After paying homage to Saintess Shui Tianyi, Shui Miao followed Hong Lian to study the secret manuals of formations under the Grand Marshal.
However, no sooner had Shui Miao left than Saintess Shui Tianyi used her supreme divine consciousness to contact the Grand Judge directly, instructing him to hold back and not reveal all the crucial formation techniques to Shui Miao.
Meanwhile, Jue Ying was retained by Saintess Shui Tianyi.
“Jue Ying, you’ve been in the Jade Void Splendid Mansion for quite some time now. I’m going to have you step forward and take over as the sect leader of the Jade Void Sect within the Sixth Heaven. Do you feel confident about it?” Inside the octagonal jade pavilion in the backyard garden, Saintess Shui Tianyi slowly sat down on a jade bench, slightly narrowing her eyes as she fixed her gaze on Jue Ying.
A gentle breeze passed by, causing Jue Ying’s black hair to flutter in the wind, making her look incredibly beautiful.
Tall and striking, with a cold and elegant appearance, Jue Ying stood respectfully to one side and promptly replied, “Rest assured, elder sister. I will certainly not disappoint your expectations.”
“But…”
After paying respects to the Heavenly Water Mother, Shui Miao followed Hong Lian to meet the Grand Marshal to study the secret manuals of formations.
However, as soon as Shui Miao left, the Heavenly Water Mother used her supreme divine will to directly contact the Grand Justice, instructing him to hold back and not reveal all the important formations to Shui Miao.
Meanwhile, Jue Ying was kept behind by the Heavenly Water Mother.
“Jue Ying, you’ve been at the Jade Void Palace for quite some time now. I want you to take over as the leader of the Jade Void Sect in the Sixth Heaven. Are you confident?” The Heavenly Water Mother slowly sat on a jade stool in the octagonal jade pavilion in the back garden, squinting slightly as she gazed intently at Jue Ying.
A gentle breeze swept by, causing Jue Ying’s black hair to flutter in the wind, making her look incredibly beautiful.
The tall and coldly elegant Jue Ying stood respectfully to the side and quickly responded, “Sister, rest assured, I will not disappoint your high expectations.”
“But…” The Heavenly Water Mother suddenly raised her left eyebrow, “I heard that the so-called Master Hong Xu seems to have taken a liking to you?”
“Sister, don’t worry. I am your undercover agent in the Jade Void Sect. I can handle matters of the heart, especially since he is my nominal master. This matter can be completely ignored,” Jue Ying said with a serious expression, her eyes sharp and seemingly ruthless.
The Heavenly Water Mother nodded, “Good, let’s not talk about personal matters. Do well, and when the Divine War comes, I will find a way to elevate you to the position of the overall leader of the Jade Void Sect.”
“Sister, there’s something I… I want to ask, if I may!”
Jue Ying glanced at the Heavenly Water Mother, who seemed to be in a good mood today.
The Heavenly Water Mother nodded, “Go ahead.”
“Sister, I want to know, what is my true mission?”
This question had been troubling Jue Ying for a long time.
The Heavenly Water Mother frowned and paused before saying, “I didn’t want to tell you this, but since things have come to this point, I’ll give you a hint. In truth, the Heavenly Court has always been controlling the development of the major sects in the immortal realm. On the surface, we in the Heavenly Court do nothing, but in reality, the fate of all sects is in our hands. As the ruler of the Sixth Heaven, I must take certain actions to control the major immortal sects, so that at critical moments, I can guide them to develop according to my will.”
Having encountered Shui Miao today, the Heavenly Water Mother was in a good mood, as she no longer needed to worry about forging the sacred artifact.
If not for her good mood today, the Heavenly Water Mother would never have spoken so candidly.
“Thank you, sister, for holding me in such high regard. I will not disappoint your expectations!”
Jue Ying had long suspected that the major sects of the immortal realm were secretly controlled by the Heavenly Court. Today’s inquiry confirmed her suspicions.
Seeing Jue Ying so obedient, the Heavenly Water Mother felt greatly comforted and treated her as an insider. She continued to speak freely, “Don’t be fooled by the seemingly powerful immortals of those sects. In reality, they are all fools. What is the Divine War? It is a conspiracy by the Heavenly Court to cleanse the major sects, amass wealth, and then reorganize the order. It’s like raising a group of stupid pigs. These pigs, because their pen is too large, forget that they are stupid pigs and start forming cliques, thinking they are something special. But they don’t know that the owner of the pen, wanting to eat their meat, has devised a plan for a stupid pig war. As a result, these pigs are deceived and trapped in this scheme, unable to extricate themselves. In the end, the pigs die or are injured, while the owner of the pen remains unscathed, growing fat and rosy-cheeked from eating so much pork, hahaha…”
“Jue Ying is grateful to you, sister. If not for you, I would have become one of those stupid pigs…”
Jue Ying was shocked, realizing how sinister the Heavenly Court was and how pitiful the major sects of the immortal realm were.
