Chapter 396: Chapter 396

Ares stood atop what was once the most magnificent palace of the Heavenly Realm Sect. The Insect Nest slowly pulsed behind her. With each pulse, a large number of insects slowly fell to the ground.

Black, red, white, and myriad other colors of insects piled up together, then scattered in all directions at Ares’s command.

Beside her, Belis’s face showed a tinge of envy. Such powerful insects, such formidable strength... when will I ever possess them?

A white centipede coiled around Ares’s arm. Gently stroking its smooth shell, Ares said unhurriedly, "Belis, your talent is quite good. A portion of the clan’s resources will be allocated to you, so don’t overthink it."

"For this battle, just relax and be a spectator."

"Yes, Sister," Belis replied respectfully.

The endless insects, using the Heavenly Realm Sect as their starting point, began to spread continuously in all directions. Wherever they passed, any substance containing Spiritual Energy was devoured completely. The races near the Heavenly Realm Sect were mostly eaten, leaving no trace, except for the few that managed to escape.

The Insect Clan had brought a considerable number of Insect Nest Queens this time, and their strength was significant. However, they adopted a method of gradual encroachment, as a joint attack on one faction would easily provoke other races to unite against them.

After all, the principle of the Insect Clan was to kill all, rob all, and eat all.

The Nuxiao Chicken lowered its head and pecked once. The half-meter-long black and red centipede below was sucked in like a noodle.

Perhaps because it was tasty, the Nuxiao Chicken let out a piercing crow.

Such scenes were numerous on the trail from the Heavenly Realm Sect to Shadowhorn City. This was especially true under the leadership of the Heavenly Immortal Nuxiao Chickens, which Da Bai had accidentally created. The insects had no place to hide and all became food for the Nuxiao Chickens.

Two Heavenly Realm Sect disciples supported each other, limping as they leaned against a large tree. One of them said, "Senior Brother, I’m afraid I can’t make it out. You go on."

"No! The most dangerous time has passed. These are just small insects; we can definitely escape!"

Immortal Blood, rich in Spiritual Energy, dripped continuously, its delicious scent attracting nearby insects. In the mere moments the two disciples spoke, hundreds, even thousands, of insects had begun to gather.

More insects were rushing over from the distance. The Senior Brother, whose injuries were less severe, produced a pagoda in his hand. With an infusion of Mana, the pagoda expanded rapidly and slammed down violently towards the insects below.

Seeing the dead insects, bellies upturned, being rapidly covered and devoured by other insects, the Junior Brother, convinced of his impending death, gave a bitter smile. "Senior Brother, don’t waste your Mana. Go now!"

The Senior Brother’s eyes were red, his face etched with unwillingness. We’re so close! Just a little further to Shadowhorn City! Hope is right there!

A quarter of an hour later, Senior Brother Shen Yu’s Mana was completely drained, but the swarm of insects remained endless. Looking at the faltering Array, a trace of relief appeared on his face. "Junior Brother," he said, "it seems we’re going to die together."

"Senior Brother, why did it have to be this way!" Wang Le said, his voice filled with bitter disappointment at his senior’s foolishness.

"If we cannot be together in life, then we can be joined in death."

The two looked at each other with deep affection, just as they were about to kiss, a high-pitched crowing sound shattered the moment.

A colorful, super-sized rooster appeared. Its large beak pecked at the swarm beneath it, instantly creating a gap and even causing chaos among the insects.

The strongest of the large insects began to shriek and attack the rooster. However, as more and more True Immortal Nuxiao Chickens appeared, these True Immortal Worms were eliminated before they could even touch the large rooster.

"Junior Brother, am I seeing things?" Shen Yu said, dumbfounded, as he watched the rooster continue to prey on the insects.

Wang Le said excitedly, "Senior Brother, we’re saved!"

Overcome with excitement, they were about to share a loving kiss when a member of the Ghost Shark Clan spoke inopportunely, "Gentlemen, while I don’t mind watching your performance, now really isn’t the most suitable time."

"That one will probably lose his life if he bleeds much longer."

