The Scheming Old Man Makes Things Difficult; Di Jun and Tai Yi Establish the Demon Court

This was actually the Jade Disc of Creation!

Nan Ji, who had been casually holding the jade disc, hurriedly cradled it with both hands.

He asked incredulously, "Ancestor Master, th-this is for me?"

Hongjun glanced at Nan Ji as though he were an idiot, then said, "Hiss, as expected of my grand-disciple. You're willing to merge with the Heavenly Dao in my place. How filial."

Merge with the Heavenly Dao?

"No, no!" Nan Ji was so frightened that he hurriedly tossed the Jade Disc of Creation back to Hongjun.

After all, there were only a few great calamity cycles in the Great Desolation that were truly interesting.

If he merged with the Dao, how could Nan Ji keep playing?

"Brilliant, truly brilliant."

Hongjun took back the jade disc with dissatisfaction and began controlling it with his divine sense.

The previously calm chaos within the Haotian Mirror instantly boiled like hot oil splashed with water.

Then, seemingly under Hongjun's control, countless streams of earth, fire, wind, and water began assaulting Di Jun and Tai Yi.

"This old daoist still remembered how those two once bullied you. You can't just respond to scheming with more scheming and repay resentment with kindness."

Hongjun spoke calmly to Nan Ji as he controlled the jade disc.

Although Di Jun and Tai Yi had the Eastern Emperor Bell protecting them, with their current cultivation, they were like people walking through a torrential downpour beneath a tiny umbrella.

Before long, the countless boiling forces of earth, fire, wind, and water had tormented the two into a miserable state.

The moment Nan Ji saw that, he understood.

"Ancestor Master, let me! Let me!"

As he spoke, Nan Ji took the Jade Disc of Creation from Hongjun's hands and discovered that it could actually control the direction of the chaotic currents and the evolution and extinction of earth, fire, wind, and water within the chaos.

He did not know whether this was the authority of the Heavenly Dao or an effect of the Jade Disc of Creation itself.

For a time, Nan Ji imitated numerous games from later generations and set up countless obstacles for Di Jun and Tai Yi.

The two suffered terribly within the chaos.

Di Jun's hair had come undone, his clothes were torn, and he had even lost one shoe.

Tai Yi was in an even worse state. His clothes were practically in the same style as a beggar's rags, his body was covered in tiny wounds, and he stood barefoot beside Di Jun, struggling to hold on.

Even Nan Ji could not bear to watch any longer. He opened his mouth and said, "Ancestor Master, how about..."

Hongjun cut him off and sighed. "What? Is Great Philanthropist Nan Ji about to show boundless mercy? It seems the position of Western Sect Leader should be given to you instead."

Fine!

Nan Ji also knew that he had indeed formed karma with the two before.

His Ancestor Master was avenging him.

It made him seem a little too saintly instead.

Thus, Nan Ji continued controlling the Jade Disc of Creation.

Seeing this, Hongjun took out the Enlightenment Tea Nan Ji had given him and poured himself a cup.

As he slowly drank, he said, "Those two are full of ambition. They were destined to suffer this tribulation."

Seemingly afraid that Nan Ji would continue acting saintly, Hongjun added, "Back then, Zhunti and Jieyin had it far worse than this! And didn't they still betray the Mystic Sect in the end?"

Hongjun spoke of these matters as though they were nothing worth mentioning.

This gave Nan Ji a new impression of Hongjun. It seemed that when Jieyin and Zhunti arrived late back then, Ancestor Master must have had a hand in it behind the scenes. This little old man was quite devious! Fortunately, he only treated outsiders this way...

Time was meaningless within the chaos. After an unknown length of time, Hongjun finally set down the cup of tea he had refilled again and again. "That's enough."

Upon hearing this, Nan Ji reluctantly returned the Jade Disc of Creation to Hongjun.

Honestly, this thing was really useful. Being able to torment those two had felt genuinely satisfying.

Hongjun put away the Jade Disc of Creation. Then, through the Haotian Mirror, Nan Ji saw Purple Cloud Palace appear before the two.

"Why did those two become enemies with you? It wasn't easy for them to make the trip to Purple Cloud Palace either," Hongjun lamented regretfully.

Nan Ji gave Hongjun a sidelong glance and thought, If you truly wanted them to come, why make them suffer so much?

But Nan Ji did not dare say that aloud. Instead, he asked Hongjun, "Ancestor Master, what happens next...?"

"Just watch."

After speaking, Hongjun slowly handed Nan Ji another cup of Enlightenment Tea.

As he accepted the Enlightenment Tea, Nan Ji's eyes filled with delight and excitement.

