"Brother, the array has been broken. Let's go in together." Taichu turned to look at Minghe, who had been watching him from below, a joyful smile on his face, and said loudly.
Seeing this, Minghe nodded slightly, a hint of a smile appearing in his eyes.
At this moment, with the First Acquired Array's protection gone, the mountain range finally revealed its true appearance.
Within the mountains, spiritual plants flourished, and countless Heaven And Earth Treasures were scattered throughout.
Although these spiritual items were not of the highest grade, their sheer quantity still represented a rather substantial harvest for Taichu and his companion.
Taichu's gaze quickly swept through the mountain range, and he was pleasantly surprised to discover no fewer than ten Medium Grade Spiritual Roots growing within it.
And at the very top of the mountain, a seemingly ordinary Spiritual Root resembling a tea tree from later generations caught his eye.
Upon closer inspection, Taichu was astonished to find that he couldn't sense a single trace of Dao rhythm fluctuation on this tea tree.
However, it was precisely because of this that Taichu became even more certain that this seemingly ordinary tea tree was absolutely no common item.
In the Honghuang World, while there were some ordinary things completely devoid of Spiritual Qi, most of them grew in remote areas with extremely scarce Spiritual Qi.
Yet, this mountain range before him, nurturing dozens of Medium Grade Innate Spiritual Roots and countless Low Grade Spiritual Roots, was rich in Spiritual Qi, truly a blessed land, making it impossible for genuinely ordinary things to appear.
What's more, this tea tree was growing in the most Spiritually Qi-abundant area of the mountain range, the very peak.
"Could it be… this is the enlightenment tea tree I've been searching for so long? If that's truly the case, then it makes sense why this First Acquired Array was so profound before." Taichu gazed at the tea tree on the mountain peak, secretly speculating in his heart.
Among the many Innate Spiritual Roots in Honghuang, the first tea tree-like Spiritual Root Taichu thought of was the enlightenment tea tree.
This enlightenment tea tree was not only a top-tier Innate Spiritual Root but also one of Taichu's important goals during his previous travels through Honghuang.
He had once thought the enlightenment tea tree would grow on Mount Buzhou, and for that, he had searched on Mount Buzhou for tens of thousands of years, yet found nothing.
Thinking of this, how could Taichu suppress the excitement in his heart?
With a flash of his figure, he instantly arrived beneath the tea tree on the mountain peak.
Taichu carefully plucked a tea leaf from the tea tree and slowly infused it with spiritual power.
In an instant, a profound feeling surged through his heart, as if he were directly facing the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth; that kind of comprehension was extremely similar to the Enlightenment Dao state he entered when discussing Dao with Hongjun back then.
"Indeed! This is the enlightenment tea tree. I didn't expect it wouldn't grow on Mount Buzhou, but rather be hidden here." Taichu's face was full of pleasant surprise, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Taichu, is this the enlightenment tea tree? But didn't you say the enlightenment tea tree is a top-tier Innate Spiritual Root in Honghuang? Why, when I look at it, compared to Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi's Ginseng Fruit Tree, it seems far inferior." Minghe walked forward, looking at the seemingly ordinary tea tree, his eyes full of doubt.
"Brother, this is indeed the enlightenment tea tree. It's just that it has deeply sealed all its spiritual essence within itself, which is why it appears so ordinary." Taichu patiently explained to Minghe.
"Brother, if you don't believe me, just infuse spiritual power into this tea leaf and try it." Taichu said, handing over an Enlightenment Dao Tea Leaf.
Minghe took the tea leaf and, as instructed, slowly infused it with spiritual power.
Instantly, his eyes lit up, and a look of pleasant surprise appeared on his face.
"Truly miraculous! No wonder you said this enlightenment tea tree would be of great use to us. Now it seems, this is simply a priceless treasure. With it, our Cultivation to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm is just around the corner!" Minghe said excitedly.
Taichu smiled slightly and waved his hand, collecting the enlightenment tea tree.
At this time, there were 360 mature tea leaves on the enlightenment tea tree.
Subsequently, Taichu also collected the remaining ten or so Innate Spiritual Roots in the mountain range into his possession.
Taichu meticulously searched within this mountain range, and after a period of busy work, he harvested a total of thirteen Medium Grade Innate Spiritual Roots and twenty-five Low Grade Innate Spiritual Roots.
These Spiritual Roots varied in form and function.
Some Spiritual Roots contained vitality, capable of stimulating the power of life; others secretly held Spiritual Qi, which could assist in Cultivation.
However, with his and Minghe's current strength, the efficacy of these Spiritual Roots seemed somewhat lacking; in the future, they would most likely be used to satisfy their appetites or as rewards for Juniors.
However, not far from the enlightenment tea tree, Taichu was pleasantly surprised to discover a netherworld bodhi tree.
This netherworld bodhi was a High Grade Innate Spiritual Root.
Its trunk was like warm white jade, pure and flawless, emitting a soft glow.
The leaves trembled slightly, shimmering with twinkling specks of light.
The bodhi seeds produced on the tree were round and plump, emitting a faint, clear fragrance that gently wafted into the nostrils, reaching deep into the Soul, instantly making one feel refreshed and invigorated.
Taichu, out of curiosity, tried consuming a bodhi seed.
He found that this bodhi seed could purify Impurities within the body, sort out chaotic spiritual power, make the Cultivator's Cultivation Technique run more smoothly, and allow for a deeper understanding of the Cultivation Technique's essence.
"What a pity." Taichu looked at the purified bodhi, sighing softly.
This netherworld bodhi, for the living beings of Honghuang, was undoubtedly a rare treasure, but its efficacy was too similar to Taichu's true form, the pure world white lotus.
