Youshan Cultivation Market.
Deep mountains and secluded valleys, dense forests and thin mist.
Just as it was in his memory.
It seemed that Youshan Cultivation Market had not suffered any major upheavals over the years.
Qin Sang descended from the clouds, wearing a hooded cloak, and stood before the market entrance. Remembering his past journey in pursuit of immortality, a feeling that things were the same while people had changed arose in his chest, followed by a free and easy smile.
Just then, the mist stirred, and a young man at only the third layer of the Qi Refinement stage emerged. Seeing Qin Sang, he looked slightly startled and hurriedly bowed. "Junior Zhang Feng greets Senior!"
"Are you the gatekeeper of Youshan Cultivation Market?" Qin Sang asked, taking in the man before him.
He was not the previous gatekeeper. Thinking about it, that made sense—that man had been a mere mortal and was already getting on in years back then. After so many decades, he had long turned into a handful of yellow earth.
Zhang Feng nodded repeatedly. "Senior has a keen eye! Junior has been ordered by the Clan Head to welcome fellow Daoists and esteemed guests here. Our Youshan Cultivation Market is the largest cultivation market in the entire Mount Youshan range. If Senior wishes to purchase spirit pills, magic tools, or the like, Junior can be of service. If you have other important matters, Junior can also report to my clan's elders to make things convenient for Senior."
Qin Sang nodded and said, "I merely came to have a look and pick up an item along the way..."
The Mount Youshan range lay on the periphery of the righteous path's territory, bordering the demonic path. Its location was slightly east of due south from Yinshan Pass, and the surrounding area was a mixed bag of dragons and snakes. That was why, when Qin Sang had visited the market last time, people of all sorts could be seen.
That Youshan Cultivation Market could stand tall in such an environment for so many years showed that its master was anything but ordinary.
Generally speaking, the boundary between the righteous and demonic paths of the Lesser Cold Domain was drawn by the line running south from Yinshan Pass. The mountain gates of the Yuanzhao Sect and Kuiyin Sect also flanked this line, facing off against each other.
Fearing he might run into an acquaintance, Qin Sang had taken a wide detour to bypass the former site of the Yuanzhao Sect before arriving at Youshan Cultivation Market. His purpose was to retrieve the letter left behind by Tan Hao and erase all traces.
During Tan Hao's time of peril, he had not forgotten to leave a warning letter, which was one reason Qin Sang had been willing to help him.
Taking out Tan Hao's keepsake, he handed it to Zhang Feng.
Zhang Feng did not possess the previous gatekeeper's photographic memory. "Please wait a moment, Senior..." he said, and hurried inside.
Before long, Zhang Feng brought out a yellowed letter and walked out briskly. "Reporting to Senior, there is indeed a letter that has never been retrieved. Please see if this is the one. A fellow Daoist left this letter over forty years ago. The person who left it gave no information and has never appeared since."
Qin Sang took the letter and opened it. The contents were very simple—the exact secret code left by the Tan brothers, warning him not to continue cultivating with the Yanluo Banner.
With a wave of his hand, Qin Sang ground the letter into dust and nodded to Zhang Feng. "Thank you, Fellow Daoist. It was indeed this letter."
Originally, he had planned to leave immediately, but on a sudden whim, Qin Sang felt like going in to look around. Although he had not stayed long in Youshan Cultivation Market back then, it held great significance for him—this could be considered the starting point of his entry into the cultivation world.
From here, he had joined the Kuiyin Sect, gone through the Yuanzhao Sect, Shaohua Mountain, and the Ancient Immortal Battlefield, right up to the present day.
Zhang Feng saw that Qin Sang did not wish to be disturbed and tactfully withdrew.
Lost in these thoughts, Qin Sang walked into the cultivation market.
Streets and canals crisscrossed, shops lined the walkways, and willows cast pleasant shade. People bustled to and fro on the main street, the vast majority being mortals.
Some places still matched his memories, yet much had changed as well.
