A Demand

Qin Sang stood with his hands clasped behind his back before the inner sect gates of the Qingyang Demon Sect. The gaze of the Heavenly Eye Butterfly penetrated the restrictions, looking toward the loftiest mountain peak—Shengang Peak. Though the distance was still considerable, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly possessed extraordinary vision. When he had last come, swirling clouds and winds had churned atop Shengang Peak, accompanied by unending thunder and lightning. At the summit, green shadows had danced wildly, and the Ancestral Holy Fire had raged with unbridled fury. Even from afar, one could feel that terrifying power on the verge of erupting at any moment, stoking a deep sense of dread within the heart. Now, Shengang Peak was shrouded in mist resembling green jade. The wind had ceased, the thunder had vanished, and even the green shadows of the Ancestral Holy Fire were suppressed by the grand array, making it far calmer than before. However, when the Heavenly Eye divine ability peered through the grand array, subtle undulations could be seen surfacing repeatedly. The Qingyang Demon Sect had merely suppressed the Ancestral Holy Fire temporarily! The sight before him basically confirmed his conjecture. Qin Sang nodded inwardly, retracted his gaze, and calmly looked toward Xiang Qing, who was darting toward him. He had only masked himself slightly, which could not fool the perception of a fellow Nascent Soul cultivator; Xiang Qing had detected him the moment he made a move just now. Yet this was precisely what Qin Sang had intended. He revoked his incantation and masked himself no longer, allowing the aura of a Nascent Soul patriarch to reveal itself without reserve. Sect Master Dong's mind buzzed with a loud hum, his face going completely blank. Only two words remained in his mind. "Nascent Soul... Nascent Soul..." Like an incantation, repeating over and over. Sect Master Dong froze where he stood, his entire body stiff, a chill running down his back. Daoist Qingfeng was actually a Nascent Soul cultivator! He had actually had the gall to target a sect founded by a Nascent Soul cultivator, even leading people to their doorstep to attack them. Not being struck dead on the spot and sent to the Netherworld alongside Lu Xing had to be the fruit of eight lifetimes of accumulated virtue—it had burned through every shred of luck he had in his life. Forget about just him; even if Daoist Qingfeng wiped out the entire Yinquan Sect, could the Qingyang Demon Sect possibly make him pay with his life? Xiang Qing flashed into view. When he saw Qin Sang, it turned out to be an unfamiliar Nascent Soul cultivator. A flicker of astonishment crossed his eyes, and he cupped his hands. "I am Xiang Qing. May I ask Fellow Daoist's Daoist name?" "This poor daoist is Qingfeng." Qin Sang returned the courtesy, speaking flatly. Sect Master Dong had not yet regained his senses. The youth who had greeted Qin Sang earlier, though shocked, had not suffered nearly as heavy a blow. He was quite alert, dropping to his knees before Xiang Qing. "Reporting to Patriarch, Senior Qingfeng is the founding ancestor of the Demon Flame Sect." "The Demon Flame Sect?" Xiang Qing started. Pondering carefully for a moment, he finally recalled this sect, and could not help but look Qin Sang up and down. He remembered that the Demon Flame Sect had only its sect master who had barely formed a core, while the so-called founding ancestor had never been heard of. Yet he had quietly formed a Nascent Soul. What was this man's purpose in coming unannounced? Xiang Qing recalled that the Demon Flame Sect had always been an affiliated vassal of the Qingyang Demon Sect. Could it be that after forming a Nascent Soul, he had developed other ideas and had come to pay his respects and test the waters? Regardless, the other party was a Nascent Soul cultivator native to the Xiaohan Realm, so there was no reason to drive him away. If he knew his place, everything could be discussed amicably. If he acted obstinately, Xiang Qing wouldn't mind teaching him a lesson first. Suppressing his doubts, Xiang Qing extended a guiding hand. "This is no place for casual conversation. Why doesn't Daoist Qingfeng come to Xiang's cave dwelling for a cup of fine nectar? As it happens, I have another honored guest present." "Very well." Qin Sang nodded and followed Xiang Qing, floating away gracefully. Xiang Qing's voice transmission sounded in the youth's ear, instructing him to escort Sect Master Dong to rest. "Sect Master Dong..." Hearing the youth's call, Sect Master Dong woke as if from a dream. A tangle of thoughts raced through his mind: Would Senior Qingfeng bear a grudge against him? Should he offer a humble apology? He hadn't committed any discourtesies over the past few days, had he? Snapping back to his senses, he realized Qin Sang was already gone, leaving Sect Master Dong feeling lost and despondent. When he looked around for Divine Lord Hanshan, he discovered the