Chapter 99

Hongjun Daozu's expression was calm, his gaze deep like a pool of water, and his eyes profound like a well.

He glanced at the weeping Queen Mother of the West, and extended a hand, which was somewhat withered. Without any movement, rays of light gathered from all directions, converging into a ball in Daozu's hand, slowly rotating, flickering, and somewhat dim.

"This is a calamity that must be faced," Hongjun Daozu said softly, without any fluctuation in his voice.

The Queen Mother of the West was delighted upon hearing this and quickly prostrated herself, pleading earnestly, "I beg my teacher to save Houtu."

"You may rise first," Hongjun Daozu said.

As he spoke, he looked at the headless Xingtian, the great witch.

A dark cloud rapidly spread from the void, converging into a mass that covered thousands of miles, enveloping the void and appearing above the great witch's head.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the heavens and earth, and a terrifying aura rolled out, making all living beings feel a chill. Even the great Daluos felt their chests constrict and their breathing halt.

"Crack!!"

Thunder rumbled, and the three realms of beings could clearly hear it, especially the powerful cultivators and great sages, who were shocked: This is a heavenly punishment!

"Boom!" A bolt of heavenly lightning struck, shaking the heavens and earth, darting through the void, and instantly hitting the great witch. The great witch's body froze, unable to dodge or raise his axe in time, and was struck, his feet wobbling, his divine power being eroded, and the destructive heavenly lightning continuously eroding him.

"Puff!!"

Even with the great witch's unparalleled constitution and surging divine power, he was now shattered, instantly severely injured, unable to stand in the void, and about to fall to the ground.

But at this moment, the void beside the great witch moved, and a jade hand extended out. With a wave, an invisible force was unleashed, dissipating the second bolt of heavenly lightning. Then, the jade hand waved again, carrying an invisible, overwhelming force.

"Rumble!!"

The heavens and earth were filled with lightning and thunder, but the dark cloud dissipated instantly with the wave of the jade hand.

Then, the jade hand reached out and grabbed the massive body of the great witch, which shrank and was taken away from the void.

"Teacher."

The Queen Mother of the West called out, watching the one who killed her husband being taken away, feeling extremely aggrieved.

"Send Houtu into the cycle of rebirth."

Hongjun Daozu's sleeve moved, enveloping the Queen Mother of the West, and with a step, he entered the void, disappearing.

In the Six Paths of Rebirth, Daozu and the Queen Mother of the West emerged from the void at the entrance of the Six Paths.

Beside the entrance stood a dignified and graceful woman, as if she were one with the heavens and earth.

Her gaze was stern and slightly cold as she watched Daozu and the Queen Mother of the West approach.

Behind her, the headless great witch Xingtian stood, his injuries healed, but his aura somewhat weakened, his gaze lowered, filled with reverence for the woman before him.

However, a gaze filled with hatred fell upon him, from the Queen Mother of the West.

"Long time no see, how are you, fellow Daoist?" Hongjun Daozu said.

"Fine," Houtu replied, but her gaze was somewhat dim.

"First, send Houtu into the cycle of rebirth."

As Daozu spoke, a ball of light appeared in his hand, hazy and much brighter than before, full of spirituality.

Houtu nodded, waved her sleeve, and pointed with her jade hand. Instantly, the Six Paths of Rebirth appeared, like six wheels, flickering in and out of sight, embedded in the void, with boundless black light rising, carrying a layer of golden light, slowly rotating.

"Whoosh!"

The ball of light in Daozu's hand moved, leaping out from his hand, trembling slightly before him, and then transformed into a beam of light, entering the Six Paths of Rebirth, beginning the cycle of rebirth.

"Xingtian caused the great Tianzun to fall, his crime is unforgivable, and he should perish."

Daozu turned to Houtu and said.

"Alas..." Houtu sighed, but her expression was calm, as if she had long expected it, and said, "I will imprison him in the Eighteenth Level of Hell to atone for his sins."

Hongjun Daozu's gaze moved for the first time, looking at Houtu without speaking.

"The great trend of the heavens and earth has been set, the Six Paths are complete, and I will go to the outer heavens to cultivate in seclusion," Houtu said.

"Ancestor Witch!" Xingtian was greatly alarmed and quickly said, "Xingtian has sinned, and Xingtian should bear the punishment, but Ancestor Witch must not do this."

The Six Paths of Rebirth were formed by Houtu and have always been managed by her. No one in the three realms dared to covet or have any ill thoughts about it. For many years, the Six Paths of Rebirth have been the place where the witch clan rested and recuperated.

