Ghost Mother was furious.
Qin Sang felt rather awkward.
Ever since catching the fat silkworm, Qin Sang had tried feeding it all kinds of spirit medicines, yet only poisons suited its appetite and aided its growth. Naturally, Qin Sang had assumed it was a venomous insect.
In truth, from start to finish, the fat silkworm's abilities had always revolved around warding off poison. Even the orb born from its fourth metamorphosis possessed only the power to swallow toxins, with no further changes.
As he recalled, he had caught the fat silkworm in a poisonous swamp while originally hoping to lure a Color-Ringed Giant Earthworm.
Afterward, the silkworm had swallowed a Thousand-Handed Spider Fruit, metamorphosed, and awakened its poison-dispelling halo. It had simply continued down that path ever since. Most likely, this had to do with its early environment—one could only say it had grown crooked all on its own.
"Fortunately, it is only in the early fourth metamorphosis and has just entered the Dao, so it can still be corrected. Otherwise, if you kept raising it like this, such a magnificent bloodline would have gone completely to waste!"
Ghost Mother stared at the fat silkworm, falling into thought.
The fat silkworm curled into a ball, trembling from head to toe, casting a pitiful, pleading gaze toward Qin Sang for rescue.
Qin Sang had no time to pay it any mind.
Two words in Ghost Mother's statement had caught his attention.
"Entering the Dao?"
"You didn't know?"
Ghost Mother was still pondering the fat silkworm's matters. Giving a light "oh," she casually explained, "The legacies of this realm are incomplete... When immortal cultivators—especially you human cultivators—channel primordial qi into the body to forge a Dao foundation, and then unite yin and yang so the essence of the entire being forms a golden core and tempers a sliver of true nature, that is truly the root of attaining the Dao. The Nascent Soul marks the beginning of entering the Dao. From what I see, spell cultivators dominate this age, meaning you enter the Dao through qi. Of course, our choices are far broader than those of spirit insects, and we will still have chances to choose later. A spirit insect's Dao is purer than ours; once its path is set, there is no turning back, and unless it encounters the fortune of a mutation, it can hardly change again."
"Entering the Dao through qi?"
Qin Sang pondered for a moment and pressed further, "What about spirit cultivators? Body cultivators? What path do they take?"
"Spirit cultivators enter the Dao through the origin soul, while body cultivators temper their primordial essence—most demon cultivators walk that path as well... Of course, most paths ultimately lead to the same destination. To charge into the Body Integration stage in the future, essence, qi, and spirit must achieve a state of consummate harmony before one has any chance of Dao Integration."
Ghost Mother had no idea what an enormous shock her words dealt to Qin Sang. It was equivalent to illuminating the path ahead for him, pointing straight toward the great path of Body Integration!
Bai had mentioned these matters in the past, but his memories were fragmented, and he had been unable to explain the underlying principles clearly; he had merely told Qin Sang that maintaining the path of cultivating essence, qi, and spirit together would surely yield immense benefits in the future.
"Nascent Soul, Deity Transformation, and Void Refining—these three realms refer to the process of Dao Integration?"
For the first time, Qin Sang learned the secret of Body Integration. Combining it with his past thoughts and reflections, he finally understood.
No wonder slaying a corpse king yielded a Corpse Soul Pearl rather than a Nascent Soul. When demon cultivators underwent shapeshifting, they likewise held no Nascent Soul within, continuing instead to temper their demon core.
Because both were the condensation of primordial essence!
Ghost Mother failed to notice anything unusual about Qin Sang and continued freely, "Indeed! To be precise, it is a path forged by you human spell cultivators: refining essence into qi, entering the Dao through qi, and then using that as a guide to refine qi into spirit, refine spirit to return to void, and ultimately integrate with the Dao. But it does not apply to everyone. The paths of spirit cultivators and body cultivators are not entirely the same as those of spell cultivators, and vast differences exist even among spell cultivators themselves. The designations of these realms should never have been identical in the first place, but since spell cultivators hold sway in this era, the names of the Nascent Soul, Deity Transformation, and Void Refining realms became the mainstream."
"How do ghost cultivators integrate with the Dao?" Qin Sang still harbored some confusion and hurriedly asked.
Ghost cultivators possessed only soul bodies.
