Chapter 2291: Qilin

"Uh..."The Vermilion Bird's small eyes widened into perfect circles as it looked at Qin Sang.Qin Sang's breakthrough to the late Void Refinement stage wasn't surprising, but the changes in him were clearly more than just his cultivation level."Are you human or demon?" the Vermilion Bird blurted out.

Qin Sang thought, "As expected." He hadn't concealed his aura precisely because he wanted to see the Vermilion Bird's reaction. He had not only cultivated the Azure Luan Demonic Thunder but also possessed an incredibly pure Azure Luan demonic aura. If before, he relied on the demonic energy evolved from the *Heavenly Demon Refinement Art* to create an illusion, now, if Qin Sang claimed to be a transformed Azure Luan, even true Azure Luan powerhouses would likely have no doubts.Was he truly human or demon? Even Qin Sang himself couldn't say for sure what had happened to him, nor did he know whom to ask. To find the answer, he first needed to uncover the origin of the Azure Luan tribe's sacred artifact. Now that the dream had faded, the dream-creator was undoubtedly a powerful being from an Otherworldly Race, and he currently didn't even have the qualification to meet them. Of course, Qin Sang was absolutely certain he was still human. When he wasn't circulating the *Heavenly Demon Refinement Art*, the Azure Luan demonic energy would lie dormant, causing no inconvenience for him in human society.Unable to answer the Vermilion Bird, he retracted his aura, observed it, and praised, "It seems you haven't been idle these past years either."

Two hundred years ago, the Vermilion Bird had just entered the Void Refinement stage; now it had broken through to the mid-Void Refinement stage. However, it was an anomaly between heaven and earth, and couldn't be judged by ordinary standards.Just then, another streak of light flew out from the mountain gate.

The Maiden elegantly landed before Qin Sang, her pretty face full of joy. "Brother Qin, you're back!"Qin Sang let out a soft exclamation of surprise. "I was originally worried that the heavy administrative duties of Qingyang City would drain too much of your energy and affect your cultivation. It seems I worried for nothing."The Maiden had also broken through to the mid-Void Refinement stage!

During the two hundred years Qin Sang was in seclusion, she had led Qingyang City in developing trade routes and forging alliances. Although aided by Silu, Li Yufu, and others, many matters required her personal attention, which inevitably interfered with her own cultivation. That he had reached his current stage was the result of countless major opportunities accumulated. For the Maiden to be only one step behind him showed truly remarkable talent.

"Brother Qin, you flatter me!" The Maiden smiled faintly, her beautiful eyes sparkling. "This minor progress of mine is nothing compared to yours. I am still far behind you, Brother Qin. Congratulations on reaching new heights."

Qin Sang recalled something and asked, "Is there any news of your master?"Before entering the Holy Land, they had discovered her master's whereabouts in Yuanjiao Sea City. At that time, Qin Sang had accompanied the Maiden deep into the River of Evil for investigation, but they returned empty-handed.

"Thank you for your concern, Brother Qin." The Maiden's eyes dimmed, and her smile faded. "To be honest, Brother Qin, after my cultivation breakthrough, I made thorough preparations and went to investigate again..."Under normal circumstances, Otherworldly Race cultivators could also enter and exit Yuanjiao Sea City via the teleportation array, but at a much higher cost than when the market was open. Furthermore, the Sea City was deserted, having fallen deep into the River of Evil, surrounded only by danger and no benefits. Generally, no one would specifically go to that place."Just as you predicted last time, Brother Qin, even with significant increases in both our strengths, we could only last a bit longer, which was useless," the Maiden sighed. "Now, all I can do is closely monitor Yuanjiao Sea City. Perhaps Master will send out another distress signal in the future..."

As they spoke, they slowly descended towards the mountain gate.The disciples in the mountain had already received the message and were waiting respectfully in front of the sect leader's hall on the main peak.Qin Sang's gaze swept over them, seeing a gathering of talented individuals before the hall. Apart from Li Yufu, stalwarts of Qingyang Temple like Shen Chen and Huan Hen were all present. Demon cultivators, such as Yunu and two Demon Marquises, were also waiting, along with many rising stars of Qingyang Temple.Additionally, Shi Xue and Gu Ya happened to be at Qingyang Temple and had come to greet him as well.

