Jushan Diocese.
Qin Sang was meditating in seclusion inside a cave dwelling.
Having survived this lightning tribulation, he would enjoy three hundred years of peaceful cultivation. Moving forward, he could focus his efforts on seeking a talismanic register.
He circulated his cultivation technique to heal the injuries left by the heavenly tribulation.
Thanks to his formidable recuperative abilities, those wounds were mending swiftly, yet Qin Sang gradually began to notice something unusual.
His physical body had inexplicably grown far stronger!
Qin Sang could not help but be stunned. After breaking through, his full attention had been devoted to comprehending two divine abilities, leaving him little time to cultivate. By all logic, he should not have experienced such a pronounced improvement.
*Could it be...*
A spark of inspiration flashed in his mind. Qin Sang recalled that when the grey heavenly tribulation struck him, a bizarre energy seemed to have seeped into his flesh.
Back then, he had to focus entirely on braving the tribulation. Since he had detected no abnormalities at the time, he had paid it no heed.
Could this grey tribulation thunder truly have brought about a metamorphosis within him?
To a cultivator, every heavenly tribulation was a perilous ordeal, but also an opportunity.
Yet this was the first time Qin Sang had ever reaped such enormous benefits from one.
Qin Sang soon discovered that what had improved was not merely his physical cultivation; his origin soul and nascent soul also seemed to have undergone changes.
It was a comprehensive metamorphosis. If forced to describe it, he had drawn closer to the Great Dao. Where his prior comprehension of the Dao had contained biases and deficiencies, it was now refined and perfected—the advantages were self-evident.
*Must every cultivator ascending from a small thousand world undergo this trial? Dangerous as it is, as long as one survives, it is tantamount to receiving the Heavenly Dao's recognition and bounty in this realm. I wonder if future heavenly tribulations will mutate as well...*
Qin Sang marveled inwardly.
Looking at it this way, he felt more and more certain that he had already entered a great thousand world, perhaps landing in some isolated corner of it.
At that moment, Qin Sang's thoughts turned to the Heavenly Eye Butterfly.
Having devoured many bolts of tribulation thunder, could she have obtained a fortuitous encounter like his own?
Qin Sang guarded his dantian with inner sight and saw the Heavenly Eye Butterfly resting quietly upon the nascent soul's shoulder. Calling out to her cautiously, he found her responses somewhat sluggish.
*Is she digesting the tribulation thunder...?*
Qin Sang's heart stirred.
The Heavenly Eye Butterfly was currently at the peak of the fourth transformation, poised before the threshold of a breakthrough. If she could partake of the heavenly tribulation's fortune, it would surely be of immense benefit to her advancement.
Of course, the Qingshuang Pill still needed to be concocted; he was currently gathering intelligence on the hundred-node earth bamboo.
***
Mount Heming, Jushan Diocese.
Returning to his cave dwelling, Qin Sang took a brief rest before setting off once more, bound for the Star Island Immortal Lake.
This journey had been planned prior to his tribulation. For one, he had an old agreement with Real Person Zhijian; for another, as a hub where various cultivator factions of Jushan Diocese converged, the Star Island Immortal Lake would make it far easier to obtain the information he desired.
Intending to travel around the Star Island Immortal Lake on his way to visit Real Person Zhijian, he departed alone without alarming Real Person Guzhou.
To the west of Jushan Diocese lay an area under the full control of the Dao Court. Xuandao City was the easternmost immortal city of this region, its name reflecting the high hopes the Dao Court pinned on it.
Leaving Mount Heming and traveling west to Xuandao City, one could take a teleportation array back to Baishi Diocese. When Qin Sang had gone to visit Master Lingxu, he had passed through this city.
This time, however, Qin Sang did not head west. Departing Mount Heming, he traveled northwest, arriving half a month later at an immortal city named Li City.
Though Li City maintained a delicate, neither-near-nor-distant relationship with the Dao Court, it did not fall under its direct rule. Jointly established by various factions of Jushan Diocese, its scale could not compare to Xuandao City's, and it was utterly negligible beside Mount Heming.
Nonetheless, this small city was widely known throughout Jushan Diocese.
Passing through Li City and transferring through several immortal cities, each equipped with a teleportation array, until reaching the Star Island Immortal Lake was one of the safest and most convenient routes in Jushan Diocese.