"Ghost Shark Clan?" Shen Yu shielded Wang Le behind him, taking out his Lifebound Pagoda with a wary look.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Shark, of the Ghost Shark Clan, one of the Great Commanders from Shadowhorn City. Are you two interested in joining Shadowhorn City?" Shark said, revealing his sharp teeth in a somewhat ferocious smile.

Luo Zhenhai swung his long sword back and forth through the dense swarm of insects, while several of his subordinates stood by, counting with a bored air.

The Nuxiao Chickens, attracted by the scent of the insects, hurriedly scavenged and feasted. This person is so kind! He actually chops the insects up to feed us! What a great guy!

Luo Zhenhai, his flamboyant clothes splattered, shook off the strange fluids from his body. A look of exhilaration on his face, he exclaimed, "This feels great!"

Using these insects to hone my physical body and techniques is truly effective!

"Do you want to try?"

The ones following Luo Zhenhai were not Asuras but two members of the Frost Snow Clan. These handsome Frost Snow Clan members, though not overly fastidious, were unwilling to get themselves covered in colorful splatters, so they shook their heads in unison.

"Alright then. By the way, have you seen any other cultivators?"

"No. Sir, would you like to take a different route? I heard that Great Commander Shark recently found two Heavenly Immortals and even recruited them into his legion."

"Shark? No rush. They’re just two mere Heavenly Immortals."

"AHEM. Are you Asuras from Shadowhorn City?"

A pale face surfaced on the thick trunk of a tree.

Luo Zhenhai revealed a slight smile and said to his subordinate, "See? One just showed up."

The long blade embedded itself in the tree trunk. Luo Zhenhai, flashing what he considered a charming smile, said, "Friend, are you interested in joining Shadowhorn City?"

Sensing the bone-chilling cold from the long blade, Yang Bin forced a smile that was uglier than tears. "I have always admired the Asura Clan. I am willing."

"Good. Take him away."

Watching the two Frost Snow Clan members about to uproot the tree, Yang Bin stopped them. "I can come out on my own."

Chen Jiuge, followed by his Second Senior Brother, strolled leisurely amidst the sea of insects.

Already a True Immortal, his Second Senior Brother also began to display its might. A small vortex spun in its mouth, ceaselessly sucking in the surrounding insects, and its aura slowly strengthened.

Chen Jiuge patted Second Senior Brother’s soft, pink ears. I didn’t expect Second Senior Brother to actually inherit the Tianyuan Pig’s trait of rapid growth from consuming insects, he thought, somewhat surprised. It seems the first Spiritual Beast to break through to Heavenly Immortal will probably be Second Senior Brother.

Sensing their food rapidly dwindling, the Nuxiao Chickens had to accelerate their eating speed. This pig is incredibly annoying!

The insects that had previously spread for hundreds of Baili outside Shadowhorn City were now being relentlessly devoured. Now, hardly an insect could be seen for a thousand Baili.

Standing on a small hill, Chen Jiuge opened the Dharma Eye on his forehead. The once lush and verdant forest had vanished, replaced by surging black swarms of insects.

Have the other races truly not reacted at all? Chen Jiuge was quite puzzled.

These insects aren’t particularly strong; most are only at the True Immortal Realm. So far, I haven’t seen a single Heavenly Immortal Insect. For them to annihilate all the races along this path should be virtually impossible.

Of course, if an Insect Nest Queen took action, things might be different, but I haven’t sensed any aura fluctuations exceeding the Heavenly Immortal level either.

A shrill crowing sound filled the air as a Tribulation cloud appeared. Not long after, the second Heavenly Immortal Nuxiao Chicken emerged, its vibrant and colorful plumage looking exceptionally beautiful.

"Eh, the Insect Clan is reacting?" Chen Jiuge was a bit astonished. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by noᴠelfire.net

A Heavenly Immortal cockroach Insect rapidly charged toward the Nuxiao Chicken that had just undergone its Tribulation, its enraged screeching expressing its fury.

