Chapter 1532: Zhongzhou

At the last moment of rushing out of the image, the skeletal monstrosity seemed to sense something, its head twisting as its scarlet eyes swept across the screen, finally freezing on that particular scene.

Its gaze appeared to penetrate the spirit stone screen, carrying an astonishing madness and ferocity that weighed heavily on the viewer's mind, chilling them to the bone.

This sensation truly conveyed the presence of a genuine monstrous beast!

The image was real.

Qin Sang gazed at the spirit stone screen for a long time.

This skeletal monstrosity was unlike the two fierce beasts he had encountered. He wondered how many such creatures lurked in the depths of the storm.

Having achieved his goal, the old man respectfully ushered Qin Sang into the cave dwelling. After obtaining permission, he summoned guards and stationed them outside, awaiting orders.

Following this, the old man descended the mountain, took a roundabout path, and discreetly entered the Lord's Estate. He stopped before an ancient wooden building by a lake, bowed, and whispered a few words.

Silence reigned within the wooden building.

Upon receiving a telepathic message, the old man murmured, "Yes," then left the Lord's Estate and resumed his duty of guarding the city gates.

Meanwhile, in the cave dwelling.

Qin Sang seemed unaware of the old man's actions. He set up a few protective spells, then sat cross-legged in meditation, performing his cultivation cycles.

Washing away the fatigue of travel, the spiritual energy within his body was gradually recovering.

Given the long journey to the Western Desert, he decided to fully recuperate before setting off.

Three months later.

Qin Sang awoke from his meditation, feeling refreshed. After amusing himself for a while with his Sky-Eyed Butterfly, he remembered to organize his Thousand-Ton Ring.

Although he and Liuli had tried to be frugal, the spirit stones and elixirs prepared at the start of their journey were nearly depleted. Should he need to engage in transactions with other Nascent Soul cultivators later, he would only be able to barter.

Still unaware of the Buddha bone relic's whereabouts, he had to consider the possibility of needing to make such exchanges.

Qin Sang possessed a considerable number of valuable treasures.

Even just two Soul-Suppressing Incense sticks were enough to be highly coveted by Nascent Soul cultivators.

However, these treasures could not be readily revealed. Qin Sang reviewed his inventory and decided that the most suitable items for trade were Yang Puppet Crystals and puppets integrated with Yin Puppet Crystals.

For a cultivator skilled in the art of puppetry, these would be invaluable treasures.

He believed they would have a way to separate the Yin Puppet Crystals.

His External Incarnation had discarded its puppet form and could no longer integrate the puppet crystals. With his senior sister not by his side, and too many tasks to complete, he couldn't afford to expend energy learning the art of puppetry from scratch.

Trading them for advantageous conditions and resources was the most sensible option.

After thinking for a while, Qin Sang rose and exited the cave dwelling.

At the Lord's Estate.

A black-robed figure suddenly emerged from the tranquil surface of the lake, instantly appearing before the wooden building. He gently knocked twice on the wooden door.

"Come in."

A clear, refined voice answered from within.

The black-robed man tidied his clothes, pushed the door open, clasped his fists, and greeted, "Brother," before eagerly continuing, "My subordinates have reported that the person has emerged from seclusion and appears to be leaving the city. He arrived alone and spent lavishly; he must be incredibly wealthy. Why haven't you given the signal, Brother?"

The room was sparsely furnished.

A green-robed cultivator sat cross-legged on a futon, an incense burner placed before him, burning a single stick of incense, its scent subtle.

This was none other than the Lord of White Crow Mountain.

The green-robed cultivator slowly opened his eyes, his tone calm. "This person dares to travel alone, to cultivate in seclusion so openly in unfamiliar territory. Do you truly believe he lacks any backing?"

The black-robed man chuckled. "His backing is merely a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, what of it? Together with a few nearby fellow Daoists, and your methods, Brother, we could certainly overcome him."

