Joining the Immortal and Divine Traditions [Two Chapters in One]
Based on records in miscellaneous books, some people have speculated that the sky tilted to the northwest, the earth sank to the southeast, and the Night Mist World fell into Abyss.
Therefore, heaven and earth turned into Eternal Night.
Yellow Sand City, located in the northwest, lies at the border of the Gan and Rui Imperial Dynasty. The area has sparse vegetation, and during the dry season, sandstorms rage, sometimes even thicker than night fog.
Qin Ming and Little Wu arrived in their spaceship and looked at the city, which wasn't very large.
Its city walls are not high, and the whole structure is made of Yellow Soil that has been watered and rammed, making it a kind of Earthen City.
Normally this place is not bustling, but recently it has become very lively. People from various sects of the Beyond the Mundane and Esoteric Sect have come here to explore the mysteries of the "Revival Land" ahead.
In the Shallow Night, the Fire Spring in the city were not particularly bright, and the streetlights were somewhat dim.
"Please take care, sir. Welcome to visit again next time." A beautiful woman waved from a three-story wooden building.
"What kind of 'Red Beauty Tavern this? I'm never coming back! They promised a century-old 'Red Beauty' wine, but it turned out to be a century-old Old Woman serving it. All I could do was listen to her nagging. What a rip-off!" A middle-aged man cursed as he went downstairs.
"We also have Erba Hongyan wine here!" the woman upstairs called out with a smile.
"I'm afraid even twenty-eight jars of wine wouldn't be enough to finish, and I'd get ripped off again." The middle-aged man walked away without looking back.
Qin Ming and Little Wu looked at each other, and the two of them, who were about to go upstairs, quickly withdrew the foot they had stepped out.
"Young men, don't go! That man didn't know the rules. We treat everyone here honestly, young and old. Drinking is just a formality; our main job is selling information. You just came in from the city gate, so you must want to know about this area, right?"
The two went upstairs and got straight to the point: to find out the latest news.
"Recently, the Kunling Territory shrouded in thick fog ahead has become truly extraordinary; a dwelling place of immortals has appeared, causing a great stir among those on both the Immortal Path and the God Path..."
Soon, Qin Ming and Little Wu realized that the money spent on the Day Gold was not wasted, as the information provided by the Red Beauty Tavern was very detailed.
Besides the ruins, there is also a great sect shrouded in mist. People in the Present World can actually go and worship at its gates. Although it is a dreamlike experience and one cannot gain cultivation or other skills from it, the opportunity to try and verify various methods, as well as the cultivation experience and insights gained, are extremely valuable.
Some even brought out priceless scriptures.
"Are you New Life Evolver? There are also experts guarding that area of New Life Path, so you can go there without worry."
The century-old Old Woman was actually the proprietress of this place, and once the most beautiful woman in Yellow Sand City. She chattered on and on, providing the latest news.
Afterwards, Qin Ming and Little Wu went to find a place to stay. They couldn't count on the largest inn, as it was overcrowded. Surprisingly, they even ran into an acquaintance along the way.
It seems like you can run into Zheng Maoze and Zeng Yuan everywhere. Whenever there's excitement or fortuitous opportunity, these two are sure to get involved. And here they are again.
In addition, Qin Ming met Zhuo Ya and Cao Wuji, who had chosen to join the Six Royals Ancestral Court, and also discovered that Lu Yuzhi of the Jade Clarity Sect, the Core Disciple of the most Top Great Sects on the New Life Path, had also arrived.
"Talking Finch!" Qin Ming saw a familiar figure. Talking Finch, who had come out of Black White Mountain, was following the Violet Lightning Beast.
In the end, he and Little Wu chose a guesthouse.
In the evening, Qin Ming comprehended the wonders of the Second Realm. At this level, his consciousness had significantly increased, and he could communicate with heaven and earth through the Heavenly Light.
In the Outer Saint Domain, he needs to accumulate Daoist cultivation, as well as integrate evil spirits and absorb spiritual essence to enhance the power of Heavenly Light. These substances are often found in extremely dangerous places.
The conventional approach is to absorb the Earth Qi and the plants, but that would likely result in the transformed Heavenly Light being too mild.
When someone merges with the evil spirits of the Outer-Sky Azure Nether Qi of the Heavenly Light is naturally terrifying, far stronger than Heavenly Light "fed" with ordinary substances.
Of course, many powerful "evil" and "heterogeneous substances" are corrosive and do not benefit the user; in fact, the stronger they are, the more they will shorten the user's lifespan.
Therefore, the Second Realm requires a balance.
