Chapter 2024: Stone Wart
d the Fire Gourd Needle faced each other, neither yielding.Their battlefield has shifted across dozens of hills, leaving behind a swathe of scorched earth.Qin Sang is now helpless.No matter what he sa...Waves of energy pulsed from within the Qianjun amulet, rhythmic and predictable, a jump every so often. The space throbbed like a beating heart, roused by some unknown entity deep within the tomb, stirring from its slumber.
Qin Sang couldn't be sure what the Qianjun charm had responded to. He concentrated, trying to understand, but felt no call or summons. Judging by this, he figured the other party wasn't a living creature. Otherwise, Qin Sang would have to carefully consider whether this was a blessing or a curse.
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Seeing that the tomb passage was safe, and the faded murals on the walls held no power, Prefect Pei and Young Master Xin walked toward the front of the passage.
Qin Sang was still walking at the end of the line.
Before that, he didn't want to get involved in the storm. He kept his promise and fulfilled his agreement with Xin Shaozu. Even if it was to repay the favor of the Xin family cultivators who had explored the way.
The situation took an unexpected turn, and he couldn't extricate himself. This place was related to a thousand jun guard, and it was also possibly detached from the Purple Micro Palace. He had to figure it out for sure.
What's curious is how the Xin family found their way here. Could it be that they also obtained some treasure in the Ziwu Palace, something similar in effect to Qianjun Jie, allowing them to locate this place
However, there was nothing on Young Master Xin's body that could resonate with the Qianjun Seal.
Qin Sang narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the backs of Xin Shaozu and Pei Guofeng.
The situation is unclear, he certainly won't expose his intentions and will wait and see. Even without Pei Gongfeng, he doesn't intend to ask Xin Shao directly. Xin Shao dares to invite a cultivator at the Refining Void stage to explore this place, there must be something she relies on. The Xin family can produce so many Nascent Soul cultivators, their family foundation is not shallow.
...
Everyone quickened their pace, their footsteps echoing through the long path of tombs, breaking the silence. But ahead, the path remained quiet as ever, with no fork in the road. They arrived at the end of the path without any difficulty.
A blinding white light emanated from the end of the tunnel, dispelling the darkness of the tomb passage.
They stopped, and through the exit of the tomb passage, they could see a part of the outside area. It was actually a patch of lush green grass.
This is a patch of aquatic plants growing on the surface of the water. The leaves are dense, and the water seems shallow, with sand beneath. This kind of environment is very common in Duizhou, I didn't expect to see it here again.
The surface of the water was still, not even a ripple. After entering the tomb for so long, it had always been this quiet, not resembling any hint of danger at all.
The more so, the more vigilant everyone became, halting in their tracks and carefully sending out their divine senses to probe outside the tomb passage.
The scene outside was astonishing. It was a large lake, the entire surface as shallow as the entrance to the tomb passage. Lush aquatic plants floated on the surface of the water. Between the grasses, stood statues.
The base of the statue and the path are the same, but the statue here is intact.
On the stone platform, bizarre and grotesque monsters were carved. It's hard to imagine such strange beasts existed, with a one-clawed dragon, a three-winged bird demon, and an ox with dozens of eyes on its head. These were considered the most normal among them.
The monsters were incredibly lifelike, all with wide eyes that stared intently at the entrance of the tomb. They seemed poised to pounce and attack anyone who dared enter. At the sight of this, everyone felt a jolt of fear and instinctively withdrew their senses.
After a moment, the monsters showed no reaction. Waiting any longer wasn't an option; they had to enter the tomb. Whatever dangers lay ahead, they would have to face them.
'Crack!'
The moment they stepped out of the tomb passage, a sharp crack echoed through the crowd.
"Be careful!"
Xin Shaozu blurted out, suddenly waving his cloud sleeve, flying out a golden light that transformed into a golden lock.
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The golden lock had several gold rings attached to it, each one clinking and producing a metallic sound as it moved. Golden light flashed out from the rings, shooting towards where the sound originated.
The source of the sound was a statue, precisely the three-winged bird. The bird had symmetrical pairs of wings on its ribs, but there was a fleshy tumor protruding from the wing root, growing another wing that stood straight up between the two main wings, like an open fan.
In an instant, the strange bird statue was enveloped by golden light. Circles of golden shackles fell one after another, forming a cage out of thin air.
But Sin Xiaoshou's actions were still a step too late. Before the golden shackle could fall, the strange bird had come back to life. Its eyes blazed with terrifying ferocity, its wings flapped suddenly, and a beam of silver light shot from between them, as if it could tear through the void. In an instant, its figure vanished.
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Xiao Shaozhu's expression changed slightly, his finger hooked, and the golden lock clicked open. The body plummeted, with a 'bang', knocking the strange bird down. The strange bird fell into the water with a splash, sending up a spray of water.
It wasn't just the monstrous bird that came to life. Almost simultaneously, the three statues closest to them leaped down and charged towards the crowd.
