The Demonic Court is Established, the Dao Embryo is Wounded

"Let's call it the Demonic Court."

Zhang Huan traversed the ancient road, and countless responded. After all, the status of a Quasi-Emperor was undeniable; in this era, which was not a golden age, he was already an apex existence.

Several old Great Saints came to pay their respects. They were Great Saints who guarded cities. Through them, Zhang Huan learned that in this era, only one person among the ancient road's prodigies had achieved the Quasi-Emperor realm.

A single desolate sentence summarized a thousand years of history.

Originally, there were several monstrous talents on the ancient road with the hope of becoming Quasi-Emperors. They reached the Great Saint realm by five hundred years and had a high probability of breaking through within several hundred more years of refinement.

These old Great Saints on the ancient road had all placed their bets, confident in these individuals.

Unfortunately, unforeseen changes occurred. These individuals all met their demise at the hands of the ancient road's executioner, and their followers were mostly wiped out, leaving no decent prodigies.

"Fortunately, that executioner met his tribulation a few days ago and perished together with another Quasi-Emperor."

An old Great Saint said with a gleam of schadenfreude in his eyes, thinking that the nameless Quasi-Emperor deserved it.

Zhang Huan remembered these past events vividly and told them that he was the one who killed that Quasi-Emperor.

"You... you were the other person who caused the Supreme Dao battle a few days ago?!"

An old Great Saint asked cautiously. Zhang Huan remained silent and nodded.

"Hiss~"

All the Great Saints present were shocked. This news was a storm that would sweep across the universe; it was too astounding.

No one doubted the truth of Zhang Huan's words. The strong had the pride of the strong and disdained to lie. What a Quasi-Emperor said was the truth.

If that were the case, the Quasi-Emperor before them must also possess a Supreme Dao weapon. The Great Saints' hearts pounded.

Seeing Zhang Huan's youthful and handsome appearance, with boundless Blood Essence contained in his every move, they realized he was not an old fossil like them, cut off from the path ahead. He was likely a young, new Emperor.

Such a person had a clear path of cultivation and could potentially ascend to the Sole Great Emperor position in the future. The opportunity to witness him actively establishing a force was a stroke of good fortune.

"May I ask, Quasi-Emperor, how long has it been since you began your cultivation journey until today?"

A Great Saint couldn't help but ask Zhang Huan.

"A little over a thousand years."

Zhang Huan replied calmly.

"May we ask if we can join the Demonic Court?"

Another's eyes lit up, and he could no longer restrain himself, cupping his hands to ask. In the next moment, the Great Saints beside him spoke up as well.

They were moved, wanting to follow a Quasi-Emperor who was still young and had boundless potential for the future. Quasi-Emperors were rare in this era, and the Demonic Court was destined to become a hegemon in the Starry Sky.

They had guarded the Human Ancient Road for most of their lives; it was time to step down. There were still many landscapes in life they had yet to see.

With their Great Saint strength, joining the Demonic Court from its very inception would make them at least elders, granting them immense status and power.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Huan shook his head.

"My Demonic Court is not a place for enjoying blessings. I am not establishing it to plunder the resources of the universe, but for another purpose."

Some things had to be said upfront. He only wanted those who sincerely joined the Demonic Court, to avoid future troubles and prevent it from being infiltrated by the Divine Ruins like a sieve.

He then spoke of the nameless Quasi-Emperor, the master of the Demonic Cultivation Method, and the Divine Ruins, one of the Forbidden Zones, detailing their connections and stating directly that he founded this force to deal with the Divine Ruins.

The old Great Saints exchanged glances, none of them knowing that such a significant connection existed behind these people and events.

Considering what Zhang Huan intended to do, they found themselves unable to speak further, their words caught in their throats.

Even though they were usually addressed as venerable elders, they now looked at Zhang Huan with a degree of respect in their eyes.

To be able to oppose a Forbidden Zone, and to target a scion of a Forbidden Zone, was a boldness that not everyone possessed. The mere name of a Forbidden Zone was enough to make ninety-nine percent of people retreat.

