Chapter 996: Refining the Spiritual Sword

Old Devil Mou was a towering figure within the devilish path. The fact that Lingzhuzi, as the leader of the righteous path, had taken action to slay demons and eradicate devils was understandable, but the fact that even the Devil Lord himself had joined in truly stunned everyone.

No one knew what heinous acts Old Devil Mou had committed to earn the wrath of both the righteous and devilish factions alike. Before long, however, the real story spread.

It turned out Old Devil Mou had dared to defy the rules set by the human race’s ancestors. Inside Seven-Kill Hall, he had gone on a murderous rampage, slaughtering Core Formation cultivators at will. Worse still, he had blocked the only exit of Seven-Kill Hall, trapping countless cultivators inside. His cruelty was beyond description.

Such monstrous acts aroused universal outrage. Everyone wanted him dead. This joint assault by both righteous and devilish sects was not only to punish Old Devil Mou but also to serve as a warning to others.

"I’ve long heard that Seven-Kill Hall is a perilous place. But I never imagined that the greatest danger wasn’t just the ancient barriers within it, but also the greed in people’s hearts. Who knows why Old Devil Mou butchered those Core Formation cultivators. Now he’s met the end he deserved." The shopkeeper sitting across from Qin Sang sighed, shaking his head.

"Fortunately, the two great cultivators didn’t stand idly by. After seeing what happened to Old Devil Mou, even those Spiritual Infant grandmasters must be trembling. They’ll probably behave themselves for a while, not daring to defy the Four Saints Decree again."

"The Four Saints Decree?" Qin Sang asked curiously. It was the first time he had heard of it.

"It’s normal that you haven’t. The Four Saints Decree doesn’t concern us Core Formation cultivators much. It mainly restrains the Spiritual Infant grandmasters. I only learned of it from a senior. You’ve seen the four sacred mountains, right? As the name suggests, the decree was established by the Four Saints themselves. Its authority spreads across the four seas, and none dare disobey!"

He gestured outside and continued, "This island is called Tianshing Island, also known as the Sacred Island, because it was once the cultivation ground of the Four Saints. It was from here that the human race began to rise.

"You probably know some of our race’s history. Once, humanity was in decline while the witch race flourished. Before the Four Saints, most of Canglang Sea was under the witch race’s control. We humans could only hide in the North Sea, and at our worst, we were forced to flee into the Rain Desert.

"It was the Four Saints who turned the tide. They drove back the Witch Race and saved humanity from destruction, then led a counterattack that pushed the witches back to the Witch God Continent. That was the beginning of humanity’s great revival.

"Their prestige reached its peak, and they established the Four Saints Decree. Among its rules were those concerning Seven-Kill Hall. Spiritual Infant cultivators were forbidden to slaughter lower-realm cultivators there.

"However, time changes all things. The world has shifted countless times since then, and many people have forgotten or simply no longer care about the decree. Low-level cultivators like us rarely even know of its existence.

"It’s said the Four Saints were the ones who first discovered Seven-Kill Hall. They found celestial treasures and arts within it, which greatly boosted their strength, allowing them to suppress the witch race’s elites..."

The shopkeeper spoke slowly, recounting these ancient secrets. Listening intently, Qin Sang finally understood the origins of it all. No wonder the Four Saints held such high esteem, still revered by the human race after so many generations.

"Thank you for enlightening me," Qin Sang said politely.

After a brief pause, he asked with curiosity, "And what of Old Devil Mou’s fate? Did he perish along with Tianfeng Island?"

"Uhh..." The shopkeeper frowned and shook his head. "That’s unclear. No definite news has spread. Neither the Devil Lord nor the Heavenly Dao Sect has released any official statement. But given that Old Devil Mou was only at the middle stage of the Spiritual Infant Realm, it’s hard to imagine he could have escaped from both Lingzhuzi and the Devil Lord."

