Chapter 1722: Southbound

The Human World

One incredible secret after another stunned even the top experts, who normally wouldn't flinch even if a mountain collapsed before them.

Was this still the world they knew?

But with True Monarch Qin's firsthand account, the three sects—Buddhist, Daoist, and Demonic—bearing witness, and various strange occurrences coming to mind, they had no choice but to believe.

Qin Sang felt he had done his utmost in warning them, and his words were final. Whether they believed him or not was irrelevant to him. He had them swear an oath not to reveal anything, then dismissed everyone.

At the end of the grand ceremony.

Unaware of the full truth, the guests left satisfied, their faces filled with novelty and excitement.

Everyone was discussing the Ascension Platform, believing cultivators in this realm now had another path. Those who couldn't achieve Soul Transformation and were simply waiting to die now had a glimmer of hope.

Those who knew the truth, however, were deeply troubled.

It wasn't that a new path had opened; it was that the old one was severed!

The Ascension Platform might be their only hope going forward.

It was foreseeable that once the ceremony concluded and the news spread throughout the cultivation world, it would inevitably trigger a massive wave of searching for the Ascension Platform.

All major powers would spare no effort, combing through ancient texts and exploring hidden secrets.

Mobilizing the power of an entire realm was clearly more powerful and promising than the strength of a single person or sect.

This was exactly what Qin Sang wanted to see.

The guests dispersed.

The Poison King and Elder Ming of the Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain bade farewell to Grandmaster Xingji. As they reached the temple gate, about to fly off into the air and return to the Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain, they suddenly heard someone call from behind.

"Friend, wait a moment."

The Poison King turned around to see Qin Sang slowly approaching. "I have long heard of the mysterious and unique sights of the Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain, so different from other sects," Qin Sang said. "I was just about to pay a visit."

He comes with ill intentions!

The Poison King's expression stiffened slightly.

He had repeatedly tried to persuade Qin Sang with kind words, but Qin Sang had avoided the topic. It was clear he wanted to claim the Gu King.

Since the other party had achieved the True Monarch realm, he had accepted it. But now this person had come to his doorstep, clearly with other intentions.

Was the Gu King not enough to satisfy his appetite?

This is going too far!

The Poison King fumed inwardly, a corner of his mouth twitching. "True Monarch, your esteemed presence honors my humble sect," he said. "Elder Ming, quickly return to the mountain gate and summon the disciples to welcome the True Monarch."

Elder Ming acknowledged the order and was about to leave.

Qin Sang waved his hand to stop him, saying, "This is a private visit, no need for a grand display. I have already arranged to visit Sect Master Yan of Qiongying Sect first. If you two fellow Daoists have no urgent matters, perhaps we can go together?"

The Poison King and Elder Ming exchanged a glance and cupped their hands, saying, "Since the True Monarch commands, we dare not refuse."

The three stood for a moment, waiting for the group from Qiongying Sect to arrive.

Qiongying Sect was predominantly female cultivators, with a strong yin and weak yang.

Sect Master Yan was dressed as a Daoist nun, her appearance serene and beautiful. Her brows carried a heroic spirit, and having long held a high position, she commanded respect without needing to show anger, making her difficult to approach.

At the Six States Hall auction years ago, Qin Sang and the Grand Elder of Qiongying Sect had both participated. Unfortunately, both had concealed their identities, so their true appearances remained unseen.

Qin Sang learned from Sect Master Yan that the Grand Elder of Qiongying Sect was undergoing seclusion as her Heavenly Tribulation was approaching, which was why she could not attend.

The group traveled by cloud, without using flying artifacts, chatting as they went.

Qin Sang explained his purpose.

Upon learning that Qin Sang wished to consult on artifact refining techniques, Sect Master Yan gladly agreed, saying, "True Monarch Qin has enlightened us, what great righteousness! As for the minor art of artifact refining, I dare not keep it to myself, though I fear it may not meet the True Monarch's discerning eye."

Qin Sang did not neglect the Poison King and his companion either, and discussed the Way of Poison Control with them.

With Sect Master Yan's prior statement, the Poison King found it difficult to hide anything.

The group chatted pleasantly all the way to Qiongying Sect.

Qiongying Sect was located north of Fujian Estuary, on Qiongying Lake, not far from the East Sea. A spiritual formation transformed into mist, concealing the sect gate, so outsiders could only see a spiritual island in the mist and a small pavilion in the center of the lake.

