Chapter 1699: Noble Guest

The Human World

“Compensation?”

The avatar let out a cold laugh.

In response to his reaction, Saint Huiguang and Holy King Qinghu remained silent.

They believed that, given Qin Sang's cultivation level, he wouldn't lose control of his emotions, so there was no need to waste unnecessary words.

Saint Huiguang put his palms together. The sand phantom's expression and eyes appeared somewhat dull and lifeless, yet anyone who met his gaze would feel an inexplicable sense of oppression.

The avatar was silent for a moment, seemingly aware that such methods were ineffective.

He felt no pressure from the sand phantom and didn't ask what exactly had drawn Holy King Qinghu's covetous gaze. Instead, out of curiosity, he retorted.

“Why does the Venerable Monk involve himself in this mess?”

“Amitabha.”

Saint Huiguang chanted a Buddhist prayer, “The enmity between the two benefactors has not yet reached an irreconcilable point. Although Benefactor Qin has not yet reached the Soul Transformation stage, he is still a top expert standing at the pinnacle of this realm. A conflict between the two benefactors would undoubtedly have far-reaching consequences. This poor monk cannot bear to see the animosity between the two benefactors deepen further, implicating innocent beings and leaving the cultivation world without peace. Therefore, I first dissuaded the Holy King, and now I am discussing with Benefactor Qin.”

Upon hearing these words, the avatar's eyes turned cold.

What he heard from Saint Huiguang's words was not compassion, but a threat.

Of course, this threat did not originate from Saint Huiguang, but was conveyed to Qin Sang through Saint Huiguang's words, expressing Holy King Qinghu's intentions.

She would not rest until her goal was achieved!

Holy King Qinghu had already fixed her gaze on him. If her demands weren't met, he should prepare to face the endless pursuit of Holy King Qinghu and the Holy King Palace.

Even after refining the demonic fire essence, Qin Sang might have the strength to fight a Soul Transformation cultivator, but that would be all.

Holy King Qinghu also commanded the Holy King Palace, with countless powerful demons, whereas his own power was too weak, with only one external avatar capable of holding its own.

The Underworld Moon Guards weren't even enough to fill the gaps between the demon race's teeth.

Unless Qin Sang disregarded the threat of ferocious beasts in the storm belt and hid in the North Sea or Canglang Sea. Going to the Western Lands would be the simplest, but after the Ghost Mother succeeded, the Buddhist forces would undoubtedly guard strictly, making it unsafe.

Moreover, Qin Sang must ensure he doesn't leave any trace. Most of this realm is a storm belt, and there are only so many safe places. Did he truly believe the storm belt could block a Soul Transformation cultivator's pursuit?

And who could say whether the forces of Zhongzhou possessed a sea map of this realm?

Of course, this was the worst-case scenario.

Holy King Qinghu might not be willing to waste so much energy on him, relentlessly pursuing him to the outer regions.

But one thing was certain: Zhongzhou was no longer a good place to stay.

Even if Luyuan was sufficiently hidden to ensure Qin Sang's safety, he certainly wouldn't dare to send out the Underworld Moon Guards. Once his subordinates were uprooted, his connections with the outside world would also be severed.

Mo Xingdao willingly served the Soul Transformation cultivator; it was feared their transaction had already been exposed.

Not only had the Spiritual Rhinoceros Immortal Fruit become a pipe dream, but it would also be difficult to even leave his dwelling in the future.

Furthermore, Qin Sang's future cultivation and the Spirit-Rearing Art of the 'Panhu True Scripture' would undoubtedly require external resources at some point.

What's more, if Qin Sang didn't heed Saint Huiguang's advice, Saint Huiguang, to prevent the demon race from causing chaos in the cultivation world, might secretly have the Buddhist sect cooperate with Holy King Qinghu to quell the turmoil as quickly as possible.

At that time, the whole world would be his enemy!

Saint Huiguang, relying on his status, did not explicitly threaten him, but Qin Sang had to consider this possibility.

The avatar was enraged, and he roared menacingly, “Is the Holy King not afraid that I will infiltrate the East Sea and slaughter everyone in the Holy King Palace!”

Holy King Qinghu, who had remained silent since her appearance, spoke for the first time.

