Chapter 2203: Summons

The two parties introduced themselves.

The sword-wielding Daoist priest, whose Daoist name was Zhan Yan, hailed from Bichen Xuan. The hot-tempered Daoist, Zhang Yan, was from Jinxia Mountain. There was also Xu Mu, a disciple from Yixing Mountain, and Jing Zhen, a Kun Dao (female Daoist) from Xingyue Wu.

Qin Sang noticed that the four were merely cooperating in name; their relationships varied from distant to close, and only Zhan Yan could rein in Zhang Yan's temper.

Zhang Yan's suggestion, though crude, now seemed to be the only viable option. Unbeknownst to them, Qin Sang had just captured one of their opponents but hadn't extracted any valuable information.

Of course, Qin Sang wouldn't disclose this voluntarily. He also suspected that once the disciples of powerful cultivators arrived, they might receive guidance from their talismans.

The group exchanged glances, realizing they had no better ideas.

Zhan Yan was very cautious and asked Qin Sang several questions. However, Qin Sang's answers had been carefully considered during their journey, leaving no loopholes.

After their discussion, the group left the valley to search for traces of the powerful cultivators' disciples. Unaware of the opponents' movements, they found it difficult to plan ahead and could only adapt on the fly once they located them.

This place was once a vast wilderness with green mountains and clear waters, rarely visited by people. Now, only the secret realm itself had undergone drastic changes; the beauty outside remained untouched.

Storms and iridescent light surged within the secret realm, seemingly ready to break through its boundaries and destroy everything in their path.

According to Zhan Yan and the others, this was the scene they encountered upon their arrival. They initially thought the phenomena would continue to spread, devastating the entire island and blooming in the heart of the lake until they merged with the outside light. However, they seemed to be bound by an invisible force, unable to break free.

This was why they hadn't given up, guessing that the power of the secret realm was preventing the light and storms from spreading. This implied the realm wasn't entirely destroyed, and they might still have an opportunity.

Flying along the edge of the secret realm, they could clearly see a distinct boundary between its interior and exterior.

Fearing mishaps, the six did not split up but chose to travel together. Zhan Yan, being the strongest and skilled in investigative Daoist arts, led the way.

Although Qin Sang's cultivation was somewhat lower, he was the one who brought the intelligence. Thus, he also had to lead, to prevent his weaker strength from exposing their whereabouts to the enemy. Jing Zhen cast a "Cloud-Veiling Moon-Concealing Talisman" upon him.

So, Qin Sang and Zhan Yan flew side by side at the front, while Liu Li and the others trailed far behind.

The area was more expansive than imagined. After flying over countless mountain peaks, they still hadn't found any traces left by the powerful cultivators' disciples.

Upon discovering the drastic changes in the secret realm, Qin Sang and Liu Li immediately sought out Zhan Yan and the others. They hadn't delayed much, only spending some time entangled in a struggle with Xian Tong and his group. Logically, before the signs appeared, those powerful cultivators' disciples had been aimlessly wandering the heart lake, some near, some far, moving at different speeds. There must still be people lagging behind!

Qin Sang was very patient. After flying a while longer, his expression subtly changed, but Zhan Yan's spiritual sense was sharper, detecting it even earlier than he did.

"Someone!"

Zhan Yan gestured for Qin Sang to stop first, while simultaneously sending a voice transmission to the four behind them.

The two quietly landed in a mountain forest, gazing into the distance. They only saw endless mountains and wilderness, but could sense a faint, unusual aura.

"At least four different auras!" Zhan Yan's expression slightly darkened.

He raised a finger, drew a circle in the air before him, and conjured a round mirror. The mirror's surface reflected the scene of a mountain forest.

The mountains were vast and verdant, but no human figures could be found.

"There are top-tier experts among them; I dare not directly use Daoist arts to spy on them. What are these people doing gathered here?" Zhan Yan wondered.

Qin Sang secretly praised the brilliance of this technique. The round mirror didn't show the opponents' figures but revealed the reality of that mountain forest—the true scene there was concealed by a formation.

"Do they also have no way to enter?" Qin Sang speculated, a sense of foreboding washing over him.

If that were the case, the situation would be highly unfavorable for them, and they might ultimately have to abandon this opportunity.

Zhan Yan's face darkened. The qualification to enter the Holy Land of the Yi Ren Clan was not easily obtained. Not only did one have to defeat opponents within their sect, but some sects themselves weren't even qualified and had to compete against fellow cultivators from other Daoist lineages. Had they sacrificed so much just for a hasty, fruitless end?

After some thought, Zhan Yan said, "I have another method to peek inside this formation; perhaps we can gather some information, but it might be detected by the enemy. We'll need to make some arrangements beforehand..."

Subsequently, Zhan Yan sent a voice transmission, instructing Liu Li and the others to retreat far away, and giving Qin Sang a talisman to go to another area.

