Jieyin and Zhunti summoned their Disciples—Dashizhi, Medicine Master, Maitreya... These Disciples had been meticulously trained by them, making it incredibly simple to guide the people of the Seven Treasures Kingdom into Buddhism.
However, with the Great Overarching Emperor Lord of Canglan's words in mind, Zhunti was not accepting just anyone; all those who bore the taint of evil deeds were eliminated.
During the period of presiding over the temples, those who had committed evil deeds would be led by Zhunti's Disciples to make restitution.
In this way, the temples within the Seven Treasures Kingdom opened quickly and closed just as abruptly, but all of this was for a better future for Buddhism... As various immortals and gods successively made Breakthroughs to the World God or Hun Yuan Golden Immortal Realms, undercurrents began to surge throughout the entire Primordial Great Land.
Under many years of recuperation and growth, the number of living beings had exploded, and various great races were constantly rising.
Many city lords had seized the power they desired, and each family had accumulated a significant foundation.
In the east of the Primordial Great Land, Great Sun City.
Donghuang Taiyi returned from scouting for information. Now that the situation in the Primordial Great Land was tense, the movements of all parties needed to be monitored, especially those of the largest factions.
"Brother, Kunpeng is already making moves. The atmosphere in Cold Abyss City is currently very grim."
In the center of Great Sun City, within a palace suspended in the air and radiating brilliant divine light, there was another white-haired immortal dressed in white robes besides Dijun.
This was Bai Ze, an Innate Deity whom Dijun had secretly recruited after coming to Great Sun City from the Canglan Origin World.
"Mm, everyone is unable to hold back anymore. The existing benefits have all been digested, and with the temptation of the Method of the Fortune Dynasty, taking action is inevitable."
Dijun nodded upon hearing this. They had long been prepared for this; one could even say that the purpose of building their city was to wait for this day to arrive.
"There's no need to worry about them for now. The priority is to first enhance our own strength and quickly get the snowball rolling."
"We will follow the original plan and first bring all the nearby great races under our banner."
Dijun took out a map covered in many marks, where the racial forces near Great Sun City were clearly labeled.
Ji Meng, Ying Zhao, Fei Lian, Jiu Ying, Shang Yang, Qin Yuan, Ci Tie, Gui Che, Fei Dan.
These nine immortals were the core team Bai Ze had selected for Dijun.
Among them were Innate Deities and primordial exotic species; in short, each possessed extraordinary strength at the Great Overarching Emperor Lord Realm.
"Given the current situation, everyone will eventually step onto the path of hegemony. In that case, we might as well be the ones to strike the first blow."
Bai Ze gently waved the folding fan in his hand. As soon as Dijun took out the map, he knew that this Yao Emperor could no longer wait to act, and as the military strategist, he would naturally provide a suitable reason.
Dijun looked at Bai Ze with appreciation; he was very satisfied with this strategist.
Dijun still remembered that when he went to invite Bai Ze to join him, he didn't have to waste much breath; he simply stated his intentions.
The other party didn't hesitate much at all, only closing his eyes in contemplation for a moment before agreeing to his recruitment.
Being recognized by Bai Ze, who was hailed as knowing all things and possessing wisdom that reached the heavens, Dijun felt renewed confidence in his quest for hegemony.
Over these years, under Xihe's persuasion, Dijun had also been asking himself if establishing the Yao Race was truly right.
Later, after several conversations with Bai Ze, his conviction gradually became firm.
"The strategist is right. Taiyi, you shall visit these nine one by one and make sure to bring them into our fold."
Dijun circled the nine immortals, including Ji Meng, with his finger.
"Rest assured, Brother. Subduing a few Great Overarching Emperor Lords is a simple matter. Even if I encounter other World Gods, I am confident I can defeat them."
Donghuang Taiyi was extremely confident. With his combat power, he had few rivals within the World God Realm. With the donghuang bell, he was confident he could remain invincible against anyone.
Dijun was most aware of Donghuang Taiyi's strength; his confidence stemmed from being sufficiently powerful.
"I will lead the immortals in Great Sun City to subdue the nearby forces."
"Bai Ze, you will stay in Great Sun City to prevent sneak attacks from other forces. At the same time, issue a proclamation announcing the establishment of the Demon Court. From this day forward, Great Sun City will be renamed Sun God City and serve as the imperial capital of the Demon Court."
At this moment, Dijun's eyes held unmasked ambition, and his entire body radiated a domineering Aura that declared himself supreme.
Bai Ze bowed and accepted the command.
The actions of Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi sent shockwaves through the Primordial Great Land in an instant; their movements were not hidden in the slightest.
With two World Gods personally taking action, those forces without corresponding strength were naturally taken down with ease.
The newly joined immortals and Bai Ze were titled Yao Saints by Dijun, while he became the Yao Emperor, Donghuang Taiyi became the Donghuang of the Yao Race, and Xihe became the Xi Emperor of the Demon Court.
As the proclamation written by Bai Ze was sent to various forces, the establishment of the Demon Court became a settled fact, its prestige unparalleled for a time.
Having chosen to act, Dijun would not stop. Just as the proclamation reached the hands of various forces, the Yao army was already marching toward them.
The Primordial Great Land instantly fell into chaos.
In the Canglan Origin World, Xihe stood in the starry sky, gazing toward the Primordial Great Land for a long time, unable to pull her thoughts away.
Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi had ultimately ignored her advice and taken that step after all.
Xihe vaguely knew that the reason Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi were so persistent about establishing the Yao Race was related to the Great Dao they cultivated.
She had been unable to stop them before the Yao Race and Demon Court were established; now that the momentum was set, it was even more impossible for her to stop them.
If she tried to stop them by force, it would only cause their relationship to fracture. Xihe felt that the only thing she could do was work hard to improve her own strength and provide them with whatever help she could.
At the same time, Dijun felt something and turned his deep eyes toward the Canglan Origin World. He knew that Xihe must know what they had done by now.
"Xihe, I hope you don't blame me. For our path of the Dao, for us to have a better future, all of this is unavoidable."
Xihe's words were correct, and Dijun also knew the dangers of this path, but to Attain the Dao as a Creator God, one needed massive Karma to exchange for the methods of attaining the Dao.
This point alone was enough to baffle countless immortals.
Furthermore, to cultivate rapidly in the World God Realm, Luck, fortune, and Karma were all indispensable.
Establishing the Yao Race would undoubtedly gain them great Luck and Karma. The world today was also very different from the time of the Three Races, and Dijun believed he could forge a path different from theirs.
At the same time, Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi, who cultivated the Law of the Imperial Dao, naturally had no resistance to establishing an Imperial Dynasty.
If they could unify the Primordial Great Land, they might be able to Attain the Dao as Creator Gods by relying on the Law of the Imperial Dao; this was also Dijun's backup plan.
A single move affects the whole body. The establishment of the Demon Court successfully provoked the Witch Race. In their eyes, Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi were inciting war, and as the protectors of the Primordial Great Land, the Witch Race had an obligation to stop them.
"Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi are openly inciting war in the Primordial Great Land. This is something our Witch Race cannot ignore."
"Any being that dares to call itself part of the Yao Race shall be sanctioned."
A command jointly issued by the Ancestral Witches emerged from Pangu Hall, and the various tribes and subordinate Imperial Dynasties of the Witch Race all began to move.
This giant beast that had been lying low for so long was finally going to show its fangs.
During these years when the Witch Race kept a low profile, no one knew exactly how much power they possessed.
At the same time, in the North Sea, Kunpeng of Cold Abyss City also raised the slogan: 'Eliminate the source of chaos in the Primordial Great Land, return peace to the Primordial Great Land.'
As the Witch Race and the North Sea began to publicly target the Yao Race, overnight, countless immortals in the Primordial Great Land responded to the call.
Among them were those with great ambition, as well as immortals who truly wanted to contribute their strength to the peace of the Primordial Great Land.
Dijun truly hadn't expected that someone would raise the banner of righteousness and unite all the other immortals to jointly crusade against them.
In an instant, the Demon Court became the target of public criticism. Upon receiving this news, a large number of beings in the Ci Ties under the Demon Court's rule chose to leave.
In Sun God City, within the palace where the plaque for the Solar Divine Hall had just been hung, Dijun's expression was very ugly; the situation was very unfavorable for them.
Especially the Witch Race's pronouncement—the Ancestral Witch Houtu had become a Disciple of Dao Ancestor Zi Wei, a fact known to almost everyone in the Primordial Great Land.
The Witch Race's appeal to the immortals of the Primordial Great Land after their pronouncement exceeded everyone's imagination.
