Chapter 2299: Saint and Mortal Pass

Martial Arts and Immortality

"Legend has it that the great teleportation arrays between the Eight Heavenly States were all crafted by the Jade Emperor, laying the foundation for the prosperity of the human race. It's no surprise that he holds such a high position today…"

Qin Sang, Lian Xue, and the others returned to the city.

Lian Xue said, "Senior, the next city is Guangsha City."

"Oh? Is it one of the three major powers most trusted by the Witch Clan?" Qin Sang asked.

Lian Xue nodded and whispered, "From here to the west, almost every inch of land is covered with temples, and immortal cities are built around them. There's a temple next to Guangsha City; it's said that the true mastermind is a venerable monk from that temple, and the City Lord of Guangsha City is merely a puppet."

"What kind of treasures does Guangsha City primarily trade with the Witch Clan?"

"Mostly related to the art of spirit insects," Lian Xue replied. "It's said that the art of insect manipulation originated from the Witch Clan. Many Witch Clan tribes possess their unique methods, and factions that interact with the Witch Clan are more or less involved in the art of insect manipulation, but Guangsha City has the widest renown. Many powerful cultivators who raise spirit insects are honored guests in Guangsha City."

"Insect manipulation?"

Qin Sang's heart stirred upon hearing this. His current journey was to visit the Ghost Mother, seeking an opportunity for his Heavenly Eye Butterfly to transform into a Seven-Transformation Void Butterfly.

The Heavenly Eye Butterfly was still in the middle stage of its sixth transformation, far from the seventh. The most pressing matter now was for it to catch up with its master, and the fastest way was to feed it elixirs.

If Guangsha City could provide such elixirs, it would be worthwhile to meet the City Lord of Guangsha City and learn more about the Witch Clan.

Upon hearing Qin Sang's interest in visiting the City Lord of Guangsha City, Lian Xue was overjoyed. "Junior happens to know an attendant in Guangsha City. I will introduce you to him as soon as we arrive."

Without further delay, the group headed straight for the grand teleportation hall. With a flash of light and shadow, they entered the territory of Guangsha City.

Lian Xue, familiar with the area, rented a cave abode and asked Qin Sang to wait there while she hurried off.

A short while later, Lian Xue returned with a middle-aged cultivator. This man had a benevolent appearance, much like a Buddhist statue; if he wore a kasaya, he would resemble a venerable monk.

The attendant, whose surname was Chen, understood Qin Sang's intention and led them to the City Lord's Mansion. Upon entering the gates, Qin Sang first saw a jade screen blocking the way, with several jade drums hanging on it.

"Attendant Chen, what is the meaning of this?" Qin Sang asked.

"Please, Master, strike one of the jade drums on the wall," Attendant Chen bowed and said.

"What's the difference?" Qin Sang scrutinized them. The jade drums looked identical, but when his divine sense probed them, he could sense hidden mysteries.

Attendant Chen pointed to the top of the jade screen. "If you can strike the uppermost jade drum, Master, you will be the most distinguished guest in the mansion. The gates will open wide, and the City Lord himself will personally welcome you!"

"I see."

Qin Sang nodded. With a flip of his right palm, a sword shadow appeared in his palm.

Attendant Chen and the others only saw a flash of lightning, followed by a thunderous drum sound. The uppermost jade drum vibrated violently.

Lian Xue was utterly stunned. She had guided many visitors before, but this was the first time she had seen someone strike the uppermost drum, and with such ease!

"Booming…"

The jade screen slowly parted to both sides. Behind it, one jade door after another opened.

At the same time, immortal music resounded throughout the mansion, flower petals fluttered in the sky, and the entire residence was alerted.

Teams of musicians and dancers streamed out, bowing gracefully and collectively proclaiming, "Welcome, honored guest, to the mansion!"

Attendant Chen's expression turned solemn, and he bowed deeply. "Please enter, Master!"

"Master, please take the honored seat."

The City Lord of Guangsha City personally came out to greet Qin Sang and invited him into the main assembly hall.

