Chapter 1903: Lawful Body

## The Mortal World

Upon acquiring the token, Qin Sang sensed an unusual fluctuation, a very subtle restriction. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator might overlook it if not careful.

This token was likely part of a formation, but its exact function was difficult to determine from the token alone. It was probably used as a token because it resonated with the formation when nearby. Qin Sang guessed that the boy and his father hadn't discovered this peculiarity, or perhaps they knew something was unusual about it but didn't understand why.

This piqued Qin Sang's interest in the token, and he decided to keep it. He then turned to the guard commander standing nearby and said, "I'll trouble you to make another trip. Please fetch a piece of Huanli Stone and a top-grade water-attribute magic treasure."

The boy, his forehead slick with sweat from nervousness, heard this and felt his long-cherished wish fulfilled. The tension in his body suddenly relaxed, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

The guard commander seemed to want to speak but then hesitated. In the end, he accepted the spirit stones and left to carry out the order.

Qin Sang proceeded to meticulously inquire about various details. The boy, at this point, held nothing back and answered every question openly.

The two conversed for quite some time before the guard commander returned to Fudi Market. It took him longer than it had to fetch the Purple Source Pill, making the boy somewhat restless.

The guard commander placed a jade box and a wide-mouthed square cauldron in front of Qin Sang. Inside the jade box was a strange, fist-sized round stone, clear as crystal, with what looked like a ball of pure water enclosed within.

Qin Sang noticed something unusual and inquired via spiritual transmission. The guard commander's explanation revealed that while the Huanli Stone wasn't particularly valuable, it was extremely rare in Cloud Capital Mountain. Others would have great difficulty finding a Huanli Stone of such quality.

"They're all yours. Take them," Qin Sang said, gesturing for the boy to take the items from the table.

As the boy picked up the Huanli Stone, his hands trembled slightly, and he appeared even more excited than when he had received the Purple Source Pill.

He was still too naive after all! All three individuals present were experienced and astute; the boy's actions could not escape their discerning eyes. It was obvious what was on his mind. Perhaps the Purple Source Pill was just a diversion, and the Huanli Stone was his true objective. The boy definitely had more secrets.

"I haven't heard of the Huanli Stone having any special properties," Steward Lu thought to himself. Seeing Qin Sang casually flipping through the golden records, seemingly unconcerned, and the guard commander standing respectfully to the side, looking straight ahead, he dismissed his curiosity and instructed a maidservant to escort the boy out.

Next, Qin Sang selected a few more cave dwellings from the golden records and then left Fudi Market.

Without the guard commander accompanying him further, Qin Sang wandered through the city alone, interacting with various cultivators from Cloud Capital Mountain.

Leaving aside the unique case of the Talisman Realm, the customs and landscapes of the Great Thousand World differed significantly from the Storm Realm. If one word could describe it, it would be 'abundance'! Perhaps for this reason, or perhaps due to Cloud Capital's effective governance, the cultivators here didn't carry a heavy sense of hostility.

In the lower cultivation stages, up to and including the Core Formation stage, the Great Thousand World offered a distinct advantage. Here, the difficulty for dual-spirit root cultivators wasn't much greater than for a heavenly spirit root genius in the Storm Realm. Of course, heavenly spirit roots had no bottleneck when breaking through to the Core Formation stage, a gap that dual-spirit roots couldn't bridge.

If he had been sent to the Great Thousand World by the Jade Buddha back then, he might not have had to sell himself into servitude to achieve Foundation Establishment, but he also wouldn't have experienced the thrilling adventures and opportunities that followed.

Lost in thought, Qin Sang strolled around the city for a while before returning to the main hall on the sixth floor.

Afterward, Qin Sang remained in Cloud Cauldron City for nearly a year, during which he met the City Lord. Once the first batch of Clear Flower Pills was refined, Qin Sang collected the elixirs and departed from Cloud Cauldron City.

