Returning to the Human Emperor Palace, Qin Yi first sealed the three clusters of Taiyi demon soul Origin into the treasury, and personally applied a layer of Seal on the six dinghai pearl for Mu Yaoyao to make her aura internal, facilitating her future nourishment and refinement.
For the following several hundred years, Qin Yi temporarily suspended handling the cumbersome affairs of the Human race and personally lectured on the Dao for Mu Yaoyao in the palace.
He was not limited to the Taiyin True Scripture, but started from the Origin of the heaven and earth Dao, expounding the wonders of Yin and Yang, Five Elements, space-time creation, and even the fire of civilization.
When he lectured on the Dao, his words became Law, the sound of the Dao echoed through the palace towers, heavenly flowers fell in a riot, and golden lotuses welled up from the earth.
The earth vein Spiritual Qi of Shouyang Mountain and the moonlight of the Nine Heavens surged accordingly, gathering into a Dao rhythm field most suitable for Mu Yaoyao to comprehend.
Mu Yaoyao eagerly absorbed these commanding principles of the Dao.
Qin Yi's explanation was profound yet simple, combining her own Taiyin and earth Foundation as well as the newly acquired water-path Dao of the dinghai pearl, giving her an unprecedentedly clear understanding of her own path.
She realized that her Dao might take the path of "Taiyin as the Foundation, thick virtue carrying all things, and dinghai calming the waves", ruling with the coolness of Taiyin, carrying with the thickness of the earth, and guarding with the might of dinghai, eventually evolving a "Taiyin Earth Sea" world that belonged exclusively to her.
As Qin Yi's lecture on the Dao deepened, Mu Yaoyao's Realm stabilized rapidly, her cultivation at the Early Stage of Profound Immortal was thoroughly consolidated, and her control over the Taiyin and earth Laws grew deeper daily, along with the quietly sprouting comprehension of the water path, space, and even a trace of the Dao of evolution contained within the dinghai pearl.
From the inside out, her whole person exuded a unique Dao rhythm that was calm, thick, and carried the clear radiance of moonlight, making her temperament increasingly transcendent and refined.
On this day, just as Qin Yi was lecturing on "The thick virtue of the earth, carrying and nurturing all things, is the mother of all things and also the destination of all spirits", he suddenly felt something in his heart and stopped lecturing on the Dao.
Mu Yaoyao also slowly awoke from the profound state of the Dao, and looked at Qin Yi in puzzlement: "Hubby, what's wrong?"
Qin Yi frowned slightly, looking towards the southwest direction of the Primordial World, his gaze seemingly traversing endless time and space, falling upon that place where Evil Qi soared into the sky and the wails of resentful souls endless—the Blood Sea!
"Fellow Daoist Houtu..."
He muttered softly, his tone carrying a trace of solemnity and realization, "The time has come."
Almost simultaneously, throughout the entire Primordial World, all mighty figures whose cultivation had reached a certain Realm, whether it was the Daoist Ancestor Hongjun lying high on the nine-layered clouds, Di Jun and Taiyi of the Heavenly Court, the Three Pure Ones of Kunlun, Jieyin and Zhunti of the West, or the other Ancestral Witches of the Wu Clan, Great Saints of the Demon Race, and secluded ancient god mighty figures, all felt their hearts involuntarily shudder, sensing a palpitation and grief originating from the depths of the Origin of heaven and earth!
In the southwest of the Primordial World, by the bank of the Blood Sea.
Ancestral Witch Houtu, dressed in a bright yellow, holy Dao robe, stood barefoot on the bank of the boundless Blood Sea, which rolled with viscous blood plasma and was filled with endless fierce Qi and the wails of resentful souls.
Her appearance remained dignified and compassionate, but her gaze was more complex than at any time in the past, filled with pity, struggle, resolute determination, and a trace of bewilderment about the future.
She had stood quietly here for thousands of years.
Ever since her last discussion on the Dao with Qin Yi, upon hearing the words "compassionate heart, thoughts of all living beings, reincarnation and rebirth", a seed had been planted in her heart.
Over these years—
Following the Wu Clan's learning from the Human race and the thorough resolution of her clansmen's survival problems, she completely laid down everything to travel across the Primordial World, her footprints stepping over thousands of mountains and rivers, the four seas and the eight desolate regions.
When she traveled to the Blood Sea and saw the countless wandering souls above the Blood Sea having no one to rely on, and the endless fierce Qi and resentment accumulated over hundreds of millions of years had become a huge tumor eroding the Primordial World and hindering the balance of Yin and Yang,
a compassion and sense of responsibility originating from the depths of her bloodline, from the Earth Mother (the Blood Sea transformed from Pangu's navel is also connected to the earth), drove her to come here.
She vaguely felt that her fated opportunity was right here, and her mission was also here.
"Heaven and earth are unkind, treating all things as straw dogs... Yet, all things have spirit, how should they fall into the Wujian Hell forever?"
Houtu looked at the resentful souls floating, struggling, and with ferocious expressions in the Blood Sea. Two lines of clear tears flowed from her holy and soft beautiful eyes. These tears dripped into the Blood Sea, unexpectedly temporarily calming the fierce Qi of a small patch of the Blood Sea.
"I was transformed from Pangu's essence blood, born carrying the thick virtue of the earth. Seeing the sufferings of all living beings and the imbalance of heaven and earth, my heart finds it truly difficult to be at peace."
