Chapter 2106: Mirage Jue

## Mortal Realm

The two sat by the stone table in front of the cave dwelling. The rustling bamboo leaves created a relaxing atmosphere, but both were well aware that the situation had reached its most critical point.

"We must send the selected disciples from various sects to a shelter before we can fight without reservation," Qin Sang said.

It was still unclear how the Zhu Yan clan treated outsiders. Min Zhuo had previously acted without fear, showing no concern about them reporting the matter to the Zhu Yan clan, which only deepened Qin Sang's suspicions.

They had to prepare for the worst. Qin Sang even considered whether they should merely put on a show of bravado, avoid proactively contacting the Zhu Yan clan, and quietly build the Thunder Altar, waiting for the enemy to come to them.

Perhaps they could stall until the Thunder Altar was completed.

However, doing so would mean giving up the initiative. If Min Zhuo were to exaggerate and distort the truth in front of the Zhu Yan clan, and the Zhu Yan clan formed a preconceived notion, the situation would become even more disadvantageous for them.

After all, even if the Thunder Altar was completed, it could only protect the Storm Realm; it couldn't be used to launch an offensive and eliminate all enemies. If the Zhu Yan clan harbored hostility towards them and ordered the various Imperial clans to besiege them, carrying out endless harassment that kept them constantly on the run, it was not something Qin Sang wished to see.

After much deliberation, it was best to act quickly. For the Storm Realm to establish itself in the Fog Sea, it had to do so honorably.

"This time, let Su Nü remain here. Fellow Daoist, you and I will escort the disciples from the various sects. On our way back, we will visit the Zhu Yan clan. That Yuan Miao is straightforward, and we still have his token, so we might as well contact him first," Qin Sang paused and said, "Just in case, Fellow Daoist, you could first send a companion beast. There's no need to personally risk danger."

"Thank you, Brother Qin, for your consideration. However, in my opinion, given the Zhu Yan clan's nature, it would be best for me to go in person to show sincerity. Even if the Zhu Yan clan has ill intentions towards us, they would only openly reveal their intentions and would not stoop to attacking me at such a time."

Si Lu said with certainty.

Qin Sang secretly nodded. The Zhu Yan clan had a formidable reputation, and it was well-deserved; what Si Lu said indeed made some sense.

In truth, Si Lu also had his own considerations. After witnessing Qin Sang's strength, he had always wanted to form an alliance with him, asking Qin Sang to help him return to the Si You clan for revenge. He had even come to view Qin Sang as his greatest hope.

The sooner they fought back, the better. If they continued to delay and the enemy completely gained control of the situation, unless he could advance to the Saint Realm, there would be no hope of a complete reversal.

However, Si Lu couldn't offer any conditions that would move Qin Sang. This was the best opportunity.

If he were to fear death, how could he demonstrate his worth?

In front of Qin Sang, Si Lu had never deliberately hidden his thoughts, nor did he need to.

Qin Sang knew it well but feigned ignorance. Only today did he proactively speak, inquiring about Si Lu's grievances and past enmities.

"This matter is of great importance. Although it concerns Fellow Daoist's privacy, I must presume to ask: are you from the royal family, or a descendant of a royal clan?"

A flicker of joy passed through Si Lu's eyes. Qin Sang had finally relented. "Brother Qin, while you were in the Si You clan's territory, you must have heard something. The Si You clan has a structure of one Emperor and several Kings. However, these Kings also vary in strength, with the Four Great Royal Clans having the highest prestige. I come from the Yan Mountain Si family, one of the Four Great Royal Clans, and my father was the previous King Yan!"

"The Si You Imperial Family also seems to be surnamed Si?" Qin Sang asked.

When he had passed through the Si You clan's territory, he had made some inquiries. Combined with the fact that Si Lu had Elder Xia, a master, as his guard, he suspected Si Lu might very well be from the Si You Imperial Family.

Power struggles within imperial families were always a life-and-death affair. This truth applied everywhere, and even the Yi Ren clan was no exception.

Qin Sang did not yet have the ability to interfere in the struggles within the Si You Imperial Family, which was why he had always avoided probing Si Lu's secrets.

Si Lu nodded and explained.

"The Si surname within the Si You clan is divided into countless branches, both large and small. Therefore, the name of the territory is usually added to distinguish them, such as our Yan Mountain Si family. The Imperial Family was originally known as the Star Lake Si family.

"It is said that in ancient times, all Si families originated from the same branch, and there are even legends that the Si You clan itself began with the first Si family patriarch.

"However, too much time has passed. One Si You clansman could found a branch, and generations have been passed down. The blood ties between the various Si families have become extremely tenuous, and any sense of shared kinship has long vanished. Mutual animosity and irreconcilable feuds are common occurrences.

"Besides the Imperial Family, another great royal clan was originally also surnamed Si (思), but for some unknown reason, they later changed their surname to Si (祀)."

Qin Sang thought to himself, "So that's how it is." The information he had hastily gathered indeed contained many biases.

"Who are your enemies?"

Si Lu's face showed resentment, and he said with hatred, "The Han River Lu family, one of the Four Great Royal Clans!"

