Awakening

The strange bull opened its maw and spat out a plume of silver mist. Thick with demonic qi, the mist gave off an intensely foul stench as it coalesced out of thin air into a tempest, surging violently forward. Sensing the dark, sinister chill within the mist, Qin Sang willed his power into action. Flashes of lightning immediately shot from his glabella, manifesting into divine talismans midair. Not one, but three! The Yuqing Thunder Summoning Talisman; The Flowing Gold and Fire Bell Thunder Summons; And the Five Thunders Heavenly Heart Righteous Seal Talisman! Although the Yuqing Thunder Summoning Talisman and the Flowing Gold and Fire Bell Thunder Summons served merely as divine talismans bearing first- and second-rank registers, their ability to embody registers proved they were the painstaking masterpieces of Daoist forebears. Infinitely profound, they were not to be viewed as ordinary talismans. As a cultivator's cultivation progressed, the potency of these divine talismans naturally grew alongside it. They still served as reliable trump cards, effortless to deploy and retract at will. More importantly, talismans derived from the same lineage of registers shared an unbroken resonance. Once one comprehended their deeper mysteries, one could fuse the divine talismans into a single, unified breath of power. Thus, thoroughly grasping the Five Thunders Heavenly Heart Righteous Seal Talisman was not the end of the road for Qin Sang. Only when he could merge all three talismans into one continuous breath would he unleash the supreme Five Thunders Seal! At present, he could manage to fuse the Yuqing Thunder Summoning Talisman with the Flowing Gold and Fire Bell Thunder Summons. However, fully comprehending the Five Thunders Heavenly Heart Righteous Seal Talisman was impossible without reaching the Void Refining stage, and fusing all three remained far out of reach. Even so, casting the two lower talismans in tandem before executing the Five Thunders Heavenly Heart Righteous Seal Talisman still granted a formidable enhancement to the thunder's might. Crack! Thunderbolts materialized out of thin air. In an instant, the night sky above the battlefield was set ablaze. Serpents of lightning galloped across the heights, and thunder poured down like torrential rain. It was not just lightning that descended, but great orbs of thunderfire. Thunderfire engulfed the expanse, scorching the firmament as though an immortal had kicked over an elixir furnace, sending it crashing down from the heavens. Above this sea of fire, the phantom of a celestial deity actually flickered into view. Riding forth in a divine chariot amidst raging flames, the deity shook heaven and earth with roaring reverberations, fading in a flash like a thunder general patrolling the heavenly realms, leaving boundless thunderfire in his wake. Within the *Immortal Guide of the Ten Thousand Gods Thunder Division*, there indeed existed a deity known as the Great General of the Flowing Gold and Fire Bell, the only divine general capable of being summoned among the second-rank registers. At this moment, although a true god had not descended, the sweeping onslaught of thunderfire was grand enough to seem capable of incinerating mountains and boiling the seas. All at once, lightning danced wildly, and molten fire plunged from the skies. Boom! A clap of thunder shook heaven and earth. A blaze of stark white radiance illuminated the entire battlefield as a thunder seal coalesced in the heavens, its celestial might unmatched! Compared to this divine lightning, ordinary bolts and thunderfire paled in comparison. With all three talismans unleashed in unison, evil was purged and filth eradicated. The demonic qi closing in on Qin Sang collapsed and dissolved beneath the divine thunder, exposing the charging bull. Thump! Thump! Thump! The raining thunder and fire relentlessly bombarded the creature's body, echoing like beating war drums. Roaring in fury, the strange bull's antlers shimmered with an eerie luster, turning into a jade-like, translucent crystal. Then, a silver gleam flashed from their tips. The silver light swirled, swelling rapidly. In the blink of an eye, a massive silver disc appeared in the void. As it absorbed the thunderfire, its rotation grew faster and faster until it turned into a silver wheel, hurtling toward Qin Sang. One glance was enough to tell the silver wheel was extraordinarily sharp; the slightest carelessness would result in being hacked to pieces. Whoosh! The silver wheel sliced through the void, reaching Qin Sang in an instant. Yet he made no move to evade. He simply raised his right hand, facing his palm directly toward the oncoming wheel. Compared to the spinning blade, a flesh-and-blood palm seemed hopelessly fragile, yet the silver wheel failed to cut into it. Qin Sang gripped it firmly in his grasp. At that crucial