Site of the Ferocious Beast Calamity

At the edges of the battlefields of the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Clans, those thirteen figures would always appear.

Like shadows, they came without a sound and left without a sound.

They left behind only battlefields cleaned spotless, and baleful aura absorbed to the last wisp.

The years drifted by, and no one knew how many epochs had passed.

The footsteps of the thirteen people spread across every corner of the Primordial World.

From the shores of the Eastern Sea to the summit of West Kunlun, from the Domain of Southern Bright Flame to the Land of Northern Dark Ice, from above the Ninth Heavens to beneath the Nine Netherworlds, their figures could be found everywhere.

Pan Xuan followed the Twelve Ancestral Witches across the Primordial World, witnessing countless wondrous scenes and strange phenomena, as well as the strength and brutality of the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Clans.

He saw the Dragon Clan overturn rivers and seas, summon wind and rain;

He saw the Phoenix Clan burn heaven and earth, their blazing flames sweeping across the plains;

He saw the Qilin Clan shatter mountains and rivers beneath their hooves, their might shaking all directions.

He also saw the cruelty of the war among the three clans.

The corpses of fallen clansmen piled up like mountains, blood flowed into rivers, and heaven and earth were filled with endless baleful aura and resentment.

Those powerful beings who had once roamed heaven and earth became nothing more than cold corpses after death, casually cast aside upon the battlefield to be battered by wind and scorched by sun.

Whenever he saw such scenes, Pan Xuan would fall silent for a long time.

He also began to ponder the future of the Witch Clan more deeply.

The struggle for supremacy among the three clans was merely for the word "supremacy."

For that one word, they did not hesitate to wage war, sacrifice countless clansmen, or drag the entire Primordial World into the flames of conflict.

Did such a struggle for supremacy truly have any meaning?

He did not know.

But he knew that the Witch Clan could not take this path.

At the very least, they could not take the same path as the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Clans.

During their travels, Pan Xuan constantly tempered his cultivation as well.

The Righteous Vitality Formula kept him at his absolute peak at all times.

His Merit Profound Yellow Dharma Aspect continued to grow as it absorbed merit and Profound Yellow Qi.

The Primordial Heaven-Measuring Ruler also became increasingly responsive under his refinement.

And his Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light slowly recovered through those long years, awaiting the next chance to be unleashed.

Houtu also continued to grow throughout those years.

She no longer absorbed baleful aura, focusing instead on cultivating her Primordial Spirit.

Pan Xuan would occasionally exchange their insights into the laws of heaven and earth with her. They verified each other's understanding, and both gained from it.

The other Ancestral Witches also continued absorbing baleful aura, their cultivation improving by the day.

They had already been among the strongest beings in heaven and earth. Now, with Pan Xuan offering plans and counsel, they were like tigers grown wings.

On this day, the thirteen of them arrived at the edge of another battlefield.

A great battle had just ended there. The armies of the Dragon Clan and Phoenix Clan had each withdrawn, leaving behind nothing but corpses strewn across the ground.

A heavy baleful aura filled the air, turning even the sky gray and murky.

Zhu Rong was about to step forward to collect the bodies when he suddenly stopped.

"What is it?" Gong Gong asked.

Zhu Rong pointed into the distance, his voice carrying a trace of gravity. "Look over there."

Everyone followed his finger and saw a streak of golden light rapidly approaching from the distant horizon.

Within that golden light, the vague silhouette of a five-clawed golden dragon could be seen.

"A Dragon Clan expert," Di Jiang said in a low voice. "It seems he has come to retrieve the corpses of their elite."

The thirteen did not move. They merely stood quietly where they were.

The golden light descended onto the battlefield and transformed into a five-clawed golden dragon covered from head to tail in golden scales.

The golden dragon swept his gaze over the battlefield, collected several corpses of Dragon Clan elites, then raised his head and looked toward the thirteen.

A trace of scrutiny flashed through the golden dragon's eyes, but he said nothing. He merely snorted coldly, transformed into golden light, and departed.

Zhu Rong let out a breath and scratched his head. "Good thing he didn't come looking for trouble."