The group readily complied. Qin Sang, carrying the spiritual talisman, moved away from Zhan Yan. In a mountain stream, he activated the talisman; it ignited without fire, transforming into a cluster of transparent flames that flickered erratically in his palm.

Simultaneously, Zhan Yan fully unleashed his secret art.

Before long, Qin Sang received Zhan Yan's warning. His eyes narrowed slightly, and the cluster of flames suddenly split, revealing faint transparent figures that dispersed in various directions. He too vanished from his original spot.

On the other side, Zhan Yan retracted the round mirror and departed in haste.

A moment later, ripples appeared above the mountain forest, and then several figures flew out.

They carefully sensed around, all feeling somewhat puzzled. They then split up to investigate, ultimately finding nothing.

"What a clever technique! Which fellow Daoist was spying on us?" a hoarse voice said.

A female cultivator interjected, "The other party was very cautious; I couldn't discern their divine ability. They probably saw no familiar faces among us and didn't wish to reveal themselves, so they went to find other Daoists."

"Everyone!"

Suddenly, a deep voice came from within the formation, "Everyone knows Brother Luo's divine ability; his perception cannot be wrong. The other party is hiding their identity and possesses such capabilities. Could this mean Daoist Qi's words have come true?"

Hearing this, everyone's expression darkened.

At this time, Qin Sang and Zhan Yan, who had stirred up this disturbance, had already fled far away and reunited with Liu Li and the others.

"Well?" Everyone looked at Zhan Yan.

Zhan Yan said, "There are top-tier experts inside, even I was deceived. I had just barely glimpsed the sounds from within the formation when they discovered me. I only overheard a few scattered fragments of conversation..."

Then, without holding back, he repeated what he had heard.

Most of it was ordinary conversation. The most valuable segment roughly indicated that the Yi Ren Clan experts were gathered in several locations, belonging to different factions, and were currently considering which side to join, or whether to establish their own.

Although they hadn't uncovered the full picture, a lot of valuable information could be inferred from this fragment. It now seemed that these Yi Ren Clan experts were also blocked from entering and were waiting for a certain opportunity.

As for what this opportunity was, it remained unknown.

Upon hearing this news, everyone's mood became heavier, a mix of joy and concern.

The good news was the internal strife among the Yi Ren Clan, which presented an opportunity for them to 'fish in troubled waters.' The worry was that their opponents possessed talismans bestowed by their ancestors for self-defense, allowing them to remain in the heart lake for extended periods and wait indefinitely, whereas they could not. They could stay for two more days at most, after which they had to leave the island, complete the task given by the Integration Stage cultivators, and fly out of the heart lake.

As for whether they would have another chance to enter later, no one could say for sure.

After a brief discussion, the group continued their journey towards one of the gathering points.

After flying for a while, the group could sense chaotic auras emanating from ahead. Unlike the previous group, these cultivators ahead made no attempt to conceal themselves, scattered sparsely across the surrounding peaks.

Qin Sang and Zhan Yan landed in the distance, secretly observing. Just then, ripples appeared in the depths of the iridescent light, and two figures shot out.

One person's aura was merely chaotic, while the other's Daoist robe had a large rip, eliciting a burst of good-natured laughter. Evidently, they had attempted to force their way in but lacked the power and returned empty-handed.

"Just as I thought!" Zhan Yan couldn't help but sigh.

If even these powerful cultivators' disciples were helpless against this place, they would probably have to give up!

At this moment, Qin Sang also made out some figures ahead and recognized familiar faces: the black-robed cultivator who had pursued him, and the two women who arrived later.

The three were still together, meditating on a rock.

Seeing the dishevelled appearance of the two, the black-robed cultivator showed no trace of a smile on his face. Instead, he occasionally glanced outwards, his expression filled with worry.

A strange gleam flickered in Qin Sang's eyes. He wondered if this person had spread tales of his deeds. It would be best not to reveal his identity here, as it would surely arouse suspicion from both sides. He decided to remain hidden for as long as possible.

Before long, Qin Sang and Zhan Yan quietly retreated and went to another location, only to find it largely similar. They had no opportunity to act and could only prepare an ambush in advance.

"These people seem to have means of communication and are calling upon their friends. If we choose the wrong target, we might be attacked by the whole group," Zhan Yan said, worriedly.

The more intelligence they gathered, the more everyone realized how unfavorable the situation was for them. Regardless, what needed to be done still had to be done. The group began to set up their plan, but unexpectedly, after waiting for two full days, they found no opportunity to strike!

Little did they know, this was thanks to Qin Sang and Liu Li.

Previously, Xian Tong, in his attempt to ambush and kill Qin Sang, had contacted several experts, but only the black-robed cultivator and the green-robed man agreed to help. These individuals knew about their operation. When they saw only the black-robed cultivator arrive, with the other two nowhere in sight, it was natural for them to ask questions.

