Chapter 2050: 元、空、圣、祖

This system of Merit sounds very similar to the "virtue" system of the Daoist Court, yet it's even more convenient to use. To exchange treasures using Daoist Court virtue, one must seek out a Daoist official at the Heavenly Pivot Court or the Northern Exorcism Court to cancel it out. In Qianzhou, however, one simply sets up an altar on the spot, and treasures arrive immediately.

Could this system of Merit be a direct imitation of the Daoist Court's system?

Behind the Merit system, there must also be an existence similar to the Divine Court, otherwise it couldn't be so mysterious.

The Divine Court can grant ordinations, transmit spells, and summon deities. This system, however, can bestow objects, and likely possesses other marvelous uses. Though they share a surprising similarity in function, the consequences they bring about are vastly different.

The Divine Court has fallen into decline, and the Daoist Court was forced to retreat into the Four Separate Jurisdictions. The Great Thousand World seems to have tacitly approved Qianzhou's implementation of the Merit system.

"If Merit is as convenient as fellow Daoist says, why isn't it promoted and implemented across the Eight Great Heavenly States, or even all human territories?" Qin Sang asked, intentionally feigning a puzzled expression.

Layman Songfeng chuckled, as if amused by Qin Sang's naivety. "Even if we set aside whether Merit has only advantages and no disadvantages, it is said that to gain access to this system, one's 'qi' must be seized and taken away; only then can one accept the method of Merit. Although it's merely an ordinary wisp of qi, and no inconvenience has been reported, who can guarantee there are no hidden dangers? Furthermore, once cultivators like us become accustomed to relying on Merit for everything, we will be controlled by it. At that point, wouldn't Merit itself, or those who control it, be able to lord over all cultivators? Our cultivation is low, so even if the sky falls, it won't be our turn to hold it up; we can afford not to care. But those powerful cultivators would never tolerate such a thing."

"Just a wisp of 'qi' is all it takes to seize?"

Qin Sang mused internally that Qianzhou's Merit system indeed differed greatly from the Daoist Court and the Divine Court. He wondered what "qi" specifically referred to; if it included spiritual consciousness, he would absolutely refuse.

Even if it wasn't as Qin Sang suspected, the Great Thousand World was home to countless mysterious arts. Perhaps, cause and effect would be generated, leading one to unknowingly fall under another's control.

He felt there was a significant secret behind the Merit system, perhaps even related to the conflict between Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism. He couldn't help but feel that his previous observations had been superficial, merely scratching the surface.

The two did not chat for long. Turning to serious matters, Layman Songfeng began to describe the object he intended to refine to Qin Sang.

"I haven't named the spiritual formation yet, but the object it suppresses has a reference point: our sect's Grand Origin Token. In the future, it will be named the Grand Origin Banner. If I fail to refine it this time, my senior brothers will surely mock me for a thousand years. But if I succeed, I'll be able to mock them for a thousand years! Elder Qin, please be extremely careful."

Seeing Layman Songfeng's earnest expression, Qin Sang glanced out of the cave abode and sighed inwardly. Indeed, it's easy to enjoy the shade when leaning against a big tree. Layman Songfeng valued his rivalry with his fellow disciples above all else. Some might call this a "childlike heart," but cultivators from minor sects and rogue cultivators could never possess such a disposition.

He also had a "big tree" behind him, but currently, he couldn't rely on it; instead, he was implicated and walking on thin ice.

Qin Sang had never seen the Grand Origin Token. He listened carefully as Layman Songfeng described his concept for the Grand Origin Banner and felt they had a seventy percent chance of success working together. Upon hearing this, Layman Songfeng was overjoyed and immediately led Qin Sang to the inner hall.

A ground-fire essence furnace had already been set up there, and various spiritual materials were prepared. Qin Sang prevented Layman Songfeng from immediately starting the furnace and discussed the Grand Origin Banner with him further.

Layman Songfeng already had a clear concept for this treasure, so Qin Sang couldn't modify the artifact itself. However, he could offer suggestions regarding the refining method, which greatly benefited Layman Songfeng, who exclaimed that he had indeed found the right helper.

