Ruins of the Old Homeland, Seeking the Scattered Survivors; The System's New Path Leads to the Blood Sea

Spatial Turbulence was like a raging beast, tearing apart everything that entered it. A kaleidoscope of colors streaked backward around them, now scorching like lava, now cold as the netherworld. Countless tiny Space Fragments, sharp as the finest blades, sliced at the azure immortal light protecting Kui Niu.

Tongtian lay across Kui Niu's broad back, feeling its faint tremors. Though Kui Niu was an extraordinary Innate Divine Beast, carrying someone as gravely injured as him through such an unstable makeshift spatial passage had pushed it to its limits.

With difficulty, he raised his hand and slowly channeled the last of his Quasi-Saint magical power into Kui Niu, helping it stabilize its protective immortal light. Each circulation of his power tugged at the cracks riddling his Saint Body, bringing him excruciating pain.

"Almost there. We're almost there." Tongtian quietly soothed his loyal companion, peering through the chaotic streams of light in an attempt to make out what lay ahead.

He could vaguely sense a familiar yet alien aura at the end of the passage: the Primordial World! Though he had no idea where they would emerge, as long as they made it back to the Primordial World, they would have a chance to catch their breath!

At last, with a weary yet resolute bellow from Kui Niu, a blazing white point of light suddenly appeared ahead!

Boom!

A tremendous force of rejection struck. The immortal light around Kui Niu flickered violently as he charged out of the point of light!

The dizzying sensation vanished in an instant, replaced by the heaviness of solid ground beneath them and... an overwhelming density of innate spiritual energy. Yet mingled with that energy was an indescribable sense of decline, desolation, and resentment.

Tongtian snapped his eyes open. The sight before him made his heart clench, and boundless sorrow swept away the faint relief he had felt at escaping danger.

Ruined walls and scorched earth stretched for thousands of miles.

The sacred immortal grounds where celestial light had once pierced the heavens and countless immortals had gathered now lay in lifeless ruins.

Towering palace halls had become shattered boulders, toppled and piled together, their surfaces scarred by dreadful marks left by blades, axes, and supernatural attacks. The spiritual veins had been forcibly severed, the springs run dry, leaving only polluted, stagnant water. The medicinal gardens, once filled with exotic flowers, herbs, and immortal ginseng, now held only withered roots. Hardy weeds sprouted between the ruins, their tenacious life seeming all the more desolate.

Fragments of shattered magical treasures lay everywhere, dim and devoid of spiritual essence. On patches of charred earth, one could even make out long-dried black bloodstains and scattered remains of the furry and horned cultivators...

Besides the fading spiritual energy, the air was permeated by an unshakable resentment and indignation. It was the lingering will of countless Jiejiao Disciples who had perished here, their true spirits not yet fully dispersed, still haunting the land they had loved and sworn to protect.

This was Golden Ao Island in the East Sea, the former site of Biyou Palace!

Tongtian slid off Kui Niu's back and stumbled onto a shattered glazed tile. A soft crack rang out, unusually sharp in the dead silence.

He looked around, his body trembling slightly from weakness and emotion.

This had once been where he taught the Dao, the sacred ground in the hearts of countless immortals, and the symbol of the Interception Sect at its height!

He had once expounded the Great Dao before Biyou Palace, teaching without discrimination and seizing a glimmer of heavenly opportunity for all living beings. His disciples, whatever their origins, had listened to his profound teachings here and advanced in cultivation. When the Myriad Immortals Formation had been set, countless immortals had paid their respects, and the sect's Auspicious Qi had flourished, its might shaking the Primordial World!

Now, only these ruins remained, bearing witness to endless desolation and cruelty.

"Biyou Palace. Golden Ao Island." Tongtian's voice was hoarse and dry. Each word seemed to be forced from his chest, weighed down by blood and tears.

Kui Niu seemed to sense his master's grief. It lowered its head and gently nuzzled Tongtian's arm, letting out a low whine. Its enormous eyes were filled with sorrow. It had witnessed the place at the height of its glory; faced with this devastation, even the spirit beast's heart felt the loss.

