Soon after, the four left Cuiming Mountain, flying swiftly along the Wuling River until they arrived at Li Yufu’s cave dwelling.

The cave was hidden deep within the mountains, bathed in the splendor of scenic peaks and flowing streams.

Reuniting with an old friend, and hearing that Wandering Man and Mu Yifeng were both safe, greatly lifted Qin Sang’s spirits.

This barren land still concealed such a fine spirit vein that was enough to sustain Core Formation cultivators. Once he retrieved the Nine-Illusion Heavenly Orchid, he could come here to seclude himself and wait for Wandering Man.

Thinking of this, Qin Sang gave Li Yufu and the others a few brief instructions, then departed alone, continuing southward.

At Yuncang Marshlands, the hiding spot of his spiritual herb which he could never forget.

His heart stirred with excitement and restlessness.

The good news was that the advance of Sin Abyss had been halted by Tianxing Alliance, and Yuncang Marshlands had been spared from war. He had buried the herb deep underground, so unless something extraordinary had happened, it should still be there!

Without stopping, he reached the edge of Yuncang Marshlands and dove into the boundless waters alone.

The long-desired spiritual herb was now within reach. Qin Sang burrowed into the sand and sank straight down. After descending deep beneath the ground, he finally felt resistance.

The Xuanming Tortoise Shell Array remained perfectly intact!

Relief washed over him. His eyes brightened with delight as he waved his hand to open the array. A surge of dense spiritual qi poured out, enveloping him. Qin Sang hurried inside, instinctively holding his breath.

The spiritual spring objects were still there, and the air within the cave dwelling was saturated with abundant spiritual qi.

In the center of the spring stood an orchid of pure elegance, instantly drawing Qin Sang’s gaze!

Its eight petals had fully opened, and all its colors had faded into a pristine white. It was simple and serene, yet captivating to the soul. The Nine-Illusion Heavenly Orchid had already completed its eighth metamorphosis!

Qin Sang stood dazed, staring at it in silence.

This orchid had witnessed his journey. From escaping Yuanzhao Sect to joining Shaohua Mountain, from the Qi Refining Realm to the Foundation Building Realm and then the Core Formation Realm. After so many years and countless li apart, they finally met again.

He slowly approached the spiritual spring, lost in memories of all he had endured over the years.

When he returned to his senses, he took out the Jade Liquid of Three Radiances. Now, the most important matter for him was to reach the Spiritual Infant Realm.

Once he finished handling the remaining trivial matters, he would find a secluded place to cultivate until he reached the peak of the Core Formation Realm. After ten years of tempering himself in the Demonic Sea and several intense battles in Seven-Kill Hall, his accumulation of battle experience was nearly complete. He no longer needed to seek out opponents.

The true killing symbol could further enhance his talent, and he had purchased many pills from Yinshan Stronghold to assist in cultivation. His progress would be even faster than before.

It would not be long before he could prepare for the Spiritual Infant Realm breakthrough.

To avoid future uncertainty, Qin Sang decided to directly ripen the Nine-Illusion Heavenly Orchid and harvest the herb.

"I hope the Jade Liquid of Three Radiances works. I hope there won't be any accidents..."

As he was about to ripen the orchid, an inexplicable unease stirred within him. He had tested the Jade Liquid before, and while it had hastened the growth of spiritual fruits, those fruits had turned out to be hollow, their medicinal essence greatly diminished.

The Nine-Illusion Heavenly Orchid had once grown in the Hanging Garden Palace, nourished by celestial barriers. Having been removed from Ziwei Palace for so long, he was unsure whether it had undergone unknown changes.

Snap! Qin Sang dispelled the barrier protecting the spiritual spring and opened the jade bottle.

Sensing the aura of the Jade Liquid of Three Radiances, the Nine-Illusion Heavenly Orchid gently leaned toward the bottle, emanating a faint emotion of yearning, and almost impatience.

Seeing this, Qin Sang immediately guided a drop of the Jade Liquid toward the orchid.

Drip! The liquid fell onto the pistil and was instantly absorbed.

