Blackmailing the Demon Emperor! Xuan Zheng: Don't Sign? Your Son Will Be Cooked!

Inside the Lingxiao Treasure Hall.

Xuanzheng surveyed the resplendent palace around him and, without preamble, produced a jade slip from his robes, placing it gently on the low table before Di Jun.

"This is the cooperation draft our Witch Clan rushed out overnight. Please review it, fellow Daoist."

The jade slip glowed on its own, projecting a screen of light into the air. The title, written in a flamboyant script, was none other than—Memorandum of Understanding on the Joint Development and Ecological Governance of the Solar Star.

Di Jun's divine sense probed the contents, and his expression instantly darkened.

Taiyi couldn't contain himself. He snatched the jade slip into his hand, took one look, and slammed his palm down on the table, roaring! The table, forged from divine metal, crumbled to dust under his grip.

"Xuanzheng! You dare to push us too far!"

Taiyi's hair stood on end in fury, the Eastern Emperor Bell humming ominously above his head, seemingly ready to descend and suppress everything. "This is hardly cooperation! It's outright extortion!"

The clauses on the screen were like poisoned needles, piercing deep into the Demon Clan's very bones.

1. This project shall be led entirely by the Witch Clan in terms of design, construction, and supervision. The Demon Clan must cooperate unconditionally. 2. All materials required for the project, including but not limited to Solar True Gold and Fusang Divine Wood, Star Essence Iron, shall be provided by the Demon Clan in unlimited quantities. 3. During the project, the Demon Clan shall assign ten Great Demon Commanders, such as Bai Ze and Ying Zhao, and one hundred thousand demon troops to serve as labor, completely under the command of the Witch Clan foremen. 4. All interpretation rights and ownership of the final project results, including but not limited to array patents and technical drawings, shall belong to the Witch Clan. 5. Any newly discovered ore veins, spiritual roots, or accompanying treasures during the project shall be deemed "project risk compensation" and belong to the Witch Clan. 6. The Demon Clan shall provide the highest level of logistical support for the Witch Clan's engineering team, including but not limited to ten-thousand-year-old spiritual fruits and top-tier immortal brews.

Xuanzheng slowly blew on his fingernails, as if oblivious to Taiyi's rage.

"Fellow Daoist Taiyi, please calm your anger. This is a technical cooperation, naturally the one with superior technology takes the lead."

He looked up, his "honest" face wearing an expression of innocent matter-of-factness.

"If the Demon Clan has the ability to solve the Solar Star's problem on its own, our Witch Clan will immediately applaud and will not interfere. We'll turn around and leave, saving ourselves a considerable travel expense."

A cold sneer flickered in Xuanzheng's heart.

This is called a technological barrier, understand? You can fly through heavens and dive into the earth, but do you know scientific cooling? Do you understand energy counteraction and thermal circulation systems?

No? Then obediently be the sucker client!

"You!" Taiyi was so choked that his chest heaved violently, and Solar True Fire surged around him.

Technology! It's always technology!

These barbarians who only know how to communicate with their fists have actually managed to corner our Demon Clan using the word "technology"! This is more humiliating than defeat in battle!

Di Jun forcibly suppressed the churning blood within him, each word laden with icy restraint. "Xuanzheng, do you truly believe my Demon Clan has no choice but to compromise?"

The aura of the Myriad Stars Array faintly permeated the entire Heavenly Court, exuding a murderous intent.

Xuanzheng heard this and put on a "troubled" expression. He sighed, his gaze drifting towards the Tang Valley.

"Fellow Daoist Di Jun, please don't misunderstand. We Witch Clan love peace. It's just that..."

His tone shifted, filled with a sense of "friendly reminder."

"If we delay any longer, those ten little Golden Crows won't just be intensely hot. I fear they'll upgrade from 'core baking' mode to 'internal and external combustion' mode. By then, forget saving them, we might not even be able to gather a single complete feather."

This "friendly reminder" was like an invisible ice pick, piercing Di Jun and Taiyi's hearts.

[Crack--]

The armrest in Di Jun's hand cracked under his forceful grip.

He closed his eyes, his mind filled with the simulated diagrams of the Solar Star's collapse from that report, and the increasingly desperate cries of his sons echoing in his ears.

After a long moment, Di Jun opened his eyes. All his anger, unwillingness, and killing intent had dissolved into a desolate, lifeless gray.

He reached out, drew upon a wisp of his Demon Emperor essence, and pressed it heavily onto the screen.

[Hum--]

The contract was established.

"A... pleasant cooperation."

Di Jun's voice was hoarse, unlike his own.

