Schemes

Everything depended on how much Tan Hao knew about the Jinghai Sect. Qin Sang voiced these questions. Discerning his intention, Tan Hao was inwardly startled; he had not expected Qin Sang to actually dare pit himself against Old Man Hunmo. After a moment of hesitation, Tan Hao did not speak up to dissuade him. He believed in Qin Sang. Achieving what he had today was no accident; Qin Sang would never act aimlessly or throw his life away, or he would have become an adrift ghost in the Fiend-Yin Abyss long ago. Tan Hao also had to admit he harbored a glimmer of hope that Qin Sang might help him reclaim a magic treasure, sparing him from returning empty-handed and watching his prize fall into someone else's hands. "Where did you enter from?" Qin Sang considered his retreat route first. Without a word, Tan Hao led Qin Sang back into the cave dwelling. He felt around the back wall for a moment. With a grinding clatter, the stone wall slid open to both sides, revealing a flight of stone stairs descending at an angle. A blast of dry, searing heat hit them in the face. The entire Jinghai Sect was blanketed by the aura of red flames. Tan Hao took the lead down the stairs. Qin Sang kept his Nascent Soul talisman puppet stationed outside to monitor Old Man Hunmo's movements, then followed Tan Hao into the secret passage. The passage, which ought to have been cool and damp, had walls glowing crimson on both sides, looking as though they were on the verge of melting. Fortunately, Buddhist restrictions held firm along the walls, sustaining the passage and preventing a collapse. "This way leads to several meditation halls. It was originally where spiritual energy was thickest—a place where eminent monks of the Jinghai Sect entered seclusion and entered samadhi. There was already a path leading straight out of the sect from here. Senior Ghost Mother discovered this was the weakest part of the spirit array and breached it near the meditation halls," Tan Hao explained as he walked. After walking briskly for a time, Qin Sang suddenly called out to Tan Hao, "Hold on. Where do these two paths lead?" They had entered a hidden chamber. This had once been the station where guards of the meditation halls kept watch. Behind the chamber was a stone door leading toward the meditation halls. In the front wall were three identical secret passages, all converging on the chamber, seemingly leading in different directions. "They lead to the Scripture Pavilion and the mountain peak where the Golden Peak stands, respectively." Tan Hao knew the Jinghai Sect well. Pointing to the other two passages, he explained them one by one. "These three locations are the core of the Jinghai Sect. "The area we entered from houses not only the medicinal herb garden, but also alchemy chambers, artifact refinement chambers, and the like. "The Scripture Pavilion was originally a wooden pagoda standing alongside the thirteen-story Buddhist pagoda, but it was unfortunately destroyed during that catastrophe, leaving behind only its base. The exit of that passage opens into a Buddhist cave behind the two pagodas, where the restrictions remain intact. When Senior entered the Buddhist pagoda, she did not completely destroy its restrictions. If their eyes are drawn to the pagoda, they shouldn't notice the passage in the short term. "The third passage leads straight to the Golden Peak, though its exit is likewise sealed by the Golden Peak's restrictions." Hearing this, Qin Sang's eyes brightened as he looked toward the passage leading to the Golden Peak. "Could we use this passage to bypass Old Man Hunmo's sight and enter the Golden Peak?" Tan Hao hesitated. "In theory, yes. But touching the restrictions on the Golden Peak affects everything. The moment you try to break them, they will surely notice. Furthermore, the passage skims right past that mountain crater. If breaking the restrictions triggers a collapse of the seal and red flame erupts, that passage will take the brunt of the blast, trapping you inside to die." Qin Sang fell silent and had Tan Hao continue leading him to inspect the exit. He weighed various possibilities in his mind. The Buddhist pagoda had already been visited by the Ghost Mother, so likely nothing worthwhile remained there. Aside from that, a few other places in the Jinghai Sect possessed storied backgrounds. Rummaging through them might yield