Tongtian closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. The air, heavy with decay and resentment, stung his lungs, yet made him see the cruelty of reality all the more clearly.

The Great Tribulation of Investiture of the Gods had not only left the Jiejiao Disciples dead or scattered; it had utterly destroyed the very foundation of their Dao Field. The Saints had acted. How could they have left anything intact? Perhaps these ruins had survived only because Dao Ancestor Hongjun had shown a final moment of "mercy"—or perhaps he simply hadn't bothered to expend the effort to erase them completely.

"This hatred, this grievance..." Tongtian suddenly opened his eyes. The sorrow in them gave way to a nearly tangible, icy killing intent and unshakable resolve. "I, Tongtian, swear here and now: as long as I draw breath, I will make you all repay this a hundredfold!"

A Saint's oath made the words come true. Though he had discarded his Saint Position, his former status and powerful will still stirred the remnants of the world's laws. Even the resentment over the ruins seemed to gather for a moment.

[Host's strong will detected. Dao Heart tempering progress increased. Current injuries stable. Cultivation stabilized at Early Stage Quasi-Saint.] The system's cold notification sounded at the opportune moment. [New task issued: Explore the ruins of Golden Ao Island and seek any surviving members of the Interception Sect. Gather your strength.]

[Task reward: "Origin Repair Fluid" will be awarded according to the number and condition of those found. (Can slowly repair damage to the Saint Body.)]

The system's task briefly drew Tongtian back from his seething hatred.

That was right. The urgent priority was to stabilize his injuries, recover his strength, and find any disciples who might have survived. Hatred needed strength to back it up; helpless rage served no purpose.

He patted Kui Niu. "Old friend, sense whether there are any familiar auras left on the island."

Kui Niu was highly intelligent and especially sensitive to the auras of Jiejiao Disciples. At his words, it immediately raised its head. Its huge nostrils flared, and faint azure ripples spread from its body like sonar as it carefully sensed its surroundings.

Tongtian, too, endured the agony in his Nascent Soul and slowly spread out his divine sense. Its range was limited and his perception blurred, but with Kui Niu's help, he hoped they might discover something.

Time passed bit by bit. The ruins remained utterly still, with only the wind's mournful howling, like the cries of the dead.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Kui Niu's eyes. It gave a low moo and shook its head. Within the range of its senses, there was nothing but dense deathly energy and resentment—no familiar signs of life.

Tongtian's heart sank. Could it be... that not a single one had survived? Not even someone who had gone into hiding?

Just as he was about to give up, a faint pulse suddenly stirred—so weak it was almost impossible to detect, and coming from deep beneath the earth.

It was not the aura of a living being, but more like the lingering rhythm of an exceptionally well-hidden formation. And it carried traces of the familiar Shangqing Immortal Method!

"Below!" Tongtian's gaze sharpened, and he immediately pointed toward where the pulse had come from—the ground directly beneath the ruins of Biyou Palace's main hall.

Kui Niu sensed it too and began pawing at the ground, its movements urgent.

That had once been the core of Biyou Palace, where the guardian formation's eye had stood. Could it be...

Without a moment's hesitation, Tongtian told Kui Niu, "Dig!"

At his command, blue light blazed from the horn on Kui Niu's head. It formed a concentrated bolt of Kui Water Divine Thunder, whose power Kui Niu carefully controlled as it drilled into the ruins.

Boom! Rumble!

Rubble flew and dust billowed. Kui Niu kept its strength in check as it dug deeper.

Tongtian stood at the edge of the pit, watching anxiously. He could feel the faint pulse of the formation growing slightly clearer as they dug.

At last, after they had excavated about a hundred zhang, Kui Niu's lightning seemed to strike something hard. A metallic clang rang out, and a weak blue light flashed before vanishing!

"Stop!" Tongtian called immediately.

