My Dreams Connect to Ancient Times

The Celestial Son of Zhou sat upon his high seat, quietly listening to his ministers report on the various natural disasters from every region. Sorrow welled up in his heart, and his expression was dejected.

He sighed.

"Why must it be this way? Why..."

The ministers fell silent. They all understood the Celestial Son's meaning and simultaneously looked up at the sky. A mixture of reverence, fear, and hatred flashed across their faces, yet none dared to speak.

To speak ill of the Immortal Gods was to invite calamity.

After a long moment, a white-haired old minister bowed his head and sighed.

"Your Majesty, if there is no other way, then... then let us open the sacrificial altar, pay respects to heaven and earth, worship the Immortal Gods, and pray for favorable weather and peace for our lands..."

The Celestial Son of Zhou was silent for a long time.

After another long pause, he nodded, his voice distant.

"Then let it be..."

Before his words had fully faded, a mighty voice suddenly surged from the horizon, shaking heaven and earth.

"Today, there are Immortal Gods who have sinned, and I have come to count their sins!"

The great voice rolled in like a tidal wave, exploding in their ears. The ministers in the hall were stunned speechless. They all turned in the direction of the sound, only to see churning clouds and interwoven lightning!

"That is Lu Zi's voice!" an old minister exclaimed. The Celestial Son abruptly stood up, his expression shaken.

"'Count the sins of the Immortal Gods...'" he murmured, swallowing hard. 'Where is Lu Zi? What is he planning to do?'

The ministers exchanged glances, a chill running down their spines. Sensing that something momentous was about to happen, they all rushed out of the hall to gaze at the horizon and listen to the rolling voice of the Dao!

「…」

「In the heavens.」

In the Central Celestial Court, carried by the potent Human Dao Fortune, the voice reached the ears of the heavens, stunning the assembled immortals!

An Immortal Official, his face a mask of shock and anger, stepped forward to report.

"Your Majesty, there seems to be a disturbance in the Human World. Shall we dispatch Celestial Soldiers and Generals to the Lower Realm to investigate?"

Upon the Emperor's Throne, the Emperor Corpse opened his eyes, revealing a grand spectacle of wailing gods and demons within his pupils. He, too, tilted his head to listen.

"Let us discuss the Western Celestial Court, which has sinned against heaven and against man..."

The Emperor Corpse smiled, letting his skin and flesh slough off and regenerate as he spoke placidly.

"Hmm, the West Pole Celestial Court has repeatedly sent Evil Gods to the Lower Realm in recent years, disrupting the peace of the Human World. It is only natural that a Great Power of the Human Race has now stepped forward to denounce them."

The assembled immortals were taken aback.

The smile on the Emperor Corpse's face widened with amusement.

"There is no need to interfere. Let us simply watch and see how far this tide will surge. Let's see how the Western Celestial Court handles this hot potato."

The Immortal Officials glanced at each other, sensing something was off in the Celestial Emperor's words. 'A hot potato?'

A Great Immortal Official's thoughts stirred, and he cast his gaze down toward the Human World, following the voice to look upon the Qin Region. However, his vision was blocked by the tempestuous convergence of wind, clouds, thunder, and the vast Human Dao Trend, preventing him from seeing the details.

At that moment, the Emperor Corpse lightly tapped his fingers on the table, producing a sound like the boom of a muffled drum. He smiled again.

"Hmm, it's not intense enough, not grand enough... Transmit my Decree."

As he spoke, he lowered his eyelids, but the smile on his face did not diminish in the slightest.

"Hold the West Pole Celestial Court accountable. Order them to quell the chaos in the Human World. If they cannot, they will be punished."

A commotion rippled through the assembled immortals. In recent years, they had all noticed that the Celestial Emperor seemed very displeased with the Four Directions Celestial Court. And now, with this sudden upheaval in the Human World, the Celestial Emperor seemed to be gloating...

