The ancient cultivator’s estate lay closest to Xuanlu Stronghold. After a long journey, Qin Sang arrived near the site and located the entrance.

A cracked stone stele stood tall in the midst of a ring of shattered rocks. Despite countless Spirit Tides and celestial phenomena eroding it over the years, the entrance had somehow survived, unbroken until this day.

He discovered remnants of spiritual arrays left by various sects, but after careful probing, he confirmed that no cultivator had guarded this hidden realm for a long time.

Back when Xuanlu Stronghold’s cultivators first found the place, they learned that it had already been visited by the devilish sects.

Whatever treasures had remained were first looted by Che Yutao and the others. Later, when another upheaval occurred, the major sects took control of the ruins for many years. By now, almost nothing was left.

Moreover, unlike other hidden realms, this ancient estate was far from tranquil. It was once infested with dangerous fire spirits, and after that great calamity, the place had nearly turned into a wasteland. The space had become extremely unstable, unfit to serve as a base. It was no surprise that the area had long been abandoned.

Qin Sang quietly slipped into the estate. His cultivation was far greater than in the past, and the barriers he encountered now were different. Likely because of that ancient upheaval, he had no difficulty entering the site.

A surge of scorching air rushed at him. Molten magma rolled beneath him, filling his sight with endless red.

Except for a few lonely, island-like peaks, the entire hidden realm had become a sea of magma!

Looking into the distance, Qin Sang saw the shadow of the heavenly peak completely surrounded by molten rock.

The most terrifying part was that the space around it had become terribly unstable. Spatial rifts crisscrossed everywhere, far more numerous than when they had fled all those years ago.

After a brief hesitation, Qin Sang turned westward and soared toward the heavenly peak.

Below, magma surged and burst upward in fiery columns. From time to time, fire spirits leapt and played within it, baring claws and fangs the moment they sensed his presence.

Perhaps the place had been cleared before, for the number of fire spirits was less than expected. Otherwise, traversing this area would have taken much more effort.

Before long, he reached the vicinity of the heavenly peak, the very space that had once been sealed by flaming runes.

Now, the ancient barriers were gone. The countless peaks that had once filled the land were mostly submerged in magma, and those still above the surface had turned into islands of molten rock, stripped of all former grace.

Even if treasures had once been buried here, they would have been destroyed after so many baptisms of magma.

The greatest danger was not the magma but the dense web of spatial rifts and the ancient barriers hidden among them.

Compared to that year, the place no longer seemed as chaotic as when the disaster first erupted. Qin Sang observed for a while and did not see any new rifts forming, but that did not mean he was safe.

Gazing at the dense spatial rifts ahead, Qin Sang felt a chill of apprehension.

The magma below was equally perilous. The core of the hidden realm’s ancient barriers lay deep beneath it, and now it was hypersensitive. One accidental touch could trigger a backlash. Worse yet, if it caused a spatial tremor, the resulting rift would tear him apart before he could flee.

Though the distance to the heavenly peak was not far, a great obstacle sat between them!

"After reaching the Spiritual Infant Realm, with the Sky-Eyed Butterfly’s aid, entering shouldn’t be too difficult, but what meaning would there be in finding the Inner Vision Primordial Talisman then? I can only try. If I truly can’t make it in, I’ll have to let it go..."

He shook his head and summoned the Sky-Eyed Butterfly, letting it rest on his shoulder. Channeling the Sky Eyes to its fullest, he began to circle the region, flying back and forth countless times.

After long consideration, he finally chose a direction and proceeded cautiously. Yet he had barely advanced when an ancient barrier blocked his path, forcing him to retreat.

He refused to give up and changed direction to try again. Attempt after attempt ended in failure.

Each time demanded full concentration. Even with the Sky-Eyed Butterfly’s help, Qin Sang felt exhaustion creeping in. Knowing he could not rush, he landed on a solitary island of solidified magma, intending to stay there for several days.

Two days passed in a blur. No other cultivator appeared, which set his mind at ease. Bit by bit, his exploration bore fruit. He could now traverse nearly half the distance.

On the third day, while moving through the zone of spatial rifts and seeking a path closer to the heavenly peak, he suddenly sensed something. He lowered his head sharply, staring at the magma below.

The molten sea churned violently but showed no obvious anomaly. Yet moments ago, the Sky-Eyed Butterfly had detected a phantom emerging from within it. It was so subtle it vanished back into the depths almost instantly.

Had it not been for the butterfly’s warning, Qin Sang would have missed it entirely.

"Other than fire spirits, are there actually living creatures here able to move freely through magma like that?" He was startled, then a thought struck him. "It can’t be... Could it be them?"

His gaze deepened in thought. After pondering briefly, he retreated from the zone of spatial rifts and landed back on the island. From his Thousand-Jin Ring, he took out a jade bottle.

Inside remained only a thin layer of spiritual liquid. It was the remaining Crimson Fire Gilded Gold left after feeding the silkworm and the Sky-Eyed Butterfly.

Neither spiritual insect had reached their fourth metamorphosis, and since he had no other insects worth cultivating with the Crimson Fire Gilded Gold, he had saved it until now.

The Crimson Fire Gilded Gold was almost gone and no longer held much benefit for the two insects. Previously, he had tried to use a bit of it to lure the silkworm to awaken, but it had failed.

The silkworm still slept within Mute Girl’s body. Months had passed, and there was still no sign of awakening. He could not tell when either of them would wake again.

After clearing away nearby fire spirits, Qin Sang placed a jade disk on the island and dripped a single bead of Crimson Fire Gilded Gold upon it. Then, his figure flickered and vanished into hiding.

At first, nothing happened. Magma waves splashed against the island, cooling quickly into a dark crust of stone. Soon, a tiny figure surfaced in the magma. It swam freely within, utterly unafraid of the magma.

Clearly, it had sensed the Crimson Fire Gilded Gold and been drawn over. Yet it remained highly vigilant, refusing to climb ashore. It hid in the magma, circling the little island several times to scout for danger.

"It really is a Fire Jade Centipede." Hidden in the dark, Qin Sang’s eyes lit up.

He finally saw its full form. It was a Fire Jade Centipede. Furthermore, it had reached the peak of its second metamorphosis! Male and female Fire Jade Centipedes differed greatly, making them easy to tell apart.

"A male! Is it the very one that Di Que snatched from me?" Questions appeared in Qin Sang's mind.

Back then, when he had first obtained the Fire Jade Centipede, it had only been at the peak of its first metamorphosis, and even after more than twenty years, it still had not undergone metamorphosis. Since the Fire Jade Centipede had never recognized a master, Qin Sang could not be sure whether this was the same one as before, or a descendant of that original pair.

"All of the spiritual insects were in Di Que’s Spirit Beast Pouch and were destroyed by Daoist Master Xuanyu. I never expected a Fire Jade Centipede to survive. Had I known, I would have returned earlier to collect them... but why is the female nowhere to be seen?"

Relying on the Sky Eyes, Qin Sang examined the surroundings with meticulous care. In the end, he confirmed that only this single centipede was present.