Houtu suddenly posed her question, leaving Xu Tong momentarily unable to react.
When he finally registered what she had said, even he was startled.
"Damn, lady, you're playing for some seriously high stakes."
"You just blurted out a question about how to attain the Dao and become a sage?"
"Besides, shouldn't you be asking Hongjun about this? What did you come to me for?"
Xu Tong was speechless.
Outside the Dao Field, however, a faint smile appeared on Houtu's face when Xu Tong failed to answer for a long while.
She knew her words must have shocked him.
But she was not finished yet.
Houtu continued speaking.
"Fellow Daoist Xu Tong, to tell you the truth, I brought another treasure with me on this visit. If you are willing to tell me the truth, I will give it to you."
"This is a drop of Father God Pangu's blood essence. I imagine it should be of great use to you as well."
Brimming with confidence, Houtu set the jade vial on the stone steps, then looked at the tightly shut doors with a smug gleam in her eyes.
Hmph, that's what you get for refusing to come out and see me. That gave you a fright, didn't it? Hurry up and invite me into your Dao Field.
Houtu thought smugly.
Inside the Dao Field, Xu Tong's eyes lit up at the mention of Pangu Blood Essence.
Talk about getting exactly what I wished for. I was planning to obtain blood essence from the Witch Clan to forge the Heavenly Pillars, and now they've delivered Pangu Blood Essence instead.
With this, forging the Heavenly Pillars will definitely succeed.
But Houtu's appetite is far too big.
How could a method of attaining the Dao be obtained so easily?
Xu Tong hesitated.
It was not that he was unwilling to tell Houtu the method in exchange for the Pangu Blood Essence.
He simply did not know whether telling her ahead of time would cause unforeseen changes.
Besides, might Hongjun seize the opportunity to gain leverage over him?
For example, by pinning the crime of divulging heaven's secrets on him?
Wouldn't the losses outweigh the gains?
But with the Pangu Blood Essence right before him, Xu Tong did not want to give up on it just like that.
After turning it over in his mind, Xu Tong came up with a solution.
He certainly could not say it outright, so he would keep it vague.
If she could grasp it, that would be her good fortune-and his way of creating an opportunity.
If she could not, there was nothing he could do. He could only say that he and this blood essence were not destined for one another.
With that thought, Xu Tong composed his words.
"The Dao Ancestor once said that all living beings beneath heaven and earth can attain the Dao. Naturally, the Witch Clan is no exception."
"Those with great merit and great fortune can attain the Dao even without a primordial spirit."
"They can also become sages and uphold the cycle of reincarnation throughout heaven and earth."
Xu Tong felt he had already made himself clear enough. Any more, and he would practically be giving away the answer.
At that point, Hongjun would probably come looking for trouble.
The only question was how perceptive Houtu herself was.
Houtu was originally supposed to transform her body into reincarnation, receive merit bestowed by heaven, and thereby become an Earthly Dao Sage.
Surely, with such a destiny already hers, her comprehension could not be poor.
Outside the Dao Field, Houtu's gaze grew unfocused as she listened to Xu Tong's words.
She mulled those few sentences over and over, feeling as though she had grasped something, yet also as though she had grasped nothing at all.
It was as if something stood in her way.
One thing, however, she could be certain of: Xu Tong's words absolutely contained a method for her Witch Clan-or rather, for Houtu herself-to attain the Dao.
At that thought, excitement stirred in Houtu's heart.
My gamble actually paid off.
Houtu was pleasantly surprised.
She had originally come to Tongtian with only the intention of trying her luck.
She had never expected to gain so much.
For a time, Xu Tong said nothing more.
Houtu likewise fell silent.
After a long while, Houtu decided that perhaps her time had not yet come, which was why she could not comprehend the mysteries within those words.
But she did not go back on her promise.
After all, just upon hearing those words, her cultivation had actually increased somewhat, only stopping once it reached a certain point.
Houtu felt that, as she was now, she could easily subdue several Ancestral Witches at her own level.
This time, she addressed Xu Tong with great respect.
"Thank you for your guidance, Fellow Daoist. Please accept this Pangu Blood Essence as a token of my gratitude."
"I shall take my leave."
Houtu was as respectful as a junior.
The sheer difference between her earlier and present behavior was staggering.
Seeing her act this way from inside the Dao Field, Xu Tong shook his head.
It seems she really did grasp something. But since she didn't immediately become a sage, I must not have caused too much of a disruption.
Not bad. This deal was well worth it. We didn't even meet face-to-face, and a few vague words were enough to get me a drop of Pangu Blood Essence.
When it came to such a windfall, Xu Tong had only one thing to say: please come to him again.
As Houtu departed, Xu Tong waved his hand and transferred the Pangu Blood Essence outside the Dao Field into his grasp.
Looking at the jade vial, Xu Tong applied a little pressure and crushed it.
A drop of dark red blood floated in midair, radiating immense power.
The instant it appeared, an oppressive sensation descended.
The Force Great Dao within Xu Tong stirred.
"As expected of Great God Pangu's blood essence. Just one drop exerts such pressure. Even though I'm already a primordial Daluo golden immortal, I still feel somewhat uncomfortable."
Xu Tong exclaimed in admiration.
A single drop of this Pangu Blood Essence could create an Ancestral Witch.
If he refined it into his body, his physical strength would undoubtedly increase considerably.
But Xu Tong had no intention of doing so.
The cultivation method he practiced was already the very one Great God Pangu had cultivated.
Moreover, he followed the path of Prove Dao by Force, so his physical body was by no means weak.
Even if he consumed this drop of blood essence, it might only help him in the short term.
Over time, it might instead hinder his cultivation.
After all, it was not his own.
Perhaps it would not count as a fortuitous opportunity at all.
After considering it from every angle, Xu Tong abandoned the idea of absorbing the blood essence.
"Using it to forge the Heavenly Pillars is still the most worthwhile choice."
Now that he had all the materials, Xu Tong delayed no further.
He cast both the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil and the Pangu Blood Essence into the furnace flames within the hall.
Although Xu Tong followed the path of Prove Dao by Force, he had also dabbled in alchemy, artifact forging, and formations; he simply was not as proficient in them.
But forging the Heavenly Pillars was not difficult. Good enough materials were all he needed.
Within the Dao Field, the rhythms of one law after another continuously condensed, and Xu Tong drove them into the furnace flames.
The Nine Heavens Breathing Soil mingled with the Pangu Blood Essence as they underwent repeated tempering.
Soon, four pillars, each only the size of a thumb, took shape.
Xu Tong gathered them into his hand.
This was merely the current form of the four Heavenly Pillars. When the time came, a simple activation with the laws would make them grow at once, and supporting heaven and earth would be no trouble at all.
Glancing toward the North Sea, Xu Tong murmured.
"Perhaps I'll even forge a favorable bond without meaning to."
With these four Heavenly Pillars, even Hongjun would probably have no reason to kill the Black Tortoise of the North Sea.
Meanwhile, Houtu had already returned to the Witch Clan, carrying with her the few sentences Xu Tong had spoken.
Before you continue