The moment Pan Xuan and the Twelve Ancestral Witches walked out of Pangu Hall and set foot on the land of the Primordial World, they sensed something different between heaven and earth.
The great sun of the Primordial World still hung high above the nine heavens, casting down boundless radiance.
Yet that light felt somewhat different on their bodies than it had before.
Most of the baleful energy that had once pervaded the air had dissipated, replaced by a clear, numinous, and solemn aura, as though something new were brewing between heaven and earth.
But that clear, numinous aura did not cover the entire Primordial World.
As the thirteen traveled west, crossing the foothills of Mount Buzhou and passing through lands that had once belonged to the Qilin Clan, the sight that greeted them when they stepped onto the western lands silenced them all.
The western lands had changed beyond recognition.
Once barren yet still home to mountains, rivers, vegetation, and living creatures, the west had now been reduced entirely to scorched earth.
The earth had cracked into countless pieces, its fissures unfathomably deep, with black smoke rising from them, carrying the pungent stench of sulfur.
Mountains had collapsed, rivers had dried up, vegetation had vanished, and every living creature had perished.
Of the plant spirits, birds, and beasts that had once stubbornly survived on this land, not even bones remained, only ashes filling the sky and drifting in the wind.
The sky was gray-black, thick dust blotting out the heavens and the sun, beyond even the reach of the great sun's radiance.
A heavy aura of destruction permeated the air-the traces left by Luo Hou's self-detonation, the aftermath of the western earth veins being blown apart.
Standing here, they could almost feel the terror of the day Luo Hou had detonated himself.
Heaven had crumbled and earth had split, all things had returned to oblivion, and everything had been ground to dust by the power of destruction.
Zhu Rong stood on a stretch of cracked earth, looking down at the bottomless fissure beneath his feet, silent for a long time.
He was the Fire Ancestral Witch, and his Southern Illumination Divine Flame could burn all things to nothing, yet he had never witnessed destruction like this.
This was not the burning of flames, but complete, irreversible collapse.
The earth had been torn apart, the earth veins detonated, and even the spiritual energy between heaven and earth drained away, leaving only endless deathly stillness.
Not far away, Gong Gong stood looking at the remains of a dried-up river, a trace of mixed feelings flashing through his eyes.
The Water Ancestral Witch understood the importance of water better than anyone: water was the source of life, the foundation upon which all things grew.
Yet on this land, even the last drop of water had evaporated, leaving only a cracked riverbed, like a scar upon the earth.
The chill surrounding Xuan Ming was stronger than usual, but it was not aggressive frost, only an instinctive response.
She closed her eyes and sensed the aura of this land. A moment later, she opened them and said coldly, "The temperature here is higher than normal by who knows how much.
"Earthfire erupted from underground and burned everything away. Even though it has subsided now, this land is already dead."
Houtu crouched and reached out to touch the soil beneath her feet gently.
She pressed her palm against the cracked, charred ground, and a gentle current of Earth Law power flowed from her palm, seeping deep into the earth.
A moment later, her expression grew exceedingly grave, and she said softly, "The earth veins... are broken.
"Not just in one or two places. Almost all the earth veins throughout the west have ruptured.
"Those broken earth veins look as though someone blasted them to pieces by force. Their fragments lie scattered deep underground, with no connection left between them."
Di Jiang said gravely, "Earth veins are the foundation of the spiritual energy between heaven and earth.
"When the earth veins break, spiritual energy cannot circulate. Without spiritual energy, this land cannot regain its vitality.
"Even after tens of millions or hundreds of millions of years, the west will remain a dead land."
Zhu Jiuyin opened his clouded old eyes, the Power of Time surging within them.
He looked into the depths of the western lands, into the long river of years, and after a long while, said slowly:
"Without restoration, the west will remain like this forever. Ten years, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand... even after countless origin cycles, this place will still be scorched earth."
Pan Xuan stood among them, his gaze sweeping over the ravaged land as an indescribable wave of feeling rose within him.
The Dragon-Han Calamity, the Dao-Devil War-this great calamity that had swept across the Primordial World had finally drawn to a close.
The Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Clans had withdrawn from the stage of contention for supremacy, Luo Hou had died by self-detonation, and the Devil Dao had been newly established. From then on, cultivators would have to undergo the Heavenly Demon Tribulation.
Yet the wounds this great calamity had left behind were so shocking to behold.
The western lands had become its greatest sacrifice.
Pan Xuan fell silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke, his voice steady and solemn. "Elder brothers and sisters, I have a proposal."
