Chapter 1762: 化 Dream Four Seasons Flowers

The Human World

The Youyi Emissary instantly appeared between the two.

Yun Wei also withdrew his divine ability. Though a hint of reluctance flickered in his eyes, he understood the principle of accepting defeat. After bowing in return, he hesitated slightly before saying, "It’s not that I, this humble Taoist, am exaggerating, but this 'Spirit-Dispelling Malediction' is a true poison curse passed down from my sect. Once it penetrates the five vital organs, there's no known antidote. Since Fellow Daoist is affected by this curse, if you notice any unusual symptoms, do not underestimate it. You must find a way to neutralize the poison as soon as possible."

Qin Sang was slightly taken aback, recognizing the man's straightforwardness. "Thank you for the reminder, Fellow Daoist. I understand."

The Poison Pearl, which could control the primordial poison of the Five-Mutation Spirit Insects, naturally had no fear of a mere Spirit-Dispelling Malediction. As soon as the curse's power entered his body, it was completely absorbed by the Poison Pearl, leaving Qin Sang unharmed.

Even without the Poison Pearl, Qin Sang's Spirit Wood Body provided exceptional resistance to potent poisons, making Yun Wei's defeat inevitable.

At that moment, the typically unsmiling Youyi Emissary suddenly interjected, "I once witnessed Fellow Daoist Yun Shan employ the Spirit-Dispelling Malediction. While its power isn't visibly obvious, it was far less insidious than what you demonstrated just now, Fellow Daoist."

Yun Wei humbly replied, "Senior Brother Yun Shan's cultivation is far superior to mine. I merely stumbled upon a fortunate opportunity."

"I heard that your esteemed sect recently discovered an ancient Taoist ruin in the northern Jushan Prefecture, yielding a rich harvest. It seems the rumors are true," the Youyi Emissary remarked, giving him a profound look.

Yun Wei sighed, "What we obtained were merely a few incomplete scrolls, only enough to patch up our sect's inherited techniques. We can't break free from old limitations. When facing an opponent like Fellow Daoist Qingfeng, I am still utterly helpless, aren't I?"

With that, Yun Wei excused himself to the Youyi Emissary, then turned to Qin Sang and said, "Until we meet again."

He then strode away.

Qin Sang listened closely to their conversation, realizing that Ant Cricket Mountain seemed adept at poison-based talismans and spells.

He thought of his own Poison Pearl.

Normally, when facing an enemy, he could only secretly unleash the virulent poison from the Poison Pearl. This was inefficient and easily detected by opponents, risking failure. Currently, only the 'Heavenly Absolute Soul-Shaking Divine Needles' was a powerful poison-based divine ability that could utilize virulent poison, indicating there was still much potential to be unleashed.

If an opportunity arose in the future, he might consider making contact with Ant Cricket Mountain.

While pondering, Qin Sang followed the Nine Heavens Youyi Emissary back to the main hall.

The Youyi Emissary mused, "Fellow Daoist is a strength-based cultivator, and this particular dao summons isn't entirely suitable for you. However, we had an agreement, so I won't prevent you. Just remember to proceed with caution."

With that, the Youyi Emissary handed the summons to Qin Sang.

Qin Sang read it and was greatly surprised. "Gathering herbs?"

It wasn't a task to hunt down demon marshals from the Ghost Fang Kingdom, nor was it a secret mission for the Daoist Court.

Instead, the mission was surprisingly simple: he only needed to gather a spiritual herb.

However, simple did not mean easy.

The spiritual herb was named the Four Seasons Dream Transformation Flower, and the summons stated it grew in a place called Rose Butterfly Mountain.

Rose Butterfly Mountain was a large mountain range within Jushan Prefecture, but it was located on the eastern border, adjacent to the Ghost Fang Kingdom.

The summons even explicitly stated that this area had already been incorporated into the Ghost Fang Kingdom's territory and granted as a fief to a demon marquis.

Qin Sang frowned and asked, "Is this Four Seasons Dream Transformation Flower perhaps a forbidden treasure of some great demon in the Ghost Fang Kingdom?"

Stealing herbs from a great demon's dwelling was undoubtedly a path to death.

