Chapter 2024: Goitre Crystal

Inside the Qianjun Ring, a series of regular pulsations could be felt. It was as if a constantly beating heart resonated through the space, activated by an unknown presence deep within the tomb, awakening from its dormancy.

Qin Sang couldn't determine what the Qianjun Ring was sensing. He focused his mind to perceive it for a while but felt no summons, concluding that the presence was likely not a living creature. Otherwise, Qin Sang would have had to carefully weigh whether this encounter was a blessing or a curse.

Seeing no danger in the tomb passage, and observing that the faded murals on the walls held no power, Deacon Pei and Young Master Xin proceeded further down the passage.

Qin Sang remained at the rear.

Previously, he had not wanted to get embroiled in any trouble. He intended to uphold his promise to Young Master Xin and simply fulfill their agreement, considering it a repayment for the Xin family cultivators' efforts in scouting ahead.

However, events had taken an unexpected turn, making it impossible for him to withdraw. Given the connection between this place and the Qianjun Ring, and the possibility that it had detached from the Ziwei Palace, he was determined to uncover the truth.

It was curious how the Xin family had found this place. Had they also obtained a treasure from the Ziwei Palace, one that functioned similarly to the Qianjun Ring, allowing them to locate this area?

Yet, Young Master Xin carried nothing that resonated with the Qianjun Ring.

Qin Sang narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the backs of Young Master Xin and Deacon Pei.

With the situation unclear, he certainly wouldn't reveal his intentions and planned to observe quietly. Even without Deacon Pei's presence, he wouldn't have directly questioned Young Master Xin. For her to dare invite a Void Refinement cultivator to explore this place, she undoubtedly had something to rely on. The Xin family's ability to produce so many Soul Transformation cultivators indicated a deep family foundation.

*Thump, thump, thump...*

The group deliberately quickened their pace, their footsteps echoing through the long tomb passage, breaking the silence. However, the path ahead remained quiet, with no forks, and they reached the end of the passage without incident.

Blinding white light emanated from the end, sweeping away the gloom of the passage.

They stopped, and through the passage exit, they could see a portion of the outside area, which was surprisingly a patch of vibrant green grass.

These were dense clumps of aquatic plants growing on the water's surface. The water didn't seem deep, with sand beneath it—an environment common in Duizhou, unexpectedly encountered here.

The water's surface was calm, without a single ripple. Having been inside the tomb for so long, and with such persistent quiet, there seemed to be no hint of danger.

The more peaceful it seemed, the more vigilant the group became. They remained in place, cautiously extending their spiritual senses beyond the tomb passage.

The sight outside was astonishing: a large lake. The entire lake was as shallow as the tomb entrance, covered with lush aquatic plants. Amidst the green vegetation, numerous statues stood.

The bases of these statues were identical to those found on the earlier path, but here, the statues themselves were perfectly intact.

The stone platforms were carved with grotesque monsters, so bizarre that it was hard to imagine such creatures existing: a dragon with a single claw, a demonic bird with three wings, a bull with dozens of eyes on its head—these were considered the most "normal" among them.

The monsters were lifelike, all with wide, glaring eyes, staring at the tomb exit. They appeared ready to pounce at any moment and surround any intruders. Upon seeing this, the group was startled and instinctively retracted their spiritual senses.

After waiting for a moment, the monsters remained unresponsive. Waiting longer was not an option; after all, they had come to enter the mausoleum, and whatever dangers lay ahead had to be confronted.

*Crack!*

The moment they stepped out of the tomb passage, a crisp sound reached their ears.

"Watch out!"

Young Master Xin blurted out, then abruptly waved her cloud sleeve, sending forth a golden light that transformed into a golden lock.

The golden lock had several golden rings attached to it, jingling whenever it moved. It shot out several golden halos towards the source of the sound.

The sound originated from one of the statues, specifically the monstrous bird with three wings. It had two symmetrical wings on its ribs, but from a fleshy protuberance at the base of its wings, another wing had grown, standing upright and rigid between the other two, resembling a palm fan.

In an instant, the monstrous bird statue was enveloped in golden light, and golden lock rings descended one after another, forming a cage in mid-air.

However, Young Master Xin's action was a step too slow. Before the golden lock rings could fall, the monstrous bird had come alive, its eyes blazing with terrifying ferocity. Its two main wings flapped violently, while the central wing shot forth a silver glow, as if capable of tearing through the void, and its figure vanished instantly.

Young Master Xin's expression subtly changed. With a flick of her finger, the golden lock snapped open, and its main body rapidly plummeted. With a *bang*, it struck the monstrous bird, sending it tumbling into the water with a splash.

It wasn't just the monstrous bird that had come to life. The three statues closest to them leaped down almost simultaneously, charging directly at the group.

