"Then let's see who comes out on top!"
Chu Xuan smiled and led the still somewhat bashful Houtu toward the Houtu Tribe.
Meanwhile, in the chaos, at Zixiao Palace.
Eighteenth Chapter: Stealing Houtu's People, the Golden Crows Bring Tribulation! (Please Vote!)
Just as Chu Xuan had predicted, Hongjun was under immense pressure from opening his lecture early.
Hongjun sat cross-legged on the Dao platform, his eyes opening and closing. The vast momentum of the Heavenly Dao pressed down faintly from above his head, and he was no longer as perfectly balanced as before.
Each lecture represented a stage in Hongjun's journey to Integrate with Dao.
Strengthening the Primordial Wilderness through his lectures was the price he paid to Integrate with Dao. He needed to carefully balance the growth of the Immortal Dao against the strengthening of the Heavenly Dao that came with the Primordial Wilderness's expansion.
Once the Quasi-Saint Era began, the Primordial Wilderness's power would rise sharply. The Heavenly Dao's power would also surge in turn, placing immense pressure on Hongjun.
Strengthening the Immortal Dao meant strengthening Hongjun, which helped him Integrate with Dao. But it also meant the Primordial Wilderness would grow stronger, and the Heavenly Dao with it, which hindered his progress.
There was a delicate balance to be struck.
His lectures represented Hongjun's efforts to maintain that balance.
But now, the Heavenly Tribulation was limiting the Immortal Dao, preventing it from growing at its previous pace. Meanwhile, the Heavenly Tribulation was completing the Heavenly Dao, strengthening it in a different way. The pressure on him was already becoming significant.
The two sides were gradually falling out of balance.
On top of that, the Quasi-Saint Era he was about to usher in would further strengthen the Primordial Wilderness. And because of the Heavenly Tribulation, the resources and positions left vacant by some beings' advancement to Quasi-Saints could not be replenished quickly. The Immortal Dao's progress was bound to fall even further behind.
But he had no choice.
"Because the Heavenly Tribulation is growing stronger, the two sides have already fallen out of balance, even if I do nothing!"
"Opening the Quasi-Saint Era now will greatly strengthen the Immortal Dao, keeping the gap between them within certain bounds for a short time!"
"The gap will grow wider later, but at least I'll have some breathing room for now!"
"And the Three Disasters and Nine Calamities! Where there are tribulations, there are naturally ways to avoid them. As the Gods' cultivation improves, they'll soon be able to comprehend those methods!"
"The Heavenly Tribulation won't become a tool to limit me!"
"Besides, the balance between the Wu Clan and the demons has already been upset. I need to restore it!"
"The lectures must go ahead!"
Hongjun's eyes opened and closed. Having settled on his course of action, he was ready to correct the path that had strayed somewhat from its intended course.
But although he had a plan, a trace of confusion still crossed his eyes.
"The Heavenly Tribulation appeared far too early. Was it a natural evolution of the Heavenly Dao? Was it wary of me? Or was some other powerful being pulling strings behind the scenes?"
Hongjun tried to divine the answer, but he could not see clearly at all.
He couldn't help thinking of the Wu Clan, who had attacked the Demon Heavenly Court not long ago. The Pangu Great Hall concealed them from his sight, too. And then there was the Heavenly Tribulation Dao Fruit's uncanny disturbance.
Hongjun furrowed his brow, growing suspicious, though he also felt that the Wu Clan didn't seem clever or capable enough to pull off something like this.
After a long while, he finally sighed.
"These remnants of Pangu are becoming a real nuisance!"
"No wonder even the Heavenly Dao supports my plans against them!"
"The Heavenly Dao governs the Primordial Wilderness's order. How can beings who so brazenly defy the will of Heaven be allowed to run rampant in this world?"
The lectures would begin in three thousand years. Then, everything would change!
Hongjun sat on the Dao platform and continued to Integrate with the Heavenly Dao.
Meanwhile, Chu Xuan had returned to the Houtu Tribe and was catching up with many friends in the tribe.
A burly man holding a peach staff saw Chu Xuan return and greeted him excitedly.
"Chu Xuan, you're back!"