The Heavenly Water Mother nodded, “Sister, do well, and I will not mistreat you. Go back and wait. If there’s an opportunity, keep an eye on the movements of the Nine Heavens Profound Gate for me.”
“The Nine Heavens Profound Gate! Sister, doesn’t the Nine Heavens Profound Gate stay out of the affairs of the immortal realm?” Jue Ying was slightly puzzled, not understanding why the Heavenly Water Mother was concerned about the Nine Heavens Profound Gate.
The Heavenly Water Mother sneered, “Don’t underestimate those neutral sects. They might have seen through the Heavenly Court’s schemes. If their power continues to expand, and if those stupid pigs learn more, the Heavenly Court will be in trouble.”
“I understand, I will keep an eye on them.”
Jue Ying cupped her hands and turned to leave.
After Jue Ying left, the Heavenly Water Mother immediately summoned her female officials and said to one of them, “Xiao Xiao, go to the mortal world immediately and investigate Shui Miao’s relatives and friends. Find out what Shui Miao’s background is, and then investigate why the people of the Nine Heavens Profound Gate are protecting him. This time, you are only to investigate, do not act rashly.”
“Xiao Xiao obeys!”
A petite female official immediately took the order and left.
The Heavenly Water Mother then said to another female official, “Da Da, how is the preparation of the materials for the chessboard I want to forge?”
Another slightly taller female official quickly responded, “Master, we are still missing half of the materials.”
“Still so much?”
The Heavenly Water Mother immediately frowned.
The female official explained, “Master, the chessboard itself is a supreme sacred artifact. There are sixteen sacred artifacts for the yin and yang pieces each, and together with the chessboard, that makes thirty-three sacred artifacts. The materials required are too many, and time is tight…”
“Alright, no need to say more. I know it’s difficult, but you must get the materials within the next few days. I have a ready-made forger now. If we delay too long and that heartless one is discovered by other powerful beings, all my efforts will be in vain.” The Heavenly Water Mother slapped the table and stood up, “The Kunpeng Emperor has already made his move in the Ninth Heaven. We can’t be idle either. Go and think about the Seventh and Eighth Heavens. Don’t be afraid of offending anyone, but make sure to gather all the materials.”
“Master, with your words, it will be easier!”
The female official bowed and hurriedly left.
Both female officials had left.
The Heavenly Water Mother sat in the pavilion and suddenly sneered, muttering to herself, “Once Shui Miao helps me forge the Apocalypse Chessboard, I will kill him on the spot to prevent him from leaking my plans. I’ve been waiting for this Divine War for over a thousand years. This time, I will stir up this pot of chaos, and at the final moment, I will become the Emperor, the true ruler of the immortal realm!”
This seemingly ordinary and low-key Heavenly Water Mother harbored such grand ambitions.
As a ruler of a realm, she was still not satisfied and even wanted to forge the Apocalypse Chessboard to usurp the position of the Emperor!
※※※
In the Forging Department’s secret formation vault.
Inside the vault, formations were piled up like mountains, with at least a hundred thousand secret manuals of formations.
Seeing so many formation manuals, Shui Miao was overjoyed and immediately spread his divine will to sense these manuals.
Under the divine will’s perception, Shui Miao suddenly discovered that about one-tenth of these manuals had actually given birth to spirits, meaning they had become immortals!
Yes, the manuals had become immortals, turning into book immortals.
These manuals were made of special wooden materials and had been stored in the vault for a long time, absorbing the immortal spiritual energy of the immortal realm. Over time, they gave birth to spirits, which gradually grew into immortals. However, the strength and cultivation of these immortals varied, with the weaker ones being mere spirits and the stronger ones reaching the level of immortal elders.
Standing beside Shui Miao, the Grand Marshal chuckled softly, “Brother Heartless, there are countless manuals here. You can read whatever you want, but don’t damage them. The vault is under my control for the next three days, so don’t worry about others coming in. However, after three days, others will be guarding the vault, so you only have three days. As for the powerful book immortals in the vault, if you have a way to subdue them, do so. If not, don’t provoke them to avoid damaging the manuals. That’s all, you can read now. I’ll come to pick you up in three days.”
After saying this, the Grand Justice turned and left, leaving Shui Miao alone in the vault.
With only three days and so many formation manuals, Shui Miao could at most read through two or three types.
If he wanted to read the more powerful manuals, he would have to deal with the book immortals, who were not easy to handle. They had formed factions and set up formations, making it impossible for even a powerful immortal elder to defeat them.
Therefore, the Grand Justice was certain that Shui Miao wouldn’t learn much.
Moreover, before Shui Miao arrived, he had already hidden the three most important secret manuals’ second volumes, as instructed by the Heavenly Water Mother.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so confident in letting Shui Miao freely browse the manuals and formations.
The three second volumes the Grand Justice took away were the manuals for time control, life nourishment, and soul-destroying death formations.
Time, life, and death—these three formations were the most supreme and precious in the immortal realm.
