Chapter 1720: Who Enters Hell

Mortal Realm

"True Monarch Qin, these are the records concerning the ferocious beasts of Gui Xu." Master Xingji held a jade slip, presenting it to Qin Sang.

His demeanor was respectful and his manners impeccable, yet his expression showed neither joy nor sorrow. Beside him, Xing Ren and another eminent monk from Ganlu Zen Temple were seated cross-legged on meditation cushions. Excluding those who were traveling, all the Grand Cultivators in the temple had emerged from seclusion to welcome the True Monarch's arrival.

The two monks, Xing Ren and the other, looked at Qin Sang, hesitating to speak. Their eyes held questions, anticipation, and even surprise, which they struggled to suppress.

That their spiritual cultivation and temperament could lead to such behavior indicated the gravity of the matter, making it difficult for them to maintain composure. Saint Huiguang had previously gathered his disciples, explaining the matter of the Demonic Sounds of the Heavenly Dao. All Grand Cultivators of Ganlu Zen Temple were privy to this knowledge, believing that the demonic sounds obstructed the Dao and made achieving the Grand Dao difficult.

Qin Sang's cultivation level over a hundred years ago was only late Nascent Soul, comparable to theirs. He had been undeniably pursued by Saint King Azure Fox, making it impossible for him to have broken through before the Heavenly Change. Yet, this person reappeared, having ascended to the revered True Monarch status! Could it be that a turning point had arrived?

At this moment, the matter of the Red Cloud Dharmic Land was concluded. Qin Sang naturally did not kill the young novices, releasing them and coming with the monks to Ganlu Zen Temple. This was the Limitless Hall of the Zen Temple.

The hall doors were tightly shut, and the Black Lion Great Sage lay prostrate before them. The other monks of Ganlu Zen Temple were unaware of the True Monarch's visit. Seeing their fellow disciples safe and sound, they simply assumed the trouble in the Dharmic Land had been resolved, and everything was as usual.

Inside the hall.

Master Xingji sat cross-legged, his eyes slightly closed, fingers twirling Buddhist beads as he silently recited scriptures. Qin Sang glanced at him, his divine sense penetrating the jade slip. What he first saw were vivid images of ferocious beasts, all of them strangely shaped and grotesque.

Some beasts resembled creatures found in the current world, their appearance similar to certain demonic beasts. However, like the Mad Whale hunted by the Dragon Whale clan, their spiritual essence was vastly different from that of demonic races. One could sense their fierce and malevolent aura just from the images.

According to Master Xingji, these were all ferocious beasts witnessed by cultivators of this realm. They represented the legacy of countless predecessors who had recorded and sketched them over innumerable years, compiling them into a collection. They originated not only from Buddhist and Daoist sects but also from the Formless Immortal Sect and even older sects, passed down through generations.

Most of them only had a single image; some even lacked an image, merely providing a few dry descriptions. Before the Heavenly Change, these ferocious beasts only roamed in Gui Xu, rarely leaving their lairs. Only Soul Transformation cultivators had the ability to reach Gui Xu, and the recorded beasts were those capable of threatening them. Thus, the weakest beasts in the catalog were of the Soul Transformation level.

However, their number was far fewer than Qin Sang had imagined. Furthermore, these were clearly not all the ferocious beasts in Gui Xu. For instance, the manta-ray-shaped beast that was lured in during the hunt led by two Soul Transformation cultivators back then was not recorded.

Moreover, the descriptions of the beasts' divine abilities were far from detailed; apart from a handful, they were merely touched upon. For example, one record stated:

"It resembled a flood dragon, with long horns and thousands of black tumors on its back. Its spiritual senses were dull; when startled, its black tumors would rupture, releasing ink-black pus that could corrode true essence." This implied that encountering such a beast required no panic; one only needed to conceal their aura and carefully avoid it, otherwise, the beast might be disturbed. Of course, these experiences were only applicable before the Heavenly Change.

When it came to descriptions of the beasts' divine abilities and countermeasures, such records were already considered detailed. Throughout history, Soul Transformation cultivators frequently emerged in Middle-earth, yet only these records existed.

The reason was that Gui Xu was easy to enter but difficult to leave, fraught with countless dangers. The goal of entering Gui Xu was to find a Dao marker for ascension; there was only this one path, and forcibly returning posed a life-threatening risk. Furthermore, the ferocious beasts were powerful, and dangers lurked everywhere, making cultivators eager to avoid them, let alone provoke them.

