Chapter 1761: Poison Curse

The Mortal World

After clarifying Qin Sang's purpose, the Inspector kept Qin Sang where he was and turned to enter the back hall.

A short while later, the Inspector returned. “Yes! The Sect Master of Xuanji Gate and that senior are close friends. If you can visit with a token, the senior will write a letter, requesting the Xuanji Gate Sect Master to come out of seclusion.”

Coincidentally meeting a close friend of the Xuanji Gate Sect Master, Qin Sang wasn't surprised, however. Most Grandmasters of Alchemy have extensive connections.

This way, it would be a lasting solution. After completing the summons, he could focus on secluded cultivation for a breakthrough.

Qin Sang mused to himself and cupped his hands, saying, “I am willing to accept this summons.”

He still didn't know the specific details of the summons.

Only after confirming the candidate would the Inspector relay the summons.

Unexpectedly, the Inspector did not immediately bestow the summons, but calmly stated, “When you arrived, another fellow Daoist also selected this summons. According to custom, one of you two Daoists must be chosen. Of course, you two can also negotiate and accept the summons together.”

Hearing this, Qin Sang frowned deeply.

Completing the summons together might be easier, but it would mean splitting the reward, which was not what he wanted.

Moreover, teaming up with a stranger of unknown background might not go smoothly.

Qin Sang still trusted himself more, and said in a deep voice, “How does the Inspector intend to choose?”

Depending on the task in the summons, the Dao Court had corresponding methods to select suitable candidates.

The Inspector nodded. “Seeing that you are not prepared to team up with the other fellow Daoist, you happen to be of the same mind as him. This time, you might face a formidable enemy, so let strength decide the victor…”

With that, the Inspector gestured, leading the way, and walked towards the back hall.

Qin Sang followed the Inspector through the main hall. His vision blurred, and ahead appeared a sea of mist.

Entering the sea of mist, his vision was obstructed. At the same time, Qin Sang felt an invisible pressure.

After a few breaths, the mist ahead parted, revealing a large open area, forming a mist platform. A tall, thin Daoist was waiting ahead.

Seeing the two, the Daoist quickly stepped forward. He first bowed to the Inspector, thanking him, then looked at Qin Sang. “I am Yun Wei of Lougu Mountain. This fellow Daoist seems unfamiliar. May I ask for your Daoist name?”

“Qingfeng.”

Qin Sang's reply was concise. He subtly assessed Yun Wei.

Judging by his aura, though not as profound as the Nine Heavens Inspector beside him, he also possessed late Nascent Soul cultivation.

Yun Wei paused slightly, then his expression returned to normal, and he said, “The fellow Daoist competing with me for this summons must be you. I have an impolite request: Could you cede this opportunity to me? I will not let you leave empty-handed. I am willing to offer a bottle of spiritual pills.”

While Qin Sang was assessing him, he was also observing Qin Sang. He felt Qin Sang's aura seemed ethereal, yet it possessed a mysterious quality, making him unfathomable.

Yun Wei's thoughts raced. If his opponent's strength were weaker, he would simply deal with him directly. Such an individual was the most difficult to handle.

If he could persuade him to retreat with a bottle of spiritual pills, everyone would be happy.

Yun Wei took out a porcelain bottle and said sincerely, “The opportunity to request Grandmaster Lingxu to refine pills this time is extremely important to me. If you can relinquish it, I will be immensely grateful.”

Unfortunately, even if Yun Wei spoke eloquently, Qin Sang remained unmoved. He didn't even bother to check what kind of pills were in the porcelain bottle. “I apologize, but I also have reasons that compel me to proceed.”

Yun Wei put away the spiritual pills with a disappointed expression. “It seems we'll have to settle this by skill.”

The Inspector clarified the rules for them, stepped aside, leaving the two in the arena.

The combat essentially had no rules. There were no restrictions on their methods. If one was forced off the mist platform or conceded, they would be declared the loser. The principle was to stop before causing serious harm, but if both sides fought with true intent, or too fiercely to hold back, fatalities or injuries were not uncommon.

