Di Jun's Attempts to Recruit Others Meet with Rebuffs

Kunpeng and Di Jun and the others left the Heavenly Court, intending to head straight for the Outer Chaos.

But Di Jun grabbed him and pointed at the Primordial World, beginning to speak.

"Look at the Primordial World now—what do you see?"

Gazing at the scene below, countless members of the Witch Clan roamed the lands, claiming mountains as their own, enslaving every living being in their path.

Kunpeng merely observed the sight without a word.

In the eastern lands, the Witch Clan had already occupied many places.

Not only were countless creatures driven away, but many were also taken directly by the Witch Clan.

"The Witch Clan is fierce; living beings cannot stand against them."

Di Jun nodded and then said, "The Witch Clan is brutal, slaughtering life and creating boundless slaughter. The Sha Qi between heaven and earth grows thicker. If one day the Witch Clan decides to take your North Sea territory, Fellow Daoist, what will you do?"

Kunpeng looked at the scene and finally shook his head.

"Fellow Daoist, you exaggerate. The Witch Clan only occupies the lands of the Primordial World—why would they come to my North Sea?"

Di Jun glanced at Kunpeng, knowing the fellow was playing dumb. When the Witch Clan had declared their path to the Great Dao, they hadn't said they would control just the earth—they said they would control heaven and earth.

Now they were merely using the earth as a foundation, expanding step by step.

If it came to it in the future, who could say they wouldn't directly seize his North Sea?

But this guy was just pretending not to understand, stalling for time.

As they spoke, two figures flew out from the Primordial World.

Kunpeng greeted them with a faint smile, cupping his hands.

"Two Fellow Daoists, it's been many days since we last met."

Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi had been heading to the Purple Cloud Palace when Kunpeng intercepted them halfway.

Hongyun was the most curious—Kunpeng had never crossed paths with him before, nor with Zhenyuanzi.

Why would he take the initiative to greet them today?

Still, a smiling face invites no conflict.

He returned the greeting with a smile.

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist. It's been many days—Kunpeng, you look as splendid as ever. And the Heavenly Emperor and the Eastern Emperor as well."

Di Jun's eyes lit up. These two were already on his list to recruit, but he had planned to approach Kunpeng first.

Now that Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi had appeared, it suited his plans perfectly.

"Two Fellow Daoists, it's been many days—you both look even more impressive than before."

This exchange left Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi even more bewildered.

After exchanging glances and a silent conversation between their eyes, they grew thoughtful.

Though Hongyun was a bit slow, the recent movements of the Demon Race and the Witch Clan were major events in the Primordial World.

He had heard of them.

Now he guessed what the other party was up to.

It was nothing more than recruitment.

Lately, many Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals in the Primordial World had been recruited into the Demon Race.

Ci Tie and Bai Ze, for instance, had joined.

They were even slowly drawing in other Great Powers, claiming it was to resist the Witch Clan.

And here was Kunpeng, likely also being courted.

Stopping them now—could it be they wanted to recruit them too?

"Several Fellow Daoists, may I ask why you've called us here?"

At this, Di Jun stated his purpose directly.

"I wish to invite you two, Fellow Daoists, to join our Demon Race, to enjoy ten thousand generations of fortune, and to rule the Primordial World together!"

Hongyun was taken aback, then turned and couldn't help saying, "Fellow Daoist, we have no interest in the struggles of the Primordial World. So on this matter, please do not bring it up again."

Zhenyuanzi nodded beside him and added, "I feel the same. I've grown too used to idleness to fit into the Heavenly Court."

With that, they cupped their hands.

"Thank you for the invitation, Heavenly Emperor. We still have a journey ahead, so we'll take our leave now."

After speaking, they bypassed the group and flew straight into the depths of the starry sky.

Kunpeng watched them leave, then turned to Di Jun and said, "I still have matters to discuss with these two fellow cultivators, so I'll take my leave first. Fellow cultivators, I'm off ahead."

With that, he gave chase toward Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi before him.

"Fellow cultivator, please stay a moment!"

As the words left his mouth, Hongyun suddenly felt something was subtly off.

The words were normal, yet there was an inexplicable sense that they carried some strange power.

Turning to look at Kunpeng, the three of them headed together into the depths of the starry sky.

Hongyun began to ask.

"Fellow cultivator Kunpeng, were you also invited to join the Demon Race?"

Kunpeng nodded, then couldn't help but speak as he looked at the two before him.

"Alas, like you two fellow cultivators, I have no desire to get involved in this conflict between the Wu and the Demon, yet it's hard to refuse outright. Fortunately, you two came by, which gave me an excuse."

The two exchanged a glance. If he didn't want to, why was he at the Heavenly Court?

Had he also been stopped while passing through?

They didn't buy it.

Kunpeng dwelled in the North Sea.

If he were heading to the Chaos, he wouldn't need to go this way.

The two had been used as an excuse.

This Kunpeng was no honest man.

With his sinister gaze, he bore the look of a petty schemer.

He couldn't be a peace-loving sort either.

If he hadn't joined the Demon Race, he must have some scheme in mind.

"Fellow cultivator, why not join the Demon Race? It might bring you no small benefit. The Demon Race carries great fortune, and the Heavenly Court's fortune as well—combine the two, and it's a matter of pure gain with no loss."

Seeing them bring this up, Kunpeng thought for a moment and sighed.

"These two races are locked in conflict. Fortune is important, but conflict brings casualties. I value my life, so I dare not step into it. This time, hearing the Dao has granted me the method of the Quasi-Sage. In the future, I may even attain Sagehood—there's no need to rush."

But Zhenyuanzi then raised a question.

"Fellow cultivator, aren't you afraid of being settled with later by heaven and earth?"

Hongyun chimed in as well.

"Di Jun is ambitious, but he's not as easy to get along with as he appears. Fellow cultivator, are you truly unafraid of this?"

Kunpeng looked at the two, then finally spoke with a hint of a smile.

"You two fellow cultivators are the same—you just refused outright. Do you have some backup plan?"

After this exchange, Zhenyuanzi and the other shook their heads.

It wasn't that they had a backup plan—they simply weren't afraid.

He held the Book of Earth. With that tome in hand, even if Di Jun and the other wanted to kill him, it wouldn't be easy.

If things came to a head, he could blow up the Book of Earth, shattering the Earth's membrane. If the Primordial World faced a great calamity, the karmic debt would fall on Di Jun.

As long as Di Jun wasn't a fool, he wouldn't make a move against them.

That was why they acted without fear.

But Kunpeng should have known this, yet he pretended otherwise.

It made the two want to keep their distance.

The three walked on in awkward silence.

Outside the Heavenly Court, Di Jun and Tai Yi were furious.

After all, they had personally invited someone, and the other party was so ungrateful.

The Eastern Emperor stood by, cursing loudly.

"These people deserve to die!"

Di Jun nodded at this, his eyes dark and unreadable, as if plotting something.

"We'll settle accounts later. For now, let's head to the Purple Cloud Palace. This lecture covers the method of the Quasi-Sage."