"You forgot those two Western Daoists who tried to take our seats?"
There was no need to worry about what Hou Tu had brought up.
Since Hongjun had already spoken, from now on everyone would sit where they had during the first lecture.
Surely Jieyin and Zhun Ti wouldn't dare disobey Hongjun's order!
Hou Tu had only said this because she wanted Xuanming to go to Zixiao Palace with her.
Sure enough, Xuanming showed the slightest sign of wavering.
Xuanming looked up at Hou Tu, then at Hong Yun. She saw the hope in their eyes.
At last, she nodded firmly!
"All right!"
Dijiang smiled in relief.
They didn't want to go, but if even one of the Ancestral Shamans was willing, the others would support them wholeheartedly.
"Little Sister Hou Tu, if anyone bullies you, send word to us!"
"Even if it's Zixiao Palace, we'll tear it down!"
Dijiang spoke with overwhelming confidence, a trace of murderous intent radiating from him.
Hong Yun knew that if something really happened,
the Ancestral Shamans would absolutely do it!
Hou Tu said helplessly,
"Big Brother, don't say things like that. Zixiao Palace is the Daoist sanctuary of Saint Hongjun!"
Most of the Twelve Ancestral Witches were hot-tempered and domineering.
Hou Tu alone had a gentler disposition, providing a kind of balance among the Ancestral Shamans.
So although Hou Tu was their younger sister, they were generally willing to heed what she said.
Hong Yun watched the siblings talking among themselves.
Meanwhile, other thoughts came to mind.
Dijiang had already proposed developing the Witch Clan. That meant the time for the Witch Clan to dominate the Primordial Wilderness was gradually drawing closer.
But the Witch-Demon Calamity and Hou Tu's transformation into the cycle of reincarnation still weighed on his mind like a thorn.
Was there really no way to avoid it?
Hong Yun asked himself.
After thinking it over, he realized it would be incredibly difficult to change the course of the Primordial Wilderness.
The problem was that Hong Yun wasn't strong enough!
"If I had enough power, wouldn't I be able to decide how the world turns according to my own wishes?"
That was what Hong Yun thought.
Although he couldn't change anything right now, that didn't mean he would do nothing.
After thinking for a moment, he said to Dijiang and Zhu Jiuyin,
"You all don't treat me like an outsider, so I'll speak frankly!"
"The Heavenly Dao has already revealed itself in the Primordial Wilderness. Whether a race prospers depends on whether it is useful to the world!"
"If you want to develop the Witch Clan, I think the first thing to consider is what the Witch Clan can do for the world."
His words left everyone deep in thought.
Zhu Jiuyin narrowed his eyes and pondered for a long while.
"Wear down the baleful energy of the Primordial Wilderness?"
Hong Yun shook his head.
"Wearing down the baleful energy would only be a temporary solution. As the Heavenly Dao grows more complete, clear and turbid energies will gradually reach balance."
"What if one day there isn't enough baleful energy for the Witch Clan to cultivate, and the world no longer needs the Witch Clan?"
Dijiang and Zhu Jiuyin exchanged a glance, then fell into deep thought as well.
Hong Yun waited a long while, until he saw their expressions begin to change.
Only then did he continue,
"I think we innate beings are born with control over the Power of Law!"
"To the myriad living things of the Primordial Wilderness, we are born as gods!"
"Shouldn't we use the Power of Law we command to do something for the world?"
"Doesn't Saint Hongjun also have to follow the Heavenly Dao, maintain its rules, and enlighten the Primordial Wilderness?"
As soon as Hong Yun finished speaking, Dijiang's eyes lit up.
He had already had an inkling of this idea!
Without Hong Yun's words, perhaps he might have figured it out after who knew how long, after seeing what other innate gods did.
But Hong Yun's words had just helped Dijiang pierce through that final veil!
"I understand!"
Dijiang sprang excitedly to his feet and paced back and forth across the hall.
His expression shifted between joy and worry.
Clearly, he was in the midst of an intense storm of thought!
Watching Dijiang pace, Zhen Yuan Zi couldn't help leaning toward Hong Yun and whispering,
"What riddle are you two speaking in?"
Hong Yun only smiled and said nothing.
What he had been discussing with Dijiang was naturally the duties of innate gods.
The Ancestral Shamans were born with control over the Power of Law, so they ought to maintain the laws of the Primordial Wilderness.
Take the changing of the seasons, for example.
At present, there were no seasons across the Primordial Wilderness.
Ju Mang, the Wood Ancestral Shaman; Zhurong, the Fire Ancestral Shaman; Ru Shou, the Metal Ancestral Shaman; and Xuanming, the Ice Ancestral Shaman, could all become gods of the four seasons!
Spring for birth, summer for growth, autumn for harvest, and winter for storage.
In this way, they would complete the changes of the Heavenly Dao!
They would gain not only merit, but, most importantly, duties.
Only then could they strengthen the Witch Clan's fortune!
If the Ancestral Shamans could firmly hold on to their own authority, perhaps they could avoid disaster.
Consider the three races from the Dragon-Han Tribulation.
How had they managed to preserve their fortune and remain in the Primordial Wilderness?
Wasn't it because each race had promised the Heavenly Dao that it would eternally guard the four seas, the Undying Volcano, or the central lands?
Only by being useful to the world did a race have a reason to endure!
At this time, most innate gods represented some kind of duty within the Heavenly Dao.
Each controlled a related Power of Law!
But the world did not yet impose any restrictions on innate gods, so whether they diligently fulfilled the duties dictated by Heaven's Mandate
was largely up to them!
That was precisely why the Divine Path of later generations emerged, using the rules of the Heavenly Court to keep the gods in line!
Naturally, innate gods who failed to do their jobs properly would be replaced.
Dijiang might have eventually figured this out on his own, or found inspiration from seeing the actions of other innate gods.
But Hong Yun had offered guidance in advance.
The Witch Clan could take the first step ahead of everyone else. A single step ahead meant staying ahead at every step.
After pacing back and forth several times,
Dijiang finally settled on the general outline of a plan. He steadied himself, then turned to address everyone.
"Little Brother Hong Yun has opened my eyes!"
"If our Witch Clan wants to develop in the Primordial Wilderness, we must benefit the world. Only then can we prosper for the long term!"
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