If one becomes overly greedy for the power of the Heavenly Light, one may end up with a short life or even die young.
Choosing between harmful, unusual, and spiritual elements is a major challenge. Both harmful and beneficial elements are necessary, but in strict proportion. Therefore, the cultivation of the Second Realm is very complex.
Furthermore, if one makes the wrong choice, it can easily harm oneself, damage one's spiritual cultivation, and even severely shorten one's lifespan.
In the Second Realm, one must not only practice Cultivation Method related to evil spirits and otherworldly substances, but also cultivate Life-Nurturing Art to maintain vitality and prevent it from diminishing. This is of utmost importance.
Qin Ming felt that even if he didn't refine exotic substances or fuse with rare Nine Heavens Pure Qi, but only improved his cultivation and broke through realms normally, the quality of his Heavenly Light would not be bad.
However, in order to become even stronger, he did need to consider absorbing various extraordinary "evil" elements to make the Heavenly Light even more terrifying.
"Are there any spiritual entities that don't diminish vitality and are harmless to the body?" he pondered, but even if they did, they would be difficult to find.
After all, the things he thought of as soon as he stepped into the Second Realm must have been thoroughly researched by so many predecessors.
Qin Ming took a deep breath. Standing at the Second Realm, he was already able to capture the Spiritual Matter that naturally exist in the world.
He is not yet at the point where he can absorb alien substances or capture the Nine Heavens Pure Qi, but he can absorb beneficial factors that exist normally, which can also improve his strength.
A moment later, Qin Ming frowned deeply. He could clearly see some light spots captured by the Heavenly Light moving within his body, but this was far too slow.
At that moment, he understood the helplessness and pain of his predecessors.
The speed at which one can improve their cultivation in the Second Realm is incomparable to that in the First Realm.
If his cultivation in the New Life stages was like riding on the back of a strange bird, traveling at high speed, then now it's like riding in a broken oxcart, bumping along slowly forward.
Qin Ming knew he was very powerful now, but he also experienced the difficulties of the Outer Saint Domain. He hadn't even fused with the Different Fiends yet, and it was already so difficult.
It should be noted that his talents and physical attributes far surpass those of others on the New Life Path; traveling by oxcart is already considered quite fast.
However, I'm afraid that compared to before, the difference is just too great.
"Using Divine Wisdom and Consciousness Spirit Light as fuel to help New Life Path break through? Anyway, not much can be accumulated; it will eventually be dissolved. But even so, many problems remain."
That night, Qin Ming gazed ahead, thinking about many things.
Finally, he suddenly remembered something. Now that he was in the Second Realm, perhaps he could re-examine the Torn Cloth and see if he could make any new discoveries.
The Torn Cloth has changed quite a bit, now slightly larger than three palms. The extra area shows the shadow of mountains and even a blurry, ruined city, cut off by the edge of the cloth.
Qin Ming strongly suspected that it was the Kunling Mountains and the legendary Jade Capital.
"Huh?!" He was surprised. Today was different from usual. When he examined it, the Torn Cloth rippled slightly, no longer lifeless.
Immediately, Qin Ming released Heavenly Light, injecting it into the Torn Cloth. The setting sun became incredibly dazzling, but that was all; it was brighter than before, but there was no extraordinary effect.
He quickly realized where the change had occurred.
After he broke through to the next realm, his consciousness surged, and the Light of the Mind belonging to New Life Evolver began to appear, growing with his cultivation level. It was this light that caused the Torn Cloth to fluctuate.
"Does it require a stronger willpower than the First Realm to activate it?" Qin Ming tried.
The Torn Cloth did indeed fluctuate again, but it was still useless to him, which made him so angry that he wanted to just tear it to shreds.
However, it is woven from Exotic Metal, and its colors are now more vibrant than before, with the addition of several Exotic Metal materials, making it appear even more sturdy and immortal.
"This is..."
Suddenly, Qin Ming was taken aback. As he activated his consciousness, one of his hands accidentally slipped into the Torn Cloth cloth.
It is different after all!
The Torn Cloth did not display any amazing supernatural power; it remained as "peaceful" as ever, completely unlike the "overwhelming power" that Qin Ming had initially anticipated.
However, it can now be used for... storage.
Although it only has a few cubic meters of space, it exceeded his expectations and was a pleasant surprise.
Such things can be refined in Beyond the Mundane, but they are far from being widely available.
Qin Ming placed a piece of Day Gold inside, and the next morning, he checked it immediately and found that it was still there, without any negative changes such as corrosion.
