Poison Spring

*Bang!* Thunder Ghost Elder kicked open the doors to the Sect Master Hall. Sweeping his gaze across the room, he suddenly caught sight of a young man leisurely sipping tea inside and froze in his tracks. Outside the hall, he had sensed not the slightest hint of an aura. Unless the hall possessed some special restriction, that meant... Thunder Ghost Elder stepped into the hall, but just as his other foot lifted, his body went rigid. He could neither retreat nor advance. Seeing Thunder Ghost Elder stride imperiously into the hall only to abruptly halt and block the doorway without moving, the others were thoroughly bewildered. Just as they were about to urge him forward, a sharp *crack* rang out. All they saw was an illusory palm strike Thunder Ghost Elder violently, sending him spinning backward like a top and hurtling into a peak at the edge of the Five Insects Sect in the blink of an eye. *Boom!* Dust billowed into the air, and shattered rocks tumbled down. Thunder Ghost Elder's shrill scream echoed alongside his flight through the sky, melodious and lingering on without end. "Not good! An ambush!" The others turned pale with fright and hastily summoned their respective magic tools. In an instant, dazzling rays of light burst forth outside the Five Insects Sect's Sect Master Hall; the grounds had never been so lively. They had been convinced that Cui Xuanzi was merely putting up an empty bluff just as before. Moreover, with so many experts on their side, they had not feared whatever tricks he might have up his sleeve, and thus had taken few precautions. With Thunder Ghost Elder suddenly ambushed, the shocked crowd fell into disarray, each fighting for themselves without any order. Some retreated warily, some spurred their magic tools and natal gu insects to strike at the hall, while most swarmed to attack Cui Xuanzi. The next instant, the space before the hall doors rippled into an illusion, and the figure of a young man materialized. Just as those magic tools and insect gu were about to strike Qin Sang, he snorted coldly and made a casual grasping motion. His dense true essence surged outward, instantly locking down the space before him. Those magic tools and gu insects were like fish trapped in a net, unable to break free no matter how they struggled. *Whoosh!* A flash of sword light suddenly erupted. *Bang! Bang...* Continuous explosions rang out. Like a single thread, the sword light strung the magic tools and insect gu together, effortlessly destroying them all in the blink of an eye! "Ah!" With their mentally linked insect gu slain, their masters suffered the backlash, unable to hold back agonized screams. "Noisy!" Qin Sang snorted coldly. Accompanied by faint rumbles of thunder, the ebony sword flickered and charged into the crowd. A few blossoms of blood burst forth as body after body collapsed to the ground in rapid succession. The aura of a Core Formation stage cultivator was laid bare in all its glory! Instantly, absolute silence descended upon the Five Insects Sect. Qin Sang's gaze was sharp as a blade. Wherever his eyes swept, everyone shivered in terror. Cui Xuanzi was also frightened out of his wits. He had never expected Qin Sang's swordsmanship to be so terrifying—it was like cutting melons and chopping vegetables. Though he had likewise just formed his core, he was vastly stronger than his martial uncle back then. Qin Sang had shown mercy to Jinglei Stockade and Hundred Flowers Palace because he still needed them to run errands. With their foundations intact, he had no fear of them daring to openly agree while covertly disobeying. As for the rogue cultivators who had been invited, Cui Xuanzi recognized most of them as roaming brigands—defiant, unruly, and naturally cruel, their hands stained with blood. Slaying them carried no moral burden. Such people acted without scruples. Though not entirely useless, they were not what Qin Sang needed; right now, stability was paramount. Killing them all and refining them into corpses would allow them to serve a residual purpose later when searching for insects and exploring secret realms. Qin Sang had only four Heavenly Corpse Talismans in hand: one left over from before, and the other three refined from the soul-attracting grass obtained in exchange for the Ziwei Secret Talisman. Before discerning the true state of affairs in the Boundless Ocean, Qin Sang felt it best to use them sparingly. None of these brigands were False Core stage cultivators, so he was naturally unwilling to