Chapter 632: Chapter 632
Qin Sang handed the Cold Gold Sword to Mute Girl and laid bare the true purpose behind Winged Serpent Village’s selection of a saintess. Then he met her gaze and quietly waited for her decision.
Cultivation was no banquet.
The only way Qin Sang could repay Mute Girl for saving his life was by giving her the strength to take control of her own fate. He could not remain by her side forever, shielding her from harm.
His own path remained uncertain, and many urgent matters demanded his attention. Once he left, he might never return.
If Mute Girl lacked even the courage to raise a blade against the enemies who had intended to turn her into a pill, then no matter how powerful she became, she would be like a tiger without fangs, destined only to bring disaster upon herself.
Those who save themselves will be saved by the heavens.
If Mute Girl dared not take the sword, Qin Sang would consider finding a safe and peaceful place for her, letting her live a life of luxury and comfort, never to be entangled in the turbulent world of martial conflict.
Perhaps that would be better for her.
Turning people into pills. Feeding insect gu with them.
The brutal reality of the cultivation world was torn open by Qin Sang and laid bare before Mute Girl, just a glimpse of the iceberg.
In this world, even if the Witch God truly existed, there were no such things as the Witch God's emissaries. Those so-called emissaries were merely cultivators wielding great power, exploiting the name of the Witch God to enslave others.
Mute Girl stood frozen in shock.
Everything she had believed for over a decade crumbled under Qin Sang’s words. Now, she saw the bloody truth with her own eyes.
Red candles flickered softly, filling the room with warm fragrance.
A brazier glowed in the room, emanating gentle warmth, yet Mute Girl trembled uncontrollably.
Her face was as pale as paper, her lips pressed tightly together. But when she looked into Qin Sang’s eyes, she seemed to understand his intent.
In the end, she summoned her courage and slowly raised both hands toward the Cold Gold Sword.
Her hands trembled as she grasped the hilt, but she did not let go.
Qin Sang smiled faintly and said, "We’re just people born with the aptitude for cultivation. Outside, they call us cultivators. We have nothing to do with the Witch God. We are not emissaries of any god, just mortals who happen to wield power. And like all mortals, we die just the same. Think about it like that. Do they still seem worthy of reverence? Besides, as long as you have a spiritual root, you too can cultivate and become a cultivator."
Mute Girl’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Qin Sang nodded. Just earlier, he had discovered that Mute Girl indeed possessed spiritual roots—four of them. Though slightly better than his own, they were still considered false spiritual roots, not true ones.
Without a great stroke of fortune, her chances of reaching the immortal path were slim.
Even so, the presence of spiritual roots meant she was qualified to step into the world of cultivation, and that meant a brand new world lay before her. Follow current novᴇls on novel-fire.ɴet
Her willingness to accept the flying sword showed that beneath her fragile appearance was a tenacious heart. If not, she would not have endured such hardship and still longed for something better.
Qin Sang decided to proceed with his original plan: to teach her a cultivation art and help her change her destiny.
With roots in metal, wood, water, and fire, she could cultivate four elements.
Qin Sang had studied extensively at Treasure Tower Peak. He not only knew many foundational Qi Refining Realm techniques, but had also memorized legacies that pointed directly toward the Great Dao of the Spiritual Infant Realm. Some of these contained Qi Refining Realm stages that could be trained as a complete lineage.
After some thought, he recalled a technique that might suit her: Dutian Devilish Sound, created by Di Que.
Dutian Devilish Sound was cultivated through sound. It was a highly unusual method.
Qin Sang still remembered Di Que’s many tricks when they had explored that ancient cultivator's estate, how he could shapeshift and seal spirit talismans with eerie precision.
Dutian Devilish Sound had once been one of Qin Sang’s backup art for after Core Formation, but now that he had acquired a superior method crafted by Senior Qingzhu, he no longer needed it.
