Chapter 611: Chapter 611

"If you insist on clinging to notions of chastity and virtue, then you are being needlessly stubborn. Those are merely mortal morals, created to uphold the order of the mundane world. For cultivators like us at the Spiritual Infant Realm, everyone below us is no different from ants. To refrain from casually slaughtering cities and kingdoms is already considered mercy. If you can’t see through even this much, then your cultivation has all been in vain."

Dongyang Bo’s threats and enticements were expertly crafted. He had fully seized upon Chenyan’s desperation to save her master, hoping to pressure her into submission.

Chenyan suddenly caught sight of Qin Sang’s eyes. Like a bolt of lightning, they pierced straight into her heart, and she froze on the spot.

What kind of gaze is that?

It is as though he is questioning me...

When you're threatened, cornered in despair, do you surrender and accept your fate, or do you seize even the faintest sliver of hope and fight to the end, never bowing?

In the next instant, a blood-colored sword light suddenly burst from the bronze hall. It was brighter and more piercing than the blood pearl in Chenyan’s hand. Scarlet and blinding, yet tinged with sorrow and tragic beauty.

Qin Sang, whose cultivation had supposedly been sealed by the talisman, rendered a cripple...

Had actually summoned a slender flying sword from his Baihui point, aiming straight for the Vajra Bangle!

The Vajra Bangle was Dongyang Bo’s life-bound astra, refined day and night alongside him. Among high-grade astras, it stood at the very peak.

In comparison, Qin Sang’s sword seemed feeble and insignificant.

Yet the blood light radiating from that flying sword caused Dongyang Bo’s expression to change dramatically.

"Blood Defilement Divine Light!"

To prevent Qin Sang from being taken away by Chenyan, Dongyang Bo had used the Vajra Bangle to suppress him, sealing him tightly with no room for escape. But with Qin Sang’s sudden strike, even someone as powerful as Dongyang Bo couldn’t retrieve the astra in time.

The Blood Defilement Divine Light was a supernatural ability Qin Sang could only use once inside Ziwei Palace.

Back when the Sin Abyss launched its surprise attack and Leng Yuntian’s astra was nearly destroyed, Qin Sang had saved the technique. In all the battles afterward, whether against monstrous beasts or roaming spirits, he never found the right moment to use it.

And now, here it was, his final lifeline.

Dongyang Bo’s talisman was immensely powerful, rendering Qin Sang’s physical body completely immobile. He had tried countless ways to break free, but the power of the seal remained unshaken.

However, his primordial spirit was protected by the Jade Buddha, rendering the talisman ineffective against it. He could still wield the ebony sword!

Although his meridians and Qihai were sealed, his spiritual power locked down, and he couldn’t even sense his false core, the killing symbol on the ebony sword acted as an alternative dantian. It could autonomously absorb the surrounding spiritual qi and provide enough power for him to control the sword.

Moreover, his spiritual consciousness remained unimpeded.

Qin Sang had, in fact, been waiting all this time for the right moment.

Originally, he had planned to escape when Dongyang Bo and Chenyan inevitably clashed.

But the moment Dongyang Bo presented Stone Bridge Zen, Qin Sang knew he couldn’t afford to wait any longer.

Dongyang Bo viewed him as no more than an ant. Chenyan was his only hope. If she truly accepted Stone Bridge Zen and agreed to a deal, Qin Sang would never get another chance to escape.

He could not allow her time to reconsider. He had to take the risk.

That final glance he gave Chenyan was a question. What choice will you make?

The Vajra Bangle was engulfed in crimson light.

The Blood Defilement Divine Light was not powerful enough to destroy the Vajra Bangle entirely, but it carried enough corruptive force to momentarily disrupt Dongyang Bo’s control over it.

As expected, the light surrounding the Vajra Bangle dimmed.

Qin Sang felt the suppression on his body finally lift. His gaze briefly met Chenyan’s before he rose on his sword and shot out of the bronze hall without looking back.

Chenyan stood stunned, shaken by the look in Qin Sang’s eyes. It finally snapped her back to her senses.

She hadn’t imagined that Qin Sang could free himself from Dongyang Bo’s grasp. But that didn’t mean he could escape. His fate still hinged on her choice.

So what should she choose?

There was no time to deliberate. But Chenyan didn’t hesitate for even a second. She raised her Phoenix Sword and thrust it fiercely at Dongyang Bo.

Within the ancient bronze hall, battle erupted in an instant! Official source ıs ɴovelfire.net

On the other side, Qin Sang burst out of the grand hall. Sensing the shift in the battle behind him, a wave of relief washed over him. Chenyan had not let him down.