Without the second volumes, even with the first volumes, it was impossible to set up the formations.
“He really left…”
After waiting for a while, Shui Miao sensed with his divine will that the Grand Justice had indeed left. He immediately became excited. There were so many formations; which one should he start with?
Deep inside the vault were the more powerful formation manuals, including the Thunder Department’s formation compendium.
Shui Miao couldn’t help but be drawn towards them…
But after taking just a few steps, a large group of book immortals flew over, setting up a formation and surrounding Shui Miao.
“Haha, it’s been thousands of years since someone came here for us to play with…”
“Hey, kid, I must remind you, even if your cultivation is stronger than ours, you can’t harm us. If you harm us, you’ll be damaging the manuals. Once you damage the manuals, the Grand Justice will punish you, and you’ll wish you were dead.”
“That’s right, he’s telling the truth.”
“So, you can only be played with by us. Once we’ve had our fun, we’ll naturally teach you a couple of formations.”
“Haha! Alright, we’ve told him. Now let’s figure out how to play with him!”
“…”
Shui Miao was momentarily stunned. These book immortals were all small dwarves, dressed in various colors, looking like a group of colorful little spirits hopping around him.
“Are you sure you want to play with me?”
Shui Miao paused, then sat cross-legged on the ground, speaking with interest to the group of book immortals.
“Rest assured, elder sister. I am your agent placed inside the Jade Void Sect. I can certainly control myself when it comes to romantic entanglements. Moreover, he is my nominal master, so this matter can be completely ignored.” Jue Ying’s expression remained serious, her eyes sharp and cold, appearing extremely ruthless.
Saintess Shui Tianyi nodded approvingly. “Very well. Let’s not speak of romantic matters. Work hard, and when the Heavenly War begins, I will find a way to elevate you to the position of Grand Sect Leader of the Jade Void Sect.”
“Elder sister, there is something I… I want to ask something, if I may!”
Jue Ying glanced at Saintess Shui Tianyi. Judging from her demeanor, the Saintess seemed to be in a particularly good mood today.
Saintess Shui Tianyi nodded. “Go ahead and ask.”
“Elder sister, I would like to know—what exactly is my mission?”
This question had long troubled Jue Ying.
Saintess Shui Tianyi furrowed her brows slightly before pausing and speaking. “I originally had no intention of telling you this, but since things have come to this point, I will let you in on a little secret. In truth, the Heavenly Court has always been controlling the development of all the major sects in the Immortal Realm. On the surface, it seems as though we do nothing, but in reality, the fate of all sects lies within our grasp. As the overseer of the Sixth Heaven, I must take certain actions to control these immortal sects so that I can regulate them at critical moments, guiding their development according to my plans.”
Today, she had encountered Shui Miao, which meant she no longer needed to worry about crafting divine artifacts, so Saintess Shui Tianyi was in a particularly good mood.
It was only because of her good mood that she had chosen to speak so openly.
“Thank you so much for placing such trust in me, elder sister. I will certainly not let you down!”
Jue Ying had long suspected that the sects of the Immortal Realm were secretly controlled by the Heavenly Court. Now, her suspicions were confirmed.
Seeing how obedient Jue Ying was, Saintess Shui Tianyi felt a deep sense of comfort. She no longer regarded Jue Ying as an outsider and, moved by the moment, added a few more words. “Don’t be fooled by how mighty those immortal cultivators appear in their sects. In truth, they are all fools. What is the Heavenly War? It’s nothing more than a scheme orchestrated by the Heavenly Court to reorganize the sects, consolidate power, and amass wealth. It’s like raising a group of stupid pigs. Because their pen is so large, they forget they are pigs and start forming factions, thinking themselves superior. But they don’t realize that their master—the one who owns the pen—has planned all along to slaughter them for their meat. Thus, the pigs are tricked into fighting among themselves, unable to escape the trap. In the end, some pigs die, others are wounded, while the owner of the pen remains unscathed, growing fat and prosperous from feasting on their meat—hahaha!”
“Jue Ying is fortunate to have you, elder sister. If not for you, I would have been one of those foolish pigs…”
Jue Ying was deeply shaken, never imagining the Heavenly Court to be so devious, nor the sects of the Immortal Realm to be so pitiful.
Saintess Shui Tianyi nodded. “Little sister, work hard, and I won’t let you down. Go back and wait. If the opportunity arises, keep an eye on the movements of the Nine Heavens Mystical Sect.”
“The Nine Heavens Mystical Sect! Elder sister, isn’t that sect known for staying out of Immortal Realm affairs?” Jue Ying was slightly taken aback, unsure why Saintess Shui Tianyi was so focused on them.
Saintess Shui Tianyi sneered coldly. “Don’t underestimate those neutral sects. They may have already seen through the Heavenly Court’s tricks. If their power continues to grow, and if those pigs learn more, the Heavenly Court will face serious trouble.”
“I understand. I will keep watch.”
With a bow, Jue Ying turned and left.
