Number One Connected Person in the Great Desolation

Dao Xuan stood atop the Qilin, his Blue Gauze Headband fluttering slightly, his light yellow cloud-patterned daoist robes exuding a pure aura.

His face was like sheep fat jade, his eyes clear and brows elegant, yet at this moment, he carried an arrogant air of looking down upon the world.

Above his head, the Twelve-petal Pure World White Lotus shed divine light, while the Myriad Treasures Nine Dragon Seal, the Four Symbols Banana Fan, and the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Merit Ruler, three supreme treasures, circled his body, their precious light pulsing, poised for action.

His gaze was like lightning, fearlessly meeting the sudden appearance of the Ancestral Witch Houtu.

He spoke loudly:

"Ancestral Witch Houtu? Are you also here to obstruct this humble daoist?"

"Your tribesmen wantonly slaughtered my Xuanmen affiliates and even besieged me; they deserved to die!"

"Today, even if an Ancestral Witch herself arrives, she won't stop me from killing them!"

His voice was decisive and utterly domineering!

Ancestral Witch Houtu stood quietly by the shore of the East Sea.

She wore a earth-yellow linen dress, her feet bare, her long hair tied with withered vines.

Her face was as gentle as warm jade, her eyes deep and tranquil, as if carrying the profound weight of the entire Great Desolation.

Upon hearing Dao Xuan's outrageously arrogant words, her expression remained devoid of joy or sorrow, though her eyes slightly narrowed.

She uttered no words.

She offered no reply.

She simply raised her right hand gently.

It was a seemingly ordinary hand, its skin carrying the hue of the earth.

However.

The moment she raised her hand!

The entire East Sea, no, the entire Great Desolation seemed to resonate with it!

Hummm--!

A vast, boundless aura, carrying all things yet containing infinite power, erupted!

This aura was not malevolent, yet it was more ancient, more primal than any malevolence!

It was the pulse of the earth! The embodiment of the laws of earth!

Houtu merely pressed her hand forward in the direction of Dao Xuan!

Rumble!

Dao Xuan felt the sky above and the sea below vanish in an instant!

In their place, an endless, unimaginably heavy Great Desolation descended!

It was as if the weight of the entire Great Desolation was pressing down upon him alone!

"Not good!"

Alarm bells rang wildly in Dao Xuan's heart!

He instantly pushed his magic power to its limit!

The Twelve-petal Pure World White Lotus above his head flared with blinding light, its billions of divine lights weaving into the sturdiest barrier!

The Myriad Treasures Nine Dragon Seal roared, transforming into a mountain, attempting to prop up the sky!

The Four Symbols Banana Fan flapped madly, disrupting the elemental winds and waters, trying to tear apart this earthen prison!

The Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Merit Ruler's Mysterious Yellow Qi and golden merit light intertwined, measuring the heavens and stabilizing the earth!

However.

In the face of the earth laws at the Ancestral Witch level, all these resistances appeared so pale!

Houtu's press, seemingly effortless, contained the ultimate profound meaning of the laws of earth—carrying and suppressing!

The first move!

The divine light barrier of the Pure World White Lotus twisted violently, emitting groans of unbearable strain!

The Myriad Treasures Nine Dragon Seal let out a mournful cry, its precious light dimming, forcefully pressed back to its original form!

The Qilin beneath Dao Xuan wailed, its four hooves sinking deep into the void, almost kneeling!

The second move!

Houtu's palm flipped slightly, pressing down further!

Boom!

The primal elemental storm of the Four Symbols, fanned out by the Four Symbols Banana Fan, shattered instantly as if it had crashed into Buzhou Mountain!

The Mysterious Yellow barrier created by the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Merit Ruler cracked inch by inch!

Dao Xuan felt an irresistible, immense force penetrate his body!

Pfft!

His throat felt a sweetness, and he spat out a mouthful of golden blood!

The face, like mutton-fat jade, instantly lost its color!

The pure energy around him became chaotic, his daoist robe rustling violently, as if it were about to be crushed by the boundless pressure!

The third move!

Houtu's eyes remained calm as her palm pressed down completely!

This press was like the sky collapsing and the earth overturning!

The Twelve-petal Pure World White Lotus's radiance flickered intensely, its petals trembling, the divine light it cast compressed to its limit!

Dao Xuan felt his Primordial Spirit about to be suppressed and annihilated by this pure power of the earth!

Three moves!

Just three moves!

