Primordial Era: I am a treasure trove, full of magical treasures.

Xuanbao took a deep breath, suppressing the overwhelming helplessness and urge to complain, and looked again at the indifferent figure on the high platform. He bowed and spoke as calmly as possible: "Disciple... receives the Grandmaster's decree. However, disciple is young and inexperienced, and fears that my abilities are insufficient, and I will fail the expectations of the Dao Ancestor and all living beings in the Primordial World. Moreover, the Primordial World has just been pacified, and everything is in need of rebuilding. The Heavenly Court is even more... empty and without anything. How can it be re-established? I humbly request the Dao Ancestor's guidance."

Xuanbao is now just shrugging his shoulders. It's not that he can't be the Heavenly Emperor without any power, but there has to be some benefit involved.

First, lay out the difficulties, and then test how much benefit Hongjun could offer. He couldn't very well end up like the original Haotian, begging and pleading for usable resources, which ultimately led to the Investiture of the Gods war.

Hongjun seemed to have anticipated this, and his gaze shifted slightly, landing on the Daoist boy standing deep within the Zixiao Palace.

"Haotian, Yaochi".

"Disciple is here!" A male and a female Daoist disciple immediately stepped forward and knelt respectfully. The boy had sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, and a calm demeanor; he was none other than Haotian. The girl had bright eyes and white teeth, and was beautiful and charming; she was Yaochi. Although they were Daoist disciples, they had served Hongjun for countless eons, and through constant exposure, their cultivation had already reached the Quasi-Saint realm, making them undoubtedly among the top tier of the prehistoric world.

"From this day forward, you two will follow Xuanbao and assist him in rebuilding the Heavenly Court and managing Yin and Yang. You two must do your utmost and make no mistakes."

"Disciples will obey Master's decree!" Haotian and Yaochi responded in unison, then turned to Xuanbao and respectfully bowed, "Greetings, Your Majesty the Heavenly Emperor!"

Xuanbao's lips twitched almost imperceptibly. Well, the future Jade Emperor and Queen Mother from the original story are now directly under his command. How wonderful!

It was clear that he couldn't escape becoming the Heavenly Emperor now, so Xuanbao had no choice but to accept it reluctantly. He looked at Haotian and Yaochi, pondering how to rebuild the Heavenly Court. "In that case, you two will follow me from now on!"

Seeing Xuanbao agree, Hongjun, sitting at the head of the table, slightly raised the corners of his mouth. He slowly spoke, "Xuanbao, rebuilding the Heavenly Court is no easy task. I will bestow upon you the Investiture of the Gods and the God-Slaying Whip." Hongjun waved his hand, and the two magical treasures appeared out of thin air, radiating a mysterious aura. Xuanbao was overjoyed. The Investiture of the Gods could be used to confer titles upon the gods, and the God-Slaying Whip could punish unruly immortals. With these two magical treasures, he would have the confidence to rebuild the Heavenly Court.

"Thank you for your grace, Grandmaster!" Xuanbao respectfully accepted the Investiture of the Gods and the God-Slaying Whip. Hongjun nodded and continued, "These two magical treasures can help you select immortals and gods and manage the Heavenly Court."

Xuanbao solemnly replied, "This disciple will certainly not fail Grandmaster's expectations!" At this moment, Xuanbao had already begun to formulate a plan to re-establish the Heavenly Court. To be honest, if someone else were to become the Heavenly Emperor, they might be hampered. For example, Haotian, who was just a perfectly good Jade Emperor, was forced to have four emperors who could sit on equal footing with him. What's the point of that? But Xuanbao shouldn't worry about being hampered, not because his strength or background would allow it.

Moreover, if I remember correctly, you found the Demon Clan's Heavenly Court first and ransacked it yourself. It's still in your Chaos Space. So even if the Heavenly Court no longer exists, it won't have much of an impact on you. On the contrary, it's even more magnificent and luxurious than the original Demon Clan's Heavenly Court.

