Chapter 116: The Assembly of Sages Discusses the Investiture of the Gods (Part Three)

Beyond the profound sorrow felt by Tongtian, Yuanshi Tianzun found himself equally burdened by mounting vexation. The joint signing of the Investiture of the Gods by the three sects placed him in an impossibly difficult position. It was not merely a matter of his disciples’ fates, but a deep entanglement with the very foundations of their orthodoxy.

Every immeasurable catastrophe inevitably diminished the foundational fortune of the sects; one needed only to look at the First Calamity of the Dragon and Han, or the Great Calamity of the Lich. While the factions involved had not vanished, their strength had been greatly curtailed—and that was precisely what made such events so terrifying. During those times, the peak cultivation of the immortals and gods reached only the Great Luo Golden Immortal stage. But what of now? In the current Primordial World, even the lowliest forces required the strength of a Great Luo Golden Immortal just to survive in this brutal world. Take, for instance, Ancestor Minghe of the Asura tribe or Zhenyuanzi, the Ancestor of Earthly Immortals in the Earthly Immortal Realm; could their power truly be ignored?

Furthermore, as the three sects were to sign the Investiture together, it was inevitable that the disciples of these sects would be listed upon it, creating a myriad of complications. If too many were listed, the roots of the sects—and thus, the fortune of the East—would be shaken. Consequently, if the four Sages of the East were to clash, the region would inevitably be plunged into misery and bloodshed. This was the first concern.

What Yuanshi Tianzun loathed most, however, was the prospect of the West growing strong. Should the three sects fall into discord over the signing of the Investiture, Jieyin and Zhunti would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to swoop in, luring away any beings in the East with superior potential. After this calamity, the West would surely flourish! This was the second concern.

Whether Yuanshi Tianzun wished it or not, this was a decree set by Ancestor Hongjun—a calculated trap. The very existence of the two Western Sages was part of that scheme; they did not need to lift a finger to see the East descend into total chaos. As Yuanshi Tianzun pondered this, he remained unaware that Taishang Laojun was grappling with the same dilemma.

When the Three Pure Ones originally divided their domains, Yuanshi Tianzun chose Mount Kunlun, Tongtian settled on Golden Tortoise Island, and Taishang Laojun sought the tranquil peaks of Mount Shouyang, home to the Eight Views Palace. The abundance of rare earth minerals rich in refined copper found there had greatly delighted Taishang Laojun, whose path centered on alchemy. Yet, the idea of the Human Sect signing the Investiture was a farce! How many members did the Human Sect have? One could count them on the fingers of a single hand! Aside from his two boy attendants, Gold and Silver, his chief disciple Xuandu, and his mount, the Azure Ox, he had no other disciples. And the Eight Immortals? They were merely scattered immortals; to have them act as substitutes would still inevitably lead to a drain on the Human Sect’s fortune. Was there truly no other way?

Time flowed on, never to return. One might summarize it thus: time is like a prostitute in a brothel—once the pleasure is spent, it never looks back. For these immortal cultivators, three hundred years was but a blink of an eye, passing in the time it takes to catch a nap.

When the time for the signing of the Investiture arrived at the three-hundred-year mark, the Three Pure Ones appeared hesitant. Yet, there was no escaping it; it was better to face it with courage. Tongtian, however, showed no ambiguity; he mounted his clouds and headed straight for the Zixiao Palace beyond the heavens. He was the first to arrive, secretly assuming that Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun would surely follow; his worries were, in that regard, superfluous.

Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun arrived together, their brows devoid of sorrow, bearing only faint smiles upon their lips. Upon seeing this, Tongtian’s heart sank. Could it be that Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun had already formed an alliance? In truth, Tongtian should have known long ago that the bond between Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun was extraordinary, deeper than the one they shared with him. This held true not only for their personal sentiments but also for their interests.

