Spirit Realm

“Shaoyang, this is what you’re looking for.”

When the night had fallen, Yin Hao sneakily visited Liang Shaoyang’s stone tower. He carefully took out a jade box before placing it at a table inside.

A thin, silver light appeared in Liang Shaoyang’s eyes. He extended a hand to lift the jade box, bowed his head, and looked at it once before nodding, “Thank you, senior brother.”

“You’re welcome. Hehe, I am in debt to the Tower Lord, and the reason I was able to enter Armament Sect and become an inner sect disciple… was all arranged by the Tower Lord a long time ago.” Yin Hao’s smile was one of flattery. “I simply hope that Shaoyang can accomplish the Tower Lord’s exhortation and become a powerful ally for Dark Shadow Tower so Dark Shadow Tower can increase its strength many times over.”

“I will do my best,” replied Liang Shaoyang.

Yin Hao smiled and did not say anything else. After bidding farewell, he avoided every area that might have human activity and took a small route back to the cave at Flame Volcano.

“Qin Bing…”

Holding the jade box, the corner of Liang Shaoyang’s lips curled gruesomely as he sneered twice in a low voice.

At the beginning he did not want to come to Armament Sect and was very much against his father’s arrangements.

However, for the sake of the greater good and Dark Shadow Tower’s future, he still came over.

When he saw Tang Siqi for the first time, was approached by her, and when she whispered softly from behind him, suddenly, he was no longer against his father’s arrangements.

—He had truly fallen for Tang Siqi.

Once he was moved, Liang Shaoyang became incredibly serious. In his mind, he had believed that Tang Siqi would definitely choose him as his assistant, and naturally, he would have the chance to interact with her in the future. He would slowly impress her with his own charisma, win her heart, and smoothly complete his father’s instructions.

But his well thought-out plan was cruelly destroyed by Qin Lie...

Qin Lie had suddenly come out, ignited Tang Siqi’s clothes, and caused her to grow angry with embarrassment. Therefore, she had chosen Qin Lie out of spite and destroyed his plans.

Naturally, he thought that Qin Lie’s many methods were all to attract Tang Siqi’s attention… and they were very successful too.

“No matter what kind of background you have, you are just deluding yourself if you think to challenge me over a woman.” Liang Shaoyang looked to the night sky, and after waiting for a while, he fleeted out like a the shadow of a night’s ghost and flashed a couple of times before vanishing without a trace.

Inside Qin Lie’s stone tower, there were “crack, crack” sounds coming out from inside.

Qin Lie was grinding Dragon Bone Jades in the small workshop inside the tower, focusing on polishing their rough stone surfaces until they were smooth. He was completely indifferent about the noises on the outside world.

He seemed to hear some soft footsteps passing by the front of his tower, but he did not think much of it and continued to place all of his focus on the Dragon Bone Jade in his hands.

He knew that there were many new outer sect disciples who could not stop looking at the twelve spirit pattern pillar, and there were also some who thought that the spirit pillars might cause something magical under the moonlight, thus making it easier to cause a reaction.

Therefore, there were often people staying under the spirit pattern pillar during the middle of the night. They would spend the entire night without sleep, attempting to learn the wonders of the spirit patterns They hoped that, one day, they would rise to the heavens and enter the inner sect, becoming a genius in the eyes of all the important leaders of the sects and be cultivated as a potential candidate for the position sect master.

That was why there were always noise outside, even during the middle of the night.

He had gotten used to it long ago.

Time passed quietly, and gradually, Qin Lie felt that his legs were a bit tingly and stiff...

He had thought that he sat for too long without paying much attention to it. He was still polishing the Dragon Bone Jade.

Around midnight, that tingly feeling spread out and caused his arms to become more and more uncomfortable.

Even his head seemed to be murky, and it was hard to even think of a problem. His entire person turned dazed as sleepiness rushed over him like sea waves.

Before his consciousness had blurred, he saw a few worms about the size soybeans on his arms and legs. He didn’t know when they had gotten on him.

He felt that his body was growing stiffer and stiffer and felt tingly all over without the slightest bit of strength. He couldn’t even move a finger.

His eyelids were also growing heavier and heavier. He wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep to his heart’s content.

“Qin Bing, it’s time for you to deliver the goods again. How is it?” It was still early in the morning, but Tang Siqi was already crying out in front of Qin Lie’s stone tower.

Today, she had changed to a dark-red, tight suit with her long hair tied into a ponytail. She appeared heroic and valiant; it was yet another taste of her youthful charm.

