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

The oppressive atmosphere in the Heavenly Court's Lingxiao Palace didn't last long before it was broken by a lively and slightly chaotic commotion that grew louder as it approached. The commotion was different from the solemnity of the court assembly; it was mixed with crisp, melodious chirping, playful cheers, and... the subtle crackling sounds of overturned objects and scorched spiritual plants, as well as the panicked yet suppressed attempts of the demon servants to console them.

Di Jun frowned almost imperceptibly, his gaze drifting towards the outside of the hall. Taiyi, along with the other demon saints and star lords, also turned their heads, their expressions varying.

Ten streaks of golden-red light, like ten miniature, mischievous little suns, swept in from outside the palace! They were only about a foot in size, their feathers a pure, radiant golden-red hue like the rising sun, their edges flickering with a faint yet potent solar fire powerful enough to scorch even a true immortal. Each had three exquisite legs, and their eyes, clear as molten gold, were filled with boundless curiosity and a thirst for knowledge about the world. These were the ten Golden Crow Princes, sons of Di Jun and Wang Shu.

"Father! Uncle!"

"Look! Our newly learned 'Flowing Light and Fiery Feathers'!"

"Those pillars over there are so shiny, wouldn't they look even better if we burned them?"

"This floor is too cold to walk on, let's warm it up!"

Ten little golden crows chirped incessantly, their voices childish yet carrying an innate majesty. Completely disregarding the oppressive atmosphere within the hall, they displayed their newly acquired power or offered their "scorching" opinions on everything around them. Wherever they passed, the air distorted slightly, the temperature soared, and even some of the lower-grade decorative spirit jade and glass items in the hall, which weren't specially made, began to show subtle signs of melting! Several demon gods standing nearby had to secretly circulate their energy to resist the onslaught of heat, their faces contorted in pain.

This is the real deal, the True Fire of the Sun. Although it was only released by the ten princes at the Golden Immortal level, its power should not be underestimated. An ordinary Taiyi Golden Immortal would probably be burned to ashes.

……

Even more surprisingly, the most lively and active of them, Xiao Liu and Xiao Jiu, seemed to take an interest in the "Starry Jade Pendant" hanging from the waist of a star lord, which was used to draw star power. They even tried to spew out a small wisp of solar fire to "test" its heat resistance. The star lord was so frightened that he quickly dodged to the side, but dared not scold them, and looked extremely embarrassed.

"Nonsense!" Seeing his sons' reckless behavior, Di Jun frowned and reprimanded them, his tone more affectionate than reprimanding, even tinged with indulgence. The Chaos Bell trembled slightly, releasing an invisible, gentle wave that soothed the solar true fire that the little golden crows had unintentionally released, which could have damaged the palace's artifacts and the low-level demon gods. "The Lingxiao Palace is a place of solemn importance, not a playground for you! Quickly restrain your auras and apologize to your seniors!"

The ten little golden crows, after being shouted at by Di Jun, became slightly more subdued. They flapped their wings and hovered in front of Tai Yi's throne. To be honest, the ten little golden crows were quite afraid of their father, Di Jun. On the contrary, their uncle, Tai Yi, was very good to them and basically granted their every request. Their ten pairs of golden eyes darted around, and when they saw their father's displeased expression, they seemed to sense an unusual sense of oppression. Their playful noises gradually subsided, but they were still somewhat restless, touching each other with their wings, their bodies writhing with true fire.

Di Jun's gaze swept silently over his ten sons. As a father, he naturally felt an indescribable warmth and pride. These were his offspring, born from the purest essence of the sun, of noble lineage and boundless potential. The fact that these ten little golden crows hadn't yet become the next generation of demons represented their hope for the future.

However, it is uncertain whether the demon race will have the chance to grow up.

Moreover, recently, these ten little golden crows have been growing at an abnormally rapid pace. Their control over the True Fire of the Sun is increasing daily, but their temperament doesn't seem to be maturing accordingly. Instead, they've become increasingly lively and restless, and their destructive power is growing stronger. Although the Heavenly Court is vast, and its buildings are mostly crafted from spiritual materials, it cannot withstand the constant antics of ten little golden crows possessing the purest essence of the Sun, yet whose control is still rudimentary. More importantly, their auras are too distinct, like ten bright lamps in the night, impossible to miss for those with discerning eyes. If they continue to run rampant like this, trouble will inevitably ensue sooner or later!

"Father..." Sensing the unfathomable silence in Di Jun's gaze, the eldest and relatively more composed Crown Prince Jinwu seemed to sense something and called out in a low voice with some unease.

