"The route from the Western Lands to the Central Lands has been blocked by High-Emperor Heaven. Everpeace's authority can't reach the West, so the West will rebel. Therefore, we must open up High-Emperor Heaven, either by building a tunnel or establishing a teleportation array."
Quinn Shepherd gathered with the Imperial Preceptor, Lucas Lin, and other experts in numerology and strategy to deduce and calculate the impact of High-Emperor Heaven's descent on Everpeace. Everyone spoke at once. Quinn said, "Building a teleportation array is simple, but maintaining it is a huge expense, requiring vast quantities of spirit medicines. Digging several tunnels costs a lot up front, but the ongoing expenses are much lower."
Lucas Lin, the Dao Heir, said, "High-Emperor Heaven runs north to south, vertically separating the Central and Western Lands. This will have complex effects on the original river systems, atmospheric flows, and precipitation. We'll need to recalculate hydrology, weather patterns, and rainfall."
Victor Bloom added, "We'll need to calculate which regions will be most affected and whether desert climates will form. At this point, we'll need Dragon Kings—Everpeace must have them to prevent desertification."
Lynn Ling supplemented, "We'll also need a Wind Earl and Rain Master to control monsoons and precipitation!"
The Imperial Preceptor of Everpeace pondered, "Also, although High-Emperor Heaven's abnormal geomagnetism has been controlled, both High-Emperor Heaven and Luofu Heaven have strong magnetic fields. We still need to study their effects on plants and animals. When modeling hydrology, weather, and precipitation, we must add the magnetic factor from both worlds and monitor how their magnetism influences earthquakes."
Village Chief said, "Then we'll need Land Gods, and quite a few of them! The Earthwalker Clan lives underground in Everpeace; they're descendants of the Kaihuang Heaven Court's Land Gods and still obey the Human Emperor Seal. Quinn, you can visit them with the First Ancestor."
Moran said, "Humidity and clouds originate at sea, so we also need sea officials to manage oceanic weather, wind, and waves—only then can the land have balanced wind and rain. Beyond clouds, we'll need to regulate storms and protect Everpeace's fishing fleets."
"This project is massive; we'll need someone skilled in numerology to manage the national treasury. We need a numerology expert as the God of Wealth to oversee the coffers!"
"For all the construction and ship deployment, we'll need a Ship God to handle logistics. There are giant kun-whales at sea—the Whale-King Tribe—and we can summon them with the Human Emperor Seal. We just don't know who the current patriarch is."
Heavenly Works Artificers must forge treasures to suppress High-Emperor Heaven and Luofu Heaven's fate, and craft all kinds of road-opening divine weapons. We'll need a Heavenly Works God!
To control disease and plague, we'll need a Medicine King God!
To manage fires and other natural disasters, we'll need a Fire God!
...
Everyone discussed for a long time, drafting all the tasks needed after High-Emperor Heaven's fall. Many god-offices, large and small, were designed. Bruno the Dragon-Qilin, with his high numerology skills, joined in and suddenly said, "Cult Master, Imperial Preceptor, are we building a Heavenly Court?"
Quinn Shepherd and the Imperial Preceptor were stunned, quickly reviewing the god-offices they'd designed—weren't these exactly the prototype posts of a Heavenly Court?
The posts they'd designed were precisely the practical god-offices of the Heavenly Court system.
With these god-offices, the basic framework of a Heavenly Court was now formed!
The Imperial Preceptor shook his head. "It's too early to establish a Heavenly Court now."
Village Chief nodded. "Stockpile grain before claiming kingship. For now, we assign responsibilities but not god-offices. Don't spread this—just understand it in your hearts."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
None of them realized that a vast new chapter of history was quietly beginning in this city, in the absence of Emperor Evan, with their brief discussion.
Perhaps years from now, when they recall this scene, they'll have many feelings. But for now, they don't know what's coming.
The Imperial Preceptor said, "The calculations are immense; we can't do them alone. We'll set the general direction, and I'll report to the emperor so he can gather talent from across the realm to help."
Suddenly someone asked, "What about the demons and the gods of High-Emperor Heaven?"
Everyone frowned, out of ideas.
The hatred between High-Emperor Heaven and the demon race is irreconcilable. True God Pang Yu and others have even severed ties with the Woodcutter Sage over his rescue of demons. High-Emperor Heaven's gods have sworn never to share the same sky with demons—their hatred is higher than the heavens, deeper than the sea.
Quinn Shepherd thought for a moment. "Let the people of High-Emperor Heaven settle in the Great Ruins; it's not under the same sky as Everpeace. Furylo and the demon race can settle in the northern ice fields—the farther from the Great Ruins, the better."
That's all we can do," the Imperial Preceptor nodded.
The fall of High-Emperor Heaven required countless tasks—massive undertakings. Many powerful divine weapons had to be forged to quell earthquakes, extinguish volcanoes, draw clouds, and calm ocean storms.