Chapter 551 - 511: Traces of the 5 Great Strange Insects (Part 2)

Chapter 551: Chapter 511: Traces of the 5 Great Strange Insects (Part 2)

"What business brings you two seniors to Black Mountain?"

Qiu Jingrong was inwardly stunned when he saw the cultivation level of the man and woman before him—they were both Core Formation True Men.

The Qingfeng Sect exclusively controlled two commanderies, but its influence radiated even further, covering nearly one-third of the entire Liang Country Cultivation Realm.

It had completely surpassed the Celestial Principle Sect, the Holy Lotus Sect, and the Ice Soul Palace to become the number one sect in Liang Country. Even so, the sect only had six True Men and two Tier Three Spirit Beasts.

Nearly all Core Formation True Men in the vicinity were registered with the Law Enforcement Hall, their images on record. It was obvious this man and woman were not among them.

"Which True Man is in charge of the sect these days?"

The man in white robes said, his gaze sweeping over the squad of Law Enforcement Hall disciples, a complex look in his eyes.

"Does Senior have a past connection with our sect? By the decree of our two Ancestors, Junior Martial Uncle Wei is in charge of all the sect’s general affairs, both large and small."

Qiu Jingrong’s heart skipped a beat at the man’s odd question. He guessed they were more likely friends than foes.

Otherwise, if two Core Formation Cultivators wanted to force their way into Black Mountain, a few Spirit Ships from the Law Enforcement Hall would be powerless to stop them.

As long as they didn’t approach the vital areas of the Spirit Vein, they were outside the defensive range of the Mountain Protection Array.

"Go and inform Senior Brother Wei that Qi Yue has returned with his wife. We wish to rejoin the Qingfeng Sect..."

After a long silence, Qi Yue sighed, his voice bleak.

...

A Tier Three Peak Green Water Poison Frog, just one step away from Transformation, lay on the ground with its belly turned up.

A sword wound pierced its forehead and ran through its entire body. Gushing blood stained the soil beneath it red.

On the mountain, hundreds of Tier Two poison frogs had been croaking incessantly, their calls grating on the nerves.

In the next instant, a flash of Sword Light swept through, and all the frogs’ heads were sent flying.

Whether at the foot of the mountain or its peak, the croaking vanished at the exact same moment, with not a hundredth of a second’s difference.

In the Frog King’s lair, a Seven-Petaled White Flower grew quietly. A Spirit Hoe dug into the soil, removing it, roots and all.

A drop of liquid fell from the white flower and splashed onto the ground. The yellow earth instantly corroded and turned black, sizzling audibly.

’A Bone-Rotting Spirit Flower. It takes two hundred years to grow a single petal, so this one has been growing for a full fourteen hundred years. Truly remarkable...’

Bai Zichen wrapped the Bone-Rotting Spirit Flower in a brocade cloth woven from Ice Silkworm Silver Threads, the only material that could withstand the poisonous liquid from its pistil.

Otherwise, even a specially made Jade Box would be corroded and pitted.

He took the extra step of placing it inside a specially made Ice Jade Box and setting a restriction on it before he was satisfied.

This flower was one of the nine hundred and ninety-nine poisons required to cultivate the Hundred Poison Green Scale Bone, and one of the few he had yet to collect.

’With this, only eighteen ingredients remain. I can finally see a glimmer of hope for forging the Immortal Bone.’

In the five years Bai Zichen had spent comprehending the Sword Dao, the sects of Dian Country, even sending out their Nascent Soul True Monarchs, had been unable to help him find the remaining poisons.

The remaining poisons either had no known location, or were incredibly powerful themselves, or were guarded by formidable Insect Beasts. Not even a Nascent Soul True Monarch could be one hundred percent certain of success.

The fearsome reputation of the Hundred Thousand Evil Mountains was well-earned. The deaths of Low-Tier Cultivators were considered inconsequential, but this conclusion had been reached only after five of the Southern Border’s already scarce Nascent Soul Cultivators had perished within.

Take this Bone-Rotting Spirit Flower, for instance. Its guardian’s only misfortune was running into True Monarch Bai. Against any other Nascent Soul Cultivator, the Green Water Poison Frog could have held its own for several rounds.

Furthermore, the moment the Demon King died, all the other poison frogs spread across the mountain would detonate their Poison Sacs with a final croak, causing the already highly toxic Bone-Rotting Spirit Flower to wither instantly.

Only by killing all the poison frogs simultaneously within three breaths’ time could the Bone-Rotting Spirit Flower be preserved.

This would require arranging several hundred Cultivators, all of whom had to be strong enough to instantly kill a Tier Two poison frog, just to ensure a foolproof result.

If Bai Zichen hadn’t finally comprehended Sword Light Division, he would not have dared to choose the Bone-Rotting Spirit Flower as his first target.

After briefly gathering his spoils, he set off for the next location without a moment’s rest.

The updated map of the Southern Border in his hand had been paid for with the lives of generations of Southern Domain Cultivators, and it recorded the locations of all kinds of Insect Beasts.

The poisons required for the Hundred Poison Green Scale Bone were located progressively deeper within the Hundred Thousand Evil Mountains.

’According to Yu Baichan, there might be a Tier Five Demon Insect in the deepest parts of the Hundred Thousand Evil Mountains. I can’t be careless... I’ve only just entered the Fourth Realm of Sword Dao. My power has certainly increased, but even if I set up the Star River Sword Array, I’m not yet strong enough to confront a Tier Five Demon Insect.’

