Chapter 2347: Water Pool

The Mortal Realm

This stream flowed down from the mountaintop, and Qin Sang had been flying for a while but still hadn't reached its source.

Suddenly, a cloud of colorful mist appeared before Qin Sang, blocking his path. The mist was vibrant with colors, and within it grew clusters of flowers, competing in beauty and splendor—a truly beautiful sight.

Sweeping it with his spiritual sense, Qin Sang stopped. "A miasma?"

Convinced it wasn't a potent miasma, Qin Sang was about to pass through the colorful mist when Ghost Mother suddenly called out, "Wait..."

Qin Sang felt surprised. Could there be a danger in the mist that he hadn't detected? Trusting Ghost Mother, Qin Sang stopped, feeling the jade bead tremble gently in his palm.

A moment later, Ghost Mother's slightly weary voice emerged: "Liu Ying is not far from us now. Communication arts should work. Wait here, I'll have her come down."

Qin Sang readily agreed, gazing at the colorful mist, but still couldn't discern anything unusual. It seemed he had underestimated the dangers here.

At this moment, above the colorful mist, a waterfall cascaded like a white silk ribbon, and beside the pool beneath the falls, Jin Liu Ying stood on a black rock. Upon entering Mount Dengbao, she had landed here, waiting for Ghost Mother and Qin Sang to find her.

Jin Liu Ying glanced around, her expression alert. As offerings to the deities, the shamanesses were sent into Mount Dengbao. This also served as a trial and an experience; only those who passed the trial and emerged victorious could become the Chief Shaman. The other shamanesses were all her rivals, and killing was not forbidden here. In previous Great Heaven and Earth Sacrifices, no more than fifty percent of participants ever emerged alive from Mount Dengbao; the deceased became true offerings.

She had received Ghost Mother's careful guidance and possessed cultivation techniques and treasures prepared by Ghost Mother and the Taihao Clan. However, the other shamanesses also came from powerful backgrounds.

Suddenly, Jin Liu Ying's expression shifted slightly. She leaped down from the black rock, raced down the mountain, and soon arrived outside the colorful mist. After observing for a moment, she flashed into the mist.

Soon, Qin Sang sensed Liu Ying's aura, who was able to move swiftly through the colorful mist, seemingly without danger. It was then that Ghost Mother explained: "Mount Dengbao is full of forbidden areas. They have placed means on the shamanesses, allowing them to bypass certain obstacles. Otherwise, these shamanesses wouldn't be able to move an inch, let alone undergo a trial. Apart from the shamanesses, perhaps only that butterfly can move freely..."

Ghost Mother's tone held a hint of envy.

Whoosh! Liu Ying burst out of the colorful mist. Upon seeing Qin Sang, her expression relaxed slightly. She called out, "Brother Qin!" Then, sensing Ghost Mother's aura from the jade bead, she respectfully said, "Master."

Ghost Mother hummed in affirmation, and asked Liu Ying about the details of this trial. Each Chief Shaman competition followed the same general procedure, but the specifics would change. This introduced variables, meaning no clan had absolute certainty that their shamaness would ascend to the position of Chief Shaman.

After Liu Ying finished speaking, Ghost Mother said, "It seems this time isn't as tense as before. In that case, there's no rush; follow me first." She paused, then added: "I have guided you for so long. With your strength, competing for the Chief Shaman position should be more than enough. There is only one difficult hurdle where variables might appear. Having your Brother Qin accompany you will ensure everything goes smoothly."

"Thank you, Master! Thank you, Brother Qin!" Jin Liu Ying bowed, first bowing to the jade bead, then meticulously performing a bow to Qin Sang.

Qin Sang watched Jin Liu Ying with a gentle smile. Since their reunion, this was the first time he and Jin Liu Ying had interacted face-to-face. With Qin Sang's perception, he could naturally tell that although Liu Ying tried her best to appear at ease with him, subtle changes in her expression still revealed her discomfort. This wasn't because she still harbored lingering affections for Qin Sang. On the contrary, the current Jin Liu Ying was no longer the village girl whose heart was entirely devoted to Qin Sang. She pursued strength and was fully dedicated to the Dao.

However, the bond between her and Qin Sang was not something that could simply be severed at will. She was simply no longer her infatuated self. Centuries of unwavering devotion and mountainous kindness overwhelmed her every time she thought of them, yet she might never have the chance to repay them in this life.

Recalling Ghost Mother's words, Qin Sang said gently, "Later, we will still need your strong assistance, Liu Ying. I hope it doesn't implicate you."

Back then, Liu Ying was full of affection. Qin Sang's feelings for Liu Ying, however, were more out of responsibility, and he hadn't shown any particular romantic emotion. Ghost Mother had advised him that continuing to treat Liu Ying as he always had would make her feel more at ease.

"Don't worry, we'll carefully erase our traces and set up some illusions, so she won't be implicated," Ghost Mother said confidently.

Qin Sang nodded, and asked, "Elder, have you sensed it?"