These mortals were already accustomed to figures wearing hooded cloaks or masks, and no one ran over to gawk. Qin Sang walked quietly along the street, arriving before long at the bluestone avenue in the inner part of Youshan Cultivation Market.
In the square surrounded by winding water, some cultivators were still setting up stalls to trade, though the crowd was far less dense than back then.
Most in the square were Qi Refinement cultivators. Since he was reminiscing about the past, Qin Sang strolled around the square. Nothing caught his eye, nor did he spot the fat merchant who had sold him the Nether Scripture.
Right, Shenqi Pavilion!
Qin Sang quickened his pace and walked to the wooden building in his memory.
The wooden building remained, but the plaque had been replaced with "Qiushui Tower." It sold various common spirit materials of the cultivation world. The doorstep was quiet with few visitors, and the shopkeeper leaned lazily back in a reclining chair, dozing.
At the shop next to Shenqi Pavilion, the shopkeeper with whom he had once conversed was also gone.
Qin Sang took a glance, then turned to leave.
Right at that moment, Qin Sang suddenly sensed two powerful auras. Looking up toward the entrance of the bluestone avenue, he saw five people walking toward him in the distance.
Surprisingly, all five were cultivators, and two of them were Foundation Establishment cultivators!
Although they did not put on an overbearing air, two Foundation Establishment cultivators walking together was enough to draw second glances, and pedestrians on the street gave way wherever possible.
Qin Sang frowned inwardly. He had no desire to provoke enemies for no reason. Just as he was about to step aside to avoid them, his footsteps suddenly halted. He fixed his gaze on the person walking at the very front of the five, astonishment gradually appearing on his face.
This man was tall, with a stride like a dragon and a tiger, possessing an extraordinary aura. His cultivation was actually at the middle Foundation Establishment stage!
Judging by appearance alone, it was difficult to tell a Foundation Establishment cultivator's true age.
This man had sword-like brows and starry eyes, with sharp, well-defined features. He looked under thirty, but judging by his cultivation and remarkably steady demeanor, this was definitely not something a young man could possess.
This person seemed to hold the highest status among the five.
The other three, including an old man with a concealed aura, looked more like his bodyguards. Their gazes swept across the surroundings deliberately or otherwise, their auras like unsheathed sharp swords, alert to their surroundings and ready to respond to any sudden ambush at any moment.
At this man's waist hung a circular jade pendant crafted from warm jade, engraved with the words "Chunyang."
In the cultivation world, disciples of only one sect were qualified to wear such a jade pendant.
The Chunyang Sect, one of the Eight Righteous Sects!
However, on this man's jade pendant, there was one detail different from those of ordinary Chunyang Sect disciples: beneath the two characters for "Chunyang," there was another tiny character—"Han"!
Qin Sang recognized the jade pendant.
He recognized the man as well.
This person was none other than Immortal Master Han, the man whose life Qin Sang had saved at the foot of Mount Guling, who had later given him a keepsake directing him to Youshan Cultivation Market!
Although many years had passed, Immortal Master Han had not changed much. Qin Sang recognized him at a single glance.
Why is he here?
Qin Sang was taken aback.
After obtaining the topographical map of the Lesser Cold Domain, Qin Sang had guessed that Immortal Master Han might be a member of the Han clan, and now it seemed he had been right.
The Han clan was a cultivation family subordinate to the Chunyang Sect. However, the Han clan was located south of Youshan Cultivation Market, a considerable distance away, and this was not within the Chunyang Sect's sphere of influence either.
He held no grudge against Immortal Master Han.
Although the keepsake Immortal Master Han had given him back then had led him onto the wrong path, Immortal Master Han had explained everything in advance; it had all been Qin Sang's own willing choice.
Yet there was one question Qin Sang had never been able to figure out.
Originally, he had not had the time to spare for such minor matters. Besides, what had happened had already happened; dwelling on it was futile and would only waste precious cultivation time.
Now that he had crossed paths with him, perhaps he could get to the bottom of it.
Chapter 351