Chapter Forty-One: The Demon Court Emerges

After Nuwa gave her guests leave, Emperor Jun and Taiyi, the two brothers, felt it inappropriate to linger. Their purpose had been achieved, after all, so they took their leave with proper courtesy.

“Brother, now that Nuwa has given her verbal support, should our next step be to campaign against the Northern Abyss?” As soon as they exited the Empress Wa Palace, Taiyi inquired eagerly. At present, the demon race was fractured, each great demon ruling their own domain, with the mightiest among them being Kunpeng of the Northern Abyss. Kunpeng occupied the vast expanse of the North, styling himself as Master of Ten Thousand Demons, commanding a formidable force of followers. His own cultivation was exceptional—among quasi-saints, he stood near the pinnacle—making him the greatest obstacle to the brothers’ ambition to unite the demon race.

“There’s no rush. I must make a trip to the Palace of Grand Purple Clouds and seek an audience with our teacher. You should return to the Solar Palace and prepare with Baize. Muster the fifty million Solar Troops and keep a wary eye on the Wu tribe as well,” Emperor Jun instructed.

“The Palace of Grand Purple Clouds? Brother, are you serious? When the palace last opened three times, the Dao Ancestor clearly stated he would merge with the Dao, and the palace has since vanished. Where could you possibly find it?” Taiyi looked at his brother with skepticism.

“I have my own plans. No need to question further. Just do as I say,” Emperor Jun replied with finality.

“Very well,” Taiyi acquiesced, seeing there was no persuading his brother. At worst, it would be a wasted trip.

With their plans settled, the brothers parted ways—Taiyi returned to the Solar Palace, while Emperor Jun ascended into the azure heavens, traversing the thirty-three layers of the heavens, braving fierce gales, thunder, and fire, and entered the chaotic space beyond the sky to search for the Palace of Grand Purple Clouds.

Let us set Taiyi aside for now and follow Emperor Jun. As a free immortal of primal chaos and a supreme quasi-saint, his cultivation was truly earth-shattering, beyond mortal comprehension. In but a short while, he passed through the layers of gales, thunder, and fire, traversed the thirty-three heavens, and entered the chaotic space beyond.

Above the firmament, the layers of gales, thunder, and fire soared millions of fathoms high and were thousands of fathoms thick. Neither mortals nor immortals could cross them easily. The fierce winds were formless, sharp as blades—should any but a celestial touch them, they would be reduced to dust. Only those at the celestial immortal stage could withstand them. The thunder and fire were even more terrifying, being the thunder of the heavens and the azure flames of the void. Only after crossing these could one reach the first of the thirty-three heavens, and to ascend higher required the profound abilities of a celestial adept. Though the thirty-three heavens formed a single whole, they could also be regarded as thirty-three intermediate worlds, each separated by a membrane impenetrable to all but celestials who had attained the mysteries.

Entering the chaos, Emperor Jun surveyed his surroundings. It was a world of utter tumult—chaotic tides, turbulence, storms, and countless other dangers abounded. Even a golden immortal who had gathered the three flowers atop their head and five vital energies at their core would have to tread carefully. Yet to him, a quasi-saint armed with the power of the laws, such dangers held no threat. The power of the law of flame enveloped him, rendering him impervious to the myriad perils of chaos.

In chaos, there is no distinction between heaven and earth, no separation of yin and yang, no sense of direction at all. Seeking the Palace of Grand Purple Clouds here was a fool’s errand. When the Dao Ancestor first preached to the wilderness, he guided the way; who could say now where the palace was concealed? After plunging millions of miles deep, Emperor Jun stopped, afraid to venture further and risk being lost. He reasoned that the Dao Ancestor, with his boundless powers, would sense his search. Bowing deeply, he knelt and proclaimed in a clear voice, “Disciple Emperor Jun pays respect to the Dao Ancestor. Out of compassion for the suffering demon race, may the Dao Ancestor grant permission for me to establish the Demon Court, to unite the demon race and protect all beings!”

When the Dao Ancestor Hongjun opened the Palace of Grand Purple Clouds thrice and preached to all, every listener called him teacher. The disciples Jieyin and Zhunti addressed him as master; the Four Great Disciples—Sanqing and Nuwa—called him revered teacher. Though Emperor Jun was not formally inducted, he had attended the teachings and thus ought to address him as teacher.

“Such trifles are not worth disturbing me.” Just as Emperor Jun was growing impatient, a vast, ethereal voice rang in his ears—the unmistakable voice of the Dao Ancestor. Overjoyed, Emperor Jun bowed in gratitude and withdrew.

