Chapter 1778: Visiting

The Human World

Inside the hall, Master Qi and a red-faced elder, dressed in a daoist robe with lightning patterns, sat facing each other. They had known each other for a long time.

Master Qi got straight to the point: “I have come here today to ask for a favor from Elder Li.”

The red-faced elder burst into laughter. “I just told my attendant that Master Qi never visits without a reason!”

Master Qi looked embarrassed.

The red-faced elder merely teased his old friend for a moment before turning serious. “What urgent matter do you have? Please speak freely. Is it perhaps related to this young friend?” As he spoke, the red-faced elder looked at the young daoist standing respectfully behind Master Qi. He recognized most of Master Qi's disciples and daoist attendants but had never seen this person before.

Unbeknownst to him, the young daoist was Qin Sang, who had disguised himself as Daoist Mingyue’s disciple to accompany Master Qi.

“Greetings, Senior Li,” Qin Sang bowed. This Elder Li was an elder from the Right Thunder Mansion.

Master Qi nodded. “Nothing escapes your discerning eyes. He is the disciple of an old acquaintance of mine. As you might have noticed, this young man’s cultivation has reached the peak of the Virtuous Dharma Rank, and he wishes to break through, but he has not yet received a second-tier talisman.”

Elder Li had already suspected as much, so he wasn’t surprised by the revelation. He said amiably, “Which year’s talisman recipient is this young friend? A talisman recipient who receives their talisman at our Right Thunder Mansion shows a karmic connection with our sect. Even if they are not a sect disciple, as long as they have not done anything detrimental to our sect, the sect will not make things difficult for them during their promotion.” He scrutinized Qin Sang with a discerning gaze.

“He is not a talisman recipient of the Right Thunder Mansion; otherwise, there would be no need to trouble you,” Master Qi shook his head.

“Oh?” Elder Li pondered. “What was his initial talisman? You should know that our sect’s Supreme Divine Firmament Talisman has a long and profound history; it is not comparable to ordinary talismans. Even other talismans of the Thunder Division may not be able to be promoted to our sect’s talismans; only a very few are barely compatible.”

Master Qi’s voice carried a deeper meaning: “His initial talisman was indeed the Supreme Divine Firmament Talisman.”

Elder Li paused, then immediately understood. In Jushan Prefecture, besides the Right Thunder Mansion, only the Left Thunder Mansion could bestow the Supreme Divine Firmament Talisman. For this young man to be a talisman recipient from the Left Thunder Mansion yet seek promotion at the Right Thunder Mansion, there could only be one explanation: he or his master’s sect had offended the Left Thunder Mansion.

Elder Li couldn’t help but hesitate. The Right Thunder Mansion and the Left Thunder Mansion were not on good terms, and he was happy to cause some trouble for the Left Thunder Mansion. However, if this young man’s master had a deep-seated feud with the Left Thunder Mansion, helping this young man could spark an overt conflict between the two sects, which was not something the sect wished to see.

Master Qi said gravely, “Rest assured, fellow daoist, this young man is not embroiled in any major karmic entanglements. Should any dispute arise, I will bear full responsibility.”

Elder Li nodded slightly. He could still trust his old friend. The fact that Master Qi had been persuaded to act on his behalf made this young man’s background worth pondering. Master Qi was a renowned artifact refiner in Star Island Immortal Lake. Many powers had tried to recruit him when he first gained fame, but Master Qi had his own pride and refused all offers. It was rare to see him asking for favors.

“Very well!” Elder Li took out a lightning talisman. “Young friend, remember to bring this talisman to our sect on the day of talisman bestowal two years from now.”

“Thank you for your accommodation, fellow daoist.” Master Qi cupped his hands.

Qin Sang took the lightning talisman, noticing it was similar to the Left Thunder Mansion’s but with subtle differences. He repeatedly expressed his thanks.

Master Qi and Elder Li chatted for a while longer before rising to bid farewell.

Upon returning to Pot City, Qin Sang bade farewell to Master Qi, but Master Qi called out, “When your master emerges from seclusion, tell him I wish to discuss something with him.”