moment, a fragment of a True Treasure appeared in his palm, dissolving into ripples of water to halt the silver wheel. Witnessing this, even the berserk bull froze in disbelief. Then, its rage flared higher than ever, and it thrust its antlers forward like spears in a frenzied charge. Qin Sang let out a cold snort. With a flex of his arm, he deflected the silver wheel, letting it graze past him. Simultaneously, his figure blurred, reappearing strangely at the bull's flank, and he slammed both fists heavily into its shoulder. The bull stumbled, but its hide was thick and its flesh sturdy; such injuries were far from fatal. Unless other ferocious beasts were drawn to the commotion, Qin Sang had no desire to end the battle quickly. Relying on his formidable defense, he wheeled around the bull, using his Grey Oriole Sword for the primary offense. Sword stars continuously fell from high above, leaving gash after gash on the beast. Qin Sang used the creature as a living whetstone to validate his prior insights and deepen his comprehension of swordsmanship. The bull fell into the same frustrating predicament Marquis Li had faced, driven nearly mad with rage. Its prey seemed encased in an impenetrable tortoise shell; its once-unstoppable divine abilities had finally met their bane. Meanwhile, as Qin Sang and the bull battled, vast swaths of ancient trees throughout the jungle withered away. This was the result of their wood spirit qi being drained dry. Under the relentless absorption of the Spirit Wood Body, an aura of death gradually crept across the forest. Such a glaring phenomenon would have immediately tipped off any sentient opponent to Qin Sang's reliance and prompted a counterstrategy. Unfortunately, the strange bull possessed nothing but brute strength. ... The celestial stars shifted. A sword ray sprang from the first mansion, the Kui Mansion, and shot toward the others. After six sharp turns, it plunged into the Zui Mansion. With each refraction, the sword ray condensed further, and by the time it re-emerged from the Zui Mansion, it had almost transformed into a true spirit sword. Swish! Like an immortal-slaying blade, it struck the bull squarely, piercing right through its armor-like dorsal plate down to the bone, causing blood to gush out in torrents. Agonized by the pain, the bull unleashed a shrill howl. The pustules along its spine burst one after another, spraying dark red, foul blood that quickly gathered into clusters, transforming into snake-like horrors. The tails of these creatures remained attached to the bull's body while their upper halves were serpents' heads. Nine in total, they turned in unison to glare menacingly at Qin Sang—an exceedingly eerie sight. Qin Sang paused slightly, unable to tell for a moment whether they were manifested by the bull's divine ability or another ferocious beast parasitizing its host. Rumble! The thunder talismans flared once more. The nine strange snakes were obliterated beneath the divine thunder, but their forms reformed instantly. Entwining with one another, they merged into a single colossal serpent. Acting like two distinct beasts, the bull and the serpent coordinated with uncanny precision to launch a pincer attack on Qin Sang. The serpent spewed a bloody mist that quickly blanketed half the sky, emitting a nauseating stench and packing considerable destructive power. Anyone else might have been thrown into a panic, but Qin Sang, possessing dual mastery of technique and physical body, had no trouble handling it. Refusing to yield an inch, he swung his burly arms in fierce blows against the bull while locking the Grey Oriole Sword onto the serpent. Suddenly, the sky flared with dazzling light. The night sky vanished—Qin Sang had withdrawn the Seven Mansions Division Sword Array. Yet immediately afterward, seven phantom forms appeared out of nowhere beside the serpent, instantly condensing into radiant sword rays. The Seven Po Killing Array! The Seven Mansions Division Sword Array was remarkably versatile, capable of offense, defense, and containment, and it complemented his formidable physical body exquisitely. Since mastering it, Qin Sang had rarely needed to deploy the Seven Po Killing Array. The seven slaughtering swords crossed, combining into a single earth-shattering blade of slaughter that cleaved downward with boundless murderous aura. Splat! A ray of sword light pierced deeply through the serpent's head, slicing all the way down its slender form and splitting it in two on the spot. The foul blood dispersed into nine writhing masses before swiftly resuming their serpentine shapes. Qin Sang had wanted to see what the strange serpent truly was, which was why the Seven Po Killing Array had targeted only it. From the looks of it, the reconstituted serpents had grown weaker, while the bull bellowed continuously in agitation. This confirmed they