In the temporary cave abode in the Ancient Mountain Range, time slipped by amid tense cultivation and waiting. Chaos Qi swirled around Tongtian as the injuries he had sustained fighting the Otherworld Demon God rapidly healed under the nourishment of the Chaos Bead. More importantly, his understanding of the Chaos Great Dao had deepened. The Demon God's laws of pure destruction and devouring were evil, but they had also, from the opposite direction, affirmed the boundless possibilities of Chaos and its capacity to encompass and evolve.
Qiongxiao and Bixiao were progressing just as rapidly. Their newly formed Chaos Immortal Bodies resonated with the ancient, primal aura of this place. Their cultivation steadily improved, and they grew increasingly adept at using their Chaos Divine Abilities. Kui Niu faithfully kept watch outside the cave, his keen senses alert to every disturbance beyond.
That day, the space inside the cave rippled faintly. Two figures returned almost simultaneously, slipping in unnoticed. They were Wudang and Yun Xiao, who had gone to Longevity Mountain and the Netherworld Underworld.
"Master, we personally delivered the Jade Slips to Great Immortal Zhen Yuan and Empress Pingxin," they reported together, their faces solemn after completing their important task.
"Good." Tongtian opened his eyes, the divine light in them restrained. "How did our two fellow Daoists react?"
Wudang answered first. "After reading the Jade Slip, Great Immortal Zhen Yuan was silent for a long time. He said the news you brought back confirmed his worst suspicions. The disturbances deep in the earth veins have indeed been intensifying lately, as though some external force were continually trying to break through. He has already used the power of the Earthly Embryo Membrane—the Earth Book—to reinforce the key nodes of the Primordial Earth Veins. He also promised to keep watch, and if anything changes in the earth veins, he will know at once and do his best to stabilize them. He gave us three Ginseng Fruits as well, saying they were a small token of goodwill to help you recover your vitality." As she spoke, she took out a Jade Box containing three spirit-rich fruits shaped like infants.
Tongtian accepted the Jade Box and nodded. Zhen Yuanzi's response was just as he had expected. The Ancestor of Earth Immortals was cautious and steady, not one to make promises lightly. But once he did, he followed through. Reinforcing the earth veins was the most practical and crucial support they could receive right now.
Yun Xiao continued. "When Empress Pingxin learned the details, her will fluctuated violently. She said that lately, several places along the edges of the Reincarnation Channel had suffered disturbances of unknown origin, with signs that true spirits had been forcibly taken away. This closely matched the Demon God's Devouring Characteristic described in the Jade Slip. She has mobilized the Power of Reincarnation to strengthen the channel's walls and established the Reincarnation Great Array at the entrances to the Six Paths. Any force attempting to interfere with reincarnation by abnormal means will trigger an alarm. Her Majesty also said..." Yun Xiao paused, her tone complicated. "She also said that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva has been increasingly active at the edge of reincarnation lately. Though his vow to guide souls toward enlightenment seems righteous, it appears to be subtly eroding reincarnation's inherent laws, which deeply unsettles her. She asked me to tell you, Master, that the waters of the Netherworld may run deeper than we imagine."
Tongtian's expression grew grave. Zhen Yuanzi oversaw the earth, while Houtu oversaw reincarnation. These two were the foundation and final destination of the Primordial World. Now the foundation was being undermined and the final destination threatened. The situation was so dire that they could no longer afford to take chances. And once again, the Western Teachings' Ksitigarbha was entangled in this Outer Realm Demonic Tribulation. Was it coincidence, or...
"You've both done well." Tongtian praised his two disciples. "The support of Daoist Zhen Yuan and Empress Pingxin is crucial. It means we're no longer fighting alone."
He rose to his feet and looked around at everyone in the cave. "The Primordial World Land and the realm of reincarnation are now on alert and beginning to prepare their defenses. Next, it's time for us to take the initiative."
"Master, are we going after the Heavenly Court?" Bixiao asked eagerly, hatred flashing in her eyes.
Tongtian shook his head. "Not yet. The Heavenly Court is a deep pool. Haotian's stance is ambiguous, and its internal relationships are tangled. If we act rashly, we could alert the enemy—or even provoke a counterattack. Our next target is the disciples who are 'in Cao's camp but still loyal to Han.'"
