Summoning the Gods: Start by creating the Eternal Night.

The Great Qian Palace

Zichen Palace.

Qian Tian was discussing with several trusted ministers how to deal with the Nine Nether Demon Sect when a eunuch announced from outside the hall:

"Your Majesty, Prince Yuan requests an audience."

Qian Tian waved his hand, dismissing the officials, and said in a deep voice, "Summon him in."

Qian Yuan strode into the hall and bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty."

"Brother, what brings you in such a hurry?" Qian Tian asked, looking at his travel-worn appearance.

Qian Yuan straightened up and recounted in detail how the servants in the manor had been detained and came to demand the spirit stones, his tone grave:

"Brother, this force is strange and can control the servants in the mansion silently. Their abilities should not be underestimated."

Qian Tian tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the dragon throne, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes:

"To be able to remotely control the minds of others, such a skill is indeed extraordinary. It seems that there are quite a few experts hidden in this Eternal Night Heaven."

"Eternal Night Heaven?" Qian Yuan was taken aback. "Your Majesty knows the name of this force?"

"Yes," Qian Tian nodded, "The Celestial cultivator you mentioned before who used a halberd appeared in the Fallen Immortal Mountains and introduced himself as Yongye Tian."

He paused, then continued, "Give them the twenty million low-grade spirit stones as agreed."

"Brother, you go to the transaction yourself and take the opportunity to find out their true intentions."

"Also, please pass on a message to them for me—the Great Qian Dynasty cordially invites Yongyetian to participate in the Demon Extermination Conference to be held at Jiulin Mountain on the eighth day of next month."

Qian Yuan's heart skipped a beat: "The Demon Extermination Conference? My brother intends to unite all forces to jointly attack the Nine Nether Demon Sect?"

"Indeed," a fierce glint flashed in Qian Tian's eyes, "The Blood Demon Ancestor and Blood Wutian have gathered at the Nine Nether Demon Sect, which has become a major threat to our Great Qian."

"If we don't join forces to eliminate them now while their cultivation is still unstable, it will surely become a great disaster when the spiritual energy of heaven and earth fully recovers in the future."

"The Eternal Night Heaven has experts at the Celestial Realm. If we can win them over to join the game, our chances of winning will be much greater."

"Your subject understands," Qian Yuan replied, bowing. "I will certainly not fail in my mission."

"Go ahead." Qian Tian waved his hand.

After Qian Yuan withdrew, Qian Tian looked out the window with a deep gaze.

This demon-slaying assembly is not only to eradicate the malignant tumor that is the Nine Nether Demon Sect,

It was also to test the strengths and weaknesses of various forces, and more importantly, it was an opportunity for the Great Qian Dynasty to rebuild its prestige.

……

In a secluded courtyard in the imperial city, Mirror Heart Demon slowly opened his eyes, a cold smile curling at the corner of his lips:

"I hope that the Great Qian will keep its word and hand over the spirit stones as promised tomorrow."

He is the one who controls the servants of the Prince Yuan's mansion today.

Using mind control techniques to remotely manipulate others can both avoid exposing oneself and exert pressure, achieving two goals at once.

The next day at noon

Imperial City Green Bamboo Pavilion.

This teahouse, which is usually packed with customers, was closed today, with a sign that read "Closed Today" hanging at the entrance.

This is because it is the property of Prince Qian Yuan, who had already ordered the area to be cleared, all for the purpose of today's handover.

Qian Yuan, dressed in casual clothes, sat upright in the private room on the top floor. On the table in front of him was a storage bag containing twenty million low-grade spirit stones.

He picked up his teacup, but his eyes were scanning the window warily as he wondered to himself: Yongyetian is so cautious in its actions, I wonder who it will send.

Meanwhile, in a room at the inn across the street, Mirror Heart Demon was observing the movements of Emerald Bamboo Pavilion through a crack in the window.

Instead of going there himself, he used his mind-controlling technique again to control a passing Grandmaster cultivator.

