Mosquito Devours the Blood God, Narrow Escape; Golden Ao Island Refines the Bead and Forges the Dao Foundation

The Blood Sea churned, its baleful aura filling the sky!

Tongtian fled for his life. Behind him came the Blood God Son clone, in hot pursuit, enraged and frenzied. All around him, countless Asura armies had rushed over at the news and formed a Heavenly Net and Earthly Net!

Even more terrifying was the vast will originating from the Blood Sea Origin—the divine sense of Ancestor Minghe. Like an invisible net, it closed in from every direction, constantly shrinking the space in which Tongtian could move. He felt as though he were mired in a swamp, his speed greatly reduced.

[Warning! Suppression by Ancestor Minghe's divine sense is intensifying. Movement speed reduced by 35%! The Blood God Son clone behind you is now within a hundred li! Three Grand Unity Golden Immortal-level Asura generals have appeared to intercept you on the left!]

The system's alarm rang urgently in his Nascent Soul.

Tongtian's face was as pale as paper. The magic power within him was nearly exhausted, and the cracks in his Saint Body had begun to bleed again from the strain of forcing his power beyond its limits. Every breath brought the taste of blood and a tearing pain.

A desperate predicament! A true situation with no chance of survival!

At full strength, he could have broken through with a single sword strike—or even turned around and suppressed this Blood God Son clone. But now, he was a dragon trapped in shallow waters, a tiger fallen on the plains!

I just obtained the Chaos Bead. Am I really going to die here? A powerful unwillingness welled up within Tongtian, yet his gaze grew ever colder and more resolute. "No! That's impossible!"

He abruptly looked toward a direction marked by the system. There lay the narrowest gap in Ancestor Minghe's divine sense suppression—the only possible path to survival! But he would have to force his way through three Grand Unity Golden Immortals to reach it!

So be it!

A fierce glint flashed through Tongtian's eyes. He was about to burn his Life Blood Essence, no matter the cost, and use a forbidden escape technique—

An unexpected change suddenly arose!

Woooo—!!!

A strange buzzing sound, unlike the horns of the Blood Sea, suddenly rang out from the viscous sea below!

The sound was sharp and dense, as though billions of tiny creatures were beating their wings at once. It carried a greed and hunger that made his scalp tingle!

Immediately afterward, the previously calm surface of the Blood Sea below exploded!

Countless black specks erupted from the sea like volcanic ash, swarming out in a dense, overwhelming cloud!

They were not Asura, but strange flying insects, each no bigger than a grain of rice, with pitch-black bodies and bizarre mouthparts! There were too many to count. Gathered together, they formed a terrifying insect cloud that blotted out the sky!

Where the cloud passed, even the surface of the Blood Sea seemed to sink a little! The insects crazily devoured everything in their path—bloodwater, baleful aura, remnant souls, and even some low-ranking Asura who couldn't get out of the way! Those Asura had no time to scream before the insect cloud engulfed them. They were reduced to dry bones, and then even those bones were devoured!

"Blood-Winged Black Mosquitoes?!" The Blood God Son clone pursuing Tongtian abruptly stopped and let out a startled, furious roar. It had clearly recognized the source of the terrifying insect cloud. "You wretched beast! How dare you run amok here!"

It seemed extremely wary of the insect cloud. It even temporarily gave up chasing Tongtian, its entire body blazing with Blood Light as it cautiously faced the oncoming swarm.

The three Grand Unity Golden Immortal-level Asura generals preparing to intercept Tongtian also paled. They hurriedly brought out their magical treasures to protect themselves and their subordinates, bracing for a formidable enemy.

"Daoist Mosquito?!" Tongtian was also taken aback. He instantly recalled the origins of this infamous creature.

Apart from Ancestor Minghe, the Blood Sea had also given birth to another unusual creature: the Blood-Winged Black Mosquito, also known as Daoist Mosquito. This creature was extremely powerful and bloodthirsty. It had once sucked Holy Mother Guiling dry of her Life Blood Essence and cultivation, and had even devoured three grades of the Western Teachings' Twelve-Grade Golden Lotus of Merit! Even Ancestor Minghe found it troublesome and was unwilling to provoke it lightly.

Why had it suddenly appeared here? And why was it causing such a commotion?

Tongtian keenly noticed that the enormous insect cloud did not seem to be entirely aimless. Though the insects crazily devoured everything, their main target was precisely the Quasi-Saint-level Blood God Son clone! It was as though the clone held an irresistible attraction for them!

