CHAPTER 236: CHAPTER 226 THE METHOD OF LIFE TAO SEED

"Senior Brother, you’ve finally come back! I was worried to death," Kun Rong patted her chest, her expression one of lingering fear.

Learning of the upheaval in the Ten Thousand Demon Holy Land, she couldn’t help but secretly break out in a cold sweat for Hong Yuan.

As for Hong Yuan killing Feng Yu and crippling Mo Yilun, she had heard a little about it but wasn’t too willing to believe.

She knew very well what her Senior Brother was truly capable of!

"It’s all right, it’s all over now. Let me introduce you two," Hong Yuan narrowed his eyes in a light smile, his demeanor slightly gentle.

"No need, we already know each other," Kun Rong waved her hand in refusal.

With a push from her feet, she flew up to Han Kui’s side, took her small hand, and flew back onto the back of the Nine-tailed Crocodile Dragon.

Han Kui was dressed in a white palace gown, her elegance fully displayed.

Kun Rong wore a plain blue robe, her every frown and smile radiating a tender affection.

The two girls whispered amongst themselves, creating another kind of beautiful scene.

Hong Yuan lightly tapped his foot and also ascended onto the back of the Nine-tailed Crocodile Dragon.

Master Heavenly River, I wonder what his situation is. Hong Yuan narrowed his eyes, his mind soaring with the gallop of the Nine-tailed Crocodile Dragon.

Just then, Kun Rong, who was behind Hong Yuan, suddenly widened her peach-blossom eyes, staring in disbelief at Hong Yuan’s back.

"Sister Han Kui, you’re saying that my Senior Brother killed Feng Yu, defeated Mo Yilun, escaped from Tianli’s pursuit, and all those other deeds... are true!?" Kun Rong exclaimed in a high-pitched voice. "It’s only been a year since we last met, how could he have changed so much?"

"It’s true," Han Kui confirmed with a nod, looking at Hong Yuan’s back with reverence.

"This... this..." Kun Rong was stunned, unable to fathom how this Senior Brother of hers could have accomplished such feats.

One had to know that Feng Yu was one of the six Great Tao Seeds of the Ten Thousand Demon Holy Land; his command over wind and fire laws intimidated the younger generation.

Mo Yilun was even ranked among the Upper Three Tao Seeds. He was a terrifying entity capable of contending with a Demon Saint for a few moves and hailed as one of the leading figures.

Not to mention being pursued by Tianli of the Heavenly Horned Ants, one of the Heaven-favored of the Demon Clan.

Any one of these incidents would be shocking enough on its own, let alone all three combined.

For some reason, Kun Rong suddenly felt that her Senior Brother’s figure had grown incredibly tall and imposing.

The Heavenly River Cave Mansion was a peculiar place.

The mansion was situated at the very bottom of the central region of the Huangqu River. It was square in shape and quite vast.

Within the mansion, various rare and ferocious beasts gathered. There were also spirit grasses emitting an immortal glow and ancient trees, presenting a scene brimming with vitality.

This was Master Heavenly River’s dojo, a treasured land he had planned for thousands of years.

Here, there was no daytime; it was eternally night.

The sky was always adorned with a Star River, illuminating the land.

Hong Yuan and the others entered the Heavenly River Cave Mansion.

A beam of starlight descended upon Hong Yuan, and the next moment, his figure immediately vanished, causing Han Kui to become flustered.

"Sister Han Kui, don’t worry. My Senior Brother has been summoned by Master," Kun Rong consoled.

In a courtyard bathed in gauzy light, appearing mysterious, tranquil, and exquisitely beautiful.

Master Heavenly River, his hair white as snow, sat beside a stone table, awaiting Hong Yuan’s arrival.

A starlight shimmered, and Hong Yuan’s form gradually materialized.

"Master," upon seeing Master Heavenly River, Hong Yuan immediately knelt in the customary greeting for a master to show his respect.

They hadn’t seen each other since that brief dream encounter, yet Hong Yuan was shocked to see Master Heavenly River had grown so frail and aged.

"Rise. I know all about the affairs of the Ten Thousand Demon Holy Land. From now on, you should cultivate diligently within the cave mansion and minimize your excursions."

Looking at Hong Yuan, Master Heavenly River felt a sense of marvel, still finding it somewhat surreal.

According to his divinations, this disciple he hadn’t set much store by should have died at Tianli’s hands, contributing a measure of his own fortune towards activating Tianli’s status as the Demon Clan’s Son of Fortune.

This was also a major reason why his attentiveness to Kun Rong far exceeded that for Hong Yuan.

