Demon Ancestor Retreats, Novice's Shock

The campfire crackled, and huge chunks of beast meat roasted, fat dripping down as the aroma mingled with the Witch Clan's unique rugged scent, filling the night sky.

Li Wuyang gnawed on the meat, basking in the complex gazes of the Witch Clan warriors—a mixture of awe, curiosity, and "who the heck is this guy?"—and felt a smug satisfaction.

It seemed the "tiger skin" of the "Primordial Dao Child" was quite effective among the Witch Clan.

The chieftain, Hou Yuan, offered another earthenware bowl of potent fruit wine and tentatively asked, "Dao Child, you must have seen much during your travels in the Primordial World. What are your thoughts on the current grand trends of the Primordial World?"

Li Wuyang took the bowl and took a small sip, his face contorting from the burn, but he feigned profound contemplation. "Grand trends... The Dragon-Han Tribulation has just passed, and the myriad races are in decline. Yet, the cycle of heaven and earth is endless, giving rise to new and old. This is the natural order of the Heavenly Dao. The Witch and Demon races, born with great fortune, dominate heaven and earth. However... strength cannot last, and softness cannot be defended. The principle of flourishing to decline, you all must ponder carefully."

These words were pure fabrication, a jumbled mess of Primordial World novel settings he'd read and a bit of Daoist philosophy, but combined with his "profound and unfathomable" origins and the "divine miracle" he'd just displayed, they sounded like heavenly pronouncements of supreme wisdom to Hou Yuan and the others!

Flourishing to decline? The Witch and Demon races?

Hou Yuan and several elders' expressions turned solemn as they exchanged glances. This Dao Child seemed to have an extremely clear grasp of the Primordial World's structure! He had even pinpointed the internal worries of the Witch Clan regarding the rise of the Demon Race!

Hou Yuan's attitude became even more respectful. "What the Dao Child says is thought-provoking. May I ask about the future path of my Witch Clan..."

Li Wuyang waved his hand, interrupting him. "Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed too much. The path is beneath your feet and lies within your heart. A strong body can support the heavens, but it also requires great virtue to encompass all things." He pointed to his chest, giving the impression of "I can only say so much."

Hou Yuan and the others seemed to understand, yet not fully, but they all felt it made a lot of sense and nodded, their gazes towards Li Wuyang now carrying a hint of "wise man" worship.

Li Wuyang chuckled inwardly and quickly lowered his head to eat meat to hide his smile. Deceive them, keep deceiving them! Lying doesn't cost a thing.

Just then, a Witch Clan boy, looking about seven or eight, with a tiger-like head and wearing a small animal skin skirt, curiously approached Li Wuyang. His big eyes blinked as he looked at the broken axe by Li Wuyang's hand, then back at Li Wuyang, and asked in a childish voice, "Dao Child Sir, did you... did you really find this treasure just by tripping?"

As soon as he spoke, the surroundings instantly fell silent. All the Witch Clan members, including Hou Yuan, perked up their ears. This question had puzzled them endlessly, making their hearts itch with curiosity.

Li Wuyang looked at the boy's innocent eyes and laughed heartily, reaching out to ruffle his head (it felt a bit rough). "Of course, it's true. Otherwise, where do you think this axe came from? Did I steal it or snatch it?"

He said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

The little boy's eyes widened, his small mouth forming an 'O' shape, his face full of envy. "Wow! You can find treasures just by tripping! So amazing! I fell yesterday and only lost a tooth!" He grinned, revealing a gap where his front tooth should have been.

The Witch Clan members: "..."

Hou Yuan's mouth twitched as he struggled to maintain a serious expression. The other Witch Clan warriors looked utterly dejected. They hunted, fought, and scoured dangerous places, and it was hard to find even a decent material for crafting weapons, yet this guy tripped and found a divine weapon?

Comparing ourselves to others makes us want to die!

