Primordial Era: A brick knocks Hongyun unconscious, and he seizes the throne at the start.

The shockwave from the simultaneous explosion of the Witch-Slaying Sword and the Witch-Slaying Blade directly shaved off three thousand miles of Buzhou Mountain.

Fragments of rubble rained down, among them were fragments of two deadly weapons—each piece still retained the terrifying aura of annihilating ancestral witches and suppressing demons. Even a piece the size of a fingernail was enough to terrify a Great Luo Golden Immortal.

Lu Chen carried the Qiankun Diagram and moved with ease amidst the falling "rain of fragments".

He only picked the big ones.

A fragment of the tip of the Witch-Slaying Sword—the size of a fist, crimson like blood, icy to the touch, its malevolent aura almost tangible. A good find, I'll take it.

The fragment of the hilt of the Witch-Slaying Blade—half a foot long, pitch black, its surface still wreathed in the resentment of the witch clan's blood essence. Not bad, I'll take it.

And there are also the scattered essence of the demon race, the souls of the witch race, and fragments of spiritual treasures left behind on the battlefield...

Lu Chen, like a diligent squirrel, frantically scavenged for goods on the edge of the battlefield. The "garbage dump" in the Qiankun Diagram expanded at a visible speed, quickly piling up into a small mountain.

But he didn't dare go too deep into the center of the battlefield—there, Di Jun and Di Jiang were already fighting like madmen.

The two deadly weapons were destroyed, but the war had to continue.

The witches and demons, having lost their greatest asset, were instead roused to ferocity, engaging in primal hand-to-hand combat. The witches relied on their physical strength, while the demons relied on their numerical advantage; every breath, thousands upon thousands of lives perished.

Blood stained Mount Buzhou.

Lu Chen clicked his tongue in amazement: "That was...too brutal."

Hunyuanzi floated beside him and whispered, "My Lord, we've collected enough; it's time to leave. The Sage's gaze has already fallen upon us."

Lu Chen looked up and indeed sensed several faint divine thoughts of saints hovering above the battlefield—Laozi was observing, Yuanshi was frowning, and Tongtian seemed to want to intervene, but was restrained by something.

Nuwa's thoughts were the most complex, carrying both compassion and helplessness.

Jieyin and Zhunti... those two were secretly "performing" the souls of the dead on the edge of the battlefield, while also accumulating some merit.

"No rush, I have something else to do." Lu Chen put away the Qiankun Diagram and used his brick-遁 (a type of teleportation technique) to sneak into the depths of Buzhou Mountain.

He was going to meet two people.

Gonggong and Zhurong.

These two Ancestral Witches, having been injured in the previous battle, are now the weakest among the eleven Ancestral Witches. They are currently being assigned to the flanks of the battlefield to contain the auxiliary troops of the demon race.

When Lu Chen found them, the two were sitting in a mountain hollow, healing their wounds, and they both looked unwell.

Zhu Rong's chest was wrapped in bandages—the wound from the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Grand Array had not yet healed. Gong Gong was in an even worse state; his entire left arm had disappeared, and the burn marks of the Sun's True Fire remained at the wound site.

"Two seniors." Lu Chen revealed himself.

"It's you?" Zhu Rong looked up, her eyes filled with complex emotions. "What are you doing here? To laugh at the Wu Clan?"

"Senior is too kind." Lu Chen sat down cross-legged and took out two bottles of Three Lights Divine Water. "This junior has come to deliver medicine."

He pushed the holy water over, saying, "This water can heal wounds. Please give it a try, seniors."

Gonggong took it, sniffed it, and his eyes lit up: "This is truly the Three Lights Divine Water! Young friend Lu, thank you very much!"

Without hesitation, he gulped down half the bottle, and the flesh at the severed arm began to wriggle, showing signs of regeneration.

Zhu Rong looked at Lu Chen suspiciously: "Why are you being so attentive for no reason...? What's your purpose?"

"Seniors, you are wise." Lu Chen grinned. "This junior does indeed have a small favor I would like to ask of you two seniors."

"explain."

Lu Chen lowered his voice: "May I ask you two seniors, have you ever considered... why the Witch Clan always suffers losses in every great battle?"

Zhu Rong frowned: "The demon race is cunning, relying on formations and magical treasures..."

"Not entirely." Lu Chen shook his head. "I've observed that the biggest problem with the Witch Clan is their lack of internal unity."

Gonggong and Zhurong's expressions changed simultaneously.

"What do you mean?!"

"I'll be frank," Lu Chen said, spreading his hands. "Among the Twelve Ancestral Witches, Dijiang, Qiangliang, and Tianwu are the strongest and have the most say. In every major battle, they are at the forefront and make the greatest contributions. On the other hand, the two injured and weaker Ancestral Witches are often assigned to the flanks or rear, making the least contributions but not necessarily taking the least risks."

