Primordial Era: Cultivation level equals the sum of the Jie Sect's total; the Three Pure Ones a

"Wait a minute."

Xuan Du paused, then turned around to look.

Tongtian gazed at him, his eyes deep and unfathomable:

"If the Earth Goddess Houtu asks about the final battle between the Lich King and the Demon King when you go to the Underworld... how will you answer?"

Upon hearing this, Xuan Du remained silent for a moment.

He knew what his master was worried about.

Although Houtu is a saint of the earth and in charge of reincarnation, she is ultimately the ancestral witch of the witch clan.

With the eleventh Ancestral Witch falling and the Nine Phoenixes dying in battle, tens of millions of Witch Clan youths survived, but the Ancestral Witches were all wiped out, and the Witch Clan suffered a severe blow.

Although Houtu has transcended worldly life, how can the bond of blood be completely severed?

If she asks, how should I answer?

Xuan Du slowly raised his eyes, his gaze calm:

"I will tell you the truth."

"The eleven ancestral witches, of the bloodline of the witch clan, are the true descendants of Pangu, and fought to the very last moment."

"The Earth Goddess, located atop the Nine Phoenix Peak, maintains the Great Array of Heavenly Gods and Demons with her body, which is a fusion of fire and earth, until its origin is completely burned out."

"All the sons of the Wu tribe were moved to Jin'ao Island by the disciples, and none of them perished."

He paused, his voice turning deep:

"Though the ancestral witch has perished, her bloodline remains."

"The witch clan has not been destroyed, and its lineage has not been broken."

"This is the explanation that your disciple can give to the Goddess Houtu."

After listening, Tongtian remained silent for a long time.

Then, he slowly nodded:

"good."

"Go."

Xuan Du nodded emphatically, turned around, and took a step forward.

"Buzz".

The void rippled silently.

The figure in green vanished in an instant before Biyou Palace.

......

Underworld.

The road to the underworld is long and winding, and the River of Oblivion flows on and on.

At the Bridge of Helplessness, Meng Po holds a bowl of soup, handing it to the departing souls one after another.

Beneath the bridge, countless spirits lined up, some bewildered, some sorrowful, some serene, and some liberated.

The cycle of reincarnation has been firmly established.

The giant seal of the Six Paths of Reincarnation hangs in the void, its six rays of light endlessly rotating. The illusory gates of the six realms—heaven, man, asura, animal, hungry ghost, and hell—appear and disappear.

On the giant seal, a figure in pale yellow stood with his hands behind his back.

Houtu Niangniang (Goddess of the Earth).

She stood alone on the Samsara Seal, the Samsara Dao patterns flowing endlessly around her, her gaze lowered, looking down at the true spirits that continuously poured into Samsara.

Her beautiful face showed neither sorrow nor joy.

Yet, deep within those chaotic-colored eyes, there lay a faint trace of... melancholy.

She sensed it.

They sensed destructive fluctuations in the direction of Buzhou Mountain.

They sensed the collapse of the Great Array of Heavenly Gods and Demons.

I sensed eleven familiar auras... which completely dissipated.

My brothers have fallen.

Jiufeng also perished.

Although the young men of the Wu tribe were rescued by Xuandu, the ancestral Wu tribe was wiped out, and the Wu tribe suffered a great loss of vitality.

The true lineage of Pangu, from this point on... there are no more Ancestral Witches.

Houtu slowly closed her eyes.

A hint of sadness, difficult to conceal, flashed across that beautiful face.

But it was only for a moment.

When she opened her eyes again, the sorrow had completely vanished, leaving only a deep, unfathomable calm.

She is a true saint.

They govern reincarnation and maintain the order of life and death.

One must not neglect public duty for private reasons, nor break the law for personal feelings.

This is her path, her duty, her destiny.

"Buzz".

The void rippled slightly.

A figure in green robes slowly emerged from the ripples.

It was Xuandu.

He stood before the Reincarnation Seal, gazing at the pale yellow figure, and bowed slightly:

"Empress Houtu".

Houtu turned around and looked at him.

A very faint ripple flickered in those chaotic-colored eyes.

"Fellow Taoist Xuandu."

She spoke, her voice calm, yet tinged with a barely perceptible tremor:

"You've arrived."

Xuan Du nodded:

"Yes."

"I have come here to discuss two matters with Your Majesty."

Houtu nodded slightly:

"speak."

Xuan Du raised his eyes and looked at her:

"The first item is the Black Tortoise of the North Sea."

"The Xuan Turtle supported the heavens of the primordial world. Its four legs were severed, but its true spirit remained. With the blessing of the merit of mending the heavens, the true spirit transformed and sublimated along with its legs."

"Now that he has entered the cycle of reincarnation, His Majesty must arrange the best possible rebirth for him."

Houtu's eyes flickered slightly upon hearing this:

"I already know about the matter of the Black Tortoise."

"Those who have performed the great deeds of supporting the heavens and mending the heavens deserve the best treatment in the cycle of reincarnation."

"Fellow Daoist, rest assured, I will personally arrange for the Xuan Turtle to be reincarnated as a top-tier innate being, whose achievements in the next life will be limitless."

Xuan Du nodded:

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Houtu gazed at him, her eyes slightly deepening:

"And the second one?"

Xuandu remained silent for a moment.

Then, he slowly began to speak:

"The second thing is the Witch Clan."

As the two words fell, the karmic patterns around Houtu's body suddenly solidified.

She stared intently at Xuan Du, and a barely suppressed emotion finally surfaced deep within her chaotic eyes:

"How is the Witch Clan?"

Xuan Du gazed at her, his eyes calm:

"All eleven Ancestral Witches perished."

