Chapter 1798: Toxic Domain

The Mortal World

Void Refinement cultivators are elusive, rarely seen.

Everyone set off, still reeling from the shock.

The treasure carriage led the way, leaving a trail of fire in the void, like a long comet's tail.

Out of consideration for Qin Sang and the others, Master Wan did not push the carriage to its maximum speed.

They galloped for over a thousand li.

Finally, they witnessed another celestial phenomenon.

In the distant east, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, accompanied by a fierce wind and rain. Exotic flowers fell from the sky, and golden lotuses gushed from the earth.

Qin Sang knew this phenomenon was caused by Void Refinement cultivators, likely indicating their true location. However, the distance was too great to discern if it was the Great Master or the Black Demonic Roc.

The strange phenomenon moved eastward, growing increasingly distant from them, and soon vanished from their sight.

The battle between the Great Master and the Demon King left no room for their intervention, nor did they dare to stay and observe. Filled with regret, they could only turn south and head back.

The return journey was very smooth.

The Demon King was held back by the Great Master, and there was no sign of the Ghost Fang Nation's army.

As they neared Ju Shan Commandery, the treasure carriage in front came to a halt. Master Wan stepped out and landed before them, bowing. "There should be no more demons blocking our path ahead, fellow daoists," he said. "It is time for us to part ways. This humble daoist will report all your merits to the Commandery Altar in full detail."

"Many thanks, Master Wan!"

The True Masters returned the bow.

Master Wan nodded, returned to the treasure carriage, and its speed surged, transforming into a fiery rainbow that tore through the sky and vanished.

Watching the fiery rainbow disappear into the sky, the group continued south, heading straight back to Ju Shan Commandery and entering the Star Island Immortal Lake.

Qin Sang dismissed his escape light, cupped his hands to Master Zhi Jian and the others, and said, "Fellow daoists, this humble daoist must proceed to the Court of Dao. I will go ahead. We shall meet again."

Having achieved military merits, he could now go directly to the Court of Dao for the promotion decree.

Since his qualification was not obtained by completing a summons, he no longer needed to visit Master Zhan Gui.

All the True Masters knew that Qin Sang had not yet been promoted to the third-rank decree and could understand his urgent feelings.

To constantly suppress one's true essence at the Nascent Soul stage would be unbearable for them too; they would also wish to break free from such restraints as soon as possible.

Yet, it was Qin Sang, despite being restricted, who earned the greatest merit this time. Everyone couldn't help but lament the unpredictability of fate.

This time, Qin Sang alone had slain a mid-stage Cavern Profound Demon Marquis, which was more than enough to earn him the qualification for promotion.

"We shall meet again!"

The True Masters returned the bow.

Master Zhi Jian smiled faintly. "After fellow daoist Qing Feng completes his promotion," he said, "if you have no place to settle, this humble daoist's Sword Heart Island is quite spacious, and I will always reserve a cave dwelling for you."

Seeing Master Zhi Jian's intention to win over Qin Sang, no one was surprised; some even regretted not speaking up sooner themselves.

Through their experiences together, they had learned that Qin Sang was not a sect disciple but a true rogue cultivator.

Furthermore, he was a rare dual cultivator of magic and body. Once his true essence recovered after his promotion, his strength would be extraordinary.

If they could win over such an expert, without having to worry about conflicts of interest, anyone would be tempted.

"This humble daoist thanks Master Zhi Jian in advance!"

Qin Sang let out a hearty laugh and immediately accepted, giving no one else a chance to speak.

Having been able to successfully earn merits and exchange them for the decree, and having received Master Zhi Jian's help multiple times during this period, Qin Sang naturally remembered this favor.

Master Zhi Jian also had no major power interests entangled behind him, and as a sword cultivator, they could discuss the way of the sword in the future.

Moreover, their temperaments were compatible.

These reasons were enough for Qin Sang to make his choice.

Venerable Zhen Ru stood beside Master Zhang, seemingly wanting to speak but hesitating. Finally, he clasped his hands together and simply said, "Until we meet again."

Qin Sang sensed that Venerable Zhen Ru seemed to have something to say but found it inconvenient to speak in front of others.

He guessed it might concern Buddhist secrets. In this realm, the Daoist sect reigns supreme, so Buddhist secret arts must be extremely rare.