Little did they know, passing through the pavilion in the lake center revealed another world entirely.

Upon entering the sect gate, Qin Sang saw spiritual islands scattered like stars across the lake. Each island boasted exquisite scenery, elegant and pleasing, truly befitting a sect predominantly composed of female cultivators.

Sect Master Yan indeed kept her promise and immediately sent someone to retrieve the sect's ancient texts.

Among them was the "Spirit Confinement Art" that Qin Sang specifically requested.

It wasn't merely the incomplete fragment from the auction years ago.

Qiongying Sect had unearthed the ruins of Xuanqi Mountain, and through continuous collection afterwards, not only obtained most of Xuanqi Mountain's legacy, but also had generations of Qiongying Sect masters study, comprehend, and further enhance and perfect it. It had now surpassed its origins, becoming even better than its predecessor.

The Seven Water Mirror Islands, renowned for artifact refining, even admitted to being inferior to Qiongying Sect.

This "Spirit Confinement Art" could not only refine pseudo-spiritual treasures, but if cultivated to its peak, it could truly allow magic treasures to develop sentience and advance into true spiritual treasures!

Furthermore, after advancing to a spiritual treasure, there were subsequent methods for nurturing it.

However, making a spiritual treasure birth an artifact spirit was far more difficult than merely refining a spiritual treasure—a feat Qin Sang did not dare to hope for yet.

Even if Qin Sang did not intend to nurture the Gray Oriole Sword, obtaining this secret artifact refining technique was immensely beneficial. It broadened his horizons, and some insights could even be applied to his Cloud-Roaming Sword.

After staying at Qiongying Sect for more than ten days, Qin Sang received meticulous guidance from Sect Master Yan and the artifact refining masters. He swore an oath not to transmit it outside the sect, but managed to secure an opportunity for Shen Chen.

During this time, the Poison King and Elder Ming also remained at Qiongying Sect.

Only after Qin Sang had completed his consultation on artifact refining did the three leave together, heading directly to Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain without stopping along the way.

Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain was located in Manzhou, a vast and sparsely populated region.

Manzhou was filled with treacherous mountains and dangerous waters. The grotto-heaven occupied by Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain was a rare blessed land. However, colorful mist floated around its sect gate, and various poisonous creatures roamed there, giving it a distinct Manzhou atmosphere.

After Qin Sang entered the mountain with the Poison King and his companion, he saw that almost every disciple of Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain carried a venomous insect or beast. Some had even disfigured themselves due to careless poison handling, appearing as fierce as ghosts.

No wonder outside cultivators felt a sense of dread when mentioning Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain.

It was unclear when the Poison King had sent the message, but Grandmaster Xingji was already waiting there when they arrived.

"I've kept you waiting, Grandmaster," Qin Sang greeted with a smile.

They entered the main hall.

After Qin Sang greeted the elders of Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain, the Poison King dismissed the others. Grandmaster Xingji also discreetly retreated, placing his palms together in a salute.

The two sat opposite each other. On the table were spirit fruits, immortal peaches, and jade dew nectar.

Qin Sang picked up the jade cup in front of him. Indeed, Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain was unique; the spiritual wine in the cup was a deep, almost black, dark green. If not for the exotic aroma wafting from it, one might suspect it was poison rather than wine.

"True Monarch Qin, please sample our sect's Ten Thousand Poisons Wine!" The Poison King gestured with a raised hand and drank a cup along with him.

Upon tasting the wine, Qin Sang immediately felt a pungent, spicy sensation in his throat, like a fiery thread descending into his abdomen. A ball of fire then exploded within him, surging through his limbs and bones, as if cleansing his entire body, which was immensely satisfying.

"Excellent wine! Thank you for your hospitality, fellow Daoist!"

Qin Sang praised it, then suddenly sighed. "Back when you were trapped by the ancient fiend, I was deeply concerned about your predicament," he said. "But alas, my strength was too low to assist you."

"True Monarch, I appreciate your kindness," the Poison King said, holding his jade cup and quietly observing Qin Sang.

Qin Sang's tone was concerned as he asked, "Fellow Daoist, your ability to resist the ancient fiend must have been with the aid of your sect's sacred artifact, correct? After such a fierce battle, I wonder about the condition of the sacred artifact? Has it suffered any damage?"

