Gateway of Immortality-Chapter 344: Choice

The Heavenly Corpse Talisman could harm, yet it could also save.

However, the notion of saving came with a big question mark.

Based on the experience of corpse refinement a few days prior, the Heavenly Corpse Talisman could indeed seal Tan Jie’s primordial spirit. Though Tan Jie’s cultivation was not high, and his primordial spirit was fragile, as long as he exercised careful control, Qin Sang was confident that no accidents would occur.

However, once the Heavenly Corpse Talisman entered the body, it would completely fuse with the primordial spirit, triggering an eerie transformation—becoming inseparable. Perhaps, at that point, it could no longer even be called a primordial spirit.

Unlike Qin Sang, Tan Jie had no Jade Buddha to shield his primordial spirit. Once the fusion occurred, there would be no way to separate them.

This process was irreversible and had no known solution.

At least, there was nothing about it in the Heavenly Yin Corpse Art.

Even if Tan Hao somehow found a way to undo the Heavenly Corpse Talisman, whether Tan Jie could awaken afterward or whether something even more terrifying than death would occur was completely unknown.

Perhaps he would never be free for the rest of his life. Perhaps it would even affect the fabled cycle of reincarnation.

In this vast world, there was no shortage of wonders and horrors.

Maybe, someday, a miracle would happen.

But the chances were bleak.

Would it be better to lay Tan Jie to rest?

Or should he continue clinging to his obsession, refusing to give up, chasing after a hope so infinitesimal it might as well not exist?

The choice was Tan Hao’s alone to make.

Qin Sang refrained from speaking his mind directly. Instead, he masked the Heavenly Corpse Talisman as a mystical art and likened it to the corpse refinement techniques of the demonic sects, carefully explaining both its advantages and dire consequences to Tan Hao.

He trusted that Tan Hao understood.

After hearing everything, Tan Hao stood frozen in place, his face blank, unable to utter a single word.

"Think it over carefully before making your decision. But don’t take too long—if Tan Jie’s primordial spirit dissipates too much, it might affect the outcome," Qin Sang said, patting Tan Hao on the shoulder before leaving the cave dwelling.

If I were him, what would I choose?

Qin Sang shook his head and dismissed the thought.

Returning to his cave dwelling, Qin Sang waited for Tan Hao’s answer while organizing his artifacts. Regardless of Tan Hao’s decision, he had to set off for the Ancient Immortal Battlefield in a few days to rescue Shi Hong.

He had his own matters to handle and could not linger at Yinshan Stronghold for too long.

Meanwhile, Liang Yan had been moving about Yinshan Stronghold and Fengcang Market, using multiple aliases and keeping a low profile. His actions were shrouded in secrecy, and an investigation was necessary to pinpoint his whereabouts.

Liang Yan’s strength was an unknown factor. freёnovelkiss.com

Out of caution, Qin Sang decided to assume he was at the middle stage of the Foundation Building Realm.

With his collection of top-grade artifacts, Qin Sang feared no opponent of the same level. However, eliminating Liang Yan without putting Shi Hong in danger required careful planning.

If he could set up a trap in advance and lure Liang Yan into it, that would be the best outcome. Qin Sang was confident he could keep Liang Yan firmly within his grasp.

Capturing him alive was not out of the question either.

As he pondered how to draw Liang Yan out without alerting him—

A sudden knock on the cave dwelling’s barrier interrupted his thoughts.

Qin Sang lifted the barrier and saw Tan Hao standing outside. One look at Tan Hao’s expression, and Qin Sang already knew the answer.

He hadn’t expected Tan Hao to reach a decision so quickly.

With a complicated expression, Qin Sang asked in a low voice, "Tan Hao, are you certain you’ve thought this through?"

Tan Hao’s eyes were bloodshot. A trace of struggle flickered across them before he took a deep breath and declared resolutely, "Ever since Tan Jie fell into a coma, I have long given up on the dream of attaining immortality.

"The only thing keeping me going all these years is one thought—saving Tan Jie! Even if it means trading my life for his, I would do so willingly!"

