Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme

Chapter 601: 366 Chapter: Qiankun

Although it was a grand assembly held only once a century, not all celestial officials were involved. Apart from the few determined Calamity Immortals among the Four Imperial Protectors who were leading the session, the other officials were mostly engaged in deep cultivation within their palaces.

Wugu Star was among them. As a protégé of the Heavenly Venerable lineage and a newly ascended Calamity Immortal, he did not participate in this grand assembly.

It wasn’t until an attendant spirit officer came bearing an imperial decree that a Golden Armored Divine General in a red cloak, leading the Wugu Star’s subordinates, came forth to kneel on one knee, awaiting the command.

The attendant spirit officer was also straightforward.

He unfurled the holy edict and declared loudly, "In the Lower Realm of the South Observance Continent, Zhen Yuan of Wuzhuang Temple has caused a stir in the Dragon Palace, thrown the Underworld into chaos, shown contempt for heavenly might, and committed offences against those above, instructing the Wugu Star to lead his palace’s forces, dispatch a hundred thousand Celestial Soldiers, and bring forth eighteen arrays of the Heavenly Net and Earthly Trap to capture and subdue him; there must be no mistakes!"

"Your subordinate obeys the command!"

As a trusted retainer of the Heavenly Venerable lineage, Wugu Star had no room for evasion. He accepted the order immediately and returned to his palace to mobilize the troops and generals.

Each palace and department in the Heavenly Court had its own subjects. The Wugu Star Palace was no exception. Apart from the newly ascended Star Lord of the Tribulation Realm, there were also a host of Star Lords, several Mahayanas, more than ten Integrations, and over a hundred thousand soldiers and subordinates.

At Wugu Star’s command, troops were assembled, and with eighteen arrays of the Heavenly Net and Earthly Trap, they marched with great momentum to the Lower Realm.

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In the South Observance Continent, Mount Longevity, Wuzhuang Temple.

Outside the mountain, cultivators gathered, their expressions a mixture of shock and anger.

"Is this really happening?"

"Heavenly Court is too heavy-handed with this!"

"I thought it was just the Dragon Palace and the Netherworld coming to report, but now it turns out that Heavenly Court has acted."

"Does the Jade Emperor, having only heard one side of the story, wish to capture Brother Zhen Yuan based on the wishes of the Dragon Palace and the Netherworld?"

"Has he no regard for justice and fairness?"

Lord Chu Shan, Lord Lutu, and a host of Mahayanas from the righteous forces of South Observance, along with those in the Integration and Return to Void stages, and even Deity Transformation and Nascent Soul Cultivators by the thousands gathered outside Mount Longevity, their emotions a blend of shock and anger as they looked towards one person.

Facing the glares from the cultivators, the Longevity Star Palace Master also felt helpless: "His Majesty once had a decree, summoning Brother Zhen Yuan to ascend to Heaven to confront and explain himself to the Dragon Palace and the Netherworld, but Brother Zhen Yuan adamantly refused to go. His defiance of heavenly authority has attracted this military disaster..."

"Hmph!"

"How can the Jade Emperor, ruler of the Heavenly Court and the Immortal Path, be so unreasonable and fail to distinguish right from wrong?"

"No matter how you view this matter, it was the Dragon Palace and the Netherworld who errored first. If the Jade Emperor is a true ruler, he should punish those two servants. What reason does he have to summon Brother Zhen Yuan to Heaven?"

"With the moral rightness of Heaven and Earth and the judgment of the people, the truth is clear for all to see. Why ascend to Heaven, why face any confrontation?"

"Could it be that the Heavenly Venerable intends to use the situation in the Netherworld and Dragon Palace to his advantage, forcibly reversing right and wrong to punish Brother Zhen Yuan?"

"In this territory, with Brother Zhen Yuan’s capability, one might still escape and remain safe, but if one goes to the Heavenly Court, with the Cycle of Heaven Constellation and a web of traps and arrays, in such peril, won’t Brother Dao simply be walking into his own execution?"

"Heavenly Court is truly unjust!"

