Chapter 2315: Cannot Be Judged by Common Logic

Water-element thunder orbs floated in the air.

The Five Thunder Academy also possessed cultivation techniques specifically for the Water-Element Divine Thunder. Although both were Water-Element Divine Thunder, there was a significant difference between them.

Human cultivators, for instance, would observe the natural world, analyze its inherent laws and principles, and comprehend the genesis of the Water-Element Divine Thunder. They would then gradually identify all its constituent parts, follow the established patterns, and meticulously combine them to form a single Water-Element Divine Thunder.

However, the Water-Element Divine Thunder conjured by Jing felt different to him. It was as if this divine thunder already existed in the world, its various parts seemingly scattered, yet the thunder itself was always present. Jing simply summoned it forth directly.

The same phenomenon.

Human cultivators needed continuous observation and comprehension to explore the essence of things, whereas Witch cultivators could perceive the essence directly.

However, cultivation isn't merely about perceiving the essence; true understanding is also required. The process of observation and comprehension continually expands a cultivator's perception, making it an indispensable part of cultivation.

Therefore, Witch cultivators are not inherently superior to human cultivators. While they can perceive and, with effort, utilize the essence, they often lack true understanding. What they see is merely a part of the essence, like glimpsing flowers through a fog, or they might even be misled by perceiving something incorrect. They still need to think and comprehend, reverse-engineer from the results to elevate their own realm. This path might not be any easier than that of human cultivators.

“Is this the inherent talent of a divine bloodline?”

Qin Sang thought of the Alien Race.

He had fought against cultivators of the Alien Race many times, but none had given him as distinct a feeling as Jing.

This was because the Alien Race had abandoned such innate talents, having embarked on a different path.

They chose to follow in their ancestors’ footsteps, not dwelling on these matters, and even turning a blind eye to certain phenomena. They believed their ancestors must have perceived the essence and undergone the processes of thought and comprehension, integrating all that knowledge into the path they forged, which allowed them to possess great divine abilities and wisdom. Subsequent generations, by merely following this path and catching up to their ancestors’ achievements, could stand alongside them and possess these very attributes.

To some extent, the Alien Race resembled the human race but was more singular in its approach. Thus, the Alien Race referred to their ultimate realm as the "Ancestral Realm," a return to their true nature, becoming an embodiment of their ancestors.

Even when cultivating the same technique, human cultivators could diverge into countless branches, possessing infinite possibilities.

Of course, these were merely Qin Sang’s preliminary thoughts, and he was also filled with curiosity about the Demon Race.

As the largest race in the current era, Qin Sang felt he didn't fully understand the true heritage of the Demon Race. He had a premonition that there might have been changes in their cultivation path. From the ancient times when demon souls resided in stars, to the present day where demon stars have vanished, something significant must have occurred at that specific point in time!

His thoughts flowed like water, yet they did not impede Qin Sang's combat.

The Water-Element thunder orbs emitted a faint blue electrical light, resembling shimmering blue water spheres. Only by sensing their violent power could one realize they were as dangerous as any other form of thunder.

Boom!

The first thunder orb exploded, and lightning burst forth like fireworks. Streaks of lightning snakes and electrical pythons shot in all directions, immediately triggering a chain of explosions.

During their battle, the space within the earthen pot continued to expand. At this moment, a colossal earthen pot was clearly visible in the boundless star sea, having swallowed a large expanse of star regions.

The earthen pot's might was fully displayed. Even while trapped within the sword array, Jing could use it to "dominate" this space, thereby suppressing the sword array in return.

Jing attempted to use the earthen pot as a foundation to break through the sword array, but his first attempt failed. The Water-Element Divine Thunder was his second attempt, targeting the sword stars that had been swallowed by the pot!

In an instant, lightning filled the entire space within the earthen pot.

Amidst the lightning, starlight was barely visible. The sword stars were subjected to endless bombardments, seemingly shattered.

Qin Sang remained expressionless, calmly observing the scene. If the Four Symbols Sword Array couldn't even handle this level of attack, it wouldn't be worth the effort he had invested. However, he was more interested in discerning the stronger and weaker aspects of the thunder arts of human cultivators versus Witch cultivators.

Thus, startling thunder shook the star sea, with lightning like an abyss and bolts like a forest!

Qin Sang unleashed the Five Thunder Academy's Water-Element Divine Thunder Art, into which he had integrated the aura of the Celestial Eye Butterfly, disguising it as a spirit insect's divine ability.

Rumble...!

Qin Sang’s Water-Element Divine Thunder surged into the earthen pot, wielding world-shattering power.

Jing's heart tightened. He hadn't expected Elder Qin to be proficient in thunder arts, let alone possess such profound mastery!

He dared not be negligent and activated his abilities with full force.

The two streams of Water-Element Divine Thunder collided. The two similar yet distinct powers quickly merged into an indistinguishable mass.

