Chapter 464: Detaining the Stone

Many light clusters were intertwined with the restrictions, indistinguishably. Forcibly removing these Xingyuan Stones would have a ripple effect, potentially causing unpredictable changes to the restrictions. Time was limited, and Jing Po-po found it difficult to stabilize the restrictions. She warned Qin Sang not to cause any unnecessary trouble, as they wouldn't be able to escape if it led to the collapse of Zhitian Peak's space. No wonder Deputy Island Master Xiao hadn't mentioned this before. It was extremely difficult to retrieve the Xingyuan Stones entangled with the restrictions using only a Spirit Lock Bracelet; only the Star Spirit Net could accomplish it.

"Go in here."

Jing Po-po didn't choose to follow the seemingly safest path along the waterfall, going up and leaving the grassland. Instead, she pointed towards the stone path leading into the forest. Seeing Qin Sang's hesitation, she said calmly, "Don't worry, Fellow Daoist Han. I will guide you on how to pass through the restrictions. The Xingyuan Stones you casually collect along the way will be enough for you to surpass others."

The forest was dimly lit and eerily silent, making it somewhat unnerving. However, it wasn't quiet. Inside, multicolored light dots flickered, as if countless spirits were present, but in reality, these were fluctuations generated by fragments of the restrictions. The ethereal glow at the treetops was merely a portion of the restriction fragments within the forest; they were omnipresent inside. Because of these restrictions, moving through the forest was incredibly difficult.

Ultimately, Qin Sang chose to trust Jing Po-po. As he was about to enter the forest, Qin Sang tilted his head back as far as possible, gazing upwards. The height of Zhitian Peak far exceeded imagination; its majestic silhouette pierced straight into the clouds. Qin Sang vaguely saw an eagle-like "Flying Peak," one of the few landmarks on Zhitian Peak that Deputy Island Master Xiao had mentioned. Seeing the Flying Peak here indicated that he was likely located somewhere above the mid-slope of Zhitian Peak.

To be honest, his luck wasn't the best. The distribution of light clusters on Zhitian Peak followed a pattern: the closer to the summit, the more numerous and dangerous the clusters. The restrictions and terrain there were more perilous and complex, but there were also many light clusters not entangled with restrictions, making them easier to collect. Unlike here, in this vast grassland, there wasn't a single light cluster.

One hour was neither a short nor a long time. Judging solely by the surrounding terrain, without Jing Po-po and the Star Spirit Net, Qin Sang would have a chance to get a reward, but if he wanted to compete for first place, he would have to steel himself and enter the forest, regardless of his personal safety. Only by collecting Xingyuan Stones one by one within the gaps of the restrictions was there a glimmer of hope. Of course, there was another way, provided he could meet others.

He stepped into the forest. Qin Sang's eyes suddenly lit up. His face was bathed in half red light, half blue light. The source of the light was the ethereal glow between two ancient trees directly ahead. The blue and red glow were pressed together but didn't blend, forming a distinct thin line in between. They seemed to regard each other as enemies, refusing to yield, yet were confined to this space, only able to exert pressure on each other. Sometimes the blue light gained the upper hand, and sometimes the red light devoured a portion of the blue.

Qin Sang flashed to the two-colored glow, and then heard Jing Po-po say, "Collect the Xingyuan Stones above." Looking up at her words, Qin Sang then noticed five light clusters floating between the treetops of the two ancient trees. His luck was good; three of them floated at the edge of the two-colored glow. The other two were precisely embedded in the gap between the two-colored glows, swaying with them.

"Don't touch the two in the middle," Jing Po-po added. Qin Sang understood perfectly. The two light clusters in the middle were deeply entangled with the restrictions, and removing them would likely cause a violent conflict between the two-colored glows.

He gently raised his palm, and the cluster of threads in his palm swiftly shot towards the treetops. After leaving Qin Sang's hand, they rapidly unfurled into a fine net. Qin Sang had long since refined the Star Spirit Net to his liking, quickly completing the hand seals. He watched as the Star Spirit Net approached the three light clusters, unfurling into a large net that perfectly enveloped them.

Whoosh! The Star Spirit Net shone brightly and unceremoniously lunged at the three light clusters. Under Qin Sang's precise control, the Star Spirit Net did not touch the two-colored glows. The light clusters had no physical form; they were merely clear starlight condensed from primal star energy. Without special artifacts like the Star Spirit Net or Spirit Lock Bracelet, one would simply pass through them. It would be impossible to condense them into Xingyuan Stones. The moment they were enveloped by the Star Spirit Net, the starlight seemed to have met its nemesis. The light fluctuated erratically, attempting to resist or escape, but it could not break free from the Star Spirit Net's restraints.

If it were a Spirit Lock Bracelet, it could only capture one light cluster at a time, and its power was far inferior to the Star Spirit Net. Suppressing even one cluster of starlight would be strenuous, requiring the user's full assistance. If a light cluster couldn't be suppressed, it had to be decisively abandoned. Otherwise, if the resisting cluster accidentally triggered a restriction, the fragile Spirit Lock Bracelet would be unable to withstand the restriction's impact. Even when using the Star Spirit Net, Qin Sang had to be extremely careful when the light clusters resisted. Fortunately, his control was excellent, and he managed to bind all three light clusters without incident.

Under the Star Spirit Net's continuous suppression, the light clusters' resistance grew weaker, their volume steadily decreased, and the starlight gradually compressed inward. Gradually, the light clusters transformed into small, somewhat irregular crystal beads.

Whoosh! The Star Spirit Net, encasing three similarly sized crystal beads, flew back into Qin Sang's palm. These were the Xingyuan Stones. Despite being called stones, they were actually beads. Qin Sang felt a cool sensation in his palm. The Xingyuan Stones were very light, like willow catkins, almost weightless, yet incredibly hard. Qin Sang couldn't crush them even by gripping them tightly with his fingers. As his spiritual sense swept over the Xingyuan Stones, Qin Sang could only perceive an indescribable ethereal quality. This was a wondrous object Qin Sang had never encountered before. Could they be used to form arrays?

Curiosity arose in Qin Sang, but he knew this wasn't the time to examine them. He immediately put them into the special pouch provided by Guansing Island, tightened his grip on the Star Spirit Net, and turned to look at Jing Po-po. From activating the Star Spirit Net to capturing the Xingyuan Stones, only a few breaths of time had passed. It was astonishingly swift, far exceeding the efficiency of the fragile Spirit Lock Bracelet. Thinking of the two spiritual artifacts waiting for him outside, Qin Sang felt incredibly pleased.

Jing Po-po, already aware of the Star Spirit Net's capabilities, her gaze unwavering, fixed on the gap between the two-colored glows. She lightly raised her jade finger, "Go in here!" The time was too short for Qin Sang to discern the intricacies of this restriction fragment, so he could only obey Jing Po-po's command. The ancient trees in the forest weren't dense, and paths branched in all directions, yet Jing Po-po insisted on choosing this most dangerous route. If she intended to harm him, there would be no need for such an elaborate detour!

This thought flashed through Qin Sang's mind. Without hesitation, he followed Jing Po-po's command, his figure flashing into a streak of light, rushing into the gap between the two-colored glows. At that moment, two exceptionally terrifying pressures suddenly appeared to Qin Sang's left and right. If such pressure were to fall upon him, his Dharma Robe wouldn't even last a moment, and he would instantly be crushed into a pulp. Fortunately, the instant he felt the pressure, Qin Sang had already passed through the gap between the two-colored glows, emerging on the other side.