Chapter 620

Kunlun Mountain, Sanqing Hall.

Taishang Laojun returned from the lower realm, and on that face which had been as still as an ancient well for ten thousand years, a hint of gloom appeared for the first time.

He said nothing, walked straight into the hall, and sat cross-legged before the Eight Trigrams Furnace, but he no longer had the heart to glance at the nine-turn golden elixir that had been brewing in the furnace for a thousand years.

Yuanshi Tianzun and Tongtian Jiaozhu, seeing this, were both astonished in their hearts.

"Elder brother, that human race..." Yuanshi could not help but speak.

"Its fate is already linked with the Yao clan; it cannot be taken by external force."

Laozi closed his eyes, uttered a sentence containing endless heavenly secrets, and then fell silent.

Such movement could not escape the notice of those with intent.

Yao Clan Heavenly Court, Donghuang Palace.

Gu Yuan still appeared in his usual frail and languid state, lazily leaning on the soft couch carved from Nine Heavens Warm Jade, listening to Bai Ze's report before him.

"Your Highness, as you expected. Taishang Laojun indeed went to the Human Ancestral Land, wishing to take Cangjie, the inventor of writing, as his disciple and transmit the Golden Elixir Great Dao, but was refused outright by Cangjie on the grounds that 'humans must strive for self-improvement without ceasing'."

Bai Ze's tone was filled with awe for his Highness's divine machinations.

"Oh?"

Gu Yuan did not even lift his eyelids, as if listening to a trivial matter, only the corner of his pale mouth twitched into a faint, elusive smile.

Just then, the sound of footsteps like a dragon's stride and a tiger's step came from afar.

Di Jun entered wearing the Nine Dragon Imperial Robe, his face full of spring breeze, having just finished handling the follow-up matters of the Wu clan's "gratitude", his heart feeling extremely refreshed.

"Younger brother, you didn't see Di Jiang's face—blacker than the bottom of a pot! Hahaha! So refreshing!"

Di Jun laughed heartily as he sat beside Gu Yuan, picked up the immortal fruit on the table and took a bite, completely devoid of any heavenly emperor's airs.

"Elder brother, it's just a small matter, why get worked up?" Gu Yuan lightly coughed twice, gesturing for Bai Ze to relay the information he had just heard to Di Jun.

After hearing Bai Ze's report, the smile on Di Jun's face instantly froze, replaced by deep vigilance and solemnity.

"Taishang Laojun... he actually wants to interfere in human affairs?" Di Jun furrowed his brows, "He is the future Heavenly Dao Saint; if he is determined to seize it, we..."

"Elder brother, don't rush." Gu Yuan waved his hand, signaling Bai Ze to retreat.

He slowly sat up straighter, his clear eyes looking at Di Jun, and said with a smile: "Elder brother, the Saint wants to seize it, but failed to do so. What does this indicate?"

Di Jun was stunned for a moment, then his eyes burst forth with brilliant light: "It indicates that the fate of the human race has been completely bound to our Heavenly Court, so much so that even a Saint cannot forcibly reverse it!"

"Not bad." Gu Yuan nodded approvingly, "But this also serves as a warning to us. The human race is a piece of fat meat, and those eyeing it are not limited to just our family."

"Although the Saint has temporarily withdrawn, in the Great Wasteland there are still countless Quasi-Sage powerhouses, as well as top-tier scattered cultivators like Zhenyuanzi and Xi Wang Mu. Though they dare not openly compete with us, who knows if they will not secretly support some human tribes to siphon off fate?"

Upon hearing this, Di Jun's face sank again.

What Gu Yuan said was correct; although the Heavenly Court is strong, it cannot possibly place every human in the Great Wasteland under absolute, watertight control—there will always be loopholes.

"Then, according to your opinion, younger brother, what should we do?" Di Jun asked humbly for guidance.

"Blocking is not as good as guiding." Gu Yuan extended his pale finger and lightly tapped in the void.

"Elder brother, do you still remember the three strategies I mentioned to you before?"

Di Jun's spirit was lifted: "Heavenly Edicts, Heavenly Currency, Heavenly Ranking!"

"Exactly." Gu Yuan smiled faintly, "The 【Heavenly Edicts】 have been established, the 【Heavenly Currency】 has been implemented, and now is the time to unveil this final, and most crucial, strategy."

