Spark to Prairie Fire Returns to Silence, Condensing a Dao Seed; the Green Lotus Points Toward Chaos

Northern Primordial World, a desolate mountain range.

Space rippled, and Tongtian stumbled out with the grievously wounded Kui Niu and Saint Mother Wudang. The moment they left the spatial passage, Tongtian could no longer hold on. He violently spat out a mouthful of dark golden blood, and his aura instantly plummeted. The brilliant dark gray light surrounding him faded completely, while cracks spread across his Saint Body like a porcelain vessel on the verge of shattering.

He had hardily clashed with a Realm Demon God, then forced himself to unleash that "Primordial Unity Strike" beyond his limits, nearly exhausting all his Mental Power and essence. Had Grand Supreme Elder Laozi not protected his heart meridians with the Mysterious Yellow Tower and sent over a wisp of pure Mysterious Yellow Qi to keep him alive, his body and spirit would already have been annihilated.

"Master!" Saint Mother Wudang disregarded her own injuries and hurried to support Tongtian, her eyes brimming with tears and worry. Kui Niu let out a pained mournful bellow, rubbing his huge head against Tongtian, his ox eyes full of concern.

"I'm fine. I won't die." Tongtian's voice was hoarse and weak. He forced himself to sit cross-legged, and the Primordial Unity Scripture began circulating on its own, laboriously absorbing the thin spiritual energy and baleful aura in the world to repair his crumbling body and Nascent Soul. That wisp of Mysterious Yellow Qi was like an exceptionally tough thread, sustaining the last of his vitality as it slowly nourished his parched meridians.

These injuries were far more severe than any he had suffered before. It was not just his magic power that had been drained; his essence had been shaken, and his Dao Foundation was wavering. Even the newly formed Dao Fruit, fused with Chaos and Netherworld, was covered in tiny cracks, its rotation slowed to an extremely sluggish, laborious crawl.

Yet fortune lurked within misfortune. In this state of utter weakness, on the brink of death, Tongtian's mind entered a clarity unlike anything he had experienced before.

He looked back over every moment since he had discarded his Saint Position: the resolve he had shown at Zixiao Palace, the perilous struggle for the Chaos Bead in the Blood Sea, the careful negotiations of his alliance with the Dragon Palace, his scheming amid the Netherworld turmoil, the consolidation of his strength in the Ancient Battlefield, the struggle to communicate with the Investiture of the Gods, and finally, the earth-shattering, life-risking strike before he entered Guixu.

Scene after scene flowed through his Nascent Soul. His understanding of the Hunyuan Dao, his perception of his own power, and his insight into the state of the Primordial World had all become clearer than ever.

The Path of Hunyuan was not merely a matter of accumulating power. It required a profound understanding of and union with all the laws of Heaven and Earth, as well as one's own essence. Chaos embraced all things and could give birth to all things; the Netherworld represented stillness in death, yet also contained new life; the power of other worlds was destructive, yet it was also one aspect of the Great Dao.

His Dao Heart had become more transparent and resolute through this trial of life and death. Though the cracked Primordial Dao Fruit was nearly depleted of energy, the "true meaning" at its core had grown purer and more concentrated.

After an unknown length of time, Tongtian opened his eyes again. His aura remained weak and his face pale, but his gaze was deep as an abyss, as though it could pierce through the mists of ages.

He slowly raised a hand. A faint but exceptionally pure stream of dark gray Qi curled around his fingertip. Unlike before, it no longer surged outward with domineering force. Instead, it was utterly restrained, yet held even more terrifying power and potential.

"Only after breaking can one be remade; life comes from facing death. So that's how it is." Tongtian murmured to himself. He could feel that once his injuries had fully healed, his Hunyuan Dao Foundation would be more stable and powerful than ever. He had even touched the wondrous threshold of Quasi-Saint Peak!

"Master, how are you feeling?" Seeing Tongtian awake and his aura somewhat steadier, Saint Mother Wudang hurriedly asked.

"I'm out of danger. I only need time to recover." Tongtian nodded slightly, then looked at Wudang and Kui Niu. "How are your injuries?"

"This disciple has only depleted her magic power and suffered a few minor internal injuries. I'm fine now," Wudang replied quickly. Kui Niu also gave a low growl, indicating that his hide was thick and he would recover quickly.

Tongtian was relieved. He took out some healing sacred medicines he had obtained from the Dragon Palace and gathered earlier, gave some to the two of them, and took a few himself to speed his recovery.

Just then, something stirred in his heart. He remembered Laozi's final, private transmission: "Spark to Prairie Fire."

The spark had appeared. How would it spread like wildfire?

Now that the demon calamity had begun, the various forces of the Primordial World had, under Laozi's intervention, formed a delicate balance and consensus to resist their common foe. But how long could that balance last? Would the Western Teachings and Chan Sect truly let go of their grudges? What role would Haotian Shangdi play? And where should this "spark" of his burn?

