Chapter 1501: Sacrificial Primordial Technique

Heavenly tribulation loomed overhead. Tribulation lightning could strike at any moment.

The first bolt of tribulation lightning, being the weakest, was successively blocked by the ancient restriction and Yin Changsheng. Its aftereffects did not completely destroy the Blood Pool of Killing Yin. However, the second bolt was sure to level the blood pool, and Tong Lingyu would not survive.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

Tong Lingyu, her face filled with anxiety, frantically struck the blood pool. Sealed within the blood pool with her five senses blocked, she hadn't witnessed the subsequent battle and still couldn't see clearly outside or understand the situation. Yet, even through the blood pool, the immense pressure of the heavenly tribulation was so palpable that it filled her with utter despair.

The blood pool had cracked, significantly weakening the sealing power. However, Tong Lingyu was severely wounded, and most of the restrictions on her body had not yet been lifted, so only a small fraction of her strength had recovered. The barrier she could once easily break now felt like an impenetrable fortress.

Seeing this, Qin Sang's eyes flashed. As he rapidly soared towards the top of the sinkhole, he pointed his Golden Sinking Sword, remotely unleashing a sword qi that struck the edge of the blood pool.

The reasons for doing so were:

Firstly, Qin Sang knew Tong Lingyu's condition; even if rescued, she wouldn't pose a threat to him. His main body still had reserves, and he was refining pills to restore his true essence. By the time Tong Lingyu emerged, removed her restrictions, and stabilized her injuries, he would have also recovered some strength, and the Four-Chariot Teng Snake Seal was in his possession.

Secondly, after Yin Changsheng's death, Tong Lingyu would be needed to handle the aftermath. All traces of the sinkhole would be erased by the tribulation lightning. If both Tong Lingyu and Yin Changsheng died here, and only he and Liu Li walked out alive, what would the cultivators of Xuantian Palace think? He could come and go freely and wasn't afraid of Xuantian Palace holding a grudge, but outside, there was still his enemy, Old Man Hunmo, as well as Great Sage Tianpeng and numerous other demons.

He still needed to remain in the sacred land to obtain the fragments of the killing sword; at the very least, Xuantian Palace couldn't become an obstacle. Furthermore, Xuantian Palace had occupied the sacred land for many years and was familiar with its secrets; perhaps something could be learned from Tong Lingyu.

Tong Lingyu had to be saved!

*Whoosh!*

The sword qi arrived in an instant, striking perfectly at a crack.

*Crack!*

The sword qi pierced in, and a dazzling light erupted. The crack burst open in response, and blood surged out.

Inside the blood pool, Tong Lingyu, who was already somewhat despairing, suddenly felt a sharp sensation approaching. Then, the sealing power on her body rapidly diminished, allowing her to see a blurred image of the outside through the blood. Overjoyed, she immediately mustered her remaining strength and burst out of the blood pool! Before she could even grasp the situation, Qin Sang's voice transmission reached her ear: "Tribulation lightning is coming, Fellow Daoist Tong, quickly ascend!"

Tong Lingyu didn't dare to hesitate. At the last moment, she didn't forget to reach back and retrieve Luo Yun, who was sealed in a block of ice, then hastily followed Qin Sang out. Finally, Qin Sang successfully escaped the sinkhole. Above the sinkhole was an open area surrounded by black mist.

No other figures were seen. Qin Sang's expression eased slightly. He flew close to the black mist, stopping only when he felt safe. He gently placed Liu Li down, then turned to look at the sinkhole and the tribulation cloud.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Qin, for saving my life."

Tong Lingyu had also escaped. Her face was pale, and two long, narrow wounds on her delicate features were still bleeding, adding a touch of tragic beauty. Her aura was also very chaotic. Unaware that the heavenly lightning was summoned by the Celestial Eye Butterfly, she believed Qin Sang had followed her plan, delaying until Yin Changsheng succumbed to demonic corruption and triggered the tribulation. Qin Sang's aura also indicated that his true essence was greatly depleted, suggesting he had certainly endured a tough battle.

