The Secret Method

Qin Sang and Ming Wei huddled together, their expressions tense. Sheltered by the Life Talisman, the others could not sense their presence, yet they could clearly see outside. Venerable Ye's gaze was cold and sinister, skimming over them like a blade. Ming Wei pressed her lips tightly together, cold sweat breaking out on her forehead, her heart in her throat. Qin Sang clutched the jade bottle containing the Three Lights Jade Liquid. If anything went awry, his only choice would be to consume the spirit liquid and fight Venerable Ye for his life. However, it was doubtful how much strength Venerable Ye had left, so Qin Sang remained fairly calm. Seeing Venerable Ye lead his people away, Qin Sang and Ming Wei relaxed internally; the crisis had passed. Afterward, several more cultivators trickled in, following Venerable Ye and his group out. These people had secretly colluded, intent on obtaining the Soul-Washing Liquid. The other three bottles had been seized by a mysterious figure who had then vanished. Unsure whether the Nascent Soul cultivator had truly lost the trail or was deliberately staging a ruse with some scheme in mind, they could only set their sights on the final bottle. The cultivators formed an alliance and gave chase. Just then, fighting suddenly broke out within the cavern again. Blood Bat and the others had been severely injured by Venerable Ye; their rivals seized the opportunity, while their friends and kin stepped in to rescue them. It was a chaotic mess, and there was no telling what fate ultimately befell them. The stench of blood once again permeated the secret cavern. Having no stake in the matter, Qin Sang and Ming Wei remained where they were without dismissing the Life Talisman. Only after all the cultivators who entered had vanished deep into the passageways, and they had confirmed that no one else was coming in from outside, did they quietly show themselves. Everything was clear. The two exchanged a glance, turned back, picked another tunnel opening at random, and darted outward. They wove through the labyrinthine caves. Just as when they had entered, Qin Sang led the way and kept watch, while Ming Wei stood ready at any moment to activate the Life Talisman. The danger had not entirely passed; only once they made it out of the Cave of Bewildered Souls would they truly be safe. Eventually, they emerged from the cave and entered the interior of the caldera. Ming Wei looked up at the sky above, where dark mist hung thick and murky. She asked somewhat nervously, "Fellow Daoist Qin, that old ghost wouldn't block the exit up there and massacre everyone just for the Soul-Washing Liquid, would he?" "If he were in his prime, he might actually do such a thing." Qin Sang recalled Old Devil Mou from back then, who had dared to camp at the entrance of the Hall of Seven Kills and slaughtered countless Core Formation cultivators. "His strength is depleted, and those people would love nothing more than for him to stay. Being too tyrannical would be courting his own doom. Besides, I sense they've already gone far away..." Qin Sang took out the ghost seal Su Nü had given him; through it, he could sense her location. To be safe, they did not rush to reveal themselves, remaining hidden in the dark to observe for a while. After a short while, a cultivator flew out from the exit of the Cave of Bewildered Souls' restriction. He sighed. This trip had truly cost him dearly with nothing to show for it—he hadn't snatched the Soul-Washing Liquid, and the treasures in the Hundred Treasures Pavilion had probably already been divvied up. Still, to have witnessed such an extraordinary spectacle and seen one of his rivals suffer a great calamity made the journey worthwhile. A faint smile curled at the corners of his mouth. He then took to his escape light and flew toward the stone peak, preparing to leave the Trial Realm. Shortly after, Qin Sang and Ming Wei emerged from the Cave of Bewildered Souls. Their figures flashed as they vanished into the mountain forest. "Fellow Daoist Ming Wei, this is yours." True to his word, Qin Sang took out a bottle of Soul-Washing Liquid and handed it to Ming Wei. Ming Wei was overjoyed, turning the bottle of Soul-Washing Liquid over and over in her hands. She knew Qin Sang had snatched three bottles back then, but was clever enough not to pry. Securing one bottle was already more than enough to satisfy her. Without Qin Sang, she most likely would have returned empty-handed, letting her patriarch's painstaking efforts go to waste. After putting away the Soul-Washing Liquid, Ming Wei hesitated before asking, "Fellow Daoist, you do know how to refine the Soul-Washing Liquid, right?" "Oh?" Qin Sang was surprised. "Is there a particular method to refining it?" He had assumed one simply swallowed it directly. 