Primordial Era: I am a treasure trove, full of magical treasures.

On the shores of the sea of ​​blood, the dim and profound Land of Reincarnation took complete shape, firmly established on the black tortoise shell as its foundation. Six enormous vortexes slowly rotated, emanating a magnificent aura encompassing the fates of all living beings. Throughout the primordial world, countless wandering souls seemed to be summoned, but one vortex was somewhat strange, with only a few scattered points of light spontaneously converging into this newly born home. The tremors caused by the fusion of Houtu's will and the origin of the earth gradually subsided.

The profound merits of Xuanhuang settled like a vast sea, yet Houtu did not dissipate. Her will and the origin of the Ancestral Witches, supported and stabilized by the tortoise shell treasure, not only did not crumble, but instead merged more deeply with the Dao and the laws of reincarnation. In the center of the land of reincarnation, the illusory image of an ancient palace slowly solidified, its plaque bearing three Dao runes—the Palace of Peaceful Mind. Within the palace, a figure materialized from the illusory, revealing Houtu's true form. However, Houtu's aura had drastically changed; she was now compassionate, majestic, serene, and profound, her eyes seemingly reflecting the six realms of reincarnation, the birth and death of all things.

Today, Houtu is no longer simply the ancestral witch Houtu, but rather the representative who governs reincarnation and the Dao, making her almost equivalent to Hongjun Daozu.

"I have attained the Dao, the cycle of reincarnation has begun, and the netherworld has appeared." Houtu's voice resounded throughout the primordial world, devoid of sorrow or joy, only the sound of the Great Dao. "From this day forward, all spirits of the primordial world will live and die in order, and their souls will find their home. Those who have rendered meritorious service will be rewarded, and those who have committed crimes will be punished. Cause and effect will cycle, and retribution will be inescapable."

Upon hearing this, the Heavenly Dao resonated, the Earthly Dao manifested, and the Netherworld officially became an indispensable part of the Primordial World. All the sages of the heavens sensed it, remaining silent and lost in their own thoughts. In the Demon Clan's Heavenly Court, Emperor Jun Taiyi's face was ashen, yet he knew the situation was hopeless. Deep within the Blood Sea, the Styx Ancestor resentfully withdrew his divine sense and went into seclusion.

"Congratulations on your attainment of enlightenment, little sister!" Although Dijiang and the other ancestral witches saw that Houtu's form had changed and her aura was completely different, the closeness and will of their blood ties remained. They all stepped forward to congratulate her, their eyes filled with both relief and reluctance. They knew that from now on, their little sister no longer needed their protection; she could even protect them, her older brothers and sisters, in return...

Houtu nodded slightly to the ancestral witches, her gaze finally settling on Xuanbao with deep gratitude: "This time, thanks to the help of my brother Xuanbao's precious treasure, my origin has not dissipated, my will has been preserved, and the foundation of my reincarnation has been further strengthened. Houtu will remember this kindness."

Xuanbao cupped his hands in greeting: "Sister, you possess great compassion and have mended the world; this is only right and proper. Congratulations on your success, Sister."

Houtu nodded, looking at the already formed Netherworld and the Six Paths of Reincarnation, and said, "The cycle of reincarnation is newly established, and its rules still need to be perfected. The Netherworld also needs manpower to manage it. My dear brother Xuanbao, you have done me a great favor, and you are proficient in creation, understand the principles of law, wield the most precious treasure of humanity, and have a connection with the Dao of the Earth. Now that the Netherworld has just opened, many things need to be done. I wish to ask you to temporarily assume the position of 'Great Emperor of Fengdu,' to oversee all affairs of the Netherworld, establish order, and manage Yin and Yang. Are you willing to accept?"

Upon hearing this, Dijiang and the other ancestral witches initially didn't think much of it, but then suddenly realized. Xuanbao was indeed the most suitable candidate: strength, merit, and the remaining grace of the witch clan, plus the blessing of his own sister achieving the status of a Saint of the Earthly Path. Now, it was merely a matter of giving Xuanbao the position of Emperor of Fengdu, and with Xuanbao's abilities, it was possible he might even benefit someone else. Xuanbao was also eager to advance the Earthly Path, after all, his Human Emperor Banner still held a great deal of merit beckoning him; accepting this position was a natural progression.