He meant the true spirits of those Jiejiao Disciples on the Investiture of the Gods!
"You want to contact the senior brothers and sisters who were named to the list?" Yun Xiao immediately understood his intent.
"Exactly." Tongtian nodded. "They're trapped by the Investiture of the Gods and cannot act freely, but their true spirits remain intact, and their ties to the Interception Sect and to me are still there. If we can contact them, we can learn more about what's happening inside the Heavenly Court. When the time comes, they might even become an unexpected force. More importantly, the Investiture of the Gods compels them to patrol the many realms of the Primordial World year-round. They may have noticed more signs of the Outer Realm Demon Gods' infiltration."
Wudang looked concerned. "Master, the Investiture of the Gods is a Heavenly Dao treasure bestowed by the Dao Ancestor, and it's under Haotian Shangdi's control. It's monitored very closely. How can we communicate with the true spirits on the list without being detected?"
A resolute glint flashed in Tongtian's eyes. "Ordinary methods won't work. But I am no longer a Heavenly Dao Saint, so the laws of the Heavenly Dao no longer fully bind me. I also have the Chaos Bead to disrupt the secrets of heaven. With the right moment, a 'diversion' to draw away most of Haotian's attention, and a special secret art, I may be able to briefly communicate with the true spirits of specific disciples."
He already had a plan in mind. The "diversion" might come during the approaching Peach Banquet. Haotian cared about appearances, and he spared no expense whenever the Peach Banquet came around. With the Heavenly Court's attention focused on the event, it would be an ideal time to act in secret. As for the communication method, it would require combining the Chaos Bead's ability to conceal with an ancient shamanic Blood Sacrifice Spirit Communication Art. The risks were great, but it was worth trying.
"Wudang, you're skilled in the Array Dao. Begin preparing the foundation disk for the Spirit Reversal Source Tracing Array at once. Use the materials we obtained from the Dragon Palace. Yun Xiao, you're meticulous. Work out the Heavenly Court's guard deployment during the Peach Banquet. Qiongxiao, Bixiao, continue stabilizing your cultivation and be ready to provide support at any time. Kui Niu, expand your watch to a thousand li. Raise the alarm immediately if anything seems amiss!"
Tongtian swiftly issued a string of orders. Everyone acknowledged them and immediately split up to carry them out. The cave abode grew tense again, but it was filled with renewed purpose.
Even as Tongtian busily laid plans for his next move, the "spark" he had kindled was already beginning to spread like wildfire.
At Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain, Zhen Yuanzi summoned several disciples who oversaw important Earth Vein Nodes and secretly instructed them to step up their patrols. He also informed them of the details Tongtian had shared about the Otherworld Demon God's energy characteristics and told them to watch for any abnormal fluctuations in the earth veins that matched.
Deep in the Reincarnation Disk in the Netherworld Underworld, Empress Houtu quietly strengthened her surveillance of the Six Paths of Reincarnation. The Reincarnation Great Array began to operate silently, like a spiderweb spread wide, waiting for any moth daring enough to touch reincarnation. At the same time, she viewed Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's seemingly compassionate Buddha Light with greater scrutiny and caution.
In the Dragon Palace of the East Sea, though Ao Guang had received no direct message from Tongtian, secret channels had given him a vague understanding of the disturbances in Chaos and Tongtian's contact with Zhen Yuanzi and Houtu. This only strengthened his belief that he had made the right choice. He secretly ordered the Four Seas Dragon Clan to pull back their forces and reinforce the defenses of their underwater palaces, while closely monitoring any spatial anomalies in their waters.
At Western Spirit Mountain, Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Light King Buddha obeyed Zhunti's order and "happened" to pass through a certain place in the Southern Jambudvipa Continent. There, he encountered a little demon bullying a group of mortals. He casually "guided" the demon toward enlightenment and "rescued" the mortals. The deed seemed like an ordinary act of merit, but his route had brought him subtly close to the Ancient Mountain Range where Tongtian and the others were hiding, as if he were sending some unfathomable signal.
With Tongtian at the center, invisible currents began to surge faster under the pull of his influence. An unseen network targeting the Outer Realm Demonic Tribulation was quietly taking shape. And at that moment, the central figure in this web was staring at the Spirit Reversal Source Tracing Array Disk as it gradually took form, his gaze unwavering.
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