This Human Immortal Is Too Serious-Chapter 514 - 512 The Head Manager’s Majestic Arrival at the Outer Sky!

Not long after the Eastern Emperor's Bell reported the disappearance of an Outer Sky Divine Realm, massive fluctuations of Divine Power appeared near that desert. This news had spread among all the gods of the Outer Sky, and they came from near and far to investigate. The Martial God and the Water God were naturally among them.

Within the Heavenly Dao, Yun Zhongjun, the Earth God, and the Head Manager—the Celestial Court's three strategists—gathered. Wu Wang paced ceaselessly behind his throne while the three strategists analyzed Candle Dragon's underlying intentions and the potential impact on the Outer Sky.

The actions of Emperor Shun and Candle Dragon essentially served three purposes: to exert utmost pressure, consolidate their own rule, and exploit the Martial God's compassionate nature towards living beings.

The Earth God sighed, "Whether Emperor Shun and Candle Dragon have reconciled is still uncertain."

"The sudden disappearance of this Divine Realm already explains a lot," Wu Wang said softly. "Emperor Shun and Candle Dragon can now be considered a single entity—vicious and in control of chaos. I used the Heavenly Dao to reconstruct the destruction of that Divine Realm; the Dao of Time resonated with the Dao of Chaos. This means the enemy we are about to face... their strength might surpass that of the Third God King of old."

Yun Zhongjun nodded slightly beside him and said slowly, "If they could truly, within a few hours, devour every last trace of life in such a vast area... In terms of destructive power and danger, they are clearly operating at the apex of the Dao of Time. Don't you all find such Divine Skills terrifying? The Heavenly Dao has always monitored the Outer Sky. So many living beings, hundreds of thousands, even millions, and not a single one emitted the slightest resentment? That is what we should be most wary of."

"There's opportunity for us hidden within this as well." Wu Wang returned to his throne, leaned against the stone backrest, and smiled. "There's no need to be overly pessimistic. Candle Dragon and Emperor Shun's actions also carry an implicit threat towards us. If they were truly confident in striking back, why would they bother threatening us? They would surely hide their fangs, waiting for the opportune moment to deliver a fatal blow."

The three strategists exchanged smiles.

Wu Wang raised his hand, conjuring a Cloud Map. Cracks riddled its surface, and each area enveloped by these cracks represented a Divine Realm—a rough layout of the Outer Sky.

"In the Outer Sky, the total Power of Living Beings amounts to thirty percent of that in the Great Wilderness. For the Heavenly Dao, this is the prime resource; other ores and spirit veins are relatively unimportant. The Heavenly Dao is based on the Power of Living Beings, which is entirely different from the previous divine eras where faith from living beings was converted into Divine Power—a highly inefficient process. Now, Candle Dragon has revealed this capability, and one of the multiple implications behind it specifically targets us."

The Earth God asked, "Targets us?"

"That's one of its multiple meanings. Emperor Shun enjoys killing multiple birds with one stone, after all." Wu Wang chuckled and continued slowly, "This matter can be linked to a series of prior events. Two years ago, Candle Dragon and Emperor Shun summoned the gods of the Outer Sky, stripped the Water God of his authority, and intended to target the Martial God. Within these two years, nearly forty percent of the Outer Sky gods have submitted their Divine Realms' military deployments, effectively accepting Candle Dragon's command. Candle Dragon transformed from a mere figurehead into a ruler with substantial power. Elder Brother, what did he do?"

Yun Zhongjun smiled. "Mobilizing troops, surrounding the Martial God's Twelve Realms... Oh, no, Eleven Realms; the Ming Qing Realm was already dismantled by His Majesty."

"That has little to do with me; it was merely the Martial God's poor supervision," Wu Wang laughed. "Candle Dragon and Emperor Shun's move will lead to three outcomes, all of which they desire. First, the Martial God, under pressure, submits to Candle Dragon and is inevitably controlled by him, becoming his foremost enforcer. The second and third outcomes both involve the Martial God resisting Candle Dragon. One is the Martial God World directly rebelling against Candle Dragon, gathering allies, and igniting a great war among Divine Realms. The final possibility, true to the Martial God's nature, is for him to resolve this with his own Martial Arts—to fight Candle Dragon to the death."

