Chapter 1 Whispers in the Wind

Hoo-hoo~

An eerie wind swept across the desolate land. In the dim, lifeless world, dark mountain peaks rose starkly, encircling a majestic city.

Suddenly, a faint murmur echoed from within the city:

"It's almost time... almost time..."

.......

On a desolate peak of Jiao Yuan Mountain, An Qisheng sat in meditation.

With his eyes slightly closed, he could sense the ever-present magnetic field shifting in the world. As heaven and earth interacted, his physique and spirit underwent constant changes.

"The cultivators of this world seek out famous mountains and rivers because of the abundance of spiritual energy, but also to seclude themselves and avoid disasters. It seems to be much the same for me. The magnetic field in the mountains is purer. In the cities, the flow of people is chaotic. The magnetic field is certainly strong, but it's not easy to manipulate..."

Slowly opening his eyes, An Qisheng looked down at the sea of clouds. The scenes within the mountains and forests were reflected in his mind.

Birds circled in the sky, chirping sadly, their homes destroyed overnight... Beasts roamed the mountains, searching for new dens... Newly sprouted plants greedily absorbed the sunlight...

At a certain place in Jiao Yuan Temple, an old fox directed a large group of foxes to migrate. A small red fox, more intelligent than all the others, coordinated the movements, squeaking 'ji-ji'....

Li Sa, crawling out of a certain crevice, searched desperately for the grasslands, and was overjoyed when he found them...

His spirit spread out from his brow, extending along the pulse of the magnetic field throughout heaven and earth, experiencing all sorts of changes.

Heavenly luck, earth meridians, magnetic fields, spiritual opportunities...

If Xuan Xing was an absolutely pure world, then Huang Tian Realm was a melting pot.

Immortal Dao spiritual opportunities, Buddhist and demonic qi, resentment and baleful ghost qi, all kinds of qi that may or may not exist on Xuan Xing were mixed together in the whole world.

The reason that souls could not exist on Xuan Xing was that there was no basis for them to exist. The reason that souls could not exist in Jiu Fu Realm was that the heavens and earth did not allow it. But in Huang Tian Realm, it was difficult for souls to survive because there was too much qi.

A soul alone in it was like a drop of water in an ocean of ink. It was unimaginably difficult to maintain one's self.

Incense and faith power, however, could serve as a basis to maintain the integrity of the soul.

Incense and faith power were the cornerstone of the Yin Si (netherworld). Without the power of incense, the Yin Si could not exist.

This was also why the Tian Yi Sect and the Rulai (Tathagata) Monastery might have a temporary alliance with the various City Gods, but they would inevitably turn against each other in the end.

It was a matter of the foundation for dwelling in the world. This group of Yin Si ghosts and gods would not give it up easily.

"Heaven and earth spiritual energy..."

An Qisheng slightly raised his hand. As the magnetic field rotated, the surrounding heaven and earth spiritual energy poured in, gathering and swirling at his fingertips, looking like a solid water ball from a distance.

It refracted brilliant colors under the sunlight.

Immortal Dao spiritual opportunities, Buddhist and demonic qi, resentment and baleful ghost qi, and even the qi of incense, were all based on heaven and earth spiritual energy. The five paths of cultivation – Daoism, Buddhism, demons, devils, and ghosts – had different foundations, but they could not be separated from this heaven and earth spiritual energy.

Unfortunately, the heaven and earth spiritual energy of this world was too strange, constantly raising an alarm in his heart. Before each absorption, he would feel an extremely intense palpitation.

He didn't want to touch it at all.

Hoo~

With a flick of his finger, the gathered spiritual energy exploded in front of the cliff, the refracted colors stretching out more than ten zhang (approx. 33 meters) like a rainbow.

Then, An Qisheng slowly closed his eyes, and the surrounding magnetic field moved with him. For a time, the feng shui converged, and the mountain he was on naturally became the center of the surrounding mountains.

The source of the magnetic field feng shui.

The qi seed was just beginning to form and still needed to be polished. Only then could it advance further.

The entry into the Dao in the Huang Tian Realm was not the Heavenly Dao, let alone the Da Dao Ji, but the path of immortals, demons, gods, and devils.

What was being attuned to was the various qi in heaven and earth.

Killing a hundred miles with a flick of a finger, taking a head from a thousand miles away, moving mountains and overturning seas, reversing the stars, the reliance of all supernatural powers was the omnipresent qi in heaven and earth.

He could vaguely feel the powerful auras clinging to these qi deep in the void.

Each aura signified a powerful existence that had at least entered the Dao, or even reached the Yuanshen (Primordial Spirit) stage.

.......

"Candied hawthorns for sale!"

"High-quality rouge and powder, good goods from the prefectural city, gentlemen, buy some for your wives and concubines..."

"Good medicinal herbs that have been around for years, which shop wants to buy them? Come and take a look even if you're not buying."

An Nuo County at noon was particularly lively and prosperous. The villagers from nearby villages, merchants, peddlers, and shops were all shouting, making it very bustling.

Sa Wuling walked aimlessly down the street, his face twitching again and again.

Heaven knew how many times he had walked this street.

There was nothing he could do. This 'Hand Grandfather' of his was too overbearing. If he didn't like something, he would slap him. Who could withstand that?

"Is this all that a civilization developed over nearly ten thousand years amounts to? Class stratification is truly irredeemable..."

Mu Longcheng surveyed everything outside and shook his head in his heart.

Ten thousand years was not long relative to the heavens and earth. However, ten thousand years with human records was ridiculously long. The Da Xuan Dynasty only had records of ten thousand years.

Over such a long period, the fact that the Huang Tian Realm was so backward was outrageous. Mu Longcheng couldn't help but ponder the implications behind this.

