An upheaval in the Hall of Seven Kills!
There was no need to ask; one could guess what kind of upheaval it was.
Qin Sang's eyes narrowed slightly, a look of regret flickering across his face.
He had traveled countless miles to the Canglang Ocean, harboring a sliver of hope for the Hall of Seven Kills. Unfortunately, worldly affairs seldom went as desired.
"Did Su Nü ascend alongside the celestial palace as well?"
Hearing Qin Sang ask this, subtle changes stirred in the eyes of both Bao Zhengnan and Bao Xi.
They had been watching his expression all along.
When mentioning Su Nü earlier, they had deliberately avoided saying that she had ascended, referring only to an upheaval in the immortal palace. Yet Qin Sang had laid it bare with a single phrase. It seemed he was by no means uninformed.
Bao Xi hesitated, words lingering on her lips.
Bao Zhengnan nodded and replied, "Daoist Qin knows as well that ancient immortal restrictions sealed the Hall of Seven Kills inside and out. At that time, many cultivators entered the Inner Hall to seek treasures. By the time they sensed the upheaval, many were deeply trapped and lacked the time to withdraw. Fortunately, entering the restrictions was difficult, but breaking out was comparatively easier. We could not establish contact with Su Nü, so we had no choice but to rely on the Heavenly Phoenix Plume to breach the Inner Hall's restrictions and escape the Hall of Seven Kills. Only when the Hall of Seven Kills tore through the void and ascended did we see her appear all alone atop Yitian Peak, leaving behind nothing more than the sight of her back."
Recalling the scene of that day, both Bao Zhengnan and Bao Xi looked somewhat despondent.
After Qin Sang entrusted Su Nü to them, they had brought her back to the Four Sages Palace. Out of admiration for Qingzhu's character and a desire to foster good relations with Qingzhu and Qin Sang, the entire Four Sages Palace held Su Nü in high regard.
Once Su Nü's condition improved, she had nowhere else to go.
To her, the Four Sages Palace was a paradise far from worldly strife. Here, she could live free of worry, no longer treading on thin ice as before, constantly guarding against others plotting her harm. Upon receiving the invitation from the Bao siblings, she chose to stay.
During the period before the celestial palace ascended, the Bao siblings spent days and nights with Su Nü, forging a deep friendship.
In those days, what they discussed most often was Qin Sang and Qingzhu, harboring great curiosity about them.
Whenever Qin Sang was brought up, Su Nü remained quiet and reserved. The Bao siblings merely assumed she was shy. Only Su Nü herself knew that she simply had nothing to say; she understood nothing about him.
In the Hall of Seven Kills, Su Nü had recognized Qin Sang as the very person who had once spared her life. At that time, having no other alternatives, she had staked everything on a desperate gamble, treating a dead horse as a living one.
Having experienced the chill and warmth of worldly human nature, she had long prepared for Qin Sang to break his promise.
Being enslaved by Qin Sang was still far better than being manipulated by the master of the East Pole Alliance.
Back then, Qin Sang was merely a Core Formation cultivator. Su Nü had full confidence in her ability to act, believing she could win his trust and, once his vigilance slackened, inevitably find a chance to strike back.
To her surprise, Qin Sang had not only saved her life and taken the initiative to crush the ghost seal—sparing her the torment of servitude—but had also helped her find a safe haven to establish herself.
More than once, Su Nü had wondered what kind of person he truly was. After learning the details of the demon-subduing battle from the Bao siblings, she had also longed to see Qin Sang once more.
Unfortunately, after that battle, Qingzhu and Qin Sang seemed to have vanished into thin air.
Bao Xi also remarked, "Su Nü helped us obtain the heritage within the secret realm, which led to the revival of our Four Sages Palace. My elder brother and I are immensely grateful to her, yet we never had the chance to repay her kindness. We only hope she can once again turn calamity into fortune and safely cross into the upper realm."
Qin Sang fell into silent contemplation.
Judging by their tone, back then, not a few cultivators had been trapped in the Inner Hall and carried along with the Hall of Seven Kills to 'ascend.'
The ascension of the celestial palace was something no one had foreseen.
Were it not for Old Demon Ye stirring up trouble back then, becoming the public enemy of the Beichen Realm and provoking a siege by the three domains, the number of cultivators trapped in the Ziwei Palace might not have been any fewer than in the Hall of Seven Kills.