If the other party wished to trade, it wasn't impossible; it would just depend on what treasures Jing Tai Temple was willing to offer in exchange.

Now that he was about to get back on track, Qin Sang also needed to start collecting treasures for his cultivation.

Since Venerable Zhen Ru did not speak, Qin Sang wouldn't proactively inquire. He cupped his hands in a general bow to everyone and reluctantly bid them farewell.

Primordial Lord Qing Dan, Mountain Man Bo Xian, and the Yun Wei siblings had not left either.

After Qin Sang had bid farewell to everyone, Primordial Lord Qing Dan stepped forward and said, "True Master intends to go to the Court of Dao, and we also need to return to our sect. Why don't we travel together? We can look out for each other. What do you think, True Master?"

Qin Sang had no objections.

The group then split into two.

Qin Sang and his companions turned west, arriving at the Right Band Pass of Star Island Immortal Lake. They took a small teleportation array, undergoing several transfers, and after flying for several more days, they finally entered White Stone Commandery.

Northeast of White Stone Commandery.

The Cavern Transformation Ward.

The group barely rested along the way, travel-worn and dusty, as they rushed directly to the Ward Altar.

Upon entering the immortal city and seeing the bustling crowds, Qin Sang stopped, bowed, and said, "This humble daoist needs to go to the White Stone Commandery Altar. What are your plans, fellow daoists?"

Having traveled together, the three had conversed happily and become very familiar.

Qin Sang decided to receive his promotion decree at the North Pole Exorcism Institute and to visit Master Ling Xu while he was there.

Primordial Lord Qing Dan and her companions were returning to Mole Cricket Mountain, located in Zhong Mao Commandery, which was not in his direction. It was time for them to part ways.

"True Master, why the rush?" said Primordial Lord Qing Dan. "We've traveled thousands of miles without a moment's rest. Why not take a short break to wash away the travel dust?"

As she spoke, Primordial Lord Qing Dan instructed Yun Wei and his junior sister, "Hurry to the best restaurant in this ward and arrange the most exquisite spiritual feast."

"Your disciples obey!"

Yun Wei and his junior sister immediately took their leave.

Finding it hard to refuse such hospitality, Qin Sang accepted.

His eyes flickered; he could tell that Primordial Lord Qing Dan's invitation had another purpose.

The finest restaurant in the city was called the 'Immortal Summons Pavilion', located in the heart of the immortal city. It was rumored to be owned by the Court of Dao, and its business was exceptionally booming, with only extraordinary individuals coming and going.

The most exquisite spiritual feast was set amidst the clouds in the sky, with misty cloud seats and enchanting immortal songs, truly making one feel as if they were in a celestial realm.

As Primordial Lord Qing Dan had matters to discuss, she requested a private room. Once the banquet was served, she dismissed all attendants.

The Yun Wei siblings, dignified Nascent Soul cultivators, were now acting as gatekeepers.

Looking at the table laden with rare delicacies and immortal wine, Qin Sang couldn't help but feel his appetite stirred. He also sighed inwardly, realizing just how costly this banquet was.

The jade nectar was comparable to spiritual liquid, the plates were filled with spiritual fruits, and the ingredients for the dishes were all derived from the essence of demonic beasts.

A single bite not only left a lingering fragrance in one's mouth and satisfied the palate, but also replenished vital energy and boosted true essence. It was truly luxurious.

Of course, for Spirit Transformation cultivators, these benefits were barely better than nothing.

After several rounds of wine and many dishes.

"These past few days, True Master, do you have any new insights regarding the strange poison in my junior disciple's body?"

Hearing Primordial Lord Qing Dan's question, Qin Sang's spirits lifted. Finally, they were getting to the main topic.

He shook his head and replied, "This humble daoist can confirm that I have never encountered this poison before, nor have I ever heard of its unique characteristics."

Primordial Lord Qing Dan nodded in disappointment, then her tone shifted. "True Master must also be curious about the origin of this poison, I presume? This humble daoist originally thought you would inquire about it yourself..."

Qin Sang adopted an attentive posture, indicating he was all ears, and did not deny her assumption.

