Chapter Thirty-Two: The Eastern Emperor Returns, Astonishing the Heavenly Realm

"The Eastern Emperor returns to the world,"
"The winds and clouds of the Three Realms are mine alone to witness."
"Neither the Heavenly Emperor nor Heaven itself can be seen,"
"Only I stand proud above all beneath Heaven and Earth."

These words from the Lord of the East resounded, shocking all thirty-six heavens of the Three Realms. At that moment, the divine assembly was held in the Jade Palace atop the Celestial Court; gods and immortals gathered in vast numbers. Seated at the center, upon the Imperial Throne, was the Jade Emperor, exalted above all. Upon hearing these words, his expression shifted, for the rumor of the Eastern Emperor's reincarnation had long been whispered, though none could confirm its truth. Even the Three Pure Ones of the primordial age had never fully believed it.

As the mighty bell sounded, all gods and immortals gazed in astonishment toward the Realm of Divine Guidance. The day of the Eastern Emperor's return had indeed stirred strange phenomena across Heaven and Earth, yet the mysteries therein were not easily unraveled by even the highest gods.

Soon, the gods and immortals within the Jade Palace regained their composure and returned to their places. The Jade Emperor, a troubled look upon his face, spoke with grave solemnity:

"A thousand-year catastrophe, a great cycle of cause and effect; the grievances between witches and monsters are all fated."
"From this day forth, the Celestial Court shall assign positions to the immortals, ask not of the path nor the future."
"Alas, alas! This calamity’s cause and effect will ensnare the Three Realms; I fear none here can escape. I urge all heavenly friends: do not intervene! To touch this fate is to court disaster!"

A grand and distant voice echoed beyond the palace, accompanied by celestial music drifting through the halls.

The speaker was the Supreme Lord of Jade Purity, the Primordial Heavenly Venerable of the Jade Void Palace in the Thirty-Fifth Heaven. He had just glimpsed, through his heavenly eye, an immortal among the assembly weaving a net to ensnare a fierce tiger.

Before he could finish, another profound voice thundered through the Jade Palace. The speaker hailed from the Thirty-Fourth Heaven: the Master of Tongtian, the Supreme Lord of Clear Treasures.

"If, despite your words, I insist on intervening in mortal affairs, what would happen?"

"Brothers, let us not quarrel and disturb the grand assembly of the heavens. Allow me to speak plainly!"

This was the voice from the Thirty-Third Heaven, the Supreme Lord of Virtue, the Grand Elder of Xuandu, the Great Supreme of Taiqing, descending upon the Jade Palace.

Seeing the Three Pure Ones of the primordial age arrive in turn, the Jade Emperor hastily descended from his golden platform to greet them, joined by the assembled immortals who welcomed the three Supreme Lords with reverence.

Led by the Great Supreme, the Three Pure Ones entered the Jade Palace side by side. The Great Supreme’s gentle voice echoed throughout the hall:

"Ancient Celestial Emperor, the Eastern Emperor Taiyi’s arrival in this world is ordained by Heaven. Though the Primordial Lord has advised all immortals not to become entangled in the great thousand-year cycle, should anyone rashly involve themselves, Heaven will suffer a slaughter of immortals for centuries to come, and peace shall be forever lost!"

"Dare I ask, Great Supreme, what is this slaughter?" Haotian, the Jade Emperor, observed the expressions of the assembled immortals.

"The cause has already been explained by my brother, the Primordial Lord. To become entangled in this fate is to doom Heaven to unrest!" The Great Supreme’s eyes shone with holy light as he spoke.

For reasons unknown, the Master of Tongtian, Supreme Lord of Clear Treasures, grew impatient:

"Since ancient times, the Dao and the sorcerers have never stood together. Why do you say such things, brother?"

"Do not take offense, my brother. The disciples of the Sect of Interception are many, but discipline is lax. Countless spiritual monsters, wild by nature, defy regulation. Even in the days of Fuxi and Nuwa, divine laws could not restrain them. This time, the great cycle may see your disciples become enmeshed in fate, bringing disaster upon themselves. Should it come to that, even our teacher, Hongjun, may not shield you!"

