Chapter 1733: Taiyi Star Cart

The Mortal World

Following this passage, there was a substantial amount of content detailing Bao Gu's situation at that time.

The text generally conveyed that Canglang Sea and Yaohai were protected by an invisible barrier. However, this also isolated them from the outside world, leaving them unaware of what kind of world lay beyond.

Bao Gu, upon leaving Canglang Sea, might have traveled to Zhongzhou, learned about Daiyu Immortal Mountain, and the ascension paths opened by cultivators throughout history, but she was unaware of these before her departure.

Reading this, Qin Sang refocused his thoughts and asked Bao Zhengnan if anyone in Canglang Sea had found traces of Bao Gu since her departure. He received a negative reply.

Bao Gu cared deeply for the world; if she had discovered secrets about ascension in Zhongzhou, she would certainly have sent word back to Canglang Sea. Her failure to return led to the inference that the invisible barrier's "exit-only" restriction was not only to keep out outsiders but also applied to local cultivators.

Perhaps Bao Gu had a premonition before leaving, which is why she made these arrangements.

Qin Sang continued reading.

It turned out that the Witch Tribe had always possessed an ancient legend: cultivators who reached the Deification stage would experience a celestial-human connection, sensing the Gate of Ascension. They could ascend by following this path, but the journey was fraught with peril and required extreme caution.

Furthermore, the name Gui Xu appeared in the Witch Tribe's legends!

This indicated that Gui Xu already existed in ancient times, though it was unclear whether fierce beasts roamed there then.

Next were the arrangements Bao Gu made before her departure.

After reading, Qin Sang was both surprised and delighted, and felt deep admiration for this senior who had lived for thousands of years.

The Four Sages of Canglang Sea truly lived up to their title!

Bao Gu, having reached the Deification stage, had the ability to ascend, but what she thought of was not her own individual transcendence, but rather finding a way out for her people.

Bao Gu referred to the invisible barrier as a "barrier formation." To find a way out, the first step would be to break through this formation and establish a connection between the inside and outside.

One needed to be able to exit and re-enter.

Unfortunately, circumstances changed. While the Four Sages Palace was experimenting with various secret arts and treasures, an incident occurred in the Seven Killers Hall, almost releasing the Demon Lord. Three of the Four Sages sacrificed themselves to seal the demon.

Although Bao Gu survived, she was severely wounded.

The most terrifying consequence was that to complete the demon-sealing enchantment, Bao Gu was forced to overdraw her life essence, greatly shortening her lifespan.

Even after her injuries healed, she could not make up for the fundamental depletion. She only had one to two hundred years of lifespan left, which for a Deification cultivator might only be the duration of a single cultivation retreat.

Furthermore, resources were scarce in the lower realm; Canglang Sea, Yaohai, and Seven Killers Hall possessed no spiritual elixirs or miraculous medicines that could restore her lifespan. Only by ascending to the upper realm was there a glimmer of hope.

Despite being barely able to protect herself, Bao Gu did not forget her original aspirations. Unfortunately, she was powerless to act, and the matters of the lower realm could only be left to future generations.

After finishing the jade slip message, Qin Sang's gaze returned to the landscape screen, staring at the full moon in the painting.

What Bao Gu left for future generations was a secret treasure named the Taiyi Star Chariot!

This treasure was an immortal flying chariot obtained by the Four Sages from the Seven Killers Hall. Cultivators riding the Taiyi Star Chariot could hope to traverse the external barrier, moving in and out freely.

Now, the invisible barrier had vanished, but in Qin Sang's eyes, the utility of the Taiyi Star Chariot had increased rather than decreased!

The Taiyi Star Chariot was a damaged treasure. In the past, the Four Sages racked their brains to repair it, but unfortunately, an incident occurred before they could fix it, forcing Bao Gu to ascend.

Being a damaged treasure, it was difficult to ascertain the original power of the Taiyi Star Chariot.

The Four Sages speculated that riding the Taiyi Star Chariot would be like being in the Guanghan Heavenly Palace, surrounded by starlight and moonlight, traveling through the sky on the moon, ethereal and traceless as the moon appeared and disappeared.

The flying speed of this treasure might not be particularly fast, but it should possess abilities of concealment and protection!

