Chapter 637

Thirty-Three Heavens, outside the Southern Tianmen.

The Ten Thousand Heavenly River Water Army's armor was bright and distinct, spears and halberds like a forest, a grim killing intent enveloping the void.

That 【Heavenly Ranking】 cast from Star Essence Gold hung high in the sky, emanating a majesty that suppressed the myriad ages.

Before the temporarily established "Sect Registration Office" below, scattered cultivator experts from all over the Great Wasteland lined up in a long queue, the line winding all the way to the end of the sea of clouds.

Middle of the queue.

Two figures draped in tattered kasayas, faces bearing an expression of suffering, were slowly shifting along with the queue.

The two had not a shred of mana fluctuation about them, yet they made the scattered cultivators before, behind, left, and right instinctively feel a tremor in their souls, unconsciously clearing out a large circle of space.

Jieyin pressed his palms together, eyes lowered.

Zhunti, on the other hand, craned his neck, looking at the scattered cultivators ahead paying the "school selection fee" to obtain preaching qualifications, his eyes full of distress and bitterness.

"Senior Brother, the Heavenly Court's rules are simply flaying skin." Zhunti lowered his voice, tone resentful, "Registration requires Heavenly Currency, recruiting disciples also requires paying some 'auditing fee' based on aptitude. Our Western Teaching is originally poor as a church mouse; what do we have to pay with?"

Jieyin sighed: "Under the eaves, one must bow the head. Not entering the registry makes us a heretical cult. You and I barely achieved Sanctification by making forty-eight Great Vows, owing the Heavenly Dao a mountain of bad debt. If the Heavenly Court further cuts off our foundation for preaching in the East, this debt won't be repaid in tens of thousands of Kalpas."

Zhunti gritted his teeth, fumbling two shriveled Bodhi seeds from his sleeve.

"Next!"

The Yao Jiang responsible for registration knocked on the table, not even lifting his head.

Zhunti stepped forward quickly, piling on a smiling face as he handed over the two Bodhi seeds: "General, this poor daoist and his junior brother, representing the Western Teaching, have come to register. This... counts as the handling fee, alright?"

The Yao Jiang frowned, about to berate where this pauper came from daring to fob off the Heavenly Court with tree seeds.

Before the words left his mouth, a vast, boundless, terrifying Saintly Might, as if capable of crushing the myriad heavens and worlds, brushed through his Divine Consciousness like a spring breeze turning into rain.

The Yao Jiang's whole body stiffened, cold sweat instantly soaking through his heavy armor.

He abruptly raised his head, meeting Zhunti's half-smiling eyes, frightened so that his knees went weak and he was about to kneel.

"No need for ceremony."

A slender, elegant hand steadily braced the Yao Jiang's arm.

The Yao Saint Bai Ze appeared beside the table at some unknown time.

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, bowing deeply to Jieyin and Zhunti: "This little demon had eyes but no pearls, offending two Saints. The Heavenly Emperor and Great Emperor Taiyi have already issued a Decree: if the Western Teaching sends people, no need to queue, please proceed directly to Donghuang Palace for an audience."

Clamor—!

At these words, the million scattered cultivators queuing around erupted in an uproar.

Western Teaching? Those two begging poor monks, they're actually the Western Two Saints who just proved the Dao and became Saints yesterday?!

Majestic Saints, actually really came to the Southern Tianmen to queue for registration?!

Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged a glance, not embarrassed either.

Jieyin nodded slightly: "Trouble Daoist Friend Bai Ze to lead the way."

Donghuang Palace.

Inside the hall, warm fragrance drifted, not a trace of the Lingxiao Baodian's grim severity.

Di Jun sat on a Golden Crow grand chair to the side, face cold, imperial might like an abyss.

"Two Saints, please sit." Gu Yuan did not rise, only weakly lifted a hand.

Jieyin and Zhunti took their seats on the guest side.

"Great Emperor Taiyi." Jieyin cut straight to the chase, "We have come to implement the 'Great Wasteland Preaching Management Interim Regulations'. The Western Teaching is willing to enter the Heavenly Court registry, abide by Heavenly Court rules. Only the Western Teaching is barren; could the registration's Innate Spiritual Treasure be accommodated?"

Di Jun coldly snorted, just about to speak.

"Cough cough..." Gu Yuan waved a hand, cutting off Di Jun.

He gathered his fox fur robe, those clear eyes smiling as he looked at the Western Two Saints: "Two Saints crying poverty is indeed the truth. After all, making forty-eight Great Primordial Beginning Vows, borrowing massive Merit and Virtue from the Heavenly Dao to barely prove the Dao. Now every day upon opening your eyes, it must be all unpayable karmic bad debts, right?"

