Reactions from All Sides, Bestowing Treasures upon the Shamans

Deep within Chaos, Purple Cloud Palace. The Saint's divine sense swept across the Primordial World, taking in the grand sight at the East Sea shore, where myriad demons paid homage and merit descended. Hongjun felt neither surprise nor disapproval at Candle Dragon establishing the Demon Clan.

"Scaled creatures, beasts, birds, and crawling creatures... united as one, they shall be called demons. Candle Dragon's action has followed the trend of living beings' evolution in this Tribulation Cycle."

Hongjun understood. Though he had not yet merged with the Heavenly Dao, with the Jade Disc of Creation fragment and his status as a Saint, he had long deduced that this Tribulation Cycle would be an age of great prosperity for the Witch Clan and Demon Clan. The Witch Clan represented by Di Jiang and this newly established Demon Clan were precisely the protagonists of this world-destroying calamity.

His gaze then turned toward Mount Buzhou, toward Pangu Divine Hall, which was tightly protected by the Five Elements Great Array and impenetrable even to his divine sense.

When Mount Buzhou remained as calm as ever, and Di Jiang seemed to have no intention whatsoever of following Candle Dragon's example by establishing the Witch Clan to gather fortune and claim a share of the merit, even Hongjun's state of mind could not help but become unsettled. He even felt faintly anxious!

"What exactly is Di Jiang waiting for?" Hongjun wondered inwardly.

In his eyes, Di Jiang possessed Pangu's orthodox blood essence and had six Great Shamans of immense potential beneath him. He was fully qualified and capable of stepping forward to establish the Witch Clan, standing against the Demon Clan on equal footing and jointly commanding the fortune of this Tribulation Cycle. If Di Jiang established the Witch Clan, he would surely gain the Heavenly Dao's recognition and receive the merit of founding a clan.

"If this child were willing to establish a clan, he would surely take away some of its fortune and merit. Why would I need to trouble myself over this..."

Hongjun felt helpless. Though he possessed the status of a Saint and the strength of the Primordial World's greatest expert, he was somewhat powerless against Di Jiang, Pangu's True Lineage.

Pangu Divine Hall isolated all laws. Di Jiang could neither be struck, killed, nor coerced—and he could not be persuaded either!

Looking at the path of merging with the Dao that lay ahead, seemingly clear yet somewhat sluggish because of Di Jiang's karmic connection to Pangu, even Hongjun, whose Dao heart was firm as stone, could not help releasing a complicated sigh inwardly.

"Variables. This child truly is the Primordial World's greatest variable."

Hongjun withdrew his gaze and stopped looking toward Mount Buzhou, instead immersing himself once more in his comprehension of the Heavenly Dao.

Hongjun could only wait—for the right opportunity, or perhaps for the day Di Jiang came to understand it himself and established the Witch Clan. Other than that, he seemed to have no better option.

Meanwhile, within the Netherworld Blood Sea, where muddy waves surged into the heavens and baleful energy roiled, Minghe sat atop the Karma Fire Red Lotus. The phantoms of the twin swords Yuantu and Abi revolved around him, emitting incomparably sharp killing sword qi.

His aura had already reached the absolute limit of peak Golden Immortal, commonly known as Half-step Primordial Golden Immortal! Blood qi and baleful qi mixed together, faintly condensing into a blood-colored domain behind him that brimmed with austere laws.

Yet his brows were tightly furrowed, and a trace of barely perceptible irritation and stagnation flashed through his crimson eyes. He had not gone to Purple Cloud Palace to hear the Dao, instead choosing the more ancient and difficult path of Attaining the Dao Through Laws, focusing on comprehending laws of slaughter, swordsmanship, blood, and more.

This path possessed immense power. Among those of the same realm, ordinary peak Golden Immortals before him could indeed be casually destroyed with the Karma Fire Red Lotus, Minghe's trait of being undying so long as the Blood Sea remained, and the sharpness of Yuantu and Abi.

