Houtu's Compassion, Her Body Becoming the Six Paths of Reincarnation

"Only by establishing the Six Paths of Reincarnation, using Karma Reincarnation to mend the loss of the Heavenly Dao and establish Cosmic Order, can the countless living beings who have died in the Primordial World have a place to rest."

Within the Sea of Blood, Houtu received enlightenment from the Heavenly Dao and learned that her destiny was to transform her body into the Six Paths of Reincarnation.

"Once I enter the Sea of Blood, Houtu will no longer be of the Witch Race. So this is my destiny—to do this for the countless living beings of the Primordial World, for the Witch Race. Even if I perish, so what!" Houtu stood in the Sea of Blood, murmuring to herself. Then she turned back and gazed upon the primordial land, as though she saw the Witch Race, the Houtu Tribe, the Ancestral Witch Hall, and Father God.

After a long while, Houtu's aura suddenly surged. The power of an Ancestral Witch spread throughout the Nine Nether Sea of Blood, and layer upon layer of monstrous waves rose from its surface, their towering swells shaking the Primordial World.

Sensing the Sea of Blood's upheaval, Minghe, who had been in seclusion recuperating, immediately awoke. Seeing that it was Ancestral Witch Houtu standing there in a daze, he felt utterly helpless. Ever since witnessing Eastern Emperor Taiyi's might, Minghe had known better than to provoke the Ancestral Witches, who could stand toe-to-toe with the Heavenly Court. Alone and unsupported, he could neither scold nor fight her. He could only pray that these madmen of the Witch Race would leave sooner. Under the present circumstances, he could only pretend not to know anything.

At Shouyang Mountain, Mount Kunlun, Golden Ao Island, the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and Empress Wa's Palace, all six Saints opened their eyes in unison, gazing across boundless distances of time and space toward Houtu in the Nine Nether Sea of Blood.

Each Saint had a different look in their eyes. It was impossible to tell whether they were sighing, rejoicing, or feeling relieved. After a long while, the six Saints closed their eyes once more and let their spirits roam the Great Void.

"Today, I, Houtu, shall use my body to complete heaven and earth and establish the Six Paths of Reincarnation!"

As Houtu's voice resounded throughout the Primordial World, ripples spread through the depths of the Sea of Blood, revealing six black holes. Each exuded an unfathomable aura. Above, the six black holes connected to the primordial land; below, they linked to the Nether Sea of Blood.

Suddenly, endless Golden Merit Light descended from the nine heavens and flowed into Houtu's body. The Heavenly Dao had been moved by Houtu's actions, which aided the evolution of the Primordial World, and thus bestowed boundless merit upon her.

The merit this time was so immense that it was no less than the merit Nuwa received upon becoming a Saint, second only to the merit of opening heaven received when the Three Pure Ones became Saints.

The instant this boundless merit entered Houtu's body, she felt her power soar. Her cultivation rose directly from the late stage of the quasi-Saint realm to quasi-Saint Great Perfection, infinitely close to the realm of a Saint.

"So what if it is the power of a Saint? Houtu's transformation into the Six Paths of Reincarnation is already set in stone."

Houtu's figure vanished from the Sea of Blood. The six paths gradually stabilized, their upper portions concealing themselves within the Primordial World and their lower portions disappearing into the Nine Nether Sea of Blood.

The Six Paths of Reincarnation and part of the Nine Nether Sea of Blood formed a new realm: the Netherworld Underworld.

The boundless Sea of Blood shrank by half. Half of it transformed into an endless river—the River of Oblivion. A bridge appeared over the river: the Bridge of Helplessness.

From then on, the ghosts drifting throughout heaven and earth had a destination. Countless ghosts floated toward this place, crossed the Bridge of Helplessness, and entered the Underworld.

The six paths were divided into the Three Virtuous Paths and the Three Vicious Paths.

The Three Virtuous Paths: the Path of Gods and Humans, the Path of Mortals, and the Path of Asuras; the Three Vicious Paths: the Path of Hell, the Path of Hungry Ghosts, and the Path of Animals.

