Chapter 210: with translation of chapter title

Hurry up, hurry up more.

Qi gazed at the person before him in the sky, who kept running, wanting to keep urging him on, but he could never open his mouth, only able to shout in his heart.

Warfire raged everywhere, beacon fires rose across the land, the earth lay shattered, calamitous qi spread, and black killing fire kept bursting from cracks in the ground, scorching the person before him until his whole body was covered in wounds.

Qi had forgotten who the person before him was, yet he felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity and closeness; clearly, given that person's status and power, he was merely a Golden Immortal, so there should be no possible connection between them.

Yet for some reason, Qi felt that he was of utmost importance, and the road he kept traveling gradually grew familiar, no longer strange.

This is the Yunmze Marsh of old.

Although much time had passed, Qi still recognized the scene at a glance: mist filled the air, and the Innate Yunmze Stellar Grand Formation had not yet been built.

Though not as splendid and moving as it is now, it still brimmed with dreamlike colors; under the sunlight it was calm and clear, with red clouds and flying feathers.

This probably isn't what the great calamity looks like; this is the Yunmze Marsh as I remember it.

Qi suddenly understood; only now did he truly see the appearance of the person before him.

He had a head of white hair, handsome features, a lotus flower adorning his brow, his eyes cool and clear, clad in a black robe, yet he gave off an air of harmlessness.

Qi felt ever more that he was familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere, yet he simply could not recall.

Only when he shed his robe did a black snake embryo mark on his chest spring to life, opening its mouth to devour; then Qi remembered, a flash of realization rose in his heart, and he thought to himself: 'So I am dead.'

But who could have killed him? Qi kept pondering in his heart; given his current cultivation, the number of beings in the Wilderness who could match him could be counted on one's fingers.

Hongjun? Impossible; he would never strike at himself, otherwise the boundless karma would surely draw him into calamity; he has always been rational and would not put himself in danger.

Rahu? Also impossible; he is trapped beyond the heavens, struggling to preserve himself, and Hongjun would not let him remain active in the Wilderness.

Yangmei the Great God? Qi does not believe he would do such a thing.

One possible figure after another appeared, but each was rejected by Qi; he felt he ought to know, yet he simply could not recall, as if something in the dark were blocking him.

Only when the person before him stepped into the waters of the Yunmze Marsh did Qi finally interrupt his wandering thoughts and quietly watch the scene.

He saw the black snake on the person's chest instantly become active, swimming across his body, then bursting forth from his chest and entering the marsh water.

Suddenly, thunder roared from the horizon, lightning flashed without cease, the whole sky seemed to rage, the Yunmze Marsh surged with violent waves, and the sky instantly turned grimly dark.

Qi's viewpoint finally began to move; he no longer followed the person before him, but instead drifted along with the black snake, delving deeper into the marsh water.

Countless thunderbolts fell, striking around the black snake, yet they seemed to be blocked by something, preventing it from having its way.

When the black snake swam into the water's eye, the water vapor instantly began to boil, torrents surged, fierce winds and sudden rain poured down, striking the surface of the Yunmze Marsh.

The thunder in the sky seemed to know it could no longer stop anything; the thunderclouds began to gradually dissipate, yet that dim scene continued to unfold without end.

The once-clear marsh water turned foul and turbid; floodwaters flowed along the surrounding channels into the Wilderness, inundating the surrounding land and setting off a new round of water disasters.

The person beforehand also seemed not to have anticipated this occurrence; he appeared somewhat at a loss, hovering in the high sky, and after a moment's hesitation he turned and flew off in all directions.

Although he did not know why this change had occurred, since it stemmed from him, though he could not stop it, he at least ought to use his utmost ability to notify the surrounding clans, so as to lessen the disaster brought by the flood.

Qi knew nothing of these things; his gaze was fixed intently on a certain body within the water's eye.

That body was naked all over, with a human torso and a serpent's tail, double wings on its back, four eyes with red pupils, black scales displaying ferocity, yet it was covered in wounds, ragged and uneven.

The wings on its back were almost reduced to bare frames, its scales riddled with gaps everywhere; Qi found this hard to believe, until the black snake swam up to the body and he could clearly see its face.

Qi jumped in fright—was this not his Dao body! The arrival of the black snake seemed to give the corpse a strange sensation; the lifeless form suddenly rose, its serpent tail coiling, lifting the upper body.

