Chapter 1712: Heavenly Dao Demon Sounds

Since achieving God Transformation, Qin Sang hadn't dedicated himself to cultivation or thoroughly explored the changes within himself. He had been singularly focused on finding the source of the demonic sound.

After a period in the North Sea, Qin Sang ventured into the East Sea and even into the Storm Zone, only to find the demonic sound was omnipresent! He made another discovery: the demonic sound was even clearer within the Storm Zone than inside the barrier that protected the cultivation world. It was only then that Qin Sang dared to confirm that the demonic sound was intertwined with this world's Heavenly Dao, possibly even a manifestation of a Heavenly Dao anomaly. This was indeed the Demonic Sound of Heavenly Dao. Consequently, only cultivators who attained a specific realm could perceive it. The Heavenly Dao of this world had undergone a peculiar transformation! Qin Sang couldn't help but feel relieved that it was his main body, not the Sky-Eyed Butterfly, that had achieved the breakthrough. He dreaded to imagine the consequences had the Sky-Eyed Butterfly encountered the Demonic Sound of Heavenly Dao during its own advancement.

At the edge of the Storm Zone, amidst the storm, Qin Sang gazed through the barrier at the vast expanse of the cultivation world's sea.

Upon realizing this was the Demonic Sound of Heavenly Dao, Qin Sang involuntarily reflected on previous events.

Why did True Master Zilei, a sect leader and eminent figure of the Daoist gates, fall during the Heart Demon Tribulation? Why did the ancient demon of the Immaterial Immortal Sect succumb to madness? During the Battle of Demon Subduing, why were the two God Transformation cultivators unable to unleash their full power, instead relying on them as helpers? Why did Saint King Qinghu covet the Soul-Suppressing Incense, going to great lengths to acquire its formula?

The crucial question was: when exactly did the demonic sound begin to change?

Though protected by the Jade Buddha from the corrupting madness of the demonic sound, Qin Sang could still perceive its terrifying nature. For others, especially during the Heart Demon Tribulation, it would prove a fatal threat! If the demonic sound had always been present, God Transformation cultivators in this world would be far rarer than they currently are, perhaps appearing only once in ten millennia.

The Eight Sights Pavilion has produced many God Transformation cultivators throughout its history. It defies logic that True Master Zilei, if aware of the Heavenly Dao anomaly, would undergo tribulation without sufficient preparation, effectively courting death. Considering the Immortal Palace's ascension, True Monarch Danyue's unknown whereabouts, and the frenzied beasts abandoning their lairs to roam aimlessly, Qin Sang could now piece together the answer. It was highly probable that the demonic sound emerged abruptly around the time the Ziwei Palace ascended!

"The Ziwei Palace, the Demonic Sound of Heavenly Dao, the Gui Xu..." These names surfaced in Qin Sang's mind. What astonishing secrets did those incredibly mysterious secret realms and wonders, which, according to the Ghost Mother, shouldn't even exist in a Minor World, truly conceal?

The Ghost Mother! Qin Sang suddenly considered that the Ghost Mother's realm being sealed at the Nascent Soul stage, preventing her breakthrough, might not have been sabotage by an enemy but rather a form of protection. Unfortunately, the Ghost Mother had already departed this world, making verification impossible.

"Saint King Qinghu, giving me whatever I desired, providing the Four Saints Spirit Gathering Array and the 'Heavenly Demon Illumination Scripture'—it was indeed malicious! He clearly aimed to hasten my breakthrough to God Transformation, effectively leading me to my demise. Without the Jade Buddha, I might have perished during the Heavenly Demon summoning ritual, never achieving God Transformation..."

Qin Sang's eyes grew cold. Saint King Qinghu's erratic and ruthless actions, coupled with his longstanding murderous intent towards Qin Sang, meant his malicious motives came as no surprise.

Could Saint Huiguang, who acted as the intermediary, genuinely have good intentions? The old monk, outwardly pious, worked with Saint King Qinghu, employing both carrot and stick, solely to appease Qin Sang and secure the Soul-Suppressing Incense formula. Qin Sang could discern seventy to eighty percent of Saint Huiguang's true intentions.

