Chapter 1567: Exposed

Wuxia and Xianxia

Qin Sang understood Fu Han's unspoken meaning.

Why did the Eight Scenery Temple and Ganlu Monastery risk such danger to force their way into the Boundless Hall? Even True Lord Zilei, the venerable temple master, was injured in the process. This not only indicated the extreme danger of the Boundless Hall but also conveyed to outsiders how desperate they were to enter, willing to pay any price. Combining this with previous rumors, one couldn't help but wonder. Could it be that the Spirit Transformation cultivators of both sects were trapped in the Boundless Hall, hence their urgency?

More than two hundred years had passed since rumors of the Spirit Transformation cultivators' disappearance began to circulate. What truly drew attention was the infiltration of the Ganlu Monastery's Minor Square Inch Mountain by a mysterious figure. In response to these rumors, the reactions of the two great immortal sects were unusual. While Spirit Transformation cultivators might be too lofty to bother clarifying rumors, the disciples of both sects had, uncharacteristically, become increasingly low-key in their actions. After years of silence, the two great sects suddenly dispatched numerous masters, showing extraordinary interest in the Boundless Hall. How could this not raise suspicions?

Upon their return from the East Sea, Situ Yu and Cheng Shenzi immediately convened a meeting of the forces in Zhuo State, a move that was quite intriguing. Fu Han from the Boundless Mountain Sect personally delivered the invitation, indicating the high importance they placed on this meeting. Qin Sang was certainly expected to attend.

Fu Han stayed briefly, and after receiving Qin Sang's promise, he hurried off to another location.

Three days later.

Qin Sang departed from Pushan on time. Mount Liuxu was located between Futu Commandery and Boundless Mountain. Qin Sang only needed to make a slight detour halfway to pass by the entrance of Mount Liuxu. He naturally wouldn't go to Mount Liuxu to stir up trouble; he was merely curious if Boundless Mountain would invite Cheng Huanzi.

He flew alone for a while. As he neared Boundless Mountain, Qin Sang noticed a gust of wind blowing from the northwest, heading in the same direction as him. Within the wind were two figures, one of whom was the Longwind Sect Master, whom he had met just a few days prior.

"Daoist Qingfeng!"

The Longwind Sect Master also spotted Qin Sang and flew closer with his companion. "Daoist Cheng Weizi mentioned it, and only then did this humble Daoist realize that Daoist Qingfeng was the first to detect the demon's plot. You left in a hurry that day, and I haven't had a chance to thank you."

No obvious sorrow could be seen on the Sect Master's face, indicating he had likely adjusted his mindset. The other person was a young maiden, only at the Foundation Establishment stage of cultivation, and she was the Longwind Sect Master's disciple.

Qin Sang sighed with regret, "It was discovered too late; I couldn't salvage your sect's losses. Did you two Daoists discover anything while pursuing the demon, or discern its origins?"

"It was the times! It was fate!" The Longwind Sect Master sighed deeply, "We pursued him all the way to Mount Zhaoyao and did capture a few minor demons, but they were all deluded by others, and we couldn't get any information from them. After Sect Master Situ returned to the mountain, Daoist Cheng Weizi reported the matter and described the divine ability the demon used. Sect Master Situ listened and said it only vaguely resembled the Dragon Slaying Demonic Energy, so he couldn't be sure if it was Old Demon Lu's successor."

Qin Sang agreed, "More and more evil cultivators are taking advantage of the chaos recently."

They slowed down, chatting as they went. Before long, the three arrived at a mountain only a thousand zhang tall. They landed on its peak and saw a stone tablet engraved with "White Cloud Waterfall." Realizing this was Boundless Mountain, the young maiden, visiting for the first time, widened her eyes like brass bells, unable to hide her disappointment. She had been sent by the Longwind Sect Master to be an outer disciple of Boundless Mountain, planning to cultivate there until the Pseudo-Core stage. Before coming, she had envisioned various magnificent immortal scenes. The surrounding scenery was decent, but it was far from the magnificent super-sect she had imagined.

