A Scheme Exposed

Dong Wang Gong, who had originally intended to join forces with the Queen Mother of the West to resist the Demon Race, changed his mind the moment he saw her.

He wanted to become her Dao Companion.

This way, not only could he achieve his goal of joining forces with the Queen Mother of the West against the Demon Race, but he could even incorporate the Jade Pool into Zizhou Prefecture.

He'd get both the woman and the wealth.

That's what Dong Wang Gong thought, and that's what he said.

"Fellow Daoist, I have come today to propose we become Dao Companions. What do you think?"

The Queen Mother of the West was stunned, barely managing to maintain her dignity as the Head of Female Immortals.

Good heavens, she had thought Dong Wang Gong was merely inviting her to resist the Demon Race together, but she never expected he had come with the intention of getting both the woman and the wealth.

As an Innate Divine Being who had cultivated for countless years, the Queen Mother of the West could see through Dong Wang Gong's intentions at a glance.

Her expression immediately turned cold.

"Fellow Daoist is joking. If there's nothing else, I won't keep you."

This was a clear dismissal.

Dong Wang Gong's face sank, feeling that he had lost face.

"Fellow Daoist, you are a manifestation of Innate Yin Qi, and I am a manifestation of Innate Yang Qi. We are both designated by the Dao Ancestor as the Heads of Male and Female Immortals, destined to be Dao Companions."

The Queen Mother of the West sneered inwardly. While her origins and Dong Wang Gong's were indeed compatible, she could tell that Dong Wang Gong would fare poorly against the Demon Race. Naturally, she would not agree to his proposal.

"Fellow Daoist, there's no need to say more. My Jade Pool does not wish to be involved in the conflicts of the Great Desolation; we only wish to cultivate peacefully here. Please return."

Rejected once again, Dong Wang Gong was now truly annoyed.

Ever since becoming the Head of Male Immortals and basking in constant flattery, Dong Wang Gong had lost sight of himself.

"Fellow Daoist, we are destined Dao Companions. My Zizhou Prefecture is not beneath you, so please do not make a mistake."

This was a shift from soft persuasion to outright threat.

The Queen Mother of the West's expression turned cold, and the unique authority of the Head of Female Immortals was revealed.

"Are you threatening me, Fellow Daoist?"

Dong Wang Gong and the Queen Mother of the West stood in a stalemate for a moment. Finally, he cast a cold glance at her and turned to leave.

At this critical juncture, Dong Wang Gong still did not dare to fall out completely with the Queen Mother of the West.

After all, the Queen Mother of the West was also a top-tier Quasi-Sage, not someone who could be easily manipulated. If he pushed her too far, she might turn to the Demon Race, which would be disastrous.

After much deliberation, Dong Wang Gong led the cultivators of Zizhou Prefecture away from the Jade Pool, but he would not give up easily.

Watching Dong Wang Gong's retreating back, the Queen Mother of the West sighed helplessly.

Behind her, Nine Heavens Profound Maiden asked curiously.

"Your Majesty, didn't that Dong Wang Gong retreat? Why are you sighing?"

The Queen Mother of the West glanced at Nine Heavens Profound Maiden, her disciple. Although her cultivation was good, she had always cultivated within the Jade Pool and was still too naive.

"Dong Wang Gong has a narrow mind. I embarrassed him today, and it's only because of the threat from the Demon Race that he didn't retaliate. However, he will certainly not let this matter rest."

As expected of an Innate Divine Being who had lived for countless Eons, the Queen Mother of the West saw through Dong Wang Gong's character at a glance.

Upon returning to Zizhou Prefecture, Dong Wang Gong angrily cursed.

"Damn that Queen Mother of the West, to humiliate this Emperor so!"

The sycophantic advisor of Zizhou Prefecture reappeared.

"Your Majesty, do not be angry. Although that Queen Mother of the West is the Head of Female Immortals, she is merely a woman. The strength of the Jade Pool is incomparable to our Zizhou Prefecture. As long as we disguise ourselves as demons when traveling outside and target the Jade Pool cultivators, eventually, that Queen Mother of the West will have to beg us for help. By then, won't it be up to Your Majesty to decide?"

Hearing the advisor's suggestion, Dong Wang Gong's mood immediately brightened.

"I'll leave this matter to you. Be careful, and absolutely do not let the Queen Mother of the West find out."

The advisor accepted the task and went to make arrangements.

Dong Wang Gong was left alone in the great hall, fantasizing about the Queen Mother of the West coming to beg him.

Time slowly passed.

As the Witch Race faded into obscurity, the friction between the Demon Race and Zizhou Prefecture grew, reaching a point where neither side could hold back any longer. A great war was inevitable, only a spark was needed.

Soon, that spark arrived.

After receiving his orders, Dong Wang Gong's advisor began to make secret arrangements.

He first selected a group of loyal death warriors, then captured some low-level demons of various original forms. Using a secret technique, he incited their ferocity, and then had the death warriors control these demons to disguise themselves as attackers, specifically targeting female immortals from the Jade Pool who were traveling or collecting spiritual items.

At first, there were only minor skirmishes, with a few female immortals from the Jade Pool injured and their residences disturbed.

