Chapter 148: 功法乃是工具

The Way of Killing is vast, encompassing myriad paths. Qin Sang did not know the correct path for cultivating the "Soul Nurturing Sword Chapter," and indeed, every cultivator's choice might be different.

When Senior Qingzhu cultivated this technique, to comprehend the Kill Talisman, he might have dedicated himself to the path of slaughter, killing everyone with a single sword—regardless of gender, age, cultivation, or whether they were mortals—eventually falling into the demonic path. Or, he might have actively ventured into dangerous situations, seeking life from death, eradicating fear in his heart, slaying others and oneself. Perhaps he walked alone with his sword, seeking only unimpeded clarity of mind. Or, he might have used slaughter to stop slaughter.

But his approach was certainly not like that.

Without the Jade Buddha protecting his soul and preventing the erosion of killing intent, meditating on the Kill Talisman during combat would be extremely dangerous. If the killing intent overwhelmed his consciousness, causing him to lose rationality and the ability to calmly analyze the situation, with only "kill, kill, kill" left in his mind, he would put himself in an extremely perilous position.

Qin Sang had deliberated for a long time before deciding to try this method. If it proved effective, this path would undoubtedly be the most suitable for him.

In his view, the "Soul Nurturing Sword Chapter" was merely a tool to enhance his cultivation. Senior Qingzhu's example offered a glimmer of hope for him, despite his inferior aptitude, to reach the Core Formation stage, which was why he chose this technique. He didn't long for the path of slaughter, nor did he feel deeply about it. His sole obsession was eternal life.

If possible, Qin Sang absolutely did not want to force himself to change his conduct and principles due to cultivating a technique. Just as he had willingly become a human cauldron for Foundation Establishment, he always followed his true nature in every choice, rather than being muddle-headed or oblivious, allowing him to have no regrets. Of course, if he found himself at a dead end, that would be another matter entirely.

The killing intent within the sword energy grew increasingly strong, yet Qin Sang remained exceptionally calm, his heart unperturbed. He was merely using the Kill Talisman to simulate killing intent, thereby validating the talisman through combat.

*Boom!*

Qin Sang's mind was connected to the ebony sword. The spiritual sword's killing aura soared, fiercely stabbing towards the white rhinoceros beast. The sword energy was like a sharp blade.

The disciples at the spirit stone mine had been waiting with bated breath for a day and a night. At first, they saw a flash of escape light in the night sky, followed by turbulent waves on the vast Cloudmist Lake. The island where the spirit stone mine was located was also affected, continuously shaking, indicating the intense battle in the distance. But when dawn broke, all sounds ceased, and Martial Uncle Qin hadn't returned.

Without a signal from Qin Sang, they dared not open the grand formation, nor dared they venture out to see how the battle had progressed. Had the demonic beast won, or had their Martial Uncle prevailed?

Shen Youdao hovered in mid-air, pressed against the formation's light barrier, his eyes wide, staring at the horizon where water met sky like a loyal wife awaiting her husband's return. In his heart, he repeatedly prayed for Martial Uncle Qin's swift return, even if he came back missing limbs, as long as he escaped with his life.

"If Martial Uncle Qin isn't back by dawn, we'll send a plea for help to the sect!" Shen Youdao was restless, his voice a little hoarse.

A great cultivator of the Foundation Establishment stage, facing a demonic beast with newly awakened intelligence, surely wouldn't lack even the ability to escape with his life, would he? If Martial Uncle Qin were to fall at the hands of the demonic beast while they, his disciples, cowered inside the grand formation, they would certainly face severe punishment from the sect. He was no longer young and had long given up on the idea of cultivating immortality. He had originally intended to accumulate some family wealth at the spirit stone mine, return home to marry several wives and concubines, enjoy his grandchildren, and live comfortably for a few decades. He never expected such complications.

Suddenly, a massive figure appeared at the edge of his vision, soaring through the air—it was none other than the ferocious white rhinoceros beast.

