Primordial Era: I cultivate the Great Dao of Unparalleled Power, driving even sages mad!

On their journey back to the Three Realms from the Chaos, Li Taibai and the Golden Spirit Mother looked at Li Taibai beside her and sincerely praised him: "Fellow Daoist Taibai Jinxing, you are indeed a virtuous minister of the Queen Mother of the West. Whether you are talking with your master or answering questions with the Queen Mother, you can always act with ease and appropriate manners. Such ability is truly admirable."

Li Taibai quickly cupped his hands in greeting: "You flatter me, Holy Mother. I was merely relaying Your Majesty's words truthfully; it was not my doing."

Golden Spirit Mother smiled and shook her head, saying frankly, "Fellow Daoist, there's no need to be so modest. To be able to speak so eloquently and persuasively, moving the two saints, and to be so considerate in every aspect, wholeheartedly serving the ruler without bowing down, is a rare skill indeed."

At this moment, the Holy Mother of Golden Spirit was increasingly surprised and developed a great fondness for Li Taibai.

Both of them share the same origin, being born of Geng metal. However, although the Golden Spirit Mother is a woman in human form, she is more fierce than tactful!

The Venus before them was truly comprehensive and skillful, leaving the Holy Mother of the Golden Spirit in complete admiration!

They soon arrived outside the South Heavenly Gate. Li Taibai bowed deeply, expressing his gratitude to the Holy Mother Jinling for her escort: "Thank you so much, Holy Mother, for your escort on this journey through chaos. I am deeply grateful!"

Golden Spirit Mother waved her hand, her tone natural: "Since you say that we both belong to the metal element, and the Golden Mother of Yaochi also has the character 'gold' in her name, there is no need for thanks for such a predestined relationship."

Li Taibai felt a warmth in his heart and thanked her again. The Holy Mother Jinling said no more, summoned auspicious clouds, and bowed in farewell: "This humble Daoist takes her leave; fellow Daoist, return to Heaven to report."

Venus bid farewell to the Holy Mother of the Golden Spirit and rode alone on a cloud, smoothly returning to the Jade Pool Wonderland.

Upon entering the main hall of Yaochi, auspicious clouds swirled around, and celestial light shone serenely, while the Queen Mother of Yaochi awaited a reply.

After Li Taibai entered, Yaochi immediately stood up and said, "Taibai is back. How was the sage's message this time?"

Li Taibai bowed and said, "Your Majesty, all the invitations from the Emperor have been delivered. I have come to report back to Your Majesty on all matters concerning this mission."

Upon hearing this, Yaochi quickly said, "Taibai, you have had a long and arduous journey. Please tell me in detail how the sages responded."

Yaochi was filled with trepidation at this moment, after all, she had just become the Heavenly Emperor and this was her first time truly interacting with a sage.

Upon hearing this, Li Bai immediately responded calmly and logically.

"Your Majesty, at the place where the two saints, Jieyin and Zhunti, reside on Mount Sumeru in the West, I only presented the invitation according to etiquette, stating that I was invited to the Peach Banquet of the Heavenly Court. I did not say anything else, but simply performed my duties as an envoy. Afterwards, I went to Jin'ao Island in the East Sea to pay my respects to the Supreme Celestial Saint."

At this point, Taibai paused slightly, his expression becoming serious.

"Within Biyou Palace, under the pretext of the grand gathering, Your Highness and the Sage Tongtian had a deep discussion on the path to a glimmer of hope."

Upon hearing this, Yaochi was immediately taken aback. How could Li Taibai, a Taiyi Golden Immortal, talk to a sage about a glimmer of hope?

"Oh, what did Li Bai say?"

Li Taibai continued frankly, "I have taken it upon myself to use Your Majesty's name to endorse the 'one-way path to survival' of the Jie Sect, and to align my views with those of the Sage Tongtian, thus deliberately forging a sage-like relationship with Your Majesty."

Yaochi was startled upon hearing this, feeling a mix of fear and confusion.

"Taibai, my cultivation and foundation are not yet stable. I can barely take care of my own path. How can I discuss the Dao with a Sage of Heaven? Have I offended a Sage and incurred karmic consequences? Never be so impulsive again. I am by your side. If anything goes wrong, I will not be able to protect you!"