Without the protection of an Ascension Platform, unless blessed with extraordinarily profound fortune, the vast majority of these people would perish in the spatial turbulence.
Could Su Nü have been spared?
Qin Sang lifted his head slightly. "Could you two describe the scene when the Hall of Seven Kills ascended?"
He remembered that an ethereal celestial palace once drifted grandly in the skies above the Hall of Seven Kills, possessing a majestic presence. Compared to the Ziwei Palace after its true form was revealed, it was not in the least inferior.
Furthermore, what of the demon lord sealed beneath Yitian Peak? When the celestial palace ascended, did it impact the demon-sealing restrictions?
Bao Xi nodded and parted her lips.
Unlike the Ziwei Palace, the Inner Hall and Outer Hall of the Hall of Seven Kills were in truth a single entity, tearing through the void and flying away together. When the upheaval occurred, the cultivators were all exploring the Inner Hall in search of secrets and treasures. Though they did not know where the Hall of Seven Kills would fly, everyone understood that being dragged into a spatial tear alongside it would lead to no good end.
The cultivators could only flee for their lives.
Back then, the Heavenly Phoenix Plume brought in by the Flood Dragon King fell into the hands of the Four Sages Palace. Their group had ventured too deep and lingered longer to search for Su Nü. When they realized the Hall of Seven Kills was about to fly away, at the critical moment, they destroyed the Heavenly Phoenix Plume to escape with their lives.
Not only did the human race suffer devastating losses, but not a few Witch Clan cultivators were also swept away by the Hall of Seven Kills.
Following the demon-subduing battle, top experts of the human race fell one after another, their strength severely depleted amidst internal troubles and external threats. When Old Demon Fang proposed joining hands with humanity to explore the Inner Hall in the future, they could only silently acquiesce.
To the Witch Clan, this was undeniably a good thing. As facts proved, the Inner Hall also held ancient Witch Clan treasures, perhaps offering an opportunity to complete their broken heritage.
Unexpectedly, before they could secure their fortunes in the Inner Hall, they encountered the ascension of the immortal palace.
This loss was even more catastrophic than the previous one. Most of those who perished were Nascent Soul experts and rising talents of the Witch Clan—the very backbone of their people. To the steadily declining Witch Clan, it was a staggering blow.
It was a calamity for humanity as well, but with their profound foundation, the humans could still endure it.
The Witch Clan had yet to recover their vitality to this day. Had external pressure from the demon race not shifted the conflict, the humans would likely have invaded the Witch God Continent by now.
Recounting this, Bao Xi could not help lamenting the fickleness of fate and the unpredictability of fortune and misfortune.
Returning to the Four Sages Palace party, they only dared look back after tumbling out of the Hall of Seven Kills in a mad rush.
At that moment, the immortal restrictions outside the Hall of Seven Kills were in utter turmoil. Above the Inner Hall, immortal clouds surged like a tide, radiating boundless brilliance, casting mirage-like reflections of jade towers and pavilions in an enchanting, dreamlike display.
Su Nü stood atop Yitian Peak, the celestial palace directly above her head.
An anomaly had also emerged from Yitian Peak beneath her feet.
Above, the Demon Suppressing Stele shone with sky-piercing emerald radiance, illuminating the entirety of Yitian Peak inside and out until it appeared like a block of translucent green jade.
Beneath the mountain, marvelous spectacles intertwined—on one side floated the silhouette of a divine furnace, while on the other coiled a divine dragon.
Between the three, a mass of black mist pulsed ceaselessly like a beating heart, exposing a corner of a blood-red coffin.
Having taken part in the demon-subduing battle, the Bao siblings knew that the demon lord was sealed within that blood coffin, and the demon lord was clearly still alive.
Beholding such a scene, the Bao siblings were horrified, terrified that the demon lord would break the seal and plunge the mortal world into slaughter and misery. Immediately afterward, they watched as the celestial palace tore through the void and ascended.
The demon lord in the seal was borne away together with Su Nü by the celestial palace, vanished without a trace.
Bao Xi went to great lengths, recounting in detail the scene of that day and the plight of the cultivators.
Due to the great distance, they did not know what Su Nü had experienced. Based on this information, Qin Sang was likewise unable to judge whether Su Nü could have survived.
The Outer Hall of the Hall of Seven Kills had ascended as well, which defied Qin Sang's expectations. He had originally thought special places like the Heaven Tower might have remained behind; it seemed he had overthought it.