These words struck a nerve with both of them.

Indeed, the Wu tribe reveres strength. Top ancestral witches like Dijiang hold absolute power within the tribe, receiving preferential treatment in terms of resources and monopolizing military achievements. Those like Gonggong and Zhurong, who are injured or fall behind, become increasingly marginalized.

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Zhu Rong gritted her teeth.

"What I want to say is that if the Witch Clan wants to win, they must unite," Lu Chen said, changing the subject. "But the prerequisite for unity is fairness. Are you two seniors willing to remain supporting characters forever?"

Gonggong remained silent.

Zhu Rong sneered, "So what if you're unwilling? Your strength is inferior; who can you blame?"

"Strength can be restored, and status can be fought for." A glint flashed in Lu Chen's eyes. "This junior has a method of 'dual cultivation of fire and water,' which I obtained from a chaotic ruin. This method allows the laws of water and fire to complement each other, doubling the cultivation speed and enabling combined attacks, with power comparable to a peak Ancestral Witch."

He took out two jade slips and handed them to the two men: "You two seniors, one is the Ancestral Witch of Fire, and the other is the Ancestral Witch of Water, perfectly suited to this method. If you cultivate together, within a hundred years, you will surely return to your peak, and perhaps even surpass Dijiang!"

Gonggong and Zhurong took the jade slip, and after scanning it with their divine senses, their breathing became rapid.

The teachings in the jade slip are real!

Moreover, it is extremely ingenious and is indeed a method of combined cultivation specifically designed for the laws of water and fire!

"Why...why did you help us?" Zhu Rong stared intently at Lu Chen.

"Because I don't want to see the Witch Clan lose," Lu Chen said solemnly. "The war between the Witch and the Demon Clan is about the future of the primordial world. If the Witch Clan is defeated, the Demon Clan will unify the world, and we rogue cultivators will have no place to stand. Therefore, the Witch Clan must win, and for the Witch Clan to win, it needs more powerful figures like the two of you to step forward."

This statement was half true and half false, but it was enough to stir things up.

Gonggong and Zhurong exchanged a glance, both seeing the ambition in each other's eyes.

"Alright!" Zhu Rong put away the jade slip. "We'll remember this favor!"

Gonggong nodded, "Young friend Lu, if you ever need my help, please don't hesitate to ask!"

"Then this junior wishes both seniors great success in their divine skills." Lu Chen cupped his hands and disappeared through the brick-like escape technique.

After he left, the valley fell silent.

After a long silence, Zhurong suddenly spoke up: "Gonggong, how much truth do you think this boy has to say?"

"The method is real." Gonggong stroked the jade slip. "As for the motive... it's not important. What's important is that we have a chance to turn things around."

"But what about Dijiang..."

"Once we've mastered it, what will we have to fear from him?" Gonggong's eyes flashed with ruthlessness. "The Wu tribe values ​​strength above all else. At that point, it's uncertain who will listen to whom!"

The two reached a consensus and began to cultivate in seclusion.

At this moment, Lu Chen had already returned to the outskirts of the battlefield.

Hunyuanzi stepped forward: "My lord, the method you gave them...is there a problem with it?"

"Of course there's a problem." Lu Chen grinned. "That 'Fire and Water Dual Cultivation' method is something I adapted from Luo Hou's demonic lineage. It allows for rapid progress in the early stages, but if you practice it to a deeper level, it will trigger inner demons, making you irritable, easily angered, belligerent, and bloodthirsty."

Hun Yuanzi gasped, "What are you trying to do...?"

"I want Gonggong and Zhurong to be the spark that ignites the internal strife within the Wu tribe." Lu Chen's eyes were icy. "Once their strength recovers, and they even surpass Dijiang, they will inevitably become unruly and vie for power. At that time, the internal strife within the Wu tribe will give the demon tribe a breather—and the war can be dragged out for much longer."

"Won't the longer it drags on, the more casualties there will be?"

"But the balance will not be broken," Lu Chen said calmly. "The Lich and Demon races must both be severely weakened and decline before the human race has a chance to rise, and only then will the Sages step in to clean up the mess—this is the inevitable outcome of the Great Tribulation."

Hun Yuanzi remained silent.

This move by the person in question was truly ruthless and decisive.

"Let's go, it's time to retreat." Lu Chen glanced at the center of the battlefield, where Di Jun and Di Jiang were locked in a fierce battle, both covered in blood, yet neither was willing to retreat.

The war must continue.

The seeds that Lu Chen planted have already quietly sprouted.

A century later, when Gonggong and Zhurong have achieved their divine powers, the Wu tribe will inevitably face a momentous "family affair".

That would be the best time for him to take advantage of the situation.

He activated his Brick Release technique and vanished.

The sounds of battle at Buzhou Mountain gradually faded into the distance.

But the gears of calamity continue to creak and slowly turn in their predetermined direction.