Qingjun stood quietly to one side, listening to their conversation.
Earlier, she had inquired with Qin Sang about Bai's origins, but Qin Sang had only given vague answers.
Now, hearing that Bai possessed an intimate understanding even of the Dao Manifestation Tree—something they had never heard of—Qingjun realized that his background might be far more mysterious than she had ever imagined.
She cast a contemplative glance at Bai.
"So, no matter how grand the origins of the Dao Manifestation Tree may be, from now on it won't be any different from any other puppet," Qin Sang said calmly, gathering his thoughts. "Brother Bai, seeing how effortlessly you suppressed the talisman puppet just now, do you have a way to deal with the soul phantoms inside it?"
"Not necessarily," Bai replied, shaking his head. "It is, after all, a spiritual root of heaven and earth, bound to possess wondrous qualities found in no ordinary spiritual material. If you obtain a secret technique for an external incarnation, turning the puppet into one certainly won't disappoint you. I suggest you refrain from purging the soul phantoms inside it for now; otherwise, all you will get is an obedient puppet. This Dao Manifestation Tree was only capable of preserving soul phantoms at the Nascent Soul stage, so even if you eventually elevate the puppet's power to its utmost limit, it won't be much stronger than it is now—hardly worth the loss. I can teach you a method to preserve them. They will still be of use when you cultivate an external incarnation."
Qin Sang nodded, knowing Bai's advice was sound. Unlike Qingjun, he did not specialize in the Dao of Puppetry. No matter how powerful a puppet was, it remained an external instrument, incomparable to an external incarnation.
He recalled the *Seed-Origin Demon Fetus*.
Bai scoffed dismissively. "That wicked blood-dao incarnation art of yours is crude beyond measure. At best, it could only produce an incarnation at the Nascent Soul stage. When it blew itself up back then, I said there was nothing to mourn. Squandering it on a Dao Manifestation Tree would be an utter waste, scarcely any wiser than the fool who refined the tree into a puppet in the first place. Wait until you obtain an orthodox Daoist secret technique for an external incarnation before making a move."
Qin Sang was left at a loss for words, inwardly suspecting that Bai must have been an orthodox Daoist in the ancient past.
In Bai's eyes, everything outside orthodox Daoism was mere heterodoxy.
Still, Qin Sang had no choice but to heed him.
Judging by Bai's tone, an external incarnation forged from a Dao Manifestation Tree possessed boundless potential, perhaps even offering a chance to reach realms beyond the Nascent Soul stage. He could not go wrong following Bai's advice.
Even so, where was one supposed to find an orthodox Daoist supreme divine ability?
Whether such a premier secret technique even existed in the present world was an open question.
At the very least, throughout the war between the three domains, Qin Sang had never heard of such a thing.
At that moment, Qingjun smiled and said, "Thank you, Brother Bai, for sharing these ancient secrets. My horizons have broadened as well. Congratulations, Junior Brother, on acquiring yet another rare treasure. If the Dao Manifestation Tree is truly that miraculous, should you cultivate an external incarnation at the Deity Transformation stage, it will undoubtedly bring immense benefit to your true self. In the Beichen Realm, that would be an unprecedented feat!"
"Senior Sister jokes. All of that is nothing more than castles in the air," Qin Sang said earnestly. "It is best not to reach for what is far beyond my grasp. Keeping my feet on the ground is the true path."
Qingjun nodded slightly in approval. "It is good that you can recognize that, Junior Brother."
Qin Sang pondered for a moment, then recalled another matter and asked Bai about it.
Now that it was clear the preservation of the soul phantoms was due to the Dao Manifestation Tree, was there a way to refine a magic treasure with a similar effect, isolating several of the soul phantoms to seal inside it?
"Core Formation cultivators could improve their odds of breaking through by contemplating these soul phantoms. When I travel abroad in the future, I will certainly have to take the Nascent Soul talisman puppet with me. Leaving such a magic treasure behind at Qingyang Temple would offer a path forward for the juniors of our sect."
Bai pondered for a moment before nodding. "There should be a way, but I need to give it careful thought. Alas! Today has truly been a tumultuous rollercoaster—it nearly shook this old man's Dao heart."
