Following that line was an extensive passage detailing Baogu's circumstances at the time.
The general gist was that while the Canglang Ocean and the Demon Sea had been shielded by an invisible barrier, they had also been cut off from communication with the outside world, leaving them ignorant of what realm lay beyond.
After leaving the Canglang Ocean, Baogu might have journeyed to Zhongzhou and learned of the Daiyu Immortal Mountain and the paths of ascension forged by past cultivators, but prior to her departure, she had known nothing of them.
...
Reading to this point, Qin Sang reined in his thoughts and asked Bao Zhengnan whether anyone in the Canglang Ocean had ever discovered any trace of Baogu since then, receiving a negative answer.
Baogu cared deeply for the world. If she had uncovered any secrets of ascension in Zhongzhou, she certainly would have sent word back to the Canglang Ocean, yet she had never returned. From this, one could infer that the invisible barrier's restriction—permitting exit but barring entry—not only kept outsiders out, but also applied equally to the native cultivators.
Before departing, Baogu had likely sensed this, which was why she made such arrangements.
Qin Sang continued reading.
It turned out that an ancient legend had long been handed down within the Witch Clan: when a Deity Transformation cultivator attained communion between humanity and heaven, what they sensed was none other than the Gate of Ascension. One could follow this sense to ascend, though the journey was perilous and demanded utmost caution.
Moreover, the name Guixu appeared within the Witch Clan's legends!
This showed that Guixu had existed since antiquity, though it remained unclear whether fierce beasts had roamed it back then.
Next came the arrangements Baogu had made prior to her departure.
Upon finishing, Qin Sang was both surprised and delighted, feeling profound admiration for this predecessor of thousands of years ago.
The Four Sages of the Canglang Ocean truly lived up to the name of 'sages'!
Having stepped into the Deity Transformation stage, Baogu had possessed the ability to ascend, yet her thoughts had not been of her own solitary transcendence, but of finding a way forward for her people.
Baogu referred to the invisible barrier as a boundary. To find a way forward, the first task was to breach the boundary and discover a means to connect the inside with the outside.
One needed not only to be able to leave, but also to return.
Alas, worldly affairs were unpredictable. While testing various secret arts and treasures, the Four Sages Palace triggered an upheaval in the Hall of Seven Kills that nearly unleashed a Demon Lord, and three of the Four Sages sacrificed themselves to seal the demon.
Though Baogu survived, she was gravely wounded.
Worst of all, to complete the demon-quelling seal, Baogu had been forced to overdraw her own vital essence, drastically shortening her lifespan.
Even after her injuries healed later on, she could not mend the fundamental depletion. With only one to two hundred years of lifespan remaining, this might amount to nothing more than the span of a single secluded cultivation session for a Deity Transformation cultivator.
Yet resources in the lower realm were scarce. Neither the Canglang Ocean, the Demon Sea, nor the Hall of Seven Kills held any miraculous elixirs capable of restoring her lifespan. Only by ascending to the upper realm would she have a sliver of hope for survival.
Despite barely being able to protect herself, Baogu had still not forgotten her former aspiration. Regrettably, her strength fell short of her will, and worldly affairs in the lower realm could only be left to those who came after.
Having finished reading the jade slip's message, Qin Sang turned his gaze back to the landscape screen, staring at the full moon in the painting.
What Baogu had left for posterity was a secret treasure known as the Taiyi Astral Carriage!
This treasure was an immortal carriage that the Four Sages had obtained from the Hall of Seven Kills. By riding the Taiyi Astral Carriage, a cultivator held hope of traversing the outer boundary, coming and going freely.
Now the invisible barrier had vanished, but in Qin Sang's eyes, the utility of the Taiyi Astral Carriage had increased rather than diminished!
The Taiyi Astral Carriage was a damaged treasure. Back then, the Four Sages had racked their brains to repair it, but before they could finish, catastrophe struck, and Baogu had been forced to ascend.
Because it was damaged, it was difficult to say how formidable the original power of the Taiyi Astral Carriage had truly been.
The Four Sages deduced that piloting the Taiyi Astral Carriage would be like dwelling in the Guanghan Heavenly Palace, surrounded by starlight and moonlight, riding the moon across the firmament, ethereal and formless as the moon waxed and waned.
