Honghuang: I Transformed the Sea of Blood Into a Paradise Chapter 11
Chapter 10: First Entering the Wilderness
"Is this the other region of the Honghuang World outside the Sea of Blood? Compared to the Sea of Blood that nurtured us brothers, it's truly a world of difference." Ming He looked at the continuous, spirit-filled mountains and ridges ahead, sighing with emotion.
At this moment, Taichu and Ming He had just stepped out of the Sea of Blood region and entered the vast Primordial Land.
"This should be the Western part of the Honghuang World." Taichu gazed ahead and judged.
Legend has it that the Sea of Blood is located in the extreme west, so Taichu speculated that their current location was the Western part of the Honghuang World, the future prosperous land of the Western Sect.
However, at this time, there was no sign of the Western Sect in the West. Currently, the West appeared to be an ownerless land, but Taichu knew that the West was actually the territory of Demon Ancestor Luo Hou.
Thinking about it this way, Taichu and Ming He were also considered people of the West, but in the records of his previous life, Ming He was not included in the list of Western Innate Sacreds, which was truly perplexing.
At this time, the West had not yet experienced the Dao-Demon War. Although the Spiritual Qi was not as abundant as in the East, the gap was not significant.
Taichu looked at the Primordial Land and sighed inwardly, "What a pity. The Western Spiritual Vein will be destroyed by Luo Hou during the Dao-Demon War, and by then, the West will become the most desolate place among the four directions of the Honghuang World."
In his previous life, most people believed that the destruction of the Western Spiritual Vein was Luo Hou's doing, but how Luo Hou managed to do it remained a mystery, with various theories.
Taichu guessed that the shattering of the Western Spiritual Vein was most likely related to the Zhu Xian Four Swords refined by Luo Hou, but the detailed reasons were unknown to him.
"Brother, for this journey, why don't we go to Mount Buzhou first? It's the center of the Honghuang World, and it was formed from Pangu Great God's spine. Perhaps we can find an Opportunity there." Taichu looked at Ming He beside him and offered his suggestion.
Mount Buzhou, as the most famous place in the Honghuang World, was Taichu's primary destination for this journey, not only because it nurtured countless Innate Sacreds and gave birth to many Heaven and Earth Spirit Treasures and Spiritual Roots.
More importantly, it was because there was the twenty-four grade creation green lotus that he was determined to obtain, and the legendary enlightenment tea tree also seemed to be within Mount Buzhou.
"I just don't know if I can find the creation green lotus on Mount Buzhou. If it really has to wait for the Three Pure Ones to appear before it manifests, even if it means incurring Karma with the Three Pure Ones, I must contend for it." Taichu mused to himself.
He originally did not want to incur Karma with others, especially not with the Three Pure Ones, these three Pangu descendants who were destined to become Saints, and get entangled in unnecessary Karma. But the twenty-four grade creation green lotus concerned his own Dao path, so if it came to that, he could only resort to snatching it.
He was not like many protagonists in novels of his previous life, who would shrink back and give up due to fear of Karma.
From the day he chose to Cultivate the Boundless Great Dao Law, he had already prepared himself to be an enemy of the Three Pure Ones.
Taichu's first stop after Transmigration was not the Honghuang World, but Chaos, and he even personally experienced the Heaven-Opening Tribulation.
He witnessed the fierce battle between the Chaos Demon Gods and Pangu.
Many conspiracy theories in his previous life claimed that the Chaos Demon Gods would leave behind contingencies, reincarnating into the Honghuang World to seize Pangu's Dao fruit, and some even said that certain Chaos beings chose to stay out of it to avoid the Heaven-Opening Tribulation.
These views stemmed from modern people's subconscious idea of "better to live a bad life than to die well." In their view, no one would actively seek death, hence such conspiracy theories.
At that time, Taichu also could not understand why the Chaos beings, knowing they would surely die, still rushed towards Pangu one after another.
But now, Taichu seemed to understand a little. Many people felt that the mainstream fate of the Chaos or Honghuang World was predetermined, but Taichu believed it was "contending for the Dao."
Whether it was the Chaos Heaven-Opening Tribulation or the subsequent Honghuang Tribulations, their essence was all about contending for the Dao.
Did the protagonists in the Tribulations truly not know that the struggle might fail, or not sense the existence of the Tribulation?
Taichu believed they knew, but they still chose to contend and snatch, holding onto the belief of "if one hears the Dao in the morning, one can die in the evening without regret," unwilling to abandon their Dao path for the sake of survival.
"In an era of great contention, the strong survive, and the weak perish."
This was the concept of the Honghuang beings. They could live for the Dao, and they could also die for the Dao.
Taichu collected his thoughts and suppressed these musings. It was still too early to consider these things. Perhaps this trip to Mount Buzhou would allow him to smoothly obtain the creation green lotus, thus avoiding incurring Karma with the Three Pure Ones.
Taichu always felt that the claims in his previous life about Spirit Treasures being destined and incurring Karma if obtained were purely putting the cart before the horse.
Moreover, even if he truly had to incur Karma with the Three Pure Ones, he would never give up.
Ming He listened to Taichu's suggestion and nodded in agreement, "That's good. Mount Buzhou, as the pillar supporting the heavens, even if we don't find an Opportunity, comprehending the Dao rhyme contained within it will greatly benefit our Cultivation."
Just as the two were about to set off, Ming He suddenly transmitted a message to Taichu, "Taichu, I just sensed that there are living beings nearby spying on us brothers."