Dao Xuan, who had just suppressed three top Great Witches and was full of spirit, was now tottering, his magical artifacts crying out, spitting golden blood, and utterly unable to fight back!

The might of an Ancestral Witch, terrifying indeed!

A hint of coldness finally appeared on Houtu's gentle, jade-like face.

She looked at Dao Xuan, whose aura was weak and whose magical artifacts' light had dimmed, a murderous glint flashing in her eyes.

This child had extraordinary talent, numerous magical artifacts, and the backing of the Xuanmen. Today, they had forged a mortal enmity. If he were allowed to grow, he would surely become a great threat to the Witch Clan in the future!

He must be eliminated!

Houtu no longer hesitated. The palm, imbued with the power of the Great Desolation's earth, slowly lifted, about to bring down a killing blow upon Dao Xuan!

Before the palm strike even arrived, the pure, ultimate suppressing force made Dao Xuan's Primordial Spirit ache, as if it would disintegrate at any moment!

At the brink of life and death!

Dao Xuan suddenly looked up. Instead of fear in his eyes, there was a flash of almost shameless madness!

He opened his throat and, with all his might, let out a heaven-shattering roar towards Houtu, and towards this world:

"Houtu! You dare kill me?!"

"I am the third-generation chief disciple of the Xuanmen! Dao Ancestor Hongjun's most, most, most favored grand-disciple! Taiqing Dao De Tianzun's most, most, most valued founding disciple!"

"If you dare touch a single hair on my head, do you believe my Grandmaster will flatten your Witch Clan's lair, Buzhou Mountain, with a single thought?!"

"And have my master, Taiqing Daozun, refine all twelve of you Ancestral Witches into ashes in the Bagua furnace?!"

His voice was loud, carrying an extreme arrogance of "My backing is strong, who am I afraid of?!" It echoed across the East Sea, causing the waves to momentarily halt!

Houtu, who was about to deliver the killing blow, frowned deeply, her gentle, jade-like brow furrowed!

Her raised killing palm paused slightly.

Third-generation chief disciple of the Xuanmen!

Dao Ancestor Hongjun's most favored grand-disciple!

Taiqing Dao De Tianzun's most valued disciple!

Each of these three titles weighed heavier than ten thousand pounds!

Especially the phrase "Dao Ancestor Hongjun's most favored grand-disciple," which stirred up monstrous waves in Houtu's heart!

Dao Ancestor Hongjun!

A Saint who had merged with the Dao!

That was a being truly above all beings in the Great Desolation!

During the First Witch-Demon War, the Dao Ancestor had intervened, shattering the Pangu phantom condensed in Pangu Hall in three moves and forcibly stopping the conflict!

That invincible figure, that majestic heavenly might, still loomed over the hearts of all Ancestral Witches like a nightmare!

If this child were truly the Dao Ancestor's most favored grand-disciple... killing him...

The consequences were unimaginable!

Houtu's killing intent receded like a tide, replaced by deep apprehension and hesitation.

The moment Houtu's mind wavered and her killing intent slightly diminished, Dao Xuan's eyes darted around, immediately seizing this sliver of life!

He took a deep breath and then... opened his throat, using an extremely exaggerated, extremely wronged, and extremely loud tone, he let out a heart-wrenching "cry for help" towards the sky, towards the thirty-third heaven:

"Grandmaster--! Please take a look--!"

"The Witch Clan has no martial ethics--! They're bullying the small--!"

"The dignified Houtu Ancestral Witch, one of the Twelve Ancestral Witches, has personally entered the fray to bully your most, most, most beloved little grand-disciple--!"

"She has no shame--! Relying on her age and high cultivation, she's bullying me, a junior who has only cultivated for tens of thousands of years--!"

"Grandmaster, save me--! If you don't come soon, your most, most, most beloved little grand-disciple will be turned into a meat patty by this old woman... cough cough... by this Ancestral Witch--!"

Her voice was shrill, full of grievance, and tinged with tears.

As if she had suffered an unimaginable injustice.

Especially the phrases "relying on your age and high cultivation," "shameless," and "bullying the juniors," which were like invisible slaps, fiercely striking Hou Tu's face.

Hou Tu's face, usually as gentle and jade-like as ever, instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot!

The veins on her forehead throbbed faintly!

She had lived for countless Yuanhui, was one of the Twelve Ancestral Witches, held the authority of the earth, and her status was incredibly revered!

When had she ever been so publicly humiliated and belittled?!

And in such a rogue-like manner!

That flicker of hesitation was instantly incinerated by her rage!

This brat! He deserves to die! He must die!