The Grand Elder gently reproved him before all the gods and immortals.

"You are mistaken, brother! Though our sect accepts all without discrimination, we have four Supreme Lords who protect the sect. I, though unable to descend to the mortal realm myself, entrust all discipline to these four. I believe they will not err!"

The Master of Tongtian thought to himself, 'If my brother embarrasses me before the gods, I will not give him a pleasant face in return.'

"None can rival the Sage except the Black Tiger Supreme, Zhao Gongming."
"Under the Nine Heavens, the All-Knowing Daoist, I am Luo Yu."
"General of the Three Realms Patrol, strict and impartial, Yan Lietian."
"Master of myriad talismans and formations, the Kongtong Daoist, Lu Tianming."

Upon hearing the names of the Four Protectors of the Sect of Interception, the Primordial Lord of the Jade Void remained silent, while the Grand Elder of Xuandu, the Great Supreme, merely shook his head and spoke gently:

"The Four Supreme Protectors of the Sect of Interception are remarkable talents of the heavenly realm. Their mastery of immortal arts is one in ten thousand, yet their virtue falls short of sanctity, leaving room for error. Brother, I urge you to remain cautious."

"Your wise words are noted, brother. I shall remember them well!"

Perhaps out of pride, the Master of Tongtian spoke little, for he knew his own disciples best.

Once the Three Pure Ones were seated upon their divine thrones, floating beside the Jade Emperor’s left hand, that side was filled with ancient immortals led by Venus, all of great mastery. The right side was occupied by the celestial warriors and gods of the Four Seas and Eight Desolations.

As the Great Supreme ceased to speak, the Prime Minister of the Celestial Court, Venus, stepped forward to bow and address the Jade Emperor:

"Your Majesty, the Eastern Emperor Taiyi is the ancient Celestial Emperor, now returned to the mortal realm. Perhaps he has come to resolve the thousand-year fate. If we do not aid him against the sorcerers, we risk chilling his heart. A thousand years ago, had he not saved the Three Realms from calamity, could the Eastern Celestial Court exist in peace? We would not have the present flourishing realm. I urge Your Majesty to consider carefully!"

"Venus speaks well! I am willing to assist Emperor Taiyi!"

The speaker was the Emperor of the North Pole, the Supreme Emperor of the Purple Microcosm.

Upon his arrival in the Jade Palace, the twenty-eight constellations, the sons of the stars, and myriad celestial masters followed, taking their places on the right side of the hall.

"Purple Microcosm Emperor, my intention is not to hinder, but to prevent the gods and immortals from being drawn into this great cycle. I foresaw this situation, and so we are here today to discuss the compilation of the Investiture of the Gods. Should Heaven intervene in the thousand-year calamity of witches and monsters, none shall escape the punishment of the Way. The gods and immortals will suffer slaughter, fall into the cycle of reincarnation, and lose their immortal fate forever!"

The Primordial Lord of Jade Void and the Grand Elder exchanged a glance, explaining earnestly.

"Which among us has not endured countless trials and ascended to Heaven? Even through thousands of slaughters, what does it matter? Is this cycle truly so terrifying that you, who dwell in the Thirty-Fifth Heaven, are so fearful?"

Sensing deeper meaning in the Purple Microcosm Emperor’s words, the Grand Elder explained:

"You may not know, Emperor, that the so-called heavenly slaughter is the punishment of the Way upon immortals. None can escape. Had we not petitioned our teacher, Hongjun, in the Thirty-Sixth Heaven, we would not have been able to resolve this calamity. Fortunately, Hongjun granted us the Investiture of the Gods, allowing us to collaborate with the Jade Emperor in compiling the plan. This will not only avoid heavenly punishment, but also allow the Celestial Court to appoint immortals and celestial warriors from among the disciples of the three schools—Humanity, Explanation, and Interception—at the Jade Emperor’s command!"

"If that is so, it seems a marvelous plan. Why do you and the Primordial Lord persist in preventing the gods and immortals from becoming entangled in the fate of witches and monsters?"

Venus, with the desire to assist the Eastern Emperor, questioned, for the Eastern Emperor Taiyi was a Celestial Emperor of ancient times.

