Chapter 352: Han Immortal Master

Blackwood Market.

Deep mountains and secluded valleys, dense forests and thin mist.

It was exactly as he remembered.

It seemed the Blackwood Market hadn't undergone any significant changes over the years.

Qin Sang descended from the clouds, a cloak draped over his head. Standing before the market's entrance, he recalled his past journey in search of immortality. A feeling of things remaining the same while people had changed washed over him, then he smiled with an air of detachment.

At that moment, the mist stirred, and a young man, only at the third level of Qi Condensation, emerged. Seeing Qin Sang, he looked slightly surprised, then quickly bowed in greeting: "Junior Zhang Feng greets Senior!"

"Are you the gatekeeper of Blackwood Market?" Qin Sang surveyed the man and asked.

He wasn't the previous gatekeeper. Qin Sang realized it made sense; the former gatekeeper was merely a mortal, already advanced in years back then. Many years had passed, and he would have long turned to dust.

Zhang Feng nodded repeatedly. "Senior has a sharp eye! I am here by my patriarch's command to welcome fellow Daoists and esteemed guests entering the market. Our Blackwood Market is the largest in the entire Blackwood Mountain Range. If Senior wishes to purchase spirit pills, magic artifacts, or other items, I can assist you. If you have other important matters, I can also report them to my elders to facilitate your convenience."

Qin Sang nodded. "I'm just here to look around, and to pick up something incidentally..."

The Blackwood Mountain Range lay at the edge of the righteous factions' territory, bordering the demonic path. Its location was precisely slightly southeast of Yin Mountain Pass. The area was a mixed bag of people, which was why Qin Sang had encountered all sorts of individuals during his last visit to the market.

That Blackwood Market could stand firm in such an environment for so many years showed that its owner was far from simple.

Essentially, the righteous and demonic paths in the Minor Cold Domain were separated by the line extending south from Yin Mountain Pass. The gates of Yuanzhao Sect and Kuiyin Sect were also situated to the left and right of this line, facing each other in confrontation.

Fearing he might encounter acquaintances, Qin Sang took a long detour, avoiding the former site of Yuanzhao Sect, before arriving at Blackwood Market. His objective was to retrieve the letter Tan Hao had left and erase all traces.

Tan Hao's act of remembering to leave a warning letter during his time of peril was one reason Qin Sang was willing to help him.

He took out Tan Hao's token and handed it to Zhang Feng.

Zhang Feng lacked the eidetic memory of the previous gatekeeper. He said, "Please wait a moment, Senior..." and hurried inside.

In a short while, Zhang Feng emerged, walking quickly, holding a yellowed letter. "Reporting to Senior," he said, "there is indeed a letter that has not been claimed. Please see if this is the one? This letter was left by a fellow Daoist over forty years ago. The person who left it provided no information and has not reappeared since."

Qin Sang took the letter and opened it. The content was simple: an encrypted message left by the Tan brothers, warning him not to continue cultivating with the Yama Banner.

With a wave of his hand, he crumbled the letter into dust. Qin Sang nodded to Zhang Feng. "Thank you, fellow Daoist. This is indeed the letter."

He had intended to leave directly, but Qin Sang suddenly felt a whim to go inside and look around. Although he hadn't stayed long at Blackwood Market, it held significant meaning for him. It could be considered his starting point in entering the cultivation world.

From this place, he had joined the Kuiyin Sect, experienced Yuanzhao Sect, Shaohua Mountain, and the Ancient Immortal Battlefield, leading him to the present.

Zhang Feng, sensing Qin Sang's desire not to be disturbed, discreetly withdrew.

Pondering these thoughts, Qin Sang stepped into the market.

Streets crisscrossed, shops lined the thoroughfares, and willow trees provided shade. People came and went on the main streets, the vast majority of them mortals.

Some areas still matched his memories, but much had also changed.

These mortals were accustomed to seeing people in cloaks and masks; no one ran over to gawk. Qin Sang silently walked through the streets, unconsciously arriving at the bluestone thoroughfare inside Blackwood Market.

In the square, surrounded by winding water, some cultivators were still setting up stalls and trading, but the crowd was far less dense than on his previous visit.

Qi Condensation cultivators made up the majority in the square. As a way to reminisce, Qin Sang entered the square and strolled around. He found nothing of interest, nor did he see the plump man who had sold him the 'Netherworld Sutra'.

Right, Divine Artifact Pavilion!

Qin Sang quickened his pace, walking towards the wooden building from his memory.

The wooden building remained, but its plaque had been replaced with 'Autumn Water Pavilion'. It sold common spirit materials from the cultivation world, yet it was deserted. The owner was lazily dozing in a recliner.

The owner of the shop next to the Divine Artifact Pavilion, with whom he had once conversed, was also gone.

Qin Sang glanced around, then turned to leave.

Just then, Qin Sang suddenly sensed two powerful auras. He looked up towards the entrance of the bluestone thoroughfare and saw a group of five people approaching from a distance.

Surprisingly, all five were cultivators, and two of them were Foundation Establishment cultivators!

Though they didn't appear arrogant or domineering, two Foundation Establishment cultivators walking together was enough to draw extra attention, and pedestrians on the street moved aside for them.

Qin Sang frowned inwardly. He had no desire to provoke enemies for no reason. Just as he was about to step aside to avoid them, he suddenly paused, his gaze fixed on the person walking at the front of the group. Surprise gradually spread across his face.

This person was tall and walked with a majestic stride, exuding an extraordinary aura. His cultivation was actually at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment.

Judging solely by appearance, it was difficult to discern the true age of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The man had sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, with sharp, distinct features. He looked no older than thirty, yet his cultivation and exceptionally steady demeanor were certainly not something a young person could possess.

This person was likely the highest-ranking among the five.

The other three, including the old man with a subtle aura, seemed more like his guards. Their gazes subtly swept their surroundings, their auras like drawn swords, ready to respond to any sudden attack, maintaining vigilance.

At this person's waist hung a circular jade pendant. Made of warm jade, it was engraved with the characters 'Chunyang'.

In the cultivation world, only disciples of one particular sect were qualified to wear such a jade pendant.

The Chunyang Sect, one of the Eight Righteous Sects!

However, there was one difference on this person's jade pendant compared to those of typical Chunyang Sect disciples: below the 'Chunyang' characters was a very small character—'Han'!

Qin Sang recognized the jade pendant.

And he recognized the person too.

This was none other than Senior Master Han, the one he had saved at the foot of Mount Guling, who had later given him a token and directed him to Blackwood Market!

Although many years had passed, Senior Master Han hadn't changed much, and Qin Sang recognized him at a glance.

"Why is he here?" Qin Sang wondered, surprised.

After obtaining the map of the Minor Cold Domain, Qin Sang had suspected Senior Master Han might be a member of the Han clan. Now, it seemed his guess was correct.

The Han clan was a cultivation family affiliated with the Chunyang Sect. However, the Han clan's territory was south of Blackwood Market, quite a distance away, and this area was not within Chunyang Sect's sphere of influence.

He held no resentment towards Senior Master Han.

Although the token Senior Master Han had given him years ago led him down a divergent path, Senior Master Han had made it clear beforehand that it was entirely Qin Sang's voluntary choice.

However, there was one question Qin Sang had never been able to figure out.

Originally, he hadn't had time to divert his attention to these minor matters. What had happened was already done, and dwelling on it was useless, wasting precious cultivation time.

Now that he had encountered him, perhaps he could finally get to the bottom of it.