Chapter 2407: Taiyin Spirit Sword

Qin Sang carefully searched through Xiao Mei's belongings once more, ensuring no hidden dangers were left behind.

The Gray Warbler Sword and the divine sword fragments were still being refined in the Starfire Furnace. By this time, the starfire had shrunk to half its original size, being consumed without replenishment. Once these starfires were exhausted, the furnace would become an empty shell. Qin Sang had a strong interest in starfire. Although treasures refined with it would be imbued with stellar power, this was a minor flaw that didn't detract from its overall quality; it was, in essence, the supreme spiritual flame every artifact refiner dreamed of. However, despite being able to open the light tower and use starfire for refining, he could never comprehend how the starfire was created.

If there was an array here, it must be incredibly vast and profound!

Time slowly passed, and the ball of starfire shrank another circle.

Just then, spiritual light flashed beside Qin Sang, and the little Qilin actually jumped out on its own.

"Why are you out?"

In fact, the little Qilin had already broken through to the Void Refinement stage, making it a capable assistant, but Qin Sang had never summoned it. The events that occurred during the little Qilin's tribulation had left a deep impression on him. The 'reception' it received implied the involvement of at least a Demon Saint-level powerful being. It was possible that this powerful being was now also interfering and observing the area. Qin Sang worried that the little Qilin's aura might be exposed and detected by the other party, as he didn't have a second Thunder Sacrifice Oath.

Unexpectedly, the little Qilin came out on its own. Qin Sang noticed its unusual expression, its eyes fixed on the starfire, and a thought sparked in his mind. He asked, "Is there something inside?" Following the little Qilin's gaze, he saw the starfire burning intensely. Although the fireball had significantly decreased in size, its power remained undiminished. He had been using the starfire to refine swords all this time. Could there be something in the flames that he hadn't discovered?

The little Qilin looked up at Qin Sang, letting out a soft whimper. It could already speak human language, but it didn't like to talk, perhaps because it couldn't win arguments with the Vermilion Bird. Through its large, round eyes, Qin Sang understood its meaning. He mused, "Wait a moment..." With that, Qin Sang formed several hand seals to stabilize the sword embryo, then nodded to the little Qilin.

"Whoosh!"

The little Qilin leaped up and jumped directly into the fire. Qin Sang helped by guiding the starfire to avoid the little Qilin. The little Qilin instantly plunged into the depths of the starfire. The next moment, a look of surprise flashed in Qin Sang's eyes; he felt as if the little Qilin had grasped something. Clearly, that object had been inside the starfire the entire time, yet before the little Qilin acted, he had felt no trace of it.

The flames flickered intensely, then a figure shot out of the starfire and leaped in front of Qin Sang. Qin Sang glanced over, saw that the little Qilin was unharmed, and looked at its mouth, where it was holding an object emitting a purple-golden spiritual light.

The little Qilin spat out the object, and the spiritual light flew towards Qin Sang. It turned out to be a purple-golden token. The token had an ancient design, measuring nine inches and five fen long, entirely purple-golden in color. It felt heavy in his hand, and though just retrieved from the starfire, it conveyed a sense of warmth. A rune was carved on the token, with complex strokes, likely an ancient demon script, but unfortunately, Qin Sang did not recognize it.

Qin Sang held it in his palm and examined it closely. He had initially thought the token was used to control the Starfire Furnace, but the more he looked, the more he felt it had nothing to do with the furnace. He wondered about the token's origin, why it ended up here, and if it had been thrown in when the Seven Mansions of the Black Tortoise collapsed. Surprisingly, this token had been tempered by starfire for countless years, yet it bore no marks and had not absorbed even a trace of stellar power. This alone indicated that the token's origin was certainly extraordinary!

"How did you find it?" Qin Sang asked the little Qilin.

The little Qilin opened its mouth and spat out a stream of Qilin Fire, which enveloped the token. Immediately, Qin Sang saw the demon script on the token flash, revealing the same luster as the Qilin Fire.

"Is this a treasure of the Qilin clan?"

Qin Sang had just infused his true essence and Azure Luan Demon Thunder into it, but the token showed no reaction. The little Qilin nodded gently, its expression slightly bewildered. Its connection with the token confirmed its relation to the Qilin clan, but it didn't know the token's true origin.

"The Black Tortoise Sacred Palace, the Seven Mansions of the Black Tortoise... this should be the territory of the Black Tortoise clan. Why would a treasure of the Qilin clan end up here?" Qin Sang was puzzled. He and the little Qilin tried various methods together but found no answer.

"Since it's a treasure of the Qilin clan, take it back and try to comprehend it," Qin Sang said. "For now, it's best not to come out casually." The little Qilin nodded obediently, swallowed the token, and vanished back into hiding.

