Chapter 1586: Front Arrogance, Later Humility

The Mortal World

After some threats and coercion, the strange-faced man's disciple was successfully induced to willingly release his Nascent Soul, leading to his live capture.

A sword formation trapped the Nascent Soul.

Qin Sang's figure flickered, appearing above it. He calmly cast several seals to bind the Nascent Soul, just as he was about to draw it into his hand and flee elsewhere.

Unexpectedly, the moment the strange-faced man's disciple's Nascent Soul was restrained, his eyes suddenly became rigid, and a layer of gray light spread within them.

At the same time, the Nascent Soul began to emit an aura of decay and witheredness from within.

Life force started draining from within.

The strange-faced man's disciple instantly became extremely weak.

This sight reminded Qin Sang of the Myriad Forms Withered Prison that the strange-faced man had used against his avatar.

Qin Sang inwardly thought, 'This is bad.' He quickly chanted several incantations, and a stream of light shot from his fingertip, entering the Nascent Soul's glabella, attempting to stop its withering. However, he found that this deathly aura was erupting from its soul, making it impossible to stop from the outside.

In an instant, the Nascent Soul's entire body withered like tree bark, with a look of death on its face.

On the verge of death, a strange gleam appeared in its gray eyes; it was clearly not controlled by the strange-faced man's disciple himself. Its eyes slightly rotated, trying to discern its enemy.

Qin Sang gave up on saving it. He brought his fingers together and pointed, and a bolt of heavenly lightning struck, reducing the Nascent Soul to ashes.

"What a master!" Qin Sang coldly snorted.

Just now, when the great tide arrived, the strange-faced man had not forgotten to activate his wooden armor to protect his disciple.

Qin Sang had thought this person was the strange-faced man's direct disciple, highly valued, so he decided to capture him to conduct a soul search and investigate the strange-faced man's background and strength.

Unexpectedly, the strange-faced man had already placed a restriction within his disciple's body.

It didn't even wait for the disciple to be soul-searched; as soon as the Nascent Soul was restrained, the restriction immediately erupted, leaving no opportunity whatsoever.

Qin Sang was helpless. He merely took the strange-faced man's disciple's mustard seed bag, allowing his body to be carried away by the great tide.

At this moment, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly sent a warning: the strange-faced man must have sensed something and was rushing in this direction.

At the same time, another figure was approaching from a different direction.

This person did not seem to be merely passing by; they moved quite calmly within the great tide, indicating their cultivation was not weak.

Does the strange-faced man have other accomplices?

Qin Sang was a little surprised. He had originally been considering whether to personally confront the strange-faced man, but had to abandon that thought. He flickered and disappeared into the depths of the great tide.

Not long after.

Two figures appeared one after another at the spot where the strange-faced man's disciple had perished.

Compared to when he was in Nanzhou, the scars on the strange-faced man's face had faded, allowing his normal facial features to be discerned and making him less terrifying.

He scanned the surroundings. His right arm gradually woodified, and his five fingers spread open, emitting a green halo that symbolized vitality.

Densely packed tender shoots grew on his skin, quickly growing into countless blades of grass. Each one was as fine as a strand of hair, resembling green fuzz, gently swaying and spreading in all directions.

The strange-faced man's eyes were slightly closed as he attempted to use this divine ability to capture the lingering aura from the recent battle.

Unfortunately, the surging great tide had completely obliterated all traces.

The strange-faced man found nothing. He retracted his divine ability, his expression grim.

The other person had been hovering at the periphery. Only after the strange-faced man finished his technique did he flicker over, standing shoulder to shoulder with him. This person was clad in a black robe, with their face covered by it; a layer of black mist constantly obscured them, making them quite mysterious.

The black-robed person asked indifferently, "Your disciple is dead?"

The strange-faced man coldly snorted, remaining silent.

"I warned you long ago..." the black-robed person said with a hint of displeasure. "How much did he truly know? What if he was captured alive and revealed your identity? You know the consequences."

