Chapter 2181: Secret Talisman

As expected of a clan leader, he not only acted decisively but also remained remarkably calm in the face of the current danger, as if he weren't the defeated party.

Qin Sang flew in front of the Jie hook clan leader and, knowing the answer, asked, "Are you the leader of the Jie hook clan?"

"Yes! My strength was insufficient, and I've become your prisoner, bringing shame to my clan. Please forgive my inadequacy, fellow Daoist!" The Jie hook clan leader bowed with cupped fists. "My name is Fukun. May I know your esteemed name, fellow Daoist?"

"Clan Leader Fu!" Qin Sang nodded and, without shaming his opponent, returned the bow with a hand gesture. "My Daoist name is Qingfeng."

He noticed that Clan Leader Fu was nine feet tall and somewhat thin. One of his short wings was damaged, and though the wound had healed, it was clear he had sustained serious injuries. No wonder he hadn't displayed the strength expected of a clan leader. Qin Sang surmised that this was likely the reason Clan Leader Fu initially agreed to cooperate with Xie Tianjiao and later surrendered voluntarily.

The ancient Emerald Scorpion Hall contained treasures left by their ancestors, which outsiders were not supposed to touch. If he had been at full strength, Clan Leader Fu would have definitely done everything in his power to stop them. His current actions were born of helplessness.

"How do you intend to deal with us, Daoist Qingfeng?" Clan Leader Fu glanced at Xie Tianjiao, who was in Qin Sang's hand.

"This man is treacherous, cunning, and two-faced; I will not tolerate him!" Qin Sang declared decisively, a murderous aura emanating from him. Then his tone shifted. "However, fellow Daoist, you are the master of the ancient Emerald Scorpion Hall, and it is natural for you to expel intruders. This humble Daoist bears no significant ill will towards you..."

"But you won't let me go easily either," Clan Leader Fu understood.

Qin Sang merely smiled, remaining silent.

"If I help you open these great halls, can you spare my life?" Clan Leader Fu looked towards the depths of the shimmering light. "Without someone familiar with the ancient Emerald Scorpion Hall's formations and restrictions to guide you, even if you are skilled in array arts, acquiring the treasures within will be extremely difficult."

"Only those who adapt to circumstances are true heroes. It's a pity we meet under these conditions, Clan Leader Fu; otherwise, we might have been able to share a drink and conversation," Qin Sang lamented. "To be honest, this humble Daoist did not originally come for the ancient Emerald Scorpion Hall. I even considered discussing things amicably with your Jie hook clan to ensure peaceful coexistence."

Clan Leader Fu's expression subtly changed, and he asked, puzzled, "If that's the case, your objective shouldn't be the poison lake either. Could it be that underwater mountain?" He paused, then couldn't help but press further, "What exactly is the origin of this mountain?" A trace of unwillingness flashed in Clan Leader Fu's eyes.

If it weren't for this mountain of unknown origin, and if the ancient Emerald Scorpion Hall hadn't collided with it, he would have long since entered the hall, obtained the treasures left by his ancestors, and been able to control the hall's formations and restrictions, fearless even against Qin Sang and Xie Tianjiao combined. This mountain had shattered their plans and ruined their ancestor's scheme.

Qin Sang nodded. "It is somewhat related to this mountain. This humble Daoist must investigate it to uncover its origin. However, I previously heard some intriguing, yet unsubstantiated, rumors from this person and was about to seek confirmation from Clan Leader Fu."

"Please ask, Daoist," Clan Leader Fu said. He harbored no hope of escape. Now that both he and Xie Tianjiao were in Qin Sang's hands, there was no one left to stop him. Why would Qin Sang give up such an easily obtainable opportunity?

"What treasures exactly did the Jie hook clan ancestor store in the ancient Emerald Scorpion Hall?" Qin Sang went straight to the point.

Clan Leader Fu answered truthfully, "The treasures vary in value. The most precious among them include divine abilities and spells created by our ancestor, spiritual artifacts personally refined by him, and wondrous elixirs capable of enhancing our clan's cultivators' cultivation and aiding breakthroughs."

"So, most of these treasures are highly specific to your Jie hook clan? Even if this humble Daoist acquires them, I might not be able to use them myself, nor would they be easy to sell?" Qin Sang frowned.

"My clan is willing to purchase them from you with all our might!" Clan Leader Fu said quickly, then hastily added, "I understand the situation both within and outside the sacred land. My skills were inferior; I cannot blame anyone else, nor will I let resentment lead me to lose sight of the bigger picture. Success and failure are temporary. These treasures are immensely important to my clan. As long as we can obtain them, we will do our utmost to meet all your conditions."

Qin Sang looked Clan Leader Fu up and down. It seemed the leader had clearly thought through the implications at the moment of his surrender. The treasures within the ancient Emerald Scorpion Hall were only valuable in the hands of the Jie hook clan. If Qin Sang wanted to maximize his gains, he could only trade with them, meaning he would certainly have to spare Clan Leader Fu's life. Of course, Qin Sang would not suffer any loss; the opportunity to extort an entire clan did not come often. As for whether they would harbor resentment, the Jie hook clan was far away in the Water Department, so even if they did, it would not affect Qingyang, and he himself would not care.