After this busy interlude, the refining process was nearing its end. Qin Sang's attention returned to the starfire. Within the flames, the sword's silhouette was clearly visible, with only a thin layer of moonlight hovering on its surface. At the final critical moment, Qin Sang focused his mind again, fully dedicating himself to refining the sword. The moonlight grew fainter, and the spiritual sword's body gradually solidified. A brand-new spiritual sword was about to take shape.

Suddenly, an exceedingly brilliant light burst forth from the starfire, accompanied by a clear and prolonged sword cry. Qin Sang gazed at the starfire, his expression solemn. This sword cry seemed like the Lunar Divine Sword's farewell to the world, its moonlight the last lingering glow it left behind. The Lunar Divine Sword, named Jade Toad, was a peerless divine sword, the personal weapon of one of the fourteen Sword Pavilion Masters. It had accompanied its master in battles across the land, following the Ziwei Sword Venerable, establishing illustrious military achievements. Its ending in such a manner was truly lamentable. If even such a peerless divine sword could not last forever in this world, who else could achieve eternity?

The moonlight gradually faded, and the sword cry also drifted away, vanishing into the void.

"Whoosh!"

A sword light leaped out of the starfire. Qin Sang put aside his emotions and seized the sword light. The spiritual sword trembled incessantly in his hand. The spiritual sword still retained the shape of the Gray Warbler Sword, but its material was clearly different from before. Even Qin Sang, its master, found it somewhat inscrutable. It had also been imbued with stellar power during the refining process, so calling it a complete transformation would be no exaggeration. Its spirituality, material, and even power had all increased significantly!

Qin Sang extended a finger and gently stroked the sword's edge, silently sensing the familiar yet unfamiliar sword intent. The Lunar True Intent, which he cared about most, was also perfectly preserved. Qin Sang was pleasantly surprised to find that after the Lunar True Intent integrated into the Gray Warbler Sword, his own comprehension seemed much smoother than before. Perhaps it was because the Gray Warbler Sword was his personal weapon, with him day and night, intimately close.

"From now on, you can proudly bear the name 'Lunar'!" Qin Sang murmured. "I hope one day, you and I can recreate the glory of the Lunar Divine Sword and not disgrace this name!"

The Gray Warbler Sword, now the Lunar Spiritual Sword, transformed into a sword light that shot skyward, continuously circling Qin Sang, its sword energy sweeping freely! Qin Sang smiled, performed a sword art, and activated the Lunar Spiritual Sword to execute several sword moves, feeling very satisfied.

Putting away the Lunar Spiritual Sword, Qin Sang looked at the starfire, which was now less than one-tenth of its original size. Adhering to the principle of not wasting, Qin Sang selected a few more suitable spiritual treasures and refined them with the remaining starfire. In the end, the large mass of starfire was reduced to less than fist-size. Qin Sang was still reluctant to part with it. As the saying goes, "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime." Without understanding how to create starfire, no matter how great the opportunity, it would ultimately be unsustainable.

Golden light appeared in the sea of clouds. Qin Sang walked out of the light tower and saw that everything around him was normal; the White Dragon King and his wife had not returned. He took out Mo Yan's token, but there was no reaction. It seemed Mo Yan had not yet opened that 'door'.

"Next, perhaps I should go to the Girl Mansion..." Qin Sang flew outward, musing to himself. Although this wasn't the entirety of the Void Mansion, other areas showed no abnormalities. Without a clear objective, trying his luck everywhere would only waste time. However, there was a place in the Girl Mansion that exhibited unusual phenomena, making it very unique.

After passing through the archway, and taking the same amount of time as he did to arrive, Qin Sang returned to the exit. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly sensed something. His figure paused, and he activated his Heavenly Eye divine ability, looking outwards. Outside, it was still brightly lit. The light revealed two figures, one on the left and one on the right, continuously attacking, seemingly attempting to force their way in. Both were familiar faces; Qin Sang had seen them outside the Dipper Mansion.

"They've indeed arrived!" With no movement from the Dipper Mansion for so long, some demon cultivators finally lost their patience. Given the strength and background of these two, even if they weren't proficient in ancient demon arts, with enough time, they might still be able to enter. Qin Sang was glad he had been decisive and hadn't wasted time. After observing silently for a while, confirming they were not together, Qin Sang seized an opportunity and flew out under the protection of his Heavenly Awareness Thunder Robe.

The two demon cultivators faintly sensed something. One of them activated his spiritual eye, scanned the surroundings, but found nothing, causing him to feel a hint of doubt. By then, Qin Sang had already fled far away, leaving the Void Mansion without looking back, heading straight for the Girl Mansion.

The Girl Mansion presented a different scene altogether. It was filled with auspicious multi-colored clouds, which piled up into mountains, as solid and heavy as real peaks. The cloud mountains stretched endlessly, appearing to be the most well-preserved area apart from the Dipper Mansion. However, this was not entirely true; a closer look revealed many fragments of cloud mountains, with cloud energy intertwining to form cloud valleys between the cloud mountains, making it seem less broken than other star mansions.