The treasure's flying speed might not be exceptionally fast, but it had to possess powers of concealment and protection!
For precisely this reason, Baogu had left further instructions: whether her ascension succeeded or failed, she would do her utmost to leave a special mark in Guixu that could resonate with the restrictions of the Taiyi Astral Carriage. If descendants could repair the Taiyi Astral Carriage, they could ride this treasure to slip into Guixu and search for it.
With the aid of this treasure, locating the Gate of Ascension would be vastly easier.
The bright moon upon the landscape screen was none other than the Taiyi Astral Carriage!
Qin Sang sighed as he set the slip aside, unable to keep from thinking of those predecessors who had carved out paths of ascension for this world. Baogu was their epitome; even when venturing into Guixu to sacrifice their lives for the Dao, they did everything they could to leave something behind to guide posterity.
*I wonder if Senior Baogu ever went to Zhongzhou, and whether she knew of the Daiyu Immortal Mountain...* Qin Sang pondered inwardly.
Yet considering that Baogu had had very little lifespan remaining at the time, and that even in the vast world, spiritual herbs capable of mending fundamental depletion were hardly lying about everywhere, Baogu likely had not had the time to travel this realm.
Bao Zhengnan and the other two quietly watched the jade slip in Qin Sang's hand, intensely curious about its contents, yet since Qin Sang kept holding it, they felt awkward asking for it.
At this moment, Qin Sang came back to his senses. He handed the jade slip to Bao Zhengnan, walked straight to the landscape screen, extended his right hand, and lightly touched the screen.
The screen felt soft—neither quite silk nor gauze, warm and moist to the touch—a treasure in its own right.
Qin Sang covered the round moon with his palm and applied slight force. His hand sank completely into the painting, leaving only his wrist exposed outside. When he withdrew it, his palm cradled a luminous moon.
Looking back at the landscape screen, the painting had lost its bright moon, completely bereft of its artistic conception!
Qin Sang's eyes shone with strange light as he examined the Taiyi Astral Carriage in his hand.
Clear, luminous radiance flowed like water, brushing gently past his fingers with a sparkling brilliance, as if he had truly plucked the moon from the heavens.
At the center of the bright moon, one could faintly discern an ornate carriage carved from mutton-fat white jade.
To call it a carriage was not entirely accurate; it resembled an exquisite, magnificent divine palace, though marred by numerous cracks and broken parts that disrupted the treasure's spiritual charm.
This was the true form of the Taiyi Astral Carriage: delicate and compact to the eye, yet endowed with distinct wonders once activated.
As the radiance fluctuated between bright and dim, the Taiyi Astral Carriage faded in and out along with it, seemingly capable of shifting between reality and illusion.
Even without probing with divine consciousness, the naked eye could tell that this treasure was severely damaged.
Qin Sang carefully inspected the damaged portions, recalling the contents of Baogu's letter. Although the Four Sages had failed to repair the treasure back then, they had left behind a wealth of valuable experience.
However, according to Baogu, fully restoring the treasure was practically impossible. They could only strive to patch it up, recovering part of its power so that it could be put to use.
By this point, the Bao siblings and Zhuo Ming had also learned the contents of their ancestor's letter. Looking at the Taiyi Astral Carriage in Qin Sang's hand, they could not help but feel disappointed, even though they had anticipated as much.
The ancestor's legacy contained only this single supreme treasure—neither an elixir nor a miraculous medicine capable of aiding a breakthrough.
More importantly, their ancestor had stated explicitly that repairing the Taiyi Astral Carriage required at least a Deity Transformation cultivation. Even if fully repaired, a Nascent Soul cultivator would find it exceedingly strenuous to operate, and might even be entirely unable to command it.
"Can Daoist Qin repair this treasure?" Bao Zhengnan asked.
Although Baogu had left behind her insights, they had not managed to deduce a reliable method of repair back then, leaving behind only several hypotheses that required Qin Sang to verify one by one.
Qin Sang wore a contemplative expression, pondering for quite a while before saying, "This poor Daoist possesses some attainment in artifact refinement. However, this treasure is exceedingly profound; I must spend time comprehending it to gradually test the repair methods deduced by Senior Baogu. Zhongzhou has numerous Deity Transformation lineages, countless capable individuals, and many spiritual materials and rare treasures undiscovered in other domains. I intend to take this treasure back to Zhongzhou, where the chances of repairing it will be higher. What do you all think?"
