The Demon Clan's Attempt to Recruit Him? No Chance I'd Let Them Get Something for Nothing!

Di Jun and Tai Yi were invited by Taiyuan to a slightly quieter corner nearby.

It was called quieter, but it was only a few steps farther from the hotpot stall. The tempting, spicy aroma still reached them.

As the future Heavenly Emperor, Di Jun was naturally shrewd.

He didn't launch into some grand plan to dominate the Primordial World. Instead, he opened with the topic of "the Western Lands are barren, and cultivation is difficult for fellow Daoists," filling his words with "concern" for his fellow cultivators in the West.

"Daoist Taiyuan, I see that although the Western Lands have wondrous methods, they are indeed lacking in resources."

Di Jun wore an earnest expression, looking so compassionate that Taiyuan might have believed him if he hadn't already read the script. "The situation in the Primordial World is beginning to take shape. In the end, no one can accomplish much alone. I intend to gather the myriad races on the Sun Star and establish the Demon Clan, building a foundation of our own and welcoming worthy talents so that we may pursue the Great Dao together."

"If you are interested, I am willing to offer you the position of deputy alliance leader. We would share the Sun Star's endless fire essence and the power of the stars throughout the heavens."

Well, now. He was offering the deputy alliance leader position right off the bat.

What a pie in the sky—round and enormous.

Tai Yi chimed in at just the right moment, the Chaos Bell in his arms trembling faintly to demonstrate their strength. "My elder brother is eager to recruit worthy people. Daoist, your cultivation is profound. If you join us, our combined strength will be formidable. Is there anywhere in the Primordial World we couldn't go?"

The two brothers played their parts perfectly, one taking the friendly approach while the other applied pressure.

Taiyuan saw right through them.

This wasn't about bringing someone into the fold. They'd taken a shine to the Western trio's strength and wanted a few high-level enforcers.

If they agreed, when the War of the Witches and Demons came, the West would be sent straight to the front lines as cannon fodder.

Taiyuan smiled amiably as he unhurriedly took out a half-eaten spirit fruit and bit into it.

"I'm grateful for your kind offer, fellow Daoists. I appreciate it."

"But the three of us in the West are laid-back by nature. Most days, we just plant trees and cook. We really aren't suited to all those rules and restrictions."

"Besides, the West is indeed barren, and we still have to repair the earth veins. How could we possibly spare the time to go enjoy ourselves on the Sun Star?"

He had turned them down without leaving a trace.

A classic evasive answer.

He hadn't said he wouldn't join, nor had he said he would. In short: "I'm busy, but I'm weak, so don't mess with me."

Di Jun's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He hadn't expected the Western Daoist to be so stubborn.

He was about to try persuading him again when Taiyuan abruptly changed tack, a mysterious smile appearing on his face.

"But even if this deal doesn't work out, we can still be friends."

"We may not be able to join you, but we can do business."

"Business?" Di Jun was taken aback.

"Exactly. Business."

Taiyuan flipped his palm, and several items appeared in it.

A dark-red crystal that radiated pure blood essence, a small herb shimmering with starlight, and a bottle of ordinary-looking spirit liquid.

"This Myriad Monster Blood Essence can purify the bloodlines of the Demon Clan. Even a little monster with a mixed bloodline might be able to trace its ancestry back to its source after consuming it."

"Plant this Star God Grass where the starlight is strong, and it will gather the power of the stars and speed up cultivation."

"As for this bottle of Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Fluid, I'm sure you two can feel its effects for yourselves."

The moment these items appeared, Di Jun and Tai Yi's eyes lit up.

The Myriad Monster Blood Essence in particular.

Di Jun was preparing to establish the Demon Clan. What did he need most?

Resources to rapidly strengthen the little monsters at the bottom!

This was practically a strategic resource made just for him!

"How much for the blood essence?" Di Jun's breathing quickened slightly, though he did his best to restrain himself and not show how badly he wanted it.

Taiyuan chuckled and waggled a finger.

"Nothing too expensive."

"One crystal for ten pieces of Sun Essence Gold, plus a hundred Ten Thousand Year Spirit Medicines. They have to be fire-attribute."

"What?!"

Tai Yi couldn't help crying out in surprise, his eyes widening. "Ten pieces of Sun Essence Gold? Why not just rob us? That's top-grade material for refining acquired supreme treasures!"

