Arrival at Mount Zhou

Zhou Jun stood before the nearly completed Stone Tablet, studying it as he wondered whether he should add the four words "Secret of the Sea of Blood." Without them, he felt the Stone Tablet looked somewhat ordinary, lacking the kind of grandeur that would make people eager to see what it contained.

After all, if someone could immediately learn upon seeing the Stone Tablet that it concealed the Secret of the Sea of Blood, surely they would be curious about its contents and want to investigate it. The more Zhou Jun thought about it, the better the idea seemed. Thus, just as the Stone Tablet took its final form, he decisively carved the four words "Secret of the Sea of Blood" onto it.

Once that was done, Zhou Jun examined the Stone Tablet he had refined with satisfaction. He was exceedingly pleased with its overall effect. Then, with great care, he placed it beside the Sea of Blood, as though it were a precious work of art.

The instant the Stone Tablet settled into place, a violent tremor suddenly came from deep underground. Immediately afterward, vast amounts of Resentment of Chaos Gods and Demons surged forth like raging waves. Drawn by some unknown force, they rushed straight toward the Stone Tablet as though intent on destroying it.

Yet the Sea of Blood was like an impregnable defensive line, blocking the resentment's path. Only a tiny fraction managed to pierce through its obstruction and reach the Stone Tablet. Even so, those remnants had already lost the power to damage it and could only circle around it futilely.

Zhou Jun watched quietly as the resentment gradually wrapped itself around the Stone Tablet, as though trying to conceal it. Throughout the process, he did not intervene. He merely observed in silence, seemingly waiting for something to happen.

As Zhou Jun stared at the Stone Tablet, now completely obscured by the Resentment of Chaos Gods and Demons, disappointment and confusion rose within him. He had expected the erection of the Stone Tablet to provoke some reaction from the Heavenly Dao, but the surroundings remained eerily calm, as though nothing had happened.

Zhou Jun could not help asking himself, The Stone Tablet has been erected, and even the Chaos Gods and Demons reacted. Why is the Heavenly Dao utterly unmoved? Is it because the Stone Tablet is underground, beyond the Heavenly Dao's perception? But even then, the Earthly Dao should have noticed it! Yet throughout the entire process, I sensed no trace of either the Heavenly Dao or the Earthly Dao. What exactly is going on?

He continued pondering. Could it be that the Heavenly Dao has only just emerged and is still relatively weak, forcing it to focus all its power on suppressing these Chaos Gods and Demons? Is that why it cannot spare attention for anything else? But the Chaos Gods and Demons caused such an enormous disturbance this time. How could the Heavenly Dao possibly have no reaction at all? Something must have gone wrong somewhere...

The more Zhou Jun considered it, the stranger it seemed. His brow furrowed tightly. Could it be because the Great Dao is managing things on its behalf, so the Heavenly Dao did not intervene directly? But does the Great Dao truly not care about this contest at all? Or does it merely oversee the normal operation of the Primordial Wilderness and pay no attention to such minor changes?

Countless possible explanations flashed through Zhou Jun's mind, yet none of them fully made sense. He felt as though he had fallen into a mystery with no way out.

Zhou Jun frowned and sighed inwardly. His once-hopeful speculation appeared so pale and powerless before reality. Though he had done his utmost to piece together these scattered fragments of information, he knew too little. The pieces were like loose sand, impossible to connect into a complete story.

Unwilling to give up, Zhou Jun cast one last glance toward where the Stone Tablet had stood. Yet the place was now completely empty, as though the Stone Tablet had never existed. The bizarre sight sent a chill through him, while also making him realize that everything he had done was like an illusory dream, fleeting and ephemeral.

What was more, Zhou Jun could clearly sense a strange ripple continuously emanating from that place. Like an invisible hand, it seemed to be trying to erase the entire space completely. Zhou Jun immediately understood that this had to be a deliberate arrangement by the Chaos Gods and Demons, intended to conceal the truth and prevent anyone from discovering it.

Faced with such immense power, Zhou Jun knew he could not contend against it. If he remained here, not only would he fail to uncover the truth, but even the few clues he had painstakingly obtained might vanish as well. Thus, he made a swift decision, turned around without hesitation, and departed. He raced upward like a flying bird, eventually returning to Wuyi Mountain.