The matter was over, and Hongjun's figure faded away silently, leaving only the imperial edict of "Great Heavenly Venerable of Treasure Gathering" and the decree of "Re-establishing the Heavenly Court" echoing faintly in the empty palace.

The saints departed with varying expressions. The two Western Saints left the fastest; the last vestige of forced "congratulations" on the sorrowful faces of Jieyin and Zhunti vanished into deep sighs the moment they turned away, their figures disappearing into chaos, leaving behind a few almost inaudible sighs tinged with bitterness and resentment. Nuwa and Houtu cast encouraging and comforting glances at Xuanbao before also departing. In an instant, the vast Zixiao Palace was left with only Xuanbao, Haotian and Yaochi standing behind him, their expressions a mixture of respect, excitement, and trepidation, and the three Pure Ones who hadn't yet left, their faces filled with complex emotions as they watched him.

"Let's go, back to Kunlun." Laozi spoke first, his voice still calm. He paused lightly with his flat cane, and the Daoist energy of Yin and Yang flowed, creating a stable spatial portal in front of him that led directly to the Sanqing Hall on Kunlun Mountain. He stepped in first, his figure disappearing into the halo of light.

Yuanshi glanced at Xuanbao, his gaze deep, scrutinizing, and expectant, before finally letting out a barely audible sigh. He then followed Laozi into the gate.

"Haha! What are you all standing there for? My Heavenly Emperor disciple!" Tongtian was overjoyed, striding forward and giving Xuanbao a hard slap on the shoulder, almost making him stumble. His face was full of undisguised pride and excitement. "Back to the mountain! Let's have a good talk! This is a momentous occasion! Hmm... although you don't seem too happy about it?" He leaned closer, winking and lowering his voice, "Don't worry, with your master here, and with your eldest and second eldest brothers, you'll sit firmly on this Heavenly Emperor's throne! Come on, come on!"

Xuanbao forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, nodded to Tongtian, and then said to Haotian and Yaochi, who were standing respectfully behind him, "You... come with me too."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Haotian and Yaochi replied in unison, their attitude becoming even more respectful.

From now on, please don't call me Your Highness.

What should I call you?

Call me Brother Bao

Yes, Your Highness.

Xuanbao: ...

Stepping out of Zixiao Palace and through the stable portal opened by Laozi, the scenery changed, and he was now atop Kunlun Mountain, shrouded in clouds and mist, with the Sanqing Hall standing majestically. The familiar scenery now felt strangely heavy with pressure to Xuanbao.

The palace doors opened silently, and the Three Pure Ones were already seated high on their cloud beds. Laozi was in the center, Yuanshi Tianzun on the left, and Tongtian on the right. Xuanbao led Haotian and Yaochi into the palace and bowed to his three masters, saying, "Disciple Xuanbao greets First Master, Second Master, and Third Master."

Haotian and Yaochi immediately bowed deeply in reverence: "This humble servant Haotian (Yaochi) pays respects to the Sage of Taiqing, the Sage of Yuqing, and the Sage of Shangqing!"

"No need for formalities, please rise." Laozi nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over Haotian Yaochi. "Since you two are ordered by the Dao Ancestor to assist Xuanbao, you will become important officials of the Heavenly Court and guests of my Three Pure Ones. Please retreat to the side hall to rest for now. We have something to discuss with Xuanbao."

"I will obey the decree of the Sage." Haotian Yaochi was very clever. He knew that the Three Pure Ones wanted to have a private talk with their disciple behind closed doors. He immediately withdrew respectfully and was led to a side hall by a Taoist boy.

The hall doors slowly closed, isolating the inside from the outside. For a moment, a subtle silence fell within the Sanqing Hall. Only the faint sound of the wind from Kunlun Mountain outside and the faint Taoist aura flowing within the hall could be heard.

Xuanbao stood with his hands at his sides in the hall, feeling the tangible gazes of his three masters upon him. The suffocation, helplessness, and uncertainty about the future that came with being forced to wear the imperial robe surged within him like a tidal wave. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but felt overwhelmed by a thousand thoughts and didn't know where to begin.

