Chapter 1457: End Finally Seen (4k, Two in One)

Mortal World

"He broke your heart, despite your rare and divine talent, and you've wasted so many years. You endured the pain of emotional sealing and painstakingly cultivated the Ice Soul Divine Light. Yet, he appeared at the critical moment when your profound cultivation was nearing completion, simply to disturb your dao heart. His intentions are utterly despicable!"

Master Xue was filled with righteous indignation, denouncing the unfaithful man.

Especially after seeing her junior sister, that man even dared to act aggressively and make a move against her. He was utterly heartless and faithless, completely wasting her junior sister's deep affection.

Liuli's gaze was somewhat peculiar. After Master Xue had vented her anger, she said softly, "I need to go out."

Master Xue sniffed her delicate nose, stared deeply at her junior sister, and frowned. "He's so heartless, and you still want to see him? Why don't we just let the Grand Elder and Old Devil Hun Mo kill him and be done with this wretched entanglement!"

Liuli remained silent.

They stared at each other for a moment.

Master Xue knew her junior sister was stubborn. Once she made a decision, no amount of persuasion would work. Reluctantly, she waved her hand. "Go on, then!"

She sat huffily on the meditation cushion, a look of disappointment and helplessness on her face.

"Thank you."

Liuli rose. With a light touch of her hand, she left behind an ice sculpture in her place. As she reached the door, her footsteps paused slightly, and she said, "I will persuade him to return the sacred artifact."

With that, Liuli's figure blurred and she silently departed.

A long sigh echoed in the quiet room.

On the reef island, Qin Sang busied himself for a while, setting up a formation.

Then, he flew eastward for a bit, searching around, and soon located the place Chen Yan had mentioned.

There were seven small islands there, arranged like a string of seven stars. They were easy to find; the largest was only a thousand feet in circumference, while the smallest resembled a large reef.

Qin Sang surveyed the area from above. After an inspection, he landed on the largest island.

The island was uninhabited, with a picturesque and serene landscape.

He sat casually beneath an ancient tree, closing his eyes to rest.

After an unknown period, Qin Sang suddenly felt something. He opened his eyes, looking eastward.

A bright, clear moon.

Beneath the moonlight, a pure white figure floated gracefully, like an ethereal fairy. It was Chen Yan. She had come alone, with no one else beside her.

Qin Sang's spiritual sense had advanced greatly, and with the divine ability of his Heaven-Eyed Butterfly, few disguises could escape his perception.

He looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure, his eyes complex. He rose, adjusted his clothes, released his aura, and stepped out of the jungle.

A gentle breeze swept by.

Liuli deactivated her escape light, gracefully stepping onto the shore. Her cold eyes shifted, falling upon Qin Sang's face, which was without a mask.

Qin Sang met her gaze calmly, observing the only woman he had ever shared physical intimacy with in this life. The long years had left no trace on her exquisite beauty; she was as stunning as when they first met.

However, at that time, his dominant emotion was apprehension.

Even having only met twice, Qin Sang could tell that her changes were obvious. Her aura was even colder than before, like an iceberg.

After a long silence, Qin Sang glanced behind her and was the first to speak, breaking the quiet. "I didn't expect you to come alone."

"There is no enmity between us," Liuli said, her tone flat.

Qin Sang nodded, sighing. "Indeed. Fortunately, Fairy, you intervened back then and thwarted Earl Dongyang's conspiracy, allowing me to escape his clutches. Chen Yan, that name must have been an alias, right?"

"You created the opportunity; my counterattack was to help myself," Liuli said earnestly, not taking credit.

She didn't ask how Qin Sang had left back then, or where he had hidden all those years. After a pause, she continued, "Chen Yan was a common name. My master took me in and named me Liuli."

"Liuli..."

Qin Sang looked into her eyes, which were indeed as clear as glazed glass. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. He took out the mysterious ice box, gave a light cough, and chuckled, "Since Fairy gave me this ice pearl, aren't you afraid I might comprehend the method of concealing the seal from it and keep it for myself?"