Qin Sang walked to the center of the mist platform and stood firm. He quietly observed his opponent, making no other moves.

Yun Wei, across from him, did not summon troops. He raised a finger and pointed in front of him. A profound yellow spiritual talisman materialized. Then, a Bagua Profound Shield appeared beside him, slowly revolving around Yun Wei.

“It seems this person cultivates the Gold Seal Altar…”

Seeing that Yun Wei didn't set up a formation, Qin Sang felt slightly relieved.

He hadn't yet had the chance to fight a Daoist from the Soldiers and Horses Altar, but from various information, he could deduce that Daoists from the Soldiers and Horses Altar were the most troublesome.

A Nascent Soul level Daoist from the Soldiers and Horses Altar would definitely have a shapeshifting Great Demon at their side, and countless demon soldiers under their command. The divine abilities unleashed by combining the power of demon soldiers were exceptionally potent.

His hesitation was because he wanted to see what kind of cultivation Yun Wei practiced, before considering how to respond.

He intended to continue using the identity of Daoist Qingfeng, and had spent considerable effort cultivating it over the years.

Whatever he displayed now in front of the Nine Heavens Inspector, he would have to maintain consistently in the future, ideally without any inconsistencies.

Using only strength-based methods, and posing as a Dragon-Tiger Altar Daoist, would be the easiest.

However, neither the 'Heavenly Demon Refinement' nor his two strength-based divine abilities had been cultivated to their peak. Against a Daoist from the Soldiers and Horses Altar, he wasn't entirely confident.

Seeing Yun Wei continuously conjure three profound shields and about to cast a spell, Qin Sang no longer hesitated. His figure flickered, and he charged directly at his opponent.

As a battlefield, this mist platform was ultimately a bit small.

If all went smoothly, Qin Sang could reach Yun Wei in the blink of an eye.

Feeling Qin Sang's aggressive aura, Yun Wei remained calm in the face of danger. He flicked his wrist, and a blue light streaked through the air.

‘Splish-splash…’

With a gush of water, the blue light shattered in front of Qin Sang. Then, a gigantic figure leaped out of thin air.

The giant was a full three zhang tall, possessed immense strength, and was fully armored. Its blue armor resembled a pool of water.

“Seize him!”

Yun Wei pointed at Qin Sang from a distance and coldly commanded.

The giant looked down at Qin Sang, as if viewing an ant. Upon receiving the command, it raised both arms, and its enormous, fan-like palms suddenly clapped together.

Qin Sang was precisely between the two palms, feeling only a strong gust of wind in his face, and an astonishing pressure all around him.

He mentally formed the Lotus Seal. His figure flickered, and he vanished into thin air from between the giant's palms.

Yun Wei's eyes gleamed with a faint light. He swiftly scanned the area around the giant, immediately discovering Qin Sang's whereabouts, and his expression changed instantly.

At the same time, the giant let out a roar. It clenched its hands into fists, and viciously smashed them towards its own glabella.

The next moment, Qin Sang appeared directly in front of the giant. He formed the Demon-Crushing Seal with one hand, and lightly pressed it against the giant's forehead.

‘Boom!’

Water splashed in all directions.

The giant toppled backward, its body instantly shattering into pieces, having been obliterated by a single strike from Qin Sang.

Yun Wei hadn't expected the giant to be so easily defeated. Fortunately, he was no novice, and didn't lose his composure. A ball of vital energy flew from the top of his head, transforming into a whirlpool in mid-air.

Immediately after, the mist around the platform was drawn into the whirlpool, surging in layers. Mid-way, it gathered into clumps, then transformed into strange-looking mist beasts. With a roll on the spot, spiritual light flashed in their eyes.

In an instant, a legion of mist beasts appeared out of nowhere before Yun Wei.

The mist beasts surrounded Qin Sang. From their behavior, they seemed not like rigid puppets, but genuine living creatures.

“Enchanting Spirit to Form Generals!”

Qin Sang's expression subtly tightened.

The Spirit-Imbuing General Formation was also a renowned divine ability of the Daoist sects in this world. He had known of this ability for a long time.