She muttered softly, yet her voice seemed to resonate with the entire earth, "If there is no destination, how can living beings find peace? If there is no Samsara, how can heaven and earth be complete?"
An unprecedented realization exploded in her heart like a thunderclap!
In an instant, her soul was enlightened, and she understood the direction of her proving the Dao, as well as what this would mean!
She slowly raised her head, looking towards the vault of heaven with a firm gaze, no longer having the slightest bit of bewilderment.
"Father God above!—"
"Today, I deeply feel that the Primordial World is incomplete, and the souls of all living beings have no reliance. I am willing to use the body of an Ancestral Witch with Pangu's bloodline, discarding the cultivation, Lifespan, and bloodline of the Infinite Kalpa, to embody Samsara, sort out Yin and Yang, guide all spirits, purify the Blood Sea, and complete the Primordial World, I earnestly implore the Dao and Father God to jointly witness this!"
Houtu's voice was low at first, then grand, and finally resounded throughout the entire Primordial World, every single word containing the Dao rhythm of supreme great compassion, great Power of Vows, and great sacrifice!
As her words fell, an immeasurable earthy-yellow divine light began to erupt around Houtu's entire body. This light was pure, thick, and compassionate, filled with the vitality and carrying power of an Earth Mother God.
Her Ancestral Witch true body began to slowly dissipate, transforming into the purest earth Origin and the Law of Samsara, merging into the illusory place of "Netherworld" beneath the Blood Sea!
"Sister Houtu! No!—"
"Younger sister, no!—"
"Ancestral Witch Houtu!—"
In the ancestral land of the Wu Clan, Di Jiang, Zhurong, Gonggong, and the other eleven Ancestral Witches sensed that Houtu's aura was rapidly dissipating. They let out shocked, angry, and grief-stricken roars, frantically tearing through space and rushing toward the Blood Sea.
However, Houtu's action this time used herself as a trigger to stir the Dao and perform the act of completing heaven and earth. The process involved the most fundamental rule changes, and even Ancestral Witches could not forcefully interrupt it; otherwise, they would inevitably suffer the backlash of the Dao and be jointly executed by heaven and earth!
The Heavenly Court, Kunlun, the West, and mighty figures from all sides, upon hearing Houtu's Dao oath and the massive tremor of the Primordial World, experienced a frenzied and massive tremor in their minds one after another.
Ancestral Witch Houtu actually wanted to sacrifice herself to embody Samsara?!
Although this was an act of immeasurable Merit, at the same time it was proclaiming to the Primordial World that there would no longer be an Ancestral Witch Houtu in the world!
"Swish!—"
"Swish!—"
The Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, the Two Sages of the West, the Demon Heavenly Court, and other top-tier existences simultaneously opened their eyes. One by one, they looked toward the Blood Sea, and upon seeing that holy and flawless bright yellow figure, their minds were filled with reverence and deep thought.
"Wuwu!—"
The Blood Sea was churning crazily, with monstrous waves hundreds of millions of zhang high painting the heaven and earth, reflecting all Realms and heavens, space-time and the universe, as if it were cheering and joyfully celebrating, witnessing the birth of the Earth Dao.
Shouyang Mountain, Human Emperor Palace.
Houtu making an oath to the Great Dao as a descendant of Pangu directly shook the entire Primordial World. Qin Yi, who had just finished his lecture on the Dao, suddenly stood up and directly cast his gaze toward the Sea of Blood.
"Yaoyao, you must seclude yourself properly here and patiently wait for my return!"
He gave a brief instruction, and his figure instantly vanished.
The next moment—
Qin Yi directly used a Divine Ability of the Great Dao, traversing space-time dimensions and speeding toward the Sea of Blood. Upon arriving at the Sea of Blood, he immediately saw terrifying heaven and earth anomalies, as well as the other eleven Ancestral Witches.
"Fellow Daoist Qin Yi!—"
Seeing his figure and recalling his Karma with her younger sister, Xuanming felt somewhat curious inside.
Dijiang and the other Ancestral Witches all wore sorrowful expressions. They already knew this was a fated opportunity for their younger sister to attain the Dao, but once she sacrificed herself to transform into Samsara, she would no longer be an Ancestral Witch.
"Greetings, Fellow Daoists!—"
Qin Yi first executed an obeisance toward the Ancestral Witches, then fixed his gaze tightly on Houtu's dissipating yet persistent phantom condensing the Law of Samsara, as well as the unceasingly turbulent Sea of Blood soaring with baleful qi.
"Fellow Daoist Houtu has benefited the Primordial World with her great benevolent deeds and great kindness, and I, Qin, admire her immensely! Today, this poor Daoist will do his utmost to see if he can lend Fellow Daoist a helping hand!"
As Qin Yi's words fell, he sat cross-legged in the void above the Sea of Blood, forming profound seal arts with both hands as the aura around his body suddenly changed!
A supreme Dao rhyme of heaviness, bearing, nurturing, and upbringing erupted boomingly from within his body! This aura was actually of the same Origin as the Earth Origin and Law of Samsara that Houtu was transforming into, and even... was purer, older, and more vast!
"I am the first Earth Immortal of the Primordial World, bearing the virtue of the earth and enjoying the Fortune of the Earth Dao! Today, I shall use the Origin of my Earth Immortal Dao Fruit as a guide to sense the Earth Dao and help perfect Samsara!"
