Six months after the incident in Chaoge.
After a chaotic and earth-shattering New Year, the gentle breeze of April spring blew across Snake Island, east of Liancheng.
Across the sea, directly opposite, lay Incheon City, Puyang County, on the Korean continent.
In the past, this island and the nearby fishing boats were the largest smuggling area in the north, with ships regularly crossing to the Korean continent each year.
At this moment, a rock was pushed aside on a seaside cliff bathed in warm sunlight, and Qin Yexuan emerged, his face pale, his clothes tattered, his hair a messy tangle down to his shoulders, and filthy.
He stroked his long beard, closed his eyes slightly, and savored the long-lost sunshine.
Suddenly, a graceful figure descended from above.
Like a bird in flight, the figure elegantly spread its arms mid-air, and black spiritual energy materialized behind it, transforming into feather-like shapes.
Buddha Lotus effortlessly employed the demonic sect's secret technique, "Dark Feathers," and leisurely landed before the cave in the cliff.
She looked at the gaunt, old man, then opened her backpack, revealing a packet of pickled vegetables, two packs of sausages, a thermos of hot water, and a box of instant noodles.
"The restrictions have been lifted now, and you can buy things. You don't have to eat raw fish and drink dew every day anymore," Buddha Lotus said, sitting on a protruding rock and gazing at the sea below, sighing softly as she watched the waves.
Qin Yexuan slowly ate the instant noodles and pickled vegetables, then couldn't help but wolf them down ravenously.
Buddha Lotus turned her head, a look of surprise on her face, "I never thought you'd have such a dishevelled day."
Qin Yexuan, however, lay back completely relaxed, like a middle-aged man with a bit of a belly, patting his stomach and laughing, "Only now can I be considered my true self."
Buddha Lotus rolled her eyes, "When you said you were going to the Korean continent, I thought you'd leave immediately. I didn't expect you to hide in this cave and be sick for half a year. Do you know how many major events have happened in the world during these six months?"
"I know. Countries have closed their borders and are strictly vetting all transit personnel. Every nation has urgently established departments for spiritual energy recovery. Social status is no longer determined by money; power has been instantly seized by various cultivator factions..."
Qin Yexuan's eyes flickered, "The 'New World' department of the World Federation has hundreds of branches, but they are still controlled by the five member nations. So, overall, the world hasn't changed much."
Buddha Lotus said with emotion, "I thought there would be utter chaos, the end of the world, but I didn't expect the countries to manage it so well. Everyone quickly accepted a brand new world."
Qin Yexuan gave her a silent glance, then smiled, "Because this is a relatively fair change."
"From the financial magnates of Wall Street to the old farmers on the yellow earth of Great Xia, from beautiful young internet celebrities to housewives past their prime, from laborers with primary school education to overseas scholars returning with doctorates..."
"Everyone, regardless of age, race, family, or origin, is now standing at the same starting line."
Buddha Lotus opened her phone and pointed to the first news item, "Fair? Your disciples are hardly treated fairly compared to ordinary people."
The headline of the news flashed: "On the seventh of this month, the genius spiritual energy awakener Sun Qinglu established his sect at the Heavenly Master's Mansion on Longwu Mountain, naming it the Azure Deer Dao Sect. Grandmaster Sun is willing to replicate the Three Thousand Daoist Canons to benefit cultivators worldwide."
Qin Yexuan chuckled, speechless.
Buddha Lotus snorted, "Do you know? Su Family's Small Building in Jiangcheng has been listed as one of the 'Ten Great Grotto-Heavens,' ranking seventh."
How many Grotto-Heavens are there in the world right now?
And to be ranked seventh, what kind of power and prestige does that represent.
"Sun Qinglu, Li Fuhao, Qian Nanhai... these are just to name a few. Then there's Li Tianxing and others. Plus the newly established cultivation academy in Chaoge, Great Xia's Supervisory Heaven Institute, the Special Investigation Department... all these departments and forces now revolve around Su Bingyan. She is already a powerful figure in the new world, ranking ninth on Great Xia's power list!"
