Void Refining cultivators appear and vanish like dragons—now seen, now unseen.
The group set off, still shaken.
At the front, the treasure chariot tore a trail of fire through the void, like a long, blazing tail of stars.
Out of consideration for Qin Sang and the others, Real Person Wan did not push it to its utmost speed.
They raced for more than a thousand li.
At last, they saw the celestial phenomenon again.
Far to the east, lightning flashed and thunder rolled; wind and rain lashed together with flowers filling the sky and golden lotuses surging up from the earth.
Qin Sang knew this was a celestial phenomenon stirred up by a Void Refining cultivator, and likely marked where their true body was. But the distance was too great; he could not tell whether it was the Great Real Person or the black demon Peng.
The signs drifted east, farther and farther from the group, and soon vanished from their sight.
There was no room for them to join the battle between the Great Real Person and the Demon King, nor did they dare stay to watch. With regret, they could only turn south and return.
The return journey went very smoothly.
The Demon King had been blocked by the Great Real Person, and there was no sign of Guifang State's army.
As they neared Jushan Diocese, the treasure chariot ahead stopped. Real Person Wan stepped out, descended before the group, and bowed with clasped hands. “There should be no demons blocking the road ahead. Fellow Daoists, it is time for us to part. I will report your merits to the diocesan altar in full.”
“Thank you, Real Person Wan!”
The Real Persons returned the salute.
Real Person Wan nodded, went back to the treasure chariot, and shot away at a sudden burst of speed, becoming a streak of fire that split the sky.
After watching the fire streak vanish into the horizon, the group continued south, heading straight back to Jushan Diocese and entering Star Island Immortal Lake.
Qin Sang lowered his escape light and cupped his hands toward Real Person Zhijian and the others. “Fellow Daoists, I must go to the Dao Court now. I will take my leave first. Until we meet again.”
With the war merit he had earned, he could go directly to the Dao Court to advance his talismanic register.
Since he had not obtained the qualification by completing a law summons, there was no need to visit Real Person Zhangui again.
All the Real Persons knew that Qin Sang had not yet received the third-tier talismanic register, and they could understand his urgency.
Having kept his true essence suppressed at the Nascent Soul stage for so long, even they would not have been able to endure it; they would want to break free of that restraint as soon as possible.
Yet the one who had been so constrained had earned the greatest merit this time. The others could not help but sigh at how unpredictable the world was.
This time, Qin Sang had single-handedly slain a demon marquis in the mid-Dongxuan stage—enough to exchange for the qualification to advance his register.
“Until we meet again!”
The Real Persons returned the salute.
Real Person Zhijian smiled and said, “Fellow Daoist Qingfeng, after you complete your register advancement, if you have nowhere to settle, my Sword Heart Island is quite spacious. I will always keep a cave residence for you.”
Seeing that Real Person Zhijian meant to draw Qin Sang to his side, no one was surprised. Some even regretted not having spoken first.
From their experiences during this time, they had learned that Qin Sang was not a disciple of any sect, but a true independent cultivator.
Moreover, he was a rare cultivator who practiced dual cultivation of dharma and body. Once he advanced his register and restored his true essence, his strength would be beyond ordinary comparison.
To recruit such an expert without having to worry about conflicts of interest would tempt anyone.
“Then I thank Real Person Zhijian in advance!”
Qin Sang laughed heartily and agreed at once, leaving no chance for anyone else to speak.
He had been able to earn merit and exchange it for a register advancement this time largely thanks to Real Person Zhijian's repeated help; Qin Sang naturally remembered this favor.
Real Person Zhijian also had no entanglements with the interests of major powers, and as a sword cultivator, they could discuss the Dao of the Sword in the future.
Their temperaments were also compatible.
These reasons were enough for Qin Sang to make his choice.
Venerable Zhenru stood beside Real Person Zhang, seemingly wanting to speak but hesitating. In the end, he pressed his palms together and merely said that they would meet again another day.
Qin Sang could tell that Venerable Zhenru seemed to have something to say, but was constrained by the presence of others.
