Chapter 1833: Too Late

The Human World

The entrance to the qi eye was before him. Poisonous mist swirled around Qin Sang; to the naked eye, the cave was deep and dark, its bottom out of sight.

Several streaks of light flew out, landing at the cave entrance. There were eight spirit flags in total, forming a Bagua array, encircling the opening. The spirit flags formed a protective array, just in case.

Qin Sang had cultivated here for decades and had always been extremely vigilant about the qi eye, yet he hadn't detected anything unusual. There seemed to be no signs of living creatures.

After setting up the grand array, Qin Sang flicked an iron ball from his finger. It landed and transformed into a black hound. The black hound seemed to sense the danger inside. Like a living creature, it crouched, staring intently at the cave entrance, whimpering softly. The black hound was actually a puppet, specially crafted with Mo Xingdao's help for scouting purposes. It incorporated poison path restrictions and, to some extent, fused with the toxin-repelling light haze.

"Go!" Qin Sang activated his poison bead, sending a ray of toxin-repelling light haze into the black hound. With a command, the black hound leaped into the cave entrance. He waited for a moment, then followed unhurriedly.

The moment he entered the cave, a wave of icy coldness washed over him. The rustling sound of the toxic mist flowing from deep within the qi eye, like the wailing of ghosts, sent shivers down his spine. Qin Sang advanced through the toxic mist, his mind connected to the grand array in the Flower Field space. He sensed the restrictions here, trying to discern the cause of the qi eye's anomaly from the array's changes.

Before long, Qin Sang paused slightly, a frown creasing his brow. He walked swiftly forward and saw the first black hound standing rigid by the path. The black hound was now unrecognizable. Its originally sleek black body was covered in rust, unable to move, as the potent poison continued to corrode it from within. Within a few breaths, the black hound was almost unrecognizable, reduced to scrap metal. Its surface began to melt, eventually turning into a puddle of toxic liquid.

"The poison is indeed potent…" Qin Sang shook his head slightly. According to the array calculations, he was still over ninety percent of the way from the center of the qi eye. Fortunately, he had brought enough puppets. He summoned another black hound to continue scouting, repeating the process several times.

The deeper he went, the shorter the puppets' endurance. However, Qin Sang circulated his poison essence, combined with his toxin-repelling light armor, and felt no strain. Moreover, the anticipated danger hadn't materialized. As he neared the center of the qi eye, the toxic mist remained calm.

Unexpectedly, just as this thought crossed his mind, his connection with the puppet ahead suddenly severed. At the same time, an icy gust of wind surged from the front. In its last moments, the puppet showed Qin Sang a glimpse of a shadow. The puppet instantly perished, and the shadow had a human-like outline—most likely a living creature!

His gaze sharpened. He fully activated the poison bead within him, repeatedly sweeping out toxin-repelling light haze that condensed into a nearly solid, multi-colored treasure armor on his body. The heavy treasure armor glowed, illuminating the surging toxic mist ahead. Within the mist, a ghostly figure was visible. The icy wind hit his face, and a sword hum suddenly arose. The Gray Oriole Sword burst forth from the mist.

The cave was not very wide, barely enough for three people abreast. Now, sword energy crisscrossed, seemingly capable of piercing the cave walls. A sword shadow flashed and vanished. The surrounding light seemed to grow even darker, as Qin Sang deployed the Seven Constellations Divided Sword Array. The sword array sealed off the cave, instantly engulfing the shadow. Under the focused starlight, its true form was revealed. The sword array was profound; the shadow could not break it and could only wander within the 'starry sky.' Qin Sang stared at the creature within the array, a strange look in his eyes.

The shadow looked like a living creature, capable of moving around and instinctively pouncing on enemies, yet it didn't seem to possess intelligence. However, the shadow reminded Qin Sang of the Flower Immortal he had encountered years ago; there were similarities. A moment later, Qin Sang remembered something else. With a thought, the sword stars converged, forming a fierce White Tiger that slashed down. The shadow roared up at the fierce White Tiger, thick toxic mist billowing from its body. But how could it be a match for the White Tiger's ferocity? The toxic mist, along with the shadow's form, was instantly dispersed.