"What about the most central great hall?" Qin Sang stared into Clan Leader Fu's eyes, pressing for more information. If that legend was true, Clan Leader Fu, as the clan leader, must know something.

Clan Leader Fu fell silent, a struggle flashing in his eyes before being replaced by helplessness. He sighed, "Every generation of clan leaders in my clan knows an ancestral teaching: our ancestor left a treasure in the ancient Emerald Scorpion Hall's core chamber. One day, when the sacred land undergoes a cataclysmic change, the core chamber will open, and descendants will receive guidance from it, but they must act according to their abilities." Forced to reveal these secrets, he looked upwards distractedly, murmuring, "Fukun is an unfilial son; please punish me, ancestor." Unfortunately, there was no response.

"Such a legend truly exists!" A sharp glint flashed in Qin Sang's eyes. "What kind of guidance? And what does this cataclysmic change signify?"

"The ancestral teaching does not explicitly state it. I originally believed it would be a great fortune. Now, it seems it's likely accompanied by crisis. That treasure can only point to a clear path, and ultimately, only those with fate can possess it," Clan Leader Fu said earnestly. "Every word I've spoken is true, without a single falsehood."

Qin Sang remained silent, gazing into the depths of the shimmering light, where the ancient Emerald Scorpion Hall was vaguely visible. There was no doubt that this was the day mentioned in the Jie hook clan's ancestral teaching. Whether it brought fortune or calamity, he had to obtain that treasure; perhaps he could discover the origin of the multicolored glow from it.

Soon after, three more figures entered the collision site, and Qin Sang brought Liu Li down as well.

Qin Sang led the way, with Liu Li and Clan Leader Fu following behind. Clan Leader Fu had a restriction placed on him by Qin Sang. Although Clan Leader Fu volunteered to help, Qin Sang didn't fully trust him, only allowing him to focus on deciphering the remaining restrictions of the ancient Emerald Scorpion Hall.

This time, without deceit or suspicion, the three were able to cooperate fully, and they quickly advanced halfway. Their pace then slowed, but they still made good progress, finally reaching the nearest great hall.

The hall had only a single golden door, tightly sealed. The restrictions on the golden door were still present; although damaged, forcing them open would still take some effort. Upon reaching the door, Qin Sang turned to Clan Leader Fu. Clan Leader Fu stepped forward, flicked his tail, which extended several feet, and lightly touched the golden door with its tip. Immediately, concentric red ripples spread across the golden door's surface.

*Thump! Thump!* Like someone knocking, the golden door reverberated with a deep sound, followed by a noticeable vibration. With a *bang*, the golden door suddenly opened, revealing the interior.

The great hall was empty save for a square wooden table in the center, on which sat a thumb-sized porcelain bottle. The wooden table was ordinary, and it was surprising that such a vast hall contained only one small porcelain bottle.

Clan Leader Fu stepped back, clearing the way.

After confirming there were no mechanisms, Qin Sang entered the hall and, with a wave of his hand, easily took the porcelain bottle into his palm. The bottle's lid was tightly sealed, and a gentle shake produced a sloshing sound of liquid inside, though its nature was unknown. Given that many of the Jie hook clan's divine abilities were related to poison, Qin Sang took precautions before opening the bottle.

As the lid was opened, an extremely foul and pungent odor immediately wafted out. The bottle contained more than half a bottle of blackish-purple liquid.

"What kind of poison is this?" Qin Sang looked at Clan Leader Fu. He didn't recognize the substance but could tell that the blackish-purple liquid was undoubtedly a potent poison.

"Essence of Malefic Separation! There are actually ten drops!" Clan Leader Fu's eyes lit up upon seeing the liquid in the bottle, but then they dulled as he remembered that Qin Sang was its owner.

"The Essence of Malefic Separation is something every cultivator of my clan dreams of. Even the most talented clan members, if they obtain a single drop in their youth, can purify their bloodline and elevate their talent to a higher level. In the previous great halls, our clan only ever obtained a total of seven drops, and it took a long debate within the clan before they were finally awarded."

Clan Leader Fu hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back. Even though he knew that treasures became more precious the closer one got to the core hall, the temptation of ten drops of Essence of Malefic Separation was simply too great. He couldn't help but want to beg Qin Sang to sell them to the Jie hook clan.

Qin Sang had an epiphany. He examined the porcelain bottle in his hand and said, "For you, it's a wondrous medicine; for others, it's a potent poison."

"Precisely! Those with cultivation levels similar to ours would be severely wounded if they accidentally inhaled the Essence of Malefic Separation. However, its strong, indelible odor makes it difficult to conceal from enemies' senses, rendering it less effective than colorless, odorless, yet slightly less potent poisons," Clan Leader Fu deliberately pointed out the drawbacks of the Essence of Malefic Separation.

