A Gamble with Their Lives!

This thought was like a heavy millstone, grinding over and over through Lu Jun's Sea of Consciousness.

Not tell her?

Houtu would go and incarnate into reincarnation bearing the doubts of "success and yet not success," along with a crushing psychological burden.

She already carried the resolve to sacrifice herself. If she also bore the fear of "failure" and anxiety over unknown hidden dangers, could her process of Incarnation Reincarnation still be as "perfect" as it had been in the original course of events?

A single unresolved thought, the slightest instability in one's Dao Heart, could trigger unforeseeable deviations in the monumental undertaking of merging one's body with the Dao!

At best, reincarnation would be flawed; at worst, the Dao would collapse, and reincarnation would backlash!

Then, not only would she fail to save all living beings, she might instead hasten the eruption of resentment, bringing heaven and earth crashing down!

That was almost as terrifying as the consequences he feared if Houtu gave up on reincarnation!

Tell her?

Tell her the essence of the Dao of Reincarnation. Tell her what would be "lost" after Incarnation Reincarnation—her freedom, and eternal confinement within the Underworld.

Then, with the wisdom, compassion, and Pangu bloodline of this Ancestral Witch of the earth, could she find a way to perfect the Dao of Reincarnation before incarnating herself?

Could she carve out a Smooth Path that would not merely "patch a gap," but allow the Earthly Dao to truly grow stronger, perhaps even stand shoulder to shoulder with the Heavenly Dao?

This thought made Lu Jun's heart suddenly leap!

Countless rumors concerning the future of the Great Desolation World flashed through his mind in an instant.

Why did the Great Desolation World ultimately enter an age where the Dao declined?

Why did Spirit Energy run dry and the Great Dao vanish from sight?

Wasn't one of the roots of it the imbalance of the Three Daos?

How powerful was the Heavenly Dao!

Hongjun merged with the Dao, preached the Dao to three thousand in Purple Cloud Palace, and in one breath conferred sainthood upon six Heavenly Dao Saints!

High above all things, it governed heaven and earth.

And the Earthly Dao?

It had only the reincarnation Houtu had created with her own body, barely holding it up.

Though she was a Saint, she was trapped in the Underworld. The power of the Earthly Dao was firmly suppressed by the Heavenly Dao, nearly reduced to a vassal.

And the Human Path?

Nuwa Creates Humans and became a Saint. She should have been the representative of the Human Path, yet she too ultimately became a Heavenly Dao Saint!

The Human Path was even weaker. Though the Human Race was the protagonist of heaven and earth, it could never escape the fate of being chess pieces of the Heavenly Dao.

The Three Daos were incomplete!

The Heavenly Dao alone reigned supreme!

It was like a giant born deficient and half-paralyzed—how could it sustain the entire Great Desolation World for long?

When Pangu carried out the Opening of Heaven and Earth, what he evolved was a complete world. The Three Daos should have been like the three legs of a cauldron, supporting one another in balance so that all could remain stable and enduring!

Lu Jun lowered his head and looked at the embryonic star power in his hand, which had begun gathering again and slowly circulating.

His Star Evolution System evolved the stars of the heavens, perfecting the Department of Dou of the Heavenly Dao. In essence, it was also strengthening the power of the Heavenly Dao!

The stronger the Heavenly Dao became, would its suppression of the Earthly Dao and Human Path not become even harsher?

Was that truly beneficial to the Great Desolation World's long-term development?

Could his "contribution" at this moment instead become the force that hastened the Great Desolation World's collapse in the future?

A chill rose up his spine.

But!

Changing the Earthly Dao and helping Houtu perfect reincarnation was far too consequential!

Dao Ancestor Hongjun!

That existence seated high within Purple Cloud Palace, Merged with Heavenly Dao!

Rumor had always held that he had deliberately suppressed the Earthly Dao and Human Path to ensure the Heavenly Dao's sole supremacy!

His evolution of the stars and strengthening of the Heavenly Dao's Department of Dou fell within the "framework of the Heavenly Dao" Hongjun had laid down, which was why he had remained safe and sound thus far.

