The thousand-zhang colossal crocodile collapsed, ultimately turning into a blaze of brilliant white light that flew back into the crocodile bone.
Qin Sang circulated his true essence and reached out to catch the bone.
It vibrated relentlessly in his grip. The immense force gave Qin Sang the illusion that he was clutching a living, ferocious beast struggling with all its might.
Qin Sang sent out a wisp of divine sense and probed inside, only to detect an extremely chaotic power devoid of any independent consciousness, leaving him with no way to gain control.
This surprised him somewhat. He wondered how the crocodile demon had managed to activate it.
After a moment of contemplation, Qin Sang unleashed several streaks of Nine Nether Demonic Fire, spreading a net of flames across the surface of the bone. Barely suppressing its power, he gathered up the mangled corpse and fled deep into the mountains.
He had not flown far when a patch of shadow suddenly emerged within the mountain forest, tailing him from behind. The thin shadow flitted between the treetops, weightless as nothing, cautiously maintaining a set distance from Qin Sang.
A figure was concealed within the shadow—precisely the mysterious person who had stepped in to cut off the crocodile demon's retreat earlier, and the very one who had seen through the identities of the puppet crystal and the puppet at the trade exchange.
Without looking back, Qin Sang continued flying forward and asked flatly, "Is Su Zinan looking for me?"
The center of the shadow undulated slightly, faintly outlining the silhouette of a person. "Do you really not know, Fellow Daoist? I once heard that Su Zinan was searching for a mysterious figure capable of commanding an unusual spiritual fire, claiming that this person murdered one of his elders, making it an irreconcilable, mortal feud! I took it for nonsense, believing Su Zinan was merely spinning lies. Only upon seeing you today did I realize there truly exists an expert as understated as you in this world..."
Suddenly, a flash of silver light flickered within the shadow, followed by a cold snort. "Your divine abilities are indeed extraordinary, Fellow Daoist. However, I have just witnessed the crocodile demon's gruesome end with my own eyes. Please refrain from using the same trick on me!"
Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly. He commanded the Heavenly Eye Butterfly to retract its divine ability and ceased probing the figure.
His heavenly eye's divine sight had been blocked by the other's silver cloak, preventing him from discerning their true appearance.
Caught red-handed, Qin Sang showed no trace of shame. Instead, he said with a faint trace of mockery, "The Deity Transformation cultivators are all gone. What are you still afraid of from Luye?"
Inwardly, though, he was puzzled.
During the battle on the snow plains, the only one who had 'died' was Consort Yue.
If Su Zinan claimed to be avenging his beloved concubine, that would be understandable. But Old Wu had merely been driven back by Qin Sang and was still alive and kicking. What elder could he possibly have killed?
There was only one explanation:
Su Zinan placed immense importance on the relic of the Lord of the Water Phase, and had simply made up an excuse to hunt him down.
"Are they truly gone?"
The person in the shadow did not dwell on the brief unpleasantness. After a moment of silence, they asked back in an enigmatic tone.
Qin Sang could not answer.
The various signs throughout the cultivation world, as well as the hints Consort Yue had given him, all suggested a high probability that the Deity Transformation cultivators had gone missing.
Yet there had never been conclusive proof. Why had they disappeared, and where had they gone?
Were they truly trapped in Wuwang Hall? What kind of restriction could trap those Deity Transformation cultivators for centuries without leaving any way out?
Qin Sang felt a gaze fall upon the demon core in his hand.
"It is highly unusual for Transformation stage great demons to enter the Central Plains together. Let us question it to see what they are looking for. If I recall correctly, the demon race also has a Demon Saint King!"
Qin Sang nodded. "Very well!"
The two flew in silence for a time, leaving Tianzhong Commandery far behind, and touched down on a deserted, barren mountain. Qin Sang produced the demon core and alternated between threats and inducements. Unexpectedly, the crocodile demon proved exceptionally resilient, nearly finding an opportunity to self-detonate.
In the end, unwilling to waste any more time, the two joined forces to perform a soul search.
The higher a cultivator's cultivation, the more difficult a soul search became, and the same held true for the demon race.
