Ice Silkworm Armor

"Give it to me..."

The Young Man surnamed Han reached out and took it, holding the pouch in his hand as his eyes half-closed.

In that instant, Qin Sang suddenly sensed an unusual fluctuation coming from within the young man's body. This aura felt familiar—there was spiritual power, and there was divine sense!

Light flickered at the mouth of the pouch, and then a jade vial appeared out of thin air and fell into the young man's hand.

Qin Sang's eyes went wide at the sight.

It really was a storage pouch!

Yet he fell into deep confusion again. The Young Man surnamed Han's actions did not seem particularly special, so why could he not open the Seven-Colored Brocade Pouch?

Several transparent pills lay inside the jade vial.

The Young Man surnamed Han opened his eyes and glanced at them, saying with a face full of relief, "Dewdrop Pills... Thank goodness! Thank goodness!"

As he spoke, he removed the jade vial's stopper, poured out every pill, and swallowed them.

The instant the jade vial was opened, a strange fragrance rushed into Qin Sang's nostrils. In that moment, he felt refreshed and clear-headed, as though his entire body had become lighter.

After swallowing the Dewdrop Pills, a flush suddenly rose on the Young Man surnamed Han's face. His aura immediately became far steadier and more substantial. Though he had been unable to move before, he actually turned over and sat up.

Immortal medicine!

Qin Sang stared wide-eyed at the jade vial and storage pouch, unable to look away, as though claws were scratching at his heart.

Seeing Qin Sang's expression, the Young Man surnamed Han chuckled. "Stop staring. This is a Mustard Seed Pouch. It must be opened with divine sense, and items are retrieved and stored with the Object Manipulation Technique. You are merely a mortal general. Even if Han gave it to you, you would not be able to use it."

The Young Man surnamed Han exhaled a breath of turbid air and struggled to his feet. After surveying the surroundings, he suddenly said, "General Qin, you saved my life. Han cannot fail to repay such grace. Tell me, what do you want? Gold and silver, a lovely wife and beautiful concubines, or wealth and authority—Han can help you obtain any of them."

Upon hearing this, Qin Sang did not hesitate in the slightest. With a thump, he dropped to his knees. "Qin Sang wants nothing. I only beg Immortal Master Han to accept Qin Sang as his disciple and teach me immortal arts!"

"Heh heh..."

The Young Man surnamed Han gave a soft laugh, seemingly not at all surprised. He glanced at Qin Sang and asked a strange question. "Since General Qin is heading north, is your lord King Dongyang?"

He knew of King Dongyang as well?

Puzzled, Qin Sang answered yes.

The Young Man surnamed Han nodded, but said, "The immortal path is not so easy, and not everyone can cultivate immortality... Since you are a great general under King Dongyang, you and I will meet again before long. Think it over carefully. Oh, right..."

Without allowing Qin Sang to argue, the Young Man surnamed Han bent down, turned over the corpse, and stripped off a garment.

The garment shimmered with a faint icy-blue light. It looked like an undershirt, woven from strands of transparent thread. It was exceptionally thin and light, appearing unusually soft in the young man's hands.

"You lead troops into battle, and it is hard to guarantee that you will not be struck by a stray arrow. Should anything happen to you, Han would have to break his word. This magical artifact is an inner armor woven from Ice Silkworm Silk. It is as light as nothing, and even mortals can wear it to protect themselves. Ordinary blades and swords cannot pierce it. General Qin, think it over carefully. We shall meet again at Pilgrimage Mountain!"

With that, the Young Man surnamed Han raised his hand and sent out a streak of green light. His face immediately turned deathly pale, and he coughed violently several times.

A jade-green gourd swelled against the wind. The Young Man surnamed Han seemed to have grown extraordinarily weak. Trembling, he climbed onto the gourd, nodded to Qin Sang, and the gourd shot into the sky. In the blink of an eye, only a distant streak of green light remained, like a shooting star.

Qin Sang held the Ice Silkworm Armor, its coolness seeping into his palm.

