Chapter 2405: Banyan Tree Sapling

The five Star Spirits had all been absorbed by the Grey Finch Sword. Qin Sang sensed that the sword's spiritual essence was showing signs of instability, indicating that this method of refining treasures with Star Spirits could not be used indefinitely.

Qin Sang removed the sword embryo from the starlight flames. Its jade-like texture glowed with a spiritual radiance. At this point, Qin Sang had melted all the spiritual materials and Star Spirits into the sword body, but this was only the beginning. The next step was the most crucial!

A flash of spiritual light appeared as Qin Sang took out the fragment of the Grand Yin Divine Sword.

He gently ran his finger over it, feeling a moonlit coolness at his fingertips. Perhaps because they had been together for so long, they were familiar with each other, and the divine sword fragment showed no sharpness.

The fragment contained the True Intent of Grand Yin, which Qin Sang had yet to fully comprehend. This was why he had been unable to integrate the fragment with the Grey Finch Sword. The starlight flames and the refining furnace here, however, presented him with another possibility.

Qin Sang placed the divine sword fragment into the starlight flames, simultaneously activating his sword art. Around the flames, new stars began to appear.

These were sword stars formed by the Four Symbols Sword Formation. Qin Sang used the sword embryo to activate the formation. Although the embryo was fragile, it was not being used for combat, so it would not be damaged.

Among the cluster of stars, a faint moon emerged—a realization he had gained from years of comprehending the True Intent of Grand Yin. Guided by Qin Sang, the faint moon now overlapped with the starlight flames, and the Four Symbols Sword Formation resonated with the divine sword fragment.

Qin Sang would now have to manage two tasks simultaneously: maintaining the Four Symbols Sword Formation while controlling the starlight flames and the furnace. This was an unprecedented refining technique, a sudden inspiration he had after seeing the starlight furnace. He wasn't entirely confident in his success.

The starlight flames were the core of the furnace, and the Grand Yin Divine Sword fragment was one of the Nine Luminaries. As the flames enveloped the fragment, the sword formation subtly resonated with the furnace, proceeding even more smoothly than Qin Sang had anticipated.

This was a good omen!

Qin Sang closed his eyes and entered a meditative state, his mind free of distractions. The starlight flames before him pulsed rhythmically, like breathing, as wisps of fire coiled around the divine sword fragment, ceaselessly moving across its surface.

This state continued for a long time. Qin Sang, the starlight flames, the sword formation, and the divine sword fragment remained unchanged for an extended period.

The light from the starlight flames illuminated Qin Sang's face. His eyelids trembled slightly before he slowly opened his eyes, a hint of weariness in their depths. He gazed at the starlight flames, lost in thought.

Despite being scorched by the starlight flames, the divine sword fragment remained steadfast. From beginning to end, the flames could only traverse its surface.

After a period of recuperation, Qin Sang continued his comprehension. He endured countless failed attempts, yet remained undeterred.

After an unknown amount of time, Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly. A wisp of starlight flame on the surface of the divine sword fragment twisted like a small snake, then plunged into the fragment's interior!

Qin Sang was overjoyed. This was exactly what he had been hoping for.

Whether it was a magic treasure or a spiritual treasure, all had internal channels akin to the meridians of the human body. The most critical step in refining a treasure was to open these channels. If he had been able to comprehend all the channels within the divine sword fragment, he wouldn't have been at a loss for so long.

Just now, the starlight flames had actually discovered a channel that Qin Sang had not found!

Artifact refiners spared no effort in seeking out top-grade spiritual flames and furnaces because they could instantly enhance their abilities and help them accomplish seemingly impossible tasks. The starlight flames and refining furnace here were undoubtedly among the best.

"Hmm?"

The divine sword fragment emitted an unusual fluctuation. Qin Sang quickly dismissed his distracting thoughts and activated the sword formation to stabilize the True Intent of Grand Yin.

Gradually, the divine sword fragment stabilized.

With the first wisp of starlight flame as a guide, more flames entered the divine sword fragment's interior, bringing Qin Sang further insights. New channels were subsequently discovered, one after another, until the divine sword fragment almost transformed into a fireball, indistinguishable from the starlight flames.

Qin Sang was pleasantly surprised to realize that if progress continued smoothly, he might actually have a chance to refine the divine sword fragment here!

This gave Qin Sang greater motivation, and he dedicated his full effort. The divine sword fragment gradually began to emit a cool moonlight, which shimmered faintly within the starlight flames. The fragment did not melt like other spiritual materials, but Qin Sang was certain it was being refined!

As time passed, a dense mass of moonlight appeared where the divine sword fragment was located. The moonlight and the starlight flames intertwined, yet also maintained a distinct separation.

Qin Sang suddenly paused, his brow furrowed, clearly having encountered a problem.

The trouble stemmed from the True Intent of Grand Yin within the divine sword fragment. Qin Sang had not fully comprehended this True Intent, meaning he was essentially trying to forcibly refine the fragment with external power. Carelessness could lead to minor damage to the True Intent or, worse, completely destroy the precious divine sword fragment!

