Inquiry about immortality

Chapter 2510 Threading the Needle
Now, the half-demon's situation in the Great Wind Plains is becoming increasingly awkward.

With powerful external enemies and constant internal strife, Old Fox and others dared not even reveal the truth about the dragon vein to the younger generation, and the unification of the nine dragons seemed a distant dream.

The half-demon severed his own flesh, securing a temporary reprieve from the demon race's annihilation of them, but in doing so, he lost any chance of rising to power. The Great Wind Plains remained the demon race's domain, and the half-demon was left to live under their roof.

The powerful beings among the half-demon race, like the old fox, were constantly being hunted down by the demon race. They could only hide in their caves and watch helplessly as their kin sank deeper and deeper into the mire.

Spreading the news of the Ancient Demon Court in a fight to the death would be unwise. Countless half-demon citizens would be unable to migrate on a large scale and would face retaliation from the demon race. Moreover, if the news spread, various forces would flood into the Great Wind Plains, and powerful figures would gather. Once a chaotic war broke out, the creatures of the Great Wind Plains would be unable to withstand the terrifying power of the powerful beings. In fact, the Great Wind Plains might even cease to exist after this war.

Unless the North Sea Dragon Palace and the Phoenix Clan lose patience and decide to kill the half-demon, the half-demon, knowing he is doomed, will have no choice but to perish together with the demon race.

There are precedents for this kind of thing.

The North Sea once contained not only seventy-two islands but also a complete continent known as the Northern Underworld Continent. During the Demonic Calamity, it was shattered, and countless lives perished in that catastrophe. Ultimately, a portion of the land was sealed away by powerful beings from both races using treasures such as the Jiangshan Map and the Xuanwu Sacred Palace, becoming the Demon Realm.

South of Dafeng Plain, in what is now known as Xunfeng Sea, the area was not like this before the Dao Court was destroyed.

It was that great battle that turned that place into a desolate land where the winds of Xun never ceased, and it had a profound impact on Xunzhou of the Great Zhou and other places in the East Sea.

It can be said that every major battle in the cultivation world inflicts indelible damage on the spirit realm. Looking across the spirit realm, many of the forbidden and forbidden areas today are scars left over from past battles, and true secret realms of heaven and earth are becoming increasingly rare.

No wonder pessimistic views circulate in the cultivation world—that the spirit realm will eventually be destroyed by cultivators.

As the doctrines of Mahayana Buddhism gradually gained popularity in the cultivation world, discerning individuals could see that the current stability of the Spirit Realm and the relative peace among the various races were due to the threat posed by the Demon Realm. However, even if the Spirit Realm were to resolve the Demon Realm's problems in the future, conflict would never cease.

In the past, the great wars in the cultivation world were mostly limited to racial conflicts and battles for survival. But what awaits cultivators in the future will be a struggle for the Dao!

The old man in the green robe gazed at the clear spring water beside the pavilion, his thoughts wandering, instantly connecting with many things, but in the end he still had to return to reality.

He was pondering the intentions of these half-demons. The old fox's invitation to him to enter the cave was probably a show of sincerity.

It's foreseeable that regardless of whether the North Sea Dragon Palace and the Phoenix Clan can find the Ancient Demon Court, the fate of half-demons won't be good. Therefore, it's not hard to understand why the old fox chose to seek out the new Demon Court.

Once the whereabouts of the Ancient Demon Court are known, the New Demon Court will definitely fight for it. However, the North Sea Dragon Palace and the Phoenix Clan have been operating in the Great Wind Plain for countless years, and their foundations are unfathomable. If the New Demon Court wants to intervene in the Great Wind Plain and keep it from their eyes and ears, it must rely on the power of half-demons.

However, for the new Demon Court, it is also a difficult choice.

They had only recently seized control of the Demon Realm, and under the guise of guarding the Arctic boundary, they barely managed to reach an agreement with all parties, thus truly establishing a foothold in the Spirit Realm. Firstly, the New Demon Court could not easily leave the Arctic, and secondly, they did not want to break ties with Dragon Island and Phoenix Pavilion so quickly.

