Chapter 1758: Xuanji Sect

The Human World

The term "True Talisman" refers to the Dharma Talismans granted by the two academies of the Daoist Court, also known as "official talismans." In contrast, Dharma Talismans granted by various sects and schools outside the Daoist Court are referred to as "private talismans."

Both True Talismans and Private Talismans essentially mean that there are corresponding cultivation methods that resonate with the heavens and invite altar-guarding divine generals associated with the Dharma Talismans, allowing for step-by-step, progressive cultivation.

However, Qin Sang learned that there is another category of Dharma Talismans within Daoism. These either lack a corresponding cultivation method or their corresponding divine generals cannot be sensed.

For the former, one can practice other cultivation methods, but because the method does not align with the talisman, most of the talisman's benefits to cultivation cannot be utilized. Cultivation and breakthroughs are naturally more difficult than for others.

The latter can only forcibly visualize other divine generals, but similarly, due to the lack of alignment, there is a risk of mental instability.

These are called "External Talismans."

Upon learning this, Qin Sang immediately had an idea: obtaining an External Talisman would clearly be easier.

His own cultivation method was strong enough, and he did not want to change it unless absolutely necessary. Nor did he care how many benefits a Dharma Talisman could bring him.

With the Jade Buddha protecting his Nascent Soul, the altar-guarding divine generals were optional.

In other words, all the disadvantages of External Talismans were not an issue for him, as long as the power to stabilize primal energy remained!

The more Qin Sang thought about it, the more suitable External Talismans seemed for him.

However, damaged talismans implied that the original sects had lost their lineage. Receiving a talisman required passing through the sect's main altar, but if the lineage was broken, where would he find the main altar? Who could grant him a talisman?

The Daoist Court might possess this information, but the problem reverted to its origin: how could he gain the Daoist Court's trust and acquire these secrets?

Regardless, Qin Sang had at least found a feasible path, and not just one.

To his knowledge, there was also a concept of "supplementary talismans" within the Daoist Court.

If a Daoist cultivator gained the Daoist Court's recognition, joined it as an immortal official, and wished to leave their original sect, they could even be granted a True Talisman, thereby truly joining the cultivation hierarchy of the Daoist Court's two academies.

This sounded much like gaining official positions and nobility in the mortal world.

However, joining the Daoist Court would undoubtedly involve extremely strict scrutiny. Acquiring a flawless identity would be almost impossible.

Once in the Daoist Court, one would not be one's own master.

Inevitably, many worldly duties would be imposed, affecting cultivation, which was not what Qin Sang desired.

He was unwilling to devote too much energy even to the Azure Ram Temple, which he founded himself, preferring to act as a hands-off manager once the basic structure was established.

Adding to these various concerns, he would not compromise unless absolutely necessary.

As his thoughts swirled, a thoughtful expression appeared on Qin Sang's face.

A moment later, he shook his head and said, "This humble Daoist does not seek fellow Daoists skilled in Star-Slaying Talismans, but rather those proficient in Supplication, Purification, or Form Refinement techniques."

Having just seen the rewards for the Daoist Court's summons, a sudden idea struck him: since he couldn't find a place where starlight naturally gathered, why not approach it from another angle?

This world had countless Daoist masters, and among the path of talismans, there were many related to the constellations of the heavens.

If he could invite a powerful expert to draw starlight with a talisman and perform a Star Essence Infusion for him, it should also be feasible.

This would place extremely high demands on the caster. Their cultivation must not be below the Soul Transformation stage.

Inviting such a master would not be easy.

During the Star Essence Infusion, Qin Sang would need to focus on breaking through, and also guard against the other party reneging or harboring ill intentions.

The Daoist Court's summons gave Qin Sang hope.

If he took up a summons and exchanged merit for assistance from a master, it would be equivalent to making a vow with the Daoist Court, concerning its reputation.

The person acting should not dare to defy righteousness and secretly harm him, risking universal condemnation.

His worries were easily resolved.

However, which talisman to use during the Star Essence Infusion also needed careful consideration.

Star-Slaying Talismans, as the name suggested, were purely offensive talismans. Qin Sang sought breakthrough, not death, so they were clearly unsuitable.

