A broken cliff, a dragon's nest, encircled by immortal mist.
Even from several li away, one could catch the crisp, refreshing fragrance of medicinal herbs wafting through the air.
Wherever dragons nested, precious medicines inevitably grew; this was recorded across diverse texts, and even an abandoned lair was no exception.
Creatures such as dragons were exceedingly particular in selecting their dwelling grounds.
Gazing into the distance, Qin Ming felt his body relax as the sweet scent swept past on the wind.
The broken cliff had originally been a colossal mountain that was cleanly sheared in two, leaving behind an exceptionally vast cross-section.
Even reduced to a ruin of a mountain, it remained towering and majestic, exuding a heart-palpitating sense of oppression.
Others were lurking in this region, watching and fixing their sights upon that dragon's nest.
Carried far by the wind, the medicinal aroma made every living creature passing through this territory pause in its tracks, so irresistibly enticing was the clear fragrance.
Yet none dared approach rashly. All wore grave expressions, for dragon nests had always been perilous domains.
"That person can ride the wind and hover in the night sky. Could he be a grandmaster?" someone whispered in awe, having spotted Qin Ming's hazy silhouette.
In truth, none who could reach this hazardous area were weaklings; at the very least, a party required a Fourth Realm expert to lead them.
A cultivator in the Third Realm murmured, "The night is thick and dark, and we are several li away. Can he really see what's in that dragon's nest?"
The team leader glanced back at his nephew, feeling the youth sorely lacked experience in the field, and said, "That is a grandmaster. Even blanketed by night mist, in the eyes of a Fifth Realm powerhouse, distant mountains appear as verdant as dark kohl."
Beneath the night sky, as far as Qin Ming's vision could reach, nothing before him could remain hidden.
Upon the cliff, the constructed nest appeared rather crude at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it had been fashioned entirely from spiritual timber of prestigious varieties—any single piece could serve as a medicinal ingredient.
Warm jade paved the nest's interior, thick with spiritual resonance.
A cluster of precious herbs, coiled in five-colored divine radiance, grew right beside the dragon's nest, brimming with vigorous vitality.
*On Dragons* recorded: "Its nest springs from the cliff's edge, rustic without yet jade within, holding spirit to serve as medicine."
Undoubtedly, what lay before his eyes aligned perfectly with the text.
Just then, a ferocious bird streaked across the sky. In the darkness, its eyes shone like silver lanterns, piercing as sword beams. Its wings spanned a full dozen or more zhang, exuding an intimidating aura.
It swooped toward the cliff, silvery light coursing around its form as it set off sonic booms, intending to seize that Fifth Realm precious medicine in the instant it flashed past.
Yet the moment it drew close, it let out a shrill, agonizing screech and plummeted onto the cliff with a heavy thud.
Nearby, the onlookers watching in secret turned pale in an instant.
"In that nest... is there a dragon, or some other creature?"
"Run! This isn't a place we can covet."
"Sell the information. I'm sure the major organizations will be intensely interested."
The group beat a swift, decisive retreat, terrified of being swept up in the danger. To them, such a place was nothing short of a forbidden zone of death.
...
Qin Ming stared at the severed mountain. That abandoned dragon nest had long been vacated by dragons, occupied instead by another species.
The giant silver bird had actually been killed by an insect. A streak of scarlet light had shot forth, piercing right through the advanced avian beast that spanned over ten zhang and causing blood to gush like a fountain.
The giant bird was dismembered and dragged into a fissure within the broken mountain; an insect nest lay deep within its core.
"Scarlet God insects?" Qin Ming's expression grew solemn.
This was an extraordinary breed of insect, ranked fifteenth in the night mist world and exceptionally ferocious. When a swarm swept past, it resembled boiling crimson clouds, capable of tearing apart and devouring flood dragons and rocs.
Qin Ming noticed that the Scarlet God insects that had just darted out were each the size of a fist, with purple stripes already crawling across their backs. This was a swarm that even grandmasters had to steer clear of.
Otherwise, once entangled, not even bones would remain.
"Even insects know how to use precious medicine as bait?"
Ordinarily, the Savage Immortal Realm suffered from strange anomalies: the primal desires of all manner of beasts far outweighed whatever reason they ought to possess.
Frowning, Qin Ming carefully pondered the records regarding Scarlet God insects. What he witnessed seemed tied to their nature and habits.
Upon entering their breeding cycle, they required the flesh and blood of advanced strange beasts to nurture their larvae, frequently using herbs as bait to lure in prey.
