Gateway of Immortality

Qin Sang carefully organized his belongings, taking everything with him, including the Fire Jade Centipede.

To ensure the centipede bore no marks left by others, he inspected it thoroughly and even purchased a new Spirit Beast Pouch. Only after confirming everything did he dare to proceed. Qin Sang wasn’t entirely sure if the absence of marks was due to Yin Xingge’s death causing them to dissipate, or if they simply hadn’t existed in the first place.

He had heard that this peculiar bug was notoriously difficult to tame unless nurtured from its egg stage. Typically, it could only be controlled using bug manipulation techniques. Qin Sang had learned a rudimentary form of such a technique, barely sufficient to command the Fire Jade Centipede. However, it required the creature to remain within a limited range around him.

When he flew out of the vortex, the first thing that caught his eye was an enormous Jiao Chariot!

The chariot had an unusual design. Despite resembling a mortal carriage with its square and unadorned frame, it was strikingly simplistic and lacked any decoration.

What made it unique was that its body and walls were formed entirely of mist, not solid materials.

Three Jiao were bound by strands of mist, pulling the chariot at the front. Although the mist appeared frail and delicate, it firmly restrained the creatures.

Among them were one white Jiao and two green Jiao. They resembled serpents, with four claws, scaly bodies, and bulging heads where horns seemed poised to sprout.

The Jiao bared their fangs and claws, their eyes radiating ferocity.

Something about these creatures struck Qin Sang as strange. Closer observation revealed they were neither fully beast nor entirely spirit. Like the chariot, their forms carried a peculiar sense of illusion. Yet their aura was undeniably real, exuding a pressure comparable to Fake Core Realm experts.

This indicated that the vicious Jiao were likely at the peak of the Demonic Spirit Realm, on the verge of forming demonic cores and advancing to the Demonic Core Realm as great demons.

Under the icy gazes of the three Jiao, everyone stood trembling and motionless beside the chariot, not daring to make a move.

To be able to subdue such vicious creatures as mounts, let alone three of them—this was the power of a Golden Core cultivator!

Standing amidst the crowd, Qin Sang couldn’t help but feel envious.

Once everyone had emerged, a voice came from the chariot—it was Daoist Master Xuanyu. "Come aboard."

Before the words had fully echoed, the mist from the chariot surged toward them. Qin Sang felt a sudden weightlessness beneath him and found himself already inside the chariot.

The next moment, the reins tightened abruptly. The Jiao roared skyward, their long tails lashing out fiercely. In an instant, the chariot transformed into a streak of light, speeding across the horizon at an unimaginable pace, vanishing from view in mere moments.

Through the surrounding mist, Qin Sang could see the desolate scenery below rapidly retreating. The speed was astonishing, yet he felt no jolts or discomfort.

With a Golden Core cultivator accompanying them, there was no need to worry about safety. Qin Sang observed for a while before sitting cross-legged to regulate his state in preparation for the upcoming journey into the hidden realm.

He didn’t know how much time had passed when he suddenly felt the chariot tremble slightly beneath him. Awakened from his meditation, he opened his eyes.

The chariot dissipated into strands of mist, and the three Jiao swiftly shrank, vanishing into the clouds. The mist twisted briefly, taking on the form of runes before being absorbed into the palm of an elderly man in Daoist robes—Daoist Master Xuanyu.

Seeing this, Qin Sang found it curious. Is the Jiao Chariot an astra?

By now, it was deep into the night, the dim light casting an eerie glow. Qin Sang widened his eyes to survey the surroundings. Before them stretched a vast plain littered with countless scattered stones. At first glance, the arrangement seemed random, but closer inspection revealed a subtle pattern forming an unremarkable circular formation.

At the center of the ring of stones was a void-like black hole, absorbing all light and creating a warped appearance in the surrounding space.

Suspended around the black hole were four figures, positioned in four directions.

One of them was Che Yutao, a senior uncle Qin Sang recognized, while the other three were unfamiliar. Judging by their auras, which matched Che Yutao’s, they were also Golden Core cultivators.

Including the newly arrived Daoist Master Xuanyu, there were now five Golden Core cultivators gathered!

The four Golden Core cultivators began to attack the black hole simultaneously.

Che Yutao, positioned in the west, wielded a Red Dust Gourd, spraying out a brilliant rainbow light.

In the north stood a woman dressed in palace attire. She removed a phoenix hairpin from her bun and lightly pointed it inward. A phoenix’s shadow emerged from the hairpin and plunged straight into the black hole.

To the east, a scholarly middle-aged man raised a round treasure mirror, shooting out a beam of light.

The most peculiar figure stood in the southern position—a Golden Core Realm cultivator who had somehow lost a leg. Despite his advanced cultivation, he had not restored his physical body. Leaning on a crutch, he remained motionless. After the other three launched their attacks, he suddenly opened his mouth, releasing a visible soundwave that rippled outward like water.

The four attacks struck the black hole simultaneously, only to be swallowed without a trace, leaving not even a sound behind.

The four cultivators frowned slightly, their expressions soon shifting. Almost in unison, they retreated swiftly.

In the next moment, the black hole erupted with a burst of dark light, as if enraged by their assault. The ominous light surged outward, engulfing the surrounding area in an instant. It expanded until it reached the edge of the stone formation, where it was blocked by an unseen force and then receded.

Once the dark light withdrew, both it and the black hole vanished, leaving the area looking like an ordinary field of scattered stones, devoid of any anomalies.

However, during the explosion of dark light, a fleeting glimpse revealed an ancient and weathered stone tablet within the black hole. The distortion of space made it impossible to determine the tablet’s true size, but the marks left by the passage of countless years were clearly visible, exuding a profound sense of antiquity.

The four cultivators steadied themselves at the edge of the stone field, watching calmly as the dark light surged toward them, stopping just short of reaching them before retreating. Their composed demeanor made it clear that this was not their first attempt.

The woman in palace robes spoke in a low voice, "Several attempts have failed. It seems forcing our way through the barrier won’t work. We’ll have to follow the rules set by the restriction and send people to try one by one."

Che Yutao smirked, a flash of red light shrinking the Red Dust Gourd until it hung from his waist. He turned and called out mockingly, "So, Old Geezer, you’ve brought the people here? Or are you just lazing about and enjoying the show?"

Daoist Master Xuanyu waved his long sleeve as he led the group to the edge of the stone formation. He replied irritably, "I went through all the trouble to bring them here. Even if I don’t deserve credit, I’ve certainly worked hard. Yet you still call me lazy?"

Che Yutao swept his gaze over the group before speaking in a stern tone, "You twenty-seven will split into three groups, nine people each. Decide among yourselves how to divide."

Hearing this, the group exchanged uncertain glances, hesitant to act. However, under the command of a Golden Core cultivator, they dared not delay. Instinctively, disciples from the same sect began to gather together.

The contingent from Shaohua Mountain was the largest. Qin Sang, Mu Yifeng, and Yu Dayue stood together, joined by two other senior brothers from their sect.

Ascetic Yunqiong, accompanied by a fellow disciple and two acquaintances, also approached. Having previously collaborated with Qin Sang and Mu Yifeng, she persuaded her companions to join their group.