Chapter 2363: Arriving Late

Qin Sang was surprised. He hadn't expected to be stranded not just in the wilderness, but potentially on another continent.

The journey home seemed indefinitely far. Unsure if the Qilin's origin was on this continent, Qin Sang had to re-plan his next moves.

"What is your purpose in coming here?" Qin Sang continued to ask.

"Well..."

The man in white robes hesitated.

"Hmm?" Qin Sang's tone turned cold.

A chill ran through the white-robed man. He quickly explained, "Please calm your anger, Senior. We are here on our Mountain Master's orders to find this tomb, but we truly don't know the full details! If Senior wishes to know, please allow this junior to report to the Mountain Master. Upon learning of this, the Mountain Master will surely come personally to visit Senior. The Mountain Master is currently in the Arctic Ice Field, so it won't take long."

He had a white jade talisman at his waist, bestowed by the Mountain Master, which could be used to contact him. However, he dared not activate it at this moment, feeling a gaze penetrating the stone door, scrutinizing him thoroughly.

Just then, the white jade at the white-robed man's waist suddenly lit up on its own.

The spiritual light flickered, appearing particularly dazzling at this moment.

The white-robed man sighed inwardly. He had hoped the mysterious strong cultivator behind the stone door hadn't discerned the jade's true nature, allowing him to seek help from the Mountain Master later if the cultivator became careless. Now, everything was completely exposed.

"Your Mountain Master is looking for you, isn't he?"

"Yes," the white-robed man dared not deceive.

"You should know how to respond..."

Qin Sang said, seemingly lightly.

The white-robed man wanted to cry but had no tears. His life was in this person's hands; he could only be at his mercy.

Even if the Mountain Master was willing to save them, by the time he arrived, he would only be collecting their corpses.

A steady voice emanated from the white jade, "Hong Yin, have you found the place?"

The white-robed man's nerves tensed. He felt a pair of eyes watching him with a faint, unreadable smile. Composing himself, he respectfully replied, "Reporting to the Mountain Master, we have already entered."

"Oh? That's faster than I expected, well done. Tell me what you see."

The white-robed man hesitated, looked up at the stone door, and seeing no reaction from behind it, could only answer truthfully: "We just entered the tomb's antechamber. We didn't see any coffin, but we found a stone door. We haven't gone inside yet; the coffin should be in there. We..."

"No need to go in. All these outside are false tombs!"

Mountain Master Wu Tu interrupted gravely, "What did you see in the antechamber?"

The white-robed man turned and glanced around, replying, "Some stone pillars with ever-burning lamps..."

"Are there any carvings on the stone pillars?" Mountain Master Wu Tu pressed urgently.

"Yes..."

The white-robed man chose the pillar closest to him and briefly described its pattern. Hearing Mountain Master Wu Tu order him to continue, he had no choice but to describe the carvings on each pillar one by one.

In the empty antechamber, only their voices echoed, while the others stood by, struck silent with fear.

"Good!"

After listening to the white-robed man's description, Mountain Master Wu Tu exclaimed with satisfaction, his tone greatly invigorated. "Now, do as I say: face the stone door and move the third pillar from the right to the left."

The white-robed man complied. Behind him, a white tiger phantom reappeared, pouncing towards the pillar. It circled the pillar, then pushed it, easily moving it to the position indicated by Mountain Master Wu Tu.

Next, Mountain Master Wu Tu ordered him to continuously move the pillars until every pillar had been repositioned. The pillars in the hall now seemed to form an array, creating three neat concentric rings from the inside out.

"Stay here and wait for my message."

Mountain Master Wu Tu's voice carried a hint of fatigue; it seemed this deduction had consumed a great deal of his mental energy.

The white-robed man could only agree, despair rising within him. He had no chance to call for help from the Mountain Master; every time he tried to do something, that gaze would suddenly turn sharp, as if it could read his thoughts.

After the jade talisman fell silent, the stone door slowly opened.

All the demons watched the stone door nervously, only to see a young man with a face like polished jade step out, leaving them stunned.

Qin Sang had a smile on his lips and appeared gentle and refined, completely different from the image they had in mind.

The 'Six Heavens Ancient Qi' could affect temperament. Those from the Arctic Ice Field usually had more volatile tempers, yet this person showed little hostility. It was unclear if he simply hid it well.

The white-robed man dared not think further. He quickly stepped forward, leading the demons to bow before Qin Sang.

Qin Sang waved his hand, dismissing them. He walked around the pillars a few times, musing playfully, "Interesting..."

What had previously seemed like ordinary stone pillars had, after this repositioning, transformed into a rather profound array.

He turned his head to the white-robed man. "It's probably not just your Wu Tu Mountain looking for this tomb, is it?"

"This junior doesn't know the full details, but I heard the Mountain Master seems to have rivals..."

Under Qin Sang's gaze, the white-robed man dared not conceal anything, though fortunately, he didn't know much.