"If this old man dared to let him know, I wouldn't fear exposure!"

The strange-faced man responded coldly, "With this matter concluded, I still need to go into seclusion for fifty years."

"Didn't you say you'd only need ten years to emerge? Why so long now? Fifty years? The Ullambana Festival will already be over!"

The black-robed person was displeased and remained silent for a moment. He then chuckled, suddenly understanding. "I've always wondered how you trained such a disciple... With your cunning and foresight, surely this isn't your only preparation, is it? This matter is of great importance. You must emerge from seclusion before the Ullambana Festival to search for the other Five-Phase Tokens. I will secretly assist you."

The strange-faced man grew impatient. "If the inheritors of the Five Meridians see the pattern on the Gu God Token, they will come knocking. Why go through such trouble? If no one comes, it means the lineage is broken. Where would one find the Five-Phase Tokens then?"

"Both the Buddhist and Daoist sects regard the inheritors of the Formless Immortal Sect as thorns in their flesh. If that lineage has declined and its inheritors' cultivation is insufficient, they certainly wouldn't dare show themselves. Or perhaps there are those deliberately hiding in the shadows, harboring ulterior motives? As long as they become active, they will surely leave clues that won't escape your discerning eye."

The black-robed person flattered him, then paused, and said gravely, "Neither of us wants to hide in the shadows forever, unable to show our true faces. It's time to reclaim what rightfully belongs to the Formless Immortal Sect. This Ullambana Festival is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity; we should cooperate with all our might."

The strange-faced man's lips curled slightly into a sneer. "Since we're cooperating with all our might, why did you make excuses when this old man sent you a message before? Mount Buniang has already sealed off. When will you help me assault Zhuozhou? If we seize the spiritual treasure, I wouldn't mind giving it to you."

At this time, the great tide was already nearing its end.

The black-robed person observed the surroundings while speaking. "Are you referring to Old Ancestor Xie of Mount Pu in Zhuozhou? Unless we capture him alive and force out the *Tongbao Art*, what use would the spiritual treasure be to me? Both are in Zhuozhou, so just because Mount Buniang is sealed doesn't mean it can't support Mount Pu, does it? Old Ancestor Xie and Lu Zhang have a deep friendship, and Situ Yu places high hopes on Lu Zhang. If we make a move, Situ Yu will definitely emerge. Situ Yu gained fame from a single battle back then. Since taking over as the sect master of Mount Buniang, Dragon Abode Cave Heaven's influence in Zhuozhou has been repeatedly cut off, and they've suffered several hidden losses, showing his cunning. Unless Situ Yu perishes, or you have absolute certainty of easily breaching the mountain protection formation, slaying Old Ancestor Xie, and erasing all traces, otherwise, both of us are very likely to be exposed. The Ullambana Festival is approaching; don't create unnecessary complications. If we get targeted by the Eight Scenery Temple and Ganlu Zen Monastery, we'll only lose more than we gain. Once the matter is accomplished, we'll have everything we desire!"

Faced with the black-robed person's earnest persuasion, the strange-faced man only responded with a cold sneer.

The black-robed person sighed helplessly and made a promise. "Heavenly Hao Tower has an ancient Scarlet Profound Tree; I will do my best to help you acquire it."

"Alright!"

In the distance.

Qin Sang used his old trick again. He had the Heavenly Eye Butterfly remotely spy on them, but could not hear their conversation.

The gray tide gradually receded.

He had thought that the interior of the Boundless Palace would calm down for a while, but unexpectedly, after the gray tide, another unforeseen anomaly occurred.

Above the sea, a storm raged.

When the gray tide descended, it pushed the storm's power to its peak. Towering waves surged, several nearby islands were also affected, and many cultivators were accidentally injured.

The vegetation on the islands was even uprooted, the ground was directly scraped away by a layer, causing landslides and ground fissures.

But after this most powerful wave, the cultivators discovered that the storm formed by the chaotic currents began to contract. The Boundless Palace was actually going to close!

