Interrogation

Qin Sang secretly found it strange. The Yanluo Banner, Purple Soul Bell, and Ebony Sword were all weapons of Immortal Cultivators, yet their methods of use were completely different.

The Purple Soul Bell was a high-grade magical artifact. Were those also magical artifacts? What grade were they?

Setting down the Yanluo Banner, Qin Sang turned his gaze to the sheepskin and the Seven-Colored Brocade Pouch.

To his disappointment, the sheepskin was the same as before. Whether it was his divine sense or spiritual power, both passed straight through it. Like any other mundane object, it was merely an ordinary piece of hide.

Qin Sang had not held much hope for the Seven-Colored Brocade Pouch either, but the instant his divine sense entered it, there was a boom, and a strange space actually appeared before his "eyes."

He had touched the pouch with spiritual power many times before without any reaction, yet divine sense opened it at once!

The space was not large, but it was piled full of miscellaneous objects.

With one sweep of his gaze, the most conspicuous things were undoubtedly the two small heaps of gold and silver, gleaming brilliantly and reflecting each other.

With this gold and silver alone, Qin Sang would be part of a wealthy household even as an ordinary man.

Strangely, beside the gold and silver were not jade artifacts or jewels, but several scattered stones. Apart from their different colors, the stones were largely alike. Some were yellow, some blue, some crimson, without the slightest trace of mixed color. They were exceedingly peculiar.

Qin Sang counted them. There were only eight in total.

Aside from those, there were merely mundane necessities for clothing, food, shelter, and travel. There were even pots, bowls, oil, salt, and spices. Not a single item looked like something an Immortal Cultivator ought to possess.

As he examined the items one by one, Qin Sang grew increasingly disappointed. At last, only several books in the corner and an empty wooden box remained.

One of the old books had an especially ancient air about it. Four characters were written on its cover—Song Family Genealogy.

Could this be the sword-riding youth's family genealogy?

Qin Sang thought to himself. So the youth's surname was Song. He wondered whether the genealogy contained the youth's address or the location of the Song family ancestral hall. If he had the chance later, he could send word there.

Another book was titled "Xuan Yin Manual," while the last had not a single character on its cover.

These two were very likely cultivation techniques practiced by the Song-surnamed youth. Qin Sang's heart stirred, and he wanted to open them to see how they differed from his own "Netherworld Scripture," only to find that he could not do so at all.

Only then did he abruptly realize that he could look at the items inside the pouch, but not touch them!

It was as though Qin Sang had been doused with a basin of cold water. Anxious, he tried them one by one, yet he could not move even the most ordinary clothes, much less take them out. He tried for a long time before finally giving up dejectedly.

The feeling of entering a treasure mountain only to return empty-handed was not pleasant. Qin Sang felt dispirited and could only console himself that the things in the pouch did not appear particularly valuable.

After examining everything, he found that it was already completely dark outside. Without realizing it, he had kept busy until deep into the night.

Although he could not obtain the items within the pouch, his gains over the past two days had been exceedingly plentiful.

The pouch he had initially taken for an ornament was actually a storage pouch. This made Qin Sang no longer dare underestimate the sheepskin. He carefully stored it away together with the Talisman Paper and the rest. As for the Purple Soul Bell, he found a string and tied it around his wrist, making it more convenient to use.

After Qin Sang put everything in order, he sat down to cultivate in meditation, thoroughly satisfied. Perhaps because he was in high spirits, the bottleneck that had trapped him for a month actually loosened not long after he began cultivating!

Qin Sang was overjoyed and did not dare slacken in the slightest. He circulated his cultivation technique with all his strength and finally broke through the barrier in one stroke, advancing to the third level of the "Netherworld Scripture"!

It had not been easy!

Qin Sang secretly sighed. It had been exactly two years since he began cultivating, without ever stopping, yet he had only reached the third level. The later stages of the "Netherworld Scripture" would surely be even harder. He did not know how many more years it would take to break through to the sixth level.

