Qing Ling did not go to the Heavenly Court to congratulate the Demon Master, nor did the Four Emperors.
It was not to isolate Kunpeng, but because the Four Emperors were still recovering from their injuries.
True congratulations were not superficial flattery, but heartfelt.
The Demon Master was in charge of the Heavenly Court, and the Ten Great Demon Marshals obeyed his orders.
The Demon Master dispatched over a hundred Demon Saints to the four lower realms of the demon race to guard them and spread the Great Dao Dharma within the demon race's myriad beasts.
Among the demon race that had ascended the Heavenly Stairs to the Heavenly Court in the past, over three hundred clans still existed and had multiplied into billions of people. Most of the Golden Immortal and Taiyi Demon Officials came from the Heavenly Court.
As for the soldiers in the Heavenly Court army at the Heavenly Demon realm, most of them came from the lower realms. Heavenly Demons who ascended from the lower realms had far greater potential than those born in the Heavenly Court. They had experienced countless tribulations in the lower realms, and their divine abilities, strength, Dao heart, and primordial spirit were much stronger than those of the demon race in the Heavenly Court.
Under the Demon Master's governance, the demon race from the lower realms was even more valued. Many Golden Immortal and Taiyi Demon Venerables born in the lower realms were promoted, easing the internal conflicts within the demon race.
As time passed, with the education of the demon script, the strength of the demon race from the lower realms advanced by leaps and bounds, with an immense number of beings at the Heavenly Demon realm. Even though Guangchengzi was a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, he was exhausted from receiving hundreds, even thousands, of Heavenly Demons ascending to the Heavenly Realm every day. He was simply too busy.
In his helplessness, the Earth God could only find Qing Ling to complain.
Qing Ling glanced at the wronged little Earth God, who had even depleted his primordial spirit to mobilize the Jian Mu.
"Since that is the case, then from now on, the threshold for ascending to the Heavenly Realm shall be set at the Golden Immortal realm! This way, you can have some leisure!"
The Earth God was overjoyed upon hearing this and said, "Many thanks, Great Lord, for your compassion!"
Even with a population of billions of demons, only a select few could achieve the Golden Immortal realm. He only needed to divide his attention slightly to perform his duties.
Qing Ling said faintly, "However, I am not asking you to be lazy and sleep.
From now on, you have another task: each year, you must investigate one mountain and one body of water, recording its celestial significance, its mountain range, terrain, resources, spiritual mines, the density of heavenly and earthly spiritual energy, the tribes living in or around the mountain or water, or whether any hidden powerful beings reside there...
All of this shall be your responsibility.
You are to compile statistics every ten thousand years and create a grand map of the Primordial World.
You must accomplish this within thirty Yuan Hui!
Remember, the more detailed the map, the better!"
When the Earth God heard this, his eyes went blank and unfocused. This was intended to exhaust him to death, to treat him not as a person but as a tireless puppet!
"Great Lord, this... I would prefer to focus on receiving Heavenly Demons ascending."
Qing Ling shook his head, "That won't do. I have already informed the Demon Master that from now on, only demons at the Golden Immortal realm and above will be received into heaven.
Rest assured, if I entrust you with a task, I will not mistreat you!"
With that, Qing Ling waved his sleeve, and three treasures appeared on the ground: a banner, a bead, and a mirror.
"This banner is the Mountain Shaking Banner, a low-grade innate spirit treasure. It can command and borrow the power of the earth, serving both offense and defense. It can be used to search for mountains and waters.
This bead is the Heavy Earth Bead, a mid-grade innate spirit treasure. It can be used to draw upon the earth's spiritual energy and is a defensive treasure with other wondrous uses.
The last is this mirror, a mid-grade innate spirit treasure with eighteen layers of Dao restrictions, just shy of being a top-grade treasure. Yet, it is scarcely inferior to any ordinary top-grade spirit treasure. It is named the Ten Thousand Li Sky-Patrolling Mirror. With this mirror, nothing within a million li will remain hidden. It is most suitable for surveying mountains and waters, exploring mountains and rivers, mineral resources, and spiritual energy, among many other uses. In addition, it can emit sky-patrolling divine light, which is quite effective in destroying physical bodies.