Dijun's gaze swept over the gathered immortals below, and he said in a serious tone: "The declarations of the Witch Race and the North Sea have put us in a very passive position. Many beings in the areas ruled by the Demon Court already want to leave the Yao Race. If any of you have a solution, please speak up."
The Yao Saints looked at each other, and everyone remained silent. They had never faced such a situation and had no idea how to resolve it.
Especially since some of these immortals had only chosen to submit to the Demon Court under the Divine Might of Donghuang Taiyi.
They had no real loyalty to the Demon Court themselves; some even wished for the Demon Court to disband quickly.
Faced with this situation, Dijun's gaze rested on Bai Ze.
As the strategist of the Yao Race, Dijun hoped he would have a way to break the current deadlock.
Sensing Dijun's gaze, Bai Ze knew it was time for him to speak. The Demon Court had just been established; they couldn't let the people's hearts scatter.
However, this matter was indeed very thorny. Even with Bai Ze's extraordinary wisdom, he couldn't think of a perfect solution.
After all, their enemies surpassed the current Demon Court in both reputation and strength.
"Yao Emperor, Donghuang, fellow colleagues, the Primordial Great Land is a place where the strong prey on the weak. True righteousness has always been one's own strength."
"Aside from the Witch Race, the other forces are not worth fearing in my eyes."
"Since we cannot claim the moral high ground now, we must make our enemies fear us."
Dijun leaned forward slightly upon hearing this; he was very interested in Bai Ze's plan.
In truth, the pressure in his heart was also great. One had to know that the number of Hun Yuan Golden Immortals and World Gods they had to face this time combined to more than ten.
Even the always confident Donghuang Taiyi wouldn't dare say he could face so many enemies at once.
"If the strategist has a plan, please feel free to speak."
Bai Ze snapped his folding fan shut and said with a serious face.
"We must do three things now. First, issue a proclamation to appease the beings under our rule and avoid a massive loss of population and power."
"Second, kill a chicken to warn the monkeys at the fastest possible speed to weaken the enemy's effective strength."
"Third, fully consolidate our forces and avoid the brunt of the Witch Race."
Bai Ze was full of confidence when he spoke the first two points, but his Aura weakened immediately when he mentioned the Witch Race.
The others were basically in the same situation. If the Witch Race weren't involved, they wouldn't flinch even if the enemy held the banner of righteousness.
Unfortunately, the Witch Race had not only gotten involved but was also the first to denounce them.
Not to mention Houtu's status as a Disciple of a Creator God, just the twelve Hun Yuan Golden Immortal-level Ancestral Witches of the Witch Race were enough to give anyone a headache.
There was currently no force in the entire Primordial Great Land that could contend with them.
After Bai Ze finished speaking, Dijun closed his eyes in contemplation for a moment, knowing this was the best way for now.
The Witch Race was powerful; their only option was to avoid their edge.
A moment later, Dijun made up his mind and looked at Bai Ze, asking: "In the strategist's opinion, who is best for the Demon Court to make an example of?"
Bai Ze had already planned for this, so he spoke unhurriedly.
"The North Sea, Kunpeng."
"Currently, aside from the Witch Race, the strongest forces are Ancestor Ming He, King Pan, and Old Ancestor Kunpeng."
"The one who is jumping around most joyfully now, while also having enough weight and being able to bring an increase in strength to the Demon Court, the only choice is to strike at Old Ancestor Kunpeng."
Dijun immediately stood up upon hearing this and said: "Good, there's no time to lose. Go down and prepare. Let that fellow Kunpeng see the price of offending us."
The ten great Yao Saints bowed and accepted the command, but Bai Ze did not leave with the others.
Seeing this, Donghuang Taiyi also stopped and did not leave immediately.
Only when the three of them were left in the palace did Bai Ze bow and speak.
"Yao Emperor, we must prepare for the worst-case scenario, which is that the Ancestral Witches will strike at us directly. Therefore, my suggestion is to leave and stay far away from the Witch Race, taking the beings loyal to the Yao Race with us."
"The situation hasn't reached such a serious point yet, has it?"
Dijun was very hesitant. He understood Bai Ze's meaning, which was to give up everything they had now and be prepared to run at any time.
Bai Ze shook his head and said with a serious expression: "If we really take down Kunpeng, the Ancestral Witches will certainly not sit idly by."
"This is equivalent to us slapping the Witch Race in the face. If it were me, I wouldn't be able to endure it either."
Donghuang Taiyi, who rarely spoke, said with a serious expression.
"Brother, I have an idea. We can open up a Yao Realm and place the beings loyal to the Yao Race inside to nurture them. This way, we can continuously cultivate beings loyal to the Demon Court."
"At the same time, we will develop in secret for a period. Once we have accumulated enough strength to face the Witch Race, we will continue this unfinished quest for hegemony."
Donghuang Taiyi was confident, but not arrogant.
For the two of them to go against the Twelve Ancestral Witches was no different from an egg hitting a rock.
Donghuang Taiyi had always admired Great Emperor Ziwei. Just now, he had been thinking about how Great Emperor Ziwei would resolve the current situation given his way of doing things.
Thinking of Great Emperor Ziwei, the words 'Divine Dao,' 'World,' and 'Formation' immediately surfaced in Donghuang Taiyi's mind.
If there was any means to win with fewer against many, or the weak against the strong, it was only a Formation.
Bai Ze understood Donghuang Taiyi's thoughts after a moment's reflection.
"Does the Donghuang mean to open a Yao Realm to accumulate strength while also researching powerful Formations to counter the Witch Race?"
Donghuang Taiyi showed a look of appreciation and nodded to Bai Ze with a smile.
"Exactly."
He was indeed the strategist of the Yao Race; even if he hadn't finished speaking, the other party could easily guess his thoughts.
The Demon Court acted quickly; Dijun eventually adopted the suggestions of Donghuang Taiyi and Bai Ze.
In a short time, they took away everyone loyal to the Yao Race and the Demon Court, then headed straight for the North Sea.
Meanwhile, Kunpeng was annexing disobedient cities under the guise of clearing out demon threats.
As the only existence in this region to Attain the Dao as a World God, almost no one could resist Kunpeng's invasion.
Only then did many people see the true face of Kunpeng Old Ancestor.
Thus, the northern land of the Primordial World became a chaotic mess—some united against Kunpeng, some were still deceived and spoke for him, and some remained neutral, wanting no part in it.
Seeing things progress so smoothly, the smile never left Kunpeng Old Ancestor's face.
Until...
*Dong~*
When a bell chime that suppressed endless time and space rang out from a wasteland, Kunpeng was ambushed by Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi on his way back to Hanyuan City after taking another city.
One must know that due to the existence of Great Emperor Ziwei and the Canglan Origin World, any power in the Primordial World with some resources would definitely set up a Formation in their cities.
And Kunpeng happened to be one of the wealthiest individuals in the Primordial World; once the Formation of Hanyuan City was activated, even a World God would find it difficult to break through in a short time.
Kunpeng had paid a great price for that Hanyuan City Formation.
Since Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi knew Hanyuan City was guarded by a Formation, even if the two of them attacked together, they might be held off for a while; if other World Gods came to support by then, their plan would fail.
"I thought it would take some effort to lure you out, but I didn't expect that while you, Kunpeng, claim to be crusading against the Yao Race, you are actually engaged in highway robbery.
Coming out of Hanyuan City yourself has saved us a lot of trouble."
Kunpeng Old Ancestor's expression turned very ugly as he looked at the sealed heaven and earth; the opponents were clearly prepared, and with two World Gods attacking together, he had no chance of winning.
As the battle began, time and space shifted, and both sides appeared within the Chaos Battlefield.
The Ten Great Demon Sages led the Yao Race army to charge at Kunpeng Old Ancestor's subordinates first.
Having occupied the North Sea for so many years, Kunpeng Old Ancestor's foundation was naturally not weak; along with the city lords he had recently subdued, a total of seven Grand Unity Golden Immortals were entangled with the Ten Great Demon Sages.
However, although the Demon Court claimed to have Ten Great Demon Sages, the Grand Unity Golden Immortals of the Demon Court were not limited to these ten; these ten were simply the strongest among them.
Not long after the battle began, Kunpeng Old Ancestor's subordinates fell into a disadvantage.
Seeing his painstakingly cultivated subordinates die one by one, it would be a lie to say Kunpeng Old Ancestor didn't feel heartache.
But he could barely protect himself now and was unable to provide rescue, so he could only force himself to remain calm.
