Hearing this, Emperor Ziwei also nodded repeatedly, agreeing:
"Exactly! The Great Heavenly Venerable's move seems to be accommodating the Demon Race, but in reality, it is dismantling their convictions.
Just imagine, if even the Four Heavenly Demons, the Demon Ancestor's trusted confidants, can be accepted by the Xuantian Dao Palace and have the chance to pursue the Great Dao, how could those Demon Race Cultivators scattered everywhere not be moved?"
"Once these Demon Race Cultivators follow the example of the Four Heavenly Demons, turn over a new leaf, and defect to the Xuantian Dao Palace and the Immortal Domain, the Demon Ancestor will become completely isolated, with no troops left to command!
At that time, without us having to put in all our effort to purge them, the Demon Race will collapse from within. This is truly defeating the enemy without a fight!"
The various Imperial Lords chimed in one after another, their shock growing as they discussed, and their admiration deepening.
They were all top-tier Powerful Experts of the Immortal Realm. Although some were not well-versed in the ways of power and strategy, they could still recognize that Han Xuanji's wisdom was truly peerless.
Of course, only Han Xuanji would dare to use such a method.
If anyone else tried it, they might very well be branded as a spy for the Demon Race.
This is the benefit brought by absolute strength; no matter what your decision is, there will naturally be people to explain it for you.
The Heavenly Emperor sat atop the Hall of Miraculous Mist. After listening to the discussion of his ministers, a smile played on his lips:
"The Great Heavenly Venerable's move is excellent. It is far more effective than leading an army of ten million to purge the Demon Race, and it should be our guiding principle."
As he finished speaking, the Heavenly Emperor waved his hand, and a golden imperial decree flew out from the Hall of Miraculous Mist, turning into a sky full of golden light that spread throughout the entire Immortal Domain. His voice was resonant, shaking the clouds:
"I believe that all living beings possess a Dao Heart, regardless of whether they are Immortal or Demon, or what their Origin is.
From this day forward, any member of the Demon Race who has not participated in the Great War between Immortals and Demons, and has not been tainted by the blood of the Immortal Realm's creatures, if they can turn over a new leaf, break away from the Demon Ancestor, and sincerely seek the Dao, they may join the Immortal Domain. Whether they join the Heavenly Court's ranks or live in seclusion to cultivate, I will not hold their past against them, nor shall any being in the Immortal Domain hold them accountable for past events."
After issuing the imperial decree, the Heavenly Emperor also arranged for a large number of personnel to handle the matter. He could not allow some demons to fish in troubled waters; entities like the Great Heavenly Demon, who already shared blood feuds with many forces in the Immortal Realm, could not be accepted.
Once the decree was issued, the Immortal Realm was in an uproar. Forces and Cultivators who originally had doubts suddenly understood, completely grasping the strategic layout of Han Xuanji and the Heavenly Emperor.
Everyone praised them, feeling grateful for the magnanimity of the Heavenly Emperor and the Xuantian Dao Venerable, while also following suit and beginning to widely use psychological warfare.
Even forces and Cultivators who originally had great feuds with the Demon Race did not dare to openly oppose it. They could only let it go for the time being, waiting for these demons to reveal their own flaws.
...
On the other side.
Deep within the Chaos, in the boundless dark domain.
The Demon Ancestor sat on a throne, his face covered by a black robe, surrounded by an aura of deathly silence, with a look of slight displeasure on his face.
Opposite him, the Juntian Merchant Venerable gently fanned himself with a feather fan, wearing a gold-patterned Daoist robe with a playful smile:
"Demon Ancestor, it seems you will soon be all alone. Those demons of yours scattered outside are likely to flock to the Immortal Domain in droves."
The Demon Ancestor looked up indifferently, his voice without a hint of emotion, as if the betrayal of billions of beings was nothing more than the rising and falling of dust.
"If they betray, then let them betray."
"The Demon Race was originally created by a single thought of mine.
And since I can create one race, I can create ten, a hundred, a thousand, or ten million. The departure of mere ants is not worth mentioning."
A glint flashed in the eyes of the Juntian Merchant Venerable, though he was not surprised. The Demon Ancestor was exactly this kind of person, cold and utterly indifferent to the life and death of his chess pieces.
