Advising the Three Pure Ones, Conflict Between the Witches and Demons

After the conflict between the Dao and the Demons, the Primordial World had fallen silent for an unknown number of eras. Now, as another batch of innate beings took form, the Primordial World became lively once more.

Wuchen transformed into an old Daoist with white hair and a youthful face, bearing the air of an immortal, and traveled through the Primordial World. From time to time, he would encounter innate beings.

However, innate sacred beings were few in number. Most were merely ordinary innate beings.

The most obvious difference between them and innate sacred beings lay in their cultivation realms. Most were at the Golden Immortal or Taiyi Golden Immortal realm.

He had not seen a single being below the Golden Immortal realm.

At this time, beings below the Golden Immortal realm had no room to survive.

One careless mistake could lead to death and the dissipation of one's Dao.

Even if they had taken form, they likely would not dare wander about recklessly.

At most, they would stroll around near their own Daoist grounds.

"Fellow Daoist, please wait."

Just as Wuchen was about to tear open space, a familiar line suddenly sounded from behind him.

He turned around.

He saw an old man, a middle-aged man, and a young man, three figures traveling through the air toward him.

All three were early-stage Great Luo Golden Immortals.

There was no need to ask. Wuchen could guess their origins and identities.

In the Primordial World, three innate sacred beings traveling together could only be the Three Pure Ones from Mount Kunlun, known as Pangu's orthodox lineage.

"Supreme Pure Laozi!"

"Jade Pure Yuanshi!"

"Upper Pure Tongtian!"

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist!"

The three arrived before him and bowed together, each wearing a different expression.

Laozi was calm and impassive, like an ancient well without ripples.

Yuanshi seemed approachable, yet a faint arrogance showed between his brows.

Tongtian's eyes burned with eagerness, as though he were itching for a fight.

"Dan Yangzi greets the three Fellow Daoists."

Wuchen returned the salute, showing no arrogance because of his cultivation or the time at which he had taken form.

At the same time, he could not help but muse inwardly.

Laozi had become a saint by establishing the Human School. No matter how one looked at it, he ought to have been a saint of the Human Dao.

Perhaps Nuwa should have been the same.

Yuanshi had established the Expounding School, intending to expound the Heavenly Dao and comply with Heaven's mandate.

His fate lay in the Heavenly Dao, so there was no issue there.

Tongtian had established the Heaven-Intercepting School, intending to seize a thread of life for all beings. It was an act that defied Heaven, so no matter how one looked at it, he should not have been a saint of the Heavenly Dao.

And as life and death went hand in hand, his fate ought to lie in the Earthly Dao.

Hongjun had brought Nuwa, Laozi, and Tongtian all under the Heavenly Dao, perhaps to suppress the Earthly Dao and the Human Dao, making it easier for him to carry out his own plans.

"Fellow Daoist Dan Yangzi, meeting is fate. How about we discuss the Dao together?" Laozi said.

Wuchen shook his head. "I have important matters to attend to and cannot linger here. However, as you said, meeting is fate. This old man shall grant you a fortuitous opportunity."

With that, he flicked a finger. Two streams of light shot separately toward Laozi and Tongtian.

The two tried to resist, but they could not.

In an instant, the two streams of light entered their glabellas.

Laozi and Tongtian were greatly alarmed.

Only at this moment did they understand that the other party's cultivation far surpassed their own.

Calling him Fellow Daoist had been presumptuous.

Suggesting a discussion of the Dao had been even more offensive.

Only those of the same level could discuss the Dao. When one of higher standing spoke to one of lower standing, it should be called expounding the Dao.

"Your Dao lies in humanity. You must not be bound by Heaven; quietly await the right moment."

"Your Dao lies in the earth. You must not be bound by Heaven; quietly await the right moment."

The hints, differing by only a single word, entered Laozi and Tongtian's minds. Their true spirits trembled, and an inexplicable feeling of sudden enlightenment arose within them.

The stirring of their true spirits proved that the other party's words were not false.

Laozi and Tongtian exchanged a glance, then bowed to Wuchen together.

"Thank you, Senior, for your guidance!"

Yuanshi, however, furrowed his brow tightly.

His eldest brother and third brother had both received guidance from this man and appeared to have gained greatly from it.

Why had he alone received nothing?

"It is nothing. Farewell."