Qin Sang was slightly surprised and replied affirmatively. He wondered what Master Qi wanted with him.

Qin Sang waited a few more days. When he went to see Master Qi, having changed his appearance, he was led directly to the fire chamber by a daoist attendant. There, he saw Master Qi, disheveled, sitting casually in the fire chamber. A fragment of a true treasure lay before him, surrounded by a chaotic pile of spiritual materials scattered across the floor. Most of these spiritual materials were rare treasures. Anyone seeing this sight would be stunned and breathless. Master Qi’s hair was a mess. If not for the self-cleaning properties of his daoist robe, he would have looked even worse.

He stared at a scroll, occasionally scratching his head and ears, seemingly deep in thought about some problem, only to constantly negate his own ideas. “No!” “Incorrect!” “That’s it, it should be like this! But…” Master Qi was completely absorbed in his own world, utterly oblivious to Qin Sang standing at the entrance.

Qin Sang coughed lightly. Master Qi was startled awake. He looked up, his eyes still somewhat dazed, his consciousness slowly returning. “Oh! It’s Daoist Mingyue, please sit!” He patted nonexistent dust off his body, put away the various items, took out two meditation cushions, and eagerly gestured for Qin Sang to sit.

Qin Sang sat opposite him and glanced at the scroll. “Master, you urgently summoned me. Have you had a new insight?” Only a fragment of a true treasure could captivate Master Qi so completely.

Master Qi, however, countered with a question: “I recall you recently acquired a spiritual armor?”

“That’s right, this very armor.” Qin Sang nodded, and with a thought, the Whirling Wind Armor covered his body. Through the visor, he looked at Master Qi with curiosity, guessing his intention.

Master Qi gazed at the Whirling Wind Armor for a moment, then nodded slightly, a rare look of hesitation on his face. “After contemplating this true treasure fragment for many days, I’ve had an idea, but I’m not entirely confident. This item belongs to you, so I must first discuss it with you…”

“Please speak freely, Master,” Qin Sang readily said.

Master Qi then fully revealed his thoughts. Upon hearing him, Qin Sang was astonished. Master Qi had actually come up with a method to refine the true treasure fragment. It wasn’t a repair. Master Qi admitted that even if his cultivation advanced further, he wouldn’t be able to repair a true treasure. His idea was to fuse the true treasure fragment into another magical artifact. While making two treasures completely one was impossible, their spiritual energies could be linked. With luck, this might activate some of the true treasure fragment’s power, greatly enhancing the magical artifact.

However, no one knew how much power still remained in the true treasure fragment. Furthermore, Master Qi didn’t have much confidence. If it failed, the magical artifact would certainly be lost, and the true treasure fragment might also be damaged, making things even worse. Pseudo-spiritual treasures were too precious; a heavy loss would occur if he failed. Qin Sang’s Whirling Wind Armor was considered top-tier among magical artifacts, making it the most suitable for this endeavor.

“From my judgment, this true treasure might have been a defensive true treasure when complete. If you agree, I will use the Whirling Wind Armor as a base, supplement it with certain spiritual materials, and re-refine it into a top-tier spiritual armor, striving for it to better integrate with the true treasure fragment…” Master Qi looked at Qin Sang with a hint of nervousness. After all, Qin Sang was the owner of the true treasure fragment. He worried Qin Sang might take it back and turn to other Daoist artifact refining masters. Master Qi admitted he couldn’t compare to the true masters of the Daoist Gate, so he could only promise to do his utmost to preserve the true treasure fragment.

Qin Sang looked at the true treasure fragment. Without much hesitation, he gave Master Qi a joyful reply, telling him to proceed as he wished! However, Qin Sang made a request: “When you refine this treasure, Master, would you allow me to control the fire for you?” While he said “control the fire,” his real intention was to observe the refining process. Qin Sang considered: firstly, masters from the Daoist Gate were not easily invited; secondly, the Daoist Gate was a large and powerful organization, and they had likely seen complete true treasures, so they might not care much about a fragment, and even if they agreed, they wouldn’t allow him to observe. The true treasure fragment was an unexpected gain. If it failed, he would only lose a spiritual armor, which he could afford. If it succeeded, he would gain a spiritual armor whose power far surpassed a magical artifact, along with valuable artifact refining experience. Master Qi would certainly display all his skills this time, and Qin Sang could then be considered half of Master Qi’s true lineage disciple.

