The East King Duke spoke with an expression of absolute sincerity, his gaze seemingly pure and untainted by guile.
Currently, the Immortal Court was expanding at a breakneck pace, but it lacked top-tier combat power. With the Queen Mother of the West suffering this recent calamity, it was the perfect opportunity to invite her into the fold.
By incorporating her and her legions of female immortals, the Immortal Court's influence would swell even further.
If this continued, sooner or later, his "Immortal Court" would become the true Heavenly Court—dominating the heavens and the earth, unifying the entire Honghuang World. Thus, securing the Queen Mother was a vital strategic move.
Hearing his words, the Queen Mother of the West fell into deep contemplation, her resolve wavering.
The Duke's logic was sound. If she sought a mere partnership with the Yao Race, she would, at best, become their vassal. But joining the Immortal Court—if she could truly manage it as an equal, as he promised—was an attractive alternative.
"East King Duke, do you swear your words are true?" the Queen Mother asked gravely, her mind calculating the variables.
Hooked!
The Duke felt a surge of joy, yet his face remained a mask of solemnity. "Not a single word of mine is false. As the respective heads of male and female immortals, our status is inherently equal. The Immortal Court belongs to all immortals of this world, regardless of gender."
His meaning was clear: he would govern the men, she would govern the women—a balanced, logical division of power.
However, despite his "sincerity," the Duke made no move to swear a Heavenly Dao Oath. He intended to leave himself room to maneuver.
The Queen Mother seemingly failed to notice this omission, or perhaps she felt it unnecessary to press the point. After a short silence, she made her decision.
"Fellow Daoist East King Duke, then let it be as you say. We shall join the Immortal Court and maintain the primordial order together!"
Her face was stern, her Phoenix-eyes radiating authority. Having held her title for eons, she naturally possessed a regal, commanding presence.
"Excellent! Truly excellent! This choice is a blessing for all living beings in the Great Desolation!"
The Duke offered extravagant praise, elevating her decision to an almost cosmic level, as if the world would have crumbled into ruin without her intervention.
This level of flattery made the immortals standing behind them shift uncomfortably, looking away at the horizon.
It's too much... truly, it's a bit much!
"Enough. There is no need for such flowery words to please me. I am only doing what I must," the Queen Mother said calmly, her brow furrowing slightly. As for her true thoughts, only she knew them.
"Haha, well said! From now on, we join hands to protect the order of the world!" The Duke let out a resonant laugh.
The entire group then departed, heading toward the Zifu Island in the East Sea.
One thousand years after the Wu Clan occupied West Kunlun.
On this day, the Wu Clan launched another massive offensive against the Yao Race. Unlike previous skirmishes, this assault was exceptionally savage and grand in scale.
Previously, with Ju Mang, Gonggong, and Xi Zi missing, the Witches had been somewhat restrained. But now that the Twelve Ancestral Witches were reunited, they feared nothing.
The Ancestral Witches took turns leading the charge, relentlessly expanding their territory.
In just ten thousand years, the Wu Clan had swallowed nearly the entire Eastern Honghuang. The flames of war spread across the cosmos.
Every living being could sense that the Witches were now acting with total abandon, as if they would never stop until one side was utterly extinguished.
On this day, several Ancestral Witches collided with the demon gods of the Yao Race.
Bai Ze, Ji Meng, Jiu Ying, Gui Che, Fei Lian, Ying Zhao, and a host of newly risen Great Yao were present.
The titans of the two races met and, without a single word, clashed. Both sides threw aside all restraint. Their blood-Qi surged like tides, their divine brilliance piercing the firmament as their malevolent auras blanketed the heavens.
In a single heartbeat, they unleashed their ultimate techniques and hidden Divine Abilities.
Rumble...
The heavens split and the earth shattered. The wails of ghosts and the howls of gods echoed through the void. Combat at this level was beyond imagination, causing the world to groan as Laws interlaced like the creation of a new universe.
This battle sent a tremor through all of existence. Cultivators for millions of miles were paralyzed with terror, feeling their very souls suppressed, struggling even to breathe.
Had the local living beings not sensed the omens and fled earlier, the ground would have been turned into a river of blood, staining the green sky and soaking the earth.
The combatants ascended, fighting into the outer reaches of space, even reaching the edge of the Chaos. In a life-and-death struggle, their silhouettes blurred into streaks of supreme divine light, twisting and entangling like cosmic serpents.
They struck with blinding speed and savage brutality. As the battle reached a fever pitch, splashes of divine blood occasionally drifted away, staining entire star domains.
Bang!
The minor worlds surrounding the Great Desolation began to detonate. As they moved their feet across the stars, the scope of the destruction widened. Gargantuan celestial bodies blocked their path, only to be pulverized by a sleeve's flick or a finger's touch.
The Ancestral Witches had entered a blood-red frenzy. They seemed to have forgotten that these stars were also the "hairs" of their Father God's body.
Though the Yao Race experts had the advantage in numbers, they could gain no ground against the Ancestral Witches. Several Yao gods were beaten until their physical forms detonated, leaving them on the brink of death.
The physical bodies of the Great Yao were legendary, but against the Witches, they appeared as fragile as glass.
The Dharma-forms of the Witches and Yao grew to a height that blotted out the sun. When they inhaled the surrounding essence, entire rivers of stars seemed to dim.
It was a spectacle that shook the foundations of the world.
Many experts watched the duel through Magic Formations, their scalps tingling. Such terrifying combat caused their breath to catch in their throats. It was a life-and-death struggle with no quarter given.
"A pack of beasts! You dare to fight us for territory? Today, we make this place your grave!"
Qiang Liang roared, his voice like a thunderclap. Radiating an aura of invincibility, he looked down upon the Great Yao with absolute contempt.
"A bunch of incomplete, mindless cripples! You think you can contend with the Yao Race? The Great Desolation is destined to be ruled by us!" Gui Che shrieked back in sharp defiance.
With Nuwa—a future Saint and Disciple of the Dao Ancestor—on their side, the Yao Race believed they held the mandate of heaven.
At this moment, Gui Che was drenched in blood, his appearance horrific. He was a Nine-Headed Bird, and Jiu Ying was also a nine-headed monster, neither snake nor dragon.
By now, several of their heads had been torn off and lost in the void.
Their weaker companions had fared worse, their forms being pulverized into non-existence.
"Caw all you want, you dead bird! Soon, I'll twist off every last one of your heads!" Zhu Rong, the God of Fire, sneered. His eyes burned with divine flames; any creature caught in his gaze would either feel as if their soul were being incinerated or be burned into ash instantly.
"You seek death!"
Gui Che shrieked, and the battle reignited. This clash lasted for an age, but eventually, the Yao experts suffered a crushing defeat. Those who didn't die fled into the dark.
The Wu Clan had secured another massive victory, and they continued their expansion.
Slaughter was constant; the fires of war were everywhere.
And while the two races bled one another, Jieyin finally managed to slay his second corpse. Living up to expectations, he achieved this before Yuanshi or Tongtian, successfully preserving the "Face" of the West.