Clues

Passing by Yinshan Pass, Qin Sang thought of the Tan brothers and Shi Hong. Back then, Qin Sang had given Tan Hao a Heavenly Corpse Talisman and an ice coffin to help preserve Tan Jie's life. Who could have imagined that in the Canglang Sea, he would end up repeating Tan Hao's story himself? A hundred years had passed; who knew how many old acquaintances were still alive in this world? Shi Hong had dispersed her cultivation and started anew. Even with her dual spiritual root aptitude, it would have been exceedingly difficult for her to achieve much again. Qin Sang was mentally prepared; what he would find this time would most likely be a grave mound. As for Tan Hao, if he had failed Core Formation, his lifespan would have reached its end by now. The difficulty a rogue cultivator faced in gathering cultivation resources was something disciples of great sects could hardly fathom. He wondered if Tan Hao was still here. The cave abode was deep within the Ten Thousand Mountains, perched on a desolate, remote snowy peak. Qin Sang located the site from his memories and found that the cave abode was still well concealed, protected by a fairly potent spirit array. His heart stirred, and he sent a stream of true essence into the array. "Who goes there?" The spirit array rippled. A moment later, a wary shout came from inside the cave abode. Qin Sang's brows knitted slightly; the voice did not sound like Tan Hao. After a brief pause, he called out clearly, "This place was once the cave abode of an old friend of mine, Fellow Daoist Tan Hao. Might I ask if he is still here?" "You know my father?" The cultivator inside sounded astonished. Qin Sang sensed a faint, barely perceptible gaze scrutinizing him from the shadows. Taking no offense, he asked in return, "Are you Fellow Daoist Tan's descendant?" "This junior is Tan Yi'en. Since Senior knows the location of this cave abode and specifically asked for my father, you must share deep ties with him. However, I have accompanied my father to visit almost all of his old friends, yet I have never heard him mention Senior..." Tan Yi'en hesitated. He did not recognize Qin Sang and dared not rashly invite him in. At this moment, although Qin Sang was not wearing a mask, he had altered his appearance using a secret technique. "Tan Yi'en..." Qin Sang silently repeated the name of Tan Hao's descendant. Feeling a touch of nostalgia, he said, "My surname is Qin. I was once a fellow disciple of your father when we joined the Kuiyin Sect together..." "Qin... You are Martial Uncle Qin!" Before Qin Sang could finish, Tan Yi'en let out a sudden gasp. Immediately after, a passage opened through the spirit array, and a figure hurried out. He was a burly man whose build was practically carved from the same mold as Tan Hao's. Qin Sang looked him over. Tan Yi'en possessed cultivation at the mid Foundation Establishment stage. His brow bore a resemblance to Tan Hao, but his facial features carried a delicate grace that reminded Qin Sang of another old friend—Shi Hong. "Martial Uncle Qin's kindness to my family is as profound as giving us new life! My father and mother always reminded me never to forget Martial Uncle Qin's benevolence! Junior was discourteous to keep Martial Uncle waiting outside. I beg Martial Uncle to forgive me!" Tan Yi'en's voice trembled with excitement as he bowed deeply to Qin Sang. With a flick of his sleeve, Qin Sang stopped Tan Yi'en from prostrating himself and said, "There is no need for such formalities! In that case, is your mother Senior Sister Shi Hong?" Tan Yi'en nodded repeatedly and invited Qin Sang into the cave abode, his manner exceptionally respectful. Shi Hong had been unwilling to return to her homeland and had stayed behind to continue cultivating, cared for by Tan Hao. Who could have predicted that this would unintentionally lead to a marriage? Qin Sang gave a gentle nod. Stepping inside, he found that the cave abode had changed drastically; the furnishings were far more suitable for living and cultivating. He glanced around and sensed no one else's aura. Frowning slightly, he asked, "Are you the only one here? The last time I saw your parents was a hundred years ago. Are they still alive?" Tan Yi'en's eyes dimmed. "My mother passed away a century ago..." He led Qin Sang into an inner chamber, where a memorial tablet for Shi Hong stood. Listening to Tan Yi'en recount Shi Hong's life, it was much as Qin Sang had expected. After dispersing her cultivation, Shi Hong had not given up. Yet human effort could not overcome destiny. Even with Tan Hao's assistance and years of painstaking cultivation, she had only reached the eighth layer of the