430 - A Sect Leader’s Ascension

Chapter 430: The Inquiry of an Ant As expected by Yao Qing, just a few days later, the He Huan Sect persuaded the Five Elements Alliance army to retreat on the grounds that it was inappropriate to engage in warfare during the mourning period for Baishan. This averted an imminent colossal battle in the southern region of Baishan. Peace, indeed, had arrived. However, Qi Xiu had reservations about Yao Qing's metaphor of darkness before dawn. From his perspective, whether Baishan was experiencing dawn or darkness, the region of Chu and Qin was always illuminated by the radiant and imposing presence of Chu Hongshang. How could that be considered darkness before dawn? It was more apt to describe it as darkness before dawn for the families south of Chu and Qin or as the snow in front of Old Wang's door next door. Why ought they worry about the families of Baishan? "When the sky falls, the tall ones will bear it first. Among the Ten Nascent Soul Sects of Baishan, there will surely be jostling for power, and interests will be realigned. Given Chu and Qin's delicate position in Baishan, we should be the most detached and least anxious. It was precisely because Chai Yi, who recognized this early on, swallowed his pride to sign a humbling peace agreement with us. In hindsight, even that agreement was a loss for the Chu and Qin Alliance; we could have demanded more." Sitting leisurely in the underground palace of Nan Chu City, Qi Xiu sipped on spiritual tea and eloquently shared his insights on Baishan's future situation. His only audience was naturally the splendid beauty, the Nascent Soul Ancestor Chu Hongshang, lounging opulently on the Flame Crystal Throne. She wasn't merely sitting; she reclined entirely, her head resting on the armrest while her legs gracefully draped over the other side, bare feet hanging in mid-air. Her long legs, far from coarse, exuded an effortless allure and elegance. Chu Hongshang's spirits seemed to lift with Qi Xiu's optimism, a slight smile playing at the corners of her lips, conveying warmth as she showered Qi Xiu with praise. "You've made significant progress, defeating the Beast Tamer Sect's cultivator in the arena and standing up for the Chu Clan. Now, you no longer approach future crises with the timid mindset of a small-time household." Her words were genuinely complimentary, yet Qi Xiu couldn't help but feel somewhat displeased. "Timid small-time household? I was merely being adaptable and pragmatic!" he silently retorted but outwardly smiled, showing he welcomed the praise. "The Dao, the Dao is the true principle." Chu Hongshang pointed a jade-like finger in Qi Xiu's direction, "You should focus your energy on the upcoming trials in Jixia City. Even Qingyu wasn't given this opportunity; it was reserved for you and Wuying." Chu Qingyu had only managed to form his core by consuming a rare elixir during the coveted Trial of Dan Extraction at Junxian Mountain. Advancing further would be challenging. However, given his favored status within the Chu family, Chu Hongshang's willingness to forgo Qingyu's spot in favor of Qi Xiu demonstrated she truly regarded Qi Xiu as one of her own. "The Dao..." Qi Xiu expressed his gratitude, then seized the opportunity to voice his uncertainties, seeking her guidance. "Is there truly a day when we can completely transcend through the cultivation of the Dao? Even transforming into a Divine Transformation stage doesn't assure it. Perhaps we are all destined to be failures, falling at different points along the path. If so, aren't our pursuits ultimately futile..." "Pfft..." Seeing Qi Xiu in such a state amused Chu Hongshang. "If that bit of heaven's path isn't you, you agonize over it like this. Does that mean you believe you're likely to glimpse it, sparking your anxiety? Ha, I don't know whether to say you're pessimistic or arrogant! I haven't even secured my spiritual ground for the Divine Transformation stage yet. I'm still going about my business as usual and certainly not bowing to anyone for it. Life and death of the Dao... Keep a light heart; otherwise, you’ll find only endless troubles, as reflected in your lament. Why not think about it this way: would you choose to be a Qi Refining cultivator or a Foundation Establishment cultist? And what about Golden Core versus Nascent Soul?" "Of course, the higher, the better," Qi Xiu replied simply. "Since you know the answer and since there's no alternative but to struggle across this sea of suffering, might as well focus on what’s at your feet, walk step by step firmly." Chu Hongshang, patient yet rarely so, tried to enlighten him. Qi Xiu understood her point, admiring her fortitude and ease with the Dao, but their personalities differed. For her, not dwelling on these matters was natural detachment, while for someone like him, who was accustomed to intellectual toil, deliberately not contemplating them might feel contrived, an escape. And escapism was certainly detrimental to cultivating the Dao. Others may have their own paths yet cannot guide me. This reality was common in the cultivation world, underscoring why the passing of teachings was so crucial. Qi Xiu's reputation as a 'Transmission Physician' had become a factor families considered favorably when contemplating incorporation into the Chu and Qin Alliance, and a motive for many roaming cultivators in Baishan to clamor for a place in the Chu and Qin Sect. "By the way, you mentioned the spiritual site for Divine Transformation isn’t settled. What's the matter? Can I help?" This matter, a secretive one for Chu Hongshang, had reached Qi Xiu through rumors. Since she mentioned it herself, confirming the details would be beneficial. If Chu Hongshang failed to ascend to become one of the most potent beings due to spiritual ground issues, it would be a significant