Chapter 992: The Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros

Qin Sang quickly explained everything that had happened. As Yuan Zhu listened, his mouth opened slightly in surprise. Then, to Qin Sang’s confusion, he suddenly chuckled. "So, I was framed by a demon king of my race, and you, Daoist, no sooner left here than found yourself hunted by a Spiritual Infant cultivator. Seems we truly share the same misfortune."

"The enemy is almost here, Daoist Yuan. This isn’t the time for jokes," Qin Sang said helplessly.

Yuan Zhu’s smile faded, and after pondering for a moment, he asked, "You must enter the depths of the storm belt to escape his pursuit?"

Qin Sang nodded. He was already within the storm belt, yet Old Devil Mou was still chasing relentlessly. Clearly, the outer region had little effect on the Fire Curse’s detection.

Yuan Zhu’s eyes flickered as he glanced at Qin Sang. "And what makes you think that I possess a treasure capable of helping you survive this calamity?"

Hearing that, Qin Sang’s heart stirred. If Yuan Zhu truly had no means to help, he wouldn’t have responded in such a manner. With the enemy closing in, there was no time to haggle.

Qin Sang took out a jade slip he had prepared earlier and sent it toward Yuan Zhu, saying in a low voice, "Daoist Yuan, no matter how precious the treasure, I believe this cultivation art will satisfy you."

Inside the jade slip was the first stage of the

Heavenly Demon Body Refinement Art.

Yuan Zhu’s projection froze for a moment at Qin Sang’s confident tone. He accepted the jade slip, and it disappeared into the beam of light.

Moments later, a soft exclamation echoed from within. Then Yuan Zhu’s true body emerged from the pillar, descending before Qin Sang, his expression urgent and curious. "Where did you obtain this art? And do you only have the first stage?"

"There are indeed more stages," Qin Sang replied evenly, pausing before asking in return, "But shouldn’t Daoist Yuan now answer my question?"

Yuan Zhu let out a long sigh. "Even the most advanced arts of our Jiao Clan cannot compare to this

Heavenly Demon Body Refinement Art

. Were it the past, I would have given everything I owned just to obtain it."

"Daoist Yuan, though you’re afflicted by a secret technique, your body still carries the bloodline of a Jiao," Qin Sang said in a steady voice, "You’ve long wondered how I could grow wings and possess such pure demonic qi, haven’t you? To tell the truth, I’ve already cultivated this art to the third stage. It was surely created by an ancient top-level expert. It encompasses all paths of refinement. Even as a human, I was able to practice it, so perhaps Daoist Yuan can use it to find a turning point. Even grasping a fragment of its true essence could yield you immense insight and power."

Of course, Qin Sang did not mention that his success in cultivating the art was due to the Jade Buddha’s assistance. Yuan Zhu nodded slightly, not disputing the claim.

After a moment of contemplation, his tone shifted. "Daoist, have you ever heard of the Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros?"

"The Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros?" Qin Sang thought for a moment. "I once read about it in an old text. It was said to be a remarkable spirit beast from ancient times, but I don’t recall what supernatural abilities it possessed."

Yuan Zhu explained, "The bloodline of the Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros has long gone extinct, and even the Demonic Sea has no surviving descendants. However, the records of our Jiao Clan contain an ancient entry stating that when the Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros cultivated, it could absorb moonlight. Even at high noon, under the strongest sunlight, its cultivation was unaffected. No matter how chaotic the world’s spiritual qi became, it could always sense the power of the moon. It was said to be even more accurate than our stellar positioning techniques."

He paused briefly before continuing, lowering his voice. "In truth, our demon race has long sought a way to reclaim the Canglang Sea, not only by searching for ancient teleportation arrays, but also by sending demon kings deep into the storm belt, attempting to cross it and find a passage back into the sea.

"Long ago, the demon race obtained a fragment of a Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros horn, which retained some of its power.

"From those fragments, powerful ancestors crafted certain treasures. Any demon king who carried a Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros horn into the storm belt found the risk of losing their way greatly reduced.

"Unfortunately, all such attempts ended in failure. Otherwise, we would not have fallen to such a miserable state today.

"And I happen to have one such treasure made from a Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros horn."

Without further suspense, Yuan Zhu raised his hand. A flash of light appeared in his palm, revealing a small object no larger than a thumb.

Its surface was smooth and mirror-like, gleaming with a soft lunar glow. It was shaped like a tiny, upward-curving horn, delicate yet ancient in aura.

Hearing the treasure’s origin, Qin Sang regarded Yuan Zhu deeply. "For Daoist Yuan to possess something like this, your standing in the Jiao Clan must have been no lower than Gu Heng’s."

So there was a reason Yuan Zhu had been sharp enough to uncover the demon race’s conspiracy.

"The past is like the mist; it no longer matters. The moment they cast me aside as a pawn, I severed all ties with the demon race," Yuan Zhu said indifferently, "This treasure has only one ability. It’s of little use to me now, so giving it to you makes no difference. Even with it, the storm belt remains perilous. I wouldn’t dare venture into it alone."

Qin Sang’s heart leapt with relief. He immediately sent another jade slip over. "I’ve obtained only the first four stages of the

Heavenly Demon Body Refinement Art

. They are enough to cultivate up to the late stage of the Transformation Realm. That should satisfy Daoist Yuan."

Yuan Zhu eagerly took the jade slip, pressing it to his brow. After a quick scan of its contents, his face lit up with delight.

When Qin Sang mentioned that the art was incomplete, Yuan Zhu showed no surprise. Instead, a hint of melancholy crossed his face as he murmured, "This world is one of ruins, supreme treasures shattered, peerless arts lost..."

Qin Sang’s heart gave a jolt. "Daoist Yuan, what do you mean by that?"

"This isn’t my saying," Yuan Zhu replied softly. "It was a word of wisdom left behind by a senior of our Demonic Sea at the Divine Transformation Realm."

He clenched the jade slip in his hand. "The

Heavenly Demon Body Refinement Art

must have been one of the greatest cultivation arts of the demon race in ancient times. That you’ve obtained even its first four stages shows your extraordinary fortune. It exceeds all my expectations."

Qin Sang’s mind spun rapidly. Among the top-level arts and secret techniques he had acquired—the

Primordial Spirit Sword Nourishment,

the

Heavenly Demon Body Refinement Art

, the

Yin-Yang Tiandou Secret Technique

, and the

Lightning Control Technique

—none were complete. He had always suspected something.

Now, the words of that Divine Transformation Realm senior confirmed his fears. Not only was the cultivation world fractured, but even the highest passed-down arts and greatest treasures of the world were broken remnants of what once was.

The truth behind it all was chilling to imagine. Yuan Zhu had no idea that his casual remark had so deeply shaken Qin Sang’s heart.

Clutching the jade slip, Yuan Zhu said, "I’m willing to trade this Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros horn for your art. However, I ask one more thing of you. There’s a matter I’ll need your help with."

"What do you want me to do?" Qin Sang asked.

Yuan Zhu hesitated before replying, "For now, I cannot divide my focus. There’s something I must first confirm, and whether I’ll need your assistance remains uncertain. Let's do this... If you survive this calamity, come back here in ten years. We’ll discuss it then. Rest assured, Daoist Qin, I won’t ask for your help for nothing. You’ll be duly rewarded."

Given the urgency of the situation, Qin Sang could only agree.