Master Qi was overjoyed. “Thank you for your trust, fellow daoist! I need to consider this thoroughly before starting. Please stay here for a few more years.”

He still had to wait for the promotion to the Flowing Gold Fire Bell Talisman, so Qin Sang wouldn’t leave Star Island Immortal Lake anytime soon. He immediately removed the imprint from the Whirling Wind Armor, restored it to its original form, and handed it to Master Qi. The Whirling Wind Armor’s original form was a set of bronze armor smaller than a palm.

Master Qi carefully put it away and began discussing the Dao of artifact refining with Qin Sang.

After leaving Master Qi’s residence, Qin Sang’s next task was simple: continuously meditate and cultivate his spiritual essence, then wait for the Right Thunder Mansion to open its altar for talisman bestowal.

One day, Qin Sang put away his spiritual essence cultivation spell and mused whether he should visit Sword Heart Island. The agreed time with the Sword-Wielder True Person had already passed. Now that he had received his initial talisman and had prospects for a second-tier talisman, it was time to consider how to obtain a third-tier talisman. The third-tier talisman of the Supreme Divine Firmament Talisman was called the Five Thunders Secret Talisman. As far as he knew, the main altars of the Left and Right Thunder Mansions did not bestow the Five Thunders Secret Talisman. According to the Sword-Wielder True Person, it was likely not that they simply didn’t bestow it to outsiders, but that they were fundamentally incapable of doing so.

“It’s time to visit the Sword-Wielder True Person,” Qin Sang thought.

Before long, Qin Sang flew out of Pot Island, heading north. Two days later, he entered a relatively open body of water. At the center of this water body was only a small circular island. The island was covered with a spiritual tree called Sword Heart Orchid, from which the island derived its name. From a distance, Qin Sang saw the Sword Heart Orchids on the island, resembling sharp swords pointing towards the sky, each standing upright and straight.

Before he could get close, ripples suddenly appeared in the water, and a spiritual sword formed of water shot out, blocking Qin Sang’s path, issuing a majestic command: “Halt, stranger!”

Qin Sang suppressed his flight technique and saw a slightly hunched black-robed elder flying out from Sword Heart Island. Upon seeing Qin Sang, the elder’s eyes lit up. “Is this Daoist Qingfeng in person?”

“It is I. I have come at the invitation of the Sword-Wielder True Person. May I ask your name, fellow daoist?” Qin Sang nodded.

The elder bowed deeply. “My master is currently in seclusion. I, your humble servant, was ordered by my master to await Daoist Qingfeng. My apologies for my lack of discernment just now, please forgive me, Daoist.”

A flicker of surprise crossed Qin Sang’s eyes. This elder was a Grand Cultivator in the late Nascent Soul stage, yet he referred to himself as a “humble servant,” so humbly. Qin Sang would not belittle anyone based on their status. Learning from the elder that the Sword-Wielder True Person would be in seclusion for a while longer, Qin Sang stopped the elder from disturbing him and settled into a cave dwelling on Sword Heart Island.

Half a year passed in a flash.

One day, Qin Sang felt the restrictions of his cave dwelling being touched. Opening his door, he first heard a hearty laugh. The Sword-Wielder True Person entered swiftly, a smile on his face. “I apologize for keeping you waiting, fellow daoist… Hmm?” Upon seeing Qin Sang, the Sword-Wielder True Person was first taken aback, then scrutinized him for a moment. “Since our last parting, fellow daoist, you seem to have made great progress?”

Qin Sang inwardly thought that this person’s discernment was indeed sharp. He smiled without answering and invited him to sit.

