Theories on the Spirit Realm

Guan Ya's spinning pen snapped to a halt, and she gave him a meaningful look. "Why ask about this? The Xiahou family won't cause you any more trouble, so there's no need to worry. To be precise, the other factions of the Xiahou family would probably love to sit down for drinks and celebrate with you." Zhang Yuanqing returned her meaningful gaze. "I just want to know." Guan Ya pondered for a moment, then lowered her voice. "Follow me." She rose from her office chair, her high heels clicking rhythmically against the floor as she headed toward the restroom. *Huh? Talk in the restroom? Wouldn't going downstairs be better?* Zhang Yuanqing glanced at Wang Tai, who had his head down working, and quickly followed the seasoned driver. One after the other, they stepped into the restroom, and Zhang Yuanqing shut the door. Crossing her arms over her chest, Guan Ya said, "The surviving patriarchs of the Spirit Realm aristocracy, including the Five Elements Alliance's five Alliance Leaders, are all part of the first generation of Spirit Realm walkers. Oh, the Marshal of our White Tiger Battalion isn't. The very first Spirit Realm walkers emerged around the turn of the twentieth century, during the transition between the late Qing dynasty and the early Republic." Zhang Yuanqing's expression changed. He fell silent for a long time, pinching the space between his eyebrows. "So that's how it is..." Guan Ya's answer resolved a puzzle that had plagued him for ages. Spirit Realm walkers had not existed since antiquity. Character cards were a modern phenomenon. In other words, if the various professions had existed in ancient times, their practitioners truly must have advanced through respiration cultivation and personal training. The notes from the Mountain God Temple and Yinyang Sanren's Dao Cultivation Records were not fictitious lore concocted by the Spirit Realm—ancient people had genuinely cultivated that way. The probability that the Old Hag and Yinyang Sanren were real historical figures shot up dramatically. Furthermore, this neatly explained the remarkably modern concept of character cards. The Spirit Realm might even have undergone version updates. The earliest version probably didn't have so many numerical attributes. Guan Ya studied him with an amused smile. "This is confidential. The official stance presented to the public is that the Spirit Realm has existed since ancient times. I only know the truth because of my family connections. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't be allowed to tell you, so make sure you keep it to yourself." Zhang Yuanqing hurriedly replied, "Thank you for favoring me, Sister Guan Ya. From now on, I'm your devoted simp." Her implication was clear: she was telling him because they were close. Guan Ya giggled. "Simp how?" *I can start right now,* Zhang Yuanqing mumbled inwardly. Guan Ya slammed on the brakes, wiping away her smile and turning solemn. "Did you notice something?" "Don't you think the existence of Morality Points makes no sense? The essence of this world is survival of the fittest. Since ancient times, humans have formed tribes, dynasties, and regimes to establish order, but fundamentally, might still makes right," Zhang Yuanqing said quietly. "Because those organizations were strong enough, they got to make the rules. The existence of Morality Points is part of a rule set, which means there must be someone powerful above it. That means the Spirit Realm isn't a natural supernatural phenomenon at all—it was created by someone." Guan Ya scrutinized him thoroughly, her eyes shining with the kind of appreciation a woman held for an impressive man. "Not bad. Very sharp. You've been a Spirit Realm walker for less than two months, yet you've already picked up on this. Most people never bother thinking about things that don't directly affect them. Even if they have doubts, they don't dig deeper; they just go with the flow and take things as they come." Zhang Yuanqing then told Guan Ya about the notes from Mount Sandao and Yinyang Sanren's Dao Cultivation Records. Guan Ya frowned deeply. "I hadn't heard of those, but it makes sense. Well, what do you think 'changes in heaven and earth' refers to?" Zhang Yuanqing shook his head. "Sister Guan Ya, where did your brain go all of a sudden? That question operates on far too high a level. Even Yinyang Sanren, who lived through that era, had no idea. How could I know?" Guan Ya snapped indignantly, "What's wrong with having no brain? You got a problem with that?" *A brain is a good thing to have, but with a chest as big as yours, you can get by without one...