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

"Not bad." Houtu nodded slowly, her gaze falling on Xuanbao. In those eyes, which carried the phantom of reincarnation, a faint hope and a deep weariness flashed. At this moment, Houtu deeply regretted not having a brain. Although she had become a saint, she was not as carefree as she had been as the chief sorcerer. "Brother Xuanbao, you always do things in unexpected ways. I'm sure you've gained something from this seclusion."

"I know you have a deep karmic connection with our witch clan. In this calamity, I am bound by the laws of Heaven and powerless to do many things. But you, my brother... perhaps you can do more."

Xuanbao's heart stirred slightly upon hearing this. He naturally understood the unspoken meaning in Houtu's words. She hoped that he, as a "variable," could, as far as possible, preserve more seeds and vitality for the Wu tribe, for the human race, and for this primordial world during the impending great calamity. This was both a entrustment and a hope born of helplessness.

"Sister, rest assured," Xuanbao said solemnly, his usual languid expression gone, replaced by composure and seriousness. "Now that I'm involved in this, I won't stand idly by. The elder brothers of the Witch Clan have treated me with sincerity. I will do my best, both publicly and privately."

Xuanbao paused, a wise glint in his eyes: "Sister just mentioned that all we can do is use the power of reincarnation to protect the fallen true spirits, giving them a chance to be reborn. This is very good. However, I believe that merely passively protecting them may not be enough. We need to... actively create a world where the Witch Clan can survive in this immeasurable calamity that is about to begin, or at the very least, leave behind a spark for the Witch Clan."

As Xuanbao spoke, a chaotic light swirled in his eyes, and the runes of the Three Thousand Great Daos flickered within them. He slowly raised his right hand. In his palm, a deep, noble, and restrained dark purple light slowly bloomed, transforming into a three-foot-square, slowly rotating illusory image of a twelve-petaled lotus platform. The lotus platform was entirely a mysterious dark purple, its petals as crystalline as if carved from amethyst, layer upon layer. At the center of the lotus platform, a constantly shifting purple aura emanated, exuding an aura of the Law of Reincarnation!

"This is..." For the first time, Houtu's usually serene and eternally sorrowful face revealed undisguised shock and emotion! As the Lord of Reincarnation, ruling the Six Paths, she was most acutely sensitive to all treasures and Daoist principles related to reincarnation. The moment this lotus platform phantom appeared, the Earthly Dao Saint's essence within her, which had long been integrated with the Six Paths of Reincarnation and the boundless Netherworld, resonated violently and uncontrollably! It was as if a limb missing for billions of years had finally appeared before her eyes! The Daoist principles emanating from the lotus platform were so perfectly aligned with the laws of reincarnation that it seemed tailor-made for her! More importantly, it contained a trace of what she had longed for—the ability to truly perfect "Reincarnation"!

"A twelfth-grade... Reincarnation Purple Lotus?!" Houtu exclaimed in a low voice, her tone trembling slightly. When she underwent reincarnation, she sensed that this object should exist in the world, a supreme treasure manifested by the Great Dao of Reincarnation. If she could obtain it, it might make reincarnation more stable. Since becoming a saint, she had searched the primordial world, deducing the secrets of heaven, but this twelfth-grade Reincarnation Purple Lotus had always remained elusive, seemingly just a phantom concept projected by the Great Dao. She had thought she would never see it in this lifetime, but unexpectedly, it was in Xuanbao's hands. If Houtu knew that this Reincarnation Purple Lotus was found by Xuanbao in their Wu Clan's treasure vault, she would probably be so angry she would vomit blood. Truly, the devil is in the details.

In Xuanbao's palm, the twelve-petaled purple lotus of reincarnation slowly rotated, its dark purple radiance illuminating his serene face and reflecting the indescribable excitement and hope in Houtu's eyes. Gazing at this supreme treasure, seemingly born for reincarnation, she could clearly feel the intense, magnetic resonance between her own saintly essence and the lotus platform; even the entire Six Paths of Reincarnation Disc trembled slightly, emitting a joyful, clear hum.

