Blood Crocodile Bone Hand

Shen Chen was quite astute. After performing the formal bows of discipleship, he followed closely behind Qin Sang, conducting himself entirely as a disciple. Upon returning to Six Prefectures Hall, Jiang Mu dismissed the attendants, and Qin Sang similarly instructed Shen Chen to wait outside the door. "There is a matter that has long puzzled me. Would Fellow Daoist be willing to enlighten me?" Jiang Mu personally served fragrant tea. Qin Sang took a sip. "Fellow Daoist Jiang wishes to ask about those meteoric iron fragments, does he not? However, I wonder if you are asking for yourself or on behalf of someone else?" Jiang Mu's gaze tightened slightly. "If I am asking on behalf of someone else, what then?" "These meteoric iron fragments concern a great secret. Regrettably, the trail has gone cold. I stand alone and lack the resources to divide my attention for the time being. Yet although this secret is of utmost importance, I have no intention of keeping it all to myself, nor do I mind seeking out a faction to cooperate with." Qin Sang was practically speaking in plain terms. If he managed to find an Ascension Platform in the future, opening it would require elaborate preparations. He could not be like Jade Bone or Old Demon Ye, slaughtering Nascent Soul cultivators across Zhongzhou to refine Blood Infants. Under Bai's guidance, he could choose an alternative path, but doing so would demand vast resources. Finding a collaborator was inevitable. Six Prefectures Hall was a fine choice, but Jiang Mu's standing and cultivation fell somewhat short. Jiang Mu fell silent for a moment before speaking. "Ten years ago, Hall Master Mu came to Feiyun Ferry in person, intending to pay you a visit. Upon learning that you were in quiet seclusion, he refrained from disturbing you. I shall instruct someone to contact the head hall at once." ... Qin Sang remained at Six Prefectures Hall. When night fell, Jiang Mu returned, escorting an elderly man with a ruddy complexion, a full forehead, and the youthful visage of a crane-haired sage. It was none other than the master of Six Prefectures Hall, Mu Tongshu. Mu Tongshu possessed an affable countenance, devoid of the overbearing majesty of a great cultivator. He looked much like an amicable merchant whose gentle demeanor drew in wealth. Before Qin Sang, he made no deliberate effort to conceal his cultivation—he was indeed a great cultivator! "I have arrived late and kept Fellow Daoist Qin waiting," Mu Tongshu said with an easy smile, cupping his hands in greeting before speaking further. Jiang Mu voluntarily withdrew from the room and closed the door to the quiet chamber. "Greetings, Hall Master Mu." Qin Sang rose to return the courtesy. The master of Six Prefectures Hall truly was a great cultivator! Even having confirmed it with his own eyes, Qin Sang still felt rather surprised. At the treasure exchange, this man had not shown his face, yet other means had produced the aura and pressure of a great cultivator. In Qin Sang's understanding, the grand merchant halls of the cultivation world all maintained tangled connections with major sects. They were essentially vassals, if not outright founded by disciples at a sect's behest. Zhongzhou was no exception. As the pinnacle combat forces of a sect, great cultivators would never handle such affairs personally. At most, the administrators of a merchant hall would be middle Nascent Soul elders from a sect whose dao path had reached a dead end, serving out their remaining years to make themselves useful, much like the pavilion master of Seven Aromas Pavilion. Qin Sang had previously conducted inquiries, but had never learned which power backed Six Prefectures Hall. From the look of things, with this hall master presiding over it, Six Prefectures Hall had no need to attach itself to any sect. "Does Fellow Daoist find it strange that an old man like me would watch over a petty merchant hall, lacking all ambition?" Mu Tongshu deduced Qin Sang's thoughts, his tone tinged with self-mockery. Qin Sang shook his head. "Six Prefectures Hall is hardly a petty merchant hall. Besides, each man has his own aspirations. I walk a solitary path, even less accomplished in that regard than Hall Master Mu." "That is because Fellow Daoist is a seeker of the Dao, unburdened and unattached, holding only the immortal path in your heart!" Something seemed to stir in Mu Tongshu's memories, and a look of wistful emotion crossed his face. "In my youth, the old hall master brought me into Six Prefectures Hall and took me as his disciple. Only then was I able to reach where I am today. I simply cannot abandon this attachment." The two sat down across from each other. Neither was in any hurry to broach the main subject. After