183: Chapter 183 A Dialogue Between Master and Disciple at Jade Void Palace

Time flowed leisurely; a full thousand years passed in the blink of an eye.

Throughout the millennium, the fervor of recruitment within Lingxiao Palace never ceased.

Various hidden mighty figures and Loose Cultivators came forward one after another to register for divine positions. Some vied for powerful deities with authority over thunder, stars, water, and fire,

while others weighed the pros and cons to select leisurely, clean positions. There were also a few insightful Cultivators who, following Yao Ji's example, chose minor divine positions related to the four seasons, vegetation, or rain and dew—positions close to the Origin of heaven and earth and in harmony with their own Dao.

Immortal music played ceaselessly in the hall, and auspicious Qi lingered constantly. The dense Immortal Qi from the Flat Peach Banquet enveloped the entire Nine Heavens palace,

and the vast ocean of Innate Spiritual Qi flowed slowly above Lingxiao, nourishing the Dao Fruit of every Cultivator attending the banquet.

Until the millennium ended, the auspicious clouds above the firmament slowly receded, announcing the official conclusion of this unprecedented Flat Peach Banquet.

"The banquet has ended. Fellow Daoists, you may depart. When the Heavenly Court's canonization ceremony begins, we shall gather at Lingxiao once more!"

As the voice fell, the mighty figures in the hall rose one after another.

Thousands of beams of light rose and fell, and colorful immortal clouds and radiance crisscrossed the sky. Countless Cultivators left, some in groups, others riding the wind alone.

The once bustling Lingxiao Palace returned to its former majesty and solemnity in mere moments.

After The Six Sages and the Human Race had all departed,

Haotian sat back on the Heavenly Emperor's throne. His voice was steady and majestic, resounding through the empty hall:

"Venus Star, the millennium banquet has concluded. How many Primordial Cultivators have voluntarily submitted and competed for divine positions in the Heavenly Court in total?"

Upon hearing this, Venus Star immediately stepped forward, holding up a heavy jade book with both hands.

Spiritual light flowed across the jade book, which was densely recorded with the names and cultivation Realms of all the Cultivators who had registered over the millennium.

He bowed and reported loudly: "Reporting to the Heavenly Emperor, those who voluntarily joined our Heavenly Court and registered for divine positions include eleven Quasi-Saints and over five hundred Grand Unity Golden Immortals. All have been entered into the Heavenly Court's immortal register, awaiting subsequent canonization."

Eleven Quasi-Saints, five hundred Grand Unity Golden Immortals.

Hearing these numbers, Haotian's posture on the jade throne relaxed slightly. A look of deep satisfaction flashed across his cold, stern eyes, and he nodded slightly:

"Not bad."

Just two words, yet they carried immense joy.

Haotian gazed toward the direction of the Primordial land, shimmering light swirling in his eyes.

He pondered to himself: More than five hundred Grand Unity Cultivators, plus the lists submitted by The Six Sages over the past few days. This Flat Peach Banquet has added nearly six hundred Grand Unity Golden Immortal Cultivators to the Heavenly Court.

The embarrassing situation of the past, where the Heavenly Court was hollow, weak in foundation, with authority hanging in the void, constrained by the various great sects of the Primordial world, and unable to govern the Primordial world or awe the myriad races, had been completely reversed.

Ambition surged in Haotian's heart, and his deep eyes reflected the entire Primordial firmament.

Since he and Yaochi took charge of the Heavenly Court, they had endured, laid low, gone through a thousand lifetimes of Reincarnation, planned every step, expanded the immortal ranks, absorbed Cultivators, and gathered Luck—all for this very day!

After a long silence, Haotian withdrew his thoughts and commanded indifferently: "Venus Star, hold the canonization ceremony in three hundred years. You are fully responsible for this matter."

Venus Star bowed solemnly and accepted the order:

"Your subject obeys the decree!"

After Venus Star withdrew, only Haotian remained in Lingxiao Palace.

Subsequently, a force of Heavenly Dao enveloped him, and before he could offer much resistance, he appeared in Zixiao Palace.

...

Meanwhile, after Yuanshi Tianzun returned to Kunlun Mountain with his Disciples, he had Que Liusun and the others return to their own Dao fields to Cultivate alone.

He turned his form and vanished from Yuxu Palace.