Viewed from north to south, the terrain of Jushan Diocese roughly resembled a funnel.
It broadened toward the north and narrowed toward the south, which was also why the Dao Court and the Guifang Country had chosen the Huangquan Path to deploy their troops in standoff.
When Qin Sang infiltrated the Guifang Country, the round trip—including the time spent searching for the Dream-Morphing Four Seasons Flower—had taken him less than a year.
The distance from north to south, however, was vastly greater. Since the Star Island Immortal Lake lay at the northern tip of Jushan Diocese, relying solely on flight would be far too slow.
Built upon an open plain, Li City offered expansive vistas. Though modest in size, its security was quite tight.
A dense stream of people flowed through the city gates. Many cultivators from Jushan Diocese, upon leaving Li City, would first detour west to Xuandao City before proceeding to Mount Heming, which proved far safer.
Qin Sang entered the city with the crowd. As far as the eye could see, over ninety percent of the cultivators were dressed in Daoist robes and crane-feather cloaks.
Beneath those Daoist vestments, their practices might not belong to Daoist lineages, but all of them had undoubtedly received Daoist talismanic registers.
Li City served essentially as a transit hub, offering little to see, so Qin Sang headed straight for the teleportation array.
***
Yunfeng City.
This was an immortal city situated between Li City and the Star Island Immortal Lake. Stepping out from the teleportation array in Yunfeng City, Qin Sang did not continue northward. After exiting the city, he recalled the geographical map in his memory and flew eastward.
Several days later, Qin Sang caught sight of several mountain ranges running north to south from afar. Beyond the mountains lay vast riverine shoals formed by alluvial silt, teeming with human settlements.
Within the mountains lingered the spiritual auras of gathered cultivators.
Without pausing, he continued east. Undulating mountain ridges stretched across the landscape, with quite a few similar places tucked among the peaks.
These were the sect locations of the surrounding factions.
Before long, Qin Sang came to a halt before a scenic, spiritually endowed mountain range.
*Mount Taoheng.*
The name flashed through Qin Sang's mind.
Back when he returned to Mount Heming from Star Valley and gathered intelligence on Jushan Diocese, the first person he had befriended was the sect leader of Mount Taoheng.
At the time of their acquaintance, Mount Taoheng's sect leader had possessed a mid-Nascent Soul cultivation—termed in this realm as the mid Ascending Mystery ritual status—and had been nearing the bottleneck of the late Nascent Soul stage.
With no shortage of Deity Transformation powerhouses in this realm, a sect leader possessing merely a mid-Nascent Soul cultivation seemed a bit weak. Qin Sang suspected that Mount Taoheng likely harbored hidden experts.
As Qin Sang traveled along, he noticed many sects, large and small, clustering around Mount Taoheng like stars orbiting the moon.
The reason was simple: Mount Taoheng possessed a ritual altar and was qualified to confer registers!
This altar was known as the Taoheng Sect Altar, though it had certainly not been erected by Mount Taoheng itself. As for which Daoist sect it originally belonged to, even Mount Taoheng might not know.
In Jushan Diocese, not every sect or faction owned a ritual altar. To receive a register, one had to seek the aid of those who did.
It was precisely for this reason that these factions gathered around Mount Taoheng, living under its patronage and acting, in a sense, as Mount Taoheng's vassals.
Consequently, the layout of Jushan Diocese differed greatly from the Storm Realm. In the Storm Realm, sects were built along spirit veins; here, the first consideration for sects was the ritual altar.
Without attaching themselves to a faction possessing an altar, they could only purchase the right for their disciples to receive registers using spirit stones and treasures; otherwise, they would face the crisis of their lineages being severed.
One could easily imagine the immense value of a ritual altar. Naturally, it drew covetous eyes, and without sufficient strength, one could never hold onto it.
"Who goes there?"
Qin Sang had not concealed his figure, and the mountain-guarding disciples spotted him the moment he arrived, stepping forward to question him.
"This poor Daoist is Qingfeng, here to visit Real Person Tao. Here is my calling card," Qin Sang announced his identity.
Learning that he was here to visit their sect leader, the mountain-guarding disciples dared not dally and hurried to report. Soon, laughter echoed from within the mountain as a green-robed Daoist flew over. It was none other than Real Person Tao. "A distinguished guest arrives, yet I failed to greet you from afar. Forgive me, forgive me!"
