Chapter 2335: Choice

**Mortal World**

Qin Sang was lucky. He had chosen the right direction and, after a period of effort, 'surfaced' to finally see a landscape different from within the light stream.

His gaze pierced through some light clusters, looking above the light stream. It resembled the surface of a river of light, above which lay only void.

Qin Sang's heart swelled with joy. He struggled upwards, intending to break free from the surface, but unexpectedly, the pressure surged. The closer he got to the surface, the greater the pressure from above, threatening to forcibly push him back down.

This invisible pressure was immense. Even with the Sky-Eye Butterfly and the strange worm working together, resisting it was exceptionally difficult. Perhaps it was this very pressure that contained these light clusters here, gathering them into a ceaseless river.

Qin Sang wanted to know what lay beyond the light stream. He could only endure the pressure, exerting all his might to approach the surface.

In that moment, Qin Sang felt as if he was battling the entire river of light, his only reliance being the two spirit insects.

The Sky-Eye Butterfly, with its higher cultivation and the secret treasure of the Tianyu Clan, was still in good condition.

The strange worm, however, was trembling, its poisonous mist almost completely dispersed, emitting a pained, groaning whine.

Finally, they broke through the surface of the river and saw the landscape beyond the river of light.

As observed earlier, the light stream formed a river of light with discernible banks, but both the banks and the space above were utterly void.

This place seemed like an endless void, where the river of light flowed in solitude, its source unknown, and its destination, bearing them along, also a mystery.

This meant there was no true 'up' or 'down' here; every direction was effectively the river's surface. In other words, no matter which way Qin Sang chose, he would face the same immense pressure.

Unwilling to give up, Qin Sang decided to try another direction. He released his resistance, allowed the pressure to push him down, then changed course and swam towards his right.

As expected, the pressure reappeared as he approached the 'river surface'.

This was an invisible cage, trapping all light clusters and all unfortunate beings swept into this river of light!

This time, Qin Sang was determined to break free from the surface. But as he drew closer and was about to burst through, his mind suddenly tensed. An inexplicable sense of danger washed over him, as if a great terror lurked within the void.

In that instant, he almost broke out in a cold sweat.

Having entered the Void Refinement stage, the closer he was to the Great Dao, the keener his spiritual perception became. There was an innate sense of danger in the unknown, usually not obvious, but often appearing as a premonition when a great crisis loomed, something people called 'a sudden hunch'.

Qin Sang had experienced such an intense premonition only a few times in his life!

The strange worm conveyed immense fear, and the Sky-Eye Butterfly also grew deeply uneasy. Unlike Qin Sang's premonition, their reactions were based on instinctive dread. Without Qin Sang's command, they would never dare to cross that line.

If low-level spirit insects were to fall here, acting purely on instinct, they would never even conceive such an idea.

"What exactly is in the void?"

Qin Sang gave up struggling and slowly sank, but his gaze remained fixed on the void.

Within his sight, it was dim and gray, devoid of any objects, visible fluctuations, or restrictions. Yet, it terrified the spirit insects as if it were a tiger, and filled him with dread.

All signs indicated that breaking out of the light stream was not a wise move. Qin Sang dared not act rashly and could only shift his attention to the light stream itself, hoping to find a turning point there.

Previously, Qin Sang suspected these light clusters were individual void fragments, but despite being carried so far by the light stream, he hadn't seen a single genuine void fragment.

He had seen the chaotic spaces and magnificent sights within the Jade Gate of Fengju, and the mystery here surpassed them.

"What is the true nature of these light clusters?"

Qin Sang fell into contemplation. He tentatively reached out to a light cluster beside him.

The light cluster was incredibly smooth and soft. As soon as his fingers touched it, the cluster deformed, gently slipping past his skin, utterly impossible to grasp.

Even when Qin Sang, disregarding potential backlash, used his invisible spiritual sense to touch it, the result was the same.

When he tried to contain a light cluster, it would flow away like water through any gap. If there were no gaps, the cluster would simply vanish into thin air.

The light could only flow within the river of light; there was no way to capture it.

As Qin Sang focused on exploring the secrets of the light stream, he suddenly frowned, sensing a subtle abnormality.

His gaze shifted to the strange worm in his palm.

As long as it wasn't near the river surface, the strange worm appeared normal. Qin Sang wondered if it was his imagination.

Just then, Qin Sang's expression flickered. He abruptly turned to look upstream in the river of light.

In that instant, an unusual fluctuation appeared behind him. It was the first time the light stream had changed in this way since he entered.

Qin Sang quickly ordered the Sky-Eye Butterfly to fully activate its Sky-Eye Divine Ability. He stared intently, seeing the light clusters upstream of the river of light agitated and distorted more violently than elsewhere, clearly disturbed by an external force.

"Has someone else entered?"

Qin Sang became secretly vigilant. If he encountered a Golden Clan expert here, an intense battle would be inevitable.