Although the Queen Mother of the West found it suspicious, the Heavenly Secrets were chaotic at the time, making it difficult to investigate.

The Demon Race and Zizhou Prefecture were locked in intense conflict, so some spillover was normal. She merely strengthened her defenses, instructed her disciples to reduce their outdoor activities, and did not investigate further.

However, seeing that the Queen Mother of the West had not reacted for a long time, Dong Wang Gong grew impatient and ordered them to increase the intensity.

One day, a disciple of the Jade Pool, Fairy Caiyun, who was highly favored by the Queen Mother of the West and was at the Golden Immortal realm, was ordered to go to the outskirts of Kunlun Mountain to collect a rare spiritual grass.

She acted cautiously, concealing her presence, yet was still targeted by Zizhou's premeditated death warriors.

Several death warriors drove over a dozen demonic beasts, their eyes blood-red and their tempers berserk from a secret art, suddenly surrounding Fairy Caiyun.

"You... you are from the Demon Race? I am a disciple of the Queen Mother of the West from the Jade Pool, how dare you act so presumptuously!"

Fairy Caiyun was both shocked and enraged, summoning her magical artifact to protect herself.

The Zizhou death warrior at the forefront, disguised as a demon general, sneered.

"Hmph! Who cares if you're from the Jade Pool or not! This Great Desolation will eventually be the world of my Demon Race! If you know what's good for you, hand over your spiritual grass and magical artifacts, and I'll spare your life!"

With that, he commanded the controlled demonic beasts to charge.

Fairy Caiyun resisted with all her might, but her cultivation was not top-tier. Facing a prepared encirclement, she quickly found herself in dire straits, the light of her protective artifact rapidly dimming.

"My Lady, save me!"

At the critical moment, Fairy Caiyun quickly crushed the jade talisman bestowed by the Queen Mother of the West.

In the Jade Pool, the Queen Mother of the West was meditating when she suddenly sensed the jade talisman shatter.

Her divine sense instantly traversed countless mountains and rivers, witnessing the scene.

When she saw that although the demonic beasts were ferocious, their attacks subtly coordinated by formations, and that they followed the demon general's commands too rigidly, completely unlike demonic beasts that had opened their spiritual intelligence, but rather like a group of puppets.

Doubt immediately arose in her heart!

"This is wrong, these are not from the Demon Race!"

The Queen Mother of the West's phoenix eyes flashed with malice, and she instantly understood.

"Well done, Dong Wang Gong! To use such despicable means!"

She immediately rose, preparing to go and rescue her personally.

However, at this very moment—an unexpected event occurred!

Perhaps this targeted attack happened to be not far from an outer perimeter outpost of the Demon Race.

Scorching and overbearing Solar True Fire descended from the heavens like divine punishment, instantly burning several wolf demons that were pouncing on Fairy Caiyun to ashes!

"What lowly beasts dare to act in the name of my Demon Race!"

A furious roar exploded like thunder.

Behold, the Eastern Emperor Tai Yi, clad in divine armor and holding the Eastern Emperor Bell, led a team of demon gods who happened to be patrolling this area.

He had already been suspicious due to recent incidents where demonic beasts attacked various cultivators, tarnishing the Demon Race's reputation.

Seeing his subordinate demon generals surrounding and attacking a Jade Pool female immortal at this moment, he was instantly enraged!

Although the Demon Race was powerful, they could not afford to offend all the forces in the Great Desolation; otherwise, even the Demon Race could not bear the consequences.

The Zizhou death warrior disguised as a demon general, upon seeing the Eastern Emperor Tai Yi, was terrified out of his wits and instinctively tried to flee.

"Still trying to run?"

Tai Yi let out a cold snort, and the Eastern Emperor Bell gently swayed.

"Clang--!"

An invisible sound wave instantly froze space-time. The death warrior's body stiffened, unable to move from his spot.

If it weren't for the intention of capturing him alive, that single bell chime would have directly turned him into dust.

At the same time, the other death warriors were quickly apprehended by the demon gods and brought before the Eastern Emperor Tai Yi.

The Eastern Emperor Tai Yi looked at the row of kneeling captives, then at the few demonic beasts with blood-red eyes that were still rampaging even when controlled, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"How dare you treat my demon race's younglings like this? Whose forces do you belong to?"

Before the Eastern Emperor Tai Yi could employ any methods, the men were already scared out of their wits and spilled everything like beans from a bamboo tube.

"Good! Well done, Dong Wang Gong! Well done, Head of Male Immortals!"

Tai Yi laughed in extreme anger, his killing intent nearly manifesting into substance.

"You dare not openly fight my Demon Race, yet you resort to such despicable tactics, framing us and damaging my Demon Race's reputation!"

This matter could be big or small.

But at this juncture of tense confrontation between the Demon Race and Zizhou, this was undoubtedly the spark that would ignite the powder keg.

The Eastern Emperor Tai Yi no longer hesitated and said to Fairy Caiyun.

"Fairy, you have been startled. My Demon Race will definitely give the Jade Pool an explanation for this matter!"

With that, he ordered a demon god to escort the still-shaken Fairy Caiyun back to the Jade Pool, while he himself, with evidence and burning rage, headed straight for the Sun Star!