Chapter 2265: Goodbye Shiting

"Senior, if we miss this opportunity, will the ultimate treasure never appear again?" Qin Sang asked anxiously.

"It won't!" the mysterious Azure Luan snapped. "A delay... might not be a bad thing. Perhaps... it's our chance!"

Qin Sang understood the mysterious Azure Luan's meaning: the later the ultimate treasure appeared, the more time Qin Sang would have to cultivate, and the stronger he would become. Then, he would not only be able to wield the mysterious Azure Luan's more powerful divine abilities, but also, with his own strength, he could participate in the struggle for the ultimate treasure. The only thing they lacked was time. Their previous preparation had been too rushed, but the delay in the treasure's appearance had precisely given them an opportunity.

As for why Qin Sang had slept for eighty years before awakening, the mysterious Azure Luan speculated it was due to the ultimate treasure's influence. When the ultimate treasure's emergence was forcibly interrupted, heaven and earth had been shaken. As they were closest to the treasure at the time, they bore the brunt of it and were most profoundly affected. Any strange and bizarre occurrences were possible for them.

"But," Qin Sang hesitated, "I don't know how much longer I can last. Since I've awakened this time, the illusions before my eyes have become more severe. Furthermore, I'm concerned that my delayed awakening might be related to my inner demons! Because, according to my perception, not much time has passed since you sent me there, Senior. And yet, in these eighty years, my cultivation hasn't progressed in the slightest."

"The illusion... is it still that stone pavilion?" Hearing Qin Sang's words, the mysterious Azure Luan also became serious.

"Yes, it's that stone pavilion! It's becoming increasingly real. If this continues, affecting my cultivation will be the least of my worries. I'm concerned that one day, I might no longer be able to distinguish between reality and illusion," Qin Sang sighed deeply, looking deeply troubled.

The mysterious Azure Luan fell silent. It did not doubt Qin Sang, as this situation was foreseeable. Last time, in order to help Qin Sang break through quickly, they hadn't resolved Qin Sang's inner demons. Instead, external objects were used to forcibly suppress them, which sowed hidden dangers. Qin Sang was bound to suffer a greater backlash; this was the price of hastening growth unnaturally. At this point, besides a few legendary ultimate treasures, it would be difficult for any external object in the world to help Qin Sang overcome this tribulation. The only way was to address his inner self and character. No one knew precisely where their inner demons resided. Perhaps a breakthrough opportunity lay hidden within an unintentional, subtle chance. Before discovering such a chance, one could only act aimlessly, making various seemingly meaningless attempts. Some actions might even appear insane to outsiders. At present, the mysterious Azure Luan wanted to help Qin Sang resolve his inner demons, and it seemed the only way was to start with the illusions he was seeing, as there was no better method.

"Then... let's... try again..." The mysterious Azure Luan proactively offered to use its divine ability to help Qin Sang search for the stone pavilion.

Qin Sang was overjoyed to hear this and immediately agreed. Eighty years was long enough, the span of an ordinary mortal's life. He hoped this global search would bring him what he desired. However, Qin Sang's state was still stuck at the moment he shattered the ultimate treasure. Maintaining the Heavenly Awakening Thunder Robe had consumed a vast amount of his energy. He would need to recover before asking the mysterious Azure Luan to bestow the divine ability. Qin Sang needed to recuperate. The mysterious Azure Luan also needed to consider whether this anomaly portended anything.

"Eighty years have passed," Qin Sang mused. "Yuanjing Mountain must have changed a lot. I wonder what the situation on the battlefield is like. Master must have emerged from seclusion by now..."

Qin Sang pushed open the door and stepped out, these thoughts surfacing in his mind. His 'seclusion' of eighty years would undoubtedly have a significant impact on the rapidly developing Yuanjing Mountain. Before his seclusion, Qin Sang had accumulated some merits in advance, which must have long since been exhausted. Without him leading the charge, Yuanjing Mountain would have to directly face pressure from the Immortal City. However, as long as Master Tong Shen Shangren successfully broke through, he should be able to support the sect's continued development.