With the Immortal Palace's ascension, the Buddhist sect lost its inherent opportunities, making it difficult to guarantee a continuous lineage of God Transformation cultivators capable of dominating the Central Plains. Its gradual decline in the future was inevitable. The path to immortality is arduous, yet cultivators in this realm still clung to a glimmer of hope. Once cultivators in this realm learned the demonic sound blocked their path, plunging them into despair, how many could endure the resulting solitude? At that point, with cultivators dominated by the corrupting currents of the six desires, chaos would surely ensue. As the saying goes, "a tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind." Without God Transformation cultivators to uphold order, how long could the Buddhist sect maintain its hegemonic status?

These powerful individuals outside the Buddhist sect, unburdened by attachments and unchecked by God Transformation cultivators, could act with impunity in this world. In Saint Huiguang's view, they were all destabilizing elements to be swiftly removed. Even if Saint Huiguang didn't directly participate, he would undoubtedly welcome Saint King Qinghu's sinister plot. What they utterly failed to anticipate, however, was the existence of a unique treasure like the Jade Buddha!

Qin Sang recalled the 'Heavenly Demon Illumination Scripture' and the entirety of the ritual. All previous conjectures had to be discarded. The ritual's anomaly was undoubtedly linked to the Demonic Sound of Heavenly Dao. However, it could also be inferred that the sound's origin was likely not the Outer Realm Heavenly Demons. Otherwise, he would have instantly drawn down the Demonic Sound of Heavenly Dao.

Qin Sang recalled that the shriek during the ritual didn't resemble the Demonic Sound of Heavenly Dao. Could an Outer Realm Heavenly Demon have invaded this realm, encountered the Demonic Sound of Heavenly Dao, been affected by it, and shrieked? Suddenly, Qin Sang's expression darkened slightly, and a more terrifying speculation arose. He had a feeling at the time that the shriek sounded like a dying wail.

Could it be that the first Outer Realm Heavenly Demon he summoned was instantly annihilated by the Demonic Sound of Heavenly Dao, and this anomaly alerted a powerful entity among the Outer Realm Heavenly Demons, drawing their 'gaze' towards this world, which explains why the second demonic will arrived so swiftly and powerfully? This also explains why that demonic will formed the Lifeless Demonic Seal, possessing far greater power than anticipated.

As this thought crossed his mind, Qin Sang's brow furrowed deeply. If this were the truth, the gaze of that suspected Outer Realm Demonic Lord had already pierced through, clashing with the Demonic Sound of Heavenly Dao and failing to successfully descend into this realm. Qin Sang had narrowly escaped. However, a connection was forged between them through the ritual, and the entity likely noticed him via the altar, perhaps even memorizing his aura!

Legend has it that Outer Realm Heavenly Demons regard cultivators as prey. Once targeted by a Heavenly Demon, the pursuit is relentless; whenever a cultivator attempts a breakthrough or faces tribulation, a Heavenly Demon will attack until transcendence is achieved. However, it is typically only when cultivators break through to the Void Refining stage that they draw such powerful tribulations, causing tremors in heaven and earth and attracting external evils. Generally, the strength of the summoned Outer Realm Heavenly Demons is proportional to the tribulation's power; a Void Refining tribulation usually wouldn't warrant the attention of a Demonic Sovereign. Other Heavenly Demons wouldn't dare compete for a Demonic Sovereign's prey.

If he were marked by a Demonic Sovereign, his Void Refining tribulation would mean directly confronting that entity! Could the Jade Buddha suppress heart demons and withstand a Demonic Sovereign?

Dwelling on this now was pointless. Whether he could leave this realm remained unknown, and he wouldn't dare restart the ritual anytime soon. That Outer Realm Heavenly Demon might not even be a Demonic Sovereign; such overthinking was useless and merely self-inflicted fear. Qin Sang exhaled lightly.

On the other hand, the Demonic Sound of Heavenly Dao could prevent the suspected Demonic Sovereign from descending without perishing itself, suggesting it was an entity of the same caliber. Cultivators in this realm, maxing out at the God Transformation stage, were utterly incapable of resolving the Demonic Sound of Heavenly Dao, leaving them at its mercy. The only recourse was to escape this world! What was the true origin of this Minor World, and why was it targeted by such formidable entities? Qin Sang was completely baffled.

With these revelations, Qin Sang had to ponder his future course of action. With the demonic sound omnipresent and fierce beasts running rampant, the Gui Xu, where the ascension waypoint was located, was highly unstable. The sound's source might even be deep within the Gui Xu. The two God Transformation cultivators had organized hunts for these fierce beasts, though it remained unknown what they gained from them.

