Chapter 426: Two Different Orders

The only thing Qin Sang could do was to clear the ruins and restore the graves, allowing Senior Sister Qingting and her husband to rest in peace.

Beyond that, he did not place any new barriers.

Leaving the island in its ordinary state might allow it to last longer.

After departing, Qin Sang proceeded even more cautiously. Fortunately, the herb garden was not located too deep within the Yuncang Marshlands. Along the way, he only encountered a few patrol squads from the Small Cold Domain and did not run into any cultivators from the Tianxing Alliance.

However, from his interactions with these patrol teams, he could sense the growing tension in the region.

Amid a vast expanse of open water, a figure slowly surfaced.

Qin Sang remained vigilant, scanning the surroundings for any signs of enemies. Finding none, he lowered his gaze to the still water below.

The lake was clear, with fish swimming leisurely beneath the surface.

Everything appeared perfectly normal. The surrounding spiritual qi showed no abnormalities, and there were no visible traces of formations or barriers.

Qin Sang hesitated briefly before forming an intricate hand seal and pressing it into the water.

Splash!

A small wave rippled out but was quickly smoothed over by Qin Sang.

The moment the seal entered the lake, the fish that had been swimming peacefully vanished—revealed to be mere illusions. In their place, a massive shadow emerged in Qin Sang’s field of vision.

The shadow was elongated, resembling a giant whale gliding through the depths.

"Looks like I’ve found the right place," Qin Sang murmured.

Before he could take further action, the shadow suddenly changed.

A pinpoint of white light flickered to life at the shadow’s center. In an instant, waves of energy rippled across the entire form, and countless specks of white light emerged, rapidly converging toward the center.

In the blink of an eye, the central white light transformed into the rough outline of a spiritual sword.

The sword-shaped light pulsed and wavered slightly before locking onto Qin Sang with unerring precision.

Feeling the sharp aura emanating from it, Qin Sang’s heart tensed. The disciples inside had not even exchanged a word before immediately activating the barrier.

Given the current volatile situation, their caution was understandable. Without delay, Qin Sang retrieved his waist token and Qi Yuanshou’s secret decree, channeling them into the shadows.

The decree and token worked as expected.

Moments later, the white light within the shadow dissipated, followed by a few transmitted inquiries. Qin Sang answered each one, and soon, several figures emerged from within the shadow.

Leading them was a cultivator at the middle stage of the Foundation Building Realm. Judging by his appearance, he seemed to be around fifty years old. Recalling the details from the jade slip, Qin Sang identified him as Xie Ying—the only middle-stage Foundation Building cultivator stationed at the herb garden.

Before the current turmoil, a single middle-stage Foundation Building cultivator, along with a group of Qi Refining disciples, was sufficient to guard the garden with the aid of its spiritual arrays.

Xie Ying and his men surfaced from the water, approaching Qin Sang. With an uneasy expression, he cupped his hands and said, "I didn’t realize it was Senior Brother Qin. I was rude, please forgive my offense!"

Xie Ying had broken through to the Foundation Building Realm a few years later than Qin Sang, making him Qin Sang’s junior in rank.

Moreover, Qin Sang had already reached the late stage of the Foundation Building Realm, far surpassing him in cultivation. Xie Ying worried that Qin Sang might be eccentric and hold a grudge over the earlier hostility.

"Junior Brother Xie." Qin Sang returned the salute with ease, showing no sign of displeasure. "The situation is dire. Your vigilance was necessary; there is nothing to forgive. This is no place for idle conversation. Why don’t we speak inside?"

Hearing Qin Sang’s response, Xie Ying finally relaxed and hastily invited him into the herb garden.

On the way, Xie Ying introduced him to the other disciples, and Qin Sang exchanged greetings with each of them.

Aside from Xie Ying, the herb garden was guarded by another early-stage Foundation Building cultivator named Mao Ji, along with ten Qi Refining disciples. This arrangement was determined by the structure of the herb garden’s protective array.

With one middle-stage Foundation Building cultivator and ten Qi Refining disciples working in tandem, they could unleash the full power of the array against enemies. Meanwhile, any other Foundation Building cultivators stationed there could escape if necessary to seek reinforcements.

The herb garden itself was built on an underwater island—no wonder it had been so well concealed.

The island rested ten zhang beneath the water's surface, its elongated shape offering the best terrain for cultivating spiritual herbs. Apart from the garden, there were a few cave dwellings that cultivators had carved out for themselves, though the spiritual qi within them was mediocre at best.

The remaining land was mostly wilderness, overgrown with aquatic plants and teeming with fish and shrimp.

"...Senior Brother Qin, this is the full layout of the herb garden. If Senior Uncle Qi has given any instructions, please relay them. From now on, we will follow your lead in all matters."

Xie Ying led Qin Sang around the island, finally seizing the opportunity to inquire about his purpose for coming. He readily relinquished authority, looking at Qin Sang with an expression filled with anticipation.

Qin Sang only needed a brief moment to discern Xie Ying’s intentions.

Guarding the herb garden was originally a lucrative post. It provided a stable environment for cultivation, and when the spiritual herbs matured, the sect would reward those who oversaw their collection.

And that was just the official compensation.

However, given the current chaotic situation, being stationed in an isolated herb garden deep within the Yuncang Marshlands—unable to leave without the sect’s explicit orders—was no longer a cushy assignment. A single misstep could cost them their lives.

Xie Ying was desperate for Qin Sang to take over so he could retreat to the safety of the sect.

"How long until the herbs in the garden reach maturity?" Qin Sang ignored Xie Ying’s implied request and asked a different question.

Xie Ying, struggling to hold back his frustration, answered patiently, "Senior Brother Qin, the herbs here mature at different rates. Due to the recent upheaval, the sect has not sent anyone to harvest them for a long time. Most of the herbs are ready for collection at any moment. However, a few auxiliary ingredients for the Kanli Golden Pill require more time—the longest-maturing one needs at least another ten years..."

That was precisely why Xie Ying was so anxious.

The situation in the Yuncang Marshlands grew more tense by the day.

Recently, he had been unable to focus on cultivation, staying hidden within the barrier while constantly monitoring the outside world. He often saw cultivators streaking across the sky above, flying hastily back and forth.

No one knew when the breaking point would come.

"Ten years..."

Qin Sang fell into deep thought. That was quite a long time. However, Qi Yuanshou’s orders had not been strict—if he could secure the majority of the herbs, it would be enough to fulfill his mission.

He saw no reason to delay and relayed Qi Yuanshou’s secret decree.

To his surprise, upon hearing it, Xie Ying was overjoyed, his face filled with disbelief. He immediately pressed for confirmation, "Senior Brother Qin, is this true? Senior Uncle Qi truly said that we don’t have to concern ourselves with these herbs and can retreat at any moment if danger arises?"

Qin Sang frowned at Xie Ying’s reaction. He had not expected someone of his cultivation level to be so easily flustered. Displeased, he said, "Senior Uncle Qi personally gave me these instructions, why would I lie? What orders had you received before this?"

Still overwhelmed with excitement, Xie Ying failed to notice Qin Sang’s irritation. He let out a dramatic sigh and exclaimed, "Senior Brother Qin, you don’t know how dire our situation was. When we last reported to the sect, the response we received was to hold our ground on the island and await further orders. The herbs here, especially one called the Seven-Leaf Night Queen, were to be guarded at all costs. If even a single stalk was lost, we were to report back with our heads! I didn’t even dare tell Junior Brother Mao or the others the full truth..."