The Register

The bei demon resembled a hound, but its forelegs were slender and short. Fearing that the middle-aged Daoist would discover its tracks, it dared only stay low to the ground, sprinting on its two hind legs, yet its speed was far from slow. Suddenly having its presence called out, the bei demon froze. After a momentary pause, its hind legs spun like wheels, whipping up a gale of demonic wind as it bolted headlong toward the dense forest ahead. Qin Sang followed leisurely behind, looking at the bei demon with a rather curious gaze. Back at White Dragon Ferry, the aura he had sensed in the reed marshes was evidently this demon. Its aura had been comparable to a Transformation-stage grand demon, and it had been the true master of the ritual altar, pulling the giant wolf's strings from the shadows all along with remarkably subtle and exquisite divine abilities. Yet at this moment, the bei demon's aura had drastically diminished, reduced to merely the early Demon Core stage. Qin Sang had trailed it all this way and confirmed that it was neither injured nor suffering from another affliction; rather, its cultivation realm had fallen. The giant wolf not only shared the same source of qi as the bei demon, but the two were one and the same, able to transfer their cultivation back and forth. Even the middle-aged Daoist had been fooled. Seeing the bei demon still fleeing frantically, Qin Sang gave a light tap of his foot and effortlessly overtook it. With a casual reach of his hand, he drew the bei demon into his grip, seizing it by the scruff of its neck until it could not move an inch. Once far away from human habitation, Qin Sang found a flat boulder, set down upon it, and tossed the creature aside. *Thud!* The bei demon hit the ground with its eyes tightly shut and its entire body stiff, playing dead. Qin Sang said faintly, "I know you understand human speech. If you do not want this poor Daoist to resort to soul searching, answer a few questions honestly." The bei demon shuddered from head to tail. Snapping its eyes open, its pupils darted frantically. It scrambled to its knees in an instant, kowtowing repeatedly. "Spare my life, Exalted Immortal! Spare my life! This humble demon is willing to serve you day and night! Whatever you wish to know, Exalted Immortal, I will speak without holding back a single word!" The creature was sly and treacherous, but at least it knew how to read the situation, saving Qin Sang some trouble. He happened to be short on hands right now, and spirit beasts of such high intelligence were not easy to come by; keeping it around to run errands would not hurt. Qin Sang smiled faintly. "Let me ask you, what domain is this?" What he was most eager to discover was naturally how cultivators of this world stabilized their yuanqi and what dharmic methods they practiced. However, it was best to first understand the general layout of this realm before drawing any conclusions. The bei demon stared blankly, cautiously sneaking a glance up at Qin Sang. This man's aura was profound and obscure; it could not gauge the depth of his cultivation at all. Yet it was certain of one thing: he far surpassed it even at its zenith. Just the faint trace of pressure emanating from his person struck terror into its very core. Could a Daoist Master under the governance of the Daoist Court actually have lost his way? Unsure of what Qin Sang truly wanted to know, the bei demon could only rack its brains and recount everything it knew, piece by piece. Qin Sang listened in silence, only then learning that this world was entirely the dominion of the Daoists. It turned out that the Nine Dragons Country where he now found himself was merely a mortal realm governed by a sub-altar of the Daoist sect. The monarch, princes, ministers, and generals of the country were all mortals, and the Daoists rarely interfered in the rise and fall of mortal dynasties. In this regard, their policy was quite similar to that of the immortal cultivation sects in the Storm Belt. Earlier, Qin Sang had heard the priestess declare her title and knew that the Ninth Sub-Altar established under the Xuanmiao Yingzhen Capital Altar governed the Nine Dragons Country. However, according to the bei demon, the full administrative designation of this domain was: Zhongmao Diocese, Qingxu Oratory, Xuanmiao Yingzhen Capital Altar, Ninth Sub-Altar, Fulong City of the Nine Dragons Country. Legend spoke of a Nine Heavens Golden Palace above them, but it existed only in folklore; none knew whether it truly existed or where it lay. Altars were divided into capital altars and sub-altars. A *jing* was an oratory, also called an oratory altar. Each oratory altar established various departments to oversee mortals, spirits, ghosts, and demons throughout the world. Much like a mortal dynasty, it had established ranks and official positions across nine grades, with the first rank being the most exalted, and each rank divided into principal and subordinate classes. A Sub-Altar Master, such as the priestess, held the official post of Principal Sixth Rank, Grand Minister of Law of the Celestial Pivot Court, and Joint Manager of Celestial Pivot Court Affairs. Those below the sixth rank were assigned to serve under the various sub-altars. The imperial preceptors of the