Li Wuyang was amused by the boy and felt even better. He reached into his Void-Concealing Pouch and pulled out a red fruit, previously snatched, brimming with spiritual energy, and handed it to the boy. "Here, eat this. It's very sweet. Consider it a welcome gift."

The fruit was clearly no ordinary item, radiating spiritual energy.

The little boy took it with surprise, sniffed it, and was about to drool, but he first looked towards Hou Yuan.

Hou Yuan's eyes flashed with surprise as he looked at the fruit, then nodded. "Aren't you going to thank the Dao Child?"

"Thank you, Dao Child Sir!" the boy cheered, took a big bite, juice dripping down his face as he ate with pure happiness.

The other Witch Clan children around cast envious glances.

Seeing this, Li Wuyang took out more spiritual fruits and ordinary spirit stones, distributing them to the children who had gathered around, eliciting cheers. The adults' gazes also became friendlier. This Dao Child, despite his mysterious origins and strange methods, seemed... quite generous and easygoing?

The atmosphere grew more harmonious.

Seeing this, Hou Yuan seized the opportunity. "Dao Child, if you don't mind, why not stay in our tribe for a few more days? So that we can fulfill our duties as hosts, and also... to ask you about matters of the Primordial World." He primarily wanted to glean more information and observe this mysterious "Dao Child" further.

Li Wuyang, having nowhere else to go, readily agreed. "Very well. I shall impose on you for a few days then."

And so, Li Wuyang settled into this branch camp of the Houtu Tribe. The Witch Clan vacated the best stone house for him (though it was still simple), and Huaihuai was also provided with fodder (it seemed particularly interested in the giant stone locks used by the Witch Clan warriors for training, occasionally kicking them with its hooves).

For the next few days, Li Wuyang lived the most comfortable life since his transmigration. He lacked nothing in terms of food and drink (the Witch Clan's roasted meat was plentiful), and he was safe and sound (with the entire tribe as his bodyguard). Occasionally, he would put on his "Dao Child" airs and offer Hou Yuan and the others some vague, cryptic "heavenly secrets," leaving them stunned and earning countless awestruck glances.

He even, out of boredom, watched the Witch Clan warriors polish stone tools and practice combat techniques. Occasionally, he would have a "flash of inspiration," take his axe over, and "casually" cleave a giant rock.

More often than not, he would reveal a core of rare metal or a jade embryo hidden within, which the Witch Clan members couldn't sense, causing gasps of amazement. He would then "indifferently" gift it to the Witch Clan, calling it "this item has karma with you all," further solidifying his persona as a "treasure-hunting mouse" and a "gift-giving child."

Hou Yuan and the others practically treated him as the tribe's auspicious omen!

However, after only a few days of comfortable living, Li Wuyang's peculiar constitution of "Destined by Fate" began to act up again.

One day, he was sitting by the river, holding a makeshift fishing rod (made from tough vines and sharpened beast bones), imitating Jiang Taigong fishing, waiting for the willing to take the bait, but in reality, he was dozing.

Huaihuai was leisurely grazing on spiritual grass nearby.

Suddenly!

The normally calm river water violently flowed upstream, as if being pulled by some immense force!

Immediately after, a terrifying, soul-shattering pressure, like a tangible tsunami, swept over from the far distance!

The sky instantly darkened, clouds gathered, and lightning flashed! A fierce wind howled, whipping up sand and stones!

The Witch Clan warriors in the camp were instantly alerted. Hou Yuan's face changed drastically. He rushed out of the stone house, looking towards the direction of the pressure, his voice filled with unprecedented horror. "This... this is... a Great Luo level aura?! No... even stronger! Are peerless powerful beings fighting?!"

Li Wuyang was also startled awake from his nap by the sudden change, dropping his fishing rod into the river.

The terror of that pressure far surpassed that of the Demon Ancestor Luohu (who hadn't unleashed his full power then). It made him almost unable to breathe. The Great Dao Imprint in his sea of consciousness spontaneously activated, circulating purple light, barely holding it back.

