Xi Wangmu

Xi Wangmu did not know whether Nuwa was reliable, but this was the only solution she could think of.

As for coming to the Witch Clan, Xi Wangmu merely felt that Nuwa's sacred ground was on the way, and besides, the Witch Clan was the only race in the Primordial World unafraid of the Demon Race. Paying them a visit could do no harm.

However, Xi Wangmu had already prepared herself to be turned away before she came.

For as far as Xi Wangmu knew, the Witch Clan was rather indifferent toward all other living beings in the Primordial World and cared only about its own clansmen.

On top of that, the Witch Clan had no Primordial Spirits and violent temperaments, making them difficult to get along with. Xi Wangmu had not even thought she would be able to enter the Witch Clan and meet Di Jiang.

Yet, to her surprise, Zhurong, who had initially been dismissive of her, became far more cordial the moment he went inside to report her arrival. He even led her to Pangu Hall at the center of the Witch Clan's ancestral land. Was this really a place she was allowed to enter?

Meanwhile, in the outer hall, Bai Jing was also pondering why Xi Wangmu had come to the Witch Clan.

The Demon Race had just destroyed the Immortal Court and driven Dongwang Gong to self-detonate. Rather than hiding safely at home, she had dared to travel all the way from West Kunlun to Mount Buzhou. Was she not afraid Dijun would intercept and kill her?

But Bai Jing soon recalled that Nuwa's sacred ground was also on Mount Buzhou. If Xi Wangmu could persuade Nuwa to put in a few good words for her with the Demon Race, perhaps the Demon Race would not make a move against her.

Bai Jing told Di Jiang his guess, and Di Jiang frowned upon hearing it.

Di Jiang naturally knew that Nuwa was a Heaven-ordained Saint, and he also knew that Nuwa had joined the Demon Race. He held some dislike for her.

Now that Bai Jing had told him Xi Wangmu had most likely come to seek Nuwa's help, Di Jiang immediately decided to win Xi Wangmu over.

A moment later, led by Zhurong, Xi Wangmu entered the outer hall.

This was, by Bai Jing's reckoning, the second time he had seen Xi Wangmu. The previous time had been during Zixiao Palace's second lecture. He truly had not noticed her during the third lecture at Zixiao Palace, which showed just how low-key she had been after Hongjun personally appointed her leader of the female immortals.

Bai Jing gave Xi Wangmu a thorough look. The innate Dao bodies of innate divine beings were all the most perfect creations, and Xi Wangmu's beauty was naturally like a flower in bloom.

Yet her overall bearing was dignified and noble, and a true air of nobility radiated from her at every moment, making one's eyes light up at the sight of her.

To be fair, no matter how one looked at it, Xi Wangmu was absolutely among the very best of the female cultivators in the Primordial World. The number of women who could stand shoulder to shoulder with her could be counted on one hand.

Di Jiang, however, paid no attention to Xi Wangmu's face that could sink fish and make geese fall. Seeing her arrive, he looked her over and praised, "The late stage of the Quasi-Saint realm is not far from your mid stage. Your cultivation is quite good."

Xi Wangmu was first stunned, then gave a salute and said, "Xi Wangmu greets Brother Di Jiang and Fellow Daoist Bai Jing."

Bai Jing returned the salute. "Greetings, Fellow Daoist."

Di Jiang merely waved his hand. "No need for such empty formalities. Sit!"

After Di Jiang spoke, the three of them took their seats according to rank. Bai Jing figured that the Witch Clan was not much for entertaining guests. After all, despite coming to the Witch Clan so many times, he had never received even a cup of tea from them. So he took it upon himself to brew a cup of Enlightenment Tea and place it by Xi Wangmu's hand, then gestured for her to drink.

Xi Wangmu was quite surprised to see Bai Jing serving her tea in the Witch Clan's stead, while Di Jiang showed no reaction at all.

Xi Wangmu naturally knew that Bai Jing had a good relationship with the Witch Clan. Leaving aside everything else, when Bai Jing had clashed with those two from the West, Houtu had stood firmly and unwaveringly on Bai Jing's side.

