Astonishing Ability

Over the course of six months, Qin Sang investigated nearly everything he needed to know. The cultivators near Liangqiu Island held Luo Daotong in deep reverence and fear, but those who had actually seen him were few and far between. The times Luo Daotong had shown his face could be counted on one hand, and he rarely left Liangqiu Island. He was different from the Hanhai Sect Master. The man was a lone wolf who had never taken disciples, did not socialize with friends, and remained uninvolved in conflicts of interest. This made things exceedingly troublesome for Qin Sang. Qin Sang had spied on Liangqiu Island from afar several times. He saw wondrous light flickering over the island, clearly protected by a formidable defensive spirit array. His only chance seemed to be waiting for Luo Daotong to leave Liangqiu Island of his own accord. How long that would take was anyone's guess. Moreover, Qin Sang could not float over the open sea indefinitely to keep watch; it would be far too easy to miss his window. If Qin Sang had plenty of anything, however, it was patience. He cultivated while pondering a way forward. Before he knew it, another three months slipped by. In the dead of night, Qin Sang sat cross-legged before his cave dwelling, drawing upon the astral energy of the heavenly circuit to temper his body. A faint layer of starlight coated his form, a gleaming sheen circulating across his skin. Suddenly, something stirred him awake. He lowered his gaze to his dantian. The Heavenly Eye Butterfly had awakened! Delight showed on Qin Sang's face, and he released the butterfly. After its metamorphosis, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly appeared even lighter and nimbler in flight than before. It flitted around Qin Sang, its form fading in and out of sight, resembling a dream beneath the starlight. Aside from the patterns on its wings, the butterfly's shape showed no conspicuous change, yet its aura had grown markedly stronger. A Heavenly Eye Butterfly of the third metamorphosis! Sensing the affection radiating from the butterfly, Qin Sang beamed. He circulated his spiritual sense to communicate with it. According to the records, upon completing its third metamorphosis, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly would gain the Heavenly Eye divine ability—an exceptionally potent power, though left without any precise description. Naturally, he was brimming with curiosity. After all, it was his natal insect gu, so communicating with it took little effort. *Crack!* Thunder abruptly erupted over the butterfly's wings, turning both of them a bright silvery white as though they were bathed in lightning. Then, with a sudden sweep of its wings, a bolt of white lightning as thick as an arm shot forth. *Boom!* A bluestone slab in front of the cave dwelling took a direct hit and shattered on the spot. A massive crater opened in the mountain wall, and the ground shuddered several times. "Not bad!" Qin Sang gave a slight nod as he gauged the lightning's power. He had originally expected that after its metamorphosis, the butterfly might match a cultivator of the same realm. Seeing it now, it still fell a bit short; after all, controlling lightning was not its innate divine ability. Nevertheless, it was more than sufficient for self-defense. At the very least, he would not have to worry about it dying an untimely death. The thunderous strike startled the other cultivators on the mountain, jarring them from their meditative trances to come out and inspect the commotion. Qin Sang and Ma Yu's cave dwellings were both situated at the mountain's summit, not far apart from each other, occupying the two finest spots atop the spirit vein. Ma Yu was likewise disturbed and stepped out of his dwelling, his expression filled with suspicion and uncertainty. At that moment, Qin Sang noticed with astonishment that through the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, he could see Ma Yu clearly. The barrier of drifting clouds manifested by the defensive spirit array around Ma Yu's dwelling was rendered practically nonexistent before the Heavenly Eye Butterfly. Though Ma Yu's cultivation was limited and the spirit array was not especially powerful, Qin Sang normally could never have seen through it with his naked eyes without resorting to intrusive methods. *Is this the power of the Heavenly Eye? It can see straight through illusions!