Chapter 1841: Major Army Approaching

The Mortal Realm

Qin Sang recalled the Crimson Gold Spirit Needle and several nearby illusions, attempting to untangle some clues and find any trace, but gained nothing. He then stopped taxing his mind.

After cultivating for some time, Qin Sang awoke from his meditative state. After a brief period of thought, he summoned the Talisman Altar.

Inside the Talisman Altar, the Divine Firmament Thunder Seal, formed from the true essence of the talisman, slowly rotated, already showing signs of solidification.

With a shift in his thoughts, the talisman symbol carrying the Five Thunder Secret Talisman appeared in his mind, then decomposed into the dispersed form of the next one to be condensed into the Talisman Altar.

However, by this point in his cultivation, the Thunder Tortoise demonic core used to condense the Talisman Altar had almost exhausted its power.

Qin Sang had not yet managed to hunt a thunder beast.

Although Jushan Zhi often held auctions and trade fairs, high-grade lightning-attribute spiritual items that met his requirements were exceedingly rare. Even if they appeared, they would most likely end up in the hands of the true masters of the Left and Right Thunder Mansions, not scattered cultivators like them.

The talisman symbols, as well as the Dao Court's and the Left and Right Thunder Mansions' ancient texts regarding talismans, flowed one by one through Qin Sang's mind.

With the explanations of ancient sages, comprehending the talisman symbols was not difficult. Qin Sang quickly understood and silently activated his Dharmic Projection.

The Azure Luan Dharmic Projection and the Phoenix Wings appeared simultaneously, filling the cave dwelling with azure light.

Next, Qin Sang prepared to use the Azure Luan Dharmic Projection to draw forth the Azure Luan's primordial thunder force from the Phoenix Wings to forge the altar!

Qin Sang had this idea a long time ago. Each time he explored the altar, he would seize the opportunity to deepen his understanding of the Dharmic Projection and Phoenix Wings, attempting to put his idea into practice.

After repeated attempts, Qin Sang now had considerable confidence that he could draw out a trace of the primordial thunder force from the Phoenix Wings.

The only question was whether the Talisman Altar could withstand the Azure Luan's primordial thunder force.

If the spiritual item's grade was too high or its power too strong, it could backwash the spirit apertures, causing the talisman symbols to scatter and leading to a failed forging. There had been precedents for this when talismans were first received.

Qin Sang had no precise concept of how high the Azure Luan's primordial thunder force's grade was, but the Azure Luan's cultivation before its death must have far surpassed his own.

Qin Sang still intended to try, because as the third-tier talismans stacked and merged, gradually becoming complete, the Talisman Altar was far more stable than it had been, and should be able to withstand stronger impacts.

He now wanted to test the limits of the Talisman Altar.

If he succeeded, he wouldn't need to seek external help.

The Azure Luan Dharmic Projection circled once above his head before diving into his body. Qin Sang's aura instantly changed. The feathers on the Phoenix Wings trembled slightly, their luster shimmering, becoming even more brilliant and crystalline, each quill feather like jade carving.

Qin Sang slightly lowered his gaze, his mind connected to the Dharmic Projection. The projection's power seeped into the Phoenix Wings, sensing the presence of the primordial thunder force.

This power was very quiet within the Phoenix Wings. Only upon contact did he realize its inherently violent nature, surpassing even heavenly thunder, yet it did not reject Qin Sang.

The Phoenix Wings were already a part of Qin Sang's body, and the primordial thunder force had been with him day and night, already showing a tendency to merge with him. Moreover, with Qin Sang having merged with the Dharmic Projection, his aura was close to that of a true Azure Luan.

After a slight hesitation, Qin Sang used the Dharmic Projection's power to envelop the primordial thunder force and gently probed it.

There was no backlash.

Qin Sang felt slightly relieved. He cautiously attempted to draw out the primordial thunder force, failing countless times before finally drawing out a single trace and guiding it forth.

When the primordial thunder force separated from the Phoenix Wings, a flash of azure lightning instantly illuminated the entire cave dwelling, blindingly bright.

