Continuing to Fool the Witch Race

After "returning loaded" from the Demon Race's Heavenly Court, Xiao Kuang collapsed in the Purple Heaven Palace for a few days, digesting the spiritual fruits and immortal elixirs he'd "borrowed." He also fiddled with those shiny "souvenirs" for a while before quickly getting bored again.

"I've been to the Demon Race, next... I should visit the Witch Race!" He slapped his thigh, deciding to continue his "grassroots inspection tour." "I heard the Witch Race girls have a different style, all muscular... Ah, no, they're powerful beauties! And Miss Houtu, she looks so gentle and virtuous, definitely easier to talk to than that kid Di Jun!"

More importantly, he heard the Witch Race occupied Buzhou Mountain, which was formed from Great God Pangu's spine, a place brimming with treasures! Things like Shouyang Copper, primordial Breathing Soil, all sorts of strange ores and herbs... Maybe he could find something fun!

He decided, he went. He once again conjured his crooked escape light and flew towards the center of the Primordial Era's land, towards the heaven-shaking, earth-splitting Buzhou Mountain.

Unlike the ethereal celestial energy of the Heavenly Court, the surroundings of Buzhou Mountain were filled with vast, heavy, and imposing killing intent and blood energy. Huge Witch Race tribes were built along the mountain, and everywhere one looked, Witch Race warriors over ten feet tall with bulging muscles were sparring, their roars shaking the heavens, filled with primal power.

Xiao Kuang's uniquely peculiar appearance immediately alerted the Witch Race.

"Stop! Who are you, a pale-faced pretty boy? How dare you trespass on my Buzhou Mountain!" A Great Witch (equivalent to a Grand Unity Golden Immortal) on patrol, holding a giant axe, blocked him with a voice like a booming bell, his eyes filled with scrutiny and... a hint of curiosity (after all, the Witch Race rarely saw this kind of style).

Xiao Kuang patted his chest (almost deafened by the loud voice) and put on his signature smile, "Oh, dear brother with the muscles... Don't get agitated! It's one of us! I am Xiao Kuang of Purple Heaven Palace, here to pay a friendly visit to Ancestral Witch Houtu."

"Purple Heaven Palace? Dao Ancestor?" The Great Witch paused, clearly having heard the name. His eyes immediately became complicated, filled with vigilance, curiosity, and a trace of... reverence (after all, the memory of Gong Gong being struck into charcoal was still fresh).

He dared not delay and quickly led Xiao Kuang towards Pangu Hall on the mountaintop.

Inside Pangu Hall, the atmosphere was rough and solemn. Upon learning of Xiao Kuang's arrival, all but Houtu, the other eleven Ancestral Witches were present, including Gong Gong, whose face was still a little dark. They all stared at Xiao Kuang with hostile eyes, killing intent filling the air, as if ready to fight at the slightest disagreement.

"Hmph! You lightning-struck bastard, how dare you come to my Buzhou Mountain again?!" Gong Gong was the first to lose his temper, roaring in a deep voice, his fists clenched until they creaked.

"Hey, hey, hey, water monkey, what are you talking about?" Xiao Kuang was unfazed and even pointed at him, laughing, "I gave you free electrotherapy last time, loosened up your bones, right? I haven't even charged you yet!"

Gong Gong was so angry he almost charged forward again, but was stopped by Ancestral Witch Dijiang.

Dijiang, as the Ancestral Witch of Space and Speed, was the most composed. He said solemnly, "We do not know why the Ancestor visits our Witch Race. What is your purpose?" Although his tone was not exactly polite, it maintained basic courtesy.

"Nothing major, just dropping by to exchange pleasantries," Xiao Kuang casually found a stone stool and sat down, his gaze sweeping over the several female Ancestral Witches.

Xuan Ming, cold and aloof, with a chilling aura. Houtu, gentle and compassionate, with a graceful figure (relative to the Witch Race). And several other powerful female Great Witches, like Jiu Feng, and female warriors from Chi You's (future) tribe, all heroic and spirited, exuding a wild, powerful beauty.

"Tsk tsk, the Witch Race is indeed a land of outstanding people!" Xiao Kuang began his usual spiel, "The physique, the aura, the sense of power of you fellow Daoists! Truly... enviable! Much better than those bean sprouts in the Heavenly Court!"

This "praise" slightly softened the Ancestral Witches' expressions, although they felt a bit strange.

Houtu spoke softly, "May I ask the Ancestor's purpose for this visit?" She always felt this Dao Ancestor's intentions were impure.

Xiao Kuang chuckled, "I heard that the Witch Race brothers are all forthright and hospitable, so I came to ask for a drink, and by the way... to see the Witch Race's special products! I heard Buzhou Mountain is full of treasures, like Shouyang Copper, Ten Thousand Year Blood Marrow, Earth Milk Cream... Can I have a look?"

Asking for a drink was a pretense; he was genuinely after the treasures!

The Ancestral Witches exchanged glances. This guy had some nerve! Asking to see their treasures right off the bat?

Gong Gong couldn't help but mock, "Our Witch Race's treasures, how can outsiders casually look at them?"

"What are you saying, are we strangers?" Xiao Kuang said shamelessly, "Am I the kind of person who takes things for free? I'm here to discuss cooperation! You provide the materials, I provide the technology... and channels! We can start a 'Deep Development Project for Primordial Era Local Specialties'!"

