Chapter 1878: Riding the Dragon to the Moon

The Human World

They returned from the Illusion Storm empty-handed. Qin Sang estimated that with his current strength, reaching the location of the Crimson Gold Spirit Needle was nearing his limit, making further exploration difficult. Before repairing the Taiyi Star Chariot, there was no need to waste more time here.

The three withdrew, and Qin Sang chose a different route, stopping at the edge of the blue sea of light. "Having traveled thousands of miles to reach this place, I ask for your help, Fellow Daoist, in finding a treasure," Qin Sang said, pointing to the sea of light. He then informed Mo Xingdao that a Vajra Bodhi Tree and Vajra Fruits might be hidden there. The sea of light was vast, and one person alone wouldn't suffice. If they could find the Vajra Bodhi Tree, Qin Sang wouldn't mind sharing it.

Mo Xingdao's expression changed slightly, and he pressed with repeated questions: "Are Vajra Fruits, one of the Ten Great Divine Woods, truly here?" Seeing Mo Xingdao's reaction, Qin Sang's heart stirred. "Can this treasure help you, Fellow Daoist?" Mo Xingdao explained that Vajra Fruits could be refined into his puppet body, reportedly offering significant benefits. Unfortunately, both Vajra Fruits had already been absorbed by the Cloud Roaming Sword.

Mo Xingdao's hope was rekindled, sweeping away his previous gloom. He couldn't wait to enter the sea of light. Qin Sang also released the spirit of Luo Hou, told them the characteristics of the Vajra Bodhi Tree's fluctuations, and they split into four directions to search meticulously.

Due to insufficient preparation and excessive depletion from the Illusion Storm, they withdrew after a month of searching, finding nothing. Qin Sang searched the former location of the secluded valley more than ten times, but found no trace whatsoever. Ordinarily, the vibrations caused by the Illusion Storm were no less significant than the Primordial Embryo Formation of the Ghost Fang Kingdom. Yet, the blue sea of light showed none of the previous anomalies. To understand the reason, they would need to ascertain what was unique about the Ghost Fang Kingdom's Primordial Embryo Formation.

Qin Sang and Mo Xingdao discussed the matter and were not discouraged. Exploring the Illusion Storm couldn't be achieved overnight; they would frequently return in the future, as there would be plenty of opportunities.

"Fellow Daoist, please wait here for a moment. I just remembered something and will be back shortly," Qin Sang said, leaving Mo Xingdao and flying alone towards his cave dwelling. Years ago, when Qin Sang brought Mo Xingdao back to the flower field, he had kept him confined to the cave dwelling, so Mo Xingdao remained unaware of the flower spirits' existence.

Everything in the flower field was as usual. Qin Sang landed in a flowerbed, carefully checked the status of the flower spirits, walked through several flowerbeds, and finally picked up the jade bottle in his hand, letting out a soft sigh. The collected flower dew was scarce, far from what it was during its prime. Over the years, the flower spirits had gradually recovered, but very slowly. Those that had been uprooted had only regained a tiny bit of vitality. It was foreseeable that in the future, the flower dew would certainly not be enough to support his cultivation needs.

"In the future, cultivating, comprehending the Dharma Idol, and regulating the Five Elements concurrently might barely sustain it..." Qin Sang mused, then, after inspecting the flower field array, returned the way he came, leaving the Zhitan with Mo Xingdao.

Upon reaching Xingdao Immortal Lake, the two parted ways. Qin Sang returned to his cave dwelling on Jianxin Island, and after adjusting his breathing, he took out the Taiyi Star Chariot. Moonlight filled the room. The light flowed like water, clear and enchanting, slipping through Qin Sang's fingers and spreading throughout the quiet room. Since entering this realm, Qin Sang had not used this treasure, leaving it exactly as he first saw it.

The Taiyi Star Chariot resembled a treasure carriage, yet also a divine palace, carved from suet white jade. Unfortunately, it was covered in alarming cracks. Qin Sang held the Taiyi Star Chariot, his eyes slightly closed, his mind enveloping it to perceive the treasure. After a long while, he raised his other hand, drawing talismans in the air and sending them towards the Taiyi Star Chariot. The talismans floated around the Taiyi Star Chariot like an eight-paneled screen. A faint bloody aura circulated between the eight talismans, forming a strange blood ring. This was a type of talisman array from Chongxuan Temple, used to assist cultivators in analyzing treasures of unknown origin.

