"Many thanks for your righteous assistance."

Daoist Master Xuanyu bowed respectfully towards the figure above. His voice was faint and ethereal, tinged with urgency as he realized his time was running out. "My benefactor, may I know your name? Could you grant me the honor of seeing your face before I die? Even in the underworld, I will remember this grace forever and never forget it."

He waited for a moment, but the cluster of Firebirds remained still. The figure hidden within made no move to reveal themselves.

Daoist Master Xuanyu shook his head in disappointment, then opened his mouth and spat out a cluster of azure light. Within the light was a talisman, its material resembling fine jade. Engraved at its center was an intricate seal, while golden patterns wound around its edges. It was distinctly different in design from the Heavenly Blade Talisman and the Nine-Dragon Heavenly Chariot Talisman.

What was truly remarkable was that within the talisman, there appeared to be a miniature celestial palace surrounded by swirling clouds, faintly visible and profoundly mysterious.

"Could it be an Inner Vision Primordial Talisman?"

Qin Sang’s heart stirred at the sight.

Daoist Master Xuanyu spoke again, "You must have overheard earlier—this talisman is the Inner Vision Primordial Talisman, the very artifact that old geezer, Di Que, sought so desperately to obtain. I am willing to offer it as a token of gratitude. I have lived for nearly four centuries. Now, as my soul dissipates, I can face death without regret. This Inner Vision Primordial Talisman is the only trace of my existence left in this world. I only hope that you will use it well."

The talisman was indeed extraordinary. According to what Di Que had said earlier, it could aid in achieving the Spiritual Infant Realm, an unparalleled temptation for any cultivator.

Yet, Qin Sang remained hidden within the cluster of Firebirds, completely motionless, as if oblivious to the allure of the talisman.

Daoist Master Xuanyu waited briefly. When there was no response, he let out a bitter smile. His primordial spirit grew dimmer and eventually vanished altogether. The Inner Vision Primordial Talisman slipped from his hand and began to drift downward, heading straight for the molten lava below.

As the priceless treasure was about to be swallowed by the surging lava, a sudden commotion arose among the Firebirds. A figure darted forward in a diving motion. However, just as it appeared, chains shot out from the void, binding the figure tightly and anchoring it in place.

At the same time, the talisman, mere moments from falling into the lava, shattered silently. Like an illusion, it dissipated into nothingness. The so-called Inner Vision Primordial Talisman had never been real.

Daoist Master Xuanyu’s primordial spirit reappeared without hesitation and lunged at the captured figure.

But in the next instant, that figure also shattered, vanishing into thin air like the talisman.

It had merely been another illusion.

Daoist Master Xuanyu stared in stunned silence for a long moment before suddenly laughing wildly.

"Good! Good! Good!"

With those words, he collapsed into eternal stillness.

Hiding among the Firebirds, Qin Sang broke out in a cold sweat. The Inner Vision Primordial Talisman had been nothing but bait, a temptation of immense power concealing a lethal trap.

Daoist Master Xuanyu might have been a man of principle, but under the shadow of death, how many could truly hold onto their convictions?

Qin Sang dared not take the risk.

Moreover, when he ambushed Di Que earlier, he had already revealed his strength.

Daoist Master Xuanyu must have realized that the one hiding in the shadows was merely a Foundation Building cultivator. Di Que’s final actions had made it clear that there was an unusual connection between Qin Sang and himself.

While Daoist Master Xuanyu called him a benefactor, had Qin Sang truly done him a great favor?

If he had wanted to save him purely out of goodwill, he should have spoken up earlier.

In Daoist Master Xuanyu’s eyes, Qin Sang and Di Que were likely in cahoots, conspiring to plot against him. To Xuanyu, Qin Sang’s attack on Di Que was nothing more than infighting among accomplices.

Had Qin Sang not hidden himself so thoroughly, Daoist Master Xuanyu would not have needed to resort to such elaborate schemes. He could have simply captured him outright.

Deep down, Qin Sang had to admit that he was nothing more than an opportunist, hoping to profit among two battling forces.

For this reason, he didn’t believe that Daoist Master Xuanyu’s gratitude was genuine.

