Chapter 1010: Yuan Ying Arrives

"Violet Palace, Seven Kills Hall... they appear to be the work of the same person!"

Qin Sang paused, lost in thought. "It seems these two places are connected by more than just teleportation arrays; they must share a significant origin. No wonder the Violet Palace holds the 'Soul Cultivating Sword Chapter,' while the Heavenly Pagoda in the Seven Kills Hall preserves sword intent from the same source. Given this, could the Seven Kills Hall also contain the 'Soul Cultivating Sword Chapter'?"

Qin Sang then considered that even if it were there, finding it would be incredibly difficult. Access to the Seven Kills Hall's inner sanctum is only granted every few centuries, and this time, the interval is the shortest, still over a hundred years. It's said that the inner sanctum is larger and more dangerous than the outer hall, and the exploration time allowed each visit is limited. By his reckoning, Senior Azure Bamboo must have entered the Seven Kills Hall's inner sanctum twice, yet his writings on the sword path indicate he never found the subsequent cultivation methods.

"At lower cultivation levels, when one lacks sufficient power and a patron to provide resources, talent dictates everything. After reaching Nascent Soul, I shouldn't be as helpless as before. There are countless paths to cultivation, and the immortal world holds myriad possibilities! However, without the boost from the Kill Talismans, my cultivation journey will undoubtedly be much harder than for those with superior talent. Fortunately, I already possess two top-tier magic treasures as a foundation, so my strength is comparable to others. I can use this to slowly seek a solution."

Qin Sang gazed in the direction of the inner sanctum, his eyes gleaming. "If the Seven Kills Hall and the Violet Palace haven't undergone any strange transformations, once I achieve Nascent Soul, I'll be able to freely travel between the two places and search thoroughly within the inner sanctum..." Just then, a sharp whooshing sound startled Qin Sang from his thoughts.

Qin Sang turned his head and saw a streak of light not far away, heading towards the inner sanctum entrance, just like him. Its aura was powerful, indicating a Nascent Soul cultivator. Qin Sang silently grew wary, dimming his own light and flying discreetly. The Nascent Soul cultivator didn't spare him a glance, passing him in the blink of an eye.

At this moment, more and more streaks of light flashed among the outer hall's mountains, most of them heading straight for the inner sanctum entrance. Seeing this, Qin Sang quickly accelerated. Flying past the Heavenly Pagoda, Qin Sang soon reached the edge of the immortal restriction and saw the full view of the Seven Kills Hall palace.

The palace was very dilapidated, with one corner collapsed. The plaque was mottled, its ink peeling, with many worn and cracked areas, exuding an ancient aura. In front of the palace was a plaza paved with white jade, large enough to accommodate several hundred people. This was not the plaza's original boundary; the abrupt broken edges suggested it had been severed by the immortal restriction, leaving only a portion behind. Surprisingly, the white jade on the plaza was pristine and looked new, smooth as a mirror, reflecting figures clearly.

By this time, there were already dozens of people on the plaza. Qin Sang landed at the edge of the plaza, hesitated for a moment, then stepped in. As soon as he set foot on the plaza, he suddenly felt a peculiar sensation, as if some sort of wave had swept over him. Alarmed, Qin Sang quickly performed an inner inspection, then checked his Corpse Puppet Pouch and Primordial Harmonizing Ring. Only after finding nothing unusual did he relent.

Some people noticed Qin Sang and looked over. Qin Sang's power was not outwardly apparent; without activating his Heavenly Demon Transformation, he simply appeared to be an ordinary late-stage Core Formation cultivator. Those who observed him gave him a quick glance, then lost interest. This suited Qin Sang perfectly.

He discreetly moved behind the crowd, standing in a corner of the plaza, and with a sweeping glance, took in the entire area. As he entered, more and more people arrived, and the number of cultivators on the plaza gradually increased.

"The cultivators gathered here must represent a portion of humanity's peak power..." Qin Sang mused inwardly. Leaving aside the Nascent Soul Grandmasters, every Core Formation cultivator on the plaza was not to be underestimated; mid-stage Core Formation cultivators were actually a minority. However, considering the vastness of the Canglang Sea and the prosperity of the human race, it wasn't surprising to see so many experts.

"Spirit Pearl!" Qin Sang began observing carefully and immediately spotted a familiar figure. He noticed that the cultivators' positions were very deliberate; it was easy to discern who belonged to the same group, standing together and conversing cheerfully. There were also those clearly at odds, keeping a distance from each other.

"Led by Spirit Pearl, they must be cultivators of the righteous path." Qin Sang scanned the Nascent Soul cultivators; some he could identify their sect origins by their appearance, while others wore plain robes, making their identities impossible to confirm. The Core Formation disciples of the righteous path stood exceptionally docilely behind their Nascent Soul masters, chatting with acquaintances. Qin Sang didn't see Ning Wuhui, so she probably hadn't arrived yet.

"On the other side of the plaza, furthest from the righteous path, must be the demonic cultivators," Qin Sang shifted his gaze. He noticed one person standing silently in front of them with hands clasped behind their back. All the demonic Nascent Soul cultivators stood respectfully behind them, not daring to disturb. Even just from their back, one could sense their extraordinary aura.

"To command such respect from all the demonic cultivators, this person must be the Demonic Lord," Qin Sang's gaze shifted between Spirit Pearl and the Demonic Lord. "I didn't expect both the Demonic Lord and Spirit Pearl to come personally. The Seven Kills Hall truly lives up to its reputation as a human sacred ground!" Qin Sang mused inwardly.

Between the righteous and demonic paths were waves of other cultivators, a mixed bag of various backgrounds. Their numbers were comparable to, or even surpassed, the righteous and demonic cultivators, and their strength was considerable. It seemed there were quite a few factions who wished to avoid involvement in the conflict between the righteous and demonic paths. As Qin Sang silently speculated about their identities, the number of cultivators on the plaza continued to grow.

Two cultivators stood beside Qin Sang. One of them curiously surveyed his surroundings, looking around, until he finally remembered what felt off. "Brother Shen, why are there no Witch Clan cultivators on the plaza this time? I recall when I last visited the Seven Kills Hall, there were quite a few Witch Clan cultivators, even their Grand Shaman Priest was present."

The other cultivator, surnamed Shen, chuckled. "They might want to come in, but only if they're suicidal! Brother Lu, you might not know this, but the inner sanctum is only open to human cultivators. If Witch Clan cultivators or transformed demon beasts dare to even set half a foot inside, they'll immediately be detected by the grand formation on the plaza. Anyone who dares to force their way in will be instantly killed!"

Hearing this, the cultivator surnamed Lu was startled and quickly scanned the entire plaza. "Brother Lu, there's no need to look. Even if this grand formation isn't an ancient immortal array, it must have been left behind by a powerful human expert. It usually remains hidden, only revealing its power when triggered. This is precisely why the Seven Kills Hall is our human sacred ground. I heard that they previously only opened the outer hall to the Witch Clan to win them over and have them share the pressure from the demon race in the Demon Sea. But the inner sanctum is sealed by immortal restrictions, and with only this one entrance, the Witch Clan cultivators wouldn't dare enter!" The cultivator surnamed Shen stated emphatically, a proud expression on his face.

Qin Sang, overhearing their conversation, finally understood the nature of the strange sensation he had felt earlier. The White Crane, controlled by his Primordial Harmonizing Ring, was considered his spirit beast. As for Mute Girl and Bai, they bore the Heavenly Corpse Talismans he had personally refined, also making them considered his subordinates. It was precisely because of this that he hadn't triggered the grand formation. Qin Sang couldn't help but feel fortunate.