Ghost Mother cast an odd glance at him. "After ghost cultivators achieve the Nascent Soul, some condense themselves into a solid form, while others forge a new physical body... When I said 'most people' earlier, it was because that path to Dao Integration is the most prevalent, and the majority of cultivation methods and divine abilities can be forcefully categorized under it. The rest are exceptional existences, and looking across the entire cultivation world, they are by no means few. There are pure body cultivators, and there are ghost cultivators who walk a single path to the bitter end—it is not impossible for them to achieve Dao Integration. There are even many great Daos you have never heard of, where one does not cultivate the self, yet can still obtain great divine abilities no weaker than the Body Integration stage! The universe is boundless, filled with every wonder imaginable, and far more diverse and vibrant than you could ever conceive. Being trapped in this realm has limited your vision..."
"Could the opportunity to break through to Deity Transformation lie in the origin soul?" Qin Sang mused thoughtfully.
If so, then by forcefully cultivating the Fire Seed Golden Lotus in an attempt to break through with his divine consciousness first, he had unwittingly stepped onto the correct path.
Ghost Mother dampened his hopes: "Not so. It is not as simple as you think. A breakthrough in realm is an approach closer to the Heavenly Dao, an elevation of one's entire being. Without comprehending the underlying principles, no matter how powerful your divine consciousness is, it remains mere brute force. Do not forget that you entered the Dao through qi; primordial qi is your Dao foundation... Of course, a powerful origin soul is certainly beneficial for comprehending the Great Dao."
Qin Sang bowed respectfully and inquired, "May Senior please grant guidance—what should this junior do?"
"I do not know."
Ghost Mother shook her head candidly.
Qin Sang was dumbfounded.
She understood the Body Integration stage, yet knew nothing of Deity Transformation?
Ghost Mother shifted her gaze away from the fat silkworm, glanced at Yagu, and looked at Qin Sang. "However, I can point you toward a place where you will have a chance to obtain the relics of a Deity Transformation cultivator. Just how much fortune you can reap will depend on your luck."
Hearing this, Qin Sang cooled down from the exhilaration of learning about the Dao.
As expected, meat pies did not fall from the sky.
Ghost Mother had not offered him so much guidance out of the goodness of her heart; she had an ulterior motive!
Qin Sang's expression tightened slightly. He looked at the fat silkworm and then at Yagu, asking in a deep voice, "What does Senior wish to obtain from this junior?"
"Able to cultivate to the late Nascent Soul stage in this realm, you are indeed sharp. That saves me from wasting breath." Ghost Mother placed the fat silkworm onto Yagu's body and lowered her head to inspect her closely. "She has been well protected by you. Though it will take some effort, there is great hope of reviving her. Once she recovers, I am taking her with me."
Qin Sang had thought Ghost Mother had taken an interest in the fat silkworm, never expecting she intended to take Yagu as well.
To accept her as a disciple?
Or did she have other designs?
Qin Sang stared at Ghost Mother.
Ghost Mother asked quizzically, "Are you unwilling to part with her? Since she is no romantic confidante of yours, have you ever considered where she will belong once she awakens?"
"I..."
Qin Sang was momentarily at a loss for words.
When Yagu first fell into her deep slumber, his thoughts had been simple: awaken her, find a secure, prosperous place for her to settle down, and let her live out a peaceful life.
If he failed, he would lay her to rest.
Regardless of the outcome, he would do his utmost without betraying his conscience.
Who could have foreseen that Yagu would sleep for five hundred years?
Over five hundred years, Qin Sang had grown accustomed to having this person by his side. The obsession with reviving her had become sheer habit.
From the Canglang Ocean to the Beichen Realm, then to the Three Realms of the North Sea, and all the way to Zhongzhou, hope had turned into disappointment time and again. Now, Qin Sang sought only to awaken her, unable to consider anything beyond that.
"From what I see of your ambition, you are certainly not content to halt at the Nascent Soul stage. The Great Dao is fraught with hardship; you cannot keep carrying her along. How will you settle her? Her natal insect gu has advanced to the fourth metamorphosis, so her cultivation will be much easier once she wakes, but it cannot be accomplished overnight. Hoping to catch up to you is pure fantasy!"
Ghost Mother pointed at herself. "I can guide her. Do you understand the Great Dao of the Witch Clan?"
Qin Sang said in a deep voice, "Does Senior intend to accept her as a disciple?"
