Chapter 2319: Gonggong's Platform

"It's impossible for you to rely solely on spiritual medicines to cultivate spiritual insects. The effects will only get progressively worse. Eventually, you'll just waste a large quantity of spiritual medicines for only a negligible improvement. Moreover, the diverse medicinal energies will accumulate in the body, becoming difficult to clear, and will even hinder the spiritual insect's potential..."

Yu Ling found it very strange. "You're so formidable, why not try your luck at the Insect Tomb?"

Qin Sang naturally understood the point Yu Ling was making, but he had no better solution.

Over the years, Qin Sang had encountered numerous witch clans, learning about their inheritances. He discovered that most of their insect-controlling techniques were developed based on their inherent bloodline talents, leaving distinct marks in their lineages.

Even among witch cultivators, different clans possessed different bloodline talents. Consequently, even if they acquired a secret art, they could only use it as a reference and adapt it to their own bloodline, unable to fully replicate it.

This highlighted the value of the "Pangu True Scripture." While it might not be the most profound scripture of the witch clans, it was the most suitable for Qin Sang, an 'outsider,' to cultivate.

As the scripture's secret arts were difficult to practice, Qin Sang could only focus on external medicines.

All major clans, in their pursuit of insect control, cultivated spiritual medicines and developed unique methods of application.

The same spiritual medicine, when supplemented with exclusive secret arts, produced unexpected results.

Qin Sang had not only extorted spiritual medicines but also their corresponding methods. However, even with these, he couldn't avoid the drawbacks Yu Ling had mentioned.

The Heavenly Eye Butterfly's foundation was very solid and could temporarily withstand this, but Qin Sang dared not let his guard down.

"Thank you for the reminder. I know my limits," Qin Sang said, glancing thoughtfully at She Chan's illusion.

Unsure what this 'Insect Tomb' was, She Chan interrupted Yu Ling without waiting for the negotiation with the Sky-Fool Clan's shaman to conclude, seemingly fearing Qin Sang would believe the 'slander.'

From their tone, the Insect Tomb appeared to be a very dangerous yet opportunity-filled place. However, it was not appropriate to ask She Chan about it in front of outsiders, lest he reveal his ignorance and arouse suspicion.

"Hmph!"

Yu Ling wrinkled her delicate nose and said, displeased, "Why do you keep referring to yourself as 'this old man,' just like Grandfather Qi and the others? You're not even old!"

Qin Sang couldn't help but laugh. For cultivators, it was too easy to remain 'ageless.' At their level, with endless lifespans, there was no distinction between young and old.

Yet, while their appearance didn't age, their hearts had grown old!

Just like the two from the Sky-Fool Clan, they could easily change their appearance to become handsome men or beautiful women, but they no longer fixated on their physical forms. Of course, if they were already young-looking, there was no need to deliberately feign old age.

"Elder Qin..."

She Chan handed a square jade tablet to Qin Sang. Reflected in the tablet was a middle-aged man with white robes and white hair, possessing an extraordinary demeanor—it was indeed Yu Gong, the shaman of the Sky-Fool Clan.

"Indeed, heroes emerge in every generation. Elder Qin's current venture will surely astound the world! Unfortunately, I am unable to leave at this time; otherwise, I would certainly come in person. I look forward to meeting Elder Qin at the Taihao Clan..."

Despite the Sky-Fool Clan's crushing defeat and heavy losses in this battle, there was not the slightest dissatisfaction in Yu Gong's eyes. Instead, they were filled with admiration for Qin Sang, demonstrating extraordinary magnanimity.

"I shall surely clear the mat and await your arrival," Qin Sang replied with a slight bow, looking at She Chan.

She Chan nodded, indicating that he had reached an agreement with Yu Gong.

With a flick of Qin Sang's sleeve, the countless stars instantly vanished, transforming into a sword light that revealed two figures.

The elder and the other Sky-Fool Clan cultivator were both weak but out of danger; they would recover completely after a period of recuperation.

