Chapter 1330: The Time Was Drawing Near

With that, Qin Sang ignored everyone else and began speaking on his own.

Calm swiftly returned to the mountain, leaving only Qin Sang’s leisurely voice drifting outward in an unhurried flow.

At first, what Qin Sang taught was simple and easy to understand. Even Qi Refining Realm disciples could follow along.

Earlier, they had worried that a grandmaster of the Spiritual Infant Realm would speak of truths far too profound for them to comprehend. Most had only come to join the excitement, yet to their surprise, they genuinely gained insight. One by one, they focused intently and listened with complete concentration.

As for the Foundation Building and Golden Core cultivators, seeing a dignified Spiritual Infant grandmaster spend so much time elaborating on such low-level concepts, and on the side path of artifact refinement at that, some began to grow impatient.

Naturally, none dared show disrespect before a Spiritual Infant cultivator. At most, they grumbled inwardly.

Yet while their minds wandered, some noticed that several cultivators of the same realm were listening with utter fascination, so absorbed that it clearly was not an act.

Realizing they might have overlooked something important, they hurriedly refocused.

Only then did they discover that those seemingly shallow principles, things they had long believed they fully understood, actually contained unimaginable profundities. With only a few casual remarks, Qin Sang opened an entirely new world before them.

Whether it was about artifacts, astras or other things, Qin Sang explained layer by layer.

His artifact refinement techniques had fused the inheritances of Canglang Sea and Xuling Sect, forming a complete system uniquely his own.

Many cultivators, because of their earlier arrogance and carelessness, found themselves increasingly unable to understand what followed. The teachings sounded like heavenly scripture to them. In the end, a gentle force pushed them beyond the mountain, and only then did they realize what they had missed. Regret came too late.

By the very end, only four remained atop the mountain: Qin Sang, Qingjun, Bing Han, and Jingyu.

All wore thoughtful expressions. Patiently, they listened until Qin Sang finished, then each began speaking in turn, discussing the Dao with him.

This exchange was not limited to the Dao of artifact refinement.

It lasted seven days and seven nights. The lower-ranked disciples looked up toward the summit and could only see four figures seated around a stone platform, yet not a single sound reached them.

Thin mist curled around them. They looked like immortals seated among the clouds.

***

Two years later, in Peach Blossom Valley...

The mist parted, and three figures emerged from within. They were Qin Sang, Qingjun, and Bai.

Qingjun took out a Sound Transmission Talisman. "Devil Lord Tongyou sent word. They have already departed ahead of us and asked that we go directly to Abyssal Ruin to meet them."

Bai said apologetically, "I delayed everyone. I had intended to cultivate a secret technique, but I did not expect it would take so long."

"Brother Bai, your cultivation is what matters most. The celestial gate has not opened yet. Whether we arrive early or late makes little difference." Qin Sang lifted his eyes toward the west and silently calculated the time. "Daoist Jingyu should be arriving soon."

No sooner had he spoken than a bolt of lightning suddenly flashed across the distant horizon and landed before the three of them in the blink of an eye.

After exchanging greetings, they immediately set out.

Bai suddenly remembered something and said, "I should hide myself first. Otherwise, if we encounter others on the way, there will only be more explanations to make."

With that, he flashed away and entered Qin Sang’s Corpse Puppet Pouch. That was exactly what Qin Sang had wanted.

Their destination was Abyssal Ruin, where they were preparing to enter the celestial gate.

Barring surprises, the Ziwei Palace would emerge very soon. This expedition into Ziwei Palace held far too many unknowns.

Bai was the greatest hidden trump card at Qin Sang’s side. The later he was exposed, the better.

This time, all cultivators below the Spiritual Infant Realm had been excluded from the expedition.

The other Spiritual Infant cultivators from Small Cold Domain had already departed earlier. Qin Sang’s group had waited for Bai to finish his secluded cultivation, leaving several days later.

Even Qin Sang was unclear just how powerful Bai had become now.

For Bai, the greatest hurdle had been advancing into a corpse king. Having successfully crossed that threshold, everything afterward had become much easier.

Still, only twenty years had passed. His growth should not have become too outrageous.

The three flew onward. After entering the grasslands, they encountered Spiritual Infant cultivators from Tianxing Alliance and traveled together.