Although both Qin Sang and the figure in the shadow possessed cultivation higher than the crocodile demon, and Qin Sang's divine sense was peerless, the process remained arduous, yielding only fragments of memory.
The crocodile demon's soul essence dissipated.
Fortunately, they obtained what they sought.
These three were not the only demons to have entered the Central Plains. Other great demons had scattered throughout the human cultivation world, and they had even plotted to join forces to wipe out this trade exchange.
The Saint King Palace had fractured by now. They were former subordinates of the Demon Saint King, and their purpose in coming here was to find his whereabouts!
The Demon Saint King had also gone missing!
Before the Demon Saint King vanished, a human cultivator had visited the Saint King Palace, leading the demon race to suspect that their Saint King had been murdered by humans!
Regrettably, only the green-furred rat demon was a true confidant of the Saint King; the crocodile demon's knowledge was limited. The person in the shadow felt a tinge of regret for not helping Qin Sang detain the green-furred rat demon.
Aside from that, Qin Sang also uncovered the origins of the crocodile bone.
The two crocodile demons were biological brothers. During their cultivation, each had awakened bloodline divine abilities from different demon crocodiles, causing their outward appearances to diverge drastically.
They had discovered the crocodile bone by accident and suspected it to be the remains of an ancient exotic beast. It retained the ominous aura of some ancient ferocious crocodile, close to their own bloodline, which was why they could drive it using bloodline power.
Although Qin Sang practiced the *Heavenly Demon Refining Form*, he lacked the bloodline of a demon crocodile and naturally could not gain the bone's recognition.
For a time, both fell into silence.
In this era, very few existences could threaten Deity Transformation cultivators—only a handful of ancient secret realms, and now the ferocious beast within the storm belt.
Just what earth-shattering event had occurred to disturb the Deity Transformation experts of both races?
Yet they, grand cultivators second only to those few and above tens of thousands, had remained completely oblivious.
None of their speculations could compare to the shock of the truth, nor... its terror!
*Thud!*
Qin Sang tossed the second crocodile corpse and its demon core between them. "You share the credit for slaying this demon, Fellow Daoist."
Catching his meaning, the person in the shadow smiled. "I merely chose an opportune moment to strike an insignificant blow. It was entirely thanks to your grand divine abilities that it fell. I have no right to take a share; consider it a gift to you, Fellow Daoist."
Qin Sang frowned. "I accept no reward without merit... If you have a purpose, Fellow Daoist, speak plainly. I have urgent matters to attend to and cannot tarry."
"At the trade exchange, I stated it quite clearly: I wish to make a trade with you, exchanging for the Yin-Yang Puppet Crystal in your hands," the figure in the shadow said solemnly.
Ever since Qin Sang had revealed the puppet crystal, this person had paid the closest attention, following him all the way here.
"Why must we trade out here?"
Qin Sang was puzzled. The puppet crystal was useless to him, and there had been few competitors at the exchange. As long as the offer was high enough, he would have accepted.
"Take a look at this treasure first, Fellow Daoist..."
As the shadow spoke, a slit opened in its center, and a silvery-white orb of light flew out, holding a net balled up tightly within.
*Whoosh!*
The orb of light snapped open, transforming into a flickering silver net that shifted between solid form and an ethereal weave of light threads, capable of merging into the void.
It was truly extraordinary.
Qin Sang stared at the silver net for a moment, his expression shifting as he let out a soft exclamation of surprise.
"You recognize it, Fellow Daoist?"
The person in the shadow said, "This treasure is called the Thousand-Knot Spirit Net, a rare item meant for spirit cultivators. When channeling your divine sense, you can deploy this treasure to fuse with it. It not only condenses your divine sense, greatly boosting the power of your divine sense abilities, but also amplifies it to a degree. Naturally, as long as one's divine sense is strong enough, even a non-spirit cultivator can unleash formidable might with it."
Just as the shadow said, pure spirit-cultivation treasures were exceedingly scarce.
He did not know whether the jade Buddha counted as one.
In all his years of cultivation, Qin Sang had seen only a handful.