"Nine Phoenixes, too, have fallen."

"They fueled the formation with their own blood and qi, and repaired it with their own lives, maintaining the Great Formation of the Heavenly Gods and Demons until the very last moment."

"To perish together with Di Juntai."

Houtu trembled violently upon hearing this.

The color drained from her beautiful face, leaving only a deathly pale complexion.

She slowly closed her eyes.

a long time.

a long time.

When she opened her eyes again, there was a deep, unfathomable calm in the depths of her cloudy eyes.

But beneath that calm lay endless sorrow.

"Brothers..."

She murmured softly:

"Take care."

Xuan Du looked at her without saying a word.

He knew that no further words were needed at this moment.

Just wait.

Wait until she calms down.

Wait for her to speak.

really.

After a moment, Houtu slowly raised her eyes and looked at him:

"The sons of the witch clan..."

She spoke, her voice hoarse:

"How are they?"

Xuandu said:

"They were all moved to Jin'ao Island by the disciples."

"Xingtian, Xiangliu, Chiyou, Fengbo, Yushi, Houyi, Kuafu... tens of millions of Wu tribe warriors, not one of them perished."

"They all survived."

Upon hearing this, Houtu's eyes lit up slightly.

"Alive...alive?"

She gazed at Xuan Du, and a trace of relief finally surfaced deep within her chaotic eyes:

"Thank you, fellow Daoist."

Xuan Du shook his head:

"Your Majesty need not thank me."

"Now that they have joined the Jie Sect, they are disciples of our Jie Sect."

"Protecting them is my duty as a disciple."

Houtu remained silent for a moment.

Then, she slowly began to speak:

"Fellow Daoist, have you come here to...send them to the underworld?"

Xuan Du nodded:

"Yes."

"Although the Wu Clan joined the Jie Sect, they were not accustomed to the environment of the overseas immortal islands."

"Although the underworld is filled with yin energy, it is an excellent place for the witch clan to cultivate."

"Moreover, with the Goddess overseeing reincarnation and taking care of the Wu clan's children, I can rest assured."

Houtu's eyes flickered slightly upon hearing this.

She gazed at Xuandu, at his eyes as calm as an ancient well, at his young yet infinitely composed face.

a long time.

She spoke slowly:

"Fellow Daoist...you're very kind."

"If the sons of the Witch Clan can enter the Underworld to cultivate and be nourished by the energy of reincarnation, their bloodline will surely be further enhanced."

"This favor... On behalf of the Wu clan, I thank you, fellow Daoist."

Having said that, she slowly bowed deeply, giving a full bow.

Xuan Du quickly stepped aside, refusing the courtesy:

"Why must Your Majesty do this?"

"Those who join the Jie Sect from the Wu Clan become disciples of the Jie Sect."

"It is only right for a disciple to seek out a path of cultivation for his own disciple."

Houtu straightened up, looked at him, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Fellow Taoist Xuandu..."

She spoke slowly, her voice calm, yet carrying a profound, indescribable meaning:

"What the Witch Clan owes you is... something you can never repay."

Xuan Du smiled slightly upon hearing this.

The smile was faint, yet it conveyed a sense of openness and honesty.

"Your Majesty is too kind."

"As a disciple, I only seek to have a clear conscience in my actions."

"Without expecting anything in return."

Houtu gazed at him, remaining silent for a long time.

Then, she slowly nodded:

"good."

"If that's the case..."

She raised her hand, pointing to the depths of the underworld:

"When will those tens of millions of witch clan sons be sent?"

Xuandu said:

"The sooner the better."

"After the disciples returned to Jin'ao Island, they were then allowed to set off."

"At that time, Your Majesty will need to send someone to guide us."

Houtu nodded:

"rest assured."

"I will arrange it myself."

Xuan Du bowed slightly:

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Xuan Du raised his eyes, gazing at the colossal seal of reincarnation suspended in the void, and at the six ever-flowing gates of the six realms:

"This disciple has another matter to ask Your Majesty."

Houtu's gaze narrowed slightly:

"What is it?"

Xuan Du stood with his hands behind his back before the Reincarnation Seal, his blue robes fluttering slightly, and slowly spoke:

"The matter of the Black Tortoise."

"The Xuan Turtle is a protector of our Jie Sect. Although it has not made any great contributions in the hundred years since it joined the sect, it has managed to support the sky this time. Its four legs were severed but its true spirit survived. With the blessing of the merit of mending the sky, its true spirit has transformed and its roots have been sublimated."

He paused, his voice calm yet solemn:

"This disciple wishes to become a black tortoise, seeking a better end."

Houtu nodded slightly upon hearing this:

"Fellow Daoist, rest assured. The Xuan Turtle has rendered meritorious service in supporting the heavens and has accumulated virtue in mending the heavens. Such a person of great merit will be personally arranged by me in the cycle of reincarnation."

"After reincarnation, their foundation will reach the top level of the innate realm, and their achievements in the next life will be limitless."

Xuan Du nodded:

"Your Majesty is very kind."

But he didn't stop there.

He gazed at Houtu, and a faint glimmer of light flickered deep within his eyes, which were as calm as an ancient well:

"What this disciple wishes to ask is..."

"Does Your Majesty believe that the reincarnation of the Black Tortoise is capable of attaining the status of a Saint of the Earthly Dao?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a sudden silence fell over the area in front of the Reincarnation Seal.

The flowing waters of the River of Oblivion seemed to freeze for a moment.

Houtu's pupils constricted slightly.

She stared intently at Xuan Du, at his calm yet profound eyes, at his young yet infinitely composed face.