When this art was cast, it could conjure troops out of thin air, known as 'Law Soldiers', which shared similarities with another Daoist art, 'Talisman Soldiers'.

Even without cultivating the Soldiers and Horses Altar, one could still possess troops by relying on the Spirit-Imbuing General Formation or Talisman Soldiers.

Daoist Talisman Soldiers depended on spiritual talismans; one lost meant one less. Law Soldiers, however, consumed the caster's true essence. As long as true essence was sufficient, they could be endlessly produced.

Legend had it that if the Spirit-Imbuing General Formation divine ability was cultivated to its extreme, one could directly control humans, demons, ghosts, and monsters for their own use. Yun Wei was clearly not at this level yet.

These Law Soldiers were ultimately inanimate objects, lacking the sentience of true troops.

Qin Sang didn't hesitate. He activated the Lotus Seal, and moved like a phantom, constantly shifting among the mist Law Soldiers.

Wherever he passed, the mist Law Soldiers disintegrated and vanished in large numbers. However, more mist Law Soldiers were continuously replenished.

Soon, Qin Sang was heavily surrounded. Though the mist Law Soldiers were individually fragile, when combined, they possessed an invisible momentum. Once the formation was complete, no matter how many Qin Sang dispersed, they would regenerate on the spot, possessing an undying body.

Yun Wei smiled. This divine ability of his was specifically designed to wear down demon cultivators and strength-based cultivators, and had always proven effective.

He muttered incantations, just about to manipulate the Law Soldiers to trap Qin Sang, when his brow subtly furrowed. He stared intently at Qin Sang.

He felt that Qin Sang seemed to have undergone some change, yet he couldn't pinpoint what it was.

At this moment, Qin Sang, surrounded by Law Soldiers, showed no haste. A faint smile played on his lips, as if he were strolling through a leisurely courtyard, walking towards Yun Wei.

With each step Qin Sang took, the formation there inexplicably ceased to exist. The mist Law Soldiers, which could originally regenerate endlessly, completely vanished after disintegrating, and large gaps immediately appeared in the grand formation.

It was the first time Yun Wei had encountered a strength-based cultivator who could so easily break his formation. He was inwardly shocked.

The Nine Heavens Inspector, observing the battle, also had a sharp glint flash in his eyes. He re-evaluated Qin Sang.

“The Great Freedom Seal, so that's it!” Qin Sang exclaimed in his heart.

By this day, he had finally comprehended some of the mysteries of the Vajra Great Freedom Seal.

If Qin Sang were to describe this seal with one word, it would be 'instinct'.

The moment he cast this seal, he seemed to enter a strange state. Everything on the battlefield couldn't escape his perception. His opponent's weaknesses were instantly visible.

His perception reached its peak. This perception was not spiritual intuition gained from powerful divine sense, but pure instinct.

Combat was his instinct!

If Yun Wei had personally engaged in combat, perhaps there wouldn't have been many weaknesses to find. But these mist Law Soldiers were not Yun Wei himself. Even if Yun Wei could control them with his mind, there was still a layer of separation.

The seemingly seamless formation of soldiers had many flaws in Qin Sang's eyes. A single finger or palm strike could sever the formation.

“This seal art…”

Qin Sang, immersed in this wondrous state, was amazed. His estimation of the 'Seven Teachers Buddhist Seal' rose another level.

He had initially thought the seventh seal, like the previous six, would enhance a specific aspect. Unexpectedly, he had underestimated it. This seal brought about a complete metamorphosis, elevating this seal art to a new level.

With this seal, Qin Sang, who was shallow in strength-based combat experience, now had the confidence to face top experts in this path!

“If I were to cast the Vajra Great Freedom Seal with my Spiritual Wood Body…”

This thought flashed through Qin Sang's mind, and he felt eager to try.

Although there was no 'Myriad Woods Competing for Glory' in the Immortal City, and the Post-Heaven Wooden Man Stele was restricted, his Spiritual Wood Body itself could greatly enhance his physical form.