The first Heavenly Immortal Nuxiao Chicken suddenly appeared and swallowed it whole. Chen Jiuge winced. These Nuxiao Chickens seem a bit too effective against insects.

Flying closer, Chen Jiuge placed his hands on the two Nuxiao Chickens and discovered they had mutated. Their internal Nuxiao Chicken Bloodlines had grown stronger. He could vaguely sense from their Bloodlines that these two Heavenly Immortal Nuxiao Chickens’ suppressive power against insects was now several times stronger than when he had first created them.

Good heavens, have I accidentally created a race that’s the bane of all insects?

That should be impossible. The Insect Clan is a top-tier race in the Star Sea Realm. A mere flock of Nuxiao Chickens shouldn’t be able to cause them much trouble, right?

Ares listened quietly to the reports from the other Insect Nest Queens. A hint of satisfaction on her face, she spoke softly, "Belis, learn well. Our Insect Clan generally uses those lower-ranked insects to encroach upon the enemy, continuously shrinking their living space."

"During this process, more powerful Insect subordinates can be born. This minimizes our losses and maximizes our gains. Although it takes longer, it’s safer."

"Even though we are Insect Nest Queens, at the apex of our race, we are not invincible in the Star Sea Realm. Only by staying alive is there hope."

"Is the report finished?" Ares looked at the Insect Nest Queen who had paused.

A hint of hesitation on her face, Keli said, "Sister Ares, something seems... wrong."

Ares took the report and quickly scanned it. Her smile froze for a moment, then a trace of astonishment appeared. "Large roosters that specifically eat insects?"

"And two of them are at the Heavenly Immortal Level? All the Heavenly Immortal Insects supervising that area were eaten?"

"Are you sure there’s no mistake? I recall there being no fewer than a hundred Heavenly Immortal Insects in that sector. Even if they were weak, how could two roosters devour them all?"

Keli was also puzzled, but the intelligence she received stated just that, so she could only nod reluctantly.

Interesting. Could this be something the recently relocated Myriad Beasts Sect has researched? No, that direction is Shadowhorn City, isn’t it? Asuras don’t raise chickens.

"Send some Golden Immortal Insects to investigate. If there’s an opportunity, exterminate these roosters directly." Ares didn’t attach much importance to these so-called large roosters.

Several streaks of light flew out from the grand hall of the Heavenly Realm Sect’s former palace. These were all Insects possessing Golden Immortal Cultivation.

The inherent strength of Insects was low, and the difficulty for them to break through to the Golden Immortal realm was much higher than for other races. However, once an Insect broke through to Golden Immortal, they were no longer the weakest existences at the same realm; their strength would undergo a qualitative transformation.

The Clan Leader of the Saber Wolf Clan, who had hidden his people within a Grotto Heaven, looked at the Golden Immortal Insects in mid-air. A trace of confusion appeared on his face. Why have Golden Immortal Insects appeared so soon?

No, that direction is Shadowhorn City. Could it be that the Asuras there have started to make their move?

The Saber Wolf Clan Leader’s eyes lit up. He turned to the clan’s Elders and said, "I will go investigate the situation. If the Asuras of Shadowhorn City have indeed made a move, then we too must contribute our strength to reclaim our ancestral lands!"

It wasn’t just the Saber Wolf Clan Leader who acted this way; other races did the same. For a time, Golden Immortals began to appear frequently in the sky. Seeing this, Ares’s heart gave a lurch.

"Keli, dispatch more Golden Immortal Insects! And send some of our Golden Immortal sisters to reinforce them!" Ares ordered quickly.

"Understood, Sister."

For a moment, the might of Golden Immortals permeated the entire sky. The surrounding factions, those not yet encroached upon by the insects, were also alarmed and dispatched numerous Golden Immortals. The previously calm battlefront instantly filled with the tense air of impending conflict; the war was about to escalate dramatically.

Chen Jiuge watched the suddenly bustling sky, the corner of his mouth twitching. What’s going on? Wasn’t this supposed to be a gradual encroachment by the Insect Clan? Why have so many Golden Immortals suddenly appeared?