Outside Zixiao Palace

Zhen Yuanzi thought for a moment. "Perhaps the legendary Four Divine Waters can remedy this."

Qing Xuan smiled at that and took out the Eight Treasures Glazed Bottle. "Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi, look at this."

Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun curiously leaned closer, only to see three-colored light shimmering inside the bottle.

"This... this is!"

"Three Lights Divine Water!" Zhen Yuanzi exclaimed in surprise.

"Hahahaha, now you don't have to worry!" Hong Yun burst into laughter from the side.

"Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi, go ahead and use this Three Lights Divine Water. If it isn't enough, I'll refill it when I return to Penglai!" Qing Xuan said grandly as he handed the bottle to Zhen Yuanzi.

"Good, good, good! Come, let's go to the orchard together!" Zhen Yuanzi excitedly took it, then grabbed Qing Xuan's arm and headed toward the rear courtyard.

"Hey! Wait for me! I haven't eaten any Ginseng Fruit today!" Hong Yun hurriedly followed.

The three then arrived at the Ginseng Fruit Tree orchard. The entire orchard contained only the Ginseng Fruit Tree, and more than ten Ginseng Fruits still hung from its towering branches.

Zhen Yuanzi sprinkled the Three Lights Divine Water over the soil beneath the tree. To his surprise, specks of green divine light emerged from the earth and flowed into the tree trunk.

The once-withered branches and leaves instantly brimmed with vitality. Seeing this, Zhen Yuanzi sighed.

"I never expected it to be this effective! It truly deserves to be called an innate divine object!"

Zhen Yuanzi returned the Spiritual Treasure to Qing Xuan, then picked several more Ginseng Fruits and said,

"I'm in a fine mood today. Come, let's drink and discuss the Dao in the front courtyard!"

"Hahahaha, as long as there are Ginseng Fruits to eat, you can ask me to do anything!" Hong Yun said happily.

Qing Xuan was rather pleased as well. After all, the problem of the Ginseng Fruit Tree's insufficient origin had been resolved. Though he still owed them a favor, at least his conscience was clear.

"Gentlemen, let us set off for Zixiao Palace and attend the sermon. We can eat Ginseng Fruits along the way," Qing Xuan said.

Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun found that reasonable as well. After all, listening to Hongjun's Sermon was the important matter; they could drink and discuss the Dao anytime.

Thus, the three made their preparations and set off together for Zixiao Palace on Jade Capital Mountain.

In the blink of an eye, the day of Hongjun's Sermon drew ever closer, and Zixiao Palace had already gathered a great many cultivators.

Among them were Laozi and his two companions, the sibling pair Fu Xi and Nuwa, the Ancestral Witch Houtu, Minghe of the Blood Sea, Dong Wang Gong, Queen Mother of the West, and other mighty figures.

One group in particular was especially numerous: the Grand Unity realm demon clan led by Di Jun and Tai Yi.

Bai Ze and Da Bai were among them. At that moment, Da Bai was sizing up a gloomy-looking man dressed in a sun-and-moon robe, with a hooked nose and an Auspicious Clouds crown atop his head.

"Hey, Bai Ze, look at that guy. Does he look like a demon?" Da Bai nudged Bai Ze and pointed at the man.

Bai Ze shot him a glance and said helplessly,

"This man is Kun Peng, the Great Demon of the North Sea. He was originally someone we intended to recruit, but the Sage's sermon delayed the matter. I didn't expect to run into him here."

"So that's how it is. Wait here, I'll go have a word with him!" Da Bai said as he headed toward Kun Peng.

"Hey! Hey!" Bai Ze hurriedly reached out to stop him, but failed, and quickly followed after him.

The moment Da Bai moved, the demon clan members all turned to look. Even Tai Yi, who had been cultivating, and Di Jun, who had been chatting with Fu Xi and Nuwa, glanced over.

Da Bai walked up beside Kun Peng and looked him over from head to toe. Kun Peng's expression immediately darkened.

