Chapter 476: Guessing

The Human World

Qin Sang hesitated slightly. "Given Senior Qingzhu's strength, for him to have fallen in that place, it must be extremely perilous. I am only at the Foundation Establishment stage..."

"Qingzhu's death had another cause," Granny Jing said. "However, that place is an ancient hall within the Ziwei Palace's inner sanctum, so danger is certainly present. If you are afraid of death..."

As she was speaking, Granny Jing's voice abruptly halted. She turned her head to look outside the hall, having seemingly discovered something, her brow gradually furrowing. After a moment of contemplation, she pointed at the handsome young man Qin Sang was holding and asked, "How do you intend to deal with this person?"

"I..."

Qin Sang opened his mouth.

Before he could reply, Granny Jing shook her head and said, "I don't care what you intend to do. Let me warn you, this person's identity is not simple. If you don't want to get involved, it's best not to take him out of Zhitian Peak, not even his corpse. The magic artifacts and talismans on him are very unique, exclusive to the Yuanshen Sect."

Qin Sang nodded solemnly. "Senior, please rest assured, I understand the gravity of the situation. However, Elder Zhangxing triggered a spatial storm on the other side. With less than half an hour left until Zhitian Peak closes, will there still be enough time?"

"'No need to worry,' Granny Jing replied. 'Although the spiritual array in the square is damaged, the remaining formations are sufficient to stabilize space and quell the spatial storm, as long as this door can be opened...'"

Granny Jing lowered her head to look at the stone platform. She moved her fingers, unleashing several streams of spiritual energy that landed consecutively upon the platform beneath her feet.

As the runes on the stone platform lit up, the entire hall began to vibrate.

The hall trembled continuously like an earthquake, growing more intense. Bright light emanated from the stone pillars surrounding the hall, each of which had a mid-grade spirit stone embedded at its top.

A beam of light shot from every stone pillar, aiming towards the space above the stone platform, directly over Qin Sang and the others' heads.

Qin Sang quickly looked up. He saw that where the beams of light converged, there was an exceptionally pure octagonal crystal, suspended in mid-air and slowly rotating.

The crystal was neither large nor small, barely graspable with one hand. It seemed to be absorbing the power from the stone pillars, growing brighter and brighter.

The runes on the stone platform and the crystal were connected by a single beam of light. A peculiar power was transmitted downwards, causing a partially opened door to appear on the stone platform. The light released by the crystal gathered in front of the door.

Once it reached a certain point, Granny Jing pointed her finger at the crystal, and all changes abruptly ceased.

Granny Jing nodded slightly and murmured, "As expected, with Zhitian Peak appearing, this restriction can be activated... Wait for fifteen minutes until the spatial storm on the other side subsides, then open this door and leave this place. During this time, stay in the hall. Do not touch this crystal, and do not leave, as the space in this immortal dwelling is even more unstable than Zhitian Peak. If you cannot suppress your cultivation, you will only follow in Elder Zhangxing's footsteps. It's the same when you return to Zhitian Peak; it's best not to use the Void Sky Thunder there..."

"'Once you've considered it carefully,' she added, 'wait for me at Xuanlu Pass before Ziwei Palace opens...'"

With that, Granny Jing leaped off the stone platform. Her white robes billowed, and her astonishing escape technique carried her to the exit in the blink of an eye.

Qin Sang hadn't expected Granny Jing to leave so quickly. Feeling a sudden urgency, he quickly called out to her, "Senior, there's no need to consider further! I'll go!"

If Ziwei Palace was truly as Granny Jing described, then after being sent to the inner sanctum, as long as he acted carefully, there should be no major problems.

As for the place where Senior Qingzhu died, he would only know how dangerous it truly was after seeing it for himself.

Even if he couldn't obtain the cultivation method left by Senior Qingzhu from this visit to Ziwei Palace, he could at least scout the path and gain experience for the future. That way, when Ziwei Palace opened again, he would be much more composed.

