Chapter 2245: Four Qi and Regulating the Spirit Theory

**The Tianjing Sect**

Sect Leader Chen's brow was furrowed in concern. To this day, there was still no news of Chen Yuze. As the sect leader, he had issued an edict stating that if the culprit sought ransom, it was time for them to reveal themselves. If they delayed any longer, wouldn't they risk overplaying their hand and having it backfire?

Furthermore, since their meeting that day, the female demon had vanished without a trace, and all attempts to contact her had failed. As he still hadn't received any news from the female demon, he went to the mine again and discovered that she had not returned since leaving. Had something happened to her as well, or had he misjudged the situation, and these Golden Finches were the true masterminds?

Aside from communicating through the female demon, Sect Leader Chen had other ways to contact her clan leader, but he hesitated. Firstly, for secrecy, these contact methods were extremely complex and involved many difficulties, requiring him to personally seek an audience. Secondly, he had to consider what to do if Yuze had indeed been abducted by this demon, used to threaten him, or even forced him to completely side with the demon race. The war had not yet begun, and unless the human race's downfall was already a certainty, siding with an alien race was certainly not a wise move. While hedging his bets was acceptable, Sect Leader Chen did not want to cut off his own and the sect's retreat paths before the victor was decided! If he refused them, Yuze would likely face a grim fate. Yuze was his only son. However, he was still in his prime, not nearing the end of his lifespan, and thus not urgently needing to secure an heir. Sect Leader Chen's mind raced, and a sharp glint appeared in his eyes.

**Meanwhile, Qin Sang**

Meanwhile, Qin Sang had already traveled deep into the wilderness aboard his spirit boat. His arrangements had worked; Sect Leader Chen was thoroughly misled. Not only did he not suspect Mount Yuanjing, but his suspicions also prevented him from contacting the female demon's clan leader in time.

The spirit boat slowly descended. Qin Sang disembarked, observing that the spirit boat had landed at a temporarily constructed stronghold. It resembled a fortress, perched atop the highest peak within a radius of several thousand li, offering an unobstructed view of the surrounding landscape. After a brief inquiry, Qin Sang generally understood the situation in the area. To the east of this location was another demon camp, directly confronting the human race. The two sides had engaged in covert and overt struggles for many years in the intervening territory, accumulating considerable animosity, making the atmosphere more tense than elsewhere.

He declined others' proposals for cooperation and flew out beyond the mountain. After a period of flight, he reached territory controlled by the demon race. Qin Sang lowered his evasion light. When he emerged from the forest again, he had transformed, a pair of wings growing from his back. The Heavenly Demon Transformation could not turn Qin Sang into a true Azure Luan; it could only maintain this half-demon-like form. Unlike later generations, demon cultivators of this era did not pride themselves on transforming into human form. However, many chose to assume human shape after gaining transformation abilities. They merely disagreed with the term 'human form,' instead claiming to be imitating and following deities. It was rumored that whenever deities manifested before living beings, they always appeared in human form! With genuine Azure Luan wings, and an Azure Luan Dharma Form granting him an extremely pure Azure Luan aura, Qin Sang could easily pass as the real thing if he remained cautious. However, this disguise was not flawless, and Qin Sang dared not act recklessly. He still needed to proceed carefully, avoiding contact with the top-tier powerhouses among the demon race.

As Qin Sang flew out of the forest, he heard the sound of wind ahead. A moment later, several demonic birds, resembling crows but with long tail feathers, flew over. These demonic birds wore identical armor, suggesting they were patrolling demon soldiers. Upon seeing Qin Sang and noticing him wave, their expressions tightened. They hurried forward to bow, saying in unison, "Greetings, Senior!"

Qin Sang nodded, a haughty expression on his face. "I have just arrived here and am unfamiliar with the terrain. I almost trespassed into human territory. Since you are patrolling here, I presume we also have a camp nearby?"

One demonic bird nodded repeatedly. "Senior, you've had bad luck and went the wrong way. Our camp is actually over there. This junior happens to have a map; please accept it, Senior." It respectfully offered a jade slip. Qin Sang took it, nodded slightly, and gazed deeply at the demonic bird. "You've done well!" With that, Qin Sang strode away.

After he left, one demonic bird complained, "That Senior is quite stingy. He took the captain's map and didn't even give any reward."

"Silence!" The captain glared fiercely at it. "That Senior is unfathomable. He might be an expert sent by higher-ups specifically to oversee this area! By forging this good connection, do you fear lacking benefits in the future? Perhaps after some time, we might even be transferred back."

His initial test had indeed not aroused any suspicion. Unaware of these minor demons' calculations, Qin Sang examined the markings in the jade slip, finally settling on an inconspicuous mountain range: "Yunxiu Golden Mountain..." Through soul-searching the female demon, Qin Sang learned that her clan leader had established a cave dwelling at a place called Yunxiu Golden Mountain as their base. "I wonder if this demon is still there?"

