Gateway of Immortality

The flying yaksha raised its hand and pressed it against the stone door, corpse qi surging forth as it made contact with the barrier.

A cold snort rang out from within the stone house.

"I told you before that unless it's a matter of life and death, you are not to disturb me!"

That voice...

Qin Sang's heart stirred slightly, and he frowned. The voice sounded somewhat like Ji Wu's, but at the same time, it carried a tone completely different from what he had heard from Ji Wu in the past.

Now was not the time to dwell on such trivialities.

The thought only flashed through Qin Sang's mind before he decisively ordered the flying yaksha to break the barrier with full force. At the same time, he summoned the power of the Yan Luo Array of Ten Directions, sending ghostfire rushing out to strike the stone door and aid the flying yaksha.

Boom!

A loud explosion rang out. The barrier on the stone door flared brightly for a moment before being violently shattered.

The heavy stone door could no longer bear the strain and was smashed apart by the flying yaksha's claw.

Debris flew, and clouds of dust filled the air.

Unflinching, the flying yaksha charged in first. Qin Sang's gaze pierced through the dust, rapidly sweeping over the interior in search of Ji Wu.

He was prepared to kill Ji Wu first, then focus all his efforts on dealing with Daoist Jiupao. Only then would he have a sliver of a chance at victory.

Qin Sang's mind was taut with tension. Time was of the essence; he could only strike while the enemy was caught off guard, before they had time to join forces.

He had to seize this opportunity!

The stone house was sparse and simple.

Inside, there was nothing but a single meditation cushion on the floor, and the room was arranged with a spirit-gathering array. Qin Sang could take in the full layout at a glance.

What he saw stunned him.

He easily spotted Ji Wu, who sat cross-legged on the cushion, but Daoist Jiupao was nowhere to be seen.

Even if Daoist Jiupao's physical body had been destroyed, his Golden Core or primordial spirit should still have remained.

Yet aside from Ji Wu, there was nothing else!

"Who are you?"

Suddenly attacked, Ji Wu remained calm, unmoving atop the cushion. His eyes, cold and sinister, locked onto the flying yaksha and Qin Sang.

Qin Sang had never seen Ji Wu display that expression and tone before.

The aura radiating from Ji Wu was overwhelming. Under his gaze, Qin Sang even felt his breathing become labored. This was a pressure Qin Sang had only ever experienced from Core Formation experts.

Even though Ji Wu's appearance was exactly the same as before, Qin Sang realized that they were not the same person at all!

He froze for an instant, and then a revelation struck him.

"Possession?"

Qin Sang was utterly shocked.

Daoist Jiupao had chosen to possess Ji Wu, and judging by the situation, he had already succeeded. Ji Wu had been completely replaced by another being. Now, it was more accurate to call him Daoist Jiupao.

No wonder!

No wonder Daoist Jiupao had treated Ji Wu like his own son. Even when grievously injured and in urgent need of healing, he had spared no effort to support Ji Wu's cultivation, pushing him step by step to the Fake Core Realm.

Ji Wu had been the vessel Daoist Jiupao had prepared for himself all along!
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Daoist Jiupao had plotted this meticulously. Ji Wu must have been carefully selected. Once his Golden Core recovered and Ji Wu reached the Fake Core Realm, he seized the body and assumed a new identity.

Thus, Daoist Jiupao could move freely in the Small Cold Domain under the name of Ji Wu, without fear of the Yuanzhao Sect's pursuit.

Qin Sang speculated that even summoning Huang Shizhong back at this time had not been a simple matter of loyalty. There were surely deeper layers to the plan.

It was a perfect scheme. Over the years, during Ji Wu's cultivation journey, he had likely been unknowingly planted with hidden controls by Daoist Jiupao.

Qin Sang could not help but sigh inwardly. Ji Wu had traveled far and wide, risking his life again and again to seek healing medicines for the master he revered.

At Zhitian Peak, Ji Wu had nearly perished, and yet he had chosen to give up the Profound True Pill, selecting instead the Restorative Pill.

