Chapter 1795: The Road to Ascension

The Human World

Will the Beacon Gate of Guixu ultimately lead to this world? And why are there no traces left by ascended predecessors here?

After confirming the other party's identity, Qin Sang directly voiced the biggest question on his mind.

Mo Xingdao seemed to be observing Qin Sang's expression. After a slight hesitation, he counter-questioned, "Fellow Daoist Qin, did you not ascend via Guixu?"

In the Storm Realm, without the strength of the Spirit Transformation stage, it is difficult even to reach Guixu, let alone venture onto the Path of Ascension.

Mo Xingdao, having heard Reverend Wan's assessment, knew that Qin Sang cultivated both magic and body. Based on his performance at the Immaterial Immortal Sect, he could also infer that Qi cultivation was his true foundation.

A breakthrough in body refinement alone, without the corresponding cultivation realm, would not allow one to perceive the Demonic Sound of the Heavenly Dao.

A physical body at the Spirit Transformation stage indeed possesses the strength to venture into Guixu. However, logically, unless Qin Sang knew his time was short, he would surely wait until his cultivation realm broke through to the Spirit Transformation stage, ensuring absolute certainty before entering Guixu.

Could he have advanced to the Spirit Transformation stage while still in the Storm Realm?

Qin Sang, having guessed Mo Xingdao's thoughts, stated frankly, "Fellow Daoist, there's no need to probe. I already know about the Demonic Sound of the Heavenly Dao. However, I did not enter Guixu. Do you know that Guixu is not the only path to ascension in the Storm Realm? There's also the Ascension Platform!"

"The Ascension Platform?"

For the first time, Mo Xingdao's tone showed a ripple of surprise.

"Indeed," Qin Sang nodded. "I actually hail from the North Sea and traveled across vast oceans to the Central Continent. While cultivating in the North Sea, I personally witnessed someone activate the Ascension Platform and ascend to the Upper Realm..."

Qin Sang concealed nothing, describing in detail the origin of the disturbance in the Minor Cold Domain and how his senior sister and others had ascended.

Mo Xingdao remained silent throughout Qin Sang's narration.

After speaking, Qin Sang shook his head slightly and sighed, "After I achieved cultivation, I spoke of this matter, intending to unite the strength of various sects to search for the Ascension Platform. Reverend Xingji then revealed the truth. If the three fellow Daoists had waited a few more years, or informed the world about the calamity of the Demonic Sound of the Heavenly Dao, things wouldn't have come to this!"

He already knew that back then, Saint Huiguang and Saint King Qinghu had given Mo Xingdao two choices.

Either possess a soul puppet, with the risk of being counter-controlled by it.

Or forcibly undergo tribulation. If the tribulation failed, their true essence would be forced into a puppet, controlled by the two Spirit Transformation cultivators, though this state could only be maintained for a limited time.

Mo Xingdao must have chosen the former.

Qin Sang gazed at the rigid face on the stone, unable to discern any change in expression, and wondered what Mo Xingdao was feeling now.

After a long silence, Mo Xingdao sighed softly, "So, you found the Ascension Platform, successfully activated it, and ascended to this world?"

Qin Sang nodded.

"When was the activation date?" Mo Xingdao's tone suddenly quickened as he pressed for an answer.

Hearing the time Qin Sang mentioned, Mo Xingdao smiled bitterly, "Just as I thought! We must have arrived in this world on the same day."

Qin Sang was astonished, immediately realizing something, and asked in a low voice, "Did you ever hunt fierce beasts in the Storm Belt and Guixu?"

"We never killed them, but we encountered them multiple times," Mo Xingdao replied. "In the Storm Belt, we were pursued by two strange fish one after another. After entering Guixu, countless fierce beasts roamed everywhere. By using the Grand Five Elements Abjuring Divine Light of the Five Elements Crown to restrain them, we were repeatedly able to avert danger..."

Even after many years, Mo Xingdao's memory of his past experiences was fresh, indicating how perilous his journey inside Guixu had been.

