Relocating the Sect

Peach Blossom Valley. After meeting Mu Yifeng, Qin Sang spent a month traveling far and wide to visit old friends. Most of that time was spent in the Xiaohan Realm. It was equivalent to retracing half of his path of cultivation. Having attained the Nascent Soul realm, Qin Sang possessed a temperament that would not be overly stirred by such a journey; his purpose was simply to look around and reminisce about the past. Once he departed for Zhongzhou, who knew when he would be able to return? After completing his circuit, Qin Sang finally arrived at Peach Blossom Valley. Unable to return to the Hall of Seven Kills to reflect upon Senior Qingzhu's final message, he could only pay his respects before the man's grave. Inside a wooden pavilion. Qin Sang arranged four wine cups upon the table. Though he had tried his best to conserve it, the Peach Blossom Wine he had treasured was nearly gone. This Peach Blossom Wine had been meticulously brewed by Senior Sister Qingjun—sweet, crisp, and far superior to any other. Qin Sang did not know how to brew it, nor did he wish to learn. He raised a cup. One cup was an offering to Qingzhu. Two cups were toasted across the distance to his senior sister and Bai, respectively. ... Qingyang Temple. A large crowd had gathered before the forbidden grounds. Renowned Core Formation cultivators such as Li Yufu, Shangguan Lifeng, Meigu, and Zhao Ying were all present. "Senior Brother, do you know what major matter the Temple Master intends to announce this time? Could he have brought back some treasure from the North Sea?" Zhao Ying approached Li Yufu and asked in a low voice. Zhao Ying had had the fewest opportunities to spend time with Qin Sang; prior to this, her knowledge of him had been limited to various rumors, and she held him in both awe and reverence. After Qingjun ascended, Zhao Ying joined Qingyang Temple. Initially, she had worried she might be ostracized, but upon discovering that the members of Qingyang Temple treated one another with mutual respect and warmth, free of any vying for power or profit, she had truly developed a sense of belonging. "Sect affairs have always been handled by Junior Brother Tan. If there is some major move in the temple, Junior Brother Tan ought to be the one who knows best. Why isn't he here?" Meigu chimed in, looking around without spotting Tan Yi'en. "Senior Sister has just returned, so you probably haven't heard yet," Bai Hanqiu said with palpable envy. "Senior Brother Tan has hit it big. Senior Tan and Master reunited in the North Sea and returned together. What's more, Senior Tan is already a Nascent Soul cultivator, and Master has invited him to serve as the Grand Elder of Qingyang Temple." "Nascent Soul!" Meigu was naturally overjoyed. The stronger Qingyang Temple became, the more its disciples stood to benefit. Though Jingyu was close to Qingyang Temple, her position was more akin to a guest elder. Qingyang Temple was still in its initial phase, having only hall masters and no elders. Tan Hao was the first. After her joy, Meigu remembered something and laughed softly. "I suppose Junior Brother Tan won't be able to stay so carefree anymore, will he? Back then, I was quite envious of him not having to endure the hardships of cultivation." Bai Hanqiu shrugged. Just as she was about to speak, the mist of the forbidden grounds churned, parting to reveal a narrow path. Qin Sang's voice came from within, calling Li Yufu and the others by name to enter. Straightening their expressions into respectful silence, everyone walked into the forbidden grounds with eyes forward. Qin Sang had just returned from Qingyang Temple's spirit vein, where he had planted the roots of the Myriad Spirit Fruit Tree, arranged restrictions, and tended to it with great care. "Greetings, Temple Master!" Li Yufu and the others bowed in unison. Qin Sang gave a slight nod, bid them rise, and pointed to Tan Hao, who sat to one side. "From now on, Brother Tan will serve as Qingyang Temple's Grand Elder. When you see Elder Tan, it is as if you are seeing me." Tan Yi'en stood behind Tan Hao. Qin Sang was not privy to how the father and son had communicated. All he knew was that Tan Yi'en continued to go his own way, while Tan Hao wore a look of utter helplessness. "The disciples obey! Greetings, Elder Tan!" Only after bowing did Li Yufu and the others dare steal discreet glances at Tan Hao. They saw a tall, formidable figure of noble bearing. They had all heard Tan Yi'en recount the stories between Qin Sang and Tan Hao, knowing that this man valued loyalty and righteousness deeply and was a true hero, which filled them with admiration. Tan Hao cupped his hands to return the courtesy. Looking upon these outstanding juniors, he nodded inwardly, marveling not only at how swiftly Qin