Chapter 2329: Ancient Five Clans

Wuxia and Xianxia

"Oh? Tell me more," Qin Sang said, his murderous intent receding, his eyes showing amusement, as if genuinely intrigued.

In truth, he was indeed very eager to understand the current situation of the Wu Clan.

During this period, the only clan he had close contact with was the Dongyang Clan. Other clans not only had no ties with him but had also been severely extorted by him. Furthermore, Shechen knew his human identity, so it was impossible for him to confide in Qin Sang, instead guarding against him secretly. Consequently, while Qin Sang had encountered many Wu Clan experts, his understanding of their overall situation remained hazy.

His original purpose for this journey was to find Liuying and the Ghost Mother, and to seek opportunities for the Heavenly Eye Butterfly. He had not intended to get too deeply involved. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned; the Ghost Mother remained untraceable, and he found himself increasingly entangled in the Wu Clan's affairs. It was best to prepare for the unexpected, so that he could calmly respond should he be swept into the larger trends.

Qin Sang had a vague sense of the 'undercurrents' that Yu Ling spoke of.

Internally, the Wu Clan's Grand Sacrifice of Heaven and Earth was approaching, and the Dongyang Clan was willing to collude with him, a human, for reasons unknown.

Externally, the Dao Court had returned, there was a dispute between the Mahayana and Hinayana factions among humans, and the holy land of the Variant Human Clan had entered a dream state...

Against the backdrop of the Demon Realm's watchful gaze and the impending demonic tribulation, significant events were unfolding for both humans and the Variant Human Clan. As the Wu Clan was situated within this turmoil, could they truly have no countermeasures against the demonic tribulation?

However, Qin Sang lacked a deep understanding of the Wu Clan. The texts he had seen in the Dongyang Clan were also only those Shechen wanted him to see, leaving him constantly confused.

"Those people are descendants of Shaohao!" Yu Ling stated gravely.

"Shaohao?"

Qin Sang had read some history within the Dongyang Clan and remembered this clan. According to records, it was an ancient clan contemporary with the Gonggong Clan. Now, like the Gonggong Clan, it had split into numerous smaller clans.

Previously, Qin Sang had regarded the history of the Wu Clan as mere mythology, full of exaggerated descriptions and often lacking detail, thus having low credibility.

However, his recent experiences confirmed that much of the Wu Clan's history was indeed real.

"Although the ancient Shaohao Clan is now history, they passed down a divine artifact, the White Emperor's Divine Armor. These people intend to use the divine blood from the forbidden area to repair it!" Yu Ling revealed, holding nothing back.

The White Emperor's Divine Armor, a divine artifact.

Qin Sang was hearing of these things for the first time. The mention of 'divine blood' particularly startled him. He asked, "Is there truly divine blood in this world?"

"It depends on whether Elder Qin believes there were gods in ancient times. Even within our own ranks, there are many dissenters who try to overturn history, claiming ancient gods were mere fictions," Yu Ling said, pointing to the sky, then to her own arm. "But I believe. Our bloodline, our innate talents, all prove that we are different from humans. Because we are descendants of gods; divine blood flows within us!"

As she spoke, Yu Ling's face was filled with pride.

Qin Sang had sensed this pride in other Wu Clan cultivators before. The Wu Clan's talents indeed seemed explainable only by 'divine bloodline'.

This was likely the biggest reason for the schism between the Wu Clan and humans. In times of hardship, they could unite against external enemies, but once their situation improved, a rift would immediately appear.

The Wu Clan considered themselves descendants of gods, viewing humans as 'mortals'. In ancient times, the Wu Clan were the rulers of humanity, and their attitude towards humans had always been condescending, even now when humanity's strength far surpassed theirs.

As fellow 'Wu', the Variant Human Clan had taken a different path. Qin Sang sensed only a strong veneration for their ancestors in those Variant Human Clan cultivators.