Although their realms and cultivation levels were comparable, Qin Sang had once been possessed by the Thunder Ancestor, allowing him to thoroughly comprehend the Tier-3 High Firmament Talisman early on. What he lacked was merely the accumulation of cultivation and a Tier-4 Talisman. It could be said that among cultivators of the same rank, few could match his profound understanding of thunder arts.

Furthermore, his thunder art also benefited from the amplification of the Talisman Altar.

Jing's Water-Element Divine Thunder quickly fell into a disadvantage.

At the same time, the sword stars that should have been obliterated reappeared outside the earthen pot. A large section of the star sea was emptied, and the starfield seemed to be in disarray, yet in reality, the celestial alignment of the Four Spirits and Twenty-Eight Mansions remained consistent!

Starlight flickered, transforming into dazzling streaks of sword light. In an instant, ten thousand rays of sword light attacked, their target not Jing inside the pot, but the earthen pot itself!

After a series of exchanges, Qin Sang had discerned the patterns of this spiritual treasure and finally found a breakthrough point.

Jing's expression grew increasingly grim. His proud thunder art was no match for his opponent, and he couldn't see the slightest hope of victory.

Since embarking on the path of cultivation, he had always been hailed as a genius. It had been a long time since he had felt so powerless. Letting out a faint sigh, Jing had to admit that he had been defeated this time, and it was a complete loss!

Lightning flashed in his pupils. All the thunder quickly converged towards him, its power accumulating to an extreme, suddenly transforming into a colossal thunder orb!

“Hmm?”

Qin Sang sensed a resolute intent from it. Could Jing, knowing he was outmatched, prefer suicide over capture?

Boom!

As Qin Sang expected, the thunder orb exploded with an earth-shattering roar, as if Jing intended to leave the world with his most magnificent brilliance before death.

Gazing at the dazzling burst of lightning, Qin Sang's brows furrowed.

The power of the earthen pot was rapidly waning, and Jing's aura had indeed vanished. However, his self-destruction at this moment seemed too irrational, too worthless.

If it were Qin Sang, he would fight to the last moment even if he knew he was outmatched, striving for a glimmer of survival, and even if he died, he would make his opponent pay a bloody price.

Something abnormal must indicate something sinister!

But where exactly was the problem?

Qin Sang activated his thunder art, swiftly clearing away the lightning.

Just then, Qin Sang's expression suddenly shifted, as if he had perceived something.

Outside the battlefield.

Another location in Ghost Child Abyss.

Here, miasma permeated the air, and a type of greenish mushroom grew abundantly on the ground and cliff walls. These mushrooms emitted greenish light that could penetrate the miasma, forming a green space within.

No living beings had visited this place for a long time; only the miasma flowed on its own, and the mushrooms swayed, drawing the nutrients they needed from it.

Suddenly, the tranquility was broken. A point of blue light, like a ball of lightning, appeared out of nowhere in the center of the green space, its origin unknown.

The blue light pulsed, and within it, a human figure formed by lightning vaguely appeared, seemingly about to burst out.

As the figure became clearer, the blue light suddenly shattered, followed by a roar. The figure froze, then dissipated along with the blue light.

The green space returned to its original state, with only the echoes of the roar lingering.

On the battlefield.

Qin Sang's expression was solemn as he switched to a different sword art.

The sword array appeared unchanged, yet its presence felt entirely different from before. The starlight from each individual sword star seemed to merge, all coalescing into a single sword that slashed towards a point in the void!

Bang!

Though there was seemingly nothing there, a flash of lightning appeared, and a person stumbled out of it—it was Jing.

He was in a disheveled state, his face filled with terror, and he gasped, "Domain!"

Witch cultivators truly defied conventional understanding!

Qin Sang sighed in admiration, realizing Jing had forced him to manifest his Sword Domain. Had it not been for this, the man might have escaped.

The root of all this still lay in the innate talents of Witch cultivators.

The Four Symbols Sword Array possessed the ability to trap and isolate its surroundings. If one were to consider the inside and outside of the array as two spaces, connected by countless lines, the Four Symbols Sword Array would sever these lines. The opponent, unable to find any connection to the outside world, would then be trapped.

However, Qin Sang's cultivation was limited. The lines he severed with the sword array were only those he could perceive. Many more lines must have been hidden in the void, beyond the reach of his cultivation, that he could not see.

If the opponent were a human cultivator, by observing their realm and daoist techniques, one could deduce which lines they were capable of perceiving.

Witch cultivators, however, were different. They might inherently be able to perceive one or even several lines that ordinary people couldn't. When their cultivation allowed them to utilize such a line, they could turn the impossible into the possible!

Jing was precisely such a case. He had grasped a line that Qin Sang could neither perceive nor sever, and he had nearly escaped.

Unfortunately for him, he hadn't anticipated that Qin Sang had actually comprehended a Sword Domain!

Reflecting on the events that had just transpired, Qin Sang was astonished and suddenly gained a deeper understanding of domains.

If before he could only sever the 'lines' he perceived one by one, a Sword Domain, on the other hand, could cut off an entire plane. Regardless of how many lines were present, or whether he could see them, he could sever them all!

