Chapter 671: A New Ability

It could only refine artifacts.

Huiwen appeared slightly disappointed upon hearing this, though she didn't let it show. "To have received such praise from Sister Ran Luo, you must certainly be exceptional. You need not be so modest, Daoist. I am but an ordinary guest, far beneath you in status. Once we arrive on Duyan Island, I hope you will look after me."

The journey was long. After chatting for a while, the three soon ran out of things to say. Each of them sat cross-legged in a corner of the carriage and entered quiet meditation.

More than ten days later, Qin Sang noticed that the merchant caravan had clearly picked up speed. After asking around, he learned that the merchants were selling goods to various witch race powers along the way.

It seemed these merchant guilds still understood urgency. They were not the type to chase profit at the cost of their lives.

As the journey continued, it turned out their caution had been unnecessary. While a few witch cultivators had been seen observing the caravan, there had never been any signs of real danger.

In the latter half of the route, many beast-drawn carriages were freed up. Qin Sang was finally able to occupy one alone, and he could at last enjoy some peace.

According to Ran Luo, they would arrive at Witch God Mountain by noon the next day. Qin Sang grew more expectant, wondering just what kind of place the legendary Stormy Demonic Sea truly was.

That night, while he meditated, he suddenly sensed something. Opening his eyes, he looked toward the insect basket at his waist.

Rustle...

A faint sound came from within. Qin Sang recognized it immediately. It was the fat silkworm.

It had been several months since the fat silkworm swallowed the Thousand-Hand Spider Fruit and entered its cocoon. It had remained in deep slumber ever since, showing no signs of emerging.

During that time, his life-bound insect gu, the Sky-Eyed Butterfly, had already reached the middle stage of its first metamorphosis.

The fat silkworm was undergoing its second metamorphosis, and still it took this long.[1] Among all spiritual insects, such a lengthy metamorphosis was exceptionally rare.

Qin Sang had even begun to suspect that the fat silkworm might have failed to endure the medicinal energy of the Thousand-Hand Spider Fruit and died inside its silver cocoon.

"It got even fatter?"

Qin Sang opened the insect basket and pinched the silkworm out, staring at it with a look of distaste.

The imagined scene of it transforming into a butterfly did not appear. The silkworm remained plump and colorful. Apart from being noticeably larger than before entering the cocoon, it had not changed much.

Its tiny eyes were now slightly more visible. At least they could be seen without close inspection. Its sly and lazy expression had also become more obvious.

The fat silkworm wriggled on Qin Sang’s fingertip, affectionately rubbing against his hand.

It was hungry. It wanted food.

Qin Sang noticed that the silkworm’s eyes had become much more expressive. This meant its intelligence had grown significantly during the metamorphosis.

Glancing at the insect basket, he saw that the silver cocoon had disappeared. He tossed a few spiritual fruits inside. The fat silkworm no longer dared to be picky and chomped down eagerly.

Perhaps it had been won over by the Thousand-Hand Spider Fruit. Or perhaps it had accepted that escape was impossible and resigned itself to fate.

Seeing how content it looked while eating, Qin Sang conjured another fruit into his hand—a purplish-red spiritual fruit—and waved it before the silkworm’s eyes.

It was a poisonous fruit, somewhat similar to the Thousand-Hand Spider Fruit. Of course, its medicinal energy was far inferior. The idea had come to Qin Sang when he saw the silkworm undergo metamorphosis after consuming the Thousand-Hand Spider Fruit. Back in Pingbo Port, he had bought a fair number of similar poisonous fruits.

He had no knowledge of how to raise the silkworm and could not find any references. He could only explore slowly on his own.

Unexpectedly, the fat silkworm glanced lazily at the fruit, then lowered its head and continued eating as if it made no difference.

Unwilling to give up, Qin Sang brought out all the poisonous fruits stored in the Thousand-Jin Ring and tried them one by one.

Among them was a highly valuable poisonous flower that he had originally intended to save for when the silkworm reached the late stage of its second metamorphosis. Yet none of them stirred the silkworm’s interest.

"What exactly does this creature like to eat?"

