Scheming, Peacock, and Business

Surprised?

Unexpected?

That was so damn surprising!

And so damn unexpected!

Listening to Ancestral Witch Dijiang's seemingly furtive yet actually blatant "revelation" of Hong's hidden past, the unspeakable secrets of the Dao-Demon Calamity, the dust buried in the river of time... Fuxi slapped his thigh and mourned Rahu Mo Ancestor of old.

"If everything you said is true." Fuxi sighed, "then it's no wonder Hong could become the Dao Ancestor, establish Zixiao Palace, send his voice throughout Heaven and Earth, and summon all the gods... He really is one ruthless god!"

"Of course what I said is true." Dijiang thumped his chest in guarantee. "Though this period cannot be traced through the river of time... in truth, it was merely covered up by someone!"

"This history was cut out of the normal sequence of time... then rearranged and edited with a Great Divine Ability, creating a seamless connection and leaving no evidence behind."

"But who among the topmost great powers and divine beings of that era didn't know what happened? Who hadn't heard of it?"

"After Hong defeated Rahu and seized control of Heaven and Earth, he still wasn't satisfied. Instead, he pressed his advantage, forcibly summoning back Rahu, who had made his threats with one foot and died with the other."

"Then he secretly sealed him away somewhere unknown and kept him under strict control—just waiting for the day he could release him to bite people!"

Ancestral Witch Dijiang sneered. "When that time comes, Rahu will unleash a demonic calamity across the Primordial World, recklessly waging war and throwing the four quarters into chaos... Perhaps Hong will even secretly support and strengthen Rahu from behind, letting his power swell beyond measure. Saints and Quasi-Saints alike might not be his match."

"The Daoist Sect and Buddhist Sect will be left crippled, while the Heavenly Court and Spirit Mountain suffer slaughter. Once the various factions have sustained heavy losses, Hong will leisurely wave the banner and organize some so-called anti-demon campaign."

"Though they keep opposing demons, the Demonic Sect will keep rising from the ashes, forever impossible to eradicate... So what lies behind this? The collapse of morality, or the distortion of divinity?!"

Ancestral Witch Dijiang spoke with eloquence, blending his summary of past information with predictions of what might happen in the future. His words were highly persuasive.

Great Sage Fuxi furrowed his brows—he had truly sensed the threat posed by Hong and could no longer avoid taking precautions against him.

This was also for the good of the Demon Clan!

After all, if the Demon Clan ultimately triumphed in the Witch-Demon Cataclysm and wiped out the Witch Clan... then with this principal contradiction gone, the relationship and positioning between them and Hong would have to be reconsidered!

"As the saying goes: under Heaven, all land belongs to the king; within the borders, all people are the king's subjects." Dijiang noticed the fleeting worry and doubt on the Xi Emperor's face and smiled faintly. "Once the Demon Clan's Heavenly Court wins, and you rule the world, can you really tolerate an aloof outsider like Hong standing apart and occasionally pointing fingers?"

"If one day he happened to be in the mood and summoned you, only to say that the Heaven and Earth Cataclysm had become entangled, and some of your disciples were destined to undergo the calamity—perhaps they would be placed on some Investiture of the Gods, have their paths shattered, or turn to ash and die..."

"What would you do?" A trace of malicious amusement showed in Dijiang's expression. "After defeating us, could the battered Demon Clan resist the group of Heavenly Dao Saints that had stayed out of the Witch-Demon Cataclysm, recuperated, and flourished until they formed?"

Ancestral Witch Dijiang spoke meaningfully. "Sometimes, the enemies we see as each other's enemies are not necessarily absolute enemies... They may also be potential partners."

"At the very least, that's true in certain aspects and certain fields!"

"We should reach some common ground—this would benefit everyone."

Great Sage Fuxi fell silent, wisdom flashing endlessly in his eyes.

The atmosphere in the scene briefly froze.

Suddenly, the Xi Emperor exhaled a long breath and chuckled. "Ah... I'm terribly sorry."

"Look at me... I've actually kept you talking outside the main gate for so long. That hardly accords with the etiquette of receiving guests!"

"I'm truly ashamed of myself."

A gentle smile appeared on Great Sage Fuxi's face. "Whatever the matter, and whatever you wish to cooperate on, let's enter the hall first and discuss it there!"

With a gesture, the gate ahead opened, revealing a vast interior space... Countless real stars hung and glittered across the hall's ceiling, making anyone standing there feel as though they had reached a sea of stars.