Yaochi didn't blame Li Bai for causing her trouble, but she was worried that Li Bai might speak recklessly outside and be killed by the sage in anger. Since she herself lacked prestige, even if he was killed, she would be powerless to do anything about it!

A wise minister like Li Bai can no longer leave Yaochi.

Yaochi discovered that the seven fairies who had just been enlightened had no opinions of their own in doing things; they simply carried out their orders in a rigid and inflexible manner. This was not the behavior of a wise minister or strategist like Li Bai.

Moreover, once he lost Li Bai, he was instantly like a headless fly, completely at a loss for what to do.

Seeing that Yaochi was uneasy, Li Taibai quickly bowed and gently comforted her.

"Your Majesty, please do not worry. I act with discretion and am not acting rashly. What I am doing today is not to force Your Majesty to form a deep alliance with the Jie Sect immediately, but to pave the way in advance, sow the seeds of goodwill, win the favor of the Sage, and leave Your Majesty a way out for your future in the prehistoric world."

"Now that the Heavenly Court has just been established, it seems that all we need to do is to stabilize the entanglement with the Great Heavenly Venerable Haotian. But once this hurdle is overcome, the next insurmountable barrier will inevitably be the Chan Sect, which controls the rules of the Heavenly Dao and monopolizes the right to interpret the Heavenly Dao."

"The Chan Sect adheres to the fixed order, solidifies the mandate of heaven, and maintains a strict hierarchy. It is most intolerant of deviations from the norm. In the future, when the Empress rules over all immortals, it will inevitably contradict the sect's doctrines, and conflict will be unavoidable."

"The doctrines of the Jie Sect and the Chan Sect are completely opposite, and they have always been at odds with each other, constantly vying for power. This time, I took the opportunity to get close to the Sage Tongtian in order to secretly win over a reliable external ally for Your Majesty in preparation for the future. This was my presumptuous decision, and I beg Your Majesty to forgive me!"

This is the Jade Pool Wonderland, protected by the Gathering Immortal Flag Array, so there's basically no problem having a relaxed conversation.

It's not that a sage can't predict this place, but rather that to predict it requires breaking this formation. Although the formation could be broken in an instant, it would be meaningless.

Upon hearing this long-term plan, Yaochi was immediately surprised. She had never thought of these things before, nor had she considered this long-term issue.

In other words, for example, in a game of chess, Yaochi can only see one move ahead and cannot see several moves ahead at all!

After all, he had just become the Heavenly Emperor from a child, so his limitations were still there.

"Taibai, I never imagined you would consider things so far ahead for me. You have devoted yourself to me with all your heart and soul; how could I be guilty of that? Without you, my beloved minister, I would be blind. How could I not trust you? Never speak like that again! What exactly is this so-called right to interpret the Heavenly Dao that you speak of? After the division of Kunlun, the Chan and Jie sects have long since guarded their own gates and have not interfered with each other. How can there be any talk of conflict?"

Yaochi would naturally not blame Li Taibai. He was a virtuous minister who depended on her for survival. If she still had doubts, she should just give up and call it a day. She would be eliminated by Haotian!

In the present prehistoric world, since the Chan Sect and the Jie Sect separated, there has been no conflict between them, which puzzles Yaochi!

Li Bai composed himself and slowly recounted the root cause of the matter.

"Your Majesty only sees the surface, but you are unaware that the struggle between the two religions has never ceased."

"When I was still in the innate Geng metal essence before I took human form, I once stayed in the ancient Heavenly Court star field to recuperate. I happened to hear the Great Sage Bai Ze and the Heavenly Emperor Di Jun talking about the fundamental differences between the Chan and Jie sects."

"Those words foreshadowed the future of the primordial world and were the root of the conflict between the two religions. I dare not fabricate them; they are the original words of the ancient Heavenly Emperor and the Great Sage Bai Ze."

Unexpectedly, it was Di Jun and Bai Ze talking. Yao Chi immediately sat up straight and listened attentively.

Of course, this was Li Bai's intention—to use an information source to increase authority!

From then on, whatever Li Bai did, he would have an ancient celestial court to rely on, which made him much more at ease. In any case, since Di Jun was dead, there was no way to deduce the future.