Moreover, Granny Jing was like a divine dragon, rarely seen. If he missed this opportunity, he might never get another, and he would regret it deeply.

This trip was essential.

Qin Sang spoke quickly, feigning worry, "I've heard that those of us with insufficient cultivation need a token to enter Ziwei Palace. These tokens are extremely rare and difficult to obtain. I, your junior, don't know if I can obtain one..."

Granny Jing's figure paused slightly. She turned her head and gave Qin Sang a deep look. With a wave of her hand, she produced an item, then drifted away gracefully.

Qin Sang caught it, feeling a soft sensation in his palm.

Unfolding it, he saw it was indeed a piece of sheepskin, almost identical to the one he already possessed.

Holding the sheepskin, Qin Sang mused, "I wonder if Yun Youzi obtained any heavenly materials and earthly treasures? Has he recovered from his injuries? Will he still enter Ziwei Palace?"

Even if Yun Youzi didn't need it, he could sell it for a good price.

Putting away the sheepskin, Qin Sang recalled the encounters and observations of this short period, and fell into deep thought.

For some reason, he always felt this immortal dwelling was not simple. He had just been overwhelmed by one piece of news after another from Granny Jing, which had muddled his thoughts, leaving him no time to ponder deeply.

Surveying the empty hall, Qin Sang's eyes suddenly lit up. He remembered some details about the reason Senior Qingzhu had betrayed Shaohua Mountain.

While exploring an immortal dwelling, Senior Qingzhu's confidante obtained a rare treasure within it but accidentally leaked the news. She was then surrounded and killed by her companions who had entered the dwelling with her, including two Golden Core Sages from the Yuanshen Sect.

After this, Senior Qingzhu cleaved open Sword Gate Pass and betrayed his sect. He spent over a decade seeking revenge, eventually finding an opportunity to raid the Yuanshen Sect, slaying two Golden Core Sages to avenge his confidante.

Immortal dwelling, Yuanshen Sect, Leng Yuntian, Granny Jing, Senior Qingzhu, Ziwei Palace...

What kind of rare treasure would make Golden Core Sages of the Yuanshen Sect brazenly and openly commit murder and theft, defying all moral principles?

Could the so-called rare treasure have just been a key?

Qin Sang looked up, studying the crystal, and began to connect the dots in his mind.

Senior Qingzhu and his confidante's experience...

Zhitian Peak's Star Essence Stones could be used to set up ancient arrays, holding significant meaning for the Yuanshen Sect...

Both Senior Qingzhu and Granny Jing harbored enmity towards the Yuanshen Sect...

Granny Jing possessed an unusual understanding of Senior Qingzhu and the 'Soul Nurturing Sword Chapter'...

Oh, and Granny Jing's personality: she detested those who murdered for treasure or killed their companions more than anything. There had to be a reason for this.

The more Qin Sang thought about it, the more he felt that Granny Jing likely had a profound connection with Senior Qingzhu.

Could the immortal dwelling Senior Qingzhu's confidante entered be this very place?

Could that encirclement and slaughter have been the root cause of everything, with its repercussions extending to this very day?

When Senior Qingzhu's confidante was encircled and killed back then, could there have been another mastermind behind the two Golden Core Sages of the Yuanshen Sect?

If that were truly the case, then could the one who severely wounded Leng Yuntian in Ziwei Palace have been...?

Was Granny Jing's ambush and attack on Leng Yuntian due to a personal vendetta, or was there another reason?

Qin Sang was lost in thought, myriad thoughts and countless conjectures filling his mind. He realized that all questions ultimately converged on one focal point: what was the relationship between Granny Jing and Senior Qingzhu?

Or perhaps, what was Granny Jing's relationship with Senior Qingzhu's confidante?

The sect's records should not be false. Senior Qingzhu was an ascetic cultivator; the fact that he dared to cultivate the 'Soul Nurturing Sword Chapter' meant he must have been a devoted ascetic, wholeheartedly pursuing the Great Dao.

He had never heard that Senior Qingzhu had any close relatives.