"What? You're really not happy?" Tongtian broke the silence first, raising an eyebrow with a hint of mockery in his voice. "Ruling the primordial world, with all the immortals paying homage—that's a position countless powerful beings dream of! And you, you're acting like you're being led to the execution ground! If those two bald monks from the West saw this, they'd probably be spitting blood in anger!"

"Third Brother," Yuanshi said calmly, stopping Tongtian's teasing. His gaze fell on Xuanbao's face, and he said in a deep voice, "Xuanbao, I understand your feelings. The position of Heavenly Emperor is high and powerful, but it is also like walking on thin ice. One is bound by karma, has many trivial matters, and needs to balance all sides. If one is not careful, one will be burdened with karma and have his path of cultivation blocked. You are naturally unwilling to be restrained and yearn for freedom. It is only natural that you feel conflicted when you suddenly take on this heavy responsibility."

Lao Tzu stroked his beard slowly, his voice calm yet cutting to the heart of the matter: "The Dao Ancestor personally named you, and Heaven has recognized your authority. This is destiny, and also an opportunity. Resistance is futile; we should consider how to deal with it."

Xuanbao took a deep breath, raised his head, and looked at his three masters. The weariness and helplessness on his face finally faded, revealing the sharp eyes that belonged to "Xuanbao," a mixture of shrewdness and a hint of ambition. He knew that in front of his three masters, there was no need for pretense, nor could he pretend.

"Masters," Xuanbao's voice became clearer, "This disciple is not ignorant. I have received the Dao Ancestor's decree and the Heavenly Mandate, and I will do my best to fulfill it. However, as Second Master said, the three of you know better than this disciple what the Heavenly Court is like today."

Xuanbao paused, then quickened his pace, beginning to analyze the current situation, as if organizing his thoughts: "In the past, the Heavenly Court of the Demon Race suffered a devastating blow during the final war between the Lich King and the Demon King. The Zhou Tian Star Array collapsed, the Ten Thousand Immortals Array vanished, and of the 365 Zhou Tian Star Lords, 48,000 evil spirits, and countless demon soldiers and generals, less than one-tenth remained. The Thirty-Three Heavens Palaces were in ruins, and most of the array's restrictions were rendered ineffective. The movement of the stars was disrupted by the collapse of the array, and it has not recovered to this day. The remnants of the Demon Race are scattered in all directions, some hiding, some seeking refuge with other factions, harboring resentment. After this great calamity, how much reverence do the myriad races still have for the word 'Heavenly Court'? I'm afraid it's mostly wariness and disdain."

The first is, "Without soldiers or generals, the Heavenly Court's prestige has been swept away."

"Secondly," Xuanbao's gaze swept over the Three Pure Ones, "the sages stand side by side, each ruling a great sect, each with their own calculations. The two Western Sages, regarding me... well, I'm afraid they may not be truly convinced of this position of Heavenly Emperor, and will inevitably try to hinder me in the future. Although Sister Nuwa and Sister Houtu are close to me, everyone has their own stance. Even the three masters..." He looked at the Three Pure Ones, his gaze frank, "The Three Pure Ones' lineage, with its three branches of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, propagates the Dao to the human race, and its fortune is currently flourishing. As the Heavenly Emperor, if I were to exercise the Heavenly Emperor's authority and govern the primordial world, I would inevitably have some overlap with the interests of the three sects and with the propagation of the Dao by my fellow disciples. How should I balance this? Should I act impartially, which might harm the interests of my sect? Or should I be biased and partial, in which case where would the Heavenly Emperor's authority be, and where would the Heavenly Dao's cause and effect exist?"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the Three Pure Ones all shifted. Yuanshi frowned slightly, Tongtian dropped his joking expression, and Laozi's eyes flashed with approval. Xuanbao's ability to see this level showed that he was not truly ignorant, but rather had given it considerable thought.

"Thirdly," Xuanbao sighed, his tone tinged with genuine helplessness, "Although those two bald monks in the West said some unpleasant things, I really don't have much free time to handle Heavenly Court affairs."

