Su Zinan returned to the Chinan Island Chain and departed that very night with his followers, his whereabouts unknown.
The two openings of Wuwang Hall had ended up feeling like two farces.
First Eight Views Abbey and Ganlu Zen Monastery, and then Su Zinan—both had lost men to Wuwang Hall without even managing to breach the turbulent currents on its perimeter.
However, what people cared about most at the moment was not Wuwang Hall.
The successors of three Deity Transformation cultivators had braved grave danger to charge into Wuwang Hall time and again. That, coupled with the final exchange between Su Zinan and Daoist Hegao, added fuel to rumors that were already running rampant.
Whether Su Zinan had truly come seeking someone was unknown to Qin Sang, but he sensed a desire in the man's words and actions to stir up chaos across the realm.
Perhaps both were true.
Once the storm subsided, Qin Sang did not linger long in the Chinan Island Chain. Setting off on his return journey, he headed back to the Central Plains.
Aboard the ship.
Qin Sang sealed the cabin with restrictions and brought out the belongings left behind by the strange-faced man's disciple.
His attempt to capture the disciple alive had slipped through his fingers; he wondered if any clues could be found in here.
Besides the mustard seed bag, Qin Sang had also snatched the disciple's spirit beast pouch.
Opening the mustard seed bag without much expectation, the first things that caught his eye were jade bottles of various colors. He had seen the strange-faced man's disciple deploy them before; they contained all sorts of deadly poisons.
Toxic miasmas blanketed the two southern barbarian prefectures—Nan and Man—making collecting such toxins hardly difficult.
Any single one of them had little effect on a Nascent Soul cultivator; only when used in tandem with secret techniques, as the strange-faced man's disciple had done, did they pose a genuine threat.
Unfortunately for him, he had run into Qin Sang. The fat silkworm had feasted to its heart's content and was now fast asleep.
Qin Sang knew little of the Dao of poison. He set these jade bottles aside for now, leaving behind a number of toxic cores. Directing his divine sense, he unsealed the spirit beast pouch, and inside was a dazzling array of venomous insects.
Their sheer number was astounding.
Unlike the five-colored poison spider and venomous scorpions, most were naturally occurring venomous bugs, though there were several Qin Sang could not identify with certainty. Their cultivation was mostly clustered around the second and third metamorphoses.
Exotic insects were only a minority among them.
Even so, nurturing so many high-tier spirit insects was no easy feat.
Qin Sang opened an insect jar.
Without needing to trouble the fat silkworm, he coated his palm in protective true essence and reached in to pull out the venomous insect.
It was a multicolored moth with vibrant, variegated wings and a grayish body. Qin Sang could find similarities to three types of poisonous moths in his memory; the traits of all three were combined in this single moth.
It was precisely for this reason that Qin Sang could not pinpoint its species.
"All three traits are remarkably distinct—this can't be a coincidence. Is this a newly nurtured gu bug?"
Qin Sang pondered. He had previously surmised that the five-colored poison spider might have been reared through poisonous gu arts; seeing these gu bugs all but confirmed it.
However, the five-colored poison spider had already fully formed, making it impossible to tell just how many venomous bugs had been fused into it, whereas this multicolored moth had only just begun.
"Interesting. Using the method of raising gu to fuse the traits of different venomous insects while enhancing their strength... I wonder if it can be replicated on other spirit insects..."
Qin Sang continued rummaging through the mustard seed bag.
With a clatter, dozens of jade slips appeared on the table, and Qin Sang inspected them one by one.
The strange-faced man and his disciple excelled most at wood-attribute divine abilities, but Qin Sang found nothing related to their core Dao—only crafting methods for several wood-attribute magic treasures, which were inconsequential.
Thinking about it, that was only natural. Since the strange-faced man could plant restrictions in his disciple's Nascent Soul, he certainly would not permit him to carry anything of vital importance.
"Hm?"
When his divine sense swept across one particular jade slip, it caught Qin Sang's attention. He drew it into his hand for a closer look.
"The *Gu Classic*—it's actually a heritage of Myriad Poison Mountain!"