"Sister Houtu," Xuanbao's voice broke the silence, carrying a clear understanding of the essence, "This lotus is called the 'Reincarnation Purple Lotus,' transformed from the Chaos Green Lotus Seed. It shares the same origin as the Merit Golden Lotus, the Karmic Fire Red Lotus, the World-Destroying Black Lotus, and the World-Purifying White Lotus, yet it uniquely governs the Great Dao of 'Reincarnation.' It contains the origin of reincarnation and has a deep connection with the Underworld."

This is what I think: If Sister were to use her saintly power to completely refine the essence of this lotus and merge it with the essence of the Underworld and the Six Paths of Reincarnation, it would allow the foundation of the Underworld to transform, its space to expand, its laws to be perfected, and it to become a world of its own, its grade... no less than any top-tier Great Thousand World!

"A top-tier Great Thousand World..." Houtu murmured repeatedly, the illusory image of reincarnation rapidly shifting in her eyes, as if she were deducing its infinite possibilities. As a Saint of the Earthly Path, ruling the Netherworld, her understanding of "world" far surpassed that of ordinary people. A Great Thousand World is a complete realm within chaos, containing the sun, moon, and stars, mountains and rivers, all living things, and its own complete cycle of laws. It can nurture Primordial Chaos, and even give birth to Saints. Of course, this possibility is not high; unless the world's level continues to rise, it is likely that one will not become a Saint even until the world's destruction!

Although the Underworld is vast, it ultimately depends on the primordial universe, a special "realm" formed by the rules of the netherworld. While it has a place of reincarnation, it lacks true sun, moon, stars, and the cycle of birth and death of all things, resembling more of a single-function "transfer station" and "prison." If it could be elevated to a true, supreme Great Thousand World…

What does that mean? It means the Underworld will no longer be merely a subordinate realm of the primordial chaos, but an independent, complete, and infinitely potential real world! It means the laws of reincarnation will be more stable and complete. It means the space of the Underworld will expand a million times, enough to accommodate countless beings to thrive and multiply! And it also means… in the upcoming, potentially cataclysmic, final war between the Lich King and the Witch Clan, the Underworld will possess an even greater ability to become the Witch Clan's last and most solid refuge and a place of hope for preserving their lineage!

"Brother, you...you really intend to bestow this supreme treasure upon me?" Houtu's voice trembled slightly, the sorrow on her exquisite face replaced by an expression mixed with excitement, gratitude, and disbelief. This was no ordinary spiritual treasure; it was a top-grade innate spiritual treasure containing the complete Dao of Reincarnation, enough to make any saint envious! Moreover, the innate laws of reincarnation it contained were probably comparable to innate supreme treasures in the Underworld!

Xuanbao smiled slightly, his smile warm and sincere: "Sister, what are you saying? This treasure is destined for you, and for reincarnation. In my hands, it's just a pearl covered in dust. Only in your hands, sister, and by integrating it into the Underworld, can it unleash its true value. Moreover, helping you strengthen the Underworld is also helping the Witch Clan, the Human Clan, and all living beings in this primordial world, leaving a glimmer of hope. Both for the public and for the private, I have no choice but to do it."

Having said that, Xuanbao no longer hesitated. With a thought, the three-foot-square, twelve-petaled Reincarnation Purple Lotus slowly flew out from the depths of his primordial spirit, hovering between him and Houtu. As soon as the lotus platform revealed its true form, it shone with a brilliant purple light, and strands of Reincarnation Purple Qi spread out, dyeing the entire Pingxin Hall with a mysterious and noble purple hue. The swirling purple gas at the center of the lotus platform churned violently, evolving into the wondrous scenes of endless soul rebirth and the six realms of reincarnation, and even the faint grand sounds of the creation and destruction of worlds and the opening of spacetime resounded.

Houtu took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the raging storm in her heart. She knew this was not the time for humility or sentimentality. She slowly rose, her bare feet stepping onto the cold, dark ground. The previously restrained, vast, and unfathomable aura of the Saint of Reincarnation around her erupted without reservation!

"Buzz—!"

The entire Netherworld trembled violently! The River of Oblivion surged backward, the Bridge of Helplessness creaked, the Three Lives Stone shone brightly, the Ten Kings of Hell shook in unison, and countless ghost messengers, judges, and wandering souls all sensed it, staring in horror towards the direction of the Hall of Peace. Stepping out of the Yin Mountain cave, he looked towards the place where purple mist soared into the sky, his expression solemn yet tinged with understanding.