Above Qin Yi's head, an earth-yellow Dao Fruit wreathed in phantoms of countless mountains and earth veins, emitting an endless Dao rhyme of heaviness and vitality, slowly emerged—it was precisely the Earth Immortal Dao Fruit he had achieved back then! This Dao Fruit not only represented his personal cultivation, but also contained a trace of the status of'Son of the Earth Dao' initially recognized by the Primordial Earth Dao!
"The Earth Dao is abstruse and dim, Samsara ought to be established! In the name of the Earth Immortal, I invite the Earth Dao to manifest and assist Fellow Daoist Houtu in accomplishing this boundless Merit!"
Following Qin Yi's prayer, the Earth Immortal Dao Fruit above his head emitted a brilliant light, and a pure, heavy earth-yellow pillar of light soared into the sky, plunging into the abstruse void as if calling out to something.
"Still not enough!—"
Qin Yi's gaze turned fierce as he waved his hand once more!
An ancient, mottled bronze ancient lamp with earth-yellow flame appeared out of thin air, suspending in front of him—it was precisely that earth lamp obtained from the Wu Clan's treasury, which contained a trace of the Earth Origin and the Dao of Protection!
"The earth lamp protects, the Origin empowers! Burn!"
Qin Yi pointed at the earth lamp, and its earth-yellow flame suddenly surged! The raging flames were not scorching; instead, they emitted endless warmth, protection, and the nurturing power of the earth.
This flame blended with the Origin of Qin Yi's Earth Immortal Dao Fruit, transforming into a much thicker and more solidified earth-yellow torrent that closely followed the previous pillar of light and rushed into the void!
"Hum—!!!"
A muffled and grand Dao resonance resounded between heaven and earth!
It was as if some behemoth that had slumbered for endless years had been awakened by this call containing the status of'Son of the Earth Dao' and the power of the Earth Origin!
Beneath the Sea of Blood, that originally illusory and difficult-to-form land of the 'Netherworld' suddenly shook violently!
Immediately afterward, in the center of the Sea of Blood, under the gaze of countless terrified eyes, forty-nine giant, budding earth-yellow lotus phantoms manifested out of thin air and slowly rotated!
Each of these lotuses was as large as a mountain, their petals naturally inscribed with incomparably profound Dao divine patterns, emitting supreme Dao rhymes of heaviness, bearing, Samsara, life and death, judgment, purification... and all kinds of things related to the earth, the netherworld, and Samsara! They were unexpectedly—the phantoms of the forty-nine 'Great Dao Divine Lotuses' manifested by the Earth Origin! (Note: Corresponding to the fifty of the Heavenly Dao where one escapes, the Earth Dao also has the number of forty-nine.)
As soon as these divine lotus phantoms came out, the originally turbulent Sea of Blood was instantly suppressed by an indescribably heavy force, and most of the baleful qi dissipated. Houtu's phantom, which was on the verge of dissipating, seemed to be infused with endless power, instantly becoming solid and bright! The Law of Samsara she transformed into, under the protection and empowerment of these forty-nine Earth Dao divine lotuses, was perfected, stabilized, and expanded at an astonishing speed!
A clear, huge wheel phantom divided into six vortexes (representing the Six Paths of Samsara) began to slowly solidify behind Houtu's phantom! As the wheel rotated, the vengeful souls in the Sea of Blood seemed to be summoned; their baleful qi was purified, their expressions turned serene, and they swarmed toward the wheel, plunging into different vortexes.
Samsara was rapidly taking shape at a speed far exceeding its original trajectory!
"The Earth Dao! It is the manifestation of the Earth Origin!" exclaimed a knowledgeable Innate sacred being in shock.
"Qin Yi... He is actually able to use his own Earth Immortal Dao Fruit and the earth lamp to trigger the manifestation of the Earth Dao to assist Houtu?! Exactly what relationship does he have with the Earth Dao?!" Heavenly Court giants like Di Jun and Taiyi wore extremely solemn expressions.
Sages (or Quasi-Sages) such as Sanqing, Jieyin, and Zhunti also wore varied expressions, their eyes flickering with shock, contemplation, and deep dread.
The Earth Dao was one of the Primordial Sovereigns on par with the Heavenly Dao! Although it had always remained hidden and unapparent, its status was supreme! Qin Yi was actually able to trigger a response from the Earth Origin; this child's foundation far exceeded their imagination!
"Fellow Daoist Houtu, the time has come; why haven't you completely transformed into Samsara yet?!"
Qin Yi's voice sounded once again, carrying encouragement and urging.
Houtu's phantom (which was now nearly solid, radiating compassion and majesty) took a deep look at Qin Yi, her eyes filled with gratitude.
She knew that without Qin Yi using his Earth Immortal Dao Fruit and the earth lamp to trigger the manifestation of the Earth Dao, relying solely on herself—even if she successfully transformed her body into Samsara—the process would be a hundred times harder, and she might even fall short of success due to the Sea of Blood's backlash or insufficient power, ultimately resulting in an incomplete Samsara.
"I earnestly ask Father God and the Great Dao to witness this: today, Houtu transforms her body into Samsara to complete the Earth Dao! The Six Paths of Samsara, be established!"
Houtu's phantom issued a clear declaration, and then completely merged with the Six Paths of Samsara disc!
"Rumble—!!!"
The Primordial World violently shook once again! This time, it was not destruction, but rebirth and perfection!
