After observing the battlefield, Aeris realized that the Rat-man army was no mere rabble. They fought like a disciplined professional force, governed by clear tactics and strict rules rather than relying on sheer numbers. Aeris immediately reported these findings to the General of the North, and was subsequently granted permission to return to the capital to brief the King and the high officials.

  In the entire Chau Ngoc Kingdom, not a single soul possessed a Nascent Soul cultivation base. This was due to an unwritten law: only those at the Core Formation stage or below were permitted to remain in the mortal realm. Anyone who broke through to the Nascent Soul stage was forced to enter the Immortal Residences to establish sects, live in seclusion, or join the Council under strict regulations. They were forbidden from interfering in the disputes of mortals or human kingdoms; those who defied this were hunted down by the Nascent Soul Council.

  The young King, Chau Ngoc Yen, upon receiving the report, immediately summoned Phong Tran—Commander-in-Chief of the Shadow Guard—since the underground city was home to the Rat-man race. Following this, the King invited the Grand State Preceptor (an Elder of the premier cultivation sect, the Mystic Ice Sect) to inquire about Ngoc Tuyet Anh, a female Nascent Soul immortal.

  Finally, the King entrusted the matter to the two of them, saying: "I ask you two to resolve this issue. While you're at it, settle the conflict between the Immortal Cultivators and Demonic Cultivators. These two factions have been at each other's throats for far too long."

  Hearing the King’s seemingly naive request, the Grand State Preceptor chuckled. "Your Majesty may not realize that the conflict between Immortals and Demons is the defining struggle of our era. They despise one another by their very nature. While they haven't reached the point of mutual annihilation, it is not something that can be resolved overnight."

  Phong Tran added, "Furthermore, the two of us are merely minor representatives of the Immortal and Demonic paths. We cannot speak for the entirety of our respective factions."

  "I understand," the King replied. "I have studied the history of Immortals and Demons. But in practice, I see little difference between the two. Many who claim to follow the Immortal path are cruel and commit atrocities, while there are Demonic cultivators who are kind-hearted and accumulate merit through good deeds. Good and evil do not lie in the method of cultivation, but in the person themselves."

  The King continued, "To me, a cultivation technique is like a sword—both are tools for killing; only the outward appearance differs. Of course, there are techniques that are inherently evil, such as those involving human sacrifice or murder for progression. But those based on righteous action are truly precious."

  The Grand State Preceptor listened intently, sensing the King's sincerity. "Then, what is Your Majesty's true intention? A compromise between Immortals and Demons is near impossible."

  "I do not care who is a Demon and who is an Immortal," the young King declared. "I only care who is good and who is evil. If a Demonic cultivator does good, I shall employ them. If an Immortal cultivator commits evil, they shall be hunted and executed. I will not spare a life simply because of a 'Righteous' title."

  "Does Your Majesty wish to curtail the privileges of Immortals and elevate the status of Demons?" the Preceptor asked. "If so, how do you plan to distinguish between good and evil?"

  The King smiled. "I do not know. But I have heard of those who possess eyes that can perceive a person’s Karmic Merit, allowing them to distinguish between the orthodox and the depraved."

  "That would be the Eyes of Merit," the Preceptor explained. "A branch of ocular techniques under the Spiritual Eye category. Such techniques are usually practiced by Divine Path cultivators; Immortals and Demons rarely take interest in them. Your Majesty should perhaps consult a Divine Cultivator instead."

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  "I am well aware," the King replied. "Beyond the Divine Path, the Heavenly Master branch of the Immortal Path is also proficient in this. What I want is for you two to establish a unified set of rules so that Immortals and Demons can coexist. A Neutral Zone will help me attract more talent to serve the nation. Demon, Immortal, God, or any other path—to me, they are all just talent. I wish to employ those with both skill and virtue. You two may begin your discussion."

  The Grand State Preceptor pondered for a moment before turning to Phong Tran. "To be honest, I quite like this idea. What about you, Phong Tran?"

  Phong Tran gave a slight smile, speaking with respect as he knew the elder was a venerable senior who had served the royal family for over 300 years. "I certainly favor it. Is there anything in these ideas that displeases you?"

