Chapter 2257: Master Brother's Death

Here's the rewritten content:

**Body**

The identity of Tianqi has been missing for too long and is no longer suitable for use. However, Qin Sang plans to return to human territory first. If anything goes wrong, the Azure Luan clan won't be able to trace it back to him.

In fact, after Qin Sang contacted the mysterious Azure Luan and learned the truth about the illusion, he gained better channels to understand the Azure Luan clan. If there was any reason to remain among the demon race, it would be the potential opportunity to contact the demonic shadows and gather information about them.

Regarding the demonic shadows, Qin Sang always felt that the mysterious Azure Luan was vague, unsure whether it was concealing a secret or if the mysterious Azure Luan itself didn't know the true nature of the demonic shadows.

And the so-called "Heaven's will"—the mysterious Azure Luan couldn't even explain what "Heaven's will" was, so the demonic shadows born from it were naturally just as unclear.

Returning to the previous battlefield, after many years, it had already become unrecognizable.

The demon race had won a great victory here. The human territory had been completely occupied by the demon race, and the battle line had advanced significantly to the west.

While flying, Qin Sang occasionally saw large expanses of unusually lush jungle. This place, despite being ravaged by war, had not become desolate; instead, it thrived, nourished by blood.

A single glance was enough to understand the intensity of the current battle situation.

Qin Sang flew west for a while and found the location of the human encampment, feeling a slight relief. Before leaving, he had established a cave mansion here and sent messages to his acquaintances, informing them that he would be in seclusion and that any news would eventually be forwarded to this location.

The front lines had not yet reached the vicinity of the cave mansion, so it should be unaffected.

On an unassuming hillside, Qin Sang descended from the sky, waved his hand to open the array restriction, and entered the cave mansion. He immediately saw specks of light within the spirit array, fluttering around like headless flies.

He collected them and examined them one by one.

Aside from those sent by the Immortal City, most were from fellow disciples.

Qin Sang quickly scanned them, noting that in the early years, most were from Senior Brother Qing Yan, as he had joined the battlefield with Qin Sang and they could look out for each other. However, later, Senior Brother Qing Yan suddenly went missing, and the messages began to come from Senior Sister Qing Hong.

Qin Sang flipped through the talismans, mostly inquiries and concerns, but they gave him an ominous feeling.

"Hopefully, they've just swapped roles," Qin Sang thought, turning to the last letter, which had arrived just last month. From it, he learned Qing Hong's location and turned to leave.

Ten-odd days later, Qin Sang found Qing Hong.

"Junior Brother, you've finally emerged from seclusion!"

Seeing Qin Sang, Qing Hong was overjoyed and felt a great sense of relief, repeatedly muttering, "It's good that Junior Brother is safe! It's good!"

Over the years, she had sent a letter every now and then but had received no response, causing her immense worry about Qin Sang's safety.

After her initial joy, Qing Hong's expression suddenly darkened, and a hint of sadness flashed in her eyes.

Qin Sang saw this and asked in a low voice, "Has something happened to Senior Brother?"

"Senior Brother... he was ambushed by demonic evils while escorting precious materials and was killed by them," Qing Hong said sorrowfully, tears welling in her eyes.

Qin Sang had had a premonition and sighed with regret.

Qing Yan was dead. According to the Immortal City's requirements, Yuanjing Mountain had to send someone to replace him, and that could only be Qing Hong.

Even though he knew everything was an illusion, these people were so vivid, and their feelings for him were real. It was only natural for him to feel regret. Now, Qin Sang could understand why so many cultivators couldn't overcome their inner demons and ultimately succumbed to their tribulations.

He had the Jade Buddha's protection, which truly gave him a significant advantage.

"Before we set out, an elder from the Immortal City summoned me. I requested that Senior Brother remain in the rear, but I never expected..."

Qin Sang regarded Yuanjing Mountain as the foundation for his future power. Especially, his fellow disciples could be completely trusted, and now he had lost one.

Qing Yan's body was never recovered; only a symbolic tomb was erected on Yuanjing Mountain.

"Have you found out who killed Senior Brother?" Qin Sang asked.

Qing Hong said, "We only know it was a powerful expert from the Rock Golem Bird clan. There were three of them passing by the place where Senior Brother died."

"Then kill them all!" Qin Sang said coldly.

"Junior Brother, don't be impulsive. They are top-tier experts; even Master is not their match."

Qing Hong composed herself and advised, "Junior Brother, you've been out for so long. Take some time to go back and pay respects to Senior Brother. Junior Sister, who's guarding the mountain gate, must also be very worried about you."

"Has Master not emerged from seclusion yet?" Qin Sang asked.

Qing Hong gently shook her head.

Qin Sang thought for a moment and said, "I need to stay and avenge Senior Brother, so I cannot return to the mountain immediately. But Senior Sister must go back!"

