After staying in Wa Huang Palace for a while, Chen Song felt like this salted fish was about to be thoroughly pickled by the responsibilities of the "Holy Father" and the Dao aura of a Saint.
"No, no, I can't take it anymore! If I stay any longer, I'll start thinking I'm really some serious, steady elder!" Chen Song rubbed his face, soaked from Big White's licking. (That stupid dog had recently started calling itself the "Holy Father's sole designated mount" and was getting more and more smug.) He decided he absolutely had to go out and have some fun.
He asked Saint Nuwa if he could go out "to travel, observe the people's conditions, and seek more opportunities for humanity's future."
Now that Nuwa had become a Saint, her mindset had become far more detached. Unlike the Three Pure Ones, she was not so strict. She glanced at Chen Song and said evenly, "Go if you wish. Should danger arise, simply recite my name in your heart."
Her tone was calm, yet it carried the confidence and dominance unique to a Saint. The meaning was obvious: in the entire primordial world, there were not many who could touch the people—or dogs—under her protection right before her eyes!
Chen Song was overjoyed. "Thank you, Martial Uncle!"
Sure enough, having a Saint's thigh to cling to felt amazing! His freedom level had instantly maxed out!
Without another word, he kicked awake Big White, who was secretly eating the Spirit Fruits offered by humans. "Stupid dog! Stop eating! We're leaving! Destination—the western reaches of the primordial world! Let's take a spontaneous trip!"
He had once been somewhat worried that if he went too close to the west, some shameless fellow might declare, "You have affinity with the West!" and forcibly ferry him over there. But now that he had his first powerful backer, there was nothing to fear, right?
"Woof! The west? It's a little barren over there, but there might be local specialties we've never seen!" The moment Big White heard they were going out, he perked up and skillfully grew larger.
Chen Song flipped onto his back and waved grandly. "Dog-riding flight, touring the primordial world! Let's go!"
With Saint Nuwa as his backer, Chen Song felt his spine straighten considerably. Riding Big White, he raced about the western lands of the primordial world without restraint, admiring the desolate scenery so unlike that of the east.
As they reached a barren valley, a faint bloody, baleful aura filled it, utterly out of place amid the surrounding desolation.
"Huh? This place feels a little sinister, boss." Big White sniffed, wariness appearing on his canine face. "It smells like... rust mixed with rotten fruit?"
Chen Song also sensed that something was wrong. Just as he was about to use his divine sense to investigate—
Bzzzz—
An irritating buzzing rose from deep within the valley. A pitch-black "cloud" suddenly surged up and rushed toward them at tremendous speed! Only when it drew close did they see clearly that it was no cloud at all, but countless strange mosquitoes the size of fists, covered in crimson and bearing sharp mouthparts!
The leading one was even larger, the size of a calf. Its mouthpart resembled a bloody spear, radiating bloodlust and filth. It was none other than the infamous being born from the Sea of Blood—Mosquito Daoist!
"Hehehe! Such fresh blood and qi! Such pure spiritual essence! And the power of merit! Heaven truly favors me!" Mosquito Daoist let out a piercing cackle. His scarlet compound eyes locked onto Chen Song and Big White, especially the dense aura of merit and Innate Wood spiritual energy surrounding Chen Song. To him, they were simply peerless delicacies!
"Damn! A mosquito demon—and an oversized one at that!" Chen Song jumped in fright. "Big White! Run! Just looking at that thing kills my appetite!"
"Woof! Behold my Energy Devouring Sprint!" Big White's scalp went numb as well. His four paws lifted into the air, lightning flickering around them. (After spending so long around Kui Ox, he had picked up a little lightning affinity.) He turned and prepared to flee.
"Trying to run? Stay and become this Daoist's nourishment!" Mosquito Daoist sneered. His wings vibrated, and he moved with astonishing speed, catching up in an instant. His blood-colored mouthpart carried the force to pierce space itself as it stabbed toward Chen Song's back!