* Qin Sang looked at the creature with newfound regard. The Heavenly Eye Butterfly hovered in midair. The pupils within the eye patterns on its wings were actually moving—silvery-white and lifelike. "Daoist Mingyue, what happened?" Ma Yu emerged from the spirit array, glanced around without finding anything amiss, and approached Qin Sang's dwelling to call out in inquiry. Every single one of his movements was laid bare before Qin Sang's eyes. "Pindao acted too hastily during cultivation, leading to an unexpected mishap. I did not realize I would disturb everyone. My internal spiritual power is unstable at the moment, so please forgive me for being unable to come out and greet you..." Qin Sang offered an explanation. "Are you injured, Daoist? If you require assistance, do not hesitate to speak," Ma Yu said with concern. Qin Sang had been here for less than a year, but they got along very harmoniously. Qin Sang possessed an indifferent temperament with no desire to vie for power or profit, and Ma Yu's attitude toward him had grown increasingly warm. "Fortunately, I noticed it in time, so it is nothing serious. Thank you for your concern, fellow Daoist." With a few words, Qin Sang sent them away. He kept the Heavenly Eye Butterfly fixated on Ma Yu's movements, for he had just made another startling discovery! Suspecting nothing, Ma Yu dismissed the others and returned to his dwelling. As Ma Yu opened the defensive spirit array and stepped inside, Qin Sang held his breath. His mind linked to the butterfly, he stared intently at the array. Before long, Qin Sang let out a long breath. A brilliant glow danced in his eyes, and he looked at the butterfly with boundless delight. *What formidable ability! Not only can it see through illusions, but it can even perceive the weaknesses of spirit arrays and restrictions!* Qin Sang was utterly astounded. He had never expected the butterfly's ability to be this potent. Just now, the butterfly had effortlessly seen through the flaws in the defensive spirit array outside Ma Yu's dwelling, discovering a method to unravel it. Qin Sang's own attainments in restrictions were respectable, yet he could never have done so with such ease. Most terrifying of all, this did not stem from any profound understanding of restrictions or spirit arrays on the butterfly's part. It was purely an instinct and an innate gift—this was the power of the Heavenly Eye! It would be just as effective against those mysterious, complex ancient spirit arrays and ancient restrictions! Naturally, this had not been a top-tier array. For now, the butterfly's cultivation remained modest and its capabilities limited; confronted with a far more intricate and mighty array, its performance would certainly not be quite so startling. *The Heavenly Eye Butterfly... Is this why it could stand alongside those exotic insects found only in legends? This ability is downright terrifying—even more useful than the fat silkworm's poison-warding armor. Once it undergoes another metamorphosis, with its aid, I will have a chance of unraveling the mysterious ancient restrictions and ancient spirit arrays hidden in the Immortal cultivation world's secret realms. *Still, rearing a Heavenly Eye Butterfly is no joke either. Anyone else might spend an entire lifetime without living to see the day it completes its third metamorphosis. *The Red Gold Vine was just as rare and precious in ancient times. Nearly eighty percent of the Scarlet Fire Flowing Gold within that single spirit fruit went into the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's belly just to help it break through to the third metamorphosis, whereas the fat silkworm advanced after consuming only a few drops back then. *If left to advance on its own, who knows how many ages it would have taken. *With very little Scarlet Fire Flowing Gold remaining, the hope of the Heavenly Eye Butterfly breaking through to the fourth metamorphosis can only be described as slim. Without a stroke of miraculous fortune, the sheer span of time required would drive anyone to despair.* Qin Sang suppressed the excitement in his chest, refusing to indulge in wild fantasies, and settled his state of mind. His original intention in subduing a natal insect gu had been to raise a spirit insect to the peak of the third metamorphosis to assist him during Nascent Soul formation. Having successfully aided the Heavenly Eye Butterfly in reaching the third metamorphosis meant the bulk of the task was already accomplished; anything else was an unexpected boon. Afterward, Qin Sang could hardly bear to part with it. Linking his mind with the gu insect, he continued to explore its abilities. The metamorphosed butterfly possessed greater sentience and could communicate simply with him, proving as nimble as an incarnation of his own. An hour later, Qin Sang stepped outside to show his face, then left Nandu Island directly. The Heavenly Eye Butterfly's ability had sparked another possibility in his mind: if he could crack Liangqiu Island's defensive spirit array, he could simply step onto the island directly.