Few individuals, like the ancestor of the Dragon Whale Great Sage, would guard outside Gui Xu for three hundred years to single-handedly hunt down a Mad Whale and drag it back to Middle-earth.

Various images of ferocious beasts passed before his eyes. Qin Sang put down the jade slip and asked, "Since the ferocious beast you collectively hunted back then was eventually captured alive, did you manage to interrogate anything from it?"

Shortly after the beast hunt, Ganlu Zen Temple displayed their gains to the world, which Qin Sang already knew through his avatar. What Qin Sang was asking now, of course, was not about these publicly known facts, but about any information they might have concealed.

"All that was obtained back then was made public, without any reservation or concealment," Master Xingji replied with joined palms.

Qin Sang thought to himself, it seemed only by personally entering Gui Xu could one truly know what had happened there and what kind of sight it presented.

"When did the two fellow Daoists depart?" Qin Sang asked. Saint Huiguang and Saint King Azure Fox had already journeyed east to ascend. Master Xingji answered without hesitation, "Sixty-five years ago."

After Qin Sang achieved Soul Transformation, he spent nearly ten years consolidating his cultivation, in addition to his journey to the East Sea. Sixty-five years ago was fifteen years after the Three Sect Alliance Oath.

They were indeed in a hurry! It was unknown how deeply they were affected by the Demonic Sounds, but sixty-five years was certainly enough time for Saint Huiguang and Demonic King Azure Fox to reach Gui Xu.

Soul Transformation cultivators were less affected by the storm zone than Nascent Soul cultivators. They could also absorb heaven and earth elemental energy while flying, allowing them to travel for long periods without needing to constantly seek shelters to recover their true essence. Before the Heavenly Change, it only took about thirty years to reach the edge of Gui Xu. With twice that time, they should have arrived by now, regardless. If all went well, they might have even entered the Upper Realm.

"Did the two fellow Daoists leave behind any treasures similar to soul lamps?" Qin Sang speculated if they discovered anomalies in Gui Xu and things were beyond their control, would they return to Middle-earth?

Unexpectedly, Master Xingji shook his head. "My Martial Uncle said that on this eastward journey, if ascension succeeds, so be it. If ascension fails, they would perish in Gui Xu, leaving what they saw and gained at Daiyu Immortal Mountain. Should future generations fortunately achieve Soul Transformation and inherit our aspirations, they could then reopen the Heavenly Gate. Thus, there was no need to leave soul lamps." As he spoke, Master Xingji couldn't help but look up at Qin Sang.

Qin Sang remained silent. Succeed or die trying. The three of them journeyed east with no intention of turning back. Mo Xingdao, being chosen for his puppet, also accompanied them, making it three individuals.

Qin Sang picked up another jade slip, which contained information related to Gui Xu. The Heavenly Gate that Master Xingji spoke of was the Dao marker mentioned by the Ghost Mother. Cultivators ascended to the Grand Thousand World via this Dao marker, hence it was called the Heavenly Gate.

"In the East Sea lies a great chasm, truly a bottomless valley, with no floor beneath it, named Gui Xu. The waters of the Eight Cardinal Directions and Nine Wildernesses, and the currents of the Milky Way, all flow into it without increasing or decreasing its volume." Upon entering the depths of Gui Xu, one can behold a dark, turbid current, flowing boundlessly, its origin unknown and its destination uncertain. The Heavenly Gate is hidden within it. Daiyu Immortal Mountain, on the other hand, is an immortal island within Gui Xu.

This island is truly extraordinary. The dangers within Gui Xu are far beyond those of the storm zone; any shelter that has survived in the storm zone would soon be overturned if it were to fall into Gui Xu. Gui Xu is seen to have ferocious beasts lurking and endless waters, but no blessed lands or grotto-heavens. Yet, there is such an immortal mountain, hanging alone in this space, remaining safe and sound to this day. Tens of thousands of years ago, cultivators of this realm discovered Daiyu Immortal Mountain. It has remained isolated in Gui Xu, its position unchanged for millennia. Unfortunately, it is not suitable for cultivation, serving only as a temporary resting place.

The jade slip Qin Sang was holding now contained relatively general text, without a detailed introduction to the interior of Gui Xu. What he desired most now was the path to ascension—that is, the safe route to the Heavenly Gate—and the observations and gains of past sages within Gui Xu. These were all invaluable experiences.

