This Human Immortal Is Too Serious-Chapter 438 - 436: Three Gods Stabilize the Situation, Ascend to Heaven Palace through the Clouds!

"His Majesty has left..." Chang Xi murmured, her face pale as she stumbled backward a few steps. The once-strong goddess seemed fragile as she fell to the ground, her eyes losing focus.

The Head Manager sat on the ground, catching his breath, his wounds already obscured once more.

Wu Wang closed his eyes in thought, his Immortal Consciousness meticulously probing the situation everywhere.

The Wood God and the Earth God held different expressions. The former seemed unsurprised, as if to say, 'It's to be expected,' while the Earth God frowned at Wu Wang, apparently trying to read some hidden signs from his face.

The Young Master's mood was quite complicated at this moment. On one hand, she was happy for Wu Wang, but seeing her brother's miserable condition also made her heart ache.

A long silence fell upon the place.

The Head Manager spoke softly, "Since no one is speaking, let me be the one to start. Whether to abandon this Heaven Palace or continue to maintain the Heaven and Earth Seal, it's your choice. The Candle Dragon's next assault on the Heaven and Earth Seal might happen in just half a year."

The gathered gods became even more silent.

Wu Wang, however, said, "You discuss it. I'll wait outside for your decision."

"Why does the God of Spring wish to leave?" the Wood God asked, puzzled.

"This is a choice for you Divine Spirits to make," Wu Wang said indifferently. "Young Master, stay as well, but keep silent. Let the Wood God, the Earth God, and your elder brother deliberate."

The Young Master nodded slightly. A twitch appeared at the corner of the Head Manager's mouth. That 'Young Master'...

Wu Wang's form flashed and then disappeared.

The Divine Spirits exchanged glances before the Wood God and the Earth God approached the Head Manager.

Despite the Head Manager's extreme weakness and his utterly tainted reputation in the Human Domain, he still presided over the major affairs in the Heaven Palace. Without the Head Manager, chaos would ensue in the Heaven Palace.

This must have been Emperor Shun's intention in sparing the Head Manager's life—to let him stabilize the forces of the Heaven Palace, gathering the fighting power within to contend with the Candle Dragon.

Having returned to the Temple, Wu Wang found a corner to lean against a stone pillar, folding his arms as he fell into deep contemplation.

Emperor Shun had taken the Primordial Divine Power and fled. I had considered this outcome before, but I didn't anticipate him being able to escape so swiftly and gracefully, genuinely leaving without a trace of hesitation or longing for the throne. It was a clever stratagem indeed. Although the Dao of Order was left behind, it was still stamped by him, making it easy for him to reclaim it whenever he wished. He's made his move. Now, it's my turn to respond.

Wu Wang held the necklace at his chest and transmitted his voice, "Mother?"

"Ba'er, your mother has always been here."

"Call on Brother Yun Zhongjun, and let's discuss the Heavenly Dao."

"Can you afford to be distracted right now?"

"It's nothing serious."

Wu Wang replied calmly, "Emperor Shun firmly believes that I can't yet support the Heaven Palace, so let's give him a surprise. Right now, I suspect Emperor Shun hasn't left the Heaven Palace but is hiding in some corner, watching me."

"What should we do?" Cang Xue's gentle voice inquired. "Ba'er, you decide. Your mother is still quite good at dueling, though not much else."

Is that what she calls 'quite good'? That's absolutely excellent!

Wu Wang said, "Mother, don't worry. Although we're on the defensive from all sides, I am confident that we can win this game."

Cang Xue gave a response and took the initiative to cut off the voice transmission, allowing her Divine Thought to roam the starry sky, descending to where Yun Zhongjun slept soundly.

In the Temple, Wu Wang contemplated for a while, then started to pace back and forth, a hint of anxiety creeping onto his face.

This was but an act; deep down, I am utterly calm. I have to admit, the current situation is somewhat hasty for me. Yes, Emperor Shun wouldn't just sit and wait for his demise, nor would he leave me, this new Heavenly Emperor revealed through the Dao of time, too much opportunity to prepare a countermeasure. This kind of sudden attack, aimed at dragging me down with this mess, is the cruelest aspect of his plot. How can I defy the Candle Dragon if I don't accept the chaos reigning in the Heaven Palace? My goodwill towards living beings, the Heaven and Earth, the Human Domain, and my kin is being toyed with by Emperor Shun at will...

Wu Wang snorted lightly, and a wisp of his Divine Thought dived into the Transformation Qi of Senior Shen Nong.