mortal kingdoms held official posts in the Celestial Pivot Court, overseeing their respective realms on its behalf. A Capital Altar Master was titled Grand Master of Shangqing Xuandu and ranked merely Subordinate Fifth Rank, though for capital altars of exceptional importance, the post could be elevated by half a rank at discretion. Above them was the Chief of the Oratory, an Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace, holding the post of Principal Fourth Rank and Manager of Celestial Pivot Court Affairs. As for the higher authority of the Zhongmao Diocese, that lay beyond what the bei demon could possibly know. With tier upon tier of ranks clearly delineated in status, it was widely referred to as the Daoist Court. However, the Daoist Court did not consist of the Celestial Pivot Court alone. Zhongmao Diocese fell under the jurisdiction of the Celestial Pivot Court. There was also the Baishi Diocese governed by the Northern Pole Exorcism Court, together referred to as the Two Dioceses. It was said that the Northern Pole Exorcism Court stood as an equal rival to the Celestial Pivot Court, matching it in power and rank gradations, differing only in the titles of their offices. Nevertheless, within Zhongmao Diocese, mentioning the Daoist Court usually referred to the Celestial Pivot Court. Naturally, not all Daoist cultivators within Zhongmao Diocese belonged to the Celestial Pivot Court. There were plenty of Daoist sects outside it, yet none could truly live as carefree hermits. So long as they resided under the rule of the Daoist Court, all were subject to its jurisdiction, bound to uphold the Heavenly Law, and forbidden from acting willfully; otherwise, the Daoist Court possessed the authority to punish their transgressions. For example, the bei demon's former master hailed from the Danxiao Sect, whose mountain gate lay within another oratory of the Zhongmao Diocese, the Zhizhen Oratory. Never mind the Chief of Zhizhen Oratory—even if a Capital Altar Master under Zhizhen Oratory paid a visit, the sect had to open its mountain gates to receive him with full honors. After their merits and deeds were evaluated through examination, cultivators from these sects could also enter the Celestial Pivot Court as celestial officials, though such individuals made up only a minority within the court. After achieving the Ascending Mysterious Dharma rank, the bei demon's former master had been unwilling to enter the Daoist Court. Hearing this, Qin Sang could not help but feel astonished. A Nascent Soul cultivator could only serve as a fifth-rank Capital Altar Master in the Celestial Pivot Court, with the Oratory and the Zhongmao Diocese above them. If official ranks corresponded one-to-one with cultivation levels, did this realm not possess Void Refining cultivators or perhaps even higher? "In Daoist cultivation, how many Dharma ranks are there?" Qin Sang asked in a deep voice. The bei demon froze, momentarily at a loss for how to reply. All human cultivators in this world belonged to the Daoist faith; the sequence of Daoist cultivation stages was common knowledge, and even the demon-ghost kingdoms in the Dongji Twin Mountains surely knew it inside and out. Judging by this man's clear wit and his profound, upright aura, he had unquestionably received an orthodox transmission. How could he not even know what methods the Daoist sect practiced? *Could he be a demon from beyond this realm?* The bei demon suddenly recalled a legend and could not suppress a shudder. Daring not let its thoughts wander, it hurriedly poured out everything it knew. After hearing it out, Qin Sang could not help feeling glad that he had been so cautious. The overall strength of the Daoist cultivators in this realm was indeed extraordinarily high—incomparable to the Storm Belt, with no peril of the path ahead being cut off. The cultivation progression of the Daoist sect in this realm was known as Dharma ranks, divided into nine tiers. From top to bottom, they were the Supreme Dao rank, Cavern Truth rank, River Chart rank, Five Talismans rank, Cavern Mystery rank, Ascending Mysterious rank, Cavern Spirit rank, Dao and Virtue rank, and Orthodox Unity rank. The stages he was familiar with—Mahayana, Body Integration, Void Refining, Deity Transformation, Nascent Soul, Core Formation, Foundation Establishment, and Qi Refining—totaled eight. Constrained by its own cultivation and experience, the bei demon did not know what divine abilities the higher Dharma ranks commanded. However, from its descriptions, Qin Sang could confirm that below the Deity Transformation stage at least, their cultivation levels and combat strengths corresponded directly. For instance, the priestess possessed the Cavern Spirit rank, her aura matching that of a Core Formation cultivator, while the middle-aged Daoist hailing from the capital altar was bound to hold the Ascending Mysterious rank, equivalent to a Nascent Soul cultivator. The bei demon had once overheard its former master and personal guards discussing a Cavern Mystery rank Master; recounting it now, that realm seemed nearly indistinguishable from a Deity Transformation cultivator. Inferred from this, a Mahayana cultivator would only be at the Cavern Truth rank. He wondered whether the Mahayana stage had sub-divisions