Chapter 98

The Dharma robe distributed by the Yuanzhao Gate was destroyed in the underground cave, and Qin Sang had no leisure to tidy himself up. After several months of fleeing, he had become no different from a wild man.

The weather was getting warmer, and the population gradually became denser. The towns along the way became increasingly prosperous. Qin Sang felt it was about time to change into a clean set of clothes, mix into a small town, and inquire about his current location.

"Zheng State..."

Qin Sang was devouring large meat buns at a bun shop. He had just learned that he was within the territory of the Zheng State, which seemed familiar. Suddenly, he remembered that the geomancy map given to him by Master Han included the Zheng State.

Leaving the bun shop, Qin Sang found a deserted place and took out the geomancy map from his jiezidai, feeling fortunate.

Sure enough, the Zheng State was marked on the map, and it was located on the westernmost side. If he continued west, he would soon be out of the map's range.

The Zheng State was southwest of the You Mountain Range, separated by a considerable distance.

In the southern part of the Zheng State, there was a place called Jiuding Mountain. Although it was not as grand as the You Mountain, it was still a well-known mountain in the vicinity.

After some thought, Qin Sang decided to go to Jiuding Mountain, find a secluded and picturesque spot to establish a cave dwelling, and first heal his old injuries. He would then try to find other cultivators to gather some information and continue southward, escaping to the heartland of the righteous forces.

Although Qin Sang did not know the outcome of that night, he thought of the terrifying great sun and the unexpectedly appearing Golden Core Elder, feeling that the Kuoyin Sect might not have fared well.

For such a long time, the Kuoyin Sect had not caught up to him, which gradually calmed his uneasy heart.

...

Jiuding Mountain, Phoenix Peak.

Phoenix Peak was once the most beautiful of the nine peaks of Jiuding Mountain, with countless enchanting legends.

From a distance, Phoenix Peak resembled a divine phoenix about to take flight. Unfortunately, a mysterious earthquake later caused the collapse of the Phoenix Stone.

Although Jiuding Mountain was still called Jiuding Mountain, Phoenix Peak was gradually forgotten and became an ordinary peak.

Later, Phoenix Peak was suddenly shrouded in a dense fog that never dissipated. Anyone who entered the fog would get lost and could only find their way out after wandering for a long time, leading to the resurgence of various legends.

Unknown to many, the former Phoenix Peak had become a gathering place for cultivators near Jiuding Mountain. The dense fog surrounding it was actually a simple restriction that only blocked mortals.

At the end of each month, scattered cultivators and cultivators from small families near Jiuding Mountain would gather on the mountain. The number of people was not large, and they were all low-level cultivators, but they could still exchange cultivation insights and minor news.

Today was the end of the month. Early in the morning, several beams of light arrived in groups, and then more people entered the fog one after another.

When the sky was bright, a woman in her thirties landed in front of Phoenix Peak, looking delighted as she said to the young man beside her, "Daoist Qin, your Cloud Escape technique is indeed excellent, more concealed than my Water Escape technique and much faster. Thank you for teaching me."

Qin Sang nodded with a smile.

The woman traveling with him was named Li Youniang, who was already in her thirties. She was originally an ordinary person from a small village outside Jiuding Mountain and had married at a young age.

Later, her husband saved an injured cultivator while cutting wood on the mountain. The cultivator, gravely injured and near death, decided to pass on his cultivation techniques to them as a token of gratitude. Unfortunately, only Li Youniang had a spiritual root, and it was a four-element spiritual root. She had practiced for many years to reach the third level of the Qi Condensation stage.

However, after receiving the cultivation techniques, Li Youniang did not leave the village to seek cultivation or abandon her husband, who was a mortal. Instead, she continued to live a simple life.

Now, she had three children, and the family lived happily together.

Half a month ago, her husband suddenly fell seriously ill. Li Youniang, in a panic, went to Phoenix Peak to seek medicine and was intercepted by Qin Sang.

At that time, Qin Sang had found a secluded mountain stream on Jiuding Mountain and established a cave dwelling, where he had been in seclusion to heal his injuries.

He originally planned to contact nearby scattered cultivators to gather information. When Li Youniang came to him, he was happy to make a connection. Upon hearing her troubles, he immediately gave her a spirit pill, which cured her husband.

Li Youniang regarded Qin Sang as her savior and readily agreed to take him to Phoenix Peak for the gathering. She also told him that the best time to gather information was at the end of the month.

Her late master had a good friend named Yu Lian, a disciple of the Yu family, a cultivator family near Jiuding Mountain. Yu Lian was well-informed and enjoyed making friends, often giving talks on Phoenix Peak at the end of each month.

The scattered cultivators in the vicinity learned about the cultivation world mainly from him.

Qin Sang stayed at Li Youniang's home and set out on the day of the month's end. Seeing the harmonious and happy life of Li Youniang's family, he admired her persistence, though he did not entirely agree with it.

Li Youniang reined in her joy and said, "Daoist Qin, follow me. I will introduce you to Senior Yu."

The illusory restriction on Phoenix Peak was ineffective against cultivators. By using the Qi Perception technique, one could see a clear path leading to the summit. Qin Sang followed Li Youniang and was surprised to find that Phoenix Peak had a unique landscape.

A hollowed-out white rhinoceros horn, a low-grade magical tool, was placed on the remains of the Phoenix Stone. It had the function of condensing water vapor. The opening faced a small stream below, and a steady stream of water flowed out of the rhinoceros horn, creating a pleasant sound as it meandered down the mountain. Along the way, there were pavilions and terraces, creating a very elegant scene.

There were already many cultivators in the various pavilions, gathered in small groups. Li Youniang greeted them as she walked up, appearing very familiar with them, all of whom were scattered cultivators near Jiuding Mountain.

Seeing the unfamiliar face of Qin Sang, everyone was curious, but no one asked too many questions.

Li Youniang led Qin Sang to the top of Phoenix Peak and stopped at a bamboo pavilion. Inside, seven people were gathered around a seventy-year-old man with a goatee, drinking and talking.

"Speaking of recent events in the cultivation world, several major incidents have indeed occurred..."

The goateed old man took a sip of wine, slightly drunk, and raised his voice, but stopped when he saw Li Youniang and Qin Sang. He waved them over warmly, "Youniang has arrived, come in and sit down. Help your senior warm up two pots of wine. Oh? Who is this daoist?"

"Senior Yu, this is Daoist Qin, the savior of Si Lang," Li Youniang introduced Qin Sang and recounted the events leading up to their meeting.

Qin Sang stepped forward and bowed, "Qin Sang greets Senior Yu."

The drunken look on Yu Lian's face disappeared, and he sized up Qin Sang with his small eyes. "Youniang and Si Lang are truly fortunate to have met such a kind and benevolent friend as Daoist Qin. Please come in quickly."