Li Bai continued to elaborate: "The so-called right to interpret the Way of Heaven is about who defines the rules of the Way of Heaven and who determines the fate of all living beings."

"The Primordial Sage of the Chan Sect focused on elucidating the Heavenly Way, believing that the Heavenly Way was fixed and that destiny was predetermined. However, Emperor Jun said that the Great Dao is profound and cannot be spoken lightly. Once spoken, it will transform into the laws of the Heavenly Way, defining the framework of all things. The strength or weakness of all beings, the nobility or baseness of immortals and mortals, their fortunes or misfortunes, and their lifespans are all predetermined by Heaven, and cannot be transgressed or forced."

"The Tongtian Sage of the Jie Sect, on the contrary, absolutely does not agree with the idea that all things are bound by fate. His lifelong pursuit is to leave a glimmer of hope for all living beings in the world, so that regardless of their origins or race, everyone has the opportunity to attain enlightenment, cultivate themselves, and defy fate."

"In the eyes of the Chan Sect, the Jie Sect's last hope is the root of chaos in the Heavenly Dao. If all living beings can break through their predetermined fate at will, cause and effect will become entangled and disordered, karma will multiply, and cause and effect will become like a tangled mess, which will only continuously trigger great calamities and shake the stability of heaven and earth."

"From the perspective of the Jie Sect, the Chan Sect has solidified destiny and extinguished spirituality. If there is no glimmer of hope in the world, all living beings are merely puppets manipulated by the Heavenly Dao. Cultivation is meaningless, the Great Dao has no future, and all things in the primordial world are like lifeless objects. The two sects have conflicting Daoist hearts and opposing ideologies. They appear to be peacefully guarding their mountains, but in reality, they are secretly vying for the right to speak of the Heavenly Dao and interpret its rules. If the struggle between the two sects does not end, conflict will inevitably arise again in the future, and may even ignite a world-shaking war. This is the destiny that Di Jun deduced using the Hetu and Luoshu."

After the words were spoken, the entire Yaochi Palace fell silent.

Yaochi sat stunned on the lotus platform, speechless for a long time, her mind greatly shaken, her face full of shock.

Having just become the Heavenly Emperor, he had never seen through such a fatal divergence hidden beneath the surface of the primordial world.

After a long while, Yaochi slowly inhaled, her voice filled with a deep sense of realization and shock.

"So that's how it is... I always thought that after the Kunlun sect split, the two sects would live in peace, each following their own path. I never imagined that their fundamental principles were completely contradictory, and the conflict was deeply rooted in their origins. Taibai's analysis has allowed me to fully see the crux of the differences between the Chan and Jie sects, and to see the hidden undercurrents of this primordial world. Since it was Emperor Jun who deduced this using the Hetu and Luoshu, there must be some truth to it! I am fortunate to have Taibai; he is truly my blessing!"

Li Taibai bowed and continued, "That is precisely why I insist on winning over the Jie Sect for Your Majesty. Your Majesty bears the decree of the Dao Ancestor and commands all the immortals of the Three Realms. Your disciples are a diverse group of immortals and gods, including countless unorthodox sects, wandering immortals, and other kinds of beings. In the future, Your Majesty will inevitably violate the established order of the Chan Sect in order to protect all the immortals and bring them peace. Once the fortune of the Jade Pool Immortal Realm rises, it will inevitably be subject to the checks and balances or even suppression of the Chan Sect."

"The Empress's path to enlightenment will inevitably be fraught with difficulties. If she does not participate in the affairs of the prehistoric world, she will be merely a figurehead. If she does participate in the affairs of the prehistoric world, compete for fortune, and plan to attain enlightenment, she will be suppressed. By establishing good relations with the Jie Sect in advance, we can find an external ally to counterbalance the Chan Sect and prepare for the worst."

Yaochi looked quietly at the respectful and composed Li Taibai beneath her, her heart filled with mixed emotions, and a warm feeling of gratitude welled up within her.

While others only see the immediate conflicts, Taibai has a vision that spans the vast universe, taking each step carefully and planning for his long-term future.

For her to realize her path to enlightenment, she had considered everything so thoroughly. Women are naturally sentimental, and for a moment, Yaochi was deeply moved. Yet, her own senior brother, Haotian, had schemed against her and ruined her path to enlightenment!