The ultimate treasure was not born in an illusion, but in a strange realm where reality and illusion intertwined. In the future struggle for the ultimate treasure, it seemed they wouldn't be able to rely on the sect's power. Even if the mysterious Azure Luan took action, it could at most send a few people inside, thus losing the advantage of human wave tactics. And cultivating a few fellow disciples or students in the illusion who could contend with foreign experts was almost impossible; even Qin Sang himself couldn't do it.

However, a stronger sect wasn't a bad thing. He could rest assured while 'secluding' himself within the sect. Qin Sang wasn't sure if the environmental changes in his place of seclusion during the eighty years he was drawn into that realm would affect him, but maintaining stability was always good.

Qin Sang's cave dwelling was located at a high elevation, from where he could clearly see the entire Yuji Mountain. As expected, Qin Sang saw newly constructed pavilions on the mountain, and faint fluctuations of restrictive formations in the mountain forests, which must have been the cave dwellings of Yuanjing Mountain disciples. However, the number of cave dwellings was fewer than Qin Sang had anticipated.

"After all these years, have only this many people passed the test?" Qin Sang's gaze shifted, looking towards the mountainside. He saw a young girl emerge onto the mountain path. The girl saw Qin Sang, was startled for a moment, then her face filled with delight, and she quickly flew to the mountaintop, bowing and saying, "Junior Qiu Yao greets Master-Uncle Qingfeng!"

"Whose disciple are you, Senior Sister?" Qin Sang asked, noting the girl had late-stage Golden Core cultivation and presumed she ranked among the top Yuanjing Mountain disciples.

"My Master, Shuang Luo, ordered me to guard my Grandmaster's cave dwelling here to prevent anyone from accidentally intruding and disturbing your cultivation, Master-Uncle," Qiu Yao said delightedly, her pretty face unable to hide her joy. "Master-Uncle, you've finally emerged from seclusion! I'll go tell Master right away; she's currently on the outer mountain!"

"Senior Sister Shuang Luo is on Yuji Mountain right now?" Qin Sang asked, glancing outside the mountain and sensing significant changes beyond the grand formation.

Qiu Yao nodded repeatedly. "Master has always been stationed on the outer mountain!"

"The war hasn't ended yet, has it? Someone from the sect must be on the battlefield. Who is guarding the main gate? Has your Grandmaster emerged from seclusion?" Qin Sang inquired about Yuanjing Mountain's situation.

At this, Qiu Yao's expression suddenly darkened, and she said mournfully, "Eighty years ago, shortly after you entered seclusion, Master-Uncle, Grandmaster failed his breakthrough, suffered a cultivation deviation backlash, and perished! Our former sect's main gate was also forcibly occupied by others..."

"What? Master perished?" Qin Sang was greatly surprised. No one could guarantee a successful breakthrough, but Master Tong Shen Shangren failing his breakthrough and dying from the backlash was something Qin Sang hadn't expected. With Master Tong Shen Shangren's demise and his own long-term seclusion, Yuanjing Mountain, having only recently undergone a large-scale expansion and made many enemies, would undoubtedly face a difficult situation. His two Senior Sisters must have been under immense pressure.

Upon closer inquiry, the facts indeed proved to be so. Back when Qin Sang was present, Yuanjing Mountain had aggressively expanded, seizing territory from the Tianjing Sect. The sect's members and disciples were of varying quality, and all these became future troubles. Originally, Qin Sang had subdued several Spirit Transformation stage demon cultivators, but because he only outwardly possessed Nascent Soul stage cultivation, they couldn't be revealed. He had planned to find an opportunity to bring them back to the sect later, but this was delayed due to the ultimate treasure's emergence. His Senior Sisters only had a few shapeshifting spirit beasts by their side.