After they were seated, host and guest exchanged brief pleasantries. Qin Sang, getting straight to the point, asked, "I hear that your esteemed mansion is deeply trusted by the Witch Clan. You must be very knowledgeable about them. I have a few matters I'd like to consult you on."

The City Lord of Guangsha City smiled and nodded. "People often misunderstand; I only have contact with one or two tribes of the Witch Clan. However, Master, feel free to ask. I will certainly tell you everything I know without reservation."

Before Qin Sang could speak, Wu Zhao impatiently blurted out, "We want to ask about Hao—"

Before she could finish, Wu Zhao suddenly felt as if struck by lightning, her face turning pale as gold leaf in an instant. If not for Shi Liu supporting her, she would have collapsed to the ground.

Qin Sang had merely glanced at her.

Just that one glance filled Wu Zhao with bone-deep terror, as if she had fallen into endless darkness, plummeting endlessly.

Shi Liu helped Wu Zhao, finding her dripping with cold sweat and trembling uncontrollably. Though she had no visible injuries, she was in an unprecedented state of weakness. Shi Liu, too, became alarmed, lowering her head and not daring to look at Qin Sang.

"My junior is ill-mannered; please excuse her," Qin Sang bowed slightly. "Has Fellow Daoist ever heard of a tribe named the Haobo Clan?"

The City Lord of Guangsha City ignored the reactions of Wu Zhao and Shi Liu. After a moment of thought, he said, "I have not heard of them. However, perhaps my knowledge is limited, as I only know of the major tribes bordering our Lizhou. There are many tribes who hold deep prejudices against our human race and will not interact with us."

"Oh? So, the Witch Clan internally doesn't have a unified view of our human race?" Qin Sang asked with interest.

"Indeed. The Witch Clan is not like our Great Zhou; it's composed of numerous independent tribes, each governing itself. Even the Taihao Clan cannot fully subdue all tribes. Those tribes near us have benefited from trade with our human race, and their perspectives have subtly changed. Other tribes remain stubbornly set in their old ways," the City Lord of Guangsha City nodded.

"Taihao Clan…"

Qin Sang repeated the three words.

"The Taihao Clan is one of the oldest tribes in the Witch Clan, holding a transcendent status. It is said that every Witch Sacrifice takes place in the Taihao Clan. As for the reasons, they involve Witch Clan secrets, which I do not fully understand," the City Lord of Guangsha City continued to explain. "If you are looking for the Haobo Clan, Master, when I have the chance to meet fellow Daoists from the Witch Clan, I can inquire on your behalf. However, if the Haobo Clan does not exist in the present era, perhaps only the Taihao Clan and a few other ancient tribes would have records of them."

Qin Sang was not bothered that the City Lord of Guangsha City had guessed his intention; the Haobo Clan was merely an excuse to enter the Witch Clan's territory.

"Those ancient tribes are probably not easy to befriend, are they?" Qin Sang asked.

The City Lord of Guangsha City affirmed, "The older the tribe, the harder it is to change their hearts. I have heard, however, that many tribes have agitated for punishing those who interact with the human race, but the Taihao Clan has suppressed them all. This gives us a glimpse into the Taihao Clan's attitude. Master might consider trying to befriend a Taihao Clan expert…"

"As Fellow Daoist said, we might find it difficult to make progress in the Witch Clan. Where would one even befriend a Taihao Clan expert?"

Qin Sang shook his head. After a moment of thought, he inquired about spirit insects.

"To be frank, Fellow Daoist, I am not from Lizhou. I cultivate several spirit insects, but their progress has become increasingly slow. Having heard that the Witch Clan excels in the art of insect manipulation, I specifically came to Lizhou to try my luck…"

The City Lord of Guangsha City had been waiting for this moment. He leaned slightly forward and said, "May I presumptuously ask, Master, what kind of spirit insect are you cultivating, and what is its realm?"

"I have a spirit butterfly which, by chance, acquired some opportunities and recently broke through to the middle stage of its sixth transformation," Qin Sang candidly replied.

"Middle stage of Sixth Transformation!"

