Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1289 - 1282: Dual Dao Nine Schools

Chapter 1289: Chapter 1282: Dual Dao Nine Schools

"Ask away, I’m listening," Zisu responded.

"The day of the battle, you mentioned Spirit Control Masters. What are those exactly?" Luo’er asked.

"It’s not a ’what,’ it’s a profession, understand?" Zisu shook her head, smiling.

"A profession?"

"I should have told you before that Cultivators of the Human Race can generally be divided into the Royal Dao and the Ba Path. However, the use of power is not limited to these two forms; there are various other modes of utilizing power," Zisu explained.

"For example?"

"Like the Spirit Control Masters I mentioned to you. They belong neither to the Royal Dao nor to the Ba Path but mingle with other varied categories collectively referred to as the Lower Nine Streams," Zisu explained.

"Lower Nine Streams..." Luo’er muttered the new term.

"The Lower Nine Streams belong neither to the Royal Dao nor to the Ba Path; they refer to all Cultivation forms outside those two, originally consisting of nine kinds, but though they have now expanded, they are still called the Nine Streams."

"The Nine Streams, being distinct from the mainstream, are spurned by Cultivators of the Royal Dao and the Ba Path, hence they are termed the Lower Nine Streams. Originally, the Nine Streams were held equal to the Dual Dao," Zisu said.

"What kinds of Cultivation forms do the Nine Streams include?" Luo’er, feeling as if he had discovered a whole new world, eagerly continued to inquire.

"The Nine Streams have now evolved into many forms. If you ask about the original Nine Streams established, they can generally be divided into: Curse Art, Divine Machines, Flow Redirect, Spirit Control, Heavenly Craft, Soul Snatching, Pill Path, Poison Path, and Star-shattering," Zisu detailed.

"In the Kyushu, Sects primarily focus on the Dual Dao; hence, the Nine Streams are hardly recognized by the mainstream. Therefore, the Nine Streams are mostly small Schools, and commoners wishing to cultivate and hold official positions would definitely not choose the Nine Streams. This has led to a talent drain within the Nine Streams, resulting in a complicated mix of all sorts of strange and varied characters, which has, in a way, also tarnished the reputation of the Nine Streams."

"Are there many Sects in East Prosperity Nine States?" Luo’er curiously asked.

"Of course, they are the primary source of Generals for the Dongsheng Empire," Zisu explained. "Carefully considering, there are mainly three sources of Generals for the Dongsheng Empire. The primary source is Sect disciples, the secondary source is the Nobility, and the last is Cultivators from the common populace through self-recommendation or election."

"That means the Sects and Nobility of the Dongsheng Empire have very close ties with the Imperial Court," Luo’er nodded and said.

"That’s the system of the Dongsheng Empire. It’s not too terrible, but it’s also not great. No matter how it’s arranged, the populace will always be an oppressed class," Zisu said, shaking her ears.

"If all the mainstream Sects of the Dongsheng Empire focus solely on the Royal Dao and the Ba Path, wouldn’t that make it too homogenous? It’s like a street where every store is a restaurant; it feels like something is missing," Luo’er raised another question.

"No no no, it won’t be homogenous," Zisu waved her hand to explain, "Previously I only told you about the mainstream being the Royal Dao and Ba Path, but I didn’t tell you that there are distinctions within the Royal Dao and Ba Path itself."

Pausing for a moment, she continued to explain, "The Royal Dao emphasizes the release of energy, so it can be roughly subdivided into a few categories, namely: Elemental, Equipment Form, Regeneration, and Runes. That Eastern girl in your team named Feng cultivates the Equipment Form."

"What do these words mean?" Luo’er blinked and asked.

"Hehe," seeing Luo’er’s puzzled expression, Zisu smiled gracelessly, then seriously explained, "Elemental involves releasing elemental types of damage, like flames or coldness; Equipment Form is about shaping equipment through energy to simulate the attack methods of weapons, achieving long-range killing effects; Regeneration, as the name implies, is using energy to heal wounds; and as for Runes, it’s about channeling energy by inscribing runes, somewhat similar to what you refer to as ’Rune.’"

"I see, so Feng is a Royal Dao Equipment Form," Luo’er nodded, talking to himself.

