Chapter 475: The Whereabouts of the Cultivation Art

There was only one recorded case of someone successfully reaching Core Formation through this art.

Qingzhu.

"You’ve surely heard of him. His name was Qingzhu. He was quite renowned in Shaohua Mountain. Some even called him the Sword Devil," Granny Jing said.

So it really is him.

The moment Granny Jing mentioned the person who had created his own art, Qin Sang had thought of Senior Qingzhu.

Back in the cave dwelling of the Le Sisters, Qin Sang had discovered sword scars left behind by Qingzhu. At the time, he had already guessed that Qingzhu had continued down the path of slaughter, either by obtaining the second half of the Primordial Spirit Sword Nourishment or by creating a continuation himself.

Whether in the sect, or later at Xuanlu Stronghold, on the Ancient Immortal Battlefield, or during his three years in the Chaotic Island Waters, Qin Sang had never stopped investigating Qingzhu’s traces.

But he had never found anything.

"After Senior Qingzhu went missing, the sect also lost all contact with him. There was only a vague rumor once, from the Ancient Immortal Battlefield. I’ve searched for him for many years, yet haven’t found a single trace... Senior, have you actually met Qingzhu before?"

Qin Sang carefully phrased his question and asked Granny Jing.

"You couldn’t possibly find him," Granny Jing said flatly, her expression unreadable. "Because he died in the Ziwei Palace."

Dead?

Qin Sang was stunned.

Qingzhu, a legend of Shaohua Mountain, a once-in-a-generation talent who had inspired countless disciples and whose legend still lingered in the sect, was gone?

Fallen silently in Ziwei Palace, known only to Granny Jing?

Though Qin Sang had never met Qingzhu in person, he had long felt a deep admiration and kinship.

Hearing this now, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow.

Only those who had cultivated the Primordial Spirit Sword Nourishment could truly grasp how extraordinary Qingzhu had been.

Without the protection of the Jade Buddha, Qin Sang doubted he could’ve endured until now.

And yet Qingzhu had defied the heavens, splitting his primordial spirit and resisting the soul-devouring sword qi and the erosion of killing intent with sheer force of will. His accomplishments were unprecedented and unmatched, leaving all others behind.

How could one not admire such a figure?

In Qin Sang’s eyes, Qingzhu had been one of the few truly qualified to step into the Spiritual Infant Realm.

And now, such a person was simply gone?

Ziwei Palace.

If it was the Ziwei Palace, then it made sense.

Legends spoke of even Spiritual Infant cultivators falling within the Ziwei Palace. Qingzhu dying there wasn’t so surprising, but it was still a heartbreaking loss.

"Do you know where Senior Qingzhu’s remains are buried?" Qin Sang asked. He intended to find time to pay his respects.

Granny Jing shook her head. "His body still lies within the Ziwei Palace, in a place protected by multiple barriers, inaccessible to outsiders."

Qin Sang was puzzled. "If you didn’t retrieve Qingzhu’s body, then how did you obtain the continuation of the art? Could it be that you and Senior Qingzhu were old acquaintances, and he entrusted the art to you before his death?"

Granny Jing didn’t answer the second question. Instead, she said, "I didn’t obtain the continuation. I only know that Qingzhu left it where he died. That place can only be entered by someone who has cultivated the Primordial Spirit Sword Nourishment. If you want the follow-up art, you’ll have to retrieve it yourself."

"Retrieve it myself from Ziwei Palace..."

Qin Sang’s expression shifted. A sudden realization struck him, and he asked in shock, "Only those who have cultivated the Primordial Spirit Sword Nourishment can enter? This art— is it related to the Ziwei Palace?"

Granny Jing countered with a question of her own. "You didn’t know? The Primordial Spirit Sword Nourishment was brought out of the Ziwei Palace by one of your Shaohua Mountain's ancestors."

Qin Sang truly hadn’t known.

𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

There were no records in Treasure Tower Peak about the origins of the Primordial Spirit Sword Nourishment. Even those he was familiar with, including Qi Yuanshou, were unaware of this secret.

