Chapter 26: Taboo
“Prohibited,”
The moment Chen Xian suddenly saw this word, his pupils contracted sharply, as if immense danger lurked behind it.
“What exactly is this matter? What could be so significant that the Martial Dao official website places it before the certificates of several Martial Dao legends? What could possibly carry more weight than them?”
A trace of doubt arose in Chen Xian’s heart.
His gaze shifted to the lower right corner of the screen, where he saw the button for the next step.
Without hesitation, Chen Xian clicked on it.
[All Grand Xuan Warriors, take heed,]
[The starry sky undergoes a transformation; an unknown and indescribable alien force appears. Do not observe it. To see it is to be contaminated. The mind will twist, the body will deform irreversibly, becoming something inhuman. Those who claim to be servants, worship it as a god, and establish a sect called the Worship of the God...]
[In truth, it is an evil cult that views all living beings as lambs. Anyone who sees it shall be exterminated.]
The words before him were lines of ancient red characters, still filling the screen.
“The starry sky transformation... so that’s the reason. No wonder they confiscated all astronomical equipment and shut down all production bases. No wonder this law was so secretive and imposed with such rigidity, leaving no room for doubt. It’s all because of this.”
At this moment, Chen Xian recalled a law that the Grand Xuan had issued in the past, and a sudden clarity dawned on him.
He also understood why the Grand Xuan had to act this way.
“However, this Worship of the God sect, with those bodily mutations—what kind of mutations could those be?”
“Could it be that they grow three heads and six arms? Or sprout wings?”
...
Seeing the warning on the screen, Chen Xian’s curiosity grew as he pondered deeply.
If these mutations truly were as he imagined, then wouldn’t that mean a fundamental alteration of human origin, turning into another species?
As the page flipped, numerous images appeared on the screen, cycling continuously.
“What!!!”
Chen Xian’s pupils suddenly constricted as he stared at the images before him.
Within his sight, many strange entities appeared—neither fully human nor not human.
Judging by their outlines, they retained human form but could no longer be considered true humans, at least not in the conventional sense.
“Some have horns growing on their heads, some have scales on their skin, some have wings on their backs, others have limbs resembling tentacles...”
Shocked by the images, Chen Xian quickly composed himself.
His shock came from recognizing one figure among these mutated beings—or rather, one of the mutated.
“Scaly skin, just like that figure from that night.”
“So that figure must be a member of the Worship of the God sect.”
Chen Xian thought silently, his curiosity boundless regarding the scene before him.
He had never heard of the Worship of the God sect, nor confirmed the existence of any supernatural powers.
Yet here it was, appearing before him.
This meant that absence of rumor or evidence did not equate to non-existence; rather, this information circulated only within certain circles, hidden from the outside world.
And without entering those circles, one wouldn’t even have the right to know.
“Looks like registering as a martial warrior was the right choice,” Chen Xian secretly rejoiced.
Had he not registered, he would never have learned these secrets.
Squinting slightly, Chen Xian carefully scrutinized the images on the screen.
His eyes scanned each picture, a trace of doubt surfacing.
“My own supernatural power didn’t come from observing the starry sky. Though its origin remains unknown, it certainly differs from the Worship of the God sect’s method.”
“The Worship of the God’s power counts as supernatural, but I wonder if anyone else besides them possesses such powers like mine.”
“There must be others,”
Chen Xian mused, falling into contemplation.
He had registered his martial identity partly to explore supernatural powers on this platform.
Though he had yet to find results, this platform now offered a glimmer of hope.
An energy stirred within Chen Xian’s heart.
“My kind of supernatural power might be considered normal supernatural power.”
“While the power the Worship of the God sect wields is a kind of pollution, a mutation—an abnormal, unnatural supernatural power.”
“Those possessing these two types of power might be called Polluted and Supernatural respectively,”
Chen Xian roughly categorized the two powers in his mind to distinguish between them.
“Observing the starry sky, though dangerous, is a way to artificially produce supernatural power.”
“If someone craves power but lacks martial aptitude, they might opt for this kind of power.”
For some, this kind of supernatural power was indeed very tempting.
No matter what, it was a form of supernatural power—a force transcending ordinary humans, representing an evolution of life itself.
The pursuit of great power, the evolution of life, and the quest for a comfortable life are etched deep into the human soul.
Though Martial Dao also embodies this, its decades-long tedious cultivation with uncertain results deters many.
This explains why, despite Martial Dao granting great power, only a small fraction truly practice it.
Indeed, Martial Dao cultivation does not guarantee reward.
But observing the starry sky requires almost no effort and yet grants power.
Such temptation is hardly resistible.
Chen Xian thought this over, then shook his head.
Regardless of anything else, a twisted mind was something he could not accept—and neither could any determined martial artist striving for the pinnacle of Martial Dao.
After all, if the mind is twisted, is it still truly oneself? Probably not.
Martial Dao is my path, seeking freedom of mind and self-realization.
Once contaminated and twisted, does that still embody my path? Perhaps it becomes an alien way.
Moreover, Chen Xian prided himself on a relatively normal aesthetic sense; the mutations of the Worship of the God sect repelled him.
Even if it granted supernatural power.
And this method of acquiring supernatural power had now been banned by the Grand Xuan.
Obtaining equipment to observe the starry sky was nearly impossible.
“Better to just be human!”
Chen Xian muttered softly.
He then began browsing the next page.
As the page turned, several warrior certificates appeared on the screen.
Each belonged to a renowned figure of the Grand Xuan—household names with pivotal status in the Xuan Star.
But Chen Xian only glanced at these certificates briefly before skipping past them.