“I was originally a wild fox in a mountain on land, absorbing the essence of the sun and moon to gain wisdom. Unexpectedly, I attracted cultivators, and though I narrowly escaped with my life, all my close kin in the cave tragically died. I once heard that the demon race had vast influence at sea, and with nowhere else to go, I drifted alone on a piece of driftwood to the East Sea. However, I found the demon race's internal conflicts to be even more brutal. Without the protection of my own kind, I was constantly hiding and being hunted, finally understanding the law of the jungle. Before I ascended to the position of Holy King, bloodshed was my constant companion; I had countless demon souls under my command, only enemies, no friends or family left. So what if you slaughter all the demons in the East Sea?”

Her tone was slightly languid, as if she were recounting an experience completely unrelated to herself.

Anyone who heard these words would feel a chill, even through a communication talisman.

Soul Transformation cultivators are not terrifying; what is terrifying are uninhibited Soul Transformation cultivators.

Sects were the weakness of Soul Transformation cultivators from both the Daoist and Buddhist schools. Although they could dominate the immortal halls, they would always leave a glimmer of hope in every matter.

Especially for Soul Transformation cultivators, regardless of their background—even old demons like Elder Lu, whose hands were stained with blood—courtesy always came before force, and they would be courteously escorted out of the territory.

Even Saint Huiguang had to show a degree of deference to a Holy King Qinghu of this nature.

These were Holy King Qinghu's unilateral statements, perhaps containing elements of bluster, but Holy King Qinghu's attitude was already evident.

Against such an opponent, no threat held any meaning.

“How do I know that Holy King Qinghu isn't using the Venerable Monk to lure me out? And how will the Venerable Monk guarantee my safety?”

The avatar ceased his verbal sparring and directed his question to Saint Huiguang, going straight to the heart of the matter.

Saint Huiguang had been waiting for this very question. As if having a plan long prepared, he spoke rapidly: “This poor monk is fully aware of Benefactor Qin's concerns and intends to discuss this matter with Benefactor Qin today. Firstly, Holy King Qinghu and this poor monk shall swear an oath by our inner demons, vowing never again to attack Benefactor Qin's true body, avatar, or loved ones. Should the Holy King break this vow, this poor monk will absolutely not stand idly by. The contents of the oath have been drafted by this poor monk, and the two benefactors may add further provisions…”

Saint Huiguang quickly recited the contents of the oath.

However, what Qin Sang cared about was not how detailed the oath was. He calmly stated, “To be frank with the Venerable Monk, I have always had reservations about inner demon oaths. Putting aside various methods of evasion, even the great vows of Buddhism have concepts of breaking or abandoning vows, let alone a mere oath?”

It seemed he had anticipated Qin Sang would say this.

Without hesitation, Saint Huiguang replied, “Since this poor monk is providing assurance, the two benefactors should resolve their grievances at our temple. This poor monk wishes to invite Daoist Master Qingfeng to the Grand Nectar Zen Temple to sit and discuss the Dao. When such a distinguished guest arrives, our temple will surely open its gates wide to respectfully welcome Daoist Master Qingfeng! At that time, this poor monk will set up an altar, and Benefactor Qin will witness the Holy King making the karma oath.”

When speaking the words 'Daoist Master Qingfeng', Saint Huiguang deliberately emphasized his tone.

“Daoist Master Qingfeng?”

The avatar's heart stirred slightly; he vaguely guessed Saint Huiguang's intention.

As far as he knew, on that day, the Xie family had traveled to Grand Nectar Zen Temple aboard the Dragon Dwelling Grotto-Heaven's magic boat, under the watchful eyes of all.

The Dragon Dwelling Grotto-Heaven seemed to want to see Grand Nectar Zen Temple made a fool of, so their magic boat escorted them all the way to the temple gates.

The Xie family members disembarked from the magic boat and collectively knelt on the ground before the temple gates.

Grandmaster Xingji personally came forward, kindly persuaded them, and took all the Xie family members into the temple, settling them properly. The Xie family remains at Grand Nectar Zen Temple to this day.

“Precisely!”

