Chapter 2346: Ascending Baoshan

In the empty mountain wilderness, the Void Butterfly, like an ordinary butterfly, flitted up and down among the flowers and bushes. A figure was faintly visible in the celestial eye on its left wing.

The scene in Qin Sang's eyes was hazy, as if separated from his surroundings by a layer of film. A wondrous space had formed within the Void Butterfly's celestial eye, and he was currently hidden within it. This feeling was very peculiar. Qin Sang could see the mountains and rivers, feel the wind blowing towards him, and smell the fragrance of the vegetation, yet his presence would not be revealed.

Night deepened. The butterfly's silhouette in the wilderness gradually faded, sleeping on some unseen flower.

Above the various peaks, the commotion caused by the divine blood gradually subsided. However, the peaks remained brightly lit, especially the main peak designated for the sacrifice. The Grand Heaven-Earth Sacrifice was scheduled for dawn tomorrow. This evening, the sacerdotals from all the great clans were to bathe and purify themselves, then proceed to the main peak to await the ceremony's commencement.

Qin Sang gazed at the main peak, seeing it resemble a massive pillar of fire whose towering flames illuminated the night sky.

In ancient times, people were ignorant, holding a pure reverence for the heaven, earth, and spirits. Sacrifices were often filled with primitive wildness, not to mention human sacrifices. Today, the Grand Heaven-Earth Sacrifice still retained some of these elements. For example, the summit of the main peak had been leveled by great magic, and a fire pit was dug in the center, already piled high with wood. The bonfire would burn all night. Similar practices existed among the great clans, where members would sing and dance around bonfires, staying awake all night to celebrate this important festival together. However, it was not as lively here. The Grand Heaven-Earth Sacrifice had strict procedures that had to be executed meticulously; even the slightest mistake would be considered a grave offense. Everyone on the mountain was busy and tense.

Inside the wooden hall, water mist steamed up, and a fragrant aroma filled the air. This was where the Taihao Clan's sacerdotals bathed. Countless flower petals floated on the water, emitting various scents that perfectly combined into an intoxicating, exotic fragrance. These petals were from various spiritual flowers, carefully selected and prepared by the Taihao Clan's alchemy masters, with the effect of nourishing the spirit. Of course, the medicinal effect was secondary; the purpose of using so many precious spiritual flowers was to allow the sacerdotals to meet the spirits with full vitality and, with their fragrance, wash away any impurities they might have accumulated from the mortal world. This was just one step in the elaborate procedure.

Jin Liuying leaned the back of her head against the edge of the pool, feeling the soothing water and smelling the flower fragrance. She felt her fatigue instantly vanish.

“Saintess, it's time.”

The voices of the Dragon Mountain Twin Jades startled her awake.

Jin Liuying sighed silently, replied softly, and rose to put on the ceremonial robe prepared for her by the Taihao Clan. Stepping out of the hall, the Dragon Mountain Twin Jades looked her over, nodded with satisfaction, and flew with her towards the main peak.

As they neared the summit of the main peak, the Dragon Mountain Twin Jades landed at the bottom of a stone staircase and said, "Saintess, please proceed up."

The summit was the altar. When the ceremony began, only the sacerdotals could stand on the altar, assisting the previous generation's Sacerdotal Sorceress in completing the rites. The Dragon Mountain Twin Jades could only wait below.

The arrival of the Dragon Mountain Twin Jades caused a stir. They swept their gaze coldly, and those present quickly averted their sharp gazes. In the past, during every Grand Heaven-Earth Sacrifice, the foot of the stone staircase would be crowded with masters from various clans, but this time, it was much sparser. Given their status, they naturally knew the reason. With the Grand Heaven-Earth Sacrifice approaching, the Co-Gong Platform, also one of the Ten Great Forbidden Lands, had drawn all attention. The Taihao Clan's shamanistic priests had originally intended to send the Twin Jades to the Co-Gong Platform, but for some unknown reason, they ultimately decided to abandon the struggle for the divine blood and instead have them continue to personally protect the Saintess.

Jin Liuying ascended the stone steps, glancing around. The stone steps beneath her feet were very wide, and a few other sacerdotals were sparsely scattered, also ascending the mountain. There was more than one such stone staircase; the mountain itself was pentagonal, with five staircases leading to the summit, symbolizing the Five Clans: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Some sacerdotals noticed her gaze, turned to look, and seeing Jin Liuying, their faces showed no goodwill, only wariness. Moving forward, they would all cooperate with the previous Sacerdotal Sorceress to complete the ceremony, yet they were competitors among themselves.

Jin Liuying ignored their hostility, gazing beyond the mountain. She wondered to herself, "I wonder where Master and the others are..." They had lost contact since their last encounter. She dared not reveal any abnormality, ascending the mountain step by step. She found her designated spot by the fire pit.

At this time, the Void Butterfly also brought Qin Sang to the edge of the sea of clouds, quietly landing on a leaf and waiting in silence.

