Chapter 1113: North Sea

The three were interred together.

Qin Sang and Qing Jun stood before the tomb, burning incense and offering prayers.

“Senior Sister, have you not yet let go?” Qin Sang turned his head and asked.

Just now, he and Qing Jun had been chatting, and he had learned the reason for her distant relationship with Senior Qing Zhu.

“If I could never truly let go, how could I possess the cultivation I have today?” Qing Jun smiled faintly.

“When I was in my teens, I harbored deep hatred for him. He was devoted to cultivation, solely focused on avenging his concubine, almost to the point of madness. From birth, it was just my mother and me, relying on each other. I thought he treated my mother as a substitute for his concubine, to make up for his regrets. I resented him for harming another person, for giving birth to me, if he didn't love my mother.

“However, when I was in my twenties or thirties, after years of experience in the cultivation world, I came to understand his perspective. Although I still felt injustice for my mother, I gradually found peace.

“By the time I was a hundred, even several hundred years old, that period of time had become an insignificant journey. All past events were mere memories, and my heart was no longer easily stirred. My vow to kill Leng Yuntian was more for my mother.

“Having embarked on the path of immortality, if others can keep pace with me, perhaps we can meet with a smile and drink together. If not, they are all merely passersby in my life. He merely arrived earlier, and his status was a bit special. That's all.”

Qing Jun turned and walked towards the small courtyard.

Qin Sang remained silent, deep in thought.

“If you intend to cultivate in Peach Blossom Valley, as long as you don't damage the peach forest, you can choose any spot on the mountainsides to open up a cave dwelling...” Qing Jun's voice drifted over.

“Thank you, Senior Sister.” Qin Sang quickly followed.

This place was much safer than Yun Youzi's cave dwelling, and the spiritual energy was far more abundant. Qin Sang decided that he would send a message to Li Yufu later and remain in Peach Blossom Valley for secluded cultivation.

Nearby stood a peach tree laden with fruit. As Qin Sang passed beneath the tree, he plucked a fruit.

Crunch!

He took a large bite. It was indeed sweet, yet faintly tart, with a unique flavor. In Qin Sang's opinion, its taste was slightly inferior to the one from Netherworld Valley, and even less so than the one from Sword Gate Pass. Yet, this was the most wonderful taste in Senior Qing Zhu's memory. Qin Sang savored it, and a faint smile touched his lips.

After circling Peach Blossom Valley, Qin Sang discovered a small, rather ethereal waterfall on one of the slopes, suitable as a place for quiet meditation. He quickly excavated a simple cave dwelling. He thought of today's serendipitous encounter, which was truly unexpected.

Of course, Qin Sang remained calm throughout. The titles of ‘Senior Sister’ and ‘Junior Brother’ were merely appellations. Just as Qing Jun had said earlier, if he failed to form a Nascent Soul and couldn't keep pace with her, he would simply be a passerby. What surprised him was that Qing Jun did not delve deeper into the matter of Canglang Sea.

However, Qin Sang had been pondering this matter. The Ziwei Palace and Seven Kill Hall were frequently undergoing changes, and he wondered what they would evolve into in the future. The overall strength of the cultivation world in the Little Cold Domain was far inferior to that of Canglang Sea. Moreover, the teleportation array could only be activated when the Ziwei Palace appeared, allowing travel between the two regions, which was too restrictive. Even if he kept it hidden in his heart and told no one, after forming a Nascent Soul, if he wished to return to Canglang Sea, whether to explore the Seven Kill Hall or acquire resources from both places, it would be difficult to accomplish alone. He would need to find allies to cooperate with. Yun Youzi and Qing Jun were both trustworthy candidates.

After taking care of various matters, Qin Sang returned to the wooden hut and smelled the elegant fragrance of tea. Smoke curled upwards. Qing Jun sat kneeling, her red skirt spreading across the floor. A small red clay stove, and her delicate hands preparing the tea. As he savored the spiritual tea poured by a Nascent Soul cultivator herself, Qin Sang felt a sense of unreality.

