Chapter 482: Fake Dan Territory

Ji Wu’s choice caught Qin Sang off guard, completely disrupting his plans.

Obtaining the Snow Spirit Lotus and Iris did not mean he could rest easy, certain of forming a Core. Although Qin Sang hadn't personally experienced it, the dismal success rate of countless predecessors clearly indicated the immense difficulty of Core Formation.

He had no confidence whatsoever and needed a backup plan.

The Golden Core of Daoist Jiupao was the only one Qin Sang could foresee having a chance to obtain.

This was an opportunity not to be missed.

Before leaving Stargazing Island, Granny Snake had explicitly told them that the subsequent battles wouldn't be very intense. Their hard work and contributions had earned them a special reward: they could temporarily leave the Chaotic Islands at any time, using the excuse of sensing a breakthrough opportunity and needing to return to their sect for seclusion.

Now that Ji Wu had the Restoration Pill, he likely wouldn't remain in the Chaotic Islands for much longer. Daoist Jiupao urgently needed healing, so the sooner the pill was delivered, the better.

However, Ji Wu was reclusive and rarely interacted with outsiders. Moreover, with a precious treasure like the Restoration Pill in his possession, he would certainly not publicize his departure. He would act discreetly to avoid alerting anyone.

Qin Sang could not ascertain his precise whereabouts.

After sitting idly in his cave dwelling for a while, Qin Sang abruptly rose. He left a note, quietly exited the dwelling, circled for a long time to ensure he wasn't being followed, and then flew out of the True Water Myriad Illusions Array.

Leaving the Chaotic Islands now carried a certain risk. After all, the Snow Spirit Lotus and Iris were far more tempting than the Restoration Pill, and since he hadn't yet reached the False Core stage, he couldn't consume them immediately. There was no guarantee that someone wouldn't try to take a desperate risk.

Therefore, he acted with extreme caution. Fortunately, there were no pursuers.

Presumably, others wouldn't expect Qin Sang to dare leave the Chaotic Islands at such a time.

Flying out of the array, Qin Sang concealed himself in the shadows, maintaining extreme vigilance. After flying a certain distance northeast, he arrived at a desolate small island.

The island was not much larger than the cave dwellings in the Chaotic Islands and was quite inconspicuous.

It was now early morning of the second day. The morning glow illuminated the wild grass on the island, and as the morning breeze swept across, the blades bent, resembling a golden carpet.

Unfortunately, the spiritual energy in this area was sparse. While the scenery was beautiful, it was not suitable for a cave dwelling.

Unexpectedly, after surveying the surroundings, Qin Sang ultimately decided to establish his cave dwelling there.

Shielded by spiritual energy, he plunged into the water, continuously descending until he reached the bottom. Qin Sang pushed aside the dense aquatic plants and carved out a cave dwelling at the island's base. He meticulously arranged grand formations and restrictions, ensuring they provided protection, concealment, and early warning capabilities.

Inside the narrow dwelling, he barely managed to set up a Spirit Gathering Array.

Qin Sang had accumulated a small fortune at Zhutian Peak, so he spared no spirit stones, setting up the best possible Spirit Gathering Array. The spiritual energy within the cave dwelling rapidly became dense.

After completing a full cycle of his cultivation technique, Qin Sang nodded with satisfaction.

Next, his consciousness entered his Soul Space. He actually unsealed the Void Yuan Seal on the Heart Devouring Worm, broke its confinement, and exposed it, allowing the worm's aura to spread out without restraint.

This cave dwelling was not chosen at random; Qin Sang had meticulously explored the area.

If Ji Wu wished to return to the Demonic Flame Sect as quickly as possible, there was a high probability he would pass through this very area.

A Heart Devouring Worm was equivalent to having a slave, and most people would find it very difficult to resist such a great temptation.

Qin Sang had considered setting ambushes elsewhere, even contemplating luring Ji Wu near the Demonic Flame Sect. However, firstly, his cultivation was not as profound as Ji Wu's, and Ji Wu possessed a flying magical artifact of far superior quality to the Nether Cloud. Even traveling at full speed, Qin Sang couldn't outpace Ji Wu.