"Just from her performance in battle, it seems she is not merely proficient in Equipment Form. I always feel she also possesses the power of the Ba Path," Zisu said.

"Feng’s Equipment Form was self-taught, actually, she is a disciple of the Sword Saint of the Western Continent, and even without the Equipment Form, her Sword Skill is quite remarkable," Luo’er explained.

"Self-taught?" Hearing Luo’er’s answer, Zisu’s eyes widened.

"Yes, it seems she learned by herself through ancient scrolls," Luo’er said, scratching his head.

"To be able to learn through ancient scrolls alone, indeed impressive," Zisu mused, nodding thoughtfully.

"Don’t change the subject, you haven’t talked about the Ba Path yet," Luo’er reminded.

"I know," Zisu rolled her eyes at him, then she put on a serious expression and continued, "The so-called Ba Path focuses on energizing one’s qi to enhance one’s physical qualities. Specifically, it can be divided into a few types, Zhongyan, Banshan, and Moving Mountains."

She continued to explain, "The so-called Zhongyan focuses on gathering qi within the body to enhance personal Defense. A Zhongyan practitioner, impervious to blades and arrows, is a very troublesome type of cultivator. Banshan emphasizes versatility in movement, allowing cultivators to move as fast as flying and leap great distances. In the Dongsheng military, these individuals are generally referred to as ’Divine Walkers,’ primarily responsible for relaying military orders or conducting reconnaissance."

"The last type is Moving Mountains, which, as the name implies, uses qi to enhance one’s strength. Although it doesn’t literally involve moving mountains, it’s nevertheless extremely formidable," Zisu paused, then added, "Generally speaking, in the Dongsheng military, the generals of the Royal Dao mainly use Equipment Form, and those of the Ba Path mostly use Zhongyan, making these two types of generals the most famous for their offensive and defensive capabilities, symbolizing the empire’s conquering sword and shield."

"So the Royal Dao and Ba Path have such detailed divisions within them. I thought they were all the same," Luo’er nodded, indicating he had learned something new.

"Based on the intelligence we have, the Dual Dao and Nine Schools have always been at odds. It’s unclear what has happened this time, but a Spirit Control Master from the Nine Schools actually came to assist the Dongsheng military in battle," Zisu said, her expression turning worried.

"Money makes the world go round," Luo’er chuckled.

"Maybe," Zisu frowned slightly and nodded, then added, "But, those of the Nine Schools are mostly eccentric, working for money is quite rare among them."

"Speaking of the Nine Schools, can you explain the nine professions?" Luo’er asked curiously.

"Are you planning to interrogate me to death here today?" Zisu looked at Luo’er and said with a smile.

"Ah, is that not okay? If you’re tired, then let’s call it a day and you can rest. We can talk another day," Luo’er said somewhat nervously.

"Just joking with you, don’t be so frightened," Zisu waved her hand and spoke with a slightly scolding tone.

Taking a deep breath, Zisu spoke seriously, "Not all of the Nine Schools are related to cultivation. As you know, not everyone is gifted with the qualities for cultivation, so those without the qualities often consider joining the Nine Schools."

"The Curse Art of the Nine Schools is prevalent in the southeast of Kyushu and the entirety of Fengyu, and even includes the isolated island of Aximiya, where the Ghost Race resides. It’s generally believed that the Curse Art originated from Aximiya and was then introduced into Kyushu through Fengyu. Members of the Demon Clan in West Outer West Heaven also once mastered the Curse Art, but it was largely lost due to war."

"What’s the use of Curse Art?" Luo’er asked, puzzled.

"Curse Art is a terrifying type of magic where the caster places curses on their targets. The cursed individuals will not find peace day or night, eventually wasting away to their deaths. Unless the caster removes the curse, there is almost no cure," Zisu spoke, involuntarily shuddering, even her ears trembled.

"Is there such magic?" Luo’er furrowed his brows and murmured.

"Curse Art is also a very ancient type of magic. A long time ago, this Continent was already familiar with Curse Art," Zisu continued, "Once, an Emperor of the Kyushu Empire attempted to conquer the Continent. After their grand army entered Fengyu, many soldiers were cursed. When they advanced into Aximiya, their Emperor was directly affected and died not long after. Since then, countless dynasties have risen in Kyushu, but none have dared to lay a finger on Aximiya Island again."