Nuwa's eyes flickered as she heard this, and she chuckled, "I had also forgotten. Kong Xuan should be leaving the demon race soon. Why don't you summon him now and ask him directly? With a saint taking him as a disciple, I doubt Yuan Feng would have any reason to refuse."
Qing Ling nodded with a smile, "That would be for the best. However, Saint Taiqing once said that humans should return to the Primordial World. What are your thoughts on that?"
Nuwa raised an eyebrow. "He says they should return, so they return? Humans have been born and raised in my demon realm. Who would want to go back to that muddy mess that is the Primordial World? If he wants humans to return, he can go persuade them himself. If he succeeds, I won't interfere."
Qing Ling couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this. "Fellow Daoist Taiqing knows precisely this, which is why he asked you, the Saint Mother of Humanity, to speak. Only you, as the Saint Mother of Humanity, and a saint of the demon race, have the qualification to do so."
Nuwa lifted her head, neither confirming nor denying. "Then let the Three Pure Ones wait. When I'm in a good mood one day, we'll talk about it."
Qing Ling smiled back, "Fellow Daoist is indeed thoughtful."
"Alas~" Nuwa sighed, "It's not easy to make Taiqing owe me a favor. This is the only way."
Qing Ling nodded and changed the subject. "The young boy beside you is quite spirited."
Nuwa chuckled upon hearing this and said, "Ling Zhu Zi, have you not yet paid your respects to your Saint Uncle?"
The small child, dressed in a red bellyband, immediately said in a childish voice, "Ling Zhu Zi pays his respects to Saint Uncle."
Both Nuwa and Qing Ling were leaders of the demon race. Their disciples could only call each other Uncle, due to their high status and the difficulty of coordinating clan relations. Thus, they could only be referred to as Uncle.
Qing Ling smiled and said, "Is this your disciple, fellow Daoist? Truly amusing. This Nine Luminaries Star Bow is a treasure I casually refined. Consider it a gift."
Ling Zhu Zi's large eyes narrowed upon hearing this, and he smiled cheekily, "Thank you, Uncle, for the bestowed treasure. Nephew is overjoyed."
Hua Shuo and Hua Ze, who were beside Qing Ling, were attendants, not disciples, and thus did not need to be introduced.
Nuwa said to Ling Zhu Zi, "You've reaped a benefit today by accompanying me out."
"Since there's nothing else, I should be returning to my palace."
"Fellow Daoist, please take good care of the Eastern Emperor Bell."
Qing Ling smiled, "Naturally, I will."
Nuwa nodded, and her phoenix chariot set off, accompanied by the farewells of myriad demons. Nuwa gave Lu Ya a few more instructions before departing.
After Nuwa left, Kun Peng entered the hall and took his seat.
Qing Ling said apologetically, "I apologize for troubling the Demon Master."
Kun Peng waved his hand. "Your words are too kind, Saint. It was a trivial matter, no need to mention it again. I have already sent Qiang Liang and Xi Zi back to Pangu Heaven, but they have lost their primordial power. In this life, they can at most be comparable to two great witches."
Qing Ling nodded. "I naturally trust in the Demon Master's actions."
Kun Peng smiled. "Your words, Kun Peng also trusts. There is much to attend to in my North Nether Demon Realm, so I will not linger any longer."
Qing Ling smiled and bid him farewell.
After Kun Peng left, only a few demon gods and Lu Ya remained in the hall.
Qing Ling looked at Lu Ya and said, "From now on, the heavy responsibility of the demon realm will fall upon your shoulders alone. Although it will be arduous, it is also a form of cultivation. In the past, the Heavenly Emperor managed the countless affairs of the Primordial Heaven Court and yet his cultivation never lagged. I believe you can achieve this too."
Lu Ya respectfully acknowledged this.
Qing Ling continued, "Although the Tu Shan demon god possessed some wisdom, his selfishness was too great, which is why he did not survive the Lich tribulation. The Bai Ze demon god was personally tutored by me in his early years, and his wisdom is unmatched among the demon race. You may consult him with confidence."
