Primordial Salted Fish: Starting from Refusing to Join the Demon Clan

Of course, it doesn't matter even if he finds out. He was looking for the Three Immortal Islands to avoid trouble from the demon race. If he can't even avoid that, then why did he go through all that trouble?

Outsiders, even after Dongwanggong was reprimanded, Donghuang Taiyi was still not appeased.

"It's outrageous that so many Tom, Dick, and Harry dare to mess with me! I'm absolutely furious!"

Compared to Donghuang Taiyi, Dijun was much calmer.

All signs indicate that Kunpeng is in the East China Sea.

Di Jun stroked the star map that flowed through the Hetu and Luoshu, his gaze deep and serious: "Kunpeng's ability is such that it can withstand the Chaos Bell without being defeated, and it can even withstand the Ancestral Witches with its physical body."

"Yet this fiend possesses extraordinary abilities, yet previously he willingly served as a turtle hiding in the Northern Sea, and later retreated into the Eastern Sea!"

"Brother, do you mean this fiend is in the East Sea?" Donghuang Taiyi asked.

Di Jun nodded, and the secrets of heaven were revealed: the last place Kunpeng appeared pointed to the East Sea, and his subordinates were also searching and pointing to the East Sea.

"If that's true," Donghuang Taiyi looked into the depths of the sea, "Brother, have you forgotten that the Four Seas are the territory of the Dragon Clan? Even though they have declined, they still firmly control the Four Seas."

"Perhaps we can use the help of the dragon race to find the Kunpeng!"

Outside the Dragon Palace of the East Sea, the vast ocean was forcibly pushed aside by an invisible force, revealing a wide passageway leading directly to the Crystal Palace.

Emperor Jun wore the Primordial Sun and Moon Robe and the Heavenly Emperor Crown, exuding an aura of imperial nobility. Donghuang Taiyi followed closely behind. Although he had concealed his golden flames, his domineering aura still caused the surrounding seawater to churn as if boiling.

"Brother, although the dragon race has declined, their underwater spectacle is still quite impressive."

Donghuang Taiyi snorted coldly, his gaze sweeping over the trembling, weapon-wielding patrol yakshas on either side.

Di Jun stood with his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent: "Although the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin clans have retreated, they were once the protagonists of heaven and earth. Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. The power over the four seas still depends on them to maintain it."

Inside the Crystal Palace, Ao Guang, the Dragon King of the East Sea, had already received the notification.

Looking at the two figures outside the hall that resembled gods and demons, he cursed inwardly, "What bad luck!" But he had no choice but to straighten his clothes and lead a group of important aquatic officials to greet them.

Since the decline of the dragon race, they have had a truly difficult time under the suppression of various innate gods and demons.

They are often taken advantage of.

"Ao Guang from the East Sea greets you two fellow Daoists." Ao Guang bowed respectfully, his posture neither humble nor arrogant, yet revealing a cautious distance.

Di Jun nodded slightly, his gaze sharp as he looked directly at Ao Guang: "Fellow Daoist Ao Guang, I have come here today for no other reason than to find one person."

"Oh?" Ao Guang's heart tightened, but his face remained calm. "I wonder who this person is, that they would trouble the two emperors of the Demon Court?"

"Kunpeng." Di Jun uttered two words, his voice not loud, but it exploded in Ao Guang's ears like thunder.

Ao Guang's pupils contracted sharply, then he shook his head with a wry smile: "The Demon Emperor is joking. That Kunpeng is the Lord of the Northern Sea, whose speed and supernatural powers are unparalleled in the primordial world. If you want to find him, go to the Northern Sea. You've come to the wrong place in my Eastern Sea."

"Fellow Daoist, you are mistaken."

Donghuang Taiyi stepped forward, and his domineering aura instantly enveloped the hall, almost causing the Turtle Prime Minister behind Ao Guang to kneel down.

"The four seas are the root of the dragon race. Even though your dragon race is now burdened by karma and your fortune is declining, every plant and tree on the seabed is still under your control."

"The Northern Sea is, in the end, within the scope of the Four Seas. Given the Dragon Clan's control over the Four Seas, finding a single creature should be a piece of cake."

Di Jun took over the conversation, his tone softening but still carrying an undeniable authority: "I am aware of the current predicament of the Dragon Clan. In the past, the struggle between dragons and phoenixes for supremacy led to widespread suffering. Although the Dragon Clan now enjoys the reputation of dominating the four seas, it lacks the power it once possessed. What I ask of you today is to give the Dragon Clan a chance."

"Opportunity?" Ao Guang keenly grasped this word.

"Indeed." Di Jun stood with his hands behind his back, like an emperor who controlled the universe. "I created the demon race and established the Heavenly Court in the hope that all races would coexist and that order would be established for the world."

"To end the chaos and disorder that has plagued the primordial world since its very birth!"

He paused briefly, then his tone shifted to a seemingly magnanimous yet highly tempting promise: "If the Dragon Clan can help me find this fiend, the Demon Clan is willing to form an alliance with the Dragon Clan to jointly resist the karmic forces of Heaven."

Ao Guang's heart began to pound violently.

Di Jun has such great ambitions!

What's all this talk about fighting karma and establishing order? It's clearly a ploy to use the dragon race to eliminate dissidents and repeat the old path our race took to dominate the primordial world!

His promise to "end the chaos" sounded all too familiar.

This refers to the ancient times when the three races of dragon, phoenix, and qilin vied for supremacy in the primordial world, which ultimately led to a great calamity and a bloodbath.

The demon race today is no different from the three races of dragon, phoenix, and qilin of the past.

