Chapter 264: Deadly Temptation

"Thank you for your righteous assistance, benefactor."

Daoist Master Xuanyu bowed upwards, his voice ethereal. Knowing his time was short, he spoke rapidly, "May I know your name, benefactor? Would you grant me a final glimpse before I die? Even in the afterlife, I will surely remember your kindness forever."

After a moment of waiting, there was no movement from the flock of firebirds; the person within showed no intention of appearing.

Disappointed, Daoist Master Xuanyu shook his head and spat out a ball of green light. Encased within the green light was a talisman. The talisman's material resembled green jade, with an unusually complex seal script carved in its center, surrounded by intricate golden patterns. Its shape was markedly different from the Heavenly Gang Blade Talisman and the Nine Dragon Chariot Talisman.

Even more peculiar, inside the talisman, there was a miniature heavenly palace, enveloped in mist, appearing and disappearing, exceptionally mysterious.

"Could it be the Inner Scenery Primordial Talisman?"

Qin Sang's heart stirred.

Indeed, Daoist Master Xuanyu then spoke, "Benefactor, you must have heard earlier that this is the Inner Scenery Primordial Talisman, which the Old Devil of Earth's Defect sought by any means necessary. I wish to offer this item as a reward to you. I have lived for nearly four hundred years, and now that my body is gone and my cultivation dispersed, I can face death calmly. This Inner Scenery Primordial Talisman is the only trace I leave behind in this world; I only hope you will make good use of it."

This talisman was truly miraculous. As the Old Man of Earth's Defect had mentioned, it could even aid in forming a Nascent Soul, making it an unparalleled temptation for any cultivator.

However, Qin Sang remained hidden within the flock of firebirds, unmoving.

It was as if he hadn't seen the Inner Scenery Primordial Talisman.

Daoist Master Xuanyu waited for a while. Seeing no response, he gave a bitter smile. His primordial spirit grew dimmer and dimmer until it vanished, and the Inner Scenery Primordial Talisman in his hand slowly drifted downwards.

This supreme treasure was about to be swallowed by the surging lava.

A commotion stirred within the flock of firebirds, and a figure suddenly flashed out, poised to dive. Unexpectedly, just as the figure appeared, chains shot out from the void, binding it and firmly restraining it in place.

At the same time, the Inner Scenery Primordial Talisman, about to fall into the lava, subtly shattered, like a reflection in a mirror or the moon in the water. This secret talisman had been nothing more than an illusion.

Daoist Master Xuanyu's primordial spirit reappeared and, without hesitation, lunged towards the figure.

The next moment, that figure also shattered, just like the Inner Scenery Primordial Talisman.

It too was merely an illusion.

Daoist Master Xuanyu's face was filled with astonishment. After a long pause, he suddenly seemed relieved and burst into three hearty laughs.

"Good! Good! Good!"

With that, he passed away peacefully.

Qin Sang, hidden within the flock of firebirds, broke into a cold sweat. The Inner Scenery Primordial Talisman was a powerfully alluring bait, behind which lay a deadly trap.

Daoist Master Xuanyu might have been an upright gentleman, but how many could uphold their principles when faced with the threat of death?

Qin Sang dared not take the gamble.

Moreover, his strength had already been exposed when he ambushed the Old Man of Earth's Defect.

Daoist Master Xuanyu must have also realized that the hidden figure was merely a minor Foundation Establishment cultivator. Furthermore, the Old Man of Earth's Defect's final actions indicated an unusual connection between Qin Sang and him.

Daoist Master Xuanyu had repeatedly called him his benefactor, but how much true kindness had he actually shown Xuanyu?

If it were simply about saving someone, he should have spoken out and warned him much earlier.

From Daoist Master Xuanyu's perspective, Qin Sang and the Old Man of Earth's Defect were allies, conspiring against him, both harboring ill intentions. Qin Sang's attack on the Old Man of Earth's Defect was merely an internal conflict among accomplices.

Had Qin Sang not been so well-hidden, Daoist Master Xuanyu wouldn't have needed such an elaborate scheme; he could have simply captured him.

Honestly, Qin Sang had to admit that he was an opportunist looking to profit from others' struggles.

Therefore, Qin Sang did not believe Daoist Master Xuanyu was genuinely grateful.