exchanging polite pleasantries, Qin Sang made indirect inquiries regarding the background of Six Prefectures Hall. Mu Tongshu spoke candidly. "Fellow Daoist may regard Six Prefectures Hall as a sect of its own; it is merely that our hall founded its tradition upon the Dao of commerce, without grand mountain gates. Conducting business across the Central Plains is no simple task, particularly since our hall refused to become anyone's vassal. Fortunately, the various factions hold one another in balance, allowing us to survive in the crevices between them. Still, we have had to play both sides and endure grievances from all quarters. Only after I broke through to the late Nascent Soul stage did our circumstances truly improve." His underlying meaning was that Six Prefectures Hall had never attached itself to any power. Qin Sang nodded inward. For Six Prefectures Hall to maintain its independence while expanding into such a formidable presence, the successive generations of hall masters must have poured their hearts and souls into it. This was made possible by the intricate yet enduring stability of the Central Plains' cultivation world. Every faction required a neutral merchant guild free from excessive interference by rival forces, and so they silently permitted Six Prefectures Hall to exist. Qin Sang turned the jade cup in his hands, pondered for a moment, and said, "Hall Master Mu has surely learned the gist of the matter. To be frank, the reason I went to such lengths is that the meteoric iron fragments may involve the secret of ascension." "Ascension?" Mu Tongshu's pupils shrank, a look of suspicion surfacing on his face. "Could this treasure be related to Bajing Belvedere and Ganlu Zen Monastery?" Though cultivators in Zhongzhou were unaware of the true nature of 'ascension,' everyone knew an open secret: once a cultivator attained the Deity Transformation stage, they would invariably pay a visit to these two great immortal sects. Thus, the moment Qin Sang uttered the word 'ascension,' Mu Tongshu immediately thought of them. The headquarters of Six Prefectures Hall was located in Tianzhong Commandery, positioned squarely between the two great sects, so Mu Tongshu knew a bit more than most. Those Deity Transformation cultivators had likely reached some form of agreement with the two sects, for after departing from them, they seldom showed themselves to intervene in the affairs of the cultivation world again. The outside world suspected that the two great sects used a method of ascension as leverage in exchange for compromises from other Deity Transformation cultivators, thereby preserving their supreme dominance. "Not at all!" Qin Sang stated the conclusion he had arrived at after years of deliberation. "The Daoist and Buddhist sects may know the truth of 'ascension,' but they keep it hidden from those of us at the Nascent Soul stage. Even if we assume ascension is real, it is understandable that the Deity Transformation cultivators of the two sects remain in this realm to deter other factions and preserve their hegemony. Yet among the other Deity Transformation cultivators throughout history, there were solitary figures like Old Demon Lu who had no interest in building up factions. Why did they, too, linger in this realm and enter seclusion for vast stretches of time? It seems evident that even for Deity Transformation cultivators, ascension is no easy matter. Moreover, if the two great sects were to secretly tamper with something, how could one defend against it?" "Could it be that you know of another method of ascension?" Mu Tongshu's face showed shock. Qin Sang shook his head and let out a soft sigh. "To be frank, I have little certainty either. Otherwise, the truth of ascension would not remain entirely in their grasp. Yet even if there is merely a one-in-ten-thousand chance, it is well worth attempting." For the time being, he did not intend to reveal to Mu Tongshu that late Nascent Soul cultivators stood a chance of ascending by means of an Ascension Platform. If Mu Tongshu proved untrustworthy and cast him aside, or if the secret leaked out, the situation could spiral out of control. No one knew how many times an Ascension Platform could be used. Qin Sang worried that other platforms might be like the one in the Ziwei Palace, ruined after a single use. "Ascension..." Mu Tongshu appeared somewhat dazed. To great cultivators like them, ascension remained an exceedingly distant prospect, separated by the formidable chasm of the Deity Transformation hurdle. Yet just as Qin Sang had said, even if there was only a sliver of hope, one had to grasp it tightly. A wise man looked ten steps ahead with every move. Even if he could not use it himself, it would still benefit posterity. Yet how could