Moon Worship Sect?

After returning to the Human Race Dao Palace, Qing Xuanzi learned where the Human Race's problem lay.

Several thousand newborns from the Human Race had suddenly vanished.

Neither alive nor dead could they be found.

But this was the primordial world. Nothing remained unresolved for eternity; a quick calculation with his fingers would settle it.

After calculating, Qing Xuanzi cursed again. "What the hell? A Soul Summoning Banner? Someone actually dared to refine such a vicious artifact among the Human Race. They're courting death."

Qing Xuanzi was already full of anger, yet someone had come crashing right into his gun barrel.

With one motion, he seized the mastermind and flung him to the ground, sternly demanding, "Do you not know what death is?"

The still-dazed mastermind looked up, and his soul nearly fled in terror.

That face was far too familiar. It could be found everywhere among the Human Race; anyone pulled off the street would recognize it.

"Honored Sage, this disciple does not know how he offended you. I beg the Honored Sage for forgiveness."

"Did you refine this?" Qing Xuanzi tossed the Soul Summoning Banner onto the ground.

"Ah, Honored Sage, this disciple knows his mistake. I know my mistake! Honored Sage, spare my life!"

Qing Xuanzi kicked him. "You know your mistake? Those were humans—humans! And newborn infants at that! How could you bring yourself to do it? You beast!"

If Qing Xuanzi had not needed to question him, he would likely have kicked him to death on the spot.

At a glance, he saw that a restriction had been placed within the man's soul, and it was an exceptionally ingenious one.

Without knowing the proper method, attempting a forcible soul search—

Would not only yield nothing useful, but would likely leave the victim either dead or an idiot.

"Speak. How did you learn the method for refining the Soul Summoning Banner?"

"Honored Sage, this disciple is a follower of the Moon Worship Sect. When I joined, they taught me this method."

Moon Worship Sect? Qing Xuanzi nearly shouted aloud.

What the hell was this? Wasn't that the sect from the game he had loved most in his previous life, Chinese Paladin?

How had it appeared here?

He calculated again. Hmm, no information. How could there be no information? Was his Mixed Origin Great Luo Golden Immortal cultivation fake or something?

"What is the sect leader's name? Who else among the followers do you know?"

"Honored Sage, this disciple does not know. Thirty years ago, this disciple suddenly received a Moon Worship Sect Talisman and inexplicably joined the Moon Worship Sect."

"The Soul Summoning Banner was originally a righteous tool for summoning souls, yet you slaughtered innocent infants. Do you acknowledge your sin?" Seeing that he could get nothing more from questioning him, Qing Xuanzi intended to simply kill him.

"This disciple acknowledges his sin. Honored Sage, spare my life."

"You have murdered a total of 9,835 people. When reincarnation comes into being, you shall be punished with 9,835 lifetimes as an ox or horse to repay your debts. Now, you may die."

The instant Qing Xuanzi finished speaking, the mastermind lost all life, and his body crumbled into ash.

Qing Xuanzi picked up the Soul Summoning Banner and wiped it.

A stream of clear qi entered it, and in an instant, the infants refined into the Soul Summoning Banner were freed from their suffering.

One by one, they smiled at Qing Xuanzi.

Seeing those innocent smiles, Qing Xuanzi felt the urge to revive that bastard and kill him all over again.

Yet even killing him a thousand or ten thousand times could not change what had already happened.

"Ah, so be it. You suffered this great calamity in this life. When reincarnation appears in the world, I shall grant you Immortal Opportunities as compensation."

With that, he put away the Soul Summoning Banner and placed it within the Three Lights Divine Water in his primordial spirit to nourish it.

After being nourished for a long time, these infants' souls would become much stronger in the future.

Thinking of asking Nüwa about it, Qing Xuanzi arrived at Nüwa Palace.

"Junior Brother Qing Xuanzi, you busy man, what brings you here?"

"Senior Sister Nüwa, you jest. I came to ask whether you have heard of the Moon Worship Sect."

"I have. Why do you ask?"

