Chapter 831: External Incarnation

After returning to the cave dwelling, Qin Sang stirred his thoughts. The external incarnation walked out from within.

"You have returned, Daoist." The external incarnation cupped its hands in greeting. It was indistinguishable from a real person, almost flawless.

Every time he saw the external incarnation move, Qin Sang would instinctively feel a sense of alertness.

According to the

Seeded Devil Embryo

, once the external incarnation also broke through to the Spiritual Infant Realm, the cultivator would possess a second Spiritual Infant, which was tantamount to having a second life.

If the main body met with misfortune, one could be resurrected through the external incarnation.

However, the transformation process demanded an enormous price, one that was difficult to accept.

When occupying the external incarnation and transforming it into a second Spiritual Infant, the cultivator would be left in a prolonged state of weakness, lasting at least a hundred years. Should heavenly tribulations arrive during that time, there would be no power to resist.

Furthermore, the later path of cultivation would also be affected, each step becoming more arduous. Even so, it was still better than death.

For now, Qin Sang was uncertain whether the secret art, after being modified by Senior Qingzhu, still retained that effect.

This exchange of body and incarnation gave Qin Sang an absurd feeling. Which one was truly himself? If the incarnation turned on him, would it not mean that he had killed himself?

The

Seeded Devil Embryo

clearly stated that the stronger the external incarnation’s cultivation, the greater the risk of backlash. It was not impossible for the incarnation to usurp the main body. Therefore, a cultivator had to proceed with utmost caution.

During the refining of the external incarnation, it was possible to fuse in one’s emotions, but Qin Sang had refused to do so. He severed the memories of the split soul, ensuring that the incarnation had little connection with himself. In any case, the Spiritual Infant Realm was still far away.

For an external incarnation to reach the Spiritual Infant Realm was even more difficult, with the odds slim to none. The second Spiritual Infant was an infinitely distant goal, and Qin Sang would never place himself in such danger for the sake of a vague, unreachable hope.

He ordered the external incarnation to return.

The embryonic form within had yet to be fully nurtured and would still need time. Qin Sang instructed the incarnation to train alone inside the cave dwelling without stepping outside and laid down isolation barriers.

That night, Qin Sang prepared for his departure. After helping the incarnation tidy himself up, dawn arrived. Then, he sealed the cave dwelling and went to meet Madam Liu.

***

The shopkeeper led Qin Sang into the back hall. When Madam Liu saw him, she visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

She had clearly been worried that he might change his mind. "Daoist Master, you have finally come!"

She stood up and quickly asked, "Is Daoist Master planning to purchase anything else? If not, we can set off now."

Qin Sang nodded, then suddenly frowned. "Have you been moving about in your true appearance?"

"Of course not!" She smiled faintly and produced a mask as thin as cicada wings. After putting it on, her face instantly transformed into that of another person, even her bearing subtly altered.

"This mask was lent to me by a close friend of my late husband. Thankfully, with this treasure, I was able to shadow Xiang Yi without being discovered."

Qin Sang was surprised. The mask was in fact an astra. Once Madam Liu wore it, even he could not spot any flaw. But aside from changing one’s face, it seemed to have no other use.

Forging an astra solely for altering one’s appearance was extravagant indeed.

However, when Qin Sang quietly had the Sky-Eyed Butterfly open its Sky Eyes, he detected faint imperfections. The mask’s face appeared slightly unnatural. This proved the astra’s abilities had their limits. Naturally, he would not expose this.

The Sky-Eyed Butterfly’s ability was one of a kind. This mask would certainly be enough to fool Xiang Yi’s eyes.

With their appearances altered, the two of them made their way toward the sacred mountain that housed a teleportation array. When they reached the teleportation hall, they found that few people were coming or going.

Such a scene made Qin Sang realize that the upheavals in the Demonic Sea were escalating, and it even caused him to doubt his decision.

Learning that they intended to travel to the Demonic Sea, the cultivator overseeing the teleportation said, "Few cultivators head there now. You will need to wait until enough people have gathered before we activate the array."

They bought a teleportation talisman and waited patiently. Only after a long while was the group complete.

***

The salty sea breeze poured into their nostrils, faintly carrying traces of demonic qi and the scent of blood.

𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Upon returning to Desolate Island, Qin Sang immediately sensed a much heavier atmosphere.

Beside the hall for returning to Canglang Sea, a long queue had formed. These were cultivators who could afford the transmission fee. Many more cultivators and mortals could only wait here for an unknown fate.

The harbor was crowded with ships coming and going, and travel now had to be done in groups.

The advantage was that after finding a ship, not only did they not need to pay fare, but the ship’s owner would even give them spirit stones, asking them to lend aid should danger arise.

Qin Sang felt the entire Demonic Sea was gripped by unease. Even Madam Liu, who had frequented these waters for years, had never seen such a scene.

Madam Liu had prepared false identities in advance. Once they donned their disguises, they boarded the ship quietly. The vessel began sailing across the waters.

Qin Sang chatted with other cultivators, seeking news of the Demonic Sea. He learned that the Spiritual Infant grandmasters who ruled over the islands had begun to unite, agreeing to jointly resist the beast tide while also recruiting experts.

Many reclusive powerhouses could no longer remain hidden, they emerged one after another to join forces against the demon race.

The two island lords who had abandoned their territory earlier had not been completely powerless, they had simply chosen a strategic retreat. With reinforcements from all sides, once the experts gathered and took advantage of the larger islands’ defenses, they need not fear the demon race.

"This is no longer the barbaric age. With so many great powers in the Demonic Sea, all factions have vested interests here and have invested immense resources. How could they possibly allow the demon race to destroy it so easily?" The cultivator who spoke was confident, ready to seek fortune amid danger.

Qin Sang found the reasoning sound. The major forces, the righteous path, the devilish path, the three great trade alliances, and the witch race, coveted the Demonic Sea’s resources, particularly the latter two, for whom the Demonic Sea represented their future.

If their holdings in the Demonic Sea were destroyed, the loss would be unbearable. They would surely defend the key locations with all their strength.

The demon race might be powerful, but not so much that it could exterminate both the human and witch races entirely.

Even so, their movements were real, and no one dared take them lightly. Everyone was on high alert.

Along the way, the fleet was frequently harassed by demonic beasts. While killing the attackers, Qin Sang happened to befriend a female cultivator from another ship, one who hailed from Huntian Island.

Qin Sang said, "I once stayed on Huntian Island for a time. Back then, the witch race's conflict had just ended. There were rumors of heavenly fire appearing outside the island, heralding the birth of a Spiritual Infant treasure. Was it true? Who obtained it?".

He quickly asked the question, unsure how much trouble the Dongming Cold Flame had stirred up, and kept his tone vague.

The woman gave him a curious glance. "Your news is sharp. I only caught wind of it afterward. They say it was the place where Senior Saint Dongming passed away. His supernatural ability, the Dongming Cold Flame, emerged, and the cave dwelling contained his relics. In the end, the island master invited Old Devil Mou Lue to subdue the cold flame, so the treasures must have ended up in their hands."