No matter what background he has! Today, even if it means bearing the wrath of a Saint, I will first obliterate this bull-nosed brat spewing filth!

Killing intent surged in Hou Tu's eyes, ten times stronger than before!

The killing palm she raised no longer held any hesitation. It was imbued with the anger and weight of the entire Great Desolation, tearing through space, carrying the will to destroy everything, and slammed down towards Dao Xuan's head!

Where the palm wind passed, space collapsed inch by inch, revealing a dark void!

This palm contained Hou Tu's full power after being utterly enraged!

Let alone a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, even a nascent Quasi-Saint would struggle to survive!

Dao Xuan looked at the colossal palm that blotted out the sun and threatened to destroy everything, his pupils shrinking to the size of needle tips!

Did I go too far?!

At this critical moment, as Dao Xuan was about to be crushed into powder!

Buzz--!

An indescribable, irresistible, terrifying pressure, seemingly originating from the very source of the Heavenly Dao, suddenly descended!

Without a sound!

Yet it instantly enveloped the entire East Sea!

Time seemed to freeze!

Space seemed to solidify!

Hou Tu's world-destroying giant palm, less than three feet from Dao Xuan's head, was forcefully halted in mid-air!

Unable to fall even a fraction of an inch further!

Hou Tu's entire body trembled violently!

She felt as if an invisible giant hand had choked her throat, and as if the entire Heavenly Dao of the Great Desolation was pressing down on her spine!

A bone-chilling fear from the depths of her soul instantly drowned out all her anger and killing intent!

This pressure... vast! Supreme! Indifferent! Ruthless!

It carried an undeniable, unchallengeable will!

It's the Dao Ancestor!

It's definitely Dao Ancestor Hongjun!

He is watching! He is warning!

If this palm were to truly fall, what awaited the Witch Clan would likely be utter annihilation! A threat billions of times more terrifying than the Demon Clan!

Hou Tu's heart turned ice-cold, all her killing intent receded like a tide, leaving only boundless fear and bitterness.

She understood.

Dao Xuan's extremely arrogant and rogue-like words were not empty threats.

He truly was Dao Ancestor Hongjun's most "beloved" grand-disciple!

This "love" even led the Dao Ancestor to personally intervene by descending the Heavenly Dao's pressure!

This bull-nosed brat... cannot be killed!

With great difficulty and extreme reluctance, Hou Tu withdrew her killing palm, which had condensed all her strength and was only three feet from Dao Xuan's head.

The terrifying pressure that had enveloped her also quietly dissipated.

As if it had never appeared.

But Hou Tu knew the warning was real.

She stood in place, her bare feet treading on the sea waves, her earth-yellow linen dress fluttering slightly.

Her usually gentle and jade-like face was now filled with complexity.

There was grievance, anger, helplessness, and more than anything, an indescribable... frustration.

She, a dignified Ancestral Witch, who commanded the authority of the earth, was today called "shameless" and "bullying the weak" by a junior, and finally forced to withdraw by the junior's powerful backer...

This breath was stuck in her chest, making her want to vomit blood!

In the Great Desolation, Houtu, the Ancestral Witch, always known for her compassion, tranquility, and few words, looked at Dao Xuan's face, which still held a hint of "shock" yet couldn't hide his "triumph." At this moment, she felt an inexplicable rage surge straight to the crown of her head!

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her mind.

But seeing Dao Xuan's "Hit me again if you dare" expression finally made her snap!

Houtu raised her jade finger, pointing at Dao Xuan. Her gentle voice carried a rare, suppressed tremor and anger:

"You... you scoundrel, you bull-nosed rogue! You shameless thief!"

"Relying on a Saint's favor, you act so... so ignorant of heaven and earth! You speak without restraint! You infuriate me!"

"You're lucky today! But tomorrow... Hmph!"

Houtu was so angry her chest heaved. She seemed to want to curse a few more words, but in the end, she was speechless and, mindful of the Dao Ancestor's majesty, could only let out a heavy "Hmph!"

Where was the slightest bit of an Ancestral Witch's dignity in her demeanor?

She looked more like a little wife who had been infuriated by a scoundrel but was helpless!

She abruptly flicked her sleeve, gathering up Chi You and Kuafu, who were heavily injured and unconscious below.

She then shot a fierce glare at Hou Yi, who was equally stunned and wide-eyed.

"Let's go!"

Her voice was filled with deep frustration and unwillingness.

A yellow divine light flashed, enveloping the three Great Witches, and they instantly vanished on the shores of the East Sea.