Chen Yan didn't seem to detect Qin Sang's teasing intent and still answered seriously, "My cultivation method is unique; others cannot replicate it. If I didn't help you isolate the seal, you would be suspicious."

_Of course, I know your intentions in doing that; there's no need to be so rigid._

_And only answering when asked? It's really troublesome to communicate with such an ice-cold beauty. I wonder if this is her natural temperament or if it was caused by all these changes and hardships._

Qin Sang muttered to himself. Thinking of their past experiences, he and Liuli were somewhat kindred spirits. He sighed inwardly, gathered his thoughts, and said seriously, "Fairy, you wish to persuade me to return this artifact?"

Seeing Liuli nod, Qin Sang asked with some curiosity, "How do you intend to persuade me, and what can I gain?"

"I can help you with a fair exchange." Liuli's gaze fell on the ice box.

A fair exchange.

Qin Sang believed she certainly understood that fairness was relative. He thought for a moment and asked, "Do you mean you'll tell me its origin and value, as well as the Xuan Tian Palace's bottom line?"

Liuli gave a slight nod. Without waiting for Qin Sang to ask further, she proactively explained, "This is a sacred artifact of the Xuan Tian Palace."

A sacred artifact!

Qin Sang's expression grew solemn. No wonder the Xuan Tian Palace had mobilized such a large force.

As a founding patriarch, Qin Sang knew very well that something revered as a sacred artifact by a sect might not be a peerless treasure, but it was undoubtedly of extreme importance to the sect, possibly even concerning its very survival.

Once a sacred artifact was lost, they would spare no effort to retrieve it.

If the seal weren't so difficult to break, allowing for some room for maneuver, the Xuan Tian Palace would probably have gone mad and stirred up a huge storm.

"What is sealed inside, and what is its purpose?" Qin Sang pressed.

He had expected Liuli to hold something back.

Unexpectedly, Liuli showed no hesitation or concealment. "The sacred artifact is the key to opening the sacred land."

"So, the sacred land is some kind of secret realm, or what kind of place?" Qin Sang thought to himself.

Liuli shook her head. To explain clearly, she added a few more sentences. "The sacred land has a unique internal environment, which provides special enhancements for certain cultivation methods, but I haven't entered it. The sacred land was supposed to open recently, but an accident led to the artifact being stolen."

She seemed to have not spoken so much at once in a long time, her words coming out a bit slowly.

Qin Sang listened carefully, falling into thought. The "accident" Liuli mentioned likely referred to the Ghost Mother's infiltration of the Xuan Tian Palace.

Could the Ghost Mother's intentions be related to the sacred land?

The more Qin Sang thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. If she only wanted the sea chart, she could have simply shown up; there was no need to painstakingly infiltrate and cause such a disturbance in the Xuan Tian Palace.

Considering this, he decided not to ask directly but to probe indirectly.

"Do most people in the Xuan Tian Palace cultivate the path of ice and cold?" Qin Sang asked. If it was only effective for cultivators practicing such methods, the Xuan Tian Palace's sacred land would be of little use to him.

"Yes," Liuli replied, returning to her taciturn state, confirming the matter.

"Since it's a key, why did that person betray the Xuan Tian Palace and steal the sacred artifact? Did he want to monopolize the sacred land?" Qin Sang detected something strange.

The sacred artifact surely had more than one purpose.

"The entrance to the sacred land is a forbidden area; outsiders cannot enter," Liuli said, first dispelling Qin Sang's idea of infiltrating the sacred land himself. Then she added, "It is an Ice Demon Crystal."

"Ice Demon Crystal?" Qin Sang frowned, looking down in thought. None of the ancient texts he had read contained any records of such a treasure.

"It is the core left behind after an Ice Demon's demise." Liuli's voice paused slightly, sensing Qin Sang's confusion. "Ice Demons are peculiar demonic spirits born from heaven and earth. If a cultivator transforms to an Ice Demon Physique and refines an Ice Demon Crystal, they might achieve mastery of the Ice Demon Physique and advance to the late Nascent Soul stage."