"Someone is secretly spying on us?!" Taichu was startled upon hearing this, but no matter how he used his Divine Sense to investigate, he couldn't detect the slightest aura.
Although the two were communicating via Divine Sense, their footsteps did not stop, and they continued to use their Divine Ability, flying forward.
Taichu did not doubt that Ming He's perception was wrong. With their current Realm, it was rare for perception errors to occur.
Taichu speculated that the person secretly spying had either Cultivated a Law of concealment, or their strength had at least reached the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Late Stage.
"Brother, can you still sense the aura of that spy now?" Taichu asked via Divine Sense.
"I can't find the specific location. I only just caught a hint of Killing Intent, which is how I knew someone was secretly watching. Now, that Killing Intent has disappeared, and I can't determine if the other party has already left." Ming He replied.
"This makes it a bit tricky. This person secretly watching us harbors Killing Intent, which clearly means they mean us no good." Taichu frowned, troubled.
He had long expected danger upon leaving the Sea of Blood and entering the Honghuang World, but he didn't expect to be targeted by a being stronger than them and with malicious intent, right after coming out.
"The person in the dark hasn't acted against us yet, which means he isn't completely confident in keeping us brothers. If we stay together, he might not act rashly, or he might prepare thoroughly before acting, which would make us too passive." Taichu analyzed.
"Taichu, what you said makes sense, but how can we lure him out of the shadows?" Ming He asked in confusion.
Taichu pondered for a moment and suggested, "Brother, later we'll pretend to separate, giving the person in the dark an Opportunity to act, forcing him to show himself. These years, I've been studying the Dao of Arrays and have made some progress, developing a teleportation array talisman. No matter who he attacks, this talisman can teleport the other person over to support."
"No, this plan is too dangerous. If that person attacks you, you might not last until I teleport over." Ming He immediately refused.
Taichu had only recently Broken Through to Taiyi Golden Immortal, and his Realm was not yet stable. If the person in the dark's cultivation was stronger than the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Late Stage, and they chose to launch a sneak attack, Taichu might not even have the chance to resist or use the teleportation array talisman before his Dao perished.
"Brother, you don't have to worry. In terms of combat strength, I'm not as good as you; but the Boundless Law I Cultivate encompasses all Daos, and in terms of life-saving methods, I might even be superior to you. I'm more worried about that person attacking you; that would be even more dangerous." Taichu shook his head inwardly, very grateful for Ming He's concern.
"How about we be careful and just leave this place? Maybe that person will give up when he sees us constantly together." Ming He still disagreed with Taichu's suggestion, and even uncharacteristically proposed temporarily avoiding the danger.
"Brother, no matter why this person harbors Killing Intent towards us, he is currently hidden in the dark. If we don't force him out soon, our future journey in the Honghuang World will likely be restless. This method I proposed, though risky, is the best option right now." Taichu insisted on persuading him.
"Alright, this time I'll listen to you. But you must ensure your own safety." After Taichu's repeated persuasion, Ming He finally agreed to the plan.
"Now! Array activate!" In an instant, a brilliant light erupted around Taichu and Evil Toad, and in the blink of an eye, the two were enveloped by a grand array.
As Evil Toad's hand touched the Legacy Jade Slip Taichu threw, the Jade Slip instantly shattered and vanished without a trace.
Sensing the grand array before him, Evil Toad's expression changed drastically, filled with both shame and anger.
He never expected that a mere Taiyi Golden Immortal Early Stage would dare to plot against him. "Damn it! You dare to trick Old Ancestor me!"
"Heh heh, do you really think I don't know your intentions? Your restless claws already exposed your thoughts. I suppose the moment you obtained the cultivation method would be the day I perished." Taichu looked at Evil Toad and smiled coldly.
"That's right, Old Ancestor I never intended to spare your life from the beginning. Originally, seeing that you were somewhat honest, I thought of letting you die quickly. But since you dared to anger me, I will extract your Primordial Spirit and torment it for a million years!"
Seeing his intentions exposed, Evil Toad grew even more furious, waving his two short claws and fiercely clawing at the grand array before him.
Only a "creak, creak" sound could be heard from the grand array under his attack, yet it still resisted stubbornly.
Evil Toad continued his assault, and before long, the grand array began to totter.
Seeing this, Evil Toad burst into laughter: "Hahaha, do you think that with this grand array set up by a Taiyi Golden Immortal Early Stage, you can kill me? Today, I will show you the gap between us!"
Taichu ignored Evil Toad's clamor, his brows furrowed as he stared intently at the grand array. "I still underestimated the strength of a Taiyi Golden Immortal Late Stage. Without preparing in advance, it's difficult for this grand array to even trap him, let alone kill him."
While contemplating, Taichu summoned the Hongmeng Measuring Ruler and casually tossed it into the grand array to serve as the array's core.
Immediately after, his hands quickly formed seals, and he let out a low shout: "Grand array, turn!"
With the enhancement of the Hongmeng Measuring Ruler, the entire grand array instantly underwent a tremendous change. Not only was its pressure resistance greatly improved, but it also gained powerful offensive capabilities.
Countless Spiritual Qi blades materialized out of thin air within the grand array, whistling towards Evil Toad inside.
Although these Spiritual Qi blades caused minimal damage to Evil Toad, they were overwhelming in number. Evil Toad, encountering such an attack for the first time, was momentarily caught off guard and fell into a passive state, losing the upper hand.