Secondly, he feared that if he accidentally attracted Daoist Jiupao, he would be in serious trouble.

After weighing his options, Qin Sang decided to establish his cave dwelling here. He would wait for Ji Wu while refining the spiritual pills he had obtained from the handsome youth, ensuring his cultivation progress wasn't delayed.

This way, even if the attempt to ambush Ji Wu failed, he could still swiftly advance his cultivation to the False Core stage and proceed with the next step of his backup plan.

The cave dwelling was hidden at the bottom of the water, protected by Qin Sang's carefully prepared spiritual arrays. Even if cultivators passed by, they would never imagine someone would establish a dwelling in such a barren place.

Only someone who cultivated the Heart Devouring Worm could discover Qin Sang's whereabouts.

All the Golden Core cultivators of the Kuiyin Sect were dead, so Qin Sang wasn't afraid of attracting opponents he couldn't handle. If any other foolish Kuiyin Sect remnants came looking for trouble, he would gladly deal with them all.

With preparations complete, Qin Sang cast aside distracting thoughts, took out the spiritual pills from his mustard seed pouch, and entered a state of meditative absorption.

As he refined the spiritual pills one by one, Qin Sang's aura steadily grew stronger. He was already very close to the False Core stage, and with the help of these pills, his cultivation advanced even faster.

The cave dwelling was desolate, and time seemed to lose all meaning.

In the dim cave dwelling, the sharp edges carved by sword qi on the walls were faintly visible. Inside this rough stone cavern, Qin Sang sat cross-legged on the cold rock. Except for replenishing spirit stones when their spiritual energy was depleted, he remained motionless, diligently cultivating.

After an unknown period, a soft sigh suddenly echoed within the cave dwelling.

The sigh carried no hint of regret, but rather a sense of relief, accompanied by a touch of uncontainable joy.

Qin Sang straightened his upper body, stretched leisurely, and slowly awoke. He looked down at his body, his eyes gleaming with an unusual light.

Finally, he had perfected his Foundation Establishment and reached the False Core stage!

His cultivation had stagnated, unable to advance further, awaiting only Core Formation.

However, Qin Sang could feel that his aura was still somewhat restless; it would be best to let it settle for a period before attempting Core Formation.

The only imperfection was the lingering effect of his damaged foundation, but this minor discomfort was insignificant compared to the profound relief of breaking through to the False Core stage.

Qin Sang sat unceremoniously on the ground, resting his chin on his palm, savoring this rare moment of ease. Relaxed times were always fleeting, and the path ahead remained fraught with thorns.

He reflected on the years that had passed.

Not to mention the period from his arrival in this world to his Foundation Establishment.

Since Foundation Establishment, over seventy years had passed. Throughout those seven decades, he dared not relax for a moment, enduring several perilous situations and striving with all his might to seize every opportunity.

Fairy Chenyan, Celestial Corpse Cave, Hanging Skull Pass, Ancient Immortal Battlefield, Boundless Valley, Chaotic Islands, Zhutian Peak...

Fragmented memories flashed through his mind.

There was no sorrow or joy, only remembrance.

At last, he had not wasted his time nor failed himself, successfully reaching this point.

The path ahead was uncertain.

At the very least, when looking back, he could proudly say—no regrets.

He let out a long breath.

After an hour lost in thought, Qin Sang reined in his wandering mind, let out a long breath, composed himself, and his eyes sharpened.

By his reckoning, it had been nearly a month since he set up his cave dwelling here.

Over the past month, Qin Sang had occasionally sensed cultivators flying overhead, but Ji Wu was not among them.

The cave dwelling's restrictions also remained untouched. Ji Wu either hadn't left the Chaotic Islands or had taken a different route; he had not appeared.

Qin Sang had kept the Heart Devouring Worm unsealed, yet Ji Wu hadn't taken the bait. The once infallible lure had failed!