"To the death?" Yun Zhongjun's lip curled slightly. "It's not that I look down on the Martial God. He is brave and once followed the Ancient Emperor of the Suiren Clan of the Human Domain, but…"

"This is actually the scenario Candle Dragon most desires: the Martial God comes alone, and then he devours the Martial God's Great Dao." Wu Wang chuckled. "I'm currently doing my utmost to prevent the Martial God from falling into this trap."

Dealing with the Martial God was, arguably, the primary objective of Emperor Shun and Candle Dragon's move.

Wu Wang added, "Then, Emperor Shun, using this vanished Divine Realm, conveyed a message to me."

"Words?" The Earth God didn't understand.

"He's saying, 'Don't push too hard, or I'll turn the Outer Sky into a barren desert, escape into the void myself, and ensure your Heavenly Dao finds nothing, while you remain constantly under my threat.'" Wu Wang shook his head. "Emperor Shun is clearly dissatisfied with his previous loss. The upcoming battle in the Outer Sky will be the true final showdown between me and Emperor Shun. I am confident of winning, but the price of victory must be carefully considered."

The Head Manager remained silent for a long while before quickly stating, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, we must take decisive action and strike hard at Candle Dragon!"

Yun Zhongjun said, "That's not advisable. Based on the current situation, if Candle Dragon and Emperor Shun have really joined forces at this moment, at most only thirty percent of the Power of Living Beings in the Outer Sky can be retained."

"Living beings can be reborn, after all."

"But the accumulation of these living beings in the Outer Sky is crucial to the future of the Celestial Court, and to the future of Heaven and Earth!"

"Is the God of Yun Meng truly benevolent, or can he not see through the current state of Heaven and Earth? 'Indecision breeds turmoil'—that is a principle Your Majesty previously imparted to me!"

The two gods rose in confrontation, neither willing to yield. The Earth God, standing nearby, hastily interjected, "Both of you, please! In His Majesty's presence, you..."

"No matter," Wu Wang said with a smile. "Please, both of you, sit down. Allow me to devise an excuse that you, my elder brother, can accept."

The Head Manager was speechless.

The Earth God was also speechless.

Yun Zhongjun bowed to the Head Manager and calmly resumed his seat on the second-in-command's stone chair.

"The situation is actually very complicated." Wu Wang, having learned from past experience, revealed the truth of the great calamity to Yun Zhongjun. Yun Zhongjun had been nearly driven mad by this revelation and had only recently become active in the Outer Sky again, which had significantly lessened his pressure.

"As for this matter, I can't disclose the specifics to you two, but the Power of Living Beings and the rapid growth of the Celestial Court are of utmost importance to us. I want to create a perfect Heavenly Dao, a perfect Celestial Court, and it must be crafted as quickly as possible."

"Your Majesty," the Earth God said with a smile, "you don't truly need to explain. I believe I understand. After all, the sheer speed of Your Majesty's rise is quite anomalous."

The Head Manager also said, "In ancient times, there was a saying that if a great calamity was on the horizon, a fated one to meet the challenge would emerge. Your Majesty does seem to fit the profile of that fated one."

Yun Zhongjun added, "The struggle between the fated one and the great calamity is the process of overcoming the calamity."

"I understand." Wu Wang smiled. "Alright, let's not discuss this further. Candle Dragon and Emperor Shun have made their move. Now it's our turn. Gentlemen, what do you propose we do?"

The Celestial Court's three strategists began to ponder simultaneously. Soon, several strategies were laid before Wu Wang, conveniently categorized as aggressive, conservative, and moderate. Wu Wang considered them carefully and opted for a cautious approach.