This world's Daoist talisman system was complete and all-encompassing. Because many talismans possessed multiple powers, no one made strict classifications; only a few conventional divisions existed.

The so-called "Supplication and Form Refinement" referred to two categories.

Supplication talismans could purify filth, extract poisons, and resolve various unfavorable conditions for oneself. Many also had healing effects.

Form Refinement, on the other hand, referred to enhancement talismans. Cultivators of the Army and Horse Altar often used them on their subordinate troops, while cultivators of the Dragon and Tiger Altar used them on themselves and were most adept at this. When Shen Huo's body dramatically expanded by several feet during the campaign to destroy mountains and temples, he used this type of talisman.

It was evident that Supplication and Form Refinement talismans were mostly beneficial and harmless. These were precisely the types of talismans Qin Sang needed.

The old Daoist understood implicitly, grasping Qin Sang's requirements. After a moment of contemplation, stroking his long beard, he said, "Friend, this old Daoist understands what you seek. There are countless talismans in this world, but when it comes to Supplication techniques of this kind, none surpass the Xuanji Gate. Especially their 'Northern Palace Southern Dipper Preservation and Refinement Talisman,' which is truly unparalleled in its ingenuity!"

"Northern Palace Southern Dipper..."

Qin Sang pondered in silence, thinking to himself that judging by the name of this talisman, it seemed to only draw upon the power of the Northern Dipper and Southern Dipper stars.

He cultivated the "Heavenly Demon Form Refinement" technique, and had not specifically chosen any particular stars. The cultivation method itself did not emphasize such selectivity.

From the very beginning of his cultivation, he had indiscriminately drawn all starlight from the void, encompassing all the constellations of the heavens.

Throughout his journey, there had been no errors.

If he only drew the starlight of the two Dippers for infusion, he wondered if there would be an adverse effect due to incomplete stellar energy.

As it concerned his own cultivation path, Qin Sang naturally had to inquire clearly about this talisman.

Upon hearing his question, the old Daoist smiled. "Friend, you've asked the right person. Three hundred years ago, this old Daoist was fortunate enough to have witnessed the 'Northern Palace Southern Dipper Preservation and Refinement Talisman' display its power from afar. Although the talisman's name is such, it begins with the Northern Dipper, drawing in starlight from all the constellations of the heavens. As the saying goes, 'the Southern Dipper governs birth,' and finally, the spell is cast by transferring the power to the Southern Dipper. The power of the constellations of the heavens is immense and complex, yet this talisman, when cast, keeps it perfectly ordered. It is precisely for this reason that it has such a great reputation."

Hearing this, Qin Sang's expression eased slightly. Now, it was just a matter of whether the Xuanji Gate had an expert capable of helping him break through.

The old Daoist observed his expression, and his tone softened as he reminded him, "Friend, don't rejoice too soon. The more profound the 'Northern Palace Southern Dipper Preservation and Refinement Talisman' is, the more difficult its cultivation becomes, and the higher the demands on the caster. Such individuals are not easily persuaded..."

Qin Sang's expression remained unchanged as he asked, "May I ask how many people within the Xuanji Gate have successfully cultivated this talisman?"

The old Daoist held up one finger. "To my knowledge, there is currently only one!"

"Only one?"

Qin Sang's gaze sharpened slightly. Could it be the sect master of the Xuanji Gate?

"Only one, unless the Xuanji Gate has produced another Cavern Profound True Man without revealing it," the old Daoist nodded.

A Cavern Profound True Man is equivalent to a Soul Transformation cultivator.

This meant that this talisman could only be cultivated by a Soul Transformation cultivator. If he could persuade the other party to use it with full power, it would very likely meet Qin Sang's requirements.

However, the only person who had successfully cultivated this talisman was the sect master of the Xuanji Gate. As the old man said, a sect master is not easily invited.

After some thought, Qin Sang temporarily made a note of the Xuanji Gate to consider later. He still had thirty years.

He continued to press the old Daoist, asking if other sects had similar talismans, and gained a few more clues.