He guessed it was likely related to the alien force. In this world, the Daoist sects held supremacy, so Buddhist secret arts were certainly very rare.
If the other party wanted to trade, that was not necessarily impossible; it would depend on what treasure Jingtai Temple was willing to offer in exchange.
Since he was about to return to his proper path, Qin Sang should begin gathering treasures for cultivation.
Since Venerable Zhenru did not speak, Qin Sang would not ask either. He bowed around to everyone and took a reluctant farewell.
Qingdan Yuanjun, Boxian Shanren, and Yun Wei and his junior sister had not left either.
After Qin Sang finished taking his leave, Qingdan Yuanjun stepped forward. “Real Person, you wish to go to the Dao Court, and we must return to our mountain gate. We may as well travel together and look after one another along the way. What do you say?”
Qin Sang had no objection.
The group split into two parties.
Qin Sang and the others turned west, coming to Youdai Pass at Star Island Immortal Lake. They boarded a minor shifting array, made several transfers, then flew for several more days and entered Baishi Diocese.
Northeast of Baishi Diocese.
Donghua Jing.
The group had barely rested along the way. Covered in dust, they headed straight for the altar of Donghua Jing.
Entering the immortal city and seeing the bustling crowds, Qin Sang stopped and bowed with clasped hands. “I am going to the Baishi Diocesan Altar. What do you two fellow Daoists plan to do?”
Along the way, the three had talked happily and become quite familiar with one another.
Qin Sang had decided to receive his register advancement at the Northern Pole Exorcism Court and take the opportunity to visit Master Lingxu.
Qingdan Yuanjun and the others were returning to Lugou Mountain in Zhongmao Diocese, which was not in the same direction as him. It was time to part.
“Why must you be in such a hurry, Real Person? We have come thousands of miles, and we have not paused for a moment. Why not rest a little and wash off the dust of travel?”
With that, Qingdan Yuanjun instructed Yun Wei and the other disciple, “Go at once to the finest restaurant in Donghua Jing and arrange the finest spirit banquet.”
“Yes, Master!” The two immediately departed to carry out the order.
Unable to refuse such hospitality, Qin Sang did not decline.
His eyes flickered; he could tell that Qingdan Yuanjun's invitation had another purpose.
The best restaurant in the city was called Huanxian Pavilion. Located at the center of the immortal city, it was said to be a property of the Dao Court. Business was exceptionally brisk, and none of the patrons were ordinary mortals.
The finest spirit banquet was set amid the clouds in the sky, with seats of mist and rosy clouds, celestial songs and exquisite music—truly like being in an immortal realm.
Since Qingdan Yuanjun had something to discuss, she requested a quiet room. Once the feast was laid out, she dismissed the attendants.
Yun Wei and his junior sister, dignified Nascent Soul cultivators, ended up serving as gatekeeper attendants.
Looking at the rare delicacies and immortal wines spread before him, Qin Sang could not help but feel his appetite stir. He also marveled inwardly at how costly this banquet must be.
The nectar rivaled spirit liquid, the plates were full of spirit fruits, and the ingredients of the dishes were all taken from the essence of demon beast flesh.
A single bite not only left fragrance in the mouth and satisfied the appetite, but also nourished one's vital energy and enhanced true essence. It could truly be called luxurious.
Of course, for Deity Transformation cultivators, these things were barely better than nothing.
After several rounds of wine and many courses, Qingdan Yuanjun asked, “During these days, has the Real Person gained any new insight into the strange poison in my disciple's body?”
Hearing this, Qin Sang's spirits lifted. At last, they were coming to the main point.
He shook his head and replied, “I can say with certainty that I have never seen this poison before, and I have never heard of these characteristics.”
Qingdan Yuanjun nodded in disappointment, then changed her tone. “I imagine the Real Person is also curious about the origin of this poison. I had thought you would ask about it first...”
Qin Sang adopted an attitude of attentive listening and did not deny it.