After returning to Wuyi Mountain, Zhou Jun found a secluded spot and calmed himself, carefully reflecting on the insights he had gained this time. After deep consideration, he found that his greatest gains lay in formations. The principles of formations that had once been vague and unclear now became lucid in his mind, like an exquisite painting slowly unfolding before his eyes.

However, aside from formations, his gains in other areas were relatively insignificant. Still, that was not what mattered most. To Zhou Jun, the crucial point was that he had successfully broken through the blockade of the Chaos Gods and Demons. This meant that when facing certain matters in the future, he would be able to see their essence more easily and no longer be deceived by appearances.

After resting briefly, Zhou Jun headed straight for Mount Zhou without hesitation. Using his ability to travel through Earth Veins, he moved through the underground like a phantom at astonishing speed. Before long, he arrived at the foot of Mount Zhou.

Standing at the foot of Mount Zhou, Zhou Jun did not rush to verify his thoughts. He quietly gazed in the direction of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, complicated emotions rising within him. Since the Ferocious Beast Dynasty had been established, nearly one-third of the vast Primordial Land had been ravaged by Ferocious Beasts. The living space of the Innate Beings had been continually compressed, and their lives had become increasingly difficult.

Zhou Jun could not help wondering when these Innate Beings would unite and resist the brutal rule of the Ferocious Beasts together. Perhaps that day was not far off.

Moreover, legend had it that the Innate Beings' resistance against the Ferocious Beast army was the will of the Heavenly Dao, which made Zhou Jun doubtful. During the first Discussing the Dao, the Innate Races Alliance had formed spontaneously without anyone taking the lead. Yet everything he had done underground this time had failed to draw even the slightest notice from the Heavenly Dao. Therefore, the claim that this order had come from the Heavenly Dao seemed rather untenable.

Judging by the timeline, the Heavenly Dao would not formally take control of the Primordial Wilderness until after the Dragon-Phoenix Three Clans fought for supremacy. It was still far too early. Zhou Jun even felt that the current Heavenly Dao was merely operating on instinct, while the Great Dao's management served only as a form of supervision.

As for the Ferocious Beast army reaching Mount Zhou, they still had quite a long way to go. After all, Mount Zhou was the center of the Primordial Wilderness. The Innate Beings living here were blessed by nature and far more powerful. Not only did they possess innate advantages, but they also had the ability to contend with the Ferocious Beast army.

Zhou Jun raised his head, his gaze first falling on Mount Zhou before turning toward the direction of the Ferocious Beast army. He scratched his head and muttered, "It seems my earlier judgment was somewhat too hasty."

After pondering for a moment, he continued, "If the Ferocious Beasts truly wreak havoc on Mount Zhou, then it would naturally endanger the Heavenly Dao. After all, Mount Zhou is the foremost mountain of the Primordial Wilderness!"

Zhou Jun gazed at Mount Zhou and mused inwardly, Shen Ni once said that the Ferocious Beasts inherited the enmity between the Chaos Gods and Demons and Pangu. Then the Ferocious Beasts must possess an instinct to destroy Mount Zhou. After all, this mountain represents Pangu, and it contains dense Pangu Dao charm. Its allure to the Ferocious Beasts must be beyond imagination.

He paused before continuing his analysis. "The Heavenly Dao was conceived atop Mount Zhou, so the Ferocious Beasts may very well interfere with the evolution of the Heavenly Dao by destroying Mount Zhou. If so, then the Heavenly Dao issuing an order to exterminate the Ferocious Beasts makes sense."

At that thought, the heavy burden in Zhou Jun's heart finally lifted. He slowly, gently let out a long breath. Yet he did not take any action to stop this from happening. In truth, Zhou Jun had his own plans regarding this matter.

He knew that the mysteries of the Heavenly Dao could not be easily glimpsed. This incident might be an excellent opportunity for him to gain a glimpse into its true nature. Zhou Jun was full of curiosity about the Heavenly Dao and yearned to understand its laws and principles.

Zhou Jun also had another concern. He feared that his intervention might alter the course of the entire situation, causing future developments to stray completely from the direction he desired. After all, he had not yet reached the realm of Daluo Dao Fruit, and his strength was still shallow. If the subsequent changes exceeded his control, his original advantage might vanish entirely.

After careful consideration, Zhou Jun ultimately decided to remain silent and not interfere with the development of this matter. He silently used an escape art and slipped into the Earth Veins like a phantom, as though he knew nothing of it all. His figure swiftly vanished into the depths underground and raced toward the central region of Mount Zhou.