Xuanbao hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement: "I dare not disobey my sister's request. I will temporarily assume this position to help my sister manage the Netherworld. Once order is restored, I will find a worthy successor."

"Good." Houtu nodded, pointed, and from the depths of the Netherworld, a majestic and ancient black imperial palace, exuding an aura of dominion and judgment, rose from the ground, with the plaque inscribed "Fengdu Beiyin Emperor's Palace." At the same time, a dark black seal, wrapped with the laws of the Netherworld and the majesty of the emperor, fell into Xuanbao's hands; it was the "Fengdu Emperor's Seal."

Seeing that their great work was accomplished, the eleven ancestral witches, including Dijiang, though reluctant to part with Houtu, knew that this was the ordained destiny of heaven and earth, a great opportunity. After receiving their respective merits, the eleven ancestral witches chatted briefly with Houtu and Xuanbao before bidding farewell and returning to Buzhou Mountain. After all, the demon race was not easy to encounter, and the witch clan's main camp was in dire need of a chief witch to guard it. They had to return to oversee the overall situation, digest the merits they had gained, and guard against any unusual movements by the demon race.

Houtu watched her brothers leave, then turned to Xuanbao and said, "Though the cycle of reincarnation is established, the Netherworld is formed. The operation of its rules, the judgment of the dead, and the maintenance of order are all complex and multifaceted, beyond my ability to manage alone. Brother Xuanbao, you possess great merit, have an affinity with the underworld, and have a supreme treasure to solidify the foundation of reincarnation. The position of 'Emperor of Fengdu' is rightfully yours. I hope you can assist me in wielding the power of the Netherworld and restoring order to Yin and Yang."

Xuanbao accepted the dark black seal, slightly heavy to the touch and imbued with the laws of the Netherworld and the majesty of the Emperor, nodding in agreement: "Sister, rest assured, having accepted this position, I will do my utmost. The order of the Netherworld concerns the very foundation of the primordial world and cannot be taken lightly." Xuanbao's divine sense swept over the newly formed, hazy world beneath her feet, then gazed at the slowly rotating Six Paths of Reincarnation Disc, seemingly containing the destiny of all beings, her mind already filled with many calculations. The Emperor of Fengdu wields immense power, able to influence even the most powerful figures...

The passage to the underworld allows one to judge all beings, control reincarnation, and even mobilize a portion of the power of the netherworld's origin. Possessing this power not only greatly benefits one's understanding of life, death, and the laws of reincarnation, but also provides a crucial trump card for future plans to expand the passage to the underworld and even to cope with great calamities.

Houtu nodded slightly upon seeing Xuanbao's agreement and pointed again. Deep within the Netherworld, the majestic Fengdu Imperial Palace emitted a rumbling sound. The palace gates were wide open, revealing an empty space. At this moment, apart from Xuanbao and Houtu, there was no one else in the Netherworld...

At the same time, as the cycle of reincarnation was newly established and the Netherworld was newly formed, the interaction between heaven and earth, and the vibrations of the laws had not yet completely subsided, several sage auras containing supreme majesty had already crossed time and space and descended outside this newly born land of reincarnation.

First to appear were Laozi of Taiqing, Yuanshi Tianzun of Yuqing, and Tongtian of Shangqing—three sages who arrived together. As Xuanbao's three masters, they naturally came first, riding on auspicious clouds, surrounded by celestial light, their Daoist aura innate. Laozi's face was slender, his gaze indifferent. He swept over the stable Six Paths of Reincarnation and the Pingxin Hall, and then over the Fengdu Emperor Seal in Xuanbao's hand, nodding slightly.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Houtu, on attaining the Great Dao, establishing the cycle of reincarnation, and mending the world. Your merits are immeasurable." Laozi spoke first, his voice calm yet imbued with the essence of the Dao. Yuanshi and Tongtian also nodded in greeting.

Houtu returned the greeting: "Greetings, three senior brothers. This fortunate success is also thanks to the protection of my younger brother Xuanbao and all the other brothers, as well as the guidance you have given me in the past."

The Primordial Celestial Venerable's gaze swept over the Imperial Seal in Xuanbao's hand, and he said, "With the establishment of reincarnation and the order of Yin and Yang, the foundation of the primordial world is more solid. Xuanbao, since you have taken on the post of Fengdu, the responsibility is heavy. You should act cautiously, establish clear rules, and not allow the underworld to be in chaos or interfere with the operation of the Heavenly Dao."

