Chapter 303: Ling Cang, Gui Xu, Yun Shen

Seventh Master's words echoed in Xu Qing's ears. As he listened, he gazed at the distant mountain formed by the Southern Yue Ghost Emperor. A surging wave of emotion rose uncontrollably within him, growing larger and more turbulent. Even though gazing at the mountain gradually stung his eyes, Xu Qing continued to observe it carefully and intently.

He couldn't fathom what level of cultivation this deity, as Seventh Master called it, possessed to transform into a mountain after death, and for its corpse to wield such immense power. It was arguably the most powerful entity Xu Qing had ever witnessed. Even the Juying he had encountered previously was incomparable, and the Sea Lizard Ancestor he had seen on the Forbidden Sea seemed vastly inferior to this Southern Yue Ghost Emperor.

The only comparable entity was Mier, the mermaid deity depicted in the murals Xu Qing saw on the Mermaid Race island—the very place where he obtained his first life lamp. In Xu Qing's memory, Mier also bore two great worlds on its shoulders. He didn't know if this was a unique characteristic of a certain cultivation realm, but it didn't prevent his mind from reeling.

As Seventh Master continued speaking:

"Fourth Disciple, today, your master will open the Gate of Heaven for your cultivation on the Vast Ancient Continent, allowing you to see everything clearly. For cultivators like us, the realm after the Heavenly Palace Golden Core is the Nascent Soul realm. This realm is divided into several minor stages, which you will learn later. What your master wants to emphasize is what comes after the Nascent Soul! After the Nascent Soul realm, each subsequent realm is stratified into layers. The difference between these layers is as vast as heaven and earth, making them extremely difficult to transcend. This disparity only increases as cultivation progresses. In fact, you can view them as distinct realms entirely!"

"After Nascent Soul, comes the Spirit Repository realm! The Spirit Repository is divided into five secrets. Beyond the five secrets lies the Void Return Grand Realm! And the Void Return Grand Realm is categorized into four stages. After these four stages... is the Divinity Containing Grand Realm!"

Xu Qing's mind reeled. As Seventh Master spoke, he raised a hand, pointing towards the mountain formed by the Southern Yue Ghost Emperor.

"Bearing two great worlds on its shoulders—that is the mark of a powerful being in the second stage of the Divinity Containing realm! Ancestor Blood炼zi is at the first stage of Void Return, 'Shattering Space, Thousand Paths.' The Alliance Leader is at the second stage of Void Return, 'Myriad Transformations, Illusion and Reality.' Beyond them are the third and fourth stages. You can calculate the immense gap between them and this Southern Yue Ghost Emperor. And if Ancestor Blood炼zi encounters a great fortuitous opportunity, there might be a slim chance of reaching the second stage of Void Return. As for the third stage of Void Return... it's as difficult as ascending to heaven, almost impossible, let alone the fourth stage."

"As for Divinity Containing... let me put it this way: based on my judgment, there isn't a single living Divinity Containing cultivator in the entire Yinghuang Province, and not even a living Grand Cultivator of the Divinity Containing realm in the entire Feng Hai County! Only this Ghost Emperor, currently in a semi-dead state, is in the second stage of Divinity Containing! However, he wasn't a cultivator from Yinghuang Province; he fell here. His cultivation realm was astonishingly high. Such an existence can truly be called a deity."

Listening to all this, Xu Qing's mind churned violently. The cultivation realms of the Vast Ancient Continent became utterly clear to him through Seventh Master's words.

"Before this Ghost Emperor's demise, Yinghuang Province was barren, with numerous sects but rampant chaos, and few powerful cultivators emerging. It was only after this Ghost Emperor died here that his life force transformed into nutrients, nourishing all living beings and races. One could even say that four and a half of the six major forces within the entire Yinghuang Province are intimately connected to him! Regardless of external rumors, the Grand Preceptor Immortal Sect actually grew to its current power because they acquired a portion of this Ghost Emperor's legacy. The Three Spirits of the Three Spirits Dao-Suppressing Mountain are formed from the Ghost Emperor's three souls: Youjing is the Human Soul, Jueyang is the Earth Soul, and Taiguang is the Heavenly Soul! The Seven Fiends within the two great worlds on the Ghost Emperor's shoulders were formed from this Grand Cultivator's seven corporeal souls! And the Primordial Separation Pillar controlled by the Sword Bearers in the far north is actually... the weapon the Ghost Emperor plunged into the earth before his death!"

Each of Seventh Master's words, like thunder and lightning, continuously reverberated in Xu Qing's mind. What he revealed later, in particular, made Xu Qing acutely aware of the terrifying and world-shaking nature of the Divinity Containing Grand Realm. A powerful being in the second stage of the Divinity Containing realm, after death, completely transformed an entire province, giving rise to numerous factions years later.

### Chapter 306: Spirit Repository, Void Return, Divinity Containing

This could indeed be called a deity. At this moment, Xu Qing also realized that Mier, the fallen deity of the Mermaid Race, was a powerful being of this very realm.

"What lies beyond Divinity Containing?" Xu Qing took a deep breath and asked hesitantly.

Seventh Master looked up, not at the shattered face of the deity, but at the starry sky.

"Such records might exist in the sacred lands created by ancient emperors and rulers, or in the histories of the great races," Seventh Master said softly. With a flick of his sleeve, the Dharma boat dissipated, and he, along with Xu Qing and Ding Xue, who looked somewhat bewildered by his words, descended to the ground.

