Looking After

"The Shadowless Sword is actually Senior Qin?" Yue Rou and her husband exchanged glances, both filled with astonishment. They had arrived in the Luandao Waters not long ago, but they had heard from close friends that among the righteous and demonic factions as well as the rogue cultivators, several prominent figures had shone brilliantly on the battlefield. Among them, the Shadowless Sword was a rare expert who had yet to reach the False Core stage, yet his renown was second to none. It was said he was praised for sword techniques reaching profound mysteries, sword momentum like thunder, and sword shadows without form; countless cultivators had perished beneath his blade, striking terror into the hearts of the Heaven-Traversing Alliance. To think that such a famed figure actually had considerable history with them. The cultivator surnamed Du gave an affirmative grunt. "From a distance, I once watched the Shadowless Sword duel with an expert from the Heaven-Traversing Alliance. He wielded a gleaming, icy flying sword that ran his opponent ragged. His sword art was indeed profound, though not quite as miraculous as the legends claim. "Still, there must be a reason for him to possess such renown. "They say what truly made the Shadowless Sword famous was another flying sword, one shrouded in mystery. Legend has it that whenever it is drawn, blood must flow. Some suspect it is an evil artifact, while others claim it can command thunder and is a sacred weapon. "He hails from Shaohua Mountain, so no one dares pry into such matters and invite trouble from Shaohua Mountain. "Since you know the Shadowless Sword, your prior worries are entirely unnecessary. "The two of you are quite capable yourselves. If you build a good rapport with him and gain his patronage, being accepted into his squad would be ideal. Even in the worst case, you could ask him for an introduction to join the team of another Shaohua Mountain expert..." ... Regardless of how Yue Rou and the others discussed him behind his back, Qin Sang set off on his streak of light, racing northeast without looking back. When Stargazing Island appeared in his field of vision, Qin Sang's figure flickered, and he landed on a sizable island northwest of Stargazing Island. The layout of buildings on this island differed vastly from the others. Nine streets ran north-to-south and nine east-to-west, lined with orderly houses, and the streets were bustling with cultivators coming and going. All manner of shop banners hung outside those buildings—they were, in fact, shops. At the very center of the island stood a small auction house, seemingly unremarkable but surprisingly popular. In the Lesser Cold Domain, rogue cultivators included, most Foundation Establishment cultivators had been summoned to the Luandao Waters, apart from those stationed to guard the Seven Heroes Passes or those with the means to secure an exemption. With so many experts gathered in the modest Luandao Waters, coveted treasures appeared with great frequency. However, the most bustling place remained the northernmost island in the Luandao Waters, conventionally known as Mist Island. When Qin Sang landed on the large island, his intuition stirred, and he looked northward into the distance. Standing on the large island, one could glimpse the edge of the northern Mist Sea, and Mist Island lay hidden within it. It was said that the establishment of Mist Island had been strongly urged by a senior Core Formation rogue cultivator and unanimously supported by all cultivators, righteous and demonic alike. Regardless of identity or affiliation, anyone could enter Mist Island from any location within the Mist Sea using a token. Upon Mist Island, everyone could conceal their true identity and appearance to conduct transactions. Once finished and leaving the island, the grand array would randomly teleport them to another location. For this very reason, an endless stream of cultivators came and went from Mist Island every day, far outnumbering those on the large island. Even so, Mist Island had its advantages, and the large island had its own. Qin Sang withdrew his gaze, walked down a street, and finally stopped before a lavishly decorated shop. Though it bore no signage of Tiange Tower, it was in truth a property belonging to Tiange Tower. "Fellow Daoist Qin, you've finally come! Please, come inside!" Although this was not the Tiange Tower of Qingyang Market, the shop manager was already well-acquainted with Qin Sang. He strode out to welcome him with exceptional warmth, ushering him into a private chamber and serving tea in person. Qin Sang smiled faintly. "There is no need for tea. I only hope the news you mentioned earlier is true, and that nothing unexpected happens to send Qin away disappointed." "What are you saying, Fellow Daoist Qin! When have I ever deceived you?" The manager feigned indignation, waving a hand to activate the ward in the quiet chamber. He then produced a jade box and presented it to Qin Sang. "Take a look, Fellow Daoist. Is this not soul-attracting grass?" Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly. Looking down to examine it closely, he saw that the jade box indeed contained a complete stalk of soul-attracting grass, virtually identical to the three he had bought at the Yinshan Pass auction. Clearly, its age and medicinal potency were more than sufficient. He was intimately familiar with soul-attracting grass; without even opening the jade box, he could confirm its authenticity, and a look of satisfaction appeared on his face. Soul-attracting grass was essential for refining a living corpse. However, on one hand, it was one of the few spiritual herbs that could directly assist cultivation, holding immense significance for demonic and wicked cultivators; on the other hand, the Heavenly Corpse Talisman placed almost demanding requirements on the quality of the soul-attracting grass. Over the past three years, Qin Sang had searched in many places without managing to buy a single stalk that met the criteria. Fortunately, back at the Yinshan Pass auction, he had not hesitated to spend a millennium-old spiritual herb to purchase three stalks; otherwise, refining the living corpse would have remained a distant, indeterminate hope. Though the soul-attracting grass was precious, it was not enough to make Qin Sang lose his composure. His expression remained calm as he looked away from the jade box and met the manager's eyes, asking impassively, "What price do you ask for it, Fellow Daoist?" The manager had been observing Qin Sang's expression in secret. Concealing his gaze, he took a sip of tea before saying, "Fellow Daoist Qin is surely well aware of the efficacy of soul-attracting grass. If our modest shop were to send this to the eastern side of Stargazing Island and make it public, it would inevitably spark a fierce scramble." Qin Sang's face darkened, his brow furrowing slightly. "Do you mean to say that the items Qin pawned with you earlier... are not enough to buy this soul-attracting grass?" The manager hurriedly shook his head and offered hasty explanations. "No, no, no... Fellow Daoist, you misunderstand! We are deeply grateful for your trust in our modest shop, and those magic tools are all of fine quality, worth more than enough when combined. I am more than willing to sell it to you at that price to foster goodwill. It is just that..." Hesitating briefly, the manager dipped a finger in tea and wrote a name on the table. "I only hope Fellow Daoist Qin might take pity on my old face and look after this junior of mine. His cultivation is decent, and I have prepared several life-preserving magic tools for him; he certainly will not drag you down." Qin Sang committed the name on the table to memory. After a moment's thought, he said in a deep voice, "Given Qin's friendship with Tiange Tower, if a fellow daoist from Tiange Tower encounters difficulties, it is only right and reasonable that Qin should not stand by with folded arms." The manager breathed a sigh of relief, full of gratitude. "With those words from you, Fellow Daoist Qin, my heart is at ease. I shall await your good news. Please take this stalk of soul-attracting grass!" "Then I shall accept with thanks." With a flick of his sleeve, Qin Sang stowed the jade box. After exchanging all the spoils from this excursion for spirit stones, he took his leave. He did not linger to wander the large island, his thoughts turning to how to arrange things for the manager's junior as he flew straight toward the Mist Sea. Upon entering the Mist Sea, Qin Sang produced a token and struck a unique incantation seal into it. The token emitted a faint glow, linking with the grand array. Qin Sang felt the mist before him tremble, and in the next moment, an island materialized before his eyes.