Chapter 597: Daji Appears, Demon Clan Expelled

Just half a month after Li Changshou's return to the Heavenly Court, the world underwent dramatic changes, and all eyes converged on the border of North Continent. The Five Continents were sealed, the Four Seas surged with massive waves, and most of the conflicts among the immortal sects in the Central Divine Continent came to a halt. Unbeknownst to them, the human immortal sects, who had previously paid little heed to the Heavenly Court, now had to consider how the Heavenly Court's campaign against the demon race would impact them.

On this day, thunder rumbled and dark clouds gathered thickly over North Continent. At the North Heavenly Gate, dozens of golden-armored Heavenly Gods, each wielding weapons, exuded a formidable and chilling aura. To their left and right stood 100,000 Heavenly Soldiers of the Thunder Department, arrayed in three layers—upper, middle, and lower—on the clouds. They stood motionless, holding their breath, like taut bowstrings.

In front of the High Heavens Palace, a common Heavenly Court official, having just bid farewell to the Jade Emperor, turned and exited, followed by more than ten Rectified Gods of the Heavenly Court. The Jade Emperor, clad in white, sat upon a high platform. With a hint of peace and contentment in his eyes, he slowly closed them.

The Jade Emperor, acting as a supervising general, was making a bold move. How could he miss such a significant Heavenly Court event? Regarding his avatar, Quanjong, he had changed his approach. Instead of hiding, he subtly let it be known that this was an avatar of the Jade Emperor, though no one dared to expose him. This also allowed him to move around more freely.

In contrast, Li Changshou had no strong feelings about this. As long as the avatar didn't appear too often and didn't do anything that pleased him but enraged his junior sister, then everything would be perfectly fine. Quanjong was currently mingling among the Heavenly Generals at the North Heavenly Gate, standing behind the others. This was also the primary source of the palpable tension in the area.

At this moment, the Jade Emperor was actually a bit confused. He naturally knew the Heavenly Court's current strength and its ongoing lack of high-level experts. His previous conservative defensive strategy stemmed from the fear of a repeat of past embarrassments—during the Tribulation of Investiture of the Gods, the Heavenly Court mobilized its forces but lacked high-level experts, and the Three Sects offered no support, leading to a humiliating retreat.

Yet, in the Jade Emperor's eyes, Li Changshou's swift and decisive actions were not reckless. They were well-organized and sequential, appearing to be a plan meticulously prepared over many years, though he had never hinted at it before. Why had he suddenly launched this attack? The only known fact was that Li Changshou had recently visited Zixiao Palace. The Jade Emperor couldn't help but fall into deep thought, a somewhat daring conjecture, even for him as the Heavenly Emperor, forming in his mind.

"Perhaps Chang Geng, having lost the Grandmist Violet Qi and been scolded by the Dao Ancestor as incompetent, felt resentment and immediately set out to prove his capabilities. Hmm, that must be it. It's impossible that the Dao Ancestor and Chang Geng are secretly competing and playing mind games with each other, outside my sight as the Heavenly Emperor. That's absurd. The Dao Ancestor could change heaven and earth with a flick of his hand. Even I, as the Heavenly Emperor, could be replaced by a single word from the Dao Ancestor. How could he possibly be competing with Chang Geng? Furthermore, Chang Geng's personality is quite stable; whenever he faced the Western Buddhism Sect, he never spoke harshly to their Sages. How could he possibly dare to harbor such thoughts against the Dao Ancestor?"

Quanjong smiled calmly, peace reflecting in his eyes. The Three Realms were peaceful, and all living beings were safe.

Just then, streaks of light shot over, transforming into Li Changshou and more than ten Heavenly Court Rectified Gods at the North Heavenly Gate.

"Depart."

At Li Changshou's command, the 200,000 Heavenly Soldiers of the Thunder Department stationed there all set off, completing the final piece of the North Continent encirclement.

Half a day later, at noon. Over the brightly sunlit North Continent, the perpetually lingering miasma clouds seemed to have thinned considerably. From the southern border of North Continent to the shores of the North Sea, the Eight Heavenly Armies and over a thousand generals had each taken their battle positions. Hundreds of experts recruited by the Heavenly Court were distributed throughout; though none were top-tier grand cultivators, their combat power was still considerable.