It wasn't the Imperial Family after all!

Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly, but his guard did not drop an inch. Si Lu, coming from one of the Four Great Royal Clans, with his father being the previous King Yan and a master comparable to a late-stage Void Refinement cultivator as a guard, had actually fallen to such a state. This showed how formidable the enemy's strength was.

Since the Han River Lu family was as renowned as the Yan Mountain Si family, why was the Si family destroyed by them? Could there be other forces supporting them from behind, such as the Imperial Family?

Thinking of this, Qin Sang pressed on, "What is the strength of the One Emperor and Four Kings?"

"The Si You clan has been able to maintain this structure because the Imperial Family's strength cannot completely dominate the various Kings. The Four Great Royal Clans are needed to balance each other and maintain their respective statuses. When my father was alive, among the Four Great Royal Clans, our Yan Mountain Si family and the Han River Lu family were the strongest.

"However, the most cautious threat to the Han River Lu family is not King Lu, but the Han River Lu family's Grand Enshrined Cultivator!

"When my father was young, he traveled abroad and befriended Elder Xia, to whom he once showed kindness. Later, Elder Xia, to repay this debt of gratitude, willingly stayed by my father's side as his attendant.

"That Grand Enshrined Cultivator of the Lu family is not a member of the Lu family themselves, but holds an extremely high position within the Lu family. It is said that King Lu always treats him with the respect due to a teacher. He is the strongest in the Lu family, and Elder Xia himself admitted that his strength was inferior to this person's."

Si Lu didn't know much about this Grand Enshrined Cultivator of the Lu family. Back then, he wasn't even qualified to stand before him, so he could only recount all the information he knew.

Upon hearing this, Qin Sang grew even more puzzled. The Lu family had a Grand Enshrined Cultivator, while the Si family had Elder Xia. Their strength was not significantly weaker than the other side, so why did they suffer such a devastating defeat?

He frowned and asked, "Did the Si You Imperial Family just stand by and watch your Yan Mountain Si family be destroyed?"

"The Lu family succeeded for two reasons: firstly, my father's death allowed them to take advantage of our weakened state, and secondly, there was another hidden complication...

"On the day of my father's funeral, masters from the Yan Mountain Si family came to pay their respects. That very night, however, some people were poisoned. The poison was extremely potent and incredibly strange; even with Elder Xia's cultivation, he couldn't force the toxins out. He could only pay a huge price and forcibly suppress it with a secret art.

"Simultaneously with the poison's onset, an alarm sounded from outside. Experts from the Lu family had infiltrated and ambushed us at some unknown time, and in the ensuing chaos, the Lu family stormed the royal palace.

"In that desperate moment, Elder Xia, seeing that defeat was inevitable, could only take me and fight our way out of the encirclement. Many of my father's personal guards sacrificed themselves to cover our retreat. It wasn't until we teleported to Kanzhou that we shook off our pursuers. But that poison was simply terrifying..."

A trace of fear flickered in Si Lu's eyes. "After we were safe, Elder Xia initially wanted to treat his injuries, but unexpectedly, as time passed, the secret art couldn't fully seal the poison. If we delayed further, it was likely he would be beyond help. With no other option, we had to go out in search of an antidote, but then we were spotted by people from the Water Department. On our escape route, Elder Xia grew weaker and weaker, and finally had to fight desperately to secure a glimmer of hope for me."

Recalling those past scenes, Si Lu's face showed sadness, and the hatred in his heart deepened.

Qin Sang was also extremely surprised to hear this.

What kind of poison was it that even a late-stage Void Refinement master couldn't suppress, leading to such a tragic end?

If the enemy still possessed this poison, could he, having lost his poison bead, resist it?

"Elder Xia once said that this must be a unique poison specifically targeting our Si You clan, attacking our brow chakra and causing the chakra's energy to continuously deplete. Every time Elder Xia used his Mutual Transformation technique or overdrawn on his companion beast's power, he would lose that companion beast, as if it had been consumed by the poison, and it could never be restored. Elder Xia tried everything he could, but could only barely prevent the poison from continuing to consume. The strength of his surviving companion beasts was also extremely weak."

Seeing Qin Sang's furrowed brow, Si Lu explained further.

"In the ancient texts of our Si You clan, several similar poisons are recorded. To us, they are deadly toxins, but to others, they might be ordinary substances, or even high-grade spiritual medicines.

"These poisons had long vanished from the world. We don't know where the Lu family obtained them, but they certainly couldn't have gotten too much.

"These poisons have different properties, so administering them isn't easy. We suspect it was the Cloud Heaven Primordial Liquid. This substance is colorless and odorless, and only takes effect when ingested. It blends unseen into water and is difficult to detect. If the Lu family had planned this early, it would have been entirely possible for them to send someone to slip it into the spiritual wine during the royal banquet."

"I hope so."

Qin Sang nodded slightly. If the poison was administered in this manner, with the previous incident as a cautionary tale, they wouldn't need to worry too much as long as they were cautious.

However, the safest course of action would still be to prepare an antidote in advance.