Boundless Qi of Xuanhuang Merit descended from the sky. Eight-tenths fell to where Houtu (who perhaps should now be called Empress Pingxin) had merged with the Samsara disc, one-tenth flew toward Qin Yi as a reward for his Merit in triggering the Earth Dao and assisting Samsara, and the remaining one-tenth was distributed to all living beings who had contributed or felt gratitude during the establishment of Samsara.
At the same time, after completely stabilizing Samsara, the forty-nine Earth Dao divine lotus phantoms above the Sea of Blood slowly faded away, returning to the depths of the Earth Origin.
But before fading away, one of the most core divine lotuses with the most complete Dao rhyme separated a trace of subtle yet incomparably pure Origin breath, which silently integrated into Qin Yi's body and merged into one with his slightly dimmed Earth Immortal Dao Fruit
"Hum—"
The Dao Fruit in Qin Yi's Sea of Consciousness trembled slightly, and he felt that his connection with the Primordial World's earth instantly became a thousand times closer. His comprehension of Laws such as the earth, Samsara, and the netherworld became countless times clearer!
More importantly, he felt that his status as the "Son of Earth" had become even more real and solid, and even... had a hint of being "ordained" by the Earth Dao!
He knew he had done the right thing!
At the cost of consuming part of the Earth Immortal Dao Fruit's Origin and the earth lamp's Origin in exchange for the Earth Dao manifesting early and stabilizing Samsara, he not only saved Houtu (Empress Pingxin), sparing her from a potentially even more difficult plight in her original trajectory, but he also forged an immeasurably deep Karma with the Earth Dao, bringing endless benefits in the future!
As Samsara was completely established and Merit descended, the violent Qi of the Sea of Blood was heavily purified and became much calmer.
A towering, archaic palace phantom emanating the aura of Samsara (which would futurely be the Daoist sanctuary of Empress Pingxin, later known as the "Pingxin Palace" or "Samsara Palace") faintly emerged deep within the Sea of Blood.
Across the Primordial World, all living beings—whether righteous or evil, immortal or mortal—felt a sudden insight at this moment, comprehending the existence and meaning of "Samsara".
From then on, souls had a destination, good and evil received their retribution, and the operation of heaven and earth became even more Perfected.
"Congratulations to Goddess Houtu for attaining the Lord of Earth Dao, and profound thanks to Goddess Houtu for her merciful grace!"
"Congratulations to Goddess Houtu for attaining the Lord of Earth Dao, and profound thanks to Goddess Houtu for her merciful grace!"
Hundreds of millions of living beings in the Primordial World clearly felt that heaven and earth were perfecting themselves, and the Earth Dao Samsara began to operate formally. After death, living beings would no longer become lonely ghosts, but could once again enter Reincarnation and be reborn. One by one, they prostrated themselves in worship toward that supreme and holy phantom.
"Compassion to Goddess Houtu, and deep thanks to Goddess Houtu!—"
"Compassion to Goddess Houtu, and deep thanks to Goddess Houtu!—"
The Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, the Two Sages of the West, and even the Demon Heavenly Court, the mortal enemy of the Wu tribe, all solemnly bowed to Houtu's phantom, thanking her for her contributions to the Primordial World.
"Whoosh!—"
As the worldly anomalies gradually dissipated, Qin Yi put away the Earth Immortal Dao Fruit and the earth lamp, whose lights were slightly dim.
This consumption was immense. Not only did he use the Origin of the Earth Immortal Dao Fruit, but the Origin of the earth lamp was also consumed quite a bit, but for him, the harvest was incomparably huge.
Upon inner inspection, although the brilliance of the Earth Immortal Dao Fruit was slightly reduced, its core possessed an indescribably heavy, archaic brand imbued with the aura of Samsara. That was the "imprint" bestowed by the core divine lotus of the Earth Dao, and its value far exceeded the consumption!
He looked toward the center of the Six Paths of Samsara disc, which was gradually solidifying and radiating an aura of compassion and majesty. Faintly visible was the phantom of a woman dressed in bright yellow palace attire; her face was identical to Houtu's, but her temperament was even calmer, more detached, and seemed to merge into one with the entire netherworld earth—Empress Pingxin!
She had not completely vanished, but "existed" in another form that was even greater, yet also limited by the duties of Samsara.
At this moment—
She seemed to sense Qin Yi's gaze, her beautiful eyes holding deep gratitude. Opening her lips slightly, a gentle yet clear voice entered the ears of Qin Yi and the ancestral witches such as Dijiang:
"Many thanks, Fellow Daoist Qin Yi, for assisting with the Origin of the Earth Dao, which allowed Samsara to stabilize in advance and spared me many tribulations. This grace shall be engraved in Pingxin's heart."
She paused slightly, her voice carrying a trace of imperceptible sorrow as she looked at Dijiang and the others. "My brothers, little sister... Pingxin greets my brothers. From now on, Houtu no longer exists; there is only Pingxin guarding Samsara and organizing the netherworld. No longer of the Wu tribe, I will also find it difficult to walk out of this Sea of Blood and netherworld. I hope my brothers... take care!"
Houtu vaguely sensed that after transforming herself into Samsara, even if she became the supreme Lord of Earth Dao in the future, it would still be very difficult for her to enter the Primordial World again.
At that time, where would the Wu-Yao battle and the destiny of her Wu tribe head?
