Many children, many blessings; the twelve ancestral witches forced marriages throughout the primordi

After finishing the hotpot, Lin Xuan didn't lock Cihang up. Instead, he waved his hand and gave her a jade token.

"This is your pass to the Pangu Palace." Lin Xuan tossed her the jade token. "You can wander around anywhere except my bedroom and the treasure vault. You can leave if you want, as long as you're not afraid of being ambushed by the Primordial Celestial Venerable on the way."

Cihang held the warm, smooth jade pendant, feeling somewhat bewildered.

Is this what imprisonment is?

This treatment is too good!

She tentatively stepped out of the hall, expecting to be surrounded by gloomy guards or a cage filled with restrictions.

What she found was a sunny garden.

Several witch children dressed in animal skins were rolling around on the grass with several human children. Nearby, several burly witch men sat under a large tree, clumsily weaving flower garlands, making the human girls beside them giggle.

In the distance, palaces stand in neat rows, their glazed tiles shimmering in the sunlight. A faint fragrance of flowers and a sense of spiritual energy fill the air; taking a deep breath feels like a cleansing of the lungs.

"This...this is the Pangu Palace?" Cihang murmured to himself.

In the propaganda surrounding Kunlun Mountain, Pangu Temple is portrayed as a place filled with malevolent energy and piles of white bones.

But the scene before me is so beautiful that even calling it a fairyland would be an understatement. It's so much more lively and warm than the cold and impersonal Jade Void Palace.

"Hey, you're the new lady, right?"

A crisp sound interrupted Cihang's daze.

She turned around and saw a little girl in a pink dress standing prettily behind her, holding a string of candied hawthorns in her hand.

It was Lin Ling'er.

"Y-you...hello." Cihang was a little reserved. She knew how capable these kids were.

"Don't be afraid, I won't hit you." Lin Ling'er smiled and handed over the candied hawthorn. "Want some? Aunt Su just made them, they're really sweet."

Cihang subconsciously took the candied hawthorn and took a bite.

It's sweet and sour, and tastes really good.

"Come on, I'll take you to meet your mothers." Lin Ling'er took Cihang's hand familiarly. "They've all been waiting since they heard there's a newcomer."

Cihang's heart tightened.

Mother?

Those must be Lin Xuan's wives?

Legend has it that Lin Xuan's wives were all top-tier powerhouses in the primordial world, such as the Queen Mother of the West, Nuwa, and Xihe... Which one of them wasn't a figure whose mere stomp of her foot could shake the primordial world?

As a junior member of the Chan Sect and a prisoner, would I be harassed if I went to see them?

With a mix of trepidation and excitement, Cihang was led by Lin Ling'er to an exquisite pavilion.

Inside the pavilion, several stunningly beautiful women were sitting together, drinking tea and chatting, with needles and thread in their hands, as if they were sewing some small clothes.

Upon seeing Cihang approach, the Queen Mother of the West, who was sitting in the main seat, put down her needlework, raised her head, and revealed a gentle smile.

"You've arrived?" The Queen Mother of the West's voice carried a hint of authority, but even more so, it was warm and friendly. "Come and sit down."

Cihang quickly bowed and said, "Cihang, a disciple of the Chan Sect, greets the Queen Mother of the West, greets the Sage Nuwa, greets..."

"Alright, alright, stop with the formalities." Nuwa waved her hand, interrupting her directly. "Now that we're here, we're all family. Besides, your master doesn't even treat you like a human being, so what's the point of mentioning the Chan Sect?"

Although these words were blunt, they struck a nerve with Cihang.

She lowered her head, her eyes reddening again.

"Oh dear, why are you crying again?" Yunxiao walked over and pulled her to sit down on the stone bench. "Did Lin Xuan bully you? Tell your sister, and I'll help you get revenge."

"No...no..." Cihang quickly shook his head, "Fellow Daoist Lin...Lin has been very kind to me."

"That's good." The Queen Mother of the West looked Cihang up and down, then frowned. "Your Taoist robe is all torn; why don't you change it? Is the Chan Sect so poor that it can't even afford to give out clothes?"

As she spoke, the Queen Mother of the West flipped her hand, and a set of shimmering white fairy dress appeared in her hand.

"This was woven from silkworm silk. I originally intended it for Xuan Nu, but since it suits your temperament, I'll let you wear it first."

Cihang was stunned.

This is a top-grade acquired spiritual treasure level garment!

In the Chan Sect, how much merit would one have to make to obtain such a magical artifact?

And here, it's just because the original clothes were torn, so they just casually gave away a new one?

"This...this is too precious, I can't accept it." Cihang waved her hands repeatedly.

"Take it if it's offered to you," Nuwa interjected from the side. "Our family doesn't lack these things. Besides, if you really stay here, you can't dress shabbily and embarrass Lin Xuan."

Cihang held the garment, feeling the warmth emanating from it, and could no longer hold back her tears.

For tens of thousands of years in the Kunlun Mountains, she had never felt this kind of care from her elders and sisters.

There were only cold rules, endless training, and the master's stern reprimands there.

But here, in this so-called "devil's den," she felt the warmth of home.

"Thank you... thank you, Your Majesties..." Cihang said, her voice choked with emotion.

"Don't call me 'Your Majesty,' call me 'Sister.'" The Holy Mother Wudang walked over with a plate of pastries and said softly, "I also came from the Jie Sect. Our three sects are originally one family. If you have any grievances in the future, feel free to tell us."

Looking at those sincere smiling faces, Cihang's last line of defense completely collapsed.

She suddenly realized that she had been living a joke all along.

What about following the will of Heaven? What about severing worldly ties?

If you cultivate Taoism to the point where you lose all human warmth, what's the point of cultivating it?

"Sister..." Cihang called out softly.

After letting out that cry, she felt completely relaxed.

She knew she could never go back.

I don't want to go back.

Here you'll find respect, care, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

The air here is sweet.