As one transformed from the pure world white lotus, Taichu himself possessed powerful purifying abilities, so he naturally didn't feel the purifying effects of the netherworld bodhi deeply. For him, this treasure was somewhat redundant.
But Taichu did not give up on it. After a brief thought, he still collected the purified bodhi.
He already had a plan in mind: to use this netherworld bodhi as the core of a great array to improve the environment of the Blood Sea.
Since leaving the Blood Sea, Taichu had continuously delved into the Dao of Arrays, and his current attainments were far beyond what they were when he first left.
With this purified bodhi as the array's core, he was confident in setting up a great array that would significantly improve the Blood Sea's environment.
Taichu's return to the Blood Sea this time was not just for seclusion and to sort out what he had gained from his travels.
He had an even more important goal in mind: to acquire as much Karma as possible before the upcoming tribulation.
Since the tribulation could not be avoided, then an extra bit of Karma meant an extra bit of assurance in passing through it.
Currently, the first method Taichu thought of for acquiring Karma was to purify the turbid substances within the Blood Sea.
As for those methods he had heard of in his previous life, such as gaining Heavenly Dao Karma by creating certain artifacts, Taichu found them too illusory and difficult to believe.
However, Taichu had also considered creating written characters. In the history of Honghuang, the Demon Master Kunpeng created Demon Text, gaining a massive amount of Karma through this act, and even becoming the Demon Master of the Yao Race in one leap.
Cangjie of the Human Race, by creating characters, also received the blessing of Karma, and it is even said that Cangjie, because he created the Human Race's characters, which aligned with the Luck of the Human Race as the protagonists of Heaven and Earth, a mere Mortal actually became a Sub-Saint because of it.
In the Honghuang World, a Human Race Sub-Saint was essentially equivalent to the Quasi-Saint Realm.
Although a Quasi-Saint achieved entirely through Karma was relatively weaker in strength, it was still a Quasi-Saint, an existence that most living beings in Honghuang looked up to.
Just consider the three thousand visitors who listened to Dao in Zixiao Palace; most of them never became Quasi-Saints, which shows how revered the status of a Quasi-Saint was in Honghuang.
Taichu believed that the path of creating written characters might be feasible.
Currently, the common script for all races in Honghuang was the Great Dao Text. This script contained the mysteries of the Heavenly Dao, and only living beings whose Cultivation had reached a certain Realm could comprehend its meaning.
But Taichu knew in his heart that the living beings of Honghuang now were all early living beings nurtured by Honghuang; even the most ordinary ones had the strength of a Heavenly Immortal at birth.
However, the living beings born in Honghuang later would not have such good treatment.
By then, not all living beings would be able to understand the Great Dao Text.
Taichu had a grand vision in mind: he planned to create a script that could be universally understood by all races in Honghuang, even living beings with no Cultivation whatsoever.
He firmly believed that once such a script was created, the Karma gained would even be enough to help him become a Saint, though Taichu had no intention of becoming a Saint by relying on Karma.
However, Taichu understood that achieving this goal would be far from easy.
It would not only require an extremely profound understanding of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth but also a great deal of effort.
Currently, this was just an idea in his mind and had not yet been put into practice.
Taichu took a deep breath, casting aside all the distracting thoughts in his mind, and continued to search for the scattered Heaven And Earth Treasures in the mountain range.
For the ordinary Heaven And Earth Treasures, Taichu was not greedy enough to take them all; instead, he carefully sifted through them, only selecting a portion that was useful to him, and cautiously putting them into his possession.
After all, with his current strength, these provided very limited assistance to him.
Taichu decided to leave the remaining Heaven And Earth Treasures in this mountain range, awaiting those with destiny.
As the saying goes, too much is as bad as too little; leaving a glimmer of hope for all living beings was a principle he had come to understand while traveling with Hongjun.
The two searched carefully in the mountain range, and after confirming there was nothing left, they turned and departed.
They did not know that after they left, an Innate Sacred quietly emerged in this mountain range, a nine-tailed fox named Qingqiu.
Thereafter, this mountain range was named Mount Qingqiu by Qingqiu, and although Qingqiu and her nine-tailed fox clan were not particularly strong in Honghuang, the reputation of this race was quite significant.
It seemed that Taichu and Minghe had overdrawn their Luck after collecting the enlightenment tea tree.
For thousands of years, they hadn't encountered a single Opportunity, nor even useful Heaven And Earth Treasure.
One day, as Taichu and Minghe were leisurely walking, a shout suddenly came from behind them: "Two Fellow Daoists ahead, please stop!"
Their steps abruptly halted.
When Taichu heard this, his mind instantly went blank, and he secretly groaned: "Hiss, Fellow Daoist, please stop. That phrase shouldn't be said."
In his past life's memories, this phrase in the Honghuang World was as famous as "This item is fated with me," known as the two great sayings of Honghuang, and was even rumored to be mystical.
It was said to possess a magical power with the Law of Karma, and any living being who heard it would be inexplicably drawn into various Karmic entanglements.
In an instant, a familiar image flashed in Taichu's mind—a leopard demon.
However, he quickly cast that thought aside.
Shen Gongbao was a key figure in the Investiture of the Gods calamity. The Yao Race hadn't even appeared yet, let alone Shen Gongbao, who was just an ordinary demon and hadn't been born at this time.
Moreover, with their current strength, even without intentionally concealing their figures, anyone who could easily discover them would at least be a Taiyi Golden Immortal Perfected Realm level expert.
A sense of vigilance immediately arose in their hearts, and they slowly turned their heads, looking towards the source of the sound.