Bai sighed toward the heavens, stood up listlessly, asked Qin Sang for the location of Dichen Cave, and flew straight out of Peach Blossom Valley without looking back.
Watching Bai depart, Qingjun rose and returned to her immortal's cave as well.
Qin Sang sat alone in the stone pavilion, examining the Nascent Soul talisman puppet over and over.
*I do not fear backlash from the soul phantoms, and using the method Bai taught me, refining them would not be difficult. However, I still have the demonic banners, and a puppet on par with the mid Nascent Soul stage is already sufficient for my needs. There is no need to demand even greater strength right now. I must not sacrifice the future for the present.*
Qin Sang quickly made up his mind and returned to his cave dwelling.
In the time that followed, he remained within Peach Blossom Valley, devoting himself entirely to refining the Nascent Soul talisman puppet.
Several months later.
The mists of Peach Blossom Valley churned as a figure shot out, paused briefly, and then sped toward the north.
It was none other than Qin Sang!
During this time, although converting the talisman seals within the puppet was not yet fully complete, he had achieved substantial results and was now able to command it in battle, albeit with some effort.
Fully subduing the puppet would still take time, but Qin Sang could not afford to wait that long. He decided to pay Bing Han a visit now.
Bing Han had repeatedly invited him to be a guest at the Xuling Sect, her words laden with deeper meaning, hinting that something was afoot.
Recalling that Bing Han was on good terms with Xiang Qing and had helped him subdue the Ancestral Holy Fire, Qin Sang surmised that she was likely plotting something and required an assistant.
Qin Sang was determined to obtain the artifact refinement classics of the Xuling Sect.
Whatever conditions Bing Han might pose, he intended to accept them.
Bai was currently in secluded cultivation in Dichen Cave, so it was best not to disturb him for now, but bringing the Nascent Soul talisman puppet along was more than enough.
By this point, the talisman seals within the puppet had been converted into puppet seals. When it struck, there was no longer any flickering phantom of spirit talismans—a world of difference from before.
Even if the ancestors of Shangyuan Qingjing Palace were to see the puppet now, they might not necessarily recognize it.
Of course, even if news leaked that the Nascent Soul talisman puppet was in his hands, Qin Sang had nothing to fear. Still, fewer troubles were always preferable.
He had no time for distractions.
Before Ziwei Palace emerged, refining a magic treasure capable of subduing the Nanming Primordial Fire was his primary task.
Old Demon Ye's infiltration of the Sin God Palace gave Qin Sang an ill premonition. He worried that delaying any further would lead to trouble later, and under no circumstances could he afford to miss out on the Nanming Primordial Fire.
The mountain gate of the Xuling Sect lay northeast of the Yuling Sect, forming a triangle with the Yuling Sect and the Taiyi Dan Sect.
Emerging from Peach Blossom Valley, Qin Sang flew toward the north.
Mountains and rivers shifted beneath him.
After crossing an untold number of ranges and plains, Qin Sang arrived at a hilly region.
Upon arriving here, the scenery changed abruptly.
Unlike other lands, there were no lush forests. One could only see sparse, stunted trees, mostly low shrubs and withered grass, all exceedingly thin.
It was as desolate as a desert or a stony wasteland.
Along with this came gusts of hot wind, blowing unceasingly from ahead, the air permeated with the stench of sulfur.
Up ahead lay the territory of the Xuling Sect!
The mountain gate of the Xuling Sect was built where subterranean fire veins converged, making it the place with the richest and purest earth fire energy in the entire Xiaohan Realm.
Qin Sang flew a while longer until a black river came into view. Looking closer, he realized it was the trail left by a river of lava.
Here, the land was even more devoid of vitality, with not a single soul in sight.
He continued forward along the course of this lava river.
Before long, Qin Sang ended his flight technique and revealed himself in midair. Sweeping his gaze forward, he looked upon a vast expanse of dormant volcanoes.
Immediately, several streaks of escape light shot out from the mountains.
The disciples of the Xuling Sect had already discovered Qin Sang.
Chapter 1316