Hearing this, a strange look flashed in Qin Sang's eyes. "You weren't pursued by the Blood Moon?"

"What Blood Moon?"

Mo Xingdao was puzzled.

Qin Sang frowned and fell into deep thought.

Mo Xingdao and the two others had set off earlier than him, and had also clashed with fierce beasts in the Storm Belt. After entering Guixu, they had fought constantly, yet they had not been pursued by the Blood Moon.

Yet the Blood Moon had specifically targeted him, waiting outside the Canglang Sea barrier. To pursue him, it had even risked entering the spatial storm. What was the reason for this?

What deep enmity could possibly exist between them?

Previously, Qin Sang had suspected that the Blood Moon might be a great demon attempting to devour a realm, using the demonic sound to sever the path of Spirit Transformation for cultivators in this realm, and pursuing all who tried to escape the cage. He had thought that he had attracted the pursuit by exposing his aura and whereabouts when fighting the Thunder Turtle.

However, knowing Mo Xingdao and the others' experiences, he realized it wasn't that simple.

Or perhaps the Blood Moon was the king among the fierce beasts of Guixu, and the Thunder Turtle's death at his hands had angered this demon?

Unable to find an answer, Qin Sang temporarily put these questions aside and asked a crucial question, "Did you not ascend to this world by passing through the Beacon Gate?"

From Mo Xingdao's previous answer and tone, Qin Sang already had a guess.

Mo Xingdao concealed nothing, directly recounting their experiences inside Guixu.

It turned out that in those days, Mo Xingdao had been forced eastward by the two Spirit Transformation cultivators, passed through the Storm Belt, and safely entered Guixu, though not without fright.

They then discovered that Guixu was fraught with dangers, even more so than recorded in ancient texts. Following the records left by their predecessors, they searched for Mount Daiyu, encountering danger repeatedly.

Fortunately, those fierce beasts were also affected by the Demonic Sound of the Heavenly Dao, falling into madness and fighting among themselves, which prevented them from being besieged by the beasts.

Finally, after enduring many hardships and delving deep into Guixu, they successfully found Mount Daiyu. There, they saw many images and texts inscribed by predecessors and ancient sages, recording their observations and insights.

From Mount Daiyu to the Beacon Gate, there was still a distance, more dangerous than the upper reaches of Guixu, and it was known as the Path of Ascension.

The Path of Ascension was not constant because Guixu's interior was unstable, and changes would occur every few years.

It was precisely because generations of ascendants had continuously pressed forward, inscribing their experiences on Mount Daiyu for future generations, that there had been a continuous legacy, and the Path of Ascension had remained unbroken.

"We obtained the records left by our predecessors on Mount Daiyu, made some adjustments, and entered the Path of Ascension. However, the fierce beasts, affected by the Demonic Sound of the Heavenly Dao, caused widespread destruction during their mad fights, crashing into this area. The Path of Ascension deviated significantly from the records, and many places had to be forged by ourselves. Having Mount Daiyu as a resting place did yield some results. But just as we were nearing the Beacon Gate, the interior of Guixu suddenly became turbulent. We were caught off guard and immediately flung out by a tremendous force..."

Mo Xingdao's feelings were complex; the eyes on the stone stared intently at Qin Sang.

The time Qin Sang activated the Ascension Platform was precisely the day Guixu became turbulent.

With such a coincidence, and having been sent to the same world, it must be related to Qin Sang.

Mo Xingdao didn't know whether to thank or curse Qin Sang.

Without this incident, they would have ascended normally upon reaching the Beacon Gate, without enduring a near-death experience, and wouldn't have landed in this strange Daoist world.

However, the situation for the three of them at that time was also very dire.

Pioneering the Path of Ascension required the aid of the Five Elements Crown, constantly activating the Grand Five Elements Abjuring Divine Light. They had to simultaneously contend with the chaotic Guixu, the Demonic Sound of the Heavenly Dao, and the invasion of demonic spirits, which put immense pressure on them.