Li Changshou appeared at the central position of the North Continent border, seated on a round-backed armchair. Behind him stood a hundred order-delivering Heavenly Soldiers, and on either side were several Heavenly Court civil officials. Quanjong had gone to the North Sea shore to supervise the battle, where the fighting was expected to be exceptionally fierce.

Below, demonic aura surged, and countless great demons had gathered. Yet, at this moment, the mountains and ridges were completely silent, without a sound. Li Changshou appeared to be resting with his eyes closed, but he was actually secretly coordinating the various divisions of troops. The order-delivering soldiers behind him continuously sent out communication talismans, meticulously dividing each battle zone. In battle zones where the enemy had many strong experts, the strategy was primarily delay and encirclement. They would locate enemy weaknesses and deploy elite Heavenly Soldiers and Heavenly General experts to resolve the situation as quickly as possible once the battle began, then reinforce other divisions.

The morale of all Heavenly Soldiers and Generals was high, and they were full of confidence. In this battle, some were destined to bleed and fall, while others were destined to rise swiftly in rank.

"Has Ao Yi returned?" Li Changshou asked. A Heavenly General immediately stepped forward to report that Ao Yi, Deputy Commander of the Heavenly River Navy, had arrived the previous day.

"All divisions, prepare for the assault. Attack at 11:45 AM. First, beat the drums to boost our military might."

"Yes, sir!"

The order-delivering soldiers each waved the magical formation flags in their hands, and throughout North Continent, thunderous drumbeats resonated, breaking the profound silence that had previously settled over the sky. Amidst the drumbeats, several bronze mirrors appeared in each of the major pre-arranged battlefields across North Continent. The bronze mirrors shone into the sky, projecting the same image onto the clouds and mist: Li Changshou's figure seated on his throne.

Li Changshou had a smile on his lips, his fingers gently tapping the armrest of the jade round-backed armchair, seemingly in a very good mood. His relaxed demeanor naturally boosted the morale of his own forces. On the demon side, however, the old demons were heavy-hearted, the demon kings felt increased pressure, and the demon soldiers, muttering about 'the great spiritual explosion coming,' were all pale-faced and utterly devoid of fighting spirit. This was true deterrence.

"Report!"

Suddenly, an order-delivering soldier sped through the vast army on a cloud, arriving before Star Lord Taibai. The order-delivering soldier knelt on one knee on the cloud, holding a command talisman. His voice, transmitted through the bronze mirrors, spread throughout North Continent.

"Reporting to Star Lord! There are demons who have come to seek peace, claiming to be old acquaintances of yours. They say that when they previously sought an audience at the Heavenly Court, you promised to meet them today!"

"Oh?" Li Changshou half-opened his eyes, thought for a moment, and then said calmly, "Yes, there was such an arrangement. There's still a little time before the battle begins, so let them come over. Guards."

"Present!"

"If any demons harbor ill intent later, just eliminate them."

"Understood!"

All the Heavenly Generals replied in unison, their formidable military might causing all living beings to tremble.

Before long, a white cloud floated past the Heavenly Soldiers, carrying two old women and several beautiful demon women. Standing in the center was precisely the 'acquaintance.' This was Lan, the Qingqiu fox who, years ago, had fiercely pursued Old Daoist Qiyuan due to some misunderstandings, ultimately ending up alone, and whose actions had also caused Li Changshou to be disciplined by his master, Qiyuan, on several occasions.

At this moment, she lowered her head and frowned, not daring to look up at the only seated Rectified God present. Her mind constantly replayed the admonitions of her elders from before she came here. Many demon elders had placed their sole hope on her, and she was prepared to sacrifice herself to protect her entire clan. Facing hundreds of thousands of Heavenly Soldiers and the immense Heavenly might, Little Lan naturally felt no fear. Her cultivation was now considerable, making her the most brilliant rising star among the demon race's younger generation. Due to her past experiences with the path of emotions and the suffering of love, her appearance had also undergone subtle changes over the years. She no longer had the slight dominance she possessed when idling away her days as a brothel madam in South Continent, nor the infatuation of desperately seeking to meet Daoist Qiyuan at the Immortal Ascension Sect's mountain gate. She had become more radiant and endearingly gentle. Her skin was translucent and luminous, as if she were in the prime of her youth, and her delicate, exquisite features exuded a naturally inherent charm. Dressed in a ruqun with her long hair simply tied, she exuded a natural elegance. Her slender fingers fidgeted, her red lips were lightly pursed, and her delicate yet enchanting figure stirred endless thoughts.

