Chapter 1044: Method

Qin Sang and Ming Wei leaned close together, their expressions tense. Under the protection of the Life Talisman, others could not sense their presence, but they could clearly see what was happening outside.

Venerable Ye’s gaze was cold and sharp as a blade, seeming to slice across them. Ming Wei pressed her lips tightly together, cold sweat forming on her forehead, her heart pounding so fiercely it nearly reached her throat.

Qin Sang held a jade bottle containing the Jade Liquid of Three Radiances in his hand. If anything went wrong, he could only drink the liquid and fight for his life against Venerable Ye. Yet Qin Sang believed that Venerable Ye had little strength left, so he remained relatively calm.

When Venerable Ye finally led his men away, both Qin Sang and Ming Wei felt a heavy weight lift from their hearts. The crisis had passed.

Soon after, more cultivators entered the cave one after another and followed after Venerable Ye’s group. Those people had secretly joined forces, still scheming to obtain the Soul-Cleansing Liquid.

The other three bottles had been taken by a mysterious figure whose whereabouts were unknown. No one knew whether the Spiritual Infant grandmaster had truly lost his trail or was deliberately feigning defeat to set up another plan. With no other leads, they fixed their sights on the last remaining bottle.

Forming temporary alliances, they gave chase. Battle erupted again within the secret chamber.

Blood Bat and the others had been gravely injured by Venerable Ye. Their rivals took the chance to strike, while their allies rushed to aid them, plunging the entire cave into chaos. No one could tell who would survive the carnage. The smell of blood once again filled the air.

Qin Sang and Ming Wei stayed where they were, untouched by the struggle. They did not dispel the Life Talisman. Only after every cultivator had disappeared deep into the tunnels and no one entered from outside did they quietly reveal themselves.

Everything seemed normal. They exchanged a glance, then turned and slipped away through another tunnel.

Moving through the complex network of passages, Qin Sang led the way and kept watch while Ming Wei remained ready to activate the Life Talisman at any moment. The danger had not fully passed; only once they left the Soul-Enchanting Cavern would they be truly safe.

Eventually, they emerged from the tunnels and arrived at the center of the ring-shaped mountain.

Looking up, Ming Wei saw the sky shrouded in black mist and gloom. She asked nervously, "Daoist Qin, could that old ghost be waiting above to ambush everyone for the Soul-Cleansing Liquid?"

"If he were in peak condition, he might really do it." Qin Sang recalled Old Devil Mou, who had once blocked the entrance to Seven-Kill Hall and slaughtered countless Core Formation cultivators. "But Venerable Ye’s strength is damaged. The others would rather see him gone. Acting too arrogantly now would be no different from seeking death. Besides, I can sense that they’ve already left..."

Qin Sang took out the ghostly seal that Su Nu had given him, which could detect her location.

To be safe, they did not reveal themselves immediately but stayed hidden and watched from afar. Soon, a cultivator flew out from the Soul-Enchanting Cavern’s barrier.

He sighed. This trip had been a total loss. Not only had he failed to obtain the Soul-Cleansing Liquid, but the treasures in the Hundred-Treasure Pavilion were likely all taken as well.

Still, having witnessed such a grand spectacle and seen one of his rivals suffer disaster, he considered the trip worthwhile.

𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

With a faint smirk, he flew toward the rocky peaks, ready to leave the trial realm. Not long after, Qin Sang and Ming Wei also stepped out of the Soul-Enchanting Cavern. Their figures flickered, vanishing into the mountain forest.

"Daoist Ming Wei, this is yours," Qin Sang said, keeping his promise as he handed her a bottle of Soul-Cleansing Liquid.

Ming Wei’s face lit up with joy as she examined the bottle repeatedly. She knew Qin Sang had taken three bottles, but she wisely refrained from asking for more. Getting even one was already enough.

Without him, she would likely have returned empty-handed, wasting all the efforts of her grandmaster.

