The Starry Sky remained undisturbed.
But the many races and powerful figures across the Primordial Land were far from at ease.
They couldn't help it.
Most of their Daoist Sanctuaries stood on the Primordial Land!
What was more—
Many of those powerful figures were themselves ancestors or pillars of Innate Great Clans and long-lived races!
Now,
the Witch Race had arrived with overwhelming force, looking ready to conquer the Primordial World and swallow everything whole. How could they not be nervous?
The Twelve Ancestral Witches in particular looked more than capable of fighting—and like people no one should cross.
On Kunlun Mountain,
the Three Pure Ones emerged from seclusion once more and gathered in the great hall.
They needed a serious discussion—
the titles "Pangu Descendants" and "Pangu Orthodox Lineage" claimed by the Twelve Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race had truly struck a nerve.
Especially "Pangu Orthodox Lineage."
How many ages had the Three Pure Ones used that title?
And the Twelve Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race meant to take it the moment they appeared?
The Three Pure Ones had never suffered that sort of loss—
even that madman Dan Jing had only stolen their treasures and beaten them up!
They had never seen him try to steal their titles.
The Twelve Ancestral Witches were courting death!
At that moment—
the Three Pure Ones even set aside their grudges with Dan Jing and treated the Twelve Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race as their most pressing rivals.
But discussion was one thing.
The Three Pure Ones took no further action—
first,
they knew the Twelve Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race were among the protagonists of the Calamity Cycle. Since they wanted no part in it, they would not provoke them.
Second,
what the Three Pure Ones wanted most was to comprehend their own opportunities for sagehood, then attain the Sage Realm and prove their Daos.
The matter of the Twelve Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race would have to wait until after that great undertaking.
Third,
both Laozi and Yuanshi were patient men who would not act lightly!
As for Tongtian... he didn't matter.
Even if he had ideas of his own, Laozi and Yuanshi would suppress them!
The Three Pure Ones discussed the matter, but the Three Pure Ones did not move.
On Longevity Mountain,
beneath the Ginseng Fruit Tree at the Five Villages Temple—
Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun sat chatting about the Twelve Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race, but neither took the matter to heart!
The two sought no quarrel with the world, and they were strong enough to protect themselves.
They had no direct rivalry with the Twelve Ancestral Witches or the Witch Race.
Besides,
Hong Yun possessed Primordial Purple Qi—
once he attained the Sage Realm, what would there be to fear beneath the vast heavens?
The Twelve Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race certainly had no reverence for those in the Sage Realm, but that did not mean they could defeat one!
Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun paid attention, but they were not concerned.
In the Northern Dark Sea,
Kunpeng laughed off the matter of the Twelve Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race. Instead, his gaze kept turning toward Longevity Mountain.
"Pangu Descendants" and "Pangu Orthodox Lineage" meant nothing beside a Sagehood Foundation.
He, Kunpeng, had Hong Yun firmly in his sights.
No one could stop him!
In the Endless Sea of Blood,
within the vast Blood God Palace, Minghe looked equally unruffled.
He had nothing to worry about—
the Endless Sea of Blood,
put kindly, was a perilous region of the Primordial World. Put bluntly, it was the filthiest, foulest place in the Primordial World!
With Minghe holed up here, hardly anyone would willingly come looking for trouble.
If they couldn't beat him, they would only waste their effort.
If they could beat him, what would they gain?
"Hong Yun..."
Minghe glanced once more toward the Five Villages Temple on Longevity Mountain.
That Sagehood Foundation—
he, Minghe, would claim it!
The powerful figures across heaven and earth reacted differently to the emergence of the Twelve Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race.
Most were in no hurry!
But a very few had begun to grow nervous.
For example—
the siblings Nuwa and Fuxi!
At that moment,
in a small pavilion beneath the Wutong Tree on Fengqi Mountain,
Nuwa still appeared calm and composed. Fuxi, seated opposite her, had grown grave and intent.
The reason was simple.
The instant the Twelve Ancestral Witches stepped out of the Pangu Divine Hall, Fuxi, who specialized in the Way of Heavenly Secrets, sensed an echo of fate!
From the Twelve Ancestral Witches—
he felt something like mortal enemies, natural foes, opponents destined to face him!
It was an intuition, a warning from his own Dao.
And so,
Fuxi believed it completely!
Of course,
that was not the only reason for his grave expression!
More importantly—
Fengqi Mountain was not far from the eastern side of Mount Buzhou. It could even, just barely, be counted as lying at its eastern foot!
He and his sister were far too close to the Twelve Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race.
If the Twelve Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race made a move, he and his sister would be the first powerful figures in their path.
Following that reasoning—
if the Twelve Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race were confirmed as one of the protagonists of the next Calamity Cycle,
then whoever stood against them would surely be another of its protagonists.
Thus,
barring the unexpected, Fuxi and his sister would be drawn into the next Calamity Cycle.
Whether they would be protagonists remained uncertain, but their involvement was almost inevitable.
It was even possible—
that he and his sister would become protagonists of the Calamity Cycle themselves!
His sister was a Sage Realm cultivator's final disciple.
She had status and a strong foundation. If she attained the Sage Realm, she would have power as well!
As for Fuxi himself, the Primordial World's foremost diviner and a master of the Heavenly Secrets Great Dao, he stood at the very pinnacle in reading the situation, devising strategies, managing internal affairs, and more—with no equal!
If he and his sister joined forces—
then won over fellow Daoists, gathered subordinates, and brought Innate Great Clans and long-lived races into their plans,
their great undertaking...
might well succeed!
And there was more...
Many thoughts passed through Fuxi's mind, a profound light moving in his calm eyes.
At the same time,
he once again showed his resolve as an elder brother and looked solemnly at Nuwa.
He said in a deep voice,
"Little sister, we need to start preparing early."
At that,
Nuwa raised an eyebrow.
"Preparing for what, brother?"
With Fuxi so serious, even the quick-tempered Nuwa would not talk back.
After all, her elder brother—
truly could divine the future. Every decision he had made, without exception, had proved right!
Given that,
Nuwa had always listened to Fuxi on important matters.
"We must prepare for the Twelve Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race, and for... the Calamity Cycle!"
Fuxi's expression remained solemn. He did not explain everything in detail,
but he pointed to the crux of the matter:
"The Twelve Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race have not come with good intentions. And our Daoist Sanctuary is... far too close to them!"
Those words were enough.
Nuwa immediately understood what Fuxi meant.
At the same time,
she did not grow arrogant merely because she possessed Primordial Purple Qi and was destined to attain the Sage Realm someday!
Destined to attain the Sage Realm someday—
meant she had not attained it yet!
The Twelve Ancestral Witches had openly declared that they "revered none in the Sage Realm." How could she expect them to show regard for someone who might reach it in the future?
Impossible!
But asking Nuwa and Fuxi to avoid the Twelve Ancestral Witches and the Witch Race,
to abandon Fengqi Mountain—the Daoist Sanctuary that had nurtured them—before anything had even happened? That was impossible too!
They could not bear the shame.
So,
her brother was right—
it was time to make preparations.
Before you continue