Chapter 2266: Lonely Life

"This is it!"

Qin Sang flew in the sky, looking down at the mountain below. The mountain was deep and secluded, yet not far from a mortal kingdom's capital. Its terrain was quite rugged, making it difficult for ordinary people to ascend. There was only a narrow, winding path, and even that was blocked by a rockslide from a collapsed cliff on the mountainside, rendering the path impassable.

The mountain was covered in dense forests, rarely visited by people. Weeds grew thick on the mountain path, clearly indicating it hadn't been trodden for a long time.

Qin Sang's gaze shifted, and he spotted a stone pavilion near the summit.

Each corner of the pavilion had a stone sculpture, featuring adorable stone beasts. The pavilion's patterns were exquisite yet not overly intricate. To Qin Sang, they seemed a bit rough, and the material wasn't as fine as the Ning family's pavilion. However, there were signs of constant polishing, as if each stroke had been meticulously carved, indicating great care from the person who refined it.

"Clip-clop..."

Hoofbeats echoed from below the mountain as several fast horses reached its base.

"Whoa..."

The lead rider reined in his horse, dismounted, and said to a middle-aged scholar behind him, "Please wait here, my lord. Your subordinate will take men up the mountain now."

The others also dismounted and collectively saluted the middle-aged scholar.

The middle-aged scholar sat tall on his horse, his eyes bright and piercing, and his long beard reaching his chest, giving him an imposing noble air. He appeared to be a high-ranking official.

The others seemed to be the scholar's guards, with swords and knives hanging from their waists, indicating martial skill. However, some held sickles, and others carried bundles from which incense, candles, and paper money protruded, creating an odd appearance.

The middle-aged scholar looked towards the mountaintop and said, "No need. I will go with you."

"My lord, you cannot!"

The guard captain knelt on one knee, urgently dissuading him, "It has been raining frequently lately, and the mountain is muddy and slippery. There might be landslides. If anything were to happen to you, my lord, your subordinate would be unable to account for it!"

The middle-aged scholar snorted, "Besides myself, to whom would you have to account? Buried on this mountain is my own aunt. She had no children in her life, was not admitted to the ancestral temple, and was buried alone on this mountain, lonely and without support. Only I, her nephew, can come to see her."

"This..."

The guard captain dared not dissuade him further and stepped aside.

The middle-aged scholar dismounted with surprising agility, took a wooden staff offered by a guard, and motioned for the guard captain to lead the way up the mountain.

The guards ascended the mountain path, clearing weeds with their sickles. Upon reaching halfway up, they indeed found a landslide. However, as the middle-aged scholar insisted on continuing, the guards had no choice but to manually move the rocks to clear a path.

After more than an hour of strenuous effort, getting covered in mud, the guards finally cleared the rocks and resumed their ascent.

As they neared the summit, they saw a stone pavilion and a thatched hut. Around the hut were fields, though all were overgrown and abandoned. Beside the stone pavilion was an unkempt grave, its mound covered in yellow grass taller than a person.

Just as the guards were about to approach and clear the grave, they suddenly noticed a person in the pavilion. Startled, they immediately drew their swords, forming a protective circle around the middle-aged scholar.

"Who's there!"

The guard captain pointed his sword at the stone pavilion and shouted sternly.

There was only one path up the mountain, and they hadn't seen any footprints along the way. Yet, this person was here, their robes clean and new, not even a single blade of grass clinging to them, which was clearly unusual.

This person was either an exceptionally skilled martial artist or a mountain spirit!

The person in the pavilion, however, ignored the glinting swords, looked at the middle-aged scholar, and asked, "Are you a relative of the person buried in this grave?"

The middle-aged scholar patted the guard captain's shoulder and gently shook his head. Given the person's demeanor in the pavilion, if they intended harm, these guards wouldn't be able to stop them.

He stepped forward, cupped his hands in a bow, and said, "Indeed! May I ask, honorable sir, what esteemed individual you are, and what connection you have with my aunt?"

"Your aunt?"

Qin Sang glanced at the unkempt grave. "Perhaps there's a connection, perhaps not. I was passing by and happened to notice the pavilion's ingenious design and profound charm. I was delighted by what I saw and specifically came to visit the person who built it."

The middle-aged scholar suddenly understood. "This pavilion was indeed built by my aunt herself. Unfortunately, sir, you have come too late. My aunt passed away five years ago."

"Too late... what a pity!"

Qin Sang gazed at the overgrown grave, sighing.

He had finally found the second stone pavilion, but unexpectedly, due to a series of coincidences, he missed meeting the builder!

Seeing that Qin Sang's expression was not feigned, the middle-aged scholar felt relieved. He gestured for his guards to set up a clay stove and teacups in the pavilion and to clear the weeds from the grave.

"Please have a seat, sir!"

The middle-aged scholar gestured, inviting Qin Sang to sit opposite him, and personally began to brew tea.

Though it was autumn or winter, the sun shone brightly today, warding off any chill. It was an excellent time to ascend and enjoy the view.

The middle-aged scholar was full of curiosity about Qin Sang, and Qin Sang also wanted to inquire about the aunt's story.