"Brother Qin entrusted Patriarch Yuanxiang to bring back those spirit treasures and precious materials. Through the channels of the Vermilion Ape tribe, I exchanged most of them for spiritual elixirs and precious medicines beneficial for cultivation. Some were distributed among Qingyang Temple disciples, and some were placed on the Five Thunder Pavilion's merit list, to incentivize Qingyang City cultivators to exchange for them with merit..."The *Treatise on Regulating the Four Energies* that Brother Qin sent is also incredibly profound. Disciples who cultivate this method can significantly improve their talents, and I, too, have benefited immensely."Thanks to these favorable conditions, the overall strength of Qingyang Temple and Qingyang City has rapidly increased. Yufu was the first to cultivate to the perfected Soul Transformation stage and is now in secluded cultivation."

The Maiden recounted the changes over the years. Qin Sang had a bountiful harvest in the Holy Land, having consecutively slain the Immortal Child and others. He kept the most crucial treasures for himself and sent the rest back to Qingyang City, rescuing the Maiden from the predicament of lacking resources.The *Treatise on Regulating the Four Energies* was a timely aid for Qingyang City cultivators. While major powers didn't lack secret arts for improving talent, Qingyang City's foundation was too shallow. Moreover, many seasoned cultivators had languished in the lesser thousand worlds for too long, with lifespan being their greatest hurdle. The *Treatise on Regulating the Four Energies* offered them a ray of hope.Naturally, these resources were somewhat biased towards Qingyang Temple. Once Yufu broke through to the Void Refinement stage, Qingyang Temple would truly show signs of prosperity.Other cultivators could only exchange for resources via the Five Thunder Pavilion's merit list. With the successful development of trade routes, the means of earning merit had become more diverse, though the primary methods remained hunting fierce beasts roaming around the River of Evil and surrendering treasures that had flowed out from the Immortal Palace.

Qin Sang temporarily didn't want Qingyang City to have overly close ties with human forces, so those dispatched to develop trade routes in Kancun and Xun states were all trustworthy individuals.Under the Maiden's arrangements, Qingyang City was well-organized and its future looked bright.

"Oh, and one more thing," the Maiden chuckled. "A fellow Daoist named Yuzhen has visited multiple times, claiming to be a close friend of yours, Brother Qin, and wishing to see you. Did you owe him money, Brother Qin? I told him you were in seclusion, but he's been persistent, coming every few years and being very enthusiastic, even proactively helping us solve a few problems... His identity doesn't seem simple?"

"Ah, it's him," Qin Sang chuckled.Back then, Yuzhen had racked his brains trying to retrieve the Extinction Gourd. Qin Sang had originally planned to trade with him, but Yuzhen was ultimately trapped in the divine mountain, so the deal fell through, and the Extinction Gourd remained with Qin Sang.

"He's from the Holy Land..."Qin Sang briefly explained the situation.The Maiden covered her mouth and chuckled softly. "He's quite an interesting character."

"Indeed, he is," Qin Sang mused. "The disciples of the old ancestors in the Holy Land are also a force not to be underestimated. If we can win them over, it would greatly benefit our business. We could establish a good relationship with Yuzhen. Even if Yuzhen can't manage it, as our business grows in the future, it would help prevent those ancestor disciples from plundering and oppressing us."

There were certainly human forces involved in the Mist Sea, but few could have such close ties with the Otherworldly Races as Qingyang City, or even dare to extend their reach into the Holy Land.Everything Qin Sang did was to lay a solid foundation for Qingyang City.

Next, Qin Sang appeared before the sect leader's hall, accepted the disciples' greetings, offered a few words of encouragement, dismissed them, and then walked into the hall alongside the Maiden.

The Maiden continued to recount Qingyang City's development over the past few years."Not long after Brother Qin entered the Holy Land, Grandmaster Liaochen personally visited. It turns out that Immortal Fairy Liuli has become a disciple of Mount Ziyun," the Maiden said, her gaze shifting to observe Qin Sang's expression.