"Where did the divine blood here come from?" Qin Sang pressed, recalling what he had seen and heard at the Gonggong Platform.

Everything there seemed connected to 'blood': blood clouds, blood spirit veins, even the ground appeared to be a massive chunk of flesh. Could it all be caused by divine blood?

Yu Ling lightly shook her head. "No one knows. Divine blood was merely a legend; everyone always thought it was fabricated based on the environment of the forbidden area. Unexpectedly, those Shaohao descendants seem to have truly found divine blood. Our action against the Dongyang Clan's shamaness was actually to have a legitimate reason to send people to the Southern Region to investigate this matter without being suspected by the Shaohao descendants. Also, because Elder Qin trapped Grandfather Qi and threatened Grandmother Qi, I felt indignant, which led me to the idea of using Elder Qin. But we absolutely harbored no ill will towards Elder Qin. Before I left, I specifically instructed Grandmother Qi to use our clan's most precious treasure to rescue Elder Qin if he encountered any danger..."

Her tone was quite sincere, but Qin Sang remained unmoved. Whether to kill her or spare her, he had his own considerations.

"Even if they repair the White Emperor's Divine Armor, what then?" Qin Sang retorted. "Even if it's a primeval spiritual treasure, can wearing it unify the Wu Clan?"

"In today's cultivation world, treasures are classified as magic artifacts, spiritual treasures, and the like. Divine artifacts are not in this category; they are named 'divine' for a reason. More importantly, a divine artifact represents the will of a god in ancient times, symbolizing the authority of a deity. To wield it is to command righteousness!"

Yu Ling's expression was grave. "Divine artifacts can also be called sacred artifacts. The White Emperor's Divine Armor is the sacred artifact in the hearts of all Shaohao descendants! Once the White Emperor's Divine Armor appears, it can command the Shaohao descendants in the name of the White Emperor, reuniting the ancient Jin Clan! If Elder Qin is knowledgeable about history, he should know what this means."

Qin Sang remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

Yu Ling glanced at him. Seeing Qin Sang's impassive demeanor, she couldn't fathom his thoughts and could only continue. "There were also the Black Emperor, Red Emperor, and Yellow Emperor. The White Emperor's Divine Armor is the treasured armor passed down through generations by the White Emperor, a divine artifact of the Jin Clan!"

"Legend has it that the Jin Clan was led by the Shaohao Clan, and the White Emperor himself originated from the Shaohao Clan. Even the Jin Clan's descendants claim to be Shaohao's progeny. Today, the Jin Clan is fragmented, with each sub-clan governing itself, but the Jin Clan's descendants still exist, holding nearly two-tenths of the entire Wu Clan's strength. Whoever can reunite the Jin Clan will be able to command this power and stir up great changes!"

"Five Clans, Five Emperors?" Qin Sang's eyes flickered. "So, the Gonggong Clan is part of the Water Clan..."

"Precisely!" Yu Ling affirmed.

"To revive the ancient Jin Clan..." Qin Sang chuckled. "Surely the Shaohao descendants aren't the only ones with such ambitions?"

Yu Ling nodded. "That's exactly what I meant by 'undercurrents'. Some weaker clans are only realizing it now, but the actions of ambitious individuals cannot escape the notice of our Tianyu Clan."

She paused, her tone suddenly turning solemn. "The prelude to a great upheaval in the cultivation world has long begun. The Great Zhou imperial court recently had a debate concerning the Mahayana and Hinayana paths, and the Buddhist sects organized countless scripture debates for it. I've also heard that a major change recently occurred in the holy land of the Variant Human Clan, and the demon races in the desolate lands are also making frequent moves. If our Wu Clan remains disorganized, once the great upheaval arrives, we will be the first to be crushed by the unstoppable tide!"

Qin Sang looked at Yu Ling with surprise, not expecting her to possess such remarkable vision and a thorough understanding of the world's major trends.