So you like to disappear, huh? Think you're so clever for escaping like this? By doing this, you plan to let the existing Heaven Palace, the Human Domain, and the Candle Dragon all fall together, then establish a new order in the chaos, right? Bring it on; let's see who has the last laugh.

After instructing the senior a few words and receiving his agreement, Wu Wang felt much more settled. But it still wasn't enough; there was one more key player missing.

Wu Wang looked in the direction of the Kunlun Ruins, and just as a thought arose in his heart, his Immortal Consciousness detected the arc of light speeding back to the Heaven Palace from outside.

Liu Guang had returned at just the right time.

His form unmoving, Wu Wang's transmitted voice entered Liu Guang's ear.

Liu Guang clearly startled but quickly concealed his expression. Following Wu Wang's instructions, he returned first to the God of Spring's Temple.

Moments later, the God of Flowing Light left the God of Spring's Temple and flew towards the Human Domain. Halfway through his journey, he would divert to the Western Wilderness, then follow the border of the Western Wilderness northwards to seek the Kunlun Ruins and deliver a verbal message for Wu Wang.

「An hour later.」

Wu Wang seemed to be in a trance, unaware of the several figures that had appeared behind him.

The Young Master took the initiative to step forward, tugging at Wu Wang's arm, and whispered, "They're here."

"Hmm," Wu Wang came back to his senses, his expression slightly worn, and turned around to face the four figures before him: the Earth God, the Head Manager, the Wood God, and a somewhat distracted Chang Xi.

Wu Wang said, "What are your thoughts?"

"The Heavenly Emperor took away all the Primordial Divine Power," the Wood God sighed. "The Heaven Palace can hardly continue, and destruction is only within a decade or two."

"Indeed," said the Earth God. "I truly hadn't anticipated that beings such as ourselves would be pushed to this extreme by the very existence we were loyal to."

The Head Manager watched Wu Wang and said in a low voice, "There is no retreat."

The Wood God laughed. "This old god could indeed survive by luck thanks to my relationship with the Water God, but... the Candle Dragon will not spare any Divine Spirit that has exiled it. It will surely strike at this old god, even if just to punish me. Since Emperor Shun is so convinced that the God of Spring is the next Heavenly Emperor, why shouldn't this old god trust the Dao of time for once?"

The Earth God asked in a low voice, "Is the Dao of time really that effective?"

"Earth God, Emperor Shun's action is for me to integrate the Heaven Palace with the Human Domain," Wu Wang said. "He wants us to clash so fiercely with the Candle Dragon that we're left bloody and broken, and then he will benefit as an opportunistic fisherman and make a resurgence. I need to make this clear to all of you."

"We would naturally understand such reasoning," the Earth God shook his head. "I am one of the Five Elements Gods, yet to be used so casually is truly rather..."

The Wood God also showed a troubled expression upon hearing this.

"Now is not the time to talk about these things," the Head Manager, however, was remarkably calm at this moment, just staring at Wu Wang as if wanting to see any change in his expression.

The Young Master said softly from the side, "We will win."

Wu Wang said, "Indeed, we will win. Of this I am utterly convinced."

"Because of the Dao of time?" the Head Manager furrowed his brows and asked.

"Because I come from the Stars." Wu Wang let out a light laugh, his eyes suddenly filled with a compelling Divine Light. "The three of you are the Power Gods closest to the Heavenly Emperor in the power structure of the Heaven Palace. Emperor Shun is surely watching us from somewhere right now, wanting to see if we can stabilize the Heaven Palace. His open scheme has completely extinguished any hope I had in him. From this moment on, I officially break with Emperor Shun."

The three gods nodded, not finding anything unusual in Wu Wang suddenly speaking these words.

The Head Manager asked, "Should we announce this to all the gods directly?"

"We cannot," Wu Wang said. "That would surely panic the gods. Some Divine Spirits may even voluntarily shatter the Heaven and Earth Seal to beg for mercy from the Candle Dragon. The Dao of Order is in the Heaven Palace; the Dao of Chaos resides within the Candle Dragon. The Candle Dragon is very strong, stronger even than it was during the War of the Ancient Gods. Emperor Shun's flight is born out of fear of the Candle Dragon. I have no way out. Behind me is the Human Domain, the living beings between Heaven and Earth, and my clan. If any of you wish to hide now in the void, waiting for the situation to stabilize before returning, then please set off now. If you choose to remain in this world and can trust me, then I ask that from this moment on you honor my commands. I will lead the Heaven Palace through this calamity. Once the world settles, I will give all Divine Spirits who have committed unforgivable sins against living beings a chance to atone for their sins."

No sooner had Wu Wang spoken than the Young Master quietly stood behind him, indicating her stance through action.

The Earth God stood with his hands behind his back, frowning in deep thought.