"Hmph, the Yao Race wantonly destroys the peace of the Primordial World, so everyone has the right to punish them. This Old Ancestor advises you to flee for your lives quickly, otherwise, when the Ancestral Witches arrive, you won't be able to leave even if you want to."
Kunpeng gave a sinister smile and crushed several treasures in his hand, among which were items containing the aura of the Ancestral Witches and Ancestor Ming He.
Seeing Kunpeng Old Ancestor crush the message-transmitting Magic Treasures, Donghuang Taiyi showed disdain and lightly struck the donghuang bell twice.
"I don't know if the Ancestral Witches are coming, but I know you certainly won't be leaving today."
Instantly, the donghuang bell radiated boundless Divine Might, and the surrounding time and space became incredibly stable.
*Buzz buzz buzz~*
Several streaks of spiritual light trying to escape into the Void Realm were blocked back; they could not break through the time and space here at all, and wanting to send a message outside was merely a pipe dream.
Kunpeng Old Ancestor's expression became solemn; the opponent held an innate supreme treasure, so forget about stopping his message-transmitting treasures, even suppressing earth, water, fire, and wind was easy for them, meaning these treasures indeed had no effect.
Clearly, the opponent had long been prepared for this move.
Although the message-transmitting Magic Treasures were useless, they bought him some time.
Several High Grade Acquired Spirit Treasure North Sea Mysterious Fiend Flags flew in all directions and finally merged into the Void Realm.
Over the years, Kunpeng Old Ancestor had also prepared many trump cards for himself, and the North Sea Mysterious Fiend Spirit-Locking Formation was one of them.
Simultaneously, a supreme-grade Acquired Spirit Treasure, the xuan shui bottle, appeared above Kunpeng Old Ancestor's head, along with a supreme-grade Acquired Spirit Treasure, the beiming palace.
Kunpeng Old Ancestor was also very helpless; he had traveled the Primordial World several times to find treasures, but unfortunately, he had returned empty-handed every time.
Fortunately, after establishing Hanyuan City, he had accumulated a lot of wealth over the years, so he simply refined a few Acquired Spirit Treasures, which gave him some self-preservation power.
However, those dealing with Kunpeng Old Ancestor this time were Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi from the Sun Star.
Their level of wealth was among the top in the Primordial World; with a supreme-grade innate spirit treasure, the river chart and luo scroll, and an innate supreme treasure, the donghuang bell, countless people secretly envied them.
If Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi's cultivation progress hadn't always been so fast, someone would have acted against them long ago.
Additionally, the Sun Star had given birth to another Innate Deity, so there were even fewer immortals and gods capable of taking action.
The Acquired Spirit Treasures in Kunpeng Old Ancestor's hands were clearly incomparable to the treasures in the hands of Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi, but to stay alive, he would fight with all his might.
Dijun held the river chart and luo scroll, and a set of Shan He Great Formation was formed even earlier than the North Sea Mysterious Fiend Spirit-Locking Formation set up by Kunpeng Old Ancestor.
This Shan He Great Formation was something Dijun had traded for from other immortals and gods; its level of profoundness was average, but the concept of the Formation was good.
Unfortunately, no matter how high the concept, it was futile if the Realm and strength of the immortal who created the Formation were insufficient.
After obtaining this Formation, Dijun upgraded and modified it several times by comprehending the river chart and luo scroll, and its power was now not to be underestimated.
The moment the Shan He Great Formation took shape, several divine mountains descended from the sky, pressing down toward Kunpeng Old Ancestor.
Seeing this, Kunpeng Old Ancestor remained unmoved; endless cold Qi surged out from the xuan shui bottle above his head, and ice-blue North Sea Mysterious Water shot into the sky, as if it wanted to freeze everything.
The divine mountains and the North Sea Mysterious Water were deadlocked for a moment, but the divine mountains, clearly bolstered by the Shan He Great Formation, were more powerful.
The North Sea Mysterious Water scattered and froze the divine mountains, but it did not affect their descent to suppress Kunpeng Old Ancestor at all.
Fortunately, the North Sea Mysterious Fiend Spirit-Locking Formation took shape in time; under the Formation's coverage, everything was frozen, and countless Mysterious Fiend Ice Spikes rose from the ground.
Relying on their weight and suppressing power, the divine mountains continuously crushed the Mysterious Fiend Ice Spikes; however, these ice spikes were no pushovers, as anything frozen by them would have its spiritual energy severed.
After being frozen, the divine mountains were also cut off from their connection to the Shan He Great Formation.
Seeing that the area below had become a world of ice, Donghuang Taiyi struck out with a palm; suddenly, a palm condensed from the True Fire of the Sun was formed, releasing infinite heat in an attempt to obliterate the Mysterious Fiend Ice Spikes below.
Although these Mysterious Fiend Ice Spikes were extraordinary, they certainly hadn't reached a level where they could contend with the True Fire of the Sun.
Thus, the beiming palace radiated a brilliant divine glow, forming a protective shield that blocked the palm made of the True Fire of the Sun.
Kunpeng Old Ancestor had Attained the Dao as a World God later than Donghuang Taiyi, so his combat power was completely incomparable.
Although he successfully blocked the palm condensed from the True Fire of the Sun, many sparks of the True Fire of the Sun still fell, melting large areas of the Mysterious Fiend Ice Spikes.
The moment the North Sea Mysterious Fiend Spirit-Locking Formation took shape, it created a mysterious connection with the xuan shui bottle.
Endless North Sea Mysterious Water gushed out and bolstered the North Sea Mysterious Fiend Spirit-Locking Formation, instantly making the Formation's power a bit stronger.
As the powers of the North Sea Mysterious Fiend Spirit-Locking Formation and the xuan shui bottle continued to intertwine, the power of both sides climbed steadily.
Kunpeng Old Ancestor took the opportunity to obliterate all the True Fire of the Sun; as the North Sea Mysterious Fiend Spirit-Locking Formation operated, the area below once again became a world of Mysterious Fiend Ice Spikes.
The donghuang bell completely sealed off this heaven and earth, making it impossible for the North Sea Mysterious Fiend Spirit-Locking Formation to leverage the geographical advantages of the North Sea region.
But Kunpeng Old Ancestor was prepared; while practicing the North Sea Mysterious Fiend Spirit-Locking Formation, he had noticed some of its deficiencies, so he had spent a great price to refine the xuan shui bottle.
The two complemented each other, and the power they could exert far exceeded using them individually.
Seeing this, Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi naturally wouldn't sit idly by; their offensive suddenly became incredibly fierce.
The longer it dragged on, the more disadvantageous it would be for them; if the Ancestral Witches really came to rescue Kunpeng Old Ancestor, all their preparations would go to waste.
Donghuang Taiyi repeated his old trick, reaching out and grasping the True Fire of the Sun in his hand, which condensed into something like a small sun.
With a gentle push, a Three-legged Golden Crow let out a cry from within the small sun and charged toward the Mysterious Fiend Ice domain below.
Kunpeng Old Ancestor was very helpless; the North Sea Mysterious Fiend Spirit-Locking Formation was currently entangled with the Shan He Great Formation, and if he let that small sun fall, the balance between the two sides would surely be broken instantly, so he could only once again drive the beiming palace to block the small sun.
Seeing this, the corners of Donghuang Taiyi's mouth curled up slightly; this was exactly the scene he was waiting for.
Infinite Divine Power poured into the donghuang bell; with a ring of the bell, an invisible wave immediately suppressed the beiming palace.
Following that, time and space seemed to freeze; Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi cooperated with great unspoken understanding.
Several divine mountains appeared to suppress various parts of the Void Realm; clearly, they intended to first destroy Kunpeng Old Ancestor's Formation.
Kunpeng Old Ancestor's expression changed drastically; with the beiming palace suppressed, he could only control the xuan shui bottle to spew out endless North Sea Mysterious Water to block that small sun.
At the same time, he controlled the North Sea Mysterious Fiend Flags to change positions, dodging the suppression of the divine mountains.
As Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi continued their assault, Kunpeng Old Ancestor quickly fell into a disadvantage.
He didn't know if anyone would come to support him, but to stall for time, Kunpeng Old Ancestor began to use any means necessary.
Endless Divine Power combined with Great Dao Laws to condense a Kun Peng Dharma Aspect; the Kun Peng Dharma Aspect opened its mouth, and an endless devouring force appeared.
The small sun, which was annihilating the endless North Sea Mysterious Water, was swallowed by the Kun Peng Dharma Aspect.
This Kun Peng Dharma Aspect contained Kunpeng Old Ancestor's Great Dao Laws, and its devouring force could even obliterate and swallow the True Fire of the Sun, though it would take a long time.