he be certain Qin Sang's words were true? Mu Tongshu stated his doubt without reserve. Qin Sang spread his hands open, entirely composed. "Whether Hall Master Mu believes me or not, I can produce no evidence! It is far too early to speak of ascension. What must be done first is to investigate the origins of the meteoric iron fragments, whether similar treasures exist in the cultivation world, and where they came from. Your hall has branch locations throughout the Central Plains and is exceptionally well-informed. Undertaking this would cost you very little." Mu Tongshu pondered for a moment before suddenly saying, "Would our hall have the honor of inviting Fellow Daoist Qin to serve as a guest elder?" "It would be my pleasure." ... Outside Six Prefectures Hall, Qin Sang parted warmly with Hall Master Mu. Upon returning to his cave dwelling, Qin Sang called Shen Chen before him. "What cultivation art do you practice?" "Reporting to Master, it is a metal-attribute art called the Yaoguang Art." Shen Chen immediately brought out a jade slip and presented it with both hands. Qin Sang skimmed through it briefly. The Yaoguang Art was by no means a top-tier cultivation art, yet several of its accompanying divine abilities actually aided in artifact refinement. In a certain sense, it was exceptionally suited to Shen Chen. It was not that Qin Sang lacked better arts in his possession. After some consideration, he decided to let Shen Chen continue cultivating the Yaoguang Art for now, waiting until he formed his Nascent Soul before considering switching to another. Switching arts required immense energy and would hinder the speed of one's cultivation. Though Qin Sang did not cultivate an art of the same type, with his breadth of knowledge, guiding Shen Chen was trivial. After pondering for a brief spell, he inscribed dense notes within the jade slip and tossed it back to Shen Chen. "From now on, concentrate on your cultivation and advance your realm as quickly as possible. Do not distract yourself with artifact refinement for the moment, but take care never to let your skills languish either. Take these medicinal pills as appropriate." From the Qianjun Ring, Qin Sang retrieved several jade bottles along with some artifact refinement manuals he had gathered, handing them all to Shen Chen. The pills were ones he had just purchased from Six Prefectures Hall, easily covered by a portion of the crocodile demon's remains, and the hall had even granted him a discount. There was no reason to leave his status as a guest elder unused. Shen Chen accepted everything. Past his surprise and delight, he finally grasped the truth of the situation. His master had indeed not taken him as a disciple without reason. From the sound of it, his current realm was far too low, and he would only be of use once he became a Nascent Soul cultivator. A Nascent Soul had once been something Shen Chen dared only dream of; with this newly gained master, it no longer seemed out of reach. Having tumbled through the cultivation world for many years, Shen Chen felt no discomfort about this arrangement. Favor was never granted without reason. What one ought to fear most was being utterly useless! Moreover, this master valued his talent for artifact refinement, not his life. Paying no heed to whatever thoughts Shen Chen harbored, Qin Sang raised his hand and pressed two fingers to Shen Chen's glabella. Shen Chen felt a sudden wave of dizziness as a fragmented formation abruptly appeared in his consciousness. At present, he could only perceive the barest tip of the iceberg, yet he could sense that the spirit formation was extraordinarily intricate, the most complex he had ever encountered in his life. "This is a portion of a complete spirit formation. Remember what I told you before: you may only contemplate it. Do not attempt anything rashly!" Qin Sang said in a deep voice. Shen Chen hurriedly withdrew his mind, trembling with deference. "Disciple obeys!" Qin Sang gave a slight nod. Forcing Shen Chen straight into the Nascent Soul stage might leave him like the strange-faced man's disciple—lacking tempered experience, with capability falling short of his realm. Yet Shen Chen was not like Bai Hanqiu or Meigu; he had no prior history with Qin Sang, and there was little affection to speak of. Qin Sang's spur-of-the-moment decision to take this disciple was driven primarily by his gift for artifact refinement. His prowess in combat was of little consequence; he was inherently different from a true mantle successor. After giving a few more instructions, Qin Sang originally meant to send Shen Chen out, but reconsidered. "Stand to the side. I am about to refine an object. You may observe from nearby. Do not rush to decipher anything; simply commit it to