Chapter 1545: 谢家老祖

The Fat Silkworm had already advanced to its Fourth Transformation, a level equivalent to a Nascent Soul cultivator. However, it didn't seem to have gained any new divine abilities, only the power of detoxification.

Qin Sang had initially believed it would at least be able to wield poison against enemies, thereby gaining some combat prowess.

Even something akin to the Heaven's Eye Divine Light of the Heaven's Eye Butterfly would have played a crucial role in battle.

However, the Fat Silkworm was only effective in specific environments, such as the Seven Kills Hall's three major poisonous lands, or against poison-wielding opponents like the Frog-Fish.

How could such a spirit insect possibly survive alone in the perilous cultivation world?

Coerced by Qin Sang, the Fat Silkworm spat out several colorful halos. It was so exhausted that it panted with its tongue out, eyes glazed, capable only of thickening the detoxification armor.

Qin Sang reluctantly gave up and turned his attention to Dumb Girl's condition.

With just a glance, Qin Sang sensed that Dumb Girl was no longer the same.

But this change wasn't outwardly apparent.

She still looked the same: rosy cheeks, closed eyelids, steady breathing – a true sleeping beauty.

The change originated from her divine soul.

Qin Sang could clearly perceive that Dumb Girl's divine soul had become significantly more stable.

This was clearly related to the Fat Silkworm; with its advancement, the 'anchor' had become firmer. Even amidst the turbulent winds and colossal waves in the darkness, Dumb Girl could now tightly grasp the cable connecting her to light.

Perhaps there were other reasons Qin Sang wasn't aware of.

The connection between Dumb Girl and the Fat Silkworm was far deeper than he had anticipated.

Although Dumb Girl still couldn't respond, her condition had clearly improved. Had it not been for the incident at Seven Kills Hall, she would undoubtedly be in a better state now, perhaps even awake.

At last, there was hope.

Qin Sang rubbed the Fat Silkworm's head. If he could awaken Dumb Girl, even if the Fat Silkworm gained no divine abilities, raising it would not have been in vain.

"Whoosh!"

The Fat Silkworm, finally free, eagerly burrowed into Dumb Girl's glabella and fell into a deep sleep.

Qin Sang remained where he was, not rushing to depart.

He hadn't ventured far from the tribulation site, intending to wait and see if any cultivators, alerted by the heavenly tribulation, would come to investigate.

The Fat Silkworm's tribulation had been unexpected and too sudden, making it difficult to avoid detection.

A Fourth Transformation spirit insect was an exceptionally rare existence in the cultivation world. Once news spread, it was highly likely to attract Nascent Soul cultivators seeking to capture it, or even draw the attention of major sects.

Qin Sang's prediction proved true.

Soon after, two streaks of light appeared in the distance. They were two male cultivators, one old and one young, who looked like grandfather and grandson, but their cultivation levels were actually quite strong.

Furthermore, the younger man's cultivation was higher; he was surprisingly at the Mid-Core Formation stage, while the elder was only one level lower.

"To casually attract two Core Formation cultivators," Qin Sang thought to himself, "it seems the immortal sects in Fudu Commandery are quite formidable..."

The two headed directly towards the tribulation site.

Although the tribulation clouds had dispersed, the lingering heavenly might of the tribulation lightning had not completely vanished, nor could Qin Sang clear it away.

The two were quite experienced; even before approaching, they sensed the heavenly might and immediately recognized it.

"Heavenly Tribulation!"

They both gasped in shock, exchanged horrified glances, their faces pale with dread.

They had been preoccupied with another matter earlier and hadn't witnessed the tribulation lightning directly. Sensing abnormal spiritual energy fluctuations from afar, they had come to investigate on a whim, never imagining someone would be undergoing a tribulation here.

It was common knowledge that only Nascent Soul cultivators were qualified to trigger a heavenly tribulation.

Instantly, both felt a chill down their spines, regretting their impulsiveness, and instinctively turned to flee.

However, they had already caught sight of the tribulation site.

The entire area was scorched black, the mountaintop nearly leveled by the tribulation lightning, and the whole mountain was in disarray, a result of both the tribulation and Qin Sang's subtle modifications.

