Gateway of Immortality

Chapter 270: Resentful Flame Azure Lotus

"For such divine treasures to appear, I imagine they all end up in the hands of Spiritual Infant Realm grandmasters, right?"

Qin Sang sighed in awe.

The places where the Ten Divine Woods emerged would undoubtedly be surrounded by danger, inaccessible to those with weaker cultivation.

Even if someone of lesser strength were lucky enough to acquire such a treasure, they would become a target, bringing disaster upon themselves.

"Not necessarily," Wandering Man said, shaking his head, "Of the three instances, one involved a type of spiritual bamboo, none other than the Pure Blessing Bamboo, a wood of utmost righteousness among the Ten Divine Woods. At the time, both Spiritual Infant cultivators and Transformation Realm demonic beasts fought over it. Yet, according to legend, the bamboo fled on its own and remains missing to this day. No one has ever heard of an astra forged from Pure Blessing Bamboo."

"It fled in the midst of Spiritual Infant cultivators and Transformation Realm demonic beasts?" Qin Sang was stunned. "Could it be that the Pure Blessing Bamboo developed intelligence and became a demon?"

"Hard to say. It could have been hidden by someone. Achieving transformation is immensely difficult for demonic creatures, let alone for something as extraordinary as the Ten Divine Woods. Even developing intelligence would attract the jealousy of the heavens, and the tribulation of transformation would surely not be easy to overcome. After all, the path of immortality is incredibly arduous..."

Wandering Man sighed deeply, perhaps reminded of his own struggles in cultivation. Qin Sang, reflecting on his own journey, couldn’t help but feel a sense of resonance.

"What about the second time?" Qin Sang asked.

"The second was the Infinite Blood Mulberry Wood, a wood of ultimate impurity among the Ten Divine Woods. An astra refined from this wood could unleash a supernatural ability called Blood Defilement Divine Light, which could corrupt the opponent’s artifacts or astra. Inferior artifacts could be destroyed outright, while even astra would suffer significant damage to their spiritual essence and require extensive nurturing to recover."

"It’s said that during the emergence of the Infinite Blood Mulberry Wood, several demonic sect Spiritual Infant cultivators fought over it and accidentally shattered it. The fragments scattered deep within the Endless Valley, where cultivators still search for them today in hopes of finding a piece. After all, in combat, the Blood Defilement Divine Light could decisively turn the tide of battle."

"But the Endless Valley isn’t easy to navigate. As they say, people die for wealth, and birds for food. Many who venture there in search of treasure lose their lives instead."

Wandering Man’s tone carried a hint of mockery.

"Endless Valley?"

Qin Sang thought carefully but didn’t recall hearing of such a place. Among the famous hidden realms of the Ancient Immortal Battlefield, there didn’t seem to be any called Endless Valley.

Wandering Man chuckled. "The Endless Valley isn’t in the Ancient Immortal Battlefield; it’s a forbidden zone deep within the Tianduan Mountains. Most of those who enter are demonic sect cultivators, and the number of corpses left there is uncountable. To say the place is littered with bodies is no exaggeration."

Qin Sang nodded silently. So it was in the Tianduan Mountains.

The Tianduan Mountains stretched endlessly, home to many forbidden zones, each extraordinarily perilous.

"The third time was even more intriguing.

"To this day, it remains unclear which of the Ten Divine Woods emerged. Shortly after its appearance, the Cunyang Sect launched a massive attack on the Blood Nether Sect, single-handedly annihilating this major demonic sect. They killed the Blood Nether Sect’s leader on the spot, shocking the entire Small Cold Domain!"

"Later, rumors surfaced that the one who obtained the divine wood was a low-ranking disciple of the Blood Nether Sect."

"Whether there’s a connection between these events, no one knows for sure. Speculations abound, but the truth remains shrouded in mystery."

"However, a rumor—possibly spread by the Cunyang Sect—claimed that the disciple had fled with the divine wood and left the Small Cold Domain altogether. Whether it’s true or not, only the Cunyang Sect would know."

Wandering Man spoke with a faintly amused tone.