For the next period, flashes of fire occasionally flickered from within the cave abode, and the island sometimes trembled, drawing the curiosity of others. However, the island's protective array was active, so no one dared to trespass. After lingering for a moment, they dispersed, eventually becoming accustomed to the occurrences.

One day, a joyous, wild laugh erupted from the cave abode. Had it not been for the array's isolation, it would have surely startled the entire Thousandfold Divine Pavilion.

Qin Sang returned to the front hall with a smile, poured himself a cup of clear water, and savored it.

A moment later, Layman Songfeng also emerged. Though fatigue was visible in his brows, he looked refreshed. With a gentle flick of his sleeve, a purple-gold light flew out. "This pot of Nine-Yellow Earth is yours, Elder Qin!"

Qin Sang took it. It was a purple-gold gourd. As he opened it, a rich earth spiritual energy rushed out, and he could only see a constantly swirling mass of dark-yellow qi with his naked eye—it was indeed Nine-Yellow Earth!

"Thank you, Layman," Qin Sang said, cupping his hands before putting it away.

"If Elder Qin had not given his full assistance, this treasure would never have been refined so easily. I should be thanking you," Layman Songfeng said with a wave of his hand, his eyes glinting. "I recall Elder Qin mentioning he intended to visit Lansha State?"

"That is my intention," Qin Sang nodded.

"I happen to have a letter that needs to be delivered to a fellow Daoist in Lansha State. Would Elder Qin mind delivering it on my behalf?" Layman Songfeng asked.

Qin Sang's heart stirred. If it were merely a letter, the Thousandfold Divine Pavilion certainly wouldn't lack channels for communication; there would be no need to ask an outsider like him. This clearly had a deeper meaning. Layman Songfeng must have remembered his assistance in refining the Grand Origin Banner and was using this as an excuse to introduce him to a power in Lansha State, forging a beneficial connection.

Of course, the letter was just an opening, and how far he could go would depend on himself, but it undoubtedly gave him a chance to leverage a powerful connection.

With that thought, Qin Sang immediately agreed.

Layman Songfeng circulated his true essence and, with a wave of his hand, quickly penned a letter, which he handed to Qin Sang. The two then left the cave abode.

Watching Layman Songfeng excitedly go off to show off to his fellow disciples, Qin Sang shook his head, summoned his escape light, and continued on his journey.

He traveled without pause and smoothly arrived at Sleepless City.

Like other immortal cities in Kanzhou, Sleepless City was prosperous but somewhat mundane, and the spiritual energy within the city was far inferior to that of the Thousandfold Divine Pavilion.

Having exchanged letters with the two women previously, Qin Sang already knew where they had settled. He quickly found the place: a mansion built beside a spiritual lake, with a fairy mountain to the north and the spiritual lake to the south. Surrounded by lotus flowers on four sides and willows on three, it was not a cultivation holy land, but it was a rare tranquil spot within the city.

A plaque hung above the gate tower, reading "Void Spirit Annex."

Reaching the mansion, he found the main gate tightly shut and no one seemingly inside. Qin Sang flicked his finger, sending out a streak of spiritual light.

The spiritual light activated a restriction, and immediately, someone hurried out of the annex. It was Gu Ya.

Seeing Qin Sang, Gu Ya was overjoyed. "Senior Qin, you've finally arrived!"

As everyone entered the annex, Qin Sang didn't sense Su Nü's aura. "Is Su Nü not here?"

Gu Ya replied, "Senior Su Nü has been in Lansha State all this time. My cultivation is low, so I couldn't assist her. She instructed me to remain in Sleepless City and manage things here while she went alone to Lansha State to investigate. She sends messages periodically. Half a year ago, Senior sent a talisman message saying she was going to handle something that would take anywhere from half a year to a year."

As she spoke, Gu Ya took out the talisman message and presented it.

Qin Sang read it. The message didn't specify what the matter was, but he believed that with Su Nü's intelligence, there was no need to worry about her.

He asked Gu Ya a few more questions and learned that she had remained in Sleepless City and knew little about Su Nü's plans. They would have to wait for Su Nü to return to find out how much information she had gathered.

