vstars Chapter 4 Li Bai Offers a Strategy, Yaochi is Terrified!
Chapter 4 Li Bai Offers a Strategy, Yaochi is Terrified!
The Jade Pool Wonderland has just stabilized, and the signs of ruin have been swept away. Xihe's treasures have completely freed the Jade Pool Wonderland from its predicament!
At this moment, a golden light broke through the sky from the east and landed outside the Jade Pool Immortal Realm, then transformed into a human figure.
The man, dressed in a black imperial robe and wearing a flat-topped crown, had a handsome face and an imposing aura between his brows. It was none other than Haotian.
Haotian is still all alone, while Yaochi already has two ministers.
The Lingxiao Palace is very far from the Yaochi Wonderland, and each has its own jurisdiction. The celestial bodies, the operation of heaven and earth, and the heavenly rules are all under the authority of the Jade Emperor.
The basic division is that the Jade Emperor of the Golden Palace in the Heavenly Realm is in charge of the Heavenly Rules, punishments, and the order of the Three Realms. He governs the gods, heavenly soldiers, heavenly generals, and the movement of stars, and is in charge of killing, order, and the turning of fate!
The Queen Mother of the West reigns supreme over all immortals, controlling immortals, spiritual veins, celestial realms, and female immortals. She oversees ascension to immortality, spiritual roots, grotto heavens, and the Peach Banquet, and is in charge of vitality, reproduction, auspiciousness, and education!
The two are not subordinate to each other, nor are they superior or inferior. Before the Dao Ancestor, there is no distinction between men and women. They are both Great Heavenly Venerables of the same level. Yaochi is not weaker than Haotian just because she is a woman. This logic does not exist.
Therefore, Li Bai became an immortal, not a god, and was naturally a subject of the Jade Pool, not a subject of the Heavenly Emperor.
At this moment, Haotian stopped at the entrance of Yaochi Wonderland.
Completely stunned, his gaze swept over the shimmering blue Jade Pool, over the dazzling peach orchard, over the golden ears of grain swaying in the nine-eared rice field, and over the endless rows of celestial palaces and pavilions.
Haotian opened his mouth, then closed it again, his expression changing from stunned to shocked.
"this……"
Haotian stepped into the fairyland, took a step, then stopped, turned his head and looked around, as if he could not believe his eyes.
Haotian had stood on the ruins of the Lingxiao Palace for a long time, helpless in the face of the devastation. He thought that coming to Yaochi would be better than having two people worrying together.
When Haotian arrived, he didn't see ruins, but a true fairyland.
"Junior Sister!"
Haotian looked at the Jade Pool in the Immortal Pavilion, his voice filled with obvious shock!
"What... is going on?"
Yaochi emerged from the fairy pavilion, followed by Li Taibai.
Upon seeing Haotian, Li Bai hurried forward, flicked his whisk, and bowed deeply in a respectful manner.
"This humble immortal, Venus, pays homage to the Supreme God of the Golden Palace of the Azure Heaven."
Haotian glanced down at Li Taibai, then looked up at Yaochi, his eyes almost overflowing with questions.
Yaochi smiled and said, "Senior brother, there's no need to be surprised."
Yaochi glanced at Li Bai again: "This is all thanks to Li Bai."
Haotian raised an eyebrow, and Yaochi briefly recounted how Li Taibai transformed into human form, how he led her to the Taiyin Star, how he found Xihe's treasure trove, and how he obtained the Sun and Moon Essence Wheel and many other spiritual treasures and objects.
Yaochi spoke calmly, but Haotian's eyes lit up with excitement!
"The essence of the sun and moon?"
Haotian blurted out, "The natal spiritual treasures of Di Jun and Xi He?"
Yaochi took out the Sun and Moon Essence Wheel from her sleeves with both hands.
The two wheels, one on the left and one on the right, hung above Yaochi's palm, radiating the vast divine power unique to top-grade innate spiritual treasures: the True Fire of the Sun and the True Fire of the Moon.
Haotian's pupils suddenly contracted. He stared at the pair of wheels for a long while, then slowly exhaled.
"Good! Good! Good!"