Fortunately, the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals were strictly disciplined; at this moment, none, regardless of their cultivation level, observed her with their spiritual eyes. Otherwise, any indecorous display from these Heavenly Soldiers and Generals would be considered the greatest insult to the Jade Pond Fairies.

Little Lan, along with the two old women, approached Li Changshou and collectively knelt before him. One old woman called out, "Special Envoys of the Qingqiu Clan pay respects to Star Lord Taibai of the Heavenly Court!"

Li Changshou remained silent, leaving them to wait. The two old women exchanged glances, then lowered their heads and clasped their hands behind their backs, signaling Little Lan and the other demon women behind them not to act rashly.

At this moment, Li Changshou was also a bit puzzled. This Little Lan... There's clearly a problem! Why has her cultivation advanced so rapidly? She has unknowingly reached the threshold of the Golden Immortal realm! Li Changshou secretly used the Qi Observation method but saw no significant karmic luck on Little Lan. A light blue glow flashed in his eyes as he employed the Borrowed Heavenly Eye technique, causing him to secretly exclaim, "Oh dear." A snow-white fox knelt before him, its nine tails fanning out on the ground behind it. This... The Nine-Tailed Demonic Fox that possessed Su Daji? Highly likely.

According to the Heavenly Dao's usual tendencies—or rather, its consistent method of arrangement—anyone involved would inevitably have further developments. His master, Qiyuan, was the reincarnated form of Jiang Ziya, so it wouldn't be surprising if the fox maiden who pursued his master turned out to be the Nine-Tailed Demonic Fox… Bah! Anyone but a fool would be surprised! What kind of plot style is this version of the Investiture of the Gods story that he was involved in?! The Nine-Tailed Demonic Fox secretly harbored deep affection for Jiang Ziya, while the possessed Daji and Emperor Xin engaged in nightly revelries. Su Daji and Bo Yikao, the eldest son of King Wen of Zhou, were childhood sweethearts, and the Nine-Tailed Demonic Fox intentionally seduced Bo Yikao to accomplish the grand task of overthrowing the Shang Dynasty. Messy, so messy.

His mind quickly returned to tranquility. Li Changshou activated his serene Dao Heart and asked softly, "Are you well lately, fellow Daoist?"

Little Lan was startled. She looked up at Li Changshou somewhat weakly and quietly asked, "Is Star Lord asking me?"

"Yes," Li Changshou said calmly. "Besides you, who else here has had dealings with me?"

"This humble one has been peacefully cultivating lately, without venturing out. Everything is well." Little Lan replied softly, her voice trembling slightly, and whispered, "In those years, this humble one... Little Lan did not recognize Star Lord's esteemed presence and committed many offenses. I humbly ask for your forgiveness, Star Lord." She paused, her eyes showing some hesitation, and still asked, "Daoist Priest... did he leave peacefully?"

Li Changshou closed his eyes and sighed softly, saying, "His soul was incinerated by the True Flame of the Golden Crow. How could he have been peaceful? Enough, let's not dwell on it. Today is the battle to exterminate the demon race, and it will serve as a way for me to vent my anger. The ancient demon race committed numerous atrocities, neglected virtue, and oppressed all living beings. They originally intended to form alliances to resist the Witch race, but ultimately, they replaced the Witch race as the great evil of heaven and earth. After the war between the Witch and Demon races, living beings suffered terribly, and the primordial energy of heaven and earth was greatly damaged. There was a strict order from the Dao Ancestor that no more conflicts should arise between the Witch and Demon races. But you demons, clinging to ancient dreams, treat humans—the current protagonists of heaven and earth—as mere livestock. You constantly plot to eradicate the Witch race and rise again, and for this, you have committed countless crimes. Heaven and earth no longer tolerate you. You come today to plead for the demon race, but have you considered those beings who perished in the maw of savage demons? Who, then, should plead for them?"

"This..." Little Lan lowered her head, not daring to answer. She was naturally not skilled at debating such matters. When it came to matters of love or seeking pleasure, she possessed an inexhaustible store of knowledge accumulated from Qingqiu. However, regarding such grand principles of right and wrong and the karma of great wars, she truly couldn't articulate them.

One old woman hastily said, "Star Lord, the demon race is not solely vicious. There are also benevolent demon tribes that do not take lives. Those ambitious demons who treat living beings as livestock are actually not the main body of the demon race."