At that critical moment—
"Hmph! Mere mosquitoes and flies dare run wild on this ancestor's territory and suck the blood of passing guests?!"
A cold, domineering voice suddenly rang out, as though it contained the murderous aura of an endless Sea of Blood! The voice carried anger, clearly dissatisfied that someone had dared steal food at his doorstep.
Immediately afterward, the sky above the entire valley was dyed dark red. A phantom image of towering waves of blood churned overhead, and the terrifying pressure of a Quasi-Saint crashed down, more than ten times stronger than Mosquito Daoist's aura!
With a flash of bloody light, a figure in blood-red Daoist robes appeared before Mosquito Daoist and Chen Song. His face was sinister, and the phantoms of the two killing swords, Yuantu and Abi, circled around him.
It was the master of the Sea of Blood, Ancestor Minghe!
"Minghe!" Mosquito Daoist let out a shriek of fury and alarm. "I found this person first!"
"Get lost!" Ancestor Minghe merely barked coldly. With a sweep of his sleeve, a wave of blood shot forth like a giant palm, scattering Mosquito Daoist and the mosquito swarm behind him in all directions and sending them flying back into the depths of the valley.
"Minghe! You've gone too far! This isn't over!" Mosquito Daoist's venomous voice came from deep within the valley, but he did not dare show himself again. Clearly, he was deeply wary of Ancestor Minghe.
After driving away his old enemy Mosquito Daoist, Ancestor Minghe finally turned his gaze toward the still-shaken Chen Song and Big White. His eyes lingered briefly on the faintly visible secondary seal of the Earth Book at Chen Song's waist, the merit from creating humanity that he had yet to completely refine, and the pure aura of Innate Five Elements origin on him. A glint of interest—and... curiosity—flashed through his eyes.
Chen Song's eyes spun. He immediately jumped off the dog's back, piled an utterly natural, somewhat intimate—and flattering—smile onto his face, cupped his hands in salute, and said brightly:
"This junior, Chen Song, thanks Martial Uncle Minghe for coming to my aid!"
He called him "Martial Uncle" so smoothly that it seemed he had practiced it thousands of times.
Ancestor Minghe was momentarily stunned by that "Martial Uncle." A trace of bewilderment passed over his sinister face. He carefully examined Chen Song and confirmed that he did not know this boy, much less share any sectarian connection with him.
"Boy," Ancestor Minghe said, his voice still cold but carrying a hint of confusion, "why do you call this ancestor Martial Uncle?"
Chen Song wore an expression of perfectly justified How could you forget that? as he explained, "Martial Uncle Minghe, you, my Master Laozi, Martial Uncle Yuanshi, Tongtian, and Martial Uncle Nuwa were all guests at Purple Cloud Palace. You all listened to the Great Dao beneath the Dao Ancestor. By that reckoning, aren't you all of the same generation? It is only proper for this junior to call you Martial Uncle!"
His words were flawless. He directly raised Dao Ancestor Hongjun as a banner and lumped everyone who had listened to teachings at Purple Cloud Palace together as "fellow disciples." In any case, the Dao Ancestor had merged with the Dao and could not come out to deny it.
Ancestor Minghe's mouth twitched slightly. That method of claiming connections... was certainly fresh and unconventional. However, Chen Song's mention of "Martial Uncle Nuwa" stirred something within him.
He once again carefully sensed the unique aura of merit on Chen Song, which faintly resonated with Nuwa's Dao of Creation. A horrifying light blazed in his eyes again, like two clusters of blood flames igniting in the darkness!
"Boy!" Ancestor Minghe's voice held a trace of urgency, and he no longer bothered disputing the form of address "Martial Uncle." "The aura of creation merit on you... were you at the place where Saint Nuwa attained sainthood not long ago? Do you know exactly how she proved the Primordial Unity and achieved the Saint Position?!"
He looked like a top student trapped at a bottleneck for countless years who had finally caught someone who knew the standard answer!
Before you continue