The imposing auras of the two brothers, Mao Gu and Mao Ying, surged forth.

Mao Ying's aura was the most overwhelming, giving Bai Zhu the impression that the Golden Que Emperor was standing right before him.

This made their own auras pale significantly in comparison.

In the depths of the void, the Golden Que Emperor, who was observing the scene, was also inwardly shocked.

What formidable power.

One aura was slightly weaker than his own, while the other was evenly matched.

No wonder the Great Sun World Venerable was driven away.

Although that entity is far weaker than me, the Great Sun World is, after all, its home ground. Even if the Heavenly Court declares war, it would take at least several hundred years to deal with the Great Sun World Venerable.

Yet this mysterious force, as far as he knew, had taken less than two months to conquer the Great Sun Pure Land.

To seize such a tough nut as the Pure Land itself showed that this force was equally unyielding.

The Golden Que Emperor pondered for a moment. Now was not the time to initiate conflict. Even if war were to break out, it would not be a battle between his faction and the mysterious force alone; such a situation would only allow others to reap the benefits.

With this thought, he secretly transmitted a message to Bai Zhu and the others.

"Do not provoke trouble."

The Golden Que Emperor exhorted Bai Zhu and three others.

Now was not the time to trigger a confrontation.

Hearing the Golden Que Emperor's warning, Bai Zhu and his companions immediately reined in their momentum.

"Oh? Still not leaving?"

Song Lin, observing their expressions, realized that his strategy of using a tiger's might had succeeded.

Just as he had expected.

There must be an extraordinary figure guiding them from behind, and that figure was undoubtedly watching this place closely.

If his guess was correct, the sudden shift in their demeanor just now was because of that person.

Bai Zhu was at a loss for words. Wanting to utter a harsh remark but fearing it might anger the Golden Que Emperor, he had no choice but to slink away in humiliation.

In the void, many sacred entities watched from afar. The mysterious force's assault on the Pure Land and its clash with the Golden Que Emperor drew the attention of many.

The outcome, however, was staggering.

Inconceivable.

The Golden Que Emperor had actually retreated voluntarily.

This was the first time anyone had seen the Golden Que Emperor withdraw without even engaging in combat.

Those intending to fish in troubled waters now lost their appetite for confrontation.

If even the Golden Que Emperor could not resolve this, they had no desire to embarrass themselves or risk following in the footsteps of the Great Sun World Venerable.

"With local serpents inside and powerful dragons outside, this realm is bound to undergo a major upheaval."

The insightful ones of the Middle Thousand World couldn't help but lament.

As time passed, news of the Great Sun World Venerable's exile and the fall of the Pure Land spread far and wide.

The speed at which the Pure Land was conquered—just one month—sent shockwaves through the various forces.

One hundred years would have been considered rapid; how could it possibly happen in just a month?

They were now unable to discern the exact cause. What was evident, however, was the presence of two True Immortals on the opposing side—a power comparable to the Golden Que Emperor.

Initially, it was assumed that this would spark massive upheaval. But to their surprise, after taking the Pure Land, the force made no further moves.

"Could it be that the leaders of this force dislike conflict? They may be suitable allies to balance against the Golden Que Emperor."

Leaders across the Middle Thousand forces held differing views.

Some believed that Donghua Heavenly Court had a ruthless disposition, fearing they might follow in the footsteps of the Pure Land, and thus leaned toward resistance.

Others felt the situation wasn't so dire. With a powerful newcomer entering the fray, perhaps it was an opportunity to break the Golden Que Emperor's dominance.

They reasoned that a rivalry between two powers was preferable to a scenario where everyone huddled together defensively.

Regardless of strategy, they all needed to ascertain the origins of this mysterious force to proceed with their plans.

With no further moves from the Donghua Heavenly Court, the many forces chose to continue observation.

Meanwhile, within the Palace of the Polestar, debates raged endlessly.

Some advocated guarding their position to maintain enough mystery.

Others argued for bold offensives to seize more territories.

