Chapter 2421: Life Is Full of Encounters

Vermilion Bird was extremely drowsy at this moment, its eyelids felt like they were filled with lead, struggling forcefully against sleep. Each time it lifted its eyelids, it was incredibly difficult, as if it had exhausted all its strength. Its eyelids grew heavier and heavier, its pupils dilated, and Qin Sang’s reflection in its eyes became fragmented. Its eyes slowly narrowed into dim slits.

Flap!

Suddenly, the Vermilion Bird flapped its wings with all its might – its last struggle. The moment its head dropped heavily, it completely succumbed, tumbling down.

Its cultivation was inferior even to that of the Celestial Eye Butterfly. It had held on until now by relying on the Sky-Climbing Vine. To unleash its divine ability, both it and the Sky-Climbing Vine had weakened, leaving them powerless against the encroaching forces of Gui Xu.

Qin Sang quickly caught the Vermilion Bird and placed it into his small Grotto-Heaven, his face filled with grim determination. Besides the Ghost-Hidden Great Sage, there was another terrifying threat here: Gui Xu itself!

The Vermilion Bird and others were already starting to be assimilated by Gui Xu. If they stayed here too long, even if they eventually left Gui Xu, they would suffer irreversible damage, losing not just memories but also undergoing changes in their very nature.

But now was not the time to consider these problems. First, he had to get rid of the Ghost-Hidden Great Sage!

The Ghost-Hidden Great Sage’s voice continued to filter in, offering enticing terms that seemed full of sincerity.

Qin Sang, however, did not respond. He kept retreating, eventually transforming into a bolt of lightning and fleeing far in a direction different from the tortoise shell.

"Fellow Daoist?"

The Ghost-Hidden Great Sage frowned.

He had repeatedly offered kind persuasion, willingly made concessions, and even proposed swearing an oath as proof, ceding most of the benefits to the other party. Yet, all he received was silence.

There was no response from inside.

The Ghost-Hidden Great Sage’s brows furrowed in anger, and he inwardly sneered. He had intended to avoid trouble and not delay his main objective, but did the other party truly believe he was afraid of them?

"I offered you kind words, yet you are arrogant and stubborn, Fellow Daoist. In that case, I shall have no choice but to use force!" the Ghost-Hidden Great Sage roared in anger.

The other party seemed emboldened. The Ghost-Hidden Great Sage's biggest concern was not knowing their identity, but the arrow was already on the string; he had to act. He would breach the defense no matter what!

Boom!

Qin Sang’s heart jolted. The Ghost-Hidden Great Sage had made his move so quickly.

The Vermilion Bird’s bluster held no real threat, and it was impossible to bluff a formidable Demon Saint. However, this action should have made the Ghost-Hidden Great Sage somewhat wary, buying Qin Sang a little more time.

The clam pearl in his palm vibrated erratically.

Each tremor of the clam shell transferred to the pearl, like ripples in a lake after a large stone is thrown in, causing hidden information beneath the surface to churn. However, this information was extremely complex and chaotic, making it difficult for Qin Sang to sort through it quickly or understand how to use the pearl.

Nevertheless, Qin Sang grasped a few useful insights. He clenched his fingers, pondered for a moment, and then channeled his true essence into the clam pearl.

In an instant, the surrounding darkness subtly deepened, and undercurrents surged in the void. Then, with each tremor of the clam shell, all the auras in the void shattered into fragments.

Qin Sang concealed himself with all his might, though he couldn't guarantee it would evade a Demon Saint's divine perception. This action should, however, erase any lingering traces of his presence.

He didn't immediately hide in his small Grotto-Heaven. The Ziwei Child had once said that the Gate of the Path Marker could only deceive ordinary Demon Saints.