In the distant sky, laws were in chaos, spiritual light flashed, and two blurry figures could be vaguely seen clashing fiercely! Every exchange caused vast swathes of space to collapse, and countless laws wailed! One could even vaguely see the phantom of a blood-colored river and the outline of a black lotus platform!

The mere residual shockwaves caused this mountain range to shake and the river to change course!

"Quick! Activate the tribal guardian formation!" Hou Yuan roared desperately. The Witch Clan warriors rushed to various nodes in a panicked yet orderly fashion, activating their blood energy, and a rough but sturdy blood-colored light barrier slowly rose, enveloping the tribe.

Li Wuyang was also grabbed by the collar by Huaihuai and dragged back within the light barrier.

His face pale, he watched the world-destroying scene in the distance, his heart pounding wildly.

That fighting party, that bloody aura of slaughter... it felt somewhat familiar?

Could it be...?

Before he could figure it out, the two figures clashed violently, erupting in a blinding flash of light. A faint, black stream of light, imbued with terrifying killing intent, seemed to shatter from a broken weapon. It shot out like a meteor, propelled by the immense force of the collision, heading straight for the tribe's direction!

The black stream of light was too fast for conscious thought. Even a trace of its contained sword intent caused the tribe's protective barrier to distort violently, groaning under the strain!

Hou Yuan and the other Witch Clan members turned ashen. In the face of such power, they were like ants!

Li Wuyang's scalp tingled, and he instinctively reached for his note again!

But this time, the stream of light was too fast!

At this critical moment--

As the incoming black stream of light was about to hit the blood-colored barrier, it seemed to be attracted by the Primordial Dao Rhyme circulating around Li Wuyang, or perhaps drawn by some "fate." Its trajectory shifted slightly!

Swish!

It grazed the edge of the barrier and then...

Poof!

A soft sound.

It embedded itself deeply into the muddy ground... less than three feet in front of Li Wuyang's feet!

It was a shard, only finger-length, entirely black, with fine cracks on its surface, radiating an aura of endless slaughter and destruction... a sword tip fragment?

As the fragment sank into the earth, the terrifying sword intent instantly retracted, but the surrounding land still turned to dust without a sound.

The world-ending battle in the distance seemed to pause due to this collision. The two figures retreated into the void and vanished. The terrifying pressure receded like a tide, and the sky gradually cleared, leaving behind only the devastated land.

The tribe's barrier flickered a few times before stabilizing.

All the Witch Clan members, including their leader Hou Yuan, remained frozen in shock, their eyes blankly fixed on the black sword tip fragment deeply embedded in the ground at Li Wuyang's feet.

Again... it happened again?!

Li Wuyang stared at the fragment, mere inches away, radiating an aura that made his heart race. Cold sweat streamed down his forehead.

That fighting party... it was definitely Demon Ancestor Luohu! The aura on this fragment was from the same source as his! Then who was the other one? Someone who could fight Luohu to this extent...

And this fragment... it precisely traveled thousands of miles to land at his feet?

Li Wuyang swallowed hard, looking at the almost numb and worshipful eyes of Hou Yuan and the others. He let out a dry chuckle, bent down, and carefully pulled out the sword tip fragment.

It felt bone-chillingly cold. The killing intent attempted to invade his body but was easily neutralized by the violet aura of the Great Dao.

Holding the fragment, he offered Hou Yuan and the others a smile that was more like a grimace:

"Heh heh... haha... Um... I was saying... this time it really flew over here by itself... do you believe me?"

Hou Yuan and the Witch Clan elders looked at the fragment in Li Wuyang's hand, which clearly contained the supreme demonic law of slaughter, and then at Li Wuyang's "innocent and harmless" face. They collectively fell into a long, silent stupor.

Believe him?

Did they dare not believe him, Dao Child?

Your fortune is no longer just deep... it's like treasures just fall on you wherever you go! They even delivered a fragment of the Demon Ancestor's weapon to you?!

What kind of auspicious sign (or disaster star) is this generation's Dao Child?!