waste Heavenly Corpse Talismans on them. If the neighboring factions of the Bear Mountain region learned that the notorious brigands who had caused them so much dread and grief had been wiped out in one fell swoop, they would surely clap and cheer. ... Inside the Sect Master Hall. Qin Sang sat serenely at the head of the hall, while Cui Xuanzi, Elder Jinglei, and the alluring woman stood below. Seeing that Qin Sang had not wiped out Jinglei Stockade and Hundred Flowers Palace as he had hoped, Cui Xuanzi looked somewhat sullen, but he dared not say a word. The other two were still shaken to their core. They had never imagined that Cui Xuanzi was not playing a trick—the wolf had truly arrived. "...The stockade and sect are still yours. But if anyone trades on my prestige and stirs up trouble outside, do not expect me to step in and save you. I merely need hands to run errands and will not linger in the Western Frontier for long; I have no interest in interfering in your squabbles. However, I do not wish for chaos and internal friction to affect my major undertakings. Since our fellow Daoist of the Five Insects Sect set down the rules, follow them from now on. Do you understand?" Hearing this, Elder Jinglei and the alluring woman exchanged a glance, the dread in their hearts easing somewhat. Though Cui Xuanzi felt dissatisfied, this outcome was already far better than having a humiliating treaty forced upon him. All three cupped their fists in acknowledgment. Composing herself, the alluring woman looked at Qin Sang with immense charm. She let out a soft laugh, her voice exceedingly sweet and seductive, stirring the flames of desire in one's heart. "Our Hundred Flowers Palace will naturally obey the young master's commands. This concubine has long yearned for someone of your stature to take our Hundred Flowers Palace under your wing. I wonder when the young master might grace our Hundred Flowers Palace with a visit..." As she spoke, a faint, intoxicating floral fragrance wafted from her body. Suddenly, a cold snort exploded like thunder beside her ear. As if struck by lightning, the alluring woman turned deathly pale, her radiant beauty drained of color. She dared not utter another word. Daring to employ charm arts before him—truly courting death! Qin Sang looked at her coldly. With the jade Buddha protecting him, such petty tricks had no effect on him whatsoever. After warning the alluring woman, Qin Sang returned to business. "If you handle these matters well for me, there will naturally be rewards for you." Qin Sang waved his sleeve, and talisman treasures, magic tools, and spirit pills appeared one after another. He looked at them with a faint, knowing smile. With intimidation first and enticement following, he had no fear of them failing to do their utmost. ... Black Wind Valley. Situated between the Five Insects Sect and the other two factions, it had always been contested territory. Originally, they had agreed to take turns every ten years, maintaining peace for a time, until the Five Insects Sect produced a Golden Core cultivator, which broke the rule. Qin Sang and Cui Xuanzi stood at the entrance, looking inside. Two towering mountain ranges flanked Black Wind Valley, squeezing it between them. Blocked from sunlight, it remained shrouded in darkness year-round. Yin winds blew through the valley in gust after gust. It was clearly very deep; according to Cui Xuanzi, it had not been so treacherous originally, but had been excavated step-by-step during the mining of the spirit stone vein. "Take me to see the poison spring first," Qin Sang said. In his search for an ancient teleportation array, he would not overlook any anomaly. Having searched the Bear Mountain region to no avail, Qin Sang knew he could not remain trapped here indefinitely. He had already made arrangements with Cui Xuanzi and the others and prepared to head deep into the Western Frontier immediately to search for insects and investigate secret realms. Passing by Black Wind Valley, he decided to drop in for a look. Due to the yin winds, Black Wind Valley could only be entered through its entrance, where the Five Insects Sect had set up tight guard posts and spirit arrays. Without waiting for Cui Xuanzi, Qin Sang executed his movement technique and plummeted straight toward the valley floor. Soon enough, Qin Sang sensed the aura of the poison spring. Located in a corner of Black Wind Valley, it covered a vast area, resembling an underground lake whose waters were crystal clear to the bottom.