The aftershocks of the Creation of Heaven gradually faded.
The source power left behind after the Demon Gods' Dao bodies collapsed also began returning to Hundun.
The Chaos Spiritual Qi, once thinned by the degradation of its origin, visibly doubled in density. Though it had not returned to the peak of pure origin, it was still several degrees richer than before the Creation of Heaven.
The countless lower-ranking Demon Gods felt their bodies grow lighter, and even their cultivation became much smoother.
Just then, a heavenly phenomenon descended.
Golden lotuses drifted down from the sky, bathing the entire Hundun in brilliant radiance.
Merit of the Great Dao surged forth like a tide. Forty percent entered the Primordial World, thirty percent flew toward Pangu, ten percent fell upon Shichen, while the remaining twenty percent scattered among the other Demon Gods.
Pangu looked at the golden light swirling around him and burst into laughter. With a casual wave, he sent all thirty percent of the merit down into the Primordial World below.
"What do I need this nonsense for? Let it add a little color to my world."
Shichen also raised his hand slightly and gently sent the merit that had fallen upon him into the Primordial World's heavenly curtain as well.
The instant the merit poured in, the entire Primordial World trembled lightly, and the concentration of spiritual qi in the air rose by another level.
Several of the higher-ranked Demon Gods followed suit. Most sent their merit back into the Primordial World, while those ranked lower obediently accepted theirs.
Pangu carried the Pangu Axe over his shoulder and stretched his limbs. The exhaustion from the loss of origin after the Creation of Heaven still lingered on him.
"Shichen, I need to go back and sleep for a while." Pangu yawned. "I've been chopping for ten Chaos epochs. I'm exhausted."
Shichen nodded. "Rest well. I'll handle what comes next."
"Fine. With you watching over things, I'm at ease." Pangu did not stand on ceremony. He turned and strode away, vanishing into the depths of Hundun after only a few steps.
Shichen watched him leave before withdrawing his gaze and heading toward the Time Domain.
Azure light flowed through the Domain of Dao. Shichen took his seat at the head, closed his eyes to regulate his breath for a moment, then opened them and called out:
"Hongjun."
A white-haired figure hurried over from the depths of the Domain of Dao and bowed before Shichen.
"Hongjun greets Dao Venerable."
Shichen examined him and nodded slightly.
"Primordial Unity Eighth Heaven. Your progress is acceptable."
Hongjun lowered his head.
"It is all thanks to Dao Venerable's guidance."
"No need to be modest." Shichen waved a hand and went straight to the point. "Hongjun, do you wish to go further?"
Hongjun suddenly raised his head, a sharp gleam flashing through his eyes.
He had waited a long time for those words.
"Please speak plainly, Dao Venerable." His voice carried a trace of excitement he could not suppress.
Shichen lightly tapped the armrest with his fingers and spoke slowly.
"The Primordial World was formed through the fusion of all the Demon Gods' Dao bodies. If one can control the Primordial World and gain its fortune, cultivation will become unstoppable."
"But the Dao of us Demon Gods is far too profound, unsuitable for most living beings to cultivate.
"Your Dao of Immortality, however, emphasizes gradual progress and is perfectly suited to the myriad beings of the Primordial World. While the Dao bodies were merging into the Primordial World, I also imprinted your Dao of Immortality upon its path of cultivation."
Hongjun's breath caught slightly.
He understood.
Shichen meant for him to enter the Primordial World, spread the Dao to all beneath heaven, and control that newborn world on Shichen's behalf.
Without hesitation, he immediately cupped his hands and bowed, his voice solemn.
"I, Hongjun, am willing to spread the Dao throughout the Primordial World and seize this realm for Dao Venerable!"
Shichen nodded in satisfaction.
"The Primordial World has only just formed, and the Heavenly Dao has yet to take shape. The Great Dao has already established rules: those above the Hunyuan Realm cannot enter the Primordial World."
"However, the other three thousand Demon Gods surely understand the importance of the Primordial World as well. They must have left contingencies within their Dao bodies or made arrangements by other means. Once you enter the Primordial World, you must be exceedingly cautious."
Hongjun's expression turned solemn. "Rest assured, Dao Venerable. I will act with caution and never disappoint you."
With a turn of his hand, Shichen produced a pure white spirit fruit in his palm.
Faint patterns of time flowed across its skin, releasing a refreshing fragrance.
"This is a Chaos Origin Fruit."
Shichen handed the spirit fruit to Hongjun.
"It can not only replenish the origin you expended in condensing your Dao body, but also allow you to reach Primordial Unity Ninth Heaven more quickly."
Hongjun accepted the spirit fruit with both hands, his fingertips trembling slightly.
A Chaos Origin Fruit was an exceedingly rare Chaos spirit root. Even the higher-ranked Demon Gods might not be willing to take one out as a gift.
"Thank you, Dao Venerable Shichen!" Hongjun's voice carried heartfelt gratitude.
"Go." Shichen waved his hand. "Once you are prepared, you may enter the Primordial World at any time."
Hongjun bowed once more, then turned and withdrew from the Domain of Dao.
Shichen watched his departing back, his gaze profound.
Next would depend on how the other Demon Gods chose to proceed. But no matter what path they took, with Hongjun as one of his cards, he did not know how he could lose. Besides, Hongjun was far from his only card.
Meanwhile, within the Space Domain.
Yang Mei leaned against the Willow Tree, leisurely drinking from a cup of wine. Before him stood a Dao body whose aura had reached Primordial Unity Eighth Heaven.
"Go."
Yang Mei gave the order casually.
"I'm rather curious about the Primordial World too."
The Dao body nodded, took one step forward, and vanished into Hundun.
Yang Mei took a sip of wine, narrowed his eyes, and muttered to himself.
"Good thing I secretly condensed an extra Dao body back then. It has finally come in handy. The Primordial World, the Primordial World... how could I possibly resist making a move?"
Quite a few Demon Gods shared Yang Mei's thoughts.
The Yin-Yang Demon God and the Five Elements Demon God likewise sent a Dao body at the Hunyuan Realm into the Primordial World.
Meanwhile, Luo Hou sat in the center of his dark-red Domain of Dao. A pitch-black spear floated before him. His eyes were closed, as though he were pondering something.
After a long while, he opened his eyes, a cold smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
"The Primordial World... it truly is a fine place."
He waved a hand, and a black-robed figure emerged from the void.
"Take the God-Slaying Spear to the Primordial World," Luo Hou ordered. "You must seize the Primordial World's fortune."
The Dao body nodded, gripped the God-Slaying Spear, and vanished from the Domain of Dao.
At this moment, within the Primordial World, some of the Dao body remnants fused during the Creation of Heaven had not completely dissipated. Instead, they quietly scattered across the lands of the Primordial World.
Deep within Mount Buzhou, a thread of emerald-green Creation Qi slowly condensed. Within it, the vague figure of a being with a human body and serpent tail was gradually taking shape.
In the Far West Lands, dark-red Destruction Qi seeped from beneath a barren stretch of scorched earth, gathering into a grotesque mass of flesh. The flesh writhed continuously, gradually transforming into a strange and misshapen Ferocious Beast.
Fate, Karma, Order... the various top-tier Demon Gods also began secretly placing their pieces one after another. As for Pangu, he had openly left behind twelve drops of blood essence and three masses of primordial spirit clear qi before all the Demon Gods.
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