Gateway of Immortality-Chapter 294: Both Wounded

Qin Sang led the way, with Shangguan Lifeng following behind. After covering a certain distance or when Qin Sang’s spiritual power had been significantly depleted, they switched roles, allowing Shangguan Lifeng to take the lead and forge a path.

A streak of blue light flew out of Qin Sang’s Mustard Seed Pouch, revealing its true form—a small ice bead, no larger than a longan fruit.

Within the delicate ice bead was a vivid scene of a snowstorm, with flakes the size of goose feathers swirling about. The details were so fine and realistic that it seemed as if one could step into the wintry world it depicted.

All of Qin Sang’s artifacts had been destroyed at the volcanic crater. Before setting out, he had replenished his collection with practical ones, and this Cold Snow Pearl was among them. Although it was merely a high-grade artifact, it was perfectly suited to the current environment.

The Cold Snow Pearl floated above Qin Sang’s head, releasing flurries of snowflakes. These flakes formed a rotating curtain of snow around him, ceaselessly swirling in motion.

Whenever tongues of flame struck the snow curtain, the ice and fire canceled each other out—the snowflakes melting while the flames extinguished.

The snowflakes within the Cold Snow Pearl seemed inexhaustible, continuously replenishing the barrier against the consuming heat.

With the aid of this artifact, Qin Sang no longer needed to focus entirely on maintaining his spiritual power shield. He nodded at Shangguan Lifeng and then leapt into the sea of fire.

Before him, his field of vision was dominated by raging flames that danced and flickered in every direction.

At first, the fire’s intensity was not overwhelming, akin to the fiery stream they had encountered outside.

The Cold Snow Pearl alone was sufficient to fend off the flames with ease.

The swirling snowflakes repelled waves of approaching fire. Qin Sang signaled Shangguan Lifeng to follow and increased his pace.

Gradually, the flames deepened in color and intensity, growing several times more powerful.

Layers of fire assaulted the snow curtain, thinning it to the brink of collapse. The Cold Snow Pearl alone was no longer enough to withstand the searing heat; Qin Sang had to channel spiritual power into it continuously to sustain the curtain.

However, these obstacles were merely expected changes. The true power of the barrier’s array had yet to reveal itself.

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As Qin Sang maintained the artifact, he remained vigilant of his surroundings.

Suddenly, he noticed unusual ripples in the flames ahead. Without hesitation, he summoned the ebony sword, unleashing a burst of sword qi that slashed forward.

The sea of fire was instantly split in two by the sword qi.

Flames separated into layers, and the sword qi eventually collided with a fiery stream. To Qin Sang’s surprise, the stream dissipated the sword qi effortlessly.

This fiery stream was distinct from the surrounding flames—a pure, azure hue that sped toward Qin Sang from the depths of the fire.

The azure flames seemed to command fear from the surrounding fire, which parted to make way for it.

The moment Qin Sang spotted the azure flame stream, a sharp sense of danger gripped him. He immediately sent a warning to Shangguan Lifeng behind him while swiftly shifting to his left.

Swish!

The azure flame stream, exceedingly long and swift, left Qin Sang barely enough time to evade. He narrowly avoided being grazed by its tail.

Crack!

An immense force carrying a searing heat brushed past, effortlessly shattering the snow curtain.

Qin Sang reacted instantly, positioning the ebony sword before him to intercept the stream. The collision bought him a fleeting moment to escape its path.

The ebony sword hummed as it was sent flying backward. After a quick inspection, Qin Sang confirmed that the treasured blade remained unharmed.

The azure flame stream did not circle back to attack. Instead, it dissipated into thin air after traveling a short distance.

This must be one of the barrier’s offensive mechanisms. Qin Sang realized.

If that were all, it wouldn’t be difficult to handle. However, he was certain this was only the beginning—the azure flame stream was merely the tip of the iceberg.