The City Lord of Guangsha City was visibly moved.

It was widely known that spirit insects possessed profound divine abilities, often allowing them to be highly regarded, their powers sometimes comparable to those of cultivators in the late stage of the Void Refinement realm.

Whether combat-oriented or auxiliary, spirit insects were powerful assistants.

The City Lord of Guangsha City couldn't help but show envy, saying, "It is truly enviable that Master has such a spirit butterfly following you. However, the spirit butterfly's realm is already extremely high. To continue improving, it requires either the secret arts of major powers or rare elixirs found nowhere else in the world. Even the Witch Clan themselves do not have enough of such elixirs for their own use, so how could they sell them? I have been doing this for many years, and I've only occasionally managed to procure a few, which barely offer a slight improvement for spirit insects in the early stage of the sixth transformation. And even then, they are usually pre-ordered before the elixirs even arrive."

He shook his head repeatedly, his expression seemingly genuine.

Qin Sang sighed, "If even Fellow Daoist is unable to help, then it seems I need not visit the other factions. In that case, I shall not trouble you further…"

With that, Qin Sang stood up, preparing to leave.

"Not entirely, Master, please wait!"

The City Lord of Guangsha City did not want to miss out on Qin Sang, such a distinguished guest, and quickly called out to him.

"Although I have no divine elixirs to sell to Master, I can convey a message for you and ask about their intentions. For a peerless expert like Master, if they can befriend you with just a few elixirs, the Witch Clan would surely be willing!"

The City Lord of Guangsha City spoke with increasing confidence.

Qin Sang's demonstrated strength alone was extraordinary; it was likely that few could rival him below the Integration stage.

No one, no force, would miss an opportunity to befriend such an individual!

"Then I shall trouble Fellow Daoist!"

Qin Sang bowed in thanks. "I have cultivated for many years and have accumulated some wealth. Please convey this on my behalf: as long as they can produce elixirs that appeal to me, everything is negotiable."

"Rest assured, Master, I will do my utmost to fulfill your request!" The City Lord of Guangsha City sent a telepathic message, summoning Attendant Chen. "Master has come a long way; why not stay in the mansion? Allow me to fulfill my duty as host."

Qin Sang politely declined, "I have long heard of Shengfan Pass and wished to visit it. I will await your good news there."

The City Lord of Guangsha City happily said, "Our mansion also has a branch at Shengfan Pass! Attendant Chen, from now on, you will attend to Master Qin. Make sure everything is properly arranged; if there is any oversight, I will not forgive you!"

Attendant Chen respectfully acknowledged the command.

Seeing the other party's enthusiasm, Qin Sang no longer refused. He bid farewell to the City Lord of Guangsha City and, after several transfers with Attendant Chen, finally arrived at Shengfan Pass!

Lian Xue, on the other hand, received a sum of spirit stones and was sent back by Attendant Chen.

"Master, we have arrived at Shengfan Pass."

Attendant Chen stepped aside and said respectfully.

Qin Sang stepped out of the teleportation hall and couldn't help but be surprised; the scene before him was entirely different from what he had imagined.

This place was not like Yumenguan in Duizhou, which was named a 'pass' but was not a formidable city. Instead, countless Buddhist temples were arranged across the land, creating a magnificent sight.

At a glance, there were tens of thousands of Buddhist temples, gleaming golden in the sunlight, an air of solemnity and grandeur. And these were just the mundane temples; countless more were hidden within array formations, untouched by the mundane world.

Over eighty percent of the people on the streets were dressed as monks, including the cultivators.

Attendant Chen pointed to the street before them. "Follow this road west to its end, where it splits into two paths, commonly known as the 'Sacred Path' and the 'Mundane Path'."

"Let's go take a look."

Qin Sang and the others activated their escape lights, immediately feeling an invisible pressure that limited them to low-altitude flight.

They passed through countless Buddhist temples, flying until they reached the very edge of the land, finally seeing the Sacred and Mundane Paths, and beyond them, endless yellow sand. Shengfan Pass was situated within a massive oasis, with the west being the Buddhist Land, said to be the most desolate and bitter region in this world.