At the sea of mist in Abyssal Ruin, figures hovered in groups of two and three around the Seven-Water Illusion Array.

Daoist Master Zhenyi and several others had gathered together, occasionally glancing toward the swirling mist vortex as they discussed something.

The moment Qin Sang’s group arrived, they were immediately brought over.

Qin Sang looked around. They had arrived among the latest. The Spiritual Infant cultivators of Beichen Realm had all received word early and rushed here in advance.

Old Devil Ye’s scheme, along with the strange changes in Ziwei Palace, held tremendous allure for them. Unless they had truly unavoidable circumstances, nearly everyone had come.

"The three of you have finally arrived. Daoist Canghong, please explain what we discussed earlier once more..." Zhenyi said.

Qin Sang and the other two turned their gaze toward Canghong.

"Within Sin God Palace lie three forbidden grounds. Ancient secrets are hidden within them. They are places Sin Abyss has always wished to explore, and they may also be Old Devil Ye’s target, so they cannot be ignored. After careful thought, I propose we split into three groups and head directly for the three forbidden grounds. If we discover Old Devil Ye, we surround and kill him inside Sin God Palace. If none of the three locations show any trace of him, we regroup at the passage leading to Ziwei Palace. This will not delay us by much time. In addition, Fairy Qiuzhi and several fellow Daoists will remain outside to guard the Seven-Water Illusion Array and prevent Old Devil Ye from escaping..." Canghong explained.

Zhenyi lightly tapped the air, and a mass of mist transformed into a map of Sin God Palace’s terrain.

The landscape within Sin God Palace was extraordinarily complex, filled everywhere with deadly barriers. It was even more perilous than the inner hall of Ziwei Palace.

Though Zhenyi and the others had already heard this once, they still listened with utmost seriousness.

The three forbidden grounds Canghong indicated were located in three separate directions within Sin God Palace. If everyone traveled together and investigated each location one by one, far too much time would be wasted. Dividing their forces was the best option.

Naturally, doing so carried risk. They had already estimated Old Devil Ye’s strength as highly as possible.

Still, everyone had made ample preparations for this journey. Even if they encountered him, they should be able to hold him off for a time until reinforcements arrived.

"I will go with Daoist Master Zhenyi to the forbidden ground on the left. Daoist Tongyou and the Feathered King will head to the one on the right. Daoist Qin, your group will accompany Daoist Lu to this location. How does that sound?" Canghong pointed toward the forbidden ground located in the center of Sin Abyss.

Qin Sang’s group neither agreed nor objected immediately. Instead, they asked what dangers lay within that forbidden ground and how they could determine whether Old Devil Ye was there.

Canghong answered every question without reservation.

Qin Sang and Qingjun quietly exchanged voice transmissions and discussed the matter. The danger level of all three forbidden grounds was roughly equal. It made little difference which one they chose. What they truly needed to guard against was Old Devil Ye.

Then Canghong pointed deeper into Sin God Palace, where the passage to Ziwei Palace lay. "We believe Old Devil Ye’s most likely objective is Ziwei Palace. But he entered long ago. There is no way our speed can surpass his. We can only search for him slowly after entering Ziwei Palace. Whatever grand scheme he is plotting, if he makes a move, signs will certainly appear."

Devil Lord Tongyou continued, "The inner palace of Ziwei Palace appears stable and less dangerous than Sin God Palace. In truth, most forbidden grounds there are places Spiritual Infant cultivators cannot enter alone. Old Devil Ye’s choices are limited. He previously forced his way into the heavenly mountain. This time, he will most likely go there again..."

Seeing that every possibility had already been thoroughly considered, Qin Sang and Qingjun said no more and accepted the arrangement. Together with Lu Boyuan, they gathered the other Spiritual Infant cultivators traveling with them and discussed their next course of action.

Ziwei Palace was on the verge of emerging. The turbulence within Abyssal Ruin grew more violent by the day. The sea of mist had become a scene of devastation, with chaotic currents everywhere.

Without protection, cultivators below the Spiritual Infant Realm could scarcely maintain a foothold here.

As time passed, a few more Spiritual Infant cultivators arrived one after another. Silently, everyone watched the vortex. They waited for the celestial gate to open!

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