Chapter 2418: Climbing the Heavenly Vine

“No! The warmth isn't real!”

Qin Sang suddenly became alert.

The Guixu should be cold and desolate, but this place was too calm, too tranquil. There was only endless water, without ripples, fish, insects, or water plants, not even a speck of dust.

The Eye of Heaven Butterfly fully activated its Eye of Heaven divine ability, but its vision was also filled only with the water of the Guixu.

This tranquility evoked thoughts of home and a sense of warmth.

Unexpectedly, even with the Jade Buddha assisting him in resisting the Guixu's erosion, he was still being affected by it.

After the Battle of the Divine Court, Qin Sang knew the Jade Buddha's power had its limits. However, it hadn't exceeded those limits yet, otherwise he would have already begun to assimilate with the Guixu, completely unaware.

The warmth wasn't an illusion, nor was the Guixu assimilating him. Rather, his physical body had entered the Guixu, and his flesh, blood, and bones were all steeped in this tranquility, which then permeated deep into his consciousness.

What if he didn't have the Jade Buddha?

Qin Sang tried to deduce the outcome.

The moment he entered the Guixu, it would begin to assimilate him. All the changes within himself—the peace, the warmth—he would accept as natural, and he wouldn't proactively try to 'awaken' himself.

As time passed, he would become increasingly relaxed. Then, drowsiness might set in, gradually engulfing him. This process would also be subtle and imperceptible.

By then, all his vigilance would vanish. He would let down all his guard, as if turning back into an infant, with sleep becoming his sole instinct.

A cultivator with strong will might last longer, perhaps even experiencing a fleeting moment of alertness, but under the Guixu's relentless invasion, they would all ultimately meet this end.

Once asleep, he would never awaken, unless someone from outside pulled him out. In fact, once assimilation began, it would be irreversible.

Would he dream after falling asleep?

Perhaps, because this wasn't death; his consciousness would still exist, and his dreams would likely be warm and peaceful.

The Guixu wasn't trying to kill him, but to assimilate him.

This could be seen as a form of 'welcome'!

The tranquility displayed in the Guixu was, in fact, a form of power, which could be called the will of the Guixu, or the Power of Guixu! This power permeated the entire Guixu; it didn't reject intruders. Instead, it would generously and unreservedly bestow itself upon them, whether the intruders wanted it or not. The problem was that if an intruder's will wasn't strong enough, they couldn't withstand this 'gift,' and it would become a source of harm.

After some time, his dreams would likely become fewer, and like his memories, they would slowly be 'devoured' by the Power of Guixu.

Eventually, he would lose all his memories, completely lose himself, and drift through the Guixu without thought or desire, becoming a part of it—unaware of joy or sorrow, life or death.

These were all Qin Sang's deductions. The outcome was likely correct, though the actual process might be far more complex than he imagined. But Qin Sang certainly didn't want to experience it firsthand.

It felt good to be protected by the Jade Buddha.

Qin Sang looked down at the 'clam pearl' in his hand. After entering the Guixu, he noticed that the direction the clam pearl indicated wasn't a straight line; it was leading him in 'circles.'

The clam pearl had just led him in a large circle, and then it began a second one, slightly smaller and deeper than the first, descending in a spiral path.

Following this pattern, the path would continue to constrict until it converged at a single point deep within the Guixu.

"Can I go directly to the end?"

Qin Sang considered it, then gave up, faithfully following the clam pearl's movement.

Circle after circle, the rate of contraction was slower than expected, but fortunately, Qin Sang had ample patience.

"I hope they don't decipher the secret of the Cloud Sea too quickly."

As this thought crossed Qin Sang's mind, his heart suddenly stirred; he had made a startling discovery.

Just now, the 'black mole' on his wrist seemed to have faintly reacted to something!

He was certain the earlier sensation hadn't come from outside; the Pestilence Lord and other demons surely wouldn't dare enter the Guixu now. Since it wasn't due to the transparent turtle shell in the Pestilence Lord's possession, had the tomb's owner also entered and left something behind?

The tomb's owner was likely a Demon Saint, possessing vast divine abilities, and must have had a way to resist the Guixu's assimilation.

"Both turtle shells ultimately point here? And they're on the path guided by the clam pearl—is it a coincidence?"

Qin Sang didn't turn back immediately. He continued along the clam pearl's route, and after completing a circle and returning, he felt the same sensation near the previous location.

Subsequently, that sensation appeared intermittently. It seemed to indicate another path, and it appeared to point in the same direction as the clam pearl.

The clam pearl was the key to the secret realm, and there must be important secrets of the Guixu hidden ahead. The tomb's owner had found them without using the clam pearl, and seemed to have even opened up a shortcut.

Would the two paths eventually lead to the same point?

Qin Sang wasn't sure and didn't change his route. After all, the clam pearl seemed more reliable.