Qin Sang’s prediction was correct. As they pressed forward, another flame stream soon appeared—this time, two of them simultaneously. Having anticipated this, Qin Sang’s figure flickered as he evaded their attacks, skillfully coordinating with the ebony sword.

Just as he dodged the streams, he sensed an anomaly beneath him. Swiftly moving several zhang to the side, he saw a fiery pillar erupting from the exact spot he had just occupied, soaring into the sky.

From that moment on, the barrier’s changes grew increasingly intense. Flame streams coordinated with unpredictable fire pillars, launching wave after wave of relentless assaults, leaving Qin Sang no chance to catch his breath.

With Qin Sang paving the way, Shangguan Lifeng, following behind, was spared the constant vigilance needed to avoid the flame streams, making his progress notably easier.

After covering some distance, Shangguan Lifeng took the initiative to move ahead, allowing Qin Sang to rest and recover.

As time passed, the barrier’s changes grew increasingly complex and frequent, making it harder for the two to cope.

"That should be enough," Qin Sang said, after another exchange of roles.

He estimated they had long since surpassed the center of the sea of fire. Taking a few labored breaths, he transmitted a message, "Hold out here for thirty breaths; that should suffice."

Dodging a fire pillar, Shangguan Lifeng frowned and replied, "I still have some strength left. Let’s move a bit further to ensure safety. I’ll need Daoist Master’s protection for this."

Seeing Shangguan Lifeng’s determination, Qin Sang had no objections and followed closely behind.

However, they had barely flown any distance when Shangguan Lifeng suddenly let out an angry roar, mixed with a hint of pain.

Moments later, his figure retreated hastily in disarray.

Half of Shangguan Lifeng’s protective robes had been scorched away, and a long gash ran across his chest and abdomen. It was clear he had been caught off guard and failed to dodge a flame stream in time, resulting in serious injury.

Upon witnessing this, Qin Sang did not suspect Shangguan Lifeng of deliberately injuring himself. The wound was neither minor nor critical—taking a healing pill and resting briefly would suffice for recovery.

Moreover, as long as Shangguan Lifeng retained his combat ability, he could not shirk his role as the pathfinder. There was no reason to fake an injury.

Sure enough, right behind Shangguan Lifeng, a dense web of dozens of azure flame streams surged forward, leaving no gaps in its assault.

No wonder. Qin Sang thought to himself. The last time he faced over a dozen flame streams, it had already been a challenge.

Hum!

The ebony sword tore through the air, swiftly overtaking Shangguan Lifeng. The sword array unfolded, clashing head-on with the advancing flame streams in a show of force.

The sword qi shattered, and the ebony sword was forced back even faster. Though it couldn’t overpower the flames, it managed to hold them off for a moment.

Seizing the opportunity, Shangguan Lifeng channeled his spiritual power, transforming into a streak of blade light and narrowly escaping the danger.

"I acted recklessly and embarrassed myself in front of Daoist Master," Shangguan Lifeng said, holding his wound as he forced a bitter smile, his expression tinged with shame.

He had already consumed a healing pill, but the fire poison had invaded his body, and expelling it would require considerable effort.

Qin Sang shook his head. "For so many flame streams to attack simultaneously, sustaining only a minor injury shows how remarkable your cultivation is. However, this place isn’t safe. It’s better to wait until we’re out of here to treat your wound."

This time, Shangguan Lifeng offered no objection. Together with Qin Sang, he quickly flew toward the edge of the sea of fire.

Finally emerging from the fiery domain, Shangguan Lifeng made his way to Yu Kong’s side. After giving a brief explanation, he sat down immediately and began circulating his techniques to expel the fire poison.

"Recover as quickly as possible!" Yu Kong said with a frown, knowing the situation was unavoidable.

Before Yu Kong could finish, Yan Wu unexpectedly appeared, supporting Wu Chen as they exited the sea of fire as well.

Yan Wu wore an awkward expression, while Wu Chen’s face was ashen, his injuries far more severe than Shangguan Lifeng’s.