"I won't have to pack so many bags anymore," he said with a smile.
He always carried Jade Iron Saber and bow and arrows on his back, not to mention his spare clothes. In addition, he was always afraid that the gold notes on his body would be destroyed during each battle.
Now, the gold notes he carries are worth over ten thousand Day Gold, making him quite wealthy. If they explode, all his efforts will have been in vain, and he'll have nowhere to turn to for help.
After having breakfast, Qin Ming and Little Wu set off immediately. This time they were quite confident, not only because they had both reached the Second Realm, but also because there were Old Senior from the New Life Path in the revived area.
The journey was filled with sandstorms, making it a rather unpleasant trip.
Fortunately, once they entered the Kunling Territory, where Black Mist swirled, the yellow sand disappeared, leaving only desolation. Following the map they had obtained from the Red Beauty Tavern, they made their way forward quite smoothly.
Finally, the two stared at their destination, somewhat lost in thought.
Ahead lay a vast expanse of ruins and dilapidated buildings, densely packed together, as if one had entered a massive ancient city.
Moreover, some buildings were clearly surrounded by silver runes, accompanied by chanting, which was quite mystical.
The reason why people from the Immortal Path and the Esoteric Sect have been flocking here recently is because of the extraordinary sights that have appeared here.
Moreover, Qin Ming and Little Wu have already understood the true nature of this place, so it's very difficult for them to directly comprehend the scriptures; they can only obtain fragments.
The correct way to "explore" this place is to enter the mist, join the sect, and go to become an apprentice!
What you see before you is just the surface; there is a whole world hidden inside, like an ancient immortal's abode shrouded in a thick fog.
In the early days, even Immortal Seed like Cui Chonghe and Su Shiyun were helpless here. It wasn't until they entered and exited in Spirit Travel form and joined the gates of an ancient great sect that they finally gained something.
The news caused a sensation, and countless people wanted to become his disciples.
However, joining the gates of ancient great religions in this way is not without danger. Currently, some people from both Esoteric Sect and the Immortal Path are trapped and unable to return to reality.
It is said that some people get so immersed in the role that they feel as if they are being assimilated into ancient times.
Initially, Qin Ming thought their true forms were trapped in the ruins, but he learned at the Red Beauty Tavern that it was actually their Divine Wisdom and Consciousness Spirit Light that had been lost.
"There are demons here too!" Little Wu exclaimed.
Along the way, they not only saw many people, but also strange creatures, and even a stronghold occupied by a powerful demon.
Qin Ming cautioned, "Don't speak carelessly. Only those who are hostile to us are called demons, those who can coexist peacefully are called aliens, and those with closer ties can be called the Saint Elephant Clan, the Immortal Fox Clan, and so on."
Despite numerous pioneering efforts, this land inhabited by humans still harbors many other species, naturally because they can coexist.
One theory suggests that in the earliest times, when humanity was weak, it was thanks to alien beings that transformed into human form that they were able to repel giant beasts and terrifying plants that took root in the clouds.
Soon after, Qin Ming not only discovered the stronghold of the Beyond the Mundane and the gathering place of the Esoteric Sect, but also met the Old Senior on the New Life Path.
When people arrived at the Six Royals Ancestral Court, all the old people there were skin and bones, and despite their advanced age, they had hardly any hair left on their heads.
People were whispering that the Young Ancestor of the Six Sovereigns had personally come here to oversee things!
It is said that Personal Disciple by the Ancestor of the Immortal Path and Esoteric Sect also arrived.
With such a group of powerful experts present, this place, which was originally outside the Yin Soil realm, was suspected to be related to immortals and gods. Most of the not-so-large number of monsters were cleared out.
Soon after, Qin Ming and Little Wu were delighted to discover two even closer people: Yu Gensheng and Zhao Ziyuan, two Old Senior from the Mountain River Academy's New Life Path.
A group of students also gathered here, including Tang Jun, Qian Chuan, Xin Youdao, Liu Hannya, and others, who were all acquaintances.
"Shen Wubing, Wu Yaozu, it's good that you two are alright!" Yu Gensheng was overjoyed. These were the future Grandmaster Level of society on whom he had placed high hopes.
"Senior, what's the situation in Kunlun City?" Qin Ming asked.
Zhao Ziyuan shook his head and said, "I don't know. We left at the last moment, and we completely lost contact with that city."
Xin Youdao, Liu Hannya, and others warmly greeted them; these were people who knew the details of Qin Ming and Little Wu.
Qin Ming inquired about the details of this place, how he entered the mist, and how he joined the ancient religion.