Bai Zichen had marked the area where Yu Baichan claimed to have encountered the Tier Five Demon Insect as a strictly forbidden zone; he didn’t even consider heading in that direction.

As for there being a *second* Tier Five existence in the Hundred Thousand Evil Mountains, the probability was so low as to be impossible.

「Three months later.」

He obtained the Jade Ganoderma Vine, an ingredient that was both a potent restorative medicine and a deadly poison.

Swallowing a small piece raw could replenish one’s blood and nourish their qi. A frail child born with an Innate deficiency, unable to even begin the path of Cultivation, could recover to the level of a normal person just by eating a single piece.

Consuming up to three pieces would result in vigorous blood and qi, and abundant Primordial Qi. Before Core Formation, one’s Cultivation speed would even increase slightly.

It could even help with the legendary Nine Yin Extinct Vein.

When ground into a powder and mixed with a specific Spirit Water, it could allow someone with the Nine Yin Extinct Vein, who would normally live to twenty at most, to maintain a normal state and live for at least another twenty years.

One must understand that someone with a Nine Yin Extinct Vein had a Cultivation speed comparable to that of a Celestial Spiritual Root.

By suppressing the negative effects, they could definitely reach Foundation Establishment before their lifespan ran out.

Once their realm was higher, they would have other ways to save themselves.

However, the moment the Jade Ganoderma Vine was placed in a Pill Furnace, any attempt to use it as a Spirit Grass in an Elixir would transform it into a deadly poison.

A mere speck of powder from the resulting elixir could kill a Core Formation True Man.

Even a Nascent Soul True Monarch who consumed it would be corroded, suffering a horrifying death as their Nascent Soul turned black and necrotic.

This time, Bai Zichen faced a Tier Four Dragon Sparrow. It could speak human language but had not successfully undergone Transformation.

It clearly possessed a Desolate Beast Bloodline, which, while granting it immense power, also restricted its developmental path.

He fought the Dragon Sparrow for less than the time it takes an incense stick to burn, mainly to practice the techniques of his Sword Light Division Realm. From the start, his Dual Swords transformed into layer upon layer of Sword Light that rippled outward.

Feathers rained from the Dragon Sparrow’s body. Unable to defend itself even with several Divine Techniques, it had no choice but to ruthlessly pluck a True Feather from its tail, melt it into a ball of five-colored light, and execute a Flying Escape.

Bai Zichen thought for a moment but decided not to give chase.

After all, there were still existences hidden within the Hundred Thousand Evil Mountains that he could not handle. It wasn’t worth taking such a great risk for a single Dragon Sparrow.

...

「The seasons changed, and the sun rose and set.」

His Magical Robe was self-cleaning, and he shaved his head with a sweep of his palm. For three years, Bai Zichen lived like a wild man in the Hundred Thousand Evil Mountains.

He traveled almost ceaselessly from one mountain to the next, searching for poisons.

If the information was wrong or if someone had already taken the item, he would immediately switch to a new target.

During this time, he even encountered one of the Five Great Strange Insects: the Hundred Poison Gold-Eating Insects. From a distance, they were a vast, dark, oppressive mass.

They blotted out the sun for miles, like a moving cloud of black ink.

Bai Zichen neither dodged nor retreated, nor did he take the initiative to approach.

It was the Hundred Poison Gold-Eating Insects that smelled the scent of his flesh and blood, flapping their wings in a frenzy as they swarmed him, forming a sphere around him.

’Tier Three Peak Hundred Poison Gold-Eating Insects... their bodies are harder than refined iron, impervious to ordinary blades. They can devour anything... Given enough time, it doesn’t matter if it’s a Spiritual Treasure or Protective Divine Light, they will chew through and devour it all.’

Feeling the intense vibrations transmitted through his Sword Light, he had to admit there was a good reason they were listed among the Five Great Strange Insects.

Even a Tier Four Demon Insect wouldn’t be able to shake his Sword Light, yet the Hundred Poison Gold-Eating Insects had managed to bite a small opening in it.

Tens of thousands of Hundred Poison Gold-Eating Insects gnawed frantically, tearing a small hole in his originally impenetrable Sword Light in just a few breaths.

Fortunately, he had already comprehended Sword Light Division. With a flick of his two Flying Swords, countless rays of Sword Light rippled out, scattering the Hundred Poison Gold-Eating Insects layer by layer.

Otherwise, dealing with the Hundred Poison Gold-Eating Insects would have been quite a struggle without resorting to some of his ultimate Divine Techniques.

Refining Sword into Silk could easily pierce the insects’ bodies, but it demanded extremely high precision and speed in controlling the Flying Sword. Every single strike had to be perfect.

Faced with such numbers, the killing speed would have been a drop in the bucket.

This was why, once their numbers reached a certain point, even a Nascent Soul True Monarch could be devoured by Tier Three Peak Hundred Poison Gold-Eating Insects.

In the past, he wouldn’t have been devoured, but he could only have killed a hundred or so before the swarm, recognizing him as a tough target, would have fled, and he would have had no way to stop them.

But now, things were different. Like a torrential downpour, the corpses of the Hundred Poison Gold-Eating Insects rained from the sky.

In the blink of an eye, a thick layer of them had already accumulated on the ground.