HBWnovel Chapter 224: The Mission
Chapter 224: The Mission
Qin Sang knew Wandering Man’s words were spoken out of courtesy.
Even without Wandering Man, Qin Sang could have escaped the encirclement of the Cloud Beasts, though at a higher cost. It certainly wouldn’t have been just the loss of a single black shield artifact. Likewise, Wandering Man would have managed similarly.
"You’ve been traveling westward for half a year, Senior. You must have gained much from the journey. Have you managed to resolve the hidden sickness within you?" Qin Sang asked casually while reinforcing the barriers of the refuge.
In truth, Qin Sang had his suspicions. Compared to six months ago, Wandering Man’s aura hadn’t noticeably changed, so the results likely weren’t ideal.
Wandering Man also got up to help, letting out a series of bitter laughs in response.
"Half a year wasted, but fortunately, I didn’t place too much hope on success... That said, it wasn’t entirely fruitless. I’ve come across some vague clues, so at least it wasn’t a trip for nothing."
As he spoke, Wandering Man glanced at Qin Sang, hesitating for a moment before continuing, his tone shifting. "Brother Qin, are you here training, or just passing through? Do you happen to know the exact location of a hidden realm nearby—the Tianjing Hidden Realm?"
"The Tianjing Hidden Realm?" Qin Sang asked, surprised. "Senior, you plan to visit it? What a coincidence—my cave dwelling is located within the Tianjing Hidden Realm."
Hearing this, Wandering Man’s face lit up with joy. "What remarkable luck!"
Then, recalling Qin Sang’s background, he suddenly understood. "No wonder I ran into you here. Brother Qin, are you perhaps a guard at the Tianjing Hidden Realm?"
Qin Sang shook his head. "I’m a member of the Shadow Guards, Senior. My cave dwelling is in the Tianjing Hidden Realm simply for convenience while training in the area. I’m not one of its guards. However, since I cultivate within the hidden realm, I won’t stand by if it comes under threat. The true guard of the Tianjing Hidden Realm is Senior Brother Teng Nan of the Shangyuan Tranquility Palace. I was about to return to my cave dwelling. Once the celestial phenomena subside, you can accompany me there. However, to enter the hidden realm, you’ll still need Senior Brother Teng Nan’s approval. Of course, as a member of the Taiyi Core Sect, you shouldn’t have any issues as long as you have a valid reason."
In the three great sects, the existence of the Shadow Guards was no secret, although their missions were kept strictly confidential. Qin Sang had no need to conceal his affiliation from Wandering Man.
"To be honest, I’ve also joined the Shadow Guards. I received a message from my sect assigning me to meet others at the Tianjing Hidden Realm for a mission. But on my way, I was caught in this sudden celestial phenomenon. Unfamiliar with the terrain, I inadvertently wandered into the heart of the Cloud Beasts’ territory. Before I could react, I was already surrounded. That’s when I ran into you."
Wandering Man's tone carried a trace of frustration at the misfortune.
Wandering Man burst into hearty laughter. "I must see which young lass is praising me to the heavens! Though I do have some confidence in alchemy, the Taiyi Core Sect is full of brilliant alchemists. I wouldn’t dare claim to surpass my peers. Don’t take her playful words too seriously, Brother Qin."
Wandering Man’s words sounded modest, but Qin Sang detected a trace of pride in his tone. Clearly, his expertise in alchemy was exceptional, granting him the confidence to make such statements. Jiang Ying’s admiration wasn’t mere flattery.
Qin Sang’s gaze flickered. His flawed foundation didn’t pose an immediate problem, but as his cultivation advanced, it was bound to cause trouble eventually. Sooner or later, repairing his foundation would be unavoidable.
Ordinary pills had proven ineffective. At minimum, he would require spiritual pills of the caliber of the Heyun Pill, Five-Herb Divine Ointment, or Snow Ginseng Jade Pill. Perhaps even rarer pills would be necessary.
Even obtaining these three types of pills was no simple task. Their high price was one thing—he could earn spirit stones through effort—but their scarcity was the real challenge. The Taiyi Core Pavilion might only release one pill every ten or even several decades, and the competition for them was fierce.
As for pills even more precious than these, they weren’t merely expensive; they were completely unobtainable, even with spirit stones.
Compared to seeking rare pills, gathering the necessary medicinal ingredients and refining the pills himself seemed like a more viable path.
In the world of immortal cultivation, alchemical recipes weren’t hard to find. The real difficulty lay in collecting all the required ingredients and finding a trustworthy alchemy master.
When Qin Sang heard from Jiang Ying about Wandering Man’s exceptional talent in alchemy, he had an idea. If Wandering Man was indeed a master alchemist, forging a good relationship with him might allow Qin Sang to seek his help in the future.
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Naturally, Qin Sang would offer fair compensation for such assistance.
However, he didn’t bring up his intentions directly.
Though he and Wandering Man shared a connection through Daoist Jixin and had now endured a life-threatening situation together, Qin Sang still didn’t know Wandering Man well enough.
While it was true that someone capable of bringing up a kind soul like Daoist Jixin was likely to have a decent character, times changed, and people’s hearts were unpredictable.
Qin Sang wasn’t in a rush. There would be plenty of opportunities in the future to observe and build trust gradually.