Secrets

As Zhong Shenxiu was slacking off, the second Black Mountain Gathering quickly arrived.

Black Wind Ridge.

Old Crow, possessing a paper crow, gazed at the full moon in the sky, feeling a headache coming on.

Although the attendees were the same as usual, he sensed an impending storm and had to strengthen his defenses.

For instance, paper figures were patrolling the surrounding canyon.

These paper figures were all cut by his own hands. They were about the same height as ordinary people but as thin as cicada wings, as if they would fly away with a gust of wind.

Yet, these paper soldiers and generals moved as swiftly as the wind, their every action as sharp as a blade.

Especially since Old Crow had reached the Swallowing Eight Yangs realm, this paper-cutting art was the Yang Gang Method!

Ordinary countermeasures like black dog blood, red dragons, and peach wood cores were no longer very effective.

This was also the reason Old Crow could remain at ease and host the Black Mountain Gathering.

Even so, Old Crow still felt somewhat insecure.

After all, no matter how powerful a spell was, it couldn't compare to a Divine Ability!

This was a consensus in the cultivation world!

And now, an unknown number of gazes were focused on this place.

"Old Crow seems troubled?"

Just then, a light laugh was heard.

Old Crow almost fell off the branch.

It shook its paper feathers and saw Zhong Shenxiu.

The other party seemed to have been standing there all along, without any disguise, holding an ivory folding fan, appearing as dashing and elegant as a noble young master out for a stroll.

"This old servant greets Young Master Shenxiu."

Old Crow gave a wry smile, spread its wings, bowed its head, and performed a bow: "I am here to guide you, Young Master."

"Very good."

Zhong Shenxiu seemed oblivious to the heavy atmosphere as he strolled into the valley.

Inside the valley, just like last time, people from all walks of life were gathered around bonfires.

However, occasionally, eyes would glance over casually before quickly shifting away.

Zhong Shenxiu paid no mind, sitting down in Old Crow's circle. He looked around and chuckled, "The familiar faces are fewer, but there are quite a few new ones."

In this circle now, besides Old Crow and the slovenly Sword Hero surnamed Lu whom he had met last time, the monkey, the paper figure, and the woman were gone.

*'How dare they get involved in the circle of Divine Ability experts? It's just my bad luck, and this suicidal swordsman...' *

Old Crow cursed inwardly, forcing a smile: "I'll introduce you, Young Master. This is Daoist Linghe, a seventh-rank Envoy of Demon Subjugation from the Protectorate!"

"Greetings, Senior."

Linghe stood up and bowed gracefully, exhibiting the demeanor of a courteous and upright gentleman, completely unlike his previous aloofness.

'So arrogant before, so humble now, bah!'

Zhong Shenxiu spat inwardly, showing no emotion on his face. He nodded in acknowledgment and looked at the other two.

Among those present, only these two gave him a strong sense of danger.

"This one is the White Bone Scholar, and the other is Fellow Daoist Feiluan. Fellow Daoist Feiluan cultivates on Scattered Flower Mountain and is the eldest sister of the Flying Flower Sisters. There is also Fellow Daoist Huaye, who possesses extraordinary Divine Abilities..."

Old Crow continued.

The White Bone Scholar looked like a down-on-his-luck scholar, with a slightly sallow complexion. He bowed calmly.

Feiluan was dressed as a Daoist nun and flicked her horsetail whisk, using Daoist etiquette.

"Greetings to both of you."

Zhong Shenxiu acknowledged them one by one, then suddenly smiled: "Old Crow's circle is becoming more and more renowned. Congratulations, congratulations!"

'Congratulations my ass... So many people are eyeing me now, I'm moving tomorrow!'

Old Crow grumbled inwardly and then called out: "Everyone... let's begin!"

Zhong Shenxiu scanned the area and saw that the White Bone Scholar and Feiluan were looking at him, while Daoist Linghe seemed about to speak. He smiled and asked, "Which fellow Daoist will go first this time?"

"Then allow this humble Daoist to go first."

