Meeting

"His spiritual fire possesses power on par with the Deity Transformation realm. Are you really not tempted, old monk?" the Azure Fox Saint King countered. "Though this poor monk could not spare attention at the time and never directly sensed the aura of that spiritual fire, hearing their descriptions, it should be a demon fire, correct?" Saint Huiguang saw right through the Azure Fox Saint King's thoughts. Both the Spirit Calming Incense recipe and the Nanming Primordial Fire were things she was determined to obtain. Qin Sang was guilty merely of possessing treasures beyond his station. The Azure Fox Saint King fell silent. Saint Huiguang did not press further, but cautioned, "Unless that fire can be refined and absorbed by you, Saint King, greatly elevating your cultivation and divine abilities, it is of little real use. If it is merely to gain one more combat technique, its power is far too berserk and likely impossible to control. Recklessly using it in Guixu would cause violent disturbances, which might instead draw a siege of beast hordes and plunge us into even greater danger. That person is already a frightened bird; force cannot be used against him. You had best heed this poor monk's counsel, Saint King. Do not act willfully and stir up extraneous trouble." In Guixu of the Eastern Sea, fierce beasts ran rampant. Even before the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao provoked them into frenzy, Guixu was an extraordinarily perilous place. Even Deity Transformation cultivators would wait until their cultivation could advance no further and complete every possible preparation before daring to set out. Now that the fierce beasts had been driven mad by the demonic voice, there was no telling what horrors awaited inside their lairs. In crossing eastward to ascend, the fierce beasts were among the greatest threats. Especially within Guixu, they might be able to handle a lone fierce beast, but if they clashed head-on, the shockwaves of battle would very likely attract even more. "If this king can subdue the artifact spirit and control this treasure, there would indeed be no need to insist on anything else," the Azure Fox Saint King said, glancing at the Five Elements Crown atop the ancient demon's head. Her tone finally softened. Of course, she also understood that having missed their chance this time, capturing that person again would be exceedingly difficult. Unless she and the old monk took the field in person, anyone else stumbling upon him would simply be throwing their lives away. At the slightest sign of trouble, if that person sensed danger, he would go into hiding and refuse to show himself, or perhaps even flee Zhongzhou to shelter within the storm belt. Were they supposed to put off their ascension indefinitely and guard Zhongzhou until they managed to hunt him down? The old monk was the local power here; tracking down that man would ultimately depend on the strength of the Buddhist sects. The most pressing matter at hand was finding a way to help the ancient demon suppress its madness and restore a shred of its wits so they could interrogate it for secrets. Along the way, they could also test several earlier hypotheses on the ancient demon to investigate the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao. Whoosh! Several monks dashed toward the severed mountain. Amidst the five-colored clouds, other hues of spiritual light flickered, indicating that the Five Elements Divine Restriction had not completely obliterated every formation and restriction on the mountain. They were under orders to salvage the surviving treasures of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect. Other Buddhist experts had also dispersed across the grounds, occupying key positions throughout the immortal estate to drive away unrelated onlookers. Unfortunately, their numbers were insufficient. Compounded by one mishap after another, the crowds had scattered like startled birds the moment the demon body began to show signs of defeat. Meanwhile, the estate's passage was continuously expanding, now covering nearly half of the Taiyue Mountain Range as the immortal estate edged closer to returning to the mortal world. Saint Huiguang's intention of netting everyone in one sweep was impossible to carry out, leaving him no choice but to secure control of the immortal estate first. Up in the sky. The Poison King had emerged from the gray cocoon. Having narrowly escaped death, his gaze flickered unpredictably as he surveyed the estate's mountain peaks. Just moments ago, he had learned from Yue Lingtian what had transpired during his imprisonment, leaving him both relieved and troubled. He felt relieved that he had previously leaned toward striking a deal rather than forging a mortal feud with that man. What troubled