"Everyone, I have no desire to make enemies of you. Fuxi is my elder brother, so I hope you will grant me this favor."
The great course of the Heavenly Dao had long been destined. Xuan Yi did not wish to involve himself in it.
"Oh? You're Xuan Yi, the one who wiped out hundreds of Grand Unity Golden Immortals while only a Heavenly Immortal, and even killed East King Duke?"
The Twelve Ancestral Witches bore Xuan Yi no ill will, but Pangu, arrogant by nature, would hardly release someone on the strength of a single sentence.
"Letting Fuxi go is possible. As long as you can defeat us, not only will we release Fuxi, but we will also honor you, Xuan Yi, as a distinguished guest of the Witch Race."
"Since that is the case, then I shall experience the methods of the Ancestral Witches!"
Since it could not be settled peacefully, Xuan Yi could only teach the Ancestral Witches a proper lesson.
"Roar!"
Pangu's figure in the void directly swung the Pangu Axe in his hand and cleaved down at Xuan Yi.
"Hahaha, perfect. I was just looking to test the strength of my physical body."
Xuan Yi gathered all his strength and smashed his fist straight into the Pangu Axe.
"Boom!"
As Xuan Yi's fist collided with the Pangu Axe, the impact erupted like an exploding star.
Xuan Yi and Pangu's phantom were both blasted several steps backward by the force.
"Hahaha, exhilarating! Truly exhilarating!"
"Since my birth, I have never encountered an evenly matched opponent. Again!"
Such an utterly satisfying battle filled Xuan Yi with excitement. After speaking, he threw another punch at Pangu's phantom.
"He actually blocked it. This brat's physical body is probably as strong as an innate spirit treasure!"
The Twelve Ancestral Witches revealed shocked expressions. They no longer dared to underestimate Xuan Yi and immediately swung the Pangu Axe at him.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
"..."
The violent collisions rang out without end.
The battle in the void horrified countless mighty members of the Demon Race, but it also made them breathe a sigh of relief. They had truly feared that the Pangu True Body would crush everything in its path. If that happened, the Demon Race's end would have arrived.
Fortunately, Xuan Yi was evenly matched against Pangu's phantom, allowing the Demon Race to see a glimmer of hope.
"Roar!"
Seeing that Xuan Yi could match the Pangu True Body with his physical body alone, the Ancestral Witches were both impressed and enraged.
The Twelve Ancestral Witches cut open their wrists and poured the power of their bloodlines into Pangu's phantom at the same time.
With the Ancestral Witches' bloodline power, Pangu's phantom became even more solid, while the light of the Pangu Axe grew incomparably brilliant. Even the void was split apart and collapsed beneath that dazzling axe light.
Faced with such a terrifying strike, Xuan Yi did not dare to be careless. With a thought, the Twelve-grade World-Destroying Black Lotus, Taixu Armor, and Primordial Chaos Measuring Heaven Ruler appeared before him.
"Eye of Heavenly Punishment, open!"
As Xuan Yi uttered the words softly, world-destroying heavenly punishment power surged from between his brows into the Primordial Chaos Measuring Heaven Ruler.
"Sever!"
A terrifying attack formed from the fusion of heavenly punishment power and supreme treasure power collided with the Pangu Axe.
"Bang!"
"Boom!"
"Ugh!"
The force produced by the collision of the two powers sent Xuan Yi flying. Pangu's phantom and the Pangu Axe, meanwhile, directly dissipated after that strike.
"Thud!"
"Ouch!"
"Pfft!"
"..."
As Pangu's phantom vanished, the Twelve Ancestral Witches all spat out blood and then fell from the sky like dumplings dropping into a pot.
The Twelve Ancestral Witches were now utterly listless, as if they had been drained dry. Clearly, that final strike had completely exhausted them.
"Xuan Yi, we have lost! Kill or torture us as you please!"
Facing Xuan Yi, who looked only somewhat disheveled, the Twelve Ancestral Witches accepted their defeat wholeheartedly.
"You misunderstand. I merely wished to take my elder brother away. I have no intention of becoming enemies with you."
Not wishing to involve himself in the war between the Witches and Demons, Xuan Yi picked up Fuxi and walked toward Nuwa.
"Hum!"
A cloud of merit slowly emerged in the void. The amount of merit was enough to allow a Grand Unity Golden Immortal to become a saint on the spot, and the intense Golden Light of Merit enveloped the entire Heavenly Court.
"This has Heavenly Dao merit too? And there's so much of it!"
Just as Xuan Yi was puzzled, an ethereal voice entered his ears.
"Xuan'er, aside from giving you some spirit treasures last time, I have never given you any gifts. Consider this merit compensation for that."
The Heavenly Dao had plenty of merit, but it had never had an opportunity to give any to Xuan Yi. This battle with the Twelve Ancestral Witches had given it the perfect excuse.
"Thank you, Father!"
After understanding the reason, Xuan Yi no longer stood on ceremony and directly refined the merit into a Golden Body of Merit.
Before long, a Golden Body of Merit radiating boundless rosy light appeared behind Xuan Yi.
"Witch Race, hand over your lives!"
Di Jun and Tai Yi, who had been blasted billions of kilometers away, had arrived.
After being sent flying, the two had suffered severe injuries and fallen unconscious. When they awoke, they saw the Golden Light of Merit shining over the Heavenly Court and truly believed that the Witch Race had already destroyed it. That was why they had rushed back in such desperation.
