The Path of Ascension

"Does Guixu's Beacon Gate ultimately lead to this realm? Why are there no traces left behind by the ascended predecessors in this world?" Having confirmed the other's identity, Qin Sang voiced the greatest question in his heart without hesitation. Mo Xingdao seemed to study Qin Sang's expression. After a brief hesitation, he countered with a question of his own, "Could it be that Fellow Daoist Qin did not ascend through Guixu?" In the Storm Realm, without the strength of the Deity Transformation stage, it was difficult even to reach Guixu, let alone brave the path of ascension. From Real Person Wan's assessment, Mo Xingdao knew Qin Sang cultivated both dharma and body. Based on his performance back at the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, Mo Xingdao could also deduce that qi cultivation was the true foundation of his path. If one only broke through in body refinement without reaching the corresponding realm in qi cultivation, one would not sense the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao. A physical body at the Deity Transformation stage certainly possessed the strength to venture into Guixu. But by common logic, unless Qin Sang knew his days were numbered, he would surely wait until his cultivation realm broke through to the Deity Transformation stage to ensure complete safety before entering Guixu. Could he have advanced to the Deity Transformation stage back in the Storm Realm? Qin Sang guessed Mo Xingdao's line of thought and said frankly, "Fellow Daoist need not probe. This poor Daoist is already aware of the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao. However, I did not enter Guixu. Do you know that Guixu is not the only path of ascension in the Storm Realm? There is also the Ascension Platform!" "The Ascension Platform?" For the first time, a ripple stirred in Mo Xingdao's tone. "Indeed," Qin Sang nodded. "This poor Daoist actually hails from the North Sea and crossed the vast ocean to travel to Zhongzhou. While cultivating in the North Sea, I witnessed with my own eyes someone activate an Ascension Platform and ascend to the upper realm..." Holding nothing back, Qin Sang recounted the origins of the turmoil in the Xiaohan Realm and the circumstances under which his senior sister and the others had ascended. Mo Xingdao remained silent throughout Qin Sang's narration. When he finished, Qin Sang shook his head slightly and sighed, "Once my cultivation bore fruit, I revealed this matter in hopes of uniting the various sects to search for the Ascension Platform. It was then that Master Xingji disclosed the whole truth. If the three of you had waited just a few more years, or had informed the world of the tribulation of the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao, how would things have come to this!" He already knew that Saint Huiguang and Saint King Qinghu had given Mo Xingdao two choices back then. Either entrust his soul to a puppet, bearing the risk of being consumed by the puppet's backlash; Or forcefully undergo the tribulation—and if the tribulation failed, have his true nature struck into the puppet to be controlled by the two Deity Transformation cultivators, though it would only last for a limited time. Mo Xingdao had presumably chosen the former. Qin Sang gazed at the rigid face on the stone, unable to read any change of expression, wondering what Mo Xingdao felt at this moment. After a long silence, Mo Xingdao sighed softly. "So you found an Ascension Platform, successfully activated it, and ascended to this realm?" Qin Sang nodded. "When was the day it was activated?" Mo Xingdao's speech suddenly quickened as he pressed repeatedly. Upon hearing the date Qin Sang gave, Mo Xingdao chuckled bitterly. "Just as I thought! We must have arrived in this realm on the very same day." Qin Sang was stunned. Realizing something at once, he asked in a grave voice, "Did you ever hunt ferocious beasts in the storm belt and Guixu?" "We never killed any, but encountered them many times. In the storm belt, we were pursued by two strange fish one after another. After entering Guixu, ferocious beasts roamed everywhere in countless numbers. It was only by using the Five Elements Crown's Grand Five Elements Prohibitive Divine Light to immobilize the beasts that we were able to turn peril into safety time and again..." Even after so many years, Mo Xingdao's memories of those events remained vivid, showing just how perilous their ordeal within Guixu had been. Hearing this, a strange look flashed in Qin Sang's eyes. "You weren't pursued by a blood moon?" "What blood moon?" Mo Xingdao asked in bewilderment. Qin