As expected, he's here for the sacred artifact!

The Poison King's expression darkened slightly. "True Monarch, I appreciate your concern. The sacred artifact overexerted its foundation in that battle," he said. "As it is inherently an inanimate object, its recovery is extremely slow. It is currently being nurtured in the forbidden ground."

The Poison King was speaking the truth.

The sacred artifact's true form was a Five-Transformation Bloodthirsty Miasma Spirit. Unfortunately, Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain had only obtained a insect corpse, which they later refined into a Gu, restoring some of its divine abilities. However, it differed greatly from a truly living insect.

Firstly, to wield the sacred artifact, one must be proficient in Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain's true lineage, as it had been continuously refined with true methods by successive sect masters of Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain to possess its current divine abilities.

Secondly, it was extremely difficult to wield. Even the Poison King, as the master of Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain, had to pay a price for personally refining it for many years.

Thirdly, after each use, it had to be placed in Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain's forbidden ground for a long period to recover. During the battle at the Non-Phase Immortal Sect, it was fortunate that the sacred artifact had first devoured fire poison on Fire Rhinoceros Island, otherwise it might have suffered irreparable damage.

However, if it didn't possess these characteristics, it probably wouldn't have waited for Qin Sang's visit; it would have already been borrowed by Saint Huiguang and Saint King Qinghu.

In the battle at the Non-Phase Immortal Sect, the gray cocoon formed by the sacred artifact performed remarkably. It could withstand divine abilities of the Soul Transformation level, making it a rare and invaluable protective treasure.

Qin Sang nodded, then pondered for a moment before speaking. "Then I am relieved… To be frank, fellow Daoist, this trip, I wish to consult on a few matters that are somewhat related to your esteemed sect's sacred artifact."

The Poison King's hand, holding the jade cup, suddenly stiffened, nearly crushing it!

"Is it because the Gu King's cultivation is too low to meet the True Monarch's requirements?"

A hint of sarcasm flickered in the Poison King's eyes, yet his tone remained calm. "Alas," he said, "even if I were to present the sacred artifact with both hands, it would be useless to the True Monarch, unless the True Monarch is willing to change sects and cultivate my Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain's true lineage…"

"Oh?"

Qin Sang seemed oblivious to the Poison King's anger, asking curiously, "I didn't realize your sect's sacred artifact had such a peculiar origin. I observe that the Gu King and the sacred artifact, though different in form, seem to share some connection. What is the reason for this, I wonder?"

The Poison King frowned.

This was a secret of Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain; how could it be revealed to outsiders?

Qin Sang said meaningfully, "When I slew that masked man, I unexpectedly discovered something. Before he died, he was backlashed by the Gu King, and because of the residual poison from the sacred artifact within his body, the two potent poisons astonishingly merged into one, creating an extremely terrifying toxicity. I originally intended to keep his nascent soul to search his memories, but I could only watch helplessly as he turned to ash."

Upon hearing this, the Poison King's expression shifted several times.

Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain had given the masked man's enemy sacred artifact fuzz, intending to continuously activate the residual poison within him, keeping him constantly on the run. They had calculated everything, yet never anticipated that someone as powerful as the masked man would die at another's hand, and be backlashed by the Gu King right before his death.

Sighing, the Poison King said, "Since the True Monarch slew that villain, you must have obtained our sect's true inheritance, the 'Gu Scripture'. I wonder if you have tried refining Gu?"

Qin Sang replied frankly, "I have tried it, and it proved beneficial. One of my spiritual insects achieved a breakthrough with the help of this art."

"The Gu King was born precisely through the art of Gu refining," the Poison King explained. "However, cultivating the Gu King not only consumed several rare poisonous insects, but also incorporated the essence stripped from the corpse of a Bloodthirsty Miasma Spirit. After our ancestor obtained the insect corpse, he once attempted to refine a true Bloodthirsty Miasma Spirit using the Gu refining art. Unfortunately, a dead object is, after all, dead, and could only carry a portion of its abilities from its living state. The only way was to separate its essence and find another path, refining a new Gu insect that could inherit the Bloodthirsty Miasma Spirit's divine abilities."

As he spoke, the Poison King couldn't help but glance at Qin Sang. "Our sect has tried countless times, all failing, and only by chance did this particular Gu King survive," he continued. "Because the Gu King and the sacred artifact share the same origin, their poisons can merge."