Sang's cultivation had progressed, but also at how he had managed to establish the framework of an entire sect. After introducing Tan Hao, Qin Sang announced two more momentous matters: relocating the sect, and passing the position of Temple Master to Li Yufu. Originally, he had wanted Tan Hao, whose cultivation was the highest, to take the helm, but Tan Hao had resolutely declined. One earth-shattering revelation after another left the disciples dazed and dizzy, unable to believe their ears. It took them a long while of numbness before they could painstakingly digest it all. Allowing no debate, Qin Sang had already formulated a clear plan for the sect's arrangement, issuing order after order in methodical fashion. Next, Qin Sang summoned Li Yufu and the others individually. Li Yufu accepted the heavy mantle of Temple Master, but requested of Qin Sang that he remain in the Beichen Realm. Though he yearned for a broader world, he understood that cultivation was the true foundation. He planned to continue his ascetic cultivation until he reached the peak of the Core Formation stage and hit the bottleneck for the Nascent Soul stage before seeking opportunities in the North Sea. Another reason was that the situation in the North Sea was tangled and fraught with fierce strife, unlike the Beichen Realm. Compared to great powers like Xuantian Palace, Qingyang Temple was still quite weak. Tan Hao had to remain in the North Sea to guard it in person, and even Jingyu would frequently have to lend a hand. The Beichen Realm was Qingyang Temple's rear base, requiring someone of sufficiently high standing to oversee it, and Li Yufu was the ideal candidate. The second was Meigu. Without hesitation, she asked Qin Sang to take her to the North Sea. In the past, she had been shackled by her responsibilities to the Demon Flame Sect. After Qin Sang's return, Meigu had set down that heavy burden, finally able to follow her heart. Provided it did not disrupt her cultivation, she traveled abroad whenever the chance arose. Her footsteps had covered nearly the entirety of the Beichen Realm, encountering both fortunate opportunities and grave perils. Learning that the three realms of the North Sea were far vaster and more wondrous than the Beichen Realm, Meigu's eyes shone with excitement; she could hardly wait a single moment. Had Qin Sang agreed to take her to Zhongzhou, Meigu would likely have jumped at the chance without a second thought. The third was Shangguan Lifeng. His decision matched Meigu's. However, his goal was to test his blade against fellow swordsmen and witness more subtle, exquisite swordsmanship. He had once neglected his cultivation due to delving too deeply into saber techniques and the path of slaughter, nearly failing to form his core before his lifespan expired. After obtaining the Green Bamboo Sword Scripture, Shangguan Lifeng had become utterly enraptured, completely forgetting that earlier lesson. He confessed to Qin Sang that, having failed to break through to the mid Core Formation stage even now, his hopes of reaching the Nascent Soul realm in the future were slim; his only desire was to devote himself single-mindedly to the Dao of the sword and achieve something worthwhile. If one day he could train a successor to carry forward and glorify Senior Qingzhu's heritage, it would make his life well spent. Then came Bai Hanqiu. Over the years, she and her husband had shared deep affection, bearing a son and two daughters and enjoying domestic bliss. Though she felt a twinge of envy seeing many junior disciples surpass her in cultivation, she had no regrets. Nor did she wish to leave her loved ones behind to travel far to the North Sea. She was content to live out her days here. As for Tan Yi'en, Qin Sang did not even need to speak with him to know he would definitely go to the North Sea. Tan Yi'en's lifelong ambition had already shifted from building the greatest sect in the Beichen Realm to building the greatest sect in the North Sea; he was eagerly rolling up his sleeves, brimming with fighting spirit. After Tan Yi'en left, Bai Hanqiu would take over the position of administrator. Bai Hanqiu's eldest daughter possessed cultivation talent and was around the same age as Qin Niansui. Bai Hanqiu had previously wanted to ask Qin Sang's permission to arrange a match between the two as Dao companions. Qin Sang had remained noncommittal. After some thought, Qin Sang took out a piece of jade, cut it into two pendants, suspended them in his palm, and refined them with demonic fire into protective talismans, handing them to Bai Hanqiu. Lastly came Zhao Ying. She had inherited Qingjun's legacy, and Qin Sang treated her as his own junior, showing no favoritism. Zhao Ying decided to remain in the Beichen Realm for the time being to assist Li Yufu, intending