Only the Void Emperor from ten thousand years ago and a very few others had the courage to directly confront the terrifying Forbidden Zones that had existed for millennia.

The old Great Saints were filled with admiration. Zhang Huan interrupted them.

"I am not doing this for righteousness; I cannot compare to the martyrs. It is merely for the sake of the Dao struggle, coupled with my inability to watch the world suffer under the oppression of the Forbidden Zones, living like ants and becoming their sustenance."

He could not, in good conscience, equate himself to the Void Emperor, knowing he was not the kind of person who sacrificed himself for righteousness. If he had been so when he was weak, he would not have practiced Demonic Cultivation Methods to devour cultivation.

His actions were simply because he could not bring himself to suppress his humanity; it was the sense of responsibility of the strong.

"If you aspire to resist the scions of the Forbidden Zones with me and prevent them from harming the world, then join the Demonic Court. Otherwise, it is best to retire peacefully in a corner; there will be no danger to your lives."

Zhang Huan finished speaking, and the Great Saints hesitated.

Unexpectedly, after a period of struggle, all the old Great Saints stayed.

They would shine and contribute one last time, and then they could rest in peace when they were laid to rest.

They could not bear to see someone fighting against the Forbidden Zones while they enjoyed leisure in a corner of the universe. They had all grown up on the stories of the Void Emperor and understood righteousness, wanting to contribute their part to the fight against the Forbidden Zones.

With such resolve, they declared their intention to join the Demonic Court to Zhang Huan.

Zhang Huan looked at them with new eyes. He had not expected the old Great Saints to have such high aspirations; it made him feel ashamed and filled him with inexpressible admiration.

"I will go and call a few close friends of mine, all trustworthy old fellows who have long been displeased with the Forbidden Zones."

One Great Saint laughed and departed, now considering himself a member of the Demonic Court and throwing himself into recruiting more strong individuals for it.

The remaining Great Saints also left temporarily for various reasons, but they would all return in the future when the Demonic Court was truly established somewhere.

After a long conversation in the city where they were staying, Zhang Huan mentioned the ancient road seed who broke through to the Quasi-Emperor realm.

It turned out to be an acquaintance, the Innate Dao Embryo from Jade Pond.

Upon mentioning the reasons behind it, the Old Saint sighed with regret.

When she first arrived on the ancient road, she was only at the Saint realm. Someone, coveting the Dao Embryo's fame, tried to forcibly take her in. The faction they belonged to was annihilated, immediately attracting the interest of the powerful figures in the latter half of the ancient road.

As she conquered more trials, the Dao Embryo's strength also surged, quickly reaching the Great Saint realm. Only two hundred years had passed since her arrival on the ancient road.

She always traveled alone and never mentioned the forces behind her, rejecting countless recruitment and marriage proposals.

Over five hundred years ago, she began undergoing her Quasi-Emperor Tribulation, shortly after an unnamed Quasi-Emperor massacred the ancient road.

All surviving Great Saints advised her to be fully prepared before facing the tribulation, but her mind was made up. Her foundation was sufficient, and she didn't want to miss the opportunity and be held back for another hundred years. She intended to break through to the Quasi-Emperor realm in one go.

As the Innate Dao Embryo, she had the confidence to do so.

She chose an ancient battlefield on the Sole True Path. The Quasi-Emperor Tribulation descended, attracting countless gazes, some in shock, others in admiration. At that time, everyone believed the Dao Embryo would rise to power, lead an era, and become a female Emperor spoken of for eternity.

The old Great Saint reminisced, tears welling up in his eyes, filled with unwillingness and indignation that lingered for a long time.

He had watched the Dao Embryo rise. He had even protected her when she was weak and, from the bottom of his heart, regarded her as a young Great Emperor yet to rise, placing great hope in her.

Alas, everything changed because of that Quasi-Emperor Tribulation.

