Deep within the East Sea, a majestic Zu Long Palace stood at the bottom of the ocean. This Zu Long Palace was a top-tier Innate Spirit Treasure, serving as the Dragon Clan's main base in the East Sea, and also the place where Zu Long would Cultivate.
Inside the Zu Long Palace, Zu Long sat high on the main seat, his expression stern, a majestic and domineering Qi emanating from his entire body.
His gaze was like lightning, coldly looking at Bi'an who stood below him.
"Bi'an, I heard you have something extremely important to tell me this time? I hope what you say is truly crucial.
You should know, I interrupted my seclusion specifically to see you.
If the news you bring is worthless, you should be aware of the consequences." Zu Long's voice was low and cold.
At this moment, inside the Zu Long Palace, besides Zu Long and Bi'an, there were also several Dragon Clan Elders and honored guests.
These elders of the Dragon Clan usually held respected positions within the clan; each of them was at least at the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm, and several among them were at the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm. Yet, facing Zu Long's majesty at this moment, they did not even dare to breathe too loudly.
Bi'an looked up at the Elders and honored guests below Zu Long, a hint of difficulty appearing on his face.
The race that had committed Possession on him could also commit Possession on the Elders and honored guests in the hall; speaking out directly would only alert the enemy.
Zu Long keenly noticed Bi'an's unusual behavior, frowned slightly, then waved his hand and said in a deep voice, "You may all withdraw."
Upon hearing this, although the people in the hall were somewhat displeased, they dared not disobey Zu Long's command and could only bow in unison, exiting the Zu Long Palace.
After everyone had left, Zu Long once again turned his gaze to Bi'an, and said coldly, "Now, you can speak, can't you?"
"Clan Chief, during my recent outing, I was unfortunately subjected to Possession by a mysterious race.
However, when I returned to the clan, I was surprised to find that during the time I was possessed, the fate lamp prepared for me by the clan showed no abnormalities whatsoever.
Furthermore, after my return, I specifically investigated the clan's affairs and discovered that the conflicts between our Dragon Clan, the Phoenix, and the Qilin Clan have become increasingly frequent over the past few epochs, with many outbreaks of conflict being extremely strange and without any reason.
I suspect that mysterious race is secretly instigating this." Bi'an reported to Zu Long with a solemn expression, word by word.
Zu Long did not value his own offspring, so he demanded that his offspring and the rest of the Dragon Clan members address him as Clan Chief.
Listening to Bi'an's report, Zu Long's face did not show much surprise, as if all of this was within his expectations.
He slightly narrowed his eyes and fell into contemplation.
After a long while, Zu Long spoke, "Bi'an, are you saying that someone in the Great Desolation is secretly plotting against our Dragon Clan, deliberately provoking conflicts between us and the Phoenix and Qilin Clan?"
Zu Long's tone was calm, making it difficult to discern his true thoughts at the moment.
Was he unconcerned, or did he simply not care?
Zu Long was silent for a moment, then loudly called out, "Prison Ox, come in to see me quickly."
Before long, a burly creature with a dragon head and ox body strode into the Zu Long Palace.
This person was none other than Prison Ox, whom Zu Long had called. He was Zu Long's eldest son, and among Zu Long's many offspring, he was the only one who had achieved a Breakthrough to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm.
Upon entering the hall, Prison Ox first glanced at Bi'an, then respectfully looked at Zu Long and asked, "Clan Chief, why have you summoned me?"
"Bi'an, explain this matter in detail to Prison Ox again." Zu Long looked at Bi'an and instructed.
"Elder Brother..." Bi'an nodded, then recounted his suspicions and the information he had investigated to Prison Ox, from beginning to end.
After listening to Bi'an's account, Prison Ox's expression instantly became serious.
"Clan Chief, in fact, over these years, I have also vaguely felt that beyond our Dragon Clan, the Phoenix, and the Qilin Clan, there seems to be a mysterious force secretly active.
It's just that I've always struggled without concrete evidence. Now, hearing what Seventh Brother says, it seems my previous suspicions were correct.
However, their method of Possession is so bizarre, how can we find those hidden agents within the clan?"
Prison Ox's brows were tightly furrowed as he fell into contemplation.
"This matter, I will entrust to the two of you to thoroughly investigate.
This Spirit Bead is bestowed upon you; it has the function of detecting abnormalities in a living being's Primordial Spirit.
Anyone you deem suspicious, you may apprehend them and then use this Spirit Bead for examination."
After Zu Long finished speaking, a flash of light appeared on his dragon claw, and a High Grade Innate Spirit Treasure-level Spirit Bead emitting a soft glow appeared out of thin air.
"Clan Chief, this force dares to plot against our three clans, I'm afraid behind them..." Prison Ox stopped mid-sentence, not daring to continue.
Clearly, he suspected that behind this, there might be a Hunyuan Golden Immortal-level powerhouse secretly manipulating things, and thus he dared not speak rashly, fearing that the mastermind would detect it.
"It's fine, I've probably guessed a few things about the person behind this. You just need to focus on handling the clan's affairs.
As for the mastermind, I will personally deal with it; you don't need to concern yourselves."
Zu Long's expression was indifferent, yet his tone revealed a hint of confidence.
