On Origin Island, the chessboard was already densely covered with pieces.

  Each piece seemed like a pre-programmed segment, reflecting the friction between Overlord and the Witch Clan.

  Tossing a few pieces in his hand, Lu leaned back in his thousand-blade chair and stretched lazily.

  Because the grand array covering the Five Phoenixes maintained a time flow of one thousand to one,

  Compared to the nine heavens, the Five Phoenixes had not passed much time at all.

  Now, though the Five Phoenixes had become independent from the nine heavens and formed its own realm,

  The nine heavens’ Heavenly Dao could no longer exert significant influence on the Five Phoenixes… but that did not mean the crises facing the Five Phoenixes had completely vanished.

  For example—the Ancient Emperors beyond the rift.

  Their existence still gave Lu a sense of danger.

  Moreover, there was the Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor of the Heavenly Spirit Clan—the only Ancient Emperor still present in the nine heavens.

  Micah, the Holy Hall Master of the Heavenly Spirit Clan, had now chosen to join the Five Phoenixes. Though it was to walk his own path, for the Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor, this was undoubtedly betrayal.

  Thus, if the Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor still existed, he might descend because of Micah’s actions.

  When that time came, conflict would be inevitable.

  It would bring a certain degree of crisis to the Five Phoenixes.

  Lu closed his eyes. His divine sense began to stir.

  He no longer paid attention to the Witch Clan.

  Since Overlord had already encountered the Witch Clan under his arrangement, a Xuan Immortal would surely stimulate the many Witch Kings.

  Their hand-to-hand, flesh-against-flesh combat style even allowed mutual improvement in cultivation and strength.

  As the Witch Kings grew stronger, Lu naturally gained strength as well.

  This was the original purpose of creating the Witch Clan.

  “Forget the Witch Clan for now. Next, it’s time to upgrade the demon race.”

  Lu pondered.

  With a thought, his gaze fell upon the Demon Court.

  Lu did not know much about the Demon Court. It was a force established by the demon kings—originally due to Tantai He’s actions.

  Now, the Demon Court had already become one of the top powers on the Five Phoenix Continent.

  Having survived humanity’s dark era, the Demon Court’s development had already surpassed that of current humanity.

  It had even become a driving force for human growth.

  The existence of the Demon Court forced human nations to strive harder to resist the demons.

  Yet in reality, the demon race’s top-tier powerhouses were far weaker than humanity’s.

  The demon race had no Xuan Immortal-level experts.

  Their only powerhouse—the Demon Monkey King—was merely at Half-Step Xuan Immortal.

  Though many top demon kings had been born in recent years—reaching Half-Step Xuan Immortal—

  Without a Xuan Immortal, the Demon Court’s position remained unstable.

  “So… how should I upgrade the demon race?”

  Lu thought.

  When he first created the demon race, his strength had not been particularly outstanding. Thus, the design of the demon race lacked thorough consideration.

  Leaning back in his thousand-blade chair, Lu tapped his fingers.

  His divine sense sank into the Transmission Platform.

  Seated on the Eight Trigrams array platform, he began deducing—planning to elevate the demon race according to his ideas.

  “The demon race needs a leader—a monstrously talented leader.”

  “The demon race possesses such vast fortune—yet cannot produce a Xuan Immortal… truly a pity.”

  Lu formed hand seals, continuously channeling array runes into the void of the Transmission Platform.

  Soon, he fell silent.

  The corners of his mouth curved upward.

  His loose robes fluttered.

  “What matters most for the demon race is bloodline. They cultivate demon crystals. With powerful bloodlines, their demon crystals can be exceptionally strong from birth.”

  “Demon crystals are like spiritual roots—representing talent.”

  Lu’s eyes gleamed.

  “It’s been a long time since I last used the Transmission Platform. Perhaps… I can give the demon race an opportunity.”

  …

  After hundreds of years of development, the demon race had established kingdoms and greatly increased its population.

  Demons were born from spirit beasts gaining sentience. Initially, demon race members existed in beast form. Only upon reaching six-sided crystal level could they shed their beast bodies.