Precisely because of this, Bao Gu left further instructions: whether her ascension succeeded or failed, she would do her best to leave a special mark in Gui Xu that could resonate with the Taiyi Star Chariot's enchantments. If later generations could repair the Taiyi Star Chariot, they could use it to infiltrate Gui Xu and search.

With the help of this treasure, finding the Gate of Ascension would be much easier.

The bright moon on the landscape screen was precisely the Taiyi Star Chariot!

Qin Sang closed the scroll with a sigh, inevitably thinking of the predecessors who had opened the path of ascension for this realm. Bao Gu was their epitome; they ventured into Gui Xu, and even if they sacrificed themselves for the Dao, they would do their best to leave something behind to guide future generations.

"I wonder if Senior Bao Gu ever went to Zhongzhou, and if she knew about Daiyu Immortal Mountain..." Qin Sang pondered to himself.

But considering Bao Gu had very little lifespan left at the time, even in the vast Great World, spiritual medicines to fundamentally restore her vitality wouldn't be readily available everywhere. Bao Gu probably didn't have time to travel in this realm.

Bao Zhengnan and the other two silently watched the jade slip in Qin Sang's hand, very curious about its content. However, since Qin Sang held onto it, they didn't feel it appropriate to ask for it.

At this moment, Qin Sang suddenly came back to his senses, handed the jade slip message to Bao Zhengnan, and walked directly to the landscape screen, extending his right hand to gently touch it.

The screen's texture was soft, neither silk nor gauze, feeling warm to the touch—it was also a treasure.

Qin Sang's palm covered the full moon, and with a slight push, his entire hand submerged into the painting, with only his wrist exposed. When he pulled it out, a bright moon rested in his palm.

Looking back at the landscape screen, the painting, now without the bright moon, completely lost its artistic essence!

Qin Sang's eyes gleamed with wonder as he examined the Taiyi Star Chariot in his hand.

Clear radiance flowed like water, gently brushing his fingers, shimmering brightly, as if he had truly plucked the moon from the sky.

In the center of the bright moon, a precious carriage, carved from mutton-fat white jade, was faintly visible.

Calling it a "precious carriage" wasn't entirely accurate; it looked more like an exquisite and magnificent divine palace, but unfortunately, it had many cracks and damages, marring the treasure's divine aura.

This was the true form of the Taiyi Star Chariot. It appeared small and delicate, but when activated, it possessed other extraordinary abilities.

Its radiance flickered, and the Taiyi Star Chariot itself appeared and disappeared intermittently, seemingly able to transform between reality and illusion.

Without even using spiritual sense, one could tell with the naked eye that this treasure was severely damaged.

Qin Sang carefully examined the damaged parts of the treasure, recalling the contents of Bao Gu's message. The Four Sages had failed to repair this treasure, but they had left behind much valuable experience.

However, according to Bao Gu, fully restoring this treasure was almost impossible. They could only try their best to mend it, restoring some of its power so it could be used.

By this time, the Bao siblings and Zhuo Ming also knew the contents of their ancestor's message. Looking at the Taiyi Star Chariot in Qin Sang's hand, they couldn't help but feel disappointed, despite having anticipated it.

The ancestral legacy contained only this supreme treasure; it was not a spiritual elixir or miraculous medicine that could help people achieve breakthroughs.

More importantly, the ancestor explicitly stated that repairing the Taiyi Star Chariot would require at least Deification stage cultivation. Even if fully repaired, Nascent Soul cultivators would find it extremely strenuous, or perhaps even impossible, to control the Taiyi Star Chariot.

"Can Fellow Daoist Qin repair this treasure?" Bao Zhengnan asked aloud.

Although Bao Gu had left her insights, they hadn't been able to deduce a reliable repair method back then, leaving several conjectures that Qin Sang would need to verify one by one.

Qin Sang showed a pensive expression, pondering for a while before saying, "This humble Daoist has some attainment in the path of artifact refining, but this treasure is exceptionally profound. It will require some time to comprehend and gradually verify Senior Bao Gu's conjectured repair methods. Zhongzhou has many Deification stage sects, countless talented individuals, and many spiritual materials and rare treasures not found in other regions. I plan to take this treasure back to Zhongzhou; the chances of repair will be greater there. What do you all think?"

