Chapter 663: Settling Down

The Mortal World

It was the demonic qi that had kept Du Han stuck at a bottleneck for many years. He had previously refined some spiritual herbs to clear demonic qi, which had some effect. If he had taken this Golden Orchid Grass, he would have been able to successfully break through to the middle Core Formation stage. Unfortunately, he no longer had the chance.

Qin Sang put away the crystal, and a jade box appeared in his palm.

Inside the jade box was a shimmering, slender spiritual herb—the Golden Orchid Grass.

"I didn't expect that some spiritual herbs of little value in the Lesser Cold Domain would be considered rare treasures here," Qin Sang mused. "If I had known, I would have collected more to bring over; I surely would have made a fortune."

He had acquired Du Han's mustard seed pouch, which yielded a rich harvest, so he wasn't in a hurry to sell the Golden Orchid Grass. This kind of spiritual herb was needed by all human Core Formation cultivators. It would be best used for bartering to maximize its value.

With this thought, Qin Sang sorted the contents of Du Han's mustard seed pouch by category and transferred them to his Thousand Weight Ring, then destroyed the mustard seed pouch.

Two days later.

Thousand Household Village.

The old shaman doctor, who had always been robust and could still personally climb mountains to gather herbs and fight wolves like a young man, suddenly fell gravely ill and passed away within an hour. The shaman doctors invited from other villages had not yet arrived.

The old shaman doctor was highly respected and well-regarded in Thousand Household Village. The villagers were deeply saddened but could only endure their grief and arrange his funeral. Little did they know that on the day the old shaman doctor was buried, the body interred in the grave was actually that of an unfamiliar old man. At the same time, a dark cloud quietly rose from the green peak on the opposite bank of Thousand Household Village and soared into the sky.

Within the cloud sat Qin Sang and the old shaman doctor.

The old shaman doctor remained silent, quietly gazing at Thousand Household Village, where he had lived for decades, until it disappeared from sight. He continued to look into the distance, reluctant to part.

Sensing Qin Sang's gaze, the old shaman doctor withdrew his own, wiped his eyes, and chuckled self-deprecatingly, "You must be laughing at me, Esteemed Emissary. Although I am a lonely old man, leaving Thousand Household Village so suddenly leaves me feeling inexplicably empty. It's as if all the ordinary things I once took for granted have become inseparable bonds, pulling at my heartstrings..."

The old shaman doctor wore a look of wistfulness.

Qin Sang understood the old shaman doctor's feelings. The old shaman doctor had, in a way, saved him, so Qin Sang didn't resort to coercive methods. Instead, he used Mute Maiden's name, coaxing and deceiving the old shaman doctor into leaving. The body in the grave was one he had found outside, and he had used methods learned in the mortal world to ensure it would decompose very quickly after burial. This was done out of caution, though it wasn't strictly necessary. On that day, when he drifted in the river, tangled in broken branches and deadwood, covered in grass and leaves, only Mute Maiden and the old shaman doctor had personally seen the dismembered corpse. Even if the Li Witch Palace were to investigate, unaware of the true circumstances, there would be no need to dig up a mortal's grave.

"Don't worry, old man," Qin Sang promised, "Mute Maiden instructed me before she entered seclusion to settle you in a safe place and ensure your prosperity for generations."

The old shaman doctor gave a bitter smile. "I'm used to hardship; whether I enjoy prosperity or not isn't important. I just never imagined that before I entered the earth, I would be carried into the sky by Esteemed Emissary. Only now do I truly know how free birds are. At least this life wasn't lived in vain."

After a moment of reflection, the old shaman doctor suddenly grew somewhat anxious. "If Esteemed Emissary hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known the world of immortals is so dangerous. Since Esteemed Emissary only took me, will they use others to threaten that girl Mute Maiden?"

"No," Qin Sang replied. He shook his head. "Mute Maiden only cares about you. And you know her character; she wouldn't stir up trouble without reason. Settling you elsewhere is just a precaution."

The old shaman doctor breathed a sigh of relief and said repeatedly, "As long as I don't drag Mute Maiden down, that's all that matters. As a dying man, I can do anything. I watched that child grow up; she suffered so much hardship since she was little and is very innocent. I regret that day I couldn't protect her during the saintess selection, but thankfully, you arrived, Esteemed Emissary. This is also Mute Maiden's destiny: after suffering, she has come into good fortune and become an immortal, something others wouldn't even dare to dream of. If she is ever ignorant, Esteemed Emissary, please be more forbearing for her sake, considering she saved you. Otherwise, send her back; I could live a few more years and still take care of her..."

"Mute Maiden is doing well and is in strenuous cultivation. Please rest assured." Qin Sang said this against his true feelings, then settled into meditation.

The old shaman doctor secretly glanced at Qin Sang, finally sighed inwardly, and dared not disturb Qin Sang again.

What the old shaman doctor didn't expect was that this flight wouldn't stop. The black cloud beneath them passed through countless mountains and ridges, and he witnessed innumerable wondrous sights he could never have imagined in his lifetime. From initial wonder to later numbness. The Witch God Emissary beside him, apart from an occasional brief conversation, had been meditating the entire time. For the first time, the old shaman doctor truly understood the meaning of "strenuous cultivation."

Having lost count of how many sunrises and sunsets had passed, the old shaman doctor noticed that the mountains and rivers below were less treacherous, plains became increasingly common, and he saw several majestic cities he had never before witnessed, greatly broadening his horizons. Little did he know, they were about to leave the Western Frontier territory.

At that moment, Qin Sang slowly opened his eyes and took out a topographical map to examine it. Carrying the old shaman doctor and needing to avoid other Core Formation cultivators entering the Western Frontier, Qin Sang had taken many detours, so his flying speed wasn't fast. Still, he had finally arrived at the edge of the Western Frontier without incident.

The map showed that their current location was a small mortal kingdom under the control of the Li Witch Palace. If they continued straight east, they would enter the Li Witch Palace's domain completely. Having reviewed the map, Qin Sang immediately urged the Gloom Cloud to change direction, heading straight north to bypass the Li Witch Palace's influence.

He didn't intend to leave the old shaman doctor here. He was heading to the northern end of the Witch God Continent, to a port called Calm Waves Port. Calm Waves Port was one of the most famous large ports on the Witch God Continent. It was also where many major human merchant guilds gathered on the continent, making it easy to encounter human cultivators. Calm Waves Port was very prosperous, with deeply entrenched powers. However, since it was in Witch Clan territory, humans dared not be too ostentatious and hoped to maintain the port's stability. The Li Witch Palace's reach didn't extend to Calm Waves Port. Finding a mortal kingdom there to settle the old shaman doctor and let him live out his golden years would be most suitable.

After leaving the Western Frontier, the population density noticeably increased. Qin Sang maintained a very low profile. To avoid the eyes and ears of the Li Witch Palace, he even disguised himself as a mortal and hired a carriage to travel. With his protection, although the old shaman doctor was old, he didn't feel the hardship of the journey. Qin Sang also noticed that the old shaman doctor was gradually becoming suspicious after being brought so far. However, he wasn't concerned; after settling the old shaman doctor, he would certainly seal his memories, especially those concerning the severed arm. The matter was too important to be careless in the slightest.

An unremarkable carriage sped along the main road. Suddenly, the curtain was pulled back. Qin Sang gazed south, towards the location of the Li Witch Palace's main gate, his eyes indifferent. Finally, he withdrew his thoughts and began to ponder what needed to be done at Calm Waves Port.