Gateway of Immortality
Chapter 432: Every Man for Himself

Chapter 432: Every Man for Himself

Forming a Golden Core was not as easy as Cang Ling made it sound.

However, with the talent of the Han Family's head and the favor of a Core Formation Realm cultivator, his chances of reaching Core Formation were far greater than most.

Such an opportunity was not something one could envy their way into.

As they conversed, the group finally flew out of the Chaotic Island Waters.

Concealing their aura, they skimmed just above the water’s surface, continuing their rapid flight.

They hadn’t traveled far when, all at once, everyone came to an abrupt halt. Unconsciously, they all lifted their heads, gazing toward the distant sky with mixed expressions.

It was noon. The sun blazed brightly, and the sky stretched infinitely, a vast expanse of clear blue without a single cloud in sight.

Yet, in the far south, where the water met the sky, an ominous scarlet cloud loomed. It was extraordinarily vivid, covering a massive swath of the heavens.

The red cloud churned violently, as though it concealed countless devouring monsters. Even from such a great distance, Qin Sang could faintly feel the horrifying aura emanating from it, sending a chill down his spine.

This scarlet cloud was undoubtedly unnatural—it was the battlefield!

"Everyone, be cautious," Cang Ling reminded them.

His robes glowed faintly before dimming, as he meticulously concealed his aura, blending into the surroundings seamlessly.

Qin Sang silently formed a Spirit Evasion Art seal.

After some thought, he also took out a three-chi-long Qingfeng Sword, gripping it firmly.

This spiritual sword was the finest he had ever crafted after years of studying the art of sword refinement. Forged with Cold Gold, it was a top-grade spiritual sword—among the finest artifacts of its grade.

He had refined countless swords, yet only managed to produce one of such quality.

Over the years, his stock of Cold Gold had been completely depleted. In memory of its rarity, Qin Sang named the sword Cold Gold Sword.

However, no matter how fine the Cold Gold Sword was, it could not compare to the ebony sword, and not just because the ebony sword was an astra.

The difference between the two extended beyond quality alone.

The ebony sword was Qin Sang’s life-bound spiritual sword!

His cultivation art, the supernatural ability attached to that art, and his life-bound spiritual sword were an inseparable trio—each an essential component. His Sword Qi Thunderclap ability could only be executed through the ebony sword.

No matter how high the quality of other spiritual swords, they could never unleash Sword Qi Thunderclap, nor could they match the ebony sword in power.

If he lost the ebony sword, his strength would plummet.

As powerful as it was, this was not the right occasion to openly wield it.

The ebony sword was deeply connected to his spirit. Though he could temporarily suppress its aura as an astra, such concealment would not last indefinitely.

In battle, should he find himself in a crisis with no time to maintain his disguise, a single moment of exposure could lead to disaster.

Even for Core Formation cultivators, astras were highly coveted treasures.

A Foundation Building cultivator brandishing an astra in front of Core Formation experts was akin to a child flaunting gold in the streets—it was impossible to guarantee they wouldn’t be tempted by greed.

With numerous Core Formation cultivators present on the battlefield, any slip-up would be impossible to hide from their senses. The consequences of exposure could be catastrophic.

Thus, Qin Sang had already resolved to avoid using the ebony sword unless absolutely necessary. Even if he had no other choice, he would first retreat to a hidden location before deploying it.

Or he could save it as an unexpected trump card.

With his Cold Gold Sword in one hand and the Yin-Yang Luopan in the other, Qin Sang prepared himself. In chaotic battles, the Yin-Yang Luopan could prove to be an invaluable tool.

The others also made their final preparations.

Qin Sang leaped forward to rejoin Cang Ling, positioning themselves at the forefront alongside Fan Zhen, the three late-stage Foundation Building cultivators leading the way while the rest followed.

As they continued flying, the scarlet cloud in their field of vision grew clearer.