Houtu's long hair moved without wind. She stretched out her hands, and endless cycles of reincarnation surged from her body, transforming into streaks of gray light that exuded an aura of eternal peace, which coiled around the twelfth-grade purple lotus of reincarnation. At the same time, a bright, ethereal light containing the essence of the Earthly Dao Sainthood flew out from between her brows and disappeared into the core of the lotus platform.

"In the name of Houtu, the Sage of the Earthly Dao, I hereby command!" Houtu's voice resounded throughout the Netherworld, carrying an undeniable majesty and resolve, "Reincarnation Purple Lotus, unite your origins, merge!"

"Boom—!"

A deafening roar, as if the heavens and earth were being created, resounded simultaneously from the Pingxin Palace, from the core of the Reincarnation Purple Lotus, from the location of the Six Paths Reincarnation Disc, and from the very origin of the entire Underworld! It was not merely sound, but a violent collision and fusion of the Great Dao's laws! The Purple Lotus trembled violently, its twelve petals unfolding layer by layer, spewing forth endless purple Reincarnation essence! Part of this essence, guided by Houtu's Reincarnation Dao principles, surged wildly into her body like rivers flowing into the sea, merging and sublimating with her own saintly essence; a larger portion transformed into towering purple waves, spreading explosively from the Pingxin Palace towards the entire Netherworld!

Wherever the purple waves passed, the underworld underwent earth-shattering, fundamental changes!

First, there's the matter of space. While the Netherworld was originally vast and boundless, it still had boundaries for powerful beings. Now, under the impact of the immense power of the Purple Lotus of Reincarnation, these boundaries, like a fragile eggshell, were easily torn apart and expanded! Space expanded wildly, like air being blown in—ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times, ten thousand times… The area of ​​the Netherworld extended outwards at an unimaginable speed! Beyond Yin Mountain, the even more majestic and continuous Netherworld Mountain Range appeared; at the end of the River of Oblivion, an even wider and deeper Netherworld Sea extended; the Netherworld Rift, originally considered a forbidden zone, was filled in by the purple energy, transforming into stable Netherworld soil. Countless new, desolate yet solid lands appeared out of thin air, upon which rare flowers and herbs, mineral veins, and spiritual energy of the Netherworld attribute began to quietly take root. The "volume" of the entire Netherworld expanded by trillions of times in a short period! Its vastness was already comparable to a continent in the Primordial World, and it was still steadily growing!

Secondly, there are the laws. Originally, the laws of the Underworld were mainly based on "Yin," "Death," "Soul," "Punishment," and "Judgment." Although it had the core of reincarnation, the system was relatively simple, mainly performing the "judgment" and "transfer" functions of the primordial Heavenly Dao. Now, with the integration of the essence of the Reincarnation Purple Lotus, a complete and higher-level "Great Dao of Reincarnation" has been brought forth! This Great Dao not only includes the original functions but also completes the cycle of "life" and "death," the chain of "cause" and "effect," and the variables of "fate" and "choice." The network of laws in the Underworld instantly became incredibly complex, precise, and perfect, spontaneously evolving projections of the sun, moon, and stars, the rudiments of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, the veins of mountains and rivers, and even beginning to faintly gestate simple life forms unique to the Netherworld! The laws of the entire Underworld are rapidly evolving from a "collection of subordinate rules" towards a "complete Heavenly Dao of the world"!

Finally, there's the matter of origin and stability. The Reincarnation Purple Lotus is formed from the seeds of the Chaos-to-Purity Lotus, its origin being so abundant and of such high grade that it's already a top-tier innate spiritual treasure. Moreover, its origin, the Law of Reincarnation, is perfectly compatible with the origin of the Underworld. Combined, the effect of the Reincarnation Purple Lotus even surpasses some innate supreme treasures. With the complete fusion of the origins of the Sage Houtu, the "foundation" of the Underworld has been strengthened to an unbelievable degree! The stability of space has skyrocketed, enough to withstand the impact of Primordial Chaos level or even Saint level power without collapsing. The efficiency and coverage of the power of reincarnation have increased exponentially, making its ability to protect, purify, and reincarnate true spirits much stronger. More importantly, the Underworld has begun to form a more "equal" rather than "dependent" connection with the Primordial Heaven and Earth, its world barrier becoming incredibly thick, possessing extremely strong resistance to the erosion of external calamity energy, malevolent energy, and chaotic energy.