"According to the strategy devised by the Earth God, we will continue to reinforce our existing plans. Elder Brother Yun Zhongjun, I will take you to meet the Water God later. We must quickly leverage the Water God's influence in the Outer Sky; this is key to securing victory through stability. Head Manager, I will need you to make an appearance in the Outer Sky later to divert Emperor Shun's attention. The Heavenly Dao will empower you. Your task is simply to issue a challenge to Emperor Shun—ideally, one that shatters his composure. We will advance on two fronts to seize the initiative together."

"As you command, Your Majesty."

...

Having many wise counselors certainly makes things easier, the Heavenly Emperor mused as his spiritual mind withdrew from the Heavenly Dao and returned to the Outer Sky.

In the bedroom of his incarnation, Wu Wang slowly opened his eyes. A beam of sunlight shone directly through the window, making him instinctively raise a hand to shield them.

"Awake?" The slightly husky voice of the Martial God came from beside him, and Wu Wang immediately sat up.

I knew Teacher Martial God arrived an hour ago, Wu Wang thought, though he had chosen to feign sleep. The Martial God had simply sat down and become lost in thought, showing no intention of waking him.

At this moment, the Martial God appeared noticeably more haggard, with several conspicuously silver strands in his hair.

Wu Wang got up and responded, "Teacher, what's happened?"

"There's been an incident. A Divine Realm vanished overnight, countless beings disappeared without a trace, and vast forests turned directly into gravel." The Martial God sighed softly.

"Vanished? The entire Divine Realm disappeared?" Wu Wang could only feign slight surprise.

The Martial God nodded. "It's very strange and frightening. If this had happened in our Martial God World while my attention was diverted, the consequences would be unthinkable. It seems I underestimated Candle Dragon. Something's not right, though. When did Candle Dragon start resorting to such convoluted tactics? I used to admire him somewhat for his ruthless pursuit of power—casting everything aside, crushing enemies directly, leaving no loose ends. I never expected him to stoop to such scheming."

Wu Wang asked, "Are you certain it was Candle Dragon?"

"If it wasn't Candle Dragon, then things are even more troublesome," the Martial God sighed. "Come with me. I'll take you to see the Water God. Perhaps your sharp mind will have a flash of brilliance and come up with an excellent idea."

Wu Wang silently pinched his thigh, resisting the urge to complain. Meetings both within the Heavenly Dao and in the Outer Sky? he thought. He had planned to use this day or two of leisure to take Jin Wei on a relaxing outing, as he anticipated a long period of intense work ahead. Oh well. Since Teacher Martial God has asked, I can't refuse.

Wu Wang stepped forward, and the Martial God grabbed his arm. They vanished into the fabric of Heaven and Earth, disappearing in an instant.

「An hour later.」

In a corner of the Water God's opulent Crystal Palace, the Martial God, the Water God, and the Goddess of Fortune were gathered, each wearing a troubled expression. Only Wu Wang remained composed, seated behind a low table in the corner, enjoying the rare and exotic fruits the Water God had specially arranged. This flavor is amazing, he thought. I really wish I could take some back for my dear Shao Siming to try.

The Goddess of Fortune still appeared somewhat weak, though a layer of Dao aura now enveloped her. Despite this, she still gave off an impression of being strong on the outside but frail within, a deep-seated weakness permeating her being. She sat nestled within a giant pearl oyster, arms crossed, her expression flickering between worry and helplessness, the light in her eyes somewhat dimmed. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Perhaps because Wu Wang was present, the Water God had also assumed human form. His portly appearance was surprisingly approachable.

The Martial God paced back and forth nearby, hands clasped behind his back. His speed gradually increased, as did his irritation.

The Water God said, "Stop pacing, stop pacing. Aren't we gathered here to find a solution?"

"This is definitely Candle Dragon showing off for me!" the Martial God snarled, his teeth gritted. The formidable power surging around him nearly threatened to capsize the surrounding sea. "He's trying to force me to bow my head, to kneel before him, to grovel at his feet and lick his paws!"

"How crude! Don't say such disgusting things," the Goddess of Fortune snapped coldly, then resumed her worried muttering. "What I fear most now is his ability to destroy that Divine Realm. It should be impossible; such power exceeds his original limits. Silently, without alerting anyone, he obliterated an entire Divine Realm and left no trace. I suspect he might have refined a malevolent magic treasure or mastered some terrifying Divine Skill of the Dao of Chaos."