Qin Sang had personally experienced the major change in the Variant Human Clan's holy land, but he didn't fully understand what that dream meant for the Variant Human Clan, beyond giving birth to dream seeds.

If this matter were linked to the human struggle between Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism, it would likely be another far-reaching event. He had only seen the surface.

Yu Ling smiled sweetly. "These are all things I've heard from my father. There are countless esteemed individuals in the Wu Clan, and surely my father isn't the only one who sees the Wu Clan's problems. Reuniting the descendants of the five ancient clans in the name of the ancient five clans can change this situation. This should be the unspoken understanding among all ambitious individuals."

Even if the Wu Clan ultimately couldn't unify and merely recreated the five ancient clans, with each consolidating its internal will and the five clans then forming an alliance, it would still significantly reduce many obstacles.

Qin Sang suspected that the Heavenly Shamans and Grand Shamans of the Wu Clan were the masterminds behind this.

To resist external threats, one must first stabilize internal affairs. The demonic tribulation was drawing near, and under its pressure, the powerful figures of the Wu Clan had every reason to act this way!

Whichever of the five clans could achieve unification first would undoubtedly gain a tremendous advantage. No wonder the Tianyu Clan was so anxious upon learning that the Shaohao descendants were repairing the White Emperor's Divine Armor.

"The five ancient clans, they were all real after all!" Qin Sang exclaimed.

Yu Ling smiled again, sharing an interesting tidbit. "During the era of the five ancient clans, their names were actually related to their members' innate talents. For example, the Wood Clan members were mostly skilled in cultivating Wood-elemental techniques. Geniuses of that time were called Wood Spirit Bodies, or Wood Virtue Bodies. There were even Five Virtue Bodies, possessing all five elements, who were considered extremely rare peerless geniuses in all ancient records! Does Elder Qin find any of this familiar?"

Qin Sang paused. "Spiritual roots?"

"Precisely. The theory of spiritual roots, held as a guiding principle by humans, should have originated from this," Yu Ling said. "Legend has it that in ancient times, when heaven and earth first opened and Yin and Yang began to separate, the five elemental forces in the world were chaotic. When living beings were conceived, they were endowed with innate five-elemental energy, which allowed them to cultivate. Depending on the abundance or scarcity of this energy, their cultivation talents varied."

As she spoke, she secretly observed Qin Sang's expression.

Before taking action, the Tianyu Clan had thoroughly investigated Elder Qin's background. They found little, but two points were crucial.

First, Elder Qin hailed from the declining Haobo Clan. Second, he and Jian Ji of the Dongyang Clan were fellow disciples. Although the Dongyang Clan had concealed it, the Tianyu Clan still uncovered unusual signs, suspecting their master was a human sword cultivator.

To cultivate such disciples, their master had to be at least a Body Integration stage mighty figure!

Most members of the Tianyu Clan harbored animosity towards humans, but Yu Ling knew her father's intentions differed from those of the clan. Signs of chaos were already apparent, and the Tianyu Clan, seeking to achieve great things, would try to win over powerful allies whenever possible, even if they were human grand cultivators. Moreover, Elder Qin himself was a super expert.

"Since it's the origin of the spiritual root theory, a so-called Wood Virtue Body must refer to a single Wood Heavenly Spiritual Root. What then is a Five Virtue Body?" Qin Sang asked.

A Five Virtue Body possesses all five elements, and since five-element spiritual roots are the most common in the cultivation world, wouldn't that mean there are geniuses everywhere now?

Qin Sang had no fear of Yu Ling's suspicions; this was precisely the effect he and Shechen had deliberately created.

They knew their plan couldn't be flawless. The more Wu Clan experts Qin Sang interacted with, the greater the chance of exposure. Instead, actively revealing some minor flaws could better dispel others' doubts, thereby concealing bigger secrets.

Learning swordsmanship from a human was not a great sin.