Di Jun did not respond to his eldest son, but instead turned his gaze downwards. The demon saint "Bi Fang," responsible for taking care of the ten princes' daily lives and cultivation, stepped forward with a look of trepidation and shame, bowing and reporting: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I am guilty. I have failed to restrain the princes. Recently, their cultivation has progressed rapidly, and their understanding of the True Fire of the Sun has deepened day by day. They often... often practice their supernatural powers, burning down three side halls of the 'Sun Palace,' and the restrictions around the 'Flame Pool' have also loosened... Today, they even... even secretly slipped out of the Sun Palace's territory to play near the 'Weaving Clouds Hall,' accidentally igniting some of the 'Clouds Brocade' stored in the hall..." Bi Fang's voice grew softer and softer, and his head drooped lower and lower.

Upon hearing this, the officials in the hall fell silent. The Cloud and Mist Brocade wasn't an extremely precious item, but the Weaving Cloud Palace was located near the outer edge of the Heavenly Court, and this time the little golden crows had strayed quite far. This time it was the Cloud and Mist Brocade, but what if next time they got carried away and sneaked off to the vicinity of the Southern Heavenly Gate, or even…strayed out of the Heavenly Court? With their current Golden Immortal realm strength, daring to venture into the primordial wilderness, they'd be devoured in no time.

After hearing Bifang's report, Dijun's face remained expressionless, but the "flames" in his golden eyes seemed to burn even more deeply and coldly. He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet it seemed to lower the temperature in the hall even further: "I understand. Bifang, you have failed in your supervisory duties. You are hereby punished with a hundred years' salary and ordered to spend thirty years in solitary confinement at the Flame Pool. You may leave."

"Your Majesty, I accept my punishment and thank you for your mercy." Bi Fang felt as if he had been granted a pardon and hurriedly kowtowed and retreated, his back already soaked with cold sweat.

After dealing with the derelict officials, Di Jun's gaze returned to the ten little golden crows. This time, his gaze held no warmth, only the absolute majesty of the Heavenly Emperor and a cold decisiveness that instinctively instilled fear in the little golden crows.

"Do you all know your mistake?" Di Jun asked.

Intimidated by their father's gaze, the ten little golden crows folded their wings, hovered obediently, lowered their heads, and mumbled, "We...we know." "We didn't mean to..." "The clouds were so bright and sparkling, we just wanted to..."

"Silence." Di Jun interrupted their naive explanations, his voice still calm, yet carrying an undeniable power. "As the Crown Prince of the Demon Clan and the Heir Apparent of the Heavenly Court, instead of diligently cultivating the Great Dao, consolidating your foundation, and showing compassion to your subjects, you have acted recklessly, damaging palaces, disturbing your ministers, and even leaving the forbidden area without permission, nearly causing a catastrophe! Is such behavior befitting a Crown Prince? Is such behavior befitting the future Lord of the Stars?"

A barrage of questions struck the little golden crows like heavy hammer blows. Though young and mischievous, they were not entirely ignorant. Under their father's unprecedentedly stern gaze, they finally realized the seriousness of the matter. They were all terrified and fell silent, even the true fire of the sun around them dimmed considerably.

"Big brother," Taiyi said, somewhat reluctantly, "they are still young, naturally lively, and their cultivation has increased too quickly. It's understandable that they can't fully control their power right now. A little instruction and strict discipline will suffice..."

"Small? Excusable?" Di Jun looked at Taiyi, a complex and unfathomable light flashing in his eyes—helplessness, resolve, and a deep weariness. "Second brother, do you know that every time they 'unintentionally' playfully leaked the aura of the True Fire of the Sun, it might have already been sensed by those barbarians from Buzhou Mountain? Do you know what dangers they would face if they truly slipped out of the Heavenly Court and stepped into the Primordial World? Do you know how many eyes in this Primordial World are now fixed on me, on the Heavenly Court, and on...them!"

Di Jun's voice suddenly rose, filled with suppressed rage and a hint of... almost imperceptible sorrow: "They are not ordinary demon children! They are my offspring, Di Jun's children! They are the crown princes of the demon race! At this critical juncture, with the great calamity approaching and danger lurking everywhere, their very existence is the greatest variable, and the most dangerous...!"

After thinking for a moment, Di Jun only managed to say it through gritted teeth. The ministers in the hall, including Taiyi, were all shocked upon hearing this, instantly understanding the unspoken words of Di Jun, and also feeling the suffocating heaviness and helplessness behind those words.

The little golden crows might not understand the profound meaning of the calamity or "variables," but they could clearly feel the cold, desperate, and resolute aura emanating from their father. They trembled with fear, huddled together, and dared not make a sound.

Di Jun closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, only icy rationality and decisiveness remained in his eyes. He slowly raised his right hand, and a golden point of light, dazzling to the extreme and seemingly condensing all the light and heat of the core of the sun, appeared at his fingertip, radiating a vast, ancient, and supreme majesty that ruled over all stars.