Saint Huiguang solemnly stated, “Grand Nectar Zen Temple is willing to announce to the world, along with Eight Sceneries Monastery and Skybright Tower, that in this battle against demons, to save all living beings, Daoist Master Qingfeng, the Xie family ancestor, offered the extraordinary demon-subduing treasure, the Demon Sealing Pillar, achieving immense merit. For this, this poor monk has already contacted Master Situ of Forgetful Mountain and is preparing to consult with various parties to cede Fudu and Hongping Prefectures, as well as Bopu Prefecture in Ningzhou Province, to the Xie family.”

Upon hearing this, the avatar was greatly surprised.

He hadn't expected Saint Huiguang to proactively rectify his name before the world and grant the Xie family so many benefits.

Fudu and Hongping Prefectures were secondary; these were territories Qin Sang had wrested from the Six Void Sect back then. If not for this upheaval, they would eventually have been theirs once Qin Sang had the time to suppress the Six Void Sect.

The key was Bopu Prefecture in Ningzhou Province!

Ningzhou was one of the six provinces of the Central Plains, bordering Zhuozhou Province, and was the wealthiest region in Zhongzhou. Bopu Prefecture was situated at the border of these two provinces, connected to Hongping Prefecture.

The six provinces of the Central Plains had long been divided among top sects like Grand Nectar Zen Temple, making them intricate and impregnable.

A single prefecture, in the Central Plains where land was as precious as gold, was not small. It was enough to bring unimaginable benefits to the Xie family, benefits they had never dared to dream of before.

The Xie family was on the verge of prosperity, poised to leap back into the ranks of prestigious clans!

For Qin Sang, the most tangible benefit was Saint Huiguang publicly rectifying his name. From then on, he could rightfully operate in the cultivation world as the Xie family ancestor, even if only through his avatar.

As for why Saint Huiguang wished to sever his true body from his avatar.

Qin Sang understood it in an instant.

Rectifying the name of the avatar and the Xie family was both an appeasement and a way to silence public gossip.

However, Holy King Qinghu had attacked the true body right in front of Saint Huiguang. If Qin Sang's true body and avatar weren't separated, some would inevitably question it. If Saint Huiguang claimed he was focused on dealing with the devil and didn't perceive the connection between the avatar and the true body, few would likely believe him.

“The Venerable Monk also has demands for me, doesn't he?” the avatar retorted.

At that time, Saint Huiguang had exchanged the Five Elements Pill for the Demon Sealing Pillar, which was already considered a reward for his merits. Qin Sang hadn't considered using his merits to threaten Buddhism again, otherwise, he would offend the Soul Transformation cultivators of both races.

Now, with Saint Huiguang personally vouching for him and publicly rectifying his name with such fanfare, there must be an underlying motive!

Saint Huiguang stated frankly, “Daoist Master Qingfeng may continue to be the Xie family ancestor, but Benefactor Qin must not leave any legacy of the Formless Immortal Sect within the Xie family. Furthermore, Benefactor Qin's true body must not secretly collude with Central Plains sects or participate in Central Plains disputes. If you have any disciples in the future, they also must not spread their teachings in the Central Plains…”

Several consecutive 'must nots' made the avatar laugh in spite of himself.

Although he wasn't explicitly forbidden from setting foot in the Central Plains, it was close enough.

Especially the restrictions on the Formless Immortal Sect's legacy—did they suspect he was a successor of the Fire Aspect Hall?

He certainly didn't want to unjustly bear such a great grievance.

“Whether the Venerable Monk believes it or not, I am not a successor of the Formless Immortal Sect,” the avatar stated directly.

Saint Huiguang continued calmly, “As long as Benefactor Qin can do as we ask, once you achieve Soul Transformation, we will treat you equally. All secrets regarding the Soul Transformation stage and ascension will be told to you without reservation.”

Whether Qin Sang was a remnant of the Formless Immortal Sect was no longer important.

Saint Huiguang had previously intended to capture them all in one fell swoop, but now, with such a major upheaval, even a fool would know there would be a reckoning. The remnants of the Formless Immortal Sect had hidden themselves away; it would be impossible to catch them in the short term.

Thus, Saint Huiguang changed his strategy.

Using the reappearance of the ancient demon, he spread news, claiming that the ancient demon had been awakened by the remnants of the Formless Immortal Sect. He asserted that the downfall of the Formless Immortal Sect was precisely because its high-ranking members had been corrupted by demonic influence, becoming subordinates of the ancient demon, and the cultivation world had paid a heavy price to prevent the spread of this corruption, yet the demonic corruption still lingered.

