Chapter 724: Ashamed

"Back then, Senior Daoist sacrificed himself to distract the bandits. After we separated from him, we hurried to the island to seek help. Senior Ran Luo led people out to rescue him, but they found nothing..."

In the quiet room, Qin Sang sat opposite the Wang sisters, listening to them recount their past experiences.

Qin Sang was somewhat surprised; no wonder the Wang sisters were so emotional upon seeing him. They had seen Qin Sang single-handedly intercept the enemies, allowing them to escape rather than using them as bait. Because of this, they regarded Qin Sang as their savior and remembered him to this day. Qin Sang hadn't actually thought that much about it; he urged them to leave quickly because he found their cultivation too low, fearing they would be a burden rather than a help. An unintentional act had held extraordinary significance for others.

However, they were correct about one thing. Qin Sang had indeed never considered using them as bait to distract the enemies while he escaped.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist, on reaching the Core Formation stage. Your sister must also be close to a breakthrough, I presume? How are the other three Fellow Daoists doing?" Qin Sang looked at the two with a smile.

The elder Wang sister replied, feeling a bit embarrassed. "This humble one's breakthrough is largely thanks to you, Senior Daoist. During the years we followed Senior, seeing your profound cultivation yet still diligently training without ever slacking off, was a tremendous encouragement to us. The precious spiritual materials Senior gave us allowed my sister and me to accumulate enough cultivation resources to purchase high-quality Fiend Core Pills. My sister even gave her Fiend Core Pill to me, which enabled my breakthrough. Now, I am helping my sister gather Fiend Core Pills. With her talent, she should be able to form her core successfully, provided nothing unexpected happens.

"As for the other three Fellow Daoists, they have now returned to the Inner Sea. After the two seniors returned, they attempted core formation once more, but unfortunately, both failed. They openly stated they have given up on forming their core and have returned home with years of savings to raise their only sons. Fellow Daoist Peng also sensed an opportunity for a breakthrough, but his cultivation method is unique, requiring protection from his master during the process, so he had to return to his sect. He left not long ago, and we don't know if he succeeded in forming his core. Before the three Fellow Daoists left, they all specifically told this humble one to find Senior."

As they spoke, Ran Luo entered from outside. Upon seeing Qin Sang, she was equally delighted. When asked about his experiences over the years, Qin Sang presented the explanation he had prepared: he claimed that his opponents back then were too formidable to defeat, and he was pursued deep into the Demon Sea, where he lost his way. Fearing that those individuals might still be lurking near Du Yan Island, he dared not return for a long time and instead struggled to survive in the Demon Sea. Only recently, after learning that the great war had ended, did he dare to come back. The three women didn't doubt his story and sighed with empathy.

"Cultivating diligently anywhere is the same, so it's nothing significant... However, I had just become a guest elder of the merchant association and hadn't yet performed any duties, but then I was gone for twenty years, letting Fellow Daoist Ran down..." Qin Sang said with an apologetic expression.

Ran Luo waved her hand. "It's a great fortune that Senior Daoist escaped safely. Compared to your safety, what are the trivial matters of the merchant association? If anyone is to blame, it's those who caused the great chaos and those several Witch Clan bandits. Senior Daoist, why don't you rest for a few days? I will send this good news to Elder Zou, and in a few days, we can hold a welcoming banquet for you."

Qin Sang didn't want to create such a fuss and quickly dissuaded Ran Luo. "Fellow Daoist Ran, you don't know this, but when I first entered the Demon Sea, I learned about a spiritual medicine on Heavenly Witch Island that I specifically needed. I wanted to gather it fifteen years ago, but unexpectedly, I was trapped in the Demon Sea and have wasted time until now. The spiritual medicine is already mature, and if I delay any longer, I fear a demon beast might get there first. Time is pressing, so let's not bother with formalities. Please bring the spiritual materials; once I fulfill my duties as a guest elder by refining the artifact, I will depart."

Ran Luo quickly asked, "Does that spiritual medicine grow near a demon beast's lair? If there's danger, Senior Daoist, why don't you choose a few helpers from the merchant association to go with you?"

"No need. If it were a dozen years ago, I truly wouldn't have been entirely confident. As the saying goes, 'Within misfortune lies fortune,' being trapped in the Demon Sea brought me significant gains, and my strength is no longer what it once was." Qin Sang spoke with full confidence, adding, "I have one more small matter, a favor I'd like to ask of you, Fellow Daoist."

Ran Luo said with a serious expression, "Please speak, Senior Daoist."

At this point, the Wang sisters, understanding the hint, excused themselves and left. As they walked out of the quiet room and closed the door, the elder Wang sister saw that Qin Sang merely gave them a slight nod, showing no intention of asking them to stay, and her expression dimmed slightly.

"Sister..." The younger sister held her elder sister's arm, looked into her eyes, and hesitated to speak.

The elder sister shook her head, as if talking to herself or perhaps advising herself, "Senior Daoist is an ascetic cultivator."

The younger sister sighed softly and hugged her elder sister tightly. The sisters, leaning on each other, walked further and further away.

Inside the quiet room, Ran Luo watched the Wang sisters leave, then suddenly chuckled and said, "Senior Daoist, you probably don't know this, but the Wang sisters were so impressed by your character that after Du Yan Island was unsealed, they never stopped searching for you. They even secretly investigated the culprits who tried to harm you. They are truly rare individuals who value loyalty and righteousness..."

"I am truly grateful for their kindness, and feel ashamed..." Qin Sang remained silent, not pursuing the topic. He changed his tone and said, "Fellow Daoist Ran, I intend to venture into the Seven Kills Hall and would like to ask the merchant association to keep an eye out for which major power will be leading its next opening. Given that the association primarily operates in the Inner Sea, gathering this information shouldn't be difficult, right?"

By his reckoning, he had been in the Cang Lang Sea for nearly twenty-five years. According to past customs, if any major power intended to open the Seven Kills Hall, they would begin circulating news. After all, preparing the spiritual arrays to break through the immortal formation required astonishing financial resources. Even with their strong foundations, those powers could barely endure it, necessitating decades of preparation beforehand to quickly recoup their investment by selling entry qualifications. He had initially thought the conflict between the two races would affect the Seven Kills Hall, but now that the great chaos had subsided, everything would return to normal. Qin Sang was determined to enter the Seven Kills Hall and would only feel at ease once he secured his qualification.

In truth, he knew perfectly well that even if he found the ancient teleportation array this time, he likely wouldn't be able to return. While the Seven Kills Hall could be opened artificially, the Ziwei Palace on the other side could not. Teleporting there would mean being trapped and facing unknown dangers within the Ziwei Palace. He would have to wait until the Seven Kills Hall emerged on its own before he could return to the Xiao Han Domain. However, the ancient teleportation array was likely not easy to find. If he waited until the Seven Kills Hall emerged on its own to enter, and then couldn't find the array, he would have to wait another two hundred years for its next emergence—by then, it would be far too late. Therefore, this venture was imperative.

Ran Luo's face showed surprise at his words. She said gravely, "When did you decide to go to the Seven Kills Hall, Senior Daoist? How much do you know about it? Please, don't just follow popular opinion! The most easily obtained treasures in the Seven Kills Hall have long been plundered. What remains are extremely dangerous, ominous places, with most being beyond even Nascent Soul grandmasters' abilities to deal with. Those who enter the Seven Kills Hall now are either supremely confident in their strength or are desperate, seeing no other path forward, entering to fight for their lives. Senior Daoist, you've only recently formed your core, you have ample lifespan, and your future is boundless. Why take such a risk?"