Chapter 50: Night Visit

A citizen of Ningguo, yet he had become the Marquis of Jiangzhou under the Great Sui.

Having stayed in the Great Sui for five years, Qin Sang felt a wave of emotion, realizing he didn't feel particularly familiar with the place.

Returning to his manor, Qin Sang entered his study.

He was a solitary man; aside from his ebony sword and a few other items, he had little luggage to carry.

After breaking through to the fifth level of the *Nether Scripture*, his consumption of Soul Pills had increased; a few days of full-throttle cultivation would exhaust one pill. Without the aid of Soul Pills, the speed of his cultivation progress would be utterly despairing.

Fortunately, he had anticipated this and had stored some Soul Pills before the war ended. Furthermore, since Yama had recovered to peak strength, squeezing his potential to the limit could sustain him for a long time.

Then there was the matter of gold and silver travel funds. Qin Sang hadn't brought much; a dignified cultivator wouldn't be starved to death by a lack of money, as he could always beg for alms at any time.

However, he couldn't simply leave like this; there were still some worldly affairs to arrange. Qin Sang instructed his personal guards to wait at Wu Chuanzong's residence and asked him to come see him after the imperial court adjourned.

Once he finished packing, including his clothes, he had only one small bundle.

*If only I knew Object Manipulation, I could use a spatial bag,* Qin Sang lamented inwardly.

According to the introduction from the young man surnamed Han, a cultivation market was equivalent to a marketplace in the cultivation world, where cultivators traded, purchased, or exchanged the items they needed.

In a large cultivation market, the passing cultivators included disciples from famous great sects, demonic cultivators, and rogue cultivators. Within the boundaries where orthodox and demonic paths intersected, it was easy to encounter demonic cultivators, which was why Han had suggested Qin Sang try his luck there.

However, Qin Sang's most urgent need was not joining a sect, but rather how to make contact with the world of cultivators.

Object Manipulation, spatial bags, magical artifacts, Qi Condensation stage, Foundation Establishment stage, Yin-煞 (Yin-煞) energy...

These things were common knowledge to cultivators, but he knew nothing of them. Only by understanding the basics could he know where his future path lay.

This key to the cultivation market would also open the gates of the cultivation world for him; this was why Qin Sang had not been difficult with the young man named Han.

Even if no sect accepted him, the worst case would be becoming a rogue cultivator. From the tone of Han's words, rogue cultivators were not uncommon among the practitioners.

Once he reached the cultivation market, he would first obtain Object Manipulation, retrieve the items from the seven-colored silk pouch, and then ask how to find Yin-煞 energy so as not to hinder his cultivation.

He also had to find a way to figure out the secrets he carried: what exactly were the ebony sword, the jade Buddha, and the sheepskin, and why could he cultivate without having a spiritual root?

And then there was the *Nether Scripture*.

In truth, after breaking through to the fifth level, Qin Sang had a vague, premonitory feeling that the *Nether Scripture* likely had more than six levels and that the manual might be incomplete.

Later, the various pieces of information regarding the Qi Condensation stage obtained from Zhen Ming further corroborated his suspicion.

He wondered if a complete version of the *Nether Scripture* could be bought in the market.

Were cultivation manuals expensive?

What did he have that he could trade with cultivators?

The mere thought gave Qin Sang a headache. He was a pauper; if all else failed, he would have to sell a magical artifact or that talisman of unknown use to exchange for a manual. After all, the *Nether Scripture* was his very foundation.

Thinking of this, Qin Sang took out the jade plate to examine it. Though called a plate, it actually had a circular hole in the center, making it look more like a jade ring.

The plate was only palm-sized and very thin. It was crystal clear throughout, without a single speck of impurity or any pattern, making one worry if it was extremely fragile and would shatter at a touch.

After a moment of hesitation, Qin Sang tentatively probed the jade plate with his divine sense and spiritual power. Immediately, a halo of light erupted from the plate, and the words "Yushan Market" surfaced, but beyond that, there was no other reaction.