“He did not agree, but neither did he refuse. Therefore, I can claim the Dao Ancestor supports us. Ha! With his backing, the Demon Court is legitimate.” Emperor Jun plotted quietly. Hongjun’s only command was not to disturb him, never an outright refusal. That being so, even if Emperor Jun “falsely conveyed the sacred will,” it would matter little.

With this unexpected boon, Emperor Jun set off gleefully toward the Solar Star.

The Solar Star was formed from the right eye of Pangu after he opened the world and perished in nirvana. It illuminated the cosmos, its merit immeasurable, the foremost of all stars, ruling over them all. The solar true fire within never ceased burning. Any mortal or immortal entering would be utterly destroyed, with not even rebirth as a hope. Yet Emperor Jun, as the very embodiment of the sun and a primal chaos immortal, wielded unfathomable power, and entering the Solar Star was as easy to him as a fish entering the sea.

By the time Emperor Jun returned, Taiyi had already completed preparations. At his side stood a middle-aged scholar, with a tall cap and feathered fan, dressed in a white crane gown with crimson trim. His features were both handsome and wise—a living image of Zhuge Liang. This was Baize, the great demon, an ancient beast transformed, whose powers rivaled the peak of golden immortals, only half a step from becoming a primal chaos immortal.

Behind Taiyi and Baize stood the fifty million Solar Troops, arrayed and ready. These were Emperor Jun’s reserves, accumulated since ancient times. Each soldier was at least a celestial immortal, and among them, true immortals and profound celestials abounded.

“Brother, I suppose your journey was fruitless after all! I told you it was pointless to go,” Taiyi said with a laugh.

“Haha! You misjudged this time, dear brother. The Dao Ancestor has agreed to support our establishment of the Demon Court and the unification of the demon race!” Emperor Jun declared, borrowing the authority of the Dao Ancestor.

“What? The Dao Ancestor agreed?” Baize’s expression changed, clearly shocked by the unexpected outcome. Renowned for his intellect and strategy, this was the first time his calculations had failed.

“Impossible!” Taiyi looked on in utter disbelief.

But after a moment, both Taiyi and Baize collected themselves and exchanged a glance before bursting into hearty laughter. With the support of the Dao Ancestor and Nuwa, what could possibly stand in the way of the Demon Court’s unification? In time, they might even suppress the Wu tribe and dominate the entire wilderness.

With everything in place and the wind in their favor, Emperor Jun, Taiyi, and Baize led their fifty million Solar Troops in a grand descent upon the world, marching into the wilderness. Flying the banners of the Dao Ancestor and Nuwa, claiming themselves the rightful orthodoxy, the Demon Court’s momentum surged. Tens of thousands of demons flocked to their cause, their power swiftly rising. Even the great cultivators, awed by the name of the Dao Ancestor, could only observe events unfold, none daring to suspect Emperor Jun of falsely invoking the Dao Ancestor’s name. All believed the Dao Ancestor truly supported the Demon Court.

Of all the myriad races, none felt the shock of the Demon Court’s rise more deeply than the Wu tribe. The Twelve Ancestral Witches, upon hearing the news, were greatly alarmed. The lack of a saint had always been the Wu tribe’s weakness—without a saint’s protection, their destiny could not endure, and decline was inevitable. Thus, the ancestral witches had long resolved to unite the wilderness, enslave all beings, and ensure their tribe’s eternal supremacy. In the past, the struggle between Wu and Demon always favored the Wu, but now, with the Demon Court’s emergence and the backing of Nuwa and the Dao Ancestor, an unprecedented crisis loomed.

Nor was the Northern Abyss’s Kunpeng immune to anxiety. His faction was second only to the Solar Golden Crows among the demon race. As the saying goes, the shot strikes the bird that stands out. It was obvious Emperor Jun and Taiyi would seek to assert their power with an initial campaign against the North. Though Kunpeng was proud, he knew he could not match the brothers. In terms of cultivation, he had some confidence, but in treasures, he had no advantage at all. Emperor Jun possessed the River Diagram and Luo Shu, two supreme innate treasures from birth. Taiyi was even more extraordinary, wielding the Chaos Bell, one of Pangu’s three opening treasures. With such might, they could even challenge a saint—how could he hope to prevail?

The storm was gathering on the horizon.

With the rise of the Demon Court, chaos in the wilderness was about to erupt.