The truth behind Records of Kunlun Godlike Beings

In the Withered Hall, an old man, his body nearly rotten, sat high on a stone platform.

He expounded extensively on the Wither Scripture, from the sun's zenith to its decline, to the waxing and waning of all things, all of which are contained within the true meaning of this sutra.

As he discussed scriptures and doctrines, his air of weariness reached its peak, as if he might decay and turn into dust at any moment.

Behind him, a diseased tree was also changing; its green leaves turned yellow, its bark cracked, until finally its remaining leaves withered, its branches became bare, and it became a dead tree.

Qin Ming looked surprised. Although the old man resembled a vengeful ghost, he wasn't talking nonsense. This was a very important classic text, worthy of serious study.

He suspected that this might be related to the * Wither Bloom Scripture *, which he had been studying, and involved most of it.

Qin Ming sat quietly on the futon, memorizing the scriptures. With his comprehension, although the * Wither Scripture * was extremely profound, he could still "digest" it.

He wasn't the only one sitting cross-legged; the densely packed figures seemed to come from different times and spaces. Some were deep in thought, some were scratching their heads, and some were sighing.

Clearly, many people would find it difficult to grasp the true meaning of the Wither Scripture only one explanation by the old man.

The preacher, whose face was covered in old skin, seemed deeply surprised by Qin Ming's comprehension. He looked over with his cloudy eyes and grinned at him.

His sideways smile was quite chilling; a large chunk of his withered flesh had almost peeled off his face, and it was already crumbling.

Qin Ming was constantly on guard; this preacher might very well become a vengeful ghost, seeking his life. How could obtaining the scriptures come without a price?

"We just discussed the original text of the Ku Jing (Wither Scripture), which, through the cycle of rise and fall, evolves to its highest level, leading to the * Bloom Scripture)."

The old man performed a ritual on the spot. His aged appearance changed in an instant, and his decaying body began to show signs of life. Behind him, Withered Tree Meets Spring also came back to life.

He began to preach again, but Qin Ming could no longer hear him; these sutra teachings were only directed at the blurry figure on the prayer mat.

Qin Ming was extremely anxious; he was not among the "listeners."

"If no one can understand it, then so be it." The old man suddenly stopped; his body remained withered, like a diseased tree about to sprout new buds, but then it held them back.

"Above the cycle of flourishing Withering and Flourishing lies the ' Waxing and Waning Scripture and Decline.' If one can comprehend it, what is there to fear when ghosts and monsters attack? One can go anywhere in the world."

Qin Ming was immediately shocked upon hearing this.

Judging from his tone, isn't the old man the same person as the vengeful ghost lurking in the Black Mist?

At the same time, he memorized the "Waxing and Waning Scripture" (Classic of Fullness and Deficiency).

It transcends the realm of the top-tier Extraordinary Art, the "Wither Bloom Scripture," and is a continuation of it at a higher level, belonging to an extraordinary secret manual.

The old man spoke of the origin of the terms "fullness" and "Fullness and Emptiness Sect": "The Book of Changes records, 'When the sun is at its zenith, it begins to decline; when the moon is full, it begins to wane; the Fullness and Emptiness Sect of heaven and earth...'"

Clearly, the * Waxing and Waning Scripture * can be compared to the Yi Wood Scripture Jing*, a secret text following the Abiding World Scripture.

The Abiding World Scripture still belongs to the Wood element, Waxing and Waning Scripture is no longer included.

Qin Ming secretly drew his Mutton Fat Jade Iron Saber, because according to rumors, he had to be prepared to fight this unfathomable old ghost at any time!

However, after the sermon ended, the old man made no comment.

Qin Ming bowed, then backed out of the Withered Hall, and nothing happened.

Little Wu said, "Brother, is it because you're too weak that they don't even want your little bit of meat?"

Qin Ming, on guard, retreated several hundred meters before saying, "Why are you speaking such blunt truths!"

Boom!

In the distance, a huge commotion was heard, with sand and stones flying everywhere. A rare sight in the Gobi Desert, a stone mountain, had its cliff face chiseled through, with large sections broken off.

The two immediately hid, wanting to observe quietly.

However, their expressions changed the next moment as smoke and dust billowed towards their area.

It was as if a giant beast was stirring up a sandstorm across the desolate Gobi Desert.

The two turned and ran, but the sand blew behind them and swallowed them up.