Kui Niu ceased digging. At the bottom of the pit lay a badly damaged Azure Stone platform, covered in incomparably complex runes. Most had already dimmed and broken, but a few at the center still stubbornly flickered, sustaining an extremely weak protective barrier.

Beneath the barrier seemed to be a deep cavern entrance leading farther underground.

"This is the entrance to Biyou Palace's underground secret realm!" Tongtian recognized it at once. "That formation was Wudang's work!"

Saint Mother Wudang, one of his four personal disciples, excelled at Array Dao and had a steady, meticulous nature. When the Myriad Immortals Formation had fallen and the Saints had swept through Golden Ao Island, had she secretly laid down this final hidden defense?

Hope stirred in Tongtian's heart. He called into the cavern, "I am Tongtian! Is Wudang inside?"

His voice carried magical power through the weak protective barrier and into the depths of the cavern.

Silence filled the cavern.

A dozen or more breaths passed. Just as Tongtian began to think he had been mistaken, an extremely weak, trembling voice, full of disbelief, came faintly from within:

"Master? Is it really you? How did you..."

Before she could finish, the weak protective barrier rippled and parted like a curtain of water.

Without hesitation, Tongtian stepped through with Kui Niu.

After passing through the barrier and following a rough flight of stairs downward for a short distance, they emerged into a fairly small underground cavern.

The cavern was dimly lit, with only a few Luminous Pearls providing a faint glow. The air was damp, spiritual energy scarce, and only a small Spirit Gathering Formation kept it going.

In the center of the cavern, a figure struggled to rise from a meditation cushion.

She wore a tattered gray Daoist robe. Her face was pale as paper, and her aura was weak, clearly showing that she had suffered severe injuries that had gone untreated for years. Her Dao Foundation seemed to have sustained irreparable damage. Her cultivation had fallen from the Heavenly Immortal realm to the True Immortal level and was extremely unstable.

Yet the instant she saw Tongtian, her eyes blazed with incredulous joy, excitement, and sorrow, along with deep concern.

It was Saint Mother Wudang!

"Master!" When Saint Mother Wudang saw Tongtian's equally battered Saint Body and his aura at rock bottom, she froze. Tears immediately welled in her eyes. She struggled to throw herself to the ground and choked out, "Your disciple Wudang... pays her respects to Master! You... how did you become... This place is dangerous. You shouldn't have come back!"

Her words tumbled out incoherently. She was clearly overwhelmed with excitement and worry. She knew how relentlessly the Saints had suppressed the Interception Sect. With Master returning in this condition, he had practically walked into a trap!

Seeing Saint Mother Wudang in such a state made Tongtian feel as if a great hand had clamped around his heart, leaving him short of breath. He hurried forward to help her, but stumbled himself.

Kui Niu quickly braced Tongtian with its head.

"Wudang, you've suffered." Tongtian's voice was hoarse. A thousand words clogged his chest, but in the end, only those few came out. He could imagine how Saint Mother Wudang had hidden beneath the Saints' noses, then struggled to endure in this lightless underground for all those years, wounded and alone, guarding their last stronghold.

"This disciple hasn't suffered!" Saint Mother Wudang looked up, tears in her eyes, but tried to smile. "Seeing Master again makes my death worthwhile! Master, your injuries..."

"It's nothing. My Saint Position is gone, and my Dao Foundation is damaged, but I survived." Tongtian was brief, but his words carried a world of meaning.

Saint Mother Wudang's pupils contracted in shock. He had discarded his Saint Position? What a world-shaking act! But as she looked at Tongtian's eyes, weak yet utterly resolute and no longer suppressed as they had once been, she seemed to understand.

"What about the others?" Tongtian asked the most important question. "Who else is there?"

Saint Mother Wudang's expression immediately darkened, her eyes filled with immeasurable grief. "There's hardly anyone left. Almost everyone is gone. After the Myriad Immortals Formation fell and the Saints carried out their purge, our senior brothers and sisters either ended up on the Investiture of the Gods or were destroyed in body and spirit..."

Her voice caught. "Senior Sister Guiling... she was killed by that Daoist Mosquito from the West..." At that, she broke down in tears.

