Chapter 360: Six Hundred Years Old

Li Yufu took Qin Sang's words to heart, vowing to diligently carry on the sect's lineage and promote the Daoist traditions of Qingyang Temple.

Qin Sang took out "The Complete Sutra of the Underworld," which he had purchased at You Mountain Market, and gave it to Li Yufu. The basic incantations included in this cultivation method were carefully selected and would be enough for Li Yufu to study for quite some time.

Additionally, Qin Sang selected a few artifacts from a pile of unused ones in his mustard seed pouch and gave them to Li Yufu for self-defense. The best among them was the Sky-Flying Shuttle, which You Luoyun had replaced. It could be used to escape in case of danger and would be useful for Li Yufu until he reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

"Since you call me Martial Uncle, consider these things my welcome gifts to you," Qin Sang said with a touch of emotion. "Your current circumstances are much better than mine when I first embarked on the path of cultivation. Remember to cultivate diligently and never be lazy; Senior Yun Youzi dislikes indolent people..."

Li Yufu nodded repeatedly, "This disciple will certainly study and practice diligently!"

Next, Qin Sang thoroughly explained "The Sutra of the Underworld" and some common knowledge of the cultivation world to Li Yufu.

"After sensing spiritual energy, you can use Marrow Nourishing Soup to aid your cultivation..."

"You are not a child, and I don't need to teach you that the world is dangerous. The cultivation world is no different from the mortal world: it's dog-eat-dog, full of deceit. Since you're new to the path of cultivation and your strength is low, remember to keep a low profile in all matters. Do not flaunt your abilities in front of others, lest you invite disaster. If you encounter trouble you can't resolve, take my token and seek help at Han Family Fortress nearby; that will ensure your safety..."

"Next time we meet, I will report your matters to Senior Yun Youzi. Please wait patiently at Qingyang Temple."

After offering sacrifices to Daoist Jixin and Mingyue once more, Qin Sang, despite Li Yufu and his master's attempts to make him stay, set off under the starry night. As the master and disciple watched with reluctance, he ascended on a cloud and headed towards Shaohua Mountain.

Along the way, Qin Sang remained contemplative, unable to enter a state of meditation for a long time. This return to Great Sui brought regret, sentimentality, and contentment... Various emotions welled up in his heart, like a wisp of breeze rippling the pond water. Finally, Qin Sang slowly closed his eyes, and the ripples subsided. Things had changed, and people were no longer the same. His past was settled.

Shaohua Mountain. His sect was in sight, but Qin Sang did not stop. He flew directly past Shaohua Mountain and entered the Vast Cloud Great Marsh. Arriving at a desolate stretch of water, Qin Sang cautiously surveyed the surroundings. Then, he quietly revealed himself, cast a Water Escape spell, and dived into the depths.

He continued to dive until he reached the seabed. The spiritual energy here was sparse, and the underwater environment was particularly desolate. Thick layers of silt were covered with clumps of waterweeds. Qin Sang moved through the waterweeds like a fish, heading towards the location stored in his memory.

Finally, Qin Sang paused slightly, his eyes gleaming as he surveyed his surroundings. Compared to other places, there was nothing extraordinary here. Even if Qin Sang used his spiritual sense to search inch by inch, he couldn't detect the slightest anomaly. The spiritual spring and the Nine Illusory Sky Orchid were hidden here by Qin Sang!

The spiritual vein was still a thousand zhang deep beneath the muddy seabed. Qin Sang had spent a long time carefully searching for this inconspicuous spiritual vein. Because the spiritual vein was not large and was isolated here, and the Profound-Nether Tortoise Shell Array tightly sealed the spiritual energy, it was now extremely well-hidden. Even Golden Core cultivators would not be able to detect its existence unless they thoroughly overturned the area.

Although the spiritual vein was hidden, Qin Sang was confident that it wouldn't be discovered. However, the Nine Illusory Sky Orchid was too precious, and Qin Sang couldn't help but worry about it constantly while he was in the Ancient Immortal Battlefield. Upon his return, the first thing he did was to check on the Nine Illusory Sky Orchid.

