Chapter 1844: Yuan Embryo

**The Mortal Realm**

Staying within his sealed abode, Qin Sang might be able to avoid this turmoil. However, he had to consider what if the Dao Court and the Ghost Fang Nation began fighting within the Altar itself. It could destabilize the Altar's structure, leading to great chaos in the illusory realms, or even destruction. Would his own cave dwelling remain safe?

Finding another cave dwelling wouldn't be difficult, but relocating the Flower Spirits would be. Looking at the flower field below, Qin Sang couldn't help but sigh softly. Flower Spirits were delicate, and suitable flower fields were even harder to find.

Moreover, relocating Flower Spirits would inevitably damage their vitality. Even with the minimal damage and an immediate new flower field, it would take over a century for them to recover. A slight mishap could sever their spiritual meridians, causing them to wither instantly. The Flower Spirits wouldn't produce dew until they recovered, and the remaining sap from the poisonous fruit was far from enough to sustain his cultivation to the peak of the Soul Transformation stage. His cultivation would be affected, so he had to be cautious.

Qin Sang withdrew his gaze and swept his eyes across the entire flower field space. Divine light flashed in his eyes, taking in the grand formation completely. After pondering for a moment, Qin Sang sat down cross-legged. He activated his true essence and formed hand seals. Transparent Dharma seals appeared before him, flickering as they flew towards various nodes of the grand formation. As he continuously cast the seals, even with Qin Sang's cultivation, his breathing grew hurried, and his energy consumption was immense.

The situation had arisen suddenly, so Qin Sang could only do this: enhance the grand formation's power as much as possible, hoping it could protect the flower field when disaster struck. If the grand formation couldn't withstand the turmoil, Qin Sang would have no choice but to relocate the Flower Spirits and move his dwelling.

After a period of intense work, there were no visible changes to the naked eye, but one could clearly feel, while inside, that the energetic connections within the flower field space had become much tighter.

Having completed this, Qin Sang stood up. His mind stirred slightly, and he remembered another matter that also required preparation for unforeseen circumstances. As the saying goes, "The tree desires stillness, but the wind won't cease."

He didn't want to be embroiled in the turmoil, but couldn't guarantee that calamity wouldn't seek him out. Currently, there were countless powerful cultivators within the Altar, and the other two factions were numerous and influential. As the third party, his strength was the weakest. If he were to get involved, it would be difficult to explain himself or escape. His only option would be to fight! His escape techniques were rarely matched, but they were only for fleeing and weren't enough.

Qin Sang thought of another illusory realm, the jungle domain that had helped him slay Lord Li in the past. The wood spiritual energy there was endless. Within the jungle, relying on his spirit wood body, he was almost invincible. Over the years, Qin Sang had found several other illusory realms within the Altar that contained wood spiritual energy, but none compared to this place. No matter how strong the reclusive experts of the Dao Court and the Ghost Fang Nation were, it would be impossible for them to instantly kill him. As long as it turned into a stalemate, Qin Sang feared no opponent.

With this thought, Qin Sang left the flower field space once again. He had long since opened a path between his cave dwelling and the jungle, and passing through layers of illusory realms, he quickly arrived at the jungle domain. Entering the jungle, the fresh wood spiritual energy assailed him. Qin Sang immediately felt refreshed and invigorated. Traces of the battle from years past had been erased. Trees destroyed in the fighting had regrown, presenting a sight of lush vitality. If this place weren't a bit too far from the flower field, making it inconvenient to collect flower dew, Qin Sang would have considered opening a dwelling here. For him, the jungle domain was undoubtedly the best battlefield. No further actions were needed. Moreover, the situation had arisen suddenly, so Qin Sang had only made some simple arrangements.

