Xuan Zheng the Director is Online: Are You Trying to Scam Us? The Heavenly Dao Gives Merit, the Demon Emperor Gives Heads!

Outside Buzhou Mountain, demonic energy billowed.

The vanguard of the Demon Clan, led by Bai Ze, advanced with great momentum, under the banner of "Patrolling the Primordial World, Proclaiming the Heavenly Court's Majesty."

"Demon Commander, there seems to be some unusual activity at the Witch Clan's construction site ahead," a demon general reported, stepping forward.

Bai Ze gently fanned himself, not ordering a halt. The demonic clouds continued to press forward.

Xuanzheng stood on the watchtower, a subtle curve at the corner of his lips. They're here.

"Boom--!"

With a deafening roar, a section at the very front of the demon vanguard suddenly exploded in a blinding flash of light, accompanied by several screams.

Several magical artifacts that were not retrieved in time instantly dimmed, and over a dozen demon soldiers were sent flying, spitting demon blood.

"What's going on?!" Bai Ze's expression darkened, and he flickered to the scene.

A large pit had appeared where the ground had collapsed. Unfinished array patterns remained on the edges, now flickering with unstable light.

"Report--! Demon Commander, we accidentally triggered an unfinished defensive array of the Witch Clan!" a surviving demon soldier scrambled over.

Xuanzheng "dashed" over from the distant construction site at the opportune moment, his face a mask of "panic."

"Oh dear, oh dear! What happened?!" He rushed to the front, seeing the chaotic scene of demon soldiers and broken artifacts. He pounded his chest and stomped his feet, "Which damned construction team did this work! Shoddy work! This is absolutely shoddy construction!"

He pointed at the Great Witches responsible for the nearby area, lamenting, "What are you doing? How many times have I told you, safety first! Safety first! Now look, you've injured our fellow demon cultivators! How am I supposed to explain this to His Majesty, the Demon Emperor!"

The Great Witches exchanged glances, lowered their heads, and put on a show of "admitting fault," though they were secretly amused. The acting skills of the Thirteenth Ancestral Witch were truly superb.

Bai Ze looked at Xuanzheng's "heartbroken" demeanor, as if he wanted to execute the construction team on the spot, and frowned. This reaction was a bit excessive.

In Xuanzheng's mind, the [Karma Scale] trembled slightly, and the minor "losses" of karma were rapidly magnified. On the [Script Mirror], lines of text quickly appeared: "Witch Clan's construction was careless, an unfinished array was accidentally activated, exposing the aura of a suspected secret treasure underground. The demon vanguard's patrol was affected by the array's aftershocks, nearly causing a conflict. Heavenly Dao judgment: The Witch Clan was negligent and also had a responsibility to guard the construction site; the Demon Clan suffered accidental injury and also had suspicion of over-investigation. Merit reward: Construction site safety reinforcement, minor success. Unlocked: 'Reasonable Self-Defense' permission (Beginner)."

[Ding! Received three hundred strands of Heavenly Dao Merit.]

Xuanzheng rejoiced inwardly, but his face became even more "indignant": "Lord Demon Commander, this matter is entirely due to my Witch Clan's lax supervision. I, Xuanzheng, am willing to bear all responsibility! As for these losses, my Witch Clan..."

"There's no need," Bai Ze interrupted him, his tone calm. "Patrolling the Primordial World inherently involves encountering various accidents. Let this be a lesson."

He looked deeply at Xuanzheng, then swept his gaze over the "dejected" Great Witches, his doubts growing.

When did these Witches become so accommodating?

"It was all an unintentional mistake on our part. I hope Fellow Daoist Xuanzheng doesn't blame himself too much," Bai Ze said politely, then ordered, "The entire army will retreat thirty miles and set up camp! Maintain strict vigilance!"

The demon army slowly retreated.

Xuanzheng watched their retreating backs, the "grief" on his face gradually fading, replaced by a triumphant smile of a plan well-executed.

"Thank you all for your hard work," he said, cupping his hands towards the Great Witches. "That was a good performance, let's do it again next time."

"Ancestral Witch, did the Demon Clan really just retreat?" the Great Witches asked, somewhat confused.

"Retreat? This is just the beginning," Xuanzheng said with a mysterious smile. "The big fish haven't taken the bait yet."

He consumed a small amount of merit and activated the [Script Mirror], making "artistic" minor adjustments and amplifications to several known "small geological structure bugs" and "geomagnetic anomaly bugs" near Buzhou Mountain. These bugs were already on the repair list in the Manual, and now they were being put to good use.

Night deepened.

In the central tent of the demon camp, Bai Ze pondered over the map.

"Demon Commander, General Ying Zhao has returned!" a guard announced.

A moment later, a disheveled Demon God Ying Zhao rushed in, followed by several equally shaken scouts.

"Demon Commander!" Ying Zhao's voice trembled.

"What is it that causes such alarm?" Bai Ze put down his fan.

"I... I led a scout team to infiltrate the depths of Buzhou Mountain to investigate, and we encountered... we encountered something terrifying!" Ying Zhao swallowed hard.

He began to recount his experience.

"As soon as we entered a dense forest, the ground beneath us suddenly split open into a bottomless crevice without any warning!"

A scout added, "The crevice was pitch black and emitting a chilling mist. Little Six couldn't dodge in time and fell straight in, not even managing a few screams!"

Ying Zhao continued, "We knew something was wrong and immediately took a detour. But we hadn't gone far before we entered another strange area where everyone's sense of direction was completely lost. The pointers on our magical artifacts spun wildly like madmen. We must have gone in circles for at least seven or eight rounds!"