On the 'Sacred Path,' they witnessed a truly astonishing sight.

Countless monks and devotees, forming a long line, faced west, taking one step and performing one prostration, their expressions filled with fervent devotion. Some, weakened by their bodies, quickly succumbed to the scorching desert sun and fainted on the ground, but this did not deter the enthusiasm of others in the slightest.

The other path, the 'Mundane Path,' was much quieter.

"These mortals firmly believe that even if they cannot reach the Spiritual Mountain and eventually perish in the sand sea, as long as they are devout enough, they will be guided by the Buddha after death, enter the Buddhist Pure Land, and enjoy eternal bliss…"

Attendant Chen's tone was complex.

"Buddhist Pure Land…"

Qin Sang was lost in thought.

From a cultivator's perspective, possessing a Buddhist Pure Land was equivalent to opening up a small world, something only Grand Unity stage mighty cultivators could achieve.

Would they truly guide mortals?

Qin Sang's understanding of Buddhist scriptures was still too limited.

As for these mortals, one couldn't say they were ignorant. After all, in this world, cultivators truly existed, as did extraordinary powers.

Not everyone could attain immortal destiny, and reincarnation into a Buddhist Pure Land was their only hope!

One only needed to observe that even within the Buddhist cultivation world, there was a Pure Land lineage.

Moreover, there were indeed many Buddhist cultivators on the Sacred Path, performing the same actions as the mortals.

"Among these people are true ascetics, but also many opportunists," Attendant Chen said with disdain. "Legend has it that in the past, truly devout Buddhist cultivators, on their pilgrimage to the Spiritual Mountain, were guided by the Western Buddhist Sect and ascended instantly. This attracted more and more Buddhist cultivators, but most could not persevere for long and eventually gave up. They don't consider that without diligently studying Buddhist teachings, without a Buddhist nature in their hearts, merely seeking shortcuts by repeatedly bowing until their heads bleed is useless. Would the virtuous eminent monks of the Buddhist Land truly value such people?"

"Attendant Chen's words are indeed quite profound in Buddhist philosophy," Qin Sang praised.

Attendant Chen's old face flushed, and he quickly said, "In front of Master, I dare not speak carelessly. Our mansion's branch is in Qingyan Temple, south of Shengfan Pass. Master, please!"

Qingyan Temple had array formations that shielded it from external disturbances, making it a peaceful place.

Qin Sang instructed Attendant Chen to settle Shi Liu and Wu Zhao, requested a fire chamber, and personally began refining pills.

Several days later.

Qin Sang emerged from seclusion and summoned Shi Liu and Wu Zhao.

"Take these pills. Refine them as quickly as possible; they might help you break through to the Soul Transformation stage," Qin Sang said, tossing out two jade vials.

He wouldn't claim to be proficient in alchemy, but refining a few pills for cultivators in the Nascent Soul stage was more than enough.

The City Lord of Guangsha City hinted that the Witch Clan, unlike the alien races, harbored deep prejudices against humans. This journey would likely be fraught with difficulties, so it was best to first help Shi Liu and Wu Zhao break through to the Soul Transformation stage. Shi Liu and Wu Zhao were handpicked by Old Devil Fang and Ming Qiu; their talent was not bad, and with the help of these pills, they had a chance to break through.

Shi Liu and Wu Zhao took the jade vials, both incredulous. They had just received a painful lesson, and Wu Zhao still trembled whenever she recalled it.

And now, their senior was actually bestowing pills upon them!

It turned out that their senior was merely cold on the outside but warm-hearted. Teaching them a lesson was because they were too reckless, and it was actually for their own good!

Both of them tightly clutched their jade vials, gratitude welling up in their hearts, and they knelt down together, "Thank you, Senior, for bestowing these pills!"

Getting older, staying up late every day is unbearable. I wanted to try adjusting my schedule to update in the morning, but unexpected, the next day it dragged until noon.

I'll see over the next few days. If it's really not working, I'll go back to updating at night.