Only the final spot of Scarlet Fire Flowing Gold remained, which Qin Sang had placed within a crevice between stones along the bank of a stream.
Dawn was lingering just out of reach, making this the darkest hour of the night.
Butterfly Valley, having bustled with noise all night, seemed to have settled into a quiet calm.
A flock of butterflies fluttered across the stream.
Suddenly, every butterfly hovering over this stretch of the water froze in place, arrested mid-flight and suspended motionlessly in midair.
Time itself seemed to halt here.
The next instant, a figure appeared on the stream bank.
Qin Sang swept his gaze across the suspended swarm, then turned his eyes to the stones along the bank. After a brief hesitation, he beckoned with his hand, and a butterfly resembling a cabbage white fluttered out from the rock crevice.
It was quite small, its snow-white wings dotted with black specks, looking just like the most ordinary of butterflies.
Thoroughly startled, it flapped in blind panic, but an invisible cage hemmed it in on all sides, blocking every path of retreat as it was drawn directly before Qin Sang.
Qin Sang stared at the cabbage white. Even at such close range, he could not detect the slightest flaw.
Yet he was certain: this was the Heavenly Eye Butterfly!
The moment he had sensed the Scarlet Fire Flowing Gold vanish, he had mobilized his spiritual sense to seal off this pocket of space. Originally, there had been no butterfly in the crevice; only after the surrounding area was locked down had this cabbage white abruptly appeared.
Only the Heavenly Eye Butterfly possessed such formidable powers of concealment and camouflage.
"I've finally caught a spirit insect. That wasn't easy."
Qin Sang sighed inwardly. Trekking through six different locations with great effort had finally yielded results; otherwise, he might have had no choice but to return with nothing more than that foolish silkworm.
Having captured the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, Qin Sang was in no hurry to refine it into his natal insect gu. There were still two places left to check, and perhaps a better option awaited him.
Recalling the restriction techniques used by the Yuling Sect to bind spirit insects, Qin Sang chose one and began striking seal after seal onto the Heavenly Eye Butterfly.
The butterfly had not given up its struggle.
It seemed to sense the danger of the restrictions. After thrashing futilely for a while, its agitation mounted. It shifted its form into a gorgeous swallowtail butterfly, attempting to slip through the cracks by deceit.
The transformation was astonishingly swift; the instant the cabbage white vanished, the swallowtail took its place. Anyone not paying close attention would scarcely have noticed.
Qin Sang smiled faintly. In the end, it was merely an unawakened spirit insect, far too naive.
This display only cemented his certainty of its identity.
After a short while, the restrictions were fully set. The butterfly gave up its disguise, reverting to its true form.
"A second-metamorphosis Heavenly Eye Butterfly... It appears to be in the late stage of the second metamorphosis. No wonder its concealment is so potent."
Qin Sang guided the butterfly to alight on his fingertip.
Everything matched the ancient records. In its true form, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly was breathtakingly exquisite, as if bathed in an azure radiance. Any ordinary butterfly in Butterfly Valley would pale into insignificance beside it.
Concentric ring patterns adorned its wings, closely resembling eyes. Once it completed its third metamorphosis, the Heavenly Eye would truly open.
Qin Sang fed the butterfly several drops of spirit fruit juice, released the other butterflies from their suspension, cast a backward glance at the enduring beauty of Butterfly Valley, and departed with deep satisfaction.
***
Baizu Stockade.
Though bearing a peculiar name, it was renowned throughout the Western Frontier.
The Bear Mountain region was remote, tucked away in the northwesternmost corner of the Western Frontier—a barren expanse where few other cultivators cared to tread. Baizu Stockade lay far to the south of the Bear Mountain region, serving as the largest and most powerful stockade accessible from there.
Cultivators of the Witch Clan from nearby areas invariably came to Baizu Stockade to conduct trades and gather information.
In essence, it served as the equivalent of a cultivation market in the Lesser Cold Domain.
Covered in travel dust, Qin Sang arrived at the foot of the mountain where Baizu Stockade stood, gazing upward.
