Chapter 1190: Sealing Demon Stake

"It's a bit late, but I still want to congratulate you, Junior Brother Qin, on your further advancement on the Great Dao and for joining our ranks." Qing Jun's lips curved slightly as she offered her congratulations.

Qin Sang smiled casually, "This junior brother is simply following in Senior Sister's footsteps."

"Heh, I don't possess your formidable ability to slay cultivators of the same rank immediately after forming a Nascent Soul." Qing Jun shook her head slightly, retorting with a smile.

"I, too, am quite wary of Daoist Chanling, yet you managed to slay Old Demon Pei right before him. I've always known that with your dual cultivation of both body and spirit, your power after forming a Nascent Soul would be far from ordinary, but I never expected you to gain such a formidable reputation so quickly!" Qing Jun's eyes held a hint of surprise.

When she first received the news, she and Old Daoist Zhenyi had both assumed it was a misunderstanding.

Qin Sang waved his hand dismissively. "Daoist Jinglin's report contains quite a few exaggerations. In a one-on-one fight, even if I were to defeat Old Demon Pei, it would have been very difficult to destroy his Nascent Soul."

"Indeed, Nascent Soul cultivators possess an endless array of escape techniques." Qing Jun's beautiful eyes flickered as she spoke meaningfully. "There's no need for you to be modest. No one else could have achieved this, even under the same circumstances. It's fortunate you used the identity of a Demon King as a disguise; otherwise, the sudden appearance of such a formidable figure would surely prompt thorough investigations from both realms, and your true identity wouldn't remain hidden for long."

Qin Sang seemed unconcerned. "It wouldn't matter if my identity were exposed. I'm not doing this out of fear of Earl Dongyang, but because I don't yet possess the strength to defeat him head-on. If he knew it was me, he would be on guard, making it even harder to find an opportunity."

Qing Jun was well aware of the deep-seated animosity between Qin Sang and Earl Dongyang, knowing it couldn't be easily resolved. She therefore offered no further counsel.

Her tone shifted. "Tell me, what important matter necessitated your personal visit this time?"

Qin Sang glanced outside the side hall, then waved his hand, setting up several more restrictions to block any potential prying.

Observing Qin Sang's extreme caution, Qing Jun's expression also grew serious.

"There are two matters. The first concerns the Nether Crystal Pagoda. Senior Sister, do you recall the strange divine ability I mentioned, used by the ancient demon from the Seven Kills Hall...?" Qin Sang's voice was low as he meticulously relayed his discoveries to Qing Jun.

With demonic shadows looming behind the Sin Abyss, he needed to discuss with Qing Jun how best to confront the situation in the future.

"The Nether Crystal Pagoda is connected to the ancient demons!" Qing Jun's eyes narrowed. "How certain are you?"

"A hunch! The function and energy fluctuations of the Soul Extinguishing Cone bear similarities to the ancient demon's divine ability, yet their power and manifestations are vastly different..." Qin Sang struggled to articulate his feelings, then added, "Precisely because there's no concrete evidence, it would be hard to convince others; they would simply dismiss it as fear-mongering."

Qing Jun did not doubt his assessment. She pondered for a long while, then looked up and said, "During the years I was away, I was actually traveling through the Sin Abyss."

Qin Sang was astonished. At that time, there had been no signs of military activity in the Sin Abyss, and all Nascent Soul Grandmasters were in their respective cave dwellings. If Qing Jun's identity had been exposed, it would undoubtedly have invited siege and pursuit. The Sin Abyss itself was akin to a dragon's den and a tiger's lair, yet she had traveled there for so many years. Qin Sang then mused that Senior Sister Qing Jun's success in impersonating Leng Yuntian to this day was ample proof of her formidable disguise capabilities.

Qing Jun continued, "After your earlier warning, I set out to find evidence of a connection between the Sin Abyss and the ancient demons. Over the years, I've explored almost every corner, excluding only the Sin Abyss's top sects and a few crucial secret locations. Aside from their constant military expansion, I found no obvious abnormalities..."

Qin Sang frowned. "Senior Sister, what are you implying?"

"Based on Junior Brother's discovery, it only suggests that the Nether Crystal Pagoda is linked to the ancient demons. Perhaps it's a treasure created by them, and the Sin Abyss somehow acquired its crafting method..." Qing Jun voiced her conjecture, which perfectly aligned with Qin Sang's earlier thoughts.