"Not enough!" Houtu sensed the dramatic changes in the underworld, and her eyes blazed with purple light.

Originally, the current underworld was obtained by relying on the Xuanbao, which was contained in the tortoise shell of the Chaos Demon God and the Control Demon God. Its upper limit was originally very high. However, the problem that Houtu is facing now is that the laws she has comprehended are not enough to support the operation of a great world.

Of course, this is also what Xuanbao planned. Xuanbao is certain that in the current prehistoric world, apart from that old schemer Hongjun, who has the assistance of the Jade Tablet of Creation, the only one who can support the laws required for a great world is him, who currently controls 3080 laws.

"Don't worry, sister, watch what I've got!"

Just as Houtu was struggling to keep up with the times and the Underworld's ascension was slightly hampered by incomplete laws, Xuanbao's clear voice rang out, calm yet carrying absolute confidence in his control. He took a step forward and stood beside the violently trembling, purple-light-piercing Lotus of Reincarnation, standing shoulder to shoulder with Houtu.

"My path has been completed!"

Xuanbao no longer suppressed his aura, and the deep chaotic light in his eyes erupted completely! This time, it was no longer an illusion, nor a manifestation of Daoist principles, but real and true, three thousand and eighty chains of laws condensed to the extreme and clear enough to make one tremble, bursting out from his body!

"boom--!!!"

The Pingxin Palace, no, the entire newly formed Netherworld that was expanding wildly and whose laws were in turmoil, was shocked by this unprecedented sight! Three thousand and eighty chains of laws, each with different colors and myriad shapes, yet all exuding supreme Daoist charm, roared out from around Xuanbao like three thousand and eighty awakened chaotic dragons, instantly filling every inch of this emerging Netherworld Great Thousand World! The sharpness of metal, the vitality of wood, the vastness of water, the ferocity of fire, the weight of earth, the formlessness of wind, the judgment of thunder, the flow of time, the folding of space, the universal illumination of light, the silence of darkness, the burgeoning of life, the return to stillness of death, the mystery of creation, the end of destruction, the capriciousness of fate, the entanglement of cause and effect, the strictness of order, the ignorance of chaos, the hundred refinements of artifacts, the celestial evolution of arrays, the medicinal properties of elixirs, the divine communication of talismans, the sharpness of swords, the malevolent aura of witches, the transformation of demons, the spirituality of humans, the faith of gods, the cunning of demons, the transcendence of Buddhas, the gloom of ghosts, the trajectory of stars, the rotation of the sun and moon, the veins of mountains and rivers, the red thread of marriage, the auspicious clouds of fortune, the black aura of calamity… encompassing everything, leaving nothing out!

This is the most fundamental law! A total of 3080 laws, each chain of laws seems to possess life and wisdom, accurately finding the corresponding gaps, weaknesses, or chaos in the newly formed network of laws in the underworld, and then—integrating, supplementing, straightening, and strengthening them!

Xuanbao was like a supreme "creation engineer," using the three thousand and eighty laws he controlled as "materials" and "blueprints" to frantically repair, perfect, and upgrade this emerging Netherworld! Xuanbao's face turned pale at a visible speed, and his aura fluctuated violently. It was clear that mobilizing 3080 laws at the same time was so exhausting that Xuanbao almost couldn't withstand it for a moment. However, Xuanbao's eyes remained clear and firm. His hands formed a seal, and the Daoist aura around him resonated to the extreme with the three thousand and eighty chains of laws.

at last……

"When laws intertwine, the Heavenly Dao is formed! Yet, the Dao of this realm must also contain the Heavenly Dao!" Xuan Bao's eyes flashed with divine light, and he suddenly roared, "Slash!"

As the word "slay" was uttered, Xuanbao's body trembled violently, and he spat out a small mouthful of chaotic-colored essence blood. This essence blood didn't splash; instead, it rapidly condensed and transformed in mid-air, combining with the most condensed primordial spirit essence separated from the depths of Xuanbao's primordial spirit. Simultaneously, each of the three thousand and eighty chains of law frantically repairing the underworld trembled slightly, separating out an extremely minute wisp of essence containing the core essence of that law, flowing like rivers into the sea, merging into the combined essence blood and primordial spirit essence.

"Buzz—!"