Chapter 1420: Xuantian Palace Master

The jade bore a pattern of rain striking bluestone. Qin Sang held it, feeling a touch of warmth and coolness. It also felt heavy.

What Tan Hao handed over was not just the jade pendant; it also carried his hopes. Qin Sang gripped it tightly. Although he didn't know how many years it would take to reach Middle-earth and the possibility of encountering Ghost Mother was slim, Qin Sang still thanked him sincerely.

Mute Girl's face was flushed, and her breathing was steady. To outsiders, it would simply appear as if she were asleep. Qin Sang sighed and put away the jade pendant.

Then, Tan Hao began to recount their subsequent experiences. "The Senior knew a path through the storm belt. We reached the North Sea, but to our surprise, it was already demon territory, and we were nearly hunted down by demon kings. After some twists and turns, the Senior finally retrieved what they had previously left behind. Once their injuries had improved and some of their strength had recovered, they infiltrated Profound Heaven Palace."

Qin Sang interrupted Tan Hao when he mentioned Profound Heaven Palace. "What was that Senior's cultivation level?"

Qin Sang assessed Ghost Mother's strength in his mind. Having been sealed by Celestial Master Tianyue, she shouldn't have reached the Soul Transformation stage, right? However, not fearing Profound Heaven Palace and causing a ruckus in Profound Heaven Palace are two different concepts. Old Demon Hunmo, along with some top-tier mid-stage Nascent Soul experts, all possessed the strength not to fear Profound Heaven Palace. Profound Heaven Palace would also try its best to avoid offending them. Once angered, their retaliation against Profound Heaven Palace disciples would cause immense trouble for the palace. But even Old Demon Hunmo could not act recklessly within Profound Heaven Palace.

Tan Hao said apologetically, "My cultivation was low. When the Senior caused a stir in Profound Heaven Palace, I merely followed instructions and handled a few minor tasks outside. I didn't personally witness the Senior's full strength..."

As he spoke, Tan Hao paused, suddenly recalling something. "The Senior seemed to have vaguely mentioned that the Palace Master of Profound Heaven Palace wasn't quite normal and hadn't appeared in public for a very long time. I also heard some rumors that the Profound Heaven Palace Master became famous much earlier than Old Demon Hunmo."

"Not quite normal," Qin Sang mulled over these four words.

In their brief previous exchange, Old Demon Hunmo had displayed strength far beyond that of someone who had just broken through to the late Nascent Soul stage; he was a seasoned expert who had dominated the Boundless Sea for many years. For now, let's assume the Profound Heaven Palace Master is stronger than Old Demon Hunmo. There are too many reasons why cultivators might become abnormal. For example, failing to break through using a secret technique and suffering a backlash. Or strange methods of prolonging life. Or severe injuries from tribulation.

"Yes, severe injuries from tribulation are highly probable. The power of heavenly tribulations grows stronger each time. If they cannot break through to Soul Transformation, grand cultivators will eventually perish." Qin Sang narrowed his eyes and muttered to himself, "This type of injury is the hardest to recover from. No wonder Profound Heaven Palace was first infiltrated by Ghost Mother and then had its treasures stolen by the White-Clothed Man."

He recalled the ice casket lying quietly in his Thousand-Pound Ring. It couldn't be a sea chart inside, could it? On second thought, he found the possibility very small. The White-Clothed Man's strength was similar to that of an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, meaning he lacked the ability to travel to Middle-earth. For him, a sea chart would be of limited value. If the White-Clothed Man was a Profound Heaven Palace cultivator, he would surely have the opportunity to see the sea chart once his cultivation reached the appropriate level, making such a great risk unnecessary.

"Apart from the Profound Heaven Palace Master, others pose far less of a threat to me." Qin Sang pondered for a moment, then gestured for Tan Hao to continue.

Next came the experiences within the Pure Sea Sect. Ghost Mother apparently failed to obtain what she wanted from Profound Heaven Palace, so she had no choice but to risk damaging the seal and infiltrate the Pure Sea Sect to acquire the sea chart here.