  The Demon Court was located in the western part of the Great Xuan Divine Dynasty—near the Western Continent, between the Western and Eastern Continents. Amid endless yellow sands lay a vast oasis called the Demon Continent.

  Once a small place, the Demon Continent had grown immense—nurturing the top-tier force that was the Demon Court.

  Yet though the Demon Court was strong, it still dared not launch a large-scale invasion into human territory.

  Why?

  Because they feared human cultivators and Immortals.

  Though the demon race now had many demon kings—and even the Half-Step Xuan Immortal Demon Monkey King—

  If a full-scale war erupted between humans and demons, human Xuan Immortals would intervene. The demons would be no match.

  This was also why the Demon Monkey King remained deeply worried.

  He could not understand—why, despite possessing such vast fortune, the demon race could not produce a Xuan Immortal-level Demon Saint?

  The Demon Monkey King had once desperately searched for the Demon Lord—because only the Demon Lord could stand against humanity.

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  Yet he found nothing. The Demon Lord had vanished as though evaporated.

  This left the Demon Monkey King in constant anxiety.

  He feared that human Immortals would attack.

  Thus—even when he learned humanity had faced world-ending and world-recreating crises, an era’s transition—the Demon Monkey King still did not dispatch demons to seize human lands.

  He dared not. He feared such actions would cause the demon race’s fortune to collapse—becoming an excuse for human Xuan Immortals to act.

  So the Demon Monkey King lived under heavy pressure.

  He wanted to break through—become the demon race’s first Xuan Immortal-level Demon Saint.

  But the more anxious he became, the harder it was to break through.

  Even in every crusade, he charged at the forefront.

  Yet he still fell short.

  The fiery sunset stretched across the sky.

  The Demon Monkey King sat on a bluestone, gazing into the distance with a sigh.

  “Where… is the hope of the demon race?”

  The Demon Monkey King felt lost, even his back slightly hunched as he looked far away.

  Night fell.

  While in deep meditation, the Demon Monkey King suddenly opened his eyes.

  He looked up at the sky.

  He saw the demon race’s fortune surging—a great shift!

  Not just the Demon Monkey King.

  On Heavenly Mechanism Peak in the Great Xuan Divine Dynasty,

  Lü Mu Dui and Mo Tianyu also gazed upward. After calculating with their fingers, their expressions changed slightly.

  “The demon race’s stagnant fortune is undergoing a massive change. Within the next century, the demon race may give birth to a heaven-defying genius!”

  Lü Mu Dui drew a deep breath.

  “This… doesn’t make sense. The demon race’s cultivation is far harder than humanity’s. They cultivate demon crystals—but refining them requires endless years of accumulation. Even a monstrous genius like the Demon Monkey King has been stuck at Half-Step Xuan Immortal for hundreds of years…”

  “Could our divination be wrong?”

  Lü Mu Dui said doubtfully.

  Mo Tianyu—chest bared—narrowed his eyes.

  “No… human fortune has stabilized. It’s indeed the demon race’s turn for a shift… This is a grand opportunity. Whoever seizes it first will gain vast fortune.”

  “The Demon Court is about to get lively.”

  Mo Tianyu laughed.

  Not just Heavenly Mechanism Peak.

  Many Five Phoenix Xuan Immortals looked up.

  Tang Yimo of the Southern Domain, Sima Qingshan of the Painting Sect, Bai Qingniao of Nine Phoenix Academy—all the Xuan Immortals saw the shift in worldly fortune.

  Overlord—bruised and swollen—emerged from the spatial passage and also sensed the change.

  This made him narrow his eyes.

  He thought of the Witch Clan—the twelve Witch Kings. When united, even he—a Xuan Immortal—would struggle.

  Could the demon race’s fortune shift be related to the Witch Clan?

  With this thought, Overlord focused on studying the Witch Clan.

  Mainly because—through his clashes with the Witch Clan—he had discovered better ways to advance his Body Refining lineage.

