Chapter 1901: Cloud Capital Mountain

The Mortal Realm

Qin Sang flew through the air, clouds forming beneath his feet, neither fast nor slow. Abbot Yu was only a step away from reaching the Nascent Soul stage, and the guidance he provided was merely an effortless task.

The mountains and rivers below stretched out before his eyes. Mortals were like ants, living and multiplying, showing no change compared to a century ago. Recalling the geographical information Abbot Yu had shared, Qin Sang looked eastward. He was searching for a grandmaster of alchemy. To refine the 'Yinghua Pill' with a guaranteed success rate, the alchemist's cultivation would need to be at least at the Spirit Transformation stage. To find such a high-level cultivator, one must travel east. It was said that to the east lay an immortal mountain named Yun Du, the source of all spiritual veins in the world and a gathering place for immortals.

Furthermore, Abbot Yu had warned him that if he ventured west into sparsely populated areas, he would encounter numerous mountain ranges with no shortage of immortal mountains and spiritual rivers. However, these places were often hiding spots for demons, monsters, and wicked cultivators, where killings were frequent and the situation was extremely chaotic. Abbot Yu was only at the Core Formation stage, and his vision was limited by his cultivation. Nevertheless, based on the information he provided, Qin Sang could form a rough judgment of the surrounding environment. To truly understand this cultivation world and its place in the vast Great Thousand World, he first needed to visit Yun Du Mountain. Therefore, Qin Sang flew directly eastward along the shores of Lake Li.

Before long, Qin Sang spotted the eastern shore of Lake Li in the distance. This was not the end; Lake Li was merely part of a larger water system. A great river flowed eastward from the eastern shore, and according to the ancient texts of the Misty Water Abbey, following this river eastward would lead one to Yun Du Mountain.

Qin Sang did not specifically accelerate his flight speed or conceal his traces; he simply rode a white cloud through the sky.

"Demonic spirits, city gods, earth deities, immortal cultivators..."

Without needing to deliberately expand his spiritual sense, Qin Sang could perceive the extraordinary auras along his path. He saw mortals going up a mountain to hunt, their disrespectful actions angering a mountain monster, which promptly swallowed them whole. He saw a ferocious monster attempting to attack a village for blood offerings, only to be slain by the city god summoned by the local earth deity. He also saw cultivators wielding swords, vanquishing demons and devils, and rescuing oppressed mountain gods. He even saw a wolf demon, radiating pure energy, sharing drinks and discussing poetry with two cultivators and a mountain god. There were young demons who had recently gained intelligence, cautiously exploring the world; deities residing in temples, protecting mortals; and cultivators dedicated to their practice, unconcerned with worldly affairs.

Qin Sang couldn't help but exclaim, "What a magnificent Great Thousand World!"

Overall, compared to other cultivation realms, this place was undoubtedly very peaceful. However, one point could not be overlooked: the spiritual energy of heaven and earth here certainly couldn't compare to that of Yun Du Mountain. Was Yun Du Mountain similar?

White clouds drifted lazily.

After flying over various rivers and lakes, large and small, Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly. He dissolved the white cloud beneath his feet and descended gracefully towards a mountain peak below. This mountain was far from the hustle and bustle, rarely visited by people. Within it lay a market named Hongshan Market. Behind Hongshan Market was an immortal sect. The market opened once every six months, for a duration of half a month. This sect had a Nascent Soul cultivator presiding over it, ensuring fairness and strictness. Consequently, Hongshan Market was widely known in the vicinity, attracting even deities and demon cultivators for trade. As long as they weren't demons who consumed humans as blood offerings, they wouldn't face any discrimination in the market. Abbot Yu was a frequent visitor to Hongshan Market, and many outside news reports were gathered from there. Before his departure, Abbot Yu had given Qin Sang a name card to facilitate his dealings in the market. It happened to be the market's opening date.

Qin Sang landed on a rock outside the market. Instead of taking out Abbot Yu's name card, he directly released an aura equivalent to that of a Nascent Soul cultivator. A moment later, there was indeed a reaction from within the market. A rainbow light flew out, paused briefly, then swiftly approached, revealing an elder. This was none other than the master of Hongshan Market, known as Old Man Luyang. Seeing a strange face whose cultivation was no less than his own, Old Man Luyang's words and actions were tinged with caution.

