To break through that Boundless Barrier, even though Qin Liuxi renewed that finger bone, she wasn’t arrogant. To prevent Si Luo from appearing and rendering her helpless, she not only called Fan Kong to assist her, but also summoned Feng Xiu to serve as her Left and Right Protectors.

Feng Xiu initially thought she was reckless, but upon seeing her again, her cultivation had advanced even further than when he last saw her, so he relaxed but also felt a bit envious. It was indeed enjoyable to be nurtured by the Mystic Sect’s ancestors.

But alongside this envy came some concern.

The greater the power, the greater the responsibility. As she becomes stronger, is this perhaps a sign from the heavens?

For when heaven falls, it’s those head and shoulders above who bear it. In chaotic times, it is naturally the strong who maintain order. It’s akin to protecting and defending the country; naturally, you call upon the courageous and strategic to guard the borders, not those who can’t even truss a chicken, correct?

So he somewhat suspected that the heavens were manipulating Qin Liuxi as a pawn!

"What are you thinking about?" Qin Liuxi snapped him out of his skyward daydreaming with a tap on his arm and said, "I will use my Primordial Spirit to leave my body to break through the barrier. Could you safeguard my physical body? Don’t drop the ball at a crucial moment. If you lose my physical body, you’ll be in for it!"

Feng Xiu snapped back to reality and said, "Don’t worry." He considered for a moment and summoned out a Demon Core, saying, "I’ll temporarily lend it to you to merge with your Primordial Spirit in case there are deceptions inside."

Qin Liuxi pushed that Demon Core back into his body, saying, "No need, your Demon Core’s aura might draw more attention. I have a Treasure Bead given by King Pingdeng; that’s enough. Take care of yourself."

Nearby, Hei Sha hesitantly stepped forward.

Qin Liuxi looked at him and asked, "Do you have something to say?"

Hei Sha shook his head, pitifully saying, "I want to go inside too."

Qin Liuxi was taken aback. "Why do you want to go inside?"

"This used to be my territory. If I hadn’t been tricked out by you back then, I might still be able to go back." Hei Sha was deeply resentful.

She deceived him out of there, and after wandering for several years, he had some friendly and primitive exchanges with several female bears. It started off quite joyful; the outside world was indeed exciting.

Later on, however, Master Chi Yuan died, she disappeared for a few years, and when he wasn’t chatting with Feng Xiu and Teng Zhao at the Daoist Temple, he was cultivating deep within Wanhuai Forest, feeling somewhat aimless, and longed to look back at his homeland.

To his dismay, he found himself unable to return.

People talk about fallen leaves returning to their roots; as a Mountain Spirit, he also wanted to return to his old nest. After all, he had seen the outside world, and now he just wanted to return.

Qin Liuxi paused and said, "We don’t know what’s inside; if you go back, who knows what’ll happen. It’s not a risk we can take."

"I’m not afraid." Hei Sha pounded his chest proudly and said, "I’m known as the Black Sand Demon, once the overlord of the Black Desert; I’m not afraid of those evil spirits."

"That was in the past," Qin Liuxi said. "Now, Si Luo has claimed it as his territory inside. Who knows what he has done in there?"

"Actually, his going inside might be beneficial. He’ll be your backup. Also, he used to be the Mountain Spirit in there, more familiar with everything than you," Feng Xiu suggested. "Bring him inside; he might notice things you overlook."

Hei Sha nodded vigorously.

Qin Liuxi remained silent.

Feng Xiu looked at Hei Sha and said, "But as Little Xi said, the past is the past, and now is now. We don’t know what changes have occurred, whether it’s still the Black Desert you remember. For all you know, you might never return, or you could die in there."

Hei Sha chuckled, "I’m not afraid of death. If I die, I’ll be reverted back to nature’s spiritual energy. What’s the big deal? I’m originally a Mountain Spirit; with the mountain, I developed spiritual wisdom and became a spirit. If I am to be obliterated, then it’s at the place of my origin. What’s to fear, and what loss is there?"

As these words left his lips, he suddenly felt a broadened mind, something exploded within, granting him sudden clarity. He transformed into a wisp of spiritual energy, ethereal like a mountain’s essence, illusory yet real.

Feng Xiu and others: "..."

Just like that, he achieved enlightenment and ascended. Is this the fortune of the nature’s spirits?

Feng Xiu let out a humph, filled with envy yet gratified. Those who stayed by Qin Liuxi’s side had, to some extent, gained her favor.

Hei Sha himself was also surprised. He joyfully circled around Qin Liuxi, feeling stronger.

Qin Liuxi said, "You have encountered great fortune. Find a mountain and continue your cultivation. With your capabilities, protecting a land, people would revere you as a Mountain God."

With divine power and wishing power, being a god is better than venturing into the Black Desert.

Hei Sha planted himself before her, saying, "If even this Old Fox can join you in the fight, and if bald... the master monk has arrived, surely more will come to lend their strength for all living things. Why can’t I? Being a Mountain God also involves blessing a land; entering there similarly means protecting the whole world. If I survive, I’ll stay inside and act as your intelligence agent and informant."

Qin Liuxi’s eyes filled with tears.

You won’t fight alone; many cultivators will come to your side, to bring peace to all, protecting all living things, without regret.

The words of Elder Jingci and Master Hui Neng echoed in her ears, and before her was Hei Sha, like their words brought to life.

Qin Liuxi looked at Feng Xiu, who nodded, then at Fan Kong.

"Amitabha Buddha," Fan Kong intoned, "When the hearts of living beings reflect and remember the Buddha; they will certainly see the Buddha in the present and future. Hei Sha has already reached Nirvana. Temple Master, no need to dissuade him. This place is both his origin and his return."

"What does that mean? Speak plainly," Feng Xiu glanced at him and said, "It’s doubtful Hei Sha would understand such profound Buddha’s poem."

The veins on Fan Kong’s forehead twitched, and he said, "A person’s thoughts determine their path."

Anything more was left unsaid.

Feng Xiu curled his lip; this is why he disliked dealing with these smoothly talking monks who never spoke fully, always leaving people guessing—unlike Taoists, who were straightforward and unadorned. Taoist thought dictated action! Perfect for his path of cultivation.

"If you have no regrets, then go." Qin Liuxi said, "Keep your mind clear, and you are returning to your origin; do not attempt to contend with anything inside."

Hei Sha nodded. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

No time to delay, Qin Liuxi first calculated to find the weakest point in the Boundless Barrier, then sat cross-legged and began chanting a mantra, separating a small wisp of soul power to attach to Hei Sha. Then, she took out King Pingdeng’s soul bead to suspend before her.

Fan Kong also sat down, draping a golden-red Kasaya over his body. In front of him, he placed a glossy red wooden fish inscribed with numerous Sanskrit scripts. With a flip of his right hand, a drummer appeared, and he struck the wooden fish with a reverberating tone.

An invisible wave of energy transmitted towards the barrier, and a string of Buddhist chants emerged from his lips, powerful and calming to the spirit.

Qin Liuxi pressed the magic spell and entered meditation, letting her Primordial Spirit float out from her spiritual platform, landing on the soul bead and bouncing several times.

Feng Xiu raised a hand, using demonic power to fold the area around them into an impassable space, watching the soul bead and saying, "Return soon."

Qin Liuxi grasped the now spiritualized Hei Sha, and the bead transformed into a ray of light, drifting towards the hairline crack in the barrier.

...