"Rose Butterfly Mountain is within a demon marquis's fief, but it's relatively remote. Also, this spiritual herb likely hasn't been discovered by demons yet; otherwise, it would have been harvested long ago. Once matured, this spiritual herb moves within a certain range during four specific time slots each day, making it incredibly elusive. In fact, we aren't even certain if the Four Seasons Dream Transformation Flower exists on Rose Butterfly Mountain; our inference is based on certain indications. When you arrive, Fellow Daoist, you must first confirm the flower's existence. If the task proves impossible, there's no need to force it. Senior Lingxu will also provide a corresponding reward for accurate clues..."

The Youyi Emissary first explained the characteristics of the Four Seasons Dream Transformation Flower, then handed him a jade slip.

The jade slip recorded a route to Rose Butterfly Mountain and even marked the demons in the vicinity.

However, the Youyi Emissary had warned that this topographical map wasn't recently drawn, and the situation was volatile, so it shouldn't be treated as absolute truth.

After a short pause, Qin Sang took his leave.

The Nine Heavens Youyi Emissary watched Qin Sang's retreating figure disappear beyond the door, then turned and returned to the inner hall.

Outside the door, Qin Sang summoned a spirit beast, returned to his cave dwelling, invoked the summons, and then took out the topographical map, falling into contemplation.

Over the years, he had been careful to gather information about Jushan Prefecture.

Unless something unexpected happened, he would likely stay here for a long time, as the two prefectures under the Daoist Court were not suitable for rogue cultivators.

In a narrower sense, Jushan Prefecture referred to a long, narrow region centered around the military standoff between the Daoist Court and the Ghost Fang Kingdom. Cultivators in Jushan Prefecture vividly called this area the Yellow Springs Path.

As the name suggested, this was where the two sides had engaged in the most battles, with rivers of blood and mountains of corpses in the past.

Crane Cry Mountain was within the Yellow Springs Path. The place where Qin Sang slew the tiger demon and Star Valley were considered the northern and southern edges of the Yellow Springs Path.

In reality, compared to the true Jushan Prefecture, the Yellow Springs Path wasn't vast, equivalent to only two or three tenths of Zhongmao Prefecture.

Jushan Prefecture was once the largest of the two prefectures and two mountains, reportedly larger than Zhongmao Prefecture and Baishi Prefecture combined. The Yellow Springs Path seemed more like a battlefield specifically reserved for the Daoist Court and the Ghost Fang Kingdom.

Both sides had attempted to integrate Jushan Prefecture, advancing step by step to occupy the entire territory and threaten the enemy's heartland. However, all attempts failed, unable to withstand the opponent's counterattacks, which gradually led to the current stalemate.

North of the Yellow Springs Path lay vast tracts of ownerless land, where countless sects and factions from Jushan Prefecture were scattered, avoiding the battlefield and surviving in the cracks between the two great powers.

Among the local sects in Jushan Prefecture, Yin Tian Palace had the most prominent reputation. It was rare to find a sect like Yin Tian Palace bold enough to directly build an immortal city within the vortex of war.

Other sects only regretted that their mountain gates weren't far enough from the battlefield. This was precisely why the desolate area where Star Valley was located had come into being.

However, these sects could not hope for peaceful cultivation. Outside, there was no shortage of demon cultivators and human traitors supported by the Ghost Fang Kingdom, leading to constant overt and covert struggles.

Jushan Prefecture was destined to be chaotic.

If Rose Butterfly Mountain were located outside the Yellow Springs Path, things would be simpler, but unfortunately, it was not to be.

For Qin Sang to reach Rose Butterfly Mountain, the safest route was to circumvent it from both sides, infiltrate the Ghost Fang Kingdom, and approach Rose Butterfly Mountain covertly.

But the further east he traveled, the closer he got to the Ghost Fang Kingdom, necessitating continued caution.

"Very well," he muttered, "I'll take the opportunity to experience the customs and landscape of Jushan Prefecture..."

Qin Sang already had a plan in mind as he murmured to himself.

The next morning, Qin Sang left Crane Cry Mountain and set off alone.

He did not follow the route outlined in the summons. After leaving the city, he headed directly north. Along the way, he remembered Star Valley and took a look. Star Valley had not been damaged, and the Taoist was long gone.

