At the waist of Mount Buzhou, at the Demon Sect's dojo.
A host of mighty figures had gathered. Nearly everyone who had listened to the Dao at Purple Heaven Palace and had ties to Nuwa or the Demon Clan had come.
Just then, Duke of the East looked around and asked in surprise, "Fellow Daoist Nuwa, why haven't the Golden Crows come to offer their congratulations?"
"The Golden Crows are also born from dampness and hatched from eggs, so naturally they belong to the Demon Clan. It's truly improper of them not to come offer their congratulations."
At these words, the mighty figures exchanged odd looks. Just as Duke of the East had said, the Three Crows were nowhere to be seen.
Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian exchanged smiles. After all this time, they had nearly forgotten about the Golden Crows.
They had heard that someone called Ling Xiao had broken through to Quasi-Sage. They wondered if it was true.
He had once claimed to be on equal footing with the Three Pure Ones, but now it seemed he was already falling behind them.
"Duke of the East, as the Head of Male Immortals, the Golden Crows are under your jurisdiction too. Why not go and invite them here yourself?"
Kunpeng broke the silence with a chuckle. Back at Purple Heaven Palace, Di Jun and Tai Yi had made him lose face for no reason.
Today was the perfect opportunity to get Duke of the East to summon them and let him vent his anger.
Now that he was the Demon Sect's deputy leader, even if one of the Three Crows was a Quasi-Sage, he had nothing to fear.
At this, Baize, standing nearby, furrowed his brow as if he wanted to say something, but in the end held back.
Hearing Kunpeng's words, Duke of the East laughed heartily. "That's exactly what I had in mind. The Golden Crows are demons, so they ought to come celebrate the founding of the Demon Sect."
He and Kunpeng were of one mind. He was about to send a subordinate to the Sun Star.
Duke of the East's main purpose was to exercise his authority as the Head of Male Immortals and earn the trust of Nuwa and the other mighty figures of the Demon Clan.
The arrival of Queen Mother of the West had left him with little choice but to do this.
He was sure that if he summoned the Golden Crows in the name of the Head of Male Immortals and the Demon Sect, then even if Ling Xiao was powerful, he wouldn't dare refuse outright.
Unless he never wanted to make his way in the Primordial World again.
"Hold on. Let's leave this matter there. Whether the Three Crows come to offer their congratulations is their choice. There's no need to trouble Fellow Daoist Duke of the East."
Nuwa, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. Her tone was calm, but already carried a chill.
Duke of the East spread his hands and recalled his subordinate. Since the person in question had refused, there was no reason for him to insist.
At that moment, all of Mount Buzhou gave a slight tremor, followed by a series of violent quakes.
"What's happening?" A creature stood up and asked in confusion.
The expressions of the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, Duke of the East, and the other mighty figures shifted. They had already sensed danger.
Rumble!
"Hahaha! The Witch Clan has come to offer congratulations! Our gift is... the heads of everyone here!"
A long howl rose from the foot of the mountain. Immediately after, twelve dark silhouettes grew larger and larger, blotting out the sky. They towered past the mountain's waist, then looked down at everyone from on high.
Using his spatial ability, Dijiang had brought the Ancestral Witches to Mount Buzhou without a sound. Only then had he revealed their true forms, so the Demon Sect wouldn't sense their presence in advance and flee.
The Twelve Ancestral Witches stood like twelve pillars supporting the heavens, their gathered might beyond compare. Even the Quasi-Sage mighty figures present felt a suffocating pressure.
"Six Quasi-Sages!"
Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian exchanged a silent glance, each seeing the gravity in the other's eyes.
In the past thousand years, two more Ancestral Witches had reached the Quasi-Sage level.
Apart from the mighty figures at the Quasi-Sage level, every other creature present looked grim, their hearts shaken.
They had only come to offer their congratulations. They hadn't expected all Twelve Ancestral Witches to appear together.
Across the Primordial Land behind the Ancestral Witches, baleful energy surged into the sky. Millions of Witch Clan warriors roared like thunder, their momentum soaring.
Packed so thickly that they stretched beyond sight, they were like merciless engines of war, rolling toward Mount Buzhou.
"Fellow Daoist Dijiang, I'm only passing through. I have nothing to do with the Demon Clan. Could you let me leave?"
A mighty figure spoke obsequiously, unwilling to get caught up in the conflict.
"Passing through?" Dijiang sneered. His gaze swept over the assembled mighty figures and quickly fell on the Three Pure Ones.
"Those three shameless bastards are here too... Hmm, if a fight breaks out and they side with the Demon Clan, that'll be trouble..."
After a brief pause, Dijiang's smile faded. He said flatly, "This is a matter between the Witch Clan and the Demon Clan. Anyone uninvolved should leave at once."
He had already decided to deal with the Demon Clan first, then turn around and settle things with the Three Pure Ones.
Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian exchanged a glance and strode off without a care.
They had only come to watch the spectacle. They certainly wouldn't fight the Twelve Ancestral Witches for the Demon Sect.
Seeing the Three Pure Ones leave, the other mighty figures scattered like birds and beasts. Just a moment ago, they had been calling the Demon Clan brothers; now, they pretended not to know them.
The Witch Clan was fierce, and they could see the situation clearly: better that a fellow cultivator die than oneself.
Nuwa, Kunpeng, Fuxi, and the others from the Demon Clan looked grim. If these mighty figures stayed, they could have stood against the Witch Clan together.
But no one was willing to remain.
Seeing the mighty figures leave one after another, Duke of the East also felt tempted to go.
Just then, Baize stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Baize pays his respects to the Head of Immortals!"
Hearing the title "Head of Immortals," Duke of the East felt inexplicably pleased.
"Baize, what do you want?"
Baize sent him a voice transmission. "I'd like to ask Fellow Daoist Duke of the East to stand with us and fight the Twelve Ancestral Witches together."
At this, Duke of the East's expression shifted. "Baize, it's not that I don't want to help you, but the Twelve Ancestral Witches are coming in force. Even with me, we may not be a match for them."
Among the Twelve Ancestral Witches, six were Quasi-Sages. The Demon Sect had only three, and even with him, that made four—and that didn't account for the remaining Ancestral Witches.
How were they supposed to fight that?
The fact that he hadn't been the first to run was already a favor to the Demon Clan.
Baize's expression remained unchanged. After a pause, he continued, "Head of Immortals, to be frank, Queen Mother of the West, the Head of Female Immortals, has a good relationship with our leader. She'll stay and help us. If you join us too, we may yet have a chance of winning."
At these words, Duke of the East's gaze froze. He glanced at Queen Mother of the West, saw that she didn't seem to be planning to leave, and began to believe Baize.
"This isn't good news. If the Demon Clan throws its full support behind Queen Mother of the West, how am I supposed to get by in the future?"
Seeing that Duke of the East was tempted, Baize dropped another bombshell.
"During the Sage's second sermon, he said he would take on disciples. If you can maintain order in the Primordial World during this time, I think there'll certainly be a place for you among the Sage's disciples."
"Perhaps even the position of first disciple." Baize emphasized the words, his expression utterly earnest.
After hearing this, Duke of the East's eyes lit up. It was as if the clouds had parted and the sun had broken through.
He truly hadn't thought of that before.
"The Sage made me the Head of Male Immortals to maintain order in the Primordial World. Could this not also be a test?"
Duke of the East fell into thought. The more he considered it, the more convinced he became.
"The Third Sermon isn't far off..." Baize added softly.
Duke of the East sprang to his feet.
"With me, the Head of Male Immortals, here, who dares disrupt the order of the Primordial World?
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