The three exchanged glances.

Bao Zhengnan cupped his hands and said, "Our ancestor stated that this treasure is bestowed upon the Deification stage junior who opens the cave mansion. Furthermore, Fellow Daoist Qin has traveled far and wide, also seeking a way out for the cultivators of this realm, which perfectly aligns with our ancestor's aspirations. It rightly belongs to Fellow Daoist."

Qin Sang did not decline, nor could he.

He repeated his earlier promise: "In the future, no matter what turns events take, this humble Daoist will not forget Canglang Sea."

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Qin, for paving the way for us!"

Bao Zhengnan and the other two looked solemn and bowed deeply to Qin Sang.

The chairs and meditation cushions in the cave mansion were all ordinary items. The landscape screen was specially crafted by Bao Gu to store and nurture the Taiyi Star Chariot.

Qin Sang took both the landscape screen and the Taiyi Star Chariot and returned to the quiet room arranged for him in the Four Sages Palace. Bao Zhengnan and the others remained to set up various restrictions in Bao Gu's cave mansion, which would now become the sacred ground of the Four Sages Palace.

Closing the quiet room, Qin Sang took out the Taiyi Star Chariot and examined it carefully in his hand, his eyes shining with unusual brilliance.

Given his mastery in artifact refining, he naturally understood that repairing this treasure would be very difficult, not something achievable overnight.

However, he could afford to wait!

Achieving Deification before reaching 800 years old was rare throughout history. Both lifespan and heavenly tribulations were not an issue for now. And with his jade Buddha, the demonic sounds of the Heavenly Dao could not affect his mind.

If he couldn't find a second ascension platform, journeying east to Gui Xu might be his only option.

The Taiyi Star Chariot possessed protective and concealment abilities, and the Four Sages had also speculated that it had the power to traverse barriers.

These were very important in Gui Xu. Not only would the chances of survival greatly increase, but he might also be able to use this treasure to infiltrate Gui Xu and Daiyu Immortal Mountain, explore them, and then emerge to make preparations, allowing him to act with precise objectives.

Of course, the Taiyi Star Chariot was not yet repaired, so its power level remained unknown.

Considering the origin of the Taiyi Star Chariot, Qin Sang had great confidence in it; it just depended on how far he could repair this treasure.

Having unexpectedly acquired this rare treasure, Qin Sang felt greatly pleased and immersed himself in it, not leaving his quiet room for a full month. The maidservant dared not disturb him, only waiting outside the door, and even Bao Zhengnan did not see him.

During this period, the Four Sages Palace took frequent actions, inviting all parties to gather at Tianxing Island, according to Qin Sang's wishes.

Although it was said that various sects and factions were invited, not many people were actually qualified to attend this meeting; mostly, each side sent representatives.

Canglang Sea was different from other regions. Due to years of continuous warfare, sects, regardless of size, had to form alliances and assist each other. The Four Sages Palace was undoubtedly the most powerful.

There was no longer a conflict between righteous and demonic paths, or perhaps it was overshadowed by a larger conflict. All alliances respected the Four Sages Palace, and the human race as a whole was relatively well-organized.

As the appointed date approached, it was time for them to depart.

Bao Zhengnan came to the door of the quiet room, activated the restriction, which then dissipated. He pushed the door open and entered, a look of surprise on his face.

He saw Qin Sang sitting cross-legged, a full moon suspended before him, his face showing signs of deep fatigue.

"Seeing the prey, I was overjoyed and immersed myself in it, almost forgetting the important matter..." Qin Sang shook his head slightly.

"There's still plenty of time, Fellow Daoist. Would you like to rest for a few days?" Bao Zhengnan asked with some concern, glancing curiously at the Taiyi Star Chariot.

Before, they had brought in all the artifact refining secret manuals from the palace; these inheritances naturally came from the Four Sages. He wondered if Qin Sang had gained any insights.

"No need," Qin Sang shook his head, put away the Taiyi Star Chariot, and a spiritual light circulated through his body, completely dispelling his fatigue.

The next day.

On a vast, empty expanse of sea, faint ripples shimmered, barely perceptible to ordinary people.