Qin Sang flew through the cloud mountains for a while, then his escape light diminished, and he frowned, looking ahead. Several hundred miles ahead, it was clear that the cloud mountains were divided by a river. This river was actually a stellar river composed of star streams, with countless meteors traversing and disappearing within it. It was an unending shower of stars, and several figures were hovering beside it.

"I'm late..." Qin Sang found it quite troublesome because these demon cultivators weren't as tense as he'd imagined; they were even chatting and laughing while tentatively attacking. Unsure of the relationships among these demon cultivators, Qin Sang dared not reveal himself. Otherwise, once he exposed his abilities, he would surely be attacked by all of them.

Within the star shower, meteors crisscrossed, occasionally colliding and creating beautiful fireworks. It appeared extremely chaotic, but in Qin Sang's perception, there was an underlying pattern to follow. However, for now, he could only watch. This place was unlike the Void Mansion; the commotion from an attack could not be concealed. Other places were likely also being watched. Qin Sang decided to wait, and he waited for three days, during which more demon cultivators came and went.

Just then, the token in Qin Sang's hand suddenly vibrated—it was a message from Mo Yan. Qin Sang glanced at the star shower, decided he had to forgo this opportunity, and quietly retreated. He passed through the Nine Heavens Profound Gang and met up with Mo Yan.

"Daoist friend, you look radiant, you must have returned with a rich harvest," Mo Yan said, his own smile also very comfortable.

"Thanks to you, Daoist friend, I did gain something. How about your progress?" Qin Sang looked around; there was nothing unusual.

"I am confident now," Mo Yan said, full of confidence. "I'm worried that opening the 'door' will cause too much commotion, so I need your full assistance in concealing it."

Qin Sang agreed, activating the Azure Luan Demon Thunder. The lightning, like threads, formed a net. He didn't stop, continuing to weave the thunder net, layer upon layer, until it became a massive azure net that slowly unfurled. When Qin Sang finished his setup, Mo Yan had already raised his brush, focusing his mind and calming his breath.

The brush was inkless. Mo Yan moved his arm horizontally, sweeping the brush through the void. As the brush tip passed, an iron chain appeared. The black iron chain looked as if it had been drawn, with one end in front of Mo Yan and the other extending towards the direction of the Rooftop Mansion.

"Whoosh!"

Another stroke, and a second iron chain appeared! Six continuous strokes created six iron chains, each extending towards one of the six major star mansions beyond the Dipper Mansion. All six iron chains were connected to the void in front of Mo Yan, yet there was nothing there. At this point, Mo Yan gently moved his spiritual brush, drawing between the iron chains, and this stroke left an ink mark.

Mo Yan's expression became incredibly focused, transforming him into a pure artist. Each stroke was incredibly gentle and meticulous, like he was sketching a portrait of a beautiful woman. A real scene materialized under his brush. First, several iron rings connecting the chains appeared. Then Mo Yan drew square stones to secure these rings. These stones piled up to form a well curb, revealing that Mo Yan was drawing a well. Qin Sang quietly admired from the side, secretly praising Mo Yan's painting skills, which were truly at their peak; the well was indistinguishable from reality. Finally, Mo Yan drew the well cover as well, perfecting every detail, making it lifelike.

"Whoosh!"

Mo Yan let out a long breath, then reached out and grabbed the well cover, lifting it with force.

"Boom!"

What was astonishing was that the well seemed to genuinely exist in this space. The moment the well cover was lifted, the void suddenly vibrated violently. Qin Sang's pupils contracted. He felt as if he saw a door, a door leading to an unknown space! The intense vibrations impacted the thunder net. The well cover seemed incredibly heavy. Mo Yan appeared to be struggling immensely, putting away his spiritual brush and gripping the well cover with both hands, exerting all his strength.

"Boom!"

The well cover was finally lifted by Mo Yan, revealing a deep and dark scene inside the well. According to Mo Yan, once this 'door' was opened, it would be difficult to close again. Qin Sang immediately set up the spiritual array he had prepared beforehand. With the spiritual array and the Nine Heavens Profound Gang providing double concealment, unless someone specifically came looking, they wouldn't discover this well if they merely passed by.

The next moment, Qin Sang and Mo Yan rushed into the well entrance one after another, disappearing inside the well.

Outside the Dipper Mansion.

Demon King Heiji did not follow Yuan Luo into the Dipper Mansion, and the Pestilence Demon Lord's palace had remained guarded here. As for the Three Elders, their whereabouts were unknown.

Inside the golden tower, the Pestilence Demon Lord was reclining on a cloud couch, deep in thought. The moment Mo Yan lifted the well cover, the Pestilence Demon Lord let out a soft exclamation, suddenly sat upright, startling even Madam Gu, who was meditating opposite him.

"Husband, what happened?" Madam Dà quickly walked over.

Immediately, the gaze of all three demons focused on the Pestilence Demon Lord's right palm.