Gateway of Immortality-Chapter 339: Reflection

Under Tan Hao’s expectant gaze, Qin Sang carefully and thoroughly examined Tan Jie once more.

Unfortunately, Qin Sang had limited knowledge of alchemy and medicine and could not think of a way to cure Tan Jie.

After some contemplation, his eyes suddenly lit up as he remembered something. He quickly rummaged through his Mustard Seed Pouch and finally pulled out a crystal coffin.

This crystal coffin was an artifact left behind by Senior Sister Qingting and Senior Brother Jiang after their deaths.

Qin Sang had later discovered that the crystal coffin was, in fact, a peculiar artifact. Senior Brother Jiang had relied on it to maintain his physical vitality without the aid of spiritual medicines. Moreover, it had significantly slowed the dissipation of his primordial spirit.

Qin Sang wasn’t sure where Senior Sister Qingting had obtained the crystal coffin, but it was undoubtedly rare and precious.

The coffin had no use for Qin Sang himself, but he had kept it because of its unique properties. Now, it seemed it could finally serve a purpose.

By placing Tan Jie in the crystal coffin, there would be no need to worry about the state of his physical body. Additionally, the dissipation of his primordial spirit would slow, thereby alleviating much of Tan Hao’s burden.

When Qin Sang explained the abilities of the crystal coffin, Tan Hao was overjoyed but also a little skeptical.

With unwavering confidence, Qin Sang asked Tan Hao to lift Tan Jie from the spiritual liquid and place him into the crystal coffin.

Tan Hao watched intently, his eyes wide with anticipation. After a moment, a strange power emerged from the crystal coffin, forming a layer of light mist that enveloped Tan Jie, gently nourishing his body.

Though it couldn’t completely stop the dissipation of Tan Jie’s primordial spirit, the process slowed significantly. The medicinal effects of the Serenity Pill would now last much longer.

The extra time might not have been much, but for Tan Hao, it was invaluable!

"I know someone skilled in treating injuries to the soul. Wait here in your cave dwelling while I return to Yinshan Stronghold to send him a message. Let’s see if he can think of a solution."

The person Qin Sang referred to was Wandering Man.

Through years of trial and error, Wandering Man had become well-versed in treating soul-related injuries. Among the people Qin Sang knew, Wandering Man was the only one who might be able to help Tan Jie.

At present, Wandering Man was cultivating in his cave dwelling, refining medicinal energy, and wouldn’t mind being interrupted.

However, Tan Jie’s soul injuries weren’t just severe—they were on the verge of complete dissolution. Qin Sang wasn’t optimistic that Wandering Man could perform a miracle, but after being moved by Tan Hao’s resolve, he felt compelled to try.

Tan Jie’s condition was critical; any delay could lead to unexpected complications.

Without hesitation, Qin Sang recorded Tan Jie’s condition in a letter and immediately took his leave of Tan Hao. He summoned the Nether Cloud and headed for the Spirit Pill Pavilion in Yinshan Stronghold.

When Qin Sang attempted to use the Taiyi Core Pavilion’s network through the Spirit Pill Pavilion to send the letter to Xuanlu Stronghold, he was surprised to learn that Wandering Man had already left seclusion and was on his way to Yinshan Stronghold. He was expected to arrive soon.

Why is Wandering Man coming to Yinshan Stronghold?

The news took Qin Sang by surprise. After a moment of consideration, he returned to Tan Hao’s cave dwelling and informed him of the situation, though he omitted Wandering Man’s identity.

"If my friend can examine Tan Jie in person, that would be ideal. However, be mindful of your words. Don’t mention anything about your past experiences—pretend they never happened."

Qin Sang trusted Wandering Man as a companion from across generations. Though he was confident Wandering Man wouldn’t harm him without reason, it was better to avoid unnecessary risks.

Tan Hao didn’t ask any questions and nodded without hesitation. "Understood. Don’t worry, I’ll be careful."

His tone carried an unmistakable mix of excitement, anticipation, and a faint hint of worry.