Behind them, a strange beast stood quietly.
This beast resembled a ferocious tiger, majestic and imposing, yet it exuded the unique aura of the Dragon Clan. Its scales shimmered with a faint glow in the sunlight, clearly a product of the union between the Dragon Clan and the tiger race.
"Could this be Bi'an, the seventh son of Ancestor Dragon?" Taichu stared at the strange beast, secretly pondering.
Since the three races became the chiefs of the scaled, feathered, and beast clans, their strength had exploded under the powerful impetus of Luck.
Taiyi Golden Immortal and Grand Unity Golden Immortal emerged like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. Currently, the number of Taiyi Golden Immortal in the three races is no less than 100,000, and even the once extremely rare Grand Unity Golden Immortal, each race probably has no fewer than ten.
The power of the three races had expanded to an astonishing degree.
The powerful being who stopped them, possessing the strength of Taiyi Golden Immortal Perfected Realm, and combining the features of a tiger and the Dragon Clan, Taichu instantly thought of Bi'an, the seventh son of Ancestor Dragon, and felt that the identity of the strange beast before him could be none other than him.
"Two Fellow Daoists, this humble Daoist is Bi'an of the Dragon Clan, indeed the seventh son of Ancestor Dragon. This abrupt stop was truly unintentional, and I hope you will forgive me." Bi'an seemed to know that his sudden stop of the two was somewhat impolite, and quickly explained, his tone quite sincere.
"It really is Bi'an." Although Taichu had guessed it earlier, he couldn't help but be surprised upon confirmation.
In the legends of his previous life, Bi'an was said to be impetuous and righteous, loving to speak out for justice, and able to discern right from wrong and judge impartially. Even more miraculously, he could see through people's hearts.
In many legends on Blue Star, his image was often used in government yamen, symbolizing fairness and majesty.
It's just, would Bi'an in the Honghuang World also be as noble in character as in the legends?
Why did he stop him and Minghe?
The Dragon Clan was currently in its heyday, did they want to recruit them to join the Dragon Clan?
Taichu's mind was filled with doubts. He and the Dragon Clan had no previous interactions, and deep down, he didn't want to have too much involvement with the currently prominent Dragon Clan.
"Two Fellow Daoists, the reason I stopped you this time is because I feel a connection with you. Furthermore, I recently discovered a Secret Realm that requires the combined efforts of three Taiyi Golden Immortal to open, so I would like to invite you two to go together and explore the Opportunity." Bi'an said with a sincere expression.
"Fellow Daoist, as the son of the Dragon Clan Chief, the Dragon Clan is full of talented individuals. Finding two Taiyi Golden Immortal to explore the Secret Realm with you should not be difficult, so why approach us?" Taichu's gaze was sharp, staring intently at Bi'an, with a hint of skepticism in his tone.
Bi'an nodded slightly, explaining earnestly: "Fellow Daoist is right. However, this Secret Realm is quite special. I tried to find people from my clan before, but that Secret Realm seems to be very resistant to the Dragon Clan.
It was only by relying on my half-tiger Bloodline, plus the blessing of a secret method, that I was able to evade the Secret Realm's detection. Moreover, that Secret Realm is now on the verge of collapse, and time is pressing. I truly don't have time to seek out other Fellow Daoists."
Taichu and Minghe exchanged glances, seeing hesitation in each other's eyes.
After a moment of thought, Taichu still shook his head and politely declined: "Sorry, Bi'an Fellow Daoist. Our two brothers are not very interested in the Secret Realm you mentioned, and we also have important matters at hand, so we really cannot go with Fellow Daoist."
"Two Fellow Daoists, don't rush to refuse. As long as you two are willing to go to the Secret Realm with me, I only need one item from what we obtain, and the rest will all belong to you two. With such generous conditions, I hope you two will reconsider." Seeing that the two were about to leave, Bi'an quickly spoke to persuade them, his words full of urgency.
"Fellow Daoist, are you trying to force our two brothers to stay?" Taichu and Minghe's gazes towards Bi'an instantly turned cold, their spiritual Qi subtly surging, hinting at their readiness to defend themselves.
They originally did not want to form Karma with the Dragon Clan, but if Bi'an insisted on stopping them, they would never be afraid.
"Alas, since the Two Fellow Daoists have made up their minds, this humble Daoist will not force you, but I only hope that you will not regret it in the future." Bi'an looked at Taichu and the other, a fleeting hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes, but it vanished in an instant, and he returned to his gentle demeanor.
"Then our two brothers will take our leave first." Taichu and Minghe knew that their refusal had already displeased Bi'an, and they did not wish to stay longer. They immediately activated their Divine Ability, their bodies glowing with brilliant spiritual Qi, and instantly vanished from the spot, leaving only an empty space, proving that they had once stood there.
"Hmph, I didn't expect these two fellows to be so unappreciative. It seems I'll have to find another way." Bi'an looked in the direction where the two disappeared, a playful smile curling at the corner of his mouth, seemingly unconcerned by their refusal.
"Why not just act directly? They're just two Taiyi Golden Immortal. With the five of us, are we still afraid of not being able to keep them?" Four black Qi suddenly emerged from beside Bi'an's body.
As the black Qi surged, they gradually transformed into four figures. Upon closer inspection, they were surprisingly from the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin three races.
"You don't understand these two. They are not ordinary Innate Sacreds.
They possess many Spirit Treasure, and the Dao they cultivate are top-tier Laws. With our current strength, we might not truly be able to keep them.
If they escape and ruin the Master's plan, when the Master blames us, none of us will be able to bear the responsibility." Bi'an looked at the four people beside him, shaking his head helplessly. From his words, it was not difficult to hear his apprehension and understanding of Taichu and Minghe.