When he finally learned the truth, what had gone through his mind?

Could he find peace, even in death?

Seeing no one answering, Daoist Jiupao glanced toward the doorway, then asked again in a cold voice, "It seems that Black Ink has already died by your hands. My Demonic Flame Sect has always kept to itself. I, Ji, have never even met either of you. Why, then, do you bear such enmity against us, to invade our home and kill our sect's experts?"

"Ji?"

Qin Sang sneered coldly. He had no interest in exchanging words with Daoist Jiupao. "Kill!" he barked sharply.

Even with Qin Sang already attacking his doorstep, Daoist Jiupao made no move to retaliate. Instead, he remained seated leisurely inside, questioning the enemy about their grievances and whether things could be resolved. Qin Sang did not believe for a second that Daoist Jiupao possessed such a good temper.

There had to be a reason. Either he could not, or did not want to, rise and fight back. He was clearly trying to stall for time with words.

Perhaps the possession was not yet complete, or maybe the Restorative Pill had not been fully refined!

Qin Sang felt no obligation to answer Daoist Jiupao's questions, much less reveal his own identity. Without hesitation, he ordered the flying yaksha to attack directly!

The flying yaksha erupted with an overwhelming surge of corpse qi, taking a single step into the stone house, its figure flashing forward like lightning.
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When Daoist Jiupao saw that his intentions had been seen through, his expression changed instantly. He glared at Qin Sang with venomous hatred. "To think you dare to act so arrogantly before me with nothing but a second-rate refined corpse. You truly do not know your place!"

Before he finished speaking, Daoist Jiupao's figure suddenly blurred as he finally abandoned the meditation cushion.

Swish!

The flying yaksha arrived, but its razor-sharp ghostly claw only tore through an afterimage left behind by Daoist Jiupao.

The next instant, the flying yaksha abruptly twisted its arm and swept it sideways.

Boom!

A muffled thud resounded.

The flying yaksha struck out a blast of corpse qi, forcing Daoist Jiupao, who had been trying to ambush Qin Sang, from his hiding spot.

At the same time, Qin Sang's figure flashed back several times, retreating behind the flying yaksha while deploying the Yan Luo Array of Ten Directions by his side.

In their first direct clash, the flying yaksha and Daoist Jiupao appeared evenly matched.

"Flying yaksha!"

Daoist Jiupao had no choice but to give up his assassination attempt. He steadied his form, stared deeply at the flying yaksha, and then turned his sharp gaze toward Qin Sang's hiding spot, his eyes glinting coldly. No longer bothering to conceal anything, he said, "Yan Luo Banner of Ten Directions! Who are you, really? To enter without even disturbing the spiritual array, I must know you!"

Hiding inside the grand array, Qin Sang felt both shock and delight.

The delight came from the flying yaksha not letting him down; even if it could not win outright, escaping would not be an issue.

The shock came from the fact that although Daoist Jiupao had just completed his possession, he still displayed terrifying strength, showing no sign of injury. Could it be that the Restorative Pill had fully healed him?

Ignoring Daoist Jiupao's interrogation, Qin Sang continued ordering the flying yaksha to attack relentlessly.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Inside the dim stone house, only two black shadows could be seen weaving at incredible speeds, making it impossible to tell them apart. Explosions echoed constantly, and chaotic spiritual power flew wildly in all directions.

The barrier on the stone house, already damaged by Qin Sang earlier, was now riddled with cracks.

Crash!

Finally, the stone house could no longer withstand the battering and collapsed with a thunderous rumble.

Hiding within the array, Qin Sang channeled ghostfire to assist the flying yaksha as best he could, though its effect was limited.

Yet he had still not resorted to using his two astras.

Because, as the battle wore on, Qin Sang realized Daoist Jiupao's true state was not as flawless as it appeared. The power he displayed was not as fearsome as that of the true Core Formation experts Qin Sang had encountered before.

There's a chance!