Spark Returns to Silence, Condensing Dao Seed; Green Lotus Guides Towards Chaos

In the northern region of the Great Desolation, within a desolate mountain range.

The void flickered, and Tongtian stumbled out, bringing the heavily injured Kui Niu and Saint Mother Wudang. As soon as he left the spatial passage, Tongtian could no longer hold on. He spat out a mouthful of dark golden blood, his aura instantly plummeting to its lowest point. The originally brilliant dark gray light surrounding him completely faded, and cracks spread across his Saint Body, like a porcelain vase on the verge of shattering.

He had directly confronted a Boundary Demon God and forcefully unleashed that "Primordial Unity Strike" that surpassed his limits, exhausting nearly all his mental energy and origin. If Grand Supreme Elder Laozi hadn't protected his heart meridian with the power of the Mysterious Yellow Tower and sent a wisp of pure Mysterious Yellow Qi to sustain his life, he would have long since perished, body and soul.

"Master!" Saint Mother Wudang, ignoring her own injuries, rushed forward to support Tongtian, tears welling in her eyes, her anxiety palpable. Kui Niu also let out a pained bellow, nudging Tongtian with its large head, its eyes filled with worry.

"I'm fine, I won't die," Tongtian's voice was hoarse and weak. He forced himself to sit cross-legged, the Primordial Unity Scripture automatically circulating, beginning the arduous process of absorbing the sparse spiritual energy and malevolent qi from the heavens and earth to repair his collapsing body and soul. That wisp of Mysterious Yellow Qi acted like the most resilient thread, maintaining his last spark of life and slowly nourishing his dried meridians.

This injury was far more severe than any before. It wasn't just the depletion of his magic power, but a shock to his origin and a shaking of his Dao foundation. Even the newly formed Dao Fruit, which had integrated Chaos and the Netherworld, was covered in minute cracks, its rotation becoming extremely slow and obscure.

But fortune lies hidden within misfortune. In this state of extreme weakness and near-death, Tongtian's mind entered a realm of unprecedented clarity.

He reviewed every moment since he abandoned his Saint position: the resolve in Zixiao Palace, the peril of snatching the bead in the Sea of Blood, the calculations in forming an alliance with the Dragon Palace, the schemes amidst the turmoil in the Underworld, the consolidation in the ancient battlefield, the difficulty of communicating with the Investiture of the Gods, and finally, the earth-shattering, life-risking strike before the Guixu.

Scene after scene flowed through his soul. His comprehension of the Primordial Dao, his understanding of his own power, and his insight into the situation in the Great Desolation became clearer than ever before.

The path of Primordial Unity was not simply about accumulating power, but about profound understanding and integration of all laws of the universe and one's own origin. Chaos encompasses all things and can also give birth to all things; the Netherworld represents death and stillness, yet it also contains new life; the power of the Otherworld is filled with destruction, but it is also a facet of the Great Dao.

His Dao heart, through this baptism of life and death, became even more transparent and resolute. Although the cracked Primordial Dao Fruit was nearing exhaustion in terms of energy, the "True Meaning" at its core became even purer and more condensed.

After an unknown amount of time, when Tongtian opened his eyes again, although his aura was still weak and his face pale, his eyes were as deep as an abyss, as if they could pierce through the mists of eternity.

He slowly raised his hand, a faint yet incredibly pure dark gray airflow swirling around his fingertips. This airflow was no longer as domineering and outwardly aggressive as before; instead, it was extremely restrained, yet it contained even more terrifying power and potential.

"To break and then to establish, to be born from death—so that's how it is," Tongtian murmured to himself. He felt that as long as this injury completely healed, his Primordial Dao foundation would be more stable and powerful than ever before! He had even touched the mysterious threshold of the peak Quasi-Saint!

"Master, how are you feeling?" Saint Mother Wudang, seeing Tongtian awake and his aura seemingly stabilizing, quickly asked.

"I'm fine now, I just need time to recuperate," Tongtian nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over Wudang and Kui Niu. "How are your injuries?"

"My disciple only suffered from magic power depletion and minor shock injuries; I'm fine now," Wudang replied hastily. Kui Niu also let out a low growl, indicating that its hide was thick and it recovered quickly.

Tongtian felt relieved. He took out some healing sacred medicines obtained from the Dragon Palace and those he had collected earlier, distributing them to the two of them, and also took a few himself to speed up his recovery.

Just then, his heart suddenly stirred as he recalled Laozi's final, solitary telepathic message—"A single spark can start a prairie fire."

The spark has appeared, but how can it ignite a prairie fire?

The demonic tribulation has now begun. Under Laozi's intervention, the various forces in the Great Desolation have temporarily formed a delicate balance and consensus to jointly resist external threats. But how long can this balance last? Will the Western Teachings and Chan Teachings truly put aside their grievances? What role will Haotian Shangdi play? And where should his "spark" burn?

