Primordial Era: I am a treasure trove, full of magical treasures.

Upon hearing this, Di Jun and Tai Yi's faces drained of color instantly, and they nearly lost their footing. Although the Zhou Tian Star Array was still operating, its starlight was already fading. Under the invisible pressure of the saints, the 365 main star banners flickered and emitted faint, mournful cries. The might of the saints was like the collapse of the heavens, something that beings who had not yet attained sainthood could not withstand. Even with supreme treasures in hand and the array to rely on, they felt their souls tremble and their Dao hearts clouded.

Hongjun's gaze slowly swept over the eyes of the various sages, his eyes seemingly piercing through countless ages and seeing through the different calculations in their hearts. He did not respond immediately, but the Daoist aura that enveloped heaven and earth grew even deeper, making time and space almost stand still.

A moment later, Hongjun's voice rang out again, devoid of joy or sorrow, yet carrying the unquestionable authority of the laws of heaven and earth: "Since you are sages, acting on behalf of heaven to uphold the Way, this discussion of crimes is also the proper course of heaven."

He paused, then continued, "The demon emperors Dijun and Taiyi have mismanaged their forces, indulging their subordinates in indiscriminate killing, accumulating heavy karma. Now they have taken a risky step, attempting to shake the earth's veins. Although they have not yet succeeded, their intentions are despicable, and their actions deserve punishment. So, I will punish you all..."

Before the words were even finished, boundless tribulation clouds suddenly gathered in the sky. These were not ordinary heavenly lightning, but rather a chaotic color, with wisps of purple and black energy intertwining and churning within, emanating an aura of destruction that could freeze even the soul. These were clouds of heavenly punishment, manifested directly due to the sages' deliberations on the crimes and the Dao Ancestor's final judgment, representing the ultimate verdict of the will of the primordial world.

"The demon race's fortune is punished, with thirty percent reduced and returned to the earth to nourish the damaged ley lines."

"Imperial Jun and Taiyi are to be imprisoned by the Heavenly Dao for one Yuanhui. During the imprisonment period, their cultivation will not be able to advance even an inch. They must use their own solar essence to cleanse the thirty-six most severely damaged earth vein nodes every day until the earth veins are restored."

"The Great Array of the Celestial Stars is hereby punished. For ten thousand years, it shall not fully activate the killing power of the main stars other than the Sun Star. Instead, it shall share its starlight to illuminate the primordial world in order to atone for its sins."

With each word spoken, an invisible imprint of the Heavenly Dao was imprinted deep into the souls of Di Jun and Tai Yi, into the dark river representing the fate of the demon race, and also imprinted on the core of the Zhou Tian Star Array.

Di Jun's body trembled violently, and he spat out a mouthful of blood imbued with the true fire of the sun, his aura instantly weakening. He clearly felt that the dragon of destiny, which had originally been surging and symbolizing the prosperity of the demon race, had been forcibly cleaved in two, becoming illusory and unstable. The "lock" that had appeared in his soul made him feel an endless force of confinement. In one Yuanhui, he would be like a prisoner in shackles, his cultivation stagnant, and he would have to consume his own essence to perform the act of "atonement." Taiyi tightly hugged the mournful Chaos Bell, his knuckles turning white, and the tiny cracks on the bell seemed to ache faintly. The loss of destiny, the stagnation of cultivation, the restriction of the great formation... these three punishments almost completely severed the possibility of the demon race rising again in the short term, and nailed them to the pillar of shame in the prehistoric world.

"Di Jun (Taiyi)...receives the Dao Ancestor's decree, and...leads...the sages to discuss the punishment." The two practically spat out these words through gritted teeth, bowing their heads and concealing the overwhelming hatred and resentment churning in their eyes. Circumstances were beyond their control; with the Dao Ancestor and all the sages before them, the punishment of Heaven had already descended, and they had no room for resistance.

Hongjun nodded slightly, his gaze turning to the illusory image of Pangu's true form. The colossal god's illusory image, towering between heaven and earth, seemed to have subsided considerably after the oppressive power of the saints and the punishment of the Heavenly Dao were manifested, but its indomitable fighting spirit remained as undying as the magma surging deep within the earth's veins.

"The Witch Clan," Hongjun's voice softened slightly, "inheriting the legacy of Pangu and protecting the earth, their initial intention in this war is understandable. The Great Array of Divine Fiends gathers Pangu's battle intent and possesses boundless power, but its excessive fiendish energy harms the harmony of heaven and earth. In the long run, this will not be a blessing for the Primordial World. The Twelve Ancestral Witches must remember their responsibility to protect the land, and must not gather this array again unless absolutely necessary, lest it shake the very foundation of the Primordial World."