Qing Xuanzi had not held out much hope. He had merely come to discuss the matter.

To his surprise, there was actually good news, so he told her everything about the Soul Summoning Banner.

"Since this matter cannot be calculated, there is no need to say it. A Saint must be involved." Nüwa's meaning was perfectly clear.

"Mm, though perhaps it is not a Saint."

Nüwa knew Qing Xuanzi meant the Heavenly Dao, so she continued, "The Moon Worship Sect was born during the Demonic Path calamity. Its leader was the renowned Goddess Wangshu. However, she likely would not have passed down such a vicious method. Someone should be secretly using her name to stir up trouble."

"Goddess Wangshu? Isn't she the Mother of the Stars? How could she be the Moon Worship Sect's leader?" Qing Xuanzi was somewhat confused.

"Yes, she is the Mother of the Stars. The stars are ruled by the sun and moon, and she possesses a Taiyin body. Her eldest disciple, Xihe, also resides upon the Taiyin Star, hence the name Moon Worship Sect."

"Why is there no trace of Goddess Wangshu now?"

Nüwa shook her head. "This is one of the primordial world's unsolved mysteries. After the Dao-Demon conflict, Goddess Wangshu vanished without explanation. Her whereabouts remain unknown. Even the Heavenly Dao's traces only extend to before the Dao-Demon conflict."

"Teacher once speculated that either Goddess Wangshu attained the Great Dao and leapt beyond the River of Time, or she fell into an unknown place capable of blocking the perception of time."

Nüwa told him everything she knew in one breath.

"Ah, so there are no clues after all. Forget it, I won't concern myself with it. Senior Sister Nüwa, how goes the matter of the Demon Refining Pot?"

"Mm, your method works very well. The distinctions have already been made. What we lack now is the Star Lord Banner. For that, I fear you must seek your Senior Brother Yuanshi. In the current primordial world, he is probably the only one capable of it."

The Stars All Over The Heavens Formation originally had no Star Lord Banners; it was entirely operated by Demon Clan Star Officials casting spells.

Qing Xuanzi felt that this created too much dependence, so through Nüwa, he obtained the formation diagram from Fuxi.

After studying it, he devised this enhanced version of the Stars All Over The Heavens Formation.

The purpose of the Star Lord Banners was to store spiritual qi and be controlled by the formation's master, making it easier to deploy the grand formation.

Of course, this was merely Qing Xuanzi's backup measure. Using Star Officials produced better results.

He was preparing for the possibility that something might happen somewhere, so there would be a replacement.

"Fine. I'll seek Senior Brother Yuanshi about it."

"Wait. Speaking of which, among Yuanshi's disciples, someone is also connected to the Moon Worship Sect you mentioned."

"Who?"

"Daoist Cihang."

Hearing that name reminded him of the future Guanyin.

Qing Xuanzi took the opportunity to calculate. It turned out that Daoist Cihang had also originated from the stars.

She was a lotus seed that had fallen from the World Cleansing White Lotus. Absorbing starlight day and night, she developed spiritual intelligence.

Only after taking form did she become Daoist Cihang.

That was why Nüwa said she was connected to the Moon Worship Sect.

It was because she originated from the stars.

Kunlun Mountain, Jade Void Palace.

"Cihang, go welcome your Martial Uncle Qing Xuanzi outside the mountain gate." Yuanshi, who had been expounding the Dao to his disciples, suddenly stopped and gave an instruction.

"This disciple obeys." Though Daoist Cihang wondered why she had been sent to greet him, she did not dare ask. In any case, obeying her master's command could not be wrong.

The moment Cihang arrived outside the mountain gate, she saw a Daoist in green robes approaching from afar, clouds swirling around him.

"This disciple Cihang greets Martial Uncle." The moment Qing Xuanzi saw that Yuanshi had sent Cihang to wait here, he knew Yuanshi was already aware of the matter.

He then asked, "Tell me, do you know of the Moon Worship Sect?"

Cihang did not know why, but Qing Xuanzi's calm tone carried an intense killing intent.

It left her trembling with fear.