On Ancient Gods

Inside the monastery, Glory Hall was especially lively. Distinguished guests had arrived today, and all the core Daoist acolytes of Glory Hall were there to accompany them.

Feng Ying sat beside Yang Huai, while Daoist Yuanlu occupied the seat of honor on the other side.

"Fellow Daoist Qingli's name has now resounded throughout the monastery. Even the elders have been discussing you, saying that you are a rare genius within our monastery!"

"Just a few trifling tricks, hardly worth displaying. The elders praise me too highly!"

Yang Huai smiled faintly.

Daoist Yuanlu was at a loss for words. If this counted as a trifling trick, then the monastery's Daoist acolytes would likely be ashamed to death. A certain trend had already taken shape within the monastery.

Qingli's achievements had spurred many people on.

Quite a few Daoist acolytes were studying this art.

Yet for the time being, no one had succeeded.

Even Junior Brother An Sheng from the pill room fell far short.

Seeing that Qingli merely smiled, Daoist Yuanlu continued.

"Junior Brother, since you have come today, I presume you have grown curious about the ancient gods' path of our Glory Hall. Since that is so, I shall explain the true path of the ancient gods to you!"

At this, Yang Huai's eyes lit up, and a spark of interest rose within him.

Feng Ying had strongly urged him to come on this trip, and he was indeed somewhat curious about the ancient gods' path.

His gaze fell upon another richly dressed Daoist seated below, and he said.

"Junior Brother Huayang, I'll have to trouble you to demonstrate it."

"Yes, Senior Brother!"

At Daoist Yuanlu's call, Daoist Huayang put away his lazy expression and immediately rose to his feet. In an instant, his figure appeared in the center of the hall. At the same time, a vast purple aura emerged around him. Surging vital essence transformed into wolf-smoke and soared upward, while an intensely blazing, masculine force manifested behind him, as though the pure yang power of heaven and earth had descended upon him. It settled around his body, making it impossible to look directly at his face.

Yang Huai watched this scene, surprise flickering in his eyes.

The force Daoist Huayang revealed was steeped in a dense innate nature. It closely resembled the power born when the spirituality of heaven and earth's metal essence became divinized on the day Yang Huai condensed his foundational method, though it was not nearly as intense.

Yet Huayang's abundant vital essence was indeed unlike that of ordinary Daoist acolytes in the monastery.

It was also vastly different from acolytes like them, who based their cultivation on soul Dao arts. His physique was powerful, and his innate origin essence was exceptionally rich—far richer even than Yang Huai's after cultivating the Lesser Circulatory Cycle Method.

This seemed to be a change in quality.

Though his Lesser Circulatory Cycle Method could also consolidate one's foundation, nourish one's origin, and strengthen one's roots, what it increased was one's acquired foundation. It could not be mentioned in the same breath as an innate foundation.

Was it because they possessed the blood essence of gods and devils within them from the start? Like Feng Ying, were they all godborn?

Yang Huai pondered inwardly.

But the Lesser Circulatory Cycle Method has further stages. In the future, it may not necessarily be inferior to these descendants of ancient gods... That is the path for the common people!

After thinking for a moment, Yang Huai spoke.

"Senior Brother Yuanlu, does cultivating the ancient gods' path require one to possess the blood essence of gods and devils?"

As soon as he said this, the other Daoist acolytes exchanged glances. Feng Ying smiled and spoke.

"Senior Brother Yuanlu, what did I say? I told you that you couldn't hide it from Junior Brother Qingli!"

Daoist Yuanlu laughed heartily.

"Junior Brother Qingli's gaze is truly keen as a torch. That is indeed one prerequisite, but those with unique innate talents, like Junior Brother Qingli, may cultivate this path as well!"

"They simply need to undergo a few more cumbersome steps!"

Qing Xian beside them said.