It stretched across an enormous expanse, nearly consuming half the sky. Even the Yuncang Marshlands had not been spared—its waters had turned a deep, blood-red hue, with towering waves surging wildly. The scene was terrifying.

The rolling clouds resembled the crimson glow of sunset as the day faded into night.

Their vision was entirely blocked by the scarlet cloud, making it impossible to see who was fighting inside, how many combatants there were, or which side held the advantage.

With no way to gauge the battle’s progress, they were left in a predicament, unable to make a decisive move.

Unease gripped everyone’s hearts. Internally, they had already cursed Pei Qin’s ancestors eighteen generations over.

Just then, a resounding dragon’s roar echoed from afar.

In an instant, the scarlet cloud seemed to be slashed open from within by an invisible blade, splitting abruptly down the middle.

Immediately following, a deep blue sword light burst through the scarlet cloud, piercing through it like a dragon weaving in and out of the crimson mist. The sword light was incomparably sharp, pulling the surrounding spiritual qi into its wake, transforming it into a terrifying tempest filled with countless razor-sharp blades.

Though the scarlet cloud was being severely torn apart by the sword light, it had yet to fully collapse.

Judging by its power, the sword light was undoubtedly emanating from an astra!

The sudden appearance of an astra left the group in shock.

If the scarlet cloud could withstand an astra, then could it be an astra as well?

Two astras were clashing, yet they could not discern which side held the advantage. They didn’t even know which side to root for, because they had no idea who the wielders of these astra were.

Soon, they noticed that the deep blue sword light was not originating from a spiritual sword, but rather from a needle-shaped astra!

"It’s Senior Uncle Fang’s Sky Evasion Needle!"

Qiao Jiang pointed toward the sword light, his expression suddenly filled with exhilaration. "The Sky Evasion Needle is Senior Uncle Fang’s life-bound astra! Everyone in Xuling Sect knows of it! Senior Uncle Fang is safe, there’s no need to worry!"

Hearing this, the crowd finally felt a slight sense of relief.

It was Senior Uncle Fang who had sent Liu to the trade gathering to seek reinforcements.

Everyone had been unsettled by Liu’s horrifying state, fearing that Senior Uncle Fang might have been gravely injured and on the verge of death as well.

Yet, judging by the terrifying power displayed by the Sky Evasion Needle, Senior Uncle Fang was still in fighting condition—not as gravely wounded and desperate as they had initially imagined.

Now, with Pei Qin’s support, the Small Cold Domain’s forces would at least be able to hold their ground and not collapse immediately.

"Let’s go! We need to get closer and see for ourselves!"

Gritting his teeth, Cang Ling increased his speed.

They were still quite far from the battlefield. With the scarlet cloud still lingering, visibility was low, and they had no idea how the battle was unfolding.

Qin Sang furrowed his brow, glanced at Cang Ling’s back, hesitated for a moment, but ultimately followed.

His vigilance had risen to the highest level.

As they carefully advanced, their pace gradually slowed, cautiously approaching the scarlet cloud. Still, they couldn’t see anything—only the howling of violent spiritual power echoed from the distance.

They had not traveled far when Qin Sang’s expression subtly shifted. Suddenly, he halted and swiftly raised his hand in a stopping motion.

At almost the same moment, Cang Ling and Fan Zhen, who were only slightly behind him, also ceased their movements, pressing down their evasion light.

All three of them directed their gazes toward a particular area of water. They exchanged a brief glance, then moved in unison!

Having prepared for impending battle, they had already rehearsed their formation. Their coordination was seamless—Qin Sang and Fan Zhen moved to the left and right, while Cang Ling shot straight ahead, positioning themselves above a section of water to encircle it.

The rest of the group looked at one another, puzzled and unsure of what was happening. They dared not move recklessly.

Before the three could fully secure their positions—

Splash! A wave erupted, sending water droplets flying in all directions.

A black shadow shot out from beneath the surface like an arrow, moving at an astonishing speed, attempting to break free from their encirclement in an instant!