Qin Sang acted as if he hadn't noticed, then concocted a reason, stating his purpose: "This humble Daoist has long heard that Yun Du Mountain is a sacred place for immortals, with countless high-level cultivators. I wish to go to Yun Du Mountain to seek spiritual pills, but I am unfamiliar with the area and fear acting improperly or committing taboos. Passing by your esteemed residence, I presume to ask for some guidance, fellow Daoist."

Hearing this, Old Man Luyang's expression softened slightly. He pondered, "May I ask what grade of pills Daoist Qingfeng seeks? This old man happens to be on good terms with several grandmasters of alchemy and can introduce you."

Qin Sang stated frankly, "Thank you, fellow Daoist! However, this pill is rare, and I fear it will require a grandmaster of alchemy at the Spirit Transformation stage to personally refine it."

"Hiss!" A flicker of surprise crossed Old Man Luyang's eyes. He shook his head with a wry smile. "I see. No wonder fellow Daoist traveled thousands of miles. To refine such a spiritual pill, you can only try your luck at Yun Ding City."

"Yun Ding City?" Qin Sang asked in return, "Is it within Yun Du Mountain?"

"Precisely!" Old Man Luyang nodded. "Most immortal cities within Yun Du Mountain have 'Yun' in their names. Among the many immortal cities, Yun Ding City is exceptionally famous, known to everyone in Yun Du Mountain, and can be called a sacred land of alchemy. The lord of Yun Ding City is a senior at the Spirit Transformation stage, highly skilled in alchemy. Many alchemists come here, drawn by his reputation, and can receive his protection within the city, enjoying a high status. It is said that even Yun Du Tian shows great respect to the city lord. However, it's not easy to persuade the city lord to act..."

While explaining, Old Man Luyang also took out a jade slip containing a geomancy map that covered part of the Yun Du Mountain region, marking the locations of some immortal cities and sects. Qin Sang thanked him and split his spiritual sense to examine it.

The so-called 'Yun Du Tian' referred to a major immortal sect within Yun Du Mountain, whose sect name was Yun Du Mountain itself! Nowadays, no one could say whether the immortal mountain was named after the sect or vice versa. To distinguish it and show respect for the sect, cultivators in Yun Du Mountain honored it with the appellation 'Tian' (Heaven), calling it 'Yun Du Tian'. Yun Du Tian lived up to this esteemed title. It was not only the foremost sect within Yun Du Mountain, but its main peak, where the sect gate resided, soared into the clouds, invisible to mortals, as if it were truly in the heavens.

Qin Sang observed carefully, pondering in his mind. "A Spirit Transformation cultivator can occupy an immortal city, protect other alchemists, and be valued by Yun Du Tian, indicating exceptionally high alchemy skill. But it also indirectly shows that in Yun Du Mountain, Spirit Transformation cultivators are also strong. Could Yun Du Tian only have Void Refinement cultivators presiding over its sect?" The Great Thousand World couldn't possibly have Integration or Mahayana cultivators everywhere. Perhaps the cultivation world he had landed in was relatively remote.

"Thank you, fellow Daoist." Qin Sang insisted on paying a reward. This geomancy map must have been a treasure of Old Man Luyang's sect. The cultivation world was unpredictable, and mapping it also involved risks.

Bidding farewell to Old Man Luyang, Qin Sang vanished into the sky. Old Man Luyang watched the retreating light, finding nothing unusual, and simply regarded it as a minor incident.

Having obtained the geomancy map and thoroughly examined the local features, Qin Sang accelerated his pace and headed directly for Yun Ding City. He flew over countless mountains and rivers. The mountains clearly became more perilous, and the rivers flowed turbulently, making them unsuitable for mortal habitation. Settlements gradually thinned out, making it difficult for nations to form. Correspondingly, the spiritual energy gradually grew denser, and cultivators and immortal sects became more numerous. He flew over countless more towering mountains and ridges.