“Good morning Senior Sister Tang!”

“Senior Sister Tang, you came down from the mountains this early today?”

“Have you eaten already, Senior Sister Tang?”

There were a lot of outer sect disciples on the way to the dining hall, and seeing that she was standing in front of Qin Lie’s stone tower, they all greeted her with flattering looks.

“Move aside.” Seeing that some of them had gathered over, Tang Siqi waved her hands impatiently, “Qin Bing, are you in there or not?”

Hearing no voice from the inside, Tang Siqi did not care for pleasantries as she pushed open the stone door without reserve and openly barged inside.

—She usually did this on a regular basis.

Because it was now morning, she was afraid that Qin Lie would not be clothed properly and would thus humiliate her eyes. That was why she yelled out a few times before to test the waters.

When she pushed open the door, she saw Qin Lie collapsed on a floor covered in jade scraps. His left hand was still holding Dragon Bone Jade.

“Ah!” Tang Siqi cried out in surprise and quickly rushed over. She then discovered that Qin Lie’s entire body was dark green in color, and his eyes were narrowed into slits. It was as if he was trying his best to open them but could not do so no matter what.

“Eclipse Insects!”

Gazing around carefully, she finally saw the few small beetles sucking on Qin Lie’s arms and thighs. Then, a trace of horror appeared on her beautiful face.

“Lian Rou!” Her expression was extremely serious as she cried out in the direction of the front yard.

Lian Rou, who had gone down the mountain with her was ready to go to ask about something at Tong Jihua’s place, but when she heard Tang Siqi’s cries, she quickly turned around and rushed over like the wind. “Siqi, what are you yelling for?”

“Qin Bing has been bitten by Eclipse Insects!” Tang Siqi cried out with urgency in her eyes, “Why would there suddenly be Eclipse Insects inside his house?”

“Eclipse Insects?!” Lian Rou’s expression had also immediately turned as she closed in and stared at Qin Lie’s face and chest for a while. Her gaze grew sterner and sterner. “This is very bad! The poison has seeped into his heart and face, his brain should have been affected as well.”

“What should we do?” Tang Siqi panicked, “I don’t even have knowledge about poisonous insects or detoxification and I know the Eclipse Insect is incredibly scary. The moment someone contracts the Eclipse Insect’s poison, it will become very troublesome. Am I right?”

“The poison of the Eclipse Insects can paralyze the flesh, nerves, and thoughts, causing all of them to lose mobility one bit at a time. The person’s entire body would turn stiff and weak before they finally fall into a deep coma and die. This is a very slow process. If it isn’t detected early, when the poison has seeped into their heart and face… then it will be incredibly hard to treat them.”

Lian Rou looked to Qin Lie and suddenly let out a quiet sigh. She shook her head and said, “He is probably a goner already.”

“I-isn’t your family from the southern region, aren't you very good at detoxification? Can’t you think of a way?” Tang Siqi urgently asked.

“If this was discovered during the night then I could still treat him. But now… it’s too late.” Lian Rou looked a little helpless. “Eclipse Insects will not appear out of nowhere. This poisonous insect only lives in a few specific poisonous swamps in the southern region, and once they leave those places they would die shortly after unless they were raised inside a special container.”

While she was speaking, many outer sect disciples had gathered over and poked their heads into the house.

Lian Rou paused for a moment, suddenly looked towards those people outside the house and said softly, “Someone was planning to harm him and wanted him dead. That was why they had used the Eclipse Insect to poison him.”

“Out of the way!” Yi Yuan’s yell suddenly could be heard from the front.

He had just finished eating in the dining hall. When he had heard the commotion here, he frowned and pushed away the people blocking the front of the door and rushed into the stone tower. He even shut the stone door immediately upon entering.

“What are you doing, Yi Yuan?” Tang Siqi glared at him angrily. “Seek out Elder Tong immediately and tell him about this matter. Get him to figure out a way, now!”

“None of the elders of the outer sect have any achievements in detoxification. They are only good at fighting, and that includes elder Tong and all other outer sect elders.” Once Yi Yuan had entered the room he stared directly at Lian Rou. “There are only three people who have studied poison and poisonous insects. The sect master, elder Mo Hai from the inner sect, and you.”

“But right now, the sect master has secluded himself for artifact forging, and elder Mo Hai is outside the sect and probably cannot return on such short notice. Therefore, you are the only one who can help Qin Bing. No one else will be of any use.” His expression was serious as he continued, “According to my knowledge, the sect master and elder Mo Hai have taught you many things regarding poison and poisonous insects.”

