Events that led to his descent.
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This all began when Lord Haoyu, one of the Twelve Higher gods and also the previous god in charge, had been gravely injured in his match against Ares, the Greek god of war.
His seat remained vacant. The Twelve Higher Gods, missing their fellow god who oversaw mortal cultivation, were anxious. His final words were presented to the Higher Gods in a sealed scroll by a messenger crane.
Great Hall—Xiaoqong.
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After it was opened, it was read among the Twelve Higher Gods by the great elder, Lord Run Yu.
He began "I shall step down from my position as the overseer of mortal cultivation."
He continued, "As you can see, I am in no state to oversee the mortals now...Until I fully recover, I shall be in seclusion, sealed in my palace."
Lord Run Yu clutched the scroll in his hand tightly after reading its content.
The words he just uttered, echoing through the grand hall, silencing the murmurs of concern. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily upon the assembled gods. The potential consequences of leaving the seat of mortal cultivation oversight vacant were too dire to ignore.
"We must appoint a replacement immediately. Someone capable and trustworthy to maintain order and prevent another catastrophe." Lord Yaw suggested as he swirled his tea cup.
"But who among us is suited for such a delicate task? It requires a god with a deep understanding of both divine and mortal affairs." Lord Zhan nodded in agreement, his brow furrowed in thought.
Goddess Jiang Meng tapped her fan against the table.
"All I know is that, if no one sits in that seat, the mortals will get bold.
Do you all want another rebellion? Because I, for one, know that I don't want history to repeat itself."
"Yes...The way things are looking, Lord Haoyu won't be recovering anytime soon." Lord Ye added thoughtfully.
Lord Ming whispered, stroking his beard worriedly. "If the Tao of mortals cultivates steadily without being closely monitored, the mortals…the mortals would find out the secret.
"You don't mean…" Goddess Yaa trailed off.
"No! Lord Run Yu stood up abruptly.
"We won't let them find out." He affirmed boldly, his tone leaving no rom for argument .
Lord Ye snorted. "Better a vacant seat than a fool sitting in it."
Lord Zhan's lips curved like a blade. "Then let us find someone capable. Quickly."
"And where are we going to find this capable god?" Goddess Yaa whispered after slightly choking on her tea.
The other gods exchanged glances, seemingly reaching a silent conclusion. The Higher gods, after this dreadful meeting, decided to give away the position temporarily. They summoned the messengers.
The divine cranes delivered divine scrolls with the decree of the Twelve Higher Gods to the doorsteps of the lesser gods.
Odoye Palace
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Lord Long Xiao never read the heavenly mail because he was always busy assisting Goddess Ling Xing, the appointed goddess of divine counsel. This act of kindness made him occupied enough not to read the heavenly mail.
Note:Goddess Ling Xing is a couple therapist.
"Lord Ao Yi has been ignoring me after our heavenly matrimony…" Goddess Mei sobbed.
"He always comes up with excuses whenever I ask him to accompany me. What do I do, Goddess Ling Xing?" Goddess Mei wiped her tears with petals given by Lord Long Xiao.
"Goddess Mei, We understand that Lord Ao Yi has been…distant" Long Xiao sat beside her.
"It's been hard for you" He plucked more petals from the nearby flowers.
"I could do better." He gave her more petals to wipe her tears with.
Goddess Mei, with teary eyes, turned her attention away from the petals and looked at him all confused.
Goddess Ling Xing sighed "Lord Long Xiao, you're not helping."
He cleared his throat. "I mean, remember that there's always a better choice…only if you look in the right direction." Long Xiao laughed nervously as he patted Goddess Mei's head which was now lying on his shoulder.
MoonHouse Pavillion
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The Heavenly Realm became lively after the news spread. The lesser gods who coveted to sit at the table of the Higher Gods found this a good opportunity to submit their credentials in hopes of being selected.
A group of lesser gods, after hearing about the vacant seat among the Higher Gods, held an informal meeting at the MoonHouse Pavillion to discuss the ongoing rumors.
"I believe the vacant seat is just a rumor." One lesser god spoke, pouring himself a cup of tea.
"We all know the divine messengers always provide credible information." Another added, tapping his fan gracefully.
"I know right? My credentials were accepted by the divine messengers yesterday." another god added, pouring himself a cup.
"I can't believe there's an opportunity for one of us to sit at the table of the Higher Gods." another lesser god spoke, swirling his tea cup.
"I shall treat you all to a feast if I get selected." another added confidently as he raised his cup high.
The cranes delivered the credentials to the Higher Gods. After six months of sorting, a god was finally selected.
Day of the announcement—Adowa Peak
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The cranes were ordered to make a public announcement about the vacant position being assigned to Lord Long Xiao.
One male messenger crane swooped down, the golden scroll gleaming in the early morning light. The crane landed gracefully before the assembled deities, opening the scroll.
The scroll was sealed in gold thread and stamped with the stamp of the Twelve Higher Gods.
The announcement echoed across the realms:
"The vacant seat shall be filled by Lord Long Xiao." the messenger crane announced boldly, his voice, echoing the entire realm.
No fanfare. No ceremony. Just sighs and murmurs of those who coveted the position.