Yaochi saw it clearly: Li Bai had no foundation, and without her, he would be adrift. Therefore, Li Bai was bound to be loyal to the emperor, because Li Bai and Yaochi were truly bound by honor and disgrace, sharing both glory and loss!

Yaochi slowly rose and stepped off the cloud bed. Her usually aloof and cold expression was now filled with relief and emotion.

Yaochi actually reached out and gently grasped Li Taibai's hands.

"Taibai, you... are truly the most precious and wise minister by my side. Others only see what is right in front of them, but you can see the great changes in the primordial world thousands of years from now. I don't even have the thought of attaining the Dao or the destiny of the world, but you plan everything carefully before acting, always avoiding dangers for me and paving the way for me. You have gone to great lengths."

Li Bai felt a warmth in his heart and bowed his head.

"Your Majesty took me in and enlightened me, granting me the opportunity to take human form. The Jade Pool is my foundation, and Your Majesty is my sovereign. As ruler and subject, we share the same boat, honor and disgrace. It is only right that we work together to weather the storms ahead; this is my duty. As long as Your Majesty has the age to attain enlightenment, I will certainly serve Your Majesty with utmost devotion and diligence!"

Yaochi nodded repeatedly: "Excellent, excellent. I am so fortunate to have Taibai as my advisor. With Taibai by my side to devise strategies, even if the road ahead is fraught with storms and conflicts arise, I will have no fear. As for attaining the Dao and the destiny of the primordial world, I truly dare not dream of it. However, how can I let Taibai down? Now that I have this position, I will never be a mere figurehead, and I will never fail Taibai's painstaking efforts!"

After calming himself down a bit, Li Bai continued to report on the rest of the itinerary.

"In addition, I also went to Nuwa's Heaven to pay my respects to the Goddess Nuwa."

"When I met Nuwa, I specifically spoke in accordance with Your Majesty's great Dao of creation, stating that creation is the foundation and life is the root. First, Nuwa created and nurtured all living beings, which gave rise to the opportunity for all beings to seek immortality and pursue the Dao. Only when all immortals are in order and all immortals are united can Your Majesty be able to fulfill the great task of ruling over all immortals."

"Your Majesty's words are based on the principle of mutual dependence, which aligns with the original intention of Goddess Nuwa in creating all things, thus gaining her approval. Over time, Goddess Nuwa, mindful of the shared origin of creation, will surely show favoritism and secretly offer assistance should she encounter difficulties in the future. I am speaking on behalf of Your Majesty, so that when Your Majesty meets the two sages in the future, you can discuss this matter, which will naturally allow Your Majesty to achieve twice the result with half the effort at the Peach Banquet!"

After listening, Yaochi sighed softly, her eyes filled with emotion.

"Taibai, your thoughts are truly too comprehensive. You defend against the oppression of the Chan Sect, seek assistance from the Jie Sect, and also establish a good relationship with the Goddess Nuwa."

"You have considered everything so thoroughly, leaving no stone unturned, leaving no room for any potential problems. Your meticulousness and thoroughness in every aspect are truly astounding!"

Li Taibai calmly cupped his hands, his expression humble: "Your Majesty need not worry, this is the duty of a subject. Since I serve Your Majesty, I will do my utmost to ensure Your Majesty's path is secure, your power is firmly established, and the Jade Pool is kept safe for eternity."

Yaochi looked at the minister before her, who had only recently taken human form but possessed exceptional wisdom and foresight, and felt completely at ease.

In the future, Yaochi will naturally know that the Heavenly Court is engaged in a power struggle, the Sages are vying for power, and the undercurrents are swirling in the primordial world; the road ahead will inevitably be fraught with peril.

The Jade Pool Wonderland is now just a small kalami in the primordial world, not worth mentioning at all. Li Taibai, on the other hand, has been running around for the Jade Pool, maneuvering and strategizing, which has deeply moved the Jade Pool!

Looking at Chang'e and the Seven Fairies, who are also her subjects, they are just there to make an appearance. Comparing people is a recipe for disaster, and comparing goods is a recipe for disaster!

Upon hearing about Taibai's mission, Yaochi was deeply moved. Just as Liu Bei was deeply moved by Zhuge Liang's success and the bright future he had, Yaochi had the confidence to stand firm and rise steadily with Taibai by its side.