He voiced his concerns one by one, and the hall fell silent once more. Xuanbao's words were all true, each one hitting the nail on the head. Being the Heavenly Emperor was no easy task; it was a seemingly glamorous position, but in reality, it was a leaky mess with a bottomless abyss beneath.

After a long silence, Tongtian chuckled, breaking the stillness: "You're right! It's a complete mess! That old...teacher of the Dao Ancestor was just dumping this lousy job on you! But," he changed his tone, his eyes flashing with a new light, "precisely because it's a mess, cleaning it up is true skill! It's a great merit! A great opportunity! Xuanbao, what are you afraid of? No soldiers? Recruit them! Heavenly Court is destroyed? Rebuild it! Prestige is lost? Rebuild it! The sages are plotting against us? Hmph, with the Three Pure Ones joining forces, plus your current abilities, and the Chaos Bell in hand, are we afraid of them? As for karma and cause and effect...you have the Ten Wheels of Merit protecting you, so act according to your conscience, be fair and just, what is there to fear? Even if all else fails, don't you still have us three old guys backing you up?"

Tongtian's words were full of youthful arrogance and domineering spirit.

Yuanshi shook his head, his tone steady: "What my third brother said is not wrong, but it is too idealistic. Rebuilding the Heavenly Court cannot be accomplished overnight. Where will we recruit soldiers and horses? The prehistoric world has experienced a great calamity, and capable people are either hidden or injured, while the nature of wandering immortals is unpredictable. Repairing palaces and resetting formations will consume a massive amount of resources, where will we get them? Re-establishing prestige will require a long period of time and real achievements, which cannot be achieved quickly by force. As for the sages... the way of maintaining balance must be approached with utmost care. Although we, the Three Pure Ones, can be your support, if you rely on your sect for everything, I'm afraid you, the Heavenly Emperor, will find it difficult to truly command respect."

He looked at Xuanbao, his gaze stern yet expectant: "Since you hold this position, you must fulfill your responsibilities. You need to have your own team, your own plans, and your own code of conduct. The Three Pure Ones are your sect, your support, but they should not become your shackles or puppets. How to strike a balance between your position as the Heavenly Emperor and your status as a disciple of the Three Pure Ones, how to utilize the power of your sect without becoming completely dependent on it—this is the first thing you need to understand."

Lao Tzu spoke slowly, his voice still calm, yet carrying a power that could settle the world: "Xuanbao, I understand your concerns. However, things have come to this point, and we must consider a way to break this deadlock. You have already seen the flaws of the Heavenly Court. But what are its benefits?"

Xuanbao was taken aback, and subconsciously replied, "The benefits? Managing Yin and Yang, governing all spirits, regulating the stars, wielding part of the Heavenly Dao's authority, enjoying a portion of the primordial fortune... and, nominally, being the legitimate successor of the primordial world?"

"Not bad." Lao Tzu nodded. "Reputation, fortune, and authority. These three are the foundation for your breakthrough."

Laozi leaned forward slightly, his gaze like a deep well reflecting Xuanbao's figure: "Although the Heavenly Court has fallen, its existence is still necessary. Now, with the Dao Ancestor personally bestowing this title and all the sages witnessing it, this name is the righteous cause and the orthodox one. You can use this title to carry out your actions."

"Although the fortune has declined, the Heavenly Court still holds its position, governing the heavens and regulating the four seasons. It is rightfully entitled to share in the primordial fortune. Now that everything is in ruins and needs to be rebuilt, it is the time for the fortune to regroup. You have done a great service in mending the heavens and bear great merit. This is the best catalyst for gathering fortune. Moreover, you have a deep karmic connection with the human race and the Netherworld. If you can guide it properly, the gradually rising fortune of the human race and the stable cycle of merit of the Netherworld can both give back to the Heavenly Court."

Xuanbao couldn't help but sigh that among the Three Pure Ones, Laozi had the most insightful understanding of things.

The Heavenly Court is both a trouble and an opportunity. Unfortunately, Xuanbao is the kind of person who doesn't take pressure. With opportunities practically offered to him, how could he possibly let such a good chance pass by?