After leaving Stargazing Island, Qin Sang flew toward his cave dwelling on a cloud, his brows tightly furrowed.
Hearing the chime of a sword behind him, Qin Sang halted and looked back to see Senior Brother Rong catching up.
"Junior Brother Qin, what are your thoughts? Do you have any intention of working together? We could agree on a location and meet up first after entering Heaven-Pointing Peak. Do you think that's feasible, or should we consider another approach...?"
Both slowed their pace and flew side by side.
After listening to Senior Brother Rong, Qin Sang hesitated for a moment and slowly shook his head.
"I understand the principle that a single tree does not make a forest, but joining hands inside Heaven-Pointing Peak will be too difficult. You heard Senior Xiao, Senior Brother—once the restrictions open, the time left for us to harvest Star Element Stones will be less than an hour.
"Judging by the illusion Senior Xiao showed us, Heaven-Pointing Peak towers into the clouds, covers a vast area, has complex terrain, and is riddled with restrictions.
"With Heaven-Pointing Peak being so massive and there being only sixty-six of us scattered across it, as long as our luck isn't terrible, it's unlikely we'll run into opponents easily.
"Senior Snake Granny's warning was merely to ensure we stay on guard so we don't capsize in the gutter.
"Under these circumstances, whether we join forces or not doesn't make much difference. What matters most is the Star Element Stones, and the real obstacle will be the hidden restrictions within Heaven-Pointing Peak.
"After being scattered by the restrictions, there's no telling where we'll land. Communication magic tools won't work in there, so rashly agreeing on a meeting point will waste too much time and energy, causing us to lose the greater for the lesser!"
This was also why Qin Sang had felt uncertain all along.
This contest on Heaven-Pointing Peak was not a simple duel of fighting skills to determine the victor; the role his two magic treasures could play would be limited.
Formidable strength was certainly indispensable, as one wouldn't even be able to breach the restrictions on Heaven-Pointing Peak without it, but in the end, how many Star Element Stones one could gather would largely depend on luck.
Qin Sang was not opposed to cooperating with Senior Brother Rong. From their time together, he could tell that Senior Brother Rong was of good character, took decent care of him as a fellow junior brother, and was no easy opponent himself.
It was simply that the conditions on Heaven-Pointing Peak did not permit it.
Senior Brother Rong had no choice but to drop the idea of cooperating. He sighed softly and said, "You are right, Junior Brother Qin. Just now, I discussed it with Shang Yi, and he shared the same view as you... I can only wish you success at the outset, and may you get what you desire."
"Likewise to you, Senior Brother Rong."
After exchanging a few more words, the two parted ways and flew toward their respective cave dwellings.
As he flew on his cloud, Qin Sang took stock of himself.
Compared to the others, his advantages were his two magic treasures and the Nine Dragons Heavenly Chariot Talisman, but anyone who had made it to this stage was bound to have trump cards of their own.
Luck was determined by heaven, but the outcome depended on human effort.
It was a pity Heaven-Pointing Peak had emerged too early; if only it had been two years later.
Once he broke through to the False Core stage and could wield the ebony sword with greater ease, he would be able to employ the divine ability of Sword Qi Thunderclap while achieving sword-man unity during sword flight. His flight speed would skyrocket, far outstripping cultivators of the same realm.
This was why the divine ability of Sword Qi Thunderclap was so coveted and revered.
If he had the time to return to Wuya Valley, extract the flood dragon spirit soul, and upgrade the Nine Dragons Heavenly Chariot Talisman, his speed would be even faster.
Qin Sang already had some understanding of the strength of Core Formation cultivators. He estimated that stacking Sword Qi Thunderclap with the Nine Dragons Heavenly Chariot Talisman would allow his flight speed to transcend the level of Foundation Establishment and rival early Core Formation experts.
Such speed would certainly have proved immensely useful on Heaven-Pointing Peak.
Missing the timing was beyond his control. Ever since stepping onto the immortal path, he had never slacked off for a single moment; if he couldn't make it in time, he simply couldn't.
Qin Sang sighed inwardly and pushed these useless thoughts aside. Landing before his cave dwelling, he habitually checked the restrictions he had left outside. Everything was normal.