All that remained were the churning waves on the sea's surface and... a battlefield of dead silence.

Ao Guang and the surviving Dragon and Water Clans had already been stunned speechless.

From the arrival of Ancestral Witch Houtu, to Dao Xuan spitting blood after being struck by three moves, to Dao Xuan shamelessly calling for help, and finally to Ancestral Witch Houtu being so angered she cursed and left in frustration...

This reversal, this ending...

Too... too exciting!

Seeing that Houtu had truly left, Dao Xuan finally let out a long sigh of relief, wiping away the non-existent cold sweat on his forehead.

He patted his chest and muttered with lingering fear:

"Phew... so close, so close. When the Ancestral Witch loses her temper, she's truly terrifying... I almost went too far..."

Immediately, he straightened his back, cleared his throat, and shouted towards the direction Houtu had disappeared:

"Farewell, Ancestral Witch Houtu! Next time you visit the East Sea, remember to give me a heads-up! This humble Daoist will have the Dragon Palace prepare tea and snacks, and I absolutely won't call you 'shameless' anymore!"

His voice carried far away.

Houtu, who had already fled tens of thousands of miles, suddenly stumbled, almost falling out of her escape light!

Her jade-like face instantly turned red!

"Scoundrel! Rogue!!"

A roar, suppressed to the extreme, echoed faintly in the depths of the Great Desolation.

Meanwhile, on the shores of the East Sea.

Ao Guang finally reacted.

He scrambled on all fours to Dao Xuan's Qilin and prostrated himself, his voice trembling with excitement, filled with unprecedented fervor and flattery:

"Immortal! Your divine might is peerless! Even the Ancestral Witch... even she... shows you three parts of respect!

The might of the Xuan Sect is supreme in the Great Desolation! This humble dragon... this humble dragon's reverence for the Xuan Sect, for you, Immortal, is like the waters of the East Sea, endless..."

Dao Xuan looked at Ao Guang's fawning demeanor, as if he wanted to tear out his own heart, and the corners of his mouth curled up.

He waved his hand, interrupting Ao Guang's endless praise.

His gaze, however, turned towards the depths of the East Sea Dragon Palace, in the direction where the sea eye was suppressed.

In the depths of his Primordial Spirit, the throbbing of the Chaos Bead became even clearer after Houtu left.

"Dragon King."

"This humble dragon is here!"

"Take me to see the sea eye."

"Yes! Yes! Immortal, please this way! This humble dragon will personally guide you!"

Ao Guang responded incessantly, his posture humble to the dust.

Today's battle, Dao Xuan suppressed three Great Witches, withstood an Ancestral Witch, and finally forced the Ancestral Witch to retreat in frustration...

Such might, such backing...

The East Sea Dragon Palace, no, the Four Seas Dragon Clan, had latched onto this powerful figure, it was like their ancestral graves had emitted a chaotic green smoke!

Dao Xuan rode the Five Spirit Qilin, under the awestruck and fervent gazes of Ao Guang and a host of water creatures, parting the blue waves once more and heading straight into the deep-sea Dragon Palace.

The target-- the depths of the sea eye, where a fortuitous encounter possibly related to the Chaos Bead lay!

The earth-shattering news that "Xuanmen's third-generation chief disciple, Dao Xuan, fought fiercely against three Great Witches on the coast of the East Sea, withstood three moves from Ancestral Witch Houtu without dying, and even forced the Ancestral Witch to curse and retreat with his rascally tactics."

Like a storm with wings, it swept across the entire Great Desolation at an incredible speed, instantly engulfing it!

Countless powerful beings' divine senses intertwined, discussing animatedly.

"Hiss... That Xuanmen's Dao Xuan is actually so formidable?"

"More than formidable! Haven't you heard? Ancestral Witch Houtu was so angered by him that she cursed! And in the end, she didn't dare to make a move!"

"Dao Ancestor Hongjun's favorite grand-disciple... Saint Taiqing's most valued disciple... This background is so solid it could shatter Buzhou Mountain!"

"Number One Connected Person in the Great Desolation, truly lives up to the name!"

"Can't afford to offend, can't afford to offend..."

For a time, the name "Dao Xuan" resounded throughout the Great Desolation.

His title, "Number One Connected Person in the Great Desolation," became known to everyone, recognized by all.

He became the object of envy, jealousy, and hatred for countless low-level cultivators, and an absolute taboo in the hearts of powerful beings, signifying someone "not to be easily provoked"!