Gateway of Immortality

After eliminating Daoist Jiupao, Qin Sang immediately set off on the return journey without rest. The flying yaksha's condition was deteriorating rapidly; its corpse core's cracks refused to heal and even showed signs of spreading.

The Earth Malevolent Qi he had gathered with the Lesser Yin Magnetic Bottles was far too little, like a drop in the ocean. He had to return to the Sunken Cave as quickly as possible.

With Daoist Jiupao and the Four Demonic Flame Envoys all slain, the Demonic Flame Sect was now little more than an empty name. There were still a few remaining members of the Kuiyin Sect hiding within it, and Qin Sang had originally intended to sweep through the Demonic Flame Sect's mountain stronghold. But now, he had no time for that.

At the fastest speed possible, he rushed back to the Sunken Cave.

Qin Sang summoned the flying yaksha.

Its aura was in utter chaos. Though its external wounds had mostly healed, its body had withered severely, almost shriveled into a dried corpse.

The injury at its dantian had not fully recovered either. Wisps of corpse qi continuously seeped from the wound, the Qihai on the verge of collapse. The corpse core had turned pale, cracked and brittle.

Considering Daoist Jiupao himself had been unable to fully display Core Formation Realm strength, and the flying yaksha was also but an incomplete product compared to a true one, this result was already the best Qin Sang could have hoped for.

He had been prepared for the possibility that the flying yaksha would be completely ruined.

"At least I made it back in time," Qin Sang murmured.

He swept his spiritual consciousness carefully across the flying yaksha's body, confirming that although its injuries were severe, they had not yet reached an irreparable stage. Only then did he truly relax.

He placed several barriers on the flying yaksha to seal its aura, then directed it to leap into the Earth Malevolent Qi.

Core Formation cultivators from Shaohua Mountain would rarely venture into such barren lands. Nonetheless, to be cautious, Qin Sang instructed the flying yaksha to dive as deep as it could.

Only when the pressure reached the yaksha's limits did Qin Sang pick a protruding rock wall and have the flying yaksha sit cross-legged there, bathing in the Earth Malevolent Qi to heal.

Recovery would depend entirely on the flying yaksha itself, absorbing the qi and slowly nourishing its injuries. There was little Qin Sang could do to assist.

It would not be a short process, and Qin Sang could not afford to wait here forever. Still uneasy, he lingered in the Sunken Cave for three days, observing whether the flying yaksha could withstand the harsh environment.

During these three days, Qin Sang also took care of another matter: removing the Heart-Devouring Insect from his primordial spirit.

He had long known the method to undo the gu. However, while Daoist Jiupao and the others had still been alive, he had kept it as a potential bargaining chip, so he had delayed the process.

Now, with only a few insignificant members of the Kuiyin Sect remaining, there was no longer any need for such precautions.

This Heart-Devouring Insect had followed Qin Sang ever since he left the Kuiyin Sect—several decades in total. At first, it had been a venomous thorn in his heart, leaving him constantly on edge. Later, it had even served as bait to lure and kill Kuiyin Sect remnants, witnessing Qin Sang's rise step by step.

Though he no longer feared the insect's threat, Qin Sang still felt a profound sense of relief once he dispersed the gu.

He had cast off not just a poisonous gu but also that dark, oppressive chapter of his past within the Kuiyin Sect.

The Heart-Devouring Insect separated from his primordial spirit, floating out into the void of his consciousness space. Without its anchor, it instantly lost all vitality. Its worm-like body stiffened midair, drifting before Qin Sang's eyes.

From its mouthparts protruded two sharp fangs that glinted coldly, looking both fierce and grotesque.

Moments later, the insect suddenly began to collapse from its head, crumbling entirely into ash.

After all, it was only a corpse animated by the Venomous Gu Art. Each Heart-Devouring Insect could only endure a single cycle of the art. Once undone, it would vanish completely from the world.

Three days passed.

The flying yaksha remained safe and stable.

Qin Sang then left the Sunken Cave alone, ready to search for a suitable location to prepare for his Core Formation.

He did not return to his sect, nor even to Huilong Temple. The Snow Spirit Lotus and Iris Flower were simply too important. Even among his fellow sect members, he did not feel fully at ease. He intended to wait until he had fully refined the spiritual herbs before making any public appearance.

