Gateway of Immortality

Crack! Crack!

A series of swift strikes landed on the malevolent corpse.

As the malevolent energy struggled to compensate, the rate at which the wounds healed drastically diminished. Although the malevolent corpse boasted considerable physical defense and the injuries were not large, the balance shifted unfavorably for it; ultimately, it could not escape the fate of being slain.

The malevolent corpse attempted to counterattack, but Qin Sang would not grant it the chance to struggle. He immediately channeled all his strength into the Five-Elemental Breaking Sword, unleashing a series of sword lights that sliced through in unison. It took some time, but he finally managed to vanquish the malevolent corpse.

Bang!

The malevolent corpse collapsed, and the Earth Malevolent Qi emanating from its body erupted violently, filling the air with a foul stench.

Qin Sang furrowed his brow and retreated a safe distance. He watched as the massive form of the malevolent corpse rapidly shriveled before his eyes, eventually transforming into the corpse of a middle-aged cultivator, leaving Qin Sang utterly astonished.

The figure appeared gaunt, with a bluish-black hue to his skin, yet his features remained discernible. Within a mere moment, the body began to decay completely, crumbling into a pile of black ashes.

Qin Sang waved his hand, scattering the ashes. Finding nothing within, he flashed over to the heavy iron door, extending his spiritual consciousness to examine the barrier on the door.

The barrier on the heavy iron door proved more troublesome than the one on the previous stone door. However, the difficulty of breaking it was manageable. He quickly located its weakness, and the Five-Elemental Breaking Sword thrust repeatedly towards the swirling black cloud beneath the ancient corpse's image.

Bang!

The black cloud shattered, and the heavy iron door shook violently as a surge of black qi burst forth.

A piercing, grating sound filled the air, and the heavy iron door slowly opened a crack. Qin Sang drew upon his spiritual power, forcefully pushing the door until there was enough space for him to slip through. In a flash, he darted inside.

Behind the grand hall lay a fork in the path, branching out into five stone corridors. The number was significantly fewer than before, and they obviously sloped downward. If the terrain continued in a similar fashion, the eventual spider-web-like cavern should converge at a single point.

At this point, Qin Sang could confirm that this cavern was the entrance to a demonic sect proficient in the technique of corpse refinement. It was unclear whether they had offended a formidable enemy or for some other reason, but all the disciples had been slaughtered, and even the mountain gate had been sealed with a barrier, completely vanishing from the immortal cultivation world.

The place where all the stone corridors converged should be the core stronghold of this demonic sect!

Upon passing through the heavy iron door, Qin Sang distinctly felt the spiritual power intensify, denser than outside. The stone corridors were more neatly arranged, expertly polished. Every considerable distance featured a stone chamber on either side, most of which were entirely empty.

The stone corridors ahead also contained similar chambers. Qin Sang had spotted several skeletons within, likely belonging to disciples of the demonic sect who had cultivated here.

It was clear that the deeper one ventured into the cavern, the more concentrated the spiritual power became, and the higher the quality of the cave dwellings.

Disciples capable of cultivating here held a higher status than those on the outskirts. If he ventured a bit further inward, he should find the cave dwellings of Foundation Building disciples, right?

Qin Sang did not linger long after passing through the heavy iron door. With a casual glance, he immediately activated the Falling Cloud Wings to blend into the shadows, simultaneously employing the Spirit Evasion Art to conceal his aura, and flew into one of the stone corridors.

Not far inside, Qin Sang made an unexpected move.

He suddenly turned and fixed his gaze on the direction of the heavy iron door, contemplating for a moment before quietly retreating a short distance. As he approached the heavy iron door again, he slipped into a stone chamber and concealed himself.

The stone corridor lay in eerie silence, devoid of any sound.

Qin Sang seemed to transform into a statue, standing motionless at the entrance of the stone chamber, his eyes fixed on the fork in the path, as though the impending Earth Malevolent Qi posed no threat at all.