"So what do we do now? Are we just going to let them go?" A black Qi in the form of a Phoenix looked distressed and anxiously at everyone.
"What are you panicking about? I know their Dao field is in the Sea of Blood in the far west. These two are probably heading back to the Sea of Blood. Now that the West is completely under our control, when they get there, are we still afraid of not finding an Opportunity to strike?" Bi'an's expression was calm, clearly having already planned for Taichu and the other to leave, not flustered at all.
"Oh no, that Bi'an fellow is resisting again! You all quickly come back and help me suppress him!" A panicked shout suddenly came from within Bi'an's body.
"What's going on? How did Bi'an wake up so quickly? This shouldn't be." The other four black Qi felt the abnormal fluctuations coming from Bi'an's body, their faces full of shock and disbelief.
"What are you guys dawdling for? I can't suppress him alone! If he breaks free and returns to the Dragon Clan, we'll all be in deep trouble!" Bi'an roared at them, his voice tinged with urgency and anger.
"Damn it, how dare you sneak attack and occupy my body? Are you not afraid of my Dragon Clan's revenge?" Bi'an's face instantly became fierce and distorted, his eyes filled with rage. Clearly, the true Bi'an had temporarily broken free and regained control of his body.
But this was only a brief resistance. The four black Qi swiftly burrowed into Bi'an's body like lightning.
For a moment, Bi'an's expression twisted and changed like a Sichuan opera face-changing performance, sometimes fierce, sometimes pained, and sometimes returning to calm. Clearly, six consciousnesses were fiercely contending for control of the body within Bi'an.
After a fierce struggle, Bi'an's expression gradually returned to calm. Clearly, the black Qi had once again gained the upper hand.
"How long will this go on? Are we going to be entangled with Bi'an like this forever?" A tired and helpless voice came from within Bi'an's body.
"Otherwise? This Bi'an is not an ordinary Taiyi Golden Immortal. He is a son highly valued by Ancestor Dragon. If he falls, the Dragon Clan will definitely retaliate fiercely, and then if the Master's plan is ruined, we will be to blame for ten thousand deaths."
"Don't worry, as long as we capture those two Innate Sacreds, and when we see the Master, the Master will naturally help us resolve the trouble with Bi'an." After Bi'an finished speaking, a strange light shimmered around his body, and his form slowly disappeared into the Void Realm, leaving only a dead silent space, as if nothing had ever happened there
"Taichu, what do you think of that Secret Realm Bi'an mentioned?" Ming He asked casually, but his gaze was fixed on Taichu, with a hint of worry in his eyes.
Taichu's expression was solemn, and he frowned slightly, analyzing with a confident tone, "That Secret Realm is definitely not as simple as it appears. Bi'an, as the son of the Dragon Clan's Ancestral Dragon, has all scale-armored creatures in the entire Honghuang World under the Dragon Clan's jurisdiction.
If the Secret Realm merely repelled the Dragon Clan, he could have gathered his subordinate scale-armored races to help. Why bother seeking us out? His explanation is full of loopholes; there must be an unspeakable secret hidden behind this."
After a slight pause, Taichu added, "Moreover, I always feel that Bi'an's state is a bit strange." Taichu shook his head as he spoke.
"Forget it, Bi'an's cultivation is on par with mine. As long as we don't fall for his trick, he can't do anything to us." After careful consideration, Taichu shook his head helplessly and said to Ming He.
He knew in his heart that the conflict between the three Honghuang races had already reached its Peak, and he didn't want to be inexplicably drawn into this vortex of dispute.
Upon hearing this, Ming He's brows instantly furrowed into a 'river' character, and a hint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes: "I'm afraid Bi'an won't let us off easily. He is a strong practitioner at the Taiyi Golden Immortal Perfected Realm Realm. How about we…"
As he spoke, a strong killing intent quietly permeated the air. In Ming He's view, the most direct and effective way to solve a problem was to completely eliminate its source.
"No. Bi'an is, after all, the son of the Ancestral Dragon. If he were to perish at the hands of us brothers, it would surely invite the Dragon Clan's furious retaliation. The Dragon Clan's power is currently at its Peak; their strength is far beyond what we can contend with." Taichu sighed deeply and waved his hand helplessly.
He also knew that killing Bi'an was the most straightforward solution.
But the Dragon Clan now was no longer the Dragon Clan suffocated by Karma after the Dragon Han Calamity, but rather the undisputed behemoth in the Honghuang World.
The Ancestral Dragon stood at the Peak of power on the surface of Honghuang, with no one able to contend with him.
Of course, Taichu also knew in his heart that several Hunyuan Golden Immortals, such as Hongjun, Luo Hou, and Yang Mei, were still hidden within Honghuang.
"Alas, alright, I'll do as you say." Although Ming He was full of unwillingness, he had to admit that Taichu's considerations were correct.
"It seems Bi'an is determined to get us. We probably can't escape this time." Just as Ming He put down his thoughts, Taichu looked at the distant valley and shook his head helplessly.
"Is Bi'an really planning to attack us? But I haven't detected his Aura." Ming He was full of doubts and transmitted his voice to Taichu through Divine Sense.
He cautiously sensed his surroundings but still couldn't detect any trace of Bi'an.
"Brother, there's a large formation hidden in the valley ahead. I detected Bi'an's Aura on the formation. I just can't understand why he is so determined to attack us when we have no past grievances or recent animosity with the Dragon Clan or with Bi'an." Taichu also transmitted his voice in response, his eyes full of confusion.
