The golden fruit indeed contained a liquid. A thick, viscous pulp flowed in Di Que's palm, revealing itself not as golden, but as crimson like molten lava.
Even now, Qin Sang still could not detect the fragrance of the spiritual fruit.
He gazed intently at the pulp, a look of confusion surfacing in his eyes. Strangely, this drop of liquid felt oddly familiar, though he was certain he had never seen it before. The only plausible explanation was that he had encountered descriptions of something similar in ancient texts. The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the noveⅼfire.net
Suspended mid-air, the liquid pulp shimmered with a jade-like luster, enveloped in Di Que’s spiritual power. Occasionally, faint golden gleams flickered within it—so subtle that they could easily be missed without careful observation.
Qin Sang soon noticed the intricacy of these golden gleams. They were no ordinary light but appeared to be runes born of heaven and earth, utterly beyond human craftsmanship—profoundly mysterious.
Suddenly, a realization struck Qin Sang, and his gaze sharpened with astonishment.
"Crimson Fire Gilded Gold!"
Di Que murmured the name with an almost entranced expression as he stared at the pulp, confirming Qin Sang’s suspicions.
Qin Sang’s astonishment stemmed from what he had read in records stating that this substance was not a spiritual medicine but a rare material for refining artifacts. Moreover, it was a highly precious ingredient for crafting astras!
Ancient texts clearly stated that Crimson Fire Gilded Gold is a natural wonder of the heavens and earth. How could it emerge from a vine’s fruit?
At the same time, Qin Sang noticed that this pulp wasn’t entirely identical to the Crimson Fire Gilded Gold described in the records. The golden gleams within it were less concentrated than what was depicted in the texts.
While Qin Sang was puzzled over this anomaly, Di Que reached into his Spirit Beast Pouch and released two Fire Jade Centipedes. With a controlled motion, he separated a drop of Crimson Fire Gilded Gold into his palm.
As though sensing an irresistible delicacy, the two centipedes lunged forward ravenously, competing to devour the drop.
The drop of Crimson Fire Gilded Gold rapidly diminished before their eyes as the centipedes swallowed it whole. Di Que held his palm out and watched the creatures with growing anticipation.
Qin Sang’s gaze also shifted to the Fire Jade Centipedes.
After consuming the Crimson Fire Gilded Gold, the centipedes became sluggish, losing their earlier vigor. Soon, their bodies underwent a subtle transformation: at the tip of each leg, tiny flames ignited, giving the impression that the centipedes were walking on fire. Their jade-like bodies became even more translucent and lustrous.
However, the flames didn’t last long and eventually extinguished, leaving the centipedes in their original state. Yet, Di Que’s expression grew increasingly elated.
This is… metamorphosis?
Qin Sang had owned the Fire Jade Centipedes for years and had thoroughly researched their traits. He knew that when they walked on flames, it signified the onset of metamorphosis!
For mystical bugs, metamorphosis was akin to cultivators breaking through bottlenecks.
Each metamorphosis marked a qualitative leap in power.
However, the process of metamorphosis for mystical creatures was notoriously difficult—far more challenging than cultivators advancing through their stages.
Furthermore, each type of mystical bug had unique conditions to achieve metamorphosis.
Even the Yuling Sect, renowned for their expertise in beast taming, had limited knowledge of mystical bugs. With many species nearly extinct in today’s immortal cultivation world, few scholars remained to delve into such matters.
Currently, the Fire Jade Centipedes were at the peak of the Ordinary Demon Realm, equivalent to the thirteenth stage of the Qi Refining Realm for human cultivators. When Qin Sang acquired them two decades ago, they already possessed this level of strength.
Based on their strength alone, the Fire Jade Centipedes should have initiated their metamorphosis long ago.
Over the years, they had consumed copious amounts of Qianyang Quartz and Fire Elemental Stones. Yet, their power showed no growth, and there had been no signs of metamorphosis—an evident testament to the difficulty of the process.
After undergoing metamorphosis, the Fire Jade Centipedes would gain strength comparable to Qin Sang's own.
Having consumed just one drop of Crimson Fire Gilded Gold, they now exhibited signs of metamorphosis! Of course, these were merely indications. Whether they could successfully complete the process and how long it would take remained uncertain.
Even so, this discovery left Qin Sang deeply astonished. His gaze shifted to the viscous liquid.
Undoubtedly, the Fire Jade Centipedes’ metamorphosis was directly linked to the fruit of the Scarlet Gold Vine.
However, it was unclear whether the liquid itself triggered the change or if the centipedes, having consumed a sufficient quantity of spiritual substances over time, had reached a threshold where this final drop catalyzed the qualitative transformation.
Suddenly, Di Que burst into hearty laughter.
"Haha... Just as I thought! Just as I thought!"
He promptly retrieved the Fire Jade Centipedes into his Spirit Beast Pouch and turned to Qin Sang, his gaze laced with amusement.
Apparently delighted by obtaining the Scarlet Gold Vine fruit, the old man felt inclined to explain, "I’ve always been fascinated by the mystical bugs of this world. Years ago, I heard that the Kuiyin Sect’s founder had acquired an ancient demonic insect known as the Heart-Devouring Insect. So, I hid near the Kuiyin Sect for over thirty years, waiting for a chance to strike. Eventually, I captured someone under the Heart-Devouring Insect’s control, only to find that the insect was dead. The founder had used a secret technique to refine its corpse into a mere puppet. It was a waste of my time. Who would’ve guessed that the Old Geezer Yi would be so ambitious? Not only did he attack the Yuanzhao Sect, but he also dared to target Shaohua Mountain. Did he not consider his own limits? Without the formidable founder of the Kuiyin Sect, the sect was just an empty shell. Trying to swallow something as large as Shaohua Mountain was bound to end in disaster. As expected, he brought ruin upon himself… So, tell me, what was Old Geezer Yi's purpose in sending you to infiltrate Shaohua Mountain?"
Qin Sang’s eyes flickered. Di Que had assumed he was an agent sent by Old Geezer Yi of the Kuiyin Sect, which was actually the best possible misunderstanding.
He had no ulterior motive. He simply wanted a place to settle down.
"Young as I am, I wouldn’t know. Sect Leader Yi didn’t explain his plans when he sent me. Soon after, I heard the news that the Kuiyin Sect had been destroyed by the Yuanzhao Sect. Since then, Sect Leader Yi has never contacted me again," Qin Sang replied.
Di Que scoffed. "Of course not. Old Geezer Yi is finished. Not just him—the entire Kuiyin Sect is a mess. The Yuanzhao Sect hates them to the bone and continues to hunt down its remnants relentlessly. There are only a few scattered survivors left, hardly more than a wiped-out clan. Of their three Golden Core cultivators, only one remains. But even he was severely injured in the Ancient Immortal Battlefield after being cornered by the new leader of the Yuanzhao Sect and their allies. He had to abandon his physical body to escape and is likely hiding in some dark corner, barely clinging to life—if he hasn’t already perished under the celestial phenomena of the battlefield. So, you have nothing to fear. The Kuiyin Sect won’t be causing you any trouble."
Qin Sang had also been trying to uncover the current state of the Kuiyin Sect and the Yuanzhao Sect. However, his sources were limited, and the Yuanzhao Sect seemed intent on suppressing information, leaving him with little more than unverified rumors.
Especially regarding Golden Core cultivators, most of what he heard was vague and unreliable.
Only now, through Di Que’s words, did he learn the definitive fate of the last Core Formation cultivator of the Kuiyin Sect.