Chapter 1368: External

Wuxia/Xianxia

"Ghost Mother..." Qin Sang pondered.

Tan Hao claimed to be a subordinate of Ghost Mother. Ghost Mother must be the mysterious person Tan Hao rescued from the water prison. Ghost Mother was trapped in the water prison, where she refined her own bones into a bone formation, surviving until the present day. Even if Ghost Mother possessed strength comparable to the Jade Bone Devil, Qin Sang wouldn't be surprised. He deliberately overestimated the mysterious person, which was why he remained so cautious.

Among the Nascent Soul cultivators he knew in the Beichen Realm, there was no record of such a person. Over the past century, several major events had occurred in the Beichen Realm: wars between regions, the ascent of Ziwei Palace, and the establishment of the Beichen Alliance. Almost no one in the cultivation world could remain uninvolved. Behind these events, Qin Sang had found no trace of a mysterious force either.

"Her title is a bit strange. Since she allowed Tan Hao to rescue people, she shouldn't be utterly evil..." Qin Sang mused inwardly. However, judging solely from this incident was too superficial to draw any definitive conclusions. Tan Hao had been missing for too long, with no news, and his situation was unpredictable. The good news was that Tan Hao was still alive.

Aunt Mei and Li Yufu stood silently to the side, not daring to disturb Qin Sang.

After pondering for a while, Qin Sang sat cross-legged on the ground and activated his divine sense. He covered the entire village, searching meticulously, but found no traces left by cultivators. The demon rebellion had occurred over a hundred years ago. The direct witnesses were all mortals who had long since passed away, leaving behind only oral legends. Qin Sang questioned a few people using Aunt Mei's method; their stories were largely similar. The content of these legends was bound to be exaggerated, filled with tales of heaven collapsing, earth shattering, and days turning dark. It was impossible to determine Tan Hao's strength at that time.

Qin Sang then thoroughly searched the island again, convinced that no cultivator would choose to cultivate there. "It seems Tan Hao must have stumbled upon the situation, saw injustice, and intervened. I wonder if they were cultivating secretly nearby, or merely passing through. If merely passing through, where were they headed?"

Qin Sang flew into the air. The sea was vast and unobstructed, offering a clear view. He first glanced north, then shifted his gaze, staring in the direction of the storm belt. "Could they have already left the Beichen Realm? That would explain why Ghost Mother didn't appear at Ziwei Palace. Otherwise, with the Ascension Platform appearing, Ghost Mother would surely be eager to escape this prison, just like Bai and the Jade Bone Devil."

Li Yufu and Aunt Mei flew up. Qin Sang looked at Aunt Mei, "Where is that senior's cave dwelling?" After Aunt Mei found Tan Hao's statue, she had remained there, guarding it and putting her own affairs aside. Li Yufu was startled, then smiled and cupped his hands, "Congratulations, Junior Sister!" Aunt Mei also showed a joyful expression; with their master personally intervening, success was assured.

The next day, the three arrived at a vast, empty sea area. Qin Sang held a piece of Xuanhuang Treasure Jade in his hand. The jade glowed faintly, clearly visible in the night. The Xuanhuang light was drawn by something, ultimately pointing to this spot, beneath the seawater. It took Qin Sang a full day to confirm the location of the senior's cave dwelling. If Aunt Mei had been on her own, it would likely have taken her at least several months.

They dove into the sea, sinking rapidly. Before long, they saw a mountain peak protruding beneath the surface of the water. The mountain was covered in water plants, desolate, but the Xuanhuang Treasure Jade pointed directly to it. Qin Sang awakened his Sky-Eyed Butterfly, which quickly pinpointed a mountain wall covered in algae.

Landing before the mountain wall, Qin Sang observed it carefully for a moment, then flicked his finger, sending out a bolt of lightning. The lightning struck the mountain wall, causing a section of rocks to crumble. It seemed unremarkable, but after waiting for a while, a subtle ripple suddenly appeared at the crumbled spot, and it restored itself to its original state!