After Jue Ying departed, Saintess Shui Tianyi immediately summoned her female attendants and addressed one of them. “Xiao Xiao, go to the Mortal World immediately and investigate Shui Miao’s family and friends. Find out exactly who he is. Also, discover why the people from the Nine Heavens Mystical Sect are protecting him. This mission is purely for reconnaissance—do not act rashly.”
“Xiao Xiao understands and will obey!”
A petite female attendant immediately accepted the mission and left.
Saintess Shui Tianyi then turned to another attendant. “Da Da, how is the preparation of materials for the chessboard I wish to create coming along?”
Another female attendant, slightly taller, quickly responded. “My Lady, we are still missing about half of the required materials.”
“So much is still missing?”
Saintess Shui Tianyi’s brows furrowed instantly.
The attendant hesitated. “My Lady, the chessboard itself is a supreme divine treasure. It requires sixteen divine treasures for each of the Yin and Yang pieces, totaling thirty-three divine treasures along with the board itself. The amount of materials needed is immense, and time is very tight…”
After paying respects to the Heavenly Water Mother, Shui Miao followed Hong Lian to meet the Grand Marshal to study the secrets of formations.
However, as soon as Shui Miao left, the Heavenly Water Mother used her supreme divine will to directly contact the Grand Marshal, instructing him to hold back and not reveal all the important formations to Shui Miao.
Meanwhile, Jue Ying was kept behind by the Heavenly Water Mother.
“Jue Ying, you’ve been at the Jade Void Palace for quite some time now. I want you to take over as the leader of the Jade Void Sect in the Sixth Heaven. Are you confident?” The Heavenly Water Mother slowly sat on a jade stool in the octagonal jade pavilion in the back garden, squinting slightly as she gazed intently at Jue Ying.
A gentle breeze blew, causing Jue Ying’s black hair to flutter in the wind, making her look incredibly beautiful.
Standing respectfully to the side, the tall and coldly beautiful Jue Ying quickly responded, “Sister, rest assured, I will not let you down.”
“But…” The Heavenly Water Mother suddenly raised her left eyebrow, “I heard that Master Hong Xu seems to have taken a liking to you?”
“Sister, don’t worry. I am your undercover agent in the Jade Void Sect. Matters of the heart are something I can control. Moreover, he is my nominal master, so this matter can be completely ignored.” Jue Ying’s expression was serious, her eyes sharp, appearing very cold-blooded.
The Heavenly Water Mother nodded, “Good, let’s not talk about matters of the heart. Do well, and when the Celestial War comes, I will find a way to elevate you to the position of the Jade Void Sect’s supreme leader.”
“Sister, there’s something I… I want to ask, if I may!”
Jue Ying glanced at the Heavenly Water Mother, who seemed to be in a good mood today.
The Heavenly Water Mother nodded, “Go ahead.”
“Sister, I want to know, what exactly is my mission?”
This question had been troubling Jue Ying for a long time.
The Heavenly Water Mother frowned and paused, “I didn’t want to tell you this, but since things have come to this, I’ll give you a hint. In truth, the Heavenly Court has always been controlling the development of the major sects in the immortal realm. On the surface, we in the Heavenly Court do nothing, but in reality, the fate of all sects is in our hands. As the ruler of the Sixth Heaven, I must take actions to control the major sects, so that at critical moments, I can guide them to develop according to my will.”
Meeting Shui Miao today meant that the issue of forging the sacred artifact would no longer be a concern, so the Heavenly Water Mother was in a good mood.
If not for her good mood today, the Heavenly Water Mother would never have spoken so candidly.
“Thank you, sister, for holding me in such high regard. I will not disappoint you!”
Jue Ying had long suspected that the major sects in the immortal realm were secretly controlled by the Heavenly Court. Today’s inquiry confirmed her suspicions.
Seeing Jue Ying so obedient, the Heavenly Water Mother felt greatly comforted and treated her as an insider. In her emotional state, she added a few more words, “Don’t be fooled by the seemingly powerful immortals of those sects. In reality, they are all fools. What is the Celestial War? It’s a scheme by the Heavenly Court to cleanse the major sects, amass wealth, and then reorganize the order. It’s like raising a group of stupid pigs. These pigs, because their pen is too large, forget that they are stupid pigs and start forming cliques, thinking highly of themselves. But they don’t know that the owner of the pen, wanting to eat their meat, has devised a plan for a stupid pig war. As a result, these pigs are truly deceived, trapped in this deception and unable to extricate themselves. In the end, the pigs die or are injured, while the owner of the pen remains unscathed, growing fat and rosy-cheeked from eating so much pork, hahaha…”
“Jue Ying is grateful to sister. If not for you, I would have become one of those stupid pigs…”
Jue Ying was shocked, never realizing how sinister the Heavenly Court was and how pitiful the major sects in the immortal realm were.
The Heavenly Water Mother nodded, “Sister, do well, and I will not treat you unfairly. Go back and wait. If there’s an opportunity, keep an eye on the movements of the Nine Heavens Profound Sect for me.”
