Master

The two incarnations clashed. Qin Sang's previous caution proved its worth. The stone statue's incarnation knew only a single divine ability. No longer holding back, Qin Sang's external incarnation shed all color from its eyes. His pupils turned crystal-clear and transparent, then split down the center to shoot forth two beams of gaze as sharp as swords. The gaze was nearly tangible, transforming in midair into two chains of ice crystal. At this moment, the statue's incarnation was still mechanically attacking with cold air, its repertoire limited. The Pupil-Rending Ice Chains ranked among the top three divine abilities recorded in *Hanming Guiyin*. The ice crystal chains pierced through the cold air. Sensing danger, the statue's incarnation retreated rapidly while identical changes appeared within its eyes—it was mimicking the Pupil-Rending Ice Chains right on the spot. However, it was merely an imitator, and surrendering the initiative in a battle of spells was fatal. *Clatter!* The ice crystal chains whipped around at high speed, coiling into a cage of chains around the statue's incarnation. Simultaneously, the external incarnation swiftly formed a hand seal. Cold light cascaded from above, and boundlessly chilling vapor sealed the gaps between the chains, isolating the statue's incarnation from the battlefield. *Boom!* The cage shuddered violently as fine fissures surfaced along the ice chains; the statue's incarnation was counterattacking with equal ferocity. The external incarnation aimed only to temporarily trap the statue's incarnation rather than press the attack. Shifting its gaze back to the main body, it altered its hand seal once more. By now, Qin Sang was already very close to the python banner. He appeared intent on repeating his previous trick, eliminating the statue's aid first. The bronze cauldron, demonic fire, ice fan... Attacks arrived in swift succession. The statue instinctively moved to intercept Qin Sang. At that exact instant, a strange glint flashed through Qin Sang's eyes. Without the slightest warning, he abruptly shifted course. Stepping upon the Lotus Seal, he deftly evaded the jade-white mystic light and pivoted, charging straight for the statue itself in defiance of its onslaught. The statue felt neither joy nor anger; only battle intent burned in its hollow gaze. Faced with Qin Sang's unexpected move, it showed no surprise. The ice fan in its hand flared with radiant light, and the banner snapped wildly in the wind. A flame dragon and an ice dragon coiled around each other, roaring toward the heavens with earthshaking momentum, hell-bent on swallowing Qin Sang whole. *Crack!* Right then, a faint blue glow coalesced in the void before Qin Sang, instantly solidifying into an ice mirror. It was crystal-clear and translucent, yet possessed an aura of immense weight. Another major divine ability of the external incarnation—the Mystic Ice Mirror! This divine ability was unadorned and unassuming, but exceptionally sturdy. *Boom!* The statue's attack crashed squarely into the Mystic Ice Mirror. In a flash, blazing flames and frigid cold swept outward in all directions, mingled with shards of the Mystic Ice Mirror of varying sizes, plunging the platform into chaos. Qin Sang remained remarkably calm. With the aid of the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, he clearly perceived the turbulent currents of energy and slipped through them like smoke, rapidly closing in on the statue. To his surprise, the statue mimicked the Lotus Seal, its footwork just as subtle and elusive as Qin Sang's. As it maneuvered, the bronze cauldron above its head locked onto Qin Sang, unleashing successive beams of azure mystic light. Though unable to close the distance, Qin Sang showed no trace of panic. His gaze flickered, and he suddenly snapped his conjoined fingers toward the statue. *Crack!* Heavenly thunder struck the world! With a loud clang, the Thunder Driving Technique struck the bronze cauldron squarely. Under the violent onslaught of frenzied thunderous force, the cauldron was knocked flying on the spot. Below it, the statue staggered and nearly tumbled to the ground, thoroughly disheveled. Yet the statue had not suffered grave injuries. It whipped its hand back and pointed a finger at Qin Sang. *Crack!* As expected, it had learned the Thunder Driving Technique as well. The next instant, two bolts of lightning collided in midair. The moment the heavenly thunder descended, Qin Sang activated the long-prepared Thunder Escape technique, dodging it cleanly without a scratch. *** At the same moment. On another platform. Cultivator Yue was locked in battle against his stone statue, growing increasingly alarmed as the fight dragged on. Recognizing that defeating it in short order was impossible, he soon deduced the true nature of this trial, just as Qin Sang had. Without hesitation, he patted his mustard seed bag. A palm-sized gourd flew out, ready to unleash his trump card and give the others a surprise! Just then, he saw the stone statue make a bizarre gesture, raising its finger to point at him. Cultivator Yue froze, instantly realizing something was wrong as warning bells rang wildly in his mind. Not daring to delay, he brushed his hand over the crown of his head. White vapor surged skyward from his Baihui acupoint, condensing into a gigantic hand. *Boom!* The thunder slammed into the hand, blasting it apart into scattered white vapor. Cultivator Yue's body trembled as he felt himself struck by an immense force. Crashing hard onto the platform, he staggered backward several paces, his entire body numb and his appearance thoroughly disheveled. Before he could regain his footing and adjust, the scene before his eyes flared with brilliant radiance. The statue transformed into a flash of lightning, its speed skyrocketing to an astonishing degree, arriving right in front of him! *Whoosh!* Black spiritual fire swept across the sky and earth. Cultivator Yue's complexion changed drastically. From an early age, he had been regarded as a genius. After secluded cultivation of just over a decade led to a smooth breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm, high hopes were pinned upon him. He had spent decades in bitter, undisturbed cultivation in Tianshan, taking only a little over a century to achieve another breakthrough. Yet for that very reason, he lacked real experience. Over the years, experts from the Tianshan lineage had taken turns sparring with him, but they could never subject him to true life-and-death crises, nor did the Tianshan lineage possess a Great Cultivator. At this moment, confronted in rapid succession by the Thunder Driving Technique, demonic fire, and the Thunder Escape, a flustered panic he had not felt in years seized Cultivator Yue once more. *Whoosh!* The black spiritual fire swept across. The stone statue came to an abrupt halt where it stood. All the anomalous phenomena wrought by magic treasures and divine abilities vanished instantly, as if they had never existed. The spot where Cultivator Yue had stood was already empty. Only a curse echoed behind: "Damn you!" *** Outside the archway's exit. A meteor-like beam of light shot out from deep within the white mist, followed by a figure tumbling out and being expelled from the archway. It was none other than Cultivator Yue. He drew a deep breath to steady his chaotic internal breathing, then inspected himself carefully, confirming he had sustained no serious injuries. Just as the statue's final strike had been about to land upon him, he had been teleported out. Glaring bitterly toward the depths of the white mist, an expression of unwillingness surfaced on Cultivator Yue's face. Even as a genius whose cultivation speed topped the entire Xuantian Palace, he still refused to miss any opportunity to improve himself. Alas, his skill had fallen short, leaving him with nothing to do but sigh. Just then, Cultivator Yue sensed a reaction from a medallion within his mustard seed bag. Remembering Chief Shang's earlier entrustment, he reached out to retrieve the medallion, but suddenly sensed something amiss. Freezing in his tracks, he glanced toward the ruins of an ancient hall not far away, gave a cold snort, ignited his escape light, and tore through the air, departing the scene. Shortly after his departure, a faint white glimmer appeared amid the ruins, revealing two figures—a man and a woman, both dressed in white, with ethereal, transcendent demeanors. "He noticed us! Truly worthy of being called Xuantian Palace's once-in-a-millennium genius, seeing through my Thousand Illusions Refracting Mirror so easily." A mirror with an uneven surface hovered before the woman. Watching the direction in which Cultivator Yue had flown, a flicker of admiration surfaced in her eyes. "What good is being a genius? In the end, he ended up defeated by another, just like us. Besides, Junior Sister Yu, you haven't driven this treasure to its limits yet. It's just a pity that this trial was so peculiar; your treasure couldn't showcase its true power. We were also forced apart, rendering our prior agreement to join hands meaningless..." The man was just as unwilling as Cultivator Yue, his tone laden with helplessness. As he spoke, he suddenly broke into a violent fit of coughing, his internal aura falling into utter disarray. The woman gasped, "Senior Brother Zhang, you..." "It's fine!" The man waved his hand, smiling wryly. "To vie for this chance, I forcefully elevated my cultivation using a secret technique, gaining empty power without true comprehension. After this, I'll drop back to the early Nascent Soul realm and require at least several decades of quiet cultivation to recover. It truly wasn't worth the cost!" Such occurrences were commonplace in Xuantian Palace. Before the Sacred Ground opened, each lineage had three hundred years to prepare extensively, unlike during emergencies where techniques that temporarily raised realms were precious and rare. Thus, the woman was not surprised, but sighed in resonance, "I didn't expect the final victor to be an outsider. I wonder why Chief Shang never showed up. I heard that when he broke through forcefully back then, his methods were even more aggressive than yours, Senior Brother. Could it be that he was left with hidden flaws, felt he had no chance, and chose to forfeit? I had originally considered him and Junior Brother Yue our greatest rivals." "Chief Shang causing an uproar at the wedding was likely to pave the way for Junior Brother Yue. Facing the suppression of the ancient restriction, those who enter a second time and claim the prize are virtually unheard of in our records. It's only natural for Chief Shang to give up. With demons invading and turmoil gripping the Sacred Ground, Chief Shang and the others are needed to plan and coordinate our defense," the man said thoughtfully. "Did you forget about that other one, Senior Brother Zhang?" The woman gestured with her chin toward the Body Cleansing Pool. "He's an outsider, so he's equally suppressed." The man replied with deep meaning, "Junior Sister Yu, have you really not guessed that man's origin?" "His origin?" The woman froze. "There have always been rumors within the sect that the sacred relic was lost for a period a decade ago. Later, the Grand Elder and the other elders retrieved it, but not without hardship. It's said they encountered a mysterious expert whose cultivation was only in the mid Nascent Soul realm, yet whose strength rivaled that of a Great Cultivator. He left the elders disgraced, forcing them into a trade before they could recover the sacred relic. I once inquired obliquely with Elder Lan, and he didn't deny it. Later, I specifically gathered information regarding the Myriad Demons Assembly; that person happened to wield a type of black demonic fire..." The man paused and let out a cold sneer. "Since when did mid Nascent Soul cultivators become so common that two of them would pop up one after another? The elders probably had their suspicions long ago. But because this involves one of the four main lineages and the Grand Elder, the implications are too vast—not to mention it would expose the Council of Elders' failure to guard the sacred relic properly. So they all played dumb." The astonishment in the woman's eyes deepened. She sighed, "Facing an opponent like that, our defeat wasn't unjust. Still, whether that grand wedding was genuine or a facade, the ties between this person and Xuantian Palace cannot be severed. With him present, he might very well be the key to helping our sect weather this calamity." The two fell silent, stared at the archway for a few moments, and departed together. *** Inside the white mist. Qin Sang waved his arm, stowing his demonic banners. He was the only one remaining on the platform. Just earlier, after the stone statue acquired new divine abilities, its strength had surged, dragging Qin Sang into a bitter battle. Yet after only a few exchanges, the statue had frozen in place. A smile curved Qin Sang's lips. As expected, the others had been eliminated. A gentle force materialized. Qin Sang's heart stirred, and he relinquished resistance, allowing the gentle force to nudge him off the platform and carry him deep into the white mist. Before long, his feet settled onto solid ground. Immortal mist swirled ahead, and deep within it radiated a faint golden light. Amidst that radiance stood the phantom of an extraordinary spiritual tree. It was a species of spiritual tree Qin Sang had never seen before. Facing its silhouette, he felt bathed in the golden light through and through, penetrating straight into his spirit. His internal breathing settled at once, and his true essence grew tranquil as water, flowing murmuringly through his meridians. Qin Sang could almost hear the sound of his true essence circulating within his body. A strange glint appeared in his eyes as he walked forward instinctively. Yet as he drew near, the tree silhouette and the golden light abruptly vanished, as though everything had been a mere illusion. He halted, savoring the sensation from a moment ago. Only then did he notice a pool of clear spring water at the spot where the tree's roots had been, its water so pristine and transparent it seemed almost nonexistent. *Is this the Body Cleansing Pool?* Qin Sang had heard Liuli describe it before, but seeing it in person still took him by surprise. The pool was tiny, barely large enough for one person to occupy. Without hesitation, he stepped into the Body Cleansing Pool. In an instant. Everything in his surroundings disappeared. Qin Sang felt as though he had stepped into a vast, uncharted realm, its void suffused with five-colored light, yet so profoundly silent it tempted him to drift into a deep slumber. Right then, Qin Sang felt a subtle sting. Only then did he realize that a strange power had enveloped him at some point, omnipresent and permeating every opening, seeping into his body through every pore. Having practiced body refinement alongside his cultivation, Qin Sang possessed a formidable physical vessel and was indifferent to pain of this caliber. As time passed, however, the stinging grew increasingly intense. Eventually, it burrowed deep into his meridians, spread along them into his qi sea, and even brushed against his Nascent Soul! Sweat beaded on Qin Sang's brow; his entire body grew taut. He could no longer ignore the agonizing pain ravaging his insides. His meridians felt sliced by blades, and his true essence raged like a burst dam, recklessly crashing against everything in its path. The source of this deluge was his qi sea. Under the influence of that strange power, Qin Sang's qi sea had long lost its rightful calm, churning in wild turbulence as monstrous waves surged one after another. And this was merely the beginning. To his horror, Qin Sang discovered that his Nascent Soul showed signs of spiraling out of control. That power had invaded the Nascent Soul at some point. The Nascent Soul's facial features contorted, letting out a silent shriek as though suffering qi deviation. *Boom! Boom!* Wave upon wave of true essence in his qi sea hammered at Qin Sang's mind, bringing agonizing pain in rolling swells. At this moment, Qin Sang finally understood why the Body Cleansing Pool required cultivators to be in the mid Nascent Soul realm. If an early Nascent Soul cultivator were subjected to such an impact, their Nascent Soul would likely disintegrate on the spot. The Body Cleansing Pool was an opportunity, but it also concealed mortal danger. That strange power seemed limitless, pouring ceaselessly into his body. The Heavenly Eye Butterfly was also in Qin Sang's qi sea, though it was ignored by that strange power. Sensing that its master was in grave danger yet powerless to help, it could only obey his instructions and hide in a corner, its rapidly fluttering wings betraying its frantic anxiety. Qin Sang clenched his fists, his expression twisted in agony. Casting everything else aside, he poured every ounce of will into preserving his Nascent Soul. Each wisp of the strange power that entered acted like a needle, a dagger, running rampant and wreaking havoc inside the Nascent Soul. Compared to this, the agony in his meridians and qi sea was hardly worth mentioning. Time and again, whenever the Nascent Soul neared the verge of collapse, Qin Sang forcefully dragged it back. Again and again, it broke down only to be rebuilt. Qin Sang felt the illusion that he was repeating the process of coalescing his Nascent Soul countless times over. He had gone numb, having lost count of how many near-fatal crises of Nascent Soul collapse he had endured. *** Just as Qin Sang entered the Body Cleansing Pool. On another floating mountain, flashes of light from magic treasures and divine abilities flared continuously, accompanied by deafening battle cries. The Ice Wind Cave was located on this very mountain. This place could enhance a Golden Core cultivator's chances of forming a Nascent Soul, making it one of the most treasured sites of Xuantian Palace, crucial to the sect's legacy. Even though many hands had to be dispatched to harvest treasures across the realm, the Palace Master and the Grand Elder had still assigned several Nascent Soul cultivators to escort and protect the disciples entering the Ice Wind Cave. Sure enough, they had encountered competitors. The opposing faction was led by Dongyang Bo. Most of the Nascent Soul cultivators alongside him were like Dongyang Bo himself—their path forward severed, spending their remaining days paving the road for their successors. With both sides clashing in disagreement, a fierce melee erupted instantly. The entrance to the Ice Wind Cave was a sheer cliff face. At the center of the cliff, a sphere of blue light was currently spinning without pause. Once the light sphere stabilized, the Ice Wind Cave would open! The Golden Core cultivators were not qualified to join the fray. Flanking either side of the cliff, they glared angrily at their opponents, yet remained calm enough not to act rashly, keeping their eyes trained on the changes within the light sphere. From time to time, they glanced toward the battlefield before the cliff. With their limited cultivation, they could no longer distinguish who the figures in the fray were, nor tell which side held the upper hand, leaving them to burn with anxious impatience. "Wu Junzi! You dare stir up trouble in my Xuantian Palace's Sacred Ground! Aren't you afraid that once I get out, I'll raze your Black Wu Island to the ground?" A furious shout rang from within the battlefield. Immediately following it came a burst of mocking, wild laughter. "This was spearheaded by Old Man Hunmo and Great Sage Tianpeng! Kill them first if you have the guts! I'll be waiting for you on Black Wu Island to see just how capable your Xuantian Palace is, and whether you can sweep across the Boundless Sea! You've hoarded this secret realm for long enough—it's high time you shared the spoils!" These words immediately drew a chorus of agreement. "What holy Sacred Ground? This is an ownerless ancient realm that should be shared by the cultivators of the three realms of the North Sea, yet you shamelessly crowned it your Sacred Ground!" "Exactly!" "You ought to give it up!" *** Right then. The light sphere on the cliff shifted, splitting into two streams that coalesced into a Taiji pattern. As it spun slowly, an opening gradually emerged at its center. "Go in!" Hearing Dongyang Bo's voice, Qiu Mubai charged toward the light sphere without hesitation, followed by a beam of flowing light shot from the battlefield to clear his path. Just then. Dongyang Bo's opponent's eyes flickered, and he abruptly switched targets, slashing a treasured saber viciously toward Qiu Mubai. Dongyang Bo's expression changed slightly. He hurriedly urged his Vajra Ring forward to block the strike on Qiu Mubai's behalf. *Clang!* The light of the Vajra Ring flickered erratically. A surge of sweetness rose in Dongyang Bo's throat, but he forcefully choked it down. Nonetheless, his opponent noticed his abnormality and burst into hearty laughter: "A rotting husk dares act so arrogantly!" Facing Dongyang Bo alone, this man had been quite wary of him, yet over the course of their clash, he had faintly detected that something was amiss with Dongyang Bo. That brief probe just now proved it had all been a bluff! Qiu Mubai successfully broke through into the cave entrance. A bone-chilling wind rushed over his face, while the laughter behind him reached his ears, filling his eyes with urgency. He knew his master's current condition all too well. After arriving in the North Sea, his master had aged with every passing day. In the last ten-odd years, the situation had grown increasingly dire; each time he entered seclusion, he emerged visibly older. Qiu Mubai had refused to believe it, yet he was forced to accept the harsh reality. Now, engaging in a fierce battle to help him vie for the Ice Wind Cave was adding frost to snow for his master. Gritting his teeth and suppressing his worries, Qiu Mubai dashed into the Ice Wind Cave without looking back. The sooner he came out, the sooner his master could disengage. A fork appeared ahead. Choosing a path at random, he found a circular ice platform inside, upon which rested a prayer mat woven from ice silkworm silk. Qiu Mubai leaped onto the mat. No sooner had he settled into position than the sacrificial altar trembled, erupting with blue light that enveloped him. *** An incense stick's time later. Qiu Mubai's figure reappeared at the cave entrance, his expression an intricate blend of joy and frantic worry. "Did you succeed?" A familiar figure appeared before him. "Master!" Qiu Mubai was overjoyed, nodding repeatedly. Dongyang Bo showed a look of gratification, grabbing Qiu Mubai by the shoulder. "Let's go!" Seeing his master unharmed, Qiu Mubai felt an immense wave of relief. Just as he was about to speak, he caught sight of a figure pursuing them closely, followed by a streak of white light launched by Dongyang Bo. It was none other than his natal magic treasure, the Vajra Ring. The next instant, Qiu Mubai witnessed a scene he would never forget for the rest of his life. The Vajra Ring emitted mournful wails, then shattered abruptly. An intensely dense white radiance radiating an aura of total destruction drew every gaze, searing Qiu Mubai's eyes with pain. "Madman!" The pursuer had never imagined Dongyang Bo would detonate his own natal magic treasure. Horrified, his complexion drained of color as he scrambled backward in retreat. Qiu Mubai's eyes turned crimson. He could sense his master's aura withering at terrifying speed, yet the hand gripping his shoulder remained as unyielding as an iron clasp, whisking him far away from the dangerous fray. *Thud! Thud!