"Is that so?" Li Changshou smiled calmly and said, "You have come today to plead for these specific demon tribes?"

"Star Lord is wise! We only wish to have a place to reside in heaven and earth!"

Li Changshou pondered for a few moments, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of the jade armchair. "How does one determine if a demon is benevolent?"

"One can judge by karma and merit," the old woman said. "The demon race has always faced hardships. Many of our kind, before gaining sentience, naturally consumed raw meat and blood, which inevitably created a small amount of negative karma, though such karma is quite minimal. Now that a great war is imminent, Star Lord, you only need to issue an order for the demons who have not committed evil to retreat into their caves and not venture out. A large number of demons will naturally disperse, and the Heavenly Court will face much less resistance."

Li Changshou raised an eyebrow and sat there, closing his eyes in thought. A voice transmission suddenly sounded in Little Lan's mind: "Do you know what bitter consequences your visit today will sow?"

Little Lan was startled. She looked up at Li Changshou, and beneath his white hair and white eyebrows, she could vaguely discern the face of the young Daoist. Little Lan shook her head, her gaze filled with confusion.

Li Changshou sighed and transmitted his voice: "Very well. Consider this settling a karmic debt with you. Today, I will give you a bit of advice. Your coming here to plead is actually an important sign of the demon race's division. The words you are currently speaking have already been broadcast by me throughout North Continent. In the eyes of those old demons, you demons who have come to plead for yourselves are already traitors. You were too conspicuous today. Later, you will certainly be targeted by the demon race. Even if they don't dare to act against your Qingqiu clan, there will still be gossip. Make some preparations. My words end here. The karmic tie from misleading you twice using my master's appearance is now severed. From now on, there will be no more dealings between us. Though heaven and earth are vast, you must take care of yourself."

After transmitting his voice, Li Changshou slowly sighed.

"Rise." Li Changshou said, "The Qingqiu fox clan rarely commits evil, and I am aware that they are on good terms with many fairies from the Sage Mother's Palace. Since you have come today to plead, it wouldn't be proper for me to refuse, as the Sage Mother has shown great kindness to me. From today onward, demon clans without negative karma are to retreat to the east side of the East Victory Divine Continent and wait. The Heavenly Soldiers will not attack you. I hope you will conduct yourselves well in the future. The term 'demon race' need not be used much in the future."

Having spoken, Li Changshou waved his hand, and Heavenly Generals and Soldiers naturally stepped forward to usher them away. The two old women were overjoyed, and the demon women were also greatly relieved. Each of them kowtowed in gratitude. Only Little Lan seemed contemplative. Before being escorted away by the Heavenly Soldiers, she turned back to look at Li Changshou and bowed respectfully to the old immortal.

Li Changshou, however, fell into deep thought on the cloud. Now what? Although he had said his master's soul had dispersed, it was clear that Little Lan's emotional attachment had not been severed. If, during the Tribulation of Investiture of the Gods, his master, Jiang Ziya, were to go to Chaoge City as an official and be recognized by Little Lan, and she couldn't resist going for a secret night meeting, and his master also couldn't control himself... Emperor Xin would be truly miserable. Such private romantic affairs were minor matters, but if they were to alter the Investiture of the Gods storyline and ruin some of his calculations because of this, then he would lose much by focusing on the small. What to do? Should he tamper with his master's reincarnated body to prevent Little Lan from recognizing him? No, that's not right. The Great Desolation is so vast; the Nine-Tailed Demonic Fox might not necessarily be Little Lan. Hmm, he would send a paper effigy Daoist to monitor her later and observe for a while to reach a conclusion.

A Heavenly General beside him transmitted a reminder: "My lord, the time has come."

Li Changshou looked up at the sun, slowly stood up, and extended his left hand. A Heavenly General on one side presented a divine sword, which Li Changshou gripped firmly.

"All divisions, heed my command!"

"Heed my command... heed my command..."

Li Changshou's voice, transmitted through the cloud mirrors, echoed throughout North Continent. A chilling solemnity filled the world. The ground was like a volcano about to erupt, its suppressed demonic aura surging like magma, accumulating power to surge upwards. The sky was like the eye of a storm; though it held a moment of quiet, the slightest shift would immediately unleash fierce winds and torrential rain.

*Clang*

Li Changshou drew his divine sword and pointed it diagonally downwards.

"Purge the demon race!"