Passersby of the Past

A moment later, the great demons arrived one after another. What drew Qin Sang's attention most were Fat Chicken and the white crane. In just a few short months, the two of them had become thick as thieves, slinging their wings over each other's shoulders and carrying themselves like a pair of ruffians. "Master!" The white crane touched down, preening its feathers with flamboyant flair, and beamed a foolish smile at Qin Sang. Qin Sang froze for a moment, then cast a look at Fat Chicken. "My brother!" Fat Chicken declared loyally, extending a wing to wrap around the white crane. Qin Sang muttered inwardly. *It really was this little rascal.* Yunyouzi's Emperor Flowing Dew had long since been destroyed in the heavenly tribulation. With a mother at the Transformation stage, it was hardly surprising that Fat Chicken carried Emperor Flowing Dew on him. Yet even Transformation stage great demons were reluctant to part with much Emperor Flowing Dew to enlighten lesser demons, while Fat Chicken had willingly squandered it on a white crane he had only just met. Both birds were greedy and lecherous—birds of a feather indeed! "When you look for a Dao companion in the future, be sure never to pick a descendant of the phoenix clan," Qin Sang cautioned Fat Chicken with heartfelt, meaningful gravity. Fat Chicken went blank, completely missing the point. The white crane's eyes darted back and forth. It turned, slung a wing over Fat Chicken, and declared with solemn righteousness, "A brother's wife is strictly off-limits!" …… Qin Sang had no time to waste on the two birds for now. If they dared cause trouble for him later, he would certainly teach them a proper lesson. At present, neither the Primordial Concentric Rings nor the white crane was of much use to him. He decided to release the crane from its binding and let it stay in the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea. "Fellow Daoist Liu, has anything major happened lately?" Qin Sang turned to the Willow Tree Spirit and asked. The Willow Tree Spirit spoke in a heavy tone. "There were a few clashes on the front lines. Word is that Sin Abyss's momentum has slowed again, but their movements are a blend of truth and deceit, making them impossible to read. The Old Macaque has personally led his troops to Immortal Demon City to rendezvous with the subordinates of the other Demon Kings and march out to the battlefield. Aside from that, the Feather Demon King has issued no new orders." "They've already left?" Qin Sang frowned, knowing he could not have prevented it. The best way to reduce casualties was to shatter Sin Abyss's ambitions. "You don't need to worry. I have decided to begin my attempt at breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage. Once I succeed, I will visit the battlefield in person." At those words, the demons broke into an uproar. "This old one will go activate the grand formation at once..." Before the Willow Tree Spirit could finish, Qin Sang stopped him. "The heavenly tribulations of humans and demons are different. I cannot cross my tribulation in the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea; heading to the Yuncang Great Marsh is the best choice. Although I have considerable confidence, there are a few things I must entrust to you beforehand, just in case," Qin Sang said in a low, somber voice. His deep concern for the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea and its demons stemmed from Yunyouzi's dying wishes. Hearing this, the demons wore solemn expressions. Looking around, Qin Sang issued a series of instructions. "Fellow Daoist Liu, Little Bai, if I fail my tribulation, I will have failed Senior's trust. You must not remain in the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea. Evacuate into the Ice Sea as quickly as possible, and hide there for as long as you can. "White crane, I grant you your freedom, but you must assist Fellow Daoist Liu and Little Bai until they are safe. "Fat Chicken, we are old acquaintances, and I know your origins and background. If I perish under the heavenly tribulation, our prior agreement is null and void, and I won't force you to stay. But you must promise me one thing: if Fellow Daoist Liu and the others face a crisis, you must go to your mother for help and ask her to step in once on their behalf." Fat Chicken gave a dry chuckle. "Master, you're being overly cautious. You already dare to take on the Qianji Demon King—a mere heavenly tribulation should be nothing to you, right?" The Willow Tree Spirit and the White Cat were far less optimistic. Yunyouzi's two failed tribulation attempts had left a deep, lingering