Chapter 44: The Decision
Before long, Qin Sang’s face fell into deep disappointment as he sighed softly.
He rushed down the mountain and, unable to contain his impatience, scoured the chaotic battlefield for a long time. Besides finding two strips of cloth hanging from tree branches, he did not see a single soul, not even a body.
The battlefield appeared to be confined within a few hundred zhang in radius. Unwilling to give up, Qin Sang widened his search but found no further traces.
Holding the two pieces of high-quality blue fabric, he gazed thoughtfully at the valley below, which had been severely altered.
The peaks on either side of the valley had collapsed, filling it with rubble, and a small river that once flowed through the valley was now blocked, forming a small lake upstream. Can someone be trapped under the debris in the valley?
With so much rubble, it was impossible for him to clear it alone. Qin Sang hesitated for a moment before returning to the ancient path and ordering a battalion of soldiers to come and dig.
Though the valley was not on the ancient path, no one dared defy Qin Sang’s orders. They immediately began working enthusiastically.
Impatient, Qin Sang also stepped in to help.
The valley was small, but the accumulation of earth and rocks was deep. Qin Sang could not help but worry that even if someone was buried beneath, they might have been crushed into a pulp. He hoped that the materials had not been damaged.
As layers of earth and rock were removed, the sky darkened. Qin Sang, anxious and impatient, ordered the preparation of meals and continued working through the night.
Some soldiers grumbled, but he pretended not to hear. Torches illuminated the valley, and they worked late into the night until they finally reached the bottom.
The final layer of earth and rock had turned into mud from water soaking through it. Baskets of mud were hauled away, and Qin Sang was almost covered in muck himself.
At that moment, a sudden cry came from ahead. Qin Sang's heart skipped a beat. He looked up to hear the soldiers ahead shouting, "General Qin, there’s someone down there!"
Qin Sang was overjoyed and quickly shouted, "Don’t touch him!"
Several men leaped forward, and Qin Sang discovered that an underground river had been unearthed.
The terrain here was peculiar; the base of a massive cyan stone on the riverbank had been hollowed out by the river, forming a natural barrier. A few large stones had fallen and blocked the gap, so the underground river was not obstructed, and the water still flowed gently.
The person lay motionless in the water.
He was dressed in dark cyan clothing, and Qin Sang compared the fabric with the one he had taken from this person. It was indeed the same.
Qin Sang crouched down to examine him. As he was about to determine whether the person was alive or dead, he heard another call from behind, "We found another one!"
Then Zhang Wenkui shouted, "General Qin, this person is dead. His head has been crushed by rocks."
Another case of mutual destruction?
Qin Sang thought to himself that the world of immortal cultivation was indeed a strange place; it seemed that death often came in pairs. However, for him, this was undoubtedly a stroke of good fortune.
Qin Sang immediately ordered all soldiers to leave the valley.
The firelight illuminated the mountains, and distant wolves howled while night owls screeched, creating an eerie atmosphere. Yet, Qin Sang’s heart was ablaze with excitement.
He reached into the stream, grasped the arm of the person, and was about to pull him out when his expression changed slightly.
Half of the person’s body was submerged in the water, and he was icy cold, indistinguishable from a corpse. However, the moment Qin Sang held his arm, he detected a faint pulse!
He is still alive!
For a moment, Qin Sang did not know whether to feel joy or anxiety. His face showed a mixture of emotions as he hesitated before deciding to carefully pull the person from the water.
The youth, who had been submerged for an extended period, had a pale complexion, and his lips were white.
He appeared older than the Song boy, around twenty years old, with a rugged face and sharp features. His vital signs were extremely weak, with a pulse and breathing so faint they were barely perceptible. His injuries were likely severe, and he remained unconscious even after being dragged out by Qin Sang.
But an immortal cultivator was not the same as an ordinary person; this individual might still be salvageable.
Qin Sang stared at the youth, torn between conflicting thoughts. He was inclined to save him.
Seeking immortality, he had gone through so much, dealing with ordinary people, all for the sake of finding an immortal. Now that he had finally encountered an immortal cultivator, was it worth wasting time with mortals?
Although killing him might allow King Yan to extract his soul for interrogation, the soul’s existence was too brief to fully understand the world of immortal cultivation.
Yet, Qin Sang could not shake the thought of the black-clad demon who had consumed human blood. What if this person is also a demon? Or, if he is a righteous cultivator but discovered that I practiced demonic arts, would he eradicate me himself?
Qin Sang was truly at a crossroads, unable to make a decision.
Unexpectedly, as Qin Sang wrestled with his thoughts, the youth suddenly opened his eyes without warning. His narrow, sharp gaze flashed like drawn swords, piercing directly into Qin Sang’s eyes with a fierce intensity.
Taken aback by the youth’s sudden awakening, Qin Sang felt as if his deepest thoughts were being laid bare. Startled, he quickly suppressed his intentions, making a swift decision. He lowered his head and repeatedly said, "Qin Sang greets the immortal master! I wish the immortal master good health!"
At the same time, his heart raced with unease, and he remained on high alert.
The youth stared at Qin Sang for a moment. The ferocity in his eyes softened slightly as he glanced around and asked in a hoarse voice, "Are you a general from the mortal world?"
The youth’s injuries were indeed severe, and his voice was barely audible, but Qin Sang heard him clearly and nodded, "I am a staff general of the Might Regiment."
"The Might Regiment?"
A flicker of confusion passed through the youth’s eyes, but he did not delve further. Instead, he asked, "If you are a general, why have you brought troops to Guling Mountain?"
Qin Sang hesitated. The surprise attack at Raven's Mouth was a military secret. Revealing it could jeopardize the entire campaign and undermine the significant achievements.
However, considering that the youth was an immortal cultivator, Qin Sang thought that pleasing him might be more beneficial than continuing to seek out the Holy Mountain Zhao. The outcome of the Dongyang King’s victory or defeat was irrelevant. He decided to disclose everything.
"I see…"
The youth nodded and strained to look around. "There should be another person nearby…"
Qin Sang quickly stood up and brought over the other corpse. It was in a dreadful state, with its neck crushed by a massive rock, leaving only a headless body.
"Please accept my condolences, immortal master. Your companion has unfortunately met with disaster."
The youth sneered coldly. "How can I, Han, be companions with a demon? This person was a practitioner of demonic arts, committing many evil deeds. I happened to encounter him and killed him. However, his magical artifacts were peculiar, and I almost fell victim myself…"
As he spoke, the youth was suddenly overtaken by a violent coughing fit. He struggled to lift his hand to cover his chest, his face contorted in pain. "Search his body… See if there is a palm-sized pouch…"
Is this youth surnamed Han truly a righteous person who despises evil?
Qin Sang suppressed his unease and dared not show any signs of hesitation.
He carefully searched the corpse’s waist and indeed found a small pouch. When he examined it, it was about the same size as a colorful brocade pouch but was made of plain gray fabric, inconspicuous and dull.
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