After so much time, even if someone knew the truth, they wouldn't be able to provide evidence, so there was no need for them to make further disguises.

At the same time, the 'Spirit Calming Incantation' was disseminated throughout the cultivation world, allowing cultivators to check themselves. As a result, everyone in the cultivation world felt insecure, and descendants of the Formless Immortal Sect were denounced by all.

The most important reason was that time was running out for Saint Huiguang.

Having witnessed the tragic fate of the demonic spirit, Holy King Qinghu had lost patience. It was impossible for her to wait until he had overall control before setting out. This time, she wanted to monopolize the Soul-鎮靈香 Incense, and who knew what troubles she might cause in the future.

For this reason, Saint Huiguang's arrangements for Grand Nectar Zen Temple also differed significantly from what was initially expected. He intended to win over Eight Sceneries Monastery and Skybright Tower, as well as some other forces, to forge long-term alliances. The specific details still needed to be discussed.

In Qin Sang's eyes, Saint Huiguang's terms could not be said to lack sincerity.

He had never harbored any ambition for dominance, nor did he expect the Green Goat Temple to flourish greatly, nor did he intend to interfere in the Central Plains. With Green Goat Temple holding Luyuan, a top cultivation ground, he could simply occupy some territory in the Northern Wilderness in the future. There was no need to contend for resources in the Central Plains.

Once Daoist Master Qingfeng's name was known throughout the world, the avatar could openly visit. Although absolute safety couldn't be guaranteed, if Saint Huiguang intended to turn hostile, why go through such elaborate lengths, especially when only an avatar was being lured?

Indeed, despite Saint Huiguang's numerous promises, Qin Sang had no intention of revealing his true body.

“May I ask what object has caught the Holy King's eye?”

Sensing Saint Huiguang's sincerity, the avatar's thoughts flickered, and only then did he ask what Holy King Qinghu was truly coveting. If it were treasures like the Vermillion Bird's true feather, he would absolutely not agree under any circumstances.

Unexpectedly.

Holy King Qinghu said, “Soul-鎮靈香 Incense.”

“Soul-鎮靈香 Incense?”

The avatar was incredulous, nearly spitting blood.

It was actually the Soul-鎮靈香 Incense that had stirred up such a huge commotion.

If he had known this, he would never have put it up for auction!

“You…”

The avatar hesitated, stopping himself from speaking.

Holy King Qinghu was simply a madwoman. The Soul-鎮靈香 Incense was useless to her. If Holy King Qinghu had simply discussed it amicably, trading or even offering the Soul-鎮靈香 Incense to save his life wouldn't have been impossible.

“Is the Soul-鎮靈香 Incense something the Holy King must possess?”

The avatar felt a doubt arise, “Does this treasure also have an effect in the Soul Transformation stage?”

The Soul-鎮靈香 Incense was very likely created by Xiaoxiangzi during the Nascent Soul stage to overcome inner demon tribulations when breaking through. Its effect on Soul Transformation cultivators would definitely be greatly diminished; otherwise, Xiaoxiangzi would have been a peerless genius.

Holy King Qinghu said, “The effect is slight, but I need a large quantity of Soul-鎮靈香 Incense.”

“A large quantity…”

The avatar suddenly realized; so, what the other party wanted was the formula.

Unexpectedly, Holy King Qinghu's tone shifted, “If you are willing to trade the spiritual fire in your possession, I would be most pleased and will absolutely ensure your satisfaction.”

“That spiritual fire is my greatest reliance. If the Holy King covets this fire, there is no need to discuss this further today,” the avatar's tone turned cold. No wonder she immediately tried to kill him; she had been eyeing the Southern Bright Fire.

Saint Huiguang interjected in time, “This poor monk has already persuaded the Holy King. She seeks only the spiritual medicine formula, not the spiritual fire. The trading process should follow Benefactor Qin's wishes.”

The avatar coldly snorted, “May I ask what treasures the Holy King is willing to offer as a sign of sincerity?”

“Most of the treasures in my possession are supreme artifacts of the demon race, but there are a few related to the human race. Humans cannot set foot in the East Sea; they are unaware of its richness.”

Holy King Qinghu's tone was full of temptation, “For example, an ancient spirit-gathering array used by humans for cultivation…”