Ling Xiao gave a satisfied smile. With a thought, he produced a ruler and a massive seal.
"These are the Hongmeng Measuring Ruler (hongmeng measuring ruler) and the Qilin Seal (qilin seal). Take them both with you."
The Ziwei Boy (Ziwei Boy) accepted them with deep gratitude, bowing once more.
Then, Ling Xiao pointed a finger. The Chaos Void Realm shattered, and a Reincarnation portal appeared, swirling like a world-ending black hole, chilling to the soul. Without hesitation, Ziwei Boy gripped the magic treasures and dove straight in. The portal closed, and everything returned to the void, as if nothing had ever happened.
Northern Honghuang: The Hundred Thousand Mountains
Ever since the Wu Clan was driven back to Mount Buzhou, this region had once again become the headquarters of the Yao Race. However, the atmosphere among the Yao was oppressive. Every demon looked as if they were mourning a loss, their faces grim.
The root cause was simple: their Saint, Empress Wa (Nuwa), had abandoned them, declaring she would no longer involve herself in Yao affairs. Inside the Demon Emperor Hall, the giants of the Yao Race gathered to discuss their survival.
"What are we to do? Without Empress Wa, how can we resist the cruelty of the Ancestral Witches and the invasion of the Wu Clan?" one Great Demon asked, pacing restlessly across the hall.
"Resist? We wait to die!" Jiuying sneered, fully embracing a "let it rot" attitude. He deeply regretted coming back; had he known, he would have stayed in hiding. Even though the Wu Clan's strength was diminished, they still had nine Ancestral Witches—a force the Yao remnants simply could not match.
"Hey, do you think Empress Wa ignored us because she created those 'Humans'?" another demon suggested. The idea drew every eye in the room.
"Hehe, those Humans are weak beyond measure. How can they compare to our Yao Race?" "But it is related. If she hadn't made them, the Empress wouldn't have..."
"Enough!"
At the head of the hall, Fuxi finally snapped. He scolded them with a solemn face. No matter what, Nuwa was his sister; he would not tolerate resentment against her. "Talking is useless now. We must consider this: if the Wu Clan attacks, how do we stop them?"
Fuxi was worried. The Ancestral Witches likely didn't know yet that Nuwa had stepped back. Once they found out, they would surely tear off the mask of civility and slaughter their way to the Yao doorstep.
"Retreat to advance! Defense is the best offense! As long as we run fast enough, the Witches can't catch us," one demon suggested, looking quite proud of his "brilliant" advice.
The hall erupted in noise. "Throw him out!" "Why not just kill yourself? If you die fast enough, the Witches can't kill you either!"
The fiery-tempered demons refused such cowardice, but many others remained silent, secretly agreeing. If we can't win, we might as well surrender early.
"If only Fellow Daoist Kunpeng were still here," one demon lamented. "At least we'd have another peak combatant." Kunpeng's character was questionable, but his power was undeniable.
"What about Di Jun and Tai Yi on the Sun Star?" Guiche suggested with a smile, using his limited wisdom. "Since Ling Xiao has perished, maybe this is the chance to convince them to join the Yao Race."
This idea gained immediate support. Everyone turned to look at Bai Ze, who had remained silent. "Bai Ze, you are the most eloquent. Why don't you go to the Sun Star and try?"
Bai Ze remained calm and shook his head gently. "I'm not going. Whoever wants to go, go."
"Exactly! When Bai Ze and I went to the Sun Star before, where were you lot?" Ji Meng echoed, firmly supporting his friend. "You can't keep making us do it. It's your turn."
The hall fell into an awkward silence. No one wanted that job. Bai Ze fanned his feathered fan and said peacefully: "If you want to stop the Witches from attacking, it's actually quite simple."
"Have our armies drill day and night. Create the appearance that we are ready to strike at any moment. The Wu Clan won't dare move recklessly."
"You mean... act as if Empress Wa is still backing us?" one demon asked. The idea was fresh—since they couldn't win, they would buy time through bluffing.
Mount Buzhou: Pangu Temple
While the Yao were debating their survival, the Wu Clan was engaged in the exact same research. When will the Yao attack us?
Inside the Pangu Temple, the Witches were terrified. Zhu Rong (God of Fire) paced anxiously. "Big Brother, what do we do? If the Yao attack, what do we have to stop them? And those Humans! They've almost bred their way into our territory! If this were the old days, I'd exterminate their whole race!"
He was full of rage with nowhere to vent it. He didn't dare act. Their failed ritual to Pangu had cast a shadow over the entire clan. Without their Father's help, they were no match for a Saint.
If all twelve were here, they could use the Twelve Capital Gods Fiend Formation. But now, the three dead brothers were just piles of "dry wood" stacked in a corner of the temple.
"If the Saint strikes, we're gone in an instant. No pain, no need to resist," Xuan said with a smile—laughing in life, laughing in death. Her mindset was surprisingly stable.
"Leave the Humans alone for now," Di Jiang sighed. "We must find a way to survive this crisis first, or the Wu Clan will cease to exist."
"That can't happen! We are the Orthodox Lineage of Pangu!" Xi Zi cried out. "If we are gone, Pangu's legacy is gone!"
"I say we should never have come back. As long as we were alive in the sky, the clan wouldn't perish," Gonggong muttered with regret.
"Like I said, we were drifting just fine. Who pushed us back?" Qiang Liang grumbled at no one in particular.
Di Jiang felt a massive headache. Facing a Saint, he was powerless.
"Perhaps there is a way to temporarily alleviate the crisis."
A calm, clear voice rang out. It was Houtu. Usually silent during these meetings, the survival of the clan forced her to speak.
"What way?" The other Witches looked at her as if she were a beacon of light.
"It's simple. Invigorate the clansmen. Make them look as if they are eager for a fight. The Yao will assume we received a blessing from Father. If they want to move against us, they will have to think twice."
The Ancestral Witches were overjoyed, looking at Houtu as if she were a genius.
"Sister, you are truly wise!"