Yet the sight before them left the two stunned. A ten-thousand-foot Golden Body of Merit stood behind Xuan Yi, while the Twelve Ancestral Witches all had feeble auras.
"What is going on?"
Unable to grasp the situation, the two did not dare act rashly. The Demon Race had suffered grievous losses, and they themselves no longer possessed the strength to fight.
For a time, the Heavenly Court fell into an eerie silence.
"High above the nine layers of cloud, upon the Meditation Cushion sits the true Dao. Beyond Heaven and Earth, Xuan and Huang, I alone am revered as the master of teachings. Pangu gave birth to Taiji, and the Two Principles and Four Symbols followed. One Dao passed to three friends, and two teachings divided into Exposition and Interception. Leader of the Mystic Gate, one breath transformed into Hongjun."
An ethereal voice entered everyone's ears. Dao Ancestor Hongjun, who had been observing the battlefield all along, had appeared.
"We welcome Dao Ancestor!"
Everyone in the Heavenly Court hurriedly rose and cupped their hands.
"The Witch and Demon Races have waged battle time and again, bringing misery to the living beings of the primordial world. For the next ten thousand years, you may not fight again. If you violate this, I will personally take action."
Hongjun ignored everyone's greetings and instead turned his cold gaze upon the Demon Race and the Twelve Ancestral Witches.
Under Hongjun's icy gaze, Di Jun and Tai Yi felt immense pressure. They immediately said, "We shall obey Dao Ancestor's Imperial Decree!"
Although the Twelve Ancestral Witches revered only Pangu, they were not fools. If they refused, Dao Ancestor Hongjun would likely erase them in the next moment.
They could only answer, "We shall obey Dao Ancestor's Imperial Decree!"
Seeing that both races were so sensible, Hongjun gave a slight nod and vanished. As the Dao Ancestor departed, the oppressive atmosphere also dissipated.
"Fellow Daoist Xuan Yi, we greatly admire you after today's battle. We gave our word before, and from this day forth, you will be a distinguished guest of the Witch Race. If you have the time, we sincerely hope you will visit the Witch Race."
After this battle, the Twelve Ancestral Witches were utterly convinced by Xuan Yi.
"You are too polite! Please forgive any offense I may have caused."
Xuan Yi also bore no ill will toward the forthright Ancestral Witches. He immediately cupped his hands and said, "When I have time, I will certainly visit."
Having received Xuan Yi's reply, the Twelve Ancestral Witches turned their gazes toward Tai Yi and Di Jun once more.
"Feathered bastards, you won't be so lucky next time!"
The Twelve Ancestral Witches coldly glanced at Di Jun and Tai Yi before leaving the Heavenly Court without looking back.
With the Ancestral Witches gone, the formerly tense atmosphere eased.
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Xuan Yi, for coming to our aid!"
"If not for you, our Demon Race would likely have ceased to exist today!"
"We have no way to repay such a great favor. We are willing to honor you as the Demon Race's second Demon Emperor."
After learning the full story, Di Jun and Tai Yi came before Xuan Yi and bowed with cupped hands.
"You two are too polite! My elder brother is the Demon Race's Demon Emperor, so how could I stand by and do nothing? Please do not mention the matter of Demon Emperor again."
Seeing that Xuan Yi refused, Di Jun and Tai Yi gritted their teeth and directly prostrated themselves.
"If not for your aid, our Demon Race would have been destroyed today. We hope you will accept."
Xuan Yi was helpless. Though he knew the two wanted him as a backer, they had already performed a prostration. For the moment, it was difficult for him to refuse.
Seeing their two leaders act thus, the many mighty Demon Race experts also prostrated themselves. They had truly been terrified by the Witch Race. If Xuan Yi became their backer, they would not be so passive when facing the Witch Race next time.
"We hope you will agree!"
Faced with this scene, Xuan Yi did not know what to do. Suddenly, he thought of Nuwa, and an idea came to him.
"Fellow Daoists, I am used to wandering freely through the clouds and wilds and truly cannot shoulder such a great responsibility. However, I have divined that my Dao Companion Nuwa has great karmic ties with the Demon Race and may become the Demon Race's second Demon Emperor!"
The Demon Race members had been unable to hide their disappointment when they heard Xuan Yi refuse, but hope immediately flared within them again.
What difference was there between Nuwa becoming Demon Emperor and Xuan Yi becoming one?
Having understood this, everyone immediately cupped their hands and said, "We pay respects to the Demon Emperor!"
Faced with everyone's bows, Nuwa was briefly dazed. How had she suddenly become a Demon Emperor? After making a calculation with her fingers, she found that she truly did have fate with the Demon Race.
"Everyone, rise."
Since it was Xuan Yi's arrangement and she had fate with the Demon Race, Nuwa could only accept it calmly.
"Wa'er, congratulations. From now on, you are the Demon Race's Demon Emperor."
Xuan Yi approached Nuwa with a smile.
Seeing Xuan Yi appear so suddenly, Nuwa shot him a resentful glare, as though blaming him for dragging her out to be a scapegoat.
"Er... Wa'er, I sense a fortuitous opportunity appearing. Take my elder brother back first to recover from his injuries. I am going to travel through the primordial world for a while."
Faced with Nuwa's resentful gaze, Xuan Yi surrendered on the spot and flew toward the primordial world without looking back.
However, Xuan Yi had not lied. He truly sensed an opportunity to break through.
Before you continue