It was true that Qin Sang wasn’t afraid of being possessed by Daoist Master Xuanyu, but just because Xuanyu failed in his attempt didn’t mean he had no other methods to deal with him. Even as a mere primordial spirit, a Core Formation Realm cultivator still had unpredictable and enigmatic means at their disposal.

Fortunately, Xuanyu, in his near-death state, had hastily attempted possession and failed to realize that the figure he attacked was merely an illusion created by Qin Sang. The effort consumed the last of his strength.

An hour passed.

Only then did Qin Sang cautiously emerge from the cluster of Firebirds. Gazing at the now silent and desolate space, his face revealed a mix of emotions.

Two Core Formation Realm cultivators had perished here, yet Qin Sang had only managed to salvage a single Mustard Seed Pouch. The Heavenly Sound Conch was nowhere to be found.

When Daoist Master Xuanyu burned his Golden Core, he had already abandoned his physical body, which was later destroyed by Di Que. If Xuanyu had left behind any belongings, they must have fallen into the molten lava.

Even up until Xuanyu’s primordial spirit dissipated, Qin Sang hadn’t caught sight of the Inner Vision Primordial Talisman.

Could it be that the talisman never existed in the first place?

Puzzled, Qin Sang pondered as his gaze shifted toward the stone hall below.

Setting foot on solid ground, Qin Sang finally allowed his nerves, which had been stretched taut, to relax. His entire body ached as though it had been torn apart—battered and bruised.

After consuming two more pills, his condition improved slightly.

Qin Sang approached the entrance of the stone hall, his eyes fixed on the bluestone inscribed with a barrier. It seemed Daoist Master Xuanyu had partially broken through the restriction, as its glow was noticeably dimmer than before. Placing his palm against the barrier and channeling his spiritual power, Qin Sang discovered that he couldn’t move the hall in the slightest.

After several attempts, he shook his head, abandoning the idea entirely.

Escaping danger and acquiring a Core Formation Realm cultivator’s Mustard Seed Pouch was already an unexpected windfall. The treasures inside the stone hall were beyond his reach.

With this thought, Qin Sang withdrew his hand and prepared to leave the area, planning to wait for rescue near the volcano’s mouth. However, a glint caught his peripheral vision. His heart stirred, and he bent down to pick up the object.

It was half of a Nine-Dragon Heavenly Chariot Talisman. The other half had fallen into the lava and was likely destroyed. This remaining fragment had lost its radiance; the Jiao spirit within had perished, leaving it as nothing more than a pale jade shard of little significance.

Unexpectedly, the moment Qin Sang’s fingers touched the talisman, a faint mournful cry of a Jiao echoed from within.

The talisman trembled slightly—it still had some fight left.

"Hmm?"

Qin Sang let out a soft exclamation. Spiritual power flickered in his palm as he bound the Nine-Dragon Heavenly Chariot Talisman, then extended his spiritual consciousness into it. To his surprise, he discovered a severely weakened Jiao spirit inside. Only half of its body remained, but it had miraculously survived.

Sensing Qin Sang’s spiritual consciousness, the Jiao spirit’s eyes flashed with ferocity as it lunged at him!

"You wretched beast dare act so arrogantly?"

Qin Sang snorted coldly, immediately unleashing his spiritual consciousness in full force to suppress the Nine-Dragon Heavenly Chariot Talisman.

In its prime, the Jiao spirit had been at the peak of the Demonic Spirit Realm. Back then, Qin Sang wouldn’t have stood a chance against it.

But now, with the spirit critically injured, subduing it was far easier.

The Nine-Dragon Heavenly Chariot Talisman trembled violently as the Jiao spirit resisted fiercely, but its strength waned with each passing moment. Eventually, Qin Sang subdued and captured it.

At that moment, Qin Sang came to a realization.

No wonder Di Que had said that the talisman would not recognize a master. Now that he had subdued the Jiao spirit, with a bit of refining, he could integrate the talisman into his body for nurturing.

However, if it were ever seized by another, it would no longer be his to command.

The Nine-Dragon Heavenly Chariot Talisman truly was an escape-focused talisman.

After its creation, the talisman could bind nine spirits. These spirits had to be demonic beasts with Jiao bloodlines at the peak of the Demonic Spirit Realm. Moreover, their spirits needed to be extracted while they were near death for the talisman to accept them.