Demon Master Kunpeng was puzzled when he learned that disciples of Master Tongtian had arrived.
"Although I have met Sage Tongtian a few times, we have no friendship to speak of. Why would his disciples come to the North Sea?"
At this moment, Bai Ze, the former Demon Marshal of the Heavenly Court standing beside Demon Master Kunpeng, spoke.
"Demon Master, I heard that the human race is about to establish the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. I fear they have come for this matter."
Demon Master Kunpeng frowned again. "What does the human race establishing the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors have to do with my demon race?"
"What you do not know, Demon Master, is that the establishment of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors by the human race was decided upon by the sages in Zixiao Palace.
And the Human Sovereign is Fuxi, the great sage of our demon race who fell during the Great Lich Tribulation.
Perhaps because Fuxi still has some ties to our demon race, Sage Tongtian sent someone to notify you."
Bai Ze's analysis brought a faint smile to Demon Master Kunpeng's face.
At that moment, Demon Master Kunpeng felt that even the sages were wary of his command over the demon race. Otherwise, why would they come all this way to notify him?
The more Demon Master Kunpeng thought about it, the happier he became. He immediately rose to his feet and said,
"Since they are Sage Tongtian's disciples, I cannot refuse to show Sage Tongtian some respect. Bai Ze, make the trip for me and invite them into the Demon Master Palace."
Bai Ze nodded, then turned and headed directly toward Above the North Sea.
Before long, Bai Ze had arrived above the North Sea.
When the gathered demons saw Bai Ze arrive, they all bowed in greeting to Demon Marshal Bai Ze.
Bai Ze waved to the demons, then cupped his hands in greeting to Hong Ze and Mother Wu Dang.
"Fellow Daoists, you have come from afar. Bai Ze was late in welcoming you; please do not take offense.
My Demon Master is hosting a banquet in the Demon Master Palace. Please follow me inside."
At the same time, Bai Ze did not forget to gesture for Hong Ze and Mother Wu Dang to enter.
At this moment, Mother Wu Dang whispered into Hong Ze's ear, "Eldest Senior Brother, you are called Hong Ze, and he is called Bai Ze. Are the two of you related somehow?"
Hong Ze had not expected Mother Wu Dang to joke with him at a time like this, and he could not help but glare fiercely at her.
Then he said to Bai Ze, "Demon Marshal Bai Ze has personally come to receive us. I am truly flattered.
However, my junior sister and I have only come today over a minor matter. There is no need to enter the Demon Master Palace and disturb the Demon Master.
Please help us pass along a message. Say that we have come to the North Sea under Hongjun Daozu's orders to retrieve the Hetu Luoshu from the Demon Master.
Please have the Demon Master present the Hetu Luoshu at once, so my junior sister and I may return to Zixiao Palace and report back to our Patriarch."
Mother Wu Dang nearly fell from the clouds. Eldest Senior Brother is far too bold. He actually dared to borrow our Patriarch's name to bluff them.
Even invoking her own master's name could get her punished by Master Tongtian and sentenced to reflecting on her mistakes behind closed doors.
Yet her Eldest Senior Brother had gone straight for Hongjun Daozu's name. Isn't he just asking for trouble?
Fortunately, Mother Wu Dang revealed nothing on her face. Otherwise, Hong Ze's lie would likely have been exposed in an instant.
Even so, Bai Ze did not believe Hong Ze's words. Yet he did not dare risk refusing him.
He simply decided to kick this problem directly to Demon Master Kunpeng. Whether it was true or false could be left for him to decide.
Thus, Bai Ze cupped his hands toward Hong Ze and said, "Then please wait here for a moment, Fellow Daoist. I will report to the Demon Master at once."
With that, his figure flashed, and he dropped straight from the air. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from above the North Sea.
Only after Bai Ze had left did Mother Wu Dang whisper to Hong Ze.
"Eldest Senior Brother, aren't you afraid of angering our Patriarch?"
"Don't worry. Our Patriarch merged himself with the Dao, and now he is the Heavenly Dao.
Our Patriarch is too busy handling major matters. How could he have time for trifles like ours?"
Seeing how casually Hong Ze said it, Mother Wu Dang could not help shaking her head repeatedly.
Meanwhile, Hongjun Daozu reappeared atop his Prayer Mat in Zixiao Palace and opened his Dharma Eye to survey the entire Primordial World.
Having merged with the Heavenly Dao, Hongjun Daozu possessed the cultivation of a Heavenly Dao Sage. Once his Dharma Eye opened, not a single matter in the Primordial World could escape his notice.
Yet after watching for a long time, he found nothing related to himself.
He could not even discover who had mentioned his name.
"That should not be possible. I clearly sensed someone borrowing this poor Daoist's name just now. Why can't I find them all of a sudden?"
However, Hongjun Daozu was not prepared to let the matter rest this time. He immediately waved a hand before him.
Heavenly Dao Law instantly appeared, continuously circling the Creation Jade Disc that Hongjun Daozu had summoned.
For a moment, runes emerged upon the Creation Jade Disc as Heavenly Dao Law flowed back and forth among them.
Before long, the Interstellar River appeared, and the Creation Jade Disc floated above it.
The Interstellar River, also known as the Primordial River of Fate, contained the Zhou Tian Star Array, mountains, rivers, and terrain.
Put simply, it was a sandbox of the entire Primordial World, including the Thirty-Six Heavens and the Netherworld Underworld's Eighteen Levels of Hell.
This was the strongest divination technique in the entire Primordial World.
It used Heavenly Dao Law, the Creation Jade Disc, and the Interstellar River—three supreme powers that only Hongjun Daozu could command—to carry out the divination.
Just as Hongjun Daozu was about to obtain the result, a Great Dao Law suddenly tore across the sky and rushed directly into Zixiao Palace.
As the Great Dao Law appeared, the Heavenly Dao Law instantly dimmed. Even the Creation Jade Disc began trembling without stop.
The Interstellar River vanished outright. Hongjun Daozu's face drained of all color, while his blood and qi churned violently within his chest.
Fortunately, the Great Dao Law vanished in an instant. Otherwise, Hongjun Daozu would have been suppressed until he coughed up blood.
Once the Great Dao Law disappeared, Hongjun Daozu no longer dared to divine the secrets of heaven. He truly feared that the Great Dao Law would instantly kill him.
After briefly regulating his breath, Hongjun Daozu sighed and said,
"Since the Great Dao has withdrawn and the Heavenly Dao governs this Primordial World, why does the Great Dao appear from time to time? Could the Child of the Great Dao have already been born into the Primordial World?
Or could The One That Escaped be the Child of the Great Dao? If that is the case, the entire structure of the Primordial World will change."
The more Hongjun Daozu thought about it, the graver his expression became. In the end, he waved toward the Primordial World, sending a streak of mysterious light directly toward Eight Scenery Palace on Shouyang Mountain.
Laozi, who had been cultivating while seated in his cave dwelling, instantly sensed Hongjun Daozu's summons.
After instructing Grand Master Xuandu and the two young attendants, Golden Horn Silver Horn, to guard Eight Scenery Palace well, he hurried toward Zixiao Palace.
Meanwhile, Bai Ze relayed Hong Ze's words exactly as they had been spoken to Demon Master Kunpeng.
This left Demon Master Kunpeng greatly shocked, so much so that he could scarcely believe his own ears.
"You say Hongjun Daozu sent them, and that they came for the Hetu Luoshu?"
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