Qingxu Illusion Realm

When Chenghuanzi conceded defeat, he had been driven almost to a dead end with no room left to maneuver; it had been an utter rout. "A good match!" Qin Sang, who had fought with effortless poise, sheathed his sword and stood upright. His breathing was calm and steady, forming a stark contrast to Chenghuanzi's battered and disheveled state. Chenghuanzi drew a ragged breath. With a dark, sullen expression, he reached out into empty air and grasped. The remnants of the illusion realm collapsed entirely, returning to their true nature as luminous motes of dust before coalescing into a streak of flowing light. It flew back into Chenghuanzi's hand, reconverging into that horsetail whisk. Now Qin Sang saw it clearly. The Liuxu Mountains had been concealed inside the luminous dust all along, deployed and recalled through the whisk. The two treasures were likely a set—a rather extraordinary design. "Farewell!" Their cultivation levels were comparable, yet his opponent had routed him using nothing more than sword arts. Chenghuanzi had no face left to linger. With a sweep of his wide sleeves, he turned and departed. Daoist Luorong and Jingning wore complicated expressions. With no excuse to drag the matter out, they flew back down to Mount Pu, conjuring a sudden gust that swept up the Liuxu Sect disciples before flying away. The Liuxu Sect inspector from back then remained behind. Facing three Nascent Soul patriarchs, the inspector trembled with fear. "Senior Patriarchs, this junior was thoughtless in those years and failed to see through the deceit behind the Qingluo Canopy, resulting in a misjudgment. The agreement should rightfully be voided, and the Luoyan Sect must compensate the Xie Clan for the losses incurred from occupying Mount Pu all these years." Qin Sang naturally did not care about such trivial matters, nor did he intend to wipe out the Luoyan Sect completely. He nodded casually and instructed Xie An and Xie Qian to go handle the negotiations. A short while later, a group of people walked down the mountain path. The entire Luoyan Sect looked as if they had lost their own parents, some weeping softly with bowed heads. Having nearly been dragged into disaster himself, the inspector spoke to Sect Master Mo without the slightest warmth, saying coldly, "Sect Master Mo, offending a Nascent Soul cultivator and escaping the fate of complete extermination is already an immense stroke of luck. You can no longer stay in Fudu Commandery. For the sake of our past acquaintance, I will find a place for you to settle your family, after which you will follow me back to the Liuxu Sect. As for whether you keep your life, that will depend on your own fortune..." *** At the Liuxu Sect. The three Nascent Soul cultivators gathered in Chenghuanzi's cave dwelling. Chenghuanzi looked at Jingning. "Junior Sister, have you contacted Brother Wu?" Jingning nodded. "Longju Grotto-Heaven hasn't noticed any unusual movements from Mount Bunian. They will contact their strongholds in the Eastern Sea to investigate the background of those two, and told us to wait and watch." Daoist Luorong had been lost in thought with his head down. He suddenly chimed in, "Perhaps Lu Zhang is acting on his own!" "What do you mean?" Chenghuanzi and Jingning looked over at him. Daoist Luorong sneered. "Three middle Nascent Soul cultivators! Hmph! Even if Mount Bunian wanted to take control of all Fudu Commandery, there would be no need for such extravagant fanfare. I still believe Mount Pu is not so simple—it must harbor some secret! It might not have been Lu Zhang who discovered the secret, or else there would be no need to enlist outsiders. He was merely seizing the opportunity..." "There is indeed some truth to Junior Brother's words." Chenghuanzi nodded slightly and pondered for a moment. "Send people in secret to keep a close watch on Mount Pu. If a peerless treasure truly surfaces, I doubt Brother Wu will remain indifferent!" *** Mount Pu. Only Lu Zhang, Qin Sang, and the members of the Xie Clan remained on the mountain. After having the Xie Clan juniors tidy up a reception hall, Qin Sang played both roles, inviting Lu Zhang to take a seat. Having observed the duel, Lu Zhang was full of praise for Qin Sang's display. "Mount Liuxu excels in the Dao of Illusions, and their divine abilities and treasures enjoy some renown even across the Central Plains, yet you unraveled them with ease, Fellow Daoist." "You flatter me, Fellow Daoist. In truth, Fellow Daoist Chenghuanzi was somewhat overconfident, allowing me to unfold my sword array, which happened to counter his Liuxu Mountains," Qin Sang deflected lightly. "Is that so?" Lu Zhang wore a skeptical look. He believed he could tell whether it