There were also similar talismans within the Daoist Court itself.

But after comparing them all, the Xuanji Gate's "Northern Palace Southern Dipper Preservation and Refinement Talisman" was still the most suitable.

"Thank you, friend!"

Qin Sang took out a magic treasure and pushed it towards the old Daoist.

Seeing the magic treasure, the old Daoist's eyes lit up, and he accepted it with a smile. "Friend, if you have any more questions, this humble Daoist will certainly tell you everything I know. The crafting method of this treasure is quite profound, and it's more than enough as payment for the previous question. From now on, unless it involves core secrets, this old Daoist can provide the information free of charge."

Daoist cultivators in this world also used external objects, but this world relied more on divine abilities and talismans. The three schools each had their own strengths, and their powers were equally formidable, unlike cultivators from the Storm Realm who were so reliant on magic treasures.

Of course, if they encountered excellent magic treasures or spirit treasures, they would not hesitate to compete for them.

With Qin Sang's mastery of artifact refining, he would have the opportunity to fully display his skills in this world. But he had no time to consider these matters now; he needed to address the immediate threat first.

Since the Daoist had offered, Qin Sang naturally didn't hold back. He carefully asked a number of questions he wanted answers to, gaining much valuable information.

He left the shop.

It was late at night.

Before arriving, Qin Sang had heard that the night sky in Jushan Prefecture was particularly dark, making it difficult to see stars or the moon.

Looking up at the sky, it was indeed so.

A layer of dark clouds seemed to obscure the night sky, making starlight hard to find. Only a faint halo in the sky, presumably from the bright moon, was visible.

Qin Sang, with his large sleeves fluttering, walked alone on the street, pondering what to do next.

He had just asked the old Daoist about two peculiar areas within Jushan Prefecture where starlight mysteriously gathered.

Due to this unusual phenomenon, they were somewhat well-known in Jushan Prefecture, but many Daoist cultivators had investigated them without finding a reason.

Qin Sang requested the records. After reviewing them, he determined that the star essence in those two places was not concentrated enough to meet his requirements, and lost interest.

According to Qin Sang's habit, even if he thought of other methods, he couldn't place all his hopes on just one. A two-pronged approach was necessary to ensure success.

He still needed to continue searching for places where star essence gathered!

The world not only contained the Daoist Court's faction, but also the Guifang Kingdom and the boundless Fiend Sea and Fiend Plains.

Just because the Daoist Court didn't have it, didn't mean other places wouldn't.

Thinking of this, Qin Sang remembered the snake and the civet-like creature. It was time for them to play their part.

However, Qin Sang was not in a hurry to act. He hadn't yet met Shi Xuan and the others this time.

Taking out a jade talisman and crushing it, Qin Sang moved to a nearby inn.

The inn had independent courtyards, each serving as a cultivation dwelling.

Before long, three people hastily entered the inn, triggering a restriction.

"Come in."

The restriction opened.

Shi Xuan entered the small courtyard first. Seeing Qin Sang, he bowed deeply. "We three juniors greet Senior."

Facing Qin Sang again, Shi Xuan and the other two appeared much calmer.

Their sect had no shortage of Ascension Profound True Men. They had merely been a little flustered upon suddenly learning of Qin Sang's true cultivation realm earlier.

However, a powerful sect did not mean they dared to offend a True Man; their demeanor remained respectful.

"I've kept you waiting."

Qin Sang's expression was amiable as he gestured them to sit.

The three quickly said they wouldn't dare, bowed, and sat down. Before Qin Sang could ask, Shi Xuan proactively said, "Reporting to Senior, after we returned, we presented the tiger corpse to the immortal official of the Northern Pole Exorcism Academy. We received a reward of over ten thousand merit points, which should rightfully be returned to Senior."

"Over ten thousand?"

Qin Sang was slightly surprised.

Among the summons he had seen, killing a demon commander of similar strength to the tiger demon would at most yield three thousand points.

Summons for Nascent Soul-level beings rarely exceeded ten thousand, and their difficulty was extremely high.

Such a large amount of merit was clearly not solely due to the tiger demon. They had very likely inadvertently uncovered some conspiracy.

