Bang!

A light sound rang out as the immortal who had just made his graceful entrance now lay like a wooden puppet, thrown heavily onto the high platform, raising a cloud of dust.

The impact caused Jiang Shang’s eyelids to twitch uncontrollably, Yang Jian to immediately bow with clasped hands, and even Da Ji’s empty eyes gained a hint of color, while the surrounding Shang civilians huddled together.

Li Changshou waved his hand, and the fragments of the Heaven-Turning Seal were ‘swallowed’ by space-time, collected in this manner to later replenish Little Jade Peak’s Five Elements earth power.

“Uncle Chang’an!”

Little Ne Zha rode his Wind Fire Wheels straight up.

Li Changshou’s previously expressionless face showed a slight smile. As Ne Zha flew before him, he raised his hand to rub the child’s head and said:

“Go call your master and the others, they’re in the southwest direction.”

“Aye!”

Ne Zha agreed without asking why, directly riding his Wind Fire Wheels toward the southwest.

Li Changshou maintained his true appearance, but his presence alone made all the qi cultivators unable to raise their heads.

Without descending, he spoke:

“Yang Jian, move this platform to the wilderness outside the city, exactly as it is.”

“Yes!”

Yang Jian responded firmly, leaping down from the platform and calling out coldly:

“None on the platform move!”

After speaking, he stamped his left foot and pressed forward with his right hand. The entire high platform, along with three zhang of stone slabs and earth beneath it, rose steadily into the air. Jiang Shang, the group of drummers, and Zhou officials barely felt any movement.

Yang Jian supported this ‘immortal island’ with one hand, flying into the air and slowly moving toward the city outskirts.

When had Chaoge City’s mortals ever seen such a sight?

They knelt one after another, crying out “Immortal!”

Mortal admiration for immortals – a common natural phenomenon.

Li Changshou looked toward the Fire Spirit Holy Mother and said: “You come too.”

Fire Spirit Holy Mother hurriedly made a Daoist salute, “Thanks to Uncle Changgeng for saving my life.”

“Mm,” Li Changshou responded without saying more, clasping his hands behind his back as he rode the clouds toward Chaoge City’s outskirts.

Moments later, the high platform stood steadily at a forest’s edge. Li Changshou sat cross-legged in mid-air, quietly waiting above the platform.

Broad Achievement’s cultivation had been completely sealed. Now lying before Da Ji, he could not move at all, his primordial spirit and divine soul having lost all perception of the outside world – equivalent to a mortal being knocked unconscious.

Yang Jian stood in the platform’s corner with folded arms, like a door god.

Jiang Shang kept looking left and right, only able to pacify those Zhou officials who were nearly making spectacles of themselves, having the drummers serve as guards.

It must be said that after years of tempering in the mortal realm, Jiang Shang had become a qualified Grand Preceptor.

He was quite skilled at directing people.

But when Li Changshou’s gaze fell on Jiang Shang, traces of anger inevitably flashed in his eyes.

Karmic obstacles, surrounding his primordial spirit – karmic obstacles already affecting his lifespan.

This was the backlash brought by those ‘Edge of the Abyss Pills’, forcefully made to be borne by Jiang Shang through Broad Achievement’s maneuvering, cutting off Jiang Shang’s already unstable immortal path.

From this moment forward, even if Jiang Shang did good deeds daily when his lifespan ended, he would inevitably walk through the eighteen layers of hell.

Later, they could only build a temple to earn some incense merit to balance the karmic obstacles.

This time, Broad Achievement…

Even Second Uncle couldn’t save him!

If the Heavenly Laws didn’t involve ‘Elder Brother’, then these laws might as well not exist.

Actually, from a certain perspective, Li Changshou was also quite conflicted.

[Maintaining the Heavenly Court meant maintaining the Heavenly Dao, and maintaining the Heavenly Dao meant increasing the difficulty of reforming it later.]

But Li Changshou had his own set of standards for action. He wouldn’t abandon his principles for such reasons, but would instead seek more stable and comprehensive solutions.

Touching his master’s reincarnated form had crossed one of these principles.

Directly feeding mortal soldiers so-called immortal pills had pierced through his standards of conduct.

Good heavens.

He had exhausted himself trying to protect the Holy Mother and mortal humans in his great battle with the Heavenly Dao, wanting to keep them from having to act or become involved, and even potentially assist the Heavenly Dao when necessary.

