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"Friend, have you heard? There's another big event in the north."

"What big event? Our little golden dragon in the Human Realm was appointed as the God of Spring by the Heavenly Palace? Friend, you just came out of seclusion, this news is from half a day ago."

"Oh, half a day ago? I've been contemplating a lot recently and haven't been out much. Please forgive me... Let's have a drink."

...

"Senior Brother, what do you think being appointed as the God of Spring means?"

"Junior Sister, isn't it obvious? 'God of Spring,' it signifies the budding of spring, the arrival of spring romance, and the first signs of spring."

"Senior Brother, you're so naughty!"

"Junior Sister, look, there's a tavern ahead. Why don't we go and feel the breath of spring to celebrate Wu Wang's achievement as the little golden dragon."

"Ugh... let's go then!"

...

"Friend, let's analyze how the Heavenly Palace's move will affect our Human Realm. The Heavenly Palace is trying to make us doubt Wu Wang."

"Doubt him about what? We don't even have the chance to meet Wu Wang in person. As long as the higher-ups don't have doubts, it's fine."

Should we show support for Wu Wang? If the higher-ups are confused and think—oh? The Heavenly Palace actually appointed a junior, but didn't come to appoint me—then it would be bad."

"What are you thinking? What we can think of, others can't. It's true."

...

In the northern border of the Human Realm, in the rear courtyard of a certain Ren Emperor's Pavilion.

Wu Wang's divine sense spread out, listening to the discussions of the cultivators in the city, constantly pondering in his heart.

In the room, there were only Lin Suqing and Senior Deity Mu. The blue bird stood on the edge of the bookshelf, bowing its head to tidy its feathers, which was its usual pastime.

Even the blue bird had to look neat.

The Sleep God has been temporarily controlled. The next step depends on the Heavenly Palace's reaction.

This Sleep God is obviously a hidden danger of the Heavenly Palace. He seems carefree, but he has malicious intentions.

If it weren't for Wu Wang's decent knowledge from his past life, he would have been swayed by the Sleep God's words, causing the Human Realm to lose its righteousness in resisting the Heavenly Palace.

This is much more cunning than the Deputy Deity of Lifespan's incompetence and rage, by many times.

Moreover, in this situation, this god dared to enter the Human Realm alone, showing his courage.

Of course, it cannot be ruled out that he was forcibly sent by the Heavenly Palace.

A figure passed by the door, and the voice of Celestial Sword Taoist came: "Wu Wang, it's me, can I come in?"

"Brother Taoist, please come in. How are your injuries?"

Wu Wang opened the wooden door and Celestial Sword Taoist entered.

This person had previously forcibly broken through the colorful light and was shaken back, but fortunately, it was only a shock to his body and did not affect his primordial spirit. At this moment, he was full of vigor.

Celestial Sword smiled and said, "It's not a big deal. The power of the order of heaven and earth is nothing."

"Has the Sleep God been settled?" Wu Wang asked.

"He's been settled."

"How's his reaction?"

"He..."

After pondering for a moment, Celestial Sword decided to tell the truth: "He's asleep."

Wu Wang couldn't help but laugh and scold: "This really is a God of Sleep. We captured him, and he can still sleep directly. Isn't he afraid that when he wakes up, there will be swords, spears, axes, and halberds hanging over his head?"

"He's quite carefree."

Celestial Sword Taoist smiled slyly and lightly slid his hand on his neck.

"I have the same idea."

Wu Wang chuckled and said slowly, "But we don't have the final say in the Human Realm. Whether to kill, imprison, or release him, it depends on the opinion of your master and the others.

The Heavenly Emperor is unlikely to bother with such trivial matters. It's still uncertain how the Heavenly Palace will react.

But one thing is for sure, keeping this guy alive is always a hidden danger."

Wu Wang gestured for them to sit, and the two of them sat on either side of the hall, while Lin Suqing had already brought in hot tea.

They whispered for a while about the Sleep God.

In fact, their attitude was to directly suppress the Sleep God, completely cutting ties with the Heavenly Palace.

No one should play the game of "coming to serve."

If they could easily eliminate the other party without paying too much, no one would hesitate.

The problem is, some high-level figures think that killing the envoy would be undignified and not conducive to the future influence of the Human Realm.

"Wu Wang, what time is it? Are you still thinking about matters of face?"

"Brother Taoist is right. Is face more important than substance?"

"Exactly! The identity of this Sleep God might be fake. The Heavenly Palace is full of tricks. Based on what he said before, we absolutely cannot underestimate him!"

"We need to find a way to deal with this Sleep God."

"How do we deal with him?" Celestial Sword Taoist's eyes sparkled.