"Those on the Immortal Path can simply Spirit Travel. If they encounter danger, they can instantly break free from that state and automatically return. The situation is similar for those in the Esoteric Sect who use their Divine Wisdom."
Only New Life Evolver, who need to be physically present to enter, and who must reach the Second Realm, undergo a qualitative change in their consciousness, unleash the Light of the Mind, and achieve a high degree of mental concentration, can enter.
"What benefits can New Life Evolver get there?" Qin Ming asked.
"It's so frustrating! Do you know what your role will be once you're inside? You have to get into character and become a strongman!" a passionate young man said indignantly.
"A powerful warrior under the command of an ancient deity?" Qin Ming asked in surprise.
Another boy complained, "That's right, once we go in, they'll be treated like servants of the gods, to put it nicely!"
He was indignant that even such an adventure, or joining an ancient religion, was rife with discrimination.
"Those strongmen are different from us." Yu Gensheng shook his head.
He explained that those warriors were subordinates who had been promoted after being helped by Godlike beings or Near-Immortal- immortals to improve their cultivation; they had not forged their own paths.
Some of these strongmen were even "forced to mature" by powerful individuals using Great God.
Some of these warriors were even so-called "death warriors," created through a process where runes were inscribed into their flesh and blood, and they were ultimately branded with Slave Seal.
"This isn't our path, so what are we going in for?" Qin Ming frowned.
Zhao Ziyuan said, "The process of refining a warrior doesn't need to be learned, but some medicinal soups are very important and can be memorized, as they are of great benefit to the New Life Evolver's physical body."
Qin Ming felt that the two old people were grasping at straws in their desperation; those medicinal soups and decoctions were hardly effective remedies, and what value could they possibly have for their servants?
Yu Gensheng said, "Take a closer look; there might be something worth learning from."
Qin Ming frowned and said, "Some important figures on the Immortal Path have always been obsessed with wanting people from the New Life Path to serve as their protectors, and even want to subdue Grandmaster Level figures to become their warriors. Could it be that they are influenced by ancient immortals?"
Zhao Ziyuan nodded and said, "That's true. In fact, the Immortal Path and the Esoteric Sect have almost inherited part of the ancient immortals' and gods' traditions, but they are not entirely the same. They have forged their own paths, and everything here is very suitable for them, supplementing their paths."
Little Wu spoke up, saying, "He may not have inherited all the skills, but he certainly hasn't lost any of his bad habits!"
Xin Youdao, Liu Hannya, and the others were embarrassed. It seemed that even those of them who cultivated both paths simultaneously or pursued a single Immortal Path were being criticized.
The two of them wanted to say that they had never put on such airs.
Qin Ming decided to personally "get involved" to see what was going on and whether there was any fortuitous opportunity or good fortune he needed.
With Old Senior from New Life Path present, he had no worries.
Yu Gensheng cautioned. "Never get too caught up in the role. Some people become so immersed that Spirit Travel assimilated and may never be able to escape."
Qin Ming nodded and strode towards the misty area deep within the architectural ruins.
This time, Little Wu and he acted separately. The Rainbow Light within him left his body, and he intended to enter through Spirit Travel journey similar to that of Immortal Path Disciple.
Qin Ming's mind was highly focused, and after reaching the Second Realm, his consciousness was indeed much stronger than before.
Soon, the world he saw was different.
Even in ancient times, this place was probably extraordinary.
The Black Mist dissipated, revealing a scene of fragrant flowers and singing birds, like a celestial Pure Land in a painting. It was brightly lit, with clusters of exotic flowers in full bloom and various spiritual trees growing.
Moreover, this area has more than one mountain gate; in different directions, there are extraordinary places, each with surging Immortal Mist, flowing auspicious clouds, and swirling purple qi.
He chose a mountain gate that looked very large, with an amazing aura; auspicious energy transformed into divine beasts and celestial birds that hovered in mid-air.
During this process, Qin Ming was like an observer, as if he were experiencing someone else's past. He went to the mountain to become a menial disciple, worked hard, and then had the hope of becoming an outer disciple, but was found to be unsuitable for the Immortal Path and could instead strive to become a warrior.
He was somewhat lost in thought, all of this was rushing by, and his physical instincts told him that not much time had passed in reality, but almost a month had already passed here.
"Has someone gone through all this and been temporarily replaced by me? No, this is still my own body. Hmm, perhaps it has temporarily given me the vision of some ancient warrior? If so, it can be considered a kind of cultivation, a great dream here, a tempering process?" Qin Ming guessed.
