As the agony washed over him, Qin Sang felt joy instead of shock.
From the Deity Transformation Yin Fire Tribulation, to the Radiant Gold Sword Grotto, and now to the Dragon Transformation Pool.
In just a few short decades, Qin Sang had undergone the scouring of meridians and cleansing of marrow three times, enduring torment far beyond what an ordinary man could bear.
Had it not been for this, his *Heavenly Demon Refining Form* would never have advanced so rapidly.
The spiritual liquid of the Dragon Transformation Pool seemed to harbor an unknown power. Outside the pool, it was barely noticeable, but the moment it seeped into his flesh, abrupt transformations erupted. Qin Sang felt arcs of thunder coursing through his limbs and bones, boring into his marrow and meridians, piercing straight through his viscera. Everywhere they passed, they brought inhuman suffering.
His bones popped in continuous crackles. His vitality surged violently, staining his entire skin a deep crimson. In an instant, his blood-qi erupted, condensing into an exceptionally dense cloud of crimson mist that merged seamlessly with the spiritual mist hovering over the pool.
At the boundary, the crimson mist and spiritual mist began to intertwine, producing a bizarre resonance. Soon after, the blood mist coiled back and poured into Qin Sang's body once more.
This cycle repeated without pause.
Every time his blood-qi rushed back into him, Qin Sang could feel the searing pain abate slightly, bringing a fleeting moment of relief.
Yet the respite was short-lived. The speed of his recovery could not keep pace with the rate of destruction. The liquid of the Dragon Transformation Pool was not necessarily more violent than the Radiant Gold Sword Grotto, but it was tailored specifically to the bloodline of flood dragons. It washed over him in endless waves, offering not a single breath of respite. Only the physique of a true flood dragon could withstand such an onslaught.
If this continued, Qin Sang would soon be forced to leave the pool. Worse still, constrained by the pool's ancient restrictions, he had only this single chance.
Standing watch beside the Dragon Transformation Pool, the Flood Dragon King saw Qin Sang trembling uncontrollably and stroked his beard with a smirk.
Yet before the smirk could fully spread, it froze on his face.
Staring intently at Qin Sang, the Flood Dragon King saw the human's body shudder violently. An exceptionally pure demon qi billowed from him, and with a flash of cyan light across his back, a pair of cyan wings unfurled.
The dragon king nearly plucked out a whisker in his shock and bewilderment.
Then came an even more astonishing sight. An inexplicable aura gathered above Qin Sang's head, and a moment later, the phantom of an Azure Luan emerged. Lively and nimble, slender and graceful, its cyan plumage gleamed like silk, breathtakingly magnificent.
The moment the phantom appeared, the spiritual mist seemed to shrink back in fright, retreating outward.
The Flood Dragon King did not realize it was an Azure Luan dharma manifestation, assuming instead that Qin Sang's vitality was so vigorous that it had manifested an anomaly—something not unheard of among the demon tribes. Still, he could not fathom why a human's vitality would take the shape of an Azure Luan.
Looking closer, he felt something was amiss.
The Flood Dragon King's expression changed drastically. A legend of his tribe suddenly surfaced in his mind. His pupils constricted, his heart seized with sheer disbelief.
*A dharma manifestation?!*
Though the Azure Luan above Qin Sang's head was indistinct, its outline blurred, barely even qualifying as a phantom, and Qin Sang clearly could not yet control it...
It truly bore an uncanny resemblance to the dharma manifestations spoken of in his clan's legends!
Yet with Qin Sang's level of attainment in physical cultivation, condensing a dharma manifestation should have been utterly impossible. Moreover, he was clearly human!
The Flood Dragon King instinctively stepped forward to get a closer look, but suddenly felt the spiritual pool shudder beneath his feet. Glancing down, his face turned pale with dread.
A vortex had formed in the pool's liquid without anyone noticing. An immense suction emanated from Qin Sang's body, resembling a bottomless pit as it frantically swallowed the spiritual liquid. The surface of the pool dropped at a speed visible to the naked eye, and even the surrounding mist grew faint.
After only a short while, a clear laugh rang out. A streak of cyan light burst forth from the Dragon Transformation Pool, leaving only a thin layer of what had been nearly half a pool of spiritual liquid.
With wings unfurled and the dharma manifestation still hovering above him, Qin Sang landed beside the Flood Dragon King. Cupping his hands with a smile, he said, "Many thanks for the use of your noble clan's precious pool. I must enter closed-door cultivation immediately. Please hold the spiritual items for now; once Fellow Daoist has gathered the treasures, you may deliver them together."
