Chapter 1775: Thunder Left Mansion

**The Mortal World**

The Mortal World

Regardless of the stir this action would cause at the Three Yang Sect, Qin Sang gracefully descended outside the mountain, gradually moving further away, recalling the recent ritual of conferment.

The supervising master shattered the golden talisman, failing to complete the final step of burning the talisman. This meant he could not report to the Divine Court or announce it to Yin and Yang, effectively resulting in a failed conferment.

However, when his spiritual consciousness and vital blood merged with the blank golden talisman, he gained many insights.

Combining this with the secrets he had previously learned, Qin Sang developed a deeper understanding of sect altars and dharma talismans.

That golden talisman could only be considered a blank dharma talisman.

This was because Qin Sang felt nothing special when his spiritual consciousness, vital blood, and the golden talisman merged. The golden talismans of the Three Yang Sect disciples only transformed into true dharma talismans after the seals were affixed and the talismans were burned and reported.

It was clear that burning the talisman and reporting it was the crucial step.

To make a forced analogy, it could be compared to certain mortal nations where officials have the power to recommend virtuous individuals under their governance. However, they must first report to the prime minister or even the emperor to gain court approval before the virtuous individuals can be appointed.

A dharma talisman is like an official credential and seal from the court. With such a credential, one can officially take office, and military generals can deploy troops.

There are various interpretations of what constitutes this 'court'. Some say it is Heaven or the Great Dao, while others refer to it as the Divine Court or Celestial Court.

What these individuals gain is not an official position, but rather the qualification to cultivate in this realm. Through the dharma talisman, they secure a place in this chaotic world, receive recognition from celestial beings, and can invoke deities to descend.

For this reason, Qin Sang believed that the Three Yang Sect's transmission masters and supervising masters were more like officials with the power of recommendation.

They held the right to recommend, but not the authority to appoint. They could only open the altar to present their requests and transmit messages on behalf of others.

Furthermore, they might not even possess the ability to control the sect altars or dharma talismans.

Have you not seen how rare the conferment altars in Jushanzhi are? No sect can independently construct such altars; all of them are legacies passed down from antiquity.

For this reason, the person presiding over the conferment couldn't detect Qin Sang's cultivation. If anyone could discern it, it would be the entity to whom the burned talisman was reported.

Qin Sang looked up at the sky, the firmament vast and deep blue, its limits unknown. Where were the dharma talismans sent? And where were the gods? Was there a heaven beyond heaven?

He had initially held a skeptical attitude towards Daoist legends, but the existence of dharma talismans forced him into deep contemplation.

Could the Two Courts of the Daoist Temple be that 'court'? Were the burned talismans directly sent to the Two Courts? If he was ultimately going to be targeted by them, all his actions over the years would seem utterly ridiculous.

However, Qin Sang felt this was unlikely. Only a wisp of spiritual consciousness and a drop of vital blood had merged into the blank dharma talisman; it shouldn't be so easy to discern his cultivation level.

If the Two Courts of the Daoist Temple could control the altars of various sects, they could completely decide who received talismans and who didn't. Cultivators in Jushanzhi wouldn't be able to escape the Daoist sect's grasp, and there would be no need to issue dharma edicts or merits for appeasement.

More importantly, Qin Sang had been pondering what the existence of dharma talismans truly signified.

The heavens and earth were in disorder, and the ancient Qi of the Six Heavens ran rampant. Even Transcendent cultivators were helpless, some even nearly destroying their Dao paths. Could this be how the Great Dao rules of this realm worked?

If so, for dharma talismans to enable cultivators to practice in such an environment, they would, to some extent, possess a power nearly capable of changing the world. What kind of powerful entity could wield such immense power?

Qin Sang believed that the dharma talismans might merely serve to communicate with this immense power and protect cultivators. As for the source of this power, it was beyond his conjecture.

If the Two Courts of the Daoist Temple possessed such immense power, they would have probably eliminated the demons and monsters of the Ghost Fang Kingdom long ago.

