The Witch Race Reaches a Consensus; the Demon Court Worries and Seeks Counsel at Purple Heaven Palace

Zhu Jiuyin took a deep breath, his expression once again calm and detached. "I've said everything I should say. As for what I shouldn't, I think you've all probably guessed most of it by now."

"Now you only need to tell me this: is the Witch Race going to lie flat or not? And that promise you made me before—that I would have the highest decision-making authority—does it still stand?"

Dijiang gritted his teeth. "This concerns the entire Witch Race. Even I can't decide it with a single word, so the Twelve Ancestral Witches will make the final decision together."

"We'll follow the principle that the minority yields to the majority. Make your decision: if you support Zhu Jiuyin's proposal and agree that he should hold the highest decision-making authority from now on, raise your hands. If you oppose his proposal and don't agree that he should hold the highest decision-making authority, keep your hands down!"

After speaking, Dijiang glanced at the surrounding Ancestral Witches, then was the first to raise his hand. "I am Dijiang, the Space Ancestral Witch. I agree!"

The instant Dijiang finished speaking, Houtu was the second to state her position. "I am Houtu, the Ancestral Witch of Earth. I agree!"

"I am..."

In the end, aside from Qiangliang, Zhurong, and Gonggong, everyone agreed—including Shebishi, who had initially stood on Zhu Jiuyin's side only after hesitating.

Seeing that even Shebishi had chosen to side with Zhu Jiuyin, Qiangliang and the other two couldn't help but change their expressions.

They looked at one another, then at Zhu Jiuyin, who still hadn't raised his hand and was watching the three of them with cool indifference. They gritted their teeth.

"I am Qiangliang, the Ancestral Witch of Thunder. I agree!"

"I am Zhurong, the Fire Ancestral Witch. I agree!"

"I am Gonggong, the Water Ancestral Witch. I agree!"

And so, aside from Zhu Jiuyin, every Ancestral Witch present had stated their position and agreed with his proposal, recognizing that he would hold the highest decision-making authority from then on.

Zhu Jiuyin took a deep breath, then slowly raised his right hand as well. "I am Zhu Jiuyin, the Time Ancestral Witch. I agree!"

Some Ancestral Witches were fiery-tempered, some were cold as frost, and some loved a good fight—but none of them ever went back on their word.

When they agreed to something, they carried it out without compromise. And the will of the Twelve Ancestral Witches was the highest will of the Witch Race.

Then the great and small powers of the Primordial World panicked.

They saw an edict emerge from Pangu Hall, and the entire Witch Race began rapidly abandoning the territories it had previously expanded into, gathering swiftly at the Ancestral Land of the Witch Race beneath Mount Buzhou.

The Demon Court.

"Big Brother, what exactly are the Ancestral Witches up to? Why do I feel like those brainless fools are about to make trouble—and make a big deal of it?"

Faced with Tai Yi's question, Di Jun couldn't help frowning deeply.

Clearly, he had no idea what the Witch Race was planning with such a massive mobilization.

"Could the Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race be unwilling to accept their defeat in the last war, and planning to defy Dao Ancestor's will by gathering the strength of their entire race to wipe out our Demon Race?" Kunpeng's eyes shifted as he put forward his theory.

At his words, the Demon Race's high-ranking members—including Nuwa and Fuxi—all nodded involuntarily, almost in unison.

Under ordinary circumstances, no one in the Primordial World would dare defy Dao Ancestor Hongjun's will.

But the problem was, the Ancestral Witches weren't ordinary people.

Given the Ancestral Witches' usual conduct, defying Dao Ancestor's will was entirely possible.

After all, what if the Witch Race threw everything it had into wiping out the Demon Race's leaders—or, to put it another way, killed Di Jun and Tai Yi? What then?

The Ancestral Witches were all blessed with Merit of Opening the Heavens, after all.

Hadn't even Dao Ancestor Hongjun said that the Ancestral Witches must not be provoked lightly?