The green-robed cultivator shook his head. "We maintain our foothold near the Northern Wastes by relying on caution. Such dealings were rarely undertaken more than once every decade or two, otherwise White Crow Mountain would already be infamous. In recent years, due to the shifting nature of the storms, more people have come and gone, and I, too, have succumbed to temptation, making our operations quite frequent. Junior brother, you may believe yourself discreet, but in reality, you cannot escape the notice of the discerning."

The black-robed man, no fool, hesitated. "Brother, are you suggesting he might be a..."

"Fierce beasts have plunged the cultivation world into turmoil; it's entirely normal for powerful factions to seek a foothold to observe the changes in the storm band. The notoriety we've cultivated over years of managing White Crow Mountain has become a liability. I am always ready to abandon the island and relinquish control, and Junior Brother, you should also make your own arrangements soon. As for this person, whether he has ulterior motives or not, it no longer matters."

The green-robed cultivator paused, then added, "Let him be."

Clap! Clap! Clap!

The moment the words left his lips, applause suddenly erupted from the doorway.

Both men in the room paled instantly.

"Who!"

The black-robed man whirled around, a long saber instantly appearing in his grasp.

He immediately saw a Daoist standing at the doorway, having appeared at some unknown moment. He had a face as flawless as jade and an ethereal presence, watching them with a smile, applauding the green-robed cultivator's recent insight.

The black-robed man was chilled to the bone. This person must have slipped in unnoticed right behind him, without either of them sensing a thing.

*Swish!*

The black-robed man raised his saber to strike, but before he could even move, he felt a finger growing rapidly larger in front of him. Then his world went black, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

At this moment, the green-robed cultivator had just stood up, an iron-ribbed fan appearing in his palm. Witnessing this, he instantly froze in place, not daring to move.

"Truly the City Lord lives up to his name. Since you didn't come to find me, this humble Daoist had to come himself."

The figure at the doorway was none other than Qin Sang.

Unconcernedly, he stepped into the room, pulled a stool over, sat down, and gestured towards the futon. "Please sit."

The green-robed cultivator's face was ashen, his eyes wide with terror.

He was indeed remarkable; his wits quickly returned. He dared not check whether the black-robed man was alive or dead. He bowed profoundly, touching his forehead to the ground. "This junior, Han Ya, greets Senior. This junior was blind and did not recognize your esteemed presence, thereby showing grave disrespect. I beg Senior's forgiveness."

"No need to be so formal," Qin Sang said with a genial expression. "This humble Daoist only wants to ask you a few questions."

"This junior will tell you everything I know."

The green-robed man took a deep breath, but dared not sit down.

Qin Sang did not insist. "This humble Daoist intends to travel to the Northern Wastes. You have a detailed map of the Northern Wastes, do you not?"

The green-robed man immediately produced a jade slip and presented it to Qin Sang with both hands.

"This map was purchased by this junior seventy years ago at the Heavenly North Pavilion. The Northern Wastes have always been a chaotic region, and factions rise and fall frequently, so much of the information on this map is outdated. However, the geographical features remain accurate..."

Qin Sang extended his divine sense into the jade slip.

The area depicted on the map only covered a portion of the eastern Northern Wastes, leaving vast uncharted territories elsewhere.

Nonetheless, the map provided Qin Sang with a preliminary understanding of the Central Continent.

The Central Continent bore some resemblance to the Northern Star Realm.

Unlike the fragmented Northern Sea Realms, the cultivation world here comprised a single, contiguous continent.

However, the Central Continent was immensely vast, far exceeding the Northern Star Realm in scale.

According to the map's description, the Northern Wastes were larger than the three Northern Sea Realms combined. However, because most of it was untamed wilderness unsuitable for mortals and even cultivators, it was also the Central Continent's most impoverished and tumultuous region.

The most prosperous place in the Central Continent was the Nineteen Misty Prefectures south of the Northern Wastes, reputed to gather the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, teeming with sects, with the Buddhist and Daoist schools being especially prominent and thriving.

Due to the vast distance, information regarding the Central Continent within the jade slip was sparse and generalized.

However, brief mentions specifically highlighted a name Qin Sang had only recently heard: the Eight Vista Temple.

