Chapter 1785: Jushanzhi Altar

A World of Mortals

The two stood at the middle of a mountain range, flanked by two towering peaks.

It was already night, but the bright moon had not yet risen.

The mountain hollow, which should have been dark, was now bathed in brilliant light.

The vibrant glow illuminated not only the two individuals but also the northern foothills of the entire mountain range, along with the land to the north and the vegetation growing upon it. Everything on Earth seemed to be draped in a splendid robe.

This was not the afterglow of a sunset; the light originated from the direction they were facing.

Vast expanses of colorful, auspicious clouds drifted across the horizon, stretching endlessly as far as the eye could see.

The auspicious clouds were not static; they flowed constantly but never left that particular region.

Thick layers of clouds blanketed the surroundings, obscuring the land, mountains, and living creatures.

A wondrous light emanated from deep within the auspicious clouds, piercing through them and transforming into a multicolored, dazzling glow.

It was as if there was an eternal sun within, its extraordinary light illuminating all directions, day and night, without ceasing.

This area was always in daylight; even when the bright moon rose, its faint outline could only be barely discerned by cultivators through the intense glow.

The light was so bright it was almost blinding. They were still more than ten *li* away from the auspicious clouds, and their entire bodies were bathed in the light, making their figures appear somewhat blurred.

However, the light did not harm the creatures here; the nearby vegetation was even more luxuriant than elsewhere.

Some ferocious beasts with phototactic instincts were also attracted by the light, gathering nearby.

Yet, at this moment, a profound silence surrounded the two individuals.

The area around the auspicious clouds was quiet to the point of being almost deathly still.

This was because, not long ago, the depths of the auspicious clouds had continuously vibrated, emitting tremors that triggered instinctive fear in living creatures, causing them to flee in panic.

The beast hordes encountered by Qin Sang and his companions were precisely these spirit beasts that had escaped from this area.

Similar situations were not uncommon. The depths of the auspicious clouds were unstable, experiencing tremors periodically. Once stabilized, the ferocious beasts would gradually gather again.

At this moment, the auspicious clouds were tranquil.

The dark-skinned strange man gazed into the depths of the auspicious clouds, his eyes shimmering with an unusual brilliance, as if he was using a special spiritual eye technique.

He saw some illusory images within the clouds that seemed both real and unreal: perhaps immortal palaces and jade towers, or vast star seas and winding celestial rivers, undulating and shifting endlessly with the cloud currents.

"Why does such a place exist in the Sinful Origin?"

The dark-skinned strange man voiced his confusion.

Upon entering the Sinful Origin, one felt only desolation!

In common perception, the Sinful Origin should be an undeveloped place, yet it possessed such a breathtaking and clearly unnatural sight.

"Look there," the Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace raised a hand, pointing to the fleeting palace illusion, "Does it feel familiar?"

"Familiar?"

The dark-skinned strange man frowned as scenes flashed through his mind.

He had followed the Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace to visit several Taoist sects; some of their temples were comparable to immortal paradises, though in terms of grandeur, they still fell short of the illusion.

Could it be...

The dark-skinned strange man was surprised. "A governance altar?"

The Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace nodded gently. "Exactly! According to ancient records, this was originally the governance altar of Gushan."

The governance altar is the core of a region. The governance altars of Zhongmao and Baishi are also the hubs of the Two Taoist Academies.

"The governance altar is here? How large was Gushan once?" The dark-skinned strange man was astonished.

The current Gushan is the largest of the four regions.

The dark-skinned strange man had heard the Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace mention that governance altars could not only grant promotions but also enshrined a Taoist artifact called the Duhgong Seal.

The Two Taoist Academies each held jurisdiction over the Duhgong Seal of Zhongmao and the Duhgong Seal of Baishi.

As for what other powers the governance altar and the Duhgong Seal possessed, the dark-skinned strange man had not received an answer; perhaps the Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace did not know everything either.

What was certain was that the governance altar was the foundation of its respective region, located at its center.

The ability of cultivators to cultivate peacefully after receiving their promotions was not unrelated to the governance altar. Grand True Masters could not conceal their aura upon entering the Sinful Origin, reportedly because they were too far from a governance altar.

But this place was still so far from the northern border of Gushan. Considering that, how vast was Gushan historically?

The other three regions combined could not compare to Gushan.

The Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace flicked a golden light from his finger, which transformed into a golden mirror before them, showing the edge of the auspicious clouds. "The Dao Court's ancient texts record that Gushan was once the foremost of the four regions until its governance altar was shattered in a world-shattering battle, leading to its complete decline. Look..."