"What should we do now? Should we just bypass that valley?"
Taichu shook his head again and said calmly, "No need. Since Bi'an is determined not to let us go, even if we avoid this place, he will surely set up an ambush elsewhere."
Ming He nodded silently upon hearing this. Taichu's decision was exactly what he wanted; he was not a person who liked to escape.
"However, Brother, wait until you see my actions before you make your move. I want to figure out why Bi'an is pursuing us so relentlessly." Taichu looked at the eager Ming He and solemnly reminded him.
"Okay, no problem." Ming He nodded indifferently, looking confident.
The two feigned unawareness and flew calmly towards the Void Realm above the valley.
The moment they stepped into the valley, the surrounding space seemed to be violently stirred by an invisible large hand, and a large formation instantly enveloped them.
"Hahahahaha, Two Fellow Daoists, we meet again!" In the valley, Bi'an's figure slowly emerged. To their surprise, he was surrounded by four figures.
"What's going on? How can there be Phoenix and Qilin Clan members beside Bi'an? Did Bi'an betray the Dragon Clan?" Taichu was startled and pondered inwardly.
"No, the Dragon Clan's Luck is currently flourishing. As the seventh son of the Ancestral Dragon, if Bi'an were to betray them, the Dragon Clan would surely detect it keenly from the River of Luck. It seems there must be something strange about Bi'an." Taichu stared intently at the four people beside Bi'an, his eyes filled with suspicion.
"I wonder why Fellow Daoist Bi'an has trapped us brothers here? Is it to harm us?" Taichu narrowed his eyes, his gaze as sharp as a cold star, looking directly at Bi'an and the four others.
"Two Fellow Daoists, it's been a while. Originally, that Secret Realm was the burial ground I meticulously prepared for you two, but you two didn't appreciate it and rejected my 'kindness.'
Since that's the case, I'll have to find another suitable place for you two. Please don't be shy." Bi'an had a strange smile on his face, and a hint of madness in his eyes as he looked at Taichu and the other.
"Do you think that just the five of you can keep us brothers? You're underestimating us too much!" Taichu retorted coldly, without fear.
He knew in his heart that among the five of them, only Bi'an had reached the Taiyi Golden Immortal Perfected Realm Realm, and the other four were merely at the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Late Stage. With such a lineup, it would be extremely difficult to keep them.
"Since we dare to act here, we have naturally made thorough preparations. Haven't Fellow Daoists noticed anything unusual?" Bi'an's face showed a sinister smile, a smile like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, sending shivers down one's spine.
"What's going on? The surrounding black Qi is frantically eroding our Physical Body, and even I am not immune. It seems Bi'an understands us very well. The large formation in this valley is probably just a deceptive front." Taichu's heart tightened, and he keenly sensed the danger.
"However, these guys probably didn't expect that our Dao Body was tempered in Mount Buzhou, so these black Qi have minimal effect on us now." Taichu thought to himself.
"You've felt it, right? This is a grand gift I specially prepared for you." Bi'an said triumphantly, his laughter filled with malice.
He didn't know what Taichu and the other were thinking and continued to speak arrogantly.
"It seems we brothers are doomed this time. But I truly don't understand, we've never met before, so why does Fellow Daoist want to kill us?" Taichu feigned a bitter smile, looking at Bi'an and the others, his eyes full of confusion.
"Alright, time's almost up. As for Fellow Daoist's questions, once I capture you, I will tell you everything." Bi'an did not answer Taichu's question but turned to look at the four people beside him, urging anxiously, "Hurry up, don't let that guy run out again."
The other four nodded immediately. In an instant, all five simultaneously launched a fierce attack on Taichu and the other.
"It seems I won't get any answers." Seeing this, Taichu said no more.
"Brother, move!" Taichu looked at Ming He beside him, a hint of determination flashing in his eyes.
"Good!" A hint of excitement flashed in Ming He's eyes, and he instantly conjured the Yuantu and Abi Sword. Two cold lights flashed, and the sword bodies exuded a strong Aura of slaughter.
Above his head, the Blood Fiend Nine Underworlds Pagoda glowed, and faint roars of Nine Underworlds evil spirits could be heard.
Ming He, like a black lightning bolt, charged fiercely towards Bi'an and the four others. Taichu remained in place, concentrating on watching the battle, his gaze as sharp as an eagle's, closely observing every detail of the battlefield.
"Damn it, you actually look down on us so much!" Bi'an and the four others' faces turned ashen when they saw only Ming He fighting. Enraged, their attacks became even more ferocious.
"I alone am enough. If you want Taichu to act, you'll have to get past me first!" Ming He's face was as calm as water, his gaze coldly fixed on Bi'an and the four others, and his Aura suddenly surged.
"Good, then we'll deal with you first!" Bi'an and the four others roared, attacking Ming He together. For a moment, the light of Divine Ability illuminated the entire valley, and the shouts of battle were deafening.
"This black Qi is very strange; even my Great Dao Law of World Purification cannot purify it." Taichu did not join Ming He in the battle; it was not because they were arrogant, but because they had discussed it beforehand.
Ming He was only one step away from Breakthrough to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm, and the Avenue of Slaughter Law he cultivated was most suitable for Breakthrough during battle.
And Bi'an, a strong practitioner at the Taiyi Golden Immortal Perfected Realm Realm, plus four opponents at the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Late Stage, was undoubtedly an excellent opportunity for Ming He to temper himself.
Moreover, Taichu was confident that if Ming He encountered danger, he would definitely be able to protect him with his own strength.