"No, we can't just sit around waiting to die. The most urgent thing is to hurry to Purple Heaven Palace and seek Dao Ancestor's protection!"

The more Tai Yi listened, the more he felt that Kunpeng might be right. He immediately urged Di Jun to hurry to Purple Heaven Palace with him.

Di Jun wanted to refuse, but in the end, he didn't resist. He was afraid too.

Running to Purple Heaven Palace at the first sign of trouble was a serious blow to the dignity of the Heavenly Emperor, but better safe than sorry.

If the Ancestral Witches formed the True Form of Pangu again, even if he and Tai Yi joined forces to unleash the Chaos Bell, they might still get smashed to pieces!

The Chaos Bell was indeed powerful, but Tai Yi still hadn't completely refined it.

Naturally, Hongjun, who dwelled deep within Purple Heaven Palace yet surveyed the entire Primordial World, couldn't miss the movements of the Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race.

After some thought, Hongjun ultimately chose not to intervene.

When all was said and done, the Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race were only gathering. They hadn't actually attacked the Demon Race.

Under these circumstances, what could Hongjun do?

So long as the Ancestral Witches hadn't done anything wrong, if Hongjun attacked them directly, he would face the Great Dao Thunder Punishment.

Hongjun truly didn't dare to pit himself against the Great Dao.

But Hongjun was Hongjun. He quickly thought of a solution.

"If I'm not mistaken, all the living beings of the Primordial World—including the Three Pure Ones—must now be wary of the Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race. They may even fear them."

"Since they're wary and afraid, then I'll simply make use of that wariness and fear."

With his scheme in place, Hongjun waited for Di Jun and Tai Yi to arrive.

With Hongjun turning a blind eye, Di Jun and Tai Yi reached Purple Heaven Palace without much delay.

Di Jun and Tai Yi pleaded desperately for Hongjun to intervene, but he didn't even open the gates of Purple Heaven Palace.

Instead, he left them with a single sentence: "Those who follow the Dao have many allies; those who stray from it have few. Return."

With that, he waved his hand, and Di Jun and Tai Yi were transported back to the Demon Court.

"I believe Dao Ancestor's words must carry a deeper meaning!"

After carefully considering it, Tai Yi offered his opinion.

It was undoubtedly a truism. After all, anyone who wasn't a fool could understand that Hongjun wouldn't speak without a purpose.

Suppressing the urge to roll his eyes, Di Jun said gravely, "The question is, what exactly did Dao Ancestor mean?"

"This..."

At that, even Nuwa and Fuxi couldn't help furrowing their brows.

In the end, it was Kunpeng who stepped forward. "Your Majesties, and Emperor Xi and Empress Wa, I have an idea."

"Speak," the four replied.

Under the watchful gaze of Di Jun, Tai Yi, Nuwa, and Fuxi, Kunpeng slowly explained, "Could it be that our Demon Race has friends too? Those friends could become our reinforcements. If we can call on enough reinforcements, wouldn't that fit Dao Ancestor's sacred words: 'Those who follow the Dao have many allies; those who stray from it have few'?"

Clap!

"Excellent! Very well said!"

At that moment, Di Jun was so excited that he clapped his hands in praise.

Beside him, Tai Yi, Fuxi, and Nuwa all nodded repeatedly.

"The Demon Race is holding a Dao Discussion Assembly at the Heavenly Court and has invited us to attend. Second Brother, Third Brother, what do you think?"

Laozi held the invitation Baize had personally delivered. With a faintly knowing smile, he turned to Yuanshi and Tongtian beside him.

Yuanshi gave a cold snort. "Hmph! Di Jun and Tai Yi have quite the scheme. They call it a Dao discussion, but really, they want to use us as reinforcements."

Tongtian couldn't help sighing. "We have no choice but to go. We're our master's direct disciples, after all. If the Ancestral Witches openly defy our master's will and we, as his disciples, don't step in, won't we become a laughingstock throughout the Primordial World?"

"Then we'll go." Laozi made the final decision.