“How do you know me so well?” Lian Rou was incredibly surprised.

Gentleness appeared inside Yi Yuan’s eyes as he softly said, “Since five years ago, when you left Purple Mist Sea, I have spent money to learn everything about you such as your hobbies, your cultivation realm…”

“You are a madman!” Lian Rou spat out in a curse.

Yi Yuan smiled slightly. “It doesn’t matter. I have made up my mind that you are the one for me, so no matter where you go, I will follow you until the end.”

“You two!” Tang Siqi stomped her feet and cried out urgently.

“Siqi, I told you, we’ve come too late. The Eclipse Insect’s poison has already seeped into his heart and brain. Even if I want to treat him, it will be very, very difficult.” Lian Rou returned to the topic and said with an expression of helplessness, “If I am to treat him, I will need to refine a special poison liquid, but that takes time, and by the time I make it, the Eclipse Insect’s poison would’ve already killed him. It’s not possible.”

“Then there is no choice.” Yi Yuan let out a sigh after listening to Lian Rou’s explanation. He walked beside Qin Lie, crouched, and said, “Brother Qin, your eyes aren’t completely closed yet, so I know you can still hear me. Hmm, I really want to help you, but unfortunately, I really can’t do anything. I will try and look for the culprit who used the Eclipse Insects, and if he is easy to deal with, then I’ll kill him for you. But if he is as strong as Pang Feng, then I won’t stake my life for you either. I hope you understand.”

He only had some admiration for Qin Lie, and their friendship was nowhere close to the point where he would be willing to die for him. He didn’t mind helping him a little here and there, but it really wasn’t too… realistic to expect him to put his life on the line for Qin Lie.

—This was because their relationship wasn’t deep enough yet.

“If you have any last words, then say them to him before he completely closes his eyes.” Lian Rou looked at Tang Siqi.

“Is there really no other way?” Tang Siqi asked again.

Lian Rou shook her head.

Therefore, Tang Siqi walked to Qin Lie’s side and pursed her lips in thought before quietly whispering, “It doesn’t matter whether if you’ve purposely used a despicable method to attract my attention, or whether if you’ve come to Armament Sect for me. I want to tell you that you have both the potential and talent to become a true artificer. For the past few months, the spirit materials that you’ve grinded is the best I’ve ever used. Some of them were even better than the ones I made myself.”

“Senior Sister Tang, he’s about to pass away. Can’t you say something nicer?” Yi Yuan suddenly interrupted.

“What, nicer?” Tang Siqi turned her head with confusion in her eyes. “Is what I’m saying now not nice enough? I’m telling him that he’s actually a pretty competent man and that he can actually become an extraordinary artificer. If this isn’t nice enough, then what is?”

“Brother Qin had done everything for your sake, and his death… is probably for your sake as well.” Yi Yuan narrowed his eyes. “The one who killed him was worried that he could truly touch your heart which is why they wanted him dead in the first place. He came to Armament Sect for you and grinded spirit materials with his heart for you, and now, he has even died for you. Are you telling me that you are not touched at all?”

“Touched? Now that you mention it…” Tang Siqi was stunned. She prettily frowned, then thought for a moment before finally nodding slightly. She herself was not certain as she whispered in a low tone, “Maybe... maybe I am a little touched by him. I don’t know, I don’t know myself…”

While she was speaking, a bone chilling coldness suddenly spread out from Qin Lie’s body in the form of frost mist, tightly covering his entire body!

From the moment he saw the Eclipse Insect, Qin Lie had been summoning the frost energy inside his frost ball Natal Palaces, and now, he had finally summoned them it in its entirety!

Under Lian Rou and Yi Yuan’s surprised gazes and while Tang Siqi was still muttering, Qin Lie’s body was swiftly frozen and quickly sealed inside an ice crystal, turning into a crystalline ice sculpture.

The poison of the Eclipse Insects was also frozen, and it could no longer spread even a single millimeter!

“This frost…” Yi Yuan suddenly touched Qin Lie’s chest and immediately discovered that frost had appeared on his fingers. He shivered once before yelling in a low tone, “There’s still hope! Brother Qin can still be saved! This frost can definitely stop the poison from spreading! Before he unfreezes, Brother Qin can definitely preserve his current condition!”

“Then I can save him!” Lian Rou’s expression shook.