Chapter 472 – Great Mercy Hand
Nezha was defeated, and the Jade Emperor wasn't the least bit surprised. After all, the gap in strength between him and Ye Tian was simply too vast—how could Nezha possibly be a match for him?
At that moment, the Jade Emperor said to him, "Nezha, step down and get some rest. I know you've already done your best."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Now that Nezha had stepped back, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of confusion. The Jade Emperor hadn't punished him?
It seemed like the Jade Emperor's temper had mellowed significantly. Nezha had expected punishment upon his return, but just as Ye Tian had predicted, he wasn't reprimanded at all.
"Court dismissed!"
The Jade Emperor then departed alongside the Queen Mother of the West. She glanced at him and asked, "Is something troubling you? You look deeply worried."
"I'm thinking… if Ye Tian ends up taking first place in the Golden List Livestream this time, then Heaven's standing will become even more precarious."
"Well, isn't that simple? If you don't want him to take first place, then figure out a way to deal with him!"
"You're right. I'll figure something out!"
With that, the Jade Emperor began to devise a plan to disrupt Ye Tian—he needed to make Ye Tian stop meditating and comprehending the Dao. That was the only way to prevent him from topping the Meditation and Enlightenment Ranking List.
Nezha was clearly no match for Ye Tian, so the only option left was to go himself.
Even if he couldn't defeat Ye Tian, at the very least, he could stall him and waste his time!
Soon after, the Jade Emperor arrived at the abode of the Grand Supreme Elder Lord (Laozi), who was busy refining pills. Seeing the Jade Emperor's sudden arrival, he was visibly surprised and asked, "Your Majesty, what brings you here?"
"I'm here to ask if you have a certain kind of pill—one that can greatly boost one's cultivation in a short time. Do you have anything like that?"
"I do, but taking this pill will cause considerable harm to the body. It's meant to be used only in dire situations to preserve one's life."
"Oh? You really have one? In that case, give me one!"
Clearly, the Jade Emperor intended to use the pill against Ye Tian. Aware that he wasn't as powerful, he planned to ingest it and confront Ye Tian with boosted strength.
"You intend to take it yourself, Your Majesty?"
"That's right!"
"But… it will damage your body. Are you absolutely sure about this?"
"Why are you so long-winded? If you won't give it to me, then I'll strip you of your immortal status, and you can live out your days as a mere mortal."
"Please don't, Your Majesty! If you insist, I'll hand it over right away."
At that, Laozi had no choice but to comply. He quickly located the pill and handed it to the Jade Emperor. "Here, Your Majesty. Just be aware—this pill should only be taken as a last resort. While it will grant you a short burst of immense power, it will also leave you bedridden for a month to recover fully."
"No problem. It's just one month. If I can stop Ye Tian, then even three months would be worth it!"
With that, the Jade Emperor departed. Hearing Ye Tian's name during their exchange, Laozi sighed. "Sigh… Ye Tian again. That Ye Tian is just too powerful. Even the Jade Emperor has to rely on pills to fight him."
While Ye Tian was cultivating, he suddenly sensed a powerful aura approaching. Startled, he wondered who dared to come stir up trouble now?
Only when the energy drew close did he recognize it as emanating from the Jade Emperor himself.
"Ye Tian, I've come to see you."
"Jade Emperor, what a surprise. I assume you didn't come here just to chat. If I'm not mistaken, you must be here to make trouble—trying to stop me from comprehending the Dao, aren't you?"
"That's right. If I let you continue, you'll end up taking first place in the Golden List Livestream again. So I'm here to stop you. Don't blame me—blame yourself. You've consistently placed high on every Golden List so far."
"Jade Emperor, I'm not blaming you. I just think what you're doing is incredibly foolish. Even if you disrupt me, it won't benefit you in any way. All you're doing is giving the advantage to Tathāgata Buddha. Isn't that right?"
"You're not wrong—it may seem like I gain nothing from this. But in fact, I do. I get to vent my frustration. Last time, when you and Sun Wukong stirred up chaos in the Heavenly Palace, I lost all face. This time, I've come here for one reason only—to stop you. Nothing else. Just to let off some steam. Now do you understand why I'm here?"
"Just to vent?"
"That's right!"
"Hmph. If it were anyone else, I'd find this baffling. But coming from you, I'm not surprised at all. I've always thought of you as petty. As the saying goes, 'A great mind is broad enough to tolerate the intolerable,' but you? You're not magnanimous—you're narrow-minded and vindictive."
"You—Ye Tian! How dare you speak to me like that! Outrageous!"
Ye Tian simply smiled and said, "You say I'm outrageous, but I only spoke the truth. If you find me so unbearable, then go ahead and attack. I assume you've come fully prepared, haven't you?"
"You're sharp, Ye Tian. You're absolutely right—I'm ready. Today, I'll show you my true power!"
In the past, he'd suffered quite a few setbacks at Ye Tian's hands. But today, he finally had an opening. He couldn't allow Ye Tian to gain the upper hand again.
"Thunder Palm Technique!"
The Jade Emperor lunged forward, his body crackling with thunderous energy. His power was immense. Seeing this, Ye Tian raised his hand and responded, "Great Mercy Hand!"
Boom!
Ye Tian's hand rapidly enlarged, colliding with the Thunder Palm in a violent clash. A thunderous shockwave erupted as both their bodies were forced backward by the impact!
"Hm?"
Ye Tian narrowed his eyes at the Jade Emperor, noting that his strength had clearly improved significantly since their last encounter.