He started painting a grand picture: "For example, Shouyang Copper, do you only use it to make axes and hammers? Such a waste! We can create limited edition figurines... Ah, no, art collectibles! Sell them to... uh, give them to those discerning great beings in the Primordial Era, in exchange for resources!" "And that Earth Milk Cream, it's so rough when you smear it on your body! We can develop it into a high-end skincare product, 'Pangu Brand Rejuvenating Essence,' absolutely popular with female immortals! Huge profits!" "We can even cooperate on developing Buzhou Mountain tourism projects! Let all beings in the Primordial Era come and experience the majesty of Father God Pangu! Ticket revenue sharing!"

Xiao Kuang spouted with great enthusiasm, randomly mixing concepts like IP development, brand marketing, and tourism economy. The Ancestral Witches listened, dumbfounded, their minds buzzing.

What was all this? Figurines? Skincare products? Tourism? Selling tickets to Father God Pangu's sacred mountain?!

Houtu frowned as she listened, feeling it was blasphemous to Father God. Dijiang and the other Ancestral Witches found it utterly absurd. But there were some Great Witches with relatively "flexible" minds, like Kuafu (if he were there), who seemed to think... it sounded a bit interesting?

Gong Gong, impatient, roared, "Stop your honeyed words! I think you just came to trick us out of our treasures!"

"How can you call it tricking?" Xiao Kuang cried out indignantly, "I came with sincerity! Look, I can also provide additional services!" His gaze once again landed on the female Ancestral Witches and Great Witches.

"For example, fellow Daoist Xuan Ming, your cultivation of cold energy can easily harm your foundation! Come to Purple Heaven Palace, I have a 'Polar Hot Spring Sauna Room,' specially for treating all kinds of cold toxins, and it can also beautify your skin!" "And fellow Daoist Jiu Feng, your wings aren't well-maintained! Your feathers aren't even shiny anymore! Come to Purple Heaven Palace, there's professional care, using Heavenly Dao Merit brand feather conditioner, guaranteed to make you radiant!" "Miss Houtu is even less to be said, the zoo in the backyard of Purple Heaven Palace... Ah, no, the ecological park, is in urgent need of a compassionate and knowledgeable park director like you!"

He was openly poaching again! And even more brazenly!

The Ancestral Witches were utterly enraged! Not only trying to trick them out of treasures, but also trying to poach their people? And their core members at that?!

"Presumptuous!" Ancestral Witch Dijiang roared, even space itself trembling. Gong Gong directly manifested part of his true form, surging with monstrous water waves. The other Ancestral Witches also erupted with killing intent!

Seeing that a fight was imminent!

Xiao Kuang was startled and quickly waved his hands, "Don't get excited, don't get excited! Just kidding! Trying to liven up the atmosphere!" Seeing that he had gone far enough, he changed the subject, "But I still want to see the treasures! How about this, I won't look for free, I'll exchange this for them!"

He reached into his sleeve and rummaged around, finally pulling out a few... half-eaten Immortal Peaches he'd "borrowed" from the Demon Race, and a few misshapen Nine Revolutions Golden Elixirs (likely the worst-looking ones from Grand Pure One Laozi's tribute).

"Here! Heavenly Court special supply immortal fruits and elixirs! Trading them for some local specialty stones and rotten grass, not too much to ask, right?" He wore an expression of "you're making a huge profit."

The Ancestral Witches looked at the few defective products and were so angry they almost spat blood! Was this scoundrel treating them like beggars?!

Houtu quickly tried to smooth things over, fearing a real fight would break out, "Dao Ancestor, these spiritual items are precious, and our Witch Race is unworthy of accepting them. However, since the Dao Ancestor is interested, I will take you to see some of the mineral deposits and spiritual items our Witch Race has collected. It's not an exchange, just for your viewing pleasure."

She just wanted to get rid of this troublemaker quickly.

Thus, Houtu, suppressing her helplessness, took Xiao Kuang to tour the Witch Race's treasury (which was actually just a few huge caves filled with various ores, bones, and strange herbs shimmering with spiritual light, all in a rough style with no organization).

As soon as Xiao Kuang entered, his eyes lit up! "Wow! This one is big! So shiny!" "Whoa! This one is heavy! Feels substantial!" "Hmm! This one smells good! Can be used for stew!"

He began another round of "zero-yuan shopping," picking out whatever looked pretty, smelled good, or felt fun, without regard for its actual use, stuffing it directly into his sleeve, muttering "research samples," "promoting exchange."

Houtu watched from the side, her eyelids twitching, but she couldn't bring herself to stop him.

In the end, Xiao Kuang, satisfied once again, had scoured a large pile of the Witch Race's "local specialties," his sleeves bulging.

Before leaving, he winked at the several female Ancestral Witches and Great Witches, "Fellow Daoists, my previous offer is still valid! The doors of Purple Heaven Palace are always open for you! Benefits and treatment are negotiable!"

Under the murderous gazes of the Ancestral Witches, he hummed a little tune and, conjuring his escape light, slipped away.

In Pangu Hall, a group of Ancestral Witches were left fuming.

"Utterly shameless!" Dijiang roared. "If he comes again, we'll make him pay!" Gong Gong bellowed. Houtu, however, looked in the direction Xiao Kuang had left and sighed helplessly. This Dao Ancestor was truly the number one troublemaker in the Primordial Era.

And Xiao Kuang, meanwhile, was inventorying his haul. "The Witch Race's things are so substantial! Big and filling! Hmm... I wonder what this stone tastes like roasted..."

Heavenly Dao (sensing faintly again): ...(Record: After messing with the Demon Race, went to mess with the Witch Race... Next stop... could it be the Western Regions?)...