Gateway of Immortality-Chapter 952: Qingzhu

Behind the door lay utter silence. Qin Sang summoned a malevolent corpse, sending it forward first to ascend the stone steps. He and his incarnation followed behind.

The long staircase echoed with the corpse’s footsteps until it reached the end and stepped through the door. Beyond the door was yet another hall, clearly ruined and dilapidated. Strangely, the hall had only this single entrance, with no other exits. Inside stood a broken array.

Qin Sang stopped before the threshold, studying the hall and the remnants of the array.

"It seems to be some kind of spirit-gathering array," he muttered to himself. He could discern some traces that when intact, this array had been a spirit-gathering array, far more intricate than any he had ever seen.

After a careful inspection, he confirmed there was nothing else present, nor any trace left behind by Senior Qingzhu. Qin Sang crossed to the other side of the hall, examining the walls.

There had to be another exit. He drew the ebony sword, roused sword qi, and struck at the stone wall. The sword qi sank into the wall and vanished.

"As expected." Joy flashed across his face. He unleashed several more strikes in succession, all absorbed by the wall. Soon a door appeared, very similar to the one in Ziwei Palace’s ancient hall.

The malevolent corpse went through first. Moments later, Qin Sang followed.

"This place?" Qin Sang’s face showed deep astonishment as he surveyed the scene.

The exit also opened upon a stone wall, but outside stretched a desolate wilderness. The malevolent corpse was standing upon the wall. Qin Sang’s figure flickered, landing atop the wall as well. His surprise only deepened as he took in the view.

It could only be called the eighth level of the Sky Tower. This was a vast world, its size likely no less than the seventh level. Yet here there were no towering peaks, only open land, with ranges of mountains that rose and fell, none particularly tall.

What shocked him was that this was the most intact space he had seen within the Sky Tower. The first seven levels had all been broken and ruined; the mountain of the seventh level had been smashed apart. But the eighth level remained whole. Land and mountains were untouched, the chaos of battle had never reached here.

Yet compared to the seventh level, this place was stifling. The space was shrouded in perpetual gloom. Thick black clouds drifted overhead, condensed from some unknown substance. In places they sank low enough to brush mountain peaks, pressing down like a weight upon the heart.

The land and mountains were utterly bare, without the faintest hint of green. Not even withered trees or grasses could be seen. Everything was the same black as the clouds.

Silent. Desolate. The eighth level of the Sky Tower was a place that had truly died. Qin Sang’s expression grew solemn. For reasons he could not explain, a wave of sorrow welled up within him.

"In a place like this, what could still remain?" He searched everywhere with his gaze, muttering, "Could the ancient teleportation array be here?"

All he saw was bleak darkness. In the distance, mountain shadows undulated, yet no trace of man-made structures appeared. Qin Sang understood he would have to find the way himself. Senior Qingzhu had left no hint at all. The good news was that the space was utterly silent. No ferocious beasts dwelled here.

He summoned his ebony sword, chose a direction, and together with his incarnation began seeking out places where barriers might exist. The space was immense, and he had to move quickly. The direction he chose led toward a tall mountain.

Soon, Qin Sang reached the foot of the mountain, concealed his aura, and climbed swiftly to its peak.

"Hmm?" From the mountaintop, he surveyed the land and finally spotted something unusual.

Only in one direction did the terrain end in a clean black line, like a sheer cliff where the earth itself broke off. It stood out starkly from the rest. After a moment’s thought, Qin Sang flew down the mountain, deciding to investigate the cliff.

Crossing range after range of black mountains, he neared the cliff when suddenly his body stiffened, his face filled with shock.

Bai’s urgent warning rang in his ears, "Be careful! Someone’s there!"

Qin Sang was stunned. On a mountain by the cliff stood a man! The figure was tall and straight, like a pine tree. His hands were clasped behind his back, and he faced the cliff in silence, utterly motionless. From him radiated no trace of aura.

Until now, even the vigilant Sky-Eyed Butterfly had failed to detect his presence. It was as if this man had appeared from thin air, ghostlike. Qin Sang’s heart trembled.

The man slowly turned. His gaze, sharp as a blade, fixed instantly upon Qin Sang. Before those eyes, Qin Sang’s concealment technique was meaningless, as if it did not exist.

"Senior Qingzhu!" Recognizing the man’s face, Qin Sang’s expression changed dramatically. He cried out in shock.

He had seen Qingzhu’s portrait at Shaohua Mountain. The legends of Qingzhu had always been told at Shaohua Mountain. Flying into a rage for the sake of beauty, cleaving a mountain in two, storming Yuanshen Sect alone with but a sword, slaying Golden Core cultivators one after another... Every deed stirred the blood and roused admiration. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Though Shaohua Mountain had downplayed this man’s existence to spare Yuanshen Sect’s pride, it had never dimmed the passion of his worshippers. Qingzhu’s portrait continued to circulate among the disciples. Qin Sang was actually seeing the man in the flesh.

The whereabouts of Senior Qingzhu had always been shrouded in mystery. Qin Sang had begun to suspect that he might have found the ancient teleportation array and already returned to the Small Cold Domain. Later, after discovering Linggui Island, he learned that Senior Qingzhu had been hunted down by old enemies. A great battle had erupted, and his trail had been lost ever since.

He had thought the hope of seeing Senior Qingzhu again was slim, yet here he was, meeting him so suddenly. The strange thing was why Senior Qingzhu would appear here. In an instant, Qin Sang’s thoughts whirled.

There was no doubt that Senior Qingzhu must have already reached the Spiritual Infant Realm. Otherwise, he could never have concealed himself so completely from the senses of the Sky-Eyed Butterfly.

But Qin Sang had no idea what sort of temperament Senior Qingzhu truly possessed. Was he really the righteous man, fierce in love and hate, as the legends claimed? Caution flared within him, and his body tensed.

"I..." Qin Sang opened his mouth, just about to speak, when suddenly something felt wrong.

Qingzhu stood shrouded in darkness. The moment he looked at Qin Sang, the corner of his lips curled into a strange, sinister smile. Qin Sang’s heart lurched violently.

"Seeded Devil Embryo. Another fool who doesn’t fear death..." Qingzhu sneered. His voice echoed in Qin Sang’s ears, laced with an inexplicable chill that cut straight to the marrow, making him shudder involuntarily. "I didn’t expect such an unexpected gain. So, you’re the one he has chosen as heir?"

"No! You’re not..." Qin Sang’s heart jolted in shock.

This man wore Senior Qingzhu’s face, yet referred to Qingzhu as "him." Judging by his words, he was unusually familiar with both Qingzhu and the Seeded Devil Embryo.

"Could it be..." Qin Sang instinctively glanced at his external incarnation. His body shuddered, and a three-colored evasion light flared as his true form abruptly withdrew, choosing to flee without hesitation.

At the same time, the external incarnation did the opposite, charging forward with blood sword in hand, straight at Qingzhu. Seeing this, a trace of disdain flashed in Qingzhu’s eyes. The sinister smile on his face deepened, as though he were watching the futile struggle of a plaything about to die.