"Lie flat?"
It was a new phrase, one that had never appeared in the Primordial World before.
So everyone, Houtu included, waited for Zhu Jiuyin to explain.
"By 'lie flat,' I mean that from now on, whether we're the Ancestral Witches or the Witch Race, we'll stop concerning ourselves with everything beyond the Ancestral Land."
"Whether it's fighting the Demon Race for supremacy or ruling the Primordial World, even absorbing the Turbid Qi of the earth—we Ancestral Witches won't do any of it anymore. Let whoever cares deal with it. We Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race are done serving!"
His words struck like a thunderclap!
Zhurong was hot-tempered. He immediately retorted, "Absorbing the Turbid Qi of the earth is a duty Father God entrusted to us Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race. To do this would be to defy Father God's will!"
Sure enough, at those words, even Dijiang and Houtu couldn't help looking hesitant.
Among the Witch Race, the two words "Pangu" represented the highest will!
But after reading a million modern books, Zhu Jiuyin was no longer the Zhu Jiuyin he had once been.
"A duty? Why should we?"
"The Three Pure Ones are also Pangu's direct descendants. Why don't they have to shoulder this duty?"
"The Heavenly Dao and Hongjun are the true rulers of the Primordial World. Why don't they have to shoulder this duty?"
"You're questioning Father God!" Gonggong stepped forward and shouted angrily.
"Can't Father God be questioned? Does Father God represent absolute truth? If Father God is always right, then he should be standing before us now, telling us which road to take!"
"You bastard! I'll beat some sense into you!"
Without another word, Qiangliang, Gonggong, and Zhurong, the three Ancestral Witches, charged at Zhu Jiuyin together.
"Like I'd be afraid of you!"
In an instant, the three great laws of thunder, fire, and water clashed furiously against the Law of Time inside Pangu Hall. Zhu Jiuyin and the three Ancestral Witches—Qiangliang, Gonggong, and Zhurong—each revealed their Ancestral Witch True Bodies, on the verge of a great battle.
"Bastards! How dare the four of you fight inside Pangu Hall? Do you have any respect for Father God? Or for me, your eldest brother?"
Seeing the four Ancestral Witches about to clash, while the others quickly formed two opposing camps, Dijiang was furious.
If this continued, the Witch Race would split apart before the Demon Race even came knocking.
"How can we allow this!"
Dijiang's anger surged, and he shouted aloud.
Sure enough, as soon as he spoke, Qiangliang, Gonggong, and Zhurong stopped their attack.
Seeing that, Zhu Jiuyin withdrew his law and True Body as well.
Then Zhu Jiuyin glanced behind him and immediately understood.
Clearly, while he had been clashing with Qiangliang and the other two Ancestral Witches, the rest had also split into two camps.
Houtu, Xuanming, Jumang, Rushou, Xizi, and Tianwu had chosen to stand with him. Counting Dijiang, who leaned toward him, his side already had eight votes.
Of the rest, apart from Qiangliang, Gonggong, and Zhurong, only Shebishi seemed deeply uncertain. In the end, though, he still stood behind the other three.
Clearly, for Ancestral Witches, the best way to voice opposition was with their fists.
That was why Qiangliang and the other two had attacked Zhu Jiuyin without hesitation.
Seeing the four stand down, not only Dijiang but all the Ancestral Witches in Pangu Hall let out a sigh of relief.
For the Witch Race as a whole, having just suffered a crushing defeat, infighting and division were the last things they could afford.
For themselves, their brotherhood had lasted for billions of years. No one could bear to see them come to blows and fall apart forever.
Without another word, Dijiang vented his anger on the three of them. "You three bastards! How dare you take the initiative and attack your second brother? Do you have any respect for the blood ties between the Ancestral Witches? Do you care at all about Father God, or about your brothers and sisters?"
At his words, Qiangliang and the other two couldn't help lowering their heads.
After scolding Qiangliang and the others, Dijiang turned to Zhu Jiuyin. "Second brother, you... I'm not trying to criticize you, but what you said was far too blunt."
"Then what?" Zhu Jiuyin didn't back down. Instead, he retorted, "Yes, I spoke too bluntly. Now tell me: isn't reality even blunter, and more brutal than anything I said?"
Then Zhu Jiuyin glanced at the three of them. "You think you're so powerful? In that case, why don't the three of you chop off Di Jun and Tai Yi's heads, then beat the Heavenly Dao and Hongjun so badly they're afraid to leave the Purple Heaven Palace? If you can do that, I'll immediately kneel and kowtow to the three of you, apologize, and admit my mistake. How about it?"
The three Ancestral Witches felt as if lightning had struck them.
Zhu Jiuyin had gone so far as to say those words. It was clear just how furious he was.
Thinking it over, Qiangliang and the other two were overcome with regret.
That was right. They couldn't defeat Di Jun and Tai Yi, nor could they stand against the Heavenly Dao and Hongjun. Yet among themselves, they were threatening to beat Zhu Jiuyin to death.
Wasn't that exactly the kind of bully-the-weak, cower-before-the-strong behavior they had always despised?
Seeing that the three were reflecting, Zhu Jiuyin pressed his advantage. "I hope you remember this: the best way to respect Father God is to question him, become him, and surpass him—not chant slogans and spend all day on empty formalities and appearances."
"Have you never considered this? If we Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race were gone, how many beings in this vast Primordial World would still remember Father God? How many would still worship him?"
As he said this, a trace of sorrow appeared in Zhu Jiuyin's eyes.
"To revere Pangu and not the Heavenly Dao—that is the greatest sin of the Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race!"
Zhu Jiuyin thought of the Three Pure Ones. In truth, from the moment they had acknowledged Hongjun as their master and accepted the Grandmist Violet Qi bestowed by the Heavenly Dao, they had already betrayed Pangu.
"Why were you in such a hurry? As the Orthodox Pangu Lineage, born from Father God's primordial spirit, even without the Grandmist Violet Qi bestowed by the Heavenly Dao, even without its recognition, you could have waited a hundred Yuanhui or so. Even if you couldn't become Sages, attaining the Primordial Daluo Golden Immortal realm wouldn't have been difficult for you Three Pure Ones!"
"Or was accepting the Grandmist Violet Qi your Three Pure Ones' pledge of allegiance to the Heavenly Dao and Hongjun?"
At the thought, Zhu Jiuyin gave a bitter laugh.
After all that, it was their Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race who had looked down on the tide of fate and even foolishly fought against it!
At this moment, even Zhurong and Gonggong, thickheaded as they were, could feel the sorrow and indignation welling up from the depths of Zhu Jiuyin's heart.
At this moment, a shock like none they had ever felt before surged through them.
At this moment, they suddenly wanted to ask, "Second brother, what exactly did you see in the River of Time?"
But in the end, even Zhurong and Gonggong didn't ask. They had already sensed the answer was terrible!
Terrible enough that Zhu Jiuyin couldn't bring himself to speak of it, terrible enough that even they, the Ancestral Witches, couldn't accept it.
Before you continue