"Ah, fellow Daoist, that's not quite right."

Taiyuan waved a hand, looking entirely innocent. "This is a unique secret formula; there's no other source. Besides, Sun Essence Gold is just something you can scrape off the ground. But this blood essence is the foundation that can create countless powerful subordinates."

"Which is more valuable, inanimate materials or living subordinates? Daoist Di Jun, you're clever enough to work that out, aren't you?"

This was a nakedly obvious ploy.

Di Jun's expression shifted.

He knew Taiyuan was driving up the price, but the item really was far too important to him.

"Five," Di Jun said gravely. "Five pieces at most."

"Eight," Taiyuan countered with a smile. "That's already a bargain."

"Six. I won't go any higher!"

"Deal!"

Taiyuan agreed so readily that he tossed the blood essence to Di Jun at once, as if afraid he might change his mind.

Holding the blood essence and looking at Taiyuan's smug grin, Di Jun couldn't shake the feeling that he'd been cheated—and badly.

This Western Daoist's heart was blacker than coal!

After some more haggling,

the two sides reached a preliminary trade agreement.

Taiyuan had traded these "low-cost" items produced by the system for a large share of the Demon Clan's future core resources.

Before leaving, they even exchanged communication talismans.

"Stay in touch. If I get anything good, I'll let you two know right away." Taiyuan waved, grinning like a madam seeing off a pair of wealthy patrons.

Di Jun and Tai Yi left with dark expressions.

They'd gotten what they wanted, but the feeling of having been ruthlessly fleeced was hardly pleasant.

Not far away,

Primordial Heavenly Lord, who had been watching them the whole time, wore an even darker expression.

He couldn't hear what Taiyuan and the others were saying, but he'd seen their "deal."

Those three from the West had first won Tongtian over, and now they were cozying up to those two ambitious golden crows.

"Forming cliques and plotting in secret."

Yuanshi mentally branded Taiyuan with that label.

In his eyes, the lecture at Purple Sky Palace had only just ended, and Taiyuan was already openly weaving a web of connections. He was clearly after something big.

He had to stay alert.

Taiyuan didn't care what Yuanshi thought.

He happily put away his newly acquired resources, and a system notification sounded in his ear.

[ Ding! The host has completed a trade with the future leaders of the Demon Clan and successfully obtained intelligence on the major factions of the Primordial World. ]

[ Congratulations, host. You have received: Prehistoric Power Distribution Map (real-time version). ]

Taiyuan was delighted.

This was a great item.

With it, he'd know at once where treasures appeared, where fights were breaking out, where to go scavenging—and even who was about to have a run of bad luck.

It was basically a Primordial World version of Gaode Maps combined with an intelligence network.

With a thought, an enormous holographic map, visible only to him, unfolded in his mind.

It was densely marked with dots of various colors.

Gold represented the abodes of powerful beings, red represented dangerous areas, and green represented resource sites.

Taiyuan's gaze swept across the map, finally settling on a particularly conspicuous spot.

At its center,

a towering pillar pierced the sky, surrounded by thick, roiling red baleful energy.

Buzhou Mountain.

Around Buzhou Mountain were twelve strikingly vivid blood-red skull symbols.

They marked the territory of the Twelve Ancestral Witches.

The Witch Clan hadn't yet made as high a profile as the Demon Clan, but just looking at the map was enough to feel the overwhelming pressure of the terrifying power lying dormant deep underground.

At the other end of the map, golden light was rapidly gathering around the Sun Star. It was a sign that Di Jun and Tai Yi were consolidating their forces.

Red and gold faced off from afar.

They seemed to be at peace for now, but the clash that fate had set in motion was already plain to see on the map.

"Wow."

Taiyuan stroked his chin, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"This game is getting more and more interesting."

"The Witches and Demons vying for supremacy, Saints playing their games... Should I just watch from the sidelines, or take the chance to... flip the whole table?"

Just then,

a cool voice, touched with hesitation, sounded behind him.

"Senior Brother Taiyuan..."

Taiyuan turned around.

Nuwa stood there, still holding the jade chopsticks, seeming unsure what to say.

Her bright, spirited eyes now shimmered with something called confusion.

Taiyuan put away the map, his face once again breaking into a warm smile.

The deal was done.

Next, it was time for merit to come knocking.