This tea might be mine, but I was drinking tea personally brewed for me by the Dao Ancestor.

Who else received treatment like this?

As though he had seen through Nan Ji's thoughts, Hongjun said darkly, "This batch of Enlightenment Tea was picked by that unfilial disciple Laozi. When the next batch ripens, place it before the offering table for this old daoist to enjoy."

Slurp—

Cough, cough, cough...

Nan Ji nearly choked to death on the Dao Ancestor's words, but he could only endure it. With a drooping face, he said, "Yes, Ancestor Master."

After much difficulty, Di Jun and Tai Yi found Purple Cloud Palace within the chaos.

This sight was so unfamiliar, yet strangely familiar.

The two collapsed onto the stone tiles outside Purple Cloud Palace, unconsciously embracing each other as crystalline tears flowed from their eyes.

Bitter—

Too bitter.

The chaos they had traversed several times before had somehow become so violent.

Being violent would have been one thing, but it had even changed up its methods of attack.

Within that chaos, the two were like duckweed adrift on the water, left entirely at its mercy.

The sunless chaos had wounded both their bodies and minds.

At last, they had found the Dao Ancestor!

But Di Jun had not forgotten his important business. He hurriedly knelt and kowtowed. "This disciple, Di Jun, requests an audience with Teacher!"

"Tai Yi requests an audience with Teacher!"

Silence.

As always, silence.

Di Jun did not dare rise and continued, "This disciple requests an audience with Teacher!"

Inside Purple Cloud Palace, Nan Ji watched Di Jun kowtow "to him" in the Haotian Mirror and felt rather uncomfortable. "Ancestor Master, this..."

Hearing Nan Ji's words, Hongjun glared at him. "Must this old daoist answer him? Don't tell me you can't even imitate this old daoist's voice? Do you need this old daoist to teach you such a trivial matter?"

The three questions in a row made Nan Ji's heart leap and sink.

But unlike the other great powers who had listened to the Dao at Purple Cloud Palace, Nan Ji was known as the foremost disciple of the third generation of the Mystic Sect and had spent a long time with Hongjun.

Naturally, Nan Ji did not worry that Hongjun would harm him. On the contrary, Hongjun treated him exceptionally well and would even help him remember grudges... Realizing this, Nan Ji immediately understood.

For him, a late-stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal, this was not difficult.

Outside the palace gates, Di Jun saw that Hongjun still had not received him after he had kowtowed for so long. Gritting his teeth, he directly said, "Reporting to Teacher, this disciple sees that the demon clan of the Great Desolation is disordered and without unity. I wish to establish a Demon Court to unite the demon clan. I hope Teacher will permit it."

Tai Yi looked at his elder brother, his heart pounding like a drum, and cautiously said, "Big Brother, Teacher probably..."

At that moment, Nan Ji imitated Hongjun's voice, which rang out from Purple Cloud Palace. "Such a trivial matter. Don't bother me."

With Hongjun's enhancement, the voice even carried a faint might of the Heavenly Dao, leaving Di Jun and Tai Yi momentarily dazed.

After recovering their senses, the two looked at each other.

Tai Yi's eyes were filled with confusion, while irrepressible joy appeared in Di Jun's.

Thus, Di Jun hurriedly bowed in thanks. "Thank you, Teacher, for granting this!"

Tai Yi stared blankly at Di Jun. "Big Brother, can this...?"

But before he could finish asking, Di Jun swiftly took him away from Purple Cloud Palace.

After all, Di Jun had calculated that Hongjun's silence meant agreement, that it meant he permitted Di Jun to establish the Demon Court.

Naturally, he ran as fast as he could.

"Tsk, tsk, these two..."

As Nan Ji watched Di Jun and Tai Yi fleeing in the Haotian Mirror as though dogs were chasing them, he could not find the words to describe them.

If he said they were stupid, they had come to scheme against Ancestor Master Hongjun.

But if he said they were clever, they had been counter-schemed by his Ancestor Master.

Hongjun glanced at Nan Ji, then impatiently pointed with a finger. A formation suddenly appeared behind the high platform.

"Remember to bring Enlightenment Tea next time."

After saying that, Nan Ji felt himself swept into the formation.

When his vision returned, Nan Ji found that an identical formation had appeared in a corner of the rear hall of Changsheng Hall.

When Di Jun and Tai Yi returned to the Sun Star, Di Jun did not hesitate in the slightest. Together with Tai Yi, he used their mana and origin power to communicate with the Sun Star.

In an instant, the Sun Star grew incomparably enormous.

The scorching heat released by the True Sun Fire caused all living beings of the Great Desolation to raise their heads and gaze upward.

And right at that moment...