Gateway of Immortality

Chapter 1148: Lightning Butterfly? Tribulation Butterfly?

A flash of greed flickered through Demon King Qianji’s eyes. His figure swayed and vanished from where he had stood.

His consort reacted at once and hurried after him with her subordinates. She knew exactly why the demon king had grown so excited.

Spiritual insects found it extremely difficult to gain intelligence. Their innate supernatural abilities were usually singular, and their strength could not compare to Transformation Realm great demons or Spiritual Infant grandmasters. Yet most possessed strange and wondrous uses. In particular, those exceedingly rare supernatural insects could wield innate abilities whose power surpassed their own level, even producing effects beyond their realm. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

A spiritual insect at the fourth metamorphosis was incomparably rare. If one could subdue it, it would be no less than obtaining a supreme treasure. Of course the demon king would be tempted.

They had occupied the area near Myriad Serpent Abyss for so long, yet they had never detected that such a high-level spiritual insect had been hiding nearby.

But when the consort recalled the thief from earlier, an ominous premonition rose in her heart.

***

At the mountain summit, before the heavenly tribulation descended, Qin Sang and Bai had already retreated far away, standing guard for the Sky-Eyed Butterfly.

If the Sky-Eyed Butterfly failed to endure it, Qin Sang would not give up easily. He had already prepared for the worst. No matter what, he would stake everything.

He had already made a breakthrough in the Heavenly Demon Body Refinement. If the Sky-Eyed Butterfly succeeded in advancing, it would be an unexpected delight.

With these two sources of support, Qin Sang felt full confidence about forming his Spiritual Infant.

Bai looked up at the tribulation clouds and noticed Qin Sang’s tense expression. "Don’t worry. The tribulation clouds are already nearing their limit. Their power isn’t that terrifying. Your Sky-Eyed Butterfly devoured the Azure Luan’s true blood. If it can’t even pass this minor tribulation, it would disgrace the Azure Luan’s name! You’re overthinking because you care too much. You should hurry and sort out the residual power inside your body."

"The Azure Luan’s true blood?" Qin Sang froze. The power of the Azure Luan I absorbed was its true blood?

He had not felt any impact on his own blood and essence.

Bai countered, "I didn’t see the stone slab, but your wings condensed into physical form, and the Sky-Eyed Butterfly underwent such drastic changes. If the slab didn’t seal the Azure Luan’s true blood, what else could it have been?"

Qin Sang fell into deep thought.

Bai continued, "You didn’t feel anything because you are human. The Azure Luan’s true blood could only surge into your wings and reshape them. The pair of wings on your back can now truly be called phoenix wings. The Sky-Eyed Butterfly devouring the Azure Luan’s blood surprised even me. It’s probably related to the mutation you mentioned before. After mutating again, it has already transcended the category of spiritual insects. Its future prospects are immeasurable!"

Bai’s tone carried both admiration and envy for Qin Sang’s fortune in subduing such a spiritual insect.

Crack! Tribulation lightning fell from the sky, interrupting their conversation.

Qin Sang instinctively clenched his fists. After breaking through, both his physical body and phoenix wings had stabilized far more than before. He could now endure the impact of the Azure Luan’s power. He forcibly suppressed it and focused entirely on the Sky-Eyed Butterfly’s tribulation.

The instant the tribulation lightning appeared, threads of lightning surged across the butterfly’s wings.

In a blink, lightning filled its wings. Countless slender arcs interwove into a net of lightning, condensing further until, with the Sky-Eyed Butterfly at its core, it formed a bolt of lightning that shot upward to meet the descending tribulation lightning!

In both scale and momentum, it was far inferior to the heavenly lightning. One could not help but suspect it would shatter at a single touch.

The Sky-Eyed Butterfly suddenly soared upward without the slightest fear, embracing lightning as it charged directly toward the tribulation lightning!

Boom! The two bolts collided with world-shaking force. Lightning devoured each other, and the world turned silver-white.

Suddenly, Qin Sang’s expression changed drastically.

The lightning condensed by the Sky-Eyed Butterfly was overwhelmed by the tribulation lightning. With no obstruction left, the heavenly lightning struck fiercely toward the butterfly.

Qin Sang’s face was drained of color. Without hesitation, he rushed toward it.