Furthermore, the only rivals vying for the new Demon Court seem to be the North Sea Dragon Palace and the Phoenix Clan. However, once they discover that the ancient Demon Court is about to fall into other hands, their rivals will become Dragon Island and Phoenix Pavilion!
After pondering for a long time, the old man in the green robe turned his gaze and noticed that the old fox had been staring at him. He calmly asked, "Have the Suanni and Zhaofeng clans made any unusual moves recently? Have they found the whereabouts of the Ancient Demon Court?"

The old fox shook his head and said, "We are trapped inside the cave. Although we have some spies outside, our information is not readily available. We still need the divine messenger to find out from the North Sea Dragon Palace and the Phoenix Clan. However, since we discovered their true intentions, we have been trying to collect every move of the Suanni and Zhaofeng, recording everything from ancient times to the present, no matter how small. The divine messenger must know them better than we do, and perhaps he can find some unusual signs from them."

Aside from cooperating with the new demon court in the future, these are the half-demons' biggest bargaining chips.

The old man in the green robe was clearly not satisfied, and frowned, saying, "Is that all?"

How could the New Demon Court risk starting a war for Dragon Island and Phoenix Pavilion for a vague and unsubstantiated piece of information?

Facing the questioning gaze of the old man in the green robe, the old fox remained calm and composed. He raised his wrinkled and withered hands and gently placed them on the stone table, saying, "What if we find another powerful helper for the divine envoy?"

"Who!" The old man in the green robe exclaimed, his eyes gleaming.

The old fox said in a deep voice, "The Dao Court!"

The old man in the green robe's expression changed slightly, and he asked in surprise, "You've already had dealings with the Dao Court?"

If we could form an alliance with the Daoist court...

The old man in the green robe thought about it more and more and felt that the idea was absolutely brilliant. The current demon race was dominated by the dragon and phoenix races. The dragons ruled the sea and the phoenixes returned to the land. The new demon court was isolated and helpless among the demon race.

Although the Dao Court is a human power, as some have argued, the struggle between Daoists will be the mainstream in the future. At present, the Mahayana Dao is still in its nascent stage. The new Demon Court and the Dao Court are not direct rivals. The new Demon Court is just beginning to show its strength, while the Dao Court is in dire need of reconstruction. One is in the demon race and the other is in the human race. They watch over each other, help each other, and support each other. It can be said that they complement each other perfectly.

Presumably, the Dao Court is also eager to gain a foothold in the Great Thousand World. Dafeng was originally the homeland of the Dao Court. If the Dao Court takes over Dafeng Plain, it can also help the new Demon Court share the pressure of Dragon Island and Phoenix Pavilion.

The problem is that the Dao Court has always kept a low profile and has not contacted the outside world since its return, so we don't know how to contact them.

If a half-demon can act as a go-between, the new Demon Court and the Dao Court could join forces and completely disrupt the situation in the Great Wind Plains!
“There is a Daoist envoy who is currently in the Great Wind Plains,” the old fox said.

Upon hearing this, the old man in the green robe was slightly taken aback. Suddenly, he beckoned to the spring, and a stream of spring water flew into the pavilion, where it transformed into several figures.

"Is this the one you're referring to, fellow Daoist?"

If Qin Sang were here, he would be greatly shocked, because these faces were the various identities he had disguised himself as while traveling in the demon realm.

The old fox was taken aback, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Has the divine messenger seen him?"

The old man in the green robe laughed immediately, "We had a brief encounter before, but at that time I was unaware of his background. To be honest, I came to the Great Wind Plains precisely to track down this person. I didn't expect that this person was indeed a celestial envoy sent by the Dao Court. No wonder his whereabouts are so mysterious..."

