"Heavenly Dao governs order, Earthly Dao governs Samsara, and Human Dao governs all living beings."
"The three Daos each perform their own duties, supervising and restraining one another. It must be because Human Dao had previously been asleep, allowing Heavenly Dao to dominate alone. Through Hongjun, it made the living beings of the Primordial World know only Heavenly Dao and nothing of the Human and Earthly Daos, gradually nibbling away at the authority of the other two Daos and strengthening itself. This caused the Human and Earthly Daos to weaken while Heavenly Dao stood supreme alone. When Samsara was established, Human Dao had yet to awaken. Faced with Heavenly Dao's pressure, Earthly Dao could not hold up a lone tree, which was why she had not emerged to confront Heavenly Dao.
"Now that Human Dao has awakened and Heavenly Dao is no longer as overbearing as before, Earthly Dao finally dared to come out and confront Heavenly Dao head-on."
Lu Chen silently analyzed why Earthly Dao had emerged.
"The three Daos stand side by side?"
A contemplative gleam flickered in Tongtian's eyes. He turned to glance at Laozi, Yuanshi, and the others, only to find them all lowering their heads in silence.
He inwardly found it amusing. Of course—this was a confrontation on a higher level. They usually strutted about and threw their weight around, but in a situation like this, they had no right to speak.
Naturally, that did not include him.
After all, he had attained the Dao through Primordial Unity and was beyond the jurisdiction of the three Daos, truly having leapt beyond the Three Realms and outside the Five Elements.
"Lady Pingxin, Teacher Hongjun, how about you two have a spar? Whoever wins gets to call the shots."
Tongtian abruptly spoke.
"Tongtian!"
"Tongtian!"
Laozi's and Yuanshi's expressions changed upon hearing Tongtian's words, and they glared at him.
"Do not speak nonsense!"
"Has Teacher also become much more carefree under my influence?"
Hearing Tongtian's proposal, Lu Chen inwardly laughed. Then he looked toward the two forces confronting one another in midair, curious whether they would heed Tongtian's words and truly spar.
That would be interesting. These two were the greatest big shots in the Primordial World; even Sages could not compare to one of their fingers.
Rumble!
The Blood Sea world shook once more.
Hongjun's twisted face instantly darkened. In contrast, a trace of a smile hung at the corners of Pingxin's lips.
"Please return. I will not see you off."
"Hmph!"
Hongjun snorted coldly and vanished.
Seeing their leader depart, Laozi, Yuanshi, and the others remained suspended in midair. They felt Pingxin's imposing gaze upon them, and Yuanshi in particular sensed an immense, heavy pressure crushing down upon him.
"Congratulations to Lady Pingxin on establishing the Six Paths of Reincarnation."
After cupping their hands in congratulations, the four Sages vanished in unison. They did not dare linger for even a moment.
They had not forgotten why they had come. Beyond offering congratulations, they had primarily come to exert pressure and support Hongjun. Now that Hongjun had retreated, they feared they would be settled with if they remained. After all, this was Pingxin's territory.
Only Tongtian and Nuwa remained.
"Being a Heavenly Dao Sage is not easy, is it?"
Pingxin looked at Nuwa and spoke calmly.
A bitter expression appeared on Nuwa's face. "Once one takes that step, one can only move forward and can never turn back."
How could there be no regret in her heart?
That Primordial Chaos Purple Qi had been both an opportunity and a shackle.
"You still have a chance. It depends on yourself."
"This..."
Nuwa hesitated.
On one hand, she had remained because she and Houtu had been close personally. On the other, she had hoped to seek Houtu's guidance.
"Rest assured. Since he has chosen to withdraw, he will not come trouble you again."
One sentence from Pingxin scattered Nuwa's inner turmoil.
"I know what I must do."
Determination appeared on Nuwa's face.
A great river manifested above her head.
A purple figure sat cross-legged in the deepest part of the river. Four others stood level with it.
"Sever!"
Nuwa gave a delicate cry, and the purple figure instantly shattered, turning into specks of starlight that merged into the river.
Nuwa immediately spat out a mouthful of blood, and her aura plummeted.
