The Jade Emperor showed leniency towards Mr. Mo’s case, but was far less merciful to the person who dared to destroy the Immortal Transformation Pond and the Peach Garden.

At his command, countless immortals began a thorough search of the Heavenly Court, swearing to find the culprits responsible for these acts.

Now, Taoist Qingyun and the others hid in that hidden chamber, not even daring to show their heads, knowing well that they had seriously offended the Heavenly Court, and if caught, they would undoubtedly be taken to the Execution of Immortals Platform.

As time passed, the grand capture operation of the Heavenly Court quietly fizzled out.

The Jade Emperor uncharacteristically raged in the Lingxiao Treasured Palace, even smashing his favorite Jade Ruyi to pieces.

When everyone had left, the Jade Emperor put away his angry facade and gently inquired, "Still no trace of them?"

The Divine Exorcist Great Saint emerged slowly from the darkness, saying in a low voice, "Still nothing. I suspect they have secret chambers within the Heavenly Court, and I’m investigating those who built the Heavenly Court back in the day."

"Find them as quickly as possible; I want to see who’s had the audacity to provoke me," said the Jade Emperor coldly.

"I will find them. As long as they are in the Heavenly Court for even a day, they won’t escape my grasp," the Divine Exorcist Great Saint confidently stated. As an expert in intelligence, had it not been for his focus being diverted by the great battle between the Heavenly Court and the Demon Clan, Taoist Qingyun’s success would not have been easy.

"Once you find them, don’t spook them. Play the long game to catch the big fish. I want them to know the consequences of angering me," the Jade Emperor said somberly.

"What do you think about the incident at the Peach Garden?"

"It’s unlikely to be the same group. They were being chased without a refuge in heaven or on earth, lacking the time to set up such acts. I suspect the explosion was the work of the Demon Clan, coming to aid Mr. Mo," the Divine Exorcist Great Saint speculated.

The Jade Emperor nodded slightly; during the replay of the events, he had discovered a pair of hands in the shadows stirring up the situation, and Mr. Mo and the Peach Garden incident might very well be their handywork.

"Find this person and see who they truly are. We’ve been played for fools," said the Jade Emperor.

It was exactly what the Divine Exorcist Great Saint had been concerned about; he prided himself on his expertise in undercover work, yet he couldn’t even determine when that person behind the scenes had infiltrated the Heavenly Court, realizing that he had encountered a true adversary.

The turmoil gradually subsided, and although the Immortal Transformation Pond was lost, there were still many surviving Heavenly soldiers. Now, without a major war, they could barely manage, but the Jade Emperor knew well that this wasn’t sustainable. Without their Undying Bodies, the combat power and will of the Heavenly soldiers plummeted, and the idea of relying on their vast numbers for conquest was virtually impossible.

"Issue a command to widely recruit Heavenly Soldiers and Generals throughout the Three Realms, with superior compensation." A recruitment edict was issued from the Heavenly Court, swiftly spreading through the Three Realms.

After countless ages, the Heavenly Court was recruiting again. This time the conditions were far better than before, and there was no need to entrust souls to the Immortal Transformation Pond. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

After all, the Heavenly Court still represented the orthodox power of the Three Realms, capable of attracting the attention of countless individuals. For many cultivators, joining the Heavenly Court was a long-cherished dream.

Thus, bustling recruitment scenes could be seen everywhere, stabilizing the restless Heavenly Court. Having thrived for many years, the Heavenly Court was like a centipede that wouldn’t die easily; toppling it was no simple task.

Meanwhile, the craftsmen of the Heavenly Forge Bureau were deeply saddened, for Mr. Mo, who had led them from the beginning, had left the Heavenly Court. Although the Court had given the matter a cold treatment, many were aware that, in fact, Mr. Mo had defected.

"I really didn’t expect Mr. Mo to be part of the Demon Clan," Lu Shu said in a low voice to his good friend.

"For someone of his stature, why betray the Heavenly Court? Living comfortably and enjoying the best of everything, only to go to the barren lands of the Demon Clan, isn’t that a complete waste of his talents?" Lu Shu continued to lament.

He hadn’t been with the Heavenly Forge Bureau for long, and during that time Mr. Mo had kept a low profile, not concerning himself with the affairs of the Bureau. Hence, Lu Shu’s impression of this true superior of the Heavenly Forge Bureau was not deep.

His departure didn’t change much for Lu Shu; he still engaged in his tedious and repetitive work, bereft of leisure.

But for many veterans within the Heavenly Forge Bureau, it was as shocking as a bolt from the blue. The Bureau’s systems and the equipment produced had been built from scratch by Mr. Mo. They were taught by him, hand in hand.

To them, Mr. Mo was both a teacher and an idol. Now, coming to terms with the truth, they were as grief-stricken as if mourning the loss of a parent.

"It really makes you wonder why His Majesty would entrust such a crucial institution as the Heavenly Forge Bureau to a member of the Demon Clan," Lu Shu lamented non-stop, oblivious to his friend’s unusual demeanor.

"Don’t you think so?" Lu Shu’s voice rang out in Liu Ming’s ears.

Liu Ming seemed to startle awake with a shiver and, upon recognizing Lu Shu, let out a sigh of relief and responded, "You scared me. What are you on about?"

"It seems like everything I just said was to no avail; you haven’t been paying attention to a word," Lu Shu said with a sigh.

"What’s been going on with you lately? You’re always so distracted," Lu Shu asked with concern.

Liu Ming shook his head slightly and replied, "It’s nothing, just that I’ve been feeling tired lately, like I can’t keep up my energy."

Seeing his friend’s ill complexion, Lu Shu didn’t press on and instead said with a sigh, "You really need to take care of your health. I’ve come to realize there’s no end to the work in the Heavenly Court."

Liu Ming nodded but deep inside he still felt very uneasy. Not long after Mr. Mo’s incident, he discovered his Golden Finger had disappeared.

The mysterious library that used to appear at his mere thought was gone without a trace, as if it had never existed.

The iron ring he had found had also become ordinary, not even a hint of mana vibration to be felt.

Considering Mr. Mo’s recent trouble, Liu Ming had a bold guess—perhaps the schemer behind it all had been hiding in that library, and he just hadn’t seen him.

The revelation kept him up at night, and even his dreams were haunted with fears of being apprehended by the Heavenly Court and punished on the Execution of Immortals Platform.

Fortunately, it was all a false alarm. The Heavenly Court didn’t seem to notice any connection to him. Liu Ming forced himself to calm down, trying not to think about it anymore. He could sense that there were still eyes in the shadows, searching for those who acted out of the ordinary.

"All gifts come with a hidden price," reflected Liu Ming, grasping the saying profoundly for the first time.

Suppressing the fear in his heart, Liu Ming continued with his work.