Hearing this, ancestral witches like Dijiang, Zhurong, and Gonggong had tears in their tiger eyes. They could sense the familiar aura belonging to Houtu on "Pingxin", but they also clearly perceived her complete severance from the Wu tribe and her past.
From then on, the Wu tribe had one fewer ancestral witch, but the Primordial World gained an Empress Pingxin who wielded Samsara and possessed boundless Merit!
"Little sister... No, Empress Pingxin." Dijiang took a deep breath, suppressing the grief in his heart, and said in a deep voice, "You sacrificed yourself to achieve greatness for all living beings of the Primordial World. We, your brothers... are proud of you! In the future, if there is ever a need, the Wu tribe... will certainly do our utmost!"
The other ancestral witches also nodded one after another, their gazes toward Pingxin filled with complex emotions.
Earlier, when Houtu sacrificed herself to transform into Samsara, she had vaguely sensed her 'destiny', so she handed a portion of her essence blood to her eldest brother, Dijiang, hoping to nurture another ancestral witch with the help of the Wu tribe's Secret Realm, the 'Blood Pond'. In this way, the Wu tribe's strongest trump card, the Twelve Capital Heavenly Gods Grand Formation, would have no flaws.
In the future, if there was a decisive battle between the Wu and Demon races, the Wu tribe would also have the strength to contend against the Demon Heavenly Court!
Hearing elder brother Dijiang's words, Pingxin's (Houtu's) phantom nodded slightly, and then her gaze turned once again to Qin Yi.
"Fellow Daoist Qin Yi has suffered quite a loss, so please go back and adjust your breath first. Once Samsara is completely stabilized and the netherworld is initially settled, Pingxin will invite you to come over for a chat to thank you for your virtue of assistance, and we also have important matters to discuss!"
Having just sacrificed herself to transform into Samsara, she was currently adapting to and controlling the authority of the Earth Dao. Regarding the future Wu-Yao Calamity and the destiny of her Wu tribe, she perceived that Qin Yi would become the 'key'!
Therefore, Pingxin prepared to become the true Lord of Earth Dao as soon as possible, and then use the authority of the Earth Dao to deduce the 'future' to see if she could change the Wu-Yao Calamity and the destiny of her Wu tribe.
"You are too polite, Goddess!—"
Qin Yi cupped his hands. "Being able to assist the Goddess in attaining the Dao is also this Daoist's honor. Now that the Goddess has just taken charge of Samsara and affairs are complex, this poor Taoist will not disturb you further. When the Goddess summons me, I will definitely come!"
With that, he nodded to Dijiang and the other ancestral witches, his figure flashing as he turned into a streak of light and returned to Shouyang Mountain.
Returning to the Human Emperor Palace, Mu Yaoyao had long been waiting eagerly at the palace gates.
Seeing Qin Yi return, although his aura was slightly chaotic and his complexion slightly pale, his spirit was still good. She breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly stepped forward to support him.
"Darling, are you alright? The commotion earlier was so loud, I felt the entire heaven and earth shaking, and there was so much golden light of Merit... I was worried to death." Mu Yaoyao asked with concern, her beautiful eyes filled with heartache.
Qin Yi held her hand and smiled. "It's fine, I only consumed some Origin and just need to adjust my breath for a period of time. What happened just now was Ancestral Witch Houtu sacrificing herself to transform into Samsara and complete the Primordial World, which is a boundless act of Merit. I happened to encounter it and lent a meager hand to assist."
He simply informed Mu Yaoyao of what happened in the Sea of Blood, leaving her heart fluttering. She felt deeply admiring of Houtu's (Empress Pingxin's) compassion and sacrifice, and also proud that Qin Yi could participate in such a grand heavenly and earthly event
As a Transmigration traveler from Earth, Mu Yaoyao did not know too much about ancient myths, but she had naturally heard of the legendary Goddess Houtu of the Underworld.
Now, upon learning that her lover could actually assist Goddess Houtu in sacrificing herself to transform into Samsara, completing the order of the prehistoric heaven and earth and allowing all spirits to undergo Reincarnation, such a great benevolent act was truly shocking!
"I really didn't expect that you, hubby, could actually assist Goddess Houtu in perfecting the Underworld. You are truly amazing!"
Mu Yaoyao exclaimed, her beautiful eyes filled with adoration.
"All of this is driven by Karma! Next, I plan to enter secluded cultivation for a period of time to properly digest what I have gained this time. You also need to properly consolidate your cultivation. After I emerge from seclusion, we will travel through the prehistoric world together!"
Qin Yi knew that his assistance to Houtu in perfecting the Underworld this time marked his formal entry into the sights of various top-tier forces. Aside from the Demon Heavenly Court, the supreme Heavenly Dao Sage would inevitably scrutinize him, no longer treating him as a pawn that could be casually manipulated like before.
"Mhm——"
"Your Majesty, take ease in your secluded cultivation, I will take good care of myself!"
Mu Yaoyao nodded obediently.
Qin Yi gently rubbed her head, and then entered the secluded cultivation hall of the Human Emperor Palace.
This secluded cultivation—
The primary task was to recover the depleted Origin of the Earth Immortal Dao Fruit and the earth lamp Origin. Fortunately, he had a wealthy background, with the Fortune of Shouyang Mountain and even the entire Human race converging, countless resources, and a large amount of Merit just obtained (though only ten percent, it was still vast beyond measure). Recovering was not difficult; it simply required time to settle and make the Origin purer.
