The Demon Race is trying to win us over? No way you're getting something for nothing!

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

Although it was called quiet, it was only a few steps away from the Hot Pot stall, and they could still smell the tempting spicy aroma.

As the future Heavenly Emperor, Di Jun naturally had great self-control.

Instead of immediately discussing grand plans for dominating the Great Desolation, he first broached the topic of "the West being barren and it being difficult for Fellow Daoists to cultivate," his words filled with "concern" for his fellow cultivators in the West.

"Fellow Daoist Taiyuan, I observe that although the West has wondrous methods, its resources are indeed scarce."

Di Jun's expression was sincere, and his appearance of pity for all living beings would have almost convinced Taiyuan if he hadn't already seen the script. "Now that the Great Desolation's grand momentum is beginning to show, solitary efforts will ultimately not amount to much. I wish to gather all races on the Sun Star to establish the Yao Race and build a foundation, widely recruiting talented individuals to jointly pursue the Great Dao."

"If Fellow Daoist is interested, I am willing to offer the position of Vice Alliance Leader and share the Sun Star's endless fire essence and the power of the myriad stars."

Good heavens, he directly offered the position of Vice Alliance Leader.

This grand promise was drawn so round and so large.

Tai Yi, standing beside him, chimed in at the opportune moment, the Chaos Bell in his embrace vibrating slightly, showcasing his might: "My elder brother is eager for talent. Fellow Daoist's strength is profound. If you were to join us, we would combine our strengths, and where in this Great Desolation could we not go?"

These two brothers, one playing the good cop and the other the bad cop, cooperated seamlessly.

Taiyuan understood everything clearly.

This wasn't about recruiting allies; it was clearly about coveting the combat power of the Western trio and finding a few high-level enforcers. If he truly agreed, then during the future Witch-Yao war, the West would have to charge to the front as cannon fodder.

Taiyuan smiled outwardly, but inwardly, he unhurriedly took out an unfinished spiritual fruit and took a bite:

"Fellow Daoists' kind invitation is appreciated by Taiyuan."

"However, the three of us from the West are naturally indolent. We usually just plant trees and cook, and we truly cannot stand the constraints of rules and regulations."

"Furthermore, the West is indeed barren, and we are still busy repairing the earth veins. How could we have the time to go to the Sun Star to enjoy ourselves?"

These words completely pushed them away.

A classic display of dodging the question.

He neither said he wouldn't join nor that he would join, essentially saying, "I'm very busy, but I'm very weak, so don't bother me."

Di Jun's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He hadn't expected this Daoist from the West to be so unyielding.

Just as he was about to try persuading him further, he saw Taiyuan change the subject, a mysterious smile appearing on his face:

"However... a deal may not be made, but goodwill can remain."

"Although we cannot join forces, we can do business."

"Business?" Di Jun was taken aback.

"Yes, business."

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

A dark red crystal emitting pure blood energy, a small grass flowing with starlight, and a bottle of seemingly ordinary spiritual liquid.

"This [Myriad Monster Blood Essence] can purify the bloodline of the Yao Race. Even a minor demon with mixed bloodline, upon consuming it, has a chance to revert to its ancestor."

"This [Star God Grass], when planted in a place rich with starlight, can gather the power of the stars and accelerate cultivation."

"As for this bottle of [Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Fluid], its effects, I believe, you two can already sense."

As soon as these items were brought out, Di Jun and Tai Yi's eyes immediately widened.

Especially that piece of [Myriad Monster Blood Essence].

Di Jun was currently preparing to establish the Yao Race. What was he lacking the most? Resources that could quickly improve the strength of the low-level demons!

This item was practically a strategic material tailor-made for him!

"This blood essence... how much is it?" Di Jun's breathing quickened slightly, but he restrained himself, not wanting to appear too eager.

Taiyuan chuckled and waved a finger:

"Not expensive, not expensive."

"One piece of blood essence for ten pieces of Sun Essence Gold, plus a hundred Ten Thousand Year Spirit Medicines, and they must be fire-attribute."

"What?!"

Tai Yi couldn't help but exclaim, his eyes widening: "Ten pieces of Sun Essence Gold? Are you robbing me? That's a top-tier material for refining acquired supreme treasures!"

"Ah, Fellow Daoist, your words are mistaken."