"This is Xuantian Palace's Feixue Pill, which can quickly replenish true essence. I hope Fellow Daoist Qin won't mind."

There was no need to hide behind the identity of Daoist Qingfeng now. Tong Lingyu took out a bottle of pills and handed it to Qin Sang. She then found herself unable to stand any longer, sat down on the spot, closed her eyes, took the medicine to heal her injuries, and worked on breaking the restrictions within her body.

The Feixue Pill, one of Xuantian Palace's top-tier spiritual elixirs, was something Qin Sang had heard of long ago. Qin Sang opened the jade bottle, confirmed there were no tricks, and poured out two pills to consume. Immediately, he felt a cooling sensation penetrate his heart, and his true essence recovered noticeably faster; the quality was indeed much better than the pills he had prepared.

He glanced at Luo Yun, who was beside Tong Lingyu. Luo Yun was no different from an ice sculpture. His aura had become even weaker, almost imperceptible. It was unclear how much strength he would retain after being unsealed, but he would certainly require a long period of quiet recovery.

*Rumble...*

Inside the tribulation cloud, raging waves surged. Azure lightning, like colossal thunder pythons, emanated a terrifying aura capable of destroying the world.

Deep within the sacred land, several figures moved through the darkness and turbulence, their speed fluctuating. Occasionally forced to change direction by the currents, their objective remained clear, and they quickly returned to their course. Before long, they noticed the turbulence slowing considerably, so they immediately sped up, finally seeing a tangible object.

A stone tablet!

Its base was intact, shaped like a lotus, with a thirteen-petal lotus platform supporting the tablet. The tablet was blank, with no characters or runes, its surface smooth and flawless. It stood unmoving in the void. Confused forces like ancient restrictions and chaotic energies that surged around it, for some unknown reason, bypassed this spot, avoiding the tablet. In the endless darkness, the mere presence of this single tablet was enough to prove its extraordinary nature.

"This is it!" Old Man Hunmo took the lead, rushing close to the stone tablet, his face showing delight. Great Sage Tianpeng and the others followed closely behind.

Upon seeing the stone tablet, everyone's eyes gleamed, and expressions of anticipation appeared on their faces.

"The stone tablet has been found. Xuantian Palace won't be able to pursue us here for a while. Fellow Daoist, you can unseal the Ruyi now, right?" Great Sage Tianpeng stared at Old Man Hunmo.

Old Man Hunmo remained expressionless, but inwardly, he felt a pang of regret. He had invited Great Sage Tianpeng and other demons, originally intending to use them against the Palace Master and Great Elder of Xuantian Palace. Unexpectedly, Xuantian Palace had paid them no attention, showing no intention of stopping them, allowing them to easily find the stone tablet. The demons were unharmed, but he was left in a difficult situation. Had he known this, he would certainly have brought fewer people. As things stood, Old Man Hunmo couldn't play any tricks, or he would undoubtedly become a target for everyone. However, the Ganoderma Ruyi was still in his hands, giving him the greatest chance of benefiting.

Old Man Hunmo slowly nodded, took out the Ganoderma Ruyi. Just as he was about to unseal it, his expression suddenly froze, and he turned to look towards the entrance of the sacred land. Everyone else also sensed something. They were currently in the deepest part of the sacred land, far from the floating mountain where the tribulation cloud was located, with chaotic dark currents obstructing the way, so their perception of the heavenly tribulation wasn't as clear.

"It seems to be your human race's heavenly tribulation? Is someone undergoing tribulation here?" A demon king exclaimed in surprise.

"Xuantian Palace's sacred land couldn't also be a tribulation crossing sacred land, could it? No wonder Yin Changsheng lived so long!" Immortal Yu Yi's eyes flashed with brilliance, immediately sparking many conjectures, and her breathing became a little heavier. Even if one could find longevity elixirs, heavenly tribulations were not easy to cross; their power grew stronger with each successive strike, like a death warrant. The others also showed expressions of surprise and greed.