A white lotus slowly flew forth from the body, followed by a great drum, a jade tablet, and a small bell.

These were precisely the Innate Twelve‑Grade Pure World White Lotus, the Water Splendor Awakening World Drum, the World‑Separating White Jade Tablet, and the Tranquil Heart Bell.

They circled around the black snake, supporting Qi's fleshly form; while the black snake was bewildered, they guided him deeper into the waters.

Qi still wanted to follow, but he found himself stuck in place, unable to move; suddenly a thunderclap rang from the horizon, and the whole world shattered like a mirror.

Qi, who had been sleeping atop the Innate Twelve‑Grade Pure World White Lotus, also instantly opened his eyes; after a long while he murmured, 'So it was a dream.'

Qi tried to recall, but he could only remember the black snake's silhouette swimming into the depths, and his own shattered fleshly body.

As for the appearance of the person who had been running before, he simply could not remember it at all.

Divine dreams never arise without cause; it seems a new great calamity has already begun to brew, but just who could drive me to this point?

Striving to recall every detail of the dream, Qi murmured:

'I ought to know this, so why can I never remember it?'

Upon further reflection, he found that the dream scenery had left only the moment the black snake vanished, and the sudden thunder he had recalled.

Until a ray of sunlight poured down from the horizon, shining upon Qi, did he start awake, saying: 'Forget it; no matter how much I ponder, it is ultimately just a dream. As long as my cultivation has not slipped, the Wilderness will in the end be decided by strength.'

Having awakened, Qi did not inform anyone; he simply sat up alone on the lotus dais, began to sort out what he had gained from his previous lecture on the Dao, seeking a chance to break through.

The continual accumulation and organization from the twenty assemblages of lectures made Qi feel as if every moment brought fresh inspiration.

This delight of profound accumulation leading to sudden eruption dispelled the earlier dream's influence on Qi, allowing him to focus on himself, forgetting self and other.

Until he felt he was only a step away from the Primordial Dao, a Dao resonance suddenly sounded from the horizon, accompanied by a voice of carefree transcendence.

'I, your humble Daoist Hongjun, sensing that beings in the Wilderness find the path to the Dao arduous, therefore after the Three Assemblies I will open a lecture on the Great Dao in the Chaos Purple Azure Palace.'

'This lecture series will be divided into three parts, each part consisting of three assemblages, making nine in total, which is the yang extreme of heaven and earth; spaced by two intervals, also three assemblages, which is the yin extreme number.' 'With each successive session the teachings will deepen; anyone with affinity may come to the Purple Azure Palace to listen.'

The emergence of the Dao resonance undoubtedly interrupted Qi's cultivation, making him frown slightly, somewhat displeased.

But Hongjun's words thereafter forced Qi to set aside his dissatisfaction; he began to ponder what changes this would bring to the Wilderness, and whether it would have adverse effects on the Heavenly Court and himself—each alteration making the future state of heaven and earth hard to gauge.

After a long while, Qi finally rose from the Innate Twelve‑Grade Pure World White Lotus and walked toward the outside of the hall, saying helplessly:

'Heaven's will is thus; this is an inevitable matter, ultimately it depends on oneself. Now that the Heavenly Court's situation is set, future changes shall be left to the future.'

'I need only wait quietly for the changes of heaven and earth; before beings react, I can snatch the chestnut from the fire and extract its essence.'

'If even with my present advantage I cannot accomplish the great undertaking, then it can only be said that fate is so.'

Qi pushed open the hall door; Di Jun, Taiyi, Fuxi, and Nüwa came one after another, seeing Qi leave his retreat, they burst into laughter: 'Qi, welcome back.'

Qi bowed and performed the rites, saying:

'Having returned, now that heaven and earth have changed, we shall discuss these matters later; first let me find a quiet place so I can learn what transpired during my seclusion before we talk.'

Di Jun laughed and said:

「It only makes sense; come with me to the Lofty Heavens Treasure Hall, dismiss the attendants, and let me first recount everything that has happened over these years; then we can hear your opinion. 」

Thus translation: 「It is only fitting; come with me to the Lofty Heavens Treasure Hall, dismiss the attendants, and let me first recount these years' events in detail; then we shall hear your opinion. 」

But we need to keep the quotes: 「It is only fitting; come with me to the Lofty Heavens Treasure Hall, dismiss the attendants, and let me first recount these years' events in detail; then we shall hear your opinion。」 Actually we need to keep the opening and closing 「」. So we output: 「It is only fitting; come with me to the Lofty Heavens Treasure Hall, dismiss the attendants, and let me first recount these years' events in detail; then we shall hear your opinion。」 Ensure we keep the same punctuation inside.

