The heavy doors of the Earth God Palace were pushed open from outside.
Xing Tian strode in, dropped to one knee before Houtu, and said, "Please rest assured, Ancestral Witch Houtu. I, Xing Tian, will never fail to live up to your expectations. Even if it costs me my life, I will hold on until Father God's true form kills those demons!"
Xing Tian knew full well the gap between a Great Witch and an Ancestral Witch. He also understood that if he forced himself to join forces with the other eleven Ancestral Witches and form an array to summon Father God's true form, his only fate would be death. But... for the Witch Race's victory, what did it matter if he sacrificed his one life?
"Xing Tian..."
Houtu looked at Xing Tian. "You were eavesdropping outside the whole time?"
"Huh?"
Xing Tian blinked his wise eyes in confusion, his head filled with fog as he became completely dumbfounded.
Why was this different from what he had imagined?
Shouldn't the Ancestral Witch praise him a little?
Why was she asking whether he had been eavesdropping?
Xing Tian awkwardly stammered, "Ancestral Witch, I... I only heard a small part of it."
"Oh, right. Ancestral Witch Di Jiang asked me to call you to Pangu Hall."
It turned out Xing Tian had received Di Jiang's message and come to summon Houtu.
Houtu nodded at his words and said to Xing Tian, "I understand. Wait outside, and do not allow anyone to enter."
"Yes!"
Xing Tian rose to his feet, carrying his Battle Axe and shield as he paced back and forth outside the Earth God Palace. The wise look in his eyes had now turned bloodthirsty and savage; even an insect would be hacked into a bloody mist with a single swing of his axe.
Inside the Earth God Palace.
Ancestral Witch Houtu looked at Cangyuan, who remained calm throughout, and sincerely said, "Please guide me, fellow cultivator. From this day onward, you will be the Witch Race's eternal friend. Whatever you need, if the Witch Race has it, we will give it to you directly. If we do not have it, we can snatch it for you."
They said Ancestral Witch Houtu was the gentlest of the Twelve Ancestral Witches, but... that depended on whom she was compared with.
Compared to the other eleven Ancestral Witches, Houtu was indeed rather gentle and reasonable. But compared to Senior Sister Yunxiao, Houtu was a northeastern tigress, a Sichuan-Chongqing tyrannosaur. Gentle my ass.
Cangyuan did not beat around the bush and said directly, "The reason the Ancestral Witch must transform herself into Reincarnation is because the Prehistoric World lacks a world that belongs to the dead. Then... I can simply give the Ancestral Witch a world."
"At that time, the Ancestral Witch's body can remain behind. When the Witch Race needs you, you will be Ancestral Witch Houtu. When the Witch Race does not need you, you will be the master of Reincarnation."
Well... how should he put it?
After Houtu created the Six Paths of Reincarnation, she would still have to become Empress Pingxin and be restricted by the Earth Path. Her Saint-level combat power could only be unleashed within the Earth Path's domain.
But... as long as her Ancestral Witch body remained, it would be equivalent to Houtu leaving behind a figurine in the Prehistoric World.
Whenever the Witch Race needed her, she could fully control her Ancestral Witch body from the Netherworld Underworld and aid the Witch Race.
Well... controlling herself was certainly something.
But the method worked.
Though Houtu was not particularly clever, she was no fool either. After giving it some thought, she saw through what Cangyuan stood to gain.
Using his world as the Netherworld to bear the Six Paths of Reincarnation, Cangyuan could receive a portion of the merit every time a dead soul's true spirit reincarnated. It was a business that would yield endless returns.
But Houtu did not care.
She had already witnessed Cangyuan's capabilities.
Nor did she mind giving up some benefits to bind herself deeply to Cangyuan. It would be best if they could become partners standing on the same front.
If Cangyuan had known what Houtu was thinking at that moment, he probably would have jumped up in excitement.
Wasn't establishing deep ties with Houtu, the future Earth Path Saint, exactly what he wanted?
