Above the Great Dao

The capital of the Heavenly Pond Country has no fixed boundaries. The buildings are just somewhat taller and more magnificent than those in the villages, and the scale is much larger. But in Chen Shi's view, it's just a cluster of various-sized villages.

Sang Xixi whispered, "Each village is a tribe, and those living in the villages are often of the same race, with a leading Ghost God enjoying the incense offerings. The other Ghost Monsters are the Suppliers. These tribes together form the Heavenly Pond Capital."

Chen Shi looked into one of the tribes, and in the center of the village sat a Ghost God with a towering body, several zhang in height. He resided in the largest manor, with houses also built for Giant's habitation. The other Ghost Monsters in the tribe lived in ordinary stone houses, everything done to serve this powerful Ghost God.

The Ghost God cast its eyes over him, and suddenly its forehead split open, revealing an eye. Bright light shone this way, as if a small sun was hidden on its forehead.

Sang Xixi led Chen Shi and Peng Yan'er away under the watchful gaze of the Ghost God, saying, "These Ghost Monsters support the Ghost God, and the Ghost God will protect them when danger comes. When a Ghost God dies, they select the strongest Ghost Monster to accept the incense and become the new Ghost God."

In the distance, a tribe's Ghost Monsters stood on a wooden high platform, several zhang tall, vigorously pounding a large drum. On the platform, other Ghost Monsters were clashing and colliding, their brute strength astonishing, attracting Chen Shi's attention.

These Ghost Monsters were already adults, with robust physiques, unmatched strength, and had awakened a portion of their bloodline, showing terrifying combat power.

Their bloodlines were much higher than the Funiao Clan, their every move bursting with power comparable to Divine Descent Realm and Void Refinement Realm masters!

Chen Shi, seeing this, felt a sense of awe in his heart, "The Ghost Clan's Bloodline Power is too strong!"

In the underworld, there are divisions of Ghosts, Ghost Monsters, Ghost Gods, Demons, and so on.

Ghosts refer to the souls of humans or livestock such as cattle and horses, wandering to the underworld after death, turning into Ghosts when their souls have no place to go.

Ghost Monsters refer to creatures born in the underworld, inheriting yin energy, such as the Yaksha, Bull Head, Horse Face, and other Ghost Clans.

There are two kinds of Ghost Gods: one is an adult Ghost Monster, receiving incense worship, offered by clanspeople or other Ghost Monsters, becoming a Ghost God; another is a person or livestock or Demon with great merit, who after a long time under the mortal worship in the Mortal World, gains a Divine Office in the underworld by virtue of merit.

Demons are peculiar species born inheriting the evil qi of the underworld, often without a physical body, or attached to dry bones, or attached to plants in the underworld, or hiding in the darkness, appearing and disappearing mysteriously.

On the distant platform, one Ghost Monster suddenly clasped its hands together forcefully, and surging water suddenly appeared, sweeping its opponent away!

The force of this water was astonishing, breaking the bones and tendons of its opponent!

Sang Xixi whispered, "Did you notice anything?"

Chen Shi's voice was heavy, and he said solemnly, "I saw it, Divine Skills!"

"Yes, it's Divine Skills!"

Sang Xixi was full of admiration and then somewhat annoyed, saying, "How did you see it? When the Sect Leader brought me here, I encountered Ghost Monsters competing for the Divine position. They also used Divine Skills. I watched for a long time but couldn't see through it."

Chen Shi softly said, "Spells borrow the power of Heaven and Earth's Divine Beings. Divine Skills are powers that come from oneself."

He is a master of Spells, proficient in the Circulation Heaven Great Jiao, and over two thousand four hundred Talisman symbols, which can evolve into thousands upon thousands of Spells.

The Talisman is a pictographic text of Spells, recording the appearance of Gods and Demons, possessing extraordinary power through their appearance.

The Seal is the name of Gods and Demons, calling upon their names to borrow their power, even transforming into Gods or Demons.

The Divine Language is the language of Gods and Demons, using the speech of Gods and Demons to control the natural forces.

These all belong to Spells.

But the refining of Divine Skills is one's own great power, not relying on the power of Gods and Demons!

Divine Skills, signifying the ability to communicate with the Divine, demonstrating one's own power communicating with the Divine, without the need to borrow power.

The Bloodline Power of the Ghost Clan is Divine Skills!

After reaching adulthood, the Ghost Clan can awaken their bloodline and master Divine Skills!

If such a group of Ghost Clan were to invade the Mortal World...

Chen Shi slightly frowned, thinking to himself, "Compared to Spells, the activation speed of Divine Skills is faster. The speed of Divine Skills is quicker, but generally, a race can only master one or two types of Divine Skills, far less varied than Spell transformations. Thus, it's hard to say which is stronger or weaker."

He felt a sense of relief.

He noticed that there were places for smelting and forging here, also organized by tribes, with all Ghost Monsters engaged in forging and smelting.

He also saw a tribe engaged in weaving. The Ghost Monsters in the tribe didn't use looms to weave cloth; instead, they wove by hand. The female ghosts in the tribe had eight arms, swiftly threading needles, weaving quickly. However, the cloth they produced was very coarse.

Chen Shi finally understood where the ragged cloth pants he previously saw on the little Yaksha's butts came from.

"The little Yaksha's ragged pants were probably bought from here. They weren't torn when purchased, but since the little Yaksha basically have no money, they've worn them so long they've become torn."

Though the Heavenly Pond Country is rough, the craftsmanship is nonetheless developed. Chen Shi also saw tribes specifically building ships, tribes making fishing gear, and even Ghost Clans engaged in commerce.

Besides this, there stood mighty Ghost Gods, clad in Armor, wielding axes, spears, knives, and forks, likely the Powerful Warriors guarding the capital.

He walked along, witnessing the customs different from the Mortal World, his eyes opened wide.

Sang Xixi said, "In the Heavenly Pond Country, we Skull Cultivators are also classified as a race, called the Skull Ghost Clan, with a very low status, not much better than the little Yaksha. We don't have our own tribe, and the cultivators who come here for a living often are those who, after death, attached to skeletons to get Treasures for their families in the Mortal World."