The Demon Race Establishes a "Heavenly Court"

The Thirty-Three Heavens at this time was far from the magnificent and divine realm of later generations. Here, the air was thick with pure energy and the power of the stars was abundant, yet it was also vast and desolate, filled with undeveloped edges of chaos and shattered floating continents. Billions of demons had migrated here, temporarily escaping the flames of war on the primordial lands. However, rebuilding their homes, adapting to the new environment, reorganizing their internal affairs, and perfecting the Zhou Tian Star Array—a myriad of tasks that left Di Jun and Tai Yi overwhelmed.

Inside the Lingxiao Palace, the atmosphere was oppressive. Di Jun sat high on his throne, his face calm, but the occasional flashes of weariness and gloom in his eyes revealed the heaviness in his heart. Taiyi sat below him, his expression even more unpleasant. The Eastern Emperor Bell hovered silently beside him, emitting a faint aura of chaotic energy, seemingly suppressing its master's agitation.

Below, the remaining eleven demon saints stood with their hands at their sides, each with their eyes downcast and not daring to breathe. In the previous war between the myriad races against the demons, the demon race suffered heavy losses, with more than six demon saints falling. Those who remained were either powerful and had outstanding survival skills, or they were quick-witted and good at assessing situations, such as Guiche, Jiuying, and Shangyang.

"How is the refinement of the array flags for the Zhou Tian Star Array going?" Di Jun asked, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger.

The demon saint in charge of this matter, Qin Yuan, stepped forward with a stiff upper lip and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, of the 365 Great Zhou Heavenly Star Banners, more than 200 have been completed. Nearly half of the 14,800 Lesser Zhou Heavenly Star Banners have also been completed. However… the rare and precious materials required for refining the Star Banners are extremely scarce, especially Star Essence Gold and Void Divine Iron, whose stockpiles are almost exhausted. Moreover, the selection of demon gods to preside over the grand formation… has also suffered many losses, requiring a new selection and training."

Di Jun tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest, remaining silent. Resource scarcity and a decline in talent—this was the harsh reality the demon race faced after retreating to the Thirty-Three Heavens. The abundant mineral deposits, spiritual veins, and immortal herbs of the primordial lands had mostly fallen into the hands of the witch race or other races. Although the Heavenly Court could draw upon the power of the stars, many special refining materials could not be transformed by that power.

Taiyi couldn't help but sneer, "It's all because of those good-for-nothings! They're all so eager to fight for power and profit, but they're utterly useless on the battlefield! And Fuxi!" He suddenly looked at Dijun, golden flames flickering in his eyes, "Brother, Fuxi actually left without saying goodbye at this time, joining Nuwa and the human race! It's outrageous! Our demon race treated him well, honoring him as Emperor Xi!"

Mentioning Fuxi made the atmosphere in the hall even more tense. Fuxi's departure was a blow to the morale of the demon race, no less than a major defeat. He was not only a wise man among the demons, but also highly respected. His departure caused many demons to waver.

A cold glint flashed in Di Jun's eyes, but it quickly disappeared. How could he not be angry? Fuxi's departure was like a slap in the face, depriving him of one of his most important allies. But he knew even better that pursuing Fuxi now was pointless, and forcibly keeping him was a poor strategy. Nuwa had already become a saint, and through the path of humanity, her status was transcendent. Fuxi had dedicated himself to humanity, was under Nuwa's protection, and was connected to the destiny of humanity. Forcibly bringing him back would only offend both Nuwa and humanity, a loss that outweighed the gain.

"Let's set aside the matter of Fuxi for now," Di Jun's voice remained calm. "Everyone has their own ambitions, and forcing things will be futile. The most urgent task now is to stabilize the Heavenly Court and perfect the Zhou Tian Star Array. Only when the array is complete can our demon race truly establish itself in the Thirty-Three Heavens, at which point we can attack or defend as needed."

His gaze swept over the assembled demon saints below: "I will find a way to address the resource issue. You must intensify the training of your troops, select elites, and fill the positions of array flag masters. The Zhou Tian Star Array concerns the survival of our demon race; there must be no mistakes!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the demon saints responded in unison, feeling somewhat relieved. Di Jun's composure always gave them a sense of security amidst their fear.