"Clan Chief, we understand." Prison Ox and Bi'an exchanged glances and responded in unison.
Since Zu Long said so, they found it difficult to ask any more questions.
"Alright, you two go and start dealing with this matter." Zu Long waved his hand, signaling for them to withdraw.
Prison Ox and Bi'an bowed in respect, then exited the Zu Long Palace together.
After the two left, Zu Long sat alone in the Zu Long Palace, his face showing a pensive expression.
"Luo Hou, what exactly does this mean? It seems it's time to meet this Fellow Daoist." A trace of anger flashed in Zu Long's eyes.
During the Vicious Beast era, Zu Long had multiple contacts with Luo Hou. When Bi'an recounted those situations, he had already keenly sensed that this was very likely Luo Hou's doing.
However, he did not show it at the time.
If it were during the Vicious Beast Tribulation period, even if Zu Long knew it was Luo Hou's doing, he would be displeased but not this angry.
Because at that time, Luo Hou, Hongjun, and Yang Mei's strength far surpassed that of Zu Long and others.
Zu Long had fought with Luo Hou before. In front of Luo Hou's immense strength, he couldn't even last a hundred moves before being defeated.
During the Vicious Beast Tribulation, Luo Hou, Hongjun, Yang Mei, and Divine Reverse of the Vicious Beast Clan were the focus of the entire Prehistoric World. The outcome of battles almost entirely depended on these four.
For Zu Long and others, the four of Luo Hou were like a huge shadow looming over their heads. Their existence made Zu Long and others feel greatly suppressed.
The four of Luo Hou were like "someone else's child" to Zu Long and the others.
Now, the reason Zu Long was so angry was that over the years, relying on the Dragon Clan's vast Luck, his strength had greatly improved.
As his strength grew, his ambition and self-confidence also swelled immensely.
At this moment, knowing that Luo Hou dared to scheme against the Dragon Clan, how could he not be angry?
Zu Long suppressed the anger in his heart, and with a flash of his figure, he instantly disappeared from the Zu Long Palace.
Thousands of years later, Zu Long's figure appeared outside Mount Sumeru in the west.
"Fellow Daoist Luo Hou, I know you are here. Come out and meet me," Zu Long shouted loudly, looking at the towering Mount Sumeru before him.
His voice echoed like rolling thunder between heaven and earth.
However, Mount Sumeru remained silent, with no response.
"Fellow Daoist Luo Hou, if you don't come out again, don't blame me for being impolite." Seeing no response from Luo Hou, Zu Long's anger grew even more intense, and the look of fury on his face became more pronounced.
Just as Zu Long was about to speak again, a dark shadow suddenly emerged from Mount Sumeru.
The shadow instantly appeared before Zu Long, looking at him in the Void Realm with a playful expression, as if completely unconcerned by Zu Long's arrival and provocation.
"It seems that over the years, Fellow Daoist Zu Long's courage has grown quite a bit, daring to come and provoke me." Luo Hou's lips curled slightly into a smile.
That smile was particularly dazzling on his sunny and handsome face.
If one didn't know his true identity, others might genuinely believe he was a "sunny and cheerful big boy."
However, who would have thought that such a seemingly harmless person had once almost completely destroyed the entire Honghuang World?
In the Prehistoric World, the saying "one cannot judge a book by its cover" was fully exemplified.
After all, in the Honghuang World, changing one's appearance was not difficult.
"Fellow Daoist Luo Hou, isn't your hand reaching too far? What is your intention in daring to scheme against my Dragon Clan?" Zu Long's anger burned even more fiercely as he looked at Luo Hou's nonchalant expression.
Logically, with Zu Long's status and temperament, he shouldn't get angry so easily.
But he had suppressed it for many years. His purpose in coming this time was, on one hand, to question Luo Hou about scheming against the Dragon Clan.
On the other hand, he also wanted to use this opportunity to compete with Luo Hou and see how his current strength compared to Luo Hou's.
"It seems that Fellow Daoist Zu Long has truly changed over the years. Since that's the case, today I shall have a good exchange with Fellow Daoist." Luo Hou's eyes narrowed slightly upon hearing Zu Long's words, and a dangerous glint flashed in his eyes.
"Hmph, it seems Fellow Daoist Luo Hou doesn't intend to explain. Very well, today we shall settle this with our hands."
Zu Long no longer wasted words with Luo Hou. A flash of light appeared above his head, and a dazzling Dragon Orb slowly rose.
This Dragon Orb was precisely his Innate Spirit Treasure—the top-grade Innate Spirit Treasure Ancestor Dragon Orb.
At the same time, a brilliant light erupted behind Zu Long, and dozens of Spirit Treasures instantly appeared.
Each of these Spirit Treasures emitted a powerful Qi, and none were below the High Grade Innate Spirit Treasure level.
This was the profound heritage of the Dragon Clan as the Prehistoric World's number one power.
"It seems Fellow Daoist Zu Long has gained a lot over the years, acquiring many Spirit Treasures.
Is this the confidence that makes Fellow Daoist Zu Long dare to provoke me?
However, today this poor Daoist will let you know that when it comes to Spirit Treasures, it's about quality, not quantity." Luo Hou finished speaking, and with a flash of light in his hand, a long spear emitting endless Killing Intent instantly appeared.
