Chapter 81: The Demon Clan’s Sacrifice to Heaven, the Celestial Marriage Arrives

After everyone entered the Celestial Court, Di Jun invited the disciples personally taught by the Dao Ancestor to the seats of honor and instructed his attendants to present spirit fruits to the guests. Once all were seated, Di Jun stood up and addressed the gathering: “I am grateful to all my fellow Daoists for coming. Today, our demon clan establishes the Celestial Court to bring prosperity to all living beings. I hope you will bear witness to this moment.”

The guests rose in return and replied, “The Demon Emperor is too courteous!”

One by one, the guests presented their congratulatory gifts. As the chief disciple of the Dao Ancestor, Zhen Yuanzi was the first to stand. With a smile he said, “Today marks a great celebration for the demon clan. Though I possess few treasures, here are the first ginseng fruits borne by my companion ginseng fruit tree. Please accept them as a token, Demon Emperor, and do not disdain my humble offering.” Though not the rarest of treasures, this gift was far from insignificant.

“Thank you for your generosity, Daoist friend!” Di Jun replied cheerfully. While these two fruits were of little personal use to him, they would be of great benefit to Xi He, who was soon to become his wife. At present, Xi He’s cultivation was only at the early stage of the Golden Immortal, but with these two original ginseng fruits, she would soon be able to advance further.

With a wave, Di Jun instructed an attendant to accept the gift and invited Zhen Yuanzi to resume his seat. The other guests also presented their gifts, but none stood out as particularly remarkable—mostly spirit fruits and minor treasures. The most precious, aside from Zhen Yuanzi’s ginseng fruits, was a low-grade innate spirit treasure given by the Grandmaster.

Before long, a bell tolled outside the palace. Di Jun smiled, stood, and said, “Fellow Daoists, would you join me in witnessing the ceremony?”

The guests nodded in agreement. Together, they proceeded outside, where they beheld legions upon legions of the demon clan assembled in countless formations throughout the void. The ten great demon marshals, who led the armies, stood at the head of their troops, each exuding a murderous aura that seemed to shake the heavens. The combined presence of the demon army felt as though it could crush the very cosmos.

Before the demon army, a sacrificial altar soared ten thousand feet into the sky, its grandeur reaching into the heavens and exuding solemn majesty. The Three Pure Ones and the other ancient gods of the Great Desolation were secretly astonished at such a display, each formulating plans of their own.

While everyone was still marveling, a figure descended from the heights of the sky, standing atop a great bell, his resolute face radiating sovereign pride. It was none other than Donghuang Taiyi, who had yet to appear until now.

Taiyi controlled the Chaos Bell, descending above the heads of the demon army as if a divine being had come to the world. With pride, he declared, “Brother, the time has arrived for our demon clan to offer a sacrifice to heaven and establish the Celestial Court. I invite you to conduct the ritual!”

Di Jun nodded and turned to the guests. “Forgive my neglect. I must offer a sacrifice to heaven. Please wait a moment.” The guests nodded understandingly.

Without further words, Di Jun summoned the Hetu and Luoshu from his primordial spirit; they bore him aloft to the altar high above the clouds, with Taiyi following just behind. Once both stood atop the altar, Di Jun’s majestic voice resounded through the heavens, as though conversing with the sky itself:

“Today, I, Di Jun, and Taiyi of the demon clan, have witnessed the arduous cultivation of the beings of the Great Desolation. For the sake of all living things, we wish to establish the Celestial Court. Granted the favor of the Dao Ancestor, who bestowed his decree: ‘The demon clan shall govern the heavens.’ For the sake of all beings, we, the demon clan, shall follow the heavenly mandate! May the Dao of Heaven be moved, that our demon clan may transcend the mortal world! Have mercy on the living, relieve their many woes! Have mercy on all spirits, that they need not descend again! Now, we, Di Jun and Taiyi, offer this sacrifice to the heavens, and beseech the Dao to bless our demon clan with everlasting peace and prosperity! Today, we sacrifice to Heaven and Earth, so that the Dao Ancestor may bear witness! In accordance with the Dao of Heaven, let this be passed down for all generations! I, Di Jun, now become the Demon Emperor! My brother Taiyi shall be the Eastern Emperor! The Celestial Court is established!”

As the word “established” left Di Jun’s mouth, the world of the Great Desolation was instantly swept by tumultuous changes.

“Granted!” came an ancient voice from the heights of heaven—the Dao Ancestor, sensing the founding of the Celestial Court, sending a response on behalf of the Heavenly Dao.

At that moment, a massive beam of heavenly merit descended from the sky. Eight-tenths of it split into two, falling upon Di Jun and Taiyi. Their cultivation soared, instantly propelling them from the early to the peak of the quasi-sage middle stage, just a step away from the late stage. The remaining two-tenths settled upon the rest of the demon clan, greatly advancing their cultivation as well.