"Damn it! You scoundrel actually possess a Karma Supreme Treasure, but don't think that's enough to defeat me!" Evil Toad, trapped in the grand array, roared furiously.
Taichu looked at Evil Toad, who was like a trapped beast in the array, and shook his head helplessly. He knew in his heart that this was merely catching Evil Toad off guard.
After all, Evil Toad had the cultivation of a Taiyi Golden Immortal Late Stage, and even with the Hongmeng Measuring Ruler augmenting the grand array, it would be difficult to completely subdue him.
Once Evil Toad adapted to the attack of the Spiritual Qi blades, breaking the array would only be a matter of time.
However, Evil Toad's next action still surprised Taichu. A mirror-like Spirit Treasure suddenly appeared behind Evil Toad, and as soon as this Spirit Treasure emerged, it blocked all the Spiritual Qi blades formed by the Hongmeng Measuring Ruler.
"Oh, I didn't expect this toad to possess a High Grade Innate Spirit Treasure."
Taichu looked at the mirror Spirit Treasure Evil Toad had unleashed, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
Although Taichu and Minghe had several Spirit Treasures, it couldn't be concluded that Spirit Treasures were abundant in the Grandmist at this time.
In reality, Innate Sacreds like them, who possessed accompanying Spirit Treasures, especially top-tier accompanying Spirit Treasures, were extremely rare.
Most Innate Sacreds did not possess Innate Spirit Treasures at all.
"It seems I can't deal with this guy alone. Brother, come out." Taichu shook his head somewhat helplessly and turned to speak to his side.
"Hahaha, Taichu, it's already quite remarkable that you can force him into such a state." From the Void Realm, a blood-robed figure emerged, it was Minghe.
In fact, after receiving Taichu's message, Minghe immediately teleported over.
It was just that Taichu wanted to test the power of the grand array he had been researching at the time, so he didn't let Minghe appear.
Now, Taichu already knew the limits of the grand array, so there was naturally no reason to keep Minghe hidden.
"Taichu, I told you before that the Great Dao of Array Dao is abstruse and difficult to comprehend, not something that can be easily grasped. It's already quite impressive that you can trap a Taiyi Golden Immortal Late Stage being with a grand array." Minghe looked at Evil Toad, who was trapped in the grand array, and nodded in satisfaction.
"Brother, the flaws in my grand array are still too obvious. It seems we'll have to work together, my brother and I, to kill this beast."
"Good, then let this beast be the sacrifice for my Abi Sword and Yuantu Sword!" After Minghe finished speaking, he soared into the grand array.
"Brother, wait for me!" Taichu looked at Minghe's eager appearance, shook his head helplessly, and followed closely, stepping into the grand array.
"You two, you think you can deal with Old Ancestor me? I didn't directly attack you before because Old Ancestor I am cautious in my actions. Since you're seeking your own demise, don't blame Old Ancestor I for being impolite!" Minghe and Taichu entering the grand array immediately attracted Evil Toad's attention.
At this moment, Evil Toad, protected by the mirror Spirit Treasure, completely ignored the grand array's attacks.
Seeing the two enter the array, he decisively gave up attacking the grand array and instead lunged at the two of them, clearly intending to kill them first.
Seeing Evil Toad charging at him, Taichu's expression remained calm. He recalled the Hongmeng Measuring Ruler, which had served as the array's core, and a twelve-grade blood-red lotus appeared beneath his feet—it was the Twelve Grade Karma Fire Red Lotus he had obtained earlier.
Currently, he had refined twenty-four Innate Restrictions on this Karma Fire Red Lotus, and twenty Acquired Restrictions on the Hongmeng Measuring Ruler.
At the same time, Abi Sword and Yuantu Sword appeared behind Minghe, and a pagoda floated above his head—that was the Blood Fiend Nine Underworlds Pagoda he had obtained last time.
The two had now revealed all their trump cards. Since Evil Toad was a mortal enemy, they would show no mercy once they made their move.
"Clang!" Under Minghe's control, Yuantu Sword and Abi Sword, like two black lightning bolts, pierced directly towards Evil Toad's body.
Seeing this, Evil Toad instantly manipulated the mirror Spirit Treasure to block.
However, at that moment, Taichu's Hongmeng Measuring Ruler entangled his Spirit Treasure, preventing it from obstructing the onslaught of Yuantu Sword and Abi Sword.
Evil Toad had no choice but to endure the two swords with his own Dao body.
"Screech!!" The attacks of Abi Sword and Yuantu Sword were blocked by Evil Toad.
But at this moment, Taichu unleashed the Great Dao Law of World Purification, constantly harassing Evil Toad.
Although the gap between Taichu's strength and Evil Toad's was quite large, the Great Dao Law of World Purification restrained Evil Toad's turbid Great Dao Laws.
"Ah!" Evil Toad looked at the dark black blood gushing from his right claw, enraged to the extreme. He never expected to be forced into such a state by these two.
Prolonged defense inevitably leads to a breach. Although Evil Toad's cultivation was higher than Minghe's and Taichu's, Taichu and Minghe had been together since birth, cooperating tacitly, and the Spirit Treasures in their hands were top-tier in the Grandmist.
"Damn it, who exactly are you people? Why do you have so many Spirit Treasures?"
Evil Toad looked at the several Spirit Treasures before him, filled with both jealousy and anger.
