Chapter 195: Choice

Novel:

Shaohua Mountain, Daomen Peak.

Qin Sang didn't have many acquaintances. After bidding farewell to Shopkeeper Wu in Wen Yue Fang City, he came to Daomen Peak to say goodbye to Senior Brother Wen.

Senior Brother Wen was like both a mentor and a friend to Qin Sang. Qin Sang didn't have a master and even knew very little about many common things, but whenever he asked Senior Brother Wen for advice, he always received answers.

Surprisingly, their friendship began with two mid-grade spirit stones, a fact that always brought a wry smile to one's face when recalled.

"I didn't expect Junior Brother Qin to voluntarily enter the Ancient Immortal Battlefield right after successfully cultivating his foundation. Such courage makes me feel ashamed of myself," Senior Brother Wen said with emotion, raising his teacup. "I'll use tea instead of wine to bid you farewell, Junior Brother Qin."

Qin Sang gave a wry smile. If it weren't for the requirements of his cultivation technique, and if staying in his cave dwelling for secluded cultivation could drastically increase his realm and help him form a core, he wouldn't put himself in such dangerous situations.

After drinking the tea, Qin Sang cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Senior Brother Wen, then flew on his sword towards Sect Master Peak.

By this time, dozens of cultivators had already gathered at Sect Master Peak, including disciples of Shaohua Mountain and members of cultivation families affiliated with it. The number was not limited to these, and it was still early, so not everyone had arrived yet.

Most of these individuals were in the Qi Refining stage, though there were also Foundation Establishment cultivators. All were preparing to depart for the Ancient Immortal Battlefield.

The Qi Refining cultivators were mostly at the tenth level of Qi Refining or higher, and most appeared somewhat aged, at least forty or fifty years old.

These were cultivators who had failed to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage before the age of fifty, or who felt they wouldn't be able to achieve it by fifty. Yet, unwilling to give up, they ventured to the Ancient Immortal Battlefield to seek opportunities and make one final push.

There were also those whose path to immortality was already cut off, but who desperately accumulated cultivation resources for their descendants, so that the younger generation wouldn't follow in their footsteps.

After all, despite its dangers, the Ancient Immortal Battlefield was a treasure trove of various opportunities, with countless legends of defying fate circulating in the cultivation world.

In this regard, Yun Cang Great Marsh was far inferior to the Ancient Immortal Battlefield.

Qin Sang lowered his sword light.

Everyone looked over in unison.

Qin Sang scanned the crowd but saw no familiar faces. He walked to a nearby tree, sat down cross-legged, entered meditation, and waited quietly.

Seeing Qin Sang's aloof demeanor, some who had been eager to approach him and make acquaintances gave up on their intentions.

It was clear that as the departure time approached, most people found it hard to remain calm. Some gathered in small groups, whispering and venting their anxieties.

Qin Sang appeared to be in meditation, but in reality, he had dispersed his spiritual sense to eavesdrop on the conversations. Although he had gathered as much information as possible about the Ancient Immortal Battlefield, there were bound to be omissions. With an uncertain path ahead, the more comprehensive his understanding, the better.

After listening for a while, Qin Sang secretly shook his head. What these people were saying was largely similar to what he had already found. It made sense; they were either Shaohua Mountain disciples or from families affiliated with Shaohua Mountain, so their information channels were all through Shaohua Mountain. It was not surprising that their knowledge was identical.

Qin Sang decided not to waste any more energy. Just as he withdrew his spiritual sense, he suddenly heard a whooshing sound. He looked up and saw a streak of escaping light approaching rapidly. Judging by its aura, it seemed to be a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and the light felt somewhat familiar.

*Whoosh!*

The streak of light abruptly stopped in front of Sect Master Peak and landed on the stone path, revealing the figure of a middle-aged cultivator. To Qin Sang's surprise, it was Yu Daiyue!

After returning from the Heavenly Corpse Sect's sub-branch, following the unexpected deaths of three fellow Foundation Establishment disciples who were traveling with them, Qin Sang and Yu Daiyue were separately interrogated by the Enforcement Hall. Qin Sang hadn't seen Yu Daiyue since.