As he spoke, the old man in the green robe revealed a strange glint in his eyes, thinking to himself, "So this person's ultimate goal was the Great Wind Plains. If it is this person, the Ancient Demon Court may not be just a legend, and the Dao Court's decision to have this person bring the Qilin here is probably not entirely without knowledge... But I wonder how it ended up in the Demon Realm. If Qingyuan sent it in, could it be that Qingyuan and the Dao Court had already been in contact..."

The old fox silently observed the old man in the green robe's expression. It seemed that this man understood the Daoist envoys better than they did, and he couldn't help but realize that he had made a mistake.

When the true Wuji Academy was born, it was noticed by one of his avatars, who then began to investigate the whereabouts of any Dao Court Immortal Envoys, eventually discovering the Kingdom of Kakusho.

Although Qin Sang kept a low profile and even used the Five Thunder Sect as a front, some of the Taoist methods could not be hidden from the eyes of these 'old Taoist citizens'.

When the old fox discovered that Qin Sang only had the cultivation level of the Void Refining stage, and that the establishment of the Five Thunder Sect did not seem to be a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather a serious undertaking, he decided not to make direct contact for the time being, but to continue to observe.

Later, the old man in the green robe was discovered, which led to the discussion in the pavilion today.

Unexpectedly, the divine envoy of the new demon court and the immortal envoy of the Dao court had already been in contact and had been searching for this person. It would be difficult for such a half-demon to act as a middleman between the two major powers and to be able to please both.

It's impossible to hide the whereabouts of the Daoist envoy from the old man in the green robe. With his abilities, he could find the Kingdom of Horned Life very quickly. And detaining the Daoist envoy is even more unacceptable.

“Since that person is an old friend of the divine messenger, I will then order someone to take the divine messenger to see him,” the old fox pondered, “However…”

The old man in the green robe knew what he was worried about and said decisively, "I need to see the attitude of the Dao Court first... I can give you a promise: as long as we can confirm that the Ancient Demon Court is located in the Great Wind Plain, we will fight for it no matter what!"

With that, Old Fox was relieved.

They then discussed some matters and exchanged ideas. The old man in the green robe was interested in the dragon veins of the half-demon, while the new demon court also provided the old fox with much inspiration.

The conversation had gone very well, and the old fox rose and escorted the old man in the green robe out of the cave.

The stone gate slowly closed, blocking out the last ray of light.

The old fox's expression gradually became serious. After pondering for a long time, he turned and walked back to the stone pavilion.

Suddenly, a beam of white light shot out from the depths of the clouds and enveloped a cloud of mist above the stone pavilion.

The clouds swirled and transformed into a white-feathered crane, which flapped its wings and landed by the pavilion, uttering a soft, feminine voice.

"Brother, are you really going to send the divine messenger to see that Daoist envoy?"

The old fox sighed softly, "The divine envoy insists on seeing us. Are we to forcibly keep him in the grotto?"

“I’m afraid that once they form an alliance, they will abandon us,” Bai Yulinghe said worriedly.

"No, we need to prevent the North Sea Dragon Palace and the Phoenix Clan from finding out. Both sides need to use us, and we have both human and demon blood, making us the most suitable for acting as intermediaries. They won't abandon us! I thought it was just the Dao Court, but now the New Demon Court is also involved, which is a good thing! Only in this way can we hold out for a good price!" the old fox said confidently.

Bai Yulinghe understood these principles, but he still couldn't help but worry, "They're just too impatient!"

The old fox leaned against the railing, looked up at the sky, and sighed, "Time waits for no one!"

……

The attempt to connect with the Divine Court failed, but instead connected with a mysterious spiritual network and a powerful being of unknown identity.

Since the other party claims to be a True Lord, he must be a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Qin Sang and Zhu Que couldn't figure it out, and dared not activate the altar again. They were at a loss for what to do.

It seems that they can forget about contacting the Dao Court anytime soon; at least until they break through to the Integration Stage, they will have to rely on themselves.