Mount Daiyu was only relatively safe, serving merely as a temporary place for recovery and rest. They could only recover partially, and their strength continuously declined.

Perhaps, without this incident, they would have perished in Guixu, forever unable to reach the Beacon Gate.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, what anomaly did you encounter when you activated the Ascension Platform? And what exactly is the Blood Moon?"

"During my ascension, a Blood Moon was naturally born, transforming into a blood-red rainbow that descended upon the world. It pursued me into a spatial storm, causing my ascension to deviate. What did you encounter after entering the spatial rift, and how did you end up in this world? Where are Saint Huiguang and Saint King Qinghu now?"

"The Blood Moon pursued you?"

Mo Xingdao was startled and muttered, "When activating the Five Elements Crown, one person would operate it while others assisted. The operator of the Five Elements Crown received the greatest impact, so we rotated control. At that time, Saint Huiguang was operating the Five Elements Crown and had reached his limit, just about to hand over control to Saint King Qinghu, when Guixu suddenly became turbulent. Both we and the Five Elements Crown were scattered by the shock and flung into a spatial rift. I could only try my best to protect myself, resisting the spatial turbulence. Then I was pulled into a terrifying suction force, and soon lost consciousness due to severe injuries. Before I fell unconscious, I only saw Saint Huiguang being swept away by the spatial turbulence, vanishing instantly."

Hearing this, Qin Sang sighed with emotion. He had thought he would still have a chance to settle old scores with Saint Huiguang.

Being swept away by spatial turbulence while weakened, even a Spirit Transformation cultivator would surely face a grim fate.

Even if Saint Huiguang miraculously survived, it was unknown to which world he might have been swept, and the chance of seeing him again was slim.

Seeing that Mo Xingdao only mentioned Saint Huiguang and not Saint King Qinghu, Qin Sang pressed further, as his enmity with Saint King Qinghu was deeper.

Mo Xingdao, however, said he didn't know. "Saint King Qinghu should have been not far from me at the time, and her strength was still intact. If she was drawn into this world, her chances of survival are high. Not long ago, someone reported to the Daoist Court that an ascension tribulation appeared in Jushan. I initially thought it was her."

After clarifying the time and place, Qin Sang was somewhat surprised that the secluded tribulation site he had chosen had still been stumbled upon.

Qin Sang admitted that he was the one who underwent the tribulation, and glanced slightly towards the stone pavilion. "So, the one who rescued fellow Daoist was Reverend Hongyu?"

"Exactly."

Mo Xingdao then shared all of Reverend Hongyu's conjectures with Qin Sang.

Qin Sang was surprised, sweeping his gaze around. "You suspect that the Jushan altar is connected to Guixu?"

Mo Xingdao hummed in affirmation, "Back then, I thought I was ultimately flung into a spatial rift. Now, it's debatable. Just now, I followed Reverend Hongyu into the depths of the altar and found many similarities between the scenes of the Path of Ascension and this place. Perhaps..."

He paused, and Mo Xingdao's tone revealed a hint of awe. "What we fell into was not a spatial rift at all, but a divine ability left by an ancient powerful being, connecting two worlds! Even if it's not, there must be a significant connection between the two worlds, not far apart. As long as I can pinpoint the location of the scene from my last memory, there's hope of returning to the Path of Ascension and getting back on track!"

"Retrieving the Beacon Gate..."

Qin Sang couldn't help but be stunned.

He had painstakingly sought the qualification for the Ascension Rite, and just as he was about to succeed, he received a clue about the Path of Ascension.

"Are you not afraid that the Blood Moon is guarding the Beacon Gate?" Qin Sang's tone was unusual.

It had already been confirmed that a living being was behind the Demonic Sound of the Heavenly Dao. Qin Sang even had a conjecture that the Storm Belt was a hunting ground for demons, and all previous ascended predecessors had been devoured by that demon.

This conjecture was too terrifying, Qin Sang dared not delve deeper.

"Didn't you say the demon pursued you into the spatial rift and was swept away by the spatial storm? Even if that demon were to return..."