After leaving the city, Qin Sang retraced his path, flying out of the Cloud Capital Mountain Range and continuing westward. Gradually, he began to see mortal villages.

After flying over several countries consecutively, Qin Sang briefly circled above a perilous peak, then transformed into a streak of light and plunged straight down.

The mountain was surrounded by sheer cliffs, unclimbable even for monkeys. Along its walls, there were several tiers, each with houses and pavilions. The higher up the mountain, the grander the structures became, culminating in palatial buildings at the summit that resembled those of mortal emperors. While magnificent, they lacked a sense of tranquility.

However, despite their grandeur, these palaces felt devoid of human presence, as if they were empty.

Qin Sang did not conceal his aura. As soon as he landed, a streak of light shot up from a palace on the mountaintop, revealing an old man in gray robes.

The elder hovered above the palace, at the edge of the mountain-protecting formation. Seeing an unfamiliar face, he cupped his hands and inquired, "May I ask where this fellow Daoist comes from? Are you an old acquaintance of one of our North Mountain Sect elders?"

Qin Sang flicked his sleeve, displaying the token from Fudi Market, and surveyed the mountain below. "It seems your sect has already relocated?"

Upon seeing the token, the elder understood Qin Sang's purpose, and his tone became noticeably warmer. "Indeed! Fellow Daoist must have already learned about it at Fudi Market, so there's no need for me to elaborate... As long as you are willing to purchase it, you can immediately take possession of this cultivation ground!"

Qin Sang questioned, "A sect relocating its entire base is quite rare. This cultivation ground doesn't come with any troublesome karma, does it?"

The elder shook his head repeatedly. "Our sect master was fortunate enough to acquire a cultivation ground in Cloud Capital Mountain, which is why we decided to move there. Fellow Daoist will know if you inquire in Lanyun City of Cloud Capital Mountain."

While conversing, Qin Sang silently sensed the spiritual ley lines of the mountain and the surrounding ranges. By now, he could clearly perceive even the subtle underground ley lines.

This cultivation ground was excellent, sufficient for a sect's cultivation, including Nascent Soul cultivators. If the North Mountain Sect hadn't demanded such a high price, it would have already been bought. Furthermore, its hidden location among mortals also met Qin Sang's requirements for secluded cultivation.

Qin Sang's mind conjured an image of the surrounding spiritual ley lines and terrain. The quality of a cave dwelling or cultivation ground was closely tied to the owner's capabilities. The North Mountain Sect's formation was too crude and failed to utilize the site to its full potential. Geomancy and Feng Shui were profound fields of study in the cultivation world. If properly arranged, with excellent methods for adjusting the earth veins, a cultivation ground could even improve year by year, achieving the effect of 'nurturing a dragon'.

Qin Sang, having once been a sect master himself, was well-versed in this art. If he were to personally set up grand formations, relocate spiritual ley lines, and absorb the essence of the surrounding mountains, this place could be elevated further, suitable for Soul Transformation cultivators. However, such an undertaking would cause too great a disturbance, and the site's foundation was insufficient. Even at its peak, it would only be suitable for consolidating one's foundation; for actual cultivation, he would need to find another location. It could only be considered a secondary option.

Qin Sang conversed with the elder for a while, bade him farewell, and then departed.

In the mortal lands, this was the only place Qin Sang had selected.

Leaving the North Mountain Sect, he flew north through the air, with cities and rivers below receding at an astonishing speed.

Gradually, human settlements became sparse again, and Qin Sang faintly sensed a scorching aura emanating from ahead.

To the north, besides the boy's location, Qin Sang had chosen two more cave dwellings; the remaining ones were all in the Twilight Mountain Range.

The scenery here was vastly different from Cloud Capital Mountain.

Not long after leaving the mortal-inhabited regions, Qin Sang saw a towering pillar of fire, with scalding lava continuously erupting and billowing black smoke obscuring the sky.