Seeing this, Dijun waved his hand, and countless rivers appeared out of thin air in the Void Realm; the Shan He Great Formation finally operated at full power, and the massive Kun Peng Dharma Aspect was bound by the rivers manifested by the Formation.
Then, Dijun reached out to grab the Kun Peng Dharma Aspect; this Dharma Image was indeed extraordinary, as it opened its mouth and performed a Devouring Heaven and Earth Divine Ability, causing all the rivers to vanish in an extremely short time.
However, the time stalled by the Shan He Great Formation was already enough.
A giant hand made of the True Fire of the Sun grasped the Kun Peng Dharma Aspect; the Dharma Image still wanted to struggle, but even Kunpeng Old Ancestor was no match for Dijun, let alone a mere Dharma Image, and in just a moment, it vanished under the True Fire of the Sun.
After the Kun Peng Dharma Aspect vanished, Dijun gave Kunpeng Old Ancestor no more chances; countless rivers filled this space.
Even though Kunpeng Old Ancestor continuously used great Divine Abilities to stop them, it was to no avail; all his Divine Abilities were annihilated by the donghuang bell.
The river chart and luo scroll radiated divine light; for a moment, Kunpeng Old Ancestor felt that the North Sea Mysterious Fiend Spirit-Locking Formation was being influenced.
Although these river waters were frozen as soon as they approached the North Sea Mysterious Fiend Spirit-Locking Formation, they seemed endless.
As the river waters continuously merged into the North Sea Mysterious Fiend Spirit-Locking Formation, Kunpeng Old Ancestor realized his feeling just now was not a delusion.
Dijun could actually indirectly influence the operation of the North Sea Mysterious Fiend Spirit-Locking Formation through those river waters.
Those river waters seemed to be assimilated by his Formation, but they were not of the same Origin after all; the Great Dao Laws contained within them were different, and those river waters were still controlled by Dijun.
The foundation of that Shan He Great Formation was clearly the supreme-grade innate spirit treasure river chart and luo scroll; before, when Dijun hadn't revealed the full power of the Formation, it wasn't apparent, but now that Dijun was going all out, Kunpeng Old Ancestor had no choice even if he saw it.
Once a supreme-grade innate spirit treasure began to exert its power, his North Sea Mysterious Fiend Spirit-Locking Formation was simply no match; the situation was going from bad to worse.
In an instant, Kunpeng Old Ancestor's heart became filled with a deep longing for Innate Spirit Treasures; if he also had an innate supreme treasure, he would definitely have the confidence to escape and wouldn't be like this—unable to win, unable to flee, only able to slowly wait for death.
After Dijun exerted his power, the Shan He Great Formation entangled the North Sea Mysterious Fiend Spirit-Locking Formation; Donghuang Taiyi acted again, and the xuan shui bottle was simply no match for the donghuang bell, being easily suppressed.
Having lost both his Formation and Spirit Treasures, Kunpeng Old Ancestor steeled his heart and prepared to self-detonate his Spirit Treasures to create an escape opportunity.
However, the Acquired Spirit Treasures suppressed by the donghuang bell showed no movement; only a few North Sea Mysterious Fiend Formation Flags successfully self-detonated.
But their power was tightly restricted by the Shan He Great Formation; forget about affecting the time and space sealed by the donghuang bell, even the Shan He Great Formation stabilized after a few tremors.
At the moment the North Sea Mysterious Fiend Formation Flags self-detonated, Kunpeng Old Ancestor seized the opportunity to transform into his true form and soared upward, intending to rely on his flight speed to escape; he was already prepared to take a direct hit from the donghuang bell.
Even if he had to risk damage to his Origin, he had to escape; Kunpeng Old Ancestor's desire for survival had always been very strong.
Normally, with this flight speed, he could have left this heaven and earth countless times in the blink of an eye.
But the Demon Court was well-prepared; after Kunpeng Old Ancestor's subordinates were suppressed, they had already quietly planted Formation Flags all around.
Now, with just a thought from Dijun, the Formation would activate.
Facing the Formation that suddenly appeared in front of him, Kunpeng Old Ancestor swung his sharp claws violently; the great power of a World God level instantly tore several cracks in the Formation.
However, this Formation had already delayed Kunpeng Old Ancestor for an instant, and Donghuang Taiyi and Dijun had already taken the opportunity to catch up.
The donghuang bell and the river chart and luo scroll loomed over him; having transformed into his true form, Kunpeng Old Ancestor began to fight for his life.
His form shifted from a Peng to a Kun; facing the attack of the donghuang bell, he ignored it and directly performed the Devouring Heaven and Earth Divine Ability on the river chart and luo scroll.
As a result, a massive divine mountain of unknown boundaries suddenly appeared, blocking the way between Kunpeng Old Ancestor and the river chart and luo scroll.
The Devouring Heaven and Earth Divine Ability had just swallowed the divine mountain, but there was no more time for him to seize the river chart and luo scroll.
The donghuang bell rang several times in succession; in the blink of an eye, Kunpeng Old Ancestor's body was covered in wounds, and he no longer had the strength to resist the suppression of the donghuang bell.
The Innate Spirit Treasures that Kunpeng Old Ancestor had longed for appeared before his eyes once again, but one suppressed him while the other trapped him within
After Old Ancestor Kunpeng was captured, the Demon Court quickly occupied all the resources of the North Sea, and then disappeared entirely.
The Wu Race arrived only to find the place empty, and the entire Great Desolation was shaken by this.
No one expected that the North Sea, which had been leading the condemnation of the Demon Court, would be destroyed overnight along with Old Ancestor Kunpeng.
In the City Lord's palace of Hanyuan City, the six Ancestral Witches led by Dijiang sat at the head, while below them, Ancestor Ming He, King Pan, and a group of immortals and gods sat behind.
At this time, Hanyuan City had long lost its former prosperity; more than half of the living beings in the city had disappeared, and those who remained didn't know much, only that the Demon Court had been there.
"Hmph, that Demon Court is looking down on us too much."
King Pan was somewhat fierce in appearance but weak within; he had not yet achieved a Breakthrough to the Hun Yuan Golden Immortal Realm. Since even a World God had vanished without a sound, he was inwardly afraid that the Yao Race would take action against him.
Ancestor Ming He glanced at him disdainfully and said nothing; he had come here just to see if he could gain some benefits.
If the Wu Race didn't want Hanyuan City, then Ancestor Ming He would gladly accept it.
Aside from the Wu Race, he was the strongest person present.
"The Demon Court is full of schemes; now all traces of them have vanished, and they've even abandoned the Sun God City."
"I advise you all to go back and properly guard against a Demon Court invasion; try not to go out alone to avoid being ambushed by them."
Dijiang scanned the immortals and gods below; in his eyes, these people were all restless characters whose secret maneuvers were no fewer than those of the Demon Court—it was just that the Demon Court had drawn all the attention away.
"This is a Pisces Spiritual Artifact I refined. Once you fall into a place of space-time blockade, this Spiritual Artifact will react, allowing the Wu Race to know where you are trapped."
"If you are afraid of being assassinated by the Demon Court, you can come and receive half of a Spiritual Artifact."
There was no information here, and it was a waste of time for the Ancestral Witches to stay any longer.
Zhurong intended to give out some Pisces Spiritual Artifacts to see if he could catch someone from the Demon Court through them.
Donghuang Taiyi had the donghuang bell to conceal the heavenly secrets; unless one's Realm and strength were much higher than his, it would be extremely difficult to calculate his whereabouts.
Furthermore, the Ancestral Witches had learned from the Wu Race Imperial Court that these immortals and gods were not peaceful characters either, so they might as well let them fight among themselves for now.
According to what their little sister said, their main energy should now be focused on the Divine Dao, striving to obtain a rank as soon as possible.
Since the Demon Court could hide, let them hide for a lifetime.
Hearing Zhurong's words, the group of immortals and gods looked at the Pisces Spiritual Artifact and hesitated; if they took that jade pendant, their movements would certainly be known to the Wu Race as well.
"Rest assured, everyone. If our Wu Race wanted to deal with you, none of you sitting here today would be able to leave."
Shebishi felt very annoyed seeing them hesitate, neither saying they wanted it nor saying they didn't.
The Aura of a Hun Yuan Golden Immortal flashed briefly from his body, and his tone was quite unfriendly.
The group of immortals and gods felt cold all over; that vast Aura pressed down on them so hard they couldn't move, but the Aura from Shebishi disappeared in an instant.
