Gateway of Immortality

"Give it to me..."

The youth with the surname Han reached out and took the pouch, holding it in his hand as he closed his eyes slightly.

At that moment, Qin Sang suddenly sensed a strange fluctuation emanating from the youth's body. The sensation was familiar, containing both spiritual power and spiritual consciousness!

A flash of light appeared at the pouch’s opening, and then, seemingly out of nowhere, a jade bottle materialized in the youth’s hand.

Qin Sang’s eyes widened in astonishment.

It is indeed a storage pouch!

Yet he was deeply puzzled. The youth’s actions appeared simple enough, so why couldn't I open the colorful brocade pouch himself?

Inside the jade bottle were several transparent pills.

The youth opened his eyes, glanced at the bottle, and with a look of relief, said, "Water Dew Pills... Fortunately! Fortunately!"

As the bottle opened, a strange fragrance wafted into Qin Sang's nostrils. In that instant, Qin Sang felt a surge of clarity, as if his entire body had become lighter.

After consuming the Water Dew Pills, a flush of color suddenly appeared on the youth’s face, and his breathing quickly became steadier and stronger. The youth, who had previously been unable to move, even managed to sit up.

A miraculous medicine of the immortals!

Qin Sang’s eyes were wide with amazement as he fixated on the jade bottle and storage pouch, a strong desire gnawing at him.

The youth noticed Qin Sang’s expression and chuckled. "Don’t bother staring. This is a mustard seed pouch, which requires spiritual consciousness to open. You use the Object Manipulation Technique to retrieve and store items. Even if I gave it to you, a mere mortal general like you wouldn’t be able to use it."

The youth exhaled deeply and, with great difficulty, stood up. After surveying his surroundings, he suddenly said, "General Qin, I owe you my life. I must repay this debt. Tell me, what do you desire? Gold and silver, a beautiful wife, or wealth and power? I can help you obtain any of these."

Upon hearing this, Qin Sang did not hesitate. With a thud, he knelt down and said, "Qin Sang wants nothing but to be taken as a disciple by Immortal Master Han and to be taught the ways of immortality!"

"Heh…"

The youth surnamed Han chuckled lightly, seemingly unsurprised. He gave Qin Sang a peculiar look and asked, "Since you're heading north, does that mean your lord is the Dongyang King?"

He knows about the Dongyang King as well?

Qin Sang was puzzled but responded affirmatively.

The youth nodded, then said, "The path to immortality is not easy, and not everyone can cultivate it… Since you are a great general under the Dongyang King, we will meet again soon. You should think carefully. By the way…"

Before Qin Sang could argue, the youth bent down and removed a garment from the corpse.

This garment emitted a faint icy blue glow. It appeared to be an undergarment, like thermal wear, made from thin, transparent threads. It was incredibly light and felt unusually soft in the youth’s hands.

"You lead troops into battle, and it’s inevitable that you may get struck by stray arrows. If anything happens to you, I would have failed to repay my debt. This garment is an artifact made from Ice Silkworm's silk, a protective inner armor as light as air, which even mortals can wear to shield themselves. Ordinary weapons cannot pierce it. General Qin, think it over carefully, and we shall meet again at Holy Mountain Zhao!"

After saying this, the youth flicked his wrist, releasing a green light. His face instantly turned pale as he coughed violently.

A verdant green gourd appeared, growing larger in the wind. The youth, now appearing extremely weak, shakily mounted the gourd. He nodded to Qin Sang, and the gourd shot into the sky, disappearing in the blink of an eye, leaving only a distant green light trailing like a shooting star.

Qin Sang gripped the Ice Silkworm Armor, feeling its coldness seep into his palm.

As he watched the youth fly away, Qin Sang’s expression shifted. It seemed that the youth’s identity was closely tied to the immortal master who passed on the imperial seal at Holy Mountain Zhao.

He had wanted to inquire about the Object Manipulation Technique and why not everyone could cultivate immortality, but the youth left so abruptly that he had no choice but to wait for another opportunity.

Qin Sang could vaguely guess that the youth’s hasty departure was likely due to his injuries. The Water Dew Pills only temporarily suppressed his wounds, and his spiritual power was almost entirely depleted, leaving him barely able to control the gourd artifact.

If Qin Sang had insisted on attacking, it wouldn’t have been difficult to kill him. But since things had already come to this, there was no need for regret. The Ice Silkworm Armor and the youth’s promise were already significant gains.

I have finally come into contact with an immortal cultivator!

Despite his excitement, one thing troubled Qin Sang. The youth seemed to be the type who could not tolerate even the slightest injustice. Encountering a demonic cultivator, he had not hesitated to risk his life to kill him.

Lost in thought, Qin Sang stood there for a while before snapping back to reality. He scanned his surroundings.

The situation had unfolded so suddenly that Qin Sang hadn’t had a chance to dismiss the soldiers. They had witnessed everything that had just transpired, and now, they were all subtly glancing at Qin Sang, their eyes full of various meanings.

Qin Sang let out a cold snort and shot them a frosty glare, causing the soldiers to quickly lower their heads.

"Everyone, return to the camp and rest. Tomorrow morning, we will continue clearing the path. Capturing Raven's Mouth will earn you a great merit, and I’ll ensure promotions and wealth for you all. As for what happened today, keep it to yourselves—anyone who dares to leak it will lose their head!"

"Understood!"

…

Returning to the camp, Qin Sang noticed that all the soldiers were looking at him with a strange expression. He sighed inwardly, realizing that with so many witnesses, it would be unrealistic to keep this a secret.

Even those who had been with him for a long time, like Water Monkey, Wu Chuanzong, and others, seemed hesitant to speak, as if they had something on their minds.

Qin Sang sat in his tent, pondering for a while, then instructed Water Monkey to gather Zhang Wenkui, Wu Chuanzong, and the others in the tent.

"You’ve been by my side for years, and it’s time you started taking charge," Qin Sang said bluntly. Seeing their uneasy and hesitant expressions, he smiled lightly and softened his tone, "My aspiration to seek immortality has never changed. I don’t care at all for worldly riches and honors, as Old Zhou knows well. If I had no opportunity, I’d accept it. But now that I’ve had the fortune to encounter a chance at immortality, I’m absolutely not going to give it up."

Water Monkey, Zhou Ning, nodded. When they first met Qin Sang, Bai Jianglan had already noticed Qin Sang’s aspirations, and it was surprising that he still hadn’t changed.

Wu Chuanzong, excited, asked, "Sir, did the immortal master agree to take you in?"

Qin Sang nodded. "In a way. If I leave, and since Big Brother Bai is unwilling to take up an important position, you will have no one to rely on and will have to fend for yourselves. I’ll stay for a while longer and do my best to pave the way for you. After we capture Raven's Mouth, the report will highlight your contributions, and combined with your previous military achievements, it should help you secure good positions. After I’m gone, whether you rise to power or fade into obscurity will depend entirely on your own abilities."

Hearing this, the group of officers became excited. "Thank you, General, for your care!"

After sending the officers away, Qin Sang closed his tent and took out the Ice Silkworm Armor.

The youth had said that the Ice Silkworm Armor was an artifact, so Qin Sang tried to use it the same way he controlled the Purple Soul Bell.

The Ice Silkworm Armor automatically floated out of Qin Sang’s hand, expanding and shrinking in mid-air before finally fitting onto his body and then disappearing from sight.