C10 Kunpeng

"How's the taste? Good, isn't it?" Zhang Yan's gentle chuckle snapped Houtu out of her reverie.

Catching a glimpse of Zhang Yan's confident smile, as if he held the world in his hands, Houtu suddenly grasped something and quickly rose to her feet. "Thank you for the tea, Elder!"

Zhang Yan was taken aback by Houtu's formal bow. "It's merely a cup of tea, no need for such ceremony!"

But Houtu gently shook her head. "Elder, your kindness to me is like a second creation. No gesture of gratitude would be too grand."

"Haha!" Zhang Yan let out an awkward laugh, momentarily at a loss for words, and resorted to lifting his teacup as if to take a drink.

Observing Zhang Yan's nonchalant demeanor, Houtu's belief that he was an extraordinary hermit of rare caliber only grew stronger. Living in seclusion on the divine Buzhou Mountain, he grasped the Dao as effortlessly as one might eat or drink. His tea had even awakened a Nascent Divinity within her—a member of the Wizard Clan with an innate deficiency—and had led her to perceive the Spiritual Qi.

She recalled hearing about a prehistoric sage from the Purple Heaven Palace who had recently given lectures and taken on several direct disciples. Surely, this man must be one of them.

The more Houtu pondered, the more awestruck she felt. Sitting on the stone bench, her demeanor towards Zhang Yan became even more respectful and constrained, casting an eerie hush over the courtyard.

Zhang Yan, noting Houtu's earnest expression, wondered to himself if he was really that intimidating.

"The world is in turmoil these days, with the Wizard Clan and the Demon Clan at war. You should be extra cautious when venturing out, young lady."

Finding himself at a loss for words, Zhang Yan tried to make conversation.

Houtu, who had been carefully watching Zhang Yan, was startled by his words. Had the elder seen through her identity as an Ancestral Witch? Was this his way of cautioning the Wizard Clan?

Was the conflict between the Wizard and Demon Clans displeasing to him?

A flicker of fear crossed Houtu's mind as she cautiously regarded Zhang Yan. "May I ask, Elder, what should the Wizard Clan do?"

Zhang Yan was somewhat baffled by his sudden title of 'senior.' Was this a tradition among the Pingxin people, to address everyone as a senior upon meeting them? Nevertheless, since the young lady had posed the question, it would have been rude not to respond.

"Those twelve Ancestral Wizards of the Wizard Clan, save for Houtu, are complete fools. They've been played by everyone to a pitiful extent!"

Houtu's eyes widened in shock upon hearing her name. Despite anticipating this moment, the revelation jolted her. Had this senior truly discerned her true identity?

"Was it the Demon Clan's doing?" Houtu, as an Ancestral Witch, may not have been fond of conflict, but her loyalty to the Wizard Clan remained strong.

Zhang Yan noticed Houtu's incredulous expression and explained, "Well... the Demon Clan is in a similar boat. Both clans aspired to be the protagonists of the world, but in the end, they were reduced to mere ashes, leaving behind nothing but a handful of stragglers."

"How could that be?!" Houtu instinctively protested. "Since the great dragon and phoenix catastrophe, the Wizard and Demon Clans have been the dominant forces. What other clan could possibly rival them?"

Zhang Yan was taken aback by her rapid-fire objections but soon chuckled dismissively, "You're quite informed. Indeed, the Wizard and Demon Clans are the powerhouses of this era, worthy of vying for the world's spotlight. Sadly, the prehistoric world is not just home to powerful clans; there are also Saints."

"Boom!"

The word "Saint" thundered from Zhang Yan's lips into Houtu's ears, shattering all her doubts like a bolt of lightning.

Yes, only a supreme Saint could strip the Wizard and Demon Clans of their claim to the world's stage, reducing them to dust.

"The reckoning is drawing near," Zhang Yan mused with a smile. "When it arrives, it would be wise for you to stay indoors to avoid unnecessary harm."

With this in mind, Zhang Yan resolved that when his siblings returned, he would ensure they stayed put.

Houtu's heart clenched at the mention of a "plot."

