Yunyouzi departed in haste.
Qin Sang stayed in Qingyang Market for another half a month. Changing his original plans, he decided against heading to the Ancient Immortal Battlefield and instead returned to his sect, Shaohua Mountain.
A few more voice transmission talismans had accumulated in Huilong Temple.
Qin Sang drew them out to inspect them one by one. Upon reading one of them, his expression shifted slightly, and he took to his escape light, flying toward the sect.
Shaohua Mountain, Sect Master Peak.
Sect Master Yu had originally presided over this peak.
After the Heaven-Traversing Alliance's suspicious movements were discovered, Qi Yuanshou had been urgently summoned back to the mountain and took up long-term residence on Sect Master Peak.
A streak of light tore across the sky and arrived before Sect Master Peak.
This time, Qin Sang acted with great care. He landed his light at the foot of Sect Master Peak, produced a jade box to hold in his palm, and walked briskly up the mountain, arriving before the Sect Master Hall.
In front of the Sect Master Hall stood a slender, handsome youth whose cultivation suggested he had only recently broken through to Foundation Establishment.
The youth not only looked youthful, but was likely quite young in truth, showing he possessed excellent talent.
Having been away from the sect for a long time, Qin Sang did not recognize these rising stars. But since this person was guarding the Sect Master Hall, he could not be taken lightly. Qin Sang cupped his hands in greeting. "Greetings, Junior Brother. I am Qin Sang, here to request an audience with Martial Uncle Qi. Might I trouble Junior Brother to announce my arrival?"
"You are Senior Brother Qin?"
The youth seemed to know of Qin Sang. A smile immediately spread across his face, and he stepped forward to return the greeting. "Gao Yang greets Senior Brother Qin! Master often mentions you, Senior Brother Yuyangzi, and Senior Brother Mu, speaking of you all with endless praise. I have long admired you from afar, and today I finally get to see you in person!"
"You flatter me! You flatter me!"
Qin Sang asked curiously, "Junior Brother Gao, is your master Martial Uncle Qi?"
Gao Yang nodded, an understanding look dawning on his face as he explained, "Senior Brother has been roaming outside the sect, so you probably don't know yet. Right when Master formed his core, I happened to break through to Foundation Establishment, so he accepted me as his disciple. That is how I came to remain by Master's side, listening to his teachings and sharing his burdens."
An envious look appeared on Qin Sang's face. "To catch Martial Uncle Qi's eye and be taken as his disciple is truly a great blessing! When Martial Uncle Qi was stationed at Xuanlu Pass, Senior Brother Mu and several others of us received much care from him. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, Junior Brother, feel free to let me know. Though my cultivation is meager, I will do everything in my power to help."
Gao Yang was overjoyed. "Thank you, Senior Brother Qin!"
A warm smile surfaced on Qin Sang's face, and he began chatting enthusiastically with Gao Yang.
Among the voice transmission talismans at Huilong Temple, one had been an announcement of joyous news: Qi Yuanshou had successfully formed his core a month ago, becoming a Core Formation cultivator.
When Qin Sang had first gone to Xuanlu Pass thirty years ago, Qi Yuanshou was already an expert at the False Core stage, having been trapped at the bottleneck for a long time.
It was very common for cultivators to remain stuck at the False Core stage for their entire lives.
For thirty years, Qi Yuanshou had never managed to break through.
Who would have thought that after being recalled to the sect to deal with even more complicated sect affairs, Qi Yuanshou would actually succeed in breaking through in one go?
Senior Brother Qi had transformed into Martial Uncle Qi.
Before Qin Sang left, there had been no hint of it; even Senior Brother Wen, who oversaw Daomen Peak, had known nothing about it.
Cultivators preparing to form their core usually needed secluded meditation to calm their minds and sort through their cultivation, often taking over a decade or even several decades. Qi Yuanshou was different: not only had he not entered seclusion, but he had been attending to mundane administrative affairs the entire time. Yet once his opportunity arrived, he broke through immediately.
It was truly something one could only envy.
Since Qin Sang had been away, he had missed Qi Yuanshou's Core Formation celebration. Returning to the sect just in time, reason and etiquette demanded that he personally bring congratulatory gifts to offer his regards!