After storing away the Soul-Cleansing Liquid, Ming Wei hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Daoist Qin, you do know how to refine the Soul-Cleansing Liquid, don’t you?"

"Oh?" Qin Sang was surprised. "Is there some special method to it?"

He had assumed it could simply be consumed directly.

Seems like I will need to consult Ning Wuhui.

Qin Sang thought to himself. Unsurprisingly, Ning Wuhui had not joined the battle for the Soul-Cleansing Liquid. If he had, their odds of success would have been even higher.

Ming Wei nodded. "The most precious part of the Soul-Cleansing Liquid is not only that it increases one’s chance of forming the Spiritual Infant, but also that it can cleanse the spirit and greatly enhance spiritual consciousness. If taken directly, much of its medicinal energy would be wasted. I have a refinement method passed down from my grandmaster. You may use it as reference."

She handed him a jade slip. There was a trace of curiosity in her gaze as she studied him.

During the battle in the cavern, Qin Sang had displayed a range of methods far beyond those of ordinary cultivators at his level. For such a person to remain unknown within the Demonic Sea was truly strange.

In her eyes, none of the other cultivators who entered the trial realm, not even the famed Blood Bat or Daoist Master Xiaoyun, could compare to him. Qin Sang was perhaps the one with the greatest chance of breaking through to the Spiritual Infant Realm. It would be wise to form good relations with him.

To cleanse the soul... I wonder how that differs from the soul light of the Soul-Nourishing Wood.

Qin Sang thought, taking the jade slip without hesitation. "Thank you, Daoist Ming Wei. I’ll gratefully accept it."

Ming Wei smiled. "At least I can now face my grandmaster without shame. I plan to leave Seven-Kill Hall soon. What about you, Daoist Qin?"

Holding the ghostly seal, Qin Sang shook his head. "That warning I received was not without reason. I made a promise to someone, and I cannot go back on my word. There’s still something I must do."

Ming Wei replied with a soft "Mhmm."

She knew that for Qin Sang to have learned about a Spiritual Infant grandmaster’s secret entry in advance, there had to be a reason. Seeing that he didn’t wish to elaborate, she did not pry further.

Instead, she passed him the method for controlling the Life Talisman. "The talisman still has one more use left. I won’t be needing it. Take it, Daoist Qin, it might come in handy. I am a disciple of Mu Family Village. My grandmaster was a mild-tempered recluse who valued cultivation over fame, so our sect is small and little-known. Still, we can offer protection to a few allies. Once you leave Seven-Kill Hall, you’re welcome to visit."

Qin Sang readily agreed. He had thoroughly offended the Dongji Alliance this time. If he couldn’t return to the Small Cold Domain, befriending a Spiritual Infant grandmaster would certainly be beneficial.

After bidding farewell, Ming Wei flew off toward the stone peaks. Qin Sang stored away the Life Talisman, then, after a moment’s thought, followed the guidance of the ghostly seal to track down Su Nu.

Their arrangement was simple. He only needed to activate the seal from afar. If things went wrong, he could withdraw immediately. There was little danger, and he did not need to intervene directly under Venerable Ye’s nose.

"This method is workable, but the process is slow. You must refine the Soul-Cleansing Liquid little by little. Keep it for now. Don’t refine it yet. So much has already happened in the trial realm, and who knows what awaits in the inner hall. You may need my help." Bai transmitted his voice. Bai had just finished examining the method Ming Wei gave.

"Very well, I’ll hold onto it," Qin Sang replied.

There was no time to refine it yet, so he placed the two bottles of Soul-Cleansing Liquid into his Mustard Seed Pouch.

To avoid drawing Venerable Ye’s attention, he did not use any evasion techniques. Moving quietly through the forests, Qin Sang advanced cautiously. With Venerable Ye ahead clearing the way, he had no need to worry about disturbing the earth spirits and exposing himself.