Qin Sang couldn't help but squint his eyes.

His naked eyes could not discern anything. Only in Qin Sang's perception did that trace of thunder force clearly exist, slowly moving towards him.

At the center of the lightning, there was an extremely tiny trace of thunder force. Though minuscule, it still maintained the shape of a lightning bolt.

After observing for a moment, Qin Sang murmured, "From now on, I'll call you Azure Luan True Thunder..."

The Azure Luan True Thunder resembled a living creature, curling and shifting, yet relatively stable.

Qin Sang carefully comprehended it for a while, then continued, using this trace of Azure Luan True Thunder to outline the talisman symbol he had just grasped.

Perhaps because the Azure Luan True Thunder was close to his aura, Qin Sang was surprised to find that controlling it to draw the talisman symbol was not difficult.

Before long, an azure talisman symbol appeared in the void, with electric arcs continuously flickering within it, giving off a very dangerous sensation.

The higher the spiritual item's grade, the less was needed. Just a trace of Azure Luan True Thunder was enough to construct a complete talisman symbol.

The next step, embedding the talisman symbol into the Talisman Altar, was also crucial.

Qin Sang's expression became solemn. He guided the talisman symbol to slowly approach the Talisman Altar, and amidst flickering lightning, it began to merge inwards.

Before the talisman symbol could fully embed, the Talisman Altar suddenly vibrated violently. The Divine Firmament Thunder Seal became illusory at a visible rate, and then intense azure light erupted within the Talisman Altar, as if the entire altar was about to explode at any moment.

Qin Sang's expression drastically changed. He instantly performed several hand seals, forcibly stripping the azure light from the Talisman Altar.

With a wave of his sleeve, the cave dwelling's stone door burst open, and the azure light shot out of the cave like a swimming dragon.

'Crack!'

'Rumble...'

Thunderbolts shook the heavens, echoing through the flower field.

In that instant, the entire space was filled with azure light, and an azure lightning bolt seemed to cleave the sky, vanishing in a flash.

The thunderous roar reverberated, lingering indefinitely.

Qin Sang found himself standing at the entrance of the cave dwelling, watching the commotion caused by the Azure Luan True Thunder's eruption. Recalling the scene just now, he couldn't help but feel a lingering fear.

The Azure Luan True Thunder was clearly of too high a grade; the disparity was too great, exceeding the Talisman Altar's endurance limit.

It was a pity that despite its high grade, the quantity he could control was too small to be significant for now.

"That Azure Luan is indeed extraordinary..."

Qin Sang recalled how he obtained the Azure Luan True Thunder, unable to fathom why such powerful divine beasts would become so weak and hide in a minor world.

He turned and returned to the cave dwelling, seeing the frightened Fire Jade Centipede cowering and trembling in a corner of the cave.

His first attempt had failed, and it seemed almost impossible to succeed.

Yet, Qin Sang saw an opportunity. He sat back on his meditation cushion, gazed at the Talisman Altar, and pondered deeply.

After several days of deep contemplation, Qin Sang finally sorted out his thoughts and began his second attempt.

The initial steps were no different from last time; he still used the Azure Luan True Thunder to construct the talisman symbol. However, when embedding the talisman symbol into the Talisman Altar, Qin Sang's mental energy consumption was several times greater than before. Instead of simply embedding it, he actively guided the Azure Luan True Thunder's aura, merging it into every talisman symbol and every corner of the Talisman Altar.

The talisman symbol and Talisman Altar were not simply superimposed; they combined with the previous talisman symbols to form a single entity. The initial Jade Purity Lightning Summoning Talisman, the second-tier Flowing Gold Fire Bell Lightning Summon, and the third-tier Five Thunder Secret Talisman were all of the same lineage.

Qin Sang's action was akin to simultaneously remodeling the foundation while constructing the Talisman Altar, thereby easing the conflict. This required the cultivator to possess a profound understanding of talismans and the properties of spiritual items, as well as exquisite, subtle control. Even a slight misalignment would lead to failure.

This was difficult for ordinary people, and Qin Sang alone could not have succeeded. He only dared to attempt it by relying on the Azure Luan Dharmic Projection.