The immense aura attracted the whereabouts of the unknown Quasi-Emperor, who immediately intended to blast the Dao Embryo with Emperor Power.

At that moment, the Dao Embryo was undergoing her tribulation and was unable to attend to anything else. Everyone thought she was finished, but a Great Saint wielding the Immortal Tear Green Gold Pagoda turned the tide, bringing hope and stalemating the Quasi-Emperor who refused to reveal his identity.

Only then did everyone realize that the peerlessly talented young woman was actually the Jade Pool Saintess, the next Holy Lord, who had already communicated with the Holy Land and brought an Emperor Weapon to stand guard.

The onlookers were instantly relieved and breathed a sigh of relief. As the two stalemated, the Jade Pool Saintess successfully passed her tribulation and was on the verge of becoming a Quasi-Emperor. Then, another Supreme Dao aura descended, striking her by surprise.

The situation changed in an instant. Just when everyone thought she was about to succeed, it marked the beginning of despair.

Preserved by various secret arts and aided by the divine nature of the Innate Dao Embryo, the Jade Pool Saintess did not die on the spot. She barely survived, but her aura was weak, her body half-shattered by Emperor Power, and her cultivation level damaged as a result.

The Quasi-Emperor Tribulation was arduous. When the lightning tribulation dissipated, the Jade Pool Saintess was left with only a breath.

The unknown Emperor Weapon still wanted to unleash another blast of Emperor Power to completely kill the Dao Embryo. Seeing this, the Jade Pool Great Saint, unable to continue his struggle with the other, immediately unleashed his full power and fled towards the Big Dipper with her.

"No one expected that a second Emperor Weapon would appear to assassinate her at that time."

The old Great Saint sighed. Emperor Weapons had always been few. It was already an unprecedented rarity for one to be used to kill a prodigy on the ancient road, yet another one committed the same evil deed.

Afterward, the old Great Saint took the time to visit the Saintess at the Jade Pool Holy Land.

Jade Pool's conclusion was that surviving was already fortunate enough. To advance further, she would need a supreme expert to refine a supreme Divine Medicine to heal her Dao Injury and various hidden ailments; otherwise, even fighting would be difficult.

The old Great Saint knew her path had reached its end. Without a great opportunity, she would never be able to reproduce the divine wonders of the Dao Embryo again.

Setting aside the so-called supreme experts, the Immortal Divine Medicine alone was impossible to find unless an Emperor personally sought it. It was incredibly rare throughout history to obtain even one fruit.

Even if one were found, its value would be immeasurable. Selling more than half of the Jade Pool's assets wouldn't be enough to exchange for one. It could be said that the Dao Embryo's fate was sealed.

A generation's prodigy, who was once a seed with great potential to achieve the Dao, was instead harmed by others, stopping at the brink of her rise. Like a fleeting flower, her brilliance vanished in an instant.

Who wouldn't feel melancholic hearing such a story?

Certain Supreme Dao forces committed countless evils, even extending their demonic claws to young cultivation seeds. The old Great Saint harbored resentment over this and vowed to seek justice for the Jade Pool Saintess and uncover the truth.

Therefore, upon learning that one of the Emperor Weapons originated from the Divine Ruins, he was the first to join the Demonic Court founded by Zhang Huan.

"I didn't expect this young woman couldn't break free from so-called destiny."

Zhang Huan mused. In the first life he simulated, the Dao Embryo died very early, and he never got to witness her splendor.

In this life, although she joined Jade Pool and unleashed the Dao Embryo's greatest potential, she still failed to achieve the Dao, ending in a tragic conclusion.

Could it be that there truly is a path of destiny and metaphysics that meticulously weaves the tapestry of one's life?

Minor trends can be altered, but major trends are hard to defy?

Zhang Huan did not believe in these things. He firmly believed that one's life was written by oneself. If there were such a thing as destiny, then what about himself?

How could a person with meager aptitude rise to become a Quasi-Emperor who suppressed all realms be explained by destiny?