here, or if there were further mysteries beyond Mahayana. Naturally, Qin Sang was still exceedingly far from such heights; now was not the time to ponder such things. "Do Dharma ranks correspond to official ranks?" Qin Sang calculated carefully. The official ranks of the Celestial Pivot Court were divided into nine grades, matching the nine Dharma ranks one to one. Extrapolating from this, could first-rank celestial officials of the Celestial Pivot Court all possess Mahayana-stage cultivation? If so, Mahayana cultivators would surely not linger in a minor chiliocosm indefinitely—he had undoubtedly ascended into a major chiliocosm! By now, the bei demon was no longer surprised by anything, simply regarding Qin Sang as an otherworldly fiend. It answered without holding back, "The eighth and ninth ranks are held by those of the Orthodox Unity rank. From the seventh rank onward, they should align. This humble demon followed its former master for only a short time, but from what I observed, there may be some whose Dharma rank has reached the requirement yet whose official rank was temporarily delayed for special reasons. However, I have never seen anyone promoted to high office whose cultivation was insufficient." Qin Sang nodded. The Supreme Dao rank was mysterious indeed. "In other words, the Dugong Administrator of Zhongmao Diocese is at least of the Five Talismans rank." The Dugong Administrator was the chief of the Zhongmao Diocese, wielding the Dugong Seal of Zhongmao Diocese. And that Five Talismans rank was very likely equivalent to a Void Refining cultivator. The bei demon offered an obsequious smile. "This humble demon's knowledge is shallow, but I have heard that the Celestial Pivot Court of Zhongmao Diocese indeed has Great Masters, though I do not know if that includes the Dugong Administrator." Hearing this, Qin Sang gave an inward smirk. He had just learned that in this world's Daoist sect, reaching the Ascending Mysterious rank—equivalent to a Nascent Soul cultivator—earned one the title of Master, matching the convention of the Storm Belt. However, the three Dharma ranks above the Ascending Mysterious rank were all addressed as Master. Only upon reaching the River Chart rank—which he inferred to be the Body Integration stage—could one be honored as a True Monarch. Because a Five Talismans rank Master took charge of an entire diocese's affairs, the word "Great" was customarily prefixed to the title. He himself was merely a Deity Transformation cultivator, yet he had been venerated as a True Monarch for many years; thinking of it now brought a blush of embarrassment. If the exalted Daoists of this realm caught wind of it, they would surely reprimand him for presumptuous arrogance. Having grasped the general framework of the Daoist sect, Qin Sang finally asked about the methods practiced by this world's Daoists. Upon asking, the answer took him greatly by surprise. From what he had observed, he had assumed that this realm practiced the Divine Dao and the Talismanic Dao side by side. Yet that was not so: the Daoist sect cultivated the path of talismans, registers, and visualization. Talismans and registers had to be viewed separately. The key lay in the "register"! A register was also known as a talismanic register, which the Daoists claimed possessed immense, boundless authority. It could command the deities of heaven and earth, summon and arraign ghosts and spirits, assess sins and blessings, investigate merits and faults, and decree orders to myriad spirits. It could slay fiends and subdue demons, controlling mountains and rivers. It could cleanse foul miasmas and harness all manner of qi. And it could merge with the profound Dao, allowing one to cultivate the Dao and ascend to truth! As for the so-called registers, Qin Sang had already seen them: they were the Seal of Proclaiming to All Spirits upon the priestess's ritual altar, and the Cinnabar Cloud Banner upon the wolf troops' altar. These were the true forms of talismanic registers, also called register seals; different lineages yielded different register seals. The Seal of Proclaiming to All Spirits was unique to the Celestial Pivot Court, while the register seal formed by celestial officials of the Northern Pole Exorcism Court was said to be called the Nine Heavens Military Tally! When the bei demon was conscripted into the troops by its former master, the master had already achieved the Ascending Mysterious rank. Thus, the demon did not know what a register originally looked like in its rudimentary state. It was said to be an existence akin to a talisman-seal—perhaps a combination of obscure runes, or perhaps an extraordinarily intricate talisman diagram. As one's cultivation advanced, it would gradually coalesce into a genuine register seal. After being initiated into the Dao through ordination, Daoist disciples had to receive a register. Only after receiving a register could they cultivate. This involved two vital functions of the register: First, it cleansed foul miasmas and pacified the old qi of the six heavens. Second, it allowed the visualization of true deities. "The old qi of the six heavens..." Qin Sang murmured the words in his heart. The Daoist sect of this world regarded chaotic, rebellious qi as the old qi of the six heavens. After