After much thought, Qin Sang came up with a solution. He realized he didn't need to be overly ambitious and immediately complete the integration of the Grey Finch Sword and the divine sword fragment.

This realization brought him sudden clarity. Qin Sang formed a sword art, and the sword embryo materialized. With a gentle tremor, a ray of sword light merged into the moonlight created by the divine sword fragment.

The moonlight rippled softly, and a sword silhouette shimmered indistinctly, its shape constantly shifting.

Where the sword silhouette and the moonlight met, signs of harmonious integration began to appear.

At this point, the starlight flames intensified greatly, and the rate at which their power was consumed surged dramatically. The moonlight and the sword embryo seemed like bottomless pits, continuously devouring the starlight flames and Qin Sang's true essence.

The moonlight began to recede, while the sword silhouette grew increasingly clear. The divine sword fragment and the Grey Finch Sword were merging, with only the True Intent of Grand Yin remaining unchanged. Even with the two swords becoming one, the True Intent of Grand Yin could still exist within the new spiritual sword. This was a somewhat clever move, but it only counted as half-completion. The true refinement would only be achieved when Qin Sang fully comprehended the True Intent of Grand Yin!

"I wonder if the Grey Finch Sword is absorbing the divine sword fragment, or if the divine sword fragment is absorbing the Grey Finch Sword..." Qin Sang thought to himself, gazing at the sword silhouette in the moonlight.

At this stage, no further accidents should occur. The fusion of the moonlight and the sword embryo could proceed systematically, allowing Qin Sang to rest and no longer needing to be as fully absorbed as before.

After a brief period of recuperation, Qin Sang suddenly remembered that he still had a demon corpse in his possession.

Now, with time to examine the demon corpse thoroughly, Qin Sang discovered that the demon bird did not possess a particularly powerful bloodline. Among demon races where bloodline was crucial, it had cultivated abandoned ancient demon arts, making its achievement of such a high cultivation level truly remarkable.

The demon corpse itself held little value. Qin Sang's gaze swept over it, and he plucked a feather from the demon bird's left wing.

This feather differed in color from the others; it was much brighter and very striking.

"It is indeed a spatial artifact..."

Qin Sang activated his spiritual sense and quickly understood its nature. Forcing open the restrictions on it, he found a considerable internal space filled with various treasures.

The demon bird was meticulous; all its belongings were neatly categorized. Qin Sang understood the layout with just a glance.

"Hmm! These should be it..."

Qin Sang's main interest was the demon bird's treasured cultivation methods. He quickly found several jade slips, alongside which were feathers, stone tablets, bamboo slips, and other items used for recording information.

Taking these items out, Qin Sang examined them one by one. When he finally saw a certain feather, his face lit up with joy.

"The Bishui Celestial Raven Scripture!"

This feather contained a demon cultivation method, and it appeared to be an ancient one.

"That creature must have cultivated this method. Bishui... Celestial Raven, could it be the Bishui Raven, one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions?"

Qin Sang began to examine it carefully. It was indeed an ancient demon art, vastly different from modern methods.

If this method was related to the Bishui Raven, it would have a significant origin.

The Bishui Mansion is one of the seven mansions of the Western White Tiger, associated with the moon and symbolized by a raven. In ancient times, the Raven Tribe, being decreed as one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions by the Demon Emperor, held a status slightly inferior to the Four Sacred Clans, but was still a super clan among ancient demon races!

Aside from the *Heavenly Demon Refinement Scripture*, whose origin was unknown, this was the most prestigious ancient demon art he had obtained in reality!

It was clear that the *Bishui Celestial Raven Scripture* differed from the *Heavenly Demon Refinement Scripture*. This method required the bloodline of the Raven Tribe to cultivate. Even a not-so-powerful Raven bloodline, like that of this demon bird, would suffice, but it had to be present. In contrast, Qin Sang had been able to get started with the *Heavenly Demon Refinement Scripture* by merely visualizing an Azure Luan.

If he had obtained the *Bishui Celestial Raven Scripture* back then, he would have only been able to put it aside.

"What a pity!"

Qin Sang withdrew his spiritual sense from the feather, sighing softly and shaking his head. This *Bishui Celestial Raven Scripture* was also incomplete, stopping at the step of the demon soul residing in a star. This feather, unlike the bone flute, was not an inherited treasure itself; it was purely used to record the cultivation method.

Nevertheless, the *Bishui Celestial Raven Scripture* was indeed an exceptionally profound cultivation method. In the future, if he had leisure, thoroughly comprehending it for reference and verification should provide him with some insights.

This demon bird likely guessed the origin of the *Bishui Celestial Raven Scripture*, which is why it dared to stake everything on this path.

Qin Sang then opened the remaining jade slips. Apart from the *Bishui Celestial Raven Scripture*, most contained methods for cultivating various demon magical abilities.

The *Bishui Celestial Raven Scripture* also included several powerful magical abilities. Unfortunately, the demon bird encountered Qin Sang, was unexpectedly dragged into the Void Domain, and then faced the Thunder Beast Battle Guard, leaving it no opportunity to use them.

