Chapter 1525: Living Beings

Peach Blossom Valley.

After meeting Mu Yifeng, Qin Sang spent a month traveling and visiting old friends, mostly within the Lesser Cold Domain. It was akin to re-tracing half of his cultivation journey. Having reached the Nascent Soul realm, Qin Sang's temperament was such that this journey didn't deeply stir him. His purpose was simply to observe and reminisce about the past, as he was going to the Central Continent and didn't know when he would return.

After completing his travels, Qin Sang finally arrived at Peach Blossom Valley. Unable to return to Seven Kills Hall to commemorate Senior Qingzhu's final work, he could only mourn before his grave.

Inside the wooden pavilion, Qin Sang placed four wine cups on the table. He tried to conserve it, but his treasured peach blossom wine was almost gone. This peach blossom wine was meticulously brewed by Senior Sister Qing Jun, sweet and clear, far surpassing others. Qin Sang didn't know how to brew it, nor did he want to learn. He raised his cup: one cup was an offering to Qingzhu, and the other two were raised in distant respect to Senior Sister and Bai.

***

At Qingyang Temple, a large gathering stood before the forbidden area. Well-known Golden Core cultivators such as Li Yufu, Shangguan Lifeng, Aunt Mei, and Zhao Ying were all present.

"Senior Brother, what great news do you think the Temple Master is going to announce this time? Did he bring back any treasures from the Sea of Boundlessness?" Zhao Ying whispered to Li Yufu. Zhao Ying had the fewest opportunities to interact with Qin Sang, and her previous understanding was limited to various rumors. She held both respect and awe for him. After Qing Jun's ascension, she joined Qingyang Temple. Initially, she worried about being ostracized, but found that the temple fostered mutual respect and camaraderie, with no power struggles. She truly felt a sense of belonging.

"Junior Brother Tan has always handled the temple's affairs. If there's a big move within the temple, he should be the most knowledgeable about the inside story. Why isn't he here?" Aunt Mei interjected, looking around but not finding Tan Yien.

"Senior Sister, you just returned, so you probably don't know, do you?" Bai Hanqiu said with a hint of envy. "Senior Brother Tan has made it big. Senior Tan and Master reunited in the Sea of Boundlessness and returned together. Moreover, Senior Tan is already a Nascent Soul cultivator, and Master has invited him to be Qingyang Temple's Grand Elder."

"Nascent Soul!" Aunt Mei was naturally overjoyed. The stronger Qingyang Temple became, the more its disciples would benefit. Jingyu was close to Qingyang Temple but more like an honored guest. Qingyang Temple was still in its nascent stage, with only the Temple Master and no Elders. Tan Hao was the first.

After her joy, Aunt Mei recalled something and chuckled, "Junior Brother Tan probably won't be able to live so freely anymore, right? Before, I truly envied him for being spared the hardships of cultivation."

Bai Hanqiu shrugged, and just as she was about to speak, thick mist rolled within the forbidden area, parting to form a narrow path. Qin Sang's voice echoed from within, calling for Li Yufu and the others to enter. Everyone became solemn and silent, their expressions respectful, as they walked straight into the forbidden area.

Qin Sang had just returned from Qingyang Temple's spiritual vein, where he had planted the roots of the Myriad Spirit Fruit Tree, set up restrictions, and carefully nurtured it.

"Greetings, Temple Master!" Li Yufu and the others bowed in unison.

Qin Sang nodded slightly, bade them rise, and pointed to Tan Hao, who was seated nearby. "From now on, Brother Tan will be Qingyang Temple's Grand Elder. When you see Elder Tan, it will be as if you see me." Tan Yien stood behind Tan Hao. Qin Sang wasn't sure how the father and son communicated; he only knew that Tan Yien continued to act as he pleased, while Tan Hao wore a look of helplessness.

"As you command, disciples! Greetings, Elder Tan!" Only after bowing did Li Yufu and the others dare to discreetly glance at Tan Hao. They saw he was tall and imposing, with a distinguished bearing. They had all heard Tan Yien speak of the story between Qin Sang and Tan Hao, and knew that this man valued loyalty and righteousness, and was also a heroic figure. They couldn't help but feel admiration.

