Chapter 644: Nature’s Gift

The initial panic had finally settled.

Qin Sang murmured, "As expected, Crimson Fire Gilded Gold holds immense allure for them. Good thing I had planned ahead and left myself a way out."

He was not one to act rashly. Spreading out the larvae of the Blood-Winged Ghost-Headed Wasps over a wide area had been a precaution precisely for situations like this. In case a terrifying spiritual insect was drawn in, he could detonate the larvae as a fallback.

Compared to chasing off an intruder, the Crimson Fire Gilded Gold was undoubtedly far more important.

Spiritual insects did not possess high intelligence. They could only make simple decisions like this.

Every species of spiritual insect had its own temperament. At the time, Qin Sang had been uncertain just how powerful the lure of Crimson Fire Gilded Gold truly was. After all, it only had value when a spiritual insect was on the verge of its next metamorphosis.

Now, it seemed he had underestimated its attraction.

This incident proved that the method was effective. However, what kind of creature it would eventually draw in was no longer something he could control.

Inwardly, Qin Sang cursed those who had discovered the Twilight Stink Bug. He couldn’t tell whether they had provided false information or whether there had been more than one bug in the cavern—an entire nest, perhaps.

Previously, the eldest Twilight Stink Bug never appeared. It must have been the lure of the Crimson Fire Gilded Gold that roused it.

The one now pursuing him was truly terrifying. It had easily discovered the hidden location of the flying yaksha and had displayed terrifying strength far beyond what Qin Sang had expected. It was likely at the late stage of the third metamorphosis.

Its attacks left no trace and seemed capable of bypassing spell defenses. Only when a blow landed could its presence be sensed.

Twilight Stink Bugs had only been discovered a few decades ago.

Qin Sang had assumed that, at most, such a bug would have completed three metamorphoses. With his strength and that of the flying yaksha, they should have been able to handle it.

Fortunately, he had reacted quickly and used the exploding larvae to lure it away. Otherwise, the flying yaksha might not have survived a third strike.

𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

He summoned the flying yaksha. Seeing the wounds across its body, he felt a lingering sense of dread. He took out a Lesser Yin Magnetic Bottle filled with Earth Malevolent Qi and handed it to the yaksha to absorb and heal.

Looking into the distance toward the entrance of the cavern, Qin Sang’s eyes flickered with uncertainty.

He had already decided to leave this place and give up on the Twilight Stink Bug.

With that creature present, the underground cavern was far too dangerous.

At his current level, Qin Sang was no match for the Twilight Stink Bug.

Even if he somehow found help and managed to capture it, it would be pointless.

All the insect control methods he knew, whether they were from Yuling Sect or the witch race’s life-bound insect gu, required the cultivator’s strength to surpass that of the spiritual insect before any hope of control was possible.

The life-bound insect gu was out of the question.

If he were to use Yuling Sect’s methods to tame insects, he would have to wait until the bug entered its fourth metamorphosis and strike at that vulnerable moment.

That meant he would need to reach the Spiritual Infant Realm first.

If the Twilight Stink Bug had the awareness to swallow the Crimson Fire Gilded Gold without refining it, and instead waited until its fourth metamorphosis to absorb the medicinal energy, then perhaps that trace of Crimson Fire Gilded Gold might change its fate.

This truly was a fortune gifted by the heavens.

Qin Sang’s expression turned odd. Somehow, he had become a treasure-bearing servant.

Would it feel grateful for this gift from nature?

Luring the Twilight Stink Bug had required only a minuscule amount of Crimson Fire Gilded Gold. The loss on his part was negligible. Still, this had taught him a valuable lesson. When using Crimson Fire Gilded Gold to attract spiritual insects, there could be no such thing as being too cautious.

***

"The sixth one."

Qin Sang stood at the edge of a poisonous swamp, rubbing his temples with a weary frown.

After leaving the Twilight Stink Bug’s cavern, he had traveled non-stop, visiting four more locations in succession.

Now, he was even more cautious. He would first test the area using special insect-luring medicines, then place Ghost-Headed Wasp larvae as bait. Only after exhausting all other methods would he resort to using the Crimson Fire Gilded Gold.