The best place for secluded cultivation was, naturally, the cave dwelling where the Nine-Illusion Heavenly Orchid had once been nurtured.

In order to preserve the cave's secrecy, Qin Sang had not opened it even once since his return from Yinshan Stronghold.

The sky was clear, with only a few wisps of cloud drifting lazily.

Qin Sang rode the clouds, but instead of heading straight for the cave dwelling, he deliberately made a detour, landing on an uninhabited island. This was the very island where they had once gathered before setting off for the Heavenly Corpse Cave.

The island remained much the same as it had back then.

The nest built by that pair of birds had long since fallen into ruin.

Of the eight companions who had set out together, only Qin Sang remained.

When he had left the Chaotic Island Waters, Qin Sang had left a message for Li Yufu, instructing that if there was ever news of Wandering Man, he was to leave a Sound Transmission Talisman at this island to inform him.

He still held a Ziwei Secret Talisman. The opening of the Ziwei Palace was fast approaching, and if Wandering Man had no use for it, Qin Sang wanted to sell it off quickly.

Over the years, there had been no news whatsoever of Wandering Man, and Qin Sang had all but given up hope. Yet, to his surprise, the moment he landed on the island, he discovered a spiritual array hidden there.

The array was laid out with exquisite care. It had no offensive or defensive function, it merely preserved a deliberately left trace of blood qi. Qin Sang could be certain it was left by Wandering Man.

Wandering Man has returned?

A flicker of joy stirred in Qin Sang's heart. He reached out and triggered the array, and the blood qi sealed inside burst apart with a muffled pop.

Qin Sang waited for a while at the spot. After a moment's thought, he concealed himself in the shadows.

He trusted the Wandering Man, but he still had to guard against the possibility that something might have gone wrong, and that someone might have used Wandering Man against him.

Before long, two streaks of familiar evasion light flew toward the island from the horizon.

One belonged to Li Yufu.

The other carried the distinctive radiance of the Flawless Orb!

"Greetings, Senior Uncle!"

Li Yufu respectfully bowed to Qin Sang. Though he was still only at the early stage of Foundation Building Realm, after years of tempering alongside Qin Sang on the battlefield, his aura had grown far more composed and steady.

"Brother Qin!"

Upon seeing Qin Sang, Wandering Man descended from his evasion light and strode over with a hearty laugh. "I saw the message you left with Yufu and came immediately. We've been waiting for you a while now."

Qin Sang offered a guilty smile and said, "These past days, I was preoccupied with some trivial matters..."

"No matter, I figured you had important business to handle."

The Wandering Man waved a hand dismissively and glanced at Li Yufu, signaling him to stand guard outside. Then he turned to study Qin Sang carefully and said in a low voice, "You're still in the Fake Core Realm. You haven't attempted Core Formation yet?"

Qin Sang shook his head. "Forming a Golden Core is a perilous bottleneck. I don't have the full confidence to succeed yet."

"A pity. In this matter, there's little I can do to help."

Wandering Man sighed lightly, then encouraged him, "Brother Qin, with the Snow Spirit Lotus and the Iris Flower in hand—both the greatest spirit herbs for Core Formation that can be found in the Small Cold Domain—you are certain to succeed in a single attempt!"

Qin Sang knew that news of him obtaining the Snow Spirit Lotus and Iris Flower must have already spread throughout the Small Cold Domain, so it was no surprise that Wandering Man had heard of it.

At the mention of Core Formation, Qin Sang quickly asked, "Senior, you've been searching for natural treasures all these years. Has your primordial soul's hidden injury fully healed? I recently acquired two Ziwei Secret Talismans by chance. Would you happen to need one?"

As he spoke, Qin Sang took out the two talismans and presented them to Wandering Man.

"Ziwei Secret Talismans? Two of them?!"

Wandering Man was utterly astonished, but without hesitation, he took one and pocketed it with a wide grin.

"Haha! Of course, I need one! You've really gone to a lot of trouble for me, Brother Qin. If I hadn't brought you good news today, I would've been too embarrassed to accept it!"