Chapter 108: Trespassing

"Senior Brother Sun, fellow Daoists, I might not be able to make it to the next gathering. Please forgive my absence." Qin Sang raised his wine cup and offered a toast to everyone.

A swordsman in a green robe stirred slightly and leaned forward, asking, "Is Fellow Daoist Qin about to make a breakthrough?"

Qin Sang nodded with a smile, immediately eliciting congratulations and envy from the group.

After joining Shaohua Mountain, he had always been diligent, never slacking off. A few days ago, he finally sensed the qi mechanism indicating a breakthrough to the tenth level. For the past two days, he had paused his cultivation to adjust his mindset, preparing to return tonight and enter seclusion for the breakthrough.

Upon this breakthrough, he would be able to return to Shaohua Mountain to receive a Foundation Establishment Pill. However, Qin Sang had no intention of taking it immediately. Given his talent, taking it too early would be a complete waste of a pill. He had cultivated for so long, and he had the patience to wait until he broke through to the thirteenth level.

It was a pity that the Kuiyin Sect had launched its attack too early; if he could have waited a few more years, he would have had two Foundation Establishment Pills.

Sun De was also exceptionally pleased. He raised his wine cup towards the bright moon and exclaimed, "Then I wish Brother Qin an early breakthrough! We will be ready to celebrate your success!"

Returning to his cave dwelling, Qin Sang first inspected the entire Sunken Earth Cave. He then sent a sound transmission talisman to report to his sect, and as usual, he set up the Soul-Confusing Mirror formation in his dwelling. After that, he sat on his bamboo prayer mat, silently recited the "Scripture of Purity and Tranquility" several times until his mind achieved a state of undisturbed stillness, and then he settled into meditation, activating his cultivation technique.

The bottleneck of the tenth level, like that of the ninth, was difficult to break through, but it was not without a path; what was needed was persistent effort. In the blink of an eye, more than twenty days passed, and Qin Sang successfully broke through to the tenth level. Although his heart was filled with wild joy, he did not stop. He remained in meditative cultivation to consolidate his newly broken, unstable realm.

Time passed day by day. Qin Sang remained in seclusion, but outside his cave dwelling, more than a dozen sound transmission talismans had accumulated.

The Sunken Earth Cave was desolate and eerily silent. Streams of malevolent yin energy surged from underground, attempting to breach the seals of the restrictions. The escaping yin energy continuously eroded the surrounding mountains, forests, and vegetation.

One day, a figure suddenly and silently entered this area. He stood at the edge of the Sunken Earth Cave's entrance, his eyes fixed on the deep, dark opening below, his gaze shifting erratically.

This person was wearing the Shaohua Mountain's Dust-Cleansing Robe—it was Sun De!

Sun De stared at the Sunken Earth Cave for a moment, a contemplative look appearing on his face. He muttered, "One month should be enough. I hope you can make some progress, Junior Brother Qin."

With that, Sun De glanced left and right, then swiftly darted into the Sunken Earth Cave through a nearby crevice. He seemed extremely familiar with the Sunken Earth Cave, knowing every winding crack and passage like the back of his hand. His figure flickered continuously, and it wasn't long before he appeared before Qin Sang's cave dwelling.

Seeing the sound transmission talismans resting outside the cave dwelling's restriction, Sun De counted them. Not a single one was missing. A secretive smile appeared on his face as he waved his hand and collected all the talismans.

"Knock, knock..."

Sun De stood before the entrance and knocked twice on the stone door. Hearing no response, he impatiently pressed his hand against the door. Spiritual energy surged from his palm, and the cave dwelling's restriction immediately began to crumble.

Inside the cave dwelling, Qin Sang was both startled and enraged. He had been roused by the knocking, and after his qi and blood had just settled, he was still wondering who would be looking for him at this hour. Then he realized that the person outside was actually destroying his restriction.

The cave dwelling, established by his sect, had a formidable restriction. It would be difficult for ordinary rogue cultivators to break in. Qin Sang, to ensure absolute safety, had set up the Soul-Confusing Mirror as an added safeguard.