Qin Sang and the Longwind Sect Master exchanged a smile, activated the restrictions on the stone tablet, and soared into the air. The maiden was protected by her grand-master. She felt the wind roar, the speed increasing rapidly. In a blink of an eye, they soared tens of thousands of feet high. Her vision flickered between darkness and light, and then she beheld a breathtaking sight.

Above the nine heavens, white clouds cascaded like a waterfall. A white jade ribbon seemed to flow down from the sky. The maiden looked down and saw waves of clouds beneath them, rising and falling like peaks, stretching endlessly. Yet, from below, one could only see the clear blue sky.

Qin Sang and the Longwind Sect Master maintained their speed, parting the white clouds and soaring directly to the peak of the cloud waterfall. The scene before them transformed once more. Clouds steamed and mists diffused with ethereal light. Immortal mountains shimmered faintly within the sea of clouds, towering high above the nine heavens, detached from the mortal world. The maiden was utterly mesmerized.

It wasn't Qin Sang's first time at Boundless Mountain, but he still secretly marveled, "What a beautiful sight! It's a pity such treasured lands are rare even in the Central Plains, all occupied by super-sects. Compared to Boundless Mountain, Pushan is just a small hill."

"You two have arrived together."

As soon as they stood firm, a figure flashed before them—it was Cheng Weizi. The three exchanged greetings. Cheng Weizi called a disciple to lead the maiden away, then personally escorted Qin Sang and the Longwind Sect Master towards one of the immortal mountains. This mountain was where Boundless Mountain entertained honored guests.

As they neared the mountain, Cheng Weizi halted his flight, "Daoist Qingfeng, please wait a moment. The Sect Master has decreed that you are to meet him at the main peak... I will first escort Daoist Luo to rest." The Longwind Sect Master glanced at Qin Sang in surprise but asked no further questions, following Cheng Weizi into the mountain.

The main peak was located at the center of the sea of clouds. Qin Sang's expression remained calm as he followed Cheng Weizi into the main peak, landing beside a waterside pavilion. Inside the pavilion, two prayer mats were laid out. On one, a man sat cross-legged, dressed in white robes, with a slender figure. The man was handsome, with sharply defined temples and chiseled features, appearing even younger than Lu Zhang. Although dressed as a Daoist priest, he exuded an air of refined elegance.

"Reporting to Sect Master, Daoist Qingfeng has arrived."

Cheng Weizi bowed respectfully and then withdrew. This person was none other than the Boundless Mountain Sect Master—Situ Yu.

Situ Yu slowly opened his eyes, which shone like suddenly bright stars. He gestured to the opposite side, his voice as smooth as jade, "Daoist, please be seated."

Qin Sang didn't stand on ceremony, sitting cross-legged opposite Situ Yu. Situ Yu's eyes were sharp as he stared directly into Qin Sang's, and he spoke astonishingly, "Should I address you as Daoist Qingfeng, or Daoist Qin?"

Qin Sang's gaze slightly sharpened, but his tone was light, "Why do you ask, Daoist?"

"With a master like you appearing in Zhuo State, this humble Daoist naturally had to inquire about your origins. However, the people I sent found no sign of the Green Goat Island you mentioned in the East Sea. If it were just one mysterious master like you, it might be fine, but with two Daoists being so enigmatic, it inevitably raises suspicion."

Situ Yu paused, seeing no change in Qin Sang's expression, then continued, "For over a century, you have been quite peaceful in Pushan. If you have no other intentions, this humble Daoist naturally won't meddle. Having another top master in Zhuo State isn't necessarily a bad thing. Thirty years ago, Junior Brother Lu's life was saved by you, and facts have proven that this humble Daoist's choice was correct."

Qin Sang sighed softly, "Did the spirit treasure expose me?"

Situ Yu nodded, "Although the Vast Sea is far from the Central Plains, Zhulan Temple has always maintained connections with the Central State. A century ago, they entrusted friendly forces to search for two individuals, one male and one female. The female possessed a spirit treasure which, according to their description, was almost identical to your small seal. The male was not only a top-tier expert himself but also cultivated a great divine ability, the Second Primordial Spirit, possessing an external incarnation at the same cultivation level as his true body."