The Taiyi Star Chariot had been with Qin Sang for many years, and he would occasionally take it out to admire and study. However, his cultivation was now vastly different from before, and his artifact refining skills far surpassed his past self. Looking at it again now, he made many new discoveries. Gradually, the light in the cave dwelling fluctuated, and the Taiyi Star Chariot emitted crisp sounds like the clinking of jade ornaments.

Qin Sang remained seated in place, unmoving, but his spell incantations had changed several times. At this moment, the Taiyi Star Chariot floated on its own before him. Qin Sang sometimes drew talismans, sometimes fell into contemplation, his left hand unconsciously gesticulating.

After an unknown amount of time, Qin Sang slowly opened his eyes, murmuring in surprise, "I never imagined the Four Sages of Canglang Sea had such advanced artifact refining skills back then!" From Qin Sang's current perspective, the difficulty of repairing the Taiyi Star Chariot was no less than that of the war drum. When intact, it might have been a true treasure or a Post-Heaven Spirit Treasure. This time, without Master Gu and True Immortal Yuan's insights, the analysis alone would take a long time. Unexpectedly, Qin Sang discovered that the repair method left by Baogu was actually feasible.

Of course, it was impossible to completely restore the Taiyi Star Chariot; it was more like Master Gu's first repair of the war drum, only able to restore partial power. This was an extraordinary achievement, considering that Baogu, the highest cultivated among the Four Sages, had only just entered the Divine Transformation stage, unless they had received artifact refining inheritance in the Seven Kill Palace. From Qin Sang's current perspective, Baogu's approach inevitably had limitations, with no shortage of errors and oversights. However, Qin Sang could continue along Baogu's line of thought, saving considerable effort. Similar to the process of restoring the war drum, an initial repair would be performed first. Even if the restored power was not ideal, it would aid in analyzing the Taiyi Star Chariot, and then they could strive for perfection later. By doing so, Qin Sang could complete it himself, without needing to ask others for help.

Thinking this, Qin Sang almost immediately made a decision. He set aside his own cultivation, sent a message to the Sword Slave, then sealed his cave dwelling and entered seclusion again.

Progress was smoother than expected. Qin Sang was essentially improving upon Baogu's ideas, which was much easier than starting from scratch. Many ideas Baogu couldn't achieve, Qin Sang could, and he could further develop and expand upon them. Limited by her scope, the spiritual materials Baogu selected were not of high grade, posing hidden dangers during refining. Qin Sang replaced them with similar, purer, high-grade spiritual materials, thereby increasing the chances of success. Later, Qin Sang would also make modifications based on his own understanding and current circumstances. In just two years, Qin Sang had a clear plan; the next step was to collect spiritual items and materials.

"Creak!" For the first time in two years, Qin Sang opened his quiet room. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, bathing him in warmth. Qin Sang extended his spiritual sense and noticed that True Immortal Zhijian's cave dwelling had activated its protective array. The Sword Slave was not in seclusion. Sensing the fluctuation of spiritual sense, he flew over.

"Has Fellow Daoist Zhijian returned to the island?" Qin Sang asked. The Sword Slave nodded. "My master returned to the island half a year ago. Seeing that True Immortal was cultivating, he didn't disturb him and instructed this old servant that he would be entering seclusion for a period." Qin Sang glanced at True Immortal Zhijian's cave dwelling. In recent years, True Immortal Zhijian had frequently traveled, then returned to cultivate in seclusion, so opportunities for them to meet were rare. Qin Sang wondered what he was busy with.

After asking a few questions and learning about the current situation from the Sword Slave, Qin Sang activated his light evasion art and flew towards Huzhong Island. The atmosphere in Xingdao Immortal Lake was as tense as ever. Qin Sang properly ascended the island and first went to the Qi Residence. A few days later, Qin Sang and Master Qi's disciples left the Qi Residence separately, devising ways to collect spiritual materials.

Qin Sang's wealth could be considered substantial. A preliminary repair of the Taiyi Star Chariot wouldn't empty his coffers. However, every spiritual item he selected was a rare treasure of the world, difficult to gather even by searching all of Xingdao Immortal Lake. Over the next half year, Qin Sang actively contacted old acquaintances like True Immortal Youhuang, frequently attended various auctions and trade fairs, and when he found a target item, he would bid for it even at a premium. If he received news that someone might possess a certain spiritual item, he would also try to persuade them. During this period, many cultivators in Xingdao Immortal Lake heard rumors of a wealthy and powerful mysterious master.