Without waiting for the Flood Dragon King to reply, Qin Sang hurried away from the flood dragon ancestral land and returned to his flying boat.
The Flood Dragon King's expression flickered with mixed emotions. Looking at the jade box in front of him, he felt not the slightest hint of joy. In the end, he let out a long sigh, flicked his sleeve, and put it away.
Having lost so much liquid from the Dragon Transformation Pool in a single instance, his clan's overall strength was bound to suffer. He could only console himself with the thought that under Qin Sang's mediation, there should be no wars for the next several centuries.
Back aboard the flying boat, Qin Sang sat cross-legged and entered deep meditation.
It was not that he feared the flood dragon clan would renege on their word, but rather that having absorbed such a vast quantity of spiritual liquid at once, he had to regulate his breathing and assimilate it immediately.
At the very last moment, a stroke of inspiration had struck him. Mimicking the dharma manifestation, he had channeled the Azure Luan's thunderous might to draw in the pool's liquid. To his surprise, it had actually worked, and now he was using the dharma manifestation to bind and contain the liquid within him.
*To think that a dharma manifestation possesses such wondrous utility. When I find the time, I must contemplate it thoroughly...*
Several months later.
The Flood Dragon King boarded the flying boat once more and presented a jade box filled with treasures capable of aiding Qin Sang's cultivation. Even the flood dragon clan could not have provided all of them; some had been procured from other tribes, though passing through his hands, he had certainly taken his share of benefits.
He requested an audience with Qin Sang himself, but Qin Sang had no time to see him. His avatar inspected the contents, cupped his hands, and said, "Thank you for taking the trouble, Fellow Daoist. I have imposed upon your hospitality for many days and should not linger. I shall take my leave now."
With a tremor, the flying boat cleaved through the waves and sped away.
Heading due east from the flood dragon ancestral land led straight to Tianwu Island.
Nowadays, the Witch Clan could only hold on to this single island. Surrounded on all sides by demon troops, the Witch Clan cultivators scarcely dared set foot off the island, as if trapped in a cage.
As they drew near Tianwu Island, Qin Sang finally emerged from seclusion. Looking inward, he was filled with astonishment.
The unknown energy in the liquid—which he had previously assumed would be useless to him and might need to be expelled—had barely dissipated at all. Instead, it had been entirely refined and absorbed by him. Even the flood dragon clan could not have achieved this!
This had to be the credit of the Azure Luan dharma manifestation.
In that case, he wouldn't even need to wait until all the spiritual liquid was absorbed before attempting a breakthrough to the late Fourth Layer!
Cultivating step-by-step through bitter effort truly could not compare to scouring the resources of an entire realm to bolster oneself.
Unfortunately, of the missing spiritual herbs for the superior Spirit Calming Incense, he had found only one after searching both domains. Completing the recipe was no easy task.
*I hope the Witch Clan can offer me a pleasant surprise...*
Silently calculating the distance, Qin Sang put away the flying boat and his avatar, then lightly shook the dark sleeve of his right arm.
The Vermilion Bird was unwilling to return to the Qianjun Ring, leaving Qin Sang no choice but to keep the Sun God Tree tucked in his sleeve. Fortunately, the bird could exercise some restraint, ensuring its aura did not leak out and alert anyone, saving him the trouble of concealing it.
He quietly slipped past the demon defenses and set foot on Tianwu Island.
The layout of Tianwu Island had changed little from several centuries ago, evoking in Qin Sang a profound sense that things remained while the people had changed. Before long, he arrived outside a hall. An old Witch Clan cultivator walked out and, upon seeing Qin Sang present a token, immediately dropped to his knees. "This humble one greets the Lord Envoy."
Though born of the Witch Clan, this man was in fact a secret agent of the Four Sages Palace.
"Have you found the person?" Qin Sang asked.
The old man nodded repeatedly. "Only a single direct disciple remains of the Black Snake lineage. He is currently hiding on the island, cultivating in seclusion. Although he deliberately concealed his heritage and background, it could not escape my eyes. I have kept men watching him all along."
Qin Sang wasted no words. Having obtained the address, his figure flickered and vanished.
***
In a courtyard within the city, a young man in black robes was sitting cross-legged in meditation. Sensing something amiss, he opened his eyes, only to find a stranger standing before him. The surrounding restrictions had not reacted in the slightest.
Horrified, the youth hastily summoned a long saber, holding it across his chest. "Who are you?!"
"Are you a direct disciple of Old Ancestor Black Snake's lineage?" Qin Sang asked, standing with his hands clasped behind his back and looking down at him.
The youth seemed to have anticipated this day and let out a wretched smile.
