Gateway of Immortality

Chapter 108: Intrusion

"Senior Brother Sun, fellow Daoists, I might not be able to attend the next gathering, so I’m apologizing in advance."

Qin Sang raised a cup of wine, offering a toast to the group.

A swordsman in a green robe stirred slightly and leaned forward, asking, "Daoist Qin, are you on the verge of a breakthrough?"

Qin Sang smiled and nodded, instantly drawing a round of congratulations and envy.

Since joining Shaohua Mountain, he had never slacked off. Just a few days ago, he sensed the signs of breaking through to the tenth stage. He had paused his cultivation these last two days to adjust his state of mind and was planning to return tonight for secluded cultivation to break through.

With this breakthrough, he would be able to return to Shaohua Mountain and receive a Foundation Building Pill. However, Qin Sang had no intention of taking it immediately. Given his talent, using the pill too early would be a waste. He had been cultivating for so long, so he had the patience to wait until he reached the thirteenth stage.

It was unfortunate that the Kuiyin Sect had acted too soon. If he had a few more years, he could have obtained two Foundation Building Pills.

Sun De was also particularly delighted. Raising his cup toward the bright moon, he called out, "Then let’s wish Brother Qin an early breakthrough, so we can all celebrate your success!"

...

Returning to his cave dwelling, Qin Sang patrolled the Sunken Cave, sent a Sound Transmission Talisman to report to the sect, and, as usual, set up the Bewitching Mirror in his cave dwelling. He then sat on a Waterheart Bamboo cushion, silently reciting the Scripture of Tranquility several times. Once he reached a state of complete calm, he began to meditate and circulate his cultivation art.

The bottleneck at the tenth stage was as difficult to break through as the ninth stage, but it was a known challenge, requiring only diligent effort. In the blink of an eye, more than twenty days passed, and Qin Sang successfully broke through the tenth stage. Though he was overjoyed, he didn’t stop. He continued his meditation, stabilizing his newly achieved realm.

Days passed, and Qin Sang remained in seclusion. Outside his cave dwelling, however, more than a dozen Sound Transmission Talismans had accumulated.

The Sunken Cave remained deathly still and desolate, with waves of malevolent yin qi continuously surging from the depths, attempting to break through the barriers. The escaping yin qi endlessly eroded the surrounding forests and plants.

One day, a shadow silently entered the area, standing at the edge of the Sunken Cave’s entrance. The figure stared into the deep, dark cave below, their expression uncertain.

With that thought, Qin Sang quickly calmed down. He glanced at the barrier in front of the cave door, which was flickering unsteadily. He created a clone to sit on the cushion, while his true body hid in a corner. Then, he summoned his ebony sword.

Having broken through to the tenth stage, his spiritual power was deep and abundant. He could control his sword to kill enemies without needing to replenish with spirit stones. However, using sword qi consumed a lot of energy, so if he didn’t prepare in advance, he wouldn’t last long.

To be safe, Qin Sang took out a middle-grade spirit stone and quietly accumulated his spiritual power.

Moments later, the main door of the cave dwelling emitted a soft click. The light of the barrier flickered for a moment, then vanished, and the door was pushed open from the outside.

As soon as Sun De opened the cave dwelling, everything before him went dark. He had fallen into the mirror array trap, his entire body enshrouded in a dense black mist. Yet, his face showed no sign of panic. Instead, as he examined the swirling black mist, a smile tugged at his lips. "A malevolent artifact personally crafted by Old Ghost Yi... Junior Brother Qin, you really are cautious. No wonder you’ve managed to survive until now. But it’s a shame—you’re destined to become a sacrificial offering."

As he spoke, Sun De waved his hand, tracing a mysterious rune in the air and sending it into the black mist. Immediately, the mist began to show signs of dispersing.

From the outside, Qin Sang could see everything clearly. Just after Sun De entered the mirror array, the main body of the Bewitching Mirror began to tremble violently, emitting faint cracking sounds. Tiny fissures began to appear on its surface, and it looked as though it would be destroyed. The black mist at the center was dissipating at an alarming rate.

Qin Sang was extremely surprised when he realized the intruder was Sun De, wondering if there might be some misunderstanding.

Of course, Qin Sang didn’t intend to stop his actions. Sun De had forcibly entered his cave dwelling—whether it was a misunderstanding or not could be determined after he subdued him. Otherwise, he would be the one in danger.

Seeing that Sun De had easily dismantled the Bewitching Mirror, Qin Sang was alarmed and didn’t dare hesitate any longer. He silently recited an incantation, causing the sword qi on his ebony sword to surge dramatically, instantly piercing into the black mist.

"Ah!"

A miserable scream echoed from within the black mist. Sun De, now in a sorry state, flew out of the mirror array. His left arm had been severed at the root, blood gushing out, and the smug smile on his face had vanished. His face was now as pale as paper.

Sun De clutched his wound with one hand, locking eyes with Qin Sang’s cold gaze. His eyes suddenly bulged in shock, and he cried out in disbelief, "The tenth stage! You’re still alive?"

Qin Sang furrowed his brows, inwardly thinking it was a pity. He raised his hand and sent out a yin thunderbolt, and with a thought, his ebony sword reversed its course and shot straight toward Sun De’s vital spot.