were a manifestation of the bull's divine ability rather than a separate beast. The instant the nine serpents finished reforming, the Grey Oriole Sword trembled. A faint, almost imperceptible sliver of sword light flickered from its tip, darting into the forehead of one of the snakes. Qin Sang's movements momentarily hitched mid-combat with the bull; this strike had evidently demanded significant mental effort. The struck serpent stiffened abruptly and exploded with a pop. Without warning, another serpent beside it also went rigid, its head detonating into foul blood, leaving its headless body flailing aimlessly. Qin Sang let out a soft breath and gave a slight shake of his head. He had acquired a sword technique from the legacy of the Chengying Sword, but he had yet to fully grasp it. Unleashing it now had indeed proved exceedingly forced. After a further round of tangled fighting, the strange bull had exhausted all its divine abilities, yet it remained powerless against Qin Sang. Qin Sang had intended to keep using it to deepen his comprehension and was reluctant to grant it a swift end, but a thought suddenly reached him from the Heavenly Eye Butterfly. Dark clouds were rolling in from the depths of the Sin Plains, quickly swallowing up the mountain ridges. Ferocious beasts or ghostly entities had been drawn to the area—and there seemed to be more than one. Qin Sang's gaze sharpened, and the Heaven Severing Soul Rattling Divine Needle shot from his fingers. The sword stars reappeared, and the White Tiger descended upon the world, its roar echoing across the mountains. Clenching his fists, blood-red spikes extended from his gauntlets, radiating pure killing intent. From outside the jungle, only darkness could be seen, punctuated by intermittent flashes of sword light and starlight. The earth trembled violently as thunderous crashes rang out repeatedly, followed by shrieks of agony. The dark clouds drew closer. Then, the darkness receded like a falling tide. Shifting back into human form, Qin Sang held the bull's carcass with one hand and cast a backward glance. Thunder wings unfurled from his back, and he broke through the air, leaving behind absolute devastation. Over seventy percent of the ancient trees in the jungle had withered, and the survivors were tinged with sickly yellow, turning the area into a nearly lifeless forest. Several peaks had collapsed, and craters scarred the ground. His thunder evasion technique was exceedingly swift, and before long, the dark clouds behind him were lost to sight. After flying some distance farther, Qin Sang stopped. Having confirmed there were no pursuers, he swept his gaze across the terrain and descended onto a barren mountain. Thud! The strange bull's carcass hit the ground. Directing the Grey Oriole Sword, Qin Sang butchered the corpse. The beast's demon core, antlers, and the nine masses of foul blood were the most valuable prizes, which he categorized and stored away. Having swiftly divvied up his spoils, Qin Sang sat cross-legged in silence. He needed to reflect on the insights gained from this battle. Several hours later. Qin Sang slowly opened his eyes, a flicker of hesitation crossing his gaze. Both the strange bull and Marquis Li had been at the mid-Deity Transformation stage, and both had been slain by his hand alone. Yet the insights yielded by the two battles differed starkly. It was not merely a matter of which had come first. Qin Sang's brow furrowed tightly. He faintly sensed that his previous understanding had been somewhat skewed. Perhaps it was because this opponent was a ferocious beast, possessed of a chaotic, mindless intellect. Simply challenging powerful adversaries was not enough. Qin Sang recalled the thrill of exhilaration he had felt the moment he slew Marquis Li—a profound release, the triumph of pitting his wits and strength against an enemy by every conceivable means and ultimately emerging victorious. And of course, the sheer satisfaction of revenge! A technique of the slaughter dao... but who was to be slaughtered? Was it to slay the mightiest foes, seeking a sliver of life from the jaws of death, or to turn the tables and strike down those who sought one's own life? Or perhaps a synthesis of both? As his cultivation realm advanced, Qin Sang increasingly recognized the vital importance of the 'Dao.' The creator of the technique had not engaged in wanton slaughter; they had carved out their own unique Dao from that point on. If he failed to grasp this, his future cultivation would not proceed smoothly. If his hypothesis was correct, he might not be able to remain in quiet seclusion forever. Fortunately, the battle where he turned the tables on Marquis Li had yielded enormous insights, and hunting ferocious beasts still provided some small help, so there was no rush to step back into the wider world just yet. With this