Qin Sang made a feint, and a wisp of black qi flew into his palm. "Indeed!" Qin Sang felt a familiar aura from the black qi—the strange power that had poisoned the disciple from Mole Cricket Mountain. He had previously guessed that this strange power originated from the qi eye, and it turned out to be true. Circulating his poison essence, he sensed that the black qi was extremely toxic. The strange power in that Mole Cricket Mountain disciple's body differed from this black qi; she likely only encountered a trace of it, otherwise she wouldn't have survived to meet him.

"If the shadows are quasi-living creatures, then was the Flower Immortal not a transformation of a flower spirit, but rather a mutated shadow? How many Flower Immortals have been conceived in the qi eye?" Qin Sang was somewhat perplexed. What he observed in the qi eye did not match the records in the *Classic of Poison Gods*. He guessed that either the owner of the Flower Field had secretly made modifications, or the qi eye had undergone self-mutation after being masterless for many years. Knowing of the shadows' existence, Qin Sang became more cautious. If there weren't many Flower Immortals, it would be ideal to kill them for their pearls. However, if the qi eye was teeming with Flower Immortals, he would have to retreat far away.

Sealing the black qi, Qin Sang continued deeper, soon encountering a second shadow. He dispatched it with the same sword array and successfully reached the core of the qi eye.

At the end of the cave was a pitch-black space, with a faint, flickering phosphorescent glow at its center. Using this faint light, one could see strange shadows wandering in the darkness. Seeing this, Qin Sang's eyelids twitched. He suppressed his aura with all his might to avoid attracting an encirclement. The shadows here were similar to those he had killed, dim-witted and seemingly bound by a strange force, unwilling to leave.

Qin Sang activated his Heaven's Eye divine ability, his gaze penetrating the shadows to clearly see the source of the phosphorescence. His heart stirred, and a look of surprise appeared on his face. The source of the phosphorescence was a fruit, the size of a plum, crystalline like a grape, its skin so delicate it seemed it would rupture and ooze nectar with the slightest touch. The spiritual fruit was incredibly enticing. In fact, Qin Sang's eyes grew fervent. Having cultivated poison arts for many years, he was intimately familiar with flower dew, and this fruit's aura was very similar to it!

Glancing around, Qin Sang had a rough guess in his mind. He silently retreated outside, flipped his palm, and took out a wisp of black qi, examining it closely. Before long, Qin Sang understood. He returned to the core of the qi eye for another sensing, nodding inwardly, already eighty percent certain.

The black qi was the fundamental basis for the shadows' existence. At its core, it faintly emitted fluctuations similar to the spherical pearls inside the Flower Immortals. Thus, it could be inferred that Flower Immortals evolved from shadows, but the shadows in the qi eye were forcefully interrupted by a special power before their transformation, halting them in their current unique state. That power originated from an array within the qi eye. When Qin Sang ascertained the array's function, he couldn't help but praise its exquisite design.

This array was ingeniously embedded within the core of the Flower Field's grand array. The energies of the two arrays fused perfectly, almost becoming one. Those unfamiliar with the *Classic of Poison Gods* would be unable to discern the difference. Excess flower dew gathered here and, through this array's transformation, formed that spiritual fruit. The spiritual fruit was essentially a toxic fruit nurtured by flower dew. Preserved in this form, it prevented waste and also averted the emergence of extremely powerful Flower Immortals due to prolonged neglect, which could lead to a change in the Flower Field's ownership.

This transformation wasn't perfect; the remainder escaped to the outside, following the original array, their toxicity altered and integrated into external poison restrictions, preventing the birth of Flower Immortals. Another portion transformed into these shadows, and once they reached a certain level of strength, their evolution was interrupted, binding them within the qi eye, from which they could never escape. More importantly, the black qi within the shadows did not completely merge with resentment like the Flower Immortals' spherical pearls, making it difficult to separate. Cultivators could separate the resentment, albeit with some effort, and their cultivation speed would still be faster than if they didn't cultivate poison essence. Of course, for Qin Sang, the presence or absence of resentment made no difference.

