Gateway of Immortality

Qin Sang had learned from Daoist Jixin that not all immortal masters secluded themselves from the world. To his surprise, the involvement of immortal masters in worldly affairs ran deeper than he had imagined. Even a ruler needed the recognition of these immortal beings.

However, upon further reflection, this made perfect sense.

"You are mistaken," Bai Jianglan said sternly. "Immortal masters do not interfere in worldly matters. Only a ruler who has truly unified the land would be acknowledged by them. During the struggle for supremacy, no one receives assistance from immortal masters. Similarly..."

Bai Jianglan continued, "If a ruler is incompetent and is overthrown, the immortal masters will not intervene."

Qin Sang's heart stirred as he caught the implication in Bai Jianglan's words. He whispered, "Could it be that the King..."

Bai Jianglan openly admitted, "Brother Qin, you might not be aware of this while staying at the King's manor. Recently, the King personally penned a manifesto denouncing the fake emperor, listing the atrocities and incompetence of this tyrant, whose misrule had caused continuous disasters, bringing misery to the people and threatening the 500-year foundation of Great Sui. The manifesto has now spread across the land. Of the thirteen counties of Great Sui, all but the three controlled by the fake emperor in the imperial capital have responded. The King has personally raised an army to overthrow the fake emperor. Zhenshui King has already sworn allegiance to him, and together, their forces are advancing on Yingnan Commandery. My frequent travels with the Lady are to help bring this to fruition. With heroes rising everywhere, this is an excellent opportunity to establish merit and achieve greatness."

Qin Sang secretly marveled at the Dongyang King's swift actions.

Just a month ago, there had been no signs of this, yet now, within such a short time, he had already swept across the land, raising a rebellion.

If not for his longing for the immortal path, this would indeed be the perfect moment to make a name for himself, perhaps even earning the title of a marquis and enjoying a life of wealth and honor.

Bai Jianglan glanced at Qin Sang and slowly said, "When the new emperor ascends the throne, he can choose ministers to be appointed together at Holy Mountain Zhao..."

Qin Sang suddenly looked up, seeing Bai Jianglan smile silently. He asked gravely, "What can I do for the Lady?"

Though he possessed King Yan, he was still a novice in the world of immortal cultivation. Remaining hidden in the secular world and gradually plotting his moves was the safest approach.

Bai Jianglan smiled faintly, dipped his finger in water, and wrote three characters on the table—Blood-Clad Tower!

In a lowered voice, Bai Jianglan explained, "After the King issued the manifesto, the fake emperor’s lackeys, represented by Jiangshan Tower, infiltrated Dongyang Commandery in force, hiding in the shadows to commit acts of sabotage, assassination, and espionage. Jiangshan Tower has become like a festering wound that must be eradicated! Ten days ago, Zhenshui King was nearly assassinated by a killer, causing widespread panic. The King was furious, and the Lady proposed establishing the Blood-Clad Tower to counter Jiangshan Tower, eliminating them to sever one of the fake emperor’s vital intelligence sources. Additionally, the Blood-Clad Tower would also be responsible for infiltrating enemy lines and gathering military intelligence..."

Upon hearing this, Qin Sang couldn’t help but feel that in the end, they wanted him to join a covert organization.

The heightened senses granted by the Netherworld Scripture and the Yan Luo Banner's ability to extract information from enemies made him particularly suitable for such a role.

"Who will lead the tower? You? Or Elder Yue?" Qin Sang asked.

"I will not be joining the Blood-Clad Tower." Bai Jianglan shook his head. "The leader of the Blood-Clad Tower is Black Crane Sage, the King's personal bodyguard. His background is mysterious, and his internal force has reached a godly level. His qinggong is as elusive as a ghost. Neither Elder Yue nor I can compare. However, beneath the tower leader, four protectors will be appointed, and Elder Yue will be among them."

Qin Sang found this puzzling. "Brother Bai, your martial arts are so advanced. Why..."

Bai Jianglan sighed softly. "In the past, I severed my own toes to escape the entanglements of the martial world and entered the King's service to avoid implicating my wife and daughter. I have long lost the ambition to achieve greatness. Now, I only wish to stay by the Lady’s side as a guard and live a peaceful life, avoiding further involvement in the martial world. However, some of my brothers are unwilling to live ordinary lives and will join the Blood-Clad Tower. I will rely on you, Brother Qin, to look after them. Though you are not among the top martial artists of the martial world, your unique skills make you indispensable to the Blood-Clad Tower. The Lady once considered making you a personal guard, but hesitated, fearing it would be a waste of your talents. When the Lady asked me for advice about the Blood-Clad Tower, you were the first person I thought of."