So, the Cunyang Sect’s destruction of the Blood Nether Sect was because of this.

Qin Sang nodded in understanding. The Cunyang Sect was unquestionably the foremost among the Eight Major Sects of the righteous path in the Small Cold Domain. With the sect leader’s unrivaled cultivation, no one would dare question them directly.

"Senior, I’ve recovered enough. Let me take over steering the boat." Qin Sang offered, standing up to relieve Wandering Man.

Wandering Man was also significantly depleted and naturally had no objections. He explained to Qin Sang the method of operating the Spiritual Bamboo Flying Boat, enabling Qin Sang to assist him in controlling it. With their combined efforts, they continued to pilot the bamboo boat.

The bamboo boat sped through the subterranean passages. Even the most magnificent and grand lava flows had become tiresome to behold.

Qin Sang glanced at Wandering Man discreetly, sighing inwardly. "I hope the trial space isn’t too far from the stone stele, and that nothing unexpected happens."

The two alternated steering the Spiritual Bamboo Flying Boat several times, skillfully avoiding danger and leaving the Fire Spirit Beasts far behind without incident.

When Qin Sang once again felt his spiritual power nearing exhaustion, he handed control back to Wandering Man. The latter cast a curious glance at Qin Sang, hesitating before speaking.

"Brother Qin... forgive my directness, but does your dantian or Qihai have an internal injury?"

Qin Sang was momentarily stunned but quickly understood. Despite his efforts to conceal the damage to his foundation, the relentless pursuit of the Fire Spirit Beasts had forced him to operate the Spiritual Bamboo Flying Boat with full effort, making it impossible to completely hide his condition.

Given Wandering Man’s expertise in alchemy and medical techniques, it was no surprise he noticed some irregularities.

Qin Sang, equipped with the ebony sword and the Yan Luo Banner of Ten Directions, feared no cultivator of the same level.

Furthermore, Wandering Man could only discern that his Qihai was damaged but could not gauge the extent of the damage with the naked eye.

For these reasons, Qin Sang wasn’t concerned about Wandering Man uncovering his full circumstances.

Additionally, Qin Sang had already planned to consult an expert in alchemy and healing techniques to find a method to repair his foundation, with Wandering Man being a candidate on his list.

Since it had been noticed, Qin Sang responded frankly, "Senior, your keen insight is impressive. To break through to the Foundation Building Realm, I used a secret technique that caused some damage to my Qihai. Although it doesn’t significantly hinder my cultivation, I’ve tried many methods to heal it without success. It’s like a thorn that cannot be removed, a constant source of frustration."

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Wandering Man smiled, leaving Qin Sang puzzled.

"Brother Qin, it seems fate truly has a way of bringing us together. Did you know that the hidden injury I sustained when breaking through to the Foundation Building Realm affects my primordial spirit? Like yours, it has become a chronic ailment. I’ve traveled far and wide for years in search of a remedy to restore my primordial spirit, but unfortunately, I’ve found no improvement. Earlier, the spiritual herb I encountered underground was a Resentful Flame Azure Lotus. I had hoped... but alas, the Azure Lotus Seed was already gone..."

Wandering Man’s smile faded, his brow furrowing deeply. The exhaustion and melancholy in his gaze were unmistakable as he sighed heavily.

"If this chronic ailment cannot be cured, not only will I lose hope of reaching the Golden Core, but even advancing to the middle stage of Foundation Building remains uncertain..."

The Resentful Flame Azure Lotus was an exceptionally rare spiritual herb. It would bear twelve Azure Lotus Seeds, but these seeds would eventually merge into one, reaching their peak medicinal potency.

The Azure Lotus Seed was known to nourish and strengthen the primordial spirit, making it a priceless treasure sought after by many cultivators.

To encounter the Resentful Flame Azure Lotus but find its most crucial Azure Lotus Seed missing was a cruel twist of fate.

Yet, Wandering Man’s tenacity and resilience shone through. Despite the highs and lows of hope and disappointment, he remained composed. It was only while recounting this matter that a trace of regret emerged in his expression.