Mute Girl’s voice was her greatest asset. In some ways, it was as rare as a Heavenly Spiritual Root or dual spiritual roots.
Would that talent help her cultivate Dutian Devilish Sound?
Qin Sang wasn’t sure. He never practiced it himself. But it was worth a try.
The path of cultivation demanded grasping every possible chance.
Qin Sang extended a finger and tapped the center of Mute Girl’s brow, transferring the complete Dutian Devilish Sound into her mind.
To avoid overwhelming her, he sealed the realms beyond the Foundation Building Realm with a barrier. Once her cultivation deepened and her spiritual consciousness matured, she would be able to unlock them on her own.
A flood of new knowledge suddenly surged into her mind. Mute Girl’s expression turned dazed and confused. It took a long while before she understood what she had received. For now, she could only memorize it in broad strokes.
"I’ll first guide your cultivation. As for your great revenge, you’ll take that path yourself," said Qin Sang.
Then he began to instruct Mute Girl in the basics of cultivation, passing on to her the Scripture of Tranquility.
Back then, it had taken him a long time to grasp its entry stages through trial and error. With his personal guidance, Mute Girl would avoid many pitfalls and achieve tranquility much faster.
Afterward, with the aid of a few pills, it wouldn’t take long before she could sense the flow of qi.
The Witch God Festival was drawing near.
On the eve of the Witch God Festival, Winged Serpent Village would hold a grand sacrificial ritual in honor of the Witch God.
The saintess would offer flowers and enter the sacred cavern.
Rain would descend, and the Witch God would bestow divine blessings.
On the surface, it all appeared serene and harmonious. Everyone hoped to receive the Witch God’s favor and prayed for good fortune in the coming year.
A few days before the festival, members of the witch race from neighboring villages began arriving along Qingyi River, gradually gathering at Winged Serpent Village.
The mountains to the east of Winged Serpent Village were teeming with people, mostly young men and women. Wreath-wearing girls and robust youths could be seen everywhere.
As dusk settled and the bright moon hung high, bonfires were lit on the mountains. Men and women sang and danced together, praising the Witch God, their laughter and joy echoing through the night.
Beside the lake where Winged Serpent Village stood, a towering altar made of beast bones had been erected. Bone spikes jutted outward, and all kinds of savage beast skulls hung from the structure. Twisted patterns were drawn with fresh blood across the surface.
The altar was filled with torches and laid out with offerings. The village guards dressed in colorful sashes, drums strapped to their chests, formed an orderly formation.
At the first beat of the drum, the dancers in the distance all fell silent and knelt in reverence before the altar.
Just then, a beautiful woman stepped out from Winged Serpent Village and slowly ascended the altar, one step at a time.
She too was a priestess of the village. She wore a brilliantly colored robe woven from bird feathers. Her face bore exquisitely detailed tattoos.
Standing tall on the altar, the priestess raised her head toward the starry sky. A hazy gleam filled her eyes, as though she were offering a prayer to the divine. Her lips moved constantly, whispering incantations.
Suddenly, she lifted her arms high, facing the full moon as if cradling a silver disc.
Then, with a powerful motion, her hands came crashing down.
At that exact moment, the guards below, who had already raised their drumsticks and were poised to strike, brought them down with full force.
The thunderous, synchronized drumming stirred the blood, resonating through the mountains and valleys.
As the drums pounded, the priestess began to dance atop the high altar. Her movements were graceful and enchanting, her posture strange yet full of power, blending seamlessly with the rhythm of the drums.
Gradually, her movements quickened. Her limbs blurred, becoming almost impossible to track. She moved like a frenzied serpent, wild yet strangely mesmerizing.
Qin Sang stood in the shadows, his expression tinged with surprise as he watched the priestess dance upon the altar.
Her dance was a form of extremely ancient witchcraft.
At the same time she moved, Qin Sang sensed a strange power emerging from her body. That power seemed to be drawn from the tattoos etched into her flesh.