At the same time, the two smelled blood and saw an elderly man with gray hair rush past them, his Divine Wisdom flashing as he splattered the blood on them.

Qin Ming and Little Wu were unable to withstand the attack; their protective aura was pierced, causing them excruciating pain.

"That old bastard is trying to make us his scapegoats!"

The two instantly understood that the old man was being chased by a vengeful ghost, who had dragged them into the fray after seeing them along the way.

Behind them, the ground cracked open, and a disheveled monster, humanoid in form but skin and bones, like a ghoul, was striding after them.

The two turned and fled towards the edge of the Gobi Desert. As long as they left the area of Black Mist and returned to the outside world, the vengeful ghost would not follow them.

The monster's speed far exceeded their expectations; it was incredibly fast, as if flying on the ground, arriving in the blink of an eye. Its withered hand, glowing with Dark Light and flowing with mist, slapped forward.

The dull thud was like a thunderclap from a clear sky. Qin Ming didn't even have time to dodge. When he was struck by the Dark Light, his body flew sideways, coughing up blood.

Furthermore, its flesh and blood tore apart, and its body nearly exploded.

This made him feel the threat of death. A single blow, not even a direct hit, severely injured him. This monster was at least in the Third Realm.

Little Wu also screamed in pain. Although they ran separately, he was still hit and covered in blood.

"The old guy up ahead is your target!" Qin Ming shouted.

Little Wu shouted, "That's right! We only have a few ounces of meat between us! Our cultivation level is too low; it's not enough for you to eat!"

Both men were filled with hatred. The old man who had dragged them into this mess could have easily escaped by using them as a slight obstacle, since they were not far from the outside world.

They dared not delay and fled in a desperate escape, coughing up blood.

The emaciated monster had a head of messy, withered yellow hair like wild grass, a stiff face, and empty eyes, but it was fixated on killing them.

When the Dark Light swept in for the second time, Qin Ming used his Mutton Fat Jade Iron Saber to block it. The knife trembled violently, and he was blasted away by the Dark Light, as if he had been hit by a mountain.

Qin Ming's arms were torn and bloody, especially his hands that were holding the knife, which were completely fractured. Facing a monster of the Third Realm, he was powerless to fight back.

"You..." The old man who had pulled them into the water screamed as he was stopped by the nearly rotting "preacher."

From within the Black Mist, a horrifying scream rang out. The old man's body was rapidly decaying, his flesh and blood tearing away and shattering on the spot, even his bones rotting away and turning into dust in the wind.

Before his death, his piercing screams echoed throughout the area. His Divine Wisdom was like lamp oil being burned out, and his Essence, Qi, and Spirit were absorbed and refined by the preacher. He suffered unimaginable pain.

Qin Ming and Little Wu initially felt relieved, but soon felt a chill run down their spines; the preacher was indeed more terrifying.

Beside the two, the monster with dry, yellow hair seemed terrified upon sensing the aura ahead. It clapped its hands at each of the two boys before turning and fleeing.

Even though Qin Ming used the blade of the Mutton Fat Jade Iron Saber to block and covered his head with Torn Cloth, he was still sent flying by the impact of the remaining Dark Light.

Furthermore, his body was cracking, and he felt that this was a monster even more powerful than the Old Woman from the Cui Household who had kept him "peaceful and safe."

Recently, he underwent his Ninth New Life, making great progress in strength and defeating Cao Qianqiu, a fellow student in the same field, demonstrating the high spirits and vigor of youth.

However, harsh reality soon dealt him a blow; there was no battle on equal footing here, and he quickly fell apart.

Without the Adhesion Force, his body would have been scattered here and there on the Gobi Desert.

As for his internal organs and bones, they were cracked or broken, and his injuries were extremely serious.

Little Wu was also screaming, but he was in better condition than him because the sign he was wearing, which was carved with his grandmother, emitted a mysterious glow that blocked the Dark Light.

"Ming Ge, are you alright?" Little Wu rushed over quickly. He knew his own situation; having cultivated for over a decade, he possessed his own secrets and was unlikely to die.

He knew very well that Qin Ming had only been on the New Life Path for less than a year, and now, having been struck by the Third Realm expert, he should have been dead without a doubt.

However, Ming Ge didn't explode, which is quite unusual and suggests that there might still be hope.