Half a year later, Master Qi's disciples had gathered the minor items. Seeing that Xingdao Immortal Lake had been almost 'scoured' clean by him, Qin Sang decided to head west. When it came to the world's treasures, where was the richest source? Naturally, it was the Dao Court!

He returned to Zhitan. The Golden-armored Guards all recognized Qin Sang. Qin Sang chatted cheerfully with a Golden-armored Guard as he entered Zhitan. Learning that True Immortal Yuan was still in seclusion, he asked the guard to take him to the treasury. It's worth mentioning that the government office managing the treasury of the Northern Pole Exorcism Institute was actually called the Provisioning Bureau, which was fitting for the Dao Court's military.

True Immortal Yuan had personally taken him into the treasury before, explaining the characteristics of various spiritual items. Through this, Qin Sang became acquainted with True Immortal Miao, the Supervisor of the Provisioning Bureau. True Immortal Miao was in charge of the Provisioning Bureau, holding the official rank of fourth-grade. His cultivation was comparable to Qin Sang's, and the two interacted as peers. Upon learning of Qin Sang's arrival, True Immortal Miao greeted him warmly. Qin Sang went straight to the point and explained his purpose.

True Immortal Miao did not refuse. He mused, "Fellow Daoist wishes to exchange with merit points?" Here, spirit stones were useless. Qin Sang nodded, then asked, "Might it be possible to exchange items? These are all rare treasures of the world and will certainly not trouble you, Fellow Daoist." Saying this, Qin Sang took out several relics of Spirit Nether King. True Immortal Miao quickly scanned them, and his expression relaxed. He had the authority to approve exchanges of higher value for lower, or equal value for equal value. What he feared most was Qin Sang making too high demands without offering suitable items in return. It was not simply a matter of exchanging multiple low-grade spiritual items for one high-grade one.

That day, Qin Sang walked out of Zhitan with light steps. He had acquired most of the spiritual items he needed, and the Dao Court had records of the missing ones, with True Immortal Miao pointing out their locations. Qin Sang was naturally very grateful, but thinking of the treasures he had given away, he couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

After visiting Master Gu on the way, Qin Sang used a small displacement array, teleporting several times until he reached the southernmost tip of Baishi Zhitan, entered the Sea of Evil, and searched for spiritual items on the islands within. Over the next six months, Qin Sang traveled to all the islands True Immortal Miao had mentioned. On his return journey, he personally visited the Yellow Spring Path to investigate the situation. While the outside world hadn't yet been affected by war, the Yellow Spring Path was already a river of blood, having seen countless fierce battles. Qin Sang did not plan to reveal himself for now. Because of this, he could only see the situation vaguely, like looking at flowers through a fog. However, there were no signs of a large-scale battle between the Dao Court and the Ghost Fang Kingdom yet, so he still had time.

Carrying all the collected spiritual items, Qin Sang rushed back to the Qi Residence without delay, immediately sealed off the fire chamber, and ordered that no one should disturb him.

Inside the fire chamber. The Nine Nether Demonic Flame and Earth Vein Blazing Flame shone in harmony. Qin Sang used his spiritual sense to guide the spiritual items, refining them one by one, then cast the Taiyi Star Chariot into the flames, activating its meridians with his spells. The process was largely similar to when he repaired the war drum. Compared to back then, Qin Sang seemed more at ease. Firstly, he had improved further, and secondly, the requirements for this repair were not as high.

As clusters of spiritual essence were infused into the spirit fire, the Taiyi Star Chariot did not transform into a spirit embryo. Qin Sang at this moment was more like a repairman, mending crack after crack. Nevertheless, the Taiyi Star Chariot still underwent noticeable changes. Some of its powers were activated, and its form also altered, as if it was gradually unfurling.

"Swish!" Blinding firelight suddenly erupted within the fire chamber. Qin Sang's eyes widened. Without hesitation, blood energy surged from his palms and poured into the spirit fire. The Taiyi Star Chariot was enveloped in a cocoon formed by the blending of flames and blood energy.

