Gateway of Immortality
Chapter 485: TheDeal

Chapter 485: TheDeal

"Daoist, please have a look!"

Manager Bao plopped himself down across from Qin Sang and, without anyone noticing where it came from, pulled out a jade box and placed it heavily in front of him.

The jade box snapped open.

A dense surge of demonic qi burst forth, and within the box lay a demonic core!

The oppressive might belonging to a Demonic Core Realm demon still lingered upon it. Even though Qin Sang and Manager Bao sat close together, they could not help but feel its pressure, their breathing growing slightly heavier.

The demonic core was about the size of a baby's fist, tightly locking Qin Sang's gaze.

He leaned forward slightly, widening his eyes to examine it. Although brilliant streams of light flowed across the surface of the core, the glow appeared somewhat dim, clearly indicating that its vitality had long since faded. Who knew how many years ago it had been extracted?

If it were a freshly harvested demonic core, Manager Bao would not have been willing to bring it out for an exchange.

Due to the barriers sealed within the jade box, Qin Sang could not see it very clearly.

He extended his right hand, intending to pick up the demonic core, when suddenly Manager Bao reached out and stopped him.

"Eh!"

Manager Bao lightly pressed down on the box, his gaze sweeping over the restraining barriers within the quiet room as he reminded Qin Sang not to act rashly. "Daoist, I have already shown my sincerity. Shouldn't you also..."

Qin Sang withdrew his hand and nodded slightly, his tone deep as he said, "It was my mistake. Please, Manager Bao, have a look."

He opened the Corpse Puppet Pouch.

The living corpse refined from the Yellow Armored Man shot out from within.

After refinement, a living corpse could retain one spell or technique it had mastered in life. The Yellow Armored Man had retained a movement art—combat technique especially suitable for corpses with limited intelligence.

Yu Hua, on the other hand, had left behind a respectable sword art. However, compared to the movement art, it was less practical.

After weighing the pros and cons, Qin Sang decided to keep Yu Hua instead.

Yu Hua’s identity was tangled with the Kuiyin Sect and the Yuanzhao Sect. If his corpse were to circulate outside, it could bring unnecessary trouble. The Yellow Armored Man, however, came from the Tianxing Alliance, free of such concerns.

The moment the Yellow Armored Man appeared, Manager Bao’s eyes lit up.

Despite his corpulent body, he moved with surprising agility, instantly rushing over to the living corpse as though reunited with a long-lost lover. His gaze was full of adoration as he inspected it cun by cun, leaving no part unchecked.

"A living corpse! It truly is a living corpse! Brimming with spiritual essence! Daoist, you did not deceive me! What a marvelous corpse refinement technique!"

Manager Bao exclaimed repeatedly. Then he focused his spiritual consciousness on the Yellow Armored Man’s Qihai. A moment later, he let out an even louder gasp. "Fake Core Realm! It truly is at the Fake Core Realm!"

Abruptly turning his head, he stared at Qin Sang, who remained hidden beneath his black robes, a strong wariness and a hint of reverence flickering deep in his eyes.

Qin Sang met his gaze calmly. Once Manager Bao had completed his inspection, Qin Sang spoke without delay, "This person did not originate from the Small Cold Domain. Manager Bao, you need not worry about his identity bringing you trouble. You have personally examined him. Shall we continue our discussion now?"

However, Qin Sang had still underestimated him.

Once business matters were mentioned, the fanaticism on Manager Bao’s face receded like a tide. He swiftly regained his composure and seated himself once more. "Though my strength is lacking, I am not afraid of minor troubles. However... if I am not mistaken, this living corpse can no longer be improved? It has no hope of undergoing metamorphosis into a flying yaksha?"

Qin Sang sneered.

"Manager Bao, you must be joking! If it had the potential to metamorphose into a flying yaksha, would I not have kept it for myself? Would I exchange it now for a mere demonic core?

"Even those legendary malevolent corpses that cultivate themselves to the Fake Core Realm require an astonishing amount of time before they can hope to metamorphose into flying yakshas."

