The Merit Golden Light in Pangu Hall had yet to lose its lingering warmth.
Netherworld Sea of Blood.
Xuanzheng and the other three stepped out of the void.
The foul-smelling blood waves were firmly suppressed by an invisible aura a hundred zhang away from their feet, not daring to advance an inch.
Lightning laws intertwined around the two ancestral witches, Qiangliang and Xizi, directly vaporizing the resentment and fiendish aura that had lingered here for hundreds of millions of years into nothingness, clearing out an absolute "pure land."
"Tsk."
With his hands tucked into his sleeves, Xuanzheng surveyed his surroundings. There was not a trace of extra expression on that signature "honest-looking" face of his.
The environment is filthy and chaotic, property ownership is unclear, and there are loads of historical issues left unresolved...
A textbook unfinished development.
Still, to this chairman, these are called Seed Shares—and the kind that are about to be forcibly acquired!
Beside him, Houtu looked at the countless resentful souls drifting through the Sea of Blood, the compassion in her eyes nearly overflowing.
Just as she was about to speak, Xuanzheng raised a hand, signaling for her to remain calm.
"Big Sister, don't rush."
"Before cleaning up the trash, we should at least greet the rats squatting in the garbage heap."
Xuanzheng's voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached the depths of the Sea of Blood.
Boom—!!!
As though responding to his "disrespect," the entire Netherworld Sea of Blood suddenly exploded!
A blood-red wave tens of thousands of zhang high, like a wall of blood toppling from the heavens, swept down upon the four of them, carrying endless karma potent enough to taint a Grand Unity Golden Immortal's Dao Fruit!
Within the blood wave, a palace constructed from hundreds of millions of white bones rose menacingly.
On the throne within the palace, a figure slowly opened his eyes.
Blood robes, black hair, and a sinister face.
It was none other than the Lord of the Sea of Blood, Ancestor Minghe!
"Witch! Clan!"
He enunciated each word, his voice like the howls and curses of countless wronged souls, carrying bone-piercing killing intent.
"Who gave you mongrels the nerve to behave so outrageously in my Sea of Blood...?!"
Before he finished speaking, the Twelve-grade Karma Red Lotus beneath him blazed with crimson light!
Yuantu and Abi, two Innate killing treasures, transformed into twin blood-red fiendish dragons that pierced heaven and earth, tearing through space as they lunged straight for Xuanzheng's head!
This strike was enough to make an ordinary Grand Unity Golden Immortal die on the spot!
Qiangliang and Xizi's expressions changed drastically as they prepared to intervene.
"Stand down."
Xuanzheng spoke indifferently, his hands still tucked away, not even lifting an eyelid.
He merely took a light step forward.
Just one step.
Buzz—!!!
An indescribable, supreme will descended with a roar!
It was not Xuanzheng's own aura, but... the Heavenly Dao!
A golden token condensed from Mysterious Yellow Merit and Heavenly Dao Laws slowly appeared above his head.
Upon the token, eight ancient Dao characters shone with a radiance that made the entire Netherworld Sea of Blood tremble!
Heavenly Dao Authorization · Agent of Netherworld Order!
The two blood-red fiendish dragons, powerful enough to slay gods, struck an invisible barrier three chi above Xuanzheng's head. With a mournful cry, they were forcibly frozen in midair!
The bodies of Yuantu and Abi trembled violently. The endless killing intent upon their blades was swiftly purified and dissolved before the token, like ice and snow beneath the blazing sun!
"What?!"
Upon the throne, Ancestor Minghe's eternally sinister face showed shock and disbelief for the first time!
His natal treasures had actually been suppressed?!
Suppressed by an absolute authority... originating from the level of the Heavenly Dao!
"Minghe."
Xuanzheng finally raised his head. There was not the slightest trace of "honesty" in his deep eyes, only indifference.
He sounded as though he were reading out an unquestionable verdict.
"I am Xuanzheng of the Witch Clan, current chairman of the Primordial Netherworld Construction Group, and concurrently the Heavenly Dao-authorized Agent of Netherworld Order."
He pointed at the Sea of Blood beneath his feet.
"This land beneath your feet has accumulated resentful souls for hundreds of millions of years, its fiendish aura soaring into the heavens. It has seriously violated the Basic Operating Laws of the Primordial World, constituting a 'major safety hazard' and the crime of 'polluting Heavenly Dao Order.'"
A cold curve appeared at the corner of Xuanzheng's mouth.
"Now, on behalf of the Heavenly Dao, I hereby formally notify you."
"Your Sea of Blood has been requisitioned."
"You, Minghe, along with every lifeform under your command in the Sea of Blood, are from this day forth 'forcibly acquired and incorporated as shareholders' by this group."
"You have two choices."
Xuanzheng raised two fingers.
"First, cooperate voluntarily, surrender management rights over the Sea of Blood, become the honorary director of this group's 'Purification Department,' and receive the treatment of an 'original shareholder.'"