Myriad Poison Mountain was a super sect of Man Prefecture, on equal footing with the Taiyue Sect of Nan Prefecture. As its name implied, cultivators of Myriad Poison Mountain were adept in the art of poison, enjoying unique advantages in Man Prefecture.
Because Man Prefecture was sparsely populated and teeming with spirit insects, some cultivators of Myriad Poison Mountain also reared spirit insects and excelled in insect-controlling arts.
Qin Sang had previously suspected the strange-faced master and disciple might hail from Myriad Poison Mountain, but Myriad Poison Mountain had no renowned masters of wood-attribute divine abilities, so he had not dared conclude it.
Having read through the *Gu Classic*, Qin Sang felt a bit disappointed. The jade slip contained only half of the secret technique, though its contents offered him great inspiration.
Most of the *Gu Classic* discussed how to breed intensely venomous insects, but a portion of it was applicable to other spirit insects as well.
This breeding method was similar to the gu-refining techniques Qin Sang had heard of before, but with one difference: the *Gu Classic* did not merely have spirit insects devour one another, but also used special pills to aid the process.
The greatest hidden hazard of raising gu was that the resulting gu bugs developed savage temperaments, and their intelligence would also be impaired.
Following the steps laid out in the *Gu Classic* could minimize these hazards, but only on the condition that thorough preparations were made and one proceeded step by step, without rushing for quick gains.
Used properly, it could even guide the gu bug's mutation in the direction desired by its master.
Of course, one could also disregard the hazards and use the gu technique to swiftly select the fiercest gu bug to gain a powerful asset. The strange-faced man's disciple had used precisely that method.
The strange-faced man's jade beetle had likely drawn on this as well, but it had already surpassed the scope of the first half of the *Gu Classic*.
Qin Sang had been immersed in the Dao of insect mastery for many years, possessing the heritages of both the human and shaman races. Judging by experience, the methods in the *Gu Classic* were feasible.
However, only the Fire Jade Centipede was suitable.
The fat silkworm and the Heavenly Eye Butterfly were too important; Qin Sang could not afford the slightest mishap.
Breeding gu bugs required consuming spirit insects of similar attributes. For now, Qin Sang could not fathom how to categorize the Heavenly Eye Butterfly. If it mutated in the wrong direction and lost its ability to command tribulation lightning, he would be weeping tears of regret.
The Fire Jade Centipede was simpler.
Its treasure-hunting ability was fundamentally rooted in its acute sensitivity to fire-attribute treasures.
Collecting spirit insects with fire-attribute talents for the Fire Jade Centipede to devour, and using the gu-refining method solely to help it break through to the fourth metamorphosis, should keep the consequences manageable.
Qin Sang looked toward the insect jars on the table. He would comprehend the *Gu Classic* first and experiment with these specimens; only if the Fire Jade Centipede failed to undergo its metamorphosis for a prolonged period would he consider resorting to this method.
Upon returning to Zhuo Prefecture, Qin Sang immediately sent all the venomous bugs to Loutai Abbey, entrusting them to the Zhou-Ruan couple along with a large sum of spirit stones and guidance on how to raise gu bugs.
The Zhou-Ruan couple did not dare refuse Qin Sang's orders, and being able to acquire a secret technique naturally made them more than willing.
Qin Sang, meanwhile, returned to the Yanshui Ruins, commissioning Six Prefectures Hall to collect third-metamorphosis fire-attribute spirit insects, as well as various spirit herbs required to concoct the supplementary pills.
Cultivators skilled in alchemy were not scarce in Zhongzhou; finding an alchemist was no difficult matter.
Following that, Qin Sang's true body and avatar continued to focus their energies on cultivation, striving to bring their secret techniques to completion as soon as possible.
Before they knew it, another twenty years had slipped by.
Feiyun Ferry.
Though it was late at night, Feiyun Ferry was ablaze with lights.
Above the lake hovered a city that never slept, perched thousands of zhang high.
The grand spectacle of this immortal city displayed an awe-inspiring feat of engineering in the night.
The bright moon shed pure brilliance all around. Water vapor billowed from the lake's surface as light mists drifted, draping the immortal city in an aura of mystery; the fabled dwellings of the immortals could be no grander than this.