He had originally thought that obtaining a High Grade Innate Spirit Treasure was a great Opportunity, but he never expected that Minghe and Taichu not only had numerous Spirit Treasures, but each one was also of a higher grade than his, which completely unbalanced his mentality.
Facing Evil Toad's furious shouts, Minghe and Taichu ignored him, focusing on the battle.
Working together, the two actually managed to subtly suppress Evil Toad. The three fought fiercely above the Void Realm, with killing Qi overflowing, stirring the Void Realm like a turbulent sea.
It was unknown how long the battle raged, but the Void Realm became chaotic due to the fierce combat between the three.
Initially, Evil Toad thought he was at a disadvantage because he was unfamiliar with the tacit cooperation between Minghe and Taichu. He believed that if he dragged on and adapted to their attacks, he could turn the tide from defense to offense.
However, he never expected that Taichu and Minghe seemed born for battle; their strength continued to improve during the fight.
At this point, Evil Toad felt he no longer had a chance to escape. In desperation, he begged for mercy: "Two Fellow Daoists, please show mercy. What happened before was my fault. As long as you Two Fellow Daoists stop, I am willing to accept any punishment."
Minghe and Taichu were both surprised to hear Evil Toad beg for mercy. They never imagined a Grand Unity Golden Immortal Late Stage expert would plead.
However, their actions did not stop. Since they were mortal enemies, they would never leave any future troubles for themselves.
"Two Fellow Daoists, if you spare me, I am willing to give you this High Grade Spirit Treasure, the Appraisal Virtue Mirror." Evil Toad looked at the dense wounds on his Dao body and continued to plead.
However, Minghe and Taichu's eyes were cold, and they were unmoved by his suggestion.
"Damn it! Do you really have to kill me? I'm a Grand Unity Golden Immortal Late Stage, after all. If you push me too hard, you won't have a good outcome either! Now I'm willing to offer a Spirit Treasure; this is already the best result!" Evil Toad gnashed his teeth in hatred, looking at the two who were impervious to both soft and hard tactics, yet he was helpless.
He survived the Vicious Beast Tribulation not by sheer strength, but by his ability to assess the situation.
Taichu frowned, looking at such a shameless Evil Toad.
He never expected that the first living being he encountered after leaving the Honghuang World would be so brazen.
Although Minghe's gaze towards Evil Toad remained unchanged, Taichu, who had been with him for a long time, knew that Minghe was utterly disgusted by Evil Toad's attitude.
"Evil Toad, from the moment you plotted against us brothers, it was destined that only one of us could survive. If we were losing to you now, would you let us go?" Taichu sneered.
"Hahaha, I never thought you, young man, would be so insightful. It seems today I am destined to fall." Evil Toad's pleading expression instantly vanished when he heard Taichu's words.
Previously, he had been subservient to survive, but now that he knew death was certain, only hatred for Minghe and Taichu remained on his face.
"Don't think having many Spirit Treasures can kill me. Today, I'll show you my true strength!"
Evil Toad's originally withered Aura suddenly surged, eventually stepping halfway into the Taiyi Golden Immortal Perfected Realm Realm.
The moment his cultivation improved, the Appraisal Virtue Mirror forcibly broke free from the entanglement of the Hongmeng Measuring Ruler and flew back into his hand.
Evil Toad ignored the Appraisal Virtue Mirror, looked at Taichu and Minghe, and spewed out streams of turbid Qi from his mouth.
"Not good!"
Only then did Taichu realize he had underestimated Evil Toad, who had survived the Vicious Beast Tribulation.
The strength difference between each stage of the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm was vast. Previously, they had suppressed Evil Toad with Spirit Treasures and Taichu's Great Dao Law of World Purification.
But now, Evil Toad used a secret technique to forcibly raise his cultivation to the Taiyi Golden Immortal Perfected Realm Realm, instantly reversing the situation.
The Taiyi Golden Immortal Perfected Realm Realm had already begun to touch upon the meaning of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal. With the blessing of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal's meaning, there was a huge gap in strength compared to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Late Stage. At this moment, Evil Toad was more than capable of defeating his previous self.
Fortunately, Evil Toad's Realm was forcibly raised by a secret technique and did not have the blessing of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal's meaning.
Even so, Taichu and Minghe were completely helpless before Evil Toad at this moment.
The two quickly retrieved their Spirit Treasures, trying to get away from Evil Toad.
But how could Evil Toad, who had paid such a huge price, easily let them go?
"Hahaha, I gave you a chance just now, but you didn't take it. Now, die with me!"
Evil Toad looked at the fleeing Taichu and Minghe with a cruel smile on his face.
The secret technique he used would burn Dao Rhymes. Because he was severely injured and forcibly activated it, what was burning now was not only Dao Rhymes but also his own cultivation.
Even if he could kill Taichu and Minghe this time, his Realm would revert to Golden Immortal afterward, and without a Heaven-Defying Opportunity to compensate for the lost foundation, he might remain in the Golden Immortal Realm for the rest of his life.
"Block!"
Seeing Evil Toad's attack approaching, Taichu hastily activated a Great Array that he had not meticulously prepared earlier.
However, this Great Array was vulnerable under Evil Toad's attack, only buying Taichu a moment, allowing him to narrowly dodge the attack.
Evil Toad became even more enraged when his attack missed, spewing out a massive amount of turbid Qi from his mouth. At this moment, Taichu's World Purification power could no longer completely eliminate this turbid Qi.