to go to the North Sea once the time was right. "Take a look at these two items. Have you ever seen them before?" Qin Sang produced the Yang Puppet Crystal and the Ghost General's puppet. He had studied them for a long time without making any headway. It was a pity Qingjun was not here. Having learned under Qingjun's influence for so long, Zhao Ying might have heard of them. Zhao Ying accepted the Yang Puppet Crystal and the puppet with both hands. She turned them over and examined them for quite a while, her brows furrowing deeper and deeper. Apologizing, she sat cross-legged on the spot, closed her eyes, and cast a secret technique. Qin Sang said nothing, waiting patiently. A full two hours passed before Zhao Ying finally opened her eyes. Pointing at the puppet, she said, "Reporting to the Temple Master, this disciple has never seen such a puppet before. But I have a sense that it resembles Senior Qingjun's Qingluan puppet on a certain level. It exists because of the imprint of its master inside it; once its master falls, it falls entirely dormant, losing all power, and no outsider can control it." Qin Sang nodded thoughtfully. He suspected this might be the Ghost General's life-bound puppet, a profoundly mysterious and exquisite form of the puppet art. Pausing, Zhao Ying continued when she saw Qin Sang remain silent: "As for this kind of puppet crystal, this junior seems to recall Senior Qingjun mentioning it once. Senior only noted in passing that it might be a treasure used by ancient cultivators to refine puppets, the art of which has long been lost, so this junior does not know its function either. This puppet appears not to have fully refined the Yin Puppet Crystal yet. Forgive this disciple's dullness, but rack my brains as I might, I cannot think of how to separate it out intact." Qin Sang did not fault her, a look of approval in his eyes instead. Puppet crystals could enhance puppets on the level of Nascent Soul cultivators; for Zhao Ying to discern this much was already quite impressive. ... In the time that followed, Qingyang Temple appeared calm on the surface, but undercurrents surged as preparations were made to relocate the sect. Drawing lessons from Xuantian Palace, Qin Sang made several adjustments to Qingyang Temple's structure, though he understood that nothing could be settled once and for all; the temple's future lay in the hands of these disciples. Apart from the Myriad Spirit Fruit Tree, he left behind three things for Qingyang Temple. First, the sea chart to Zhongzhou. Second, the recipe for Spirit Calming Incense. He established a rule that only the Temple Master and the Grand Elder of Qingyang Temple would be qualified to know of these two items in the future, and that the temple should take care to gather the spirit herbs listed in the recipe for Spirit Calming Incense. Third was the Essence Sacrificing Technique. In the North Sea, this secret technique held a status equivalent to an immortal art. By mastering this technique and refining a pseudo-spirit treasure, a late Nascent Soul cultivator's prowess could ascend to yet another level. Should news of it leak, an immense uproar would sweep across all four realms of the North Sea. Xuantian Palace also possessed the Essence Sacrificing Technique, so the technique itself was not a complete secret. Out of multiple considerations, Qin Sang decided to leave it behind, but he placed a divine sense restriction upon it so that only a junior who reached the materialized divine sense realm could obtain this secret technique. With these three things, the depth of Qingyang Temple's foundation would not pale beside any other sect. Yet Qingyang Temple was still too frail; it would likely be a very long time before it could truly benefit from them. ... Half a year later. Qin Sang personally made an appearance, attending the Beichen Alliance conference for the final time. News of a new Nascent Soul elder appearing in Qingyang Temple had spread as if on wings across every sect. Upon seeing Qin Sang, people stepped forward one after another, offering their heartfelt congratulations. As for what they truly thought inside, Qin Sang did not care. He publicly announced that he was about to enter secluded cultivation, vowing to make a push for the late Nascent Soul stage. Three days after the conference concluded. Qin Sang and Tan Hao took Mu Yifeng and the first batch of elite disciples selected from Qingyang Temple, quietly flying toward the southernmost edge of the Beichen Realm to rendezvous with the demons of Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea led by Jingyu. Since this was the first journey, the group was small. Relying on the Ten Directions Earth-Cleaving Divine Shuttle and resting at two ancient shelters along the way, they led these juniors through