I bestow these three treasures upon you as compensation for your arduous work. Are you willing?"
"Ah!" The Earth God exclaimed with immense joy, "This humble one is willing! This humble one will definitely survey the entire Primordial World for the Great Lord!"
Qing Ling nodded and said, "As for the dwelling places of renowned powerful beings and their Dao fields, you need not trespass. Simply record a general description!"
The Earth God respectfully acknowledged, "This humble one understands!"
"You may go now."
"This humble one takes his leave!"
Qing Ling mused, wondering if thirty Yuan Hui would be enough for the Earth God to complete this task. However, this matter could not be rushed and required key individuals to achieve it. He did not need to worry too much.
This was the benefit of having influence: all major and minor matters could be delegated to subordinates, preventing oneself from being too preoccupied.
However, this also depended on the size of the influence and loyalty, and more importantly, on one's own strength.
Whether it was the Four Boundary Protectors, Xi Shan, or the demon race, they were all forms of influence in the final analysis.
Qing Ling then closed his eyes again and began to comprehend the Great Dao.
Ten thousand years later, Qing Ling welcomed the person he had been waiting for.
Outside of Du Guang, a beautiful woman in a dark robe arrived and transmitted her voice, "Hou Tu of the Wu Clan has come to seek an audience with the Dao Master of the Eastern Desolation!"
On the Jian Mu, Qing Ling opened his eyes, and ten thousand years had already passed.
"Since fellow Daoist has arrived, please come to Jian Mu for a chat."
A bridge of light descended from the high sky, like white silk spread out beneath Hou Tu's feet.
Hou Tu hesitated for a moment, then resolutely stepped onto the light bridge, ascending directly to the peak of Jian Mu, the thirty-first heaven!
Qing Ling observed Hou Tu for two glances. The Wu Sha on her person had grown stronger, indicating that the Ancestral Witches had made further progress.
"Ancestor Witch Hou Tu, you have great courage to ascend my Jian Mu alone."
Hou Tu raised her head, looked at him, and chuckled, "If the Ancestor Demon had invited me to Jian Mu for a chat, I certainly would not have come.
However, now that it is the Dao Master of the Eastern Desolation who invites me, I naturally dare to."
Qing Ling said nonchalantly, "Then why has Ancestor Witch come today?"
Hou Tu raised an eyebrow. She did not wish to engage in wordplay with such an ancient monster, as she would only be at a disadvantage.
"Dao Master, please name your terms. Hou Tu is here today to bring my fifth elder brother, Ju Mang, back to the clan."
Upon hearing this, Qing Ling's eyebrows curved into a smile, "Is it truly any condition?"
"Naturally not. Dao Master must state it, and Hou Tu will consider it."
Qing Ling casually said, "I have heard that the Ancestral Witches are all descendants of Great God Pangu, so I presume there should be some surplus.
Since fellow Daoist Hou Tu has spoken, I will not make things difficult. If you can provide thirty-six drops of Pangu's blood, I will immediately release Ancestor Witch Ju Mang."
"What?" Hou Tu's eyes widened, and she exclaimed, "Absolutely impossible! What do you take the Father God's blood for? Each drop of his blood, even after the baptism of a long period of time, is still sufficient to create a Great Witch.
This condition is simply impossible!"
Qing Ling was not surprised by Hou Tu's agitation, saying, "I only have this one condition! If fellow Daoist cannot produce it, then no one else need come."
Hou Tu's expression turned cold, "What do you intend to do?"
Qing Ling chuckled, "Naturally, I intend to use the Ancestor Witch of Wood to replenish the origin of Jian Mu!"
"How dare you!" Hou Tu roared.
Qing Ling feigned surprise, "Why should I not dare?"
"If you dare to harm my elder brother Ju Mang, then our Wu Clan will fight another war. The demon race now does not have the Four Emperors guarding them. Even if the Four Emperors arrive, how can they, not yet fully recovered, resist our Wu Clan?
Furthermore, on the Great Earth, I will personally deal with the demon race's four domains, slaughtering every demon, leaving none alive!"
Qing Ling said faintly, "Then if I keep you here today, won't the Wu Clan be weakened by another third?"