Before they knew it, a month slipped by.
Throughout that time, Qin Sang and Liuli were inseparable, having almost no time to rest as they ventured deep into the front lines to contend with the demon race.
Xuantian Palace clearly wanted to make use of Qin Sang's ability to infiltrate demon territory.
Qin Sang did not try to stand out, content to carry out his duties diligently and without drawing undue attention.
He had originally hoped to seize an opportunity to capture the Poison Cloud Steed and provide an extra meal for the fat silkworm. But the demon race was not as reckless as imagined; they were just as cautious as the cultivators.
Over the course of the month, the times Qin Sang encountered demon kings could be counted on one hand. Moreover, they moved in groups every time, closely shielded by the beast tide.
After facing off for a while, both sides would tacitly withdraw.
Since no one had laid eyes on the two demon Great Sages in person, it was difficult to deduce anything from these signs alone, yet there was also no guarantee that Great Sage Jiutou would not intervene.
The demon race appeared to be testing the waters as well.
Yin Changsheng, the Palace Master of Xuantian Palace, struck awe throughout the North Sea; whether in cultivation base or influence, he was undisputed as the foremost figure.
It was precisely this interplay of truth and deception, the looming tempest, that proved most unsettling.
A month later, demon movements grew increasingly frequent, bringing mounting pressure with each passing day. They began by deploying small probing forces, which quickly escalated into a full-scale battle.
Qin Sang and Liuli were inevitably swept into the fray.
Unfortunately, the opposing demon kings were exceptionally vigilant. Sensing things going awry, they abandoned their subordinates and fled without hesitation, leaving no opening. With so many eyes watching, it was also inconvenient for Qin Sang to unleash Thunder Escape in pursuit.
In the end, both sides sustained casualties and left behind a number of corpses before falling into a standoff outside Juyao Island.
The demon army hung overhead like a brooding storm cloud.
Amid this tense standoff, the day for the opening of the Sacred Ground arrived as promised.
As there happened to be an interlude in the battle, after some discussion, they resolved to proceed according to the original plan.
Qin Sang and the others slipped away quietly from Juyao Island.
From the Snow-Listening Tower, only Hall Master Jiang, Qin Sang, Liuli, and another Nascent Soul cultivator led several talented juniors into the Sacred Ground, while Shi Xue led the rest to hold Juyao Island.
The other lineages did the same, leaving behind the majority of their experts to prevent the demon race from seizing an opportunity to strike.
According to Tong Lingyu, this grand occasion would be the most modest in scale throughout all the years.
***
*Crash!*
A colossal wave slammed down, sending up white sprays of water.
"Who would have thought that Xuantian Palace's Sacred Ground wouldn't even be within the Hidden Sun Realm?"
Standing on a small island and recalling what they had just undergone, Qin Sang could not help but sigh with emotion.
After returning from Juyao Island to the Hidden Sun Realm, Tong Lingyu had retrieved the ice demon crystal and led the group into one of the Seventy-Two Springs. Winding their way through a deeply concealed area, they stepped onto an ancient teleportation array.
The other end of the ancient array was this nameless islet. They had clearly crossed countless tens of thousands of li, leaving the Hidden Sun Realm and arriving in an unknown place.
Qin Sang only knew that they were now at the southernmost edge of the North Sea, with the storm belt not far to the south, but he could not determine their exact position.
This was an intact ancient teleportation array; even if they had been transported to the western Boundless Ocean, Qin Sang would not have been surprised.
The islet was heavily guarded and sealed by a grand formation. It defended against external threats, but also prevented anyone on the island from leaving without authorization—one required the consent of both the Palace Master and the Grand Elder to open the barrier.
Standing beside Qin Sang, Hall Master Jiang chuckled. "Treasures within the Sacred Ground are countless, serving as the very foundation of Xuantian Palace. How could modern cultivators possibly create such a place? All of the restrictions—including the Body Cleansing Pool—originate from antiquity. We can only abide by the rules set within the Sacred Ground. Qingfeng, do not act recklessly once you enter."
"I understand," Qin Sang nodded.
He roused the Heavenly Eye Butterfly to observe their surroundings. Three sides were nothing but open water, devoid of any distinctive landmarks.