"Besides, does Manager Bao even have the strength to tame such a creature?"

"We are discussing business here. If you try to devalue the living corpse that I poured my heart and soul into refining based on baseless excuses, I will not accept it!"

Qin Sang slammed the table in indignation.

Manager Bao, however, showed no panic. He simply shook his head and said, "Daoist cannot deny that what I said is true. Compared to a malevolent corpse that has nurtured itself to the Fake Core Realm, your living corpse is somewhat inferior in strength."

Top-tier self-cultivated malevolent corpses had bodies tempered by yin qi to a hardness exceeding refined iron. They moved with terrifying speed and stood just one step away from becoming flying yakshas. They were so fearsome that even Fake Core Realm cultivators dared not provoke them lightly.

Indeed, the living corpse was somewhat lacking in comparison.

"Daoist, take a look at this. Will you still think the same?"

Qin Sang did not argue. Instead, he immediately had the Yellow Armored Man display its movement art, along with a defensive spell Qin Sang had imbued into it. "A demonic core is but a lifeless object. Yet this living corpse’s strength is second only to that of a Fake Core expert. Whether for one’s own protection or to pass down to a successor, it is a priceless asset. Could it still not be worth a mere demonic core?"

"Spells!"

Manager Bao was clearly stunned once again. But he quickly noticed, "They are not top-level spell arts. Their power is limited. At best, it can serve as an unexpected trump card—better than nothing."

Qin Sang nearly laughed in exasperation at the man’s endless nitpicking.

Manager Bao gazed at Qin Sang with an earnest expression, his tone full of heartfelt persuasion. "Daoist, you must understand that what you're asking for is a demonic core! You have no idea how much it cost me to obtain this. I nearly went bankrupt! Even setting aside those Core Formation seniors, if I were to trade this demonic core to the Taiyi Core Sect, the spiritual pills I could receive would be no less valuable than a refined corpse. Of course, if you were willing to exchange your corpse refinement technique instead, I would agree immediately..."

Seeing that Manager Bao remained obstinate and clearly intended to take advantage of his urgent need for the demonic core, Qin Sang did not want to waste more time. He summoned another malevolent corpse at the late stage of the Foundation Building Realm.

"I'll add one more malevolent corpse."

Manager Bao rejected him firmly. "Two more!"

Qin Sang thought for a moment, then took out a jade slip and inscribed a list of spirit materials. "And these as well."

Manager Bao looked it over, hesitated for a brief moment, then said, "Deal!"

...

Yuncang Marshlands.

Once the deal was struck, Qin Sang left the Thousand-Illusion Array of True Waters without delay and made his way back to the Sunken Cave.

Finding a secluded spot, he opened the jade box and carefully examined the demonic core he had just acquired.

It had cost him one Fake Core living corpse and two malevolent corpses to obtain a single demonic core.

Whether it was a profit or a loss was difficult to say.

In the world of immortal cultivation, most trades were like this; treasures had no fixed value. For Qin Sang, however, the demonic core was something he urgently needed, and he would have paid any price to secure it.

Now that he finally had it, he could only pray the attempt would not fail.

Letting out a long sigh, Qin Sang sped all the way back to the Sunken Cave.

Yu Hua stood before him, hands clasped respectfully, his complexion pale as paper.

Meanwhile, Qin Sang sat cross-legged on the ground, one hand pressed against Yu Hua’s dantian. His eyes remained tightly shut. He had not moved for three full days, meticulously recalling the secret art required to elevate a corpse to a flying yaksha.

The secret art was exceedingly intricate, and there would be only one chance to succeed. Qin Sang dared not act hastily.

He had already rehearsed the entire secret art countless times in his mind, repeatedly simulating the process based on Yu Hua’s condition. Every time he discovered a potential flaw, he would spend tremendous amounts of time and energy devising solutions, preparing for every possible outcome.

By the evening of the fourth day, Qin Sang finally awoke.

He had done nothing, yet his face was drawn with exhaustion.

After another night spent in silent meditation, Qin Sang at last opened the jade box and retrieved the demonic core.