Wu Wang said, "First, investigate whether the other party has concealed their identity and see if we can persuade him to surrender. If the higher-ups really want to let this God of Sleep go for no reason, we'll have to use some unconventional means."

The two of them then clinked their teacups and smiled knowingly.

Wu Wang asked again, "Have the envoy teams been sent away? Did you find out anything?"

"They've been sent away, and the divine guards have also been sent away," Celestial Sword smiled, "At this time, the Heavenly Palace must have already known that the God of Sleep was left by us, and the appointment decree was torn in half.

Next, it depends on whether they will send someone to rescue him.

As for those envoy teams, we carefully investigated them and secretly used the method of soul exploration, but we didn't find anything unusual.

The only thing is, the little princess of the Feather Clan has not left."

Wu Wang frowned and said softly, "Brother Taoist, don't handle these matters like the Heavenly Palace, haphazardly arranging these things."

"Hey! How could that be!"

Celestial Sword Taoist said seriously, "The little princess of the Feather Clan said she wants to talk to you, Wu Wang. There's probably a series of calculations behind this. She's also a pawn used by the Heavenly Palace.

You see, the Heavenly Palace has officially designated the southeast region as your fiefdom, and the Feather Clan is a major clan in the southeast region. This little princess was trained by the Junior Deity of Lifespan for three years and sent to you as a gift.

The Heavenly Palace has already made arrangements for your entry into the southeast region."

Wu Wang pondered for a moment and said, "The southeast region was not originally under the control of the Heavenly Palace. The Heavenly Emperor's decree is quite cunning."

Celestial Sword Taoist sighed, "Now, most of the higher-ups have a question: why is the Heavenly Palace paying special attention to you?"

"You see, the effect of the Heavenly Emperor's scheme has come out! I was worried about this before.""The Heavenly Emperor is really..."

Celestial Sword Taoist shook his head.

The Heavenly Emperor's decree and simple strategy have caused a subtle crack between the Human Realm and Wu Wang.

To the experts in the Human Realm, this crack is insignificant; after all, Wu Wang is just one person, no matter how outstanding, his influence is limited.

The one truly worried at the moment is the senior Shen Nong.

Behind Wu Wang is the Ice God, and behind him is the remnant party of the old god, Candling Dragon.

This matter is not public, it is an unspoken agreement between the Heavenly Emperor, the Human Emperor, and the Ice God. Wu Wang cannot tell anyone.

Wu Wang said, "Let's talk about the Sleep God. The Heavenly Palace seems to have really considered me as the next Human Emperor."

"Is that so?"

Celestial Sword Taoist blinked, his eyes filled with innocence.

Wu Wang smiled and continued, "I still can't figure out the Sleep God's intentions... Is he completely imprisoned now?"

"His divine power is definitely sealed, and his Dao is restricted."

Celestial Sword Taoist said seriously, "You don't need to worry about that. Several elders are not far away at the moment, hiding and playing cards, uh, observing the Sleep God. The Sleep God can't turn the tide."

"No risk, no gain!"

Wu Wang gritted his teeth and stamped his foot, determined:

"Then later, Brother Tao, come with me. Call the Great Elder and bring Hissing Snake. Ask the elders to secretly observe, and I will go meet this guy!"

Celestial Sword Taoist:...

Why does he have to speak so righteously, as if he's going to sacrifice himself heroically?

With this lineup, the Sleep God should be feeling uneasy, right?

Celestial Sword Taoist wisely chose to keep these words to himself and showed a gentle smile to Wu Wang.

Wu Wang secretly grasped the necklace.

Although he has been troubling his mother a lot recently, he feels a little embarrassed. After all, he is already an adult and should face these difficulties independently.

But when it comes to the gods of the Heavenly Palace, Wu Wang dare not be careless.

In his heart, Wu Wang activated the divine soul in his Star God's body, which had been nourished by the power of the Star God and had become even stronger. If a real battle broke out later, he could throw a spear even if he fell into a coma for another three years.

No, he wouldn't need to be in a coma for three years at this point.

Wu Wang calculated that, due to absorbing the essence of Hissing Snake, his spiritual energy had increased, and his divine power was now comparable to a late-stage cultivator in the realm of Heavenly Immortals.

Two and a half years of coma would be enough.

So, a moment later...

Outside the town, in the golden fields, there was a large array that looked like an inverted jade bowl, with strands of light flowing on it, blocking the divine and spiritual senses of the cultivators who came to investigate.

Inside the array, four giant old men sat honestly, each holding a whole roasted cow and using a water tank as a cup. Their temperaments were unexpectedly gentle.

They were responsible for pulling the palace, and the accompanying team could go back, but they could not.