Qin Sang did not believe she was merely looking for an inheritor disciple.
Unless her lifespan was near its end, she definitely had some other purpose regarding Yagu!
Knowing she could not conceal it from Qin Sang, Ghost Mother laid everything bare.
"Back then, after I awoke, I was trapped in the restriction beneath the Jinghai Sect. By the time I broke free, my lamp was near dry of oil, leaving me with only a soul body. Unable to find any of my kinsmen in the Three Realms of the North Sea, I had no choice but to casually forge a fleshly body."
Forged, or possessed through body snatching?
Qin Sang's gaze turned cold.
Seemingly oblivious to Qin Sang's expression, Ghost Mother continued, "Once I recovered a portion of my strength, I crossed the storm belt to the Beichen Realm. I went there with two objectives: first, to seek my kinsmen, and second, to search for the Demon Clan Altar!"
The Demon Clan Altar?
Could it be the Ascension Platform?
Qin Sang's heart stirred, but he kept his composure and did not interrupt Ghost Mother.
"You know what happened after that. I was targeted by a sword lunatic and trapped in the Abyss Ruins. Later, I was rescued by Tan Hao, returned to the Three Realms of the North Sea, used contingencies I had left behind in the past to restore my cultivation, and came to Zhongzhou."
"Was Master Tianyue already a Deity Transformation cultivator back then?" Qin Sang asked out of curiosity.
The strength Ghost Mother displayed was formidable, and who knew how many hidden techniques she still possessed; she was undeniably among the absolute pinnacle of the Nascent Soul realm.
To defeat Ghost Mother, imprison her, and bring her to the brink of death was something likely only a Deity Transformation cultivator could achieve.
Ghost Mother grew angry from embarrassment. "That Tianyue brat was opinionated and arrogant, refusing to listen to my sound advice! Taking advantage of my unrecovered state, he resorted to every underhanded trick in the book—his victory was dishonorable!"
Qin Sang's expression turned somewhat peculiar. He inwardly mused that if Ghost Mother had spoken to Tianyue with the same dripping sarcasm she had used just now, getting beaten half to death was certainly no injustice.
"Undeniably, that man is a top-tier figure of this age. Barring any mishaps, he must have reached Deity Transformation long ago."
Ghost Mother did not belittle Master Tianyue simply because of their feud. She resumed narrating her experiences. "Though Zhongzhou is vast, there is no foothold for my clan. I learned that west of Zhongzhou lies the foreign Western Lands. The environment there is harsh, the mortals endure great hardships, and Buddhism is revered, yet I still found no legacy of my clan. However, after searching the Western Lands for many years, I finally uncovered a trace... A Witch Clan Deity Transformation cultivator once visited the Western Lands!"
As Ghost Mother spoke, she fixed her eyes on Qin Sang, suspecting that Yagu and that Witch Clan Deity Transformation cultivator hailed from the same place.
Qin Sang pondered.
If a Witch Clan Deity Transformation cultivator had come from the Canglang Ocean, it had to have been a figure from before the rise of the Four Sages.
Ever since the human race flourished, the Witch Clan had retreated to the Witch God Continent, declining day by day, and had never produced another Deity Transformation cultivator. Had the Demon Sea not diverted the humans' attention and eased tensions between the two races, the Witch Clan's plight would have been even grimmer.
"Tracing the footsteps of that Witch Clan Deity Transformation cultivator, I returned. To my surprise, all signs indicated that this person likely perished here in Zhongzhou in the end."
Ghost Mother sighed. "The place I spoke of is, in all probability, where he fell."
Qin Sang could not help but press, "Why has Senior traveled across the world, sparing no hardship or toil, just to find your kinsmen?"
Ghost Mother said calmly, "I must return."
"Return?"
Qin Sang was startled. "Return to where?"
"I do not know," Ghost Mother shook her head. "After waking, a clear thought remained in my consciousness. The method of returning is simple: find a descendant of my clan, build an altar, and invoke the power of our clan's blood essence. A guiding reception will naturally come from the other shore. When that time comes, I shall take her body as a raft to cross the void!"
Yet by sheer misfortune, Ghost Mother had landed in the territory of the human race.
The simplest method had instead become the most difficult.
Qin Sang's eyes widened. "Using a body as a raft to cross the void! One can ascend like that as well?!"