After Qin Sang breaks through to the Fusion stage, there is another way: to activate the Thunder God in the altar.

Currently, his cultivation is insufficient, and the Thunder God is merely a guardian deity of the altar. Once Qin Sang breaks through to the Integration Stage, he will be able to activate the Thunder God within the altar, thereby coordinating with the Altar Governing and Capital Merit Seals to alarm the Divine Court. Could the Spirit Net mislead the Altar Governing and Capital Merit Seals, let alone deceive the Divine Court?
But the problem has come full circle: his connection with the Divine Court was aimed at using the power of the Dao Court to help him break through the Integration Realm!

What to do now?
Without the backing of the Dao Court, Qin Sang always worried about his unstable foundation. The powerful figures of the two clans were like swords hanging over his head, ready to wipe out all his efforts at any moment. However, he had already established a considerable base in the Jiaosheng Kingdom, and when the chaotic world came, he would have all the advantages of timing, location, and popular support. It would be a real pity to give it up.

There's also the missing Qilin Origin, which cannot leave the Great Wind Plains until it's found.

I dare not open the altar; there is no point in keeping it any longer.

Qin Sang took out the Gengchu Zhidu Gong Seal and returned to Jiaosheng Kingdom with Zhuque. As soon as they returned to Jingtan, they summoned Yuying.

"Fellow Daoist, please take a look at this cultivation method," Qin Sang generously showed the "Taiyi Lingshu Scripture" to Yu Ying.

Yu Ying took the jade slip, glanced at it a few times, and exclaimed in surprise, "Where did the sect leader get this cultivation technique?"

Those who practice spiritual cultivation will likely be able to better appreciate the profoundness of this practice.

Qin Sang was not surprised by her reaction at all. "There's no need to delve into the origin of the cultivation technique. I'm just asking you, fellow Daoist, if I asked you to switch to this technique, would you dare to practice it?"

"I……"

Yu Ying opened her mouth but did not give a definitive answer. She continued browsing and soon became deeply immersed in the cultivation technique.

Qin Sang patiently waited for Yu Ying to comprehend the technique. Observing her expression, he could tell that Yu Ying had gained a lot of inspiration from the "Taiyi Lingshu Scripture," which also indirectly proved the rarity of this technique.

After a long time.

Yu Ying exhaled a long breath, reluctantly withdrawing her divine sense from the jade slip, and exclaimed, "I never imagined that such a mysterious and wondrous technique existed in the world!"

"Such mysterious and wondrous techniques were given to me for free by others," Qin Sang sighed.

Upon hearing this, Yu Ying was secretly surprised and felt that the jade slip in her hand was a little hot. Only then did she remember Qin Sang's question earlier and pondered, "The more people who cultivate this technique, the more powerful it becomes."

Qin Sang nodded. A cultivator cultivates to the Spiritual Pivot stage, then integrates it into the Spiritual Network, viewing the network as a whole. Each Spiritual Pivot is a part of the network; naturally, the more Spiritual Pivots there are, the stronger the cultivator becomes. The same principle applies to the Divine Court of the Dao Court; the more talisman gods within the Divine Court, the more powerful the Dao Court becomes.

“However…” Yu Ying’s tone changed, “After cultivating to the Spirit Pivot stage, is it necessary to join someone else’s Spirit Network? How many people are in the Spirit Network, what are their cultivation levels, and who controls the Spirit Network?”

Yu Ying's questions went straight to the heart of the matter.

The Spirit Network should have certain operating rules that cannot be trampled on at will, so that newcomers will willingly join. For example, the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty and the precepts of the Dao Court. Otherwise, it will not go far by means of coercion and deception.

It must be able to maintain a certain level of fairness, at least to prevent people from spying on your consciousness through the spirit network and manipulating you at will.

Qin Sang knew nothing about the Spirit Network, and the other party only transmitted the first half of the "Taiyi Lingshu Jing" to him, leaving him no choice but to be careful.