him was how he was ever going to reclaim the Gu King now that it had fallen into the hands of such a formidable figure. While regulating his breath, Mo Xingdao kept an eye on both the Azure Fox Saint King and Saint Huiguang before glancing at the others, quietly preparing to withdraw. But without warning, a voice transmission sounded by his ear, causing his figure to freeze. *** "Bearing injuries, it is inconvenient for me to rise and welcome you. Pardon my lack of courtesy." Inside a crude stone chamber carved into a secluded crag of a desolate mountain, Qin Sang paused his healing and looked toward Liuli as she walked in, a faint smile surfacing on his pale face. It was clear that smiling was an ordeal, straining the corners of his mouth. The avatar had brought Liuli here and promptly departed in haste. Qin Sang explained, "Earlier, my avatar posed as the ancestor of the Mount Pu Xie family. Now that my identity has been exposed and provoked a saint king of the demon race, disaster may well fall upon the Xie family. Several of my friends are still at Mount Pu and unaware of these developments. I must warn them as quickly as possible so they can prepare." Before rumors could spread, the fastest method was to relay the message through Six Prefectures Hall, though he did not know if it would make it in time. Qin Sang could only do what was humanly possible and leave the rest to fate. With Ghost Mother holding down the fort, she should be able to make proper arrangements. Liuli inclined her head slightly, noticing the severe state of Qin Sang's true body. "What do you plan to do next?" "Naturally, find a place to heal my wounds first..." Qin Sang tugged at the corners of his mouth, but the movement aggravated his internal injuries, nearly making him suck in a sharp breath of cold air. Yet he forced himself to maintain his smile, gazing at Liuli. She wore a dark blue haiqing robe, and though covered by a Buddhist cap, strands of dark hair gathered beneath the brim were still visible. The lay practitioner's attire could not conceal her peerless beauty; if anything, it lent her an air of refined elegance and serenity, softening her usual icy aloofness so that she no longer seemed as unapproachable as before. For some reason, Qin Sang felt a wave of relief. Back then, Liuli had severed her hair to declare her resolve and departed decisively. For a long time, he had feared they would never meet again. Looking at that familiar face, he could not help blurting out, "Fortunately, you did not truly take the tonsure, Fairy." Liuli remained silent, regarding him with cold eyes. Qin Sang hurriedly hushed and gave two dry chuckles. In his current state, it was best not to act brazenly, or Liuli could swat him dead with a single palm. At that moment, Qin Sang noticed that Liuli's realm was still at the mid-Nascent Soul stage, yet her aura was already on par with his avatar's—she had reached the pinnacle of the mid-Nascent Soul stage. "Fairy, your cultivation...?" The fact that Liuli could still sense him meant the hidden danger of the perverse art had not yet been resolved. Could she have run into another bottleneck? Qin Sang could not help but worry. Liuli said placidly, "When the immortal estate emerged into the world, I already sensed an opportunity for breakthrough and was about to enter secluded cultivation." Guessing what Qin Sang was about to ask, Liuli paused, looked at him, and said, "You can shield the imprint." The two of them jointly cultivated the Mystic Female Jade Tripod Sutra, but Qin Sang had turned the tables and held the initiative. Although she had done everything she could to suppress the imprint, so long as Qin Sang willed it, a single thought from him could render all her efforts moot and uncover the secrets of the imprint. That Qin Sang appeared entirely oblivious to this only proved he had never entertained such thoughts. Even when they faced Yin Changsheng in the Sacred Ground and she had willingly opened her mind, Qin Sang had merely borrowed her true essence to wield the Sun God Tree before immediately severing the link, without the slightest extraneous distraction or ulterior motive. "It is still best to find a way to unravel the imprint as early as possible!" Qin Sang sighed. Judging by Liuli's tone, cultivating the Buddhist dharma had borne considerable fruit, but it seemed not quite enough to resolve the danger entirely. Since the topic of breaking through had come up, Qin Sang took a jade sphere from his Qianjun Ring and offered it to Liuli. The jade sphere was the size of an infant's fist, glowing with pure emerald light as dazzling as a luminous night pearl. Inside were countless minute apertures nested layer upon layer. Certain sections appeared incomplete, however, leaving a sense of unfinished work. This