After all, the restraint between Great Dao Laws was not absolute, just like water and fire. When the power of fire far exceeds that of water, water not only cannot extinguish the fire but will be evaporated. Now, Taichu and his companion were in such a desperate situation.
"Pfft!" Taichu and Minghe were contaminated by the turbid Qi and injured, spitting blood.
"Damn it, the Honghuang World is indeed a Hell-level instance. I just left the Blood Sea and encountered a life-and-death crisis." Taichu's face was ashen.
Although he knew the Honghuang World was dangerous before, he had never truly experienced it. Now, he had a clear understanding of the dangers of the Honghuang World.
The three continued to entangle in the Void Realm, but this time it was Minghe and Taichu being hunted by Evil Toad.
At this moment, Taichu and Minghe had sustained an unknown number of injuries.
Moreover, if it weren't for the fact that both of them each had a top-grade Innate Spirit Treasure for defense, coupled with Taichu constantly using the Great Dao of Arrays to set up various illusion and trapping arrays to delay Evil Toad's pace, they would have long since perished.
However, Evil Toad's condition was not very good either at this time; the longer his secret technique lasted, the greater the harm to him.
Evil Toad suddenly paused, his eyes dim as he looked at Taichu and Minghe in front of him.
"You won. I never thought I, Old Ancestor Evil Toad, would fall here." After saying this, Evil Toad, who had just been so powerful, suddenly developed cracks on his body like shattered glass.
A gust of wind blew, and Evil Toad's body turned into dust and disappeared, leaving only his Innate Spirit Treasure, the Appraisal Virtue Mirror, in its place.
Taichu finally breathed a sigh of relief after sensing that Evil Toad's Aura in the Void Realm had completely disappeared.
Taichu and Minghe casually put away the Appraisal Virtue Mirror.
"Hmph, this guy is finally dead. However, this Appraisal Virtue Mirror can actually see through the Karma within a living being's body. He must have used this Spirit Treasure to discover the power of Karma within my body." Taichu sighed as he looked at the Appraisal Virtue Mirror in his hand.
"Brother, do you want this Appraisal Virtue Mirror?" Taichu asked Minghe.
Minghe shook his head upon hearing this, "My Dao focuses on killing. This Spirit Treasure is useless to me. Taichu, you can keep it."
"Alright, then I'll put it away for now." Taichu nodded. Although a High Grade Innate Spirit Treasure was already considered a very precious treasure in the Honghuang World, the function of this Spirit Treasure was not very suitable for either of them, so neither of them cared too much.
"I gained some insights from this battle. I feel it's time for my Breakthrough. I need to find a quiet place to go into seclusion for my Breakthrough." Although Minghe was severely injured at this time, the joy in his eyes could not be suppressed.
"Brother, really?!" Taichu's eyes also showed joy when he heard Minghe's words.
"Yes, actually, I was not far from a Breakthrough before. Now I am already on the verge of a Breakthrough," Minghe replied.
"Alright, then I will conceal the traces here and be your Protector, Brother." Taichu circulated his spiritual energy to erase the traces of their great battle with Evil Toad, then left the place with Minghe.
After Minghe and Taichu left, a shrunken phantom of a toad appeared in the Void Realm. "Hmph, I, Old Ancestor Evil Toad, am not so easily destroyed. It's a pity I had to use a secret technique this time to restore my foundation."
"Damn it, what's going on? When did this ghostly thing appear inside me?"
Just as Evil Toad was about to leave this place to hide and heal, a black Qi suddenly appeared in his Primordial Spirit.
After this black Qi appeared, it quickly infected his Primordial Spirit. Soon, Evil Toad's Primordial Spirit lost its vitality, but then it immediately returned to normal.
However, it was clear that Evil Toad's Primordial Spirit was now completely controlled by this black Qi. He could no longer be considered Evil Toad, but rather a new living being with Evil Toad's memories.
Under the control of the black Qi, Evil Toad's Primordial Spirit also disappeared into the Void Realm.
Above the vast and boundless Primordial Land of the Honghuang World, Spiritual Qi permeated, and auspicious light streamed, presenting a scene of flourishing prosperity.
Just then, Two Fellow Daoists, looking travel-worn, slowly approached from afar, their figures appearing slightly fatigued.
These two were precisely Minghe and Taichu, who had left the Sea of Blood.
After hundreds of thousands of years of arduous journeying, they had finally traversed from the Western part of Honghuang to the most prosperous Eastern region.
At this moment, Minghe exuded a powerful yet restrained aura; through long periods of secluded Cultivation, he had successfully achieved a Breakthrough to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Late Stage Realm.
Taichu's Cultivation was also on the verge of a Breakthrough; if he hadn't chosen to Cultivate the obscure and difficult Boundless Great Dao before, which slowed down his Breakthrough process slightly, he would have already broken through.
However, Taichu had never regretted this; after long years of comprehension and Cultivation, his Boundless Great Dao Law had now evolved into dozens of Great Dao Laws.
Although Taichu's Cultivation currently remained at the Taiyi Golden Immortal Early Stage, if one were to speak of his true combat power, even when facing Minghe, who had reached the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Late Stage, he could still contend with him.
If he encountered an ordinary Taiyi Golden Immortal Late Stage, Taichu might not necessarily be able to slay him in one go, but to contend equally and share the spoils would certainly not be difficult.
