Chapter 2061: Mist Year

"Wu, that's a bit too definitive," someone interjected from nearby. "Are we the only ones who know there are good things in the Mahayana Daoist Site? Don't you think countless powerful cultivators might have already gone in and scoured the Source Sea from top to bottom, and we just don't know about it?"

The Shipmaster wasn't annoyed; he chuckled, "Those powerful figures come and go as they please; they have nothing to do with us. I only wanted Daoist Qin to understand how dangerous it is inside, lest he underestimate it and foolishly throw his life away."

"That's a fair point!"

The other person nodded in agreement. "Logically, the Source Sea should be a sacred land for those who cultivate the Poison Dao. But even they only dare to linger on the periphery. I've heard that many who ventured in never returned. Now, there are all sorts of rumors, each more outlandish than the last."

"Thank you, both fellow Daoists, for the reminder. I've noted it down."

Qin Sang cupped his hands in thanks, then asked curiously, "Since the Source Sea was so powerful, how did such a force decline, and even its legacy get severed? Did it provoke a formidable enemy?"

"Who knows?"

The Shipmaster shrugged, squeezing the last drops of venom from the pouch. The life of the strange fish was over. He then lifted the fish's head, pulled out all its sharp teeth, and kicked the carcass back into the sea. The scent of blood immediately attracted schools of fish, turning the surface of the water into a flurry of white bellies.

This sight made the Shipmaster laugh heartily. He tossed the fish teeth in his hand to the others, "Everyone gets a share!"

Then he turned to Qin Sang and said, "Only heaven knows whether the legends are true or false; perhaps they're all made up by people. Even if such a force truly existed, Daoist Qin, consider the location of the Source Sea. What's so surprising about its fate?"

This region is situated between three races, making it a true battleground. Even now, there's little harmony, let alone in ancient times. Located in such a place, once the Source Sea showed signs of decline, its destruction would have been imminent.

"Not entirely so," the other person began to contradict the Shipmaster again. "Some have encountered mysterious human cultivators even farther than the Source Sea, reportedly from hidden sects that refused to be governed by the Great Zhou Dynasty. They fled to the outer sea and have a long heritage. They are even closer to the alien races, so why are they safe and sound? It's hard to say now what truly happened in ancient times…"

Qin Sang listened to their conversation with great interest. Although it was all just gossip and legends, he could still catch a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg: the situation in the East Sea was far more complex than he had imagined.

What surprised him most was the mention of the Poison God.

After ascending to the Great Thousand World, Qin Sang had heard very few rumors about Mahayana cultivators, mostly just fragments mixed with much mythical color. This time, it was the clearest, even including an honorific title.

Could the Poison God be related to the "Poison God Scripture"?

Qin Sang thought of the scripture's extraordinary nature. As soon as he obtained this method, he knew it must be a top-tier cultivation technique.

During his Soul Transformation stage, it was precisely by relying on this method that his cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds.

Thinking this, Qin Sang transmitted a message to Sword Servant, "Have you ever heard Senior Tianyue mention the 'Poison God Scripture'?"

Qin Sang had never directly asked Reverend Tianyue about it, but it was highly likely that Reverend Tianyue had made specific arrangements after learning of his poison-controlling abilities, leaving the "Poison God Scripture" for him to find.

Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that the first time he entered the Jushan Zhizhi Altar, he would obtain a cultivation method perfectly suited to him, along with a cultivation sanctuary?

He wondered where Reverend Tianyue had acquired it. Had he been to the Source Sea, or had the Poison God also perished in Ziwei Palace?

"My master never mentioned it," Sword Servant's reply came swiftly.

At this moment, the treasure ship shifted further south. Qin Sang stood by the railing, gazing at the Source Sea.

Since he only had fragments of the "Poison God Scripture," missing the parts for the Void Refinement stage and above, he had abandoned this method after reaching Void Refinement. Unexpectedly, he now had another clue.

"Countless fellow Daoists have ventured into the outer sea, one after another. Surely they've found some treasures related to the Source Sea. Has anyone collected such items?"

Upon hearing Qin Sang's question, the Shipmaster scrutinized him carefully. "Daoist Qin, are you perhaps here for the Source Sea?"

Qin Sang smiled. "A Mahayana legacy—who in this world wouldn't be tempted?"

"You are indeed frank, Daoist Qin."

The Shipmaster nodded. "The outer sea has countless treasures, and countless more of unknown origin. Every family has some old, hidden items that have gone unnoticed for years. If you ask around, you might genuinely find something."

Qin Sang thanked him and, readily following the advice, went to inquire among the merchants on the ship.

The treasure ship sailed through the sky, making a wide detour, and successfully arrived at the south side of the Source Sea.

One day, the Shipmaster steered the treasure ship above a rocky island. Seeing the disarray below, he frowned slightly and muttered, "They've changed locations again!"

