Chapter 1605: People

Martial Arts and Immortal Heroes

Qing Jun and Bai had unexpectedly ascended to the Demon Realm!

Qin Sang still remembered the promise made beneath the Ascension Platform. Even if he were fortunate enough to ascend in the future, they would still be separated by two realms. When would they be able to reunite?

Qin Sang's expression grew somber. "What exactly happened in the ancient era?"

"I don't know!" the Ghost Mother replied. "Not only is my cultivation sealed, but my memories have also been sealed or erased. What I remember are all these insignificant things. I don't even know how much of these memories are real or fake, nor do I know who sealed me or erased them. Only by returning can I uncover my true origin!"

The Ghost Mother's tone was forlorn.

The memories the Ghost Mother deemed insignificant were, to Qin Sang, like priceless treasures.

She was very similar to Bai, yet different. Bai had suffered defeat on the battlefield, desperately sealed by an ancient demon. Her soul survived, but her memories had faded over endless years, though they might still recover upon encountering familiar scenes. The Ghost Mother's origin seemed even more extraordinary than Bai's; she carried many secrets.

Qin Sang could understand the Ghost Mother's feelings. When he first arrived in this world, he also felt like a rootless wanderer. However, he was still a mortal then, immersed in the joy of being resurrected, only becoming sentimental when he thought of his family. The Ghost Mother had a way to return, yet he didn't even know where his own home was. Could it be some unknown lesser world?

Qin Sang's thoughts drifted, but he had no desire to seek out his hometown or return to his native land. His parents and relatives had long since passed away; what meaning would there be in going back?

Unaware of Qin Sang's musings, the Ghost Mother continued to explain, "I learned that the Demon Lord's Altar can ascend to the Demon Realm from an ancient demon sealed beneath the Jinghai Sect. He was a pitiable wretch, just like me, muddled and ignorant of his origins, trying to devour my soul to survive."

Speaking of the ancient demon, the Ghost Mother chuckled with schadenfreude. "However, that demon's luck was even worse. He never even got a chance to verify if his cultivation was sealed. After sleeping for many years, he just happened to wake up and run into Xiao Xiangzi!"

"Indeed! Senior Xiao Xiangzi personally suppressed that ancient demon and left behind many contingency plans, ultimately using the power of the Jinghai Sect to slay it. Otherwise, if the ancient demon had escaped, the North Sea would have faced another demonic catastrophe!" Qin Sang recalled Xiao Xiangzi's arrangements within the Xuantian Palace and its sacred grounds, and briefly recounted some details.

The Ghost Mother showed no surprise, simply smiling. "Xiao Xiangzi was scared witless by the ancient demon of Central Province! Little did he know, while neither of these two ancient demons are good news, they are likely not of the same origin. Once the Jinghai Sect's ancient demon escaped, it wouldn't have lingered in this realm for too long. It would surely have done everything in its power to find the Demon Lord's Altar and return to the Demon Realm."

Ancient demons had once wreaked havoc in Central Province. Qin Sang had made this conjecture after finding fragments of the Binding Demon Rope, but the clues were scarce. Of course, this was also because Qin Sang had focused all his energy on cultivation, only laying some hidden groundwork without initiating a thorough investigation. The Ghost Mother, on the other hand, was entirely devoted to returning, and had fully investigated these matters.

"In Xiao Xiangzi's era, demonic chaos plagued Central Province, causing a great catastrophe. However, an unseen hand in the cultivation world has deliberately erased this history, making it largely unknown in the present day." The Ghost Mother had indeed uncovered many hidden secrets.

Qin Sang's heart stirred upon hearing this. Those capable of erasing history could only be the Eight Scenery Temple and Ganlu Zen Monastery working together, and perhaps even top demonic sects like Skyhail Tower, the foremost demonic sect, might have been involved. He couldn't help but recall another entity almost erased from history: the Formless Immortal Sect!

What connection existed between the demonic chaos and the Formless Immortal Sect?

The Ghost Mother nodded. "It seems you've uncovered some information too. The demonic chaos can be said to have been caused by the Formless Immortal Sect. They unintentionally released an ancient demon, leading to widespread devastation in the Southern Borders. Back then, the most prosperous region of Central Province was not the Central Plains, but what are now the two Southern Barbarian Prefectures. That demonic chaos not only led to the downfall of the Formless Immortal Sect but also utterly ruined the Southern Borders, transforming them into a desolate land, rarely visited by humans and filled with poisonous miasma!"

