I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

The worry was that without the protection of the celestial ancestors behind the scenes, there would surely be cultivators who would rebel against the Heavenly Court, which would again cause turmoil.

Overhanging Firmament Hall.

The Celestial Emperor was reviewing memorials to the throne.

Minor matters didn't need to reach the Heavenly Court, but Dongsheng Divine Continent was so vast that there were always demons, disasters cropping up constantly, accumulating like a small mountain.

At that moment.

A streak of light descended inside the hall, the figure bowed respectfully, "Greetings to the Celestial Emperor!"

"My dear official, there's no need for such formality."

The Celestial Emperor asked, "What brings you here in such a hurry? Has something happened?"

"Your Majesty, the celestial ancestors of various doctrines are about to ascend, and only three remain in the Mortal World!"

Xi Yunzi held the title of a Third Grade general in front of the Investiture of the Gods, barely making it into the upper Third Grade, but he was actually just a security guard for the Celestial Emperor's palace. Having joined Emperor Yuanding's ranks early in the Great Yong era, he was promoted after a century to the Second Grade position in the Ministry of War.

With such a position, he had started to wield real power.

Hearing the news of the ascension today, Xi Yunzi couldn't help but be thrilled and hurried to report.

A peculiar light flashed in the eyes of the Celestial Emperor, to leave only three celestial ancestors behind, he wondered if it was confidence or arrogance, yet his face showed concern as he sighed.

"The Heavenly Court has been established for only one hundred and fifty years, and there are quite a few demons and ghosts hidden in the dark places. The ascension of the celestial ancestors now makes me feel genuinely anxious and fearful!"

Xi Yunzi said, "The matter is already settled, and Your Majesty must preside over the grand ascension ceremony."

The Celestial Emperor nodded slightly and instructed.

"Issue a decree that all deities of the Heavenly Court must attend the ceremony to see off the celestial ancestors' ascension!"

...

Ten years later.

The news of the ascension was finally confirmed, to take place this year on the Double Ninth Festival.

In the Celestial Emperor's calendar, the year one hundred sixty-two.

Autumn.

Tens of thousands of miles to the east of the Heavenly Court, a mountain peak thousands of feet high had been transformed into an Ascension Platform, upon which sat seventy-two figures in meditation.

Monks, daoists, secular scholars, genuine dragons and phoenixes.

To the east, west, and south, countless figures hung suspended in the air, disciples and clan members of the great sects who had come to witness the ceremony.

To the north stood the deities of the Heavenly Court, their clouds several feet below the Ascension Platform, looking up at the celestial ancestors.

As noon approached.

A five-colored light flew in from the east, landing a hundred miles away, bowing to the celestial ancestors on the platform.

"I pay my respects to my master and all the esteemed ancestors!"

When the celestial ancestors heard the voice, Iron Crown Immortal and others nodded in response, most remained silent, not bothering to acknowledge him, a few glanced at Zhou Yi with a look of schadenfreude and disdain in their eyes.

Zhou Yi couldn't have cared less, his bowing was just a formality.

A group of celestial ancestors about to ascend to heaven, once successful, would find it difficult to return to the lower realm, and if they failed, they perished and their dao vanished. There was simply no need to fear.

Stepping on a cloud, he flew to the side of the Celestial Emperor and bowed, "Greetings to the Celestial Emperor!"

"Heavenly Master, please, no need for such formalities."

The Celestial Emperor wore a smile, stepping forward to help Zhou Yi up, speaking kindly, "It's been over a hundred years; I have missed you indeed. The Heavenly Master's Hall next to the Overhanging Firmament Hall has been empty all this while; I hope the Heavenly Master will stay for some time."

Zhou Yi pondered for a moment and said, "If Your Majesty commands, I dare not refuse. After sending off the master to ascend to the Immortal Realm, I'll reside at the Heavenly Master's residence and attend court with the other deities."

"That will be excellent. Heavenly Master, please stand by my side during the ceremony."

The Celestial Emperor was even more delighted, indeed a marvelous person, whose words were a thousand times more pleasant than those of the other deities.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Zhou Yi bowed his thanks and said, "I have some old friends in the Heavenly Court, whom I haven't seen in a century; I wish to take this opportunity to catch up."

The Celestial Emperor said, "Do as you please, Heavenly Master."

Zhou Yi's gaze swept over the deities, his figure flashed, and he landed among the deities of the Ministry of Personnel, saying with a bow.

"Older brother Gu, it has been a long time."

"I've visited a few times; brother Zhu was entirely devoted to secluded cultivation."

Gu Xiao spoke warmly, "After this event, brother Zhu will stay in the Heavenly Court for some time; we must spend more time together."

"That would be very nice."

Zhou Yi nodded in agreement and then turned to the Ministry of Revenue, greeting the Immortal Register official Ling Ming.

"I see elder brother Ling Ming."

"Brother Zhu, no need for such courtesy."

Ling Ming had risen from the Great Yong Ministry of Revenue to the Heavenly Ministry of Revenue, and indeed both were lucrative positions; after several hundred years, he had grown quite corpulent.

After exchanging some inconsequential words with Ling Ming, Zhou Yi went to the Ministry of War to greet the commander of Heaven's Gate.

"Elder brother An, is it difficult serving in the Heavenly Court?"

"It's quite rare for unfamiliar cultivators to enter the Heavenly Court, so the position of gatekeeper is rather relaxed."