There was a vast chasm between Demon Kings and Demon Saints. He didn't know what a Demon Saint's world was like, nor how high the Ghost-Hidden Great Sage's cultivation level was. If discovered, he would be trapped like a turtle in a jar. Therefore, he dared not hide directly near the entrance in his small Grotto-Heaven; he had to get as far away as possible before the Ghost-Hidden Great Sage entered.

"It would be best to find a place that's already chaotic, making it easier to conceal the Gate of the Path Marker..."

But this was boundless void, exceptionally calm before the Ghost-Hidden Great Sage made his move. Where could he find such a place?

As he pondered, Qin Sang fled with all his might.

Deep within the void.

When the clam shell’s vibrations reached this depth, they were already very faint. Suddenly, a glimmer of light appeared here—just a weak speck, like a tiny firefly. Yet, as the only light source in the darkness, it was exceptionally striking.

After this light speck appeared, another immediately followed, and then more specks of light emerged one after another around it.

The specks of light multiplied, resembling a motionless swarm of insects, twinkling faintly.

Suddenly, all the specks of light began to move, converging towards the center. In a moment, they formed a humanoid outline.

The 'person' formed by the light specks was of medium build, standing motionless. After a while, one finger suddenly twitched, and then it took a step forward, instantly coming to life!

The faint light dispersed, transforming into a living person. Though its body was slightly illusory at first, its full details rapidly filled in, and facial features appeared. It was none other than the person fishing on the icy mountain.

"Finally, I'm in..."

The person surveyed the surroundings, exclaiming in surprise, "This is... Gui Xu! So that's it, it's suppressed by Gui Xu. No wonder! No wonder!"

He cast a hand seal, waited for a moment, and then his brow slightly furrowed. Following this, he seemed to have discovered something, and a look of astonishment appeared on his face.

The next moment, Qin Sang, who was frantically fleeing, suddenly heard a soft chuckle. "It truly is a small world!"

Tremors continued to reverberate. The Ghost-Hidden Great Sage was still fiercely attacking the clam shell. Qin Sang should have been the only one here, so the sudden appearance of another person's voice beside him was utterly terrifying.

"Who's there!"

Qin Sang's hair stood on end, and cold sweat dripped from his body. Then, a flash of light appeared ahead, and a person stepped out.

Qin Sang's entire body tensed, ready to unleash Mount Daiyu at any moment. But reason told him that for the other party to appear here and remain undetected until they spoke, their cultivation must certainly far surpass his own.

At this moment, Qin Sang was almost about to call for help from the Ziwei Child, but then he saw an unexpected person.

"Daoist Qingfeng, I trust you have been well."

The other person smiled at Qin Sang. Their appearance and demeanor were strikingly similar to an old acquaintance: it was Qingyuan!

Back then, when Qin Sang was sent out of the Talisman Realm by Heavenly Master Zhang and first entered the Spirit Realm, he descended to the mortal world for enlightenment. There, he met Qingyuan, who was disguised as a storyteller. From Qingyuan, he learned about the Lesser Vehicle and Greater Vehicle paths, and Qingyuan also taught him the technique of "Observing Thunder in the Palm."

He had once promised Qingyuan to deliver a message to the Daoist Court, but unfortunately, the Daoist Court had gone into seclusion, and he had yet to fulfill his promise.

In Qin Sang's eyes, Qingyuan was full of mysteries, so he remembered this person vividly. Even after many years apart, he recognized him instantly.

"Qing... Fellow Daoist Qingyuan?"

Qin Sang was astonished, his expression hesitant. It was simply too unexpected. Since entering this realm, he had only encountered demon cultivators. How could Qingyuan be here?

If not for the jade Buddha, Qin Sang might have thought he was caught in an illusion. However, it would also be somewhat absurd to recall Qingyuan, whom he had only met once, within an illusion.

"Haha, Daoist Priest still remembers me! The reunion of old friends calls for a grand celebration!"

Qingyuan clapped his hands and laughed heartily, joy evident on his face.