"Issue my decree." Emperor Jun's voice resounded throughout the Lingxiao Palace, carrying the solemnity and awe-inspiring authority of a heavenly oath. "The ten Golden Crow Princes are young and unruly, their foundations not yet solid. I fear their reckless actions will harm themselves and disturb the peace of the Heavenly Court. Today, in the name of the Demon Emperor and the Sun Star Lord, I invoke the essence of the Sun Star to establish the 'True Fire Sealing Boundary' in the core of the Sun Star, 'Tang Valley'! I hereby order the ten princes to enter Tang Valley for secluded cultivation from this day forward. They shall not step out of the sealing boundary without reaching the Great Luo Realm or without my personal permission! Within the sealing boundary, they may absorb the purest essence of the Sun Star for cultivation. All external laws will be impervious to their attacks, and their aura will be completely prevented from leaking out! This is to protect them and solidify their foundations. So be it!"

The decree caused an uproar in the hall! Instead of being sent to ordinary forbidden areas or palaces for safekeeping, they were directly sealed in "Tang Valley," the core of the Sun Star! A "True Fire Seal of the Sun" was to be erected, prohibiting their release without the personal permission of a Great Luo Immortal or Emperor Jun! This was practically tantamount to completely imprisoning the ten princes on the Sun Star! Although nominally for closed-door cultivation and protection, the severity of the punishment and the thoroughness of the isolation far exceeded everyone's expectations!

"Big Brother! No!" They possess the very essence of the sun; residing at its core for too long might damage their character, making them too lonely! Besides, establishing a seal is tantamount to imprisonment! They are still just children!"

"Children?" Di Jun looked at Taiyi, golden flames flowing in his eyes, his voice hoarse. "Precisely because they are children, we must not expose them to this cannibalistic wilderness! Precisely because they are my children, we must not let them become tools in someone else's hands, or... sacrifices for the Great Tribulation! Tanggu is the safest and purest place on the Sun Star, suitable for their cultivation."

"With the barrier I personally erected, they can focus on their cultivation, undisturbed by the outside world, untouched by the calamity's aura, and free from the terrible consequences of their ignorance, preventing them from harming themselves and others! This is the best arrangement I, as their father, can make for them."

In his final words, Di Jun's voice deepened, carrying an indescribable weariness and deep-seated pain. How he longed for his sons to be by his side, enjoying their company, and to soar freely in the Heavenly Court! But he was Di Jun, the Heavenly Emperor of the Demon Clan, and, most importantly, the father of these ten children. In the grand scheme of the primordial world, under the ever-growing shadow of the impending cataclysm, he had to make the cruelest, most helpless choice.

The ten little golden crows finally understood—the Emperor was going to lock them up in a place called Tanggu, a place that sounded incredibly boring, and they weren't allowed to come out! They panicked, flapping their wings and crying out anxiously:

"Father! Don't imprison us!"

"We'll obey! We'll never do it again!"

"Tanggu isn't fun, let's not go!"

"We want to be with Mother! We want to be with Uncle!"

However, Di Jun's mind was made up. He no longer looked at his sons' pleading eyes. The concentrated golden light of the Sun Star Lord's origin at his fingertips suddenly erupted, transforming into ten slender yet incredibly strong golden chains that exuded supreme binding Dao charm. As if they had a life of their own, they instantly wrapped around the necks of the ten little golden crows (they were ethereal, not physical chains, but laws and origins).

"Go. Focus on your cultivation, and do not disappoint the expectations of me and your mother." Emperor Jun took one last look at the children and waved his hand sharply!

"Buzz—!"

Above the Lingxiao Palace, space was forcibly torn apart, and a massive, blazing golden pillar of light, seemingly connected to the very origin of the sun, crashed down, enveloping the ten little golden crows marked by golden chains! From within the pillar of light came the little golden crows' cries of panic, confusion, and grievance, but they were quickly swept away by the vast power of the sun and the will of Emperor Jun, and propelled along the pillar of light towards the eternally burning, radiant sun in the heavens!

The beam of light flashed and disappeared in an instant, and the spatial rift closed. Inside the hall, the suffocating heat and noise vanished instantly, leaving only a vast silence and the faint, lingering aura of the true fire of the sun in the air. The figures of the ten Golden Crow Princes had vanished without a trace.

Taiyi looked at Dijun, then at the palace ceiling, opened his mouth, and finally let out a heavy sigh before slumping back into his seat. He knew that his elder brother's actions, though born of necessity, were perhaps the most correct choice under the current circumstances. It was just... a pity for those ten children.