The "he" the Goddess of Fortune referred to was indeed Candle Dragon.

"It doesn't seem like the Dao of Chaos," the Water God sighed. "It's more like a Great Dao inherent to His Majesty Candle Dragon himself—one that devours all things, all spirits. Only now, it seems to have gained another significant Great Dao."

"What might that be?" the Martial God asked, playing the straight man as usual.

"The Dao of Time." The Water God heaved a long sigh. "The Divine Kings of the Fourth and Fifth Divine Eras... they have finally joined forces."

"Joined forces? Impossible," the Goddess of Fortune murmured softly. "I could accept that he devoured Emperor Shun, or even that Emperor Shun in turn devoured him. He's a madman, a complete lunatic; on his quest for transcendence, he has slipped into the abyss. He's well aware that what he's pursuing is self-destruction. There's no reason for him to collaborate with Emperor Shun."

Wu Wang mumbled to himself from the side, "This fruit is so hard on the outside; why is it so soft and mushy on the inside?"

The Water God paused, a look of realization dawning in his eyes. His form became shrouded in shadow as he seemed to sink deep into thought.

The Martial God asked, "Why does this matter involve Emperor Shun?"

The Water God and the Goddess of Fortune couldn't help but cast sympathetic glances at him.

"Let's continue," the Water God said, turning to the Goddess of Fortune with a gentle voice. "The most pressing issue now is to determine His Majesty's current condition."

The Goddess of Fortune immediately shook her head. "I will not appear before him."

"Of course," the Water God replied. "You just stay here with me. I will also try my best not to leave the Water God's Temple from now on."

"It's not safe here either. Cang Xue was taken from this very place by Emperor Shun."

"Alas," the Water God sighed. "If only I hadn't been distracted by the commotion from the Heaven and Earth Seal at that time and had been home..."

The Martial God tried to interject, "Hey, can you two include me in this conversation?"

The Water God continued, "Actually, there's an even more pessimistic theory: His Majesty is no longer himself. Having been tormented by the Dao of Chaos for years, his Divine Soul is already exceedingly weak. After Emperor Shun abducted my poor child, Cang Xue, where did he go? Why, when I searched for Cang Xue, did I end up at His Majesty's dragon head? There must be an intrinsic connection. The truth might be far more problematic than our earlier speculation that Emperor Shun and His Majesty joined forces."

The Goddess of Fortune asked, "Are you suggesting that Emperor Shun has taken control of him?"

"Very likely," the Water God replied. "Emperor Shun cultivates the Dao of Time and was once assimilated by Fu Xi, the sovereign of the Human Domain. The power of his Divine Soul may have long surpassed His Majesty's."

"Then what do we do?" whispered the Goddess of Fortune. "Could we possibly confront him to verify this?"

The Water God remained silent, but his gaze was filled with profound meaning. The Goddess of Fortune lowered her head in thought; she seemed to understand the Water God's implication. Unite the gods. But taking such a step would be tantamount to severing ties with her father, Candle Dragon. The consequences... The Goddess of Fortune trembled slightly, hugged her shoulders, and lowered her head, saying no more.

Beside them, the Martial God's face suddenly lit up with realization, and he let out a long, drawn-out, "Ooooh~" Can't lose face now, he thought.

The Water God sighed. "Regardless, we can only take things one step at a time now. We were too complacent back then. When the Great Wilderness World underwent drastic changes and His Majesty was severely injured from attempting to break the Heaven and Earth Seal, we should have been by his side, guarding him. Exploiting a weakness, taking advantage of an opening..."

BOOM!

The Temple suddenly trembled. The three Divine Spirits snapped their heads up, looking directly to the northwest. This tremor wasn't caused by an attack on their location; it originated from the Great Dao itself. The collective Great Daos of the gods, which formed the bedrock of order in the Outer Sky, had just suffered a brutal blow!

