Gateway of Immortality

The evasion light descended upon Wenyue Market, and Qin Sang needed to fulfill a promise made a year ago by reclaiming the Chi Dragon Sword.

It wasn’t that he was reluctant to part with this malevolent artifact, which was on the verge of destruction; rather, he didn’t want the Chi Dragon Sword to fall into the wrong hands and attract unwanted attention.

Shopkeeper Wu returned the Chi Dragon Sword to Qin Sang, his expression awkward as he said, "Please forgive me, Daoist Qin. I was so eager to observe the barrier at the core of the artifact that I nearly ruined this treasure."

Qin Sang scanned the sword with his spiritual consciousness and noticed that, indeed, several cracks had formed, and the barrier on it was precariously unstable. When he gently prodded it with his spiritual power, the entire blade shattered, disintegrating into fragments, leaving behind only a mass of malevolent yin qi at its core, which dispersed in the wind.

Shopkeeper Wu’s expression shifted slightly, and he murmured despondently, "Daoist Qin, I’ll compensate you with a high-grade artifact…"

Qin Sang remained noncommittal, brushing off the lingering yin qi from his palms. He looked at Shopkeeper Wu and asked, "After observing for so long, have you gained any insights into the path of artifact refinement, Daoist Wu?"

Upon mentioning artifact refinement, Shopkeeper Wu seemed to forget his concerns about compensation entirely. His face brightened as he said, "The barrier on this sword is exceptionally intricate. I’ve never encountered anything like it before. Unfortunately, due to my limited cultivation, I could only grasp a fragment of its essence, but it will greatly benefit my future endeavors in forging! I must thank Daoist Qin for this opportunity!"

Qin Sang gazed at Shopkeeper Wu in surprise.

Yi Tianye was a Golden Core expert who had refined top-grade artifacts using malevolent yin qi and a small amount of spiritual materials. Though such creations could only be used for a limited time, that method of refinement was impressive.

In contrast, Shopkeeper Wu was merely a cultivator at the tenth stage of Qi Refining Realm. Despite having only observed for a year, he managed to grasp a tenth of the insights, demonstrating his remarkable talent in the field of artifact refinement and his commendable temperament.

Unfortunately, given his age, he had almost no hope of achieving Foundation Building, unless he could attain remarkable success in artifact refinement that would attract the attention of a Golden Core or Spiritual Realm cultivator willing to help him achieve Foundation Building at any cost.

This predicament was shared by many cultivators: those who closed themselves off to hard training often lacked the necessary resources, while those who became distracted by outside matters found that any spiritual stones they earned would inevitably hinder their cultivation progress, making it unlikely they could ever catch up.

Only those with connections or true geniuses could hope to attain both.

"It’s just a damaged spiritual sword. If it can assist you in understanding the path of artifact refinement before it is destroyed, then it has already served its purpose. There’s no need for you to worry about it, Daoist Wu."

Qin Sang waved his hand dismissively, and before Shopkeeper Wu could respond, he added, "I have other matters to attend to. I will come again for a cup of tea, Daoist Wu."

With that, Qin Sang turned and left the shop, striding towards the exit of Wenyue Market.

…

Outside Shaohua Mountain, on a nameless small island.

What had once been a deserted isle now held a thin mist that enveloped the land like a barrier.

Chirp chirp…

A bird with gray feathers circled anxiously around the island, clutching a small fish in its beak. Its little head couldn’t comprehend why it could suddenly no longer enter its home. Each time it ventured into the mist, an inexplicable force would push it back.

Unwilling to give up, its once-clear chirps grew increasingly frantic, turning into sharp, jarring cries.

Three individuals sat cross-legged atop a large flattened stone on the island, one of whom was Yu Dayue.

The other two were a woman known as Qingting and the man they had invited, Wu Yuesheng.

"Such a racket!"

Yu Dayue shot a glare at the bird, his eyes glinting like arrows as he swiftly burst through the mist.

