Chapter 0004: The Totem Pillar
There are both divine and demonic races, but most are of a lower order among the divine. Only the nine great clans, such as Fuxi, Nuwa, Huaxu, and Yanzi, are the true royal divine lineage, possessing the most noble bloodline. You carry the bloodline of the Fuxi divine clan within you, but unfortunately, it is rather thin, far inferior to these deceased deities and demons, making it unsuitable for the inheritance of the sacred fire; otherwise, you would be the bearer of the sacred fire in this generation
"Xinhua, can you see what is truly within this black mist?"
Zhong Yue walked into the Blue Sky Hall when suddenly a melodious voice came from behind: "Zhong Yue? Brother Yue of the Zhongshan clan? It really is you! It's been a few days since we last met, how have you become so thin?"
In the light, the little boy whispered, "The resentment is so strong that something earth-shattering must have happened here, causing these beings to harbor such lingering grievances. Moreover, what exactly are these souls of the dead gods and demons searching for? Whatever it is that these beings seek after their death must surely be something extraordinary!"
Zhongshan Tribe, Zhongshan Clan, Zhongyue
In the distance, tattered flags flutter in the air, and more giants and monstrous beasts appear. However, due to the great distance, Zhong Yue's vision is insufficient to discern them clearly; he can only see the flickering of ghostly flames, which are the eyes of the skeletal giants and skeletal beasts
The relationship between the spirit and the totem is closely intertwined. There is a tribe whose alchemist's totem is a black tortoise, and thus the entire tribe regards the black tortoise as their totem. Moreover, the tribe's worship of the black tortoise totem has, to some extent, enhanced the cultivation of that alchemist.
The little fire sprite jumped out from the lamp, walked on his clothes, touched his coccyx, and shook his head, saying: "You have a tail, it just hasn't grown out. The Fuxi divine clan I encountered before all had snake tails; why hasn't yours grown? Don't believe it? Then feel your own backside and see if there are any traces of a coccyx."
As for the tribes without Qi Refiners, they certainly do not possess totemic pillars. The Zhongshan tribe, from which Zhong Yue hails, is the smallest tribe, and naturally, it also lacks such treasures as totemic pillars
Zhong Yue shook his head, picked up the bronze lamp, and prepared to leave for Jianmen. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks and turned back. The young attendant of the firewood looked at him curiously as Zhong Yue took a medicinal hoe from the medicine basket. He spent more than half an hour digging a pit, bowed to the bones, invited the bones into the pit, then filled it with soil, bowed again, and finally stood up, carrying the lamp as he departed
There are numerous outer disciples, totaling more than 50,000. Zhong Yue's disappearance for three days did not attract the attention of the Sword Gate. A person of his humble background, hailing from the small Zhongshan tribe, would likely go unnoticed even if he were to die outside.
The child inside the lamp gazed at him with admiration, quietly waiting for him to finish everything. When he saw Zhong Yue hang the lamp around his neck and begin to climb the stone wall, he couldn't help but exclaim: "A dignified deity, yet you cannot fly and must rely on your two legs to walk. This truly brings shame to the divine race! Pure-blooded deities are inherently sacred; with just a flick of their tails, they can manipulate the air and soar."
These are the souls of demons, formed from the lingering resentment of deities and demons after their demise
Another colossal beast has appeared, its body draped in decaying flesh and blood, with ghostly flames flickering in its skull. A skeletal giant rides atop the beast, and some of the skeletal giants are adorned with the flesh and blood of various birds and beasts, which writhe in a rather eerie manner
Only those from the esteemed families within the tribe are qualified to hold the totem pole
Someone was killed during the assessment, their soul scattered!
The dignified divine race, surprisingly unable to use their own divine eyes to see... Indeed, your divine eyes have also regressed. Touch your own brow, is it slightly concave? That is where the third eye of the Fuxi divine race is located, the position of the divine eye!
Zhong Yue looked around following the light, feeling a sudden shock in his heart
The totem pillar is a sacred column used by the human tribes in the Great Wilderness for rituals, possessing miraculous effects that provide excellent nourishment for the soul and significantly enhance the efficacy of meditation and visualization practices
By the time he walked out of the Gathering Cloud Mountain, the demonic souls in the haze had already dissipated, and after another half day, the haze had also vanished completely
He lifted the lampshade and looked inside, only to find that the small flame of the wick had vanished, leaving behind only a flame the size of a fingertip
Zhong Yue headed straight for the Azure Sky Hall, as the soul-separation assessment was held only once a month, and today was the day of the assessment. If he missed it, he would have to wait until next month.
Zhong Yue turned around and saw a young girl following him into the Azure Sky Hall. The girl appeared to be around thirteen or fourteen years old, with fair skin and beautiful features. She wore a white fur hat, and her eyes were as clear as spring water. She exuded a subtle and elegant fragrance, and she approached him quickly, carrying a small totemic pillar on her back. Upon reaching his side, she exclaimed joyfully: "It really is you! A few days ago, when I came to find you, I saw that you were not here, and I thought something had happened to you. I was so scared! How did you get so thin? Just now, I almost didn't recognize you..."
In front of the azure sky hall, the white-clad elder in charge of the hall appeared to be oblivious to Zhong Yue's arrival, calmly asking: "Which clan do you come from?"
A gigantic foot suddenly descended from the sky, landing in the deep valley. This foot was devoid of flesh and blood, consisting only of bones, stark white, and approximately half an acre in size
Outside the Azure Sky Hall, the outer disciples who came for the assessment felt anxious and uneasy. They had all heard rumors about the assessment at the Azure Sky Hall resulting in fatalities, but hearing about it and witnessing it firsthand are two different experiences. The impact on their minds was even more profound, causing many to feel a sense of trepidation and contemplate retreating.
