Chapter 2397: Avoidance

In front of Ink Mountain, both the Five Immortals and the Pestilence Lord were besieged by Ink Beasts, each of which was an ancient mythical creature. If they had emerged from a painting, it was hard to imagine who could have created so many ancient mythical beasts, each imbued with such vitality and immense power.

The various demons fought the Ink Beasts distractedly, as slaying them offered no benefit and only wasted energy. Their true focus was on Ink Mountain itself. The tremors in Ink Mountain intensified, even causing the waterfall to halt its flow. The source of the tremors was now unmistakably clear: behind Ink Mountain!

'Boom!' Ink Mountain suddenly lurched. This unprecedented phenomenon startled all the demons. Then, accompanied by a thunderous roar, a massive crack appeared on Ink Mountain's peak, rapidly spreading down the mountain and splitting Ink Mountain in two. Through the winding crack, the demons saw not solid rock. Ink Mountain was incredibly thin, like a painting on a canvas. It was baffling where the endless waterfall and Ink Beasts had originated.

It was as if a canvas had been torn by an unseen force. The demons looked closely. Beyond Ink Mountain, it wasn't complete darkness; faint specks of light hovered in the gloom. These lights were ethereal and elusive, like starlight, filling a vast, desolate space.

'What is that place?' The same question arose in all the demons' minds. They hesitated, afraid to enter; even the Pestilence Lord looked bewildered.

Qin Sang glanced at Mo Yan beside him, noticing Mo Yan's thoughtful and solemn expression.

'Have you discerned something, Fellow Daoist?' Mo Yan asked, noticing the change in Qin Sang's gaze.

'I see a corner of the Black Tortoise's Seven Mansions,' Qin Sang said, gesturing with his hand. He cultivated the *Heavenly Demon Refinement Technique* and had insights into the Four Symbols Sword Formation, so he recognized the starlight as soon as it appeared: it was the Ox Mansion, one of the Northern Seven Mansions!

Mo Yan suddenly understood. It wasn't that he didn't recognize the Twenty-Eight Mansions, but he wasn't as perceptive as Qin Sang.

'Is that where you obtained your Star Spirit, Fellow Daoist?' Qin Sang asked, his voice filled with delight. Celestial mansions couldn't appear underground without reason. If he wasn't mistaken, this must be a secret realm connected to the constellations. Since modern demon cultivators no longer emphasized constellations, this place was surely connected to ancient demon races!

'Well, I didn't see the Black Tortoise's Seven Mansions last time...' Mo Yan's words were cut short as several streaks of light forcibly tore through the Ink Beast horde, rushing toward the Ink Mountain crack. The Five Immortals were the first to move, followed closely by the Pestilence Lord and his group, unwilling to fall behind. Ten streaks of light plunged into the crack one after another, and the Ink Beasts roared, giving chase. At the same time, the Ink Phoenix quietly blended into the Ink Beast crowd, and as it flapped its wings through the crack, the scenery dramatically changed.

The other side of Ink Mountain was a world of ink wash landscapes, but on this side, they were pulled back to reality. Before them lay an endless expanse of land, from which Qin Sang and Mo Yan felt only desolation. The land was almost flat, covered everywhere with rubble. On closer inspection, these were not natural stones but fragments of some buildings. It seemed as if a massive palace had shattered, its fragments raining down from the sky to cover the ground.

The starlight they had seen earlier was directly overhead, with stars embedded in the night sky. Qin Sang was somewhat surprised because he only saw the Northern Black Tortoise's Seven Mansions here; all other stars in the northern celestial region not belonging to the main mansions were entirely absent. This indicated that this starscape was clearly artificial, not a mere replica of the true night sky. Curiously, these stars felt both impossibly distant and incredibly close to Qin Sang.

The surroundings were utterly desolate. It seemed they first needed to unravel the secrets of this starscape. Qin Sang observed the starscape. Having previously deduced the Four Symbols Sword Formation, he knew the Twenty-Eight Mansions intimately. Comparing them to the stars here, he found no significant differences.

Mo Yan did not disturb Qin Sang, instead watching the receding streaks of light. After entering, the Five Immortals and the Pestilence Lord's group paused briefly, then continued to flee. However, it was evident they hadn't discovered any secrets; they merely wanted to use the vast terrain to shake off the Ink Beasts.

Mo Yan hesitated, wondering whether to pursue them. He then softly called out to Qin Sang: 'Fellow Daoist Qing Feng...'

Qin Sang withdrew his gaze and said solemnly, 'Unless they possess some treasure deeply connected to this place, I should be faster than them!' As he spoke, Qin Sang glanced back. To the naked eye, there was only empty darkness, but they both knew a crack was hidden there.

If they turned back now, they could still return to the ink wash world. No one could say for sure whether these were two separate secret realms or part of the same one. However, if they could unravel the mysteries of these seven celestial mansions, they might uncover the hidden secrets of the ink wash landscapes as well.