This array also had its limits; it wasn't flawless. If too many shadows accumulated in the qi eye, the grand array would eventually be overturned, and the shadows would no longer be bound. That Flower Immortal was the lucky one who had broken free. If Qin Sang and the others hadn't arrived, once the Flower Immortal grew, suppressed its instinctive fear, and no longer feared the qi eye array's repulsion, it would break the array, devour its kind and the toxic fruit, and become a generation's fiend! Now, it would all benefit Qin Sang.

While surprised, Qin Sang also marveled. He had achieved some mastery in array restrictions but admitted he couldn't devise such an array himself. The person who set up this array was truly extraordinary! This showed that the lineage of the *Classic of Poison Gods* had also produced astonishingly talented descendants who improved upon their ancestors' methods. Yet, for some unknown reason, this person left no trace in the cultivation world, and no relevant texts could be found. "Perhaps there are records in the Dao Court..." Qin Sang mused, sitting cross-legged in the cave, staring at the wandering shadows. Whenever a single shadow approached, he would trap it with his sword array and silently dispatch it. Wisp after wisp of black qi fell into Qin Sang's hand.

After collecting a portion, Qin Sang stopped, stood up, took a deep look at the alluring toxic fruit, and retreated. The toxic fruit could not be taken lightly. It had to be harvested only after all shadows were eliminated; otherwise, it would enrage the shadows, allowing them to break free during the array's disturbance, leading to chaos in the Flower Field space.

Qin Sang eagerly returned to his cave dwelling to cultivate using the black qi. The toxicity in the black qi wasn't as potent as the Flower Immortal's spherical pearls, but it surpassed flower dew. For a short time, he wouldn't need to worry about a lack of flower dew. Thereafter, whenever he had leisure, Qin Sang would enter the qi eye to clear out the shadows. After several such efforts, the qi eye was swept clean, with only the toxic fruit remaining.

A wisp of faint fragrance lingered at his nostrils. The toxic fruit had no roots or stem, seemingly growing in empty space, appearing out of nowhere. In reality, its aura was connected to the array, rooted within it. After pondering for a moment, Qin Sang extended his right hand, enveloped his palm in toxin-repelling light haze, and was about to touch the toxic fruit when he suddenly retracted it, frowning as he stared at the fruit. He perceived that the toxic fruit and the array's energy were essentially one. Rashly taking the toxic fruit would likely damage the qi eye array, thus shaking the foundation of the entire grand array.

During this time, Qin Sang had learned this array and understood how to repair it. However, the fusion of the two arrays was extremely profound, and repairing it after damage would be very difficult. While contemplating, Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly. He pressed his fingers together like a knife and gently sliced through the toxic fruit's skin. Instantly, a drop of nectar squeezed out, falling into the jade bottle Qin Sang had prepared. The toxic fruit's glow dimmed slightly, and the array consequently fluctuated, but the disturbance quickly subsided.

Qin Sang sealed the jade bottle and smiled. He only needed to take the nectar little by little. Since no one else could enter the Flower Field anyway, leaving the spiritual fruit here was fine. Returning to his cave dwelling with the jade bottle, Qin Sang attempted to refine it. His eyes immediately gleamed with surprise. The toxic fruit's nectar, sharing the same origin as flower dew, was even purer and denser than flower dew. If he refined this nectar, his cultivation speed might be even faster than before!

Eight years passed by leisurely.

"The agreed-upon date is approaching..." Qin Sang awoke from meditation, remembering his agreement with Master Qi to begin forging the armor soon. Master Qi had poured his heart and soul into the true treasure fragment for decades, and there was great hope for success this time. Yet, Qin Sang felt no excitement at the impending acquisition of the treasure; instead, he let out a soft sigh.

