Chapter 1694: Summons

Wuxia Xianxia

"His Spirit Fire possesses the power of the Soul Transformation stage. Old monk, aren't you tempted?" the Azure Fox Saint King retorted.

"At the time, this monk was too preoccupied to sense the Spirit Fire's aura. But from their descriptions, it must be Demonic Fire, correct?" Saint Huiguang saw through the Azure Fox Saint King's intentions with a single glance.

Both the Spirit-Suppressing Incense formula and the Southern Blazing Fire were things she was determined to obtain. One could only blame Qin Sang for possessing such treasures and, in doing so, inviting trouble upon himself.

The Azure Fox Saint King was speechless.

Saint Huiguang did not press further, offering a reminder: "Unless you can refine this fire to significantly boost your cultivation and divine abilities, its power is too violent. If it's merely for an additional combat method, it might be difficult to control. Recklessly using it in the Gui Xu could cause intense fluctuations, potentially attracting hordes of fierce beasts and putting us in an even more perilous situation. This person is already a startled bird; we cannot use force. Saint King, it would be best to heed this monk's words and avoid acting stubbornly or creating unnecessary complications."

In the Eastern Sea's Gui Xu, fierce beasts ran rampant.

Even before the Heavenly Dao Demonic Sound caused the fierce beasts to rampage, the Gui Xu was an extremely dangerous place. Soul Transformation cultivators would only dare to venture there after making thorough preparations, having nowhere else to advance.

Now that the fierce beasts were driven mad by the demonic sound, they still didn't know what the situation was like within their lairs.

When journeying east for ascension, fierce beasts posed one of the greatest threats.

Especially deep within the Gui Xu, they might be able to handle a single fierce beast. But if they were to engage in direct conflict, the tremors from their struggle could very likely attract more fierce beasts.

"If I can subdue the artifact spirit and control this treasure, then this King won't need to pursue other things," the Azure Fox Saint King said, glancing at the Five Elements Crown on the Ancient Devil's head, her tone finally softening.

Of course, she also understood that having failed this time, it would be difficult to capture that person again.

Unless she and the old monk acted personally, anyone else encountering him would only be courting death.

If there was any hint of trouble, that person would sense danger, hide, or even escape Zhongzhou to find a refuge in the storm zone. Would they then delay their ascension indefinitely, guarding Zhongzhou until they found him?

The old monk was a local influential figure; to find that person, they would still need to rely on the power of the Buddhist Sect.

The most urgent matter now was to find a way to help the ancient devil suppress its madness, restore some semblance of sentience, and interrogate it for secrets. This would also allow them to verify some previous theories about the ancient devil and investigate the Heavenly Dao Demonic Sound.

*Whoosh!* Several monks rushed towards the broken mountain.

Within the five-colored clouds, other colored spiritual lights were visible, indicating that the Five Elements Divine Restriction had not yet destroyed all the formations on the mountain. They were ordered to salvage the Boundless Immortal Sect's treasures.

Other Buddhist masters also dispersed, occupying key areas of the ancient dwelling and driving away unrelated individuals.

Unfortunately, there weren't enough personnel, and with constant changes occurring—the moment the ancient devil's body showed signs of defeat, people scattered—the ancient dwelling's entrance had also been expanding. It now covered nearly half of the Mount Taiyue Range, and the dwelling was about to fully re-emerge into the world. Saint Huiguang's idea of capturing everyone in one fell swoop was impossible to implement; they could only first seize control of the dwelling itself.

In the sky.

The Poison King had emerged from the gray cocoon, having barely escaped death. He scanned the mountains of the ancient dwelling, his gaze flickering uncertainly.

Just now, the Poison King had learned from Yue Lingtian what had happened during his captivity. He felt both relief and apprehension.

He was relieved that he had previously leaned towards a transaction and hadn't formed a mortal enmity with that person. His apprehension stemmed from how he would retrieve the Gu King, which had fallen into the hands of such an individual.

Mo Xingdao regulated his breathing while observing the Azure Fox Saint King and Saint Huiguang. Finally, he looked at the others, discreetly retreating outwards. Unexpectedly, a voice transmission suddenly rang in his ear, freezing his figure.