Primordial Lord Qing Dan and Mountain Man Bo Xian exchanged a glance. She then began to recount, "This matter dates back to many years ago. I entered the Ju Shan Commandery Altar, originally intending to broaden my knowledge, but I unintentionally stumbled upon a poison domain. There was no record of this particular domain in our sect's ancient texts, and I'm not sure if I was the first to discover it, as the Commandery Altar, though stable, is also constantly shifting..."

She paused, glanced at Qin Sang, and seeing his expression remained unchanged, continued, "That poison domain was exceedingly strange. I pride myself on my mastery of poison control, believing few in the world surpass me, yet even I couldn't discern its secrets. This piqued my curiosity, and I decided to explore it personally."

Upon hearing this, Qin Sang also grew interested. "What did you discover, Primordial Lord? Was it a great divine ability of the poison path left by an ancient powerful being, or a peculiar illusion formed by the collision of various unusual forces?"

"I suspect it's the former."

Primordial Lord Qing Dan frankly stated, "This humble daoist did indeed make some gains, but they were either incomplete or damaged. At best, they could slightly enhance the strength and insight of my disciples, thus being beneficial to the sect. However, my own strength was insufficient, and I only explored a portion of the poison domain's periphery. So, I invited fellow daoist Bo Xian to assist, and instructed my sect's true disciples to practice a special formation, preparing to delve deeper into the poison domain. Unexpectedly, it ended up harming them..."

As she spoke, Primordial Lord Qing Dan looked towards her disciples by the door, a somber expression on her face.

"Fate is unpredictable, Primordial Lord, you are not to blame," Mountain Man Bo Xian consoled her. "Only blame the demons for stirring up trouble."

Only then did Qin Sang understand the full story, thinking to himself, 'So that's how it was.'

He pondered, "Primordial Lord, you don't hesitate to take risks. Could it be that a significant treasure is hidden deep within the poison domain, one that holds great importance for you and your esteemed sect?"

Primordial Lord Qing Dan's expression quickly returned to normal. She lightly shook her head and said, "Whether a treasure exists or not is merely this humble daoist's speculation; it can only be confirmed by entering the poison domain and seeing it with my own eyes. I wonder if True Master has any interest in that poison domain?"

On the way here, she had pondered for a long time and ultimately decided to inform Qin Sang of the full story and invite his assistance.

Firstly, Mole Cricket Mountain had suffered heavy losses this time. To set up that peculiar formation, they required true disciples from Mole Cricket Mountain, and they were short on personnel to re-establish the formation.

They had no choice but to seek external assistance.

Secondly, she didn't want to alert other sects that also practiced the poison path, so she could only seek help from outside the Daoist community.

Moreover, cultivators skilled in this path were rare, and those with profound cultivation were even scarcer.

Most importantly, the poison-neutralizing art Qin Sang displayed was extraordinary.

That strange poison, which she could only temporarily suppress herself, had caused several of her disciples to tragically die before her eyes, yet Qin Sang had managed to neutralize it.

Qin Sang remained noncommittal, saying meaningfully, "Primordial Lord, you've expended countless efforts on that poison domain. Are you truly willing to share it with an outsider?"

To this, Primordial Lord Qing Dan frankly replied, "I am ashamed to admit that True Master's poison-neutralizing art far surpasses my own. However, in this humble daoist's opinion, True Master's dao foundation does not lie in this path, and some treasures found there would be useless to you."

Qin Sang frowned upon hearing this. "That strange poison must be hidden deep within the poison domain, then, right? If the poison domain is so dangerous, and I might not even obtain what I need, why should this humble daoist take such a risk?"

Primordial Lord Qing Dan had already prepared her explanation. "This humble daoist only requires one specific item. Aside from that, the remaining treasures will be chosen by the three of us in turns. As long as fellow daoist can help me acquire that item, this humble daoist will offer additional compensation... How about a top-tier poison path body-refining secret art?"

Her tone was full of confidence. Since Qin Sang was a strength cultivator and proficient in poison path secret arts, it was impossible for him not to be tempted.

"A body-refining secret art?"

Indeed, Qin Sang showed a hint of interest.

He still didn't know how long it would take to refine the Qilin's Origin Seed, and with his divine sense restricted, strengthening his physical body was a major way to increase his power.

More importantly, this art was a secret poison path technique, which seemed to involve tempering the body with potent toxins.

With the Poison Orb in hand, this art might prove to be greatly beneficial to him.