Qin Sang gasped, drawing a sharp breath. He had experienced the terrifying power of ancient demons multiple times. But to utterly ruin the vast two Southern Barbarian Prefectures, leaving them unable to recover even to this day—how terrifying a battle must that have been? It was certainly beyond the capabilities of Nascent Soul cultivators!

"A Deity Transformation battle?" Qin Sang pressed on.

The Ghost Mother said calmly, "It wasn't merely a Deity Transformation battle. A Deity Transformation cultivator of the Witch Tribe perished in that demonic chaos. As far as I know, the Formless Immortal Sect was the undisputed overlord of Central Province at that time, far stronger than the current Eight Scenery Temple and Ganlu Zen Monastery, with numerous Deity Transformation cultivators emerging from within the sect. After the demonic chaos, the entire sect was annihilated. I'm afraid all their Deity Transformation cultivators were buried along with the ancient demons! Otherwise, even if they couldn't rise again, their lineage wouldn't have been completely severed."

"Could it be that they were taken advantage of after the demonic chaos?" Qin Sang recalled the Water Lord's dying words in the tomb, every syllable imbued with bone-deep hatred for the Eight Scenery Temple and Ganlu Zen Monastery. He just didn't know if this individual was a Deity Transformation cultivator or a descendant who succeeded to the position after all Deity Transformation cultivators had perished.

The Ghost Mother glanced towards Rainbow City, where the experts of both sects were currently gathered.

"The Formless Immortal Sect exhausted all its power to block the demonic chaos in the Southern Borders, preventing the entire Central Plains from suffering the demonic tribulation. They could be considered to have fulfilled their responsibility. The cultivation world is rife with deception and intrigue, and it's not uncommon for others to take advantage when a sect is at its weakest, as the Formless Immortal Sect was. As for whether it was truly the Daoist and Buddhist sects, or how many participants rose to power by stepping on the Formless Immortal Sect's corpse, that is now impossible to verify. But one thing is certain: this was not an honorable act, and those who covered up history are definitely linked to the culprits behind it."

The adage "the winner takes all, the loser is punished" perfectly describes this situation. If Senior Xiao Xiangzi was a successor of the Formless Immortal Sect, then his sect's annihilation, being viewed as a thorn in Central Province's side, and being forced to flee to the North Sea, would all make sense. He was, after all, a person of great magnanimity. Upon discovering traces of ancient demons in the North Sea, he didn't forget the common people and set up a trap to suppress the ancient demon. But why did his written legacy not mention the Formless Immortal Sect at all? Was he disheartened?

Qin Sang fell silent.

The Formless Immortal Sect was annihilated, and a Deity Transformation cultivator of the Witch Tribe was implicated and perished. The ancient demon of Central Province was certainly not of the same caliber as the Jade Bone Demon. It was estimated that only the true form of the Demon Lord of the Seven Killings Hall, once freed, could accomplish such a feat. The Ghost Mother had just mentioned that the Jinghai Sect's ancient demon and the Central Province's ancient demon were not of the same origin. Could it be that ancient demons also had factions? That the Jinghai Sect's ancient demon and the Jade Bone Demon were of one lineage, while the Central Province's ancient demon and the Demon Lord of Seven Killings Hall were of another? Or even more, that their origins were all distinctly different?

"Where was the Central Province ancient demon released from? Was it sealed again after the chaos, or had it already been slain?" Qin Sang had encountered three ancient demons. Only the Jade Bone Demon had been trapped by the Binding Demon Rope and thrown into chaotic spatial currents for destruction. Even Xiao Xiangzi, acting personally, could only seal the Jinghai Sect demon, slowly grinding away its true essence until it perished. The Demon Lord was likely still sealed in the Seven Killings Hall, demonstrating how incredibly difficult it was to kill ancient demons.

The Ghost Mother said, "Whether that ancient demon is dead or alive doesn't matter; ultimately, the Formless Immortal Sect certainly prevailed. The ancient demon's origin is not simple; I only recently confirmed it. It was in the South Sea Immortal Palace."

"South Sea Immortal Palace?" A glint flashed in Qin Sang's eyes. The South Sea Immortal Palace was already one of his suspected targets. It was described as a "True Void Immortal Land" in the Gu God Sect's doctrines, and he had planned to have his avatar contact the Gu God Sect, but this was delayed due to his avatar's breakthrough.