However, precisely because it was so difficult, the road ahead seemed blocked by an invisible barrier. His comprehension of his own laws appeared to have entered a bottleneck. The true realm of Primordial Golden Immortal felt separated from him by a thin veil—visible, yet impossible to pierce.

What vexed him even more were the changing winds and clouds outside. The Demon Clan had been established, its fortune soaring to the heavens; Great Powers everywhere had severed their corpses and become Quasi-Saints; East Prince Gong was preparing to establish the Immortal Court... the entire Primordial World was ablaze with activity, while only his Blood Sea remained deathly still, as if it had been cast behind by the tides of the age.

"Shutting myself away to build a cart is ultimately not a good strategy. Perhaps it is time to go out and take a walk."

He thought of Di Jiang!

Di Jiang had likewise not gone to Purple Cloud Palace, yet he had attained the Dao of Primordial Golden Immortal before him, and his strength was unfathomable. Moreover, Di Jiang had once promised that when Minghe visited Mount Buzhou again, he would gift him a High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure!

"Go to Mount Buzhou! Discuss the Dao with Daoist friend Di Jiang. Perhaps it will inspire me and break through this bottleneck. I can also retrieve that spiritual treasure while I am there."

Minghe made up his mind. Leaving behind a Blood God Son avatar to guard the place, his true body transformed into an indistinct blood shadow and silently departed this filthy land that had nurtured him through countless epochs, heading toward Mount Buzhou, which towered at the center of the Primordial World.

The Blood Sea lay in the far westernmost yin region of the Primordial World, while Mount Buzhou stood at its center. How could the distance between them be merely billions upon billions of miles? Mountains and rivers blocked the way, vast marshes stretched across the land, and dangers lurked everywhere.

With Minghe's current cultivation at peak Golden Immortal, even if he traveled at full speed, crossing these endless mountains and rivers to reach Mount Buzhou without several dozen epochs of time was nothing more than wishful thinking.

But this did not shake Minghe's decision. To Innate Divine Beings like them, time was not the most urgent thing; opportunities to seek breakthroughs in the Great Dao came first. Thus, a solitary blood-red figure began his long trek across the Primordial World.

Mount Buzhou, inside Pangu Divine Hall. Sensing that the Yin-Yang Banana Tree was about to mature, Di Jiang returned!

Within the divine hall, that wondrous spiritual root shimmered with flowing light. The two origin auras of utmost yang and utmost yin had reached perfect balance and their peak. Of its two largest banana leaves, one was crimson-gold like fire, while the other was deep blue like ice. They were on the verge of transforming, as if destined by Heaven, into the Yin-Yang Banana Fan of later legend.

Yet Di Jiang shook his head slightly as he looked at the treasure fan about to take shape.

"Though a fan is useful, it is not a weapon for battle. It is more suited for support and the casting of divine abilities."

Jiu Feng bore nine laws. Though they seemed complicated, the most important among them were Yin-Yang Law, coupled with the battle bloodline of a Great Shaman! What she needed was a weapon that would allow her to sweep freely through the battlefield, combining offense and defense as one!

At this thought, a gleam flashed through Di Jiang's eyes, and he made his decision. He could not allow the Banana Tree to follow its original course and become a Banana Fan. He would intervene and turn it into the form most suitable for Jiu Feng!

Di Jiang formed mysterious hand seals, and the vast mana of a mid-stage Primordial Golden Immortal erupted. Mixed with the power of his fully realized Yin-Yang Law and Five Elements Law, it became like an invisible hand of creation that firmly enveloped the mature Yin-Yang Banana Tree!

"Yin and yang complement each other, the five elements revolve. Shape your true form and conform to my will!"

Di Jiang shouted, his powerful will and law power forcibly intervening in the Banana Tree's natural transformation process. Crimson-gold and deep-blue divine light on the tree crazily intertwined, compressed, and reshaped!