Qin Sang mused, "Fellow Daoist mentioned earlier that you allied with the Witch Clan against the demon race, and that several of you must personally garrison Tianxing Island. Is the demon race so formidable that war has broken out again?"
Bao Xi looked toward her elder brother.
Previously, Bao Xi had done most of the talking, with Bao Zhengnan adding remarks occasionally.
Straightening his expression, he gave Qin Sang a profound look. Instead of answering the question, he countered, "Forgive my presumption, Daoist Qin, but have you arrived from the outer domains?"
He had vanished abruptly and reappeared just as suddenly, with nearly six hundred years of complete silence in between, only to resurface with a cultivation base even higher than their own.
Such a realm was definitely not something one could achieve by hiding in a cave dwelling in bitter seclusion.
If Qin Sang had never left the Canglang Ocean, he could not possibly have remained obscure, nor could he have missed the opportunities when the Hall of Seven Kills opened.
There was only one explanation!
Qin Sang's gaze swept over the three of them. He nodded and candidly admitted, "Senior Qingzhu and I both hailed from the North Sea. There is an immortal palace in the North Sea as well, connected to the Hall of Seven Kills via an ancient immortal formation. After the demon-subduing battle, I returned to the North Sea. When the Hall of Seven Kills ascended, the North Sea's celestial palace flew away alongside it; otherwise, I would have visited the two of you long ago."
"The North Sea?"
The three exchanged glances, looks of bewilderment and curiosity appearing on their faces.
Keenly perceptive, Qin Sang caught the shift in their expressions and asked, "Do you not know of the North Sea?"
Bao Zhengnan said, "We have heard that outer domains exist beyond the storm belt, but know little of the details."
Qin Sang was quite surprised.
The Four Sages Palace was a heritage descended from Deity Transformation cultivators, and before the rise of humanity, the Witch Clan had produced Deity Transformation experts as well.
They should not be completely ignorant of the outside world.
Seeing Qin Sang's confusion, Bao Zhengnan did not explain directly, but asked further, "Since the immortal teleportation array is gone, how did Daoist Qin determine the position of the Canglang Ocean?"
"I once traveled through Zhongzhou and obtained the legacy of a Witch Clan senior, which contained a sea chart." Qin Sang conjured an image of the chart.
After examining it, Bao Zhengnan nodded repeatedly, then offered an enigmatic smile. "Following this chart, did you notice any discrepancies in the vicinity of the Canglang Ocean?"
Qin Sang paused slightly. Recalling his journey, there had indeed been one!
When seeking the final shelter, he had not found it at the position marked on the sea chart. Only after spreading his divine sense to search for a long time did he locate the shelter several hundred li away.
Seas turned into mulberry fields, and heaven and earth shifted.
Particularly amid the fickle storms, it was not unusual for restrictions to drift under the environmental strain, so Qin Sang had not thought much of it at the time.
Yet hearing Bao Zhengnan's tone, he seemed to have anticipated it long ago. Could there be some hidden reason?
"You are fortunate to have come searching after the immortal palace ascended. While the Hall of Seven Kills remained, you would never have found the Canglang Ocean relying solely on this chart," Bao Zhengnan remarked, to Qin Sang's astonishment.
"I would be glad to hear the details," Qin Sang said, puzzled. Such a thing had never occurred in any of the other three domains.
"This was discovered by the Four Sages Patriarchs, and I merely read of it in ancient records. In the past, when the Witch Clan flourished, there was no lack of supreme figures among them; they must have noticed it as well. Before the Hall of Seven Kills ascended, a peculiar power encircled the Canglang Ocean. It was difficult to detect, yet undeniably real. This power acted like an invisible barrier surrounding the Canglang Ocean; those within could leave, but those outside could not enter. Because it spanned a vast expanse, it was virtually impossible for a Nascent Soul cultivator to fly to the border without resting mid-journey to regulate their breath. We did not know the origin of this power, assuming it to be a law of heaven and earth in this realm, just like the storm barrier. Only after the Hall of Seven Kills ascended did we realize this power originated from the Hall of Seven Kills itself. With the hall's ascension, the barrier dissolved, which caused the deviation."
Bao Zhengnan's words sounded incredible.
Yet Qin Sang kept his eyes fixed on the final shelter on the sea chart.
This shelter lay very close to the Canglang Ocean, but was extraordinarily far from the second shelter. Only a Deity Transformation cultivator could fly continuously through the storm for so long without rest.