Daoist Linghe, facing several Divine Ability experts, did not show any fear and said loudly: "My Cloud Mirror Sect sincerely seeks to recruit elders of the Divine Ability realm. I've heard that Young Master Shenxiu is searching for Daoist Secret inheritances? Our Sect Master has already promised to impart our sect's Daoist Magic wholeheartedly."

His primary purpose for coming here was to recruit the expert Zhong Shenxiu.

A cultivator of the Divine Ability realm was enough to be an elder in Cloud Mirror Sect, which only had one Nascent Soul ancestor. This was also why he had previously forced Feng Xi'er to do his bidding; recruiting such an expert would be a great achievement for the sect.

As for the other Divine Ability rogue cultivators from the Protectorate? They were either wanted fugitives or had already clearly declared their allegiance. For example, the Flying Flower Sisters had their own spiritual lands to cultivate in and had already explicitly refused.

Zhong Shenxiu was slightly taken aback, then showed a thoughtful expression.

Daoist Linghe's eyes lit up at this and he was about to continue his persuasion.

The White Bone Daoist chuckled, "Our Divine Abilities are already formed. Even if we obtained the true teachings of the Xuanmen, would we abandon our cultivation to start anew? Besides... which of us who has cultivated Divine Abilities doesn't have other inheritances?"

I really don't have any...

Zhong Shenxiu replied inwardly, "I am merely seeking Daoist Magic for a beloved junior. His physique doesn't quite match my own Daoist Magic..."

"Your descendant is truly fortunate to have an ancestor like you to guide him. He'll surely avoid countless detours," the Flying Phoenix Nun beside him praised.

"Indeed... not to mention that we rogue cultivators originally lacked true methods. Some even rashly relied on medicinal power to break through, resulting in impure magical energy, falling more than ten times short of those from the orthodox Xuanmen sects... Furthermore, without guidance, blindly cultivating techniques in the Gang Sha Realm can directly sever the path to Divine Abilities," the White Bone Scholar sighed mournfully. "Divine Abilities are formed by the combination of spells and talismans, with their own predetermined numbers... Those who crave powerful Daoist Arts and randomly cultivate a hodgepodge of Daoist Magic, even if they reach the peak of the Gang Sha Realm, will not form a coherent system. They won't be able to combine them into Divine Abilities, and their path to advancement will be hopeless... We rogue cultivators have suffered enough in this regard."

Upon hearing this, Old Crow and Sword Wielder Lu's expressions changed drastically. "We humbly request guidance from senior."

Zhong Shenxiu maintained a calm facade, but inwardly he was greatly alarmed. As expected... there are still many pitfalls in Daoist Magic cultivation. If I were to break through on my own, I might just fall into one.

The White Bone Scholar surveyed the group and chuckled, "Today, I shall elaborate, considering it your good fortune... After the Gang Sha Realm comes Divine Abilities, then consuming the Nine Yin and swallowing the Eight Yangs, followed by the Seven Locking Arts!"

"This character 'Seven' signifies that a cultivator can form at most seven Divine Abilities, and it also represents the rank of Divine Abilities. Forefathers left behind assessments, dividing all Divine Abilities in the world into seven grades. The higher the grade of a Divine Ability, the greater the hope of forming a Core... Of course, you don't need to worry about these things yet. The threshold for Divine Abilities will eliminate a large number of people. There are only seventeen natal spells, and some rogue cultivators lack inheritances, so they don't have any pairings for each spell, or they even conflict with each other. In the end, they can't even form a single Divine Ability, so how can they advance to the Divine Ability realm?"

"As for how spells are combined to transform into Divine Abilities, that is the secret of each true lineage."

"If rogue cultivators are greedy for too many, and have no prior experience with Divine Abilities to draw upon for their seventeen spells, they must either discard all their magical power and start anew, or deduce them themselves, extending their own spells into new Divine Abilities. This is not something achievable by ordinary talents."

"This is why I say rogue cultivators are pitiful. If they don't receive guidance from the beginning, they can't compare to the true disciples of the Daoist sects who follow a set path and forge an unparalleled foundation. After the Divine Ability realm, the gap will only widen."