In fact, Qin Sang had already been tempted when Primordial Lord Qing Dan first mentioned the poison domain. He had long wanted to find potent toxins for the Poison Orb to devour; his subsequent hesitation was merely a pretext to extract more benefits.

And he indeed gained something from it.

Qin Sang pressed for a few more details. Primordial Lord Qing Dan did not demonstrate the secret art, but she did explain some crucial aspects.

She dared to call it a superior secret art, so she naturally wouldn't exaggerate. However, this secret art carried a significant hidden danger: tempering the body with poison would first harm oneself. If the toxins couldn't be neutralized in time, their accumulation in the body would become extremely perilous.

It could be called a sinister secret art, one that courted death to achieve life.

Only because she knew Qin Sang was proficient in poison-neutralizing arts did she offer this technique; anyone else would certainly not have agreed.

"Very well, for the next expedition, this humble daoist will accompany you two!"

Qin Sang did not hesitate for too long before agreeing to the matter.

However, some hidden concerns had to be considered.

"The Court of Dao and the Ghost Fang Nation just had a conflict at the Ju Shan Commandery Altar. I'm afraid that area won't be peaceful in the future," Qin Sang said, voicing his concern.

Having personally witnessed a Void Refinement cultivator in action, Qin Sang was even more determined to avoid getting embroiled in the battlefield between the two major powers.

"True Master, rest assured," Primordial Lord Qing Dan explained. "After this incident, the Ghost Fang Nation and the Court of Dao should not engage in conflict again for at least a decade or more. We will return now to make preparations and strive to depart as soon as possible."

Seeing Primordial Lord Qing Dan's confident expression, Qin Sang secretly thought that they must have discovered something earlier, and that he had intentionally avoided the battle and missed out.

He did not press further, nodding. "In that case," he said, "this humble daoist will strive to receive my decree and stabilize my cultivation as soon as possible. Before you two True Masters depart, you can send a message to Gourd City."

Both parties exchanged contact methods and finalized the arrangement.

Primordial Lord Qing Dan's tone became relaxed again. She advised, "The expenses required for entering the poison domain will be prepared by us, but it would be best if True Master also made some preparations."

Everyone was pleased.

The group then did not linger, leaving the Immortal Summons Pavilion and arriving at the Teleportation Hall where the small teleportation array was located.

Each time the small teleportation array was activated, a certain number of people were required to be present.

Primordial Lord Qing Dan and her companions departed first. Qin Sang waited in the Teleportation Hall, secretly pondering the matter of the poison domain.

As it was only a preliminary agreement, Qin Sang was still unsure of the exact location of the poison domain, only its general direction.

He accepted the invitation not only because he coveted the treasures and secret arts within the poison domain but also for another reason, one that could not be revealed to outsiders.

This poison domain was located deep within the Commandery Altar. Passing through it might open another path, helping him find his way to ascension.

Before long, the required number of people had gathered, and the small teleportation array was activated.

After several transfers, Qin Sang returned to the White Stone Commandery Altar.

Stepping out of the Teleportation Hall, Qin Sang was not in a hurry to visit Master Ling Xu. Instead, he walked towards the magnificent immortal palace deep within the Commandery Altar.

Years ago, when he first arrived at the Commandery Altar, he had been greatly awed by the sight.

Looking at it now, he realized these were merely superficial displays; far grander and more magnificent sights were hidden, unknown to others.

What was visible outside was, at best, equivalent to the Golden Hall on the outskirts of the Ju Shan Commandery Altar.

He quickly walked to the front of the immortal palace.

What greeted his eyes was a white jade archway, inscribed with the five large characters: 'White Stone Commandery Altar'.

It also bore the inscription 'North Pole Exorcism Institute'.

This was the core of the North Pole Exorcism Institute, where the True Lords and Great Masters of the Court of Dao resided in their cave dwellings.

The promotion to a third-rank magic decree had to be conducted at the Commandery Altar; otherwise, Qin Sang would not be allowed to approach these powerful Daoist figures so closely.

He calmed his mind, restrained his aura, and stepped towards the archway. As he approached, he heard a voice from high above shout, "Who approaches!"

Qin Sang took out the talisman seal Master Wan had given him, shook it towards the sky, and stated in a deep voice, "This humble daoist is Qing Feng!"