Chapter 905: Heaven Ordainment

Heavenly Emperor Miao Zhuan piloted the Luminous Ark, while Li Pin stood on the deck, surveying the surroundings.

Wherever he looked, dazzling beams of light streaked across the sky.

But unlike ordinary light, these luminous trails in the Astral World's core layer had mass.

Each beam weighed down on ordinary Astral Gods like a colossal mountain, forcing them to exert every ounce of their strength just to resist. Only then could they barely survive in this harsh environment.

For weaker Astral Gods, the sheer pressure of the light would crush their Divine Bodies the moment they stepped into the core layer, like dropping a mortal onto a planet with atmospheric pressure a million times greater than normal

Yet to Li Pin, this oppressive force was nothing.

He stood motionless on the deck, his perception cutting through space, matter, and energy to observe both the inner and outer layers of the Astral World.

Thanks to his speed advantage, he caught sight of many things along the way.

Countless Astral Gods huddled in cramped hideaways, sealing themselves off and suppressing their energy signatures to near-mortal levels, all to evade the Eternal Oblivion Disaster.

Sacred Monarchs, mighty as they were, had shrunk their Divine Forms down to mere hundreds of li in size. Even so, they still shielded millions, sometimes tens of millions, of desperate souls.

Meanwhile, Astral Gods consumed by despair and madness rampaged, slaughtering indiscriminately. Some hidden survivors retaliated in response to their violence, only to be dragged into the same Eternal Oblivion.

Scene after scene of tragedy unfolded before his eyes.

For those below the level of Cosmic Radiance, the Eternal Oblivion was nothing short of apocalyptic.

Even those who had forged True Spirits moved with extreme caution, wary of provoking an ordinary Astral God whose mind teetered on the brink of collapse. A single desperate outburst from these Astral Gods could force them to retaliate. Even if they prevailed, just being splattered by the Astral God's blood would be enough to taint them with the Eternal Oblivion Force.

Trust had eroded completely.

People turned on one another, each looking out only for themselves.

The atmosphere of paranoia prevented unity and suppressed any chance of collective resistance, making it easier for those above to maintain their rule.

But the problem now was that the Eternal Oblivion Disaster had caused even the major factions, including the Myriad Astral God Hall, to completely lose control over the territories they once ruled.

The result? Crises that could have been overcome through cooperation now led to ruin, as distrust doomed any chance of collective survival.

Some Astral Gods, broken by despair, ran rampant, spreading chaos.

But far more died quietly in forgotten corners, unmourned, unnoticed.

"The Eternal Oblivion has eased the Astral World's burden," Li Pin murmured, "but the cost... is too high."

Behind him, Gu You nodded grimly. "Thankfully, our Human Race is large enough in number to hold on, at least for now. I've heard some smaller races have already been wiped out."

"And the disaster has only raged for a few decades," Li Pin said.

Decades were nothing to Astral Gods. Even those tainted by the Eternal Oblivion Force wouldn't perish so quickly.

But as time passed, the corruption would deepen.

Within a single epoch, over ninety-nine percent of Starshines and Solar Flares would fall into Eternal Oblivion.

The rare survivors wouldn't survive through strength, but privilege. Those with connections could hide in sanctuaries like the Myriad Astral God Hall or the Four Continents, where formations like the Grand Celestial Constellation Cycle Formation shielded them from the worst of the Eternal Oblivion Force.

The Myriad Astral God Hall alone now harbored over ten million Starshine and Solar Flare Astral Gods, untouched by the plague.

Li Pin fell silent, but a resolve took root in his heart.

I need to stop the Eternal Oblivion Disaster. The Astral World's burden needed easing, but not like this.

Of course, the Supremes had never intended for things to spiral so far. The true culprits were the Astral Lords, whose sabotage had escalated the disaster to catastrophic levels.

Just then, Ji Shun stepped forward with a message.

"Your Majesty, the Heaven Ordainment Sect has learned of your arrival. Wu Tian has assembled a delegation to welcome you."

"A reception? So be it," Li Pin said.

It had never been his style to beat around the bush. If something could be settled face-to-face, that was always the better way.

The Luminous Ark continued forward and before long, an enormous battleship came into view. On its deck stood several Heavenly Emperors and over a dozen Sacred Monarchs, gathered in formal reception.

As the Ark drew near, the assembly, led by Heavenly Emperor Wu Tian, bowed in unison. "Your Majesty Divine Emperor Origin, we humbly welcome you to the Northern Xuan Continent. The Heaven Ordainment Sect is deeply honored by your presence."