He opened the restriction, pushed open the door, and went inside.
He sat cross-legged on a prayer mat and activated the Spirit Gathering Array.
Just as Qin Sang was about to enter meditation to cultivate, he suddenly sensed something amiss in the cave dwelling.
Immediately afterward, his expression drastically changed. He whipped his head around and glared at a corner of the cave dwelling.
"Who's there?!"
At the same time, Qin Sang sprang to his feet. With a flicker, he darted to the exit of the cave dwelling. His hand swiftly brushed his waist, and the Cold Metal sword and Yin-Yang Compass flew into his palms in an instant, while the ebony sword within his origin soul also poised for action.
Qin Sang stared intently at the shadows in the corner of the cave dwelling, his entire body soaked in cold sweat. Even on blood-soaked battlefields, he had never felt such terror.
Within the shadows of the corner was a dark silhouette—unmistakably humanoid.
His cave dwelling had been silently infiltrated by someone!
The restrictions he had painstakingly set up bore no trace of being breached, completely bypassed as if they were useless!
Who was it?
Or was it some kind of monster?
Qin Sang's back pressed against the stone door, waves of coldness seeping from it. With just a slight exertion, he could burst out through the door, but he did not dare move any further.
He could feel a faint, wispy trace of spiritual sense locked onto him.
This spiritual sense did not seem to carry malice, yet Qin Sang dared not act rashly.
His cave dwelling was still some distance from Stargazing Island, and the cultivators on the surrounding islands were weaker than him. If someone was stronger than him, none of the others could possibly be a match either.
This was Luandao Waters, guarded externally by the True Water Thousand Illusions Formation.
Anyone who could slip in here undetected was bound to possess formidable strength. Moving rashly might instead provoke the shadowy figure; most likely, he would meet a gruesome end before any rescue could arrive.
Qin Sang could not help wondering whether his magic treasures had been exposed...
It would be best to stabilize the situation with the intruder first.
His thoughts were a tangled mess, but he forced himself to stay calm. With his mind racing, he took the initiative to speak: "Just which sacred figure might Fellow Daoist be? Qin has rarely made enemies with anyone. If..."
Halfway through his words, Qin Sang saw the dark figure slowly step out of the shadows, revealing an aged face. His expression froze, his voice faltered, and an astounded look appeared on his face.
"Granny Jing? It's you!"
Qin Sang called out in a low voice once he saw the old woman's face clearly.
The old woman before him was gaunt and decrepit, hunched over, with deep wrinkles etched into her face. She was none other than the master of the secret shop in Wenyue Cultivation Market, Granny Jing.
Among cultivators above Foundation Establishment, those showing an aged appearance like Granny Jing were uncommon.
Unless their lifespan was nearing its end and their vitality was depleted.
Yet when he first met Granny Jing at Wenyue Cultivation Market, she had looked exactly like this. More than seventy years had passed, and her appearance had not changed in the slightest.
Moreover, back then, Qin Sang had only recently broken through to Foundation Establishment and felt that Granny Jing was unfathomable, completely beyond his ability to see through.
Now that he was bordering on the False Core stage, it was still the same.
In Qin Sang's eyes, Granny Jing's aura was like a secluded spring—immeasurably deep and extraordinarily mysterious.
Qin Sang had only ever felt this kind of sensation from Core Formation cultivators.
"How kind of Fellow Daoist Qin to still remember this old woman."
Granny Jing gave a slight nod, the wrinkles on her face bunching together into an unsightly smile.
"Back then, I received Senior's help many times. How could I forget?"
Qin Sang chuckled dryly and appeared to relax, putting away the Cold Metal sword and Yin-Yang Compass, though the ebony sword within his origin soul remained primed to strike.
And with good reason.
Granny Jing had vanished for so long, only to suddenly appear and infiltrate his cave dwelling.
It was truly far too abnormal.
Granny Jing had enjoyed an excellent reputation back at Wenyue Cultivation Market, and Qin Sang had held her in high regard, but that did not mean things remained the same seventy years later.
Chapter 457