Below, the ancient powers who witnessed Di Jun’s offering to heaven were filled with envy at the sight of so much merit descending. Only the Three Pure Ones, Zhen Yuanzi, and the other direct disciples of Hongjun understood that for several eras to come, the demon and witch clans would be the destined races of the Great Desolation—though this also meant they might be the ones to meet calamity.

Though they understood this, none spoke of it, and they joined the others in congratulating the demon clan.

“We of the demon clan, today establish the Celestial Court. Henceforth, we are the great clan of the Great Desolation. You must not slacken, but diligently cultivate, and be worthy of the name of the demon clan!” Di Jun exhorted his people after the sacrifice.

“Demon Emperor reigns supreme! Eastern Emperor unparalleled! Ours alone is the demon clan! The sun at the center of the heavens!” The demon army shouted in unison, their murderous roars echoing across the land.

Just as everyone thought the ceremony was over and prepared to return to their own abodes, Di Jun suddenly announced, “Please wait, my friends. Today a Sage descends, bringing joyous news to our demon clan. May you all bear witness!”

The mention of a Sage startled all present, who thought the Dao Ancestor himself was returning and fell into fearful anticipation. Zhen Yuanzi and the other direct disciples of Hongjun, in particular, stood solemnly, awaiting their teacher’s descent.

As uncertainty gripped the gathering, two graceful figures appeared atop the altar. One of them, her face radiating compassion as though a goddess had descended to the mortal world, was Nuwa, who had once accompanied the Star of Time when the Dao Ancestor first lectured.

Realizing it was not the Dao Ancestor, the crowd breathed a collective sigh of relief. Zhen Yuanzi stepped forward, bowed deeply, and greeted her, “Greetings, Sage Nuwa. May the Sage enjoy peace and health!”

Many wondered why Zhen Yuanzi addressed the woman as a Sage, but those great powers who had attended the Purple Cloud Palace and heard the Dao Ancestor’s teachings soon followed suit and paid their respects to Nuwa.

Only then did the myriad beings who had never heard the Dao Ancestor’s teachings realize that the Great Desolation boasted not just one Sage, but that this woman before them was an existence equal to the Dao Ancestor.

They quickly bowed down, chanting, “Greetings, Sage Nuwa. May the Sage enjoy peace and health!”

Nuwa smiled gently and, with a wave of her hand, lifted them all to their feet. With a warm voice she said, “Though I am a Sage, I am not within the bounds of the Heavenly Dao. You need not be so formal.

I have come today because it is time for the Demon Emperor’s predestined marriage. A heavenly wedding shall take place. As the full mandate of Heaven is yet to be fulfilled, you need only bear witness.”

Now all eyes turned to the woman standing beside Nuwa. Her skin was as flawless as porcelain, her lips like carmine, her smile enchanting, her eyes bright and teeth white. Her every movement radiated beauty and charm, and all present could not help but marvel at Di Jun’s good fortune.

Nuwa reached out, took her hand, and said gently, “Fellow Daoist Xi He, since you have accepted this, you may retire to the inner palace to prepare yourself. When the auspicious hour arrives, the heavenly wedding will be complete.”

The woman stole a shy glance at Di Jun, answered softly, and then, guided by Di Jun’s attendants, entered the palace.

Once all was in readiness, Di Jun too returned to the palace, awaiting the moment to welcome his demon empress...

...

Within the chaos, countless worlds moved of their own accord, bound by the laws of existence.

In a realm beyond the chaos, there existed a strange world where the endless land was shrouded in crimson mists. Within this blood-red fog, countless streaks of darkness—each carrying a sense of ominous foreboding—pervaded all of creation.

On the desolate earth, no living creature could be found. Only the occasional tear in space gave any sign that this world was not entirely still.

There was no sense of time’s passage, nor any hint of life.

After countless eons of silence, on this day, a spatial rift suddenly tore wider, ripped open by a massive hand bathed in azure light. As a voice sounded, it shattered the endless tranquility that had reigned for so many ages:

“So this is what lies beyond the heavens?”

As the rift grew ever larger, a dozen figures cloaked in blue light stepped forth from the gap.

Those who had just emerged from the rift stared in shock at this bizarre world before them, utterly unprepared for the reality that the terrifying realm above the heavens was like this.

“Hey! What are you all gawking at? Come lend a hand!” an urgent voice snapped them from their daze, and they turned to the speaker.

It was a handsome youth, cradling a lotus in his hands, sweat beading on his brow as he looked at them with a hint of grievance in his eyes.

“Monkey Skin, didn’t you say you could use the Primal Lotus to shield us all? What’s wrong, is that not working anymore?” teased a burly man with a laugh.

“Enough nonsense—hurry and help! The protective lotus is nearly spent; what’s happening here?” the youth called Monkey Skin cried anxiously, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

As the two bantered, another young man turned to the burly one and said gravely, “Er Meng, go help Monkey Skin. Something isn’t right here!”