Qin Sang’s heart, however, tensed. He and Qingyuan had some acquaintance, but it was merely that, not a deep friendship. Qingyuan’s nature was unrestrained and he was not a cruel person, but times change; could things still be as they were before?

With a shift in his thoughts, Qin Sang put away his immortal mountain and divine abilities, then bowed in greeting. "Fellow Daoist Qingyuan, how did you..."

He glanced around.

Qingyuan knew what he wanted to ask and said, "I have come for a promise..."

Before he finished speaking, the void trembled violently.

Qin Sang inwardly cursed. The Ghost-Hidden Great Sage had been relentlessly attacking the clam shell; now he was finally about to break in.

Qingyuan slightly raised his head, his gaze passing over Qin Sang, seemingly piercing through the darkness to see the scene at the entrance. "Does Daoist Priest have a grievance with the one outside?"

Qin Sang nodded, sighing helplessly, "I was careless and got trapped here by him."

"How can we allow an uninvited guest to disturb our reunion as old friends!" Qingyuan shook his head, his tone calm, as if he didn't even consider the Ghost-Hidden Great Sage. With a wave of his hand, a radiant glow instantly enveloped them, and then he guided them to gradually merge into the darkness.

Qin Sang stood still, silently watching Qingyuan's actions, making no attempt to hide in his small Grotto-Heaven.

He had sensed early on that Qingyuan was no ordinary person. Now, it seemed his imagination had been insufficient; he had underestimated Qingyuan's true power.

Boom!

At the entrance, a wave of blood suddenly burst forth, followed by an endless surge of crimson light, transforming the entire void into a sea of blood.

Splash!

The sea of blood churned, and the figures of the Ghost-Hidden Great Sage and his demons were successively washed out by the bloody waves.

The Ghost-Hidden Great Sage stood at the crest of a wave, scanning his surroundings. He was somewhat surprised; there was no one in sight.

"Cowardly rat!"

The Ghost-Hidden Great Sage said coldly.

He had worried about being ambushed halfway, needing to divert his attention to guard against the opponent's move. Unexpectedly, it was a wasted effort; nothing happened, and the person who had threatened him was nowhere to be found.

What was even more irritating was that he had almost been bluffed by the other party.

Was the opponent merely bluffing, or did they have something important else to do?

The Ghost-Hidden Great Sage took out the transparent tortoise shell and concentrated on sensing it. He discovered that after entering the clam shell, the transparent tortoise shell had become completely inert. He confirmed repeatedly that it wasn't that he couldn't perceive it, but rather that the transparent tortoise shell could only guide latecomers into the clam shell.

The Repentant Heart Great Sage had left nothing behind here.

"Could it be that Repentant Heart found nothing here back then and ultimately returned empty-handed? Or perhaps, as long as a descendant of Xuanwu could enter, no guidance would be needed?"

The Ghost-Hidden Great Sage knew little about the life of the Repentant Heart Great Sage, only that Repentant Heart had been unwilling to be controlled by the Demonic Seed, later choosing to betray the Demon Realm, but ultimately failed to escape the Demonic Seed and died with regret.

Many secrets were buried underground with the fall of the Repentant Heart Great Sage, and no one knew what the Repentant Heart Great Sage had discovered here.

While sensing the transparent tortoise shell, his divine sense spread throughout the void. The Ghost-Hidden Great Sage's expression shifted.

Deep within the void, the azure luan formed by lightning continued its tireless flight, fixed on a single direction, now nearing exhaustion. Just then, a crimson glow suddenly permeated the space ahead of the azure luan, and a pool of blood emerged before it, blocking its path. The blood pool was clearly strange, but unfortunately, the azure luan lacked intelligence and charged into it without looking back, being swallowed by the crimson light.

A moment later, the Ghost-Hidden Great Sage emerged from the blood pool, grasping an object in his hand: a tortoise shell.

The two tortoise shells were finally reunited, confirming the Ghost-Hidden Great Sage’s previous conjecture: both were tokens left by the Repentant Heart Great Sage.

