Chapter 1817: Wound Healed

The Mortal Realm

The tremors from the Protectorate Array lasted for a long time. As the tremors gradually subsided, Qin Sang's aura receded and finally stabilized. He opened his eyes, a glint of excitement impossible to hide. He had never imagined he would break through to the mid-fifth layer of the Heavenly Demon Refining Form in just thirty years.

Calming his mind, Qin Sang internally inspected his body. This breakthrough had left no hidden dangers. Clenching his fists lightly, his body felt as if it possessed inexhaustible strength. At this moment, Qin Sang remembered something and looked up at the Azure Luan apparition above him. With the breakthrough, the Azure Luan apparition's transformation was obvious; the phantom became more solid, gradually turning into a real entity, though still far from comparable to the fleeting glimpse of the Demon King's apparition. What Qin Sang wanted to know was what benefits each transformation of the Azure Luan apparition would bring him. The cultivation method did not specify this. Perhaps different apparitions had different effects, or it was related to bloodlines. Demon cultivators with bloodline inheritances might instinctively understand, while he had to figure it out on his own. Cultivating the Heavenly Demon Refining Form as a human always led to various troubles, and Qin Sang was long used to it. He immediately focused his mind and sensed the apparition.

A year later, faint golden light flickered inside the cave dwelling, outlining Qin Sang's figure. His hands formed a mudra, specifically the Auspicious Seal, the first form of the Seven Masters Buddhist Seals. As the saying goes, "hands form the mudra, mouth recites the mantra, heart visualizes the venerable Buddha." Qin Sang's mastery had long reached the "heart seal" stage, yet he still formed the mudra with his hands. However, though it was the same Auspicious Seal, it was vastly different from before.

"Still not working..." A sigh escaped him. Qin Sang opened his eyes, looked at his hands, and fell into deep thought. Clearly, he was comprehending and deducing the Seven Masters Buddhist Seals, aiming to achieve the unification of the seven seals.

There were still five years until his appointment with Venerable Zhen Ru. Originally, Qin Sang thought the fifty-year agreement was generous enough for him to comprehend the unification of the seven seals. Unexpectedly, he obtained the Tome of Poison God, so he focused on its cultivation, setting the Seven Masters Buddhist Seals aside. He reasoned that it would be easier to comprehend the Buddhist Seals after improving his cultivation realm and breaking through. As expected, in the year following his breakthrough, Qin Sang made rapid progress, achieving the fusion of five seals. Only the last two seals remained: the Vajra Heavenly Armor Seal and the Vajra Great Freedom Seal. He was currently attempting to fuse the Vajra Heavenly Armor Seal and had encountered a bottleneck at the final stage. The more Buddhist Seals one fused, the harder it became. Qin Sang was mentally prepared for this and muttered to himself, "What is learned from books is ultimately shallow; it still needs to be verified through combat..." To verify the Buddhist Seals, the best opponents were ferocious beasts. This also allowed him to comprehend the path of killing and obtain valuable spiritual materials, truly killing several birds with one stone.