The three exchanged glances.
Bao Zhengnan cupped his hands and said, "Our ancestor stated that this treasure was to be bestowed upon any Deity Transformation junior who unsealed the cave dwelling. Furthermore, Daoist Qin is laboring tirelessly to find a way forward for the cultivators of this world, which perfectly aligns with our ancestor's aspirations. It rightfully belongs to you, Daoist."
Qin Sang did not decline, nor could he decline.
He reiterated his earlier promise: "Should any turn of fortune arise in the future, this poor Daoist will not forget the Canglang Ocean."
"We trouble Daoist Qin to forge a path for us!" Bao Zhengnan and the other two bowed deeply to Qin Sang with solemn expressions.
The chairs and prayer mats inside the cave dwelling were all mundane items; that landscape screen was something Baogu had specially refined to store and nourish the Taiyi Astral Carriage.
Qin Sang took the landscape screen along with him and returned to the quiet chamber arranged for him by the Four Sages Palace. Bao Zhengnan and the others remained behind to establish various restrictions within Baogu's cave dwelling; henceforth, this would become a Sacred Ground of the Four Sages Palace.
After sealing the quiet chamber, Qin Sang took out the Taiyi Astral Carriage, scrutinizing it closely in his hand, his eyes sparkling with brilliance.
With his attainments in artifact refinement, he naturally recognized that repairing this treasure would be immensely difficult and not something accomplished overnight.
However, he could afford to wait!
Reaching the Deity Transformation stage before eight hundred years of age was exceedingly rare throughout history. For the moment, neither lifespan nor heavenly tribulations posed any issue. Moreover, with the jade Buddha, the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao could not affect his mind.
If a second Ascension Platform could not be found, crossing eastward into Guixu might well be his only choice.
The Taiyi Astral Carriage possessed defensive and concealment capabilities, and the Four Sages had also conjectured that it could traverse boundaries.
These were vital in Guixu. Not only would they vastly increase one's chances of survival, but one might even use this treasure to slip into Guixu and the Daiyu Immortal Mountain, conduct reconnaissance, and then emerge to prepare, allowing for purposeful action.
Of course, the Taiyi Astral Carriage had yet to be repaired, so its power remained uncertain.
Considering the origin of the Taiyi Astral Carriage, Qin Sang had great confidence in it; it all came down to how far he could repair the treasure.
Having obtained such a marvelous treasure unexpectedly, Qin Sang was in high spirits and completely absorbed in studying it. He did not step out of the quiet chamber for an entire month. The maids did not dare disturb him and could only keep watch outside; even Bao Zhengnan had not seen him.
During this time, the Four Sages Palace made frequent moves, following Qin Sang's wishes to invite all factions to gather on Tianxing Island.
Though it was called an invitation to all sects, very few individuals actually qualified to attend this gathering, and most factions merely sent representatives.
The Canglang Ocean differed from other domains. Due to years of continuous warfare, sects of all sizes were forced to form alliances to watch over and aid one another, with the Four Sages Palace standing as the strongest.
By now, the struggle between righteous and demonic paths had ceased, or rather had been overshadowed by greater conflicts. All alliances deferred to the Four Sages Palace, giving the human race a fairly tight organization as a whole.
Seeing that the appointed date drew near, it was time for them to set out.
Bao Zhengnan came to the door of the quiet chamber and touched the restriction. The restriction dispersed at once. Pushing the door open, he showed an expression of surprise.
Qin Sang sat cross-legged with a full moon hovering before him, his face bearing unmistakable fatigue.
"Carried away by my enthusiasm, I became so engrossed that I nearly forgot the main affair..." Qin Sang shook his head slightly.
"There is still plenty of time. Would you like to rest for a few days, Daoist?" Bao Zhengnan asked with some concern, casting a curious glance at the Taiyi Astral Carriage.
Earlier, they had delivered all the palace's secret manuals related to artifact refinement. These inheritances naturally stemmed from the Four Sages, and he wondered whether Qin Sang had comprehended anything.
"No need," Qin Sang shook his head and stored away the Taiyi Astral Carriage. A streak of spiritual light circulated through his body, washing away all traces of exhaustion.
The next day.