The destruction caused by the heavenly tribulation was starkly evident, but there was no sign of the person who had undergone it.

Recalling the brief duration of the thunderous roars, they wondered:

Had that mysterious Nascent Soul cultivator failed their tribulation?

The two exchanged glances, unable to resist the immense temptation. They boldly approached and thoroughly searched the area, but finding no Nascent Soul artifacts, they couldn't help but feel greatly disappointed.

"Let's quickly return and report to the Sect Master-Brother," the young cultivator said. "We don't know which Nascent Soul senior passed through and actually underwent tribulation here. Have the sect elders report this to the Six Void Sect; perhaps they can find some clues."

The elder stroked his goatee and agreed, "That's right. Whatever that senior's origin, it has nothing to do with us. What a pity, though, under heavenly tribulation, nothing was left!"

"That senior might not have truly failed their tribulation," the young cultivator mused. "Which of us has ever seen a true heavenly tribulation?"

The young cultivator shook his head, sealed the area around the mountain with a formation, called out to the elder, and then they flew away on streaks of light.

Qin Sang stood not far from them.

The two were completely unaware that their entire conversation had been overheard by someone else.

After confirming that the two hadn't witnessed the silver tribulation lightning directly and were indeed misled into believing a cultivator had undergone tribulation, Qin Sang decided not to interfere with them and allowed them to leave.

The news of a Nascent Soul tribulation would disrupt the situation in Fudu Commandery, but it wouldn't cause chaos, and might not even be a bad thing.

"The Six Void Sect..." Qin Sang murmured, then his figure flickered and vanished.

Afterward, Qin Sang returned to Fudu Commandery and selected an elegant lodging at the Six Continents Hall, where he awaited Zhou Jin's arrival.

Two months later.

Zhou Jin arrived as promised.

Upon seeing Qin Sang, Zhou Jin was overjoyed and bowed deeply. "Greetings, Senior Qin."

Qin Sang nodded. "I didn't expect my departure to take nearly a decade. You've been in Fudu Commandery all these years; have you found anything?"

Zhou Jin had been worried about Ruan Yu's condition. With no news from Qin Sang for nearly a decade, he feared the senior had met with an accident or had forgotten about the matter. He was constantly on edge, yet dared not slacken his efforts.

Fortunately, his worst fears hadn't materialized.

Zhou Jin suppressed his excitement and spoke quickly. "This junior followed your instructions. After leaving Zezhou that year, I immediately came to this area to investigate information about Pushan and the Xie family..."

Pushan, the Xie family.

This was related to the high-grade daoist sanctuary recorded by Xiao Xiangzi.

The sanctuary, named Qingxu Illusion Realm, was located in Pushan.

The Xie family, with its two Nascent Soul cultivators at the time, could hold its own even in Central Continent, where masters abounded. The Qingxu Illusion Realm was extremely well-hidden and had always been controlled by the Xie family, unknown to outsiders.

The Qingxu Illusion Realm served not only as a cultivation dwelling but also concealed other secrets.

Several generations of Xie family descendants had painstakingly researched it but couldn't unlock the secret until one Xie family Nascent Soul cultivator met Xiao Xiangzi. Witnessing his unique divine abilities, he invited Xiao Xiangzi into the Qingxu Illusion Realm, and together they finally unlocked the secret.

The jade slip did not detail what benefits the three individuals gained within the Qingxu Illusion Realm.

What was lamentable was that precisely when they had unlocked the secret and were about to divide the treasures, the Xie family patriarch, overcome by greed, actually intended to kill Xiao Xiangzi and monopolize the treasures.

Xiao Xiangzi certainly hadn't broken through to the Soul Transformation stage at that time; otherwise, the Xie family patriarch wouldn't have been so suicidal.

Even so, both Xie family Nascent Soul cultivators were still killed by Xiao Xiangzi in retaliation.

Xiao Xiangzi did not annihilate the entire Xie family. However, in his great fury, he didn't intend to let them off easily; he personally sealed the Qingxu Illusion Realm, making it inaccessible to Xie family descendants from then on.