jade sphere was none other than the spiritual embryo of the Heavenly Exquisite. Liuli did not accept it, but her gaze was drawn to it, instinctively sensing it was no ordinary object. Qin Sang explained, "This item is called the Heavenly Exquisite, obtained from an opponent of mine. It is a supreme treasure crafted by the Wood Phase lineage to assist in breaking through to the Deity Transformation realm. In advancing to Deity Transformation, the step of communing with Heaven and humanity is of vital importance, intimately tied to one's spiritual roots... As you know, I possess all five spiritual roots, so this item is useless to me. Nor do I lack treasures to assist in breaking through; I plan to trade that Five Elements Pill with Mo Xingdao for a Consonance Immortal Fruit, assuming he can extract himself safely." As he spoke, Qin Sang brought out a wooden box and displayed the green orb of light containing the secret art of the Heavenly Exquisite. Liuli sent her divine consciousness into the orb. After reviewing its contents, an unusual look surfaced on her face. After a moment of silence, Liuli shook her head. "I merely lifted a hand." Her temperament had not changed in the slightest! Even after saying all that, he still could not convince her to accept it. Qin Sang sighed inwardly. "To you it may have been lifting a hand, but to me it was saving my life. Furthermore, you took immense risks to intervene. Fairy, you cultivate the Buddhist dharma—do you not understand that guarding against me with such vigilance is itself a form of clinging to form? Going with the natural flow is the true path." Liuli remained firm, only copying a transcription of the orb's contents. "I have not yet broken through to the late Nascent Soul stage. I have plenty of time to search, prepare, and craft a Heavenly Exquisite of my own. Since the Laurel Immortal Dew once appeared in Zhongzhou, it means it is not yet extinct, and finding it is not impossible." Qin Sang opened his mouth, but ultimately had no choice but to put away the spiritual embryo of the Heavenly Exquisite. "In that case, I shall keep this item safe for you for now. Furthermore, I still have one stick of Spirit Calming Incense left. If you ever need it, Fairy, do not hesitate to speak." Liuli offered neither assent nor denial. Qin Sang pressed no further and changed the subject. "Which sect did you join, Fairy? Will today's events cause any trouble for you?" Now that the teleportation channel was exposed, the connection between that sect and the Wuxiang Immortal Sect would also come to light. If consequences ensued, the sect might well vent its displeasure on Liuli. "Moon-Veiling Nunnery. Its founding ancestor was once the Dao companion of an elder of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect. After the sect was destroyed, our members lived in seclusion from the world, and whenever they traveled outside, they adopted other identities to conceal their tracks..." Liuli briefly recounted the origin of Moon-Veiling Nunnery. Upon learning that the nunnery's founder had hailed from the Water Phase lineage and also shared deep ties with the Metal Phase lineage, Qin Sang's expression shifted. He quickly brought out several more items. There were jade slips obtained from the Bingyi Palace recording legacies of the Water Phase Palace such as Taiyi Water Concealment, Lightless Shield, the Primordial Silence Divine Wheel, and the Misty Billows Shadowless Illusion Body. There was also the golden sword obtained from Mount Dishou, which contained the sword array inheritance of the Metal Phase Palace. Qin Sang handed them all to Liuli for her to dispose of. Scanning the contents of the jade slips and golden sword, Liuli could not help but cast Qin Sang an extra glance, surprised that he had reaped such bountiful harvests within the Wuxiang Immortal Sect. This time, Liuli did not refuse. She had claimed she was returning to the secret hall to retrieve treasures when in truth she had gone to rescue Qin Sang. The elder nun had seen through the ruse, but rather than growing angry, she had lent a helping hand—and in the end, they had still failed to retrieve the treasures from the secret hall. This debt of gratitude had to be repaid. Bringing back the inheritances of two lineages would provide an answer for them. Perhaps because they had been parted for too long and grown distant, Qin Sang found himself momentarily at a loss for words after concluding these serious matters, while Liuli, naturally icy by nature, was even less inclined to initiate conversation. For a time, silence hung over the cave abode as the two sat facing each other without a word. After a quiet interval, Qin Sang looked outside the cave. "My avatar should soon reach the nearby Six Prefectures Hall. Fairy, do you know who