It turned out that Qin Sang's idea was feasible.

As the talisman symbol successfully embedded itself into the Talisman Altar and became one with it, Qin Sang's lips curved into a slight smile.

The Talisman Altar also seemed to be tinged with a faint azure glow.

Sensing the Talisman Altar, Qin Sang intuitively felt that it would change after integrating the Azure Luan True Thunder, but since it had just begun, the changes were not obvious.

Perhaps, this Talisman Altar, this Divine Firmament Thunder Seal, would not only serve to stabilize his true essence in the future...

Qin Sang thought to himself.

With the Talisman Altar settled, he put his mind at ease and continued his tireless cultivation.

During the time Qin Sang was in secluded cultivation, the outside world had changed dramatically.

Wars between the Dao Court and the Ghost Fang Kingdom had been incessant, but the swiftness of the situation's change this time was exceptionally rare compared to before.

In Jushan Zhi, sects and rogue cultivators who had loose ties with the Dao Court only realized the gravity of the situation after the upheaval had arrived.

Furthermore, many Dao Court immortal officials and Daoist cultivators only learned that the battlefield for this war was not in the Yellow Springs Path, but in the Fiend's Origin, after the army had gathered and set off northwards.

The Ghost Fang Kingdom had been scheming with demonic gods for many years, yet the Dao Court had never shown a significant reaction, only engaging in minor skirmishes.

Many believed that the divine path might not be orthodox, and that the Dao Court had tacitly allowed it, waiting to see the Ghost Fang Kingdom become a laughingstock, hence there wouldn't be any major conflict.

Unexpectedly, once the Dao Court made a move, it struck with thunderous force, and the Ghost Fang Kingdom reacted just as fiercely. It seemed a world-shaking battle was imminent in the Fiend's Origin.

For a time, panic spread throughout Jushan Zhi, and countless eyes turned towards the north.

For several months, Qin Sang remained in seclusion.

One day, Qin Sang was suddenly startled awake. His eyes snapped open, spiritual light shining like electricity, seemingly piercing through the stone door to look outside.

Having stabilized his cultivation, Qin Sang rose to his feet. The Heavenly Eye Butterfly immediately flew down onto his shoulder.

Then, with a flash of light, Qin Sang appeared outside the cave dwelling, standing mid-air, facing the direction of the flower field space entrance.

Just now, a mark had been destroyed.

All the marks he could sense from his cave dwelling were located near the flower field space. Someone had entered the altar, and they weren't far from him!

As he pondered, another mark lost its connection.

"Could it be Dao Court immortal officials or demons from the Ghost Fang Kingdom...?"

Qin Sang frowned; this was what he least wanted to see.

Others dared not linger long in the Jushan Zhi altar, but for him, it was a perfectly tranquil cultivation sanctuary, isolated from external disturbances and capable of providing the elixirs and spiritual medicines needed for cultivation.

A situation like last time was acceptable, but what he feared most was the two major forces stirring up massive trouble in the altar, or even altering its very structure.

This would not only hinder his search for the path to ascension but also potentially impact and damage the great flower field formation, even destroying his cave dwelling.

Qin Sang performed a spell, concealed his aura, and quietly left the flower field, moving towards the location of the marks.

Not long after he started moving, Qin Sang sensed another mark being destroyed, and in his mind, he outlined the opponent's trajectory.

The opponent was passing through, not coming for him.

Qin Sang had placed the marks in hidden spots within several illusions, places where others would inevitably trigger them upon entering. These three marks were in a straight line and were destroyed in quick succession.

The opponent moved straight ahead, very quickly, seemingly with ease.

He had been in the altar for so long, and this was the first time he had discovered traces of others nearby. The opponent was likely not revisiting a familiar place.

These signs were enough to deduce that the newcomer's strength was considerable!

In the void, massive boulders drifted.

These boulders resembled fragments of mountains, bound here by an unknown force, drifting ceaselessly but unable to land.

Around the periphery of the boulders were smaller stones, even dust, forming a large belt of debris, all revolving around the largest central boulder.