  …

  Origin Lake, Origin Island.

  Lu held a cup of Heavenly Immortal Wine.

  He smiled.

  With a thought—

  “Activate the Transmission Platform.”

  “Lock target area: Demon Court.”

  “Now randomly select ten demons to enter the Transmission Platform.”

  Lu said calmly.

  Buzz…

  The system panel appeared before him.

  Soon, changes occurred between heaven and earth.

  An invisible, mighty force enveloped the Demon Court region.

  Within the Transmission Platform—

  “Little Demon Snake under Qingyun Mountain (ordinary little demon) has entered the Transmission Platform.”

  “Little Demon Bird atop Thunder Peak (seventh son of the Thunder Eagle King) has entered the Transmission Platform.”

  “Little Demon Ox beneath Pill Cloud Marsh (ordinary little demon) has entered the Transmission Platform.”

  …

  Voices echoed continuously in the Transmission Platform.

  Lu smiled. This familiar feeling was somewhat nostalgic.

  In truth, it had indeed been a long time since he last activated the Transmission Platform.

  Ten voices rang out.

  Lu sat in the Transmission Platform—radiant light shining.

  His gaze swept downward.

  After the light faded, ten figures appeared.

  Ten trembling exotic beasts—pure demons without any impurity.

  A snake, an ox, a little bird…

  It looked somewhat like a scene from the animal world.

  Yet they were indeed demons—faint demonic qi wafting from their bodies.

  Compared to humans, demons feared the unknown far more intensely.

  The ten little demons trembled. They dared not speak, dared not ask.

  Pulled into this Transmission Platform, they felt only terror.

  Because the terrifying pressure emanating from Lu horrified them.

  Lu thought for a moment—perhaps his aura had frightened them.

  With a thought,

  The terrifying immortal qi instantly transformed into overwhelming demonic qi.

  It was as though the Demon Lord himself had descended.

  Yet when changed to demonic qi, the ten little demons suddenly felt much closer to him.

  “Is this the Demon Lord? Such powerful demonic qi… even the Demon Monkey King is far inferior.”

  The little demon bird’s heart shook.

  His father was the Thunder Eagle King—a newly ascended demon king with immense strength. Yet compared to this existence, his father’s demonic qi was like the little demon bird facing the Thunder Eagle King—the gap was too vast.

  But soon, the little demons realized—they had encountered a grand opportunity.

  Lu observed the ten little demons.

  Truly random selection—almost all were ordinary little demons.

  Except for the seventh son of the Thunder Eagle King—the little demon bird—and the golden-furred little demon monkey (descendant of the Demon Monkey King)—the rest were unremarkable.

  “Hm… very well. Let’s start from the beginning.”

  “The demon race values bloodline. Since that is the case… let us begin by transforming their bloodline.”

  Lu raised his hand and waved lightly.

  Seven-colored light orbs floated out.

  “You have one chance to change your destiny. Choose a light orb. Within it lies your opportunity—good or bad, all part of fate.”

  Lu said.

  The ten little demons trembled.

  They looked up at the densely packed seven-colored light orbs enveloping them.

  They hesitated.

  Soon, the ten little demons acted.

  “Pop!”

  “Pop pop!”

  Light orbs burst open.

  Ten streaks of light surged into their bodies.

  The little demon bird’s body shook. As the light poured in, it felt as though it had become a ball of flame. Its original four-sided crystal shattered—transforming into a perfectly round golden demon core.

  Its feathers turned golden. Endless flames burned.

  “Golden Crow bloodline. At its peak, it can transform into the ancient Golden Crow—burning heaven and earth.”

  The ten little demons each received their opportunity—enough to change the demon race’s destiny.

  Of course—provided they survived.

  “Go.”

  Lu waved his hand.

  Under the ten little demons’ bewildered gazes, he sent them out of the Transmission Platform.

  …

  Demon Court.

  Night was as dark as ink.

  Tonight’s starry sky was shrouded in thick clouds.

  Yet the Demon Monkey King gripped his iron staff, standing firm, gazing at the heavens.