At this point, Yun Wei continuously cast spells, controlling the Law Soldiers to change formations. But no matter what formation he conjured, it couldn't stop Qin Sang's advance. His expression grew increasingly solemn.

Seeing Qin Sang rapidly approaching, Yun Wei finally made up his mind. A light flickered between his brows, projecting into the void.

In the void, as if an invisible brush, it outlined an incredibly complex rune, completing it in an instant. The mist Law Soldiers below perfectly merged into the rune's aura. Each mist Law Soldier became an aperture, their auras connected, instantly forming a massive spiritual talisman!

“Suppress!”

Yun Wei roared.

With a thunderous crash, all the Law Soldiers shattered simultaneously, transforming into streams of pure profound energy that merged into the spiritual talisman.

Qin Sang felt something unusual above his head. Looking up, he saw a blue spiritual talisman, shaped like a ruler, descending. A terrifying pressure fell from the sky.

At this moment, both figures on the mist platform had vanished. The whirlpool above Yun Wei's head expanded countless times, enveloping the entire platform.

Qin Sang was undoubtedly at the center of the whirlpool.

While casting the spell, Yun Wei swiftly took out a copper whistle and brought it to his lips. Just as he was about to blow it, he suddenly felt a massive tremor in the void.

The source of the tremor was precisely his spell.

‘Rip!’

The tremor intensified, followed by a sound of tearing cloth.

A withered arm, like a sharp sword, pierced through the whirlpool. Its single palm transformed into a blade, slicing downwards, and instantly split the whirlpool in two.

Streams of water gushed out from the disintegrating whirlpool, revealing a tall treant. Its posture was upright and imposing, standing there like a mountain.

Yun Wei gazed at the treant, frozen in astonishment. He subconsciously blew the copper whistle.

A whistle sound echoed.

Yun Wei's true essence poured into the copper whistle. Immediately, a purple rainbow shot out, and upon contact with the water streams in the void, it instantly vanished.

Following this, the seemingly harmless water streams underwent a bizarre transformation.

Innumerable tadpole-like twisted runes swam within the water, ubiquitous. The runes distorted, and ghastly faces repeatedly flickered into existence.

‘Boom!’

The water streams, carrying countless malevolent spirits, surged towards Qin Sang.

Unexpectedly, before reaching Qin Sang, the water streams abruptly dispersed, and the malevolent spirits vanished.

At the same time, a gray ghostly shadow suddenly appeared on Qin Sang's chest. Like a tattoo on his body, it flickered and disappeared, having actually infiltrated his body.

Yun Wei smiled.

Since the start of the fight, he had laid out layers of schemes, and finally succeeded!

These water streams seemed like harmless after-effects of a spell, but in reality, he had secretly cast a spell on them. Once the copper whistle was activated, the two powers would merge, immediately transforming into a rare and potent poison. Combined with his venomous curse, it would catch the opponent off guard, leaving them no time to resist before being severely poisoned, and their combat strength greatly diminished.

The next moment, Yun Wei's smile froze on his face.

He saw Qin Sang soaring forward, with the momentum of thunder, showing no signs of poisoning whatsoever.

‘Boom!’

The astonishing aura rushing towards him shook Yun Wei to his core. He hurriedly placed the three Bagua Profound Shields in front of him.

With several bangs, under Qin Sang's barrage of punches and kicks, the profound shields shattered or were sent flying on the spot, failing to impede him in the slightest.

Yun Wei's expression flickered uncertainly. He seemed to be hesitating, but eventually sighed deeply, and gritted his teeth, shouting, “I concede!”

He still had methods he hadn't used, but most were related to venomous curses. Given his opponent's current performance, it was hard to say how much effect they would have.

Grandmaster Lingxu wasn't the only alchemist in the world. Why risk his life here and expose all his trump cards?

‘Swish!’

The Demon-Crushing Seal arrived with the force of wind and thunder, stopping abruptly almost grazing Yun Wei's face.

Qin Sang's body swayed, he took half a step back, retracted his Spiritual Wood Body, and cupped his hands, saying, “Thank you for the concession!”