shadow on their hearts. The White Cat's eyes were filled with worry as she asked timidly, "Young Master Qin, may I accompany you to the Yuncang Great Marsh to protect you while you cultivate?" Qin Sang did not refuse. After a moment of thought, he said, "Very well. Fat Chicken, white crane, you come along too. I have a few juniors among the human race whom you should meet. Fellow Daoist Liu will remain behind..." …… With arrangements in place, Qin Sang and Bai set off with the three demons, returning to human territory. This time, Qin Sang traveled at top speed, crossing the mountains and heading straight toward the Great Sui. All three juniors were present. Bai Hanqiu was in seclusion, attempting to breach the Foundation Establishment bottleneck. Li Yufu had returned to the abode after a period of wandering, having finally achieved a moment of enlightenment. Tan Yi'en's cultivation had also progressed significantly. Upon Qin Sang's return, the three immediately emerged from seclusion to greet him. Qin Sang introduced the three demons to them, inspected their cultivation, offered guidance, bestowed several treasures, and then disclosed his plans. The three were taken aback, filled with equal parts joy and anxiety. Qin Sang stated plainly that if he failed his tribulation, he would entrust Tan Yi'en and Bai Hanqiu to Li Yufu so they could join the Qingyang Temple in the future. He did not linger long. A few days later, the group rushed toward the Yuncang Great Marsh, accompanied by Li Yufu. Qin Sang paid a visit to Cangheng Island while the others fanned out to search. Before long, they found an island suitable for undergoing the tribulation. "Such a grand mobilization! So many people protecting me." Standing shoulder to shoulder with Bai atop a mountain on the island, Qin Sang sighed with emotion. Bai laughed helplessly. "Others might not know your true strength, but how could I not? You're simply being overly careful and making everyone fret alongside you!" Qin Sang shook his head without replying. How could Bai know the secret of his origins? Yunyouzi was an anomaly, and he was hardly normal either. Even though Qin Sang believed it impossible for him to face something like a two-color lightning tribulation, given his temperament, he would still arrange his affairs and prepare for the worst, no matter how confident he felt. "I leave it to you all!" Qin Sang cupped his hands. Bai nodded and led the others off the island to set up guard around its perimeter. Qin Sang first laid out a protective spirit formation around the mountain peak, then produced twelve demonic banners and planted them in the ground beside him. The Twelve Demon Banners Formation was one of the pillars of Qin Sang's confidence for the tribulation. Next, bottles of pills and various magic treasures were sorted and set out, ready to be retrieved at a moment's notice. With his external preparations complete, Qin Sang took out the Calamity Crossing Pill and gazed closely at it. "Senior..." After a long silence, Qin Sang lowered his gaze and let out a faint sigh. He did not rush to consume the pill, but instead slowly closed his eyes. Back in the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea, whether due to his four-transformation spirit insect or the fourth layer of body refinement, Qin Sang had successfully sensed a sliver of an opportunity for breakthrough. Such an opportunity was exceedingly precious, offering the perfect opening to take the pill and assault the bottleneck. Everything was ready; only the final spark was needed. After careful consideration, Qin Sang decided to wait no longer. Calming his mind, he adjusted his condition and combed through his cultivation arts from the very beginning, over and over again. It took three full days. Qin Sang's dantian swelled with true essence, and his vital blood surged vigorously, bringing both his physical body and his true essence to their absolute peak. Yet this alone was still not enough, and Qin Sang did not rush into the next step. His thoughts drifted, recalling the past, returning to the land of his birth. Scenes from the depths of his memory surfaced one after another: the voices and faces of his closest kin, every little detail of his past life. All of it had transpired over two centuries ago; even with his formidable cultivation, those memories had begun to blur. "All are mere passersby..." Qin Sang recalled what Senior Sister Qingjun had once said. From the moment he set foot on the path of cultivation, Qin Sang had understood this truth. His heart remained untroubled as he continued to review his own journey of cultivation. These were what truly mattered.