Chapter 38: Emperor Jun’s Decision

Di Cang followed the Twelve Ancestral Sorcerers, Fuxi, and Nüwa as they ascended the Ninefold Heavens. It wasn’t long before they reached the first layer of the Ninefold Heavens.

Upon entering the first layer, they beheld an endless expanse of innate pure energy, swirling and gathering into clouds. The pure energy floated everywhere, suffusing the boundless domains of this first heaven.

It was akin to cultivating the physical body, divine demon refinement, or the Ninefold Mysterious Art on the primordial earth, where progress would be rapid and astonishing. Here, in the courts of the Ninefold Heavens, cultivating the Dao of the Primordial Spirit and comprehending its mysteries would likewise advance by leaps and bounds.

Di Cang silently calculated in his heart, realizing that cultivating the Primordial Spirit Dao in the first layer of the Ninefold Heavens was at least twice as fast as practicing in the ordinary regions of the primordial world! And this was only the first layer. The higher one ascended, the richer the innate pure energy became.

“So this is why…” A realization gradually dawned on Di Cang. “The demons rule the heavens, the sorcerers rule the earth—not merely due to personal grudges, but because their methods of cultivation are fundamentally opposed!”

“With Di Jun and the Eastern Emperor occupying such a blessed land, it is inevitable that countless mighty beings will flock to their side.”

“If this continues unchecked,” Di Cang sighed inwardly, “these two will surely become the gravest threat to the sorcerer tribe.”

…

Before long, the group arrived at the ninth and highest layer. There, they beheld the Sun Palace: its entire form resplendent with gilt, inscribed with countless patterns of the Heavenly Way, and faintly encircled by golden crows.

Di Jun was a man of deep cunning. Facing the Twelve Ancestral Sorcerers, Fuxi, and Nüwa, though he harbored many prejudices, he maintained an appearance of warmth and hospitality, his every gesture that of a gracious host—leaving no room for reproach.

Following Di Cang’s plan, Fuxi and Nüwa stated their purpose for coming.

Fuxi said, “To prevent chaos in the primordial world and avoid repeating the tragedy of the dragon, phoenix, and qilin, we hope that you, fellow Daoist Di Jun, will give due consideration to our proposal. If we can unite all the mighty beings of the primordial world and maintain peace together, it will benefit all living beings. Even we ourselves will accrue great merit!”

Hearing their words, Di Jun instantly fell into deep thought.

Originally, Di Jun had planned to use the advantage of the Ninefold Heavens to win over allies, establish the Celestial Court together with peers, and eventually rule the world. The entire primordial world would be under his sway.

However—

Having heard the teachings of the Twelve Ancestral Sorcerers and witnessed their camaraderie with Fuxi and Nüwa, Di Jun suddenly felt less confident.

He and the Eastern Emperor could clearly sense that the Twelve Ancestral Sorcerers were destined to be the greatest foes of the Celestial Court.

From the very beginning, Di Jun regarded the Twelve Ancestral Sorcerers as his prime adversaries.

Since they were enemies, Di Jun and the Eastern Emperor naturally racked their brains, trying every means to outmaneuver the Twelve Ancestral Sorcerers and achieve supremacy.

What Di Jun had never expected was this: while the Celestial Court viewed the Twelve Ancestral Sorcerers as their greatest threat and schemed against them in secret, the sorcerers, in turn, regarded Di Jun’s faction as allies—and saw the true enemies as the mighty figures lurking in the shadows!

Di Jun couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of irony.

It wasn’t that he and the Eastern Emperor felt slighted. Rather, Di Jun was surprised that, for the sake of stability in the primordial world, the Twelve Ancestral Sorcerers would forego an opportunity to suppress the Celestial Court while it was still weak.

Now, with the sorcerers’ proposal on the table, if Di Jun simply nodded in agreement, he could join in this alliance—maintaining cordial relations while secretly strengthening his own position. He believed that, given time, he could develop the Celestial Court to rival the Twelve Ancestral Sorcerers.

By then, even defeating them and ruling the primordial world would be within reach!

But—

Was defeating the Twelve Ancestral Sorcerers and reigning supreme truly the best path?

From the choices made by the sorcerers, Di Jun sensed another, far greater malice at play—reminiscent of how the Demon Ancestor Rahu once lurked in the shadows, plotting against the dragon, phoenix, and qilin.

Who could guarantee that, in today’s world, there were no such mighty beings secretly scheming against both the sorcerers and the Celestial Court, hoping to seize the throne for themselves?

“Therefore—” Di Jun pondered in secret, “allying with the sorcerers, Fuxi, and Nüwa is indeed immensely advantageous. Though it means ceding two-thirds of the primordial world’s power, it also forges a tripartite alliance: we rise and fall together. Should any trace of harm to the world or, as the sorcerers put it, to the order of the primordial realm arise, we three forces will unite to destroy it!”

“Thus, throughout heaven and earth, who could possibly scheme against us?”

“We may have given up some interests, but our power will be all the more secure!”

Di Jun was no fool.

He quickly weighed all the pros and cons and made his decision.

Turning to the Twelve Ancestral Sorcerers, Fuxi, and Nüwa, Di Jun smiled broadly and said, “Fellow Daoists Di Jiang, Fuxi, your righteousness and single-minded devotion to the primordial world do honor to Pangu’s descendants and are worthy of the highest virtue among the mighty. Since you hold such lofty ambitions, should we, the descendants of Pangu, Di Jun and the Eastern Emperor, be any less?”

“In that case,” Di Jun declared, “let us form an alliance and together establish order in the primordial world. Let us join our three forces and safeguard the world as one!”

The agreement was reached in an instant, to the joy of all.

Fuxi, Nüwa, Di Jun, and the Eastern Emperor quickly became close allies with the Twelve Ancestral Sorcerers.

Of course, Di Cang knew well that, though the current camaraderie was precious, power held an extraordinary allure. Should a tripartite balance be established, Di Jun and the Eastern Emperor would surely strive to expand their influence and strengthen the Ninefold Heavens.

A friend today could well become an enemy tomorrow!

For now, stability was only being maintained by necessity.

True self-preservation and lasting stability would require rapidly enhancing the strength of the sorcerer tribe. The best path would be to create for them a chaos-born demon god, a sage of the Great Dao, capable of suppressing the heavens and all lands!

…

Fuxi, Nüwa, Di Jun, and the Eastern Emperor conversed happily.

After some time, Fuxi took the initiative to discuss establishing laws for the primordial world and mentioned inviting several fellow Daoists to jointly erect the “Divine Stele of the Heavenly Way.” Smiling, Fuxi asked, “Do fellow Daoists Di Jun and Eastern Emperor have any suggestions?”

Di Jun, intent on establishing the Ninefold Heavens, had already forged ties with many mighty beings across the land and was well acquainted with them. Upon hearing Fuxi and Nüwa’s proposal, he immediately named several powerful figures who might serve as worthy allies.