Once his racing pulse had finally settled, Qin Sang muttered, "As expected, Scarlet Fire Flowing Gold holds an irresistible attraction for them. Fortunately, I planned ahead and left myself an escape route."
He was not a reckless man. Scattering the Blood-Winged Ghosthead Bee larvae far apart had been precisely a precaution against such an eventuality: if a spirit insect of terrifying strength was drawn in, detonating the larvae would provide a way to retreat.
Compared to pursuing an intruder, the Scarlet Fire Flowing Gold was unquestionably far more important.
Spirit insects possessed low intelligence and could only make simple judgments like this.
Every species of spirit insect had a distinct temperament. Earlier, Qin Sang had not been certain how effective the Scarlet Fire Flowing Gold would be; after all, it was only useful when consumed right at the threshold of a metamorphosis.
As it turned out, he had still underestimated its allure.
The method had proven viable, but what it would ultimately attract was beyond his control.
Inwardly, Qin Sang cursed the cultivators who had first discovered the Dark Stinkbug. He did not know whether their intelligence had been wrong, or if there had been more than one Dark Stinkbug in the cavern—perhaps an entire nest.
Perhaps the ancestor of the Dark Stinkbugs had never shown itself before, stirred only upon sensing the Scarlet Fire Flowing Gold.
The creature that had pursued him was terrifying. It had effortlessly spotted the Flying Yaksha's hiding place and possessed combat prowess far exceeding Qin Sang's estimates, likely at the late stage of its third metamorphosis.
Its attacks left no trace and seemed to possess magic-breaking capabilities; one only sensed it at the moment it struck home.
The Dark Stinkbug had been discovered decades ago.
Qin Sang had thought that no matter how strong the Dark Stinkbug was, it would at most have recently completed its third metamorphosis, and with his and the Flying Yaksha's strength, he would have nothing to fear.
Fortunately, he had reacted quickly and detonated the larvae in time to draw it away. Otherwise, the Flying Yaksha likely could not have dodged a third strike.
Qin Sang summoned the Flying Yaksha. Seeing the wound on its body, lingering dread gripped him. He retrieved a Shaoyin Magnetic Bottle filled with earth fiend qi to let it absorb the fiend qi and heal.
Gazing toward the cavern entrance from a distance, Qin Sang's eyes flickered with indecision.
He had already resolved to leave and give up on the Dark Stinkbug.
With this Dark Stinkbug lurking there, the cavern was far too dangerous.
At present, Qin Sang was simply no match for it.
Even if he could find help and capture it, it would be useless.
Of the insect-controlling methods Qin Sang knew, whether the legacy of the Yuling Sect or the Witch Clan's natal insect gu, both required the cultivator's cultivation to surpass the spirit insect's before there was any chance of success.
Using it as a natal insect gu was out of the question.
If he used the Yuling Sect's insect-taming arts, controlling this Dark Stinkbug would require waiting until it began its fourth metamorphosis, striking when it was vulnerable.
That meant Qin Sang would have to reach the Nascent Soul stage.
If the Dark Stinkbug knew to swallow the Scarlet Fire Flowing Gold without immediately refining it, saving its medicinal power for when it began its fourth metamorphosis, this sliver of gold might very well alter its destiny.
This was truly a case of sitting at home while fortune fell from the heavens.
Qin Sang wore an odd expression. He had turned into a veritable treasure-delivering boy.
Would it be grateful for this gift of nature?
Luring the Dark Stinkbug had required only a minute amount of Scarlet Fire Flowing Gold, so Qin Sang's loss was negligible. Still, the ordeal served as a lesson: when using Scarlet Fire Flowing Gold to bait spirit insects, one could never be too cautious.
***
"The sixth one."
Standing at the edge of a poisonous marsh, Qin Sang massaged his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
After leaving the Dark Stinkbug's cavern, Qin Sang had traveled non-stop to four other locations in succession.
Now he was even more careful, first testing the waters with secret insect-attracting medicines, then using Ghosthead Bee larvae as bait, trying every other method before finally resorting to the Scarlet Fire Flowing Gold.