Ripples appeared on the light wall of the array, and figures entered one after another. More than ten experts had entered the array in succession.

Wu Wang and Celestial Sword Taoist came hand in hand, with Hissing Snake and the Great Elder bringing up the rear.

The four giant men looked up at Wu Wang and the others, then continued to lower their heads and gnaw on their roasted cow. Occasionally, they would put the meat back on the fire to roast it evenly.

The palace of the Sleep God suddenly became lively.

Beautiful men and women from various tribes gathered at the edge of the palace, looking outside.

They didn't seem to have any sense of nervousness, as if they were naturally carefree and unconcerned about the current situation of being imprisoned.

Celestial Sword Taoist transmitted his voice, "These followers of the Sleep God are somewhat abnormal."

"Oh?" Wu Wang was puzzled. "How are they abnormal?"

"It's hard to say," Celestial Sword Taoist transmitted his voice and cautioned, "Like the followers of some powerful gods, they are usually strong. If they follow a lustful innate god, their followers are mostly beautiful. Everyone understands this.

But the followers of the Sleep God..."

As soon as he mentioned this, Wu Wang became alert.

"What's wrong?"

Celestial Sword Taoist said, "Their appearance is passable, but many of them are not outstanding in appearance. Most of them are in pairs, and it's obvious that they are not trying to please the Sleep God.

Among them, there are neither strong individuals nor very intelligent ones. Even the woman from the other tribe who contacted us before, her mind is a bit abnormal and confused.

They all seem to be..."

"Not fully awake?"

"More or less."

Wu Wang laughed, "Truly worthy of the Sleep God."

As the two of them communicated, the group had already arrived at the palace of the Sleep God.

As per Wu Wang's request, more than ten accompanying experts forcibly broke into the main hall, each releasing their Dao aura, setting up barriers to push back the followers on both sides.

Several beautiful women hurriedly ran over, holding the hems of their long skirts, and stopped in front of Wu Wang and Celestial Sword Taoist.

"The divine being is performing a sacred ritual. You cannot disturb him!"

"Step aside."

Hissing Snake reprimanded lightly, and the space showed slight ripples, pushing the women to the left and right.

Wu Wang looked around the palace but only stood at the edge without going further.

The palace looked small from the outside, but inside, it was like another world, as if it had used some kind of spatial magic, with an interior that was over a hundred feet long and wide.

There were dozens of wide stairs leading downwards on all sides, paved with dark black mysterious stones, making it feel like stepping into a starry sky.

At various points on the dozen or so stairs, there were many beds of various types, some slightly larger with screens nearby, which should be for the paired followers.

In the center of the main hall, a cloud of white mist floated unsteadily. Upon closer inspection, it was a large bed, but it was made of some material that made it look like a cloud.

The Sleep God was lying on the cloud bed, his body sinking into it, a square cloth covering his forehead, a thin blanket covering his body, his hands in front of him, breathing evenly, with a healthy complexion.

Wu Wang couldn't help but laugh at the sight. "Is sleeping not sacred?"

"Isn't sleeping sacred?"

The Sleep God spoke, his voice tinged with a hint of helplessness.

"Spring God, I have completed my official duties in the Human Realm. If you don't let me go back, please don't come to disturb me."Wu Wang chuckled, "I apologize for the intrusion. I hope you can forgive my boldness. If you're free, would you care to join me for some wine and music at a pleasant spot?"

The Sleep God opened his eyes and yawned again.

Several maids immediately stepped forward, gently lifting away the thin blanket and removing the square cloth that had been covering his head.

The Sleep God was dressed in a loose-fitting robe, made of an exceptionally soft fabric.

Now surrounded by a halo of celestial light, he had changed into a simple robe, yet he still appeared languid, hardly able to muster any energy.

He asked, "Is the Spring God here to probe my depths, with the mindset of 'better to kill wrongly than to let go'?"

Celestial Sword Taoist was about to deny it, but Wu Wang smiled and said, "Your insight is indeed sharp."

"I knew it."

The Sleep God yawned, stretched lazily, and took a wine vessel offered by a maid, using it to rinse his mouth.

His chubby face was filled with sorrow as he sighed deeply:

"Alas!

I knew trouble was brewing, but the Deputy Deity of Lifespan wouldn't believe me. He insisted that the Heavenly Emperor's decree had to be delivered by a primordial deity.

Honestly, brother, am I not the most useless primordial deity in the Heavenly Palace? Otherwise, why would they send me?"

Wu Wang, with his hands clasped behind his back, smiled without saying a word.

The Sleep God's chubby cheeks trembled, and he sighed dejectedly before walking over with his head down.

Celestial Sword Taoist immediately stepped in front of Wu Wang.

