The Spiritual Attainment of Minghe

Haotian took off the robe he wore during the weekdays and put on the robe he wore at Zixiao Palace. After getting out of the Heavenly Court, he went through the nine-level sky, straight to the Chaos. As Ancestor Hongjun had merged himself with the Way of Heaven, the Zixiao Palace disappeared as well. Making it impossible for even a Sage to find it without being summoned by Ancestor Hongjun.

Haotian was different. Since he was born, he had lived with Hongjun in Zixiao Palace. It was like a home to him. Although Zixiao Palace had disappeared, Haotian could also find its location by his special connection with it. In the Untainted Land, except for Ancestor Hongjun, nobody knew better about Zixiao Palace than him, even the didn’t Sages.

Walking in the Chaos for a while, Haotian stopped all of a sudden. He bowed to the Void and said, "I am Haotian, the disciple of the honorable ancestor. I have something needing ancestor’s help. Please, show up and give me a hand." It seemed like there was nothing in the Chaos, but Haotian knew that Zixiao Palace was just in front of him. It was just invisible.

Suddenly, the Chaos showed a burst of ripples, and a splendid palace appeared, the Zixiao Palace where 3,000 Cultivators used to learn Teachings of Ancestor Hongjun. Seeing Zixiao Palace appear, Haotian felt delighted and stepped inside. Haotian found Ancestor Hongjun was sitting on the platform, hurriedly kneeling and saying, "Meet honorable ancestor."

Hongjun opened his eyes, looking at Haotian without any emotion. He asked in a light voice, "Haotian, I have throned you as the lord of the Heavenly Court, and given you the right to manage the whole Untainted Land. You should stay in the Heavenly Court, why did you come here?"

Haotian started to vent his grievances immediately. He answered, "I have followed your order to rebuild the Heavenly Court. However, we lack capable cultivators and my disciples are at a low cultivation level, so it’s tough for us to control the immortals in the Untainted Land. Therefore, I came here to ask ancestor to give me a hand, ordering the four tribes of humans, enlightenment, severity, and western religion to listen to me. The majesty of Heavenly Court can be shown."

Hongjun kept silent for a while, and then he said, "I get your problem. You can go back now, and I will settle this issue." Hearing this, Haotian still wanted to say something, but he didn’t. He bowed to Hongjun again and went back to the Heavenly Court through the clouds. Haotian understood Hongjun must have had an idea in his mind, so it would be useless for him to say something more. He had to go back to wait for good news.

In Zixiao Palace, Hongjun sat alone for a while. He didn’t take any action until Haotian arrived in the Heavenly Court. Then, he pressed the seal in his hand, eight Jade Talismans flew together toward the Untainted Land. These Talismans recorded the location of Zixiao Palace, calling for Minghe, Laozi, Origin, Tongtian, Goddess Nvywa, Houtu, Jieyin, and Zhunti.

A short while after, Minghe and the other seven Sages of the Untainted Land arrived. However, Taoist Pingxin, the Evil Separation of Houtu came on behalf of her veneration. The eight Cultivators sat down, seven of whom looked at Ancestor Hongjun, guessing the reason why Ancestor Hongjun called them. Only Minghe didn’t stir an eyelid because he knew Hongjun was about to hold the God Deification Ceremony.

Minghe had already known that Yang Chan had saved her mother. Because of this, Minghe had sent her the Lotus Lamp to protect herself. He had also figured out he would meet Yang Jian, while Yang Jian’s splitting Mount Peach to save his mother would become the blasting fuse of this God Deification Ceremony, setting fire to Haotian’s dissatisfaction and anger towards Sages’ tribes and their disciples. This would be the beginning of the God Deification War.

After waiting for Ancestor Hongjun to say something, Laozi started to ask, "Teacher, why did you call us here?" Laozi’s question was the same as what the other Sages wanted to ask. When there was something vital, Hongjun would summon them. The last time they came here was about crowning the Three Royals and Five Emperors of the Human Tribe. They didn’t know why they came here for this time, and whether it was for something good or not.

Hongjun began to say, "I have three big issues to tell you this time. First, Haotian just came to me and said the Heavenly Court has a lack of capable cultivators. It’s not easy for him to manage all the creatures in three worlds, so he asked me for help to order the four tribes of humans, enlightenment, severity, and western religion to follow his demands."

Hearing Hongjun’s words, Laozi, Origin, Tongtian and the Two Sages of the West frowned and detested Haotian in their minds. They hadn’t expected that Haotian was such an arrogant man. However, it seemed that they had forgotten the cause. If their disciples could show a little respect to the Heavenly Court, Haotian wouldn’t ask Hongjun for help.

