This Human Immortal Is Too Serious-Chapter 443 - 441: A Small Way In [Vote! Subscribe!]
Atop the ruins of Heaven Palace, the Celestial Court held a great feast for three days.
One deity proposed to extend the feast for several months, but Head Manager recorded it and later gave a negative assessment at the performance review.
The establishment of the Celestial Court was not after a long period of battle, but sudden and unexpected. The Heavenly Dao, hiding in the shadows, directly took over this world.
With many affairs and unstable minds, now was not the time for revelry and celebration.
This grand feast would not have been possible had the Eastern Emperor not decided to invite the leaders of all major clans, allowing the gods to partake in the meal as well.
At the feast, Wu Wang no longer just sent out signals, but directly presented the plans that had been determined.
On one hand, the Celestial Court would integrate the strong beings among the living creatures into the ranks of the Celestial Court's military officers, allowing them to gain some merit and strengthen themselves, as well as bring good fortune to their own tribes.
On the other hand, the Celestial Court would offer a portion of Divine Positions to young beings who possessed ability, ideals, sentiments, and character. They would join the Celestial Court, with terms of service, merit, benefits, and status.
Providing living creatures with a path for advancement and ensuring that the path was not completely occupied by Human Domain cultivators was Wu Wang's promise to the Hundred Races.
Shen Nong also took the initiative to promise that the Human Domain would not push its borders northward for three thousand years.
The disputes between living beings were also a means for the Heavenly Dao to regulate the Power of Living Beings.
During the banquet, Wu Wang excused himself for a while and was led by Yun Zhongjun to the God of Spring's Temple.
The leaders of the seven clans of the Northern Wilderness held a small feast here.
Xiong Han took the main seat, accompanied by Xiong Ming and the Young Master, while Lin Suqing, along with Yu Fenman and several senior Maidens, served tea and poured wine on the side.
The Eastern Emperor's family feast.
When Wu Wang arrived, Xiong Han was being constantly amused by Xiong Ming.
The leader of the Big Wave Tribe saw Wu Wang and immediately let out a strange cry, his words full of conviction:
"I've said before, my son Xing Tian can rival the Heavenly Emperor! Look, look! Could my son not rival the current Heavenly Emperor when he was younger?"
"Oh, come off it!"
Xiong Han shoved his brother away with a laugh and scolded, "Don't try to ingratiate yourself. After this meal, we're out of here! Don't bring trouble to my son!"
Wu Wang laughed and said, "I've also reserved a place for Brother Xing Tian to be a great general in the Celestial Court!"
"Exactly!"
Laughing, Wu Wang toasted with these uncles from different clans, just as he had done in the Northern Wilderness.
But soon, he made a sign to his father, Xiong Han, and everyone tacitly chose to fall silent.
The Young Master said, "I've prepared a painting for your esteemed father; it's in the study. Why don't you go fetch it for your father to appreciate?"
Xiong Han went with the flow, saying, "Not a problem, I'll have a look."
"Father, I'll accompany you," Wu Wang responded and followed Xiong Han into a partitioned alcove in the corner.
The Young Master calmly set up a Barrier and said with a smile, "The painting is quite simple; better not to reveal it."
Everyone naturally nodded with a smile and continued to drink and eat.
In the study, Xiong Han sighed and looked down at his palms, his broad and sturdy back slightly hunched.
"Ba'er, don't worry. Your dad understands that your mother has been taken hostage by Emperor Shun."
"I will rescue Mother," Wu Wang said confidently. "Father, rest assured, I will!"
Xiong Han looked up at Wu Wang, his tiger-like eyes reddening with a hint of tears.
He walked towards Wu Wang, placed his hands on his son's shoulders, and gave a firm squeeze, saying with a laugh, "My son, the Heavenly Emperor. Who would believe this?"
"Father..."
"In front of others, don't call me that. Just say 'hey' or start talking directly," Xiong Han whispered. "You're my son, but I've been of little help in your becoming the Heavenly Emperor; I only provided you with a bit of ore.
Don't feel too much pressure about your mother's situation.
She is a goddess, and I understand her. If you were to abandon everything you have now out of concern for her, putting yourself in danger, she would suffer more alive than dead.
Also, I hear from your daughter-in-law that she's trapped because her true body is in the Outer Sky, and her Divine Soul descended completely to this side, so she's unable to fight back?"
"It was my oversight. I should have realized sooner..."
"You're not omnipotent; what's with all the moping?"
Xiong Han laughed and punched Wu Wang lightly, whispering:
"Alright, go back to where you should. Your father will keep an eye on things for you. Having my daughter-in-law here accompanying those guys is already giving them enough face.
