Chapter 740: Bottleneck

Qin Sang began attempting to cultivate the technique self-created by Venerable Qingzhu.

Initially, the comprehension process was exceptionally smooth, as the method was, after all, an offshoot of his original cultivation art. However, when Qin Sang truly began to cultivate and tried to etch the sixth Slaughter Talisman onto his Lifebound Spirit Sword, he encountered problems.

First, the new Slaughter Talisman offered less assistance to his cultivation than a true one. Had it been a genuine Slaughter Talisman, Qin Sang's cultivation speed should have rivaled that of dual-spirit root cultivators, truly elevating him to the ranks of heavenly prodigies. As it stood, there was still a significant gap.

Second, the Slaughter Talisman created by Venerable Qingzhu was imperfect. While Qin Sang could cultivate it, it wasn't a perfect fit for him, carrying a risk of collapse if he made a single mistake. This imposed extremely high demands on both the cultivator and the Lifebound Spirit Sword. Consequently, if the Ebony Sword wasn't upgraded, it might not be able to withstand the full power of a complete Slaughter Talisman. This meant that midway through his cultivation in the mid-Core Formation stage, Qin Sang would awkwardly face the collapse of his Lifebound Spirit Sword. The bottleneck would arrive prematurely and unexpectedly.

The situation was more severe than Qin Sang had anticipated.

"A bottleneck! A bottleneck! I only have a few decades left. And there’s still no news. Can I truly find one of the Ten Great Divine Woods by searching aimlessly? Do I really have to wait until I return to the Minor Cold Domain and search for the Boundless Blood Mulberry in Boundless Valley?"

Qin Sang awoke from his meditation, gazing impassively at the cavern ceiling.

The *Primordial Spirit Sword Nurturing Chapter* was too unique. Switching to another cultivation technique would not only regress his cultivation speed to that of a five-spirit root, but the cost would also be unbearably high, potentially forfeiting his chance to break through to the Nascent Soul stage. Qin Sang would not even consider such a thought unless there was absolutely no other shred of hope.

"The good news is that Venerable Qingzhu's cultivation method isn't overly profound; there are clues to follow. To a certain extent, even without etching the Slaughter Talismans, I can still comprehend most of its true meaning. Once I find suitable spirit wood and upgrade the Ebony Sword, etching the talismans will become much easier and faster. However, the time gained this way is limited; this problem will surface eventually."

"There's also another method: to incorporate artifact forging techniques while etching the Slaughter Talismans. Continuing to delve into the path of artifact forging should allow me to etch a few more strokes. Fortunately, I had considered this before, preparing for a rainy day, and now I have some promising leads. There’s great hope."

Ultimately, Qin Sang sighed, "These are all temporary fixes, not root cures."

After a moment of contemplation, Qin Sang resumed his quiet cultivation. While cultivating, he also pondered how to use artifact forging to enable the Ebony Sword to bear more Slaughter Talismans.

Cultivation proved timeless; before he knew it, over two years had passed. During this time, Qin Sang barely left his cave dwelling. He cultivated diligently every day, researched artifact forging and restrictive formations, made various attempts, and endured countless failures. Finally, he compiled some rudimentary forging restrictions that could stabilize the Ebony Sword. This was merely a prototype, with much room for improvement.

"I didn't expect to be in secluded cultivation here for so long because of my cultivation technique; this wasn't part of the plan. There are less than three years until the Seven Kills Hall opens. After touring the entire Fiend Ocean, trying to then explore the Inner Sea would be too constrained; I can't just take a quick look. It would be better to spend the remaining time in the Fiend Ocean, and then stay in the Inner Sea for a period after emerging from the Seven Kills Hall."

Qin Sang stepped out of his cave dwelling, having made his decision. He summoned the Two-Headed Ferret, ascertained his direction, and his figure vanished into the vast blue ocean.

Grand Desolation Island.

This island served as the gateway for human cultivators entering the Fiend Ocean. Like Sky Witch Island, it was heavily guarded, incredibly vast, resembling a small continent. It was a rare large island in the Fiend Ocean. Not only did cultivators frequent it, but mortals also tilled the land.

Having been teleported to this region over fifty years ago, this was Qin Sang's first time setting foot on Grand Desolation Island. Legend had it that Grand Desolation Island was the first island occupied by cultivators entering the Fiend Ocean, holding extraordinary significance; at that time, the Fiend Ocean was truly a wild and untamed land. In reality, it wasn't much better now; the areas occupied by cultivators of both races were still insignificant compared to the entire Fiend Ocean.

He stood before the city gate, gazing at the massive city.

After nearly three years of travel, Qin Sang had visited almost all the islands in the Fiend Ocean, experiencing both gains and disappointments. Wherever he went, the first thing Qin Sang did was inquire about news of the Ten Great Divine Woods appearing. To this end, he actively contacted many people, including trusted aides of island lords and solitary rogue masters. The Fiend Ocean was a treasure trove, not only home to fiendish beasts, but if one was lucky, spirit herbs and immortal flowers could be found on uninhabited desolate islands—for example, the six-petaled butterfly violet on Red Leaf Island.

Searching for the Ten Great Divine Woods in the Fiend Ocean, though a slim chance, was not entirely impossible. Qin Sang's escape technique was unique; he dared to venture into the most dangerous places. However, frustratingly, there was no news, not even related rumors. He could only pin his hopes on the Inner Sea. The Inner Sea had been occupied by cultivators since ancient times, possessing ancient inheritances; perhaps clues could be found among various legends. Some top sects might even secretly possess the Ten Great Divine Woods, unbeknownst to others.

Qin Sang entered the city but did not go into the shops. After discerning the direction, he headed directly to a small courtyard within the city with a clear purpose.

*Knock, knock…*

Qin Sang reached out and knocked on the main gate. The small courtyard looked no different from the neighboring ones, and the main gate was a common wooden door. However, the message Qin Sang received from Elder Zou instructed him to come here to meet with other cultivators from the Eastern Extremity Alliance and enter the Seven Kills Hall together.

Qin Sang still held great reverence for a behemoth like the Eastern Extremity Alliance. Although there were no signs of restrictive formations around the small courtyard, he did not casually use his spiritual sense to investigate.

*Creak…*

Before long, the wooden door was pushed open from the inside, and a kind-faced old man emerged.

"May I know what Senior wishes?" the old man asked. Though only at the Foundation Establishment stage, he was neither humble nor arrogant when facing Qin Sang.

Qin Sang spoke gently, "Venerable elder, some time ago I purchased a token and was scheduled to collect it here. This is my credential. I ask the elder to inform the master of the house." As he spoke, Qin Sang handed over the token of the Jade Expanse Merchant Guild.

A glint flashed in the elder's eyes. After taking the token, he carefully examined it, then smiled. "So it is Daoist Master Qingfeng. My master has been waiting for you for a long time. Please follow me, Daoist Master."

Qin Sang followed the elder into the courtyard, discovering that it was larger than it appeared, with several exquisite wooden buildings emanating a shimmering, powerful aura of restrictive formations. The elder led Qin Sang to one of the wooden buildings, cupped his hands and said, "My master is currently with a guest outside and will return in the evening. Please rest here for a while, Daoist Master."

"Very well," Qin Sang nodded, stopped in front of the building, and looked at the other wooden buildings. From these wooden buildings, Qin Sang sensed hidden, subtle auras, indicating that others had already arrived.