The two brewed tea and conversed.

Speaking of his aunt, the middle-aged scholar's face was filled with sorrow and regret as he recounted the past.

"In her youth, my aunt was exceptionally beautiful and talented, unrivaled in the capital. She captivated countless young talents, including many royal nobles. To this day, legends of my aunt still circulate in the city.

"However, none of these young talents caught my aunt's eye. Back then, my grandfather carefully selected a good husband for her, but my aunt vehemently refused, fled her arranged marriage, left home, and wandered the jianghu.

"Fortunately, my aunt had studied martial arts from a young age, allowing her to become a female knight-errant in the jianghu. She upheld justice, and her good reputation spread widely, even reaching the emperor's ears. Countless jianghu heroes fell for her, yet it was never heard that any young hero had won her favor.

"Many years later, my aunt finally returned to the capital but still refused to go back to the family estate. Instead, she chose to live in seclusion in a hut in these mountains..."

At this point, the middle-aged scholar looked up, surveying the stone pavilion.

"Thereafter, my aunt lived in seclusion in the mountains, dedicating the rest of her life to building this stone pavilion. She spent her days accompanied by the lonely lamplight of the mountain pavilion, living a solitary life, and even in death, she wished to sleep outside the pavilion... I truly don't know what this pavilion meant to my aunt!"

He couldn't help but sigh with regret, full of bewilderment.

This was the greatest mystery of their family, and with his aunt's passing, the answer was forever sealed underground.

"My lord," the guard captain approached, glancing at Qin Sang, "The weeds have all been cleared."

Qin Sang put down his teacup and said, "May I join you, sir, in paying respects to this extraordinary woman?"

"Of course! If my aunt, even in the afterlife, knew that someone in this world could appreciate this pavilion, she would surely be very pleased."

The middle-aged scholar accompanied Qin Sang to pay respects at the grave.

After the respects were paid, the middle-aged scholar invited Qin Sang to be a guest at his estate.

"Although my original intention was not fulfilled this time, hearing about such an extraordinary woman in this world makes this journey worthwhile. I apologize for the intrusion today. Next time I pass through this area, I will visit your estate."

Qin Sang cupped his hands in a farewell gesture, then leaped, disappearing into the mountain forest in a single bound.

"Hiss..."

The guard captain gasped in shock, "My lord! This person... is likely an unparalleled master!"

The middle-aged scholar looked thoughtfully at the stone pavilion and said, "It's getting late. Let's go down the mountain."

Standing above the white clouds, Qin Sang's expression was grave.

Although he failed to meet Liu Li this time, he confirmed a few things.

Even if they perished in the illusion, as long as they weren't killed by demonic shadows like Xu Mu, they wouldn't truly die but would continue to reincarnate. Liu Li, having never obtained an immortal destiny, was continuously experiencing reincarnation.

After so many reincarnations, Liu Li still remembered this stone pavilion. This would be the key to resolving her inner demons!

To find Liu Li, it seemed he would have to wait for her next reincarnation, for her to build another stone pavilion. He only hoped they wouldn't miss each other again like the previous two times.

Additionally, there was another way: to find Liu Li's demonic shadow. Perhaps if the demonic shadow and the true self met in the illusion, it could also awaken the true self's memories.

At the same time, Qin Sang also needed to improve his cultivation as quickly as possible, striving to break through to the middle stage of Soul Refining soon.

As the sun set, the moon's shadow began to rise, and stars faintly twinkled in the sky.

Suddenly, Qin Sang's expression changed slightly.

Immediately after, the voice of the mysterious Azure Luan sounded in his ear, "The Heavenly Omen has appeared again!"

"So soon!"

Qin Sang blurted out, then immediately realized that in his perception, the supreme treasure was appearing again right after being interrupted, but in reality, eighty years had already passed within the illusion.

"You... found it?"

Qin Sang said, "It was similar, yet not quite. Unfortunately, the fellow Daoist who built the stone pavilion passed away five years ago! However..."

He paused, then hesitantly added, "After seeing this stone pavilion, my mind seems to have settled somewhat."

The mysterious Azure Luan hummed in acknowledgment. They were now treating it like a last resort; no matter how absurd the action, if it worked for Qin Sang, it was worth it.

"You must quickly... stabilize your mind... and break through! Afterward... you can retrieve a true bolt of lightning..."

The Azure Luan's True Lightning!

Qin Sang's heart trembled. He knew the power of the Azure Luan, having benefited greatly from it in reality. He hadn't expected to have a chance to obtain a bolt of the Azure Luan's True Lightning in the illusion, but from the mysterious Azure Luan's tone, this lightning would likely not be easy to acquire.

Qin Sang solemnly replied, "This junior understands and will do my utmost to suppress the inner demons and focus on cultivation. However, time is short. Please advise me, Senior, where I can find external medicines that can help this junior refine my body and absorb astral essence."

At his current cultivation level, ordinary external resources were useless. What he needed were rare treasures of the world, difficult to find. In a short time, it would also be hard to plot against other Soul Refining stage demon cultivators. He could only rely on the mysterious Azure Luan's intelligence.