"I am injured and cannot rise to greet you; please forgive my discourtesy." In the crude stone dwelling carved into a corner of the barren mountain, Qin Sang stopped healing and looked at Liuli as she entered, a smile appearing on his pale face.

It was clear his smile was strained; he had to force the corners of his mouth upwards.

His avatar brought Liuli here, then left in a hurry.

Qin Sang explained, "Previously, my avatar had assumed the identity of the Pushan Xie Family's old ancestor. Now that my true identity has been exposed, attracting the attention of a Demonic Race Saint King, it could bring disaster to the Xie family. I have a few friends still in Pushan who are unaware of the situation here; I need to quickly send a message to warn them so they can prepare."

Before rumors spread, the quickest way was through the Six Prefectures Hall, though he wasn't sure if it would be in time.

Qin Sang could only do his best and leave the rest to fate. He figured with Ghost Mother present, arrangements should be made properly.

Liuli gently nodded, seeing that Qin Sang's main body was severely injured. "What are your plans now?"

"Naturally, I'll first find a place to heal..." Qin Sang tugged at the corner of his mouth, unexpectedly aggravating his internal injuries and nearly gasping in pain. He forced himself to maintain the smile, gazing at Liuli. She wore a monk's robes, and though she had a monk's hat on, he could still see her hair tied up beneath the brim.

Her lay practitioner's attire not only failed to conceal Liuli's exquisite beauty but instead added a touch of elegance and serenity, softening her usual coldness and making her appear less unapproachable than before.

Qin Sang felt a strange sense of relief.

Back then, Liuli had cut her hair to show her resolve and departed decisively. He had once thought they would never meet again.

Looking at her familiar face, he couldn't help but blurt out, "It's fortunate, Immortal, that you didn't truly become a nun."

Liuli remained silent, staring coldly at him.

Qin Sang quickly fell silent, letting out two dry laughs. In his current state, it was best not to be too arrogant, or Liuli could easily slap him to death.

At this moment, Qin Sang noticed that Liuli's cultivation was still at the Mid Nascent Soul stage, but her aura was comparable to his avatar's, indicating she was at the peak of the Mid Nascent Soul stage.

"Your cultivation, Immortal?"

The thought that Liuli could still sense him meant the hidden danger of the evil technique hadn't been resolved. Was she perhaps trapped by a bottleneck again? Qin Sang couldn't help but worry.

Liuli calmly replied, "When the ancient dwelling appeared, I already sensed an opportunity for a breakthrough and was about to enter secluded cultivation."

Guessing what Qin Sang wanted to ask, Liuli paused, looked at him, and said, "You can block out the imprint."

The two had jointly cultivated the *Profound Yin Jade Cauldron True Scripture*, with Qin Sang taking the lead and holding the dominant position.

Although she tried her best to suppress the imprint, if Qin Sang willed it, even with a slight thought, he could render her efforts futile and discover the imprint's secret.

Qin Sang seemed completely unaware of this, which only indicated he had never entertained such thoughts. Even when facing Yin Changsheng in the sacred land years ago, and she willingly opened her mind, Qin Sang merely borrowed her True Essence to control the Sun Divine Tree and then immediately severed the connection, without any superfluous thoughts or actions.

"It would still be best to find a way to remove the imprint as soon as possible!" Qin Sang remarked with emotion.

From Liuli's tone, cultivating Buddhist Dharma had been quite effective, but it seemed insufficient to completely resolve the hidden danger.

Since the topic of breakthrough came up, Qin Sang took out a jade orb from his Qianjun Ring and offered it to Liuli.

The jade orb was the size of a baby's fist, emitting a pure, vibrant green light that shimmered like a luminous pearl. It contained countless tiny, nested hollows. However, some parts appeared incomplete, suggesting an unfinished quality.

The jade orb was precisely the Heavenly Exquisite Spirit Embryo.

Liuli did not take it, but her gaze was drawn to the Heavenly Exquisite, intuitively sensing it was no ordinary item.