It was precisely the number one Innate offensive Spirit Treasure—the God-Slaying Spear.
At the same time, a black, shining lotus flower slowly rose beneath his feet—it was the Twelve-Grade Black Lotus of Destruction.
"I didn't expect that Fellow Daoist would obtain the God-Slaying Spear!!!"
Zu Long looked at the God-Slaying Spear in Luo Hou's hand, a trace of shock flashing in his eyes.
The God-Slaying Spear, formed from the roots of the Chaos Green Lotus absorbing Evil Qi from the Chaos, contained infinite Killing Intent.
This spear was previously the weapon of the Vicious Beast Emperor Divine Reverse. After Divine Reverse's demise, it vanished without a trace.
Zu Long had searched for it for many years but had always found nothing.
Now, he unexpectedly saw this spear in Luo Hou's hands here.
"There are countless things Fellow Daoist doesn't know. However, now is not the time for Fellow Daoist to be distracted. Let me see what kind of confidence gives Fellow Daoist the courage to challenge this poor Daoist." Luo Hou sneered, and with a gentle wave of the God-Slaying Spear in his hand, a black spear light instantly shot towards Zu Long.
Seeing this, Zu Long dared not be careless and quickly manipulated the Ancestor Dragon Orb to meet Luo Hou's attack.
At the same time, the dozens of Spirit Treasures behind him also lit up, attacking Luo Hou.
For a time, light flashed between heaven and earth, and the lights of various Magic Treasures intertwined, making for a spectacular sight.
The two engaged in a great battle in the Void Realm.
Each of their attacks contained world-destroying power. Wherever they passed, space shattered, as if torn apart by an invisible giant hand.
This great battle lasted for a full ten thousand years.
Finally, Zu Long, dragging his heavily wounded body, flew back to the East Sea in a sorry state.
Back in the Zu Long Palace in the East Sea, Zu Long continuously spat out fresh blood. Wounds on his Dragon body constantly seeped blood, dyeing the entire Zu Long Palace into a sea of blood.
"Damn it, why am I still not his match?" Zu Long's eyes were filled with anger and unwillingness.
Although his strength had greatly improved over the years due to Luck, in front of Luo Hou, he still appeared so vulnerable.
"However, I will never give up. My Dragon Clan's Luck is currently flourishing. Once I achieve Demonstration of Primordial Chaos through the Dao of Luck, I will surely repay today's humiliation twofold." Zu Long endured the pain, suppressed all his emotions, closed his eyes, and began to fully recover from his injuries.
On the other side, after Zu Long left, Luo Hou also returned to Mount Sumeru.
At this moment, he sat on the meditation cushion, his brows tightly furrowed, lost in thought.
"Strange, why did the Dragon Clan discover my Demon Race's plan so quickly?" Luo Hou mused to himself.
Recalling Zu Long's purpose and the situation where many Demon Seeds he had planted in the Dragon Clan were being eliminated, he roughly guessed that the Demon Race's matter had been exposed.
Luo Hou's thoughts raced like lightning. A moment later, his heart stirred, and he had already guessed part of the reason.
"So it was that useless Lust Demon Emissary. His subordinates actually went to possess Zu Long's son, Bi'an.
What's even more infuriating is that those idiots actually allowed Bi'an to break free from control and return to the Dragon Clan."
Luo Hou was furious. The Lust Demon Emissary's actions this time had completely disrupted his plans.
"However, why can't I deduce any information about the person who helped Bi'an break free from control? Could it be Hongjun's scheme behind this?" Luo Hou was filled with doubts.
With his Divine Ability, he should have been able to deduce the entire sequence of events.
But this time, he was unable to clearly see the face and information of the person who helped Bi'an, as if a mysterious force was secretly interfering with his deductions.
"It seems that the Demon Seeds within the Three Clans will have to remain dormant for a while. The entire plan will also have to be postponed." Luo Hou shook his head helplessly.
"Indeed, attempting a Breakthrough to the Perfection Realm in one go was simply too impetuous," Taichu slowly opened his eyes, ending his Cultivation session.
These years, his cultivation had been stuck at the Taiyi Golden Immortal Late Stage, making no progress.
The last Breakthrough was not long ago; this secluded cultivation merely stabilized his current cultivation, with another Breakthrough still a distant prospect.
"Cultivation requires a balance of effort and rest. Since a Breakthrough is unlikely, I might as well change my approach and delve into Alchemy," Taichu muttered to himself, then rose and left his cultivation area.
At this time, the Innate Spiritual Root in the Dao field was laden with fruit, more than could be consumed.
Although the spiritual fruits produced by Innate Spiritual Root have a long shelf life, the Spiritual Roots in the orchard would continue to bear fruit.
Looking at the entire Blood Sea, currently there were only Taichu and Minghe; even if they indulged daily, these spiritual fruits would be difficult to exhaust.
By chance, while Taichu was Cultivating, the Boundless Great Dao Law actually evolved into the Dao of Alchemy.
Alchemy, Formation Dao, and Artifact Refining Dao are the most cultivated Great Dao in the Great Desolation; even if not chosen as the Source Great Dao, they are generally selected as auxiliary Great Dao.
