Gateway of Immortality

Chapter 220: A Legendary Figure

The Jiang Ying they were talking about was a disciple of the Taiyi Core Sect, reportedly taken under the wing of a Core Formation Realm senior from the sect. If she succeeded in reaching the Foundation Building Realm, she could officially become that senior's disciple.

Jiang Ying was also remarkably gifted; at less than forty years old, she had already reached the peak of the thirteenth stage of the Qi Refining Realm. Her purpose in coming to the Tianjing Hidden Realm was to gain experience and find an opportunity for a breakthrough.

Qin Sang was interested in learning more about the Wandering Man and felt a strong curiosity about him.

Someone of such caliber would surely have a notable reputation. The reason he hadn’t heard of him before was probably because he had been so focused on his own cultivation and rarely engaged in idle conversation.

Upon returning to his cave dwelling, Qin Sang had just finished refining a zombie when he sensed the restriction barrier outside his cave being triggered. Scanning with his spiritual consciousness, he saw Jiang Ying standing at the entrance.

He dispelled the lingering chill inside the cave dwelling and opened the barrier.

"Senior, you called for me."

Shaohua Mountain and two other major sects jointly guarded Xuanlu Stronghold, and outwardly, they maintained a harmonious alliance. Jiang Ying addressed Qin Sang as either "senior" or "senior uncle," as was appropriate.

"Did you hear this from those two, Zhao Ji and the other one..."

Qin Sang shook his head with a hint of exasperation and invited Jiang Ying inside. "It’s a minor matter, actually. I had intended to wait until you finished your secluded cultivation and hope I’m not disturbing your practice."

"My recent seclusion was only to refine an artifact..."

...

"You’re asking about Senior Uncle Wandering Man?"

When Qin Sang brought up the Wandering Man, Jiang Ying’s expression immediately brightened with excitement. "He is a true legend in our sect! I didn’t expect you to know of him, Senior."

"Oh?" Qin Sang briefly recounted his chance encounter with the Wandering Man at Changyang Market. "I happened to meet Senior Wandering Man at the market and heard that he only succeeded in reaching the Foundation Building Realm when he was over a hundred?"

Jiang Ying nodded vigorously like a pecking bird. Her eyes sparkled with admiration as she spoke of the Wandering Man, her reverence evident.

Curious, he asked, "Senior Wandering Man mentioned that his Foundation Building breakthrough left behind a hidden sickness that might impact his future cultivation. Do you know what kind of issue it is?"

Jiang Ying shook her head. "I have heard something about that. Given Senior Uncle Wandering Man’s age, it would normally be impossible for him to reach the Foundation Building Realm. If he used a secret art or consumed a pill to force the breakthrough, it would likely leave a hidden sickness. Perhaps that’s why he rushed back to the Ancient Immortal Battlefield after reaching the Foundation Building Realm, almost as if he were searching for something. He’s rarely seen around. We’re unsure of the exact issue; it’s not something Senior Uncle Wandering Man would openly disclose... When you met him, Senior, how was his condition?"

Seeing Jiang Ying’s expectant look, Qin Sang recounted his meeting with the Wandering Man, "Senior Wandering Man’s cultivation is higher than mine, and his qi and blood are robust. You don’t need to worry about him..."

After asking Jiang Ying a few more questions, Qin Sang saw her off. He then took out two additional corpses and refined them into corpse puppets.

By now, Qin Sang had thoroughly mastered the Heavenly Yin Corpse Art. Including these, his Corpse Puppet Pouch held seven zombies and three malevolent corpses accumulated over the years.

He could just barely manage to control this number of corpse puppets. Releasing the malevolent corpses together would be enough to stall a Foundation Building cultivator long enough for him to prepare the Yan Luo Array of Ten Directions or a talisman astra.

However, what Qin Sang anticipated most was refining a living corpse.

The living corpse’s capabilities had left a lasting impression on Qin Sang in the cave. It would undoubtedly be a formidable asset.

Moreover, the Heavenly Corpse Sect even had a way to elevate a living corpse to the level of a flying yaksha!

In the Heavenly Corpse Sect, Foundation Building cultivators typically refrained from controlling a flying yaksha, fearing a backlash from their corpse puppets. Even if they gathered all the required materials to strengthen the puppet, they wouldn’t attempt it until they reached the late stage of the Foundation Building Realm.

Qin Sang’s soul imprint, infused with the aura of the Jade Buddha, safeguarded him against this issue.

If Qin Sang could find the missing second half of the Heavenly Yin Corpse Art, he would have a puppet with strength rivaling an early Core Formation cultivator while still in the Foundation Building Realm!

However, that was still a distant prospect.

He hadn’t yet had the chance to capture a Foundation Building cultivator alive, and refining the Heavenly Corpse Talisman was also no simple feat. The main ingredient was a rare spirit herb called the Soul-Guiding Grass.

After extensive inquiries, he learned that Soul-Guiding Grass was extremely precious, far more valuable than other five-elemental yin materials. It was exceedingly rare in the current immortal cultivation world, and finding it would require a good deal of luck.