White jade bridges soared between north, south, east, and west, crisscrossing in countless paths. Night-luminescent pearls sparkled along the bridges, reflecting the brilliance of the bright moon in the sky.
Built from top-grade, flawless jade, the bridges wove into a massive net like giant white dragons extending to the peaks along the shores of Feiyun Ferry, together bearing up the vast immortal city.
Above the jade bridges, layered jade pavilions and palaces rose with carved balustrades and jade-inlaid masonry, glittering like stars set halfway in the sky, radiant and colorful, inspiring boundless reverie.
Below, two rivers converged in a rushing torrent, their swift waters mirroring another immortal city beneath the waves.
Vessels lined the river surface, accompanied by countless painted pleasure boats, as though sailing through the void into an immortal realm.
This prompted passengers aboard the boats to emerge from their cabins in droves, staring blankly at the immortal city in the sky, filled with envy and longing.
Even at midnight, the immortal city bustled with noise.
Cultivators and mortals, peddlers and porters alike were treated equally here, all traversing the jade bridges, whether on foot or by hiring mounts and beast carriages at post stations.
Spirit beasts took on all manner of shapes; dragons, phoenixes, and qilin could be seen everywhere—though of course these were mere likenesses and far-fetched imitations, with no true divine beast bloodlines.
Immortal cultivators also enjoyed courting good fortune.
The immortal city was divided into twenty-two domains according to the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. The Heavenly Stem Domains were the highest grade, while mortals mostly frequented the Earthly Branch Domains.
Spirit beasts and carriages raced down the centers of the bridges.
Zhou Jin rode a spirit beast purported to be a dragon-horse, unhurriedly making his way toward the Ding Domain of the immortal city. Suddenly hearing a commotion, he glanced below the bridge, only to see a ball of blazing flame surging straight up into the air—it was a spirit beast closely resembling a fire phoenix.
This "fire phoenix" did not follow the city's rules; it soared above the water, flapping its fiery wings with vigor and suddenly vaulting into the sky, raining down flecks of fiery drizzle.
Beneath countless marveling gazes, the fire phoenix shot straight up, finally landing before a jade pavilion in the Ding Domain. It crouched on the ground, and a Daoist stepped down.
Someone waiting there had already taken the reins of the fire phoenix, while the Daoist strode into the jade pavilion.
"A true man should live like that!" Zhou Jin muttered to himself, his face full of envy.
Such "fire phoenixes" were among the top-tier mounts in the immortal city, dazzling indeed.
Of course, he could afford to rent one if he gritted his teeth.
Yet the immortal city was a crouching tiger, hidden dragon; a mere Core Formation cultivator like him truly did not dare keep a high profile here. Not long after ascending to the immortal city, he had already encountered several Core Formation cultivators whose cultivation exceeded his own, all dutifully riding ordinary beast carriages.
As for Nascent Soul cultivators, unless they showed themselves openly, one would fail to recognize a grand master even when standing face-to-face.
"One day, once I attain cultivation like Senior Qin's, I'll come back and indulge myself."
Zhou Jin set a goal for himself and clamped his legs firmly. Possessing considerable wit, the dragon-horse caught on immediately, rearing its head with a long neigh before bolting forward.
After galloping at full speed, Zhou Jin entered the Ding Domain, only to realize there was a world within a world.
What could be seen from the outside was only half of the Ding Domain; the other half was shrouded by a grand array, quiet and secluded.
Mindful of his place, Zhou Jin rode to a quiet courtyard. Just as he came to a halt, the courtyard gate opened from within, and a young man walked out.
Upon seeing Zhou Jin, the young man smiled with the delight of meeting an old acquaintance and bowed. "Xie Liu greets Abbey Dean Zhou."
The young man was a rising talent of the Xie family.
Five years ago, Jiang Mu had been transferred from the Yanshui Ruins to Feiyun Ferry by Six Prefectures Hall.
Most treasure exchanges and auctions were held at Feiyun Ferry, and on Jiang Mu's suggestion, Qin Sang had also moved over, leasing an immortal's cave in the Jia Domain.
He had also instructed the Xie family to establish an outpost at Feiyun Ferry to be at his service.
