Chapter 1458: Nine Netherworld Returns to Yin (4k, Two-in-One)

The Human Realm

Xuantian Palace actually has a spiritual treasure!

Qin Sang recalled the sword embryo of the Void Spirit Sect, and his own Cloud-Wandering Sword. The difference in foundation between the Void Spirit Sect and Xuantian Palace was immeasurable. From their founder onwards, generations had plotted and planned, and it wasn't until Bing Han that they finally had a chance to refine the fire jade, nurtured within the Mountain of Mountains, into a sword embryo. Whether it would ultimately develop sentience and advance into a spiritual treasure, and how long the entire process would take, remained uncertain.

The Cloud-Wandering Sword had successively fused with the Boundless Blood Mulberry, Soul-Nourishing Wood, and Pure Fortune True Bamboo Spirit. As Qin Sang's life-bound spiritual sword, it had been nurtured by his Nascent Soul for decades, yet showed no signs of transformation. The timeline was distant and uncertain. To be pessimistic, Qin Sang wasn't even sure if he would first face the Soul Transformation bottleneck, or if the Cloud-Wandering Sword would advance to a spiritual treasure first. This clearly showed how difficult it was for a Nascent Soul cultivator to refine a spiritual treasure.

That Grand Elder was only at the Mid-Nascent Soul stage, so it was almost certain that the spiritual treasure wasn't personally refined by him, but rather a heritage spiritual treasure of Xuantian Palace. Qin Sang wasn't familiar with Xuantian Palace's rules, and didn't know why the heritage spiritual treasure was entrusted to the Grand Elder instead of the Palace Lord.

“What divine abilities does that spiritual treasure have?” Qin Sang asked thoughtfully. He was reviewing the treasures he possessed.

The Cloud-Wandering Sword was temporarily out of the question. The Sun Divine Tree was showing pleasing changes, especially after his spiritual sense materialized. Qin Sang found that he could also exert some influence; the aggregation speed of the flame power within the flower bud seemed to accelerate, and its color deepened, which was promising. The power and status of the Southern Blazing Fire were undeniable. However, just like the demonic flame sealed within the demonic banner, Qin Sang could only control the Sun Divine Bird, which contained only a portion of the Southern Blazing Fire's power. Once the Sun Divine Bird fully formed, how powerful it would be, and whether it could reach the spiritual treasure level, remained a big question mark.

Only the Demonic Banner and the Nine Nether Demonic Flame allowed for a rough assessment. The Eighteen Demonic Banners surpassed top-grade magic treasures, which was why Qin Sang didn't fall into a disadvantage when wielding them against Elder Hunmo. However, the true power of the Nine Nether Demonic Flame was still sealed within the demonic banner. Once he used the 'Fire Seed Golden Lotus' to refine all the demonic flames, even with refinement and some loss, it should become a divine ability no weaker than a spiritual treasure. But this would take time and couldn't be accomplished overnight. Thinking it over, before he could condense the Sun Divine Bird, he truly didn't have many good ways to counter a spiritual treasure.

Qin Sang quickly went over his thoughts, but then saw Liu Li looking at him, silent. Seeing this, Qin Sang suddenly understood. After all, Liu Li was from Xuantian Palace; it was impossible for her to reveal all her sect's secrets. This reminder was already sufficient; he would need to be more vigilant when encountering Xuantian Palace's Grand Elder in the future.

Qin Sang pondered for a moment, then smiled, “Thank you for your painstaking effort, Immortal Liu Li, in explaining the pros and cons. I understand now that holding onto the sacred object brings more harm than good. I wonder what price Xuantian Palace intends to pay to retrieve it?”

“What do you want?” Liu Li countered. She wasn't surprised by Qin Sang's request, and she knew clearly that their apparent grievances had been settled, so she couldn't simply ask Qin Sang to return the sacred object for free. Even now, Liu Li's emotions remained incredibly complex, though she didn't show it. Since her master's disappearance and her solitary stay on Shaohua Mountain, she had grown accustomed to suppressing her feelings.