man had already scurried off to cower somewhere out of sight. ... Before Xiang Qing's cave dwelling stood verdant pines and cypresses. A rocky terrace jutted out to form a platform directly facing Shengang Peak. Fine nectar was laid out on a stone table, where a person sat upright: Sect Master Bing Han of the Xuling Sect. The woman was dressed in a white court gown with a pink gauze shawl. While her beauty could not match Senior Sister's or Chen Yan's, she was nonetheless a striking beauty, with spirited vigor in her brows and eyes. Beside the stone table stood another person. Upon seeing this person, Qin Sang chuckled inwardly. It was an old acquaintance: Wu Youdao. Back then, Qin Sang had sneaked into the Qingyang Demon Sect to forcibly refine the Qingyang Divine Astral Qi. Upon leaving, his tracks had been discovered, leading to a fierce battle with Wu Youdao. How times had changed. Back then, Qin Sang had only just formed his corpse core, his strength a cut below Wu Youdao's, and he had exhausted all his methods just to make Wu Youdao give up the pursuit. Now, Qin Sang was already a Nascent Soul cultivator, whereas Wu Youdao was still merely at the mid-Golden Core stage, reduced to waiting in attendance when Nascent Soul cultivators gathered. However, judging by the fluctuating aura on Wu Youdao's body, he wasn't far from a breakthrough. Xiang Qing himself was still in the dark, so he could only briefly introduce Qin Sang's identity to Bing Han. After the three exchanged courtesies, they took their seats. Xiang Qing dismissed Wu Youdao, brought out golden goblets, poured the wine himself, and then looked toward Qin Sang. "This poor daoist has taken the liberty of paying a visit. I wonder if I have disturbed the elegant mood of you two Fellow Daoists?" Qin Sang offered his thanks, appearing thoroughly composed. Bing Han was equally curious about Qin Sang, saying in wonder, "I never expected that there was still an unpolished pearl hidden in the sea within the Xiaohan Realm. Judging by Fellow Daoist's aura, you likely did not break through only recently, did you?" In the cultivation world, there was no lack of ascetic cultivators who concerned themselves with nothing worldly and focused entirely on their cultivation. However, the Two Realms Alliance had been at war with Sin Abyss for years. No one wished to see their familiar homeland fall into enemy hands, forcing them to live under someone else's roof thereafter; nearly everyone contributed their bit of strength. Even someone living in seclusion could hardly remain completely unknown. She and Xiang Qing represented the righteous and demonic factions respectively, yet neither recognized this man. Relying solely on his empty words that he had founded the Demon Flame Sect, how much credibility could that claim carry? This man's origins were unclear, and he had popped up out of nowhere—perhaps he was a spy from Sin Abyss. The two exchanged a glance, maintaining their composure, waiting to see what explanation the daoist would give. "I indeed reached the Nascent Soul stage not long ago. My visit today is to personally thank Fellow Daoist Xiang for looking after my few worthless disciples," Qin Sang said, raising his golden goblet to toast Xiang Qing. Xiang Qing frowned slightly and raised his cup to drink with him. "You flatter me. Xiang has always treated all sects under our purview equally! A daoist does not visit the temple without reason; if you have something to say, you might as well speak plainly." Seeing that Qin Sang gave nothing away, Xiang Qing grew somewhat impatient and was disinclined to continue beating around the bush. Qin Sang had actually been observing Shengang Peak in secret, and observing it from up close only made him more certain. This was precisely why he had adopted the identity of the Demon Flame Sect's founder: if the reality proved different from what he had envisioned, he could simply bluff his way through and return to devise other methods. Straightening his expression, he ceased playing games. "This poor daoist has come today to discuss a transaction with Fellow Daoist Xiang. I have a way to help you resolve your pressing crisis!" As he spoke, he raised a hand and pointed toward the summit of Shengang Peak. The expressions of both Xiang Qing and Bing Han shifted slightly. Seeing their reactions, Qin Sang knew where he stood. Xiang Qing's face darkened. "I wonder what Daoist Qingfeng means by this. What pressing crisis?" Qin Sang gave Xiang Qing a deep look, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. "Fellow Daoist used a grand array to seal the Ancestral Holy Fire as a cover. Perhaps you can fool others, but you cannot deceive my eyes. The Ancestral Holy Fire has only been suppressed temporarily; the latent peril persists, and the longer it drags on, the more intractable it becomes. When the moment comes that it can no longer be held down and the Ancestral Holy Fire erupts completely, Shengang Peak won't be the only thing destroyed..."