Secondly, it was to digest the "imprint" bestowed by the core divine lotus of the Earth Dao.
This imprint was no small matter; it not only deepened his connection with the Earth Dao and stabilized his status as the "Son of the Earth Dao", but it also contained the profound Dao rhymes of the Earth Dao Origin regarding aspects such as "Samsara", "Life and Death", "Judgment", and "Purification".
Qin Yi immersed himself in it, his understanding of the Earth Law advancing by leaps and bounds. He even touched the edge of the Netherworld Samsara Dao, which would bring immeasurable benefits to his future perfection of his own Dao and even his arrangements in the prehistoric world.
At the same time, he also took the opportunity to sort out what he had learned, combining his experience of triggering the Earth Dao this time and his insights into Samsara with his own Human Emperor Dao, Civilization Dao, and the cultivation Realm of the Taiyi Golden Immortal, vaguely touching the threshold of a higher level.
Just as Qin Yi was in secluded cultivation digesting his gains, the tremors caused by the establishment of Samsara and the manifestation of the Earth Dao in the prehistoric world had only just begun.
Heavenly Court, Lingxiao Palace.
Di Jun sat high on the Heavenly Emperor's throne with a gloomy expression. Taiyi stood by his side with sharp eyes. Below, high-level figures such as the Demon Master Kunpeng and the Ten Great Demon Saints gathered together, and the atmosphere was heavy.
"Houtu transformed into Samsara, completed heaven and earth, and obtained boundless Merit. Although her body is no longer of the Witch race, she has achieved Empress Pingxin, ruling over Samsara, and her status is even above ordinary Sages!" Di Jun said in a low voice, "This is the great righteousness of the Witch race, and also a great Karma! From now on, the Fortune of the Witch race, because of Pingxin, will likely receive the blessing of Samsara, making it even harder to decline!"
"What is even more worrisome is that human Qin Yi!" Taiyi chimed in, his tone grim, "He was actually able to trigger the Earth Dao Origin and assist Houtu! This kid has a close relationship with the Earth Dao, and now he has gained Pingxin's gratitude and is connected with the Fortune of the Human race... As time goes on, with him holding down the fort for the Human race, protected vaguely by the Earth Dao, and possibly receiving help from Pingxin's Samsara, they will inevitably grow increasingly powerful and may become a mortal threat to our Demon Race!"
Kunpeng's eyeballs rolled, and he said sinisterly: "Your Majesty, Eastern Emperor, now that Qin Yi has depleted his Origin and is at his weakest time, why not simply take this opportunity to strangle him in one go?"
"No!——"
Di Jun directly interrupted.
"Qin Yi has just established a great Merit for heaven and earth, gaining Heavenly Dao Merit and the favor of the Earth Dao. Moving against him at this time is equivalent to provoking the Heavenly Dao and Earth Dao at the same time! Moreover, that group of barbarians from the Witch race is currently feeling grateful for his kindness in helping Houtu, and they will definitely protect him with their lives!"
"Coupled with the fact that Goddess Nüwa previously specifically asked me for a favor to protect Qin Yi, if I were to strangle Qin Yi at this time, it would thoroughly displease Goddess Nüwa. In our future decisive battle between the Heavenly Court and the Witch race, what would we use to resist Empress Pingxin, the Sovereign of the Earth Dao?"
During the First Lich War, the Witch race formed the Twelve Capital Heavenly Gods Grand Formation to summon the true form of Pangu. If Ancestor Dao Hongjun had not stepped in to help, the Demon Race would have been completely wiped out.
Di Jun still had a fresh memory of that desperate mindset back then. Now that the Ancestral Witch Houtu was about to become the supreme Sovereign of the Earth Dao, without the help of the Heavenly Dao Sage Goddess Nüwa, even with the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Formation and the Hunyuan Heluo Formation, the Heavenly Court simply could not resist the orthodox Pangu Witch race.
Although human Qin Yi had already begun to rise in momentum, he was currently only a Taiyi Golden Immortal, and dispatching any Daluo demon god at random could wipe him out.
However, killing him was easy, but the consequences were unbearable.
Aside from completely displeasing Goddess Nüwa, the boundless Merit he possessed made it impossible for their Demon Heavenly Court to bear the massive backlash of Karma!
Therefore, Di Jun had always been very clear-headed and rejected the demon god Kunpeng's proposal.
After all, the destined enemy of the Demon Heavenly Court was the Witch race, not the Human race created by Goddess Nüwa!
"What eldest brother says is extremely right!——"
Taiyi nodded in agreement, his expression filled with solemnity.
"The most urgent task is to quickly enhance our Heavenly Court's combat power. Once my eldest brother and I together prove the Dao to Hunyuan, even if the Witch race has Empress Pingxin as the Sovereign of the Earth Dao, we can directly flatten the Witch race and let our Heavenly Court truly Sovereign over the prehistoric world!"
"Second brother, could it be that you have already comprehended the fated opportunity for proving the Dao?"
Upon hearing Taiyi's words, Di Jun, sitting high on the Heavenly Emperor's chair, showed a trace of joy on his face.
"No!——"
Taiyi shook his head gently, a trace of bitterness showing on his face.
