Chapter 993: Ancient Barrier

"Having a Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros horn doesn’t mean you can let your guard down. Once you sense the horn’s fluctuations weakening or becoming faint, do not go any deeper. A demon king once nearly lost its way inside..." Yuan Zhu reminded him as he handed the Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros Horn to Qin Sang.

"Thank you, Daoist Yuan. Until we meet again!" Qin Sang briefly tested the Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros horn in his hand, then offered a fist-and-palm salute toward Yuan Zhu and soon disappeared into the roaring storm.

Yuan Zhu watched Qin Sang’s departing figure, then glanced down at the jade slip in his palm. A deep eagerness filled his eyes. Unable to wait any longer, he hurried back to his cave dwelling to comprehend the cultivation art recorded within.

Amid the violent hurricanes, Qin Sang darted and wove through the storm, heading straight toward its depths.

He opened his palm and summoned the Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros horn. The small rhino horn lay quietly on his palm, emanating a faint coolness.

"You really did gamble right this time," came Bai’s slightly weary voice. He was still not fully recovered after exhausting his strength. "With the Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros Horn’s help, we should be able to shake off Old Devil Mou. Still, don’t let your guard down. I recall you mentioned that there might be spatial rifts deep within the storm."

Qin Sang hummed in acknowledgment. "I’ve never entered the storm’s depths, but I once witnessed the terror of spatial rifts in the Ancient Immortal Battlefield of the Small Cold Domain. I doubt this place is any safer. Fortunately, the Sky-Eyed Butterfly can keep watch for me. Ordinary spatial rifts should be easy to avoid. As for the most dangerous ones that are invisible and traceless, as long as we don’t go too deep, the chances of encountering them are low."

With that, Qin Sang awakened the Sky-Eyed Butterfly.

The butterfly fluttered out, sensing its master’s urgency. It brushed Qin Sang’s chin with its soft wings, offering silent comfort before perching on his shoulder. Its eyes shone with faint blue light as it activated its Sky-Eyes supernatural ability, vigilantly scanning for any sign of danger.

Feeling the butterfly’s thoughts through their bond, Qin Sang’s gaze softened. His tension eased, and his mind grew calm once more.

Then, the Fire Curse flared again. For now, it was hard to tell how much the storm affected the curse.

Following the incantation Yuan Zhu had taught him, Qin Sang channeled his true essence into the Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros horn.

As spiritual power surged, the horn shone brighter, radiating gentle moonlight. Qin Sang narrowed his eyes, sensing the faint resonance that guided him through the chaos.

Within the raging storm, the pursuit continued. Old Devil Mou’s face darkened. A deep unease gnawed at him. This time, he might have miscalculated. The decisiveness of his prey was beyond belief.

If he went much deeper, even Old Devil Mou himself might lose his bearings. He hadn’t expected things to end like this. He didn’t possess any treasure capable of discerning direction within the storm. Yet his prey had charged inward as though seeking death, never once slowing down.

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

What made it worse was that the Fire Curse’s fluctuations were distorted by the storm. Its accuracy had dropped sharply. Each time, Old Devil Mou had to exert full effort for a long while just to roughly sense the prey’s direction. It was slow and exhausting.

Moreover, his earlier reckless pursuit had drained him heavily. His prolonged use of the Blood Evasion Technique had consumed vast amounts of blood and essence. His brief rest on the island had merely suppressed his injuries, not healed them.

That hidden wound now forced him to stop every so often to recuperate, greatly reducing his speed. His prey seemed to have noticed, beginning to weave and circle around him.

The Fire Curse flared again, then faded after a long delay. Once the fluctuation disappeared, Qin Sang swiftly altered his course. Another round of chase and evasion ensued.

The Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros horn’s glow dimmed noticeably. Here, Spirit Tides and hurricanes intertwined chaotically. Spatial rifts appeared frequently, some stretching hundreds of zhang long, others even crisscrossing, each one deadly beyond measure.

Qin Sang moved cautiously through the fissures, sensing that Old Devil Mou’s pace had slowed. A flicker of cunning flashed in his mind as he began playing hide-and-seek.

What he didn’t know was that Old Devil Mou, too, dared not act rashly now. The deeper he went, the greater the risk of losing his way. Even worse, the Fire Curse’s sensing had grown so faint that he could only determine a vague area each time.

At this rate, catching his prey was nearly impossible. Still, Old Devil Mou refused to give up. He could only hope Qin Sang would eventually exhaust his spiritual herbs and collapse from fatigue. Meanwhile, Qin Sang grew increasingly composed.

He even slowed down when Old Devil Mou stopped to recover, taking the opportunity to refine the impurities in his true essence and calm its agitation. Occasionally, he consumed spiritual herbs or absorbed spirit stones, saving his remaining Jade Liquid of Three Radiances.

"I can barely condense the Fire Curse seal again. I’ll seal the curse temporarily, then we can lose him for good," Bai said as he awakened.

His exhausted soul had recovered slightly. He reformed the demonic Fire Curse Seal, suppressing the Fire Curse once more. At the same time, Qin Sang fixed his gaze in a direction and fled swiftly.

After reaching an unfamiliar sea region, Qin Sang finally felt his heart lighten. They had at last shaken off Old Devil Mou.

He couldn’t tell exactly where they were, but with the Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros horn in hand, he wasn’t worried about losing his way.

To completely purge the Fire Curse from his body, however, he still needed to wait until Bai recovered fully. Once the seal was stabilized, Bai withdrew to meditate.

Qin Sang continued gliding aimlessly through the storm, trying to widen the distance between them and Old Devil Mou.

To his surprise, the Fire Curse occasionally trembled faintly, proving that Old Devil Mou still hadn’t given up, though he could no longer locate Qin Sang precisely.

The storm belt offered nowhere to rest. Though weary, Qin Sang had ample supplies. He slowed his pace, flying while refining his true essence.

It was a rare experience. Without any protectors by his side, he was able to feel the awe-inspiring might of heaven and earth directly, realizing just how small he truly was.

For now, he had no intention of leaving, lest he stumble upon Old Devil Mou again by chance. He would wait until the Fire Curse was fully dispelled before returning to Canglang Sea.

Half a month passed within the storm. Suddenly, the Sky-Eyed Butterfly sent a pulse of strange intent. Qin Sang’s expression shifted, and he followed its guidance, peering into the distance. Moments later, his speed surged.

He deftly maneuvered around several Spirit Tides and hurricanes. After a few flashes, he halted abruptly, astonishment flickering in his eyes.

Ahead, a pillar of light rose from the seabed to the heavens. Amid the chaos of wind and waves, the beam remained visible, though slightly distorted.

"This is..."Qin Sang recalled a similar sight back in the Ancient Immortal Battlefield.

An ancient barrier had been triggered! Delight filled his heart. Since entering the storm belt, this was his first time encountering such a barrier. This place might very well be hiding an ancient cultivator’s cave dwelling.

In a blink, he appeared near the pillar and peered down at its source. An ancient barrier might mean a cave dwelling, or an unknown danger.

After a brief hesitation, Qin Sang made his decision. He was utterly exhausted. Only by finding a stable refuge could he finally rest.