txolops Chapter 2464 Jingtan
Chapter 2464 Jingtan
Chapter 2464 Jingtan
The bone flute is indeed a treasure trove of demonic magic.
Both Baihe and Pangji obtained superior martial arts techniques that suited their bloodlines, and their joy was evident in their eyes.
The root of Qin Hou's problem lies in his cultivation technique. Obtaining the complete technique would compensate for the flaws, and even if it couldn't completely solve the problem, it would greatly improve his condition, meaning that his path to enlightenment would have hope again.
He couldn't help but feel grateful to Qin Sang, and his resentment towards her naturally vanished.
After catching up, they boarded the imperial carriage and headed to the capital of the Kingdom of Jiaosheng.
Inside the imperial carriage, Qin Sang was still teasing Qin Hou, asking curiously, "How many heads do you have now? With so many heads, won't your soul split and you start arguing with yourself?"
Qin Hou rolled his eyes.
Bai Ying'er smiled and held up four slender white fingers. "My husband said that when he breaks through to the Void Refinement stage, he hopes to merge his four heads into one. This is also one of the cultivation challenges he faces."
Qin Sang nodded. It seems that having too many heads really can cause problems.
Just think about what Qin Hou really looked like. Several big heads grew out of that body and were crammed together. It was really not a pretty sight. It's better to deal with it sooner rather than later.
Qin Sang and Bai Ying'er have already acknowledged each other as master and disciple, and Qin Hou has also put aside his grudges. The atmosphere on the imperial carriage has become increasingly relaxed, and they have been talking about everything from ascending to the Spirit Realm to their current predicament.
In stark contrast to the desolate landscapes elsewhere, the territory of the Horned Kingdom is lush and verdant, covered with jungles and teeming with life.
Qin Sang carefully observed the scene below and noticed some clues. The plants growing here all had soft branches, which were intertwined and exceptionally flexible, able to withstand the fierce impact of windstorms.
From above, the jungle appears to be filled with countless sprites dancing in the wind. As these plants sway, they seem to be able to turn the tide against the wind, guiding the winds away from certain areas. These 'pure lands' untouched by the wind have all been transformed into cities.
However, a city needs a vast jungle to support it, and cities are far apart. Even the Kingdom of Horned Life cannot change the fact that the Great Wind Plains are sparsely populated.
"The people of Jiaosheng Kingdom are all skilled in cultivation and breeding, especially the Yuanlu people, the royal family of Jiaosheng Kingdom, who possess extraordinary innate abilities and can turn decay into wonder..."
Bai Ying'er pointed to some conspicuous spirit trees in the jungle, "They cultivated these spirit trees, let them take root, and used them as the foundation of the jungle, which then filled in other tree species, eventually allowing the jungle to spread throughout the country."
"Were the people who took you in back then the Yuanlu people?" Qin Sang asked.
Recalling the past, Bai Ying'er nodded sadly, "The Yuanlu people have the blood of the Yuanlu people. They are naturally fond of living in the forest and dwelling among the mountains and rivers. They are gentle and kind by nature and easy to make friends with. Back then, it was a group of Yuanlu people who encountered us when we were injured and took us in."
"Naturally gentle and kind?"
Qin Sang thought to herself that such a race could survive until now, but she was sure Bai Ying'er wouldn't lie. "Such a race probably doesn't have an easy time in the treacherous world of cultivation."
The essence of spiritual practice lies in the word "struggle." No matter where you are, there is no absolutely pure land!
"Just as Master predicted, fortunately the spirit tree cultivated by the Horned Kingdom is very useful in the wind-ravaged Great Wind Plains, otherwise the tribe and the kingdom may have been wiped out long ago."
Bai Ying'er sighed, "Even so, there are still quite a few who covet the Jiaosheng Kingdom. Moreover, with so many surrounding countries, the Jiaosheng Kingdom, which is not good at fighting, is in a very weak position. The situation is becoming increasingly delicate."
Qin Hou interjected, "The Yuanlu people, overwhelmed by the pressure, wanted to relinquish their throne and let us become the kings of Jiaosheng Kingdom, but we refused. We are grateful for their shelter, but we can't bear to leave just like that. However, although Ying'er has broken through to the Void Refinement stage, it only makes our enemies somewhat wary and gives them a breather. Being of human origin, she dares not go all out; otherwise, revealing her true nature might backfire and bring even greater trouble..."
Recalling all the frustrations he had felt before, his tone was filled with resentment. Given his personality, it must have been incredibly difficult for him to endure this long.
At this moment, the imperial carriage swept over the city. Qin Sang noticed that the people of the Horned Kingdom in the city were not much different from humans in appearance. They all had horns on their heads, but the shapes of the horns were very strange. Some had a small, pointed horn, some had just a fleshy lump on their forehead, and some were very exaggerated, with two huge antlers like those of a deer.
"After the Yuanlu people founded the Horned Kingdom, they took in many half-demons of different bloodlines. They all had common characteristics: they had human forms, horns on their heads, and gentle natures..."