That was it! The Blood God Son clone had been refined by Ancestor Minghe using the Blood Sea Origin. Its energy was incredibly pure—perfect nourishment for Daoist Mosquito!

Heaven is helping me! Tongtian immediately understood. This sudden turn of events was his only chance to escape!

He did not hesitate. Mustering the last trace of his magic power, he took advantage of the instant when the Blood God Son clone and the countless Asura were held back by Daoist Mosquito's swarm. Like an arrow loosed from a bow, he shot toward the only gap!

"Stop him!" Though the Blood God Son clone was surrounded by the swarm and bitten until its Blood Light dimmed, it still remembered to roar out an order.

Several Grand Unity Golden Immortal generals tried to intervene, but the moment they let their guard down, a large section of the insect cloud broke off and rushed toward them, forcing them to fall back and protect themselves.

Tongtian narrowly skimmed the edge of the insect cloud, becoming a faint streak of light as he broke through the encirclement in an instant, leaving the chaos and roars far behind!

[Successfully escaped the central encirclement! Ancestor Minghe's divine sense lock has weakened! Recommended: flee northwest immediately. The Asura guards in that area have left an opening due to Daoist Mosquito's attack!]

The system immediately provided the optimal route.

Tongtian didn't look back. He pushed his speed to its limit, even aggravating his injuries once more as he fled frantically.

He could feel that the vast will deep within the Blood Sea had grown even angrier. An even more terrifying power was gathering. It seemed Ancestor Minghe's true body was about to be thoroughly provoked into taking action personally!

Faster!

Following the system's directions, he darted through the chaotic Blood Sea like a slippery loach, avoiding wave after wave of scattered interceptors.

He didn't know how long it had been, but the sounds of pursuit, the buzzing, and the suffocating pressure gradually faded into the distance. The baleful aura around him began to thin as well.

At last, the normal colors of the Netherworld appeared ahead. He had reached the edge of the Blood Sea!

Tongtian burst out of the Blood Sea and returned to the relatively "normal" Nine Netherworlds. He didn't dare stop for even a moment, continuing to flee in the direction of the Primordial World Land.

Only after he had gotten far from the Blood Sea and could no longer sense its chilling aura did he dare to slow down a little. He found a secluded mountain range in the Netherworld, opened a temporary cave abode, laid down a simple Concealment Formation, and collapsed inside.

"Pfft—"

No longer able to suppress his injuries, he abruptly spat out a large mouthful of golden Saint blood, mixed with fragments of his internal organs. His aura instantly plunged to rock bottom. Darkness swam before his eyes, and he nearly passed out.

This time, he had been too badly injured! His magic power was completely exhausted, his Saint Body was on the verge of collapse, and his Nascent Soul was dim and lifeless.

He struggled to take out several pills and swallow them, then used the last trace of his power to activate the nascent Primordial Dao Seed, slowly absorbing the meager Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy around him to keep himself alive.

[The host's condition is extremely dangerous! Recommended: use the Chaos Bead (Fragment)! Its Chaos Origin can nourish the Primordial Dao Seed, which will in turn replenish the host and repair his injuries!]

The system's prompt was like a lifeline.

Tongtian's eyes lit up. He forced himself to sit up and carefully took out the Misty Grey radiance he had temporarily sealed inside his robes.

He removed the seal, revealing the Chaos Bead (Fragment), which gave off a pure and gentle Chaos Aura.

He carefully sent out a wisp of divine sense and drew forth a tiny thread of Chaos Qi, guiding it into his body.

Hum!

The moment that Chaos Qi entered his body, it was like rain after a long drought, quickly absorbed by the famished Primordial Dao Seed. The seed visibly grew a little larger, then released a purer, more easily absorbed Chaos Energy. It slowly flowed through his limbs, nourishing his damaged Saint Body and exhausted dantian.

It worked!

Tongtian was overjoyed. Suppressing his excitement, he began to slowly absorb and refine the Chaos Bead's energy, a thread at a time.

The process was extremely slow and required his full concentration; he couldn't afford the slightest mistake. Chaos Qi was powerful, but also overbearing. If he absorbed it too quickly, it could instead burst his already fragile body.

Time passed slowly as he healed.

He didn't know how long it had been when Tongtian opened his eyes again. His face was still pale and his aura remained weak, but at least he had stabilized and was no longer in danger of dying.