"Though this treasure cannot raise your cultivation realm, it is undoubtedly one of the finest treasures for a spirit cultivator. Such items can only be found by chance, never sought. Exchanging the Thousand-Knot Spirit Net for your puppet crystal is certainly no loss to you," the person in the shadow said with absolute confidence.
Parting with this treasure was painful, but the puppet crystal was far more critical to them. Since Qin Sang had adamantly refused all other treasures, they had been left with no choice.
Hearing the effects of the Thousand-Knot Spirit Net, Qin Sang's heart stirred!
He had yet to try the Near-Dragon Ambergris and did not know how effective it would be or how long it would take to refine.
The Thousand-Knot Spirit Net, on the other hand, offered immediate results by condensing and amplifying divine sense. It might immediately improve the *Fire Seed Golden Lotus*, and in future battles, it could magnify the advantage of his powerful divine sense.
Inwardly inclined toward the deal, Qin Sang maintained an impassive front and asked, "The origins of this treasure are not simple, are they?"
The spirit array at the exchange had been able to block voice transmission arts to prevent secret collusions and unrest.
Yet this person had taken advantage of the moment Jiang You relaxed the array to let the crowd inspect the treasures, transmitting a voice to him.
And before so many top experts, they had not been exposed.
The figure in the shadow gave a dry laugh. "The Thousand-Knot Spirit Net originally belonged to an elder of the Qiongying Sect... Earlier at the exchange, the Grand Elder of the Qiongying Sect was seated below. Now you understand why I insisted on trading outside, yes?"
"The Grand Elder of the Qiongying Sect!"
Qin Sang immediately recalled someone. "The female cultivator who bought the *Art of Spirit Confining*?"
"That is her."
The person in the shadow seemed reluctant to say more.
Seeing Qin Sang lost in thought, they goaded, "Surely you are not afraid of the Qiongying Sect and dare not accept the Thousand-Knot Spirit Net?"
Qin Sang scoffed. "This treasure's merit lies in its rarity, but its true worth does not necessarily match a Yin-Yang Puppet Crystal from an ancient secret realm. Still, you did assist me in slaying the demon just now, so I will not split hairs. The puppet crystal is yours!"
Two streaks of light flew out of the Qianjun Ring.
One puppet, one puppet crystal.
At the same time, Qin Sang reached out to grasp the Thousand-Knot Spirit Net.
The shadow squirmed, shooting out a tendril that swept up both treasures. It immediately retreated into the darkness like an ebbing tide, leaving behind hearty laughter: "Until we meet again!"
The night was deep.
A gentle breeze stirred.
The forest swayed like countless ghostly figures lurking in the dark. The shadow had vanished without a trace, as though it had never existed at all.
Qin Sang lingered in place for a brief moment before also melting into the darkness.
...
A farce that caught everyone off guard had taken place at this trade exchange: demon cultivators had infiltrated the gathering and openly ambushed cultivators outside.
Although the demons had failed, losing two great demons and suffering a double loss, it still left the Six Prefectures Hall utterly humiliated and furious.
They had stated beforehand that, due to the host's strict requirements, they could only guarantee safety within the trade exchange—a fact known to every participant.
Had it been internal bloodshed among humans, the Six Prefectures Hall could hardly be blamed.
Yet demon cultivators had mixed in, and the Six Prefectures Hall had failed to identify them, nearly becoming a laughingstock. How could they not be enraged?
However, they did not even know whom to seek for redress.
After the green-furred rat demon fled, several people had pursued in secret, rallying friends and allies in an attempt to hunt it down in the Central Plains. Unexpectedly, the demon possessed bizarre divine abilities and vanished from their encirclement as though evaporating from the mortal world.
Over the following period, demon shadows surfaced elsewhere across the Central Plains.
News that the demon race was searching everywhere for their Saint King leaked out from an unknown source and spread like wildfire.
...
Bajing Belvedere.
As the leader of the Daoist sects of Zhongzhou, it was the cultivation grounds of a True Monarch.
In the worldly imagination, Bajing Belvedere ought to occupy thousands of peaks and valleys, with endless connected palaces and innumerable disciples—a grand, magnificent first Daoist sect.