Wasn’t this all to repay Ancestor Suiren’s kindness?

Wasn’t this because he came from the mortal realm and felt indignant seeing mortals struggling in this primordial world, being used as incense ‘tools’?

Wasn’t this because he had no choice but to ask Ancestor Suiren to act, leading to Ancestor Suiren’s passing, leaving guilt in his heart?

Broad Achievement knew how much he valued humanity.

Li Changshou had exterminated the ancient demon tribe, participated in humanity’s rebellion against Heaven, planned ‘Immortal Contracts’ and ‘Immortal-Mortal Separation’ for South Continent’s mortal realm, and established numerous Heavenly Laws centered on mortals…

The Enlightenment School had seen it all!

Why did he do these things?

For humanity.

How could Broad Achievement, so shrewd and calculating, whose battle prowess ranked lowest among the three schools’ elder brothers but who compensated with superior planning, not know these things?

How could he not understand?

Sitting on Little Jade Peak, Li Changshou had seen Broad Achievement leading Weizi Qi’s envoy into the Zhou camp, seen Broad Achievement asking Jiang Shang to use those Edge of the Abyss Pills…

If not for his Void-Bright Dao Heart suppressing it, his blood pressure would have risen!

Truly just to curry favor with the Dao Ancestor and the Heavenly Dao, abandoning consistent principles, disregarding his so-called reputation for ‘deep fortune’!

What was the Enlightenment School doing – did they truly think he couldn’t see?

Li Changshou had only been mindful of the Dao School’s unity, mindful of the deep friendship between his master and Second and Third Uncles, always showing extra courtesy to the Enlightenment School.

Look at this God-Making tribulation from another angle.

The Enlightenment School clearly knew Burning Lamp was problematic, yet used the excuse that ‘Burning Lamp was the master’s ancient personally appointed Vice School Master’, letting Burning Lamp do as he pleased, allowing numerous conflicts to arise between the Enlightenment and Severing Schools over tens of thousands of years.

The Enlightenment School thought themselves clever, letting Burning Lamp take the blame, when in reality everything was done with the Second Uncle Primordial Heavenly Lord’s tacit approval.

Moreover, problematic Enlightenment School disciples like Burning Lamp and Manjusri were Western School’s exposed pieces.

When he, Li Changshou, gained power and his master’s support, he cleverly made the Heavenly Court and Western School oppose each other, making the Western School the ‘anti-Heaven’ faction, hammering them relentlessly.

The Enlightenment School showed all sorts of ambiguous attitudes and behaviors.

Dragging their feet in the Blood Sea, reluctantly agreeing to non-aggression, blocking Yang Jian from smashing the Western School’s gates, and even rushing to aid the Western School in the name of ‘balance’ when the Severing School was destroying them!

He had truly endured Broad Achievement and the Enlightenment School for far too long.

Was the ancient Three Pure Ones’ separation truly just due to conflicts over accepting disciples?

No, that was just what the primordial world loved to discuss. Before Li Changshou had even cultivated to Golden Immortal, he already understood what conflicts lurked behind.

It was an absolute ideological conflict between Sovereign Donghua and Lord Primordial Origin!

Back when he was calculating, whenever it involved the Six Sages, he would use some ‘symbols’ as substitutes. Lord Primordial Origin’s code was a luminous cup, while Sovereign Donghua’s code was a bamboo basket.

There was no special meaning. Sovereign Donghua represented a bamboo basket carrying water – all for nothing. His disciples were like the four seas; according to the original God-Making script, few disciples would remain in the end – the basket couldn’t hold them.

The luminous cup’s meaning was simpler – just a [tragic vessel].

The logic was simple.

Lord Primordial Origin accepted disciples based on pure backgrounds and deep fortune.

Who determined background and fortune?

The Heavenly Dao.

Sovereign Donghua accepted all disciples regardless of background, looking at potential and talent, and advocating seizing a thread of life for all beings.

What was this doing?

Not putting the Heavenly Dao in his eyes, using his power to seize a thread of life for beings meant to die, and providing a path to longevity for qi cultivators with little fortune.

When the God-Making tribulation first erupted, the Severing School faced difficulties: no treasures to suppress fortune, disciples with unstable fortune, easily turning to ash in the great tribulation.