Yu Ling darted over, helped the elder up, and teased, "Grandfather Qi, you really took a big fall this time."

The elder gave a wry smile, turned to look at Qin Sang, bowed from a distance without a word, and then departed.

"Elder Qin, we shall meet again!"

Yu Ling didn't forget to wave goodbye to Qin Sang, as if Qin Sang wasn't an opponent of the Sky-Fool Clan but a friend.

Her clear voice still echoed in the air until the Sky-Fool Clan cultivators disappeared into the horizon.

"Elder Qin, don't be deceived by her appearance," She Chan couldn't help but warn, seeing Qin Sang still looking in the direction Yu Ling had left. "This woman appears innocent, but she is known as a 'demoness' in the Northern Lands. Many powerful cultivators have been played by her, and due to her identity, no one can do anything about her. Her deliberate mention of the Insect Tomb in front of Elder Qin clearly indicates malicious intent."

"Is that so?"

Qin Sang neither confirmed nor denied it, instead asking, "What exactly is this Insect Tomb that makes you so apprehensive, fellow Daoist?"

Seeing that Qin Sang was indeed intrigued, She Chan secretly sighed. "The so-called 'Insect Tomb' is located within the Gonggong Platform, one of the Ten Great Forbidden Lands. Among these Ten Great Forbidden Lands, some are sacred sites, and some are perilous places. The Gonggong Platform was once a sacred site, but now it is an absolute perilous place!"

Qin Sang had long heard of the Ten Great Forbidden Lands; the Fengju Jade Gate was also one of the witch clan's Ten Great Forbidden Lands.

Some of these forbidden lands, like the Fengju Jade Gate, were fraught with danger, while others held extraordinary symbolism and significance for the witch clan, being sacred sites passed down from ancient times.

In the struggle for the Shaman Chief, the saintess who emerged victorious from the competition would eventually journey to a divine mountain called Dengbao Mountain, one of the sacred sites among the Ten Great Forbidden Lands, to determine the final Shaman Chief.

In witch clan legends, Dengbao Mountain was where the multitude of shamans ascended and descended, meaning it was the place where ancient shamans traveled between heaven and earth, and the necessary path for ascending to pay homage to the gods.

In ancient times, there was another mountain with similar status: Mount Ling. It is recorded that ten Great Sky Shamans once resided there, serving as divine guardians, ascending and descending from it to proclaim divine will and convey the people's sentiments.

In the dream of the alien race's holy land, Mount Ling was the base camp where humans and divine descendants resisted the demon race.

Qin Sang suspected that the current Buddhist holy site, Mount Ling, was the very sacred mountain of the witch clan. With the witch clan having lost Mount Ling, Dengbao Mountain became their sole sacred mountain.

Each of the witch clan's Ten Great Forbidden Lands had a mysterious ancient legend, and the Gonggong Platform was no exception.

"Gonggong... is it related to the Gonggong Clan?" Qin Sang asked.

The Gonggong Clan was one of the oldest witch clans. It is said to have split apart in ancient times, and the Gonggong Clan itself ceased to exist, but many of its splinter clans survived, the Kanghui Clan being one of them.

In ancient times, Gonggong was known as the God of Water. Many later clans with water-related talents had connections to the Gonggong Clan.

"Indeed, the Gonggong Platform was once a sacred site of the Gonggong Clan, rumored to have been constructed under divine decree, hailed as a divine platform, and imbued with divine power. However, it was destroyed in ancient times. Now, that forbidden land is merely a ruin and bears little resemblance to the legendary Gonggong Platform. It might not even be the actual site of the Gonggong Platform, perhaps its name was imposed by later generations," She Chan shook his head repeatedly, trying to dissuade Qin Sang from his dangerous idea.

The Dongyang Clan and Qin Sang had enjoyed a very pleasant collaboration. Over several ventures, Qin Sang had gained immensely, and the Dongyang Clan had also reaped significant benefits.

