Bottleneck

Qin Sang attempted to cultivate Senior Qingzhu's self-created cultivation method. Initially, the process of comprehending it went very smoothly; after all, it came from the exact same lineage as the original technique. However, when Qin Sang truly began cultivating and attempted to carve the sixth killing talisman onto his life spirit sword, he ran into a problem. First, the auxiliary effect of the new killing talisman on cultivation was inferior to that of a true killing talisman. With a true killing talisman, Qin Sang's cultivation speed should have been comparable to that of a cultivator with dual spiritual roots, truly entering the ranks of heaven's chosen. Now, there remained a considerable gap. Second, the killing talisman created by Senior Qingzhu was not completely perfected. Although Qin Sang could cultivate it, it did not fully align with him. A moment's carelessness risked collapse, placing exceedingly high demands on both the cultivator and the life spirit sword. As a result, if the ebony sword were not upgraded, it might be unable to bear the might of a complete killing talisman. In other words, midway through the mid-Core Formation stage, Qin Sang would face the awkward predicament of his life spirit sword collapsing. The bottleneck had arrived early, catching him completely off guard. The situation was even grimmer than Qin Sang had anticipated. "A bottleneck! A bottleneck! I only have a few decades left, and right now I don't even have a clue. Aimlessly searching like this, can I truly find one of the Ten Great Divine Woods? Must I really wait until I return to the Small Cold Domain and search for the Boundless Blood Mulberry in Wuya Valley?" Qin Sang awoke from meditation, looking up at the dome of his cave abode with an indifferent expression. The *Origin Soul Sword-Nurturing Chapter* was too unique. Switching to another cultivation method would not only regress his cultivation speed to that of a person with five spiritual roots, but the cost would also be unbearable—he might permanently lose the chance to assault the Nascent Soul realm. So long as there was even a sliver of hope, Qin Sang would not entertain such a thought. "The good news is that the method Senior Qingzhu created isn't as profound, and there are traces to follow. Within certain limits, even without carving the killing talisman, I can still comprehend most of its true essence. Once I find suitable spirit wood to upgrade the ebony sword, carving the killing talisman will become much easier and faster. But the time this buys me is limited as well; sooner or later, this problem will stand right before me. "There is another way: supplementing the carving of the killing talisman with artifact crafting. By continuing to delve into the Dao of artifact crafting, I should be able to carve a few more strokes. Fortunately, I had this thought earlier, preparing for a rainy day. I've already made some headway, so the prospects are promising." In the end, Qin Sang sighed. "These are all methods that treat the symptoms rather than the root cause." After contemplating for a moment, Qin Sang resumed his quiet cultivation. While cultivating, he also pondered how to approach the problem through artifact crafting to allow the ebony sword to bear more of the killing talisman. Who could have guessed that time knows no bounds in cultivation, and over two years slipped by in the blink of an eye. Throughout those two years, Qin Sang barely stepped outside his cave abode. He engaged in bitter cultivation day and night, studying artifact crafting and the Dao of restrictions. He made various attempts and suffered countless failures, ultimately working out some rudimentary crafting restrictions that could stabilize the ebony sword. This was merely an embryonic framework, with much room left for improvement. "I didn't expect that because of this cultivation method, I'd end up in seclusion here for so long. This wasn't part of the plan. There are less than three years left before the Hall of Seven Kills opens. Touring the entire Demon Sea and then heading to the Inner Sea would stretch my time far too thin; I can't just take a superficial glance around. I might as well spend the remaining time in the Demon Sea, and after emerging from the Hall of Seven Kills, stay in the Inner Sea for a while." Qin Sang stepped out of the cave abode, having made up his mind. Summoning the two-headed hou, he got his bearings, and his figure vanished across the azure sea. *** Dahuang Island. The gateway for human cultivators entering the Demon Sea. Like Tianwu Island, this island was heavily guarded and immensely vast, resembling a miniature continent. It was a rarity among islands in the Demon Sea. Not only did cultivators come and go, but mortals also farmed there. In the fifty-odd years since being teleported here, this was Qin Sang's first time setting foot on Dahuang Island. Legend had it that Dahuang Island was the first island seized by cultivators upon entering the Demon Sea, endowing it with extraordinary significance. Back then, the Demon Sea was a bona fide untamed wilderness. In truth, things were not much better now; the territory occupied by the cultivators of both races remained negligible compared to the Demon Sea as a whole. He stood before the city gates, gazing up at the colossal city. Traveling for nearly three years, Qin Sang had traversed almost all the islands of the Demon Sea, meeting with both harvests and disappointments. Whenever he arrived at a new place, the first thing Qin Sang did was inquire whether any news of the Ten Great Divine Woods had surfaced. To that end, he proactively reached out to many people, ranging from confidants of island masters to solitary, expert rogue cultivators. The Demon Sea was a treasure trove. Not only were there demon beasts, but with enough luck, one could also discover spirit herbs and wondrous flora on desolate islands that no one had ever set foot upon. For example, the six-petaled butterfly violet on Red Leaf Island. Searching for the Ten Great Divine Woods in the Demon Sea was a long shot, but by no means completely impossible. Qin Sang's evasion technique was unique, giving him the courage to venture into even the most dangerous places. Yet to his frustration, far from finding concrete information, there were not even rumors to be heard. He could only place his hopes on the Inner Sea. The Inner Sea had been occupied by cultivators since antiquity and possessed ancient heritages. Amidst various legends, perhaps clues could be found. Some top-tier sects might even possess one of the Ten Great Divine Woods hidden away from the world. Qin Sang entered the city, paying no heed to the shops. After determining his bearings, he headed with clear purpose directly toward a small courtyard within the city. *Knock, knock...* Qin Sang reached out and knocked on the main gate. The small courtyard looked no different from the neighboring compounds, and its gate was ordinary wood. However, the message Qin Sang had received from Elder Zou told him to come here to rendezvous with other cultivators from the Eastern Pole Alliance and enter the Hall of Seven Kills together. Toward a behemoth like the Eastern Pole Alliance, Qin Sang still felt considerable reverence. Although there were no signs of restrictions around the courtyard, he refrained from probing about carelessly with his spiritual sense. *Creak...* Before long, the wooden door was pushed open from the inside, and an elderly man with kind, benevolent features stepped out. "May I ask what business Senior has here?" Though the elder had only a Foundation Establishment cultivation, he was neither servile nor overbearing before Qin Sang. Qin Sang said in a gentle tone, "Old gentleman, Pindao purchased a token some time ago and arranged to pick it up here. This is Pindao's token of identification. Please inform your master." With that, Qin Sang handed over the token from the Qiongyu Guild. A sharp gleam flashed in the elder's eyes. Taking the token, he examined it carefully, and a smile appeared on his face. "So it is Daoist Qingfeng. My master has been waiting for you for quite some time. Please follow me, Daoist." Qin Sang followed the elder into the courtyard and discovered a whole world within. Several delicate wooden buildings stood inside, shimmering with the glow of restrictions that radiated extraordinary power. The elder led Qin Sang to one of the wooden buildings, cupping his hands. "My master is currently out visiting a guest and will not return until dusk. Please rest here for a moment, Daoist." "Very well." Qin Sang nodded, coming to a halt before the building and looking toward the other wooden buildings. From those buildings, Qin Sang sensed faint, concealed auras. It seemed some had already arrived.