Taishang Saint Laozi, the leader of the Three Pure Ones, is the paramount figure in the Domain of Alchemy;
Tongtian Jiaozhu, one of the Three Pure Ones, is a Grandmaster of the Formation Dao.
And Yuanshi Tianzun possesses extraordinary attainments in Artifact Refining techniques.
These three brothers, as expected, were transformed from Pangu's Primordial Spirit splitting into three, each shining brightly in different Domains.
The current spiritual fruit abundance in the plantation was perfectly suited for attempting Alchemy.
Taichu rummaged through his Qiankun Bag, sighing, "Unfortunately, among the Spirit Treasure I possess, there are no Alchemy Cauldron-type artifacts.
Speaking of Artifact Refining, I have never dabbled in it before. Rashly refining one, I fear the finished product would be like this Qiankun Bag, merely a Low Grade Spirit Treasure, truly not worth it.
Never mind, I will use Spiritual Qi to form a cauldron for now. In the future, when I find an Opportunity, I will search for Alchemy Cauldron-type Spirit Treasure in the Great Desolation."
With that, Taichu pointed into the Void Realm with his right hand, and Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi seemed to respond to his call, converging continuously.
In the blink of an eye, a large cauldron formed from Spiritual Qi floated steadily in the Void Realm.
With the Alchemy Cauldron ready, a dazzling array of spiritual fruits and spiritual materials instantly appeared beside Taichu.
Facing such a multitude of Heaven And Earth Treasure, Taichu hesitated for a moment: "What kind of Medicinal Pill should I refine?"
After much thought, Taichu had an idea and raised his hand, throwing countless spiritual fruits and spiritual materials into the Alchemy Cauldron.
Under Taichu's control, the Heaven And Earth Treasure inside the Alchemy Cauldron gradually began to churn, melt, and slowly liquefy.
Seeing this, Taichu's face showed a hint of joy: "It seems my talent in the Dao of Alchemy is not bad."
However, good times did not last. "Bang!" With a loud bang, an explosion suddenly occurred inside the Alchemy Cauldron, and thick black smoke instantly filled the air.
When the black smoke dispersed, only a lump of pitch-black powder remained inside the cauldron.
Clearly, Taichu's first Alchemy attempt ended in failure.
"What a waste of these spiritual materials," Taichu shook his head slightly, though without much dejection, and raised his hand to clear out the black powder from the cauldron.
After a brief adjustment, he once again sent a batch of Heaven And Earth Treasure into the Alchemy Cauldron, beginning a new round of attempts.
For a time, dull explosions occasionally echoed from within the Blood Sea.
After an unknown period, the explosions finally ceased, replaced by a faint, elegant pill fragrance, gently wafting through the Blood Sea Dao field.
"Hahaha, I finally succeeded!" Taichu looked at the golden-glowing Medicinal Pill in the Alchemy Cauldron, his face full of smiles, unable to hide his excitement.
He carefully took out the Medicinal Pill and put it into his mouth. A moment later, Taichu nodded slightly: "Although the effect is slightly different from what I expected, as a Medicinal Pill successfully refined for the first time, it's already quite good."
This Medicinal Pill was the Nine Revolutions Golden Core (Pseudo) refined by Taichu. Compared to the Nine Revolutions Golden Core personally refined by Laozi, it was naturally worlds apart.
However, its efficacy should not be underestimated; living beings below the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm could consume it to increase their cultivation once without side effects.
"This Medicinal Pill has limited use for me. After the Dragon Han Calamity, I will go to the Great Desolation.
At that time, these Medicinal Pills can be used as gifts for making friends or for junior Cultivators," Taichu secretly pondered, then casually grabbed some more Heaven And Earth Treasure and threw them back into the Alchemy Cauldron, continuing to refine Medicinal Pills.
"Bang!" The sound of a cauldron exploding echoed again in the Dao field. However, as Taichu refined more pills and gained more experience, the frequency of cauldron explosions became lower and lower.
Time flowed by, and tens of thousands of years passed in a flash.
Now, small mountains of Medicinal Pills had accumulated in the Dao field.
These Medicinal Pills were, of course, not all Nine Revolutions Golden Core.
Over the years, Taichu had continuously experimented and deduced, refining various types of Medicinal Pills using vast amounts of spiritual materials.
However, most of these Medicinal Pills were suitable for Cultivators below the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm, with only a very few having an effect on Taiyi Golden Immortal.
On one hand, although Taichu's Alchemy level had advanced by leaps and bounds with the "nourishment" of massive spiritual materials, his own cultivation was, after all, only at the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm, so the quality of the Medicinal Pills he refined was inevitably limited;
On the other hand, the spiritual fruits and spiritual materials used to refine the Medicinal Pills were mostly produced by Low Grade Innate Spiritual Root, so it was extremely difficult to refine Medicinal Pills with significant effects on Grand Unity Golden Immortal using them.
Taichu glanced at the Alchemy Cauldron beside him; at this moment, about a hundred Medicinal Pills were being refined inside.
Now, with Taichu's deepening understanding of the Dao of Alchemy and increasingly skilled refining techniques, ordinary Medicinal Pills could be refined by the thousands in one batch. Only when refining higher-grade Medicinal Pills would he choose to refine only about a hundred in one batch.