What Situ Yu said was exactly as Qin Sang had expected. He had stolen the Buddha Bone Sarira from Zhulan Temple, so Zhulan Temple would certainly not let the matter rest. Back then, to shake off the pursuers, the Second Primordial Spirit had merged into the true body in front of Venerable Chengyuan, a feat that could not escape their sharp eyes.

"Do you intend to hand this humble Daoist over to the Vast Sea?" Qin Sang countered. There was no fear on his face. The use of the spirit treasure had been thirty years ago. If Situ Yu had intended him harm, he would have acted long ago, rather than waiting until now to bring up the matter.

As expected, Situ Yu gently shook his head, "Daoist, you exposed your identity to save Junior Brother Lu. How could Boundless Mountain be ungrateful? This humble Daoist is merely curious, why did you choose Pushan?"

This was a broad question. Qin Sang understood Situ Yu's implication and said calmly, "If I were to say that this humble Daoist merely wished to find a stable Daoist sanctuary to settle down and establish a life, would you believe it?"

Situ Yu's answer greatly surprised Qin Sang, "I can believe it, but at this moment, I dare not fully believe it."

Qin Sang was slightly taken aback and said gravely, "What did you discover in the Boundless Hall, Daoist?"

"Daoist Qin is indeed perceptive!" Situ Yu, having confirmed Qin Sang's identity, no longer concealed anything and spoke of his experiences in the East Sea, "The entrance to the Boundless Hall is a forbidden zone, filled with terrifying spatial turbulence and restrictive storms. We suspect that the sect's main gate of the Boundless Hall had a formidable origin, and something went wrong with its protective array. Otherwise, even the most intense battles couldn't have created such a desolate place. No one, including True Lord Zilei, managed to fully pass through that forbidden zone; the only difference was how deep they went. However, while searching for the Boundless Hall, this humble Daoist discovered traces of a demon king and unexpectedly learned something: the Demon Race's Saint King Palace… has split."

Hearing this, Qin Sang immediately understood what Situ Yu was trying to say. The Demon Race's Saint King was a Spirit Transformation stage Great Demon. If the Saint King were still alive, how could the Saint King Palace have split? Rumors of the disappearance of Saint Huiguang and True Lord Dan Yu had been circulating widely. However, the accumulated prestige of Spirit Transformation cultivators still remained. Even now, despite the Spirit Transformation cultivators having been missing for over two hundred years, various factions still only operated in the shadows, not daring to act recklessly or directly provoke the Eight Scenery Temple and Ganlu Monastery. The various chaotic situations in the Central Plains emerged gradually over time because the Eight Scenery Temple and Ganlu Monastery had been unable to refute the rumors. Unexpectedly, the first chaos erupted among the East Sea's Demon Race. The split in the Saint King Palace virtually confirmed that something had happened to the Demon Race's Saint King. Once this news spread throughout the cultivation world, Qin Sang could imagine the kind of upheaval that would occur.

Situ Yu's meaning was clear. In a peaceful era, Situ Yu would have been confident enough to let Qin Sang remain in Zhuo State, knowing that even if Qin Sang had some ambition, it couldn't shake Boundless Mountain's position. But with an era of chaos approaching, where one action could affect the entire situation, even great sects had to proceed with caution. Had he not seen it? From ancient times to the present, which sect could flourish forever and never decline? Even a powerful sect like the Boundless Hall had become ruins, had it not? Qin Sang, an outsider of unknown origin, could very well become a destabilizing factor.

"Are you asking me to leave Pushan?" Qin Sang pondered for a moment before asking aloud.

Situ Yu denied, "Pushan is Daoist Qin's Daoist sanctuary. Since Boundless Mountain has acknowledged it, we will not go back on our word. I invited you here to inform you of something: this humble Daoist has decided that Boundless Mountain will seal itself off for a hundred years."

