"After returning from the Ancient Immortal Battlefield, I found the voice transmission talisman Senior had left for me. I went to Wenyue Cultivation Market to apologize to Senior, only to learn you had already departed long ago. Later, I met Fellow Daoist Yue Xing again, and she had no news of Senior either. I took part in nearly all the major battles, yet I never once caught sight of Senior. Had I known you were in the Luandao Waters, I certainly would have paid you a visit first..."
Qin Sang maintained an impassive expression, speaking of past events with a touch of regret in his tone.
Granny Jing gave Qin Sang a deep look, her voice raspy. "Fellow Daoist Qin is quite calm; your disposition is indeed formidable... No wonder you managed to walk this path so successfully, reach your current cultivation realm, and even earn the moniker of the 'Shadowless Sword.'"
What did she mean by that?
Qin Sang sensed an undertone in Granny Jing's words and felt puzzled.
Before he could ask, Granny Jing shifted her tone. "Over the past three years, this old woman has indeed been in the Luandao Waters. However, unwilling to expose myself, I kept hidden in the shadows the entire time. Naturally, you could not have seen me."
Qin Sang was startled.
Granny Jing's reply was beyond his expectations.
Hiding in the Luandao Waters for three whole years without being discovered by anyone.
On the outside lay the formidable True Water Thousand Illusions Formation; without a token bonded by essence blood, no one could enter or leave, not even Core Formation cultivators.
On the inside, Stargazing Island was garrisoned by Core Formation experts sent by the various major sects, including peak late Core Formation experts like Snake Granny and Vice Island Master Xiao.
Even they had failed to discover Granny Jing.
Could her strength be even greater than that of the two island masters of Stargazing Island?
Wouldn't that mean she was...?
Qin Sang could not help but be shaken. Composing himself, he cupped his hands. "Senior has appeared so abruptly to seek me out; surely there is a reason. May I ask what humble capability I possess that could be of service to Senior?"
"Hehe..."
Granny Jing gave a strange chuckle. "Since Fellow Daoist Qin has asked, this old woman will be frank. I have lurked here for three long years, waiting all this time for the emergence of Heaven-Pointing Peak."
"Heaven-Pointing Peak?"
Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly as he suddenly realized Granny Jing's objective, and he sucked in a cold breath. "Could it be that you intend to..."
Granny Jing nodded. "Indeed. This old woman has an important matter to attend to and must make a trip into Heaven-Pointing Peak. However, Heaven-Pointing Peak is closely guarded by the Heaven-Traversing Alliance and the Lesser Cold Domain. I cannot enter on my own and require the assistance of another person. Fellow Daoist Qin has just returned from Stargazing Island, so you should have secured the qualification to enter Heaven-Pointing Peak, yes?"
Qin Sang gave an "Mm" and did not deny it.
"That is good," Granny Jing said. "I thought it would take a great deal of trouble, but I never expected your performance to be so dazzling, Fellow Daoist Qin. That makes things much simpler. I will transform myself into a wooden carving. You need only carry it on your person, and I will be able to enter Heaven-Pointing Peak alongside you."
With that, Granny Jing opened her palm. Resting upon it was a small, delicate peach wood carving.
Carved into the wood was a woman whose lively gaze seemed brimming with spirit, breathtakingly lifelike.
Had it been life-sized, a single glance might well have mistaken it for a real person.
Strangely, the woman was not Granny Jing, but a young woman of unearthly beauty, completely untainted by the mundane world. Such breathtaking allure was something Qin Sang had never seen before in his life.
If an inanimate wooden carving could possess such charm, the living person surely rivaled Fairy Chenyan.
Had he not seen Fairy Chenyan's true face with his own eyes, Qin Sang would definitely have been captivated by the carving.
He glanced at the peach wood carving, not daring to refuse outright. After pondering for a moment, he said, "There is something Senior might not know. I also only just learned from Vice Island Master Xiao that the restrictions within Heaven-Pointing Peak are extraordinarily peculiar. The space there is exceedingly fragile; experts beyond Foundation Establishment cannot enter, or else it will..."
Before he could finish, Granny Jing cut him off.
