Gateway of Immortality-Chapter 978: A Different Time, A Different Self

"My surname is Liu. I am a manager of the Qiongyu Merchant Guild. May I ask for your Dharma name? Do you wish to purchase pills or astras, or perhaps sell some treasures..." Manager Liu caught sight of a command token that Qin Sang quietly revealed. His pupils shrank sharply, and his attitude instantly warmed. He quickly said, "Daoist, please, this way. Let us speak in detail in a quiet room!"

"Very well." Qin Sang followed the manager to a quiet room on the second floor.

The manager sealed the barrier and sat opposite Qin Sang, offering spiritual tea. "So it is Daoist Master Qingfeng. Though I have long been stuck here in the remote Dayuzhou, I have heard of you. I never thought I would meet Daoist Master Qingfeng in person. Today I realize that a reputation pales beside a true meeting!"

Qin Sang chuckled lightly. "I only once lent Elder Zhou a hand in the Demonic Sea with some trifling matters. Later, due to my cultivation, I remained in seclusion for decades. I am surprised Daoist Liu still remembers me."

Elder Zhou was a pillar of the Qiongyu Merchant Guild, so it was no surprise that Manager Liu knew him. What Qin Sang had not expected was that he had also heard of himself.

After leaving Poison Island, Qin Sang had seldom interacted with the guild. The only one who knew of his plan to reenter Seven-Kill Hall was Elder Zhou.

Manager Liu laughed heartily, offered more flattering words, then asked, "May I ask what important matter brings Daoist Master Qingfeng to my humble station? Among the nearby Daoists, I have some reputation. Whatever I can do, I will spare no effort."

"You flatter me." Hearing this, Qin Sang no longer spoke in circles and got straight to the point. "I require a batch of spiritual herbs. The matter is urgent, and they must be gathered quickly. Many of these herbs are rare and not easily obtained through my own means, so I must request the guild’s help."

He produced a jade slip and handed it to Manager Liu. The manager did not pry into his intentions and accepted the slip. After scanning the list, Manager Liu frowned slightly, seeming troubled.

Qin Sang saw through his thoughts and added, "Rest assured, I will purchase all of these herbs at full price with spirit stones. You will not be put in a difficult position."

Upon hearing this, Manager Liu’s face brightened, and he readily agreed. "Of course I trust Daoist Master! However, there are many herbs on this list. Our branch has only part of them in stock. To gather them all, I will need to purchase from other guilds or request supplies from other branches. Daoist Master may need to stay on the island a few days longer."

"How long will it take?" Qin Sang asked with a frown.

Liu considered for a moment before raising five fingers. "If Daoist Master is in a rush, I can send my subordinates at once. In five days, we can gather over eighty percent."

"Three days. Whatever can be found in that time will suffice. I must trouble you, Daoist Liu," Qin Sang said firmly.

He happened to be at a critical stage of refining the devilish banners. After waiting this long already, a few more days in Dayuzhou did not matter. Once the refinement was complete, his strength would rise to another stage.

"By the way, I once heard Elder Zhou say he intended to enter Seven-Kill Hall to seek a breakthrough. It has been a long time since the hall closed. Has the guild received any word of him?" Qin Sang asked with feigned concern.

He wished to learn where Elder Zhou’s cenotaph had been erected. Though he had Elder Zhou’s relics in hand, he did not intend to show them now. That would only arouse suspicion and invite unnecessary trouble.

Later, when an opportunity arose, he could secretly deliver them before Elder Zhou’s grave to his descendants.

"Elder Zhou entered Seven-Kill Hall?" Manager Liu was stunned, then showed deep admiration, speaking with a trace of shame. "I thought Elder Zhou, like myself, had resigned himself and abandoned the heart of pursuit. I never expected he would awaken and make such a decisive gamble. Seven-Kill Hall is full of perils, yet with Elder Zhou’s strength and cunning, surely he could turn danger into safety. Perhaps one day, our guild will count another Spiritual Infant Realm master among our ranks."

Qin Sang agreed politely, though he sighed inwardly. It seemed the guild had not confirmed Elder Zhou’s fall. After all, it was possible that upon leaving Seven-Kill Hall, he had gone straight into seclusion. Otherwise, news of his death would have already spread.

"Daoist Liu, please keep an ear open. If there is any news of Elder Zhou, please inform me immediately," Qin Sang said.

Manager Liu nodded repeatedly. "I shall send people to inquire immediately. I also wish to know. If Elder Zhou formed a Spiritual Infant, he would be a great pillar for us. With Daoist Master’s close ties to him, you would surely be favored by him, and I hope you will remember me when that time comes."

They spoke a while longer before Qin Sang took his leave. The manager then ordered a maidservant to lead Qin Sang to a cave dwelling arranged for him by the guild.

After Qin Sang left, the manager’s smile vanished. His eyes flickered with thought. He strode quickly back into the quiet room, sat down, and after a moment of silence, took out a small bell and gave it a light shake.

The bell made no sound. Moments later, ripples spread across the air of the quiet room, and a shadow slowly appeared.

***

When Qin Sang reached the cave dwelling, he dismissed the maidservant. Instead of entering right away, he strolled around the market. He visited shop after shop, sometimes buying small items he needed. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

His main purpose was to bring Bai along, letting him broaden his horizons and see the state of the present immortal cultivation world.

"This world has grown so barren. Even Core Formation Realm cultivators are rare," Bai murmured after a long silence.

"Now you understand how hard it is to gather those herbs? Beyond the few I selected, the rest can only be found at large trade fairs, if luck allows," Qin Sang said evenly. "Late-stage Spiritual Infant cultivators are already top experts of Canglang Sea. To pass through the Foundation Building Realm and Core Formation Realm barriers is like forcing through a bridge with ten thousand troops. If not for the discovery of the Demonic Sea and the refining of Malevolent Demonic Pills, there would be even fewer Core Formation cultivators."

Bai sighed softly. "Let us return. This small city has nothing more worth seeing. If the chance comes, Daoist, take me to that Tianshing City you so often praised..."

"Alright." Qin Sang nodded and returned to the cave dwelling.

The dwelling arranged by the manager was in an excellent location, with dense spiritual qi, a fine place for cultivation. The furnishings were also refined, resembling a grand residence.

Qin Sang ignored these trappings. He added several layers of isolating barriers outside the cave dwelling, then took out six devilish banners.

After many days of continuous refinement, he had grown adept at handling them. Soon, he would command the devilish flames as easily as his own arm.

Whoosh... The Yan Luo Banner of Ten Directions rose, forming a flag array before him.

The Devilish Flames of Nine Hells shot forth from the banners, converging in the center, far more powerful than before. The flames surged wildly, as though a devilish monster hid within.

Qin Sang’s hand seals shifted rapidly. He pointed at the flames. Under his control, the Devilish Flames gradually calmed, gathering toward the center, then scattering and condensing at his command in countless transformations. In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

"Return!" With a sweep of his sleeve, Qin Sang collected the banners, glanced around the cave dwelling, and strode out.