An Yunguang's expression was solemn as he spoke, "If Junior Brother Zhu intends to stay in the Heavenly Court temporarily, you must first register your name and mana with me to prevent anyone from impersonating you by changing their appearance. This is also stipulated by the laws of the Heavenly Court!"

"Don't worry, Senior Brother An, I will surely follow the rules."

Zhou Yi encountered a rebuff that was neither harsh nor soft, seemingly oblivious to the mocking glances around him, and flew to a position towards the back among the gods.

The Heavenly Prison is not under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Punishment but is directly governed by the Heavenly Emperor; however, the highest-ranking official there is only a Sixth Grade jailer, followed by a few officers and sergeants below the Third Grade, with the rest being Ninth Grade heavenly soldiers.

Since true gods of the Third Grade and below were not eligible to attend the ceremony, the officials of the Heavenly Prison were represented solely by Bai Suixin.

"It's been a long time, Senior Brother Bai."

"Don't treat me like this, Grand Senior Brother. Just call me Junior Brother, Junior Uncle, or Little Bai!"

Bai Suixin scanned the gods with a cold gaze and harrumphed, "Once a Grand Senior Brother, always a Grand Senior Brother. I detest those who are swayed by the wind, the opportunistic. Once they enter the Heavenly Prison, I'll be sure to take good care of them."

Zhou Yi said, "Junior Brother Bai is quite imposing!"

"Of course, I am."

Bai Suixin waved his hand to lay down a barrier formation and said, "I have managed the Heavenly Prison tightly, united from top to bottom. Even if Emperor Yuanding commits a crime and is detained here, he too must listen obediently!"

Zhou Yi shook his head, "His Majesty rules the Heavenly Court; show some respect."

"You are the foremost disciple of the Three Teachings; there's no need to be afraid of him!"

Bai Suixin said, "I, a mere mortal disciple of an immortal, dare to talk back to his face. Don't tell me you have forgotten who is the true master of Dongsheng Divine Continent?"

Zhou Yi said solemnly, "If you still acknowledge me as your senior brother, then obediently follow His Majesty's orders."

"That guy..."

Seeing Zhou Yi's stern face and the signs of anger, Bai Suixin quickly said, "His Majesty is His Majesty. I'll follow whatever orders Senior Brother gives."

"Come to Qingyun Mountain for a drink in a few days."

Zhou Yi waved his hand, breaking the isolation restrictions, and flew to stand beside the Heavenly Emperor, waiting for the auspicious hour.

High noon.

Three yang are prosperous, extremely auspicious.

The first to rise was Guang Weizi, the former leader of the Severing Heaven Sect, who waved his hand to open a crack in the void and transformed into a beam of light to enter it.

The other immortals did the same, silently tearing open the void and following closely behind.

Ascending to the Immortal Realm, there was no returning to the mundane world. Whatever needed to be said had been arranged before the departure, the immortal ancestors at that moment lived only for their own path.

"We respectfully send off the ancestral master to ascend to the Immortal Realm, may your life be everlasting and evergreen!"

A voice rang out, followed by a rolling succession of congratulatory messages; as to how many genuinely meant well, only the individuals themselves knew.

Moments later.

Only three immortals remained on the Ascension Platform.

Xiao Yunzi of the Severing Heaven Sect, Heaven's Secret Child of the Severing Heaven Sect, and the Universal Salvation Arhat of Buddhism.

The three of them worked together to cast spells, smoothing out the space that had frayed like a spider's web, and then vanished without a trace.

The clansmen and disciples watching the ceremony, upon their ancestral masters' departure from the Mortal World, turned into beams of light one after another and disappeared into the sky, leaving only the gods of the Heavenly Court near the Ascension Platform.

The Heavenly Emperor stood aloft in the air, with an unfathomable look in his eyes, his thoughts unknown.

The gods of the Heavenly Court stood in silence behind him, waiting for the Heavenly Emperor to leave, as subordinates should not presume to act out of place.

After a long while.

The Heavenly Emperor turned to face the assembled deities, none of whom had left, and a satisfied gleam flashed in his eyes.

"Follow me back to the Heavenly Court!"

...

The ascension of immortals had a profound impact.

However, immortals were so high and distant from the common folk and cultivators that they were essentially unreachable, so there was no discernible change in Dongsheng Divine Continent.

The countless beings lived peacefully and prospered under the governance of the gods of the Heavenly Court.

The Heavenly Court.

The Hall of the Heavenly Master.

Adjacent to the Overhanging Firmament Hall, equal in height at nine zhang, built with even more precious Spiritual Objects.

A beam of light descended and transformed into the likeness of Zhou Yi, who waved his hand to open the doors that had been sealed for a hundred years.

Inside the hall, there were nine golden dragon jade pillars on each side, and rare flowers and plants were planted, each of which would be considered a rare Spiritual Object in the outside world.

In front, the Heavenly Master's chair was still being cast, with the backrest and armrests carved with nine golden dragons.

Zhou Yi sat down on the chair, gently caressing the dragon patterns on the armrests, which surprisingly contained the souls of dragons—whether they belonged to the species of flood dragons or fish was unclear.

"I can hardly bear such formalities!"

As he spoke, mana swept over the Heavenly Master's chair and the red gold flowed like water, erasing all the carvings of dragon patterns.

Another wave of mana surged upward, shaving off three zhang from the top of the palace.

Thus, the hall became significantly shorter than the Overhanging Firmament Hall!