His gaze swept over the jungle. Qin Sang nodded inwardly, and without lingering, he set off for other locations. Next, Qin Sang successively visited several illusory realms, all of which were battlefields he had carefully chosen for their abundant wood spiritual energy. During his busy preparations, Qin Sang occasionally looked up, gazing towards the depths of the Altar. By this time, both factions' experts had likely penetrated deep into the Altar. The Altar remained peaceful, but whenever Qin Sang thought of the armies outside, a sense of oppressive unease lingered.

He had done all he could; now it was up to fate. After his cultivation had recovered, Qin Sang rarely felt so powerless. He sighed inwardly, then left the last chosen illusory realm and returned to his dwelling.

Halfway there, Qin Sang seemed to sense something. He suddenly turned around, and his eyes instantly transformed into golden pupils.

Golden light!

A familiar scene replayed. Qin Sang stared intently into the depths of the Altar. He saw golden light surging skyward, rushing forth like a bursting tide. It swept over one illusory realm after another, until Qin Sang's entire body was dyed gold, as if cast from pure gold. The golden light showed no sign of abating. It passed over Qin Sang and continued to spread. In the blink of an eye, the entire Altar was probably awash in a golden sea.

The golden light appeared too suddenly. It originated from the depths of the Altar. By the time Qin Sang noticed, he could no longer pinpoint its exact source, only roughly identify an area.

"The source seems inconsistent with last time..."

Qin Sang vividly remembered the previous golden light eruption. This thought flashed through his mind. Without hesitation, he immediately activated his escape light and sped towards his dwelling. As he flew, Qin Sang's mind remained tense. His strength was now vastly superior to before, but entities capable of threatening his life were abundant within the Altar. Those seemingly serene illusory realms might only be temporarily dormant. Once activated by the golden light, they could instantly transform into death traps.

The golden light erupted in an instant, and soon showed signs of receding, though its retreat was far slower than its emergence. Qin Sang's speed didn't falter. As he flew, he gradually noticed a difference. This golden light eruption was no less imposing than the last, but its impact on the illusory realms was far less severe. He recalled how, previously, countless illusory realms had been turbulent and fraught with danger. Now, however, most illusory realms remained unchanged. Only those that were already somewhat unstable experienced slight ripples, which quickly subsided as the golden light receded.

Qin Sang didn't know what the difference between the two golden light phenomena signified. Puzzled, he safely returned to the flower field. Qin Sang stood at the edge of the flower field, carefully observing the Flower Spirits. Then he entered the aperture to check the poisonous fruit. The poisonous fruit was visibly shriveled, due to the large amount of sap he had extracted. It appeared unaffected by the golden light. Qin Sang exited the aperture and sat down cross-legged directly outside the poisonous den. Should the grand formation's foundation show signs of instability, he would, without hesitation, even destroy the aperture formation to secure the poisonous fruit first.

With the situation unstable, Qin Sang had no mind for cultivation. He stared outside the flower field, as his divine abilities and treasures flashed through his mind.

After some time.

Suddenly, five-colored divine light appeared before Qin Sang. The Five Elements Crown slowly rotated within the divine light. Since acquiring this treasure, Qin Sang had continuously performed deductions. He had confirmed that his initial idea was feasible: to guide the demonic spirit in its absorption and gradually gain its approval. The absorption process was extremely slow. Achieving a Post-Heaven Spirit Treasure was still a distant prospect. Qin Sang held no immediate expectations, and thus, entertained other thoughts. Before the demonic spirit completed its absorption, could he wield this treasure himself against enemies? After some attempts, Qin Sang discovered that his disguised self was gradually gaining the demonic spirit's trust. As long as he was careful enough not to startle the demonic spirit, it was achievable. The Five Elements Crown had nurtured a human-shaped demonic spirit. Although not from the righteous path, it was extremely rare. The Wandering Sword, also a spirit treasure, was inferior in power. Qin Sang lightly rubbed his chin, gazed at the Five Elements Crown, and fell into contemplation.

Deep within the Altar.