  Suddenly!

  He saw ten meteors streak across the sky—plunging into the demon race’s fortune, causing it to surge!

  “The future of the demon race?!”

  The Demon Monkey King’s body trembled faintly.

  He knew—the turning point of the Demon Court’s destiny was coming.

  Whether fortune or disaster—only fate would decide.

  …

  Qingyun Mountain.

  A remote mountain in the Demon Court.

  When the little demon snake opened its eyes, it felt as though it had dreamed.

  Habitually, it flicked its tongue—yet was stunned to find it had flicked not a snake’s tongue, but a delicate human girl’s tongue.

  The little demon snake was dumbfounded. It touched its cheeks.

  “I… I’ve transformed?”

  The little demon snake was shocked. As it flicked its tongue, it probed its demon crystal—only to discover its original four-sided crystal had now become a perfectly round bead. Endless powerful energy surged within.

  It felt as though it had been reborn.

  Moreover, its mind was filled with strange new chapters—a unique bloodline cultivation method.

  “So… meeting the Demon Lord yesterday was real! Not a dream! The Demon Lord granted me an opportunity—changed my bloodline!”

  The little snake demon was overjoyed.

  Anxious, it flicked its tongue even faster.

  “I-I-I… a completely ordinary little snake demon—how am I worthy?!”

  “Thank you, Demon Lord! Demon Lord above—please accept this little demon’s bow!”

  The little snake demon prostrated itself, kowtowing devoutly.

  Suddenly.

  The little snake demon’s heart jolted. Its demon core trembled—it sensed powerful auras rapidly approaching.

  “The great demons of Qingyun Mountain!”

  The little snake demon was terrified. It curled into a ball on the ground.

  Qingyun Mountain was filled with demons—many of them great demons with immense strength.

  It was just a little demon—how could it resist?

  Most importantly—so many great demons appearing at once—what terror!

  The little snake demon raised its head—only to see black clouds rolling over Qingyun Mountain. Ferocious great demons stared greedily at it.

  They charged madly.

  The little snake demon felt its heart nearly stop. Its tongue could no longer retract.

  It… was going to die.

  It had just received an opportunity—and now it would die.

  How tragic!

  Suddenly.

  A streak of red light flashed past.

  The great demons of Qingyun Mountain pouncing toward it were sent flying like balls.

  A charming voice rang out.

  “You gained a grand opportunity yet didn’t find a place to hide and cultivate properly—instead flaunting your aura so blatantly?”

  “You little foolish demon.”

  Laughter echoed.

  The little snake demon opened its eyes—to see billowing red robes. A stunningly beautiful woman appeared before it.

  Ni Chunchiu looked curiously at the little snake demon.

  “One of those who received fortune… is you, little demon…”

  The little snake demon’s tongue flicked uncontrollably in terror.

  “Human?! A human?!”

  “It’s over, it’s over…”

  “Great demons in front, humans behind—I’m dead.”

  “Humans are brutal—they’ll kill snakes, extract cores, cruel and merciless. I’m done for.”

  The little snake demon was so scared its tears nearly fell.

  In the distance, the great demons that had been sent flying roared ferociously.

  They charged again—driven by the aura emanating from the little snake demon.

  An incomparably tempting aura.

  “Scram!”

  “I promised the little monkey not to kill demons. Don’t force my hand.”

  Ni Chunchiu glanced coldly.

  Half-Step Xuan Immortal aura erupted.

  The great demons immediately turned tail and fled.

  The aura of a top-tier human Immortal was enough to scare their souls away.

  The demon race was a strength-worshipping race.

  After the great demons fled, Empress Ni Chunchiu smiled and pinched the little snake demon’s neck—lifting it.

  Her beautiful face drew close to the little snake demon’s. Her eyes flickered slightly.

  “I need fortune. I need to grow stronger to keep up with Brother Lu… so I can only come to you.”

  “Your existence will affect the demon race’s fortune. Forgive me.”

  “From now on—you’ll follow me.”