Chapter 247: Chapter 13: Honorary Title, Supreme Qingtian
The True Void Hometown is not an obscure secret known by few—in fact, all Immortal Sects have some documentation related to the No-Life Sect.
The Taoists once purged the No-Life Sect, sweeping through all towns overnight and destroying the divine statues, dealing the sect a debilitating blow.
However, they were ultimately unable to pinpoint the exact location of the True Void Hometown.
It is precisely due to the secrecy of the True Void Hometown that the No-Life Sect persists like cockroaches, thriving in the dark corners of the Cultivation World.
Even the No-Life Sect itself has scant knowledge of the True Void Hometown; the texts are filled with mythical tales about the No-Life Mother, blending truth and fiction, portraying her as the sole Immortal God.
It seems as though the True Void Hometown has existed since the sect’s inception.
The island at the center of the True Void Hometown is denied by the No-Life Sect as the corpse of the No-Life Mother. Instead, they claim it to be a part of her body.
It is the mother nest that nurtures all creatures, referred to by the demon cultivators simply as "Luo Zu."
To outsiders, elevating the No-Life Mother—who isn’t even an immortal—to the status of a Taoist Ancestor might seem exaggerated.
Yet within the No-Life Sect, fervent worship of the No-Life Mother prevails.
Obsession and madness—this is the fixed impression the Cultivation World holds of the No-Life Sect, and most smaller Immortal Sects dare not provoke its demon cultivators.
Once, a Nascent Soul Great Power from an Immortal Sect, upon learning the Lifeless All Directions Spirit Festival, attempted to dismantle the sect from within.
But within ten years, the Nascent Soul Great Power became a devoted believer of the No-Life Mother, as if the True Void Hometown possessed a peculiar allure.
The number of Nascent Soul experts in the No-Life Sect has already surpassed that of medium-sized Immortal Sects, though no faction is certain whether they possess members at the Divine Separation Stage.
Layers upon layers of Rushan ascend higher in altitude as they near Luo Zu’s chest and abdomen.
Only those at the Nascent Soul Stage are eligible to occupy the mountain peaks.
Each Rushan stands separated by hundreds of meters, with towns established by the Gray People at the bases, housing populations ranging from tens of thousands to mere thousands.
The towns exhibit vastly different customs due to their allegiance to various Nascent Soul Demon Cultivators.
For example, the Gray People under the Blessed Earth Immortal reside in caves carved into the mountain, tasked with cultivating spiritual materials on Rushan’s surface.
The mountain peaks are covered with terraced fields, and a stone tablet reading "Fude Palace" stands at the entrance of the town.
Or take the Golden Light Saint Mother, whose Rushan glimmers with dazzling brightness, causing most Gray People to become blind, relying solely on hearing to survive. Their homes are constructed from glass in seven colors.
However, all Gray People are essentially the underclass of the No-Life Sect.
They labor tirelessly to extract resources from Rushan’s exposed layers. Even if they succumb to exhaustion and die, their remains quickly give rise to new Gray People.
The perpetual torment of being unable to live nor die leaves the Gray People in excruciating pain.
Their sole solace lies in the temples halfway up the mountains, where hundreds of Gray People kneel in constant worship, praying to Immortal Gods for deliverance.
Naturally, the divine statues enshrined within the temples are the transformed bodies of Core Formation Demon Cultivators.
Every ten years or so, Core Formation Demon Cultivators select a batch of Gray People to serve as temple priests, teaching them rudimentary Qi Refining Techniques.
The Gray People’s foundations had long been consumed by the No-Life Demon Cultivators.
No matter how arduously they cultivate, they can only reach the Foundation Establishment Stage, though to them, this rank just below Immortal Gods is already sufficient.
The rigid hierarchy of the No-Life Sect leaves even Core Formation Demon Cultivators struggling to rise.
The Nascent Soul Demon Cultivators rule entire Rushan mountains, dwelling at the fog-shrouded peaks, while Core Formation Demon Cultivators must surrender over half their resources.
The Gray People fare even worse, forever condemned to suffering.
Each Rushan is equivalent to a mountain gate representing the No-Life Sect’s Taoist inheritance.