The underground here wasn't entirely dominated by violent fire veins, but the scorching aura made it exceptionally desolate, with barren mountains and desert gobi everywhere. Mortals simply couldn't survive here.

The fire spiritual energy here was the most abundant, making it a sacred land for cultivating fire-attribute techniques, provided one could withstand the unusually violent spiritual energy.

The further north he flew, the more desolate it became. Lava rivers crisscrossed the land, and occasionally, he would see a volcano furiously spewing lava. While not as extreme as the storm belt between Central Plains and the Western Lands, it was not far off.

Soon, Qin Sang found his first target: a cave dwelling located within a dormant volcano.

The owner of the cave dwelling was a Nascent Soul cultivator. Upon seeing Qin Sang, he was exceptionally enthusiastic, praising the dwelling profusely and expressing deep regret that he had to sell it for elixirs. His acting was superb, almost flawless, and the asking price wasn't high.

Unfortunately, Qin Sang saw through him at a glance. The dwelling's actual quality was far from what the owner boasted; it was an illusion created by a special formation. For a dignified Nascent Soul cultivator to resort to such actions was despicable.

If this person hadn't harbored evil intentions of causing harm for wealth, Qin Sang would not have merely meted out a slight punishment.

Arriving at the next location, Qin Sang surprisingly couldn't find the cave dwelling. After circling once, Qin Sang finally noticed something amiss.

This place had once been a crucial nexus for several large fire veins. Judging by the signs, an eruption must have occurred recently. Presumably, the owner sensed the unusual activity in the fire veins and knew the dwelling wouldn't last long, forcing them to abandon it. Yet, they still tried to make a quick profit before leaving, which was almost tantamount to harming people for wealth.

"Moral decay!" Qin Sang shook his head repeatedly, secretly regretting. Judging by the remaining traces, this place would have been an excellent choice. If he had arrived earlier, he would have had a way to suppress the fire veins.

"I hope the next one doesn't disappoint me..." Qin Sang ascertained his direction, flew over three thousand miles westward, and holding the token, soon felt a resonance.

Following the guidance, Qin Sang landed beside a lava river. The lava in the river had dried up, leaving black volcanic rocks piled at the bottom, and cracks subtly emitted a red glow. The target was underground.

Standing there, Qin Sang could already perceive a sea of underground lava, with fire spirits playing within it, some even at the Nascent Soul level. Unless the boy's father could enlist the help of a Nascent Soul cultivator, it would be impossible to clear out so many fire spirits. At most, they might have found a way to bypass the fire spirits' senses and sneak in.

Qin Sang held the token, sensing carefully.

"Still at the bottom of the lava..." Just as he was about to pass through a crack, he suddenly stopped. His figure blurred, and a brilliant light flashed above his head. A pure, ethereal qi surged upwards, paused in mid-air, and transformed into a human figure. This figure's appearance and demeanor were identical to Qin Sang's; it was his Dharma Body.

When breaking through to the Void Refinement stage, Qin Sang had taken an unconventional path, and he hadn't yet fully grasped the wonders of his Dharma Body. Part of consolidating his cultivation involved re-examining the breakthrough process and comprehending the insights he might have overlooked.

Qin Sang's true body looked up, and his Dharma Body looked down. Their four eyes met, both seeing themselves, a rather peculiar sensation.

The so-called Dharma Body is a manifestation of a Void Refinement cultivator's true essence, and in a sense, can be seen as the nurturing of the Nascent Soul. Recalling the moment of his breakthrough back then: at the instant he broke through the profound barrier, his Nascent Soul suddenly expanded, becoming as large as a human body, thereby attracting the spiritual vitality of heaven and earth. The cultivator's understanding of the Way of Heaven and Man entered a new realm.