Although his strength had greatly improved, he was still no match for true Saints. To have a voice in the future great tribulation, let alone rescue his disciples and achieve transcendence, he must increase his strength even faster!

The subsequent cultivation of the Primordial Unity Scripture required even vaster and higher-quality energy and comprehension. Although the Great Desolation was vast, the best resources had long been divided among the Saints. While the Netherworld Cold Pool and the ancient battlefield ruins could provide assistance, they were no longer sufficient to support his next breakthrough.

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

The Chaos Sea! That was the best place for cultivating the Primordial Dao! It was filled with the most primal Chaos Qi, containing the mysteries of the beginning of creation, and might even hold remnants of other Chaos Demon Gods or clues from other worlds!

But the Chaos Sea was also extremely dangerous. Even Saints dared not venture deep into it easily. It contained not only spatial-temporal traps and Chaos Storms but also might be inhabited by Chaos behemoths comparable to Saints or other unknown terrifying existences.

As he pondered, the dormant Chaos Bead within his body suddenly vibrated slightly on its own, transmitting a faint yet clear sense of longing and guidance. The direction pointed directly towards the Chaos beyond the heavens!

At the same time, the Chaos Green Lotus Origin Spiritual Mechanism, obtained from the system and integrated into his Dao foundation, resonated with it!

"Chaos Bead, Chaos Green Lotus..." A sharp light flashed in Tongtian's eyes. "That's it! The Chaos Bead was born from Chaos, and the Chaos Green Lotus is a supreme treasure of Chaos. What they are sensing might be the traces of the Chaos Green Lotus's main body or other parts?"

This thought made his heart leap! If he could truly find other parts of the Chaos Green Lotus, even just a petal or a root, the benefit to his Primordial Dao would be immeasurable!

Risk and opportunity coexist! But this was the true meaning of the Primordial Dao!

With his mind made up, Tongtian no longer hesitated.

He looked at Wudang and Kui Niu. "I need to leave the Great Desolation for a while to seek further opportunities in the Outer Chaos. Your injuries have not yet healed, so you need not follow."

"Master!" Saint Mother Wudang said anxiously, "The Chaos Sea is too dangerous! For you to go alone..."

"There's no need to say more," Tongtian interrupted her, his tone calm but unquestionable. "Though the Chaos Sea is perilous, it is also where my Dao lies. You two have other important matters."

He pondered for a moment and instructed, "Wudang, take my token and secretly go to the former site of Golden Ao Island. Try to contact any surviving outer disciples or registered disciples. Gather strength in secret, but remember to prioritize stealth and self-preservation. Do not reveal yourselves unless absolutely necessary."

"Kui Niu, return to the East Sea, guard the Dragon Palace, assist Ao Guang in stabilizing the situation, and monitor the movements of the Four Seas and Guixu. If any major changes occur, you can transmit a message to me through your scales."

He handed two specially made tokens to Wudang and Kui Niu respectively.

"Master, what about the three senior sisters?" Wudang remembered Yun Xiao, Qiongxiao, and Bixiao.

"They have recently obtained Chaos Saint Bodies and have immense potential, but their cultivation is still shallow, and they should not be involved in conflicts. Have them enter seclusion and cultivate in this secret realm. They are not to leave until I return or a major change occurs in the Great Desolation." Tongtian had already arranged a place for Sanxiao. Deep within that ancient battlefield ruin, he had previously discovered a hidden barrier naturally formed by ancient malevolent qi, which was suitable for closed-door cultivation.

With everything arranged, Tongtian delayed no further. He cast one last look at this land that held countless grievances and hopes, and slowly ascended into the sky.

The higher he went, the stronger the restrictions of the Great Desolation became. The Nine Heavens Gale was as sharp as a knife, capable of tearing apart the body of a Golden Immortal. But for the current Tongtian, it posed no threat. The dark gray airflow circulated around him, easily breaking through layers of gale until he reached the edge barrier of the Great Desolation world.

It was a crystalline, yet incredibly thick, barrier imprinted with countless Heavenly Dao runes. Beyond this lay the endless Chaos.

Tongtian took a deep breath. The Chaos Bead flew out from his brow, hovering above his head, and descended with myriad streams of Chaos Qi.

"Open!" he shouted, pointing his finger like a sword, condensing all his magic power, and slashing fiercely at a weak point in the crystal barrier!

Screech! A tiny crack was forcibly torn open, and a heart-stopping, chaotic, and majestic Chaos aura emanated from the other side!

Without hesitation, Tongtian's figure flickered, and he darted into the crack like a fish!

The moment he entered, the crack quickly sealed and disappeared.

The clamor and strife of the Great Desolation world were temporarily shut out.

Before him lay the boundless, colorfully shifting—Chaos Sea, filled with destruction and new life!

The true journey had just begun.