“The Nine Heavens Profound Sect! Sister, doesn’t the Nine Heavens Profound Sect stay out of the affairs of the immortal realm?” Jue Ying was slightly taken aback, not understanding why the Heavenly Water Mother was concerned about the Nine Heavens Profound Sect.
The Heavenly Water Mother sneered, “Don’t underestimate those neutral sects. They might have seen through the Heavenly Court’s schemes. If their power continues to expand, and if those stupid pigs learn more, the Heavenly Court will be in trouble.”
“I understand, I will keep an eye on them.”
Jue Ying cupped her fists and turned to leave.
After Jue Ying left, the Heavenly Water Mother immediately summoned her female officials and said to one of them, “Xiao Xiao, go to the mortal world immediately and investigate Shui Miao’s relatives and friends. Find out what Shui Miao’s background is, and then find out why the Nine Heavens Profound Sect is protecting him. This time, you are only to investigate, do not act rashly.”
“Xiao Xiao obeys!”
A petite female official immediately took the order and left.
The Heavenly Water Mother then said to another female official, “Da Da, how is the preparation of the materials for the chessboard I want to forge going?”
Another slightly taller female official quickly responded, “Master, we are still missing half of the materials.”
“Still so much missing?”
The Heavenly Water Mother immediately frowned.
The female official explained, “Master, the chessboard itself is a supreme sacred artifact. There are sixteen sacred artifacts for the yin and yang pieces each, making a total of thirty-three sacred artifacts including the chessboard. The materials required are too many, and time is tight…”
“Alright, no need to say more. I know it’s difficult, but you must gather the materials within the next few days. I have a ready-made forger now. If we delay too long and that heartless one is discovered by other powerful beings, all my efforts will be in vain.” The Heavenly Water Mother slapped the table and stood up, “The Kunpeng Celestial Emperor has already taken action in the Ninth Heaven. We can’t be idle either. Go and think about the Seventh and Eighth Heavens. Don’t be afraid of offending anyone, but make sure to gather all the materials.”
“Master, with your words, it will be easier!”
The female official bowed and hurriedly left.
Both female officials had left.
In the pavilion, the Heavenly Water Mother suddenly sneered and muttered to herself, “Once Shui Miao helps me forge the World-Destroying Chessboard, I will kill him on the spot to prevent him from leaking my plans. I’ve been waiting for this Celestial War for over a thousand years. This time, I will stir up this pot of chaos, and in the end, I will become the Celestial Emperor, the true ruler of the immortal realm!”
This seemingly ordinary and low-key Heavenly Water Mother actually harbored such grand ambitions.
As a Celestial Emperor of one realm, she was still not satisfied and even wanted to forge the World-Destroying Chessboard to usurp the position of the Celestial Emperor!
※※※
In the Forging Department’s secret formation library.
Inside the library, formations were piled up like mountains, with at least a hundred thousand volumes of formation secrets.
Seeing so many formation secrets, Shui Miao was overjoyed and immediately spread his divine will to sense these formation secrets.
Under the sensing of his divine will, Shui Miao suddenly discovered that about one-tenth of these secrets had given birth to spirits, meaning they had become immortals!
Yes, the secrets had become immortals, turning into book immortals.
These secrets were made of special wooden materials and had been stored in the library for a long time, absorbing the immortal energy of the immortal realm. Over time, they gave birth to spirits, which slowly grew and became immortals. However, the strength and cultivation of these immortals varied, with the lowest being ordinary spirits and the highest reaching the level of immortal elders.
Standing beside Shui Miao, the Grand Marshal chuckled softly, “Brother Heartless, there are countless secrets here. You can read whatever you want, but don’t damage them. The library is under my control for the next three days, so don’t worry about others coming in. But after three days, it will be someone else’s turn to guard the library, so you only have three days. As for those powerful book immortals in the library, if you have a way to subdue them, do so. If not, don’t provoke them, lest you damage the secrets. That’s all, you can read now. I’ll come to pick you up in three days.”
After saying this, the Grand Marshal turned and left, leaving Shui Miao alone in the library.
In three days, with so many formation secrets, he could at most read two or three types thoroughly.
If he wanted to read those powerful secrets, he would have to deal with the book immortals, who were not easy to provoke. They had formed factions and set up formations, making it impossible for even a Celestial Venerable to defeat them.
Therefore, the Grand Marshal was certain that Shui Miao wouldn’t learn much.
Moreover, before Shui Miao arrived, he had already hidden the lower volumes of the three most important secret formations, as instructed by the Heavenly Water Mother.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so confident in letting Shui Miao freely browse the formation secrets alone.
The three lower volumes the Grand Marshal took were the formation secrets for controlling time, nurturing life, and destroying souls.
Time, life, and death—these three formations were the most supreme and precious in the immortal realm.
Without the lower volumes, even with the upper volumes, it was impossible to set up the formations.