It took a long time for the immortals and gods to recover their senses. At this point, how could they dare to hesitate? They stepped forward one after another to respectfully receive half of a Pisces Spiritual Artifact and left their own Aura upon it.
Only Ancestor Ming He sat in his place without moving. After all the immortals and gods had received their Pisces Spiritual Artifacts, he showed a faint smile, cupped his hands to the Ancestral Witches, and said, "I have my own means of protection, so I won't trouble the Ancestral Witches."
Ancestor Ming He's prestige was known throughout the Great Desolation, and his wealth was also very famous within it.
Since Ancestor Ming He said he wasn't afraid of the Demon Court, the Wu Race wouldn't bother with him.
Seeing that the Ancestral Witches didn't care about Hanyuan City at all and left directly, a smile appeared on Ancestor Ming He's Face.
"Fellow Daoists, this Old Ancestor has some interest in Hanyuan City, so I won't keep you any longer."
As he spoke, the Aura belonging to a World God flashed briefly, and the two killing swords, Yuantu and Abi, appeared behind him at some unknown moment.
Having just experienced the pressure of Ancestral Witch Shebishi and now facing Ancestor Ming He, the immortals and gods, who only had the strength of Great Overarching Emperor Lords, dared not stay a moment longer.
The Ancestral Witches had a good reputation in the Great Desolation now, but Ancestor Ming He was different; he was decisive in killing, and his reputation had been built through a trail of slaughter.
After leaving Hanyuan City, a look of resentment appeared on King Pan's Face, but his strength was insufficient, and he lacked the capital to occupy Hanyuan City himself.
King Pan made up his mind to enter secluded Cultivation upon his return. Now that the Great Desolation showed signs of impending chaos, only by making a Breakthrough to become a World God would he have the power to protect himself.
Ancestor Ming He stood above the Void Realm, only withdrawing his gaze once he saw that all the immortals and gods had tactfully departed.
The reason he dared to occupy Hanyuan City was because of his Divine Ability, the Blood God Child.
With this Divine Ability, he could easily station a few Blood God Children in Hanyuan City and set up a grand array. This way, unless a World God or a Hun Yuan Golden Immortal personally intervened, it would be impossible for anyone in the Great Overarching Realm to breach the city.
Just as the group of immortals and gods thought the Demon Court would hide away and stay quiet for a while...
*Dong—*
The bell of the donghuang bell resounded through the universe, and King Pan, who was rushing toward his own city, was pulled into the Chaos Battlefield.
The Faces of the Ancestral Witches turned extremely ugly. Zhurong immediately took out all the Pisces Spiritual Artifacts of the immortals and gods, his gaze finally settling on the one emitting a red light.
"King Pan is under attack. This Demon Court is far too lawless."
Zhurong handed King Pan's half of the Pisces Spiritual Artifact to Dijiang, waiting for his decision.
"It seems we must deal with this Demon Court first."
The Demon Court's repeated attacks on the immortals and gods who condemned them made Dijiang feel he had lost a lot of Face, and he resolved to teach those two feathered birds a lesson.
Dijiang's Divine Power enveloped the five Ancestral Witches, and then his figure vanished from the spot, reappearing already within the Chaos Battlefield.
Relying on the Pisces Spiritual Artifact, Dijiang crossed space toward the place where King Pan's Aura had vanished.
King Pan's strength was only at the Great Overarching Emperor Lord Perfection; with such power, he was absolutely no match for Donghuang Taiyi and Dijun. Therefore, Dijiang erupted with all his might, striving to arrive before they could leave.
In the Pangu Hall, a divine light descended; it turned out to be a message from Jumang.
"Second Brother, has something happened on Big Brother's side?"
Having just heard the donghuang bell ring, and with Jumang's message arriving shortly after, Houtu felt uneasy and came immediately to ask.
"It's the Demon Court. After attacking Old Ancestor Kunpeng, they attacked King Pan. Big Brother has already taken them to pursue Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi."
"However, they can't catch those two feathered birds, so he wants you to take the reincarnation plate to King Pan City to have a look."
Candle of the Deep Darkness quickly explained to Houtu, then immediately called over the idle Gonggong, and the three Ancestral Witches vanished as streaks of light.
"It seems the Demon Court has deeply offended Big Brother and the others; they are already planning to use the reincarnation plate just to teach the Demon Court a lesson."
The reincarnation plate, this innate supreme treasure, had never appeared in the Great Desolation and was considered a hidden lethal weapon.
Furthermore, Dao Ancestor Zi Wei had told Houtu that this innate supreme treasure was closely related to her Attaining the Dao, so the Ancestral Witches had decided not to let Houtu use this innate supreme treasure unless absolutely necessary.
However, the Demon Court acted without any regard for the consequences, frantically offending the Wu Race.
They surely knew in secret that the Wu Race had dispatched six Ancestral Witches this time, yet they still dared to attack King Pan during this period; it could be said they had no respect for the Ancestral Witches.
In the Chaos Battlefield, King Pan had absolutely no power to resist Donghuang Taiyi and Dijun, and he perished under the donghuang bell.
"Hmph, this is the consequence of openly offending the Demon Court."
Donghuang Taiyi used the donghuang bell to conceal the heavenly secrets and was unaware of the Pisces Spiritual Artifact given by Zhurong; he was currently using this opportunity to kill the chicken to warn the monkey.
After all, the current Demon Court had just subdued many Yao from other forces, and their hearts were not yet stable.
Just as the crowd of Yao was being intimidated by the scene, the space above shattered inch by inch.
Dijiang also didn't expect that Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi wouldn't run away immediately.
"You two Fellow Daoists are in high spirits, still in the mood to stage a 'killing the chicken to warn the monkey' act. However, I don't think it's up to you to decide who the chicken and the monkey are."
As soon as the six Ancestral Witches appeared, they blocked off all directions, not wanting to give the Demon Court even the slightest chance of escape.
Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi's Faces turned grim; they truly hadn't expected that even after using the donghuang bell to conceal the heavenly secrets, this group of Ancestral Witches could still find their trail.
However, when they saw the half-piece of the Pisces Spiritual Artifact in Dijiang's hand, they understood. Before his death, King Pan had been clutching that half-piece of the Spiritual Artifact tightly; it turned out it wasn't some powerful treasure, but a Spiritual Artifact used for guidance.
Facing six Hun Yuan Golden Immortals, their subordinates were of no use at all. Dijun didn't want his core team to be caught in the crossfire and perish, so he put them all away before the battle began.
"I truly didn't expect the Ancestral Witches to have such calculations, and to even care about the life and death of other immortals and gods; this is indeed something we hadn't considered."
Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi stood ready, their expressions solemn, already considering how to escape.
Although the Ancestral Witches were powerful, what they Cultivated was the Martial Dao, and they didn't have many means for protecting their path.
The chimes of the donghuang bell rang out continuously, as Donghuang Taiyi desperately tried to help Dijun escape.
Unfortunately, the fighting power unleashed by the six Ancestral Magi at full strength could not be compensated for by a single innate supreme treasure.
A battle of such immense scale naturally attracted the attention of countless Immortals and Gods, who quietly entered the Chaos Battlefield and clearly saw the opposing sides.
When Xihe saw the two sides fighting, she felt as if the sky had collapsed.
Donghuang Taiyi's Physical Body was injured, and drops of golden blood crushed the ancient Void Realm as they fell onto this barren land.
He was like a madman, frantically drawing the Ancestral Magi's attention, attempting to create an Opportunity for Dijun to escape.
Alas, even a World God, when facing six powerful opponents of the same Realm, found it difficult to escape, especially since the Ancestral Magi all possessed powerful Physical Bodies and were wearing Immortal Artifacts and Divine Artifacts.
The donghuang bell could suppress the space-time and the Elemental Forces of Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind in this region, but it could do nothing against the six Ancestral Magi.
Their Physical Bodies were formidable, and each commanded powerful Great Dao Laws; even without using Divine Dao techniques, Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi could not cope.
Now that the Ancestral Magi were no longer holding back, setting aside the powerful means of the World Gods, just the Immortal Artifacts and Divine Artifacts they wore were enough to cause a headache.
Zhurong occasionally took the donghuang bell's attacks head-on; although he would suffer minor injuries, this only made his Battle Intent surge higher.
A tear fell from the high heavens. Wangshu and Changxi only saw a goddess radiating gentle sunlight disappear from the Chaos Battlefield.
Seeing the battered Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi, despair filled Xihe's heart; she could not accept this outcome.
She didn't know why the situation had developed this way, but she had only one thought: save Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi.
But using her Great Overarching Emperor Lord Realm strength to stop the Ancestral Magi was tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock.