What was the foundation of the Human Sect? It was the humans! And what was the doctrine of the Chan Sect? The character "Chan" implied elucidation and clarification. It meant explaining the principles of the Dao. Taishang Laojun had been "fanning the flames" on the side, encouraging Yuanshi Tianzun to oversee the affairs of the human race. This was precisely why the disciples of the Chan Sect held such pivotal positions among humanity. It appeared that Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun were two of a kind!

In the past, Tongtian had been unwilling to face this reality. After countless eons of companionship, their bonds were not easily severed, and so he had chosen to evade the truth. But now, Tongtian had no path of retreat! He represented not only himself but the ten thousand immortals of his Spirit Sect, and the countless beings of the Primordial World who silently supported him. When Tongtian first attained Sagehood, the beings of the Primordial World had all contributed their strength, leaving him with a profound sense of guilt toward them. Those he could not personally instruct—those with whom he lacked a direct karmic tie—he still accepted as his disciples and grand-disciples, imparting the Great Dao to them.

But how vast was the Primordial World? How numerous were its beings? How could he, with his own strength alone, resolve all this karmic debt? Despite the operations of the Underworld and the efforts of the Spirit Sect disciples led by the Old Man Under the Moon of the Heavenly Court to bring prosperity to the world, it was far from enough. This was a complex, long-term, and agonizing problem! Only now did Tongtian realize how perilous his situation had become; if Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun united, he would never be able to prevail.

Was there truly no way forward? Although Tongtian possessed a few hidden cards, they were inevitably known to the Heavenly Dao. As human society developed, the Heavenly Dao’s insight grew ever more refined, and the Sages’ power deepened; consequently, the Heavenly Dao’s awareness expanded. If Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun were to join forces with the Western Sect, his Immortal-Ending Sword Formation would be rendered completely useless. If the four Sages united, his Spirit Sect would surely be annihilated! This was beyond doubt.

In the past, Tongtian had entertained the thought of transcending the peak of the Hunyuan Great Luo Golden Immortal stage. He had discussed this notion with the Great Immortal Yangliu and Gu Pan, but both had immediately rejected it. The Heavenly Dao governed the world on behalf of the Great Dao, and everything functioned under the Great Dao’s幕후 supervision. The Great Dao would not permit the emergence of anyone who could bypass the control of the Heavenly Dao and stand on equal footing with it—even if that person were the "one" that had escaped the grasp of fate, it would not be allowed! The development of human society could not be interrupted!

Having heard the explanations of the Great Immortal Yangliu and Gu Pan, Tongtian had finally calmed down, realizing how many factors were at play. He took a deep breath, discarded the distracting thoughts in his mind, and turned his gaze toward the Investiture of the Gods resting on the tea table.

By the time Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun arrived, they had already decided to delay the signing. First, they did not want to become a laughingstock for the West and Nuwa; second, they sought to buy time for the disciples of the Chan Sect; and third, they themselves were reluctant to sign the document. The discord among the Three Pure Ones was undoubtedly a source of joy for the West. They possessed ambition and schemes, and a strong adversary suffering from internal strife was their best chance for rapid expansion. Clearly, the two Western Sages would not let such an opportunity slip by.

As for Empress Nuwa, the situation was simpler. Her brother was the Human Emperor, and her own avatar was also a Human Emperor; her stance was merely that as long as humanity was not slaughtered, she was content. Furthermore, as one of the four Sages of the East, she did not wish to see the Three Pure Ones fight, yet secretly hoped for it—partly because their strife would cause widespread suffering and provide an opening for the West, and partly because she hoped their infighting would grant her own people—the humans and the demon race—time to develop.

Buying time for the disciples of the Chan Sect was, in reality, a way to use their own accumulated merit to slowly wear away the karmic debt within them; the longer the delay, the greater the benefit for the restoration and growth of the Chan Sect disciples’ strength. Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun’s reluctance to sign the Investiture was, in truth, entirely for the sake of their own fortune. Any loss of their sect's personnel would inevitably damage their prestige, and in turn, cause their fortune to drain all the faster.

Tongtian, unaware of the myriad hidden agendas held by Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun, spoke directly and plainly to them: "How have the two brothers considered the matter?"