Occasionally, newly-arrived Foundation Establishment Demon Cultivators enter the True Void Hometown, only to be quickly divided among Nascent Soul Demon Cultivators as part of the ecosystem.
Boom, boom, boom...
Soft tremors came from afar, prompting the Gray People to instinctively halt their labor, their eyes filled with fear as they gazed toward the mist outside Luo Zu.
"No-Life Mother, is there an Immortal God descending upon us?"
"No-Life Mother, by our calculations, it’s been a hundred days since the last Immortal God appeared."
Their words brimmed with reverence before they unanimously retreated indoors.
After all, if a divine statue passes nearby, the mere shockwaves are enough to kill or grievously injure most Gray People, dragging them into the cycle of reincarnation.
As the tremors intensified, some Core Formation Demon Cultivators began to take notice.
The Core Formation Demon Cultivators walked out slowly from the Daoist temples halfway up the mountains, prompting countless Gray People to worship them, their frantic exaltation echoing everywhere.
"The aura is unfamiliar. It’s likely their first arrival at the True Void Hometown."
The Xuanling Damu Heavenly Monarch murmured, her skin covered with countless eyes opening and closing, attempting to discern the newcomer’s appearance—yet to no avail.
She belongs to the Blessed Earth Immortal, her Rushan situated at Luo Zu’s shoulder.
This is already considered the core region, reflecting the Blessed Earth Immortal’s status within the No-Life Sect.
"As long as it isn’t a Nascent Soul Demon Cultivator. Each fight over Rushan leaves an unimaginable death toll, haha..."
Speaking was the Beidou Liu Gong Mountain Man, whose divine statue took the form of a python with a human face.
Xuanling Damu Heavenly Monarch remained silent. She knew better than to speak recklessly, for a misstep could result in her death.
The Blessed Earth Immortal was notoriously capricious.
Decades ago, during Qing Town’s Examination, three of his affiliated Core Formation Demon Cultivators perished—one killed by external sect cultivators, while the other two fell at his own hand with effortless ease.
"Turbulent times... I hope this won’t affect me."
Just as Xuanling Damu Heavenly Monarch intended to return inside the Daoist temple, a sudden sting pierced her countless eyes. Radiant light burst forth from the mist.
She froze in place, astonished. A foreign honorific surfaced in her mind:
[Supreme Qingtian]
The other Core Formation Demon Cultivators also began to notice the terrifying phenomenon. What shocked them most were the four characters "Supreme Qingtian." Exactly what kind of existence must one be for even the No-Life Mother to acknowledge such a title?
"Supreme Qingtian?"
A low murmur echoed from the mountain’s summit. Xuanling Damu Heavenly Monarch looked toward Rushan’s "Fude Palace," where a gigantic eye emerged from the mist.
The eye belonged to the Blessed Earth Immortal. Its gaze was chilling, causing some demon cultivators to choose exile from the True Void Hometown to avoid calamity.
One by one, the demon cultivators averted their gaze, ceasing to pay attention to the happenings outside of Luo Zu.
The mysterious figure had yet to appear.
First revealed was a glowing halo, formed by countless translucent mayflies.
Next, the smell of industrial fumes permeated the air. Inside the mist, lightning flashed and thunder roared, dots of acid rain fell inexplicably within the True Void Hometown.
Five-colored lightning interwove with deafening beastly growls, sending chills down spines.
The newcomer’s outline flickered—a figure with eight arms draped in a Dao-rhythmic robe. However, their stature puzzled the Core Formation Demon Cultivators; it measured only around seven hundred meters.
In the True Void Hometown, the physical size of demon cultivators’ divine statues defines their status.
Core Formation Demon Cultivators span beyond a hundred meters; Perfect Core Formation doesn’t exceed two hundred. Even with a Taoist Body’s empowerment, three hundred is the upper limit.
Nascent Soul cultivators range over a thousand meters.
For Supreme Qingtian to stand at seven hundred meters, they seemed lodged between Core Formation and Nascent Soul stages.
"Playing tricks."