"I had a past connection with the Jade Pool Saintess. She was harmed by Supreme Dao forces, and I also regret it. I will find the true culprit sooner or later."

Zhang Huan informed the old Great Saint.

One of the two Supreme Dao forces had already surfaced, namely the Divine Ruins, one of the Forbidden Zones. The other would not remain hidden for long. Since they had attacked the Dao Embryo, they would inevitably reveal their tracks again.

After bidding farewell to the ancient road, Zhang Huan announced to the Starry Sky, continuously recruiting capable individuals who dared to resist the Forbidden Zones. From then on, the Demonic Court grew powerful, becoming one of the top forces in the universe.

Great Saint realm experts served as the core strength, crucial for monitoring the Divine Ruins and eliminating the pawns of the Demonic Cultivation Method's master. Those with lower strength were different.

Zhang Huan did not expect them to contribute much power in the fight against the Forbidden Zones; their main role was to provide information.

He would recruit as many low-to-mid-level cultivators as possible, scattering them throughout the Starry Sky to find star systems infected by the Demonic Cultivation Method, mark them, and conduct a detailed investigation of the Demonic Cultivation Method master's arrangements over the years.

Ten years later, in a star field adjacent to the Big Dipper, a brilliant star emanated a heart-stirring pressure, dazzling and radiant. This was the headquarters of the Demonic Court.

It was originally a dead star, but it was imbued with life through great magical power, resonating with the Dao and becoming extraordinarily divine.

On a magnificent, majestic mountain, palaces scattered various auspicious colors, with falling blossoms. Inside, Zhang Huan sat quietly, as if sensing something, his body surging with vigorous Blood Essence.

Red hair grew on his body, and his flesh was invaded by a strange and ominous presence, extremely terrifying. For a moment, he resembled a wild man. Even though he discovered it in time and used his surging Blood Essence, it was difficult to remove this red hair.

"The Underworld's curse has finally discovered I'm still alive."

Zhang Huan looked into the distance, gazing towards the other end of the starry sky, where the Underworld was located.

Across the boundless void, they could use karma as a thread to cast curses without seeing the target; the Underworld's methods were insidious.

Having dug up so many of their ancient tombs, it was at least a crippling blow to the Underworld. They wouldn't let this go. The curse was just a warning; more astonishing methods would follow.

His skin was smooth and jade-like, emitting a holy light. Zhang Huan's body was covered in Dao principles, using various Dao techniques to burn away the red hair and suppress the curse.

He had been prepared long ago. If he dared to do it then, he naturally dared to bear the consequences now. He didn't fear the Underworld at all, sitting still like a single entity, unless a Supreme Being personally emerged to obliterate him.

"The Underworld. I haven't settled this karma yet, and they've come knocking on my door."

Zhang Huan's gaze was sharp. It was time to go out and seek some opportunities. He hadn't ventured into the battlefield where the Underworld was located before; this time, he would probe their strength.

As he walked out of the palace, he was immediately surrounded by people, all concerned about Zhang Huan's physical condition.

The surge of Blood Essence that had previously covered numerous star fields had indicated an unknown event, causing them unease.

Among them were Old Great Saints from the Human Ancient Road, powerful cultivators who had been in seclusion in their own star fields, and the rest were Demonic Cultivation Method practitioners who had come to pledge their allegiance.

This group included the Great Saint Zhang Huan had saved earlier, who also pledged their loyalty after learning about the Demonic Court's goals.

These people were all counting on Zhang Huan to lead them in eradicating the so-called Forbidden Zone's scions and breaking through their treacherous schemes.

"It's nothing. How have the Demonic Court's efforts progressed during my seclusion?"

Zhang Huan brushed it off, claiming he was merely practicing a powerful secret technique and had lost control of his Blood Essence, causing the anomaly.

As the master of the court, his actions were closely tied to the faction's future prospects. Zhang Huan didn't want to cause unnecessary turmoil; a stable populace meant everything would go smoothly.