Gateway of Immortality

Inside the wooden hall on Dao Peak.

After Qin Sang consulted Senior Uncle Wen on how to refine the Foundation Building Pill, he did not rush to leave. Instead, he took out two middle-grade spirit stones and respectfully offered them to Senior Uncle Wen with both hands.

Senior Uncle Wen glanced at Qin Sang, his expression unmoved, and said calmly, "Junior Nephew Qin, what is the meaning of this?"

Qin Sang replied sincerely, "As the saying goes, ‘Skills are not easily passed down.’ I have greatly benefited from Senior Uncle Wen’s guidance, and I am deeply grateful. I don’t know how to repay Senior Uncle for his kindness, and looking at myself, these worldly items are all I can offer. I hope Senior Uncle Wen will not disdain them."

In truth, his heart ached. He only had eight middle-grade spirit stones in total, and one of them had already been partially depleted during the fight with Sun De.

Although Senior Uncle Ye had spoken kindly after Qin Sang refused to sell the Foundation Building Pill, Qin Sang keenly sensed that Senior Uncle Ye's gaze had turned cold.

Now that he had the Foundation Building Pill in hand, if nothing went wrong with the Yan Luo Banner, Qin Sang could simply focus on cultivation, ignoring everyone else. He could live freely, like a wild bird, until he broke through to the Foundation Building Realm. At that point, he would be on equal footing with others—who would fear whom?

But for now, that was not possible. He needed to secure more support for himself.

Of course, the reason he offered spirit stones to Senior Uncle Wen wasn’t solely because of Senior Uncle Ye.

Establishing a connection with a Foundation Building cultivator had long been Qin Sang’s goal. Now that he no longer had the backing of the Soul Pill, this goal had become even more urgent.

The mysterious orchid still lay in his Mustard Seed Pouch, and to this day, he didn’t know what kind of spiritual herb it was, what pills it could be refined into, or what effects it had.

If he could not break through to the Foundation Building Realm, Qin Sang was prepared to offer the orchid in exchange for his future prospects.

What good would the mysterious orchid be if he couldn't reach Foundation Building Realm?

Unless it was a herb capable of granting immortality, even if it could help a Golden Core Realm cultivator break through to the Spiritual Infant Realm, it would be as unattainable as a mirage, and would be of no use to him.

There was an uncomfortable truth he didn’t want to acknowledge: without the support of the Soul Pill, how likely was it that he could form a Golden Core? How far could he go in the future? Qin Sang didn’t even dare to think about it, afraid of falling into despair.

Of course, such drastic actions would only be taken as a last resort, when all efforts had failed, and he had no other path.

The mysterious orchid could attract the attention of Golden Core cultivators and even provoke a war between sects. If it truly was a divine herb, explaining its origin would be difficult, and it might even put him in danger.

Moreover, if he were to sell it, he would need to ensure a good price. If a single petal could fetch a fortune, it would be a tremendous loss to offer up the entire orchid.

It was said that the second level of Treasure Tower Peak held many ancient texts from the world of immortal cultivation, including ancient pill formulas and secret tomes. Qin Sang planned to foster a good relationship with Senior Uncle Wen, and once the time was right, he would borrow Senior Uncle Wen’s waist token to access the treasure trove of knowledge.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Qin Sang's attempt to ingratiate himself with Senior Uncle Wen had another reason. The only Foundation Building cultivator he was familiar with was Senior Uncle Wen. And from his words and actions when Qin Sang first joined the sect, it was clear that he was not a cold-hearted person—he was unlikely to take advantage and then turn his back on Qin Sang.

The only concern was that two middle-grade spirit stones might not be enough to satisfy him. Qin Sang worried whether his meager wealth would be sufficient for the task at hand.

As he stood there, offering the spirit stones, his mind raced. Then, he felt the weight in his hands lighten, and he couldn’t help but breathe a quiet sigh of relief.

Senior Uncle Wen nodded, clearly satisfied with Qin Sang’s respectful attitude. He took the two middle-grade spirit stones into his Mustard Seed Pouch and said, "Junior Nephew Qin, is there anything else you would like to ask? Feel free to speak."

The saying "Money can make the devil turn millstones"[1] was indeed a timeless truth.