After Old Ancestor Black Snake vanished, the Black Snake Mountain lineage had steadily declined, and their sect had even been seized by others.
In truth, this had much to do with Qin Sang. He had slaughtered almost all of Old Ancestor Black Snake's direct disciples, including the eldest disciple whom the ancestor had valued most.
Although Old Ancestor Black Snake had accepted more disciples afterward, talented individuals were never easy to come by. While he was alive, he could still prop up the lineage, but once he fell, Black Snake Mountain collapsed rapidly. Enemies stormed the mountain gates, and the survivors were scattered like stray dogs.
Had Old Ancestor Black Snake not made few enemies during his lifetime, and had the Witch Clan not been mired in internal strife and external threats, preventing the Nascent Soul ancestors from paying them any mind, their lineage would likely have been severed long ago.
Private fighting was forbidden on Tianwu Island, so the surviving disciples had taken refuge here. Yet they could not escape the war among the three races. One after another, they fell on the battlefield, their numbers dwindling day by day until only this youth remained.
He had thought that after centuries, the storms of the past had blown over, and he had grown somewhat lax.
Never did he expect someone to track him down. Judging by the man's demeanor, he was very likely a Nascent Soul ancestor—a figure beyond the reach of any island rules. If this man killed him, would the Grand Shaman ever seek justice on his behalf?
Knowing death was imminent, a desperate ferocity welled up within the youth. Gripping his spiritual saber tightly, he steeled his heart, determined to fight with everything he had, no matter what.
Qin Sang disregarded his defiance. Waving his right hand, a beam of light flew out, forming an image. "Have you ever seen this object?"
The youth froze. Looking closely, he saw a circular stone platform. He had never seen it before, yet it felt strangely familiar. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly remembered.
Seeing the shift in his expression, Qin Sang said, "Tell me everything you know."
Realizing the visitor had not come for vengeance, the youth quickly prostrated himself on the ground, not daring to conceal anything. "Reporting to Senior, Junior once overheard Master mention this in passing. Back then, Grandmaster ordered his disciples to search for half of a similar stone platform. It was rumored to be an ancient treasure that had leaked out from the sacred ground of Witch God Mountain. The Grand Shaman and the elders were searching for it as well. Grandmaster specifically instructed us not to speak of it to outsiders. However, Junior was of low status and never knew whether it was true or false..."
When the Hall of Seven Kills ascended through the realms back then, many Witch Clan experts had been trapped in the inner hall and crushed to powder by the spatial storm. Old Ancestor Black Snake was among them.
Because he died in the Hall of Seven Kills, he left behind no relics or written records. Even after racking his brains, the youth could offer no further details. Terrified of angering Qin Sang, he hastily produced all the sect classics and texts he had carried away, offering them to Qin Sang for inspection.
Qin Sang scanned through the various records, finding nothing useful. He raised his head and glanced in the direction of the Teleportation Hall, lost in thought. "Witch God Mountain..."
The youth remained prostrate on the ground, only daring to raise his head after a long silence. Finding the room empty, his tension snapped, and he slumped limp to the floor, his entire body soaked in cold sweat.
***
Outside the Teleportation Hall.
Qin Sang made no attempt to conceal his identity. With wide sleeves fluttering, he ascended the steps.
The guards were about to stop him when a shout rang out to halt them. Three streaks of escape light then descended from above, revealing themselves to be Witch Clan elders. Sizing up Qin Sang, looks of awe crossed their faces, and they hastily dropped to the ground in greeting: "Greetings, True Monarch Qin."
In recent days, the human and demon races had made frequent moves that could not escape their notice, and the Four Sages Palace had sent messengers to inform them as well.
Not knowing when Qin Sang would arrive, Witch God Mountain had dispatched elders to stand watch here long in advance.
Qin Sang scanned them, not seeing Old Demon Fang.
One elder bowed and said, "The Grand Shaman is currently hosting a banquet on Witch God Mountain and ordered us to welcome True Monarch's arrival."
Flanked respectfully by the three elders, Qin Sang stepped into the teleportation formation to Witch God Mountain.
Exiting the Teleportation Hall, Qin Sang saw a crowd of Witch Clan Nascent Soul cultivators waiting outside the hall. Leading them was an elderly man in a black robe with a lean, refined appearance. A single glance told Qin Sang that this was a manifested spiritual body, and within his cranial palace perched a spiritual cicada.
The cicada was translucent like jade, its delicate wings speckled with starlight.
The Star-Winged Cicada!
Qin Sang remembered that scene vividly. He wondered if this old man was what Old Demon Fang originally looked like.
