Chapter 1415: ‘卍’ Seal

The heat was unbearable. It felt as if he had been thrown into a blazing furnace. This was Qin Sang’s most immediate sensation upon entering Jinghai Sect. Even with his mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivation, he couldn't completely block out the external influences. It was hard to imagine how much fiery qi had accumulated within Jinghai Sect. The qi suppressed here was merely the tip of the iceberg of what the spirit array contained. Qin Sang even suspected that Jinghai Sect could explode at any moment, turning both the sect and any intruders into ash.

He carefully observed for a long time, confirming that there were indeed no other people within Jinghai Sect.

"Thanks to the Eye of Heaven Butterfly's abilities, and the Fire Jade Centipede guiding the way, I managed to break through the array and enter ahead of Old Man Hunmo," Qin Sang mused. He had a rough idea of why, but he didn't relax. "Old Man Hunmo knows Jinghai Sect very well. His cultivation is stronger than mine, and he has allies. They surely won't be far behind. The Golden Summit, the Buddhist Pagoda... these places are likely important sites within Jinghai Sect, probably containing Buddhist treasures, but they are also sealed by powerful restrictions. I estimate I'll only be able to break through one such place before Old Man Hunmo arrives."

As these thoughts spun in his mind, Qin Sang rapidly descended, carefully surveying his surroundings.

Although his vision was affected by the swirling purple flames, he could roughly discern the outline of Jinghai Sect.

Then, Qin Sang looked up, gazing at the sky above.

His gaze pierced through the purple flames, faintly revealing a golden shield covering Jinghai Sect. He could tell it was the manifestation of the sect-protecting grand array.

It was just as he had expected.

Jinghai Sect's area was not large, and neither was its spirit array.

He had spent five full days maneuvering back and forth within a small area; the seemingly boundless space of the spirit array was merely an illusion.

This was definitely not good news.

The narrower the space, the higher the chance of Qin Sang being discovered, and the less room he would have to maneuver against his opponents.

Forcibly breaking unfamiliar Buddhist restrictions would inevitably create unusual phenomena. Any significant action by Qin Sang would not escape Old Man Hunmo's perception.

Qin Sang's expression grew solemn.

He was isolated and helpless, feeling constrained.

As there was no sign of Valley Master Mu and the others, Qin Sang suspected they had met a grim fate. It was already fortunate that he had escaped unharmed from the deliberate ambush by a grand cultivator.

The enemy was strong, he was weak, and the enemy also had allies.

"Five days have passed; a few more Nascent Soul cultivators should have been attracted by now. I hope they haven't allied. The more chaotic the situation, the better. Ideally, Old Man Hunmo's sworn enemies would arrive, leading to a treasure battle that I could exploit," Qin Sang thought to himself, sighing with regret.

Being new to this place, he was unaware of the intricate relationships among the Nascent Soul cultivators of the Boundless Sea. Otherwise, he could have used their grievances to proactively create opportunities.

As he pondered his strategy, Qin Sang passed through the purple flames and landed on a mountaintop.

The rocks were scorching hot. This place, once lush and vibrant with birdsong and fragrant flowers, was now barren scorched earth, lifeless and desolate.

"Let's not overthink this for now. I need to at least secure one treasure, then I can adapt as needed," he decided.

Qin Sang stood firm, his gaze sweeping around.

He was disappointed that the Jade Buddha remained unresponsive and offered no guidance, especially after finally discovering the ruins of a powerful Buddhist sect, unlike the minor ones he had encountered.

Finally, Qin Sang focused on two prominent locations.

One was at the center where two mountain ranges intersected.

Fiery qi surged from there, and the Golden Summit was built right beside it, on the peak of an adjacent mountain, which was also the highest point in all of Jinghai Sect.

The second was a thirteen-story Buddhist pagoda.

The pagoda was further away, built on a hillside. Its Buddhist light appeared somewhat dim compared to the resplendent Golden Summit, yet it was still extraordinary.

Both the Golden Summit and the Buddhist Pagoda were clearly important sites within Jinghai Sect, and Qin Sang considered them equally significant.