Taiyuan waved his hand innocently, "This is an exclusive secret recipe, there is no other like it. Moreover, for you, Sun Essence Gold is merely scratching the surface of the earth, but this blood essence is the foundation for creating countless powerful beings."

"Ultimately, is it the dead object that is valuable, or the living subordinates? Daoist Di Jun, being so intelligent, should be able to calculate this transaction, right?"

This was a blatant scheme.

Di Jun's expression changed.

He knew Taiyuan was price-gouging, but this item was truly too important to him.

"Five pieces," Di Jun said in a deep voice. "Five pieces at most."

"Eight pieces," Taiyuan countered with a smile. "This is a bargain."

"Six pieces, not a cent more!"

"Deal!"

Taiyuan agreed so readily, tossing the blood essence to Di Jun as if afraid he'd go back on his word.

Di Jun took the blood essence and looked at Taiyuan's smug smile, feeling like he'd lost out, and lost big.

This Daoist from the West had a heart blacker than coal!

After a round of haggling.

The two parties reached a preliminary trade agreement.

Taiyuan used these "low-cost" items produced by the System to exchange for a large batch of core resources from the Yao Race in the future.

Before leaving, the two also exchanged communication talismans.

"Let's keep in touch," Taiyuan waved, smiling like a madam seeing off a wealthy patron. "I'll notify you two immediately if I get any good stuff."

Di Jun and Tai Yi left with grim expressions.

Although they got what they wanted, the feeling of being severely ripped off made it impossible to be happy.

Not far away.

Primordial Heavenly Lord, who had been watching them, grew even more displeased.

He couldn't hear what Taiyuan and the others were saying, but he had seen the "transaction."

These three from the West had first won over Tong Tian, and now they were colluding with those two ambitious Golden Crows.

"Forming factions and harboring ill intentions."

Primordial Heavenly Lord mentally labeled Taiyuan as such.

In his opinion, with the sermon at the Purple Heaven Palace just ending, Taiyuan was already so brazenly weaving his network of connections, clearly with grand ambitions.

He must be vigilant.

Taiyuan, however, paid no mind to Primordial Heavenly Lord's thoughts.

He happily put away the resources he had just obtained, and the System's prompt sounded in his ear.

[Ding! Detected that the host has completed a transaction with future leaders of the Yao Race, successfully obtaining intelligence on the major powers of the Great Desolation.]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the reward: Great Desolation Power Distribution Map (Real-time Dynamic Version).]

Taiyuan's heart rejoiced.

This was a good item.

With this, he would know immediately where treasures appeared, where fights were breaking out, where it was suitable for scavenging, and even who was about to have bad luck.

It was practically the Great Desolation version of Gaode Maps and an intelligence network.

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

It was densely marked with various colored light spots.

Gold represented the dojos of powerful beings, red represented dangerous areas, and green represented resource points.

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

In the center of the map.

A colossal pillar towered into the sky, surrounded by a dense, unshakeable red glow of Sha Qi.

Buzhou Mountain.

And around Buzhou Mountain, twelve extremely striking blood-red skull symbols were marked.

These were the territories of the Twelve Ancestral Witches.

Although the Wu Race was not as high-profile as the Yao Race yet, the terrifying power lurking deep beneath the surface could be felt as an oppressive force just by looking at the map.

On the other end of the map, at the location of the Sun Star, golden light was rapidly converging, a signal that Di Jun and Tai Yi were consolidating their forces.

One red, one gold, facing each other from afar.

Although they seemed to be coexisting peacefully for now, the sense of fated conflict was already vividly displayed on this map.

"Tsk tsk."

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

"This game is getting more and more interesting."

"The hegemony of the Wu and Yao, the games of the Saints, should I watch from the sidelines, or take the opportunity to... flip this table?"

Just then.

A clear, cold voice, tinged with hesitation, sounded from behind him.

"Senior Brother Taiyuan..."

Taiyuan turned his head.

He saw Nuwa standing there, still holding the jade chopsticks in her hand, seeming hesitant to speak.

In her pair of spiritual eyes, a light called "confusion" was currently flickering.

Taiyuan put away the map, his face once again breaking into that spring-breeze-like smile.

The business was done.

Next, it was time for merit to come knocking.