The space between them was entirely blank!
Qin Sang then thought of the Ghost Mother's experiences. She had been able to infiltrate Mount Lesser Fangcun, yet failed to uncover any news of the Witch Clan in Zhongzhou. If what Bao Zhengnan said was true, Deity Transformation cultivators from the Canglang Ocean could leave, while those from the outer domains could not enter; hence, the outside world knew nothing of the Witch Clan.
"Could it be that Deity Transformation cultivators originating from the Canglang Ocean could not return after departing either?" Qin Sang asked.
Bao Zhengnan hesitated. "That, I cannot say. However, according to our records, after our ancestral matriarch, Baogu, departed back then, she never returned to the palace. Perhaps this Witch Clan senior left behind the sea chart in hopes of finding a passage to connect the inside and outside?"
Memories of Qin Sang's journeys through the various domains flashed through his mind.
The immortal palaces of each domain were connected, yet possessed distinct marvels.
The Ziwei Palace of the North Sea concealed its celestial radiance; the two halls of the Zhongzhou immortal palace were linked together; and the immortal palace of the Western Lands lay dormant and unmanifest.
Seeing Qin Sang remain silent, Bao Zhengnan added, "The realm sheltered by the Hall of Seven Kills was not just the Canglang Ocean, but also the Demon Sea."
"The Demon Sea?"
Surprise showed on Qin Sang's face. "Could it be..."
"Just as you suspect. In truth, the distance between the Canglang Ocean and the Demon Sea is not far at all. Both were sheltered by the Hall of Seven Kills, yet separated by it, unable to reach each other or interfere. Back then, the four patriarchs likely caught faint wind of something; it was through the Hall of Seven Kills that they accidentally entered the Demon Sea, though they could not ascertain just how far apart the two seas truly lay. Nonetheless, the teleportation arrays between the two domains were established back then. The patriarchs also passed down the art of refining fiend demon pills, hunting demons to forge elixirs, which laid the foundation for humanity's great rise."
At this point, Bao Zhengnan sighed. "Our side controlled the teleportation arrays and could come and go at will. Even though the demon race of the Demon Sea was stronger than us, they could only take beatings passively. But after the Hall of Seven Kills ascended, the barrier dissolved, and the situation transformed. The distance between the two domains was far closer than imagined. The Demon Sea lies to the southeast of the Canglang Ocean, and Transformation stage Demon Kings can directly traverse the storm belt to reach the Canglang Ocean."
Saying so, he looked deeply at Qin Sang. "You can likely imagine how terrified we were upon discovering that the demons could directly invade our heartland. At that time, both our races had suffered repeated calamities, losing countless experts to the Hall of Seven Kills, whereas the Demon Sea had only lost a single Flood Dragon King. Had the demon race invaded en masse, both our races might have long ceased to exist, and you would not be seeing us today..."
Both Bao Xi and Zhuo Ming revealed expressions of lingering dread.
Bao Zhengnan did not recount the experiences of these past several centuries in detail, but one could imagine there must have been arduous struggles. Fortunately, the Four Sages Palace had acquired a great heritage and produced a succession of experts, thereby repelling the demons' offensives.
Even today, relations between the two domains remained exceedingly tense, compelling Bao Zhengnan and Zhuo Ming to personally hold the fort at Tianxing Island.
Qin Sang had never anticipated that the Canglang Ocean and the Demon Sea were neighboring realms.
Compared to the other three domains, these two were uniquely distinct.
Before the rise of humanity, the Canglang Ocean was the domain of the Witch Clan.
The Demon Sea was the territory of the demon race.
Furthermore, Qin Sang had noticed another detail: while the overall strength of the Demon Sea's demons might not match those of Zhongzhou, many unique bloodlines existed among them. He had only ever seen the descendants of divine beasts and heavenly demons, such as the Heavenly Phoenix and the Nine-Headed Bird, in the Demon Sea. Their origins were certainly extraordinary.
The protection of both domains by the Hall of Seven Kills had likely been deliberately arranged by their forebears to allow the Witch Clan and the demon race to rest, recuperate, and thrive without human disturbance.
Alas, things had not gone as planned; the human race of the Canglang Ocean had risen after all.
At this moment, Zhuo Ming, who had remained taciturn all along, could not help speaking up. "Fierce beasts now run rampant within the storms, and perils lurk everywhere. Traveling far and wide as you do, are you not afraid of crossing paths with them?"
Chapter 1731