Steadily becoming a saint, the immortal officials hired me to tend the horses

Chapter 974: Chapter 966: The Immortal Position of the Merit Immortal

The Eternal Great Thousand Venerable was silent for a long while before finally coming back to his senses. Now it was not only Gu An who scared him—even Hong Yi made him afraid.

With Gu An’s protection, once Hong Yi attains Sainthood and comes knocking, he will still die.

No!

This karmic cause must be resolved!

The Eternal Great Thousand Venerable’s eyes flickered, sinking into deep thought.

If he continued to scheme against Hong Yi, it would absolutely be courting death.

The Eternal Great Thousand Venerable felt there was still room to maneuver, for Hong Yi had yet to grow to her full strength.

Since Hong Yi’s growth was already destined, why not aid her as she matured, continuously displaying goodwill as a form of recompense?

In any case, he could not possibly snuff out Hong Yi again. Against a Saint, he could only ingratiate himself; forceful confrontation was certain death.

Having thought it through, the Eternal Great Thousand Venerable lifted his right hand. From the center of his palm, a silver lotus emerged, drifting out and across time and space, to land in a dark void.

“Ancestor, I need your help.”

The Eternal Great Thousand Venerable’s voice rang from within the silver lotus, tone restored to its usual cold detachment.

…

At dawn the next day, Gu An came to find Hong Yi and received her answer: she had changed her mind, no longer wishing to go with him. She wanted to continue traveling the Human World and focus on seeking enlightenment.

Gu An was quite gratified, because as he saw it, as long as Hong Yi did not stray from the Heavenly Dao, wherever she went, she would still be under his gaze, so it was as if they were never truly apart.

He hoped Hong Yi would not become his mere appendage, but would instead cultivate her own Dao and flourish in her own right.

Hong Yi did not disappoint him; when facing powerful foes, she always displayed a competitive spirit.

“Back then—was I truly dead?”

Hong Yi looked at Gu An, asking earnestly. The pressure of the Eternal Great Thousand Venerable had once turned her to ashes; she had indeed experienced death firsthand. Yet, after revival, when she looked back, it felt as if it had all been a fleeting illusion.

Gu An smiled and said, “True or false—does it really matter? What’s real is that you’re still alive.”

Hong Yi pondered this.

Gu An continued, “Of course, I could never bear to let you truly die.”

After saying this, he turned away and walked to a corner of the courtyard, preparing to play with the little bamboo people.

An hour later, Gu An began instructing Hong Yi in cultivation, helping her to attain Dao Extreme Daluo Immortal as soon as possible.

…

Celestial Court, Palace of the Polestar.

The Celestial Emperor sat upon the Emperor’s Throne, brows furrowed, his eyes staring straight ahead. Within his pupils flickered images of the Heavenly Dao’s myriad realms, shifting rapidly.

“What’s going on? Where did that fellow actually go?”

The Celestial Emperor muttered to himself, referring to the Eternal Great Thousand Venerable.

He had sensed when the Eternal Great Thousand Venerable sneaked into the Heavenly Dao. Still, he was not concerned that the fellow could disrupt it, so he wanted to see what tricks he would play.

Yet, right after the Eternal Great Thousand Venerable entered the Heavenly Dao, he vanished. Moments later, the Eternal Great Thousand Venerable darted back out, returning to the Heavenly Dao.

Because the Eternal Great Thousand Venerable was flying back at full speed, and the Celestial Emperor hesitated for a moment, he did not intercept him. He knew where the Eternal was, so he was in no hurry.

Now, he was simply curious—where had the Eternal Great Thousand Venerable gone? Why had he come and gone so hastily?

For some unknown reason, he suspected the Eternal Great Thousand Venerable had been frightened by something.

He knew the Eternal Great Thousand Venerable’s strength well. Though something of a waste, he was at least a Supreme Emperor of Ultimate Merging Dao; within the Heavenly Dao, absolutely no one could match him. Not just there—even across the Chaos, those who could rival that fool could be counted on one hand.

“Could it be that fellow discovered something, and so sent this idiot here?”

The Celestial Emperor’s gaze flickered as he thought of a certain being from the Eternal realm.

He regarded that being with deep apprehension—not because his strength was a threat, but because he could divine karmic causes beyond the Celestial Emperor’s sight.

