The pale gold shimmered as the longsword, resembling a prism of light, pointed diagonally toward the azure sky. Gao Lan circled the Fengtian Platform three times, his expression growing increasingly solemn and dignified. In a resonant voice, he proclaimed,
“When the Great Dao first divided, gods and demons reigned supreme. The myriad realms’ living beings were but fish and meat, subject to their slaughter. Though the ultimate Dao was heard, the Great Luo remained unseen. Thus, the Celestial Court was first established, binding immortals and deities, setting forth laws to distinguish purity from turbidity, opening the path for mortals to ascend as immortals, and creating the way for all beings to be enshrined as gods. Thus began the golden age of antiquity, where demons and humans vied for the path of immortality.
“But when the Celestial Court fell, the established order crumbled. Demons ravaged the earth, and the affairs of immortals and gods were confined to the mortal realm, never again reaching the heavens. This has persisted to this day, resulting in untamed storms, unchecked lightning, and the chaos of the Great Dao’s authority.”
“Today, I erect this Fengtian Platform, gathering the countless lives of Great Zhou and the twenty-seven provinces under its rule, to illuminate the radiance of humanity, to appoint gods in Heaven’s stead, to restore immortals and deities to their rightful places, to stabilize their authorities, to grant protection to all living beings, and to dispel calamities.”
As he spoke, the Fengtian Platform trembled faintly, as if awakening to its own sentience. First, the five altars symbolizing the Five Emperors of the Five Directions—red, azure, yellow, white, and black—gradually lit up with their respective hues, bringing about celestial changes in the east, south, west, north, and center. Clouds piled upon clouds, the earth resonated with hollow echoes, and a sun rose in each direction, casting a gentle glow.
The light spread like water, reaching the Fengtian Platform, where the carvings of celestial constellations and divine statues began to illuminate, their forms emerging amidst the rippling radiance.
At the lowest level, the earth gods, mountain deities, heavenly generals, and divine warriors came to life, fully enveloped in light. They seemed to sink downward, connecting with the lands of Great Zhou, as if every inch of soil and every peak were now under the watch of immortals and gods.
**Boom! Boom! Boom!**
The core of the Real World trembled faintly, emitting a low hum that gathered the mist around the Fengtian Platform, condensing into a magnificent four-colored tapestry of rivers and mountains—a microcosm of Great Zhou’s domain.
The tapestry merged inward, blending with the lowest layers of the Fengtian Platform, as if becoming a bas-relief.
Layer by layer, the light ascended, soon illuminating the celestial officials, star lords, and great sages of the heavens. The void rippled, the sky darkened, and stars blazed one after another, casting their radiance onto the corresponding positions of the Fengtian Platform.
Soon, the light reached the level of the Five Emperors, and the heavens cleared as if washed by water.
From the infinite heights, the sounds of bells and drums descended, accompanied by fragrant winds and the chime of jade ornaments, as if the immortals and gods were celebrating together.
Above the Fengtian Platform, the phantom of the ruined and desolate Nine Heavens gradually manifested, slowly descending as if to merge with the platform itself.
As the two overlapped, celestial music drifted, thunder rumbled like drums, and the heavens and earth seemed to bow before the Human Emperor. Gao Lan sheathed his sword, preparing to plunge it into the core of the Fengtian Platform to complete the final step—uniting Heaven under the rule of humanity.
But at that moment, a layer of dark crimson emerged from the phantom of the Nine Heavens, bringing indescribable chaos. Directions reversed and righted themselves, yin and yang intertwined and separated, forming a vortex of disorder from which emerged a pair of terrifyingly indifferent eyes.
**It was Him!**
The moment those eyes appeared, Meng Qi recognized them—the same dreadful gaze he had encountered when he witnessed the fall of the Celestial Court in the past.
Back then, those eyes had remained detached, silently observing the destruction of the Nine Heavens, exuding an eerie and unsettling presence.
And with just one glance, Meng Qi’s thoughts had nearly spiraled into madness, almost causing him to self-destruct!
**Why would He appear now, at the moment of sealing Heaven?**
Those dark crimson, chaotic eyes gazed down upon the Fengtian Platform like the unchanging Heavenly Dao itself, rejecting the interference of humanity.
In an instant, the phantom of the Nine Heavens shattered, the brilliant celestial threads collapsed, and the shining stars in the sky vanished.
Gao Lan had no time to react, and even Meng Qi’s intervention was a fraction too late.
**Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!**
The top four layers of the Fengtian Platform exploded in succession, their radiant statues reduced to fragments.
In Chang’an City, Wang Siyuan watched silently, clad in white robes, his delicate features tinged with illness. Behind him stood four maidservants holding a zither, a sword, a chessboard, and tally sticks.
“Alas…”
He sighed deeply, then turned and disappeared into the bustling crowd.
—
The terrifying dark crimson eyes vanished, and all celestial phenomena in the sky disappeared. The people of Great Zhou, who had witnessed the sealing ceremony, fell into silence, overwhelmed by the realization that human effort had its limits, and the Heavenly Dao was unfathomable.