“He really left…”
After waiting for a while, Shui Miao sensed with his divine will that the Grand Marshal had indeed left. He immediately became excited. There were so many formations, which one should he start with?
Deep inside the library were all the powerful formation secrets, even the general outline of the Thunder Department’s formations.
Shui Miao couldn’t help but be drawn in…
But after taking just a few steps, a large group of book immortals flew over, setting up formations and surrounding Shui Miao.
“Haha, it’s been thousands of years since someone came to be toyed with by us…”
“Hey, kid, I must remind you, even if your cultivation is stronger than ours, you can’t harm us. If you harm us, it’s equivalent to damaging the secrets. Once you damage the books, the Grand Marshal will punish you, and you’ll wish you were dead.”
“Yes, he’s right.”
“So, you can only be toyed with by us. Once we’ve had our fun, we’ll naturally teach you a couple of formations.”
“Haha! Alright, we’ve told him. Now let’s all think about how to toy with him!”
“…”
Shui Miao was momentarily stunned. These book immortals were all small dwarfs, dressed in various colors, looking like a group of colorful little spirits hopping around him.
“Are you sure you want to toy with me?”
Shui Miao paused, then sat cross-legged on the ground, speaking with interest to the group of book immortals.
“My Lady, with your words, I know how to proceed!”
The female immortal bowed and hurried out.
Both female attendants departed.
Alone in the pavilion, Saintess Shui Tianyi suddenly let out a cold laugh, murmuring to herself, “Once this Shui Miao helps me forge the Apocalyptic Chessboard, I will kill him on the spot to prevent him from revealing my plans. I have waited over a thousand years for this Heavenly War. This time, I will stir the murky soup and, at the final moment, ascend to become the Emperor Sovereign—the true ruler of the Immortal and Divine Realms!”
This seemingly ordinary and modest Saintess Shui Tianyi harbored ambitions of seizing supreme power.
As an Immortal Emperor of a realm, she was still not satisfied—she even sought to forge the Apocalyptic Chessboard and usurp the Emperor Sovereign’s throne!
※※※
In the Bureau of Forging, within the Secret Formation Vault…
Inside the vault, formation manuals were piled like mountains—at least one hundred thousand scrolls of formation techniques.
Seeing so many formation manuals, Shui Miao was instantly overjoyed. He quickly spread his divine consciousness to sense the manuals.
Under the sweep of his consciousness, Shui Miao suddenly discovered that a full tenth of these manuals had actually formed spirits—meaning they had become Immortal Beings!
Indeed, these were sentient manuals—Spirit Books.
After paying respects to the Heavenly Water Mother, Shui Miao followed Hong Lian to seek the Grand Marshal, intending to learn the secrets of the formation techniques.
However, as soon as Shui Miao left, the Heavenly Water Mother used her supreme divine consciousness to directly contact the Grand Marshal, instructing him to hold back and not reveal all the important formations to Shui Miao.
Meanwhile, Jue Ying was kept behind by the Heavenly Water Mother.
“Jue Ying, you’ve been at the Jade Void Palace for quite some time now. I want you to take over as the leader of the Jade Void Sect in the Sixth Heaven. Are you confident?” In the octagonal jade pavilion in the back garden, the Heavenly Water Mother slowly sat down on a jade stool, squinting slightly as she gazed intently at Jue Ying.
A gentle breeze swept by, causing Jue Ying’s black hair to flutter in the wind, making her look exceptionally beautiful.
Standing tall and coldly elegant, Jue Ying respectfully replied, “Sister, rest assured, I will not disappoint your expectations.”
“But…” The Heavenly Water Mother suddenly raised her left eyebrow, “I’ve heard that Master Hong Xu seems quite interested in you?”
“Sister, don’t worry. As your undercover agent in the Jade Void Sect, I can handle matters of the heart. Moreover, he is my nominal master, so this matter can be completely ignored.” Jue Ying’s expression was serious, her eyes sharp and cold, appearing utterly ruthless.
The Heavenly Water Mother nodded, “Good, let’s not talk about personal matters. Do well, and when the divine war comes, I will find a way to elevate you to the position of the Jade Void Sect’s supreme leader.”
“Sister, there’s something I… I want to ask, if I may!”
Jue Ying glanced at the Heavenly Water Mother, who seemed to be in a good mood today.
The Heavenly Water Mother nodded, “Go ahead.”
“Sister, I want to know, what exactly is my mission?”
This question had been troubling Jue Ying for a while.
The Heavenly Water Mother frowned and paused before speaking, “I didn’t want to tell you this, but since things have come to this point, I’ll give you a hint. In truth, the Heavenly Court has always been controlling the development of the major sects in the immortal realm. On the surface, we do nothing, but in reality, the fate of all sects is in our hands. As the ruler of the Sixth Heaven, I must take actions to control these sects, ensuring they develop according to my plans at critical moments.”
Meeting Shui Miao today meant that the issue of forging the sacred artifact would no longer be a concern, which put the Heavenly Water Mother in a good mood.