Now 【62】 Qi nodded lightly and followed them into the Lofty Heavens Treasure Hall.

Translation: Qi lightly nodded and followed them to the Lofty Heavens Treasure Hall.

But we need to keep the name: Qi is the protagonist? The glossary didn't list Qi. It's a character name; we need to romanize as "Qi". Since it's a person's name, we use pinyin. So "Qi". The line: Qi nodded lightly – "Qi lightly nodded". Could be "Qi gave a slight nod". We'll translate as "Qi gave a slight nod". But we need to be faithful: "Qi lightly nodded" literally "Qi lightly nodded". We'll translate as "Qi nodded lightly". Keep meaning.

and followed them into the Lofty Heavens Treasure Hall.

Thus: 「Qi nodded lightly and followed them into the Lofty Heavens Treasure Hall. 」 But we need to keep the quotes? The line doesn't have quotes. So just plain.

Now 【63】 After the five were seated, Emperor Jun then spoke: "Qi, you do not know that during your seclusion, heaven and earth have changed greatly; although only a little over fifty epochs have passed, the situation has already shifted, and the heavenly court has gained much."

Now translation: 「After the five were seated, Di Jun then spoke: "Qi, you do not know that during your period of seclusion, the heavens and earth have undergone tremendous change; although it has been only a little over fifty epochs, the situation has already shifted, and the Heavenly Court has gained much."」

We need to keep the quotes: Chinese uses 「」 for the spoken part. We'll keep them.

Thus: 「After the five were seated, Di Jun then spoke: 「Qi, you do not know that during your period of seclusion, the heavens and earth have undergone tremendous change; although it has been only a little over fifty epochs, the situation has already shifted, and the Heavenly Court has gained much. 」」 Wait we need to keep the outer quotes? The line includes 「」 around the spoken part only. So we output: 「After the five were seated, Di Jun then spoke: 「Qi, you do not know that during your period of seclusion, the heavens and earth have undergone tremendous change; although it has been only a little over fifty epochs, the situation has already shifted, and the Heavenly Court has gained much. 」」 Actually we need to keep the opening 「」 before the spoken part and closing 」 after. So we will have: 「After the five were seated, Di Jun then spoke: 「Qi, you do not know that during your period of seclusion, the heavens and earth have undergone tremendous change; although it has been only a little over fifty epochs, the situation has already shifted, and the Heavenly Court has gained much. 」」 That seems correct.

Now 【64】 Qi gave a slight nod; he hadn't expected his seclusion to last this long, but upon reflection it indeed makes sense—now he is only a step away from entering the Primordial Origin Dao, and within ten epochs he is certain to succeed.

Translation: Qi gave a slight nod; he had not expected his seclusion to last so long, but upon reflection it was indeed reasonable. Now he is only a step away from entering the Primordial Origin Dao, and within ten epochs he is confident he will succeed.

We need to keep the name: Qi -> Qi. Primordial Origin Dao -> Primordial Origin Dao. within ten epochs -> within ten epochs. Qi is confident he will definitely enter -> Qi is confident he will definitely enter.

Thus: 「Qi gave a slight nod; he had not expected his seclusion to last so long, but upon reflection it was indeed reasonable. Now he is only a step away from entering the Primordial Origin Dao, and within ten epochs he is confident he will succeed. 」 No quotes.

Qi lightly nodded, following them into the Lingxiao Treasure Hall.

After the five were seated, Di Jun spoke: "Qi, you do not know; during your period of closed-door cultivation, the changes in heaven and earth have been enormous—although only a little over fifty cycles have passed, the situation has already shifted, and the Heavenly Court has gained much."

Qi gave a slight nod; he had not expected his secluded cultivation to last so long, but upon reflection it was indeed reasonable. Now he is only a step away from entering the Mixed Yuan Dao; within ten cycles, he is certain to succeed.

That said, Qi knows he won't need ten epochs; his goal is ten epochs, but he simply doesn't want to push himself too hard.