Tongtian swayed. Though he had expected as much, hearing it with his own ears was still unbearable.

"However!" Saint Mother Wudang suddenly remembered something and fought back her sorrow. "Senior Sister Guiling's true spirit hasn't completely dissipated! I managed to collect a tiny wisp of her remnant soul with a Soul Nurturing Jade, but... it's too weak. She's fallen into a deep slumber, and I don't know when she might awaken."

As she spoke, she carefully took a warm jade pendant from her robes. At its center, a barely visible thread of pale yellow light flickered weakly.

Holy Mother Guiling's remnant soul!

Tongtian carefully accepted the Soul Nurturing Jade. Feeling the soul's barely perceptible fluctuation, he was overcome by both grief and relief. Thank goodness, there was still a glimmer of hope!

"Well done, Wudang." Tongtian carefully put away the Soul Nurturing Jade. "As long as even a thread of her true spirit remains, I'll find a way to bring her back into the world!"

Just then, the system's notification sounded:

[Task complete: Found surviving disciple Saint Mother Wudang and the remnant soul of Holy Mother Guiling. Calculating rewards...]

[Reward issued: Three drops of Origin Repair Fluid (small). Stored in System Space. Ready to retrieve at any time.]

[New task issued: Heal your injuries and increase your strength. Proceed to the Netherworld Blood Sea and seek the Chaos Bead (fragment). This is a key item on the Path of Hunyuan.]

[Task hint: The Blood Sea's master, Ancestor Minghe, is at Quasi-Saint Peak. He possesses two great killing swords, Yuantu and Abi, as well as the Twelve-Grade Karmic Fire Red Lotus. His strength is formidable. Proceed with caution. Approximate location of the Chaos Bead (fragment): deep within the Blood Sea, beside reincarnation.]

Tongtian's gaze sharpened.

The Chaos Bead? Did fragments of such a Chaos Supreme Treasure truly still exist? And were they in the Netherworld Blood Sea?

He knew how dangerous this journey would be. Ancestor Minghe was a Great Power born at the Beginning of World Creation. He had founded the Asura Clan and established the Asura Teachings, and was known for the saying, "As long as the Blood Sea remains, Minghe will never die." He was one of the most troublesome figures in the Primordial World. Among Quasi-Saints, his strength was unquestionably top-tier; he had even once contended with Empress Nuwa before she became a Saint.

Going to the Blood Sea in his current condition would be like walking straight into a tiger's jaws.

But the system had issued the task, and the Chaos Bead concerned the Primordial Dao. He had no choice!

"Wudang." Tongtian looked at his injured disciple, took out two of the three drops of Origin Repair Fluid awarded by the system, and handed them to her. "This can repair injuries to your source. You and Kui Niu should each take a drop and heal as quickly as you can. I need to meditate in seclusion for a few days and recover some strength."

Saint Mother Wudang sensed the incredibly pure vital essence in the two drops and was stunned. She had never heard of such a treasure! She hurriedly tried to refuse. "Master, your injuries are worse. You—"

"Take them!" Tongtian's tone brooked no argument. "That's an order. Recover as soon as possible. This place isn't safe. We need to leave soon."

He had to go to the Blood Sea, but he could not take the badly injured Wudang and Kui Niu with him. He could only let them heal here while he recovered some strength as quickly as possible, then ventured alone to the Netherworld Blood Sea to fight for that sliver of opportunity!

Seeing how firm Tongtian was, Saint Mother Wudang could only accept the drops through her tears. "This disciple obeys! Master, please be careful!"

Tongtian nodded and said no more. He walked to a corner of the cavern and sat cross-legged. He swallowed the last drop of Origin Repair Fluid, then took some ordinary pills he had obtained from Zixiao Palace and began circulating his power to heal himself with all his might.

The Chaos Bead, Ancestor Minghe, the Blood Sea...

The road ahead was treacherous, but he had no way back.

The Path of Hunyuan began with the first step. The Netherworld Blood Sea would be his first trial!