Chapter 59: Who Is the God of Supreme Unity?

Tianshan, Primordial Pavilion.

Mu Changge lay on a recliner he had crafted himself, enjoying a massage from the Black Rabbit.

"Master, Donghuang Taiyi has established a new Divine Court over at Heavenly Pool Mountain. In your opinion, if the Jade Emperor and Donghuang Taiyi go to war, which side will win?"

"Why do you care about the two of them? Just stay by my side. Even if they shatter the heavens and the earth, I can protect you so securely that not a single strand of your hair will be harmed."

Seeing that Mu Changge cared not in the least, the Black Rabbit dismissed the thought from her mind.

Ever since she had taken human form, the Black Rabbit had gained a much deeper understanding of Mu Changge's unfathomable strength. Over the past hundreds of years, Mu Changge had taught her how to battle, brought her on a journey across the entire Huaxia Realm, and even taken her to the Huoyun Palace and the Temple of Origin. Although she had never witnessed Mu Changge unleashing his full power, she could instinctively sense that he was by no means weaker than the Jade Emperor of the Heavenly Principle Ziwei Enclosure.

In these centuries, the Black Rabbit had not only vastly broadened her horizons, but under Mu Changge's watchful eye, she had also survived dozens of life-or-death battles. Now, even if Mu Changge were not by her side, she was fully capable of surviving well within the Huaxia Realm.

"Master, why won't you let me go subdue the demon clan and make them swear allegiance to you?" the Black Rabbit asked, shifting to another topic.

"If you were to subdue the demon clan, it would mean you'd become their supreme leader. If you were too busy managing hordes of demons to come and wait upon me, where on earth would I find another maid as adorable and capable as you?"

"Does Master really depend on me that much?"

"You are my dearest, most comforting little padded jacket, so naturally I have to keep a close eye on you to make sure no cold drafts get in."

"Uhm... Master, why do you always compare me to a little padded jacket?"

"Because you're super adorable."

"......" The Black Rabbit was left speechless. At first, she had been delighted when Mu Changge praised her cuteness, but over time, she had gradually grown numb to it.

"Master, if I were to subdue the demon clan and select dozens of lovely demon maidens from among them to serve you, wouldn't that be even better?"

Mu Changge gently pinched the Black Rabbit's cheek. "Silly rabbit, what demon maiden could ever compare to you in cuteness? You are my proudest masterpiece; no other demon maidens could ever catch my eye."

"Is Master so confident in my looks?"

"Naturally."

"Then... does Master like me?"

"You're my little padded jacket, why wouldn't I like you?"

"Master, I mean that kind of like—like in romance."

"But I look at you as if you were my own daughter. You want me to be some kind of degenerate father? That wouldn't do, would it?"

"Then, Master, is there someone you do like?"

"There is, but she has entered a deep slumber."

The Black Rabbit suddenly grew dejected. "Who is the person Master likes?"

"What? Are you jealous?"

"A little."

"Hahaha... My dear Black Rabbit, you'd better give up. I truly view you as a daughter."

At that very moment, a powerful, formless force suddenly materialized outside the Primordial Pavilion.

The Black Rabbit immediately tensed up, her hands gripping the twin demonic swords, pitch-black as night.

"Black Rabbit, put your weapons away first. Whoever is coming bears no ill intent," Mu Changge soothed.

The Black Rabbit nodded, obeying his command to stow away the twin demonic blades.

Mu Changge looked toward the visitor standing outside the Primordial Pavilion and said, "What a truly rare guest. To what do I owe the honor of a visit to my Primordial Pavilion, Senior Zhurong, Southern Heavenly God?"

Mu Changge's supreme divine voice instantly enveloped the surrounding heaven and earth. Although his tone sounded friendly, it carried an intangible, overwhelming pressure that made the Southern Heavenly God Zhurong feel as though he were standing directly before the Jade Emperor himself.

"Master of the Primordial Pavilion, this deity has come bearing an imperial decree from His Majesty the Jade Emperor, who invites the Pavilion Master to visit the Heavenly Principle Ziwei Enclosure for a discussion."