"It's alright, run!" After landing, Qin Ming steadied his split body, his face deathly pale, and looked behind Little Wu.

Little Wu turned around, his face instantly drained of color, and said, "Senior, we're not even enough to fill your teeth. Our flesh and blood essence are limited; you won't enjoy eating us."

The elderly man preaching silently watched the two of them.

He looked at Qin Ming and said, "You've grasped the <Wither Scripture> in the shortest amount of time. Very good. You can leave now."

Then, he looked at Little Wu, a dangerous aura emanating from him.

"Senior, I can comprehend it too!" Little Wu immediately exclaimed.

He stared at the badge on Little Wu's chest for a long time before finally saying, "You should go too."

At this moment, the preacher's condition had improved significantly. His flesh and blood had acquired a faint spirituality and vitality, and he was no longer nearly rotten, but he still looked as if he had just crawled out of the Yin Soil.

"Senior, what's wrong with you? Are you a human or a ghost?" Qin Ming asked.

The old man spoke, "I was originally a disciple of the Waxing and Waning Palace, but I strayed onto the wrong path in my quest for longevity and have embarked on the Ghost Path. You should leave quickly, or I fear I will not be able to resist devouring your flesh and blood!"

Unlike ordinary vengeful ghosts, he was very lucid upon regaining consciousness.

The two turned and ran, not daring to ask any more questions.

Qin Ming left bloody footprints with every step, staining the gravel red. Little Wu quickly helped him up, allowing him to focus on healing his wounds.

"Brothers, you guys got out really fast!" Someone outside saw them and couldn't help but joke, as the two sides had just exchanged words not long ago.

The two had no time to respond and immediately hurried toward the city ahead, intending to go to an inn to recuperate.

On the way, Little Wu was indignant, saying, "The rules these people came up with are completely useless. When they encounter someone of a higher level, they'll immediately become cannon fodder. That old man is shameless."

Qin Ming was Blood Gourd. After reaching the inn, he immediately devoted himself to healing. Fortunately, he had resolved the hidden dangers of the Silk Book Method, otherwise there would have been another "chaos" and he might have died.

This time, using his newly mastered Golden Cicada Scripture Sutra to heal his injuries was the most suitable option.

Because the true meaning of this sutra is to tear apart the old body, undergo tribulations New Life, to seek life in death, which is full of Zen meaning.

The Golden Cicada Scripture possesses both Death Force for attacking enemies and Life Force for self-benefit, with endless wondrous applications.

Qin Ming recovered quickly. His flesh and blood had undergone a tribulation, and a cicada's chirping sound came from his body. Life and death were reversed, and his muscles and bones resonated and vibrated, and his internal organs shone brightly.

After Ninth New Life, his physique was incredibly strong; after just one night, he was mostly recovered.

Two nights later, Qin Ming was even stronger than before. This time, after surviving the tribulation, his vital energy was inexhaustible. He silently comprehended and transformed the Golden Cicada Force, reaching its current limit. Moreover, he mastered the trump card recorded in this Extraordinary Art — the Golden Cicada Transformation.

A Golden Cicada, Heavenly Light Manifestation, can flap its wings and attack its opponent within a limited distance. It possesses characteristics such as the ability to switch between life and death, the enduring power of Zen, and a cicada song as loud as thunder.

At the same time, Qin Ming also saw the end of his New Life Path through this Cicada Shell.

These past two days, he practiced the Golden Cicada Scripture. After his torn body healed and recovered, wisps of heat reappeared in his flesh and blood, which was the vital energy of New Life.

He had a profound the Unseen: the Ninth New Life was gathering its strength once more, and this would be the last, because he vaguely saw the door to the Outer Saint.

Qin Ming initially felt it was a pity, suspecting that the Ninth New Life had truly come to an end.

Now that he has a clear understanding of the situation, he feels that with his own talent and an initial foundation even stronger than that of the Ancestor, it was all worth it to have come this far.

Otherworlder can Ninth New Life, but he went even further by accumulating power twice more, achieving a "Relay Rebirth" and going even further!

He has fully grasped his own situation and will soon carry out the final Relay Rebirth. At the same time, he is also preparing to bring the <Undying Butterfly Scripture> to its ultimate level.

"With the Five-Element Extraordinary Art, plus the Dragon Snake Scripture, the Golden Cicada Scripture, and the Undying Butterfly Scripture, I mastered eight Extraordinary Art during my New Life stage, which is quite impressive."