However, just as he emerged, a sudden flash of azure light obstructed him, the two forces canceling each other out in silence, leaving the bird oblivious.

Yu Dayue looked at Qingting in surprise.

Qingting opened her eyes and gazed deeply at the frantic bird, her tone inexplicably serious as she said, "All things have feelings; let us spare this pair of poor little creatures."

As she spoke, she opened a gap in the mist, allowing the bird to dart into its nest, where it fed the small fish to its mate, chirping excitedly as if recounting its earlier fright.

Yu Dayue chuckled lightly. "Senior Sister Qingting, your compassion is commendable… By the way, how is Senior Brother Jiang doing?"

Qingting shook her head with a sigh.

Just then, a white cloud suddenly flew in from the horizon, and from the south, a small boat sliced through the waves, carrying two individuals. Yu Dayue’s expression brightened as he said, "Daoist Baiyun has arrived! The Liu Brothers are here as well."

Noticing Qingting’s slight frown, Yu Dayue reassured her, "Senior Sister, there’s no need to worry. Junior Brother Qin’s cave dwelling is in the Guyuan Kingdom, so it will take him some time to reach here."

Before his words had faded, a sound of breaking air echoed from the north as Qin Sang arrived on a flying shuttle.

Qin Sang landed on the azure stone and discreetly observed the six individuals before him.

He recognized Sister Qingting and Yu Dayue, while he had met the other senior brother only once.

Aside from the three of them, there was an elderly Daoist, appearing to be around sixty years old, with gray hair and a goat-like beard that lent him an air of age. His eyes were slightly squinted, seemingly always smiling, giving off the vibe of a kindly elder.

The other two were a pair of twin brothers who traveled on a boat-like artifact, their appearances almost indistinguishable from one another.

What puzzled Qin Sang was that these twin brothers were only at the thirteenth stage of the Qi Refining Realm. Though both were at their peak, he recalled Yu Dayue mentioning that using the array-breaking artifacts required cultivators at the Foundation Building Realm.

"Please, take a seat, my friends!"

Yu Dayue warmly welcomed them and introduced everyone.

After the introductions, Qin Sang learned that the senior brother he had met before was Wu Yuesheng, while the other three were not disciples of Shaohua Mountain but rogue cultivators from the Yuncang Marshlands.

The elderly man was known as Hermit Baiyun and had his cave dwelling on Baiyun Island. The twin brothers, named Liu Jiang and Liu Shan, were well-known rogue cultivators who cultivated on Qilong Island.

Aside from the Liu Brothers, the rest, including Qin Sang, were early-stage Foundation Building cultivators. Qingting and Yu Dayue were slightly stronger, nearing the middle stage of Foundation Building.

Qin Sang took a seat to the side, quietly observing the others. He noticed that aside from the Liu Brothers, who appeared slightly vigilant, the rest showed no signs of suspicion.

He could only tell from their seating arrangements that the Liu Brothers sat close to Hermit Baiyun, which was to be expected.

After the introductions were completed, Yu Dayue turned to Qingting and said, "Senior Sister Qingting, aside from Junior Brother Li Zai, all our friends have gathered."

Qingting nodded to the group and greeted them, saying, "Junior Brother Li Zai is currently in a crucial period of seclusion. I’ve given him a Fire Crow Token to refine, so it won’t delay important matters. I will introduce him to all of you once he is done."

As she spoke, Qingting’s gaze swept over everyone before settling on the Liu brothers, her expression somewhat hesitant.

Seeing this, Yu Dayue smiled and said, "Senior Sister, there’s no need for concern. Although the Liu Brothers have not yet reached Foundation Building, they practice a unique art together. When they combine their efforts, they can exhibit strength comparable to that of Foundation Building cultivators. Their primordial spirits are strong enough to withstand the impact of demonic sounds, and controlling the Fire Crow Token should pose no problem."