A map suddenly emerged in his mind. It was the guidance Chenyan had secretly passed to him, showing him how to escape by retracing his steps through the secret passage.

Qin Sang clenched his fist. His greatest worry had been how to get out of this place, and Chenyan had resolved it for him.

Though he knew she had done this primarily to eliminate Dongyang Bo’s leverage over her, Qin Sang still offered her a silent thanks in his heart.

Qin Sang unleashed the Sword Qi Thunderclap and raced toward the exit of this stage without holding anything back.

He moved with incredible speed, the boundless black qi trailing far behind him. As he neared the exit, a furious roar rang out from the bronze hall behind him. “Kill him! Tear him to pieces!” Dongyang Bo bellowed in rage.

At the same time, Qin Sang caught sight of several figures in the distance—Mu Yifeng, Ji Qing, and Yu Wansen.

They were all standing and staring at him in astonishment, while Qiu Mubai remained slumped, breath weak and drained from overexertion.

Qin Sang’s heart tightened. Even in the midst of battle, Dongyang Bo hadn’t forgotten to issue a kill order, commanding Mu Yifeng and the others to strike!

Surrounded on both sides, Qin Sang gritted his teeth and charged forward without hesitation.

The four of them met face to face. Hearing Dongyang Bo’s command, they exchanged uncertain glances.

To Qin Sang’s shock, the first to make a move was Mu Yifeng!

The moment Dongyang Bo gave the order, Mu Yifeng’s gaze sharpened. Without the slightest hesitation, he summoned the Nine-Fire Divine Blade, pointing its tip at Qin Sang as he stepped forward to attack.

A chill spread through Qin Sang’s heart.

Back in Shaohua Mountain, Mu Yifeng had been one of his closest senior brothers. Qin Sang had even saved his life once.

Yet now, Mu Yifeng had raised his weapon against him without hesitation.

Their eyes met for a brief instant. Two former friends locked in confrontation. Qin Sang suddenly froze.

The next moment, the ebony sword clashed with the Nine-Fire Divine Blade. The Nine-Fire Divine Blade shattered!

"Astra!" Mu Yifeng cried out in panic. His divine blade broken, his guard was left wide open.

And Qin Sang understood.

Mu Yifeng’s Nine-Fire Divine Blade had been refined by his side for over a hundred years, far superior to ordinary artifacts. Even the ebony sword, powerful as it was, should not have been able to break it so easily.

It could only mean that Mu Yifeng had secretly destroyed the blade himself, staging the defeat for all to see.

That artifact had meant more to Mu Yifeng than his own life. He had planned to use it as his life-bound astra after reaching the Core Formation Realm. And now, he had destroyed it by his own hand.

Time seemed to freeze.

Qin Sang and Mu Yifeng could only communicate through their eyes. Mu Yifeng’s gaze was filled with urgency. It was a farewell and a blessing.

The ebony sword was about to pierce Mu Yifeng’s chest. Qin Sang clenched his jaw but did not hold back. He knew that the more ruthless his strike appeared, the greater the chance that Mu Yifeng would survive.

He couldn’t let Mu Yifeng’s sacrifice be in vain.

The ebony sword pierced through Mu Yifeng’s left chest, grazing his heart. But at the final moment, Qin Sang had subtly shifted the trajectory of his sword qi, avoiding a fatal blow.

Mu Yifeng’s body flung back like a ragdoll and crashed squarely into Ji Qing.

Ji Qing and Yu Wansen were both startled. They hadn’t expected Mu Yifeng to fall in a single exchange against Qin Sang, leaving them wary and uncertain. Ji Qing hastily caught Mu Yifeng and, realizing he was still breathing, quickly fed him a pill.

Yu Wansen hesitated briefly, but by the time he attempted to strike, it was already too late.

The ebony sword knocked away Yu Wansen’s artifact with ease. Qin Sang shot forward like an arrow loose from a bowstring, plunging into the exit and vanishing from their sight. By the time Yu Wansen and Ji Qing rushed out to pursue him, not even a trace of his sword light remained.

The interior of the black tower was vast.

Qin Sang didn’t dare stop for even a second. He passed through one level after another until at last, he burst out of the tower.

With no other choice, he placed his faith in Chenyan. Once he confirmed his direction, he fled with all his might.

Qin Sang followed Chenyan’s directions, moving through the ancient hall and lifting the seal on the wall to enter the hidden passage. He then passed through the path of evil spirits and arrived beneath the small lake.