"This Aura is a bit like that toad's, but this black Qi is much stronger than it. However, that toad even burned its Dao Rhyme to ashes, so it's impossible for it to still be alive. Perhaps it's just a similar Aura." Taichu pondered for a moment, shook his head, and denied his own thoughts.
Just as Taichu was studying the black Qi, the battle between Ming He and Bi'an and the four others in the Void Realm had entered a fierce stage.
Although Ming He possessed three top-tier Spirit Treasure, he had to resist the erosion of the surrounding black Qi and deal with the encirclement of Bi'an and the four others, making him feel a bit overwhelmed for a moment.
His clothes had been torn by Spells, and blood seeped from several wounds, but his eyes were incredibly firm.
Even though he was at a disadvantage, Ming He's face was full of joy: "This is the feeling! Soon, I'll be able to grasp the opportunity for Breakthrough!" Every close call brought him closer to the brink of Breakthrough. This sense of pressure between life and death instead ignited his fighting spirit.
"Damn it, how is this guy so difficult to deal with!" Bi'an and the four others' faces were grim. They never expected that even with their combined efforts, they couldn't defeat Ming He.
It wasn't their fault, though. Ming He's Physical Body had undergone a complete transformation in Mount Buzhou. Although the black Qi, which they considered their trump card, affected Ming He, it couldn't substantially weaken his combat power in the short term.
In this fierce battle, Ming He, relying on his tenacious will and powerful strength, was in a stalemate with Bi'an and the four others, while Taichu quietly observed from the side, waiting for the right moment to assist Ming He.
"Damn it, you forced us into this!" The Evil Toad's roar echoed in the Void Realm, filled with endless resentment and unwillingness.
At this moment, he and the four individuals beside him were in a desperate situation, repeatedly hovering on the brink of death under the torrential attacks of Minghe and Taichu.
Their spiritual power was chaotic, and their Aura was weak; they had reached a dead end.
"Damn guys, they chose to resist at this time!" The Evil Toad cursed in a low voice.
Bi'an's Primordial Spirit seemed to sense the turmoil outside and began to frantically contend for control of the body at this moment.
Bi'an's body, controlled by the Evil Toad, occasionally became stiff, and his movements became slow and sluggish.
Although Taichu and Minghe were not clear about the reason, this was undoubtedly a Breakthrough, and they quickly adjusted their strategy, shifting the focus of their attacks to Bi'an's body, which was controlled by the Evil Toad.
For a time, various attacks poured down on Bi'an.
In just a moment, Bi'an's once majestic body was covered in dense scars, and blood gushed out, staining the surrounding Void Realm.
"Damn it, Bi'an, don't you understand our current situation? If you keep this up, your Physical Body won't be able to bear it!" The Evil Toad was both startled and angry, and quickly transmitted a Divine Thought to Bi'an within him, his voice full of anxiety and threat.
The current situation was already precarious; if Bi'an continued to cause trouble, both of them would be doomed.
"Hahahahaha!" Bi'an's Primordial Spirit let out a crazy laugh, "I am now trapped in this shell, is there anything worse than this? Since I can't get out, then I will perish with you!" His eyes burned with a look of madness; Bi'an knew this was his only chance.
"Damn it!" The Evil Toad's heart sank, feeling Bi'an's resistance growing stronger, he knew that he had no extra strength to suppress the other party at this moment.
If this continued, in a short while, Bi'an would break free from his control.
At the critical moment of life and death, the Evil Toad gritted his teeth and made a decision.
From within Bi'an's body, a phantom image of a toad slowly emerged; clearly, the Evil Toad chose to give up control of Bi'an's body.
"Thank you, Two Fellow Daoists, for your assistance! From now on, you two will be the great benefactors of my Dragon Clan!" Bi'an regained control of his body, immediately bowed to Taichu and Minghe, speaking sincerely, his eyes full of gratitude.
"No need to be polite, we are just here to deal with the Evil Toad and his group, we don't deserve such heavy thanks." Taichu waved his hand, his expression calm.
He knew in his heart that he and Minghe were not helping Bi'an out of righteousness, but purely to oppose the Evil Toad's side.
If it weren't for the Evil Toad and others pressing them, they would not have gotten involved in this dispute, nor would they want to have too much involvement with the current Dragon Clan.
After the Evil Toad left Bi'an's body, he quickly floated to the side of the other four black Qi figures.
At this moment, their situation was still grim; facing the combined forces of Taichu, Minghe, and Bi'an, their chances of winning were slim.
"With our current strength alone, it is impossible to defeat them. Only by using that method might there be a glimmer of hope." The Evil Toad's voice was low, carrying a hint of desperate resolve.
As soon as these words were spoken, the eyes of the other four instantly flickered with struggle.
That "method" was too dangerous; once implemented, their lives would be in the hands of the Evil Toad alone.
But now, they had been pushed to a dead end, and there seemed to be no better choice.
"At this point, what are you still hesitating about? We couldn't defeat them before, and now that they have Bi'an's help, do you think there's still a chance of winning?" The Evil Toad saw the four hesitating, and immediately glared, shouting loudly.
"Alright! I hope you don't let down our trust." The four black Qi figures were silent for a moment, then finally gritted their teeth and agreed.
They understood in their hearts that what the Evil Toad said was true; if they wanted to survive this desperate situation, they could only take a risk.
As soon as the words fell, the four black Qi figures instantly surged towards the Evil Toad, merging with his body.
In an instant, a strange phenomenon occurred.
The Evil Toad, who was originally covered in wounds, had his injuries heal at a visible speed, and his spiritual power rapidly recovered.
Not only that, but his Aura began to climb frantically, like surging tides, one wave higher than the last.