"I told you not to contact the Ancestral Shamans just because they dote on you. When I saw them summon you, my heart nearly leaped out of my chest!"
"I can't believe you're still alive and kicking!"
"Hey, wait. Your cultivation!"
The Peach Staff Man's eyes widened as he stared at Chu Xuan. He could feel a pressure coming from him and wasn't sure what to make of it.
Chu Xuan smiled at his friend and nodded.
"That's right. I've broken through and reached the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm!"
"The Ancestral Shamans remembered that although I'm weak, I still care about the clan. They granted me their essence blood, which raised my cultivation!"
"Now we're at the same level!"
The Peach Staff Man's eyes widened in shock.
"What? You got something like that?"
"If I'd known, I would've gone with you!"
"It's all Hou Yi's fault. He said the Ancestral Shamans would definitely punish you, so I didn't go through thick and thin with you!"
"I'm already in the late Taiyi Golden Immortal stage. If the Ancestral Shamans granted me a blessing, I'd be one step away from becoming a Great Witch on par with a Great Luo Golden Immortal!"
"Damn it! It's all Hou Yi's fault!"
The Peach Staff Man looked dejected, his face full of regret.
Seeing how sincere he was, Chu Xuan smiled. If his friend knew he wasn't a Taiyi Golden Immortal, but a Great Luo Golden Immortal who had even become an Ancestral Shaman, he'd probably regret it even more.
But now that Chu Xuan had become a Great Luo Golden Immortal and gained an Ancestral Shaman's body, he could conceal every change in himself.
Even Kuafu standing before him couldn't see through it.
That's right, this was Kuafu, the one who would one day spark the decisive battle between the Wu Clan and the demons. But as of now, Kuafu had yet to break through to the Great Luo Golden Immortal Realm or become a Great Witch.
When Chu Xuan had first been born and arrived at the Houtu Tribe, Kuafu was one of the people he'd met.
Since Kuafu was destined to become a Great Witch, Chu Xuan had taken the initiative to approach him and become his friend.
The same went for Hou Yi.
Chu Xuan had originally planned to cling to the two of them and make some small changes to their futures.
After all, back then, he'd only been a Golden Immortal Lesser Shaman with a weak foundation. But things had changed so quickly that he'd become a Great Luo Golden Immortal in the blink of an eye.
Still, although circumstances had changed, their friendship was genuine. The Wu Clan were straightforward, not foolish. How could anyone make friends without opening their heart?
That was why Chu Xuan had come to see them before leaving, and why he intended to give them both an opportunity.
"After all, as another Ancestral Shaman, I'll need to establish my own tribe when my identity is revealed. By then, these two famous Great Witches will be just the people I need!"
As for poaching Houtu's people? Houtu would be mine one day anyway. No need to sweat the small stuff!
The thought flashed through Chu Xuan's mind and vanished.
But he continued aloud, "Enough about that. Where's Hou Yi? Aren't you two always together, inseparable?"
"What do you mean, inseparable? That guy's the one who keeps following me around!"
Kuafu mumbled a denial, but still pointed Chu Xuan in the right direction.
"He went over there to undergo his tribulation!"
"He said he was about to become a Great Witch!"
"Damn him! To use your words, he's making progress all by himself in secret! He's abandoned the masses and cut himself off from them!"
Kuafu grumbled indignantly, and Chu Xuan finally understood why he'd been so regretful earlier.
Hou Yi was about to break through and become a Great Witch already?
Chu Xuan was surprised, but then it seemed only natural. In the original future, Hou Yi was the one who shot down the Nine Golden Crows.
He had even refined Pangu Essence Blood and become a reserve for the Twelve Heavenly Gods and Demons Sha Formation. His aptitude was naturally exceptional.
As for whether Chu Xuan had stolen Hou Yi's opportunity by refining Pangu Essence Blood himself, he didn't think so. The essence blood had fallen into his hands to change the Wu Clan's future.
And when Hou Yi had refined it, all it had done was lead him to his death. It hadn't helped him at all. Better for Chu Xuan to make use of it.
Even so, out of regard for their friendship, Chu Xuan intended to look after Hou Yi a little.
But just as Chu Xuan was thinking this, the Heavenly Tribulation Law within him suddenly trembled.
Before you continue