Upon hearing Hongjun's judgment, many in the prehistoric world felt it was far too lenient, especially Xuanbao, who had come to watch the spectacle. He thought that the demon race had even plotted to destroy the prehistoric world's veins, yet he was only punished with a 30% reduction in fortune and no further progress in cultivation within a single cycle. Meanwhile, Dijun and Taiyi were already at the near-perfect Great Perfection stage; what hope did he have of progressing? This punishment was practically nonexistent.

Hearing Hongjun's judgment, the twelve Ancestral Witches, though their faces were full of dissatisfaction, still responded in unison: "We will naturally defend the primordial world opened up by our Father God, and will not allow treacherous villains like Dijun and Taiyi to succeed."

However, a hint of worry flashed in Houtu's eyes among the twelve Ancestral Witches. She knew that although the Dutian Divine Fiend Array was powerful, it also caused great damage to heaven and earth. Now that Hongjun had given the order to be more cautious in future actions, it was clear that the Witch Clan did not yet have the strength to overturn the chessboard.

At this moment, the tribulation clouds in the sky gradually dissipated, but the oppressive atmosphere in the world did not dissipate. Although Di Jun and Tai Yi had accepted their punishment, the hatred in their hearts was like a seed, waiting to be unleashed. Meanwhile, the Wu Clan, though extremely dissatisfied with Hongjun's handling of the matter, all...

Hongjun surveyed the crowd and finally said, "In this war between the Lich King and the Demon King, the primordial land has suffered severe damage. You should all learn from this lesson, value harmony, and work together to protect this world." After speaking, Hongjun's figure slowly dissipated before anyone could reply, leaving only the saints and the myriad races of the primordial world behind.

The Dao Ancestor has departed, but the sages remain.

The gazes of the Six Sages—Sanqing, Nuwa, Zhunti, and Jieyin—fell upon each other, then swept over the various expressions of the Wu and Yao tribes below, as well as the myriad races watching from afar with lingering fear. The atmosphere did not completely ease due to the Dao Ancestor's ruling; instead, a subtle and complex silence prevailed.

The Tongtian Sect Leader, being the most straightforward, first snorted coldly, his sword-like eyes sweeping across the demon camp, especially lingering on Di Jun and Taiyi for a moment: "Consider yourselves lucky today! The Dao Ancestor's decree has been issued, so I will remember it for now. If you continue such heaven-defying acts and recklessly disturb the foundation of the primordial world, even if the Dao Ancestor has spoken beforehand, my Qingping Sword in Tongtian's hand will surely not spare you!" As soon as he finished speaking, a chilling sword intent soared into the sky, and although it flashed by in an instant, it made countless demons tremble with fear.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable's face was solemn as he said calmly, "The Way of Heaven is clear, and rewards and punishments are measured. I hope the demon race will remember this lesson and not make the same mistake again." His tone was calm, yet it carried a condescending sense of judgment.

Lao Tzu was the most detached. He merely glanced at it before withdrawing his gaze, as if everything before him was nothing more than fleeting clouds. But beneath his aura of non-action lay the unfathomable principles of the Way of Heaven.

Nuwa's heart was filled with complex emotions. Born of the demon race, though she had separated from it, as a primordial shareholder of the demon race, she couldn't help but sigh at the sight of their severe punishment and diminished fortune. However, the demon race's actions had indeed crossed a line, and she couldn't speak out in their defense. In the end, she only sighed softly, her voice echoing far and wide: "Misfortune and fortune have no fixed gate; they are summoned by oneself. I hope you will restrain your hearts in the future, guide the demon race towards good, and perhaps you can atone for today's sins and regain your fortune." These words were both a warning to Dijun and Taiyi, and also a glimmer of guidance for the future of the demon race.

The two Western saints, Zhunti and Jieyin, exchanged a glance, a barely perceptible glint in their eyes. Zhunti clasped his hands together, his face filled with compassion: "Amitabha. The sea of ​​suffering is boundless, but turning back is the shore. Dijun and Taiyi, this calamity is also an opportunity for enlightenment. If you can sincerely atone for your sins and guide the demon race to abandon evil and embrace good, it will not be without merit." Jieyin nodded as well, his voice calm yet carrying a certain penetrating power: "Our Western Paradise also welcomes those with a heart inclined towards goodness."

Their words sounded quite compassionate, but those with discerning eyes could discern a deeper meaning—they were hinting at, or even recruiting, those demons who were disillusioned with the current state of the Heavenly Court or feared future calamities. The loss of the Lich King and the Demon King presented an opportunity for other forces, especially the West, which was in dire need of development, to absorb their power and spread their doctrines.

Di Jun and Tai Yi could easily understand the implication, and their hearts were filled with resentment and anger, but they could only lower their heads and remain silent, bearing it all in silence.