The spiritual mist around Penglai Immortal Island in the East Sea still lingered, while the tender leaves of spiritual plants swayed gently in the wind.
The Ginseng Doll and Lingzhi Doll played around Jade Pool, creating a tranquil and peaceful scene.
Yet this peace had completely vanished elsewhere in the Primordial Wilderness.
Inside the Sun God Palace on the Sun Star, fiery runes danced across the palace pillars. The air was filled with an expanding, scorching aura as the demon race's council meeting raged on.
Bai Ze held a beast-hide scroll and stood respectfully within the Sun God Palace. His fists clenched slightly beneath his blue-gray Daoist robe, and his voice carried urgency and certainty.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the demon race now commands tens of millions of Golden Immortal soldiers, with hundreds of Grand Unity Golden Immortals holding the line."
"Every Demon Sage is among the finest of the Grand Unity Golden Immortals!"
"North Sea Kunpeng has already severed his Good Corpse and reached the Early Quasi-Saint realm, yet he lives alone in the North Sea with no clan to rely on."
"If our demon race can subdue him, first, we can use his Quasi-Saint prestige to intimidate the Primordial Wilderness."
"Second, we can make up for the demon race's shortcomings in the Water Law and pave the way for our future rule over the Four Seas!"
At the head of the hall, Dijun tapped the armrest of his throne with his fingers. Golden True Sun Fire condensed into sparks at his fingertips as contemplation flashed through his eyes.
"Kunpeng is a Quasi-Saint who has severed one corpse. His comprehension of the Water Law and the Law of Speed is profound. Ordinary Grand Unity Golden Immortals are no match for him."
"However, his temperament is arrogant, and he has no forces tying him down. If we want him to submit, we must display sufficient strength."
"Rest assured, Your Majesty!" Bai Ze raised his head, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes.
"His Majesty Taiyi wields the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Eastern Emperor Bell, and his cultivation has reached the Mid Quasi-Saint realm. Even against a Late Quasi-Saint powerhouse, he would not be at a disadvantage."
"With tens of millions of Golden Immortal soldiers and over a hundred Grand Unity Golden Immortals backing us up, Kunpeng may be a Quasi-Saint, but he will have no power to resist."
"We need only tempt him with the position of Demon Master and threaten him with the army. He will not dare refuse!"
Upon hearing this, Dijun exchanged a glance with Taiyi at his side.
The Eastern Emperor Bell floated quietly in Taiyi's hand, Chaos Airflow coiling around its body. The pressure of an Innate Supreme Treasure flickered in and out of existence. He grinned, his eyes full of battle lust.
"Brother, Bai Ze is right! This is the perfect chance to let Kunpeng witness the might of my Eastern Emperor Bell!"
Dijun nodded, and the sparks at his fingertips suddenly exploded. "Convey my decree! Assemble the tens of millions of Golden Immortal soldiers. Have over a hundred Grand Unity Golden Immortals and tens of thousands of Taiyi accompany us. Taiyi will come with me as we head for the North Sea!"
As the decree was issued, the Sun Star instantly erupted into frenzy. Tens of millions of Golden Immortals donned scale armor, spiritual radiance soaring into the heavens around them.
Golden True Sun Fire clung to their sabers, spears, swords, and halberds, warping even the Chaos Airflow with its heat.
Over a hundred Grand Unity Golden Immortals rode clouds of various colors and stood at the front of the formation.
The auras of Laws intertwined into a net, suppressing even the stars around the Sun Star until they dimmed.
Taiyi held the Eastern Emperor Bell in one hand. Every time its body rotated, a Chaos Rune merged into it, its momentum vast and majestic.
Dijun, meanwhile, held the Innate Spiritual Treasure, the River Diagram and Luo Book. Purple Qi swirled around him, displaying his full majesty.
"Your Majesty, the army has assembled. Please give the order!" Gui Che, one of the Ten Great Demon Sages, stepped forward and spoke respectfully.
"Attention, all troops. The army departs!" Hearing Gui Che's words, Dijun was greatly satisfied and immediately ordered the entire army to set out.
As Dijun's words fell, the spiritual radiance and True Sun Fire of the vast army intertwined, transforming into a golden rainbow stretching across Chaos as it flew toward the North Sea.
The stars along the way were intimidated by this overwhelming force, and their halos went dark one after another.
When the living beings of the Primordial Wilderness saw this formation, all were alarmed. The demon race had actually grown this powerful!
However, when they saw that it was not coming for them, they breathed a sigh of relief.