The Wood God, however, watched Wu Wang with a smile and said, "If this old god wants to leave, I can do so at any time. But why not see the methods of the new Heavenly Emperor first?"

"I shall stay," the Head Manager said in a low voice. "I understand best how the Heaven Palace operates. Even the Gold God, reconstituted, is under my control."

"Enough," the Earth God spoke firmly. "As one of the Five Elements Gods, I cannot leave this world. To flee into the void would just lead to a gradual fading away. I am a part of the world, the spirit of the earth. Resisting chaos and guarding order—that is my ultimate path."

"I..." Chang Xi suddenly spoke up. She stepped forward, opened her mouth as if to speak, but then hesitated. She said softly, "I want to stay."

"I will not make things difficult for the Moon God," Wu Wang said earnestly. "Please, Moon God, continue your cultivation in peace within the Moon Palace. Once the situation is stable, you may continue as the Moon God."

"Thank you," Chang Xi sighed softly.

"Let's get moving, everyone!" Wu Wang declared firmly. "Head Manager, do you need to recuperate in seclusion?"

The Head Manager looked down at his chest and said indifferently, "There's no need. It's been like this for a while now... Just give your orders."

Wu Wang immediately said, "I would trouble the Head Manager to continue overseeing the Heavenly Administrative Palace. It is absolutely crucial not to reveal the loss of the Divine Pool's Primordial Divine Power. The Earth God is to plan a Divine Guard drill to create some commotion in the Heaven Palace; the specifics of which I shall leave to the Earth God's discretion. Wood God, could you make a trip to Yang Valley? If Lady Xihe is willing, please ask her to come to the Heaven Palace. If she does not wish to, then let her remain undisturbed at Yang Valley. Make sure to convey this message to Lady Xihe—it is not the Heaven Palace that Emperor Shun has abandoned, but that trust."

The Wood God pondered for a while, then asked, "What if Lady Xihe has... concerns about this matter?"

"Wood God, just go," Wu Wang said with a smile. "Whatever choice Lady Xihe makes, she has done more good than harm to living beings, and her personal virtue is without fault. I will respect her."

"Indeed," the Wood God stroked his beard and murmured softly. "Leave this matter to this old god."

The three gods exchanged glances, each about to take action.

"Gentlemen." Wu Wang suddenly spoke up. As the three gods turned back, he gave a bow with folded hands. "For the beings sheltered by order."

...

As expected, Xihe did not rush to the Heaven Palace. Wu Wang was not at all surprised by the outcome brought back by the Wood God. He even harbored doubts about the old fellow's true allegiance. This was an old-timer who would back the winner, hedging bets and following trends. Asking the Wood God to speak in Yang Valley served two purposes: one, the Wood God was sufficiently tactful, and two, it was a warning to the Wood God.

If the new Heavenly Emperor were to assume the throne, even if he refrained from moving against the twin gods of the Sun and Moon, he would surely reclaim their authority. In Wu Wang's eyes, Xihe was forever associated with Emperor Shun. By sending the Wood God to convey the message, Wu Wang made it clear that the Wood God was to be temporarily considered part of Xihe's camp. As for what came next, it all depended on how the Wood God chose.

Emperor Shun departed, and the Heaven Palace seemed as if nothing had happened. Wu Wang and the Head Manager moved Emperor Shun's Order incarnation from the Divine Pool and placed it on the Heavenly Emperor's throne. This incarnation was as rigid as stone, as dry as withered wood, virtually devoid of any spirit—naturally because Emperor Shun had extracted all its spirit and power, leaving only the bedrock to sustain the operation of the Dao of Order. However, should this incarnation open its eyes, it could be seen as Emperor Shun's return. Therefore, Wu Wang, the Head Manager, the Wood God, the Earth God, and the Young Master jointly placed a five-fold seal on this incarnation, allowing it to serve merely as a conduit for the Dao of Order. The Heavenly Emperor's temple was filled with the essence of the Dao of Order, offering a great sense of security to the Divine Spirits.

A few days later, Wu Wang met with the Head Manager and the Earth God in the God of Spring's Temple.

"It has been temporarily stabilized," said the Head Manager. "According to Emperor Shun's parting words, we may only have six months left."

"Half a year? What can be done in such a short time?" The Earth God sighed. "If the Candle Dragon strikes at the Heaven and Earth Seal again and causes irreversible cracks, then it will no longer be possible to keep it a secret."

The Head Manager said, "If the morale in the Heaven Palace dissipates, I fear we might lose half of our fighting strength, and the Heaven and Earth Seal would face further threats."

