False Core Stage

Ji Wu's choice had caught Qin Sang completely off guard, throwing his plans into utter disarray. Having obtained the snow spirit lotus and iris flower did not mean he could rest easy, certain of forming his core. Although Qin Sang had yet to experience Core Formation firsthand, looking at the pitiful success rate of countless predecessors was enough to know how daunting the challenge truly was. He had no confidence at all in his heart and had to prepare two courses of action. Daoist Jiupao's Golden Core was the only one Qin Sang could foresee having any chance of obtaining right now. Opportunity knocked but once; when lost, it would never return. Before leaving Stargazing Island, Snake Granny had explicitly told them that the fighting ahead would not be very intense. Having rendered great service through hard toil, they could at any time use the excuse of sensing an opportunity for breakthrough and returning to their sects for secluded cultivation to temporarily leave Luandao Waters, which served as a sort of special reward. Now that Ji Wu had obtained the Guifu Pill, he likely wouldn't remain in Luandao Waters for long. Daoist Jiupao was urgently waiting for a cure for his injuries, so naturally, the sooner it was delivered, the better. However, Ji Wu was solitary by nature and rarely interacted with outsiders. Furthermore, with a heavy treasure like the Guifu Pill in his possession, he certainly wouldn't dare make a public display of it; even if he left, he would slip away quietly without alerting anyone. Qin Sang had no way to grasp his exact whereabouts. After sitting quietly in his cave abode for a while, Qin Sang suddenly rose to his feet. Leaving a letter behind, he slipped out of the cave abode without a sound. After circling about for a long time to confirm no one was following him, he flew out of the True Water Thousand Illusions Formation. Leaving Luandao Waters now carried a certain amount of risk as well. After all, the snow spirit lotus and iris flower were even more capable of stoking greed than the Guifu Pill. Since he had not yet reached the False Core stage, he could not consume them in the short term, and there was no guarantee someone wouldn't try to take desperate gambles. Therefore, he acted with extreme caution, and fortunately, there were no pursuers. Presumably, no one else would have expected Qin Sang to dare leave Luandao Waters at a time like this. Flying beyond the array, Qin Sang concealed himself in the shadows. On high alert, he flew northeast for a distance before arriving at a desolate little island. This island was hardly larger than a cave abode in Luandao Waters, very unremarkable. By now, it was already the morning of the second day. The morning light spilled across the wild grass on the island; when the morning breeze blew, the stems bent low, like a golden carpet. Regrettably, the spiritual power in this stretch of water was thin. Though the scenery was beautiful, it was unsuited for establishing a cave abode. Unexpectedly, after surveying his surroundings, Qin Sang ultimately decided to establish his cave abode right here. Shielded by spiritual power, he leaped into the water and dove continuously until reaching the bottom. Parting the dense water weeds, Qin Sang carved out a cave abode at the base of the island, meticulously laying out an array and restrictions that provided protection, concealment, and early warning capabilities. In the cramped cave abode, he barely managed to lay down a Spirit Gathering Array. Having made a modest fortune on Heaven-Pointing Peak, Qin Sang did not skimp on spirit stones. He arranged the best Spirit Gathering Array he could, and the spiritual power in the cave abode rapidly thickened. Attempting to circulate his cultivation method for one heavenly circuit, Qin Sang nodded with satisfaction. Next, sinking his mind into his origin soul space, he actually undid the Void Origin Seal on the Heart-Devouring Insect and opened its seal, exposing it to the outside world and allowing the Heart-Devouring Insect's aura to drift out unreservedly. This cave abode had not been chosen at random; Qin Sang had scouted it carefully. If Ji Wu wished to return to the Demon Flame Sect as quickly as possible, there was a high probability he would pass through this stretch of water. A Heart-Devouring Insect gu was equivalent to a slave; ordinary people could hardly resist such temptation. It wasn't that Qin Sang hadn't considered ambushing elsewhere, or even the possibility of luring Ji Wu near the Demon Flame Sect. But for one, his cultivation was not