Qi Refinement stage before hitting an insurmountable wall, leaving her with no hope of Foundation Establishment. Tan Hao and Shi Hong had depended on each other to survive, developing feelings over time until they wed and gave birth to Tan Yi'en. "Is Brother Tan still alive?" Qin Sang did not see a spirit tablet for Tan Hao, nor did he find the ice coffin. Tan Yi'en said hesitantly, "My father was single-mindedly devoted to reviving my uncle. It is said that he found some clues, so after helping me reach Foundation Establishment, he departed with my uncle. Not long after, he had a merchant guild deliver a letter back, but since then there has been no word of him, and he has not returned to this day." "Clues? What clues?" Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly, and he pressed for answers. Before leaving back then, he had mentioned the connection between the Heavenly Corpse Talisman and the Heavenly Corpse Sect to Tan Hao. Back then, Qin Sang had lain low in Qingyang cultivation market for years, searching for news of the Heavenly Corpse Sect, but had never gained anything. Could Tan Hao have uncovered clues regarding the Heavenly Corpse Sect? "My father once said that reviving Uncle was his responsibility alone and that he could not burden his junior, so he rarely mentioned these matters to me, offering only a few scattered words..." Tan Yi'en furrowed his brow, trying hard to recall. At Qin Sang's prompting, he recounted Tan Hao's experiences. Tan Hao had actually succeeded in Core Formation later on! "After the war began, my father voluntarily joined the battlefield. He fought in blood and repeatedly hovered between life and death, risking his life to amass military merits and exchange them for rewards from the Two Realms Alliance. When he left, my father was only at the False Core stage, but he mentioned in his letter that he finally formed his core..." Tan Yi'en recounted softly. Tan Hao had never spoken to him about his experiences on the battlefield, so Tan Yi'en did not know the details. Yet Qin Sang could well imagine what kind of near-death trials Tan Hao had survived. Back then, when Qin Sang participated in the conflict between the Xiaohan Realm and the Tianxing Alliance, its scale and brutality could not even begin to compare to this war, yet he had still encountered grave danger multiple times. As a rogue cultivator with no backing from above, Tan Hao had walked out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood all on his own! Only he knew the hardships he had endured along the way. Some rejoiced while others grieved. War brought calamity, but it was also an opportunity for some cultivators. Among them, the most widely circulated legend was none other than the current sect master of the Qingyang Demonic Sect. Back then, when Qin Sang infiltrated the Qingyang Demonic Sect to steal the Qingyang Divine Astral Qi, the sect master had only been at the late Core Formation stage, and the sect was declining by the day. Rumor had it that his chances of Nascent Soul formation were minuscule. Yet when the war arrived, the sect master of the Qingyang Demonic Sect somehow seized an opportunity, quickly shining with immense brilliance, racking up illustrious battle exploits, and breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage in a single stroke. Thereafter, he had led the Qingyang Demonic Sect to become a prominent sect of the demonic path, reclaiming its past glory. Tan Hao was similar. He had always been a rogue cultivator without the protection of a master or sect; all he could do was risk his life to win battle merits in exchange for resources to achieve Core Formation. Qin Sang had not yet seen Meigu, but presumably she had gone through a similar ordeal. "In his letter, my father said he was leaving the Xiaohan Realm to infiltrate Sin Abyss territory in search of clues. He also warned me to cultivate diligently and not be distracted by this..." Tan Yi'en said as he presented Tan Hao's letter with both hands. Having read it, Qin Sang fell into deep thought. If that was the case, could it be that the Heavenly Corpse Sect's headquarters was not located in the Xiaohan Realm? No wonder he could never find anything back then! Qin Sang had only operated within the Xiaohan Realm and had never even traveled to the Tianxing Alliance. Having interacted with cultivators from both the Tianxing Alliance and Sin Abyss on the battlefield, Tan Hao might truly have uncovered something. Who would have thought that a clue regarding the Heavenly Corpse Sect would actually come from Tan Hao? Qin Sang told Tan Yi'en to recall every single word Tan Hao had spoken in meticulous detail.