Upon hearing the words "Ice Demon Physique," Qin Sang immediately thought of the strange spirit body of the white-robed man.

No wonder that person did not hesitate to betray his sect and steal the sacred artifact.

In the current cultivation world, reaching the late Nascent Soul stage meant standing at the pinnacle of existence. That temptation was certainly great enough.

After some deliberation, Qin Sang asked, "Is the Ice Demon Physique a secret art that specializes in cultivating the soul?"

Liuli wasn't surprised that Qin Sang knew about this, as the traitor had most likely died at his hands. She corrected him, "It is not a secret art, but a spiritual cultivation method. The soul transforms into an Ice Demon, existing as a spirit body."

Such a cultivation method actually exists!

Qin Sang's heart stirred, and he eagerly asked for details.

Liuli spoke a little more smoothly than before. "To cultivate the Ice Demon Physique, the soul extracts the essence from the physical body, transforming into an Ice Demon spirit body. The physical body becomes a vessel, which can be refined into something similar to a life-bound magic treasure or a puppet. This method is incomplete; only the Nascent Soul portion remains. Only cultivators of the ice and cold path can forcibly switch to it, and it is extremely dangerous, prone to loss of control, a near-certain death. One should not attempt it unless there is no other choice."

She sounded as if she were explaining, yet also warning.

Qin Sang wasn't worried about losing control.

However, abandoning his physical body to exist as a spirit body was unacceptable to him. His years of accumulation, his cultivation, and his diligently refined physical body would all have to be abandoned.

Based on his experience, cultivating all three systems simultaneously was the correct path. The Ice Demon Physique was purely spiritual cultivation, even more extreme than current physical cultivation methods.

Furthermore, the possibility of advancing to the late stage only by refining the Ice Demon Crystal held no real attraction for him.

He had ample time to prepare for breaking through to the late Nascent Soul stage.

If it were an opportunity to reach the God Transformation stage, he might have hesitated.

Qin Sang briefly considered this thought and continued to ask, "Does the Ice Demon Crystal have only this one purpose?"

Liuli spoke more and more smoothly, candidly stating, "The Ice Demon Crystal is related to the sacred land, and few in the Xuan Tian Palace know much about it. I once heard my master say that it is stored in the forbidden Ever-Cold Spring. By absorbing the cold spring's power, its spiritual essence has been worn away, rendering it akin to a dead object. It has three uses. First, one can cultivate the Ice Demon Physique. Second, it can be fused with a Ghost King; if it withstands the impact, it can directly transform into an Ice Demon. Third, it can be refined by fellow demon cultivators to strengthen their bloodline."

Finally, she added, "These are merely conjectures, not yet verified."

Upon hearing this, Qin Sang understood.

The ghostly spirit controlled by Old Devil Hun Mo was undoubtedly at the Ghost King level. The Ice Demon Crystal held significant attraction for him, which explained why the Xuan Tian Palace was wary of Old Devil Hun Mo.

At the very least, he didn't have to worry about the Xuan Tian Palace and Old Devil Hun Mo joining forces to retrieve the sacred artifact for now.

Considering these thoughts, Qin Sang lowered his head to look at the ice box in his hand and said thoughtfully, "So, unless I wish to switch to cultivating the Ice Demon Physique, or have a Ghost King servant, this sacred artifact is of no use to me."

He did not fully trust Liuli's words, but reviewing their conversation, he found no obvious loopholes.

Qin Sang did not press for more details because he believed that Liuli definitely had ulterior motives in doing this, and if she concealed anything from him, she would surely reveal a flaw later.

"Yes!" Liuli emphasized, "You are in great danger!"

Did she mean that his possession of the Ice Demon Crystal was dangerous?

Qin Sang raised his head, looking into Liuli's eyes. Her gaze remained clear and calm; he could not discern her true thoughts.

