Qin Sang didn’t know how to comfort him.

However, Wandering Man needed no sympathy from Qin Sang. He quickly suppressed his melancholy and smiled. "Just a moment of sentimentality. I must have made you laugh, Brother Qin."

Qin Sang shook his head.

"Senior, your heart of Dao is strong. I greatly admire it."

Wandering Man chuckled, then suddenly declared with boundless pride, "The Dao is merciless! As cultivators, we must possess an unyielding determination. Otherwise, in this vast world teeming with extraordinary talents, how many ever achieve the Golden Core Realm? Why should it be us? Only by embracing this spirit can we stand unashamed before the heavens and guiltless before ourselves. Even if we perish and our Dao is severed, we can still meet death with a smile."

He slightly raised his head, his eyes gleaming. Though they stood deep underground, his gaze seemed to pierce through the ancient ruins above, reaching the clear skies beyond.

Qin Sang remained silent, his thoughts drifting through the past forty years. Every step he had taken to reach this point aligned with Wandering Man’s words: seizing every opportunity and never giving up.

It all came down to four words: Remain true to your original aspiration.

"Brother Qin, this isn’t just my warning." Wandering Man’s tone turned serious. "The term Golden Core—golden represents unyielding permanence, while core signifies flawless radiance and purity. With damage to your Qihai, achieving perfection will be difficult. You should seek remedies as early as possible. Waiting until you reach the Fake Core Realm to hastily address your injury will leave you pressed for time, and by then, regret will be futile."

Retracting his gaze, Wandering Man offered his counsel.

Qin Sang’s tone grew grave. "Senior, are there precedents for what you’ve said?"

He had already consulted ancient texts at Shaohua Mountain, only to discover that every cultivator’s journey was unique. It was hard to determine how much his damaged foundation would hinder his progress toward forming a Golden Core.

Over the past twenty years of practice, the

Primordial Spirit Sword Nourishment

had proven not only feasible but also the most suitable art for him.

If no unforeseen obstacles arose, he was confident he could break through to the Fake Core Realm before his lifespan ran out, and make his attempt at forming a Golden Core. Even without Wandering Man’s reminder, Qin Sang was well aware that this crucial step required careful planning.

Prepare for contingencies.

Wandering Man slowly shook his head. "It’s hard to say. Cultivation has always been like a single-log bridge crowded with thousands, each vying for a slim chance at survival. Success in forming a Golden Core is rare—less than one in ten Fake Core cultivators manage it. Determining how much damage to the Qihai will affect you is equally uncertain. However, every cultivator striving for the Golden Core spares no effort, exploring every possibility to improve their odds, even slightly. How could we afford to miss any chance to achieve perfection?"

Qin Sang pondered deeply before responding. "To be honest, Senior, I’ve been researching healing methods. I’ve identified three pills that might help: the Heyun Pill, the Five-Herb Divine Ointment, and the Snow Ginseng Jade Pill. Incidentally, these were once auctioned by your sect at the Taiyi Core Pavilion. Do you happen to know more about them?"

"These…"

Wandering Man glanced at Qin Sang and replied, "The pills you’ve mentioned all excel at nourishing one’s foundation. They are indeed top-grade among such remedies. However, Junior Brother Qin, purchasing these pills from the Taiyi Core Pavilion will be no easy feat. The main ingredients for these pills are said to have come from an ancient herb garden and are inherently scarce. Some of our senior uncles refined them to improve their alchemical skills, but the quantity was limited. Once these pills were auctioned off, countless people—from powerful factions to rogue Golden Core cultivators—flocked to request them. It’s almost impossible to find any still available. You could inquire at the Taiyi Core Pavilion, but those auctions took place decades ago."

Hearing this, Qin Sang’s heart sank. He had already noticed during his inquiries at the pavilion twenty years ago that those auctions had been held long ago. Wandering Man’s confirmation merely solidified his suspicion.

In the current world of immortal cultivation, spiritual herbs were exceedingly rare. Remedies like the Heyun Pill, requiring materials born of the spirit of heaven and earth, were almost impossible to find in the outside world and could only be sought in ancient immortal battlefields.

As for requesting the pills directly from the sect…

Qin Sang discerned Wandering Man’s underlying message. The Taiyi Core Sect didn’t just sell pills—they formed alliances through their transactions. Competing with major factions or Golden Core masters was beyond the capability of someone like him, a mere early-stage Foundation Building cultivator.

Unless he was willing to pay an exorbitant price, offering treasures so rare that they moved the sect’s heart, his chances were slim.

Di Que was preparing to forge the Primordial Unity Ring, and the spiritual materials he had gathered for the process were extraordinarily valuable. If Qin Sang offered some of these materials, he would undoubtedly be able to persuade the Taiyi Core Sect to assist him.

However, unless he had no other choice, Qin Sang was reluctant to part with these treasures.

Di Que had painstakingly collected these materials over an extended period, which was a testament to their rarity. Once sacrificed, there was no guarantee they could be replaced.

Qin Sang had reviewed the forging method for the Primordial Unity Ring and realized that it only lacked two spiritual materials. This meant that once he successfully formed a Golden Core, he would only need to find two additional items to complete the forging of an astra. The allure of obtaining such a powerful asset was hard to resist.

Of course, if he failed to form a Golden Core, all of this would amount to nothing more than an illusion. In such a dire situation, he would have no choice but to trade the materials. For now, though, as an early-stage Foundation Building cultivator, he still had ample time to prepare.

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior. I understand now," Qin Sang said, expressing his gratitude while silently calculating his path forward.

At this moment, Wandering Man hesitated briefly before speaking. "Brother Qin, if you are interested in searching for spiritual medicines, I happen to know of a place. However, I’m not sure if you’d be willing to go."

Qin Sang looked at Wandering Man in surprise.

"Please elaborate, Senior."

Wandering Man nodded. "Brother Qin, do you recall when we first met six months ago at Changyang Market? At the time, I was preparing for a journey westward because I had come across a dubious piece of information. It suggested that someone had discovered a hidden passage in the cave dwelling of an ancient cultivator. The passage was believed to lead to the cultivator’s herb garden. I’ve spent the past six months investigating this lead from multiple angles and believe there’s a seventy to eighty percent chance it’s true. The herb garden has only just been uncovered, so it’s likely that the spiritual medicines within haven’t been harvested yet. There might even be the remedies you and I need. That said, venturing into the herb garden won’t be easy, and I doubt I can manage it alone. My return this time was partly to recruit allies for the endeavor. When I encountered you in the Tianjing Hidden Realm, I wanted to mention this, but the mission distracted us. If you’re interested, I’d like to count you as one of the participants."

Qin Sang recalled his first meeting with Wandering Man at Changyang Market. At the time, Wandering Man had indeed mentioned receiving information that could resolve a hidden illness and was heading out to investigate it.

However, Qin Sang found himself at a loss for how to respond to the sudden invitation. Accepting or rejecting it outright would seem too hasty.

For now, he still intended to return to the Taiyi Core Pavilion to confirm whether the Heyun Pill and the other two medicines were genuinely unavailable.

Sensing Qin Sang’s hesitation, Wandering Man didn’t press him for a decision. Instead, he added, "There’s no rush to reply, Brother Qin. Entering that cave dwelling won’t be easy, and the passage won’t open for another two or three years. Let’s escape our current predicament first and discuss it further afterward."