"Second, I will personally act and help you keep your dignity."
Boom!!!
The moment these words fell, Ancestor Minghe's Dao heart exploded on the spot!
Requisitioned?
Forcibly acquired?
Honorary director?!
He was the dignified Lord of the Sea of Blood, an Innate Deity. When had he ever suffered such utter humiliation?!
"Arrogant!"
Minghe laughed in extreme fury and abruptly rose to his feet. Boundless Blood Fiend Qi surged into the heavens as he attempted to resist the pressure of that Heavenly Dao token!
"As long as the Sea of Blood does not dry up, Minghe shall never die! On my territory, even if a Saint came in person, they could forget about..."
His words stopped abruptly.
Because Xuanzheng had already lost patience.
"Looks like you chose the second option."
Xuanzheng shook his head and slowly raised his left hand.
An ancient, enigmatic bronze balance appeared in his palm.
Karma Scale!
"Since you refuse to listen when reasoned with, I'll settle the accounts with you instead."
Xuanzheng flicked a finger.
A nearly imperceptible thread of karma belonging to Minghe himself was forcibly stripped from him and fell upon the left pan of the scale.
Buzz!
The pan sank sharply!
What appeared above it was the Heavenly Karmic Debt and karma Minghe had owed the entire Primordial World over countless ages, for intercepting dead souls and refining resentful thoughts!
The weight of that karma nearly snapped the beam of the Karma Scale in half!
"You..."
Minghe felt a searing pain rip through his primordial spirit, as though a piece of his most essential origin had been ripped out alive!
"Debts must be repaid."
Xuanzheng remained expressionless. In his right hand, the phantom of the Script Mirror flashed past.
"I will now demonstrate your 'Bankruptcy Liquidation' process."
The instant his words fell—
Rumble—!!!
Above the Nine Heavens, a thick, mountain-like bolt of utterly pure violet divine lightning tore through the eternal dark clouds over the Sea of Blood without warning and struck down from above!
Zixiao Divine Thunder!
No!
Something even more terrifying than Zixiao Divine Thunder!
That was... Heavenly Punishment Thunder! The Heavenly Dao's forced enforcement upon a "debtor"!
"No—!!!"
Minghe let out a roar of utter terror!
He tried to evade it, only to discover that the space around him, along with the Sea of Blood itself, had been firmly locked down by the Heavenly Dao token and the Karma Scale. He could not move at all!
He could only watch helplessly as the Heavenly Punishment Thunder crashed down upon his Twelve-grade Karma Red Lotus!
Crack—!
A crisp sound rang out!
A clear crack had been forcibly blasted onto the Lotus Platform of this defensive treasure, a Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure!
As if struck by a devastating blow, Minghe spat out a mouthful of origin blood essence. His aura instantly withered by a great deal!
The entire scene fell deathly silent.
Houtu, Qiangliang, and Xizi, the three ancestral witches, stared dumbfoundedly at Xuanzheng.
They knew their Thirteenth Brother had plenty of outrageous tricks, but they never could have dreamed that he could be outrageous to this extent!
He had directly invoked Heavenly Dao Laws to conduct "door-to-door debt collection" against a top-tier Primordial World powerhouse?!
"Do you want to continue?"
Xuanzheng looked at Minghe, whose face had gone pale as paper, and asked calmly.
"The next bolt may not strike your Lotus Platform."
Minghe's body trembled violently.
He was afraid.
Truly afraid.
His proud declaration that "as long as the Sea of Blood does not dry up, Minghe shall never die" had become a colossal joke before this Witch Clan member who refused to play by the rules!
They did not even fight him directly. They simply flipped the table, summoned the greatest backer of all—the "Heavenly Dao"—and launched a Dimensional Strike against him!
Silence.
Humiliating silence.
After a long while.
Minghe painfully bent the back he had never bowed to anyone since his birth.
"I... I choose the first option."
The coldness on Xuanzheng's face instantly vanished, replaced by that signature, "honest-looking" and warm smile.
He stepped forward two paces and warmly patted Minghe on the shoulder.
"That's more like it, Director Minghe!"
"Welcome to our loving big family at the Primordial Netherworld Construction Group!"
"From now on, we're family. We must love one another and work together to contribute to the construction of a harmonious, stable, and prosperous new Primordial World!"
Hehehe... settled!
The first department head to be 'reported and surrendered voluntarily' is now in place!
Xuanzheng turned around and waved grandly at the completely petrified Houtu, Qiangliang, and Xizi.
"Big Sister Houtu, two big brothers, and our newly appointed Director Minghe!"
"We can begin construction!"
"Our Primordial Netherworld Construction Group's first project—the 'Netherworld Sea of Blood Renovation and Six Paths of Reincarnation Foundation-Laying Ceremony'!"
"Now, it officially begins!"
Before you continue