The Central Province ancient demon originated from the South Sea Immortal Palace. The Seven Killings Hall suppressed the Demon Lord. The Seven Killings Hall, Heavenly Aspect Hall, and Heavenly Harmony Hall all possessed fragments of the Killing Sword. The South Sea Immortal Palace was very likely comprised of these two immortal halls!

"The Deity Transformation cultivator of the Witch Tribe perished in the South Sea Immortal Palace back then. If you agree to let me take her, I will guide you on how to enter the South Sea Immortal Palace and how to find his remains. All of his relics will be yours!" The Ghost Mother brought up the matter of the Mute Girl again.

Qin Sang was still pondering the matter of the immortal palaces. Were all these immortal palaces places for sealing demons? "Senior, do you not know the origins of these immortal palaces? The Purple Micro Palace, South Sea Immortal Palace..."

The Ghost Mother shook her head. "I know nothing about these immortal palaces. I even suspect that they are not from our era; otherwise, the disparity among ancient demons would be too vast. As for whether they existed before or after us, that remains unknown. This is the most peculiar aspect of this realm: incessant storms, eternal barriers, and far too many existences that defy common sense."

Qin Sang felt overwhelmed; the more he learned, the more ignorant and insignificant he felt. Had this realm undergone multiple celestial transformations to become so fragmented? Although the Ghost Mother's words seemed absurd, Qin Sang could, coincidentally, find corroborating evidence.

The Purple Micro Palace was divided into inner and outer sections, with the scenery of each being vastly different, separated by immortal restrictions. At the time of ascension, only the inner palace's immortal restrictions underwent an anomaly, restoring its grand former appearance and immortal splendor. Qin Sang still vividly remembered the inner palace after its transformation. While the inner palace's immortal restrictions recovered, the outer palace remained entirely unchanged, eventually being destroyed after the inner palace's ascension. The Abyss Ruins and Blood Lake were also implicated in this destruction. The Ascension Platform was located in the outer palace and did not undergo any anomaly due to the Purple Micro Palace's ascension; it was manually activated.

Could one infer the following? Perhaps the Jade Bone Demon, the Ghost Mother, the Jinghai Sect's ancient demon, the Ascension Platform, the Abyss Ruins, the Blood Lake, and the Purple Micro Palace's outer palace arrived first, having little to do with the Purple Micro Palace itself. Then, the true Purple Micro Palace descended from the heavens, coincidentally landing near the outer palace. Later generations, unaware of the truth, mistakenly believed them to be a single entity. The Seven Killings Hall and other immortal palaces were clearly related to the Purple Micro Palace, having descended together. Precisely because of this, the ancient demons within the immortal palaces possessed strength far surpassing the Jade Bone Demon; they were not of the same origin at all!

Starting from his first entry into the Purple Micro Palace, Qin Sang gradually sorted through his experiences and discoveries, finally managing to piece together a somewhat reasonable explanation.

Seeing him silent in thought, the Ghost Mother assumed Qin Sang found the price insufficient. Her gaze shifted over him as she asked, "What kind of spirit insect do you raise?"

Qin Sang pulled his thoughts away, only then remembering that he was in front of a mighty expert in the art of insect rearing. Across Central Province, none could surpass her in the art of insect rearing. Seeking guidance on insect rearing from the Ghost Mother had been part of Qin Sang's original plan, but the Ghost Mother's continuous revelation of shocking news had nearly made him forget it.

He slapped his spirit beast pouch and summoned the Fire Jade Centipede.

"A Treasure-hunting Centipede, early Fourth Transformation. Not bad." The Ghost Mother recognized the Fire Jade Centipede at a glance and commented with a placid expression. "Does this insect only possess treasure-hunting abilities?"

What Qin Sang wanted to ask was whether it possessed any other potential, ideally gaining some combat power. Spirit insects had a predetermined path, unyielding and without regret. How could they be guided?

The Ghost Mother pondered for a moment, then said, "The Fire Jade Centipede's potential can support it to the peak of the Fourth Transformation. If it is lucky enough to break through to the Fifth Transformation, that would be its absolute limit. This is predetermined by fate; it's difficult to change unless it gains an opportunity for mutation."

Qin Sang frowned. The path of spirit insects was far more arduous than that of humans.