Wu Wang laughed, "Brother Taoist, there's no need to be nervous. I'm not a three-year-old child. If the Sleep God makes a move against me, I have ways to protect myself."

After speaking, Wu Wang turned to the Hissing Snake and said, "Keep an eye on him. Make sure you're no closer to him than he is to me."

The Hissing Snake bowed in acknowledgment and walked straight to the Sleep God's side. His slender eyes emitted two cold gleams, causing the Sleep God to shiver, and his face fell once again.

This opponent was too difficult to fool.

"Please."

Wu Wang gestured with his hand, and the Great Elder created a cloud with a wave of his sleeve.

Wu Wang, Celestial Sword Taoist, the Sleep God, and the Hissing Snake all ascended the cloud, and the group of experts stood together, effectively surrounding the Sleep God.

Wu Wang asked, "Would you like to bring your attendants?"

"No, no, let them rest here."

The Sleep God turned and ordered, "Close the divine palace, wait for my return."

All the maids bowed and took their leave.

With a light flick of his sleeve, the Great Elder directed the cloud towards the town ahead.

Wu Wang did not initiate conversation but instead asked his mother to carefully sense the Sleep God's Dao rhythm; Cang Xue also put aside her contempt and began to ponder the composition of the Sleep God's Dao.

However, the answer from his mother was not much different from before.

This deity governed the Dao of sleep and dreams, in charge of the act of falling asleep. In ancient times, there was no record of any powerful divine abilities, and he was never seen in the core battles of the great wars.

Cang Xue smiled and said:

"If the Sleep God truly has hidden depths, that would be quite terrifying.

Ba'er, you don't need to worry too much. Deities like the Sleep God, whose own Dao isn't very powerful, were quite numerous in ancient times. However, through the various changes of divine eras, most of these deities couldn't protect themselves and nearly all perished.

The Sleep God must be adept at the art of survival, which is why you find him a bit tricky."

"That must be the case," Wu Wang thanked his mother and after a brief exchange of pleasantries, he cut off the connection with the necklace.

Then, his vigilance towards the Sleep God increased slightly.

They went to a tavern at the edge of the town, which Ji Mo had reserved in advance.

The main hall was set up with a banquet and a stage on the side, where local singers danced gracefully to the music, instantly setting the atmosphere.

After a few necessary pleasantries, the guests and hosts took their seats.

Wu Wang sat alone on one side of the square table, the Great Elder and Celestial Sword Taoist sat on his left, and the Hissing Snake sat on his right.

Given the potential dangers of this meeting, Wu Wang did not invite Lin Suqing and the others.

The Sleep God sighed, gently swirling his wine cup, and lamented:

"I wonder how many more times I'll be able to enjoy the fine wines of the Human Realm."

Wu Wang smiled, "Have you considered abandoning the dark and coming to the light?"

"My Dao is locked up in the Heavenly Palace. What would I do in the Human Realm, treat insomnia?"

The Sleep God shook his head slightly and said:

"I can elaborate on this.

After the ancient divine wars ended, everyone voluntarily offered their Dao to be woven into the order of heaven and earth.

However, due to the fall of the Fire God, our Daos have been locked by the order of the Dao.

The only two exceptions are the Star God's stellar Dao and the Queen Mother of the West's heavenly punishment Dao, both of which are independent of the Heavenly Palace's order."

Having said that, the Sleep God winked at Wu Wang and added:

"Actually, I may not be very powerful, but I know quite a lot."

Wu Wang was initially puzzled but then came to a realization.

The Sleep God was trying to 'sell information' in exchange for his life.

Wu Wang laughed, "I'm actually quite curious about the various deities of the Heavenly Palace."

"Then you've asked the right person," the Sleep God leaned forward, clinking his cup gently with Wu Wang's, "I am the God of Sleep and Dreams, not just of falling asleep. I'm also very clear about the matters within dreams."

The Great Elder curiously asked, "Do primordial deities also dream?"

The Sleep God replied with a smile, "Dreams are an extension of thoughts. As long as there is consciousness, one will dream."

Celestial Sword Taoist asked from the side, "How many consorts does the Heavenly Emperor have?"

Wu Wang and the Sleep God's wine cups simultaneously swayed.

Wu Wang said, "Let's avoid discussing the Heavenly Emperor."

"Indeed, indeed, the Spring God is also quite knowledgeable," the Sleep God muttered, "The Heavenly Emperor is truly untouchable. Don't ask about the few goddesses related to him; other primordial deities are easier to talk about."

Wu Wang's heart raised an eyebrow.

The Sleep God referred to 'the Heavenly Emperor' rather than 'His Majesty'.

Was this fellow doing it on purpose, or did he inadvertently reveal his true feelings?