"It truly deserves the name Yun Du Mountain," Qin Sang inwardly sighed with wonder. Even before reaching the inner regions, the mountains were enveloped in white mist, and the white clouds at their peaks lingered year-round, merging with the mist, as if all the mountain ranges were submerged in a sea of clouds. No wonder it was called an immortal realm by the world. Amidst the clouds and mist, mountain silhouettes were indistinct, yet fresh and natural.

Within Yun Du Mountain, the central main peak in the inner region was occupied by Yun Du Tian. Other sects and immortal cities each occupied their own spiritual peaks, arranged around Yun Du Tian. The vastness of Yun Du Mountain's territory far exceeded ordinary imagination. Part of Qin Sang's astonishment stemmed from this: he estimated that flying from Hongshan Market to this point was already equivalent to crossing the entire Central Continent of the Storm Realm, and he still hadn't reached the so-called inner region of Yun Du Mountain, let alone knowing its actual size. Cultivators both inside and outside the mountain depended on Yun Du Tian for their survival, a single sect's influence spanning such a vast territory. The Great Thousand World truly lived up to its name!

Yun Ding City was also in the inner region of Yun Du Mountain, though it was on the periphery, located northwest of Yun Du Tian. Continuing to fly for a while, the clouds and mist did not grow denser. Qin Sang pondered for a moment, then maintained his early Spirit Transformation stage aura and flew steadily towards Yun Ding City. Upon reaching the area marked on the geomancy map, Qin Sang noticed that the mountain mist had disappeared, all gathering upwards to form a vast, sky-obscuring cloud canopy. From all directions, mist was continuously drawn in. Qin Sang's gaze shifted, and he saw cloud paths formed by arrays within the cloud canopy. He ascended and walked slowly along a cloud path. Above the cloud canopy, the sky was clear and azure, like walking in the heavens. These cloud paths connected all directions, converging towards the center. Qin Sang soon encountered fellow travelers. As Old Man Luyang had said, Yun Ding City was very famous, attracting many cultivators seeking pills. Before long, the cloud paths became bustling with activity.

When Qin Sang saw the full view of Yun Ding City with his own eyes, he couldn't help but reveal a look of novelty. The city's external appearance was indeed that of a giant cloud cauldron! The enormous cauldron rested amidst a sea of clouds. Its walls served as the city's ramparts, yet they were open-worked, allowing glimpses of the internal structures. The people of the city lived within the cauldron. Inside the cauldron, cloud bridges crisscrossed, and palaces and pavilions seemed to be constructed from white clouds. Everything appeared white, with other colors merely serving as adornments. The immortal city was divided into several layers, all connected by cloud bridges. Each layer was arranged in an orderly fashion, the lowest being the mountaintop, while the upper layers were entirely constructed from clouds and mist, appearing more mysterious the higher one went. This scene reminded Qin Sang of the Thunder City in the Divine Court.

Qin Sang, standing before the South Gate, noticed that the checks at the city gate were not strict. Yun Ding City was home to alchemists, most of whom lived by refining pills, so it naturally had to be open to outsiders. As expected, as soon as he approached Yun Ding City, he drew attention. The captain of the guards came forward, bowed respectfully, and asked, "Has this senior come for a pill?"

"Indeed," Qin Sang nodded.

"By the City Lord's order, Spirit Transformation stage seniors may proceed directly to the sixth layer of the immortal city. Please, senior!" Yun Ding City was divided into seven layers, with the seventh layer being the City Lord's residence. The guard captain's tone was respectful. Upon receiving Qin Sang's affirmation, he turned and led the way. Seeing the guard captain personally leading the way, nearby cultivators turned to look, speculating about Qin Sang's identity but not daring to pry too much. Qin Sang's expression remained calm. He entered the city with the guard captain, enjoying the internal scenery, and before he knew it, he had ascended to the sixth layer. From his elevated position, he could only vaguely see the lower layers, indicating the presence of obstructing formations.

