Chapter 912: Flying Shuttle

Qin Sang maintained his focus, fully circulating his cultivation technique. He knew clearly that this was a process of infusing his body with stellar essence, a baptism for his physical form. Success would mean an end to suffering and a complete physical transformation. Afterwards, his physical body alone would be strong enough to contend with early-stage Core Formation cultivators.

Inside, he felt alternating waves of pain and a numbing itch. It felt as if every inch of his body was being torn apart. His skin split, flesh tore, and bones popped. Blood seeped from his wounds, not bright red, suggesting that impurities within his body were being purged during this stellar essence infusion. It was a process of blood purification, bone refinement, tendon transformation, and marrow cleansing. Each term signified a profound transformation, accompanied by extreme agony.

"Ancient body cultivators must have undergone similar transformations repeatedly to eventually achieve terrifying divine abilities like 'Heaven and Earth Dharma Manifestation'," Qin Sang thought. "I'm only just beginning; what is there I cannot endure?" Having come this far step by step through sheer perseverance, he would not falter in the slightest at such a critical juncture.

The baptism of stellar essence infusion continued. Qin Sang cast aside all distractions, focusing intently on circulating his cultivation technique, gathering the stellar essence, and seeking an opportunity for breakthrough.

Soon, the pillar of light slowly dispersed. The stellar energy drawn by the Star Platform receded like a tide. Sensing the shift, the Heavenly-Eyed Butterfly, the Fat Silkworm, and the Twin-Headed Hou stopped their recovery, watching Qin Sang’s breakthrough process with keen interest. However, they noticed Qin Sang appeared unchanged, which left them somewhat perplexed.

Just then, Qin Sang suddenly moved. With a wave of his hand, an Azure Root and a Tyrant Blood Fruit flew out of their jade box and were immediately swallowed by Qin Sang. He had originally intended to gather the Tyrant Blood Fruit, Azure Root, and Scorpion Venom Grass. Though he hadn't managed to collect all three, even a single one of these spiritual herbs offered significant aid for a breakthrough.

As the spiritual herbs entered his stomach, they transformed into a scorching medicinal power that surged through his abdomen. Intense pain returned. The Tyrant Blood Fruit's properties were incredibly potent, and the Azure Root was only slightly less so. Unlike the stellar essence infusion, which could be distributed throughout his entire body, these effects erupted internally. Had Qin Sang not already cultivated the first two layers of the *Heavenly Demon Refining Form* technique, he likely wouldn't have been able to withstand such an impact. His internal organs felt as if they were being dislocated.

With a roar, Qin Sang abruptly straightened his upper body, swiftly forming a hand seal. A flash of green light then appeared behind him, and a pair of phoenix wings unfurled. As the Heavenly Demon Transformation activated, Qin Sang's expression relaxed. Moments later, an endless stream of iridescent light surged from within him, channeling fiercely into the phoenix wings. The phoenix wings, which had previously appeared somewhat ethereal, solidified significantly, becoming far more beautiful and increasingly resembling true phoenix wings.

*Swoosh!* The phoenix wings flapped, carrying Qin Sang away from the Star Platform. A series of explosive sounds then resonated within Qin Sang's body, and his aura surged wildly. His wounds healed rapidly, and a faint green light briefly enveloped him before vanishing. His body was now as clear and flawless as jade, yet it contained terrifying power!

Qin Sang tilted his head back and let out a long, exhilarating howl. The deafening howl reverberated through the air. Then, Qin Sang's eyelids fluttered open, revealing eyes that had also turned green. His figure shimmered, and in the next instant, he appeared at the edge of the restriction, unleashing a powerful punch.

*Boom!* A dazzling barrier shimmered into existence. The surrounding mountains trembled, sending flocks of Decayed-Wing Eagles into a panicked frenzy, scattering in all directions. A series of cracking sounds followed as the barrier formed by the restriction developed several fissures, appearing on the verge of collapsing from Qin Sang's single punch.

