Houtu

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Houtu (后土)
Alias(es)	Empress Houtu; Empress Pingxin; Lord of Reincarnation; Earth Ancestral Witch
Species/Race	Ancestral Witch
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Witch Tribe; Houtu Tribe; Earthly Dao; Netherworld
Occupation/Role	Lord of Reincarnation; leader of the Earthly Dao faction
Status	Active; continues to guard and regulate reincarnation in the Netherworld 256
First Appearance	Chapter 32

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Ancestral Witch	32	Introduced as one of the Twelve Ancestral Witches, wielding the laws and origin of earth. 32
Heavenly Dao Realm / Hunyuan Taiji Golden Immortal	93	Established the Six Paths of Reincarnation through the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, received immense merit, and ascended without sacrificing herself. 93 127

Background / History

Houtu first encountered Xuan Wazi while investigating his repeated assistance and trades among the Witch Tribe. Unlike most witches, she recognized the value of his alchemical pills: their refined, gentle vitality could nourish Witch bodies more safely than ordinary spiritual essence. She negotiated a long-term exchange in which the Witch Tribe would supply materials and Xuan Wazi would provide pills. 32

Her tribe later became increasingly focused on life, death, lost souls, and reincarnation. Moved by the suffering of souls left to decay in the Netherworld Blood Sea, Houtu attempted to use her own Great Dao origin to open reincarnation. The attempt was premature and was being pushed by the Heavenly Dao’s will, which would have consumed her true spirit and made her part of the Reincarnation structure. 88 89 90

Xuan Wazi interrupted the process at Wangyou Cliff and revealed the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, a treasure that resonated fundamentally with Houtu. With it, she could fulfill her compassionate purpose without dying. 90 91 Accompanied by Xuan Wazi and, after negotiation, Old Ancestor Minghe, she established the foundation of reincarnation in the Netherworld Blood Sea. 91 92

The merit of this undertaking elevated Houtu to the Heavenly Dao Realm. She opened the Six Paths of Reincarnation, purified part of the Sea of Blood, and began guiding souls into an ordered cycle of rebirth. Her tribe also received merit, strengthening its members and deepening their connection to the earth. 93

Appearance

Houtu initially appears with a human body and a snake’s tail, a dignified and kind countenance, and an imposing aura of earth laws. 32 After becoming the Lord of Reincarnation, she is depicted in dark palace robes marked by the Dao patterns of the Six Paths, with a sacred bearing and eyes said to contain the cycles of all beings. 127 128

• Human upper body and snake tail in her Ancestral Witch form. 32
• Earth-yellow Dao rhythm and a heavy, steady presence associated with earth origin. 32 90
• Dark xuan palace attire embroidered with Six Paths Reincarnation patterns after her ascension. 127
• Calm, solemn expression that can turn cold and authoritative when protecting her people. 94

Personality

Houtu is defined by compassion and responsibility. Even after nearly being sacrificed by the Heavenly Dao, her first concern remained the dead souls suffering in the Sea of Blood. Her desire to establish reincarnation came from an inability to ignore their fate. 89 90

She is also decisive once she understands the stakes. After learning of the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, she immediately chose the safer path to establish reincarnation. Later, when Zhurong and Gonggong’s feud endangered the Witch Tribe’s destiny, she abandoned gentle persuasion and personally forced them to stop. 91 94

As the Lord of Reincarnation, Houtu is composed and politically aware. She recognizes that the Earthly Dao’s stability, the Netherworld’s order, and the survival of the Witch Tribe require difficult choices and constant oversight. 97 131

Abilities & Skills

Earth Ancestral Witch Authority

Houtu possesses profound earth-elemental origin and authority as the Earth Ancestral Witch.

• Her presence carries the vast, heavy pressure of earth laws. 32
• She can halt time and space across an active battlefield, immobilizing both Witch warriors and Ancestral Witches. 94
• She used Wutu Divine Thunder palms to physically overpower Zhurong and Gonggong, shattering their defenses and punishing them eighty-one times. 94 95

Reincarnation Authority

After establishing the Six Paths, Houtu became the supreme guardian of reincarnation and the Netherworld’s order.