receiving a register, one took heaven and earth as an altar and installed the register within the ritual altar, using the altar grounds to stabilize the world and calm yuanqi, thereby entering the Dao to cultivate. However, merely stabilizing yuanqi was not enough. The old qi of the six heavens held seeds of chaos that, over prolonged periods, would still erode a cultivator's primordial spirit, affecting their sanity and shaking their Dao foundation. Therefore, one had to employ methods of visualization to contemplate heavenly deities. With the register seal as proof, unifying qi to summon the gods and moving the heart of Heaven through visualization, one could ensure absolute safety. This method was also known as visualizing deities. The visualized deity was termed a Dharma-protecting heavenly deity or an altar-guarding divine general. The register seal and the altar-guarding divine general served jointly as the twin pillars of the ritual altar. A talismanic register did not protect only the Daoist alone. The troops conscripted under them could all cultivate around the ritual altar, receiving its protection, and could join the Daoist in visualizing the Dharma-protecting heavenly deity. Not only did this make the ritual altar sturdier, but wholeheartedly devoted troops in harmony with the Daoist also benefited the Daoist's cultivation, complementing one another. The ritual altar served not only for cultivation but also as a barracks for troops. When a Daoist traveled, they could retract the ritual altar and take all their troops with them. If one met a solitary Daoist on the road and thought they were an easy target to bully, one would be gravely mistaken; with a wave of their hand, they might instantly summon tens of thousands of demon soldiers, banners blotting out the sky—truly an entire army within a single person. Yet maintaining an army was far from easy, and one had to bear the risk of troops mutinying and blasting the altar. Because the old qi of the six heavens ran rampant in this realm, the higher a demon cultivator's realm when cultivating alone, the greater the peril of losing their sanity. Even demon beasts with unawakened sapience could sense the benefits of a ritual altar, making subduing troops easier here than in ordinary realms. Furthermore, a register seal possessed the ability to bestow spiritual enlightenment without needing Emperor Flowing Dew. If commanders among the troops were enlightened and had their wisdom unlocked by a Daoist, their gratitude made them all the more loyal. Naturally, there was an upper limit to the number and cultivation level of troops one could keep, though the bei demon did not understand the specifics. It only knew it depended on the Daoist's cultivation and the talismanic register they had received. Register transmission was not a one-time affair; once one's merits and deeds reached fulfillment, one had to be elevated and conferred a correspondingly higher-order talismanic register—this was the progression of Daoist cultivation. Moreover, the conferral of registers had to take place at a ritual altar. Each sect had its mountain gate patriarchal altar, while the Celestial Pivot Court possessed its own altars; the dioceses, oratories, capital altars, and sub-altars all held the responsibility of conferring registers. Hearing up to this point, the slight relief Qin Sang had felt earlier grew somewhat heavy once again. "So you are one of those rebellious soldiers who blasted an altar?" Qin Sang looked the bei demon up and down. The bei demon shrank back. It had not wanted to air its dirty laundry, but considering that its identity as a roving rogue had already been exposed on the river, this man could easily discover the truth with casual inquiries, so it dared not conceal it. "That old Daoist was cruel and harsh! This humble demon was conscripted by force later on; I was never one of his personal guards, and I suffered endless abuse! That old Daoist favored his cronies and repeatedly found fault with me without cause..." The bei demon wanted to argue further, but under Qin Sang's half-smiling gaze, even its glib tongue gradually faltered into silence. Qin Sang did not press the matter, asking flatly, "Let me ask you: you said earlier that when a Daoist receives a register and visualizes deities, they can use talismans to summon heavenly soldiers and divine generals to descend. Have you ever seen this?" The bei demon breathed a sigh of relief and shook its head hurriedly. "Never! Whenever that old Daoist fought, he always used his own troops. Because he was not a celestial official of the Celestial Pivot Court, he had no authority of command over local spirits; even summoning City Gods and Mountain Spirits required promising benefits first. Where would any heavenly soldiers or divine generals come from? It is surely just Daoist boasting." Qin Sang hummed thoughtfully, then asked, "If there are no heavenly deities, where do the City Gods and Mountain Spirits come from?" "This..." The bei demon froze; it had never truly considered that question. Its eyes rolling around, it stammered for a moment before suddenly recalling something. A look of delight crossed its face, and it blurted out, "I remember! That old Daoist once said something—'All gods are enfeoffed by mortals!'"