Chapter 1038: Reminders and Deals

Su Nü?

A hint of surprise flickered in Qin Sang's eyes.

He had once saved Su Nü on the Profound Ice Plain, and was very familiar with her voice.

This earth spirit was actually a puppet controlled by Su Nü.

"Who are you, fellow Daoist?"

Qin Sang's eyes narrowed slightly; he gave nothing away.

As other earth spirits charged forward, Qin Sang swung his arm. His ebony sword released several sword beams, engaging the army of earth spirits.

The earth spirit controlled by Su Nü also feigned an attack on Qin Sang.

Ming Wei, standing beside Qin Sang, noticed the earth spirit's unusual behavior. Secretly surprised, she glanced at the spirit, then at Qin Sang, wondering with whom he was communicating.

"Fellow Daoist, you saved my life not long ago. Have you forgotten me so quickly?"

A delicate facial silhouette briefly appeared on the earth spirit's face, a fleeting image of Su Nü.

"You must have mistaken me for someone else, fellow Daoist," Qin Sang denied.

When he had rescued Su Nü, he wore a mask to conceal his identity and had activated the Heavenly Demon Transformation. His appearance and aura at that time were vastly different from his current state.

Su Nü had actually seen through his disguise!

This was completely unexpected for Qin Sang.

"There's no need to deny it, fellow Daoist. My cultivation method is unique, granting me extremely keen senses. Outside the Soul-Confusing Cave, I detected that your aura was identical to that of my rescuer – it's the same person. I simply didn't have an opportunity to approach you then."

Su Nü quickly clarified the reason.

Qin Sang sighed inwardly, realizing that the ancient devil's cultivation methods were indeed insidious if his disguise could be seen through so easily.

After a moment of silence, Qin Sang decided not to deny it further. "Fellow Daoist, since you've possessed an earth spirit to seek me out, what is it that you wish to discuss?"

"My divided consciousness can only be maintained for a limited time, so let's be brief."

Su Nü spoke rapidly, a hint of urgency in her voice. "Fellow Daoist, your life-saving grace is something I'll never forget. I wanted to warn you that a great calamity is about to unfold here. Do not, under any circumstances, participate in the struggle for the Soul Cleansing Liquid. Take my advice and leave this secret cave immediately!"

Qin Sang was taken aback, his mind filled with suspicion.

His intervention had been prompted by Bai's reminder, not solely by a desire to save lives, so he hadn't expected Su Nü to repay his kindness.

"What great calamity are you speaking of, fellow Daoist? To ask me to abandon a treasure of this magnitude based on your mere words, isn't that a bit presumptuous? If your East Pole Alliance wishes to clear obstacles through such means, you should approach Blood Bat and Daoist Master Xiaoyun. I am but a lone individual, posing no threat to you."

Su Nü quickly interjected, "I've personally witnessed your strength, fellow Daoist, and I know it's formidable. However, this Soul Cleansing Liquid truly cannot be fought for! Have you noticed the masked individual among us? Do you know his identity? He is Venerable Ye of the East Pole Alliance—a Nascent Soul Grandmaster!"

"What did you say?"

Su Nü's revelation was utterly shocking. Qin Sang's heart abruptly lurched, and his entire body tensed.

He sharply looked up, his gaze fixed on the seal at the center of the secret cave.

Not only cultivators near the light barrier, but also those further away were activating their magical treasures or Daoist techniques to attack the seal. The light barrier formed by the seal trembled slightly.

Among them was the masked figure, Venerable Ye, as Su Nü had called him.

"This is a trial realm for Core Formation cultivators. How could a Nascent Soul Grandmaster possibly appear here? There has never been such a precedent throughout history; it's absolutely preposterous!"

Qin Sang scoffed, disbelieving Su Nü's words.

"Before entering the Seven Kill Hall, did you see anyone like that beside me, fellow Daoist?"

Su Nü countered, sighing, "If I were in your place, I'd also think I was talking nonsense. But this is precisely what I witnessed with my own eyes. The celestial phenomenon that appeared in the trial realm recently was caused by his unauthorized entry..."