In reality, the true Bajing Belvedere was merely an ordinary Daoist temple located in Jiangzhou, one of the Six Prefectures East of the River.
Jiangzhou's terrain was seventy percent mountains and thirty percent water.
Yet unlike the treacherous peaks and hostile waters of the two Southern Barbarian prefectures, here stood spiritual mountain after spiritual mountain, each scenery exquisite.
Bajing Belvedere sat deep within these mountains upon an ordinary peak under a thousand zhang tall, its scale comparable to a mortal temple. Nestled among the mountain forests, it was a place of supreme tranquility.
In fact, the belvedere's mountain-protecting grand array only covered the expanse of this single mountain.
As the foremost Daoist sect of Zhongzhou, Bajing Belvedere had countless disciples who could not possibly crowd onto a single mountain. Once their cultivation bore fruit, they were free to choose any immortal cave outside to cultivate in leisurely freedom.
Among the peaks, Daoist cultivation grounds belonging to Bajing Belvedere were everywhere!
At dawn.
The night mist hung heavy, and grass leaves were laden with dew, reflecting points of crystal light beneath the morning sun.
A figure flew slowly through the air. As he drew near Bajing Belvedere, he lowered his flying light and landed upon the stone steps before the entrance out of respect.
The newcomer was a young Daoist.
He wiped a hand across his face, and his features transformed instantly—it was Daoist Hegao!
Figures within the belvedere were sparse.
Aside from a few disciples who attended to the True Monarch and the belvedere master, others rarely came here to disturb their quiet cultivation.
The morning sun rose, bringing purple qi from the east.
Disciples gathered in twos and threes atop the peak, inhaling the purple qi in rigorous cultivation.
Without anyone guiding him, Daoist Hegao walked the familiar path alone into the temple, arriving before a simple wooden hall at the very rear.
A gaunt Daoist stood guard outside. Seeing Daoist Hegao, he bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Martial Uncle."
Daoist Hegao parted his lips, just about to speak, when a gentle voice drifted from within the hall. "Junior Brother has returned. Come in."
The gaunt Daoist stepped aside. Daoist Hegao pushed open the door and stepped inside, meeting the current sect master of Bajing Belvedere—Daoist Zilei.
"Senior Brother Sect Master, have your injuries healed?" Daoist Hegao asked with concern.
His back turned to him, Daoist Zilei was staring intently at an object upon the desk. He nodded gently.
Daoist Hegao was overjoyed, and immediately began recounting the events of the trade exchange. "...Senior Brother's insight was sharp as ever. That person truly had an issue; he is definitely a remnant of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect! He was buying up treasures capable of breaking the five-element restrictions in large quantities at the exchange, clearly plotting something vast..."
As he spoke, Daoist Hegao noticed his senior brother's strange demeanor. He could not resist stepping forward, only to see a simple, archaic azure treasure mirror resting upon the desk.
He was no stranger to such mirrors.
This was a Soul-Guiding Mirror, identical in function to a life-soul lamp, used to observe the fortune and peril of the soul bound to it.
Because it was exceptionally difficult to refine, only a scant few within Bajing Belvedere were qualified to possess a Soul-Guiding Mirror; everyone else had to make do with ordinary life-soul lamps.
Yet this Soul-Guiding Mirror was covered in cracks—it was already shattered!
Daoist Hegao started, his expression shifting drastically. "Which junior brother met with misfortune?"
Daoist Zilei said quietly, "Martial Uncle Danyu."
"Martial Uncle..."
Daoist Hegao's eyes went wide with disbelief. He staggered back two steps. "Impossible! When? During the beast hunt in the North Sea back then, did you not present Martial Uncle's decree, Senior Brother...?"
"I forged it."
Daoist Zilei let out an almost imperceptible sigh, tinged with a slight sense of relief.
He had borne this burden alone for so long; finally, someone was here to share it.
Silence fell over the hall, so deep one could hear a pin drop.
The sigh was faint, yet in Daoist Hegao's ears, it sounded like a thunderclap from a clear sky!
Chapter 1596