the storm belt without any mishaps. Stepping into a brand-new world, the disciples felt immense novelty and excitement. But after flying behind Qin Sang for several days, it grew monotonous; it seemed not all that different from the Beichen Realm. On their way, as they skirted past the Demon Realm, Jingyu inquired about the exact location of the Cuiming Islands and departed alone to travel through the Demon Realm. The others pressed on almost without pause, arriving smoothly at the Cuiming Islands. High above Qingyang Island. Qin Sang appeared in a flash, looking down below. Though he had been gone for so long, the great formation on Qingyang Island remained intact, and no one had dared set half a foot upon it. Seeing that such a vast expanse of sea was Qingyang Temple's exclusive domain, and learning that precious islands like Nine Precepts Island were also under Qin Sang's control, Tan Yi'en and the others were thrilled beyond measure, looking to the future with ever greater yearning. They had once built Qingyang Temple from nothing. Now, establishing a branch temple was second nature to them. Drawing upon past experience and lessons, they soon built Qingyang Island into an impressive establishment. During this time, they finally learned of their Temple Master's tremendous feats from the mouths of outsiders. In a mere twenty years, he had turned the Boundless Sea upside down, his illustrious renown spreading throughout the North Sea. In their hearts, their reverence for Qin Sang had reached an incomparable height. At the same time, news of Qin Sang establishing a sect in the Boundless Sea spread like wildfire, drawing the gaze of all factions. The situation in the North Sea was complicated, requiring far more considerations than in the Beichen Realm. For example, the Boundless Sea was vast and mercantile guilds flourished; unlike in the Beichen Realm, many merchant chambers were not controlled by sects from behind the scenes, but were hegemons in their own right. Qingyang Temple had to learn how to deal with them. The matters were countless and varied. Yet with Qin Sang's fierce reputation still lingering, things became quite simple. Especially after he had slain the Ghost General in public several years prior while remaining completely unscathed, his fearsome reputation was proven genuine. All parties abandoned any remaining doubts, and the demons and monsters that had been stirring restlessly vanished without a trace. Representing Qingyang Temple, Tan Yi'en frequently interacted with various factions. No matter how high their cultivation, they all treated him with utmost courtesy, and he reveled in the experience. Two years later. The new Qingyang Temple was officially founded! Tong Lingyu emerged from seclusion and personally led the branch masters of every lineage to deliver congratulatory gifts. In addition, celebrated Nascent Soul cultivators from the Crescent Moon Realm such as Master Feng, Valley Master Mu, and Daoist Yinquan, as well as Daoist friends Qin Sang had met in the Star Sand Islands, traveled tens of thousands of li to celebrate Qin Sang's grand occasion. The powers of the Boundless Sea naturally did not miss out. The surviving demon lords did not dare show their faces in person; after slaying the Ghost General, Qin Sang had coordinated with Xuantian Palace to hunt down remnants, keeping them in constant dread. They took this opportunity to send representatives with gifts to make their friendly intentions known. The scale of the spectacle was such that even a celebration for a Great Cultivator's attainment of the Dao could hardly have surpassed it. Important figures arrived in succession, any one of whom could summon wind and rain in the Beichen Realm—and the North Sea had so many of them. Whatever pride Tan Yi'en and the others had harbored was shattered to dust, and they realized for the first time that their road ahead was heavy and long. No demon kings from the Demon Realm attended. Jingyu, who had been traveling for a long time, returned in time. Qin Sang reminded her that the Nine-Headed Great Sage was very likely connected to the Feather King and might know of their relationship, so she had to guard against a sneak attack from it. Jingyu had not visited the Nine-Headed Great Sage, but had observed it from afar. This demon had attained the Dao as a nine-headed demon serpent. Astonishingly, it had still not assumed human form, maintaining its demonic body; wherever it traveled, it exhaled clouds and spewed mist, presenting a majestic spectacle. Qin Sang's refusal to let Qingyang Temple monopolize the sea chart had precisely been out of vigilance against this demon. The grand ceremony drew to a close. Shixue, Chen Yan, and the others remained on Qingyang Island; Chen Yan's heavenly tribulation was drawing near.