Gateway of Immortality-Chapter 790: Celestial Blossom Lake

After some thought, Qin Sang set off toward the teleportation array.

He made another trip to the valley but found nothing new.

In the end, he retraced his steps, descending level by level until he finally exited the Sky Tower.

The Spiritual Infant experts of both races were nowhere to be seen. Signs of intense battle were evident outside the plaza, suggesting their fight had spilled out of the Sky Tower.

It was impossible to tell who had emerged victorious.

Outside the tower, all was quiet. Qin Sang scanned his surroundings with vigilance, then slipped into the nearby forest.

He checked the time. There was still some left, but clearly not enough to attempt breaking into any of the hidden realms, which were protected by layers of barriers. At most, he could scour the mountains for a while, and if luck was on his side, he might find a few spiritual fruits.

Just as he was about to depart, Qin Sang lowered his head and glanced at the insect basket. An idea struck him. He recalled a perfect destination.

Within Seven-Kill Hall were three great poisonous regions: the Purple Mist End, the Dark Valley, and Celestial Blossom Lake. While others avoided these places like the plague, he could come and go freely.

The fat silkworm had proven its worth time and again. Even places that were unreachable with most poison-warding treasures posed no difficulty for it.

Among the three poisonous regions, the Dark Valley could only be entered when Seven-Kill Hall manifested on its own.

Faerie Blossom Lake, like the Purple Mist End, was freely accessible.

This area had a concave terrain. It was likely once a normal large lake before it became toxic, hence the name "Celestial Lake." The word "Blossom" came from a unique plant that thrived throughout the lake. The lake’s poison was born from this very species.

Celestial Blossom Lake lay within the same mountain range, making it convenient to visit on the way back.

It was shrouded in a deadly miasma, and very few cultivators ever dared to enter any of the three poisonous regions, making the opportunities within far greater than elsewhere.

Xiang Yi and the young man from earlier had only dared venture into the Purple Mist End thanks to rare poison-warding treasures granted by the alliance. Aside from them, Qin Sang had not encountered a single other cultivator in that area, a testament to how rare and precious those treasures were.

Celestial Blossom Lake would surely be no exception.

Even if all he gained was a new food source for the fat silkworm, akin to the Purple Crystal, the trip would already be worthwhile.

Along the way, he could also keep an eye out. Perhaps he would sense the location of the bone flute once more.

So many cultivators had gathered at the Sky Tower. Qin Sang had even crossed paths with the Spiritual Infant experts of both races, yet the bone flute had not emitted a single glow.

"That person must not die inside the Seven-Kill Hall." Qin Sang stood on a mountaintop, gazing into the distance, silently muttering to himself.

The Seven-Kill Hall was filled with countless hidden realms and dense barriers. If that person perished in some secluded corner, the treasure would be buried along with them.

Far ahead, the sky had dimmed, tinged faintly green. Qin Sang activated the secret talisman and flew swiftly toward it.

There were two pier-like structures near the Celestial Blossom Lake that served as entrances. Qin Sang headed directly for the closest one and arrived without issue.

I still haven’t found that person. After circling the lake, if the fat silkworm finds nothing, I’ll head to the wastelands early and wait. Maybe I’ll get lucky and run into them...

This thought lingered in Qin Sang’s mind as he organized the treasures in his possession.

He lacked neither spirit stones nor demonic cores. The young man from the Xiyou Alliance had been an outstanding Core Formation cultivator with considerable backing, and had left behind a small fortune.

If he could buy the bone flute with spirit stones, that would be ideal.

But Qin Sang doubted it.

This time was different from before. Back on Huntian Island, that man had been cornered and forced to sell the bone flute to survive.

Now that Qin Sang had openly asked to buy the flute, the owner would surely not part with it so easily. Strategy would be essential. He had already decided that any treasures he had taken from others, including the Golden Jade Lock and Golden Radiance Armor, could be used as trade.