In that instant, radiant Divine Light flared across the Outer Sky. Countless Great Daos, like slumbering Azure Dragons suddenly awakened, surged forth. Nearly two hundred Innate Gods shot into the air, gazing towards the very center of the Outer Sky!

In the Water God's Temple, Wu Wang looked at the Goddess of Fortune, who had seemingly been left behind, and managed a friendly smile. The Goddess of Fortune frowned slightly, hurried to a corner, and took out a Crystal Ball, which began to emit a faint glow.

In the center of the Outer Sky, a vast heavenly might seemed to press down from the void. The Heaven and Earth Seal now showed a crack, and several figures stood upon it.

Beneath the Heaven and Earth Seal, a god hovered in the air, nine Azure Dragons coiling around him. He was clad in snow-white robes, his face as handsome as jade. It was the Head Manager!

Below, Candle Dragon raised its head, its eyes glinting with a cold, spectral light, yet it did not charge upwards. The power of the Heavenly Dao was so dense that even Emperor Shun-Candle Dragon felt suffocated by it.

"Candle Dragon!" The word "Dragon... dragon... dragon..." echoed from the Head Manager's call, resonating throughout the entire Outer Sky.

He projected a colossal, ten-thousand-zhang-tall phantasmal image of himself in the air and pointed directly at Candle Dragon. "The Heaven and Earth Seal is open! Do you dare approach?"

ROAR! Candle Dragon bellowed, shaking heaven and earth. But the Head Manager pressed down with his left hand, and an invisible shockwave condensed, actually suppressing Candle Dragon's roar.

"Hmph!" The Head Manager's cold sneer grated on the ears of the Outer Sky gods who were rapidly approaching.

"You don't dare! Because you are no longer Candle Dragon! Should I call you Emperor Shun? Or should I call you Emperor Shun-Candle Dragon? Emperor Shun! How much longer do you intend to hide? Did you think the Heavenly Dao would be unaware that you control Candle Dragon's Divine Soul? Did you think His Majesty the Eastern Emperor would not know?"

"Get lost!" Candle Dragon roared savagely, unleashing torrents of black light that surged towards the sky.

The next instant, Yun Zhongjun, the Earth God, the Head Manager, Zhu Rong Fire Feather, and the Young Master—five Strong Gods, representing five Great Daos—descended, wielding immense heavenly might. Golden light flashed chaotically, auspicious purple qi emanated from the east, and the black light was instantly swept away. Candle Dragon's seemingly all-out offensive was completely blocked by the Celestial Court's five Strong Gods, augmented by the power of the Heavenly Dao.

Most of the Outer Sky gods who had been rushing towards this location halted in their tracks. If Eastern Emperor Taiyi were to intervene...

"HAHAHAHAHA! HAHA!" The Head Manager threw back his head and roared with laughter, a hint of madness in his eyes. He taunted, "Emperor Shun, your doom is approaching! The power of the Heavenly Dao is already sufficient to suppress you! Just you wait! In another fifty, perhaps a hundred years, His Majesty will personally lead an expedition against you! And as for you, gods of the Outer Sky!"

A phantasmal dragon's head suddenly appeared high above, opening its maw to swallow the Head Manager's colossal form. The five Strong Gods waved their hands in unison. The outline of a giant sword instantly solidified behind the Head Manager and swung directly upwards. A resounding CLANG echoed as the Sword of Heavenly Dao materialized! The phantasmal dragon's head was cleaved in two by this sword, but the five Strong Gods' own Divine Power was significantly depleted, a shocking realization for all five.

The Head Manager dared not delay. Below, Candle Dragon was already gathering power to charge. He shouted the final words he needed to convey: "On the day the Heavenly Dao descends, all who surrender will be spared—except for Candle Dragon!"

SWOOSH! Divine Light surged, and the sky erupted in a multicolored aurora. The figures of the Heavenly Dao's five Strong Gods vanished in an instant.

Below, Candle Dragon's head rose slightly. Its gaze swept across heaven and earth before it silently descended. The situation in the Outer Sky seemed to have taken a subtle, yet significant, turn.