Gateway of Immortality-Chapter 977: Bonds of Friendship

Two months later...

Qin Sang had been wholly absorbed in refining the devilish banners. Sensing a change, he slowly opened his eyes and looked toward the cave dwelling’s entrance. His gaze flickered, and he rose to step outside, where he saw Yuan Zhu waiting.

No external wounds could be seen on Yuan Zhu, though it was unclear whether the blood flame had been completely subdued.

"Looks like Daoist Yuan’s injuries have healed. Congratulations," Qin Sang said with a faint smile.

Yuan Zhu sighed lightly, as if there were more to the story. He cupped his hands to Qin Sang. "I have yet to thank you for lending a hand and for making you wait. I have recovered part of my strength and can fulfill my promise to escort you out of the storm belt."

Qin Sang’s face brightened. He had indeed wanted to leave for some time, with many tasks still awaiting him.

"Please wait a moment, Daoist Yuan." He turned back into the cave dwelling.

Bai had also been roused and came out. For two months they had both remained in seclusion and had not disturbed each other; this was their first meeting since.

"Daoist, you've read the jade slip, yes? Any gains?" Qin Sang asked hopefully.

There was little joy on Bai’s face. After a hesitation, he said, "I did recall a few fragments, but they are blurry and reveal no truth. They feel trivial, useless for recovering who I am. I'm afraid I must travel with you and witness the present world with my own eyes before I can be certain. By the way..."

He returned the jade slip to Qin Sang. "I selected several spiritual herbs to try stabilizing the vitality within me and preventing further erosion by corpse qi. If successful, my cultivation will stabilize, and even if the Heavenly Corpse Talisman remains unsolved, I might still have a sliver of hope to advance to corpse king. However, in my current state, I should not show myself in public. I hope you can help me gather these herbs. Of course, I will not get you to help for nothing. Once I overcome this difficulty, I will repay your kindness."

Qin Sang was overjoyed. If Bai truly had a chance to advance to corpse king, it would be a tremendous aid to him. Before the Heavenly Corpse Talisman was resolved, Bai would not be able to leave him anyway.

Even so, Qin Sang did not agree immediately. He swept the jade slip with his spiritual consciousness and found that Bai had written down a list of herbs at the end. Some were extremely precious, others merely uncommon. With Qin Sang’s abilities, they would not be hard to acquire, though the quantities were substantial.

After a moment’s thought, Qin Sang nodded. "So many herbs. Fortunately, I still have some spirit stones and can purchase part of them first. But if you need them urgently, we will have to rely on a merchant guild to gather them quickly. It happens I have another matter to handle. After we leave the storm belt, let us head to the Qiongyu Merchant Guild."

"The sooner the better..." Bai brightened and offered his thanks, then slipped back into the Corpse Puppet Pouch.

Qin Sang stored everything into the Thousand-Jin Ring and stepped out of the cave dwelling.

Yuan Zhu opened the ancient barrier. They passed through the slit and, in the next instant, stood amid the raging storm.

Qin Sang watched covertly. The storm ravaged in every direction. He could not tell whether this was the same place they had entered before. He suspected it was not. Even if he returned alone, he would not find the cave dwelling again. That was Yuan Zhu’s confidence in bringing him there.

Yuan Zhu took a look around, then flew off in one direction. Qin Sang followed close behind. On the way, they used their remaining time to speak.

"Once we leave the storm belt, how far is it to Dongmen Island?" Qin Sang asked.

"If you follow my directions, you should emerge north of Dongmen Island, to the northeast of Tianshing Island..."

Yuan Zhu had Qin Sang take out the geomantic map and pointed out the bearings for him. Then Yuan Zhu hesitated, drew out a scale, and handed it to Qin Sang.

The scale resembled the previous one but was darker in luster, with some sort of barrier seemingly sealed within.

"What do you mean by this, Daoist?" Qin Sang asked, turning the scale in his hand in mild surprise.

"I have been cast off by my kin and now stand alone. Though Daoist and I may not be friends, we did escape the Nine Phoenix King’s grasp together. That counts for something. If you do not mind the difference in our bloodlines, take this scale. When you wish to find me, come to the vicinity and activate the barrier within it. I will come to meet you." A hint of loneliness crossed Yuan Zhu’s face, his tone tinged with sorrow.

Qin Sang fell silent for a moment, then put the scale away. After a brief thought, he shared a view. "Why cling to bloodlines, Daoist? In my opinion, the key to breaking your predicament may not lie with the demon race at all, but with human or witch race secret arts."

"Thank you for the reminder!" Yuan Zhu’s eyes brightened, a spark of hope rising.

Buoyed by that hope, Yuan Zhu grew talkative. He asked Qin Sang for a token and proposed they meet again if fate allowed. After flying for a long time, they finally reached the storm belt’s edge.

"Daoist Yuan, until we meet again." Qin Sang cupped his hands and turned to fly out through the barrier. Yuan Zhu watched him go, then retreated back into the storm, his figure vanishing. Leaving the storm belt, Qin Sang took out the geomantic map and fixed his position.

"Not being near Dongmen Island is fine. Less chance of being dragged into another mess," he muttered to himself.

He planned to visit the Heavenly Dao Sect and meet the sword cultivator surnamed Ning first. Finding the ancient teleportation array was the top priority.

The Heavenly Dao Sect, the strongest righteous sect of the human race, had a vast and majestic fortune, yet its mountain gate lay somewhat remote in the northern Canglang Sea. He would not need to pass through Tianshing Island to reach it.

Qin Sang located an island named Dayuzhou, which housed a medium-sized branch of the Qiongyu Merchant Guild. Having set his route, he mounted his sword and departed at once.

Dayuzhou was a broad island, home to a cultivator market that served as the central hub for the surrounding seas. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

From afar a streak of sword light approached. Some distance from Dayuzhou, the light drew in to reveal a young man. It was Qin Sang. He glanced at the island, then put on a bamboo hat, suppressed his aura, and assumed the guise of an ordinary cultivator.

The city stood on the plains at the island’s center. After a time in flight, Qin Sang saw its outline. By then, the sun had already dipped toward the west.

Taking advantage of dusk, he entered the city and headed straight for the market. After asking directions to the Qiongyu Merchant Guild branch, he went there directly.

The branch’s storefront, built along a riverside, was impressive. It dealt in all trades catering to cultivators, had an excellent reputation, and was well known in the region.

The shop bustled with patrons while attendants hurried about. On the second floor, an old man reclined in a lounge chair, sipping tea at his leisure as he oversaw the place. He personally received only important guests.

Just then, a figure in a black bamboo hat stepped inside. The old man had just finished a cup of spirit tea when he sensed the deep, profound aura cloaking the newcomer. His eyes narrowed. He set the cup down at once and hurried downstairs.

"Honored Senior—" A smiling attendant began to greet the newcomer, but the old man’s voice cut in. "You may go. I will personally attend to this esteemed guest."

"As you command." The attendant bowed to the visitor and withdrew.

She was startled. Anyone the manager would personally receive was at least a Fake Core Realm expert. The man under the bamboo hat hid his edge well, yet his cultivation was that high.

"Daoist, are you the manager of the Qiongyu Merchant Guild?" Qin Sang asked, studying the elder.

Though the man was a Core Formation Realm cultivator, a twilight air clung to him. He was likely settled here to live out his later years in peace.