Just eight characters described it:

"Foremost among Daoist Sects, a True Monarch's Dao Field!"

A True Monarch.

This was the Central Continent Daoist term of respect for a Soul Transformation stage mighty cultivator.

"Indeed there is a Soul Transformation True Monarch. No wonder the Eight Vista Temple acts so autocratic!"

Qin Sang's gaze narrowed slightly, and a flicker of doubt crossed his mind. "Why didn't that True Monarch act during the beast hunt?"

His eyes scanned further. West of the Nineteen Misty Prefectures lay the region known as the Western Desert, characterized by vast deserts and Gobi regions, where information was even scarcer, practically nonexistent.

Further east was the sea area known to Central Continent cultivators as the Eastern Sea, home to numerous overseas immortal mountains, as well as a significant presence of rogue cultivators and other factions.

The green-robed cultivator, at this very moment, mistakenly believed Qin Sang hailed from one of these overseas immortal mountains.

This Eastern Sea was distinct from the one mentioned by the long-bearded Daoist, having no connection to the Eastern Sea Guixu.

While the Northern Sea had its limits, the Eastern Sea was boundless.

Naturally, this was merely the understanding of lower-tier cultivators. Qin Sang knew that the far reaches of the Eastern Sea also bordered the storm band.

The Central Continent's territory was truly immense; no wonder it had drawn such praise from Senior Xiaoxiangzi. Even including its maritime regions and landmasses, the Northern Sea and Canglang Sea paled significantly in comparison.

"Senior possesses boundless powers and can travel anywhere in the world. Please forgive this junior's shallow knowledge; I lack extensive knowledge of the formidable powers and factions in the Northern Wastes and would not presume to mislead Senior. After Senior arrives in the Northern Wastes, you might consider visiting the Heavenly North Pavilion; I could also make inquiries on your behalf. Additionally, the Northern Wastes experiences Nine Calamities..."

As he spoke, the green-robed cultivator hastily produced another jade slip. "This junior has not traveled extensively in the Northern Wastes and has only encountered the Thunder Calamity once. It was life-threatening for this junior, which of course is nothing to a Senior of your caliber. However, there is also the possibility of multiple calamities striking simultaneously, greatly increasing the danger. Senior would do well to exercise caution."

The green-robed cultivator held nothing back, divulging everything he knew.

Having obtained the information he sought, Qin Sang was quite satisfied. He nodded in acknowledgment, saying, "Thank you for your time."

Then, his figure flickered from solid to translucent and simply vanished before the green-robed cultivator.

The green-robed cultivator felt a profound chill down his spine, realizing he had broken out in a cold sweat. He remained frozen for the duration of an incense stick before daring to move.

By this time, Qin Sang had already appeared above the ocean, flying south.

"There's a place in the Northern Wastes that Senior Xiaoxiangzi once mentioned. If it's along my route, I'll see if it's currently occupied. It could serve as a potential cultivation retreat..."

Qin Sang recalled Xiaoxiangzi's recorded encounter from a jade slip. With his mind made up, his flight speed was like lightning.

He traveled almost without pause until he reached the Northern Wastes. He found a trading post marked on the map and purchased for a hefty sum at the Heavenly North Pavilion a map encompassing the entire geography of the Northern Wastes, thereby gaining a more profound understanding of the region.

Effortlessly, Qin Sang located his destination: the Sky-Rift Valley.

The journey to Sky-Rift Valley required a detour, but it was manageable.

With that, Qin Sang resumed his journey.

He traveled alone, without making a conscious effort to conceal his presence, but he rarely engaged with the local factions.

In the Northern Wastes, evil cultivators reigned supreme, and the situation was chaotic. Major forces were not easily approached. Qin Sang was still focused on the Buddha bone relic and was unwilling to create unnecessary complications, so he chose to avoid them entirely.

Danger, however, was relative.

Qin Sang and his External Incarnation, both mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, were a formidable force anywhere and could easily handle the Northern Wastes' Nine Calamities.

The Sky-Rift Valley.

This highland ridge had inexplicably split apart, forming a deep chasm across the land that stretched endlessly, earning its name, Sky-Rift.