After a moment of thought, Qin Sang chuckled and said calmly, "I heard the Xuan Tian Palace Master is not in good condition and cannot easily take action. Besides him, how many others can threaten me?"

A flicker of surprise appeared in Liuli's eyes, astonished that Qin Sang knew so much about the Xuan Tian Palace Master.

"It's not hard to guess. The Xuan Tian Palace lost its sacred artifact, yet the Palace Master hasn't appeared. Either he's inconveniently indisposed, or he has something more important to attend to. What could be more important than the sacred land? Or, are you planning to join forces with Old Devil Hun Mo?"

Qin Sang did not mention that he knew about the Ghost Mother's disturbance in the Xuan Tian Palace.

He wasn't sure what the Ghost Mother had done in the Xuan Tian Palace. If she was the one who injured the Palace Master or stole some major treasure, and the Xuan Tian Palace couldn't find the true culprit, then being blamed himself would be a grave injustice.

Liuli gave an imperceptible nod, acknowledging Qin Sang's deduction. After a moment of silence, she said, "Not for now."

Qin Sang secretly nodded. Just as he had anticipated, the Xuan Tian Palace would initially seek a trade with him and would not risk cooperating with Old Devil Hun Mo unless absolutely necessary.

"If not the Palace Master or Old Devil Hun Mo, then who?" Qin Sang asked curiously.

"The Grand Elder," Liuli added by way of explanation. "Before the Myriad Devil Assembly, the Grand Elder received news that the traitor had engaged in a fierce battle with a demon king, and the sacred artifact might have fallen into the hands of the demon race. So, she went to the demon territory alone."

Qin Sang was stunned when he heard this and immediately guessed the source of the news. He couldn't help but feel dumbfounded.

It must have been Master Feng, unwilling to have wasted his efforts. He must have thought the treasure fell into a demon king's hands and deliberately spread this news to attract the Xuan Tian Palace to trouble Bi Fang.

Qin Sang had heard Master Feng and others discussing using others to achieve their goals, while also not wanting to bring trouble upon themselves and destabilize the situation near Fengyang Mountain. So, they wouldn't publicize it widely, which was why it had only recently reached the Xuan Tian Palace.

He wondered if the Grand Elder had found Bi Fang.

If Bi Fang knew the truth, he would surely be furious.

Qin Sang thought of Bi Fang hiding in his cave, trouble befalling him unexpectedly, and instantly felt a surge of schadenfreude, laughing inwardly for a moment. "Is the Grand Elder also a Grand Cultivator?"

He once again marveled at the profound foundation of the Xuan Tian Palace.

On the surface, the Palace Master commanded widespread respect, and secretly there was a Grand Elder holding the fort. If not for the Ghost Mother interfering, even if that traitor had premeditated his actions, he would have had no chance to steal the sacred artifact.

A thought crossed his mind: _could the Grand Elder be her master?_

Distracted by the topic of the sacred artifact, Qin Sang had forgotten to ask her how she ultimately handled her grievances with Earl Dongyang, and whether she had rescued her master.

"No," Liuli's answer was somewhat unexpected to Qin Sang. Without waiting for Qin Sang to ask, she continued, "The Grand Elder had already cultivated to the peak of the mid-Nascent Soul stage. Her spiritual sense has taken form, no weaker than yours. She once suffered from qi deviation, which left a hidden problem, leading to her failure in breaking through to the late Nascent Soul stage. That's why she's currently trapped by a bottleneck."

Half a step into the late Nascent Soul stage.

Spiritual sense manifesting as a form.

A figure flashed through Qin Sang's mind: Old Devil Mou from Canglang Sea!

Excluding Old Devil Ye, who could advance but suppressed his cultivation with a clone, and the unfathomable Senior Sister, Old Devil Mou was the foremost expert below the Grand Cultivators Qin Sang had ever met.

With the backing of the Xuan Tian Palace, the Grand Elder's strength might even surpass Old Devil Mou's.

At that moment, Liuli paused slightly, and then said solemnly, "The Grand Elder wields a spirit treasure!"