Perhaps, above the azure sky, the Celestial Court and divine beings truly existed!

Qin Sang involuntarily shook his head and averted his gaze.

In any case, if he wished to continue cultivating, he had no choice but to adapt to local customs. A dharma talisman was essential, and overthinking was pointless. He should simply proceed with his plan. Do one's best, and let destiny decide.

After this trial, Qin Sang was confident that he would not be exposed during the conferment. His next goal was to acquire the High Empyrean Divine Lightning Talisman!

A flash of light appeared.

Qin Sang emerged from the teleportation array and, before he could stand firm, was surrounded by several cultivators in armor.

He was unsurprised. He took out a square seal engraved with lightning seal script and handed it to the leader of the group, then was allowed to pass.

The streets were sparsely populated, and its prosperity was far less than any immortal city Qin Sang had seen before.

He glanced around indifferently, quickly losing interest. He walked swiftly towards the city center and soon arrived in front of a luxurious mansion. After being announced, he entered the residence and met an imposing Daoist.

"Are you Daoist Friend Bright Moon True Person?"

The Daoist had sword-like brows and starry eyes. Especially his eyes, deep within their pupils, seemed to contain two flashes of lightning, and his gaze towards Qin Sang was bright and piercing.

"That would be me, humble Daoist," Qin Sang bowed, presenting the square seal. "Greetings, True Person Zhang."

The person opposite him was a True Person from the Left Thunder Mansion, and this immortal city was also its property.

The Left Thunder Mansion's next conferment ritual would be in half a year, while the Right Thunder Mansion would have to wait two years. Therefore, Qin Sang approached the Left Thunder Mansion first.

He still used the pretext of seeking a dharma talisman for his disciple to contact the Left Thunder Mansion, which led him to this city.

"Daoist Friend, I deeply empathize with your fervent love and care for your disciple," True Person Zhang said softly. "However, this mission requires infiltrating a demon nation, which is fraught with danger. Perhaps you should reconsider? Your disciple might possess exceptional talent and not need to take such risks."

True Person Zhang spoke softly.

The Left Thunder Mansion reserved some spots for cultivators outside the sect for each conferment, but these could not be bought with spirit stones.

There were two ways to obtain the High Empyrean Divine Lightning Talisman.

One was for the recipient of the talisman to test their talent alongside the Left Thunder Mansion disciples; exceptional talent could directly qualify them.

The second was for the recipient's master or elder to perform a task for the Left Thunder Mansion, which was reportedly difficult and very dangerous.

Of course, the level of danger also depended on the strength of the person undertaking the task.

Qin Sang considered that the rules for obtaining a second-tier Flowing Gold Fire Bell Talisman would definitely be stricter than for a basic one. He planned for Master Qi to handle that when it was time to ascend to a higher-tier talisman at the Right Thunder Mansion. This time, he would personally undertake the mission.

"Thank you for your kindness, True Person Zhang," Qin Sang shook his head. "This humble Daoist has already made a clear decision."

Qin Sang shook his head. He was unsure how the Left Thunder Mansion tested talent, and displaying exceptional talent might attract attention, potentially leading to unforeseen variables. It was better to make an extra trip.

Seeing his resolve, True Person Zhang said no more. He flipped his hand and produced a jade slip.

Qin Sang took it. The jade slip contained a map of a demon nation, not particularly detailed, but with several locations marked conspicuously in blood red.

"This demon nation, we call it the Thunder Eagle Demon Nation," True Person Zhang explained. "Its ruler is a Golden-winged Thunder Eagle. The map marks the fiefdoms of the ruler's direct descendants. We hope Daoist Friend can bring back the primal blood essence of the Thunder Eagle Demon Nation's imperial family..."

True Person Zhang explained.

Qin Sang imprinted the map in his mind and mused, "Must it be imperial family members at the Demon Commander level?"

"Not necessarily," True Person Zhang paused. "As long as they are imperial descendants and you collect enough primal blood essence, that will suffice. However, Daoist Friend, do not be complacent. Those designated as imperial family members are descendants with powerful bloodlines. The ruler values them highly, and they are never short of strong guards. Furthermore..."

