Chapter 58: Heavy Losses, Insect Mother Perishes

Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Heavy Losses, Insect Mother Perishes

"How dare you!"

"Stop!"

Elder Wang and Wu Yong’s expressions changed drastically. They hastily formed hand seals, channeling their Spiritual Power to cast Magic. However, in their rush, there was no way they could outpace the prepared Insect Mother. Under its restraint, the Tiger-striped Leech was completely unable to use its innate Magic, and the Thousand-legged Poison Centipedes couldn’t break free either.

The next instant, with a fierce SCREECH, the Insect Mother reared its upper body and opened its large, fanged maw to condense a mass of dull black light. The black light surged forth, washing over the restrained insects.

HISS!

The black light landed on the struggling insects, emitting a violent corrosive sound as a foul stench permeated the air. The three entangled Thousand-legged Poison Centipedes couldn’t even let out a cry before the corrosive power of the black light melted away nearly half of their bodies. They twitched a few times before falling completely still.

SQUEAK!

The Tiger-striped Leech cried out incessantly, twisting its body back and forth. Because of its unique constitution and its status as a Middle-Grade Spirit Insect, it stubbornly survived the black light, even though its flesh and skin were corroded to a ghastly degree. However, looking at its miserable state, it definitely wouldn’t survive another blast.

The Insect Mother wasn’t faring well, either. Between the backlash of its failed breakthrough and casting its innate Magic twice in a row, even a Tier One High-Grade Spirit Insect found it hard to endure. The black light on the surface of its body flickered for a moment before dissipating. Fresh blood spurted once more from its newly healed wounds. Ignoring its own injuries entirely, the Insect Mother opened its fanged maw and lunged at the writhing Tiger-striped Leech.

Elder Wang looked panicked. He anxiously channeled Spiritual Power into his magical meridians. Right as the Insect Mother bit into the Tiger-striped Leech, the meridians within his body finally glowed with dense spiritual light. Elder Wang rapidly shifted his Technique and shouted, "Water Shield Technique, go!"

A streak of watery-blue light flew from his fingertips, striking the Tiger-striped Leech in the blink of an eye. It transformed into a faint, watery-blue barrier that enveloped the leech, prying open the Insect Mother’s fanged maw. The Insect Mother’s sharp fangs bit deeply into the barrier, creating deep indentations that looked as if they would shatter it in the next second.

Elder Wang continued to channel his Spiritual Power to maintain the barrier. He turned his head to look at the gloomy-faced Wu Yong and pleaded, "Senior Brother Wu..."

Wu Yong hesitated for a moment before a ruthless glint flashed through his eyes, and the Technique in his hands shifted once again. A misty, emerald-green arrow materialized in front of him.

The moment the arrow appeared, its tyrannical Spiritual Power fluctuations instantly drew the Insect Mother’s attention. Dropping the Tiger-striped Leech, it turned its head to look.

Wu Yong locked eyes with the Insect Mother. With a shift of his will, he commanded, "Go!"

SWISH!

The emerald-green arrow trembled slightly before turning into a streak of light, shooting violently toward the Insect Mother’s head.

The Insect Mother hadn’t expected the emerald arrow to be so fast and instinctively tilted its head. The arrow grazed its skull, tearing away a chunk of flesh, before striking the bottom of the pit and exploding into a cloud of pale green mist.

SCREECH!

The Insect Mother let out a piercing cry. Its body shot upward like a spring, trailing a streak of blood as it charged straight toward Wu Yong.

Wu Yong’s expression shifted slightly. Channeling Spiritual Power into his legs, he leaped to the side.

THUD!

Liu Yong, who had been hiding behind him, froze in a daze for a second. He felt a sudden, sharp pain in his chest and fell backward involuntarily. The Insect Mother had crashed into him, using the resistance from his chest to launch itself into the air once more, instantly charging out the door.

"Ah!" A fiery, searing agony erupted from Liu Yong’s chest, causing him to let out a miserable howl.

Elder Wang didn’t bother chasing the Insect Mother. Instead, he jumped into the pit, carefully scooped up the heavily injured Tiger-striped Leech, and leaped back out. He immediately channeled Spiritual Power to his fingertips, slicing open a bloody gash on his palm. Crimson blood, mixed with a trace of Spiritual Power, flowed into the Tiger-striped Leech’s mouth.

