"Lord Demon Ancestor... surely he wouldn't see the situation is unfavorable and plan to abandon us, escaping alone, or even... using us as pawns to stall for time?"
The emergence of this thought made many Demon Race Powerful Experts shudder.
It was true that the Demon Ancestor was the creator of the Demon Race, but they did not want to become cannonball fodder to fill an abyss where no hope of victory could be seen.
While the minds of the demons were in turmoil, only the Nine Lives Emperor Lord was the first to react, quickly leading the cry.
"We respectfully obey the Demon Ancestor's decree!"
"We are willing to go into hibernation with the Demon Ancestor and await the timing of Heaven!"
The other Demon Race Powerful Experts followed suit, their voices finally gaining a bit more strength than before, though they still sounded apprehensive.
The Demon Ancestor paid them no mind. In fact, what these Demon Race Powerful Experts were thinking was not wrong; he indeed planned to abandon the Demon Race. Even if the Heavenly Emperor wanted to directly exterminate the Demon Race, he would absolutely not rashly take action.
However, it wouldn't be that simple for him to completely give up on the Immortal Realm.
In the vastness of Chaos, could it be that no one could be found to deal with this Han Xuanji?
The Demon Ancestor pondered for a moment before his figure dissipated within the great hall.
That invisible pressure suddenly vanished, and many Demon Race Powerful Experts breathed a sigh of relief, looking at each other in dismay, yet none dared to say much.
Among the crowd of demons, the Four Heavenly Demons' eyes flickered as they secretly contemplated.
He didn't want to stay in this Demon Race for even one more day.
"They say Xuantian Dao Venerable teaches all without discrimination... I wonder if I could join too."
A thought popped into the Four Heavenly Demons' mind...
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Deep within Chaos, lightless and boundless, only the tides of disorder surged.
The Demon Ancestor was naturally not running away, but continuing to look for a solution.
Following a "Dao-marker" in the dark that only an ancient Chaos Demon God could perceive, he fled toward a peculiar place within Chaos.
After traversing an unknown distance and crossing countless worlds, a speck of brilliance suddenly lit up in the void ahead.
At first glance, that light seemed weak, but upon closer inspection, it contained infinite layers, as if endless worlds were being born and destroyed within it, with billions of Laws interwoven like silk threads into a web covering the heavens—this place was precisely the "Wujian Market," an extremely secretive stronghold of the supreme power in Chaos, the Myriad Realms Merchant Alliance, known only to the oldest group of people in Chaos.
The Demon Ancestor transformed into a figure draped in a black robe and stepped into the brilliance.
The scene before his eyes changed abruptly.
There were no pavilions or towers, no bustling streets; there were only countless floating spots of light flowing through the void.
Every spot of light was a projection of a world, the dao-rhythm of a supreme treasure, or a contract of Karma.
Here, matter, time, Karma, and even the Laws of the Great Dao could all be appraised and traded.
A peaceful yet ancient-piercing voice came from deep within:
"The Demon Ancestor's personal visit is rare.
This time, are you here to pawn the fate of another Realm, or..."
The owner of the voice did not appear, but the omnipresent spots of light shifted slightly, converging into a hazy phantom.
Its appearance was unfixed, sometimes like a wealthy merchant, sometimes like a wise elder, and sometimes like a cold deity. The only constant was that pair of eyes that seemed able to discern the value of all things—the leader of the Myriad Realms Merchant Alliance, one of the Primordial Chaos Demon Gods who governed 'Trade' and 'Balance', Juntian Merchant Venerable.
The Demon Ancestor's black robe stirred as he spoke in a low voice:
"This Ancestor is not here to pawn anything, nor to buy Karma.
Rather, I am here to... deliver a business deal, a major deal that would tempt you, me, and even all those with the ambition to transcend."
"Oh?"
Juntian Merchant Venerable's phantom rippled slightly, and the surrounding spots of light flickered faster, as if rapidly deducing and calculating.
"There aren't many things in this Chaos that the Demon Ancestor would call a 'major deal.' Could it be related to that newly risen 'Xuantian Dao Venerable' in the Immortal Realm?"
"Your Excellency is indeed well-informed."
The Demon Ancestor took a step forward, his Devilish Qi slightly restrained, showing a rare solemnity.
"You've coveted the fat meat of the Immortal Realm for a long time, haven't you? It's just that the legacy of the Immortal Ancestor and the Dao Ancestor hasn't dissipated, so you didn't dare to take a bite.
Now, a variable has arisen, and the balance is about to break.
This Ancestor is willing to join forces with you to completely... swallow the Immortal Realm."
Upon hearing this, the tiny spots of light around them suddenly froze, showing the lack of calm in Juntian Merchant Venerable's heart.
To swallow a Limitless World, the price was not small, and the variables were even greater. And the Immortal Realm was an extraordinary Limitless World.
Even the Powerful Experts of the Immortal Realm likely hadn't realized how different this world was.
Only an existence at his Realm would know that there was definitely something strange about the Immortal Realm. The birth of multiple Limitless existences, and even a Transcendence-level existence, was far too contrary to common sense.
In terms of world potential alone, the Immortal Realm, from many perspectives, only belonged to the upper-middle level of Limitless Worlds.
"Demon Ancestor, although you have a plan, that Xuantian Dao Venerable is somewhat strange with a mysterious Origin, and many Limitless Primordial are watching. In my view, the risk of this business is higher than the reward."
Juntian Merchant Venerable said indifferently; he was not as foolish as the Lord of Greed. In Chaos, there were too many secrets, and the Immortal Realm was not a simple piece of fat meat.
"If it were just the Immortal Realm itself, it would naturally be worth deliberating."
A blood-red light flashed in the Demon Ancestor's eyes, and his voice dropped even lower, carrying a seductive magic,
"But what if this Ancestor tells you... that hidden within the Immortal Realm is the secret of how to transcend the Limitless Primordial?"
Hearing these words from the Demon Ancestor, the space of the entire Wujian Market seemed to tremble. All spots of light instantly solidified, and an indescribable, majestic will descended from the infinite heights, locking onto the Demon Ancestor.
That phantom quickly solidified, transforming into a middle-aged man dressed in patterns of stars and ornaments of gold and jade. This was the manifestation of Juntian Merchant Venerable's true form.
His gaze was like substance, piercing through the void:
"Are these words... true?"
"The Dao Ancestor inherited the legacy of the Immortal Ancestor, opened the Immortal Dao, and transcended with the trend... Do you really think it would be that simple?"
Seeing the other party take the bait, a smile flashed in the Demon Ancestor's eyes.
"Oh?"
Juntian Merchant Venerable's heart stirred, signaling the Demon Ancestor not to keep him in suspense.
The Demon Ancestor naturally knew that if he really wanted to pull the other party onto his side, he had to show sincerity:
"If that boy Haotian didn't know the secret left by the Dao Ancestor, do you think he would rather give up his position as the Lord of Heaven and Earth just to pursue his own Dao?"
"The Dao Ancestor was no ordinary person; he was the chosen one of Chaos, the savior selected by Chaos. However, this savior saw the scenery outside and has already escaped, while the current Chaos is heading toward a dead end."
Juntian Merchant Venerable stared at the Demon Ancestor, knowing the other party wasn't lying.
"Outside of Chaos is the Hongmeng Sea. Only by reaching the other shore can one be considered to have transcended; otherwise, one still cannot escape the final Awakening of Chaos."
The Demon Ancestor said slowly...