But if he dared to guide Houtu, seeking to strengthen the Earthly Dao and challenge the arrangement of the Heavenly Dao reigning alone—

Would Hongjun really stand by and do nothing?

He, Lu Jun, was merely a tiny Golden Crow Crown Prince. In the Dao Ancestor's eyes, he likely did not even count as an ant!

Hongjun would not even need to act personally. With a single thought, under the Operation of the Heavenly Dao, endless Karmic Force could descend upon him—or a world-destroying Divine Thunder could "coincidentally" fall—and he would be reduced to ashes!

And that was not all!

Would his actions implicate the entire Demon Race?

Di Jun, Tai Yi, Xi He, Chang Xi... and his nine brothers, whom he had struggled so hard to save!

If one careless word from him caused the Demon Race to be spurned by the Heavenly Dao and be purged faster and more ruthlessly in the impending Witch-Demon Great Tribulation...

Could he afford that price?

Could the fate of the entire Demon Race be wagered on this gamble?

And besides, the Witch Race... were they worthy of trust?

He had already changed the Demon Race's fate, prevented the birth of the Witch-Slaying Sword, and had even led the Demon Race to choose a strategic retreat.

This was already the greatest concession the Demon Race could make to demonstrate its desire for peace.

If he further helped Houtu perfect Reincarnation, allowing the Witch Race to gain, out of thin air, an even more powerful Saint Houtu—perhaps even one who possessed complete Earth Dao Authority—

Would the Witch Race be grateful?

Or, after obtaining absolute power, would they become even more unscrupulous?

After all, the Witch Race's bellicosity and their habit of repaying every slight were carved into their bloodline!

Houtu might be benevolent, but what about the other eleven Ancestral Witches?

And those Great Witches who had slaughtered until their eyes ran red?

Would Dao Ancestor Hongjun exploit the Witch Race's inflated mindset after gaining an Earthly Dao Saint, stirring up the relationship between the Witches and Demons once more?

Would he provoke an even bloodier war between the two races, until they perished together and completely cleared away the potential challengers among the Three Daos?

Risk!

Endless risk!

The more Lu Jun thought, the more chaotic his heart became.

He looked at Ancestral Witch Houtu before him, who had lowered herself simply to seek an answer.

The shock and admiration in his eyes gradually gave way to a profound, difficult hesitation.

It was the heaviness of standing at the crossroads of Destiny, bearing the weight of countless Karmas and lives, yet unable to see the road ahead.

Chaos Gas Flow silently surged around him. The tiny embryonic stars at his fingertips flickered uncertainly, reflecting the fierce struggle within his heart.

At last, Lu Jun drew a deep breath, suppressing his turbulent thoughts. He raised his head and met Houtu's enormous, expectation-filled eyes with a complicated gaze.

His voice was slightly hoarse as he asked a question that struck straight at the heart of the matter—a question concerning trust and the possibilities of the future:

"Senior Houtu, before I answer your question, there is something I wish to ask first."

He no longer addressed her as a guard, but used an honorific instead. Yet his tone was exceptionally grave.

When Houtu heard Lu Jun finally speak, delight filled her eyes.

As long as Lu Jun was willing to speak, there was still a chance.

"Sixth Prince, please speak!" Houtu said, somewhat excitedly.

Lu Jun took another deep breath before slowly speaking:

"If I reveal to you the secret of Reincarnation and help you perfect the Earth Dao... are you, and the Witch Race you represent, worthy of trust?"

The moment those words fell, Houtu answered without a moment's thought, "My Witch Race is naturally worthy of trust!"

But Lu Jun's gaze was sharp as a blade, as though he wished to cut open Houtu's majestic body and see clearly the essence buried deep within her soul, and that of the entire Witch Race.

"Is that so?" There was obvious disbelief in his tone.

"Because of me, my Demon Race has already avoided war and retreated, temporarily quelling the flames of conflict."

"If the Witch Race gains the upper hand because of this, gaining the protection of an Earthly Dao Saint, will you forget the blood debts of the past and coexist peacefully with my race?"

"Or will you... use your newfound power to bully others, wiping out my Demon Race to avenge the hatred of Golden Crow Patrols the Sky?"

"Can you represent the entire Witch Race?"