Li Pin remained quiet, his gaze sweeping over the Heavenly Emperors. The group didn't understand the reason for his silence, until one Sacred Monarch murmured in realization, "Shouldn't we be boarding His Majesty's vessel instead of expecting him to come aboard ours?"

Emperor Wu Tian glanced between Li Pin's sleek Luminous Ark and their own battleship. Though both were of Sovereign-grade, the Ark prioritized speed and spatial traversal, while their ship, designed for hosting, offered ample space for receiving guests at the cost of a slight reduction in speed.

Another Sacred Monarch reminded, "Divine Emperor Origin is clearly displeased with our sect's lack of response to the Myriad Astral God Hall. Best not to give him grounds for reprimand."

Wu Dang nodded. To him, Li Pin was just a junior, much younger than even his own disciples. But in the world of cultivation, strength eclipsed seniority. With Li Pin's feats of slaying Divine Emperors, Li Pin's qualifications spoke for themselves. Wu Dang didn't feel much discomfort in humbling himself before him, someone who was far younger.

Together with several other Heavenly Emperors, he rose into the air and descended onto the Ark's deck, cupping his fist in salute. "Your Majesty, we are honored by your visit. A grand reception awaits, if you would permit us to guide your vessel."

"Heaven Ordainment Sect is currently under the leadership of you, Yuan Ling, and Mordo. Where are the other two?" Li Pin asked.

Wu Dang smiled apologetically. "The Eternal Oblivion Disasters have flooded the Northern Xuan Continent with displaced Astral Gods. Per the Hall's orders, Yuan Ling oversees their resettlement and cannot be spared. As for Mordo, tensions with the Skyblaze Tribe demanded his presence at the frontier."

He quickly added, "But if you require them, we will recall them at once."

Li Pin understood their caution. The Heaven Ordainment Sect feared he might act impulsively. By dispersing their forces, they could at least preserve some strength to handle whatever might come. Clearly, they had already prepared for the worst.

But he had no patience for such games. "Gather every available Heavenly Emperor and Sacred Monarch. Those who cannot come need not be summoned."

Wu Dang was briefly stunned, but quickly nodded. "By your will, Your Majesty. It shall be done."

Li Pin gave a slight nod, then gestured for him to leave.

Wu Dang exchanged glances with the other Heavenly Emperors. Left with no choice, they returned to their warship.

Confusion lingered in their eyes. None could fathom Li Pin's intentions.

One Heavenly Emperor speculated darkly, "Could he be planning to gather us all just to eliminate us in one sweep?"

Wu Dang shook his head and countered, "Impossible! The Heaven Ordainment Sect is the strongest human faction, with countless Heavenly Emperors under its banner. Wiping us out would spark another civil war, one as devastating as Jin'que's Rebellion. Besides, we have two Supremes and a Highlord backing us. Even Origin would hesitate to provoke that."

"Agreed," another Heavenly Emperor added. "We've already split our forces. Even if he strikes, we'll preserve enough strength. A half-measure like this wouldn't be worth his effort."

After much debate, they still couldn't decipher Li Pin's motives. Reluctantly, they complied with his orders and summoned all Heavenly Emperors and Sacred Monarchs.

Before issuing the command, however, Wu Dang made one addition, "Host the gathering in the Hall of Supremes. That should be enough to demonstrate our respect."

The Hall of Supremes was the Heaven Ordainment Sect's most sacred space, enshrining every Supreme and Highlord who had ever emerged from its ranks. Four Supreme statues stood within, alongside one of a Highlord.

Among them, one Supreme had perished long ago, consumed by the Astral World's backlash. When the sect traced his origins and confirmed his ties to them, they erected his statue without delay.

Another Supreme had once clashed with the sect in its early days. Though they later sought reconciliation after he attained Supreme status, he never joined the Supreme Council. Nevertheless, the sect still granted him a place of honor within the Hall of Supremes.

Beyond these figures, over eighty statues of Heavenly Emperors lined the chamber. Not all still served the sect, but the Heaven Ordainment Sect's philosophy—"teaching without discrimination"—allowed them to claim even loose affiliations.

This was the foundation of the sect's dominance, the undeniable proof of its supremacy among humanity.

Anyone who stepped into this hall and faced the weight of all those Supremes, Highlords, and Heavenly Emperors would think twice before crossing them.

***

It was in this setting that Li Pin, accompanied by Heavenly Emperor Wu Tian, stepped into the sacred hall filled with countless "predecessors."

But just as he stepped inside, something crossed his mind. He asked, "There's a Sacred Monarch in Heaven Ordainment Sect called King Great Luo of Wisdom, isn't there?"