The scale of Baizu Stockade rivaled that of an entire city. Clusters of stilt houses, all bearing the distinctive architectural hallmarks of the Witch Clan, crowded together across the entire mountain range, dwarfing Yihui Stockade many times over.
The cultivation market was constructed atop the highest peak of Baizu Stockade. Many sects, clans, and merchant chambers throughout the Western Frontier maintained footholds here, including the merchant chambers Cui Xuanzi dealt with most frequently.
By now, more than a month had passed since Qin Sang had left Butterfly Valley.
As expected, the remaining two locations had been empty, devoid of any spirit insects. Unwilling to wander aimlessly through the wilderness any longer, Qin Sang had flown directly back on his sword.
Between traveling and luring spirit insects, this journey had consumed nearly four months, yielding only the foolish silkworm and the Heavenly Eye Butterfly—and that was even with the aid of the Scarlet Fire Flowing Gold.
Naturally, his own exacting standards had also played a part.
Upon his return, Qin Sang had not rushed back to the Bear Mountain region, coming instead to Baizu Stockade.
Before setting out, he had visited Baizu Stockade and met several chamber stewards, purchasing the majority of the information regarding the nine spirit insects from their hands.
Prior to his departure, Qin Sang had also paid a hefty advance in spirit stones, requesting that they use their respective channels to look into a few matters.
Four months ought to have been sufficient for them to gather what he needed.
Qin Sang drew his hood over his head and channeled the Spirit Concealment Art, disguising himself as an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator.
As a newcomer harboring numerous secrets, and being of the human race besides, he did not wish to come into contact with Witch Clan cultivators whose cultivation surpassed his own too early. Should they possess methods capable of seeing through his background, things could turn exceedingly dire.
Those who are not of our kin will surely harbor different minds.
This adage was illustrated with absolute clarity across the Boundless Ocean.
The conflicts between the Witch Clan and the human race had never ceased. Only after leaving the Western Frontier and reaching human lands would Qin Sang dare to move about without restraint; while on Witch Clan territory, maintaining a low profile remained the wisest course.
Rumor had it that the master of Baizu Stockade was a Core Formation expert. However, that person's immortal's cave was not located inside the stockade, so Qin Sang had no fear that anyone would see through his Spirit Concealment Art.
With his disguise firmly in place, Qin Sang walked up the mountain, passing other cultivators who mostly hurried to and fro.
Once inside Baizu Stockade, Qin Sang navigated the familiar streets until he arrived before an imposing wooden building.
A sign hung above the building bearing the name of the Baishan Chamber of Commerce.
Qin Sang paused momentarily before stepping straight inside. The grand hall displayed an assortment of magic tools and spirit pills, attended by a dozen or so Witch Clan maidens exuding exotic charm.
Displaying the aura of the Foundation Establishment stage, Qin Sang was promptly received by Steward Bai of the Baishan Chamber of Commerce.
"Fellow Daoist, you have returned from your insect hunt? Did you have any harvest?"
Steward Bai still remembered Qin Sang; after all, clients with requirements as bizarre as his were few and far between.
"This old man squatted at the two locations you mentioned for nearly two months, yet I didn't see so much as a single hair of a spirit insect. How many do you think I could have caught?"
Qin Sang feigned anger, his tone distinctly sour.
Steward Bai took a leisurely sip of tea and chuckled. "Surely you haven't forgotten, Fellow Daoist? I told you beforehand that the list of spirit insects you gave me was far too peculiar, consisting almost entirely of insects relegated to the very bottom of the Witch Insect Registry. Only the disciples of the foremost sects on Witch God Mountain would dare use such insects as their natal insect gu. Exceedingly few people in the Western Frontier search for them, so I could hardly guarantee the accuracy of the information. Returning empty-handed was practically within expectations, so why let it upset you?"
Qin Sang snorted coldly and let the matter drop, asking instead, "What about the information I asked you to investigate? Are there any results?"
Chapter 648