Although walking the path of proving the Dao through strength provided the strongest combat power, this 'Dao' was also the most difficult. The Sanqing, Nüwa, Jieyin, and Zhunti of his contemporaries successively proved the Dao, but Taiyi remained stuck at the half-step Hunyuan Realm, failing to comprehend the fated opportunity for proving the Dao for a long time.
"Eldest brother!——"
"What you walk is the method of proving the Dao through "Three Corpses Slaying", which requires the foundation of sanctification, the Hongmeng Purple Qi. There is still one strand left between heaven and earth in the prehistoric world. If you can prove your Dao and become a Sage before the tribulation breaks out, relying on our Heavenly Court's foundation and Goddess Nüwa, the Witch race will simply not be anything to worry about!"
"Whoosh!——"
After Taiyi's words fell, the eyes of everyone in Lingxiao Palace all lit up.
"Your Majesty the Eastern Emperor makes complete sense!"
"If the Heavenly Emperor can obtain the foundation of sanctification, the Hongmeng Purple Qi, relying on our Demon Heavenly Court's massive Fortune, we can directly prove the Dao and become a Sage without having to establish a religion like the Sanqing and Western Sages!"
"Once the one hundred Yuanhui period set by the Ancestor Dao passes, we can directly launch a decisive battle, flatten the Witch race in one fell swoop, and let our Demon Heavenly Court truly Sovereign over the prehistoric world!"
Luwu, Jiuying, and other demon gods rubbed their hands eagerly one by one. They cast their gazes toward Wuzhuang Temple, while Kunpeng's gaze was somewhat gloomy. After lowering his brow, a trace of resentment inadvertently flashed across his eyes
"The last strand of Hongmeng purple Qi! ——"
Di Jun tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of his imperial throne, a brilliant flash passing through his eyes.
Ever since the Daoist ancestor Hongjun conferred the positions of Sages at Zixiao Palace, the Sanqing, Goddess Nüwa, and the Two Western Sages had successively attained the Dao and become Sages, but one remaining strand of Hongmeng purple Qi was in the hands of Hongyun, the perennial good guy of the Primordial world.
Countless top-tier mighty figures coveted this strand of Hongmeng purple Qi.
Over the years, he had been hiding in Wuzhuang Temple, relying on Zhen Yuanzi's Innate Wu Earth Formation to protect himself.
"Although Hongyun is a veteran mighty figure of the Primordial world and received the Hongmeng purple Qi bestowed personally by the Daoist ancestor, his fortunate affinity is meager and his virtue is unworthy of his position. Having such a foundation for attaining Sagehood in his hands is truly a waste of heavenly treasures."
Di Jun spoke slowly, his tone carrying a trace of unquestionable majesty and a hint of imperceptible greed, "If it can be obtained by our Demon Race and help me or my Second Brother attain the Dao of Hundun, our Demon Heavenly Court will definitely completely suppress the Wu Clan and unify the Primordial world!"
"Your Majesty is wise! ——"
Kunpeng was the first to step out in agreement, a cold light flickering in his eyes as he began to scheme inwardly.
"Ever since parting at Zixiao Palace, that Hongyun has kept a low profile, befriending Zhen Yuanzi and residing often in Wuzhuang Temple. But he will always have a time when he is alone. As long as we find an opportunity, set up an inescapable net, and seize his purple Qi with thunderous momentum, I reckon that Zhen Yuanzi will be utterly helpless!"
Di Jun nodded.
He knew the Karma forged between Kunpeng and Hongyun over the matter of giving up seats at Zixiao Palace, making Kunpeng the most suitable person to scheme regarding this matter.
"Demon Master, this matter will be entirely entrusted to you. Be extremely cautious and meticulous, ascertain Hongyun's whereabouts, figure out his life-saving trump cards, contact reliable mighty figures, and formulate a foolproof plan. The Heavenly Court will fully support whatever manpower and resources are needed!"
"This subject obeys the decree!"
Kunpeng bowed to accept the decree, a smile inadvertently curving the corner of his mouth.
"Your Majesty."
Fuxi, who had been closing his eyes in concentration and pinching his fingers to calculate, slowly opened his eyes at this moment.
He had a scholarly temperament, and the Dao rhyme of heavenly secrets faintly flowed around his entire body: "Just now, I used the secret art of heavenly secrets combined with recent changes in the earthly Qi to deduce various variables after Houtu transformed into the Samsara, and I have gained some insights."
"Oh? What discoveries does Emperor Xi have?"
Di Jun, Taiyi, and all the demon saints felt a lift in their spirits and looked toward Fuxi one after another.
Fuxi's expression was calm, but deep within his eyes lay an unhideable excitement: "Ancestor Witch Houtu—no, now she should be called Empress Pingxin. By transforming her body into the Samsara, she completed heaven and earth and achieved immeasurable Merit. Her status has indeed surpassed ordinary Sages, mastering the core of the Earthly Dao and standing alongside the Heavenly Dao."
He paused, glanced around at everyone, and said word by word: "However, I deduced the heavenly secrets, combined with the constraints of the Laws where the Earthly Dao first manifested and the Samsara was initially created, and arrived at a critical conclusion: Empress Pingxin is restricted by the authority of the Samsara and the Earthly Dao. Her true body and even most of her power will be forever suppressed in the Netherworld Blood Sea, making it difficult for her to easily step foot onto the Primordial land! Although she is the Lord of the Earthly Dao, she cannot freely walk the Primordial world or intervene in worldly affairs like other Sages!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall was shocked!