Qin Sang smiled wryly. "Brother Bai, you overestimated me. I fear my abilities are too limited and that I might jeopardize the King and Lady’s grand plans."

Bai Jianglan chuckled. "Brother Qin, don’t be so modest! The Lady may not fully understand Jiangshan Tower's reputation in the martial world, but how could I not? Before meeting you, I had never heard of anyone who could pry information from the mouths of those madmen in Jiangshan Tower..."

Qin Sang was startled by this remark.

But Bai Jianglan waved his hand dismissively. "Everyone has secrets. As long as you are loyal to the Lady and the King, I will not pry into your past. Enough idle talk. The Blood-Clad Tower is just being established, and its affairs will be handled by the protectors themselves. The Lady and Elder Yue plan to divide the tower into two branches. The Hidden Branch will disperse into the martial world to deal with Jiangshan Tower, while the Military Branch will infiltrate the front lines to gather intelligence. Brother Qin, you can consider which branch you would like to join."

Qin Sang remained silent, furrowing his brow in deep thought.

The Great Sui was under the watchful eyes of the immortal masters, and Qin Sang knew that it was best not to disrupt the balance, as doing so might bring not fortune but deadly consequences.

Joining the Blood-Clad Tower was a decision that could go either way. However, the chance to contact immortal masters through the Fengshan ceremony[1] seemed to be the only visible path to seeking immortality at the moment.

Between choosing the Military Branch or the Hidden Branch, the latter was undoubtedly more suitable for him. The Military Branch required going deep into the front lines, where, despite the possibility of earning many military merits, the chaos of war was merciless—a stray arrow could easily take his life.

But what weighed on Qin Sang's mind was the Soul Pill. For him, the Soul Pill was the most urgent matter. Any opportunity to collect souls was not to be missed.

Where were the most souls to be found?

On the battlefield!

By joining the Military Branch, he could use his secular identity as a cover to collect souls on the battlefield, advancing his cultivation while plotting his moves. Even if it wasn't for seeking immortality, it could solve his most pressing issue; he just needed to be cautious.

"Brother Qin, are you planning to join the Military Branch?"

A flash of surprise crossed Bai Jianglan's face at Qin Sang's unexpected choice, but since it was Qin Sang's decision, he didn't press further.

"Prepare yourself, Brother Qin. I will report this to the Lady. The preparations for the Blood-Clad Tower are nearing completion, and there will be significant actions within a few days."

After sending off Bai Jianglan, Qin Sang sat in deep thought for a long time.

He had envisioned his future, perhaps becoming an official, a favored minister, or even a close confidant of the Lady. As long as there was a chance to encounter immortal destiny, he could endure anything.

He had never imagined that he would end up as a spy, an agent, or even an assassin.

The dangers of such a role were self-evident. Even with King Yan protecting him, there was no guarantee that he would be completely safe.

After much contemplation, Qin Sang made up his mind. Once he joined the Blood-Clad Tower, he would base all his actions on not interrupting his cultivation, and his primary principle would be to preserve his life.

He would rather fail than take unnecessary risks. However, he also planned to earn merits, making sure to do so openly and not remain an unsung hero.

Moreover, upon learning that immortal cultivators were overseeing the Great Sui, Qin Sang was grateful for his previous caution. He silently resolved that in the future, whether collecting souls or killing, he would keep an even lower profile unless absolutely necessary, never exposing his abilities.

If things went awry, he could always flee to another kingdom under a new name and start over. After all, mastering the Netherworld Scripture was not something that could be accomplished in a year or two.

Having made his decision, Qin Sang felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He picked up the secret manual on the table and began to read.

That evening, Elder Yue visited.

After a long private conversation, Qin Sang packed his belongings, followed Elder Yue to meet the Lady, and then quietly left the prince's residence, vanishing without a trace.

1. Feng Shan or feng-shan, also referred to as the Feng and Shan sacrifices, was an official rite offered by the Son of Heaven to pay homage to heaven and earth. ☜

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