The Ghost Mother smiled. "You don't need to feel sorry for spirit insects. Although they possess low intelligence and singular divine abilities, they don't have the worry of the Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation; their only tribulation is metamorphosis. Furthermore, high-level spirit insects have long lifespans and possess extremely high life-preserving abilities. The Heavenly Dao has its own established order!"

Qin Sang suddenly understood. No wonder neither the Witch Tribe nor human records mentioned spirit insects undergoing tribulation; Qin Sang had thought the intervals between spirit insect heavenly tribulations were simply prolonged, but he never expected them to be completely tribulation-free!

The Ghost Mother pointed at Qin Sang's dantian. "I'm not talking about this centipede; I'm talking about your life-bound Gu worm. You have the aura of a life-bound Gu worm on you, which can't escape my notice. Life-bound Gu worms are not unique to my tribe; other races also have their traditions. Although there are differences, many have borrowed from my tribe, so I can still offer you some guidance."

So she had already sensed the aura of the Celestial Eye Butterfly. Since things had come to this, there was nothing to hide. Qin Sang summoned the Celestial Eye Butterfly. A ghostly butterfly silhouette flew out of Qin Sang's dantian, gradually solidifying. It gently flapped its wings, flew to Qin Sang's shoulder, and lightly nuzzled his cheek, full of affectionate devotion. When facing the Ghost Mother, both the Fat Silkworm and the Fire Jade Centipede behaved poorly, yet only the Celestial Eye Butterfly remained completely normal, perhaps because it had Qin Sang's support.

After staring at the Celestial Eye Butterfly for a moment, the Ghost Mother murmured, "Is this a Celestial Eye Butterfly? Has it undergone a mutation?"

After the Celestial Eye Butterfly mutated, its appearance changed significantly, but its Celestial Eye features were somewhat preserved. Qin Sang nodded, offering no explanation, and certainly not letting the Celestial Eye Butterfly display its ability to control tribulation lightning before the Ghost Mother.

The Ghost Mother was perceptive and did not press further, but then discovered another surprising fact. "Are you cultivating my tribe's secret art?"

"This junior only knows the part before the Nascent Soul stage. After reaching Nascent Soul, progress became increasingly difficult. Only after obtaining the Spirit Ascension Sacrifice passed down by a senior in the Hundred Flowers Valley was I able to help her advance by one level," Qin Sang recounted truthfully.

The Ghost Mother stared intently at Qin Sang, clucking in wonder. "Most human insect-rearing techniques are derived from my tribe, but they inevitably involve compromises. It's almost impossible to cultivate my tribe's complete secret art. Do you have some special constitution? Or perhaps you possess my tribe's bloodline?"

Qin Sang didn't know how to explain. "This junior accidentally stumbled into the Witch Tribe territory back then and somewhat muddled through cultivation until now. I haven't felt anything special about myself."

"Even within the same tribe, constitutions differ. There are those in the Witch Tribe who are unsuitable for cultivating life-bound Gu worms, so it's normal for a human like you to be particularly compatible," the Ghost Mother warned Qin Sang. "You are not of my tribe's bloodline. The higher your cultivation realm, the greater the hidden danger. If you rely on some external force, there will always be a limit. You must be cautious and beware of the Gu worm's backlash."

"Thank you for the warning, Senior," Qin Sang said, secretly wondering where the Jade Buddha's true limit lay.

The Ghost Mother paced back and forth a few steps, then after a moment of consideration, said, "I can impart to you the subsequent techniques for life-bound Gu worms, and they are definitely not ordinary Witch Tribe secret arts. Furthermore, in my memories, I once personally saw a Seventh Transformation Celestial Eye Butterfly, named the Void Butterfly, which seems to have some connection with me. After I return, I will fully assist you in collecting cultivation methods for the Celestial Eye Butterfly. Even if it has undergone a mutation, there will certainly be aspects worth learning from. If you cannot advance to Deity Transformation and remain trapped and die in this realm, then all this is irrelevant. If you can ascend, then go to the Witch Tribe territory to find us. I cannot give you an exact address, but I will always act under the name 'Ghost Mother.'"

A Seventh Transformation Void Butterfly was equivalent to a Body Integration realm cultivator! The Ghost Mother didn't believe Qin Sang wouldn't be tempted.

However...

Qin Sang sighed softly, looking at the Mute Girl. "Senior, you may have misunderstood something. She is a living person, an individual, not my possession."