While Qin Sang was not afraid of being seized by Daoist Master Xuanyu's spirit, the failure of a spirit possession attempt did not mean there were no other ways to deal with him. Even a Core Formation cultivator, reduced to a primordial spirit, possessed mysterious and unpredictable methods.

Fortunately, Daoist Master Xuanyu was on the verge of death and eager to attempt spirit possession. In his haste, he failed to notice that the figure was merely an illusion conjured by Qin Sang, which had consumed his remaining strength.

An hour later.

Qin Sang cautiously emerged from the flock of firebirds, gazing at the desolate space, a look of contemplation on his face.

Two Core Formation cultivators had died here, and Qin Sang had only managed to retrieve one spatial pouch. The Heavenly Sound Snail was nowhere to be found.

Daoist Master Xuanyu had abandoned his physical body when he immolated his golden core, and it was subsequently destroyed by the Old Man of Earth's Defect. Any remaining relics would have fallen into the lava.

Even after Daoist Master Xuanyu's primordial spirit dissipated, Qin Sang still hadn't seen the Inner Scenery Primordial Talisman. Did he not actually possess this secret talisman?

Qin Sang wondered to himself, then shifted his gaze to the stone palace below.

With his feet firmly on the ground, Qin Sang's constantly taut nerves finally relaxed. He felt pain everywhere, as if his entire body was riddled with holes.

After swallowing two more spiritual pills, he felt somewhat better.

Qin Sang gazed at the bluestone at the entrance of the stone palace. The restrictions on it seemed to have been partially broken by Daoist Master Xuanyu, their glow much dimmer than before. He pressed his palm against the restrictions and channeled his spiritual energy, but found he couldn't move the stone palace even slightly.

After several attempts, Qin Sang shook his head, completely abandoning the idea.

Escaping the danger and obtaining a Core Formation cultivator's spatial pouch was already an unexpected boon; the treasures within the stone palace were beyond his grasp.

Thinking this, Qin Sang retracted his arm, intending to leave the area and wait for rescue at the volcano's mouth. His peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of something, and his heart stirred. He walked over, bent down, and picked it up.

It was half of the Nine Dragon Chariot Talisman. The other half had fallen into the lava and was likely destroyed by now. The remaining half of the Nine Dragon Chariot Talisman no longer emitted spiritual light, and all its dragon spirit souls were gone. It resembled a pale, unremarkable jade piece.

Unexpectedly, as Qin Sang's fingers touched the Nine Dragon Chariot Talisman, a dragon's mournful cry suddenly emanated from it.

The Nine Dragon Chariot Talisman vibrated slightly, still able to struggle.

"Huh?"

Qin Sang let out a soft exclamation. Spiritual energy flickered in his palm, binding the Nine Dragon Chariot Talisman. He extended his divine sense into the secret talisman and discovered that there was still a dying dragon spirit soul inside, with only half its body remaining, yet miraculously, it had not perished.

Sensing Qin Sang's divine sense, the dragon spirit soul's eyes flashed fiercely, and it bravely lunged forward!

"You beast, how dare you still be so presumptuous!"

Qin Sang snorted coldly and immediately unleashed his divine sense without reservation, striking the Nine Dragon Chariot Talisman.

The dragon spirit soul had previously possessed strength at the peak of the Demonic Spirit stage. At that time, Qin Sang certainly would not have been its match.

But now, with the dragon spirit soul severely wounded, subduing it would not be difficult.

The Nine Dragon Chariot Talisman vibrated continuously, and the dragon spirit soul struggled violently, but its power of counterattack grew weaker and weaker until it was finally suppressed and subdued by Qin Sang.

At this moment, Qin Sang understood.

No wonder the Old Man of Earth's Defect said the secret talisman would not recognize a master. Now that he had subdued the dragon spirit soul, he only needed to refine it slightly to keep the talisman within his body for nourishment.

However, if someone else were to seize the secret talisman in the future, it could not be retrieved.

The Nine Dragon Chariot Talisman was truly a secret talisman meant for escape.

Once the secret talisman was refined, it could bind nine spirit souls. These spirit souls had to come from demonic beasts with dragon bloodlines, and their souls had to be extracted just before their death to be accepted by the talisman.