On one hand, the lingering effects of the evil cultivation technique had still not been eliminated. Shi Xue's words had been partly true. Back then, when Liu Li left the Northern Star Realm and returned to Xuantian Palace, she cultivated the Ice Soul Divine Light precisely to seal away her emotions with ice and escape the effects of the evil cultivation technique. Silver Needle Locking Emotions, Ice Soul Sealing Emotions. From beginning to end, she had relied on her own strength, diligently seeking a solution. She believed this was the price she had to pay for choosing the evil cultivation technique, unrelated to Qin Sang, and she didn't want to involve others. That's why she was never swayed by Earl Dongyang to cultivate the so-called Stone Bridge Zen. But when Qin Sang truly appeared before her, she was startled to realize how deeply the evil cultivation technique had affected her!

On the other hand, after seeing Qin Sang, she couldn't help but recall her experiences on Shaohua Mountain. Back then, he was like an ant, someone she could crush with a single finger. Now, however, his cultivation had surpassed hers, and he had grown into a top-tier expert feared even by Xuantian Palace, forcing her to suppress other thoughts and seek a transaction. Five-element spiritual root. Selling himself to establish his foundation. Cultivating Nascent Soul sword nurturing, a cultivation technique that cleaved one's soul. He successively consumed the Kan-Li Golden Elixir, Snow Spirit Lotus, and Iris Flower, failing twice to form a Core. This even frustrated Earl Dongyang, who had to go to great lengths to find a reasonable excuse to bring Qin Sang into the Bronze Palace. After leaving Ziwei Palace, she searched everywhere for Qin Sang, wanting to tell him not to worry about his grievances with Earl Dongyang, that he could cultivate with peace of mind, as she would bear all responsibility. During this process, she learned about some of Qin Sang's deeds and was astonished by his various efforts and the hardships he endured in pursuit of the Grand Dao. She believed this wasn't all. It was hard to imagine what else this person had endured after being schemed against by the patriarch and abandoned by his sect. How did he form his Core? How did he gather his Nascent Soul? How did he reach this point step by step? Compared to Qin Sang, she was undoubtedly a favored child of heaven; the efforts she made and the difficulties she experienced to save her master were insignificant. At least, she had the ability to find and try various solutions for hidden dangers, while Qin Sang back then could only grasp at every straw, relying on sheer resilience and indomitable spirit to climb painstakingly.

Qin Sang couldn't have guessed that this ice-cold immortal before him harbored so many thoughts. He pondered internally. His original main objective was the Central Continent Sea Chart; other conditions could be discussed as appropriate. However, hearing that the sacred object was the key to unlocking the sacred land gave him new ideas. His initial intention for leaving the Northern Star Realm and traveling was to search for other Sword of Slaughter fragments. After arriving in the North Sea, however, he hadn't heard of any ancient secret realms or ruins here. The Pure Sea Sect was actually just a powerful Buddhist sect from recent times. It sounded like Xuantian Palace's sacred land was quite mysterious, and he might find something within it. Qin Sang proposed entering the sacred land as an observer, and asked, “Can Xuantian Palace agree to this condition?”

He knew the sacred land's importance to a sect; normally, outsiders wouldn't be allowed in. But now the key was in his hands, and at worst, no one would get in. Liu Li was stunned, clearly not expecting such a request from him. She remained silent for a long time, then said, “There's no precedent.” After a pause, she added, “I will ask the Grand Elder.”

Qin Sang nodded slightly. After a moment's thought, he weighed his words carefully: “My Dao is entirely different from that of your Xuantian Palace. The secrets within the sacred land hold no allure for me, and I wouldn't do anything that harms others without benefiting myself. My main aim is to broaden my horizons. An opportunity to observe from the periphery of the sacred land would suffice. If you're concerned, I can first swear a Heart Demon Oath.” As long as he entered the sacred land, he could sense the Sword of Slaughter fragments through his sword spirit. If there truly were Sword of Slaughter fragments in the sacred land, then Xuantian Palace wouldn't be able to refuse him; he would find a way to obtain them regardless. Of course, a proper resolution would be best.

Liu Li nodded noncommittally. She continued to look at Qin Sang, knowing that this couldn't be his only condition.