Watching the Young Man surnamed Han depart, Qin Sang's gaze flickered uncertainly. It sounded as if his identity had no small connection to the immortal master who had bestowed the seal at Pilgrimage Mountain.

He had wanted to ask what the Object Manipulation Technique was and why not everyone could cultivate immortality, but he had not expected the young man to leave so decisively. He could only wait until later.

Qin Sang could also vaguely guess that the young man had been in such a hurry to leave because he needed to treat his injuries. Those Dewdrop Pills had likely only temporarily suppressed them. The spiritual power in his body had already been exhausted, and he was only barely able to control the gourd artifact.

If Qin Sang had insisted on making a move, killing him would not have been difficult. But since matters had come to this, there was no need for regret. Whether it was the Ice Silkworm Armor or the Young Man surnamed Han's promise, both were already major gains.

At last, he had come into contact with an Immortal Cultivator!

Amid his joy, the only thing giving Qin Sang a headache was that this man seemed to be the sort whose eyes could not tolerate a grain of sand. He had encountered only a Demonic Path cultivator, yet he had been willing to risk his life to eliminate him.

With countless thoughts turning through his mind, Qin Sang stood where he was for a while. Then he came back to himself and swept his gaze around.

The incident had happened too suddenly. Qin Sang had not had time to send away the soldiers, and they had witnessed everything that had just occurred. Now, all of them were stealing glances at Qin Sang, intentionally or otherwise, their eyes carrying all manner of meanings.

Qin Sang snorted coldly and cast an icy look over them. The soldiers all lowered their heads.

"Everyone return to camp and rest. At dawn tomorrow, we continue clearing the way. Taking Duyakou will be a great merit. This general guarantees your promotions and prosperity. What happened today is to rot in your bellies. Whoever dares leak it will have his head chopped off!"

"Yes, sir!"

Back at camp, Qin Sang noticed as he walked that every soldier was looking at him somewhat strangely. He sighed inwardly, knowing that with so many people, keeping them all silent was unrealistic.

Even the Water Monkey, Wu Chuanzong, and the others who had always followed at his side wore expressions as though they wished to speak but hesitated.

Qin Sang pondered in his tent for a while, then had the Water Monkey summon Zhang Wenkui, Wu Chuanzong, and the others into the tent.

"You have followed me for many years. It is time for you to stand on your own," Qin Sang said bluntly. Seeing them exchange looks and not dare speak, he gave a light laugh, his tone softening. "My ambition has always been Qiu Xian; it has never changed. I do not care in the slightest for the wealth, glory, and splendor of the mortal world. Old Zhou knows this. If there had been no opportunity, then so be it. But now that I have fortunately encountered an immortal opportunity, I will never give it up."

The Water Monkey, Zhou Ning, nodded. When they had first met Qin Sang, Bai Jianglan had already seen through Qin Sang's intentions. He had not expected them to remain unchanged even now.

Wu Chuanzong asked excitedly, "Sir, has that immortal master agreed to guide you?"

Qin Sang nodded. "More or less. If I leave, and Eldest Brother Bai is unwilling to take an important post, then none of you will have anyone to look after you in the future. You can only rely on yourselves. I will remain for some time and do my best to pave the way for you. In the report of victory for taking Duyakou this time, your names will be prominently mentioned. Together with your previous military merits, it should help you secure good positions. After I leave, whether you become marquises and ministers or fade into obscurity among the masses will depend entirely on your own abilities."

Hearing this, the generals grew excited. "Thank you, General, for your care!"

After seeing the generals off, Qin Sang shut the military tent and took out the Ice Silkworm Armor.

The Young Man surnamed Han had said that the Ice Silkworm Armor was a magical artifact, so Qin Sang followed the method he had used to control the Purple Soul Bell.

A moment later, the Ice Silkworm Armor automatically flew up from Qin Sang's palm. It grew larger and smaller in midair before finally slipping over Qin Sang's body, then immediately vanished from sight.