as profound as Ji Wu's, and Ji Wu possessed a flying magic tool whose quality far surpassed the Nether Silk Cloud, meaning Qin Sang could never outpace him even traveling at full speed. Second, if he ended up drawing out Daoist Jiupao instead, he would be cornered. After weighing the options, Qin Sang chose to carve out a cave abode here, waiting for Ji Wu while refining the spirit pills obtained from the handsome young man so as not to stall the progress of his cultivation. This way, even if the ambush on Ji Wu failed, he could advance his cultivation to the False Core stage at top speed and execute a backup plan. Hidden beneath the water and protected by Qin Sang's meticulously prepared spirit array, even if cultivators passed by, none would imagine someone would build a cave abode in such a barren place. Only those who practiced the Heart-Devouring Insect gu would detect Qin Sang's trace. The Golden Core cultivators of the Kuiyin Sect were all dead, so Qin Sang didn't fear attracting an opponent he couldn't handle. If any other blind remnants of the Kuiyin Sect came knocking on his door, he would gladly take them on as well. With his preparations complete, Qin Sang cast aside all stray thoughts, retrieved spirit pills from his mustard seed bag, and settled into deep meditation. As pill after pill was refined, Qin Sang's aura climbed steadily higher. He had already been very close to the False Core stage to begin with, and with the aid of these spirit pills, his cultivation progressed even faster. The cave abode was desolate and silent, oblivious to the passage of day and night. In the dim cave abode, the sharp edges carved into the walls by sword qi were faintly visible. Inside this crude stone cave, Qin Sang sat cross-legged on the cold stone. Aside from replacing spirit stones whenever their spiritual power was exhausted, he remained motionless the rest of the time, wholly devoted to bitter cultivation. After an unknown length of time, a soft sigh suddenly echoed through the cave abode. This soft sigh carried no hint of regret, but rather the sensation of a burden lifted, tinged with a joy that could not be concealed. Straightening his torso, Qin Sang stretched languidly and leisurely came to his senses. Looking down at his body, his eyes shone brightly with an extraordinary radiance. At last, Foundation Establishment perfection—the False Core stage! His cultivation had reached its peak, with nowhere further to advance; all that remained was Core Formation. However, Qin Sang could feel that his aura was still somewhat unsettled; it would be best to let it stabilize for a time before making the attempt. The only fly in the ointment was that the effects of his damaged foundation remained, but that small annoyance was nothing compared to the exhilaration of breaking through to the False Core stage. Qin Sang sat on the ground in an unceremonious posture, resting his chin on his palm as he savored this rare moment of comfort. Relaxed times were always fleeting; the road ahead was still fraught with thorns. Reflecting on the years gone by. Setting aside the journey from arriving in this world up to Foundation Establishment. More than seventy years had passed since he established his foundation. In those seventy years, he had not dared slacken for a single moment, braving mortal danger multiple times and doing everything in his power to seize every opportunity. Fairy Chenyan, Heavenly Corpse Cave, Xuanlu Pass, the Ancient Immortal Battlefield, Wuya Valley, Luandao Waters, Heaven-Pointing Peak... Fragment after fragment flashed through his mind. There was neither sorrow nor joy, only reminiscence. In the end, he had not wasted his time, nor let himself down, successfully walking all the way to this step. The path ahead remained uncertain. At least, looking back upon the past, he could proudly say—no regrets. "Whew!" After being lost in thought for a full hour, Qin Sang reeled in his drifting mind. Exhaling a long breath, he composed himself, his eyes once more sharp and resolute. Pinching his fingers to calculate the time, nearly a month had passed since he set up his cave abode here. Over the past month, Qin Sang had sensed cultivators flying overhead several times, but none were Ji Wu. The restrictions around the cave abode had never been disturbed either. Ji Wu had not shown himself at all—whether he had not yet left Luandao Waters or had taken a different route remained unknown. Qin Sang had never sealed the Heart-Devouring Insect, yet Ji Wu had not taken the bait. The lure that had never once failed had proven useless!