Although it was difficult to admit, the black-robed cultivator understood that he couldn't keep it a secret indefinitely. So he tried to be as vague as possible, merely saying that Xian Tong and Tang Kun had gone to pursue a vendetta and their whereabouts were unknown.

In fact, the black-robed cultivator still didn't believe that Xian Tong and Tang Kun were killed by Qin Sang.

As this news spread, it quickly caused a stir. No one believed they would die at the hands of a Void Refinement stage cultivator. Another reason was clearly more convincing!

Hidden dangers lurked in the Coiling Dragon Cave; there must be unknown perils on the island! Otherwise, why would their ancestors send them down the mountain and specifically bestow talismans and defensive treasures upon them?

For a time, everyone here felt insecure. Some quickly used secret arts to send messages and warn friends, spreading the news even faster. As a result, most who arrived later chose to wait outside and travel with others; only those confident in their divine abilities and strength dared to enter the island alone.

With the deadline approaching, their hopes grew increasingly slim.

However, Qin Sang and his group weren't entirely without gains; they made new discoveries during this period. The chaotic phenomena in the secret realm seemed to show signs of reaching their peak and then declining, which was confirmed by conversations among the Yi Ren Clan cultivators, who were also waiting for the chaos to subside.

"No chance left!"

Zhan Yan's voice was heavy. He subconsciously looked up, wanting to check the time, only to realize they were engulfed in thick fog.

The iridescent light and storms were far from subsiding, yet they could no longer wait. They could only sigh in resignation.

"Whether we can enter again later will depend on our own capabilities!" Zhang Yan said, his face grim as he flicked his sleeve.

"We shall take our leave now! Fellow Daoists, until we meet again!"

Xu Mu and Jing Zhen cupped their hands in farewell.

Then the group dispersed; their plan had completely failed this time. Time was pressing, so Qin Sang and Liu Li dared not hesitate. They cast their escape arts, speeding off the island, traveling in silence the entire way.

Across the wide lake, two streaks of light sped rapidly, traveling together.

As things stood, Qin Sang and Liu Li could only accept the reality. However, they hadn't completely given up; since they had confirmed the chaotic phenomena in the secret realm were gradually subsiding, they would still have a chance if they could find a way to return to the heart lake later!

They returned to their previous route at top speed, then followed the path marked on the geomantic map, advancing rapidly. To save time, they had to forcefully pass through some perilous areas they encountered along the way.

The two worked together seamlessly, their journey mostly smooth and without major incidents, gradually deepening into the heart lake.

Traversing through the middle of a secret realm, an empty expanse of lake appeared before them.

The lake surface was calm and unruffled. Just then, the jade bracelets on their wrists suddenly emitted a resonant sound, and spiritual light burst forth.

'Whoosh!'

The jade bracelets flew into mid-air on their own, emitting dazzling light, as if drawn by something, eager to break through the void and depart.

Through the jade bracelets, Qin Sang and Liu Li vaguely sensed a distant echo coming from across the void, yet they couldn't discern its origin.

Liu Li acted, restraining the jade bracelet in place. Qin Sang then cast dozens of hand seals in succession, activating the restrictions within the bracelet. He found that the bracelet seemed like a bottomless pit, frantically devouring his true essence.

Finally, the jade bracelet, seemingly 'full and satisfied,' suddenly erupted with golden light.

Qin Sang squinted, watching as the jade bracelet vanished, transforming into a golden halo. The halo rapidly expanded, sweeping outwards, and in an instant, it extended beyond their field of vision, disappearing into the distant horizon.

Wherever the golden light passed, the mist stirred, and an invisible force spread throughout.

This task was easier than expected. Qin Sang and Liu Li waited for a while, and seeing no unusual phenomena, they quietly withdrew.

With their previous experience, the return journey was much easier. They traveled continuously and smoothly, reaching the edge of the heart lake before the ten-day deadline.

From afar, Qin Sang and Liu Li saw the small island from which they had departed. Figures blurred on the island, most of them having already returned.

Just then, Qin Sang suddenly gestured for Liu Li to stop, frowning as he gazed at the lake surface.

'Splash!'

Water splashed, and a figure shot out from the water. Seeing Qin Sang, the person cupped their hands in greeting, speaking very courteously, "May I ask if you are True Master Qin?"

"Who are you? Why are you intercepting this humble Daoist here?"

Qin Sang frowned, scrutinizing the person up and down. He saw a strange young man whom he had never seen before.

The young man immediately beamed with a wide smile: "I am..."

Suddenly, the young man was interrupted by a whistling sound.

Qin Sang looked up, secretly astonished. The newcomer was actually Hong Yue, heading straight for them.

"Is that you, True Master Qin?"

Before the person arrived, their voice preceded them: "Lord Hong Tian requests your presence!"