Chapter 151: All Things Have Sentience

Qin Sang arrived at Wenyue Market by means of his flying light. His first task was to retrieve the Chilong Sword, fulfilling a promise made a year prior. It wasn't that he was unwilling to part with the malevolent artifact, which was on the verge of destruction; rather, he didn't want the Chilong Sword to fall into the wrong hands and draw undue attention.

Shopkeeper Wu returned the Chilong Sword to Qin Sang, apologetically stating, "Please forgive me, Fellow Daoist Qin. I was so eager to study the restrictions at the artifact's core that I almost ruined it."

Qin Sang's divine sense confirmed that the Chilong Sword had acquired several new cracks, and its internal restrictions were dangerously unstable. With a light touch of his spiritual energy, the entire sword shattered instantly, its fragments scattering. Only a wisp of malevolent qi remained at its core, which then dispersed into the air.

Shopkeeper Wu's expression shifted slightly, and he murmured dejectedly, "Fellow Daoist Qin, I'll compensate you with a high-grade magical artifact..."

Qin Sang remained noncommittal. He brushed off the lingering malevolent qi from his palms, then looked at Shopkeeper Wu and asked, "Fellow Daoist Wu, after such a long period of study, have you made any breakthroughs in the art of artifact refining?"

The mention of artifact refining instantly made Shopkeeper Wu forget his concerns about compensation. He spoke with renewed enthusiasm, "The restrictions on this sword are incredibly subtle and unlike anything I've encountered before. Though my cultivation limited me to understanding only a small part, it will be immensely beneficial for my future artifact refining endeavors! I truly owe Fellow Daoist Qin my thanks for this opportunity!"

Qin Sang regarded Shopkeeper Wu with surprise. Old Ghost Yi, a Core Formation cultivator, managed to refine a top-grade artifact using malevolent qi and minimal spiritual materials. Even if its use was temporary, such a refining technique was extraordinarily potent. Shopkeeper Wu, despite being merely a tenth-level Qi Refining cultivator, managed to grasp one or two tenths of the technique after observing it for only a year. This indicated his profound talent in artifact refining, and his character was commendably sound.

Unfortunately, he was already quite old, with little hope of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, unless he achieved such extraordinary breakthroughs in artifact refining that a Core Formation or Nascent Soul cultivator would notice him and assist him in his breakthrough, regardless of the cost. This dilemma was common among cultivators: those who devoted themselves solely to secluded cultivation often lacked resources, while those who diverted their attention to external pursuits, even if they earned some spirit stones, inevitably hindered their cultivation progress and might struggle to catch up later. Only cultivators with strong backing or true genius could achieve both.

"It was merely a damaged spiritual sword. If it could assist Fellow Daoist Wu in understanding artifact refining before its destruction, then it has served its purpose to the fullest. Fellow Daoist Wu, please don't dwell on it." Qin Sang waved his hand dismissively. Before Shopkeeper Wu could respond, he stated, "I have pressing matters to attend to. I'll take you up on that offer of tea another day, Fellow Daoist Wu."

With that, Qin Sang turned and exited the shop, striding purposefully out of Wenyue Market.

***

Outside Shaohua Mountain, on an unnamed small island. What was typically a barren island was now shrouded in a thin mist, which enveloped it like a protective barrier.

'Chirp, chirp...'

A small, gray-feathered bird, clutching a fish in its beak, circled the island agitatedly. Its tiny mind couldn't comprehend why it was suddenly unable to reach its home; each attempt to breach the mist resulted in it being inexplicably pushed back. Refusing to give up, it tried again and again, its clear, melodious chirps growing increasingly frantic and shrill with each failure.

Meanwhile, a large bluestone on the island had been deliberately flattened, and three individuals sat cross-legged upon it. One of them was Yu Daiyue. The other two were a woman known by her Daoist name, Qingting, and Wu Yuesheng, whom the pair had invited.

"Such a nuisance!"