Zhang Yan nodded slightly, "The ruler of the Demon Clan's Demon Court, Dijun, has ten sons, all embodying the Sun Golden Crow. Their travels across the prehistoric lands have wreaked havoc, leaving countless members of the Wizard Clan scorched to death."

A Great Wizard named Kuafu, in a fit of rage, pursued the sun only to be slain by a formidable array known as the Great Sun Purgatory Formation, orchestrated by ten mighty Golden Crows. Dayi, having vanquished nine suns, met his end at the hands of the Demon Clan shortly thereafter.

"The conflict between the Wizard Clan and the Demon Clan has escalated into an endless war."

Upon hearing this, Houtu's heart quivered. She was acquainted with both the Great Wizard Kuafu and Dayi, who were among the most powerful in the Wizard Clan, second only to the Twelve Ancestral Wizards. They were the trusted lieutenants of her brothers, and to think they had fallen in such a manner was unsettling.

With these thoughts, Houtu could no longer contain herself and was compelled to take her leave.

Meanwhile, as Houtu and Zhang Yan were engrossed in their discussion about the Wizard-Demon war, Dijun and Taiyi stood outside the Demon Court, awaiting the arrival of a significant figure.

Suddenly, a piercing eagle's cry echoed from the heavens.

A colossal creature, vast as the sky and as mystical as a fish or a Peng, tore through the void, approaching with incredible velocity.

"He has arrived!" exclaimed Dijun, his eyes sparkling with anticipation as he stepped forward to greet the newcomer. "Fellow Daoist!"

The immense avian, reminiscent of a fish or a Peng, drew near and transformed into a middle-aged man with a stern countenance.

"Dijun, Taiyi, we welcome Fellow Daoist Kunpeng!"

"Time has not diminished your presence, Fellow Daoist. You remain as distinguished as ever!" Dijun and Taiyi exchanged pleasantries with the middle-aged man, their words laced with admiration.

"Enough small talk. Have you truly located Hongyun?" Kunpeng inquired, his voice mingling with the echoes of an eagle's call.

"Our Demon Clan has eyes and ears spread across the vastness, and we would never dare to mislead you," Taiyi declared with a tone of unmistakable pride.

"Excellent!" A rigid smile finally broke through Kunpeng's stoic facade.

Dijun and Taiyi shared a knowing smile. "As promised, Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, our Demon Court will assist you in capturing Hongyun!"

"And as agreed, I shall serve as your Demon Master within the Demon Court," Kunpeng affirmed without a moment's hesitation.

"Excellent!"

"Ha ha!" Dijun and Taiyi laughed heartily, elated by the presence of Kunpeng—an entity of unparalleled swiftness, the sovereign of the Northern Ocean, and one who had recently been privy to the sage teachings of the Great Dao at the Purple Heaven Palace. His cultivation and status were indeed of the highest echelon.

If such a character were to join the Demon Court, what could the Wizard Clan possibly use to contend for the role of protagonist in the world?

Kun Peng watched Dijun and Taiyi laughing before him, his eyes sparkling with intensity.

He had lived a life of pride, never once showing weakness to anyone. Yet, when the Dao Ancestor at the Purple Heaven Palace divided the sacred seats, he was overlooked!

He could accept the Quasi Saints receiving the purple grandmist aura, for their strength was indeed unmatched. But Hongyun? She had been granted a seat out of mere timidity, despite only just stepping into the Golden Immortal realm. Was she truly deserving of such a saintly opportunity?

Thus, as soon as the Dao lecture concluded, Kun Peng set his sights on Hongyun. Regrettably, Hongyun was the transformation of the very first red cloud, her speed rivaling his own.

Moreover, with the assistance of her ally Zhenyuan, she managed to elude him time and again.

Frustrated, he was approached by the Demon Court with an offer to become a Demon Master.

He made capturing Hongyun and obtaining her purple grandmist aura a condition for accepting the role of Demon Court's master.

With the purple grandmist aura from within Hongyun, what of being a Demon Master? He could very well become the ruler of the Demon Court.

As the three of them exchanged knowing laughs, each harboring their own schemes, a member of the Demon Clan arrived with news.

"Hongyun and Zhenyuan have parted ways!"