When baiting, he and the Flying Yaksha also kept as much distance as possible, securing an escape route beforehand.
Qin Sang had gone to immense trouble, journeying tens of thousands of li through all sorts of desolate wilds, thoroughly searching four locations only to return empty-handed every time. Mustering his full concentration for each attempt only to gain nothing had left him feeling mentally drained and utterly exhausted.
Yet such an outcome was well within expectations.
Spirit insects had acute senses for danger and frequently migrated. Furthermore, the rumors were widespread, known to many cultivators; quite possibly, they had already been captured, especially those ranking high on the Witch Insect Registry.
Qin Sang had Scarlet Fire Flowing Gold, but there was no guarantee others did not possess their own unique lures.
Finding a suitable spirit insect was never easy.
This poisonous marsh was the sixth location. Rumor had it that a Color-Ringed Giant Earthworm resided within.
The marsh covered less area than the wasteland where the Dark Stinkbug lived, but multicolored poisonous mist hovered above it, appearing brilliantly vibrant under the sunlight, reminiscent of the vivid hides of venomous beasts and vermin.
In truth, the mist over this poisonous marsh was exceptionally lethal. In its depths, not even true essence could withstand the mist's corrosion; it was a death trap that even Core Formation stage cultivators dared not venture into.
Strangely enough, quite a few spirit herbs capable of neutralizing hundreds of poisons grew within this marsh, so cultivators would periodically take risks to enter in search of them.
Naturally, they remained along the marsh's fringes, daring not penetrate its core.
This second-metamorphosis Color-Ringed Giant Earthworm had been spotted by herb gatherers in the marsh. More than one person had seen it, and there had been another sighting thirty years ago, making the intelligence far more reliable than that of the Dark Stinkbug.
The Color-Ringed Giant Earthworm possessed the bloodline of ancient giant earthworms and fed on toxic miasma to survive. Not only could it unleash a poisonous cloud, but its entire body was steeped in deadly poison; ordinary people would not dare touch it.
The more rings of color and the brighter their hues, the deadlier its poison.
Choosing it as a natal insect gu was quite a good prospect. After the third metamorphosis, its poison cloud became colorless and intangible, easily catching inattentive Core Formation cultivators off guard.
It was said that after the fourth metamorphosis, the Color-Ringed Giant Earthworm would gain a rare Indestructible Body—a formidable divine ability coveted by countless body cultivators.
Naturally, like other exotic insects, rearing the Color-Ringed Giant Earthworm was exceedingly difficult.
Because it was venomous from head to tail and difficult to capture, the herb gatherers had shown little interest in it.
Qin Sang prepared magic tools to resist the poisonous mist and led the Flying Yaksha into the marsh, halting as they drew near its core. Daring not go deeper, he resolved to set up his bait right there.
Due to the toxic mist, his secret insect-attracting medicines could barely function.
When Qin Sang deployed the Blood-Winged Ghosthead Bee larvae, he discovered that without his personal protection, the moment they touched the poisonous mist, they were corroded away completely.
In the end, Qin Sang had no choice but to use the Scarlet Fire Flowing Gold directly.
Qin Sang understood the Color-Ringed Giant Earthworm's innate abilities well.
Though this exotic insect was venomous through and through, the Flying Yaksha did not fear it much.
Tempered by earth fiend qi, its physical body possessed vastly enhanced poison resistance. This time, even if they encountered a Color-Ringed Giant Earthworm at the late stage of its third metamorphosis, they would not be caught in such dire straits.
Even so, Qin Sang remained vigilant, wary of drawing something other than the Color-Ringed Giant Earthworm.
Curiously, despite the heavy poison mist permeating the marsh, many mortal plants and trees grew there, leaving one to wonder how they had adapted to such an environment.
Since the Blood-Winged Ghosthead Bee larvae could not be used, Qin Sang smeared the Scarlet Fire Flowing Gold across tree trunks and leaves over a wide area.
Then, he and the Flying Yaksha climbed into the canopy and watched the gurgling, bubbling swamp below, waiting patiently.
Chapter 644