Chapter 2247: Three Lineage Inheritances

The white smoke gathered and dispersed before him. Qin Sang watched patiently until the smoke stabilized.

Qin Sang gazed at the image in the smoke. He felt it was somewhat similar to the landscape painting on the bottle, but the details were vastly different.

It was these differences that made the image evoke a completely distinct feeling in the viewer.

The mountains conjured by the smoke seemed like vibrant green peaks, rivers appeared to flow ceaselessly, and even deserts and Gobi landscapes were depicted, as if all earthly scenes had been brought to life within the painting.

"Is it a map?"

Qin Sang examined the landscape map, which had been reduced countless times. He calculated that the location indicated by the map was in the west, outside the range of Lingkong Mountain, and situated between Lingkong Mountain and Yongtu Immortal City, leaning more towards Yongtu Immortal City.

That senior master evidently possessed extraordinary cultivation, traveling widely. With such power, they could have easily journeyed to human territories. Yet, for some unknown reason, they chose not to leave Lingkong Mountain and instead established a cave-dwelling within the Golden Eagle Clan's territory.

"What is that place? Is it another one of that senior's cultivation sites, or where they obtained the 'Treatise on Yin-Yang Correspondence'?"

Various questions arose in Qin Sang's mind.

The smoke remained condensed and still. The twin-handled porcelain bottle only contained this single image, with no accompanying text. It seemed he would have to reach that place to uncover the truth.

Qin Sang withdrew the Stone Embryo Fire. The smoke shimmered and immediately re-entered the bottle, and the image vanished.

Next, Qin Sang activated the Stone Embryo Fire again, trying it on each of the other treasures, but found nothing. Only this twin-handled porcelain bottle contained information left by that senior master.

Since that was the case, it was time for him to leave.

Qin Sang put away all the treasures, cast a deep gaze towards Lingkong Mountain in the east, then launched his escape light, flying over mountains, rivers, and wetlands, before suddenly descending by a riverbank.

This place was deep in the mountains, rarely visited by people. Only along the banks of this river was the terrain slightly flatter, allowing humans to reside there.

It was clear that the people here did not live in abundance, but their lives were peaceful. This was because they were surrounded by deep forests, the river upstream and downstream was exceptionally turbulent, and the waterway was complex, making boat travel difficult. Access was limited to mountain paths, ensuring the place was unaffected by war.

More importantly, from a cultivator's perspective, this area was extremely barren, and the Golden Eagle Clan's cultivators had no interest in occupying it.

It was precisely because of these factors that Reverend Tong Shen, before his departure, settled all his blood relatives here, primarily Qin Sang's and Qing Yan's kin. He had intended to bring them away later, but as the situation grew increasingly tense, they dared not set foot in the Golden Eagle Clan's territory again.

Qin Sang's purpose in coming here was to take these people away. If war broke out between humans and demons, the human population within demon territory could be implicated. Although this was a mere illusion, he considered it a twist of fate. Of course, Qin Sang could only do so much; he was powerless to help others. Even in reality, he couldn't aid all of humanity, let alone now.

"Junior brother?"

Upon seeing his elder brother again, Qin Sang found him to be an elderly man radiating an aura of nobility. Reverend Tong Shen had specifically established a family estate for them, allowing them to live a prosperous and privileged life.

The two brothers reminisced. Qin Sang learned that their parents had passed away, and his elder brother asked him to join him in paying respects at their graves, which Qin Sang did not refuse.

After the ceremony, Qin Sang summoned his magic boat, took his blood relatives, and left the family estate to others.

The return journey was similar to his arrival. Qin Sang repeatedly used the Heavenly Demon Transformation to blend in, successfully leaving the demon territory. He spent some spirit stones to hire escorts for his relatives to their sect, while he himself set off to find the place indicated on the map.

"What a desolate wilderness!"

Following the map, Qin Sang expended considerable effort and finally pinpointed the exact location indicated by the map.

