Inside the Lingxiao Treasure Hall.
Xuanzheng looked around the resplendent hall. Without any pleasantries, he took a jade slip from his robes and gently placed it on the table before Di Jun.
"This is the draft cooperation agreement the Witch Clan rushed out overnight. Please review it, Fellow Daoist."
The jade slip lit up on its own, projecting a screen of light into the air. Its bold title read: <Memorandum of Understanding on the Joint Development and Ecological Governance of the Solar Star>.
Di Jun sent his divine sense into it, and his expression immediately darkened.
Unable to restrain himself, Taiyi pulled the jade slip into his hand. After one glance, he slammed the table and rose to his feet! The divine-gold table beneath his palm crumbled into dust.
"Xuanzheng! Do not go too far!"
Taiyi's hair stood on end in fury, and the Eastern Emperor Bell above his head hummed as if it might descend to suppress everything at any moment. "What cooperation is this? This is outright extortion!"
Every clause on the screen was like a poison-tipped needle, stabbing deep into the Demon Clan's marrow.
First, the Witch Clan would have complete authority over the design, construction, and supervision of this project. The Demon Clan was required to cooperate unconditionally.
Second, all materials required for the project, including but not limited to Solar True Gold, Fusang Divine Wood, and stellar refined iron, were to be supplied by the Demon Clan without limit.
Third, during the project, the Demon Clan was required to assign ten demon commanders such as Baize and Ying Zhao, along with one hundred thousand demon troops, as laborers, all of whom would be entirely subject to the Witch Clan Foremen's orders.
Fourth, all rights of interpretation and ownership over the project's final results, including but not limited to array patents and technical blueprints, belonged to the Witch Clan.
Fifth, any newly discovered mineral veins, spiritual roots, or Companion Supreme Treasures during the project would be regarded as "project risk compensation" and would belong to the Witch Clan.
Sixth, the Demon Clan was required to provide the Witch Clan engineering team with the highest standard of logistical support, including but not limited to ten-thousand-year spiritual fruits and top-grade Immortal Brew.
Xuanzheng leisurely blew on his nails, as though he had not heard Taiyi's furious outburst.
"Calm down, Fellow Daoist Taiyi. This is a technical collaboration. Naturally, whoever has the stronger technology takes the lead."
He raised his head, his "honest-looking" face carrying a trace of perfectly justified innocence.
"If the Demon Clan can solve the Solar Star's problem yourselves, then my Witch Clan will immediately applaud and celebrate. We certainly will not disturb you. We can turn around and leave right now, and even save a large sum on travel expenses."
A cold sneer surfaced in Xuanzheng's heart.
This is called a technological barrier, understand? You can fly through the heavens and burrow into the earth, but do you know how to cool something scientifically? Do you understand energy counteraction and thermal circulation systems?
If you do not, then obediently be the sucker client!
"You!" Taiyi was so choked with anger that his chest heaved violently, Solar True Fire surging around him.
Technology! Again with the technology!
These barbarians, who only knew how to communicate with their fists, had actually used the word "technology" to force the Demon Clan into a corner! It was even more humiliating than defeat in battle!
Di Jun forcefully suppressed the churning blood and qi within him. Every word he spoke carried icy restraint. "Xuanzheng, do you truly think my Demon Clan has no choice but to compromise?"
The aura of the Myriad Stars Array faintly emerged throughout the Heavenly Court, killing intent filling the air.
Hearing this, Xuanzheng put on a "troubled" expression and sighed, his gaze drifting toward Tang Valley.
"Do not misunderstand, Fellow Daoist Di Jun. Our Witch Clan loves peace. It is just that..."
His tone shifted, his voice filled with the implication of a "friendly reminder."
"If this drags on, those ten little Golden Crows will no longer merely be burning too fiercely. They may directly upgrade from 'origin roasting' mode to 'internal and external combustion' mode. By then, forget saving them—you may not even be able to piece together a single intact feather."
That "friendly reminder" was like an invisible ice spike, viciously piercing Di Jun and Taiyi's hearts.
Crack—
Di Jun crushed a crack into the armrest beneath his hand.
He closed his eyes. In his mind was the simulation diagram from that report showing the Solar Star's implosion; in his ears were his sons' increasingly shrill cries.
After a long while, Di Jun opened his eyes. All his rage, unwillingness, and killing intent had turned into Deathly Silence and ash-gray desolation.
He stretched out his hand, drew forth a strand of Demon Emperor origin, and heavily pressed it onto the screen of light.
Hum—
The contract was established.
"Happy... cooperation."
