Chapter 1445, Offering an Entire Jujube Orchard

Translator:  Ashish

Translation Checker: Silvain

 

Despite his inherent caution, Kun Peng Zi held the supreme prestige of his clan in highest regard. He would never allow their glory to be tarnished by his hand.

 

Thus, whenever he deigned to act, he did so with such force that it shook the entire universe.

 

In the battle against the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree, he had pushed his limits, eventually suppressing the mighty tree.

 

When the Void invaded Planet Celestus, he had unleashed the Kun Peng Art, trading blows with the Lord of the Void without yielding a single step.

 

Time and again, his feats had cemented the clan’s standing, etching the name of this peerless prodigy into the collective memory of the galaxy’s great powers.

 

Now, Yu Zi Yu had become the first outsider to truly learn his Dao Title.

 

“Kun Peng Zi, is it…” Yu Zi Yu muttered the name again, his gaze lingering on the golden-haired youth with newfound depth.

 

However, before he could delve deeper, Kun Peng Zi took the initiative to speak, “Your Majesty, the Demon Emperor… my Kun Peng Clan originally belonged to the lineage of the Ancient Heavenly Court.” He paused, choosing his words with care. “Recently, the Imperial Preceptor of your court sent word that the current Demon Court has formally inherited that mantle.”

 

He took a steadying breath. “With the blessing of my Elders, I have come to offer my service to the Demon Court for a time. I wonder… if such an arrangement would be acceptable?”

 

Yu Zi Yu listened in a stunned silence. A flicker of doubt crossed his eyes as he asked, “What was that you just said?”

 

“I… uh…” Kun Peng Zi stiffened, caught off guard. He began to repeat himself, “My clan originally belonged to—”

 

“No, the sentence after that,” Yu Zi Yu interrupted.

 

“The Imperial Preceptor sent word—”

 

“The one after that.”

 

Confused by the sudden interrogation, Kun Peng Zi lowered his head and repeated, “I have come to serve the Demon Court for a period of time…”

 

“Perfect. That is the one.”

 

The response thundered across the void, making Kun Peng Zi shudder.

To his absolute astonishment, the suffocating aura of majesty radiating from the Demon Emperor evaporated in an instant. Even the swirling mist that had veiled Yu Zi Yu’s features vanished, revealing a face lit by an unnervingly warm smile.

 

“Serve the Demon Court? Why, that’s easy! More than easy!” Yu Zi Yu beamed. “And why limit yourself to ‘a period of time’? A lifetime would be even better!”

 

“Let me be clear,” Yu Zi Yu continued, his voice dripping with enthusiasm. “Our Demon Court may have its flaws, but when it comes to employee benefits, we are easily top three in the cosmos. Monthly cultivation resources, total freedom of movement, no restrictive Soul Contracts…”

 

…

 

The sales pitch came in a relentless torrent.

 

Yu Zi Yu seemed to have transformed into an entirely different person, gone was the aloof sovereign, replaced by a charismatic recruiter.

 

Before Kun Peng Zi could even process the shift, he felt a heavy arm drape familiarly over his shoulder.

 

“Come now, let’s get you home. I’ll have the ministers prepare a welcoming gala that will shake the Heavens!”

 

As Yu Zi Yu guided him through the one star system after another toward the heart of the Demon Court, a grin pulled at the corners of the Demon Emperor’s mouth.

 

He could hardly believe his luck. Usually, finding a prodigy required schemes, battles, and years of careful cultivation, and even then, loyalty was never a guarantee.

 

But this? This was a gift from the Heavens.

 

The peerless scion of the Kun Peng Clan had just walked through his front door.

 

This wasn’t just any prodigy; this was a future Hegemon, someone with limitless potential thanks to the Kun Peng Art.

 

In the hierarchy of the cosmos, if Yu Zi Yu claimed the throne of the strongest, this youth before him would undoubtedly secure second or third place.

 

As for other elites, they relied on the crutch of Imperial Artifacts or the accumulated heritage of their race—all external aids.

 

But Kun Peng Zi? His power was visceral, forged in his own marrow.

 

Perhaps only the Lord of Reincarnation could stand on equal footing with such raw talent.

 

…

 

To have such a terrifying prodigy deliver himself to the door… how could Yu Zi Yu not be exhilarated?

 

Better yet, Yu Zi Yu could see right through him.

 

In the parlance of Old Earth, Kun Peng Zi was a ‘pure-hearted boy.’

 

It wasn’t a lack of intellect, but a lack of exposure; he had spent so much time in seclusion that he possessed a certain… simplicity.

 

No matter how Kun Peng Zi tried to maintain his stoic facade, to Yu Zi Yu’s eyes, he was a blank sheet of paper.

 

Perhaps he couldn’t scribble on that paper just yet, but a bit of gentle persuasion would go a long way.

 

“So,” Yu Zi Yu asked, his voice smooth as silk, “are you certain you wish to remain in the service of the Demon Court?”

 

Kun Peng Zi nodded earnestly. “Yes. It is the directive of my Clan Elders.”

 

“Excellent. Then take this.” Yu Zi Yu reached into the void. “As long as you remain with us, this belongs to you.”

 

With a flick of his wrist, he produced a fragment of the Tai Chi Diagram, a remnant of a true Imperial Artifact.

 

*Boooooom…* The Starry Sky groaned. Two torrents of energy, one ink-black and the other bone-white, spiraled upward like twin Dragons, causing even the world to shift into the monochromatic shades of black and white.

 

“This is…?” Kun Peng Zi’s eyes nearly started from his head. His body trembled with a primal, uncontrollable recognition. An electric jolt of excitement raced through his veins. “Primordial Yin and Yang Energy?!”

 

His voice cracked in disbelief.

 

[My Heavens, it really is the Primordial Yin and Yang Energy!]

 

Whether it was a trick of the mind or a true resonance, Kun Peng Zi felt his cultivation, stagnant for years, begin to churn with new life.

 

*Boooooom, boooooom, booooooom…* His power surged in rhythmic waves. Kun Peng Zi once again felt the signs of a breakthrough.

 

“Your Majesty…” Kun Peng Zi swallowed hard, unable to tear his gaze away from the drifting fragment and the mist of Yin and Yang Energy it exhaled. “Are you truly… giving this to me?”

 

For him, this wasn’t just a treasure; it was his future. It was the key to his ascension, the difference between a lifetime of mediocrity and attaining the Dao.

 

How could he not be excited?

 

“Of course,” Yu Zi Yu confirmed, his smile widening ever so slightly. “As I said: so long as you are with the Demon Court, it is yours.”

 

The curve of Yu Zi Yu’s lips held a predatory edge.

 

Usually, one offered a ‘sweet date’ to lure a follower.

 

But this? This was offering an entire jujube orchard.

 

Born with the Innate Yin-Yang Physique and mastering the Kun Peng Art, which was founded upon the Dao of Yin and Yang, Kun Peng Zi craved this energy more than life itself.

 

To see it offered so freely was enough to shatter any composure he had left.

 

But Yu Zi Yu knew the truth of the trade.

 

Once Kun Peng Zi accepted the fragment, the exit would vanish.

 

The karmic debt alone would be a mountain he could never climb over.

 

From that moment on, if he lived, he was the Demon Court’s man. If he died, he was the Demon Court’s ghost.