was genuinely an innate counter between abilities or sheer overwhelming skill. Since Qin Sang was unwilling to disclose details, Lu Zhang did not pry further. The incarnation played the part of Daoist Qingfeng diligently. Offering a bow to Lu Zhang, it said in a grave voice, "In the days ahead, the Xie Clan will have to rely on Mount Bunian and your goodwill, Fellow Daoist. If we cause any offense, I hope you will be magnanimous." Lu Zhang returned the bow and said, "It is a pity I could not see Daoist Qingfeng in action today. Given your close friendship with Fellow Daoist Qin, your divine abilities must surely be extraordinary as well. My sect and I eagerly look forward to having another top-tier expert presiding over Zhuo Prefecture. We would love nothing more than to see Zhuo Prefecture's immortal path flourish and bloom, one day overshadowing the Six Jiangzuo Prefectures! However, now that you have chosen to serve as the Xie Clan's founding ancestor, you must understand that establishing a sect or clan is entirely different from being an unfettered wanderer—especially in the Central Plains! Today, you two acted with just cause and solid grounds, which was very well handled." "This humble Daoist understands, and will certainly seek your guidance in the future. There is still one matter left undone today, so please excuse me for a moment..." The incarnation bowed, rose, and walked out of the hall. The Xie Clan disciples had already been sent to the rear mountain, leaving only Xie An and Xie Qian before the Xie Clan Stone. "Greetings, Ancestor!" Seeing the incarnation approach, the two knelt and bowed, having fully accepted Qin Sang as their clan's ancestor. Neither confirming nor denying it, the incarnation walked straight up to the Xie Clan Stone. When he had triggered the phenomenon from the Xie Clan Stone earlier, he had already checked it: the seal left behind by Xiaoxiangzi remained completely intact. The incarnation cast out several formation flags to seal the space around the Xie Clan Stone, then sat cross-legged on the ground. Xie Qian and Xie An stepped aside, their faces flushed with excitement, unconsciously holding their breath. The incarnation extended both hands, circulating true essence to condense an incantation seal shaped like a token. The hand seals were intricate, covered in dense runes. A single glance left Xie Qian and Xie An dizzy. *Puff!* The seal flashed and sank into the Xie Clan Stone. With a rumble, the Xie Clan Stone violently jolted. White light blazed across its entirety, turning the entire stone into white jade, followed by ripples of light washing outward in concentric rings. Although the earlier arrangement concealed the phenomenon of the Xie Clan Stone, ripples of fluctuations inevitably leaked out. Lu Zhang and Qin Sang's true body were engaged in a lively conversation, but while speaking, Lu Zhang's expression suddenly stirred, faintly sensing something. Before the Xie Clan Stone. The ripples of light grew increasingly dense, enveloping the incarnation within them. The incarnation's hands flew in a dazzling blur of shifts before pressing down forcefully against the stone. The ripples of light shattered with a boom, and all the radiance receded like an ebbing tide, returning to normal. Within the incarnation's perception, however, an illusory door appeared inside the Xie Clan Stone—the entrance to the Qingxu Illusion Realm! Touching the Xie Clan Stone, the incarnation felt a sudden shift between light and darkness before the scenery changed completely. Dense spiritual energy rushed toward him. The incarnation wore a contented expression, only then taking in his surroundings. He was standing on a flat stone terrace carved with artificial patterns. The pavilions and halls that had once surrounded it were gone. In their place stood a lush mountain forest. Though seemingly brimming with life, not a single trace of beast or bird could be found in the woods, not even the chirping of insects. The place had long lacked human presence, carrying an indescribable sense of desolation. The Qingxu Illusion Realm was indeed a rare, superior cave dwelling containing a top-tier spirit vein with exceptionally pure spiritual energy. Unfortunately, the spirit vein was not large enough, able to support only two or three Nascent Soul cultivators in their cultivation. It was more than enough for a small sect, but insufficient to sustain a super faction. The incarnation turned around and was startled to discover that the main peak of Mount Pu lay right below. Only after scanning his surroundings did he confirm that the Qingxu Illusion Realm was actually located at the summit of Mount Pu. It was not a separate dimension, but part of the mountain