Tan Hao cupped his hands in return, looked at the group of outstanding juniors, and nodded inwardly, marveling that Qin Sang not only progressed rapidly himself but also managed to establish a sect.

***

After introducing Tan Hao, Qin Sang announced two more major decisions: relocating the sect and passing the Temple Master position to Li Yufu. He had originally wanted the most cultivated Tan Hao to take charge, but Tan Hao firmly refused. Each earth-shattering piece of news stunned the disciples, leaving them dazed and disbelieving their ears. It took a long time for them to slowly process it. Qin Sang allowed no room for argument. He had long prepared a plan for the sect's arrangements and issued orders in an orderly fashion.

Next, Qin Sang summoned Li Yufu and the others for individual meetings.

Li Yufu accepted the heavy responsibility of Temple Master but applied to Qin Sang to remain in the Northern Star Domain. Although he yearned for a broader world, he understood that cultivation was fundamental. He planned to continue his rigorous training until the peak of Golden Core, and only seek opportunities in the Sea of Boundlessness once he encountered the Nascent Soul bottleneck. Another reason was that the situation in the Sea of Boundlessness was complex and fraught with fierce competition, incomparable to the Northern Star Domain. Compared to major powers like the Black Heaven Palace, Qingyang Temple was still very weak. Tan Hao had to personally remain in the Sea of Boundlessness to oversee it, and even Jingyu would often need to assist. The Northern Star Domain was Qingyang Temple's grand rear base, and a person of sufficient stature was needed to guard it. Li Yufu was the perfect choice.

The second was Aunt Mei. She didn't hesitate, asking Qin Sang to take her to the Sea of Boundlessness. Previously, she had been bound by her responsibilities to the Demonic Flame Sect. After Qin Sang's return, Aunt Mei shed her heavy burden and could finally act according to her true desires. Without delaying her cultivation, she traveled extensively whenever possible, her footsteps covering almost the entire Northern Star Domain, gaining opportunities and encountering dangers. Learning that the three realms of the Sea of Boundlessness were far vaster and more exciting than the Northern Star Domain, Aunt Mei's eyes lit up, and she could barely wait another moment. If Qin Sang had agreed to take her to the Central Continent, Aunt Mei probably wouldn't have hesitated either.

The third was Shangguan Lifeng. His decision was the same as Aunt Mei's. However, his goal was to meet sword cultivators and witness more exquisite sword arts. He had once delayed his cultivation by delving into saber techniques and the path of slaughter, almost failing to form a Golden Core and reaching the end of his lifespan. After obtaining the 'Qingzhu Sword Manual', Shangguan Lifeng became utterly engrossed, completely forgetting his past lessons. He frankly told Qin Sang that he knew he hadn't broken through to the mid-Golden Core stage, and his hopes of forming a Nascent Soul in the future were slim. He only wished to dedicate himself wholeheartedly to the way of the sword and achieve something. If, one day, he could cultivate a successor to carry forward Senior Qingzhu's legacy, his life would not have been in vain.

Next was Bai Hanqiu. Over the years, she and her husband enjoyed a loving relationship, raising one son and two daughters. She experienced the joy of family, and while she envied how many junior disciples surpassed her in cultivation, she had no regrets. Nor did she wish to leave her family and travel far to the Sea of Boundlessness. She was content to live out her days here. As for Tan Yien, Qin Sang knew without even talking to him that he would definitely go to the Sea of Boundlessness. Tan Yien's lifelong ambition had shifted from cultivating the Northern Star Domain's foremost sect to the Sea of Boundlessness's foremost sect. He was eager and full of fighting spirit. After Tan Yien's departure, Bai Hanqiu would take over the position of General Overseer. Bai Hanqiu's eldest daughter possessed cultivation talent and was of similar age to Qin Niansui. She had previously wanted to ask Qin Sang for permission to arrange a dao companion relationship between them. Qin Sang remained noncommittal about this. After a moment's thought, Qin Sang took out a piece of jade, cut it into two jade pendants, held them in his palm, and forged them into protective treasures using demonic flame before handing them to Bai Hanqiu.