The news of Master Tong Shen Shangren's death during seclusion spread, causing another uproar. Some claimed that Yuanjing Mountain's cultivation method harbored significant hidden dangers, and that cultivating both water and fire simultaneously defied natural principles. Even the sect's disciples began to grow suspicious, with many continuously defecting from the sect. Internal strife and external threats, coupled with pressure from the Immortal City, meant one of the two Senior Sisters had to lead disciples to the battlefield. They struggled to hold on, and eventually had no choice but to abandon the strategy Qin Sang had initially set. They had to take a desperate measure, abandoning their sect's main gate in the Northern Realm, selecting trustworthy disciples, and relocating the entire sect to Yuji Mountain. They redirected spiritual veins and rebuilt their sect's main gate outside Yuji Mountain to conceal the grand formation. Only a few core disciples, like Qiu Yao, knew the truth within the sect. The Dongliang Sect and surrounding forces had suffered heavy losses in the war. Yuanjing Mountain had no ambition for further expansion. Maintaining their alliance with the Dongliang Sect, they gradually established a foothold here.

"Junior Brother!" As they were talking, a wisp of breeze carried a faint scent of orchids. Shuang Luo appeared, her eyes full of surprise and delight, and her eyes were even a little moist. Having not met for eighty years, Shuang Luo's cultivation had greatly advanced, just a step away from late-stage Nascent Soul. Qin Sang couldn't help but secretly praise the power of Yuji Mountain's grand formation.

"Disciple greets Master," Qiu Yao said, discreetly stepping aside.

"Senior Sister, I hope you have been well!" Qin Sang smiled and said with emotion, "I never expected that one seclusion of mine would lead to such profound changes in the outside world."

"Junior Brother, your cultivation..." Shuang Luo noticed that Qin Sang's cultivation had not changed in the slightest compared to before his seclusion. Outwardly, Qin Sang's realm in the Water-Fire Confluence Art was only late-stage Nascent Soul.

Qin Sang gave a bitter smile. "Eighty years wasted with no progress; I've disappointed Senior Sister."

"A temporary setback is nothing. As long as Junior Brother is safe and sound, that's what matters. With Junior Brother's talent, you will certainly have a powerful resurgence after accumulating so much," Shuang Luo continuously consoled him. Ever since Master's demise, her and Qing Hong's greatest concern had been Qin Sang, fearing he might follow in Master's footsteps during his seclusion. Seeing that Qin Sang was unharmed, she felt a great weight lifted off her. Even though Qin Sang's cultivation had stagnated for eighty years, she still had full confidence in him.

At the same time, she also had an ineffable feeling in her heart. The previous Qin Sang had extraordinary talent, like the bright moon in the sky, making any woman feel inferior in his presence. This time, his failed breakthrough and eighty years wasted, falling from the lofty 'nine heavens', had ironically narrowed the distance between them! Shuang Luo couldn't help but feel ashamed of her thoughts, secretly cursing herself. Her expression dimmed as she said, "It is we who have disappointed Junior Brother. You must already know the sect's situation..."

Qin Sang said with shame, "Back then, things went too smoothly for me, and I got carried away, underestimating the difficulty of cultivation and the dangers of the immortal realm. I ended up implicating both Senior Sisters, making you bear such immense pressure. From now on, I will be more grounded and won't have any more unrealistic notions."

Shuang Luo said with relief, "It's best if Junior Brother thinks this way! The one under the most pressure these years wasn't me, it was Senior Sister Qing Hong. Most of the time, she was at the front lines guarding. I merely needed to guard the sect's main gate. Senior Sister is still at the front lines right now. I've already sent a message; she will surely be very happy to hear of your emergence from seclusion."

"Since I cannot rely on secluded cultivation for breakthroughs, I can only temper myself on the battlefield. I will go to the front lines now to replace Senior Sister Qing Hong, and let her come back to rest!"