Without waiting for Qing Hong to speak, Qin Sang continued, "Don't worry, Senior Sister, I have my own methods. The Immortal City values me greatly; as long as the requests are reasonable, they will grant them. As long as we have enough patience and wait for the right opportunity, I believe there will certainly be a chance."

Qing Hong's worried expression remained. "What reason can I use to return to the mountain?"

"I will use my merits to arrange for Senior Sister's return to the mountain. Once back, Senior Sister needs to do one thing..."

He paused, then Qin Sang asked, "Before, did Senior Sister receive the jade slip I sent back to the sect?"

Qing Hong nodded and said, "Thanks to Junior Brother's insights, both Junior Sister and I have made great progress in our cultivation."

Qin Sang could also see that Qing Hong had already broken through to the Nascent Soul stage, certainly benefiting from the jade slip. The content of the jade slip comprised insights he had gained while meditating on the Water-Fire Stone Bridge, which were of great use for cultivating the Water-Fire Integration technique.

"Senior Sister should be able to feel that, relying on these insights, our disciples' cultivation speed will surely surpass that of other sects. However, due to our late start and too few disciples, the sect's development is restricted. This time, Senior Sister, upon returning to the mountain, should widely recruit disciples and pass on the dharma. I believe that one day, our Yuanjing Mountain will surely become a formidable power, bringing glory to our sect!"

Qin Sang's eyes gleamed with ambition.

The war was so brutal that many sect masters and elders must have died on the battlefield, which for smaller sects was equivalent to annihilation. With the high-level combat power gone, the disciples were leaderless and panicked, eager to seek protection. It wouldn't be difficult to lure them into Yuanjing Mountain. Those were already screened individuals, exceptional talents, which saved the trouble of testing.

The war clouds hung over the Immortal City, and the major powers were preoccupied, making it the best time for Yuanjing Mountain's development.

As for territory, that was also simple; it was time to settle the karma with the Heavenly Purity Sect.

However, Qin Sang's true purpose was not to bring glory to the sect as he claimed.

In his original plan, he would do this once the time was ripe, beginning to build his own power.

Staying clear-headed was his advantage; he could plan ahead. By the time of the decisive battle, other opponents would just be waking up, while his wings would be fully grown. He could then use the power of the illusion to employ a human wave tactic.

Therefore, he didn't need those disciples to be absolutely loyal to Yuanjing Mountain, only to be able to play a role in the decisive battle.

However, the truth he heard from the mysterious Azure Luan made Qin Sang realize he had thought too simply before. His opponents were not those alien cultivators, or rather, not just them.

The initial signs of a Heavenly Omen appeared earlier than Qin Sang expected. He feared that the supreme treasure would emerge before Yuanjing Mountain could fully develop, rendering this plan less effective.

Nevertheless, Qin Sang still intended to push forward with it. No one could predict the future, and it might come in handy.

Qing Hong was also shocked by Qin Sang's ambition, feeling for the first time that this junior brother was somewhat unfamiliar. She hesitated, saying, "Those disciples who join Yuanjing Mountain midway might still long for their original sects..."

Qin Sang already had a plan in mind. "Senior Sister, divide the disciples into inner and outer gates. Only those who pass the test can join the inner gate, and this will also weed out the mediocre ones. The world is in chaos now, a time of great contention. No one can remain untouched. Master must have realized this, which is why he allowed us to open the mountain and accept disciples, to strengthen our sect!"

Qin Sang's persuasion moved Qing Hong.

She had served as acting sect master and had experienced the crucible of battle on the battlefield, her resolve now vastly different from before, not lacking in courage. She immediately nodded heavily, "Good! We will all listen to Junior Brother!"

The two discussed further, and then Qin Sang quietly departed.

Within a large encampment constructed by the Immortal City.

It was night.

The encampment gates silently opened, and a squad of cultivators quietly departed, blending into the darkness of the night.

They avoided the watchful eyes of the demon race, crossing mountains and valleys, gradually moving away from the battlefield.

The two leading figures stopped.

One said to the other, "Sect Master Chen, let us part ways here. We will meet again after the task is accomplished."

At this moment, the moonlight illuminated the other person's face, revealing him to be Sect Master Chen of the Heavenly Purity Sect.

When the war began, no force could remain on the sidelines, and Sect Master Chen personally joined the battlefield.

"Until we meet again!"

Sect Master Chen nodded and led half of the cultivators away.

He felt a bit down. In that baffling case years ago, he lost his son, and his ties with the demon race were severed. Because he was so focused on finding an alternative path, he neglected his operations within the Immortal City. Later attempts to remedy this were too late, leading to repeated setbacks and being treated like a mere subordinate.

Fortunately, the current mission was not highly dangerous.

As this thought crossed his mind, Sect Master Chen suddenly saw three dark figures on the mountain ahead. His heart tightened. "Who's there!"

The cultivators all stopped, vigilantly looking at the dark figures.

The figure in the middle laughed mockingly, "Sect Master Chen lost his only son back then. I wonder if he has sired any new bloodline?"