After the sixth level, what would the higher realms be like?

Without the subsequent cultivation technique, how was he to continue down his path?

After smoothing the restless aura within him, Qin Sang exhaled a breath of turbid air. When he opened his eyes, he discovered that dawn had already come outside.

After breaking through to the third level of the "Netherworld Scripture," Qin Sang's spiritual power had increased severalfold. Using the Purple Soul Bell was no longer so strenuous, and he had no trace of sleepiness. He could not put the Purple Soul Bell down, favoring it even more than the Yanluo Banner.

After all, this was the first magical artifact he could use directly.

Bang, bang...

Someone suddenly knocked on the courtyard gate outside. Qin Sang frowned. "Who is it?"

Zheng Kun said from outside, "Hall Master, General Zhou sent someone into the city with a message. The County Princess has arrived and is heading for the county yamen."

The County Princess?

Qin Sang thought to himself that she had come quickly. He swiftly tidied himself up, hid the Purple Soul Bell within his sleeve, and hurried toward the county yamen.

Just as he arrived before the county yamen, he heard a burst of urgent hoofbeats from the street. Princess Dongyang rode at the forefront, with Zhou Mingguang and Bai Jianglan following behind her, along with several personal guards, galloping toward them.

From their first meeting until now, Qin Sang had never seen Princess Dongyang dressed in women's clothes. This time was no exception.

The sky was dusky blue.

Along the long bluestone street, the autumn wind passed, and yellow leaves flew.

Princess Dongyang wore light armor with tasseled helmet plumes, a treasured sword at her waist. Her black-and-red cloak flew high behind her, rising and falling with the horse's strides.

The moment Princess Dongyang saw Qin Sang, her eyes locked onto him tightly. A cold glint flickered in them, seeming to herald a violent storm about to descend.

Bai Jianglan secretly gave Qin Sang a look, signaling him to behave himself.

As she was about to charge right into Qin Sang, the steed did not slow in the slightest. At the final moment, Princess Dongyang yanked hard on the reins. The horse let out a long neigh, its front hooves rearing high.

Princess Dongyang swung herself off the horse, glaring at Qin Sang with almond eyes. Gritting her teeth, she demanded, "Forging the royal seal, falsely proclaiming an imperial decree, mobilizing troops without authorization, and bringing disaster upon the sacred land! Hall Master Qin, how many heads do you have?"

Facing Princess Dongyang's piercing stare, Qin Sang's expression did not change. He extended a hand in invitation. "County Princess, please quell your anger. Enter the county yamen first, and I will show you something."

Princess Dongyang gave a cold snort, viciously flicked her riding whip, and strode into the county yamen.

Qin Sang led the way from the side, heading directly into the main hall of the county yamen.

The gold, silver, and treasures had already been inventoried. Box after box was arranged in neat order. Princess Dongyang stood at the entrance, swept her gaze over them, and asked impatiently, "What is this?"

Qin Sang walked to a nearby chest and opened it. Inside were neatly arranged silver ingots. He lifted another lid, revealing yet another chest.

Qin Sang took the ledger handed over by the Water Monkey and said, "County Princess, these are valuables moved out from one of Xuanji Temple's treasuries. The silver alone amounts to one million taels. There are also jewels and jade of no lesser value. White Kiln porcelain, silks, satins, and brocades are even more countless than one can tally. More than a thousand people spent a full day and night moving everything."

This was what remained after Zhou Mingguang had received his share. Xuanji Temple's immense wealth had shocked everyone.

Princess Dongyang's delicate brows drew together slightly. She remained silent for a long while, and no one knew what she was thinking.

Qin Sang secretly found it strange. After waiting for a while, he saw Princess Dongyang staring at him with blazing eyes. "There are still a thousand defending troops in Jiang Prefecture City. I'll give them all to you. How certain are you?"