Though his strength had improved greatly, he was still no match for a true Saint. If he wanted a say in the calamity to come, rescue his disciples, and achieve transcendence, he had to grow stronger—and quickly.

The next stages of cultivating the Primordial Unity Scripture required far greater quantities of energy, of much higher quality, as well as deeper insights. The Primordial World was vast, but the Saints had already divided up its finest resources. The Netherworld Cold Pool and the Ancient Battlefield ruins could still help him, but they were no longer enough to support his next breakthrough.

His gaze involuntarily turned toward the boundless Chaos beyond the heavens.

The Chaos Sea! That was the finest place to cultivate the Primordial Dao! It was filled with the most primordial Chaos Qi and contained the mysteries of the Beginning of World Creation. He might even find traces of other Chaos Demon Gods or clues about other worlds!

But the Chaos Sea was just as perilous. Even Saints dared not venture too deep. It held not only traps of space and time and Chaos Storms, but also creatures of Chaos comparable to Saints—or other unknown, terrifying entities.

As he pondered, the dormant Chaos Bead within him suddenly trembled faintly of its own accord, conveying a weak but unmistakable sense of longing and direction. It pointed straight toward the Chaos beyond the heavens!

At the same time, the wisp of Chaos Green Lotus Origin Spiritual Mechanism he had obtained from the system and merged into his Dao Foundation resonated with it!

"The Chaos Bead, the Chaos Green Lotus..." A flash of light appeared in Tongtian's eyes. "That's right! The Chaos Bead was born in Chaos, and the Chaos Green Lotus is a Chaos Supreme Treasure. Perhaps they sensed traces of the Chaos Green Lotus itself—or of its other remnants?"

The thought made his heart leap! If he could truly find other remnants of the Chaos Green Lotus, even a single petal or a piece of its root, it would bring immeasurable benefits to his Hunyuan Dao!

Risk and opportunity went hand in hand. But that was the very essence of the Path of Hunyuan!

With his mind made up, Tongtian no longer hesitated.

He looked at Wudang and Kui Niu. "I must leave the Primordial World for a while and venture into the Chaos beyond the heavens to seek a chance to advance. Your injuries have yet to heal, so you need not come with me."

"Master!" Saint Mother Wudang cried anxiously. "The Chaos Sea is far too dangerous! You're going alone..."

"Say no more." Tongtian interrupted her, his tone calm but leaving no room for argument. "The Chaos Sea is dangerous, but it is also where my Dao lies. You two have other important tasks."

He thought for a moment, then instructed them, "Wudang, take my token and secretly go to the old site of Golden Ao Island. Try to contact any surviving Outer Sect Disciples or Registered Disciples and quietly gather our strength. But remember, your priority is to stay hidden and protect yourselves. Do not reveal yourselves unless absolutely necessary."

"Kui Niu, return to the Eastern Sea and hold the Dragon Palace. Help Ao Guang stabilize the situation and keep watch over the Four Seas and Guixu. If anything major happens, use your scale to send me a message."

He handed a specially made token to Wudang and another to Kui Niu.

"Master, what about Senior Sisters Yunxiao, Qiongxiao, and Bixiao?" Wudang thought of the three of them.

"They have newly acquired Chaos Immortal Bodies and enormous potential, but their cultivation is still shallow, so they should not be drawn into these conflicts. Have them cultivate in seclusion in this secret realm. They must not leave until I return or a great upheaval strikes the Primordial World." Tongtian had already arranged a place for Sanxiao. Deep within the Ancient Battlefield ruins lay a hidden barrier he had discovered earlier, naturally formed from ancient baleful aura and ideal for secluded cultivation.

Once everything was arranged, Tongtian did not delay. He took one last look at this land, which bore countless grudges and hopes, then slowly rose into the sky.

The higher he ascended, the stronger the restraints of the Primordial World became. The Nine Heavens' astral winds were as sharp as blades, powerful enough to rip apart a Golden Immortal's body. But they posed no threat to Tongtian now. Dark gray streams of Qi swirled around him, easily cleaving through layer upon layer of astral winds until he reached the boundary wall of the Primordial World.

It was a crystal wall system, clear as glass yet incomparably heavy, engraved with countless Heavenly Dao Runes. Beyond it lay the endless Chaos.

Tongtian took a deep breath. The Chaos Bead flew out from between his brows and hovered above his head, releasing thousands of streams of Chaos Qi.

"Open!" he barked. Bringing his fingers together like a sword, he gathered all his magic power and slashed violently at a weak point in the crystal wall system!

With a ripping sound, a tiny crack was forcibly torn open. From the other side came the heart-stirring, chaotic, and boundless aura of Chaos!

Without the slightest hesitation, Tongtian darted forward like a fish and slipped through the crack!

The instant he entered, the crack quickly sealed itself and vanished.

The clamor and conflicts of the Primordial World were temporarily shut out.

Before him stretched the boundless Chaos Sea, its colors shifting, teeming with both destruction and new life!

The true journey had only just begun.