Qin Sang nodded with a smile. "Has Liuli returned at all these past years?"

"No, she hasn't. But Grandmaster Liaochen claimed to be dispatched by Immortal Fairy Liuli and has shown considerable concern for Qingyang City. He mobilized Mount Ziyun's resources in Kanzhou to help us quickly open up the situation, and even sent one of his junior brothers to permanently guard the teleportation array in Kanzhou," the Maiden replied.

Qingyang City was developing trade routes between the Heavenly and Human regions, separated by the Water region. The safest route was through the teleportation array controlled by Silu.One end of the teleportation array was within the Siyou tribe's territory, so its safety was assured. The other end, however, required careful arrangement.With an eminent monk from Mount Ziyun personally overseeing it, it should be foolproof.

"What was the compensation?" Qin Sang asked."That eminent Buddhist monk requires a special spiritual array for his cultivation. We only need to provide him with the precious materials needed to set up the array periodically."

To secure the assistance of a Void Refinement stage powerhouse with just some precious materials, Qingyang City gained a significant advantage. However, Mount Ziyun also wasn't at a loss, as they effectively held a stake in this trade route.Qin Sang nodded and continued, "I heard Fellow Daoist Jixia built a temporary palace here?"

"Fellow Daoist Jixia should be arriving in Kanzhou soon," the Maiden said, pointing towards the direction of Qingyang City's administrative altar. "The temporary palace is built in Shanyu Garden at the altar. You'll see it when you go later, Brother Qin. Fellow Daoist Jixia's capabilities are far superior to Jihong's; the Chihua forest in Shanyu Garden is no longer what it once was."

"Oh? Then I must properly thank Fellow Daoist Jixia," Qin Sang said, immediately becoming interested. The Chihua trees were crucial for cultivating the sacrificial insects.

The Maiden smiled. "No need. We're all one family now. Fellow Daoist Jixia has long coveted the spiritual plants from the human territories and has always wanted to travel among humans. He proactively allied with us and even helped us connect with several fellow Daoists from the Jiaojiao tribe. The spiritual plants cultivated by the Jiaojiao tribe are very popular among humans, which instantly brought fame to our Qingyang Alliance."

Qingyang City's merchant alliance still used the name "Qingyang."From then on, Qingyang City received support from the three major tribes—the Vermilion Ape, Siyou, and Jiaojiao—with other tribes also joining successively, making its foundation in the Heavenly region of the Otherworldly Races unshakable.

At this moment, the Maiden's expression turned serious, and she took out a jade slip. "These are a few locations we found in Kancun and Xun states. Please take a look, Brother Qin."The Maiden activated the contents of the jade slip, and a light screen appeared in the hall, listing several marked locations along with their advantages and disadvantages.This was for finding another stronghold for Qingyang City.

After all, Qingyang City was an external force, and remaining indefinitely in the Mist Sea wasn't a long-term solution. While relations with the Otherworldly Races seemed good now, what if a war broke out between humans and the Otherworldly Races someday?Moreover, this sea region would eventually become too small for Qingyang City. If they wished to expand their territory nearby, they would have to be wary of the Otherworldly Races' reactions. The only option was to seek outside.

"Xun state has a unique environment where the Immortal City is a rootless floating duckweed, drifting with the wind. If we choose Xun state, we'd have to build an Immortal City first, and the Yu family's influence isn't as strong as Mount Ziyun's. I lean more towards Kanzhou; Grandmaster Liaochen also recommended two sea regions to us..." The Maiden pointed to two locations in succession.

Qin Sang carefully reviewed them, then fell silent in thought.Kanzhou was located in the East Sea, with an endless expanse of ocean, but finding a satisfactory stronghold wasn't easy. The conditions of these places still fell short of Qin Sang's expectations.After a moment, Qin Sang said, "There's no rush for this matter. At least before the next opening of the Otherworldly Race Holy Land, the situation shouldn't suddenly worsen. You can search slowly. I will leave some of my thoughts, and you can use them as a reference to discuss and make a joint decision."