If not for her good mood, the Heavenly Water Mother would never have spoken so openly.
“Thank you, sister, for your trust. I will not let you down!”
Jue Ying had long suspected that the major sects of the immortal realm were secretly controlled by the Heavenly Court. Today’s revelation confirmed her suspicions.
Seeing Jue Ying so obedient, the Heavenly Water Mother felt reassured and treated her as an insider. She continued, “Don’t be fooled by the seemingly powerful immortals of these sects. In reality, they are all fools. What is the divine war? It’s a scheme by the Heavenly Court to cleanse the major sects, amass wealth, and reorganize the order. It’s like raising a herd of stupid pigs. These pigs, because their pen is too large, forget that they are indeed stupid pigs. They form factions and act arrogantly. But they don’t know that the owner of the pen, wanting to eat their meat, devised a plan for a pig war. These stupid pigs fall for it, trapped in the deception, unable to escape. In the end, the pigs die or get injured, while the owner remains unharmed, growing fat and healthy from eating so much pork, hahaha…”
“Thanks to you, sister, otherwise, I would have become one of those stupid pigs…”
Jue Ying was shocked, realizing how sinister the Heavenly Court was and how pitiful the major sects of the immortal realm were.
The Heavenly Water Mother nodded, “Do well, sister will not mistreat you. Go back and wait. If there’s an opportunity, keep an eye on the movements of the Nine Heavens Profound Sect.”
“The Nine Heavens Profound Sect! Sister, doesn’t the Nine Heavens Profound Sect stay out of the affairs of the immortal realm?” Jue Ying was slightly puzzled, not understanding why the Heavenly Water Mother was concerned about the Nine Heavens Profound Sect.
The Heavenly Water Mother sneered, “Don’t underestimate those neutral sects. They might have seen through the Heavenly Court’s schemes. If their power continues to expand, and if those stupid pigs learn more, the Heavenly Court will be in trouble.”
“I understand, I will keep an eye on them.”
Jue Ying cupped her fists and turned to leave.
After Jue Ying left, the Heavenly Water Mother immediately summoned her female officials. She said to one of them, “Xiao Xiao, go to the mortal realm immediately and investigate Shui Miao’s relatives and friends. Find out his background and why the Nine Heavens Profound Sect is protecting him. Remember, only investigate, do not act rashly.”
“Xiao Xiao obeys!”
A petite female official quickly left to carry out the order.
The Heavenly Water Mother then turned to another female official, “Da Da, how is the preparation of the materials for the chessboard I want to forge?”
The slightly taller female official hurriedly replied, “Master, we are still missing half of the materials.”
“Still so much?”
The Heavenly Water Mother frowned.
The female official explained, “Master, the chessboard itself is a supreme sacred artifact. The yin and yang pieces are each sixteen sacred artifacts, and together with the chessboard, that makes thirty-three sacred artifacts. The materials required are immense, and time is tight…”
“Enough, I know it’s difficult, but you must gather the materials within the next few days. I have a ready blacksmith now. If we delay too long and the Heartless One is discovered by other powerful beings, all my efforts will be in vain.” The Heavenly Water Mother slammed the table and stood up, “The Kunpeng Emperor has already made his move in the Ninth Heaven. We can’t sit idle. Go and focus on the Seventh and Eighth Heavens. Don’t be afraid of offending anyone; make sure to gather all the materials.”
“Master, with your words, I know what to do!”
The female official bowed and hurriedly left.
Both female officials had left.
In the pavilion, the Heavenly Water Mother suddenly sneered and muttered to herself, “Once Shui Miao helps me forge the World-Destroying Chessboard, I will kill him on the spot to prevent him from leaking my plans. I’ve waited over a thousand years for this divine war. This time, I will stir the pot of chaos, and at the final moment, I will become the Emperor, the true ruler of the immortal realm!”
This seemingly ordinary and low-key Heavenly Water Mother harbored such grand ambitions.
As a ruler of a realm, she was still not satisfied and sought to forge the World-Destroying Chessboard to usurp the position of the Emperor!
※※※
In the Forging Department’s secret formation vault.
Inside the vault, formations were piled up like mountains, with at least a hundred thousand formation manuals.
Seeing so many formation manuals, Shui Miao was overjoyed and immediately spread his divine consciousness to sense these manuals.
Under his divine consciousness, Shui Miao suddenly discovered that about one-tenth of these manuals had given birth to spirits, meaning they had become immortals!
Yes, the manuals had become immortals, turning into book immortals.
These manuals were made of special wooden materials and had been stored in the vault for a long time, absorbing the immortal energy of the immortal realm. Over time, they gave birth to spirits, which gradually grew into immortals. However, the strength of these immortals varied; some were just ordinary spirits, while others had reached the level of immortal elders.