Qin Sang noted that Yunxiu Golden Mountain was a considerable distance to the northeast of the demon camp. The greater the distance, the more convenient it would be to act. He had to be careful when ambushing a demon powerhouse on demon territory. Instead of going directly to the demon camp, he first went to Yunxiu Golden Mountain for a covert investigation, and then began to subtly make contact with demon cultivators. Soon, nearby demon cultivators all knew that an Azure Luan expert had arrived. However, this Azure Luan expert was extremely mysterious, his whereabouts unpredictable, and no one knew what he was doing. Even renowned experts found it difficult to meet him; unless he actively revealed himself, no one knew where he was.

Some demon cultivators speculated that this Azure Luan expert might have come with an important mission, seeking a location or assistance. The demon cultivators active here were either races affiliated with the Phoenix Clan, like the Golden Eagle Tribe, or impure bloodline branches, like the Golden Finches. To establish a connection with the Azure Luan Clan was the dream of countless demon cultivators. Consequently, after some time, many demon cultivators began seeking out Qin Sang, hoping to gain his favor. During this period, Qin Sang did many things to build up his reputation, yet he rarely appeared openly before everyone, becoming increasingly mysterious in the eyes of the demons.

"The time is almost right..." Qin Sang glanced in the direction of Yunxiu Golden Mountain. He was relatively certain that the female demon's clan leader was currently in the mountain! This demon might have been waiting for news from the female demon, rarely leaving its cave dwelling, and was accompanied by many clan experts, making it no easy feat to capture it. Qin Sang had done all these seemingly useless things to lay the groundwork for this day.

**The Trap is Set**

'Pfft!' Qin Sang thrust a triangular treasure flag into the ground. Beneath it was not solid earth, but a vast marsh, bubbling and emitting a foul odor. Miasma filled the air; the miasma was toxic, though its toxins were relatively mild. The triangular treasure flag sank completely into the marsh, emitting no aura whatsoever. Qin Sang nodded with satisfaction, his figure flickered, and he vanished.

**Yunxiu Golden Mountain**

'Whoosh!' A Golden Finch flew into the mountain, hastily arriving before a stone dwelling. It triggered the restriction, saying, "This junior, Jinyan, requests an audience with the Clan Leader." It waited for a moment before the stone door opened by itself, and a deep voice from within said, "Enter!"

"Clan Leader!" Jinyan entered the cave dwelling and prostrated itself before a massive Golden Finch. This Golden Finch was their Clan Leader, Jin Xiao. Jinyan, knowing the Clan Leader's temperament well, immediately took out a brocade pouch and explained his purpose. "Reporting, Clan Leader, this junior was ordered to retrieve the Heavenly Silk Stone this time. On the way, I encountered an Azure Luan Senior..."

"What?" Clan Leader Jin Xiao was surprised. "Are you sure it was an Azure Luan?"

"There should be no mistake. This matter has been circulating everywhere during the period of your seclusion, Clan Leader..." Jinyan then recounted all the recent news.

Clan Leader Jin Xiao's eyes narrowed slightly. "Continue. Why did he stop you?"

"That Senior gave this junior a bag of Moon Parasol tree seeds and instructed me to plant them in a certain place, cautioning me not to reveal it to others, before leaving. This junior found it strange, so I ask the Clan Leader to examine it," Jinyan presented the brocade pouch.

"Indeed, they are Moon Parasol tree seeds," Clan Leader Jin Xiao said, nodding slightly after examining them, and scoffed coldly. "He wasn't cautioning you; he was cautioning me!"

Jinyan uttered a sound of confusion, not understanding.

"Moon Parasol tree seeds are not rare, but they are difficult to cultivate. With your cultivation level, it would be fortunate to successfully grow even one without assistance. He gave you so many seeds, clearly anticipating that you would report to me, and he intends to make us serve him!" Jin Xiao left one thing unsaid. This spirit tree was difficult to plant and slow-growing, yet it had a very special purpose: it was one of the rare spirit trees in the world naturally compatible with the Phoenix Clan's bloodline. When the Phoenix Clan deployed its armies and set up camps, one method was to plant Moon Parasol trees in advance. It was said that Moon Parasol tree camps had boundless uses, but only mature Moon Parasol trees would suffice. Maturing these trees required not only secret techniques but also came at an extremely high cost, so they were not easily used.

"The Azure Luan Clan wants to plant a Moon Parasol tree forest here. Does this mean they have decided to go to war with the human race?" Jin Xiao felt shocked and suspicious. "Did he mention any reward for you?"

"No," Jinyan shook its head. "Clan Leader, should we still proceed?"