Having entered the tomb, Pei Gongfeng had to make his move. He never retracted the purple needle, and pointed it at the center of a monster's brow in mid-air. Qin Sang didn't stand idle either, commanding the Gray Sparrow Sword to strike another monster. With only one remaining, the cultivator from the Xin family found it much easier to handle.
'Click!'
Qin Sang struck first, cleaving the monster in two with his sword. It immediately stiffened and fell into the water, transforming into two ordinary stone carvings.
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Then came the turn of the monster that Pei Gong had dealt with. It was first pierced through the forehead by a purple needle, but to everyone’s surprise, it seemed to have no vital points. Pei Gong changed his incantations, and a purple glow exploded within the monster's body, dismembering it. Only then was the monster defeated, reduced to a pile of rubble.
The Xin family cultivators were working together to fight the last one, and it seemed they were about to succeed.
"...not strong..."
Qin Sang secretly assessed the strength of the monsters. Four monster heads were equivalent to the strength of the Nascent Soul stage.
A guardian beast of this caliber wouldn't indicate a very high-ranking owner of the tomb. If it came from the Purple Micro Palace, it wouldn't be from a place of much importance either, not as grand and influential as he had imagined.
However, it's also possible that as time passes, the guardian beasts' power will diminish. And since they just arrived, the real danger may still be ahead.
The four-headed beast was quickly dealt with, and then, with a clattering sound, all the monsters came back to life. They jumped down from the stone platform and charged towards them, each with their own unique powers.
For a time, the glow of the setting sun danced wildly, while ice and fire flew together. Luckily, the Xin family cultivators cooperated seamlessly, and Qin Sang and Pei Feng often intervened, ultimately slaying each monster one by one.
“Thanks to Elder Qin and Master Pei for stepping in to resolve the crisis. Otherwise, our Xin family might have suffered more casualties,” After a fierce battle, Young Master Xin hurried forward without taking a breath.
Pei Gongfeng had a prior agreement to make his move, it was as expected. However, Qin Sang was invited to come and refine the artifacts.
"I'm also curious about who would build a tomb here, but the premise is to ensure my safety. Master Xin, don't place too much expectation on me," Qin Sang reminded.
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Xīn Shǎozhǔ nodded, taking out a jade slip and handing it to Qín Sāng, “Elder Qin, this is one of the things that needs to be refined by you. The junior has already prepared the spirit materials. Senior can first contemplate them, and then find a suitable place to start refining.”
"Just one of them"
Qin Sang took the jade slip, seeming not to notice Pei Gong's scrutinizing gaze. He glanced over it briefly and was instructed to refine a magical artifact—a boat.
He carefully examined the details. While refining this boat was intricate, the difficulty wasn't high for him; it just required some time. Qin Sang didn't inquire about the purpose of the boat, focusing instead on contemplation so as not to miss the mark and tarnish his reputation.
The statue was shattered and showed no signs of recovery. The crowd crossed the lake and reached the other side, where they found a staircase entrance.
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The entrance was nearly filled with aquatic plants. The crowd cleared the plants and saw a stone staircase leading downward.
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“It seems the tomb is tiered, and we’re currently on the first layer,” Lao Guan speculated.
“There’s a seal inside!” A cultivator from the Xin family used divine sense to investigate and made a new discovery.
As everyone filed in, they indeed saw an ancient seal blocking their path. After a brief investigation, it was clear that it originated from the same source as the ancient prohibition on the stone gate.
As before, Xin Shao-zhu walked alone to the seal, pressing her palm against it and asking Pei Gongfu to help her break the seal.
This time, Qin Sang looked more carefully. When the black light appeared, something seemed to appear in her palm. Shao-zhu Xin had disguised himself very well and used spells as a cover, fooling her before.
Qin Sang's eyes flashed. "It seems the Xin family really got something related to this place..."
The seal was broken by the purple needle, and before them lay another tomb passage, much like the last.
As the crowd stepped into the path leading to the tomb, they immediately caught a faint scent.
At this moment, Qin Sang felt the throbbing within the Qianjun Ring become more forceful. The connection inside became clearer, stirring something within his heart. Continuing deeper, once the connection was clear enough, he might be able to use the Qianjun Ring to directly locate his target. But there were unknown dangers ahead, and having this group of people scout the path would also be beneficial.
Confirming the scent was harmless, everyone walked out of the tomb passage. Before their eyes lay a sea of flowers.
Numerous flowers bloom, a myriad of colors, a dazzling array of blossoms.
A buzzing sound came from the sea of flowers. People looked intently and found that it was a swarm of bees flying around the flowers, busily collecting nectar from the heart of each bloom.
Here, the wasps are more than ten thousand in number, like clouds of yellow floating above the sea of flowers.
These wasps were about the same size as ordinary wasps outside. They didn't seem to pose a threat to cultivators, but when they saw the wasps, Pei Gong's expression suddenly became very solemn, and Qin Sang frowned, as if remembering something.
Just as the cultivators of the Xin family were oblivious, a jade Ruyi whooshed out from Pei's sleeve.
