My classmates chose martial arts and fantasy, but I chose the prehistoric world.

The ancestral land of the Wu tribe, within the Pangu Temple.

Zhen Yuanzi's eyes were bloodshot, his breathing unsteady, and his voice hoarse as he repeated the question: "...The Primordial Purple Qi was bestowed by him personally, and the Crimson Cloud was praised by him as 'possessing profound blessings'... Why, why can he be so indifferent?!"

"Having aligned himself with the will of Heaven, is he truly so heartless?"

Meng Chuan and Hou Tu stood quietly to one side, while the eleven ancestral witches sat silently in a circle.

Only Zhen Yuanzi's sorrowful whispers echoed in the hall.

Finally, Meng Chuan stepped forward and placed his hand on Zhen Yuanzi's trembling shoulder.

"Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi," his voice was calm yet carried a power that struck straight to the heart, "now you should see clearly. The Dao of Heaven is ruthless, and this is even more true after Hongjun merged with the Dao."

"In his eyes, all the creatures of the primordial world, the sorcerers and demons, and even the disciples of sages, are merely pawns in maintaining the operation of heaven and earth and driving the alternation of eons."

"Fellow Daoist Hongyun is, you and I are, and so is the Lich."

Zhen Yuanzi slowly raised his head, his eyes still showing signs of despair, but a glimmer of clarity had appeared. "So... you also believe that Heaven is unjust and Hongjun is unkind?"

"Injustice and cruelty are viewed from the perspective of living beings."

Meng Chuan shook his head, his eyes as deep as the night. "From the perspective of the Heavenly Dao, he is merely maintaining balance and driving the operation of 'momentum'."

"The death of Fellow Daoist Hongyun may have been a necessary part of the Heavenly Dao's calculations—to give back to the Primordial World, to intensify conflicts, to bring the Lich King and the Demon King to the forefront at the right time, and to cause them to suffer mutual destruction at the right time."

"Therefore, if you and I do not want to be discarded as pawns, we cannot simply struggle within the game of fate."

Zhen Yuanzi's pupils contracted slightly: "You mean..."

"Step outside the game, and create your own!"

Meng Chuan uttered each word clearly, "The Way of Heaven is flawed, so the Way of Earth must be established. The cycle of reincarnation is incomplete, so Houtu can fill it. When merit is perfected, one can become a saint through the Way of Earth."

"At that time, the Earth will become independent, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Heavenly Way, thus balancing the Heavenly Way's authority. Only then can it truly secure a sliver of opportunity for all living beings—and for you and me!"

He no longer concealed anything and revealed the entire plan: the underground tunnel scheme, the reincarnation plot, and the blood sea layout.

The hall was silent.

Zhen Yuanzi listened intently, his expression shifting—

Shock, realization, struggle...

Meng Chuan pressed his advantage, his tone resolute: "The death of Fellow Daoist Hongyun is both ordained by Heaven and a warning bell!"

"If our scheme fails, the fate of Hongyun today will be the fate of the Wu Clan, Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi, and all those who refuse to submit to destiny tomorrow!"

He knew that Zhen Yuanzi was kind-hearted and grateful for Hongjun's three sermons at Zixiao Palace, so it was indeed difficult for him to "repay kindness with enmity".

This is also why, although he had previously intended to use the Earth Book, he had not planned to inform Zhen Yuanzi of the underground tunnel plan.

Zhen Yuanzi might not betray him and the Wu Clan, but it's also unlikely that he would help them defy Hongjun.

After hearing what Meng Chuan said, Zhen Yuanzi remained silent for a long time.

He recalled Hongyun's honest smile, the words "Benevolent by nature, blessed with good fortune" spoken by the Dao Ancestor when bestowing the Primordial Purple Qi upon him in Zixiao Palace, and the silent indifference of heaven and earth when that wisp of purple qi dissipated...

Finally, he slowly rose and bowed to Meng Chuan, Hou Tu, and the eleven ancestral witches.

"This humble Taoist priest is willing to join this game!"

The voice was calm, yet carried a heavy sense of desperation.

"The Earth Book can help stabilize the earth's veins, and the Earth Origin can help solidify the foundation of reincarnation. Although my cultivation is shallow, I am willing to use this body and this treasure to help the Ancestral Witch Houtu achieve the position of the Supreme Saint of the Earthly Way and establish the order of reincarnation."

"Not for revenge, not for personal gain."

He looked up, his eyes clear with a profound understanding: "For one reason only—the primordial world shouldn't have only the voice of Heaven. When Heaven and Earth are out of balance, all living beings suffer. Only with the balance of Earth can this situation endure!"

Dijiang laughed and stood up, patting Zhen Yuanzi heavily on the shoulder: "Good! Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi, from this day forward, you will be our Wu Clan's brother forever! If the Underground Dao is completed, your merit will be immeasurable!"

Zhen Yuanzi shook his head: "This humble Taoist... merely did what he was supposed to do."

Seeing Zhen Yuanzi's stance, Meng Chuan breathed a sigh of relief.