It was rumored in the Northern Wastes that the Sky-Rift Valley was one of the most infamous and perilous regions, where the Nine Calamities occurred in succession, claiming the lives of countless cultivators.

Despite the danger, it still attracted cultivators from the Northern Wastes in droves. The reason was that innumerable rare spirit herbs flourished within the Sky-Rift Valley, presenting unique opportunities unavailable anywhere else.

At a chasm of the Sky-Rift Valley, shadowy figures dotted the surrounding peaks. Lower-tier cultivators had gathered here, fixated on the dense mist and clouds within the valley, seemingly waiting for something.

"The Valley is opening!" someone suddenly cried out.

Cheers erupted from all the peaks.

Within the valley, the swirling mists were rapidly thinning. Where once only a white expanse was visible, the outlines of vegetation within the valley became faintly discernible.

The so-called "opening of the valley" was a local term coined by cultivators in the Sky-Rift Valley region.

During this period of thinning mist, the frequency of the Nine Calamities would significantly decrease, making it the optimal time for entry. Cultivators relied on the shifting mists within the valley to gauge opportune times for entry and exit.

Local cultivators understood the ebb and flow, intimately familiar with the mist's patterns, and never ventured deep into the valley.

The mist changed with remarkable speed.

Before the cheers had even subsided, like a tide, the mist receded into the depths of the Sky-Rift Valley, and the view became increasingly clear.

Someone could no longer hold back.

A streak of golden light shot down the mountain, vanishing into the dissipating mists.

The next instant, streaks of light flashed from every peak as cultivators scrambled to enter the valley.

At this moment, Qin Sang stood on a nearby peak, watching the scene of cultivators entering the valley. He was reminded of his own days as a lower-level cultivator.

He held a jade slip in his hand, which contained a general outline of the Sky-Rift Valley. Based on his analysis, the place Senior Xiaoxiangzi recorded must be located in this general vicinity.

The jade slip did not specify why Senior Xiaoxiangzi had visited the Sky-Rift Valley.

While traveling in the Sky-Rift Valley, he had uncovered by chance an ancient cultivator's cave dwelling, which was an ideal cultivation spot.

At that time, he had thought it was just an abandoned cave dwelling and had not paid it much heed. Later, he chanced upon an ancient scripture in the Northern Sea. Recalling the cave dwelling's formation, he realized its striking resemblance to descriptions within the ancient text.

The depths of the cave dwelling seemed to conceal a deeper secret!

For Qin Sang, whether there were treasures inside the cave dwelling was irrelevant. This cave dwelling was appealing, with ample spiritual energy, a prime location, and was sufficiently secluded.

As cultivators streamed inside, the valley entrance was soon devoid of figures.

Qin Sang slowly descended into the valley, employing an invisibility spell. Even as he passed by those lower-tier cultivators, they remained oblivious.

The demonic beasts within the valley were similarly deceived.

The Sky-Rift Valley, though perpetually shrouded in mist, was a lush and breathtaking sight within.

Beneath its beauty, danger lurked.

However, the protective barrier of the Ruyi Orb was more than sufficient.

He strolled through the valley as if taking a leisurely walk. Gradually, no other figures were visible around him.

After traveling an indeterminate distance, he arrived at the deepest part of the Sky-Rift Valley, a place that made local cultivators pale at its very mention.

Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly. He finally found the geographical landmark described by Xiaoxiangzi: eight stone peaks arranged in an Eight Trigram formation. The ancient cultivator's cave dwelling was located to the southwest.

He immediately turned southwest and flew rapidly for several hundred *li*. His figure suddenly stopped, and he stared in astonishment at the scene before him.

The jade slip had described this location as a clear jade lake, with the cave dwelling concealed beneath its depths.

Now, however, there was no trace of a lake.

Instead, a gaping, bottomless chasm had appeared in the ground, its surroundings crisscrossed by ravines. Even after many years, Qin Sang could discern the tell-tale signs: these were sword marks!

It was clear that this place had already been claimed by another, and the cave dwelling had been utterly obliterated.