Looking south, he saw the storm belt resembling a shroud of shadows, a familiar sight that dredged up long-buried memories.
"Will the Palace Master also show himself today?" he asked, glancing back at the hall housing the teleportation array.
Hall Master Jiang nodded. "This array must be unlocked by combining the tokens of the Palace Master and the Grand Elder. It is precisely because of such vigilance that the Sacred Ground's location has never leaked."
"How far is the Sacred Ground from here?"
"Right within the storm belt." Hall Master Jiang pointed toward the south.
As they spoke, ripples of fluctuation suddenly emanated from the teleportation array hall, and a faint glow lit up.
Qin Sang and Liuli exchanged a look, curbed their auras, and followed behind Hall Master Jiang to stand together with the cultivators of the various lineages, awaiting the Palace Master.
Just then, a crisp, sharp birdcall echoed from the hall.
*Chirp, chirp...*
Qin Sang's gaze turned odd, but when he glanced at the other Nascent Soul cultivators, their expressions were entirely calm, showing no surprise at all.
The next instant, a fierce gust of wind burst from the hall. The first thing to catch his eye was a magnificent spirit bird—remarkably, it carried the rare lineage of the Chongming Bird!
*Whoosh!*
The Chongming Bird had double pupils in each eye, and its fierce gaze commanded awe and dread.
Facing these Nascent Soul cultivators, it displayed not the slightest fear. Spreading its wings, it rushed out of the hall, pulling a resplendent, golden carriage that radiated an inexplicable majesty.
At the sight of the Chongming Bird and the jeweled carriage, the cultivators' eyes brightened.
This divine bird carriage belonged to the Palace Master!
The Palace Master had not broken his word; he had come in person to open the Sacred Ground. The previous rumors collapsed on their own!
Qin Sang was also rather curious about this enigmatic Palace Master. Shifting his gaze from the Chongming Bird to the carriage, he found three sides of it completely sealed, while the remaining side was shielded by heavy fringes, so thoroughly veiled that nothing inside could be seen.
"Greetings, Palace Master."
Tong Lingyu stepped forward and offered a salute.
The others followed suit.
The divine bird carriage hovered in midair. The Chongming Bird looked down upon the assembly of Nascent Soul cultivators, its eyes filled with smug pride.
A calm, plain voice drifted from within the carriage. "I have kept you all waiting. Grand Elder, open the array at once."
"Understood!"
Tong Lingyu lightly patted her mustard seed pouch and tossed out half of a jade seal.
At the same time, the fringes of the carriage stirred, and a streak of flowing light flew forth. The two halves of the jade seal fused into one, shooting upward and embedding itself into the light canopy covering the islet.
Soundlessly, a round opening appeared in the canopy.
Flapping its wings, the Chongming Bird took the lead, pulling the carriage out through the gap.
Tong Lingyu flicked her fingers to summon a spirit boat large enough to accommodate everyone, then turned back to the crowd. "Fellow Daoists, please board the vessel."
Once everyone was aboard, Tong Lingyu sealed the spirit boat's restrictions. Steering the vessel out of the islet, she retrieved the jade seal and followed the carriage southward, flying straight into the storm belt.
Instantly, the spirit boat was engulfed by raging gales, and the world plunged into darkness.
One carriage and one spirit boat wove their way through the tempest, shifting and dodging the turbulent currents.
The senses of those aboard the spirit boat were sealed by its restrictions; all their eyes could see were the omnipresent gales. These restrictions were not exceptionally powerful, but if anyone attempted to transmit a message outward, the Grand Elder and the Palace Master would detect it immediately.
Before long, the spirit boat jolted and came to an abrupt halt.
The divine bird carriage had also stopped ahead of them.
Qin Sang looked outside. There were no prominent anomalies in the surroundings; Xuantian Palace's Sacred Ground was hidden remarkably deep.
At that moment, Tong Lingyu brought out the ice chest familiar to Qin Sang.
She placed her palm lightly over the top of the ice chest. Light shimmered in her palm and coursed across the chest's surface, triggering layer upon layer of restrictions.
*Snap!*
The ice chest opened, revealing a regular, transparent crystal—an ice demon crystal!
Chapter 1483