Gao Lan stood atop the Fengtian Platform, his pale gold sword pointing diagonally at the ground, the wind whipping his imperial robes.
At the final moment, success had slipped through his fingers.
Meng Qi couldn’t help but recall Yan Ran’s fate. His elder brother had always been a man of grand vision, decisive and unorthodox, capable of navigating complex situations to achieve his goals. Yet, in the two most crucial endeavors of his life—saving his beloved and uniting Heaven under humanity—he had failed.
In contrast, Meng Qi himself often suffered minor setbacks but always managed to secure favorable outcomes in major events.
**Who could have predicted that after overcoming all obstacles, those dark crimson, chaotic eyes would appear?**
**Who was He?**
Had the being behind Gao Lan not foreseen His emergence? Had the entity suspected to be the Lingbao Heavenly Venerate behind Han Guang also failed to anticipate this? Or had they deliberately withheld the knowledge to prevent the Fengtian Platform from becoming an obstacle to Han Guang’s plans to rebuild the Celestial Court?
Everything had happened so suddenly that none present had time to react, let alone intervene.
Gazing at Gao Lan’s back, Meng Qi sensed a tragic heroism and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
**Fate plays cruel tricks, and the world is unpredictable. I only hope my elder brother does not lose heart. If not today, there will be another chance in the future.**
Gao Lan sheathed his sword, his eyes deep and unfathomable. Addressing the people of Great Zhou, he spoke calmly, “Not all things go as we wish, but we must strive to act without regret. I have faced failure before, risen and fallen, yet I press onward. One day, humanity shall rule Heaven.”
“Though the sealing ceremony was not fully realized, and we did not reach the heavens, we have gained dominion over the earth. Henceforth, we shall appoint earth gods, city gods, mountain deities, river lords, and merit officials to protect Great Zhou and its people.”
**His will is truly unshakable…** Meng Qi thought with relief as he watched Gao Lan appoint deities for Chang’an and other key regions.
After the ceremony concluded and representatives of various factions departed, Meng Qi accompanied Gao Lan back to the imperial palace.
“Imperial Brother,” Meng Qi said, “good things come to those who wait. Do not dwell on this setback.”
Gao Lan clasped his hands behind his back and gazed out the window at the sky. “Those dark crimson, chaotic eyes belong to a figure of great significance. Before the return of the Nirvana Realm beings, it seems I cannot bypass Him to unite Heaven under humanity. And once they return, the situation will change again, requiring new strategies…”
In Meng Qi’s presence, he showed no pretense, revealing his emotions freely—though frustration was minimal, his mind was already working on countermeasures.
Meng Qi smiled faintly. “There may still be a way.”
“Oh?” Gao Lan turned to him.
“Obtain the **Fengshen Bang (Register of the Gods)** and use it to complete the unification. But it is in Lu Ya’s possession, and he is not easily persuaded. Moreover, his ambitions are unpredictable—he may not cooperate.”
“The Fengshen Bang…” Gao Lan nodded slightly. With it, no ceremony would be needed—merging it with the Fengtian Platform would suffice to appoint gods in Heaven’s stead.
After a moment’s thought, he said, “Lu Ya is a formidable figure even among Creation Realm experts, and his schemes must be guarded against. We shall consider this carefully and plan accordingly.”
Seeing no further matters at hand, Meng Qi took his leave, eager to investigate the clues beneath Yang Jian’s seal.
Before departing, he said seriously, “Imperial Brother, there is something I must remind you of.”
“What is it?” Gao Lan met his gaze.
Meng Qi sighed. “From now on, whenever you seek my help or invite me to ceremonies, be prepared for the unexpected.”
**Am I some kind of jinx, or do I absorb others’ luck to ensure my own success at critical moments?**
Gao Lan had no response, watching silently as Meng Qi vanished beyond the palace gates.
—
**Kunlun Mountains, Jade Void Palace.**
Meng Qi sat upon a cloud-like dais, seemingly meditating, but his consciousness had entered the acupoint in his left hand, where he conversed with Gu Xiaosang.
“Who do those dark crimson, chaotic eyes belong to?” he asked.
Gu Xiaosang twirled a strand of her hair, smiling playfully. “You should be familiar—He is the shadow that has loomed over the Wang family for hundreds of thousands of years.”
“The **Heavenly Dao Monster**?” Meng Qi’s eyes widened in realization. No wonder the presence had felt familiar.
And those eyes were undoubtedly the **source** of the Heavenly Dao Monster!
Gu Xiaosang nodded. “The Heavenly Dao Monster is shrouded in mystery. Even my original self did not know whether He originated from the Primordial Era or this epoch. It was only during the fall of the Celestial Court that He left traces, becoming known to a select few.”
“Could He be the mastermind behind certain events?” Meng Qi mused. Having a woman who inherited most of a Nirvana Realm being’s memories by his side was indeed advantageous.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage