Extremes

Xiaoxiangzi's arrangements within the stele space were meticulously thorough, by no means a dead end; otherwise, leaving behind these treasures would have been utterly meaningless. Qin Sang only needed to place the stupa pagoda in his hands onto the jade platform to mobilize the entire grand formation and seal the stele space. And at the final moment, the stupa pagoda would trigger the Linglong Treasure Pagoda to transport whoever was inside out of the sacred grounds. Following the instructions in Xiaoxiangzi's jade slip, Qin Sang gained complete mastery over the stupa pagoda. Though demons and fiends besieged the exterior of the Linglong Pagoda, fortunate it was that Xiaoxiangzi had left them an escape route. However, once the spiritual formation was activated, the demons outside were bound to meet a grim fate. Qin Sang had urged Hall Master Jiang and the others to leave without delay precisely because he feared they might be caught in the crossfire. Learning the truth of the matter, shock flickered in Liuli's eyes. To wipe out so many demons in one stroke—while the Demon race still had Great Sage Nine Heads' lineage to prop them up, the Boundless Ocean would face an unprecedented reshuffle. If things went as Qin Sang predicted, the Demonic Path would be thoroughly devastated, leaving the world scrubbed clean and clear. Qin Sang turned back and picked up the jade box. The moment the jade box opened, Qin Sang and Liuli felt their eyes dazzle as a green fluorescence instantly lit up the space of the seventh floor. A subtle, elegant fragrance drifted to their noses. It carried hints of every manner of plant and herb yet was harmoniously unified, making Qin Sang feel as if he were standing in the heart of a lush, vibrant forest. The fragrance seeped deep into the lungs, bringing a profound serenity to the mind. To have such an effect from merely inhaling its scent, the Spirit Calming Incense truly lived up to its reputation. Qin Sang nodded inwardly. Arranged side by side inside the box lay four slender jade sticks resembling jasper. These were the Spirit Calming Incense. Each stick was translucent, flawless, and resembled a piece of naturally formed fine jade. Spirit Calming Incense could soothe the soul and suppress inner demons, proving invaluable during breakthroughs and heavenly tribulations—truly an exceedingly rare treasure. Unfortunately, Qin Sang possessed the even more potent jade Buddha. In his hands, the incense was like a pearl covered in dust; it could only be traded with others. For Liuli, however, the Spirit Calming Incense held extraordinary significance. The imprint of the evil art was essentially Liuli's inner demon. Even if it could not eradicate the imprint, it could help her suppress it during future breakthroughs and mitigate its influence. In the battle against Yin Changsheng, Liuli had willingly released her seal to become his Mystic Maiden. Qin Sang had inevitably been moved by this and had earnestly considered ways he might help her. He did not possess his Senior Sister's astonishing talent in puppetry, nor could he invent something like the Heart Demon Puppet Seal. The only related art he had was the *Lifeless Demon Seal*. Yet cultivating the *Lifeless Demon Seal* was fraught with peril; it was akin to deliberately creating an inner demon, nurturing it bit by bit, and finally shattering the seal to break through. The imprint within Liuli was already severe enough to hinder her cultivation. If she dared use it to practice the *Lifeless Demon Seal*, she would likely be devoured by the inner demon on the spot. Perhaps the Spirit Calming Incense could help her through this crisis for now; once her cultivation and strength advanced, more possibilities would open up. Qin Sang parted his lips, about to speak. Liuli's gaze was also drawn to the Spirit Calming Incense. After staring for a moment, she asked in astonishment, "Is this Spirit Calming Incense?" "You recognize it?" Qin Sang was taken aback, but immediately remembered that Xiaoxiangzi had deep ties to Xuantian Palace, so records of the incense might well exist there. Liuli nodded slightly. After a brief silence, she looked up at Qin Sang. Her eyes were clear as colored glaze, showing anticipation, yet devoid of greed. "If you are willing to let the Fourfold Tengshe Seal recognize me as its master and grant me some time, I have a seventy percent certainty of deducing the complete Treasure Commandeering Art." Liuli paused, then added, "When the time comes, I can sever my connection with the spirit treasure so it won't affect your ability to control it." Hearing this, a strange light flickered in Qin Sang's eyes. He had thought the Treasure Commandeering Art would remain forever incomplete following Yin Changsheng's demise, never expecting such a dramatic turn of events. This contradicted Tong Lingyu's words. She had once said that if the crafter of a spirit treasure did not inscribe the Treasure Commandeering Art upon the treasure itself, once the art was lost, only someone whom the spirit treasure willingly acknowledged as master could wield it. Was this true of all spirit treasures, or was the Fourfold Tengshe Seal unique? Qin Sang guessed the former was more likely. Tong Lingyu's understanding of spirit treasures was merely superficial, and she had likely been misled on many points by Yin Changsheng. A half-stanza of the Treasure Commandeering Art differed like heaven and earth from the complete art; the former was little more than a dispensable chicken rib! Yet Qin Sang was not carried away by this good news. Looking at Liuli, his expression turned peculiar. "I want to trade for a stick of Spirit Calming Incense!" Liuli said, taking a deep breath. She could have concealed this entirely and sought a way to trade for the Fourfold Tengshe Seal from Qin Sang. With only half of the chant, the Fourfold Tengshe Seal's might was greatly diminished in Qin Sang's hands—far inferior to the Sun God Tree—making it by no means irreplaceable. As long as Xuantian Palace showed sufficient sincerity to sway Qin Sang, there would be a real chance. Yet Liuli chose the Spirit Calming Incense. She knew the *Origin Sacrifice Art*; once she became a great cultivator one day, she could refine her Natal Magic Treasure into a pseudo-spirit treasure, which could serve as a passable substitute. Prior to that, she possessed the pinnacle divine ability known as the *Ice Soul Divine Light*, leaving her with no shortage of means to challenge stronger opponents across cultivation tiers. Spirit Calming Incense was something that could only be chanced upon, never sought, and it offered her the chance to continue pursuing the Dao. A spirit treasure was a tremendous temptation, yet it could not bewitch Liuli's Dao heart. As for the legacy of Xuantian Palace... She harbored little affection for Xuantian Palace. She had first followed her master, then cultivated at Shaohua Mountain, only returning to the North Sea after reaching the Nascent Soul realm. After the battle against Yin Changsheng, and remembering how her master had been forced into exile to wander far and wide, she had even less reason to feel fond of it. The only place she truly acknowledged was the Snow Listening Tower. And not just because of her master. Shi Xue and Hall Master Jiang had both treated her with the utmost care. Liuli had long since planned how to strengthen the Snow Listening Tower, carry on her master's legacy, and repay them. "In truth, your cultivation method does not align well with the Fourfold Tengshe Seal," Liuli continued, pointing out another issue. "This treasure is rather unique; only someone practicing an ice-attribute method can unleash its full might. Your incarnation is better suited for it than your main body." Qin Sang fell into thought, knowing Liuli had no reason to deceive him. In fact, he had sensed this earlier. Whenever Yin Changsheng or Tong Lingyu wielded the Fourfold Tengshe Seal, a bone-chilling cold radiated with every strike—a cold that stemmed not only from the spirit treasure, but from its wielder as well. Qin Sang could not change his cultivation method, so he could only hope that his external incarnation would break through to the late Nascent Soul stage to display its full grandeur. That the incarnation had reached the mid Nascent Soul stage was already the culmination of several fortuitous encounters; breaking through further would be immensely difficult! Liuli pointing this out was clearly undermining her own bargaining chips before the trade. "After mastering the *Ice Soul Divine Light* with the aid of Ice Soul Astral Essence, I discovered cultivating this divine ability isn't as demanding as once thought. Rather, our predecessors at the Snow Listening Tower took a detour. I already have some ideas on how to tweak the technique slightly so others might also have a chance to learn it. When that happens, I can pass the divine ability to you. Your incarnation established its foundation with Ice Soul Astral Essence; even if it doesn't meet the other conditions, there is still a slim chance it could succeed..." Liuli quickened her speech, offering a second bargaining chip. Even if Qin Sang had entertained no such thoughts, who could fail to be tempted by these two conditions? Looking deeply at Liuli, Qin Sang let out a soft sigh. "Why must you go this far, Fairy? It was through our mutual cooperation that we entered this pagoda. How could I swallow all the treasures for myself? Besides, I borrowed Ice Soul Astral Essence from you earlier. To tell the truth, precious as the Spirit Calming Incense is, it still pales in value before the other two fragments. I have sought those remnants for years, and they are things I must have, so I cannot split them evenly with you. However..." Before Qin Sang could finish, Liuli shook her head in refusal, her expression entirely serious. "Lending you the astral jade was for the eight-winged ice cicada. You accomplished that, and were implicated because of it. Being able to enter the Linglong Treasure Pagoda was due to your small pagoda. And even without me, you would have broken through the demons' encirclement." Qin Sang was left at a loss for words, not knowing how to persuade her. This was the first time he had experienced something like this—offering someone a treasure of his own accord, only to be adamantly turned down. Qin Sang knew full well that Liuli was plainly cutting off all ties with him, leaving no room for ambiguity. Refusing to gain even the slightest benefit from him! No matter how strained her reasons were. As long as they convinced herself, that was enough. In the past, Liuli had held to a similar principle when dealing with him, but never so deliberately. Her releasing the imprint had left behind hidden perils far more dreadful than imagined! The evil art truly bred endless trouble! Qin Sang sighed inwardly, feeling somewhat helpless. Others would jump at the chance to take every advantage; Liuli was the exact opposite. One extreme to another. Qin Sang had never experienced such a thing, did not know what it felt like to be controlled by an imprint, and could not truly empathize with her plight. Judging by Liuli's conduct, it was impossible that she would share her feelings or ask him for help. Intuition told Qin Sang that this extreme approach might not work. If Liuli overthought every little detail and sank deeper and deeper, wouldn't that become another inner demon in itself? Yet the evil art was beyond fathoming. With Liuli closing herself off, Qin Sang could offer no better advice, only remarking helplessly, "Fairy, you are perhaps clinging too hard to form..." Liuli paused slightly, yet her gaze remained firm; she would not change her mind over this. "Very well! I agree!" Exhaling a breath of turbid air, Qin Sang's expression turned grave as he nodded heavily and agreed. He took out two sticks of Spirit Calming Incense from the jade box, closed the box, and handed it toward Liuli. Liuli's slender brows knit slightly. "Is a spirit treasure not even worth two sticks of Spirit Calming Incense?" Qin Sang asked in response. "To you, it truly isn't," Liuli replied. Tong Lingyu did not dare come demand it back, so the spirit treasure already belonged to Qin Sang. Treasures served different purposes and suited different people. A treasure one person dreamed of might be cast aside like an old shoe by another. It could not simply be weighed by raw value. She knew Qin Sang possessed the Sun God Tree, which was in no way inferior to the Fourfold Tengshe Seal. The black spiritual fire of his demonic banners was also far from simple. Possessing no lack of powerful magic treasures and divine abilities, the Fourfold Tengshe Seal was not an absolute necessity for Qin Sang; it was entirely expendable. Holding four sticks of Spirit Calming Incense might grant him a glimmer of hope to achieve Deity Transformation—something no spirit treasure could compare to. Qin Sang chuckled. "Even back in the Foundation Establishment stage, I had a sufficiently steadfast Dao heart. Now that I have reached the Nascent Soul realm, how could I regress and let inner demons bar my path? Furthermore, you cannot deny the role you played in dealing with Old Man Hunmo. Do you wish to put me in a position of ingratitude and injustice, Fairy?" Qin Sang had been able to contest Dao hearts with a Nascent Soul cultivator back when he was merely at Foundation Establishment. Liuli had experienced that firsthand. Liuli fell silent for a moment. Finally offering no further objection, she reached out and accepted the jade box. With his hands freed, Qin Sang actually felt a sense of relief, feeling more exhausted than if he