When the Dharma Body leaves the physical form, it is akin to the Nascent Soul leaving the body, yet it is not as fragile as the Nascent Soul. The Dharma Body carries the cultivator's true essence, manipulates the primal energy of heaven and earth, and can even extend spiritual sense without the need for the primordial spirit to leave the body, all without hindrance. It can cast Daoist spells, wield spirit treasures, and engage in combat with enemies just like the true body.

Thus, cultivators don't need to reveal themselves; they can summon their Dharma Body to face enemies while their true body remains hidden, undetectable by foes! If the Dharma Body is damaged, it only needs to return to the main body for a period of recuperation to recover as new.

However, one cannot be completely without caution. If the Dharma Body is destroyed, even if the cultivator doesn't die, their Dao foundation will be severely damaged, causing unbearable pain. Nevertheless, if one senses that the Dharma Body is about to be destroyed, within a certain range, one can directly activate the divine ability of 'Returning to the Source', dispersing the Dharma Body and returning to the main body, thus escaping calamity.

This divine ability actually had its origins as early as the Nascent Soul stage, manifest as the Nascent Soul's teleportation ability. Qin Sang had tried it, and with his current capabilities, the range of 'Returning to the Source' could extend up to a thousand li. Once his foundation was stable, it would extend even further.

From this, it was evident that killing a Void Refinement cultivator was by no means an easy feat.

Besides this, the Dharma Body possessed infinite wondrous uses, making it perfectly suited for reconnaissance. The current location wasn't so dangerous as to warrant such caution from Qin Sang; this action was also intended to help him better familiarize himself with his Dharma Body.

His true body vanished into a crevice and sat down cross-legged in meditation. The Dharma Body raised its hands, observing itself for a moment, and the Heavenly Eye Butterfly flew to its shoulder.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!" Snowflakes drifted down. The surrounding temperature abruptly plummeted. The Dharma Body held the Four-Directional Winged Serpent Seal. Four winged serpents flew out from the seal's knob, swimming obediently in the Dharma Body's palm.

The Dharma Body gathered the coldness, its palm seemingly holding a snowy expanse, and passed through the crack, entering the underground.

The next moment, its vision was filled with dazzling red light, and a scorching aura rushed forth. The fire spirits were still playing, completely unaware of the uninvited guest's arrival.

Qin Sang did not clear out these fire spirits. After a brief observation, the Dharma Body plunged directly into the lava.

The sensation of the lava flowing around it was incredibly clear, indistinguishable from if his true body had arrived.

After continuously sinking for a hundred miles, it still hadn't reached the bottom of the lava. Meanwhile, the token in the Dharma Body's hand grew hotter and brighter, outshining the light emitted by the lava.

The Dharma Body raised a finger and gently tapped the token. The token hummed and vibrated, and a fiery red rune suddenly appeared in its center. Firelight flowed within the rune, slowly turning in one direction.

"It's there!" The Dharma Body flew over, traveling approximately another fifty miles, and the token vibrated even more intensely, as if trying to break free and return. And at this point, both Qin Sang and the Heavenly Eye Butterfly detected an anomaly below.

Just as Qin Sang expected, a spiritual formation was present here.

"Oh? This formation doesn't seem simple, but..." The Dharma Body's gaze swept over the area, then it moved diagonally forward for a hundred zhang, suddenly stopped, and pressed its palm downwards.

With the Dharma Body as the dividing line, the lava suddenly created a fault. The lava below continued to press down, while above, a barrier seemed to hold up a hundred miles of thick lava. Before long, strange red glows and peculiar outlines began to appear on the surface of the lava below.

Taking all of this in, the Dharma Body subtly shook its head. "Indeed, it's an ancient formation, but what a pity..."

Discovering an ancient formation was cause for joy; with luck, one might obtain inheritances and treasures from ancient cultivators. Unfortunately, this formation was incomplete, significantly diminishing its value. However, Qin Sang's objective was to find a cave dwelling, so he wasn't particularly disappointed. He chose a weak point and entered the formation.

I went on a long journey and returned late. If there is any infringement, please contact: (##)