Don't worry about the Northern Wilderness. What I can do for you is to take care of the Northern Wilderness's clans.
There's not much else I can help with.
Your mother... will definitely be okay."
"Yes," Wu Wang smiled, "Mother will definitely be fine. You just take it easy, Dad."
"Off you go."
Xiong Han chuckled, lifted his head, took a deep breath, and shouted, "What's the matter? After becoming the Heavenly Emperor, you think you can just not come back for a visit? No way!"
「...」
Exhaustion often comes after overexertion.
「One month later, in the God of Spring's Divine World.」
Wu Wang sprawled on a lounge chair atop a tall building, sipping on the juice that Lin Suqing passed to him, gazing at the immortal islands and temples that were slowly ascending higher into the sky.
Although he really wanted to relax and have a true rest, even for an hour, the myriad pieces of information transmitted by the Heavenly Dao were just too overwhelming.
This thing is actually quite interesting.
One moment, Wu Wang's incarnation shone with golden light, fishing for crabs in the North Sea;
The next moment, this incarnation could appear in the Eastern Wilderness, observing the local customs, and witnessing how the Heavenly Dao 'permeated' every aspect of the lives of living beings.
If this were a game, Wu Wang would have already achieved the core gameplay—the Heavenly Emperor Simulator.
The Heavenly Dao had just been established, and the Celestial Court had been reborn. It wasn't that they were struggling every step of the way, but rather that there was a lot that needed to be rejuvenated.
Sorting out the Old Heavenly Palace was only the first step, which laid a solid foundation for the Celestial Court. There were still two major challenges to overcome afterwards.
First was how the Immortals of the Human Domain would integrate into the Celestial Court.
The second was how to extend the influence of the Celestial Court from the Emperor's City to the Nine Wildernesses and make the world united, to then face the combined entity of Candle Dragon and Emperor Shun.
When 'Little Zhong' told Wu Wang that Emperor Shun would easily win against Candle Dragon, Wu Wang was somewhat perplexed.
'Little Zhong' explained that Emperor Shun had actually given up his own body, and always maintained multiple 'selves', partly to strengthen his Divine Soul.
Crucially, Candle Dragon itself was eroded by the Dao of Chaos, its Divine Soul alternating between clarity and chaos, acting mostly on instinct. Emperor Shun was like an unarmed but agile mortal trying to tame a frenzied, red-eyed dog.
Taking advantage could lead to victory.
Thus, after coming full circle, the first powerful enemy he had to defeat was still Emperor Shun.
"Being the Heavenly Emperor is truly exhausting," Wu Wang acknowledged with a straightforward gaze.
The head maiden peeling oranges beside him couldn't help but cover her face with her hand.
If it weren't for the fact that the Young Master was now His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor, and the leader of the Heavenly Dao at that, she would have definitely made a few sarcastic remarks at him! Lin Suqing fumed internally, her orange-peeling motions becoming much more vigorous.
Now, she had transformed into a presence in the Celestial Court who had neither divine authority nor a Divine Position, but whom any Divine Spirit would greet with a smile.
Lin Suqing's attire also lost its previous simplicity and became more regal.
Seeing her hair coiled into a bun and adorned with a golden hairpin and silver jewelry, it complemented her snow-white slender neck, which under the sunlight revealed a faint blush through her fair skin.
Her face above the neck was more tender and moist, as if a pinch could squeeze out a few drops of clear water; during the Immortal Tribulation she faced a few days ago, the Heavenly Dao helped her and even fulfilled one of her wishes.
It allowed her figure to progress from 'already having a dragonfly stand upon its head' to being gracefully curved.
Of course, becoming an Immortal was not a big deal.
Lin Suqing had taken care of the Eastern Emperor for many years, rendered meritorious service, for which the Heavenly Dao descended virtue, intermingled with some insights into the Great Dao.
This was no longer just an infusion of wisdom; it was more like forcibly stuffing her with the Dao Realm.
Naturally, this was a one-of-a-kind event in this world.
Soon, Lin Suqing arranged a plate of fresh fruits and floated towards Wu Wang. She blinked, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she decided to tease Wu Wang.
"Your Majesty, have some fruit," she cooed.
Wu Wang's body shuddered a few times. "Be more serious!"
She "Mm"ed, the lingering sound twirling around her fingertips, exceptionally enchanting. "Don't you find the way I speak very gentle?"
Wu Wang couldn't help but raise his hand to his forehead. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦
"Oh, come on, give me a little response," Lin Suqing pinched the cloth on Wu Wang's shoulder and gently shook it. "Your Majesty, do you like me to be formal, or do you prefer me to take the initiative?"