Translation: However, Qi knew he would not need ten epochs; his goal of ten epochs was merely so as not to push himself too hard.

Thus: 「However, Qi knew he would not need ten epochs; his goal of ten epochs was merely so as not to push himself too hard. 」 No quotes.

Emperor Jun didn't know what Qi was thinking; seeing Qi nod, he continued: "During this period, Taiyi and Fuxi worked in perfect harmony; nowadays the heavenly court's foundations are deep, and all major clans in the wilderness acknowledge submission to the heavenly court."

Translation: Di Jun did not know what Qi was thinking; seeing Qi nod, he continued: "During this period, Taiyi and Fuxi worked in perfect harmony; now the Heavenly Court's foundations are deep, and all major clans in the wilderness acknowledge its rule."

We need to keep quotes: 「」 around spoken part.

Thus: 「Di Jun did not know what Qi was thinking; seeing Qi nod, he continued: 「During this period, Taiyi and Fuxi worked in perfect harmony; now the Heavenly Court's foundations are deep, and all major clans in the wilderness acknowledge its rule. 」」 Wait we need to keep the outer quotes? The line has 「」 around the spoken part only. So we output: 「Di Jun did not know what Qi was thinking; seeing Qi nod, he continued: 「During this period, Taiyi and Fuxi worked in perfect harmony; now the Heavenly Court's foundations are deep, and all major clans in the wilderness acknowledge its rule. 」」 Actually we need to include the opening 「」 before the spoken part and closing 」 after. So we will have: 「Di Jun did not know what Qi was thinking; seeing Qi nod, he continued: 「During this period, Taiyi and Fuxi worked in perfect harmony; now the Heavenly Court's foundations are deep, and all major clans in the wilderness acknowledge its rule. 」」 That seems correct.

"All flying beasts, walking beasts, and scaled creatures are under the heavenly court's control; among the three great clans, only the dragon clan still retains some strength, while the other two have completely lost power."

Translation: "All winged beasts, land animals, and scaled creatures are in the hands of the Heavenly Court; among the three clans, only the Dragon Clan still retains some strength, while the other two have utterly lost power."

We need to keep the quotes: The line starts with 「」 and ends with 」? Actually the line is: 「All flying beasts, walking beasts, and scaled creatures are under the heavenly court's control; among the three great clans, only the dragon clan still retains some strength, while the other two have completely lost power. 」 So there are quotes around the whole sentence. We'll keep them.

Thus: 「All winged beasts, land animals, and scaled creatures are in the hands of the Heavenly Court; among the three clans, only the Dragon Clan still retains some strength, while the other two have utterly lost power. 」 But we need to keep the opening and closing 「」. So: 「All winged beasts, land animals, and scaled creatures are in the hands of the Heavenly Court; among the three clans, only the Dragon Clan still retains some strength, while the other two have utterly lost power. 」 Actually we need to include the Chinese quotes. So output: 「All winged beasts, land animals, and scaled creatures are in the hands of the Heavenly Court; among the three clans, only the Dragon Clan still retains some strength, while the other two have utterly lost power. 」 Wait we need to keep the 「」 characters. So we will output: 「All winged beasts, land animals, and scaled creatures are in the hands of the Heavenly Court; among the three clans, only the Dragon Clan still retains some strength, while the other two have utterly lost power. 」 But we need to include the opening 「」 and closing 」. So final: 「All winged beasts, land animals, and scaled creatures are in the hands of the Heavenly Court; among the three clans, only the Dragon Clan still retains some strength, while the other two have utterly lost power. 」 Actually we need to put the 「」 at start and end. So: 「All winged beasts, land animals, and scaled creatures are in the hands of the Heavenly Court; among the three clans, only the Dragon Clan still retains some strength, while the other two have utterly lost power. 」 That is: opening 「, then English sentence, then closing 」. We'll do that.

"The qilin clan can now only serve as mounts, struggling to survive under the seats of many primordial deities; the phoenix cannot escape the immortal fire mountain and cannot easily leave."

Translation: "The Qilin Clan can now only be reduced to mounts, struggling to survive under the myriad innate deities; the Phoenix cannot escape the Undying Flame Mountain and cannot easily leave."

We need to keep quotes.

Thus: 「The Qilin Clan can now only be reduced to mounts, struggling to survive under the myriad innate deities; the Phoenix cannot escape the Undying Flame Mountain and cannot easily leave. 」 But we need to keep the Chinese quotes: 「」 at start and end.