The only way out Xihe could think of now was to appeal to the being who created her.
She used all her might to reach the Mountain Sea Realm, went straight to Chihua Valley, and arrived unimpeded beneath the blazing sun tree, where she immediately knelt down.
"I beg Venerable Vermilion Bird to save the lives of Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi. Xihe is willing to pay any price."
On the blazing sun tree, the figure of Vermilion Bird stood quietly, looking at Xihe, who was kneeling on the ground and weeping incessantly. A sense of disappointment mixed with pity filled her heart.
Seeing Xihe constantly pleading with her, Vermilion Bird finally couldn't bear it and spoke.
"If I help you this time, the Predestined Connection between us will be exhausted. From now on, you and I will have no further ties. Are you willing, even knowing this?"
Vermilion Bird's words stunned Xihe.
"No further ties..."
Only this single sentence echoed repeatedly in her heart. After a long time, she painfully closed her eyes and nodded almost imperceptibly.
Having gone through the crisis of Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi's potential demise, and facing the severing of her relationship with an existence akin to a Mother Goddess.
Xihe felt a sharp pang in her heart, and drops of Divine Blood unknowingly flowed from the corner of her mouth, yet she herself was completely unaware.
"Alas, foolish child."
Vermilion Bird ultimately softened. Looking at the weak, pitiable, and helpless Xihe before her, she decided to intervene and save the lives of Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi.
Even though their relationship was not substantial enough for her to intervene and settle this matter.
Xihe, a dignified Great Overarching Emperor Lord, now seemed to have lost all her strength, collapsing onto the ground and staring blankly at Venerable Vermilion Bird—her Mother Goddess in heart, but who would be so no longer.
With a wave of Vermilion Bird's hand, a Jade Talisman wrapped in flame appeared. Vermilion Bird left a trace of Divine Thought within it, and then the Fiery Jade Talisman broke through the Void Realm and vanished.
This matter ultimately involved her Junior Sister Houtu. No matter what, she needed to communicate with Houtu before intervening.
The world-burning purple gold furnace appeared beside Vermilion Bird. A gentle Divine Power enveloped Xihe, and then a streak of Nanming Li Fire pierced the heavens and earth, and the two transformed into streams of light and vanished within it.
Such a grand commotion naturally drew the attention of others. The eyes of White Tiger, Old Ancestor Xuanwu, and Fox Ancestor all turned towards Chihua Valley.
A quick divination revealed the whole story.
"Greed knows no bounds; if they had just hidden away, they wouldn't have faced this tribulation."
Old Ancestor Xuanwu shook his head.
"It's because they thought they were protected by an innate supreme treasure and believed no one could catch them, which is why they dared to be so reckless."
Fox Ancestor merely glanced briefly before withdrawing her gaze.
She was extremely displeased with these two Golden Crows. Regardless of anything else, they instigated turmoil in the Great Desolation, and instability was what Fox Ancestor hated the most.
White Tiger was noncommittal about this, having seen countless ways Immortals and Gods employed means to Attain the Dao.
In his view, the actions of Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi were no different from those of the Three Clans in the previous Great Calamity.
The Great Desolation had quietly changed; the era of trying to Attain the Dao solely through contention and seizing power was no longer mainstream as time progressed.
As the Heavenly Dao constantly reached Perfection, the Rules of Heaven and Earth underwent significant changes. Continuous accumulation was the right path, and also the path to Attain the Dao.
Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi failed naturally because they did not see through all of this.
Under the gaze of numerous World Gods and Hun Yuan Golden Immortals, Vermilion Bird brought Xihe to the sky above the battlefield.
The world-burning purple gold furnace emitted a scorching aura, and the surging heat made even Hun Yuan Golden Immortals feel scorched.
"Fellow Daoists, could you please grant me some Face and cease fighting for now?"
The figures of Vermilion Bird and Xihe revealed themselves.
They made no effort to conceal their aura upon arrival, and the Ancestral Magi had long been wary of newcomers.
When they saw that the newcomer was Vermilion Bird, Dijiang's brows furrowed tightly.
This person was a Disciple of Dao Ancestor Zi Wei, and also Junior Sister Houtu's Senior Sister. If she insisted on protecting Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi, Dijiang dared not truly break Face and deliver a killing blow.
The other Ancestral Magi naturally recognized Vermilion Bird as well, and they all stopped their attacks immediately, their brows furrowed and their expressions slightly displeased.
However, constrained by her identity, they said nothing.
In the center of the battlefield, Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi, whose Divine Bodies had long been shattered, finally breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this.
Looking at the anxious Xihe, Dijun gave her a gentle smile and lightly shook his head, signaling her not to approach.
The Great Dao Laws of the Ancestral Magi still lingered in their wounds; the injuries could be said to be fine, or they could be said to be extremely severe.
As World Gods, they would be fine if they recovered peacefully afterward. However, if they continued fighting and couldn't suppress their injuries, the situation would become increasingly severe.
But judging from the current situation, the Magus Clan should give Venerable Vermilion Bird Face. If things went smoothly, there would likely be no more fighting.
Yet for some reason, even though they had clearly been saved, why was Xihe's gaze still so sorrowful?
Only after seeing them saved did a hint of joy appear, which was immediately enveloped by a deeper sadness—a sadness Dijun could clearly perceive even from this distance.
However, this was not the time to inquire about the situation, nor was it his turn to speak.
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Vermilion Bird. Have you come here now intending to save Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi?"
Facing Dijiang's question, Vermilion Bird smiled and nodded.
"Fellow Daoist Dijiang, there is no need to worry. I informed Junior Sister Houtu before coming, and she should arrive soon."
"Houtu greets Senior Sister Vermilion Bird. I rushed as fast as I could but was still a step behind Senior Sister. It seems Senior Sister Vermilion Bird's Realm strength has achieved another Breakthrough. Houtu congratulates Senior Sister here."
As soon as Vermilion Bird finished speaking, Houtu arrived. She seemed completely unconcerned about what was happening on the scene, and simply started chatting casually with Vermilion Bird.
"With Master's guidance, progress has been rapid. After returning and entering seclusion, I have already advanced to the Middle Stage of World God."
Vermilion Bird and Houtu stood together, chatting and laughing, completely disregarding the murderous atmosphere of the place.
Everyone else watched this scene in silence, especially Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi, whose fates would be decided by a few words exchanged between the two women.
In this instant, Donghuang Taiyi yearned immensely for strength, but he could do nothing now except hope for a future and then return to cultivate desperately.
In this instant, Dijun sobered up and began to constantly reflect on himself, feeling that his past self had been so reckless and unwilling to listen to advice, leading to today's Calamity. His heart was momentarily filled with guilt.
"Congratulations, Senior Sister Vermilion Bird! The Great Dao is within reach. I wonder when I will be able to catch up to Senior Sister's pace."
Houtu felt a bit envious upon hearing this.
"Master said Junior Sister possesses great Opportunity. I believe it won't be long before you surpass me, and by then, Senior Sister will likely be the one envying Junior Sister Houtu."
The two continued chatting as if no one else were present. Below, the impatient Zhurong was already pacing anxiously.
"Are we fighting or not? Say something! If we delay any longer, the injuries on those two Scruffy Birds will heal halfway."
As if hearing Zhurong's inner thoughts, Vermilion Bird smiled and glanced at him, then stopped chatting.
"Junior Sister Houtu, consider this time that Senior Sister owes you a Favor. Would you please let Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi go?"
"Ultimately, Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi were in the wrong in this matter. If the Magus Clan desires any compensation, please state it."
Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi were outsiders after all. Although she had promised Xihe to save them, she would absolutely not let this cause discord between herself and her fellow Disciple.
Houtu had learned the sequence of events from Dijiang upon arriving, and now seeing Xihe beside Vermilion Bird, she knew her Senior Sister had softened her heart.
However, since it was her Senior Sister speaking, Houtu would not refuse her Senior Sister's Face.
"Senior Sister Vermilion Bird, what are you saying? We are family."
"It's just letting those two live. This matter is simple. Senior Sister, don't mention Favors; that's too distant."
Saying this, Houtu affectionately hugged Vermilion Bird's arm, just like a pair of mortal sisters, completely ignoring the looks of others.
Below, Candle of the Deep Darkness and Gonggong also rushed over. Seeing their sister and Vermilion Bird like this, they no longer cared about Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi, smiling happily without a hint of ferocity.
'Is this the benefit of having Backing?'
Even though he was a World God, Dijun still felt insignificant at this moment. He felt even more strongly that to survive better in the Great Desolation, he needed at least one of two things: Backing or strength.