"Your past actions... must have been exposed. You'd best... not return to the clan territory! You can... go to other clans to steal. I'll... think about it..."

The mysterious Azure Luan paused, "If... the inner demons are incurable... do not force it... You can... try to shatter the supreme treasure!"

The inner demons were becoming increasingly troublesome. The mysterious Azure Luan worried that pushing Qin Sang further might lead to his eternal damnation, costing him his only hope.

If the supreme treasure could be shattered once, it could be shattered a second time, thus buying them more time.

This was precisely the outcome Qin Sang desired. With the mysterious Azure Luan proactively suggesting he shatter the supreme treasure, he wouldn't need to argue about it later.

"Brother, the target is straight ahead!"

Late at night, a group of people moved forward under the cover of darkness.

Someone emerged from the bushes, blocking their path.

Seeing it was their companion sent out for reconnaissance, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The leader asked, "Are there any signs of enemies ahead?"

"I only dared to scout nearby and detected nothing. Those demons might not have arrived yet. Let's set up an ambush in advance and wait for them to fall into our trap..."

Before he could finish, he was suddenly interrupted by a voice, "No need to wait, they won't be coming!"

"Who's there!"

Everyone was startled and formed a defensive formation. Then, several figures emerged from the forest. The woman at the very front looked extremely familiar.

"Sect Master!"

Upon seeing the woman, everyone's face paled. Some gasped, and most showed shame, lowering their heads, unable to meet the woman's bright eyes.

The leader's expression was the most complex. He sneered, "We came here by order of Immortal City. Sect Master, blocking our path, what do you intend to do?"

"Ever since you betrayed the sect, I ceased to be your Sect Master. You've enjoyed freedom for too long. It's time to reclaim everything you gained from the sect."

This woman was Qing Hong. She looked at the traitors, her expression calm, her tone flat, yet it sent shivers down their spines.

She was still as graceful as ever, but the Sect Master who used to always smile now felt utterly unfamiliar.

The leader, also somewhat flustered, sternly retorted, "Is this a trap you set? We serve Immortal City. How dare you conspire to harm us? Aren't you afraid of incurring Immortal City's wrath?"

Someone, terror-stricken, knelt and begged for mercy, "Sect Master, spare our lives! We never wanted to be traitors; we were coerced by others..."

"Don't bother feigning remorse. All traitors will die. I will send you down one by one, so you can reunite in the afterlife."

Qing Hong said calmly, "Kill them."

With a prepared mind against an unprepared one, and Qing Hong presiding, the traitors were quickly annihilated.

Throughout, Qing Hong's expression remained undisturbed, as if she had just crushed a few ants. She turned to leave, then suddenly spotted a figure on the mountaintop. She was startled at first, then a bright smile bloomed on her face. "Junior Brother!"

Senior Sister Qing Hong's cultivation was even higher than Shuang Luo's; she had already broken through to the late Nascent Soul stage.

Shuang Luo's temperament hadn't changed much from before, but Qing Hong, burdened with the responsibilities of the Sect Master and having endured many hardships, seemed like a different person. Only in front of Qin Sang could a faint glimpse of her past self be seen.

The senior sister and junior brother reunited, but Qin Sang was not in the mood for pleasantries. With the Heavenly Omen reappearing, time was pressing. He needed to seize every moment and infiltrate the demon realm to search for external medicines.

Days later, Qin Sang received information from the mysterious Azure Luan and immediately set off.

His first target was Lingkong Mountain, the territory of the Golden Eagle Clan.

The northern foothills of Lingkong Mountain.

At a vital mountain gate of a Golden Eagle clan, a commotion suddenly erupted. A Golden Eagle shouted,

"Oh no! A thief has stolen the clan's sacred artifact!"

Moments later, a dazzling light shot into the sky, breaking through multiple layers of encirclement, easily shaking off the pursuers, and soaring away.

Over the next period, similar scenes unfolded multiple times near the Phoenix Clan's territory. However, Qin Sang initially targeted the Phoenix Clan's lesser branches and sub-clans, which didn't cause much commotion.

Whether by snatching or stealing, one external cultivation medicine after another came into his possession.

During this process, Qin Sang's cultivation steadily progressed. He assimilated what he had gained at Yuji Mountain, and his mastery of the Water-Fire Harmony chapter significantly improved, finally bringing him to the verge of a breakthrough.

To this end, Qin Sang deliberately sought out a cave dwelling and entered seclusion for a month. He then achieved enlightenment and naturally entered the Transformation Stage.

"The Dao of Yin and Yang is indeed profound! If there were no unforeseen circumstances, with the help of the Yuji Mountain formation, I could reach the bottleneck of the Soul Refining stage with at most one or two hundred years of arduous cultivation. Unfortunately, even if I break through successfully, it will be hard to make a difference when contending for the supreme treasure. Moreover, each time I awaken, the Heavenly Omen follows immediately, leaving no time at all!"

Qin Sang secretly lamented. This was originally his best opportunity to improve his mastery of the Dao of Yin and Yang, but unfortunately, more important matters awaited him.

Calming his breath, Qin Sang rose and left the cave dwelling. Next, it was time to cause trouble for the Phoenix Clan!