Witnessing this, the Twin-Headed Hou's pupils contracted slightly, its gaze fixed on Qin Sang's wings. The Fat Silkworm lay there sluggishly, waiting to be fed by Qin Sang. The Heavenly-Eyed Butterfly, naturally delighted for its master, fluttered joyfully, landing gently on Qin Sang's shoulder like a returning swallow and brushing his cheek with its delicate wings.

Qin Sang then retracted his fist and stepped back, his movements perfectly controlled. "Although this restriction isn't particularly strong, it shouldn't be broken so easily," Qin Sang mused. "To cause such astonishing destruction without using a single trace of spiritual energy... After activating the Heavenly Demon Transformation, my physical body alone should be able to suppress early-stage Core Formation cultivators. Truly a top-tier inheritance of the demon race." He was greatly surprised and delighted.

"I just tested it, and my escape technique has significantly improved," Qin Sang considered. "The two spiritual herbs I consumed earlier were meant to help me break through the bottleneck and increase my chances of success. However, a significant portion of their medicinal properties remains unrefined and accumulated within me. I need to absorb them as quickly as possible; my physical body can still grow much stronger..." With this in mind, Qin Sang stroked the Heavenly-Eyed Butterfly, checked on the Twin-Headed Hou and the others, then put away the Star Platform. After settling his companions, he created a secluded chamber and entered it to resume cultivation.

Seasons passed. Time flew by. A mortal's life rarely spans many decades, and each decade leaves countless indelible memories. Qin Sang, however, spent the next decade in arduous cultivation, utterly focused and never leaving Poison Island. Other cultivators remained unaware of Poison Island's unusual nature, ensuring he was undisturbed and could cultivate in peace. Over these ten years, both his cultivation and that of his external incarnation steadily improved. As the opening of the Seven Killings Hall drew closer, Qin Sang felt a growing sense of urgency.

Although he had anticipated it, after his *Heavenly Demon Refining Form* reached its third layer and his external incarnation formed its Core, his cultivation speed was less than ideal, significantly slower than before his breakthrough. At this rate, he might not meet the sword path requirements when the Seven Killings Hall opened. The *Heavenly Demon Refining Form* was manageable; if he could break through to the mid-third layer, his main body's strength would suffice. His external incarnation, however, posed a challenge; it would be difficult for it to reach peak Core Formation cultivation so quickly, unless he risked backlash by employing forbidden quick-success secret arts.

After much thought, Qin Sang concluded that his main body's realm, only at the mid-Core Formation stage, was likely too low to significantly aid his blood feeding and body refinement, thus his cultivation speed had returned to normal. Two years ago, his *Primordial Spirit Sword Nurturing Chapter* cultivation stalled, but a subsequent discovery brought Qin Sang a sense of relief. His earlier suspicions proved correct. His inability to progress further was due to the Ebony Sword, not an intrinsic limitation of his own, which meant it wouldn't hinder his continued study of the Killing Talismans. If he could later acquire top-tier spiritual wood capable of withstanding the Nether Blood Mulberry, or return to the Lesser Cold Domain to find more Nether Blood Mulberry, his cultivation would rapidly accelerate. This was undoubtedly good news, significantly easing his anxiety. He decided to wait until he entered the Seven Killings Hall and ascertained the state of the teleportation array before considering any changes to his cultivation technique. Besides, he still hadn't found a cultivation technique truly suited to him.

Qin Sang awoke from his meditation, silently pondering these matters. Just then, he sensed something, lifting his gaze toward the outside of his cave dwelling. Moments later, his brow furrowed slightly.

To the north of Poison Island lay a vast expanse of sea dotted with dozens of deserted islands, large and small, all uninhabited. Due to the presence of Decayed-Wing Eagles and the barrenness of the area, cultivators rarely ventured nearby, most choosing to detour if passing through. Yet, at that moment, a blue flying shuttle sped into view. For some reason, it flew erratically, appearing unstable, sweeping past several deserted islands. Its trajectory seemed to be directly towards Poison Island.