By his reckoning, Su Nü should have news soon. Qin Sang considered it and decided not to rush to Lansha State for now, opting to wait a bit longer.

They proceeded to the inner courtyard.

Within the courtyard was an inner lake, rich in spiritual energy. On the island in the center of the lake, several young men and women were either seated in a pavilion or cross-legged on a stone, practicing some kind of spell.

Upon seeing them, the young men and women quickly rose, stood neatly in a row, and bowed respectfully once everyone reached the island. "Greetings, Ancestral Master."

After Gu Ya, the Void Spirit Sect's main lineage continued for many generations. She established a branch here, but instead of taking disciples herself, she opened an annex under the name of the Ancestral Master.

Qin Sang noticed that among the youths there was also an elder, who was the most cultivated among them—a Core Formation cultivator.

"Senior instructed me to find some people, preferably ones who could settle down in Sleepless City, to serve as a future contact point. After much thought, I decided it would be best to take a few disciples here and pass on a lineage. Our own descendants are trustworthy and can help the sect flourish. Since I wasn't sure of Senior's intentions, I took the liberty of transmitting our sect's Daoist arts, establishing this Void Spirit Annex, and teaching them the art of artifact refining."

Gu Ya pointed to the elder and the young man beside him. "This grandfather and grandson, surnamed Peng, have inherited an incomplete Daoist art, which allowed them to enter the immortal sect. Seeing their good aptitude, I accepted them both. The others were also sought out and selected by me from various places."

Qin Sang nodded. With this lineage of the Void Spirit Sect, he wouldn't need to make any other arrangements. However, these juniors' cultivation was still insufficient. Once they were settled, a master would need to be assigned to oversee them.

"I, too, have learned much by studying the Void Spirit Sect's Daoist arts. You should focus diligently on your cultivation and not disappoint the Ancestral Master. For our first meeting, I shall impart a technique to you. Once your cultivation achieves success, practice it frequently and cross-reference it with your sect's Daoist arts; then you shall comprehend its profound mysteries," Qin Sang said. With a flick of his finger, several streaks of green light merged into the foreheads of the youths.

Everyone trembled slightly, immediately feeling a profound and mysterious secret art appear in their minds, which their current cultivation level could not yet comprehend.

Seeing this technique, Gu Ya's face showed surprise and delight. She realized that this art was remarkably compatible with the Void Spirit Sect's artifact refining techniques. Many of the Void Spirit Sect's Daoist arts relied on the path of artifact refining, and progress in refining greatly benefited one's own cultivation. Perhaps this secret art could even advance the sect's Daoist arts to a higher level.

After ascending, the Void Spirit Sect, like many sects in the Storm Realm, faced the awkward situation of having greatly advanced cultivation without Daoist arts to practice.

Because no ascended cultivators returned to replenish the lower realm, even renowned major sects in the Storm Realm did not transmit orthodox methods beyond the Spirit Transformation stage. Of course, it would be a different matter if someone brought a great inheritance out of the Sword Pavilion.

Gu Ya had always held this idea but never found an opportunity. Unexpectedly, Qin Sang thought of it first. She remembered that her master had once allowed Qin Sang to peruse the Void Spirit Sect's ancient texts, and she sighed inwardly, realizing that the cause of that day had led to the fruit of today.

"What I gave them was the first part; this is the second part," Qin Sang said, handing Gu Ya a jade slip.

The Void Spirit Sect's original inheritance only extended to the Nascent Soul stage. For Qin Sang, creating this secret art was a trivial matter.

Qin Sang had to consider the future of sects like the Void Spirit Sect. He couldn't deduce Daoist arts for them one by one. He could only devise a universal strategy to offer a choice to those unwilling to see their Daoist path cut off, such as establishing altars to transmit ordinations and impart the orthodox methods of the Thunder Division.

He possessed not only cultivation methods from the Daoist Court's Thunder Division but also inheritances like those from Bishui Stronghold. Any cultivation method at the Void Refinement stage would be sufficient for practice in the Storm Realm.