"Reckless expansion is out of the question."

Song Lin rejected this proposal outright, knowing that expansion now would spell doom.

The greatest deterrent of any weapon lies in its unsheathing; once exposed, its vulnerabilities become evident, and no one will fear it anymore.

There were four other Middle Thousand forces surrounding them. The Golden Que Emperor was undoubtedly the leading figure, followed by Mao Gu. The remaining three were on par with the Great Sun World Venerable in strength.

To rashly disrupt the balance would only unite all local forces against them—a most undesirable outcome.

"They are not monolithic. Why not attempt forming alliances with some of them?"

"Heavenly Mechanism's words are wise. The Five Realms are rife with contradictions; we must fully exploit the discord among our enemies."

Song Lin decided on the principal strategy, which was further deliberated upon by the assembly.

The focus was on how to form alliances with other factions, the primary rule being never to reveal their true strength.

If it became known that Mao Ying had yet to awaken, it would spell trouble.

"I understand," said Song Lin, then glanced at the crowd. "Tomorrow, let us be ostentatious. Proclaim it to the realm, inviting immortals from far and wide to the Lingxiao Conference. Extend invitations to the Heavenly God Realm, Earth Deity Realm, the Seven Gods, and demons alike."

The so-called Heavenly God Realm was the domain of the Golden Que Emperor.

"Under whose name?"

"In the name of the Shenxiao Heavenly Emperor of Donghua Heavenly Court."

Song Lin then issued an imperial decree.

Mao Ying was conferred the title of Heavenly Emperor, Mao Gu that of Earth King Emperor, and Mao Zhong as Emperor Shenyou.

No matter how much posturing they did, the title of Heavenly Emperor could not be relinquished.

When the time came, Mao Ying's absence could be glossed over by Mao Gu's presence.

The Great Sun World Venerable would not be able to return to expose their ruse anytime soon.

The following day.

The gates to the Pure Land stood wide open, once again drawing the gaze of many factions.

From the Heaven and Earth Xuan Sect emerged a white-haired Heavenly Immortal.

The Heavenly Immortal wore a Lotus Crown and a Seven Star Eight Diagrams Robe, with a Jade Ruyi hanging at his waist. His demeanor was ethereal, embodying the elegance of an immortal.

"The Pure Land brought disaster to the realm; the Great Sun is unrighteous, devoid of humanity, and bereft of conscience… Donghua is the rightful mandate of heaven. The Great Sun defiled our Daoist court and trespassed upon our lands… The Buddha Realm is rife with sin, and the mandate of heaven shall smite it."

This text was penned by Song Lin.

In essence, it declared their identity, their reasons for assaulting the Great Sun World Venerable, listed a slew of crimes, and conveyed their intention not to invade other realms, instead seeking camaraderie with the divine courts.

It was signed in the name of the Shenxiao Heavenly Emperor, who extended a grand invitation to heroes of the world for a celebratory feast.

The tone of the statement exuded magnanimity, signaling confidence and readiness to face any scrutiny.

This appeared to project an unshakable belief in their ability to handle all challenges.

In the Seven Gods Realm, within the Middle Thousand Bright Country.

At the heart of the Capital stood the Bright God Statue, replacing the sun in its function, illuminating the Mortal World and channeling the collective faith of the people.

This was the seat of the Church Court of the Bright God.

A holy place untouched by blemish.

"We shall never compromise with heretics. No one is permitted to attend. The Shenxiao Heavenly Emperor claims to embody the Great Taoist Yang, the Yang Qi of all creation—this is blasphemy against our god."

Within the Church Court's main hall, the gods argued vehemently.

Ultimately, it was decided that they would not attend the conference.

The Heavenly God Realm's Golden Que Heavenly Court, however, decided to participate, though the Golden Que Emperor himself would not appear.

The Earth Deity Realm made the same decision.

The Seven Gods Realm chose not to attend, while the Demon Realm sent the Demon King as their representative.

Ten days later, the immortals gathered in the Palace of the Polestar.

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