novelraw Chapter 316 : The Path Guardian
Chapter 316 : The Path Guardian
Chu Sang couldn't muster any fondness for the Upper Realm. If she had to say something good, the only advantage the Upper Realm had over the Lower Realm was that resources were no longer privatized. It was purely a contest of divine power, with the strong being respected. Talismans, pills, formations, artifact refining, and other esoteric arts were basically in a public state. Of course, there was no need for private hoarding. Those who could ascend to the Upper Realm had already developed their own extremely comprehensive cultivation systems and had learned most of the techniques and classics that could be learned. Monopolization no longer had meaning.
She opened the communication jade butterfly and extracted some more information from the two sisters. She found a prosperous main city and went to the archive there.
For a month, she immersed herself in the archive, forgetting to eat and sleep, wanting to consolidate knowledge of the Upper Realm in the shortest time possible, especially in areas like formations and illusion techniques, which needed intensive study.
With the foundation from the Lower Realm, tracing back to the source, learning was quick.
During this month of advanced study in the archive, Chu Sang's power in formations, illusions, and talismans greatly increased, having a good suppressive effect even on upper deities.
Seeing her lingering in the archive every day, not returning even at night, the elder guarding the archive couldn't stand it anymore and wanted to sweep this stubborn guest out. Chu Sang waved her hand and drew a concealment talisman. This concealment talisman was different from the ones she had drawn before; it was created by integrating divine race techniques. After being driven out by the managing elder of the archive, she returned halfway, applied the invisibility talisman to herself, and swaggered past the elder without being detected.
The door closed, and the archive fell into darkness. She ignited a spark of divine fire at her fingertip, flying it to mid-air. The divine fire floated at the top of the archive like a lantern, illuminating an area for her to study the classics.
She engaged in this battle of wits with the archive elder for a month, finally managing to read all the books in the entire archive. Just then, the two sisters sent her a message, saying they wanted to properly thank her for saving their lives and invited her to meet.
During this month in the Upper Realm, Chu Sang had spent most of her time immersed in the archive. Her understanding of the Upper Realm wasn't much different from a month ago. Coincidentally, tomorrow was the day she had agreed with the Sima family head to infiltrate the Quan family. The information she currently had was far from enough to delve into the Quan family.
She needed to gather more intelligence.
Especially about some matters that had puzzled her for a long time. After meeting with the two sisters, she pulled them to a secluded corner, not bothering with pleasantries, and asked directly.
"Let me ask you something, can upper deities descend to the lower realm?"
"Ah, why are you suddenly asking this question?"
"...I, I miss my relatives in the lower realm. I was wondering if I could go back to see them." She casually made up a lie.
"The path of cultivation severs all emotional ties. You should have understood this principle back in the lower realm, let alone after ascending. After ascending, it's two different worlds. The power of upper deities far exceeds the limits that the lower realm's power can accommodate. If any upper deity could descend to the lower realm at will, the order of the lower realm would have collapsed long ago," the elder sister shook her head. "We ascended upper deities naturally cannot descend to the lower realm."
"Absolutely not? No exceptions?"
The elder sister sighed, "It's normal for newly ascended upper deities to miss life in the lower realm and want to go back for a look. I understand your feelings, but upper deities really have no way to descend to the lower realm at will. There are Path Guardians watching; you absolutely cannot go down."
"...Path Guardians?" It was the first time she had heard this new term. "What is that?"
The two sisters were surprised.
"You've been in the Upper Realm for a month, how are you still like a newly arrived deity? Never mind, we'll tell you. The rule that upper deities cannot descend to the lower realm at will is part of the Laws, and the Path Guardians are the executors of these Laws. Path Guardians possess the power of the Laws, which surpasses everything. Even deities cannot break through the Laws."
"Path Guardians guard the Gate of the Divine Realm. Do you know what the Gate of the Divine Realm is? It's the gate you saw when you ascended, also the passage between the upper and lower realms. Path Guardians guard the Gate of the Divine Realm day and night. You can't escape their watchful eyes and sneak into the lower realm."
"I didn't see any when I ascended."
"There are so many small worlds in the Three Thousand Realms, with people ascending every day. Path Guardians aren't something you can see just because you want to."
"Are Path Guardians also deities?"
"Each Path Guardian is selected from among the deities of the Upper Realm, but don't get your hopes up. We who have ascended from the lower realm probably don't have much chance. Throughout history, Path Guardians have basically all been innately gifted deities born in native Upper Realm families. Path Guardians are personally selected by the Laws, with extremely high selection requirements. Ordinary deities simply don't have this opportunity."
The elder sister blinked and cautiously probed, "You're not thinking that becoming a Path Guardian would allow you to freely descend to the lower realm, are you?" She shook her head, "I advise you to give up on that idea. It's simply not possible. Path Guardians are even less able to descend to the lower realm."
"Those chosen by the Laws to be Path Guardians are both fortunate and unfortunate. They will dedicate their entire lives to guarding the Gate of the Divine Realm."
"Do you know who the current Path Guardian is?"
Chu Sang had reason to suspect that the ability of the Quan family's Second Young Master to descend to the lower realm was very likely related to the Path Guardian. Since each Path Guardian was selected from these native Upper Realm noble families, was it possible that the current Path Guardian was within the Quan family? Is that why that Quan family Second Young Master could act so recklessly, breaking through the Laws?
"This... we don't know either. The identity of the Path Guardian is extremely mysterious and would never be revealed to the outside world."
After a moment of silence, Chu Sang raised her head and asked, "Suppose, just suppose, a deity really did descend to the lower realm, what kind of situation would that be?"
"With Path Guardians guarding the rules, it's impossible for deities to descend to the lower realm, unless..."
The two paused, then answered in unison,
"Unless—the Path Guardian disappeared."
"But, how is that possible?" The younger sister said, then immediately shook her head. "The Path Guardian is chosen by the Laws, with extremely strict selection criteria. Each Path Guardian dedicates their soul to the Laws, with their life's mission being to guard the Gate of the Divine Realm. They would absolutely never abandon their post."
"Then... what if someone harmed them?"
Hearing this, the two were shocked again. After thinking seriously, the younger sister said in a low voice, "If someone really harmed the Path Guardian, the Laws would send out a message to find the next new Path Guardian. But there hasn't been any movement, so the Path Guardian must still be alive!"
The Path Guardian is alive, but not managing things.
"Could they have been captured by someone?"
"Who would dare to lay hands on the Path Guardian? That would be challenging the Laws. Once discovered, there's only death awaiting them."
"What about the top families of the Upper Realm? For example, the Quan family?"
Top families have existed for a long history. Families at the level of the Quan family might have been established around the same time as the Divine Realm. Such great families might really hide some secret arts capable of deceiving the Laws.
"...Do you know something?" Listening to these increasingly outrageous and horrifying words, the two sisters couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
When they first met Chu Sang a month ago, they felt she was very different from newly ascended deities. Now, she seemed even stranger, like someone from a different world compared to other deities.
The reason she was investigating the Path Guardian was probably not as simple as she claimed. And the Quan family, how could she be involved with them?
"What exactly are you trying to do?"