Bai did not stop him, though his expression turned somewhat awkward. He had just predicted that the Sky-Eyed Butterfly would pass easily, only to be proven wrong. Its improvement had not been as obvious as he had thought.

"Was it awakened too early and lacked sufficient foundation?" Bai murmured, casting a wary glance behind him in case the demon king approached.

But just as Qin Sang moved, another transformation occurred. The tribulation lightning descended in an instant.

The Sky-Eyed Butterfly gently trembled its wings. Upon its wings, the Sky Eyes suddenly opened. Two strange beams shot forth. Within those beams, azure and silver flickered alternately like twin blades, piercing straight into the tribulation lightning!

Qin Sang halted in astonishment.

The tribulation lightning was struck, torn apart by the beams before it could even touch the butterfly, and dissipated mid-air.

Then an even more shocking scene unfolded. The two beams converged into a net in mid-air.

The tribulation lightning had not yet fully dispersed. The final streak of lightning was captured by the net of light.

The net, along with the captured tribulation lightning, was forcibly drawn back into the Sky Eyes.

Crash! The lightning power around the Sky-Eyed Butterfly erupted into chaos.

A wave of pain transmitted from it. Its body trembled. It forcibly closed its Sky Eyes, and only after a while did it gradually calm.

Qin Sang stood rooted to the spot. Bai’s eyes widened blankly.

"It controlled the tribulation lightning?" Bai's expression twisted, and even his voice sounded distorted.

Qin Sang was equally stunned. Tribulation lightning was not ordinary heavenly lightning.

Qin Sang cultivated the Lightning Control Technique and understood the distinction deeply. During thunderstorms he had drawn heavenly lightning to temper this secret art, yet he would never dare confront tribulation lightning in such a manner unless he wished to die.

The Sky-Eyed Butterfly had displayed outrageous audacity. It had actually captured tribulation lightning and swallowed it into its body. It seemed to have succeeded.

Even if it was only a trace, it was beyond imagination. Qin Sang had no choice but to believe Bai’s explanation.

The Sky-Eyed Butterfly had devoured the Azure Luan’s true blood. Combined with its own mysterious Sky Eyes, a chain reaction must have occurred. Otherwise, such a heaven-defying feat would have been impossible to explain.

"Phoenix butterfly? Lightning butterfly? Or... tribulation butterfly?" Qin Sang stared blankly at it.

In a single night, he felt as if he no longer recognized his life-bound insect gu.

Metamorphosis and mutation had not been the end. Now it had brought him an even greater surprise by devouring tribulation lightning.

The heavenly tribulation ended. The Sky-Eyed Butterfly floated quietly in the void. After devouring the tribulation lightning, it showed no further outward changes, yet Qin Sang knew it could not be so simple.

If at the fourth metamorphosis it could devour tribulation lightning, what would happen at the fifth metamorphosis? Or even the legendary ninth metamorphosis?

Qin Sang could not imagine it.

Whoosh! The butterfly’s aura gradually settled. Suddenly it flashed forward and threw itself into Qin Sang’s embrace like a fledgling swallow returning to its nest. Qin Sang hurriedly opened his arms and caught it.

It clung tightly to him, rubbing lightly against his chest, transmitting feelings of closeness, lingering fear, and coquettish affection. The emotions were far clearer and more precise than before. Its intelligence had clearly increased.

"Let's leave! The heavenly tribulation is over. Demon King Qianji is chasing again!" Bai warned in a deep voice before slipping into the Corpse Puppet Pouch.

Qin Sang nodded. He let the Sky-Eyed Butterfly return to his Qihai to recover its vital energy.

He glanced back, crushed a Qingfu Coin to send a message instructing the willow tree spirit to leave the area, then tapped the ground lightly. His phoenix wings flared, and he transformed into a streak of azure light that shot into the distance.

After breaking through in the Heavenly Demon Body Refinement, he no longer feared Transformation Realm great demons as before. However, the Azure Luan’s power within him had not yet been fully subdued, which was unfavorable for battle.

Whoosh! The azure light tore across the sky.

Joy surged in Qin Sang’s heart. After his breakthrough, his evasion speed had indeed increased dramatically. Shaking off Demon King Qianji would not be difficult.