Sealing the mountain! Qin Sang hadn't expected Situ Yu to be so decisive. Boundless Mountain was not like the Xie family, which could simply seal its gates at will. After sealing the mountain, Boundless Mountain would forfeit most of its external interests, incurring incalculable losses. No wonder they had convened a meeting of all forces in Zhuo State.

Facing Situ Yu's gaze, Qin Sang replied, "This humble Daoist can assure you, no matter what I do in the future, it will not involve Boundless Mountain, or even Zhuo State."

Situ Yu was satisfied with this outcome. He smiled, his tone softening, then changed the subject, "Daoist, have you gained anything from refining that Ice Crystal?"

Thirty years ago, when Fu Han sent the Ice Crystal, Qin Sang had his external incarnation try to refine it. Inside the Ice Crystal, there was a type of chilling malevolent energy that Qin Sang had never encountered before. This energy was quite lethal but didn't align well with the Ice Soul Divine Light. This was because the chilling malevolent energy had obvious fluctuations, making it difficult to conceal, whereas one of the most important characteristics of the Ice Soul Divine Light was its stealth. Unexpectedly, after some time, Qin Sang confirmed that refining the Ice Crystal actually helped with cultivating the *Ice Soul Divine Light*. This greatly surprised him, and he found himself hesitating. Even if he could refine the Ice Soul Divine Light, it would definitely be very different from the original version. It wouldn't be able to appear formless and intangible like Glaze, striking enemies unaware. However, the power of the Ice Soul Divine Light would likely be enhanced accordingly, and its ability to restrict opponents might even become stronger. As he needed to guard his true body during cultivation, and the chilling malevolent energy within the Ice Crystal wasn't enough to support his cultivation of the *Ice Soul Divine Light*, Qin Sang temporarily put the Ice Crystal aside.

When Situ Yu inquired about this, Qin Sang took the opportunity to ask, "May I ask, Daoist, where does this type of Ice Crystal come from, and are there more?" A bird in hand is worth two in the bush. The chances of the external incarnation refining the original *Ice Soul Divine Light* were slim. If there were enough Ice Crystals, Qin Sang wouldn't mind letting his external incarnation learn another powerful divine ability.

"This item was something this humble Daoist unexpectedly obtained while traveling in the Northern Barrens, when I was pursuing a strange snow fox with another Daoist, Elder Yanshan. The snow fox eventually disappeared, and we only got this single Ice Crystal. After returning to the mountain, this humble Daoist no longer inquired about the matter. However, Daoist Yanshan's Daoist sanctuary is nearby, and he should know more. Junior Brother Lu mentioned that Daoist Qin possesses a divine ability that can easily see through Mount Liuxu; perhaps you could capture that snow fox. I shall write a letter now, and Daoist Qin can take it to visit Daoist Yanshan…"

Situ Yu spoke as he did. The letter was written without delay. Although he pressed Qin Sang for a promise, he didn't mind extending some favor and forming a good connection with Qin Sang. After all, he hadn't promised anything specific; whether Qin Sang could persuade Elder Yanshan would depend on Qin Sang's own abilities.

Qin Sang took the letter, expressed his thanks, and stood up, walking out of the waterside pavilion. There was no need for him to participate in the subsequent discussions, so Qin Sang flew directly towards the Boundless Mountain entrance.

After Qin Sang left, a figure flashed out from the shadows—it was Cheng Shenzi. Situ Yu gazed at Qin Sang's retreating figure and said calmly, "Junior Brother Lu is in secluded cultivation refining the stone toad. My next heavenly tribulation will arrive within a century. Although this tribulation won't be a near-death experience, my certainty of overcoming it is less than thirty percent. During this period, I'll have to trouble you, Junior Brother, with the sect's affairs."

"Sect Master Senior Brother will surely turn misfortune into good fortune!"

Cheng Shenzi's tone was grave as he looked at Qin Sang, "This person…"

"As long as he doesn't do anything detrimental to Boundless Mountain, let him be."

Situ Yu stood up and walked towards his cave dwelling.