Haotian said "good" three times in a row, and the shock on his face gradually turned into joy: "With this wealth, the Heavenly Court is no longer just an empty shell."
At this moment, Li Taibai watched Yaochi and Haotian converse, and couldn't help but think, "It's unacceptable that Yaochi is so careless!"
But Li Bai couldn't say that since they were fellow disciples for millions of years, he naturally couldn't just interrupt!
Haotian sat down in the pavilion, Yaochi sat down opposite Haotian, and Li Taibai stood behind Yaochi with his hands at his sides.
After Haotian sat down, he pondered for a moment and then suddenly said, "Junior Sister, we now have spiritual treasures, spiritual objects, and the Immortal Realm has been restored, but there is still one major problem."
Yaochi looked at Haotian, waiting for him to continue.
"unmanned."
Haotian sighed, "For the Heavenly Court to function, the two of us, along with Venus and the Moon Goddess, are far from enough. Heavenly soldiers and generals, daily star officials, various righteous gods, patrols in the four directions, the Thunder Department, the Rain Department, the Dipper Department, the Plague Department… all these require manpower. But after the Lich War, the old guard of the Heavenly Court is either dead or scattered. Those powerful beings with strong foundations in the Three Realms each have their own strongholds and their own dojos. Why should they come to the Heavenly Court to be at our beck and call?"
Yaochi fell silent; this was indeed the most difficult problem.
Spiritual treasures and magical objects can be sought out, and fairylands can be restored in an instant, but people are not inanimate objects; they cannot be created simply by wishing for them.
Haotian had obviously been thinking about it for a long time, and seeing Yaochi's silence, he revealed his idea.
"I wish to hold a grand event."
"A grand event?"
"The Peach Banquet!"
Haotian looked at the newly planted peach tree and said, "Let's discuss it first, and it won't be too late to hold the ceremony ten thousand years later."
"The Jade Pool Wonderland has now been restored to its original state, and the peaches of immortality have been planted. These are fruits of innate spiritual roots, unique in the Three Realms. We will use them as bait to invite the great powers of the Three Realms to a banquet."
Yaochi nodded after hearing this: "Holding a Peach Banquet would be appropriate, but these peaches shouldn't be the Ren Water Peach!"
Haotian smiled slightly and said, "The Dao Ancestor bestowed the Ren Water Peach upon my junior sister, from which three thousand nine-thousand-year-old peaches branched out. So, the sages eat the Ren Water Peach, and the other great gods can eat the nine-thousand-year-old peaches!"
Haotian's gaze fell on Yaochi's face. He seemed to consider his words carefully before speaking, "It just so happens that Junior Sister's birthday is ten thousand years from now. Once the Sage and all the great beings have arrived, we can celebrate Junior Sister's birthday together. Wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?"
Yaochi listened without giving it much thought, and instead began to consider this feasible plan!
Haotian did not urge him, but simply watched Yaochi quietly.
After a long while, Yaochi finally spoke: "Senior brother, I need to think about this matter."
Haotian nodded and stood up: "Alright, Junior Sister, think it over carefully."
Haotian said something, asked Yaochi for a spiritual item to renovate the Lingxiao Palace, and then returned!
The golden light faded into the distance, disappearing into the eastern horizon.
Behind Yaochi, Li Taibai remained silent.
From the moment Haotian uttered the words "wishing you a long life," Li Bai stood silently behind Yaochi, his white hair hanging down, his whisk draped over his arm, motionless.
Only after Haotian's escape light completely disappeared into the horizon did Li Taibai slowly take a step forward.
"Great Celestial Venerable."
Li Bai's voice carried an unusual solemnity.
"This humble fairy dares to offer a word of advice."
Yaochi nodded after hearing this: "Taibai, you are a meritorious official of mine, and you have also said that we share honor and disgrace, so there is no need to be so polite!"
Li Taibai straightened up and hurriedly said, "Your Excellency, I have no intention of interfering in the sibling relationship between the two Heavenly Venerables. However, as a subject, I must say that while the Peach Banquet may be held, the proposal to celebrate the birthday is absolutely forbidden."
"It's not the birthday celebration itself that's unacceptable. Rather, informing the Sage of the Great Heavenly Venerable's birthday is extremely dangerous, and having other immortals offer their congratulations is also inappropriate!"
