A Distant Journey

"It seems her primordial spirit is merging with the radiance. That shouldn't be a bad thing..." An expectant look appeared on Qin Sang's face. Ever since he had posted a bounty through the Beichen Alliance, numerous clues had arrived over the past three years. Li Yufu and other disciples had traveled extensively to investigate them, and Qin Sang had even emerged from seclusion once for the matter. Yet none of the leads had turned out to be what he sought. Qin Sang then retrieved other items from his Qianjun Ring and sifted through them, pondering what further preparations he needed before departure. After a moment's contemplation, he drew out the Jinchen Sword. The Jinchen Sword was still a top-grade magic treasure. Refining the Sun God Tree had depleted most of Qin Sang's reserves. When he agreed to assist Daoist Canghong previously, he had obtained several precious spiritual materials. Some had already been refined into other items, while a portion had been reserved for the Jinchen Sword. Having already devised a plan, Qin Sang headed to the fire chamber and set to work re-refining the Jinchen Sword. The next day. Qin Sang emerged, his expression calm and composed. "A pity it's still missing that final spark! A supreme-grade magic treasure truly isn't so easily refined. Still, with eighteen demonic banners in hand, there's no rush. Being able to deploy the Seven Po Killing Array is enough for now, and I can always gather spiritual materials while traveling..." Though he had not succeeded, Qin Sang was not discouraged. With everything prepared, he did not intend to delay any further and sent out a streak of light. Receiving the command, the White Cat turned and left the valley to relay the news back to Qingyang Temple and the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea. Li Yufu happened to be at the sect, while Shangguan Lifeng and the others were all away traveling. Before long, Li Yufu and Tan Yi'en arrived at Peach Blossom Valley. Qin Sang gave them a few instructions. He had already conferred in detail with Jingyu beforehand, so there was no need to wait for her. That night, Qin Sang drifted quietly out of the valley. Li Yufu, Tan Yi'en, and the White Cat stood respectfully before Peach Blossom Valley. Only long after Qin Sang's figure had disappeared did they straighten up, reluctance clear on their faces. The White Cat remained behind to guard Peach Blossom Valley. Li Yufu and Tan Yi'en returned to Qingyang Temple to make arrangements. Qin Sang traveled entirely alone on this journey, bringing along none of the lesser demons; by his side was only the Nascent Soul talisman puppet. Not long after Qin Sang's departure, Various ambiguous rumors began spreading through the cultivation world. Some said Qin Sang continued his arduous seclusion in Peach Blossom Valley, preparing to press forward and break through to the late Nascent Soul stage in a single stroke to astonish the world. Others said Qin Sang had set off to wander, searching painstakingly for the Reception Platform in the Ancient Immortal Battlefield... Having shone brilliantly during the War of the Three Domains and broken through to the mid-Nascent Soul stage with shocking speed, Qin Sang had become a legendary figure across the Beichen Realm. Tales of his deeds circulated widely in every domain, recounted with relish. In the minds of these people, Qin Sang becoming a great cultivator was a foregone conclusion, merely a matter of time. Some with idle hours even placed wagers on whether Qin Sang could break through to the legendary Soul Formation stage. Of course, even if that day truly came, those participating in such bets would have long since turned to dry bones, leaving their wagers unredeemable. The other Nascent Soul experts were wary of Qin Sang's strength. Furthermore, Jingyu, a demon king in the mid-Transformation stage, watched over the sect. Thus, even though Qin Sang had not shown himself for a long time, no power dared provoke Qingyang Temple. Dominating the northern shore of the Yuncang Great Marsh, Qingyang Temple grew increasingly prosperous. *** In the southern sea of the Beichen Realm. A sea breeze blew gently, and the water's surface lay calm. Qin Sang casually formed an invisibility incantation and flew upon his sword, making no deliberate effort to accelerate. After speeding along for a time, Though he did not know how far he had traveled, he could distinctly sense the wind and waves growing rougher. The farther forward he flew, the fiercer the tempest became. Rumble... Monstrous waves surged toward the heavens without a moment's pause. Gales howled, accompanied by continuous rolls of thunder. Having spent over a century in the Canglang Ocean, Qin Sang was all too familiar