So: 「The Qilin Clan can now only be reduced to mounts, struggling to survive under the myriad innate deities; the Phoenix cannot escape the Undying Flame Mountain and cannot easily leave. 」 Actually we need to include the opening 「」 and closing 」. So: 「The Qilin Clan can now only be reduced to mounts, struggling to survive under the myriad innate deities; the Phoenix cannot escape the Undying Flame Mountain and cannot easily leave. 」 Wait we need to put the Chinese quotes around the English sentence. So final: 「The Qilin Clan can now only be reduced to mounts, struggling to survive under the myriad innate deities; the Phoenix cannot escape the Undying Flame Mountain and cannot easily leave. 」 But we need to keep the 「」 characters. So we will output: 「The Qilin Clan can now only be reduced to mounts, struggling to survive under the myriad innate deities; the Phoenix cannot escape the Undying Flame Mountain and cannot easily leave. 」 Actually we need to include the opening 「」 before the English and closing 」 after. So: 「The Qilin Clan can now only be reduced to mounts, struggling to survive under the myriad innate deities; the Phoenix cannot escape the Undying Flame Mountain and cannot easily leave. 」 That is correct.

"Even so, peaceful days are rare; once the Primordial Phoenix falls asleep, there will always be those with ill intentions trying to exploit it for profit."

Translation: "Even so, peaceful days are rare; once the Primordial Phoenix slumbers, there will always be those with ill intent trying to extract profit from its body."

Thus: 「Even so, peaceful days are rare; once the Primordial Phoenix slumbers, there will always be those with ill intent trying to extract profit from its body. 」 With Chinese quotes.

"Although the dragon clan still has some strength, in the end only Yinglong struggles to support it; comparatively, their situation is slightly better than the other two clans."

Translation: "Although the Dragon Clan still has some strength, ultimately only the Yinglong struggles to support it; compared to the other two clans, its situation is merely slightly better."

Thus: 「Although the Dragon Clan still has some strength, ultimately only Yinglong struggles to support it; compared to the other two clans, its situation is merely slightly better. 」 With Chinese quotes.

Qi nodded in response:

Translation: Qi nodded in response:

No quotes.

"In the past, the three clans' power was astonishing; although they have now declined, it is still hard to feel at ease, which is why we continually test them."

Translation: "In the past, the three clans' power was astonishing; although they have now declined, it is still hard to feel at ease, hence the constant probing."

We need to keep quotes.

Thus: 「In the past, the three clans' power was astonishing; although they have now declined, it is still hard to feel at ease, hence the constant probing. 」 With Chinese quotes.

"Moreover, the three clans were overly domineering in the past, accumulating countless karmic debts; now that they have a chance for revenge, how could they show mercy?"

Translation: "Moreover, the three clans were overly domineering in the past, accumulating countless karmic debts; now that they have a chance for those people to take revenge, how could they show mercy?"

We need to keep quotes.

Thus: 「Moreover, the three clans were overly domineering in the past, accumulating countless karmic debts; now that they have a chance for those people to take revenge, how could they show mercy? 」 With Chinese quotes.

Emperor Jun likewise nodded; his reason for not intervening, even being somewhat indulgent, is precisely because the three clans were once immensely powerful—so powerful that he himself could not rest easy, fearing they might stage a comeback.

Translation: Di Jun likewise nodded; his reason for not intervening, even being somewhat indulgent, was precisely because the three clans had once been exceedingly powerful, so powerful that he too could not rest easy, worrying they might have a chance to rise again.

No quotes.

"Besides this, the White Tiger clan led by Shaohao has already come under the heavenly court's rule; most walking beasts dare not oppose the heavenly court, and thereafter they closely follow its lead, joining the heavenly court."

Translation: "Besides that, the White Tiger Clan led by Shaohao has now come under the Heavenly Court's rule; most beasts dare not oppose the Heavenly Court, and following its lead, they too have joined the Heavenly Court."

We need to keep quotes.

Thus: 「Besides that, the White Tiger Clan led by Shaohao has now come under the Heavenly Court's rule; most beasts dare not oppose the Heavenly Court, and following its lead, they too have joined the Heavenly Court. 」 With Chinese quotes.

