Gongliang Yu

Before long, Qin Sang heard footsteps outside and stood up to greet the arrivals. The one leading the way was Daoist Zhenyi. Behind him were two others. One was Senior Sister Qingjun, disguised as Leng Yuntian, while the other was an unfamiliar young man. The youth was tall and strikingly handsome. Curiously, his cultivation was only at the peak of the Core Formation stage, yet standing beside two Nascent Soul Patriarchs, he was entirely at ease, showing not the slightest hint of servility or deference. "Fellow Daoist Mingyue!" His voice reached Qin Sang before the Daoist even entered. Daoist Zhenyi hurried into the main hall. A look of delight crossed his face upon seeing Qin Sang. "I heard about your exploits, Fellow Daoist, and have been wondering what sort of marvelous figure you must be. Indeed, seeing you in person far surpasses your fame!" "Daoist Zhenyi praises me too much. It was only with the assistance of Fellow Daoists Si Di and Jinglin that I had the good fortune to slay Old Demon Pei. A minor feat like that is hardly worth mentioning compared to what you all have accomplished!" Qin Sang replied modestly. Qingjun smiled faintly. "Daoist Zhenyi was originally planning to leave the city to attend to an important matter, but upon hearing of your arrival, he rushed over without hesitation." Qin Sang looked at Senior Sister Qingjun. After arriving at Sandie Pass, they had communicated secretly a few times, but due to the unpredictable course of the war, they had never been able to meet in person. This was the first time Qin Sang had seen Senior Sister Qingjun since reaching the Nascent Soul stage. In Qingjun's eyes, he saw a glimmer of approval. Daoist Zhenyi laughed heartily. "Is Fellow Daoist Leng any different? Fellow Daoist Mingyue has just advanced to the Shapeshifting stage, yet he managed to slay a cultivator of the same rank right away. If the other Daoists hadn't all gone out on patrol, they surely would have rushed over as well to witness Fellow Daoist Mingyue's grandeur!" With that, Daoist Zhenyi turned slightly and gestured to introduce them. "Allow me to introduce you. This is the Sect Master of the Yuanshen Sect, Fellow Daoist Leng Yuntian." "I have long admired your name!" Qin Sang had no choice but to pretend this was their first meeting. Qingjun cupped her hands in return. The two exchanged a secret, knowing smile. Qingjun knew Qin Sang's calculations well and did not expose him in front of the others. "And this is the current Palace Master of Shangyuan Qingjing Palace, Fellow Daoist Gongliang Yu..." Daoist Zhenyi pointed toward the young man. "Oh?" Qin Sang recalled the name. "You are the Palace Master of Shangyuan Qingjing Palace! Excuse my lack of respect!" "You flatter me! I have been stationed at Wangdong City and happened to have business that brought me to Mount Shiqu. I did not expect to have the good fortune to meet Fellow Daoist Mingyue. It is truly my honor!" Gongliang Yu replied with polite grace, neither humble nor overbearing. He truly lived up to the role of a palace master—his bearing was impeccable. Qin Sang thought nothing ill of it. As the Palace Master of Shangyuan Qingjing Palace, even without having attained the Nascent Soul stage, Gongliang Yu was fully qualified to interact with them as an equal. Shangyuan Qingjing Palace had not produced a Nascent Soul palace master in a long time. Qin Sang still remembered that the previous palace master had been Tie Guanzi, who was also at the peak of the Core Formation stage. Qin Sang had met him once before entering the Ziwei Palace. Now that Gongliang Yu had taken over, Tie Guanzi had most likely perished. Even so, Shangyuan Qingjing Palace had never fallen from the ranks of the major righteous sects. Such was the deep heritage of a great sect; even without a Nascent Soul cultivator, they possessed methods that kept Nascent Soul figures wary. Of the four secret talismans of Shangyuan Qingjing Palace, three were the Tiangang Saber Talisman, the Nine Dragons Heavenly Chariot Talisman, and the Neijing Origin Talisman. All three were of the Golden Core level. The last one, however, was not a mere spirit talisman, but a talisman puppet. Moreover, it was a Nascent Soul talisman puppet! Still, Qin Sang had heard that Shangyuan Qingjing Palace's Nascent Soul talisman puppet could not venture too far from the sect grounds and served only to defend their mountain gate, though he did not know whether the rumor was true. Shangyuan Qingjing Palace's alignment with Shaohua Mountain was more like an alliance where they advanced and retreated together, rather than a subordinate relationship. After exchanging pleasantries, the four sat down in the main hall. "Fellow Daoist Mingyue's slaying of a Sin Abyss Nascent Soul is a tremendous service. We have already recorded a substantial amount of battle merit for you. Whatever you