The Taowang and the Lady of the Jade Pool were separated in the 33rd heaven, and the Lady returned to her celestial mansion. Her status was merely esteemed, but there was no specific post for her in heaven. When had she ever seen her hunched over her desk, lowering her head to examine official documents? There had been no such moments at all.
The female immortals gathered around her was because the practice of the ancient Eastern King of the Immortals governing all male immortals and the Western Queen Mother governing all female immortals, established by Emperor Jitian, excluded the Queen Mother of the Yaoguang Pool from the power structure of the heavenly palace.
Now the Queen Mother is under pressure, but it is not too great. After all, the sky will not fall if there are tall people around to support it. She will not have to take charge for a while yet.
Emperor Taowang changed back into his imperial robe and came alone to the entrance of the Tuoshu Palace.
These are one of the very few buildings that survived the collision of Zhurong with the Hall of Hearkening, now closed tightly, with the Tuoshu Palace. It is almost completely disconnected from the outside world, save for the occasional scent of elixir that drifts out.
The Era of Chaos could be considered a political landscape where the Heavens were above and Taowang was below, with sages in the middle. Although sages wanted to participate in matters of the Era of Chaos, they didn't have much actual involvement, and in many cases, they had no choice but to lay low.
If it were any other time, Taowang would not have come to Tuoshu Palace either. Especially with the door tightly shut, indicating an unwelcoming attitude. What was the point in making trouble for himself?
But today, he had a compelling reason to knock on the door.
The sound of knocking echoed, "Bang, bang, bang," for a while before Jin Jue and Yin Jie finally opened a crack.
"Ah, it's the Grand Sage. My master said that he hasn't seen in a while." Jin Jue's demeanor was arrogant, with eyes and eyebrows showing contempt. But before he could finish his sentence, Taowang forcefully pushed him aside.
"Get out!" Taowang's mood was extremely bad, not bothering to conceal his likes and dislikes.
A mere child dares to show a face to me? Are you suicidal? He was never this magnificent when he served Hongjun as a servant.
"What did you say?!" Jin Jue was greatly enraged, and Yin Jue quickly pulled him back.
Jin Jue eventually dare not to fight with Taowang. The difference in strength was too great. With Yin Jue's pull, he reluctantly stepped aside, cursing and grumbling as he did so. Taowang paid no attention to them and walked in confidently.
He soon spotted Taishan Laojie beside the Eight Trigrams Golden Pot. Taiching was the saint most supportive of him, even if there were other intentions involved. However, Taowang's relationship with Taishan Laojie was indeed the best among all saints. The rest of the saints tried to flatter him but to no avail, as they simply did not care.
"Laojun, misfortune has arrived." He started off with a striking opening statement.
The situation of the other sages' physical bodies was actually quite similar, but there may be some hidden cards. However, there are not many.
Their essence, power, and various thoughts all serve the core body. With such a huge consumption from the chaos beyond, they are akin to logistics bases. They cultivate in a safe environment and continuously transport provisions to the front lines.
For the sages, is it the Era of Chaos that matters more or their own core bodies? Of course, it's their core bodies. But that doesn't mean they can neglect the Era of Chaos. With the exception of Nuwa, the fates of the other sages are intertwined with the Era of Chaos. If the Era of Chaos were to shatter, they would all suffer together, one by one. If the chaotic demon gods occupied the chaos, their Primordial Fruit of Dao would be utterly destroyed as well.
Taowang knew this information. He was afraid, and the saints should be even more afraid. Therefore, he went straight to Taishan Laojie.
Laojun closed his eyes to refine elixirs and only after nearly a stick of incense time had passed did he slowly open his mouth, "Old one has been in seclusion all day and truly does not know from where the disaster His Majesty speaks of has come."
Taowang repeated what Deng Changyao told him, and presented the clay-like object as evidence.
He originally intended to demonstrate it and boast, but Taishan Laojie stopped him: "Old one recognizes the chaotic script. His Majesty can continue."
Taowang had to continue with the latter half of the story. Taishan Laojun remained silent, listening intently. When Taowang sought his advice, Laojun proposed the idea of "contending with the ever-changing by holding fast to the unchanging," with the core principle being "bend to one's place and wait for the timing of heaven."
"Even if we send out countless heavenly soldiers and generals against the chaotic demon gods, it will be of no use. They can just think and crush our strength," he said.
The Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, and the Western Holy Two in the previous Golden Immortal realm could advance levels and challenge. They were stronger than the Lower God Realm. However, if they reached the Saint Realm, attempting to advance levels to challenge against the Primordial Grand God Realm of Golden Immortals was impossible. Now allowing Taiching to return to the Saint Realm was akin to the stage of " cutting two corpses" which would be unable to defeat any chaotic demon gods as there was a significant gap between them.
"The Grand Sage must take only one path to break this stalemate," Taishan Laojun said with a hint of meaning.
Taowang waited for his next words, but the old man remained silent.
"Does the sage have a trace of the Heng Hong Zi Qi?"
Taishan Laojun shook his head, pointing first at his own alchemical furnace and then to the sky above.
Taowang furrowed his brow, deep in thought. The meaning is that there may be some kind of pill that can kill chaotic demons in the territory of the Lord of All Things? How would it be used? Feed it to the chaotic demons? They are just chaotic, not idiots!
After leaving Tuoshu Palace, he pondered the problem all the way. If he could obtain this wondrous pill from the Lord of All Things and feed it to the chaotic demons, the crisis of the Era of Chaos would be completely solved. Just as Nuwa had created humans and the Three Pure Ones had established great religions in the past, he was sure to gain a vast amount of merit, which would probably be enough for him to have carved out a third body.
This thought seemed promising, but upon further reflection, the problem returned: how could he make the chaotic demons ingest the pill that could kill a Primordial Grand God Realm Immortal?
Deng Changyao descended to the Jade Celestial Palace in Kunlun Mountain.
Beforeward, the Taoist body of Guang Chengzi was swallowed by a Garuda, and the fragments of the Creation Jade Disc exploded. Hongjun secretly intervened, granting Guang Chengzi a sliver of life. (Chapter 904)
Without the body, only an essence remained, and with the capability of a Grand God Realm Immortal, transforming virtuality into reality and reconstructing the Daoist body for oneself was not difficult.
Unfortunately, Guang Chengzi's essence had suffered too much damage in the abyss of desire. The lamp in the Spirit Mansion could only nourish it, but the ghostly fire of the underworld is not effective in repairing an essence.
His mind was in a state of confusion, and he didn't even recognize people. How could he reshape his Daoist body then?
Baihe looked shocked: "Is this really Uncle Guang Chengzi? How can he look like this?"
Deng Changyue took out the Fan Tian Seal and threw it to Baihe: "This is from Master Yuqing. It's Guang Chengzi elder brother that I saved with the help of the saint. How can this be fake?"
Baihe took the Fan Tian Seal very seriously and carefully examined it twice over. There were indeed extremely clear Yuqing Daoist energies on it. As a servant boy, he was very familiar with the characteristics of Master Yuanshi's Daoist energies. When he touched it, he could tell that it was genuine.
There are only two possibilities when Guan Chengzi elder brother's Fan Tian Seal falls into Deng Changyao's hand. One is that she killed Yuanshi and stole his treasure, and the other possibility is that Yuanshi gave it to her.
Baihe is not an idiot. He is very confident that it is the second possibility.