* Zhang Yuanqing said, "When you're this pretty, being a little brainless is actually an advantage." Guan Ya rolled her eyes and huffed, "I'll take that as a compliment. What I mean is, if changes in heaven and earth lowered the ceiling of cultivation, why is cultivation suddenly possible again now?" Zhang Yuanqing replied at once, "Because the Spirit Realm appeared." Guan Ya nodded. "Then how did the Spirit Realm come into being? Yes, that's an even higher-level question, but we can still deduce a few things from it. For instance, who created the Spirit Realm? By what means was it created? And what was the purpose behind creating it?" The seasoned driver's three questions plunged Zhang Yuanqing into deep thought. After a dozen seconds or so, he said slowly, "First of all, whoever created the Spirit Realm certainly wasn't from the Ming dynasty. If they had possessed that kind of power, they wouldn't have been constrained by the Dharma Ending Age." Yinyang Sanren's cultivation had already ranked among the top tier of his era, yet he could only sigh in helpless lamentation. Even a reclusive powerhouse of hidden depths like the Old Hag had ended up reduced to a component of the Spirit Realm. Thinking about it gave him chills. "The Dharma Ending Age?" Guan Ya blinked. "That's a neat term." "Oh, picked it up from web novels." Zhang Yuanqing resumed his analysis. "Instead of pondering how the Spirit Realm was created, I think it's better to consider how such a being reversed the Dharma Ending Age. In fact, Sister Guan Ya, don't you think the Dharma Ending Age itself might be connected to that entity?" "Go on," Guan Ya urged. "As for the purpose of creating the Spirit Realm, I see two angles. One, examine the Spirit Realm walkers themselves. Two, decipher and investigate the Spirit Realm directly." Continuing down this line of thought, Zhang Yuanqing elaborated, "For example, do Spirit Realm walkers share any consistent, overarching trajectory or mission? Producing Spirit Realm walkers must serve a purpose. My thought is... factional conflict." Guan Ya narrowed her eyes. "Why do you think that?" "Because in ancient times, the orthodox and evil factions didn't seem to have mandatory kill-on-sight quests. It was mostly orthodox practitioners stepping in to punish evil whenever they couldn't stomach their actions. But between modern Spirit Realm walkers, factional conflict awards Reputation and Morality Points, and trials feature faction confrontations—especially the latter, which are mandatory. Of course, that's just my speculation. I don't have hard proof." "You know quite a bit, kid. Was all that recorded in those Dao Cultivation Records?" "Sister Guan Ya is brilliant, as expected; nothing gets past you. Moving on to the second angle: deciphering the Spirit Realm. All the information I have originates from the Spirit Realm. Trials actually provide a lot of subtle clues, and item descriptions do the same. Phrases like 'an indescribable entity' or 'a supreme and exalted being' show up constantly. How should I put it... It feels as though the Spirit Realm doesn't object to us unraveling its secrets." Guan Ya gave a slight nod. "Remember what Li Chunfeng said? The background settings for Transcendent trials are either modern or Ming dynasty." Which meant Saint-stage and Dominator-stage trials had backgrounds set in other eras. What secrets lay hidden inside those even more ancient Spirit Realms? Zhang Yuanqing had no way to guess, but he suddenly grasped Guan Ya's implication and started. "You mean... the upper echelons of the Five Elements Alliance have probably already unraveled the mystery of the Spirit Realm?" Guan Ya smiled. "At the very least, they know far more than we do." Seeing that they had covered enough ground, she adopted a stern expression and warned, "Keep all of this to yourself. Don't tell a soul, not even the Decurion." Once Zhang Yuanqing nodded, she beamed. "Good boy. By the way, I was chatting with Queen earlier, and she told me something hilarious." "Something hilarious?" "A while back, Yuan Ting was dragged off by Elder Sun. Ever since, hardly anyone on the Taiyi Sect forums or chat groups dared to say 'Elder Sun is muddleheaded.' But starting yesterday, that meme came roaring back to life." Guan Ya walked toward the door, chuckling. "This time, even Elder Sun probably won't be able to suppress it. You killing Li Xianzong inside the trial caused way too big a stir." Zhang Yuanqing: "..." Out in the office area, Li Dongze emerged from his office and peered around. Seeing no sign of Guan Ya, he asked, "Why hasn't Yuanshi arrived yet? Wang Tai, where did Guan Ya go?" Without looking up from his work, Wang Tai answered in a calm voice, "The two of them sneaked off to the restroom together." "What?" Li Dongze thought his ears were playing tricks on him. Wang Tai repeated, "The two of them sneaked off to the restroom together. It's been over ten minutes." "Oh, good heavens, those two..." *When did they hit it off? Did surviving Yinyang Town together help them break through the shackles of feudal propriety?