True Man Wan and his group were carefully traversing between the illusory realms. When the golden light erupted, it was visible throughout the entire Altar. All cultivators and demon cultivators who had entered the Altar stopped, gazing at the source of the golden light with varied expressions. True Man Wan and his companions were no exception. They didn't need to communicate. With tacit coordination, the moment the anomaly appeared, they changed formation and remained vigilant. True Man Wan and the old Daoist priest, however, continued to stare at the source of the golden light, until it receded.

Having personally experienced the previous golden light phenomenon, True Man Wan quickly noticed the difference in this golden light. He immediately led the other True Men to circle several nearby illusory realms, confirming his suspicion, and transmitted a message: "Martial Uncle, the power of this golden light is less than last time. Could it be a trick?"

Just as the words left his mouth, True Man Wan saw the old Daoist priest holding a jade talisman, his eyes closed, as if sensing something. He hastily fell silent. Without further specific instructions, True Man Wan ordered them to continue searching forward, instead of approaching the source of the golden light.

After the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the old Daoist priest slowly opened his eyes. He calmly said, "No need to worry about it for now. This phenomenon was anticipated. It doesn't prove that the Divine Court is actually located there. Some nearby fellows will go to investigate. It could also be a trick by demons. We have similar preparations in place to confuse the demons. You'll understand in a moment."

Just as the old Daoist priest predicted, the group of True Men near the source of the golden light immediately changed direction and moved towards it. True Man Wan acknowledged with a "Yes," but felt a doubt arise. If the golden light wasn't a demonic deception... did the Divine Court still have illusory gates to mislead people? That day, the old Daoist priest had told him about the origins of the Divine Court, but hadn't described the Divine Court in detail, nor had he told him what to do once it was found. True Man Wan had no concept of what the Divine Court looked like. He couldn't imagine its appearance. Perhaps it was vast and boundless, or perhaps it concealed vastness within nothingness. He even suspected that the Divine Court was not a tangible entity.

Just then, another group of True Men was gradually approaching the source of the golden light. This group consisted of five individuals: three men and two women. All were dressed in ordinary Daoist robes with high topknots. The leader was a female Daoist priest, young in appearance, seemingly only around twenty years old. The other four varied in age, but all possessed an ethereal aura. The five True Men were not tightly grouped. They maintained some distance from each other, yet their formation gave a sense of seamless cohesion, which was very unusual.

The young female Daoist priest was at the forefront. Her divine eyes were like lightning, seemingly able to pierce through the illusory realms and see the source of the golden light. The further they advanced, the more dazzling and dense the golden light became. The True Men felt as if they were wading through a golden sea.

A streak of white energy rose, forming above the young female Daoist priest's head, transforming into a white jade ritual tablet that floated above her. The expressions of the other four True Men were serious, and they all brought forth their protective treasures. Judging by its divine radiance and aura, the young female Daoist priest's white jade ritual tablet was of the highest grade, likely a spirit treasure.

"Buzz!"

The white jade ritual tablet trembled slightly. The True Men immediately halted. They saw a white streak of light shoot forth from the tablet, dashing forward against the golden light. Affected by the golden light, the scenery within the illusory realm they were in became chaotic. However, wherever the streak of light passed, the chaotic scene immediately calmed, forming a stable path. The True Men seized the opportunity to accelerate, chasing after the streak of light.

"Abbot Yue, it should be just ahead. Be careful..." A True Man from the rear spoke to warn her.

The young female Daoist priest nodded slightly. She was not from the Dao Court, but rather the abbess of Jingquan Abbey on Mount Yuehong. Her sect was located in Zhongmao Prefecture. This time, she had entered the Altar on her master's orders, and her master had also come along, being the other female Daoist priest among the five. Jingquan Abbey's old abbess, like the old Daoist priest, had self-severed her cultivation to infiltrate the Altar. The other three were also abbots or sect masters from other Daoist temples and sects. The Ten Directions Daoist Monasteries and the Dao Court shared common weal and woe. The struggle for the Divine Court concerned the rise and fall of Daoism, so they naturally advanced and retreated together. Although the young female Daoist priest knew her master was behind her providing protection, she dared not relax even a bit, to avoid being unprepared and shaming Jingquan Abbey.

