Gateway of Immortality

Chapter 1108: Karma

"Senior Uncle, I’ve brought them." Tan Yi'en returned quickly and spoke in a low voice. "I just found out that the two sides in the battle are mortal armies. One belongs to the Marquis of Great Sui, led mainly by the Qin, Wu, and Bai Families. The other belongs to foreign invaders. Great Sui is already showing signs of defeat..."As he spoke, Tan Yi'en secretly glanced at Qin Sang.

With his Foundation Building Realm cultivation, capturing the cultivators behind both armies and halting the battle was no challenge for him.

When he heard of the Qin Family of Great Sui, and learned that those families still possessed ancestral blood-barrier jade pendants, he immediately understood that Qin Sang’s deliberate stop in Great Sui and his visit to the mountain to pay respects must have deeper meaning.

Thus, when he took action, he had purposely shown mercy to Great Sui’s side, questioned them carefully, and now came to report.

"The Qin, Wu, and Bai Families?" Qin Sang was slightly surprised. "Where is the Great Sui imperial family?"

"It’s said that the chaos in Great Sui began after the fall of the red-haired grandmaster. Cunyang Sect plunged into internal conflict and had no time to concern itself with the mortal world. Without restraint from cultivators, many began to enter the secular world to oppress and exploit mortals.

"Not just in Great Sui, every nation within Cunyang Sect’s domain suffered. Those cultivators feared later retribution, so they used puppets to fight in their stead. But because their aims conflicted, the mortal world fell into turmoil, and countless commoners perished.

"Until one day, the Qin Family and several others accidentally revealed their blood-barrier jade pendants. When those rogue cultivators recognized them as the work of immortals and realized that the Qin Family had an immortal cultivator ancestor, they became wary and restrained themselves.

"Afterward, the situation within Cunyang Sect stabilized. The cultivators no longer dared to act recklessly, and this delicate balance has persisted ever since.

The cultivators hid behind the scenes, enjoying offerings, while leaving Great Sui’s governance to the Qin and their allied families. Over time, the imperial family lost its influence, though the nation itself prospered.

"In recent years, internal strife broke out within Cunyang Sect again. It seems like after the red-haired grandmaster's death, no one could unite the sect. Hearing this news, the rogue cultivators began stirring once more. The Qin Family's ancestor had been silent for so many years, so chaos finally erupted today..." Tan Yi'en finished his report succinctly.

"By a strange twist of fate, the Qin Family actually developed to such prominence?" Qin Sang gave a faint, wry smile.

If it had been only the Qin Family, he might still have doubted it. But with the Wu and Bai Families included, he was almost certain that this was true. Wu Chuanzong and Bai Jianglan must have been their ancestors.

This Qin Family was the mortal family of his current body. Once mere peasants, they now stood only a step away from ruling a nation.

While Qin Sang and Tan Yi'en conversed, figures stood in the distance, separated into two groups. These were the cultivators behind each army.

They were adorned with jewels and fine robes, basking in mortal luxury. Yet at this moment, none of them had the heart for battle. The Great Sui side looked slightly better, while the others were pale and anxious, as if awaiting their doom.

Tan Yi'en’s Foundation Building cultivation alone was enough to make them tremble.

Among these rogue cultivators, a few had minor backgrounds, with weak connections to Foundation Building experts. But no cultivator of that rank would provoke someone of equal strength for their sake.

What truly terrified them was that the man they feared, Tan Yi'en, treated another person with such deep reverence.

The identity of that person needed no explanation. The gathered cultivators were filled with terror.

If I knew that there's a Golden Core expert behind Great Sui, I would have rather died alone in the forests than to enter Great Sui! The same thought emerged in all the cultivators' mind, filled with regret.

Qin Sang lifted his gaze toward them. The instant their eyes met his, everyone shuddered. Uneasy murmurs rippled through the crowd.

Qin Sang stepped forward and asked calmly, "If I remember correctly, Great Sui and the other mortal nations were once overseen by the Han Family. You’ve all caused chaos in the mortal world. Are you not afraid that the Han Family will hold you accountable?"

Silence hung for a moment. Then, from Great Sui’s side, an elderly man gathered his courage, bowed respectfully, and said, "Reporting to Senior, after Sin Abyss' invasion, the Han Family’s experts were all summoned back to Cunyang Sect. Those remaining have since sealed their mountain and ceased to involve themselves in worldly affairs."

So that’s how it is. Qin Sang could not help recalling the Han Family's head he once knew.

His gaze shifted to a young woman behind the elder. "Your name is Bai Hanqiu? What's your connection to Bai Jianglan?"

Bai Hanqiu froze, startled that the mysterious Golden Core cultivator had noticed her. Trembling, she bowed and replied respectfully, "Senior, Bai Jianglan is my ancestor."

Waves of shock stirred in her heart. Her ancestor had clearly been a mortal, yet this Golden Core senior actually knew his name.

As expected, she's from Bai Jianglan's lineage. Qin Sang nodded slightly, glancing over the group before continuing, "I did not expect the Bai Family to produce a descendant with a spiritual root. Who is your master?"

Before the girl could answer, the elder quickly bowed again. "Senior, Hanqiu has no master. Our family received offerings from Great Sui. I once made an agreement with several princes that if any descendant were found with spiritual roots, we would grant them a cultivation art to begin their path. After so many years, only Bai Hanqiu among the families possesses such aptitude."

Bai Hanqiu blinked in surprise, realizing the elder was signaling frantically at her.

"Four spiritual roots..." Qin Sang pondered for a moment, then said to Bai Hanqiu, "Since you have no master... Your ancestor and I share an old bond, and he once saved my life, so would you be willing to take me as your master and follow me into cultivation?"

The debt owed to Bai Jianglan was meant to be repaid here. He had once considered this long ago, but none of the descendants had shown talent.

Though Bai Hanqiu’s four spiritual roots would limit her potential, she could at least serve as a seed of legacy.

Bai Hanqiu was dumbfounded. When she first began learning the basics of cultivation, the elder had warned her that her chances of reaching the Foundation Building Realm were almost nonexistent, and she should not waste her youth chasing an impossible dream.

Never had she imagined that by the grace of her ancestor, she would now have the chance to become a disciple of a Golden Core master.

At those words, envy filled the faces of every cultivator present.

The elder saw Bai Hanqiu frozen in disbelief and grew anxious, wishing he could kneel and accept on her behalf.

Even Tan Yi'en could not help feeling a twinge of envy. He stepped forward, took out a short sword artifact, and offered it to her. "Congratulations, Junior Sister. I have little to give, but please accept this sword as a gift to wish you success in cultivation... Are you not going to bow and thank Master for his grace?"

Bai Hanqiu finally came to her senses. Tears welled in her eyes as she knelt and kowtowed. "Master, thank you for your favor!"

"Rise! Since your senior brother is so generous, it seems I too should show some sincerity. This bottle of pills will aid you in breaking through. Remember to devote yourself wholeheartedly to cultivation. You may yet have a chance to reach the Foundation Building Realm..."

He tossed her a jade bottle, then handed a sword pendant to Tan Yi'en and transmitted a message. "You and Hanqiu should go down the mountain. Settle the mortal affairs, and hang this pendant within the imperial palace. I’ll go ahead to Cuiming Mountain and wait for you there."

Sealed within the pendant was a trace of sword qi. Any cultivator who approached would immediately sense the aura of a Golden Core expert. Though it was no astra, it was enough to deter the weak.

"Understood!" Tan Yi'en and Bai Hanqiu bowed in acknowledgment and departed.

Without sparing another glance at the others, Qin Sang’s figure blurred and vanished into the vast night.