In fact, Mo Yan was now at a loss. Ever since entering the abyss, everything had been completely different from what he had expected. Following his understanding of the Dao of Painting, he had observed the ink wash landscapes with an artist's eye, discerning some clues that subtly pointed towards the lower reaches of the Ink River. However, this feeling had little basis, and its reliability was questionable. Yet, an unforeseen change occurred upstream, bringing them to this very place.

He had initially suspected that the Pestilence Lord must have entered here before, and since the Five Immortals Sect coveted this place, they should also know something. He had intended to let them lead the way for him, but recalling their behavior in the ink wash landscapes, it didn't quite seem that way. This left Mo Yan perplexed. Were all three factions actually like headless flies, each believing the others knew something, when in reality, none of them did?

'Could there be some misunderstanding here?' Mo Yan felt an urge to drag the Pestilence Lord and the Five Immortals over and question them.

Hearing Qin Sang's statement now, Mo Yan no longer hesitated. He declared resolutely, 'I shall protect you, Fellow Daoist!'

They emerged from the Ink Phoenix's mouth. Mo Yan lightly shook his magical robe. The Ink Phoenix spread its wings and flew towards his back, a faint glow flickering as it transformed into a pattern on his robe. Then, instead of pursuing the Pestilence Lord and his group, Qin Sang and Mo Yan flew in another direction for a while, reaching a hidden spot.

Qin Sang nodded to Mo Yan, then flicked his hand to set up several formation flags. He entered the formation and silently began cultivating the *Heavenly Demon Refinement Technique*. The Azure Luan Dharma Body appeared behind Qin Sang, its eyes closed just like his own. The fluctuations of the cultivation technique gradually emanated from them.

At this moment, as Qin Sang meditated on the Northern Black Tortoise's Seven Mansions in his mind, he inexplicably felt a sense of discomfort and frowned. Meanwhile, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly continuously maintained its Heavenly Eye divine ability, observing the starscape for Qin Sang. Qin Sang suddenly realized that the Black Tortoise's Seven Mansions in this starscape were constantly changing. The positions of the stars hadn't changed, but something within the mansions was shifting, something ordinary people couldn't perceive, and even he could only detect it while cultivating.

He immediately focused his mind and observed the changes in the Black Tortoise's Seven Mansions, discovering that they contained many things he couldn't decipher. The more he looked, the more profound they seemed. If the Black Tortoise's Seven Mansions here were indeed a grand formation, it would far exceed their imagination!

Qin Sang was inwardly startled and continued to observe. He suddenly felt as if something within the celestial mansions was remotely responding to him.

'Could it be the *Heavenly Demon Refinement Technique*?' Qin Sang initially thought it was related to the *Heavenly Demon Refinement Technique*, but later realized it wasn't. What was responding was actually his destined star! It wasn't that the *Heavenly Demon Refinement Technique* was unique; other demon cultivators practicing similar demonic arts might also receive a response.

Qin Sang immediately stood up and went out to tell Mo Yan about his discovery.

'Good! Please lead the way, Fellow Daoist!' Mo Yan made an immediate decision. With Qin Sang present, their actions would definitely be faster than the Pestilence Lord and his group. It was not easy to find an expert in the world who cultivated ancient demonic arts and achieved Qin Sang's level of attainment. Qin Sang was like a fish in water here; other demon cultivators were simply outmatched!

This time, Qin Sang led the way. He didn't fly directly upward but flew a considerable distance along the ground. The land abruptly ended, not into a river or a rift valley, but into empty void. It turned out this was a landmass floating in the void. Qin Sang showed no intention of stopping and continued flying forward beyond the landmass. Although Mo Yan was somewhat puzzled, he chose to trust Qin Sang. They flew for another while, leaving the landmass far behind, when Mo Yan suddenly looked surprised.

Unbeknownst to them, the constellations seemed to have fallen from the sky. Stars were shining above their heads, beneath their feet, and in all directions.

'We were actually already inside the Ox Mansion,' Qin Sang revealed the truth.

Mo Yan understood. 'Are you trying to leave the Ox Mansion, Fellow Daoist?'

'Indeed,' Qin Sang nodded. 'Our destination should be the Dipper Mansion, the first of the Black Tortoise's Seven Mansions, not far from the Ox Mansion. However, I'm afraid leaving the Ox Mansion won't be easy.'

As he spoke, Qin Sang scanned the layout of the stars up and down, silently making deductions in his mind. Before long, Qin Sang gained some confidence. He informed Mo Yan, and then thunder roared and lightning flashed around him. Enveloped in lightning, Qin Sang became a humanoid bolt of electricity, dashing wildly among the stars.

Mo Yan quickly noticed that as Qin Sang moved, unusual fluctuations truly appeared in the void. Surprised, he quickly caught up with Qin Sang. Gradually, the surrounding scenery changed. The stars were no longer fixed in place; they began to move, accelerating rapidly. Eventually, Mo Yan could only see streaks of starlight. Innumerable streaks of starlight shot past them, some straight, others spiraling. They felt as if they had plunged into a magnificent river of stars.

