Primordial Era: The Witch Clan's Dog-Headed Strategist

As Pan Xuan listened to everyone's comments, a sense of relief welled up in his heart.

He originally only intended to win over the dragon race and establish the system of the water god Hebo.

But Houtu and Dijiang's proposals showed him a greater possibility.

The three clans of Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin were brought together to extend the divine system from the mountains to the waters and then to the sky, forming a complete network covering every corner of the prehistoric world.

"The suggestions from Sister Houtu and Brother Dijiang are more comprehensive than my original plan."

Pan Xuan slowly said, "Since that's the case, then let's try to win over the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin clans together."

Regarding the mountain gods, the Qilin clan can fill those vacant positions, as the mountains and forests are their homeland.

Regarding water deities, dragons can hold various divine positions in rivers, lakes, and seas; this is their original profession.

As for the Phoenix Clan, they are naturally close to fire and the sky, and can serve as mountain gods of the fire element, or later as deities related to the sky and wind in the pantheon.

Under Brother Tianwu's Law of Wind, the Phoenix Clan can also have a place.

Each of the three races has its own strengths and responsibilities, allowing the divine system to be simultaneously deployed across the three dimensions of land, sea, and air.

Upon hearing this, Tianwu nodded and said, "The Phoenix Clan is skilled at controlling the wind. If the Wind God lineage were to have the Phoenix Clan join, it would indeed become even more powerful."

Jumang also seemed to be deep in thought: "Although the Phoenix Clan belongs to the fire element, it also possesses the power of life after being reborn from the flames. Perhaps the Wood God lineage can also have a place for the Phoenix Clan."

Zhu Rong laughed loudly, "Good, good, good!"

With the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin clans all brought in, the divine system will truly become the most powerful force in the primordial world! Who would dare underestimate the Witch Clan then?

Houtu said softly, "However, we cannot be too hasty in winning over the three clans."

They were all once powerful rulers, and although they have fallen from grace, their pride remains.

If we invite them in a condescending manner, they might not accept. We need to be tactful in this matter.

Pan Xuan nodded and said, "Sister Houtu is right."

The key to winning over the three groups lies in achieving a "win-win" situation.

We are not giving away their divine positions, but cooperating with them to jointly maintain the primordial order.

As for the dragon race, we say that the dragon race will forever guard the four seas. After becoming the water god Hebo, they can not only cleanse their karma, but also rightfully rule over the water veins of the world. This is a legitimate expansion of the dragon race's responsibilities.

He spoke to the Qilin clan. The Qilin clan, having eternally guarded the land, would, upon assuming the role of mountain gods, be able to reunite the clan and, relying on the divine system, revive the Qilin clan's prestige.

Tell the Phoenix Clan that they will forever guard the Southern Immortal Volcano. After assuming divine authority, they can reveal the positive aspects of the Nirvana Fire to the primordial world, allowing the auspicious light of the Phoenix Clan to illuminate the heavens and earth, and enabling the Phoenix Clan to once again become the leader of all birds.

Upon hearing this, the three tribes naturally did not perceive it as charity, but rather as a call for cooperation.

Dijiang pondered for a moment, then said to Panxuan, "Brother Panxuan, you are most skilled at negotiating with the three clans. This matter still needs you to take the lead."

However, the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin clans were all once dominant powers, and we twelve Ancestral Witches can't all let you do it alone. What do you think is the most appropriate division of labor?

Pan Xuan pondered for a moment and said, "I will go with Brother Gonggong to the Dragon Clan."

Gonggong was the ancestral sorcerer of water, and the system of water gods, including Hebo, was under his control.

It would be perfectly legitimate for him to negotiate the matter of the Water God with the Dragon Clan, and the Dragon Clan would also feel respected.

The Dragon King of the East Sea, Ao Yuan, has dealt with my Wu Clan before. Regarding the Three Immortal Islands incident, the Dragon Clan tacitly allowed my Wu Clan to establish an overseas Daoist temple in the East Sea, which shows that they have no hostility towards the Wu Clan.

Using this as a starting point, the chances of reaching an agreement are very high.

He paused, then continued, "It would be most suitable for Sister Houtu and Brother Dijiang to go together with the Qilin Clan."

Houtu, the elder sister, governs the laws of earth, and the mountain god system is under her control. It is only right for her to negotiate matters concerning the mountain gods with the Qilin clan.

"As the head of all the Ancestral Witches, and the Qilin clan being the most revered of all beasts, only through Emperor Dijiang's intervention can the sincerity of the Witch Clan be truly demonstrated."

"As for the Phoenix Clan—" Pan Xuan's gaze fell on Zhu Rong, then looked at Zhu Jiuyin, who was sitting to the side with his eyes closed in meditation, "The Phoenix Clan will be accompanied by Brother Zhu Rong, Brother Tian Wu, and Brother Zhu Jiuyin."

Brother Zhurong is the ancestral god of fire, and the Phoenix Clan was born from fire, so they are naturally close to Brother Zhurong's fire law; Brother Tianwu is in charge of the wind law, and the Phoenix Clan is good at controlling the wind, so the wind god lineage can also be used as a bargaining chip to win over the Phoenix Clan.

However, the Phoenix Clan is proud and aloof, and they kept their distance from other forces during the Dragon-Han Calamity. They need to be careful in this negotiation.

