Qin Feng withdrew his hand, and the wisp of Chaos Qi at his fingertips, powerful enough to make even the Heavenly Dao Laws tremble, quietly disappeared.
The hint of amusement and flippancy on his face vanished, replaced by an unprecedented seriousness and solemnity.
This sudden turn of events startled Houtu, who was still reeling from the intense shock of cardiac resuscitation.
She raised her beautiful eyes, still filled with endless horror and disbelief, and looked at Qin Feng with some confusion, not understanding why his aura had suddenly changed.
Qin Feng's gaze fell on her face again, but this time, there was no trace of appreciation in his eyes, only a cold indignation.
" Your Empress, I have come here primarily for you."
Qin Feng's voice was no longer calm, but carried a hint of fierce battle intent, which seemed extremely abrupt in this peaceful sea of merit.
"Secondly, it is for this Earthly Dao cycle of reincarnation."
Upon hearing the words "reincarnation in the Earthly Dao," Houtu's mind jolted, and her heart, which had just begun to thaw, seemed to skip a beat.
She forcibly suppressed the turmoil of emotions churning within her, regained a semblance of the dignity of a Earthly Dao lord, and listened quietly.
She knew that what he was about to say was his real purpose for barging into this place today.
Qin Feng saw her eyes become wary again, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips, a smile full of extreme disdain for certain beings.
"Those two bald monks from the West, Your Empress must know their character better than I do."
Upon hearing the words "bald monk," Houtu's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.
In the Primordial World, besides the Dao Ancestor, there is probably no one else who would dare to address those two saints so recklessly.
The man in front of them spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world, as if he were merely commenting on two low-level street thugs.
"They sent a monk Ksitigarbha to chant sutras at your doorstep every day, saying things like, 'I will not become a Buddha until hell is empty.'"
Qin Feng's voice was filled with undisguised sarcasm.
"That sounds so grand and righteous, what a benevolent and compassionate facade! Anyone who didn't know better would think he'd come to save all living beings."
"But how could his wolfish ambitions possibly escape our notice?"
Qin Feng stepped forward, getting closer to Houtu, and his aura became even more fierce.
"What utter nonsense about grand ambitions! It's nothing more than a vain attempt to slowly erode your merits and corrupt your Earthly Dao through this kind of painstaking effort, ultimately turning this Six Paths of Reincarnation and the Netherworld into their Western Teachings's backyard!"
How malicious their intentions are!
The last four words were almost uttered through gritted teeth by Qin Feng, and an icy, bone-chilling killing intent uncontrollably emanated from him.
The killing intent was so pure and terrifying that it even caused an ominous ripple to spread across the boundless golden sea of merit around them!
Houtu was completely stunned.
She naturally knew about the matter of Ksitigarbha.
Ever since that monk came to the underworld and chanted scriptures day and night by the Blood Sea, she has sensed the unusual activity of the Earthly Dao's source.
It was a slow but persistent erosion.
The other party's grand ambitions resonated with the cycle of Earthly Dao, subtly stealing her power and fortune.
For millions of years, she has not been without thoughts of rebellion.
But what could she do?
She was trapped here by the chains of Heaven, unable to even move.
Behind Ksitigarbha stand the Two Saints of the West.
That was a contest between sages, a well-planned scheme they had long ago.
She was merely a pawn in this game, powerless to resist and forced to watch helplessly as everything she had was slowly taken away.
She resigned herself to her fate.
Or rather, she had no choice but to accept her fate.
She thought that in this endless loneliness and weariness, she would eventually be completely replaced by Ksitigarbha, and that her last bit of self-awareness would be completely absorbed into this cold cycle of reincarnation.
This was her fate, one she could not defy, and no one could stand up for her.
But she never expected this.
Today, a man, a mysterious man whose origins are unknown, will barge in front of her and, with a tone more furious and resentful than her own, shout out this bloody truth in a raw and unfiltered way!
He wasn't just stating a fact; he was speaking out for her!
He was angry! He was angry on her behalf!
Houtu's compassionate eyes trembled violently, and a layer of mist, unnoticed by herself, began to quietly condense.
Seeing her on the verge of tears, Qin Feng's anger burned even brighter.
He slowly withdrew his killing intent, and his incomparably handsome face was now filled with a domineering and resolute air that could move heaven and earth.
He looked directly into Houtu's eyes, each word spoken with the utmost force, like the most solemn vow, striking deep into Houtu's soul.
"I'm here to be your support."
boom!!!
A simple sentence, yet it was like a Chaos Divine Thunder World Creation, exploding in Houtu's sea of consciousness!
Her body trembled violently, and the mist that had just gathered could no longer be controlled, instantly filling her entire eye sockets.
backing...
These two words were both incredibly unfamiliar and incredibly luxurious to her.
From the day she was born, she was one of the Twelve Ancestral Witches and the protector of the Wu Clan.
After her body is reincarnated, she becomes the support of all beings and the pillar of the Earthly Dao.
She will always be someone else's support.
But who is her backer?
No.
Never.
Qin Feng gave her no chance to catch her breath; his words, filled with endless domineering power and promises, came down like a storm.
"I will thwart the Western Teachings's conspiracy!"
"I will break the shackles of Heaven's will!"
"I will let you walk out of this Six Paths of Reincarnation with dignity and see the light of day again!"
"Instead of being trapped here forever, becoming a tool without a self!"
tool!
The moment the word "tool" came out of Qin Feng's mouth...
The last string that had been suppressed in Houtu's heart for countless years, long since numbed her, snapped in response!
All her strength, all her pretense, all her compassion, all her weariness, were utterly shattered by those two words at this moment!
yes.
She transformed into a being to give all living beings in the Primordial World a place to belong, and to fulfill the boundless love that originated from the Pangu Bloodline.
All the gods and Buddhas in heaven praised her compassion and were grateful for her merits.
Has anyone, even just one person, ever asked her if she herself was willing?
Has anyone truly cared about the grievances and despair she felt, trapped in this dark and hopeless place, never to be free?
No!
In their eyes, she was merely the Empress Pingxin, a tool for maintaining the operation of heaven and earth, a symbol!
Only this man in front of me!
This man I just met, and I don't even know his name!
He not only saw through the Western Teachings's conspiracy at a glance, but also saw through her tragedy as a tool.
He came for "her" freedom!
It's not for the Earthly Dao, not for reincarnation, but for her, Houtu, a name forgotten for billions of years, so that she can regain her freedom!
Endless grievances.
I am deeply moved.
Endless joy.
And then there's that emotion called "happiness," which, for the first time in billions of years, has been so cherished and so fiercely protected.
At this moment, all her emotions erupted like a volcano that had been building up for millions of years, completely shattering her last Dao Heart defense.
A single, crystal-clear tear, seemingly carrying the weight of millennia of sorrow and joy, could no longer be held back and slowly slid down her stunningly beautiful face.
Tick-tock.
The teardrop fell into the golden sea of merit without making a sound, yet it seemed to stir up the most intense ripples throughout the entire Netherworld and the entire Primordial Three Realms.