He took out a compass, activated it with spiritual energy, and after a moment, received a response. He steered the treasure ship in a new direction. Soon, a expanse of sea fog appeared ahead. After traveling through the fog for a short while, an island came into view.

The island had orderly houses, almost entirely inhabited by human cultivators; it was a market city.

Qin Sang stood at the bow of the ship the entire time. When the treasure ship docked by the shore, he informed the Shipmaster and floated down.

Since the market city needed to be moved frequently, the merchants here were too lazy to bother with elaborate arrangements. The shops were very straightforward and simple.

Qin Sang casually chose a shop and entered.

The shop was very quiet, with no other customers. A young attendant in a green shirt was engrossed in reading a book. He only noticed Qin Sang when he approached, quickly stood up, and apologized with a laugh, "I was engrossed in my reading and neglected the Celestial Immortal. Please forgive me! Please, Celestial Immortal, see if anything catches your eye?"

Qin Sang looked around and saw that the shop mostly contained various elixirs. He tapped his finger lightly on the counter. "Do you have any treasures or fragmented spell scrolls of unknown origin? Bring them all out."

The attendant was slightly startled, then his face broke into a wide smile. "Celestial Immortal, please wait a moment. I'll go fetch them right away."

He hurried to the back and soon returned with several Mustard Seed Bags. "Celestial Immortal, please examine them."

Qin Sang opened one Mustard Seed Bag to inspect it, while the attendant stood silently by, full of expectation. These were items no one in the shop had inquired about; they had been stuck with them, so selling even one would be a gain.

His divine sense swept over them. The first Mustard Seed Bag contained various fragments of magical treasures. Some looked impressive, but they had lost all their power and were worthless.

He opened the second Mustard Seed Bag, inspecting them one by one, spending a bit more time only on a Mustard Seed Bag filled with various jade slips and ancient texts.

If this Poison God was indeed that Poison God, then the Source Sea must contain cultivation techniques and secret arts created based on the "Poison God Scripture." Even if only fragments remained, as long as there was the slightest connection to the "Poison God Scripture," he would be able to discern it.

Unfortunately, after examining everything, he found no such cultivation techniques or secret arts.

He moved on to the next shop, searching one after another. In the end, he bought a few interesting trinkets, but his true objective remained unfulfilled.

The treasure ship stayed on the island for several days before setting sail again. It would stop at a market city after every period of travel, with people boarding and disembarking.

Each time, Qin Sang would disembark to inquire about news.

Even Su Nü noticed his unusual behavior. "Brother Qin, do you believe the legends of the Source Sea are true?"

She had initially scoffed at such legends, but Qin Sang's attitude made her waver.

Qin Sang repeated the same explanation he had given the Shipmaster.

Su Nü said, "Since Brother Qin is interested, why don't I accompany you on a trip to the Source Sea?"

Qin Sang closed the bamboo scroll in his hand, looked towards the Source Sea, deep in thought, and finally shook his head gently. "Forget it."

He had been busy for so long and hadn't found the slightest sign of a connection to the "Poison God Scripture," not even a decent poison cultivation method. Could such a powerful force truly vanish completely, leaving no trace?

Of course, it was also possible that he had arrived too late, and someone had already 'cleaned' it out.

Regardless of whether the Source Sea was as dangerous as the legends claimed, he hadn't obtained any clues. Entering the Source Sea now would be like wandering aimlessly like a headless fly. Exploring the entire Source Sea would take far more than a year or two, making it clearly ill-advised at this time.

Qin Sang's strong interest had been solely sparked by the name 'Poison God', which bordered on chasing after shadows. Adventuring for this reason seemed unworthy.

It was important to remember that he had given up poison cultivation for one crucial reason: the Poison Pearl had shattered!

If the Poison Pearl were still intact, he might indeed have delved deep into the Source Sea.

Without the Poison Pearl to suppress the toxins within his body, the "Poison God Scripture" was merely a top-tier cultivation method; it could not possess the heaven-defying divine effects it once did.

Because he had cultivated poison arts, Qin Sang knew more ways to deal with external poisons than his peers. However, if the Source Sea was truly as dangerous as the legends claimed, he might not be able to escape unharmed.

With this thought, Qin Sang abandoned the idea of entering the Source Sea. Even if he were to explore it, he would wait until after finding the Storm Realm and improving his cultivation.

Nevertheless, for the remainder of the journey, Qin Sang continued to gather information, until it was finally time to disembark.

The treasure ship had traveled more than halfway around the Source Sea and would now continue eastward, while Qin Sang and his companions needed to head north to find the teleportation array.

After disembarking, Qin Sang conjured a Dharma Boat, which he and Su Nü took turns piloting, diligently concealing their aura. The journey proceeded without incident.

Inside the Dharma Boat.

