Immortal Aunt Yue

Qin Sang noted that in Elder Zou's words, the Hall of Seven Kills would reopen in a little over forty years. The time had finally been set, and it was even sooner than anticipated! It was still spearheaded by the Witch Clan. Within a single century, the Hall of Seven Kills would open twice. By convention, the Hall of Seven Kills had emerged naturally on its own with intervals of less than three hundred years between the previous two occasions. Did this not mean that before the Hall of Seven Kills manifested on its own next time, he could enter it multiple times? Paying such a steep price to open the Hall of Seven Kills in succession—what on earth was the Witch Clan searching for? Last time, the Grand Shaman had obtained a secret treasure inside the Heaven Tower and was pursued by the Demon Lord, nearly provoking a war between the two races. Could it be that this secret treasure was not what they sought after all? Whatever the Witch Clan was plotting, it had nothing to do with Qin Sang. The more times he could enter the Hall of Seven Kills, the better. It would allow him to uncover all its secrets and locate the ancient teleportation array before the hall emerged on its own. Qin Sang naturally gave his full assent to Elder Zou's request. "Hairy Mountain Vine, Green Overgrowth Root... Scorpion Venom Herb..." Elder Zou pondered for a long time. "Your elder brother has truly never encountered these herbs before. Allow me to look into it once I get back. Right now, numerous cultivators are trapped in the Demon Sea, and rare treasures are constantly surfacing on Dahuang Island, so the chances are high. The order to hold Dahuang Island came from both the righteous and demonic paths, and the Three Great Merchant Alliances are strictly abiding by it as well. Stay on this island for now, Brother, and keep calm. The demon race surely won't be mad enough to launch a genuine assault against Dahuang Island; this storm will blow over sooner or later. Although this island lies on the perimeter, there is no need to worry about your safety for the time being. I will look for a way as we go." Qin Sang had his eyes on the Hairy Mountain Vine, but unable to speak of it openly, he could only drop subtle hints and ask Elder Zou to help scout for news. As for leaving the Demon Sea, accomplishing that in the short term would be very difficult. After seeing Elder Zou off, Qin Sang sat cross-legged outside his cave dwelling, holding the bone flute and drawing upon the astral energy of the heavenly circuit to cultivate. Whenever his turn came, he led his squad out from the island on patrol. While waiting for news, Qin Sang did not abandon his own efforts either, contacting past acquaintances in search of a way out. With each passing day, the situation on Dahuang Island grew increasingly fraught. Traces of demons appeared with alarming frequency in the surrounding waters. Contrary to expectations, after their setback at Tianwu Island, the demon race seemed to have genuinely gone mad, even setting their sights on Dahuang Island. More and more demon beasts converged in the area. During a patrol, Qin Sang had even sensed a terrifying aura suspected to belong to a Transformation stage great demon, and had immediately led his troops to flee for their lives. A storm was brewing. If this continued, before long Dahuang Island would be tightly encircled by a beast tide, with a massive battle ready to erupt at any moment. By now, practically no cultivators were able to pierce through the demon beasts' blockade and escape back here. Those stranded deep within the Demon Sea faced an uncertain fate. Having waited anxiously for so long, Qin Sang finally received word from Elder Zou. The moment his patrol duties ended that day, he flew eagerly toward the island where Elder Zou resided. "Brother, you're here!" Elder Zou welcomed him warmly. During this time, Qin Sang had acceded to every request Elder Zou made without giving away his own secrets, drafting topographical maps of the Hall of Seven Kills and appraising all sorts of information for him. The relationship between the two had grown quite close. "I found the Hairy Mountain Vine you wanted. Our merchant alliance happens to have it!" Elder Zou whispered with a secretive expression. Qin Sang had long known that the Eastern Pole Alliance possessed the vine, yet he still feigned immense joy and asked urgently, "Where is it now?" "Do not be hasty, Brother." Elder Zou held his tongue and led Qin Sang into the cave dwelling. He shut the entrance door and laid down several layers of sound-insulating restrictions in succession. Such precautions surprised Qin Sang, but he held his patience and waited. Sitting across from Qin Sang, Elder Zou dropped the