Sang frowned, sinking into contemplation. Mo Xingdao's group of three had set out earlier than him, had clashed with ferocious beasts in the storm belt, and had fought constantly after entering Guixu, yet they had never been pursued by the blood moon. Why had the blood moon targeted him specifically, waiting outside the barrier of the Canglang Ocean, and even charging into the spatial storm without hesitation just to hunt him down? Where could such deep enmity between them have come from? Previously, Qin Sang had suspected that the blood moon might be a great fiend-demon intent on devouring the realm, using the demonic voice to sever the path to Deity Transformation for the cultivators of that world and hunting down all who tried to escape the cage. And because he had exposed his aura and tracks while fighting the Thunder Turtle, he had drawn its pursuit. Only after learning of Mo Xingdao and the others' experiences did he realize matters were not so simple. Or was the blood moon the king among the ferocious beasts of Guixu, and killing the Thunder Turtle had provoked the demon's wrath? Unable to find an answer, Qin Sang set those questions aside for the time being and asked a crucial question: "Could it be that you did not traverse the Beacon Gate to ascend to this realm?" From Mo Xingdao's earlier reply and tone, Qin Sang had already formed a guess. Mo Xingdao concealed nothing and directly recounted their experiences inside Guixu. As it turned out, Mo Xingdao had been swept east by the two Deity Transformation cultivators back then, braving the storm belt and safely entering Guixu after some close calls. They soon discovered that Guixu's interior was fraught with peril, far worse than recorded in the ancient records. Following the writings left by predecessors, they searched for Daiyu Immortal Mountain, facing danger repeatedly. Fortunately, the ferocious beasts were also affected by the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao, driven mad and slaughtering one another, which spared them from coordinated attacks by hordes of beasts. Eventually, after overcoming countless hardships and dangers, they penetrated deep into Guixu and successfully located Daiyu Immortal Mountain, where they saw projected images and writings engraved by many ancient predecessors, recording what they had witnessed and learned. From Daiyu Immortal Mountain to the Beacon Gate was still some distance, more dangerous than the upper layers of Guixu, and known as the ascension path. The ascension path was not static; because Guixu's interior was unstable, changes would occur every few years. It was precisely because generations of ascending cultivators had followed one after another, carving their experiences onto Daiyu Immortal Mountain for posterity to reference, that the legacy was passed down through the ages and the ascension path remained unbroken. "After obtaining the predecessors' writings on Daiyu Immortal Mountain and making brief adjustments, we entered the ascension path. However, affected by the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao, the ferocious beasts had wrecked the area during their crazed slaughter. The ascension path deviated greatly from the records, and in many places, we had to forge our own way. With Daiyu Immortal Mountain serving as a place to rest and recuperate, we made some progress. But just as we drew close to the Beacon Gate, a sudden violent tremor shook Guixu. Caught unprepared, we were hurled outward on the spot by an enormous force..." Mo Xingdao felt deeply conflicted, the eyes on the stone staring straight at Qin Sang. The moment Qin Sang had activated the Ascension Platform coincided precisely with the day Guixu was thrown into turmoil. Such a coincidence, coupled with their being delivered to the very same world, meant Qin Sang was definitely connected to it. Mo Xingdao did not know whether to thank or curse Qin Sang. Without that upheaval, they might have reached the Beacon Gate and ascended normally, without enduring a brush with death and ending up in this bizarre Daoist realm. Yet their situation back then had also been dire. Carving a way through the ascension path required relying on the Five Elements Crown and constantly unleashing the Grand Five Elements Prohibitive Divine Light. They had to simultaneously contend with the chaotic Guixu, the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao, and the invasion of demonic spirits, putting them under immense strain. Daiyu Immortal Mountain was only relatively safe, serving merely as a temporary sanctuary to regulate their breath and rest. They could only recover partially, their