Bai Ze stepped forward and said, "Your praise is too much, Saint. I only hope to do my utmost to assist the Demon Emperor!"
Qing Ling nodded and then looked at the blood-haired youth who had remained silent. "Qi, the demon realm has no need for war at the moment. You will return to Fu Yu Mountain with me."
Qi's red eyes flickered, and after a moment of hesitation, he nodded.
All the demon gods present were envious. They could casually nod and respond to the Saint's questions. But who could compare to him, being the Saint's kinsman?
Qing Ling smiled and asked, "Has Kong Xuan been summoned?"
Shang Yang nodded. "He is waiting outside the hall."
"Let him in."
Kong Xuan entered the hall with neither humility nor arrogance, and paid his respects to the Demon Emperor and Qing Ling.
Qing Ling asked, "Kong Xuan, you are gifted with great talent. My Fu Yu Mountain has few disciples. Would you be willing to join my Qing Ling lineage and take me as your master?"
Kong Xuan was taken aback for a moment, but then reacted and said, "Disciple pays respects to Master!"
Seeing this, Qing Ling was relieved. Kong Xuan did not possess the supposed overwhelming arrogance.
Qing Ling nodded with satisfaction and then said to Bai Ze, "Although you did not formally join my sect in the past, we had the relationship of master and disciple. Would you be willing to become a registered disciple of mine now?"
Bai Ze's face lit up with joy upon hearing this. "Disciple pays respects to Master!"
Qing Ling smiled and said, "Rise. You received my teachings in the past, and today I will impart another divine ability to you, the Grand Heavenly Shifting Technique, which allows for the shifting of all things within the heavens."
A beam of starlight shot into Bai Ze's forehead, imprinting itself upon his primordial spirit.
Bai Ze bowed again, thanking him, "Many thanks to Master for bestowing this technique!"
Qing Ling smiled and said, "You still need to diligently assist the Demon Emperor. When your achievements are complete, the Great Dao will naturally be within reach."
Bai Ze respectfully agreed.
Qing Ling then said to Lu Ya, "If you encounter any difficulties in the future, do not hesitate to come to Fu Yu Mountain to find me."
Lu Ya's heart rejoiced. The Saint's prestige was more valuable than anything. "Thank you, Saint, for your assistance."
Qing Ling nodded and said, "I should be returning to my mountain now."
Everyone bowed to see him off.
But at this moment, a voice suddenly came from outside the door, "Saint, please wait! I beg the Saint's compassion, take me as your disciple."
Everyone was astonished, wondering which ill-mannered individual dared to propose discipleship in such a manner.
Qing Ling turned and saw Shen Nong Shi, the leader of the human race, who had once resided in his Eastern Wasteland!
Qing Ling's mind raced, and he smiled, "Very well. Since you and I have a karmic connection as master and disciple, I shall accept you. Come back to Fu Yu Mountain with me."
Shen Nong was overjoyed and bowed again, "Many thanks to Master for your compassion!"
All the demon gods and demon saints outside the hall who witnessed this felt a pang of envy, but dared not imitate Shen Nong. Who knew if they would anger this Saint or incur his displeasure.
Shen Nong, however, happily boarded the Celestial Origin Sacred Ark and accompanied Qing Ling to Fu Yu Mountain.
Qing Ling did not consider capturing a divine beast to be his mount. Every divine beast was an accumulation of heaven and earth's essence. Was it for the sake of a so-called saintly demeanor and grandeur that divine beasts were used as transportation?
Therefore, Qing Ling directly chose a flying boat. It did not require divine beasts to pull it, yet its saintly aura was even more profound than that of a divine beast-drawn carriage. After all, no matter how magnificent the phenomenon of a divine beast, it could not compare to the grandeur of a colossal ship carrying a magnificent palace flying through the sky.
Moreover, he was a saint. If a saint behaved this way, all other great beings would naturally follow suit. Then, the custom of using beasts for transportation in the Primordial World would change, and many divine beasts would be spared the humiliation of being captured and treated as mere steeds due to the vanity of great beings.