With that, the Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace shifted the scene in the mirror, pointing it toward the auspicious clouds. The mirror reflected the depths of the auspicious clouds, and he pointed a few times casually. "These shadows of mountains and rivers might be illusions, or they might truly exist, but they are certainly not the mountains and rivers known to mortals. They are transformed by divine abilities and Taoist arts. This humble Taoist has ventured deep into the Gushan governance altar many times and once saw two star rivers, formed by divine abilities, converging and remaining in a stalemate to this day. We merely observe them and then quietly withdraw. If we were to disturb the two star rivers, Daoist Mo would likely not see this humble Taoist again."

The Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace gave a self-deprecating smile.

The divine abilities of ancient ancestors remained to this day.

The Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace was in the late stage of the Cavernous Profound Realm, just a step away from being a Grand True Master, yet he admitted he could not even guarantee his own survival.

"A battle of True Monarchs? Or... a Heavenly Master?" The dark-skinned strange man was profoundly shocked.

The Grand True Masters of the Dao Court remained hidden in the governance altars, and True Monarchs and Heavenly Masters seemed to be mere legends.

The scene of the Gushan governance altar indicated that, at least in ancient times, there were True Monarchs and Heavenly Masters in this world's Taoist sect.

Shaking his head, the Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace said, "Daoist Mo, it's enough for you to know that it's extremely dangerous inside. There are ancient powerful divine abilities, as well as folded and shattered spaces. For countless years, each tremor of the auspicious clouds has been them adjusting among themselves, maintaining a stable yet fragile balance. Grand True Masters dare not enter the Gushan governance altar because they cannot restrain their own aura, which would cause an energetic tremor. We must be even more cautious. The outer perimeter of the auspicious clouds is safer, but venturing deep into the Gushan governance altar risks eternal damnation at any moment!"

Having achieved his current cultivation, the dark-skinned strange man naturally understood the principle of acting cautiously.

He looked solemn and asked, "Are we entering the depths of the Gushan governance altar this time?"

The Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace replied, "Yes. According to Daoist Mo's description, the scenes you saw before you fell unconscious bear some resemblance to the depths of the Gushan governance altar. I suspect that when you broke through the realm, you fell into the Gushan governance altar and were then somehow thrown out. After all, there are countless eternal rifts inside that could directly connect to other realms. Moreover, according to my investigation, before I found you, there was a disturbance in the depths of the auspicious clouds, more violent and prolonged than any previous record."

Knowing the origin of the auspicious clouds and hearing the Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace speak of these things, the dark-skinned strange man couldn't help but feel a shiver of fear.

When he broke through the realm, he was subjected to a terrifying impact and immediately lost consciousness. Upon waking, he found himself rescued by the Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace.

The Gushan governance altar was fraught with danger; while unconscious, even the slightest disturbance could have easily crushed him.

Being thrown out of the governance altar, though severely injured, was undoubtedly a great stroke of luck.

Thinking of this, the dark-skinned strange man sighed almost imperceptibly. "I still remember some fragments, bizarre and fantastical images. If I find that place, I should be able to recall everything."

As long as he found the place from his memories, there was hope of finding the Two-Realm Gate.

Not only did he want to leave, but the Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace was also very interested in that place.

"It's a pity this humble Taoist sent out so many letters and couldn't find any trace of Daoist Mo's companion. Since her condition was better than yours, perhaps she didn't lose consciousness and walked out of the Gushan governance altar herself... There's no need to rush for success. This time, our main goal is to investigate the Ghost Fang Kingdom's schemes. If we have leisure, we can scout the path. When we are fully prepared later, we can explore with full effort. Of course, it would be best to kill two birds with one stone..."

Just as he was speaking, the Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace suddenly paused, softly exclaiming, "Someone has arrived."

The image on the mirror moved rapidly, revealing another valley.

The valley was covered with wild grass, as tall as small trees, incredibly dense, but there were no figures within.

Seeing this, the Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace praised, "Their concealment method is excellent! It's also a coincidence that the auspicious clouds are so vast, yet they passed nearby. A little further, and this Heaven-Scrying Talisman of mine wouldn't be able to detect them."

With that, the Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace pressed his finger on the center of the golden mirror. Ripples spread across the mirror's surface, and then four blurred figures emerged.

The four individuals were hidden among the wild grass, observing the extraordinary sight of the auspicious clouds.

They remained in place, seemingly discussing something.

"Four people, that should cause some trouble for the Ghost Fang Kingdom..."

The Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace nodded with satisfaction.

The Gushan governance altar contained treasures left behind from ancient battles, and some incredibly lucky individuals had obtained great inheritances left by powerful beings on the verge of death.

However, after countless years of exploration by the Dao Court and the demon race, few treasures remained. Even if there were any stragglers, they would be in extremely dangerous places, impossible for ordinary people to obtain.

Time and again, they returned empty-handed.

By now, fewer and fewer cultivators entered the Gushan governance altar.

The appearance of four Cavernous Profound True Masters at this moment must have been in response to the Daoist sect's summons, to scout the way for them.

