Journey to the West: I have Nine Golden Crows Inside Me
Chapter 1480 - 987 Nine States Divine Territory

Chapter 1480: 987 Nine States Divine Territory

Above the Heaven Court, countless immortals and gods reside.

Among them, gods are the official deities enshrined by the Investiture of the Gods, while immortals are cultivators who have achieved success and come from various major sects in the Lower Realm, which are referred to as the orthodox Daoist sects.

If a grandmaster serves as an official in heaven, their disciples are deemed orthodox. Conversely, if a grandmaster is an unaffiliated cultivator without a heavenly post, they are considered unorthodox and can only identify themselves as such.

Likewise, only orthodox Daoist sects can obtain the consent of the Heaven Court to occupy Cave Heaven Blessed Lands and establish sects.

Unorthodox sects, not recognized by the Heaven Court, cannot establish sects in Cave Heaven Blessed Lands and ultimately must remain as unaffiliated cultivators, which means they have no fixed abode.

The celestial officials of the Heaven Court emerge for the sake of occupying Cave Heaven Blessed Lands, voluntarily taking up heavenly posts to serve the Heaven Court.

The Divine Court established by Jiang Chen can be said to be wholly modeled after the Heaven Court. Now all of Nine States owes its existence to him; it can be said to be entirely his, that is, belonging to the Divine Court.

Thus, the major powers spread across Nine States, and the resources expended in daily cultivation, also belong to the Divine Court, belong to Jiang Chen.

On Jiang Chen’s territory, how could he allow them to live for free? There is a payoff for every effort, and if they wish to legitimately occupy the Cave Heaven Blessed Lands they control, they must serve the Divine Court.

Therefore, even without collecting taxes, there is no worry about a shortage of manpower for the Divine Court.

Born in Nine States, one must be committed to dying for the Divine Court, and the major powers spread across Nine States will proactively dispatch experts to uphold the rule of the Divine Court.

If one does not wish to serve the Divine Court, they can do so, but they must forsake everything and relocate their clan from Nine States. Here, the relocation is of the people, not the Cave Heaven Blessed Lands.

Moving sounds easy, but who would really do it when it comes to it?

After all, these are Cave Heaven Blessed Lands, where the essence of Heaven and Earth converge, the foundational root of a power’s everlasting vitality. Without the Cave Heaven Blessed Lands, how many powers can ensure they will not weaken over time?

"In simple terms, the Divine Court is the Heaven Court on earth; you are all intelligent people, carefully study how the Heaven Court operates, and you will roughly understand how to maintain the Divine Court."

"There is a very good criteria to distinguish whether heavenly immortals and gods are diligent or not. Diligent immortals and gods radiate golden light, which is the light of Merit, a reward from the Heavenly Dao for their diligence."

"On the other hand, those who neglect their duties and are not dedicated, are enveloped in black qi, like dark clouds overhead. This is karmic power, the punishment from the Heavenly Dao for their negligence."

"In most cases, by observing the amount of Merit and karmic power on a person, one can tell whether they are a good or bad deity."

Along the way, Jiang Chen continuously explained the differences between the Divine Court and human dynasties.

The biggest difference lies in the supervision aspect. Mortal officials are supervised by people, while celestial immortals and gods of the Heaven Court are monitored by the Heavenly Dao, minimizing the chances of officials making mistakes.

People may act on sentiment, but the Heavenly Dao will not be sentimental.

...

......

As they walked and talked, unaware of how much time had passed, a dazzling light suddenly appeared before them, as brilliant as the Sun, suspended in mid-air.

"Is this Xianyang City?"

A great scholar squinted his eyes, barely making out that the sun floating before their eyes was not a sun but a massive city, a Divine City floating in the sky.

"Correct, this is Xianyang City, but that was its name in the past. Now, it is called the Divine Court, the ancestral court of the Divine Dao."

Jiang Chen briefly introduced the Divine Court before leading everyone inside.

The Divine Court is vast, consisting of six layers from top to bottom. The first layer is composed of eight hundred and forty million houses. The second layer consists of one hundred twenty-nine thousand six hundred ordinary Divine Palaces.

The third layer contains three thousand six hundred Heavenly God Palaces. The fourth layer comprises three hundred sixty-five Cycle God Palaces. The fifth layer has twelve Supreme God Palaces.

The sixth layer, located at the highest point in heaven, has only one Ancestral God Temple, the temple of the ancestral gods and the place where the Divine Court convenes.

"The residences I have prepared for you are on the fourth layer; among those three hundred sixty-five Cycle God Palaces, you may each choose one as your dwelling."

Jiang Chen’s current subordinates, those he keeps by his side, are all seeds of Taoist Masters, who have the potential to become Innate Taoist Masters if they do not fall midway.

And the fourth layer Cycle God Palaces correspond exactly to the Daoist Venerable Realm, therefore, Jiang Chen directly arranged them in the fourth layer of the Divine Court.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Everyone was still immersed in the shock of their initial arrival at the Divine Court. At this moment, suddenly hearing Jiang Chen’s words, they first paused, then hurriedly bowed and thanked.

Upon their arrival at the Divine Court, without needing an introduction from Jiang Chen, a faint voice rang in their ears, telling them about the greatness of the Divine Court and the functions of these palaces.

The fourth layer’s palaces represent the Innate Taoist Masters. Although, with their current abilities, they are yet unable to refine such advanced palaces, Jiang Chen allowing them to reside there already signifies recognition of their potential.

As long as they work a bit harder and establish more merits, they will eventually refine the Cycle God Palaces and become Taoist Masters existing alongside Heaven and Earth.

"Sending you to the fourth layer’s palaces is both a reward and a motivation for you; if you do not strive hard, you might be replaced by others from below."

As Jiang Chen’s voice fell, the Divine Court suddenly began to tremble. Brilliant divine light burst from above the Nine States Continent toward the palaces.

Instantly, the second layer of the Divine Court, which had previously unclaimed ordinary palaces, suddenly saw nearly a tenth of its palaces erupt with dazzling light, casting sacred figures.

Then the third layer, the fourth layer, and even the fifth layer palaces each had their radiance bloom, and sacred ethereal figures appeared.

These are the gods previously conferred by Jiang Chen. Now that the Divine Court is established, naturally, they have their place here.

However, most of the gods previously conferred by Jiang Chen had only achieved the status of heavenly immortals, rarely cultivating to the level of Dao Monarch; thus, after arriving at the Divine Court, they entered the second layer of the Divine Court.

In the Daoist system Jiang Chen constructed, gods who have not attained the level of Innate Dao Monarch can only enter the second layer of the Divine Court; Taiyi enter the third layer, Daluo enter the fourth layer, Quasi-Saint enter the fifth layer, Primordial Chaos enter the sixth layer.

BOOM!

The Divine Court trembled, its radiance becoming even more brilliant, casting a vast shadow over the land, within which the faint shadow of Nine States could be seen.

This shadow cast by the Divine Court on the ground represents the Realm of Nothingness corresponding to reality. The shadow manifesting the Nine States within it is the Nine States Divine Territory.

As gods take up residence, the Divine Court evolves further, spontaneously evolving the Nine States Divine Territory.