Chapter 996: Reforging the Spirit Sword

Old Devil Mu was a grandmaster of the demonic path.

It was understandable for Spirit Pearl, as the leader of the righteous path, to vanquish demons, but the Demonic Lord's intervention was truly astonishing. People wondered what heinous act Old Devil Mu had committed to simultaneously provoke both the righteous and demonic paths.

Soon after, the real story emerged. Old Devil Mu had dared to violate the rules established by human ancestors, engaging in indiscriminate slaughter of Core Formation cultivators within the Seven Kill Hall. What was even more outrageous was that he had blocked the hall's only entrance. This was truly appalling. Such egregious behavior enraged everyone, making him a target for all. The alliance between the righteous and demonic forces was not only to punish Old Devil Mu but also to serve as a warning to others.

"I've long heard that the Seven Kill Hall is a perilous place," the shop owner sitting opposite Qin Sang said, shaking his head and sighing. "Now I realize the greatest dangers aren't just the ancient restrictions within the hall, but also human hearts. I can't imagine what Old Devil Mu hoped to gain by slaughtering Core Formation cultivators, only to meet such an end. Fortunately, the two great cultivators didn't stand idly by. Seeing Old Devil Mu's fate, those Nascent Soul Grand Ancestors will likely be more cautious and dare not casually violate the Four Sages Order."

"What is the Four Sages Order?" Qin Sang asked, hearing the phrase for the first time.

"It's normal for you not to have heard of the Four Sages Order, as it doesn't concern Core Formation cultivators much; its primary purpose is to constrain Nascent Soul Grand Ancestors. I only learned about it from a senior. Have you seen the Four Sages Mountain, fellow Daoist?" the shop owner said, pointing outside. "As the name suggests, the Four Sages Order was jointly established by those four sages. It's respected throughout the four seas, and no one dares to disobey!

"This island is called Tianxing Island, also known as Saint Island, precisely because it was once the Four Sages' cultivation ground, and it's where our human race began its rise to prominence! You should know a thing or two about the history of the human race, fellow Daoist. Once, our human race was weak, while the Witch race flourished. Before the Four Sages, the Witch race occupied most of the Canglang Sea, forcing humans to retreat to the Northern Sea. At our lowest point, we were even forced to flee to the Rain Desert.

"The Four Sages turned the tide, repelling the Witch race and rescuing humanity from peril. They then led the human race in a counterattack, forcing the Witch race to retreat to the Witch God Continent. This marked the beginning of humanity's great prosperity. The Four Sages' prestige reached its peak, leading them to establish the Four Sages Order. Several tenets relate to the Seven Kill Hall, one of which forbids Nascent Soul cultivators from slaughtering lower-level cultivators within it.

"However, with the passage of time and countless transformations, the internal dynamics of the human race have shifted many times. Many people no longer remember or care about the Four Sages Order. Even fewer low-level cultivators are aware of it. It is said that the Seven Kill Hall was discovered by the Four Sages themselves. They found invaluable treasures and immortal techniques there, causing their cultivation to skyrocket, which enabled them to overpower the Witch experts..."

The shop owner recounted the details. Hearing these secrets, Qin Sang finally understood the full history. No wonder the Four Sages commanded such high prestige and were revered by humanity to this day.

"Thank you for clarifying, fellow Daoist," Qin Sang said, then changed his tone and asked curiously, "What was Old Devil Mu's fate? Did he also perish along with Tianxing Island?"

"Well..." The shop owner's brow furrowed slightly, and he shook his head. "It's hard to say. There's no definite news from the rumor mill, and neither the Demonic Lord nor the Heavenly Dao Sect has announced anything. However, I think Old Devil Mu, being only a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, couldn't possibly have escaped when facing Spirit Pearl and the Demonic Lord, two great cultivators, could he?"

Then, as if recalling something, the shop owner said with lingering fear, "Even if Old Devil Mu somehow survived, he certainly wouldn't be well off. Not only the righteous and demonic paths, but also the three major merchant alliances are now kicking him while he's down. They say a merchant guild from the East Pole Alliance was controlled by Old Devil Mu, its high-ranking members met terrible ends, and now the entire guild no longer exists..."

The shop owner recounted Old Devil Mu's crimes, which were too numerous to list. The merchant guild slaughtered by Old Devil Mu was none other than the Qiongyu Merchant Guild. Qin Sang felt a chill hearing this. He wondered what kind of torment he would have endured if he had fallen into the hands of such a person.

At the same time, he felt a sense of bewilderment. He had thought he would never be able to deal with Old Devil Mu, yet unexpectedly, someone had avenged him. In retrospect, both incidents were not unrelated to him. Old Devil Mu had intercepted him, caused a massacre in the Seven Kill Hall, and later controlled the Qiongyu Merchant Guild, all in pursuit of him. It was a case of reaping what he sowed. His only regret was the uncertainty of Old Devil Mu's death. He still needed to be cautious.

Qin Sang mused silently that once he reached the Heavenly Dao Sect, he could inquire about the details of that great battle. Even if Old Devil Mu had managed to escape, he must have been severely wounded.

"Should I hand over the Fiery Curse Seed? Or should I go find him myself?" Qin Sang pondered for a moment, then dismissed the idea. He couldn't risk himself without knowing Old Devil Mu's current state. Bai had mentioned that there weren't many fiery curses sealed within the Fiery Curse Seed, and his self-created refining method was also imperfect. Once activated, the fiery curses would "burn" out quickly, and their detection range was limited. Searching for someone in the vast Canglang Sea would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Moreover, if he handed over the Fiery Curse Seed, he would have to explain its origins. The Demonic Lord himself coveted the Eighteen Demonic Banners; if his secret were exposed, he wouldn't be able to protect himself.

"How the tables have turned!" Even though he hadn't personally taken revenge, Qin Sang was still in high spirits.

After bidding farewell to the shop owner, Qin Sang stayed on Tianxing Island for a while longer, inquiring about Ran Luo's whereabouts. Although Ran Luo had introduced him to the merchant guild, he hadn't had much contact with her afterward, usually communicating directly with Old Zou. Ran Luo wasn't a high-ranking member of the guild, so if she wasn't implicated, she should still be alive. Although he couldn't find Ran Luo, Qin Sang did learn of some guild members who had tragically died at Old Devil Mu's hands, and Ran Luo's name was not among them.

"I hope she's alright..." Qin Sang sighed inwardly.

He couldn't wait any longer. Leaving Tianxing Island, he flew towards the Heavenly Dao Sect. The island where the Heavenly Dao Sect was located was a third larger than Lan Dou Gate's territory. There were no other sects on this island; the entire island belonged to the Heavenly Dao Sect. The Heavenly Dao Sect wasn't overbearing in its conduct. Besides the core area where its main gate was located, other places weren't restricted by barriers. However, few dared to commit misdeeds here.

A market established by the Heavenly Dao Sect was situated on the shore. This was forbidden territory for the demonic path. Yet, for righteous cultivators, it was considered the safest place in the entire Canglang Sea, second only to Tianxing Island. Countless cultivators came here, drawn by its reputation. Though called a market, it was actually a city.

Qin Sang, using a disguised identity, blended into the city. Then, employing his old trick, he opened a small shop in the market under the guise of an artifact refiner. He was capable of refining magical treasures even without the Nine Nether Demonic Flame. After long consideration, he decided not to directly approach the Heavenly Dao Sect. Instead, he would settle down in the market first and inquire about the sword cultivator surnamed Ning.

After renting a shop and a cultivation cave, Qin Sang remained in his cultivation cave, not going anywhere. He sensed that the Ebony Sword was on the verge of completing its transformation!