Through the thin mist and clouds, one could vaguely see masses of soldiers and generals marching to and fro, their iron armor clanking with every step.
Weapons glinted coldly in the dim light, each blade radiating a chilling aura.
In a matter of moments, South Heaven Gate had transformed from an open passage into an impenetrable fortress. Everyone was on edge, nerves stretched to their limit.
“How did Mother Nuwa and that monkey end up fighting?” In the tower above South Heaven Gate, the Jade Emperor gripped the table and asked through clenched teeth, “Just how many factions are involved in this, and is any member of the Heavenly Court implicated?”
The assembled Heavenly Generals exchanged uneasy glances.
Swallowing nervously, General Lee replied in a low voice, “Your Majesty, I do not know.”
“You don’t know… Didn’t we already send scouts out?”
“Both are incredibly powerful—no one can get close. To uncover the root of the matter will take time. So… there’s still no report.”
At this, General Lee fell silent, merely lifting his eyelids to glance at the Jade Emperor.
The other officials in the tower also kept their heads down, cautiously watching the Jade Emperor.
By now, the Jade Emperor was deeply anxious.
He alternated between pressing his fingers to his temples with eyes closed, bracing himself against the table with furrowed brows, and restlessly peering out beyond South Heaven Gate, pacing around the long table. Every so often, he picked up the intelligence reports on the table—already read countless times—and flipped through them as if determined to memorize every word.
His gaze drifted constantly, yet from start to finish, he never once looked at the generals before him.
The mighty Jade Emperor, sovereign of the Three Realms, always became like this at the mere mention of that monkey—how could he possibly face his subordinates with any courage?
After a long moment, the Jade Emperor asked again through gritted teeth, "Has anyone been sent to inform the Three Pure Ones?"
“Messengers have already gone, but all three have shut their doors. They refuse to meet or accept intelligence reports.”
The Jade Emperor nearly flung the memorial in his hand across the room. With difficulty, he restrained himself, but could only close his eyes in frustration.
At this moment, he felt as if he could simply die.
Why is it that every time something goes wrong, the Three Pure Ones—supposed patrons of Heaven—treat him like a discarded pawn, ignoring him entirely? If the Heavenly Court is so worthless, why do his people toil themselves to exhaustion every day?
To be the Jade Emperor is truly suffocating!
After a long silence, the Jade Emperor could only blink helplessly and ask, "We haven't offended that demon monkey recently, have we?"
“Your Majesty, the Heavenly Court has neither stationed mountain gods nor earth deities in that region, and rarely sends out Skyward Legionnaires to patrol. If not for the commotion from the battle, we might not even know about it. So, the likelihood of our people offending the demon monkey is very low.”
“So, if trouble has arisen, it must be on Mother Nuwa’s side. What is her cultivation level?”
“Your Majesty, I joined Heaven after Mother Nuwa had already secluded herself. Regarding her, I… truly do not know.”
“Is there no record in the Heavenly Court’s archives?”
“None. If we want to know, we’d have to ask the old veterans of Heaven.”
The Jade Emperor clenched his teeth, balled his fists, and glanced once more into the empty space beyond South Heaven Gate.
Just then, a Skyward Legionnaire hurried in and knelt on one knee.
“Your Majesty, an urgent report from the lower world: the demon monkey is heading east, and Mother Nuwa… seems to be heading east as well.”
“Seems to be?” The Jade Emperor was taken aback, then demanded sharply, “Either she is or she isn’t. What do you mean, ‘seems to be heading east as well’?”
The question left the Skyward Legionnaire bewildered; all he could do was look to General Lee for help.
Helpless, General Lee motioned for the soldier to withdraw, then stepped forward and bowed, saying, “Your Majesty, Mother Nuwa is unpredictable. The previous reports didn’t even reveal her true form. The lower world is simply being cautious.”
With that, General Lee once again watched the Jade Emperor with utmost care.
Yet, by now, the Jade Emperor’s thoughts were already elsewhere.
He braced himself against the long table, eyes closed and brows furrowed, occasionally opening his eyes wide, only to shut them again—repeating this cycle as if caught in a dilemma. After a long while, he murmured to himself, “The demon monkey goes east, she goes east too. Is this a pursuit? Could they… end up at South Heaven Gate? Back then, when that monkey caused trouble, it was the same—he rampaged through Heaven and Earth, and in the end, it all came down to South Heaven Gate…”
General Lee blinked, not daring to make a sound.
After a long while, the Jade Emperor took a deep breath and asked, “What exactly is Mother Nuwa’s cultivation level?”
General Lee’s lips twitched slightly.
He had just been asked this, and now again…
But, bound by his duty, General Lee could only steel himself and answer, “Your Majesty, I do not know…”