Those Daoist lineages unable to achieve breakthroughs would gradually be forgotten and dissipate like smoke.

Of course, these Daoist arts would not be granted freely. This way, they could gradually win people's allegiance and resolve internal unrest, like a gentle spring rain.

Gu Ya composed herself solemnly and bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Senior, for bestowing this art!"

Instructing the disciples to return to their cultivation, Gu Ya then took out a mustard seed bag. "These are the spiritual materials Senior Su Nü and I purchased. Senior Qin, please see if there are any omissions?"

Qin Sang briefly checked the contents and was greatly satisfied. With these, all the spiritual materials needed to construct the Thunder Altar and the Ordination Transmission Altar were gathered. He could now focus on finding the Storm Realm.

He told Gu Ya to pay attention to Su Nü's talisman messages. Once Gu Ya acknowledged and withdrew, Qin Sang called forth the brothers Qing Jia and Qing Yi.

In his hand, he still held a jade slip containing information about the Yi Ren (Abnormal Human) tribe, which Su Nü and the others had gathered over the years.

After a brief deliberation, Qin Sang looked at the two, who appeared uneasy. "Cultivate your techniques here and let me observe what methods your Jufu tribe practices."

"Yes, Senior!"

The two brothers dared not refuse. They sat down on the spot, circulated their cultivation, and regulated their breathing.

Qin Sang sensed it slightly and already had an idea.

The Jufu tribe was born with robust arms adorned with strange patterns, possessing innate divine strength. Without formal cultivation, a Jufu youth could tear apart tigers and leopards. With a little cultivation, activating the innate abilities of their arms would trigger various transformations.

The cultivation of the Jufu tribe, and indeed the entire Yi Ren tribe, centered around their innate divine abilities.

This differed from the bloodline power of the demon race. The Yi Ren tribe's innate divine abilities were often associated with specific organs or parts of their bodies.

The "Heavenly Demon Body Forging" technique drew upon stellar essence to refine bloodline power. As the connection between bloodline and stars deepened, a Dharma Idol would manifest, echoing a dark star in the sky. In this context, bloodline power seemed more like a catalyst for refining stellar essence.

In contrast, the Yi Ren tribe firmly believed that the path of their ancestors was the true path. After birth, their tribe members inherited a trace of their ancestors' origin within their bodies, though some were more prominent and others more diluted.

By continuously developing their innate divine abilities, they could gradually draw closer to their ancestors. All other practices, whether body tempering, qi absorption, or external aids, served this goal. One could say that innate divine abilities were their Dao foundation; the higher their cultivation, the closer they became to their ancestors, even transforming into them!

The Yi Ren tribe's cultivation realm divisions differed significantly from those of humans, comprising four stages: Yuan, Kong, Sheng, and Zu, yet they also shared some commonalities.

The Yuan stage, meaning "primary origin" or "fundamental beginning," corresponds to the human stages of Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, and Nascent Soul. In the Yi Ren tribe, it is also divided into four sub-stages within the Yuan realm. Yuan stage cultivation focuses on oneself, much like human cultivators who only touch the surface of the 'Dao' upon reaching the Nascent Soul stage. They still need to lay a solid foundation within themselves to achieve a qualitative transformation.

Upon reaching the Kong stage, they become similar to humans in their ability to connect with the power of heaven and earth, reflecting it to enhance their own divine abilities. This corresponds to the human Spirit Transformation and Void Refinement stages. It is said they also possess the ability to manipulate the primal qi of heaven and earth to benefit themselves, just like human cultivators.

The Yi Ren tribe's Sheng stage corresponds to the human Body Integration stage. Such powerful beings rarely openly walk in non-human territories. Su Nü had not been able to investigate what changes their cultivation underwent or what abilities they possessed.

As for the Zu stage, it is equivalent to the human Mahayana stage. The Yi Ren tribe believes that reaching this level allows one to return to their true form and embody an ancestor, hence the name "Ancestor."

Similar to human Mahayana cultivators, there are no legends circulating about Yi Ren tribe cultivators at the Ancestor stage; people only know that such a realm exists.