Chapter 1000: Ten-Year Agreement

Inside the cave dwelling.

Qin Sang had just taken his seat when he asked aloud, "What is the relationship between Fellow Daoist Ning and Senior Azure Bamboo?"

Ning Wuhui only possessed Core Formation stage cultivation, so Qin Sang speculated that he might be Senior Azure Bamboo's successor.

As if guessing Qin Sang's thoughts, Ning Wuhui said, "The senior has never truly taken on disciples. However, all cultivators who have received favors on Spirit Turtle Island treat him with the respect due to a master. May I ask when and where you met?"

Ning Wuhui leaned slightly forward, his voice urgent.

"Last time, when the Seven Kills Hall opened, in the Heavenly Pagoda..." Qin Sang didn't conceal anything and described the circumstances of his encounter with Senior Azure Bamboo.

"Senior Azure Bamboo was not in a good state. Another consciousness within him had taken over, bloodthirsty, cruel, and thoroughly demonic, like a demonic soul."

Upon hearing this, the expectation in Ning Wuhui's eyes gradually faded. His brow furrowed, and after a long moment of contemplation, he asked, "He didn't ask Fellow Daoist Qin to deliver any message?"

"No," Qin Sang shook his head. "At that time, the senior could only temporarily suppress the other consciousness with great difficulty. He had intended to form a crystal bead for me to bring back to Fellow Daoist Ning, but it was destroyed by the other consciousness. Furthermore, he couldn't speak of true secrets or even think carelessly, as his thoughts would be captured by the other consciousness."

"I see. Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for bringing back this information." Ning Wuhui took a deep breath, cupped his hands to Qin Sang, then changed his tone and asked, "Fellow Daoist Qin, since you've personally come to visit, you must have another important matter to discuss, correct?"

Qin Sang still had many questions, but seeing Ning Wuhui's apparent disinclination to explain, he didn't press further. Instead, he stated his purpose: "Fellow Daoist, your insight is sharp. Indeed, I have a matter I wished to consult Senior Azure Bamboo about, but since he cannot explain it in person, he instructed me to seek you out."

"Oh?" Ning Wuhui was somewhat surprised. "Please, Fellow Daoist, speak freely. I will tell you everything I know."

"Inside the inner hall of the Seven Kills Hall, there is a teleportation array that is very important to me. Only Senior Azure Bamboo knows the location of this ancient teleportation array..."

Since he was asking for a favor, Qin Sang felt it was best not to hide anything and spoke honestly. Ning Wuhui, being trusted by Senior Azure Bamboo, should be reliable.

Unexpectedly, Ning Wuhui looked troubled and said, "Fellow Daoist, you may have misunderstood. I don't know much about the Seven Kills Hall, nor have I ever heard the senior mention a teleportation array."

Qin Sang's heart sank. Ning Wuhui's expression didn't seem feigned. Senior Azure Bamboo was trapped by the demonic soul, and it was uncertain how long it would take him to break free. Ning Wuhui knew nothing about this. If Senior Azure Bamboo couldn't suppress the demonic soul, would Qin Sang never be able to return?

The grudges and complexities in the Small Cold Domain were secondary. He had now reached the late Core Formation stage, and his cultivation techniques and nascent spirit sword were no longer issues. He was about to face the bottleneck of Nascent Soul formation. Everything was ready except for the last crucial element; the Nine Illusory Heavenly Orchid was extremely important to him.

Ning Wuhui stood up and paced back and forth, seemingly contemplating something important. A moment later, he said to Qin Sang, "The senior sending Fellow Daoist Qin to find me surely has a profound meaning. Given that, there's no need for me to conceal it any longer. The next time the Seven Kills Hall opens, I must personally go to the inner hall. If I'm not mistaken, he might want Fellow Daoist Qin to enter the Seven Kills Hall with me."

"Is that Senior Azure Bamboo's intention?" Qin Sang's eyes brightened, and he instantly made a connection, asking in surprise, "Is there a way in the inner hall for the senior to suppress the demonic soul and resolve the hidden danger?"

