Dung-Beetle

The Ao-Jing Sect's primary cultivation method; each Ascension adds one 'Calamity' and brings the practitioner closer to the god Bashe, granting greater power at the cost of extreme physical and psychological agony.

Definition

Story context

Get ready, folks—Li Huowang finally knocks on the door of the Ao-Jing Sect, and he finds out pretty darn quick that even the "ask nicely" route has its price. This chapter is all about atmosphere and negotiation: the silent, skinless watchers in their wide gray robes, a charred corpse who might be the sect leader, and one very specific request that makes Li Huowang's blood run cold. Our boy is no longer the clueless victim; he's walking into a den of pain-worshippers with a clear goal, but the game they're playing is on a whole other level.

Why it matters

This chapter marks a fascinating shift in the story's "dungeon" dynamic. Unlike Qingfeng Temple, where Li Huowang was a prisoner and a raw ingredient, here he walks in as a *client* with diplomatic credentials. But Shou San's condition—a live demonstration of the Ascension—instantly flips the negotiation. It's a masterclass in how the Dao-Twisted World operates: even the "civilized" request has a hook in it. Keep an eye on that phrase "steal Bashe's power." It recontextualizes everything we've heard about the Ao-Jing Sect and the *Thousand Greats Record*. They are not faithful servants; they are parasites trying to become predators.