suspense and lowered his voice. "Although the Hairy Mountain Vine has been found, getting your hands on it will not be easy. The merchant alliance places great importance on it, so it cannot be purchased with spirit stones. There is only one way forward..." Qin Sang leaned forward. "A senior of the alliance is currently gathering people to venture deep into the Demon Sea to rescue someone. If you can accompany that senior and bring the person back, the Hairy Mountain Vine will be part of the reward. Furthermore, that senior possesses considerable clout and has promised that once the deed is done, they can send the rescuers back to the Canglang Sea to escape this calamity." Elder Zou paused, then said gravely, "While looking for the Hairy Mountain Vine, that senior approached me and invited me to go along. I have not turned her down yet. If you agree to these conditions, I can take you to meet her. There is no need for me to remind you how dangerous it is to enter the depths of the Demon Sea right now; you must give this careful thought, Brother." A trip into the depths of the Demon Sea would not only secure the Hairy Mountain Vine, but also allow him to leave the Demon Sea. Qin Sang's interest was piqued at once. With his Heavenly Demon Transformation, he had no fear of being stranded in the Demon Sea, so making the journey was well within reason. However, if even Elder Zou addressed this person as Senior, could it be a Nascent Soul Patriarch? After inquiring thoroughly into the circumstances, Qin Sang breathed a sigh of relief. The person was known as Immortal Aunt Yue, a senior of great prestige. She was not in the Nascent Soul stage, but rather trapped at the bottleneck before Nascent Soul formation. Immortal Aunt Yue commanded considerable respect, and having received favors from her in the past, Elder Zou respectfully addressed her as Senior. Were she a Nascent Soul Patriarch, the journey likely would not be as straightforward as merely rescuing someone, and Qin Sang would have had to weigh his options far more carefully. So long as it did not involve the struggles of Nascent Soul experts, Qin Sang was confident in his ability to manage. Thus, without hesitating for long, he asked Elder Zou to take him to see Immortal Aunt Yue. Since it was Qin Sang's own decision, Elder Zou urged him no further and led the way. Immortal Aunt Yue was currently staying on an island adjacent to Dahuang Island. When the two arrived to call on her, they discovered that she was already receiving guests—two of them, both of whom were late Core Formation stage experts! "Fellow Daoist Zou, have you thought it through and agreed to come with this old woman?" Immortal Aunt Yue was an old woman with white hair. Dense wrinkles covered her face, and her advanced age was starkly apparent, shrouded in an air of decline. For such an appearance to manifest on an expert at the peak of the Core Formation stage, it was clear that her vital essence was failing and her lifespan was drawing to a close. Seeing Elder Zou, Immortal Aunt Yue's eyes brightened with keen anticipation. Elder Zou shook his head and gestured toward Qin Sang. "Senior Yue, I have not come for my own sake this time. This younger brother of mine goes by the Daoist name Qingfeng. His strength is extraordinary, and he may well be able to lend Senior a helping hand." The smile on Immortal Aunt Yue's face vanished. Sweeping a glance over Qin Sang, she said in a displeased tone, "Fellow Daoist Zou, the person this old woman wishes to rescue is of utmost importance to me. This is no child's play!" The other two wore expressions of amused detachment, watching the spectacle unfold. "Senior, pray quell your anger," Elder Zou replied unhurriedly. "I have good reason to recommend my brother here. Cultivation level is merely superficial; fellow Daoists capable of fighting above their realm are by no means rare. My brother has entered the Hall of Seven Kills and retreated unscathed—is that not proof enough of his strength? Since Senior has been struggling to find suitable candidates, why not let my brother give it a try?" Immortal Aunt Yue let out a soft exclamation of surprise and set aside her disdain. "You have been to the Hall of Seven Kills?" "Indeed!" Qin Sang nodded. Taking the cue from Elder Zou's earlier nudge, he flicked his finger. The ebony sword flew out from his palm and differentiated into several sword lights, showcasing his fierce swordsmanship. In an instant, the chamber was suffused with a hazy cyan glow. Countless sword shadows flickered in and out of existence, as if the room had become a domain of swords. "Sword light differentiation!" Immortal Aunt Yue exhaled slowly. The other two cultivators turned equally solemn, sitting up straight.