Su Nü held a sea chart, on which Si Lu had drawn a circle. They were now not far from that spot.

"Brother Qin," Su Nü called out, "ahead is the alien race's navigation route. Daoist Si Lu encountered the alien race precisely here. How about we let Gu Ya and the others disembark, and the three of us investigate first? It will be easier to escape if we encounter any unexpected situations. Once we find the teleportation array, we can come back for them."

"Good."

Qin Sang found a desolate island and let Gu Ya and the others off. Then, the three of them concealed themselves and quietly entered that sea region.

They were very cautious at first, but after some time, they detected no danger. It seemed those alien races had not yet realized that Si Lu had arrived via a teleportation array.

However, according to Si Lu, even if the other party had been aware, there was no need to worry, as the place where they encountered them was not near the teleportation array.

After a thorough search, Si Lu finally determined the direction and led Qin Sang and Su Nü forward. After flying for a while, a vast expanse of rocky islets appeared ahead.

There were tens of thousands of these islets, scattered like stars on a chessboard, but each was small—the largest less than ten li in circumference, the smallest barely enough to stand on.

The tides surged here, occasionally washing over the islets. Vegetation struggled to grow, and spiritual energy was scarce, making it a barren land.

"Is this the place?"

Qin Sang activated his divine sense and swept it around, detecting no unusual fluctuations.

"These rocky islets are part of that teleportation array. Please wait a moment, both of you," Si Lu nodded, his figure flashing as he landed on one of the islets.

Next, his figure flickered continuously, appearing on one islet after another, forming a specific hand seal. Qin Sang and Su Nü watched his movements carefully. After some time, there were no fluctuations, but the scenery before their eyes subtly changed.

At this point, Qin Sang and Su Nü finally confirmed that there was indeed a spiritual array here.

"What a marvel of craftsmanship!"

Qin Sang praised.

All the rocky islets looked ordinary, even with scarce spiritual energy, yet they formed a grand array. It was unclear whether it was a natural marvel of heaven and earth, or if the array master's cultivation level was simply too high.

Finally, Si Lu landed on a specific reef.

This reef had previously appeared bare and covered in moss. Now, the grand array suddenly revealed its true form out of thin air!

"To prevent accidents, we made some adjustments, but this array is too complex. Attendant Xia deliberated carefully before daring to damage just this one corner," Si Lu pointed to a corner of the spiritual array.

Qin Sang flew forward, silently calculating. He said, "Attendant Xia showed good judgment. This spot won't be difficult to repair."

Su Nü spoke, "Brother Qin, give me the Dharma Boat. You two repair this array, and I'll go bring them over."

After Su Nü left, Qin Sang and Si Lu became busy. By the time she returned with the others, the array was already repaired.

Looking at the teleportation array, Gu Ya's heart was filled with excitement. The Storm Realm was drawing closer. After centuries of wandering, she could finally return to her sect!

"Activate the array!"

Qin Sang nodded heavily.

Si Lu stepped forward and inserted spirit stones. With a hum, the runes in the array lit up one by one, and a brilliant spiritual light erupted.

The spiritual light grew increasingly dazzling.

"It's connected!"

Si Lu concentrated, his face showing joy, and he let out a shout. The next moment, the grand array beneath their feet trembled violently, and they felt a dizzying sensation, enveloped by the spiritual light.

Qin Sang calmly experienced the sensation of void teleportation. Besides the grand teleportation arrays between the Eight Great Heavenly States, this was probably the longest distance he had traveled.

This time, the sensation was similar to the teleportation arrays between various immortal cities, just more intense, but completely different from the grand teleportation arrays between the Eight Great Heavenly States.

That was a feeling akin to traversing time and space, which highlighted how special those grand teleportation arrays were.

No wonder only a few such arrays existed to this day.

As thoughts flickered in his mind, Qin Sang suddenly felt the pressure on his body vanish. He opened his eyes and found himself in a dark cavern.

Everyone gradually awoke. Although the Qingjia and Qingyi brothers had broken through to the Fourth Tier of the Origin Realm, they still felt a wave of discomfort, but they quickly adjusted.

Out of caution, Qin Sang had made some adjustments to the teleportation array. They then walked towards the cavern entrance.

The stone door was tightly sealed. Si Lu stepped forward, tapped the stone door several times with his finger, and gently pushed it open.

*Whoosh!*

A chilly wind, accompanied by a white mist, surged into the cavern.

Qin Sang saw the scene outside the cavern: a vast expanse of white filled the world. The mist drifted, incredibly dense, obscuring everything.

Without activating spiritual energy, using only their naked eyes, they couldn't see anything even a meter away. Living beings without cultivation simply couldn't survive here.

Si Lu frowned slightly and carefully sensed for a moment, then said, "I forgot earlier, but it's currently the Mist Year."