For Qin Sang, Yuanjing Mountain was no longer important, but the battlefield was still a necessary destination. The 'Heavenly Demon Refining Form' was increasingly nearing a practical realm. His next breakthrough would likely not be as easy as before. Qin Sang needed to prepare in advance, accumulate sufficient resources, and hunting powerful demon cultivators was undoubtedly the fastest way. Additionally, he also wanted to investigate the whereabouts of the Demon Shadow through the demon race.

The Senior Sister and Junior Brother flew out of the grand formation as they spoke. The scenery outside the formation was completely different from before. There had originally been a small town near Yuji Mountain, but it was now encompassed within the sect's main gate. The area had now regained the imposing atmosphere of an immortal cultivation sect. Yuanjing Mountain disciples referred to the true Yuji Mountain as the Inner Mountain, and the area outside the formation as the Outer Mountain. After the sect's relocation, Yuanjing Mountain's disciples had sharply decreased by ninety percent. However, their morale had become more cohesive. The foundations accumulated back then still remained, and now, with Yuanjing Mountain's alliance with the Dongliang Sect, they had become a significant and influential force in the vicinity.

Next, Qin Sang stayed on Yuji Mountain for a period. On one hand, he helped Shuang Luo and the sect resolve some tricky problems. On the other hand, he utilized the grand formation to comprehend the Way of Yin and Yang, striving to cultivate the Water-Fire Confluence Art to the Spirit Transformation stage as quickly as possible, to make his future actions more convenient. Afterward, Qin Sang bade farewell to Senior Sister Shuang Luo and hurried to the battlefield.

Returning to the front lines, he wasn't in a hurry to meet Qing Hong. The time he had agreed upon with the mysterious Azure Luan was approaching. Qin Sang found an uninhabited area and quietly waited for the mysterious Azure Luan's response. A few days later, he contacted the mysterious Azure Luan, preparing to begin the bestowal of divine abilities.

"This time... you can... be bolder..." the mysterious Azure Luan said.

"I understand, Senior!" Qin Sang nodded. His cultivation was vastly different from before, and he no longer needed to be as timid as he once was. Having had the previous experience, Qin Sang was adept this time, carefully visualizing every detail of the stone pavilion. Before long, that familiar sensation descended upon him again.

In the ethereal realm, Qin Sang soared into the starry sky, merging with the galaxy. The earth seemed so distant, and earthly matters so minuscule, yet they clearly appeared before his eyes. Countless images surged forth at once. The scope of what he saw was not wider than before, but many places had undergone earth-shattering changes. In an instant, countless images flowed past his eyes. Qin Sang felt his head splitting, but the situation was much better than last time. The only 'stone pavilion' in the world had been incorporated into Yuanjing Mountain's sect. Qin Sang was anticipating a second one.

The next moment, all the images began to rapidly fade. Qin Sang's body trembled slightly, a flicker of pain in his eyes, but even more, a surge of delight. He saw it! Amidst a mountain forest, there was a stone pavilion. This stone pavilion was very roughly constructed and not ornate, far inferior to the one built by the Ning family. However, its shape, and every single pattern carved upon it, perfectly matched the one in his memory!

The stone pavilion's location was... Qin Sang raised his head, looked northward, recuperated briefly, and immediately set off.

"Did you... find it?" the mysterious Azure Luan asked.

Qin Sang hesitated, "I seem to have seen a somewhat similar pavilion, but I'm not sure if it's the one in my mind." He wasn't sure if he could find the Glazed artifact this time, but he couldn't say it had no effect at all. Otherwise, it would become increasingly difficult to ask the mysterious Azure Luan for help in the future, so Qin Sang spoke ambiguously.

"Could it really exist? Whether it... is or isn't, let's go... take a look..." The mysterious Azure Luan still didn't hold much hope. However, if it could resolve Qin Sang's mental knot, it wouldn't be a wasted effort.

Qin Sang traveled day and night, crossing mountains and ridges, heading directly north. As expected, the mysterious Azure Luan's divine abilities were vast. By the time he arrived near the stone pavilion's location, with no effort at all, it found the scene he had witnessed 'from above'!