Immediately followed by irrepressible wild joy!
"Is this true?!"
Di Jun abruptly sat up straight, divine light bursting forth from his eyes.
"If this is truly the case, it is truly Heaven blessing our Demon Race!"
Taiyi slapped his hands and laughed aloud, the congestion in his chest largely dissipating.
"Haha! This is simply wonderful! Since Houtu... Empress Pingxin cannot enter the Primordial world, the Wu Clan will forever lack one of their strongest Ancestor Witches! From now on, the Twelve Capital Heavenly Gods Grand Formation will have a fatal flaw!"
Demon saints like Yingzhao and Jimeng roared excitedly.
"Indeed!" another demon saint chimed in, "Moreover, lacking Houtu—the Ancestor Witch who excels most at defense, is most compassionate, and possesses the most wisdom—the Wu Clan's strategy, defense, and even internal unity will be greatly discounted! As one grows and the other wanes, our Demon Race's chances of winning have vastly increased!"
Fuxi nodded slightly and spoke further.
"Not only that. Although Empress Pingxin transformed her body into the Samsara, obtaining great Merit and a lofty status, she has also completely severed ties with her body as a Wu Clan Ancestor Witch. Restricted by the dual rules of the Heavenly Dao and the Earthly Dao, in the conflict between the Wu and Demon Races, even if her heart leans toward the Wu Clan, the direct assistance she can provide is extremely limited. At most, she can secretly look after a few heroic souls of the Wu Clan who died in battle to ensure their smooth Samsara, but she cannot directly take part in the battle, nor can she lend the power of the Earthly Dao to the Wu Clan for combat."
"Wonderful! Extremely wonderful!"
Di Jun stroked his beard and laughed heartily, the fire of ambition burning fiercely in his eyes.
"Without Houtu, the biggest variable and threat, the Wu Clan's Twelve Capital Heavenly Gods Grand Formation can hardly ever be Perfected again! Meanwhile, our Demon Race's Zhou Tian Xing Dou Formation and the Hundun Hetu Formation have been continuously practiced and Perfected over these years, and their might is long no longer what it used to be! Second Brother, if you can make further progress, or if I have hope of obtaining the Hongmeng purple Qi, why worry that the Wu Clan will not be destroyed?!"
Taiyi nodded heavily, his heroic spirit soaring to the clouds: "Elder brother, rest assured! Without Houtu holding them back, the Wu Clan are merely a bunch of brutes! Our Demon Heavenly Court has elite troops and capable generals, peerless Formations, and Goddess Nüwa overseeing us. As long as we plan properly, once the opportunity arrives, we will definitely settle the cosmos in one stroke!"
Kunpeng also sneered repeatedly: "That being said, the matter of scheming to seize Hongyun's Hongmeng purple Qi is even more crucial. If Your Majesty can take the lead in attaining Sagehood, then commanding the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Formation with the majesty of a Sage will increase its might by more than double? Suppressing the Wu Clan will be as easy as turning over one's hand!"
The atmosphere of the entire Lingxiao Palace instantly shifted from solemn to high-spirited and inspired.
The restriction preventing Houtu (Empress Pingxin) from stepping into the Primordial world was like removing the largest boulder pressing down on the hearts of the Demon Race!
Although Empress Pingxin achieved the position of Lord of the Earthly Dao with a lofty status, as long as she could not directly participate in battle, the threat to the Demon Race was greatly reduced.
"Transmit my imperial decree! ——"
Di Jun was full of vigor and directly issued his commands.
"All divisions of demon gods, step up your drills and enhance your strength! Demon Master Kunpeng, put all your effort into scheming for the Hongmeng purple Qi! Emperor Xi Fuxi, continue deducing heavenly secrets, closely monitoring the Wu Clan's movements and Empress Pingxin's progress in controlling the Samsara! Donghuang Taiyi, step up your comprehension and seek the opportunity to attain the Dao!"
"We respectfully obey Your Majesty's decree!"
All the demons responded in unison, their voices shaking the palace hall.
"Additionally! ——"
Di Jun's gaze swept toward those below and he continued to speak.
"The monitoring of Qin Yi of the Human race must not be relaxed, but do not take radical actions for the time being. Although this child has an affinity with the Earthly Dao and has gained Empress Pingxin's gratitude, his own strength is not yet to be feared, and the Human race as a whole is far from becoming a climate. The current primary enemy remains the Wu Clan! After solving the Wu Clan and freeing up our hands, it will not be too late to deal with the Human race. However, we must guard against him getting too close to Empress Pingxin or even the Wu Clan."
"This subject respectfully obeys Your Majesty's decree!"
"We respectfully obey Your Majesty's decree!"
A conspiracy targeting Hongyun's Hongmeng purple Qi quietly unfolded among the upper echelons of the Demon Heavenly Court.
And because of the news deduced by Fuxi that Empress Pingxin was trapped in the Netherworld, the morale of the entire Heavenly Court soared high, filling them with unprecedented confidence and anticipation for the future decisive battle between the Wu and Demon Races.
They seemed to already see that in the near future, the Demon Heavenly Court would trample flat Mount Buzhou and annihilate the Wu Clan, the Heavenly Emperor and the Eastern Emperor would attain the Dao and become Sages, rule over all tribes of the Primordial world, and establish an eternal and immortal prosperous era of the Heavenly Court!