"What are you staring at?"

Da Bai heard that and could no longer hold back.

"What if I am?"

Kun Peng's rage flared, but since they were at the entrance of Zixiao Palace, he could not cause a scene. He immediately stepped aside and stopped paying Da Bai any attention.

Seeing that, Da Bai's stubborn temper flared. He walked over to Kun Peng again.

"You still haven't answered me. What if I am?" Da Bai pressed.

Bai Ze covered his face with one hand. He knew this would happen.

Kun Peng was furious. This man truly did not know when to stop. Kun Peng had already backed down, yet this fellow was still pushing his luck. He snapped,

"Get lost!"

Slap!

Outside Zixiao Palace, silence fell at once as everyone watched Da Bai slap Kun Peng across the face.

"You think you're something special? Telling me to get lost? Take a look at how many people have my back!" Da Bai said arrogantly.

Kun Peng was stunned for a moment. He had not expected Da Bai to actually strike him, much less humiliate him so openly. Then killing intent surged in his heart, and he prepared to make a move.

But at that moment, the demon clan members finally reacted. Seeing that the two seemed about to fight, they hurried over.

"Ahem, it seems something is happening over there. I'll go take a look first. You two wait for me," Di Jun said to Fu Xi and Nuwa before walking toward Da Bai.

Fu Xi and Nuwa exchanged a look, then turned their attention in that direction as well.

Behind Da Bai stood not only Bai Ze, who had been there from the start, but also Di Jun, Tai Yi, Ying Zhao, Fei Lian, Ji Meng, and Jiu Ying.

All eight Grand Unity Golden Immortals of the demon clan stared at Kun Peng. Their gazes were like a basin of cold water dumped over his head, instantly extinguishing the anger in his heart.

"What, you want to fight me? Come on, then!" Da Bai grabbed Kun Peng's arm and moved it toward his own head.

"Enough, Da Bai. Let go. What happened?" Di Jun walked over and called out to Da Bai, though his tone held no displeasure.

"Boss, I came to invite this guy to join our demon clan, but he actually said we were a bunch of nobodies. He said only weaklings band together. I couldn't stand it, so I slapped him," Da Bai said, immediately putting on a wronged expression as he tattled to Di Jun.

Bai Ze watched from the side and thought, Heh, this guy can spin lies without even blinking. He's too wicked!

Kun Peng's anger flared again. He had not expected this man to so brazenly twist right and wrong. He hurriedly spoke up.

"Nonsense! I never said any of that!"

Di Jun heard this and turned to Bai Ze.

"Bai Ze, was it as Da Bai said?"

Di Jun did not believe Da Bai, but he trusted Bai Ze greatly. Moreover, Bai Ze had been standing nearby and witnessed the entire matter, so he asked him.

Bai Ze had not expected to be dragged into this. He then said,

"That's right, it was exactly as Da Bai said. This man even said that whoever managed to establish such a force probably wasn't all that capable."

The moment those words left his mouth, Di Jun and Tai Yi's expressions darkened. Da Bai, meanwhile, curled his lips into a smile.

Good brother!

Tai Yi stepped forward and said,

"Since Fellow Daoist Kun Peng says I am not very capable, then I would like to experience Fellow Daoist's abilities for myself!"

Without waiting for Kun Peng's response, he fired a stream of Solar True Fire at him.

Kun Peng's face changed drastically. He sensed the aura of death from the flames, so he instantly shifted through space and flashed into the distance.

"Then let me show you what I'm capable of!"

The two immediately began fighting outside the gates of Zixiao Palace, while the surrounding crowd hurriedly retreated and cleared space for them.

"Hmph, they truly are a bunch born from wetness and eggs, so crude and vulgar!" Yuanshi watched the scene with considerable displeasure toward the demon clan.

"Hahaha, don't be upset, Second Brother. I think this group is rather interesting," Tongtian said with a smile.

Laozi merely watched without saying a word.