The Taoist's token was still in his possession, but Qin Sang was not in a hurry to use this favor.

Continuing north from Star Valley, Qin Sang encountered few cultivators along the way.

This area was too close to the Ghost Fang Kingdom's main camp. Traces of demons could be found occasionally. Jushan Prefecture cultivators traveling to Crane Cry Mountain would deliberately detour westward for some distance when heading south, with few daring to pass directly through this area.

Crossing the vast mountain ranges, Qin Sang arrived back in human territory, where he encountered a different kind of mortal.

Unlike the Ghost People, who lived exposed to the elements and consumed raw meat and blood, these mortals could not live stable lives like normal people under the Daoist Court. They existed somewhere between Ghost People and ordinary humans.

Cultivators in Jushan Prefecture also educated mortals, using them as human stock for their sects. However, unlike the Daoist Court, they couldn't completely dispel the 'Six Days Ancient Qi' for mortals. As they aged, these mortals would gradually transform into Ghost People.

According to Qin Sang's investigations, the biggest difference between this place and the Daoist Court's dominion was the absence of Earth Deities.

The unique environment of this realm created various bizarre phenomena, consistently bringing a sense of novelty to Qin Sang.

Incidentally, he also grew curious about the Ghost Fang Kingdom, wondering how this nation of demons and ghosts managed to create its demon talismans and stand as an equal against the Daoist Court.

He did not venture too far north, instead turning eastward. He traveled swiftly, taking in the sights, almost without stopping.

The further east he went, the more demons he encountered, transitioning from areas of human-demon coexistence to the emergence of large and small demon kingdoms.

To avoid revealing himself, Qin Sang activated his Heavenly Demon Transformation. A pair of wings sprouted from his back, and his body exuded a demonic aura purer than that of regular demon cultivators.

He had the confidence to complete this summons precisely because he relied on his Heavenly Demon Transformation. With this divine ability, he could openly travel through demon kingdoms, unafraid of being recognized even if he encountered demon cultivators of the same rank.

He made a wide detour, bypassed the Ghost Fang Kingdom's main camp, and continued eastward, traversing mountains and rivers until he finally stopped at the border of a demon kingdom in eastern Jushan Prefecture.

"From here, about ten thousand li eastward, should be Rose Butterfly Mountain..."

Qin Sang stood atop a rocky mountain, gazing eastward. After a moment of contemplation, he formed a hand seal, concealed his aura and form, and quietly headed east.

According to his understanding, Rose Butterfly Mountain was a fief belonging to a demon marquis of the demon race, titled Marquis Liu.

All demon marquises in the Ghost Fang Kingdom possessed Soul Transformation stage power. Qin Sang certainly didn't want to confront such a powerful expert head-on. Fortunately, Rose Butterfly Mountain was not in the core of Marquis Liu's fief.

Reaching this point meant entering the heartland of the Ghost Fang Kingdom; he couldn't be too careful.

There were naturally dangers. Without risk, how could he obtain a token from a grandmaster alchemist?

Qin Sang moved stealthily, and indeed, he discovered patrolling demon soldiers along the way. However, their cultivation was not high, making it impossible for them to discern his disguise.

Over a hundred fire crows, arranged in neat formation, flew from the distant mountains, the flames on their feathers dyeing the sky red.

The two leading fire crows were noticeably larger, and one of them had a section of its tail missing.

The broken-tailed fire crow scanned the mountains below, yawned, and complained to the leader beside it, "Brother, we've flown three rounds. It's time to rest. It's like this every day, every year. I've counted every blade of grass on these mountains; when have we ever seen a single human soldier? This is the Marquis's fief. Humans would have to break through our main camp first to get here."

The fire crow leader squawked, and the other fire crows flapped their wings, retracted their demonic flames, and landed on the ground, each choosing a spot to rest.

The broken-tailed fire crow wrapped itself with its wings, landed in a sheltered mountain hollow, and comfortably lay down.

Just as it was about to meditate, the broken-tailed fire crow suddenly felt its consciousness grow hazy, then it fell into a deep sleep. At the same time, a human figure appeared before it.

The newcomer waved a hand, set up a restriction, and woke the broken-tailed fire crow.

The broken-tailed fire crow was dazed, answering whatever the newcomer asked.

