Volume One, Chapter 20: Opening the Divine Gate

Many years ago, Tiantian came to me to discuss getting rid of the serpent demon. Unfortunately, all her skills revolve around poison, which is countered by the snake, and I myself have little combat ability. Our original plan was to ambush her while she was refining her pills, but that sly serpent outwitted us with a decoy. I was captured and thrown into the alchemical furnace.

However, we did consider the possibility of failure before we set our plan in motion. Do you remember what I gave you to eat this morning? The ginseng spirit looked at Montage as he spoke.

“I remember. That thing… could it be…?” Montage hesitated.

“That’s right. It was part of my body—a piece of root, nothing more.” The ginseng spirit waved a hand dismissively. “You’re unique. You can absorb and neutralize any energy. My body holds immense life force, which is poison to most, but for you, it’s a rare tonic. If you absorb a portion of my power, you’ll rapidly awaken the spiritual energy within you. Once that’s done, if you join forces with Tiantian, there’s a chance you could defeat the serpent demon.”

“Will you die?” Montage suddenly asked.

“My essence is in the flowerpot you keep. Even if you absorb this entire body, it won’t be fatal—at worst, I’ll lose a bit of cultivation, but it’s nothing to worry about,” the ginseng spirit replied, unconcerned.

“Good.” Montage nodded.

Seeing Montage agree, the ginseng spirit didn’t hesitate any longer. His hands transformed into root tendrils, which swiftly pierced Montage’s skin. Pure life force surged into Montage’s body, and he felt himself awakening. Every cell seemed to cheer and rejoice; his metabolism accelerated a hundredfold.

“A premium black ginseng—one that’s even developed sentience?” came a voice, filled with unmasked surprise. For Kang, such ginsengs were nothing rare; even those aged ten thousand years, he’d once eaten like carrots. But for a spiritual herb to develop sentience—he’d never thought it possible, especially for premium black ginseng, which was nearly impossible to attain such intelligence. And yet, here in this age where the ways of magic are fading, one had appeared. What’s more, it had willingly given its accumulated life force to Montage.

“Senior, you’re awake?” Sensing Kang’s presence, Montage called out in delight.

“Don’t lose focus. Absorb this energy well—it’ll do you great good. It might even help you open the Gate of Divinity,” Kang reminded him.

“What’s the Gate of Divinity?” Montage had never heard the term before.

“It’s a set of ten innate shackles within every human, located in the five organs, four limbs, and the brain. Open them all, and you’ll ignite your spiritual essence and ascend to immortality. But this ginseng’s power is limited; at most, it can help you open one gate. I suggest you open the one in your brain first,” Kang advised, immediately seeing the situation.

“What do I need to do?” Montage cut straight to the point.

“Channel this energy into the Tree of Ten Thousand Monsters, transform it into your own power, then focus your mind to sense it.” Montage followed the instructions.

In the next instant, he felt as if he saw a different version of himself, aglow with countless points of light and crisscrossed by veins of various colors.

“These are your acupoints and meridians. Everyone’s are different—that’s why I suggested you open the brain’s gate first. While it won’t boost your combat power much in the short term, it’ll make your future cultivation twice as effective for half the effort.”

“But what I need most right now is combat power.” Montage was tempted, but he knew what he needed most: if he couldn’t defeat the serpent demon, what use was opening the brain’s gate? Would he even live to leave this place?

“A mere minor spirit dares call itself a demon! Once you open the brain’s gate, with the help of the Nine-faced and that little spider, even if you can’t kill her, you’ll at least be able to protect yourself. But this chance comes only once. If you miss it, you won’t get such a good opportunity to open the brain’s gate again. Think well—this gate is known as the hardest to open; it requires the right time, place, and people. Many astonishing talents have been stopped at this hurdle, unable to move forward, fading into obscurity.”

Kang spoke earnestly, afraid Montage would recklessly throw away this rare chance. In this era, finding a sentient, ten-thousand-year-old black ginseng was no easy feat. Even at the height of the Demon Court, such treasures were rare.

“I’ve decided. If I miss this chance to open the brain’s gate, there will be others. But if I lose my family, I’ll never get them back.”

After speaking, Montage turned to Kang and asked gravely, “Tell me: which gate, once opened, grants the greatest fighting power?”

Kang paused, a look of nostalgia flickering across his face—this posture was so much like that person! “The gates in the four limbs. Opening them greatly enhances the body and bestows special talents—just like the little girl you saw earlier. Beyond that, the five organs correspond to the five elements: the lungs rule metal, the stomach earth, the kidneys water, the liver wood, the heart fire. Of these, metal and fire are the most powerful in attack. The metal path is sharp and unstoppable; the fire path is fierce and overwhelming. Either would break your current stalemate.”

“The limb gates strengthen the body; the organ gates enhance essence, energy, and spirit. Most people begin with the body, from outside in; cultivators start with the organs, from inside out. The path differs, but the destination is the same—just a few extra detours,” Kang added after a moment’s thought.

After listening, Montage understood. Physically, he couldn’t surpass monsters, so his best option was to open one of the organ gates.

“This serpent demon specializes in fire. The heart-fire gate is probably useless against her,” he thought, and without hesitation, focused all his power into his lungs. The vast life force surged into his lungs, nourishing and strengthening them. A faint, shadowy portal appeared—the very Gate of Divinity Kang had described.

“Within the Gate of Divinity lie countless magical arts. Once you open it, you’ll understand,” Kang reminded him.

Montage responded with a soft “Mm.” Gathering all his strength, he struck the gate hard.

With a boom, the seemingly solid gate shattered like paper. Instantly, Montage felt himself falling into a strange space. Countless mysterious runes appeared, flooding madly into his body until they formed a single ancient character.

“Wind?” Montage murmured in surprise.