In the Sun Palace, Di Jun paced back and forth, his face wearing the same bitter expression as Zhunti's.
Tai Yi sat to one side. The Eastern Emperor Bell hummed continuously, showing that its master was in a particularly foul mood.
"Elder Brother! Are we really going to ask that Nuwa for help? Where would that leave the dignity of our Demon Race?"
The more Tai Yi thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt.
"Watch your words!"
Nuwa was now a Saint. Calling her by name would trigger a response from the Heavenly Dao. No matter how angry they were inside, they had to remain respectful in speech. That was the deterrent power of a Saint.
Di Jun stopped and let out a long sigh. His face was filled with the four words: forced by circumstances.
"Dignity? Is dignity more important than the rise of the Demon Race? More important than the merit from the Heavenly Marriage? More important than perfecting the Grand Formation of the Stars? Tai Yi, those who accomplish great things do not concern themselves with trifles! We have no choice but to swallow this humiliation!"
For the sake of merit and the Demon Race, this face of theirs... could be discarded!
Thus, less than two days later, an extremely bizarre scene appeared outside the South Heaven Gate.
Demon Emperor Di Jun and Eastern Emperor Tai Yi appeared once again, followed by a long line of Demon Race members carrying even more numerous and precious treasures.
Only this time, the expressions on the brothers' faces looked as though they were on their way to the execution ground. Their forced smiles looked even worse than crying.
When they arrived at Creation Heaven, the Phoenix Race guards at the gate nearly burst out laughing. They hurried inside to report.
In the Creation Palace, Nuwa and Qingxuan had already been waiting!
"Oh! Aren't these the Demon Emperor and Eastern Emperor? What wind blew the two of you here again? When is the Demon Race of the Heavenly Court moving over? I'm still waiting to become neighbors with you two fellow Daoists."
Qingxuan spoke first, and no matter how one heard his tone, it was irritatingly provocative.
Di Jun's mouth twitched, while Tai Yi forcibly suppressed the urge to attack.
The two stiffly clasped their hands in salute.
"Greetings, Saint Nuwa. We have come today... to ask a favor."
"Oh? What matter could possibly require Your Majesty the Demon Emperor to come personally?"
Nuwa put on the airs of a Saint and asked languidly.
Di Jun's face flushed red. Only after a long while did he force the words out through clenched teeth.
"I... I wish to hold a Heavenly Marriage in accordance with the Heavenly Dao. I heard that the marriage must be presided over by a Saint using the Red Gauze Ball for its merit to be complete, so I have come to ask the Saint for assistance."
"Heavenly Marriage? That's a good thing!"
Qingxuan clapped his hands and leaned forward, his eyes shining like searchlights.
"May I ask which family's immortal maiden Your Majesty has taken a fancy to? How much betrothal gift have you prepared? As for the fee for presiding over the ceremony... Ahem, I mean, how will the remuneration be calculated?"
He rubbed his fingers together, making his intentions perfectly clear.
Di Jun and Tai Yi's expressions darkened further.
This Qingxuan was simply robbing them in broad daylight!
But now that things had reached this point, with the butcher holding the knife and them lying on the chopping block, they could only grit their teeth and accept it.
Di Jun signaled for his subordinates to display the treasures they had brought. Various innate spiritual materials, rare spiritual roots, and even several decent Innate Spiritual Treasures shone brilliantly, dazzling the eyes.
"I wish to form a Heavenly Marriage with the two immortal maidens of the Moon Star, in accordance with the Heavenly Dao and to harmonize yin and yang."
"These are but modest gifts. I ask that the Saint accept them. If the Saint is willing to lend a hand, the Demon Race will have another generous reward!"
Qingxuan glanced at them and curled his lips.
"That's it? Your Majesty the Demon Emperor, your sincerity isn't enough. How vast is the merit of the Heavenly Marriage? Is this little bit supposed to send a beggar away?"
He began counting on his fingers.
"Look, my master is a Saint and currently the only Primordial Grand Unity Golden Immortal in the Primordial World. The appearance fee can't be too low, right? Otherwise, where would the dignity of a Saint be?"
"There's also the wear-and-tear fee for using the Red Gauze Ball, the communication fee for having the Heavenly Dao bear witness, and the effort fee for us running errands..."
Di Jun nearly spat up a mouthful of blood! This was an outrageous demand!
But the situation was stronger than the man, so he could only grit his back teeth and add another large batch of treasures, nearly emptying half the Demon Race's treasury!
Only then did Qingxuan reluctantly nod.
"Fine. Seeing how sincere Your Majesty is, we'll take this job! However..."
His tone suddenly shifted.
"You have to choose the marriage partners carefully. They must have deep roots and abundant blessings, worthy of the Heavenly Marriage, so that the merit will be maximized. That's right, isn't it?"