The night grew deeper. As the deepest darkness passed, dawn finally arrived. Qin Sang, hidden within the celestial eye, felt a stir in his heart, and then heard the desolate sound of a horn. It was like the roar of an ancient beast, full of wildness, loud and resonant, shattering the darkness and awakening the sleeping earth, instantly pulling people back to ancient times. It was said that this horn was a supreme treasure of the Witch Clan, carved from the horn of a true dragon, and was only used during the Grand Heaven-Earth Sacrifice.

“The Grand Heaven-Earth Sacrifice has begun!”

Qin Sang gazed at the main peak, vaguely seeing numerous figures in the firelight. Liuying was among them. Just then, the scene around the firelight gradually became blurry. A strange power gradually grew stronger, enveloping the main peak and making it appear very mysterious. Qin Sang dared not pry presumptuously; he could only infer to what stage the ceremony had progressed through the blurry images.

The horn calls continued ceaselessly, becoming increasingly impassioned and inspiring. Above the bonfire, there seemed to be a figure dancing with a graceful posture. Her dance, however, did not evoke desire; every movement was full of power and caused a response from celestial phenomena. This woman was likely the previous Sacerdotal Sorceress. As she danced, Qin Sang's peripheral vision caught sight of the sea of clouds beginning to churn.

Immediately after, a clear, cold voice emanated from the main peak. The Sacerdotal Sorceress recited a prayer, using the most ancient characters and syllables—words bestowed by the spirits in ancient times, each containing a wondrous rhythm. At this very moment, the area around the holy land became completely silent, with only the Sacerdotal Sorceress's chanting echoing between heaven and earth.

Qin Sang's expression was solemn. This ceremony, perhaps to many, held no meaning, for it could not bestow any power, and even the object of worship had disappeared for countless years, leaving the worshipers without a response. Even if the Witch Clan did not acknowledge their kinship with humanity, one thing was undeniable: this was the beginning of human civilization! In ancient times, ancestors who lived a primitive life received guidance from spirits, giving birth to language, writing, and even possessing great power. Only then did they stand tall among myriad races. In fact, there were similar ceremonies in the Great Zhou dynasty, where the King of Zhou would perform rites, only the worship was directed towards heaven and earth.

"The great affairs of a state are sacrifice and warfare!"

The prayer was nearing its end. Qin Sang, who had been observing the sea of clouds, saw it churn violently. The cloud mass suddenly split from the center, forming two massive waves surging outwards. A golden light burst through the clouds, like the rising sun. In an instant, golden radiance illuminated the entire land. Cheers erupted from the various peaks. Beams of golden light shot out one after another from deep within the sea of clouds—ten thousand rays of golden light, an astonishing sight. Amidst the dazzling golden light, a colossal shadow faintly emerged. It was actually a divine mountain.

“Dengbao Mountain!”

Qin Sang's heart trembled. He realized that Dengbao Mountain was not an isolated peak as he had imagined. What emerged in the golden light was a colossal mountain range, resembling a golden dragon, with the central peak being the most striking. Its summit was not visible, vanishing beyond the highest clouds. No matter what method Qin Sang used, he could only see the golden light and could not discern the scenery within the mountain.

With Dengbao Mountain revealed, everyone on the various peaks displayed expressions of reverence. At this time, beyond the holy land, in the area where the Taihao Clan members lived, this golden mountain silhouette could also be seen. Innumerable clan members had already gathered here, and upon seeing the holy mountain, they cheered enthusiastically, then proceeded to pray devoutly.

The Void Butterfly still remained motionless, unsure what it was waiting for. Just then, Qin Sang noticed an anomaly in the bonfire on the altar. Countless sparks drifted from the flames, drawn by some power, and drifted towards Dengbao Mountain. These sparks formed a crimson band of light, gradually drifting into the depths of the golden light. They eventually formed a crimson light path between Dengbao Mountain and the altar, a path that twinkled with starlight, exquisitely beautiful.

Immediately after, a figure appeared at this end of the altar. Then more and more figures, the sacerdotals from the various clans, stepped onto the light path. Their robes fluttered as they walked gracefully, like celestial fairies, towards the holy mountain.

Suddenly, the Void Butterfly moved, flying towards Dengbao Mountain along with the sacerdotals. Qin Sang's heart grew tense. Success or failure depended on this one move, and he didn't know how many powerful beings remained here. The scene in his vision moved up and down, as the Void Butterfly flitted up and down as usual, neither fast nor slow. Gradually, the foremost sacerdotal had already disappeared into the golden light, passing through some invisible barrier and entering the holy mountain.

At this point, Qin Sang's vision contained only golden light and the holy mountain. But unexpectedly, even from so close, he could still only see the mountain's silhouette. It was clear there must be a powerful grand formation outside the holy mountain. Each time a sacerdotal passed through the barrier, the golden light would exhibit a slight fluctuation, so subtle that it was almost impossible to detect. Yet the Void Butterfly captured this minute fluctuation, and as more and more sacerdotals entered the holy land, these fluctuations continued to appear. These subtle fluctuations were the perfect cover!

