A Martial Invitation, the Subdued Kunpeng!

The spirit mist of Penglai Immortal Island in the East Sea still coiled in layers, tender leaves of spirit plants swaying gently in the breeze.

The Ginseng Doll and Lingzhi Doll frolicked around Jade Pool, their laughter filling the air with peace and harmony.

Yet that peace was utterly absent elsewhere in the Primordial Wilderness.

Within the Sun God Palace on the Sun Star, flame runes danced along the hall's pillars, the air thick with an expanding, blazing intensity as the Demon Race's council raged fiercely.

Bai Ze, clutching a beast-hide scroll, bowed low in the Sun God Palace. His fist tightened beneath his gray Daoist robe, his tone carrying both urgency and certainty.

"Your Majesty, the Demon Race now commands tens of millions of Golden Immortal Army soldiers, with hundreds of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals holding the line."

"All the Demon Sages stand at the pinnacle among Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals!"

"Though the North Sea Kunpeng has severed his Good Corpse and reached Early Quasi-Saint, he dwells alone in the North Sea, bound to no clan."

"If our Demon Race can subdue him, first, we borrow his Quasi-Saint prestige to awe the Primordial Wilderness."

"Second, we fill the gap in our Water Law mastery, paving the way to rule the Four Seas!"

At the hall's head, Dijun tapped the armrest of his throne, golden True Sun Fire condensing into sparks at his fingertips, thought flickering in his eyes.

"Kunpeng is a one-corpse Quasi-Saint, deeply versed in Water Law and Speed Law. An ordinary Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal is no match for him."

"But his nature is proud and unruly, with no faction to bind him. To make him submit, we need overwhelming deterrence."

"Rest assured, Your Majesty!" Bai Ze lifted his head, a sharp gleam in his eyes.

"His Majesty Taiyi wields the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Eastern Emperor Bell, and stands at Mid Quasi-Saint. Even against a Late Quasi-Saint great power, he holds his ground."

"Add tens of millions of Golden Immortal soldiers and hundreds of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals as pressure—Kunpeng, Quasi-Saint though he be, has no power to resist."

"We need only bait him with the title of Demon Master and threaten him with the army; he will not dare refuse!"

Hearing this, Dijun exchanged a glance with Taiyi at his side.

The Eastern Emperor Bell floated silently in Taiyi's hand, its body wrapped in Chaos Airflow, the faint pressure of an Innate Supreme Treasure flickering in and out. He grinned, his eyes brimming with battle lust.

"Brother, Bai Ze is right! Let Kunpeng witness the might of my Eastern Emperor Bell!"

Dijun nodded, the sparks at his fingertips suddenly bursting into flame: "Issue Our decree! Gather tens of millions of Golden Immortal soldiers, plus hundreds of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals and tens of thousands of Taiyi to accompany. Taiyi comes with Us—We march to the North Sea!"

The decree spread, and the Sun Star erupted into frenzy. Tens of millions of Golden Immortals donned scale armor, their spiritual light blazing skyward.

Golden True Sun Fire clung to blades, spears, swords, and halberds, warping even the Chaos Airflow with its heat.

Hundreds of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals rode multicolored Auspicious Clouds, standing at the vanguard of the army.

The interwoven aura of Laws formed a net, dimming even the stars around the Sun Star.

Taiyi held the Eastern Emperor Bell in one hand; with each rotation of the bell, a Chaos Rune merged into it, its momentum vast and imposing.

Dijun wielded the Innate Spiritual Treasure, the River Diagram and Luo Book, Purple Qi swirling around him, his majesty fully displayed.

"Your Majesty, the army is assembled. Please give your command!" Gui Che, one of the Ten Great Demon Sages, stepped forward and reported respectfully.

"All troops, hear Our order—march!" Hearing Gui Che's words, Dijun was deeply satisfied and immediately commanded the army to set out.

As Dijun's words fell, the spiritual light of the millions-strong army intertwined with the True Sun Fire, forming a golden rainbow that pierced through Chaos, flying toward the North Sea.

The stars along the route, awed by this momentum, extinguished their radiance one by one.

The living beings of the Primordial Wilderness trembled at this sight—had the Demon Race grown so mighty!

Yet when they saw the army was not heading for them, they breathed sighs of relief.

No matter how strong the Demon Race was, as long as they weren't the target, it was fine.