"It's over!" Shen Youdao's heart sank, his eyes fixed blankly, and he nearly fainted.

Just then, someone below suddenly cheered, "Martial Uncle Qin won! He killed that evil beast!"

"Eh?" Shen Youdao, who had already been contemplating whether to find a woman to continue his family line, quickly widened his eyes upon hearing this. Only then did he realize there was a figure beneath the massive body of the white rhinoceros beast—who else could it be but Martial Uncle Qin? It turned out that the beast was being held aloft by Martial Uncle Qin with one hand, already lifeless. Shen Youdao's concern had clouded his vision, preventing him from seeing clearly.

"Quick! Open the formation and welcome Martial Uncle Qin!" Shen Youdao beamed, unable to close his mouth.

Martial Uncle Qin was incredibly fast, flying over the island in the blink of an eye. Shen Youdao opened his mouth, about to offer compliments, when he heard a voice from above, "You have seen clearly: this demonic beast has been slain by me. Report this news to the sect, and then diligently look after the spirit mine; do not be negligent."

Having said that, Qin Sang placed the white rhinoceros beast's corpse into his mustard seed pouch and departed, leaving behind a group of disappointed onlookers.

Although he had used the Ten Directions Yama Array to trap the white rhinoceros beast and gained the upper hand, the beast's water manipulation ability was not to be underestimated. Its thick hide and robust physique also gave it extremely strong defenses. This battle was quite arduous. Furthermore, Qin Sang used the beast to comprehend the sword talisman, intentionally engaging with it for a full day. He waited until the white rhinoceros beast was covered in wounds and utterly exhausted before delivering the fatal blow. Qin Sang also consumed a significant amount of spirit stones and elixirs for this.

After the battle, Qin Sang felt a subtle gain in his heart; his understanding of the Kill Talisman had deepened, feeling as though the bottleneck before him was merely a thin membrane, easily pierced. This indicated that his chosen path was viable. However, Qin Sang knew in his heart that the first Kill Talisman was, in essence, merely an introductory guide to the entire technique, helping cultivators choose a path suited to them. That was why it was so easy to comprehend. Subsequent comprehension would certainly not be as straightforward.

With a flash of escape light, Qin Sang sped away. His destination for this journey was the direction of the snake demon's cave. Qin Sang sealed the white rhinoceros beast's corpse with a restriction to preserve its vitality, not dissecting it for spiritual materials. This was because he planned to use the white rhinoceros beast as bait to see if he could lure out the snake demon. For demonic beasts, the corpse of another beast of the same Demonic Spirit stage was a great tonic, especially a fresh corpse rich in vitality; it was an undeniable temptation.

A few days later, Qin Sang's figure quietly appeared on a perilous peak. The perilous peak rose from the water, as if carved by knife and axe, incredibly steep. Qin Sang's figure flickered, appearing in a large cave within the peak. It was in this very cave that Senior Brother Wang had found the snake's slough. Despite the passage of so much time, a pungent, fishy odor still lingered persistently in the cave.

Qin Sang pondered for a moment, then set up the Ten Directions Yama Array in front of the cave. He then took a large amount of demonic blood from the white rhinoceros beast's corpse, scattering half of it into the water and continuously sprinkling the rest intermittently all the way into the cave. Finally, he placed the white rhinoceros beast's corpse there, using only a crudely formed water barrier to obscure the cave entrance. The aura of the great demonic beast immediately permeated the surroundings. Then Qin Sang concealed himself in the shadows, waiting quietly.

*Splash!*

Suddenly, below the perilous peak, water splashed violently. A giant wave formed out of nowhere, crashing against the peak. The water then returned to calm, and a long white shadow was faintly seen flashing by, before disappearing back into the depths.

After the white rhinoceros beast's aura spread, it took more than half a day for the snake demon to finally appear. The demon was extremely cautious, not directly entering the cave. Instead, every one or two hours, it would stir up waves and probe the area.

"This snake demon's intelligence is likely quite high," Qin Sang thought to himself.