The two clasped hands warmly in delight and stepped into the mountain.
After exchanging pleasantries, Real Person Tao asked, "What important business brings Fellow Daoist out this time? Is there anything this poor Daoist can assist with?"
"Could this poor Daoist not have come specifically to pay a visit to Fellow Daoist?" Qin Sang replied with a smile.
Real Person Tao feigned dissatisfaction. "This poor Daoist understands your temperament well. Thirty years ago, I invited Fellow Daoist, yet you made me wait all this time. Fellow Daoist's devotion to the Dao is so steadfast that I pale in comparison. Were it not for some other pressing matter, wild horses could not drag you out of your cave dwelling!"
"It was not out of unwillingness, but rather sheer necessity."
Qin Sang shook his head slightly. Back then, pressured by the heavenly tribulation, how could he have dared divide his attention?
Real Person Tao did not probe deeper and asked, "Fellow Daoist's personal journey this time—are you planning to travel and select a talismanic register for your disciple?"
"Indeed. That is why this poor Daoist came straight to your esteemed domain," Qin Sang nodded.
When he had befriended Real Person Tao back then, Qin Sang had feigned an intention to take on an apprentice and search for a fitting talismanic register for his disciple.
Real Person Tao replied with understanding, "This poor Daoist has not forgotten our agreement from back then either; it remains valid today. As long as Fellow Daoist chooses my Taoheng Sect Altar and serves as a guest elder of Mount Taoheng, your successors may receive registers at the Taoheng Sect Altar in the future."
Qin Sang pondered for a moment. "Back then, this poor Daoist had not yet made up his mind and had not inquired in detail about your esteemed sect's talismanic registers..."
"These are no secret."
Real Person Tao thought for a moment and said, "Fellow Daoist need only accompany me to the Register Conferment Court to see for yourself."
Qin Sang was startled. "Would that not be too presumptuous?"
As the name implied, the Register Conferment Court was where the sect conferred registers. The ritual altar at the sect's core was situated within it, making it undoubtedly a forbidden ground of the sect.
By this point, Real Person Tao had already risen and walked toward the door, saying it was no trouble.
Real Person Tao was still unaware of Qin Sang's true cultivation.
If Qin Sang deliberately concealed it, even cultivators of the same rank would struggle to see through him, let alone Tao.
However, Real Person Tao was extremely confident in the Register Conferment Court's defenses.
The Register Conferment Court was the most heavily guarded place in the sect; even if a Dongxuan Real Person snuck in, they could forget about gaining any advantage. Moreover, he was not taking Qin Sang directly to the Taoheng Sect Altar itself.
Qin Sang understood this logic and would not be so foolish as to make a scene in another sect's forbidden area.
The Register Conferment Court was situated in a valley deep within Mount Taoheng. Looking down from above, one could spot a scattering of halls and pavilions in the valley.
Qin Sang had heard that the Register Conferment Courts of genuine Daoist sects contained numerous grand halls dedicated to venerating various deities, magnificent and solemn, unlike the modest scale here at Mount Taoheng.
However, Mount Taoheng was not an orthodox Daoist lineage, so it did not adhere to those strict conventions.
Leading Qin Sang, Real Person Tao touched down outside the valley and entered a great hall where various ancient texts and records were stored.
"The Taoheng Sect Altar can confer the first tier: the Grand Supreme Orthodox Unity Youth Spiritual Officer General Register. By contemplating the deities among the Sixty Jiazi Tai Sui Gods that align with the water element, it is not difficult to summon a protective divine general for the altar. Upon advancement, the Jade Register of Water Inspection is conferred, contemplating the heavenly deities of the Water Department. Based on our experience, summoning the Messenger of the Golden Pass Bi Constellation as the protective divine general is easiest..."
Real Person Tao explained to him.
Had this been when Qin Sang first arrived in this realm, he would have found Real Person Tao's words utterly incomprehensible.
Talismanic registers varied among Daoist sects. A sect's heritage would encompass several registers arranged according to rank, constituting a complete sectarian system.
An entire system generally had a distinctive name, such as the Celestial Pivot Court Du Gong Register or the Northern Pole Exorcism Court Northern Emperor Register.
The registers of the Taoheng Sect Altar were referred to by neighboring cultivators as the Mount Taoheng Registers.
