The external incarnation rested in his cave dwelling for several days, then resumed his routine as before. He frequented Ganlu Zen Monastery's Scripture Depository and other sites, ravenously poring over ancient texts in search of enlightenment.
Some scriptures appeared entirely unrelated to cultivation, yet their terse words held profound meanings whose true significance could only be grasped once one's realm was high enough.
Every high-level cultivator had to pass through this process.
According to legend, some individuals possessed such transcendent talent that they did not even need to travel the world or rely on any treasures to achieve enlightenment in a single morning.
On the surface, the incarnation went by the identity of Daoist Qingfeng and was still considered a newly ascended great cultivator. Since Ganlu Zen Monastery had opened its doors wide to accommodate him, it would have been abnormal had he not seized this opportunity tightly.
No one, not even the holy monks of Ganlu Zen Monastery, doubted the incarnation's intentions. Still less could anyone imagine that Qin Sang's true body had already broken through to the Deity Transformation stage!
He hoped to find a body-refining secret art in the Scripture Depository similar to the *Seven Masters Buddhist Seal*, and he also wanted to investigate the origins of the jade Buddha. Ganlu Zen Monastery stood as the foremost Buddhist sect in this realm; if the answer was not here, he would likely only unravel the mystery of the jade Buddha once he reached the upper realm.
Unfortunately, after perusing all the Buddhist classics preserved by Ganlu Zen Monastery, he failed to find a single Buddha or Bodhisattva that corresponded to the jade Buddha.
Naturally, a far more important purpose of this visit was to investigate the movements of Saint Huiguang.
For the time being, the incarnation had found no legitimate pretext to visit Little Fangcun Mountain and call upon Saint Huiguang. Instead, he began from the ranks below, actively seeking out other eminent monks to converse at length and debate the Dao.
Through roundabout inquiries and news gathered from various quarters, the incarnation confirmed that Saint Huiguang's last public appearance had taken place seventy years ago.
Seventy years ago, when the Three Sects Alliance was newly established, a grand celebration had been held. Saint Huiguang had manifested himself in glory, while the Azure Fox Saint King attended as a guest of honor, jointly overawing all sects and factions of the three teachings.
Since then, the Deity Transformation masters had vanished without a trace.
It was said that Ganlu Zen Monastery had voluntarily surrendered certain benefits within the alliance covenant. The Eight Views Abbey and Tianhao Tower, which had once stood in fierce opposition to it, were now united in purpose. Anyone with mischievous intentions who wished to sow discord found themselves with no leverage to exploit.
During this period, several figures had vanished under bizarre circumstances.
The other sects and factions either acquiesced or joined outright, naturally rendering any public appearance by Deity Transformation cultivators unnecessary.
After understanding the regulations of the Three Sects Alliance, the incarnation became certain of one thing.
Under the premise that no new Deity Transformation cultivators could emerge in this realm, unless a particular sect underwent a precipitous decline or an irreconcilable rift broke open among the three major sects to tear the covenant apart by force, it would be very difficult for chaos to engulf the cultivation world.
Ever since then, Ganlu Zen Monastery appeared to have undertaken no unusual moves that bore the hallmarks of Saint Huiguang's handiwork.
*Could they really have been so impatient as to have already crossed east into Guixu?*
Just as the incarnation was pondering what pretext to use to request an audience with Saint Huiguang to confirm the matter, unexpected news arrived from the Eastern Sea.
The demon race of the Eastern Sea had descended into turmoil!
***
In Zhongzhou, human cultivators were concentrated primarily on the continent, leaving their presence in the Eastern Sea relatively weak. Even this limited presence was the result of a tacit understanding between the two races and years of recuperation, during which the demons seldom infringed upon human borders.
Legends told that when humanity was at its lowest ebb, the Eastern Sea, the North Sea, and the South Sea had all been the territory of the demon race. Demon beasts prowled the coastal waters, and beast tides frequently surged onto land to feast upon human flesh, leaving no human daring to venture out to sea.
Today, the sea area controlled by humanity was merely a negligible fraction. Based roughly on the distribution of islands, it was divided into three concentric zones.
The outermost zone was undeniably the most perilous. It lay close to demon territory, but it was also the easiest place to encounter demon beasts. Cultivators confident in their prowess would travel there to hunt demons, and the same held true for their counterparts on the other side.
Neither side ever knew for sure whether they were the hunter or the prey, which was why this place was also known as the hunting ground of the two races.
