Luohu: Are All These Dads So Unreliable?

A giant rock, wrapped in a fierce wind, crashed down like a small mountain! Its shadow instantly enveloped Li Wuyang and Huaihuai.

Huaihuai's limbs went weak with fright, its whinny laced with a sob.

Li Wuyang's scalp tingled. He almost closed his eyes as he raised the Primordial message slip over his head, his voice cracking as he shouted, "Dad!! Save me--!!"

Yes! He knew this paper might not work on the Witch Clan! After all, Demon Ancestor Luohu recognized this aura, but these burly Witch Clan men, who looked like their brains were made of muscle, might not!

But what else could he do now? Chop the rock with an axe? That would probably smash him and Huaihuai into a meat paste!

Just at this critical moment--

Another change occurred!

The light Primordial Violet Qi message slip, held high by Li Wuyang, and infused with the meager power he could muster from the Great Dao Imprint in his desperation, suddenly erupted with a gentle yet incredibly pure purple halo!

The halo wasn't dazzling, but it seemed to contain the supreme laws of the universe, forming a thin, translucent purple shield that protected Li Wuyang and Huaihuai beneath it.

The next moment!

BOOM!!!

The massive rock fiercely slammed into the thin purple shield!

There was no violent collision or shattering as he had imagined.

The giant rock, capable of flattening a small hill, upon contact with the purple shield, instantly disintegrated and vanished without a sound, like ice meeting a red-hot iron, or like sand meeting a monstrous tidal wave. It dissolved into the most basic Earth element spiritual energy particles, as if silently erased by an invisible hand!

Not even a speck of dust was kicked up.

The entire process was silent, yet it carried a sense of almost absolute, rule-level suppression!

The purple shield rippled slightly before returning to its original state, its light undiminished. Li Wuyang and Huaihuai beneath it were unharmed.

At the entrance of the valley, the two tall, burly Witch Clan men who had thrown the giant rock, their faces filled with ferocity and disdain, froze.

Their eyes widened like copper bells, their mouths agape wide enough to fit their fists. It was the ultimate shock and bewilderment brought on by witnessing something completely incomprehensible, something that defied their understanding.

Their simple, pure minds couldn't comprehend what had happened. How could that rock, capable of crushing a primordial giant elephant, just... disappear?

It wasn't just them. The Witch Clan warriors behind them, who had been roaring and preparing to charge forward and tear apart the "spy," were all stunned, frozen in place as if collectively immobilized.

Even in the distant village, several figures with deeper, more ancient auras, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, suddenly straightened up. Their gazes shot towards the purple shield like lightning, and for the first time, expressions of solemnity and uncertain surprise appeared on their faces.

Li Wuyang waited for a long time, expecting the agonizing pain of being crushed, but only heard dead silence.

He cautiously opened one eye, then both.

He saw his own intact body, Huaihuai, who was terrified but also unharmed, and the empty ground in front of him.

The giant rock... was really gone?

He looked at the slip of paper still emitting a soft purple glow in his hand, then at the group of stunned Witch Clan giants in the distance.

Gulp.

He swallowed.

Primordial Father... your message slip... the quality is too amazing?! This isn't a message slip, it's an invincible shield generator!

The ecstasy of surviving and a sense of "I'm actually this awesome" surged through him.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and jumped off Huaihuai's back. He tidied his collar, which had been blown askew by the wind (though it was useless), and then, mimicking the demeanor of a master he had imagined, he carefully put the slip away (this treasure couldn't be lost). Holding his broken axe, he cleared his throat and shouted loudly at the still bewildered Witch Clan:

"Ahem! Who are you people? Why did you attack me without cause? Do you not know I am the Primordial Dao Child?"

His voice attempted to be majestic but still trembled with lingering fear, sounding a bit like a paper tiger.

However, combined with the incredibly bizarre "miracle" that had just effortlessly neutralized the rock attack, his words had a completely different effect on the Witch Clan.

Primordial Dao Child?

Although they hadn't heard this title before, the aura of that purple light was supreme, pure, and ancient. It even... caused their Pangu Bloodline to stir with an extremely faint tremor?

This was definitely not an ordinary person! Not even an ordinary innate god or demon!

The two Witch Clan men who had thrown the rock exchanged glances, their ferocity replaced by astonishment. They looked back towards the depths of the village, seemingly seeking instructions.

At this moment, from within the village, a middle-aged Witch Clan man, not the tallest but with the most steady aura, his face painted with ancient patterns, looking like a leader, stepped out from the crowd.

His steps were steady, his gaze sharp as a hawk's. He scrutinized Li Wuyang from head to toe, paying particular attention to the axe in his hand and the area around his chest where he had produced the slip. He spoke in a deep voice, like muffled thunder:

"Primordial Dao Child? Never heard of it. Who are you? What business do you have in our Houtu Tribe? And what was that purple light just now?"

His tone remained cautious, but the hostility and disdain were gone, replaced by inquiry and seriousness.

Li Wuyang breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed communication was possible.

He maintained his "master" persona (despite his disheveled appearance) and said loudly (trying not to let his voice tremble): "I come from the Primordial Chaos, traveling the Primordial World. I passed by here and saw a fire, so I came to investigate. I mean no harm. You attacked me with a giant rock without a word. If I hadn't had some means, wouldn't I have died in vain? Is this how your Witch Clan treats guests?"

The Witch Clan leader frowned slightly, seemingly feeling that his subordinates had been a bit rash. The Witch Clan were straightforward and quick-tempered, extremely wary of outsiders. Seeing Li Wuyang peeking around suspiciously (in his opinion) on the hillside, their first reaction was to attack first.