Within Treasure Tower Peak, there were many fragmented arts like the Primordial Spirit Sword Nourishment, each with strange and varied origins. Yet only a rare few could actually be cultivated successfully.

To think this art was connected to the ancient immortal palace, the Ziwei Palace—it was no wonder its abilities were so powerful. Had it not been reduced to an unusable fragment, cultivators across the entire Small Cold Domain would have fought tooth and nail for it. Shaohua Mountain wouldn’t have been able to hold onto it at all.

Qin Sang lowered his head, calming his thoughts. After a brief silence, he spoke in a steady voice, "Surely you wouldn’t reveal the whereabouts of Senior Qingzhu and the continuation of the art for no reason. I’ve heard of Ziwei Palace as well. Its dangers are countless, enough to make even Golden Core and Spiritual Infant cultivators tread carefully. It's far beyond the reach of someone like me at the Foundation Building Realm."

It seemed Granny Jing had long known he was cultivating the Primordial Spirit Sword Nourishment.

Qin Sang even suspected she had seen through him the very first time they met, back at Wenyue Market.

Back then, she had welcomed him into her secret market without investigation. He had assumed it was out of respect for Shaohua Mountain. But now, it seemed it might have been because of this very art.

If she had known all along and only brought it up now, then there could only be one reason that made her change her mind—the ebony sword and the Blood Defilement Divine Light.

Granny Jing nodded and said calmly, "You’re the second person I know of who has cultivated the Primordial Spirit Sword Nourishment to this level. It’s a pity you’ve yet to form your core. But you’re right. I do need your life-bound spiritual sword to help me with something. The Blood Defilement Divine Light is a rare supernatural ability."

As expected. Qin Sang hesitated for a moment before letting out a dry laugh and asking tentatively, "You wouldn’t be planning to have me use my life-bound spiritual sword against Leng Yuntian, the sect leader of Yuanshen Sect, would you?"

He had heard it clearly. Granny Jing had originally come here targeting Leng Yuntian, though only a grand elder had shown up.

When Granny Jing actually nodded in response, Qin Sang could no longer force a smile.

He couldn’t gauge Granny Jing’s true strength, but she was likely not much stronger than Leng Yuntian. Otherwise, she wouldn’t need such elaborate planning.

The Blood Defilement Divine Light was certainly powerful. It could temporarily suppress the power of an astra, but it only worked on the artifact. It had no effect on the cultivator themself.

And a Spiritual Infant cultivator surely wouldn’t rely on a single astra, would they?

To face a Spiritual Infant powerhouse head-on—he wasn’t that arrogant.

To take part in a battle between Spiritual Infant experts was courting death. Even the aftermath alone could reduce him to dust.

"It’s said Leng Yuntian is a Spiritual Infant cultivator..." Qin Sang murmured.

Granny Jing sneered coldly. "A pseudo-Spiritual Infant, that’s all. Back when Leng Yuntian was at the late stage of Golden Core, he was gravely injured in Ziwei Palace and left with a fatal flaw. His master, Leng Qian, spent the last of his strength and life to barely push him through the bottleneck before passing away. But the hidden injury was never removed. His cultivation will never match a true Spiritual Infant Realm. At most, he’s slightly stronger than a perfected late-stage Golden Core cultivator, and only because of an ancestral astra passed down in his sect. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be hiding away in the Yuanshen Sect all this time. He didn’t even dare come in person to steal the Elemental Star Stones. If not for the opening of Ziwei Palace, he’d still be cowering like a turtle."

Leng Qian had been the previous sect leader of the Yuanshen Sect—a famous and true Spiritual Infant cultivator.

"Ziwei Palace is divided into inner and outer palaces. Qingzhu died inside the inner palace. Without Core Formation, one cannot even take a single step within the outer palace. But if you don’t recklessly trespass into the ancient chambers after entering the inner palace, you’ll actually be safer. If you agree, I can take you to the entrance of the inner palace and guide you on how to reach the place where the art lies..."