"Please, come in. Let's speak freely, discuss the Dao, and debate the laws of cultivation." The Xi Emperor smiled, but his voice was loud, as though he were speaking for every Grand Unity Supreme watching this place throughout the Vast Primordial Era. "Let's not talk about life-and-death struggles between the Witch and Demon Clans, much less about sinister divine hearts and plots against one another... The future is unpredictable, and anything may happen."

"We pursue solid footing and do not engage in empty talk about the future."

"Right now, while the Witch and Demon Clans have only encountered a minor unpleasantness that has not yet risen to the level of war, we should engage in more meaningful exchanges." The Xi Emperor smiled warmly. "For example, sharing our cultivation experiences."

"And there's more..." He sighed. "Regardless of anything else, the Witch Clan and Demon Clan are both part of the Primordial World... Therefore, everyone can share their views on how to better develop the Primordial World. That would be proper and reasonable."

"Exactly!" Dijiang chimed in. "This was my mistake... We shouldn't cling so tightly to a nonexistent cataclysm."

"Standing firmly in the present means considering the matters of the present... We are all lovers of peace, all living in the Primordial World and carrying on Pangu's spirit. What we ought to do is build the Primordial World!"

"Providing one another with technical support for developing the Primordial World and bringing a better life to all living beings—that is our true duty!"

A Demon Emperor and an Ancestral Witch burst into hearty laughter together.

There seemed to be an unspoken understanding hidden within their smiles.

Then they stepped forward together, leading their respective entourages into the magnificent hall.

The Xi Emperor was followed by Nuwa.

Dijiang led Houtu, with several Great Witches farther behind them as attendants.

Once the two sides entered the hall, the gate slammed shut with a boom, cutting off the inner space from the outside world and ensuring that no outsider would know what happened within.

This was a closed-door meeting jointly held by the decision-makers of the Witch and Demon Clans!

The implications hidden within were enough to make everyone watching this place ponder for a long while and sense the premonition of a storm.

"Peaceful coexistence? Building a better Primordial World?"

Countless great powers watching this place spat in unison, expressing their anger and dissatisfaction.

"Bah!"

"Who the hell would believe that?"

"If you truly wanted to maintain world peace, why not broadcast the whole thing openly?"

"Secretly conducting a backroom deal... Who are you trying to fool?"

Too many divine beings cursed them, yet there was nothing they could do.

Once the Witch Clan and Demon Clan reached an understanding in certain areas, they would become a force terrifying beyond measure!

Faced with such power, how many people could stop them?

Perhaps Pangu was one.

Hong, who sought to merge with the Heavenly Dao, could count as another.

Within Zixiao Palace, an ancient Daoist with an incomparably vast aura sat quietly on a meditation cushion.

His gaze was profound, reflecting Endless Space-time, All Heavens, and All Realms in his eyes.

He was an utterly terrifying supreme giant. His name was—Hong!

According to legend, he was the supreme powerhouse who had ended the previous era, propagated the righteous Dao of Heaven and Earth, and ultimately defeated Rahu after suppressing him. Because he had saved the Primordial World from possible destruction, all living beings loved and praised him as the Dao Ancestor.

The Dao Ancestor's strength was unfathomable, far surpassing the many Innate Divine Beings of the current age—otherwise, he would not have been capable of summoning all the gods to gather at Zixiao Palace.

He lamented that the average cultivation level of the powerful figures in the current age was too low. Thus, he intended to lecture on the methods of sainthood and promote outstanding seeds of potential, allowing them to act on Heaven's behalf.

However, today... his good intentions seemed to have been misconstrued, earning him the label of schemer.

The Witch Clan and Demon Clan were two enormous and terrifying factions. Their decision-makers, representing wisdom and strategy, had gathered together and seemed to be plotting to overthrow him.

Hong quietly watched Heaven and Earth rise and fall, observing the myriad aspects of the mortal world. Then he suddenly let out a soft sigh.

After that sigh, a trace of killing intent began to rise.

Even the best of people, when slandered like this... would they not burn with rage, in addition to feeling hurt?

"Dijiang... Fuxi..."

As he murmured those two names, he stroked the dragon-headed staff beside him. It seemed to contain a fragment of a special past.

"Heh..."

After a detached chuckle, the palace dimmed. Time grew murky, and the myriad Dao declined.

"You won't be pleased for many days..."

"Fellow Daoist? Fellow Daoist!"

A low call brought Feng Xi back to his senses. He had been shaken by Ancestral Witch Dijiang's revelations and lost in wild speculation.

He blinked, only to discover that all the big shots had entered the palace and left the poor him outside.

He gazed longingly at the hall and lamented his inadequate strength. He could not participate in such an important meeting and satisfy his gossip-loving heart—no, his passionate concern for the development of the clans and peace in the Primordial World!