The next moment, four figures flew through the air, their speed neither fast nor slow—it was Qin Sang and the three others.

Bao Zhengnan pointed south and said, "From here, heading south, we'll reach Tianxing Island in less than an hour."

This time, of course, was measured by their flight speed.

Qin Sang gazed south, feeling a sense of returning to a familiar place. He remembered something and asked, "Has there been any news about those old acquaintances I asked you to find?"

Bao Xi replied, "I've instructed the palace disciples to investigate, and I expect they should have some leads. For cultivators of our race, as long as their origins are clear, it shouldn't be difficult to track them down. Finding demon beasts, however, is a bit troublesome. When the demon race from Yaohai invaded, the demon race of Canglang Sea was tempted by them, and there were even cases of spirit beasts devouring their masters. After repelling the Yaohai demon race, great demons have rarely been seen in Canglang Sea. Could those few demon beasts you're looking for have attacked you?"

Recalling Qin Sang's experiences in Canglang Sea, he was either searching for the Seven Killers Hall or on his way to search for it, and the number of true Daoist friends he made was very few.

Among humans, besides the Wang sisters, there was also a disciple named Bai Ying'er, who, though not formally recognized as a master-disciple, had the relationship in practice.

Among demon beasts, the Twin-Headed Hou had followed him for many years, and he also had some friendship with Yuan Zhu, who was abandoned by the Yaohai demon race.

Having come here this time, Qin Sang naturally wanted to see his old acquaintances.

But after nearly six hundred years, were his old acquaintances still alive?

Thinking of the Wang sisters, like twin lotus flowers yet with entirely opposite temperaments, Qin Sang sighed softly in his heart. It was already so difficult for them to form their cores; he wondered if any of them had managed to form a Nascent Soul.

Qin Sang opened his mouth, about to say something, when his expression subtly changed. He suddenly stopped and looked to his right.

Bao Zhengnan and the other two were surprised, and only after a moment did they detect cultivators flying rapidly in that direction, also heading towards Tianxing Island, and their aura was not weak.

"In this direction, it might be the Sect Master of Landou Sect..." Bao Zhengnan said.

"Let's go take a look," Qin Sang said.

The four slightly changed direction and flew for a distance, then saw a gigantic eagle-shaped spirit bird flying in the sky ahead. This spirit bird had a wingspan of over ten zhang, its back as wide and flat as solid ground, with several cultivators sitting or standing on it.

The central figure had white hair and a white beard; it was precisely True Person Bai Lu, the current Sect Master of Landou Sect, and also a mid-stage Nascent Soul expert.

Both parties saw each other from a distance.

True Person Bai Lu immediately led his group to dismount and fly towards them.

They were all familiar with each other and exchanged greetings. True Person Bai Lu's gaze shifted to Qin Sang, the only stranger, and he asked, "Who is this Fellow Daoist?"

The more True Person Bai Lu looked, the more surprised and suspicious he became.

Qin Sang stood calmly among the three top experts of the Four Sages Palace, completely unrestrained, and the way Bao Zhengnan and the other two stood seemed to be centered around him.

True Person Bai Lu considered himself a good judge of character, yet he couldn't see through this person, indicating that the other party's cultivation was no weaker than his own. He was certain he had never seen this person before.

"Has another top-tier expert emerged in the world, recruited by the Four Sages Palace?" True Person Bai Lu pondered inwardly.

Bao Zhengnan glanced at Qin Sang, wondering how to introduce him.

Qin Sang proactively cupped his hands and said, "This humble Daoist's surname is Qin. It is a pleasure to meet Sect Master Bai Lu."

As he spoke, his gaze swept over the people behind True Person Bai Lu. Seeing no one who cultivated the "Yin-Yang Heavenly Struggle Secret Art," he asked in confusion, "Why do I not see the head of your sect's Yin-Yang lineage?"

True Person Bai Lu was slightly stunned, then his heart brightened. "Junior Brother Yang has recently gained some insights and is currently in seclusion at his residence. Does Fellow Daoist know Junior Brother Yang?"

"Surname Yang?" Qin Sang's heart stirred. Could it be that Senior Uncle Yang?