She fell all the way from Sagehood to Quasi-Saint, yet it still did not stop.
Late Quasi-Saint!
Mid-Quasi-Saint!
Early Quasi-Saint!
Until... Great Luo.
Nuwa's aura stopped at Peak Great Luo.
"Tsk, tsk. You truly were decisive. Not only did you cast away your Sagehood, you even severed the achievements you had cultivated over countless ages along with it."
Tongtian clicked his tongue twice, admiration appearing in his eyes.
"The Dao of Three Corpses was a shortcut to begin with, evolved for the sake of aligning with Heavenly Dao. Since I wished to sever it, I naturally had to sever it cleanly."
Nuwa spoke weakly.
At that moment, beyond the Blood Sea, heaven and earth wailed as a rain of blood fell from the sky.
When a Sage fell, heaven and earth wept together.
Nuwa's self-severance of her Sagehood was even more difficult than a Sage's death.
Thus, even the other Sages were affected, grief filling their hearts.
"Stay in the Blood Sea for the next few days while you cultivate anew."
Nuwa shook her head and looked at Tongtian. "No. The Blood Sea does not suit me. Sword Sage Tongtian, would you be willing to take me in for a while?"
Tongtian smiled. "Naturally, there is no problem."
Naturally, he was pleased that Nuwa was going with him. From now on, he would have a like-minded Dao companion as well.
"Sword Sage Tongtian is the only one in the Primordial World who has attained the Dao through Primordial Unity. I am certain I will gain much by staying with him."
That was Nuwa's explanation, and also her explanation to Pingxin.
With Nuwa's matter resolved, Pingxin looked toward Dijiang and the others.
"Brother, leave one branch of the Witch Clan in the Primordial World to multiply. Bring the rest to the Netherworld. I need your help as well."
"Us too?"
Dijiang was stunned. It was not that he was unwilling, but...
"What about the Heavenly Court..."
"Big Brother!"
"Understood. We shall follow Little Sister's wishes. I will return at once and summon our warriors to the Netherworld."
"Mm."
Seeing Dijiang agree, Pingxin nodded.
"Thank you. If not for your guidance, after my Liberation by Violence, my bond with the Witch Clan might truly have been severed."
The Witch Clan's affairs had also been settled. Pingxin looked toward Lu Chen.
She had known that she would undergo Liberation by Violence to establish the Six Paths of Reincarnation and use her origin to stabilize the Netherworld, and her heart had been filled with boundless sorrow.
It was Lu Chen who had sent her a voice transmission with a solution that satisfied both sides: leave a drop of essence blood in the world, then use that essence blood to fashion a body. She would also swear never again to be a Witch.
In this way, she would only be nominally severed from the Witch Clan, while their bloodline would remain connected.
As for why she insisted that Dijiang settle in the Netherworld and bring the Witch Clan with him—
It was because of a transaction.
A transaction between Earthly Dao and Human Dao.
"It was merely a small effort, not worth mentioning."
Lu Chen cupped his hands in salute.
He came to Tongtian's side and asked in confusion, "Teacher, why did you come?"
Laozi and the others had been summoned by Heavenly Dao and had no choice but to come, but Tongtian could have come or not. Over these years, aside from his fixed times for lecturing on the Dao, Tongtian had spent all his remaining time comprehending the Dao.
Calling him a shut-in would not be an exaggeration.
"The establishment of the Six Paths of Reincarnation is such a momentous matter. Naturally, I had to come and bear witness."
Tongtian swept Lu Chen a glance and looked at Pingxin.
"Fellow Daoist Pingxin, if there is nothing else, I shall take Fellow Daoist Nuwa and this rebellious disciple back."
Pingxin nodded. With the Six Paths of Reincarnation newly established, she also had many matters to handle.
"Re-rebellious disciple? What the hell?"
Lu Chen's heart jolted when he heard how Tongtian addressed him.
He had merely remained in seclusion for a little too long. How had he gone from beloved disciple to rebellious disciple?
"Hmph! You dared to freely make up stories about your teacher in your heart, and you still call yourself a beloved disciple? You are a rebellious disciple! Rebellious disciple! Rebellious disciple!!"
Before you continue