Heavenly Dao Retreats, Lu Chen Becomes a Rebellious Disciple!

"Heavenly Dao governs order, Earthly Dao governs reincarnation, and Human Dao governs all living beings."

"The three Daos each perform their own duties, watching and restraining one another. Previously, Human Dao must have been dormant, allowing Heavenly Dao to dominate alone. Through Hongjun, it made the living beings of the Primordial World know only Heavenly Dao and remain ignorant of Earthly Dao and Human Dao. Bit by bit, it eroded the authority of the other two Daos and strengthened itself, causing Human Dao and Earthly Dao to decline while Heavenly Dao grew unrivaled. When reincarnation was established, Human Dao had yet to awaken. Faced with Heavenly Dao's pressure, Earthly Dao was like a lone tree unable to hold up the forest, which was why it had not emerged to confront Heavenly Dao.

"Now that Human Dao has awakened and Heavenly Dao is no longer as overwhelming as before, Earthly Dao finally dared to come out and clash head-on with it."

Lu Chen silently analyzed why Earthly Dao had appeared.

"The three Daos standing side by side?"

A thoughtful glint flickered in Tongtian's eyes. He turned his head to glance at Laozi, Yuanshi, and the others, only to find them all lowering their heads in silence.

He found it amusing. Naturally—this was a confrontation on a higher level. Though they usually strutted about barking orders, they had no right to speak in such a setting.

Of course, he was not included.

After all, he had attained the Dao through Primordial Unity and was beyond the jurisdiction of the three Daos, truly having leaped beyond the Three Realms.

"Lady Pingxin, Teacher Hongjun, how about the two of you spar? Whoever wins gets the final say."

Tongtian suddenly spoke.

"TONGTIAN!"

"TONGTIAN!"

Laozi's and Yuanshi's expressions changed at once upon hearing Tongtian's words, and they shot him a glare.

"Do not speak nonsense!"

Had Teacher become much more carefree under my influence as well?

Lu Chen was amused by Tongtian's suggestion. Then he looked toward the two figures confronting each other in midair, curious whether they would heed Tongtian's words and truly fight.

That would be interesting. These two were the most formidable big shots in the Primordial World. Even Sages could not compare to a single finger of theirs.

Rumble!

The Blood Sea world trembled once more.

Hongjun's savage face instantly darkened. Pingxin, on the other hand, wore a faint smile at the corners of her lips.

"Please leave. I will not see you out."

"Hmph!"

Hongjun snorted coldly, and his figure vanished.

Seeing their leader leave, Laozi, Yuanshi, and the others remained suspended in the air, feeling Pingxin's imposing gaze. Yuanshi in particular felt an immense, heavy pressure bearing down upon him.

"Congratulations, Lady Pingxin, on establishing the Six Paths of Reincarnation."

After cupping their hands in congratulations, the four Sages vanished in unison, not daring to linger for even a moment.

They had not forgotten why they had come. Beyond offering congratulations, they had mainly come to exert pressure and support Hongjun. Now that Hongjun had retreated, they feared being held accountable 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 a step has been taken, one can only move forward. There is no turning back."

How could she not have regrets in her heart?

That Primordial Chaos Purple Qi had been an opportunity, but it had also been shackles.

"You still have a chance. It depends on yourself."

"This..."

Nuwa hesitated.

One reason she had stayed was that she and Houtu had been on good terms. The other was that she wanted to seek her guidance.

"Rest assured. Since he has chosen to retreat, he will not come to trouble you again."

With a single sentence, Pingxin swept away the conflict in Nuwa's heart.

"I know what I must do."

A trace of resolve appeared on Nuwa's face.

A long river manifested above her head.

A purple figure sat cross-legged in the deepest part of the river. Four others sat level with it.

"SEVER!"

Nuwa shouted, 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.

"Tut, tut. You certainly acted decisively. Not only did you cast down your Sage position, you even severed the achievements you had cultivated over countless years in one stroke."

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 conforming to Heavenly Dao. Since I chose to sever it, naturally I had to sever it cleanly."

Nuwa spoke weakly.

Meanwhile, beyond the Blood Sea, heaven and earth wailed as bloody rain fell from the sky.

When a Sage fell, heaven and earth wept together.

For Nuwa to sever her own Sage position was even more difficult than the death of a Sage.

Thus, even the Sages were affected, their hearts filled with sorrow.

"Stay in the Blood Sea for the next few days while you rebuild your cultivation."

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. "Of course."

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 to attain the Dao through Primordial Unity. I will surely gain much from staying with him."

That was Nuwa's explanation, and also her explanation for Pingxin.

With Nuwa's matter settled, Pingxin looked toward Dijiang and the others.

"Elder Brother, leave one branch of the Witch Clan in the Primordial World to multiply. Bring the rest to the Netherworld. I need all of you to help me as well."

"Us too?"

Dijiang froze. It was not that he was unwilling, but...

"What about the Heavenly Court..."

"Big Brother!"

"I understand. We shall do as Little Sister says. I will return at once and summon the clansmen to the Netherworld."

"Mm."

Seeing Dijiang agree, Pingxin nodded.

"Thank you. If not for your guidance, after my Liberation by Violence, my ties to the Witch Clan might truly have been severed."

The Witch Clan's affairs had also been settled. Pingxin turned to 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. Her heart had been filled with boundless grief.

It was Lu Chen who had sent her a voice transmission, offering a way to satisfy both sides: leave a drop of essence blood in the world, then use that essence blood to shape a body. She would also swear to no longer be a member of the Witch Clan.

In that way, she would only be severed from the Witch Clan in name, while their bloodline remained connected.

As for why she insisted that Dijiang enter the Netherworld and bring the Witch Clan with him—

It was because of a deal.

A deal 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 puzzlement, "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 stayed away. Over the years, aside from his fixed times of preaching the Dao, Tongtian had spent all his remaining time comprehending the Dao.

Calling him a shut-in would not have been an exaggeration.

"The establishment of the Six Paths of Reincarnation is such a major event. Naturally, I had to come and witness it."

Tongtian glanced at Lu Chen before looking toward Pingxin.

"Fellow Daoist Pingxin, if there is nothing else, I shall take Fellow Daoist Nuwa and my rebellious disciple back."

Pingxin nodded. With the Six Paths of Reincarnation newly established, she had many matters to handle.

"Re-rebellious disciple? What the hell?"

Lu Chen shuddered upon hearing how Tongtian addressed him.

He had merely secluded himself 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!!"