A Comparison

As he spoke those words, Qin Sang felt deep unease in his heart. Fortunately, Granny Jing showed no anger. "For you, that is indeed a concern." After a moment of contemplation, Granny Jing said to Qin Sang, "Follow me." Before the words had even faded, Qin Sang felt his entire body tighten, enveloped by a surge of spiritual power. Before he could react, his vision shifted violently. After a whirlwind of speed, the loud splashing of waves soon echoed in his ears. Night was falling. Where water met sky in the west, a faint lingering glow of sunset still hung. A few points of starlight dotted the sky, while the bright moon was not yet prominent. Beneath his feet lay an endless stretch of marshland. Qin Sang whipped his head around. Behind him stretched a vast, boundless sea of mist. How much time had actually passed? They had already left Qin Sang's cave dwelling and were standing outside the True Water Thousand Illusions Formation. Qin Sang's mind was in utter turmoil. He had not perceived a thing and had no idea how Granny Jing had managed to carry him silently through the great formation without alerting anyone! If everyone in the Heaven-Traversing Alliance were as formidable as Granny Jing, the Lesser Cold Domain would have been utterly routed long ago. Qin Sang was still shaken. Granny Jing said calmly, "Didn't you want to know whether I can evade the senses of a Nascent Soul cultivator? Words alone are flimsy; seeing is believing." Qin Sang swallowed unconsciously. "Where does Senior intend to take me?" "You will know when we arrive," she replied faintly, retrieving another wood carving. The carving was in the shape of a qingluan. Just like the woman from before, it was vivid and lifelike, capturing every ounce of the divine bird's spirit, as if it might spread its wings and take flight at any moment. In fact, when Granny Jing extended a finger and tapped lightly on the qingluan wood carving, it truly came to life. With a crisp, resonant cry akin to a phoenix, the qingluan's wings suddenly began to flap, scattering shimmering motes of light in a magnificent display. Emitting clear, melodious chirps, the bird acted with great affection toward Granny Jing, dancing gracefully around her. As it circled, its body grew with the wind, rapidly expanding into a genuine divine bird that stretched its wings in full glory. Qin Sang had read descriptions of the ancient divine qingluan in old records—it was identical to this! At this moment, where was there any trace of a wood carving left in it? Puppetry? Or some other incantation? Qin Sang's eyes widened, thoroughly stunned by Granny Jing's secret art that seemed akin to turning stone into gold. Immediately after, he felt lightness beneath him as the qingluan took the initiative to bear both of them on its back. Spreading its wings to catch the wind, it soared straight into the highest heavens. *** At the mountain gate of Shaohua Mountain, thin mist and heavy clouds drifted. Through them, verdant peaks stood in clustered rows, presenting a picturesque and charming landscape. The familiar view appeared before his eyes. Soaring across the sky, the qingluan had crossed the entire Yuncang Great Marsh and brought them directly before the mountain gate of Shaohua Mountain. Puzzled, Qin Sang turned his head toward Granny Jing. "I will wait for you on Shaohua Mountain." Looking at the qingluan, Granny Jing revealed an affectionate smile and gave a gentle wave. With a lingering, reluctant chirp, the bird rapidly shrank. By the time it landed in Granny Jing's palm, it had transformed back into a wood carving, frozen in its original posture. Granny Jing gave Qin Sang a slight nod, and then her figure faded, vanishing into thin air. Only the lingering echo of her words remained. Qin Sang hastily cast an evasion technique to steady himself, pushing his spiritual sense to its limits, yet he could sense nothing at all. Granny Jing had completely disappeared. Just then, Qin Sang's heart skipped a beat as a sudden realization dawned on him. The Shaohua Mountain Granny Jing had mentioned was not the sect as a whole, but the main peak of Shaohua Mountain within the sect. The cave dwelling of the sect's Nascent Soul Patriarch, Dongyang Bo, was situated at the very summit of Shaohua Mountain! At that moment, Qin Sang understood what was meant by seeing is believing. His nerve broke. The expression on Qin Sang's face shifted continuously. Finally, steeling his resolve, he mounted his Nether Silk Cloud and flew toward the mountain gate. "Who goes there...?" As soon as he approached the mountain gate's grand array, patrolling disciples spotted his trail. The sect's vigilance had evidently tightened considerably. The mist surged, and three young disciples at the Qi Refinement stage—one male and two females—emerged from the formation. Glancing over and recognizing Qin Sang, their guarded expressions instantly softened. Bowing together in salute, they said in delight, "It is Martial Uncle Qin! We pay our respects to Martial Uncle Qin!" The fame Qin Sang had earned across the Yuncang Great Marsh had also reached the sect. Many inexperienced disciples admired him immensely. Qin Sang gave an acknowledging grunt. "I have returned on an important matter and will leave shortly. Open the formation." The three disciples exchanged glances, hesitating. "Please forgive us, Martial Uncle Qin. Some time ago, the sect master ordered that no one may have the formation opened without a waist token or an official sect master decree..." This order had surely come from Qi Yuanshou. It seemed the struggle between the Lesser Cold Domain and the Heaven-Traversing Alliance was far from over; the emergence of Heaven-Pointing Peak was merely a brief interlude. He had no idea when an end would ever be in sight. Pondering silently, Qin Sang retrieved his waist token and tossed it into the array. After inspecting Qin Sang's token, the three disciples opened the formation. Although Qin Sang felt anxious inside, he maintained an unhurried, composed facade. He first returned to his cave dwelling to make a round before setting out toward Shaohua Mountain. For Foundation Establishment disciples, Shaohua Mountain was no longer a forbidden ground. The Golden Core Masters of the sect occasionally set up altars there to expound the Dao, and the mountain featured Daoist arenas where sect disciples gathered to debate the Dao and demonstrate techniques. This was not Qin Sang's first visit. However, with the turmoil across the Lesser Cold Domain, Foundation Establishment disciples had been dispatched to various locations, leaving the Daoist arenas far emptier and quieter. *Just how does she intend to prove it?* Filled with doubts, Qin Sang quietly guided his escape light down onto the stone steps. As he reached the white jade archway, his expression abruptly shifted. Looking to the side, he noticed a woman in flowing white robes standing beside a jade pillar, appearing out of nowhere. It was as though she had materialized from nothing. Qin Sang's gaze had not overlooked a single corner, and just moments ago, that spot had been entirely empty. "Are you Granny Jing? Or..." Qin Sang's tone carried hesitation. It was no wonder he hesitated to acknowledge her. This woman bore not the slightest resemblance to Granny Jing; instead, she was identical to the wood carving Granny Jing had shown him. The living person carried even greater grace than the carving. Her pale hands were like snow, and her silky black hair fell to her waist. Dressed in unadorned white robes without a single ornament, her beauty was in no way inferior to Fairy Chenyan's. Her brows were like painted mountains, and her deep eyes carried detachment and a cool aloofness. She shared the same otherworldly grace, floating like an immortal. In the past, Fairy Chenyan was unique in his lifetime, leaving him with no standard of comparison. Seeing this woman, Qin Sang could not help but compare the two, finding a stark contrast in their demeanors. He recalled the impression Fairy Chenyan had left on him years ago: an indelible, faint melancholy gathered between her brows, and her eyes held a steadfast resolve that bordered on obstinacy. On that particular night, a touch of bewilderment that Qin Sang could not decipher had surfaced, pulling Fairy Chenyan from the heavens down into the mortal dust. This woman, however, was a true fairy of the Moon Palace, completely detached from earthly desires. Her gaze was cold and indifferent, as though witnessing all the affairs of the mortal world would never stir the faintest ripple in her heart.