Qin Sang stood up, and the Heavenly Eye Butterfly immediately landed on his shoulder. Leaving his dwelling, he gathered the mature flower dew. Upon reaching two prime flower fields, Qin Sang spotted the 'Aperture Eye' and paused. After staring for a moment, Qin Sang's figure flickered, and for the first time, he crossed the flower fields, approaching the Aperture Eye. Thick poisonous mist permeated the area around the Aperture Eye, seeming to conceal a terrifying danger within its gloom. Although Qin Sang had the Poison Orb protecting him and cultivated poison arts himself, he still felt an inexplicable discomfort as he approached. Ultimately, he stopped on a hilltop several miles away, gazing at the Aperture Eye. According to the Tome of Poison God and his assessment of the spirit array, the Aperture Eye was located deep within the mountain base. Activating his Heavenly Eye divine ability, he could see a circular stone cave at the foot of the mountain. Poisonous mist continuously rolled out from the cave entrance, so dense it seemed unresolvable. Normally, an Aperture Eye shouldn't accumulate such vast amounts of toxins; they would be dealt with once they reached a certain level. He wondered how long these flower fields had existed. Qin Sang had secretly inquired in Juzhanzhi. Among Juzhanzhi and Taoist sects, some sects had inherited poison arts, but very few specialized in them like Ant Hill Mountain, and none had any connection to the Tome of Poison God. There were no legends of the 'Poison God' in Juzhanzhi either. Standing there, Qin Sang hesitated, ultimately not approaching the cave entrance. "I'll investigate again, at least after breaking through to the mid-stage of Nascent Soul transformation," Qin Sang mused to himself. First, he felt the cave was extremely dangerous and his own strength was insufficient. Second, the Poison Orb's power was not enough. When the Fat Silkworm separated the Poison Orb, it was only a four-transformation spirit worm. The Poison Orb in his hands was only enhanced after it devoured and restored the toxins of the Bloodthirsty Miasma Spirit, and that was from a dead insect corpse. During this time, Qin Sang focused on his own cultivation, and the Poison Orb was mainly used for auxiliary cultivation, receiving only a small amount of flower poison, thus improving slowly. As Qin Sang's cultivation improved, his speed of devouring poisons increased. He would definitely need to enhance the Poison Orb to suppress residual toxins. However, this would make the flower dew even more scarce. Sooner or later, he would have to enter the Aperture Eye to investigate. Taking one last look at the stone cave, Qin Sang retreated and left the poison lake directly.

He habitually checked his hidden markers and found they were all intact. Unbeknownst to him, over forty years had passed, and it seemed the Ghost Fang Kingdom and the Taoist Court had forgotten the Juzhanzhi Altar. The Ghost Fang Kingdom was vigorously promoting the divine path, solely focused on gathering believers, with demon temples sprouting everywhere. The Taoist Court, however, remained inactive. Perhaps the two major powers were contending in unseen ways. Qin Sang secretly shook his head, left the altar, and flew deeper into the Sinful Wasteland.

"This is the place." In the boundless black marsh, Qin Sang stood on a tree branch, gazing at the mud pit ahead. Focusing his senses, the ferocious beast was still there. Qin Sang had discovered this beast before, but there were two other beast lairs nearby, so he dared not act rashly. With his recent breakthrough, he felt more confident. After lurking and surveying the marsh for a week, he discovered that the other two beasts had left at some unknown time. With no reason to hold back, he fearlessly released his aura and headed straight for the mud pit. *Whoosh!* Mud waves surged, and a ferocious beast with a snake head and turtle body burst out, its fierce gaze fixed on Qin Sang.

Two months after leaving the altar, Qin Sang returned, imbued with a sanguine aura, and his Qianjun Ring now contained two Nascent Soul-stage beast demon cores. Although he hadn't encountered beasts that required his full effort, these two battles were enough to verify his understanding of the Buddhist Seals. The bottleneck showed signs of loosening, and he would likely achieve the fusion of six seals soon. Qin Sang was not in a hurry to return to his cave dwelling. After such a long period of seclusion, it was time to visit Juzhanzhi.