"I see, thank you for the explanation, Clan Leader Fu." Qin Sang nodded and accepted it with a smile.

Seeing that Qin Sang did not mention a transaction, Clan Leader Fu dared not press the issue and honestly followed Qin Sang towards the next great hall.

With no external enemies to interfere, they successively opened three great halls. Unfortunately, some halls had been shattered in the collision, and their treasures were destroyed.

In the end, Qin Sang and the two others opened a total of nine great halls. Anyone would have to exclaim at the substantial harvest. Most of these nine halls contained only one treasure: spiritual artifacts, jade slips, and rare potent poisons similar to the Essence of Malefic Separation. Regrettably, these treasures were almost tailor-made for the Jie hook clan. Even the potent poisons, like the Essence of Malefic Separation, had specialized uses for the Jie hook clan and were not meant for combat.

The Jie hook clan ancestor had put in a great deal of effort, but this was not good news for Qin Sang. Only four types of potent poisons, including the Essence of Malefic Separation, were useful to him. If the poison bead were still intact and if he possessed the second volume of the *Poison God Codex*, refining these potent poisons would allow his cultivation to advance rapidly. As it stood, these potent poisons could only be used against enemies.

Qin Sang had various methods to deal with opponents weaker than himself, so he didn't need to resort to poison at all. However, to deal with opponents stronger than him, his current mastery of the Dao of Poison was still insufficient and required careful study for some time.

Clan Leader Fu's eyes turned red as he watched treasure after treasure being pocketed by Qin Sang. Yet, Qin Sang was still sighing, lamenting that not a single one was truly useful to him.

Finally, with Clan Leader Fu's help, Qin Sang arrived before the core great hall. The core hall was almost perfectly intact, appearing more ancient and imposing than the other halls.

Qin Sang gazed at the hall before him. Its two doors, carved from emerald jade, were tightly shut. Surprisingly, there were no restrictions on the doors whatsoever; they seemed as if they could be pushed open with a slight effort.

Clan Leader Fu explained, "The hall originally had an ancient restriction personally set by our ancestor, but it vanished into thin air when the multicolored glow appeared. We were so elated by the discovery of its disappearance that we overlooked the danger posed by the glow."

After patiently investigating further, Qin Sang channeled a wisp of true essence and effortlessly pushed open the hall doors.

*Whoosh!* Just as a crack opened, a streak of white light suddenly shot out.

Qin Sang's eyes flickered. He made an empty grab, and an illusory large hand materialized in the void, seizing the white light.

The white light turned out to be a spiritual talisman, over five inches long and nearly two inches wide. Held between two fingers, it twisted incessantly, attempting to break free. After its struggles proved futile, the spiritual talisman finally settled. Qin Sang held it in his hand, observing that it was just a plain white paper talisman with no visible runes or patterns on its surface—a sealed talisman.

Unable to discern its purpose, Qin Sang extended his spiritual sense into the talisman but still found nothing. After a moment's thought, Qin Sang released the spiritual talisman but then sealed off a large area of surrounding space. The talisman vibrated, then shot away again, but it darted about erratically like a headless fly, without any discernible pattern.

What kind of guidance was this? Puzzled, Qin Sang looked at Clan Leader Fu.

Clan Leader Fu gently shook his head. "Aside from the ancestral teaching, I know nothing either. Perhaps... the time is not yet ripe?"

"The sacred land hasn't been completely destroyed yet," Liu Li chimed in. According to legend, a great opportunity would arrive when the sacred land was destroyed. At present, the sacred land was still in the process of destruction, and the multicolored glow continued to erupt.

"Since that's the case, I can make more preparations before the time comes," Qin Sang mused, holding the sealed talisman. He thought of the Thunder Hall. Previously, he hadn't been confident alone, but now with Liu Li by his side, Clan Leader Fu captured, and another Jie hook clan cultivator outside, he might be able to attempt it.

Just then, Clan Leader Fu couldn't help but speak, his voice deep. "I have already helped you obtain the treasures in the hall. How exactly do you intend to deal with us?"

Qin Sang said, "Next, Clan Leader Fu and that fellow Daoist above will do one more thing for me. Then, this humble Daoist will let you go, and once outside, I will trade some of these treasures with the Jie hook clan. However, you cannot remain in the sacred land! You must leave this place the next time a sky rift appears."

Clan Leader Fu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Having become a prisoner, he dared not hope for any further opportunities in the sacred land; simply surviving was a stroke of luck.

"And what is this task?"

"This humble Daoist previously encountered a secret realm but was short of personnel..."

Qin Sang briefly explained the situation.

"How can we trust you, Daoist, not to go back on your word after the task is done?" Clan Leader Fu frowned.

"You should have the Grand Void Golden Tome, correct?" Qin Sang asked.

Clan Leader Fu nodded repeatedly, finally putting his mind at ease.