Qin Sang grew extremely frustrated, holding his head in his hands.

Although the fat silkworm had recognized Mute Girl as its master, she could not be awakened in just a few days. Now that the silkworm had become obedient, properly raising it could make it a useful ally.

But its finicky appetite left Qin Sang completely helpless.

After devouring a few spiritual fruits, the silkworm appeared full. However, it was clear that these fruits only satisfied hunger and did nothing to aid its cultivation.

"After this metamorphosis... did it gain any new abilities?"

Qin Sang thought to himself.

After the Sky-Eyed Butterfly hatched, Qin Sang quickly discovered the secret behind the Thousand-Eyed Butterfly’s camouflage.

Its wings carried a kind of dust similar to pollen. When it encountered danger, it could use this dust to disguise itself as an ordinary butterfly.

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Only after the second metamorphosis would it gain true concealment abilities.

Since it had only undergone one metamorphosis, Qin Sang could easily see through its disguise. But if it were a Foundation Building stage cultivator, the same might not be true.

This demonstrated how powerful the Sky-Eyed Butterfly’s camouflage truly was. Its ability to preserve its life was exceptional, which explained why even Qin Sang could not see through it after the second metamorphosis.

The fat silkworm, by comparison, was inferior to the Sky-Eyed Butterfly.

Before its metamorphosis, Qin Sang had used the Devilish Flames of Nine Hells to pressure it, only to find that the creature would simply eat in response and exhibited no special ability. After the metamorphosis, it should have shown some change.

Sensing the ill intent in Qin Sang’s gaze, the fat silkworm trembled violently, yet dared not run.

Qin Sang then employed the Yuling Sect’s insect-taming technique to communicate with it, instructing it to display its new ability. At the same time, he threatened it with the Devilish Flames of Nine Hells. If it proved useless, he would roast it for food.

The silkworm’s intelligence had clearly improved; it soon understood what Qin Sang wanted.

It raised its plump body into an arch, shut its eyes tightly, and its layers of fat quivered with strain.

Snap!

A burst of rainbow light suddenly erupted from its body and rapidly spread outward. The range of expansion took even Qin Sang by surprise.

He was caught off guard. Fortunately, he had already set up a concealment barrier around the carriage to block external detection.

The aura the silkworm released matched its body in color—multicolored like a rainbow, beautiful and brilliant. The rainbow halo swiftly expanded until it enveloped both Qin Sang and the silkworm, then stopped as if reaching its limit.

Qin Sang extended his hand into the light and waved it around. There was no noticeable sensation.

He released his spiritual consciousness and carefully examined the halo, but still could not detect anything unusual.

"After brewing for so long, surely this ability isn't just for show?"

Qin Sang pondered for a moment, then suddenly recalled something. He retrieved a purple jade bottle from the Thousand-Jin Ring, held his breath, and cautiously removed the stopper. A cloud of bluish mist floated out, soon becoming colorless and odorless.

This was a poisonous smoke he had obtained during the Foundation Building Realm. Extracted from the glands of a toxic toad, it could kill invisibly. Any careless Foundation Building cultivator might fall victim to it.

As soon as the poisonous smoke drifted from the bottle’s mouth, Qin Sang noticed the rainbow halo ripple slightly. Then, the smoke was immediately repelled and could not penetrate the halo in the slightest.

"It has a detoxifying effect. Not bad."

Qin Sang nodded in satisfaction. At least it hadn’t disappointed him.

In the world of immortal cultivation, poisons were as numerous as the stars. There were deadly toxic lands where even Spiritual Infant grandmasters dared not tread lightly.

Moreover, the Stormy Demonic Sea was said to be filled with poisonous demonic beasts. Cultivators feared encountering venomous contamination and often had to avoid such regions entirely.

It remained unclear how many types of poison the rainbow halo could block or where its limits lay. That would require further testing over time.

The fat silkworm’s cultivation was still low, but it would surely become useful in the future.

Qin Sang silently resolved to find a way to raise it properly as soon as possible.

1. It would make sense if the second metamorphosis took a longer time, but it seems like the author is trying to imply that the first metamorphosis is supposed to take a longer time. ☜