True Person Zhang's tone paused, "Daoist Friend, you've arrived somewhat late. Two other Daoist Friends departed a few days ago. It would be best if you set off as soon as possible."

"Does True Person mean that the three of us are competing for one spot?"

Seeing True Person Zhang nod, Qin Sang couldn't help but frown.

With his strength, this task wouldn't be difficult to complete. His only concern was that someone else might get there first.

Since that was the case, Qin Sang no longer hesitated. He immediately bade farewell to True Person Zhang and left the city.

This city was located southeast of Star Island Immortal Lake, bordering several demon nation territories.

Although both were forces within Jushanzhi, there was no harmony between humans and demons; conflicts frequently erupted between them.

Flying eastward, in less than three days, Qin Sang arrived within the territory of the Thunder Eagle Demon Nation. He had already memorized the map and formulated a preliminary plan based on the locations of the imperial fiefdoms.

More than ten days later.

Qin Sang reappeared at the border of the Thunder Eagle Demon Nation and took out a jade bottle.

The jade bottle was filled with golden blood essence, shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight. It was indeed the blood essence of the Golden-winged Thunder Eagle imperial family.

The ruler of the Thunder Eagle Demon Nation was only at the late-stage Transformation realm. If Qin Sang were to exert his full strength, the entire demon nation wouldn't be able to stop him.

However, Qin Sang didn't want to cause too much commotion and arouse suspicion. If not for the fear of being preempted, he would have waited longer.

After patiently investigating for several days, he learned that several imperial descendants were traveling together, allowing him to collect all the required blood essence in one go.

The imperial descendants had late-stage Transformation realm great demons as guards. How could they discover Qin Sang's whereabouts? Qin Sang managed to succeed without them realizing it.

"This..."

True Person Zhang took the entire bottle of glittering golden blood essence and glanced at Qin Sang with surprise.

"It is indeed imperial blood essence! I never expected Daoist Friend to be so swift!"

Cultivators infiltrating a demon nation would naturally proceed with extreme caution and plan their escape routes before acting. He had originally thought it would take at least one or two months.

Qin Sang laughed heartily, "It was also this humble Daoist's good fortune. I encountered a few lesser demons out traveling. I happen to be proficient in the art of concealing one's presence. Although the little demons' guards were strong, their spiritual senses weren't keen enough, allowing me to exploit a weakness and knock out the little demons to collect their blood."

True Person Zhang suddenly understood. No wonder he hadn't received any intelligence about someone causing a commotion in the demon nation.

"Please keep this lightning talisman safe, Daoist Friend. On the day of the conferment, your disciple can enter the mountain with this talisman."

True Person Zhang took out a shimmering silver talisman, woven as if from lightning threads.

Qin Sang put away the lightning talisman, thanked him, and then returned to Star Island Immortal Lake, where he quietly waited on Pot Island.

During this time, Qin Sang frequently visited Master Qi, receiving guidance that deepened his understanding of the Dao of Artifact Refining.

What delighted him most was that some of this experience could be used to nurture the Cloud-roaming Sword. As his understanding improved, Qin Sang gained a certain grasp of the Cloud-roaming Sword's condition, no longer as ignorant as before.

If his judgment was correct, within this century, the Cloud-roaming Sword should be able to birth a spiritual embryo, immediately elevating it to a spiritual treasure!

The reason for estimating a century was that Qin Sang's mastery was not yet deep enough; it might even happen sooner.

By common sense, merely a few hundred years would not be enough to refine a spiritual treasure.

After all, it hadn't been long since Qin Sang broke through to the Transcendent realm.

The Cloud-roaming Sword was his life-bound magical artifact, and the speed of its nurturing was also related to his cultivation level.

Refining a spiritual treasure requires the right time, place, and human harmony; a spiritual embryo can only be born when various conditions align.