Qin Sang venturing into the Gonggong Platform offered no benefit to the Dongyang Clan and could instead lead to unforeseen incidents, potentially affecting the Shaman Chief competition.

The perilous sites listed among the Ten Great Forbidden Lands were all extremely dangerous, so much so that even Great Shamans dared not trespass. No matter how strong Qin Sang was, how could he compare to a Great Shaman?

"Why did a sacred site turn into an Insect Tomb?" Qin Sang asked, curious.

The 'Insect Tomb,' as its name suggests – a graveyard for insects – clearly implies it's not a benevolent place.

"This involves ancient secrets that likely no one in this era knows. Although the Kanghui Clan is a branch of the Gonggong Clan, Fellow Daoist Li probably couldn't explain it clearly either," She Chan thought, sensing trouble. Qin Sang's interest was growing stronger.

"Elder Qin, don't be foolish. The Insect Tomb is located deep within the Gonggong Platform, and the rumors of great opportunities within are just that – rumors. To my knowledge, very few have entered over countless years. Only those with no other options, or compelling reasons, would risk venturing into the Insect Tomb. Yet, less than one in ten who enter manage to leave safely. For those who fail, not only do their spiritual insects perish, but their masters also meet their end there. Elder Qin has a promising future ahead; why take such risks..."

She Chan earnestly advised, "Those who venture into the Insect Tomb are all chasing unrealistic fantasies. Even if there truly were opportunities, without familiarity with the terrain or knowledge of the Insect Tomb's operational patterns, they would only blunder around like headless flies, with extremely slim hope."

Qin Sang wasn't oblivious to She Chan's persuasive intent. However, She Chan would undoubtedly prioritize the Dongyang Clan's interests, thus inevitably exaggerating the dangers and difficulties within.

As the saying goes, listening to all sides leads to enlightenment, while hearing only one side leads to ignorance. Qin Sang intended to hear other perspectives before deciding whether to go.

Moreover...

Inside his Qi Sea, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's wings fluttered open and closed, the spiritual light in its Heavenly Eye flickering erratically, indicating its restless state.

Qin Sang was greatly surprised. Ever since his cultivation level had far surpassed the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's, it had been eagerly striving to catch up, but he hadn't expected such a strong will from it.

There was a reluctance to fall behind, an eagerness to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its master, an urgency to help its master as much as possible, and also a fear of being completely left behind, just like the Fire Jade Centipede!

As Qin Sang continually advanced, 'fellow Daoists' would inevitably fall behind. He wouldn't stop to wait for them; they would drift further and further away until his back was no longer visible.

This applied not only to fellow Daoists but also to spiritual insects and spiritual beasts.

The Fire Jade Centipede had been left by Qin Sang at Qingyang Abbey. Without a great opportunity, it would forever lose the qualification to follow Qin Sang in this lifetime.

Ever since the Heavenly Eye Butterfly acknowledged Qin Sang as its master, it had always been obedient to him, like a docile daughter. This was the first time it had expressed its will so strongly.

She wanted to go to the Insect Tomb!

"She's really like a daughter entering her rebellious phase..."

Qin Sang sighed inwardly.

He had previously viewed the Heavenly Eye Butterfly more as an aid for cultivation and combat, and since it never disobeyed him, he had subconsciously overlooked its thoughts.

As the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's cultivation and spiritual intelligence grew higher, it would eventually develop its own thoughts and desires.

Humans are not plants; how could they be heartless?

The Heavenly Eye Butterfly had followed Qin Sang for so long, making immense contributions. In his most difficult times, only the Heavenly Eye Butterfly had been by his side.

Even if the Heavenly Eye Butterfly was completely subservient to him, and Qin Sang could easily suppress or even erase its will, treating it as a mere tool, how could he bring himself to do so?

"No wonder most cultivators choose to refine their Natal Spirit Treasures into True Treasures! What if, one day, the artifact spirit also gets a whim and develops thoughts inconsistent with, or even contrary to, its master's interests..."

