"This is the will of Heaven and Earth, not something we can intervene in. Marx’s transformation into the Demon Realm is indeed the will of Heaven, and it also perfects the Great Dao," Maitreya sighed as he spoke.

He had to admit that none of those who had lived from ancient times to the present day were easy to deal with.

Even faced with such adversity, Marx was able to find a way to survive.

After becoming the Demon Realm, although he could not easily interfere in the Mortal World, he mastered the power to bring disasters upon all living beings, and it was very likely that he would use this to target the Buddhist Sect.

"Amitabha Buddha, this is also a good thing. In the future, with the Demon Calamity overhead, those practicing cultivation will naturally refrain from reckless behavior. Moreover, by absorbing the evil thoughts of all living beings, Marx is also benefiting them," Guanyin said, her hands pressed together.

The Buddhist Sect’s encirclement and suppression of Marx thus came to an end. The long-standing demon disaster in Xiniu Continent was also completely eradicated, although the pain it brought to the land still needed time to heal.

At the moment the Demon Realm was born, all the cultivators in the Three Realms felt a change in the energy and were warned by the oracle, finally understanding everything Marx had done.

The Demon Calamity hung over their heads like a sharp sword, giving them a chilling sensation.

Especially those who usually did not cultivate good deeds and neglected their spiritual cultivation level could almost hear the Demon Head whispering in their ears.

Compared to the great battle between the Heavenly Court and the Demon Clan, such a change tugged more at everyone’s hearts because the Demon Calamity hung overhead, making them tremble with fear.

"Alas, the world has become a difficult place," an Immortal sighed, who usually acted recklessly. Previously unbound, they now felt as if a sword hung over their heads, making them restless.

Yet, another Immortal laughed and said, "Although Marx is the Demon King, he ended up doing something beneficial for all beings."

In any case, the emergence of the Demon Realm, along with the Demon Calamity hanging over everyone’s heads, effectively diverted their attention, preventing many from realizing immediately that the victory of the Buddhist Sect meant that this powerful force in the Three Realms could now free up their hands.

The Jade Emperor, however, was not as shortsighted as these people. When he learned of the situation in Xiniu Continent, he couldn’t help but sigh deeply.

The speed of the Buddhist Sect exceeded his expectations. He had imagined that the struggle between Marx and the Buddhist Sect would continue for a while, but who would have thought that this once renowned Demon King would meet his end so swiftly.

Now, the Buddhist Sect would inevitably seek revenge against the Heavenly Court, and he had to prepare for an attack from both sides.

Even the Jade Emperor felt the pressure. It was the greatest challenge of his life. Both the Demon Clan and the Buddhist Sect were formidable on their own, not to mention if they joined forces.

"Check why the Buddhist Sect won so quickly. Although Marx has been sealed for many years and greatly weakened, he should not have fallen so swiftly," the Jade Emperor ordered in a low voice.

The Divine Exorcist Great Sage nodded silently, also sensing the tide turning. Once the Buddhist Sect was free to act, the pressure on the Heavenly Court was imaginable, especially since there were numerous conflicts within the Heavenly Court itself.

After all, this faction had been formed by forcibly uniting some people with the power of the Founder of the Three Pure Ones at its inception, and many harbored their own agendas.

Although over the years, the Jade Emperor had, through his own cunning tactics, gathered quite a power, he still couldn’t change the fact that the Heavenly Court was fraught with factions.

In the past, the awe of the Heavenly Court overshadowed the Three Realms, and all conflicts were concealed. However, when a crisis arose, these conflicts would resurface.

Actually, even if the Demon Clan and the Buddhist Sect joined forces, the Jade Emperor was not very afraid; after all, the Heavenly Court had oppressed the Three Realms for many years and it was not without reason. However, the internal conflicts were what proved to be most deadly.

For a major power like this, a centipede does not topple even in death, and it can only fall quickly if it rots from the inside out.

Unfortunately, the transcendent state of the Founder of the Three Pure Ones caused the Jade Emperor to lose the power to suppress all opposition, and previously subdued contradictions emerged one by one.

"By the way, have there been any leads on that mysterious person from the Demon Clan?" the Jade Emperor asked concernedly.

The Jade Emperor was very wary of this person hidden behind the Demon Clan. The fact that the Demon Clan had transformed into what it was today was largely attributed to this mysterious person, who significantly contributed to the precarious situation in which the Heavenly Court now found itself.

Thus, both the Divine Exorcist Great Sage and the Jade Emperor were desperate to uncover this person’s true identity.

Upon hearing this, the Divine Exorcist Great Sage replied with a slightly peculiar tone, "If the intelligence is correct, it should be a snake demon who calls himself Lin Fang."

"A snake demon, a mere snake demon can accomplish this? What is his background?" the Jade Emperor frowned.

In his mind, this mysterious person could have been a divine spirit from ancient times or a powerful cultivator in hiding; he had never imagined it would be a snake demon.

"He has no background; no matter how we investigate him, he appears to be just an ordinary snake demon," the Divine Exorcist Great Sage said, his eyes filled with confusion.

He was astonished to find after gathering information on Lin Fang that this monster seemed to be full of contradictions; everything about him spoke of his ordinariness, yet what he accomplished was anything but ordinary.

"An ordinary snake demon, an ordinary snake demon is capable of these deeds, capable of making figures like the Demon Emperor and the Demon Master heed his advice?" the Jade Emperor couldn’t believe it.

This made no sense.

"What we know so far is that Lin Fang is a monster born in Lingxu Cave and was enlightened by a wolf demon. Later when Sun Wukong killed that wolf demon, he seized the opportunity to steal the wolf demon’s Golden Core and then disappeared."

"Since then, he surfaced several times during Journey to the West, each time appearing stronger than before, finally gaining notoriety in the battle at Zhilei Mountain, where he was pursued by the Buddhist Sect and had to flee to Luzhou in the North. He was never seen again."

The Divine Exorcist Great Sage relayed the intelligence he had gathered, causing the Jade Emperor to furrow his brow.

This information was likely true, as it was so detailed it didn’t seem fabricated, but because of this, it seemed quite farcical.

A little monster that had been enlightened, transforming within a few short years into a major figure capable of stirring up significant trouble, commanding great figures like the Demon Emperor and the Demon Master, putting the Heavenly Court in difficult straits.

It sounded even more exaggerated than a story, making the Jade Emperor doubt the credibility of the intelligence.

"This humble servant also found it incredible upon first hearing it, yet all the intelligence points to him, indicating that he is the mastermind behind the scenes," the Divine Exorcist Great Sage said with a wry smile.

He too was incredulous when he first heard the news, always assuming there was an error in the intelligence, but upon close examination, he found the truth to be exactly so—he and others were being manipulated by a mere snake demon.