Handing the dragon-horse over to Xie Liu, Zhou Jin hurried into the courtyard and said in a low voice, "Send word at once; I have an urgent matter."
Xie Liu's expression tightened. Not daring to ask questions, he rushed into the secret chamber and activated its restriction.
He knew the restriction here served to send transmissions, though he did not know to whom. Having done so and settled Zhou Jin in, Xie Liu kept to his duty and went off to cultivate.
In the cave dwelling in the Jia Domain.
Qin Sang awakened from meditation and vanished in a flicker.
A figure suddenly materialized before Zhou Jin, who hurriedly rose to salute. "Greetings, Senior Qin."
"Sit. What urgent matter brings you here?" Qin Sang sat down and asked.
Zhou Jin did not dare sit. Opening the spirit beast pouch at his waist, he retrieved an insect jar. "As ordered, Junior has been using the secret technique to nurture this gu bug. Previously, it could still be controlled, but recently, when preparing to have it devour venomous bugs for another breakthrough, an abnormality suddenly arose. Forcing the advancement might cause it to spiral out of control. Junior did not dare make the decision on his own..."
Qin Sang took the jar, opened it, and saw a multicolored poisonous moth.
It was none other than the moth that combined three characteristics. He had laid out the plan and ordered the Zhou-Ruan couple to continue raising it; now it had changed beyond recognition.
Qin Sang pinched the moth and sensed it carefully.
In just twenty short years, the moth had advanced from the early third metamorphosis to the verge of breaking through to the late third metamorphosis. The speed could hardly be called anything but astonishing, yet the cost was equally steep.
To say nothing of the massive resources he had poured in.
The moth's temperament had turned exceptionally ferocious; even as a Nascent Soul cultivator, Qin Sang could not entirely subdue it.
This was the consequence of rushing for quick gains.
Qin Sang had anticipated this when handing it to Zhou Jin; he needed such a negative example to judge the severity of the hidden hazards.
"You have done well."
Hearing Qin Sang's praise, the unease in Zhou Jin's heart finally subsided.
Asking Zhou Jin for the pills and two venomous bugs prepared for consumption, Qin Sang entered the quiet room. Setting up a sealed perimeter with restrictions, he placed the three venomous bugs together, then took out a pill, crushed it into powder, and scattered it inside.
Besides the poisonous moth, there were a centipede and a poisonous ant.
Inhaling the medicinal powder, the three venomous insects displayed varying degrees of mania. The moth was the most severe, descending into utter frenzy; flapping its wings violently, it spewed a cloud of toxic mist engulfing its two opponents.
The opponents refused to show weakness.
What followed was a bloody slaughter, ending in the defeat of the centipede and ant, whose carcasses were both devoured by the poisonous moth.
Qin Sang looked on coldly, tossing in various pills from time to time.
*Crack... crunch...*
A chilling sound of chewing echoed through the quiet room.
After devouring its enemies' remains, the moth fell quiet for a brief moment, then its aura surged abruptly, breaking through to the late third metamorphosis in a single bound—yet its nature grew even more violent.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
Trapped inside a sphere of light, the moth slammed relentlessly against the glowing barrier as though tireless.
Tapping his fingers repeatedly, Qin Sang cast restrictions into the sphere of light, forcibly subduing the moth before it finally calmed down. After inspecting it closely, Qin Sang obtained the information he needed, gaining a much firmer grasp of this secret technique.
Perched on Qin Sang's shoulder, the fat silkworm gazed greedily at the moth, long unable to hold back. Receiving Qin Sang's nod of approval, it gulped the moth down in a single bite.
Qin Sang watched the fat silkworm with a dubious look.
This fellow swallows gu bugs whole—how is that any different from raising gu itself? Won't some problem crop up down the line?
This was already the third gu bug. If it brought a noticeable improvement to the fat silkworm, he would consider using this method to raise food for it; otherwise, with such immense consumption, even Qin Sang could hardly bear the expense.
Returning to the Jia Domain, Qin Sang contacted Jiang Mu to purchase the final items required, beginning preparations to help the Fire Jade Centipede undergo its metamorphosis.
Chapter 1587