Qingdan Yuanjun exchanged a glance with Boxian Shanren and slowly began, “This matter dates back many years. I entered the Jushan Diocesan Altar hoping to broaden my knowledge, but I accidentally stumbled upon a Poison Domain. There is no record of this Poison Domain in our sect's archives, and I cannot say whether I was the first to discover it. After all, although the interior of a diocesan altar is stable, it is constantly changing...”
She paused and glanced at Qin Sang. Seeing no change in his expression, she continued, “That Poison Domain was extremely strange. I flatter myself that few in the world surpass me in poison mastery, yet even I could not see through it. This aroused my curiosity, so I decided to explore it myself.”
Hearing this, Qin Sang also became interested. “What did you discover, Yuanjun? Was it some great poison-path power left behind by an ancient mighty being, or a special illusion formed by the collision of various alien forces?”
“I suspect it is the former.”
Qingdan Yuanjun answered frankly, “I did gain some harvests, but they were either incomplete or damaged. At most, they can raise the strength and broaden the horizons of my disciples, which is somewhat beneficial to the sect. However, my own strength was insufficient, and I only explored a portion of the Poison Domain's outer region. So I invited Fellow Daoist Boxian to assist me, and I ordered the true disciples of my sect to practice a special formation so we could venture deeper into the Poison Domain. Unexpectedly, I harmed them...”
At this point, Qingdan Yuanjun looked toward the disciples at the door, her expression turning sorrowful.
“Fate is hard to predict. This is no fault of Yuanjun; blame only the demons stirring up trouble,” Boxian Shanren consoled.
Only then did Qin Sang understand the full story and thought to himself, So that's how it was.
He wondered, “Yuanjun, you risked so much. Could there be a priceless treasure hidden deep in the Poison Domain, one of great importance to you and your sect?”
Qingdan Yuanjun quickly recovered her composure and shook her head gently. “Whether or not a treasure exists is only my guess. We must enter the Poison Domain and see with our own eyes before it can be confirmed. I wonder whether the Real Person is interested in that Poison Domain?”
On the way here, she had weighed the matter for a long time before deciding to tell Qin Sang the full story and invite him to help.
First, Lugou Mountain had suffered heavy losses this time. The peculiar formation required true disciples of Lugou Mountain to set up, and she lacked enough people to reassemble it.
She had no choice but to seek outside help.
Second, she did not want to alert other sects that also cultivated the poison path, so she could only look for help from outside the Daoist sects.
Cultivators proficient in this path were rare, and those with deep cultivation even rarer.
Most importantly, the detoxification technique Qin Sang had demonstrated was extraordinary.
Even she could only suppress that strange poison for a time; she had been forced to watch several disciples die, yet Qin Sang had resolved it.
Qin Sang did not commit himself, but said meaningfully, “Yuanjun has spent so much effort on that Poison Domain. Are you willing to share it with an outsider?”
To this, Qingdan Yuanjun answered honestly, “I must admit that I am inferior to the Real Person in detoxification. But in my view, the Real Person's dao foundation does not lie in this. Some treasures would be useless in your hands.”
Hearing this, Qin Sang frowned. “That strange poison is likely hidden deep in the Poison Domain, isn't it? The Poison Domain is so dangerous, and there is no guarantee I can obtain what I need. Why should I take the risk?”
Qingdan Yuanjun had already thought of her answer. “I need only one item. Apart from that, the other treasures will be chosen by the three of us in turn. As long as Fellow Daoist can help me obtain that item, I have another reward... How about a top-grade poison-path body-refining art?”
Her tone was full of confidence. Since Qin Sang was a force-path cultivator and also proficient in poison-path secret arts, it was impossible for him not to be tempted.
“A body-refining art?”
Qin Sang indeed looked moved.
It was still unknown how long refining the Qilin source seed would take, and with his spiritual sense restricted, strengthening his physical body was also a major way to increase his strength.
More importantly, this art was a poison-path secret art. From the sound of it, it seemed to use fierce poisons to temper the body.
With the Poison Pearl in hand, this art might be of great benefit to him.