The Sword-Wielder True Person sighed, “I previously heard from Fellow Daoist Guzhou about you, how you have been in seclusion on Crane Sound Mountain for decades, detached from worldly affairs. I admire your unwavering resolve. A few years ago, after I finished my mundane matters, I originally planned to visit you on Crane Sound Mountain, but then I received your letter. So, I respectfully waited in my cave dwelling, not daring to travel far until you arrived.”

“You speak too highly of me, fellow daoist,” Qin Sang said, a questioning look on his face. “Do you have something specific in mind?”

The Sword-Wielder True Person shook his head. “It’s simply that I owe you too many favors, and it always makes me uneasy. If there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask! Furthermore, I would like to introduce you to a few masters. They are all fellow daoists with congenial dispositions, though they are mostly reclusive individuals, and I fear they might not impress you.”

Since they were friends of the Sword-Wielder True Person, their cultivation must be considerable. How could Qin Sang not be interested? First, he underwent the tribulation, then received the talisman. Qin Sang had been busy with these two matters and hadn’t properly interacted with the powerful cultivators of this world. Qin Sang sensed that the Sword-Wielder True Person’s words held unstated implications. Since the other party wasn’t explicit, he wouldn’t ask directly.

Agreeing to the meeting, Qin Sang changed his tone. “I do indeed have something I wish to ask you about, fellow daoist.”

The Sword-Wielder True Person composed himself, listening attentively.

Qin Sang deliberated before asking, “Would you be able to disclose the process for receiving a third-tier talisman?” He had already investigated and found that there was no such thing as a “sword talisman” in the world. Daoist talismans corresponded to celestial deities in the Heavenly Court, primarily those of the Thunder Division and the Dipper Division. Among them, the celestial deities of the Dipper Division encompassed everything; for instance, the Nine Luminaries Star Lords alone could incorporate the Five Elements and Yin-Yang. In Daoist legends, there was no revered position for a Sword God in the Heavenly Court. However, the Sword-Wielder True Person had not revealed a talisman altar when wielding his sword, so it was still unknown what kind of talisman he cultivated.

Hearing this, the Sword-Wielder True Person was first slightly surprised, then astonished. “You are not a Daoist Gate inheritor?” He had told Qin Sang that third-tier talismans were bestowed by the Daoist Court. Previously, Qin Sang had appeared like a powerful individual hiding his strength, and he hadn’t shown any panic in Ghostfang Nation. If he were a Cavernous Mystery True Person of the Daoist Gate, inquiring about such secrets wouldn’t be difficult.

Qin Sang nodded.

The Sword-Wielder True Person exclaimed, “No wonder!” Then, he said seriously, “I obtained my third-tier talisman from the Daoist Court! Do you remember what I said in Star Valley, fellow daoist? I can definitively tell you that throughout the entire Jushan Prefecture, while it’s possible some sects are deeply hidden, I have yet to discover any sect’s main altar capable of bestowing a third-tier talisman!”

Hearing this, Qin Sang’s last shred of hope vanished. It seemed he would have to seek out the Daoist Court. Qin Sang made no attempt to conceal his intentions, and the Sword-Wielder True Person naturally perceived them. He explained in detail, “Within the Daoist Gate, the Daoist Court and the palace temples should be viewed separately. If one has a karmic connection with a certain sect, obtaining promotion qualifications is less difficult. However, palace temples only have their own lineage, which may not be suitable for us. You should know that changing talismans midway, even if on the same path, inevitably carries the hidden danger of an unstable foundation.”

Qin Sang understood his implication and asked, surprised, “Can the Daoist Court really integrate all talismans in the world?”

The Sword-Wielder True Person shook his head slightly. “Only the immortal officials of the Daoist Court know that! However, I did indeed obtain the third-tier talisman I desired from the Daoist Court. Even if they didn’t have it, with the Daoist Court’s capabilities, they could find the most suitable third-tier talisman for you, of that there is no doubt!”

Qin Sang was thoughtful, once again feeling the Daoist Court’s powerful control over this realm. “Gaining qualification to receive a talisman from the Daoist Court is probably not easy, is it?”

The Sword-Wielder True Person’s tone was profound. “It is both difficult and not difficult; it depends on whether you are willing to accept an additional restriction upon yourself.”