Chapter 122: Spirit Eye and the Deal

As he neared the end of the cave, Qin Sang saw a space filled with green light, and then the white cat emerged from it.

"Master, did you kill Gu Tiannan?"

Qin Sang nodded and told the white cat to release Gu Yuan.

Gu Yuan's strength was far inferior to Gu Tiannan's; even after transformation, he wasn't difficult to handle. Qin Sang left Gu Yuan alive, sealing his cultivation, intending to interrogate him later.

At this moment, the white cat approached Qin Sang, bowed, and said, "On behalf of Heiwa, I thank you, Master Qin, for your righteous heart and for avenging him. He can finally rest in peace."

Qin Sang felt a pang of shame. Seeing the unconscious villagers at the end of the cave, he pondered for a moment, then took out a bottle of healing pills and threw it to the white cat. "Dilute these pills with water and give them to the villagers. They should help replenish their vital energy. Wake them up and send them down the mountain. Although you are a demon, you carry no bloody aura, so I won't make things difficult for you. I hope you conduct yourself well in the future, otherwise even Qingzhu won't be able to save your life."

After warning the white cat, Qin Sang picked up Gu Yuan and turned to leave.

"Master, please wait!"

The white cat suddenly spoke, calling out to Qin Sang.

Qin Sang turned back, seeing a hint of expectation in the white cat's eyes. He grew curious; Gu Tiannan was already dead, what else could she want?

"What else do you need?"

The white cat hesitated, "Master, you are benevolent... I wish to make a deal with you, if you are willing."

A deal?

Negotiating a deal face-to-face with a cat in a dark cave felt somewhat bizarre to Qin Sang.

He then noticed the white cat's fur was ruffled, seemingly very nervous. A thought struck him: Could this cat demon possess something valuable?

"Tell me about it," Qin Sang said noncommittally.

The white cat hesitated for a moment, then softly asked, "Master, you must know about spirit eyes, right?"

After saying this, a wary look appeared in the white cat's eyes. She subtly clutched Qingzhu closer to her, the bamboo stick faintly emitting a soft green light, as if ready for escape at any moment.

"Spirit eyes?"

Qin Sang's eyes suddenly lit up. He pressed on, "You know where there's a spirit eye?"

The spiritual energy between heaven and earth varies in density. Places rich in spiritual energy, over time, gradually accumulate to form spirit veins of varying sizes. The spiritual energy in spirit veins is far more concentrated than elsewhere, and most cultivators' cave dwellings are established on them.

Smaller spirit veins can support a few cultivation caves for cultivators.

Larger spirit veins, like those of Yuanzhao Peak, are rare and, when enhanced with powerful formations, are sufficient to serve as the foundation of a cultivation sect. Few exist in the entire Minor Cold Domain. It's said that Shaohua Mountain's spirit vein is even superior to Yuanzhao Peak's.

This is why people found it incredible when the Grand Sect Master of Yuanzhao Gate decisively detonated their spirit vein. However, Yuanzhao Gate later inherited the foundation of Kuiyin Sect, so the gains and losses balanced out.

For cultivators, wealth, companions, techniques, and cultivation grounds are all indispensable. The "grounds" cultivators refer to often mean the spiritual energy of heaven and earth within their cultivation caves.

If cultivators cannot find a spirit vein, those with ample wealth can purchase a courtyard in a cultivation market or even set up their own spirit-gathering formations for cultivation. Frugal cultivators can only endure thin spiritual energy, significantly slowing their cultivation progress compared to others.

A spirit eye is the convergence point of spiritual energy within a spirit vein. However, not all spirit veins can produce a spirit eye; only the purest spirit veins, where spiritual energy is concentrated to its utmost, can form such a miraculous and elusive place. It is undoubtedly the best choice for establishing a cave dwelling.

If news of an unowned spirit eye were to leak, it would undoubtedly drive countless cultivators mad and inevitably trigger a major conflict.

No wonder the cat demon was so cautious. "A man is innocent but his treasure makes him guilty." Moreover, trust between a human and a demon is inherently difficult due to deeply ingrained beliefs in the cultivation world.

Qin Sang's cultivation level wasn't high before, so his demands for spiritual energy weren't as strict. Now that he had broken through to the eleventh layer, he felt that the spiritual energy in his Deep Sunken Cave dwelling was starting to become insufficient.

Even if he returned to Shaohua Mountain to cultivate, the best cave dwellings there were already occupied by his senior brothers and uncles. The dwelling he might be assigned might not be much better than his Deep Sunken Cave.

If he could find a spirit eye, it would greatly benefit his future cultivation.

Given his poor aptitude, he couldn't afford to miss any opportunity to accelerate his cultivation. He just wondered what kind of deal this cat demon wanted to make.

Sensing the eagerness in Qin Sang's eyes, the white cat instinctively tucked her tail tighter, her fur bristling even more noticeably. Her voice was tinged with clear nervousness. "After that senior enlightened me, they helped me find a spirit eye. Since then, I've been cultivating while hiding within it. If you're willing to make a deal, I can sell you this spirit eye."

Qin Sang was astonished upon hearing this. "Do you know what a spirit eye represents?"

He hadn't expected the cat demon to sell her own cave dwelling. For a cultivator, this was an incredibly foolish choice.

The white cat sighed softly. "I know, but I have no other choice. I lack further cultivation techniques and haven't made any progress in years. That senior said they would return in a few years to take me away, but they never reappeared. All the demons I've encountered around here are unenlightened beasts who cultivate by instinct and cannot guide me. Because I am a demon, I'm afraid of being hunted down and eradicated, and I dare not approach other cultivators; I have no companions to discuss the Dao with. I once encountered a rogue cultivator who tricked me and later tried to skin me to refine my fur into a magical artifact. I'm truly at my wit's end. I've heard that the Western Heavenly Demon Hills are full of demons..."

Only after hearing the white cat's words did Qin Sang understand her intentions.

She was unwilling to let her cultivation path be cut short. Disregarding the danger, she was willing to abandon her safe cave dwelling and travel thousands of miles through human cultivator territories to seek the Dao in the Heavenly Demon Hills.

This made Qin Sang think of his past self.

The cat demon was indeed cautious, knowing that trust between humans and demons was difficult. She helped Heiwa for two reasons: first, due to an ancestral connection, and second, to gain access to a disciple of a righteous cultivation sect for this transaction.

If Qin Sang did not tolerate Gu Tiannan, it showed he possessed righteousness. If he had colluded with Gu Tiannan, the white cat wouldn't have mentioned anything.

The cat demon's idea was still a bit naive, likely a last resort.

Qin Sang certainly wanted the spirit eye, but he was well aware of its value. Among his possessions, only the Ebony Sword, the black bead, and the Ten Directions Yama Banner were valuable enough, but they definitely couldn't be used for exchange.

"What do you want?" Qin Sang asked tentatively.

The white cat seemed prepared, stating somewhat eagerly, "I'm not greedy. I only want a detailed map to the Heavenly Demon Hills and a few magical artifacts for defense."

Qin Sang nodded, deep in thought. He had a map of the Minor Cold Domain on hand, but choosing suitable magical artifacts was tricky, and they might not satisfy the cat demon's expectations.