Although the five Sages felt angry, they couldn’t lose their tempers in Zixiao Palace. Minghe, Goddess Nvywa, and Pingxin stayed calm. Minghe had built the Religion of Asura, and all the Asura tribesmen were its members, but the Asura tribe wouldn’t leave from the Blood Sea. Therefore, they wouldn’t offend the Heavenly Court.

Goddess Nvywa and Pingxin were representatives of the Sorcerer and Demon Tribes, which had retreated to somewhere. Their elites wouldn’t leave from their places. Since Haotian and the four Tribes were on bad terms with each other, Nvywa and Pingxin naturally didn’t care and waited for getting potential benefits.

Hongjun had already read their minds respectively, and he continued saying, "Second, when the Human Tribe selected the Three Royals and Five Emperors, the four tribes of humans, enlightenment, severity and western religion committed the Tribulation of Killing. Therefore, you four need to get to the human world to experience this tribulation. Third, Cultivation Tribulation of Heaven and Earth is coming soon, but the Heavenly Court has a lack of capable cultivators. I will set an Investiture of the Gods, crowning different kinds of Gods following Haotian’s orders. When it ends, the Cultivation Tribulation will end."

Cultivation Tribulation? All the Sages were shocked that the Tribulation this time came so soon. It has only been nearly 20 thousand years since the last Cultivation Tribulation. Surprisingly, this time, the Cultivation Tribulation seemed to be peaceful. However, they were also anxious about their disciples getting involved.

Minghe couldn’t help sneering in his mind when seeing the worried expressions on the four Sages’ faces. He had expected this situation since the time when every Sage contended the Mentors of Human Sovereign. At that time, all the Sages thought the reason why Minghe promised to abdicate six positions of the Mentor of the Human Sovereign was that he couldn’t afford the pressure from them. In fact, Minghe just wanted to set up a trap for them.

Among the Three Royals and Five Emperors, Heavenly Sovereign and Earthly Sovereign only needed to solve some critical issues, while the Human Sovereign had to unify the Human Tribe so he would naturally start wars. To protect the Human Tribe, the Five Emperors couldn’t avoid getting involved in some conflicts and fights. Because of this, Minghe only kept the position of Heavenly Sovereign and Earthly Sovereign.

Hongjun didn’t care about their thoughts and continued saying, "All the creatures in the Untainted Land will meet their calamity. Even as an average human, if he cannot escape from death, he will turn to the reincarnation to pass his tribulation and end his Karma; if he can realize his Tao and become a Heavenly Immortal, he doesn’t have to enter the reincarnation, but he can’t stop his Karma. Karma of all the creatures needs to be ended, or else it will accumulate to a Cultivation Tribulation.

When it comes, the secrets of heaven will become chaotic. Therefore, all the immortals need to seize this chance. In the God Deification Ceremony, I have set out three levels: the ones who have talents for cultivation will be grouped as the Way of Celestial Immortality; the ones who have fewer talent will be the Way of God; the ones with the fewest talents will enter the reincarnation. You can discuss this issue with each other and then write the names of your disciples on this Investiture of the Gods. This is a way to pass this Cultivation Tribulation."

Hearing this, Laozi asked in a hurry, "Teacher, how many cultivators should be selected for this investiture?"

The number of cultivators was a key point. Since this Cultivation Tribulation was generated for the God Deification, it might be ended by the God Deification. Only if they selected enough Cultivators for the Investiture of the Gods, they might pass this Cultivation Tribulation easily. It might be a little bit cunning, but it was a good way.

Hongjun paid no attention to Laozi, saying directly, "All the Lord Gods are divided into eight departments in charge of each cosmic star, amounting to 365 Cultivators. Under these Lord Gods, there are 2,000 subordinate Gods and 84,000 soldiers of Heaven. The total number count up to 86,356. This book is the Heaven Book of the Three Books of Heaven, Earth, and Mortal, named Investiture of the Gods. Sign the names of Gods you have chosen on this book." Suddenly, something appeared on Hongjun’s hand, which was the Heaven Book, Investiture of the Gods.

All the Sages looked eagerly at the Investiture of the Gods, but they were worried how to scrape these Gods together. Not to mention the 2,000 subordinate Gods and the 84,000 soldiers, it was really difficult to select 365 Lord Gods. Wait a moment, all the Sages glanced at Sect Leader Tongtian intentionally or occasionally. The Tribe of Severity called for millions of Immortals to worship. Even the 2,000 subordinate Gods could be selected, so could the 365 Lord Gods. As for the 84,000 soldiers, they could casually find some Cultivators instead.

Hearing the number of Gods that Hongjun had mentioned, Sect Leader Tongtian was unhappy. When feeling the eyesight of the other Sages, his expression became more gloomy. Such a high number of Gods could only rely on his Tribe of Severity. Therefore, the Sages could look at nobody, but him.