"Greetings, True Monarch Qin. Fang failed to welcome you from afar—forgive my slight! Forgive my slight!"
Old Demon Fang, who now held the esteemed title of Grand Shaman, stepped forward and made a Daoist bow, a complex look in his eyes as he regarded Qin Sang.
His demeanor and expressions were indistinguishable from an ordinary human's. Unless one possessed Qin Sang's sharp perception, it was almost impossible to notice anything unusual.
Qin Sang quietly evaluated Old Demon Fang. The man's aura was not a shred weaker than a late Nascent Soul great cultivator. He had not expected that after losing a natal insect gu, Old Demon Fang's cultivation would advance rather than diminish.
Now able to manifest a physical form, it was unclear whether he had made great breakthroughs and gained some divine ability, or if he might even be able to reshape a physical body in the future.
Looking at the composed old man before him, Qin Sang could not help feeling amazed. Remembering their first meeting, Old Demon Fang had been fiercely arrogant and unyielding; the hum of his cicada had struck terror into the hearts of human Nascent Soul cultivators, and even the Witch Clan's Grand Shaman had been unable to rein him in.
It seemed Old Demon Fang had not earned the title of Grand Shaman in name alone. Qin Sang had heard Bao Zhengnan and others discuss him; while presiding over the Witch Clan, he had repeatedly turned the tide, dedicating himself fully and acting with utmost impartiality.
That the Witch Clan had survived consecutive calamities to endure to this day was largely Old Demon Fang's doing.
The former Grand Shaman's sacrifice of his own life had ultimately touched this man's heart.
With these thoughts flitting through his mind, Qin Sang returned the courtesy. "You and I are old acquaintances who shared tribulations together. Fellow Daoist Fang, there is no need for such formalities."
"Indeed, this Fang and True Monarch are old acquaintances. It is rare that True Monarch still remembers an old relic like me..."
Old Demon Fang let out a wistful sigh.
Upon receiving Bao Zhengnan's message, he had thought back for a long time before recalling who Qin Sang was.
Back then, he had looked down on everyone. Qin Sang had not even reached the Nascent Soul realm, far beneath his notice.
Who could have imagined the turn of fortunes? Among the juniors of that era, Bao Zhengnan rising to stand on equal footing with him was one thing, but this man had soared far above him, stepping into a realm countless cultivators dreamed of, wandering carefree in this world.
"True Monarch possesses peerless talent. It is laughable how blind I was back then..."
Old Demon Fang shook his head with a bitter smile, then gestured to one side. "Fang has prepared some coarse wine, though I fear it may not meet True Monarch's refined taste."
Qin Sang cupped his hands and voiced polite thanks.
A light drizzle pattered down.
The Teleportation Hall was situated below the mountainside. Further up lay the Witch Clan's forbidden grounds—the residence of the Grand Shaman—which even Witch Clan cultivators could only enter with permission.
Qin Sang wished to observe Witch God Mountain, so he did not fly. Old Demon Fang and the others could only follow closely at his side, walking up the stone steps.
Raindrops clattered against the leaves, painting a fresh and natural scene.
Qin Sang looked up at the sky. Dense dark clouds shrouded the summit of Witch God Mountain. While night had fallen outside, the mountain remained as bright as day.
A hundred-li expanse above was blanketed in black clouds, where lightning danced wildly like charging silver serpents. Terrifying bolts of thunder flared without end, though their roar was barred by the mountain's restrictions—identical to what Qin Sang had witnessed on his first visit.
He had heard the legends of Witch God Mountain long ago. Revered as a sacred mountain by the Witch Clan, its clouds and thunder never dissipated, which the clan believed to be miracles of the Witch God.
Yet Qin Sang sensed that the dark clouds and thunder here were ordinary meteorological phenomena, seemingly devoid of anything extraordinary. But that was precisely what made it unnatural!
The Witch God Continent was not an area rich in moisture; ordinary cloud vapor could never linger perpetually without dispersing.
He cast a glance at Old Demon Fang. With too many eyes and ears around, he held his tongue, deciding to inquire properly after the banquet.
Entering the grand banquet hall, host and guests took their seats. Maidservants came swaying gracefully, bearing celestial fruits and exquisite nectars.
After sharing a few cups of wine, Qin Sang broached the main topic. "Do you all know the purpose of my visit?"
The upper echelons of the Witch Clan set down their jade cups, sitting upright with solemn expressions.
Old Demon Fang said in a deep voice, "Palace Master Bao sent a confidential letter, so we know a thing or two, but many details remain unclear. We invite True Monarch to enlighten us."
Qin Sang nodded and laid out the entire proposal.
Chapter 1742