Normally, mature Scarlet God insects fed primarily on various minerals.
Otherwise, if such a formidable swarm constantly sated its hunger with flesh and blood, the entire region's ecology would collapse; there simply wouldn't be enough prey for them to hunt.
Even so, they remained catastrophic.
For when the entire swarm needed to advance in rank and evolve to a higher tier, they threw all restraint to the wind, consuming every shred of spiritual substance across the region.
Not only minerals, but all kinds of living creatures would serve as their nourishment.
Legend had it that an apex insect immortal had once led an immense swarm to completely obliterate an Earth Immortal dynasty, plunging countless lives into misery.
Consequently, whenever people discovered such a swarm, they would strike early, never permitting it to grow to a point where it could no longer be checked.
*Entering the breeding cycle, substances of supreme spirituality appear within their brood nest.* Qin Ming reflected on the lore of the Scarlet God insects.
During this special period, they gathered spiritual minerals, blended them with medicinal herbs, and sealed them within the nest, brewing the priceless "Scarlet God nectar" to replenish the brood mother's vitality.
Qin Ming's eyes shone brightly. "I was originally worried that the herb used by the swarm to lure prey might lack sufficient potency, but if paired with Scarlet God nectar, it will be more than enough for me to break through."
Yet Scarlet God insects bearing purple markings along their backs were notoriously difficult to provoke; normally, even a grandmaster was no match for them. That posed a major obstacle.
Although Qin Ming possessed ample confidence, he still felt some trepidation in light of the ancient records.
"Ordinary grandmasters wouldn't be a match for me either. Could it be that I don't need to fear this swarm?"
Qin Ming began circling the severed mountain, scouting its perimeter before ranging even further into the surrounding terrain. Preparing to take action, he first familiarized himself with the broader environment of the region.
From the horizon came an enraged roar.
Next, Qin Ming caught the sound of fluttering wings. A vast flock of Scarlet God insects, resembling a small patch of sunset clouds tinged with purple, swept through the night sky, carrying back three massive demonic apes.
All three prey were in the Fourth Realm; the Scarlet God insects hunted only advanced strange beasts.
Far off in the sky, a colossal demonic ape standing a full fifteen zhang tall beat its white-furred, fleshy wings, watching coldly. It had initially pursued them in fury, yet upon drawing near the severed mountain, it abruptly halted.
"A powerhouse even among grandmasters, yet even it feels fear and dares not provoke the Scarlet God insect nest."
At this moment, Qin Ming observed the towering ape king carefully. Its bestial nature outweighed its divine spark; letting out a feral roar, it backed away and departed.
"It seems primal instinct governs it; it never even thought of uniting with other local overlords to wipe out the swarm."
Qin Ming fell into thought. This realm truly harbored grave issues.
Could it be that the native species had all reverted to the most primal state, tearing flesh and drinking blood?
A possibility crossed his mind: perhaps all the various creatures seen here were originally outsiders who, upon arriving, gradually regressed to ancestral savagery and returned to a state ruled by bestial instinct.
If this supposition held true, ordinary humans who came here and resided for an extended period might quickly devolve into savages, becoming literal upright ape demons.
"It's not an issue with the herbs, but rather the realm itself."
Judging from what he knew so far, those who traveled back and forth between the two worlds showed no abnormalities; only those who dwelled here long-term were driven to turn feral.
Qin Ming attempted to establish contact with that ape king, only to discover communication was utterly impossible; the two sides nearly came to blows.
Helpless, he had no choice but to withdraw and act alone.
When Qin Ming watched another swarm of Scarlet God insects set out and vanish beyond the horizon, he prepared to strike.
"Striking solely on my own might be rather perilous, but what if four of me attack simultaneously?" Qin Ming's gaze turned profound.
During his quiet seclusion at Black and White Mountain, he had rested and honed his strength, maintaining peak condition at all times—not just for his true form, but also for Taiyi, Realm Faction, and One Sword.
By accumulating supernatural substances, he had gradually filled the three bodies. Now, they were no longer limited to a brief skirmish; they could sustain a confrontation for an extended duration.
"It's about time."
His first strike could not afford the slightest mishap; he had to pluck the five-colored treasure herb beside the dragon's nest first.
Therefore, One Sword, Realm Faction, and Taiyi all stepped forward.
Qin Ming himself remained in the shadows, holding back for the moment.
