all say that the Mandate of Heaven has returned to Zhou, but there is not a single piece of written evidence to support it."

"I merely sent the Seven Immortals down to the mortal realm to search for the true chosen ones. All the feudal lords of the four directions are the legitimate successors of the human race and have the opportunity to inherit the great trend of the Heavenly Dao. The Seven Immortals had previously formed a karmic bond with Ji Chang and were feared and ostracized by Xiqi. With nowhere else to go, they sought refuge in Donglu, merely taking advantage of the situation to avoid disaster and seek opportunities."

"If such actions truly violate the will of Heaven and the rules of the Sages, I will immediately issue a decree to summon all seven immortals back to the Heavenly Court, and from then on, we will not be involved in human conflicts, nor will we delay the Heavenly order!"

These words left Yuanshi Tianzun speechless, completely choked up.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable was fully aware that the Heavenly Dao had only decreed the beginning of the Investiture of the Gods and the destruction of the Shang Dynasty, never explicitly stating that the Mandate of Heaven would return to the Zhou Dynasty.

If the Mandate of Heaven has already been decided and the trend of Heaven is completely fixed, then all the games, all the struggles, and all the cultivators' efforts in the world will lose their meaning.

There is no need for the various lords to fight or for the various forces to make plans. They only need to wait for Xiqi to successfully conquer Shang and take control of the world. The struggle for power and the game of the Great Dao will all become empty talk.

This argument is completely untenable.

Yuanshi Tianzun stared at the composed Yaochi before him, his eyes churning with anger and hidden murderous intent, and spoke in a deep voice, directly addressing the core contradiction.

"Yaochi, your ambitions are growing, you dare to seize the destiny of humanity and contend with me for the rightful rule of heaven and earth. Do you perhaps intend to become my enemy?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yuanshi Tianzun no longer restrained himself and deliberately tested Daozu's bottom line.

An immense and boundless aura of a sage suddenly erupted, sweeping across the sky and crushing everything in all directions, enveloping the entire Jade Pool Wonderland.

This move was entirely a deliberate act of rudeness and pressure.

Yuanshi Tianzun was already certain in his heart that his questioning and pressure were unwarranted, a sage's attempt to deceive mortals, and contrary to the laws of Heaven and the rules of the primordial world.

Only by deliberately crossing the line can we test the bottom line of Hongjun Daozu, see if Daozu will favor the Heavenly Court and protect Yaochi, and figure out the scale of future power struggles in the prehistoric world.

Its overwhelming divine might is as vast as a mountain and as boundless as the sea, something that Yaochi cannot withstand at present.

In an instant, endless pressure crushed her physical body and imprisoned her soul. Yaochi's face turned deathly pale, her blood surged, and all her immortal power was sealed, leaving her unable to mobilize it at all.

The powerful and domineering aura of the saint constantly squeezed the physical body's foundation, almost crushing Yaochi's divine soul and shattering her immortal body.

Yaochi gritted her teeth and endured the excruciating pain, refusing to yield an inch, and stood firm beneath the temple of the Dao Ancestor, silently enduring the pain by relying on the golden body of merit.

The Primordial Celestial Lord looked down coldly, refusing to listen to any explanations or arguments, and focused solely on applying pressure and probing, determined to break through Yaochi's disguise and force out its true intentions.

Just as the Holy Might was about to completely crush Yaochi's Dao Foundation, the void suddenly trembled and roared. A vast Holy Might, no weaker than that of the Primordial Celestial Venerable, suddenly rose up and swept in from the direction of the East Sea, instantly enveloping the entire Yaochi Immortal Realm.

The powerful and majestic holy energy of the Jie Sect erupted, forcefully resisting the crushing pressure of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable, dismantling and blocking the overwhelming holy might layer by layer.

The storm abruptly stopped, the oppressive force dissipated, and the world instantly returned to clarity.

The towering figure descended from nowhere, standing above the sea of ​​clouds, his expression cold and his gaze solemn, facing the Primordial Heavenly Venerable.

When Yuanshi Tianzun saw that the visitor was Tongtian, his anger surged and he shouted angrily.

"What is the purpose of the third brother's sudden appearance to stop us?"

Tongtian's gaze sharpened, and he asked a question in front of everyone.

"Second brother, your actions are far too presumptuous! Could it be that you intend to harm Yaochi in public? Yaochi is the Heavenly Venerable personally appointed by the Dao Ancestor, who is in charge of the order of the Heavenly Court in the Three Realms. This action is without the slightest fault or violation of the Heavenly Way."

"My second brother, as a sage, has already committed a grave error by exerting unwarranted pressure and deliberately making things difficult for you. If I were to fail to stop him and allow him to go astray, it would only make us a laughingstock in the prehistoric world, and my second brother would also lose face as a sage!"

At this moment, the Primordial Celestial Venerable was completely deaf to any reasoning or explanation.

No matter how comprehensive Yaochi's reply was, how respectful his attitude was, or how righteous his reasons were, he ignored them all.

Convinced that Yaochi harbored ambitions of escalating, plotting to seize the destiny of the human race, and challenging the orthodoxy of the Chan Sect, he was determined to use the supreme authority of a sage to forcibly suppress her, determined to subdue Yaochi and destroy the Heavenly Court's confidence in interfering in the Great Tribulation.

This action, seemingly a sage reprimanding a junior and curbing any overstepping of boundaries, has in fact lost its sense of proportion and fallen into a low-level trap.

It should be noted that over the years, Yaochi has come to the Taoist Temple every day to worship and pray for blessings without interruption.