Yaochi's eyes narrowed slightly.
Li Taibai continued, "The Great Heavenly Venerable has just ascended to his throne, and few in the Three Realms know his name. If a grand celebration were held now under the guise of a birthday celebration, with sages attending and all the celestial beings offering their congratulations, the spectacle would be magnificent, but it would also breed resentment throughout the world. From then on, the Great Heavenly Venerable would face difficulties and be looked down upon by the Three Realms. This is a mistake that must be made!"
"This humble immortal dares to urge the Great Heavenly Venerable to reconsider."
Upon hearing this, Yaochi immediately asked, "Why have you incurred the wrath of the entire world?"
Li Taibai immediately said, "The Great Celestial Venerable has just arrived in the Heavenly Court and is in charge of all the immortals. He has no reputation in the Three Realms and relies entirely on the reputation of the Dao Ancestor. Now, without any reputation, he is being used as a pretext to celebrate his birthday. Not to mention the anger of the sages, what will the great gods think? Once this is done, the Great Celestial Venerable will become a laughing stock in the Three Realms and be looked down upon. Having just descended to the mortal realm to become the master of all the immortals, he should prioritize building his reputation. How can he be so ostentatious?"
Li Taibai's words immediately caused Yaochi's expression to change drastically!
"Fortunately, there was Taibai; otherwise, it would have been too late to regret!"
In an instant, Yaochi realized something amiss. After all, Yaochi had just grown from a child into an adult and was unaware of the power struggles of the Three Realms. She had not yet thought of this aspect, but Li Taibai's reminder made her realize it immediately!
However, Yaochi's mind was still preoccupied with the Peach Banquet Haotian had mentioned, and she hadn't noticed anything else. Looking at Li Taibai, she said in a deep voice, "Even so, the Peach Banquet must still be held. In your opinion, can the banquet still be held as originally planned? What if Haotian brings it up at the banquet?"
Li Bai lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then solemnly asked, "Your Majesty, I dare to ask, is it true that you and the Great Heavenly Venerable Haotian were enlightened by the Dao Ancestor on the same day, month, and year, and listened to the Dao together in Zixiao Palace?"
Yaochi nodded slightly and said without hesitation, "That's right. Haotian and I became disciples of the Dao Ancestor at the same time and received enlightenment on the same day. There is no difference in who came first or last."
"In that case!"
Li Taibai frowned and asked again, "If that's the case, why propose celebrating the Great Heavenly Venerable's birthday instead of celebrating your own, or perhaps celebrating the founding of the Heavenly Court together?"
Yaochi was taken aback for a moment, and subconsciously spoke up to explain: "Haotian is the ruler of the Three Realms and governs all gods. He should be humble and it is inconvenient for him to celebrate his birthday with his own. This is also for the sake of the Heavenly Court's dignity."
"humble?"
Li Bai uttered two words softly, his tone carrying a subtle hint, and said nothing more, simply standing quietly with his hands at his sides.
Li Bai doesn't need to be too simplistic in his explanations; Yaochi can ponder this for herself!
Yaochi had just descended to the mortal realm and knew nothing yet, when she held a Peach Banquet. At the banquet, Haotian suggested that everyone celebrate the Queen Mother's birthday together.
When the invitation was given, it wasn't mentioned that it was for Yaochi's birthday celebration. Everyone came, even the sages. Haotian then added that it was for the Queen Mother's birthday celebration. What does this mean?
Good guy!
This caused Yaochi, who had just entered the mortal world and hadn't even started anything, to be declared dead. Not only did he offend the sages, but he also offended all the great gods. Li Bai knew this!
In other words, in terms of rank, Haotian Yaochi was of the same level and equal status, below the Sage, the number one person in the Three Realms, and there was no difference between them. However, he died before the game even started!
It's not that I'm deliberately trying to sow discord between Haotian and Yaochi, but rather that Li Bai and Yaochi share both glory and hardship, which is the duty of a subject!
The foundation of Yaochi has just descended to the mortal realm, with zero merit, zero reputation, and zero achievements.