The fire crow leader stood on high alert. An hour passed, and it issued another command. After a moment, the broken-tailed fire crow swayed as it flew up to rejoin the group, remembering nothing of what had just happened.

Not far away, Qin Sang withdrew his gaze.

Over the next few days, he repeated the process, gathering information from these demon guards, corroborating it with the contents of the summons, and scouting the forces around Rose Butterfly Mountain.

This place was still some distance from the Demon Marquis's manor.

Qin Sang needed to guard against the demon marshals cultivating nearby.

Previously, there was only one demon marshal near Rose Butterfly Mountain.

Now, the Rose Butterfly Mountain range was divided into two, becoming the fiefs of two demon marshals: one Red-tailed Demon Marshal and one Shadow-Illuminating Demon Marshal, both commanding countless demon soldiers. The difficulty had significantly increased.

Due to the characteristics of the Four Seasons Dream Transformation Flower, harvesting it might disturb the nearby terrestrial energy.

Although the summons provided a method to mitigate this, it couldn't entirely smooth out the fluctuations in terrestrial energy, making perfect concealment difficult.

Qin Sang had to leave quickly before the demon marshals noticed. Once exposed, he would have no choice but to swiftly eliminate both demon marshals with lightning speed and escape the Ghost Fang Kingdom before alarming Marquis Liu.

He quietly approached Rose Butterfly Mountain, mentally rehearsing his upcoming plan repeatedly.

Before long, he finally reached the edge of Rose Butterfly Mountain.

Rose Butterfly Mountain was not a single peak or a cluster of peaks; it was an entire mountain range extending from north to south, acting like a natural barrier, protecting the demon marquis's manor at the core of the fief.

After traveling along the Rose Butterfly Mountain range for a while, Qin Sang chose a hidden spot to stop. He took out the summons and read it again.

His current task was to confirm the presence of the Four Seasons Dream Transformation Flower nearby. The summons detailed three methods.

The first method involved too much commotion and was temporarily disregarded.

The second method involved using a spiritual incense. When lit at midnight, if the smoke exhibited a peculiar change, it would indicate the Four Seasons Dream Transformation Flower was nearby.

However, this method had a drawback: the older the Four Seasons Dream Transformation Flower, the stronger its concealment ability, potentially rendering the spiritual incense ineffective.

The spiritual incense had been given to him along with the summons.

Qin Sang noted the time of day, then entered a state of deep meditation.

The moon rose and the sun set.

Finally, at midnight, Qin Sang awoke serenely. With a flip of his palm, he produced a golden yellow stick of incense. He ran a finger over it, and smoke immediately began to waft upwards.

Strangely, the smoke did not drift away but rotated around the incense stick, gradually gathering into a ball.

This indicated that the spiritual incense had not detected the Four Seasons Dream Transformation Flower. Qin Sang waited for about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, then left the spot with the incense, moving to another location.

As midnight was about to pass, Qin Sang extinguished the spiritual incense. Due to the unique characteristics of the Four Seasons Dream Transformation Flower, this incense was only effective at midnight.

Thus, Qin Sang spent his days finding places to cultivate, and at night, he lit the spiritual incense, searching for the spiritual herb around the Rose Butterfly Mountain range.

Unexpectedly, Qin Sang circled the entire Rose Butterfly Mountain range, but the spiritual incense's smoke showed no change.

"Only the third method is left," Qin Sang sighed.

Qin Sang sighed inwardly, putting away the remaining incense.

The third method was a secret herb-seeking technique. However, employing this technique would greatly consume divine sense. Although Qin Sang didn't want to deplete his divine sense, he had no other choice.

Under the cover of night, Qin Sang returned to the middle section of the Rose Butterfly Mountain range, arriving at a pre-selected cave.

After sealing the cave, Qin Sang sat cross-legged. The secret technique flowed through his mind, stirring his divine sense as he silently activated the method.

According to the secret technique's requirements, Qin Sang performed it once every two hours. Days passed, and with each successive application, his spiritual perception seemed to silently permeate the rocks, gradually connecting with the mountains, vegetation, and even the terrestrial energy of the area.

A long period of stillness.

After an unknown duration, in the gloomy cave, Qin Sang suddenly opened his eyes, a flicker of joy in them.

Found it!