Inside the Lingxiao Palace, Di Jun was deep in thought about resources and talent when suddenly his mind stirred. A profound and mysterious Daoist aura emanated from the darkness and was clearly imprinted into the depths of his primordial spirit—"The Thirty-Three Heavens should establish a Heavenly Court to stabilize the universe and gather fortune."

The voice was detached and lofty, like the divine pronouncement of the heavens. Emperor Jun instantly realized that this was a reminder from Dao Ancestor Hongjun!

His previously calm eyes suddenly blazed with a captivating light, all weariness and gloom vanishing, replaced by a burning, decisive light that seemed to see through the very secrets of the universe. The fog that had been lingering in his mind was completely cleaved away by this thunderous revelation!

"So that's how it is... So that's how it is!" Di Jun suddenly stood up from his throne, his imperial aura surging uncontrollably around him, resonating with the still unstable pure spiritual energy of the Thirty-Three Heavens, emitting a deep hum.

Taiyi and the demon saints below were all startled, looking at the Heavenly Emperor who suddenly exuded a powerful aura, not understanding why.

Di Jun surveyed the hall, his voice carrying unprecedented clarity and power, resounding throughout the hall:

"Issue my decree!"

"From this day forth, based on the Thirty-Three Heavens, I hereby formally proclaim the establishment of the 'Demon Race Heavenly Court' throughout the primordial world! I am the Heavenly Emperor, and Taiyi is the Eastern Emperor, ruling over the celestial stars, governing the primordial mountains and rivers, and regulating Yin and Yang to restore order to the universe!"

As the words fell, the entire Thirty-Three Heavens trembled violently! In the infinite distance, the previously scattered and chaotic stellar power seemed to be drawn by an invisible decree, beginning to converge orderly towards the central celestial domain where the Lingxiao Palace was located. The shattered floating continent trembled slightly, showing signs of spontaneously converging and solidifying. Even the chaotic air currents at the edges seemed to be slightly repelled by a newly born, majestic and righteous will.

Taiyi was taken aback at first, then his eyes blazed with golden flames. He suddenly realized what was happening, and his irritation vanished, replaced by wild joy: "Establish a Heavenly Court and gather fortune! Brother, this is a divinely granted opportunity for our demon race to rise!"

The Eastern Emperor Bell beside him rang out with a clear and melodious sound, calming the chaotic energy and instead emanating a majestic aura that suppressed all heavens and established the order of the universe, subtly aligning with the grand will to "establish the Heavenly Court".

The demon saints below were greatly encouraged. Although they did not understand the specific heavenly secrets, they could clearly feel that as the Heavenly Emperor's words fell, an invisible and vast "force" was being generated, enveloping the entire Heavenly Realm and also blessing them. The bewilderment they had felt due to the scarcity of resources and the uncertainty of the future was instantly replaced by a new sense of hope and mission.

"Your Majesty is wise!" The eleven demon saints knelt in unison, their voices echoing throughout the palace. Qin Yuan exclaimed excitedly, "If we establish the Heavenly Court under the righteous pretext of gathering the demon race's fortune, and then refine the Zhou Tian Star Array, we will surely achieve twice the result with half the effort! At that time, the array will be complete, and our Heavenly Court will be the rightful and legitimate successor of the primordial world, favored by destiny!"

Di Jun stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the spontaneously evolving sky outside the palace, and slowly said, "Indeed. Establishing the Heavenly Court is not merely about occupying a piece of land, but about obeying the mandate of Heaven and establishing order. With this noble cause, we can absorb the scattered fortune of the primordial world, appease the hearts of all races, and, with the authority of the Heavenly Court, rightfully mobilize the power of the stars, transform the void, and generate resources. The Zhou Tian Star Array will no longer be merely a battle array, but also the foundation for suppressing destiny and the source of creation!"

The demon race established the Heavenly Court and naturally gained a lot of Heavenly Merit, but for the demon race at present, it is only a drop in the ocean. However, it has given the demon race a strong boost.

The establishment of the Heavenly Court naturally attracted the attention of various forces. As the news spread, undercurrents surged across the primordial land. Beneath the brief surface of calm, the undercurrents grew ever stronger. Humanity was newly established, sages emerged in great numbers, witches and demons clashed, all races lay dormant, and Hongjun merged with the Dao… A more complex and magnificent era was slowly unfolding. At this moment, Xuanbao, who had just returned to Kunlun Mountain, was unaware that the flapping of his "butterfly's" wings had already made the future storms even more unpredictable.