Ning Wuhui shook his head and said, "I don't know much; I'm simply following orders. If Fellow Daoist Qin intends to accompany me, we can arrange a meeting place before the Seven Kills Hall opens. However, the interval between the Seven Kills Hall's appearances has significantly shortened again. It's said that its next spontaneous opening might be in just over ten years. Fellow Daoist should prepare early. The Seven Kills Hall is not a benevolent place, especially its inner hall, which is a perilous area that even Nascent Soul Grandmasters speak of with dread..."

"Just over ten years? That quick?" Qin Sang was startled by this, as it greatly exceeded his expectations. He had initially thought he would have to wait another fifty years, by which time his cultivation would be close to the peak of the Core Formation stage, allowing him to prepare for Nascent Soul formation upon returning to the Small Cold Domain.

"I heard this from a Nascent Soul Grandmaster in my sect, so it should be true. The Seven Kills Hall is appearing earlier and earlier, and it's hard to say what it will become in the future," Ning Wuhui sighed.

Qin Sang unconsciously tapped his fingers on the table, his gaze fixed in deep thought for a long time. He truly hadn't expected the Seven Kills Hall to appear so soon; all his plans were instantly disrupted.

Ten years certainly wouldn't be enough time to refine a new outer body avatar. He would also need to return to the demonic sea to capture a spirit beast, and there likely wouldn't be time for careful selection. During this period, cultivation wasn't the most important priority.

His cultivation and physical body had only recently broken through their respective stages, so even with ten years of arduous cultivation, his strength wouldn't make a significant leap. He could, however, gather some resources scarce in the Small Cold Domain to make a fortune upon his return, such as demonic cores, demonic bones, and fiend cores.

Fiend cores, in particular, had the miraculous effect of increasing the chances of forming a core, so they would undoubtedly fetch a high price and offer excellent value. However, when selling fiend cores, he absolutely couldn't expose his identity, or it would lead to significant trouble.

These thoughts flickered through Qin Sang's mind, then he suppressed them. Whether he could even return to the Small Cold Domain was still unknown.

Afterward, the two discussed in private for a long time. Two days later, Ning Wuhui personally saw Qin Sang off the mountain.

After bidding farewell to Ning Wuhui, Qin Sang flew for a distance, then looked around. His escape light shifted, and he vanished into a mountain range.

Soon, Qin Sang appeared before a dense forest. As his escape light arrived, Bai's voice came from within: "Fellow Daoist, what was the outcome of your trip?"

Before he finished speaking, Bai flashed out from the dense forest. He glanced behind Qin Sang, and seeing no pursuers, he waved his hand toward the forest. Dozens of streams of light flew out and vanished into his palm. To be safe, before setting off, Qin Sang and Bai had meticulously set up a spirit array. In case they were pursued by a Nascent Soul Grandmaster, they could use the array to trap the opponent for a while. Now, it was no longer needed.

Qin Sang's figure flickered repeatedly, landing before Bai. "I met the main person, and I have some leads regarding the ancient teleportation array. But there's news, whether good or bad, I don't know: the Seven Kills Hall might appear in just over ten years..."

Bai hadn't expected it to be so soon either, and he said with surprise, "So, in ten years, you'll be able to return to the Small Cold Domain?"

"I don't know what arrangements Senior Azure Bamboo has. Whether I can return still depends on whether the hidden danger within Senior Azure Bamboo can be resolved."

Qin Sang hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Fellow Daoist Bai, what are your plans? Will you come with me to the Small Cold Domain to find a way to break the Heavenly Corpse Talisman, or will you stay in Canglang Sea to search for your memories?"

The teleportation array is located within the Seven Kills Hall. Only when the Seven Kills Hall appears spontaneously can one travel between the two places. If an unpredictable anomaly occurs with the Seven Kills Hall, this passage might be severed. Bai's origin is inextricably linked to the Seven Kills Hall, and since the Seven Kills Hall is near Canglang Sea, the chances of finding his memories there are definitely much greater than anywhere else.