"Yes! Why not?" Jin Xiao made an immediate decision. It was merely planting Moon Parasol trees; it wasn't sending them to their deaths. Even if the other party was a fraud, they wouldn't lose anything. If they could achieve great merit before the war and ally themselves with an Azure Luan expert, they would have the confidence to refuse dangerous missions when the war truly began. Why wouldn't they?

"Where did he tell you to plant the seeds?"

Jinyan pointed north. "Inside that poisonous marsh, and the marsh must be completely filled with them."

"Why choose that location?" Clan Leader Jin Xiao was secretly puzzled. The terrain there was not special, and the environment was unsuitable for Moon Parasol trees, though the environment could be altered. He understood why the other party had sought them out: Yunxiu Golden Mountain was closest to the poisonous marsh, and the Golden Finches were the largest power in the vicinity, conveniently located.

"Go wake the two elders... Never mind, I'll go with you!" Clan Leader Jin Xiao gently vibrated his wings, and the tremors spread, startling the clan elders in the adjacent cave dwellings awake. After a discussion, they took some clan disciples and grandly flew towards the poisonous marsh.

**The Capture**

Near the poisonous marsh, Qin Sang lay in wait, observing the movements at Yunxiu Golden Mountain. From a distance, seeing the group of demons flying over, Qin Sang's gaze shifted, immediately locking onto the largest Golden Finch. "Oh? He actually lured the main target out directly." Qin Sang was secretly delighted. This time, he chose not to wait silently but to actively strike and lure out his target. For this, he had made several preparations, originally intending to guide the opponent step by step into the trap. Planting trees was merely the first step, but unexpectedly, it succeeded so smoothly in the first attempt. It seemed he had underestimated the status of the Azure Luan Clan in the minds of these demons, Qin Sang mused.

"Clan Leader, we have reached the poisonous marsh." Under Clan Leader Jin Xiao's command, the clan elders each led a team of younger generations to investigate the surroundings, but found nothing unusual.

"Plant the trees!" Clan Leader Jin Xiao ordered, "Remember, put all your effort into cultivating these seeds, and let's see what that Senior intends to do next!" With that, Clan Leader Jin Xiao flapped his wings, intending to turn back to his cave dwelling.

Suddenly, the mud in the marsh boiled violently, churning as countless rays of green light shot out from underground. Before the demons could react, tens of thousands of green lights surged skyward, crisscrossing to form a colossal palace out of thin air. All the clan members in the marsh, including Clan Leader Jin Xiao, fell into the palace. With a 'rumble', the entire marsh trembled. The palace then sank, eventually carrying the Golden Finches within it deep underground. Qin Sang also vanished.

**Aftermath**

An hour later, a figure shot out of the marsh, streaking towards the sky. It wasn't until evening that the Golden Finches remaining in the mountain sensed something amiss. They found the poisonous marsh, only to discover it empty, and were overcome with terror.

"Since you insist on being stubborn, don't blame me for being ruthless! Begging your pardon!" Qin Sang's meticulous planning had succeeded in crippling Clan Leader Jin Xiao's influence and severely injuring and capturing him alive. Unfortunately, he was even more tight-lipped than the female demon, so Qin Sang's interrogation yielded no results, leaving him with no choice but to soul-search. For this purpose, Qin Sang specifically set up a spiritual array to assist the soul-searching technique, but after the process was complete, he couldn't help but show a look of regret. The disparity in their cultivation levels was significant and would greatly affect the efficacy of the soul-searching technique. It was already extremely difficult for a weaker cultivator to soul-search a stronger one, and even a spiritual array could hardly compensate. Had Qin Sang not been experienced, it would have ended in failure. The soul-searching yielded some information, but not everything. Next, Qin Sang would have to make a trip himself to fill in the missing details.

'Whoosh!' Qin Sang reached out with an empty grasp, pulling Clan Leader Jin Xiao's mustard-seed artifact towards him. He broke the restriction and retrieved an item. This item was a jade tablet, identical to the one containing the "Chapter on Harmonizing Water and Fire," except that this tablet had a corner missing.

"The Four Qi Regulation Discourse!" His spiritual sense sank into it, countless characters flooding his mind, and Qin Sang murmured the name of the chapter. As the name suggested, the Four Qi were related to the weather: spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and their associated warmth, heat, coolness, and cold, all belonged to Yin and Yang. "The Four Qi Regulation Discourse" posited that living beings themselves corresponded to the qi of heaven and earth, and one should follow the qi of the four seasons to regulate the spleen and spirit! This was clearly also a secret manual on the path of Yin and Yang, closely related to "The Great Treatise on Yin and Yang and the Manifestations of All Things." Cultivating this technique would not yield immediate results, but consistent practice would subtly harmonize one's self, improve innate talent, and even bring unexpected benefits. Clan Leader Jin Xiao was indeed cultivating this very technique. His last breakthrough was unusually smooth, earning him the old clan leader's approval and allowing him to succeed to the position of clan leader!