Qin Sang explained, "This item is called the Heavenly Exquisite. I obtained it from an opponent; it's a supreme treasure crafted by the Wood Element lineage, capable of assisting in breakthroughs to the Soul Transformation stage. When advancing to the Soul Transformation stage, the Heaven-Man connection is crucial and closely related to one's spiritual roots... As you know, I have Five Spiritual Roots, so this item is useless to me. I also don't lack treasures for breaking through cultivation bottlenecks. I intend to trade that Five Elements Pill with Mo Xingdao for a Spirit Rhinoceros Immortal Fruit, though I'm not sure if he can get away."

As he spoke, Qin Sang took out a wooden box and revealed a cyan light orb containing the Heavenly Exquisite's secret techniques.

Liuli extended her spiritual sense into the light orb. After reviewing its contents, an unusual expression appeared on her face.

After a moment of silence, Liuli shook her head and said, "It was merely a small effort."

Her nature hadn't changed! Despite all his explanations, Liuli still wouldn't accept it.

Qin Sang sighed inwardly, "To you, it might be a small effort, but to me, it's a life-saving grace. Moreover, you took a great risk by acting. Immortal, having cultivated Buddhist Dharma, do you not know that your strict vigilance against me is precisely a form of attachment? Letting things take their natural course is the true path."

Liuli still held her ground, only making a copy of the light orb's contents. "I haven't broken through to the Late Nascent Soul stage yet, so I have plenty of time to gather materials and prepare for refining the Heavenly Exquisite. Since the Lunar Laurel Immortal Dew once appeared in Zhongzhou, it means it's not extinct and might not be impossible to find."

Qin Sang opened his mouth, but in the end, he could only put away the Heavenly Exquisite Spirit Embryo.

"In that case, I will keep this item safe for you for now. Additionally, I still have one Spirit-Suppressing Incense stick left; please don't hesitate to ask if you need it, Immortal."

Liuli remained noncommittal.

Qin Sang didn't press the issue further and changed the topic. "Which faction have you joined, Immortal? Will today's events have any negative repercussions?"

With the teleportation passage exposed, the faction's connection to the Boundless Immortal Sect would also be revealed. Should any repercussions arise, her sect might very well blame Liuli.

"Moon-Veiling Temple. Its founding patriarch once became a Dao companion with an elder of the Boundless Immortal Sect. After the Boundless Immortal Sect's demise, its members sought refuge from the world, using other identities to conceal themselves when traveling outside..." Liuli briefly introduced the origins of the Moon-Veiling Temple.

Learning that the Moon-Veiling Temple's patriarch originated from the Water Element lineage and also had strong ties to the Metal Element lineage, Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly. He promptly took out several more items.

These included jade slips obtained from the Ice Ceremony Palace, which contained inheritances from the Water Element Hall such as *Supreme Unity Hidden Water*, *Lightless Shield*, *Primal Stillness Divine Wheel*, and *Misty Ripple Shadowless Illusionary Body*. There was also the golden sword acquired from Emperor's Grant Mountain, which held the sword formation inheritance of the Metal Element Hall. Qin Sang handed all of them to Liuli for her to arrange.

Scanning the contents of the jade slips and the golden sword, Liuli couldn't help but glance at Qin Sang again, surprised by how bountiful his gains from the Boundless Immortal Sect were.

This time, Liuli did not refuse. She had falsely claimed to return to the secret hall for a treasure, but in reality, she was rescuing Qin Sang. The old nun had seen through her pretense, yet hadn't grown angry; instead, she had offered assistance, though in the end, they couldn't retrieve the treasures from the secret hall. This favor needed to be repaid. Recovering the inheritances from the two lineages would provide an explanation for them.

Perhaps it was due to their long separation, creating a distance, but after discussing these important matters, Qin Sang suddenly found himself at a loss for words. Liuli, with her naturally frosty demeanor, was even less likely to initiate conversation.

For a moment, silence filled the cave dwelling, as they faced each other without speaking.

After a moment of silence, Qin Sang looked outside the cave dwelling. "My avatar should soon reach the nearby Six Prefectures Hall. Immortal, do you know who is currently at the Xie family?"