Moreover, at this moment, Taichu no longer needed to concentrate fully on the Alchemy process; he only needed to separate a trace of his Divided Soul to control the Alchemy Cauldron.
"These Medicinal Pills should be enough. Alchemy has also gone on for a long time; it's time to stop for now," Taichu stretched lazily. For an existence of his Realm, a few thousand years passed in a blink of an eye, and he would not feel the slightest fatigue. Stretching was more of a habit inherited from his previous life.
Taichu stood up, waved his hand, and collected all the mountains of Medicinal Pills piled beside him into his bag.
Then, he looked at the Qiankun Bag at his waist and frowned slightly: "The Qiankun Bag I refined is ultimately too crude." But with his current Artifact Refining level, even if he refined it again, it would be difficult to achieve a qualitative improvement, so he could only continue to use it for now.
"Brother's secluded cultivation this time has truly been too long. It seems that breaking through to become a Grand Unity Golden Immortal is by no means easy," Taichu sighed slightly, looking at Minghe, who was cultivating with his eyes closed not far away.
At this time, the Enlightenment Dao Tea Leaf beside Minghe was almost gone. Even with treasures like these Enlightenment Dao Tea Leaf assisting him, Minghe showed no signs of a Breakthrough at this moment.
"Huh? At this time, living beings have actually intruded into my Blood Sea? Strange, one of the auras seems familiar. Could it be someone I know?" Taichu's heart suddenly stirred, sensing that two unfamiliar auras had quietly appeared within the Blood Sea.
"Brother is in secluded cultivation and should not be disturbed. I will go out and see who these distinguished guests are, coming to visit at this time." Taichu waved his hand, concealing Minghe's secluded cultivation area, then activated his Lotus Step movement technique, transforming into a streak of light, and sped towards the direction from which the auras came.
"Bi'an? It's quite rare for someone from the Dragon Clan to visit.
The one beside him, from his appearance, should be Prison Ox, the eldest son of Ancestral Dragon. But what brings these two to the Sea of Blood this time?"
Taichu keenly sensed an unusual aura and quickly rushed over to investigate. When he saw that the visitors were Bi'an and Prison Ox, he couldn't help but feel puzzled.
Taichu looked at Bi'an and Prison Ox in the distance with some confusion. Although Taichu hadn't left the Sea of Blood during this period, from his understanding, the three clans should be constantly fighting under Luo Hou's instigation, so he couldn't quite comprehend their arrival.
In reality, Taichu didn't know that during the years he had been back in the Sea of Blood, the Primordial Land had, on the contrary, entered a rare period of calm.
And this seemingly abnormal calm was also greatly related to Taichu.
Previously, Taichu, Minghe, and Bi'an had joined forces to slay the Evil Toad, successfully rescuing Bi'an.
This was originally an accidental act, but it unexpectedly triggered a series of chain reactions.
After Bi'an's reminder, Ancestral Dragon noticed the Demon Race forces secretly created by Luo Hou. Out of concern for the Dragon Clan's safety, he directly carried out a major purge throughout the entire Dragon Clan, adhering to the principle of "better to kill a thousand innocents than to let one guilty person escape."
Moreover, Ancestral Dragon also found Luo Hou and had a fight. Although Ancestral Dragon ultimately lost, it was also because of this incident that Luo Hou became more vigilant.
After fighting with Ancestral Dragon, Luo Hou decisively abandoned many demon seeds within the three clans, attempting to preserve the core strength of the Demon Race.
But even so, the Demon Race still suffered heavy losses.
At the same time, the Phoenix and Qilin Clans also keenly detected the existence of the Demon Race in this turmoil.
Faced with this sudden change, Luo Hou, in desperation, had no choice but to order the demon seeds lurking within the three clans to temporarily lie low and cease their activities.
Without the Demon Race fanning the flames behind the scenes, the conflicts between the three clans, though not completely quelled and still occasionally erupting in small-scale battles, had significantly eased compared to before.
It was precisely for this reason that Bi'an and Prison Ox had the opportunity to spare time and rush to the Sea of Blood.
Of course, their visit this time was by no means for leisure, but with a clear purpose.
As for why Prison Ox, being a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, failed to detect Taichu's whereabouts, the reason is quite simple.
At this time, the Sea of Blood's will had an even greater degree of recognition for Taichu than for Minghe.
The Sea of Blood's will, out of instinct, quietly concealed Taichu's tracks.
With the protection of the Sea of Blood's will within this Sea of Blood, even a Grand Unity Golden Immortal would find it extremely difficult to precisely locate Taichu and Minghe.
"Bi'an, are you sure those Two Fellow Daoists you mentioned were truly born in this Sea of Blood?" Prison Ox looked at the turbid, foul-smelling Sea of Blood with a disgusted expression, then turned to ask Bi'an.
His tail unconsciously swayed slightly, an outward manifestation of his extreme discomfort with the harsh environment.
Although the impurities in the Sea of Blood would not cause substantial harm to Prison Ox with his cultivation as a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, for him, who had long lived in blessed lands and was accustomed to clean environments, the Sea of Blood was simply like a trash can, and staying for another moment was an ordeal.