Now that his true self has entered, he naturally cannot be content with mediocrity.
Just as he was about to become a warrior and have runes inscribed into his body by Immortal Path Disciple, he rebelled and slapped one of the disciples away.
"Challenge successful. You have become inner disciple." A voice rang out.
"That works too?" Qin Ming was surprised. In ancient immortal sects, was strength the only measure of power? Could a strongman really challenge inner disciple?
Perhaps he's hit a loophole; after all, this isn't the real ancient world, he's just getting into character, temporarily immersing himself in and participating in a certain scenario.
Qin Ming wandered around the vast mountain gate, preparing to search for the true immortal medicine formula. Having come this far, what need did he have for the herbal potion of a strongman? He didn't need a defective product!
Soon, he saw familiar faces— Zheng Maoze and Zeng Yuan.
Qin Ming's expression was blank. How come he always runs into these two on his adventures?
"You're from New Life Path, here to be a strongman? Come, follow me!" Zheng Dazhuang shouted, his posture arrogant, as if he had truly returned to ancient times and wanted to command his servants.
Bang!
Qin Ming walked over and slapped him away.
It cannot be said that Zheng Maoze is weak.
This time, Qin Ming went all out to test just how powerful Outer Saint's palm strike really was!
Zheng Maoze exploded, his Spirit Travel Consciousness Spirit Light shattered into a rain of light, but was then reassembled by a mysterious force and sent out of the place.
Once outside, Zheng Dazhuang's head was still buzzing. What was going on?
Did he see gods or ghosts? Just one palm strike, and he exploded!
Qin Ming was certain that this was a trial ground left by an ancient sect for its disciples, and the most basic requirement was to ensure safety.
Zeng Yuan, this old friend, is a typical unreliable person. He's always been a fence-sitter, and when Zheng Maoze got into trouble, he turned around and ran away.
Obviously, he couldn't escape either. He was hit by Qin Ming's full-force kick, disintegrated in mid-air, and returned as a shower of light.
"Qingxu, Senior Brother Li, you have to stand up for me! Damn it, some guy on the New Life Path, who might actually be an ancient warrior, beat me to a pulp."
Outside, Zheng Maoze was complaining and asking for help. He even considered inviting someone with an even more powerful Immortal Seed like Sun Jingxiao. He felt he had suffered a great humiliation.
Qin Ming ignored all of this and strolled through this Pure Land of the great sect. As inner disciple, he came into contact with some important secret manuals and even obtained some precious medicinal prescriptions.
"This is the right choice for New Life Evolver. What should a true warrior do? Either don't do anything, or do it to the strongest, the best, the ultimate."
Qin Ming felt it necessary to elevate his status further; being merely an inner disciple wasn't enough, he needed to be at least Core Disciple.
Is there an even higher status? Such as the young sect leader?
I wonder if the high-ranking disciples here have been replaced by those Immortal Path Disciple in the Present World.
Ignoring all that, Qin Ming headed towards the important site of the sect, intending to challenge it according to its rules, hoping to gain a prominent position and obtain valuable resources.
"Um?!"
In a forest of fiery red Maple fluttering in the air, Qin Ming stopped. He had discovered a formidable opponent.
It was a woman, dressed in purple, with long, flowing black hair, ethereal beauty, with delicate, arched eyebrows, an exquisite oval face, and eyes as clear as autumn water.
"Is this an ancient person, or Immortal Path Disciple in the Present World wandering in Spirit Travel? They seem very powerful." Qin Ming stared at her.
He then said, "Please enlighten me!"
Then, he took action himself.
The woman's expression changed, her Immortal Light surged, and she unleashed an astonishing surge of power. Her Pure Yang- attribute Consciousness Spirit Light rushed towards her like a galaxy.
Qin Ming held his sword horizontally, the Five Colors Saber in his hand humming and shining brightly.
He was astonished that Immortal Path Disciple in the Second Realm could actually withstand his blade?
Normally, the Five Colors Saber formed from his Scorching Sun Heavenly Light Force could instantly burn away the opponent's Consciousness Spirit Light.
The woman was even more shocked and said, "Who are you? Among your contemporaries, who can withstand a single blow from me? Especially since you are a strongman, there is no one like you in the world!"
"Ancient people?" Qin Ming felt it was unreal. Was he too immersed in the role? Why did he feel that the Consciousness Spirit Light he was encountering was completely genuine?
Meanwhile, deep within this great sect, a crystal coffin slowly opened a crack, revealing a woman with fair skin and delicate bones who suddenly opened her eyes.