Qin Sang had only initially comprehended the Sword Domain, so he couldn't completely isolate inside from outside; at most, he could seal off a small area. However, Jing could also only barely utilize that 'line' and certainly didn't control it. During his escape, it was inevitable that he would expose a flaw and leak his aura.

If Qin Sang hadn't understood the Sword Domain, by the time he identified which 'line' Jing used to escape, it would have been too late to stop him. Now, directly locking onto the area where his aura was exposed, the power of the Sword Domain severed all 'lines' in that region, naturally forcing Jing out.

This ability of Witch cultivators, like their curses, defied logic. Fortunately, not everyone possessed it, as it was closely tied to individual talent. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to trap Elder Yun of the Yao clan back then.

However, as he encountered more Witch cultivators in the future, he was sure to encounter many more unexpected phenomena.

If he became complacent with his strength and underestimated his opponents, he might suffer a great setback at any time.

“Fellow Daoist, will you not surrender?” Qin Sang coldly demanded.

His voice echoed within the sword array.

Jing's expression flickered. He knew his opponent had held back just now, otherwise he wouldn't have simply been forced out.

Among the Witch Race, even a domain was a power only Grand Witches could master!

A bitter smile touched Jing's lips. His clan had always praised him as a genius, but little did they know there were always stronger individuals, and Elder Qin could no longer be described merely as a genius.

“Dream on!” Jing squeezed out two words through gritted teeth. This was his answer.

To die standing or to live in humiliation—there was no need to even consider. If he were to surrender, he wouldn't have reached this point in the first place.

Qin Sang stopped trying to persuade him. For such an opponent, he would grant ample respect.

The thunder dissipated, and the constellations spread out.

Qin Sang no longer concealed his power, truly displaying the might of his Sword Domain.

After fully mastering the Four Symbols Sword Array, he had focused on comprehending sword light, and his understanding of the Sword Domain was now vastly different. Previously, he could only channel the power of the Sword Domain into a single thrust, but now, through continuous deduction and comprehension, he had gradually integrated it into the Four Symbols Sword Array.

In Jing's perception, the sword array, though appearing identical to before, now held omnipresent danger. Just moments ago, he was contemplating how to escape; now, it was about how to preserve his life.

Jing suddenly sat cross-legged. The earthen pot appeared beneath him, its mouth spewing out a faint blue spiritual light that enveloped his entire body.

The outer layer was enveloped by Water-Element Divine Thunder, held back and not released, focusing entirely on defense.

Beyond that, there were divine patterns, insect arrays...

Jing exerted all his strength, constructing layer upon layer of defenses, yet they proved less sturdy than he had imagined against the Four Symbols Sword Array.

The sword light tore through the insect array. Spirit insects fell one after another without even a whimper, their corpses raining down. The first layer of defense was breached.

Then came the second, the third...

Qin Sang was extremely patient, dissecting each layer of defense. With every shattered layer, Jing's aura diminished further.

The defeat was inevitable. Jing grew increasingly weak, yet he remained as still as an old monk in meditation, facing death with equanimity.

Qin Sang secretly summoned the Sky-Trapping Golden Lock and Earth-Imprisoning Divine Rings. If he wanted to capture this man alive, it would be best to use their power, but in the end, he didn't deploy them. Qin Sang was certain that Jing would choose death before being captured alive.

He could not stop someone who was determined to die.

He only sought a ransom; he did not wish to forge a deadly enmity with the Kanghui clan.

“Is that female cultivator outside your sister?”

Qin Sang suddenly asked, “Are you hoping she can send word back?”

Jing's body trembled, and his composure finally faltered.

Qin Sang reassured him, “Fellow Daoist, rest assured. I will do nothing to her. On the contrary, I will let her return to the Kanghui clan to deliver the message.”

“What exactly do you want?!”

Jing's face was filled with surprise and doubt.

“Merely to invite your clan’s Witch Shaman to come for a discussion. However, I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you for a while.”

Qin Sang showed no mercy in his actions, continuously weakening Jing's strength. He only aimed to trap him here, not to capture him alive.

The entrance to Ghost Child Abyss.

The young woman had been guarding this spot.

“Why is there still no news from big brother?”

She and Jing had an agreement: a message would be sent out at regular intervals. If there was a prolonged absence of news, it meant something had happened to her big brother.

A long time had passed since their last contact, exceeding the agreed-upon time.

“Could he have been delayed by something?”

Knowing her big brother’s strength well, she decided to wait a little longer.

Her expression grew increasingly anxious as she stared intently at the entrance to Ghost Child Abyss. Suddenly, her vision blurred, and a cloud of mist emerged out of thin air.

The mist swirled, revealing an unfamiliar face.

“Who are you?!”

The young woman was startled and took a step back. Spirit insects buzzed in her sleeve, as if a poised venomous snake was hidden within.

“Your brother is not in any danger of his life. However, I shall keep him as my guest for a while longer. Please trouble yourself, Fellow Daoist, to return to your clan and invite your Witch Shaman to come. I have a cup of wine to offer as a gift.”