But Xi Wangmu had not expected Bai Jing's relationship with the Witch Clan to be this good. He looked almost like half a member of the Witch Clan himself.

After arranging his thoughts, Di Jiang said, "Xi Wangmu, you have never had any dealings with my Witch Clan. Why have you come to the Witch Clan this time?"

Xi Wangmu fell silent for a moment before deciding to state her purpose plainly. "Brother Di Jiang must already know that the Immortal Court was destroyed by the Demon Race's Heavenly Court. Even Fellow Daoist Dongwang Gong was forced by Dijun and Taiyi to self-detonate. What does Brother Dao think of this matter?"

"Those two feathered mongrel birds of the Demon Race are becoming more and more arrogant. I have long found them unpleasant to look at." Di Jiang had no intention of concealing his feelings and cursed outright.

Bai Jing, however, smiled and said, "No matter what, Dongwang Gong was personally appointed by the Dao Ancestor as leader of the male immortals, equal in status to Fellow Daoist. Dijun's actions were naturally improper, but the Dao Ancestor did not intervene. Perhaps Dongwang Gong truly did something so outrageous that Heaven and man alike were enraged, thereby incurring the Dao Ancestor's displeasure.

"But regardless, this matter should have nothing to do with the Witch Clan. If Fellow Daoist wishes to take revenge, you may simply seek out Dijun yourself."

Hearing Bai Jing say this, Xi Wangmu felt a pang of distress. Bai Jing's air of hanging high matters that did not concern him left her at a loss for words.

After both sides were silent for a moment, Xi Wangmu gritted her teeth and said, "Fellow Daoist Bai Jing must be joking. The Heavenly Court is so powerful, while I stand alone, and my cultivation is inferior even to Dijun's. How could I possibly be their match?

"Besides, Dongwang Gong and I had no friendship. Why would I stand up for him? Like the Witch Clan, I have no ambition to contend for supremacy in the Primordial World. I only wish to keep to a corner in peace and focus on pursuing the Great Dao."

At this, Di Jiang spoke. "Then what exactly have you come to the Witch Clan for?"

Xi Wangmu fell silent once more.

To be honest, Xi Wangmu had originally intended to seek Nuwa's aid and have Nuwa mediate between her and the Heavenly Court.

But now that she had actually met Di Jiang, although his attitude toward her could not be called friendly, neither was he shutting her out from a thousand miles away. She might as well try to see whether she could obtain the Witch Clan's protection.

With that thought, Xi Wangmu finally spoke. "To be honest, I came to seek refuge with the Witch Clan."

Di Jiang looked at Xi Wangmu upon hearing this. He truly had not expected her to state so directly that she had come to seek refuge with the Witch Clan. All the words he had spent so long considering for how to win Xi Wangmu over became useless at once.

However, Di Jiang did not immediately agree. Instead, he turned to look at Bai Jing.

Understanding his meaning, Bai Jing asked, "Fellow Daoist Xi Wangmu, why do you wish to seek refuge with the Witch Clan?"

Since Xi Wangmu had already voiced what was in her heart, she no longer hesitated and simply laid everything bare.

It turned out that ever since learning Dongwang Gong had been killed by Dijun on Penglai Immortal Island, Xi Wangmu had been unable to sleep day or night. On one hand, she thought Dijun probably would not come looking for trouble with her. On the other, she worried about what she would do if Dijun suddenly came and killed her.

Thus, after thinking long and hard, she felt that she could either find a mighty expert to mediate with the Demon Race, or seek the protection of a force unafraid of the Demon Race.

The Witch Clan was clearly unafraid of the Demon Race, which was why she had come to seek refuge with them.

At least eighty or ninety percent of Xi Wangmu's words were believable, and they also matched Bai Jing's own guess.

Still, Bai Jing had one question. He asked Xi Wangmu, "Fellow Daoist Xi Wangmu, your sacred ground is also in Kunlun, and you are neighbors with the Three Pure Ones. Why did you not seek refuge with those three Fellow Daoists?"

At the mention of the Three Pure Ones, Xi Wangmu gave another bitter smile. "How do you know I did not seek them out?"