Chapter 638

A few days after seeing off the Western Two Saints.

Outside the Thirty-Three Heavens, the wind and clouds suddenly changed color.

There were no auspicious clouds in the tens of thousands, no celestial music playing in unison, only a single strand of sharp sword qi that pierced the azure sky, brutally tearing apart the void barrier of the Southern Heaven Gate.

Boom!

Tongtian Jiaozhu, clad in a green robe, stepped out of the void with the Qingping Sword in hand. He did not go to the registration office with its long queue, but instead walked straight toward the Lingxiao Baodian.

"Insolence! Who dares to trespass into the Heavenly Court!"

Ji Meng, Ying Zhao, and several other Yao Shen at the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm instantly appeared, holding divine weapons to block the way ahead.

Tongtian Jiaozhu did not even spare them a glance, casually waving his sleeve.

Clang——

Four illusory Zhuxian Sword shadows flashed through the air and vanished.

Ji Meng and the others only felt a chill on their necks, as if even their souls had been severed; the mana throughout their bodies instantly stagnated, and they were actually forced back tens of thousands of zhang.

"A Saint!" Ji Meng exclaimed in shock.

"What? Di Jun, has your Heavenly Court's threshold become so high that even I cannot enter?" Tongtian Jiaozhu's hearty laughter spread across the sea of clouds.

Inside the Lingxiao Baodian.

Di Jun's face darkened, the True Fire of the Sun around him surging violently as he abruptly stood up, about to draw his sword.

"Elder Brother, calm your anger."

Gu Yuan stood up at some unknown time: "The Shangqing Saint's temper is like a firecracker. If he truly wanted to fight, he wouldn't have just forced back Ji Meng a moment ago, but would have directly lopped off their heads."

"The Shangqing Saint graces us with his presence, making the Heavenly Court's Penglai shine with splendor. Please enter the hall for a chat; it just so happens I've newly brewed some Star Comprehension Tea for you to taste."

Outside the hall, Tongtian Jiaozhu raised an eyebrow, sheathed the Qingping Sword, and strode into the hall.

He casually sat cross-legged opposite Gu Yuan, with none of a Saint's airs, picked up the teacup on the table, and drained it in one gulp.

"Good tea."

Tongtian Jiaozhu set down the teacup, his gaze bright as he stared at Gu Yuan, "You sickly weakling, your thoughts are deeper than even the Netherworld Blood Sea. My second brother over at Yuxu Palace, looking at your broken 'Transmission of Teaching Regulations,' got so angry he smashed three Liuli Wan and cursed you for three full days and nights."

Di Jun coldly snorted from the side: "If Yuan Shi is unconvinced, he can very well come to the Heavenly Court to argue with Us."

Tongtian waved his hand: "Di Jun, you're a brute too. If it weren't for this good younger brother of yours holding you back, your Heavenly Court would sooner or later be schemed to death by those few."

He turned his head to look at Gu Yuan: "Speak. Those two bald donkeys from the West just left; how much benefit did you squeeze out of them? You went to such lengths to lure me here; it surely isn't just to treat me to tea."

Gu Yuan smiled.

Talking with smart people saves effort.

"The Saint speaks frankly. Then I'll speak directly."

Gu Yuan reached out to pour Tongtian a full cup of tea: "The Jiao Sect's doctrine is to teach without discrimination, snatching a sliver of survival for all beings. My Yao Clan Heavenly Court encompasses all things; whether flying birds, running beasts, grass, wood, stone, or earth, as long as they gain sentience, all can become Yao."

"From the root, the Jiao Sect and the Heavenly Court are originally one family."

Tongtian Jiaozhu sneered disdainfully: "Cut the false intimacy. Your regulations clearly state that teaching the Dao is under Heavenly Court supervision. Don't tell me you want my disciples to also be bound by your Heavenly Edicts and serve as lackeys for your Heavenly Court?"

"Why not?" Gu Yuan countered, his gaze sharp.

Tongtian's face darkened slightly, Saintly might faintly emanating: "Taiyi, don't push your luck."