Shi Xuan then added that the Northern Pole Exorcism Academy was interested in inviting him over, asking if he was interested.

"There's no hurry for this matter."

Qin Sang shook his head slightly.

At this moment, Shi Xuan remembered another matter and said with a solemn expression, "This junior remembers Senior inquiring about places where star essence gathered. Without Senior's permission, I took the liberty of asking my sect elders. Please punish me, Senior."

Qin Sang looked him up and down, and said meaningfully, "What crime is there in gathering information for this humble Daoist? Not only will there be no punishment, but regardless of the outcome, this humble Daoist will reward you handsomely!"

Shi Xuan seemed to genuinely breathe a sigh of relief, and his expression turned to joy as he said, "Thanks to Senior's good fortune, this junior has not failed his mission! I inquired with my sect elders and found a place, coincidentally within Jushan Prefecture, which is secluded and unknown to others! I just don't know if the star essence there is concentrated enough to meet Senior's requirements."

Hearing this, Qin Sang immediately became interested. After inquiring further, he learned that the place was located north of Heming Mountain, very remote, and had been named Star Valley by the Nine Flowers Cavern Heaven True Man who discovered it.

From his description, the star essence there was far more concentrated than in the other two places!

"Very good!"

Qin Sang praised him, and took out a whip-shaped magic treasure from his Thousand Jin Ring as a reward.

Shi Xuan took it, unable to put it down.

Transferring merit points required going to a Daoist Court outpost. Qin Sang had already left a spirit contract with the Daoist Court, so Shi Xuan and the others could directly transfer the merit points to him without his personal presence.

Qin Sang only wanted the whole number of points, giving the remainder to them.

After Shi Xuan and the others left, Qin Sang stayed in the immortal city for two more days before leaving again.

This time, he exited from the North Gate, flying alone towards the northeast. As he approached the border where the two great factions confronted each other, he landed on a desolate mountain, and opened his spirit beast bag.

"Thump! Thump!"

A snake and a civet-like creature tumbled out and fell to the ground. Seeing each other, they immediately bared their fangs again.

"Enough!"

Qin Sang commanded in a deep voice.

The two demons were startled and prostrated themselves.

"Not far ahead is the territory occupied by the Guifang Kingdom."

Qin Sang said, looking at the snake demon, then took out the token and tossed it to it.

The snake demon summoned a demonic gust of wind to catch it. It looked at Qin Sang with surprise and uncertainty, unable to believe Qin Sang would let it go.

Qin Sang naturally wouldn't let it go so easily. He needed an accomplice to infiltrate the Guifang Kingdom and gather information for him, and he had planted a blood-lusting miasma spirit's original poison on the snake demon.

He looked at the snake demon and said, "Even if you return to the Guifang Kingdom with this token, gaining significant trust might not be easy. We might as well cooperate."

"You... what does Senior Immortal want me to do?"

The snake demon grew wary.

"You want to gain merit, and so do I."

Qin Sang pointed at it, then at himself. "If the opportunity arises, we can exchange information."

The snake demon fell silent. Though it hadn't experienced much, it understood that spies generally met a miserable end.

"Don't worry," he said, "this humble Daoist can swear an oath. In the future, I will always seek your consent before doing anything, and will not force you to risk your life to spy on secrets. After a hundred years, this humble Daoist will lift the restriction on you. However..."

Qin Sang's tone turned cold. "If you wish to betray this humble Daoist, you must consider it carefully. You were once captured by humans; will they fully trust you?"

The snake demon's heart trembled. It remained silent for a long time, then nodded. "I hope you will keep your promise."

Soon after, the snake demon slithered away.

Qin Sang watched the demon depart. This was a casual move on his part.

If the snake demon returned with the token and came into contact with high-ranking Guifang Kingdom officials, the hidden poison on its body might be discovered.

While it would be pleasing if it played its part, if it slipped from his control, he wouldn't have lost anything significant.

The civet-like demon watched the newly freed snake demon with an envious expression.

However, when Qin Sang first arrived, he had revealed quite a bit in front of this demon, so it could not be released for now.