In just a blink of an eye, the Evil Toad's Aura reached the Peak state of Taiyi Golden Immortal Perfected Realm, his body filled with surging spiritual power, as if it was about to pierce through the sky.
At the same time, the Evil Toad's body also began to undergo strange changes.
His body gradually grew the characteristics of the other four, with four heads slowly emerging from his shoulders, each head emitting a unique Dao Aura.
Seeing this, Taichu was startled; he could feel that although these four heads had merged with the Evil Toad, their consciousness still existed, as if they were coexisting in a peculiar way.
"Is this the method of the Demon Race? To be able to merge bodies and improve cultivation. Good heavens, they're even playing the mecha Body Integration, monster Fusion routine, aren't they?" Taichu couldn't help but click his tongue, his eyes full of surprise and vigilance.
"Not enough, this alone is not enough!" The Evil Toad felt the surging power within him, a hint of excitement flashed across his face, but it was quickly replaced by dissatisfaction.
Although his cultivation had reached the Peak of Taiyi Golden Immortal Perfected Realm, he was still stuck there, unable to advance further and Breakthrough to the Realm of Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
"That's right, there's also you all! Since you've already merged, then you are part of me, help me Breakthrough together!" A hint of madness flashed in the Evil Toad's eyes as he turned to look at the four heads beside him.
As his words fell, the Aura of the four heads, excluding the Evil Toad, rapidly withered, and the spiritual power contained within them flowed into the Evil Toad's body like a breached dam.
"Damn Evil Toad, what are you doing?"
"I knew I shouldn't have trusted him, he really had a plan all along!"
"Evil Toad, aren't you afraid of the Lord's wrath?"
The consciousness within the four heads let out angry roars; they never expected that the Evil Toad, whom they trusted, would attack them at this moment.
But at this moment, their power was being frantically extracted, and they were powerless to resist.
"Hahaha!"
The Evil Toad looked up and laughed loudly, his laughter full of triumph and arrogance.
"I am indeed plotting against you all, so what? As for the Lord, once I Breakthrough to Grand Unity Golden Immortal and become his equal, who will be in charge is still uncertain!"
Driven by this insane desire, the Evil Toad completely exposed his ambition; to Breakthrough his Realm, he would sacrifice everything.
"Oh no! The Evil Toad is using that secret method again! Last time he used this secret method, his cultivation increased by one Realm. Now, with the help of the other four, he is only one step away from Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
If he successfully burns these powers to Breakthrough, even if we join forces, we won't be his match! We absolutely cannot let him succeed!" Taichu's expression changed drastically, and he quickly turned to look at Minghe and Bi'an, his eyes full of anxiety.
Minghe and Bi'an also felt a chill in their hearts upon hearing this.
They knew that what Taichu said was true, and without the slightest hesitation, the three of them instantly attacked, various attacks whistling towards the Evil Toad, attempting to kill him before he could Breakthrough.
However, although they reacted quickly and acted decisively, they were still one step too late.
Although the three's attacks successfully destroyed the consciousness within three of the heads, one black Qi was still successfully burned by the Evil Toad, turning into a boost for his Breakthrough.
With the infusion of this power, the Evil Toad's Aura suddenly surged, directly breaking through the shackles of Taiyi Golden Immortal and entering the Realm of Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
"I didn't expect this bizarre black Qi to actually be related to that Evil Toad!
It seems there really is an intricate connection between this Bi'an and the Evil Toad.
But that Evil Toad clearly perished at the hands of us two brothers. Could it be that Bi'an Cultivated the same Great Dao Laws as the Evil Toad?"
After much focused research, Taichu finally discerned the Great Dao Laws at the root of that black Qi, his brows furrowing as the doubts in his heart grew stronger.
"It seems only by subduing Bi'an can we uncover the reason behind this," Taichu murmured to himself, his gaze involuntarily falling upon Minghe and the others who were currently battling in the Void Realm.
At this moment, the battle in the Void Realm had undergone an earth-shattering change.
Minghe's state seemed to have entered a profound and wondrous Realm.
Wielding the Abi Sword and Yuantu, their blades gleaming with chilling light, a pervasive killing intent emanated from him, suppressing the five Bi'an to the point where they had no power to retaliate.
"This isn't right! As the son of the Ancestral Dragon, how could Bi'an's strength be so weak?" Taichu had been focused on researching the black Qi earlier, remaining still as long as Minghe's life wasn't in danger.
But the scene before him now truly astonished him; Minghe was actually pushing the five Bi'an into such a desperate situation all by himself.
"Did I overestimate Bi'an's strength?" Taichu gazed at Bi'an, falling into contemplation.
"No! Bi'an's state is too abnormal. I didn't notice it when he wasn't attacking before, but now it seems his Physical Body and Primordial Spirit are in an extremely unharmonious state. Could it be… Bi'an was plotted against and underwent Possession?" Taichu's heart jolted, and a bold conjecture surfaced in his mind.
"Who on earth has such audacity to plot against Bi'an? Are they not afraid of the Dragon Clan's furious retaliation?" Taichu was full of confusion, his gaze fixed on Bi'an, trying to find a flaw in him.
"No, in the current Grandmist, there truly is one person who dares to plot against the Dragon Clan so recklessly, and his targets are not just the Dragon Clan; perhaps all the myriad races of the Grandmist are within his schemes." A flash of inspiration struck Taichu's mind, and a terrifying thought arose naturally.
"Demon Race!!! The one who Performed Possession on Bi'an must be from the Demon Race!" Taichu was certain in his heart, secretly amazed.
Legend has it that the Demon Race is extremely special. They have no physical bodies; strictly speaking, they cannot even be considered conventional living beings.