After tidying up slightly, Qin Sang walked out of the treatment area, concealing his aura and traces as he moved. In eight years, he had only returned once, to deliver fierce beast carcasses. He wondered about the situation in the cultivation world. His journey was uneventful; he arrived at Pot-in-Island and found Master Qi in the fire chamber.

"Fellow Daoist, you've finally arrived!" Master Qi's expression was a little tense, but he visibly relaxed upon seeing Qin Sang.

"I will control the fire for you again, Master. Please proceed without reservation!" Qin Sang reassured him.

Master Qi suddenly burst out laughing. "I, this humble Daoist, am naturally fearless. Even if the furnace explodes, Fellow Daoist, are you going to seek me out in the underworld for compensation?" Qin Sang knew it was a jest, couldn't help but chuckle, and shook his head repeatedly. Using the laughter to release his inner tension, Master Qi motioned for Qin Sang to seal the fire chamber for their final discussion.

One month later.

The manor doors were tightly shut. Master Qi's disciples gathered before the fire chamber, all with nervous expressions. Inside the fire chamber, the square cauldron activated. Qin Sang was in charge of controlling the fire; he didn't even look at the spirit flames, yet they were exceptionally docile.

Under Qin Sang's watchful gaze, Master Qi raised the true treasure fragment, suspending it above the square cauldron. His ten fingers moved like spinning wheels, sending incantation after incantation into the water-like ripples within the fragment. This forging was different from before. Master Qi poured his lifelong learning into refining the true treasure fragment, dedicating himself fully for several days without distraction. The fragment appeared unchanged, but the power of the incantations on its surface might have accumulated thousands upon thousands of layers! Master Qi alone could not have persevered until now; he required Qin Sang's assistance.

Under their combined forging efforts, the true treasure fragment's watery luster visibly deepened and dulled. Until, with the last incantation, suddenly a wave of water leaped from the cauldron, its color spreading throughout the fire chamber.

"Quick!" Master Qi fully handed the true treasure fragment over to Qin Sang, then immediately activated other spiritual materials to forge the armor's body.

A fortnight later.

The anxiously waiting disciples suddenly felt the ground tremble. A force, a mix of scorching heat and chilling cold, surged out from the fire chamber. Those with weaker cultivation turned pale and retreated repeatedly. Everyone watched the fire chamber door with apprehension.

Inside the fire chamber, the spirit flames subsided slightly, revealing two weary figures. Master Qi held a suit of armor, his face beaming with unrestrained excitement. The armor was only palm-sized, without plates, and appeared to be cast from water.

Qin Sang's voice resonated, "This armor is the Master's creation. Please bestow a name upon it, Master."

Gratitude flashed in Master Qi's eyes. He hesitated for a long time, as if recalling past memories, then a faint smile appeared on his face. "This humble Daoist lived at the foot of Mount Ming in his youth. Let this armor be called the Ming Mountain Armor, how does that sound?"

"Ming Mountain Armor, a good name!" Qin Sang nodded.

Master Qi played with it for a long time, reluctant to part with it, then reluctantly handed the Ming Mountain Armor to Qin Sang. Watching Qin Sang refine it, he suddenly looked up at the sky, his expression inscrutable, and his voice ethereal: "Fellow Daoist, do you believe the path of artifact forging can lead to immortality?" He was obsessed with artifact forging but neglected his cultivation. Was it his dull aptitude that prevented him from grasping the true meaning, or was it truly impossible to achieve both?

Qin Sang raised his head and said in a deep voice, "There are three thousand Great Daos, and the path of artifact forging is certainly among them. How can it be left behind?"

Master Qi lowered his head in melancholy, muttering softly, "I met Fellow Daoist too late..." Finally, he sighed heavily, "Too late!"

Two months later.

In the northern part of Star Island Immortal Lake, Qin Sang, along with the disciples, witnessed Master Qi's tribulation. He perished beneath the tribulation lightning. In his final moments, Qin Sang seemed to see a phantom figure in the tribulation clouds, bowing its hands in farewell from afar.