If the opening salvo already required his direct participation, it would prove that this insect nest was too dangerous to conquer, and he would be better off retreating early.
"Move out!" Qin Ming commanded.
In an instant, One Sword wielded the nine-colored sword baleful aura, piercing the night curtain and carving out a terrifying conical wave of white air. Her sword light blazed with transcendent splendor as she charged at the vanguard.
Amid wet popping sounds, the Scarlet God insects lurking within the fissures of the broken mountain burst apart one after another under the sweeping brilliance of the sword beams.
Realm Faction and Taiyi followed close behind, storming onto the broken mountain.
The overwhelming onslaught of three great experts naturally exuded an immense pressure; at this moment, it was no different from three Qin Mings taking the field.
Peerless in grace, One Sword's silver hair danced in the wind. A swipe of her pale finger shaped the sword light; with a crisp metallic ringing, the earth split open, smoothly unearthing the precious medicine cloaked in five-colored divine radiance, which she flicked out with a turn of her wrist.
"Splendid. A precious medicine endowed with all five elements."
In the distance, Qin Ming slowly rose into the air and caught it with ease. Inhaling the crisp, sweet aroma of the herb, delight showed on his face; this priceless, wondrous medicine was now in his grasp.
Yet he knew the battle had only just begun; he had stirred up a hornet's nest.
Moreover, he intended to eradicate this scourge early, smash through the swarm, and also had his eyes on the Scarlet God nectar. An ensuing fierce battle was therefore inevitable.
With a low hum, the void trembled. The broken cliff ruptured as if blood-red magma were erupting. The swarm was massive; even with a contingent having departed to hunt, the number of Scarlet God insects guarding the nest remained horrifying.
Bearing the brunt of the assault, One Sword was inundated by the swarm in an instant.
Every Scarlet God insect was the size of a fist, resembling a cross between a bee and an ant, with transparent wings sharp as blades and a solitary, savage horn protruding from their heads. Because they normally fed on various mineral ores, their bodies seemed cast from blended secret metal, exceedingly hard and frightening.
Moreover, for a swarm of this scale—one capable of ensuring a grandmaster's demise—the individual insects had evolved to rival high-grade flying swords. How else could their ferocious reputation have shaken the night mist world?
One Sword struck. Wherever her sword light swept, swathes of Scarlet God insects were shredded to pieces; even being comparable to high-grade flying swords did them no good.
Soon, however, the situation shifted.
The swarm as a whole began to glow, fine, dense patterns blending among them. They seemed to fuse into a single entity, the swarm erupting with a peculiar substance that formed a mysterious insect formation.
This sight startled even Qin Ming in the distance.
One Sword's terrifying sword light remained matchless in sharpness. Every descending slash cleaved Scarlet God insects apart, and a forward thrust could skewer a string of them, yet she could no longer shred them across a wide area.
The swarm was vast. Slashing through them like this would prove exceedingly dangerous; One Sword would eventually be engulfed.
"Fall back."
One Sword transformed into a streak of flowing light and pierced through the air into the distance, drawing away a large portion of the swarm.
Qin Ming believed that hit-and-run skirmishing was sufficient; there was no need to fight them to the bitter end head-on.
To his surprise, on Realm Faction's side, the Scarlet God insects actually showed a trace of fear. They did not swarm toward him, and by extension, Taiyi standing beside him was not inundated either.
Qin Ming understood. Realm Faction's physical form originated from the Strange Insect Alliance, and its true body must have once belonged to an extraordinary insect powerhouse. Though permanently locked into human form, some peculiar aura likely lingered, enough to deter the Scarlet God insects.
Realm Faction grinned. Though handsome, with his original appearance altered, he still carried an edge of sinister malice—an inextinguishable charm left behind after an insect assumed human form.
Together with Taiyi, he charged straight toward the insect nest within the broken mountain.
Simply put, after months of seclusion, Qin Ming's confidence was overflowing. If four of himself struck in unison, wouldn't they possess dominant-tier combat power in the same realm?
He refused to believe this swarm could be so defying of heaven that it could withstand such force.
Realm Faction and Taiyi charged aggressively into the nest, shattering parts of the broken mountain.
Meanwhile, his true body sat securely in the rear, ready at any moment to launch a lethal assault and slit the brood mother's throat.
"It shouldn't be at the level of a great grandmaster, right?"
"Roar!"
