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

The feast lasted for a full eighty-one days.

For the powerful beings of the primordial world who attended the gathering, these eighty-one days were like being immersed in a vortex of spiritual energy. Innate spiritual fruits were plentiful, star-like jade liquid was freely available, and the sounds of Daoist chants and celestial music filled the air. Furthermore, Xuanbao and several sages occasionally offered casual guidance during the gatherings, their words concise yet directly addressing the key points of the Great Dao, causing many cultivators who had been stuck at their bottlenecks for years to suddenly attain enlightenment, their auras surging dramatically.

Sincerity and strength, like the finest wine, completely captivated the hearts of all attendees.

As the grand event drew to a close, when Xuanbao once again stood on the imperial platform, no further words were needed. Below, a sea of ​​people knelt down, their voices of petition echoing like a tsunami.

"good."

Xuanbao uttered only one word, yet it was like a decree from Heaven, setting the final tone for this unprecedented grand event.

Where are Haotian and Yaochi?

"Your Majesty, we are here!" Haotian and Yaochi, whose faces were already flushed with excitement, immediately stepped forward.

"Record their names and register them, assigning them duties according to their cultivation, strengths, and wishes, and then assessing and recruiting them. All 365 Celestial Star Lords, 48,000 evil spirits, various righteous gods, heavenly soldiers and generals… all positions needed by the Heavenly Court will be open to selection, choosing the best among them. Within a hundred years, I want to see a new Heavenly Court that is initially operational and has clearly defined powers and responsibilities!"

"We will obey Your Majesty's decree!"

As the grand gathering came to an end, several sages departed first, followed by the remaining immortals who left with unprecedented anticipation and awe, spreading the weight of the word "Heavenly Court" to every corner of the primordial world.

……

The next century was a century that the entire prehistoric world took notice of.

Streams of light rose from various grotto-heavens, famous mountains, secret realms, and ancestral lands throughout the primordial world, flowing like rivers into the sea, resolutely heading towards the Thirty-Three Heavens. These were cultivators and races from all sides who, after the grand gathering, finally made up their minds and came with their families or entire clans to join them.

Outside the South Heavenly Gate, long queues formed daily. The celestial officials in charge of registration and assessment were extremely busy, yet their faces radiated pride. Haotian and Yaochi personally oversaw the entire operation, categorizing and placing the continuously arriving talents in various locations throughout the Heavenly Court.

Xuanbao did not interfere much in specific affairs. He sat high in the sky, like a pillar stabilizing the sea. But his will, through the faint chimes of the Chaos Bell, through the operation of the Zhou Tian Star Array, and through the increasingly solid and powerful Heavenly Court's fortune, silently permeated every corner of the Heavenly Court, ensuring that this massive machine began to operate efficiently and orderly according to the blueprint he set.

……

Lingxiao Hall, the great court meeting.

Compared to the grand event a century ago, the Lingxiao Palace today is solemn, majestic, and orderly.

When the century was up and the statistical results were reported to Lingxiao Palace, even Xuanbao raised an eyebrow slightly.

"There are three Quasi-Saints, thirty-four Great Luo Golden Immortals, eight hundred and forty Taiyi Golden Immortals, nine thousand three hundred and fifty Golden Immortals... In addition, there are six hundred and seventy-three clans of various sizes, with the entire clan or a portion of their elites serving as vassals, totaling more than one million soldiers capable of fighting. Within these clans, there are also a large number of disciples who have not yet reached the Golden Immortal level but have considerable potential."

Haotian read the numbers on the jade scroll, his voice hoarse with excitement. This was merely the core and backbone force recruited over the past century! Not even counting the initial strength of the Heavenly Court, or the various forces that, while not having come in droves, had signed alliances and accepted the Heavenly Court's commands.