"Senior Zhurong, you had best return the way you came. I prefer peace and quiet, so I must ask the Jade Emperor not to bother with such redundant gestures."

"But..."

"Senior Zhurong, it is out of respect for you that I address you as 'Senior.' If the Jade Emperor insists on remaining seated in the Taiyi Palace plotting grand strategies, then I am afraid I have no tea to offer him."

Mu Changge's reply carried an irrefutable majesty that left the Southern Heavenly God Zhurong momentarily speechless.

After pondering for a few breaths, Zhurong said, "Please forgive me, Pavilion Master. It was this deity who intruded upon your peace. I shall take my leave now."

With that, the Southern Heavenly God Zhurong departed immediately.

Sensing that the formless pressure had vanished, the Black Rabbit looked at Mu Changge and asked, "Master, you rejected the Jade Emperor's invitation. Won't he hold a grudge and try to make things difficult for you?"

Mu Changge chuckled. "If the Jade Emperor has the brains of a pig, I wouldn't mind causing him a bit of trouble."

The Black Rabbit nodded, then asked another question: "Master, did the Jade Emperor come looking for you because he lacks the confidence to defeat Donghuang Taiyi?"

"Very likely. Donghuang Taiyi possesses the Heavenly Emperor's Stele left behind by Heavenly Emperor Dijun. That is Heavenly Emperor Dijun's ultimate supreme treasure. The Jade Emperor probably wants me to go test the waters first."

"Isn't the Jade Emperor being far too scheming?"

"That can hardly be called scheming. The Jade Emperor never fights battles he isn't sure of winning; he wants to observe Donghuang Taiyi's capabilities first. It's just a shame that the Jade Emperor is far too arrogant and aloof. Even if he were to offer immensely generous terms, I would never personally set foot in his Taiyi Palace."

"Then, Master, who do you suppose the Jade Emperor will send to probe Donghuang Taiyi?"

"Probe him? Donghuang Taiyi is a Heavenly Emperor, and only a Heavenly Emperor can match another Heavenly Emperor. The only ones the Jade Emperor can consider are the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors of the Huoyun Palace, Goddess Nuwa the Primordial Mother of the Temple of Origin, and myself, the creator of the Primordial Pavilion."

The Black Rabbit thought for two breaths before saying, "Master, doesn't that mean the Jade Emperor will have no choice but to take action himself?"

"Unless the Jade Emperor is willing to watch half of his authority carved away, in which case he could choose not to act and just grit his teeth—who knows, perhaps the two divine courts might miraculously learn to get along."

The Black Rabbit almost failed to suppress a laugh. "Master, they say two tigers cannot share one mountain. From where I stand, the Heavenly Principle Ziwei Enclosure and the Divine Emperor's Palace can never coexist peacefully."

"Indeed. Moreover, the Eastern God Jumang has styled himself Donghuang Taiyi—that is a direct, in-your-face mockery of the Jade Emperor. In the future, when people refer to the God Taiyi, are they speaking of the Jade Emperor or Donghuang Taiyi?"

"Master, I just thought of something. Could Donghuang Taiyi have chosen the title 'Emperor' simply because all living beings universally revere the Jade Emperor as the Sovereign Heavenly Emperor?"

"That is entirely possible."

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After building the Divine Emperor's Palace high above Heavenly Pool Mountain, Donghuang Taiyi used the Heavenly Emperor's Stele to confer titles upon his subordinates.

He enfeoffed Lord Yun as the Cloud God and Moon God, Lord Xiang and Lady Xiang as Water Gods, Lord Greater Destiny as the God of Fate presiding over life and death and longevity, Lord Lesser Destiny as the deity in charge of fortune, misfortune, marriage, and progeny, Lord Eastern Jun as the Sun God, and the Mountain Spirit as the Mountain God.

In addition, Donghuang Taiyi also welcomed the River God Bingyi, who had come to seek refuge under his banner.

From that moment on, Donghuang Taiyi's Divine Emperor's Palace began operating, rivaling the Jade Emperor's Heavenly Principle Ziwei Enclosure in a fierce contest for supremacy as the Lord of the Heavens in the Huaxia Realm.