"Today's incident concerns not only you and me, but also the Magus and Demon Clans. How can we simply gloss over this matter ambiguously just because of a few words from me?"
"If my actions today cause the Magus Clan to suffer undue losses in the future, how could Senior Sister ever Face you again?"
Hearing this, Vermilion Bird looked at Houtu affectionately, gently rubbing her small hand, and shook her head, rejecting Houtu's suggestion amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd.
Hearing this, the Ancestral Magi below had an even better impression of Houtu's Senior Sister. Even the usually volatile Zhurong felt that this Vermilion Bird was quite decent.
"Then we will listen to Senior Sister. The Magus Clan will spare Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi, but the Magus Clan requires sufficient compensation."
Houtu understood that Senior Sister did not want their relationship to be affected by this matter. Feeling a warmth in her heart, she no longer hesitated and looked toward Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi.
Senior Sister Vermilion Bird was doing this to ensure all Karma was settled today.
It seems she still doesn't trust Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi, fearing that the Karma created today might lead to negative consequences for them in the future.
This was also a good thing for the Magus Clan, and only by doing this could Senior Sister feel at ease.
With this measure, nothing that happened in the future would affect the affection between her and her Senior Sister.
All the Immortals and Gods present had lived for countless years and naturally understood the meaning behind Vermilion Bird's words.
Dijiang nodded upon hearing this, approving Vermilion Bird's decision.
"As long as Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi provide compensation to the Magus Clan, from this day forward, the two clans will completely abandon past grievances and start anew."
"Whatever happens between the two clans in the future will have nothing to do with today's incident."
Dijiang spoke first to express his stance, and the other Ancestral Magi also agreed one after another.
Seeing this, Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi knew the matter was settled. If they wished to live, they had no room for rebuttal, so they nodded in agreement.
Just as the Ancestral Magi were discussing what compensation they should demand, Qiangliang and Zhurong exchanged glances and both looked toward the donghuang bell.
This innate supreme treasure had caused them considerable trouble, and the great power it contained was unfathomable.
Now that the Ancestral Magi could also use Innate Spirit Treasures, they naturally coveted this innate supreme treasure.
The most crucial point was that the donghuang bell was one of the three innate supreme treasures formed from Father God Pangu's Axe, and the true name of the supreme treasure was chaos bell.
"We want the chaos bell (donghuang bell)."
Qiangliang and Zhurong spoke together, setting the item of compensation first.
The other Ancestral Magi exchanged glances but said nothing.
Six of the Ancestral Magi present had witnessed the power of this innate supreme treasure; demanding this innate supreme treasure was undoubtedly the best choice for maximizing benefits.
Furthermore, many Ancestral Magi believed that it was disrespectful to Father God for Donghuang Taiyi to control the supreme treasure left by Father God and even change its name, so they naturally supported the decision of Zhurong and Qiangliang.
Among the Immortals and Gods present, Vermilion Bird, Houtu, and Donghuang Taiyi undoubtedly had a profound understanding of the great power of an innate supreme treasure.
With their World God Realm strength, they were still insufficient to completely refine and control an innate supreme treasure; only by Attaining the Dao as a Creator God could one truly unleash its great power.
In the hands of a Creator God, the chaos bell could suppress the Elemental Forces of Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind of the entire Great Desolation; its great power was no joke
The birth and disappearance of the Demon Court was like a fleeting flash in the pan.
Regarding the Ancestral Witches' demands, although Donghuang Taiyi found them hard to accept, he knew this was the price to let him and his brother live.
It all stemmed from a lack of strength.
The chaos bell eventually fell into Dijiang's hands. From then on, under the witness of the Venerable Vermilion Bird and Houtu, this conflict ended with the Demon Court's crushing defeat and payment of reparations.
However, this matter was far from over for the Demon Court. The victors could happily enjoy the fruits of victory, while the losers had to deal with the mess after the defeat.
On an ordinary hilltop, three people sat on the rocks.
Xihe was somewhat dazed at this moment. Venerable Vermilion Bird and Houtu had left, only glancing at her as they departed.
A tear fell, and she quickly wiped it dry, fearing that Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi would notice.
However, they were close together, and Dijun was a World God; how could he not see Xihe's small actions clearly?
Combining the events, it was easy to guess that Xihe must have begged Venerable Vermilion Bird to save them.
Judging by the outcome, the other party had clearly agreed to help, but the already meager sentiment was likely completely severed after this incident.
As the elder brother, Dijun felt very guilty and began to comfort Xihe and Donghuang Taiyi.
After calming their emotions, the three returned to the Sun Star together. This defeat had left them battered and bruised.
All ambitions and all schemes seemed like a dream—alluring yet painful to recall.
Before long, Xihe and Donghuang Taiyi went into secluded cultivation one after another.
From then on, the Yao Race began to vanish from the Primordial Great Land.
Dijun took all the Yao who were willing to continue following him to the Canglan Origin World. Given the Yao Race's current size, the Great Sun Dynasty was enough to support them.
In Wuji Palace, Wang Chen saw all of this.
In this Great War of Witches and Yao, the Yao Race suffered a devastating blow just as they were emerging.
Ultimately, his appearance had brought too many changes to the Primordial Land, and the current development of the Witches and Yao was merely a chain reaction.
The Witch Race had the martial path methods to break through to Hun Yuan Golden Immortal, and because he took Houtu as a disciple, she obtained the witch scripture. Everything had already undergone earth-shattering changes.
"It seems the one to open the Heavenly Court will not be the Yao Race, and the Yao Race will not be a match for the Witch Race in the short term."
The "short term" Wang Chen predicted was the process of the Witch Race developing to prosperity and then declining.
According to the current development of the Primordial Land, the Witch Race would rule the Primordial Great Land for a long time.
If the Opportunity was sufficient, the first Heavenly Emperor of the Primordial Land might very well be from the Witch Race.
On the other side, Dijun had not given up on the Yao Race. While handling the daily affairs of the Great Sun Dynasty, he also opened up many Major Thousand Worlds in an empty Star Domain.
It seemed he had abandoned all unrealistic fantasies and intended to develop the Yao Race slowly.
With the Demon Court incident as a precedent, the Primordial Land returned to peace once again. All those with ambitions had suffered a head-on blow.
Time flowed like water, and seven eonss quietly passed.
Time can heal most scars; the Yao Race developed well during these seven eonss.
Dijun opened up many Yao Realms, and the Yao Race flourished within them over these years.
He finally understood the laws of development in the current Primordial Land and began to accumulate foundation bit by bit, no longer thinking of reaching the heavens in a single step through his own strength.
In the starry sky, as long as you don't actively attack others, few people will care what you do.
Looking back at the life of these seven eonss, Dijun could describe it with the word "easy."
During these seven eonss, many dynasties in the Canglan Origin World also underwent many changes.
The biggest event among them was that the Taiyin Imperial Dynasty was carved up by the Tianyù Imperial Dynasty and the Myriad Beasts Imperial Dynasty.
Changxi ended her trial, and the two major dynasties paid many resources, then bloodlessly partitioned the Taiyin Imperial Dynasty.
However, because of Changxi's status, there were many of her believers in the Taiyin Imperial Dynasty, so the Great Yin Divine Sect appeared.
This divine sect was founded by a former state minister of the Taiyin Imperial Dynasty, with the primary goal of worshipping the Taiyin Star Lords, Wangshu and Changxi.
Changxi, appreciative of the state minister Mu Xi's dedication, bestowed a sect-guarding treasure and a Legacy Cultivation Technique on the day the Great Yin Divine Sect was established.
When the Great Yin Divine Sect first opened its gates to recruit disciples, the Canglan Heavenly Dao sensed its merit in enlightenment and descended heaven and earth merit.
The heaven and earth merit descended by the Canglan Origin World was not as good as the Primordial Land's heavenly dao merit, but it was still very precious.
However, Lu Qiankun, Black Mountain Lord, and others who came to observe the ceremony were not very surprised; Mu Xi, the leader of the Great Yin Divine Sect, also seemed to have known beforehand.
"It seems that establishing a lineage and preaching really grants merit. Should we also create a Sun Divine Sect?"
In the Great Sun Dynasty, a golden mirror Divine Artifact revealed all the scenes of the Great Yin Divine Sect.
"Yes, the Buddhist temples of the Seven Treasures Dynasty and the Great Yin Divine Sect have proven that establishing a lineage can obtain heaven and earth merit."
"Now, many Fellow Daoists are probably starting to plan. Since we're doing it, we can't fall behind."
Dijun's gaze toward Xihe was very soft; after that incident, Dijun cherished Xihe more and more.