Standing beside Shui Miao, the Grand Marshal chuckled softly, “Brother Heartless, there are countless manuals here. You can read whatever you want, but don’t damage them. The vault is under my control for the next three days, so don’t worry about others coming in. After three days, it will be someone else’s turn to guard the vault, so you only have three days. As for the powerful book immortals in the vault, if you can subdue them, go ahead. If not, don’t provoke them to avoid damaging the manuals. That’s all. You can start reading now. I’ll come to pick you up in three days.”
After saying this, the Grand Marshal turned and left, leaving Shui Miao alone in the vault.
With only three days and so many formation manuals, Shui Miao could at most read through two or three types.
If he wanted to read the powerful manuals, he would have to deal with the book immortals, who were not easy to handle. They had formed factions and set up formations, making it impossible for even a powerful immortal elder to defeat them.
Therefore, the Grand Marshal was certain that Shui Miao wouldn’t learn much.
Moreover, before Shui Miao arrived, he had already hidden the second halves of the three most important secret formation manuals, as instructed by the Heavenly Water Mother.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so confident in letting Shui Miao freely browse the manuals.
The three hidden manuals were the time control formation manual, the life-nurturing formation manual, and the soul-destroying death formation manual.
Time, life, and death—these three formations were the most supreme and precious in the immortal realm.
Without the second halves, even with the first halves, it was impossible to set up the formations.
“He really left…”
After waiting for a while and sensing with his divine consciousness that the Grand Marshal had indeed left, Shui Miao became excited. There were so many formations; which one should he start with?
Deep within the vault were the powerful formation manuals, including the general outline of the thunder formations.
Shui Miao was drawn to them…
But after taking just a few steps, a large group of book immortals flew over, setting up a formation to surround Shui Miao.
“Haha, it’s been thousands of years since someone came to play with us…”
“Hey, kid, I must remind you that even if your cultivation is stronger than ours, you can’t harm us. If you harm us, you’ll damage the manuals, and the Grand Marshal will punish you, making your life a living hell.”
“That’s right, he’s correct.”
“So, you can only let us play with you. Once we’re done, we’ll teach you a couple of formations.”
“Haha! Alright, we’ve told him. Now let’s figure out how to play with him!”
“…”
Shui Miao was momentarily stunned. These book immortals were all small dwarves, dressed in various colors, looking like a group of colorful sprites hopping around him.
“Are you sure you want to play with me?”
Shui Miao paused, then sat cross-legged on the ground, speaking to the group of book immortals with interest.
Standing beside Shui Miao, the Grand Judge chuckled softly. “Brother Qing, there are countless manuals here. You may read whatever you like, but do not damage them. I am in charge of this vault for the next three days, so no one else will enter. However, after three days, someone else will take over, so you only have three days. As for those powerful Spirit Books inside, if you can subdue them, do so. If not, avoid them, lest you damage the manuals. That’s all. You may begin reading now. I’ll come to fetch you in three days.”
After saying this, the Grand Judge turned and left, leaving Shui Miao alone inside the vault.
Three days was hardly enough time to study even a fraction of these formation manuals.
If he wanted to access the most powerful manuals, he would need to confront the Spirit Books. But they were no easy opponents—they had formed factions and arrays, and even Immortal Sovereign-level experts couldn’t defeat them.
Therefore, the Grand Judge was confident Shui Miao wouldn’t learn much.
Moreover, before Shui Miao’s arrival, he had already hidden the lower halves of the three most crucial formation manuals, following Saintess Shui Tianyi’s instructions.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared to leave Shui Miao alone to freely browse the manuals.
The three missing lower halves were manuals on time-controlling formations, life-nourishing formations, and soul-destroying death formations.
Time, Life, and Death—these three formation manuals were the most supreme and precious in the entire Immortal Realm.
Without the lower halves, the upper halves were useless for forming any actual arrays.
“He actually left for real…”
Shui Miao waited for a while and, using his divine sense, confirmed that the Grand Judge had truly left. His heart surged with excitement. There were just too many manuals—where should he begin?
Deep within the vault, there were even more powerful formation manuals, including the Grand Compendium of Thunder Formations.
He was irresistibly drawn toward them…
But no sooner had he taken a few steps than a swarm of Spirit Books flew toward him, forming an array and surrounding him.
“Haha! It’s been thousands of years, and finally, someone has come for us to play with…”
“Ho ho, young man, we should warn you—no matter how strong you are, you can’t harm us. Damaging us would mean damaging the manuals themselves, and if you do that, the Grand Judge will punish you severely, making your life miserable.”
“That’s right, what he said is true.”
“So, you can only let us play with you until we’re satisfied, and then we might teach you a couple of formations.”
“Haha! Alright, we’ve warned him. Now, let’s figure out how to play with him!”
“…”
For a moment, Shui Miao was stunned. These Spirit Books were like little dwarves, dressed in colorful clothes, hopping about like a group of vibrant little fairies dancing around him.
“You’re really determined to play with me?”
Shui Miao paused, then sat cross-legged on the ground, addressing the swarm of Spirit Books with growing interest.
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