"Are Saint Huiguang and Saint King Qinghu still in this realm?" Qin Sang believed they likely wouldn't dare linger in this world for much longer. The Demonic Sound of Heavenly Dao constantly assaulted their minds, slowly corrupting them with madness. The longer they remained, the deeper the demonic intent would take root. If they lingered, even if they didn't succumb to madness, their power would be severely diminished, leaving them unable to brave the Gui Xu. For this reason, despite having just achieved God Transformation, Qin Sang felt little apprehension toward the two veteran God Transformation cultivators. First, his divine abilities and magical artifacts were potent enough. Second, his opponents had to constantly resist the demonic sound's corruption and suppress demonic thoughts, daring not to unleash their full power unless they wished to suffer the same fate as the ancient demon of Mount Dishou.

Naturally, he couldn't afford to be overconfident; they had dominated this realm for many years, plundering numerous ancient secret realms and amassing countless treasures. Putting himself in their shoes, if Qin Sang hadn't possessed the Jade Buddha, his sole recourse would have been to exhaust all avenues of escape from this realm. Saint King Qinghu brazenly seized the Southern Bright Separating Fire and the Soul-Suppressing Incense formula. Saint Huiguang, allied with Tianhao Tower and the Eight Sights Pavilion, hastily formed the Three Sects Alliance primarily to maintain stability in the cultivation world, rather than to allow Ganlu Zen Temple to monopolize power. All these actions indicated their desperate desire to escape. Once they had settled all outstanding matters and completed their preparations, they would likely embark on an eastward journey in search of an exit.

While Qin Sang was undoubtedly angered by being manipulated, he also had to consider the reality of his situation. Could he, alone, navigate the altered Gui Xu and reach the Gate of Waypoint? If this path proved impassable, where should he turn? Once Saint Huiguang and Saint King Qinghu departed, it would be difficult for new God Transformation cultivators to emerge in this realm, making it hard for Qin Sang to find allies. Yet, once these two realized he had attained God Transformation, they would surely deduce he possessed a secret treasure for mental protection. How could he then ensure their sincere cooperation without them harboring malicious intent?

Furthermore, as a newly advanced God Transformation cultivator, Qin Sang urgently needed quiet cultivation to consolidate his strength. Even the Gui Xu before its alteration was not a place one could casually venture into immediately after achieving God Transformation. While Qin Sang could take his time, they clearly couldn't wait indefinitely.

As this thought occurred to him, the image of a graceful figure he could absolutely trust flashed through Qin Sang's mind, and his expression darkened. Liu Li already faced the threat of the evil art's imprint and possessed a flaw in her character. With the Heart Demon Tribulation compounded by the demonic sound, her death would be inevitable! Without resolving the Demonic Sound of Heavenly Dao, even if the evil art's imprint could be removed, her hope would remain slim. Would she, then, ultimately be halted here?

"The Soul-Suppressing Incense..." Qin Sang considered this treasure. Saint King Qinghu's claim of needing a large amount of Soul-Suppressing Incense was undoubtedly a lie. The Demonic Sound of Heavenly Dao couldn't be resisted by simply accumulating quantities of the incense. "They must intend to refine a more potent Soul-Suppressing Incense by improving its formula!" Qin Sang's eyes flickered. It was entirely plausible for the two God Transformation cultivators, by gathering masters of this art and combining the strength of both races, to achieve this.

After a long deliberation, Qin Sang set off towards Lu Ye, no longer aimlessly wandering. Lu Ye was anchored by the North Sea shore.

The atmosphere in the dojo was somewhat peculiar. His external manifestation sat silently, cross-legged on Lu Ye's main peak. Unaware of the change, Shen Chen and the others gathered at the base of the mountain, their minds restless. Shen Chen's thoughts were restless. He repeatedly glanced toward the mountaintop, then suddenly froze. Others, too, noticed an additional figure had appeared beside the manifestation at some unknown point.

"Come up."

Qin Sang nodded towards those below. Shen Chen and the others hastily ascended the mountain. Led by Shen Chen, they knelt and prostrated themselves, chanting praises in unison. Qin Sang did not deliberately conceal his cultivation. Shen Chen and the others felt as if they were facing a vast realm in his presence, inspiring awe without him needing to make a single move.