Xingtian, the great witch, did not expect that Houtu, the Ancestor Witch, would give up the Six Paths of Rebirth, which she had formed with her own body, to save him.

Xingtian was somewhat panicked and quickly tried to stop her.

But Houtu waved her hand, stopping Xingtian, and looked at Hongjun Daozu.

Although she was reluctant to part with the Six Paths of Rebirth, the witch clan was now in decline, with all the Ancestor Witches fallen and the great witches nearly extinct, leaving only Xingtian. The witch clan was on the verge of collapse, with few remaining members, making it difficult to survive in the three realms. What use would there be in preserving the Six Paths of Rebirth?

Although she was immortal, her limitations were many, and she could not always attend to the witch clan. Therefore, it was better to leave Xingtian, a great witch at the Daluos realm, to protect the witch clan.

Even if he were imprisoned in the Eighteenth Level of Hell, no one would ignore the existence of Xingtian, the great witch.

Xingtian, the great witch, had attained enlightenment during the era of the witches and demons, and was almost invincible on the earth, with few great witches of the witch clan able to match him, his divine power surging, and his reputation renowned in the primordial chaos.

Otherwise, after Houtu formed the Six Paths of Rebirth, Xingtian would not have led the army to guard the Six Paths, serving as the last line of defense for the witch clan.

Daozu was moved and, after a long pause, said, "As you wish, fellow Daoist."

The Queen Mother of the West, hearing this, was greatly aggrieved and was about to speak but was stopped by Daozu.

"Xingtian, do you still want your head?" Houtu said.

Xingtian's face was somewhat sorrowful, and after a moment, he said with great courage, "What use is a head? For Xingtian, whether he has a head or not is unimportant. Life and death are but a moment, with great terror and great opportunity!"

Houtu's face showed satisfaction, and her gaze was full of admiration. The remaining strong of the Ancestor Witch had not disappointed her.

"Boom!"

The jade hand flipped, and a beam of light flashed, striking Xingtian. Instantly, the true body of the great witch flew up, without any resistance, or perhaps not wanting to resist, transforming into a beam of light and reaching the Eighteenth Level of Hell in a flash.

"Imprisoned in the Eighteenth Level of Hell, when you understand, you may come out."

A beam of light fell, entering the great witch's body, instantly sealing his divine power. With a flash, the great witch fell into the Eighteenth Level of Hell and disappeared.

"Xingtian accepts the command." The voice of the great witch slowly faded.

"These Six Paths of Rebirth, I entrust to you, fellow Daoist." Houtu said, and her figure moved, entering the Chengtian Xiaofa Hall.

"Boom!"

A loud noise, the doors of the hall slammed shut, and then the hall was bathed in a brilliant light, rising with boundless golden light. With a flash, it entered the void and disappeared.

"Houtu has a calamity of the cycle of rebirth, you need not worry. When the time comes, he will pass the calamity and return. You may return to the Heavenly Court with peace of mind."

Daozu said to the Queen Mother of the West, and then turned and disappeared into the void.

"Thank you, teacher." The Queen Mother of the West bowed three times to the void.

Then, the Queen Mother of the West glanced at the Six Paths of Rebirth, about to return to the Heavenly Court, when a dozen beams of light flew from a distance, reaching her in a flash.

"Pay respects to the Empress."

The Five Directional Ghost Emperors, the Ten Kings of Hell, and the Underworld Judges, among other high-ranking officials of the Underworld, all bowed.

It seemed that these people also knew that they would now be under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Court, so they hurried to show their loyalty.

This time, it was not like before, where they were nominally under the Heavenly Court but actually controlled by the witch clan. Now, they were truly under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Court, and if the Heavenly Court was unhappy, they could be replaced.

Therefore, these high-ranking officials of the Underworld did not dare to be negligent.

Although these high-ranking officials of the Underworld all had good fortune and had practiced for many years, their Daoist cultivation was not high.

The highest of the Five Directional Ghost Emperors was only at the Taiyi realm, having just broken through, and the remaining Ten Kings of Hell and Judges were only at the Jinxian realm. In front of great Daluos, they were not impressive.

Moreover, without the great support of the witch clan, these high-ranking officials of the Underworld felt a sense of unease and naturally wanted to find a new support to feel more secure.

"Rise." The Queen Mother of the West's face was stern as she said.

"Yes." They all thanked her and stood up.

"I am about to return to the Heavenly Court. You will attend the meeting in the Heavenly Court in ten years."

With that, the Queen Mother of the West's figure moved, transforming into a beam of light and disappearing in the Underworld...