In fact, the moment Qingdan Yuanjun mentioned that Poison Domain, Qin Sang had already been tempted. He had long wanted to find fierce poisons for the Poison Pearl to devour. His later excuses had been an attempt to squeeze out more benefits.
Sure enough, he had gained something.
Qin Sang pressed with a few more questions. Qingdan Yuanjun did not reveal the art itself, but she did explain some of its key points.
Since she dared call it a top-grade art, she would not exaggerate. However, this art had one enormous hidden danger: it drew poison into the body to temper it, and the first thing harmed was one's own body. If the poison could not be dispelled in time, it would become extremely dangerous as toxins accumulated inside the body.
It could be called a vicious art that sought life through death.
It was only because she knew Qin Sang was proficient in detoxification that she offered this art. Anyone else would certainly have refused.
“Good. On the next expedition, I will go with you two!”
Qin Sang did not hesitate long before agreeing.
However, some concerns had to be considered.
“The Dao Court and Guifang State just clashed at the Jushan Diocesan Altar. That place may not be peaceful for some time,” Qin Sang said worriedly.
Having witnessed a Void Refining cultivator in action, Qin Sang was even more determined to avoid being drawn into the battlefield between the two major powers.
“Rest assured, Real Person. After this incident, for at least the next dozen years or so, Guifang State and the Dao Court should not fight again. We will return now to prepare and set out as soon as possible,” Qingdan Yuanjun explained.
Seeing the certainty on Qingdan Yuanjun's face, Qin Sang guessed that they must have discovered something earlier, and he had missed it by deliberately avoiding battle.
He did not press the matter and nodded. “In that case, I will try to receive my register as soon as possible and stabilize my cultivation. Before you two set out, send a message to Huzhong City.”
The two sides left each other a way to communicate and settled the matter.
Qingdan Yuanjun's tone turned relaxed again, and she instructed, “We will prepare all the supplies needed for entering the Poison Domain. It would be best if you made some preparations as well.”
Everyone was pleased.
The group did not stay long. They left Huanxian Pavilion and came to the Shifting Hall where the minor shifting array was located.
Each activation of the minor shifting array required a certain number of people.
Qingdan Yuanjun and the others went first. Qin Sang waited in the Shifting Hall, silently pondering the matter of the Poison Domain.
Since they had only made a preliminary agreement, Qin Sang still did not know the exact location of the Poison Domain, only its general direction.
Apart from coveting the Poison Domain's treasures and secret art, he had agreed to the invitation for another reason he could not reveal to outsiders.
The Poison Domain lay deep within the diocesan altar. Passing through it might open another passage and help him find the path of ascension.
Before long, enough people had gathered, and the minor shifting array activated.
After several transfers, Qin Sang returned to the Baishi Diocesan Altar.
Emerging from the Shifting Hall, Qin Sang was in no hurry to visit Master Lingxu. Instead, he walked toward the immortal palace and its splendid scenery deep within the diocesan altar.
Years ago, when he first came to the diocesan altar, he had been awed by the sights there.
Now, looking again, he realized those were only surface manifestations. Even more magnificent scenes were hidden away, unknown to the world.
What was revealed outside was at most comparable to the Golden Halls on the outskirts of the Jushan Diocesan Altar.
He walked briskly to the front of the immortal palace.
What met his eyes was a white jade memorial archway inscribed with five large characters: 'Baishi Diocesan Altar.'
Below them were the words 'Northern Pole Exorcism Court.'
This was the nerve center of the Northern Pole Exorcism Court, where the cave residences of the Dao Court's True Monarchs and Great Real Persons were located.
To receive the third-tier talismanic register, the ceremony had to be performed at a diocesan altar. Otherwise, Qin Sang would not have been able to come so close to these great Daoist powers.
He calmed his mind, restrained his aura, and stepped toward the archway. When he drew near, someone high above shouted, “Who goes there!”
Qin Sang took out the talisman seal Real Person Wan had given him, raised it toward the sky, and said in a deep voice, “I am Qingfeng!”
Chapter 1798