The Tongtian Sect Leader laughed heartily, "Well done, lad! The Netherworld has just opened, and it's a time when we need people. Perhaps your good-for-nothing junior brothers could be sent here to train and accumulate merit." His implication was that he wanted Xuanbao to arrange jobs for his disciples. Xuanbao smiled and replied, "Master, rest assured. If my junior brothers are willing to come, I will make proper arrangements so they can train and accumulate merit in the Netherworld."

Xuanbao bowed and replied, "This disciple will respectfully follow the teachings of the three masters. I understand and will seek guidance from the masters once the underworld has established some regulations."

Lao Tzu nodded slightly, saying nothing more, his gaze fixed on the slowly rotating Six Paths of Reincarnation Disc, as if deducing the various future variables intertwined with the Heavenly Dao. Yuan Shi and Tong Tian were also lost in their own thoughts.

Before long, the sage Nuwa also arrived and congratulated Houtu on achieving sainthood.

Then, a brilliant golden light shone in the western sky, accompanied by the faint sound of chanting. Two auspicious clouds descended, revealing the figures of the two saints, Jieyin and Zhunti. Jieyin's face was filled with sorrow, yet his eyes shone with inner brilliance; Zhunti, on the other hand, wore a warm smile, his gaze sweeping over the already formed Six Paths of Reincarnation and the deeply rooted Xuanwu shell, his eagerness barely concealed.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Houtu, on your transformation into the Cycle of Reincarnation, for establishing unparalleled merit, restoring the primordial world, and benefiting all living beings!" Zhunti spoke first, his voice booming. "With the establishment of the Cycle of Reincarnation and the opening of a new realm, this is a blessing for all living beings in the primordial world. Our Western teachings also emphasize cause and effect, reincarnation, and universal salvation. Fellow Daoist, you have opened up this supremely virtuous place, and my fellow disciple and I are deeply grateful. We have come to offer our congratulations and wish to do our utmost to help you perfect this order of reincarnation, guide the souls, and accumulate merit."

That's a nice way to put it, but the congratulations are just a pretense. What they really want is to interfere in the cycle of reincarnation, share in the power, and obtain future merits.

Houtu sat upright in the Pingxin Hall, her aura merging with the entire Netherworld. She didn't even lift her eyelids upon hearing this, her voice clear and ethereal, devoid of any emotion: "Reincarnation has been established, and order will naturally follow. The affairs of the Netherworld need not trouble the two sages. I have appointed Xuanbao as the Great Emperor of Fengdu, to oversee the Underworld. Please return."

Jieyin and Zhunti's expressions stiffened. They had anticipated that Houtu might not easily allow outsiders to interfere in the Underworld, but they hadn't expected her to refuse so decisively, directly handing over power to the junior Xuanbao. Zhunti's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes sharpened as he turned to Xuanbao: "Nephew Xuanbao, you are indeed blessed with great fortune to assume the position of Underworld Emperor. However, you already hold several positions, managing the affairs of the human race and caring for the witch clan. Now, with the added responsibility of the Underworld, you may find yourself overwhelmed. Our Western Sect is willing to send disciples to assist you and share your burdens..."

Xuanbao was well aware of their intentions; they even wanted to place Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in the Underworld. But now the entire Underworld was his territory, how could he let others interfere? Besides, what did "I will not become a Buddha until hell is empty" mean? This was the Underworld, how could it possibly be empty? They were just being shameless.

Before he could finish speaking, Xuanbao said calmly, "Thank you for your concern, Sage Zhunti. The Netherworld has just been established and has its own laws of operation. Since I have been entrusted by Sister Houtu, I will do my best..."

Houtu remained calm and before she could respond, a clear and melodious Daoist voice echoed from the east. Everyone looked and saw purple qi stretching thirty thousand miles eastward, auspicious clouds swirling, and thousands of auspicious rays. A figure stepped out from the void, dressed in a green Daoist robe, with a dignified face—it was none other than Haotian, the attendant of Dao Ancestor Hongjun.

