Gateway of Immortality
Chapter 463: A Setback Before Success

Chapter 463: A Setback Before Success

As his vision gradually cleared, Qin Sang could finally see beyond the blinding white light.

The scenery deep within the white radiance shifted unpredictably.

A massive, smooth, grayish-white stone was embedded within the mountain, forming a sheer and perilous cliff face. In the center of this stone surface, a deep groove ran through it, from which a thin white stream gushed forth like a cascading waterfall.

Below the waterfall, a sizable pool had formed from the rushing water. To the left of the pool stood a stone pavilion, positioned perfectly at the very edge of the mist created by the waterfall.

Sitting inside the pavilion, one could sip tea and admire the breathtaking view.

Unfortunately, the pavilion was now partially collapsed. The fallen stone beams had crushed the stone table and stools beneath it, leaving shattered debris strewn across the ground—an undeniable sign of decay and ruin.

Encircling the pool was a vast meadow, lush with green grass and bursting with colorful blossoms. The open expanse lay in complete tranquility, devoid of any living creatures.

Beyond the meadow, an ancient forest of towering trees enclosed the area, its dense canopy sealing it off entirely. A single narrow stone path wound its way through the forest, disappearing into the depths of the colossal trees.

All that Qin Sang could see was but an insignificant fragment of Zhitian Peak’s interior.

Not daring to be careless, he focused on memorizing every detail. Unless something unexpected occurred, this was where he would most likely land.

After thoroughly taking in the waterfall, the meadow, and the surrounding scenery, Qin Sang’s expression abruptly changed.

Something was very wrong with this forest.

At the treetops, countless colorful, amorphous rays of light wove together in an endless stream, creating a dazzling spectacle. Nestled among these rays were clusters of crystal-clear light, resembling floating orbs.

The number of these orbs was far fewer than the flowing radiance, but they emitted an exceptionally pure starlight, as though they had the power to cleanse one's mind. Their luminous clarity made them impossible to ignore.

The orbs and the radiance were intertwined, inseparable from one another.

Qin Sang recalled what Vice Island Master Xiao had mentioned—Elemental Star Stones were harvested from these glowing orbs.

Seeing so many of them within the forest should have been exhilarating, yet Qin Sang felt no joy. Instead, his expression turned grave.

Those radiant glows were not ordinary clouds of light. Even without directly touching them, he could already sense an immensely dangerous aura emanating from them, sending chills down his spine.

These were the remnants of ancient barriers. If someone recklessly charged into them, they would die a miserable death.

Due to numerous factors, the space within Zhitian Peak was extremely unstable, and the residual barriers scattered throughout the mountain were equally unpredictable. Some fragments still contained terrifying power, ready to erupt at the slightest trigger. Cracking these barriers was exceedingly difficult and required extreme caution.

And now, those deadly rays of light lay directly beneath him. The forest stretched endlessly, with no visible end in sight. If he allowed nature to take its course, he would inevitably plummet into the forest and crash into those treacherous barriers.

A death without a grave!

Qin Sang sucked in a sharp breath. This was exactly what made Zhitian Peak so perilous—those lacking strength or fortune would meet only one fate: Death.

He had no intention of perishing before even beginning his journey. Granny Jing’s wooden carving showed no reaction, which meant he could only rely on himself.

Under no circumstances could he fall into the forest! From what he could see, only the meadow and the pool appeared somewhat safe.

Despite the chaotic suction force causing his body to spin uncontrollably, he forced himself to remember the meadow and pool’s locations in relation to his current position.

Then, he opened his right hand, revealing the Yin-Yang Luopan, which he had been tightly gripping all this time.

Luck was on his side. In a situation like this, the Yin-Yang Luopan was the perfect tool.

The luopan's magnetic light flickered.

Qin Sang quickly calculated in his mind. When the next force pulled at him, the Yin-Yang Luopan abruptly released a surge of black magnetic light, counteracting some of the chaotic suction forces. He seized the opportunity, channeling all his strength and propelling himself forward. His body immediately shifted several zhang, inching closer to the meadow.

Again and again, alternating bursts of black and white magnetic light flashed.

Most of Qin Sang’s focus remained on the Yin-Yang Luopan, leaving only a fraction of his spiritual power to sustain his robe. As a result, the robe’s protective power waned. Under the relentless pull of the chaotic forces, its radiance dimmed, and even fine cracks began to form.

His top-grade artifact robe was on the verge of being destroyed, but Qin Sang no longer cared.

Fortunately, his sacrifice was not in vain.

As he continued adjusting his trajectory mid-fall, he inched closer and closer to the meadow. At the very last moment, when he was only a heartbeat away from disaster, he finally escaped the forest’s range. His body barely skimmed past the edge of a glowing barrier, before crashing down with tremendous force!

Boom!

Blades of grass scattered into the air.

A deep crater was left in the meadow where he landed.

Qin Sang clambered up from the ground in a disheveled state. Lifting his head, he gazed at the barrier he had nearly triggered, lingering fear still gripping his heart.

Seeing that the glowing radiance remained motionless, he finally allowed himself to relax.

There was no time to celebrate. He immediately circulated his spiritual power, shaking off the grass clinging to his robes before hastily inspecting his robe.

The robe was riddled with over a dozen intersecting gashes, a truly miserable sight. Fortunately, it was not completely ruined. If he could find suitable spiritual materials, it would still be repairable.

Stowing away the damaged robe, he swapped it for a lower-quality garment.

Vice Island Master Xiao had once mentioned that Zhitian Peak had one fortunate aspect—there were no living creatures within. No powerful beasts or ancient monsters resided in the mountain; the only true threat was the omnipresent fragments of ancient barriers.

That was why he dared to stand so openly here.

Just as Qin Sang was about to examine his surroundings, he suddenly felt movement from the wooden carving at his chest.

The carving floated out on its own.

A moment later, he felt a weight settle on his right shoulder—the wooden carving had perched itself there.

Turning his head, he was stunned to find that the carving had come to life. It now sat cross-legged on his shoulder and gave him a slight nod.

At this moment, the wooden carving looked indistinguishable from a real person—a miniature version of Granny Jing, no larger than Qin Sang’s palm. Though it still exuded the same otherworldly aura, something about it felt completely different.

It appeared like a tiny, serious adult, almost adorable...

This was an existence that could effortlessly crush him with just a flick of a finger.

Qin Sang dared not entertain any disrespectful thoughts and hurriedly purged all distractions from his mind.

"I need to suppress my cultivation fully. I can only rely on you to travel," Granny Jing’s cool, ethereal voice echoed.

Qin Sang made a sound of acknowledgment. Seeing Granny Jing sitting in a lotus posture, her eyes slightly closed, he understood that she was sensing their direction and remained silent, carefully observing the surroundings.

They only had one hour.

After an hour, the suction force above would briefly disappear, presenting a fleeting window of opportunity. If they missed it, Zhitian Peak would seal itself once more, and they might never find a way out.

The meadow where he stood was indeed safe, but there were no light clusters above. Every Elemental Star Stone in this area had already been captured by the barriers within the forest.

To harvest them, he would have to navigate through the gaps in the barriers.

Unable to suppress his curiosity, Qin Sang asked, "Senior, are the Elemental Star Stones in this forest difficult to retrieve? If we could take them all, that would be ideal."

Granny Jing opened her eyes and nodded. "With the Star Spirit Net, collecting these Elemental Star Stones won’t be difficult, and their quantity is considerable. However, we cannot take them all."

Qin Sang was puzzled. "Why not?"