Due east of the Northern Barrens, over a boundless expanse of open ocean, a solitary figure rode a cloud across the waters. He flew at an unhurried pace, without taking the slightest measure to conceal his presence.
Such an action was tantamount to courting death.
This area had already entered the domain of the hunting grounds. What demon-hunting cultivator here would not tread on eggshells, traveling in groups with companions or holding their breath to conceal their forms? No one had ever seen someone act with such reckless audacity.
If a pack of great demons were drawn in, that person would surely die without a burial place.
Yet strangely enough, even as this person penetrated deep into the hunting grounds, not a single demon beast attacked him.
Within the hunting grounds, two figures flew out from an unnamed islet.
Both were Nascent Soul forebears, yet they stood suspended in the void facing west with deferential expressions, as though awaiting the arrival of an august figure. Even after waiting a long time, neither showed the slightest hint of impatience.
At last, a silhouette appeared in the western sky. Joy lit their faces, and they hurried forward to greet him. "We pay our respects to the Master!"
The newcomer was none other than Qin Sang's true body.
Returning to the islet, upon receiving Qin Sang's inquiry regarding the Eastern Sea demon race, the two replied, "Reporting to the Master, following your instructions, we have slipped into the demon territories on multiple occasions to secretly eliminate obstacles for Long One, Long Two, and the others, helping them establish a firm footing in the Eastern Sea. Long One and Long Three have even managed to infiltrate the subordinate ranks of a demon king. That the demon race is in internal turmoil is beyond doubt..."
Long One and Long Two were the names Qin Sang had given to several earth-binding dragons.
Listening to the detailed report from the Dark Moon Guards, Qin Sang remained silent in thought.
According to the intelligence sent back by Long One and the others, the two opposing sides in this civil strife were the Saint King Palace and a faction of powerful demons led by Great Sage Dragon Whale. The fact that the dragon whale still bore the title of Great Sage indicated that he had not yet reached Deity Transformation. Yet even without a Deity Transformation powerhouse overseeing them, these demons dared to challenge the Saint King Palace!
What was even stranger was that Great Sage Dragon Whale had raised his banner in rebellion for so long, yet far from being suppressed by the Azure Fox Saint King, it was the Saint King Palace that was steadily contracting its sphere of influence.
Qin Sang remembered the Azure Fox Saint King once saying that she did not care about the lives of her subordinates, but swallowing her anger to such an extent struck him as far too bizarre.
***
Deep within the Eastern Sea, the sky and water merged into one.
Across the boundless azure sea, a white line suddenly appeared in the north, sweeping forward at astonishing speed. Surging with turbulent power, it carried the momentum to shatter mountains.
Only upon close inspection did one realize that the white line was actually a terrifying tidal wave thousands of feet high.
Amidst the rolling waters, dark shapes flickered in and out of sight, rising and falling with the waves. Even if one could not make out the full forms of these shadows, the sheer scale of the ridges breaking the surface revealed the immense size of their bodies.
Their backs formed long, sleek contours, shaped like massive fish.
In truth, these were dragon whales, creatures renowned for their terrifying savagery across the Eastern Sea.
Rumor had it that dragon whales possessed violent temperaments; a single whale call could carry for a thousand li, sending all lesser demons fleeing wherever they passed. At this moment, however, an entire pod was on the move without making a single sound. They raced silently through the water, accompanied only by the deafening roar of the surging waves.
Behind the pod of whales, a colossal black mass followed closely behind.
The four sides of the mass were draped in a layer of black cloth. Thick black cables extended from it, secured to the tails of the dragon whales, which hauled it forward.
The black cloth was supple and soft, seemingly formed from a curious spiritual water.
As they hurtled through the sea, the cloth fluttered wildly in the wind, yet it kept the contents inside sealed so thoroughly that not a shred of aura could escape.
At the head of the pod, a burly, imposing man sat atop the lead dragon whale.
The man possessed a broad nose and a wide mouth. Straddling the dragon whale's back, he was as cold and stern as a mountain; every word denoting brute strength could be applied to him without exaggeration.
He sat with his eyes closed, resting.
Suddenly, as if sensing something, the burly man abruptly opened his bronze-bell-like eyes. His gaze flashed like two bolts of lightning splitting the void, causing the sunlight over the sea's surface to dim for an instant.
At the spot where his gaze fell, a faint mist rose from the sea.
Compared to the menacing, towering waves, this wisp of mist appeared frail and utterly insignificant.
Yet the man's pupils contracted into needlepoints.
