The Queen Mother of the West flew ten thousand miles in a single breath, already nursing significant wounds. Within her Phoenix-eyes, a look of profound shock and wariness flickered.
Even while wielding a Supreme Grade Innate Spirit Treasure, she had been unable to hold out for more than a few exchanges against the combined might of three Ancestral Witches.
This realization brought with it a crushing truth: she was not even the match for a single Ancestral Witch in a direct confrontation.
In that moment, she recalled the legendary Great Battle of the Three Immortals Island. How exactly had Ling Xiao, by his own strength alone, managed to defeat six of these monsters simultaneously?
"Retreat!"
Knowing she could not afford a prolonged engagement, the Queen Mother used the Plain Off-White Cloud Flag to sweep up her struggling female immortals, tearing through the Void Realm to make her escape.
"Haha! You brought this suffering upon yourself. If you had just left early, you wouldn't have had to take a beating!" Xi Zi laughed.
The three Ancestral Witches watched the Queen Mother flee but did not bother to give chase. While their combat power was peerless, their ability to pursue an agile enemy across vast distances was not their greatest strength.
Furthermore, the objective of this excursion had already been achieved, and that was all that mattered.
"From this day forward, West Kunlun is incorporated into the territory of the Wu Clan!" Gonggong's voice thundered across the world, his grand proclamation extending for hundreds of millions of miles, sweeping through the eight directions.
This was a warning issued to every living being under the sky.
His Dharma-form was terrifying: a serpent's head atop a human body, clad in black scales, treading upon two black dragons while green pythons coiled around his arms. The black Mysterious Water of his element flowed around him like silken ribbons, or like mountain streams that never ceased their motion.
In an instant, the many living beings surrounding West Kunlun fell into a deathly, terrified silence. Trembling with unease, many began to contemplate moving their homes immediately.
The territory of the Wu Clan was never a suitable place for residence; one never knew which day they might be turned into "rations."
The Queen Mother's defeat and flight held zero surprise for the great powers observing the battle.
Facing three Ancestral Witches, unless the Queen Mother could manifest three versions of herself, the struggle was futile. There was no possibility of victory.
The Queen Mother of the West continued her flight, her beautiful face a mask of icy frost. She was so incensed her teeth ached. Though she held the title of Head of the Female Immortals, she rarely interfered in the affairs of the Great Desolation; she had never expected such a calamity to drop from the sky onto her doorstep.
The Ancestral Witches had physically stolen her home!
It seemed that in this era, even if one chose not to compete or snatch, trouble would eventually find its way to you.
In this moment, the Queen Mother reached a sudden enlightenment. She realized she could no longer remain a "salted fish" as she had been in the past. She had to take action; otherwise, there was no telling when the next unprovoked disaster would strike.
Most importantly, the rising power of the Wu Clan was reaching a point where it could no longer be suppressed. If things continued on this trajectory, the entire Great Desolation would eventually be consumed by them.
From the brief exchange just now, she understood clearly that these Ancestral Witches viewed the entire world as their own property, sincerely believing themselves to be the sole heirs of the Great God Pangu.
In their minds, occupying the Honghuang World was not conquest; it was merely reclaiming what was rightfully theirs.
Thinking of this, her expression shifted. She felt she had to find a power to align with—or at least a partner to cooperate with. She could not allow the Wu Clan to continue their wanton arrogance.
When all was said and done, she was still the heaven-ordained Head of the Female Immortals. She held a duty to maintain the order of the world. If she allowed the Witches to continue their rampage, the Great Desolation would fall into total chaos.
Should the Dao Ancestor descend to issue punishment for such chaos, how would she answer for it?
The Queen Mother's Phoenix-eyes flickered as she considered the gravity of the situation. The more she thought, the more dire the circumstances appeared.
"I must find a place to rest and reorganize before deciding on the next move!" She located a secluded celestial mountain and descended, releasing the female immortals from the protection of the Plain Off-White Cloud Flag.
