Chapter 956: Change in the Celestial Barrier

"A sword cultivator..." Bai let out a faint sigh, almost inaudible. "From the way you describe him, that man’s bearing was indeed very unusual, a true figure of note... I hope your instincts are right. So, you already believe his words? You intend to go straight to Cunyang Sect and seek out the sword cultivator surnamed Ning he mentioned?"

"I don’t know. I still need to think it through." Qin Sang fell silent for a while, looking somewhat dazed. "I cannot yet imagine what reason Senior Qingzhu would have to plot against me. Do you know what Cunyang Sect is?"

"Could it be some perilous place?" Bai asked curiously.

Qin Sang shook his head. "Not a danger zone, but a sect. However, the Cunyang Sect Senior Qingzhu spoke of should not be a sect in Canglang Sea. It is the strongest of the Eight Major Sects of the righteous path in the Small Cold Domain."

Bai, having already grasped the general situation in Canglang Sea, suddenly understood. "You mean..."

"Exactly. Senior Qingzhu was likely using Cunyang Sect as a reference, pointing instead to the Heavenly Dao Sect, the leader of the righteous path in Canglang Sea. The sect leader of Heavenly Dao Sect, Lingzhuzi, is here in Seven-Kill Hall. Yet Senior Qingzhu did not turn to Lingzhuzi for aid, nor did he mention Heavenly Dao Sect in front of the devilish soul. Who knows the reason behind that?" Qin Sang frowned.

"Perhaps it isn’t unwillingness but impossibility. When he tried to form the crystal orb, he was likely trying to send a message, but even that failed. The devilish soul would do everything to prevent him from seeking help. Besides, didn’t he say himself that he couldn’t rely on outside aid?" Bai speculated. "That sword cultivator surnamed Ning may truly be Qingzhu’s direct successor. Qingzhu might have left some safeguard with him, something that could restore him. Afraid of exposing him, he concealed the man under the shelter of Heavenly Dao Sect. When you recount Qingzhu’s condition, that sword cultivator will know what to do."

"Perhaps..." Qin Sang murmured.

He exited the path of swords, carefully scanned the surroundings, then removed the concealment barrier and sped down the mountain. On the way, he glanced back at the valley.

The Golden Core cultivators who had been watching from outside now only dared stand far off on another mountain fragment, not venturing near at all. From the valley surged waves of power, far fiercer than before. Black light spurted upward, grinding mountains into dust. Even Qin Sang felt his heart tremble at the force.

"Is the grand witch priest really breaking the ancient barrier within that valley?" Qin Sang faltered mid-flight, surprise flashing across his face. "What lies behind that valley? Could it lead directly to the cliff of the eighth level?"

The thought startled him. Was the devilish soul within Qingzhu guarding the eighth level as part of some earth-shaking scheme?

The witch race’s grand witch priest, Lingzhuzi, Old Devil Fang with unfathomable cultivation, and previously even a Devil Lord... All of them were among the very top of Canglang Sea. No matter how strong Qingzhu’s devilish soul was, his strength was a notch below theirs. Besides, he had yet to fully devour Qingzhu’s primordial spirit, so his power was greatly diminished.

What was most dangerous was not them alone, but the forces behind them. To scheme against such figures was to make the whole world one’s enemy.

Qin Sang dared not follow this line of thought further. Without looking back, he flew downward at full speed, deciding he must leave the Sky Tower first.

He shook his head, driving away the distracting thoughts, recalling his brief encounter with Senior Qingzhu and sorting through the useful details.

Senior Qingzhu said my current plight is not unrelated to him. When I fell from the Sky Tower and vanished into thin air, ending up in Xijiang... Was that his doing?

The more Qin Sang thought, the more likely it seemed.

But why would he do this? How did he even accomplish it? And if he could meet me, it means he already located the ancient teleportation array. His feelings toward his wife and daughter ran so deep, so why did he not return to the Small Cold Domain to avenge the blood feud and reunite with the family he longed for? Why come back to Linggui Island? Did the incarnation’s backlash happen before Seven-Kill Hall emerged, or when Linggui Island was destroyed?

The more Qin Sang pondered, the more his head throbbed, unable to untangle the knot.

Clues tangled together into a snarl, impossible to unravel. To uncover the truth, he would need to know Qingzhu’s past. Yet whenever he tried to ask, Qingzhu silenced him.

The two things Qin Sang most wished to know was the location of the ancient teleportation array and the link between Seven-Kill Hall and the

Primordial Spirit Sword Nourishment.

He could only wonder how much that sword cultivator surnamed Ning knew, and whether he could shed light on the mysteries.

As for whether he should leave Seven-Kill Hall now to seek out that man, Qin Sang had yet to decide. After all, those were only Qingzhu’s words, spoken with the devilish soul ever-present at his side.

𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

What weighed on Qin Sang most was Qingzhu’s final warning that the celestial barrier had changed. The interval between the appearances of Seven-Kill Hall might grow shorter and shorter. He must prepare early.

In the past, Ziwei Palace and Seven-Kill Hall emerged together. The timing of their intervals was never fixed, but most often around three centuries.

Last time, Ziwei Palace had surfaced unusually early, after only a little over two hundred years. This time it might be shorter still.

If the celestial barrier has changed, how much shorter will the interval be? Two hundred years? Or even less?

Qin Sang mused.

Originally, the celestial barrier of Seven-Kill Hall only entered a weakened phase every seventy years or more. Yet last time, only fifty years passed before the great powers of Canglang Sea broke through it. Was that also because of changes in the barrier? It’s been over a hundred years since I was teleported into Canglang Sea. Perhaps next time, it will emerge on its own without needing to break the barrier. But if so, I will have no time left. I will have to meet that sword cultivator surnamed Ning first...

No! Was that final reminder from Senior Qingzhu an offhand remark, or did it conceal a deeper meaning? My current strength should not be far off from what his strength was when he came through. Legends say the dangers of the inner hall far surpass those of the outer hall, with even Spiritual Infant cultivators perishing within. Does the ancient teleportation array lie in a perilous place that cannot be easily entered?

Qin Sang’s expression darkened.

Lost in thought, he passed through several teleportation arrays in succession, soon reaching the first level of the Sky Tower. He paused briefly at the exit, then stepped out without hesitation.

Outside, the area around the Sky Tower was empty. In the distance, mountain shadows flickered with the occasional evasion lights.

Qin Sang narrowed his eyes, turned to look once more at the Sky Tower, and then gazed up at its peak.

He knew changes might soon come to the Sky Tower. Not daring to linger, he let his evasion light flare and sped straight toward the mountains behind it. That was where the entrance to the inner hall of Seven-Kill Hall lay. The Sky Tower stood not far from that place.

Soon, Qin Sang landed atop a mountain peak. Ahead stretched a scene of chaos. Celestial mist formed by the barrier swirled like endless smoke, blotting out the sky.

The inner hall could not be seen with mortal eyes, nor could the supernatural ability of the Sky-Eyed Butterfly pierce the barrier in the slightest.

Qin Sang turned back to look at the Sky Tower several times, muttering to himself, "Teleported from the inner hall, yet I fell from the Sky Tower..."

A moment later, his evasion light flared, and he vanished from the mountaintop.