"If he dies, I have no reason to keep living."

"As long as there is even the slimmest hope, I will never give up!"

"Qin Sang, tell me—what do I need to prepare for this mystical art? I’ll go and get it right away!"

Qin Sang shook his head and replied, "I have everything we need right here. As long as you agree, we can begin immediately. Wait outside—it won’t take long..."

Sealing off the cave dwelling, Qin Sang walked up to the crystal coffin, opened the lid, and exposed Tan Jie’s body.

He refrained from commenting too much on Tan Hao’s decision—he could neither judge it as right nor wrong.

After all, in this world, reincarnation was nothing more than a legend. No one knew if it truly existed. Death, however, was something everyone could see for themselves.

Even though he had used the Heavenly Corpse Talisman once before, Qin Sang exercised extreme caution. Tan Jie’s cultivation was weak, and his primordial spirit was fragile—there was no room for even the slightest mistake.

As soon as he sensed the Heavenly Corpse Talisman establishing a connection with Tan Jie’s primordial spirit, he pressed the talisman into the center of Tan Jie’s forehead.

There was almost no resistance. The Heavenly Corpse Talisman effortlessly sealed Tan Jie, fusing seamlessly with his primordial spirit.

Aside from placing the necessary barriers, Qin Sang made no additional movements, fearing any unknown repercussions. He then carefully placed Tan Jie back into the crystal coffin.

It wasn’t as if Tan Hao intended to control Tan Jie as a corpse puppet.

After merging with the Heavenly Corpse Talisman, Tan Jie’s primordial spirit finally stopped dissipating.

As for what fate awaited the Tan Brothers, that was up to the will of heaven.

After conducting a final check, Qin Sang removed the cave dwelling’s barrier. Tan Hao rushed in immediately. After inspecting Tan Jie’s condition, his face twisted with a mix of grief and joy, his eyes filled with deep, conflicting emotions.

At some point, Wandering Man had arrived as well. He stepped inside and nodded at Qin Sang.

Qin Sang took out a jade bottle from his Mustard Seed Pouch and handed it to Tan Hao. Inside lay a Foundation Building Pill.

"This Foundation Building Pill—take it."

He had obtained a total of three Foundation Building Pills: one as a sect reward and two from Sun De’s belongings. He had consumed one himself, given another to Song Ying to fulfill a promise, and had originally planned to keep this last one for trade. However, it never came in handy.

For a Foundation Building cultivator, the Foundation Building Pill was of no use, and Qin Sang had no plans to take in disciples. Though not an item of great value to him, for Qi Refining Realm cultivators, it was an incredibly coveted treasure.

Moved by Tan Hao’s unwavering determination, Qin Sang decided to help him one last time.

The reason Tan Hao had yet to step into Foundation Building wasn’t due to a lack of talent—it was because he had delayed his progress to care for Tan Jie.

His natural talent far surpassed Qin Sang’s. Though he was already over fifty, with the aid of a Foundation Building Pill, there was still a sliver of hope.

Staring at the brilliantly blue pill inside the jade bottle, Tan Hao was utterly stunned.

Noticing Qin Sang’s sidelong glance, Wandering Man chuckled helplessly and pointed at him. "You little rascal... You actually schemed against me?"

Qin Sang smiled. When it came to reaching the Foundation Building Realm under the constraints of old age and declining vital energy, no one had more experience than Wandering Man.

With his guidance, Tan Hao was bound to benefit greatly.

After a moment of contemplation, Wandering Man did something unexpected. He, too, took out a jade bottle, which contained a vividly green pill.

"This Jade Radiance Pill was something I refined back when I was at the Qi Refining Realm, to counteract the depletion of vital energy and break through to the Foundation Building Realm. It’s of no use to me now, so take it. Your situation is far better than mine was back then. After consuming this pill, spend three days refining its medicinal power. Combined with Brother Qin's Foundation Building Pill, your chances of successfully stepping into the Foundation Building Realm are quite promising."