"Since this old woman dares to enter Heaven-Pointing Peak, I have naturally investigated everything thoroughly. Rest assured, I will suppress my cultivation to the Foundation Establishment level; it will not exceed the limit of Heaven-Pointing Peak."
Just as expected, Granny Jing was at least a Core Formation expert!
Qin Sang's heart tightened. He parted his lips, wanting to say more.
Granny Jing smiled faintly, her turbid eyes rolling over Qin Sang's face as she spoke. "Fellow Daoist Qin is on the verge of Core Formation; surely you wouldn't want to miss out on the snow spirit lotus and iris flower brought out by Stargazing Island?"
"You even know about what they..."
Qin Sang was taken aback, his expression shifting slightly. His eyes flickered as he stared fixedly at Granny Jing. "What does Senior mean?"
Granny Jing nodded slightly, a hint of disdain creeping into her voice.
"This old woman not only knows what kind of rewards Stargazing Island presented, but also knows that every one of you has been given a Spirit-Locking Bracelet.
"Little do they know that using a Spirit-Locking Bracelet to harvest Star Element Stones can only seal one stone at a time, and its efficiency could not be any lower.
"This old woman has a magic tool called the Star Spirit Net, which possesses miraculous efficacy against rare objects like Star Element Stones, far surpassing the Spirit-Locking Bracelet.
"I can promise to help you gather enough Star Element Stones to ensure you outstrip everyone else by far. However, I have one condition: after obtaining enough Star Element Stones, you must accompany me to a certain place on Heaven-Pointing Peak.
"Just as you worried a moment ago, I must suppress my cultivation with all my might and cannot move about freely inside Heaven-Pointing Peak. I can only rely on you, Fellow Daoist Qin.
"Now then...
"What does Fellow Daoist Qin think?"
Granny Jing's voice carried an alluring tone. As she spoke, she produced a skein of thread.
This ball of thread was exceptionally tangled, made of some unknown material that shimmered with starlight.
As Granny Jing gave it a gentle flick, the threads rustled open into a large net that floated in midair.
Even without an introduction from Granny Jing, Qin Sang could tell on his own.
The quality of the Star Spirit Net far exceeded that of the Spirit-Locking Bracelet. The two magic tools seemed to stem from the same origin, but the Star Spirit Net's effects were certainly not as single-purpose as the bracelet's.
Granny Jing's words were very likely true!
Snow spirit lotus!
Iris flower!
Qin Sang took a deep breath, forcing his gaze away from the Star Spirit Net.
It seemed that by agreeing to Granny Jing, both spiritual medicines would be well within his grasp.
To say he was not tempted would be a lie; Qin Sang was almost ready to agree on the spot, but his reason held him back.
Seeing Qin Sang remain silent, Granny Jing showed not the slightest urgency. With a placid expression, she asked, "What, is Fellow Daoist Qin still unwilling? Could it be that you look down on the snow spirit lotus and iris flower?"
"How could that be!"
Qin Sang shook his head with a wry smile. "What Foundation Establishment cultivator could resist their temptation? I nearly failed to hold myself back. It is just that I have one more concern... By lodging yourself within the wood carving, can Senior truly fool everyone?"
Without waiting for Granny Jing's answer, Qin Sang added:
"I wonder if Granny Jing was present during the battle last night?
"In the end, several Nascent Soul luminaries arrived together before the grand battle was brought to a close.
"After asking several fellow cultivators, I learned that one of them, a red-haired elder, was none other than the Chunyang Sect Master, the foremost expert of today's cultivation world!
"In three whole years, this was the first time I saw Nascent Soul luminaries make an appearance, and it coincided precisely with the emergence of Heaven-Pointing Peak.
"I do not know whether the Nascent Soul luminaries from both sides will be present in person when Heaven-Pointing Peak opens.
"Yet I dare not gamble!
"If I fail to live up to Senior's kindness, the worst that can happen to me is to make amends with my life.
"But should Senior's concealment be seen through by a Nascent Soul luminary, Senior might be able to escape, whereas I would surely be condemned as a traitor—a fate worse than death!"
Chapter 458