Purification

If that ancient cultivator truly possessed no strength to resist, he could by no means be allowed to fall into the hands of Sin Abyss. Unraveling the secrets of antiquity might very well depend on this person! If the ancient cultivator proved to be as terrifying as the Demon Sovereign, it was all the more vital that Old Demon Ye not be allowed to unseal him. Whatever the case, they had to go and see for themselves. Seeing Qin Sang lost in thought, Jingyu asked for the Thunder Rosary and whispered a few words into Fat Chicken's ear. Obeying his mother's instructions, Fat Chicken slipped back into the Primordial Concentric Rings. For him, this place was far too perilous; the mere aftershocks of a battle could crush him to dust. Qin Sang looked toward Jingyu. Jingyu let out a soft sigh and said in a grave voice, "Regardless of what you and the others decide to do, Fellow Daoist Qin, I must go back and find a way to seize the Corpse Flower Blood Amber." "The ancient cultivator is unfathomable, and Sin Abyss holds immense power. Going alone would be truly unwise," Qin Sang urged. He had no wish to see Jingyu march straight to her death; otherwise, he might as well not have saved her in the first place. A look of sorrow crossed Jingyu's face as she glanced at the Primordial Concentric Rings on Qin Sang's wrist. Before speaking earlier, she had set up an invisible restriction so that Fat Chicken could not overhear. "After being thrown into the secret dungeon, I was in no mortal danger, but because my injuries were so severe and I lacked spiritual medicine, I had to expend nearly all my energy on healing. Moreover, that place was wholly unsuitable for cultivation. Over these past two hundred years, my progress has almost entirely stagnated. "On top of that, my protective treasures were all destroyed by the flesh puppets. "Not long after I leave here, I will have to face my heavenly tribulation. If I cannot obtain the Corpse Flower Blood Amber and force a breakthrough, this tribulation will offer no hope of survival!" Jingyu's tone was bitter. Having just reunited with her child after so much hardship, she was forced once again to risk her life. To fail the tribulation would mean parting forever in death. Qin Sang sighed inwardly. Having only recently formed his Nascent Soul, he had yet to truly feel the crushing pressure of a heavenly tribulation, but he could still empathize with Jingyu's plight. Beneath the Heavenly Dao, all were mere ants, every soul struggling across the boundless sea of existence. After a brief hesitation, Jingyu added, "Fellow Daoist Qin, in truth, you humans can also refine the Corpse Flower Blood Amber. One need only place it at the core of a top-grade spirit vein and nourish it for ten years using the spirit vein alongside a secret technique to wash away the blood poison within. The remaining medicinal potency is exceptionally pure and can be absorbed directly into the body. It is an extraordinary, divine medicine capable of directly enhancing a Nascent Soul realm cultivator's cultivation!" Qin Sang was taken aback upon hearing this. He fell silent, inwardly wondering whether Jingyu was telling the truth. Could she be deceiving him just to secure his help in seizing the Corpse Flower Blood Amber? With the Green Luan's true blood already sealed within his phoenix wings, the Corpse Flower Blood Amber held no use for him and could only be traded away. No matter how precious a treasure was, if it offered him no personal benefit, he had to weigh carefully whether it was worth the risk. Jingyu was astute and quickly perceived his misgivings. She hurriedly said, "Fellow Daoist Qin has just helped me break free; how could I be so heartless and ungrateful as to deceive you? This is the secret technique for purifying the Corpse Flower Blood Amber—please look it over first. Handed down through generations of my clan, knowledge of this spiritual item has long been known to us. However, we only know that purifying the blood poison allows it to boost cultivation; we cannot say for certain whether any effect to aid in breakthroughs would remain. The price to pay is that the spirit vein's spiritual energy will be tainted by the blood poison, though it requires only a few years to fully recover..." Qin Sang caught the silver light Jingyu flicked toward him. A secret technique surfaced in his mind; it was indeed profoundly esoteric, far beyond anything Jingyu could fabricate on the spot. He pondered the matter. After reaching the Nascent Soul realm, every single stage had to be overcome by one's own efforts. Even if the Corpse Flower Blood Amber could not help him break through bottlenecks, saving years of arduous cultivation would still make it worthwhile. As for a top-grade spirit vein, he could borrow one from the Yuanshen Sect. Besides, even if he did not vie for the Corpse Flower Blood Amber, he still intended to make a trip to the center of the grand array. "The