During that brief clash, a portion of her attendants had already perished at the hands of the Wu Clan.
These immortals had come to seek her protection over the past tens of thousands of years, numbering nearly ten thousand in total. Their strengths ranged from the Golden Immortal to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realms.
In the context of the wider world, such cultivation levels were considered elite, yet against the Wu Clan, they remained as fragile as paper.
It illustrated how terrifying the Wu Clan had become—and this was only a small fraction of their total strength.
If the entire race were mobilized, the consequences would be unthinkable.
"Goddess, West Kunlun has been taken. Where... where are we to go now?" an immortal fairy dressed in green asked with a bitter face, still trembling from the lingering fear of the battle.
The Queen Mother's face was solemn. After a short silence, she replied, "We shall rest here for a moment before making our decision."
The Honghuang World was vast beyond measure; there were many places to go. However, a plan had already formed in her mind.
She intended to seek out her good sister, Nuwa, and join forces with the Yao Race to resist the Wu Clan together.
At this thought, her Phoenix-eyes turned cold as frost, her jade-like face assuming a look of majestic authority. The noble posture of the Head of the Female Immortals was fully revealed.
Time drifted by. On this day, the Queen Mother and her attendants finished their reorganization and prepared to depart for the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
Suddenly, a familiar Aura appeared in the vicinity. The Queen Mother raised her eyes and saw a group of Immortals descending upon auspicious clouds. The leader was draped in gold and silver, radiating a pearlescent wealth and a look of peaceful prosperity.
"East King Duke?"
The Queen Mother froze for a second. She wasn't sure if she was more surprised by his sudden appearance or by the massive transformation he had undergone since their last meeting.
The current East King Duke appeared incredibly lavish, and his spirit was at an all-time high.
"Fellow Daoist Queen Mother of the West! I heard that you were being oppressed by the Wu Clan and rushed here to assist you. Alas... I am still a moment too late."
The East King Duke descended from the clouds, his face a mask of deep regret and self-reproach.
"How exactly did you know we were here?" the Queen Mother asked coolly, her expression guarded.
She did not entirely believe the Duke's words. It was far more likely he had come to observe her misfortune.
The East King Duke let out a soft laugh. "Fellow Daoist, as the Head of the Male Immortals, I still have a few capable hands working beneath me."
The Queen Mother nodded. "State your true purpose for coming here plainly."
"I have come to invite you to join the Immortal Court. We must unite to maintain the primordial order. The actions of the Wu Clan have grown arrogant beyond measure; they slaughter wantonly and destroy the balance of the world. You and I were both appointed by the Dao Ancestor as the heads of the immortals; it is our duty to protect this world."
"Relying on our individual strength alone is not enough to resist the Wu Clan. Why not combine our forces and advance together?"
The East King Duke spoke with a look of absolute sincerity, though he felt a small prick of guilt in his heart.
The Wu Clan had stolen West Kunlun. It wasn't hard to guess they were following his own "advice" about collecting Pangu's legacy.
In a way, he was an accomplice—the indirect cause of her Dao Field being seized.
Fortunately, the Queen Mother was unaware of this fact; otherwise, she would likely have attacked him on the spot.
Hearing the proposal, the Queen Mother paused. "Maintaining the order of the world does not strictly require cooperation with you. The Yao Race is currently powerful, and I share a close bond with Nuwa. Why should I not cooperate with the Yao instead?"
She asked with a faint smile, sensing that the Duke held hidden motives. She wasn't particularly inclined to partner with him.
The East King Duke's expression remained open and honest as he explained:
"Fellow Daoist, your logic is sound. But do not forget our respective identities. The Yao Race is, at the end of the day, the Yao Race. They will never truly accept an outsider unless you officially join their ranks."
"Furthermore, even if you were to join them, the Yao Race is not yours to command."
"Joining the Immortal Court is different. I am willing to manage the Court alongside you. We shall be equals, with no hierarchy between us—everything shall be shared."