"You..."

Sect Master Chen flew into a rage, but then a sudden warning flared. Two of the dark figures pounced from left and right.

With careful planning against an unsuspecting opponent, it wasn't long before Sect Master Chen was cut down on the spot.

The others' cultivation was far inferior to Sect Master Chen's, and they soon followed in his footsteps.

"Master, this little demon has not failed you."

The two dark figures completed the slaughter and flew back up the mountain. They were, in fact, two demon cultivators.

The other dark figure was Qin Sang. Years ago, scheming against Sect Master Chen required meticulous planning, but now he didn't even need to act personally.

These two demon cultivators had been captured alive by Qin Sang and willingly allowed him to plant restrictions within their bodies, subjecting them to his command. Additionally, Qin Sang had subjugated several shapeshifting demon cultivators, intending for them to acknowledge Qing Hong as their master and take them back to the mountain gate as enforcers.

Qin Sang turned, leading the two demon cultivators away, leaving behind a field of corpses.

Subsequently, Qin Sang declared that his seclusion had ended, re-established contact with the Immortal City, and joined the battlefield, achieving great military feats. He then used these merits to arrange for Senior Sister Qing Hong's return to the mountain.

Everything proceeded steadily according to Qin Sang's plan.

"Senior, have you sensed another shift in Heaven's will?" the mysterious Azure Luan awakened again, and Qin Sang asked, feigning ignorance.

"The initial signs of the Heavenly Omen... do not mean... the supreme treasure will immediately appear, but... I have a premonition..." The mysterious Azure Luan hesitated. "The supreme treasure might... emerge in a way... we cannot... imagine..."

It then pressed Qin Sang, "How is... the sacred object...?"

"Reporting to Senior, this junior has successfully refined a trace of the sacred object's power!" Qin Sang said with feigned excitement.

"Really?"

The mysterious Azure Luan's tone rose several notches. It had only asked casually, not expecting Qin Sang to have achieved it so quickly.

"Absolutely true. It's a pity Senior cannot see, but this junior's cultivation has greatly advanced recently," Qin Sang said gratefully, "All of this is Senior's gift; this junior has no way to repay you!"

The refinement of the sacred object was not progressing as joyfully as Qin Sang claimed; he had not yet fully comprehended the characteristics of the Azure Luan clan's sacred object.

However, Qin Sang had to say this in order to reasonably explain his cultivation advancements and to quickly become stronger, reaching the peak of the Soul Transformation stage.

Qin Sang had always wanted the mysterious Azure Luan to use its divine abilities to help him find the stone pavilion, but he had no suitable reason. If he encountered a bottleneck, or claimed to be obstructed by inner demons, asking the mysterious Azure Luan for help would not arouse suspicion, as both bottlenecks and inner demons were often unpredictable.

"Good! Good! Good!"

The mysterious Azure Luan, unable to contain its emotions, praised him repeatedly, urging Qin Sang to cultivate diligently and quickly comprehend the true Dharma Form so that he could wield more powerful spells and divine abilities. It also imparted its insights on comprehending the Dharma Form to Qin Sang.

Qin Sang readily agreed.

However, the day after communicating with the mysterious Azure Luan, he found an excuse to leave the battlefield and flew southwest to Jade Machine Mountain.

"Feilong greets Senior!"

The herb-gathering youth from years ago had grown up, his face filled with gratitude towards the person who had changed his life.

Che Feilong knew what Qin Sang cared about most and reported, "The immortal lady Senior asked this junior to wait for has not returned."

Qin Sang nodded, not surprised.

He gazed at the stone pavilion for a moment, then set up an array to conceal it, blocking the starlight from above.

Che Feilong was puzzled but dared not ask further.

"Continue to guard this place," Qin Sang paused, "You may pass down the dao technique I taught you."

"Yes! This junior will guard this place for generations, awaiting that immortal lady for Senior!"

Che Feilong respectfully kowtowed. When he raised his head, Qin Sang's figure had vanished without a trace.

Before Jade Machine Mountain.

Qin Sang's figure flickered, then he vanished into the cliff.

He had just made a breakthrough not long ago, achieving proficiency in the Water-Fire Integration technique comparable to the late Nascent Soul stage. From his observation of Jade Machine Mountain's grand array, this level of proficiency was not enough for him to pass the array's test and become the master of Jade Machine Mountain.

However, Qin Sang's true strength was far greater than this; he could contend against late Soul Transformation stage cultivators without difficulty. He wondered if he could force his way through with this strength.

Standing at the head of the stone bridge, Qin Sang's eyes flickered. After a moment of contemplation, he stepped onto the stone bridge.

Instantly, strange phenomena arose on both sides of the stone bridge, engulfing Qin Sang.

Qin Sang slowly advanced, fearless in the face of the immediate threats. Occasionally, he would stop, meditate for a moment, and then continue forward, step by step, until he reached the other end of the stone bridge.