with such sights. Winds and waves of this scale had to be influenced by the Storm Belt, which meant he was drawing near to it. Sure enough, In less than the time it took for an incense stick to burn, the Storm Belt came into view. Qin Sang halted in midair, his gaze sweeping across the iron curtain of the Storm Belt blotting out the sky ahead. As expected, the scene here was no different from the Storm Belt surrounding the Canglang Ocean. Once inside the Storm Belt, heading straight south would allow one to traverse it and enter the Three Realms of the North Sea. Yet that was easier said than done. The Storm Belt was fraught with perils; flying through it smoothly and peacefully was impossible. Any lapse in vigilance leading to a loss of direction meant one would never emerge from the Storm Belt again. And such an outcome was very likely. Qin Sang drew out the Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros horn in advance. He recalled Yuan Zhu mentioning that powerful demons of the Demon Sea had once carried a Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros horn into the Storm Belt, attempting to locate the Canglang Ocean and change their predicament of constantly being on the defensive. Yuan Zhu's cultivation had not been high enough to know whether the horn's resonance would weaken or blur if one ventured too deep into the Storm Belt, merely warning Qin Sang to be careful. Presumably, the distance between the Three Realms of the North Sea and the Beichen Realm was not exceedingly vast, so the Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros horn was unlikely to fail completely. The Storm Belt stretched boundlessly with no definitive safe route; entering from any point made little difference. Along this journey, unless he was fortunate enough to stumble upon an intact ancient cultivator's dwelling, there would be nowhere for him to adjust his breath and recover; he had to break through in a single push. Particularly in the latter half, his true essence would be heavily depleted. With no retreat possible, he could only charge forward under immense pressure. These two reasons were primarily why even Nascent Soul cultivators dared not cross the Storm Belt lightly. Qin Sang thought of Chen Yan. When she left the Beichen Realm, her cultivation had only been at the early Nascent Soul stage. Most likely, she had either possessed some auxiliary treasure or known an undisclosed secret path. Her master had been a great cultivator and might have left her something behind. Qin Sang channeled his true essence. The Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros horn radiated a soft glow, its subtle resonance guiding his direction. Gripping the horn firmly, Qin Sang picked an arbitrary spot and plunged straight into the storm! Boom! A gray hurricane swept over him. Back in the Core Formation stage, Qin Sang had once ventured deep into the Storm Belt to evade Old Devil Mou; now, it could hardly hinder him. His figure flickered as he dodged effortlessly, shooting forward like a bolt of lightning. The storm was vast and boundless. Void of living creatures, devoid of any sight of the starry sky or an end, the expanse was suffocatingly oppressive. A lone silhouette pressed valiantly forward through the tempest, never looking back. *** The Three Realms of the North Sea. An open expanse of ocean. The sea was far from peaceful. Yet here the sky was clear and cloudless for ten thousand li, showing no sign that a storm was brewing. Crack! Suddenly, a clap of thunder rumbled from afar. The crash shook heaven and earth. A beam of azure light swept in from the north like an azure rainbow. Flying with a speed rivaling lightning, it shot through the air and shrank to a speck of light in the blink of an eye. Closely pursuing behind the azure light were two streaks of escape light—one crimson, one black—their auras every bit as powerful as the first. Demonic qi surged to the heavens! Those hunting down the azure light were actually Transformation stage great demons, and both had already manifested their true demon forms! The body behind the crimson light was a one-legged divine bird with a grotesque head resembling a fleshy tumor. Its bloodline was unrecognizable from its exterior; foul-smelling crimson blood-qi radiated from its entire body, assailing the senses. The one-legged divine bird's plumage seemed not to have been red originally, but rather stained crimson by the permeating blood-qi. The bird had a slender frame with wings spread across a hundred zhang, resembling a vast cloud of blood. Its aura was not the least bit inferior to the light ahead! Within its triangular demonic eyes shone a bloodthirsty, ecstatic gleam, locked firmly on the direction where the azure light fled!