At these words, Jieyin's expression didn't change, but Zhunti's face cycled through green and white.

This was exposing scars.

"Prince, speak cautiously." Faint Buddha light flickered around Zhunti.

Gu Yuan sipped a mouthful of spirit tea without a care: "Two fellow daoists, don't rush, I'm not here to mock you. I'm here to talk business."

"Business?"

Gu Yuan dipped a finger in tea, drawing a circle on the table: "The Heavenly Court lacks neither Innate Spiritual Treasures nor that bit of registration fee from you. What the Heavenly Court lacks is order."

"The Western Teaching wants to preach in the East, it can."

"Even, the Heavenly Court can give the Western Teaching a sum of 'Angel Wheel Investment'."

As Gu Yuan's voice fell, Bai Ze immediately stepped forward holding a jade tray. On the tray lay a purple-gold Storage Ring.

"Inside here is ten billion Heavenly Currency." Gu Yuan's voice was full of allure, "Interest-free loan. No collateral. The Western Teaching takes it, can recruit disciples, can purchase Spirit Mountain blessed lands, can rapidly spread its stall across the Great Wasteland."

Zhunti's eyes instantly brightened, dead-staring at that ring, his Adam's apple rolling wildly.

Ten billion Heavenly Currency!

The Star Essence and Heavenly Mandate Qi contained within were enough to let the Western Teaching cultivate tens of thousands of elite disciples in a short time!

"What's the price?" Jieyin, though tempted, maintained absolute rationality.

"Three conditions."

Gu Yuan raised three pale fingers.

"First, all Western Teaching transactions and disciple stipends must be settled entirely in Heavenly Currency."

"Second, Western Teaching disciples walking the Great Wasteland must abide by the Heavenly Edict, and upon seeing Heavenly Court Divine Officials must perform the subordinate's salute."

"Third, the Netherworld Underworld has just been established; at the Blood Sea's edge there are still massive undegenerated Yuan Hun. I want the Western Teaching to dispatch elite disciples, station them at the Underworld's periphery, and on behalf of the Heavenly Court freely transmigrate Yuan Hun for a hundred years. Of the transmigration Merit and Virtue, the Heavenly Court takes seventy percent, the Western Teaching keeps thirty percent."

Gu Yuan smiled as he looked at the two: "How do the two fellow daoists find this?"

Inside the hall, dead silence.

Di Jun looked at his younger brother, heart surging with shock.

This isn't lending money at all; this is clearly using a pile of metal and Qi Qi to bind the two Saints onto the Heavenly Court's war chariot!

Settling with Heavenly Currency means the Western Teaching's economic lifeline is completely pinched in the Heavenly Court's hands; ferrying the Blood Sea's Yuan Hun is equivalent to working as free long-term laborers for the Heavenly Court!

At the same time, it can also check and balance the Wu Clan's hundreds of millions of bottom-level people in Di Fu!

This is simply eating people without spitting out the bones!

"These conditions are too harsh!" Zhunti gritted his teeth and said, "Seventy percent rake-off, the Heavenly Court does nothing but wants to take seventy percent?"

"Find it expensive?" Gu Yuan waved his hand indifferently, "Bai Ze, see them off. Kunlun Mountain's Yuan Shi Sheng Ren values rules above all; he'll surely be delighted to take on this job."

"Wait!" Jieyin's eyes snapped open, and he pressed down on Zhunti with one hand.

He looked deeply at Gu Yuan.

A Yang Scheme, a naked Yang Scheme.

He knew this was a trap, but for the sake of repaying the Heavenly Dao's loan, the Western Teaching was too desperate for this startup capital.

"Deal." Jieyin pressed his palms together, a flash of Star Determination flickering in his eyes.

A moment later, the Western Two Saints held a "Heavenly Court Special Permit for Propagation" stamped with the Tian Huang Da Yin and that ring filled with Heavenly Currency, and left in quick steps.

Di Jun watched their retreating figures and finally couldn't help but burst into loud laughter.

"Satisfying! Lofty Saints, actually bowing for ten billion Heavenly Currency!" Di Jun was in a great mood, "But Younger Brother, giving them ten billion Heavenly Currency, isn't that too much?"

"Is it a lot?" Gu Yuan lay back on the Soft Couch, the corner of his mouth hooking up a Mocking Glint.

"The minting rights of Heavenly Currency are in our hands; the cost is merely some stellar slag. We just printed a pile of scrap iron and hired two Saints to work for us."