Cooperation and betrayal occur constantly in the cultivation world.

Qin Sang was not surprised.

Xiao Xiangzi also didn't feel there was anything wrong with his actions.

This betrayal ignited Xiao Xiangzi's killing intent, nearly leading him to slaughter the entire Xie family and pushing him to the verge of falling into a demonic state. It was this incident that suddenly awakened him, making him realize his inner demons were at play.

Afterward, he traveled extensively, refined the Soul-Suppressing Incense, and timely resolved the hidden dangers, only then gaining the opportunity to advance to the Soul Transformation stage.

However, when he later reviewed his past cultivation path, he realized that the other Xie family Nascent Soul cultivator had initially harbored no thoughts of betrayal, but had been coerced by the Xie family patriarch and acted out of necessity.

Since the opponent had chosen to attack him, regardless of whether it was genuine or not, Xiao Xiangzi couldn't possibly hold back.

However, the anger stemming from the betrayal had significantly diminished.

Xiao Xiangzi recorded this matter, instructing the person who obtained the jade slip to travel to Central Continent, find the Xie family, and if the Qingxu Illusion Realm's restrictions were still present, to open it and return it to the Xie family, thus resolving this grievance.

Qin Sang had sent Zhou Jin to find the Xie family.

Firstly, to fulfill Xiao Xiangzi's entrustment, and secondly, so he could cultivate in seclusion within the Qingxu Illusion Realm.

The world changes drastically over time, place names shift, and powers rise and fall. Just like the destroyed dwelling in Heaven-Rending Gorge and the renamed Zhulan Temple, Qin Sang wouldn't be surprised even if the Xie family no longer existed and the Qingxu Illusion Realm had a new owner.

"After this junior arrived here," Zhou Jin said, "I traveled throughout Fudu Commandery and the three neighboring commanderies, but couldn't find Pushan. I later learned that after Zhuozhou was incorporated into the Nineteen Misty Rain States, Mount Bunjin had once led a large-scale land survey, dividing Zhuozhou into various commanderies and changing many place names. So, this junior endeavored to collect ancient texts..."

Zhou Jin's tone was light, clearly indicating a discovery. "Three years ago, this junior finally saw the characters 'Pushan' in an ancient text. After extensive research, I confirmed that Pushan is within Fudu Commandery and is, in fact, today's Luoyan Mountain! However, Luoyan Mountain's owner is no longer the Xie family but the Luoyan Sect."

"The Luoyan Sect?"

Qin Sang's heart stirred. "Do cultivators from this sect wear jade pendants with the character 'Luo' engraved on their waists?"

The two individuals drawn by the Fat Silkworm's heavenly tribulation had such jade pendants.

Pushan had indeed changed hands. It was unknown, however, if the Luoyan Sect had discovered the Qingxu Illusion Realm.

"Senior, have you met disciples of the Luoyan Sect?"

Zhou Jin nodded. "The Luoyan Sect has many powerful cultivators. This junior dared not act openly and could only secretly investigate the relationship between the Luoyan Sect and the Xie family. I later discovered that Luoyan Mountain had originally been forcibly seized from the Xie family by the Luoyan Sect. The Xie family was forced to relocate from Pushan, and their clan had already fallen into decline."

With the demise of their two Nascent Soul ancestors and the loss of the Qingxu Illusion Realm, the Xie family lost its foundation for prosperity, going from peak to decline.

To have endured to this day, with their bloodline unbroken, was exceedingly difficult and also owed to the stable situation in the Central Plains.

Upon learning the Xie family's whereabouts, Zhou Jin immediately sought them out.

Currently, the Xie family has become one of the most ordinary clans in the cultivation world, with their current patriarch possessing only Foundation Establishment cultivation. Pushan, their ancestral land, was forcibly occupied and even renamed, yet they dared not utter a single word of dissent.

"This junior deliberately approached the Xie family and learned something," Zhou Jin paused. "Back then, when the Xie family gave up Pushan, they made a transaction with the Luoyan Sect. Now, the agreed-upon time has long passed, but the Luoyan Sect shows no intention of returning it. If Senior wishes to help the Xie family reclaim Pushan, you can start from this point."