Wu Yong glanced at the door. After a brief hesitation, he turned and walked over to the edge of the pit. Looking at the three Thousand-legged Poison Centipedes that only had half of their bodies left, a flash of grief crossed his eyes. He had expended tremendous effort cultivating his nine Thousand-legged Poison Centipedes for several years. Seeing as they were just a few years away from advancing to Middle-Grade Spirit Insects, his strength would have surged immensely once they succeeded. Whether he ventured into the Wanzhong Mountains Range alone or joined a Demon Hunting Team, he would undoubtedly secure far more resources. A breakthrough to the Vein Condensation Realm wouldn’t even be impossible!

"Sigh..." Wu Yong let out a heavy breath. With a thought, the six remaining Thousand-legged Poison Centipedes scurried over to the corpses of their kin and began tearing off large chunks of flesh to devour. Extending a finger, he channeled his Spiritual Power to release thin wisps of green mist that settled over the six surviving centipedes.

The reason neither man chased after the Insect Mother was because they knew it had no chance of escaping. There was still that lunatic waiting outside—a maniac who actually dared to split his focus to act as a Spirit Binder for an entire insect swarm.

Outside the wooden cabin.

The moment the Insect Mother burst out the door, it crashed right into the swarm of Red-winged Blood Bamboos led by Big Bro and Little Bro. After a momentary daze, it tried to gather its strength to flee again.

However, the swarm gave it no chance.

Big Bro and Little Bro fluttered their wings and shot forward like lightning. Baring their four fangs, they clamped down on the left and right sides of its head, fiercely injecting the mixed venom stored in their bodies into its flesh.

The Insect Mother’s body stiffened for a second. The swarm of Red-winged Blood Bamboos swarmed over, landing on its wounds. Their razor-sharp mouthparts pierced directly into its flesh, pumping it full of blood venom.

SCREECH!

The Insect Mother finally reacted. A flesh-tearing, bone-melting agony erupted from every corner of its body, causing it to thrash and struggle madly.

Outside the courtyard gate.

Li Changsheng frowned as he watched the furiously struggling, wildly energetic Insect Mother. "I can’t let this operation capsize now," he muttered.

With a thought, a dark shadow shot out from his sleeve, clearing the distance in a few leaps to land right in front of the Insect Mother. It was an insect covered in black-and-grey patterns, bearing a fifty percent resemblance to the Insect Mother itself.

It was none other than Xiaohai, who had been hiding in Li Changsheng’s sleeve this whole time.

The insect tensed its body and reared up. The black-and-grey patterns on its skin lit up, rapidly coating it in a layer of black-and-red spiritual light. The moment the Insect Mother shrieked, Xiaohai launched itself forward like a bolt of lightning, diving straight into the Insect Mother’s mouth.

SCREECH!

The Insect Mother stiffened for a moment before thrashing about wildly, the spiritual light on its body flickering erratically.

A full dozen seconds passed.

The Insect Mother bounced into the air one last time before slamming heavily into the ground. Its body twitched a few more times before it gradually fell completely still. Fearing it might be faking its death, Li Changsheng waited a few more seconds before shifting his intent. The swarm detached itself and hovered in mid-air.

Several of the Red-winged Blood Bamboos had snapped a small section off their wings, and the majority of their mouthparts showed signs of slight corrosion. Li Changsheng urged Xiaohua into the courtyard, vaulted off its back, and approached the lifeless Insect Mother.

The Insect Mother was entirely black and red, roughly a meter and a half long, and as thick as an adult’s arm. It had a moderate-sized bulge near its tail.

"Why does it look so much like Xiaohai?" Li Changsheng muttered, his suspicion rising. "Could they be from the same insect family...?"

At that moment, the Insect Mother’s body suddenly quivered, instantly becoming somewhat shriveled. A blood-soaked Xiaohai slowly crawled out of its mouth.

SQUEAK!

Xiaohai reared up and hissed at him a few times.

Li Changsheng stared intently at the slightly thickened patterns on its body.

[Target: Xiaohai]

[Species: Mutated Black Blood Moth]

[Tier One Middle-Grade: 93%]

[Innate Magic: Food Spirit]

[Status: Healthy]

"Tsk... They really are family. Xiaohai must have been continuously devouring the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree, resulting in a mutation over time," Li Changsheng marveled to himself. Then, with a touch of delight, he added, "Devouring the Insect Mother’s flesh actually increased its cultivation progress by fourteen percent. Not bad, not bad at all."