* Just then, the restroom door clicked open, and Guan Ya and Zhang Yuanqing stepped out one behind the other. "Decurion!" Zhang Yuanqing raised a hand in greeting. Leaning on his cane, Li Dongze said gravely, "Centurion Fu just notified me. If you arrive, head over to Fujia Bay immediately." *The Centurion wants to see me?* Zhang Yuanqing let out an "Oh" and asked, "Should I go right now?" Li Dongze nodded slightly. He glanced at Guan Ya, who was slipping back into her seat, then looked back at Zhang Yuanqing. In a measured tone, he said, "Our work has always been quite flexible. As long as there are no emergencies, being a little casual is fine, so you're never short on time. There's a hotel right outside the Public Security Bureau. Don't do this next time." With that, he swung his cane and strode back into his office. *Huh? What on earth is he talking about?* Zhang Yuanqing was thoroughly bewildered. *** The capital. Beneath a locust tree in a traditional courtyard house, Elder Sun lay on a rocking chair enjoying the cool breeze. The gentle wind set the shadows of the leaves swaying. The foliage rustled softly, carrying the crisp voices of children: "Grandpa, Grandpa~" Footsteps sounded from outside the courtyard, and the shrill chatter instantly ceased. A middle-aged man in black crossed the threshold, entered the yard, and halted respectfully before the rocking chair. "Elder Sun, Yuan Ting has finished his ten days in the training camp. He has learned his lesson." Elder Sun fanned himself with a cattail leaf fan and nodded faintly. "How has Yuan Ting's cultivation progressed?" "All his abilities have improved drastically. He might even have a shot at participating in June's killing trial," the middle-aged man replied. "Good!" Elder Sun narrowed his eyes and said in a slow drawl, "Sending him to the training camp was an act of grooming on this old man's part." The middle-aged man chimed in immediately, "Elder Sun's intentions were noble and profound." Elder Sun said, "Now that the ten days are up, let Yuan Ting go back. By the way, has anyone dared to badmouth this old man over the past few days?" Elder Sun had cared deeply about this issue at first. Later, after making an example out of Yuan Ting by circulating videos of his grueling training, no one in the Taiyi Sect had dared joke about the matter anymore. Elder Sun had gradually stopped worrying, but out of habit, he still asked every day. "Uh..." The middle-aged man hesitated. Elder Sun snapped his eyes open, shedding his lazy demeanor. His gaze turned razor-sharp, and he sneered, "Oh? Which brazen little brat dares badmouth this old man now?" The middle-aged man confessed, "Everyone is badmouthing you. The unhealthy trend has flared right back up." "..." Elder Sun shot upright, the rocking chair groaning beneath him. He was both shocked and furious. "What happened?" "It goes like this: the day before yesterday, Yuanshi Tianzun entered Yinyang Town and crossed paths with Li Xianzong inside the trial..." The middle-aged man recounted their grudge in full detail. Finally, he summarized, "Everyone in the sect feels that Yuanshi Tianzun is a once-in-a-blue-moon prodigy who might very well become a second Fu Qingyang. So..." *So Elder Sun is muddleheaded!* As an exalted Dominator, Elder Sun naturally hadn't paid attention to a spat between two juniors. Hearing this now, he was left flabbergasted. *Did all my hard work over the past days go down the drain?!* "Confound it!" Elder Sun slammed his hand down onto the armrest of the rocking chair, barking, "Keep Yuan Ting there for another ten days! Double his training intensity and post a video to the forum every day! If anyone still dares badmouth this old man in ten days, I'll settle the score with each and every one of them!" The middle-aged man bowed and withdrew. *** Fujia Bay, study of the villa. Dressed in a crisp white suit, Fu Qingyang sat behind his desk, his chiseled features sharp as ever. Looking at his trusted subordinate, he said, "You are Level 3 now and qualify for an immediate promotion to Captain. Currently, there are no captain vacancies in Kangyang District, so under normal rules, you would have to wait. But you are different from the others. Elder Gou has approved the formation of a new official squad specifically for you. You may freely select one subordinate; the rest of the roster you must recruit yourself." Zhang Yuanqing spoke up without hesitation: "I want Guan Ya." Fu Qingyang raised an eyebrow, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes. "Oh? Why Guan Ya?" *Because Guan Ya is capable and efficient, of course! Did you think I wanted to become your brother-in-law?