In the next instant, boundless vitality burst forth, filling the cave dwelling. The orchid unfurled in joy; its petals, pistil, and even its entire stem swayed and danced as if alive.

Wisps of spiritual mist rose and dispersed around it, forming wondrous and shifting visions that left Qin Sang awed.

He fixed his gaze upon the herb, holding his breath. Soon, he sensed that the aura of the Nine-Illusion Heavenly Orchid was rapidly changing.

The Jade Liquid was effective! Only then did Qin Sang’s heart truly relax.

He remembered how, after returning from Ancient Immortal Battlefield, the orchid had begun its eighth metamorphosis.

Each metamorphosis took five hundred years. By that reckoning, it would have needed another three centuries to complete the ninth and reach full maturity.

Four drops of the Jade Liquid of Three Radiances would be enough. Although he had used several drops while in the Canglang Sea, the remaining amount would more than suffice to ripen the orchid.

Several days later, the spiritual mist finally stabilized. The medicinal power had been completely absorbed.

The Nine-Illusion Heavenly Orchid showed little outward change, as its form would only transform dramatically when undergoing metamorphosis.

Qin Sang continued to channel the Jade Liquid, feeding the spiritual herb. When he used the third drop, something unexpected happened.

After absorbing the medicinal energy, the petals suddenly folded inward, forming a tight bud. After a short while, the bud slowly bloomed before his eyes.

The Nine-Illusion Heavenly Orchid shed all traces of splendor. Even the surrounding spiritual mist faded away, leaving behind the simplest, purest orchid!

It returned to its origin! To the naked eye, it now appeared no different from an ordinary flower of the mortal world.

Only three drops of the Jade Liquid of Three Radiances were needed to ripen the Nine-Illusion Heavenly Orchid. It seems that each drop extending the herb’s age by a hundred years isn’t a fixed rule. Saving even one drop is fortunate, since there’s not much left anyway... Qin Sang thought to himself.

Watching the long-cherished Nine-Illusion Heavenly Orchid finally reach maturity, he could not hide the joy on his face. Carefully, he lifted the orchid from the spiritual spring, handling it with great care and reluctance to part with it.

After a long moment, Qin Sang took out the jade box he had prepared long ago, placed the herb inside, and sealed its medicinal power with a barrier.

A look of emotion crossed his face. He cast one final glance at the old cave dwelling, then gathered the spiritual spring objects and flew up through the water’s surface.

As the treasured herb finally returned to his hands, a great weight was lifted from his heart.

Gliding low over the water, Qin Sang quietly pondered what else remained unfinished.

He had originally planned to sneak near Shaohua Mountain to inquire about Mu Yifeng’s whereabouts. But since Mu Yifeng had not incurred Dongyang Bo’s wrath, there was no need to take unnecessary risks.

Though he longed to visit old friends from his former sect, Dongyang Bo’s shadow loomed overhead like a suspended sword, forcing him to act with utmost caution.

"I’ll bury Senior Qingzhu first, then investigate the current situation before going into seclusion." Having made up his mind, Qin Sang changed the direction of his evasion light, heading west.

"Peach Blossom Valley... It should be Senior Qingzhu’s hometown! If red jade peaches grow there, they must be the ones he mentioned, said to be far sweeter than ordinary ones. I wonder just how sweet they are?"

Peach Blossom Valley lay at the edge of Yuncang Marshlands, between Shaohua Mountain and Yuanshen Sect. According to Senior Qingzhu, it was not the domain of any immortal sect or cultivation family.

The place was easy to locate. It didn’t take Qin Sang long to pinpoint the valley’s location.

After leaving Yuncang Marshlands, he entered the nearby mountain range and flew along one of the ridges for a while before suddenly halting his evasion light.

The morning sun had just risen. Mist drifted among the mountains, veiling several peaks in its embrace. Peach Blossom Valley lay just below.

Qin Sang landed atop a mountain peak and channeled his true essence, striking out with the talismanic seal that Senior Qingzhu had taught him.

Unexpectedly, the mist stirred, but the spiritual array did not open.

A red-clad figure suddenly flashed out from within the mist. "Huh? You’re not dead?"