'Judging by His Majesty's reaction, could it be that the arrogant mortal who proclaimed he would 'count the sins of the Immortal Gods' is an extraordinary figure?'

Within the Lingxiao Hall of the Milo Celestial Palace, this group of great Immortal Gods, whose names were all legendary, grew pensive. Although they could not perceive the details of what was happening in the Qin Region of the Human World, they couldn't help but cast their gazes downward, filled with curiosity.

'Who could it be?'

'And what kind of person are they?'

「…」

The mighty voice spread throughout the heavens and the earth, shaking even the Nine Nether.

On this day, above Yong City, the winds and clouds converged. Thunder rolled, divine light shone like satin, the voice of the Dao intertwined with blossoming Immortal Flowers, and Qingyun floated in the air—a multitude of auspicious signs appeared!

The city's populace stared at the old man upon the high platform. Venus and Li Jing were also shaken, but they chose to observe quietly, wanting to see how this "farce" would ultimately conclude.

The Cyan Bull, however, lay calmly to the side, motionless, its eyes lowered.

「At this very moment.」

Tens of thousands of soldiers stood in ceremonial formation around the high platform, holding blades, swords, and other weapons, guarding this altar for sacrificing to—or rather, punishing—the heavens.

On the platform, the old man wore a Profound Robe and held a three-faced, five-sectioned sword. With the sword in hand, eight braziers around him ignited, their flames growing ever stronger.

He looked up at the Celestial Vault, his solemn voice shaking the cosmos, its momentum magnificent!

"Proclaiming yourselves superior, you look down upon all living things and destroy the balance of nature. This is the first sin of the Western Celestial Court."

"You incited the Dukes States to war, spreading conflict for thousands of miles. You ordered Duke Huan of Qi to carry out a city-wide slaughter, harvesting the Essence of living beings for your own gain—a monstrous transgression. This is the second sin of the Western Celestial Court."

Every word, every sentence, was carried by the Human Dao Fortune, spreading through all Thirty-Three Celestial Realms. It startled many Immortal Gods, who cast their gazes over, but their vision was obscured by the roiling clouds, thunder, and thirty thousand miles of purple qi.

Lu Xuan, holding his sword in a solemn posture with its tip pointed to the sky, continued to speak in that vast voice.

"You have willfully brought disaster upon the Human World, destroying mountains and rivers, harming the people, and causing grievances to boil across the land for thousands of miles. This is the third sin of the Western Celestial Court."

"You have corrupted rites and music, damaged harmony among people, and harmed all things. You revel in your power, take pleasure in the suffering of living beings, and unleash the Drought Demon upon the land, robbing the Human World of its clarity. This is the fourth sin of the Western Celestial Court."

As he spoke, shadowy figures appeared amidst the clouds and mist—Wandering Immortals and Gods who had come from all directions to watch, all of them peeking cautiously.

Lu Xuan remained unmoved, his voice suddenly rising an octave.

"I ask the Immortals, Buddhas, Ghosts, and Gods in the heavens: What crime have the people of this vast land committed? What crime have the mountains, rivers, and the world itself committed? You have usurped the authority of heaven and earth, yet you do not ensure favorable weather or protect the well-being of all life. Instead, you do as you please, visiting your wrath upon the people..."

"This is the fifth sin of the Western Celestial Court!"

Amidst his booming voice, by the side of the platform, the entire army raised their weapons. They made no sound, but their killing intent surged to the heavens!

Lu Xuan roared in fury.

"With these five sins upon you, in my name and bearing the Human Dao Fortune, I intend today to abolish the venerable status of the West Pole Celestial Court! From this day forward, the people of the world shall no longer pay homage to the West! Of the Five Directions Celestial Court in the heavens, I shall abolish one! I ask the mountains, rivers, heaven, and earth: Is this permissible? Is this permissible? Is this permissible!"

His three thunderous questions made Yong City hum and caused the peering Wandering Immortals and Gods in the clouds to lose their footing!