Taichu looked into the distance, his gaze falling upon a continuous, unnamed mountain range, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
He said to Minghe beside him, "Brother, that place ahead is likely a blessed land. I just don't know if it's occupied; if it's ownerless, it would be an excellent choice for us to establish a Daoist temple in Honghuang."
Upon hearing this, Minghe slightly frowned, and activated his powerful Divine Sense, scanning the mountain range like fine threads, but found nothing, his face showing confusion as he looked at Taichu and said, "Although the Spiritual Qi here is more abundant compared to the West, in the Spiritual Qi-rich Eastern Honghuang, it's not particularly remarkable. It doesn't look like there's a blessed land hidden here. Could it be that your sensing is mistaken, my dear brother?"
Taichu burst into hearty laughter upon hearing this: "Hahaha, Brother, you don't know, but there's a hidden mystery within this mountain range, protected by an extremely powerful First Acquired Array.
This Formation is exquisitely intricate, completely concealing the true scenery within.
Unless one is a powerful expert at the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm, they simply cannot perceive its profoundness.
If it weren't for my slight research into the Dao of Formations, I'm afraid I too would have found it difficult to discern the existence of this grand Formation."
"Fellow Daoist has keen eyes!" Just then, a voice of praise suddenly came from the Void Realm, like a resounding bell, its lingering sound echoing.
Immediately after, two figures appeared out of thin air.
Both newcomers had Taiyi Golden Immortal Middle Stage Cultivation; one was dressed in a yellow Daoist robe, its corners gently swaying with the wind, his expression slightly serious, his eyes deep as an abyss, yet his gaze towards Minghe and Taichu held a hint of kindness;
The other was dressed in a vibrant red Daoist robe, this bright red color was dazzling, completely different from Minghe's blood-red Daoist robe filled with killing intent, giving a feeling of ease and freedom.
The one who had just spoken was this red-robed Daoist; while conversing with Taichu and the others, he casually picked up a spiritual fruit and leisurely put it into his mouth, his face full of contentment.
The yellow-robed Daoist beside him nodded slightly, looked at Taichu and Minghe, and said, "Poor Daoist Zhenyuanzi, is the master of this Mount Longevity. This one beside me is Fellow Daoist Hongyun. Since you Two Fellow Daoists have come to Mount Longevity by fate, why not come to my Daoist temple for a gathering?"
"Poor Daoist Minghe."
"Poor Daoist Taichu."
Minghe and Taichu also stated their Daoist titles.
Taichu looked at the two figures in the Void Realm, secretly marveling, and couldn't help but murmur, "I didn't expect to encounter this famous 'good buddy' duo of Honghuang as soon as I arrived in Eastern Honghuang. This fate is truly wondrous."
Both Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun were not unknown figures in Honghuang.
Regarding Zhenyuanzi's origin, there were two circulating theories.
One theory stated that he was the first essence of earth in the heavens and earth, having undergone countless years of precipitation and gestation, finally transforming into human form;
Another theory claimed that he was the transformation of the Ginseng Fruit Tree, one of the Ten Innate Spiritual Roots of Honghuang.
Regardless of the theory, both highlighted his extraordinary origins, in no way inferior to Minghe and Taichu. Zhenyuanzi was even one of the strongest Quasi-Saints below the Saints in his previous life, holding the immensely noble Heavenly Fruit Position of "Ancestor of Earth Immortals."
The term "Earth Immortal" in "Ancestor of Earth Immortals" did not solely refer to the Earth Immortal Realm, but encompassed all Cultivating beings on the Primordial Land.
As long as their Daoist temple was established on the Primordial Land, they would all be within Zhenyuanzi's jurisdiction, demonstrating the reverence and importance of this Fruit Position.
However, after Hongyun's demise, Zhenyuanzi rarely appeared in the world, only intervening to protect a portion of the Human Race during the Witch-Demon Calamity.
His next appearance was during the Journey to the West.
Even so, the Earth Book in his hand could connect with the entire Honghuang ley lines, possessing the ability to change heaven and earth and reverse the universe.
Based on this alone, even the few Saints in Honghuang would not easily offend this Lord of Earth Immortals.
As for Hongyun, he was the transformation of the first red cloud between heaven and earth, and this red cloud was even stained with the blood spat out by Pangu during his battle with the Chaos Demon Gods, nurtured and born in the Chaos Qi at the beginning of heaven and earth, his foundation was no less profound than Zhenyuanzi's.
Moreover, Hongyun was inherently kind and generous, fond of making friends widely across the world, and had an extensive network of connections in Honghuang, known to all as a good-natured person.
However, in this brutal Honghuang World, where the strong prey on the weak, such a simple and kind-hearted person was destined to face difficulties.
In Zixiao Palace, Hongyun obtained the Hongmeng Purple Energy, which contained the opportunity to become a Saint, but he was the only one who was not a Disciple of Hongjun, the Dao Ancestor. This undoubtedly made him a plump target in the eyes of many ill-intentioned individuals.
Ultimately, Hongyun failed to achieve Dao smoothly like the other Saints; instead, he was plotted against, chased all the way to the Sea of Blood by Kunpeng, and died with resentment.
Regarding those who plotted against him, there were various theories circulating in the world.
Some believed it was the Western Two Sages who were unwilling to repay the Karma of giving up their seats in Zixiao Palace;
Others speculated it was the two Demon Emperors of the Yao Race coveting the Hongmeng Purple Energy for becoming a Saint.
