"Give it to me..."
The young man surnamed Han reached out and took the pouch, holding it in his hand with his eyes half-closed.
In that instant, Qin Sang felt an unusual fluctuation surge from within the youth—a presence that felt intimately familiar, carrying both spiritual power and spiritual sense!
A flash of light flickered at the pouch's opening, and then a jade bottle appeared out of thin air, dropping right into the young man's palm.
At the sight, Qin Sang's eyes went wide.
It truly was a storage bag!
Yet deep confusion gripped him. The youth's actions hadn't seemed unusual in the slightest; why couldn't Qin Sang open his own seven-colored brocade pouch?
Inside the jade bottle were several translucent medicinal pills.
The young man opened his eyes, glanced at them, and said with evident relief, "Water Dew Pills... Thank heavens! Thank heavens!"
With that, he uncapped the jade bottle, poured out all the pills, and swallowed them whole.
The moment the bottle was opened, an exotic fragrance rushed into Qin Sang's nostrils. He felt instantly refreshed, his whole body lighter by several fractions.
After swallowing the Water Dew Pills, a flush of ruddy color surged across the youth's face, his breath turning steady and robust at once. Though previously paralyzed, he now turned and sat straight up.
A miracle medicine of the immortals!
Qin Sang stared wide-eyed at the jade bottle and the storage bag, an unbearable itch scratching at his heart.
Seeing Qin Sang's expression, the youth gave a low chuckle. "Don't bother looking. This is a mustard seed bag. It must be opened with spiritual sense, and items can only be retrieved or stored using the Object Manipulation Technique. Even if I gave it to a mortal like you, you wouldn't be able to use it."
Exhaling a mouthful of turbid air, the youth rose to his full height. He looked around, then said suddenly, "General Qin, I owe you my life, a debt that must not go unpaid. Speak—what do you desire? Gold, silver, and treasures? Fair wives and lovely concubines? Wealth and power? I can grant you any of it."
Hearing this, Qin Sang did not hesitate in the slightest. With a thud, he dropped to his knees. "Qin Sang wants none of those things! I only beg Immortal Master Han to accept me as your disciple and teach me the immortal arts!"
"Heh..."
The youth chuckled softly, appearing not at all surprised. He looked Qin Sang up and down and asked an odd question: "General Qin, since you are heading north, is your lord Prince Dongyang?"
He knew of Prince Dongyang as well?
Though puzzled, Qin Sang answered that it was so.
The youth nodded, but then said, "The path to immortality is not so easy, and not everyone is cut out to cultivate... Since you are a general under Prince Dongyang, we will have a chance to meet again before long. Think it over carefully. Ah, right..."
Giving Qin Sang no chance to argue, the youth bent down, turned the corpse over, and stripped off a garment.
The piece of clothing shimmered with a faint ice-blue radiance. It looked like a light undershirt, woven from translucent threads. Incredibly thin and light, it seemed extraordinarily supple in the youth's hands.
"You lead troops into battle, so there is no guarantee you won't be wounded by stray arrows. If an accident were to befall you, I would be breaking my word. This magic tool is an inner vest woven from ice silkworm silk. It is light as nothing, and even a mortal can wear it for protection; ordinary swords and spears cannot pierce it. General Qin, think it over well. We shall meet again at Mount Chaosheng!"
With that, the youth thrust out his hand and released a ray of green light. His face instantly turned deathly pale, and he coughed violently several times.
An emerald gourd expanded rapidly against the wind. Seeming exceedingly weak, the youth stepped tremblingly onto the gourd and gave Qin Sang a nod. The gourd then tore through the air, and within the blink of an eye, only a streak of green light could be seen in the distance, like a shooting star.
Holding the Ice Silkworm Armor, Qin Sang felt a soothing chill in his palm.
Watching the youth depart, Qin Sang's gaze flickered. From the sound of it, the man's identity seemed closely tied to the Immortal Master delivering the imperial seal at Mount Chaosheng.
Qin Sang had wanted to ask what the Object Manipulation Technique was, and why not everyone could cultivate immortality. He had not expected the young man to leave so decisively, leaving him no choice but to wait for another day.
Qin Sang could also vaguely deduce that the youth had rushed off to treat his wounds; those Water Dew Pills had merely suppressed his injuries temporarily.
Had Qin Sang insisted on striking, killing him would not have been difficult. But things having come to this, there was no need for regret. Whether it was the Ice Silkworm Armor or the youth's promise, both were already tremendous gains.
He had finally made contact with an immortal cultivator!
Amidst his joy, the only thing that gave Qin Sang a headache was that this man seemed to be the type who couldn't tolerate a single grain of sand in his eye—fighting desperately to slaughter his opponent just because he had crossed paths with a demonic cultivator.
With his mind racing through countless thoughts, Qin Sang stood in place for a while. Returning to his senses, he glanced around.
Events had unfolded too abruptly for him to send the soldiers away. Everything that had just happened had played out before their very eyes. Now, the soldiers were stealing glances at Qin Sang, their looks filled with all manner of unspoken thoughts.
Qin Sang gave a cold snort and swept a chilling glare across them. The soldiers hurriedly lowered their heads.
"All men return to camp and rest! Tomorrow morning, we continue clearing the road. Taking Duyakou will be a great achievement, and this general guarantees you promotions and wealth. As for what happened today, take it to your graves! If anyone dares leak a word, off goes your head!"
"Understood!"
...
Returning to the encampment, Qin Sang walked the paths and noticed that every soldier looked at him with strange expressions. He sighed inwardly, knowing full well that keeping so many mouths shut was impossible.
Even Water Monkey, Wu Chuanzong, and the others who had always stayed by his side looked as though they wanted to speak but hesitated.
After pondering in his tent for a while, Qin Sang had Water Monkey summon Zhang Wenkui, Wu Chuanzong, and the rest inside.
"You have been by my side for years; it is time for you to take charge on your own," Qin Sang said, getting straight to the point. Seeing them exchange glances, not daring to answer, he gave a light chuckle, his tone softening. "My ambition to seek immortality has never changed. I do not care in the slightest for worldly wealth and glory, as Old Zhou knows well. Had there been no chance, so be it. But now that I have luckily stumbled upon an immortal encounter, I will never let it go."
Water Monkey, Zhou Ning, nodded. When they first met Qin Sang, Bai Jianglan had seen through Qin Sang's intentions, and to think they remained unchanged even now.
Wu Chuanzong said excitedly, "Sir, did that Immortal Master agree to guide you onto the path?"
Qin Sang nodded. "You could say that. If I leave, and Brother Bai is unwilling to take up an important post, no one will be left to look after you. You will have to rely on yourselves. During this time, I will remain and do my best to pave the way for you. Once we take Duyakou, the victory report will highlight your names. Combined with your previous military merits, that should secure you decent posts. After I leave, whether you become marquises and ministers or fade into the crowd will depend entirely on your own abilities."
Hearing this, the generals were deeply moved. "Thank you for your care, General!"
After seeing the officers out, Qin Sang secured the military tent and took out the Ice Silkworm Armor.
The young man surnamed Han had said that the armor was a magic tool, so Qin Sang used the same method he had employed to control the Purple Soul Bell.
A moment later, the Ice Silkworm Armor floated up from his palm on its own. It expanded and shrank in midair before settling onto Qin Sang's body, vanishing from sight immediately afterward.
Chapter 45