"Probably… I shouldn't be wrong." Bi'an's reply lacked some confidence, and his expression was even more uncomfortable than Prison Ox's.
After all, his strength was only at the Taiyi Golden Immortal Perfected Realm Realm, and the turbid Qi of the Sea of Blood would more or less have some slight effect on him.
Although Bi'an had heard of the terrible conditions of the Sea of Blood before, it was only when he experienced it firsthand that he realized reality was far more terrifying than imagined; they had truly underestimated the wretchedness of the Sea of Blood.
"To think that such a terrible place could give birth to two exceptionally talented individuals like Taichu and Minghe. The world is truly full of wonders," Bi'an said, shaking his head and sighing.
"It seems they really are here for my brother and me. But why are they looking for us?" Taichu hid in the shadows, listening clearly to their conversation, and pondered to himself.
"I'll hold my ground for now and observe in secret for a while. If there's nothing unusual, it's best to avoid meeting them if possible."
Taichu understood that ever since his last trip to Honghuang, he and Minghe had been deeply caught in the vortex of the Calamity, making it difficult to withdraw completely.
However, their current involvement with the Calamity was not yet deep.
If they were to rashly have frequent contact with the Dragon Clan, or even join them, by the time the Dragon Han Calamity ended, the immense Karma borne by the Dragon Clan could very likely affect them.
By then, it would be too late for regrets.
Moreover, to be fair, the Dragon Clan was extremely overbearing in Honghuang, which led to Taichu's impression of them being far from good.
Contacting the Dragon Clan now was clearly more disadvantageous than beneficial.
Based on these considerations, Taichu naturally did not wish to easily meet Bi'an and the others.
But he couldn't suppress his curiosity and wanted to find out why Bi'an and Prison Ox had come to the Sea of Blood to find him.
Thus, Taichu decided to cautiously follow behind Bi'an and Prison Ox, secretly investigating the truth.
And so, Taichu, like a ghost, silently followed Bi'an and Prison Ox for a full hundred years.
During this long century, Taichu, relying on his extraordinary patience and keen insight, pieced together their purpose for this visit from the fragmented conversations between the two.
It turned out that their purpose this time was quite similar to their previous encounter: to persuade Taichu and Minghe to join the Dragon Clan.
However, what was different this time was that the order to recruit them had actually been personally issued by Ancestral Dragon.
"Why is Ancestral Dragon suddenly so keen on recruiting us brothers? Could it be that our meeting with Hongjun was known to Ancestral Dragon?" Taichu was greatly shocked to hear that Ancestral Dragon had personally ordered their recruitment.
He and Minghe were merely Taiyi Golden Immortals. Even if their combat strength was outstanding among their peers, in the current Honghuang World, where Taiyi Golden Immortals were as numerous as clouds, they were certainly not figures who could attract Ancestral Dragon's attention.
By conventional reasoning, they were truly difficult to enter Ancestral Dragon's Dharma Eye.
Now, Ancestral Dragon was making such a big fuss, not only personally issuing the order but also sending his own offspring to invite them.
Taichu thought long and hard, and the only reasonable explanation was that Ancestral Dragon knew about their tens of thousands of years of travel with Hongjun on Mount Buzhou, and believed them to be key pieces in Hongjun's secret arrangements.
Recruiting them brothers was intended to recruit Hongjun.
"Since their goal is to get us to join the Dragon Clan, there's even less need for contact." Taichu had made up his mind. After knowing the other party's intentions, he decisively decided to leave.
He was unwilling to get involved in the Dragon Clan's disputes, and moreover, this matter might also involve Hongjun, which made Taichu even more cautious and unwilling to easily get involved.
As for whether Bi'an and Prison Ox could find their Daoist temple on their own, Taichu had his own judgment.
The Sea of Blood is vast and boundless, and it would be almost impossible to precisely locate Taichu and Minghe's Daoist temple within this immense Sea of Blood without tens of thousands of years.
And Taichu felt it was unrealistic to expect Bi'an and Prison Ox to spend tens of thousands of years searching in such a harsh environment as the Sea of Blood.
One must know that Luo Hou had only temporarily hidden his tracks and gone into seclusion, but this did not mean that he had abandoned his sinister plans.
Now that tens of thousands of years had passed, perhaps soon, Luo Hou would stir again, initiating a new round of bloodshed.
At that time, Bi'an and Prison Ox, as important members of the Dragon Clan, would certainly rush back to the East Sea immediately.
"Damn it, why now of all times! This is too coincidental; it seems there's no avoiding it this time." Taichu gazed at the intense Spiritual Qi fluctuations in the distant sea of blood and sighed heavily.
The distant sea of blood seemed to be stirred by an invisible giant hand, as countless Spiritual Qi madly converged, forming a massive Spiritual Qi vortex, as if it wanted to pull the entire sea of blood into it.
Taichu knew in his heart that this was definitely the commotion caused by Minghe's Breakthrough to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm.
Normally, Taichu should have been overjoyed that Minghe was about to Breakthrough to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
But at this moment, his brows were tightly furrowed into a 'river' shape, filled with helplessness and worry.
For no other reason than Minghe's Breakthrough timing was simply too inconvenient.