itself, severed from the outside world by supreme divine powers while drawing in the spiritual essence of all directions. From the outside, no one—not even Qin Sang—could perceive anything amiss about the summit of Mount Pu. In a flash, the incarnation swept up to the mountain's highest point and found a collapsed stone cavern. It was covered in rubble and overgrown with withered vines and weeds. This had been the very place explored by the Xie Clan's Nascent Soul ancestor and Xiaoxiangzi, the source of the falling out between them. Looking at it now, it resembled an ancient cultivator's cave dwelling. Aside from the stone cavern, Qin Sang spotted several ruined walls and remnants of rubble; all the former pavilions had been reduced to ruins. As for the rest of the area, no trace of the fierce battle remained—time had erased everything. Just then, two figures flashed onto the stone terrace. Qin Sang's true body had brought Lu Zhang inside as well. "I never expected the Xie Clan to possess such heritage!" Lu Zhang looked around, taking in the Qingxu Illusion Realm, a look of enlightenment flashing across his face. When the incarnation claimed to be the Xie Clan's ancestor, not only did the Liuxu Sect disbelieve it, but Lu Zhang had harbored doubts as well. It turned out Mount Pu concealed a cave dwelling all along. "This place is called the Qingxu Illusion Realm. Compared to Mount Bunian's grotto-heavens and blessed lands, it is hardly worth mentioning," the incarnation said as it darted over, having found no valuable treasures. Qin Sang had brought Lu Zhang inside openly precisely to dispel his suspicions. He trusted that a power like Mount Bunian would not lack cave dwellings of this caliber, so Lu Zhang would not be moved to greed. "Though its expanse cannot match Mount Bunian, it falls short in nothing else. Congratulations to you, Daoist, on obtaining the Qingxu Illusion Realm. With wings added to the tiger, your grand Dao holds boundless promise," Lu Zhang cupped his hands in congratulation. Afterward, they conversed with great enthusiasm, Lu Zhang even offering advice on how to rebuild the cave dwelling. An hour later, Qin Sang's true body and incarnation escorted Lu Zhang down the mountain together, watching him ride a cloud into the distance. The smiles vanished simultaneously from the faces of both the true body and the incarnation as they dropped their pretense. Though their faces differed, the subtle mood in their expressions was identical. After all these twists and turns, they had finally secured the Qingxu Illusion Realm. Reviewing their actions thus far: Though they had friction with the Liuxu Sect, they had not incurred a mortal vendetta. It was unlikely that the super faction behind the Liuxu Sect would overreact against a tiny clan like the Xie Clan. Moreover, they had forged good relations with Lu Zhang of Mount Bunian. This was an excellent beginning. He had established a firm foothold in Zhongzhou! Qin Sang was satisfied, yet no obvious joy showed on his face. Earlier, when his true body was talking with Lu Zhang, he had made subtle inquiries about the Tiantong Hall and Tianxiang Hall mentioned by Xiaoxiangzi, but Lu Zhang had shown no reaction and knew nothing about them. As an elder of the Law Enforcement Hall, Lu Zhang held an aloof status and was well-informed, being the highest-ranking figure Qin Sang had encountered in Zhongzhou. He surely knew many secrets. In the Beichen Realm and the Canglang Ocean, any Nascent Soul cultivator from a major power knew of Ziwei Palace and the Hall of Seven Kills. It seemed Tiantong Hall and Tianxiang Hall were not well-known in Zhongzhou. Could it be that Zhongzhou possessed so many secret realms that they simply faded into the crowd? Qin Sang shook his head, finding the thought rather absurd. Returning to the Qingxu Illusion Realm, Qin Sang retrieved an object from the Qianjun Ring and tossed it forward. A succession of rumblings echoed as azure light radiated through the Qingxu Illusion Realm. Several pavilions appeared out of thin air, occupying nearly half the space—the very cave dwelling presented to him and Chen Yan by Hall Master Jiang on their wedding day. Before departing, they had moved the cave dwelling out of Mount Taisu. From the moment of its crafting, this cave dwelling had been deliberately divided into two halves; Qin Sang held only half of it. The dwelling was divided, and she was no longer here. The true body and the incarnation stood side by side. Being one and the same person, there was no need for spoken words. The true body retrieved a set of formation flags, the Jinchen Sword, the Ruyi Pearl, the Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros horn, and the Sun God Tree from