Gateway of Immortality-Chapter 910: Two Years

Very soon, the other eagle king was also slain. Leaderless, the Corrupted-Winged Eagles fell into panic and fled Poison Island in a rout.

Qin Sang spared only the great demons at the Demonic Spirit Realm and above. He did not chase down the lesser beasts. Instead, he penned them in on several hilltops, intending to keep them there to maintain the illusion that Poison Island remained unchanged.

Afterward, he located the island’s spirit vein and nodded to himself in secret.

"Not bad. These two eagle kings built their nests at the best point of the spirit vein. It could serve as a cave dwelling. But it stank too much here..."

Frowning inwardly, Qin Sang cast incantations to purge the stench. After some thought, he made a full circuit of the island, released the Corrupted-Winged Eagles, and laid down a purchased illusion array along with a storm-resisting spiritual array.

With the illusion array working together with the poisonous miasma, the first layer of defense was complete.

He then returned to the cave dwelling and arranged multiple layers of barriers and arrays. Barring accidents, he intended to cultivate here for decades. No amount of caution was excessive.

"Done!" Qin Sang took out a meditation cushion and sat cross-legged, satisfaction on his face.

After a short rest to wash away fatigue, he finally turned his mind to what came next.

"First, push the external incarnation to the Core Formation Realm, then it can assist me with Star Essence Infusion.

"The external incarnation has reached the middle stage of the Foundation Building Realm. I can begin preparing to use the Seeded Devil Embryo to re-refine the corpse core. After comprehending two cultivation arts for so long, I was sixty percent confident in re-refining the corpse core. Once he reached the Fake Core Realm, he would gain new insights, allowing further refinement. Success would be almost certain.

"By then, the Heavenly Demon Body Refinement should also have reached the peak of the second stage. Once everything is in order, I will settle into bitter cultivation and, in spare time, study artifact refinement. There is little else to say about that..."

His gaze shifted to the two spiritual insects on his shoulders. The fat silkworm stared at him with hopeful eyes, waiting to be fed.

After giving it Purple Crystals, Qin Sang released the Sky-Eyed Butterfly to roam freely within the cave dwelling and mused to himself.

"I wonder if they can reach the middle stage of the third metamorphosis before Seven-Kill Hall opens. After advancing, their supernatural abilities will grow in power and be of greater help to me.

"As for the Two-Headed Hou, with its temper, it likely will never submit. In that case, I will not force it. So long as it can break through to the late stage on its own, or if I find a more suitable spirit beast, I will set it free.

"With the Star Platform, I won't need spiritual herbs to break through the third stage of body refinement. I will leave that Tyrant Blood Fruit to it. It has helped me for so long, so that will be its reward."

Qin Sang let his thoughts settle, released the external incarnation, and, after a blood-feeding session, allowed it to cultivate on its own. He then took out the jade slip that recorded the Lightning Control Technique.

During this period, he had already pored over the Lightning Control Technique countless times, but he had delayed actual cultivation only because he lacked a truly secure place until now.

"Refine stellar malevolence, command heavenly lightning, and evolve the mightiest lightning art... Quite the claim," he muttered under his breath.

The Lightning Control Technique was indeed powerful, but whether it truly remained the mightiest lightning art as his own realm improved still required verification.

"To cultivate this Dao Technique, one must first refine stellar malevolence, then draw down heavenly lightning until the technique is mastered. The Windy Archipelago produces storms often enough, so lightning and rain will not be an issue. But introducing heavenly lightning into the body is far too dangerous. Landou Sect disciples have Spiritual Infant protectors to guard them. I can only rely on myself..."

Reading the steps of cultivation made his scalp prickle. The Dao Technique’s power justified the risk. Its power scaled with the caster’s cultivation. The higher one’s realm, the greater its force.

But there was a caveat. Because both forces were extremely violent, at the instant of casting the Lightning Control Technique, not only would the body suffer backlash, but seven or eight tenths of one’s true essence would be drained. That was how it erupted with such terrifying power.

"No wonder the disciples of Douniu Peak had lost so badly, with some even taken alive. You can only use it if you are certain of killing your opponent in a single strike. Otherwise, it is a move for when you have no way out, staking everything on one throw."

Qin Sang’s expression turned solemn. He reminded himself to be cautious in the future.

Fortunately, he also tempered his body. After breaking through the third stage of the Heavenly Demon Body Refinement, his physique would be far beyond that of ordinary cultivators and should endure the Lightning Control Technique’s backlash.

That night, after cultivating the Heavenly Demon Body Refinement and gathering sufficient stellar malevolence within, he immediately began practicing the Lightning Control Technique to refine the stellar malevolence.

Unnoticed, a month slipped by.

None of the nearby cultivators realized that the dreaded Poison Island had changed hands. Following a steady routine, Qin Sang cultivated and enjoyed a rare stretch of peace.

At last, the first storm since he had taken the island arrived. Noon’s blazing sun was swallowed by clouds. In an instant, darkness fell. The wind howled, and mountainous waves surged. The spiritual array held steady, guarding Poison Island.

Qin Sang stood atop a peak, taking in the doomsday scene. He finally raised his head toward the heavens, where clouds churned and lightning writhed. In a moment, he would soar up to draw heavenly lightning.

Even with his cultivation, some dread crept in. He steadied his mind and waited until the storm neared its end and the bolts lost some of their ferocity. Then he formed seals and shot into the sky.

A thunderclap split the dark! Lightning smashed down upon a lone figure.

Qin Sang grunted and plunged into the sea, where the waiting Two-Headed Hou fished him out and carried him back to Poison Island.

Catching the scent of char, the Two-Headed Hou looked thoroughly disgusted.

Qin Sang’s body trembled faintly, yet he forced himself upright and resumed cultivation without pause.

With his realm, resisting that single bolt was not difficult. But to practice the Dao Technique, he had to remove most of his defenses and focus entirely on forming the seals, guiding heavenly lightning into his body.

The pain was the least of it.

Expression unchanged, he sat at the mountaintop, withdrew his mind, and drove the power of stellar malevolence to subdue the roaming lightning power within.

The Two-Headed Hou guarded him. Tilting its head as it watched Qin Sang’s focused face, it seemed to understand something. At last, it lowered its gaze, lay down, and appeared deep in thought.

Again and again, Qin Sang rose into the sky to draw down heavenly lightning until the storm passed.

By the end, his robe had been blasted to tatters, and lightning-shaped scars crawled across his skin.

Ignoring his sorry state, he formed seals and assessed the day’s gains. "Good. My understanding of Lightning Control Technique was correct. A few more storms, and the technique should reach the intermediate stage."

Satisfied, he returned to the cave dwelling.

Time flowed by. Two years passed in a blur. Poison Island remained quiet, undisturbed.

One night, while Qin Sang cultivated, he sensed something and suddenly opened his eyes. Joy flashed within them as he murmured, "At last!"

Before the words faded, he vanished and appeared in the depths of the cave dwelling. Looking at his external incarnation, who was now at the Fake Core Realm, his eyes gleamed with delight.