Qing Ling watched the two below, who were unaware of his presence, and chuckled, "So, you have manifested here."
The person before him was not his future self. His future self had already reincarnated in the world of the future, a boundless parallel universe distinct from this realm. In that world, the future self was the present self, the beginning of everything anew; he was merely himself, not Qing Ling's future self.
The people and objects before him were merely projections from a parallel world.
Qing Ling smiled and murmured to himself, "It seems your path is not devoid of interest. May your original heart remain unchanged, and may you achieve the Great Dao, fellow Daoist Qing Luo!"
Qing Ling turned and departed from this world, returning to the Primordial World.
Upon the lands of the Primordial World, war raged, the conflict between the Chi You tribe and the Xuanyuan tribe continued unabated.
The million-strong army of the Great Yu Kingdom finally arrived. In the battlefield, countless heads turned skyward. Countless colossal flying vessels streaked across the heavens, and even dozens of uniquely shaped armored ships suddenly emerged from rifts resembling wormholes.
Innumerable banners bearing the totem of Great Yu fluttered across the battlefield. Terrifying artillery fire swept the battlefield. Each flying vessel was inscribed with countless arrays for protection, and within these vessels, attack arrays unleashed strikes from extreme distances. Their attacks were potent, their defenses impregnable, and they could traverse the firmament. Such flying vessels were called warships by the Great Yu Kingdom.
In the battlefield below, a group of Chi You soldiers, armed with precious swords, spears, and bone blades, were dumbfounded. It was only when the terrifying array attacks descended that they scattered in all directions.
In an instant, the Chi You army lost all formation and order.
Chi You roared, slashing through the void with his hand. A colossal blade severed the air, instantly obliterating a massive flying vessel.
Chi You roared, "Such phantom tricks, what do we fear?"
This roar shook the heavens, causing hundreds of flying vessels to sway unsteadily. It stabilized the morale of the Chi You forces, and countless warriors regained their courage to fight.
The Xuanyuan tribe's reinforcements had arrived, naturally bolstering their morale. All their armies fought valiantly.
For a time, the battlefield was filled with shouts of war, the sky was stained with blood, and corpses stretched for a thousand miles.
Even with the Chi You tribe's fierce resistance, everyone knew they were at the end of their tether. Chi You could not possibly defeat the combined forces of the two tribes.
Xuanyuan stood atop his war chariot, gazing at the bloody corpses littering the ground. Without turning, he asked, "Fellow Daoist, do you think we should agree to the Great Yu Kingdom's request?"
Beside him stood only one person, Guang Chengzi, one of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect. However, he was far from the disciple portrayed in legends.
Guang Chengzi did not show anger; he had grown accustomed to their interactions. "It is best not to agree. After all, even without the Great Yu's allied forces, our victory would only be a matter of time."
Xuanyuan shook his head and said gravely, "But behind the Chi You tribe, there is still the Wu Clan."
"The Wu Clan?" Guang Chengzi chuckled, "There is no need to worry. The Wu Clan is no longer what it once was, their strength reduced by more than half. Now, only a few Great Wu linger on. If they dare to come, our Chan Sect immortals will ensure they never return!"
Xuanyuan sighed inwardly, only managing to say, "I hope so."
In the Nine Netherworlds, outside the Hall of Reincarnation, Xing Tian and Jiu Feng had knelt for a long time, kneeling there since the war began in the Eastern lands.
The stone gate of the hall remained shut, silent, with an eternal tranquility.
Until, a figure stepped into reincarnation.
"Fellow Daoist Houtu, why do you not assist?"
Xing Tian and Jiu Feng's eyes widened instantly, their faces filled with shock.
"How can it be him?"
"How can he be willing for the Wu Clan to reappear?"
From within the hall, Houtu's voice resonated.
"If you had the heart, the Great Yu Kingdom would not have mobilized its troops."
"Fellow Daoist, why not consider another perspective? With the Great Yu Kingdom's intervention, others will no longer meddle."
"Bang!"
The eternal silence was broken as the Hall of Reincarnation opened.
"Rumble~~~"
The earth began to tremble, the heavens and earth turned a dim yellow, and countless living beings felt a tremor in their hearts.
From beneath the earth, a deity emerged.
A statue of Houtu slowly rose from the horizon. Hands of reincarnation unfolded beside the deity, embracing the entire earth as if in her arms. Countless humans, like ants within her embrace, trembled, rejoiced, or prostrated themselves.
The entire Primordial World erupted. Countless mighty beings cried out in disbelief, "Lord of Reincarnation!"
The great battle ceased. No matter who faced this divine statue, they felt like mere ants. The image of reincarnation, its nine hands holding all beings, only its upper body revealed between heaven and earth, its lower half merged with reincarnation.
Even the Sages were astonished. None had expected Houtu to manifest herself for the sake of a few mixed-blood descendants of the Wu Clan.
Winds and rain arose, thunder descended, stars twinkled, and floods spread boundlessly. Ancient Great Wu emerged, standing before the statue of Houtu like divine worshipers, gazing towards the Xuanyuan tribe.
Laozi awoke from his meditation. He said nothing more. Since Houtu had acted, mere words would not suffice. He never did anything meaningless.
From the thirty-third heaven, a Xuanhuang Pagoda descended, its myriad bells resounding. The Xuanhuang Sea roared forth. Houtu, with a single hand, supported half the sky, blocking the Xuanhuang Pagoda.
Laozi emerged from the Bajing Palace, his brow furrowed as he gazed at the grand statue of Houtu, which seemed to be right before him. The Taiji Diagram flew up, transforming into a golden bridge that suppressed the eternal expanse of the sky.
Houtu then split her hands, grasping both ends of the golden bridge, transforming the suppressed expanse of the sky into the eternal expanse within her hands.
Laozi's expression grew solemn. He took a step forward, and the endless void also advanced, bringing forth a world. Laozi walked slowly, each step deliberate, his nine steps through the void encircling the statue of Houtu. He then struck with one hand, shouting, "Destroy!"
The golden bridge, suspended between Houtu's hands, vibrated violently, transforming into a colossal Taiji. The nine worlds became Yin and Yang, the Taiji merging with the void to form two poles. The two poles flickered between life and death, and a part of the universe returned to nothingness.
The statue of Houtu's colossal palm pointed eight fingers to the sky, one finger at the self. The earth trembled, and all realms, heavens, and myriad worlds shook. The statue of Houtu was connected to all realms, heavens, and the earth, her power boundless, her source inexhaustible. She stood firm amidst the great disaster of life and death, Yin and Yang, neither advancing nor retreating.
Seeing this, Yuanshi was about to raise the Pangu Banner, but Laozi's voice reached his ears, "Enough. Let it be. Houtu has merged with the earth. As long as the earth does not perish, she will not be defeated, unless we destroy the earth of the four great continents and all the myriad worlds."
Yuanshi's expression turned grim, and he asked, "Is Houtu truly that powerful?"
Laozi sighed, "The Lord of the Earthly Dao, her status was once no less than that of our teacher.
Since she wishes to enter the fray, let her enter. Dispatch the disciples of the Three Teachings, and let these ancient remnant Wu become the trials for the disciples of our Three Teachings."
"But it may be somewhat perilous," Yuanshi said. "These Wu are too formidable. I fear many disciples will be lost."
Laozi shook his head, "Since it is called a tribulation, those who overcome it will soar to the heavens and achieve the Supreme Dao. Those who do not, it is their fate, their karmic connection too shallow."