He let out a long breath, a trace of lingering fear and relief in his eyes.

This trip to the Blood Sea had been far too dangerous. If Daoist Mosquito hadn't happened to appear and draw the enemy's attention, he would have been doomed.

"Daoist Mosquito... Why did he suddenly appear? And why did he happen to attack the Blood God Son clone?" A trace of doubt stirred in Tongtian's heart. Could something so coincidental really happen?

He shook his head and stopped thinking about it. His top priority was to return to Golden Ao Island as soon as possible, fully refine the Chaos Bead, and recover his strength.

He put away the Chaos Bead and set off for home again. This time, he was even more careful, avoiding any possible eyes and ears.

Several days later, the ruins of Golden Ao Island came into view once more along the East Sea Coast.

Seeing the desolate scene, Tongtian's heart remained heavy, but he felt even more determined. He quietly slipped underground and returned to the hidden cavern.

"Master!" Saint Mother Wudang, who had been meditating, immediately jolted awake. When she saw Tongtian in such a miserable state, she turned pale with fright and hurried over to support him.

Kui Niu also anxiously crowded around and rubbed against Tongtian with its head.

"I'm fine. Just superficial wounds." Tongtian waved a hand to show he was all right. "Did anything happen while I was away?"

"Reporting to Master, everything is well. No outsiders have noticed this place." Saint Mother Wudang hurriedly replied. Seeing Tongtian's terrible injuries, tears filled her eyes. "Master, you..."

"I got it." Tongtian gave her a tired but relieved smile. "I need to enter seclusion at once. Wudang, Kui Niu, stand guard for me. Don't let anyone disturb me!"

Hearing that he had gotten it, Saint Mother Wudang was first taken aback. Then she saw the long-lost light in Tongtian's eyes and seemed to understand. She nodded firmly. "This disciple obeys! I won't let anything disturb you!"

Tongtian said no more. He went to the deepest part of the cavern and waved his hand, laying down several layers of even stronger seals.

He sat cross-legged and took out the Chaos Bead (Fragment) once more.

This time, he wouldn't absorb it a thread at a time. He was going to refine it with all his might and initially fuse it into his Primordial Dao Seed!

He circulated the secret art taught by the system. The Primordial Dao Seed emerged from his dantian, releasing a suction force that enveloped the Chaos Bead.

Hum!

The Chaos Bead trembled slightly, as if resisting.

Tongtian remained calm and patient, soothing it with the same-source Chaos Aura and the secret art as he refined it.

Days passed.

The Chaos Qi in the cavern grew denser and denser, even condensing into grey mist that completely swallowed Tongtian's figure.

Within the mist, the faint sound of the Great Dao could be heard, like the rumbling of the Beginning of World Creation. At times, scenes of Earth Water Fire Wind re-forming appeared and vanished.

Saint Mother Wudang and Kui Niu stood guard at a distance, both shocked and delighted by the grand, ancient aura.

They could feel that Master's aura was undergoing some kind of fundamental transformation. Though his cultivation realm was advancing slowly, his foundation and rank were continuously rising!

At last, after seven cycles of seven days—forty-nine days in total!

All the chaotic mist abruptly drew inward and poured into Tongtian's body!

He suddenly opened his eyes. In his pupils, an image of Chaos Opening and the evolution of galaxies flashed past!

He opened his palm. The Chaos Bead (Fragment) had vanished. Inside his dantian, the Primordial Dao Seed had completely changed!

It had originally been only a faint point of light, but now it had transformed into a pigeon-egg-sized, Misty Grey, perfectly round, gleaming phantom of a Dao Fruit! Within it, a tiny, unstable Chaos Vortex could just barely be seen, slowly turning.

The Chaos Bead (Fragment) had been initially refined and had become the core foundation of this Primordial Dao Fruit!

Though his cultivation was still only at the Early Stage Quasi-Saint level, his magic power was purer and more profound than that of others at the same stage! His Saint Body had also recovered around thirty percent of its injuries under the nourishment of the Chaos Origin! Most importantly, the path ahead was clear, and the foundation of the Primordial Dao had finally been laid!

Tongtian slowly clenched his fist, feeling the power newly born within him—power that was entirely his own and no longer subject to the restrictions of Heaven's Dao. Brilliant light burst from his eyes.

"The Path of Hunyuan begins today!"