So after watching for a while, they went back to their own affairs.

And the Demon Race army, led by Dijun and Taiyi, reached the North Sea in just a thousand years.

The North Sea, a place where various forces mingled, howled with bitter winds.

The yin-cold Water Law permeated heaven and earth, and beneath the sea surface, giant aquatic beasts dozens of zhang long occasionally swept past.

The Demon Race army halted above the North Sea. The combined aura of tens of millions of Golden Immortals

pressed the sea surface down by ten zhang, the yin-cold air driven back by the blazing spiritual light, condensing into a white mist midair.

"Boom—" At the North Sea's bottom, a cave palace forged from North Sea Ice suddenly exploded.

Kunpeng's figure shot out from the sea as a streak of cyan light.

He was clad in black-cyan scale armor, his wings blotting out the sky, the aura of an Early Quasi-Saint spreading outward, instantly freezing the North Sea's waters solid.

"Dijun, Taiyi, I have no grievance with your Demon Race. You come in force to invade the North Sea—do you seek war with me?"

Dijun rode the River Diagram and Luo Book forward slowly, his tone calm yet carrying an unyielding authority.

"Daoist Kunpeng, the Primordial Wilderness has just settled. The Demon Race intends to rule the Four Seas and the starry sky."

"Daoist, as a one-corpse Quasi-Saint, if you are willing to submit, We will appoint you Demon Master, overseeing the transmission of Demon Race techniques."

"You may also share the Sun Star's spirit veins with Us. Such treatment far surpasses your solitary life in the North Sea."

"Demon Master?" Kunpeng sneered, his wings flapping behind him, sending countless ice spikes rising from the sea, aimed at the Demon Race army.

"You just want me as your lackey! I am a Quasi-Saint—how could I bow to anyone?"

Before the words faded, Taiyi suddenly stepped forward, and the Eastern Emperor Bell rose into the air.

"Woom—" The pressure of the Innate Supreme Treasure instantly enveloped the North Sea. The Chaos Runes on the bell blazed with dazzling light, and a heavy chime spread outward.

The ice spikes Kunpeng had condensed shattered instantly. He felt a sharp pain in his Primordial Spirit, and the wings on his back began to tremble.

As a one-corpse-slashed Quasi-Saint, he was actually thrown into chaos by the bell's resonance!

"Kunpeng, don't be ungrateful!" Taiyi's eyes were full of disdain.

"You're just a one-corpse-slashed Quasi-Saint. With the Eastern Emperor Bell in my hands, even a Late Quasi-Saint can't do anything to me. Do you really think you can win?"

As he spoke, he raised his hand and struck the Eastern Emperor Bell. The bell trembled again, and a beam of chaotic light shot toward Kunpeng.

Kunpeng's expression shifted drastically. He could clearly sense the terrifying power within the beam.

If that strike landed, his Primordial Spirit would likely suffer severe damage!

He tried to use his speed law to dodge, only to find that the space around him had been locked down by the Eastern Emperor Bell's pressure, making teleportation impossible.

After a moment of silence, the arrogance in Kunpeng's eyes gradually faded, replaced by deep reluctance.

He folded his wings and, with lingering unwillingness, bowed and said, "Your subject... Kunpeng, is willing to submit to the Demon Race. I thank Your Majesty for the appointment."

Seeing his submission, Dijun's face showed a hint of satisfaction.

Then he raised his hand and waved, and five Innate Spiritual Treasures drifted slowly toward Kunpeng.

"Daoist friend is a Quasi-Saint; I, Imperial We, will naturally not treat you poorly."

"Among these several Innate Spiritual Treasures, one is a Mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, and the others are low-grade. I gift them all to you, as a token of my sincerity."

Kunpeng took the treasures, his fingers brushing over the water-pattern runes on them, and the reluctance in his heart eased slightly.

Though he had not submitted willingly, obtaining several Innate Spiritual Treasures at least preserved the dignity of a Quasi-Saint, and the water tribes under his command could be spared.

Seeing the still-complex expression on Kunpeng's face, Taiyi suddenly spoke loudly, "Generals of the Demon Race, pay respects to the Demon Master!"

The ten-million-strong army knelt on one knee in unison, spiritual light surging skyward as they shouted, "Pay respects to the Demon Master!"

The sound shook the North Sea, and even the water tribes at the seabed dared not move.