The Quest for Immortality Chapter 2404: Taotie

A subtle shift flickered across Mo Hua's countenance.

The cryptic 'dream prophecy' that had once baffled him suddenly resurfaced in his memory.

It had occurred on a particular day when, in the midst of deducing his own Magical Treasure, he had inexplicably drifted off to sleep.

Within this slumber, a dream unfolded.

A magnificent Azure Dragon dominated the dreamscape.

Then, the heavenly secret shifted abruptly, as if an alien entity intruded upon his dream, causing its fragments to disintegrate.

The Azure Dragon unleashed a furious roar, a piercing cry.

Swiftly, a nebulous, dark, miasma-like mass, akin to a tempest, lunged towards the Azure Dragon.

A grotesque, unrecognizable entity, defying description, enveloped, rent, and astonishingly consumed the Azure Dragon whole.

"The entity from my dream that devoured the Azure Dragon, could it have been... Taotie?"

"The Twelve Scripture Gluttonous Spirit Corpse Formation... Is this my own Core Formation... my Lifebound Formation?"

"Is Taotie my destined path?"

Mo Hua inhaled deeply, a sense of disbelief washing over him.

Could it genuinely be... Taotie?!

The ancient history of the Great Wilderness stretches back to the primordial eras preceding the establishment of the Taoist Court, boasting a rich legacy of powerful Four Divine Beasts.

Alongside them exist the unfathomable Four Fierce Beasts.

However, records pertaining to Fierce Beasts, particularly Taotie, are exceedingly scarce, not only within the Great Wilderness but also across the Qian Learning State Boundary and even within the Scripture Pavilion of Taixu Gate’s Inner Gate.

This creature is an exceptionally rare, ferociously savage, mercilessly greedy ancient Fierce Beast, hidden within the vast annals of Tao Cultivation history, a mystery to most cultivators and unknown to the common practitioner.

"How could the Fierce Beast Taotie possibly be linked to me?"

Mo Hua’s brow furrowed in profound confusion.

He considered himself a paragon of righteousness, embodying kindness and amiability, always willing to aid others, esteemed by all – a true exemplar of the Righteous Dao.

"Perhaps it's because I consume an excessive number of Evil Spirits?"

"Or is it that the great calamities brought about by slaying demons attracted Evil Spirits, thereby intertwining my fate with Fierce Beasts?"

A light sigh escaped Mo Hua as he lowered his gaze, re-examining the formation's annotation, a shiver coursing through him involuntarily.

"Second Grade Twenty-four Patterns Ancient Wild Extinct Formation."

Twenty-four patterns of the Second Grade!

This count surpasses the Twenty Patterns of a Golden Core by four.

Such a quantity of formation patterns is exceptionally remarkable.

Given this extraordinary pattern count, it is certain that this formation transcends ordinary expectations.

An exceptional formation, precisely like this one, is a perfect match for me!

Mo Hua mused for a moment, acknowledging that while the 'Taotie' aspect didn't quite resonate with his personal image and bearing, the 'Second Grade Twenty-four Patterns Ancient Extinct Formation' aligned flawlessly with his esteemed position as the 'Qianxue Formation Path Leader'.

Only a formation boasting such a profusion of patterns could adequately serve as the Lifebound Formation for a 'formation genius' like himself.

"This is the one!"

The Second Elder had revealed this Twelve Scripture Gluttonous Spirit Corpse Formation to him; it was undoubtedly a twist of fate.

He had strived diligently to obtain it.

Most crucially, setting aside this Ancient Wild Extinct Formation, Mo Hua genuinely possessed no other suitable formations for his Lifebound Formation.

Mo Hua found himself with absolutely no alternative.

However, a significant obstacle remained: this Fierce Beast Ultimate Formation, with its twenty-four patterns, far surpassed Mo Hua’s current Divine Thought Realm capabilities.

To successfully refine it into a Lifebound Formation Map, he would be compelled to exert every ounce of his effort, striving desperately to elevate his Divine Sense Realm.

Beyond this, the formation itself presented a profoundly peculiar enigma.

"Twelve Scripture Gluttonous Spirit Corpse Formation... Does 'Twelve Scripture' allude to the twelve meridians?"

"Taotie... Signifies that this formation is intrinsically linked to Taotie? Does it necessitate components like Taotie’s blood, or perhaps its flesh and bone, to serve as the formation’s medium?"

"Or might it require the Divine Soul of Taotie to imbue the formation with its spirit?"

"Perhaps the term 'Taotie' actually refers to a 'Taotie Pattern'? Is it a classification, derived from the Four Symbols Pattern, possessing formidable power, originating from the formation patterns of primordial Barbaric Wilderness Fierce Beasts?"

"And what precisely does 'Spiritual Remains' signify..."

Mo Hua knitted his brows in deep concentration, sensing that this 'Twelve Scripture Gluttonous Spirit Corpse Formation,' not only bore a fearsome and peculiar designation but was also incomprehensibly graded, its intricate internal logic, formation principles, and lineage of formation flow profoundly complex, seemingly beyond grasp.

Yet, this was not the moment to become engrossed in these intricacies; the paramount objective at hand was to meticulously decipher every archaic character from the Great Wilderness inscribed upon this entire Bone Scroll.

All the hard work poured in thus far has only yielded the deciphering of a solitary line, complete with names and annotations.

Deeper mysteries concerning this Taotie Spirit Remains Formation are still concealed within the Bone Scroll, buried amongst the undeciphered, cryptic archaic texts of the Great Wilderness.

Even the precise formation patterns remain unseen by Mo Hua.

"I must pour all my focus into fully deciphering this Bone Scroll..."

Mo Hua steadied his mind, yet an undeniable surge of excitement welled up inside him.

He was finally catching a glimpse of his Lifebound Formation Map!

Regardless of the effects of the Twelve Scripture Gluttonous Spirit Corpse Formation, the mere fact that it was a Second Grade Twenty-four Patterns creation, forged by the peerless genius of the Great Wilderness's Great Witch, and once sealed by the Desolate Royal Family, guaranteed its inherent incredible complexity.

When transformed into a Lifebound Formation, it would undoubtedly unlock a myriad of wondrous capabilities.

Revitalized, Mo Hua felt an immense surge of vitality coursing through his previously depleted body.

He then commenced the dedicated task of deciphering the entirety of the Great Wilderness archaic text.

For the subsequent days, Mo Hua committed himself entirely to this endeavor.

However, these ancient writings proved exceedingly obscure, marred by numerous errors, demanding meticulous examination and correction for each character, a process that was both draining and time-consuming.

While the deciphering advanced incrementally, decoding merely one or two lines each day was agonizingly slow.

The tantalizing prize lay within his grasp, yet despite his most strenuous efforts, it seemed to remain perpetually out of reach.