The fat silkworm ate like a starved ghost reincarnated.
In the blink of an eye, it devoured the Thousand Hands Spider Fruit and smacked its lips, still craving more.
Once all the Thousand Hands Spider Fruits had been picked, the Thousand Hands Spider Fruit Tree's purpose was fulfilled. It began to wither at a rate visible to the naked eye until its branches and leaves dried to yellow, dying completely.
This was precisely why heavenly treasures were so rare.
Qin Sang could not say whether another Thousand Hands Spider Fruit Tree would ever sprout here in the future.
After swallowing the unripe fruit, the fat silkworm let out a burp, crawled back onto Qin Sang's palm, and fell into a deep slumber.
Just as Qin Sang was about to place it back into the insect basket, he suddenly noticed a faint silver light gleaming from its body. The glow grew brighter and brighter, almost completely masking the vivid, multicolored patterns on its skin.
Eventually, this silver light unraveled into threads that wound around its body, gradually forming a plump silver cocoon.
*Is it undergoing a metamorphosis?*
Qin Sang was astonished. *It can metamorphose just from eating an unripe Thousand Hands Spider Fruit? What a bizarre creature. Judging by the looks of it, this seems to be its second metamorphosis. After a second metamorphosis, other spirit insects possess strength rivaling a Foundation Establishment cultivator. This fellow was so useless before—I wonder if it will grow any stronger after this.*
In all the time since capturing the fat silkworm, Qin Sang had neither determined what kind of spirit insect it was nor grasped its level of metamorphosis.
Only now, witnessing it weave a cocoon and metamorphose with his own eyes, could he confirm that this was indeed its second metamorphosis.
Once the cocoon was fully formed, the fat silkworm slept soundly inside, utterly subdued. Qin Sang had no idea how long the metamorphosis would take, so he placed the cocoon into his insect basket to await the day it broke out.
Casting one final glance at the withered tree, Qin Sang erased all traces of his aura and departed Black Wind Valley.
Not just here—over the next few days, Qin Sang also took pains to erase any lingering traces he had left behind previously, ensuring the Li Witch Palace would find no clues.
Afterward, he returned to the Five Insects Sect to wait patiently for Du Han's arrival.
***
The mountain gate of the Five Insects Sect had been ruined by the successive fierce battles. Having already prepared his ambush, Qin Sang sat cross-legged in a fissure valley behind the sect's mountain, quietly waiting for Du Han to appear.
At this moment, the Flying Yaksha was not by his side.
A beautiful butterfly fluttered atop his fingertips.
Qin Sang had decided to select the Heavenly Eye Butterfly as his natal insect gu, and he was about to perform the blood refinement.
Once he slew Du Han, Qin Sang would most likely set out for human territory to uncover the secrets of the Hall of Seven Kills; he would not remain on the Witch God Continent for long.
Even if he stayed and spent several more years searching, he might not necessarily find anything better than the Heavenly Eye Butterfly.
The Heavenly Eye Butterfly already satisfied his two most critical needs, and there was no reason to be greedy. The sooner he subdued his natal insect gu, the sooner he could begin nurturing it to trigger its third metamorphosis as early as possible.
Refining a spirit insect into a natal insect gu was entirely different from a beast willingly recognizing a master. Once it became an insect gu, it would regress to its larval stage and slowly build its strength back up.
Nurturing a natal insect gu was a protracted process.
Resting on Qin Sang's finger, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly was held by an inexplicable restraint; struggle as it might, it could not break free to regain its freedom.
Under the sunlight, the butterfly shimmered with astonishing beauty.
The ruined Five Insects Sect seemed far brighter for the presence of this exquisite creature.
Qin Sang mentally reviewed every detail of refining a natal insect gu. Finally, he guided the Heavenly Eye Butterfly to land on his palm, cautiously sent out a strand of spiritual sense, and penetrated into its body.
At the same time, Qin Sang cut his fingertip and forced out a drop of essence blood, using the blood refinement restriction to activate it.
Guided by the restriction, the crimson essence blood split into countless fine threads, weaving a dense, vividly brilliant blood net before Qin Sang.
The net was just large enough to envelop the Heavenly Eye Butterfly.
Qin Sang then controlled the blood net, letting it drift slowly toward the butterfly.
Had he chosen an unhatched insect egg as his natal insect gu, there would be no need for such caution. But the Heavenly Eye Butterfly was different; it already possessed an independent consciousness and would resist fiercely. Qin Sang had to proceed with utmost care to avoid harming it.
As the blood net drew closer, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly sensed the danger, its wings fluttering frantically.
The net settled lightly over the butterfly, turning back into liquid blood that seeped into its body.
This time, however, the essence blood had become profoundly eerie, as if harboring countless bizarre talismans that infiltrated the butterfly along with the blood.
At the same time, Qin Sang's strand of spiritual sense felt the creature's fear and defiance. Unfortunately for the butterfly, the gap between their powers was far too vast. Remaining calm and composed, Qin Sang easily suppressed its consciousness.
Before long, the blood refinement restriction was smoothly completed.
In that instant, Qin Sang felt a profound blood connection form between himself and the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, an intimate bond like none other.
Previously, he had experienced this feeling only with the ebony sword.
This was the bond of a natal insect gu!
Without pause, Qin Sang forced out several more drops of blood and sent them floating toward the butterfly, forming a blood cocoon. Much like the fat silkworm, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly fell into a deep sleep within the cocoon.
Through their newfound connection, however, Qin Sang could clearly sense its condition. He needed only to draw it into his dantian and nourish it for a few hours; then it would break through its cocoon and truly become his natal insect gu!
Qin Sang took the cocoon into his dantian.
The Heavenly Eye Butterfly was exceptionally fragile now, no different from a newborn butterfly, requiring tender care.
Before he knew it, several hours slipped by.
The Heavenly Eye Butterfly broke from its cocoon, and Qin Sang released it.
The butterfly itself had not changed drastically, though its body was a size smaller and the colors of its wings and markings were slightly fainter. In addition, a faint blood-red line traced the edges of its wings, adding a touch of bewitching beauty.
Yet its behavior had changed completely.
It fluttered around Qin Sang, conveying an overwhelming sense of joy and closeness, seemingly regarding him as its dearest and most trusted kin.
Sensing the emotions it radiated, Qin Sang smiled faintly. He gently tapped the butterfly with a finger, produced a berry, and squeezed out its juice for the butterfly to feed on.
Before the second metamorphosis, regular spirit fruits were sufficient nourishment.
Naturally, the fruits Qin Sang had prepared were of the finest quality. Coupled with nourishment from his essence blood and golden core, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly would likely begin its second metamorphosis in just a few years.
Only after the second metamorphosis would he need to seek out several unique spirit herbs to supplement its diet, which would greatly accelerate its growth.
Once it finished feeding, Qin Sang drew the Heavenly Eye Butterfly back into his sea of qi.
***
The sun rose and set.
Without realizing it, more than ten days slipped by.
Qin Sang sat motionless in the dead silence of the Five Insects Sect for days on end, doing nothing but meditating in cultivation and feeding the Heavenly Eye Butterfly.
One morning, the rising sun cast down golden rays.
Amidst the absolute silence of the mountain range, Qin Sang's ears suddenly twitched. His eyes snapped open, and his figure blurred, vanishing into thin air.
Concealing his presence and aura, he reappeared atop a mountain peak and looked toward the west of the Five Insects Sect.
Far across the distant horizon, a speck of golden light flew toward the sect at astonishing speed—evidently an airborne magic tool making a direct line for the mountain.
Such speed could only be achieved by a Core Formation stage cultivator.
Du Han had arrived!
Chapter 657