Qin Sang already had a plan. “I also need the sea chart leading to the Central Continent.”

“Central Continent?” A bewildered look appeared in Liu Li's eyes.

Seeing this, Qin Sang was surprised and quickly asked, “You haven't heard of the Central Continent?”

Liu Li nodded, stating honestly, “I don't know.”

“This…” Qin Sang frowned. Given Liu Li's status and strength, her position in Xuantian Palace surely wasn't low, and she was qualified to access most secrets. Yet, she didn't know about the Central Continent! Even if she wasn't yet qualified to view the sea chart, she had a mysterious master; it was impossible for her to have never heard of it. Qin Sang suddenly realized a problem. After hearing that Ghost Mother had infiltrated Xuantian Palace, he had implicitly assumed Xuantian Palace definitely possessed a sea chart to the Central Continent. Could it be that Ghost Mother had only been guessing back then, and after infiltrating, she found Xuantian Palace indeed didn't have one, prompting her to risk entering the Pure Sea Sect? This was something Qin Sang hadn't expected. As the foremost sect in the North Sea, if Xuantian Palace didn't have a sea chart, where else could he find one? The Pure Sea Sect's sea chart had already been taken by Ghost Mother, unless he visited an even older power than Xuantian Palace. Qin Sang didn't explain further. “Just relay my words to the Grand Elder exactly as I've said them; she should understand what I'm talking about.” Liu Li didn't ask further, quietly noting it down.

Next, Qin Sang fell into deep thought. He had essentially gathered all the spiritual materials for the Golden Sinking Sword. There were still two spiritual items missing for the Spirit Ascension Ritual, but those could be gathered through Hundred Flowers Valley. It seemed there was truly nothing he urgently needed. If possible, Qin Sang would prefer to enter Xuantian Palace's treasure vault and select items himself. Liu Li remained quiet, without a hint of impatience.

At this moment, Qin Sang suddenly recalled something. “Does Xuantian Palace possess any orthodox Xuanmen secret methods for cultivating an external avatar?” Almost every Nascent Soul cultivator had considered cultivating an external avatar or a second Nascent Soul; however, such secret methods were extremely rare. Moreover, most originated from demonic paths, causing harm and endless future troubles. While orthodox Xuanmen methods had fewer hidden dangers, their requirements were extremely stringent, and very few truly succeeded in cultivating them.

Liu Li wasn't surprised by this request. Her gaze softened slightly, as if she was recalling something. A moment later, Liu Li genuinely thought of a secret method that met Qin Sang's requirements. Under Qin Sang's surprised gaze, she nodded and said, “Yes! The Nine Nether Returning Yin Jade Scroll!”

“Nine Nether Returning Yin…” Qin Sang savored the name, but couldn't discern much from it.

Liu Li recalled carefully and said, “The 'Nine Nether Returning Yin Jade Scroll' is extremely difficult to cultivate, requiring three conditions. First, the main body's spiritual sense must be powerful, otherwise the latter two steps will be very difficult to succeed.” She paused, glancing at Qin Sang, clearly implying that Qin Sang didn't need to worry about this. “Second, a unique spiritual body must be refined using a special method, then placed in an underground yin vein for eighty-one days of ritual refinement. While one can cut corners by using demonic beast corpses, to my knowledge, only a few specific types of humanoid demonic creatures can meet the requirements, and they are hard to come by in the current world. Third, a rare treasure of the ice-cold path must be used to lay the foundation for the spiritual body before it can be refined into an external avatar.”

Indeed, stringent! After Liu Li finished detailing all the requirements, Qin Sang secretly sighed with emotion. The current cultivation world was barren, making it practically impossible to refine a spiritual body independently. Those substitute demonic beasts had already become extinct in the North Sea. Perhaps there was a chance to encounter them in the Demonic Sea, but he couldn't return there. “Bai once said that the Dao Evolution Tree is a spiritual embryo of heaven and earth, incomparably stronger than a human-refined spiritual body. But the Dao Evolution Tree is a pure body, and it's already been contaminated. Can it still be used to cultivate the 'Nine Nether Returning Yin Dharma Body'? This secret art clearly belongs to the ice-cold path, and it's quite extreme…” Qin Sang was a little unsure. Even if he saw the secret art, he probably wouldn't be able to confirm its feasibility; he would only know by trying. The Nascent Soul Talisman Puppet's potential as a puppet was largely exhausted. Its strength, approaching the Mid-Nascent Soul stage, was gradually falling behind his pace. It was time to put the external avatar on the agenda. He just didn't know if the Dao Evolution Tree could withstand further tribulations. As for rare treasures of the ice-cold path, Qin Sang wasn't worried; Xuantian Palace certainly had them.