Bai Ying'er continued to introduce the customs and culture of Jiaosheng Kingdom.
Qin Sang nodded repeatedly as she listened, gaining a deeper understanding of these half-demons. Half-demons possessed both human and demon bloodlines, and their cultivation methods were exceptionally diverse.
Some are born with strong physical bodies and focus on body cultivation; some have the advantage of human blood and cultivate techniques similar to those of humans; and some have special talents and follow the path of spiritual cultivation. There are countless paths to enlightenment.
However, regardless of which path they choose, half-demons are inevitably influenced by other bloodlines within their bodies, making cultivation seem even more difficult than for humans or demons. Moreover, over countless years, through continuous intermarriage and hybridization, their bloodlines have become even more mixed, and there are very few half-demons who can maintain a pure bloodline.
Most of the half-demons in the city will never amount to much in their lives.
……
"Master, that's the capital of the Kingdom of Horned Beasts. Our cave dwelling is on that mountain outside the city..."
Bai Ying'er stood up and pointed forward.
Through the howling wind, a large city appeared in the jungle ahead. It was the largest city Qin Sang had ever seen in the Kingdom of Jiaosheng, where the Yuanlu people, the royal family of the Kingdom of Jiaosheng, lived.
Beside the city stands a sword-like mountain peak, shrouded in mist. When the wind blows here, it seems to strike the blade of a sword, flowing to both sides. Through the mist, a corner of the mountain can be vaguely seen, truly a blessed land abundant with spiritual energy.
Bai Ying'er and Qin Hou went to greet Qin Sang without alerting the Yuanlu people. Qin Sang also had no intention of meeting them for the time being, so she rode her carriage directly into the mountains.
After entering the mountain, they invited Qin Sang into the main hall at the summit.
Qin Sang sat in the main seat, recalling what she had seen and heard on the way, a thoughtful expression on her face.
Bai Ying'er and the others stood silently on both sides, not daring to disturb them.
Qin Sang intended to establish an altar and govern here, but after a period of time, he discovered that there were both advantages and disadvantages.
This place is home to numerous kingdoms and countless races, a chaotic era that provides him with an excellent opportunity to showcase his talents. Moreover, he can use the phoenix wings on his back to effectively conceal his identity.
The downside is that he wants to build a Taoist altar. It has already been confirmed that there are traces of the Taoist court in the Great Wind Plains. The smaller clans are unaware of the ancient secrets, while the top powerful clans have complete lineages and are certainly aware of the existence of the Taoist court. Qin Sang is unsure how much of a storm would be caused if his intentions were exposed.
Moreover, since he intends to cultivate the Mahayana path of killing, the Horned Kingdom alone cannot satisfy his appetite; he must subdue the surrounding countries and expand his territory.
The Kingdom of Jiaosheng is located in a remote area, and its small-scale disturbances go unnoticed. However, once the Kingdom of Jiaosheng grows to a certain size and poses a greater threat, it will inevitably attract the attention of powerful nations, who may even send troops to attack it.
I'm afraid of causing a great disturbance that might alarm a powerful being.
"call……"
Qin Sang exhaled softly, knowing that she had to carefully consider every step from now on, as if walking on thin ice.
If only we could get the support of the Daoist court!
Qin Sang believed that the Dao Court would not remain in hiding forever and would definitely occupy a place in the Spirit Realm in the future. Reclaiming lost territory was the best option.
It's good to take shelter under a big tree, and Qin Sang was willing to be a lackey of the Daoist court, but unfortunately, he had no one to rely on.
"Once the altar is built, we'll try to communicate with the Divine Court. As long as we can connect with the Divine Court, we'll have established a link with the Daoist Court..."
Thinking of this, Qin Sang withdrew her thoughts, looked at Bai Ying'er and the others, and activated her true essence to conjure the shape of a Dharma altar.
Have you ever seen such an altar here before?
Taoist altars come in many forms, including not only the Capital Altar and the Tranquility Altar, but also the Thunder Altar, the Fire Altar, and other altars for performing rituals.
Various strange altars appeared, and Qin Sang noticed a strange look in Qin Hou's eyes, which stirred something in her heart.
“King Yuanlu took me to a place where there is an ancient ruin that looks a lot like these altars, but I’m not sure if it’s the one Master is looking for, and the altar is very dilapidated…”
Before Qin Hou could finish speaking, Qin Sang suddenly stood up. "Where is that ruin? Take me there!"
Seeing Qin Sang's expression, Qin Hou knew that these altars must be very important and dared not be negligent. He immediately turned around and went down the mountain to find Yuanlu King. He made up an excuse, claiming that he suddenly remembered something and wanted to take another look.
Now the entire kingdom of Jiaosheng relies on Qin Hou and his wife, and King Yuanlu, without asking why, directly handed the token to him.
After obtaining the token, they headed straight for the ruins.
The ruins are not far from the capital of the Horned Birth Kingdom, located in the ancestral land of the Yuanlu people, and were sealed off by the Yuanlu people with a large formation.
Holding their tokens, they easily entered the formation.