But this person before them, though appearing frail, possessed unfathomable abilities, and that purple light's aura made even him feel a tremor. His origins were definitely not simple. Especially that broken axe in his hand... for some reason, it felt somewhat familiar, even faintly... intimate? (The imitation Pangu Axe carried a trace of the Heaven-Opening intent, which had a special resonance with those born from Pangu's essence blood.)

After weighing the situation, the leader clasped his fists (the Witch Clan's etiquette looked a bit awkward) and said: "I am the leader of the Houtu Tribe, Hou Yuan. My subordinates were rash just now and offended you. Please forgive us. It's just that recently, Demon Race scouts have been probing nearby, and we have to be on guard."

Demon Race? Li Wuyang's heart stirred. After the Dragon-Han Tribulation came the Witch-Demon War? This plot was progressing a bit too quickly.

However, he remained outwardly calm and followed up on the leader's words: "I see. Since it was a misunderstanding, it's good that it's resolved. I have long admired the Witch Clan during my travels in the Primordial World. To meet you today, I must say... you are indeed forthright."

He really couldn't think of any other words to describe the giant rock that had just flown over.

The leader, Hou Yuan, seemed not to notice the hesitation in his words, his expression softening considerably. "Since you are traveling, if you don't mind our tribe's simplicity, you are welcome to come in and rest for a while."

Anyone who could easily neutralize such an attack, no matter how weak they appeared, was worth befriending, or at the very least, not offending. This was the survival rule of the Primordial World.

Li Wuyang was fretting about where to spend the night. Hearing this, he was overjoyed, but he still maintained his composure. "In that case, I shall impose."

He patted Huaihuai, signaling it to follow. Huaihuai was still a little afraid of the fierce-looking Witch Clan warriors and cautiously followed Li Wuyang towards the village.

The Witch Clan warriors around them parted to make way, their gazes filled with curiosity, vigilance, and a trace of lingering awe as they watched Li Wuyang. Especially the two who had just acted, they scratched their heads, looking simple and a bit embarrassed.

Upon entering the tribe, Li Wuyang realized that the Witch Clan's way of life was indeed primitive and rugged. The houses were simple, mostly built from giant stones and logs, with huge beast bones and millstone-sized stone tools scattered everywhere. The air was filled with the smell of blood and a wild aura. Many Witch Clan children ran around barefoot, curiously looking at him, the "short" outsider.

Leader Hou Yuan led him to sit by the largest bonfire. Someone brought over large chunks of roasted meat from an unknown wild beast and some coarse fruit wine.

The roasted meat was fragrant and charred, and the fruit wine was pungent and strong, but full of energy.

Starving, Li Wuyang abandoned all pretense. After thanking them, he and Huaihuai (who was given a basin of meat) began to feast. The natural ingredients of the Primordial World tasted raw and delicious, leaving his mouth slick with oil.

Hou Yuan and several tribal elders kept him company, eating and drinking while subtly probing Li Wuyang's origins.

Li Wuyang was prepared and answered with a mix of truth and lies. He only said that he came from the Primordial World beyond the heavens, and his master (he forcefully elevated Primordial Father's status) was an supreme existence who had ordered him to descend the mountain to travel and comprehend the laws of the Primordial World. As for his name, he would be called the "Primordial Dao Child." As for the purple light just now, he vaguely referred to it as a "protective item bestowed by my master."

His tone was calm, but occasionally, a hint of "high-level" commentary on the general trend of the Primordial World and the various powers (he was bluffing based on the mythological knowledge he had read) would slip out. Combined with his unfathomable "backer," he managed to awe Hou Yuan and the others, making them believe his identity as the "Primordial Dao Child" a little more, and their attitude became even more polite.

Especially when he "accidentally" revealed that he was not on the same side as the "Demon Race" and even had some reservations about them (based on the historical opposition between the Witch and Demon races), Hou Yuan and the others showed joy, feeling they had found a potential ally.

After three rounds of drinks (Li Wuyang only dared to sip the spicy fruit wine), the atmosphere became even more harmonious.

Hou Yuan looked at the broken axe Li Wuyang had placed beside him. The more he looked, the more he felt that the sense of familiarity and the faint oppressive aura were genuine. He couldn't help but ask, "Dao Child, your divine axe... it seems extraordinary. May I ask where it came from?"

Li Wuyang, chewing on meat, casually replied, "Oh, this? I tripped on the way and picked it up."

Hou Yuan: "???"

All the Witch Clan elders: "???"

Tripped... and picked it up?

Hou Yuan almost dropped his stone cup. The expressions of the muscular Witch Clan warriors froze again, their eyes filled with the bewilderment of "Are you kidding me?"

Seeing their expressions, Li Wuyang secretly reveled, but outwardly feigned surprise. "What? You... can't pick them up?"

Hou Yuan: "..."

All the elders: "..."

Our Witch Clan has scoured the mountains, and the best weapons we've found are just crude blanks that are heavy and hard! You tripped and found a divine axe like this that makes our bloodline tremble?!

Are all the Dao Children from outside this generation... this outrageous?!

Hou Yuan took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the storm in his heart, and let out a dry laugh. "Heh... hehe... The Dao Child truly has... profound fortune."

His gaze towards Li Wuyang completely changed. In addition to the previous awe, there was now a complex glimmer of looking at a "walking treasure trove" and a "chosen one."

Perhaps... the tribe had truly encountered an unimaginably distinguished guest this time?

And Li Wuyang, under the strange gazes of the Witch Clan warriors, contentedly took another bite of roasted meat.

Hmm, this Primordial World seems to be getting fun again.