Emperor Jun, accompanied by the demon army led by Donghuang Taiyi, personally arrived at the Dragon Palace to coerce the dragons. On the surface, it was an alliance, but in reality, it was a way to bind the dragons to the war machine.

Once they agree, the aquatic creatures of the four seas become pawns of the demon race. Their karmic burdens from the Heavenly Dao have not yet been cleared, and instead, they will be entangled in new calamities and consequences!

But if he refused... Ao Guang glanced at the churning golden flames of the Demon Emperor outside the palace, and felt an even greater chill in his heart.

For now, let's just play along. The dragon race can't withstand a second great calamity...

Ao Guang's mind raced, but he wore an expression of both honor and embarrassment, cupping his hands and saying, "Your Majesty the Demon Emperor's words are truly like clearing away the clouds to reveal the sun, pointing out a path to survival for our race!"

"Your Majesty's heart is set on the vastness of the universe, and you wish to establish order. Such a grand ambition truly inspires the deepest admiration from Ao Guang and the dragon clans of the four seas!"

He paused slightly, his tone turning to sincere concern: "But... Your Majesty, please allow me to inquire. That Kunpeng Ancestor possesses great supernatural powers, especially adept at concealment and escape; he was known for his uncanny ability to appear and disappear in the Northern Underworld in the past."

"If he were to truly hide in this vast East China Sea now, he would be like a grain of sand in the ocean."

"Although our Dragon Clan has received Your Majesty's undeserved praise and has some control over the four seas, we have suffered great losses due to the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity. Our elites have been depleted, and our senses and abilities are no longer even a fraction of what they once were."

"This vast ocean is turbulent with undercurrents and countless abyssal realms. Searching for it will likely take more than a day or two, and will require a tremendous amount of effort..."

Ao Guang stole a glance at Di Jun's expression and saw that his gaze was deep and unfathomable, without any impatience. He then continued to speak frankly: "Furthermore, Kunpeng is a giant of the primordial world with a fearsome reputation. If we rashly disturb him, I fear he may suddenly launch an attack."

"Our dragon clan's meager resources are simply insufficient to withstand the machinations of such a powerful being. If we alert the enemy and jeopardize His Majesty's grand plans, we would be guilty beyond redemption!"

Ao Guang sighed heavily, looking very worried.

In fact, Ao Guang had no idea that Kunpeng existed before, but now it was necessary to exaggerate Kunpeng's abilities.

Furthermore, this is not an exaggeration. If the other party were not truly powerful, how could they have rendered Di Jun helpless?

"However!" Ao Guang changed the subject, straightening his back and displaying a bit of the responsibility of a Dragon King, "His Majesty's personal presence today, his sincerity, and his promise to form an alliance to jointly resist karma—this kindness and virtue will be forever remembered by the Dragon Clan!"

"Even if it means facing mountains of knives and seas of fire, our dragon race will do everything in our power to fulfill His Majesty's trust!"

"Ao Guang hereby swears that he will command all aquatic creatures of the four seas to maintain strict surveillance and leave no stone unturned in searching for this villainous trail for His Majesty!"

"However... I dare not boast to Your Majesty about the speed of the results or whether we can capture them as we wish. I beg Your Majesty to grant us some more time."

As Di Jun listened to Ao Guang's impeccable, sincere, yet subtly deceptive words, a faint, almost imperceptible smile curved his lips. A knowing glint flashed in the depths of his insightful eyes.

What a fine example of "doing one's best" yet "not daring to boast," and what a fine example of "keeping it firmly in mind" yet avoiding any discussion of the details of the "alliance"! This old dragon is indeed slippery, perfectly embodying the phrase "feigning compliance."

"Fellow Daoist Ao Guang, you flatter me."

Di Jun's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable weight: "I know the hardships of the Dragon Clan, and I also know the cunning of the Kunpeng."

"Fellow Daoist, your willingness to agree to this matter and command the aquatic creatures to assist you demonstrates your profound understanding of righteousness."

"Am I such an unreasonable person? As for the search, fellow Daoist, just do your best. I will await good news."

He deliberately omitted the specific implementation of "forming an alliance to resist karma," as if it were just a distant vision that did not need to be realized immediately.

Di Jun sneered inwardly: This old dragon wanted to use the promise of "trying his best to find" to evade, delay, and even obscure the core demand of "joining the demon race." He was just trying to survive in the cracks and not offend either side.

However, Di Jun was not in a hurry to force the dragons to take sides completely at this moment.

Just as he thought, the demon race's foundation was not yet solid, and its rule over all races was only just beginning. Forcibly swallowing the dragon race, such a tough nut to crack, was neither the right time nor necessary.

At present, as long as Ao Guang agrees to mobilize the Dragon Clan's forces to search for Kunpeng within the East China Sea, the minimum objective of this trip will have been achieved.

As for completely bringing the dragon race under the control of the demon race? That will take time. Once the Heavenly Court's power is greater and the primordial order of the world is established, the Dragon Palaces of the Four Seas will eventually have to submit.

Now, let the old Dragon King do his "best" first.

"In that case, I'll have to trouble Fellow Daoist Ao Guang."

Emperor Jun nodded slightly, his crown tassels swaying gently. "I and Taiyi will wait and see."

Having said that, he turned and left without another word. The golden flames surging around Donghuang Taiyi coldly swept his gaze around the Dragon Palace before departing as well.

Ao Guang was left standing there, his back soaked with cold sweat. Watching the magnificent imperial figure disappear into the seawater channel, he felt a mix of emotions, including relief at having passed the test for the time being, but also deep anxiety about the future.