In just a few days, he had gained some understanding of this Huang Tian Realm.

Compared to the dynasties and countries on the surface, the cultivators behind the scenes were the true apex of this world.

They stood at the top of the pyramid, taking the world as their supply. Imperceptibly, the world was running according to their wishes, not the will of the people.

In fact, the reason this world had been able to retain nearly ten thousand years of history was not because this world had not been interrupted, but because of the ten great demon-ghosts that were born from the heavens and earth, and were nearly immortal and indestructible.

The Ten Calamities of Huang Tian.

"Writing, language, civilization, lifestyle, class system, human emotions, social development, the different thoughts of a thousand, ten thousand people... If this world is false, then what kind of realm would the person who created all this be in?"

Mu Longcheng's heart sank.

The reason he collected information about this world was to determine whether this world was real or fake.

He found it hard to believe that there was a passage to another world in the so-called blessed land of reincarnation, but now he had to believe it.

To what extent must a person's spirit reach to create a civilization?

Even if it was just a backward civilization.

"Hand Grandfather, how much longer do you want to watch?"

Listening to the voice that occasionally sounded in his heart, Sa Wuling walked listlessly and couldn't help but ask in his heart.

He had already mastered the way to communicate with this 'Hand Grandfather' and understood the method of telepathy.

But unexpectedly, there was no sound in his heart. The 'Hand Grandfather' seemed to have fallen into silence.

He was slightly stunned, and then saw An Qisheng pacing in the crowd, and suddenly understood.

"Teacher? You're back?"

Sa Wuling was overjoyed, stepped forward two steps, and bowed.

These past few days that An Qisheng had been away, he had been living like he was dying. He had been practicing boxing on the high-rise every day, his old arms and legs. If he accidentally fell, it would cost him his old life.

Seeing An Qisheng at this time, his first thought was to have him look at his arm.

But in the next moment, he hesitated a little.

Although this 'Hand Grandfather' was vicious to him, his progress during this time had been immediate.

Getting closer, respect arose in his heart.

After more than ten days of cultivation, he felt that he was ten times stronger than before, but when he saw An Qisheng, he couldn't help but feel awe. He instinctively felt that beneath his calm appearance, there was a terrifying power hidden.

"Not bad, your progress is acceptable."

An Qisheng nodded slightly.

He had cultivated in the mountains and forests for ten days. In addition to understanding the qi field of the mountains and rivers, he also wanted to give Sa Wuling and Mu Longcheng time to adjust.

Sa Wuling's aptitude was ultimately average. If he wanted to reach the height he wanted, he naturally needed to cheat.

A person like Mu Longcheng who was devoted to the Dao was already considered a 'cheat' for the current Sa Wuling.

And during these ten days, Sa Wuling, who had chosen the Taiji (Taichi) Sensory Art, naturally failed to condense the qi seed, but the initial integration of the magnetic field, and the improvement of his physique under Mu Longcheng's guidance, had undoubtedly reached a new height.

This old Daoist was not a waste. In other words, anyone in this world who could come into contact with cultivation had already been selected from hundreds or thousands of people.

Whether it was aptitude or luck.

"Thanks to the teacher's blessing..."

Sa Wuling's smile was a little strained. He didn't want to talk about the 'Hand Grandfather', but he felt that not saying it would be unfair to his teacher's trust.

An Qisheng saw through his mood, but he didn't point it out.

It was human nature to keep secrets. There was no point in getting to the bottom of it. Of course, more importantly, the secret that Sa Wuling thought he had was not a secret to him.

After all, people's curiosity about other people's secrets was also human nature.

"I don't know if it's good or bad that you chose the Taiji Sensory Art, but since you've chosen it, you naturally have to continue on. Let's calculate it as today. Starting tomorrow, I'll guide you for half an hour every day."

An Qisheng said as if no one else was around:

"You can cultivate on your own the rest of the time."

Sa Wuling glanced around and it seemed that no one could hear their conversation at all.

After a moment of awe, he bowed and thanked him: "Thank you, teacher."

He adapted quickly and was not at all confused by An Qisheng's young appearance. There were many experts in this world who could maintain their youth.

"Since I've passed it on to you, I naturally won't hide anything. It just depends on how much you can get from it."

An Qisheng waved his hand:

"Go buy some wine and dishes. Tonight, I want to entertain a guest."

"Teacher's guest?"

Sa Wuling was slightly stunned. It seemed that the teacher had never said that he had any friends.

Seeing An Qisheng walking away, he breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave.

He went to buy wine and dishes.

In his arm, Mu Longcheng's mind was slightly rippling, and thousands of thoughts emerged.

It really was An Qisheng.

Who exactly is he?

.......

The City God Temple of An Nuo County had a lot of people, and the incense was considered prosperous. The smell of burning incense could be smelled from far away.

But it was still far from the Tianyi Branch Temple in the north of the city.

Deep in the City God Temple, in the City God's mansion invisible to mortals, Pei Yuanhua held the shattered incense mirror and pondered in his heart.

"That white-clothed Daoist is very strange..."

Pei Yuanhua muttered to himself:

"Wang Quan Daoist, Wang Quan Daoist... Who is this sacred being?"

Once he made a move, many things could not be hidden, such as magical power.

That sword was extremely powerful, but he didn't see any fluctuations of mana in it, no immortal spiritual energy, and no resentful ghost qi.

But if he said that the person who released this sword was a mortal, he wouldn't believe it no matter what.

A mortal, not to mention whether he had the courage to face the aura of Yuanshen (Primordial Spirit), even if he dared, how could he do it?

Vaguely, he felt that the white-clothed Daoist must have a great secret.

At this moment, a panicked voice came, breaking his thoughts:

"Lord City God! Lord City God! Something bad, something bad has happened!"