Old Man Hunmo chuckled lightly and said, "This old man has investigated for many years and has never heard of any tribulation-crossing sacred land. Perhaps my intelligence is not well-informed enough. If you are interested, you can go and investigate. This old man, however, cannot wait. I shall now unseal the Ganoderma Ruyi." With that, Old Man Hunmo raised his hand and lightly tapped the Ganoderma Ruyi.

*Boom!*

Finally breaking free from its restraints, the Ganoderma Ruyi continuously vibrated, and an incredibly dense white light erupted. The light was blinding. Like a white sun, it illuminated the entire universe. The demons subconsciously squinted their eyes, filled with astonishment. Old Man Hunmo had anticipated that unsealing the Ganoderma Ruyi might create a significant stir, but he hadn't expected it to be so astonishing. Fortunately, he had been cautious enough to unseal it only after finding the stone tablet. Immediately after, everyone felt an unprecedented strange fluctuation emerge from the Ganoderma Ruyi. Before they could react, it shot towards the stone tablet at an astonishing speed.

They had no time to stop it, nor would they try.

*Click!*

The Ganoderma Ruyi embedded itself deeply into the lotus platform, fitting perfectly. The next moment, the stone tablet creaked, slowly sank back into the lotus platform, and then mist rose, parting the darkness to reveal a vast, white-mist-shrouded space, filled with ethereal energy, like a celestial realm.

*Whoosh!*

The light suddenly dissipated.

Everyone stared intently at the space behind the stone tablet, not expecting there to truly be another world within. The sacred land had been scoured countless times by Xuantian Palace, and the Ganoderma Ruyi was brought in by Old Man Hunmo, implying this stone tablet space seemed to be opening for the first time. A secret realm never before entered by anyone! Thinking of this, everyone's breathing became a little heavier. Just the treasures on those floating mountains were enough to ensure Xuantian Palace's perpetual prosperity; the stone tablet space was clearly even more mysterious. An emotion called greed brewed in everyone's hearts.

Old Man Hunmo's expression, however, was somewhat somber. His gaze shifted from the stone tablet space to the lotus platform. The Ganoderma Ruyi had embedded itself, becoming a pattern on the lotus platform, fitting perfectly as if it had always belonged there. Old Man Hunmo tried various methods but couldn't dislodge the Ganoderma Ruyi; the treasure was now beyond his control. This outcome was unexpected for him. The Ganoderma Ruyi seemed to be just a key, and he wondered if it could only be retrieved once the stone tablet space closed again. Old Man Hunmo also didn't know how to close the stone tablet. Losing the Ganoderma Ruyi meant his advantage was completely gone.

Great Sage Tianpeng quickly noticed this and burst out laughing, "Fellow Daoist Hunmo, whether one can obtain treasures here seems to be a matter of individual fortune, haha..." Before his words even finished, Great Sage Tianpeng transformed into a golden light and rushed into the mist. Old Man Hunmo snorted, following closely, and the others also streamed in one after another.

The strange phenomenon created by the Ganoderma Ruyi could also be seen from the floating mountains. Including Shang Lu, Palace Master Jiang, and others, they all noticed the white light that suddenly flared up and then abruptly extinguished deep within the sacred land. However, due to the obstruction of chaotic dark currents, they couldn't see the opening of the stone tablet space, nor did they have time to be distracted, as the tribulation cloud was about to unleash the next bolt of lightning. They wished they could pass through the ancient restrictions and witness the Palace Master's tribulation with their own eyes.

Tribulation lightning surged. The dark blue light dispelled the darkness. Thunder pythons frantically converged towards the center of the tribulation cloud. Just then, a figure shot out from the ground.

Yin Changsheng was disfigured, completely maddened.

*Crack!*

The tribulation lightning was so dense it poured down like a river, its azure light illuminating the sky. The thunderous roar was even more earth-shattering.

Tong Lingyu was startled awake. She looked at Yin Changsheng, who was battling the heavenly tribulation, with complex emotions. He was once Xuantian Palace's steadfast pillar, an unparalleled genius, rumored to be the most promising person in the North Sea to break through to the Soul Transformation stage. His divine powers were unrivaled, commanding authority throughout the sea, making the demons of the Boundless Sea steer clear of the Hidden Sun Realm, and preventing the Nine-Headed Great Sage from daring to step even half a pace out of the demon realm to this day. Tong Lingyu, Luo Yun, Bing Yao, and others had grown up hearing tales of Yin Changsheng, holding him in immense admiration. But at some unknown point, Yin Changsheng changed...