The intruder had managed to break the restriction so easily. Who exactly was this person?

Qin Sang racked his brain. Since joining Shaohua Mountain, he had always been honest and dutiful, never engaging in conflict with others. He shouldn't have offended anyone. Could it be an external rogue cultivator who accidentally stumbled into the Sunken Earth Cave, discovered a cultivator's dwelling inside, and thus conceived ill intentions?

Regardless of this person's identity, unilaterally breaking into his cave dwelling without permission certainly indicated malicious intent. Since the person was right outside the dwelling, sending a flying talisman for help to the sect would surely be intercepted.

Qin Sang's thoughts raced. Seeing the mirror array before him, his heart settled slightly. He thought to himself, "The mirror array is right in front of the door. As long as I activate it, the intruder will fall victim the moment they open the dwelling. If the enemy is too powerful, I can take the opportunity to escape and send a flying talisman for help while they are trapped by the mirror array."

With all his top-grade magical artifacts, even if he couldn't defeat the intruder, it shouldn't be difficult to hold out until the sect's reinforcements arrived, not to mention he still had that black bead.

If this person's strength was insufficient, he could simply kill them with a single sword stroke, and no one would fault him. The Sunken Earth Cave was inherently an excellent place to dispose of bodies and erase traces.

Upon this thought, Qin Sang quickly calmed down. He glanced at the fluctuating restriction before the cave door, then created a clone to sit on the prayer mat while his true body hid in a corner. After that, he summoned his Ebony Sword.

He had already broken through to the tenth level, his spiritual energy deep and abundant. He could wield his sword to kill enemies even without supplementing with spirit stones, though activating sword qi consumed a significant amount of energy. If he didn't prepare in advance, he wouldn't be able to sustain it for long.

To be safe, Qin Sang still took out a mid-grade spirit stone and quietly accumulated spiritual energy.

A moment later, the cave dwelling's large door emitted a 'click' sound. The restriction's light flickered, then vanished, and the door was pushed open from the outside.

The moment Sun De opened the cave dwelling, his vision immediately went black. He had fallen into the mirror array's ambush, and his entire body was entangled by black mist. Yet, there wasn't a hint of panic on his face. He surveyed the rolling black mist, a smile playing on his lips. "A malevolent artifact personally refined by Old Ghost Yi... Junior Brother Qin is truly cautious. No wonder you've managed to survive until now. What a pity you're destined to become a sacrifice."

As he spoke, Sun De stretched out his hand and drew a mysterious rune in front of him, then projected it into the black mist. Immediately, the black mist showed signs of dispersing.

Outside, Qin Sang saw even more clearly. Soon after Sun De entered the mirror array, the main body of the Soul-Confusing Mirror suddenly trembled violently, emitting faint 'crack, crack' sounds. Fine cracks began to appear on its surface, and it seemed on the verge of destruction. The black mist within it, moreover, dissipated at an astonishing speed.

When he initially discovered that the intruder was Sun De, Qin Sang was very surprised, wondering if it might be a misunderstanding.

Of course, Qin Sang had no intention of stopping. Whether or not it was a misunderstanding, Sun De had trespassed into his cave dwelling, and he had to be dealt with first; otherwise, he himself would be in danger.

Seeing the Soul-Confusing Mirror effortlessly breached by Sun De, Qin Sang was horrified. Without a moment's hesitation, he silently recited a sword incantation. The sword qi on his Ebony Sword surged, instantly plunging into the black mist.

"Argh!"

A miserable shriek echoed from within the black mist, followed by Sun De's disheveled figure darting out of the mirror array. His left arm was severed at the shoulder, blood gushing like a torrent. His triumphant smile had long vanished, his face ashen as paper.

Sun De clutched his wound with one hand. His eyes met Qin Sang's cold gaze, then abruptly widened. His face contorted with utter shock, he cried out, "Tenth level! You're still alive?"

Qin Sang's brows furrowed. Thinking "What a pity," he raised his hand and unleashed a bolt of yin thunder. Then, with a thought, his Ebony Sword immediately spun back and thrust directly at Sun De's vital points.