Finally, there was Zhao Ying. She inherited Qing Jun's legacy, and Qin Sang treated her as one of his own juniors, without favoritism. Zhao Ying decided to temporarily remain in the Northern Star Domain to assist Li Yufu, and then go to the Sea of Boundlessness when the time was right.

"Take a look at these two items. Have you seen them before?" Qin Sang took out the Yang Puppet Crystal and the Bizarre General's puppet. He had studied them for a long time but had no clues. It was a pity Qing Jun wasn't here. Zhao Ying had been immersed in Qing Jun's teachings and might have heard something. Zhao Ying took the Yang Puppet Crystal and the puppet with both hands, examining them repeatedly for a while. Her brows furrowed deeper and deeper. She excused herself, sat down cross-legged on the spot, closed her eyes, and performed a secret art.

Qin Sang remained silent, waiting patiently. After a full two hours, Zhao Ying finally awoke. Pointing to the puppet, she said, "Reporting to the Temple Master, I have never seen this type of puppet before. However, I have a feeling that it is similar in some ways to Senior Qing Jun's Azure Phoenix Puppet. It is born from the master's imprint within its body. Once the master perishes, it falls completely silent, losing all its power, and outsiders cannot control it."

Qin Sang nodded thoughtfully. He suspected this might be the Bizarre General's life-bound puppet, a type of puppet art that was extremely mysterious and exquisite. Pausing, and seeing that Qin Sang did not speak, Zhao Ying continued, "As for this puppet crystal, I seem to recall Senior Qing Jun mentioning it once. At the time, she only briefly remarked that it might be a treasure used by ancient cultivators to refine puppets, but it has since been lost. I don't know its specific function. This puppet doesn't seem to have fully refined the Yin Puppet Crystal yet. Forgive my dullness, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to separate it completely intact." Qin Sang did not reprimand her; his eyes showed approval. Puppet crystals could enhance Nascent Soul-level puppets, and for Zhao Ying to discern this much was already quite impressive.

***

In the following period, Qingyang Temple appeared calm, but beneath the surface, preparations for the sect's relocation were underway. Qin Sang learned from the Black Heaven Palace's mistakes and made some adjustments to Qingyang Temple, but he also understood that it wouldn't be a permanent solution. The future of Qingyang Temple rested in the hands of its disciples.

Besides the Myriad Spirit Fruit Tree, he also left three other items for Qingyang Temple. First, a sea chart of the Central Continent. Second, the formula for Soul-Suppressing Incense. He established a rule that in the future, only the Temple Master and Grand Elder of Qingyang Temple would be qualified to know about these two items. Qingyang Temple should also pay attention to collecting the spiritual herbs listed in the Soul-Suppressing Incense formula. Third was the Primordial Offering Art. In the Sea of Boundlessness, this secret art held a status equivalent to an immortal art. Upon mastering this art and refining pseudo-spirit treasures, the strength of late-Nascent Soul cultivators would reach new heights. If word got out, it would cause a huge uproar across all four realms of the North Sea. The Black Heaven Palace also knew the Primordial Offering Art; it wasn't a secret. Due to multiple considerations, Qin Sang decided to leave it, but set up a spiritual consciousness restriction. Only when a junior reached the Divine Consciousness Manifestation realm would they be able to obtain this secret art.

With these three items, Qingyang Temple's foundation was as deep as any other sect's. However, Qingyang Temple was still too weak, and it would likely be a long time before it could fully benefit from them.

***

Six months later, Qin Sang personally attended the Northern Star Alliance Conference for the last time. News of Qingyang Temple's new Nascent Soul Elder spread like wildfire among the various sects. Upon seeing Qin Sang, they all came forward, offering congratulations. As for what they thought internally, Qin Sang didn't care. He publicly announced that he would enter seclusion, vowing to break through to the late Nascent Soul stage.

On the third day after the conference, Qin Sang and Tan Hao, along with Mu Yifeng and the first batch of elite disciples selected from Qingyang Temple, secretly flew to the southernmost tip of the Northern Star Domain, where they met up with Jingyu and the various demons from the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea. Since it was the first time, the number of people was small. Using the Ten Directions Earth-Splitting Divine Shuttle, they rested at two shelters along the way and safely led these juniors through the storm belt without mishap.