"【Heavenly Ranking】!"

Though Gu Yuan's voice was soft, it seemed to carry a power capable of remaking heaven and earth.

"We shall, in the name of the Heavenly Emperor, erect the 【Heavenly Ranking】 outside the Southern Heavenly Gate. All beings of the Great Wasteland, regardless of origin or race, may be listed on it, exchanging merit for Heavenly Court mandate blessings!"

"This ranking shall be divided into three categories."

"First, the 【War Merit Ranking】. All our Heavenly Court's divine soldiers and generals who campaign in all directions and slay remnants of the Wu clan may be listed, exchanging war merit for official positions, spiritual treasures, and cultivation resources. This is to consolidate the foundation of our Heavenly Court."

"Second, the 【Hundred Arts Ranking】. All in the Great Wasteland who are skilled in alchemy, forging, and formations, if they can offer pill recipes, diagrams, or forge divine weapons for the Heavenly Court, may also be listed, enjoying Heavenly Court mandate sponsorship, and even enter the Heavenly Court as officials. This is to employ the talents of the Great Wasteland for our use."

"Third, and most importantly," Gu Yuan's eyes flashed with a fox-like gleam, "the 【Demon-Slaying Ranking】."

"The ranking will list those ferocious beasts and evil demons that bring calamity to the Great Wasteland, as well as... those who refuse imperial edicts and still secretly practice the blood sacrifice methods of the Wu clan's affiliated tribes."

"Anyone who slays those listed on the ranking shall receive the Heavenly Court's bestowed merit and qi luck! Slay a Great Luo cultivator and obtain an innate spiritual treasure! Slay a Quasi-Sage... and even exchange with the Heavenly Court for a counterfeit banner of the Celestial Stars, to conceal heavenly secrets and evade the Quantity Calamity!"

"Hiss—"

Di Jun sucked in a breath of cold air, feeling a chill rise from the soles of his feet straight to his heavenly spirit crown.

He understood.

He understood completely!

This is not a ranking list—it is clearly a life-taking talisman, a blade hanging over the heads of all who oppose the Heavenly Court!

The 【War Merit Ranking】 and the 【Hundred Arts Ranking】 are yang schemes, soft measures to win over hearts.

But this 【Demon-Slaying Ranking】 is nothing but a naked killing move!

Those scattered cultivator powerhouses, for the sake of fate, spiritual treasures, and that star banner which can conceal heavenly secrets, will rush to slaughter the targets on the ranking like sharks smelling blood, gone mad!

Thus, the Heavenly Court needs not lift a finger itself, but can borrow the power of the entire Great Wasteland to gradually, bit by bit, exterminate the wings of the Wu clan!

"Excellent! Truly excellent!" Di Jun clapped his hands in praise, looking at his younger brother, his gaze already transformed from admiration to utter worship.

"Your strategy, younger brother, surpasses a million heavenly soldiers!"

"Elder brother flatters me." Gu Yuan lay back down, smoothed his fox fur robe, and weakly coughed, "These are merely petty tricks; next, we must see your heavenly emperor's dignity, elder brother."

"I will go attend to this now!"

Di Jun rose with heroic vigor, striding out of the hall with dragon's steps and tiger's stride.

Seven days later.

Thirty-Three Heavens, Southern Heavenly Gate.

"Boom——!!!"

A bell tolling, echoing through the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, rang out from the Lingxiao Baodian.

Immediately following, a massive ranking list, a hundred thousand zhang wide and a hundred million zhang tall, forged entirely of Purple Gold Divine Metal, rose slowly amidst the gathering of countless rays of rosy light, finally suspended outside the Southern Heavenly Gate.

Upon the list, two ancient, vast, and supremely majestic Daoist inscriptions were carved in Dragon Flying Phoenix Dancing calligraphy—【Heavenly Ranking】.

The Heavenly Ranking stirred without wind, slowly unfurling!

"By Mandate of Heaven, the Heavenly Emperor decrees: Now establish the 【Heavenly Ranking】 outside the Southern Heavenly Gate. All who have rendered merit to my Great Wasteland Heaven and Earth may ascend the list, enjoy the Heavenly Mandate Qi, and exchange for supreme treasures. So ordered!"