"Senior Brother Qin, Master is currently in seclusion, and I do not know when he will emerge. Once he does, I will inform him and pass along your greetings. However, Master accepts no congratulatory gifts, so please put it away."
Seeing Qin Sang's troubled look and fearing a misunderstanding, Gao Yang hastily explained, "Senior Brother, you must understand, it is not just you—Master has uniformly refused gifts from all other senior brothers and martial uncles as well."
Qin Sang was somewhat surprised. "Is that truly the case?"
Gao Yang looked solemn. "It is absolutely true. How could I dare deceive Senior Brother Qin!"
"Since this is the rule set by Martial Uncle Qi, it indeed cannot be broken. It was presumptuous of me."
Qin Sang could only put the jade box away.
Inside the jade box was the Cold Metal Ore Matrix, which Qin Sang had not yet had time to smelt, but it would certainly have served as a worthy celebratory gift.
As he put away the jade box, Qin Sang retrieved another object from his mustard seed bag—a bronze ring.
This top-grade magic tool was a relic of the man who had pursued Tan Hao at Yinshan Pass. Its quality was fine, but its functions were somewhat ordinary. Qin Sang had kept it stored in his mustard seed bag, having had no use for it.
"Junior Brother Gao, though this is our first meeting, I feel an affinity between us. This magic tool of mine suits your cultivation method quite well, and it would serve nicely as personal protection for you..."
Gao Yang clearly liked the magic tool, but did not dare accept it, declining repeatedly.
Qin Sang urged him earnestly.
Gao Yang was still young and could barely parry Qin Sang's insistence.
Unexpectedly, just as the two went back and forth, Qi Yuanshou's laughter echoed from within the hall. "Gao Yang, do not brush aside your Senior Brother Qin's kindness. Accept the gift, and bring him inside."
"Your disciple obeys!"
Gao Yang hurriedly put away the bronze ring and bowed toward the hall. After receiving the instruction, he turned to Qin Sang and said, "Thank you, Senior Brother Qin! Please follow me."
Though he had given away a top-grade magic tool, Qin Sang was very pleased.
Following Gao Yang into the Sect Master Hall, he saw Qi Yuanshou just emerging from his cave dwelling.
"Disciple pays respects to Martial Uncle Qi! Congratulations to Martial Uncle on forming the Golden Core and taking another step toward the Great Dao!"
In accordance with Shaohua Mountain's rules, Qin Sang respectfully bowed to Qi Yuanshou.
"A mere Golden Core—how can one speak of the Great Dao?"
Qi Yuanshou retorted with a smile, pointing toward a table. "Qin Sang, we have known each other for years. No need to stand on ceremony—sit down as you please."
"Thank you, Martial Uncle Qi."
Qin Sang perched politely on the edge of a chair and took the initiative to pour tea. He did not dare probe Qi Yuanshou with his spiritual sense, but sitting before him, he could still sense the immense aura rolling off him, as if confronting a towering mountain.
Before Qin Sang could speak, Qi Yuanshou came straight to the point. "Qin Sang, I have learned a bit about your situation. Since you chose to cultivate the Origin Soul Sword-Nurturing Chapter and commit yourself to the killing Dao, you inevitably need to travel and hone yourself through trials outside.
"This time, the sect selected a group of disciples to be sent to the Yuncang Great Marsh to guard vital sites like mineral veins and medicinal gardens, as well as patrol various locations. The rewards are quite generous.
"However, although the Heaven-Traversing Alliance is making restless moves, it has not yet reached the point where tension is at a fever pitch. Even if you join the patrols, you won't encounter many opponents under normal circumstances. Meanwhile, standing dull guard in those places without leave to depart would please others, but for your cultivation, it would be no small hindrance.
"Therefore, your name was originally on the roster, but I took the liberty of crossing it off. I plan to recall you to the mountain once the great war truly begins, so you can temper yourself on the battlefield.
"Since you happen to have returned, I wanted to ask your thoughts on the matter."
Seeing that Qi Yuanshou had no intention of accepting him as a disciple, yet his words carried unmistakable care and protection, Qin Sang could not help feeling deeply moved. The goodwill he had sown in the past was finally bearing fruit!
Chapter 409