Currently, Prison Ox and Bi'an were still exploring their location within the sea of blood.
The commotion of Minghe's Breakthrough was so immense, like a lighthouse in the dark, that it would inevitably attract the two of them.
"Is this the power of the tribulation?" Taichu murmured to himself, his expression solemn, and slowly shook his head.
He understood in his heart that Minghe's Breakthrough at this sensitive time was by no means accidental; it was most likely manipulated by the invisible hand of the tribulation.
Under the tribulation, the development of all things seemed to be pulled by a mysterious force, moving towards a predetermined direction.
However, Taichu had no time to ponder the tribulation at the moment; the urgent task was to return to his Daoist temple as quickly as possible to protect Minghe during his Breakthrough.
Time was pressing, allowing no delay.
Taichu immediately activated his Divine Ability, a faint halo of light appearing around him, and the blood sea water beneath his feet seemed to come alive, automatically opening a path for him.
His figure flashed, like a streak of light, rushing towards the Daoist temple with lightning speed, leaving only a blurred afterimage in his wake.
"What's happening over there?" Bi'an noticed the astonishing Spiritual Qi anomaly in the distance, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes, and couldn't help but ask.
He looked up, staring at the area where light was shining, his brows slightly furrowed, his face filled with curiosity and vigilance.
"This commotion should be a powerful expert attempting to Breakthrough to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm. However, this commotion is a bit too large; it seems this Fellow Daoist who is Breaking through is by no means an ordinary person." Prison Ox's expression was solemn, his tone carrying a hint of awe.
His gaze was deep, tightly fixed on the center where the Spiritual Qi converged, as if he wanted to penetrate through layers of mist to see the mystery within.
The aura fluctuations coming from afar were much stronger than the commotion when he himself Broke through to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal back then, which made Prison Ox feel a hint of doubt in his heart, shaking his own judgment slightly.
"However, the Cultivation environment of this sea of blood is so harsh that it's difficult for living beings to be born here. In my opinion, the one Breaking through right now is most likely the Fellow Daoist Minghe you mentioned." Prison Ox turned to look at Bi'an, a hint of certainty flashing in his eyes.
"It's very likely Fellow Daoist Minghe. The last time we met them, Fellow Daoist Minghe was only one step away from the Grand Unity Golden Immortal. After such a long period of secluded Cultivation, he has likely reached the critical moment of Breakthrough." Bi'an nodded, agreeing with Prison Ox's conjecture.
"Since that's the case, let's go and see. Even if it's not Fellow Daoist Minghe, getting to know a Grand Unity Golden Immortal is by no means a bad thing for our Dragon Clan." A gleam flashed in Prison Ox's eyes as he spoke decisively.
With that, he and Bi'an moved, transforming into two streaks of light, and sped towards the direction where the Spiritual Qi was converging.
...
"It seems I returned just in time."
Taichu returned to his Daoist temple and saw Minghe still immersed in his Breakthrough state, a huge weight finally lifted from his heart, and he let out a long sigh.
Although there were few other living beings in the sea of blood, making it relatively safe, and Taichu had carefully arranged some protective measures before going out, when it came to the critical moment of Minghe's Breakthrough, he would never feel at ease if he wasn't by Minghe's side.
At this moment, Minghe sat quietly in the center of the Daoist temple.
Above his head, the illusory forms of three flowers shimmered faintly.
These three flowers were symbols that would only condense when one Cultivated to the Grand Unity Realm; although they were only illusory forms and in a bud state at this moment, the powerful force contained within them already caused the surrounding space to tremble.
Only when these three flowers fully blossomed could Minghe truly step into the Realm of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
The Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm was completely different from previous Cultivation Realms, akin to a brand new world.
Once one entered the Realm of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal, they truly achieved "immortality and indestructibility" in a real sense.
The so-called fall of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal was actually just the shattering of their Physical Body and Primordial Spirit; their true spirit would enter a mysterious place—the Dao Ruins.
No one knew the exact location of the Dao Ruins, but all living beings' Legacy memories contained records about the Dao Ruins, shrouding it in a veil of mystery.
Living beings below the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm had their true spirit and Soul merged into one and were not qualified to enter the Dao Ruins.
Once these living beings perished, if their Soul miraculously remained intact, they would involuntarily drift towards the sea of blood.
This was because the sea of blood was originally the designated place of Reincarnation for the Honghuang World; when Houtu later transformed into Reincarnation, they would be reborn into the Six Paths of Reincarnation according to their Karma and Karma.
And the Grand Unity Golden Immortal was the beginning of controlling the Great Dao Laws.
Before the Grand Unity Realm, living beings could only borrow the power of the Great Dao Laws;
However, Grand Unity Golden Immortals began to truly control Laws, able to use the power of Laws at will, as if they had become the masters of Laws.
It can be said that Breaking through to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm was not only a huge leap in Cultivation but also an Origin sublimation from the inside out, a profound transformation of the essence of life.
Taichu watched Minghe, who was Breaking through, with concern.
He knew deeply that Breaking through the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm was by no means easy, and it was full of risks.
If the Breakthrough failed, at best, one's Cultivation would regress, and years of arduous Cultivation would be wasted;
At worst, one would die and have their Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering.