Seeing how quickly the two spirit stones had an effect, Qin Sang was silently impressed. Seizing the opportunity, he asked, "I would like to seek guidance from Senior Uncle Wen. Is there any cultivation art or secret art that can quickly boost my cultivation? I don’t mind if it’s weaker compared to others in the same realm; I just want to reach the thirteenth stage of the Qi Refining Realm and break through to the Foundation Building Realm as quickly as possible."

"Junior Nephew Qin, your cultivation speed is not considered slow. Are you already so impatient?"

Senior Uncle Wen frowned slightly, looking at Qin Sang with a hint of displeasure in his eyes. His tone carried a subtle warning, "To my knowledge, there is no such technique or secret art in the Qi Refining Realm that can rapidly boost cultivation. Even if such a thing existed, it would belong to the paths of demonic sects, something Shaohua Mountain would never permit. Junior Nephew, you must settle down and cultivate steadily. Do not stray from the right path."

Qin Sang assumed a posture of respectful acceptance but wasn’t ready to give up so easily. "Senior Uncle Wen, I’ve heard a few senior brothers mention the legend of Senior Qingzhu. It is said that although Senior Qingzhu’s talent was not among the top, he managed to form a Golden Core within forty years, surpassing others in cultivation speed. I was wondering if I could cultivate the art that Senior Qingzhu used?"

This information had taken Qin Sang quite some time to gather. However, his senior brothers were not well-informed on the matter. Senior Uncle Wen was likely to know more.

"It's not really a secret. Senior Qingzhu’s cultivation art is actually an incomplete one. That art..."

Senior Uncle Wen paused. Qin Sang noticed a flash of fear in his eyes.

Suddenly, Senior Uncle Wen shook his head forcefully and said firmly, "It has significant risks. Not everyone can cultivate it. The reason Senior Qingzhu became half-mad was due to cultivating this art. Moreover, it’s an art only suitable for Foundation Building cultivators. You shouldn’t—"

Before he could finish speaking, a deafening howl of a sword echoed from outside. Senior Uncle Wen’s expression changed drastically, and in an instant, he disappeared from where he stood. The next moment, he was already outside the wooden hall.

What incredible speed!

Qin Sang’s heart trembled. He hadn’t even seen how Senior Uncle Wen moved—just a blur before his eyes, and he was already outside. This was the gap between their cultivation levels!

"Senior Uncle Wen, what happened?"

Qin Sang rushed to Senior Uncle Wen’s side and followed his gaze toward the depths of Shaohua Mountain. Among the sea of clouds between the mountains, the grand outline of Shaohua Mountain could be faintly seen. At its peak, an immense white sword qi shot straight into the sky, its imposing momentum shaking the heavens. The lingering howl echoed unceasingly, reverberating throughout the entire sect.

What surprised Qin Sang even more was that upon hearing the howl, the ebony sword in his Qihai began to tremble, as if in fear and submission!

At that moment, beams of sword light suddenly lit up from various peaks, streaking across the sky like meteors as they rushed toward Shaohua Mountain, creating a magnificent scene.

"The sect leader's sword is summoning me. Junior Nephew Qin, please feel free to go about your business."

Leaving this message behind, Senior Uncle Wen transformed into a beam of sword light and hurried away.

There were still so many questions Qin Sang hadn’t had the chance to ask.

Feeling helpless, Qin Sang summoned his Sky Shuttle and flew toward the mountain gate. As he traveled, he reflected on Senior Uncle Wen’s words. The art used by Senior Qingzhu was only suitable for Foundation Building cultivators, so there was no point in thinking about it for now.

Senior Uncle Wen had mentioned that the art had significant risks. Qin Sang wondered what kind of risks—if they pertained to the primordial spirit, perhaps the Jade Buddha could help mitigate them. Once he broke through to the Foundation Building Realm, he could look into it further.

Ultimately, the most important task was to first break through to the Foundation Building Realm to secure his future.

Qin Sang sighed softly. After arriving at the Sunken Cave, he descended, closed off his cave dwelling, and cultivated quietly for a while. However, after some time, he noticed only a minuscule improvement in his cultivation, which left him feeling frustrated. He woke from his meditative state, staring up at the pitch-black stone ceiling above him for a long while.

Finally, Qin Sang retrieved the three Foundation Building Pills from his Mustard Seed Pouch.

1. This is a direct translation of a Chinese saying, meaning that with money, one can do whatever they like. ☜