Dane Feng's hands and feet were icy cold, his throat letting out a beast-like howl. Galen, the Ancestral God-King, was one of the Ten Heavenly Venerables; all these people were his disciples. He had countless disciples spread across the world, but Galen never had the energy to teach them all himself.
So it was Dane Feng who taught these junior brothers and sisters!
Dane Feng had acted as their teacher, and they deeply respected him—this kind of bond was beyond ordinary imagination.
So many junior brothers and sisters had died here in Ancestral King Palace; the pain in his heart was like a knife. Yet he forced himself to swallow his howl, suppressing it deep inside.
Galen, the Ancestral God-King, set his gaze on him and said coolly, "Shepherd Heavenly Venerable has committed countless crimes. While I was away from the palace, he killed more than two hundred of my disciples. My disciple Dane Feng saw it with his own eyes. Is that right, Dane Feng?"
Dane Feng bowed and replied numbly, "Yes, it is so. I saw it with my own eyes."
Galen nodded in satisfaction, stepped down from the cliffside terrace, patted Dane Feng's shoulder, and said, "Reform is a matter of great rebellion. You've heard about the Celestial River Treasury, but your cultivation is already high. I trust you know the risks and benefits, and won't act rashly."
Dane Feng replied, woodenly, "Disciple understands. Reform goes against ancestral law and is an act of great rebellion. I detest such shameless acts and wish nothing more than to eradicate them."
Galen walked past him, saying leisurely, "That Shepherd Heavenly Venerable—after ruining God-Emperor Jadecrest, he came to ruin me. Which Heavenly Venerable will he target next? When he arrived in Heavenly Court, many thought he was doomed, but instead he grows more active by the day... Dane Feng, see to the arrangements for these junior brothers and sisters and reward their families generously."
"As you command, Master."
Dane Feng raised his head, watching Galen depart, and silently thought, "My junior brothers and sisters died because of Shepherd Heavenly Venerable. If he hadn't taught them, hadn't preached, Master would never have killed them! Shepherd Heavenly Venerable, the hatred between us will never be reconciled!"
He dared not resent Galen, so all his hatred was redirected toward Quinn Shepherd.
"Shepherd Heavenly Venerable, Venerable Vastflood is in secluded cultivation. Our Vastflood Palace is sealed and not receiving guests."
Elaina Cloud led Quinn and the others to Vastflood Palace, where the gate gods apologized: "When Venerable Vastflood emerges, we will report your visit, and he will certainly return the courtesy. Shepherd Heavenly Venerable, please depart for now."
Quinn and his party could only leave.
Elaina Cloud then led them to Venerable Daybreak's estate, but received the same reply.
At Flame-Venerable's palace, the gate gods said, "There is movement in the Taixu void. Flame-Venerable has taken his disciples to investigate and may not return for some time."
When they arrived at Venerable Void's palace, a divine attendant said, "Venerable Void and Flame-Venerable have gone to explore the Taixu void together and are not in residence. Shepherd Heavenly Venerable, please depart."
Elaina Cloud sighed, puzzled: "Have all the Heavenly Venerables run off somewhere?"
Liam Cloud's eyes flashed as he smiled, "Why not try Venerable Consort or Venerable Belle?"
Elaina Cloud shot him a glance and smiled sweetly. "Brother, you forget—those two Heavenly Venerables are consorts, living in the imperial harem. How could we possibly meet them? Why not visit Vast‑Sky Venerable instead? Surely he hasn’t gone out as well, right?"
Liam Cloud merely smiled, keeping his thoughts to himself: "Which Heavenly Venerable is she really? Of the Ten Heavenly Venerables in Heavenly Court, aside from Consort Venerable and Belle Venerable, there are also Palace Venerable and Void Venerable who are women. But those two avoid meeting people as well, so who is Elaina Cloud’s true body? Is it possible the Empress sisters have disguised themselves as men?"
Quinn said, "No need to see Vast‑Sky Venerable. There’s some bad blood between us, we don’t get along. If I go, he’ll just throw me out. I’ve heard Dao Ancestor has returned to Heavenly Court, so let’s pay a visit to that old Daoist at Dao Gate."
Elaina, always eager for chaos, found her interest waning when Quinn suggested visiting Dao Ancestor.
Quinn’s real purpose was to see Dao Ancestor, but he hadn’t expected so many events—turning Jadecrest Divine Palace and Ancestral King Palace upside down, causing the other Heavenly Venerables to avoid him.
Still, visiting Dao Ancestor at Heavenly Court Dao Gate no longer seemed abrupt after all that had happened.
Heavenly Court Dao Gate.
Apparently, no one at Dao Gate expected Quinn to actually show up. The old Daoist guarding the mountain gate and the guardian spirit-beasts stared blankly as Quinn and his group approached. Only when they reached the entrance did they snap out of it, hurrying inside to report.
Soon, an old Daoist led a crowd of Dao Gate disciples to greet them, apologizing: "Heavenly Venerable, you have come from afar and we failed to welcome you properly. Please forgive us."
Quinn sized up the old Daoist; he wasn’t the Dao Ancestor he’d met during the Dragon-Han Era, but judging by his voice, he seemed to be the same old Daoist who had entered Grand Archive Tower with Flame-Venerable.
“Heavenly Venerable, this is the Dao Gate Master,” Liam Cloud reminded.
“Is Dao Ancestor here?” Quinn asked.
The Dao Gate Master hurriedly replied, "Dao Ancestor returned to Dao Gate not long ago and is currently in seclusion. Perhaps Heavenly Venerable could return another day?"
Quinn smiled. "No worries, I can wait for him to finish his retreat."
Left with no choice, the Dao Gate Master invited him into the mountain.
Heavenly Court Dao Gate occupied a vast area, far grander than Everpeace Dao Gate—an entire heavenly palace called Jade-Purity Heaven Palace.
The Dao Gate managed by Lin Xuan Dao Master, even though all of Kunlun Range belonged to Dao Gate, only occupied a single peak, with a few scattered Daoist temples and little incense burning.
But Heavenly Court Dao Gate was the height of extravagance—palaces and halls glittered with splendor, towers and pavilions by the thousands. The Daoists here wore ornate robes, not the plain garb of true cultivators, and even had servants to attend to their daily needs.
In truth, those who entered Heavenly Court Dao Gate weren’t really Daoists. Daoists are cultivators with few desires, but the disciples here merely came to study Daoist arts and techniques, treating it as a place to learn divine arts.
As for Dao Gate’s true teaching core, they didn’t care about it at all.