“What divine abilities does the external avatar have, and what are its hidden dangers?” Qin Sang, out of caution, inquired in detail. Liu Li had clearly also considered refining an external avatar, and was very familiar with this secret method. “Once the external avatar is refined, it can wield several divine abilities of the ice-cold path, control magic treasures, and its combat power is not weak. However, it won't condense a second Nascent Soul on its own; instead, it condenses an illusory infant. Compared to demonic blood infant and demonic infant secret arts, the chance of backlash to the main body is very small.” Qin Sang didn't interrupt, listening intently, wondering how it was illusory.

“After the main body falls, as long as it's not too far from the external avatar, one can resurrect through the external avatar. The illusory infant will then solidify and transform into the main body.” As she spoke of these things, a flicker of anticipation also crossed Liu Li's eyes. This was equivalent to a second life; who wouldn't be tempted?

“Truly worthy of an orthodox Xuanmen secret art!” Qin Sang's heart was shaken. He couldn't claim to always have smooth sailing now, and the chance of a resurrection was very appealing to him. But he wasn't carried away. “There must be some hidden dangers, right?”

“Naturally!” Liu Li nodded. “After all, the spiritual body isn't the true body; alienation is inevitable, and there are many disharmonies. Additionally, after resurrection, one can only cultivate ice-cold path techniques.”

Qin Sang nodded as he listened. These hidden dangers were far smaller than he had expected, and compared to the heaven-defying divine ability of resurrection, they were insignificant. Seeing Qin Sang remain silent for a long time, clearly tempted, Liu Li hesitated before saying, “I am restricted by sect rules and cannot pass on cultivation techniques to you. However, if you can refine a spiritual body, I can give you a rare treasure that is most suitable. Whether the foundation is stable or not concerns the future potential of the external avatar.”

Qin Sang was startled by her words. He hadn't expected her to proactively offer him a rare treasure; it seemed her intentions were significant. Gazing at Liu Li for a moment, Qin Sang asked, “What rare treasure is the best?”

“Xuantian Palace possesses the Kan-Shen Pearl, suitable for cultivating the Nine Nether Returning Yin Jade Scroll. This item is rare and can also assist in cultivating another technique, requiring significant merit to acquire. However, the Kan-Shen Pearl's effect is not as good as another.” Liu Li slowly uttered four words, “Ice Soul Divine Gang!” After the Qingyang Divine Gang of the Qingyang Demonic Sect and the Pure Yang Divine Gang of the Pure Yang Sect, this was the third type of Qian Tian Divine Gang Qin Sang had heard of. He naturally knew how rare Qian Tian Divine Gang was. First, Qian Tian Divine Gang had to descend upon the world, and then, through various coincidences and opportunities, condense into a 'Gang Ying' — a substance like 'Gang Jade' — that could exist for a long time. Liu Li actually possessed Ice Soul Divine Gang!

“Ice Soul Divine Gang is an extremely cold substance in this world, but its power is too violent, lacking in gentleness, making it difficult to control. However, with the strength of your spiritual sense, you should barely be able to do it.” After a pause, Liu Li added, “This doesn't prevent you from requesting the Kan-Shen Pearl from Xuantian Palace. Even though it's valuable, the Grand Elder won't be stingy. Allowing the external avatar to refine it can strengthen its power.”

“I didn't expect Immortal Liu Li to possess such a treasure!” Qin Sang exclaimed, then straightforwardly asked, “I can't accept such a gift without earning it. What can I do for you, Immortal Liu Li?”