But they were not in the jade slip; only the location of Daiyu Immortal Mountain was marked. Because all of these were within Daiyu Immortal Mountain. Initially, the path to ascension was fraught with peril, a near-certain death. Past sages inscribed their observations and gains on the immortal mountain to guide future generations. Subsequent generations, inheriting the legacy of their predecessors, further guided those who came after, thus the safe path to ascension was gradually accumulated and carved out over generations. Finding Daiyu Immortal Mountain would lead to the way to ascension. Saint Huiguang and his companions were precisely aiming to brave this path.

Qin Sang carefully memorized the content of the jade slip. In fact, after the demonic race's internal strife ended, he had already obtained similar information from the demonic race. For Soul Transformation cultivators, this realm was a cage, and the same applied to demonic saint kings. Ascending to the Upper Realm was a common pursuit for cultivators of both races, and they were willing to exchange information, so the content was largely similar.

Tap, tap, tap... Qin Sang gently tapped the jade slip with his finger, deep in thought.

He remained silent, and the three eminent monks dared not ask questions. The Limitless Hall was silent.

Qin Sang was naturally thinking about the matter of ascension. He wondered how Saint Huiguang and his companions were faring now, and what they might have achieved in Gui Xu.

With Soul Transformation cultivators from both races, Soul Transformation-level puppets, and the Five Elements Crown—Middle-earth's foremost spirit treasure that had already given birth to a demonic spirit—their party's strength could be described as formidable. Upon sensing the Demonic Sounds of the Heavenly Dao, Qin Sang had already guessed that the Five Elements Crown was abnormal. Just now, when he questioned Master Xingji, it turned out as he expected: the one causing trouble back then was an ancient demon, and yet not just an ancient demon. The Kun Dao who set up the scheme at Di Shou Mountain was actually the spirit treasure's demonic spirit, which had fused with the ancient demon. Under the impact of the Demonic Sounds of the Heavenly Dao, its sentience was frantically replaced, making communication impossible.

Even if this group perished in Gui Xu, they should still be able to leave behind some experiences, which he would discover when he entered Daiyu Immortal Mountain in the future. If he went early, perhaps some of them might still be alive.

Qin Sang considered his own situation: he had only just consolidated his cultivation after achieving Soul Transformation and had not yet had time to cultivate further. Even before the Heavenly Change, Soul Transformation cultivators had to cultivate arduously for a period, considering ascension only when they could no longer advance. Now, Gui Xu was certainly even more dangerous. If he set off eastward too early, his cultivation would be insufficient. If he departed too late, he would be isolated and outnumbered. It was truly a difficult choice to make!

Qin Sang sighed softly, flicked the jade slip back, and mused, "The two fellow Daoists came to me for the Soul-Suppressing Incense formula, also hoping to deduce a superior Soul-Suppressing Incense with higher efficacy, right? How many sticks were refined, and were any left? Bring them for me to see."

Upon hearing Qin Sang's question, the eyes of the two monks, Xing Ren and the other, lit up.

They keenly noticed the word 'also' in Qin Sang's statement. Ever since Qin Sang appeared, they had a persistent question: how exactly did this person overcome the inner demon tribulation?

From Qin Sang's tone, the Demonic Sounds of the Heavenly Dao had not disappeared. Since Qin Sang didn't volunteer the information, they found it inconvenient to ask directly, practically scratching their heads in frustration.

They knew that Qin Sang, burdened by the terrifying pressure of being hunted by a demonic saint king, could still achieve Soul Transformation so quickly, indicating his temperament was absolutely top-notch. However, Saint Huiguang had said that the inner demon tribulation could not be overcome by good temperament alone; one must have something to rely on. They remembered that Qin Sang's external avatar had delved into alchemy while at the Zen Temple, frequently seeking advice from alchemy grandmasters. Could it be that True Monarch Qin also coincidentally shared their Martial Uncle's idea, began deducing before breaking through to Soul Transformation, successfully refined a superior Soul-Suppressing Incense, and thus stumbled upon a way to overcome the inner demon tribulation?

They only hoped that the superior Soul-Suppressing Incense would be effective, giving them a glimmer of hope!

With Qin Sang's command, Master Xingji dared not refuse, rising to excuse himself. Qin Sang said, "I'll go with you."

Master Xingji silently paused and said to the two monks, Xing Ren and the other, "You two come as well."

