Chapter 12: The Eastern Duke Establishes the Immortal Court

"Forty-two innate restrictions! A supreme-grade innate spiritual treasure, the Origin Sun Cauldron! This cauldron is actually a supreme-grade innate spiritual treasure!"

Innate spiritual treasures are divided into five grades: low-grade, mid-grade, high-grade, supreme-grade, and primordial treasures. The grade of a spiritual treasure is determined by the number of innate restrictions it possesses. Low-grade treasures have 1–12 restrictions; mid-grade have 13–24; high-grade have 25–36; supreme-grade have 37–48; and primordial treasures possess 49.

Acquired spiritual treasures follow the same classification, but their restrictions lack the profound nature of innate ones, making their power significantly inferior to innate treasures. However, there are no absolutes in this world; Bai Jing’s Primordial Measuring Ruler and Laozi’s Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Linglong Pagoda, each imbued with a layer of merit from the creation of the world, possess power no less than that of a primordial treasure.

This Origin Sun Cauldron was formed from the essence of Innate Wu Earth, while Zhenyuanzi’s Ginseng Fruit Tree was formed from the essence of Innate Xu Earth. Though they have different origins, they share the same source, both being products of the Great Dao of Earth. "Wu" represents "luxuriance," like the thriving vegetation and blooming flowers across the vast earth; it is Yang Earth, from which all things are born and into which they return. The Origin Sun Cauldron possesses the power of Wu Earth: it can nourish all things within, while outside, it can repel attacks, remaining impervious to all manifestations.

Bai Jing was overjoyed by this unexpected harvest during his travels on Mount Buzhou. He immediately sat cross-legged and began refining the restrictions of the Origin Sun Cauldron. The Primordial Measuring Ruler was essentially a companion treasure granted to him by the Great God Pangu, and he had refined its 24 restrictions in a single breath. The Origin Sun Cauldron, however, had no prior connection to him; it took Bai Jing 5,000 years to refine its first 24 restrictions and gain initial control over it.

With a thought, Bai Jing placed the Three-Light Holy Water, the white lotus, and the fifteen innate spiritual roots he had collected into the cauldron. Since the Origin Sun Cauldron could nourish all things, placing the lotus and the roots inside might yield unexpected surprises. Satisfied, Bai Jing put away the cauldron and continued his journey across Mount Buzhou.

Perhaps because he had already claimed the Origin Sun Cauldron, Bai Jing found nothing else for the remainder of his trip, not even a single spiritual herb of significant age. Consequently, he simply returned to the grand formation where he had found the cauldron, took out a fragment of the Creation Jade Disc, and began to comprehend the Great Dao of Devouring.

***

After an unknown amount of time, Bai Jing, deep in meditation, was suddenly awakened.

"Heavenly Dao above, I, Duke Dong, acting on the command of the Saint to maintain order in the Primordial World, hereby establish the Immortal Court. I shall use the supreme-grade innate spiritual treasure, the Dragon-Headed Staff, to suppress our destiny. From this day forward, I am the Lord of the Immortal Court. May the Heavenly Dao bear witness."

"Boom!"

A deafening roar echoed across the Primordial World, and numerous powerful beings simultaneously turned their gazes toward the East Sea.

In West Kunlun, Queen Mother of the West sat upon her meditation cushion and sighed deeply upon hearing that Duke Dong had established the Immortal Court. Among all female immortals in the Primordial World, she ranked in the top ten and possessed an extraordinary background. She was undoubtedly one of the most powerful figures in the world, and with the supreme-grade innate spiritual treasure bestowed upon her by Hongjun, she was truly in a position to compete for the title of the Head of Female Immortals.

However, unlike Duke Dong, she had keenly sensed the flashes of murderous intent from those around her the moment Hongjun named her the Head of Female Immortals and bestowed the treasure upon her. Although the two most powerful female immortals in Zixiao Palace, Nüwa and Houtu, showed no reaction, who could remain calm when faced with the hostility of nearly the entire Primordial World?

In particular, from the location of the Demon Race, several bone-chilling auras of murder had persisted from the beginning until the moment she left Zixiao Palace. The Demon Race had already established their Heavenly Court, clearly intending to rule the world; how could they tolerate Hongjun choosing her and Duke Dong as the heads of the immortals?

Queen Mother of the West was not naive enough to think that the Saint’s decree would prevent anyone from acting against them, nor did she believe the Saint would watch over them at every moment. That was why, as soon as the sermon ended, she had hurried back to West Kunlun to remain in seclusion.

"If Duke Dong wants to lead, let him. I will simply ignore him. From now on, I will not leave until the Saint’s third sermon. If Duke Dong becomes too arrogant and is killed, I should be safe; after all, no one would dare kill two immortals personally appointed by a Saint. If he succeeds and his Immortal Court truly suppresses the Demon Race’s Heavenly Court, it will not be too late for me to step out then," she murmured to herself.

Across the mountain, at the dojo of the Three Pure Ones, the news of Duke Dong’s Immortal Court also stirred those within.

***

Yuanshi Tianzun let out a cold snort. "The Demon Race has established a Heavenly Court, and the Wu Race is expanding rapidly with Mount Buzhou as their base. Both factions are powerful; neither is someone Duke Dong can contend with. For him to establish an Immortal Court now and blatantly recruit rogue cultivators in front of Di Jun is simply seeking his own death."

Laozi did not open his eyes, stating calmly, "This matter has nothing to do with us. Surely Duke Dong would not dare try to recruit the Three Pure Ones?"

"Big Brother is right. Second Brother, why should we concern ourselves with him?" Tongtian added.

Seeing his brothers’ attitudes, Yuanshi Tianzun said no more and slowly closed his eyes to continue contemplating the Great Dao, hoping to sever his ego as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, in the Lingxiao Palace of the Demon Race’s Heavenly Court, Di Jun and Tai Yi sat at the head, with the various Demon Sages standing below in silence.

A moment later, Tai Yi, unable to contain himself, glared at Di Jun. "Brother! It was one thing for the Saint to appoint Duke Dong as the Head of Male Immortals, but this man actually takes himself seriously! In terms of cultivation and background, what does he have to compare with us? Today, he dares to establish an 'Immortal Court' and recruit rogue cultivators right under our noses. He shows us no respect at all! I am going to kill him!"

Tai Yi stood up, ready to head toward the Purple Mansion in the East Sea. Di Jun, though filled with rage upon hearing of the Immortal Court, was far calmer than Tai Yi and could suppress his anger rather than acting impulsively.

Di Jun reached out to stop Tai Yi and scanned the gathered Demon Sages. "Second Brother, you must not go to kill Duke Dong now. To say nothing else, it would show disrespect to the Saint. We do not know the Saint’s true intentions, and we cannot afford to gamble."

"Your Majesty is correct," added Bai Ze from below. "Duke Dong’s cultivation is mediocre. Whether he is truly foolish or merely pretending, he is of little consequence. Even if he gathers a group of rogue cultivators, they are nothing more than a rabble, not worth worrying about. If he becomes truly intolerable, we can dispose of him at any time. It is not Duke Dong we face, but the current Saint."

Tai Yi held his brother in high regard, and with the Demon Race’s strategist Bai Ze also speaking up, he could only snort coldly and sit back down, still filled with resentment.