The skeleton of the white bone giant is adorned with various exquisite patterns, resembling totemic designs that cover all its bones. It strides forward on its two feet, dragging a long white bone tail behind it, swaying back and forth, the origin of which is unknown.
"Xinhua, are you still there?" Zhong Yue shook the strange lamp and asked
Could it be that my human race is truly a descendant of the Fuxi divine clan? It is impossible. My human race is weak and can be said to be the most insignificant among all races. How could we possibly be the noble descendants of the divine clan?
He looked up and saw a giant skeleton standing before him amidst the black haze, clad in tattered armor, which was covered in rust and corrosion, mottled and worn, as if it had endured the erosion of countless ancient years
Zhong Yue was somewhat worried, as the Sword Gate placed great importance on its traditions. If it were discovered that he was not practicing the Sword Gate's techniques, being expelled from the Sword Gate would be a minor issue; however, if it led to his demise, that would be a significant loss
Zhong Yue climbed up the cliff and laughed, saying: "I do not have a tail, nor am I of the divine race, so naturally I cannot fly"
Do not disturb me
Zhong Yue had just arrived at Bikong Hall when a sudden uproar erupted, and the crowd surged: "Someone has died!"
Numerous skeletal giants continued to rise from the ground, joining this army of bones, yet the surface showed no signs of damage
Suddenly, a tattered large flag silently glided past Zhong Yue, floating in the air. Then, enormous skeletal feet descended from the sky, moving silently through the dark haze. These skeletal feet were so large that their surfaces were much higher than Zhong Yue's head
Such totemic pillars can only be crafted by Qi Refiners, thus only tribes possessing Qi Refiners can have them. The spirit refined by the Qi Refiner is also a type of totem, called Turing, which means the spirit of the totem.
He fell into a deep sleep again. Zhong Yue pondered for a moment, placed the lamp in the medicine basket, covered it with herbs, and walked into Jianmen Mountain
This scene caused many outer disciples to feel a tightness in their hearts. The assessment of soul separation is extremely rigorous; merely achieving soul separation is not sufficient to pass the assessment. It also requires evaluation of the strength of the soul and combat awareness, with many perilous aspects involved. A moment's carelessness could result in injury.
The soul has left the body, and I cannot utilize the fire visualization diagram of the Fire Chronicle Palace that was imparted to me. I can only employ the visualization method of the Sword Gate. I wonder if this method can indeed facilitate the soul's departure from the body
The old man in white raised his head and glanced at Zhong Yue: "Please enter. Next! Which clan do you come from?"
These skeletal giants are adorned with totemic patterns, enduring through the long passage of time without fading. They seem to lack a true physical form, passing through mountains when encountering them and treading upon water when faced with it. Following behind the great banners in the sky, they only drain the flesh and blood of living beings when they come across them
The treatment of outer disciples who have successfully achieved soul separation is vastly different from those who have not. Those who have achieved soul separation reside in the upper courtyard and receive ten Feather Spirit Pills each month, along with teachings of more profound techniques! I must first go to the Outer Sect's Biking Hall, pass the assessment, and elevate my treatment!
Zhong Yue's heart stirred as he saw two men in white carrying the corpse of a young boy out of the Biking Hall, who was indeed the outer sect disciple that had died during the assessment
Originally, the area near Jianmen Mountain was lush and verdant, with the mountains appearing emerald green; at this moment, it seems to have transformed into a realm haunted by malevolent spirits!
The flickering flame revealed a small head the size of a child's finger, yawning and saying: "I have been burning the lamp to fend off the darkness these past few days, exhausting too much of my spirit, and I need to rest. I must quickly find the heir of the flame to reside in his soul, otherwise I will not be able to last for many years before extinguishing. I have slept for too long, far less than before ... ... " I must quickly find the heir of the flame to reside in his soul, otherwise I will not be able to last for many years before extinguishing. I have slept for too long, far less than before ... ... "
Zhong Yue exclaimed, "Are they of the divine race?"
Zhong Yue identified the direction and proceeded towards Jianmen Mountain
"Elixirs and miraculous medicines? For someone like me, a child of a humble family, being able to have enough to eat is already quite good. How could I possibly afford to consume elixirs and miraculous medicines?"
Weishui Tribe, Shuitu Clan, Shui Qingyan
Upon arriving at the Azure Sky Hall, one could see over a hundred outer disciples gathered there, also awaiting the assessment. Several outer disciples were holding totemic pillars, on which strange patterns were drawn with the blood of exotic beasts.
Zhong Yue touched his forehead and indeed felt a concave area, which made him even more suspicious. He thought to himself: "In the visualization of the Fire Era Palace's Sui Huang, there is also a third eye. Could it be that our human race also possesses a third eye?"
The dilapidated copper lamp gradually brightened, illuminating an ever-increasing distance. The darkness was exceedingly thick, yet this light seemed capable of piercing through all the gloom
He steadied himself and made a strenuous effort to climb up the cliff. With the firewood and this copper lamp, the dark haze could not penetrate. Soon, Zhong Yue reached the top of the cliff and looked around, only to see the dark haze enveloping the heavens and the earth
It is not uncommon for lives to be lost in such situations
The shadow of the demonic soul has dissipated, and the little fire spirit in the lantern has fallen silent. In recent days, with this peculiar little creature as company, Zhong Yue has not felt lonely. Suddenly, when the little fire spirit stops speaking, he finds himself somewhat unaccustomed to it
Zhong Yue stepped forward, thinking to himself: "The path of cultivation lies in being diligent and courageous. If the heart is defeated, everything is lost; what is there to discuss about cultivation?"
Zhong Yue wiped behind him and indeed touched his tailbone, a slight tremor in his heart