"When medicine meets its kind, form takes shape;
When the Dao accords with the unseen void, nature moves unbidden.
Once a single golden core is swallowed into the belly,
Only then does one know one's fate is not decreed by Heaven."
Cui Xuanzi bowed deeply, his head nearly touching the ground. His voice carried deep envy and perhaps a touch of melancholy, all of which finally coalesced into a word of congratulation. "Congratulations, Senior, on forming your core."
Qin Sang looked exceptionally young, appearing around twenty years of age, whereas Cui Xuanzi was white-haired and aged.
Had mortals witnessed such a scene, they would certainly have been astonished, thinking it ought to be the other way around.
Yet in the immortal cultivation world where strength reigned supreme, this was utterly normal.
"The golden core has only just formed; I have merely cast off a few shackles. The immortal path remains rugged, and countless almighty figures lie ahead. I would not dare boast that my fate is not decreed by Heaven."
A smile appeared on Qin Sang's face. He recalled the Flying Yaksha and looked toward the direction in which the Five Insects Sect disciples had departed. "Is the fellow Daoist of your noble sect at the Core Formation stage at leisure? Qin has just formed his core and has many doubts. I hope to pay a visit and sit down to discuss the Dao with them."
Hearing this, Cui Xuanzi's eyes flickered, but his tone did not waver in the slightest as he explained, "Replying to Senior Qin, after my martial uncle formed his core, he had the impulse to travel far and wide. It is unknown whether he has already departed the Western Frontier. It is said he even planned to invite fellow Daoists to hunt demons in the Storm Demon Sea, so he is unlikely to return anytime soon. If Senior can stay a while longer, Junior will send word to Martial Uncle at once."
Earlier, Cui Xuanzi had seen that although Qin Sang commanded a Flying Yaksha, his tone was amiable, not like that of a bloodthirsty demon head, which had somewhat eased the worry in his heart.
Hearing Qin Sang suddenly bring up a Core Formation stage cultivator, Cui Xuanzi's heart hung in suspense once more.
The Five Insects Sect had indeed produced a Core Formation cultivator—precisely one of Cui Xuanzi's martial uncles.
However, when that martial uncle left to travel, Cui Xuanzi had only recently taken over as Sect Master. Now, Cui Xuanzi had reached his twilight years, yet that martial uncle had remained completely without word, nor had he left behind a life soul lamp.
By now, they did not even know whether that martial uncle was alive or dead.
Outsiders did not know the truth, so he could borrow that martial uncle's reputation to pull a tiger skin over himself as a great banner; Cui Xuanzi was certainly not going to explain the truth to Qin Sang.
*The Storm Demon Sea...*
Qin Sang heard another new place name. It sounded like a place similar to Heavenly Demon Mound, likely the territory of demon beasts.
However, for Core Formation stage cultivators to band together to hunt demons there, the relationship between the demon beasts in the Storm Demon Sea and cultivators was definitely not as harmonious as in Heavenly Demon Mound.
"Very well. Qin came to the Western Frontier to search for a spirit insect suitable to serve as a natal insect gu. I heard that the Western Frontier is a wild expanse teeming with spirit insects, home to many rare and seldom-seen varieties. Being able to form my core here was an accident, and I will not remain in your Bear Mountain region for long."
Qin Sang gave Cui Xuanzi a penetrating look. His eyes were sharp, and he could tell there was certainly untruth in Cui Xuanzi's words. Without delving into how much was true and how much was false, he waved a hand. "Since that fellow Daoist is not present, there is no need to make such a fuss."
Unexpectedly, before Qin Sang's voice had even faded, he noticed Cui Xuanzi staring at him in utter shock, as if he had just heard something unbelievable.
"Senior has yet to choose a natal insect gu, and yet... you formed your core?"
Cui Xuanzi wore an expression of complete disbelief.
Qin Sang's heart stirred. For Cui Xuanzi to lose his composure like this, could it be that a natal insect gu was of some help in Core Formation?
After conversing with Yuan Hu that day, Qin Sang had learned that relations between the Witch Clan and the Human Clan were abysmal, with past wars leaving them locked in mutual hatred.
Now that the Witch Clan had been driven by the humans to the Witch God Continent, their hatred ran even deeper. Even Yuan Hu, who had never left the Bear Mountain region, was like this, so Qin Sang felt it best to disguise himself as a member of the Witch Clan.