A world-shaking roar rang through the heavens. The ape king had returned! Standing fifteen zhang tall, its ferocious aura surged skyward. Every strand of its fur was crystalline and bristling, its eyes blazing like golden lanterns.
"Damn it, you dead ape, are you playing me?" Qin Ming paused, remaining concealed in the shadows.
Earlier, he had tried contacting the ape king only to find communication impossible, yet now the great ape showed up on its own. Was it trying to take advantage of the chaos to snatch spoils?
Could he really have been played by an old ape?
Weren't the monsters here supposed to have their bestial nature eclipse their reason?
Fortunately, Qin Ming noticed that the ape king plunged straight into the fray, stomping and collapsing another section of the mountain without any intention of biding its time.
It was still driven by primal instinct; seeing its arch-enemy invaded and its nest breached, its wildness could not be suppressed, compelling it to join the slaughter.
Qin Ming nodded. That was more like it. If the big monkey had tried lurking behind to reap benefits, he really wouldn't have been able to resist killing the monkey first.
"The ape king is this formidable?" Qin Ming's expression turned grave.
With its silver fur standing on end, the great ape smashed into the mountain. Boulders and collapsing crags shattered the moment they made contact with its fur, as though it possessed an indestructible Vajra body.
"Moo!"
From afar, a twenty-zhang-long bull demon came thundering toward them, shaking the earth and mountains. Forests were trampled into dust as it charged like an unstoppable behemoth.
Then it reared onto two legs, adopting a half-bull, half-human posture like a ferociously mad Bull Demon King, and smashed its way into the broken mountain as well.
Evidently, the nearby overlords had suffered under the Scarlet God insects for far too long. Today, with formidable figures launching an assault and breaching the nest, they could no longer hold back and threw themselves into the battle.
"Excellent. The more chaotic, the better." Lurking in the dark, Qin Ming was no longer in a hurry to intervene, growing increasingly composed and steady.
The majestic broken mountain crumbled. The ape's roars and the bull's bellows reverberated through the hills and rivers.
One could easily imagine the ferocity of the battle.
Moments later, Taiyi fought his way out, leading away a massive swarm of insects into the distance.
Qin Ming had drawn off another batch of Scarlet God insects. Otherwise, within the nest, the densely packed swarm was truly thorny to handle; drawing them away for hit-and-run attrition was far preferable.
Half a quarter-hour later, Qin Ming's expression grew serious. The slaughter was brutal. That brood mother was terrifyingly powerful; even though it had laid eggs not long ago and remained in a weakened state, it still possessed dominant-tier might.
"Ah, he succeeded. Excellent."
Realm Faction was covered in blood, bearing numerous wounds. Those Scarlet God insects, comparable to high-grade flying swords, had engulfed him multiple times; even though he exuded the aura of an insect powerhouse, once the brood mother shrieked and the swarm went berserk, that aura ceased to matter.
Yet he had fought his way out, clutching a large chunk of the insect nest. Radiating an astonishing spiritual aura as brilliant as golden mist, inside lay the matured Scarlet God nectar.
Even the frenzied swarm exercised restraint, fearful that his swings might shatter the Scarlet God nectar, so they began attacking selectively.
Realm Faction swung the waxy mass that looked like an oversized honeycomb. A portion of the Scarlet God nectar had already seeped through, diffusing a rich aroma as golden mist filled the air.
For someone as strong as him to be soaked in blood showed just how violent the carnage inside the broken mountain had been.
Furthermore, he hadn't managed to take all the Scarlet God nectar—what he held was merely a portion. Otherwise, the brood mother would have gone completely mad.
"This way!" Qin Ming resonated through the darkness, preparing to receive Realm Faction.
"Fellow Daoist, this way, please." Right at that moment, a voice called out from the distant sky as several silhouettes rushed over.
"Fellow Daoist, did you breach the insect nest single-handedly?" They were astonished. Their leader was a grandmaster, his expression exceedingly grave.
At that moment, the silver ape king roared and the twenty-zhang-tall black bull demon bellowed as they burst out of the broken mountain, both drenched in blood and swiftly covered by insects once more.
Soon, a fearsome scarlet-purple divine glow surged forth, interweaving like divine chains to ensnare the ape king and bull demon. The brood mother was erupting in pure fury.
"So that's how it is." The approaching group exhaled in relief, realizing that the young man with the demonic demeanor had merely taken advantage of the chaos; on his own, he could never have broken through the swarm.