'Boom!' Suddenly, thunder erupted, striking a certain spot in the void. Mo Yan's heart jolted; he felt an invisible barrier break open, indicating they could exit the Ox Mansion from here!

'Let's go!' Qin Sang and Mo Yan were about to rush out of the Ox Mansion when they suddenly paused. They had sensed an unfamiliar aura outside the Ox Mansion. There was a top-tier expert outside! Neither of them had anticipated this situation. The other party was clearly not one of the Pestilence Lord's group, meaning other demon cultivators had entered.

Qin Sang and Mo Yan exchanged astonished glances. They immediately thought of something. When they entered the abyss, Red Meteor Mountain and Moon Mire Tundra had also set out with their armies. Could it be that the two sides had coincidentally run into each other again! Were the Demon Saint's subordinates also targeting this place? Furthermore, could it be that Red Meteor Mountain and Moon Mire Tundra's activation of this constellation secret realm was what caused the anomaly in the upper reaches of the Ink River?

Considering this, they did not rashly exit. They immediately retreated rapidly backwards. At the same time, a flash of lightning appeared behind Qin Sang as he activated his Heavenly Awareness Thunder Robe, concealing himself in the shadows. Mo Yan also took out his painting brush, tapped himself a few times, and instantly vanished.

However, the other party had already detected their presence. A blue river of water suddenly surged into the breach. The water swelled, forming a blue giant. The giant's eyes flashed with fierce light as it scanned its surroundings, but found nothing.

'Bang!' The giant's body suddenly exploded, the water transforming into a surging torrent that swept through the area, but still yielding nothing.

Outside the Ox Mansion, the blue-robed youth stared at the void before him, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. Who would emerge from the Ox Mansion at this moment? Surely not Red Meteor Mountain and Moon Mire Tundra, having accidentally entered the Ox Mansion? After a moment of hesitation, he ultimately decided to proceed cautiously and chose not to enter.

Inside the Ox Mansion, after the water dispersed, Qin Sang and Mo Yan slowly reappeared.

'It's the Azure Gloom Demon King, the foremost demon king under Great Saint Bei Heng!' Mo Yan said with a solemn expression.

'Another subordinate of a Great Saint?' Qin Sang asked in surprise. What exactly was happening outside? Great Saint Bei Heng had even dispatched his foremost demon king. Was the Black Silence Demon King not enough? Perhaps the Black Silence Demon King's origin was merely a rumor, as he had never personally confirmed it.

'There's no mistake, it was indeed the Azure Gloom Demon King! I've dealt with him a few times. Fortunately, we reacted quickly enough, otherwise he would surely have recognized my identity,' Mo Yan said, relieved.

There was only one Azure Gloom Demon King outside. Qin Sang and Mo Yan were not afraid of him, but they didn't want to stir up trouble or create complications. What was the true purpose of Great Saint Bei Heng's foremost demon king? And where were Yuan Luo and her companions now? Qin Sang and Mo Yan were no longer as optimistic as before. If they continued, they might clash with the Demon Saint's subordinates.

However, Qin Sang was hesitating. The moment he broke through the Ox Mansion just now, the resonance from the Dipper Mansion had suddenly intensified countless times. He didn't know what was there, but it held an unparalleled attraction for his destined star!

'Is it a treasure or an inheritance?' Qin Sang had never felt such a strong premonition. There might be a great opportunity there, one that surpassed the previous Star Spirit and Star Bowl. If he gave up now, could he truly be content? If he missed this chance, would he regret it for the rest of his life?

Qin Sang struggled internally. His reason urged him to leave this problematic place, but it was too early to retreat now.

They waited in place for a while. Qin Sang then broke through the Ox Mansion from another direction. This time, there were no other demon cultivators guarding outside. They successfully rushed out of the Ox Mansion, immediately feeling fierce astral winds assailing them.

'Nine Heavens Profound Astral Wind!' Mo Yan exclaimed softly.

Qin Sang found that even the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's vision was affected. However, the sensation emanating from the Dipper Mansion was too strong; there was no need to worry about getting lost here. Gazing in the direction that beckoned him, Qin Sang's mind was filled with questions, but also with deep caution.

Sure enough, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly soon detected two more streaks of light within the Nine Heavens Profound Astral Wind. The auras of these two demon cultivators were perfectly integrated; combined, they were no less formidable than the Azure Gloom Demon King.

'These two are...' Mo Yan frowned in recollection. 'Though I don't know their names, I heard my third brother mention them. They are also trusted subordinates of a Demon Saint!'

More Demon Saint subordinates! They had just entered and already encountered three; how many more were in the astral wind? Qin Sang felt a bucket of cold water poured over him, calming him completely.