Mo Xingdao paused, his tone filled with intense killing intent. "Opening up the two worlds would allow us to use the power of the Daoist cultivators to slay demons! I have followed Reverend Hongyu for many years, and once heard him confirm that in the altars of the two Daoist Court academies, a Grand Reverend is merely the altar master, while only a True Monarch can be a Chief Grand Master of an altar, holding the Chief Grand Master's Seal and commanding all True Ones!"

A True Monarch is a Fusion Stage expert!

It was the first time Qin Sang had heard someone confirm that True Monarchs indeed existed in this world, and that True Monarchs were stationed in both academies of the Daoist Court.

If even True Monarchs were not a match for that demon, it would be too despairing, and the countless beings in the Storm Realm would have no hope left.

According to Mo Xingdao, this world was not a Great Thousand World; the true Great Thousand World was behind the Beacon Gate.

In this world, Qin Sang always felt a sense of suppression. If he could escape this world and completely resolve the troubles of the Storm Realm, he would naturally be overjoyed.

Having unexpectedly fallen into this world, he had thought it would be difficult to meet Liuli again, but little did he expect that there was always a way out.

However, Qin Sang still had one question: "Why did Fellow Daoist Mo deliberately avoid others and reveal these secrets to me?"

Mo Xingdao had been rescued by Reverend Hongyu and had followed him for many years. Now, he was even guarding Reverend Hongyu, indicating Reverend Hongyu's considerable trust in him.

Relying on the Daoist Court's power would offer greater hope of finding the Path of Ascension. Why secretly seek out him, a solitary individual?

Mo Xingdao was silent for a moment, then said, "Fellow Daoist Qin and I come from the same place. I believe we can work together with one heart and mind, and you will fully assist me. Furthermore, Fellow Daoist Qin likely doesn't want to reveal his true origins. As for the Daoist Court, for some reason, I always feel that Reverend Hongyu isn't very interested in the Path of Ascension. His goal remains the Ghost Fang Kingdom. The secrets I know are all things Reverend Hongyu wanted to tell me. This world is not that simple. No one knows the true extent of the Sinister Plains or the Sinister Sea, or where they end. Perhaps this world is no less significant than the world beyond the Beacon Gate."

Additionally, there was one more crucial reason.

Mo Xingdao said coldly, "I do not wish to be controlled by others for my entire life!"

Hearing these words, and recalling Mo Xingdao's behavior in the stone pavilion, Qin Sang suddenly understood.

It was obvious that when he was rescued by Reverend Hongyu back then, it was not without a price.

A Spirit Transformation stage puppet was something even a Censor of the Golden Imperial Court of the Nine Heavens could not ignore.

Qin Sang's expression was grave. After a long contemplation, he cautiously said, "Fellow Daoist Mo, are you suggesting that I join you in secretly searching for the Path of Ascension and use the Beacon Gate to break free from your restraints?"

The premise being that the demon had already left the Storm Realm.

If that demon was still present, they could redirect the disaster, and Mo Xingdao could escape during the great battle between the Daoist Court and the demon.

"Reverend Hongyu is meticulous in his planning. Without this, I would have no hope," Mo Xingdao affirmed.

Qin Sang nodded inwardly. The gap in strength between Mo Xingdao and Reverend Hongyu was too great, so he could only rely on external forces.

Should he join forces with Mo Xingdao?

Qin Sang weighed the pros and cons, believing the benefits outweighed the drawbacks.

This world had significant issues. One day, when his strength increased and he uncovered the truth of this world, some troubles would be unavoidable. The Path of Ascension was a retreat route.

After the Ascension Rite, he could continue cultivating and gradually explore.

Thinking of this, Qin Sang nodded slightly. "Fellow Daoist Mo, it won't be convenient for you to meet with me in the future, will it? What instructions do you have for me?"

Mo Xingdao already had a plan in mind. He said, "Over the years, I've been preparing. I will give you a method of contact. We can secretly communicate in the future, but not too frequently."