It seemed he truly had to reach the State of Biyun.

Qin Sang carefully put the jade plate away. Shortly after, he heard footsteps in the courtyard and knew Wu Chuanzong had arrived.

"This is the address of my hometown, Ningguo's National Village Manor. Aside from you, I have never mentioned it to anyone else," Qin Sang said, handing a hand-drawn map to Wu Chuanzong. "If nothing goes wrong, my parents should still be alive, along with my two elder brothers... I am devoted to the pursuit of immortality and cannot attend to worldly matters. I entrust these relatives to you; tell them I am dead."

After occupying Qin Sanwa's body, Qin Sang had been avoiding the familial ties of this body, not having returned once in five years.

Wu Chuanzong accepted it solemnly and said with tears in his eyes, "Rest assured, Teacher. Without you, there would be no Chuanzong today. I will certainly treat them as my own family..."

Qin Sang waved his hand. "There is no need for that. For my parents and my elder siblings, you only need to ensure they are well-fed and clothed. If any of the younger generation shows promise, you may lend them a hand as you see fit. After that, do not interfere; let them follow their own destiny."

Wu Chuanzong was intelligent and had achieved great military merit; having reached a high position at a young age, his future was limitless.

Even ordinary families rarely prosper beyond three generations; this arrangement was a way to provide some closure for Qin Sanwa.

Aside from that, there were some trivial matters. With Qin Sang's departure, the men under his command would temporarily lose their patron, but fortunately, the Grand Princess and others could look after them.

The two spoke in private for a while when suddenly, a burst of hurried footsteps came from outside. A personal guard whispered, "Marquis, the Grand Princess has arrived for a secret visit."

Qin Sang frowned, wondering why the Grand Princess would come in the middle of the night. He had intended to go and bid farewell tomorrow.

"You may leave," Qin Sang said, rising to see Wu Chuanzong out. He went out personally to greet the visitor, only to see the Grand Princess traveling light, accompanied only by Bai Jianglan and two guards, arriving on horseback.

"Let us speak inside."

The Grand Princess flicked her riding whip and walked into the manor as if it were her own home, walking with familiarity straight toward Qin Sang's study.

Qin Sang could only nod to Bai Jianglan and follow silently. He saw the Grand Princess standing there with her hands behind her back, her slender figure standing tall and motionless.

"Marquis of Jiangzhou!"

The Grand Princess spoke suddenly, her voice cold.

Qin Sang replied, "Your servant is here."

The Grand Princess turned around abruptly. Her eyes, sharp as autumn water, were dazzling under the candlelight as she stared at Qin Sang, questioning him, "This Princess has never mistreated you, has she?"

Qin Sang said helplessly, "What do you mean by that, Grand Princess..."

"Then why are you so determined to leave?"

The Grand Princess took a sudden step forward, her gaze burning with an intensity that left no room for argument. "What is so good about cultivation? Look at how many seekers of immortality live lives of solitude, dying old in deep mountains and wild forests, their corpses becoming food for tigers and leopards, ultimately having no kin and achieving nothing. Now, look over there!"

The Grand Princess raised a jade-like finger, pointing toward the direction of the Yuyu Palace, her speech growing faster and faster. "There are jade pavilions and magnificent halls there, filled with supreme power, countless beauties, nectar and ambrosia, fine silks and delicacies, and lives of decadent luxury... Anything you desire can be easily obtained! You—why are you so obstinate?"

Qin Sang remained silent, then said, "Grand Princess, please follow me."

Stepping out of the study, Qin Sang whispered, "Forgive my insolence," then grabbed the Grand Princess's hand. With a light push from his feet, he leaped onto the roof. Looking toward the Yuyu Palace, it was indeed incredibly luxurious and scenic.

The Grand Princess tilted her head slightly, her eyes filled with confusion, wondering what Qin Sang was up to.