In the primordial world, a place that values reputation, virtue, and strength, the only capital one possesses is the title bestowed by the Dao Ancestor. However, this is both a talisman for protection and a death warrant.
Haotian proposed holding a Peach Banquet under the guise of celebrating Yaochi's birthday.
If one offends a sage, and the sage wishes to offer birthday greetings to a child, the sage will consider Yaochi's actions presumptuous, arrogant, and abusive.
He offended powerful figures from all sides, such as Zhen Yuanzi, Kunpeng, and Styx, who were considered ancestral figures.
In their eyes, it's a blatant humiliation for a newcomer like you, a junior with no achievements, to dare to make them bow and scrape before you. They'll feel that Yaochi is using the power of the Dao Ancestor to suppress their Dao.
This move will offend the entire old order of the primordial world. In the end, Yaochi will be labeled as arrogant and rude, and unworthy of its position. The Heavenly Court's decrees will be difficult to implement, and it will be isolated by the entire Three Realms.
Therefore, Li Bai knew about this matter. If he didn't point it out, it would be that Li Bai was muddle-headed and unworthy of being a subject!
Yaochi, naturally intelligent, widened her beautiful eyes instantly, her body stiffened slightly, and she asked in a trembling voice, "Taibai, do you mean... Haotian is using me?"
Upon hearing this, Li Taibai immediately pleaded guilty: "This humble subject deserves death! This humble subject would never dare to doubt the Great Heavenly Venerable Haotian, much less presume to discuss the Heavenly Emperor's thoughts. All decisions rest entirely in Your Majesty's heart, and are entirely up to Your Majesty to decide. This humble subject has absolutely no room for speculation!"
This is the Jade Pool Wonderland, where a grand formation has just been set up. With the Gathering Immortal Flag as the formation's core, conversations are unlikely to be known by outsiders.
Yaochi had no time to care about Taibai's apology. She stood frozen in place, her mind in turmoil. A chill ran from her feet to the top of her head, and cold sweat seeped down her back, instantly soaking her immortal robe.
The more Yaochi thought about it, the more terrified she became.
Yes, Haotian is the supreme Heavenly Emperor of the Three Realms. It wouldn't be wrong to celebrate his birthday in his name, so why not use his own name?
If someone were to step forward and use the pretext of celebrating the birthday of the Queen Mother of the West to host a banquet for all the saints, the consequences would be unimaginable!
The sage is the highest being in the Three Realms, second only to the Dao Ancestor, and above all living beings. I have only just ascended to the position of Great Heavenly Venerable. Inviting the sage to come and telling him that it is to celebrate my birthday is tantamount to placing myself above the sage. I must bear the consequences of this overstepping and the sage's wrath all by myself!
While Haotian will be affected, the anger of the Three Realms is focused on Yaochi, so the impact on Haotian will be minimal!
For example, a sage might say, "So I was asked to offer birthday wishes to the Queen Mother," and then leave in anger. This cause and effect went directly to Yaochi, but did not go to Haotian!
They were both appointed to govern the Heavenly Court together and to face the dire situation together, so why did Haotian do this?
Was it a premeditated scheme, or an unintentional act without careful consideration?
"My dear minister, there's no need for you to apologize. You are my wise minister, and it is your duty to fill in the gaps and make up for any shortcomings. If it weren't for your reminder, I would have made a grave mistake! Quickly sit down and don't stand on ceremony with me!"
After hearing this, Li Bai sat down opposite the Fairy Pavilion and the Jade Pool!
Looking at Li Taibai, Yaochi asked with a hint of confusion and doubt, "But I still don't understand. Tell me, was Haotian's action a deliberate scheme or an unintentional oversight? Haotian and I have been fellow disciples for countless eons. How could he possibly scheme against me so soon after descending to the mortal realm?"
Li Taibai pondered for a moment, then replied impartially, "I would like to report to the Great Heavenly Venerable whether it was intentional or unintentional; I dare not presume to judge. However, the Great Heavenly Venerable can wait until the Great Heavenly Venerable Haotian comes to discuss this matter, observe his expression, listen to his words, and carefully consider them. Then you will know whether it was intentional or not. If he insists on doing it this way, then it was intentional!"