is currently at the Xie family?" Not expecting Liuli to offer him an easy out, Qin Sang answered his own question: "I originally traveled north to Jinyu Prefecture to attend the Ullambana Assembly, but unexpectedly encountered Senior Ghost Mother there. That I was able to arrive in time before the immortal estate emerged was also thanks to Senior's guidance. I originally came for the Zhongzhou Immortal Palace, never expecting the path to it was broken. Judging by the actions of Daoist Zilei of Bajing Abbey, he must have ascended to the upper realm as well." Hearing Ghost Mother mentioned, Liuli's eyes flickered slightly. "Yagu?" Finally, a response! It was impressive that she still remembered Yagu. Qin Sang's spirits lifted, and he smiled. "Our past efforts were not in vain after all. Senior Ghost Mother examined her and found her condition has been preserved very well. Senior is currently helping her realign her foundation; she will certainly be able to unravel the Heavenly Corpse Talisman and awaken her." Seeming touched by Qin Sang's smile, Liuli's expression softened slightly, and she murmured, "Congratulations." Qin Sang knew she must be thinking of her master. To some degree, both of them were people bound by their obsessions. His obsession was on the verge of being resolved, whereas Liuli and her master remained separated by different realms, their reunion distant and uncertain. "Fairy, rest assured that heaven protects the worthy; your revered master will surely turn misfortune into blessing. Meeting Senior Ghost Mother this time, I learned many hidden secrets..." Speaking rapidly, Qin Sang shared the secrets he had learned from Ghost Mother with Liuli in full detail. "The Ascension Platform led to the demon realm, but the Immortal Palace and the Ascension Platform likely do not follow the same route... An ascent via the Immortal Palace creates tremendous commotion; unless someone in the upper realm took advance measures to conceal it, word will surely have spread. Senior Ghost Mother is currently preparing for ascension. I will ask her to investigate this matter once she reaches the upper realm. Perhaps she can find news of your master, or even lend a helping hand if possible. Once we ascend, we can visit Senior Ghost Mother among the Witch Clan." "Ascension..." Liuli looked lost, yet a hint of anticipation glimmered in her eyes. That very anticipation was the driving force that spurred her unyielding perseverance. Seeing that his avatar had not yet returned, Qin Sang did not plan to continue waiting here. He proposed leaving ahead of time and brazenly asked for her protection: "Since you have already helped me this far, Fairy, would you be willing to escort me a bit further?" Learning that Cave Master Qiling had also perished at Qin Sang's hands, Liuli fell silent. How long had they been in Zhongzhou? How did this man manage to accumulate enemies everywhere he went? Cave Master Qiling held a formidable and terrifying reputation across the two southern Man prefectures. Proficient in the ghost path, his divine abilities were bizarre and unpredictable; once targeted by him, one would not even know how they died, and more often than not, death was an unreachable luxury. Even sects like Myriad Poison Mountain and the Taiyue Sect were unwilling to provoke such a sinister figure. Though he rarely showed himself after attaining high cultivation, his dread reputation had never diminished. To think he had met his quiet end here. Qin Sang intended to head first to Cave Master Qiling's cave abode—not the one out in the open, of course. The man was a wily fox with multiple dens, and his herb garden was laid out in his most secretive cave, an exact location unknown even to his disciples. Perhaps Qin Sang could find spirit herbs helpful for healing his wounds to speed up his recovery. He could also recuperate in Cave Master Qiling's cave abode for a time, though staying too close to the Poison King was not a sound long-term plan. Swallowing several medicinal pills, Qin Sang managed to move about. Cave Master Qiling's cave abode lay in an uninhabited region of Man Prefecture. The two traveled southwest; the two southern Man prefectures were shrouded in poisonous miasmas and sparsely populated, leaving no worry of exposing their trail. Along the way, Qin Sang spoke of his experiences over the years, and also learned that Liuli had originally intended to find a Buddhist temple in the Western Desert to cultivate in quietude, only to cross paths with the traveling Abbess. The two had journeyed through the Western Desert together, forging a close bond. Liuli accepted her invitation to join Moon-Veiling Nunnery, and under the Abbess's persuasion, chose to cultivate without shaving her head, after which she had not set foot outside the nunnery.