During the luring process, both he and the flying yaksha would stay as far away as possible and prepare an escape route in advance.

Qin Sang had gone to great lengths, traveling across vast wildernesses in search of suitable locations. He had visited four in total, but every effort ended in failure. Each attempt demanded his full concentration, only to yield nothing in return. The repeated setbacks left him mentally drained and physically exhausted.

Still, he had expected such outcomes.

Spiritual insects had an acute sense for danger and were prone to migration. The widespread rumors had alerted many cultivators, and it was entirely possible that some of the targets had already been captured, especially those ranked high on the Witch Insect Register.

Qin Sang possessed Crimson Fire Gilded Gold, but others might have their own unique ways to lure insects.

Finding a suitable spiritual insect was never an easy task.

This poisonous swamp was the sixth location. According to rumor, it was home to a Rainbow-Ringed Giant Earthworm.

The swamp was smaller than the wasteland where the Twilight Stink Bug had been. Multicolored poisonous mists drifted above it, glittering beneath the sunlight in vibrant hues that evoked the vivid hides of venomous insect beasts.

In truth, the toxic mists in this swamp were extremely lethal. Deeper in, even true essence could not withstand the corrosive vapors. This place was a deathtrap, one that even Core Formation cultivators dared not enter.

Curiously, despite the extreme toxicity, numerous antidotal spiritual herbs grew here. Because of that, cultivators would risk entering from time to time in search of rare medicinal plants.

Naturally, they only dared explore the edges. No one ventured into the heart of the swamp.

The Rainbow-Ringed Giant Earthworm, which had undergone its second metamorphosis, had been discovered by herb gatherers within the swamp. It had been seen by multiple people, and another sighting had been reported thirty years ago. The information was far more reliable than the rumors surrounding the Twilight Stink Bug.

The Rainbow-Ringed Giant Earthworm carried the bloodline of an ancient giant earthworm. It thrived on poisonous qi and could release a venomous cloud. Its entire body was toxic, to the point that most would not dare touch it.

The more rings it bore and the brighter its colors, the more terrifying its venom.

It would make a fine choice for a life-bound insect gu. After its third metamorphosis, the venom cloud it emitted would become colorless and formless. Even a Core Formation cultivator could fall victim if caught off guard.

It was said that after the fourth metamorphosis, the Rainbow-Ringed Giant Earthworm would gain an exceedingly rare indestructible body, making it a formidable supernatural ability long sought after by countless body cultivators.

Of course, like all rare supernatural insects, raising one was extremely difficult.

Its entire body was toxic, making it hard to capture. As a result, most herb gatherers had no interest in it.

Qin Sang had already prepared artifacts to defend against the poisonous mist. Bringing the flying yaksha along, he entered the swamp. When they reached the outskirts of the core region, he stopped. He dared not venture deeper and chose to set the bait here instead.

Because of the thick poison mist, the insect-luring medicines were largely ineffective.

Qin Sang tried placing Blood-Winged Ghost-Headed Wasp larvae, but without his direct protection, they were instantly corroded by the poison and completely dissolved.

In the end, Qin Sang had no choice but to use the Crimson Fire Gilded Gold directly.

He was well aware of the Rainbow-Ringed Giant Earthworm’s innate traits.

Although its entire body was venomous, the flying yaksha was not particularly afraid of it.

Its physical form had been tempered by Earth Malevolent Qi, which greatly enhanced its resistance to venom. This time, even if they encountered a Rainbow-Ringed Giant Earthworm in the late stage of its third metamorphosis, it wouldn’t be as disastrous as before.

Even so, Qin Sang remained extremely cautious, wary that the bait might attract something other than the earthworm.

Strangely, amidst the toxic fog of the swamp, ordinary plants still managed to grow. It was hard to understand how they could adapt to such an environment.

Since the Blood-Winged Ghost-Headed Wasp larvae couldn’t be used, Qin Sang smeared Crimson Fire Gilded Gold onto the tree trunks and grass leaves, covering a large area.

Then, he and the flying yaksha climbed to the treetops, keeping their eyes fixed on the bubbling swamp below, patiently waiting.