Of course, he was the same kind of person.
The Demon Ancestor lightly tapped the armrest with his fingertip and said slowly:
"My true body will be fully revived in a few days."
"At that time, I will personally lead a campaign against the Immortal Realm, level the Xuantian Dao Palace and the Heavenly Court, capture that Xuantian Dao Venerable and the Heavenly Emperor, and seize the secret of Transcendence."
"That Xuantian Dao Venerable may be powerful, but his cultivation years are so short. With that Great Dao treasure, he might be able to contend with an ordinary Limitless Primordial expert, but if he faces so many powerful enemies, countless Magic Treasures, and experts at the Perfection of Limitless Primordial like you and me, even if Taishang and the others try to stop us, what of it?"
"The secret of Transcendence..."
The Juntian Merchant Venerable's heart stirred, and his smile deepened.
He slowly stood up, closed his gold-patterned fan, and said with a certain tone:
"Rest assured, the Myriad Realms Merchant Alliance will cooperate fully."
"Furthermore, I will have the Merchant Alliance's eyes and ears throughout the Chaos spread the word — that the Immortal Realm hides the secret of Transcendence, and the Xuantian Dao Venerable wishes to monopolize the path to Transcendence."
"When that time comes, we won't even need to lift a finger. Those old monsters lurking in the Chaos eyeing Transcendence, and the Powerful Experts whose paths have been cut off, will naturally view him as the public enemy of the Chaos."
His voice was light, but every word was lethal:
"Even... those who originated from the Immortal Realm but have long resided in the Chaos and think highly of themselves will be stirred by me to suspicion, turning against the Xuantian Dao Venerable and the others."
The Demon Ancestor finally revealed a cold smile:
"Good methods. This is much more useful than simple killing."
"The feeling is mutual."
The Juntian Merchant Venerable chuckled:
"What you and I seek is Transcendence... If these people stand in our way, we will simply crush them together."
What the Demon Ancestor failed to notice was that although the Juntian Merchant Venerable was smiling, there was a strange look in the depths of his eyes.
He didn't think the secret of Transcendence would be that simple.
There must be many things involved that he was still unaware of.
...
At this moment, inside the Xuantian Hall, Han Xuanji was still in seclusion refining the power of the Chaos Origin, his aura growing increasingly powerful.
He didn't give much thought to the discussions in the Immortal Realm or the changing situation in the Chaos.
Currently, he was still a bit away from the Perfection of Limitless Primordial, and he couldn't afford to waste time.
Time flew by like a weaver's shuttle, and in the blink of an eye, several thousand years had passed.
(T/N: Hey is any of you guys keeping track of MC's age cause there sure are a lot of time skips)
With the Demon Race either hiding or surrendering, the many Desolate Domains of the Immortal Realm were cleared once again by the Heavenly Emperor using great Divine Abilities. The Immortal Realm returned to its former prosperity and has now been re-divided into Twenty-Eight Immortal Domains.
The major Immortal Domains also underwent a reshuffling, experiencing earth-shaking changes. Myriad races flourished, and the Primordial Chaos Grand Unity Golden Immortal was no longer an ethereal existence to the masses; at least many ordinary Cultivators in the Immortal Realm had heard of their deeds or even seen traces of them.
Beneath the Immortal Realm, the number of Spirit Realms and Mortal Realms continued to expand. The recovery of the Immortal Realm's Luck also drove the growth of the subordinate Small Worlds. Countless Immortals were sent by the Heavenly Court to enlighten the masses, as this was also a form of Karma. With the Heavenly Court present, Karma became even more useful. For the beings of the Immortal Realm, saving a Spirit Realm or Mortal Realm was a great deed of Karma.
Expansion beyond the Chaos also did not stop, as various races began sending Powerful Experts to expand within the Chaos.
Han Xuanji remained in seclusion, oblivious to external affairs. The people of the Xuantian Dao Palace and the Immortal Realm did not dare to disturb him, and the Powerful Experts in the Chaos had no major movements for the time being, so his cultivation proceeded quite smoothly.
On this day, Han Xuanji opened his eyes.
His cultivation had successfully reached a Breakthrough to the ninth level of Limitless Primordial, only one step away from Perfection.