Then, as though recalling something, the shopkeeper added with a shudder, "Even if he somehow survived, his situation must be miserable. Not just the righteous and devilish factions, even the three great merchant alliances have joined in to strike him down. It’s said that a merchant guild under the Dongji Alliance had fallen under Old Devil Mou’s control, and its high-ranking members were all massacred. The entire merchant guild is gone now."

The shopkeeper went on listing Old Devil Mou’s crimes, so many that they could fill scrolls of bamboo.

That very merchant guild, Qin Sang realized, was the Qiongyu Merchant Guild. A chill ran down his spine. Had he fallen into that man’s hands, he could only imagine the torment he would have suffered.

At the same time, he felt a strange sense of disbelief. He had thought that he would never be able to take revenge on Old Devil Mou, yet someone else had done it for him. In truth, both incidents were deeply connected to him.

Old Devil Mou’s massacre at Seven-Kill Hall and his later takeover of the Qiongyu Merchant Guild had all stemmed from his pursuit of Qin Sang. In the end, it was retribution for his own deeds.

The only regret was that Qin Sang could not be sure whether the man was truly dead. He would still need to stay cautious.

Qin Sang resolved silently that once he reached the Heavenly Dao Sect, he would try to learn more about that great battle.

Should I hand over the Fire Curse Seed? Or, if Old Devil Mou is gravely injured, should I hunt him down myself?

Qin Sang thought.

After a moment of hesitation, Qin Sang dismissed the thought. He had no clear idea of Old Devil Mou’s condition and could not risk acting rashly.

Bai had said before that the Fire Curse sealed within the seed was limited, and his own refining method was far from perfect.

Once activated, the Fire Curse would burn out quickly, its sensing range too short. Searching for one person across the vast Canglang Sea would be like finding a needle in a haystack.

Besides, turning the Fire Curse Seed over to anyone would mean explaining its origins. The Devil Lord would surely covet such a thing, after all, he had already shown greed toward the eighteen devilish banners. If the secret was exposed, Qin Sang would never be able to keep it. And who could say what other hidden truths might exist behind it all?

"Fortune turns like a wheel," Qin Sang murmured with satisfaction. Though he hadn’t avenged himself personally, the outcome still left him in good spirits.

After bidding farewell to the shopkeeper, Qin Sang remained on Tianshing Island for a while longer, inquiring after Ran Luo’s whereabouts. Though it was Ran Luo who had introduced him to the merchant guild, they hadn’t interacted much afterward, as most of his dealings had been directly with Elder Zhou.

Ran Luo wasn’t a high-ranking member of the guild. If she hadn’t been implicated, she should still be alive. While he failed to find her, he did learn the names of several guild members who had died miserably at Old Devil Mou’s hands, and Ran Luo’s name was not among them.

"I hope she’s alright." Qin Sang sighed quietly.

He could not afford to wait any longer. Leaving Tianshing Island behind, he flew toward the Heavenly Dao Sect.

***

The island where Heavenly Dao Sect was located was more than a third larger than that of Landou Sect. There were no other sects on this island. The entire landmass belonged solely to Heavenly Dao Sect.

Though Heavenly Dao Sect’s influence was vast, its conduct was not domineering. Apart from the core region where the sect gates were located, no barriers sealed off the rest of the island. Even so, few dared to cause trouble here.

Along the coast stood a large market established by Heavenly Dao Sect itself. For those of the devilish path, this place was considered a forbidden zone.

Yet to righteous cultivators, it was regarded as the safest place in the entire Canglang Sea, second only to Tianshing Island. Countless cultivators came here from all directions, gathering in great numbers.

Though called a market, it was in truth a city. Using a false identity, Qin Sang slipped into the city. Repeating an old tactic, he opened a small shop under the guise of an artifact refiner. Even without using the Devilish Flames of Nine Hells, he still had the ability to craft astras.

After much deliberation, he decided not to approach Heavenly Dao Sect directly. Instead, he would settle in the market first and quietly gather information about the sword cultivator surnamed Ning.

After renting a shop and a cave dwelling, Qin Sang stayed within the cave, never stepping outside. He could feel that the ebony sword was on the verge of completing its metamorphosis.