"Back when you were in seclusion, I consulted with Fuxi, Nüwa, and Taiyi; to show the heavenly court's importance, I ennobled him as one of the imperial ranks beneath us, granting him the title White Emperor."

Translation: "Back when you were in seclusion, I consulted with Fuxi, Nüwa, and Taiyi, and to show the Heavenly Court's regard for them, I conferred upon them one of the imperial positions beneath us, granting the title White Emperor."

We need to keep quotes.

Thus: 「Back when you were in seclusion, I consulted with Fuxi, Nüwa, and Taiyi, and to show the Heavenly Court's regard for them, I conferred upon them one of the imperial positions beneath us, granting the title White Emperor. 」 With Chinese quotes.

Qi had no intention to object; as a primordial deity, Shaohao, and the White Tiger clan—being a major wilderness clan and the foremost among walking beasts after the qilin clan—his early entry into the heavenly court and his expression of stance are entirely appropriate.

Translation: Qi had no intention to object; as an innate deity, Shaohao leads the White Tiger Clan, which is a major clan of the wilderness and the foremost beast clan after the Qilin Clan; his being the first to join the Heavenly Court is a natural demonstration.

No quotes.

"The snake clan is no different; although its overall strength is slightly inferior to the dragon clan, as a major scaled clan its entry into the heavenly court, though without a special title, is still highly regarded."

Translation: "The Snake Clan is likewise; although its overall strength is slightly inferior to that of the Dragon Clan, as a major scaled clan, upon joining the Heavenly Court it received no title, yet is still highly regarded."

We need to keep quotes.

Thus: 「The Snake Clan is likewise; although its overall strength is slightly inferior to that of the Dragon Clan, as a major scaled clan, upon joining the Heavenly Court it received no title, yet is still highly regarded. 」 With Chinese quotes.

Regarding the snake clan, Emperor Jun actually has some matters he did not spell out; he briefly mentioned the process, but what he omitted is what truly affects the title.

Translation: Di Jun actually has some matters concerning the Snake Clan that he did not make clear; he omitted some details in the process, and it is those omitted details that truly affect the conferral of titles.

No quotes.

Initially the snake clan relied on two primordial deities, while the dragon clan had already withdrawn; within the scaled clans the outlook was splendid, and they had no desire to join the heavenly court.

Translation: Initially the Snake Clan relied on its two innate deities, while the Dragon Clan had already retreated; within the scaled clans the prospects looked excellent, and they had no intention of joining the Heavenly Court.

No quotes.

Later Taiyi could only go himself, facing two opponents; in the chaos he let loose, fought a battle—though the outcome is unknown to the wilderness beings—afterward the snake clan joined the heavenly court.

Translation: Later Taiyi could only go alone, facing two opponents; he let loose in Chaos, fought a fierce battle, and though the outcome is unknown to the beings of the wilderness, afterward the Snake Clan joined the Heavenly Court.

No quotes.

Moreover, no title was granted; instead, the two primordial deities, the Ancestral Snake and the Heavenly Snake, were enrolled into the Plague Division as assistant officials.

Translation: Moreover, they received no title; instead, the two innate deities, the Ancestral Snake and the Heavenly Snake, were placed into the Pestilence Department as assistant officials.

No quotes.

Among them, the snake clan's elite youths were also incorporated into the forces; the strong likewise entered the Plague Division, working under those two, and many celestial immortal and golden immortal descendants became heavenly soldiers and generals.

Translation: Among them, the elite offspring of the Snake Clan were also incorporated into the forces; the strong likewise entered the Pestilence Department, working under those two, and many disciples of heavenly immortals and golden immortals became heavenly soldiers and generals.

No quotes.

Perhaps this counts as heavy utilization, after all essentially the whole clan was enlisted and fed the heavenly court's rations.

Translation: Perhaps this counts as heavy use, after all basically the entire clan enlisted and ate the Heavenly Court's rations.

No quotes.

"Among the flying beasts, the hawk and falcon clans are similar to the snake clan; they all entered the heavenly court and have now become its mainstay."

Translation: "Among the winged beasts, the hawk and falcon clans are similar to the Snake Clan; they have all entered the Heavenly Court and now serve as its mainstay."

We need to keep quotes.

Thus: 「Among the winged beasts, the hawk and falcon clans are similar to the Snake Clan; they have all entered the Heavenly Court and now serve as its mainstay. 」 With Chinese quotes.