As for the Cloud-roaming Sword, since it incorporated the true spirit of the Cloud-roaming Master, birthing a spiritual embryo would naturally be easier than creating something from nothing. If Qin Sang hadn't been worried about damaging the Cloud-roaming Master's fragile true spirit, it might have been even faster.

Furthermore, the Cloud-roaming Sword's body was forged with Soul-Nourishing Wood, one of the ten divine woods, and Qin Sang continuously refined it with the "Essence Offering Art." Finally, he saw a glimmer of hope!

Upon confirming this, Qin Sang was overjoyed.

Once it formed a spiritual embryo, its true spirit would be stable, and he would no longer need to worry when wielding the spiritual sword in combat.

Moreover, the Cloud-roaming Sword would directly transform into a spiritual treasure. As his life-bound spiritual sword, no other spiritual treasure would be as perfectly suited to him.

Of course, to unleash the full power of the spiritual sword, he needed to recover his cultivation as quickly as possible.

Subsequently, Qin Sang remained at Master Qi's residence, reducing his outings. He continuously practiced the "Essence Offering Art" in his cave dwelling, refining the Cloud-roaming Sword. He only left once, on the day the Jushanzhi Association held an auction.

As the attendant had described, the treasures at the auction were either exchanged through bartering or traded using Daoist Temple merits.

"Whirlwind Armor."

Qin Sang's heart stirred, and a set of green armor appeared on his body, covering him completely, even his face.

This armor was acquired by him at the auction through exchange, and it was a top-grade magical artifact.

Of course, Qin Sang very much desired an armor comparable to a quasi-spiritual treasure, even intending to refine one himself. However, after consulting Master Qi and considering his current financial status, he temporarily gave up on the idea.

Besides that, there was an unexpected bonus at the auction.

Qin Sang obtained materials for two types of Imperial Bell True Talismans at once. Now, he only lacked the Earth Blood Sand.

Several months passed in the blink of an eye.

In a certain water area in the eastern part of Star Island Immortal Lake, thousands of islands formed a continuous expanse. Cultivators passing by preferred to take a detour, even if it meant traveling for several more days, rather than trespassing.

This was because it was the location of the mountain gate of the Left Thunder Mansion, a top sect in Star Island Immortal Lake!

Three days later, the Left Thunder Mansion would open its altar for the conferment ritual.

Starting a few days prior, the Left Thunder Mansion's affiliated sects began sending newly initiated disciples in succession.

Each conferment ceremony was also a rare grand event.

On the largest outer island stood a jade stele inscribed with "Left Thunder Mansion."

Before the jade stele, people flowed like a woven tapestry, with streaks of light constantly flying in and out.

This island was the welcoming island, where disciples awaiting their conferment waited.

Unnoticed by anyone, Qin Sang disembarked alone from a treasure ship, ascertained his bearings, and walked towards the hall next to the jade stele.

"Which affiliated sect are you from? Why didn't your master or elders accompany you?" A female cultivator frowned as she looked at Qin Sang.

"My master has other important matters," Qin Sang replied respectfully, presenting the lightning talisman. "This junior is alone."

The female cultivator recognized the lightning talisman and looked at Qin Sang with surprise. She then handed him a token, saying, "Take this token and go to the other side of Welcoming Island. Choose a room in the 'Jia' (A) Block spiritual retreat. Someone will come to fetch you in three days. Oh, wait, I forgot you haven't started cultivating yet. I'll have someone take you there..."

A disciple of the Left Thunder Mansion led Qin Sang and helped him settle into the spiritual retreat.

Three days later.

The restriction outside the door was triggered.

Qin Sang pushed the door open and saw a handsome young man with a sword at his waist smiling at him. "Little brother, you're here for the conferment ceremony, aren't you? Come with me."

The handsome young man picked up a few more people, and together they boarded a flying boat, soaring through the air towards the depths of the archipelago.

The flying boat journeyed through the clouds.

Before long, dense dark clouds appeared ahead, with thunder echoing continuously.

*Swoosh!* The flying boat plunged into the depths of the dark clouds, suddenly plummeted, and landed on a gloomy island.