Who determined fortune?

Also the Heavenly Dao.

Fortune represented the Heavenly Dao’s recognition of that being, inversely correlating with the resistance encountered in cultivation – the higher the fortune, the lower the resistance.

The hidden logic here was that only beings recognized by the Heavenly Dao could achieve longevity, while those not recognized must wither.

Lord Primordial Origin comprehended this principle and followed Heaven’s way.

Sovereign Donghua also comprehended this principle, but looking at those beings, felt compassion, stood before them, and said:

‘Follow me, definitely become a sage, I’ll protect you.’

The so-called God-Making tribulation was nothing but the Heavenly Dao’s encirclement of those who defied Heaven, nothing but the Heavenly Dao’s screening of beings.

Follow fate to gain longevity, defy fate to become tribulation ash.

The Three Pure Ones’ separation appeared to be due to differing views on accepting disciples, but within was two sages taking two paths, an inevitable divergence caused by fundamentally different natures.

The Supreme Pure Sage remained pure and inactive, accepting one disciple without bestowing name or title, quietly watching the Three Realms from the Ninth Heaven.

He cared not for his junior brothers’ ideological differences nor the disputes between the Enlightenment and Severing Schools. He only cared whether the beings of Heaven and Earth would be completely suppressed by the Heavenly Dao, concerned with the ‘vitality level’ of true spirits in the Three Realms.

This was why Li Changshou would say that his master had inherited Pangu God’s will.

The implicit meaning was that Lord Primordial Origin had violated Pangu God’s will, that the Heavenly Dao and Dao Ancestor had stolen the fruit of creation, while Sovereign Donghua…

Had acted somewhat impulsively, lacking an overall perspective.

Li Changshou had never wanted to raise this issue, but his current situation had become incredibly difficult.

Truly incredibly difficult.

The Dao Ancestor’s visit to Little Jade Peak, deliberately engaging him in empty cultivation battles and empty games, was forcing him to make a choice – either act now or leave immediately.

The Dao Ancestor was using the lives of those connected to Little Jade Peak to threaten him into making a decision.

The Dao Ancestor was using Yun’s life to threaten him into making a decision!

Void-Bright Dao Heart · Restart.

Li Changshou sighed softly in his heart, looking down at Broad Achievement, a trace of a mocking cold smile crossing his lips.

Why had Broad Achievement suddenly become so ‘agitated’?

Actually, it was because Broad Achievement had been crushed by the Enlightenment School’s doctrine, by Second Uncle Lord Primordial Origin, by the Heavenly Dao, crushing what little persistence he originally had.

He convinced himself that ‘this is all for the Enlightenment School’s good’, yet acted in compliance with the Heavenly Dao;

When the Heavenly Dao and Dao Ancestor achieved their purpose, Broad Achievement was pulled out as a target by the Dao Ancestor, forcing Li Changshou to move against Broad Achievement, triggering the Dao School’s split, and completing the final tribulation of the God-Making.

Speaking of evil, Broad Achievement and the Heavenly Dao shared it seven-three.

At this moment, the Dao Ancestor must be sitting in the Purple Bamboo Grove, smiling as he watched this scene.

Li Changshou couldn’t help but smile bitterly inside.

It must be that his plan to merge the Enlightenment and Severing Schools had been noticed by the Dao Ancestor, leading to the Dao Ancestor instigating Broad Achievement, wanting to force him away early.

The merger of Enlightenment and Severing Schools was, in essence, the Severing School pulling the Enlightenment School to resist Heaven together.

The Three Pure Ones and the three-piece set of Heaven-Opening Divine Axe – essential for slaying Heaven.

This move by the Dao Ancestor was his only chance before leaving the primordial world, before his full counterattack.

Whether he could raise the odds of victory to eighty or even ninety percent depended entirely on whether he could force Second Uncle to appear, whether he could force Second Uncle to clarify his position.

If Lord Primordial Origin chose the path of the Three Pure Ones resisting Heaven, he wouldn’t even need to leave.

If Lord Primordial Origin still used ‘fortune’ and ‘background’ as excuses, he could only make Second Uncle and Third Uncle completely oppose each other, dispelling Third Uncle’s unrealistic fantasies.

Thus, he could also add some possibility of victory to his later plans.