Unexpectedly, when he found the place, the scene there greatly exceeded his expectations.

This was, astonishingly, a desolate mountain range devoid of human traces. Due to drought and the autumn-winter season, the vegetation was withered, consisting only of dry wood and broken branches. A gust of wind would send yellow leaves scattering.

Lacking food, birds and beasts had fled the area, leaving a pervasive sense of lifelessness.

Qin Sang sighed inwardly, then shifted his gaze, locking onto one of the barren mountains.

If his calculations were correct, this mountain was his destination, yet it appeared no different from the surrounding peaks.

*Swish!*

Qin Sang landed on the mountaintop, released his divine sense, and immediately revealed an expression of understanding.

The landscape map conjured from smoke not only guided him to the location but also concealed other secrets.

As his divine sense swept across the mountain, combined with the landscape map, Qin Sang immediately understood: there was also a method hidden for activating a spiritual array.

However, this only unveiled a portion of the secret; the answer to the remaining part might lie within the array itself.

Qin Sang's figure flickered, appearing at a cave halfway up the mountain.

The cave was shallow, with scattered branches and fur on the ground, clearly indicating it had once served as a wild animal's lair.

*Whoosh!*

Qin Sang swept his sleeve, dusting off the cave wall, then raised his hand and tapped the wall several times.

*Crumble...*

The spiritual array did not erupt in a grand phenomenon; only a layer of fragmented stones peeled off the cave wall.

The next moment, a grayish-white stone wall appeared before Qin Sang. Its surface was extremely smooth and perfectly square.

"What is this?"

Qin Sang examined the stone wall, noting that it was neither a magic treasure nor a valuable spiritual material. When he attempted to touch it with his divine sense, he suddenly felt a suction force pulling his divine sense inwards.

His divine sense drifted erratically, sensing only chaos around him, unsure of his location.

Gradually, his perception became clearer, and Qin Sang was secretly astonished.

The surrounding scene was difficult to describe in words. Forcing a comparison, it was like falling into a perplexing labyrinth. Qin Sang realized he could withdraw at any time, but to advance, he first had to solve the puzzle.

At the same time, Qin Sang finally understood the ultimate secret hidden within the landscape map: it was the answer to this perplexing labyrinth!

Qin Sang did not rush to solve the puzzle. Instead, he poured all his concentration into perceiving it, and soon discerned a clue.

The one who set up this labyrinth must have been a powerful cultivator proficient in the Dao of Yin-Yang. The foundation of this labyrinth was the Dao of Yin-Yang itself, and only those who also mastered this Dao could solve it. Those unfamiliar with it would merely be bewildered, without a single clue.

The Dao of Yin-Yang was profound and extensive. Qin Sang discerned that this labyrinth bore a great connection to the "Water and Fire Complementary" chapter of the 'Treatise on Yin-Yang Correspondence'. To solve this puzzle, one needed to cultivate this chapter to a certain realm!

The intention of the one who set up the labyrinth was self-evident: only someone who had received the inheritance and possessed extraordinary talent could solve the puzzle and open the stone wall.

Evidently, the senior master who crafted the twin-handled porcelain bottle had visited this place and provided their answer.

"But..."

Qin Sang frowned, a contemplative expression on his face. He then proceeded to attempt solving the labyrinth according to the information left by that senior master within the landscape map.

As it turned out, this answer was correct, yet the labyrinth remained unsolved; something seemed to be missing!

Qin Sang thought, 'Just as I expected.' He had already foreseen that the senior master likely hadn't managed to solve the entire labyrinth and had ultimately stopped here.

The labyrinth was related to the "Water and Fire Complementary" chapter of the 'Treatise on Yin-Yang Correspondence', but it was not limited to that. Perhaps the inheritance from that year had been scattered and divided into several parts, and that senior master had only obtained one, thus only being able to solve a portion of the labyrinth.