Haotian, holding a purple-gold imperial edict, proclaimed: "Decree of the Dao Ancestor: Houtu, having transformed into the Cycle of Reincarnation to mend the Dao of Earth, has performed immeasurable merits. Now that the Cycle of Reincarnation is newly established and the Underworld is newly opened, the order of the Underworld should be established to rectify Yin and Yang. The decree commands: Houtu to take charge of the Cycle of Reincarnation and oversee the Underworld; Xuanbao to temporarily assume the position of the Great Emperor of the Northern Underworld of Fengdu, to establish the regulations of the Underworld, and to report back once the order of the Underworld is well established. All saints should perform their duties and not disturb the operation of the Cycle of Reincarnation."

After the decree was read aloud, Haotian bowed to all the saints and then said to Lady Pingxin and Xuanbao, "Congratulations to Lady Pingxin on attaining enlightenment, and congratulations to my nephew Xuanbao on taking up his post in Fengdu. The Dao Ancestor said that reincarnation is related to the very foundation of the primordial world, and I hope that you two will do your utmost."

Houtu ignored Haotian's words. Who was Hongjun? He even sent her a decree.

However, Xuanbao, being Hongjun's grand-disciple, still lost his manners: "I will obey my master's decree."

Haotian didn't pay much attention to Houtu's reaction; in his view, it was perfectly normal. The Wu tribe didn't respect Heaven and Earth, only Pangu. Then, without replying, Haotian turned to the two Western Saints: "Senior Brothers Jieyin and Zhunti, the Dao Ancestor said that although the Western doctrines are in harmony with Reincarnation, Reincarnation is newly established and its foundation is not yet solid, so it is not advisable to get too involved. It is not too late to discuss it after the order of the Underworld is established."

These words, though polite, actually revealed the Dao Ancestor's attitude—the matter of reincarnation should be temporarily led by Houtu and Xuanbao, and no one else should interfere.

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Hearing these words, the bewildered ones weren't the two Western sages, but Xuanbao himself. This wasn't right, was it? Shouldn't Hongjun have confined Houtu to the Netherworld? Now he was actually helping Houtu prevent the two Western sages from interfering in the Underworld?

Something was definitely not right. Xuanbao frowned, thinking to himself that this was completely different from the plot he knew. He quietly observed Houtu, whose expression remained calm. Xuanbao took a deep breath and decided to hold back for now, observe the situation, and avoid direct confrontation…

Zhunti's expression changed slightly, and he seemed about to say something, but Jieyin tugged at his sleeve and shook his head in acknowledgment. The two exchanged a glance and had no choice but to give up.

The Three Pure Ones and Nuwa had no objection to this, after all, the beneficiaries were their own people. Laozi said calmly, "The matter of reincarnation concerns all living beings, and should be handled step by step. Since Xuanbao has taken on this responsibility, he should plan it well." After saying this, he simply instructed Xuanbao to return to Kunlun Mountain after finishing his work, and the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa each rode away on their own clouds.

The two Western Saints also took their leave, but before leaving, Zhunti took one last deep look at the Six Paths of Reincarnation Disc, a trace of resentment flashing in his eyes.

After the saints departed, the Netherworld returned to silence.

Houtu said to Xuanbao, "Now that the Underworld has just been established, everything needs to be done. Although the Fengdu Imperial Palace is completed, it is empty. How will the cycle of reincarnation operate? Brother Xuanbao, do you have any plans?"

Xuanbao pondered for a moment and said, "Sister is quite right. The order of the underworld begins with judgment. Souls must be judged before entering the cycle of reincarnation to clarify their good and evil deeds in life before entering the six realms. I propose to first establish the 'Ten Kings of Hell' to share the power of judgment; under them, there should be judges, Black and White Impermanence, Ox-Head and Horse-Face, etc., responsible for collecting souls, escorting, and judging. Then, we should build the 'Eighteen Levels of Hell' to punish the most wicked and evil; and set up the 'River of Oblivion,' the 'Bridge of Helplessness,' the 'Stone of Three Lives,' and the 'Platform of Longing for Home' to perfect the process of reincarnation."

Xuanbao, I'm not going to play games with you. I'll just bring over the original Underworld. As for the lack of manpower, the millions of underlings below the Golden Immortal realm in my Human Emperor Banner are not to be underestimated. They can fill almost the entire local staff, if not the entire one.

Houtu nodded slightly in agreement, saying, "That's very good. We'll do as you say. But where will the candidates for these positions come from?"

Xuanbao smiled mysteriously, for the hermit had a clever plan.

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