wish to exchange it for, Fellow Daoist, I will certainly have our people do their utmost to help you find it." Daoist Zhenyi was exceptionally warm. He had long received messages from Jinglin and Si Di informing him that this demon king bore no animosity toward the human race and was willing to lend aid to the Two Domains Alliance. Naturally, he wanted to win him over by all means possible. After a moment of thought, Qin Sang said, "There is no rush for now! I only advanced recently and have not yet fully sorted out my Grand Dao. Once I have need of something, I will trouble you, Daoist Zhenyi. Who knows, perhaps I will earn even more battle merit in the future." In truth, his cultivation methods had long been determined, as he cultivated two arts simultaneously. His lifebound magic treasures had also reached their limit for the time being. Only two things remained: first, refining a treasure capable of subduing the Nanming Primordial Fire; second, cultivating the Fire Seed Golden Lotus, for which he intended to start with the Qingyang Demon Sect's Ancestral Holy Fire. For the first matter, he already had a few ideas, but they were still rough, and he wasn't sure what spiritual materials would be required yet. For the second, he had to wait until he saw Meigu and investigated the situation of the Qingyang Demon Sect before making a decision. In any case, the Two Domains Alliance would never embezzle his contributions, so he could wait until he needed them. Hearing Qin Sang imply that he intended to remain and continue aiding their cause, Daoist Zhenyi was overjoyed and readily agreed. Next, Qin Sang inquired about the recent developments and learned that Sin Abyss was proving unusually stubborn this time, showing no signs of withdrawing their forces. Daoist Zhenyi, in turn, asked with great concern about the Nether Crystal Pagodas and the Soul-Extinguishing Awl. Attacks aimed directly at the nascent soul were notoriously difficult to guard against. The terrifying power displayed by the Soul-Extinguishing Awl had put everyone on high alert, and the Two Domains Alliance had already held multiple discussions regarding it. Qin Sang concealed nothing and recounted what had transpired during the battle. He probed indirectly, gathering information from Daoist Zhenyi, but found no hints connecting Sin Abyss to the ancient demon. After a brief confidential discussion, Qin Sang explained the purpose of his visit. Daoist Zhenyi immediately ordered someone to bring over the demon soldiers. He had already approved Qin Sang's request to transfer his troops earlier, but due to the tense military situation, there had not been an opportunity until now. Qin Sang bid farewell to Daoist Zhenyi. Guided by a cultivator, he went to a side hall and met the Old Macaque. Over the past few days, the Old Macaque had heard people constantly discussing the legend of the Mingyue Demon King slaying a Nascent Soul on the battlefield, so much so that calluses were forming on his ears. Finally seeing Qin Sang, the Old Macaque could not help weeping tears of relief, exclaiming that with his lordship here, the Great King could rest easy at last. Qin Sang wondered if the little demons of Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea had picked it up from Fat Chicken and the white crane, but they all called him "lord" whenever they saw him now. "Gather the demon soldiers and return to Sandie Pass. Once your subordinates are settled, return in person and secretly instruct the Willow Demon to have the white crane and the others go out to sea together. Find a concealed refuge in the Ice Sea as quickly as possible, and stay as far from the mainland as you can," Qin Sang commanded. The Old Macaque was startled. "Lord, could the situation be unfavorable?" This time, Sin Abyss had gained nothing and had even lost a Nascent Soul cultivator. Everyone believed that Sin Abyss was running out of steam and that the Two Domains Alliance was beginning to gain the upper hand. Qin Sang shook his head slowly. "It is hard to say. Preparing for a rainy day and securing an escape route in advance is never a mistake. Oh, and remember to inform Li Yufu as well." He was on his own and could leave at any moment. The little demons of Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea were the most difficult to handle; having them find a sanctuary in advance would prevent chaos should an unexpected turn of events arise. The matter of establishing a sect would also have to be put on hold for a while. "Understood!" The Old Macaque dared not question Qin Sang's judgment and immediately took his leave to carry out the orders. Qin Sang remained in the side hall. After waiting for a short while, ripples disturbed the empty air. Qin Sang looked up and saw a familiar, graceful figure in a crimson dress quietly materialize. Senior Sister Qingjun had already shed her disguise.