Yaochi added, "Your Majesty, of the 365 Zhou Tian Star Lord positions, 78 have been initially selected, all of whom are outstanding individuals among the Great Luo or possess special star Dao bodies. The 48,000 evil star demons have been filled by nearly 10,000 newly entered Taiyi, Golden Immortals, and some battle souls. The framework of the various departments of righteous gods, such as Thunder, Fire, Fighting, and Plague, has been established, and the Three Realms Inspection Office and the Heavenly River Navy are also under construction."

Xuanbao nodded slightly. This start was better than he had expected, but the number of high-end combatants was still too small. However, thinking about it, they were all powerful figures in the outside world, but if they joined the Heavenly Court, they might just be ordinary heavenly soldiers. The difference between them naturally made most people give up on joining the Heavenly Court.

While the high-end combat power is still far from enough to fill the Zhou Tian Star Array, the framework has been established, and its foundation is far more solid than when the Demon Clan's Heavenly Court was first established. More importantly, this force was "recruited," carrying hope and expectations, and its centripetal force and malleability are far beyond what Di Jun and Tai Yi could achieve by relying on power and bloodlines to unite the Demon Clan army.

Haotian took a deep breath, his eyes shining: "Your Majesty, since the grand gathering, the Heavenly Court's fortune has surged forth like a celestial river overflowing its banks! Especially in the last hundred years, with the addition of numerous experts and races, the speed of fortune accumulation has skyrocketed! Now, above the Lingxiao Palace, the sea of ​​fortune clouds has condensed into nine golden dragons spanning ten thousand miles. Although still immature, they already possess scales and claws, and their power grows daily! Furthermore, endless auspicious purple energy gathers from all corners of the primordial world, a sign of Heaven's favor, and the manifestation of merit! I can assert that the Heavenly Court's fortune has far surpassed that of the Demon Race's Heavenly Court during its heyday, and it continues to grow rapidly!"

Fortune, mysterious and profound, is undeniably real. When fortune flourishes, cultivation proceeds smoothly, breaking through bottlenecks becomes effortless; power is stable, and evil spirits find it difficult to invade; it can even influence the prediction of celestial secrets, bringing good fortune and averting misfortune. Such immense fortune will become the most powerful engine for the Heavenly Court to attract talent, stabilize its rule, and achieve rapid development.

Xuanbao sat upright on the imperial platform, his divine sense subtly moving, and he "saw" the almost solidified, churning, dazzling golden cloud above the dome of the Lingxiao Palace. Nine golden dragons, stretching for thousands of miles, meandered and undulated within the cloud, their scales and claws flashing. With each breath, they caused the starlight of the heavens to cascade down like a waterfall, and wisps of pale purple aura of heavenly merit gathered from the darkness and merged into the sea of ​​clouds.

"The manifestation of fortune, the Nine Golden Dragons... indeed impressive." Xuanbao tapped his fingertips lightly on the armrest, Daoist runes swirling in his eyes. After a moment of deduction, he suddenly smiled, "However, while the fortune gathered but not dispersed can nourish the Heavenly Court, it lacks the 'tangible' feeling of benefiting the primordial world. Perhaps... it should be dispersed!"

Before he finished speaking, his mind had already connected with the Heavenly Emperor's authority, drawing upon the vast and boundless sea of ​​fortune!

"hold head high--!!!"

The nine golden dragons of fortune simultaneously raised their heads and roared, their voices shaking the heavens! Then, to the astonishment of countless immortals and gods, the nine golden dragons suddenly exploded, not dissipating, but transforming into billions of tiny specks of golden light, each containing pure fortune and the favor of the heavens, which fell from the Thirty-Three Heavens, covering every inch of the primordial land!

At this moment, no matter where in the primordial world they were, whether immortal, mortal, demon, or spirit, as long as they looked up, they could see golden rain of light falling from the sky. The rain of light fell upon them; mortals were cured of illness, strengthened, and their lives extended; cultivators cleansed their inner demons and gained clarity of mind; plant spirits and monsters suddenly gained intelligence; injured spirit beasts were cured of their chronic ailments… and some specks of light even merged into the mountains and rivers, allowing the land, which had been barren due to the great calamity, to once again radiate vibrant life!