At the same time, Qin Sang's eyes flashed with surprise, and he blurted out, "It's a sacrificial insect! Beware of illusions!"
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Young Master Xin reacted extremely quickly. With a flip of his jade hand, he threw out a small bell. All the Xin family cultivators immediately gathered around Young Master Xin.
'Bang!'
The little clock chimed a deep, resonant sound.
This bell was not manipulated by Young Master Xin alone. All the Xin family cultivators jointly activated it, and visible ripples spread outward with the ringing of the bell. Everyone suddenly felt their ears and eyes clear.
They might not truly believe Qin Sang, but they wouldn't dare to underestimate any reminder from a cultivator of the Refining Void realm, even if it was wasted effort, it was better than dying.
In fact, Qin Sang did not deceive them.
He recognized the origin of this group of wasps, they were sacrificial insects!
The saying of "offering insects" originates from the Wu tribe, it doesn't refer to a specific kind of spirit insect, but rather a category of them.
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The witch clan's list of spirit insects, those listed are suitable for being a natal insect gu, but the witch clan's research on insect control is not limited to this. Many social spirit insects can also be used by them.
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Among the few Wuzhu scriptures Qin Sang had seen, it was recorded that this kind of sacrificial insect was used by ancient Wuzhu tribes. At a specific time, under the leadership of the tribal shaman, they would perform rituals to worship the gods of heaven and earth. Sometimes, these rituals required the assistance of spirit insects, which were called sacrificial insects and enjoyed a high status in the tribe, along with the shaman, sharing the offerings of the entire tribe.
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These kinds of sacrificial insects often share similar traits, excelling in illusions and psychic manipulation. Qin Sang speculates that this might be to allow the tribe's people to immerse themselves in the ritual, their minds unburdened and their worship heartfelt.
This group of wasps is a kind of sacrificial insect.
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"Could it be that my initial guess was right This place is the tomb of a powerful Wuzhu sorcerer"
Qin Sang was also confused.
What is the origin of this place Could there be relics left by powerful witch clan members in the Purple Micro Palace
Legend has it that a human sword cultivator fought against the boundary wall, but the demonic race from beyond the world is the enemy of the entire vast universe. Could there also be benevolent and righteous people among the witch clan who would fight alongside Ziwei Sword Sovereign
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Almost as soon as Qin Sang issued the warning, the sacrificial insects also discovered them. Huang Yun suddenly solidified, and all the sacrificial insects turned their bodies to face them, the 'buzzing' sound suddenly increased, becoming extremely piercing.
'Phew! Phew!'
A sudden gust of wind blew, and yellow clouds spread at an alarming rate, instantly shrouding the surroundings in a hazy gloom.
The jade ruyi offered by Pei radiated a clear light, warding off the yellow clouds.
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The bell rang incessantly, each clang more urgent than the last. The ripples and yellow clouds fought back, but could only be forced to defend, gradually shrinking inwards. The Xin family cultivators trembled in fear, thankful that Qin Sang had warned them in time.
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Qin Sang, protected by the jade Buddha, remained unaffected. He still put on a show and transmitted his voice: "Only when the insects swarm do they pose a threat. Individually, they are not strong. Everyone stay calm, spread out, and eliminate them."
Before the words left his mouth, Guying Sword slashed towards the swarm of insects.
Having successfully repelled the first wave of attacks from the sacrificial insects, everyone remained unharmed. Following Qin Sang's orders, they began to attack the insects, but they saw Qin Sang leave his position and fly towards the depths of the insect swarm with his sword.
Qin Sang remembered that, through the Wuzhu clan's secret arts, the sacrificial insects could produce a treasure called Yinzhang. It was a rare elixir in the way of raising insects. Feeding the spiritual worms with Yinzhang would have many benefits, but cultivating sacrificial insects was extremely difficult, and only large tribes within the Wuzhu clan could do so.
These scarabs have been trapped here for an unknown number of years; there should be some crystalized sap left behind.
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The Grey Sparrow Sword led the way, charging into the densest part of the insect swarm. He saw a flowering tree. The flowers on the tree were the size of an infant's fist and had a very unique shape, like little ovoid flasks hanging from the branches.
Qin Sang immediately noticed that there were ten or so flower pots that were more crystal-clear than the others, as if they had undergone a long process of metamorphosis over countless years, transforming into a material like jade.
The vase was filled with things.
Qin Sang's face lit up with joy, she swiftly moved from in front of the blossoming tree and looked at a flowerpot. Inside was a full pot of slightly yellowish crystals, level with the rim.
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It's the very crystal of a tumor! Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate.
Normal stalactites have a honey-like texture, but these have solidified into hard crystals.
The quantity was less than Qin Sang had anticipated, not a full tree of galls. But the gall crystals were purer and more crystal-like than the normal galls described in the records, so their medicinal effects should also be different.
Please: m.lvsewxg Huanzi, the current headmaster of Liuxu Gate, with the highest cultivation level among the three, in the middle stage of Nascent Soul.As soon as Lu Rongdao saw Qin Sang, he felt something was wrong...