Upon this reunion, Qin Sang noticed that Yu Daiyue looked older than he had before their last separation, even though only a little over a year had passed. How could such a significant change occur for a Foundation Establishment cultivator?

Yu Daiyue's brows were involuntarily furrowed, and a hint of worry clouded his face, as if he had encountered an intractable problem. He walked over with heavy steps, only nodding and giving perfunctory replies to the few acquaintances who greeted him along the way.

Yu Daiyue was here at Sect Master Peak now; was he also going to the Ancient Immortal Battlefield?

Qin Sang hadn't heard him mention it before.

Since they had met, Qin Sang proactively stood up and greeted him, "Senior Brother Yu."

"Junior Brother Qin?"

Yu Daiyue was startled to see Qin Sang and couldn't help but exclaim softly, asking with a surprised expression, "Junior Brother Qin... are you also going to the Ancient Immortal Battlefield?"

Qin Sang affirmed with a "Hmm" and retorted, "Senior Brother Yu is also heading to the Ancient Immortal Battlefield, aren't you? We can journey together again."

Yu Daiyue seemed puzzled. "I remember Junior Brother Qin isn't very old?"

Qin Sang nodded. "I've just passed forty."

"Then why would you..."

Yu Daiyue suddenly recalled Qin Sang's talent, and also understood that everyone had their own aspirations. He stopped mid-sentence and changed his tone. "I've stagnated in the early Foundation Establishment stage for so long, and I didn't find any opportunities for breakthrough in the underground cavern. If I don't give it my all in the Ancient Immortal Battlefield, my path of cultivation might end. It's a pleasant surprise to be able to journey with Junior Brother Qin. What are your plans, Junior Brother Qin?"

Qin Sang replied uncertainly, "I can't decide yet. Have you, Senior Brother Yu, made up your mind?"

Xuanlu Pass was jointly governed by Shaohua Mountain, Taiyi Dan Sect, and Shangyuan Qingjing Palace, with Shaohua Mountain holding one-third of the authority. It was said that once sect disciples entered Xuanlu Pass, they had two best options.

One was to join the Xuanlu Pass guard contingent to defend the pass. With Qin Sang's cultivation level, he would at least be a small leader.

Joining the guard contingent offered many benefits. Although they would frequently enter the Ancient Immortal Battlefield to hunt cloud beasts and undertake other tasks, each outing would involve other guards, so it wasn't a solo endeavor, making it much less dangerous. The sect would also provide a free cave dwelling within the city, along with a generous salary.

The other option offered more freedom.

Xuanlu Pass inevitably had some secret tasks that needed to be kept covert, or missions that required deep penetration into the Ancient Immortal Battlefield. These tasks carried a certain degree of danger, and a group of reliable sect disciples specialized in undertaking them, known as Shadow Guards.

As Shadow Guards, they would be assigned a maximum of one mission every five years. If no missions were assigned within five years, they enjoyed complete freedom. However, once a mission was assigned, it could not be refused without a legitimate reason, otherwise, it would be treated as an act of betrayal against the sect.

Of course, when assigning missions, the sect would also consider the strength of each Shadow Guard and would not force them to undertake tasks beyond their capabilities. However, nothing in the world is perfect, especially in the perilous Ancient Immortal Battlefield, so complete safety could not be guaranteed.

The sect's support for Shadow Guards was also significant, but the amount of reward depended on the success achieved in their missions.

Alternatively, one could choose to do nothing, or even not contact the sect, and explore the Ancient Immortal Battlefield alone like rogue cultivators. Without the constraints of sect missions, however, one should not expect any support from the sect.

Without strong backing, navigating the Ancient Immortal Battlefield would undoubtedly be arduous.

Believing what one hears is one thing, but seeing is believing. Qin Sang decided to wait until he entered Xuanlu Pass and experienced things firsthand before making his plans.

RelatedWuxia Novel