These endless ghosts entered the Underworld and reincarnated according to the rules of the Earthly Dao. Judged by the good and evil they had done in life, they were continuously reborn among the six paths, from the Path of Gods and Humans down to the Path of Hell.

Houtu's transformation into the Six Paths of Reincarnation shocked countless living beings. Endless creatures marveled at Houtu's compassion, and the name Empress Houtu spread throughout the Primordial World, enduring for generations to come.

At this moment, Minghe was on the verge of tears. How could he have known that Houtu had come to establish the Six Paths of Reincarnation? Now, half his territory was gone. Had he known Houtu would do such a thing, he would have risked his life to stop her from entering the Sea of Blood.

Now, his Asura Clan had become the Path of Asuras, and his control over the Nine Nether Sea of Blood had diminished enormously. Although Houtu's establishment of the Six Paths of Reincarnation had strengthened the Sea of Blood's origin, and although tremendous karma was tied to this place—so long as the Sea of Blood did not perish, Minghe would not die—

It had also completely blocked his path of proving the Dao through the Asura Clan. With a newly born race that had lost more than half its home, what could it use to wage war across the Primordial World and contend with all sides for the destiny of heaven and earth?

Besides Minghe's misery, the other eleven Ancestral Witches arrived at the Nine Nether Sea of Blood at once. Looking at the vanished Houtu and the newly formed Six Paths of Reincarnation, the auras of the eleven Ancestral Witches shook heaven and earth. Their terrifying auras joined together, and Minghe, already furious, immediately cowered away. He obediently hid in a corner of the Sea of Blood, not daring to leak even a trace of his aura.

"Alas! Little Sister Houtu."

The eleven Ancestral Witches looked at one another. In the end, Dijiang let out a sigh. By now, it was too late to say anything. The Twelve Heavenly Fiend God Formation was incomplete without Houtu, and the Witch Race now faced an enormous crisis.

"The most urgent matter now is to cultivate a new Ancestral Witch within one yuanhui. Otherwise, our race's great momentum will be lost." Zhujiuyin's face was as dark as water, his voice low.

"Indeed! That is the only way!" Dijiang stared at the Six Paths of Reincarnation, his expression complicated. At last, he raised his mana, and his rolling voice spread throughout the Primordial World. "The Six Paths of Reincarnation were established by Houtu, Ancestral Witch of our Witch Race. The Underworld shall naturally be governed by our Witch Race!"

Thirty-Three Heavens, Heavenly Court.

Di Jun sneered. "One of the Twelve Ancestral Witches has fallen. The legendary Twelve Heavenly Fiend God Formation can no longer be deployed. After one yuanhui, let us see how your Witch Race can remain so arrogant!"

"Hahaha! Elder Brother speaks truly! With one Ancestral Witch gone, the Witch Race's destruction is not far away." Taiyi laughed loudly. "Everyone! Drink with me and celebrate the Witch Race's decline!"

"Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

Throughout the great hall, the five quasi-Saints, ten marshals, and three hundred and sixty-five demon gods all laughed loudly, raising their cups to celebrate together. This was truly tremendous news. Heaven truly favored the Demon Race!

After the eleven Ancestral Witches returned to their tribes, they immediately dispatched some members of the Witch Race who were willing to guard the Underworld to the Nine Nether Sea of Blood. Next, they would select suitable Witch Race experts from the twelve great tribes and cultivate one of them into an Ancestral Witch.

The eleven Ancestral Witches naturally did not dare neglect this vital matter. They personally traveled through all twelve great tribes. After rigorous selection, they finally found a Great Witch named Zhou Ji in Gonggong's tribe. Among the many Great Witches, his cultivation was not among the small number who stood above the rest.

Yet this man possessed a Primordial Spirit, just like Houtu. This delighted the eleven Ancestral Witches greatly. He was practically the perfect successor to Little Sister Houtu.

Very soon, after a brief discussion, the eleven Ancestral Witches each forced out some of their Ancestral Witch blood essence and fused it into Zhou Ji's body, condensing an Ancestral Witch Body for him.

With an Ancestral Witch Body, cultivation was no longer a concern. The Witch Race ruled the primordial land and possessed countless Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. For Zhou Ji to break through to the quasi-Saint realm would be no difficulty at all.