Pan Xuan's Gratitude

Zhu Jiuyin suddenly spoke. His voice was hoarse and distant, yet carried an unprecedented solemnity. "I believe him."

The Ancestral Witches all looked at him.

A sharp glint flashed through Zhu Jiuyin's cloudy old eyes, as though he had seen through the river of time.

"Although my power over time cannot see Pan Xuan's future clearly, I can sense that aura upon him—enlightenment, awakening, ascension.

"This is a power of the Great Dao that has never existed between heaven and earth, more profound than any force I have ever seen.

"What Pan Xuan said is true. This divine ability may be even more powerful than he himself imagines."

Houtu also smiled faintly and said gently, "I believe him too.

"From the moment I brought Pan Xuan back from Mount Buzhou, I knew he was extraordinary.

"Father God allowed him to appear before me and had me bring him back to Pangu Hall. That in itself was fate.

"Father God would not create such a being without reason. He must have had his reasons."

Di Jiang nodded, his voice as steady as a mountain and carrying the force of a final decision.

"Pan Xuan is our brother. Of course I believe what he says.

"How could a being born from Father God's righteous energy lie?

"If Pan Xuan says the Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light exists, then it certainly exists.

"As his elder brothers, we should not doubt him. We should protect him."

Zhu Rong scratched his head and grinned somewhat sheepishly.

"Then I believe him too! Brother Pan Xuan, this big brother was wrong to doubt you just now, so don't take it to heart!

"It's mainly because your divine ability is simply too terrifying. I still haven't recovered from the shock."

Gong Gong also revealed a rare trace of a smile, and some of the sinister air around his serpent head faded.

"I believe him too. But Brother Pan Xuan, once you take human form, you have to shine that light on me too. Make me smarter, so Zhu Rong stops calling me stupid.

"Once I become smarter, the first thing I'll do is surpass him."

"Who are you calling stupid?" Zhu Rong snapped.

"I'm calling you stupid. What about it?" Gong Gong refused to back down.

Seeing that the two were about to start arguing again, the Ancestral Witches exchanged smiles. The atmosphere within Pangu Hall immediately grew much lighter.

Even Xuan Ming's icy voice carried a trace of warmth.

"It is a blessing for the Witch Clan that Brother Pan Xuan possesses such a divine ability.

"However, just as Elder Brother Di Jiang said, an ordinary man is innocent, but possessing a jade invites trouble.

"The matter of the Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light must not be known to outsiders beyond us. Otherwise, it may bring a monstrous calamity."

Di Jiang nodded. "Xuan Ming is absolutely right. This must be kept strictly secret and not leaked in the slightest.

"From this day onward, Pan Xuan can cultivate in Pangu Hall without worry. With the twelve of us here, I would like to see who would dare covet him!"

Zhu Rong slapped his chest, flames crackling as his heroic spirit soared.

"Whoever dares set their sights on Brother Pan Xuan will first have to ask whether my Southern Illumination Divine Flame agrees!"

Gong Gong added, "And my Weak Water! One comes, I drown one. Two come, I drown them both!"

Xuan Ming said coldly, "Add my ice as well. Once they come, they can forget about leaving."

Houtu smiled gently, her tone soft but resolute. "Rest assured, Brother Pan Xuan. With us here, no one will be allowed to harm you."

Pan Xuan looked at these fierce-looking yet utterly sincere Ancestral Witches, and he was so moved that he nearly shed tears.

In his previous life, he had read many novels about the Primordial World and knew that the Twelve Ancestral Witches were powerful.

But because they could not give birth to primordial spirits or comprehend the Heavenly Dao, they had always been at a disadvantage among the great powers of the Primordial World.

Later, during the Witch-Demon War, the Twelve Ancestral Witches were almost entirely killed or wounded, and the Witch Clan declined from then on.

He had thought that after displaying such heaven-defying talent, these Ancestral Witches would at least feel some wariness or jealousy.

After all, in this land of the Primordial World, it was common for an innocent man to invite disaster by possessing a jade.

Yet unexpectedly, not only were they not jealous, they were sincerely happy for him, considered his interests, and wished to protect him.

This sincerity, this bond, weighed heavier than Mount Tai.