With Dijun's companionship, Xihe finally emerged from the previous blow, and their relationship took a step further as they became Dao Companions, though this matter had not yet been formally publicized.
According to Dijun's calculations, they would achieve a Heavenly Marriage, but the time had not yet come.
During these seven eonss, the Great Sun Dynasty effortlessly annexed all of Old Ancestor Kunpeng's assets in the Canglan Origin World, and its strength reached a higher level.
Old Ancestor Kunpeng was not killed by Dijun but was suppressed within a Major Thousand World.
Dijun comprehended a great Formation from the river chart and luo scroll, using this Formation to continuously refine Old Ancestor Kunpeng and thus nourish the entire world.
In fact, this practice would not cause a World God to perish.
This was also a temporary measure for Dijun; once he became stronger, he would find a way to completely subdue or control Old Ancestor Kunpeng.
Moreover, Old Ancestor Kunpeng had few friends in the Primordial Land, so even though many immortals and gods knew about this, no one would go to save him.
This matter would only become a topic of conversation in tea houses and wine shops.
Most people believed that the Yao Race was venting all the bitter fruits of failure on Old Ancestor Kunpeng.
The changes in the starry sky did not stop there; the seeds of life left by Wang Chen on various stars had now successfully birthed several Innate Deities.
Although fewer than ten Star Sovereigns had been born, all immortals and gods could see clearly that every Star Sovereign was deeply favored by the starry sky.
As the various racial forces in the starry sky grew, the Northern Emperor invited these Star Sovereigns to serve under him, providing them with protection while also letting them help handle starry sky affairs.
Gradually, the immortals and gods came to know these Star Sovereigns; among them, the ones who often ran errands for the Northern Emperor to handle starry sky affairs were the Five Virtue Star Sovereigns.
They were the Wood Virtue Star Sovereign of the East, Chonghua; the Fire Virtue Star Sovereign of the South, Yinghuo; the Metal Virtue Star Sovereign of the West, Taibai; the Water Virtue Star Sovereign of the North, Sichen; and the Earth Virtue Star Sovereign of the Center, Dihou.
Besides the Five Virtue Star Sovereigns, four from the Big Dipper had also taken form: Wenqu, Lucun, Lianzhen, and Wuqu.
These nine Star Sovereigns had Ancient God cultivation upon birth; after joining the Northern Emperor's command, they were granted partial methods to mobilize the Zhou Tian Star Sword Formation.
In the starry sky, as long as a World God did not act, no one could threaten the Star Sovereigns; this was also a means for the Northern Emperor to protect them.
Now, many matters in the starry sky were left to the Star Sovereigns to handle; only things they couldn't decide on would be personally resolved by the Northern Emperor.
Gradually, a team for handling starry sky affairs was formed... seven eonss passed, and the Witch Race also underwent great changes. The Witches who left the ancestral land established several major dynasties, which now each possessed extraordinary strength.
However, these dynasties now held different views, with many disagreements regarding the philosophy of the dynasty's continuation.
The biggest dispute among them was whether to accept outside Bloodlines.
During the development of the dynasties, the Witch Race found that their own race's reproduction speed was extremely slow, which seriously hindered the development of the dynasties.
During this period, as the major Witch dynasties began to open up, they discovered through contact with other beings that the Witch Race could combine with Orcs, the Feather Race, the Merfolk Clan, and other groups to produce offspring.
Once this happened, it immediately drew the attention of the major dynasties, and people with different views even took the matter to the Ancestral Witches.
Both sides had their own arguments.
The emperors who insisted on combining with other races said: "Doing this allows the Witch children to have a Bloodline Legacy while also enabling the dynasty to develop rapidly, thus gaining a firm foothold on the Primordial Great Land."
The emperors who insisted on maintaining the purity of the Witch Bloodline said: "Now that the members of the Witch Race practice the latter part of the witch scripture, they will have Primordial Spirits born. The Witch Race itself can reproduce through the union of Yin and Yang, so there is no need to combine with other races and pollute our own Bloodline."
"Although reproducing this way is still very difficult, it ensures the purity of the Witch Bloodline."
Thus, both sides held their ground and argued incessantly. The cause was that the dynasties that allowed offspring with other races developed rapidly in a short time, their overall strength quickly surpassing those that insisted on Bloodline purity.
The Ancestral Witches were also quite troubled after learning the details. Both sides were their own clansmen, and the external beings involved were the creations of Dao Ancestor Zi Wei.
Dao Ancestor Zi Wei's status in the Witch Race could be said to be second only to Father God Pangu, so the Ancestral Witches did not dare to jump to conclusions.
So Dijiang could only appease them each and send them back to wait for a result.
After the emperors left Pangu Hall, Dijiang rubbed his brow.
Those clansmen who had lived outside for a long time were all extraordinarily knowledgeable and sharp-tongued; once they started talking, they wouldn't stop, and they didn't repeat themselves, yet the meaning they ultimately expressed was the same.
A large group of such emperors arguing together actually gave him a bit of a headache.
"What do you think about this matter?"
Dijiang looked at the other Ancestral Witches, intending to hear their opinions.
"I think this matter is quite good. They love each other and can produce Bloodline offspring. Since both parties are willing, we can't heartlessly tear them apart."
Rushou spoke first; he was more open-minded about this.
"I also think it's nothing. There are even a few members of the Zhurong Tribe who are with members of the Mountain Pig Clan."
"Although they cannot reproduce through the union of Yin and Yang, from my observation, they are living very happily."
Zhurong took the Opportunity to tell some stories from his own tribe.
In an instant, the eyes of all the Ancestral Witches turned to Zhurong.
"Elaborate."
Shebishi, who was always very fond of gossip, was very interested in the secrets.
"What's there to say? They just took a liking to each other while out training and studying."
"These clansmen no longer live in the Zhurong Tribe. Some moved to Starfire City, and some settled in the Witch dynasties; they're all living quite comfortably now."
Zhurong glanced cautiously at Dijiang and Candle of the Deep Darkness. Seeing that his two elder brothers had no particular expressions, he briefly told the story while eating fruit.
Zhurong was also helpless about this. His clansmen and the others liked each other, and Iron Fiend was a very close friend of his; he couldn't bring himself to say anything to separate them.
So he had hidden these things until now and just took this Opportunity to speak out.
Gonggong sneered on the side. He saw through Zhurong's little scheme at a glance, but the Mountain Pig Clan indeed had been kind to the Witch Race, and they couldn't do something like burning bridges.
It was just a few clansmen; as long as they weren't framed and killed outside, they could live anywhere.
"No need to specifically mention your little matter; what we are discussing concerns the future development of the Witch Race."
Zhurong snorted coldly, thinking viciously in his heart about how to reduce the forging of Immortal Artifacts for Gonggong's tribe.
Of course, Zhurong only thought it in his heart; such behavior of tripping up his own brother, if known by his elder brothers, would result in at least a severe beating.
After Zhurong, the other Ancestral Witches also expressed their views, which were as varied as those of the emperors.
Finally, Dijiang's gaze turned to Houtu; although she was the youngest among the Ancestral Witches, her status and wisdom were not.
"I think there is nothing to argue about. If the Witch Race wants to grow, contact with other races is inevitable."
"Contact with other races will naturally lead to various incidents unless the Witch Race reduces contact for the sake of Bloodline purity."
"I believe neither side is wrong. Whether to combine with other races is the clansmen's own choice."
"We must take a long-term view."
"Since Dao Ancestor Zi Wei could pass on the Dao he comprehended to all beings for the development of the Primordial Land."
"Then why can't we, the Witch Race, sacrifice some things for the development of the Primordial Land?"
"And as long as Father God's essence blood exists and we Ancestral Witches are here, there will be no problem with the Witch Bloodline."
Houtu was the last to express her opinion, having listened to her brothers and sisters in the meantime.
Houtu thought for a long time and finally spoke her mind.
Candle of the Deep Darkness greatly agreed with Houtu's opinion.
"I think Sister Houtu is right. Doing this can also save a lot of Father God's essence blood."
"Even if the situation develops in a direction unfavorable to the Witch Race, we have the means to turn the tide."
"Besides, not all clansmen like other races; we just need to keep them separate."
Candle of the Deep Darkness's words carried great weight among the Ancestral Witches; his speaking basically set the tone for this matter.
"Then let it be executed as Candle of the Deep Darkness and Houtu said. Members of the Witch Race are allowed to combine with other races, but only pure-blooded clansmen can live in the ancestral land."
"Once combined with another race, they must move out of the ancestral land and live in the external dynasties."