treasures if one were lucky, but they certainly could not compare to the Golden Peak. Tan Hao had originally intended to scour them one by one after forming his Nascent Soul. The magic treasures laid out on the Golden Peak were the most valuable items out in the open. Yet that also meant competing for them would be the most difficult! Amid his contemplation, Qin Sang followed Tan Hao and saw the rear door of the meditation hall; everything appeared normal. "I nearly forgot. Do you know what magic treasures are inside the Golden Peak?" Qin Sang asked. Seeing that Qin Sang truly had designs on the Golden Peak, Tan Hao suppressed the urge to dissuade him and recalled, "Some of those magic treasures rest on the offering table before the Buddha statue, while others lie scattered across the ground beside skeletal remains—roughly seven or eight items in all. Among them are a pair of golden forks, an empowered vajra pestle, a finger-sized jade sword, a treasure resembling a breastplate mirror, a wish-fulfilling jewel, a wooden Buddhist shrine, a flower basket, a lingzhi ruyi scepter..." Then he added, "There might also be treasures on the skeletons or concealed behind the Buddha statue. Separated by the restriction, I couldn't discern their exact functions or grades, so I can only guess." Qin Sang had not expected there to be so many. After a moment's contemplation, he asked, "Which one caught your eye?" If the opportunity arose, Qin Sang would not mind snatching one for Tan Hao as payment for the intelligence. "The empowered vajra pestle!" Tan Hao answered without hesitation. His progress in refining a natal magic treasure lagged behind, and he lacked a powerful offensive magic treasure after forming his Nascent Soul. The most appealing and dependable option was the empowered vajra pestle. The other Buddhist treasures might not suit him, and some might even require a Buddhist cultivator to drive them. Qin Sang nodded, taking a deep breath. "Let's head up first!" *** Inside the Jinghai Sect. Five figures descended together upon a mountain peak, every gaze drawn to the Buddhist pagoda and the Golden Peak. Among them, Old Man Hunmo bore the faintest aura, yet he was the figure everyone dreaded and feared most. Realized Master Chijie stood beside Old Man Hunmo. He rubbed the thumb ring on his hand continuously, excitement and agitation hidden deep in his eyes. On Old Man Hunmo's other side stood a woman of graceful demeanor. She possessed exquisite features, yet her hair was entirely silver, making her true age impossible to tell. She was also the only mid Nascent Soul expert among the five. Her Daoist title was Primordial Lady Yuyi, the foremost expert in the vicinity of the Kongling Sea. She was fond of keeping male paramours, yet she never coerced them and was exceptionally discerning. Her reputation was vastly better than that of other demonic cultivators, and she kept a low profile, rarely leaving her cave dwelling. Realized Master Chijie betrayed no emotion, though his sidelong glance drifted toward Primordial Lady Yuyi. He had not expected this vixen to be stirred into action as well. Primordial Lady Yuyi's eyes rippled like water, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. While she appeared to be observing the Jinghai Sect, her attention remained fixed on Old Man Hunmo, vigilance guarded in her heart. Behind the three stood two men, one tall and one short, both early Nascent Soul cultivators. The taller one stood behind Old Man Hunmo, appearing somewhat detached. The other wore a face burdened with anxiety. "The damage to the seal seems even more severe than you two claimed! That uninvited guest you mentioned doesn't appear to have entered yet," Primordial Lady Yuyi said, glancing around. Her voice carried an alluring charm that set minds drifting. "Do not let down your guard, Fairy. That person is also a mid Nascent Soul expert," Realized Master Chijie warned. "From searching the soul of his companion, we learned he seems to have some means of guidance within the spirit array. Unfortunately, soul searching a Nascent Soul is no easy feat, and at the critical juncture that Mu fellow fought to the death to stop us, so it remains unclear what method he used." He paused, then added, "Nevertheless, he is alone after all. It is only natural that the five of us, joining hands to breach the array, would be faster than him."