Brother Zhurong is straightforward and has a fiery temper. If he is angered by the Phoenix Clan's attitude at the Undying Volcano, they might start fighting at the slightest provocation.

Brother Zhujiuyin is calm and steady. With you by his side watching over Brother Zhurong, nothing can go wrong.

Zhu Rong was displeased upon hearing this, glaring at him and shouting, "Brother Pan Xuan, what are you saying! Do you think I'm the kind of person who's unreasonable?"

"How could the phoenix, which cannot be extinguished by fire, possibly be burned?"

Gonggong said calmly from the side, "It seems that your negotiations with them last time didn't go very well."

Zhu Rong was furious: "That time was different! How can you blame me for that?!"

Xuanming coldly said, "Quiet."

Zhu Jiuyin slowly opened his eyes, a trace of helplessness flashing in his cloudy old eyes, but more so a hint of indulgence towards his younger brothers and sisters.

He spoke in a hoarse voice: "I will go with Zhu Rong."

I haven't set foot on the Undying Volcano for many years, so I'll take this opportunity to see how that old phoenix, Yuan Feng, is doing.

He paused, then turned his gaze to Zhu Rong, "Once we get to the Undying Volcano, you'd better keep quiet. I'll handle the talking."

Zhu Rong muttered a few words, but ultimately did not refute them.

Zhu Jiuyin's prestige among the Twelve Ancestral Witches was second only to Dijiang, and Zhu Rong dared not disobey his words.

Pan Xuan continued, "The remaining Ancestral Witches will remain at Buzhou Mountain to continue promoting the divine way and filling the vacant positions of mountain gods."

"Hongjun's three lectures are about to end. We must make it a fait accompli before those great beings return."

The twelve ancestral witches all nodded, having no objection to the arrangement.

Pan Xuan concluded, "However, there is one more thing we need to confirm before we set off."

Our establishment of the divine path and the conferment of the mountain god have caused quite a stir, and the three clans of dragon, phoenix, and qilin must have heard about it.

We need to ascertain their true attitude towards the Shinto system—whether it's goodwill or wariness, a willingness to cooperate or a desire to keep their distance—before deciding on a negotiation strategy.

He turned to Zhu Jiuyin, "Brother Zhu Jiuyin, your laws of time can illuminate the past and future. Could you use the power of time to calculate and see the attitudes of the three clan leaders towards my Wu clan's divine system?"

Zhu Jiuyin slowly closed his eyes, and the silvery-white power of time flowed endlessly in his eyes, with the past, present, and future flashing alternately.

The Pangu Hall was silent, and all eyes were on him.

A moment later, he slowly opened his eyes, his voice hoarse and distant: "The Dragon Clan's attitude is the clearest."

The First Emperor swore to the Great Dao to forever guard the four seas, and has been working diligently for countless eons, and his karmic burden has been gradually diminishing.

They certainly desire the position of water god. If they can be won over with the promise of the position of river god, the dragon race will surely respond, and the journey should proceed without major obstacles.

He paused, then continued, "The situation of the Qilin clan is a bit more complicated."

After the first Qilin retreated to the foot of Mount Buzhou, the Qilin clan rarely moved around in the prehistoric world, and its members scattered to various mountains and forests.

Although they are burdened with karma, they do not have a clear territory and responsibilities like the dragons. Having been silent for too long, their vigor has been worn away.

If the position of Mountain God can be used to reunite the Qilin clan and give them a chance to emerge from the mountains again, the First Qilin should not refuse.

However, Dijiang and Houtu will need patience on this journey, as the First Qilin has many concerns and cannot be swayed by a few words.

"As for the Phoenix Clan," Zhu Jiuyin's voice became even more distant, "Yuan Feng is stationed at the Undying Volcano, and the Phoenix Clan is lying low in the south."

The Phoenix Clan has always been indifferent to other forces, as was the case during the Dragon-Han Calamity.

However, the Phoenix Clan's greatest weakness lies in its small population. Although Nirvana can bring them back to life, it cannot increase the number of clan members out of thin air.

If the divine system could give the Phoenix Clan a chance to rise again, Yuan Feng, with her wisdom, would surely be able to see the advantages and disadvantages.

The only thing to be careful about is that the Phoenix Clan is proud and aloof; it's best not to be too arrogant during negotiations, and showing them ample respect is crucial. Zhu Rong, especially you—”

Zhu Rong, unusually, did not refute, but merely snorted: "I know, they are arrogant, I'll let you go and talk to them."

However, once we reach the Undying Volcano, if the Phoenix Clan looks down on my Witch Clan, I will not tolerate it.

Pan Xuan smiled slightly but didn't reply. He knew that although Zhu Rong had a fiery temper, he was never ambiguous when it came to important matters. Besides, with Zhu Jiuyin by his side, nothing would go wrong.

"What Brother Zhujiuyin said is almost exactly what I predicted," Pan Xuan said in the end. "The Dragon Clan is the easiest to win over, followed by the Qilin Clan, and the Phoenix Clan requires more effort."

Now that the division of labor has been decided, let each of you prepare. With Hongjun's three lectures not yet finished and the great powers of the primordial world yet to return, this is the perfect time to act. Without further ado, let's set off immediately.