If not for the past good fortune shared with the Eternal, he would have long since destroyed him.

The world of Eternity was vast, but it was really only the Eternal Dao Extreme who liked to stir up trouble, conveniently used by him as a blade.

The more the Celestial Emperor considered, the more uneasy he felt. At some unknown point, the Heavenly Dao had grown ever more inscrutable in his eyes.

At that moment, the sound of footsteps approached from ahead. Xuanqing Star Lord walked briskly forward, stopping to kneel at the stairs before the Celestial Emperor.

“Rise.”

The Celestial Emperor spoke, his face impassive.

Xuanqing Star Lord looked up at the Celestial Emperor, secretly murmuring, “How long has it been since this son of Heaven ascended the throne? He truly now has the majesty of a Celestial Emperor.”

Could it be that the title of Celestial Emperor is a kind of inherited destiny?

Xuanqing Star Lord only dared think this secretly; outwardly, he maintained an expression of utmost respect.

“How is the matter of the Merit Immortals proceeding?” asked the Celestial Emperor.

Xuanqing Star Lord began to answer truthfully, thinking to himself, “Is there anything in this world that escapes your sight?”

Since Taihao Emperor became Celestial Emperor, Xuanqing Star Lord had felt increasingly distant from him.

In the past, when the Celestial Emperor was still the Son of Heaven, they often drank and feasted together. He knew the Emperor needed to maintain his dignity, but in private, even then, this attitude persisted, which left a trace of grievance and resentment in Xuanqing Star Lord’s heart.

Though he harbored such feelings, Xuanqing Star Lord dared not reveal them.

As for the business of Merit Immortals, he still took great pride in it.

At present, he had already selected several dozen Merit Immortals. More importantly, there were several hundred candidates. He believed that, once established, these Merit Immortals would surely have an impact on the Celestial Court.

Xuanqing Star Lord’s cultivation level was not high, nor was his immortal position, yet he was full of ambition. He wished to become an influential Immortal God and to effect changes within the Heavenly Dao; therefore, he cherished the Heavenly Tao Immortal Book and would select Merit Immortals with utmost rigor.

When Xuanqing Star Lord finished, the Celestial Emperor slowly remarked, “Not bad—but regarding the posts for the Merit Immortals, I intend to make them more specific. If the titles remain vague and general, these Merit Immortals will become complacent.”

Upon hearing this, Xuanqing Star Lord subconsciously asked, “What kinds of immortal positions?”

Assigning concrete titles to the Merit Immortals immediately made him uneasy.

The appeal of the Merit Immortals was their freedom and ease. If they now had defined positions, how would that differ from the existing Immortal Gods?

He had his thoughts, but dared not voice them.

“You will decide.”

The Celestial Emperor looked down at Xuanqing Star Lord, speaking calmly.

Keenly aware, Xuanqing Star Lord’s heart skipped a beat. Having spent so long in the Celestial Court, and with the guidance of his master, he knew this directive from the Celestial Emperor was a way of putting him to the test.

If he did not handle it well, he would be consigned to eternal damnation.

With care, Xuanqing Star Lord asked, “What is the range and limit?”

The Celestial Emperor replied, “The highest may reach the Twenty-Seven Layers of Heaven, the lowest down to the Nine Heavens.”

Hearing this, Xuanqing Star Lord’s eyes lit up at once. Instantly, countless ideas came to mind, and the more he considered them, the more exhilarated he became.

…

Under the blue sky and white clouds, atop a cliff, Gu An and Su Han stood shoulder to shoulder, admiring the bustling city below.

“Ancestor, if you were to ascend to immortality, what kind of Immortal do you think you’d be suited for?” Su Han asked curiously.

In recent years, there had been new rumors about Merit Immortals—supposedly, they too would be assigned distinct celestial posts, sparking debate in dojos everywhere.

Gu An chuckled and said, “Then what type of Immortal do you think I’d be suited for?”

Su Han snickered and said, “I think Ancestor should become Celestial Emperor!”

Boom!

A sudden thunderclap struck from thin air, making Su Han shudder in fright, glancing nervously all around.

Gu An’s lips curled into a smile. This peal of thunder was an illusion meant only for Su Han to perceive; it was just to startle him a bit, and Gu An found it delightfully amusing.

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