Chapter 663: Chapter 663

Du Han had been stuck at a bottleneck for years, all because of the Malevolent Demonic Qi rooted in his primordial spirit. Fresh chapters posted on novel[f]ire.net

He had previously refined several spiritual herbs that helped expel that qi with some success. Had he taken this Golden Orchid Grass, he would have broken through smoothly to the middle stage of the Core Formation Realm. Unfortunately, that chance was gone.

Qin Sang put away the crystal, and a jade box surfaced in his palm.

Inside the jade box lay a slender, golden-glowing spiritual herb. It was precisely the Golden Orchid Grass.

"I didn’t expect a herb of such little value in the Small Cold Domain to be considered a rare treasure here. Had I known earlier, I’d have brought more over and made a fortune."

Qin Sang laughed at himself.

Having obtained Du Han’s Mustard Seed Pouch, he had gained quite a haul and felt no urgency to sell the Golden Orchid Grass. It was a herb in demand by all human Golden Core cultivators. It would be best to barter with it to extract its full value.

With that in mind, Qin Sang began categorizing the contents of Du Han’s pouch and transferring them into his Thousand-Jin Ring. Once done, he destroyed the pouch.

Thousand-Household Village.

The old witch doctor, who had always been in robust health and could still gather herbs in the mountains like a young man, suddenly fell gravely ill and passed away within the span of an hour.

The other witch doctors summoned from nearby villages had yet to arrive.

The old witch doctor had earned great respect in the Thousand-Household Village. His passing left the people grieving, though they could do nothing but endure their sorrow and make arrangements for his funeral.

Little did they know, the corpse buried that day belonged to a stranger. That very moment, a dark cloud rose quietly from a green peak across the river from Thousand-Household Village and shot into the sky.

Within the cloud sat Qin Sang and the old witch doctor.

The old witch doctor said nothing, silently gazing at the village where he had spent decades of his life. Even as it faded into the distance, he continued to look back, reluctant to let it go.

Sensing Qin Sang’s gaze, the old witch doctor turned away, rubbed at the corners of his eyes, and said with self-mockery, "Forgive me, my lord. Though I’ve lived alone, leaving Thousand-Household Village so suddenly still makes me feel... hollow. Everything that once seemed so ordinary now feels like something I can’t bear to part with. It tugs at the heart..."

His expression was tinged with melancholy.

Qin Sang understood what the old man was feeling.

The old witch doctor had saved his life once. So rather than use force, Qin Sang had tricked and coaxed him into leaving under the pretense of a request from Mute Girl.

The body buried in the tomb had been someone Qin Sang found outside. He used methods learned in the mortal world so that the corpse would decompose rapidly after burial.

It had been a precaution, though likely unnecessary.

That day, he had drifted down the river entangled in broken branches and leaves. Only Mute Girl and the old witch doctor had seen the single-armed corpse with their own eyes.

Even if Black Witch Palace began investigating, without knowing the truth, they would have no reason to dig up a mortal’s grave.

"Don't worry. Before she entered seclusion, Mute Girl asked me to find a safe place for you, where you’d live in peace and prosperity for generations to come," Qin Sang promised.

The old witch doctor gave a bitter smile. "I’ve lived in hardship my whole life. A life of luxury doesn’t matter to me. But I truly didn’t expect to fly through the sky before I died. Only now do I understand how free the birds must feel. I can die without regrets."

After a sigh, the old man suddenly grew anxious. "If you hadn’t mentioned it, I never would’ve guessed how dangerous the world of immortals truly is. But if you’ve only taken me, might they try to threaten Mute Girl through someone else?"

Qin Sang shook his head. "Mute Girl only cares about you. And you know her personality, she doesn’t provoke trouble without reason. Moving you elsewhere was merely a precaution."

Hearing that, the old witch doctor finally relaxed and said quickly, "As long as I’m not a burden to Mute Girl, I’ll do anything. I watched that child grow up. She’s suffered so much and is so innocent. I’ve always regretted not being able to protect her when she was chosen as the saintess. Thankfully, you came along. This must be fate. Her hardships are finally over. To think she’s become an immortal, something others wouldn’t even dare to dream of. If she ever acts immaturely, I hope you’ll forgive her for the sake of saving your life. If not, just send her back. I can still live a few more years to look after her..."

"Mute Girl is doing well. She’s cultivating hard. You needn’t worry."

Qin Sang replied against his conscience, then fell silent and entered meditation.

The old witch doctor glanced at him quietly, then sighed inwardly and dared not speak again.

What he didn’t expect was that the flight continued without pause. The black cloud passed through towering mountains and steep ridges, carrying him across landscapes he had never dreamed of witnessing.

From wonder to numbness.

The Witch God's envoy beside him barely spoke, sitting cross-legged in meditation almost the entire time.

For the first time, the old witch doctor came to understand the true meaning of asceticism

He had long lost track of how many days and nights had passed. He noticed that the mountains and rivers below had grown gentler, plains more frequent, and magnificent cities appeared. It was like nothing he had ever seen.

Unbeknownst to him, they were just about to leave the borders of Xijiang.

Qin Sang slowly opened his eyes and took out the geomantic map to examine it.

With the old witch doctor in tow, and needing to avoid other Golden Core cultivators entering Xijiang, Qin Sang had taken multiple detours. Though his flight speed hadn’t been fast, he had finally reached the edge of Xijiang without incident.

According to the geomantic map, the area they were currently in belonged to a small mortal kingdom under the control of Black Witch Palace.

If they continued directly east, they would enter the heart of Black Witch Palace’s domain.

After confirming their location, Qin Sang immediately activated the Nether Cloud and shifted their course northward to skirt around Black Witch Palace's sphere of influence.

He had no intention of leaving the old witch doctor here. His destination was the northern end of the Witch God Continent—a port city known as Pingbo Port.

Pingbo Port was one of the most renowned ports on the Witch God Continent. It also served as a major hub for many large human merchant guilds operating within the continent, providing an easy way to come into contact with human cultivators.

The port was highly prosperous and entangled with countless factions. But as it still lay within witch race territory, the human cultivators there dared not act too brazenly. Everyone hoped to maintain the port’s delicate balance and stability.

Black Witch Palace’s influence did not extend to Pingbo Port. Finding a small mortal kingdom nearby to settle the old witch doctor and allow him to live out his twilight years in peace was the ideal solution.

Once they left Xijiang, signs of human habitation became much more frequent.

Qin Sang kept a very low profile to avoid encountering any Golden Core cultivators of the witch race. He even disguised himself as a mortal and hired a carriage for the journey. With his protection, the old witch doctor, despite his age, felt no fatigue at all.

Qin Sang also noticed that the old witch doctor had grown increasingly suspicious after being brought so far, but he didn’t mind. Once the old man was properly settled, Qin Sang would seal his memories, especially anything related to the single-armed corpse.

This matter was far too serious to allow even the slightest negligence.

A plain-looking carriage sped along the main road. The curtain was suddenly lifted, and Qin Sang gazed southward, in the direction of Black Witch Palace’s mountain gate. His expression was cold and distant.

At last, he withdrew his gaze and began contemplating what needed to be done once he reached Pingbo Port.