Across an expanse of open sea, subtle ripples stirred, barely perceptible to ordinary people.
In the next moment, four figures flew through the air at a moderate pace—none other than Qin Sang and his companions.
Bao Zhengnan pointed directly south and said, "Headed south from here, we will reach Tianxing Island in less than an hour."
This time was naturally measured by their flight speed.
Qin Sang gazed south, filled with the sentiment of revisiting an old haunt. Remembering something, he asked, "Is there any news of those old acquaintances this poor Daoist asked you to look for?"
Bao Xi took up the conversation: "I instructed the palace disciples to investigate, and there should be some clues by now. As long as our human cultivators have a clear background, tracking their whereabouts shouldn't be difficult. Searching for spirit beasts is somewhat trickier. When the demon race from the Demon Sea invaded, the demons of the Canglang Ocean were swayed by them, and there were even numerous instances of spirit beasts turning on their masters. After beating back the Demon Sea forces, large demons have rarely been seen in the Canglang Ocean. Did those beasts you're looking for attack you, Daoist?"
Recalling his past experiences in the Canglang Ocean, Qin Sang had either been searching for the Hall of Seven Kills or on his way to search for it, and the fellow Daoists he had truly befriended could be counted on one hand.
Among the human race, aside from the Wang sisters, there was also a disciple who held the reality of master and disciple despite lacking the formal title, named Bai Ying'er.
Among beasts, the two-headed hou had followed him for many years, and he had also formed a bit of an acquaintance with Yuan Zhu, who had been abandoned by the Demon Sea demons.
Having come here, Qin Sang naturally wished to see his old acquaintances.
Yet after nearly six hundred years, were those old friends still around?
Thinking of the Wang sisters, who were like twin lotus flowers on a single stalk yet had entirely opposite temperaments, Qin Sang sighed inwardly. Even forming a core had been so arduous for them; he wondered whether either had managed to form a Nascent Soul.
Opening his mouth, Qin Sang was just about to speak when his expression shifted slightly. He halted abruptly and looked to his right.
Bao Zhengnan and the other two felt puzzled, and only after a moment did they sense cultivators speeding through that direction. Judging by their heading, they were also bound for Tianxing Island, and their auras were by no means weak.
"From that direction, it might be the Sect Master of the Landou Sect..." Bao Zhengnan said.
"Let's go take a look," Qin Sang said.
The four altered their heading slightly. After flying a short distance, they saw an eagle-like spirit bird riding the wind through the sky ahead. The spirit bird had a wingspan of over a hundred feet, its back as broad and flat as open ground, upon which several cultivators sat or stood.
The figure in the center had white hair and a white beard; it was the Landou Sect's contemporary sect master, Perfected Bai Lu, also a middle Nascent Soul stage expert.
The two groups spotted each other across the distance.
Perfected Bai Lu immediately led his companions down, flying forward to meet them.
All being well-acquainted, they exchanged greetings. Then Perfected Bai Lu's gaze shifted toward Qin Sang, the only stranger among them. "And this Daoist is?"
The more Perfected Bai Lu looked, the more startled and doubtful he became.
Qin Sang stood among three top experts of the Four Sages Palace with a calm, unconstrained demeanor, and looking at the positioning of Bao Zhengnan and his companions, they seemed to center around him.
Perfected Bai Lu considered himself a good judge of character, yet he could not see through this man at all, indicating the stranger's cultivation was not inferior to his own. He was certain he had never seen this person before.
*Could another top expert have emerged in the world, recruited by the Four Sages Palace?* Perfected Bai Lu mused privately.
Bao Zhengnan glanced at Qin Sang, wondering how best to introduce him.
Qin Sang took the initiative to cup his hands. "This poor Daoist is surnamed Qin. Greetings, Sect Master Bai Lu."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over the people behind Perfected Bai Lu. Finding no one who cultivated the Yin-Yang Heavenly Dipper Secret Art, he asked in puzzlement, "Why don't I see the head of your sect's Yin-Yang branch?"
Perfected Bai Lu was slightly taken aback, then felt a flash of delight. "Junior Brother Yang recently made a new breakthrough and is currently in secluded cultivation within his residence. Do you know Junior Brother Yang, Daoist?"
Surnamed Yang?
Qin Sang's heart stirred. Could it be that Martial Uncle Yang?
Chapter 1733