It's highly probable that the Sin Abyss has acquired some form of ancient demon legacy.

Qin Sang pondered for a moment, then, with a hint of concern, advised, "Senior Sister, it would be wise to exercise utmost caution from now on. I've already instructed my juniors to seek out a safe retreat. Should circumstances change, it would be best to lay low."

Qing Jun nodded gratefully. "Thank you for the reminder, Junior Brother. I will be careful. If such powerful ancient demons truly exist, I won't foolishly overextend myself. I am, after all, a lone wolf and can withdraw at any time."

She held no particular affection for the Yuan-Shen Sect.

Trusting Senior Sister Qing Jun to make her own decisions, Qin Sang refrained from pressing further and instead brought up another matter. "Some time ago, I went to the Yuanzhao Sect to retrieve Old Ancestor Kuiyin's Ten Directions Yama Banners, and I learned that Senior Sister was also searching for them?"

Qing Jun paused, then comprehension dawned on her. "The fire banners you used against Old Demon Pei were the Ten Directions Yama Banners, weren't they? I heard you unleashed twelve at once, two more than Old Ancestor Kuiyin, so I didn't even consider that possibility. So, Old Ancestor Kuiyin's legacy fell into your hands. No wonder I searched for so long without finding any clues."

As she spoke, Qing Jun raised her hand, and seven demonic banners appeared in her palm, which she promptly handed to Qin Sang.

"They're useless to me; take them all. Once you've fully repaired these Ten Directions Yama Banners, you'll be practically invincible in the Nascent Soul stage." One of the demonic banners was perfectly intact, while the other six were severely damaged, almost beyond recognition.

Qin Sang's spiritual sense swept over them, confirming that the Nine Nether Demonic Flames within these six banners had all dissipated. Fortunately, the banner poles themselves were perfectly intact. With these, his collection of Profound Iron Pillars was complete. However, without Nine Nether Demonic Flames here, he wouldn't be able to repair the damaged banners, meaning he could only ever possess a maximum of nineteen.

"Senior Sister, why are you interested in Old Ancestor Kuiyin's demonic artifacts?" Qin Sang asked curiously.

Qing Jun smiled mysteriously, picking up a bare banner pole. "With so many Ten Directions Yama Banners in your possession, and having personally witnessed ancient demons, do you truly not know the origin of this item?"

She paused, then, without further teasing, revealed under Qin Sang's surprised gaze, "The restrictions within these banner poles originate from an ancient treasure known as the Demon Sealing Stakes, rumored to be specifically designed to suppress ancient demons! I discovered these while exploring an ancient forbidden land within Ziwei Palace. Considering the demonic shadows during the Sin Abyss's recent assault, I grew concerned. When I saw the banner poles at the Wuji Sect and learned they were part of Old Ancestor Kuiyin's Ten Directions Yama Banners, I intended to repair the Demon Sealing Stakes. However, I later realized it was impossible; even if I gathered all of them, I wouldn't know how to set up the spiritual array..."

As Senior Sister Qing Jun recounted her story, Qin Sang grew increasingly surprised. "Demon Sealing Stakes! Demon Binding Ropes! They truly are the same type of treasure!"

"You know about the Demon Binding Ropes?" Qing Jun asked, surprised.

Qin Sang nodded repeatedly, then swept his spiritual sense across his Qianjun Ring and retrieved the Demon Binding Ropes he had acquired from the ancient cultivator's ruins. "Senior Sister, look, is this it?"

Qing Jun recognized the Demon Binding Ropes immediately, exclaiming with delight, "It is indeed the Demon Binding Ropes! Where did you acquire it?"

"I found it in a deserted ruin on an ancient immortal battlefield..." Qin Sang briefly explained the origin of the Demon Binding Ropes. "Unfortunately, the Demon Binding Ropes also require a special spiritual formation to activate. Otherwise, having an ancient treasure capable of restraining ancient demons would certainly give me more confidence."

He and Bai had copied down the spiritual formation from the ancient cultivator's ruins. He had originally intended to wait for Bai to advance to Corpse King, hoping that if Bai recovered some memories, he might be able to restore the spiritual formation.

(To be continued)