Si Lu sighed. "Elder Xia did indeed figure out some characteristics of the poison, but he didn't have time to comprehend an antidote method, leaving only some general ideas. Unless we could invite a Grandmaster of Alchemy, and they were willing to expend their energy on this."

The Si You clan did have Grandmasters of Alchemy, but Si Lu dared not contact them.

It seemed they could only be careful themselves.

However, for cultivators outside the Si You clan, the Cloud Heaven Primordial Liquid was not a deadly poison.

Qin Sang mused, "When the Han River Lu family annexed your Yan Mountain Si family, what was the reaction of the Imperial Family and the other Kings?"

"Neither Ji Hong nor I have been able to find out about any subsequent developments. The Lu family's actions couldn't have escaped the notice of the Imperial Family and the other Kings. They likely didn't want to cause a huge uproar within the clan and probably colluded to suppress the news. However, the absence of widespread conflict means that our Yan Mountain Si family should not have been completely wiped out. Otherwise, everyone would have felt insecure, and the Imperial Family wouldn't have been able to suppress the situation. There should still be some of my father's former subordinates who were preserved. Perhaps the Lu family and the Imperial Family reached some kind of agreement..."

Over the years, Si Lu had constantly been deducing various possibilities and how he could exact his revenge.

Currently, the Lu family's power was immense. King Yan and Elder Xia were dead, and the Yan Mountain Si family had disbanded. The former subordinates of the previous King Yan might not be willing to stand up and support him.

Times change, and people's perspectives evolve.

"In that case, the Lu family attacked you brazenly, yet couldn't completely annex you. What was their motive? Was it merely for territorial expansion, or was there a long-standing feud between your two families?"

Qin Sang needed to understand the Han River Lu family's motives to know how determined they were to eradicate Si Lu completely.

Once Si Lu's whereabouts were leaked, how many masters would they send?

Si Lu hid nothing regarding this. "That's just one reason. Furthermore, they must have wanted to seize the Mirage Tower Jade in my possession!"

As he spoke, Si Lu took out an object from his sleeve. It was a jade ring, about the size of an archer's thumb ring, formed by two pieces of precious jade joined together.

Strangely, one half of the jade ring was real jade, while the other half appeared hazy and illusory, like the shadow of the jade.

"What is this object?"

Seeing Si Lu hand it over directly without any reservation, Qin Sang hesitated for a moment, then reached out, took it, and examined it carefully.

The jade seemed half real and half ethereal. Other than that, Qin Sang did not perceive any extraordinary qualities. It was clearly not a spiritual treasure, much less a true treasure.

"Brother Qin knows that our Yi Ren clan has a Sacred Land, where powerful individuals above the Saint Realm cultivate. However, you might not know that the Sacred Land has another important function.

"Inside are opportunities left by the ancestors of various clans. It opens periodically, and individuals nearing a breakthrough to the Saint Realm from different clans will wait until then to enter the Sacred Land. It is said that breaking through there is easier than outside.

"Furthermore, at that time, various clans can also send some people into the Sacred Land. If they are lucky, they can obtain ancestral opportunities.

"However, opportunities come with dangers. These opportunities must be contended for. The Sacred Land is the largest battlefield between the Heavenly Division and the Water Division. Even within these two divisions, and among clans themselves, there are conflicts, resulting in countless casualties. But those who emerge safely from the Sacred Land all experience significant increases in strength.

"There are two requirements to enter the Sacred Land.

"Firstly, the Sacred Land opens during the Yuan Jiao Sea Market, and one must have the qualification to enter the Yuan Jiao Sea Market, which means having a cultivation of Void Realm Second Stage. Smaller, weaker clans are not qualified to participate. However, if a Void Realm Second Stage master appears within a clan, they can enter the Sacred Land, and perhaps soar to prominence from there.

"Secondly, a token is required, which is this Mirage Tower Token. The situation varies within each clan, and the method of distributing Mirage Tower Tokens differs. In the Si You clan, the Mirage Tower Tokens are controlled by the Imperial Family and the Four Great Royal Clans."

Qin Sang toyed with the Mirage Tower Token in his hand, realizing that such a secret lay behind it.

He wondered what kind of existence the Yi Ren clan's Sacred Land truly was, and if it might also be a Grotto-heaven.

Since Saint Realm and Ancestral Realm cultivators could train there, it was definitely not an ordinary Minor World.

The competition within the Sacred Land also demonstrated the painstaking efforts of the Yi Ren clan's ancestors. If the Yi Ren clan remained confined to the Fog Sea with no external threats, they would eventually lose their vigilance and spirit over time.

Of course, none of this concerned Qin Sang.

The Yi Ren clan would never allow an outsider like him to enter the Sacred Land.

Qin Sang returned the Mirage Tower Jade to Si Lu.

Si Lu hesitated for a moment and said, "A single Mirage Tower Token allows for one helper to enter the Sacred Land besides the owner. I'm not familiar with the Sacred Land, and I'm unsure if outsiders are permitted. If there's a precedent, I would be willing to go with Brother Qin."

He thought long and hard, and this was likely the only condition he possessed that could move Qin Sang.