Di Jun's voice was so hoarse that it barely sounded like his own.
Xuanzheng's smile instantly became incomparably radiant.
"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist! When the Witch Clan does things, efficiency comes first, and quality is guaranteed!"
He turned and left, not giving Di Jun any chance to regret it. At the same time, he loudly issued orders:
"From this moment onward, the Witch Clan's [Solar Star Ecological Balance and Sustainable Development Assistance Project] is officially launched!"
"Zhurong!"
"Present!" Zhurong stepped out excitedly, carrying the Fire God Staff over his shoulder.
"I appoint you Director of Supervision for the Solar Star High-Temperature Work Zone! You will be responsible for all on-site construction and safety measures!"
"Gonggong!"
"Mhm." Gonggong nodded, sparing only a single syllable.
"I appoint you Chief Engineer of the Solar Star Cooling Circulation System! You will be responsible for designing and constructing the complete energy diversion system!"
Xuanzheng paused, then added as if talking to himself, "Sigh, the Solar Star's yang energy is too excessive. Diversion alone will not be enough; it must be balanced by supreme yin energy... It seems necessary to visit the Taiyin Star and discuss technical cooperation on 'yin-yang balance' with Fellow Daoists Xihe and Changxi."
Those words made Di Jun's face darken three shades further.
Xihe was his Heavenly Empress! Xuanzheng was not only planning to fleece the Demon Clan, he was even setting his sights on Di Jun's wife!
The scene shifted to the surface of the Solar Star in the next instant.
Leading a team of elite fire witches, Zhurong tossed the [Buzhou Mountain High-Temperature Resistant Materials V2.0] and [Pangu Brand Heat Insulation Array Disc] provided by Xuanzheng onto the ground. A massive "Safe Construction Zone" rose from the earth.
With his hands on his hips, he roared at a group of powerful Demon Clan figures with livid faces. "What are you all standing around for?! You there—yes, you, Baize! Do not think you can avoid work just because you are smart! Go cut that Fusang wood to the specified measurements! The error cannot exceed one fen! Calculate it wrong, and you will not get any spiritual fruit today!"
The Demon Clan strategist Baize had never suffered such treatment before, yet he could only pick up the tools in humiliation and begin measuring clumsily.
"And you, Ying Zhao! You are strong, so go dig out that piece of Solar True Gold! No divine abilities—use this pickaxe! Yes, it is specially made by our Witch Clan. Experience the purest form of labor! If you cannot dig it out, do not even think about eating today!"
Boom!
One demon god could not help muttering, "We are important ministers of the Heavenly Court..."
Zhurong could not even be bothered to respond. With a backhanded swing, he gave him a "fiery greeting." A ball of Southern Bright Lihuo flew past the demon god's scalp, burning every feather from his helmet.
"Do what you are told! Why so much nonsense?" Zhurong glared with eyes as wide as bells. "Can you afford to delay the deadline set by our Chief Consultant Xuanzheng?!"
The demon gods and generals were scolded like grandchildren. Though furious, they dared not speak and could only serve as laborers in humiliation.
Meanwhile, within the "safe zone," Xuanzheng lay leisurely on a reclining chair made of ten-thousand-year cold jade, sipping top-grade immortal tea contributed by the Demon Clan. The Script Mirror in his hand was aimed at the Solar Star's interior, scanning it continuously.
BUG core node locked... Estimated time required: forty-nine days.
Three high-purity Solar True Gold mineral veins detected... Not bad. Take them.
One Fusang Divine Wood companion spiritual root, Fire Jade Marrow, detected... Perfect as a snack for Zhurong.
Was this really bug fixing? This was clearly a shopping trip!
He took a sip of tea and calculated inwardly that once news of this Witch-Demon cooperation spread, Old Man Hongjun's blood pressure would probably become unstable again at the sight.
At that moment, the Primordial World Bug Fixing Manual in his robes trembled slightly, and a stream of information entered his mind.
[Zixiao Palace lectures will begin in one thousand years. The saintly seats will be determined.]
Xuanzheng set down his teacup, the corner of his mouth curling into an amused smile.
He slowly sat upright, his gaze sweeping across the bustling—utterly chaotic—construction site before looking toward the Thirty-Three Heavens. A sharp gleam flashed in his eyes.
Saintly seats? That was the greatest cake in the Primordial World. How could one go divide the cake without some Hard Currency in hand?
Merit, fortune, Pangu's Legacy, top-grade materials... Was this Solar Star not Seed Funding delivered right to his doorstep?
"It seems this project must be accelerated." Xuanzheng murmured, a new plan already taking shape in his heart.
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