Despite the Longevity Star Palace Master’s words, the cultivators refused to listen and grew even more enraged.

Seeing this, the Longevity Star Palace Master felt helpless.

The Jade Emperor had sent him to clarify the cause and effect, so that the military deployment would appear Justified and to prevent damage to heavenly authority and loss of public trust.

But could this cause and effect really stand scrutiny?

For a thousand years, Wuzhuang has established its Taoist lineage. Zhen Yuan had a reputation in South Observance, opening Pill Origin; teaching and passing on the law, forming alliances; exterminating demons and eradicating evil.

A great influence had been established, winning the hearts of the people!

Not to mention that these reasons, these excuses, are hardly tenable, even if they were, the hearts of South Observance would still lean towards Wuzhuang Temple.

By sending troops and enforcing actions like this, the Heavenly Court was bound to suffer great damage to its prestige. The State of South Observance, which was already not under its direct control, would likely become even harder to govern in the future, and many hidden dangers could arise, potentially causing backlash at any moment.

Foolish, utterly foolish!

But what could be done now that it had come to this?

Given Wuzhuang’s attitude, the Heavenly Court certainly could not face it with resignation and silence, could it?

How then would the Heavenly Court’s authority be preserved?

Faced with dilemmas on all sides, the situation was indeed helpless!

The Longevity Star Palace Master could only say, "The matter is not yet concluded, and the dispatch of the Celestial Soldiers is but to summon Brother Zhen Yuan to Heaven; further discussions will be had thereafter. His Majesty, with his insight into the Qiankun, will surely make a fair judgment..."

"Uh!!!"

Before he could finish, the crowd was startled by a sudden change in the wind and clouds darkening the sky.

The cultivators were taken aback, looked up, and saw...

A yellow wind billowing, darkening the sky, a purple mist rising, dimming the land. Clouds teemed with figures, and amidst the wind, blades and halberds surged ominously. There were Divine Generals clad in golden armor, draped in red robes, and Celestial Soldiers armed with axes, spears, hooks, and forks!

It was the Wugu Star’s forces, a hundred thousand Celestial Soldiers making the sky dark and obscuring the light of the sun and moon.

"Wugu Star?!"

The crowd’s faces changed, and hisses of cold breath filled the air.

The Eastern Victory Heavenly Court, with the Earth Immortals leading its first Tao Lineage, had profound depths and flourishing fate. Not only did it have five Nine Tribulations True Immortals as Emperor Venerables, but it also boasted many powerful beings among the ranks of the Calamity Immortals.

This Wugu Star was one of them, a trusted retainer of the Heavenly Venerable lineage, a gifted prodigy. Although his cultivation years were far fewer than those of old Mahayanas like the Longevity Star Palace Master, he had already stepped into the Tribulation Realm ahead of them. Although he was but an Immortal of the first tribulation, he still possessed vast Divine Power.

Holding the position of Wugu, he was charged with warfare, and his strength was particularly formidable.

Deploying this man and his troops, the attitude of the Heavenly Court was clear.

The crowd was alarmed, and the Longevity Star Palace Master furrowed his brow.

Wugu Star Lord, an official of the Tribulation Realm, was indeed extraordinary.

But could this matter be so simple?

He’d rather defy heavenly authority and anger the Jade Emperor than ascend to Heaven for a confrontation.

If such actions were not madness, then there must be something to rely on!

What could it be?

The Longevity Star Palace Master did not know, and felt an uneasy premonition. Thus, he tirelessly tried to salvage the situation, advising and mediating.

But to no avail...

"Set up the Heavenly Net, cast down the Earthly Trap!"

With a stern cry, the military order was undeniable. The Wugu Star’s forces, led by a host of Star Lords, began by setting up nine Heavenly Nets to cover the high canopy of Mount Longevity, then threw down nine Earthly Traps, sinking them into the Great Earth Spiritual Veins of Wuzhuang.

It was indeed...

"The Heavenly Net and Earthly Trap!"

"They even brought this treasure!"