Three Parties' Undercurrents Begin to Converge

Inside the temporary cave dwelling within the primeval mountain range, time quietly slipped away amidst tense cultivation and waiting. Tongtian, enveloped by Chaos Qi, rapidly recovered from the injuries sustained in his battle with the Outer Realm Demon God, nourished by the Chaos Bead. More importantly, his comprehension of the Chaos Great Dao deepened by another layer. The pure destructive and devouring laws of that Outer Realm Demon God, though evil, also served to affirm, from an opposing perspective, the boundless possibilities of Chaos's inclusiveness and evolution.

Qiongxiao and Bixiao also made rapid progress. Their newly formed Chaos Immortal bodies were quite compatible with the primal energy of this primeval land, their cultivation steadily increasing, and their mastery of Chaos Spiritual Power becoming more proficient. Kui Niu faithfully guarded the cave entrance, his keen senses constantly alert to any stir in the outside world.

One day, the space within the cave fluctuated slightly, and two figures returned almost simultaneously and stealthily. They were Wudang and Yun Xiao, who had been to Longevity Mountain and the Netherworld Underworld, respectively.

"Master, the Jade Slip has been personally delivered to Great Immortal Zhen Yuan and Empress Pingxin," they reported in unison, their faces solemn after completing their important mission.

"Good," Tongtian opened his eyes, the divine light within them retracting. "Fellow Daoists, what was their reaction?"

Wudang replied first, "After Great Immortal Zhen Yuan read the Jade Slip, he was silent for a long time. He said that the news brought back by Fellow Daoist confirmed his worst suspicions. The anomalies deep within the earth's ley lines have indeed intensified recently, as if external forces are constantly trying to break through. He has already mobilized the power of the Earth's Fetal Membrane (Earth Book) to reinforce key nodes of the Great Desolation's ley lines and has promised to continue monitoring. If there are any changes in the ley lines, he will know and attempt to stabilize them immediately. He also gifted three Ginseng Fruits, saying they were a token of his regard to help Master recover his vitality." As she spoke, she took out a jade box containing three infant-shaped fruits brimming with spiritual energy.

Tongtian accepted the jade box and nodded. Zhen Yuanzi's reaction was within his expectations. This Ancestor of Earth Immortals acted prudently, not easily expressing his stance, but once he made a promise, he would see it through. Reinforcing the earth veins was precisely the most practical and crucial support needed at this moment.

Yun Xiao continued her report, "After Empress Pingxin learned the details, her will fluctuated intensely. She said that recently, there have been multiple unexplained disturbances at the edges of the Reincarnation channels, with traces of True Spirits being forcibly taken away, which perfectly matches the devouring characteristics of the Demon Gods described in the Jade Slip. She has mobilized the power of Reincarnation to strengthen the channel barriers and has set up the 'Reincarnation Rebirth Great Formation' at the entrances to the Six Paths. Any force attempting to interfere with Reincarnation through abnormal means will trigger an alarm. Empress Pingxin also said..." Yun Xiao paused, her tone somewhat complex, "She also said that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva has been increasingly active at the edge of Reincarnation recently. Although his power of salvation appears righteous, it subtly tends to erode the inherent laws of Reincarnation, making her deeply uneasy. She asked me to convey to Master that the waters of the Netherworld may be deeper than imagined."

Tongtian's expression turned grave. Zhen Yuanzi was responsible for the earth, and Houtu was responsible for Reincarnation. These two places were the foundation and destination of the Great Desolation world. Now that the foundation was being shaken and the destination threatened, the severity of the situation left no room for luck. Furthermore, the shadow of Ksitigarbha and the Western Teachings was once again entangled with this Outer Realm demonic tribulation. Was it a coincidence, or...?

"You have both done very well," Tongtian affirmed his two disciples. "The support from Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuan and Empress Pingxin is crucial. It means we are no longer fighting alone."

He stood up, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the cave. "Now that the Great Desolation earth and the destination of Reincarnation are alerted and beginning to defend themselves, it is time for us to take the initiative."

"Master, are we going to make a move against the Heavenly Court?" Bixiao asked eagerly, hatred flashing in her eyes.

Tongtian shook his head. "The time is not yet ripe. The Heavenly Court is deep and treacherous, Haotian's attitude is ambiguous, and its internal relationships are complex. Acting rashly might alert the enemy, or even lead to a counterattack. Our next target will be those disciples who are 'serving in the Cao camp but with hearts in the Han'."