Suddenly, Wu Wang asked, "Aren't you used to spreading out your Immortal Consciousness around you all the time? That's right, you usually don't engage in Duels, so you lack such basic alertness."
"What?" Lin Suqing was a bit confused.
"AHEM!"
The Grand Elder's coughing sound came over, and Lin Suqing's pretty face instantly turned red. She threw the fruit plate into Wu Wang's arms and her form swiftly headed towards the clouds on the side, her mouth emitting a few whimpers.
How embarrassing!
"HAHAHA!"
Laughter followed from behind, as the Grand Elder, Yang Wudi, Kan Tianhou, Hu Sheng, along with Da Yi, came forward and paid respects to Wu Wang.
The Grand Elder spoke loudly, "Greetings to Your Majesty, the Eastern Emperor!"
This made Yang Wudi, who wanted to cozy up by calling him Sect Master, follow suit with "Your Majesty."
Wu Wang smiled lightly at the Grand Elder and warmly said, "We're all family here; no need for formalities, please sit."
The Grand Elder laughingly sighed, "Having just realized the rules set by the Heavenly Dao—the Heavenly Dao is heartless, hence impartial by nature. You are the leader of the Heavenly Dao; it is fitting for you to be just so."
"Heavenly Dao is Heavenly Dao, I am me," Wu Wang laughed.
"Before the Heavenly Dao has fully formed, I will dominate it, correct the mistaken directions in which the Heavenly Dao develops. Once it is on the right track, I will retain the ultimate power to create or destroy it, and let the Heavenly Dao operate on its own.
I have bigger matters to face."
The crowd did not understand.
Wu Wang also felt somewhat puzzled, as Little Zhong was still unwilling to reveal the final enemy.
The Grand Elder laughed, "This truly is your way, Your Majesty."
Wu Wang looked up at the islands and temples of the immortals, becoming more and more distant from the great earth, his eyes full of emotion.
"Authority is a mystical thing. The more intent you are on seizing it, the more easily you become its slave.
By the way, would any of you like a Divine Position?"
The Grand Elder remained silent, glancing sideways at Kan Tianhou and Hu Sheng, who exchanged looks. Kan Tianhou's eyes showed hesitation, while Hu Sheng said directly, "Forget about a Divine Position; I'm almost worn out as it is."
Kan Tianhou smiled. "Your Majesty, I belong to the Human Emperor Pavilion, so it should be decided and recommended by the Human Emperor Pavilion."
"Hmm," Wu Wang said, "I've discussed with Elder Shen Nong, and we will start with thirty-six outstanding individuals from the Human Domain to serve in the Celestial Court. You two should ponder this. If you want to follow my path, follow my path. If you wish to follow the pathway of the Human Emperor Pavilion, I can give you a letter of recommendation.
Managing the Divine Realm has been arduous."
"Won't we have to manage the Divine Realm anymore?" Hu Sheng asked softly.
"Hmm," Wu Wang laughed, "Look over there, haven't the reforms already started?"
Everyone looked in the direction Wu Wang was gazing at and naturally saw that nearly half of Emperor Shun's statue had been dismantled.
The once majestic statue of the Heavenly Emperor, akin to the spine between heaven and earth, had completed its cycle of Great Wilderness history with the end of the Old Heavenly Palace era.
In Wu Wang's palm, there appeared a sphere of golden light, within which seemed to emerge the scene of a small city, filled with joyous laughter of living beings, where lost items on the road are not picked up by others, and doors need not be closed at night.
"I have a dream of a great unity. Therefore, I previously planted a seed of a new order in the Northern Wilderness.
Now, this seed has been accepted by the Heavenly Dao, becoming the template for the Heavenly Dao to promote the progress of living beings next. Emperor's City will be the original site for expansion.
Afterwards, Emperor's City will influence the Hundred Races, gradually bringing the clans forward from their traditional structures."
The group nodded, their eyes filled with emotion.
The Grand Elder asked, "What about the several large tribes within the Great Wilderness with the bloodline of Emperor Shun? How should they be dealt with?"
"That's up to their will," Wu Wang said. "If they erase the shadow of Emperor Shun, they can continue to develop. If they persist in calling themselves the descendants of Emperor Shun, let them move to the Eastern Wilderness."
"The Eastern Wilderness?"
Yang Wudi muttered, "Xihe's territory?"
"Haven't you noticed that the Heavenly Dao intentionally left the Eastern Wilderness alone, and I haven't tampered with the situation in the Eastern Wilderness either?"
Wu Wang squinted his eyes with a smile and spoke softly, "This is a stratagem. If you answer correctly, Wudi, I will gift you a fine treasure."
"Treasure?"