Peering from afar with a divine talisman, the Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace also worried about being detected by the other party, so he did not exert the talisman's power to its maximum. Moreover, he recognized True Master Youhuo among the four.

The other three traveling with True Master Youhuo were probably of similar strength.

The Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace waved his hand, erasing the golden mirror, then struck out several more spirit talismans, setting up a talisman array in preparation for the upcoming plan, but he did not notice the strange change in the person beside him.

The moment he saw the four figures in the mirror, the dark-skinned strange man's gaze suddenly froze, fixed on one of them.

This person stood at the front of the four. When the others discussed, he remained silent, clenching and unclenching his hand, seemingly lost in thought.

At this moment, that person seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up.

It was also at this moment that the Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace withdrew the Heaven-Scrying Talisman.

The mirror image dissipated, but that blurred face was firmly imprinted in the dark-skinned strange man's mind, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"How could it be him! A coincidence? Or..."

"Was that Ascending Tribulation his?"

Waves of shock surged in the dark-skinned strange man's heart, though his expression showed no change.

He glanced at the busy Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace, then remained silent, standing quietly at his side.

In another valley.

Qin Sang and the other three passed through layers of beast hordes and arrived at the last mountain range near their target, hiding in a deserted valley.

"This is it," True Master Youhuo said, pointing to the auspicious clouds, a nostalgic look on his face. "When I first broke through to the Cavernous Profound Realm, out of curiosity, I ventured deep into exploration with other Daoists and witnessed shocking scenes."

"I haven't heard Daoist mention this before," True Master Guyun said curiously. "Did you enter the depths of the auspicious clouds? This humble Taoist only circled the periphery and returned empty-handed. Did Daoist obtain any ancient cultivator relics?"

True Master Youhuo shook his head and chuckled, "What ancient cultivator relics? The Dao Court and the Ghost Fang Kingdom have countless experts. How could it be our turn? This humble Taoist merely went to broaden his horizons and motivate his pursuit of the Dao."

"That's true," True Master Guyun turned to True Master Zhijian. "Will those demon marquises enter the depths of the auspicious clouds? If we encounter them inside, it would be hard to guarantee our safety, wouldn't it?"

True Master Zhijian had been observing the auspicious clouds on the horizon.

The cloud currents were unpredictable.

After watching for a while, he said, "The cloud currents are unsettled now, not the best time to enter. When they stabilize, some cloud-like paths will appear on the three sides except the north. The location of these cloud paths varies each time, but they all point to the same place, which is considered the boundary between inside and outside, and it's quite vast. The demon marquises were active in that area before, so we'll search nearby first and directly engage any lone demons we encounter. If there's no gain, we'll make plans based on the situation."

True Master Youhuo nodded in agreement. "The depths of the auspicious clouds aren't dangerous everywhere; the danger increases as you go deeper. If you feel danger, stop and wait for the demons to return, then launch a surprise attack."

The few of them discussed, one after another.

Qin Sang rarely spoke, multitasking, listening to their conversation while comprehending the "Seven Masters Buddha Seal."

During the previous battles, he continuously employed both mudras, gradually grasping some profound subtleties.

At this moment, Qin Sang suddenly looked up, feeling the light becoming increasingly dazzling and the depths of the auspicious clouds surging with turmoil.

"The auspicious clouds are about to vibrate again. We'll take this opportunity to enter the auspicious clouds and look for the cloud paths," True Master Zhijian transmitted.

Everyone nodded.

They were only a little over ten *li* from the auspicious clouds, a negligible distance for cultivators. However, no one knew if the demons had left sentries anywhere.

Using the fluctuations of the auspicious clouds as cover should block most detection.

*Boom!*

The sea of clouds surged, pushing outwards in all directions, but it did not expand too far, as if hitting an invisible wall, and then began to contract.

As the cloud currents shifted, the light became incredibly blinding; an ordinary person would go blind with a single glance!

The four felt as if they were standing directly in front of the sun, casting light for a thousand *li*!

True Master Zhijian and True Master Youhuo each conjured their respective concealment treasures, covering the four of them, while Qin Sang and True Master Guyun restrained their auras.

The four rushed out of the valley, swiftly moving through the vegetation. In the blink of an eye, they crossed the central plain and entered the range of the auspicious clouds.

The light within the auspicious clouds was even more intense. Even with their spiritual energy protecting their eyes, their vision was very narrow.

Qin Sang was an exception. On the way, he had ordered the Celestial Eye Butterfly to be on alert, and it hadn't detected any other figures.

"I wonder if the auspicious cloud's tremor is a coincidence or caused by the demons. Let's wait a little longer until the cloud paths appear before we set off," True Master Zhijian transmitted.

The four nodded silently, following True Master Zhijian deeper into the auspicious clouds. After a short while, they stopped and waited in place.

Before long, the tremors subsided from inside out, and the light gradually receded. After waiting a bit longer, a cloud path conveniently appeared before them.