It was utterly unexpected that the Boundless Palace ruins would open for such a short period.

Those trapped in the Boundless Palace would die without a burial place.

For a time, the cultivators inside the Boundless Palace ruins, who had just experienced the gray tide, frantically fled outwards.

Su Zinan was no exception.

Qin Sang had originally been considering whether to follow the strange-faced man or continue following Su Zinan. Now he didn't need to think so much; leaving was the best strategy!

Streaks of escaping light of various colors rushed out of the chaotic currents. Those who had persisted until now were mostly Nascent Soul Grandmasters. At this moment, they completely lacked their usual dignified bearing, all were in a sorry state, and many were injured.

They scanned their surroundings and unanimously looked for Su Zinan, urgently awaiting an explanation.

The opening of the Boundless Palace ruins this time was simply too anticlimactic. Not only did they gain no benefits, but they also suffered a great loss when the gray tide struck.

The entrance to the ruins rapidly narrowed.

Qin Sang activated his Thunder Escape Art, rushing out of the ruins. He then put away his Phoenix Wings and flew out of the chaotic currents. Instead of leaving immediately, he quietly landed on a nearby island.

The cultivators on the island did not notice at all that an extra person was in their vicinity.

Qin Sang raised his head, looking towards the sky.

A moment later, the strange-faced man and the black-robed person flew out of the chaotic currents together. As expected, these two shunned the light, deliberately using secret arts to conceal their presence.

Of course, their movements could not escape the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's gaze.

However, it was not advisable to overtly track grand cultivators outside.

Qin Sang glanced in the direction they had fled. He remained in place, still watching the entrance of the Boundless Palace, waiting for Su Zinan to emerge.

He always felt that Su Zinan's objective wasn't that simple.

Before entering, was Su Zinan truly unaware of the variables within the ruins? To expend such enormous effort and grandly open the Boundless Palace, just to wander around the periphery?

Time passed.

The black hole in the high sky was re-exposed, and chaotic currents continuously gushed out. But as the black hole gradually narrowed, the affected area grew smaller and smaller.

Most cultivators had already successfully escaped.

The streaks of escaping light became increasingly sparse.

Suddenly.

Three streaks of escaping light illuminated within the black hole, one of them being Su Zinan.

After they escaped, some more cultivators successively flew out, until the black hole completely closed.

Within the Boundless Palace ruins, even Nascent Soul cultivators could not guarantee their own safety. It was unknown if anyone had failed to escape in time and perished there.

The last wave of chaotic currents surged into the sea, lacking further momentum, and was swallowed by the waves.

All the strange phenomena caused by the ruins gradually subsided. In an instant, the sky was clear, the sun shone brightly, and both the sky and sea were calm, showing no signs of chaos.

The Boundless Palace ruins disappeared. The few unrecognizable islands nearby were the only traces left by the ruins.

Su Zinan hovered in mid-air.

Mo Xingdao, Crying Spirit Cave Master, and other helpers invited by Su Zinan, successively approached him.

Sweeping his gaze over the people beside him, Su Zinan's expression suddenly darkened.

A commotion also arose among the observing crowd.

Su Zinan, in white robes, had crossed south into the Central Plains. Two Nascent Soul stage Underworld Moon Guards had always accompanied him as protectors, but now, one was missing!

An Underworld Moon Guard had actually perished in the Boundless Palace; Su Zinan's trip was truly a net loss.

Su Zinan forced out a drop of vital blood and drew a blood talisman in mid-air. He pressed an empty hand downwards.

The blood talisman glowed brightly, transforming into a streak of blood-red light, but it swayed back and forth in mid-air, completely unable to sense the location of the other Underworld Moon Seal.

The sea area here was vast and empty; only the Boundless Palace could obstruct such a sense.

Whether he was injured by the gray tide or secretly attacked by someone, it was impossible to ascertain. The disappearance of the Underworld Moon Guard would be a cold case.

'Crack!' In a fit of rage, Su Zinan shattered the blood talisman with a single palm strike.