Xuanzheng's smile instantly became radiant.

"Rest assured, fellow Daoist! Our Witch Clan gets things done with top efficiency and guaranteed quality!"

He turned and left, giving Di Jun no chance to regret his decision, and loudly issued his orders:

"Effective immediately, our Witch Clan's [Solar Star Ecological Balance and Sustainable Development Assistance Project] is officially launched!"

"Zhurong!"

"Here!" Zhurong stepped forward excitedly, carrying the Fire God Staff.

"You are hereby appointed 'Chief Supervisor of the Solar Star High-Temperature Work Zone'! You will be responsible for all on-site construction and safety!"

"Gonggong!"

"Mm." Gonggong nodded, speaking only when necessary.

"I hereby appoint you 'Chief Engineer of the Solar Star Cooling Circulation System'! You are responsible for designing and constructing the entire energy diversion system!"

Xuanzheng paused, then added as if to himself, "Alas, the Solar Star's yang energy is too strong; diversion alone won't suffice. We need the power of extreme yin to harmonize it... It seems necessary to make a trip to the Taiyin Star and discuss 'yin-yang balance' technical cooperation with fellow Daoists Xihe and Changxi."

Hearing his words, Di Jun's expression darkened by another third.

Xihe was his Empress! This Xuanzheng wasn't just trying to fleece the Demon Clan, but he was also setting his sights on Di Jun's wife!

The next moment, the scene shifted to the surface of the Solar Star.

Zhurong led a team of elite Fire Witches, throwing down the [Buzhou Mountain High-Temperature Resistant Material V2.0] and [Pangu Brand Heat Insulation Array Disc] provided by Xuanzheng. A massive "safe construction zone" sprang up.

He put his hands on his hips and roared at a group of ashen-faced great powers of the Demon Clan, "What are you all standing around for?! You over there, yes, you, Bai Ze! Don't think your brains make you exempt from work! Go, saw that Fusang tree over there to the correct dimensions. The error margin cannot exceed one fen! If you miscalculate, there'll be no spirit fruit for you today!"

Bai Ze, the Demon Clan's strategist, had never been subjected to such humiliation. However, he could only grudgingly pick up the tools and fumble with them awkwardly.

"And you, Ying Zhao! You're strong, go dig out that Solar True Gold! No Spiritual Power allowed, just use this pickaxe! Yes, specially made by our Witch Clan, experience the purest form of labor! If you can't dig it out, you won't be eating today!"

[BOOM!]

One Demon God couldn't help but mutter, "We are important ministers of the Heavenly Court..."

Zhurong couldn't be bothered to reply. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a "fiery greeting." A ball of Southern Bright Lihuo flew past the Demon God's scalp, completely incinerating the feathers on his helmet.

"Just do as you're told! Stop your nonsense!" Zhurong's bell-like eyes widened. "Can you bear the responsibility if we miss the deadline set by our Consultant Xuanzheng?!"

The group of Demon Gods and generals were berated like scolded children. Daring not to speak out of anger, they could only dejectedly become laborers.

Meanwhile, within the "safe zone," Xuanzheng lounged leisurely on a reclining chair made of ten-thousand-year-old cold jade, sipping the finest immortal tea contributed by the Demon Clan. The [Script Mirror] in his hand was pointed at the interior of the Solar Star, continuously scanning.

'Locking onto BUG core node... Estimated time: forty-nine days.' 'Detected three veins of high-purity Solar True Gold... Good, I'll take them.' 'Detected one 'Fire Jade Marrow,' a spiritual root accompanying the Fusang Divine Wood... Perfect for Zhurong as a snack.'

This wasn't coming to fix bugs at all; it was clearly a shopping trip!

He took a sip of tea, contemplating that once news of this Witch-Demon cooperation spread, Hongjun would see this scene and his blood pressure would likely become unstable again.

Just then, the Primordial World Bug Fixing Manual in his embrace vibrated slightly, and a stream of information flowed into his mind.

[Zixiao Palace sermon will commence in a thousand years. Saint Positions will be decided.]

Xuanzheng put down his teacup, a playful curve forming on his lips.

He slowly sat up, his gaze sweeping across the bustling (and chaotic) construction site, then towards the direction of the Thirty-Third Heaven. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

Saint Positions? That was the biggest cake in the Primordial World. How could one hope to get a slice without any hard currency in hand?

Merit, Destiny, Pangu's Legacy, top-tier materials... This Solar Star was simply a ready-made startup capital!

"It seems this project needs to be expedited," Xuanzheng murmured to himself, a new plan already taking shape in his mind.