Su Nü then elaborated on the entire situation.

Her account was rich in detail and stood up to scrutiny.

Qin Sang carefully recalled the scene in the plaza; indeed, there had been no such individual beside Su Nü. Could that person truly be Venerable Ye?

Coupled with the recent celestial phenomenon, Qin Sang found himself increasingly doubtful.

"Venerable Ye snuck in here just to compete for the Soul Cleansing Liquid?"

Qin Sang still couldn't believe it.

Su Nü asserted that Venerable Ye had paid an immense price to infiltrate the realm. A mere few bottles of Soul Cleansing Liquid would hardly justify such a massive undertaking by the East Pole Alliance.

"He has another objective; obtaining the Soul Cleansing Liquid is merely incidental."

Su Nü let out a soft sigh. "Before Venerable Ye makes his move, I truly have no way to prove anything. Once the seal begins to break, fellow Daoist, you will know whether I am trustworthy or not. I have said all I can. Whether you choose to believe me or not is beyond my control; I only hope you won't blame me in the end."

Su Nü's words were uttered with such sincerity that Qin Sang genuinely felt a sense of uncertainty.

Yet, to abandon the Soul Cleansing Liquid and miss the chance to form a Nascent Soul, based on just a few sentences, was something he couldn't simply accept.

As Qin Sang hesitated,

Su Nü mused, "If you're unwilling to give up the Soul Cleansing Liquid, fellow Daoist, there might be a way to avoid unnecessary risk. Perhaps I can make a deal with you."

Qin Sang's eyes gleamed. "I'm listening."

"Venerable Ye has already promised to give me one bottle of the Soul Cleansing Liquid in the end. I am willing to give it to you, fellow Daoist."

Su Nü stated decisively, seemingly unconcerned about the Soul Cleansing Liquid.

Qin Sang was intrigued, but he only believed about twenty percent of Su Nü's words. "Do you not know the value of the Soul Cleansing Liquid? I doubt I possess any treasure comparable to it."

"Of course I know," she replied. "It merely aids in forming a Nascent Soul! But if I lose my life, forming a Nascent Soul would be like grasping at the moon's reflection in a well. What good would the Soul Cleansing Liquid do me then?"

Su Nü spoke with a hint of sorrow.

This piqued Qin Sang's curiosity.

Su Nü's tone didn't sound like a pretense.

"I don't understand what you mean, fellow Daoist. Given your standing in the East Pole Alliance, who could possibly threaten your life?"

"What if I told you that the ones seeking my life are precisely the East Pole Alliance?"

An unusual gleam flickered within the earth spirit's hollow eye sockets.

Qin Sang frowned.

While others might not know, Qin Sang was well aware that Immortal Maiden Yue had once spent over half her fortune to rescue Su Nü from the Demon Island.

Later, Su Nü had ascended from the Foundation Establishment stage to late Core Formation in just a few decades, indicating the East Pole Alliance had surely invested a vast amount of resources in her.

Why would they nurture such a highly talented disciple only to then kill her?

Unaware of Qin Sang's expression, Su Nü continued, "Outsiders would surely never believe what I've been through. Back then, I was just a young maiden, fortunate enough to encounter an immortal destiny. I was then taken in as a disciple by a revered senior, and I met many fellow cultivators. I believed I was finally embarking on the path to immortality, destined for great achievements. But I never imagined that person harbored such a venomous heart. She used us, her fellow disciples, as sacrifices, leveraging true demonic energy to establish a demonic array. Her intention was to refine a 'Five Yin Marvelous Body' from us. In the end, only I survived! She thought the demonic array would erase my memory and continued her pretense, eventually presenting me to the East Pole Alliance Leader..."

Su Nü recounted a truly horrifying tale.

Qin Sang was deeply shocked.

The senior she spoke of was none other than Immortal Maiden Yue.

Qin Sang had never imagined that such a seemingly virtuous and respected senior could hide such a sensational darkness.

He finally understood.

No wonder Su Nü had behaved so strangely back then; she had been trying to escape Immortal Maiden Yue's demonic clutches.