Merit Descends, Demons Lay Their Pieces

The aftermath of the world-splitting gradually dissipated.

The origin power from the disintegrating Dao bodies of the Demon Gods began to return to the chaos.

The chaotic spiritual energy, which had grown thin due to the degradation of the origin, became visibly twice as dense. Although it had not returned to the peak state of pure origin, it was still several times more mellow than before the world was split.

The billions of lower-ranking Demon Gods felt their bodies lighten, and their cultivation became significantly smoother.

Just then, a vision descended from the heavens.

Golden lotuses rained down from the sky, illuminating the entire chaos in a brilliant glow.

Merit of the Great Dao surged forth like a tide. Forty percent sank into the Primordial World; thirty percent flew toward Pangu; ten percent fell toward Shichen; the remaining twenty percent scattered and fell into the hands of the other Demon Gods.

Pangu looked at the golden light swirling around him, laughed heartily, and with a casual wave, pushed all thirty percent of his merit toward the Primordial World below.

"What do I need this nonsense for? Let it add some flair to the world I created."

Shichen also raised his hand slightly, gently sending the merit that had fallen upon him to merge into the firmament of the Primordial World.

The moment the merit surged in, the entire Primordial World trembled slightly, and the concentration of spiritual energy in the air rose to another level.

The top-ranked Demon Gods followed suit. Most of them swatted their merit back into the Primordial World, while those ranked lower accepted it honestly.

Pangu shouldered the Pangu Axe and stretched his limbs, the fatigue of the origin loss following the world-splitting still lingering on him.

"Shichen, I have to go back and get some sleep." Pangu yawned. "Splitting the chaos for ten epochs is exhausting."

Shichen nodded. "Rest well. I will handle what comes next."

"Fine, with you keeping an eye on things, I can rest easy." Pangu did not stand on ceremony; he turned and strode away, disappearing into the depths of the chaos in a few steps.

Shichen watched him leave before withdrawing his gaze and heading toward the Space Domain.

Azure light flowed within the domain. Shichen sat on the main seat, closed his eyes to regulate his breath for a moment, then opened them and called out:

"Hongjun."

A white-haired figure walked quickly from the depths of the domain and bowed before Shichen:

"Hongjun greets the Dao Venerable."

Shichen sized him up and nodded slightly:

"Eighth Heaven of the Hunyuan, your progress is acceptable."

Hongjun lowered his head:

"It is all thanks to the Dao Venerable's guidance."

"No need for false modesty." Shichen waved his hand and went straight to the point. "Hongjun, do you wish to go further?"

Hongjun looked up abruptly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

He had been waiting for these words for a long time.

"Please, Dao Venerable, speak plainly." His voice carried a hint of irrepressible excitement.

Shichen tapped his fingertips on the armrest and said slowly:

"The Primordial World was formed by the fusion of all the Demon Gods' Dao bodies. If one can master the Primordial World and have its destiny bestowed upon them, their cultivation will become unstoppable."

"However, the Great Dao of us Demon Gods is too profound and not suitable for most living beings to cultivate."

"Your Dao of Immortality, which emphasizes gradual progress, is precisely the most compatible with all living things in the Primordial World. I have already imprinted your Dao of Immortality during the period when my Dao body was merging with the Primordial World."

Hongjun's breath hitched slightly.

He understood.

Shichen meant for him to go to the Primordial World, preach to the world, and act on Shichen's behalf to control that newly born heaven and earth.

He did not hesitate, immediately cupping his hands in a bow, his voice solemn:

"I, Hongjun, am willing to preach in the Primordial World and master this realm for the Dao Venerable!"

Shichen nodded with satisfaction.

"The Primordial World has just been formed, and the Heavenly Dao has not yet taken shape. The Great Dao has already set the rules: those with cultivation above the Hunyuan realm cannot enter the Primordial World."

"But the other three thousand Demon Gods surely know the importance of the Primordial World. They must have left behind contingencies in their Dao bodies or laid out plans in other ways. You must be extremely careful after entering the Primordial World."

Hongjun's expression turned stern: "Rest assured, Dao Venerable, I will act with caution and will never let you down."

Shichen reached out and flipped his palm, revealing a translucent white spiritual fruit.

Faint ripples of time flowed across the skin of the fruit, emitting a refreshing fragrance.

"This is the Chaos Origin Fruit."

Shichen handed the spiritual fruit to Hongjun.

"It can not only replenish the origin you lost while condensing your Dao body, but also allow you to reach the Ninth Heaven of the Hunyuan more quickly."

Hongjun took the spiritual fruit with both hands, his fingertips trembling slightly.

The Chaos Origin Fruit was an extremely rare chaotic spiritual root; even the top-ranked Demon Gods might not be willing to give it away.

"Many thanks, Dao Venerable Shichen!" Hongjun's voice carried a sense of heartfelt gratitude.

"Go." Shichen waved his hand. "Once you are prepared, you may enter the Primordial World at any time."

Hongjun bowed again and turned to exit the domain.

Shichen watched his departing back, his gaze profound.

Next, it would depend on how the other Demon Gods moved. But no matter how they moved, with Hongjun as his trump card, he did not see how he could lose. Besides, he had more than just Hongjun as a card.

Meanwhile, inside the Space Domain.

Yang Mei leaned against a willow tree, holding a cup of wine, drinking slowly. A Dao body stood before him, its aura reaching the Eighth Heaven of the Hunyuan.

"Go."

Yang Mei ordered casually.

"I am quite curious about that place called the Primordial World."

The Dao body nodded, took a step, and disappeared into the chaos.

Yang Mei sipped his wine, narrowed his eyes, and muttered to himself:

"It is fortunate that I secretly condensed an extra Dao body back then; now it has come in handy. Primordial World, Primordial World, how could I resist making a move?"

There were not a few Demon Gods who held the same thoughts as Yang Mei.

The Yin-Yang Demon God and the Five Elements Demon God also split off a Dao body at the Hunyuan realm and escaped into the Primordial World.

At this moment, Luo Hou sat in the center of a dark red domain, a pitch-black spear suspended before him. He closed his eyes, seemingly contemplating something.

After a long while, he opened his eyes, a cold sneer appearing at the corners of his mouth.

"The Primordial World... it is indeed a good place."

He waved his hand, and a black-robed figure stepped out from the void.

"Take the God-Slaying Spear to the Primordial World," Luo Hou ordered. "You must seize the destiny of the Primordial World."

The Dao body nodded, took the God-Slaying Spear, and disappeared into the domain.

At this moment, within the Primordial World, some of the remains of the Dao bodies that had fused due to the world-splitting did not completely dissipate but quietly scattered across the Primordial land.

Deep within Mount Buzhou, a wisp of green Creation energy slowly condensed. Inside it, a figure with a snake's tail and a human body could be vaguely seen taking shape.

In the far west, on a piece of barren, scorched earth, dark red Destruction Qi seeped from the ground, condensing into a mass of hideous flesh. The flesh squirmed continuously, gradually transforming into a strange and ferocious beast.

Fate, Karma, Order... the top Demon Gods of all paths also began to descend and lay their pieces in secret. As for Pangu, he had left behind twelve drops of essence blood and three clusters of Primordial Spirit clear energy right in front of all the Demon Gods.