At this thought, the 'Treatise on Regulating the Spirit According to the Four Seasons' naturally appeared in Qin Sang's mind.

"Is this also a part of the inheritance?"

Qin Sang had not yet truly cultivated the 'Treatise on Regulating the Spirit According to the Four Seasons', but he had already pondered it countless times on his journey here and developed many ideas regarding the portion patched by Jin Xiao.

After setting up a protective array, Qin Sang sat down on the spot and immediately began to cultivate.

Cultivating the 'Treatise on Regulating the Spirit According to the Four Seasons' was very easy; its value lay only in persistence. After several cycles, Qin Sang sensed that the changes brought about by this technique were extremely subtle, almost imperceptible.

However, as he continued his cultivation, Qin Sang's understanding of the 'Treatise on Regulating the Spirit According to the Four Seasons' deepened. He began to drastically improve the portion patched by Jin Xiao, almost to the point of tearing it down and rebuilding it.

Inside the cave, the passage of days and nights was indiscernible.

After an unknown period, Qin Sang slowly awoke, a sharp glint in his eyes. He once again immersed his divine sense into the jade wall.

This time, Qin Sang quickly confirmed that the 'Treatise on Regulating the Spirit According to the Four Seasons' was indeed one part of the inheritance!

His understanding of the labyrinth also deepened. The labyrinth could roughly be divided into three layers, interwoven without distinct internal or external divisions. The senior master had used the "Water and Fire Complementary" chapter of the 'Treatise on Yin-Yang Correspondence' to solve the first layer. The 'Treatise on Regulating the Spirit According to the Four Seasons' was related to the second layer, but even after solving both layers, a third layer of the labyrinth remained.

This implied that the inheritance had been split into at least three parts!

However, cracking this layer of the labyrinth solely with the 'Treatise on Regulating the Spirit According to the Four Seasons' was extremely difficult. This might be due to the incomplete jade pendant, or perhaps the 'Treatise on Regulating the Spirit According to the Four Seasons' was only a fragment of this particular inheritance.

Withdrawing his divine sense, Qin Sang fell into deep thought.

Of the three parts of the inheritance, he had obtained one and a half. The first layer of the labyrinth had already been solved by the senior master, and he had some hope for the second layer, but the third layer offered no clues whatsoever.

Was he to return empty-handed this time and try again only after gathering all three parts of the inheritance?

Searching for the remaining parts of the inheritance would not be easy.

Through soul-searching Jin Xiao, Qin Sang learned how he obtained the 'Treatise on Regulating the Spirit According to the Four Seasons', but the clues ended there.

He could only hope that, like the twin-handled porcelain bottle, there might be other important clues that Jin Xiao had overlooked. However, Jin Xiao had gone to great lengths for this, having already verified all suspicious locations countless times, making this possibility very slim.

For the third part of the inheritance, there wasn't a single clue; he could only rely on luck.

Who knew when he would be able to gather all three parts of the inheritance? Even if he did, what lay behind the stone wall might not be what he desired. Wasting so much time and effort on this was not Qin Sang's wish.

Was there another way?

Qin Sang's expression subtly shifted. His origins were extraordinary; on the surface, he was a Nascent Soul cultivator, but in reality, he possessed the knowledge and experience of a Void Refinement cultivator.

Moreover, no matter how profound the labyrinth, it would not stray from the scope of the Dao of Yin-Yang.

It was worth noting that in the decade or so spent traveling to and from Lingkong Mountain and collecting treasures, Qin Sang had diligently cultivated without pause. His mastery of the "Water and Fire Complementary" chapter was now nearing the mid-Nascent Soul stage.

While his cultivation realm was still not high enough, it wasn't due to a lack of understanding but rather insufficient time. In reality, his insight far surpassed that of ordinary people. He had once entered the Sun-Moon Hall, experienced the power of the Sundial of Spring and Autumn, and used it to gain insights into the black and white chess pieces with great success. He had personally witnessed and experienced these things.