Pan Xuan watched the direction in which the golden light vanished, deep in thought.

Houtu walked to his side and softly asked, "Little Brother Pan Xuan, what are you thinking about?"

Pan Xuan withdrew his gaze and smiled faintly. "I'm thinking that the situation in the Primordial World may be even more complicated than I imagined."

Houtu looked into his eyes and gently said, "No matter how complicated it is, we are here."

Warmth rose in Pan Xuan's heart, and he nodded. "Big Sister Houtu is right. With all of you here, there is nothing for me to fear."

At some point, Xuan Ming had also walked over. She said coldly, "Little Brother Pan Xuan, it is time to go. The next battlefield is still waiting for us."

Pan Xuan smiled. "All right, let's go."

The thirteen transformed into streams of light and vanished into the horizon once more.

Behind them, the battlefield had already been cleaned spotless, its baleful aura absorbed completely. Only an empty stretch of land remained, waiting for the arrival of the next war.

The thirteen had wandered the Primordial World for many years, their footsteps covering the Four Seas and Eight Wastelands.

From the Dragon Clan battlefields of the Eastern Sea, to the Phoenix Clan's fiery domains in the south, and then to the Qilin Clan's territory at the foot of Mount Buzhou, they moved silently through the cracks of the war among the three clans like a group of silent scavengers.

On this day, the thirteen traveled westward and arrived at the far western reaches of the Primordial World.

The western lands were entirely different from the east.

The east possessed unbroken mountain ranges, vast oceans, and broad plains. Its spiritual qi was abundant, and it teemed with life. The west, however, was desolate and lonely.

The earth was cast in a dim gray hue, while its mountains, rivers, and plains seemed to be shrouded in a layer of deathly air.

Thin spiritual qi drifted through the sky, while a faint baleful aura permeated the air, creating an indescribable sense of oppression.

Pan Xuan stood atop a ridge and looked into the distance. The western lands were boundless and vast, yet there were scarcely any signs of living creatures.

Now and then, he could spot a few hardy plants swaying in the wind, but they grew crooked and slanted, devoid of any vitality.

"Why is this western land so desolate?" Pan Xuan asked quietly.

Houtu came to his side and said softly, "Little Brother Pan Xuan, you do not know.

In ancient times, this western land endured a great calamity.

After that calamity, the west became like this, with thin spiritual qi and few living beings.

Although it has recovered somewhat over these epochs, it has never been able to compare with the east."

Pan Xuan's heart stirred, and he vaguely guessed something. He did not ask further, merely nodding in silence.

Zhu Rong said carelessly, "There is not much worth collecting in the west. The Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Clans rarely fight here, and even the baleful aura is thin. Why have we come here?"

Di Jiang said solemnly, "Since we are here, we should look around. Though the west is desolate, its territory is vast. Perhaps there is something we have yet to discover."

The thirteen continued westward.

The farther west they went, the heavier the baleful aura between heaven and earth became.

At first, it had only been faint, barely there. Gradually, it grew dense, spreading through heaven and earth like mist.

That baleful aura also carried an ancient and savage presence, as if it had come from the distant primordial age.

"There is something wrong with this baleful aura." Xuan Ming suddenly spoke, a trace of gravity in her icy voice.

"Ordinary baleful aura is merely killing intent that has taken form between heaven and earth.

"But this baleful aura... it is far too ancient, far too savage. It is as though it has settled through countless years, yet never dispersed."

Zhu Jiuyin also opened his cloudy old eyes, the power of time faintly stirring within them:

"This baleful aura indeed contains an extremely ancient presence. At the very least... it is something from the primordial age."

Pan Xuan's heart stirred. Something from the primordial age?

He recalled certain legends from the memories of his previous life—the Ferocious Beast Calamity.

That had been the first great calamity after the Primordial World was opened. The Ferocious Beast Clan ravaged the Primordial World and slaughtered countless lives, only to be ultimately exterminated by the combined efforts of the great powers of the Primordial World.

And the source of the ferocious beasts was said to lie in the west.

Could they have arrived at the site of the Ferocious Beast Calamity?