He mustered his courage and asked, "Senior, what is the purpose of these stone pillars?"

"They should be able to transport us to a certain place, which might be where the true tomb is located," Qin Sang said calmly.

Qin Sang said calmly, flicking his fingers. Invisible fluctuations spread through the hall, causing the ever-burning flames in the braziers to waver and gradually turn from bright yellow to light blue.

Just then, Qin Sang suddenly withdrew his hand, a thoughtful expression on his face, and the ever-burning flames reverted to bright yellow. This action was a test, and Qin Sang indeed made a new discovery: the key to controlling this array was not here, or rather, this array was merely a sub-array.

Since Mountain Master Wu Tu could decipher the secret of the stone pillars, he must have found the location of the main array. The best strategy now was to wait patiently here.

The tomb's owner was likely a demon cultivator. Although Qin Sang didn't covet demon treasures, if he could acquire any, they could serve as 'bargaining chips' for making alliances.

Of course, whether to ally with Wu Tu Mountain would depend on the disposition of its Mountain Master. With Qin Sang's current strength, he didn't urgently need to join any force. However, to obtain the Qilin's origin and eventually return to Da Zhou, accomplishing it alone would be difficult, so allying with some demon forces was inevitable.

From this point onward, Qin Sang would continuously maintain the aura of the Azure Luan Dharma Form, disguising himself as a true demon cultivator!

"Let the two outside come in as well. Perhaps there will be opportunities for you later," Qin Sang said with a faint, unreadable smile.

The white-robed man felt bitter, but dared not disobey. He could only send a message for the two women to come down. After they entered and learned the truth, they were horrified but obediently followed Qin Sang's instructions and stood in the center of the array.

The great hall was utterly silent, with only Qin Sang occasionally asking questions, mostly answered by the white-robed man.

Through these low-level demons, Qin Sang gradually learned about the strength of Wu Tu Mountain and the customs and traditions of this region.

The group waited silently for nine days until finally, the jade talisman at the white-robed man's waist emitted Mountain Master Wu Tu's voice.

Qin Sang stood with his hands behind his back outside the array, his gaze falling on one of the stone pillars. He then heard Mountain Master Wu Tu command the white-robed man to use a spell seal to activate the carvings on the pillar.

After receiving Qin Sang's permission, the white-robed man flashed to the side of the pillar and cast the spell seal. The ever-burning flame blazed fiercely, and the pillar emitted strange, low sounds that were barely audible to ordinary people. The demons felt a stabbing pain in their ears, showing expressions of discomfort.

Qin Sang's eyes flickered. He stared at the ever-burning flame and then saw a phantom emerge from the fire, shaped like a bat.

This fiery bat flapped its wings, circling above the brazier.

Next, the white-robed man, following Mountain Master Wu Tu's orders, activated several more pillars one after another. Each pillar conjured a fiery bat, varying in size and form.

"Bat..."

Qin Sang recalled that 'Nv Xiu', one of the seven mansions of the Northern Black Tortoise, was associated with earth and represented by a bat, specifically named 'Nv Tu Fu' (Female Earth Bat).

Although they appeared as fire bats, the pillars were rooted in the earth. Could this array be related to the Twenty-Eight Mansions? Did the present-day demon race still cling to the power of stars?

As each pillar was activated, more and more fiery bats were summoned, their calls echoing throughout the hall.

Qin Sang's expression remained unchanged, but the low-level demons suffered. Even blocking their ears was futile; the bats' calls were like piercing demonic sounds, making them endure immense pain.

The white-robed man, with the highest cultivation, could still endure. But by the time he laboriously activated all the pillars, he was nearing his limit, bleeding from all seven orifices.

Finally finished, the white-robed man hastily returned to his companions. Only when all the demons joined forces to resist the fiery bats' calls did they feel some relief.

At this moment, Qin Sang stepped into the array. Every move of Mountain Master Wu Tu was within his expectations, proving his conjectures correct.

"Screech... screech..."

Suddenly, all the fiery bats shrieked in unison.

The demons felt as if their minds had been struck by a giant hammer, trembling uncontrollably. They didn't notice that the ground beneath their feet was melting, instantly turning into quicksand that swallowed them amidst their screams.

Qin Sang remained motionless, watching as the quicksand consumed his feet, his legs, and then his entire body.

In a daze, the restraining force suddenly vanished. Qin Sang felt the ground disappear beneath his feet, then quickly stabilized himself.

He looked around: the sky was vast, and the clouds stretched wide.

They had been instantly transported from underground to the sky. A sea of clouds lay beneath their feet, with no sight of the ground.

Above the sea of clouds floated a mountain, an airborne peak, its landscape covered in white snow, just like the Arctic Ice Field.

"Are we still in the Arctic Ice Field, or have we been transported to a secret realm?"

Qin Sang sensed the surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth. The 'Six Heavens Ancient Qi' was still as dense as in the Arctic Ice Field.