Even a Void Refinement cultivator solely focused on the Dao of Yin-Yang might not have had such experiences.

As long as his memories remained, these experiences and insights could not be erased. Perhaps he could use them to forcibly solve this labyrinth!

After all, his task was merely to 'solve the puzzle'. As long as he grasped a correct thread, he would have the chance to trace it upstream and reach the other side.

Acting on the thought, Qin Sang closed his eyes and fully immersed his mind into the labyrinth, like a fish wandering in a lake.

That senior master had not only helped Qin Sang solve the first layer of the labyrinth but also pointed out a line of thought. Combining both, Qin Sang made rapid progress in comprehending the second layer, and it wasn't long before he found a clue.

Next, Qin Sang devoted himself entirely to contemplation, constantly generating new ideas and then overturning them.

At this point, Qin Sang felt the trouble caused by his insufficient cultivation. The labyrinth not only tested the intruder's talent; if he were a Soul Transformation cultivator now, it would have been much easier.

Despite various unfavorable conditions, the second layer of the labyrinth was still successfully solved by Qin Sang!

*Hoo...*

Qin Sang let out a long breath, a hint of weariness in his eyes, and began to regulate his breathing to recover.

The third layer of the labyrinth was the main challenge; aside from his previous experiences, there were no further guides!

Before that, he had one more thing to do.

Qin Sang rose, left the mountain, found a place abundant with earth fire, set up a furnace, and began to re-refine the Water-Fire Chess Pieces!

After completing the re-refinement and breaking through to the mid-Nascent Soul stage himself, Qin Sang returned to the cave. He gazed at the stone wall for a long time before slowly closing his eyes.

Inside the stone wall.

In Qin Sang's eyes, the labyrinth transformed into a chess game. Two pieces, one red and one blue, appeared on the chessboard. They drifted aimlessly, hesitant to make a move.

After an unknown period, Qin Sang's heart stirred. The two chess pieces suddenly turned black and white, only to revert to their original colors a moment later.

In that instant, the two chess pieces finally landed on the 'chessboard'.

Qin Sang seemed to truly hear the sound of the pieces falling. Immediately, his face paled, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood with a gasp.

Blood stained the stone wall as Qin Sang opened his eyes.

"It's still too strenuous. It would be safer to return after breaking through to the Soul Transformation stage," Qin Sang murmured.

However, the outcome was good!

A flash of joy appeared in Qin Sang's eyes. He had done it; he had found the answer to the third layer of the labyrinth without any guidance from the inheritance!

Now, all three layers of the labyrinth had been solved, and the secret behind the stone wall was about to be revealed.

Qin Sang rose and stepped forward. Without any obstruction, his body passed directly through the stone wall.

Inside the stone wall, a sacrificial altar met his gaze. It seemed like a place of worship, yet there were no portraits or statues, leaving him unsure of who or what was being revered.

A skeleton sat cross-legged before the altar. The moment Qin Sang entered, the skeleton weathered into dust.

On the altar, only a single jade pendant lay, strikingly conspicuous.

Qin Sang glanced at where the skeleton had been seated, then drew the jade pendant into his palm. Immediately, he sensed information sealed within the pendant, which appeared to be another map.

"This trick again?"

Qin Sang frowned, muttering silently to himself.

Following that, a voice emerged from the jade pendant. The voice sounded ethereal, as if left behind during its final moments.

"The fact that you can see this jade pendant means you have deciphered my Jade Mechanism Three Prohibitions, and did not force your way in. Regardless of whether you relied on the methods passed down by this old man, it is enough to prove your extraordinary talent; you are precisely the successor this old man sought! Next, you only need to follow the guidance on the jade pendant, enter the mountain gate, and gain control of the great mountain array to receive the inheritance within the mountain and become the Master of Jade Mechanism Mountain..."

The voice abruptly ceased.