Chapter 940: Guiding Souls To Refine Banner

Qin Sang fixed his gaze firmly on the Soul-Nourishing Wood. The wood was entirely pitch-black, riddled with holes like a worm-eaten rotten log.

Qin Sang recalled that the ancient records he had read described the Soul-Nourishing Wood’s appearance exactly like this.

On its surface flickered a faint layer of azure light. Just seeing it with the naked eye made one’s very soul feel soothed. That was the soul light unique to Soul-Nourishing Wood.

"So big!" Qin Sang was both shocked and overjoyed.

The Infinite Blood Mulberry Wood he had obtained from the Lightning-Devouring Falcon’s nest was merely a thin fragment, yet it had already elevated his artifact to an astra. If he could refine this entire piece of Soul-Nourishing Wood, to what extent could his ebony sword be raised? Could it directly advance to the level of spiritual treasure?

A piece of Soul-Nourishing Wood this size would certainly resist the corrosion of Infinite Blood Mulberry Wood.

Thinking carefully, it was only natural. If the Soul-Nourishing Wood were too small, its soul light would lack sufficient power. Even Bai’s remnant soul would never have endured for so long.

Qin Sang cast a sidelong glance at Bai, doubting whether this man would truly hand over all of the Soul-Nourishing Wood so obediently.

But even if Bai did keep some spiritual wood for himself, Qin Sang no longer intended to press the issue.

It was best to quit while ahead, not grow greedy without limit.

These Soul-Nourishing Wood pieces were already enough to raise the ebony sword to an unimaginable tier, allowing him to roam freely through the present cultivation world. More importantly, his cultivation would no longer be restricted. That alone was a tremendous surprise.

There was no need to keep pushing.

If Bai were cornered and in desperation destroyed the Soul-Nourishing Wood, dragging him down in a mutual loss, it would not be worth it.

Bai had been secretly watching Qin Sang’s expression. When their eyes met, his heart tightened, only to find that Qin Sang looked calm, not pressing him step by step.

After studying Qin Sang deeply, Bai lifted the Soul-Nourishing Wood and said, "You have seen it. The soul light of this treasure cannot be faked. Of course, I cannot give all of it to you. I must keep a portion to aid my cultivation."

Saying this, Bai hesitated, then pointed at the middle of the Soul-Nourishing Wood, signaling to split it evenly. After some haggling, Bai insisted that his bottom line was to keep at least one-third.

Qin Sang pondered for a while, then slowly nodded. "We'll do as you say! But I have heard that Soul-Nourishing Wood is unlike other spiritual woods. It cannot be hacked apart by brute force. One must be cautious, or its power will be diminished."

Bai said confidently, "Be at ease, Daoist. I have lived with this Soul-Nourishing Wood day and night and know it inside out. Besides, its fragility is only relative to the Ten Divine Woods. As long as we are careful, no damage will be done. Since you agree, I will divide the wood now."

As he spoke, Bai pressed his other palm above the Soul-Nourishing Wood. Corpse qi surged between his hands, condensing into countless intricate runes. After a twist, they transformed into a blade of corpse qi as thin as a cicada’s wing.

The blade trembled lightly, falling at the point Bai had indicated earlier, cutting downward slowly.

The blade seemed to flow like liquid, silently following the wood’s grain, gradually splitting the spiritual wood apart.

Bai’s movements were extremely cautious, and even Qin Sang, watching from the side, could not help feeling tense.

After a while, the Soul-Nourishing Wood was successfully split in two. The instant success came, both men breathed out in relief at the same time.

"When we leave the ghostly land, this piece will be yours. If you do not trust me, you may first leave barriers upon it," Bai said with a faint smile.

Qin Sang could not care about being polite right now. He struck out several barriers, sealing the Soul-Nourishing Wood on the spot.

Bai did not mind, putting away his share of the wood with a slightly anxious look. "We have wasted much time negotiating terms. Since this hidden realm’s opening is limited, let us act quickly! I do not want to stay here a moment longer."

"I would not call it a waste. Only this way can we trust each other and work sincerely together."

Qin Sang chuckled, then flipped his palm to produce a banner pole. He said to Bai, "Go and draw the wandering spirits over. I will begin refining the Soul Threads. Once the banner is completed, we can move to collect the devilish flames."

"Very well. I will summon the spirits. Then it will be up to you." Bai’s figure flashed as he vanished into the ghostly mist.

Before long, the sound of wailing ghosts echoed from within, followed by turbulent surges of mist as countless phantoms appeared, creating a dreadful sight.

Qin Sang sat cross-legged atop a bone mountain, holding the banner pole and gently shaking it.

When Bai drew the spirits near, the two exchanged a glance. Then Bai waved his hand, commanding the ghostly mist to bind the spirits so Qin Sang could focus on extracting their soul qi.

Qin Sang silently urged his secret art. His fingers flicked, sending runes into the nearest row of spirits. The spirits grew restless.

Bai’s face darkened, and he barked a low command. The ghostly mist pressed down like a mountain, weighing heavily on the souls until they obediently stood in place, awaiting Qin Sang’s spell.

The moment the secret art completed, a wisp of pure soul qi drifted out of the spirits and gathered toward Qin Sang.

After this portion of soul qi was extracted, the spirits looked somewhat withered, though their fate was still far better than complete refinement.

Qin Sang drew the soul qi together, fully focused on weaving Soul Threads. The Two-Headed Hou and his incarnation stood guard at his sides.

After glancing at Qin Sang, Bai retreated back into the ghostly mist, returning with more souls.

Though this method was more cumbersome than before, Qin Sang did not need to split his attention to suppress the spirits, so the speed was not slow. Soon, a long Soul Thread appeared in his hands.

He motioned for Bai to pause, then picked up the banner pole and began refining the devilish banner.

Since it was his first attempt, Qin Sang was somewhat clumsy at first, failing a few times, but quickly grew adept. The Soul Threads wrapped around and fused into the pole, and gradually the banner’s embryonic form emerged.

The hardest part about the Yan Luo Banner of Ten Directions had been splitting the black iron columns and forging the poles.

With Qin Sang’s current refinement skill surpassing before, the weaving of the banner face was far easier. At last, he successfully refined a complete banner.

Qin Sang gave it a forceful shake. The banner quivered, but no abnormal phenomena appeared. Only after collecting the Devilish Flames of Nine Hells would it become a complete astra.

Bai, standing outside, looked curiously at the banner in Qin Sang’s hands. When he saw Qin Sang draw out another pole, continuing without pause, he hurried back to draw more spirits.

Bai ran back and forth countless times. Before long, Qin Sang already had eight black banners across his lap.

"Daoist, just how many banners do you intend to refine?" Bai gasped, panting heavily.

Controlling the ghostly mist and binding the souls was not so easy. The effort consumed him greatly, leaving him ever more exhausted. Fortunately, in the ghostly land he could still endure.

Qin Sang lifted his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Only seven more to finish. That should be enough to break the devilish barrier for you, shouldn’t it?"

"More than enough!" Bai gritted his teeth, then looked at him in astonishment. "Fifteen banners! Together with the three you already possessed, that makes eighteen! These banners are faintly connected. They can form a great array, and the more you have, the stronger it becomes. With eighteen banners in hand, even against a Spiritual Infant cultivator, you could stand your ground!"