East Prince Gong glanced in the direction the Three Pure Ones had left, and a deep resentment grew within him.
But no matter how furious he was, he did not dare show it on his face.
Though arrogant and conceited, he was no fool. In the Dao Ancestor's eyes, at most, he was merely someone who could be used.
The Three Pure Ones, meanwhile, were the Dao Ancestor's Personal Disciples and Saints destined by Heaven.
No matter how angry he was, he had to swallow it.
His gaze then shifted to Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun. These two were also important targets for his recruitment. After all, they were famous throughout the Primordial Wilderness for being kindhearted, so they should have been easy to persuade.
If the two joined, they would serve as an example for everyone else.
Moreover, both were peak Quasi-Saint great powers.
But just as his gaze turned toward them—
Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun rose at the same time. With a single exchanged glance, they understood each other's intentions. After the Three Pure Ones departed, they had already made their decision.
Hong Yun chuckled and cupped his hands. "Fellow Daoist East Prince Gong, we have matters to attend to, so we shall take our leave!"
"Farewell!" Zhen Yuanzi said with a smile, returning the salute.
The two then gave East Prince Gong no chance to speak. They tore open the void and vanished in an instant.
Everyone present wore strange expressions.
The Three Pure Ones had refused to give him face. Though Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun had been polite, the meaning behind their actions was equally obvious.
East Prince Gong nearly crushed the wine cup in his hand.
His mentality completely shattered. The two kindhearted people he had been most confident of inviting into the Immortal Court had actually treated him like this. He felt both hatred and fury.
An insane thought even rose in his heart. If he seized the strand of Primordial Violet Qi that Hong Yun had obtained, would he not possess the foundation to become a Saint as well?
Who would dare look down on him then?
Once he destroyed the Demon Heavenly Court, he would make Hong Yun pay the price.
Ancestor Minghe had been born from the endless Blood Sea and sought to imitate Demon Ancestor Rahu's path of proving the Dao through slaughter. Naturally, he would not give East Prince Gong any face.
With a cold snort, he tore open space with the Abi Sword, stepped inside, and the space closed once more.
Though he said nothing further, his every thought might as well have been written across his face.
That disdainful, mocking gaze pierced deeply into East Prince Gong's heart.
East Prince Gong could endure no longer. The stiff expression on his face turned utterly stormy. To him, this was humiliation.
He directly crushed the wine cup filled with Immortal Jade Brew in his hand.
The other Quasi-Saints cast him pitying looks, each using their own methods to leave the Myriad Immortals Assembly. None could even be bothered to offer a farewell.
Now that they knew what kind of person East Prince Gong was, there was no need to say anything more.
Whether they greeted him or not, they would incur this fellow's resentment anyway. Besides, they had never regarded East Prince Gong highly.
When the Dao Ancestor had named East Prince Gong the Head of Male Immortals, they had already been quite unconvinced.
Among the three thousand guests of the Purple Sky Palace, East Prince Gong could not rank among the top thirty in cultivation, origins, or character, yet the Dao Ancestor had made him the Head of Male Immortals.
Every Quasi-Saint who could enter the Great Hall of the Immortal Court was a renowned great power.
At this moment, everyone had left, leaving only two behind.
They were Zhunti and Jieyin of the West.
East Prince Gong also looked down somewhat on these two, but no matter what, they were future Saints. If he could draw them into his camp, they could provide powerful assistance.
He forcefully suppressed his displeasure and squeezed out a smile.
"Fellow Daoists, as long as you are willing to join my Purple Mansion Immortal Court, your status will be second only to mine. You may take anything from the Immortal Court and handle all its affairs as you see fit. The people of the Immortal Court may likewise be deployed at your command."
East Prince Gong felt that the terms he offered were already extremely tempting.
Though he said their status would be second only to his, the authority he granted was effectively equal to his own. After all, the two possessed two strands of Primordial Qi and had the foundation to become Saints.
If they joined, perhaps his Immortal Court would one day produce Two Saints as well.
Keeping them would be the same as retaining two Dinghai Divine Needles, which was why he was willing to pay such a price.
Zhunti wore a sorrowful expression as he looked toward Jieyin. "Elder Brother, what do you think...?"
The conditions East Prince Gong offered were indeed tempting.
Since the ancient Dao-Demon Conflict, when Demon Ancestor Rahu detonated the Western Spirit Vein, the West had become barren. It lacked everything. Even when a few talents occasionally emerged, they could not compare to Eastern cultivators in either talent or origins.
Moreover, they deeply understood that the Dao they cultivated was entirely different from that of the Mystic Gate.
Those not of our kind are sure to harbor different intentions.
They had already comprehended their own Dao, yet they did not dare reveal it.
The Mystic Gate could also be called the Dao Gate. Once they revealed the path within their hearts, the two would likely be attacked by everyone.
And they truly were poor.
Jieyin had a solemn, treasure-like appearance, yet when one approached him, he gave off a kindly and approachable air.
He nodded gently and uttered a single word.
"Yes."
The joy in East Prince Gong's eyes could not be concealed, but before he could speak—
Jieyin continued, "The two of us may join the Purple Mansion Immortal Court, but besides the conditions Fellow Daoist East Prince Gong promised, we also require one-third of the Purple Mansion Immortal Court's Fortune."
"Additionally, two Innate Spiritual Treasures, and three provinces must be ceded to us for the two of us to govern."
Although East Prince Gong had promised that they could freely take from the Immortal Court's Treasure Vault, how could truly valuable treasures possibly be kept in the Treasure Vault?
His demands were absolutely exorbitant.
The others could no longer listen quietly.
All of them were Quasi-Saints from the Immortal Court, especially the envoy who had invited the Three Pure Ones.
He stepped forward at once.
"Impossible!"
He cupped his hands and bowed, his voice trembling slightly. "Immortal Emperor, you are the Head of Male Immortals and exclusively enjoy the Fortune of the Purple Mansion Immortal Court. If one-third is divided out, how will you convince the masses?"
What he meant was to tell East Prince Gong—
Agreeing to the conditions of these Two Westerners would be equivalent to splitting the Immortal Court's power.
They had agreed to join the Immortal Court in the first place solely for Fortune.
If the Two Westerners occupied one-third of it, their own interests would be harmed.
The others also voiced their agreement.
"Immortal Emperor, absolutely not! These Two Westerners harbor sinister intentions!"
Everyone could see it, yet East Prince Gong gave it little thought.
He was arrogant by nature, and now he was even more eager for quick success. He could not take anyone's advice.
After considering it for only a moment, he swept his sleeve. Ignoring everyone's objections, he declared, "I agree to the conditions of you two from the West."
What he thought was that one could not catch a wolf without sacrificing a child.
The Demon Heavenly Court was eyeing them like a tiger eyeing prey. He knew he was no match for the Demon Heavenly Court, merely possessing the legitimacy and title of Head of Male Immortals.
If Emperor Taiyi and Di Jun forcefully attacked, who could stop them?
He could not defeat those two Mottled Birds, especially Emperor Taiyi, who had been born with the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Chaos Bell, which possessed both offense and defense.
The addition of the Two Westerners would be equivalent to injecting immense strength into their side.
Even the Demon Heavenly Court would have to consider the consequences.
After all, the Two Westerners possessed Primordial Violet Qi, the foundation for becoming Saints.
And the mad thought in his heart now took root and sprouted like a seed. With the Two Westerners present, he might even be able to seize Hong Yun's Primordial Violet Qi.
Before you continue