From this moment on, only two camps existed in the primordial world!

Heaven.

Spirit.

“Star… Star-Lord!”

Jiang Shang’s voice came from below. Li Changshou, who had been contemplating these great matters, looked down with a somewhat cold expression, causing Jiang Shang to tremble and nearly fall to his knees.

Li Changshou quickly composed his expression, giving Jiang Shang a gentle smile.

“What guidance does Grand Preceptor Jiang have?”

“I wouldn’t dare, wouldn’t dare,” Jiang Shang hurriedly made a Daoist salute, riding clouds up half a zhang to indicate he was speaking to Li Changshou as an Enlightenment School qi cultivator.

Jiang Shang said: “Star-Lord, may I boldly ask, why did you suddenly move against Elder Brother Broad Achievement? Was it because Elder Brother Broad Achievement was about to move against Fellow Daoist Fire Spirit?”

Fire Spirit Holy Mother, hiding to the side, immediately perked up at these words, watching Li Changshou with traces of anticipation in her eyes.

Li Changshou said: “Yes, and no.”

“What do you mean?”

“If I had allowed Elder Brother Broad Achievement to kill Niece Fire Spirit, I fear an unavoidable great battle between the Severing and Enlightenment Schools would have erupted today. The God-Making tribulation still has unfulfilled tribulation fortune, destined to turn many immortals into tribulation ash today. But this was just the reason for my immediate intervention to stop it, which ended when I destroyed that Heaven-Turning Seal. Capturing Elder Brother Broad’s Achievement was because of the Edge of the Abyss Pills matter.”

Jiang Shang was stunned: “How did you…”

“I was watching all along, just blocked by a great figure at the time, could only watch.”

Li Changshou smiled at Jiang Shang, saying: “Don’t ask more. If you want to judge Da Ji, continue, but it’s best to wait a bit longer – it’s not lively enough yet.”

Jiang Shang looked at Da Ji, coincidentally as she was raising her head to look at him. Confusion and bewilderment flashed through her eyes before they returned to clarity, and she lowered her head without speaking.

Li Changshou announced: “I have sent Di Xin’s soul to the God-Making Platform. He can be considered fortunate in misfortune – when the God-Making Platform crafted his physical body, it gave him True Immortal realm cultivation. Henceforth as a Heaven Court immortal deity, he can be nearly immortal, much more comfortable than past Shang rulers.”

Light flashed in Da Ji’s eyes, though she kept her head lowered, a trace of a charming smile appearing on her lips.

Jiang Shang asked: “Star-Lord if Da Ji is executed, can she also go to the God-Making Platform?”

“Not necessarily,” Li Changshou said calmly. “This matter has no fixed outcome yet. Let’s establish Broad Achievement’s crimes before discussing other matters.”

Es-establish crimes?

Jiang Shang couldn’t help but tremble several times.

Establish crimes for the Enlightenment School’s Elder Brother? Where would this leave the face of the Enlightenment School’s Patriarch and his own master?

From the southwest direction, streams of light shot over, appearing fierce but each flying slower than the last.

And from due east, more streams of light shot forth, waves of familiar pressure already spreading.

Enlightenment and Severing had arrived.

…

Star-Plucking Tower ruins.

A golden light slowly drifted through the blue sky, transforming into the Heaven Court’s female war god in battle armor.

You Qin Xuan Ya landed on the burnt floor, gazing at the corpse still sitting there propped up by a sword, unable to help sighing softly.

The ancestor said:

“Though there are regrets and inadequacies, he died defending principles, not dishonoring the title of Human Emperor of humanity. I will protect your third son Zi Geng myself. Though Shang has lost the Human Emperor’s fortune, the ancestral shrine will survive. My name is Xuan Ya, Qi was my nephew. Among Qi’s descendants, I have seen over these thousand years, you were one of the more outstanding ones.”

As her words fell, a gentle breeze blew, and the charred corpse slowly collapsed into a pile of ashen sand.

As it is said:

The nation’s foundation wanes beyond return, eastern conquests expanded lands and gathered slaves.

Fifty campaigns brought the beauty Su, the Great King’s palace lacking entertainers.

Muye’s night rain displays heroes’ might, unwilling to go east and burn Star-Plucking Tower.

Yet how could later ones set Zhou rites, thousand years of scholars writing cursing names?