Wuchen waved his hand, then directly tore open space and departed.

"Eldest Brother, Third Brother, what did he give you?" Yuanshi glanced at the two, trying to understand why he alone had been left out.

Laozi shook his head. "Cannot say, cannot say."

Both he and Tongtian had received something, while Yuanshi alone had not. Did that not make the issue clear enough?

They must not be bound by Heaven.

If Laozi had not guessed wrong, Yuanshi might be Heaven itself.

And Tongtian should be Earth.

Heaven, Earth, and Humanity corresponded exactly to the Three Pure Ones.

Yet he had not figured out why he would be bound by Heaven.

Could it be because of Yuanshi?

Upon hearing this, Yuanshi's expression gradually darkened. He turned to look at Tongtian.

The latter also shook his head.

Tongtian had not thought too deeply about it, but he knew the other party would not have omitted his second brother without reason.

Moreover, the guidance concerned the opportunity to attain the Dao. Naturally, it could not be casually shown to others.

Not even to blood brothers.

"Tongtian, do you still have any regard for me as your elder brother?"

Yuanshi immediately flew into a rage.

It was one thing for Eldest Brother, but now even Tongtian dared defy him.

A trace of bewilderment appeared on Tongtian's face.

Eldest Brother had not told him either, so why did it become disrespect toward an elder brother when it came to him?

"Second Brother," Laozi spoke up for him. "Each person's opportunity has its destined course. Since Third Brother does not wish to reveal what he gained, he naturally has a reason why he cannot reveal it. Why insist?"

Yuanshi glared at him. "Eldest Brother, can't you see it? He is clearly trying to drive a wedge between us Three Pure Ones!"

Laozi said flatly, "I have indeed gained something. How is that driving a wedge between us?"

Tongtian echoed, "I too have gained greatly."

"You..."

Yuanshi was furious. The words reached his lips, yet he did not know where to begin.

"Enough. Let us put this matter aside."

Laozi was unwilling to become overly entangled with Yuanshi over this matter.

"Dan Yangzi. What a Dan Yangzi."

Yuanshi clenched his fists, his face dark and grim. He made no attempt to conceal the killing intent in his eyes.

Tongtian shook his head. "Second Brother, you are no match for Senior. Do not bring ruin upon yourself, lest you damage the karmic ties between us and Senior."

"Tongtian, how dare you!"

Yuanshi bellowed sharply, his face red with rage and his fury soaring to the heavens.

Tongtian's lips moved, but in the end, he held himself back.

Wuchen did not know that his actions had prematurely ignited the conflict among the three brothers. By now, he had already crossed space and arrived beneath Mount Buzhou.

As the foremost divine mountain of the Primordial World, Mount Buzhou drew everyone seeking fortuitous opportunities. Thus, it was especially crowded with living beings.

But where there were people, there was conflict, especially over the struggle for fortuitous opportunities.

Killing was everywhere in the mountains, with corpses strewn across the ground.

One race in particular was exceptionally arrogant, seemingly intending to monopolize Mount Buzhou.

They killed anyone they encountered.

They possessed no primordial spirits, and baleful aura engulfed their entire bodies. There was no need to ask about their origins.

They were the Witch Clan, formed from Pangu's essence blood.

Although the Witch Clan possessed no primordial spirits, every one of them had an incredibly powerful physique and the support of innate laws. They beat the scattered, independent beings into utter collapse.

Perhaps the Demon Court had been established under pressure from the Witch Clan.

The Witch Clan had no primordial spirits and no use for spiritual treasures, yet they wanted to monopolize Mount Buzhou. How could other beings endure such tyrannical conduct?

"Insolence!"

A thunderous roar rang out through the mountains, making the heads of those with insufficient cultivation buzz.

"Dong!"

A long, resonant bell chime carrying the Dao rhythm of time and space suddenly rang out. Wherever the sound spread, Witch Clan members with insufficient cultivation exploded into bloody mist.

"Taiyi, you seek death!"

Amid furious shouts, twelve enormous Witch Clan figures charged out from all directions, carrying overwhelming baleful aura as they attacked the man holding the bell.

The twelve were the Witch Clan's Twelve Ancestral Witches.

"Help Taiyi! Destroy the Witch Clan!"

Someone unknown shouted, and countless beings who had been fighting alone immediately converged upon Dijun and Taiyi.