The long-term devout offerings have allowed this temple to accumulate endless faith and accumulate a profound and boundless spiritual energy.

The Dao Ancestor resides in the Zixiao Palace and transcends all things in the primordial world. However, within the primordial world, wherever there is a statue of the Dao Ancestor, incense offerings to the Dao Ancestor, or a place where people have faith in the Dao Ancestor, it is equivalent to a place within the Dao Ancestor's sight and divine consciousness.

This place is exactly where the Dao Ancestor stands before him; there is no doubt about it.

Now that Tongtian had blocked Yuanshi Tianzun, Yaochi dared not hesitate. Seizing the fleeting opportunity, she stepped into the Daozu Temple in a flash, knelt down, and sincerely kowtowed!

"My lord, save me! My senior brother Yuanshi has become enraged for no reason. Without asking why or distinguishing right from wrong, he forcibly used his saintly power to suppress me. I beg you, my lord, to do me justice!"

Incense smoke filled the temple, and fortune rose; this cause and effect was instantly imprinted into the Heavenly Dao.

Upon hearing these words, the Primordial Celestial Venerable outside the palace instantly turned extremely grim, his face cold and ashen, his anger burning within him, yet he had nowhere to vent it.

Seeing this, Tongtian immediately shut down any room for Yuanshi Tianzun to defend himself.

"Second brother, this action was truly inappropriate. If Yaochi had indeed committed the grave error of blaspheming a sage, disrupting the Heavenly Way, and defying the Great Calamity, then as a sage, you, Second Brother, should have disciplined and punished her according to the rules and the Way, and no one would dare utter a single word of criticism. But just now, Yaochi was respectful and courteous throughout, without the slightest disrespect or overstepping of bounds. Second Brother, you did not ask for the reason, nor listen to her explanation, and instead used your sagely authority to oppress her without cause. What kind of logic is that?"

His words hit the nail on the head.

The Heavenly Lord of Primordial Beginning was burning with rage, yet he was unable to defend himself.

What's most frustrating is not the defeat in the confrontation, but that Yaochi chose to kneel and beg for help in the temple of the Dao Ancestor.

Of course, the Dao Ancestor would not personally punish or deliberately reprimand him for this matter, so as not to completely tarnish the Sage's reputation.

However, if this matter were to spread throughout the primordial world, it would ultimately lead to the Primordial Celestial Venerable being branded as a bully who preys on the weak, who deceives others without cause, and who has lost his temper and morals. He felt extremely disgusted and aggrieved, yet he was helpless and had no way to vent his anger.

Furthermore, Tongtian's public questioning and assertion of righteousness in every sentence instantly placed all the blame on Yuanshi Tianzun, leaving the dignified saint of the Chan Sect with a huge handle to use against him in the great calamity game.

Yuanshi Tianzun looked coldly at Tongtian, his eyes filled with anger, and uttered a deep voice.

"Tongtian, what a brilliant plan! Humph!"

No further explanation is needed; the tacit understanding between them is already clear.

Yaochi and Jiejiao secretly joined forces, working together to turn the Daozu Temple's probing into a mistake by the sage.

Saying more is pointless, arguing more is pointless, and staying any longer will only make things more embarrassing and make us a laughing stock.

Without further ado, Yuanshi Tianzun, filled with rage, swept his long sleeves and vanished into the clouds of Yaochi Wonderland.

After the divine might had completely dissipated and the world had returned to peace, Yaochi slowly walked out of the temple, bowed solemnly to Tongtian, and showed a sincere and earnest attitude.

"Many thanks to the Sage Tongtian for his help. Yaochi will remember this great kindness."

Tongtian shook his head slightly and let out a long sigh.

"It was nothing more than a small favor. However, your scheme has thoroughly enraged my second brother. From now on, the Chan Sect will have no tolerance or forbearance towards you or the Heavenly Court. But in this matter, it was indeed my second brother who acted rudely and out of line first. Reason, rules, and the general trend are all on your side. From this day forward, the truly dangerous and cruel calamity of the Investiture of the Gods will truly begin. All parties will no longer hide anything and will go all out to compete."

Upon hearing this, Yaochi felt a chill run down her spine and quickly bowed to ask for advice on the next course of action.

"Thank you for your guidance, Sage. Now, how should we respond to the Chan Sect's plans and stabilize the current situation?"

Tongtian pondered for a moment, deducing all the next moves and plans of the Chan Sect.

The current Investiture of the Gods is much more advantageous to the Jie Sect, as it is completely different from the original impasse.

Yes, destroying Ji Chang was part of the reversal.

"Now that Marquis Jiang Wenhuan of Dongbo has decided to raise an army, he has become the biggest rival of Xiqi, completely disrupting the centuries-old plans of the Chan Sect. Yuanshi will certainly not sit idly by and watch Jiang Wenhuan rise to power and the Jie Sect and the Heavenly Court grow stronger."

"From now on, all the actions of the Chan Sect will revolve around one thing. They will secretly mobilize all their connections, opportunities, and plans to do everything in their power to stop the Eastern Marquis's army from advancing into Chaoge and use every means to hold back Jiang Wenhuan's troops. At the same time, they will spare no effort to help Ji Fa and the Xiqi army advance at an extremely rapid pace, so as to break through Chaoge and establish the legitimate rule of the Great Zhou before anyone else."

"As long as Xiqi takes the lead in taking control of Chaoge, it can forcibly consolidate the trend of the Mandate of Heaven returning to Zhou. Even if the Heavenly Dao has not explicitly stated it, it can suppress the world's dissent with established facts, reverse all current disadvantages, and regain the momentum of the Investiture of the Gods.