strength steadily declining. Perhaps, without that upheaval, they would have perished in Guixu and never reached the Beacon Gate at all. "Fellow Daoist Qin, what anomaly did you encounter when you activated the Ascension Platform? And what is this blood moon?" Mo Xingdao could tell that Qin Sang's ascension via the Ascension Platform had not gone smoothly either. "During my ascension, a blood moon manifested in the heavens and descended as a scarlet rainbow, chasing me into a spatial storm and causing my ascension to go astray. What did you encounter after entering the spatial rift, and how did you fall into this realm? Where are Saint Huiguang and Saint King Qinghu now?" Qin Sang asked in a deep voice. "A blood moon hunted you down?" Mo Xingdao was startled and muttered, "When driving the Five Elements Crown, one person would control it each time while the others assisted. The one controlling the Five Elements Crown bore the greatest brunt, so we took turns continuously. At that time, Saint Huiguang was wielding the Five Elements Crown and had reached his limit. Just as he was about to pass it to Saint King Qinghu, the sudden upheaval struck Guixu. We and the Five Elements Crown were all jolted apart and thrown into spatial rifts. I could only do everything in my power to protect myself and resist the spatial turbulence before being pulled into a terrifying suction. Soon, due to severe injuries, I lost consciousness. Before blacking out, I saw only Saint Huiguang swept away by the spatial turbulence, vanishing in an instant." Hearing this, Qin Sang could not help but sigh with emotion. He had thought he might still have the chance to settle an old score with Saint Huiguang. Swept away by spatial turbulence while in a weakened state, even a Deity Transformation cultivator was almost certainly doomed. Even if Saint Huiguang had miraculously survived, who knew which world he had been swept into; the chances of seeing him again were slim to none. Seeing that Mo Xingdao only mentioned Saint Huiguang and said nothing of Saint King Qinghu, Qin Sang pressed further, as his grudge against Saint King Qinghu ran even deeper. However, Mo Xingdao said he did not know. "Saint King Qinghu should have been not far from me at the time, and her strength remained intact. If she was sucked into this realm, the probability of her survival is very high. Not long ago, someone reported to the Daoist Court that an ascension heavenly tribulation had appeared in Jushan Diocese. I originally assumed it was her." After asking for the exact time and location, Qin Sang was somewhat surprised. Even though he had chosen such a remote place to undergo his tribulation, it had still been witnessed. Acknowledging that he had indeed been the one undergoing the tribulation, Qin Sang cast a slight sideways glance toward the stone pavilion. "In that case, was the person who rescued you Real Person Hongyuzi?" "Indeed." Mo Xingdao then relayed all of Hongyuzi's speculations to Qin Sang. Surprised, Qin Sang glanced around. "You suspect that the diocese altar of Jushan Diocese is connected to Guixu?" "Mm," Mo Xingdao affirmed. "Back then, I thought I was hurled into a spatial rift in the end, but now that appears debatable. Just earlier, when I accompanied Hongyuzi into the depths of the altar, I discovered many similarities between the sights of the ascension path and this place. Perhaps..." Pausing, Mo Xingdao's tone carried a hint of marvel. "What we fell into was not a spatial rift at all, but a divine ability left behind by an ancient powerhouse that bridges the two realms! Even if not, there is bound to be a strong connection between the two realms, and they cannot be far apart. As long as we can locate the place corresponding to the sights in my final memories, there is hope of returning to the ascension path and getting back on course!" "Finding the Beacon Gate again..." Qin Sang could not help but be stunned. He had racked his brains to obtain the qualifications for the register promotion, and just as he was about to succeed, a lead on the ascension path had presented itself. "Aren't you afraid the blood moon is waiting behind the Beacon Gate?" Qin Sang asked, a strange tone in his voice. It was already confirmed that a living entity was behind the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao. Qin Sang had even harbored a suspicion that the storm belt was the hunting ground of a fiend-demon, and that all the ascended seniors of the past had been devoured by that demon. That conjecture was too terrifying; Qin Sang dared not dwell on it. "Didn't you say the demon pursued you into the spatial rift