had fought a great battle. He carefully put away the two sticks of Spirit Calming Incense. "If you ever need more in the future, you may come to me to trade for them. Then you will understand that I truly do not place much value on this incense." Pausing, Qin Sang looked into Liuli's clear eyes and added, "A fair trade." Liuli replied, "Very well." Next, Qin Sang picked up the Killing Sword fragments. The moment his fingers touched the Killing Sword fragments, Qin Sang felt the fragments inside his body tremble; the sword spirit finally showed a reaction once more. The Killing Sword fragments vanished silently from his fingertips. Receiving no verbal response from the sword spirit, Qin Sang sank his awareness into his Qi sea and discovered that all the fragments had merged into one, seamlessly joined without the slightest gap—a perfect fusion! The blade was slender, yet carried an inexplicable sense of heaviness. Neither the edge nor the tip gave off any distinct sharpness. He could not tell whether this was the sword's innate nature or because it had not yet fully recovered. Upon the blade, the two ancient characters 'Earth' and 'Kill' exuded a profound and lingering charm, appearing as merely two simple words, yet simultaneously seeming to encompass all creation. Qin Sang felt that simply staring at these two characters alone could immerse him for an eternity... Four Killing Sword fragments composed a complete blade, but there was no hilt. Because of this, Qin Sang could not be certain whether the Earth Kill Sword in his hands was complete. There might still be a hilt, or perhaps another fragment above. Until the sword spirit awakened, he could not give up the search. The serious issue was that there was no cultivation method in the jade slip, and Xiaoxiangzi had not made a single mention of it. According to Xiaoxiangzi's records, he had acquired these two Killing Sword fragments in Zhongzhou from ancient immortal abodes—namely, the Tiantong Hall and Tianxiang Hall. Xiaoxiangzi surmised that the other remnants had likely fallen into similar immortal abodes, enjoining future generations to search thoroughly if any new discoveries were made. If Qin Sang wished to investigate the whereabouts of the cultivation method, he could only start from Xiaoxiangzi's origins, or even journey to Zhongzhou in person! Unfortunately, the Jinghai Sect was no more, and the ancient texts of Xuantian Palace were largely lost. *Boom! Boom! Boom!* The Linglong Treasure Pagoda shuddered with increasing violence. Qin Sang reined in his thoughts and stowed the jade slip away as well. There was still much content within, but he had no time for a closer look; escaping danger came first. "It should be about time..." Qin Sang muttered. Calculating the time in his mind, if Hall Master Jiang and the others had retreated immediately upon receiving the warning, they should be close to leaving the stele space by now. He could wait no longer. Otherwise, once the golden barrier of light was breached, the demons would swarm into the pagoda. The reason the golden light barrier seemed fragile was that its true purpose was not defense, but masking the commotion caused by activating the Linglong Treasure Pagoda so the fiends would not detect it. Activating the spiritual formation was not an instantaneous feat; it required time. Now that the demons were right outside the Linglong Treasure Pagoda, there was naturally no longer any need for concealment. Qin Sang nodded to Liuli, picked up the stupa pagoda, and placed it gently in the center of the jade platform. *Snap!* The stupa pagoda and the jade platform merged into one. With a flash of radiance, an invisible fluctuation rippled out and suffused the entire Linglong Treasure Pagoda. Their auras blended together completely. Qin Sang's face shifted slightly as he felt the true essence inside his body meet a black hole, being violently sucked away. Forewarned by Xiaoxiangzi, Qin Sang did not panic, maintaining his composure as he focused all his attention on the stupa pagoda. Through this treasure, Qin Sang felt his consciousness extending infinitely outward. First across the Linglong Treasure Pagoda, then expanding rapidly until he could sense the entire spiritual formation. The spiritual formation was exceptionally profound. Qin Sang had seen even more marvelous and grand immortal formations, but connecting with one in this manner for the first time left him deeply shaken! He dared not act rashly, methodically activating the grand formation step by step according to Xiaoxiangzi's instructions!