"Boom!" A pure light burst forth from the cocoon. Joy was evident on Qin Sang's tired face. He calmly stabilized the underground fire veins and gazed at the cool white light before him. Within the white light was an object, unmistakably a jade chariot. The jade chariot was small and exquisite, with a jade seat inside, an open front, half-height side panels, and a jade wall at the back. This back wall was intricately carved with mysterious talismans, and above it was a canopy with hanging tassels, truly a marvel of craftsmanship. Some details appeared uncoordinated, which Qin Sang knew was due to his inability to fully repair it.

Staring at the treasure chariot for a long time, Qin Sang's expression changed. He had intended to try activating it but stopped. Since it was personally refined by him, Qin Sang already had a certain understanding of the jade chariot. Yet, for some unknown reason, when his spiritual sense touched the jade chariot, a strange feeling arose, though he couldn't pinpoint its origin. Evidently, there were still secrets he didn't comprehend. His intuition told him it was best not to activate this treasure here.

Thinking of this, Qin Sang patiently entered meditation to recover. After recovering, he hastily left the Qi Residence, teleported to the outer lake, and sought out an uninhabited body of water. It was late at night. The moon was in the middle of the sky, large as a silver plate. Under the moonlight, Qin Sang took out the jade chariot. As he infused it with true essence, it instantly burst forth with brilliant light, transforming into the size of a normal carriage. The treasure's glow resonated with the moonlight, adding to its luxurious feel. This was truly an immortal's treasure chariot.

Qin Sang tentatively boarded the jade chariot, sat on the jade seat, and caressed the armrest. As he focused his mind to perceive the chariot, that strange feeling became even clearer. The next moment, Qin Sang's expression changed dramatically! A terrifying roar, like a dragon's cry, shook heaven and earth, causing Qin Sang's mind to tremble violently. He saw golden light erupting from the front of the jade chariot. Within the dazzling golden light, a slender, illusory figure emerged. Its body writhed, dragon horns sprouted from its head, and its entire body was covered in golden scales, appearing majestic and awe-inspiring—it was a golden dragon! Its form was ethereal, yet it also seemed like a dragon soul. The roar was indeed a dragon's cry!

Qin Sang's face was filled with shock. Before he could understand the reason, he suddenly felt something and looked up abruptly, staring fixedly at the bright moon in the sky. He felt that there was a power within the bright moon that was resonating with the jade chariot beneath him. Two golden ropes tied the golden dragon to the jade chariot. Without waiting for Qin Sang's command, it roared, its dragon tail gently swayed, and its claws trod on air, dragging the jade chariot and carrying Qin Sang towards the Nine Heavens, directly heading for the Moon Palace.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!" The night wind whistled. The Dragon ascended to the Nine Heavens!

The bright moon became increasingly dazzling, or more precisely, the center of the full moon. Soon after entering this realm, Qin Sang had noticed that the moon here seemed like two bright moons, one large and one small, overlapping. Qin Sang had a feeling that the moon in the center was rapidly expanding in his vision. Within the bright moon, there seemed to be a strange space, as small as a mustard seed yet as vast as infinity. Before the entrance, a celestial archway was faintly visible. Deep emerald, crafted from glazed tiles; dazzlingly bright, adorned with precious jade. Inscribed above it: "Southern Heavenly Gate!"

At the instant the golden dragon appeared.

In Zhongmao Zhitan. In the golden hall, a Daoist was startled awake from his meditation.

In Baishi Zhitan. In the bamboo forest, a Kun Dao sat meditating. A brass bell slowly rotated before her, ringing out a crisp sound with each rotation. The ringing abruptly stopped.

In the Ghost Fang Kingdom, Great Sage's Manor. On a high altar sat a man of imposing presence, wearing an emperor's crown and a dragon robe. Above his head, a damaged map slowly rotated. On all four sides of the high altar, figures sat in the shadows, all exuding powerful auras. Suddenly, everyone seemed to be struck by some impact, shaking violently and looking at the person on the altar with shock and uncertainty.

On Jianxin Island. In the quiet room, True Immortal Zhijian sat with eyes closed. A treasure sword wrapped in white cloth was stuck in the ground before him, its body vibrating and emitting a profound sword hum. True Immortal Zhijian abruptly rose and stepped outside the room.

Tonight, within this realm, if anyone were outside admiring the moon, they would see an astonishing rainbow streak across the night sky, heading straight beyond the Nine Heavens. An immortal, driving a divine chariot, riding a dragon towards the moon!