Demons Rule the Heavens, Witches Rule the Earth

Gungun had no idea what Houtu thought of its suggestion. After it finished speaking, it saw her lower her head in thought without asking it to stay again, so it turned and left with its Treasure-Fishing Rod over its shoulder.

It had taken no interest in Penglai's treasures earlier, when its stomach was upset. Now, though, apart from a lingering ache in its backside, its stomach had almost completely recovered. With treasures lying on the island free for the taking, why let them go to waste?

"Hmph! You dared toy with the great god Gungun's feelings, blast me away, give me an upset stomach, and even curse me behind my back. Today, I'll strip your household bare!" Gungun muttered as its plump figure gradually receded into the distance.

Half a day later, in Zixiao Palace beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens.

Houtu arrived with Donghua.

"Your disciple Donghua pays his respects to the Dao Ancestor! I beg you to uphold justice for me!" Donghua bowed low before Hongjun, who sat cross-legged on an auspicious cloud with his eyes closed, and pleaded through his tears.

"Dao Ancestor, the Demon Race is brutal and tyrannical. They bathed Penglai in blood. Although our Witch Race rushed to its aid with all our strength, we still arrived a step too late. If this matter is ignored, the Demon Race will only grow more brazen, and every race in the Primordial World will fear for its own safety." Beside him, Houtu also bowed to Hongjun as she spoke.

Although the Witch Race worshipped only Pangu, Hongjun was, after all, a sage who had bestowed the kindness of teaching the Dao. She, too, had once come to Zixiao Palace to hear his teachings, so Houtu held him in considerable respect.

"Ah..." After hearing Donghua and Houtu's accounts, Hongjun sighed. At last, he slowly opened his eyes and looked at the two before him. "Once the Eastern King led the gathered immortals; today the Demon Court seized their splendor. Who knows how often harmony will grace the Primordial World? Let the word now stand for a million years."

"Uh... Dao Ancestor, your disciple is ignorant. What does that mean?" Donghua raised his head a little and looked toward Hongjun as he asked.

Hongjun did not answer him. Instead, he lowered his eyes in contemplation. After a long while, he raised his head and said, "The Immortal Court has been destroyed. Penglai shall return to Donghua, and no race may encroach upon it. From this day forth, in the Primordial World, demons shall rule the heavens, and witches shall rule the earth. For one million years, there shall be no great war!"

His mighty voice resounded throughout the entire Primordial World, echoing again and again.

The Heavenly Court, in the immortal paradise of the Jade Pool.

Dijun, who was waiting for his children to be born, immediately frowned upon hearing that voice. Then his brow relaxed, and a smile curved his lips. "Just as well. If we fight the decisive battle now, our Demon Race has no certainty of victory. But a million years from now, our Demon Race... will surely win!"

Inside Pangu Hall on Mount Buzhou.

Seated in the place of honor, Dijiang narrowed his eyes at those words. Demons rule the heavens, witches rule the earth. A million years? Very well. Once our Witch Race has brought the earth entirely under its control, we will surely win the decisive battle a million years from now!

Mount Kunlun.

Several plates of spirit fruits and delicacies rested on a small round table, where three immortals sat discussing the Dao. At the sudden, thunderous proclamation of the sage, all three of their expressions changed.

"Eldest Brother, Second Brother, our teacher has spoken. It seems the Primordial World will have at least a million years of peace. That will give every race time to rest and recover!" the youthful-looking Daoist Tongtian said to Laozi and Primordial Heavenly Venerable with a smile.

At this, Primordial Heavenly Venerable frowned. After a moment's silence, he said, "Although the Primordial World will be peaceful for a million years, a peace imposed through restraint will kindle even greater ambitions. A million years from now, the witches and demons will surely erupt into a world-shaking war. Its devastation may well be no less than that of the Dragon-Han Catastrophe."

"Mm." Laozi nodded and stroked his graying beard. "Every race has its own destiny. Let everything... take its natural course."

The Western Pure Land World.