Fortunately, having observed them over these two encounters, Qin Sang found that there seemed to be no visible difference in appearance between humans and the Witch Clan.
The Witch Clan referred to immortal cultivators as Shamanic God envoys and had many strange customs.
However, after interacting with Yuan Hu and Cui Xuanzi, two cultivators from the Five Insects Sect, Qin Sang discovered that those Witch Clan customs had already faded in them; their manner of speech and conduct differed little from human cultivators, so Qin Sang only needed to exercise a little care.
Only the bimos and priests of those stockades preserved the bizarre customs in full.
Qin Sang guessed they did so to facilitate rule and maintain their status among mortals.
The people of the Witch Clan feared the power of the Shamanic God envoys while holding firm faith in the Witch God. Faith might seem ethereal and elusive, yet at times it was extraordinarily powerful.
Cultivators of the Witch Clan were adept at insect-controlling arts, even refining spirit insects into natal insect gu.
He wondered what path the human cultivators here had taken, and whether it was the same as the Witch Clan's.
With a shift in thought, Qin Sang said impassively, "Qin previously underwent secluded cultivation for many years. Never having found a suitable natal insect gu, I delayed the matter. Some time ago, having encountered the bottleneck of Core Formation, I decided to venture out in search of a suitable spirit insect and gain some worldly experience along the way. Unexpectedly, a sudden impulse struck mid-journey, and I succeeded in forming my core in one go. Qin himself did not anticipate it either."
Qin Sang was telling a fabricated lie.
Internally, he grumbled: *Do you have any idea how many tribulations I went through just to form my core?*
"Senior's natural talent is so extraordinary that Junior has never seen the like..."
Shaken by Qin Sang, Cui Xuanzi shook his head repeatedly. "To form a core entirely on one's own without relying on a natal insect gu—even the direct disciples of those great sects beyond the Western Frontier cannot compare to Senior... As Senior experiences the Western Frontier, should you have any need, please do not hesitate to command us. Junior and the disciples of my sect will certainly do our utmost."
Discovering that Qin Sang did not even have a natal insect gu, Cui Xuanzi was all the more convinced that Qin Sang possessed an extraordinary background, giving rise to a desire to attach himself to Qin Sang and forge good karma.
With Qin Sang's thick skin, he naturally would not blush.
Hearing Cui Xuanzi's words, his curiosity grew even stronger.
*Could it be that Witch Clan cultivators do not rely on all manner of spirit pills and spiritual items to form their cores like cultivators in the Lesser Cold Domain, but rather on a natal insect gu?*
Qin Sang looked at Cui Xuanzi with a playful glint in his eyes and gave a soft chuckle. "If I wish to borrow the true secret arts handed down in your sect for a perusal, would you be willing as well?"
"This..."
Cui Xuanzi's expression changed. He had not expected Qin Sang to covet the true legacy of his sect.
The power behind this person was bound to be extraordinary. What could a humble, small-scale sect's inheritance possibly have that would catch his eye?
"Senior must be joking with Junior, right? In the lands of the Western Frontier, the cultivation methods of each faction are broadly similar. My sect's inheritance is extremely crude and shallow, and I fear it would hardly be worthy of Senior's notice," Cui Xuanzi said with a forced smile.
Qin Sang said calmly, "Would Qin joke about such a matter? Understanding comes through analogy, and mastery from drawing upon diverse strengths. So long as it benefits my cultivation, Qin is interested. For your sect to stand firm in the Western Frontier, become the hegemon of Bear Mountain, and cultivate a Core Formation expert, you must surely have your strengths. Borrowing it for a glance might well allow Qin to glean an insight or two. Of course, Qin will not force anyone against their will..."
Cui Xuanzi groaned inwardly, not expecting that waving his martial uncle's banner would invite trouble instead.
At this moment, Qin Sang retrieved an object from the Qianjun Ring and displayed it to Cui Xuanzi.
"If you are willing, Qin can trade this item for it."
Cui Xuanzi focused his gaze and saw that it was a talisman paper, leaving him somewhat puzzled.
Once he saw the true nature of the talisman paper clearly, a look of astonishment broke out across Cui Xuanzi's face. "Is this... a talisman treasure?"
Chapter 622