Qi was unaware of the details; he merely thought they were discerning the times and placing heavy bets on the heavenly court, until later he saw for himself and realized Emperor Jun's words were overly euphemistic.

Translation: Qi did not know the details; he had thought they were simply being pragmatic, placing heavy bets on the Heavenly Court, until later he saw and realized that Di Jun's words were overly euphemistic.

No quotes.

"Moreover, the heavenly court today is abundant in troops and generals; just as the once-renowned Bai Ze has likewise joined the heavenly court, he stands alongside Qiming (Chang Geng) as Fuxi's left and right arms."

Translation: "Moreover, the Heavenly Court now has many troops and generals; just as the White Ze, once greatly renowned, has likewise joined the Heavenly Court and serves as Fuxi's left and right hand alongside Qiming (Chang Geng)."

We need to keep quotes.

Thus: 「Moreover, the Heavenly Court now has many troops and generals; just as the White Ze, once greatly renowned, has likewise joined the Heavenly Court and serves as Fuxi's left and right hand alongside Qiming (Chang Geng). 」 With Chinese quotes.

Bai Ze's experience was even worse; initially he refused to join the heavenly court's murky waters, fearing he would eventually fall into a great calamity, and thus declined the heavenly court's invitation.

Translation: White Ze's experience was even worse; initially he did not wish to join this muddy mess of the Heavenly Court, fearing he would eventually fall into a great calamity, so he refused the Heavenly Court's invitation.

No quotes.

However, he was soon besieged by Qiming (Chang Geng), finding no moment of peace in the wilderness, subsequently trapped on the eastern sea's shore, and reluctantly joined.

Translation: However, shortly thereafter he was surrounded and attacked by Qiming (Chang Geng), finding no moment of peace in the wilderness, subsequently trapped on the eastern shore, and reluctantly joined.

No quotes.

Now he serves in the Department of Good and Evil Gods under Fuxi's jurisdiction, serving in the same hall as Qiming.

Translation: He now serves in the Department of Good and Evil Gods under Fuxi's charge, serving in the same hall as Qiming.

No quotes.

Yet among them is someone who defied Qi's expectations: it is the Kunpeng who, after failing in the siege of Yu Qiang, seized Yu Qiang's spiritual treasure, the Profound Yin Arrow, and broke away from the northern continent.

Translation: And among them, one person defied Qi's expectations: it was the Kunpeng who, after failing in the siege of Yu Qiang, ultimately seized Yu Qiang's spiritual treasure, the Profound Yin Arrow, and broke away from the Northern Continent.

No quotes.

He is now also the Luo Tianzun God, possessing considerable strength; he voluntarily joined the heavenly court and subdued the hawk and falcon clans through his own action.

Translation: He is now also the Luo Tianzun God, possessing considerable strength, and he voluntarily joined the Heavenly Court, subduing the hawk and falcon clans by his own hand.

No quotes.

Pursuing those two clans' primordial deities left them with no way to heaven or earth; left with no alternative, they finally agreed to join the heavenly court.

Translation: Pursuing the innate deities of those two clans left them with no way to heaven or no door to earth; finally, having no alternative, they agreed to join the Heavenly Court.

No quotes.

The Kunpeng eagerly pursues merit and power, acting extremely proactively, pleasing both Emperor Jun and Fuxi, who feel he should be heavily employed as a model for the heavenly court's confrontation with the wilderness.

Translation: The Kunpeng greatly pursues merit and power, acting extremely proactively, which greatly pleases Di Jun and Fuxi, who feel he should be heavily employed to serve as a model for the Heavenly Court's confrontation with the wilderness.

No quotes.

Now Emperor Jun disp

Translation: Now Di Jun has sent him to the wilderness to subdue the myriad mountain and earth deities, and has promised that if he succeeds, the future Department of Three Mountains and Five Peaks will be under his command.

No quotes.

Since he got the promise, the Kunpeng went off enthusiastically; these days he rarely stays long in the heavenly court.

Translation: Having received the promise, the Kunpeng eagerly set off, and now it rarely remains long in the Heavenly Court.

No quotes.

According to him, his actions went smoothly, with no obstacles; but only he knows how the situation really is.

Translation: According to his own account, his actions have gone quite smoothly, with no obstacles; however, only he knows how the situation truly stands.

No quotes.

(End of chapter)