In the next instant, light and shadow shifted within the mist, and an illusory silhouette flickered into view.
The moment he saw the silhouette, the burly man sprang to his feet, threw his arms wide, and roared toward the sky. His whale song overwhelmed the thunder of the crashing waves, yet it held none of the ethereal resonance typical of its kind; instead, it was piercing, harsh, and drenched in savage hostility.
Hearing his roar, the pod of whales ground to an abrupt halt, their headlong momentum arrested on the spot.
*Rumble!*
The thousand-foot wave crashed violently into the sea.
Immediately afterward, shrill screeches accompanied soaring geysers of water straight into the firmament.
The whales dispersed in an instant, forming a defensive array that left a wide open clearing in the center for the burly man, guarding him on all sides.
At the same time, the whales exerted their strength in unison, heaving the massive black shape high into the air so that it came to rest steadily atop the forest of water spouts, suspended in midair.
The figure within the thin mist seemed completely blind to the battle-ready whales, remaining utterly unmoved as his outline gradually materialized.
He sat cross-legged atop a black fire lotus.
Cradled by the flame lotus, he floated slowly up from the surface of the sea. Compared to any of the dragon whales, he appeared exceptionally frail, yet he dared to bar the path of the entire pod.
The whales had halted on his account, treating him like a mortal enemy!
His features remained indistinct. He appeared to wear an azure Daoist robe, with long hair falling down his back.
A living person stood plainly right before them, yet the moment the dragon whales closed their eyes, they could sense nothing out of the ordinary—as though the man had dissolved completely into the world around him.
The burly man glared fixedly at the mist. Letting out a furious roar, the bones throughout his body popped and crackled as his frame expanded violently.
In an instant, a mountain-like black shadow materialized upon the sea. It, too, was a dragon whale, but its aura and scale far outstripped any of the others, differing from them as a soaring peak differed from a dirt mound.
This burly man was none other than the Eastern Sea's foremost great sage—Great Sage Dragon Whale!
Refusing to submit to the Saint King Palace, he had personally led his subordinates to wage war, never expecting to run into an enigmatic stranger here.
*Splash!*
Having revealed his true form, Great Sage Dragon Whale sent colossal waves rolling outward with a mere flick of his tail. He opened his gaping maw and bellowed in fury, "You Daoist over there, state your name! This king bears no grudge against you—why do you block my path?!"
The other made no reply.
Only the light mist drifted.
The outline grew clearer by degrees.
Great Sage Dragon Whale's gaze was drawn to the black lotus beneath the silhouette. His massive eyes shrank sharply, and he slapped his tail hard against the sea. Receiving the order, the whales took up a chorus of roars.
Their torsos went rigid as they pulled with all their might on the long cables attached to their tails.
The black mass in the air rocked violently. With a sharp whoosh, the black cloth was whipped aside, revealing an iron cage inside. Stretched out within the cage was a blood-red skeleton.
The flesh had been stripped entirely from the bones, yet the skeleton remained dripping with fresh crimson, as though soaked in blood for countless years.
The skeleton was intact, its skull long and pointed, with fresh blood pooling inside its eye sockets to lend it an intensely uncanny look. Judging from its contour, it was very likely the skeletal remains of another dragon whale.
*Clatter, clatter...*
The ropes strained taut, and the iron cage shuddered.
With the black cloth pulled away, a stench of blood soared into the heavens, and a terrifying, malevolent aura saturated this patch of the world. It felt as though a ferocious beast was on the verge of resurrection, striking terror into the heart.
This aura was bound directly to the pod of whales and Great Sage Dragon Whale. An astonishing pressure erupted from the whales, pointing straight ahead.
Only when Great Sage Dragon Whale summoned the skeleton did the person in the mist seem to take an interest. He tilted his head slightly, studying the skeleton within the iron cage, and let out a soft chuckle. "Is this what you rely on?"
That nonchalant tone filled Great Sage Dragon Whale with shame and fury. He barked, "Cease your arrogance! You happened to achieve Deity Transformation by sheer luck, yet instead of contemplating ascension, you dare come to the Eastern Sea to stir up trouble! Aren't you afraid of leaving here with no way back, throwing away a thousand years of bitter cultivation?! Ninety-nine of my sons are gathered here. If I command them to reverse their blood and essence and detonate their bodies to awaken the Chaotic Berserk Whale, it will surely send you fleeing with severe injuries, cutting off your path to ascension...!"
Relying on his cultivation, the other man made no effort to conceal his aura.