Leaving the Limitless Hall, they arrived at a forbidden area within Ganlu Zen Temple. Qin Sang watched as Master Xingji took out a jade box, which, when opened, revealed a shimmering emerald-green light and a fragrant aroma. Upon seeing the treasure in the box, Qin Sang frowned slightly. Inside were not incense sticks, but three clumps of green light, subtly undulating, not yet formed into shape.

Master Xingji explained, "My Martial Uncle and the Saint King gathered alchemy grandmasters to deduce the formula, and they finally achieved something. They attempted to refine five sticks of superior Soul-Suppressing Incense, but due to insufficient spirit herbs, only two sticks fully formed, leaving behind three unfinished clumps."

Qin Sang asked for the superior Soul-Suppressing Incense formula, and upon seeing the newly added spirit herbs, he couldn't help but marvel. The new spirit herbs were all rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures, their value far surpassing the original formula by more than just one grade; some were even obtained from immortal palaces. Two Soul Transformation cultivators collaborated, scouring both races, yet only managed to refine two sticks and obtain three medicine embryos. Of course, valuable spirit herbs alone do not guarantee the refinement of spirit incense. Xiaoxiangzi's original creation of the Soul-Suppressing Incense was groundbreaking; it was easier for them to continue deducing along Xiaoxiangzi's ideas. The newly added spirit herbs were all compatible with the medicinal properties of the Soul-Suppressing Incense.

His external avatar had delved into alchemy, so while Qin Sang was not yet an alchemy grandmaster, he had no trouble understanding this formula and knew that by simply gathering the necessary spirit herbs, he could re-refine these three green clumps into three sticks of superior Soul-Suppressing Incense, which would be much simpler than refining them from scratch.

"Thousand-Leaf Awakened Spirit Ganoderma..." Qin Sang looked at the spirit herbs he had never heard of, secretly shaking his head. Gathering all the ingredients for the formula would not be an easy task. He naturally intended to accept these three Soul-Suppressing Incense medicine embryos, assuming Ganlu Zen Temple would not dare to refuse.

Unexpectedly, before Qin Sang could even express his intentions, Master Xingji's expression turned solemn. He bowed deeply to Qin Sang, "This humble monk has revealed everything I know and willingly offers these three spirit embryos to the True Monarch, hoping they can be of some assistance to you."

Qin Sang held the jade box, his expression unwavering, merely looking at him with a faint, unreadable smile.

The eyes of the two monks, Xing Ren and the other, subtly changed. Though they were merely medicine embryos, the difficulty of refining them was extremely high, requiring two Soul Transformation cultivators to personally undertake the task to succeed. Originally, one would only need to gather the missing spirit herbs. Giving away the medicine embryos meant not only refining them from scratch but also greatly increasing the chance of failure without the assistance of a Soul Transformation cultivator.

Master Xingji ignored the two monks. Seeing Qin Sang's expression, he sighed deeply, "Martial Uncle Huiguang was misled by his obsession, using the 'Heavenly Demon Illuminating Scripture' to lure the True Monarch, planting a cause and effect. Now that the True Monarch has arrived, future generations must bear the consequences."

Qin Sang said lightly, "I haven't pursued this matter yet, and unexpectedly, you've brought it up yourself."

Master Xingji felt bitter. This secret art was a true transmission of the Zen Temple, impossible to deny. It would be too late once Qin Sang started investigating.

"My Martial Uncle informed this humble monk of this matter, and I too bear some fault. I am willing to repay the True Monarch with my own life, not seeking to conclude the karma, but only to appease the Monarch's anger. The monks in the temple are all unaware, so I hope the True Monarch will not involve the innocent."

As Master Xingji spoke, he sat cross-legged on the ground. The two monks, Xing Ren and the other, finally understood the reason, greatly shocked.

"Senior Brother, Junior Brother, you must remember that this is my voluntary act; you must not harbor resentment against the True Monarch." Master Xingji clasped his hands together, his life force entering nirvana.

"Amitabha." The two monks witnessed their abbot's passing, understood his painstaking intentions, and showed faces of sorrow.

Qin Sang gazed deeply at Master Xingji, sighed softly, and raised a finger to press it on his brow. Master Xingji suddenly awoke, momentarily disoriented as if he had seen hell. The two monks' faces were filled with surprise and gratitude.

Qin Sang closed the jade box and said calmly, "This karma is between this humble Daoist and Daoist Huiguang. I shall naturally seek him out to resolve it. You all should swiftly summon the various sects of Middle-earth; this humble Daoist has important matters to discuss."