The ancestral land of the Yuanlu people is a winding mountain range covered with countless exotic flowers and trees. Qin Sang and his companions landed at the end of the mountain range and followed a crevice into the ground. As they went deeper and deeper, they found the ruins deep underground.
The dome resembled two collapsed cliffs colliding, supporting the space below. Qin Sang looked at the compressed stone walls and thought to herself that this place might have originally been above ground, but was buried underground due to changes in the terrain.
The ground was also sloping, but the space was very spacious. When Qin Sang saw the dilapidated stone altar, her eyes lit up. She flashed down to the top of the stone altar and carefully examined it, occasionally reaching out to touch the broken parts.
Qin Hou saw that Qin Sang looked very interested and wondered why he was interested in these ruins. Although he could see that they were full of traces of time, he could not sense anything magical about them.
The altar was severely damaged, with only two levels remaining. The first level was in better condition, but the second level was basically just a frame.
Qin Sang stroked the incomprehensible patterns on the altar, never expecting that a casual question would bring him such a pleasant surprise from Qin Hou.
"Jingtan!"
Qin Sang softly uttered two words: "I never expected to find a Jingtan!"
Within the Taoist court system, the governing altar is undoubtedly the core of a region, and below it is the purifying altar.
The presence of the Jingtan here signifies that a Taoist master has truly established a sanctuary here, and on a considerable scale, unlike the Leitan I encountered in Yuedu Bay, which was merely a rudimentary form.
"I wonder if Zhitan was spared from the disaster."
A glimmer of hope flashed in Qin Sang's eyes.
This altar is severely damaged, but it can be repaired. Once the altar is repaired, it can be activated to attempt to connect with the altar for governance.
As long as the altar is not destroyed, its location can be pinpointed, allowing us to deduce the status and scale of this administrative center, whether it is one of the twenty-four main administrative centers of the Daoist court, or a subordinate or separate administrative center.
If I could control one of the twenty-four righteous altars, I might be able to alarm the divine court and attract the attention of Zhang Tianshi!
The future seemed to suddenly become clear.
Countless thoughts surged through Qin Sang's mind as she paced back and forth on the ruins of Jingtan, sorting out what she needed to do next.
The most important task was undoubtedly to repair the Jingtan altar, but in reality, it was not as simple as imagined. The Jingtan altar was severely damaged, making repair very difficult. Moreover, the Taoist altars did not exist independently; a complete system of main altars and branch altars had to be constructed for the Jingtan altar. Only with the help of the altar masters could the altar be restored.
"It seems I'll have to recruit some disciples from the Five Thunder Academy in the Kingdom of Kakushou..."
Thinking to himself, Qin Sang called Qin Hou over to ask him a question.
Qin Hou thought for a moment and said, "In the Kingdom of Horned Life, there is a Green Horn Clan. The Green Horn people have a green horn on their heads, which contains the power of thunder. Therefore, they are born with the ability to manipulate lightning. Cultivating thunder magic might be twice as effective. Moreover, the Green Horn Clan are all magic cultivators, so they should be able to adapt to human cultivation methods."
Qin Sang said "okay" and looked at Bai Ying'er beside her, "You should also think carefully about whether you want to switch to cultivating thunder magic."
He possessed numerous superior cultivation techniques, but his most outstanding ones were the Thunder Techniques. The Five Thunder Academy had the Five Elements Thunder Techniques, among which the Water Thunder Techniques were well-suited to Bai Ying'er's Water Jade Body.
Bai Ying'er's current cultivation method is naturally incomparable to the Daoist Court's inheritance, but she has been immersed in it for a long time and is somewhat hesitant.
Qin Sang didn't rush her. No matter what Bai Ying'er chose, he was more than capable of guiding her now.
Next, Qin Sang no longer hesitated and instructed Qin Hou and the others to make various arrangements, having already decided to build an altar in Jiaosheng Kingdom.
"Keep it quiet for now. Select trustworthy cultivators and have them practice thunder magic. Also, secretly build an altar..."
Qin Sang took out countless precious materials, whose light instantly illuminated the dark room, dazzling Qin Hou and his men. Qin Sang acted swiftly and decisively, and Qin Hou and his men, obeying the order without delay, immediately went to make arrangements.
Qin Sang stayed behind and continued to examine the altar. Soon after, she sat down cross-legged and probed the ruins with her divine sense, trying to find any undamaged parts. She frowned and pondered at times, and gradually, she came up with a rough plan on how to repair the altar.
Now we just have to wait for news from Qin Hou and the others.
He knew that these things could not be accomplished overnight, especially the half-demon who cultivated thunder magic, which required careful discernment.
Delegating these trivial matters to the younger generation, Qin Sang simply went into seclusion here, summoning her Star Spirit to cultivate the "Heavenly Demon Refining Form".
During this time, Bai Ying'er and the others would come to report on their progress from time to time and ask Qin Sang for advice on cultivation problems.
On the surface, the Kingdom of Kakusho remains the same as always, but in secret, undercurrents are already surging.
Before we knew it, more than a hundred years had passed.