'It seems I'll have to ask Ning Wuhui,' Qin Sang thought. Just as expected, Ning Wuhui hadn't taken part in the contest for the Soul-Washing Liquid and had gone off somewhere else. Otherwise, their chances would have been even greater. Ming Wei nodded. "Aside from increasing the chances of forming a Nascent Soul, the most precious aspect of the Soul-Washing Liquid is its ability to cleanse the soul and substantially enhance one's divine sense. If consumed directly, a portion of its medicinal efficacy would be wasted. I have a refinement method passed down from my ancestral master; you may take it for reference, Fellow Daoist Qin." Ming Wei handed Qin Sang a jade slip. Deep within her gaze toward Qin Sang was a hint of curiosity. In the battle within the cavern, the myriad means Qin Sang had displayed were each beyond the reach of peers at his level. For such a person to be virtually unknown in the Demon Sea was truly bizarre. In Ming Wei's eyes, none of the cultivators who entered the Trial Realm—including the renowned Blood Bat and Daoist Priest Xiaoyun—could measure up to Qin Sang. He was likely the one with the best prospect of breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage. Building goodwill with him was by no means a bad thing. 'Cleansing the soul... I wonder how it compares to the soul light of the Soul-Nurturing Wood...' With that thought flashing through his mind, Qin Sang unhesitatingly took the jade slip and cupped his hands. "Many thanks, Fellow Daoist. I won't stand on ceremony, then." Ming Wei gave a slight smile. "I've finally lived up to my patriarch's hopes, so I plan to leave the Hall of Seven Kills now. What are your plans, Fellow Daoist Qin?" Qin Sang grasped the ghost seal and shook his head. "That warning wasn't given for nothing. I made a promise to someone and cannot go back on my word. I must stay behind to handle one more matter." Ming Wei gave a quiet nod of acknowledgment. She also understood that there had to be a reason Qin Sang was able to learn of something as secretive as a Nascent Soul cultivator sneaking in beforehand. Seeing that he was unwilling to elaborate, she refrained from probing further. Imparting the method for controlling the Life Talisman to him, she said, "The Life Talisman can be used one more time, but I shouldn't have any need for it. Take it, Fellow Daoist Qin; perhaps it will prove useful. I am a disciple of Mujia Stronghold. My patriarch has an easygoing temperament and is an ascetic cultivator, which is why there aren't many disciples in our stronghold and we lack fame in the cultivation world. Even so, sheltering a few fellow Daoists is well within our power. Once you leave the Hall of Seven Kills, should you find the time, Fellow Daoist Qin, please feel free to visit Mujia Stronghold..." Qin Sang agreed. He had thoroughly offended the East Pole Alliance this time. If he couldn't return to the Xiaohan Realm, befriending a Nascent Soul Patriarch would certainly be a good thing. Ming Wei bade Qin Sang farewell and flew toward the stone peak. Qin Sang stowed the Life Talisman. After a moment's thought, he followed the guidance of the ghost seal to pursue Su Nü. His deal with Su Nü was simple: he only needed to activate the ghost seal from a distance and could withdraw immediately if things took a turn for the worse. There was no need to snatch someone directly from under Venerable Ye's nose, so it carried little danger. "This method is viable, though the process is rather slow since the medicinal power of the Soul-Washing Liquid must be refined bit by bit. Keep the Soul-Washing Liquid with you; I won't refine it for now. So much has already happened in the Trial Realm, and there's no telling what we'll run into once we enter the Inner Hall. You might still need my help." Bai's voice transmission came through. Just moments ago, Qin Sang had passed the method Ming Wei gave him to Bai. "Alright, then I'll look after it for now." With no time to refine it at present, Qin Sang put both bottles of Soul-Washing Liquid into his sumeru bag. To avoid detection by Venerable Ye, Qin Sang did not dare use escape arts, traversing the mountain forest on foot alone. With Venerable Ye scouting the path ahead, he didn't need to worry about being exposed by disturbing earth spirits.