"However, I should try to come here as little as possible in the future, just in case..." Qin Sang muttered to himself.

Returning to the Vast Cloud Great Marsh, Qin Sang had no contact with other cultivators. However, from various signs, it was clear that the atmosphere in the Great Marsh was very tense. Cultivators were moving with haste, all worried about future changes in the situation.

The Vast Cloud Great Marsh was boundless. If a major war broke out between the Heavenly Alliance and the Minor Cold Domain, it would only occur in the central area of the marsh. Unless the Minor Cold Domain completely gave up resistance and was steadily defeated, this place would not be affected in the short term. There was no need to rush to move the Nine Illusory Sky Orchid, and Qin Sang also couldn't find a more suitable place than this for now.

However, the Vast Cloud Great Marsh was now a mix of good and bad elements. Major sects had also dispatched disciples to investigate the situation within the marsh. If his whereabouts were discovered by someone with ulterior motives along the way, it might expose the existence of the spiritual spring.

Pondering these thoughts, Qin Sang submerged into the silt and dived straight down. Upon reaching the location of the spiritual vein, Qin Sang paused, feeling resistance. He activated the Profound-Nether Tortoise Shell Array and flashed inside.

Dense spiritual energy washed over him, and a look of contentment appeared on Qin Sang's face. He quickly opened his eyes wide and looked at the spiritual spring. The cavern dwelling was very simple and small. In its center, where there was originally a large rock, Qin Sang had hollowed it out and planted the spiritual spring treasure. Now, a clear spring had manifested, and in its center, the Nine Illusory Sky Orchid swayed gracefully.

The moment he saw the Nine Illusory Sky Orchid, Qin Sang let out a soft "咦" of surprise and delight. He saw that the orchid, which originally had seven-tenths of its petals open, was entirely purple, and resembled a snow-covered ink orchid. Now, all its petals were tightly clasped together, and its rich purple color had faded somewhat.

"This is... the end of the seventh transformation, beginning to brew the eighth transformation!" Qin Sang exclaimed with great joy.

The insights left by that alchemy master contained detailed descriptions of the Nine Illusory Sky Orchid's various transformations. During the eighth transformation, all its colors would completely fade, and the petals would turn pure white. By the ninth transformation, the Nine Illusory Sky Orchid would mature, and even its form would transform into that of the most common orchid. This process could be described as returning to simplicity.

Once all the purple color completely disappeared and the petals bloomed again, the eighth transformation would be declared complete. As long as the spiritual energy remained abundant and didn't hinder the spiritual herb's growth, it would only be one final transformation—another five hundred years—away from maturity.

Currently, the Nine Illusory Sky Orchid had likely just begun to form its bud. Qin Sang estimated that in about twenty to thirty years, it would begin its eighth transformation. By then, he would be exactly a hundred years old. This meant that even if no accidents occurred along the way, he would have to wait until he was six hundred years old for the Nine Illusory Sky Orchid to mature. However, Golden Core cultivators only had a lifespan of five hundred years.

"Six hundred years old... will I have to seek out elixirs that extend lifespan?" Qin Sang felt a headache coming on. In the cultivation world, elixirs that could add twenty or thirty years to one's life were highly sought after by everyone. What was the concept of needing another hundred years of lifespan? Moreover, it was said that such elixirs could not simply be stacked, as their efficacy would diminish.

"I can only take things one step at a time. There's no point in overthinking it when I haven't even formed my Golden Core yet." Qin Sang clenched his fists. "In any case, the Tribulation Crossing Elixir cannot be missed. A twenty percent chance of forming a Nascent Soul is too tempting and crucial for me. Whether it's extending my lifespan or accelerating the spiritual herb's growth, I must find a way!"

Squatting by the pond, Qin Sang gazed at the Nine Illusory Sky Orchid for a moment. He then sealed the cavern dwelling once more, stealthily escaped for a certain distance, and then soared away on a streak of light.