"Ascend?"
Ghost Mother let out a disdainful scoff. "Mm, I forgot that this Small Thousand World is peculiar, having bordered on total destruction! For cultivators of this realm to break free of their cage is indeed arduous. Calling it 'ascension' does carry some sense, I suppose."
"What does Senior mean by this? What is a Small Thousand World?"
Qin Sang asked in rapid succession, sensing that he was on the verge of touching the world's core secrets.
"In this universe, there are Great Thousand Worlds; those are the grand worlds where hundreds of millions of cultivators strive to cross, vibrant and magnificent. Within a Great Thousand World, countless Small Thousand Worlds evolve. Every Small Thousand World can give birth to life, while some are conquered and controlled, turned into grotto-heavens and blessed lands... I suspect that this place is a Small Thousand World."
Ghost Mother paused and looked up at the vast, boundless night sky, her gaze deep and distant. "The Heavenly Dao of a Small Thousand World is incomplete. Depending on its stage of evolution, the difficulty of cultivation varies for practitioners. Upon breaking through the corresponding realm and reaching the limit of the Small Thousand World, one will perceive the location of the Small Thousand World's beacon. Following that sensation, a practitioner can pass through the Beacon Gate and enter the Great Thousand World—which is what you people refer to as ascension."
*After Deity Transformation, one naturally knows where to return!*
Qin Sang abruptly remembered that maxim from Xiaoxiangzi.
So that was it!
The Deity Transformation stage was the limit of this realm. Only by breaking through to Deity Transformation could a cultivator of this world sense the Beacon Gate and 'ascend' to the Great Thousand World!
Ghost Mother then let out a soft chuckle. "Of course, this is merely my rough assessment. This realm harbors many legends that shouldn't exist; it is bound to be the most peculiar of Small Thousand Worlds, containing far too many mysteries I cannot fathom. If a Beacon Gate exists, it must be hidden deep within the storm belt, where some unknown anomaly has occurred. We cannot reach it, and even Deity Transformation cultivators likely cannot arrive there with ease."
"So that is why the Deity Transformation cultivators of Zhongzhou remain in this realm for so long... Bajing Abbey and Ganlu Zen Monastery perhaps control a safe route to the Beacon Gate, which forces the other Deity Transformation cultivators to compromise..."
Qin Sang deduced further from her words.
The various strange occurrences in Zhongzhou and his past perplexities finally received an explanation.
Yet immediately following that came a new question: "Senior spent hundreds of years searching for your kinsmen. Why didn't you first find a way to break through to the Deity Transformation stage and enter the Great Thousand World through the Beacon Gate? Wouldn't it be far easier to find your kinsmen that way?"
Ghost Mother had slept from ancient times to the present, possessing a longevity that defied reason.
Her cultivation before being trapped had certainly exceeded the Deity Transformation stage.
The demon lord in the Hall of Seven Kills was one such example.
Since that was the case, restoring her Deity Transformation cultivation should have been far easier for her than for juniors like them.
"It is not that I am unwilling, but that I truly cannot."
Ghost Mother shook her head lightly, feeling somewhat perplexed herself. "I have tried countless times, but the Deity Transformation bottleneck is exceptionally sturdy, like cast iron, as though my path has been severed right here. I know not whether I lost something, or... suffered an invisible seal. I must return to find the answer."
Sealing an ancient cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage!
Qin Sang could not imagine what kind of divine ability that required.
He still remembered that atop the Ascension Platform, the Jade Bone fiend had also been impatient to ascend without waiting to recover his cultivation. Had he been subjected to a seal as well?
Yet why was the demon lord of the Hall of Seven Kills an exception?
There were far too many things Qin Sang could not comprehend. Caring nothing about secrets, he urgently sought answers: "Is the Demon Clan Altar the Ascension Platform? I once saw an ancient demon activate an Ascension Platform with my own eyes, opening a spatial passage and departing this realm!"
"Oh? There were ancient demons clinging to life in the Beichen Realm?"
Ghost Mother nodded. "My search for the Demon Clan Altar back then was merely a backup plan. Unless left with no other choice, I would never walk that path."
She paused and asked Qin Sang in return, "The Great Thousand Worlds are not unique. Since it is a Demon Clan Altar, where do you think it leads?"
Chapter 1604