"The number of Grandmaster-level figures under Su Bingyan alone is countless."
Buddha Lotus became more animated as she spoke, "Not to mention the Demonic Sect, which has an inextricable link with you! Sect Master Zhu, heh, Zhu Tianqi ranks fourth on Great Xia's power list, and the Demonic Sect's main altar grotto-heaven ranks sixth, located just above Su Family's Small Building."
Qin Yexuan frowned, "You seem quite dejected?"
"Of course! If my Dongling Temple were still here, it would also be a Grotto-Heaven. My strength..."
Qin Yexuan smiled, "How much has your strength increased?"
Buddha Lotus fidgeted, "According to the currently recognized level system, I'm barely a high-level cultivator. Hmph, who came up with this classification? So childish."
Qin Yexuan opened a "Cultivator Level Quick Check" app on his phone.
Looking at the listed levels, he said calmly, "Because this isn't just Great Xia's spiritual energy recovery, but a global phenomenon involving various civilizations and cultures. Therefore, a classification system that the whole world acknowledges and is willing to use cannot contain too many Great Xia terms."
"What about Qi Condensation to Spirit Transformation, Spirit Transformation to Void Return... Dao Cultivation to Origin Return, Void Shattering... Do foreigners understand that? Look, this is good. Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert, Master, Grandmaster, Zen Master..."
"It's applicable to superhumans of any civilization."
"Beginner cultivator is fine, beginner vampire is fine, even a beginner druid. This classification is more scientific. For example, you can't really be considered a cultivator, only a demonic cultivator. If we were to use the demonic sect's own level system, it would be very troublesome. The demonic sect has different levels for men and women, different paths, and different level progression."
Qin Yexuan even laughed at himself as he spoke, "Technically, you should be at the 'Demonic Refining to Lotus Blooming' stage of demonic cultivation. How would outside cultivators understand that? Now, just saying you're an advanced demonic cultivator is much simpler."
Buddha Lotus was also amused by him, "You understand best."
However, she scrutinized the颓废 old man, "What about your cultivation? Why can't I sense anything at all? Didn't you steal a Pangu's Spirit from under the noses of the gods back then?"
"Pangu's Spirit isn't what you think. It can't increase any cultivation. It only gave me an ability that surpasses this world!"
Buddha Lotus listened, dumbfounded, "So you have no cultivation at all? Just... just a special ability?"
Qin Yexuan smiled, "Yes."
"The ability brought by Pangu's Spirit? What is it?"
Qin Yexuan shook his head, "It's nothing, it won't help your cultivation in any way!"
Buddha Lotus's eyes flickered, and she suddenly raised her hand and grabbed towards Qin Yexuan's shoulder.
The demonic sect's "Soul Hook Hand," carrying a chilling sting, would at least cripple an enemy if it landed.
Qin Yexuan, however, seemed oblivious. His body remained still, and Buddha Lotus's Soul Hook Hand reached his shoulder.
And then... nothing happened.
The moment her fingers touched Qin Yexuan, all spiritual energy vanished.
It was as if she had reached out to tickle the man.
Only then did Qin Yexuan throw a punch, which landed with a slap on Buddha Lotus's hand.
As a high-level demonic cultivator whose bones had been reshaped, Buddha Lotus felt her hand burning. She felt like an ordinary little girl with no cultivation, and raising her hand, she saw the back of it was red.
Buddha Lotus was utterly shocked, and a possibility suddenly occurred to her. She stammered, "Could, could your, your special ability be..."
"Equality of All Beings!" Qin Yexuan's lips curved, "It's that simple, brutal, and direct. Whether it's Greek gods or Eastern cultivators, whether it's vampires and werewolves or Satan the Devil, they all turn into ordinary people when they fight me."
Buddha Lotus was momentarily speechless.
"But you are also an ordinary person. Swords and spears have no eyes, natural disasters, or even a serious illness can take your life."
"Yes!"
Qin Yexuan looked out at the distant sea, "For everything gained, there must be a loss... Go contact the fishing boats. We'll depart on time tonight. Once we reach Incheon, I'll tell you what we're doing in Korea!"