Yang Wudi's eyes lit up and he immediately furrowed his brows in thought, quickly saying, "Your Majesty, you want the power in the Eastern Wilderness to diversify and then evolve into what the Western Wilderness was before!"
Wu Wang's lips quirked slightly and he spoke in a low voice, "With the great changes in the world, it's time for you to change too. Don't always get into the bed of a goddess and then be unable to come down, ruining your health!"
"HEHEHE," Yang Wudi patted his bald head. "You could explain it, Your Majesty. I'm also quite puzzled by this."
Wu Wang took a gourd from his sleeve and tossed it over; inside were some Spirit Pills that contained masculine strength.
He spoke leisurely:
"There are many reasons for doing this, but the most important one is to ensure the Celestial Court does not lose its vigilance in the future, always remembering that there are places between heaven and earth that are not yet unified.
Secondly, the Eastern Wilderness is Xihe's inherent territory, where dozens of Divine Spirits follow Xihe's command. The reason Xihe could support the Heavenly Dao so swiftly in this revolution is because she has dozens of old friends to care for behind her.
Xihe herself has not committed any major offense, so the Heavenly Dao naturally cannot target her, which is why she was given this allowance, to let the Eastern Wilderness stay temporarily detached from the order.
Furthermore, whenever a new order is established, there are always forces from the old order that push back. If these forces are underground, then they form an undercurrent that could magnify their danger continuously.
By leaving the territory of the Eastern Wilderness, which belongs to Xihe, those Divine Spirits with dual loyalties to the new order naturally have an escape route, a direction, a destination; the undercurrent thus flows from underground and becomes a river on the surface.
Once they gather strength, and the Heavenly Dao is stable, it certainly will not allow them to create waves."
Wu Wang paused in his words and casually added, "In short, this is the predicament that must be faced with Emperor Shun's sudden disappearance and the unpredicted emergence of the Heavenly Dao."
The group nodded to themselves, pondering carefully for a while.
Wu Wang smiled and said, "Let's not talk about this anymore. I have to make a trip to the Eastern Wilderness later to reassure Xihe's old ministers."
"Your Majesty," the Grand Elder said, "You should rest here for a while. You must have been working extremely hard recently; we just came to pay our respects."
"Hmm," Wu Wang winked at the Grand Elder. "Grand Elder, you know the Heavenly Dao is based on the Power of Living Beings, and our Young Master has long created a 'Ball of All Spirits' which contains messages from all living beings."
The Grand Elder looked puzzled.
Wu Wang hummed softly and laughed, "Nice name, it has a lot of depth."
"This!"
The Grand Elder's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot, and he hurriedly left on a cloud, leaving Yang Wudi with eyes gleaming as he looked at Wu Wang.
Unfortunately, now that Wu Wang had become the Heavenly Emperor, Yang Wudi didn't dare to act too familiarly, such as throwing his usual tantrums, and could only suppress his curiosity.
As soon as the Grand Elder left, Yang Wudi glanced left and right, and tentatively asked with some trepidation, "Sect Master?"
"Hmm?" Wu Wang's eyes narrowed with a smile. "Speak, what Divine Position do you want? You have made great contributions and should indeed be granted one."
"I'll pass on the Divine Position, HEHEHE," Yang Wudi rubbed his large hands and muttered softly. "I'm not the stuff that Celestial Immortals are made of; I'm too used to lazing around. I just heard that... Your mother and Princess Jingwei accidentally ended up in the Outer Sky?"
Wu Wang's gaze naturally dimmed. The thought that he had always suppressed in his heart, he was ultimately reluctant to mention much.
He said, "That's correct."
"I'm extremely concerned about it," said Yang Wudi earnestly, "and, Sect Master, to be frank, after summing things up, after serving under you..."
Wu Wang corrected him, "You can use the phrase 'working for me.' 'Serving under me' like that can be easily misunderstood."
"Ah, right! Since working for you, my fortune has been climbing higher and higher.
I used to think that making it to a clan Elder was the peak, until I went to the Ten Evils Hall and opened up a new situation.
Just as we thought that living in seclusion with our several spouses in the mountains till our old age was the best part of life, you assigned me to the Heaven Palace, where the Goddesses are more open than any of the living beings.
I have my selfish desires too.
A tree dies when it's moved, but people prosper by moving; one can never uncover a greater situation without stirring."
Yang Wudi muttered, "Look, do you need any intelligence from the Outer Sky? I'll dedicate myself body and soul, exhaust every ounce of my energy, HEHE."
Wu Wang: ...
Should the Heavenly Dao establish an intelligence organization similar to the East Factory? And make Yang Wudi the head of it?
TSK, that's worth considering.