And then it was stolen by that masked man!

Although Qin Sang did not ask for details about the masked man's origins, he surmised that the man must have had a close relationship with Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain in the past, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to access the Gu King.

"From what you say, fellow Daoist, is this the only Gu King, and it cannot be replicated?" Qin Sang asked.

The Poison King replied dejectedly, "I don't even know how it managed to survive… If I had known, I would have guarded it more strictly."

Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain's repeated attempts had all ended in failure, proving it was almost impossible to succeed.

The Poison King hadn't believed it would work; he had merely followed his master's instructions. Unexpectedly, it did succeed, only to be stolen by a villain, leaving him with deep regret.

Qin Sang thought to himself, "Perhaps the Gu King's success had something to do with that masked man?"

After pondering for a while, Qin Sang suddenly said, "Your esteemed sect expended vast resources to cultivate the Gu King. Surely it wasn't just to obtain a single Gu insect, was it?"

Without waiting for the Poison King's reply, Qin Sang continued, "I kept the Gu King because I am also interested in the Way of Poison Control. The Gu King has already been put to other uses by me, so it's impossible to return it to you. However, I have an idea."

The Poison King's brow furrowed. "True Monarch, please elaborate."

Qin Sang nodded. "I wish to know your sect's true purpose in refining the Gu King," he said. "Though the Gu King is no longer here, I can control its poisonous power, and perhaps I can be of some help."

The Poison King shook his head. "Unless the True Monarch is willing to return the Gu King to our sect."

"I am listening with interest," Qin Sang said seriously.

The Poison King was silent for a moment before speaking. "Cultivating the Gu King is related to our sect's true inheritance cultivation method," he said. "When the Gu King fully matures, it brings immense benefits to me and future generations of our sect… True Monarch, you don't need to say more. If you desire the merged poison, I can gift you a bottle of the poisonous mist spewed by the sacred artifact, and I also wish to request some of the Gu King's poisonous power from you."

Qin Sang's gaze narrowed slightly, seemingly unsurprised.

He was intimately connected with the Poison Bead, and since the Poison Bead had refined the Gu King, it was as if he had refined it himself. He had already sensed this implicitly before.

Seeing that the Poison King was still reluctant to tell the full truth, he simply spoke plainly. "When the Gu King fully matures, it can merge with the sacred artifact, correct?" Qin Sang pressed. "Or rather, devour it. This wouldn't just be a simple fusion of two poisons, because that would be merely superficial! You intend to recreate the original poison of the Bloodthirsty Miasma Spirit, and use this to verify and comprehend the true meaning of your cultivation method, thereby achieving Soul Transformation. Am I right?"

The Poison King's expression changed upon hearing this.

Without waiting for the Poison King to respond.

Qin Sang waved his hand, interrupting him. "You need not worry. I do not intend to forcefully seize anything," he said. "I wish to discuss a secure method with you, fellow Daoist."

At this point, the Poison King could no longer hide anything. He said silently, "Since the True Monarch does not cultivate our sect's method, even if I were to give the sacred artifact to you, you would not be able to recreate the original poison of the Bloodthirsty Miasma Spirit."

"How do you know I cannot?"

Qin Sang smiled mysteriously.

Although he couldn't recreate the Bloodthirsty Miasma Spirit itself, he could devour the sacred artifact's poisonous power and restore the true original poison of the Bloodthirsty Miasma Spirit, not just a simple fusion.

This was the Poison Bead's ability!

Qin Sang had only discovered this after refining the Gu King, and couldn't help but marvel at the Fatty Silkworm's talent.

The Poison King was utterly astonished upon hearing this.

"I wish to ask for some of the sacred artifact's poison from you, fellow Daoist, without harming the sacred artifact's main body," Qin Sang proposed. "It can slowly recover later. After the fusion, when the original poison of the Bloodthirsty Miasma Spirit is obtained, I can give some to you first. How does that sound?"

How could the Poison King refuse? He sighed, "Alas, with the Demonic Sound blocking the path, obtaining the original poison of the Bloodthirsty Miasma Spirit now is too late."

Months later.

Qin Sang left Ten Thousand Poisons Mountain, traveled southeast, and arrived at Concealing Moon Temple.