The others were as silent as cicadas in winter.

Mo Xingdao stood quietly beside Su Zinan, his expression unchanged, as calm as an ancient well.

Crying Spirit Cave Master sighed lightly, "Fellow Daoist Su, please accept my condolences."

"His fate was sealed; his death is not to be regretted."

Su Zinan suppressed his anger and spoke blandly. He looked up at the empty void, lost in thought.

Crying Spirit Cave Master comforted him, "This failure was due to insufficient foresight regarding the variables of the Boundless Palace, not a fault in battle. I wonder what plans Fellow Daoist Su has next, and when we will explore the Boundless Palace again?"

Before his words fell, a rapid whooshing sound suddenly came from the horizon.

Drawn by the commotion, everyone looked in the direction of the sound, surprised to find that what was approaching was a celestial crane with snow-white wings.

Nascent Soul cultivators quickly noticed something unusual.

"It's one of the Eight Scenery Secret Arts, the Crane Soaring Through Nine Heavens!"

"Such speed, such profound attainment!" "There are only a handful in the Eight Scenery Temple who can do this..." "Could it be True Immortal Hegao?"

"It truly is him!"

In the blink of an eye, the celestial crane soared through the air, abruptly stopping in front of Su Zinan. It retracted its wings, and a plume of white smoke rose out of thin air, materializing into a long-bearded Daoist.

"Oh? It's him!"

Qin Sang recalled his encounters before entering Central State.

Back then, when he was being chased by fierce beasts and fleeing, a cultivator from the Eight Scenery Temple appeared, lured away the beasts, and left a warning. He had used this very escape technique.

Qin Sang later confirmed that this person should be True Immortal Hegao of the Eight Scenery Temple.

In the Eight Scenery Temple, below the Soul Transformation stage, his status was second only to the sect master, True Immortal Zilei.

"True Immortal, you're late." A strange glint flashed in Su Zinan's eyes as he said blandly.

True Immortal Hegao had a long, narrow face, an ancient and peculiar appearance, and eyes as narrow as blades. He first looked up towards the sky, then bowed to Su Zinan. "This humble Daoist presumes to ask, Fellow Daoist Su, could you tell me how to locate the Boundless Palace?"

Su Zinan patted his mustard seed bag, and several broken pieces of wood flew out. "I said it already, True Immortal, you're a step late. My foster father once left a marker in the Boundless Palace, which could be activated externally with a formation to pinpoint its location. Unfortunately, this marker can only be used once, and I, Su, do not possess such great divine abilities as my foster father to recreate the marker."

"What!" True Immortal Hegao frowned deeply. "It can only be used once? Why were you so reckless, Fellow Daoist, not discussing it with us first?"

Su Zinan burst into a furious rage. "What my foster father left behind, I, Su, can use as I please! What business is it of yours? I've long heard that you rely on your power to bully others, and fellow Daoists in the Central Plains dare not speak up against you. Others may fear you, but I, Su, do not!"

With an angry snort, Su Zinan loudly questioned, "I, Su, personally visited you before, asking if True Immortal Danyun had ever entered the Boundless Palace and requesting his guidance. Yet, you acted mysterious and turned me away. Now, why this sudden change from arrogance to deference?!"

His voice boomed like thunder.

All cultivators across the entire sea area could hear him clearly.

Even though he clearly knew Su Zinan was spouting nonsense in front of everyone, True Immortal Hegao could not refute him, his face alternating between green and white.

Ignoring True Immortal Hegao's unsightly expression, Su Zinan turned and departed, flicking his sleeves.

Su Zinan and his group disappeared into the horizon.

The cultivators below did not leave, their expressions varied as they pondered Su Zinan's words, secretly observing True Immortal Hegao.

True Immortal Hegao remained silent for a long while before finally moving. His face was still ashen when he left.

Until he flew out of everyone's sight.

The anger on True Immortal Hegao's face suddenly vanished. He glanced in the direction Su Zinan had fled, his expression serene, and flew gracefully away.