Bai Ze's brow furrowed. These phenomena didn't seem natural.

"Could it be a Witch Clan array?"

"That's exactly what we thought!" Ying Zhao nodded vigorously. "So I ordered my subordinates to use their Demon Eyes of Insight to see through the illusion."

A look of intense fear appeared on his face. "The result... the result was a sight more terrifying than any array!"

"What did you see?"

"Countless powerful Witch Clan figures! At least a hundred Great Witches, and even the aura of several Ancestral Witches!" Ying Zhao's voice became shrill with fear. "They were surrounding a massive altar, and the offerings... the offerings were actually rocks and plants! They were chanting incantations, causing the entire Buzhou Mountain's ley lines to tremble, as if... as if they were awakening some slumbering, terrifying existence!"

This was naturally an illusion projected by Xuanzheng using the [Script Mirror], combined with some of the power that had leaked from Pangu Hall, remotely connected through the Dragon Vein Ancestral Source, specifically prepared for these "spectators."

The scouts also chimed in, describing the details of the bizarre ritual, their faces pale.

"Awakening a terrifying existence?" Bai Ze's heart stirred. "Could it be... Pangu's lingering will?"

"Not only that!" Ying Zhao's body trembled even more violently. "Just when we thought it was some kind of ritual, in the illusion, a... a Pangu phantom, towering to the heavens, slowly opened its eyes!"

"What?!" Bai Ze abruptly stood up, and the other demon generals in the tent gasped.

"That phantom... that phantom glanced at us indifferently!" Ying Zhao was on the verge of tears. "Just that one glance! It felt like it crossed eons of time and space, containing supreme pressure like that of the creation of heaven and earth! Our souls almost collapsed on the spot!"

"And then?"

"Then, how could we dare to stay any longer! We scrambled and crawled, barely escaping with our lives!" Ying Zhao still felt lingering fear. "Demon Commander! The Witch Clan... the Witch Clan must be performing some kind of forbidden evil ritual at Buzhou Mountain! They want to awaken Pangu's true spirit! Their ambition is so great, it's simply horrifying! Their power is immense, and terrifying to the extreme!"

A dead silence fell over the tent.

Bai Ze remained silent for a long time. He looked at the genuine fear on Ying Zhao and the others' faces, and then recalled Xuanzheng's unusual behavior during the day.

"Pass down my order, transmit everything seen and heard here, without a single omission, back to the Heavenly Court immediately, and report to His Majesty!"

Lingxiao Treasure Hall.

Di Jun listened to Bai Ze's detailed report, transmitted through a secret method, his expression as dark as water.

Taiyi, standing beside him, was burning with rage. "Good riddance, Witch Clan! They truly harbor malicious intentions! To actually attempt to covelace Pangu's power! This is simply courting death!"

"Elder Brother, this matter absolutely cannot be tolerated! I will gather the Demon Gods and flatten Buzhou Mountain right now, let's see what kind of monstrosity they can summon!" Taiyi's Sun True Fire blazed fiercely.

"Calm yourself." Di Jun raised his hand, stopping Taiyi.

He looked at the Demon Master Kunpeng. "What does the Demon Master think?"

Kunpeng's gloomy face also held a hint of solemnity. "If what Bai Ze reported is true, the Witch Clan's actions are no small matter. Pangu's power is the origin of the Primordial World. If they truly control it..."

The consequences were unimaginable.

"Hmph, a bunch of barbarians who don't even have a Primordial Spirit, and they think they're worthy of controlling Pangu's power?" Di Jun sneered, killing intent flashing in his eyes. "The more they act like this, the more it proves they are guilty, the more it proves that Buzhou Mountain holds a great secret!"

"Bai Ze's initial probing, though the losses were small, has also alerted the snake," Di Jun tapped his fingers on the armrest of his throne. "However, it has also allowed us to see their claws and teeth."

"Elder Brother, then what should we do..."

"Increase the pressure!" Di Jun said decisively. "Since they want to hide, we will force them to reveal themselves!"

"Pass down my decree, order Bai Ze to continue 'patrolling'. If the Witch Clan makes any 'unusual moves', he may act on his own discretion! I want to see what exactly they are planning!"

"Furthermore, mobilize three armies of Demon Gods and set up defenses a million miles outside Buzhou Mountain, forming an encirclement! If the Witch Clan dares to make any major moves, we will annihilate them in one fell swoop!"

Di Jun's orders were quickly conveyed to the demon army camp outside Buzhou Mountain.

Buzhou Mountain, Observation Deck.

Xuanzheng's [Script Mirror] in his hand grew slightly warm, and the mirror surface clearly displayed the latest movements of the Heavenly Court's demon race.

The "innocent" smile on his face was now exceptionally radiant.

"His Majesty the Demon Emperor is indeed supportive," Xuanzheng murmured to himself. "This first batch of 'seed funding' and 'free actors' has already exceeded expectations."

Houtu's figure appeared behind him.

"Thirteenth Brother, the demon armies are pressing in, yet you don't seem... worried at all?"

Xuanzheng turned around and casually tossed the [Script Mirror].

"Worried about what? Sister, our 'Buzhou Mountain Super Invincible Impenetrable PLUS Edition Reinforced Project' is in dire need of high-grade materials and more manpower."

He grinned, revealing two rows of pearly white teeth.

"See? They've delivered themselves right to our doorstep?"