The enormous energy and origin that had originally been about to spread into fan surfaces gathered in two entirely different directions under Di Jiang's guidance!

The utmost yang origin and the majority of the resilient branches gathered and condensed, their radiance turning inward, until they finally formed an ancient, heavy round shield! The shield was dark gold, with crimson sun patterns at its center and scorching halos flowing around its edges. It radiated an indestructible, massive aura that no law could penetrate.

Meanwhile, the utmost yin origin and the spiritual root's most core law imprints condensed into a long, sharp spear! Its shaft was deep blue, as if carved from ice that had endured ten thousand years. A point of cold light flickered endlessly from the spearhead, emitting extreme sharpness and chilling cold that could freeze souls and shatter all laws.

One shield and one spear, one yin and one yang, one for defense and one for offense—complementing each other in perfect harmony!

The moment the two treasures took shape, their treasure light shot into the sky and their Dao rhythms formed naturally. Both had astonishingly reached the level of High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure! Furthermore, because they came from the same source and yin and yang complemented each other, their power would grow even greater when used together!

Di Jiang nodded in satisfaction as he looked at the Yang Extremity Defense Shield and Taiyin God Slaying Spear floating in the air. This set of spiritual treasures, which combined offense and defense, suited Jiu Feng's fighting style far better than a single Banana Fan.

The two spiritual treasures made from Bitter Bamboo had also completed their evolution! It was time to fulfill his promises!

Before long, Di Jiang looked at his younger brothers and sisters, who had arrived before him with eager expressions, and cleared his throat!

"Your cultivation has improved. As your elder brother, I should naturally show my appreciation."

Di Jiang's gaze swept over them before landing first on the valiant Jiu Feng!

"Jiu Feng, this Yin-Yang spear and shield are for you."

The long spear and round shield appeared, black-and-white currents endlessly circulating as a yin-yang fish slowly swam between them. Offense and defense became one, mysterious and extraordinary.

"Thank you, Elder Brother!"

Delight burst from Jiu Feng's eyes, and she immediately stepped forward to receive them respectfully!

Di Jiang nodded, then looked toward Chi You, whose battle intent was surging nearby!

"Chi You, your temperament is steady and dependable. This Earthen God Hammer is perfectly suited to you."

A massive divine hammer, entirely dark yellow and wrapped in the phantom of weighty mountains, crashed onto the ground. Chi You grinned, strode forward, and easily lifted it, immediately unable to put it down.

"Haha, what a fine treasure! Thank you, Big Brother!"

"Kuafu."

Di Jiang looked at the towering Kuafu as an ordinary-looking emerald bamboo staff flew out!

"This is the Slaying Might Bamboo Staff. It can grow or shrink as you wish, and it is specially made for beating disobedient people."

"Thank you for bestowing this treasure, Elder Brother!"

Kuafu smiled honestly, accepted the bamboo staff, and said happily!

Next, Di Jiang looked toward Hou Yi. A flowing light fell into his hands and transformed into a set of divine arrows containing the essence of the sun and moon, covered in dense runes.

"These are the Sun-Moon Divine Arrows. Once released, they travel through the sky like the sun and moon. I hope you use them well."

"Hou Yi will not disappoint Elder Brother's generous gift."

Hou Yi bowed in salute!

Finally, Di Jiang looked toward Xiangliu. Forty-nine sharp crescent blades of varying colors spiraled out, their trajectories tricky and unpredictable.

"Xiangliu, these Seventy-Seven Returning Blades possess countless transformations and are perfectly suited to your fighting style."

"As expected, Elder Brother understands me best!"

Xiangliu controlled the Returning Blades as they danced around him, his smile never fading!

For a time, treasure light flooded the divine hall, and those who had received spiritual treasures were overjoyed. Only Xing Tian, still facing the wall in reflection, listened to the commotion behind him but did not dare turn around, appearing somewhat forlorn!