Ghost Mother remained silent for a moment, then pointed in a direction. Qin Sang exclaimed in surprise, "The main peak?"

The item Ghost Mother had left for herself was actually on Mount Dengbao's main peak! Mount Dengbao was a colossal mountain range, with countless peaks. The most revered was undoubtedly the main peak. All the divine artifacts of the Witch Race and their most supreme sacred sites, such as the Stairway to Heaven and the Emperor's Platform, were located on the main peak.

It was conceivable that over countless years, the main peak had been visited by countless mighty Witch Race experts, including no shortage of Heavenly Witches. It was likely that every inch of the main peak had been traversed. Yet, what Ghost Mother had left behind remained untouched! Simply understanding Mount Dengbao wasn't enough; one also needed means to deceive the senses of Heavenly Witches. What exactly was Ghost Mother's identity back then?

"I'd also like to know how I managed it!" Ghost Mother was even more curious than Qin Sang and Liu Ying.

As she spoke, the jade bead emitted a stream of light. The stream of light struck the center of Liu Ying's brow. On her brow was a bonfire-shaped mark, which had been branded there during the ceremony. It was this bonfire mark that protected the shamanesses on Mount Dengbao, allowing them to traverse the mountain.

Liu Ying closed her eyes. Following Ghost Mother's instructions, she activated the power within the bonfire mark. The flame on the mark pulsed, and a tiny spark flew out, transforming into a phantom bonfire in mid-air. It drifted towards Qin Sang's brow, leaving a faint imprint there. Thus, Qin Sang could also use the power of Liu Ying's mark to bypass certain dangers.

"Let's go!" Qin Sang enveloped Liu Ying with his true essence, and swept towards the main peak.

The mountain range extended from west to east. The main peak was in the center of the range. They were currently to the west of the main peak, with over a dozen peaks separating them from it. With the dual protection of the bonfire mark and Ghost Mother's divine ability, as long as Qin Sang was careful not to cause too much commotion, they wouldn't attract the attention of the Witch Race experts outside. Therefore, their speed was remarkably fast.

Before long, Qin Sang had successively crossed seven or eight peaks. Along the way, they spotted traces of other shamanesses a few times, one even quite close to them. However, prioritizing their main objective, they avoided any detours.

The main peak was in sight. Once they crossed the current mountain, they would enter the main peak area.

Qin Sang looked up to observe. The main peak appeared no different from other peaks, yet it emanated an indescribable sense of mystery. Qin Sang felt an unusual oppression; if he encountered this mountain outside, he would definitely go around it.

"Hmm?" Just then, Qin Sang sensed a familiar aura. It was actually She Xue, a shamaness from the Dongyang Clan. In a stone forest not far away, She Xue leaned against a huge rock. Her face was pale, and her left arm was stained with blood, as if she had just gone through a major battle. Clenching her teeth, She Xue waved her hand to set up a formation, sighed in relief, and quickly took medicine to heal her injuries, completely unaware of Qin Sang and Liu Ying outside the stone forest.

Liu Ying didn't know it was She Xue. She only sensed a shamaness in the stone forest. Noticing Qin Sang's unusual expression, she asked, "Brother Qin, do you know her?"

"One of the Dongyang Clan's shamanesses, but she's not loyal to them. She's a clever one..." Qin Sang recounted She Xue's actions. "If you become the Chief Shaman, this woman might be useful. Used well, she might even become your trusted aide."

Liu Ying took careful note.

As they spoke, they had already arrived at the foot of the main peak. Standing before it, the feeling was even more direct. This towering colossal peak was unlike any Qin Sang had ever seen. None of the mountains he had seen before could compare to it. In terms of grandeur, of all the forbidden lands and sacred sites, only the intact Daoist Divine Court and the Thirty-Three Heavens of the Great Zhou Imperial City might possibly surpass Mount Dengbao. Truly worthy of being the Witch Race's foremost sacred mountain! He wondered what kind of magnificent sight the Buddhist Spirit Mountain, reputed to be the foremost mountain in the contemporary spiritual world, would be!

Qin Sang circled the mountain, finding a path upwards. Ghost Mother continuously cast spells to sense, and finally pinpointed the exact location. The two continued to ascend, reaching the mid-slopes of Mount Dengbao. From there, looking outwards, all other peaks seemed diminutive in comparison; even the tallest was less than half the height of the main peak.

"Just ahead!" Ghost Mother's excited voice emanated from the jade bead.

Qin Sang and Liu Ying had just rounded a cliff corner, and before them appeared a forest of purple bamboo. These purple bamboos were extraordinarily thick; even the slenderest required two people to embrace them. Their leaves were long and slender, like swords.

"These are Purple Rainbow Bamboos..." Qin Sang recognized the origin of the purple bamboo. These Purple Rainbow Bamboos were not extinct, but outside, finding one as thick as a wrist was difficult.