Time stretched on, lasting a hundred breaths, and the corridor remained as desolate as ever. Each passing moment felt interminable. Doubt began to cloud Qin Sang's expression, and he felt a flicker of uncertainty arise within him. He silently said, "Could it be that I misperceived?"

At that moment, a soft sound broke the darkness of the fork in the path, a faint "hmm," so quiet that it should have gone unnoticed, yet to Qin Sang’s ears, it resonated like a thunderclap.

Qin Sang's expression hardened as he pushed the Falling Cloud Wings and Spirit Evasion Art to their limits, focusing intently on the direction of the sound.

He saw the space behind the heavy iron door distort, and after a moment, the outline of a figure began to emerge.

Upon recognizing the person, a sharp gleam flashed in Qin Sang's eyes.

Wu Yuesheng!

Earlier, while Qin Sang had been attempting to gauge the abilities of the malevolent corpse in the hall for future encounters, he suddenly sensed a subtle fluctuation, as if someone had intruded. Though fleeting, it was still caught by his perception.

Activating the Five-Elemental Breaking Sword required channeling the spiritual qi of the surrounding space. With his spiritual consciousness not being weak, he could detect even the slightest changes around him.

Remaining calm, Qin Sang quickly altered his plan. He deliberately drew out the Blood Saber and engaged the malevolent corpse in close combat, justifying the activation of the Heavenly Star Tear for protection. While battling the malevolent corpse, he discreetly probed his surroundings but found nothing amiss; everything in the hall appeared normal, and the previous fluctuation seemed to have been an illusion.

However, in this bizarre cavern and cave system, Qin Sang could not afford to dismiss it as a mere illusion.

He was in the light while the enemy lurked in the shadows.

He had no idea whether the hidden presence was human or ghostly, nor their strength. Therefore, Qin Sang dared not recklessly alert the other party, remaining on guard in his heart as he pretended everything was normal while opening the heavy iron door, which led to his current actions.

Qin Sang was uncertain if this strategy would force the other out.

His only goal was self-preservation. If the other party chose to remain hidden and they parted ways without further incident, he could accept that.

Now, seeing that the figure in the darkness was indeed Wu Yuesheng, Qin Sang felt no great surprise. He had already noted Wu Yuesheng's unique method of concealing his presence when he had been near the yin wind barrier.

What made Qin Sang wary was why Wu Yuesheng chose to hide and observe instead of joining forces upon seeing him.

With the Earth Malevolent Qi looming behind him like a sword at his neck and the malevolent corpse blocking his path, he was surrounded by peril.

Collaborating to overcome the crisis was the best option.

Even if Wu Yuesheng wanted to observe Qin Sang's strength, after Qin Sang had slain the malevolent corpse, he should have revealed himself during the time it took to dispel the barrier on the heavy iron door.

Wu Yuesheng had broken through the Foundation Building Realm earlier than Qin Sang, displaying greater apparent strength, so there was no reason for him to fear Qin Sang.

His thoughts raced as he quietly observed Wu Yuesheng.

Wu Yuesheng stood at the fork in the path, gazing at the five branching corridors ahead. His expression betrayed some surprise as he muttered, "Junior Brother Qin is truly cautious; none of the five paths exude any aura. Which one could he have taken?"

After pondering for a moment, Wu Yuesheng shook his head and casually selected one of the stone corridors. Just as he was about to step forward, he suddenly seemed to recall something. He raised his hand and thrust it toward the void, summoning a fireball that materialized out of thin air. It rapidly expanded, and upon reaching its limit, it detonated with a thunderous roar.

Tendrils of flame danced like spirits, instantly swirling outward at an astonishing speed, filling the surrounding space in an instant.

Having remained on alert, Qin Sang swiftly retreated, narrowly avoiding the flames as they sought him out.

Seeing everything return to normal, Wu Yuesheng let out a self-deprecating laugh before vanishing into the stone corridor.