At the summit of Buzhou Mountain, golden rain of merit poured down in torrents, its scale unprecedented since ancient times.
The entire Primordial World fell silent at this moment.
Kunlun Mountain.
Primordial Lord of Heaven abruptly opened his eyes. The Three Treasures Jade Ruyi flickered uncertainly as he deduced the heavenly secrets, only for them to be thrown into chaos by dazzling golden light and vast dragon might.
"Using brute force to accomplish the mending of the mountain may earn great merit, but it is ultimately not the proper path. It is merely a shortcut!"
Disdain showed on his face, but it could not conceal the deep alarm in his eyes.
Ripples stirred across Laozi's impassive face. The fly-whisk in his hand paused slightly, and he sighed. "The variable... has become a certainty."
Empress Nuwa's delicate brows knit together as she gazed at the ocean of merit that had nearly dyed the heavens gold. She murmured, "Without cultivating the primordial spirit, without revering heaven and earth... he can actually walk the path of merit? This..."
She was deeply puzzled. This completely overturned her understanding of the ultimate principles of heaven and earth.
In the west, Mount Sumeru.
"Senior Brother, this... this overwhelming merit!" Zhunti's eyes widened, and a flash of greed vanished at once, replaced by profound apprehension.
He calculated rapidly. The Witch Clan has grown powerful. It will surely clash with the Demon Clan again. Perhaps my western sect... can profit from it?
For a time, the Witch Clan's prestige and deterrent power throughout the Primordial World soared to an unprecedented peak.
Within the golden rain of merit, Xuanzheng felt warmth suffuse his entire body, as though every cell was cheering with joy.
Even more astonishingly, rings of Merit Golden Light gathered behind his head, layering upon one another until they formed eighty-one sacred and extraordinary Golden Wheels of Merit!
The golden wheels shone brilliantly, their radiance stretching for miles, nearly blinding every living being in the Primordial World!
"[Meritorious Saint Witch], [Construction Quasi-Saint]... this path really works!" Xuanzheng's thoughts became clear, and his road ahead grew ever more distinct.
The other Twelve Ancestral Witches also experienced explosive surges in their auras, their strength undergoing a qualitative leap.
Ripples of space spread around Dijiang as he exclaimed in wild delight, "Wonderful! I have never felt this wonderful before!"
Zhurong burst into laughter, his true flame body becoming incomparably condensed. "I feel like I could blow up a star with one punch!"
Houtu felt her connection to the earth grow even closer, and a gratified smile appeared on her face.
Within Zixiao Palace.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun sat upon his cloud bed, his expression as dark as water. When the boundless merit poured down, when the glaring eighty-one Golden Wheels of Merit appeared behind Xuanzheng's head, he could no longer maintain his calm expression.
This was no longer simply patching up a loophole! This was opening an entirely new Great Dao, a path to heaven that bypassed his "Mystic Gate Immortal Dao"! Once this path was established, the foundation of his teaching the Primordial World through the Mystic Gate on behalf of the Heavenly Dao would be completely shaken!
"Whelp! Whelp! How dare you damage the foundation of my Great Dao!"
"Puh—!"
A mouthful of violet-gold Dao blood containing a Saint's Dao Charm sprayed more than thirty feet away. Fury churned in Hongjun's eyes, and the aura around him fell into disarray.
He wanted to intervene, but the Heavenly Dao sent back its intent: "Great merit deserves reward." He wanted to interfere, only to discover that the Heavenly Dao was even more eager than he was!
Hongjun felt a foul breath lodged in his chest, unable to rise or fall. In the end, it turned into an icy decision. "Fine! Since the Heavenly Dao is incomplete, I shall merge myself with the Dao and enforce punishment on behalf of heaven!"
Just as the entire Witch Clan was immersed in the immense joy of their soaring strength, a sudden change occurred!
A vast, incomparable, cold, and indifferent supreme pressure suddenly descended from the direction of Zixiao Palace, instantly enveloping the entire Primordial World!
[Bzz—!]
Heaven and earth fell silent; all sounds vanished! Every living being, regardless of cultivation, trembled beneath this pressure. Their primordial spirits quivered, as though ants gazing up at the heavens.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun's indifferent voice, carrying supreme majesty, echoed through every corner of the Primordial World:
"Heavenly Dao has its constants, and all things have their order."
"The Witch Clan has acted against heaven. Though it has rendered merit to heaven and earth, its power has grown excessive and upset the balance. Today, acting on behalf of the Heavenly Dao, I shall impose the [Calamity Balance Lock]!"
"From this day onward, the Witch and Demon Clans shall not initiate a war of extermination for one million years!"
"Those who violate this shall be annihilated by Heavenly Punishment!"
As his words fell, "Crack—!"
An invisible shackle woven from Heavenly Dao authority and Saint laws descended from the nine heavens, fastening precisely around the neck of the Witch Clan Destiny golden dragon above Pangu Hall!
"Roar—!"
The destiny golden dragon let out a roar of extreme unwillingness and pain. It struggled fiercely but could not break free, and even its radiance dimmed somewhat.
Another shackle fell upon the Demon Clan Heavenly Court, wrapping around its destiny Golden Crow.
Within Lingxiao Treasure Hall, Di Jun and Taiyi were initially stunned. Then complex expressions, like those of survivors of a calamity, appeared on their faces.
At the summit of Buzhou Mountain, Xuanzheng's expression instantly turned grave.
But he neither raged nor roared.
The instant the law shackle descended, the [Karma Scale] had silently appeared in his left palm. He aimed its beam at the chain and gave it a light flick!
[Ding! Object weighed: Calamity Balance Lock.] [Cause: The Witch Clan rose too quickly, disrupting the balance predetermined by the Heavenly Dao.] [Effect: Prohibits the Witch and Demon Clans from waging "extermination" level wars for one million years.] [Loophole/Note: The law's definition is rigorous. It only restricts "wars of extermination" and places no limits on other forms of conflict, friction, or competition...]
Xuanzheng slowly raised his head and looked toward the lofty Zixiao Palace.
A moment later, a cold, faintly mocking curve slowly formed on his "honest and simple" face.
"Old Man Hongjun, you could not sit still anymore, so you personally entered the fray to play favorites?"
He sneered inwardly.
"A million-year truce? Heh, old man... you simply cannot afford to play?"
He lightly rolled his wrist, feeling the surging power within his body and the information coming from the [Karma Scale] in his palm. A sharp glint flashed through his eyes.
"You will not let us fight a 'war of extermination'? Fine!"
"Then what about economic warfare, cultural infiltration, commercial dumping, proxy wars... do those count as 'wars of extermination'?"
"Old fool, do you think you have put a lock on me? No. You have given me a million years to turn the Demon Clan into protected animals through culture and economics!"
"The game is getting more and more interesting!"
Before you continue