"Heaven has sent down timely rain! Blessings have been bestowed upon us!"

"It's the Heavenly Court! It's the grace of His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor!"

"I...I've broken through a bottleneck that's lasted for three thousand years!"

"This spiritual herb matured instantly!"

Exclamations of surprise, elation, and praise resounded throughout the primordial world. Countless beings spontaneously prostrated themselves in the direction of the Thirty-Three Heavens, their purest faith and gratitude traversing the void to converge into the foundation of the Heavenly Court's fortune. This caused the recently dispersed sea of ​​fortune to recombine and grow stronger at an even faster pace! Moreover, the newly gathered fortune was more solid and pure, carrying the will and power of all living beings!

By dispersing one-tenth and taking back three-tenths, and forging a deeper karmic bond with all living beings in the primordial world, such methods deeply shocked Haotian, Yaochi, and even the newly promoted immortal officials in the Lingxiao Palace, who knew the inside story. Their awe and admiration for the Xuanbao reached their peak.

"Your Majesty is wise! Your benevolence extends to all living beings, and your merits are immeasurable!" All the immortals in the hall knelt down in unison, completely convinced of your virtue.

Xuanbao accepted the greeting with composure and smiled faintly, "The Heavenly Court is the Heavenly Court of the Primordial World, and naturally shares its fortune with all living beings. This is the usual practice. Every thousand years thereafter, it may bestow blessings of fortune as appropriate. Furthermore, I hereby issue this decree: From this day forward, the Heavenly Court shall establish the 'Ministry of Merit,' dedicated to recording and evaluating the merits and good deeds of all living beings in the Primordial World. Regardless of birth or cultivation level, all those who have rendered meritorious service to Heaven and Earth and to all living beings may exchange their merits for cultivation techniques, elixirs, divine weapons, and even opportunities to hear the Dao and priority in the selection of divine positions. Those with outstanding merits may be promoted beyond the usual ranks and recorded in the register of immortals!"

"boom!"

Another decree has been issued, another bombshell! A merit-based exchange system! This means that even the lowest-ranking mortal cultivator, as long as they accumulate enough good deeds, has the opportunity to rise to the heavens and gain resources and status recognized by the Heavenly Court! This undoubtedly opens up a clear and visible path to advancement for all cultivators and races in the prehistoric world who have not directly joined the Heavenly Court! It will greatly encourage the spirit of doing good in the prehistoric world, regulate cause and effect, and stabilize order!

This is also the result that Xuanbao wanted to see. The Heavenly Court is not just about complicated heavenly rules, nor is it about absolute supremacy of strength. Of course, strength is also a very important factor. In short, the Heavenly Court does not support idle people.

"Your Majesty's divine judgment! We are in awe!" The immortals bowed down once more, their eyes burning with fervor. They seemed to already see, under the guidance of the merit system, the atmosphere of the primordial world be cleansed and order restored, and the prestige and cohesion of the Heavenly Court would penetrate into every corner of the primordial world.

……

Kunlun Mountain, Sanqing Hall.

Sensing the overwhelming aura of fortune that swept across the primordial world, and the subsequent decree of merit, the Three Pure Ones exchanged glances, each seeing the admiration in the other's eyes.

"Gather energy, disperse energy, gather energy again, use benefit to drive good, use good to solidify order... Xuanbao has deeply grasped the essence of governance." Laozi said slowly, a rare faint smile appearing on his usually calm face, "He has done a better job as the Heavenly Emperor than we expected."

"Haha! That's right! Don't you even know whose disciple he is!" Tongtian clapped his hands and laughed heartily, thoroughly enjoying himself. "Now, those old fogies in the prehistoric world are probably going to be really restless. Merit exchange? Brilliant!"