After dashing southeast for a distance, Qin Sang concealed his aura and form. The Ghost Fang Kingdom was becoming increasingly rampant, with demon temples expanding along the northern part of Juzhanzhi into the Sinful Wasteland, already reaching north of Xingdao Immortal Lake, blocking the path for Juzhanzhi cultivators entering and exiting the wasteland. It was said that a large Taoist Court army was suppressing the south, preventing them from crossing the line, but the sects in northern Juzhanzhi had no ability to contend with the Ghost Fang Kingdom and could only endure, awaiting the Taoist Court's move. Qin Sang, familiar with the paths, passed through some demon gods' territories and arrived at the Snake Demon's temple. The temple was built from crude flagstones, sturdy and emanating an ancient, rustic aura. In front of the temple stood a lifelike statue of the Snake Demon, exuding an imposing aura as if it could swallow the sun and moon, very majestic. The Snake Demon gathered believers within its territory, not just ghosts but also mountain imps and tree sprites. After these spirits were born, they would gradually be corrupted by the Six Heavens Ancient Qi and turn into ferocious beasts. After becoming believers of the Snake Demon, like the ghost inhabitants, they received the god's commands. Their intelligence gradually opened up, and they committed far fewer acts of slaughter. To some extent, the presence of demon gods had revitalized the Sinful Wasteland. As for the Snake Demon itself, after becoming a demon god, it greatly benefited from the worship and adoration of its believers. Qin Sang, out of curiosity, conducted some research and found that this was achieved through the statue in front of the temple. When believers sincerely bowed and prayed before the statue, a strange power would generate from them, absorbed by the statue, and transmitted into the Snake Demon's body. The Snake Demon only needed to lie in the temple, fulfilling some of the believers' wishes every now and then. The temple and statue were both built by the Ghost Fang Kingdom. The Snake Demon enjoyed the benefits without knowing the underlying principles. Qin Sang had once tried to comprehend the statue but failed to grasp its essence. The Snake Demon, which was initially somewhat repulsed, began to enjoy the feeling of being a deity.

Inside the temple, the Snake Demon was dozing on a soft couch, surrounded by brocade quilts, silk curtains, and tables laden with spiritual fruits—a truly comfortable scene. "It's a pity this isn't the Ghost Fang Kingdom," the Snake Demon extended its forked tongue, rolled up a spiritual fruit, chewed it with gusto, and savored the lingering aroma. Personal indoctrination was still not as good as simply enjoying the fruits of others' labor. These ghost inhabitants and spirits had low intelligence and could only offer natural spiritual fruits as tributes. Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of the couch. The Snake Demon's mouth stiffened, it swallowed the fruit whole, tumbled off the couch, and knelt in worship: "This humble deity did not know of your esteemed presence, Senior Immortal. My failure to greet you properly is unforgivable. I beg for your forgiveness, Senior Immortal." At this moment, the Snake Demon clearly considered itself a snake god, with no trace of its former courageous and diligent self. There was no one nearby to contend with it for believers. Claiming godhood and establishing a temple meant that as long as it fulfilled the believers' wishes, it would gain a continuous supply of power. With power obtained so easily, most would likely become complacent. Qin Sang secretly shook his head, saying nothing more. Words alone would hardly enlighten the Snake Demon; only a major upheaval could awaken it. As the saying goes, "Water can float a boat, but it can also capsize it." Qin Sang believed that the divine path was definitely not so simple. Once the Taoist Court began its counterattack, destroying mountains and temples, what would become of the gods who lost their believers?

"Any news recently?" Qin Sang asked indifferently. The Snake Demon respectfully replied, "This humble deity has been collecting information on spiritual medicines and has made some progress. I will contact them on my next return... Also, three months ago, that bèi demon sent a talisman message." As it spoke, the Snake Demon produced a yellow talisman. Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly. He immediately took it into his hand, and a scan with his spiritual sense confirmed it was indeed a secret message from Mo Xingdao. The letter contained only one piece of news: Hong Yuzi had been in seclusion for decades, his injuries had healed, and shortly after emerging, he began preparing various magic treasures and spiritual talismans. Mo Xingdao judged that he would explore the Juzhanzhi Altar again within three years!

"Three years..." Qin Sang's face showed contemplation. It was said that Hong Yuzi's previous injuries were extremely severe. True to his status as a Taoist Court immortal official, he had fully recovered after forty years of seclusion. If he hadn't obtained the Tome of Poison God, Qin Sang's strength would be significantly weaker than it was now, forcing him to act cautiously. Now, he could do much more. His previous plan with Mo Xingdao was for Mo Xingdao to stall Hong Yuzi, gaining time for Qin Sang, and together they would gradually explore the path to ascension. Qin Sang's cultivation speed far exceeded expectations, so the plan naturally had to be revised to secure greater benefits. He could even consider helping Mo Xingdao break free from control, thus putting the initiative in their hands. Qin Sang crushed the talisman message and paced back and forth, weighing his strength. Although Hong Yuzi was a fourth-rank immortal official, if he planned ahead and used the terrain of the altar to his advantage, calculating against an unprepared opponent, it might just be achievable.

