Gateway of Immortality

As they walked, the two men continued to talk, not only about themselves but also about the broader situation among the three domains.

After the plot of the Sin Abyss had been crushed, the advantage clearly lay with the Small Cold Domain and the Tianxing Alliance. With their forces united, they had no fear of the Sin Abyss and no reason for alarm.

Having exposed Wuji Sect's leader, they had earned a great favor even from the Spiritual Infant cultivators of the Tianxing Alliance. Their prospects were now filled with promise.

The ancient herb garden was not far from the celestial city.

Traversing the mountains, they soon arrived.

No wonder it was known as a wondrous realm.

The scene before them was utterly out of place compared to the surroundings. To call it a celestial realm would not have been an exaggeration.

Celestial clouds drifted through the sky like multicolored haze, streaked with brilliant flashes of five-colored light. Rainbows arced across the distant heavens. All the most breathtaking celestial phenomena that nature could produce were gathered here in full splendor.

The terrain was equally wondrous. Jagged peaks stood tall amid a sea of lush greenery. Lakes of all sizes were scattered like stars across the land, their waters crystal-clear, like the purest eyes of the earth.

Treasure light shimmered throughout the mountains and waters, forming columns of light or blooming like luminous canopies. One could tell at a glance that the land was filled with natural treasures and divine herbs. The spiritual energy from the plants had condensed into visible phenomena.

These phenomena were everywhere, countless and dazzling. Whoever had once treated this place as a herb garden must have gathered every rare herb from across the world, creating a collection that overwhelmed the senses.

Beneath some of the phenomena, the actual herbs could faintly be seen. Qin Sang, however, recognized almost none of them.

Even more shocking was the presence of countless celestial birds and divine beasts. There were celestial cranes, phoenixes, Luans, Qilins, Azure Dragons, and even ancient great demonic beasts that only existed in myth.

Each of these ferocious beasts was strong enough to dominate a region, yet here, there was no fighting. Some were dozing, others drank by the lakeside, and some soared above the celestial clouds. The scene was one of complete serenity.

They seemed to be guardian spirit beasts of the herb garden.

Natural treasures scattered across the ground, guarded by dragons, phoenixes, and Qilins, with ancient great demonic beasts as their mounts. Everything perfectly matched the cultivators' fantasies of what the world of immortals should be.

The herb garden stretched far and wide, but its edges ended abruptly. Clearly, this was only a surviving fragment of a once larger domain.

Qin Sang was shaken by the sight before him.What kind of mighty figure had this garden belonged to? Not only had they collected such a vast trove of rare herbs, they had even bound great demonic beasts to guard them.

"These are illusions created by the barriers of the ancient herb garden. Just like the celestial city, most of this place has become a ruin. Only with great luck can one find a surviving spiritual herb within.

"Any herb found here is at least a natural treasure and incredibly rare. Among the major sects of the Small Cold Domain, many of their most treasured astras were refined from herbs collected in this very garden.

"Over time, the weaker areas of the barrier have already been explored. Even some well-hidden herbs have been discovered. Some of these, however, will wither if moved outside, such as the Purple Cloud Fruit. They can only remain here, and those who find them consider them private treasures."

Wandering Man pointed ahead and reminded Qin Sang not to get lost in the illusory paradise, lest his state of mind be disturbed.

Qin Sang nodded instinctively. He too understood that these were illusions. Ever since entering Ziwei Palace, he had not seen a single living creature. This place would be no exception.

Still, the illusions were so vivid that they seemed to recreate an actual moment from ancient times.

Even knowing they were false, one could not help being absorbed by the sight, unable to look away, stirred by endless reverie.

They stood at the edge of the herb garden and could already sense dangerous fluctuations. They dared not step directly into the illusion, for fear of being consumed by the ancient barriers.

The herb garden was vast, so they circled its borders cautiously, keeping an eye out in every direction in case they encountered other cultivators and needed to avoid them.

After some time, Wandering Man finally confirmed the location of the Purple Cloud Fruit and found the entrance.

He stood before the barrier, eyes half-closed, and extended his palm. Within it, he subtly activated the Flawless Orb.

The orb pulsed with light, glowing white as it began probing the barrier.

Moments later, Wandering Man opened his eyes, took a few steps back, and turned to Qin Sang. "Brother Qin, summon your flying yaksha. With it clearing the path, I can focus on breaking the barrier, which should speed things up."

Qin Sang obeyed without hesitation. He patted his Corpse Puppet Pouch, and a black figure shot out.

Swish!

The flying yaksha emerged once more.

Its injuries had fully healed. Its face was green with protruding fangs, its body exuding thick corpse qi. It looked just like a malevolent spirit. Its pitch-black eyes now glowed faintly with a light that had not been present before, making it appear even more eerie.

At Qin Sang's command, the flying yaksha flashed forward and appeared before the ancient barrier in an instant. Its speed was still astonishing.

Wandering Man studied it with narrowed eyes and spoke with admiration. "This corpse's strength is no weaker than the one in the ice cavern. You must have put in tremendous effort, Brother Qin."

Qin Sang nodded with a bitter smile. Indeed, refining the flying yaksha had been no easy feat. He had nearly failed several times and had almost ruined the whole thing in the end.

With the yaksha in front and Qin Sang and Wandering Man following behind, they formed a triangular formation. Qin Sang controlled the yaksha, while Wandering Man focused on dismantling the ancient barrier.

Their strategy decided, they acted accordingly.

Wandering Man formed a spiritual power spike in his palm and raised his hand, striking at the ancient herb garden.

Crash!

The moment the sharp spike touched the barrier, the illusion before them shattered like a mirror.

The true scene hidden behind the illusion was instantly revealed.

What lay ahead was a dim and desolate wasteland. The vegetation had withered, riverbeds lay dry, the mountains were broken and jagged, and there was not a trace of vitality to be found.

Having been forewarned by Wandering Man, Qin Sang acted the moment the illusion was dispelled. He immediately sent the flying yaksha charging forward, with both he and Wandering Man following close behind.

Just as they stepped into the ancient herb garden, a sudden tiger's roar rang out ahead. Narrowing their eyes, they saw a winged tiger swoop down from the sky.

A foul stench rushed toward them.

Its sharp fangs still carried shreds of torn flesh. This tiger's presence was utterly ferocious. Its eyes glowed with bloodlust and its body exuded murderous intent.

Qin Sang had seen this very same tiger in the illusion outside. Back then, it had appeared tame, resting peacefully in a bed of grass while several Nine-Colored Deer frolicked nearby.

Now, the same tiger stood before him, and both its oppressive aura and scent revealed no flaws. If he hadn't known in advance that this was a manifestation of the ancient barrier, it would have been easy to mistake it for a real great demon, and be scared out of his wits.

The tiger's roar shook the sky.

With a flap of its wings, it stirred up a fierce gale, and its figure vanished in an instant.

Boom!

A tremendous crash followed. Two figures—one large, one small—suddenly appeared in midair, both sent flying backward.

Though the tiger was fast, the flying yaksha was no slower and had managed to intercept it.

The yaksha staggered slightly, then steadied itself, while the tiger tumbled through the air several times, landing with a furious but impotent roar.

It was clear now that there was a vast gulf between the illusion's power and that of a true great demonic beast.

This tiger was all bark and no bite, fierce in appearance but hollow within. It was no match for the flying yaksha.