"The greatest difference is that there is no road ahead. Senior Brother Huayang, Brother Feng, and even Senior Brother Yuanlu all possess unique inheritances deep within their souls. Their tribes also have mature secret arts for cultivation. So long as they proceed step by step, though it may be difficult, they can always follow the road their ancestors once traveled and have hope of cultivating an ancient god's body!"

After a slight pause, she saw Yang Huai looking toward her and sighed.

"For people like us, however, we can only begin from nothing, entering the path and climbing its steps. Whether we can complete that final step is truly unknown!"

A trace of bitterness appeared in her eyes. Even with talent as heaven-sent as hers, she felt that the road ahead held no hope.

Feng Ying smiled and comforted her.

"Junior Sister Qing Xian, there is no need to belittle yourself. Your aptitude rivals that of celestial beings born from the innate world. You will surely achieve something in the future!"

He added.

"Moreover, as far as I know, if one can walk the road of ancient gods through one's own Dao path, one's future prospects will surely surpass those of ordinary ancient gods!"

Qing Xian forced a smile. She had no desire to swallow this empty promise.

How many peerlessly gifted people had died upon this road? How many had ultimately reached its summit and become ancient gods? They were no more than phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

Still, as a woman, she had another road available to her.

She could find a powerful tribe possessing a special inheritance and marry into it, thereby receiving greater support.

Yang Huai's expression turned contemplative. He was rather more optimistic than Qing Xian. Even if he failed in this life, he could simply use the Azure Mirror to reincarnate for several more lives, a dozen more lives, or even a hundred. There would always be some hope. So long as he could accumulate some provisions in every life, the day would come when he attained the Dao and became immortal. Then becoming an ancient god would also be within reach.

"Then may I ask, Brother Yuanlu, does Glory Hall possess a complete inheritance of the ancient gods?"

Daoist Yuanlu answered frankly.

"Glory Hall naturally does not possess such a precious inheritance. At the end of the day, Glory Hall is merely a small organization for mutual benefit and assistance. It cannot compare with the monastery's six divisions!"

Yet meeting Yang Huai's gaze, he continued.

"However, there are forces behind us that truly possess inheritances of the ancient gods' path!"

"The Lesser Yang Tribe behind Brother Huayang, the Star Tribe behind me, and even the entire Wind Clan behind Junior Brother Feng—we can all act as go-betweens if Fellow Daoist is willing. Obtaining an inheritance of the ancient gods' path would not be difficult!"

Yang Huai nodded at this, understanding at once. So Glory Hall was actually backed by the major tribes, using their descendants to recruit cultivators from within the monastery.

Seeing that Qingli showed no interest, Daoist Yuanlu stopped at the proper point. Today's banquet had only been intended to make contact with this Slaughter Hall inner disciple whose fame had suddenly risen throughout the monastery. They had never truly expected to recruit him. Leaving a good impression would be enough. If possible, it would be best to win him over and have him support Yuanlu in contending for the monastery's core inheritance.

The small banquet ended with both host and guests thoroughly pleased. Afterward, Feng Ying escorted Yang Huai out of Glory Hall.

Along the way, Feng Ying spoke softly to Yang Huai.

"The ancient gods' path is not as good as you imagine!"

"Why do you say that?"

Yang Huai glanced at him, somewhat surprised.

"Think about it. If the ancient gods' path were truly so good, why would qi refiners flourish everywhere rather than the ancient gods' path? There must be many inconveniences to it!"

"Many people do not know this, but the ancient gods' path has gradually become a dead end. It is too difficult..."

Feng Ying hesitated, as though he had much to say, but in the end, he did not speak it aloud.

"There is no use in knowing too much!"

"You only need to know that Glory Hall's core purpose is actually to learn from each other's strengths and make up for one's weaknesses. Everyone merely borrows certain wonders of the ancient gods' path—innate aptitude, body-refining secret arts, and the like—in hopes of attaining a higher Dao fruit!"

Yang Huai nodded.

Then Feng Ying added.

"The Metal Origin Five Aggregates Diagram I gave you is actually an incomplete secret inheritance of the ancient gods..."