Now that they were inside the tomb, Deacon Pei had to act. He had not retrieved his purple needle and now pointed it mid-air towards the brow of one of the monsters. Qin Sang also did not stand idly by, directing his Grey Warbler Sword to strike another monster. With only one monster remaining, the Xin family cultivators could deal with it much more easily.

*Crack!*

Qin Sang was the first to succeed. The monster was sliced in half by his sword, instantly rigidifying and falling into the water, transforming into two ordinary stone carvings.

Next, it was the monster Deacon Pei was fighting. It was first pierced through the brow by the purple needle, but unexpectedly, the monster seemed to have no vital points. Deacon Pei changed his incantation, and purple light erupted within the monster, dismembering it. Only then was the monster dealt with, shattering into a pile of rubble.

The Xin family cultivators were working together to handle the last one and appeared to be close to succeeding.

"Not particularly strong..."

Qin Sang silently assessed the monsters' strength; all four were merely at the Soul Transformation stage.

Guardians of this caliber suggested that the tomb's owner was not of particularly high status. If this place indeed originated from the Ziwei Palace, it wouldn't be a highly significant location, which differed from his initial expectations.

However, it was also possible that the guardians' power had diminished over time, and since they had just entered, the true dangers might lie ahead.

The four monsters were quickly dealt with. Then, continuous *crack* sounds filled the air as all the remaining monsters came to life, leaping simultaneously from their stone platforms and charging towards them, each wielding their unique divine abilities.

For a time, shimmering lights danced, and ice and fire flew together. Fortunately, the Xin family cultivators cooperated seamlessly, and with Qin Sang and Deacon Pei intervening occasionally, they eventually slew the monsters one by one.

"Thank you, Elder Qin and Deacon Pei, for helping us avert this crisis. Otherwise, our Xin family might have suffered more casualties," Young Master Xin said, flying forward immediately after the intense battle, without pausing to recover.

Deacon Pei's intervention was expected due to a prior agreement, but Qin Sang had been invited specifically for artifact refining.

"I am also curious who would construct a mausoleum here, but my safety must be guaranteed first. Young Master Xin, do not expect too much from me," Qin Sang reminded her.

Young Master Xin nodded and handed Qin Sang a jade slip. "Elder Qin, this is one of the items you'll need to refine. I have already prepared the spiritual materials. You may study it first, and once we find a suitable location, we can begin the refining process."

"Just one of them?"

Qin Sang took the jade slip, seemingly oblivious to Deacon Pei's scrutinizing gaze. He quickly scanned it, finding that he was expected to refine a magic artifact: a ferry boat.

He meticulously examined the details. Refining this ferry boat was merely complex, not particularly difficult for him, but it would take some time. Qin Sang did not inquire about the boat's purpose, choosing to focus on studying the instructions to avoid any missteps that could damage his reputation.

The shattered statues showed no signs of recovery. The group crossed the large lake, reaching the other side, where they found the entrance to a set of stairs.

The entrance was almost completely overgrown with aquatic plants. After clearing them away, they saw a stone staircase leading downwards.

"It seems the tomb chamber is layered, and we are currently on the first level," Steward Luo speculated.

"There's a seal inside!" a Xin family cultivator exclaimed, having made a new discovery with his spiritual sense.

The group filed in and indeed saw an ancient seal blocking their path. A brief inspection revealed it was of the same origin as the ancient prohibition on the stone gate.

As before, Young Master Xin approached the seal alone, pressing her palm firmly against it, and asked Deacon Pei to assist her in breaking it.

This time, Qin Sang observed more closely. When the dark light appeared, something seemed to emerge from her palm. Young Master Xin had disguised it very well, simultaneously casting a spell to conceal it, which had previously fooled him.

Qin Sang's eyes gleamed. "It seems the Xin family truly possesses something connected to this place..."

The seal was broken by the purple needle, revealing another tomb passage ahead, with similar scenery.

As they entered this new passage, they immediately noticed a faint fragrance.

At this moment, Qin Sang felt the pulsations inside the Qianjun Ring grow stronger, and the faint connection became slightly clearer. His heart stirred. By going deeper, and once the connection was strong enough, he might be able to use the Qianjun Ring to directly locate his target. However, considering the unknown dangers ahead, having this group to scout the path was beneficial.

After confirming the fragrance was non-toxic, the group exited the passage and found themselves before a sea of flowers.

Countless vibrant flowers bloomed, a riot of colors, forming dense clusters.

A buzzing sound emanated from the flower sea. The group looked closely and saw individual yellow wasps flying around the flowers, busily collecting nectar from the pistils.

There were likely tens of thousands of these wasps, drifting like yellow clouds above the flower sea.

These wasps were similar in size to ordinary wasps outside and seemed to pose no threat to cultivators. However, upon seeing them, Deacon Pei's expression suddenly became very solemn, while Qin Sang furrowed his brows, as if recalling something.

Just as the Xin family cultivators remained unaware, a jade Ruyi scepter swiftly flew out from Deacon Pei's sleeve.