thought, Qin Sang let out a soft sigh and vanished from the spot. ... Two months later. On a barren ridge southeast of Jushan Diocesan Altar, the snake demon lay prostrate before Qin Sang. "Reporting to the Immortal, this is this humble demon's fief." Qin Sang swept his gaze across the desolate terrain. Caverns were carved into the mountains, where ghostly subjects struggled to survive. A fief... Had Guifang Kingdom already come to regard the Sin Plains as its own? Qin Sang estimated the distance. With the snake demon stationed here, traveling from Jushan Diocesan Altar would be far more convenient in the future, which was a welcome development. Thud! Thud! Thud! The snake demon's vision blurred, and several items appeared on the ground before it—pelt, bones, flesh, and blood. "Take these and trade them for spiritual herbs." Qin Sang pointed toward one of the small jade bottles. "This bottle of demon blood is for your own use." Sensing the aura emanating from the remains, the snake demon shuddered violently, sheer terror gripping its heart. Though it could not discern the precise cultivation realm the ferocious beast had possessed in life, it was certain the creature had been stronger than the demon marquis it served—and had died only recently. This man had slain such a beast entirely on his own! Paralyzed by dread, the snake demon dared not harbor the slightest disloyal thought. When it heard Qin Sang bestow the blood, terror gave way to wild ecstasy, and it kowtowed repeatedly. "This humble demon will devote body and soul to gathering spiritual herbs for the Immortal, serving you with unswerving devotion..." These remains were merely a tiny portion of his recent harvest. Given the snake demon's cultivation, producing a piece or two on occasion would not arouse suspicion, whereas displaying more would invite trouble. The snake demon's role was to gather intelligence. Should it encounter a large batch of spiritual herbs, it could stall the seller until Qin Sang returned, allowing him to conduct the trade disguised as a demon cultivator. Next, Qin Sang selected a secluded spot and laid down a spirit array for the snake demon before returning to Jushan Diocesan Altar. The poison lake remained as it was. Passing through the spirit array, Qin Sang returned to the white bone flower field. Nothing had changed in the flower field during his absence. Qin Sang made a circuit around the field, first harvesting the matured flower dew. Then, with a flick of his sleeve, various array implements flew out toward different locations. Lacking the required materials previously, Qin Sang had made a point of borrowing Grandmaster Qi's fire chamber during his return to forge all the array implements, thoroughly repairing the spirit array. While the changes were imperceptible to the naked eye, the array's power had undoubtedly received a massive boost, regaining several layers of transformations that rendered it far more concealed. "It is time for seclusion..." Qin Sang murmured after surveying his surroundings, then slipped into the immortal's cave. The cave doors shut tight. Qin Sang examined his internal state, then settled into quiet meditation. The Heavenly Eye Butterfly flew out from his dantian and settled on his shoulder, nestling against his neck as its wings gently opened and closed. Silence filled the cave, steeped in tranquility. Only Qin Sang's aura shifted, alternating between surging fluctuations and steady calm. Unlike his previous absolute seclusions, Qin Sang emerged every three to five years to meet with the snake demon and Real Person Zhijian. His internal true essence, imbued with the aura of the jade Buddha, could shield the Fire Jade Centipede for that length of time, sparing him the need to entrust its care to others. With nothing eventful occurring, Qin Sang made each journey in haste. On occasion, he would slip into Guifang Kingdom under a concealed identity to conduct trades, never lingering long. ... Time flew like a weaver's shuttle. Thirty years passed in the blink of an eye. Within the white bone flower field, not a trace of time's passage could be felt. The spirit flowers bloomed as exquisitely as ever, and the flower spirits remained breathtakingly ethereal. Inside the immortal's cave. Qin Sang's qi and blood surged as he tempered his body with poison. His vitality was far more vigorous than it had been thirty years prior, representing an astonishing rate of progress. Suddenly, Qin Sang's brow twitched. He forcefully halted the secret art, flicked his sleeve, and brought out the Sun God Tree. "You're finally awake." The young Vermilion Bird spirit's slumber had lasted nearly a hundred years. "You're not dead yet?" A crisp young girl's voice emerged from the Sun God Tree, tinged with exhaustion. Then she paused, sounding astonished. "Huh? Where is this? Why have you turned into this ghostly mess?"