When he appeared again, he was already in a secluded grotto-heaven.

Inside the grotto, a spiritual spring bubbled, and Innate Spiritual Qi condensed into wisps of mist that lingered all around. The white jade floor tiles were flawless.

In the very center, Guangchengzi sat cross-legged, his spine as straight as an ancient pine or cypress. His eyes were lightly closed, and black Qi swirled around his body.

Looking at the surrounding environment, it was clear that this nominal head of the Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect was still the apple of Yuanshi Tianzun's eye.

Just then, the Spiritual Qi within the grotto suddenly congealed.

The spiritual mist swirling around Guangchengzi stilled, the dancing Laws dimmed, and even the flow of time seemed to slow down accordingly.

Yuanshi Tianzun appeared silently before Guangchengzi.

He stood in front, his gaze falling calmly on his eldest Disciple who was bitterly Cultivating with eyes closed. His deep eyes looked at the endless resentment accumulated and the persistent Calamity Qi entwined around him.

After a moment of silence, he spoke. His voice was flat and waveless, without joy or anger, betraying no emotion:

"Guangchengzi, in a thousand years, you shall ascend to the heavens to take up a post."

The simple eight-character decree fell into the grotto, clearly reaching Guangchengzi's ears.

The Chan Sect's eldest Disciple, who had been sitting and bitterly Cultivating, slowly opened his eyes. Looking at the Revered Master before him, he merely replied indifferently, his voice flat and cold, without a ripple:

"Disciple understands."

No bowing, no standing up, no respectful reply.

His tone was straightforward, as if he were listening to an ordinary arrangement that had nothing to do with him—obedient, yet alienated to the extreme.

Yuanshi Tianzun stood quietly in place, watching his eldest Disciple who remained seated motionless, and listening to his reply devoid of any respect. A silent sigh quietly flashed across the depths of his eyes.

In the end, he had spoiled Guangchengzi too much.

The current Guangchengzi saw him like a Puppet, with no Life Qi in his heart and a desire for death.

Now, when he saw him, there was no longer any hint of respect.

Sigh, in the past... Yuanshi would have slapped him to death long ago.

But after experiencing a series of events, Yuanshi had grown, and his psychological tolerance was higher.

Although he didn't know how long it would last.

At least for now, Guangchengzi's behavior was still within his tolerance range.

Yuanshi gazed quietly at his eldest Disciple, a thousand emotions swirling in his heart.

That Guangchengzi of the past—spirited, respectful, observant of etiquette, and firmly seated as the head of all Immortals in the Chan Sect—had changed.

After a long time, Yuanshi suppressed all the complex emotions in his heart, and his indifferent voice slowly sounded again, turning into a final exhortation:

"After you ascend to the heavens, perform your duties faithfully, dedicate yourself to fulfilling your divine position, and use the Karma of the Heavenly Dao to wash yourself clean. Cleanse yourself of the Calamity Qi and resentment that entwine you as soon as possible, and strive for a Breakthrough to Quasi-Saint early."

Upon hearing these words.

Guangchengzi, sitting in place, finally felt a slight movement in the depths of his pitch-black, silent eyes.

There was no wild joy, no gratitude, only a trace of extremely faint, almost imperceptible loosening.

Ascend to the heavens to take a post?

He lowered his eyes slightly and nodded indifferently, still not rising or bowing:

"Disciple will keep Revered Master's decree in mind."

Yuanshi looked at him in this state and said no more.

The next instant, the stagnant Dao rhythm within the grotto slowly loosened, and the supreme pressure suppressing the space faded away completely.

Yuanshi Tianzun's white-robed figure swayed gently, silently dissipating into the Void Realm, completely leaving this secluded grotto-heaven.

The grotto-heaven returned to dead silence and tranquility.

The spiritual spring continued to bubble, and immortal mist lingered around him.

Guangchengzi closed his eyes again, and the faint black Qi surrounding him rose and fell slightly.

"Ascend to the heavens to take a post, baptism by Karma, Breakthrough to Quasi-Saint..."

"Breakthrough to Quasi-Saint... Quasi-Saint!"

He silently repeated his Revered Master's exhortation in a low voice, and the withered wood that had been silent for so long in his Dao Heart quietly sprouted a trace of imperceptible Life Qi.