After an unknown number of circles, Qin Sang felt as if he were walking within a whirlpool. The moment this thought arose, he suddenly realized he might indeed be inside a whirlpool!

The Guixu's water was too calm; even if there were whirlpools, there were no external signs. If it weren't for the clam pearl guiding him, he might have experienced the 'whirlpool's' power firsthand.

After entering the Guixu, Qin Sang's mind became more active, with one thought leading to another, simply out of boredom. The Guixu was so calm that he couldn't even see an enemy.

"Hmm?"

Suddenly, Qin Sang felt his vision becoming somewhat blurry.

It was the Eye of Heaven Butterfly!

They had been continuously maintaining the Eye of Heaven divine ability.

Qin Sang internally examined his qi sea and found the Eye of Heaven Butterfly was drowsy. The Eye of Heaven Butterfly was his soul-bound Gu worm, and it usually benefited from the Jade Buddha's aura, yet now, even it couldn't withstand the influence.

"Oh no, could Little Kirin also..."

Qin Sang quickly immersed his consciousness into the small grotto-heaven and saw Little Kirin sprawled on a mountaintop. The token obtained from the Black Tortoise Seven Mansions lay before it, but Little Kirin was lethargic, half-asleep. Upon sensing Qin Sang's presence, it merely lifted an eyelid.

"Hiss! The Guixu can actually affect a minor realm!"

Qin Sang was deeply alarmed. It truly lived up to its reputation as a legendary heaven-and-earth secret realm; nothing that entered the Guixu could escape its influence.

And Little Five!

After Little Five began refining the black lotus, Qin Sang had placed the Five Elements Crown into the small grotto-heaven, but Little Five still hadn't awakened.

Qin Sang looked at the Five Elements Crown and called out a few times. As before, there was no response, but the Five Elements Crown seemed even more inert than before.

Even artifact spirits would be assimilated!

As for the spirit insects he kept in the small grotto-heaven, they had long since fallen into slumber.

Gazing at the utterly silent small grotto-heaven, a chill ran down Qin Sang's spine. He truly grasped the terrifying nature of the Guixu.

"I cannot stay here for long!"

Even if he wouldn't be assimilated by the Guixu, the Eye of Heaven Butterfly and the others couldn't endure much longer.

"Wake up... focus your mind..."

Qin Sang continuously called out, to prevent them from falling asleep.

The Roaming Cloud Sword was being nurtured by his nascent soul, so it was the least of his worries. The Eye of Heaven Butterfly was also in the best condition. Little Kirin wasn't as bad as he imagined either, perhaps because being inside the small grotto-heaven provided an additional layer of protection.

The Guixu's assimilation was gradual and wouldn't cause immediate harm to them. Since they could still hold on, and having come all this way, Qin Sang didn't immediately withdraw. Moreover, this would also be a form of tempering for their inner resilience.

*Whoosh!*

Thunderous light emanated from his phoenix wings. Qin Sang spared no effort, activating the Azure Luan True Thunder and fully employing his Lightning Escape technique.

The path gradually narrowed, and Qin Sang felt himself getting closer and closer to that point. His gaze sharpened, and for the first time in the Guixu, he saw something other than the Guixu's water.

He saw a shadow deep within the Guixu.

The shadow was gray, appearing vast, like a colossal mountain. Qin Sang couldn't see its full extent. As he focused, he discerned circular lines within the shadow, some darker in color, others appearing whitish.

These lines were almost parallel, forming circles like concentric rings.

As Qin Sang drew closer to the shadow, he saw it more clearly, which made him think of a river clam's shell.

"The clam pearl... could it be..."

Qin Sang's heart stirred. He fully activated his spiritual eyes, and it truly seemed to be a colossal clam shell.

Clam demons existed in the world; in Kanzhou and the Misty Sea, clam maidens were among the most sought-after commodities. Even within the demon race, demon kings favored clam maidens as servants.

But Qin Sang had never seen such a gigantic clam shell. Could this be a clam demon that had been assimilated by the Guixu?

This clam demon must have been dormant in the Guixu for a very long time. Was it still alive? Was its consciousness still present?

Qin Sang remained secretly vigilant. He finally landed on the clam shell, which was like a mountain, with him appearing as an ant at its base.

His landing point was precisely at the edge of the clam shell. Leaning slightly, he could see a long line where the two halves of the shell tightly met, seemingly without any gap large enough for him to pass through. Qin Sang raised his left arm, confirming that the black mole also pointed here. So, had the tomb's owner managed to get inside?

"Huh?"

Qin Sang saw a faint, ethereal glow flickering on the surface of the black mole.

Ever since this black mole appeared on his body, it had been like a parasitic growth, impossible to get rid of. Now, it seemed as if it were about to leave.