Qin Sang acknowledged them with a hum and turned to the Underworld Moon Guards. "Considering your past meritorious service in treasure hunting, I shall now fulfill my promise and remove the Underworld Moon Seal from you..."

Unexpectedly, before Qin Sang could finish, the Underworld Moon Guards all prostrated themselves, declaring, "We wish to join the Azure Sheep Temple, sincerely assist the Temple Master, and bring glory to the sect. We beg our Lord to accept us."

Qin Sang chuckled wryly. He had initially planned to observe them for a bit, intending to keep them on for a while longer. Unexpectedly, before he could voice his intentions, they volunteered to stay. "Join the Azure Sheep Temple?" Qin Sang's gaze swept over them. With their lives threatened, the Underworld Moon Guards had willingly endured servitude and swallowed their pride, a choice that was understandable. However, these individuals were too adept at opportunism, making them hard to trust. In the future, when Qin Sang was no longer in this realm, Shen Chen's strength would be insufficient to control them. A weak master with strong subordinates inevitably leads to chaos.

"Since you wish to remain, you may serve as guest elders at the Azure Sheep Temple for now. We will re-evaluate your positions based on your performance," Qin Sang stated indifferently.

Though somewhat disappointed, the Underworld Moon Guards quickly prostrated themselves, offering endless gratitude. Being freed from their restraints and serving as guest elders under a God Transformation cultivator was an opportunity they had never dared to imagine.

"You may all withdraw..." Qin Sang gave Shen Chen a few more instructions, then waved his sleeve, dismissing the group. Shen Chen requested permission to send invitations to various sects and factions, inviting fellow cultivators to a grand God Transformation ceremony. Qin Sang refused, and Shen Chen departed disconsolately.

Qin Sang looked down at the Tribulation Transcending Altar. With a gentle gesture, the Ice Ritual Divine Plate and the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant flew into his hands. The Tribulation Array indeed consumed an enormous amount. The ice plate was no longer crystal clear, its texture now like mutton-fat jade, with very little cold malevolent energy remaining. The Fire Rhinoceros Pendant was similarly affected. Both treasures had significantly dulled in luster and would require a long time to recover their vitality. The grooves along the outer edge of the Tai Chi Altar were empty; all forty-nine Ice-Fire Tokens had been destroyed. Qin Sang then inspected the Tai Chi Altar. There were cracks on its surface, but its internal restrictions were relatively intact and not difficult to repair, meaning it could still be used.

"Will such a rare treasure still have a place in the future?" Qin Sang sighed softly. The Tribulation Array could only weaken the Three Disasters Tribulation; it was ineffective against the Heart Demon Tribulation and the demonic sound.

Flying down the mountain, Qin Sang first visited the mountain's core, placing the Ice Ritual Divine Plate and the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant into the spirit array for nurturing. Back in his cave dwelling, Qin Sang sat in quiet contemplation, then issued a spiritual decree. Deep in the bamboo forest, rustling sounds emanated from the Earth-Bound Dragon's cave. Several Earth-Bound Dragons at the Demon Core stage rushed out, flew to the entrance of the cave dwelling, and obediently lay on the ground. Then, several specks of light floated out from the cave dwelling and merged into the foreheads of each Earth-Bound Dragon. The dragons trembled slightly, lowered their heads even further, and their eyes glimmered with a strange light, filled with novelty and gratitude. These specks of light were Imperial Nectar, capable of enlightening spirit beasts and awakening their sentience. Qin Sang had acquired it earlier, but little now remained.

The external manifestation nodded to his main body, then stepped out of the cave dwelling. He lightly patted the spirit beast bag at his waist, and the Earth-Bound Dragons scrambled inside. Following this, the manifestation's figure flickered repeatedly as he flew out of Lu Ye. The manifestation should have remained in the cave for quiet cultivation to recover its vitality. Unfortunately, circumstances were unpredictable, requiring it to undertake another journey.

The manifestation departed from Lu Ye, heading directly eastward, flying into the East Sea until it reached the vicinity of the so-called East Sea Demon Race territory, where it released the Earth-Bound Dragons. Afterward, the manifestation returned to the mainland alone, passing through Fujiang Estuary and re-entering the Central Plains! This was a strategy to split forces and investigate the situation of both races, thereby inferring the schemes and movements of the two fellow God Transformation cultivators. The main body would temporarily remain at Lu Ye's dojo, consolidating his cultivation as quickly as possible before devising further plans.