There were even rumors that Hongyun did not completely perish in the Sea of Blood, and his shattered true spirit had remained dormant within the Sea of Blood.
As Taichu thought of this, a sense of pity welled up in his heart, and he couldn't help but look at Hongyun, his gaze full of sympathy.
Hongyun keenly noticed Taichu's gaze, and thinking Taichu also wanted to eat spiritual fruit, he immediately smiled broadly and generously pulled out two spiritual fruits, handing them over: "Two Fellow Daoists, would you like to try one?"
Taichu had quite a bit of research into spiritual plants, and during this long journey of tens of thousands of years, he and Minghe had also found many Innate Spiritual Roots,
but most were Low Grade or Medium Grade. As soon as Hongyun took out the spiritual fruit, Taichu recognized it at a glance as a fruit from a Medium Grade Innate Spiritual Root.
"Then many thanks, Fellow Daoist." Taichu smiled as he took the spiritual fruit, unhesitatingly put it into his mouth, and savored it carefully.
Seeing Taichu's actions, Minghe also said in a low voice, "Thank you," and then took the spiritual fruit.
"How is it? Although this spiritual fruit is from a Medium Grade Spiritual Root, its deliciousness is unparalleled among the spiritual fruits I've tasted."
Hongyun's face was full of anticipation, his eyes sparkling, as he looked at Taichu and asked.
"What Fellow Daoist Hongyun said is true, this spiritual fruit is indeed sweet and delicious, with a wonderful taste."
Taichu responded with a smile, his face full of satisfaction.
"Hahaha, the first time I met Fellow Daoist Taichu, I felt that we were very compatible."
Hongyun laughed heartily, his face beaming with genuine joy.
"Alright, Fellow Daoist Hongyun. Minghe and Taichu have come a long way, are you going to keep chatting about spiritual fruits and discussing the Dao with them here indefinitely? If you Two Fellow Daoists don't mind, you can come to my Daoist temple, and we can exchange more thoroughly." Zhenyuanzi, seeing that Hongyun still wanted to continue chatting, quickly interrupted.
Minghe and Taichu exchanged glances, a hint of joy flashing in their eyes, and they responded in unison, "In that case, many thanks for your generous invitation, Two Fellow Daoists."
With that, the two followed Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun, flying together towards Mount Longevity.
Wuzhuang Temple, it really looks like Zhenyuanzi's as I remember it.
Taichu looked up at the three bold characters "Wuzhuang Temple" on the plaque and murmured to himself.
At this time, Zhenyuanzi had only recently taken human form and had not yet received the title of "Lord of Earth Immortals", so there was naturally no couplet of "Immortal's abode, longevity equal to heaven" in his Daoist temple.
The Daoist temple was deserted at this moment, with no trace of any living beings, so it was likely that Zhenyuanzi's Daoist boys, Qingfeng and Mingyue, had not yet been born.
"How about it, Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi's Daoist temple, does it meet the Dharma Eye of the two Fellow Daoists?" Hongyun noticed Taichu's focused expression and asked with a smile, his warm tone making it seem as if Mount Longevity Wuzhuang Temple was his territory.
"Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi's Daoist temple can be called a top-tier blessed land in the Great Desolation," Taichu said, looking at the Spiritual Qi in Wuzhuang Temple, which was so dense it almost condensed into rain, and sighed sincerely.
He keenly sensed that the surrounding earth veins converged here, so the First Acquired Array in Wuzhuang Temple must be closely connected to Zhenyuanzi's Earth Book and the Ginseng Fruit Tree.
In the current Great Desolation, no one could easily break through this array.
Moreover, even if this array's defensive capabilities were not strong, Taichu would not dare to underestimate it. Because of the existence of the Earth Book, this great array could connect to the entire Great Desolation's earth veins, making it the Great Desolation's first moral kidnapping array. Once broken, it would damage the Great Desolation's earth veins, and the Karma generated would require even the current Taichu to consider carefully.
This was probably why Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun felt at ease allowing Taichu and Minghe to enter the Daoist temple. Here, even if Taichu and Minghe harbored ill intentions, they could not harm them in the slightest.
"Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi, distinguished guests have arrived, aren't you going to pick a few Ginseng Fruits to entertain the two Fellow Daoists?" Hongyun said, unconsciously swallowing a mouthful of saliva, clearly revealing his gluttonous nature.
"You, I think you're using the excuse of entertaining Fellow Daoists, but in reality, you're coveting my Ginseng Fruits." Zhenyuanzi looked at Hongyun's appearance, shook his head helplessly, and then turned his gaze to Taichu and Minghe, "Two Fellow Daoists, please sit for a moment in the hall. I will go pick a few Ginseng Fruits for you to taste."
Taichu was filled with surprise. They had just met Zhenyuanzi, yet he was so generous, willing to give away fruits from the top-tier Innate Spiritual Root, the Ginseng Fruit Tree.
"In that case, many thanks, Fellow Daoist."
Taichu sincerely thanked Zhenyuanzi.
"No problem, it's just a few spiritual fruits." Zhenyuanzi smiled freely, turned and left the main hall, heading to pick the Ginseng Fruits.
"May I ask where the two Fellow Daoists come from, and how did you arrive at Mount Longevity?" As soon as Zhenyuanzi left, Hongyun eagerly began to converse with Taichu.
"My brother and I come from the Sea of Blood in the extreme west. This time, we came to the Great Desolation to travel around."