"A Five Virtue Body isn't just about possessing all five elements, but about having them perfectly balanced, neither more nor less, completely even. The five elemental forces are the foundation of heaven and earth. Even when we break through to the Void Refinement stage, we must harmonize the five elements and control the world's vital energy. That's when the advantages of a Five Virtue Body become apparent," Yu Ling explained.

Qin Sang mused inwardly that it was indeed so.

To break through to Void Refinement and enter the Dao through the five elements, there are two primary paths: choosing one element to master and purify, or possessing all five elements, balanced and none neglected.

When he broke through to the Void Refinement stage years ago, he benefited from the descent of the Thunder Ancestor, instantly comprehending what it meant to control heaven and earth, and breaking through on the spot. Otherwise, he would have had to first harmonize the five elements within his body, slowly comprehend, and undergo a long period of enlightenment to achieve it. A Five Virtue Body directly bypasses this step, envied by all others.

Not only that, the advantages of a Five Virtue Body manifested even when breaking through to the Spirit Transformation stage.

What are considered geniuses in this world represent two extremes: one is the utterly pure Heavenly Spiritual Root, and the other is the Five Virtue Body, with the latter likely being even rarer.

Heavenly Spiritual Roots demonstrate immense advantages in the early stages of cultivation, while Five Virtue Bodies accumulate strength over time before fully manifesting their power. However, after entering the Void Refinement stage, innate talent is no longer as highly regarded.

"Compared to Heavenly Spiritual Roots, a Five Virtue Body is still more demanding," Qin Sang commented.

"Elder Qin is absolutely right. If one were unfortunately born in a minor world with sparse spiritual energy, even forming a Nascent Soul would be difficult, and no one would care if they possessed a Five Virtue Body. Or, if the Spirit Realm were to decline, a Heavenly Spiritual Root, having no bottlenecks and requiring minimal resources for cultivation, would naturally hold a massive advantage. However, our Spirit Realm is currently at its peak, with abundant spiritual energy and no shortage of cultivation resources," Yu Ling paused. "To my knowledge, human major sects don't place much importance on spiritual roots, merely using them as a reference, as spiritual roots can be supplemented later, and the five elements can also be harmonized."

Qin Sang nodded. He had sensed it after ascending: unlike the Storm Realm, the Spirit Realm did not prioritize spiritual roots as a primary, or even decisive, condition for accepting disciples.

Yu Ling suddenly smiled. "Perhaps one day, no one will care what kind of spiritual root one possesses! All cultivation techniques and inheritances have evolved from ancient times, passed down in a continuous line, and naturally based on the Dao of Five Elements, still trapped in their old ways. But there isn't only the power of the Five Elements between heaven and earth; signs of this have long appeared in the cultivation world. Perhaps someday a great sage will emerge, breaking this rule, greatly altering the methods, and completely transforming the great Dao of cultivation, at which point everyone will be able to cultivate!"

Qin Sang's heart stirred, and he couldn't help but recall an old memory.

Back in Moon Ditch Bay, his disciple Yu Lang had the idea of entering the Dao through martial arts. Many years had passed since they last met; he wondered if his disciple was doing well now.

Without realizing it, the two had drifted into discussing the evolution and future of the cultivation world.

Qin Sang chuckled, regaining his composure, and steered the conversation back to the main topic. "Thank you for sharing this, Fellow Daoist. However, what does this grand trend of the world have to do with me?"

"Does Elder Qin not wish to revitalize the Haobo Clan and return to the ranks of prominent clans?"

Yu Ling countered, "If Elder Qin harbors such an ambition, seeking refuge with the Dongyang Clan is certainly not a wise move. The Dongyang Clan is descended from Zhurong, a lineage of the Fire Clan. However, according to records we've found in our ancient texts, the Haobo Clan is very likely a descendant of the Wood Clan. Should chaos erupt and the five clans contend, how would Elder Qin position himself?"

Hearing this, Qin Sang's heart stirred. He recalled the orchid totem he had seen in the Haobo Clan ruins. What Yu Ling said might very well be true.