In Luoyang, the Celestial Son's lips trembled. He looked back at the memorials piled on his desk, detailing the celestial calamities and divine chaos from all over. Rage ignited in his heart, and that rage gave rise to audacity!

He raised his arm, activating the three hundred portions of the Human Dao Trend he possessed, and responded in a loud voice.

"As the king of the Zhou Dynasty, I hereby decree that I... approve of Lu Zi's words!"

In one of the states, Master Kong was traveling and teaching with his Seventy-two Disciples. At this moment, he too was listening to that mighty Daoist voice, listening to those three furious questions.

He glanced aside at the villagers who couldn't fill their bellies and at the withered, ruined crops. He suddenly sighed, then looked up and responded to the resounding voice.

"When Immortal Gods bring disaster, their transgressions become sins. Why can they not be abolished? It is the worship of humans that makes them Immortal Gods. Without that worship, they are but Longevity ghosts between heaven and earth! Why can they not be abolished? Why can they not be abolished?"

The two great voices converged, and their respective Human Dao Fortunes merged as one!

In Yong City of the Qin Region, the three hundred portions of Human Dao Fortune from the Celestial Son of Zhou and the one hundred portions from Master Kong all gathered together.

Below, Zhao Zheng's blood was pounding in his veins. He too raised his hands and shouted.

"It is permissible! It is permissible! It is permissible!"

From his body, another three hundred and fifty portions of Human Dao Fortune surged onto the high platform, swirling around the old man who held the sword and questioned the heavens!

At this very moment, beside the old man, a full one thousand six hundred of the world's ten thousand portions of Human Dao Fortune now ebbed and flowed in this small space!

Venus and Li Jing were dazed, their legs even feeling a bit weak. They had originally thought this Lu Zi, this successor of the Supreme, was merely going to count the sins of the Western Celestial Court. They never imagined that in the end, he would seek to abolish its venerable status!

'With a mortal body, to abolish an Immortal God, to depose a Celestial Court... Is that even possible?'

Heaven and earth trembled, mountains and rivers rumbled. From every inch of the land, from every blade of grass and every flower, faint wisps of Human Dao Fortune gathered, twisting together into a great river.

Three thousand five hundred portions of the Human Dao Trend temporarily gathered above Lu Xuan's head, in addition to the one thousand six hundred portions already swirling around him...

Of all the fortune in the Human World, he now held more than half!!

Lu Xuan abruptly thrust his sword toward the sky. The sharp glint of the blade tore through thousands of miles of clouds. The Wandering Immortals and Gods fled in a panic as a chasm was ripped through the thick cloud layer, allowing the light of the Great Sun to pour down upon him!

"I ask the Human World again, I ask the heavens and the earth again! With the power of humanity, to abolish the station of an Immortal God, to depose the venerable West Pole Celestial Court—is this permissible? Is this permissible? Is this permissible?"

The mountains and rivers cried out in unison, the grass and trees hissed, and the people roared in anger:

"It is! It is! It is!"

BOOM!!!

High in the westernmost Celestial Vault, the West Pole Celestial Court began to hum violently. Within it, every Immortal Official and celestial god turned pale, enraged, and terrified!!

But in the next instant, they were shocked to discover that the authority of heaven and earth that surrounded the West Pole Celestial Court, that surrounded them... was draining away!

The entire West Pole Celestial Court even showed signs of collapsing!!

The Celestial Pillar had not broken, yet the heavens still seemed to be tilting to the West!

The sky caved in, palaces and pavilions crumbled, the Celestial Gate teetered on the brink of collapse, and the entire vast court seemed ready to fall from the heavens!

The status of the West Pole Celestial Court... was truly about to be abolished!!

In the center of the Western Celestial Court, from within an Emperor's Palace filled with the aura of slaughter and weapons, three Golden Decrees floated out in succession. Each was inscribed with a single, majestic, imperial character.