"It is not obstruction, but the unpredictability of the Way. Even the bodies of gods and immortals cannot withstand the karma of Heaven. Since ancient times, the workings of the Way have been unfathomable. I can barely divine a few centuries ahead; the finer details are impossible to discern. Thus, I caution you, lest you lose the fruit of a thousand years’ cultivation to calamity!"

The Grand Elder spoke plainly, for not all ascended immortals could endure the punishment of the Way.

Having heard the explanation, all immortals understood the gravity of the situation and revered the Great Supreme even more, expressing their gratitude:

"Thank you, Supreme Lords, for your concern. We await the Jade Emperor’s command!"

"My wish is for the immortals to observe and wait. If the situation becomes dire, we may join Emperor Taiyi then. For now, the mortal realm’s changes are set; do not intervene rashly!"

"In the mortal world, after Yu of the Xia dynasty, the rulers grew corrupt and lacking virtue, inviting foreign influence to the east. The thousand-year cycle has seeped into the mortal realm. Only the Eastern Emperor can resolve this. Should we intervene, we risk disturbing the order of the Way and becoming truly enmeshed in fate. This is, I believe, the true reason for the Supreme Lords’ caution!"

"You are correct, Your Majesty. The mortal world must not be meddled with. As for the Investiture of the Gods, my brothers and I will retreat into the void and study it carefully before making any plans."

The Primordial Lord spoke in a deep voice.

"Perhaps the thousand-year cycle will resolve itself. After Yu, the rulers welcomed foreign influence, trusted slander, led their nation to ruin, their fate exhausted. They betrayed the Way and the Celestial Court, sealing their own destruction. At the same time, the Shang dynasty rises, coinciding with the Eastern Emperor’s reincarnation. The ruler of Shang, descended from the Black Bird, blood of the Yellow Emperor, is seen as the new master. The change of dynasty is just."

The Great Supreme supplemented the explanation of mortal affairs. He had descended in the past to gift Haodan the Eight Trigram Gourd, foreseeing that Shang would overthrow Xia.

"Once, a strange phenomenon appeared in the mortal world outside Yu’s capital. He opened the Yellow River, and two dragons escaped the purgatory of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, ascending to Heaven. A single dragon scale was left behind by the God of Mars (the red-clad boy). Five hundred years ago, Yu received a favor from the God of Mars, who advised Jie, only to be doubted. To repay Yu, he left a black dragon scale to ensure Xia’s prosperity. Yet Jie trusted the wrong people, and the God of Mars’s kindness was wasted. Had Jie preserved the scale, Xia’s fate could have been protected. Now, the delicate balance of immortals and mortals is the result. The God of Mars, the King of the Gods, foresaw Yu’s peril, but even his power cannot defy Heaven. The grand design is fixed; let us quietly assist Tang of Shang in escaping hardship, observe the situation, and if Shang rises, we will decide then!"

Venus understood the situation in the mortal world thoroughly.

The Jade Emperor immediately protested:

"Tang’s fate is strong; though destined for calamity, his life shall not end!"

"Are the two black dragons the Northern Sea Dragon, Bei Ao Xuan Ce, and the Eastern Sea Dragon, Dong Ao Sheng Xin?" the Purple Microcosm Emperor asked, suddenly curious about the dragons’ origins.

"The matter of the two dragons is not for discussion!"

The Jade Emperor turned dark at the mention of the dragons, shifting the topic. Five hundred years ago, the dragons had vanished from both the celestial and mortal realms, never mentioned again. The battle of the Dragon Court, five centuries past, was a silent mystery among the gods.

The Jade Emperor continued:

"The blood of the Yellow Emperor, descendants of the Black Bird, their fate is set and cannot be spoken of lightly. Dragons conquer birds, the dragon’s fate is broken. Perhaps even the Empress of Darkness is unaware, or perhaps she has long plotted. Let us observe the fate of the Nine Provinces quietly, never intervene in mortal affairs, nor secretly aid Shang against Xia!"

"Your Majesty’s command shall be obeyed!"

Both sides of the assembly bowed in respect.

What follows remains unknown; await the next tale for the unraveling of events!