Qin Sang thought of the Wandering Cloud Sword; its spirit, Wandering Cloud, possessed an even stronger will than the Heavenly Eye Butterfly.

If Master Wandering Cloud's consciousness were to reawaken someday, there was no telling what trouble it might cause.

At this thought, Qin Sang secretly shook his head and bowed, saying, "Please trouble fellow Daoist to contact Fellow Daoist Li for me. I have something to consult her about."

Unable to persuade Qin Sang in the end, She Chan sighed helplessly and could only agree.

A few days later.

Qin Sang took out a new Dharma boat and flew through the sky. He had released She Shuang, who remained completely unaware of the great battle from a few days prior.

Suddenly, the Wind Messenger Worm in his hand trembled, its mouth slightly parted, and a cool female voice emerged: "Old Ghost She says Elder Qin is interested in the Gonggong Platform?"

"Exactly!"

"Your true objective is actually the Insect Tomb, isn't it?" Li guessed Qin Sang's intention. "As expected, true skill begets boldness. Elder Qin, aren't you afraid of perishing inside, turning ten thousand years of arduous cultivation into a fleeting dream?"

"That's why I'm seeking advice from Fellow Daoist Li."

Qin Sang promised, "If Fellow Daoist Li has anything you desire, or any enemies, feel free to lure them over. There will certainly be a satisfactory outcome for you."

"Elder Qin, what audacious words. Oh! I forgot to congratulate Elder Qin; even the Sky-Fool Clan has become your defeated opponent!"

Li's tone was not without sarcasm. "Too bad you are my enemies!"

"Fellow Daoist is too attached to appearances."

Qin Sang smiled.

Li snorted coldly. "Enough nonsense! My clan does indeed possess some ancient texts describing the Gonggong Platform. As for how much help they can provide, I don't know, as I've never been inside. Our ancestors once undertook an expedition, but for unknown reasons, it was abruptly abandoned, and they ceased exploring the Gonggong Platform long ago. Over countless years, the interior of the forbidden land has likely changed beyond recognition, so previous experiences may not be effective. I can give all of this to you, but whether it's useful or not, you will owe me a favor!"

"Good! As long as it doesn't harm my interests, I can agree to your terms," Qin Sang said.

"Are you currently... heading to Yulei Mountain? I'll have someone send it over immediately..."

Li's voice gradually faded, and the Wind Messenger Worm fell silent.

Qin Sang took out a map, scanned it, located Yulei Mountain, and instructed She Shuang to steer the Dharma boat in that direction.

The Gonggong Platform.

This forbidden land also bore a terrifying name: the God-Weeping Blood Plain!

From outside the forbidden land, one could see boundless blood-red clouds covering the entire area, as if stained by the blood of deities. This divine blood carried immense resentment, transforming the place into a land of malevolence, where a faint scent of blood could be detected.

Beneath the low-hanging blood clouds, strange, mournful winds blew incessantly, as if gods were weeping.

The mere god-like wails from the periphery alone were enough to unsettle one's mind; no living being dared to approach.

Silently, three figures appeared outside the forbidden land.

"We're here! Grandfather Qi, Grandmother Qi, let's wait for him here!"

Yu Ling clapped her small hands and scanned the surroundings, searching for a place to land.

"Young Master, do you truly believe Elder Qin will come?" The old woman frowned deeply.

"He's already intrigued! I feel he's as arrogant as my father; he's definitely coming!"

Yu Ling paused, then added, "If he doesn't come, we'll go in ourselves."

"This person is extremely cunning, and his strength is probably no less than that of the Shaman Chief. Traveling with him is like bargaining with a tiger. What if... we fear we won't be able to protect Young Master," the elder had to admit the disparity between them and Qin Sang.

"What's there to be afraid of? We're not intentionally trying to harm him!" Yu Ling said, completely unconcerned, spotting a mountain and flying downwards.

The old woman and the old man exchanged a helpless glance, truly bewildered as to why Yu Gong would allow this.