the Qianjun Ring, handing them to the incarnation. The incarnation was not adept at movement techniques, nor had it mastered the Tongbao Formula or the Ice Soul Divine Light. If faced with mortal peril, it could only rely on the Sun God Tree. He also had the incarnation take the Yin-Yang Puppet Crystal and the jade pendant the Ghost Mother had given Tan Hao. Next, the true body unhooked a mustard seed bag and handed over the Fire Jade Centipede inside for the incarnation to raise. The fat silkworm shared a symbiosis with Yagu. The Heavenly Eye Butterfly was not suitable to part from the true body. He would let the incarnation take it whenever the need arose. Having allocated the treasures on his person, the true body hesitated no further. Turning around, he walked into the cave dwelling and activated the restrictions, commencing a long period of secluded cultivation. Unless necessary, he would not leave the Qingxu Illusion Realm until he broke through to the late Nascent Soul stage! After entering the cave dwelling, Qin Sang first placed Yagu onto an adjacent jade bed and soothed her qi and blood. Then, sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat, he slowly closed his eyes. His aura gradually grew tranquil, faint as a gossamer thread. The cave dwelling returned to silence. The incarnation stood before the cave dwelling for a moment, sorted the treasures into the mustard seed bag, and turned to walk out of the Qingxu Illusion Realm. Summoning Xie Qian and the others, he ordered them to plant the formation flags across Mount Pu. The Xie Clan's original mountain-protecting formation was still in place, but having been occupied by the Luoyan Sect for many years, the patterns of the spirit formation had long been figured out by others. Qin Sang had made some modifications and decided to add an extra layer of security. Before long, Xie Qian returned to report. "Ancestor, the formation flags have been set in place." Qin Sang nodded, raised the command flag in his hand, and waved it vigorously. Each wave stirred up a gust of wind. Moments later, sand and stones flew across Mount Pu. The members of the Xie Clan gathered together, watching Qin Sang's actions with eager anticipation. *Whoosh! Whoosh!* Gales blew incessantly. The mountains trembled. Around Mount Pu, dark yellow light suddenly rose as the terrestrial qi was stirred. The dark yellow radiance grew denser and denser, yet lasted less than a quarter of an hour before dissipating abruptly, leaving heaven and earth pristine and clear. From within Mount Pu, nothing seemed to have changed. However, if one stood outside the mountain, the view was entirely different. Any outsider who approached Mount Pu without permission would become disoriented, unable to distinguish north from south or east from west. With the grand formation laid down, Qin Sang handed the core formation flag to Xie Qian and instructed, "Mount Pu is sufficient for low-rank disciples to cultivate. In a moment, you two will follow me into the Qingxu Illusion Realm. Henceforth, aside from the two of you, Xie Clan disciples may only earn the qualification to cultivate in the Qingxu Illusion Realm when they encounter a bottleneck at the Core Formation stage." Xie An and Xie Qian exchanged a look of wild joy, both dropping to their knees. "We respectfully obey the Ancestor's decree!" After that, Qin Sang brought the two into the Qingxu Illusion Realm. A little under half the space was occupied by the cave dwelling. Qin Sang erected several other pavilions and halls elsewhere for different purposes, placing the core formation flag inside one of the small buildings. Xie An and Xie Qian moved in the Xie Clan's heirlooms and ancient texts, as well as the compensation from the Luoyan Sect, each choosing a wooden building for themselves. The Xie Clan was gradually getting on the right track. Next, Qin Sang took out a jade medallion and infused it with his Nascent Soul imprint. "Word of today's events will likely spread soon. Once Zhou Jin returns, take my written order and pay visits to all factions large and small within Fudu Commandery. Do not make things difficult for those unwilling to submit—politely escort them out of the borders... For now, do not interfere in Hongping Commandery." Zhou Jin had already been impatient, having gone to the Northern Barrens to fetch Ruan Yu and his disciples. To relocate from the turbulent Northern Barrens to the peaceful Central Plains was something Zhou Jin was naturally more than willing to do. Qin Sang planned to settle them at the Luoyan Sect's former mountain gate. Qin Sang issued order after order. Neither Xie Qian nor Xie An dared raise the slightest objection, etching each command firmly into their hearts.