She pointed her jade finger into the void, and a talisman shadow appeared in the air, flashing as it merged into the white jade ritual tablet. Immediately, the treasure light erupted, and eight illusory ritual tablet images emerged. The eight ritual tablets were positioned according to the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) directions. Their spiritual light connected, as if they were one entity, spinning as they separated from the main tablet and flew forward. The illusory ritual tablets spun faster and faster, even manifesting a Bagua compass illusion in the void. Wherever they passed, chaos subsided, and the golden light retreated.

The next moment, the True Men's gazes all froze. Through the illusory ritual tablets, deep within the golden light, a truly extraordinary object was hidden. This object was not directly before them. Illusory realms still separated them. The True Men immediately accelerated, and finally discerned its outline. The object was the size of an infant, shaped like an egg. It floated in the void, rising and falling as if breathing, like a primordial embryo about to hatch. In Daoist legends, there were tales of primordial embryos dividing heaven and earth and giving birth to all things. This naturally couldn't be a true heaven-and-earth primordial embryo, but it was sufficiently divine and mysterious. The True Men's gazes were deeply captivated.

The golden light was receding, flowing back towards the primordial embryo. The primordial embryo's rising and falling movements gradually accelerated. It seemed as if something was about to break out of the embryo. The True Men held their breath, not forgetting to check the jade talismans in their hands. They found that the talismans' treasure light was also changing, its alternating brightness and dimness matching the primordial embryo's movements. They were responding to each other. The jade talismans' reaction was not as pronounced as expected, but no one dared to draw conclusions, lest they miss a great opportunity.

The True Men quickly exchanged glances. The young female Daoist priest did not withdraw the illusory ritual tablets. She continued to clear the path, breaking through the last layer of illusory realm. At the same time, the True Men's expressions grew increasingly vigilant, guarding against sneak attacks from demons.

The True Men soon passed through the final illusory realm, and saw a vast expanse of auspicious clouds ahead. The primordial embryo floated amidst the auspicious clouds, having expanded to twice the size it was moments ago. As she stepped out of the illusory realm, the young female Daoist priest quickly scanned the area around the primordial embryo. Her dark eyebrows furrowed slightly.

No demons nearby!

If demons had discovered the Divine Court, had they already entered?

Just then, her master's voice suddenly entered her ears: "Retreat!" The young female Daoist priest didn't understand why, but out of trust in her master, she unhesitatingly withdrew the foot she had stepped forward with and rapidly retreated. The other True Men didn't need a reminder; seeing the female Daoist priest's action, they immediately flew backward.

At the same time, the illusory ritual tablets' momentum surged, gaining a sharp, formidable edge. Like a bladed wheel, they swiftly slashed towards the primordial embryo. Judging by their trajectory, they were aimed directly at the primordial embryo's center. Just as the primordial embryo was about to be sliced open, with a 'bang', it suddenly shattered, transforming into scattered golden light that shot in all directions.

Inside the primordial embryo, there was clearly nothing.

As the primordial embryo disintegrated, chilling, eerie laughter echoed around the True Men, faint and erratic, yet seemingly omnipresent. The surroundings immediately turned dim and gray. Turbid waves surged, as if they had fallen into a land of filth. The True Men's expressions changed drastically. They had already sensed the shift in the surrounding energies. Unbeknownst to them, they had fallen into a formation!

A soft sigh.

The female Daoist priest from the rear gracefully took a step forward. She stepped out, and gently waved her jade hand, as a divine incantation resounded.

"Jade Dawn Treasure Crown,Cloud Cloak, Haze Robe.Five Defilements quickly depart,Eight Sceneries brightly illumine."

Water flowed gently. A clear spring appeared from unknown origins. Wherever it passed, the sky became clear and the air fresh, and all defilement was washed away.