A murderous intent gleamed in the Ghost-Hidden Great Sage’s eyes. The opponent had deliberately thrown out the tortoise shell to mislead him, which was truly "drawing a snake and adding feet"—an unnecessary embellishment that revealed the opponent's lack of confidence and unwillingness to confront him directly.

Was the opponent truly a Demon Saint? Why would a Demon Saint resort to such tactics?

The more the Ghost-Hidden Great Sage thought about it, the more wrong it felt. His divine sense erupted violently, and terrifying pressure swept in all directions!

Within the clear radiance, Qin Sang suddenly sensed something, and then a wave of unfamiliar divine sense swept towards them.

"The Ghost-Hidden Great Sage! He's here so fast!"

Qin Sang's heart tightened. He noticed subtle ripples appearing on the surface of the clear radiance, yet the divine sense swept past them without a pause, indeed failing to detect them.

"How did Daoist Priest get in here?"

Hearing Qingyuan's question, Qin Sang withdrew his thoughts and replied with a complex tone, "Forgive my impoliteness, but should I perhaps address you as Senior Qingyuan?"

Qingyuan smiled and shook his head. "When you and I first met, one was a storyteller in a teahouse, and the other was a Daoist priest in a remote temple. We could be said to have met in humble circumstances. Why could you call me 'Fellow Daoist' then, but not now?"

Seeing that Qingyuan truly meant it, Qin Sang also smiled freely. "In that case, I shall respectfully obey! As for where you mean, if you're referring to Gui Xu, it's thanks to this..."

Saying this, Qin Sang raised the clam pearl in his hand and added, "If you're referring to this Minor Thousand World, that's a long story."

Qingyuan glanced at the clam pearl, nodded, and asked curiously, "If Daoist Priest doesn't mind, would you care to tell me?"

Qin Sang pondered, "To be honest, Fellow Daoist, I am still completely bewildered as to how I ended up here. Roughly speaking, it has been several centuries. Originally, I entered a secret realm to search for treasure, but I was eventually hunted down. At a critical moment, I was thrown out and, upon waking, found myself trapped in an ice and snow vortex. It took me a full three hundred years to escape that vortex. Then I learned that this was actually a demon realm, with countless powerful demon cultivators but no humans. I initially assumed I had fallen into a barbaric demon territory. However, as I delved deeper into understanding this place, I realized I might no longer be in the Spirit Realm. During this time, I met several fellow Daoists and went through several twists and turns, eventually ending up here by a strange turn of events..."

He speculated that he had been thrown here as a result of the combined power of the Jianmu and the Void Butterfly's divine ability. Since this matter involved too many secrets, Qin Sang deliberately obscured the events leading up to his arrival, focusing instead on describing his experiences after entering this realm.

Fortunately, Qingyuan did not press further, musing, "So this realm originally looked like this; that's understandable... It seems that due to the loosening of the world barrier and unstable seals, Daoist Priest coincidentally fell inside."

"World barrier?"

He recalled that True Master Ning had once said that in the Spirit Realm, the true world barrier was actually called the 'Earth Membrane'. After the war between the two realms, the Jade Emperor repaired the Earth Membrane, isolating the two realms, and the barrier thus forged was then called the world barrier.

Was this realm located near the world barrier?

Qin Sang remembered his experience in the Arctic Ice Plains. This realm was so close to the Demon Realm; no wonder there was true demonic energy.

Also, judging by Qingyuan's tone, he hadn't known about this realm before. How then did he get in?

Qingyuan noticed Qin Sang's expression and sighed, "Daoist Priest believes this is a Minor Thousand World, which is both right and wrong! This realm is actually part of the world barrier itself, and the barrier has been damaged and is currently collapsing. The consequence is that various seals are loosening, and this realm will reappear in the world. In the future, such occurrences will likely become more frequent..."