Houtu

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Houtu (后土)
Alias(es)	Pingxin of the Nine Netherworld 63
Species/Race	Ancestral Witch; descendant of Pangu 31 63
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Twelve Ancestral Witches/Witch Race (formerly); Nine Netherworld 63
Occupation/Role	Creator and ruler of the Six Paths of Reincarnation and the Nine Netherworld; judge of souls 59 63 65
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 4 4

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Ancestral Witch	4	Identified as one of the Twelve Ancestral Witches and demonstrates command over earth to send Lu Xuan from Buzhou Mountain back to its foot. 4
Frail Primordial Spirit	7	Refines a drop of Pangu Jade Marrow, forming the Witch Race’s first documented Primordial Spirit; it initially requires long-term nourishment. 7
Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal Primordial Spirit	30	Her Primordial Spirit cultivation reaches Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, then ceases advancing through her own efforts. 30
Great Luo Golden Immortal bottleneck	31	Is described as being stalled at the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm and receives the Three Pure Immortal Formulas to seek further progress. 31
Great Dao Reincarnation Law	58	At Yin Mountain, her Great Dao Earth Law transforms into the nascent Great Dao Reincarnation Law after she comprehends her mission. 58
Six Paths of Reincarnation	59–60	Uses her Ancestral Witch True Form to evolve the Six Paths, becoming an immense jade disc bearing six reincarnation vortices. 59 60
Merit True Form and reconstructed Ancestral Witch body	62	Heavenly Merit allows her to condense a Merit True Form; she then fuses twelve drops of Ancestral Witch Essence Blood to reconstruct an Ancestral Witch body. 62
Earthly Dao Sage	67	The completed Six Paths awaken and stabilize the Earthly Dao, establishing Houtu as an Earthly Dao Sage. 67

Background / History

Houtu was one of the Twelve Ancestral Witches residing at Buzhou Mountain. She first noticed Lu Xuan because he climbed the mountain on foot rather than using evasion techniques, an unusual act of reverence toward Pangu. Mistaking him for a Demon Race cultivator, she initially mocked his claim that he could benefit the Witch Race and repeatedly sent him down the mountain with her earth-controlling power. His promise to address the Witch Race’s reproduction and Primordial Spirit problems ultimately piqued her curiosity, and she brought him before the other Ancestral Witches. 4 5

When a drop of Pangu Jade Marrow was found, Houtu first tried to give it to Dijiang rather than keep it herself. At her siblings’ urging, she refined it and gained a frail Primordial Spirit, allowing her to begin a path of cultivation unavailable to the other Ancestral Witches. She then left Buzhou Mountain with Lu Xuan to seek opportunities and cultivation methods across the Primordial World. 6 7

During their travels, Houtu and Lu Xuan collected Innate Spiritual Roots and punished Demon Race members who preyed upon others. At Wuyi Mountain, she intervened against Kunpeng and Nether River Ancestor’s plot against Red Cloud Ancestor, then directly confronted Taiyi after he condemned her for killing demons who had massacred Human Race tribes. 7 8 9 She protected Lu Xuan from the Eastern Emperor Bell with a shield formed through the Great Dao Earth Law. 10

Houtu later remained on Abbot Island, converted Lu Xuan’s unused thatched cottage into her residence, and cultivated a sea of Manjushaka flowers around it. Seeking a way past her Primordial Spirit bottleneck, she studied under the Three Pure Ones, receiving the Supreme Pure, Jade Pure, and Upper Pure Immortal Formulas. She reciprocated by giving them the Witch Art. 30 31 32

Her growing awareness of wandering souls became the turning point of her life. Distressed by souls being scattered, devoured, or forced into the Netherworld Blood Sea to create Asuras, Houtu traveled to Yin Mountain and comprehended the Great Dao Reincarnation Law. She accepted that completing Pangu’s unfinished work was her responsibility and chose to establish a proper destination for souls. 57 58

At the Netherworld Blood Sea, Houtu sacrificed her Ancestral Witch True Form to evolve the Six Paths of Reincarnation. Lu Xuan, the Three Pure Ones, and later Nether River Ancestor prevented interference with her transformation and thwarted efforts to bind her within reincarnation. Once the Six Paths were complete, Houtu received Heavenly Merit, restored an Ancestral Witch body, and awakened the Earthly Dao. 59 62

She then declared herself Pingxin of the Nine Netherworld and formally left the Witch Race, though her soul’s core remained tied to it. As Pingxin, she established the River of Forgetfulness, Bridges of Helplessness, Eighteen Levels of Hell, Yama Hall, Fengdu City, and the wider Nine Netherworld. 63 After gaining the Book of Life and Death and Judge’s Brush, she became the Nine Netherworld’s judge and assigned ghost officials to retrieve and assess souls. 65

Appearance

Houtu appears as a woman in yellow robes. 4 Her outward image is sweet, innocent, and playful, though her conduct repeatedly reveals a far more perceptive and resolute nature. 7

• Yellow robes, first seen on Buzhou Mountain. 4
• Associated with pale yellow radiance while using the Great Dao Earth Law. 58
• Her evolved Six Paths form is an enormous jade disc marked by six vast vortices. 60

Personality

Houtu is warm-hearted, candid, and deeply loyal to her family. She initially wanted to give her sole drop of Pangu Jade Marrow to Dijiang, and she later reserved senior offices in the Nine Netherworld for her former Witch Race siblings. 6 79

She possesses the battle-hungry temperament associated with the Ancestral Witches and does not hesitate to confront stronger enemies. Her willingness to fight Taiyi and protect oppressed Human Race tribes reflects a direct, uncompromising sense of justice. 9 10

Beneath her lighthearted behavior, Houtu is observant and strategically minded. She correctly recognized the danger surrounding Red Cloud Ancestor, deliberately planned to conceal her ability to wield spirit treasures until the decisive Witch-Demon battle, and later protected the Nine Netherworld’s interests against competing powers. 7 56 64

Her defining trait is compassion. The suffering of wandering souls causes her profound grief, and she ultimately accepts the burden of creating reincarnation so that souls may have a place to return to. 56 59

Abilities & Skills

Great Dao Earth Law

Houtu’s innate law grants her authority over earth and land.

