Chapter 1176: Tianxing Highland
Chapter 1176: Tianxing Highland
The ancient text and the witch race’s life-bound insect gu technique corroborated each other.
Although Qin Sang had not found any records about the Sky-Eyed Butterfly, he was no longer as completely lost as before. Some ideas had begun to take shape in his mind, though they would still need to be verified slowly in the future.
"Even Yuling Sect has no records of it. From now on, we can only support each other and slowly search for the path ahead." Qin Sang turned his head and looked at the Sky-Eyed Butterfly with a gentle gaze.
The Sky-Eyed Butterfly seemed to sense Qin Sang’s thoughts. Its soft wings lightly brushed against his cheek, as if comforting him.
"Let’s go." Qin Sang put the ancient text back, bade farewell to Yuling Sect’s vice sect leader, and then headed straight south, arriving at Cangheng Island in Yuncang Marshlands.
Tan Yi’en had followed the instructions and had already been waiting on the island. On the island, Qin Sang contacted a major merchant guild and asked them to gather the spiritual herbs required for the Fire Smelting Pill. Once he determined which major city he would be stationed in, they would deliver the materials there.
Since they would be serving a demon king, the merchant guild was naturally extremely willing, and the price they offered was very reasonable.
At the same time, Qin Sang purchased several additional materials. He still had quite a few high-level demon bones on him, which could be used together with Golden Sinking Wood to refine flying swords.
It was difficult to find the most top-grade spiritual materials in such a short time. However, Qin Sang had no intention of aiming too high. Being able to refine middle-grade spiritual swords would already be sufficient for the time being. Later, he could find ways to improve them.
After staying for one day and settling all the necessary matters, Qin Sang and Tan Yi’en set out, crossing Yuncang Marshlands and arriving at the southern shore.
It was Qin Sang’s first time setting foot in Tianxing Alliance! His figure flashed as he landed on a mountain by the shore and gazed southward.
Yuncang Marshlands and Yuncang River flowing westward formed a natural barrier between Small Cold Domain and Tianxing Alliance.
It was said that long ago the two regions had not been separated. At some unknown time, and for some unknown reason, a rift had appeared between them. The conflicts had grown deeper and deeper, eventually even leading to war.
Tianxing Alliance derived its name from Tianxing Highland. From Yuncang Marshlands heading south, the terrain quickly rose, forming a vast highland region whose area was even larger than Small Cold Domain and Heavenly Demon Hill combined. This region was known as Tianxing Highland.
Records stated that the summit of Tianxing Highland was also the highest point in the entire Beichen Realm.
Compared to Small Cold Domain, although Tianxing Highland had treacherous terrain and complex geography, its landscapes were far more monotonous. Most of it consisted of plateau snowfields and glaciers. The affairs of the mortal world there were also very different from those of Small Cold Domain.
Because Small Cold Domain lay between Tianxing Highland and Ancient Immortal Battlefield, the northern path of Tianxing Alliance’s immortal cultivators had been cut off. High-tier cultivators could still travel back and forth, but for low-tier cultivators, entering Ancient Immortal Battlefield was extremely difficult.
South of Tianxing Highland, meanwhile, stretched an endless desert. This desert shared the same name as the realm itself, the Great Beichen Desert.
From this name alone it was clear that desert terrain dominated the Beichen Realm. The Great Beichen Desert covered more than seventy percent of the entire realm.
Qin Sang had once heard Qingjun mention that among the four realms of the world, Beichen Realm had the largest territory but the weakest overall strength in the cultivation world. The reason was precisely this.
The barren desert had thin spiritual qi and scarce resources. Not only was it unsuitable for mortals to live in, even immortal cultivators found it difficult to locate suitable cave dwellings there. Cultivation in such an environment was extremely difficult.
Across the vast desert, living creatures were hard to find and human settlements were sparse.
There were oases scattered throughout the desert, where a few small and large forces existed, but none of them had grown into anything significant.
Within the Beichen Realm, although the Great Beichen Desert was the most expansive region, the vast majority of immortal cultivators gathered in three places: Small Cold Domain, Tianxing Alliance, and Sin Abyss. To cultivators wandering in the desert, these three regions were practically sacred lands. Small Cold Domain, bordering Ancient Immortal Battlefield, possessed an especially unique advantage.