The faint glow flickered, and the black mole gradually blurred. Above his arm, a familiar turtle shell suddenly materialized.

The turtle shell floated in the air, slowly rotating.

Then, with a flash of spiritual light, the turtle shell pressed tightly against the clam shell's seam, like a spiritual turtle resting there.

"So, it could actually guide me here and help me get inside?"

Qin Sang gazed at the turtle shell, faintly sensing that something about it was different from elsewhere, though he couldn't pinpoint the exact distinction. It must have been a method used by the tomb's owner.

It now seemed that this turtle shell and the Pestilence Lord's transparent turtle shell were both some kind of token. Perhaps because certain conditions couldn't meet the turtle shell's requirements, Qin Sang hadn't been able to uncover its secrets, and thus had never received any guidance.

The Pestilence Lord evidently hadn't gained the turtle shell's recognition either, and was even worse off than him.

The two turtle shells likely had a primary and secondary distinction, and Qin Sang's, which came from the tomb owner's mausoleum, was clearly more important.

Unexpectedly, by a twist of fate, he had still arrived, and he possessed a more effective treasure!

The tomb's owner was an intruder, and the turtle shell was clearly inferior to the clam pearl. However, the tomb's owner might have left something inside, so Qin Sang still picked up the turtle shell.

Next, Qin Sang tried to sense through the clam pearl. A moment later, he extended an arm towards the clam shell's seam.

"As expected, the clam pearl is the true key!"

Qin Sang didn't detect any danger. As long as he enveloped himself in the clam pearl's spiritual light, it seemed he could easily enter.

Besides that, Qin Sang also discovered a connection between the clam pearl and the clam shell, though he couldn't yet determine what this connection signified.

The clam pearl emitted a faint spiritual light that spread over Qin Sang's body, eventually enveloping him completely. Qin Sang carefully stepped into the clam shell's seam, and as he passed through, darkness lay ahead.

There was no water here; it was extremely vast and completely dark. Yet, the Power of Guixu was still present, and even more concentrated than outside.

Qin Sang wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but there seemed to be an added trace of grimness in the darkness, and similarly, no sign of life.

If this were a clam demon, Qin Sang, being inside it, should have been able to sense its aura, unless it had long since died.

Looking as far as he could, there was nothing. The inside of the clam shell appeared far more expansive than its exterior. A thorough exploration would undoubtedly take a very long time.

Qin Sang had to consider the Eye of Heaven Butterfly and the others, so he couldn't stay for too long. It seemed he could only explore a portion this time.

Choosing a random direction, Qin Sang summoned his escape light and was about to move when he suddenly looked up, his expression changing. He quickly retreated to the clam shell's entrance, staring intently upwards.

There were no discernible boundaries above or below. A strange fluctuation emanated from the void above Qin Sang's head. The fluctuation became clearer, as if something was about to emerge.

Qin Sang's face was full of vigilance. He secretly activated a Daoist spell, summoned the Bright Mountain Armor for protection, and then manifested the Daiyu Immortal Mountain, cradling it in his palm.

However, the first thought that came to his mind was actually to retreat.

Immediately after, a faint glimmer appeared in the void, from which Qin Sang sensed a rich vital energy, completely out of place with its surroundings.

The green glimmer was incredibly striking in the darkness. The green light grew more pronounced, flickering slightly, and then a tender green vine actually extended from it!

The green vine emerged from an unknown source, growing little by little. Pairs of tender leaves grew parallel on both sides of the vine, resembling a vine ladder.

The next moment, Qin Sang's eyes suddenly widened. He stared in disbelief at a figure appearing on the vine ladder.

"What are you doing here!"

Qin Sang and the figure exclaimed in unison, their tones identical, both filled with astonishment.

A fiery red spiritual bird descended the vine ladder. Its brows were filled with arrogance, and it looked at everyone with a disdainful gaze, practically begging to be beaten. It was the Vermilion Bird!

Qin Sang never imagined he would see the Vermilion Bird here. Wasn't this fellow on the north shore of the Lotus Crossing Great Marsh? How did it get here?

And how did this fellow get in?

"You... ah!"

The Vermilion Bird let out a huge yawn, looking utterly sleepy, and grumbled, "What kind of wretched place is this!"

"How did you get in?"

Qin Sang's gaze shifted to the vine ladder beneath the Vermilion Bird, and he made a connection. "This green vine, is it that seed?"

"Couldn't keep it from you for long after all!"

The Vermilion Bird sighed deeply. It had originally intended to wait for it to fully grow and then give Qin Sang a huge 'surprise.'

"You still haven't answered me, where exactly is this place!"

The Vermilion Bird continued to complain, "This accursed Heaven-Climbing Vine, it must be fake, how could it bring me to this wretched place! I nearly got lost, and if I hadn't suddenly sensed your presence, I would have fallen asleep."