「Stabilize!」

The collapsing Western Celestial Court steadied.

「Solidify!」

The dissipating authority of heaven and earth was forcibly frozen, no longer draining away.

「Attack!」

One hundred thousand Celestial Soldiers and Generals emerged at the command, forming a vast, unbroken host. They pressed down toward the Human World as war drums thundered, flanked by galloping lightning, followed by wind and cloud!

They went forth to crush the rebellion in the Human World!

The other four Celestial Courts—the Central, East, South, and North—which had been watching the show, erupted in an uproar. The ruler of the West Pole Celestial Court... was enraged!

In the North Pole Celestial Court, a soft sigh echoed from the Emperor's Palace.

"To spread weapons and disaster in the Human World to heal one's own wounds, only to provoke the Supreme Profound Clarity... and now he wants to flip the table. Gouchen... is truly unwise."

In the South Pole Celestial Court, the Emperor in his palace shook his head.

"A futile effort. Why provoke that one in the heavens? Flip the table... You and I are not at the level of Dao Fruit. We are pieces in a game. How can a chess piece possibly flip the board?"

In the East Pole Celestial Court, the East Pole Qing Hua Emperor, whose body was half-shattered, chuckled, clearly gloating.

"Gouchen... is getting desperate! Ha!"

Meanwhile, in the Central Celestial Court, an intriguing smile once again appeared on the Emperor Corpse's face as he muttered to himself.

"The fire isn't burning hot enough... Let's add some more fuel."

Hearing this, the immortals looked up in surprise, only to see His Majesty the Celestial Emperor—so solemn and majestic in their eyes—drafting a grand Decree!

As he wrote this great Decree, the Emperor Corpse coughed up mouthfuls of blood. His already fractured body showed further signs of collapse, but he ignored it completely, forcing himself to write out the Celestial Emperor's Decree!

「The West Pole Celestial Court has provoked the Human Dao. If it cannot pacify the wrath of the Human Dao, its venerable status as a Celestial Court shall be abolished, and its Emperor shall be deposed!」

The immortals were in an uproar.

'Pacify the wrath of the Human Dao?'

Although they couldn't perceive the specific situation in the Qin Region due to the terrifying power of the Human Dao Trend, they could all sense that it was now entirely focused on the Great Power of the Human Race who had called for the abolition of an Immortal God and the deposing of a Celestial Court!

And to pacify the wrath of the Human Dao, in other words, meant either pacifying the anger of that unknown Great Power, or... causing that Great Power to die!

'But hadn't the Celestial Emperor said before that the figure in the Human World was a hot potato?'

The immortals were horrified. A terrifying thought occurred to all of them. If the West Pole Celestial Court could not pacify the anger of that figure in the Human World, or simply eliminate him...

'With the decree of the Human Dao combined with the decree of the Celestial Emperor, the entire court's station might truly be abolished!'

At the same time, within the barely stabilized West Pole Celestial Court, in the Emperor's Palace pervaded by the aura of slaughter,

the very moment the Emperor Corpse wrote that great Decree, the majestic being in the palace shot to his feet. Rage flared in his heart, aggravating the great wounds that already covered his body!

He stared in the direction of the Central Celestial Court, blood trickling from his mouth, and said coldly.

"You damned Haotian... You can't even stay quiet in death!"

Taking a deep breath and feeling his own teetering status as Lord of the West Pole Celestial Court, the majestic being trembled with rage and frustration.

'What in the world is this Supreme Profound Clarity doing, going mad like this!'

After a sullen pause, a ruthless glint flashed in the majestic being's eyes. He wrote another Golden Decree, and it floated out.

On the Decree were only two words.

「Attack again!」

The Celestial Court shook. Another two hundred thousand Celestial Soldiers and Generals stepped out onto the clouds. An army of three hundred thousand now gathered, standing tall in the sky, a vision of weapons and slaughter!

They went forth, toward the Human World, to punish the disloyal!