Gateway of Immortality

In the field of vision, the earth appeared as if it had been torn apart, with deep ravines crisscrossing the landscape. Between these ravines stood rock cliffs of varying heights. Most of the cliffs had razor-thin summits, resembling sharp blades, making it nearly impossible to find footing.

Separated by a single cliff, the ecosystems within each ravine were surprisingly different.

In some, lush grass thrived with small streams meandering through, while in others, rivers surged wildly. Towering ancient trees, some even taller than the cliffs themselves, loomed, while in other areas, barren red soil or exposed rocks dominated. When two ravines merged or intersected, even more complex and striking scenery appeared, making one wonder how such a unique landscape had formed.

This kind of place was perfect for an ambush.

If a demonic beast’s nest were hidden within one of these ravines, it would be nearly impossible to detect. Traversing the ridge tops was definitely not an option.

Qin Sang stood at the edge, observing for a while, quietly sighing in his heart. He took out a jade token, checked his direction, and leaped into one of the ravines. Not daring to recklessly fly through the air, he relied on Cloud Evasion to move forward.

The ravines were chaotic and winding, forcing Qin Sang to take many detours and frequently adjust his course. Fortunately, he had not encountered any demonic beasts blocking his path, but he also had not seen any immortal cultivators.

Qin Sang had been running through the ravines for more than an hour, yet he still hadn’t reached the end. Feeling somewhat frustrated, he concealed his figure and climbed to the top of a cliff. However, all he saw ahead were more endless ravines, and his patience finally wore thin.

After carefully examining the terrain, Qin Sang let out a soft "Hmm" of surprise. Up ahead, about a dozen ravines converged like the neck of a gourd, gathering at a single point before dispersing again. The various landscapes intersected there, creating what must have been an extraordinarily unique sight.

After checking his direction, he found that the route pointed by his jade token led directly toward this gourd-shaped junction. He sped toward the area, but just as he neared the convergence point, his body abruptly halted.

Suddenly, clouds of mist appeared around Qin Sang, and he immediately used his Falling Cloud Wings to conceal his form, swiftly hiding behind a boulder.

From his vantage point, he saw that in the area where the ravines converged, streams from several of the ravines pooled into a clear pond. The water was so transparent that the bottom was visible, and the banks were lined with all kinds of flowers, grasses, and trees. However, beside the pond lay a person.

The ravine where Qin Sang was hiding only had low shrubs, and he immediately spotted the person.

The individual had disheveled hair and was dressed in a white robe, lying face-down on the grass, completely motionless. A trail of bloody footprints, chaotic and disorderly, stretched from the person's location into the forest behind them.

The white robe on the person was heavily damaged and stained with dark red blood, making it strikingly conspicuous. Though no wounds were visible, they were likely on the chest or abdomen.

It was easy to imagine that this person must have fled to this spot after suffering severe injuries. Their steps had become increasingly unsteady, and they ultimately collapsed by the pond, unconscious from exhaustion. Judging by the color of the bloodstains on the robe, it seemed the person had been dead for quite some time. Their opponent hadn’t come after them, as the Mustard Seed Pouch hanging from their waist remained untouched.

Though it appeared like an easy opportunity to pick up something valuable, Qin Sang’s expression remained somber. Instead of joy, his face grew serious, lost in thought.

The incident with Shen Jing had left Qin Sang wary of ever underestimating any immortal cultivator, no matter how powerless they seemed. After all, finding a corpse so suddenly in this desolate ravine was extremely suspicious.

He narrowed his eyes and carefully observed the area around the pond. The water gurgled softly, and birds chirped cheerfully, but he didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. Just as Qin Sang was about to conjure a clone to investigate, a thought struck him. After pondering for a moment, he quietly retreated to the mouth of the ravine. There, in a hidden spot, he took out the Bewitching Mirror and set up the mirror array, finally feeling a sense of security.

It was better to be cautious.

After all, he only had one life, and he couldn’t rely on the Jade Buddha to save him every time he encountered danger.

Returning to the ravine, Qin Sang hid himself and summoned a clone, directing it to rush toward the pond from behind the boulder.

The clone reached the edge of the pond without any obstacles and crouched down to inspect the person in the white robe. Lifting the body slightly, the clone revealed a gaping wound in the abdomen, with mangled flesh and organs spilling out, forming a pool on the ground. The person was undeniably dead.

Maybe I’ve become too fearful of death.

A trace of self-mockery appeared on Qin Sang's face. He was just about to order the clone to take the Mustard Seed Pouch from the white-robed figure when a sudden wave of dread washed over him. A piercing whistle of an arrow rang out from above.

A rainbow streaked down from the sky, plunging rapidly towards his hiding spot like a bolt of lightning.

Within the rainbow was unmistakably an arrow!

Qin Sang was startled and reacted instantly, quickly summoning the Empty Wind to dash out from behind the rock without hesitation.

Boom!

The rock shattered into pieces, and the ground was blasted into a deep pit by the fierce arrow. A storm of spiritual power whipped up debris and grass, creating chaos in its wake.

Not far away, Qin Sang felt a chill run down his spine. Had he stayed behind that boulder, he would have been severely injured, if not killed!

Qin Sang’s eyes quickly scanned the area, and he finally spotted the archer standing on top of the cliff. The person appeared young, dressed in tight-fitting clothing, standing tall in the wind like a graceful noble youth.

The young man held a bow in his hand. The bowstring seemed to be made from the tendons of some demonic beast, and the bow itself shone with a seven-colored radiance like a rainbow. It was embedded with dazzling gemstones, and the spiritual power lingering on the bow had yet to dissipate—it was clearly a top-grade artifact.

The terrifying arrow from earlier had undoubtedly been fired from this very bow!

The young man in the tight clothing lowered his head slightly, locking his gaze on Qin Sang. It was clear he hadn’t expected Qin Sang to dodge his sneak attack. But without hesitation, he raised the bow again, aiming directly at Qin Sang.

Seeing this, Qin Sang’s heart sank. He knew he couldn’t remain a target in the ravine, so he decisively drew the Chi Dragon Sword from his back. Wind surged beneath his feet, and in the blink of an eye, he shot up towards the cliff.

The young man hadn’t anticipated Qin Sang’s sudden burst of incredible speed and was momentarily startled. He quickly raised his bow and shot again.

Remarkably, the bow didn’t require physical arrows. The moment the young man pulled back the string, the bow shimmered with light, which coalesced into an arrow.

Whoosh!

The arrow streaked towards Qin Sang’s face, just as powerful as the previous one.

Qin Sang narrowly dodged the first arrow with quick movements, but the second arrow followed immediately, its angle impossibly tricky, leaving him no room to evade.

Out of options, Qin Sang dispersed the Empty Wind, knowing his spiritual consciousness couldn’t support wielding two high-grade artifacts simultaneously. Fortunately, the cliff’s summit was wide enough to stand on. Landing on solid ground, Qin Sang raised his Chi Dragon Sword, ready to face the next attack.

The spinning arrow trailed a seven-colored glow, like a comet streaking toward him.

Qin Sang’s eyes were fixed on the arrow’s tip, and with a sudden movement, he slashed out with his sword. The cold qi of the Chi Dragon Sword erupted with a thunderous roar, surging forward to meet the arrow.

Boom!

A deafening explosion echoed through the air as the cold qi of the Chi Dragon Sword collided head-on with the rainbow arrow. The two forces expanded violently, neither yielding an inch. Moments later, both lights dimmed simultaneously—resulting in a deadlock between the two powers.