Just as Chenyan had said, this place allowed exit but not entry. With a leap upward, Qin Sang shattered the barrier and emerged within the lake.

He swam to the surface, flew out of the lake, and sped toward the foot of heavenly mountain.

There were no pursuers along the way, meaning Dongyang Bo had indeed been held off by Chenyan.

When Qin Sang finally escaped the bounds of heavenly mountain, his figure paused ever so slightly. He turned to glance behind him, only to be struck by a sudden sense of disorientation.

The world was vast, yet he had no idea where to go.

He had spent nearly a century on Shaohua Mountain and held some affection for it, but he could never return.

Not even the Small Cold Domain was an option anymore.

Chenyan might be able to delay Dongyang Bo, but Qin Sang did not believe she could kill him. After all, Chenyan had only recently advanced to the Spiritual Infant Realm. If anyone were to fall in that battle, it would most likely be her.

The likeliest outcome was that the two of them would come to some kind of truce.

And once that happened, they would both begin searching for him with full force.

Qin Sang had no real understanding of Chenyan’s temperament. If she decided to cultivate Stone Bridge Zen, she would become all the more terrifying.

For a Spiritual Infant grandmaster, locating him would be effortless, leaving him with nowhere to hide.

Until then, he had no refuge. The only one who might be able to help—Granny Jing—was nowhere to be found.

With these thoughts racing through his mind, Qin Sang still dared not slow down. He continued flying at full speed, sword beneath his feet.

When he arrived before the mountain with the sword mark, he cast a glance up the mountain.

If only Wandering Man had emerged from seclusion, Qin Sang might have been able to seek his advice. But the mountain was completely silent. There was no sign of Wandering Man; he was likely still recovering from his injuries.

Qin Sang couldn’t afford to linger here.

He flew past the mountain, not even daring to leave a mark for Wandering Man, fearing it might implicate him.

At last, he landed before a stone cliff, opened the hidden doorway, and entered the ancient hall where the sword path lay. The teleportation array inside was the only possible means of escape he could think of.

Years ago, Qingzhu had been hunted by a Spiritual Infant cultivator and was forced to flee to distant lands.

Now, Qin Sang found himself walking the same path Qingzhu once did.

Standing before the ancient teleportation array, his expression wavered.

Staying here would mean certain death.

What lay on the other side might be even more dangerous, but it could also hold a sliver of hope.

There was no real choice to be made.

Qin Sang pulled out eight middle-grade spirit stones, employed the same technique as before, and placed them into the eight corners of the teleportation array. As brilliant light flared from the array, he turned to gaze outside Ziwei Palace, in the direction of the Small Cold Domain.

His expression shifted, his gaze deep and unreadable.

He had lived for over a hundred years now, and all within the Small Cold Domain.

Only now did he remember he had always been a guest. And when he turned back once more, a hundred years had already passed.

A crisp shattering sound broke his reverie. Qin Sang turned to see that one of the spirit stones on the teleportation array was riddled with cracks, its spiritual power nearly exhausted. The array radiated blinding light, but still hadn’t activated. It seemed something was missing.

His expression changed drastically, and despair crept into his heart. Has Senior Qingzhu destroyed the teleportation array on the other end?

Then suddenly, a thought struck him. He quickly retrieved a high-grade spirit stone from the Thousand-Jin Ring.

Without bothering to savor its extremely pure spiritual qi, he broke its seal and swapped it in for the fractured stone. Sure enough, the teleportation array reacted at once.

But just as he sighed in relief, another middle-grade spirit stone shattered, and the array stalled again.

Qin Sang’s face twitched in pain. Heart aching, he produced a second high-grade spirit stone and slotted it into place, praying silently that no more would be needed. He only had four high-grade stones left.

At the same time, a sense of dread rose within him. The teleportation array at Shangyuan Tranquility Palace could send dozens of people at once and only required eight middle-grade spirit stones.

This ancient array could only carry one or two people, yet it demanded high-grade spirit stones, and even one wasn’t enough.

Where on earth would it take him?

The altar trembled. The teleportation array lit up the entire ancient hall like daylight, as an enormous wave of spiritual power erupted from its center.

The array had activated!

Qin Sang stepped onto it without hesitation. The world instantly went dark before him, and terrifying pressure closed in from all directions.

Startled, he could only use his spiritual consciousness to defend himself. But it was quickly exhausted, and unbearable pain followed. In the next moment, he lost all awareness and collapsed into unconsciousness.