“I truly don't know which is the real her,” Qin Sang sighed inwardly.

“Do you still remember Chen Yan?” Qing Jun poked at the flames and glanced at Qin Sang.

“Of course, I remember.” Qin Sang nodded, put down his teacup, and bowed slightly, saying, “Back then, I was entrapped by Earl Dongyang, and it was precisely related to her. In the Bronze Hall, it was also with her help that I narrowly escaped and broke free from his clutches...” He candidly recounted the entire process, from the beginning of his ‘indentured’ Foundation Establishment to being used as a bargaining chip by Earl Dongyang to control Chen Yan in the Black Pagoda of Ziwei Palace. Presumably, Qing Jun already knew about his indentured Foundation Establishment.

“Oh?” Qing Jun's eyes showed surprise. “I wondered how someone of your mere False Core stage could escape right under the noses of two Nascent Soul cultivators. So there was such a hidden reason? According to you, Chen Yan and Earl Dongyang should have fallen out by then. Why did Chen Yan assist Earl Dongyang for many years after leaving Ziwei Palace before finally departing from Shaohua Mountain?”

Hearing this, Qin Sang pondered for a moment and said, “Perhaps something else happened later, or they reached some agreement? Chen Yan wanted to rescue her master, and Earl Dongyang also seemed to be plotting to acquire a treasure from the Bronze Hall. After I escaped, Earl Dongyang had no other means to threaten Chen Yan, so it's not impossible that he compromised with her.”

Pausing, Qin Sang asked, “I recall Senior Sister mentioning before that Chen Yan wasn't a disciple of Shaohua Mountain. When she left Shaohua Mountain, did she return to her hometown? I wonder if she managed to rescue her master?”

“Her master is a late-stage Nascent Soul Grand Cultivator. If she were truly rescued, Shaohua Mountain wouldn't be in its current state. With such a powerful ally, the two domains would find it much easier to resist Sin Abyss.” Qing Jun shook her head and said, “As for Chen Yan, she vanished without a trace after leaving. It's highly probable she is no longer in the Northern Star Realm.”

“Not in the Northern Star Realm? Is she from an outer domain, then?” Previously, Qin Sang's cultivation was low, and he lacked sufficient strength. He hadn't even left the Little Cold Domain, possessing only a vague understanding of the cultivation world. To his knowledge, the Little Cold Domain, Heavenly Alliance, and Sin Abyss were all part of a vast cultivation realm called the Northern Star Realm. Strangely, few legends from outside the Northern Star Realm had circulated there.

“That's right. The Four Northern Seas Realms are also known as the Four Northern Sea Islands. The Northern Star Realm, where we are, is merely one of them. The other three realms are sometimes called three islands, but they are actually connected and their combined area is no less than that of a vast continent. Only our Northern Star Realm hangs isolated overseas, separated by violent storms. Although it's possible to connect, it's extremely dangerous, and even Nascent Soul Grandmasters find it difficult to cross. Therefore, the Northern Star Realm is rarely affected by the other three realms. These three realms are not short of peak mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, or even Grand Cultivators. Their overall strength is a notch higher than our Northern Star Realm. Chen Yan must have come from one of these three realms, perhaps from a major sect. Strangely, no matter how powerful a sect is, it wouldn't turn a blind eye to the disappearance of a Grand Cultivator within its ranks. Her master has been trapped in Ziwei Palace for so long, yet no one has come to search for her.”

Seeing that Qin Sang didn't know much, Qing Jun briefly explained the Four Northern Seas Realms.

Another storm belt! Hearing this familiar term, Qin Sang was already accustomed to it and felt no surprise. The Northern Star Realm, Canglang Sea, and Demonic Sea were very similar; indeed, it was also a cage surrounded by storms. However, the Northern Star Realm could connect with the other three realms; one could reach them by passing through the storm belt.

Additionally, Qin Sang acutely noticed a question: the ‘Northern’ in ‘Northern Seas’ — what was it relative to?