But all Taichu could do at this moment was to quietly stand guard, because the Breakthrough of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal relied entirely on one's own power, and outsiders could not intervene to help.
"It seems my Elder brother still needs some time to Breakthrough." Taichu took a deep look at Minghe, then sat cross-legged not far away, fully concentrating on protecting Minghe during his Breakthrough.
He was constantly vigilant of all movements around him; even the slightest disturbance could not escape his perception.
Time passed by, and unknowingly, Taichu had been protecting Minghe in the Daoist temple for a thousand years.
During this long period, the aura on Minghe's body continuously climbed, like surging waves, each higher than the last.
But strangely, there were no signs of a Breakthrough.
This abnormal situation made Taichu's doubts and worries grow stronger.
According to common sense, although the Breakthrough of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal was difficult, it should not take such a long time.
Taichu couldn't help but begin to suspect whether there was a problem with Minghe's Breakthrough, which made him restless, and he secretly wondered if he should take some measures to forcibly interrupt Minghe's Breakthrough to avoid more serious consequences.
Just as Taichu was hesitating, he acutely sensed two auras quietly appearing outside the Daoist temple.
"It seems Prison Ox and Bi'an still came." Taichu's heart sank, and he sighed helplessly.
He knew that what was meant to come had finally arrived.
"My Elder brother's Breakthrough really has a problem. It seems I have no choice but to meet them." Taichu heard Prison Ox and the other person exchanging words outside the Daoist temple and muttered to himself.
With that, he gently waved his hand, a soft glow appearing around him, and his figure instantly disappeared from his original spot, appearing outside the Daoist temple.
...
Time rewound to the moment Prison Ox and Bi'an arrived outside the Daoist temple.
"This grand Formation, though seemingly plain and unadorned, actually hides profound mysteries.
Although it cannot compare to my Dragon Clan's protective Formation, it should not be underestimated. Judging solely from the layout and operation of the Formation, the person who set up this Formation is probably on par with the Elders in my clan who are proficient in Formations in terms of their attainments in the Dao of Formations."
Prison Ox looked up at the grand Formation before him, his eyes filled with admiration, and he couldn't help but exclaim.
He slowly paced around the grand Formation, carefully observing every detail, occasionally nodding slightly, clearly pondering and analyzing the intricacies of the grand Formation in his mind.
Bi'an's eyes flashed with surprise when he heard Prison Ox's praise.
He knew deeply that his Elder brother, though seemingly amiable on the surface, was extremely proud at heart. To receive such high praise from him, it showed that this grand Formation was indeed extraordinary.
"To receive such praise from Elder brother, it seems the strength of the person who set up this Formation is truly extraordinary. However, I remember that Fellow Daoist Taichu's Formation Dao strength is very high.
If this is truly the Daoist temple of Fellow Daoists Minghe and Taichu, then this grand Formation is very likely set up by Fellow Daoist Taichu." Bi'an said thoughtfully.
"Whether it is the Two Fellow Daoists you mentioned, we will know soon enough." Prison Ox's expression was calm, but a hint of anticipation flickered in his eyes.
He and Bi'an did not rashly go forward to visit, as Minghe was at a critical moment of Breakthrough, and even a slight carelessness could interrupt the Breakthrough process and lead to serious consequences.
In their opinion, rashly intruding at this moment was not making friends but creating enemies for themselves.
"No, this Fellow Daoist's Breakthrough seems to have encountered an anomaly. We probably have to go in and disturb him prematurely." Prison Ox's expression suddenly changed, and his brows furrowed tightly.
Relying on his keen perception as a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, he sensed a slight disturbance in Minghe's aura within the Daoist temple, which made him realize that Minghe's Breakthrough might have encountered trouble.
Just as Prison Ox and Bi'an were about to take action, Taichu's figure slowly walked out from within the Daoist temple.
"Fellow Daoist Bi'an, I didn't expect us to meet again." Taichu looked at Bi'an, a faint smile on his face, and said in a calm tone.
Then, he turned his gaze to Prison Ox beside Bi'an, pretending not to know him, and politely asked, "And this Fellow Daoist is?"
"This is my Elder brother, Prison Ox." Bi'an quickly introduced.
"I heard Fellow Daoist Prison Ox say earlier that my Elder brother's Breakthrough has a problem. What kind of problem is it? I hope Fellow Daoist will not hesitate to enlighten me." Taichu looked at Prison Ox, his eyes filled with eagerness and anticipation, and asked sincerely.
"Fellow Daoist, may I enter the Daoist temple to investigate? I am currently only guessing, and it is truly difficult to determine the specific situation before seeing your Elder brother with my own eyes." Prison Ox pondered for a moment and said slowly.
From his tone, it could be heard that he was not entirely confident in his own judgment, after all, the Breakthrough of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal was full of variables and mystery.
"Since that's the case, Two Fellow Daoists, please come in." Taichu thought for a moment, without much hesitation, and gestured for them to enter.
He understood in his heart that Minghe's Breakthrough was crucial at this moment, and having another Grand Unity Golden Immortal help check the situation might lead to a solution.
With that, he led Prison Ox and Bi'an, and together they walked into the Daoist temple.