• Sent Lu Xuan from high on Buzhou Mountain back to its foot with a gesture. 4
• Enables her to travel through Buzhou Mountain while searching for Pangu Jade Marrow. 7
• Formed a mountain-powered shield that neutralized the Eastern Emperor Bell’s attack. 10
• Developed into the Great Dao Reincarnation Law during her enlightenment at Yin Mountain. 58

Primordial Spirit Cultivation

After refining Pangu Jade Marrow, Houtu became capable of cultivating a Primordial Spirit despite the Witch Race’s traditional inability to do so.

• Initially possessed a frail Primordial Spirit that required sustained nourishment. 7
• Could wield ordinary spirit treasures, concealing her identity from the Demon Race, who believed Witch Race members lacked Primordial Spirits. 7
• Received the Three Pure Immortal Formulas to overcome her cultivation stagnation. 31
• Shared the Witch Art with the Three Pure Ones, whose arts could potentially be merged with it into a higher-tier method. 32

Great Dao Reincarnation Law

Houtu comprehended reincarnation after witnessing the cruelty inflicted upon wandering souls at the Netherworld Blood Sea.

• Establishes the distinction between the Heavenly Deity, Asura, Human, Hungry Ghost, Hell, and Beast Paths. 60
• Determines a soul’s rebirth according to its merits, virtues, and sins in life. 60
• Allows her to govern the Six Paths as their creator and master. 62 63

Nine Netherworld Authority

As Pingxin, Houtu governs the underworld realm formed around the Six Paths of Reincarnation.

• Created the River of Forgetfulness, Bridges of Helplessness, Three Lives Stone, Mirror of Retribution Terrace, Homeward Lookout Terrace, Eighteen Levels of Hell, Yama Hall, and Fengdu City. 63
• Transformed members of the Witch Race into the Nine Netherworld’s first ghost soldiers. 63
• Appointed Ksitigarbha as Ksitigarbha King, assigning him to the Eighteen Levels of Hell under the terms of his oath. 63
• Can accept reincarnating beings who follow the laws of reincarnation without personally interfering in their passage. 67

Judgment of Souls

After absorbing the Book of Life and Death and Judge’s Brush, Houtu became the central judicial authority of the Nine Netherworld.

• The Book records every living being’s lifespan, merits, and transgressions. 65
• Ghost officials use copies of the Book and Brush to seize souls and bring them to the Nine Netherworld. 65
• Her authority revealed that Dijun’s lifespan was nearing its end before the Witch-Demon War began. 67

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Six Paths Reincarnation Disc — The merit treasure created from Houtu’s transformation; remains in her possession and serves as the core of reincarnation. 62
• Book of Life and Death — Also called the Book of Man; fused into Houtu and records beings’ lives, deaths, merits, and sins. 65
• Judge’s Brush — Fused with the Book of Life and Death and issued to Nine Netherworld judges. 65
• Twenty-Four-Petal Reincarnation Purple Lotus — An Earthly Dao treasure that emerged after Houtu secured the Book and Brush; she later gave Lu Xuan a protective petal. 65 67
• Manjushaka / Other Shore Flowers — Flowers Houtu cultivated on Abbot Island; they later bloom beside the River of Forgetfulness and draw wandering souls toward the Nine Netherworld. 30 64

Relationships

• Lu Xuan — Sworn elder brother and closest supporter. He guides her cultivation, accompanies her during her search for a solution to wandering souls, and protects her transformation from Hongjun’s schemes. 7 56 58 62
• Dijiang — Elder brother among the Ancestral Witches. He urged Houtu to refine Pangu Jade Marrow, came to her aid against Taiyi, and later accepted her new identity as Pingxin. 7 10 63
• The Eleven Ancestral Witches — Her siblings and former fellow Ancestral Witches. They value her safety, initially grieve her departure from the Witch Race, and ultimately recognize her as Pingxin. 61 63
• Three Pure Ones — Elder brothers by shared descent from Pangu. They provide her with cultivation formulas and support her during the creation of the Six Paths. 31 32 59
• Nether River Ancestor — Initially opposed her because reincarnation threatened the Asura Race’s source of new life; later helps suppress the World-Destroying Black Lotus and prevents the other Ancestral Witches from disrupting her transformation. 59 61
• Ksitigarbha — Appointed by Houtu as the Ksitigarbha King of the Nine Netherworld, bound to remain in the Eighteen Levels of Hell until it is empty. 63
• Hongjun — A hostile manipulator who attempts to prevent the Earthly Dao’s awakening and later offers Houtu a position as the seventh Sage; she refuses. 60 65

Notable Quotes

“I am willing to create a home for souls. I shall use my Ancestral Witch True Form to evolve the Six Paths of Reincarnation.” 59

“From this day forth, I, Houtu, shall become Pingxin of the Nine Netherworld. From this moment on, Houtu shall no longer be a witch.” 63

Trivia

• Houtu is stated to be the only Ancestral Witch who retained a fragment of her remnant soul, enabling her to sense the Primordial World’s lament. 29
• She named the flowers she cultivated around Lu Xuan’s cottage “Manjushaka” before they became associated with the Nine Netherworld. 30
• Although she wishes to fight beside her siblings in the Witch-Demon War, her role as an Earthly Dao Sage prevents her from joining the conflict directly. 67 79