At this moment, some figures appeared at the edge of the boulders. There were seven or eight people. As soon as they leaped onto a boulder, a cry of alarm came from the front.

What's more, some, caught off guard, slammed their heads into the ground, clinging tightly to the boulder's surface, enduring a terrifying suction force.

Then, blood vessels even seeped from their skin, pooling on the boulder's surface, and their flesh and blood withered.

However, these individuals were powerful and remained calm in the face of danger. They all unleashed their divine abilities to forcibly push themselves off the boulder's surface.

Their companions behind them also moved to assist. A small banner appeared in the void; its light shone, and the pressure on everyone significantly reduced, allowing them to stand steadily.

All gathered together, rested briefly, and then passed through under the banner's protection.

As these people departed, a figure appeared at the edge of the dust belt; it was Qin Sang.

Watching the direction they had left, Qin Sang's gaze became solemn.

The opponents were very powerful. Qin Sang did not approach too closely, but he could confirm that they were not humans, but rather Nascent Soul stage demon cultivators, and among them were late Nascent Soul stage powerhouses. Although distant, he faintly felt a threat.

So many Nascent Soul stage demon cultivators entering the altar, cooperating tacitly with clear objectives.

Qin Sang's ominous premonition grew stronger.

He pondered for a moment, then gave up tracking them, intending to first go outside and assess the situation.

Whether to avoid the altar, fish in troubled waters, or retreat to his cave dwelling and stay put, he needed to understand the full context before deciding.

Turning to head outwards, Qin Sang's expression gradually grew darker.

As he traveled, he could sense that multiple other marks had been destroyed outside, not just in this one direction.

More than one force had entered the altar. If Dao Court immortal officials had also arrived, and their strength was comparable to those demon cultivators, then the altar was in for a major upheaval!

Upon reaching the outside, Qin Sang stopped at the location of a former mark and scanned his surroundings.

He encountered no one else here. Qin Sang was unsure if the Dao Court had sent anyone, so he could only choose a direction to track them.

However, with the situation unclear, rashly getting involved seemed inappropriate.

Qin Sang pondered, then suddenly turned to look towards the entrance of the altar. The current deployment was larger than last time, and there must be reinforcements outside the altar. He could deduce some information from the strength of these reinforcements.

Thinking of this, Qin Sang immediately set off, passed through the Nine-Bend Star River, confirmed there was nothing unusual outside, and entered the Golden Hall.

Inside the Golden Hall, everything was as usual.

For some reason, after stepping into the Golden Hall, Qin Sang felt a chilling sense of hostility, as if he had entered a battlefield formation—a sensation he had never experienced before.

There were clearly no figures present.

He became even more cautious, employing various secret arts and treasures to conceal his aura and form, moving secretly through the Golden Hall. Along the way, he saw no cultivators or demon cultivators.

Unimpeded, he arrived near the altar's exit. Qin Sang chose a cloud path and entered the auspicious clouds.

Not long after moving through the auspicious clouds, Qin Sang's figure suddenly froze, and he instinctively retreated backwards.

Through the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, Qin Sang vaguely saw the scene outside.

His face instantly became ashen.

Outside the altar, dark clouds obscured the sky. Behind the dark clouds, myriad golden rays of light shimmered, accompanied by lightning and thunder, and countless other phenomena.

The dark clouds to the east were clearly mixed with demonic aura. As the sea of clouds churned, countless teams of strange figures stood in neat formations, with banners swaying.

The other direction was no less imposing. Besides demon soldiers, there were also many Daoists. Among the demon soldiers, the light of Talisman Altars flickered, like towering platforms reaching the heavens, stretching in endless rows.

The two sides had arrived at an unknown time and were confronting each other across the plain in front of the altar, with war on the verge of breaking out.

Behind the military formations of both sides, anomalies continuously manifested. Qin Sang recognized at a glance that these were celestial phenomena triggered by Void Refinement stage cultivators!

A massive army was bearing down, with Void Refinement cultivators personally overseeing the situation.

This upheaval had already exceeded his imagination!

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