Sin Abyss lay to the east-southeast of Tianxing Alliance, with a grassland lying between them as a buffer zone. It was said that this grassland was gradually being devoured by the desert. By now, that buffer grassland had already fallen under the control of Sin Abyss.
On the southern side of Tianxing Highland, the terrain was much gentler compared to the northern side. However, the decrease in elevation was uneven. Often after a stretch of flat land, a steep cliff would suddenly appear ahead.
The two greatest drops were known as the two southern staircases of Tianxing Highland.
Although Tianxing Alliance held the high ground, it had suffered consecutive defeats in the last great war.
The stronghold at the first staircase had already fallen and was now occupied by Sin Abyss. At present, Sin Abyss was steadily advancing along the first staircase. Once the final defensive barrier was breached, Tianxing Highland would have no natural defenses left to rely on.
Tianxing Alliance had been formed by the various forces of Tianxing Highland to resist enemies on both fronts. It was currently led by Daoist Master Zhenyi.
Qin Sang activated his phoenix wings, wrapped Tan Yi’en in his true essence, and flew high through the sky. At last, he arrived at the summit of Tianxing Highland, where the central city of Tianxing Alliance was located. This was the highest peak Qin Sang had ever seen so far.
Night had just fallen. The sky was completely cloudless and perfectly clear. Countless stars glittered across the heavens, gathering into the Milky Way, as if they were within reach.
Yet even with Qin Sang’s cultivation, he did not dare to rashly venture into the astral wind belt of the high skies.
Gazing at the vast and profound firmament, Qin Sang suddenly recalled the bold words he had once spoken to Dongyang Lady. After reaching the Spiritual Infant Realm, he had traveled through Great Sui and had even repaired the barriers at the tomb of the lady.
Now, he stood among the peak figures of this world. Yet the higher his cultivation rose, the more insignificant he felt.
The path continued through the Spiritual Infant Realm, the Divine Transformation Realm, Void Refinement, Fusion, Mahayana, and finally tribulation transcendence and ascension to become an immortal.
In the present age, late-stage Spiritual Infant cultivators were already the strongest. Divine Transformation cultivators existed only in legends, and anything beyond that was even less imaginable.
Where did the road ahead lie? If the storm belt was a prison, could the path lie beyond that prison?
"I’m thinking too much." Qin Sang laughed at himself. Every future bottleneck would have to be broken through by his own efforts. Whether he could even reach the late stage of the Spiritual Infant Realm was still unknown.
At last, the outline of Tianxing City appeared in his sight. Although it was far inferior to Tianshing City in Canglang Sea, here it was already the most prominent great city.
Qin Sang did not conceal his aura. With a single flap of his wings, he flew straight toward one of the city gates.
The guards at the gate immediately noticed his approach. A Core Formation cultivator quickly flew out and bowed respectfully. "Senior, are you Demon King Ming Yue?"
They had clearly already received news of the demon kings’ reinforcement and recognized Qin Sang with ease.
"Yes, I am." Qin Sang folded his wings, landed in front of the man, and set Tan Yi’en down.
"Elder Ji is waiting inside the city for the demon kings. Please follow me into the city..."
"You wait here." Qin Sang gave a brief instruction before following the cultivator into the city. Soon they arrived at a palace that was clearly one of the city’s core locations, where he met Elder Ji of Tianxing Alliance.
"Just earlier, Daoist Snake King mentioned you, and now you have arrived," Elder Ji said.
He wore a Daoist robe. His face was thin, and he appeared to be around forty years old. His attitude toward Qin Sang was extremely warm.
"Daoist Snake King spoke very highly of you. Only now did I learn that Heavenly Demon Hill has produced another young talent! With you stationed here, the Sandi'e Stronghold will surely remain secure," Elder Ji said.
"You flatter me, Daoist Ji. Daoist Snake King must have exaggerated quite a bit." Qin Sang returned the greeting with a fist-and-palm salute. "So it seems like you have already decided that I will be stationed at Sandi'e Stronghold?"