"Saint, don't be hasty."

Gu Yuan did not retreat in the slightest, staring straight into Tongtian's eyes, poking at his greatest soft spot.

"The Jiao Sect teaches without discrimination; its disciples will inevitably explode in number, their quantity even ten times, a hundred times that of the Chan Sect. But many people means chaotic karma, a mix of good and bad."

"Most fatally, the Saint established a teaching, yet did not use an Innate Supreme Treasure to anchor the Qi Luck."

Gu Yuan's words were like sharp blades, every word striking the heart.

"The Four Immortal-Slaying Swords specialize in killing; they cannot anchor Qi Luck. Over time, the Jiao Sect's Qi Luck will inevitably leak away, disciples will be entangled in karmic obstacles, and sooner or later this will bring a calamity of death."

The hand Tongtian Jiaozhu held the teacup with suddenly paused, the tea water rippling with fine waves.

Though he was arrogant, he was not brainless. What Gu Yuan spoke of was precisely the fatal hidden danger he had been secretly worried about since becoming a Saint.

"What method do you have?" Tongtian Jiaozhu's voice lowered.

"Official posts."

Gu Yuan tapped on the table, "The Heavenly Court's 'Heavenly Ranking' connects the Qi Luck of the Three Realms of the Great Wasteland. The Saint need only have those disciples with ordinary foundations and deeper karmic obstacles come to My Heavenly Court to hang a minor official post or two."

"They work for the Heavenly Court, and the Heavenly Court protects them with orthodox God-Path Qi Luck. Using the Heavenly Court's Merit and Virtue to wash away their karmic obstacles. Isn't this precisely the perfect embodiment of the Jiao Sect's 'snatching a sliver of survival'?"

"A win-win situation. The Jiao Sect gains Qi Luck protection, the Heavenly Court gains manpower."

The hall fell quiet.

Tongtian Jiaozhu stared dead at Gu Yuan; after a long while he suddenly threw his head back and laughed, slapping the table with one palm,

"Hahaha! Good! What a win-win! Just for these words, I'll call you a friend!"

A flash of cunning flickered in Tongtian Jiaozhu's eyes. "However, official posts alone are not enough."

"What else does the Saint want?"

"Array formations." Tongtian Jiaozhu spoke frankly, "I observe your Heavenly Court's Zhou Tian Star Dou Great Array, its transformations are infinite. My Jiao Sect will also need a mountain-protecting great array in the future; if I could borrow the array diagrams to study..."

Di Jun was about to refuse, but Gu Yuan readily nodded: "Allowed. Within the Heavenly Court's Bao Ku are stored three hundred and sixty-five basic star orbit array diagrams; the Saint may copy them at will. In the future, if the Jiao Sect creates some peerless great array, for instance... the spectacle of Ten Thousand Immortals in one array, the Heavenly Court is also willing to dispatch troops to cooperate in drills."

"Ten Thousand Immortals Array..." Tongtian Jiaozhu savored the name, brilliant light bursting from his eyes, "Good name! A deal!"

Several days later.

Tongtian Jiaozhu left the Heavenly Court satisfied, carrying a stack of high-ranking Celestial Official "Letters of Intent to Assume Post" and rubbings of the star orbit array diagrams.

Di Jun looked at his younger brother, admiring him to the utmost.

Not a single soldier or pawn expended, not a single spirit stone spent, just a pile of empty official posts, and he tied the current number one Saint of killing in the Great Wasteland to the Heavenly Court's camp.

"The Western Teaching goes to the Underworld to labor, the Jiao Sect comes to the Heavenly Court to serve." Di Jun paced back and forth in excitement, "Now only the Chan Sect and Laozi remain; they can't stir up any waves!"

Gu Yuan picked up the already completely cold tea, gently taking a sip.

"Yes, the overall situation is settled."

He looked toward the direction of Zixiao Palace, his gaze deep.

Hongjun wanted to use Saints to suppress the Heavenly Court; he in turn used interests to thoroughly shatter the Saints' camp.

But for some unknown reason, Gu Yuan felt a faint unease in his heart.