He turned back dejectedly and looked at the person calling him nearby—a young-looking boy.

Of course, in the Primordial World, all kinds of ageless and deathless monsters were everywhere. Many people who looked young were merely old monsters pretending to be youthful.

However, the boy before him had eyes full of vitality and curiosity... That fresh feeling toward the world was something an old person who had experienced too many rises and falls could never possess.

A little fellow, Feng Xi judged inwardly. Then he dejectedly discovered a problem—this "little fellow" was far stronger than him.

At a glance, he could not discern the boy's depth at all... In short, he was stronger than Feng Xi. That was enough!

"Greetings, fellow Daoist." Feng Xi politely greeted him. "You called me... Is there something you need?"

"Of course. I'm taking you to the designated area to park the carriages and mounts." The boy spoke somewhat bashfully. "Arranging these things is my job."

"Oh, oh!" Feng Xi suddenly understood. "I see... Sorry for the trouble."

"It's no trouble at all, just a small matter." The boy shook his head. "Please follow me."

Feng Xi straightened, pulled out the token he carried, and waved it to the side... The dragon carriages of the two Ancestral Witches and the mounts of the several Great Witches obediently followed behind him.

—Feng Xi did not merely manage Ancestral Witch Dijiang's carriage. He could manage the others too!

If he were given an official title, he would more or less be the chief steward of the Imperial Stud.

The mounts followed Feng Xi, and Feng Xi followed the boy... Along the way, Feng Xi took the initiative to make conversation and fish for information.

"You want to know my name? How should you address me?" The boy pointed at himself. "My name is Kong Xuan."

"Uh... What a good name! What a good name!"

If not for the self-control he had cultivated over the long years, Feng Xi might have spat out a mouthful of saliva on the spot.

The name Kong Xuan... It was more than merely good!

He was a legendary and formidable figure, a ruthless individual who dared to challenge Saint Zhunti, a renowned Great Divine Ability User during the Investiture of the Gods Cataclysm!

A poem served as proof—

He had witnessed the creation of Heaven and Earth, and also seen the Sun, Moon, and Stars; his spirit and virtue ran deepest, and he was fated to have ties with the West.

This was the disciple candidate in the hearts of who-knew-how-many transmigrators, the irreplaceable choice for glorifying the family.

However, to be fair, wanting to take him as a disciple was extraordinarily difficult.

He had witnessed the creation of Heaven and Earth... With such a foundation, he was either an ancient demon god from the Chaotic Era, or a powerhouse who had attained Great Luo, proving the eternal truth in one step and tracing the river of time to witness Pangu Creates Heaven and Earth.

In either case, wanting to take him as a disciple... Anyone without supreme power could not afford to do so.

After all, according to certain rumors, Kong Xuan was also the son of the Phoenix, the heir to the Phoenix Clan's enterprise!

Born with a golden spoon in his mouth, he had no idea how many years of struggle he had been spared.

Feng Xi tactfully and indirectly fished for information. This Little Peacock was not very scheming, and after a little probing, Feng Xi managed to draw everything out...

He really was the biological son of the Phoenix. Living in Phoenix Perch Mountain was perfectly reasonable. Likewise, because Fuxi and Nuwa had taken control of this place, he often had the opportunity to listen to the Dao beneath the seats of these two great powers.

As for why he had taken on his current job, it was also because he wanted to improve his ability to interact and communicate with outsiders. He mostly regarded it as a pastime.

As Feng Xi listened, tears streamed down his heart. He nearly burst into tears.

—How could the gap between people be so huge?

Of course, on the surface, he remained as calm and indifferent as ever, looking as though he was having a delightful conversation with Little Peacock.

Once Little Peacock became happy, he grew less reserved in conversation and told Feng Xi about many of Phoenix Perch Mountain's specialties—such as where to find a dedicated wholesale market for Feather Robes, and through which channels one could obtain permits to enter the Undying Fire Vein and refine weapons with high-quality fire veins.

He also mentioned which places specialized in providing certain special services... such as selling processed semi-finished weapon-refining materials.

And so on.

Feng Xi memorized every detail.

Because what he most wanted to do next was—buy low and sell high!

"Purchase a batch of affordable, high-quality specialty goods from the Phoenix, then return to the Witch Clan or go elsewhere and sell them at a high price... No matter what, I'll make a fortune!"

The abacus in Feng Xi's mind clattered loudly. "Once my cultivation is higher, I can even specialize in this sort of channel-based business!"

"The four essentials of cultivation are wealth, companions, techniques, and land—with wealth coming first!"