Gateway of Immortality-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.

Qin Sang quickly understood. The mountainous area occupied by the Cloud Beasts had peculiar terrain. Several peaks were clustered together, forming the beasts’ lair, where most of them resided.

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Two mountain ranges extended outward from this area, creating a wedge-like formation with many Cloud Beasts lurking within.

Anyone unfamiliar with the terrain who rushed through carelessly, as Wandering Man had, would likely stray into the depths of the Cloud Beasts’ domain. Once disturbed, the beasts would swiftly encircle them, making escape extremely difficult.

As for Wandering Man’s mission, Qin Sang didn’t pry. It was a taboo to inquire about Shadow Guard missions, and it wouldn’t benefit him to do so.

The two decided to return to the Tianjing Hidden Realm together once the celestial phenomena had ended. In the meantime, they struck up a casual conversation, growing increasingly in tune with one another. They ended up discussing the Great Sui and Daoist Jixin in particular.

Wandering Man had grown up in the Great Sui before leaving at the age of seventy. Similarly, Qin Sang had spent his first few years in this world in the Great Sui, leaving a deep impression on him.

However, Wandering Man’s memories of the Great Sui were now part of the past. His impression of Daoist Jixin was also from years ago, so he mostly listened as Qin Sang shared his insights, a nostalgic expression appearing on his face.

Later, the conversation shifted to cultivation insights. Wandering Man shared many unique perspectives, leaving Qin Sang greatly enlightened.

"Senior, do you know a Taiyi Core Sect disciple named Jiang Ying in the Tianjing Hidden Realm?" Qin Sang eventually asked.

Wandering Man thought for a moment before shaking his head. "I don’t know the name. After breaking through to the Foundation Building Realm, I left the sect and have been wandering ever since, with no fixed home. I’ve lived more like a rogue cultivator and rarely interacted with fellow disciples."

Qin Sang privately noted that he wasn’t all that different from Wandering Man in that respect.

With poor innate talent, no backing within the sect, and having to rely solely on himself for cultivation, Qin Sang found his experience within the sect to be little different from that of a rogue cultivator—apart from being able to access the shared resources of the sect.

Of course, even these resources were beyond the reach of most rogue cultivators, and Qin Sang was deeply grateful for them.

Suppressing his feelings of gratitude, Qin Sang smiled and said, "Senior, Jiang Ying is one of your admirers. She mentioned that not only did you reach the Foundation Building Realm at over a hundred years of age, but your achievements in alchemy far surpass your peers. She holds you in high esteem and has long regretted not being able to meet you. This time, she’ll finally get her wish."

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.

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.