Hum! Space rippled as Daoist Zhunti returned from the east. He addressed Daoist Jieyin, who sat cross-legged on the Twelfth-Grade Merit Golden Lotus, cultivating. "Senior Brother, the Dao Ancestor has decreed that the witches and demons may wage no great war for a million years. In that case, the prodigies born in the east during those million years are destined to have an affinity with our Western Lands."

"Indeed, Junior Brother. Sorry for the trouble, but I will leave this matter to you.

"Take my Great Dream Sutra with you. Those who devote themselves to studying this scripture will one day become Dharma Protectors of our Western Lands!" As he spoke, Jieyin waved his sleeve, and a gleaming golden scripture flew out and landed in Zhunti's hands. "Very well. Leave it to me, Senior Brother. Rest assured."

"With you here, Junior Brother, I am entirely at ease. Our Western Lands will surely flourish because of you!" Jieyin told Zhunti with a smile.

On the banks of the Yellow River, a woman swung a long whip, using the soil beneath her feet to wield the divine power of creation and fashion one strange creature after another: wolves with monkey heads, rabbits with wings, and even grapes that had sprouted four limbs.

Not far from her, a man sat on the ground playing a zither. Immortal music curled through the air, enchanting to the ear.

Suddenly, the sage's proclamation rang out across the entire Primordial World.

Hearing it, the woman lowered her arm and looked toward Zixiao Palace. "A million years?" she murmured. "Very well. A peaceful Primordial World will make it easier for me to comprehend the Creation Great Dao."

"Little Sister, this peace is only temporary. A million years from now, a world-shaking war will surely erupt in the Primordial World," Fuxi said worriedly, his hands stilling on the zither.

"I know. But Eldest Brother, that is not something we can prevent as we are now. If I wish to bring lasting peace to the Primordial World, the only thing I can do now is... comprehend the Dao! Once my mastery of creation is complete and I attain the Dao to become a sage, neither the Demon Race nor the Witch Race will be allowed to bring calamity upon all living beings!" As she spoke, the woman raised her arm again and resumed swinging her whip.

Somewhat heartened by her words, Fuxi looked at her and smiled. "Good, Nuwa. Your elder brother believes in you!"

Penglai Immortal Island, in the East Sea.

Gungun had swept its great paw out to obliterate a stretch of ruins, then begun fishing for treasures everywhere with its Treasure-Fishing Rod. When it heard the mighty proclamation of the sage, the bear froze for a moment before lowering its head and continuing to fish for its treasures.

The Dao Ancestor had spoken. From now on, the great god Gungun would never again have to fight bloody battles. Wonderful!

What? Wasn't the peace only going to last a million years?

Yes, only a million years. But Houtu would transform herself into Reincarnation before the War of the Liches, so the great god Gungun could move into the Underworld ahead of time and avoid the decisive battle between witches and demons. Nothing to fear.

At that thought, Gungun fished for treasures even harder, fishing and fishing... Apart from a brief burst of speed at the start, however, its movements gradually slowed. Finally, it stopped fishing altogether, raised its head, and scanned its surroundings. Finding no sign of Houtu, it lowered its head and murmured, "There really is less than a million years left. Once you become Pingxin... will you still be you?"

Gungun did not know the answer either.

It stood motionless for a long time. Then, with a thump, it plopped down on the ground and cradled its head in both paws, its thoughts unknowable.

Several hours later, Houtu and Donghua returned to Penglai.

"Fellow Daoist Donghua, now that the Dao Ancestor has spoken, you can cultivate in peace on Penglai from now on. The Demon Race should not dare invade again," Houtu told Donghua.

"It is all thanks to the solution you devised, Ancestral Witch. Otherwise, I truly would have... hm?" Halfway through speaking, Donghua's expression suddenly froze. He turned and swept his gaze back and forth around him. Then, in a trembling voice, he said, "Th-this is... my Penglai?"

At that moment, the thousand leagues of land around him and Houtu lay completely bare. The ruins left by the Demon Race were gone. The treasures buried beneath them were gone. Even the spirit trees and spirit grasses had been stripped away without a single one remaining. All that was left was dirt.