The Demon Race was conceived and born when Rahu used his Dao Heart Seed Demon Divine Ability to plant seeds within the Souls of other living beings.
Once these beings perished or suffered damage to their Cultivation, they would be corrupted by demonic nature and transform into the Demon Race.
Rahu's intention was to use this to achieve the Grand Unity Realm, and Taichu even suspected that Rahu was ambitious, attempting to unify the Grandmist with this method and seize Pangu's Dao fruit. It's just a pity that Rahu ultimately failed, being forced to self-detonate by Hongjun, an existence that could be described as "cheating."
However, Rahu was by no means an easy opponent.
He used some unknown method, causing the Spiritual Veins of the entire Western Grandmist to suffer severe damage and their Spiritual Qi to dry up.
Not only that, but he also made the vow of "the Dao wanes, the demons wax" and created the Demon Realm.
From then on, living beings in the Grandmist faced an additional Heart Demon tribulation when Cultivating and Breakthrough, adding countless difficulties and obstacles.
And Hongjun, due to the damage to the Western Spiritual Veins, bore immense Karma.
It is rumored that precisely because of this, Hongjun ultimately had no choice but to abandon his self-created Three Corpses Demonstration path and instead chose to become a Heavenly Dao Saint.
Of course, all of this was merely Taichu's bold conjecture, combining legends from his past life memories with his personal observations in this life.
Initially, Taichu didn't consider the Demon Race, as they had not yet officially appeared in the Grandmist at that time.
He only knew that Rahu had created the Demon Race from his past life memories.
But now, to unexpectedly encounter traces of the Demon Race so early was truly beyond his expectation.
"It seems I can't let elder brother continue to entangle with them like this. Once more of the Demon Race are drawn in, it will be big trouble." Taichu was full of worry, looking at the intensely battling crowd in the Void Realm, secretly lamenting.
"Elder brother, their identities are suspicious. We must deal with them quickly!" Thinking of this, Taichu hurriedly transmitted a message to Minghe through his Divine Sense.
"Alright! Then let us act together and resolve them first. As for the Breakthrough, we'll find another opportunity later." Upon hearing this, a hint of regret flashed in Minghe's eyes.
He clearly felt that he was only a step away from breaking through the shackles of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm, having almost touched the opportunity for Breakthrough.
But he knew that Taichu's eagerness to deal with Bi'an and the others must be for a reason, so he no longer hesitated.
After receiving Minghe's response, Taichu instantly summoned the Hongmeng Measuring Ruler.
Wielding the Measuring Ruler, Taichu's figure flickered as he joined the battlefield.
With Taichu's assistance, the five Bi'an, who were already at a disadvantage, instantly plunged into complete despair, like an avalanche.
"Damn it! These two guys are too troublesome; their strength far exceeds our estimations. I knew we shouldn't have provoked them; it's all that Evil Toad's terrible idea!"
"That's right, it's all Evil Toad's fault! If we hadn't listened to him, how would we have ended up in such a state!"
"Don't go too far! The decision to act was made by all of us. Now you're pushing all the responsibility onto me; that's too unfair!"
The five Bi'an, while desperately resisting Taichu and Minghe's attacks, complained to each other through Divine Sense, and internal conflicts arose for a time.
"No, we can't hold on! If this continues, we won't even have a chance to escape!" The five Bi'an exchanged glances, their eyes filled with fear and despair.
Immediately, the five of them scattered and fled in different directions like startled birds.
Clearly, they had completely given up on the idea of dealing with Minghe and Taichu, only wishing to escape this dangerous place as quickly as possible.
However, how could Taichu and Minghe easily let them go and leave such a huge hidden danger for themselves?
"Don't you think it's too late to try and escape now?" Taichu looked at the five fleeing figures, without a hint of tension in his eyes, but rather a trace of amusement.
Earlier, while researching the black Qi, he had also thoroughly studied the trapping array he had set up against Bi'an and the others.
Taichu discovered that the person who set up the large array in this valley had extremely high attainments in array Dao.
With his current array Dao strength, it would be no easy feat to break this array.
If it weren't for Hongjun's careful guidance in array Dao, he probably wouldn't have found a way to break the array at all.
From this, it was clear that Bi'an and his group had gone to great lengths and made thorough preparations to deal with him and Minghe.
However, this grand array was now controlled by Taichu and had become a tool to deal with the five Bi'an.
"Damn it! This grand array, originally used to trap them, has now become our cage! Evil Toad, it's all your fault; you're going to kill us! I knew I shouldn't have trusted your words!"
The five Bi'an now realized with a shock that the trapping array they had meticulously set up had become the crucial factor cutting off their escape, and their hearts were filled with regret.
"So it really was you, Evil Toad! But your Soul and Physical Body were both burned to ashes before, so why are you still alive now, and even Possessed Bi'an's body?" The words of the five Bi'an finally confirmed Taichu's earlier conjecture.
"Hahaha, I am the Evil Toad, but not entirely. The true Evil Toad has indeed perished. But I devoured his Soul, inherited his memories, and learned of the existence of you two brothers.
Unfortunately, even with all my preparations, I ultimately failed." Bi'an, or rather, the body now Possessed by the Evil Toad, seeing no hope of escape, instead calmed down, a bitter smile on his face.
The other four, like the Evil Toad, also calmed down after realizing they couldn't escape.
They exchanged glances, a hint of determination flashing in their eyes, then immediately changed direction and lunged towards Taichu and Minghe.
"It seems that to figure all this out, we can only take you down." Taichu and Minghe exchanged glances, their eyes firm and their minds connected.
In an instant, both sides were once again engaged in fierce combat.