Qin Sang noticed the Void Butterfly stop. A moment later, it finally seized the opportune moment, and with a flicker of its butterfly form, it silently flew into the depths of the golden light. The next moment, the golden light in Qin Sang's vision suddenly vanished, replaced by a mountain forest shrouded in morning mist. The vegetation in the forest was lush; many tree species were unfamiliar to Qin Sang, some even unheard of. Light mist drifted among the treetops, and the forest was exceptionally quiet, with the faint sound of a flowing stream. No insect chirps or beast roars could be heard; there seemed to be no living creatures here, yet it did not appear desolate.

“This is Dengbao Mountain? Such a sight within the mountain...”

Qin Sang was startled, then felt his vision suddenly clear, realizing that the Void Butterfly had released him. Turning his head to see the Void Butterfly, Qin Sang cupped his hands in thanks. Looking around again, he was still somewhat surprised that he had entered so easily. However, Qin Sang knew full well that this was just his illusion; without the Ghost Mother as an insider and the Void Butterfly's powerful divine ability, he would surely have been discovered as soon as he approached the sea of clouds.

He took a deep breath; moist and fresh air filled his nostrils, accompanied by faint wisps of exotic fragrance. It was rumored that Dengbao Mountain was not only a holy land but also a treasure trove. Many spiritual trees and herbs long extinct still grew there, and even Grand Shamans could not easily enter the mountain to gather them. Each of these ancient exotic species was undoubtedly extremely precious, but Qin Sang dared not entertain any ideas about them. Firstly, the Witch Clan would surely guard them strictly. Secondly, their time was limited; they had to leave before the ceremony ended, or else they would be trapped here. It might seem there was no danger within the holy mountain, and one could simply wait for the next Grand Heaven-Earth Sacrifice a century later to leave. But this was not the case; there were too many variables, such as a Celestial Witch entering to collect herbs.

Qin Sang roughly sensed his surroundings. There were no formation fluctuations, indicating that this mountain forest did not contain overly precious spiritual herbs.

“You don't need me to follow you?” The Void Butterfly, having released Qin Sang, did not leave immediately and asked.

Fearing to expose the Ghost Mother, they had agreed that once inside Dengbao Mountain, he and the Void Butterfly would act separately. The Void Butterfly would first scout the Heaven-Ascension Staircase to prepare an escape route in advance. It would be best if it could secretly steal the Emperor Stage Nectar, but if exposed, they would have to rely on the Heaven-Ascension Staircase to escape. Furthermore, to retrieve the Emperor Stage Nectar, they needed to wait for Qin Sang to bring Liuying there to cover their actions.

Qin Sang politely declined, saying, "Since that senior dared to let this junior act alone, they must be fully confident. Senior, please rest assured, this junior will rush to the Emperor Stage as soon as possible to rendezvous with you!"

As he spoke, Qin Sang took out the jade bead and held it in his hand. The Ghost Mother's message in the mirror was not entirely an act. The jade bead was not only an object where the Ghost Mother lodged her soul but also contained several divine abilities she had left. One of these could conceal Qin Sang's presence, allowing him to move freely within Dengbao Mountain without being detected by the powerful Witch Clan experts outside.

Qin Sang silently circulated his true essence. The jade bead in his palm flickered, emitting a faint blue light that spread along Qin Sang's arm and enveloped his entire body, making him appear indistinct, like a reflection in water. Seeing this, the Void Butterfly said no more, withdrew its divine ability, affirmed, and its fluttering butterfly form vanished into the depths of the morning mist in an instant.

Watching the Void Butterfly depart, Qin Sang remained in place, then feigned sensing his surroundings again. He leapt up and moved through the forest. Not long after, Qin Sang saw a stream ahead, its winding waters flowing through crevices in the rocks.

“Follow this small river upstream; good luck, Liuying is up ahead, not far from us...”

Hearing the Ghost Mother's mental message, Qin Sang felt a slight relief and asked, "Has the Void Butterfly left?"

“She wouldn't dare continue following you, unless she also doesn't want to leave,” the Ghost Mother scoffed.

The summit of Dengbao Mountain was not easily reached. This amount of time was simply not enough to thoroughly investigate the Heaven-Ascension Staircase. Even if the Void Butterfly rushed there without stopping, it could only roughly ascertain the Heaven-Ascension Staircase's condition and confirm that it hadn't been completely destroyed and still had lingering power.

Qin Sang nodded, then lightly tapped his feet, changing direction. He darted upstream along the stream, and soon entered the inner part of this mountain forest, where a stretch of rugged, scattered rocks appeared ahead. Along the way, he sensed the aura of some spiritual herbs, but Qin Sang dared not go and gather them, as their time was also very limited.