Yet now, this disciple of his had actually managed to evade a fatal calamity and barely cling to life.

"Life is unpredictable, fortune ever-shifting. It seems that fate is not immutable after all," Master Heavenly River murmured, lowering his head in deep thought.

After contemplating for a while, Master Heavenly River reached into the void.

Under Hong Yuan’s puzzled gaze, he retrieved two yellow jade slips.

"No matter what, you are still my disciple. For the remaining hundred or so years I have left, I will protect you."

"However, your future will inevitably become entangled with Tianli’s."

"According to the plans of those old schemers, the Demon Clan’s Son of Fortune in this era is Tianli."

"You must work hard and first forge your own Life Tao Seed. If you can’t defeat him, then run. You absolutely must not become a sacrificial offering for Tianli to consolidate power and fortune."

Master Heavenly River spoke earnestly, placing the two yellow jade slips into Hong Yuan’s hands.

His words left Hong Yuan puzzled.

Forge a Life Tao Seed? The plans of those old schemers? The Demon Clan’s Son of Fortune?

Fortunately, Hong Yuan had clearly heard the part about "if you can’t defeat him, then run."

"Rest assured, Master, I will definitely protect myself," Hong Yuan responded solemnly.

As long as the dream doesn’t force me to fight Tianli, I’ll use my Life Span to wear him down. If I absolutely have to confront Tianli, then I’ll have to find a method through the Dream Tao to forcibly skip the process. For a Demon to resist a Demon Saint—that was simply outrageous.

"Go," Master Heavenly River nodded slightly.

A starlight shone upon Hong Yuan, and his figure immediately disappeared.

On the Nine-tailed Crocodile Dragon’s back, a cluster of starlight suddenly materialized.

Before Han Kui and Kun Rong’s watchful eyes, Hong Yuan stepped out from the starlight.

With a flip of his hand, Hong Yuan stored the two jade slips.

Of these two yellow jade slips, one detailed how to forge a Life Tao Seed, and the other described material combinations.

Hong Yuan had just briefly inspected them and felt that Master Heavenly River, his mentor, was rather decent.

A short while later, Kun Rong said softly, "Senior Brother, we have arrived."

Hong Yuan lifted his head and surveyed the area ahead.

It was a valley filled with twinkling starlight, swirling mist, and a canopy of vibrant clouds.

Hong Yuan took out the Flood Gathering War Banner and gave it a gentle shake. The mist in the valley immediately dispersed, revealing a scene of flowers, plants, and chirping birds within.

"Junior Sister, thank you. Would you like to come and see my cave mansion?" Hong Yuan invited Kun Rong with a smile.

Kun Rong was tempted, but ultimately, she shook her head and declined Hong Yuan’s invitation.

Although she knew Hong Yuan wouldn’t behave improperly towards her, this current version of Hong Yuan always gave her the creeps.

She truly couldn’t believe that the somewhat clumsy Senior Brother Han Jiuming she once knew had suddenly become so powerful!

"Senior Brother, Sister Han Kui, I’ll be going now," Kun Rong waved her small hand in farewell and, accompanied by the Nine-tailed Crocodile Dragon, headed towards her own cave mansion.

After Kun Rong’s figure gradually disappeared from sight, Hong Yuan turned and walked towards his own cave mansion.

Han Kui followed closely behind Hong Yuan, terrified that he would abandon her.

Inside the cave mansion, there was only one training chamber. Considering Han Kui’s arrival, Hong Yuan spent some time and effort to carve out a new palace for her use.

"From now on, you will live in there. If you have any questions, you can ring the wind chime in front of your door, and I will come to answer them," Hong Yuan instructed softly.

Han Kui looked at the simple door opposite hers and nodded emphatically. "I understand, Jiuming."

Hong Yuan gave her a few more instructions on common sense matters, then returned to the training chamber to begin his cultivation.

Han Kui gazed at the closed door of the training chamber, and a tear slid from the corner of her right eye.

From this day forward, she would have to depend on Hong Yuan to survive.

Yet, just half a year ago, she still had so many companions...

Meanwhile, Hong Yuan, sitting on the Taoist Mat, suddenly closed his eyes tightly.

[Ice Tao +30,000]

[Ice Tao +30,000]

[...]

[Cultivation Path: Ice Tao (Grandmaster 23%) → Ice Tao (Grandmaster 35%)]

Multitudes of insights into the Ice Tao spontaneously surfaced in Hong Yuan’s mind.

These were the Ice Tao insights inherited from Han Jiuming!

Layers upon layers of images emerged in Hong Yuan’s mind, and he carefully experienced each one.