"The Senior said that during the Pure Sea Sect's time of crisis, they exhausted all their sect's power to form a seal. The Golden Summit and the Buddhist Pagoda are like the two pillars of this seal, barely holding on now. And yes, the medicine garden and other areas will also, more or less, affect the seal's stability." Tan Hao glanced at Qin Sang, knowing he must have already noticed. "Damaging the restrictions in these places will accelerate the seal's collapse. The Senior opened the Buddhist Pagoda and took the treasures inside, only harvesting a few of the most precious spirit herbs from the medicine garden. As for the Golden Summit, it contained several magic treasures that the Senior didn't take. These items were originally meant for me to retrieve myself after I formed my Nascent Soul. At that point, it would also be the day of the Pure Sea Sect's destruction."

Tan Hao's face showed helplessness, and he was deeply pained. These treasures were Ghost Mother's compensation to him for being unable to save Tan Jie and thus failing to fulfill their agreement. Once Tan Hao formed his Nascent Soul and acquired these numerous treasures, even ordinary sects wouldn't be as wealthy as he would be. The prize he had anticipated was now gone. However, remembering the benefits he gained from the morning bells and evening drums during his time in the Pure Sea Sect, following Ghost Mother's guidance, Tan Hao felt a slight sense of relief. The opportunity to form a Nascent Soul was more precious than any treasure.

Qin Sang nodded upon hearing this. He had noticed the anomaly earlier. The restriction light of the Buddhist Pagoda was dimmer than that of the Golden Summit, indicating that Ghost Mother had already been inside. He wondered what other treasures were inside besides the sea chart, particularly if there was any Spirit-Suppressing Incense. However, the Spirit-Suppressing Incense was not something he absolutely needed.

"There's no time to lose. Let's quickly harvest the most precious spirit herbs and leave this troublesome place," Tan Hao sighed. Knowing that Old Demon Hunmo had been drawn here, Tan Hao completely gave up on the idea of the magic treasures in the Golden Summit. He also didn't believe Qin Sang had the strength to contend with Old Demon Hunmo. If Old Demon Hunmo discovered that someone had beaten him to it, their situation would become dangerous.

Qin Sang did not commit to an answer, his face deep in thought. While communicating with Tan Hao, he constantly observed the outside through his Nascent Soul puppet, keeping an eye on Old Demon Hunmo's movements. Now, it could be confirmed: five Nascent Soul cultivators had already entered the Pure Sea Sect. Aside from Old Demon Hunmo and True Man Chijie, the others were unfamiliar faces. Valley Master Mu and the two individuals, Qi and Wang, were nowhere to be seen, likely having met with misfortune. The distance was too great for Qin Sang to clearly discern their expressions. Among the three newly arrived Nascent Soul cultivators, one was at the mid-stage and two were at the early stage. On the surface, there was no conflict with Old Demon Hunmo, so it was unclear if they feared him or had already negotiated terms for distribution.

So many people entering at once was something Qin Sang had not anticipated. "It seems Old Demon Hunmo doesn't understand the Pure Sea Sect's grand array as well as I previously thought. Without the guidance of the Fire Jade Centipede, perhaps that old demon actively sought helpers to jointly break the formation." Qin Sang speculated on Old Demon Hunmo's intentions. Old Demon Hunmo had ambushed them, yet he was now teaming up with others. This also made sense. After all, the four of them had long ago reached an agreement and would certainly present a united front. For Old Demon Hunmo, the three newcomers were not only few in number but also wouldn't fully trust each other, posing no real threat to him.

According to Qin Sang's original plan, if there were only Old Demon Hunmo and True Man Chijie, he would have lurked in the shadows, awaiting the opportune moment. If the Buddhist supreme treasure emerged, he would seize the chance to act, confident in his ability to escape. However, given the current situation, and with no opportunity to divide his opponents, Qin Sang had to prioritize his own safety. He wasn't so arrogant as to fight five opponents alone. Having obtained the Myriad Spirit Fruit, his objective was achieved. Weighing the pros and cons, Qin Sang would most likely choose to retreat.

However, the unexpected encounter with Tan Hao gave Qin Sang new ideas.