At the same time, a look of surprise flashed in Qin Sang's eyes, and he blurted out, "They are sacrificial insects! Beware of illusions!"

Young Master Xin reacted extremely quickly, flipping her jade hand to toss out a small bell. All the Xin family cultivators immediately gathered around her.

*Clang!*

The small bell emitted a deep, resonant chime.

This bell was not controlled by Young Master Xin alone; all the Xin family cultivators jointly activated it. Visible ripples spread with the sound of the bell, and everyone immediately felt their senses clear.

They might not have fully trusted Qin Sang, but they dared not disregard any warning from a Void Refinement cultivator. Wasted effort was far better than losing their lives.

In fact, Qin Sang had not deceived them.

He recognized the origin of these wasps: they were sacrificial insects!

The term "sacrificial insects" originated from the Witch Tribe and referred not to a specific type of spirit insect but to a category of them.

The Witch Tribe's Witch Insect Ranking listed spirit insects suitable for forming life-bound insect-gu. However, the Witch Tribe's research into insect manipulation wasn't limited to this; many gregarious spirit insects could also be utilized by them.

In the few ancient Witch Tribe texts Qin Sang had read, these sacrificial insects were mentioned. Ancient Witch Tribe clans would, at specific times, be led by their Great Shaman to offer sacrifices to the heavens, earth, and deities. Sometimes, these sacrificial rituals required the aid of spirit insects, which were then called "sacrificial insects." They held esteemed positions within the tribe, receiving offerings from the entire clan alongside the Great Shaman.

These sacrificial insects often shared similar characteristics, excelling in illusion and mind-altering abilities. Qin Sang surmised this was likely to help the tribe's people immerse themselves fully in the rituals, allowing them to worship with undivided attention and sincere devotion.

This swarm of wasps was indeed a type of sacrificial insect.

"There are Witch Tribe sacrificial insects here! Could my initial guess have been correct, that this is the mausoleum of a powerful Witch Tribe figure?"

Qin Sang was also puzzled.

What was the true origin of this place? Could there be remnants left by a powerful Witch Tribe figure within the Ziwei Palace?

Legends spoke of human sword cultivators battling at the world barrier, but since extraterrestrial demons were enemies of the entire Great Thousand World, might there also have been benevolent and righteous individuals from the Witch Tribe who fought alongside the Ziwei Sword Venerable?

Almost simultaneously with Qin Sang's warning, the sacrificial insects detected them. The yellow cloud suddenly solidified, and all the insects turned their bodies to face them directly. The buzzing sound abruptly intensified, becoming extremely piercing.

*Whoosh! Whoosh!*

A fierce wind suddenly rose, and the yellow cloud spread with astonishing speed, instantly turning the surroundings a murky yellow.

Deacon Pei's jade Ruyi scepter emitted a clear radiance, fending off the yellow cloud.

The bell continued to chime, each peal more urgent than the last. Its ripples countered the yellow cloud but were forced to defend, gradually retracting inwards. The Xin family cultivators were trembling with fear, grateful for Qin Sang's timely warning.

Qin Sang, protected by his Jade Buddha, was completely unaffected. Not forgetting to keep up appearances, he transmitted a message: "These sacrificial insects are only a threat in groups; their individual strength is not high. Everyone, hold your ground, and let's split up to eliminate them."

Before he had even finished speaking, the Grey Warbler Sword sliced towards the swarm.

Having successfully fended off the sacrificial insects' first wave of attack, and with no one harmed, the group followed Qin Sang's command and began attacking the insects. However, they then watched as Qin Sang left his position, flying deeper into the swarm on his sword.

Qin Sang recalled that some sacrificial insects, cultivated through secret Witch Tribe arts, could produce a treasure called Gall Crystal, a rare secret medicine for insect manipulation. Feeding spirit insects with Gall Crystal offered numerous benefits, but cultivating sacrificial insects was extremely difficult, a feat only achievable by the largest Witch Tribe clans.

This swarm of sacrificial insects had been trapped here for an unknown number of years, so there should be some Gall Crystals remaining.

The Grey Warbler Sword cleared a path, and he plunged into the densest part of the swarm, where he saw a flowering tree. The flowers on the tree were the size of a baby's fist, with a very peculiar shape, resembling round-necked pots hanging from the branches.

Qin Sang immediately noticed about a dozen of these flower-pots were more crystalline than the others, as if they had transformed into a jade-like material over long ages.

The flower-pots were filled with something.

Qin Sang's face lit up with joy. He flashed before the flowering tree and looked into one of the flower-pots, which was completely filled with slightly yellow crystals, level with the opening.

It was indeed Gall Crystal!

Normal Gall Crystal had a honey-like consistency, but these had solidified into hard crystals.

The quantity was less than Qin Sang had anticipated; there wasn't a whole tree full of Gall Crystal. However, these crystalline Gall Crystals appeared purer than the normal ones described in records, suggesting their medicinal effects might also have changed.