A middle-aged man spoke up. "Fellow Daoist, the spiritual herb shrouded in five-colored divine radiance here has fallen into your hands, has it not? We are willing to purchase it at a premium."
He added, "We have no intention of forcing your hand. It is truly because our young master's cultivation of his scripture has reached a critical juncture and requires a five-element treasure herb to assist him."
Realm Faction charged onward, ignoring them completely.
The group immediately stepped forward, speaking with earnest urgency and affecting an air of sincere goodwill as they insisted on procuring the medicine.
The middle-aged man added, "Our young master is Wei Shouzhen."
By now, he had already sent a message into the distance via a snow-white conch, explaining the situation here.
"Out of the way!" How could Qin Ming possibly sell the medicine? He had risked life and limb attacking the insect nest, sending out One Sword, Realm Faction, and Taiyi all at once, succeeding only by a narrow margin.
Among the group, the leading elder smiled. "Fellow Daoist, do us this favor. We will certainly offer you the highest price to your satisfaction—we can even present double the day gold."
The group spoke with utter sincerity, yet it did nothing to change the fact that they were blocking the way.
The leader was a grandmaster and subtly mentioned that he hailed from the Huang Family.
Here were Wei Shouzhen's retainers alongside grandmasters from the Huang Family, an old mountain stronghold from the heavens. That they walked together came as no surprise; after all, it was virtually settled that the Huang Family intended to take Wei Shouzhen as a son-in-law.
Buzz! Buzz!
Behind them, within the broken mountain, more and more Scarlet God insects flew out, rushing toward Realm Faction.
"Block my path, and whether you belong to the Saint or the Huang Family, there will be no mercy!"
When they heard the demonic young man speak with such domineering hostility, their faces instantly changed. Even after they had revealed their affiliations, the other party refused to give them any face whatsoever.
"Fellow Daoist, we are willing to purchase that five-element treasure herb at three times the price." The group bowed deeply, lowering their posture.
Among them were only two grandmasters, who had merely rushed here to scout ahead after receiving word; they hadn't expected someone else to strike first.
Apprehensive in their hearts, they did not want to fall out on the spot, having already contacted experts in the distance in hopes of stalling for as much time as possible.
"Die!"
Realm Faction struck. Behind him, the Scarlet God insects were buzzing their wings. For these people to dare stall for time while the swarm approached—even if members of the haughty Huang Family blocked his path, he was going to kill them without hesitation.
"Fellow Daoist, we harbor no ill will, we truly only wish to seek medicine..."
The two grandmasters in the party bowed once more, presuming that having declared their identities and presented smiling faces, even if the other party took offense, matters wouldn't escalate to an extreme.
Yet Realm Faction charged straight at them, treating them as if they did not exist.
Clang!
Among them, several turned pale, drawing their swords in excessive panic.
From the darkness, Qin Ming's true body stepped forth as well. Striking without reservation alongside Realm Faction, amid squelching thuds, the entire group was pulverized.
"Smiling while blocking the road hardly masks your malice. Since you don't know when to advance or retreat, die then."
Taking Realm Faction with him, Qin Ming sped off into the distance.
Behind them, the swarm seethed. The ape king and bull demon were in a miserable state as the enraged brood mother fought its way out of the broken mountain.
Resonating with his avatars, Qin Ming summoned One Sword and Taiyi, preparing to find a quiet place to refine the medicine.
"What? Not even giving face to our Huang Family, and our scouts were slaughtered?" In the distance, a grandmaster was enraged, his face dark as stagnant water.
They had been in continuous communication through the conch; at the final moment, they learned what had unfolded near the insect nest—that person had made a lethal move.
"Has Shouzhen's pure yang consciousness arrived? Notify him immediately! Furthermore, send word at once for all grandmasters of our Huang Family who entered this realm to gather here."
"Indeed. Summon the experts in this area in the name of our Huang Family and request the assistance of our fellow Daoists."
"Saint Wen Dao should be not far from here."
"Zhou Tiandao, Lu Zheng, Yan Zhuohua, and the others should also be nearby, and they must have grandmasters accompanying them. Ask for their aid."
...
After Qin Ming resonated, Taiyi, Realm Faction, and One Sword reunited. Tearing through the night curtain with the Hunyuan escape light, they had now arrived within a secluded grand canyon, immediately setting to work refining the medicine through a threefold purification.
Qin Ming possessed considerable insight into this art, having the three avatars begin by executing the Five Viscera Thunder Fire Internal Refining Art.
Chapter 579