Zhou Jin now mistakenly believed Qin Sang to be a long-lost bloodline member of the Xie family, returning to their ancestral land to seek justice for the clan.

"Is the Luoyan Sect very strong?"

Qin Sang asked in return.

Judging from Zhou Jin's tone, it seemed he couldn't simply force the Luoyan Sect to comply through cultivation and return Pushan to the Xie family.

Zhou Jin respectfully replied, "The Luoyan Sect's sect master is merely at the late Core Formation stage; Senior could easily eliminate him. However, there's one other matter to be wary of: the Luoyan Sect has the Six Void Sect backing it. The transaction between the Luoyan Sect and the Xie family was witnessed by someone dispatched by the Six Void Sect. This junior has been investigating their connection for some time and found that the Luoyan Sect's sect master has a very close relationship with the Six Void Sect. The Six Void Sect has three Nascent Soul elders; they are a powerful force and the overlords of the nearby commanderies. Even Mount Bunjin would find it difficult to intervene, and Fudu Commandery's Prefect cannot control affairs outside the commandery city."

Zhou Jin had been diligent and conscientious, even clarifying the difficulties Qin Sang would face.

"Well done."

Qin Sang was quite satisfied with Zhou Jin, praised him, and keeping his promise, took out a jade slip containing a prescription and a jade box.

Zhou Jin was overjoyed and eagerly took them with both hands. Opening the jade box, he saw a spirit herb inside and looked up in astonishment.

"This Black Essence Grass is the main ingredient for the pill formula," Qin Sang explained. "I unexpectedly found it in the Western Desert. This herb is precious; if you were to search for it yourself, it would take at least a decade or more, which would likely delay the treatment."

Qin Sang paused slightly, looking at Zhou Jin. "I am currently short of hands. If you are willing, you can bring Ruan Yu with you to Pushan to cultivate."

"Thank you, Senior!"

Zhou Jin knelt and kowtowed, expressing heartfelt gratitude.

Next, Qin Sang meticulously learned the details from Zhou Jin and pondered his future plans.

If it were only the Luoyan Sect, he could simply go directly and drive them off the mountain, minimizing the impact. Now that the Six Void Sect was involved, he would need to plan carefully.

The Six Void Sect had three Nascent Soul cultivators, but only one was at the Mid-Nascent Soul stage.

Bringing his avatar to attack their sect would be satisfying, but he had to consider the subsequent consequences.

In Central Continent, no matter how high one's cultivation, one couldn't act recklessly.

Furthermore, it was still unclear whether the Qingxu Illusion Realm had been exposed; once a dispute over a daoist sanctuary was involved, it would become even more troublesome.

After some thought,

Qin Sang instructed Zhou Jin to take him to the Xie family first.

The Xie family had been driven off Pushan by the Luoyan Sect, and their strength was insufficient to seize good spirit veins, so they settled in an area with a poor spirit vein.

As a result, the Xie family's decline accelerated, and their previously accumulated resources were almost exhausted. To this day, even their dignified patriarch hasn't broken through to the Core Formation stage, remaining trapped in the 'False Core' realm.

However, given their past foundation, the Xie family's mountain-protecting formation was not weak.

"Patriarch Xie, an old friend is visiting."

Arriving before the Xie family's stronghold, Zhou Jin circulated his true essence and called out loudly.

The sound carried into the Xie family's grounds.

Not long after, the mist parted to reveal a figure emerging from within. It was Xie An, the Xie family patriarch, whose demeanor was quite extraordinary.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, what a rare guest," Xie An said, quickly stepping forward with an exceptionally warm attitude. Seeing Qin Sang beside Zhou Jin, yet unable to discern his cultivation, his heart tensed. "Who is this fellow Daoist?"

Zhou Jin coughed and said, "This is Senior Qin."

"A Senior!"

Xie An was stunned.

Zhou Jin was a Core Formation cultivator, so the "Senior" he spoke of... could it be...?