Three years. Qin Sang believed he should be able to fuse the seventh seal, but the timing was unfortunate. He had originally intended to visit Mirror Terrace Temple after fusing all seven seals. A single attempt at the Pagoda might not succeed, and even if he gained some opportunity, he wouldn't be able to fully assimilate it in a short time. More importantly, he needed to explore the altar before Hong Yuzi made his move, delving deeper to calmly face any changes. He could only postpone that matter. Qin Sang's figure paused. He immediately took out a spiritual talisman, wrote a coded message, and commanded, "Deliver this to the bèi demon quickly." The Snake Demon acknowledged, not daring to delay. As soon as Qin Sang left, it immediately conjured a demonic wind and flew towards Juzhanzhi.

Qin Sang also traveled south. After entering Xingdao Immortal Lake, he found a large number of cultivators gathered at the lake's border. These cultivators were disciples dispatched by various sects, guarding the border to prevent demon gods from causing trouble and attracting the Ghost Fang Kingdom's army. Qin Sang quietly passed through the defense line, first visiting True Man Zhijian on Jianxin Island, deliberately suppressing his aura to avoid being too startling. This time, Qin Sang stayed on Jianxin Island longer, consulting True Man Zhijian on swordsmanship and sparring multiple times. He needed to master the swordsmanship he obtained from the sword path inheritance as quickly as possible. Every bit of strength gained meant an extra chance. After leaving Jianxin Island, Qin Sang went to visit Master Qi on Huzhong Island and received a second talisman message. This letter was sent by Master Gu. Over the past forty years, Master Gu had sent two letters in total. Both contained insights she gained while comprehending the broken drum, written in code. This was her agreement with Qin Sang. Repairing the broken drum required Qin Sang's personal intervention; Master Gu could only assist him fully and share her findings. The insights were intertwined with Master Gu's understanding of the art of artifact refining. Any artifact refiner who obtained them would treasure them like priceless gems. Unfortunately, Qin Sang had no mind for artifact refining at the moment, so he skimmed through them and temporarily put them away. He discussed with Master Qi for many days and brought out his accumulated demon corpses to reforge his gauntlets and the Returning Wind Armor. Unfortunately, the Returning Wind Armor did not achieve a qualitative leap, and both treasures only received some enhancements. Qin Sang felt the urgency of time and almost without pause, rushed back to his cave dwelling for seclusion. During this seclusion, Qin Sang put everything else aside and focused solely on comprehending the Seven Masters Buddhist Seals. Subsequently, Qin Sang would visit the Snake Demon's temple every so often to exchange talisman messages with Mo Xingdao.

Three years passed in a flash. On this day, Qin Sang did not stay in his cave dwelling. He ventured alone deep into the altar, breaking through one illusion after another. At the border between Baishi County and the Sinful Wasteland, two figures flew slowly: Hong Yuzi and Mo Xingdao. Mo Xingdao lagged slightly behind, his gaze flickering as he watched Hong Yuzi's back. He had always been restricted within the Taoist Court and was unsure if there would be other helpers. He only hoped Hong Yuzi was alone; only then, by joining forces with Qin Sang, would they have a chance to escape. After flying for a distance, they swept past a narrow valley. Hong Yuzi glanced down, his gaze slightly narrowed, and he sighed softly, shaking his head. "These demons are becoming increasingly rampant." Mo Xingdao followed his gaze and saw a statue standing in the valley, with some ghost inhabitants and spirits prostrating and worshipping. A demon god dared to build a temple so close to the Taoist Court.

Shortly after they set off, at the border between the Ghost Fang Kingdom and the Sinful Wasteland, in a cave dwelling within a mountain, a beautiful woman was quietly cultivating. Suddenly, a streak of light flew into the cave dwelling, and a voice said, "They've made their move." The woman's almond eyes snapped open, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly, revealing a stunningly beautiful smile.