regret for both the Chu family and the Chu and Qin Sect. "Heh, a mere early-stage Golden Core ant like you needn’t concern yourself with adult matters." Chu Hongshang mockingly rebuked Qi Xiu, albeit with an obviously cheerful tone. After bantering a bit, she dismissed him, then sat alone on the Flame Crystal Throne, resting her chin in her palm, her brows elegantly arched in thought. "Perhaps, I too should start planning for the grand scheme of Divine Transformation..." she mused silently. ... "So... does that mean I am equivalent to what you humans call the Divine Transformation tier now?" The old lion's mental inquiries echoed around Huo Guan, insatiably inquisitive day in and day out, with questions numbering in thousands, even tens of thousands, exhausting Huo Guan, whose soul form remained. Moreover, the old lion's questions grew increasingly complex, and its ability to convey thoughts improved, albeit slowly, hinting at a steady rate of progress that alarmed Huo Guan. He remained vigilant; firstly, he could not teach everything, unsure if an ancient wild beast might discard him once no longer needed, and secondly, educating a Divine Transformation peak-level old lion too cleverly might prove disastrous for humans. After all, he was human and couldn't foolishly lead ancient beasts. "Yes." His responses grew terse, avoiding revealing more information or giving the old lion any inferential opportunities. "What is your tier?" "Nascent Soul." "Below me?" "Naturally, below you." "Above me, do such entities exist among humans?" "Yes, there are Illusory Void cultivators." "Stronger than I?" "Of course." "Are there many such individuals?" "Er..." Huo Guan hesitated, truthfully unaware of any Illusory Void existence in this realm. However, he immediately decided to bluff the old lion at this juncture. "Many, and compared to them, I'm just a small ant." "Oh! How I long to meet them..." Contrary to Huo Guan's expectations, the old lion didn't express fear or hesitation about humans but a longing instead. "The last time I saw a being stronger than me, the memory is very distant." ... "Wan Bone Old Ghost, how do you know so much? And why are you adept at everything? It's outrageously impressive!" Deep within the underground of Beiding Mountain, Jiang Yan frowned at the jade wall before him, voicing concerns long harbored in his heart, "What level of cultivation did you possess before? What were you?" Unlike the naturally labyrinthine network beneath Beiding Mountain, this jade wall was man-made, meant as both a safeguard and a concealment. Overcoming it should be exceedingly difficult. Yet now, Wan Bone, in his ghost spider form, had contrived a small array from the scraps Jiang Yan scavenged from the Baishan southern battlefield corpses, unbelievably successful at dismantling the jade wall's defenses. Naturally, this prompted Jiang Yan's questions. "Heh heh..." Manipulating the formation and making steady progress through the jade wall, the ghost spider grinned slyly, "Would you believe me if I told you I once ruled over an independent realm?" "I... I believe!" Joy surged through Jiang Yan's chest, preventing overflow. If Wan Bone had claimed this right after awakening from the small alchemy stove, he would've doubted it. But, as Wan Bone's recovery yielded escalating surprises, there was no room left for skepticism. What being was a world ruler? Jiang Yan wasn't sure—perhaps above Divine Transformation? With such a being guiding and backing him, how could he fail to achieve the Dao or avenge his wrongs? Pursuing this further seemed greedy and vulgar, so suppressing his chaotic emotions, he tentatively asked, "Regardless of your eventual restoration, you will continue to watch over me, right?" "You believe that? Haha, I don't even believe it myself!" The ghostly spider nodded its head, covered with countless compound eyes, and its ancient voice chuckled bitterly, "What I said earlier was just to fool kids like you. I've never truly ruled over a realm, nor have I reached the heights of the top cultivators in this world. I'm just a ghost cultivator and have always been one. As a ghost cultivator who keeps his word, yes, I will continue to look after you." "It's not because I value you so highly, but because, given your current lifespan, looking after you for a century or two is just a tiny ripple in the long ocean of time for an existence like me. It’s not worth mentioning, nor would it compel me to break the promise I made when you first awakened me." "So, you can choose to be looked after like an ant for your entire life, or you can choose another path." Wan Bone’s final words hinted at a warning. "A path to the great Dao and immortality?" Jiang Yan, ever the perceptive one, inquired. "Indeed, a difficult path that must be traversed alone. The more I help you, the more I harm you..." Wan Bone began, but suddenly the deeply embedded jade wall resounded with a sound reminiscent of tapping on a hollow brick. "Huh? It’s breached?" With a light touch of its spider leg, Wan Bone created a small hole in the jade wall, letting a sliver of light shine through. He was a bit surprised, "This kind of array, secretly diverting spiritual veins from the mountain to nourish itself, should become more stable and powerful with age. That it was breached so easily suggests it hasn't been established for too long..." Before Wan Bone could finish speaking, a sword light flashed silently from the other side of the hole. The man and the spider quickly defended themselves, barely making out that the attacker hidden within the jade wall was a handsome young man in white, likely at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm. His methods were extremely formidable, posing significant danger to Wan Bone in his current state. This time, he had indeed miscalculated. (To be continued) ---