"We must not fail Emperor Shun's trust," Wu Wang said with a smile. "Don't worry, I've figured out a way."

The Head Manager asked, "What way?"

"A transition of dual Heavenly Emperors," Wu Wang said. "Appoint the Star God as the second Heavenly Emperor, and I will inherit the Star God's position. In this manner, we can establish a dual Heavenly Emperorship and expedite the transition."

The Earth God frowned. "Shouldn't we ask the Star God?"

"Will the Star God cooperate with us?" the Head Manager also asked. "Or rather, will the Star God not come to the Heaven Palace?"

"No worries." In Wu Wang's left hand, the glimmering of stars emerged, forming the Star God's half-human, half-snake divine body. An aura that was pure and fundamental to the Star Sky Grand Dao emanated from its spectral form. "I am the Star God."

"What?"

"How can this be?"

"The full story of this matter is complicated and difficult to explain quickly," Wu Wang said. "The Star God has long been under my control. The various anomalies before were just me creating momentum for myself."

The Head Manager and the Earth God both stared intently at Wu Wang.

Wu Wang contemplated for a moment. "Do you still want to know other secrets about me?"

Both gods nodded in unison, but the Earth God immediately shook his head.

"Actually, I don't have many secrets," Wu Wang whispered with a smile. "The biggest secret is that Emperor Shun was most likely misled by a future version of me. He was right about one thing—all his efforts could very well contribute to the advent of that outcome. In the future, the Dao of time will not be in his hands."

"You..."

"Gentlemen," Wu Wang continued, "I am from the human race, just favored by some coincidental fate. Pay no heed to the influence of the Dao of time, as that could mislead both of us regarding the future. The future is created by our own hands. We cannot be slaves to the future."

"Right," the Head Manager murmured in agreement.

The Earth God gazed at Wu Wang, speaking in a heavy voice, "Then what of your feelings toward the Young Master?"

"They are genuine, without any scheming."

"That's good," the Earth God nodded slowly.

The Head Manager beside him pursed his lips and rolled his eyes, clearly skeptical.

Wu Wang smoothly changed the subject. "Next up, the most important task is to enhance my influence in the Heaven Palace, arrange for the Heavenly Emperor to formally recognize the Star God, and then for the Star God to transfer the position to me... It does feel a bit awkward to talk about this."

"Let me handle it," said the Head Manager. "It can be done in three months."

"Give me a list of Divine Spirits," Wu Wang said. "I will go and appease each of the Strong Gods and Main Gods in turn to protect the foundation of the Heaven Palace. Also, the identity of the Star God must not be revealed."

The Head Manager produced a Jade Talisman from his sleeve, speaking slowly, "Here is the list of six hundred twenty-five registered Divine Spirits in the Heaven Palace, information on over two hundred wild gods outside, and... the names of nearly two hundred gods who have utterly perished without reincarnation since the establishment of the Heaven Palace."

"Good," Wu Wang took the Jade Talisman and continued, "In a few days, a good friend of mine will come to the Heaven Palace. I will have him stay in my God of Spring's Temple for now. Later, give him the second-in-command position in the Heavenly Administrative Palace."

The Head Manager said, "In fact, he can directly replace me."

"That's for after the transition is complete," Wu Wang straightened up and looked squarely at the Head Manager. "As for your own future, I will ensure you receive a satisfying outcome."

"Agreed," the Head Manager replied calmly. "Don't make us wait too long."

"That won't happen," Wu Wang lowered his head to examine the Jade Talisman in his hands, murmuring, "Owing so much to the living beings of Heaven and Earth, do you, the God of Living Beings, think you can just die and be done with it? That would be letting you off too easily."

The Head Manager furrowed his brows tightly, bowed his head in a gesture of respect, and turned to leave.

The Earth God lifted his hand to rub the tip of his nose, his burly figure looking somewhat... simple and honest at this moment. He asked, "How will the Human Domain get along with the Heaven Palace?"

"They won't coexist," Wu Wang raised his head to look at the Earth God. "I understand the Earth God's concerns. However, the Human Domain and the Heaven Palace will maintain a clear line of separation; they will not become entangled with one another."

The Earth God nodded slightly. "With this, I understand."

Wu Wang smiled, his tense spirit easing slightly, and spoke in a relaxed tone, "Earth God, there's no need for us to be guarded against each other anymore, right?"

"Which Ancient God are you?" The Earth God stared at Wu Wang, suddenly asking such a question. "That way, I can determine how much trust I should give you."

Wu Wang was visibly stunned, looking quite perplexed. Following that, Wu Wang took off the necklace his mother had given him and placed it in the hands of the Earth God.