As her thoughts raced, Tong Lingyu suddenly noticed the Hanging Sword Tower above Yin Changsheng's head. Her distracting thoughts vanished instantly, replaced only by profound shock. The Hanging Sword Tower actually possessed the power of a spiritual treasure! Tong Lingyu was not only shocked by this. How did Qin Sang and Liu Li survive in front of the Hanging Sword Tower? Liu Li's state was a bit strange, not quite normal, but Qin Sang appeared completely unharmed, merely having depleted his true essence. This person's strength... was unfathomable! Tong Lingyu simply couldn't imagine it.

*Boom!*

The tribulation lightning, like a torrential storm, rushed towards that defiant figure. Yin Changsheng spread his arms, roaring wildly amidst the thunder. His demonic might was overwhelming, and he even had an imposing aura as if he wanted to charge into the tribulation cloud.

*Thud!*

The Hanging Sword Tower finally shattered. The clanging sounds came to an abrupt halt. Its dying light transformed into brilliant radiance, ultimately blocking one last bolt of tribulation lightning for its master. With his Natal Artifact destroyed, Yin Changsheng inevitably suffered severe injuries. His entire body trembled, his aura greatly diminished, and he was clearly nearing his end.

Perhaps it was a final burst of clarity. The madness on Yin Changsheng's face dissipated, his eyes regained clarity, and his entire demeanor underwent a drastic change, transforming back into the person Tong Lingyu knew. The thunder was like a sea. Yin Changsheng did not look at the thunderclouds in the sky. All the events of the past flashed through his mind. Whether truly from his heart or influenced by dark arts, those deeds were done and irreversible; he had no regrets. Only a hint of melancholy remained in his eyes. His eyes stared blankly towards the entrance of the sacred land, as if wanting one last look at this vibrant world. Then, without turning his head, he flicked his wrist, sending a stream of light towards Tong Lingyu.

*Boom!*

The tribulation lightning engulfed him.

Tong Lingyu reached out and caught the stream of light, discovering it was a token inscribed with the characters 'Xuantian', the Xuantian Command Token of Xuantian Palace's Palace Master. Her spiritual sense swept over the token, and an expression of surprise, mixed with a hint of realization, flashed across Tong Lingyu's face.

At this moment, she noticed Qin Sang's gaze and hastily handed him the Xuantian Command Token. Qin Sang extended his spiritual sense and saw that the Xuantian Command Token contained a secret art called the 'Sacrifice Origin Art', or more precisely, a refining technique. Through the Sacrifice Origin Art, by nurturing it with one's own spiritual sense, one could refine a top-grade magic treasure, artificially cultivating its spirituality until it ascended to a spiritual treasure. During this process, the treasure's power would surpass that of a top-grade magic treasure but still fall short of a true spiritual treasure, thus being called a pseudo-spiritual treasure. The power of a pseudo-spiritual treasure varied, depending entirely on the material of the treasure and the extent of refinement achieved through the Sacrifice Origin Art.

However, the requirements and difficulty for performing the Sacrifice Origin Art were extremely high. Firstly, the Sacrifice Origin Art could only be performed on one's Natal Artifact, which was one of the unique aspects of a Natal Artifact. Secondly, a cultivator needed to reach at least the Spiritual Sense Incarnation realm to have a slight chance of success; typically, only late-Nascent Soul cultivators dared to attempt it. Thirdly, refining a Natal Artifact into a true spiritual treasure was an incredibly lengthy process, one that Yin Changsheng was still very far from completing.

Seeing such a secret art, Qin Sang was initially somewhat disappointed, but then a thought struck him. If he were to use the 'Sacrifice Origin Art' on his Ebony Sword, could it help stabilize Cloud Wanderer's true spirit and accelerate the process of spiritual essence gestation?