Qin Sang pondered for a moment, then suddenly summoned his Golden Sinking Sword. Instantly, the sword light was dazzling, and the seawater boiled. Aunt Mei and Li Yufu simultaneously narrowed their eyes, feeling the immense power of this sword. Their gazes showed reverence and envy, but then they immediately noticed something was amiss. The two exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of surprise and awe.

"Congratulations, Senior Uncle...""Congratulations, Master..."

Amidst their congratulations, the Golden Sinking Sword fiercely struck the mountain wall. The imagined scene of the mountain wall collapsing did not occur. After a wave of fluctuation, a black barrier was revealed. The Golden Sinking Sword penetrated the mountain wall directly, leaving a crack. Black light surged within the crack; it seemed to hold a whirlpool.

"Go in!" Qin Sang whispered, then flashed inside. Li Yufu and Aunt Mei suppressed their excitement and quickly followed. The Xuanhuang Treasure Jade was not a token. They could only force their way through the cave dwelling's protective spirit formation.

'Rumble...' Heavenly thunder and earthly fire, stone blades and ice arrows descended upon them. The attacks were overwhelming. The power of the protective spirit formation was extraordinary. Aunt Mei and Li Yufu were secretly alarmed; if they had ventured in alone, they probably wouldn't have lasted more than a few breaths, let alone broken through. However, at this moment, the formation's attacks could not harm them in the slightest. The Golden Sinking Sword hovered inverted above their heads. Qin Sang walked with his hands behind his back, looking unhurried. Sword qi formed a barrier around the three, protecting them securely. Qin Sang continuously changed direction; no matter how the formation shifted, it could not hinder his steps.

Before long, all attacks suddenly vanished, and the surroundings instantly became deathly silent. The spiritual energy here was rich; it was a hidden paradise. They stood in a courtyard, which was clearly long abandoned, but thankfully the entire cave dwelling was intact, with all its doors closed.

Qin Sang once again lifted the restrictions and searched, finding several magic treasures and jade slips, as well as a medicinal field, though it contained no valuable spirit herbs. "Tidal Incantation... Take it back and place it in the inner sect." Qin Sang examined the jade slip, found it to be a decent cultivation method, and tossed it to Li Yufu. As for the magic treasures, none of them caught Qin Sang's eye, so he bestowed them upon his two disciples.

"Thank you, Master, for the treasures!" Aunt Mei received a pair of fire Ruyi scepters and a set of needle-shaped magic treasures, happily bowing in thanks. Li Yufu also received a golden sword of considerable power.

After dismissing his two disciples, Qin Sang set about clearing out the cave dwelling, making it a temporary residence. For the next few months, Qin Sang concealed his identity and investigated secretly. He explored the waters around the small island countless times, then expanded his search, visiting various market cities in the desert, but always found nothing. Tan Hao and Ghost Mother were like a fleeting apparition; other than that, no trace could be found.

Tianxing Plateau.

Today was the day for the Beichen Alliance meeting. The meeting location rotated among the various regions, and this time it was Tianxing Plateau. Inside the Ice Crystal Palace, Yue Kui and Yue Wu, the brothers, personally presided. Nascent Soul cultivators from other regions were also present. Among the demon race, the Snake King and Jing Yu were there. However, only one human cultivator of the mid-Nascent Soul stage, Fairy Qiuzhi, had arrived. The topics discussed were largely similar: mainly concerning the Ascension Platform, the Ancient Immortal Battlefield, and the Abyssal Ruins, with a small trade fair held incidentally for mutual exchange. In addition, disciples from some renowned sects and major factions came to represent their elders.

Laughter echoed within the Ice Crystal Palace; discussions were jovial. Just then, an unconcealed streak of light arrived in an instant, suddenly landing in front of the Ice Crystal Palace. Everyone sensed something, fixed their gaze, and seeing it was Qin Sang, they were all greatly surprised.

"Daoist Master Qin! An esteemed guest..." Yue Wu greeted with a smile, then suddenly froze, an incredulous expression on his face.