"Go," Mirror Heart Demon commanded the cultivator with the empty eyes.

The monk walked out of the inn like a puppet on a string and headed straight for the Green Bamboo Pavilion.

The guards at the gate, seeing that he was a stranger, were about to stop him, but he stopped them with a single sentence: "I am the person that Prince Yuan is waiting for."

The innkeeper, having already received the order, hurried forward and led him to the top floor, pushing open the door to the private room: "Your Highness, the person has arrived."

Qian Yuan looked up and saw that the newcomer's cultivation level was only Grandmaster, with dull eyes and no spirit. He immediately understood—it was another controlled puppet.

"Your Highness has been waiting for a long time," the cultivator said, his voice flat and monotonous.

Qian Yuan put down his teacup and said calmly, "You are indeed cautious. I have been waiting here personally, yet you refuse to even show your face? Are you perhaps afraid of me?"

The monk remained expressionless: "Whether the prince sees me or not, the outcome will be the same."

Qian Yuan secretly released his divine sense to carefully explore the inside and outside of Cuizhu Pavilion, trying to find the person secretly controlling it, but he found nothing.

"Your Highness need not trouble yourself to search," the monk said, as if he had read the prince's mind.

"I am not at the Green Bamboo Pavilion. Further words are useless; please hand over the spirit stones."

Seeing this, Qian Yuan knew that further entanglement was useless, so he pushed the storage bag on the table over:

"There are 20 million low-grade spirit stones in here."

The cultivator picked up the storage bag and turned to leave.

"Wait," Qian Yuan called out to him, "I have something to tell you."

"On the eighth day of next month, the Nine Ridges Mountain will hold a Demon Extermination Conference. Our Great Qian sincerely invites Yongye Tian to attend the conference and discuss the matter of attacking the Nine Nether Demon Sect. Please convey this message to us."

"I will report this matter." The monk said this and turned to leave the private room.

Qian Yuan watched his retreating figure, a hint of contemplation flashing in his eyes.

He initially considered sending someone to follow them, but then reconsidered. Given the other party's caution, they must have already taken precautions, and following them would likely yield little result and would only be counterproductive.

The monk left the Green Bamboo Pavilion, turned several corners in the street, and arrived at a secluded alleyway.

He handed the storage bag to Jingxinmo, who was waiting there, and then collapsed straight down, unconscious.

Mirror Heart Demon took the storage bag, and after confirming it with his divine sense, he vanished into the alleyway as if he had never been there.

Upon returning to the temporary base, Jingxinmo immediately used his communication token to report: "General, the twenty million spirit stones have been retrieved."

"In addition, the Great Qian Dynasty has invited us to participate in the Demon Extermination Conference on the eighth day of next month, which will be held at Jiulin Mountain."

Yuan Tiangang nodded: "Yes, I understand. I will report this to the monarch. Please arrange for someone to send the spirit stones back!"

"Yes!" He then hung up the communication and got up to arrange for someone to send the spirit stones back to Qingzhou City.

.......

Inside the monarch's hall, Ye Junlin listened to Yuan Tiangang's report and gently tapped his fingers on the armrest.

"The Demon Extermination Conference?" He smirked slightly. "Da Qian has quite the scheme, trying to drag us into dealing with the Nine Nether Demon Sect."

Yuan Tiangang said, "My lord, the Blood Demon Ancestor and Xue Wutian have joined forces, and their strength should not be underestimated."

"The Great Qian's move is also an attempt to unite various forces to jointly resist a powerful enemy. Should we participate?"

Ye Junlin pondered for a moment, a resolute glint in his eyes: "Go. Why not?"

"The Blood Demon Ancestor and Bloodless Heaven have a long-standing feud with our Eternal Night Heaven."

"Moreover, this Demon Extermination Conference is a good opportunity for our Eternal Night Heaven to demonstrate its strength in the Eastern Region."

"One month from now, you will lead a team to secretly attend a meeting at Jiulin Mountain."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Yuan Tiangang bowed and accepted the order.