Not expecting Liuli to offer him an opening, Qin Sang answered his own question: "I had originally gone north to Jinyu Prefecture to attend the Ullambana Festival, but unexpectedly met Senior Ghost Mother there. It was thanks to her guidance that I was able to arrive in time before the ancient dwelling appeared. I had come for the Immortal Palace in Zhongzhou, but unexpectedly, the path to the Zhongzhou Immortal Palace was severed. Judging by the performance of True Immortal of Eight Sights and Purple Lightning, he must have also ascended to the Upper Realm."

Upon hearing "Ghost Mother," Liuli's eyes flickered slightly. "Ya Gu?"

Finally, he received a response! It was commendable that she still remembered Ya Gu. Qin Sang's spirits lifted, and he smiled, saying, "My previous efforts haven't been in vain after all. After Senior Ghost Mother's examination, Ya Gu's condition is very well-preserved. Senior Ghost Mother is helping her to sort things out; she will certainly be able to undo the Heavenly Corpse Talisman and awaken her."

Liuli seemed to be influenced by Qin Sang's smile, her expression softening slightly as she softly said, "Congratulations."

Qin Sang knew in his heart that she must have recalled her master. To some extent, both of them were bound by obsessions. His obsession was about to be resolved, while Liuli and her master were separated by two realms, with no end in sight.

"Immortal, rest assured. Your master is a blessed person protected by Heaven and will certainly turn misfortune into fortune. This time, I met Senior Ghost Mother and learned many secrets..." Qin Sang spoke quickly, recounting everything he had learned from Ghost Mother to Liuli in detail.

"The Ascension Platform flew to the Demonic Realm, but the Immortal Palace and the Ascension Platform shouldn't be related... The Immortal Palace's ascension was grand and monumental; unless someone in the Upper Realm had made prior arrangements to conceal it, news would certainly have spread. Senior Ghost Mother is preparing for her ascension, and I will ask her to investigate this matter once she reaches the Upper Realm. Perhaps we can get news of your master, and if she can offer help, that would be even better. After we ascend, we can then visit Senior Ghost Mother in the Witch Tribe."

"Ascension..." Liuli looked lost in thought, yet there was a hint of anticipation in her eyes.

This anticipation was precisely the driving force behind her persistent efforts.

As his avatar had not returned for a long time, Qin Sang decided not to wait any longer and suggested they leave first. He then boldly requested protection, saying, "It's best not to bother two masters with one task. Immortal, could you escort me a bit further?"

Learning that the Crying Spirit Cave Lord had also died by Qin Sang's hand, Liuli was speechless.

How long had they even been in Zhongzhou, and this person already had enemies everywhere?

The Crying Spirit Cave Lord was also infamous in the Southern Barbarian Two Prefectures. As he excelled in the Ghost Dao, his divine abilities were unpredictable and eerie. Once targeted by him, one wouldn't even know how they died; more often than not, death itself was a luxury.

Even sects like Mount Myriad Poisons and Taiyue Sect were unwilling to provoke such a formidable villain. After achieving his cultivation, this person rarely appeared, yet his malevolent reputation remained undiminished. It was unexpected that he would die here so silently.

Qin Sang planned to first go to the Crying Spirit Cave Lord's dwelling, though not the obvious one. The man was like a cunning rabbit with three burrows; his medicinal garden was located in the most secluded dwelling, with even his disciples unaware of its exact location. Perhaps he could find spirit herbs there to aid his recovery and speed up his healing.

He could also recuperate in the Crying Spirit Cave Lord's dwelling for a while, but staying too close to the Poison King was never a long-term solution.

After taking some pills, Qin Sang was barely able to move.

The Crying Spirit Cave Lord's dwelling was located in an uninhabited area of Manzhou. The two traveled southwest. The Southern Barbarian Two Prefectures were vast and sparsely populated, covered in poisonous miasma, so they didn't have to worry about revealing their tracks.

Along the way, Qin Sang recounted his experiences over the years. He also learned that Liuli had originally intended to find a Buddhist temple in the Western Desert for secluded cultivation but had unexpectedly encountered the abbess of a nunnery who was traveling outside. They journeyed together through the Western Desert, forming a friendship. Liuli accepted the abbess's invitation to join the Moon-Veiling Temple and, under the abbess's advice, chose to cultivate with her hair remaining. Since then, she had not taken a single step outside the temple.