"If that’s the case, this vassal cannot shirk his duty!" Li Jing said firmly.

A smile crept across the Jade Emperor’s face, "This time I allow you to use all your power to bring these blasphemers to justice."

"Your will shall be done!"

Li Jing, full of zeal, left the Lingxiao Treasured Palace, ready to organize his forces for battle, and this time he was confident.

The Eastern King is unlike the Demon Clan; lacking the support of a vast race means there is a limited potential for war. Even if there are many victories, a single failure could lead to complete ruin.

The war between the Heavenly Court and the Eastern King was just like this, especially since the Eastern King’s attempt to seize the Heavenly Throne from the Jade Emperor had failed, leading to much of his fate being usurped by the Jade Emperor.

The current Eastern King is but a nuisance hiding in the shadows; if he were truly out in the open, he would stand no chance against the Heavenly Court.

However, it seems the Eastern King himself does not see it that way. He has always been waiting in the dark for an opportunity, an opportunity to overthrow the Jade Emperor.

The Heavenly Court’s failure in Luzhou in the North made him acutely aware of the court’s current weaknesses, and he did not hesitate to initiate his plan, aiming to capture the Heavenly Court’s Immortal Transformation Pond and weaken their war potential.

Things seemed to be proceeding smoothly, but Li Jing thought that the Eastern King was oversimplifying the situation.

The Heavenly Court of today is no longer the makeshift assembly it once was. Having ruled the Three Realms for many years, it has undergone significant transformation; to view it with the same old perspective would be a grave mistake.

Take, for example, this mobilization of the Heavenly Army. Thanks to the court’s long-established reputation, it quickly assembled a large number of high-quality troops.

Although these Heavenly Soldiers and Generals lack the characteristic Undying Bodies of the past, they are more spirited than their predecessors.

As for Li Jing himself, he preferred these new Heavenly Soldiers. The former soldiers, perhaps due to dying too many times, were steeped in the air of six desires, becoming greedy and murderous, and sometimes difficult to control.

Seeing Li Jing’s confident departure, the Jade Emperor nodded slightly and then softly added, "Your men should follow behind. It’s time to settle this matter once and for all. By the way, what more do you know about the person you captured?"

"He is not a core member of Yingzhou Island. Originally a Loose Cultivator, he joined Yingzhou Island by chance. According to him, Yingzhou Island is very secretive, and those in the outer ranks like him are not privy to many details."

"Capturing him must’ve been fate. Because of his experience in the Heavenly Court, he decided to rekindle his Daoist Heart and was seeking a place to withdraw and practice cultivation in solitude when I found the opportunity to bring him back to the Heavenly Court."

The Jade Emperor responded with a smile, "Oh! It seems he has talent. Very well then, as long as he is willing to atone for his crimes through service, we shall give him a chance. Our Heavenly Court needs new blood too. The future of the Three Realms will be an era of great contention, and we must also change our old ways."

Such was the magnanimity of the Jade Emperor; he had secured his seat as the Heavenly Emperor precisely because he never lost heart and was always evolving with the times.

Who would prevail in the end remained to be seen.

Meanwhile, as Li Jing began the conscription process, the actions taken by the Heavenly Court immediately drew the attention of countless observers. After all, such a mobilization for war had not been seen since the stalemate on the frontlines of Luzhou in the North.

Everyone knew that this mobilization shouldn’t be headed towards Luzhou in the North; the Jade Emperor hadn’t lost his reason.

Yet, with such a massive call to arms, not a single person knew who they were actually meant to confront.

Li Jing, of course, was aware of the significance of this operation. To take on the adeptly elusive Eastern King, the concealment of intelligence was of utmost importance. Therefore, he didn’t inform the gathered soldiers and generals about where the target was, but instead, urged them to assemble quickly.

The speed of the Heavenly Court was swift; in less than a moment’s time, the vast army had gathered completely, and with a high call from Li Jing, he set off with everyone in tow. Even then, they didn’t know where they were being led.

However, this was precisely Li Jing’s brilliance. As the Grand Marshal of Heavenly Soldiers, his many years of martial life had long since made his name echo throughout the Three Realms.

To some Immortals or Cultivators, Li Jing might just be one of the Heavenly Court’s generals.

But for all the Heavenly Soldiers, Li Jing was the Divine King of Pagodas, the invincible Commander who could lead them to victory in all sorts of wars and bring them glory.

The immense army marched towards the East, leaving behind a host of Immortals whispering among themselves.

"Where is Heavenly King Li heading? Looking at the direction, it doesn’t seem like he’s going to Luzhou in the North," an Immortal asked, looking puzzled at the direction of Li Jing’s departure.

"Definitely not to Luzhou in the North. Everyone knows that Luzhou in the North is in a mess right now. Going there would be no different from not going at all. Li Jing, as a renowned general of the Three Realms, would he not see this?"

"It seems he’s headed East. Could it be that he’s seeking to settle scores with the Eastern Sea Dragon King Ao Guang? I’ve heard that the Dragon Clan lately seems to harbor other thoughts!"

"Impossible. Although the Dragon Clan’s attitude has been quite poor before, after all, they still follow the orders of the Heavenly Court. The Emperor wouldn’t commit such an act of punishment without instruction. Moreover, to send so many Heavenly Soldiers with Heavenly King Li leading them personally to the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace would be like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut."

The crowd nodded in agreement, affirming this person’s point of view.

Among them, one person’s face suddenly changed, as if he had thought of something—it was the Immortal who had previously secretly sheltered Daoist Qingyun.

He casually excused himself and then quietly slipped away towards his residence.

Words fell carelessly, but the listener held them with intent. Once the direction of Li Jing’s departure was confirmed, he realized something was amiss, and it wasn’t until the crowd’s various speculations that he suddenly recognized that Li Jing leading a great army East might not necessarily be aimed at the Dragon Clan. It was very likely that he had found the hidden Yingzhou Island.

"The Core of the Immortal Transformation Pond!" He quickly realized that perhaps the Jade Emperor had located the position of Yingzhou Island using this thing.

With this in mind, he became restless, eager to convey this message to the Eastern King; otherwise, once the Heavenly Army arrived, Yingzhou Island, stripped of its secrecy, wouldn’t stand a chance against the fierce Heavenly Soldiers.

He quietly returned to his residence, looked around to make sure he wasn’t followed, and only after reassuring himself, he closed his door and slowly opened a secret compartment in the wall. Inside was a leaf wrapped in flames, which looked somewhat like a mulberry leaf.

This was a leaf from the Fusang Tree, through which he could urgently contact the Eastern King, and soon he would be able to send out this message.

However, just as he took the leaf in his palm, suddenly a hand reached out from the shadows. It was a furry hand, covered in brown monkey hair, followed by the sullen face of the Divine Exorcist Great Saint emerging slowly from within the darkness.