Entering a brand new world, the disciples felt a surge of novelty and excitement. However, after flying with Qin Sang for a few days, they became bored, feeling it wasn't much different from the Northern Star Domain. While bypassing the Demon Realm on the way, Jingyu clarified the location of the Green Bright Archipelago and entered the Demon Realm alone to travel. The others proceeded with almost no stops, smoothly arriving at the Green Bright Archipelago.

Above Qingyang Island, Qin Sang appeared, looking down. Despite his long absence, the grand array on Qingyang Island remained perfectly intact; no one dared to set foot on it. Witnessing such a vast sea area being exclusively enjoyed by Qingyang Temple, and learning that precious islands like Nine Precepts Island were also under Qin Sang's control, Tan Yien and the others became incredibly excited, their anticipation for the future growing.

They had once built Qingyang Temple from nothing. Now, establishing a branch temple came naturally to them. Drawing from past experiences and lessons, they quickly built Qingyang Island into a respectable form. During this period, they finally learned from outsiders about their Temple Master's great achievements. In just twenty years, he had turned the Sea of Boundlessness upside down, his reputation spreading throughout the entire North Sea. In their hearts, their reverence for Qin Sang had reached an unparalleled level.

Concurrently, news of Qin Sang establishing a sect in the Sea of Boundlessness spread like wildfire, attracting attention from all sides. The situation in the North Sea was complex, with far more factors to consider than in the Northern Star Domain. For instance, the Sea of Boundlessness had a vast territory and a thriving trade. Many trade guilds, unlike those in the Northern Star Domain, weren't controlled by sects; they were powers unto themselves. Qingyang Temple had to learn how to deal with them. There were myriad such complexities.

With Qin Sang's notorious reputation still lingering, things became simpler. Especially after he publicly slayed the Bizarre General a few years ago, emerging unscathed and living up to his formidable reputation, all parties had no further doubts, and those restless demons completely vanished. Tan Yien, representing Qingyang Temple, frequently contacted various parties. Regardless of their cultivation level, they all treated him with utmost courtesy, and he reveled in it.

***

Two years later, Qingyang Temple was officially established! Tong Lingyu emerged from seclusion and personally led the masters of various lineages to deliver congratulatory gifts. Additionally, well-known Nascent Soul cultivators like Master Feng, Valley Master Mu, and Daoist Yin Quan from the Crescent Moon Domain, as well as Daoist friends Qin Sang had met in the Star Sand Archipelago, traveled thousands of miles to congratulate Qin Sang.

The powers of the Sea of Boundlessness naturally didn't miss out. The surviving demon lords dared not visit in person. After the Bizarre General was slain, Qin Sang had contacted the Black Heaven Palace to search for the remaining remnants, making them constantly on edge. They seized this opportunity to send gifts, expressing their intentions. The grandeur of the occasion was such that even the celebration of a Grand Cultivator's ascension might not surpass it. Distinguished figures arrived one after another, each capable of stirring up storms in the Northern Star Domain. Yet, there were so many of them in the North Sea. Any lingering pride Tan Yien and the others had was shattered, and they realized they had a long and arduous journey ahead.

No demon kings from the Demon Realm attended. Jingyu, who had been traveling for a long time, rushed back. Qin Sang reminded her that the Nine-Headed Great Sage likely had ties with King Yu and knew of their relationship, so they must guard against any surprise attacks from it. Jingyu didn't visit the Nine-Headed Great Sage but observed it from afar. This demon was a Nine-Headed Demonic Snake that had achieved enlightenment. Surprisingly, it had not yet transformed into human form, maintaining its demonic body. Wherever it went, it would swallow clouds and create grand phenomena, presenting a magnificent spectacle. Qin Sang's decision not to let Qingyang Temple monopolize the sea chart was precisely to guard against this demon.

The ceremony concluded. Shi Xue and Liu Li, among others, remained on Qingyang Island. Liu Li's heavenly tribulation was fast approaching.