Chapter 1095: Suzaku True Feather

"I'm fine; Dumb Aunt's condition is stable," Bai replied via sound transmission.

As Qin Sang walked out, he said, "The Ziwei Palace and the Seven Kills Hall have completely different atmospheres. I'll go take a look at Mount Tian later. Fellow Daoist, you can try to see if anything stirs up memories for you..."

Passing through the Sword Path Hall again, Qin Sang gained a new understanding! Surprised, Qin Sang secretly mocked himself, realizing that back then, his cultivation was low, his vision too shallow, and he had underestimated this sword path. The sword intent in the hall was vast and all-encompassing, like a boundless ocean, seemingly endless. Combined with the *Azure Bamboo Sword Scripture*, he had another profound realization.

This was his third entry into the Seven Kills Hall. Qin Sang had previously fought the puppet sword formation alone in the trial realm and later acquired the *Azure Bamboo Sword Scripture*. With his accumulated knowledge, he felt he was close to comprehending sword momentum and sword formations. However, he didn't need to force himself to comprehend sword formations on his own anymore. The cultivation method he obtained in the Nether Valley was precisely the subsequent five levels of the *Primordial Spirit Sword Nurturing Chapter*, allowing cultivation from the mid-Core Formation stage to the late Nascent Soul stage!

Within this method, the divine ability acquired after forming a Nascent Soul was a sword formation called the Seven Souls Slaughter Formation! Upon seeing this sword formation, Qin Sang immediately understood why the sword light that manifested from his cultivation method after forming his Core contained soul energy. It turned out to be related to the sword formation! As the name suggested, the Seven Souls Slaughter Formation was not merely a destructive sword formation but also possessed other great divine abilities.

Stepping out of the ancient Sword Path Hall, Qin Sang stood before a cliff. The surrounding forest undulated like waves, a vibrant and lively scene.

"It's certainly different from the Seven Kills Hall," Bai remarked as he appeared beside Qin Sang, observing their surroundings with curiosity. He noticed the silhouette of Mount Tian. "Is that the Mount Tian you mentioned? Its aura seems even grander than Mount Yitian. Is there a Demon Lord suppressed beneath it as well?" The mention of a Demon Lord's might still sent shivers down Qin Sang's spine.

"If there truly is a Demon Lord, there's nothing here to prevent its unsealing," Qin Sang thought. "Before I left, even the highest-cultivating ancestor, the Red-Haired Ancestor, hadn't broken through to the late Nascent Soul stage. At most, he was comparable to the leaders of the Three Great Merchant Alliances..."

Qin Sang gazed at Mount Tian but found no unusual activity. He wondered if the entity the Sin Abyss had summoned was indeed a Demon Lord. Qin Sang decided it was unlikely; even if it was an ancient demon, its power would be limited. Otherwise, the Sin Abyss wouldn't need such elaborate schemes to target the Minor Cold Domain and the Heavenly Path Alliance; they could simply sweep them aside.

After a moment of thought, Qin Sang looked at the swirling clouds in the sky and said, "We still have some time. Let's go directly to Mount Tian."

"Alright!"

The two immediately set off, swiftly moving towards Mount Tian. Qin Sang's objective was to see if the small lake stone formation, through which Lord Dongyang had led them into Mount Tian, was still there. The sword spirit was also part of the Killing Sword. Since the sword spirit was inside the black pagoda on Mount Tian, he wondered if a cultivation method was also hidden there. Even Chen Yan's master was trapped in the black pagoda, and he currently lacked the ability to enter. However, he could prepare in advance and investigate later when his cultivation had advanced.

This place was vast and sparsely populated. Qin Sang flew for a long time without seeing any other figures. Only when they approached Mount Tian did the two exchange glances and immediately vanish into the forest, concealing their presence. Strange lights flickered and wavered atop Mount Tian, indicating, without a doubt, that Nascent Soul Old Ancestors were engaged in a battle inside. The two agreed on a meeting point. Qin Sang quietly moved towards the small lake in the mountain, while Bai went to another location.

The small lake was located halfway up Mount Tian. Recalling the path Lord Dongyang had taken when leading him there, Qin Sang found the small lake quite smoothly. He hid in the distance, using his Heavenly Eye ability to observe for a while. Seeing nothing unusual in the lake, he quietly approached, only to find no stone formation at the bottom of the lake.