The Earth God's eyebrows furrowed as he carefully examined the necklace. He quickly revealed a look of realization, followed by confusion.

"Would my mother allow an Ancient God to use her son's body for reincarnation?"

"Then you and the Candle Dragon..."

"My mother was persuaded by me," Wu Wang said. "My stance is with the Human Domain."

"In that case, I understand roughly." The Earth God pushed the necklace back, sighing, "I never thought that you would have so many secrets."

Wu Wang put the necklace back on, raised his hand to rub his brow, and said in a low voice, "To tell you the truth, along the way, sometimes even I find myself confused, being pushed forward by my future self, avoiding certain tragedies, making myself as perfect and strong as possible."

"The Dao of time." The Earth God sighed softly, then shook his head with a light chuckle, a look of relief in his eyes, and drifted away with his hands behind his back.

Wu Wang indeed breathed a sigh of relief.

Lin Suqing, holding a cup of hot tea, came gracefully towards Wu Wang, easing much of his tension.

"Has the Young Master not returned yet?" Wu Wang asked softly.

"Not yet," Lin Suqing responded quietly, muttering under her breath, "Is there really no need for a big battle?"

"What?"

"I mean dealing with the difficult problem of the Heaven Palace," Lin Suqing blinked.

Wu Wang chuckled softly. "If it were a big battle, the idea is to match soldiers with soldiers and generals with generals, with both sides holding the belief that they will win and having no way out. In such cases, the outcome of winning or losing merely depends on individual strength. The villains we see foolishly waiting to be overthrown are just a common trope in some old stories."

Lin Suqing was silent for a moment. "Indeed," she conceded.

Wu Wang raised his eyebrows, showing a gentle smile.

Several days later, a troop from the Human Domain appeared at the border of Central Mountain. They sent the Sleep God, a Divine Spirit of the Heaven Palace detained in the Human Domain, to the border, along with a letter 'To the Heavenly Emperor'.

The Divine Guards of the Heaven Palace took back the Sleep God, and Wu Wang appeared in person, leading the Sleep God back to his own temple. The message was implicit: This is my person.

To this, the gods all turned a blind eye, and no one stepped out to say anything like, 'You were captured by the Human Domain and still have the nerve to come back.'

In the God of Spring's Temple, Yun Zhongjun, disguised as the Sleep God, gave Wu Wang a series of meaningful glances, quickly shed his cloak, and dove into the Divine Pool for a comfortable bath.

It didn't take long for the Sleep God to curse with a crooked mouth, "Emperor Shun is so ruthless? He took away all the Primordial Divine Power?"

Wu Wang asked in confusion, "What exactly is Primordial Divine Power?"

"That is... well, how to explain," the Sleep God said slowly. "Primordial Divine Power is not born from the faith of living beings but from the Great Dao. Before the third divine era, all gods relied on the Divine Power produced by their respective Great Daos for dueling and actions. The Heaven Palace established the Divine Court primarily to gather the Primordial Divine Power of all the gods. This power was used to repair and consolidate the Heaven and Earth Seal. In return, the gods received a greater quantity of faith-based Divine Power, though its quality was slightly inferior."

Wu Wang appeared enlightened and said, "Brother, do as you see fit. I'm going to comprehend the Great Dao."

"Go for it. In the end, whether we can win or not still depends on your final, crucial effort." The Sleep God laughed leisurely, his plump body floating in the Divine Pool, swaying leisurely and utterly relaxed. "Emperor Shun calculated so much but still got himself wrapped up in it. He has really messed up this time."

Wu Wang said, "Emperor Shun is probably still in the Heaven Palace."

"No, no, you still don't understand Emperor Shun," said the Sleep God. "He is surely hiding somewhere in the void by now but has left plenty of backup plans in the Heaven Palace. He already thinks he's won and won't risk being besieged."

"His backup plans?" Wu Wang asked. "What exactly are they?"

"Who knows? Isn't the Order incarnation obvious?" The Sleep God lay on his side on the water, striking an enchanting pose, resting his cheek in one hand, and said slowly, "No need to worry. When we make our move, it'll certainly be a killing blow."

"Hmm," Wu Wang responded solemnly.

"And," the Sleep God said with a smile, "Emperor Shun's biggest miscalculation isn't just about you; his greatest miscalculation is about the Power God that he himself shaped."

"The Head Manager?"

"Exactly," the Sleep God's eyes flashed with a hint of sharpness. "Just watch. The Head Manager might not be great at plotting, but he is quite skilled in administration."

"We shall see." Wu Wang stretched. "I'm off to seek Enlightenment."

"Sharpening your spear just before battle?"

"It's better than nothing."