* Two figures landed upon an unnamed floating mountain. Dongyang Bo staggered on his feet. "Master!" Qiu Mubai hurried to support him, his face filled with anxiety and remorse. Dongyang Bo bade Qiu Mubai help him sit down. Looking at Qiu Mubai, his gaze gradually softened. "Your master has misjudged two people in his life, but at least I did not overlook you in the end. With this opportunity, your Nascent Soul breakthrough should be foolproof." "Had I known... this disciple would rather have foregone this chance," Qiu Mubai said through gritted teeth. "Do not speak such foolishness," Dongyang Bo scolded, his face stern. "You know full well my condition. Living nearly three hundred extra years was already wresting life from the heavens! Dying in an ancient secret realm is no disgrace. After I pass, take my belongings and leave this Sacred Ground at once... There are a few things your master must instruct you on." Tears welled in Qiu Mubai's fierce eyes as he fell heavily to his knees. "This disciple swears to restore Shaohua Mountain to its former glory in this lifetime!" Dongyang Bo let out a chuckle. "Who asked you to restore Shaohua Mountain?" Qiu Mubai froze. Dongyang Bo sighed. "Your master once made that very oath before your grandmaster, treating the sect as my sole responsibility. In my entire life, I schemed for myself only once, yet..." He paused, a look of desolation washing over his face. "Everything in this mortal world is fleeting vanity; only the Great Dao is eternal! You should not follow in my footsteps. I command you to devote yourself wholly to cultivation from now on, pursuing the immortal path. With Qin Sang and Mu Yifeng looking after Shaohua Mountain, the day of its revival will come eventually." "Junior Brother Qin?" Qiu Mubai looked up in disbelief. He had personally experienced the incident at the Bronze Hall. Ever since then, Junior Brother Qin had become a taboo subject on Shaohua Mountain, Junior Brother Mu was confined to Jingyue Peak, and Lady Chen Yan left Shaohua Mountain soon after, vanishing without a trace. Blessed with sharp intellect and insight, Qiu Mubai had pieced together much of the truth despite not witnessing it firsthand, yet he had had no choice but to feign ignorance. Several decades ago. Junior Brother Qin had made a triumphant return, achieving astonishing feats and establishing himself among the supreme experts of the Beichen Realm. His master, meanwhile, had quietly departed with him for the North Sea. Qiu Mubai had always believed his master chose to retreat out of fear of Junior Brother Qin's vengeance. Yet hearing these words now, could it be that his master and Junior Brother Qin had already reconciled? "Once you reach the Nascent Soul realm, you will understand that there is no gratitude or grievance in this world that cannot be resolved, nor is the path of cultivation purely a zero-sum struggle of life and death." Dongyang Bo adopted a profound tone, then shifted his gaze toward the distance, longing shining in his eyes. "The ascension of the Ziwei Palace was an unprecedented upheaval, one that could not have occurred without cause; the right time simply hasn't arrived yet. I have a premonition that this world will usher in a brand-new epoch, and not before long! Perhaps the turning point for the immortal path will emerge as well. Alas, your master won't live to see it! Both you and Qin Sang are fortunate. You should not shackle yourself to the sect, squandering your days on petty scrambles! Remember, devote yourself to bitter cultivation and await the opportune time. Once your cultivation bears fruit, it will not be too late to repay your sect!" Before his voice faded. Dongyang Bo looked at Qiu Mubai with a gentle smile as translucent shards began peeling away from his face. In an instant, his entire body shattered like a mirror, dispersing with the wind and leaving behind only a mustard seed bag. "This disciple... obeys your command!" Tears streamed down Qiu Mubai's face as he kowtowed to express his gratitude and bid his final farewell. Grasping the mustard seed bag, he turned decisively, following his master's orders to depart the Sacred Ground. *** Not long after Qiu Mubai departed. A faint sigh echoed through the empty void.