Yu Daiyue glared at the bird, a flash of divine light shooting from his eyes like an arrow, piercing through the misty barrier in an instant. Unexpectedly, the moment it emerged from the mist, it was abruptly intercepted by a streak of green light. The two forces neutralized each other, vanishing silently without the bird's notice.

Yu Daiyue looked at Qingting with a surprised expression. Qingting opened her eyes, casting a profound gaze at the frantically circling bird. She then remarked with an unreadable tone, "All living things possess feelings. Let us make way for these poor little creatures."

As she spoke, Qingting parted the mist, creating an opening. The bird, like an arrow released, shot into its nest and fed the small fish to its brooding mate, chirping wildly as if recounting its recent scare.

Yu Daiyue let out a dry chuckle. "Senior Sister Qingting, you have such a kind heart... By the way, how is Senior Brother Jiang faring?"

Qingting shook her head and sighed.

Just then, a white cloud suddenly appeared on the horizon, while from the south, a small boat cut through the waves, carrying two people. Yu Daiyue's expression brightened with delight. "Fellow Daoist Baiyun has arrived! The Liu brothers are here too."

Noticing Qingting's slight frown, Yu Daiyue reassured her, "Senior Sister, there's no need to rush. Junior Brother Qin's cultivation cave is in Guyuan Kingdom, so it will take him some time to reach us." Before he could finish speaking, a sound of rushing air came from the north, and Qin Sang arrived on his flying shuttle.

Qin Sang landed on the bluestone and subtly observed the six individuals present. He was acquainted with Senior Sister Qingting and Yu Daiyue, and had previously met the other senior brother. Besides the three of them, there was an old Daoist priest who appeared to be around sixty years old, with grizzled hair and a goatee, looking quite ancient. His eyes were slightly narrowed, as if perpetually smiling, giving him the air of a kindly elder. The other two, a pair of twin brothers whose appearances were almost indistinguishable, arrived on a boat-like artifact. What perplexed Qin Sang was that these twin brothers were only at the peak of the thirteenth level of Qi Refining. He remembered Yu Daiyue stating that formation-breaking artifacts required cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage to operate.

"Please, Fellow Daoists, have a seat!"

Yu Daiyue greeted them warmly and proceeded with the introductions. Through the introductions, Qin Sang learned that the senior brother was indeed Wu Yuesheng, whom they had mentioned earlier. The other three, however, were not Shaohua Mountain disciples but rogue cultivators from the Yuncang Great Marsh. The elder's Daoist name was Baiyun Shanren, and his cultivation cave was on Baiyun Island. The twin brothers, named Liu Jiang and Liu Shan, cultivated on Qilong Island; all three were well-known rogue cultivators in the vicinity.

With the exception of the Liu brothers, everyone present, including Qin Sang, was at the early Foundation Establishment stage. Qingting and Yu Daiyue were slightly more advanced, nearing the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. Qin Sang sat to the side, discreetly observing the group. He noted that while the Liu brothers appeared subtly wary, the others remained impassive, revealing nothing. The only discernible detail was that the Liu brothers were seated close to Baiyun Shanren, which was unsurprising.

After completing the introductions, Yu Daiyue turned to Qingting and said, "Senior Sister Qingting, all the fellow daoists are here, save for Junior Brother Li Zai."

Qingting nodded and greeted everyone. "Junior Brother Li Zai is currently at a crucial stage in his secluded cultivation," she explained. "I've already given him a Fire Crow Token to refine, so it won't impede our important work. I'll introduce Junior Brother Li to all of you later."

As she spoke, Qingting's gaze swept across the group, finally settling on the Liu brothers, her expression tinged with a flicker of hesitation. Noticing this, Yu Daiyue smiled and said, "Senior Sister, there's no need to worry. While the Liu brothers haven't yet reached Foundation Establishment, they cultivate a unique technique together. Their combined power is comparable to that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and their primordial spirits are strong enough to withstand the demonic sounds. Wielding the Fire Crow Token will pose no issue for them."