Ding Xue had heard everything prior, but it couldn't remain in her mind. For some matters, an insufficient cultivation level meant that knowing them would only be harmful. As they landed on this desolate land, Xu Qing's heart continued to churn.

Seventh Master glanced at Xu Qing, knowing he was processing the information. He then led them towards a small town ahead; this was the place Seventh Master had chosen. The town was located at the foot of Mount Nanyue. Although it was far from the Southern Yue Ghost Emperor Mountain, its immense height allowed one to see the Ghost Emperor's body from a distance by looking up. Moreover, it offered a frontal view, convenient for observation.

"Next, we will settle in this town. Xu Qing, you must observe this Ghost Emperor daily, for a hundred days, until you can outline its form in your mind." With his hands clasped behind his back, Seventh Master's words echoed as he led Xu Qing and Ding Xue, who, seeing his serious demeanor, dared not speak, into the small town.

The town was small, with dirty ground. The season brought mostly chill, and autumn winds swept up large quantities of withered leaves, piling them in corners, giving the entire town a desolate appearance. Yet there were also some peculiarities: the number of elderly residents was equal to that of young people... This caught Xu Qing's attention.

Ding Xue didn't know what this scene signified, but Xu Qing noticed some clues. However, he didn't investigate closely; for him, the most important task was to replicate the Southern Yue Ghost Emperor Mountain. Their arrival also piqued the curiosity of the town's residents. Outsiders rarely visited this place. Xu Qing and Ding Xue had concealed their appearance upon arrival, as had Seventh Master, so to others, the family of three didn't seem particularly unusual. But in this cutthroat world, everyone was wary. Towards outsiders, they instinctively harbored hostility and a sense of detachment. Even after Seventh Master bought a property here and settled in with Xu Qing and Ding Xue, this detachment and hostility persisted.

Xu Qing didn't find this problematic. Every day, he sat cross-legged in their residence, looking up at the majestic Ghost Emperor Mountain. Just as he had done when comprehending the Grand Azure Blade, he diligently tried to replicate its image within his mind. However, this process was incredibly difficult, far surpassing the comprehension of the Grand Azure path. Yet, Xu Qing remained unperturbed. He continued to gaze daily, and slowly, amidst this tranquility, his mind gradually entered a state of emptiness.

Meanwhile, Seventh Master took Ding Xue on daily strolls through the town, maintaining a cheerful and friendly demeanor. He enjoyed chatting with people and gradually became familiar with the neighbors. Whenever someone inquired about their origins, Seventh Master would wear a bitter expression and remain silent. Seeing this, most others would ponder, conjuring up various tragic pasts for the old man in their minds. But when asked about the girl by his side, Seventh Master's bitterness would vanish. Instead, he'd proudly tell everyone that she was his own daughter, and as for the young man who never came out of his room, he was his live-in son-in-law. Every time Ding Xue heard Seventh Master say this, she would become very happy and display shyness.

And so, the three of them settled down in this small town. Days passed peacefully. Xu Qing meditated daily, while Seventh Master took Ding Xue out each day. As they became familiar with everyone in the small town, its residents gradually lowered their guard.

And the peculiarities of this small town slowly became apparent. Although the town's residents suffered hardships, they were very united. Furthermore, while initially hostile towards Seventh Master and his companions, once they accepted them, more kindness and gentleness were shown. Such a sight was rare in this world.

Additionally, there were many elderly people and children in the town, which indicated that the town had encountered very few dangers over the years, allowing the elderly and children, who lacked much self-preservation ability, to survive. At the same time, there was a schoolhouse in a corner of the town, where a teacher was responsible for educating all the town's children, teaching them to read and write. The tender sounds of children reading emanating from the schoolhouse each day brought happy smiles to every resident of the town.

Among these children, there was one boy whom Seventh Master particularly liked. This was an eight or nine-year-old boy who was very handsome. He was a bit different from the other children; his clothes were very clean, as was his face. He carried a small leather satchel as a schoolbag and was always exceptionally polite to everyone he met, both on his way to and from school.

Sometimes, when Seventh Master and Ding Xue were strolling in the street and encountered the boy, he would blush at Ding Xue's gaze and become timid under Seventh Master's scrutiny. Still, he would politely bow before quickly running home. His home was right next door to where Seventh Master resided. His father was a carpenter, and his mother made a living by sewing and weaving for the neighbors. In the mornings, they would watch their child leave, and in the evenings, they would stand at their doorway, waiting for the little boy to return. Every night, lights would glow in their home, and the silhouettes visible through the window suggested a very warm family of three. By all appearances, they were very ordinary.

However, Seventh Master's eyes grew increasingly bright. Once, sitting beside Xu Qing and watching him gaze at the Ghost Emperor Mountain, he smiled and spoke.

"Fourth Disciple, what do you say if I find a fifth junior disciple for you and your siblings?"

Xu Qing paid no heed, still gazing at the Ghost Emperor Mountain, his eyes gradually losing focus until, unconsciously, he closed them. Within his mind, the outline of a Ghost Emperor was rapidly taking shape. But it wasn't finished. After taking shape, it continuously sharpened, as if a divine aura was slowly emerging.

"Hmm?" Seventh Master, who had been speaking, suddenly turned his head to look at Xu Qing, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "It hasn't even been a month, and he's this fast? Not bad, almost as quick as I was back then..." Seventh Master's voice trailed off. The next instant, his eyes widened abruptly, staring fixedly at Xu Qing, gradually becoming moved. "What is this kid doing...? I only asked him to visualize the deity in his mind; forming its shape would have been enough. But he... he's actually replicating its essence!!"