Uncertain, he led the demons to the top of the floating island.

Just then, the jade talisman at the white-robed man's waist flickered again. "Head north and come meet me."

The Mountain Master seemed able to sense their location. The white-robed man was overjoyed. He answered with a "Yes" and turned to look at Qin Sang.

Qin Sang stood with his hands behind his back on the mountaintop, releasing his spiritual sense, which instantly swept over the snowy mountain below. He immediately detected an anomaly. He floated down, arriving at a snowy valley halfway up the mountain, and flashed inside. He glanced around, dispersed the snow, and revealed a stone tablet beneath it.

A lifelike bat was strikingly depicted on the stone tablet, looking slightly mottled due to the erosion of time.

Qin Sang raised his hand and pressed it against the stone tablet. The bat pattern on it merely flickered faintly before falling silent.

He pondered for a moment, faintly understanding something. He turned to the white-robed man who had followed him and said, "Let's go."

"Senior, are you coming with us?" the white-robed man cautiously asked.

"I was just about to go meet your Mountain Master," Qin Sang nodded.

The demons felt a mix of joy and worry. They flew north with Qin Sang, passing two more floating islands along the way. Qin Sang merely glanced at them, not stopping.

The sea of clouds undulated as they passed through one cloud mountain after another, seeing a golden light shimmering in the northern sky.

Simultaneously, Qin Sang sensed a powerful aura, which should be that of the Wu Tu Immortal. They flew straight towards the golden light. Qin Sang did not deliberately conceal his aura, and moments later, he felt a wary gaze fall upon him.

Passing through the last cloud mountain, ahead lay dazzling golden light. At the center of the golden light was another floating mountain, with a nine-storied golden pagoda built on its summit. The golden light emanated from this pagoda.

Upon seeing the Mountain Master at the foot of the mountain, all the demons showed expressions of joy.

Qin Sang gazed intently, seeing an old man standing on the stone steps at the foot of the mountain. The old man actually had a Daoist bun, wore a dark blue robe, and clutched a staff, appearing kind and benevolent.

"Mountain Master!"

The demons shouted, a heavy stone finally falling from their hearts, as if granted a great pardon.

The Wu Tu Immortal's gaze swept over the demons, then fixed on Qin Sang.

"Who are you!"

Qin Sang watched the demons rush towards the Wu Tu Immortal without stopping them. He stood in mid-air, gazing at the golden pagoda on the mountain's summit, and unhurriedly said, "It seems, fellow Daoist, you've arrived a step too late."

The golden pagoda's main gate was open, clearly not opened by the Wu Tu Immortal.

Their journey so far had been almost unimpeded, which also proved one thing: this place had already been visited by someone else.

The Wu Tu Immortal had toiled for nothing in the end.

The white-robed man knelt before the Wu Tu Immortal, apologizing repeatedly and reporting his previous experiences.

Upon learning the truth, a peculiar glint flashed in the Wu Tu Immortal's eyes. "Has the legacy here been taken by you?"

"If I had taken the legacy here, I would have long since fled. Why would I provoke you, fellow Daoist?" Qin Sang retorted.

At the same time, a thought stirred in his mind. No wonder this demon was so invested; there was a legacy here. Judging by the aura of this tomb, this legacy was likely not simple. What a pity they had arrived too late.

The Wu Tu Immortal seemed to believe him. After all, Qin Sang had concealed his cultivation, appearing only at the early stage of Void Refinement, a level lower than his own.

He scrutinized Qin Sang from head to toe, his tone softening. "May I know your Daoist title, fellow Daoist?"

"On the day I regained my clarity, I saw a bright moon in the sky, so I took 'Bright Moon' as my title," Qin Sang replied.

"Fellow Daoist Bright Moon."

The Wu Tu Immortal nodded, glancing at the demons before him. "In that case, I should thank you, fellow Daoist, for sparing their lives."

Qin Sang laughed heartily. "There's no need to thank me, fellow Daoist. When I learned there might be treasures, greed arose in my heart, and I only kept them to lead the way. Otherwise, I would have casually killed them. But... what a pity, what a pity!"

He looked at the golden pagoda, his face full of regret.

Hearing this, all the demons trembled with lingering fear.

"You are quite frank, fellow Daoist."

The Wu Tu Immortal was not offended. He smiled faintly, lightly tapped his staff on the ground, and looked up at the golden pagoda on the mountaintop. "Although other fellow Daoists have arrived first, they might not have been able to take all the treasures. Is Fellow Daoist Bright Moon interested?"

"What do you mean?" Qin Sang asked curiously.

"How about you and I enter the golden pagoda together and explore it collaboratively? If we obtain any treasures during our search, we can split them equally, what do you say?" the Wu Tu Immortal proposed.

This person showed considerable magnanimity. Qin Sang cast a deep glance at the Wu Tu Immortal, said "Good," and then soared towards the golden pagoda.