Twilight Boundary-Chapter 782 - 772: Shangqiao Three Realms

"I must be getting old. I don't even understand why you're doing such a useless thing."

When Hu Ma finished speaking these last words, his mind withdrew inward, and in his peripheral vision, he only saw the State Preceptor's suddenly silent face.

He was aware of the devastating impact of his words and knew how infuriated the State Preceptor would become.

The State Preceptor knew I hadn't yet been on the Bridge, and of course, couldn't have imagined that I could cultivate the Shousui Mother Form. Perhaps I hadn't initially thought of it myself; the one who actually discerned this subtlety was someone else, Zhou Zhiming, the Lord of the Yangming Zhou Family.

When he brought the Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer to the Pan Mountain Army Formation to meet me, the timing itself was very peculiar.

Upon meeting me, the things he said were equally strange.

Later, I left, but he left his family's daughter by my side, which was even stranger.

At that time, I had already decided to cultivate the nine columns of Tao and abandon the Bridge path. However, that didn't mean I wasn't curious about the skills on the Bridge, and I had already learned about the realm of the Guest on the Bridge from Calculation.

According to conventional wisdom, breaking through the three gates of Entering the Mansion equated to stepping into the transcendence realm. Everything existed in a state of illusion, Magic was mysterious, and it was difficult to differentiate skill levels, but generally, there were several distinct realms.

The first step onto the Bridge was called "not human."

Walking a bit further led to "Ghost is not Ghost."

Further still, one reached the highest level before the formidable obstacle, called "God is not God."

The Non-human Realm signified the beginning of the disappearance of human characteristics, freeing one from the constraints of heaven, earth, ghostly gods, and deities.

Consider Hu Ma at this moment: his fate was heavy, and he held a significant treasure. If he were to truly fight, what ordinary Guest on the Bridge would dare provoke him? Yet, when it came to realm, others were indeed higher.

The simplest example was that on the Bridge, even those merely in the Non-human Realm could be beheaded yet not die, swapping bodies and still living.

This wasn't the kind of beheading performed by the trick door or the Negative Spirit Sect. This was a genuine beheading, after which the head could be reattached or even placed on another's body, and the person would continue to live. This was already a Non-human ability.

But Hu Ma couldn't do that. As a true "human," if Hu Ma were to be beheaded, he would still die.

Abilities were one thing, realms were another; they couldn't be spoken of in the same breath.

And because Hu Ma was still "human," Spells cast on him by others would still take full effect. In his several exchanges with the State Preceptor, almost every blow had landed squarely on him, and he had endured them solely through the power of his nine life incense.

Naturally, since all his abilities were techniques of the human world, the State Preceptor could suppress him with such ease.

Without going onto the Bridge, one couldn't reach the "Non-human" realm; this was an unsolvable problem.

This remained true until Zhou Zhiming appeared. He spoke at length, somewhat ramblingly, about many things: from the orthodox path of Shousui—abandoning the physical body to cultivate the Divine Soul—to the Life Nourishing dharma method of the Zhou Family.

Although he claimed to want my Great Mighty Heaven Master dharma method, his words somehow opened up new lines of thought for me. The Seal Technique left by Lao Junmei had its latter part erased, seemingly blocking my path, but what if it was intentional?

The Family Head of the Yangming Zhou Family himself admitted their family's method was wrong, which is why they encountered that formidable obstacle on the Bridge. When Lao Junmei left his dharma method, he erased the techniques for beyond the Bridge. Was it because he also knew that path was wrong?

This suspicion was why Hu Ma had humbly asked Fourth Miss Zhou about the Zhou Family's dharma method.

It was only after Fourth Miss Zhou, upholding the ethics of the Jianghu path, unreservedly explained the Zhou Family's Cultivation method that a realization finally struck Hu Ma. Certain possibilities are beginning to dawn on me...

The potbellied Ghost King, feeding on ghosts to fill its stomach. Devouring ghosts and Qi Eating strengthens the Divine Soul. It seemed like just Cultivation for Entering the Mansion. But Mr. Longjing had reminded me that feeding on ghosts wasn't truly consuming ghosts, but Qi Refinement. Qi Refinement could indeed strengthen the Divine Soul, but once it reached a certain point, it became somewhat inadequate and required further advancement. On my way back to Shangjing, I understood: this was refining.

Other Paths have more advanced dharma methods that can't be learned without going on the Bridge. But Shousui is different; it's based on the physical body. As long as the foundation is there and the Divine Soul is strong enough, there's no dharma method I can't learn. Not even the Heaven and Earth Unmoving Seal comprehended by the Lord of the Yangming Zhou Family.

It was for this reason, coupled with what he had left for Er Guotou earlier, that Hu Ma had the confidence to return to Shangjing City, unafraid of a complete fallout with the State Preceptor. He could even use the State Preceptor's attempt to restrain him as an opportunity, leveraging the moment of being forced onto the altar to carefully observe the Sacrificial Technique of the Daluo Dharma Sect.

Now that the Sacrificial Technique had been observed and the other party's dharma method had begun, Hu Ma directly interrupted him.

Heaven and Earth Unmoving Seal! Once this seal is activated, even if the sky falls, it has nothing to do with me. Trying to borrow my power? No way!

All of this was merely what Hu Ma thought in his heart; the State Preceptor naturally did not know. He only saw Hu Ma suddenly execute this dharma method and was already somewhat vexed. He hastily reached out to grab Hu Ma, but his hand merely passed lightly through him.

The current Hu Ma was Unaffected by All Techniques. The State Preceptor's form, being an illusion manifested by Magic, naturally could not touch Hu Ma, who now existed beyond the confines of heaven and earth.

At this moment, the State Preceptor gritted his teeth slightly. He even wanted to come in his true body, but he knew in his heart that this was absolutely out of the question.