Yuanshi nodded slightly, a look of satisfaction flashing in his eyes: "Using both kindness and severity, and establishing rules first. With these two strategies, the foundation of the Heavenly Court is solid, and the overall situation is set. The next step is to figure out how to make good use of this power, truly manage the primordial world, and deal with possible external variables."

……

The West, Mount Ling.

As Jieyin and Zhunti watched the golden rain fall from the sky, feeling the subtle impact of the invisible system of merit on the Western "karmic connection" path, their faces were so bitter they could drip juice.

"Amitabha... This Xuanbao is cunning and opportunistic, seizing every opportunity. He uses the auspicious rain of fortune to win people's hearts and undermines the merit system... It will be even more difficult for us to spread the Dharma in the West." Jieyin sighed, and the extinguished Buddhist light around him dimmed a bit.

Zhunti's prayer beads flew rapidly, almost igniting a flame, but ultimately turned into a powerless sigh: "Senior brother, so be it... The current situation is irreversible. The Heavenly Court is at its zenith, Xuanbao's power is fully grown, and it has the support of the Three Pure Ones, with Nuwa and Houtu as its allies... We cannot confront it head-on. Perhaps... our Western Paradise should also change its strategy and try to cooperate with the Heavenly Court? At least we should try to gain some merit..."

After a long silence, Jieyin finally nodded slowly, his sorrowful expression carrying for the first time a hint of pragmatism and helplessness.

……

Heavenly Court, Lingxiao Palace.

After the court session ended, Xuanbao sat alone on the imperial platform, his gaze piercing through the endless void, as if he could see the prosperous future of the primordial world, and also the unknown shadows that were faintly restless and eyeing him covetously beyond the chaos.

"Internal restructuring has begun. Next, it's time to train the troops." Xuanbao muttered to himself, the illusory image of the Chaos Bell at his fingertips trembling slightly. "The Zhou Tian Star Array needs to be completed as soon as possible, the heavenly soldiers and generals need to practice and coordinate, and the coordinates of all the heavens and myriad realms also need to be explored... This Primordial Heavenly Emperor is not so leisurely."

He slowly rose, his green robe fluttering, and walked towards the vast "Primordial Geomantic Map" behind the hall. The map showed twinkling stars and the birth and death of countless worlds. A grand era belonging to the "Great Celestial Venerable of Treasure Gathering" had just begun.

"But that's what makes it interesting, isn't it?" Xuanbao's lips curled into a sharp and expectant smile.

However, on the other hand, now that he is the Heavenly Emperor, the Investiture of the Gods and the God-Slaying Whip, which were originally supposed to be created during the Investiture of the Gods War, are now in his hands. Unlike the original Haotian, he no longer has anyone to rely on, which means that the Investiture of the Gods War may never happen again.

but!

After the Investiture of the Gods, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors ruled the world. However, the current human race is quite different from the human race in the original timeline. For one thing, the original human race was much more fragile.

Nowadays, the human race has much stronger backing. Not to mention the mother goddess Nuwa, the key is that there are also the Three Pure Ones and Xuanbao, the father gods. So, the human race has five saints standing behind them. The fortune they have is beyond question.

Moreover, the current strength of the human race should not be underestimated. Although they lack high-end combat power, they have a vast number of low-level cultivators, which is above average among the myriad races of the prehistoric world. In addition, given the background of the human race, apart from the demon race of yesteryear, there is really no one in the entire prehistoric world who dares to provoke them now.

Xuanbao's gaze fell upon the location of the human tribe on the geomantic map, and he lightly tapped it with his fingertip. Humanity's fortunes were now blazing like oil on a hot fire; the matter of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors should be put on the agenda. This was not only crucial for humanity's great prosperity but also a golden opportunity to further restore order to the world and solidify the will of humanity. With a slight thought, a decree was sent towards the Fire Cloud Cave. It was time for humanity's own virtuous ruler to lead the people onto the final ladder to becoming the protagonists of the primordial world. And Xuanbao would naturally protect and escort them, observing the unfolding events.