The atmosphere inside Lingxiao Treasure Hall instantly froze over when Xiao Kuang openly tried to poach Qin Yuan.
Di Jun's face turned ashen, Solar True Fire flickering faintly in his eyes. Chaos Qi swirled around Eastern Emperor Taiyi as the bell tolled low; Old Ancestor Kunpeng's gaze was sinister, as if he might spring into action at any moment. Qin Yuan herself merely frowned and said nothing, leaving the atmosphere unbearably awkward.
Yet Xiao Kuang seemed utterly unaware of the drawn-sword tension—or perhaps he simply did not care. Seeing that Qin Yuan did not immediately agree, he did not press the matter. Instead, he grinned and changed the subject, as though he had merely made an offhand joke.
"Ah, I was only joking, just trying to lighten the mood!" he laughed, while his eyes began roaming over the other female immortals of the Demon Race in the hall. "Little Di, your Demon Race truly is a land of outstanding talent! Especially these fellow female immortals—every one of them is talented, and they speak so pleasantly..."
Alarm bells rang wildly in Di Jun's heart. He hurriedly stepped forward, trying to block Xiao Kuang's highly "aggressive" gaze. "Dao Ancestor, you flatter them. My subordinates are dull-witted and unworthy of such praise from you. How about... I escort you to visit the peach orchard? It may not compare to Queen Mother of the West's peaches, but it has its own unique flavor." He tried to distract him with food.
"Peaches? Great, great!" Xiao Kuang was indeed immediately drawn in, but then he added, "But eating fruit alone would be boring. How about Fellow Daoist Qin Yuan from before, and... that red-clad young lady over there with the fiery temper, come along too? We can eat and chat while promoting friendly exchanges between the Demon Court and Purple Cloud Palace!"
The "red-clad young lady" he pointed at was none other than another renowned female Demon Saint of the Demon Race—Bifang! She had the body of a crane and a single leg, Southern Bright Lihuo surrounding her, and a temperament just as fiery and direct.
Di Jun's face went even greener. This man truly had not given up! He wanted to take them away as a package deal?! Qin Yuan and Bifang were equally stunned. This Dao Ancestor's thick skin was beyond imagination.
But since the Dao Ancestor had spoken, Di Jun did not dare refuse openly. He could only grit his teeth and signal Qin Yuan and Bifang to follow, silently praying that this ancestor would leave as soon as he finished eating the peaches.
The group arrived at the Demon Race's peach orchard. Though it could not compare to Queen Mother of the West's innate Ren Water peaches, it was still a rare spiritual root, heavy with fruit and shining with immortal radiance.
Xiao Kuang was utterly unceremonious. He plucked the biggest peach and bit into it, juice running everywhere as he ate and critiqued it. "Mm... the taste is all right, but it needs more ripening... the spiritual energy isn't rich enough either... Your grafting technique needs improvement, Little Di!"
Di Jun smiled along from the side, though his heart was bleeding. These were all spiritual roots he had painstakingly cultivated!
As he ate, Xiao Kuang's mouth did not rest. He began giving Qin Yuan and Bifang some "ideological education."
"Fellow Daoist Qin Yuan, look at your temperament—cold, elegant, and aloof. You belong on a broader stage! What a waste it is to spend every day fighting and killing in the Heavenly Court! Come to Purple Cloud Palace and manage the animals in the rear courtyard... ah, no, I mean lead new aesthetic trends for Primordial Chaos birds!"
"Fellow Daoist Bifang! Your comprehension of the Law of Fire runs deep! But your direction is a little off! What future is there in setting fires and fighting? Come to Purple Cloud Palace and handle barbecue... ah, no, I mean research the inheritance and innovation of fire civilization! Our grill is short of professionals exactly like you!"
Then he lowered his voice and added mysteriously, "Besides, our benefits are excellent! Weekends off are the baseline, annual leave is standard, and there's Heavenly Dao Merit as performance bonuses! If you perform well, you might even get the chance to encounter... hehe, some shiny good stuff~" He was hinting at Primordial Violet Qi, though he saw it as a fluorescent tube.
Qin Yuan and Bifang were left dumbfounded, their feelings complicated. Although this Dao Ancestor's words were wildly unreliable, "Heavenly Dao Merit" and "shiny good stuff" were indeed tremendously tempting. Moreover, the fact that the Dao Ancestor of Purple Cloud Palace was personally recruiting them gave them an unusual feeling of being valued.
Di Jun nearly exploded with rage as he listened from the side! This was no longer poaching—it was tearing down his entire corner! And right in front of him! Yet he still had to keep smiling and could not dare lose his temper!
After touring the peach orchard, Xiao Kuang clutched his head. "Ah, I suddenly feel a little dizzy. I must be unaccustomed to the Heavenly Realm since I just arrived. Little Di, do you have any spiritual medicines or immortal pills here that calm the mind and nourish the brain? I'll take some back for research, so I can recover soon and continue serving the beings of Primordial Chaos!"
Di Jun's mouth twitched, and he could only bring him to the treasury.
The moment they entered the treasury, Xiao Kuang became like a country bumpkin visiting a grand estate, finding everything novel. "Oh! This gourd is nice! It'd be great for holding wine!" "Hey! This pearl is so shiny! I'll take it back as a light bulb!" "Wow! This herb smells pretty good! I'll take it back to make soup!"
He did not care what any of the items were for. So long as they looked pleasing or smelled fragrant, he would wave a hand and stuff them directly into his Sleeve Universe, a space opened through Heavenly Dao Authority, calling them "research samples."
Di Jun watched the treasures in the treasury diminish at a visible rate. His heart bled, yet he still had to force a smile. "As long as the Dao Ancestor likes them... that is good... good..."
In the end, Xiao Kuang was thoroughly satisfied. His belly was round from eating, his hands were full from taking, and he had successfully planted the seeds of changing jobs in Qin Yuan and Bifang's hearts.
Before leaving, he patted Di Jun on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Little Di, work hard! Under your leadership, the Demon Race has a bright future! Remember the Fortune Management Method and the Essence of Slacking I taught you. You'll definitely build the strongest team in Primordial Chaos! I think highly of you!"
With that, he rode his crooked escape light away, departing grandly beneath the complicated gazes of the Demon Race.
Only after Xiao Kuang's figure completely vanished beyond the horizon did Di Jun's smile disappear at once, his face turning incomparably grim.
Bang! He slammed a fist into the jade pillar beside him, shaking the entire Lingxiao Hall.
"This is intolerable!" Eastern Emperor Taiyi was also burning with fury. Old Ancestor Kunpeng said darkly, "Your Majesty, this Dao Ancestor... is far too unrestrained!" Qin Yuan and Bifang exchanged a glance, each seeing a trace of hesitation and... temptation in the other's eyes.
Di Jun looked at the treasury that had been swept clean, then thought of the key subordinates being poached. His chest felt tight, with nowhere to vent the resentment building inside him.
Where had this Dao Ancestor come to inspect? He had clearly come to rob them! He ate, took, and even stole their people!
This time, the Demon Race had truly suffered a devastating loss!
Meanwhile, the already distant Xiao Kuang happily counted his "spoils." "Not bad! Next time, I'll visit the Wu Clan. I hear young lady Houtu has quite a few local specialties..."
Heavenly Dao (faint response): ...(too lazy to get angry anymore, only wanting to record who he had harmed this time)...
Before you continue