Di Jun and Tai Yi hurriedly nodded. They thought to themselves that the two Moon Goddesses of the Moon Star surely had deep enough roots and sufficiently abundant blessings.
Di Jun completely failed to detect the hidden meaning in Qingxuan's words.
Qingxuan chuckled.
"Your Majesty, rest assured. Leave this matter to me! You can return first and wait for my news."
After sending away the painfully reluctant Di Jun and Tai Yi, Qingxuan gave Nuwa a sly smile.
"Master, please rest for a while. Your disciple will be back shortly!"
They actually want to marry the two Moon Goddesses. Shameless.
They want to hold a Heavenly Marriage? I'll find you a 'fine bride'.
Nuwa smiled without saying anything. She had long since grown accustomed to Qingxuan's strange ideas.
After saying that, he flashed away and slipped straight out of the South Heaven Gate, heading directly for the Moon Star!
On the Moon Star, Xihe and Chang Xi had just breathed a sigh of relief after rejecting Di Jun when Qingxuan's voice suddenly rang out.
"Qingxuan, the first disciple of Saint Nuwa, has come to pay his respects to the two immortal maidens of the Moon Star."
Xihe and Chang Xi exchanged a glance. After all, he was a Saint's disciple, so they naturally could not keep him outside.
After entering the Moon Star, the two warily watched him.
"You are Saint Nuwa's disciple? What have you come to our Moon Star for? Are you here to act as Di Jun's mediator as well?"
"Two immortal maidens, don't wrong an innocent man!"
Qingxuan hurriedly waved his hands.
"I'm not on the side of those two three-legged birds! I'm here to help you!"
"Help us?"
Xihe's gaze was cold and filled with suspicion.
"Exactly! To be honest, I have a grudge against those two three-legged birds."
Qingxuan moved closer and lowered his voice.
"Two immortal maidens, do you really think everything will be fine just because you rejected him? Di Jun and Tai Yi are the ancestors of the Demon Race. They're the sort who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals!"
"The Heavenly Dao has already made it clear that a Heavenly Marriage must take place this time. Do you think they'll give up so easily? This time they're proposing marriage, but who knows what underhanded method they'll use next! Can your Moon Star withstand the Demon Race's army and the Grand Formation of the Stars?"
His words struck a sore spot for Xihe and Chang Xi, and their faces paled slightly.
Although the sisters were also innate great deities, they were outnumbered and alone. If they truly clashed with the Demon Race, they would definitely come off worse.
"Then... what should we do?" Chang Xi began to panic.
"Simple!"
Qingxuan thumped his chest.
"If you can't afford to provoke them, can't you at least hide? I'll find you an absolutely safe place! I guarantee Di Jun and Tai Yi won't find you there!"
"What place?"
"The Human Race!"
Qingxuan gave a sly smile.
"My master is a Saint and has just issued a Saint's decree. The Human Race is absolutely safe now. Go there, conceal your names, and Di Jun will never think to look for you! Once the situation has passed, or once your cultivation has advanced further, you can come back whenever you wish!"
Xihe and Chang Xi exchanged a glance, both somewhat tempted. This truly was a solution.
"But if we leave, what about the Moon Star..."
Xihe still had some reservations.
"That's even easier!"
Qingxuan's eyes shifted as he looked toward the two enormous jade rabbits in the distance, which were busy pounding medicine and overflowing with spiritual energy.
He cast a spell. A flash of light passed over the two plump white rabbits, and they actually transformed into the likenesses of Xihe and Chang Xi. Even their auras were imitated perfectly, though their eyes looked somewhat dazed and vacant.
This was the great divine ability he had learned from Nuwa: Mysterious Creation. Ordinary people would absolutely be unable to distinguish them.
Xihe and Chang Xi stared in stunned silence!
Qingxuan proudly clapped his hands.
"Done! How is it? No problem now, right? Hurry up and come with me!"
Half persuaded and half pushed along, Xihe and Chang Xi were deceived by Qingxuan into quietly leaving the Moon Star and heading straight for the Human Race settlement on the shore of the East Sea. Fuxi was watching over the place, and it was protected by Nuwa's providential fortune, making it extremely safe.
Meanwhile, on the Moon Star, the two bewildered "fake goddesses," the jade rabbits, began their careers as actresses...
After finishing all this, Qingxuan returned to the Heavenly Court, thoroughly satisfied, to report back.
He could hardly wait to see the expressions on Di Jun and Tai Yi's faces when they excitedly came to marry the "Moon Goddesses," only to discover that the brides they brought home were two rabbits!
As for the Heavenly Dao Merit, he was determined to claim it! And as for the Demon Race, he was determined to swindle them!
Before you continue