Just as Real Person Tao had stated, the Mount Taoheng Registers consisted of only two tiers of registers, for each tier corresponded to two major realms.
Upon entering the Dao, one received the Grand Supreme Orthodox Unity Youth Spiritual Officer General Register, corresponding to the Orthodox Unity ritual status and the Dao Virtue ritual status. In between, one did not need to receive further registers and could cultivate normally.
This corresponded to the Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment stages.
Afterward, returning to the sect altar to receive the advanced Jade Register of Water Inspection allowed one to continue cultivating through the Cavern Spirit ritual status and the Ascending Mystery ritual status—that is, up to the peak of the Nascent Soul stage.
If anyone in Mount Taoheng managed to achieve further breakthroughs, the Taoheng Sect Altar had no registers to confer, and they would have to seek them elsewhere.
The Sixty Jiazi Tai Sui Gods and the Messenger of the Golden Pass Bi Constellation were all heavenly deities from Daoist legends.
The talismanic register corresponding to heavenly deities referred precisely to them; only by successfully contemplating a heavenly deity could one summon a protective divine general to the altar.
When the sect of old had cast the ritual altar and passed down the registers, they might not have corresponded to these particular deities. Due to differences in cultivation techniques, incomplete heritages, and other factors, Mount Taoheng's cultivators had become unable to contemplate those original deities.
Yet that did not matter. As long as one could contemplate closely related heavenly deities and successfully summon a protective divine general, one could cultivate.
The fact that the Mount Taoheng Registers comprised only two tiers confirmed what Real Person Zhijian had said back then.
Seeking a higher-ranked talismanic register would be exceedingly difficult!
Qin Sang sighed inwardly.
Unaware of Qin Sang's thoughts, Real Person Tao continued his enthusiastic introduction. "After your disciple receives the register, should they form a Golden Seal Altar, the most suitable spiritual material is silver dew tree sap. Our sect has cultivated many silver dew spirit trees, and we can allocate a certain share to Fellow Daoist, ensuring your disciple has nothing to worry about at least until breaking through to the Cavern Spirit ritual status."
He felt he had displayed ample sincerity, yet winning over a top powerhouse was no easy task.
Real Person Tao looked at Qin Sang, awaiting his response.
*Silver dew tree sap...*
Qin Sang mused to himself, reviewing Real Person Tao's introduction.
Judging by the register names and the deities contemplated, the Mount Taoheng Registers leaned toward the water element among the Five Elements.
In truth, every talismanic register had a distinct emphasis, varying by the Five Elements, Yin and Yang, and so forth, by which they were classified.
Although all these registers could establish altars and summon deities, cultivators were best served choosing one that aligned closely with their own cultivation techniques, which was said to confer certain benefits.
Given Qin Sang's understanding of the *Essence Cultivation and Sword Nurturing Chapter*, this technique could be considered formless. At the very least, any Five Elements register ought to be suitable, though Qin Sang harbored no extravagant hopes for substantial benefits.
If a sword register or a slaughter register existed in this world, that would perhaps suit him best.
That being the case, Qin Sang's primary consideration was finding a register that would allow him to cast an altar the fastest.
Cultivators outside the Daoist sects essentially cultivated Golden Seal Altars; even within Daoist sects, few could afford to maintain Daoist soldiers.
The spiritual materials required to cast a Golden Seal Altar had to possess attributes compatible with the register—a process known as anchoring the register. Otherwise, even if barely forged, the register altar would risk instability.
Evidently, the essence of casting an altar lay in refining the unique power of these spiritual materials and integrating them with the register's power.
Reflecting on his own circumstances, Qin Sang had considered this long ago. He believed two types of registers suited him best: Fire Department registers and Thunder Department registers!
Not a water-attribute register like the Mount Taoheng Registers.
He possessed both the Vermilion Bird True Feather and the Heavenly Phoenix True Feather. If he could use the true fire contained within those true feathers to cast his altar, would he not easily forge a rock-solid register altar?
As for the Thunder Department, he had once hunted a Thunder Turtle in the Storm Realm and obtained its monster bone and demon core.
The bone and core contained the Thunder Turtle's innate thunder power. If refined, they should suffice to cast an altar at the Deity Transformation level.
And for an even higher rank, he possessed the phoenix wings, within which the Azure Luan source thunder power was not in the least inferior to either of the two true fires!
Chapter 1771