No matter how powerful the demon race was, as long as it was not coming for them, that was all that mattered.
Thus, after watching for a while, they returned to their own affairs.
Meanwhile, led by Dijun and Taiyi, the demon race's army arrived at the North Sea in only a thousand years.
The North Sea was a place where forces from every side mingled, and frigid winds howled here.
The cold Water Law permeated heaven and earth, while massive aquatic beasts dozens of zhang long occasionally darted beneath the sea.
The demon race's army halted above the North Sea, and the auras of tens of millions of Golden Immortals gathered together.
They pressed the sea surface down by ten zhang. The cold aura was forced back by the blazing spiritual radiance, condensing into a sheet of white mist in midair.
"Boom—" On the seabed of the North Sea, a cave abode forged from North Sea black ice suddenly exploded.
Kunpeng transformed into an azure light and shot out from the sea.
He wore blue-black scale armor, and a pair of wings behind him blotted out the heavens and covered the earth. The aura of an Early Quasi-Saint spread outward, freezing the waters of the North Sea solid in an instant.
"Dijun, Taiyi, I bear no grievance against your demon race. You have mobilized such a force to invade the North Sea. Are you trying to wage war against me?"
Dijun slowly stepped forward atop the River Diagram and Luo Book. His tone was calm, yet carried unquestionable authority.
"Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, the Primordial Wilderness has only recently settled. The demon race seeks to rule the Four Seas and the starry sky."
"You are a Quasi-Saint who has severed one corpse. If you are willing to submit, I will appoint you Demon Master and place you in charge of teaching the demon race's cultivation methods."
"You will also be able to share the spirit veins of the Sun Star with us. Such treatment far surpasses living alone in the North Sea."
"Demon Master?" Kunpeng sneered. His wings beat behind him, and countless ice spikes rose from the sea, pointing directly at the demon race's army.
"You merely want me to become your lapdog! I am a Quasi-Saint. How could I submit to another?"
Before his words had faded, Taiyi suddenly stepped forward, and the Eastern Emperor Bell soared into the air.
"Hummm—" The pressure of the Innate Supreme Treasure instantly shrouded the North Sea. The Chaos Runes on the bell shone brilliantly as a heavy bell chime spread outward.
The ice spikes Kunpeng had formed instantly shattered. He felt a stabbing pain in his primordial spirit, and even the wings on his back began to tremble.
As a Quasi-Saint who had severed one corpse, he had actually been shaken into Law disorder by this bell chime!
"Kunpeng, don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!" Taiyi's eyes were full of disdain.
"You are merely a Quasi-Saint who has severed one corpse. I wield the Eastern Emperor Bell; even Late Quasi-Saint powerhouses cannot do anything to me. Do you think you can win?"
As he spoke, he slapped the Eastern Emperor Bell. Its body trembled once more, and a pillar of Chaos light shot toward Kunpeng.
Kunpeng's expression changed drastically. He could clearly sense the terrifying power contained within that beam.
If this strike hit him, his primordial spirit would likely suffer grave damage!
He wanted to use the Law of Speed to evade it, only to discover that the surrounding space had already been locked down by the Eastern Emperor Bell's pressure. He could not teleport at all.
After a moment of silence, the arrogance in Kunpeng's eyes gradually faded, replaced by deep unwillingness.
He withdrew his wings and bowed reluctantly. "This subject... Kunpeng, is willing to submit to the demon race. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your appointment."
Seeing him submit, a trace of satisfaction appeared on Dijun's face.
He then waved his hand, and five Innate Spiritual Treasures slowly floated toward Kunpeng.
"You are a Quasi-Saint, Fellow Daoist. Naturally, I will not treat you poorly."
"Among these Innate Spiritual Treasures is one Mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, while the others are low-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures. Take them all as a gift from me, a token of my sincerity."
Kunpeng accepted the Spiritual Treasures, his fingertips brushing the water-patterned runes on them. The unwillingness in his heart lessened somewhat.
Though he had submitted, obtaining several Innate Spiritual Treasures still allowed him to preserve the dignity of a Quasi-Saint, and the aquatic race under his command could also be spared.
Seeing Kunpeng's still-complicated expression, Taiyi suddenly shouted, "Demon race generals and soldiers, greet the Demon Master!"
The tens of millions of soldiers all dropped to one knee. Spiritual radiance surged into the sky as they shouted, "Greetings, Demon Master!"
Their voices shook the North Sea, frightening even the aquatic creatures on the seabed into stillness.
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