However, Qin Sang remained still because the Fire Jade Centipede pointed in a different direction!

It pointed neither to the pagoda nor the Golden Summit, but to a valley behind him, almost at the end of the mountain range!

Qin Sang strained his eyes, seeing only swirling purple flames.

His heart stirred. "The Myriad Spirit Fruit is there; it's likely the Myriad Spirit Fruit tree! Jinghai Sect's medicinal garden has been preserved, probably containing more than just the Myriad Spirit Fruit tree. Even getting a few spiritual herbs would make this trip worthwhile. While the Golden Summit and Buddhist Pagoda are tempting, their restrictions are also very powerful. I might not be able to break them before Old Man Hunmo enters, and even if I do, I might not get a treasure suitable for me. Spiritual herbs are different, and the Myriad Spirit Fruit is crucial for my spirit insect's advancement..."

Without hesitation, Qin Sang immediately decided to head for the medicinal garden first!

Just as he was about to move, he suddenly noticed something. He sharply turned his head back, staring intently at the place where the fiery qi was gushing out, then looked up at the sky, his eyes flickering.

It was only then that he noticed.

At the mouth of the mountain, where the fiery qi erupted, a faint golden light shimmered, forming a swastika symbol, resembling a seal.

The swastika seal, the restrictions on the Golden Summit and the Buddhist Pagoda, and even the sect-protecting grand array.

These powers seemed to be interconnected!

"Could it be that the entire Jinghai Sect is a massive seal? What is sealed within the fiery qi? What would be the consequences if the seal were broken?"

This thought suddenly occurred to Qin Sang, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

He discovered more details: the Golden Summit seemed stable, but the Buddhist Pagoda had a precarious, tottering feel to it.

His thoughts raced, but Qin Sang's movements didn't stop for a moment.

He swiftly moved past one mountain peak after another, constantly observing the changes in the spirit array above.

The Fire Jade Centipede became increasingly active, indicating he was getting closer to the Myriad Spirit Fruit.

Soon, Qin Sang arrived near the valley and looked down, discovering it was sealed by a layer of mist. Although the mist had turned purple due to the swirling flames and suffered some damage, the restrictions here were still largely intact.

A flicker of joy appeared in Qin Sang's eyes. He swept his gaze around, left his Nascent Soul talisman-puppet to lie in ambush as a lookout, and then vanished into the mist.

*Whoosh...* The mist churned.

The restrictions here had indeed been affected and were not as vast as the sect-protecting grand array.

Qin Sang quickly found a weakness and entered, first seeing a square plot of land before him.

"It's a medicinal garden indeed!" he confirmed.

This plot of land had also turned to scorched earth, and the spiritual herbs within had long since turned to ash.

Qin Sang followed the Fire Jade Centipede's guidance, continuing to explore deeper into the mist.

One scorched plot followed another, a truly regrettable sight.

Finally, Qin Sang stopped. The Fire Jade Centipede in his hand grew restless, eager to rush forward.

The Myriad Spirit Fruit was ahead, yet Qin Sang saw no Myriad Spirit Fruit tree, only dense purple mist with no unusual characteristics.

"An illusion?" Qin Sang wondered.

Compared to other medicinal fields, Jinghai Sect clearly placed more importance on the Myriad Spirit Fruit tree.

"Could Jinghai Sect truly possess the method for refining Spirit-Suppressing Incense?"

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Qin Sang summoned the Eye of Heaven Butterfly. Using a secret Witch Tribe technique in conjunction with its divine ability, he observed meticulously for a long time, finally detecting a clue.

"Go!" Qin Sang uttered softly, controlling his sword to fly up and forcefully stab into an empty spot within the purple mist.

*Boom!* The mist vibrated, and the sword light vanished into thin air.

Simultaneously, a speck of golden light suddenly burst forth from the mist, but it was fleeting, disappearing instantly without a trace.

Instead of being surprised, Qin Sang was pleased. Recalling the phenomenon he had just witnessed, after a moment, he launched his sword again.