As the one who had walked the farthest on the Bridge, he had long ago reached the Non-God Realm.

At this realm, manifesting various forms of Magic was as simple as a thought. He seemed like a deity, yet he was Non-God. He still possessed a physical body in this human world, and that body was his sole vulnerability.

Without this vulnerability, he could even be called an "Immortal."

Yangming Zhou Family...

With a flash of thought, his gaze cold and profound, he stared deeply at Hu Ma, then suddenly retreated a few steps and sat cross-legged. Then, from his body, another State Preceptor rose, took a step, and vanished from the spot.

"What's happening?"

Meanwhile, in front of the small Taoist temple of the Life-Knowing Hall, the Lords of the Ten Surnames, who had just been respectfully kowtowing to the incense table, had all risen to their feet.

Some looked up, others lowered their gaze, all discerning that Shangjing City showed subtle signs of capsizing. They muttered softly, "Just moments ago, someone was still shouldering the Ghost Altar. But now, that person is gone. This city... it will be difficult to protect..."

"Could it be that this dharma assembly is doomed to fail before it even begins?"

"..."

"Mr. Knowing Destiny..."

Yet, just as everyone, with wary eyes, was muttering to themselves, the figure of the State Preceptor appeared among them.

At this moment, he looked composed once more. He walked slowly towards Zhou Zhiming of the Yangming Zhou Family, bowed deeply, and said softly, "I was in the midst of a cordial discussion with the young Lord of the Hu Family, requesting the Twelve Ghost Altars to approach the city, when a small problem arose."

"I wish to consult Great Zhou Shousui on a dharma method to break the law."

"..."

Zhou Zhiming, hearing his words, showed a hint of surprise and chuckled, "The State Preceptor's knowledge is as vast as heaven and man. You wish to consult me?"

The State Preceptor straightened up, gently flicked his horsetail whisk, and smiled. "The Zhou Family is the very progenitor of Shousui. I wonder, for the Heaven and Earth Unmoving Seal on the Shousui Bridge, is there a way to break the law?"

"What?"

Zhou Zhiming looked utterly astonished. "This seal was passed down as three parts from my ancestors, and I myself deduced the other seven parts before finally grasping the path. I've never even used it before others. How does the State Preceptor know of it and even seek a way to break the law?"

The State Preceptor observed his surprise but didn't question how Hu Ma could have learned the Zhou Family's Secret Technique. He merely smiled faintly and said softly, "That descendant of the Hu Family has indeed learned a full complement of Shousui abilities. Using this technique to escape beyond heaven and earth is certainly a display of impressive learning, but now he's just delaying matters."

"He actually knows it?"

Zhou Zhiming's face immediately showed surprise, as if somewhat angered, but then he shook his head with a wry smile. "State Preceptor, you flatter me!"

"I only know this one technique, and it's just a defensive measure, like a turtle pulling into its shell—hardly a useful dharma method. It was merely how I stepped into the Non-God Realm. As for how to advance further, or even how to break it, I have no idea."

"Otherwise, the Zhou Family's great obstacle would have been gone long ago."

"..."

Listening to their conversation, the others present could no longer hold back, their expressions changing. "That kid has such a trick up his sleeve?"

"A fine scion of the Hu Family, yet he's learned a whole set of Shousui abilities! What is he planning? To marry into another family?"

Someone else said directly, "So that kid is playing turtle? Even if we can't break his dharma method, we can always get a hold of his weakness. If it really comes down to it, capture his Hu Family relatives. If he refuses to submit, execute them all?"

"Or expel them from their ancestral hall? His own father and Granny Bai are buried in that ancestral hall. Perhaps we could..."

"..."

"Enough with the nonsense."

Beside them, Zhou Zhiming, the Lord of the Zhou Family, sighed. "Never mind that we of the Ten Surnames would never stoop to such despicable acts. Even if we were to do so, he has used this technique. He's currently in a state of oblivion, his spirit wandering beyond the heavens. Even if you wanted to threaten him, how would he possibly know?"

"True enough."

Someone nearby also sighed. "The Ten Surnames Ancestral Hall: when one thrives, all thrive; when one suffers, all suffer."

"The Meng Family, which has no living descendants, still has a paper man placed there to kowtow. If we could use the ancestors in the ancestral hall to coerce others, wouldn't the Stone Pavilion Alliance become a laughingstock?"

Their eyes flickered as they all turned to look at the State Preceptor.

The State Preceptor quietly observed them. Once their voices died down, he sighed softly. "The Zhou Family's Splendid Technique is the Shousui Mother Form. It allows one to transcend the bounds of heaven and earth. It is unbreakable by any known method."

"However, I believe this young Lord of the Hu Family's cultivation is still shallow. He shouldn't be able to maintain this state for a year or even half a year. But since time has been lost, we must adapt. I think it is time to trouble you all to proceed to the ancestral hall and burn incense."

"..."

"Burn incense?"

Upon hearing this, everyone fell slightly silent. Someone whispered, "Disturbing the ancestors is a grave matter. Besides, to involve the ancestral hall, all Ten Surnames must participate. If the Hu Family is unwilling, burning incense will be useless, won't it?"

"I have my ways," the State Preceptor nodded lightly. "The only problem is the delay. Before the preparations for the dharma assembly are complete, those evil spirits absolutely must not be allowed to reach Shangjing. Otherwise, the Immortal Foundation will be destabilized, and years of planning will be for naught..."

Saying this, he bowed deeply. "Gentlemen, I must trouble you..."

The others exchanged glances upon hearing this, then chuckled coldly. "You previously said we only needed to hold them off for one more day. Now it's just a little longer. What's the trouble?"

"At worst, we'll just block them outside. We'd like to see if they still have the ability to enter Shangjing City when our disciples take action!"