A cold snort came from the top of a Rushan in the southeastern region. Moments later, a delicate jade hand measuring hundreds of meters pointed beyond the island.
A light breeze stirred, accompanied by a spell.
A tinkling laughter echoed—a woman’s, as severed heads of women materialized from nothing.
"Fellow cultivator, taste a strike from a small girl first."
The heads combined, forming a cluster resembling a bunch of grapes hanging from tree branches, hurtling toward Supreme Qingtian’s location.
The Core Formation Demon Cultivators swallowed nervously.
They recognized the heads belonged to none other than Doumu Primordial Lord, whose Rushan lay deep in Luo Zu’s core region, commanding over a hundred Core Formation Demon Cultivators.
Doumu Primordial Lord’s Rushan was called the Doumu Immortal Palace.
"Incoming."
Li Mo’s steps hesitated briefly, which observers interpreted as uncertainty, though Nascent Soul Demon Cultivators monitoring him grew more tense.
The phenomena unfolding at Li Mo’s temple were unmatched, even surpassing what might be expected from Nascent Soul cultivators.
Li Mo knew coming to the True Void Hometown so ostentatiously would provoke probes from Nascent Soul Demon Cultivators, so he deliberately slowed his pace.
This way, he created enough distance for maneuverability.
The beauty heads, curious in expression, bit one another as they advanced, their faces rapidly transforming into various exquisite countenances—a dazzling display.
Li Mo inhaled deeply; his aura began to surge, three spiritual powers merging reluctantly into one under the effect of his Innate Saint capabilities.
He was curious.
With three transcendent Golden Cores surpassing infant crying, could he possibly challenge a Nascent Soul cultivator?
As Doumu Primordial Lord’s beauty heads approached Li Mo, their flesh began to decay, transforming into skulls of white bone.
Eight arms seized the beauty heads, and the combined spiritual power showed signs of collapse.
Li Mo was not alarmed but rather delighted; the Nascent Soul Stage’s spell seemed less overwhelming than expected, its pressure far from unbearable.
The beauty heads refrained from attacking, each skull showing a startled expression.
Clearly, Doumu Primordial Lord was using the beauty heads to scrutinize Li Mo. In a single glance, she identified that he possessed at least five types of Innate Taoist Bodies.
Where did such talent come from? Why was his temple awash with such terrifying phenomena?
"Hah!!!"
Li Mo narrowed his eyes, taking advantage of Doumu Primordial Lord’s stunned moment to unleash his Primordial Dao Body to its fullest extent, his eight arms brutally crushing the beauty heads.
The True Void Hometown had one advantage—the power of Taoist Bodies could be maximally exerted.
Next came the Ancient Sacred Body.
Due to the Creation Book’s branded influence, the Tattooed Beast had already merged with the Ancient Sacred Body and naturally followed him into the True Void Hometown.
Li Mo selected the Golden Toad to possess him, turning his skin to metallic form.
Crack, crack, snap.
The sound of breaking bones echoed repeatedly.
"Ahhh..."
The beauty heads struggled against the eight arms, but Li Mo’s gripping strength grew increasingly fierce, mercilessly shattering their skulls.
The demon cultivators exchanged baffled glances, never having witnessed a temple with such formidable physical strength.
Fragments of bone scattered across the ground. Doumu Primordial Lord showed no anger. "What a fine young man. Would you like to join the Doumu Immortal Palace and explore the path of dual cultivation together?"
"This small girl truly meets for the first time a fellow cultivator she cannot see through."
Li Mo continued toward Luo Zu, the Paoxiao Swallowing Body, Primordial Dao Body, and Ancient Sacred Body all lending terrifying enhancements to his physical form.
This stirred an endless wave of mist, his figure steadily rising.
Seven hundred meters?
In the No-Life Demon Cultivators’ eyes, this was clearly Supreme Qingtian restraining his true stature. Now, exceeding a thousand meters revealed his genuine prowess.
The mist dispersed.
The full form of Li Mo’s temple was laid bare before Luo Zu.
Doumu Primordial Lord shrieked, "Come and see it clearly! A Taoist Body bearing the name of Supreme Qingtian—what hidden mystery does it possess? Ahhhh!"