Great Sage Dragon Whale had already confirmed that the opponent was a human Deity Transformation cultivator.
While his threats were exaggerated, they were not purely empty bluster. To dare challenge the Saint King Palace, Great Sage Dragon Whale naturally possessed cards of his own.
The iron cage could spring open at any moment. A stream of bloody mist wound ceaselessly through the skeleton; with every full circuit it completed, the skeleton's crimson hue deepened.
Beyond that, he had already sent a secret transmission to his allies.
His allies were not far from here.
Although they suspected that the Azure Fox Saint King had already crossed east to ascend, caution dictated that ever since raising the banner of rebellion, they always traveled accompanied by their kin whenever leaving their cave dwellings.
As the shout left his mouth, Great Sage Dragon Whale finally caught a clear look at the face of the figure in the mist. His expression froze, and he blurted out in shock, "It's you?!"
"You know me?"
Qin Sang revealed his true features within the mist and looked upon Great Sage Dragon Whale.
Great Sage Dragon Whale's expression darkened and cleared in turns before he said coldly, "How could this king not recognize the renowned Fire Demon?"
During the battle at Wuxiang Immortal Sect, Fire Demon had resisted the demon Saint King with his own might, unleashing a fire bird to annihilate the Saint King's phantasmal body. This feat was not only recounted with relish among human cultivators, but had also spread to the Eastern Sea demon race.
Great Sage Dragon Whale had always possessed a rebellious streak and paid the closest attention to the Azure Fox Saint King's movements, so he had naturally investigated the affair in great detail.
Upon learning that the Azure Fox Saint King had provoked such a formidable enemy, Great Sage Dragon Whale had gloated and even considered contacting Qin Sang to join forces against her.
Unfortunately, Qin Sang had retreated into Luye, holing himself up without emerging.
With too many other demands on his attention, Great Sage Dragon Whale had temporarily shelved the thought.
Never could he have imagined that over a century later, this man would reappear—and no longer belong to the same tier as the rest of them!
Rumors claimed that although the strength this man displayed at Wuxiang Immortal Sect was formidable, it owed mostly to divine abilities and treasures; his cultivation had likely only recently broken through to the late Nascent Soul stage.
Reflecting upon himself, Great Sage Dragon Whale had been trapped before the bottleneck of Deity Transformation for over a thousand years. He could not help but feel a pang of dejection.
"I never expected that in such a brief span of time, you would attain the exalted rank of True Monarch. This king cannot help but express my admiration!"
Once Qin Sang's identity was confirmed, Great Sage Dragon Whale's tone softened considerably.
Since this man was Fire Demon, he could never be an ally of the Azure Fox Saint King.
The enemy of an enemy was a friend!
Back then, Fire Demon had nearly perished at the hands of that demonic fox. He refused to believe Fire Demon could swallow such an insult.
Having endured humiliation to finally achieve Deity Transformation, how could he not seek vengeance?
If he could win this man to his side, the great enterprise would surely succeed!
Keenly detecting the shift in Great Sage Dragon Whale's tone, Qin Sang also smiled. "It seems the Great Sage has already guessed my purpose in coming."
Great Sage Dragon Whale reverted to his human form and gave Qin Sang a profound look. His throat bobbed as he let out a low, guttural growl of indeterminate meaning.
Behind him, the pod of dragon whales erupted into sudden turmoil. Like hungry tigers lunging for prey, they pounced upon the outer jiaoshark guards, instantly turning that stretch of sea into a sea of blood until only the dragon whales remained.
Great Sage Dragon Whale said coldly, "True Monarch likely does not wish to have your whereabouts leaked for the moment, correct? These sons of this king can be trusted."
***
Upon an unnamed demon island, Great Sage Dragon Whale sat high upon a chair of state.
Seated below him in two rows were various demon kings, all allies who had raised the banner of rebellion alongside him.
Because of a single remark made just moments ago by one of Great Sage Dragon Whale's chief generals, the demons were locked in ceaseless argument.
"We still can't confirm whether that wretched vixen has truly ascended! Forcing the Saint King Palace into a decisive battle right now—aren't we just driving her to desperate measures?"
"Indeed! We followed the Great Sage because that vixen was too overbearing, monopolizing several sacred grounds for herself. Now the armies of the Saint King Palace are retreating step by step, and the sacred grounds will soon fall into our hands. Why create unnecessary complications?"
...
Great Sage Dragon Whale sat in silence, watching the demons argue.
Chapter 1714