Chapter 1552: Encountering a Demon

The journey passed in silence.

They approached the Chinnan Archipelago. Qin Sang once again suppressed his cultivation to the Core Formation stage, following behind Zhou and Ruan.

The Chinnan Archipelago was originally obscure, considered a rather remote area in the East Sea, home to only low-level cultivators. It had only recently begun to attract attention. Core Formation cultivators, rarely seen on a regular basis, were frequently spotted in the Chinnan Archipelago, making the local cultivators tremble with fear.

The rumors were still in their early stages. When Qin Sang and his two companions arrived, the number of cultivators attracted to the Chinnan Archipelago was not yet vast; most were still en route.

After disembarking, Zhou and Ruan, familiar with the place, found one of the market towns on the Chinnan Archipelago to contact local forces and gather information. Qin Sang initially followed them, but later wandered around the market alone, observing the cultivators coming and going. There were clearly many foreign cultivators present, and their cultivation levels were not low. Zhou Jin's cultivation level could only be considered mid-to-high among them. Some were undoubtedly there to try their luck. However, Qin Sang believed that a large portion were scouts sent by various factions. The whereabouts of Saint Huiguang and True Monarch Danyu were mysterious, and all factions were eager to either confirm or refute the rumors.

The market was a melting pot of various individuals, but no trouble had occurred yet. After all, everyone knew they were there to gather information and wouldn't act recklessly; otherwise, they might offend a major power, and their own sect might not be able to protect them.

After walking for a while, Qin Sang did not sense the presence of any Nascent Soul cultivators. Few high-level cultivators were as hands-on as he was.

“Fellow Daoist Qin, please wait.” Zhou Jin's voice came from behind him.

Qin Sang pretended he hadn't noticed them before, turned at the sound, and saw Zhou and Ruan hurrying towards him, followed by three oddly dressed cultivators.

“Why did you wander so far?” Zhou Jin complained. “We couldn't fully release our spiritual sense in the city, so we had quite a time looking for you!”

“Didn't we agree to meet at the inn tonight?” Qin Sang feigned confusion, his gaze falling on the three people behind them. “Who are these three?”

There were two men and one woman. The elder man and woman were both Core Formation cultivators, while the younger man was similar in cultivation to Ruan Yu. Their attire was strikingly different from ordinary people, and highly unique even in the East Sea. Each person had ten or so colorful cloth bags hanging from their waist. The bags featured complex patterns and shimmering restrictions, but didn't resemble magic artifacts or spatial bags. Moreover, their pockets were also bulging, filled with unknown contents. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators rarely carried so many items on their person. They likely possessed unique abilities.

Zhou Jin gestured with a hand, smiling. “Allow me to introduce everyone! Fellow Daoist Qin, these three are the Cold Clan's Three Heroes. They possess extraordinary abilities and are righteous individuals. We met three years ago in the north and never expected to encounter them here. And to you three fellow Daoists, this is Fellow Daoist Qin, whom I just mentioned. We traveled together from Farewell Island; he is a trusted friend.”

“My pleasure, my pleasure!” Qin Sang cupped his hands in greeting.

The Cold Clan's Three Heroes returned the greeting with an odd gesture.

“How dare we three siblings call ourselves 'Three Heroes'? That's just a title outsiders imposed, making us a laughingstock! Fellow Daoist Qin's aura is profound and unfathomable. Like Fellow Daoists Zhou and Ruan, you must hail from an orthodox Daoist sect, which is truly enviable,” the elder man, named Leng Qi, chuckled, his voice hoarse and grating. It was as unpleasant as a venomous snake's hiss.

Qin Sang's gaze swept over his throat, pondering inwardly. These three were likely not true siblings. Their auras were peculiar, neither Buddhist nor Daoist, yet showed no signs of disorder. They most likely possessed a unique lineage, though he didn't know which sect they belonged to.

As Zhou Jin continued to explain, Qin Sang learned that the Cold Clan's Three Heroes had also been drawn there by the legends of an ancient immortal sect. They had arrived a few days earlier than Qin Sang's group and had already gathered some information. Seeing the increasing number of experts in the Chinnan Archipelago, the three decided to set out to sea as soon as possible to search and gain an advantage. They were recruiting companions and had just happened upon Zhou and Ruan.

“I trust Fellow Daoist Zhou's character,” Leng Qi said confidently. “With the three of you assisting, it should be foolproof. What do you think, Fellow Daoist Qin? Currently, we haven't heard of anyone finding the ancient immortal sect. If we are truly fortunate enough to find it, then it will be each person for themselves based on their abilities.”

As he spoke, Leng Qi made no attempt to conceal anything, directly taking out a jade slip and handing it to Qin Sang. “Please take a look, Fellow Daoist. This is the information we've gathered. We haven't found any ancient immortal sect ruins, but it wasn't entirely fruitless. The legends about immortals in the Chinnan Archipelago are noticeably more concentrated and unique than elsewhere, suggesting they weren't formed without reason…”

The jade slip contained not only various legends but also a sea chart of the Chinnan Archipelago's vicinity, with certain islands marked for focused exploration. Leng Qi was quite generous. Even before Qin Sang agreed to join them, he had revealed the information they had painstakingly gathered.

After reviewing the jade slip, Qin Sang considered it for a moment and agreed. Leng Qi was overjoyed, and his attitude became noticeably more enthusiastic. That night, Leng Qi arranged for their lodging at an inn.

At noon on the third day, Qin Sang and his two companions went to the docks as agreed and easily found a treasure ship. Sensing the auras emanating from the ship from a distance, Qin Sang inwardly scoffed. On such a small vessel, no fewer than twenty Core Formation cultivators had gathered. Even in the prosperous Central Continent immortal world, such a scene was rarely seen, let alone in the East Sea.

Leng Qi led the three onto the treasure ship, immediately drawing numerous scrutinizing gazes, which then quickly retracted. Qin Sang acted as if he hadn't noticed, and with Zhou and Ruan, found a round table and sat down. When others attempted to strike up conversations, Zhou Jin handled them all. Qin Sang leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes to rest, while subtly extending his spiritual sense. He did not detect any Nascent Soul cultivators, nor did he feel like he was being spied upon.

After a while, more people boarded the ship in succession. When the sun was high in the sky, Leng Qi entered the cabin and announced their departure. The treasure ship lightly vibrated and sailed out of the dock.

After the initial period of unfamiliarity, the cultivators in the cabin quickly grew lively. However, everyone tacitly avoided probing into each other's backgrounds. With so many Core Formation cultivators gathered, there were few entities that could threaten them. Everyone looked relaxed, chatting about various topics. Especially when discussing the ancient immortal sect ruins, they all spoke with excitement, as if they were truly on a mission to find the ancient immortal sect.

After leaving the Chinnan Archipelago, the islands noticeably thinned out. Leng Qi personally navigated the ship, following the planned route, searching one island after another. At each location, Qin Sang would also personally go ashore. As expected, the credibility of these dubious legends was almost zero. There were only desolate islands, with no trace of an ancient immortal sect. After repeated disappointments, everyone gradually began to lose interest.

One day, their journey was already past its halfway point. The treasure ship sped rapidly across the sea, leaving a white wake behind it.

Leng Qi noticed Qin Sang and Zhou Ruan standing by the ship's railing, and, curious, walked over, about to ask something. Suddenly, he heard Qin Sang utter a low cry, “Below!”

Whoosh! Zhou Jin swiftly moved his hands, and a streak of light shot out from them, disappearing into the seabed in a flash. Immediately after, with a splash, the streak of light returned. It was actually a jade ring-shaped magic treasure, and to their surprise, a strange fish demon was trapped within it!