Immediately after, Qin Sang noticed that the source of the disturbance was rapidly approaching, its speed far exceeding the flow of the light stream. It didn't seem like another cultivator.

Finally, the Sky-Eye Butterfly saw the source of the light stream's turmoil: it was also a cluster of light.

This mass of white light was shaped like a blade, cutting through the waves in the river of light. Not only did it move incredibly fast, but its appearance was also very different from the surrounding light clusters.

It didn't deform from the pressure of other light clusters; instead, the other clusters had to avoid its sharp edge. Moreover, the white light resembled a misty glow, hazy and indistinct, as if something was contained within it.

Qin Sang's spirits lifted. His intuition told him that this white light might be the key to escaping.

"Quick! Move closer!"

Qin Sang discerned the white light's trajectory and immediately moved towards it.

Unexpectedly, the white light's speed was astonishing. Before Qin Sang could get closer, it had already overtaken him, on the verge of disappearing downstream in the river of light.

As the white light brushed past him, in a fleeting glimpse, the Sky-Eye Butterfly finally saw what was inside: the white light enveloped an irregularly shaped fragment, its surface exceptionally smooth, like a piece of a mirror.

The fragment vaguely reflected some unusual scenes, but the Sky-Eye Butterfly couldn't clearly discern what they were.

"Is this a void fragment, or perhaps some kind of entrance, leading to somewhere within the Insect Tomb?"

Qin Sang's heart stirred, and various conjectures arose in his mind.

By this time, the white light had vanished from the Sky-Eye Butterfly's sight. However, Qin Sang had no regrets; if there was one, there could be another.

The key lay in the fragment's origin. If it was a way to escape the river of light, its destination would be crucial.

He feared it might be like leaving a tiger's den only to enter a wolf's lair!

Furthermore, even if it were a door, he might not be able to enter easily; considerable complications were likely.

With this thought, Qin Sang secretly prepared himself, awaiting the arrival of the next 'white light'.

While waiting for the white light, Qin Sang looked at the strange worm in his palm again. After observing it for a while, he frowned deeply.

He felt that the continuous flushing of the river of light was subtly creating a barrier between himself and the strange worm!

The strange worm was not a spirit insect he had nurtured. He had only been with it for a short time, and the worm itself was not highly intelligent. Qin Sang controlled it forcibly through a mark implanted within its body.

A barrier was normal for such a control method, but what was abnormal was that this barrier was continuously expanding. The mark within the strange worm's body also seemed to be scoured by the river of light, growing fainter.

Once the mark was washed away, the strange worm would not only break free from his control but, given its nature, would immediately turn against its master!

"The river of light actually has this effect, capable of washing away imprints on spirit insects and helping them escape control!"

Qin Sang was startled.

He wasn't particularly concerned about the strange worm, but if the Sky-Eye Butterfly were also to leave him, the consequences would be unimaginable! Even if a rift appeared between them, it would take a thousand or even ten thousand times longer to mend it in the future.

Thinking this, Qin Sang quickly called out to the Sky-Eye Butterfly. He found no immediate abnormalities, but his hidden worry persisted. Perhaps the Sky-Eye Butterfly had been with him for too long, their connection was extremely close, and deep affection had developed between them, not merely maintained by cultivation techniques. Thus, the river of light's effect might not manifest immediately.

"Insect Tomb, Insect Tomb... This isn't an Insect Tomb at all; it's clearly a master of spirit insects' tomb!"

Qin Sang sighed inwardly.

Losing spirit insects in the Insect Tomb would render a cultivator a toothless tiger, ripe for slaughter.

At this point, Qin Sang discovered that even the spirit insects sleeping in the insect nest had developed a barrier with him. He quickly threw the insect nest into his Minor Grotto-Heaven.

The river of light indeed couldn't affect the Minor Grotto-Heaven. However, he needed the protection of the Sky-Eye Butterfly and the strange worm, and this place was definitely not somewhere to linger!

With this thought, Qin Sang eagerly awaited the second 'white light'. Unexpectedly, the wait this time was much longer than he had anticipated.

The river of light continued to scour, the invisible pressure to squeeze, and the external threats never ceased. The two spirit insects' strength was constantly depleting. At this rate, they would die from exhaustion before the strange worm could even betray him.

Qin Sang stared intently upstream in the river of light, waiting for a turning point, but he gradually felt weary. He didn't know how much time had passed, but every day felt like a year, filling his heart with torment.

Finally, the fluctuation he had been anticipating appeared upstream again!

"It's here!"

Qin Sang's eyes lit up, his fatigue instantly vanished.

The fluctuation had just appeared, and its trajectory couldn't be immediately determined. Qin Sang ordered the Sky-Eye Butterfly to observe with its Sky-Eye Divine Ability.

Unexpectedly, the Sky-Eye Butterfly conveyed an unusually excited emotion.

Qin Sang was surprised. The Sky-Eye Butterfly only behaved like this when it encountered a treasure it was interested in, and such treasures were usually greatly beneficial to it. The last time it was the Thunder-Struck Moon Orchid, what was it this time?