Why?
Naturally, it was to leave himself a way out.
When the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation came in the future, if the Jie Sect still could not change its fate of destruction, Cangyuan could bring the senior brothers, sisters, and juniors close to him to the Netherworld Underworld to take up Divine Positions.
As for Divine Positions in the Heavenly Court... with one's true spirit trapped in the Investiture of the Gods, not even a dog would take them!
Houtu nodded. "Then many thanks, fellow cultivator. If you ever have need of me in the future, Houtu will never refuse. I will do my utmost for you, at any cost!"
"Good."
"Ding, host has completed the Choice Mission. Reward: Supreme Innate Spiritual Root—Tongtian Jianmu!"
As the system's voice fell, Tongtian Jianmu took root in the Void within Cangyuan's body and grew wildly. Its branches linked the thirty-one Inner Worlds together, connecting what had once been independent worlds.
Previously, other than Cangyuan, no living being within those worlds could ever reach another world. But now, they could travel through Tongtian Jianmu's branches to reach the other worlds!
Cangyuan looked at the changes within his body and nodded in satisfaction. Then, from that unknown space within himself, he peeled away a Middle Thousand World!
Though it was a Middle Thousand World, its exterior was still a smooth azure-blue pearl. A careful look revealed the vast Middle Thousand World within!
Though it had been separated from Cangyuan's body, this Middle Thousand World remained under his control, inseparably linked to him.
"Ancestral Witch, are you satisfied?"
"Satisfied, satisfied. Extremely satisfied."
Houtu caught the Sea Calming Pearl Cangyuan handed her and examined it curiously. "This should be a Spiritual Treasure, right? Yet you turned it into an Inner World."
Cangyuan nodded with a smile. "Correct. I was formed from this Sea Calming Pearl. This time, aside from seeking advice from the Witch Race regarding the Law Path to Enlightenment and Primordial Origin, I came for another reason: I have allowed five Sea Calming Pearls to remain in your Witch Race's possession, so..."
"Rest assured, fellow cultivator. Since they are your Spiritual Treasures, my Witch Race will certainly return them." Houtu immediately said, "Furthermore, you may freely select any Spiritual Treasures gathered in the Witch Race Treasury."
Joy appeared on Cangyuan's face. "Thank you."
He wondered whether he could find a few peerless treasures in the Witch Race Treasury.
The best essential equipment for a transmigrator!
Remembering what Xing Tian had said earlier, Houtu said, "Perfect timing. I am about to meet with my Elder Brothers. Daoist may come with me."
Cangyuan was surprised. "With you? To Pangu Hall?"
Houtu nodded as if it were only natural. "Mm-hmm."
Cangyuan asked in confusion, "Legend has it that Pangu Hall was formed from Great God Pangu's heart. It is also a Spiritual Treasure, ranked among the Innate Supreme Treasures. Within it, Heavenly Secrets can be concealed and divinations disrupted. It is the Witch Race's sacred ground, so how could an outsider like me enter?"
This time, Houtu was the one who froze. "Formed from Father God's heart? Ranked among the Innate Supreme Treasures? There's such a claim? I don't know. Who said that?"
"Never mind that. Daoist pointed out the road ahead for me, so how could you be an outsider? You are the closest person to me, Houtu."
What Houtu meant was that Cangyuan's place in her heart was already comparable to that of her elder brothers and sisters.
"Since that is the case, then I shall impose upon you."
Cangyuan nodded. Without any false modesty, he gladly accepted.
"Let's go!"
Houtu directly grabbed Cangyuan and flew out of the Earth God Palace.
With one punch, she shattered the void.
They stepped inside.
When they reappeared, they had already arrived at the Witch Race's central sacred ground!
This place lay at the center of the Twelve Ancestral Witch tribes, with all twelve tribes surrounding it.
Guarding their sacred ground: Pangu Hall!
"Little sister, who is this daoist?!"
Before you continue