He was referring to the True Spirits of the Intercepting Sect disciples on the Investiture of the Gods!

"Master wants to contact our senior brothers and sisters on the list?" Yun Xiao immediately understood Tongtian's intention.

"Precisely," Tongtian nodded. "They are trapped by the Investiture of the Gods, unable to act freely, but their True Spirits are not extinguished, and their affection for the Intercepting Sect and for me remains. If we can contact them, not only can we understand more about the Heavenly Court's internal movements, but they might also become a surprise force at a critical moment in the future! More importantly, they are driven by the Investiture of the Gods and constantly patrol various realms of the Great Desolation, perhaps they can detect more clues about the infiltration of Outer Realm Demon Gods."

Wudang expressed her concern, "Master, the Investiture of the Gods was personally bestowed by the Dao Ancestor, a treasure of the Heavenly Dao, and is controlled by Haotian Shangdi. The surveillance is extremely strict. How can we avoid their scrutiny and communicate with the True Spirits on the list?"

A hint of determination flashed in Tongtian's eyes. "Ordinary means will naturally not work. But I am no longer a Saint of the Heavenly Dao and am not completely bound by the laws of the Heavenly Dao. Moreover, I have the Chaos Bead to disrupt Heavenly Secrets. We only need a suitable opportunity, a 'decoy' that can draw away most of Haotian's attention, combined with a special secret technique, and we will have a few chances to communicate briefly with the True Spirits of specific disciples."

He already had a plan in mind. This "decoy" might be the upcoming "Peach Banquet." Haotian values his reputation and always goes all out for the Peach Banquet. At that time, the Heavenly Court's attention will be focused, which will be a good opportunity to act in secret. As for the communication secret technique, it will require combining the shielding ability of the Chaos Bead with a "Blood Sacrifice Spirit Communication Technique" originating from the ancient Witch Tribe. The risk is immense, but it is worth a try.

"Wudang, you are skilled in formations. Immediately begin preparing the basic formation disk for the 'Reverse Spirit Tracing Formation.' Use the materials obtained from the Dragon Palace. Yun Xiao, you are meticulous. Be responsible for deducing the patterns of the Heavenly Court's guard patrols during the Peach Banquet. Qiongxiao, Bixiao, you two continue to stabilize your cultivation and be ready to provide support at any time. Kui Niu, expand your vigilance to a thousand miles. Alert us immediately if there is any anomaly!"

Tongtian quickly issued a series of commands. Everyone accepted their orders and immediately went their separate ways. The atmosphere in the cave dwelling once again became tense and full of drive.

Just as Tongtian was meticulously planning his next move, the "Spark" he had ignited had already begun to show its potential to spread like wildfire.

At the Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain, Zhen Yuanzi summoned several disciples under his command who managed important earth脉 nodes. He secretly instructed them to strengthen their patrols and informed them of the information Tongtian provided regarding the energy characteristics of Outer Realm Demon Gods, ordering them to pay attention to any abnormal fluctuations in the earth脉 that matched it.

In the depths of the Reincarnation Disk in the Netherworld Underworld, Empress Houtu's will quietly strengthened her monitoring of the Six Paths of Reincarnation. The "Reincarnation Rebirth Great Formation" operated silently, like a spread-out spider web, waiting for any moth that dared to touch Reincarnation. At the same time, she regarded the seemingly compassionate Buddhist light of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva with more scrutiny and vigilance.

At the Dragon Palace of the East Sea, although Ao Guang did not directly receive Tongtian's message, he vaguely learned of the turmoil in Chaos and Tongtian's contact with Zhen Yuanzi and Houtu through some secret channels. He became even more certain of his choice, secretly ordering the Dragon Clans of the Four Seas to consolidate their forces, strengthen their underwater defenses, and closely monitor any spatial anomalies within the sea.

On Spirit Mountain in the West, Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Light King Buddha, on Zhunti's orders, "accidentally" passed by a certain place in the Southern Jambudvipa Continent. He encountered a small demon harassing a group of mortals and "saved" the mortals by "converting" the demon. This act, seemingly a common act of merit, had its travel route subtly approaching the primeval mountain range where Tongtian and others were hiding, as if releasing some unfathomable signal.

Undercurrents, under Tongtian's core, began to surge at an accelerated pace. An invisible network targeting the Outer Realm demonic tribulation was quietly being woven. And the central figure of this network was currently gazing at the gradually forming Reverse Spirit Tracing Formation disk before him, his eyes firm.