"Brother Qin, are you leaving again?" The Maiden detected the implicit meaning.

Qin Sang nodded. "I need to make a trip to the Witch Tribe. It's a long journey, and I don't know when I'll be able to return."

"The Witch Tribe?"The Maiden was surprised. The Witch Tribe was in the west of Da Zhou, while the Mist Sea was in the east.Seeing that Qin Sang did not wish to elaborate, the Maiden didn't press further. She said, "Brother Qin, to go to the Witch Tribe, you'll need to head to Lizhou first, right? Then I shall hold down the fort for you here. I wish you a smooth journey!"

The Maiden had been at Fengju Jade Gate for many years and understood the relationship between humans and the Witch Tribe.Lizhou was located directly west of Da Zhou. It was said that trade between Lizhou and the Witch Tribe flourished. Although the Witch Tribe seemed closest to Duizhou, the path was cut off by Fengju Jade Gate, making entry into the Witch Tribe via Lizhou the most convenient.

Qin Sang said, "I just worry that you'll expend too much energy on this, which might hinder your cultivation."

The Maiden feigned displeasure. "I've poured a lot of effort into Qingyang City over the years. Are you trying to exclude me, Brother Qin?"

Qin Sang burst into laughter. "My apologies, I spoke carelessly."

Next, the two discussed other matters, settling on Qingyang City's development strategy so that Qin Sang could make proper arrangements before his departure.The Maiden bowed and excused herself to make preparations.

"That woman finally left; how boring!"The Vermilion Bird yawned on Qin Sang's shoulder. It had almost dozed off listening to Qin Sang and the Maiden discuss miscellaneous affairs.

Qin Sang also felt a bit tired. Seriously developing a force was no simple task, with countless threads to manage. He would rather cultivate diligently in his cave dwelling. He had always been a lone wolf before, establishing Qingyang Temple according to Wanderer Yun's dying wish, and mostly acted as a hands-off manager.

"Hurry, hurry! Let's go!"The Vermilion Bird suddenly perked up, impatiently pushing Qin Sang outwards with its wings.

A moment later.Inside the main peak of Qingyang Temple.Qin Sang and the Vermilion Bird stood by the spiritual spring.On one side of the spiritual spring was the Vajra Bodhi Tree, and on the other, a stone platform where the Qilin egg rested.After centuries of nourishment from the spiritual spring, the Vajra Bodhi Tree, though not large, had gradually branched out and grown leaves. A golden vein had formed in the center of its emerald leaves, emitting a verdant glow that illuminated the spiritual spring, filling the cave with lush green light.It was unknown when this Vajra Bodhi Tree would finally blossom and bear fruit.Qin Sang gazed at the stone platform. The Qilin egg lay quietly, but Qin Sang could sense a vibrant and abundant life force within it.Originally, the Qilin source seed had transformed into an egg, but unfortunately, the Qilin's life force was insufficient, so it had to be slowly nurtured. Now, it had finally acquired enough life force, and it was time for it to hatch.Qin Sang had long ago inscribed his mark into the Qilin egg. The Qilin had acknowledged him as its master even before birth, and perhaps sensing its master nearby, the Qilin egg trembled slightly.

"This fellow has finally grown up! Hatch it quickly!"The Vermilion Bird stared intently at the Qilin egg, its eyes full of anticipation, urging him repeatedly.

***

**Book Recommendation:**

*Cultivating into a God-Monarch, The Sect Makes Me Marry Into a Family*

You transmigrated to the cultivation world and became the lowest-tier outer disciple of a sect.Everyone wanted to bully you and gain some benefits. Fortunately, some junior brothers and sisters were "generous" and "understanding," allowing you to steadily progress and secretly grow stronger.Many years later.Without anyone realizing it, you successfully ascended to godhood within the sect.One day, your master was sent by the sect."The sect elders believe that you've been in the sect for many years, are well-behaved, loyal, and though your strength is average, you are an honest person. So, they found a marriage for you.""A marriage alliance?""Not exactly. The other family has a rule: if you marry into their family, you must take their surname."Become a live-in son-in-law?