"Thank you, elder brothers and sisters," Pan Xuan said solemnly. Golden light flickered in his dragon eyes. It was gratitude, but also determination.

"I, Pan Xuan, will not disappoint your deep affection."

Di Jiang waved a hand, a hint of a smile appearing on his human face.

"We are brothers. There is no need for such formalities."

He paused, then continued.

"Brother Pan Xuan has not yet taken human form. Though this Nine-Clawed Golden Dragon body is extraordinary, it is ultimately inconvenient to move about.

"We must think of a way to help you take human form as soon as possible.

"Only with a Dao body will you be able to cultivate better and use those three divine abilities more effectively."

Houtu nodded. "Elder Brother Di Jiang is right.

"Brother Pan Xuan currently possesses only spiritual intelligence, not a Dao body. Many divine abilities cannot truly be used.

"The twelve of us might as well take turns teaching him the Dao, passing on our respective insights into the laws of heaven and earth to help him comprehend the Great Dao. Perhaps it will speed up his transformation."

"Teach the Dao?" Zhu Rong scratched his head, flames crackling around him as he looked troubled.

"What do people like us know about teaching the Dao? We cultivate through bloodline instinct, fight through instinct, and comprehend the Dao through instinct.

"We're not like those cultivators, who keep talking about the profound truths of the Heavenly Dao, all mysterious and abstruse.

"Letting me fight is fine, but asking me to teach the Dao... Isn't that making things difficult for me?"

Zhu Jiuyin said calmly, "Even if you do not know how, you must still teach him. Brother Pan Xuan is different from us. He has the potential to possess a primordial spirit and needs to comprehend the laws of heaven and earth.

"Though we do not cultivate the Dao, each of us commands a fundamental law. Our understanding of the Dao of heaven and earth is engraved in our bloodlines, an instinct Father God left to us.

"Passing these insights to Brother Pan Xuan will certainly help him."

Di Jiang nodded.

"Zhu Jiuyin is right. Though we have no primordial spirits,

"we wield the power of laws. Our understanding of the Dao of heaven and earth is no shallower than that of those so-called cultivators.

"Passing these insights to Brother Pan Xuan will be far faster than letting him feel his way forward alone."

The Ancestral Witches all nodded in agreement.

Thus, the Twelve Ancestral Witches came to a decision. From that day onward, they would take turns teaching Pan Xuan the Dao, helping him comprehend the laws of heaven and earth and take human form as soon as possible.

After their discussion, Di Jiang suddenly said, "It may be somewhat improper for us to appear in our true forms like this.

"Brother Pan Xuan will take human form in the future, so he should first become accustomed to the appearance of an innate Dao body.

"Why don't we transform into innate Dao bodies as well? It will help Brother Pan Xuan familiarize himself with them and give him something to reference when he transforms in the future."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Rong was the first to nod. "Fine! True forms and Dao bodies are all the same anyway. We're still ourselves, just changing skins."

As he spoke, firelight flashed around him. His terrifying true form—a beast's head atop a human body, clad in crimson scales—gradually changed into a burly man over twelve feet tall, with red hair and a red beard.

The man was bare-chested, his muscles knotted like coiled dragons and serpents. Firelight faintly flowed around him, and his eyes burned like torches. He looked bold and unruly, his imposing aura soaring to the heavens.

Gong Gong refused to fall behind. Water vapor billowed around him as his true form—a serpent's head atop a human body, clad in black scales—transformed into a broad man with black hair, a black beard, and a sinister face.

He wore a black robe, with water vapor swirling around him. He seemed dark and gloomy, the complete opposite of Zhu Rong, yet he radiated an equally terrifying aura that made hearts tremble.

Xuan Ming gave a cold snort. White light flashed around her ferocious beast-like true form, transforming her into a white-robed woman with a cold and beautiful face.

A chilling aura emanated from her body. Her white hair, like frost and snow, fell to her waist. Though beautiful, she was as cold as an ancient iceberg, making others afraid to approach. Even breathing near her seemed as though it would freeze.

Houtu also took human form, becoming a woman with dignified features and a gentle temperament.

She wore a yellow dress, and her aura was heavy and steady, as though she were the earth itself, embracing all things. At a glance, she inspired closeness, like a spring breeze.