Moreover, the Sky-Eye Butterfly's excitement this time was unprecedented, indicating it was likely a treasure far more valuable than the Thunder-Struck Moon Orchid!

"Could it be some peerless spirit medicine?"

After slightly calming the Sky-Eye Butterfly, Qin Sang, connected with its mind, looked towards the river of light.

The disturbance had begun, and the fluctuation was rapidly approaching.

Qin Sang quickly determined its trajectory and moved towards it in advance. Then, the Sky-Eye Butterfly saw the source of the fluctuation. It wasn't white light, but a beam of green light, which appeared rounder than the previous white light, yet their auras were very similar.

As the green light drew nearer, the Sky-Eye Butterfly faintly discerned the scene within it: a greenish mirror fragment, but this one was a perfectly regular oval shape.

The Sky-Eye Butterfly became even more excited, almost unable to control itself. If not for Qin Sang's calming presence, it would have already eagerly rushed forward.

"The treasure the Sky-Eye Butterfly desires is not the fragment itself; the treasure must be 'inside' the fragment! This means my previous guess was correct: the fragment is very likely a passage to leave the river of light, leading to somewhere within the Insect Tomb..."

Qin Sang's thoughts raced.

This time, he had originally planned to test it out, observe for a while, and then decide whether to go. But since the Sky-Eye Butterfly was so excited, it must be a great opportunity, making it imperative to go.

However, he was unsure of the green light's true nature, so he still felt a little apprehensive.

Qin Sang had no time to ponder further. In an instant, the green light entered his field of vision, and by then, he was already in front of it.

"Now!"

Seeing the green light approaching, Qin Sang decisively gave the command.

Accompanied by a thunderclap, a bolt of lightning and a beam of poisonous light simultaneously shot towards the green light. At the same time, they moved closer to the green light, hoping the lightning and poisonous light could open a path for them.

Qin Sang was unsure of the consequences, his heart filled with extreme vigilance.

The green light's flow was too fast; he couldn't wait any longer. This risk had to be taken.

'Whoosh!'

The lightning and poisonous light struck the green light almost simultaneously.

The green light suddenly trembled violently, creating a ripple effect. The mirror fragment was instantly impacted, and the chaotic scene within the mirror twisted fiercely.

Despite the distortion, it paradoxically became clearer. Qin Sang and the Sky-Eye Butterfly vaguely saw a cluster of flowers.

The moment the flower cluster appeared, the Sky-Eye Butterfly became incredibly excited. The treasure it sensed was within this flower cluster! The flower cluster's light and shadow flashed and disappeared. The impact seemed to have propagated inside the fragment, affecting the flower cluster as well, causing flowers to scatter everywhere in an instant.

However, unlike the excited Sky-Eye Butterfly, Qin Sang's pupils suddenly contracted, and he felt a surge of unease.

He saw the green light violently tremble, instantly emitting visible green light waves. At the same time, the surrounding light clusters were also affected.

"This isn't good!"

Qin Sang was greatly alarmed.

He had guessed it wouldn't be so easy to enter, but he hadn't anticipated such a fierce counterattack from the green light.

'Boom!'

Before the green light wave even arrived, terrifying pressure had already slammed into Qin Sang's mind.

"Go!"

In that critical moment, Qin Sang had no intention of retreating. Such an opportunity was rare, and he couldn't bear for the Sky-Eye Butterfly to miss it. A decision was made in an instant.

He cut open a gash in his palm, pouring his vital blood into the strange worm's body. This was the Blood Sacrifice dark art, understood by almost all cultivators of the Witch Clan.

A Blood Sacrifice consumed the cultivator's vital blood, but the damage to the spirit insect was even more severe.

The strange worm shrieked, its cry incomparably shrill. Its abdomen suddenly contracted, spraying arrow-like poisonous light towards the green light wave, blazing a trail.

Through the current fluctuations, Qin Sang confirmed that the obstruction was only the outermost green light. Once inside the green light, they would be able to freely traverse inside and outside the mirror fragment. Even if there were still troubles, he would only need to retrieve the treasure the Sky-Eye Butterfly desired.

The Sky-Eye Butterfly transformed into a streak of light, following the poisonous light in. It moved against the current within the green light wave, simultaneously clearing a path for Qin Sang.

Qin Sang lagged behind, on the verge of entering the green light.

Just then, a sudden change occurred.

In an instant, all the light clusters underwent a strange transformation. They acted as if疯了一般, suddenly turning into a ferocious storm of spiritual light, and he became the storm's only outlet.

Qin Sang's face changed drastically. He had never imagined such a turn of events. He was actually confined in place, and terrifyingly immense pressure surged towards him. If he didn't resist, he would surely be reduced to dust.

'Puff!'

With a tragic shriek, the strange worm exploded into a cloud of blood mist.

Within the green light, the Sky-Eye Butterfly suddenly looked back, abandoning the treasure without hesitation and turning to return.