Next, Qin Sang searched through the spatial artifact again. He found that the demon bird's possessions were more substantial than those of other demon cultivators of the same rank, but there were no ultimate treasures. It likely wasn't a confidant of any Demon Saint, or its wealth would have seemed rather meager.

Unable to find anything to prove the demon bird's identity, Qin Sang still did not know its origin or its name.

"Huh, what is this?"

Qin Sang noticed a seed. It looked ordinary, yet it was placed right in the middle of numerous treasures.

The seed was the size of a baby's fist, resembling a dried lotus pod, and still contained a faint trace of vitality. Qin Sang found it unusual, and that trace of vitality felt somewhat familiar.

Intrigued, Qin Sang took the seed in his hand. Suddenly, he let out a soft exclamation, sensing an unusual movement within the seed.

After a moment's thought, he took out several spiritual banners to set up a formation, isolating the inside from the outside. He brought the seed into the formation and discovered that the trace of vitality within it was growing at an unimaginable speed.

'Snap!'

Qin Sang had apparently triggered something, for the seed's top cracked open, and it began to sprout on the spot. Its growth showed no signs of slowing down; tender branches and green leaves quickly appeared at a visible rate.

"This is... a banyan tree!"

Qin Sang was astonished. He finally understood why it felt familiar; this was actually a seed from the King of Banyan Trees!

Years ago, at the Water Dragon Palace, he had met the King of Banyan Trees once and sought answers to a few questions.

What was the origin of this small banyan tree? Was it also an avatar of the King of Banyan Trees?

Qin Sang's eyes flickered. He did not intervene, watching as the banyan tree branched out and grew leaves before him, then sent down aerial roots. It was similar in size to the one in the Crystal Palace; though small, it gave the impression of a vast forest.

'Rustle... rustle...'

The leaves trembled softly, and some branches began to twist and intertwine, eventually forming a human face.

"I can no longer sense Xiaomei's aura. Did fellow Daoist kill it?" The mouth formed by leaves and branches opened and closed slightly, emitting a voice familiar to Qin Sang. It was indeed an avatar of the King of Banyan Trees!

Qin Sang had concealed his identity, and it seemed the King of Banyan Trees had not recognized his true form.

However, this area was already sealed, so this newly grown avatar likely couldn't communicate with its main body.

"Xiaomei?" Qin Sang's mouth twitched. Was that the demon bird's name?

"Xiaomei is the name I gave it, back when it was just an ordinary little bird!" the King of Banyan Trees boomed. "One of its parents was a thrush. A long time ago, its parents built a small nest on me and laid an egg. But shortly after it hatched, something happened to its parents. It survived on my sap and inherited its father's ability to help me catch insects hidden in my trunk. For a very long time after that, it never left. It was very timid and dared not go too far. During that time, we were together day and night..."

The King of Banyan Trees recounted its past with Xiaomei, speaking as if about a child it had watched grow up.

Qin Sang had not expected such a deep connection between the demon bird and the King of Banyan Trees. He sighed, "Does fellow Daoist intend to avenge it?"

"I have already repaid Xiaomei."

The King of Banyan Trees' voice remained calm, devoid of anger or hatred towards Qin Sang. "I am merely a banyan tree; I must remain rooted to the earth. I cannot protect it forever. No one can remain carefree indefinitely. Birds belong to the sky and must endure the trials of wind, rain, and thunder. This is its destiny, but Xiaomei never truly understood this... Encountering fellow Daoist was a tribulation destined for Xiaomei in its life."

Qin Sang gazed at the banyan tree, feeling that the King of Banyan Trees had no need to deceive him with such words. He remarked, "Fellow Daoist's intentions are profound!"

"This is the last seed I gave Xiaomei," the banyan tree 'bowed its head' and looked at its own body. "I cannot contact my main body, so it seems Xiaomei was taken to some secret realm. Since I have encountered fellow Daoist, it indicates we are fated. I hope fellow Daoist can keep me. Although this avatar cannot do much, it can offer some advice."

"But I trust myself more," Qin Sang replied.

If they were outside, Qin Sang could have planted this banyan tree somewhere for future transactions.

Here, keeping the King of Banyan Trees nearby, even if he believed it wouldn't avenge Xiaomei, would not put him at ease.

The King of Banyan Trees was the most unique Demon King he had encountered over the years. Both times he had communicated with it, he felt as if he was facing a wise elder. Perhaps this was related to the long lifespan of tree spirits; they might have experienced and seen far more than he had, and thus comprehended the ways of the world.

This also made Qin Sang more wary of the King of Banyan Trees, even more so than of the White Dragon King.

"What a pity! But I cannot fault fellow Daoist's choice. Perhaps we will meet again when fate allows..."

This avatar understood its fate, and the face formed by branches and leaves revealed an expression of regret.

Qin Sang said, "Forgive me," and flicked out a flame, incinerating the King of Banyan Trees' avatar.