"Without spiritual plants from the Hanging Garden Palace, the Jade Liquid of Three Radiances is little more than a healing elixir. Its value is roughly equivalent to the Ten-Thousand-Year Spiritual Milk. If necessary, offering one drop as part of a trade shouldn’t be a problem..."

As he pondered these things, Qin Sang gradually approached Celestial Blossom Lake.

The area it covered was no smaller than the Purple Mist End. Though there were no rift valleys in the lake itself, the dangers at the center were said to rival those of the Purple Mist End.

From afar, Qin Sang saw a vast green lake.

A type of lush toxic algae grew throughout the water, spreading across the lake with no gaps in between. The algae gave off a soft green glow and stood tall and graceful, making the entire lake resemble a giant piece of flawless jade.

From a distance, he could see clusters of the algae. When the wind blew, glowing ripples undulated across the lake’s surface.

When the algae matured, their tips would release seeds shaped like flower buds. These buds were as light as willow fluff, fluttering and twirling in the air, yet for some unknown reason, they never drifted beyond the lake’s boundaries.

The buds slowly blossomed.

Countless delicate petals danced above the lake, swirling in the glowing light. Together, they formed an enchanting scene, like a dreamscape that captivated the senses.

But hidden beneath the beauty was deadly poison.

The pollen released by this algae carried a toxin so potent that even cultivators trembled at the mention of it.

At the edge of Celestial Blossom Lake, a wooden bridge extended into the water, but it was obscured by the countless flower petals drifting through the air. Only the outer entrance was visible. The bridge was not newly built; it exuded a deep sense of antiquity.

This bridge was one of the two entrances to Celestial Blossom Lake.

Qin Sang suppressed his evasion light and, after confirming that no one was tailing him, began to approach the ancient bridge.

But halfway there, he suddenly sensed something. With a swift movement, he darted behind a large rock, frowning as he looked toward the bridgehead.

The area around the bridge was surrounded by toxic algae, and not a single person could be seen nearby.

No one stood at the entrance to the bridge.

Still, Qin Sang felt something was off.

From his elevated vantage point, he soon noticed something unusual. Someone had actually set up a spiritual array at the entrance of the bridge.

The array's disguise wasn’t particularly refined, but the pollen-filled air inside Celestial Blossom Lake made it impossible to see through from within. If any cultivator were to exit the lake, they would step straight into the trap. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Who set a trap here?"

This area was rarely visited. With two entrances to Celestial Blossom Lake and no certainty that anyone would even be passing through, laying a trap here to kill and rob seemed like a gamble.

Qin Sang found it strange. After some careful searching, he noticed a patch of light mist hanging over a nearby forest beside the lake. Something was off about it. With sharp intuition, Qin Sang sensed a strand of sword qi hidden there, coiled and ready to strike.

That sword qi was distinct and oddly familiar.

"It’s her!"

Qin Sang's face filled with surprise. The one lying in ambush was none other than Madam Liu!

Among the eight people who had entered Seven-Kill Hall together, Qin Sang had held a good impression of the Liu couple. They hadn’t taken part in the plot against him, so he had no ill feelings toward them.

He recalled that the couple had mentioned their purpose in entering Seven-Kill Hall was to search for a rare medicine for Madam Liu. He never imagined he would find her here, lying in ambush to harm others.

At first, Qin Sang had no intention of getting involved in someone else's personal feud. But upon witnessing this scene, a thoughtful expression crossed his face.

He noted that only Madam Liu appeared to be present. Her husband was nowhere to be seen.

Judging by their previous behavior, the two had seemed deeply devoted to one another. Unless something had happened, the Liu-surnamed cultivator would never have left her here alone.

Seven-Kill Hall was riddled with danger. Accidents could happen at any time.

"Who is Madam Liu waiting to ambush? Did something happen after they left the Purple Mist End?"

At that thought, Qin Sang’s eyes lit up. He decided to remain still. Donning his cloak, he found a concealed spot of his own and quietly lay in wait.