The city had clearly been notified. The guard captain led Qin Sang into a grand hall where a cultivator was already waiting. "Late Nascent Soul stage." Qin Sang discerned the man's cultivation at a glance and, seeing the patterns on his robes, knew that this person held a significant position in Yun Ding City. The cultivator wore white robes with a small cauldron emblem on his chest. He had a square face and a steady demeanor, which immediately gave off a reliable impression. He dismissed the guards, then bowed respectfully. "This junior, Fan Rugui, the fourth disciple under my master, greets senior."

"This humble Daoist is Qingfeng, here to seek a pill. May I have the honor of requesting your esteemed master to personally open his furnace and refine a pill?" Qin Sang asked directly, returning the bow.

Fan Rugui neither confirmed nor denied, simply saying, "May I ask what pill senior seeks? My master is currently refining pills and is unable to attend. If master's personal intervention is required, this junior will certainly inform him."

"The pill this humble Daoist seeks, I estimate you haven't seen before. Here is the pill formula, and I have also collected some spiritual herbs earlier..." As he spoke, Qin Sang took out a jade slip and handed it to Fan Rugui.

Hearing Qin Sang say it was a pill formula unseen by Yun Ding City, Fan Rugui's expression remained normal, though he was somewhat dismissive internally. Unexpectedly, upon taking the jade slip and glancing at it, he became utterly engrossed, unable to pull himself away.

Qin Sang observed Fan Rugui's demeanor, waited for a moment, then chuckled, "This humble Daoist's words were not exaggerated, were they?"

Fan Rugui seemed to awaken from a dream, his expression betraying an undisguised trace of excitement. He continuously muttered, "This pill formula... this pill formula..."

Qin Sang deliberately frowned. "Fellow Daoist Fan, is there a problem with this pill formula? This formula was unexpectedly obtained by this humble Daoist from an ancient text. According to that text, it originates from the Witch Tribe's legacy, distinctly different from our human race. I was even concerned that human alchemists might not be able to refine it. Could it be mere fabricated nonsense?"

"No! No! No!" Fan Rugui shook his head repeatedly. "Some of the spiritual herbs have names different from those of the current era, but the pill formula itself is entirely without issue. It's just the pharmacology... it's actually the legendary Witch Tribe's legacy! No wonder! No wonder!"

"The legendary Witch Tribe!" Qin Sang frowned and pressed, "Has Yun Ding City never before obtained such Witch Tribe pill formulas?"

"Indeed, this is the first time we've encountered it," Fan Rugui honestly replied. "We must thank senior for bringing this pill formula. This junior now knows such an alchemy path exists in the world, and my master will certainly be very pleased when he learns of it."

Hearing this, Qin Sang inwardly sighed. The Witch Tribe being a legend here implied that either the Witch Tribe had declined in the Great Thousand World, or this place was a self-contained realm like the Talisman Realm. Otherwise, it was indeed a remote area. It seemed that finding Liuying and the Ghost Mother within a short time was not possible either. "Oh well! I don't even know if the star platform on Witch God Mountain leads to the Witch Tribe. What if the one I attracted was a Mahayana Witch Tribe member, from the same clan as the Ghost Mother, but was then jointly slain by the First Sword Attendant and True Monarch Zhang in the River of Evil? How would I explain myself to her when we meet?"

This thought flashed through Qin Sang's mind. He continued to ask, "Since it's a Witch Tribe legacy, does fellow Daoist have confidence?"

Fan Rugui said repeatedly, "Senior, rest assured, my master's alchemy is unparalleled in Yun Du Mountain; he will surely be able to refine this pill! Furthermore, my master has a long-standing rule: if someone seeking a pill brings a new pill formula, the first refinement will incur no charge until the pill is successfully produced! After that, the remuneration for each subsequent refinement will be halved, and the immortal city's resources will be mobilized to help the seeker find spiritual herbs! Of course, the spiritual stones and treasures for purchasing these herbs must be provided by senior."

New pill formulas were still very attractive to alchemists. Grandmaster Lingxu wasn't entirely just fulfilling a request. Qin Sang thought inwardly, then handed over a mustard seed bag. "This humble Daoist has only collected these. For the missing ingredients, I hope your esteemed master can help find them."