Without delay, they brought the comatose Tan Jie to the outskirts of Yinshan Stronghold. Qin Sang spent spirit stones to rent two peaceful cave dwellings nearby, where they could await Wandering Man’s arrival.

After settling the Tan Brothers into their dwelling, Qin Sang returned to his own.

The cave dwelling was built into a hollowed-out ancient tree in the swamp outside Yinshan Stronghold. It was Qin Sang’s first time staying in such a unique dwelling, and he found it quite novel.

The spirit vein seemed to lie deep within the swamp, and the spiritual qi inside the dwelling was remarkably dense, justifying its cost.

However, Qin Sang didn’t immediately meditate. Instead, he sat cross-legged on the wooden bed, reflecting on his recent experiences and the changes in his mindset after encountering Tan Hao.

He hadn’t hesitated to help Tan Hao and Shi Hong.

On one hand, it was because of the favor Tan Hao had shown him back at Youshan Market when he warned Qin Sang about the risks of buying the Netherworld Scripture. Qin Sang had never forgotten that kindness.

On the other hand, their shared history with the Kuiyin Sect played a significant role. Of the group that had entered the sect together, only four remained, and one of them—Tan Jie—was now a living dead.

The hardships that Shi Hong and Tan Hao had endured were deeply moving, evoking in Qin Sang a sense of shared sorrow.

He had assumed they had perished in the chaos of that time. Now that he knew they were alive, he felt a natural obligation to help them, especially since it required little effort on his part.

As for how his mindset had shifted, that came later.

Seeing the bond of familial affection between the Tan Brothers, recalling the love between Senior Sister Qingting and Senior Brother Jiang, and even thinking of Yu Dayue’s descent into madness in pursuit of immortal cultivation, Qin Sang seemed to gain some insight.

Insight about himself, about emotions, and about the Dao.

"Family... love..."

Qin Sang murmured to himself, his gaze distant, as though piercing through the fabric of time and space.

Love—he had long cast it aside in this lifetime.

But family—that still lingered in the depths of his heart, though he had deliberately ignored it.

If he hadn’t found himself in this new world, completely severed from any chance of reunion...

If, back then, before stepping onto the path of immortality, his parents had suddenly appeared before him...

Would he still have had the resolve to sever mortal ties?

It seemed his understanding of the Dao had grown a little clearer, but what effect this change would have, and how much it would benefit his future cultivation, Qin Sang could not yet tell.

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Qin Sang exhaled deeply, clearing his mind, and retrieved a jade box containing the Soul-Guiding Grass from his Mustard Seed Pouch. He also took out the Heavenly Yin Corpse Art.

Since Wandering Man wouldn’t arrive for several days, he decided to use this time to study the refinement process for crafting the Heavenly Corpse Talisman.

To be cautious, Qin Sang reread the Heavenly Yin Corpse Art from start to finish, paying particular attention to the section on refining living corpses, studying every word and comprehending it carefully.

Crafting the Heavenly Corpse Talisman was extremely challenging and placed high demands on the refiner, especially regarding their control over spiritual power and spiritual consciousness. Even Qin Sang couldn’t guarantee success every time.

The first step was to refine the Soul-Guiding Grass into talisman paper using the secret techniques described in the Heavenly Yin Corpse Art.

This step appeared relatively straightforward.

Qin Sang committed the entire process to memory, mentally rehearsing it dozens of times before beginning his attempt.

He removed the barrier on the jade box, gently took out the Soul-Guiding Grass, and extended his spiritual consciousness into it to observe and analyze every vein within the grass. These veins, akin to the meridians of the grass, were critical to the success of the Heavenly Corpse Talisman.

During the separation of the grass leaves, the veins absolutely could not be damaged.

Before long, Qin Sang had thoroughly analyzed the structure of this Soul-Guiding Grass. After a moment of thought, he transformed his spiritual consciousness into an invisible blade and lightly traced the stem of the grass.

This cut carried no trace of force or fire.

The Soul-Guiding Grass suddenly unfurled on its own, and a single leaf floated down.

Success!

Qin Sang’s expression brightened as he carefully caught the leaf.