• Uses the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk to establish and stabilize the cycle of rebirth. 90 91 93
• Guides souls from the Sea of Blood into the Six Paths and purifies resentment-corrupted true spirits. 93 133
• Maintains the reception of souls, judgment of good and evil, settlement of grievances, and orderly operation of reincarnation. 97
• Can impose Reincarnation restrictions over key Netherworld resources, including the Xuan Ming True Water. 127 128

Saintly Suppression

Houtu’s Hunyuan Taiji Golden Immortal realm and Reincarnation authority allow her to dominate opponents beneath her level.

• Her Reincarnation will suppresses Nuwa’s Creation power and draws unstable laws back into an ordered cycle. 128
• She can freeze the powers and true forms of Zhurong and Gonggong despite their status as Ancestral Witches. 94
• Her authority is not unrestricted: the Heavenly Dao can suppress her ability to directly intervene in the Witch Tribe’s war against the Demon Clan. 97

Earthly Dao Edicts

Houtu transformed her personal authority over reincarnation into an organized Earthly Dao faction.

• Enfeoffed Earthly Dao Saints, including Hong Yun, Minghe, Zhen Yuanzi, and several Ancestral Witches, to uphold order and counterbalance the Heavenly Dao. 131
• Led the Earthly Dao Saints in mending the heavens after Mount Buzhou collapsed. 131 133
• Anchored the Northern Pole during the restoration of heaven and earth by using reincarnation to secure the boundary between the Netherworld and mortal realm. 137

Equipment / Items

• Six Paths Reincarnation Disk — A six-colored compass-like treasure given to Houtu by Xuan Wazi. It enabled her to establish reincarnation without sacrificing her life or true spirit. 90 91
• Wutu Divine Thunder — Manifested as colossal thunder palms used to discipline Zhurong and Gonggong. 94 95

Relationships

• Xuan Wazi — Senior brother, benefactor, and close ally. He saved her from the Heavenly Dao’s attempt to force her self-sacrifice, provided the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, and later supported her Earthly Dao faction. 90 91 93 146
• Nuwa — Sworn sister. Their initial confrontation over Xuan Ming True Water ended after misunderstandings were resolved; they pledged to protect the Primordial Era together. 127 128 131
• Zhurong — Elder brother and fellow Ancestral Witch. Houtu stopped his destructive feud with Gonggong through overwhelming force and enforced reconciliation. 94 95
• Gonggong — Elder brother and fellow Ancestral Witch. Like Zhurong, he was punished for infighting that damaged the Witch Tribe’s destiny. 94 95
• Old Ancestor Minghe — Cooperative but wary ally in the establishment of reincarnation. He agreed to assist after securing a share of the resulting merit through a Great Dao oath. 91
• Jiuli Chiyou — Trusted Great Witch selected to temporarily bear pseudo-Ancestral Witch power and fill Houtu’s position in the Twelve Capital Gods and Demons Array. 97 111
• Earthly Dao Saints — Subordinates and allies enfeoffed under Houtu’s authority to govern reincarnation, maintain the land, and oppose Heavenly Dao dominance. 131 143

Story Role / Major Arcs

Witch Tribe Cooperation

Houtu recognizes the practical value of Xuan Wazi’s pills and establishes an exchange between him and the Witch Tribe, creating the karmic connection that later makes him her closest outside ally. 32

Establishment of Reincarnation

Driven by compassion for lost souls, Houtu nearly sacrifices herself under Heavenly Dao manipulation. Xuan Wazi intervenes, provides the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, and helps redirect her intention into the successful creation of the Six Paths. 89 90 91 93

Witch Tribe Mediation

After ascending, Houtu acts to prevent Zhurong and Gonggong’s feud from consuming the Witch Tribe’s strength. She freezes their battlefield, scolds them for harming their own people, and uses Wutu Divine Thunder to force their reconciliation. 94 95

Earthly Dao Leadership

Houtu establishes an independent Earthly Dao power bloc by enfeoffing Saints who govern the land, the Sea of Blood, justice, and the Ancestral Witch domains. This faction becomes a direct counterweight to the Heavenly Dao. 131 143

Mending of Heaven and Earth

When Mount Buzhou collapses, Houtu leads the Earthly Dao Saints to assist in saving the Primordial Era. She later joins Xuan Ming in establishing the Northern Pole and securing the boundary between the Netherworld and the mortal world. 133 136 137

Guardian of Reincarnation

Long after the Six Paths’ founding, Houtu remains vigilant against threats to reincarnation. She detects Buddhist Sect marks embedded in reborn souls and seeks Xuan Wazi and Nuwa’s help to prevent outside forces from bypassing Earthly Dao authority. 256