Corpse Flower Blood Amber is only most effective at stimulating bloodline power upon the very first consumption. However, once the blood poison is washed away, no matter how many one takes, it will not hinder refinement. Back then, as many as five pieces surfaced, and there may well be more inside. I only need two..." One for herself, and one left for Little Fatty. Knowing she was weak on her own, Jingyu hoped to persuade Qin Sang to lend a hand. Just now, Little Fatty had spoken of this Senior Qin in glowing terms, claiming he held absolute sway over the Beichen Realm, possessed strength towering above all others, and stood as the realm's foremost master. Though she felt that was an exaggeration, it was still enough to prove his extraordinary prowess. Qin Sang did not hesitate for long before agreeing. Jingyu was overjoyed. Casting an affectionate glance toward the concentric rings, she said, "Fellow Daoist Qin, if an accident befalls me this time, or if I fail to survive the tribulation, I entrust Little Fatty to your care." Qin Sang took a deep look at Jingyu and said, "He is capable of protecting himself, and having assimilated the Green Luan's thunder power, his future is limitless. He does not need anyone to look after him. Fortune favors the worthy, so do not be overly pessimistic; harboring such thoughts might very well hinder your tribulation." "Thank you for the reminder, Fellow Daoist. I was letting my anxieties get the better of me." Jingyu took a deep breath, her expression returning to normal. Taking the bottle of spirit pills Qin Sang handed her, she set about restoring herself to peak strength as quickly as possible. During their conversation after leaving the Black Pagoda, Qin Sang had already summoned his sword talisman. Upon activating it, he sensed Demon Monarch Tongyou's current location. They were now heading to rendezvous with Demon Monarch Tongyou, and Jingyu knew how to reach the center of the grand array. To deal with the ancient cultivator and Sin Abyss, everyone would need to join forces. When that time came, he and Jingyu could bide their time and seize the Corpse Flower Blood Amber amid the chaos. With Qin Sang taking the lead and driving his magic treasure to clear the path, Jingyu followed closely behind, quietly refining the medicinal pills. The scenery within the array shifted several times in succession. Jingyu remarked, "They are wandering aimlessly through the array; it seems they have yet to decipher its patterns. I have already recovered ninety percent of my strength, so let us hurry and join them. I once heard of Old Demon Ye's renown—he is no ordinary figure, and any delay may invite unforeseen complications." Qin Sang nodded. The two surged forward in streaks of light, one riding a flying sword and the other transforming into lightning as they sped along. Guided by the sword talisman, they drew closer and closer. *Boom!* When Qin Sang and Jingyu reached an open area, they saw bursts of bloody thunder and dazzling flashes of light ahead—a fierce battle was underway. Drawing nearer, they realized Demon Monarch Tongyou and the others were besieging several flesh puppets. Apart from Qin Sang, everyone had arrived. Roaring in fury, the flesh puppets were covered in wounds, yet they remained tenacious and ferocious, their injuries healing at a speed visible to the naked eye. The blood axes in their hands carried the might to cleave mountains and part seas. With every swing, a ray of blood-red light burst forth, forcing everyone to dodge repeatedly. "Who is it?" "Who's there?!" As Qin Sang and Jingyu approached, several loud shouts rang out from ahead, followed by two streaks of light flying over to meet them. They were none other than Qingjun and Demon Monarch Tongyou. Both sides brought their escape lights to a halt. Qin Sang and Qingjun exchanged glances and gave each other a slight nod. Qingjun looked toward Jingyu beside him, somewhat surprised to see that she was entirely uninjured. "Fellow Daoist Jingyu?" Demon Monarch Tongyou actually recognized Jingyu, his face full of astonishment. "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Tongyou; greetings, Fellow Daoist Leng..." Jingyu bowed to each of them in turn, and the two hastily returned the courtesy. "You have been missing for so many years, Fellow Daoist. I thought you had already..." Demon Monarch Tongyou, who held sway over the demonic path of the Xiaohan Realm, had previously dealt with the Demon Kings living in seclusion within Boundless Valley, maintaining a stance of mutual non-interference. After Fat Chicken assimilated the Green Luan's thunder power, his appearance had also changed. Demon Monarch Tongyou glanced at Qin Sang, recalling how Qin Sang had frequently released a demonic bird along the way and acted rather strangely. Realization suddenly dawned on him. "Could it be that Fellow Daoist Jingyu has been cultivating in seclusion within the Blood Lake all this time?"