  "Using merit as a gauge is brilliant," the Preceptor noted. "But what of those who circumvent the rules? For instance, those who secretly kidnap children for cultivation, use blood for rejuvenation, or practice cannibalism... how will they be handled?"

  Phong Tran’s voice turned ice-cold. "Kill them on sight. No mercy. We are not like the Immortals or Divine cultivators who offer villains a chance at redemption. Our law is an iron law; the wicked must be punished so that other Demonic cultivators learn to fear the consequences. The Demonic path walks the razor's edge between good and evil—one wrong step, and there is no turning back."

  The Grand State Preceptor sighed. "I understand. Our task is to draft the detailed laws, build the common zone, and find an administrator. Phong Tran, you managed the underground city; can you take charge of this new territory?"

  "I cannot," Phong Tran replied. "My duty is to protect the King. I have a replacement in mind: Duong Tam. He is a practitioner of the Duong family's Spiritual Eye, originally a branch of the Black Heaven Sect. He is the perfect fit to manage this place."

  After the discussion, the Grand State Preceptor found the prospect fascinating but dared not decide alone. He returned to his sect to seek the counsel of Nine Star, the Sect Master of the Mystic Ice Sect. Thien Nu, Nine Star's wife, was invited to cast a divination.

  "Creating a zone where Immortals and Demons harmonize is a grand idea; the Heavenly Dao approves," she said. "However, the Mystic Ice Sect should not lead it. As the leaders of the Ten Great Immortal Sects, it would tarnish our reputation."

  "Must we abandon it for the sake of reputation?" the Preceptor asked.

  "Reputation is paramount; we cannot let one decision jeopardize the grand scheme," Thien Nu replied. "The only way is to ask the Great Immortal Seven Star, the Sect Master’s elder brother. He is neither orthodox nor depraved, and he is flexible in his ways. When the whole world claimed demons were evil, he was the only one who dared to stand against everyone and say: 'Demons have both good and bad, but their bad is on the outside; whereas you cultivators look noble on the surface, but inside you are as rotten as a whitewashed tomb, filled with dead men's bones.'"

  Understanding the solution, the Preceptor went to see Seven Star, the ancestor of two great sects. Although not ranked among the "Ten Strongest Sects," his prestige was immense.

  Upon hearing the plan, Seven Star was ecstatic. "This suits my taste perfectly! Go back, kid. From today, I will handle this. I’ll let you know when it’s done."

  Seven Star mounted a white dragon—a Yinglong carrying the bloodline of the Divine Dragon. With incredible speed, he soon reached Divine Dragon Island in the Eastern Sea. The island was home to many dragons, all mounts for various Great Immortals. Five Great Immortals lived there together, including the Five Poison Old Immortal, an expert in toxicology and healing.

  "Old man! I’ve found a great place for you to live," Seven Star shouted. "Are you coming?"

  "Forget it," the Five Poison Old Immortal replied. "I've been here for over 500 years. I’m at death's door; what use do I have for ambition? Just come drink Poison Wine with me occasionally. I’ve just brewed a 'Frozen Fire Extreme Poison Wine'—it's perfect for tempering internal energy."

  Seven Star laughed. "Now is not the time for drinking. I'm serious. Are you coming or not?"

  "My, how serious," the Poison Immortal teased. "Skip the beginning and the end—tell me the middle part and I'll listen."

  Seven Star gave a half-smirk. "Be serious for a moment."

  After listening to the explanation, the Poison Immortal nodded. "Ah, I see. A young Nascent Soul just broke through and wants to show off, right? You want me to handle it. Small matter. I heard she’s quite beautiful; I’ll just capture her to be a concubine and be done with it."

  Seven Star roared with laughter. "Stop lying. You’ve been faithful to one person who passed away hundreds of years ago. If you wanted to marry, you would have done it long ago. And drink less—you're getting eccentric from the loneliness."

  "If you want my help, just say so," the Five Poison Old Immortal grumbled. "But the payment is a drinking session for three days and three nights. As for moving... we'll see."

  Seven Star sighed. "Fine, a drink it is. We’ll drink while we travel to save time!"