and was swept away by the spatial storm? Even if that demon returns..." Mo Xingdao paused, his tone tinged with thick murderous intent. "...connecting the two realms will allow us to borrow the hands of the Daoist sect powerhouses to slay the demon! Having followed Hongyuzi for many years, I once heard him confirm that in the altars of the Daoist Court's two courts, Great Real Persons are merely altar administrators. Only a True Monarch can serve as the Dugong of a diocese, holding the Dugong Seal to command all Real Persons!" A True Monarch—a powerhouse of the Integration stage! This was the first time Qin Sang had heard confirmation that True Monarchs truly existed in this realm, and that both courts of the Daoist Court were presided over by True Monarchs. If even a True Monarch was no match for that fiend-demon, the despair would be overwhelming, leaving not a shred of hope for the myriad living beings of the Storm Realm. According to Mo Xingdao, this realm was not the Great Thousand World; the true Great Thousand World lay behind the Beacon Gate. In this realm, Qin Sang always felt a lingering sense of oppression. If he could leave this world and thoroughly resolve the trouble threatening the Storm Realm, he would naturally be more than willing. Having unexpectedly fallen into this world, he had thought there would be little hope of seeing Liuli again, never imagining that Heaven never bars all roads. However, Qin Sang still harbored another doubt. "Why did Fellow Daoist Mo deliberately avoid prying eyes and ears to share these secrets with this poor Daoist?" Mo Xingdao had been saved by Hongyuzi and had followed him for years, and now he was even acting as a protector for Hongyuzi, showing that Hongyuzi placed considerable trust in him. Relying on the might of the Daoist Court would offer a much better chance of finding the ascension path, so why seek out an isolated figure like Qin Sang in secret? Mo Xingdao fell silent for a moment before replying, "Fellow Daoist Qin and I come from the same place. I believe you and I can share one mind and heart, and that you will aid me with all your strength. Moreover, you likely do not wish to reveal your true origins either. As for the Daoist Court, for some reason, I always feel Hongyuzi has little interest in the ascension path; his objective remains the Guifang Kingdom. What secrets I know are only those Hongyuzi wished to tell me. This realm is far from simple. How vast Nieyuan and Niehai are, and where their ends lie, no one knows. Perhaps this realm is in no way inferior to the world behind the Beacon Gate." Furthermore, there was one most important reason. Mo Xingdao said coldly, "I do not wish to be under another's control for the rest of my life!" Hearing these words and recalling Mo Xingdao's behavior at the stone pavilion, Qin Sang understood. Evidently, his being saved by Hongyuzi back then had not come without a price. Even an Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace could not overlook a puppet at the Deity Transformation stage. Qin Sang's expression grew solemn. After pondering for a long while, he asked cautiously, "Fellow Daoist Mo wants me to work with you to secretly search for the ascension path, and then use the Beacon Gate to break free from your shackles?" This was under the premise that the demon had already departed from the Storm Realm. If that demon was still there, they could divert the disaster eastward onto the Daoist Court, allowing Mo Xingdao to slip away amidst the great battle between the Daoist Court and the demon. "Hongyuzi is meticulous in his calculations. Were it not for this, I would have no hope whatsoever," Mo Xingdao confirmed. Qin Sang nodded secretly. The disparity in strength between Mo Xingdao and Hongyuzi was simply too vast; Mo Xingdao could only rely on external help. Should he join forces with Mo Xingdao? Weighing the matter, Qin Sang felt the benefits outweighed the risks. There was something deeply amiss about this realm. Once his strength grew and he uncovered the truths of this world, certain troubles would be unavoidable, and the ascension path would provide a way out. After receiving his register promotion, he would be able to continue his cultivation and explore step by step. With that in mind, Qin Sang nodded slightly. "It must be inconvenient for Fellow Daoist Mo to meet with me in the future. What instructions do you have for me?" Mo Xingdao had already prepared for this. He said, "Over the years, I have been making preparations. I will give you a method of communication so that we can contact each other secretly in the future, though it cannot be too frequent."