He felt there was no need to force himself to practice the ninth Extraordinary Art; he was already at perfection, and everything was just right.

Throughout history, the Ancestor the sect would typically master six Extraordinary Art New Life stages of training, thus becoming the Sky Shaker and those empowered by the Three Imperial Force. Qin Ming believed that he was already quite capable of doing so.

Then, he felt a pang of regret, realizing that there would be no more New Life. Starting with the Outer Saint, it would be a completely new way of cultivation, a path fraught with difficulties and obstacles.

After the Second Realm, each Major Realm can be further divided into early, middle, and late stages, plus a stage of accumulating to perfection and awaiting breakthrough.

"Only by stepping into the Second Realm can I be considered close to those Immortal Seed and God Seed, and I'm about to achieve that." Looking back on his journey, Qin Ming realized that this achievement in less than a year was more than enough!

Little Wu appeared and told him the latest news, "Ming Ge, those aren't real ghosts at all, they're all living people, originating from a certain path."

Some experts captured some of the "vengeful ghosts," studied them carefully, and then searched for various Ancient Texts in Kunling, carefully reading and searching through them to clarify many clues.

In ancient times, so-called vengeful ghosts were a type of Evil Cultivator that everyone hated. They devoured the flesh, blood, Essence, Qi, and Spirit of other living beings, and were indeed as ferocious as vengeful ghosts.

Therefore, some people call them Ghost Cultivator, but they are by no means spiritual beings. They all have flesh and blood bodies, and due to the characteristics of this path, their lifespans are relatively long.

In order to prolong their lives, some masters from other paths will inevitably turn to the Ghost Path in their later years.

Ghost Path were among the most hated evil paths in ancient times, thus provoking public outrage and ultimately leading to a multi-pronged effort to eradicate them.

"So, the earlier speculations from the outside world were inaccurate and unreliable. Those nearly decaying vengeful ghosts weren't devouring people to find scapegoats to replace them, but simply to restore themselves?"

Little Wu nodded and said, "That's right. According to records, their Ancestral Court was sealed in the Yin Soil and buried in a certain underground area of Kunling. Now it has been broken free from the seal."

The reason why these people who are walking the Ghost Path are not in a hurry to come out is because their own condition is extremely bad and they still cannot live without the nourishment of the Yin Soil.

The icy, bone-chilling Yin Soil could keep those vengeful ghosts in their slumber. Even after being sealed away for so long, they were not all dead, and now they have once again seen the Night Mist World.

Moreover, this time, in order to investigate the past, the various lineages of Daoism thoroughly searched through dozens of miscellaneous books, such as "The Records of Kunlun Godlike Beings" and "The Near Immortal Land," and uncovered some of the truth.

There are at least nine forbidden lands in the Kunling region, and the Yin Soil where those who walk the Ghost Path reside is one of them.

Little Wu explained, "In fact, there are more Desolate Lands than we thought, more than nine. Originally, they were a single entity, but as the Primordial Kunling shattered, each fragment became a Desolate Land."

These are all recent research findings from major churches.

Moreover, they believed that the Ancestor were not dead, but that during the great battle, for some unknown reason, certain seals were accidentally opened, and they were temporarily trapped.

The current situation is extremely bad.

Everyone agreed that they must contact the vanished Ancestor and seal this area as soon as possible; otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable if more forbidden zones appeared.

"In the past, beings Godlike and Near-Immortal opened all the sealed lands, hoping to approach the legendary Jade Capital. However, upon encountering that city, they met with misfortune, hastily sealing Kunling and fleeing far away."

After hearing this, Qin Ming completely understood the contents of "The Records of Kunlun Godlike Beings"; those old stories actually had such hidden details.

Immediately, he was taken aback and gasped in the night mist, because the mistakes that the Ancestor had unintentionally made at this stage were tantamount to repeating the old path of the Godlike creatures and Near-Immortal beings!

If Jade Capital were to reappear this time, who knows what would happen?

After all, even the legendary creatures of yesteryear have fled.

Qin Ming believed that even with the cultivation level of the Path-Opening Ancestor, it would be difficult to seal the Kunling Territory a second time.

I'll take a break this weekend and will continue working hard tomorrow. Thank you all for your support.

(End of this chapter)