memory." "Yes!" Shen Chen drew back into the corner of the room, filled with both excitement and anticipation. This was his first time watching a Nascent Soul cultivator refine an artifact with his own eyes. Qin Sang brushed his fingers across the Qianjun Ring, and a demon core appeared in his palm—the demon core of the crocodile demon. The first crocodile demon had been blasted to death by the Sun God Bird, leaving only mangled remains with both its remnant spirit and demon core destroyed. The second crocodile demon's core, however, had been preserved intact. The crocodile demon's spirit had dissipated following the soul searching. No soul remained within the core, leaving only a pure and flawless demon core. Shen Chen stared in rapt fascination. *The demon core of a Transformation stage great demon!* Shen Chen was profoundly shaken, gaining a fresh appreciation for this master's strength. Qin Sang gazed intently at the demon core in his hand. After turning the tables on the crocodile demons and obtaining the crocodile bone, Qin Sang had been pondering how to turn it to his own use. When activated, the bone could summon a thousand-zhang giant crocodile of immense might. If he could harness it, he would possess another potent technique. Unfortunately, he did not possess a demon body, nor did he carry the crocodile demon's bloodline, making it impossible to tame the bone directly. He had no crocodile bloodline, but he did have the demon's corpse and core. In life, that crocodile demon had refined the bone, and the bone had already accepted its aura. Qin Sang intended to use these materials to deceive the crocodile bone. Over the past ten years, while cultivating, he had continuously deduced methods and already formed a concrete plan. With the demon core in hand, a plume of black flame abruptly surged over Qin Sang's palm. The demonic fire's aura was exceedingly violent, yet in Qin Sang's hands, it appeared thoroughly docile. Shen Chen stared wide-eyed at the demonic fire in Qin Sang's hand and swallowed hard, filled with both dread and yearning. He sensed that the demonic fire could snuff out his life with trivial ease. How wonderful it would be if he, too, could tame such terrifying demonic fire like his master. The demonic fire enveloped the demon core. The flickering flames appeared remarkably gentle. Before long, the demon core began to soften, sagging from its round shape into an oval before ultimately flattening into a thin sheet. When cultivators obtained a demon core, most used it for pill concoction. This was the first time Shen Chen had ever seen a Transformation stage demon core used to refine an artifact. He completely cast aside his earlier stray thoughts and watched Qin Sang's movements with rapt focus. Within Shen Chen's sight, the demonic fire pulsed rhythmically several times. Qin Sang produced a variety of rare spiritual materials and formed one incomprehensible talisman seal after another. The demon core underwent a drastic transformation in shape, ultimately turning into a transparent glove. Every step was so seamless and natural that it left him enraptured. Yet Shen Chen could not understand what power this glove held; it simply did not feel like a magic treasure, leaving him thoroughly perplexed. Once the glove took shape, Qin Sang retrieved a small jade bottle. Inside was a bright red liquid, as pure as a crimson gemstone—the essence blood Qin Sang had extracted from the crocodile demon's corpse. *Snap!* The jade bottle unstoppered, and the essence blood flew out of its own accord, hovering above the glove. Qin Sang's fingers moved like spinning wheels, drawing a thread from the essence blood. As though embroidering, he wove a hand of fresh blood that slowly descended and merged into the transparent glove. In an instant, bloody radiance flared brilliantly. Shen Chen peered through the light to see a blood-red glove hovering within. It was remarkably thin, scarlet as fresh blood, and radiated a terrifying, ferocious aura, as though a great demon had been reborn! *Whoosh!* The blood glove flew onto Qin Sang's left hand. Its aura and bloody light retracted inside, returning to a transparent state, soft as though made of nothing at all. Qin Sang took out the crocodile bone, gripped it with his left hand, and removed the demonic fire seal upon it. The crocodile bone began to thrash once more. Yet this time was different. The moment Qin Sang channeled the blood glove, the crocodile bone gradually settled down. *It worked!* Qin Sang felt a burst of joy. Expending the demon core and essence blood of a Transformation stage great demon merely to craft a tool for controlling the crocodile bone had been well worth the effort. "From now on, I shall call you the Blood Crocodile Bone Hand!"