* Zhang Yuanqing complained internally, but said aloud, "Centurion, do you think there's a chance that once June passes, I'll already be a Deacon? When that happens, you can just hand Squad Two over to me directly." In a rare display, Fu Qingyang cracked a smile. "That was my thought as well. We'll wait until you clear the killing trial and advance to Saint. By then, having already become an Elder, I can appoint you as the Deacon of Kangyang District to take over my current position." *Huh?* Zhang Yuanqing froze, barely keeping up. *Did you grab the wrong script? Shouldn't you be speechless and then lecture me not to aim too high too fast?* Fu Qingyang regarded him coolly. "You are a talent I hold in high esteem. I admit you can stand shoulder to shoulder with how I was back then. For geniuses like us, is there anything we cannot achieve?" *I was wrong. Compared to you, I'm practically the embodiment of humility!* Zhang Yuanqing declared loudly, "You're completely right, Centurion! But I think you made one mistake." Fu Qingyang frowned. "Where was I mistaken?" "I still consider myself far beneath you, Centurion. It should be: a genius like me who can almost stand shoulder to shoulder with the Centurion." Fu Qingyang chuckled. "We'll set that aside for now. There is another matter. The Tiger Tally was delivered to Songhai yesterday. The grand health check begins today, rotating through each district. Kangyang District is scheduled for the day after tomorrow." *The grand health check is finally here!* Zhang Yuanqing felt an instinctive jolt of tension. "Understood!" Fu Qingyang nodded. "Head back for now. Get plenty of rest over the next two days." Once Zhang Yuanqing left, Ling Jun knocked and entered the study. The scion of the Taiyi Sect Master wore flip-flops and loose three-quarter shorts, his messy hair matching his thoroughly casual posture. "Elder Sun contacted me just now. He asked me to pass along a message: during the grand health check, remember to ask Yuanshi whether he's Demon Lord's successor." Ling Jun picked out a bottle of wine from the cabinet and said, "With a prodigy like him, running a few extra screenings is for the best. Heh, beneath the Tiger Tally, no one can lie. If he passes this check, he'll be able to draw a clean line between himself and Demon Lord once and for all." After a brief pause, Fu Qingyang gave a slight nod. "Agreed." *** Outside Fujia Bay, Zhang Yuanqing strolled along the roadside, his brows knitted tight. *My only remaining secret is being Demon Lord's successor. The Red Dancing Shoes, the Demon-Subduing Pestle, and the rest have all been disclosed. At most, my connection with Auntie Xiao Yuan is a bit tricky.* *Associating with an evil profession is considered quite serious in the Five Elements Alliance. Even without deep entanglement or transactions of money and sex, it's still a severe personal conduct violation.* *The biggest headache is Demon Lord's successor. To this day, I still don't know where the Taiyi Sect and the Five Elements Alliance stand regarding Demon Lord's heir. But one thing is certain: Demon Lord operated on far too high a level. If the officials harbor hostility toward his successor, my merits probably won't be enough to shield me...* After all, Demon Lord had touched upon the Spirit Realm's deepest secrets. *If the higher-ups were friendly toward Demon Lord's successor, their attitude wouldn't be so ambiguous. Sigh, what a mess!* *Then again, the grand health check has its perks. It might finally uncover the origin of my recurring headaches. Conventional medicine couldn't find anything, but a Spirit Realm walker's methods should be able to pinpoint the cause, right?* That bizarre affliction had weighed heavily on his family's hearts and plagued him as a recurring nightmare for years. After pondering for a while, Zhang Yuanqing pulled out his phone and dialed Auntie Xiao Yuan's number using his burner SIM card. When in doubt, ask an expert. Besides, he could take the opportunity to ask Xiao Yuan if she wanted to join his gang.