"As expected, the entrance isn't here anymore!" Qin Sang frowned, glancing at the peak of Mount Tian. If he successfully formed a Nascent Soul, he should have the strength to force his way through the ancient restrictions. However, to uncover the secrets of the black pagoda and the bronze hall, he would likely need to deal with Shaohua Mountain and Lord Dongyang.

"Lord Dongyang, Chen Yan... I wonder if they turned against each other after I left..."

Qin Sang withdrew from Mount Tian, and Bai was already waiting at their agreed meeting point. Bai stood on the ground, gazing at the peak of Mount Tian, seemingly lost in thought. Only when Qin Sang approached did he snap out of his reverie. He chatted briefly with Qin Sang before returning to the Corpse Puppet Pouch.

"Sword Scar Mountain!" Qin Sang looked in another direction, his expression solemn.

"If this old Daoist fails, the next time you enter the Ziwei Palace, junior brother, burn a stick of incense for me. That will be enough!" These were the last words of farewell Yun Youzi had spoken before Qin Sang left. To this day, Qin Sang hadn't forgotten a single word!

In pursuit of Core Formation, Yun Youzi had willingly thrown himself into the Southern Brightness Departing Flame, using the demonic fire to temper his soul and be reborn from the ashes. Even though Qin Sang had helped him acquire the green copper block to counteract the Southern Brightness Departing Flame, Yun Youzi's action was still akin to a moth drawn to a flame, a desperate gamble with only a slim chance of survival. Qin Sang had come on this trip to fulfill his promise. If Yun Youzi succeeded, they would meet again, support each other, and continue their journey on the path of immortality. But if Yun Youzi perished in the Southern Brightness Departing Flame, he would still burn a stick of incense to bid farewell to his old friend!

Qin Sang sped through the mountains and forests. Even though his heart was as hard as iron, he remained anxious. Azure Bamboo and Yun Youzi were both Qin Sang's mentors and friends. Comparatively, he had spent more time with Yun Youzi, and their bond was deeper. He had just witnessed the end of Ancestor Azure Bamboo's legend; he didn't want to bid farewell to another old friend!

Arriving at the foot of Sword Scar Mountain, Qin Sang took a deep breath. Following Yun Youzi's previous instructions, he passed through the ancient formation. This time, it was much easier than before. Before long, Qin Sang smoothly arrived at the stone hall. He looked around. The stone hall was perfectly normal, with no traces of other cultivators. Qin Sang found the stone brick, pressed it, and a wave of energy rippled. A secret passage opened, and immediately, a scorching aura rushed out. The Southern Brightness Departing Flame was still there! He quickly moved deeper into the dark passage and finally saw a mass of deep red flames.

Qin Sang eagerly stepped forward, his gaze quickly sweeping over the Southern Brightness Departing Flame. His hanging heart suddenly settled, and a look of pleasant surprise appeared on his face. The green copper block wasn't there! This at least meant that Yun Youzi had not perished here; it was highly probable he had succeeded.

At that moment, Bai let out a soft exclamation from the Corpse Puppet Pouch, "It's the Southern Brightness Departing Flame!"

Hearing this, Qin Sang quickly asked, "Fellow Daoist, do you recognize this fire?"

Bai materialized, nodded, and pointed to the phantom divine bird at the center of the Southern Brightness Departing Flame, exclaiming, "This is the Vermilion Bird's innate true fire! If I'm not mistaken, this mass of Southern Brightness Departing Flame, still unextinguished to this day, is very likely a true feather of the Vermilion Bird! Its power is definitely not inferior to the long feather in the Nine Phoenix King's hand. If it's a complete true feather, it must be even stronger!"

"A Vermilion Bird's true feather!" Qin Sang was also astonished. The Nine Phoenix King's long feather had left an indelible impression on him, and now, a Vermilion Bird's true feather was even stronger!

Bai glanced at Qin Sang and chuckled, "It's not easy to subdue a Vermilion Bird's true feather. Without Vermilion Bird bloodline, you can't gain its recognition. Even for descendants of the Vermilion Bird, given the current state of the world, their bloodline is extremely thin, so it would be impossible for them to do it."