Hongyun's eyes flashed with surprise when he heard that Taichu and the other came from the Sea of Blood. "You two actually come from the Sea of Blood?" As the gathering place of the Great Desolation's impurities, the Sea of Blood was well-known in the Great Desolation, but Hongyun found it hard to imagine that such a dangerous place could also nurture living beings.
"Fellow Daoist, in that Sea of Blood..." Hongyun instantly turned into a curious baby, a string of questions pouring out, full of curiosity about the Sea of Blood.
"It seems that you, Hongyun, and Fellow Daoist Taichu are truly destined," Zhenyuanzi returned to the main hall and, seeing the two talking happily, couldn't help but joke.
At this moment, he held four oddly shaped fruits in his hand. The fruits were lifelike, exactly like the Innate Dao Body, very similar to the Human Race created by Nuwa in later generations.
If he hadn't known these were Ginseng Fruits, Taichu would have almost thought Zhenyuanzi had brought a few babies.
As soon as Hongyun saw the Ginseng Fruits in Zhenyuanzi's hand, he instantly vanished from his seat, appearing beside Zhenyuanzi in a blink of an eye, snatching one and stuffing it into his mouth. "This is the taste!" Biting into a Ginseng Fruit, Hongyun's face showed a satisfied smile.
"You, most of my Ginseng Fruits have gone into your stomach." Zhenyuanzi looked at Hongyun, both helpless and amused.
"Two Fellow Daoists, please taste." Zhenyuanzi circulated his spiritual power, gently sending two Ginseng Fruits in front of Taichu and Minghe.
"Many thanks, Fellow Daoist." Minghe and Taichu thanked him in unison.
Minghe looked at the Ginseng Fruit in front of him and, without hesitation, took a bite. In an instant, a look of surprise appeared on his face, feeling his cultivation had significantly increased.
Taichu looked at the Ginseng Fruit in his hand, but hesitated slightly.
He did not doubt Zhenyuanzi's intentions, but as a human in his previous life, facing this human-shaped Ginseng Fruit now, he inevitably felt some resistance.
But soon, he overcame the mental barrier and put the Ginseng Fruit into his mouth. The moment it entered his mouth, Taichu's eyes lit up. "As expected of the fruit of a top-tier Innate Spiritual Root!"
After Taichu finished the Ginseng Fruit, he immediately felt the Spiritual Qi surging within him, showing signs of a Breakthrough.
He didn't have time to speak to Minghe and the others and immediately sat cross-legged in the main hall, beginning to fully assault the Realm.
"This... is Fellow Daoist Taichu about to Break through?" Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun looked at Taichu's actions, both surprised. No one expected that a single Ginseng Fruit could allow Taichu to Break through directly.
Seeing this, Minghe immediately went to Taichu's side to act as his Protector.
Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun saw this situation and had no complaints. After all, a Breakthrough was a crucial moment for every Cultivator, allowing no room for error.
A moment later, the Aura on Taichu's body surged rapidly, then gradually calmed down.
Once his Qi was completely contained, Taichu slowly opened his eyes. "Brother, I have Broken through."
Minghe nodded slightly upon hearing this and returned to his seat.
"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist!" Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun, knowing that Taichu had successfully Broken through, smiled and offered their blessings.
"I still have to thank Fellow Daoist for the Ginseng Fruit. If not for it, I might have needed quite some time to Break through." Taichu said with a smile, thanking Zhenyuanzi.
"Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi, was the Ginseng Fruit you gave me before fake? Why didn't I Break through after eating so much, but Fellow Daoist Taichu succeeded after eating just one?" Hongyun joked with Zhenyuanzi.
"The effect of this Ginseng Fruit is best when first consumed. After that, the effect will gradually weaken. You have eaten so much that the Ginseng Fruit's effect on you is now negligible." Zhenyuanzi patiently explained.
Taichu pondered for a moment, recalling Zhenyuanzi's kindness in assisting him this time, and said, "Two Fellow Daoists, my brother and I are not as wealthy as you, but I have developed a kind of spiritual water called wine, which tastes quite good. Please, both of you, have a taste."
After speaking, Taichu waved his hand, and several jade jars instantly appeared in the Void Realm.
These jade jars were not Spirit Treasures, but merely containers Taichu used to hold wine.
The wine in the jars was a captivating amber color. The moment Taichu unsealed the jade jar, the rich aroma of wine instantly filled the entire hall.
The wine aroma permeated, and Hongyun's nose twitched slightly, instantly stirring his gluttonous craving. "This wine smells so good! Fellow Daoist Taichu, hurry up and bring it out, I can't wait to taste it."
Taichu smiled slightly upon hearing this, waved his hand, and distributed the wine from the jade jars to everyone. "Please, today it's all you can drink."
After saying that, he summoned several more large jade jars from the Void Realm.
"Good wine!" Hongyun could no longer restrain himself and drained his cup in one gulp.
Zhenyuanzi was actually full of curiosity about the wine, but he was inherently reserved, only sipping slowly.
However, it was clear from his expression that he also highly praised Taichu's wine.
Minghe looked at Hongyun's praise and Zhenyuanzi's satisfied expression, his eyes full of pride.
"Sitting idly like this is rather boring. How about we discuss the Dao together?" Taichu suggested to everyone.
"Excellent!" The other three nodded in agreement.
For a time, the sounds of the four discussing the Dao echoed in the main hall.