A gentle breeze swept through, making the bamboo forest rustle. They looked up as a faint mist drifted out from deep within the bamboo grove. Its source was precisely where Ghost Mother had indicated. Qin Sang led Liu Ying into the bamboo forest, secretly vigilant, treading carefully through the grove. The deeper they went, the denser the mist became, and the purple bamboos grew increasingly colossal. Suddenly, a shadow appeared ahead; it was a cliff blocking their path. They had reached the end of the purple bamboo forest.

The cliff was roughly a hundred zhang high, and the mist was thick. The cliff face was wet, with moss growing in the cracks. Perhaps due to the dominance of the Purple Rainbow Bamboos, the cliff face was bare.

Drip! Drip! Water vapor condensed into dew on the cliff face, trickling down the cracks, finally dripping into the pool at the base of the cliff. The pool was extremely clear, less than ten zhang in circumference, and about two zhang deep. Its bottom and edges were all stone. Dewdrops fell onto the water's surface, creating ripples.

"Elder, is what you sensed this pool?" Qin Sang asked. He activated his spiritual sense, thoroughly inspecting the area from top to bottom. He found nothing unusual.

"The item is inside!" The jade bead trembled, and a phantom figure floated out. Ghost Mother hovered above the pool, staring intently at the clear bottom, a flash of excitement in her eyes. Qin Sang didn't know what methods Ghost Mother had used back then. He could only see the stones at the bottom of the pool. "How can we retrieve the treasure?"

Ghost Mother remained silent. She circled the pool, her expression shifting, before finally hovering motionless, lost in thought. Qin Sang and Liu Ying stood quietly to the side, not daring to disturb her.

After a short while, Ghost Mother suddenly frowned and sighed, "This is a bit troublesome. The item inside probably cannot be taken directly..."

Qin Sang immediately felt a bad premonition. "Elder, do you mean...?"

"I need to go inside and remain here to heal," Ghost Mother said, looking around. "The setup inside has long merged with the entire mountain, inseparable, which is why it could evade the Heavenly Witches' detection. At the same time, it is using the power of the sacred mountain to aid my recovery."

In other words, Ghost Mother had long foreseen that she would be extremely weak upon her return to the Great Thousand World. She had made these arrangements in advance, to secretly draw upon Mount Dengbao's power for healing.

"Elder, how long will you need to be in seclusion?" Qin Sang frowned. Leaving aside those mighty figures, even he could easily seclude himself for hundreds of years now. If Ghost Mother were to seclude herself for thousands of years... He could protect Liu Ying for a period, but he couldn't protect her forever. If Ghost Mother's prediction was accurate, and a mighty expert from the Taihao Clan targeted Liu Ying, there would be very little he could do.

"That's hard to say..." Ghost Mother hesitated, clearly unsure herself.

At this moment, Jin Liu Ying said with a resolute expression: "Master, you don't need to worry about me. As long as I become the Chief Shaman, the Taihao Clan surely wouldn't dare do anything to me. During this time, I will act cautiously. Once Master emerges from seclusion, I won't have to fear them any longer!"

"Good disciple! But you still don't understand what the Divine Silkworm bloodline within you means..." Ghost Mother pondered for a moment, then took out the wooden hairpin again. With a series of flicks of her fingers, spiritual light shimmered on the hairpin's surface, manifesting a rune. Immediately, both the spiritual light and the rune vanished. The hairpin trembled, and suddenly pierced Liu Ying's left wrist, disappearing into her arm, yet leaving no blood or wound. She embedded the wooden hairpin into Liu Ying's body, and simultaneously transmitted a message: "If you truly face a life-or-death crisis, and I cannot emerge from seclusion in time, this item can protect you. Then, take this item and go see someone..."

Because she was too weak, she dared not meet her old acquaintances. But if Liu Ying truly faced a crisis, she wouldn't be able to care about such concerns. Furthermore, by then, she would surely have recovered some of her strength and wouldn't be so afraid. If she could emerge from seclusion within a century, it would be even better.

"Disciple has noted it!" Jin Liu Ying said solemnly.

Ghost Mother nodded to Qin Sang again, then looked down at the pool below. She extended her right hand, and with her index finger, drew a circle in the air. The water's surface was stirred by an invisible force, beginning to rotate slowly, gradually forming a whirlpool in the pool.

As the pool water swirled, Qin Sang and Liu Ying then witnessed a strange sight. A moment ago, to their perception, the stones at the bottom of the pool had appeared so real. Now, they too began to rotate with the whirlpool. The bottom of the pool was like a soft canvas, and all the scenery began to rotate with Ghost Mother's finger. Gradually, a peculiar fluctuation emanated. This fluctuation was extremely subtle, confined to the area around the pool, so it wouldn't alert anyone outside.

At this point, it was as if an ancient spirit formation at the bottom of the pool had been activated. A strong suction force emanated from the passage formed by the whirlpool. Qin Sang and Liu Ying felt an inexplicable fear arise in their hearts, and instinctively took a few steps back.

Ghost Mother felt this power, but it was like a parched land receiving sweet rain, for this was her own power! She spread her arms, an excited smile on her face, and leaped in.

In an instant, the fluctuations vanished, and the pool returned to its original state.