The Earth Book is formed from the membrane of the earth and is connected to the origin of the primordial earth veins. With Zhen Yuanzi's full assistance, Houtu's evolution and reincarnation will be much smoother, and the foundation of the earth's path will be more stable.

"However," Zhen Yuanzi pondered, "to avoid arousing Hongjun's suspicion, it is not advisable for me to stay in the Wu Clan for long. From now on, I will spend most of my time in Wuzhuang Temple in quiet cultivation, comprehending the Great Dao of the Earth Book, and only occasionally come to discuss matters with you all."

"If you need the Earth Book to suppress or harmonize the earth's veins, or if you wish to offer the Earth Book, I will arrive immediately."

"That's excellent."

Meng Chuan nodded, "Fellow Daoist, you still need to maintain contact with all parties on the surface, especially the Three Pure Ones, the Western Regions, and others. You must not show that you have close ties with the Witch Clan."

"I understand."

……

The Lich and Demon races officially ceased hostilities due to the Dao Ancestor's decree, and each pursued their own development.

Three thousand years later.

Di Jun established the "Demon Clan Heavenly Court" above the Thirty-Three Heavens, calling himself "Demon Emperor Jun," the first Heavenly Emperor of the Demon Court, ruling over all the stars and governing the primordial heavenly realm.

Taiyi is known as "Donghuang," second only to Dijun in status. He renamed his companion treasure, the Chaos Bell, as "Donghuang Bell" to show that he was connected with the fate of the demon race.

Nuwa, a direct disciple of the Daoist Ancestor, entered the Heavenly Court and became known as "Empress Nuwa," in charge of creation and the propagation of all living beings.

Fuxi then became known as "Xi Huang," in charge of celestial divination and the arrangement of battle formations.

Kunpeng is the "Demon Master," who teaches the demon race cultivation methods and governs and educates all demons.

Ji Meng, Ying Zhao, Bai Ze, and other powerful demons were each granted the titles of Demon Saint and Demon God, and given command of a faction.

The Heavenly Court was newly established, displaying a magnificent array of phenomena. The Zhou Tian Star Array was gradually perfected, and the fortunes of the demon race were at their zenith.

Six thousand years later.

The Heavenly Court of the Demon Clan is back on track, and Emperor Jun marries two daughters, Xihe and Changxi, the stars of the Moon, in a grand "Heavenly Marriage" ceremony.

Heaven responded and bestowed boundless merit!

Golden light filled the sky, and the Daoist principles were as vast as the sea!

With the power of their merits, Xihe and Changxi broke through their shackles in one fell swoop and both stepped into the early stage of Quasi-Saints. Their Taiyin Qi was perfected and the moonlight shone on all the heavens!

With the blessing of merit, Di Jun's cultivation level soared, reaching the mid-stage of Quasi-Saint and only half a step away from the late stage. His imperial majesty was even more magnificent!

Donghuang Taiyi also received the blessing of the Heavenly Court, and his cultivation reached the mid-stage of Quasi-Saint, further increasing the power of Donghuang Zhong!

The strength of the demon race has now reached an unprecedented peak!

……

at the same time.

The Wu tribe appears calm on the surface, but in reality, undercurrents are surging.

Deep within the Pangu Palace, time and space are distorted, and chaos shrouds everything.

Houtu secluded herself in seclusion, using the purple-black gourd to comprehend the evolution of chaos, and using the Nine Heavens Breath Soil to fuse with the ancestral witch's origin of earth. The Xuanhuang Dao aura around her grew increasingly heavy, and the faint phantom of the earth's membrane floated behind her.

Meng Chuan also went into seclusion, using the fragments of the Chaos Pearl to comprehend the ancient chaotic imprints contained within. Under the nourishment of the chaotic Dao rhythm, his Dao of Power became increasingly refined and domineering.

The eleven Ancestral Witches are also frantically increasing their strength.

The sense of impending calamity and the shock of Hongyun's tragic death drove these ancestral witches, who had always believed in power, to hold nothing back.

Emperor Jiang's spatial laws were nearing perfection, his blood and qi surged to the heavens, and his combat power was approaching the peak of Quasi-Saint. The void around him naturally distorted, as if he could transform into heaven and earth at any moment.

Zhu Jiuyin burned the source of time, accelerating the flow of time in the ancestral land. Although the cost was huge, it made the cultivation of the ancestral witches twice as effective. His own Dao of Time also broke through to the late stage of Quasi-Saint, and the illusory image of the long river of time flowed between the opening and closing of his eyes.

The nine ancestral witches, Zhurong, Gonggong, Qiangliang, Jumang, Rushou, Xuanming, Tianwu, Yuezi, and Shebishi, have all broken through to the mid-stage of Quasi-Saint under the guidance of Dijiang and Zhujiuyin, and each has made further progress.

The conflict between Zhurong and Gonggong, who clashed over water and fire, intensified, but also spurred each other on, making Zhurong's combat strength subtly superior among the nine...

The entire ancestral land of the Witch Clan was ablaze with the energy of a furnace, and the malevolent aura soared into the sky like smoke from a wolf's beacon. The speed at which their strength increased far exceeded what outsiders could imagine!