The Ancestral Witches looked at him.
Standing with his hands behind his back, Pan Xuan swept his gaze over the scorched earth and said slowly, "The western earth veins have been destroyed, all living creatures have vanished, and spiritual energy has run dry.
"Without restoration, this land will remain like this forever. I propose that we take action and restore the western earth veins."
His words left all the Ancestral Witches momentarily stunned.
Zhu Rong scratched his head. "Restore the earth veins? That's no small matter. Almost all the western earth veins are broken. How could restoring them be easy?"
Gong Gong also frowned. "Indeed.
"Earth veins are the foundation of the spiritual energy between heaven and earth. They involve the laws of heaven and earth and cannot be restored casually.
"We may be strong, but restoring earth veins... is something we've never done."
Xuan Ming said coldly, "Still, it isn't impossible.
"Houtu is the Earth Ancestral Witch and commands the power of the earth. Restoring earth veins falls within the scope of her innate law.
"With Houtu directing us and the rest of us assisting her, we may yet succeed."
Houtu said softly, "Little brother Pan Xuan, why do you want to restore the western earth veins?"
Pan Xuan turned to face the Ancestral Witches, his voice steady and sincere:
"Though the western lands do not belong to our Witch Clan, heaven, earth, and all things are one.
"The rupture of the western earth veins affects more than just the west. With spiritual energy unable to flow, the circulation of spiritual energy throughout the entire Primordial World will be affected.
"Restoring the western earth veins would be a deed of boundless merit for the Primordial World and all living beings beneath heaven."
He paused, his gaze deepening and his tone growing more solemn:
"Moreover, the Primordial World was formed from Father God Pangu's body. Mount Buzhou is Father God's spine, these rivers are Father God's blood vessels, and this earth is Father God's flesh.
"Though the western lands are distant, they are still part of Father God's body.
"As descendants born of Father God's blood essence, we of the Witch Clan have a duty to protect the Primordial World and safeguard heaven and earth.
"Now that Father God's body lies broken, how can we stand by and do nothing?"
At his words, all the Ancestral Witches' expressions grew solemn.
Di Jiang nodded slowly and said gravely, "Brother Pan Xuan is absolutely right. The Primordial World was formed from Father God, and every inch of its mountains and rivers bears his will.
"As Father God's descendants, we indeed cannot shirk our responsibility to protect this world.
"The western earth veins are broken, and Father God's body is damaged. It is only right that we restore them."
Zhu Rong declared bluntly, "That makes sense!
"Father God turned himself into the Primordial World. As his children, how can we watch his body remain in tatters?
"Restore it! We must restore it!"
Gong Gong also nodded. "Brother Pan Xuan is right.
"Restoring the western earth veins is not merely for merit, but for Father God. That reason carries more weight than any merit."
Houtu said softly, "Little brother Pan Xuan, I understand your intentions.
"Father God's body must not remain broken. With these hands, we shall restore the western earth veins and make Father God's body whole again."
Pan Xuan continued, "Besides, we are currently working out the Martial Dao and need to accumulate merit.
"The more merit we have, the stronger my Merit Profound Yellow Dharma Aspect will become, and the smoother your paths in the Martial Dao will be, elder brothers and sisters.
"Restoring the earth veins is an excellent opportunity to accumulate merit."
Di Jiang said gravely, "Brother Pan Xuan makes a good point.
"Restoring the western earth veins will repay Father God's kindness, while also offering a fine opportunity to accumulate merit and temper ourselves. Moreover-"
He looked at Houtu. "Houtu is the Earth Ancestral Witch. Restoring the earth veins will also be a form of cultivation for her.
"Through restoring them, she can gain a deeper understanding of the earth's essence, which will greatly benefit her Earth Law."
Houtu smiled faintly and said gently, "Elder brother Di Jiang is right.
"Restoring the earth veins will indeed help my cultivation. I am willing to try."
Zhu Rong laughed heartily. "Since little sister Houtu has agreed, I have nothing more to say! It's just restoring earth veins, isn't it? Let's do it!"
Gong Gong nodded. "Water and earth complement one another, and restoring the earth veins will require water's nourishment too. I can contribute in that regard."
Xuan Ming said coldly, "Ice can solidify the earth veins, binding the broken fragments together again. I can contribute too."
Jumang, Rushou, Qiangliang, Xizi, Shebishi, and Tianwu also nodded in turn, expressing their willingness to participate.
And so, upon that scorched earth, the thirteen began their long journey of restoration.
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